Ren stepped from the waiting transport—a creaking, weathered cart that had rattled along uneven roads—into the dense gloom of Okuyama Forest. The early morning mist clung to the undergrowth, and a chill wind whispered secrets among ancient, gnarled trees. Every step felt heavy with anticipation. Today marked the beginning of his initiation: three days in the wild, hunting common animals and low-ranked yokai, a trial that would test his skills and sharpen his instincts.

  The recruits gathered at a clearing near the forest’s edge, forming small clusters amid the swirling fog. Ren adjusted the strap of his new scabbard, the weight of Kagerou—a blade that seemed to drink in the ambient darkness—comforting against his hip. His mind flickered with the lessons learned in the armory and under Isamu’s rigorous training sessions. The shadow-binding ability that he had honed would be put to the test in this living crucible.

  A gruff voice cut through the murmurs of the gathered initiates. “Listen up, everyone!” The speaker emerged from the ranks—a seasoned instructor with scars etched across his weathered face and eyes that missed nothing. “I’m Tatsu, and I’ll be leading you on this hunt. Today, you’ll be tested on tracking, stealth, and survival. You’ll be split into teams; your task is to bring back any evidence of your kills. Kill enough, and you pass. Fail to produce any proof, and you’ll be sent back as nothing more than a waste of the Guild’s resources.”

  He paused, letting his words sink in, his gaze scanning the anxious faces before him. “Remember, you’re not here to make a massacre. Every life you take counts—especially the innocent ones. Show restraint. Learn from every encounter. And above all, work with your team. Solo actions might earn you glory, but they also lead to isolation. Understood?”

  A chorus of low grunts and murmured affirmations answered him. Ren’s gaze swept over the assembled recruits. He noted a few faces that looked as hardened and determined as his own, and others that betrayed fear or uncertainty. Despite his sardonic exterior and his calculated, morally grey approach to life, Ren had learned the value of alliance—even if temporary—in a world where betrayal was as common as the darkness that shrouded him.

  As Tatsu finished his briefing, groups began to form. Ren found himself paired with two other initiates—a wiry young man with a nervous smile and a taciturn woman whose eyes were as steely as his. They exchanged curt introductions. “I’m Jin,” the young man said, voice trembling slightly, “and this is Mei.” Ren only nodded in acknowledgment, his mind already calculating possible strategies. The stakes were clear: the more you hunted, the higher your chances of passing the exam—and the more Essence you would accumulate, edging you closer to your Inner Hunt threshold.

  The trio set off along a narrow, overgrown path leading into the forest’s depths. Every step took them further from the familiar structures of the city and deeper into a realm where nature ruled and every shadow might conceal danger. Ren’s senses were on high alert; his Mandate’s presence within him pulsed faintly, a constant reminder of his unyielding Hunger Unending.

  As they ventured deeper, the forest began to reveal its nature. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and decaying leaves. Shafts of weak sunlight filtered through the canopy, casting long, twisted shadows that danced and merged with the mist. It was in these eerie moments that Ren’s training came to the fore. His shadow-binding ability, nurtured over months of clandestine practice with Isamu, allowed him to blend with the darkness—to become an extension of the forest’s own gloom.

  “Keep quiet and move slow,” Ren instructed softly to his teammates. His voice was low, measured—commanding without being harsh. Jin and Mei nodded, their expressions tight with concentration. Every rustle of leaves, every distant cry of an unseen animal, set their nerves on edge.

  They walked in silence for what felt like hours. Ren’s mind wandered to the lessons of his past: the stinging memory of Kaede’s frightened eyes, the grim determination of Isamu’s teachings, and the weight of the Mandate etched into every fiber of his being. His thoughts were as much a weapon as his new sword—sharp, calculating, and ready to strike at any moment.

  Suddenly, a subtle movement caught his eye—a flash of fur, a glimmer of unnatural light. “There,” Ren whispered, pointing toward a cluster of bushes on the side of the path. “I see something moving.”

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  The trio slowed their pace. As they crept closer, the shapes of a small animal emerged—an unusually large rabbit with eyes that glowed faintly, its form pulsing with a hint of residual essence. It was clearly more than a mundane creature, its aura tinged with a low-level energy that marked it as a common but notable essence-infused animal.

