The morning sky hung low and gray as Tenshi, Kaito, and Asahi arrived at the agency's underground training facility. The elevator ride down felt like descending into a bunker—cold walls, humming lights, faint vibrations of machinery behind them.
Tenshi rubbed his eyes.
"So early…"
"It's nine," Asahi replied.
"That's early."
"You woke up at noon yesterday."
"That was different…"
Kaito punched Tenshi's shoulder.
"Wake up! It's training day!"
"I'm awake—stop hitting me!"
When the elevator doors slid open, Tenshi froze.
The room stretched like an underground stadium—high ceilings, metal beams, glass panels, and reinforced walls scarred by hundreds of past fights. Weapons hung on racks. Weighted dummies lined the walls. Devil corpses preserved in glass were labeled like museum exhibits.
And at the center of the floor stood a man.
Tall.
Muscular.
Black shirt.
Cold eyes.
Sharp jawline.
Not smiling.
He radiated a controlled, lethal aura.
Next to him stood three other trainees. Tenshi immediately shrank behind Kaito.
Asahi stepped forward.
"Tenshi, this is the man training you."
The man didn't bow.
Didn't greet.
Just spoke in a voice that felt like steel.
"Name's Daigo."
Tenshi gulped.
He felt the air tighten around his lungs.
Kaito whispered, "He's stronger than Asahi."
Asahi whispered, "Everyone is stronger than me."
Daigo's eyes landed on Tenshi.
"You're the new hybrid."
Tenshi flinched. "I—uh—I'm Tenshi—nice to meet you—"
Daigo walked toward him with steady, terrifying confidence.
"Stand straight."
Tenshi snapped up like a soldier under threat.
"Arms down."
He lowered them.
"Stop trembling."
"I—I'm not—"
"You are."
Tenshi stopped breathing entirely.
Daigo turned away.
"Good. Now meet the others."
Daigo motioned to the three standing behind him.
1. Yori (Female, 19) — Contract: "Moth Devil"
Long lavender hair tied in a messy ponytail.
Eyes sleepy but sharp.
Black jacket with ripped sleeves.
She waved lazily.
"I can make powder. Don't inhale it. You'll hallucinate."
Tenshi nodded quickly.
2. Renji (Male, 21) — Contract: "Nail Devil"
Tall.
Lean muscles.
Spiky red hair.
Black gloves with metal knuckles.
He smirked.
"I can shoot nails from my arms. Costs blood. Fun stuff."
Tenshi nodded again.
3. Keiji (Male, 25) — Human Fighter
A scar across his cheek.
Short hair.
Calm, no-nonsense eyes.
No devil contract.
Just pure skill.
He bowed slightly.
"Nice to work with you."
Tenshi bowed back.
Daigo clapped once, the sound echoing through the hall.
"Warm-up. Five minutes."
Kaito stretched. "Five minutes? Easy!"
Daigo corrected him.
"Five minutes of sprinting."
Kaito's smile died.
Tenshi's soul evaporated.
Asahi sat on the bench with a clipboard.
"Good luck," he said without emotion.
The next five minutes were hell.
Tenshi sprinted.
Fell.
Got up.
Sprinted again.
Fell again.
"MOVE," Daigo barked.
Kaito sprinted past Tenshi, laughing breathlessly.
"COME ON, BRO!"
"I'M TRYING—!"
Yori jogged slowly like she was bored.
Renji ran backward just to show off.
Keiji lapped everyone twice.
By the end, Tenshi lay face-first on the floor.
"I'm… dead…"
Daigo stood over him, unimpressed.
"You're still alive. Get up."
Tenshi crawled to his feet.
Daigo pointed at a punching bag thicker than a tree trunk.
"Tenshi. Hit it."
"With what?"
"Your hand."
Tenshi gulped.
He punched.
The bag didn't move.
Daigo stared at him.
Tenshi punched again.
The bag didn't move again.
"…Do you have bones made of noodles?" Daigo asked.
"I—I'm trying—"
"Hit it properly."
Tenshi inhaled, stepped forward, tightened his fist, and—
THUD.
The bag swayed slightly.
Daigo nodded once.
"Better. Again."
Tenshi hit it twenty times until his knuckles burned.
Daigo turned away.
"Alright. Skill test."
He clapped his hands.
"Everyone, circle up!"
The trainees formed a circle.
Daigo stepped into the center.
His voice echoed:
"THIS is real training. No games. No babysitting. No hybrid privilege."
His eyes fell on Tenshi.
