Welcome to Cyber Hunters - Chapter 3: Forty-Eight Hours
Thank you for reading.
(Hoshizaki is Ren's last name. His full name is Ren Hoshizaki.)
The name Ren Hoshizaki echoed across the registration hall.
Low-rank.
Unproven.
But standing in the same building as monsters.
Inside NEO-CYBER Academy, twelve glowing panels floated in midair.. each representing a Core Holder. Each one a different path. A different future.
A different level of survival.
A holographic announcement flickered above:
"Students may now select their preferred Holder.Only the top ten scoring students in the upcoming exam will qualify."
A murmur spread instantly.
Top ten.
Out of hundreds.
The Twelve Paths
The panels brightened one by one.
WOLF – Kurogami Ren (15)Leadership. Tactical domination. Battlefield command.For those aiming to lead humanity.
Only for the High Ranks.
SCORPION – Togashi Kaoru (16)Strategy. Trap warfare. Psychological combat.For minds sharper than blades.
BAT – Yamato Nozomu (17)Stealth. Reconnaissance. Silent takedowns.For those who move unseen.
DRAGON – Ryujin Akio (19)Overwhelming offense. Elemental destruction.For those who want raw power.
SHARK – Kaiyo Haru (15)Aggression. Relentless assault. Close combat brutality.
SPIDER – Ayaka Kumo (16)Precision. Battlefield control. Multi-layered traps.
STAG – Hayato Shika (14)Defense. Reflex training. Counter-combat.
OCTOPUS – Minato Ika (15)Versatility. Tactical flexibility. Multi-directional combat.
MANTIS – Seiji Kamakiri (18)Timing. Lethal precision. Surgical strikes.
EEL – Hinata Unagi (19)High-risk combat. Electric speed.
Then...
The cold white panel flickered to life.
ARCTIC FOX – Yukihiko Kitsune (13)Adaptation. Environmental analysis. Feral synchronization.For those who survive by evolving.
for any rank.
The white fox symbol pulsed faintly.
Hoshizaki stared at it longer than he should have.
A New Voice
"Thinking of picking someone crazy?"
Hoshizaki turned.
A boy with messy brown hair and sharp eyes grinned at him.
"Rika Kazumi," he said, extending a hand. "Low-rank too?"
Hoshizaki blinked.
"…Unfortunately."
Kazumi laughed.
"Relax. If we're going to get crushed, we might as well do it dramatically."
Something about him felt easy. Natural.
Not arrogant.
Not afraid.
Just… excited.
Choosing Their Futures
Kazumi stepped toward the blazing red panel.
DRAGON – Ryujin Akio.
"Raw power," Kazumi said confidently. "If I'm going to fight monsters, I don't want to run. I want them running."
He wrote his name under Dragon's registry.
The list already had dozens of names.
Dragon was popular.
Of course he was.
Hoshizaki swallowed.
His eyes shifted to the white panel.
Arctic Fox.
Not many names.
Most students avoided it.
Kitsune wasn't flashy.
He wasn't warm.
He didn't inspire.
He calculated.
And he broke people who couldn't keep up.
Hoshizaki stepped forward.
He hesitated for only a second.
Then wrote:
Ren Hoshizaki.
Under:
Yukihiko Kitsune.
The screen accepted his registration.
A cold notification flashed:
"Registered. Examination begins in 48 hours."
The Announcement
The lights dimmed again.
"All registered students will undergo examination in forty-eight hours.Only the top ten scoring candidates will be granted access to The Holder training."
The countdown appeared across every screen.
47:59:59
The clock began ticking.
Hoshizaki and kazumi decided to share a room.
Dormitory Room C-17.
Two beds.
One desk.
One window overlooking the neon skyline.
Kazumi dropped his bag dramatically onto his bed.
"Forty-eight hours," he said. "After that, we either become legends… or background characters."
Hoshizaki stared at the glowing city beyond the glass.
In forty-eight hours, he would be tested.
In forty-eight hours, he might earn the right to train under one of the strongest forces mankind had ever produced.
Under a thirteen-year-old prodigy feared by the academy.
Under The Arctic Fox.
Kazumi lay back on his bed, staring at the ceiling.
"Hey," he said casually. "Let's both make top ten."
Hoshizaki didn't look away from the city lights.
"…Yeah."
But inside?
His heart was racing.
Not fear.
Anticipation.
Because in forty-eight hours…
His real journey would begin.