Kyron sprinted through the forest path, his heart hammering with a mix of pride and adrenaline. The air felt lighter, as if the trees themselves were celebrating his progress.
Three techniques. He had finally unlocked three Anger Style moves. That meant one thing:
He was ready.
The moment he spotted the mansion, he didn't slow down. The double doors crashed open with a bang as he burst into the main lobby.
"GUYS! I DID IT—"
CRASH!
Kyron's foot caught on the edge of a carpet, and he tumbled forward like a thrown sack of potatoes. His shoulder hit the table. Plates flipped. A bowl of spaghetti launched into the air in glorious slow motion. Riya and Arnav, mid-chess game and mid-lunch, barely had time to blink.
Noodles slapped across Riya's face. Sauce dripped onto Arnav's lap. The chessboard flew in every direction like shrapnel.
For a few seconds, nobody said a word.
Then—
"KYRON!" Riya roared, spaghetti sliding off her cheek.
She stood up, furious, marched straight to him, and punched him on the top of his head.
"What the hell do you think you're doing!? You just ruined lunch. And our game. You absolute menace!"
Kyron winced, holding his head. "Ow—sorry! I was just… I got excited!"
Arnav calmly picked a chess piece off his sleeve, then glanced at Kyron, deadpan. "You could've just used the door."
"I did use the door!"
"You exploded through it."
Riya grabbed a napkin and wiped her face, still fuming. "There was spaghetti in my nostril, Kyron. You're lucky I don't set you on fire."
Kyron stood up, brushing himself off. "Okay, okay. My bad. But listen—I unlocked three Anger techniques. I'm eligible for the Hunter exam!"
That made both of them pause.
Arnav raised an eyebrow. "You serious?"
Kyron grinned, eyes sparkling. "Dead serious."
Arnav gave a small, rare smile. "That's… impressive."
Riya sighed, crossing her arms, but a proud smile tugged at her lips. "Well… congrats, idiot. Next time, though, try not to deliver good news like a wrecking ball."
"Duly noted."
Kyron rubbed the back of his neck. "So… how do I take the exam? Where is it?"
Arnav stood and dusted his pants off. "Every night, just past sunset. Kamino Village's western exit. There's a forest—Smiler territory."
"Most of them are weak," Riya added. "You'll handle it. But…"
Kyron tilted his head. "But?"
"There's a blue Smiler out there," she said quietly. "Big. Four arms. Hulking freak. Fast as hell. When we took our exam, we saw it. A few of our group tried to fight him…"
Her voice trailed off.
"They didn't make it," Arnav finished.
Kyron's confidence faltered just a little. "So… how strong are we talking?"
"Upper Beast Class," Arnav said. "Your sword won't help much if you engage it head-on."
Kyron nodded slowly. "Alright. Sounds terrifying. I'll just… not go near it."
"That's the smartest thing you've said all day," Riya muttered, still wiping sauce off her shirt.
"Oh, and how do I even get to Kamino?" Kyron asked, already halfway to the door.
"Exit the mansion, head west," Riya replied. "You'll hit the village in no time."
Kyron gave them a thumbs up. "Thanks, guys. Sorry again for the spaghetti bombing."
"Don't come back unless you pass," Arnav said dryly.
"And bring us snacks on your way back!" Riya shouted.
---
Kamino Village was peaceful, with cobbled streets and smiling vendors under the orange glow of sunset. The warmth of the place made it hard to believe monsters lurked just beyond the mountains.
Kyron walked up to a spice vendor. "Excuse me, sir—do you know where I can register for the Hunter exam?"
The old man gave him a long look. "You sure about that, son?"
Kyron nodded. "I'm sure."
The vendor sighed. "Alright. Head up that hill. There's an old stone mansion. That's the place."
"Thanks!" Kyron said, then jogged up the slope.
The mansion at the top was silent and imposing. As he stepped inside, the wooden floor creaked under his feet. A man in a black suit and mask stood by a desk, still as a statue.