  “This is our target,” Ren murmured, his eyes narrowing as he assessed the creature. “Not dangerous, but enough to give us proof and maybe a taste of essence. Everyone, ready your weapons.”

  Jin fumbled with his dagger, his hand shaking, while Mei drew a slender bow, her expression set in determined focus. Ren, on the other hand, took a deep breath and activated his shadow-binding ability. The darkness around him seemed to pulse in rhythm with his heartbeat as he melted into the gloom. With practiced precision, he circled the creature silently, his mind racing with calculated possibilities.

  As the rabbit hopped unaware through the underbrush, Ren’s inner monologue roiled quietly: This is it—your first test. You’ve learned to be patient, to use your mind as much as your weapon. Don’t let your Hunger distract you now. Control it, focus it, and let it feed you without consuming you.

  He edged closer, his new sword Kagerou glinting briefly as he unsheathed it in a controlled motion. The blade, attuned to his shadow-binding power, seemed to hum softly—a resonance that both calmed and focused his mind. In that suspended moment, time slowed as he calculated his strike, balancing the raw need to feed with the necessity to prove his restraint.

  A sudden rustle from behind startled the rabbit, and it froze, its eyes locking onto Ren’s concealed form. Instinctively, Mei let out a quiet gasp, and Jin tensed, but Ren’s voice came through the thick silence. “Steady,” he murmured, his tone firm, yet encouraging. “Let me handle this.”

  Drawing on his training, Ren advanced with fluid, calculated steps. The essence of the forest seemed to echo in his movement as he maneuvered to encircle the target. In one swift, controlled motion, he struck—a precise, elegant slash with Kagerou aimed at the creature’s vital center. The blade met its mark, and the rabbit let out a soft, final sound as its form crumpled, its essence beginning to dissipate into the forest floor.

  The moment was over as quickly as it had arrived. Ren retrieved a small, sealed vial from his pack—a tool provided by the Guild to collect Essence. He carefully approached the fallen target, concentrating on the energy that still lingered. His eyes narrowed in concentration as he activated his shadow-binding ability to stabilize the dissipating essence, drawing it into the vial. The process was delicate, requiring a perfect balance of focus and restraint, but within moments, the vial glowed faintly—a testament to the captured energy.

  “Good work,” Mei said softly, her voice laced with a mix of relief and awe. Jin gave a nervous smile. Ren allowed himself a brief, satisfied nod before slipping back into the deeper shadows, blending seamlessly with the forest’s murmur.

  For Ren, this was more than just a kill—it was a proof of concept. The initiation wasn’t merely about slaying creatures; it was about mastering the art of controlled aggression and understanding the flow of Essence. Every life taken, every essence absorbed, brought him a step closer to his Inner Hunt threshold. More importantly, it refined his abilities as a Shikari—a hunter not just of beasts, but of the very power that governed his cursed existence.

  As the group continued their patrol deeper into the forest, Ren’s mind remained alert. His eyes, ever calculating and cynical, scanned every rustle in the undergrowth, every shadow that moved contrary to the gentle sway of the trees. The forest was alive with possibilities and hidden dangers. This was just the beginning of his initiation—one that would test not only his combat skills but also his ability to navigate the delicate balance between his Hunger and his humanity.

  In the distance, faint sounds of other teams’ struggles and triumphs echoed through the trees—a symphony of survival that reminded him of the harsh realities of his chosen path. With every step, Ren steeled himself for the challenges ahead. His thoughts turned once more to his ultimate goal: to escape the oppressive caste that had defined his early life, to destroy the divine court that had taken everything from him, and to break the endless cycle of suffering that plagued his world.

  For now, however, survival was paramount. The hunt had only just begun, and each moment was a lesson in discipline, control, and the ruthless necessity of power. As he moved silently among the whispering trees, Ren embraced the chaos of the forest, determined to carve his own destiny in the darkness.

  This is your trial, Ren, he thought, a wry smile tugging at his lips. And every life taken, every essence captured, is another step toward a future where I’m not just surviving—but where I’m in control.

  With that thought echoing in his mind, Ren pressed onward into the Okuyama Forest, ready to face whatever challenges awaited him in this unforgiving initiation.