Silence.

Then, breath.

A sharp gasp tore through the stillness as his eyes snapped open. His chest rose and fell in rapid succession, lungs burning as though they had been starved of air for centuries. His fingers twitched, gripping the rough fabric beneath him. The dim glow of candlelight flickered against the wooden ceiling, shadows swaying with the movement of the flames.

His body felt strange. Light. Too light.

Slowly, he sat up. The motion felt unnatural, as if his limbs did not belong to him. His gaze drifted downward, his breath hitching as he took in his hands—unscarred, smooth, young. Far younger than they should have been.

His mind spun, memories crashing into him like a tidal wave.

He had been Leonhart Valtore—a name that once echoed through the abyss, a name demons feared. The greatest hunter of his time, the last line of defense against the darkness that plagued the world. He had fought, bled, and sacrificed everything in his war against them.

And yet—he had died.

Not in battle. Not in some glorious last stand. His end had come long ago, lost to the decay of time itself.

So why was he here?

A sharp bell tolled in the distance, reverberating through the walls. Shouts echoed through the halls beyond his room, hurried footsteps pounding against wooden floors.

Before he could fully process what was happening, the door slammed open.

A boy, no older than sixteen, stood panting in the doorway. Dark hair clung to his forehead, sweat glistening against his skin. His blue eyes widened with exasperation.

“Nero! What the hell are you still doing in bed? The entrance trials start in an hour!”

Leonhart stilled.

Nero?

The name struck him like a blade to the chest. It wasn’t his. But the way the boy said it—so naturally, so familiarly—meant that it was.

His mind raced. He wasn’t just in another body. He had a new identity. A new life.

The boy groaned, throwing his hands up. “Don’t tell me you forgot! We’re at Hunter’s Academy! If we fail today, we’re out!”

Hunter’s Academy.

Leonhart had only heard whispers of such a place in his time—a sanctuary meant to train warriors against the abyss. Back then, it had been nothing more than a fleeting idea. Now, it was real. It existed.

Which meant one thing.

The demons still roamed the world.

And worse—Beru, the Demon King, would return.

Leonhart—Nero Valtore—exhaled slowly, golden eyes gleaming in the candlelight.

This time, he wouldn’t fail.

This time, he would end them all.

---

The Academy was massive, its halls lined with banners bearing the insignia of the Hunters. Torches flickered against stone walls, and the sound of boots striking the floor echoed through the corridors as recruits rushed toward the training grounds.

Nero followed, keeping his pace steady, observing.

His mind was a storm of thoughts. Centuries had passed, yet nothing had changed. The war continued, and humanity still relied on hunters to fight their battles.

But more than that—his body was different. Strong, but not the same as before. He would have to start over. Train again. Learn his limits.

As they reached the massive double doors leading outside, Nero felt a shift in the air.

The moment he stepped through, sunlight bathed the training grounds. A massive arena stretched before him, surrounded by towering stone walls. Hundreds of recruits stood in neat rows, their gazes fixed ahead.

At the center of it all stood a man clad in black and silver armor, his presence alone enough to command silence. His sharp eyes scanned the recruits with the cold calculation of a predator.

“I am Instructor Alden.” His voice carried through the courtyard like a blade cutting through steel. “And today, you begin your training.”

His gaze swept over them. “You are here because you wish to become hunters. But strength alone will not save you. The creatures you seek to destroy are faster, stronger, and more ruthless than you will ever be. If you hesitate, you die. If you falter, you die. And if you are weak…”

He let the words hang in the air before continuing.

“Then you are no different than the ones we hunt.”

Silence followed. No one dared to speak.

Then, with a wave of his hand, the iron gates at the far end of the arena groaned as they lifted.

From the darkness beyond, something moved.

A low, guttural growl filled the air.

The recruits tensed, their eyes widening as a monstrous figure stepped into the light—glowing red eyes, razor-sharp claws, and a twisted grin filled with fangs.

A real demon.

The first test had begun.

The air in the training grounds was thick with tension. The other students stood frozen as the massive beast loomed over them, its crimson eyes burning with raw malice. Its body, covered in jagged black fur, pulsed with unnatural energy. This was no ordinary demon—it was something far beyond what first-year hunters should face.