"What do you want?" the man asked, his voice deep and emotionless.
Kyron swallowed, then stood up straight. "I want to register for the Hunter examination."
The man stared for a moment. "Are you prepared to risk your life… for the sake of humanity?"
Kyron didn't blink. "Yes."
"Name?"
"Kyron Shami. From Himachal Pradesh. My mom's Nepali. My dad's Indian. I'm seventeen."
The man jotted it all down in a leather book, then pointed down the hallway.
"Proceed to the waiting room. The exam begins at 6 p.m. sharp. No turning back after that."
Kyron nodded and took a deep breath.
He walked forward, the hallway dimly lit with lanterns. At the end of it, behind a large oak door, waited the unknown.
And Kyron… was ready.
Kyron stepped into the main room where the other aspirants had gathered. Twenty-six other hopefuls sat in quiet anticipation, but Kyron didn't talk to anyone. His mind was laser-focused — the clock on the wall read 5:56 PM, and every second counted. Distractions were a luxury he couldn't afford.
Still, his eyes swept over the group, quietly observing.
There was an orange-haired boy who looked terrified, wringing his hands nervously. Nearby, a black-haired boy was shouting at the top of his lungs, brimming with overconfidence. "No Smiler can fight me or defeat me!" he declared, laughing like a king who already owned the throne.
Kyron's gaze landed on a pair of siblings — a younger boy with dark blue hair who looked anxious and scared, and a girl with the same deep blue hair who carried herself with unwavering confidence.
Kyron stayed silent and calm, watching quietly.
Suddenly, the door creaked open, and the masked man entered. "It's time for the exam," he announced in a voice void of emotion.
The aspirants all rose and followed him out of the mansion. Outside, a barricade stretched deep into the forest like a metal wall.
"You must go deep into the forest," the masked man explained, "and kill five Smilers. Bring back their fingers as proof. Once you enter, you cannot leave without those fingers."
The black-haired boy roared, "They won't survive my Bravery Emotion!" His laughter echoed through the trees.
The masked man nodded. "You may proceed."
---
The forest swallowed them up, and soon the aspirants were separated.
Kyron drew his sword, calm but alert, and ventured into the dense woods.
Within minutes, he encountered two Smilers. His chest burned with restrained fury as he screamed, "Anger Emotion — Bird Style, First Move: Flame Ruuuuush!"
His sword sliced through the air, decapitating both creatures with a blazing trail of fire that scorched the ground beneath. Blood splattered across Kyron's hands and blade, but he grinned fiercely.
Only three left, he thought. Piece of cake. Just like Riya said.
He found another Smiler and repeated his attack. Then suddenly, a fourth Smiler lunged at him.
Kyron reacted instantly — using his Anger Emotion, Bird Style, Second Move: Flame Slash — slashing the creature mid-air.
One finger left, Kyron whispered, steeling himself.
Deeper in the forest, screams pierced the air.
Kyron ran toward the sound and found the black-haired boy, the blue-haired siblings, and the orange-haired boy battling a massive blue Smiler. Its skin was thick and tough, impervious to many attacks.
"How is his skin that tough?!" the black-haired boy yelled.
"We don't know," the blue-haired girl said, "but we can kill it if we work together."
She told her brother to hold back and ordered the orange-haired boy to attack rapidly and slice the Smiler's arms to create an opening.
The black-haired boy charged, screaming, "Hey, giant blue Smiler! You'll regret facing me!"
The Smiler tossed him aside like a ragdoll.
The orange-haired boy, trembling but desperate, focused and called out, "Anxiety Emotion — Falcon Style, First Move: Bolt Rush!"
Electricity crackled around him as he zig-zagged and sliced one of the Smiler's hands. Perched on a tree branch, he laughed nervously. "Didn't expect that to be so easy…"
But the Smiler quickly threw him off.
The blue-haired girl charged next, slashing at the Smiler's arms. The creature dodged most attacks but lost several hands — though they regenerated swiftly.
