Chapter 2: Black Birds
Episode 2 — First Quest
Class D was silent.
Wind blew through the classroom from the massive hole in the wall — the same hole created during yesterday's fight. Broken glass still covered the floor.
Seven students sat awkwardly inside.
Their new beginning felt… unimpressive.
The teacher adjusted her glasses and smiled calmly.
"Alright. Let me introduce myself. I am Mrs. Takasoro, your Class D instructor."
She looked around the room.
"As you can see… Class D has very few students. Only those barely accepted are placed here."
Taichi clicked his tongue.
"Tch."
Mrs. Takasoro clapped once.
"Let's introduce ourselves. State your name and ability."
A boy stood first.
He pointed proudly at himself.
"My name is Itsuki Nova. My ability is Thunder."
Electric sparks flickered around his fingers.
Aruto secretly pulled out a notebook.
Thunder…
He wrote it down carefully.
Next, a pink-haired girl stood, smiling warmly.
"My name is Sakura Mei. My ability is Healing."
Aruto nodded while writing.
She looks kind… reliable.
A boy with glasses adjusted them.
"Hayate Orion. Earth-type ability."
Taichi muttered, impressed.
"Element user, huh…"
A purple-haired girl stood lazily.
"Nanami Saito. Puppet Master."
She sat immediately.
Another girl with orange hair lifted her pen. It floated in midair.
"Mirai Raine. Gravity manipulation."
Aruto's eyes widened as he wrote faster.
A tall foreign boy stood next.
"My name is Connor Steele. I'm from America. My ability allows me to turn my body into iron."
He sat confidently.
Yunaka stood next.
The room instantly grew tense.
"Yunaka Nozumi. Ability: Creation."
Her cold eyes shifted toward Aruto.
She noticed him writing everyone's abilities down.
Their gazes met briefly.
Then she sat.
Taichi jumped up with a grin.
"Taichi Takahashi! Fire ability!"
Flames sparked in his palm.
"And don't forget my name!"
He dropped back into his seat proudly.
Finally…
Aruto stood.
"My name is Aruto Kurasaki…"
He hesitated.
A memory echoed.
Your ability… is Immortal.
He swallowed.
"…My ability is Immortality."
Silence.
Everyone's mouths dropped open.
Itsuki shot up.
"That's impossible! Then how did you defeat Yunaka?!"
Aruto scratched his head nervously.
"Ah… that was just physical strength."
The classroom exploded into whispers.
"Just strength…?"
Taichi stared at him carefully.
Yunaka narrowed her eyes.
Mrs. Takasoro clapped again.
"Alright! Today you will form teams."
She pointed.
"Since Aruto and Taichi are new, you two will pair together."
"What?!" they shouted together.
Their foreheads collided instantly.
"This must be a mistake!" Taichi yelled.
Mrs. Takasoro ignored them.
"Yunaka and Sakura currently have no teams."
She smiled.
"Perfect. You four will form one squad."
Itsuki whispered,
"That team sounds unstable…"
Mrs. Takasoro continued,
"Before taking quests, every team must choose a name."
The bell rang.
Students exited toward the quest hall.
Outside—
Sakura smiled awkwardly.
"So… what should our team name be?"
"Flame Squad!" Taichi declared.
"No way," Aruto said instantly. "We're Demon Hunters!"
"That's boring!"
Their foreheads connected again.
"Flame!"
"Demon Hunters!"
BONK!
Yunaka punched both of them.
"Ow!!"
She crossed her arms.
"This team will be called… Black Birds."
"…What?" all three said together.
Her cold stare froze them.
"You have a problem?"
"…No."
"Good."
At the Quest Board, only one mission remained.
Yunaka pulled it down.
Quest: Subjugate Earth Dragon
Rank: B
Connor's eyes widened.
"If I were you… I wouldn't take that."
Sakura blinked.
"Why?"
Mirai answered quietly.
"That's a Class B mission."
Taichi grinned.
"We'll take it."
"I agree," Aruto said.
Yunaka sighed.
"…Fine."
Soon, they arrived at a dark cave.
"It's scary…" Sakura whispered.
Taichi ignited flames in his hand, lighting the path.
Deep inside—
A massive Earth Dragon slept beside a large egg.
Taichi smiled.
"There it is!"
He rushed forward.
"WAIT—!" Yunaka shouted.
Too late.
The dragon's eyes snapped open.
ROAR!!
Shockwaves shattered the cave ceiling.
Rocks collapsed.
Aruto shoved Sakura aside—
CRASH!
A boulder buried him.
"ARUTO!" Sakura cried.
Moments later—
Aruto stepped out, brushing dust off himself.
"I'm fine."
Sakura stared.
"…You really are immortal."
Yunaka glared.
"You nearly got us killed."
Taichi pointed.
"Huh? What's the problem?"
They noticed it—
The egg beneath the dragon.
Aruto spoke calmly.
"It's protecting its child."
Taichi blinked.
"You read books too much."
"…Do you read at all?"
"Do I look like it?"
"…No."
Yunaka sighed.
"We separate it from the egg."
Taichi cracked his neck.
"Leave it to me!"
His entire body ignited in flames.
"I'M FIRED UP!"
Heat filled the cave.
The dragon charged.
Fire breath exploded forward—
Taichi punched through it.
But suddenly—
The dragon appeared before him.
SMASH!
Its tail sent him flying into the wall.
Sakura rushed to heal him.
The dragon roared again.
"Aruto!" Yunaka shouted.
He boosted her upward.
"Hey! I'm not a stepping stone!"
A massive sword formed in her hand.
One clean strike—
SLASH!
The Earth Dragon split in half and vanished into light.
Later…
At the Hunter Office.
Yunaka placed the egg on the counter.
The receptionist stared in disbelief.
"You defeated a Rank B dragon…?"
She handed them rewards.
Each phone lit up.
+1000 Points
Aruto blinked.
"What's this?"
Yunaka answered calmly.
"Hunter currency."
She looked at him.
"We call it… Points."
Aruto's eyes shone.
"…We get paid too?!"
Taichi grinned.
"Now THIS job is awesome."
End of Episode 2