Max glanced at them but didn't engage. "Unfortunately, this area isn't known for wild animals," he said, turning back to the repairs.
"The ones we hunt aren't the ones you watch in documentaries," the man replied. "Intel suggests two of them specifically targeted your house which was unusual. They were clearly after something."
"Trust me; you've come to the wrong place," Max retorted, his attention still fixed on his repair.
A thud interrupted them — a crash from inside.
He dashed into the house.
Inside, his son had collapsed in fear at the sight of the masked strangers. The trauma from that night was still fresh in his mind. His limbs trembled; his breathing was erratic.
Max rushed to him, holding him tightly. The boy clung to him like he was the only thing keeping the darkness away.
The lead hunter understood the situation. Silently, he and his team removed their masks. Their faces were calm, composed — human.
He stepped forward slowly, crouching to the boy's level.
"Hey, kiddo," he said softly. "We're not like them." He offered his hand. "We haunt them. We kill them — so people like you don't have to see them again."
The boy looked up slowly, eyes wide, still clinging to Max. He studied the man's face... then glanced at the group behind him.
His voice was quiet but firm.
"Not these ones."
The hunter's eyes widened. He looked up at Max.
"...Just what did happen here that night?"
Max didn't answer at first. Then, finally, he exhaled deeply.
"How far does your knowledge of history go?" he asked, then gestured toward the house.
Scene shifts to St. Eloria Private School
The building stood tall and proud; a prestigious academy wrapped in golden sunlight. Its grounds were immaculate. Its skies always clear. But not all students lived under that same brightness.
Behind the school's perfect walls, darkness festered.
"Haha! Looking as gross as always, Marv."
A large boy sneered down at the figure behind the gymnasium. His gang laughed behind him.
"You should be grateful we're bullying you. If we didn't... no one would even notice your existence."
At the center, kneeling, was a timid boy named Marv.
His eyes were dull. His lips barely moved. He trembled as their shadows loomed over him, his hands clutching the fabric of his pants , the only thing grounding him to reality.
A teacher passed by. He saw. He knew.
And he looked away.
These weren't just bullies.
They were the R4 Boys . The school's de facto rulers— Their parents, wealthy and influential, were the school's primary benefactors. Any repercussions against the R4 could lead to the school's downfall, effectively ruining the lives of anyone who dared to oppose them.
Marv had become their toy the day he stood up for a girl they had tormented. She never even thanked him.
Now, every day was torment. He was constantly humiliated, broken, erased.
"Hey Liam, this pet's already broken. Want to get a new one?" one of the bullies suggested, a chillingly remorseless smile twisting his lips.
"No," Liam said with a grin. "He's still got some spirit left. I want to snuff it completely."
Another leaned in. "We found out something interesting today. Marv's got a sister. A real looker, too."
Marv's head jerked up slightly.
"Is that so? And he kept his lovely sister a secret from us. How selfish," Liam said, lifting Marv's chin with a mocking gesture. "Aren't we partners? You stingy bastard." He then dropped Marv's head back to the ground and wiped his hand with a handkerchief like it was covered in filth.
"Well, whatever. We'll go play with her anyway."
As he turned away, he felt something latch onto his leg.
"What do you think you're doing, poochie?" Liam's said.
The rest of the gang chuckled. "Still craving more torture?"
"Get him off me," Liam ordered, his composure cracking. Together, they stomped on Marv's hand, trying to break his grip.
Liam tried to pull away again, but Marv's hold only tightened. "You fucker!" Liam snarled, attempting to twist Marv's hand, but he lost his balance and fell.
Then, one of the bullies noticed a disturbing change. "Hoi, is it just me, or has he gotten... bigger? The kid?" A noticeable tension filled the air.
Marv stood up, his wounds visibly healing before their eyes. He had grown taller, almost their height. His form began to shift, and strange markings appeared on his skin, tracing intricate patterns across his body.
The bullies trembled, their bravado evaporating as Marv's transformation continued.
"Wait, wait, wait, Marv. Didn't you realize we were just joking with you?" Liam pleaded desperately, his voice laced with fear. "All of this was just a test to bring you into our elite circle. And you passed!"
Marv's mouth stretched into a grotesque grin, and fangs elongated from his gums. His hands morphed into claws. "Take everything you've done to me," he said, his voice a guttural growl, "and multiply it tenfold... That's how much I'm going to repay you." He lunged forward, his attack followed by the terrified screams of his former tormentors.
Later
Police sirens wailed. Blood stained the school grounds. Yellow tape fluttered in the wind.
Five students were reported missing.
Four of them — sons of the city's most powerful.
Officers struggled to contain the panic.
Parents screamed. Reporters swarmed.
But far behind the crowd, hidden in the trees, two silhouettes watched.
Their robes were dark, adorned with faded ancient symbols that pulsed faintly in the shade, like old, sleeping gods etched into cloth.
One of them watching the scene mused. "He's a failure, but his destructiveness was palpable. He could still be of use for something else," one of them mused.
The other one turned. "The haunt for the perfect vessel continues."
Their footsteps didn't rustle leaves — the forest seemed to bend around them in silence.