The next morning, Haru awoke with a slow, steady breath. The room was quiet, wrapped in the kind of calm that only follows something life-altering. He blinked slowly, letting his eyes adjust to the morning light filtering through the old curtains. He sat up on the edge of the bed, stretching his arms with a soft groan, feeling the deep, satisfying ache in his muscles. It wasn't just fatigue. Something inside him had changed.
He felt different. Stronger. Charged.
His limbs felt denser, almost like they carried new weight but a powerful one, a weight that brought purpose instead of burden. His thoughts were clearer than they'd been in days. The memory of the pain from the night before lingered, but it was fading, replaced by a strange new vitality, a pulse of energy surging beneath his skin like a living current.
After rubbing his face and dragging himself up fully, he dressed quickly and stepped out of his room, the hallway around him humming faintly with silence.
As he rounded the corner, he nearly collided with someone.
Anny.
She was already awake, dressed neatly as always. Her white hair was a bit tousled, a small sign that she too had endured a rough night. Her eyes were tired but calm, her posture graceful as ever. She looked at him with a soft smile.
"Good morning," she said.
"Morning," Haru replied, nodding in return.
There was a brief pause before he added, "Are you feeling different?"
Anny tilted her head slightly, then gave a slow nod. "Yes. Everything feels... sharper. My senses, my body... It's like I'm in tune with things I couldn't even feel before. I didn't sleep much, but I don't feel tired at all."
"Same here," Haru said. "It's like something rewired me. I'm not just awake I feel alive in a whole new way."
They shared a moment of silent understanding before Haru smirked faintly. "Guess we're not the same people we were yesterday."
Anny returned the smile. "No. We're not."
Together, they walked side by side down the creaky hallway, each step echoing faintly. The air in Coffin's Bar felt changed too, as if charged with an unseen current.
When they entered the common lounge, they found the others already gathered. Yuzu was seated on the couch, cradling a steaming mug between her hands. She glanced up, her expression relaxing into a familiar smile.
"You two alive?"
"Barely," Haru joked, rubbing his neck.
River was perched nearby, her long legs propped up on a stool, arms crossed. She looked alert, like she hadn't slept at all and didn't need to. Beside her, Maisie sat curled up with a pen and napkin, quietly doodling in her own world.
"Well, if this is the afterlife," River said with a smirk, "at least the furniture's comfy."
Haru turned toward Yuzu. "How are you holding up?"
Yuzu glanced at her arm, running her fingers over the skin. "Last night, I had punctures, cuts. I could barely move without hurting. But now... nothing. No pain, no scars. It's like they were never there."
River nodded, her tone more serious now. "Same. My burns were nasty. Chemical. But they're gone. Not even a scar."
Anny crossed her arms thoughtfully. "So the drink really did something. It wasn't just a ritual. It changed us."
Maisie looked up from her sketch and added softly, "You glowed, Riv. When you were sleeping. Blue light like lightning in your chest."
River's eyes widened slightly. "Are you serious?"
Maisie nodded earnestly.
Haru furrowed his brow. "No dreams for me. Just a pressure in my chest. Like something waiting. Watching."
A short silence hung over the group, heavy with realization.
River leaned forward slightly, voice low. "We're not just in this anymore. We've crossed a line. Our bodies, our energy… they've been altered. Unlocked."
Before anyone could respond, Cali entered the lounge. The worn leather of her jacket creaked as she tucked her hands into her pockets.
"Hope you all got some rest," she said, her tone brisk. "We've got a lot to cover. But first—meet the crew."
She gestured toward the bar, and one by one, new faces stepped forward.
"Jake Vinderhelm," Cali said, nodding at a pale man in janitor's garb. He gave a lazy wave. "Vampire. Officially, he's maintenance. Unofficially, he's our informant. If there's something hidden in this city, he'll know about it."
"Age?" Jake said with a smirk. "Classified."
Anny shot to her feet and pointed at him. "I knew it! I'm right you're a vampire!"
Jake chuckled sheepishly. "Guilty."
Cali rolled her eyes but moved on.
"Belle Hartston," she said next. An elderly woman walked in with a lumbering shotgun strapped to her back.
"Don't cause trouble," Belle said with a grin, "and I won't have to teach you manners."
"She's 87," Cali added. "And she hasn't missed a shot in 30 years."
