Hunter Ascension: Reberu

In a Dream…

Dzeth stood in the middle of a war-torn battlefield. Dust swirled in the air, mixed with the debris of collapsed buildings and dried blood staining the ground.

In front of him, a mysterious man was engaged in combat with a ferocious creature—one with jet-black skin, sharp horns, and glowing golden eyes—a Grade-S Curse.

The man's movements were extraordinary. Every attack thrown at him was effortlessly evaded, as if he could predict them before they even happened. He wielded no weapon—only his hands, enveloped in a thick, violet glow.

"His power… it's just like mine." Dzeth whispered, his eyes locked onto the epic battle before him.

The mysterious man raised his hand and formed a dark violet energy—not light, but a shadowy force that seemed to devour everything in its path. With a single strike, half of the Grade-S Curse's body vanished, as if sucked into an abyss.

"Infinity Purple Material," Dzeth gasped. Anything that touched this energy was absorbed completely, erased from existence.

Suddenly, the mysterious man stopped moving. His head turned, and his eyes met Dzeth's.

Dzeth froze. How can he see me?

Before he could say anything, the man lifted his hand toward Dzeth—

And everything went dark.

-

Dzeth Awakens

Dzeth jolted awake, gasping for air. Sweat dripped from his forehead as he clutched his head, trying to steady himself.

He glanced around—his own room.

On the desk, a letter sat neatly. He recognized the handwriting immediately. Syafi.

"I was the one who brought you back. Don't worry, I already reported what Silakh did to you."

Dzeth exhaled in relief. Once again, he owed his brother.

But one thing still haunted him—the dream.

Who was that man? And why was his power the same as the Limitless Hunter Technique?

-

At the Academy – Dzeth's Teacher

Meanwhile, at the academy, a teacher sat at his desk, reading through a report about the incident from the previous night.

A small smirk formed on his lips, but in his eyes—there was surprise and a hint of fear.

"My weakest student… he's the one who nearly killed Silakh?"

-

Training Alone

Dzeth stepped outside his house and began his usual workout routine—jogging around the academy.

As he passed through a residential area, he heard a scream.

Snapping his head in the direction of the sound, he saw a young boy being chased by a shadowy figure with glowing red eyes—a Grade-D Curse.

Without hesitation, Dzeth dashed forward. In a swift motion, he grabbed the Curse's neck and snapped it using Negative Reversal.

The boy trembled in fear but managed to stammer a quick thank you. Dzeth said nothing, merely nodding before continuing his run.

That night, he sat in his room, lost in thought. He flipped through the pages of the Limitless Hunter Technique book, but his mind kept drifting back to his dream.

"Who is that man…?"

-

A New Mission

The next morning, Dzeth was assigned a mission by his teacher.

"You'll be doing this mission alone."

That wasn't surprising. Ever since the incident with Silakh, most students avoided him.

But suddenly, Akanza stood up. "I'll go with him."

Dzeth was momentarily surprised but nodded. "Alright."

As he prepared to leave, a girl approached him, someone he didn't recognize. Without a word, she handed him a dagger—its Bright yellow blade gleamed, and intricate carvings decorated the hilt.

Dzeth raised an eyebrow. "What's this?"

"A weapon for you," the girl said before walking away.

Dzeth examined the dagger with curiosity.

"Heavenly Dagger… a fitting name."

-

The Abandoned Manor

Their mission led them to a large, abandoned mansion.

"Akanza, stay outside," Dzeth instructed. "I'll go in."

Akanza gave a firm nod and took his position.

Stepping inside, Dzeth was met with the stench of decay. The walls were covered in moss, the floor littered with dust, and the distant sound of dripping water echoed through the halls.

He moved cautiously toward the main chamber—where a horde of Grade-D Curses awaited him.

Without hesitation, he slashed through them effortlessly with the Heavenly Dagger.

But when he reached a door leading underground, he hesitated.

Something was waiting for him.

Taking a deep breath, he pushed the door open—

And froze.

Standing before him was a massive creature.

The exact creature from his dream.

"This… is the Emperor Curse."

Its golden eyes glowed ominously, its black armor-like skin adorned with sharp, jagged spikes.

The Emperor Curse let out a deep, guttural growl, shaking the entire underground chamber.

Then, without warning, it opened its mouth and spewed a cloud of toxic mist.

Dzeth tried to evade, but some of the mist grazed his arm—instantly burning his flesh.

He gritted his teeth in pain, quickly activating Reverse Cursed Technique (RCT) to heal himself.

"I have to fight this thing… without Awakening? This is insane."

Suddenly, the Emperor Curse activated its ability.

Awakening: Eternal Respect.

Its body grew larger, reaching three meters in height. Its spikes elongated, and its aura turned into a blinding gold that pierced through the ceiling, illuminating the night sky.

The overwhelming pressure sent a shiver down Dzeth's spine.

Gritting his teeth, he released his own aura—a fiery red inferno surging skyward, colliding with the Emperor Curse's golden radiance.

The battle was about to begin.

But Dzeth knew one thing for certain.

He was just a Grade-D Hunter.

And his opponent… was a Grade-S Curse.

-

To Be Continued...