"Over here. I already ordered us a ride," Kanae said as she and Kaede arrived at a quiet bus stop.
Kanae took a seat on one of the benches, adjusting her cap slightly as she waited, while Kaede remained standing, leaning against a nearby pole. Thanks to the cap obscuring Kanae's features, no one recognized her, and Kaede, still unknown to the public, didn't draw any attention either. The night air was cool, the distant hum of passing cars the only real noise around them.
They waited in silence until, twenty minutes later, a sleek black sedan pulled up in front of them. The driver stepped out, holding a key in his hand.
Kanae stood, taking the key without a word. Then, turning to Kaede, she motioned toward the car.
"Get in."
Kaede let out a quiet sigh but obeyed, sliding into the passenger seat while Kanae took the driver's side and started the engine.
The car pulled away from the curb, slipping into the Tokyo streets.
For the first ten minutes, the drive was quiet, almost suffocatingly so. The streetlights cast fleeting shadows across their faces, the rhythmic hum of the tires against asphalt the only sound filling the space between them.
Then, Kanae finally spoke, breaking the silence with a sigh.
"A C-Rank Dungeon?" Her voice was calm, but there was an edge to it, sharp and cold. "What were you thinking?"
Kaede hesitated, then answered, her voice laced with uncertainty.
"I… I thought I could handle it. And I did. I'm reawakened now, sis."
Kanae's grip on the wheel tightened.
"And what did it cost you?" she asked, her tone like a sudden gust of icy wind.
Kaede opened her mouth but found no words.
Kanae exhaled through her nose, her fingers drumming against the wheel as she took a turn at a junction.
"We had a deal," she continued, her voice steady but firm. "When you decided to go behind Mom and Dad's back and become a Hunter, you swore you wouldn't make them worry. That meant sticking to dungeons appropriate for your rank. No risks. No reckless stunts."
"Yeah, I know…" Kaede started, but Kanae cut her off before she could finish.
"Do you?" Kanae's voice was sharper now, more forceful than she intended. "Because I got a call from Mom today, saying you were missing. Imagine my shock when I found out you were inside an unstable dungeon, one that kept spiking in difficulty."
Kaede tried to respond. "I was okay, I..."
"I was terrified," Kanae interrupted, her hands gripping the wheel tightly. "I thought I'd lost you. You could have died, Kaede. And it would have been my fault, because you became a Hunter, and I knew and didn't stop you."
Her breath hitched, but she kept speaking, her voice raw with emotion.
"The thought of having to tell them you were gone? After everything that's happened?"
Kaede's throat tightened, her words dying before they could even form.
The weight of Kanae's fear, her anger, and her love pressed down on her, and for the first time in a long while, Kaede saw her sister vulnerable.
The car rolled on, the tension inside growing heavier with each passing second. Kanae's hands stayed firm on the wheel, her knuckles white from gripping it too hard. The rhythmic flicker of streetlights through the windshield cast fleeting shadows across her face, accentuating the tightness in her jaw, the worry etched into her expression.
Kaede shifted uncomfortably in her seat, her fingers curling into fists on her lap. She wanted to say something, anything, to make it better, to reassure her sister, but she knew words wouldn't be enough. Not this time.
Instead, she lowered her head slightly, staring at the floor of the car.
"I'm sorry," she finally murmured.
Kanae didn't respond immediately. For a moment, it seemed like she wouldn't at all. But then she exhaled, long and slow, as if letting go of something she'd been holding in for far too long.
"…Just don't do it again," she said, her voice softer now, but still carrying the weight of her emotions.
Kaede nodded, but deep down, she wasn't sure if she could keep that promise. The thrill of the fight, the rush of power she'd felt when she reawakened, it was intoxicating. And after what had happened in that dungeon, she needed to get stronger.
Because if she didn't, next time, she really would die.
The rest of the drive continued in silence, the city lights blurring past outside.
By the time they reached home, the weight of exhaustion settled over Kaede's shoulders. The adrenaline had long since faded, leaving her mentally drained.
Kanae parked the car, turning off the engine but not moving to get out just yet. Instead, she glanced at Kaede, her expression softer now, though still filled with quiet concern.
"You're going straight to bed," she said. "No arguing. I'll talk to mom and dad about letting you rest this night. Tomorrow, you're explaining everything."
Kaede huffed but didn't protest. She was too tired to, anyway.
They stepped out of the car, the cool night air wrapping around them. The house was dark, their parents likely asleep, unaware of the storm of emotions that had passed between the two sisters just moments ago.
Kaede hesitated before heading inside.
"Goodnight, sis," she said quietly.
Kanae paused at the door, then nodded. "Goodnight, Kaede."
And with that, they stepped inside, each lost in their own thoughts.
---
If Kaede had one wish at that moment, it would be for the ground to open up and swallow her whole.
