One day before the Hunter Games…
Somewhere in Newland, Akira moved through the endless white crystal halls of the airport, the polished floors reflecting the overhead lights like sheets of frozen water. He drifted beneath towering archways shaped from shimmering mineral, each one humming faintly with the energy that powered the entire terminal. His eyes lifted toward the massive departure board suspended above the crowd, its glowing letters shifting every few seconds as dozens of flights updated at once—each one leading toward the Sao Kingdom. The ticket in his hand fluttered between his fingers with every step, and the wheels of his luggage rattled softly behind him like a nervous companion.
"Flight's are too confusing."
Jackson walked a few paces behind him, kicking his suitcase forward with lazy annoyance. He weaved past rows of chairs and clusters of waiting passengers, zipping up his jacket as he motioned for Akira to follow. His breath fogged faintly in the chilled air.
"C'mon, the group is gonna be waiting for us."
Akira glanced back at the departure board one last time before stepping beside Jackson, shifting his luggage to his other hand.
"And how do you know where we're supposed to go?"
Jackson didn't slow down. He adjusted his coat, then flicked his ticket right in front of Akira's face, the paper snapping lightly in the air. Outside, the engines of distant planes roared like metallic beasts preparing to take flight.
"You've never been on a plane or something?"
Akira shook his head.
"First time. What about it."
Jackson shook his head right back, muttering something under his breath. But before either of them could continue, both stopped as they noticed a familiar group gathered ahead—Sora, Gaku, Enma, Lorenzo, and Leroy all standing together near the edge of the terminal.
Sora lifted her hand and waved.
"Over here."
A massive white aircraft rested alone on the largest runway, dwarfing every other plane around it. Golden wings stretched proudly from its sides, polished so perfectly that the morning sunlight made them glow like molten metal. Running across its body in brilliant gold was the unmistakable crest of the Sao Kingdom—a symbol that seemed to radiate authority even from behind the glass.
Akira's eyes widened at the sight of the mechanical bird perched on the runway. Sora walked past him with a small smirk.
"Never seen a plane, huh? I guess I am privileged."
Akira peeled his gaze away from the aircraft and continued walking.
"Man, you people are rude."
The group disappeared into the sea of travelers, joining thousands of Hunters moving deeper into the terminal as excitement surrounding the Hunter Games built with every step. The moment they stepped through the towering entrance, the noise outside was replaced by a different kind of chaos—one made of voices, footsteps, and the constant shifting of the world around them.
Conversations echoed beneath the impossibly high ceiling while rolling suitcases rattled across polished stone floors. Massive displays suspended overhead flickered between departure schedules, Kingdom announcements, and Hunter Association notices, their glowing letters updating every few seconds as new flights were cleared for takeoff.
"Ever since the attack on the Hunter Association…"
"…Security doubled," Lorenzo finished.
The group reached the front of the line.
An Association employee motioned them forward while a Sao Knight stepped beside a waist-high inspection counter. His posture was rigid, his expression unreadable.
"Next."
Akira stepped forward first.
The Knight extended a gloved hand.
"Name?"
Akira reached into his pocket and placed his Hunter Card onto the scanner.
"Akira Yamato."
The device emitted a soft mechanical hum as glowing lines spread beneath the card. A bright green light illuminated the scanner.
The Knight nodded.
"Identity confirmed. Proceed."
Akira couldn't help smiling.
"That was easier than I thought."
Sora stepped forward next, placing her card down without a word.
"Sora Hoshi, green."
"Gaku Kisagi, green."
"Jackson Tyler, green."
"Leroy," the guard called. "What, not a fan of a last name?" he asked.
Leroy straightened up.
"I'm a Hunter. Tryna keep a low profile, so try not to draw too much attention." The guard gave him a suspicious look before the scanner flashed green.
"Enma Fuzarashi, green."
One after another, each member passed without issue.
Only Lorenzo remained.
He stepped up casually, one hand tucked inside his coat pocket while the other lazily held out his Hunter Card. "Lorenzo."
The guard accepted the card, then glanced toward another employee. "Standard inspection."
A second guard approached carrying a handheld Tao scanner no larger than a flashlight. "Please remain still."
Lorenzo sighed dramatically. "I always do."
The guard ignored him and swept the scanner across Lorenzo's body. Quiet beeps echoed in the air—routine, harmless—until the guard suddenly paused. His eyes locked onto Lorenzo's wrist, where the sleeve of his jacket had shifted just enough to reveal a small dotted X tatto.
The guard stared at it for several long seconds."…Sir. Would you mind rolling your sleeve up for me?" His voice turned cold.
Lorenzo's smile faded. "…Sure." Slowly, he pulled the sleeve back. The dotted X became fully visible.
The easy conversations filling the terminal began to fade as nearby Hunters noticed the growing circle of guards. Curious glances turned into lingering stares. Akira, already cleared, tried signing something to Lorenzo. "…You want me to help?"
"This symbol closely resembles markings associated with the terrorist organization known as Scissors," the guard said. "I'm going to ask you one more time—step out of the line."
He pointed toward an isolated inspection area several meters away.
Lorenzo looked at the area, then back at the guard. With a small shrug, he folded his arms. "…Don't you think it's a little rude to judge someone based on their appearance?"
The guard gripped his belt tightly and stepped forward."This is a safety protocol. Step out of line."
Her footsteps echoed softly against the polished floor as she stopped beside Lorenzo, completely ignoring the tension building around them. Every guard turned toward her as she reached into her coat pocket. Several hands moved toward their weapons.
A sharp flash of blue light burst from her pocket before her Hunter Card shot upward, spinning once before stopping in front of the guards. Its holographic display expanded outward, projecting her official identification and the insignia of the Hunter Association.
Sora folded her arms.
"If Lorenzo was part of Scissors…" She glanced at him briefly. "…We would've reported him ourselves."
The guards exchanged uncertain glances. One spoke into his communicator. "…Understood."
Lorenzo stood silently for a moment, then finally relaxed his shoulders and released the deepest sigh of his life. "…I genuinely thought I was going to have to kill those guys."
Akira looked at him. "…You think you could kill an entire airport full of guards?"
Lorenzo thought about it. "I'm part of the best group in the world. I would never lose like that."
"You should probably cover that tattoo."
Lorenzo shrugged. "Nah, I'll be fine."
They moved deeper into the terminal, leaving the security checkpoint behind as boarding announcements echoed throughout the building. Before long, the massive boarding gate leading to the Sao Kingdom came into view. Association employees directed passengers toward the enormous white aircraft waiting beyond the glass.
One by one, Hunters disappeared through the boarding tunnel, each carrying their own ambitions toward the same destination.
Akira was about to follow when something outside caught his eye.
"…Huh?"
A much smaller aircraft had just touched down several runways away. Unlike the gleaming white planes belonging to the Kingdoms, this one was painted a deep matte black from nose to tail. No royal insignia. No crest.
Only one symbol.
An eagle devouring a crow.
The engines hadn't even finished powering down before the cabin door opened. A man stepped onto the runway wearing an immaculate black suit that looked far too expensive for ordinary travel. His brown hair curled neatly despite the wind sweeping across the airfield, and both hands rested casually in his pockets as though nothing in the world concerned him.
The strange part was everyone else's reaction. Airport personnel who had spent the last hour checking every passenger suddenly stepped aside without a word.
Akira frowned. "…Who is that?"
Jackson followed his gaze for a brief moment before grabbing the back of Akira's jacket and pulling him toward the boarding gate.
"Probably some politician."