Next came a woman in a lab coat Dr. Angela Alonso. She gave a tired nod.
"I patch people up. Try not to give me too much work."
Following close behind was a boy, no older than 12.
"This is Clint. Her brother. Junior support."
"I run errands. Sometimes I clean. I'm fast," Clint said with a shrug.
A woman in a black vest and silver earrings entered next. Her gaze was sharp.
"Luna Burnice," Cali said. "Bartender and solo hunter. She's quiet, but efficient."
Luna simply nodded.
"And lastly, Timmy Hartston. Gunsmith, apprentice to Belle."
A 10-year-old grinned from ear to ear. "I sell guns!"
Cali sighed. "He's not kidding."
"Wanna see the rocket launcher under the bar?" Timmy asked.
"No," Angela replied instantly.
Cali clapped her hands. "Now. You've met the crew. Time to talk about you."
She looked around the room. "That drink you had it was an elixir, made from distilled essence of supernatural creatures. It's rare. Powerful. And now, it's inside you."
She paced as she spoke.
"There are two types of abilities it unlocks. First, general abilities everyone gets these:
Enhanced strength and speed.
Crimson Rite you can channel fire, cold, or lightning into any weapon you wield.
Enhanced healing. With proper rest, you'll recover from most injuries overnight."
And one more Blood Craft. You've gained the ability to channel, or in some cases sacrifice, a part of your vital essence to curse and manipulate supernatural creatures through blood magic. Since you're just starting, you'll be allowed to learn one blood curse from a list I'll provide."
She paused to let the weight of that sink in.
"Second, personal abilities. These are unique. They come from who you are, your experiences, your bloodline, your will. Not everyone discovers them right away. Some of you may not realize yours for weeks. Others... you may never awaken it. But for those who do? That power will grow with you."
The room fell silent once again.
Cali nodded. "Welcome to the next phase. You're not just people anymore. You're hunters now."
She looked at each of them in turn.
"Starting tomorrow, we begin your training. Over the next week, we'll help you uncover your personal abilities and teach you how to survive in this world you've stepped into."
Day One: Reset
Early next day morning
Cali clapped her hands once, the sound echoing across the training floor beneath Coffin's Bar. The impact echoed like a starter pistol, snapping every mind into focus.
"You've changed," she said. "Now it's time to make that change count."
There were no congratulations. No fanfare. Just a cracked chalkboard with the schedule:
Training Schedule – Day One Mornings – Physical conditioning, weapon form
Afternoons – Ability observation and drills
Evenings – Tactical review, individual sessions
River slammed her pickaxe into a training dummy until her shoulders ached. Yuzu stumbled through a reflex course, barely catching her footing. Haru struggled through pull-ups while Clint completed double his reps without breaking a sweat. Anny's aim remained steady, but her posture was rigid with uncertainty.
After dinner, the one-on-one sessions began. This was no time to hide weaknesses.
Belle watched as River reforged a dull blade. The edge shimmered faintly with a blue light. "One enhancement," Belle said. "Once a day. Use it well."
Angela observed Yuzu crafting a tonic. Her hands moved with instinct she barely recognized. The liquid pulsed green. "Good work. But keep this in mind: it lasts a minute, and the shelf life is one week. Don't overbrew."
Anny guided a pigeon out the window and whistled. Moments later, a second bird arrived. Luna watched from the shadows. "You're building a network. Birds talk. Keep listening."
Clint handed Haru a busted taser baton. "Fix this. No instructions." Ten minutes later, it sparked back to life. "You copy fast," Clint said. "That's a gift. Just don't stop learning."
That night, the four sat in silence. Their bodies ached. Their minds spun. And still, they showed up.
Day Two: Sparks and Strains
Drills grew harsher.
Haru mirrored the stances of everyone around him. His body remembered what his mind couldn't process fast enough. Yuzu created a stamina tonic with her own twist, stronger than expected. River forged a new dagger with a hook-bladed hilt, pulsing with a faint blue sheen. Anny directed Hoot to tail a dummy through the rooftops and intercept a planted decoy.
The pressure in their bones wasn't fatigue anymore. It was potential pressing outward.
Late at night, Cali handed each of them a sealed scroll.
"Inside you is something old," she said. "It doesn't ask. It doesn't wait. It awakens. Let it."
They slept with the scrolls under their pillows.
