The alley was quiet.
Only the faint crackling of fading flames remained.
Seiichi Asuka stood still for a moment.
His cold eyes shifted toward Tachibana Hina.
"…why did you hesitate?"
His voice cut through the silence.
Sharp.
Unforgiving.
Hina flinched slightly.
"I thought—"
"Don't think like that."
Asuka interrupted immediately.
His gaze hardened.
"Don't ever trust what a Demon says."
He took a step forward.
Each word—heavy.
"If you fall for their words…"
A brief pause.
"…congratulations."
His tone turned colder.
"You've just made yourself their next meal."
Silence.
Hina clenched her fists.
Her expression tightened—but she said nothing.
Asuka turned his back.
No hesitation.
No sympathy.
"…you're not ready."
And with that—
He walked away.
Leaving her alone in the dark alley.
Hina stood there.
Still.
Quiet.
"…not ready…"
She muttered under her breath.
Her grip tightened around her katana.
But she didn't chase after him.
She just stood there—
Letting his words sink in.
Later that night
Hina's room.
Dimly lit.
Silent.
She sat on her bed.
Her katana resting beside her.
Her eyes stared at the ceiling.
But her mind—
Was elsewhere.
"…If you hesitate… you die."
Asuka's voice echoed in her head.
Again.
And again.
She turned slightly.
Her expression conflicted.
"I almost…"
She stopped.
Her hand slowly clenched the bedsheet.
"…died."
For the first time—
Her confidence wavered.
But then—
Her eyes sharpened.
"…I won't hesitate next time."
The flame within her—
Burned a little stronger.
Meanwhile…
Inside a quiet room at HIA Headquarters
A young woman sat in front of multiple holographic screens.
Her expression—
Cold.
Unreadable.
Kurosaki Shin.
Age: 19.
Grade: S
Her long dark hair framed a sharp, emotionless face.
Her fingers moved swiftly across the interface.
"Application request… rejected."
"Next… rejected."
"Next… rejected."
Profiles of Hunters flashed across the screen.
Most of them—
Highly ranked.
Many of them—
female.
"…how persistent."
Shin muttered coldly.
Behind her—
A door opened quietly.
"Asuka."
She didn't turn.
"Most of them are women."
A slight pause.
"Some are even Grade A."
Her eyes scanned another profile.
"They want to join our team."
Silence.
Then—
A calm voice answered.
"Reject them too."
Shin stopped typing for a moment.
"…all of them?"
"Yes."
Footsteps approached.
Asuka walked closer.
His expression unchanged.
Then—
He reached forward.
And tapped the screen.
A new profile appeared.
Name: Tachibana Hina
Shin's eyes narrowed slightly.
"…why her?"
She finally turned to look at him.
Her gaze sharp.
Suspicious.
"Did she charm you or something?"
A brief silence.
Then—
"…nonsense."
Asuka replied flatly.
Shin stared at him for a second longer.
Then leaned back slightly.
"…then why?"
Asuka's eyes remained on the screen.
"…her flame."
Shin raised an eyebrow.
"What about it?"
A short pause.
Asuka spoke quietly.
"…it's too bright."
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"…it doesn't look like ordinary fire."
Silence filled the room.
Shin looked back at Hina's profile.
Studying it more carefully this time.
"…interesting."
Her lips curved ever so slightly.
"…so you found something unusual."
Asuka said nothing.
But his eyes—
Didn't leave the screen.
As if he was looking at something far beyond it.
"…let's see if she's worth it."
Far away—
In her small room—
Hina sat alone.
Unaware—
That she had just caught the attention…
of Asuka team
To be continued…