I Am The Strongest Ghost Hunter

Thud. Thud. Thud.

The night was dead quiet except for those footsteps cutting through the woods. Moonlight painted long shadows on the ground—one dragging the other along like it was on a mission.

“Come on, Raito, keep up!”

Megumi’s laugh floated back, light and teasing, as she tugged him harder by the wrist. She was already vanishing between the trees, a flash of dark hair and mischief.

“Slow down, Megumi…”

Raito huffed, lungs burning, boots crunching leaves like they owed him money. He stumbled after her anyway, deeper into the dark.

They broke into a clearing and she finally stopped.

“There.”

She pointed straight up, arm high like she was claiming the sky.

Holy crap.

The stars weren’t just stars. They scattered across the black like someone had shattered a rainbow and let the pieces burn. Colors shifted slow—blues bleeding into purples, golds flickering like they were alive.

“Isn’t it beautiful?”

Raito couldn’t move. Air stuck in his chest.

“…Wow.”

His mouth literally hung open. He forgot how to blink.

Megumi turned to him, watching his face go soft, watching the wonder hit him full force. Heat crept up her cheeks. A shaky little smile tugged at her lips.

She stayed quiet for a second, swallowing the words burning in her throat.

“I knew you’d love it,” she said instead, voice barely above the crickets.

“I wish we could stay here forever,” Raito whispered. “Just us, Megumi.”

She didn’t answer right away.

Instead, she slid her fingers between his, slow and deliberate. Warmth spread from her hand to his, and when he turned, their eyes locked.

For one perfect heartbeat, the whole night held its breath.

“Raito…” Her voice stayed steady, but her cheeks were on fire now, face schooled into something brave. “There’s something I need to tell you.”

He smiled—small, soft, already guessing.

“Don’t worry, Meg,” he murmured. “I won’t tell a soul. This spot, this sky—it’s safe with me.”

She shook her head, fingers tightening around his.

“No,” she said, heart hammering loud enough she swore he could hear it. “That’s not what I meant…”

Then...

Boom!

A murder of crows exploded from the trees—cawing like the world was ending.

Sharp. Frantic. Ripping the night apart.

The magic shattered in an instant. The air turned thick, heavy, wrong.

Both of them froze solid.

Megumi turned slowly, but the softness in her eyes was gone—replaced by pure, raw terror. She wasn’t looking at Raito anymore.

She was staring past him.

“Raito…” Her voice cracked, thin and shaking, like someone was squeezing the words out of her. “Behind you.”

He frowned, heart kicking. “What?”

He glanced over his shoulder.

Nothing. Just shadows and trees.

He turned back. “Meg? Hey, talk to me. You okay?”

No answer.

Her grip turned iron. She yanked him forward hard, face twisted in panic, dragging him away from that spot like her life depended on it.

And then—

SLASH!

Fire exploded across Raito’s back. Hot. Wet. Wrong.

Blood sprayed—warm drops hitting Megumi’s face as he crashed to his knees, air punched out of his lungs.

Vision swimming, he looked up.

And finally saw it.

A shadow loomed over him—tall, twisted, barely human. Hollow. Empty. Wrapped in a sick white glow that pulsed like a heartbeat on its last breath.

It raised its arm again.

Claws flashed.

Ripped straight through him.

Raito screamed—raw, guttural, tearing out of his throat.

Megumi didn’t run.

She dropped beside him, grabbing his arm, sobbing, heels digging into dirt as she hauled him backward with everything she had.

The thing didn’t even glance at her. Like she was air. Its dead white eyes stayed locked on Raito.

Again.

Again.

Claws sank in, over and over, until the pain went numb and his body felt like it belonged to someone else.

“Stop… please!” Megumi’s voice broke, desperate.

She snatched anything—twigs, rocks, handfuls of dirt—and hurled them with all her strength.

Everything passed right through it.

Useless.

Gone.

Like throwing punches at smoke.

The thing paused—mid-slash, like it was savoring the moment.

Then it raised one arm slow, deliberate. A long, razor-sharp claw caught the moonlight, glinting cold and cruel as it pulled back for the kill shot.

Raito’s vision started fading, edges going black.

The last thing he saw? Megumi stepping in front of him, arms flung wide, body shaking but planted firm. She wasn’t running. Not anymore.

The claw screamed down.

Ripped straight through her like paper.

Then through him.

And everything went dark.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Raito jolted awake, heart slamming against his ribs like it wanted out.

Classroom. Desk. Sunlight pouring through windows. Kids whispering.

He was slumped over his notebook, drool probably on the page.

“Didn’t get enough sleep last night, Raito?” The young teacher loomed at the front, arms crossed, voice sharp enough to cut.

‘Aren’t you way too young to be teaching?’ he thought, scrambling to his feet.

“Won’t happen again,” he muttered.

“It better not,” she snapped. “Class isn’t a hotel. It’s for learning. Got it?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

He dropped his eyes, feeling every stare in the room drilling into him. Judgment. Pity. Whatever.

‘If only you knew what I’m actually dealing with,’ he thought. ‘You wouldn’t look at me like that.’

His gaze drifted to the far corner.

And there it was.

If you could even call that thing a woman.

Twisted. Wrong. Body drenched in old, flaking blood. Fingers too long, jagged, crusted with black under the nails. Eyes pure white—no pupils, just empty glow. Mouth hanging open, teeth rotten and crooked. A faint blue aura pulsed around it like poison mist.

Raito went rigid.

The thing stretched out its arms, thin shadow-strings snaking toward the students. Brushing cheeks. Trailing over shoulders. It giggled—soft, wet, insane.

Nobody flinched.

Nobody even noticed.

Raito snatched his bag, hugged it to his chest, pulled his knees up tight. Making himself small. Invisible.

Breath shallow. Heart racing.

‘It’s been three years since I lost her,’ he thought. ‘Three years since Megumi…’

And ever since, these things started showing up.

I don’t know what they are.

Don’t know what they want.

But I figured out one rule—cold, hard, and true.

As long as I stay silent…

As long as I don’t move…

They can’t see me.

So I stay still.

I stay quiet.

And I pray they keep looking right through me.