Day Three: Blood on the Edge
It awakened.
Haru was sparring with Clint when his vision tunneled. In a flash, darkness enveloped his opponent. Clint's strike missed. Haru hadn't moved. Blood Curse of the Eyeless.
Yuzu threw her hand up mid-charge against a training dummy. Its joints swelled grotesquely. It collapsed. Blood Curse of Bloated Agony.
River struck Luna's bracer once. The second strike shattered it. Blood Curse of Exposure.
Anny locked onto a marked dummy. Her Rite flared. She fired. The target erupted. Blood Curse of the Marked.
They sat in the lounge afterward, hands trembling, unable to meet each other's eyes.
Cali looked at them. "Most hunters wait months for a curse to rise. You did it in three days. But if you get lazy—if you trust power instead of precision—it will kill you."
They nodded. No one argued.
Day Four: Control and Consequence
Today, they fought real blooded creatures. Live threats. One curse each. No room for error.
Haru waited for the strike—then used his curse. The creature missed. Haru countered.
Yuzu hesitated, then activated her curse. The attacker writhed and collapsed.
River let herself take a glancing blow—then struck. Her curse stripped resistance. She finished it.
Anny marked a moving target. One flaming bullet. Direct hit.
Angela showed them a ruined jacket that evening. "Hunter used three curses in one night. He won. Then bled out. Died in his sleep."
They understood. Power had a cost.
Day Five: Teeth and Tension
No powers today. No safety.
In randomized simulations, Haru built a decoy device to lure a trap away. Yuzu used a smoke vial and slipped past patrols. River constructed a ramp using spare pipe. Anny found the real hostage using a raven's call.
In the afternoon, they were allowed Crimson Rites—but still no curses. Each adapted, fought with instincts, and waited.
That night on the roof, River looked up at the stars. "We're learning to fight without relying on the curse."
Anny added, "And more importantly, we're learning when not to use it."
Day Six: Alone, Together
Each faced a solo challenge.
Yuzu rescued a hostage from a poisoned greenhouse. She used her curse once—perfect timing. "Tell Haru I saved someone," she whispered.
River crafted a climbing tool under pressure and brought down a beast with her curse. She climbed out bloodied and smiling. "Trophy," she told Haru, tossing him a piece of pipe.
Anny disarmed a rune bomb. Her curse marked the core. One bullet. One clean detonation.
Haru built a sound-dampening field and crept through a booby-trapped clinic. His curse saved him from a killing blow.
Later that night, they sat under the sky.
Yuzu leaned against him. "I wouldn't be here without you."
River gave him a smirk. "You're getting harder to ignore."
Anny brushed her hand against his. "I trust you. That's not something I say lightly."
Day Seven: Why We Stayed
They sat around the rooftop brazier. Not as rookies. As hunters.
River: "I stayed to find my parents. To ask what happened in the mines. And because I don't want to be alone when I do."
Yuzu: "I stayed to find my professor. The one who knew about the van. I need to ask him why I was chased."
Anny: "My brother disappeared. I'm staying to find him. To learn if he's even alive."
Haru: "That night at the convenience store—when Yuzu came in, bleeding and terrified—I didn't think. I just helped. I stayed because I don't want to be the guy who looks away."
They didn't speak after that.
Just leaned into one another.
Together.
Final Scene
The rooftop door creaked open.
Jake emerged from the stairwell, the cold wind rustling his coat. His expression was uncharacteristically grave.
"Sorry to break the mood," he said. "But your first real mission's here."
He placed a sealed folder on the table. The wax bore a sigil of a fang wrapped in petals.
"In three days, the vampire clans will hold a Grand Gathering. First time in fifty years. Matriarchs and patriarchs—all under one roof."
Yuzu sat upright. "That's real?"
Jake nodded. "Hosted by someone called Mireille. What's in this sealed document—we don't know. But it matters."
River narrowed her eyes. "What do you want us to do?"
"You're going in as staff. Quiet. Watchful. When the time comes—you get that document out."
Anny crossed her arms. "And if we're caught?"
Jake flashed a slow, sharp smile.
"Then you'll learn exactly what happens when you interrupt vampire politics."
He turned and stepped back inside.
"Three days," he called. "Get ready."
The fire crackled low.
And the hunters didn't feel like rookies anymore.
To Be Continue