The devourer of darkness

The cost of survival

"I got it" Nanami whispered, his voice barely a breath. A distant roar and a heavy thud echoed from the shadows where the beast had fled. Nanami had ensured the creature wouldn't survive its meal; he had taken it down with him. Kenta forced a grim, impressed smile. Nanami had been one of his best, and losing him felt like a physical blow. The other Hunters watched in a guilty silence, knowing their own distraction had cost a comrade his life.

"Is Ichiro safe?" Nanami wheezed, his eyes searching for Ichiro. Geto grimaced, his face twisting in anger. He couldn't believe Nanami was still worried about a nobody. He kicked Ichiro's unconscious body to vent his frustration. "Who cares about this... this..." He kicked him again, unable to find the words.

"Stop" Kenta ordered, his voice cold. Geto looked away, fuming.[Komon -- Access Allowed] the gauntlet announced, oblivious to the tragedy. Kenta wanted to smash the device.

Nanami was fatally injured, his core gone and surviving without a core was an impossibility. He smiled weakly and shut his eyes. "The mission... must go on. I'm fine."

"He's dead" Erika whispered, her voice trembling. Ayumi nodded slowly, her gaze fixed on the fallen Ranger.

"Yuto" Ayumi said, turning to Yuto "Nanami is dead. "Yuto's jaw tightened. In his mind, there was only one person to blame.

"He died protecting Teta. If we let Ichiro die now, we're dishonoring Nanami's sacrifice" Kenta said, standing up.

"I'll take him back to the van" Ayumi offered. "You can't be serious, Ayumi-san!" Yuto snapped. "He's not worth it, and you shouldn't go back alone."She looked at him with a thin, sharp smile. "Everyone is worth compassion, Yuto. Especially a friend of Nanami's."

"I'll go" Ryo said, stepping forward. Kenta shook his head. He knew Ayumi could handle the return trip, and he needed Ryo for the Darklands. "No. Ren, you carry Nanami's body. Yuto, you will escort them back."

Yuto's face darkened, but he didn't argue."The rest of us move forward. Now!" Kenta commanded. The Hunters gave a final, unified bow to their fallen friend and disappeared into the depths of the Darklands.

****

Ichiro gasped, his eyes snapping open as he jerked into consciousness. A searing pain in his left shoulder immediately pinned him back down. He tried to move, but he was wrapped in bandages from his shoulder to his waist.

'How badly am I hurt?'

The sharp, throbbing pain was answer enough. He closed his eyes, the reality of the situation settling over him like lead. He looked around and realized he was in a van. Captain Kenta was there, his expression as cold as ever. And then he saw Yuto. Yuto stood up the moment he saw Ichiro was awake.

"Weakling!" he spat. Ichiro's mind raced, the events of the hunt coming back in a blur. The attack... the Ranger... "Where's Nanami?" He asked, Kenta's gaze was steady. "Nanami is dead..."

"And it's all your fault!" Yuto screamed.Ichiro winced, covering his ear. The ringing from the beast's attack still hadn't faded. "I... I didn't know..."

"If you weren't so pathetic, Nanami wouldn't have had to die protecting you!" Yuto yelled. "You should have been the one to die!" Ichiro looked down at his bandaged chest. "I'm sorry."

"It's fine," Kenta said, though his voice lacked any warmth. "You were attacked by a Grade two Core Devourer. It would have taken your core if Nanami hadn't stepped in. Try to relax. We're taking you back to headquarters for better treatment."

Kenta stepped out of the van, leaving Ichiro alone with Yuto's rage. "I hate you" Yuto hissed, before storming off to the elite van.

Ichiro shuddered. His first hunt had been a disaster, and a man was dead because of him. He lay back against a pillow -- the softest thing he'd ever felt. It was a strange, hollow comfort. 'Let's hope the pillows at the HQ are just as good' he thought shutting his eyes.

****

At the Silver Lining headquarters, Kenta gave a low, respectful bow. "Shibata-sama."

Uzui Shibata, head of the clan and CEO of the agency, gestured for him to rise. He wore a thin, calculating smile. "The harvest was bountiful. I heard you lost a Hunter."

