The training room was shaking.
Not from an explosion.
From the tension.
The reinforced walls were vibrating softly, the white lights flickered, and behind the armored glass, dozens of technicians watched in silence.
In the center of the room, One scratched his cheek.
"Huh… when do we start?"
Captain Man, arms crossed, sighed.
"Now."
The systems activated.
Luminous circles lit up on the floor.
Drones rose.
Mechanical shapes emerged from the walls.
"[Practical combat test]," announced an artificial voice.
"[Objective: assess the subject's offensive capability.]"
One blinked.
"Do I have to… break them?"
No answer.
The first robot attacked.
It didn't even have time to finish its movement.
Its arm bent back on itself, as if it had hit an invisible wall.
The second robot charged.
It exploded mid-charge.
The third attempted a ranged shot.
The projectile vanished before it even reached One.
Silence.
The screens went crazy.
"It's impossible…"
"The impacts aren't coming from him…"
"The calculations don't make any sense!"
One looked at his hands.
"Did I do something?"
Captain Man didn't answer.
A fourth robot emerged, more massive, armored, bristling with weapons.
It charged.
One took a step to the side.
The robot was pulverized against the floor.
"…Ah."
One timidly raised his hand.
"Uhm… is it over?"
Before anyone could answer, an alarm screamed.
Red. Piercing. Violent.
"Alert! Unauthorized intrusion!"
"Source: catastrophic level!"
The ceiling exploded.
Debris fell.
A gigantic silhouette landed in the room.
A daemon.
Its voice made the air vibrate.
"CAPTAIN MAAAAAAN!!!"
The agents panicked.
Some ran.
Others froze.
One blinked.
"Oh… is this for me again?"
The monster struck.
One disappeared.
Then reappeared behind it.
Then above.
Then in front.
With each attack, he was no longer there.
"But… stop moving!" roared the creature.
One tilted his head.
"I'm not trying… it's just that you're hitting next to me."
The daemon struck with all its might.
Its fist went through One.
Literally.
"…Huh?"
One looked at it, surprised.
"Oh. You went through."
He gave it an almost absent-minded flick.
The air bent.
The monster flew through the building.
At that moment—
"MOVE IT, KID!"
Captain Man landed like a meteor.
"ULTRAAAA PUNCH!"
The impact pulverized the daemon.
Silence.
Debris was still falling when One approached.
"Whoa… That was so cool!"
Captain Man straightened up, out of breath.
"You… you're completely clueless."
One smiled.
"Yeah, but… hey, your suit… it's so cool."
"What?"
"Can I have one like it? With the cape and everything?"
Captain Man stared at him, bewildered.
"We'll see later."
An agent approached with a tablet, trembling.
"Final ranking… Class C."
One blinked.
"Seriously? Awesome!"
Captain Man looked away.
"It's random…" he murmured. "They don't know what to do with you."
One jumped for joy.
"I'm an official hunter then!"
He ran off.
"I'm going to buy some food! I'm super hungry!"
He disappeared around the street corner.
Captain Man remained alone, looking at the destroyed floor.
"You have no idea what you are…" he murmured.
LATER, IN THE STREET
ONE was coming out of a store with a shopping bag.
"—it's freezing right now…"
"—winter must be close, weh…"
Right next to him, he saw a girl who had had her phone stolen by a thug.
But before One could even intervene,
a young boy was standing in front of the robber.
"Stop… in the name of the law!"
"Who are you, kid, get out of the way"
"Damn, but you're ugly!"
"Ehhh… that's not nice, you know."
Said One a little further away.
"No matter if I'm ugly, I'm a hunter and you're a criminal, so I have to stop you!"
"In the name of the law, here I come!"
The young hunter got hit and was thrown against a wall.
He got back up, determined.
"…Ahh, it's okay, the fight isn't over yet."
"Stay down, kid, you want more?!"
The hunter ran towards the criminal and slid between his legs.
As the thug was trying to understand what was happening, he saw a dazzling white light.
"ULTRAAAA PUUUUUNCHH!" Shouted the hunter, and with one blow he threw the thug to the ground.
One watched from further away and thought to himself,
"Huh…, but I've heard that line somewhere before."
The hunter picked up the phone, then handed it to the woman,
who looked at him with a disgusted expression.
"Thanks…"
"Ew… God, he's so ugly, damn it!"
She ran off.
The hunter watched her flee. He didn't say anything; he was used to it.
"Whoa… you're strong, man."
Said One, who had approached the hunter.
"What's your name?"
"Me… uhhh, me, I'm Kotobe."
"Nice to meet you, I'm ONE."
"You're a hunter, right… oh well, as it happens, I am too, I just signed up today."
"Congratulations…"
"Do you want a sandwich? After the effort, comes comfort."
"Thanks,… Mmmhh it's good!"
"But… my appearance doesn't bother you?"
"No, not really, I find you welcoming."
They chatted for hours without knowing that their friendship would grow stronger and stronger.