Nero stood at the front, his silver eyes locked onto the creature. His mind, sharp from centuries of experience, processed the situation instantly. This isn’t just a test. Something is wrong.

The instructors, who should have intervened, were nowhere to be seen. The beast let out a guttural snarl, its claws raking against the stone ground, leaving deep gashes in its wake. Fear spread through the students like wildfire.

“This… this isn’t part of the trial, is it?” a student stammered, gripping his weapon with trembling hands.

“N-No way. That thing is beyond what we can handle.”

Some turned to run, but Nero didn’t move. His instincts, honed through countless battles in his past life, urged him forward. If I don’t act now, they will all die.

He clenched his fists. But I’m not strong enough yet… not like before.

The beast roared and lunged. In a blink, it closed the distance, slamming one of the students into a nearby wall. Bones cracked. Blood splattered across the stone. Panic erupted.

Nero moved.

His body reacted before his mind could think, a remnant of his past strength guiding his movements. He dashed toward the beast, grabbing a fallen spear from the ground. His grip was steady, his mind clear. Even without my full power, I can still fight.

With precise footwork, he dodged the beast’s wild swipes, analyzing its attack patterns. It’s fast, but reckless. It relies on brute strength over technique.

A perfect weakness.

“Everyone, get back!” Nero commanded, his voice sharp and unwavering. The students hesitated, stunned by his authority, but the fear in his eyes made them obey.

The beast lunged again, but this time, Nero was ready. Twisting his body, he used the spear’s momentum to redirect the creature’s attack, narrowly avoiding its crushing blow. In a fluid motion, he aimed for its exposed neck and struck.

The spear pierced deep, black blood spraying from the wound. The beast howled in pain, thrashing violently.

But it didn’t die.

Instead, its body began to change. The wound healed almost instantly, and its muscles expanded. Its aura grew darker, suffocating.

Nero’s eyes narrowed. Regeneration… and an awakening form? Just what kind of monster is this?

The other students watched in horror as the creature became even stronger. Despair set in.

“We can’t beat this thing!” someone cried.

“Why aren’t the instructors helping us?!”

Something was wrong. The instructors weren’t just missing—this entire trial had turned into a death trap.

Nero gritted his teeth. I don’t have time to think about that now.

The beast charged again, but this time, Nero didn’t dodge. He stepped in instead, meeting its attack head-on. His body screamed in protest, his strength far from what it once was. But his instincts carried him through.

At the last moment, he twisted, using the creature’s momentum against it. He slammed the spear’s shaft into its jaw, forcing its head upward. Then, with precision, he struck its exposed throat, using all his strength.

The beast staggered, gasping for breath.

Now was his chance.

Nero leaped, grabbing a discarded sword from the ground. This ends now.

With a final strike, he plunged the blade deep into the beast’s skull.

For a moment, there was silence. Then, the beast collapsed, its body twitching before finally going still.

The students stood in shock. He did it.

Nero exhaled, his body trembling. He wasn’t as strong as before, but this fight had awakened something deep inside him.

Then, the silence shattered.

The beast’s body began to dissolve into dark mist, its remains twisting unnaturally. Nero stepped back, his instincts flaring.

From within the black mist, something stirred.

A low, menacing growl echoed through the air.

Then, the shadows took shape—forming into a new beast.

A wolf-like demon, its fur dark as the abyss, its glowing amber eyes locked onto Nero. It was stronger. More dangerous.

The real battle was just beginning.

The air turned suffocating as the beast’s remains coalesced into something far more terrifying. The swirling darkness condensed, taking the shape of a massive wolf-like demon, its body exuding a malevolent aura. Its fur was the color of the void itself, rippling like liquid shadows. Its amber eyes gleamed with intelligence—this one was different.

Nero tightened his grip on the blood-stained sword. He wasn’t at full power, but he could feel the difference in this creature. Unlike the first beast, this one was aware.

The other students stood frozen, their fear choking them into silence. The demon wolf lifted its head, sniffing the air before letting out a bone-chilling howl that echoed across the training grounds.

