Alex stood in the center of his apartment, a collection of weapons, tools, and notes spread out before him. The faint scent of burnt sage still lingered in the air from an earlier test, and the dim overhead light cast long shadows against the walls. His fingers drummed against the wooden table as he ran through his mental checklist. He had spent months absorbing knowledge, categorizing information, and cautiously experimenting with safe rituals. Now, it was time to prepare for the real world.
His first step was acquiring the right materials. The supernatural world didn't play fair, and if he wanted to survive, he needed weapons that could deal with a variety of threats.
Silver and Iron: Silver bullets and iron blades were standard, their effects on many creatures well-documented. He took the time to etch protective sigils onto them, layering his arsenal with both physical and supernatural reinforcement.
Salt and Holy Water: He prepared shells loaded with rock salt, a must-have for repelling ghosts and spirits. Holy water, properly blessed, sat in small vials at his belt. He even tested mixing it into water balloons for quick dispersal. The results were… messy.
Enchanted Runes and Sigils: His time with the Living Archive had given him insight into protective symbols. He carefully carved runes into small stones, creating amulets and wards that would strengthen his defenses. Some were meant for his clothing, others for his weapons. He even burned protective sigils onto the inside of his boots, layering his safeguards.
Protective Charms: Learning from historical hunters, he fashioned charms from herbs, bones, and metals. These were tied into leather cords or sewn into his jacket lining, ensuring he was never without at least some form of passive protection.
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No matter how much knowledge he had, it wouldn't matter if he lacked the skill to implement it. He set up a rigorous schedule, training himself physically and mentally to handle whatever came next.
He knew self-defense in theory but had never tested himself in a real fight. That changed quickly. He started sparring with local fighters, learning how to move, strike, and react under pressure. Bruises and sore muscles became a daily occurrence, but the improvement was undeniable.
Shooting a gun was one thing—hitting a moving target in a life-or-death situation was another. He practiced until reloading became muscle memory, learning how to fire salt rounds, silver bullets, and standard ammunition without hesitation.
He also practiced casting protection circles in record time, tested banishment glyphs on small disruptions in the air, and even simulated emergency exorcisms. He wanted to be prepared for anything.
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Time Skip
Time had turned Alex from an observer into a participant. The past year and a half had been filled with hunts, encounters, and lessons—some learned the hard way. More importantly, his powers had begun to evolve. He had absorbed abilities from the things he killed, remnants of their existence lingering inside him. The first time had been disorienting, but now, it was a tool he used carefully, testing and controlling its effects.
His first real hunt had been simple—an old, vengeful spirit haunting a forgotten cabin. The locals whispered of strange sounds, flickering lights, and the occasional disappearance of small animals. Alex had approached cautiously, salt and iron at the ready.
Finding the bones had been easy. Burning them, less so.
The moment the fire caught, the spirit shrieked, shaking the walls of the cabin. Glass shattered, doors slammed, and an invisible force threw him against the ground. But Alex held firm. He gritted his teeth and completed the ritual. The cabin fell silent.
As he stood, dusting himself off, a sharp jolt ran through his fingertips. His vision blurred, shifting, as if something foreign had wormed its way into his mind. Images flashed—memories that weren't his. A woman, trapped, burning and as usual a violent end.
When the sensation faded, he exhaled, steadying himself. Psychometry. He had touched the remains, and in return, he had seen their story. Useful, but dangerous.
One hunt down. Countless more to go.
Following that the wendigo hunt had almost killed him. He had underestimated its speed, barely managing to keep ahead of it in the dark woods. Fire had been his saving grace—setting a trap and igniting a controlled blaze had forced the creature back, allowing him to deliver a final silver-laced shot.
But as he stood over the corpse, he felt it again. A pull. Something whispering at the edge of his mind. He clenched his fists, unwilling to let the power consume him. The last thing he needed was to turn into the things he hunted. And yet, when he focused, he felt something—sharper instincts, a heightened awareness of the forest around him. Another piece of power absorbed.
He spent days recovering from that one.
During his hunts he also encountered a skinwalker which was quite the hunt to say the least deception had been its greatest weapon. It mimicked voices, distorted faces, and nearly led Alex into an ambush. He had to rely on his knowledge of Navajo lore, using rituals rather than brute force to weaken it. Which as you might guess had him covered in wounds but after a fierce fight a precise silver blade to the heart had sealed its fate.
When the body hit the ground, Alex was once again bombarded with foreign senses which took quite a while to get used to.He had gained the ability to sense a presence nearby, to tell when something inhuman was masquerading as a person. It was subtle, but it was there.
Although not every meeting was with a monster. Alex had crossed paths with other hunters—some helpful, others wary. A few had even shared knowledge, but trust was scarce in their world. He kept his distance, learning from observation rather than direct involvement.
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Now, standing at the edge of a new hunt, Alex felt the weight of experience behind him. He had grown stronger, smarter, more prepared—but this world had no shortage of horrors waiting to test him.
He focused on the faint light of the panel, pulling up the panel he had come to rely on.
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[ Abilities:
- Psychometry: The ability to read objects' histories through touch.
- Predatory Instincts: Heightened tracking and reaction speed.
- Supernatural sense: Awareness of supernatural entities and of the energy that is produced by them.
( Not to be confused with heightened senses)
' I'll need to expand my arsenal if i want to deal with the bigwigs '. Alex thought facing the common monsters can be quite easy but also challenging in a way so one could imagine what some powerful being can pull off .
And something told him his next challenge would be unlike any he had faced before.
[P.S: in the next chapters there will be quite an extensive hunt so buckle up]