The Hunter With Change: Rebirth. Book one, Shadows.

Test of strength and will

{The Stalkers}

Multiple shadow humanoids walk about an empty street at night.

"This is the third night in a row."

The shadows sound as if they're whispering to each other.

"Just what are these 'stalkers' up to?"

The stalkers continue to stumble about until they sink in the ground.

"Wish we could go ahead and just slaughter them all!

"Jigoku, we can't. We tried attacking them earlier."

The demon slayer sighs.

"We have to keep observing for the time being."

Three demon slayers sit on a nearby rooftop, watching the street.

"This new faction seems quite troublesome."

THE HUNTER WITH CHANGE.

REBIRTH.

Book one: Shadows.

Test of strength and will.

March 19th

Haruto runs up a small hill as the sun begins to rise, he looks down from the top of the hill at the lake ahead of him.

Lake Suwa.

The beautiful lake is surrounded by three different towns. The town of Suwa, Shimosuwa, and the town of Okaya. Haruto sighs loudly as he reaches he looks down at the town, exhausted from all the traveling he just did to get here. "Sumire... are you holding up just fine?" He turns around to look at the exhausted Sumire, Yu following her. Yu is noticeably tired as well, his flight pattern becoming wild and crooked. "Yu... If you need to rest you can rest on my shoulder. I don't mind you shouting orders from there." Yu quickly regains his strength. "CAW! CAW! My job is on the line! I won't look weak to the others! CAW! I am flying just fine! CAW! CAW!." Shortly after saying this his flight pattern goes all over the place.

Haurto enters the town of Okaya, Yu on his shoulder and Sumire by his side. "Yu.. Do you know where Token is? You said we have to meet up with him at the Okaya inn." Yu looks around. "CAW! I have no clue where this inn is. CAW!" Haruto sighs and looks down, since he wasn't paying attention he accidentally bumps into a man with dark blue hair and eyes. The hair barely goes past his shoulders. He's also wearing a traditional cone shaped straw hat. "Oof. Sorry about that." Haruto says, brushing dust off of the man. "It's fine." The man calmly replies. "Do you know where the Okaya inn is?" The man pauses for a moment before pointing down a street. "That way." Haruto smiles at the man. "Thank you so much! Sorry again!." Haruto bows before running off, Sumire copying him. The man stands there frozen for a moment. "What an odd person."

Haruto runs up to the inn. From the inside he can hear some commotion. "CAW! Your assistance has arrived! CAW!" A clearly annoyed man replies back in an angered tone. "I GOT IT ALRIGHT?!" The door to the inn slides open aggressively as Token comes out, staring Haruto down. "Token..." Haruto lets out. "You look weak, Haruto" He says looking down at him, glancing over at Sumire. "You sure you're keeping her safe like promised?!" Haruto looks down before looking back at him. "I'm not weak. Me and Sumire have been fighting demons together. We're strong." As Haruto says this, Token's expression quickly becomes furious. He charges towards Haruto and pulls his sword out.

Haruto barely reacts in time, pulling his sword out and blocking the attack, which pushes him back. "The hell?" Haruto shouts back, people on the street back up in fear. "You said you'd protect her, and here you are throwing her right into the heat of a battle! You said you weren't weak so prove it to me dammit!" The two clash swords in the street. "Someone get the police" a lady shouts.

Suddenly a man with blonde hair and blue eyes drops down. "Now now no need for that! They're practicing a scene for a play!" He says trying to calm everyone down. 'Seriously?! Demon slayers training in broad daylight right here?!' He thinks to himself. The two continue to clash their blades in a fight.

Token: Flame breathing: Third form, blazing universe!

Token jumps up and swings his blade down in an arching vertical slash. Haruto blocks the attack defensively holding his position. Token lands and prepares an onslaught of attacks at Haruto.

Haruto: Flame breathing: First form, unknowing flame, manifest! Turtle!

Haruto slashes all around him in a circle. The effect of the flames begin forming a turtle shell that Token begins attacking relentlessly. "Still stuck with the first form? That's weak!" Haruto holds his sword to his side. "Flame breathing: First form, unknowing flame!"

Haruto charges forward as Token swings his sword in an upwards arc, countering Haruto's attack. "Flame breathing: Second form, rising scorching sun!" The two catch their breath staring at each other. Sumire looks at the two with great worry on her face as the crowd of people watch in amazement, thinking it's just an act. "You're still so weak, Haruto. Can't believe I ever let you take Sumire with you!" Haruto grits his teeth. "I'll show you my strength then. "Bring it on then!" Token inhales deeply. "Flame breathing: Fifth form, flame tiger!

Token charges forward as Haruto prepares a new attack. "Flame breathing: First form, unknowing flame, manifest! Wo-" "That's enough you two! Water breathing: Third form, flowing dance!" A man dances around the two, striking their swords out of their hands. "What the?!" Token says. "This strength! It's overwhelming!" Haruto thinks to himself.

The man stopping them has black hair and brown eyes. His name is Takeshi Suriyoku, age twenty one.

The blonde man from earlier bows to everyone. "Thank you for watching everyone!" he shouts as he retreats Haruto and himself into the inn. Yuri Kanden. Breath of lightning user. Age nineteen.

Someone grabs Token by the collar. "Let's go, you hooligans!" He aggressively drags Token away into the inn. Jigoku Yakeru. Breath of flame user, age twenty.

In the Inn Haruto and token sit there, refusing to speak or look at each other. Sumire sits in the back corner nervously. "YOU TWO DAMN HOOLIGANS BETTER COOL IT! YOU COULD'VE BLOWN OUR COVER!" Jigoku shouts at the two of them. "Now now Jigoku, let's calm down..." Yuri says holding his hand up at Jigoku. "The hell you mean calm down!" He replies. "He's right, Jigoku. They're both demon slayers, so they can assist us on our mission." Takeshi says. "Who the hell do you guys think you are?" Token mumbles. "You damn-" Jigoku lets out before Takeshi holds his hand up. "We are demon slayers, our track record lasts the past few years. We are good friends with one of the Hashira's in Greece, have you heard of Kurisu?" Takeshi announces. The two stare at him blankly. "Really? Kurisu Akata? Hashira of Greece? The po- oh whatever. We're friends of his and currently in this town we've been investigating a rather interesting group of demons."

Somewhere else near the town, unknown location.

Shadows cover the interior with multiple demons standing in the room. Shadow humanoids begin rising.

"They're called."

One of the demons holds a pulsing ball of shadows.

"The stalkers."

TO BE CONTINUED...

Fun fact #8

The three new demon slayers in this chapter mentioned a character from another story that I co-write. Kurisu Akata from Ancient evil (look in my reading lists for it.)