The door creaked open, and Sakamoto stepped inside, his posture calm but his eyes sharp. Akebi followed closely behind him, her gaze flickering between Sakamoto and Mujin. The new President of the Seoul Hunter Association sat behind his desk, his fingers interlocked, studying Sakamoto in silence.
"Master Mujin," Sakamoto greeted, his voice steady but carrying an underlying tension.
Mujin gestured to the chair in front of him. "Have a seat."
Sakamoto complied, resting his arms on the chair's handles as he leaned slightly forward, his expression unreadable. Akebi, however, remained standing by the door, her arms crossed.
Mujin exhaled, the weight of his next words visible in his eyes. "Before I begin, I want to apologize for what you're about to hear."
Sakamoto's brows furrowed slightly. "Apologize?"
Mujin nodded. "I need to tell you the truth about your grandmother's death… and Jushin."
The moment the name was spoken, a sharp silence filled the room. Sakamoto's fists clenched on the chair's armrests. His heartbeat, steady yet thunderous, echoed in his ears.
"Are you ready to hear it?" Mujin asked.
Sakamoto swallowed hard. His throat was dry, but he forced the words out. "…Yeah. Tell me everything."
Mujin leaned back, his eyes heavy with a history long buried.
"You come from a long lineage of powerful hunters," he began. "A bloodline that dates back to The First Men— one of the first many humans to harness the power of Shen."
Sakamoto's eyes slightly widened. "The First Men?"
Mujin nodded. "Yes. The original wielders of Shen. But you are more than just a descendant of them—Ichabod was also from this lineage."
At the mention of the legendary name, Sakamoto's breath hitched. "Ichabod?"
Mujin continued. "Yes. Ichabod used Jushin to defeat Arcade. But Jushin isn't just a hybrid beast—it's an ancient entity tied to The First Men. That's why you, Sakamoto, are the only person in existence who can wield Jushin's power without having your life force drained or your mind destroyed."
Sakamoto's eyes darkened, the puzzle pieces slowly forming a terrifying image in his mind.
Mujin sighed before delivering the hardest truth. "And your grandmother… she was killed by Bartoni's orders."
Sakamoto froze.
For a moment, his entire body refused to move. His breathing shallowed, his pupils dilating as Mujin's words repeated over and over inside his head.
"The Eagle Island mission," Mujin continued, his voice more cautious now, "was a ritual to have Jushin choose you as its host. As the last descendant of The First Men, you were the only candidate left."
Sakamoto's heartbeat thundered. His hands trembled at his sides, his breathing ragged.
"They tried before," Mujin admitted. "Many times. The upper-ups attempted to implant Jushin into different hosts, but they all died. Bartoni knew that The Ten would eventually come for Jushin, and he understood that you weren't ready. So he did the only thing he could."
The words hung in the air, suffocating.
"They motivated you."
A heavy silence followed.
Sakamoto's anger was barely contained. His body tensed, his jaw clenched so tightly it ached. His nails dug into the fabric of his pants as his chest rose and fell with deep, controlled breaths.
His voice was quiet, but the sheer rage behind it made the room feel suffocating.
"…So they killed my grandmother… just to make me stronger?or just to get that shit in me?"
Mujin met his gaze, offering no excuses.
"Yes."
A spark of raw hatred flickered in Sakamoto's eyes.
Without another word, he stood up from his chair. His footsteps were heavy, his hands still trembling as he turned away from Mujin.
Akebi reached out instinctively. "Sakamoto—"
Mujin raised a hand, stopping her.
"Let him go," Mujin said, his voice calm but firm.
Sakamoto didn't look back. He walked straight toward the door, his movements stiff with barely contained fury. The door swung open, and he disappeared down the hallway.
The air in the office was thick with tension.
Akebi turned back toward Mujin, her brows knitted together. "Do you even know what you're doing?"
Mujin exhaled, rubbing his temple. Then, with a faint chuckle, he shook his head.
"No," he admitted, smiling slightly. "I don't."
Akebi scoffed, clearly irritated.
Mujin's expression shifted to something more serious. "But he needed to hear it and hear it from us. It's his choice what to do with the truth now."
Akebi crossed her arms, still displeased, but she knew there was nothing she could do.
Mujin let out another deep sigh, pushing back in his chair. His exhaustion showed in the way his shoulders sagged slightly.
"But that's enough of that," he muttered, changing the subject. "We have something else to prepare for."
Akebi raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"
Mujin's eyes sharpened. "We're attending the World Meeting."
Akebi's eyes slightly widened.
"The one for all nations?" she asked.
"Yes," Mujin confirmed. "The Sovereign Union Hunter Association,They've invited Seoul to participate in the global summit about The Ten. We need to take this seriously."
Akebi nodded. "Where is it being held?"
Mujin leaned forward, resting his arms on his desk. His next words carried a weight far heavier than before.
"Antarctica."
Akebi blinked, slightly caught off guard.
"Antarctica?" she repeated.
Mujin nodded, his expression unreadable.
"It's the territory protected by The Travelers."
Akebi tensed.
Mujin continued, his voice dropping slightly.
"Yeah I know, some say They're …very strong and almost close to Bondless-tier beings Some say."
A slow, cold silence settled in the office.
Neither of them spoke for a long moment.
And then, Mujin gave a simple order.
"Prepare everything," he said. "We leave soon."