She kept her head down, staring at the floor as she finished explaining what had happened. Her voice had been steady, but she'd deliberately left out one crucial detail, the part about her dying. Kanae had noticed, of course, but said nothing.
The silence in the room was suffocating.
"So you're a Hunter."
Mrs. Tawaka's voice was eerily calm, but Kaede could see her knuckles turn white as she clenched her fists too tightly.
Kaede didn't respond. What could she even say?
Her mother turned sharply to Kanae. "And you knew?"
Kanae hesitated, then nodded.
Mrs. Tawaka exhaled sharply, her shoulders trembling as she clenched her fists even tighter. "Why… Why didn't you stop her?"
Before Kanae could answer, their mother's voice cracked. "Are you happy now!? Is this what you wanted?" Her eyes burned with unshed tears as she looked between them. "Am I… going to lose my only children?"
Kaede felt a lump rise in her throat, her vision blurring as tears stung her eyes.
Across the room, her father moved without a word, stepping beside his wife and gently pulling her into a hug. He didn't say anything, he didn't need to. The quiet shake of his head, the exhaustion in his eyes, said enough.
Kanae understood immediately.
She turned to Kaede and placed a firm hand on her shoulder. "C'mon," she said softly. "Let's give her some time."
Kaede wanted to refuse. She wanted to stay, to reassure her mother, to tell her she didn't need to worry.
But she knew Kanae was right.
Their mother needed space to process this, to process her.
Swallowing the words she longed to say, Kaede simply nodded and followed Kanae out the door in silence.
---
Kaede's eyes widened as she stared up at the towering structure before her.
The Blade Guild.
The number-one guild in Japan and the second most powerful in all of Asia.
It was a name that carried weight, a symbol of strength and prestige, and now, she was walking right through its doors.
She followed her sister inside, her heart pounding with excitement, though she forced herself to keep her composure. 'Act normal, act normal...' she repeated internally, suppressing the urge to squeal out loud.
The halls were massive, lined with polished floors and gleaming banners displaying the guild's emblem, a silver blade surrounded by swirling energy. The atmosphere carried an air of discipline, every step echoing against the pristine walls.
As they walked, various officials and guild members noticed them, their gazes briefly flicking toward Kanae before stepping aside without hesitation.
Kaede wasn't surprised.
Kanae Tawaka was one of the Eleven S-Rank Hunters of the Blade Guild. Her presence alone commanded respect.
Still, as they moved deeper into the guild, doubt began to creep into Kaede's mind.
"Uhm, sis," Kaede spoke hesitantly, glancing around at the powerful Hunters walking past them. "I… I'm not sure I'm ready for this. I mean, this is the Blade Guild, the top of the top. I just got my powers, and I don't think I can..."
"Relax," Kanae interrupted with a small chuckle. "I didn't bring you here to join the guild." Then, before Kaede could feel any relief, Kanae added, "Although you will have to eventually. That's non-negotiable."
Kaede twiddled her thumbs, her shoulders tensing. "Y-Yeah… okay."
Kanae only smirked before leading them down a staircase. The further they descended, the more Kaede noticed the walls shifting from elegant designs to a more reinforced, industrial look.
"No, the reason I brought you here is to test your new strength," Kanae explained. "The Blade Guild has one of the best training facilities in the country, and we need to see exactly what you're capable of now. That way, when you take the assessment test in the Hunter Association, you'll know what you can and can't show them."
Kaede nodded but couldn't shake off a lingering concern. "But… wouldn't the Blade Guild find out about my abilities?"
Kanae shook her head. "Not really. Only the Guild Master will be aware, and honestly? I don't think he cares much about the specifics, only that you're competent."
That almost reassured her.
Almost.
'Maybe I shouldn't tell her about the system…'
Kaede pushed the thought aside as Kanae's voice pulled her back to the present.
"We're here," Kanae announced as they stepped into a massive chamber.
The room was vast, its pure white walls reflecting the bright overhead lights. It felt sterile, futuristic, like something out of a high-tech military base.
Kaede barely had time to take it all in before she noticed workers moving swiftly across the chamber. At Kanae's nod, they rushed to various control panels, activating something.
A low hum filled the air.
The lights in the room intensified, the walls subtly shifting, adjusting to whatever settings were being prepared.
Kanae rolled her shoulders, stretching her arms as her eyes began to glow faintly with energy.
"Any idea what your new strength entails?" she asked, her tone casual but expectant.
Kaede blinked, momentarily thrown off. "Huh? Oh, yeah, I'm a tank. My defense has shot through the roof. Honestly, I doubt anything could even hurt me at this point."
Kanae grinned. "Is that so?" There was something almost predatory in her smirk. "Then I guess we'll start with that, your durability."
Kaede nodded, though a small part of her hesitated. "How?"
Kanae disappeared.
Kaede's breath hitched.
Before she could react, a fist crashed into her with the force of a collapsing building.