"Yes, sir" Kenta replied."What rank?" Uzui asked

"Ranger, Level three." Uzui chuckled, a sound of genuine dismissal. To him, anyone below Special Ranger rank was an expendable asset. "I thought it was an SR at least. It's not a significant loss."

Kenta remained unfazed, his eyes fixed on Uzui's black-gloved hands.

"Rank or not, Nanami was a devoted Hunter. He was due for promotion next month." Kenta said

Uzui nodded dismissively, already bored with the topic. "And Yuto? How was his progression?"

Kenta sighed. "No changes. He still cannot take down a Grade three beast on his own. He cannot ascend if he only hunts Grade one and two beasts."

Uzui's expression darkened. "Why? We've provided him with the best gear. And there were no grade three beasts in the darklands?"

"There were, but he lacks the instinct. He is too afraid of infection to land a killing blow on a Grade three." Kenta replied. Uzui rubbed his chin. "Then we change the strategy. Have the rest of the troop destabilize the beast and let Yuto land the final strike. Make sure he gets the credit." He ordered. Kenta felt a surge of disgust, but he kept his face a mask of stone. "I shall see to it."

"Good" Uzui said, waving him away. "Dismissed."

************************

Emiko burst into the hospital room, her school bag hitting the floor with a heavy thud the moment she saw Ichiro. He was lying in the sterile bed, a Mana-infused drip feeding glowing energy into his veins.

She rushed to his side. "Ichiro-san!"

"Emiko..." Ichiro croaked, a wave of relief washing over him. Despite her sharp tongue, he was grateful she was there.

She sat on the edge of the bed, her face pale. "What happened? I heard you were hurt... I thought you were dead!" she lamented, her voice trembling. "The man who called sounded so sober, like he was already mourning someone. All he said was, 'Are you Teta Emiko? Teta Ichiro was wounded in action. Report to Silver Lining headquarters.' "

She mimicked the caller's deep, somber tone, and Ichiro managed a soft, painful chuckle. Captain Kenta had been mourning someone -- it just wasn't him.

"Is the injury deep? How did you even get hurt while harvesting?" she asked, her eyes searching his face.

Ichiro's heart hammered against his ribs. He couldn't tell her the truth. He couldn't tell her that a man had died because he was too weak to protect himself. He looked away and nodded slowly. "The beast... it was stabbed in the heart, but it wasn't dead. When I tried to harvest the crystal, it lunged at me" he lied.

Emiko frowned, her temper flaring. "Those stupid Hunters! They should do their jobs right and stop causing hazards for people like you." She leaned closer to the machine processing the drip, her anger replaced by a sudden, wide-eyed curiosity. "Oh, look... it's a crimson crystal." She pressed her face against the glass of the machine. "That's so much money" she whispered dreamily.

"Emiko, stop that..." Ichiro muttered.

The door clicked open, and a doctor walked in, his expression unreadable. Emiko quickly pulled away from the machine and plastered a polite smile on her face. The doctor glanced at the siblings with a practiced, detached air.

"You're ready to go home" he said simply.

Emiko stood up and bowed deeply. "Thank you so much for taking care of my brother, sir!"

"No problem" the doctor replied, waving off the thanks. He walked over to the machine, switched it off, and expertly removed the needle from Ichiro's hand. "Whenever you feel ready, you can leave. Your belongings are in the changing room."

Once the doctor left, Emiko returned from the changing room carrying a bundle of Ichiro's things. She looked confused. "Why do you have armor, Ichiro-san?"

Ichiro tried to sit up, but a sharp pain in his shoulder forced him back down. "Oh... that's not mine. It belonged to the Hunter who... who died today. The Captain said I could keep it."

Emiko moped, her eyes lingering on the steel plates. "I knew someone died. The caller's voice was too sad." She looked at the armor, then back at Ichiro. "What if we pluck out the crystals and exchange them? Or we could sell the whole thing second-hand. I mean, you have no use for it, right?"

Ichiro shook his head vigorously, his jaw tightening. "No. I'm keeping it. My friend... he entrusted it to me."