"If you can't handle pain, you die.
If you can't learn, you die.
If you hesitate, you die."
Tenshi gulped loudly.
Daigo pointed to Keiji.
"First match. Keiji vs Tenshi."
Tenshi froze.
Keiji cracked his neck.
"Don't worry. I won't break your bones."
Tenshi whimpered.
"That's… not reassuring…"
The fight began.
Keiji moved like lightning—fast, clean, precise.
A sharp step, a twist, a controlled push—
Tenshi hit the floor instantly.
Keiji held out a hand.
"Again."
Tenshi stood.
Keiji swept his leg—
Tenshi dropped again.
Kaito shouted, "GET UP, BRO!"
Tenshi groaned. "I'm trying—!"
Daigo watched silently, arms crossed.
Asahi scribbled on his clipboard.
Again.
Again.
Again.
Keiji knocked Tenshi flat 12 times.
On the 13th try—
Tenshi dodged.
Barely.
Keiji grinned.
"There you go."
Daigo nodded slightly.
"Good. That's enough for today."
But Tenshi collapsed anyway.
The door opened.
White hair.
Red eyes.
Perfect posture.
Himari entered the training hall.
Kaito straightened immediately.
Yori hid behind Renji.
Keiji bowed.
Tenshi sat up like a startled cat.
"H-Himari-san—?!"
Himari stepped past everyone and looked straight at Daigo.
"How is he?"
Daigo shrugged. "Weak."
Himari nodded.
"That's fine."
She looked at Tenshi and lightly patted his head.
"Good boy. You did well."
Tenshi nearly passed out.
Asahi rolled his eyes.
Daigo raised a brow.
"So this is your pet."
"Something like that," Himari said softly.
Tenshi's cheek turned red.
next day
Morning came too early.
The second Tenshi stepped into the underground training facility, his legs already felt like crying. His shoulders ached. His stomach twisted nervously. Every part of him remembered Daigo's training from yesterday.
Kaito walked behind him humming, bright as ever.
"READY TO SUFFER AGAIN?"
"No," Tenshi said honestly.
Asahi walked beside them with a folder under his arm.
"It's good for you."
"It doesn't feel good for me…"
"That's normal."
They reached the training hall.
Daigo was already there.
Arms crossed.
Expression unreadable.
Eyes sharp like glass blades.
"You're late," he said.
"We're early," Tenshi whispered.
"You're late."
Kaito stepped forward proudly.
"We are ready to train, Captain Daigo!"
"Don't call me that."
"Okay, Captain Daigo."
Daigo rubbed his forehead.
"Asahi. Control your pet."
Asahi shrugged.
"That's impossible."
Daigo clapped his hands sharply.
"Warm-up. Today: stamina drill."
Tenshi feared that sentence.
Daigo pointed to a wall lined with metal bars arranged in uneven heights.
"Climb. Jump. Drop. Repeat. Five minutes."
Kaito cracked his knuckles.
"This is FUN."
Yori yawned.
Renji smirked.
Keiji stretched calmly.
Tenshi swallowed.
"Begin."
They ran toward the bars.
Kaito leaped like a monkey, climbing effortlessly and flipping over the highest bar.
Renji sprinted up the structure, kicking off each bar like stepping stones.
Yori floated upward with minimal effort, her moth-like contract enhancing her balance.
Keiji moved efficiently, no wasted motion.
Tenshi grabbed the first bar.
He slipped.
He tried again.
He slipped again.
"Tenshi," Daigo barked. "Use your legs, not your arms."
"I AM—"
"No, you're flailing."
Tenshi flailed harder.
Kaito swung past him and shouted, "BRO USE THE OTHER LEG—NO NOT LIKE THAT—"
Tenshi fell off the bar completely.
Daigo sighed.
"You're hopeless."
Tenshi felt his soul escape his body.
Next: footwork drills.
Daigo dragged a long wooden staff across the floor, drawing lines.
"This is spacing. You stay inside your ring. Opponents stay outside. Control your breathing. Control your body."
He pointed at Tenshi.
"You're up first."
Tenshi stepped into the ring.
Daigo stepped outside.
"Move."
Daigo swung the staff.
Tenshi flinched.
He stumbled backward.
He did not die, but came close emotionally.
Daigo tapped him in the forehead with the staff.
"Don't freeze."
"I'm not used to—"
WHACK.
The staff hit Tenshi's shoulder.
"OW—!"
"Too slow."
"Daigo-san—!"
WHACK.