---
Kyron's heart raced. Fear bubbled inside his chest.
If I don't fight, what changes? I could find an easier target...
No.
I won't abandon them.
He took a deep breath, summoned his anger, and roared, "Anger Emotion — Bird Style, First Move: Flame Rush!"
The Smiler's massive fist was a meter from the blue-haired girl's face — death inches away.
She thought, Is this my end? I don't want to die here…
Suddenly, a fiery rush sliced through the Smiler's hand, leaving a blazing trail and burning the creature slightly.
The Smiler shoved the girl hard, sending her flying into a tree.
She scowled, "Hey! That's not how you save someone, but thanks... whoever you are."
Kyron wiped sweat from his brow. "Leave it to me. I can handle this."
---
Inside, Kyron trembled with terror.
It's easy to say that, but how do I defeat this giant?
He attacked with flame rush repeatedly, aiming for the Smiler's neck, but the creature blocked it with its hands.
"Oh, you think cutting my neck is that easy?" the Smiler snarled.
Kyron didn't reply. He kept spamming flame rush, searching for a weakness.
Then an idea struck.
He launched into the air with flame rush, then unleashed his second move: flame slash.
The Smiler was caught off guard, but it raised its hand to block — and its hand was slashed.
It didn't have time to regenerate before Kyron launched a flurry of strikes, relentlessly attacking.
The Smiler punched Kyron away, but Kyron regained his balance and steadied his emotion.
The Smiler charged with blinding speed.
Kyron's eyes narrowed. "Fine. I'll use it."
He summoned his third move — Flaming Bird — and clashed with the Smiler in a dazzling explosion of fire and steel.
Using the Smiler's massive hands as a bridge, Kyron leapt onto its head and swung his blade in a final decisive strike — flame slash.
The Smiler's head split open, and it collapsed.
---
Breathing hard, Kyron slid his sword back into its sheath.
Around him, the others stared.
He bent down, collected a single Smiler finger, and smiled tiredly.
Finally… I can complete the exam.
---
One by one, the group introduced themselves.
"Hello, I'm Kyron. What about you guys?"
The dark blue-haired girl smiled warmly. "Nice to meet you. I'm Neelam, and this is my brother, Abhinav."
The orange-haired boy nodded shyly. "I'm Luca Caminos."
The black-haired boy smirked. "Hey, you moron! You stole my spotlight, but alright... next time don't take all the credit. I'm Ali."
---
Neelam chuckled. "You talk big for someone who got launched like a ragdoll."
Ali scoffed. "Tch. That was just strategy! Testing how hard that Smiler could hit."
"By offering your face as a sacrifice?" Luca teased, laughing nervously.
Abhinav looked at Kyron with wide eyes. "You were amazing... How did you stay so calm?"
Kyron scratched the back of his head, uncertain. "I wasn't calm at all. I was terrified the whole time."
Neelam smirked. "Well, you fought like someone ten ranks higher. You definitely earned my respect. And if you hadn't shown up, we were done for."
---
Suddenly, the ground beneath them trembled — a low pulse rolling through the forest.
From far away, a bell tolled, the sound drifting from the mansion.
"They're calling us back," Neelam said quietly.
Kyron nodded. "Let's go."
---
[Back at the Mansion Gates]
One by one, the aspirants returned — some bloodied, some bruised. A few carried injured comrades.
But from the original twenty-seven, only twelve had survived.
The masked man stood silently at the gate, arms crossed, eyes scanning the survivors.
His gaze lingered on Kyron's group for a moment longer.
Then, without a word, he stepped forward and removed his mask — revealing a deep scar cutting across his face and eyes that seemed void of all emotion.
"You have all returned with the required Smiler fingers," he said, voice cold and steady.
"But more importantly… you returned alive."
A brief silence followed.
Then the man's eyes locked on Kyron's.
"You are now… Smiler Hunters."
---
The real journey begins now.