"He was your friend?" Emiko's irritation flared. "Well, birds of a feather flock together -- he's dead. It's useless to you."

"Shut up, Emiko."

****

"I heard you died" Hina said, raising an eyebrow as Emiko helped Ichiro limp up the stairs of their home. She didn't look sad; she looked disappointed.

Ichiro kept his head down, avoiding her bloodshot eyes.

"You arose all of a sudden? Why, you bastard?" she spat, a cloud of cigarette smoke trailing from her lips. "You should have just turned to dust..."

"Mama!" Emiko cried, stopping on the stairs.

Ichiro squeezed Emiko's arm, signaling her to stop. He didn't want a fight. Not because he cared what Hina said, but because the pain in his shoulder was so intense he could barely stand.

"What is it, you slut?" Hina sneered.

"You bother me" Emiko snapped back.

Hina tilted her head back and let out a dry, mocking laugh.

"Brother Ichiro was injured while trying to provide for us, and all you have are insults? Go to your gazebo!" Emiko ordered.

Hina scoffed, staggering toward the door. "I'm only going because it's cooler out there... less stuffy."

"It wouldn't be stuffy if you paid the electricity bills, you chipmunk!" She yelled as she shambled to the gazebo. She rolled her eyes as Hina disappeared outside. "I'm sorry, Ichiro. Let's get you to bed."

With Emiko's help, Ichiro finally collapsed onto his mattress. He watched her open the window to let in some air, since the AC was long dead. She came back to the bedside with a small smile. "What would you like to eat?"

Ichiro scoffed, a weak smile on his face. "You don't have any money."

She frowned. "I was trying to be nice! I have at least twenty thousand yen hidden somewhere..."

Ichiro raised a skeptical brow.

"What? You think I'm as broke as you?" She crossed her arms. "Let me guess... you didn't get paid today because of the injury."

Ichiro chuckled. "You must really hate me."

"No, I'm just being realistic" she defended.

"Bring me the bag" Ichiro said, pointing to the pile on the cupboard. Emiko picked up his harvester bag and grunted. "Ooh... this is heavy."

Ichiro took the bag and unzipped it. He reached inside and pulled out a brilliant red crystal. Emiko's jaw dropped.

"Don't tell me they compensated you for the injury with this?" she asked, her eyes wide with greed and shock.

"Well..."

"How many more injuries can you handle?" she asked, her voice high with excitement.

"Shut up, Emiko."

She giggled bashfully. "Sorry! I'm just glad. How many do you have? I should go exchange them. Ren is still open."

Ren was the middle-aged man who ran a sake shop nearby and exchanged Mana for yen at a criminal fifteen percent f*e. It was daylight robbery, but he was the only option for those who needed cash fast and off the books.

"Yes, please. Settle the bills and buy some real food," Ichiro pleaded, handing her three crystals.

She bowed, taking them with both hands as if they were holy relics. "Your wish is my command!"

As she hurried out, Ichiro let out a long sigh. "Emiko's love for money... it truly has no bounds."

****

Downstairs, Hitoro frowned at the young man standing at the front door. He was wearing a polite smile and was dressed far too well for their neighborhood. For a moment, Hitoro wondered if this was one of Emiko's boyfriends.

"Good evening, sir," the young man said, bowing low.

"Good evening. How can I help you?" Hitoro asked.

"I am Kyojiro Jinshi. I am a friend and colleague of your son, Ichiro. I'm here to visit him, after hearing about his injury..."

"Oh! Please, come in," Hitoro said, moving his wheelchair aside.

Jinshi stepped inside, bowing again.

"Emiko!" Hitoro called out. "Emiko!"

Emiko hurried out of her room and down the stairs, looking drowsy. "Papa, what is it?"

"Tell Ichiro his friend is here to see him," Hitoro ordered.

Emiko's brow furrowed. "I thought his friends were all dead" she muttered, glancing at the visitor. Then, her eyes locked onto Jinshi's face. She gasped -- he was undeniably handsome. Suddenly, her sleepiness vanished.

"I shall inform him right away!" she chirped, turning and sprinting back up the stairs at full speed.