"STOP MOVING BACKWARDS."
WHACK.
"BALANCE, BOY."
Tenshi cried inside his heart.
Kaito clapped from the sidelines.
"YOU'RE DOING GREAT!"
"You're lying—"
"YUP!"
"Pairs," Daigo ordered.
• Yori vs Kaito
• Renji vs Keiji
• Tenshi vs Daigo
Tenshi's face turned white.
"Wait—why me—"
Daigo stepped into the sparring circle, expression calm.
"Hit me."
Tenshi raised his fists.
"I… don't want to hit you—"
"Then you'll never survive."
Tenshi punched.
Daigo blocked with two fingers.
Tenshi punched again.
Daigo sidestepped.
Punch.
Block.
Punch.
Deflect.
Punch—
Daigo tapped Tenshi's forehead again.
"Think."
"I AM THINKING—"
"No. You're panicking."
"I'M PANICKING AND THINKING AT THE SAME TIME—"
Daigo grabbed Tenshi's wrist and flipped him onto the mat.
Tenshi groaned.
"Get up," Daigo said.
Tenshi got up.
Daigo flipped him again.
"Get up."
He got up.
Daigo flipped him again.
Keiji watched calmly.
Kaito cheered.
Renji laughed.
Yori clapped weakly.
Halfway through the drills, the door opened.
White hair.
Red eyes.
Himari.
She entered quietly, hands behind her back, posture straight.
Everyone immediately stopped moving except Daigo, who simply nodded to her.
"Asahi," she said, "how's his progress?"
Asahi handed her the clipboard.
"He's slow, but learning."
Himari approached Tenshi and looked down at him lying on the mat.
"Tenshi."
He lifted his head weakly.
"H-hi…"
"You're doing well."
He nearly burst into tears.
"Really…?"
"Yes."
Daigo muttered, "He's weak."
"He is," Himari agreed softly.
"But he is improving."
Tenshi felt something warm bloom in his chest.
Kaito whispered to Renji, "She pets him like a puppy sometimes."
Himari turned and walked to the back, observing quietly.
Daigo pointed to the weapon racks.
"Pick one. You fight with it."
Kaito grabbed dual tonfas.
Renji took metal claws.
Yori took light daggers.
Tenshi picked up the katana he always used.
Daigo spun a wooden staff like a spear.
"You fight me again."
Tenshi nearly fainted.
The sparring began.
KLANG—!!
Tenshi swung.
Daigo blocked, twisted, and knocked Tenshi's sword aside with frightening speed.
KLANG!
Tenshi stumbled back.
He tried again.
KLANG!
CRACK—!
Daigo swept Tenshi's legs.
Tenshi hit the floor again.
"You rely too much on raw strength," Daigo said.
"I DON'T HAVE RAW STRENGTH—"
"Exactly. So stop swinging like you do."
Tenshi covered his face with his arms.
Daigo poked him with the staff.
"Up."
"No…"
"Up."
"No…"
Daigo grabbed Tenshi by the back of the shirt and lifted him.
Tenshi dangled helplessly.
"I AM A HUMAN—"
"You are a hybrid. Harder to kill. Train like one."
He dropped Tenshi, who landed on his feet surprisingly well.
Daigo smirked.
"There. Natural hybrid instincts. Use them."
Just as the session was about to end…
The hall door opened again.
A tall figure walked in.
Black messy hair.
Bandaged arms.
One eye covered by tape.
A sword strapped to their back.
Their presence felt sharp—
like a blade hovering near one's throat.
Daigo looked over.
"You're late."
The newcomer shrugged.
"My bus broke."
Asahi stiffened.
Yori actually stood up straight.
Renji whistled.
Keiji bowed.
Tenshi blinked.
"Who… who is that?"
Daigo answered:
"This is Haruka.
Cleave Hybrid.
Joined today."
Haruka looked at Tenshi.
"…Another hybrid, huh."
Tenshi swallowed.
"H-hi…"
Haruka tilted their head.
"You look easy to cut."
Tenshi nearly screamed.
Kaito stepped in front of Tenshi.
"You wanna go—?!"
Daigo hit Kaito with a staff without looking.
"No fighting. Yet."
Haruka sat down casually.
"I'll join hybrid training tomorrow."
Himari watched Haruka with quiet interest.
"Good," she said softly.
"The hybrids will be important soon."
Daigo nodded.
"Tomorrow," he announced, "we begin Hybrid Training Special Course."
Tenshi felt his stomach drop.