The sound paralyzed the weak-willed, sending shivers down their spines. A few students collapsed to their knees, gripping their heads in agony. It wasn’t just a howl—it was a mental attack.

Nero’s mind flared with resistance. Centuries of battle experience had trained him to withstand all kinds of supernatural influence. He clenched his teeth and pushed through the suffocating pressure.

But the others weren’t as lucky.

A boy next to him clutched his temples, eyes rolling back before collapsing, unconscious. A girl screamed, dropping her weapon as she fell to the ground, trembling.

“This thing… it’s not like the last one,” one student stammered, his voice barely above a whisper.

No. It wasn’t.

This was something far worse.

The demon wolf lunged.

It was fast—much faster than the first beast. Nero barely had time to react as the creature’s claws sliced through the air. He twisted his body at the last second, avoiding a fatal blow, but the force of the attack sent him skidding backward across the ground.

A sharp sting flared across his shoulder—its claws had grazed him. He looked down at the wound. Not deep, but dangerous.

Nero gritted his teeth. He wasn’t used to this body yet. In his past life, such an attack would’ve been child’s play to avoid. But now… he was slower, weaker.

I need to adapt. Fast.

The beast lunged again. This time, Nero didn’t retreat.

Instead, he charged forward.

A flash of movement—the wolf swiped its claws. Nero ducked, rolling to the side. Too slow. The demon adjusted mid-attack, twisting its massive body with inhuman agility.

Its hind legs kicked out, aiming to crush him.

Damn!

Nero crossed his arms in defense. Impact. The force sent him flying, slamming into the hard stone ground. Dust and debris scattered around him.

His body screamed in pain. He coughed, tasting iron in his mouth.

No good. This thing fights intelligently. It’s adjusting to my movements.

The students still standing were too scared to intervene. Their training had never prepared them for this level of combat.

Nero exhaled sharply, pushing himself to his feet. He had no time to dwell on weakness.

He needed to end this.

Now.

The wolf circled him, its eyes glowing with mocking amusement. It knew it was stronger. It was playing with him.

That pissed him off.

Nero planted his feet firmly, raising his sword. His mind cleared. His breathing steadied. The world around him slowed.

If I can’t match its speed, I’ll predict its next move.

The wolf growled, sensing the shift in Nero’s stance.

It lunged.

Left.

Nero sidestepped, his movements crisp and precise. The demon’s claws barely missed his throat.

Right.

It spun mid-air, aiming to bite. Nero ducked, his sword flashing as he slashed upward.

The blade cut deep into the wolf’s flank, drawing a howl of agony.

Black blood splattered onto the ground, sizzling like acid.

The demon wolf snapped its head toward him, furious. Its body trembled, energy pulsating around it.

Nero’s eyes widened.

It’s not done yet.

The beast howled again.

This time, the air rippled.

A dark shockwave burst from the wolf’s body, forcing Nero and the other students back. The ground cracked beneath its feet as the demon began to shift again.

Its muscles expanded, its body growing twice its original size.

Its fangs elongated, dripping with something that burned through the stone below.

Its amber eyes turned crimson.

This wasn’t just a mutation.

It was evolving.

Nero’s mind raced. How the hell is it evolving so fast?

The students panicked.

“This… this is impossible!”

“We should run!”

One student tried to flee.

The demon noticed.

Before Nero could react, the beast vanished.

A blur of motion—then a sickening crunch.

The student’s body slammed against the ground, blood pooling beneath him. His eyes were lifeless.

A heavy silence followed.

Then, something inside Nero snapped.

A buried instinct. A feeling he hadn’t experienced in centuries.

The thrill of battle. The urge to kill.

His breathing slowed. His heartbeat steadied.

His grip on the sword tightened.

The students were terrified. But Nero?

He was calm.

No… he was excited.

The demon turned toward him, its eyes narrowing.

It could sense the change.

This was no longer the weak prey it had been toying with.

Nero lowered his stance. His muscles tensed, ready to strike.

He had been holding back, trying to fight like a normal hunter. But now…

He would fight as what he truly was.

A warrior. A demon hunter.

The wind stirred around him.

The beast snarled, baring its fangs.

Nero smirked.

“Come.”

— End of Episode 3 —