His Mandate hovered in his mind’s eye, a list of information only he could see.
[MANDATE SYSTEM]
- Mandate Rank: ???
- Essence Accumulation: 84 / 100
- Aspect: [Shadow Binding]
- Flaw: [Fated Target]
- Skills: [Tangible Shadows], [???]
Sixteen points away.
Sixteen more points of Essence, and he would undergo his first Inner Hunt—a test that would determine whether he could advance to the next rank or die trying.
Ren exhaled through his nose.
The Inner Hunt was what separated the strong from the weak. It wasn’t just about accumulating Essence—it was about proving that one had the strength to wield it. Those who failed… well, no one ever spoke about them.
And if his Mandate Rank was as high as he suspected, then his Inner Hunt would be harder than most.
A knock on the door snapped him out of his thoughts.
“Yo.”
Isamu’s voice drifted in from outside.
Ren sighed, rolling his shoulders before opening the door. Isamu leaned against the frame, his Shikari coat draped lazily over his shoulders, a bottle of sake in one hand.
“You look like you’re thinking too hard,” Isamu smirked. “That’s dangerous.”
Ren snorted. “Just preparing.”
Isamu handed him the bottle. “Drink.”
Ren raised an eyebrow. “Aren’t I supposed to be in peak condition?”
“Drinking builds character.”
Ren scoffed but took a sip anyway. The alcohol burned on the way down, but it wasn’t unpleasant.
Isamu stepped inside, glancing at the empty room. “So, this is the new place, huh?”
“Yeah. It’s not much, but it’s enough.”
Isamu nodded approvingly. “A home is a home.”
They sat in silence for a moment before Isamu spoke again.
“You’re close.”
Ren nodded. “Sixteen points.”
Isamu leaned back. “You nervous?”
Ren smirked. “Should I be?”
Isamu chuckled. “Most people would be pissing themselves.” He paused. “But you’re not most people, are you?”
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Ren tilted his head. “What do you know?”
Isamu’s gaze sharpened. “I know that whatever’s hiding behind those question marks in your Mandate… it’s dangerous. And I know that your Flaw isn’t normal either.”
Ren didn’t respond. He didn’t need to.
Isamu sighed, rubbing his temples. “Look. I won’t tell you to back out—you wouldn’t listen anyway. But I will say this: Inner Hunts aren’t fair. The stronger your Mandate, the harsher your trial. The higher your Essence capacity, the more brutal the test.”
Ren smirked. “Sounds fun.”
Isamu gave him a flat look. “You’re an idiot.”
“Yeah, yeah.” Ren rolled his shoulders. “So, what should I expect?”
Isamu exhaled. “It’s different for everyone. The Inner Hunt manifests based on your Mandate and Flaw. For some, it’s a battle. For others, it’s a test of will.” He met Ren’s gaze. “For you? I have no damn clue.”
Ren’s grin widened. “Even better.”
Isamu shook his head, muttering under his breath. “You’re actually insane.”
Ren leaned forward. “If I fail—”
“You won’t.”
Ren blinked. “That confident?”
Isamu smirked. “No. I just don’t want to deal with the headache of losing a promising recruit.”
Ren chuckled, taking another swig of sake. The room fell into a comfortable silence.
Tomorrow, he would begin his final push to 100 Essence.
And after that—
The Inner Hunt.
The night was quiet, save for the occasional creak of the wooden floor as Ren moved around the small house. His footsteps were slow, deliberate—this wasn’t the kind of task he could afford to rush.
The dim lantern light flickered over the papers in front of him, his name scrawled at the bottom of an official-looking document. With one final stroke of the pen, Kaede Kurozawa became the official owner of their new home.
Ren exhaled, setting the pen down.
If I don’t come back, she’ll still have a place to call home.
It wasn’t enough, though. A house meant nothing if she didn’t have a way to survive on her own.
He reached for the pouch of ryo sitting on the table—his entire cut from the essence core. It was a small fortune for someone from the slums, enough to live comfortably for years. He ran a thumb over the fabric before placing it in the locked chest beside Kaede’s bed.
She won’t struggle. Not like I did.
But money alone wouldn’t protect her.
Ren sighed and pulled out his Shikari badge. It was late, but Isamu wasn’t the type to sleep early.
After a moment of hesitation, he activated the communication rune. A faint glow pulsed as the connection formed.
“...This better be good,” Isamu’s voice came through, laced with irritation.
Ren smirked. “Relax, old man. Just need a favor.”
A tired sigh. “What now?”
Ren’s smirk faded. “Kaede.”
Isamu was silent for a moment. “…What about her?”
“If I don’t come back from my Inner Hunt, I need you to take care of her.”
Isamu clicked his tongue. “Damn brat. You’re acting like you’re already dead.”
“Just being realistic.”
Another pause. When Isamu spoke again, his voice was softer.
“You really think I wouldn’t?”
Ren exhaled, tension easing just slightly. “I know you would. I just need to make sure it’s clear.”
Isamu hummed. “Fine. But I expect you to come back and take responsibility for making me do extra work.”
Ren smirked. “Yeah, yeah.”
He ended the connection and leaned back against the wall, rubbing his temples.
One last thing.
He activated the rune again—this time, reaching out to Mae.
The response was almost immediate.
“Ren?” Mae’s voice carried a hint of surprise. “Why are you contacting me this late?”
Ren hesitated. Because I might not come back. Because I need to make sure Kaede is okay.
But instead, he simply said, “I need a favor.”
Mae sighed. “Why do I feel like this is going to be something reckless?”
Ren chuckled. “Probably because it is.”
Another sigh. “Go on.”
“It’s about Kaede. She’s smart—smarter than me, for sure. But all she’s had to learn from are stolen books.” He paused. “I want her to have a proper education.”
Mae was silent for a moment. Then, a soft laugh. “You really do care about her.”
Ren rolled his eyes. “Obviously.”
“Alright,” Mae said. “I’ll make sure she learns properly. But you better come back, you hear me?”
Ren smirked. “I’ll do my best.”
The connection cut off.
Ren stared at the ceiling, the weight of his decisions settling in. He had done all he could. If he died tomorrow, at least Kaede would be safe.
But he wasn’t planning on dying.
I’ll come back. I have to.
With that final thought, he laid down, closed his eyes, and let the exhaustion pull him into sleep.