HUNTER ADMINISTRATION BUREAU – MORNING
Interior. Delhi, 2035. Hunter Administration Bureau – clean, efficient, with reinforced glass and steel walls humming with ambient light.
Monitors display ongoing dungeon stats. Recruits and seasoned Hunters fill the reception area.
Arvan, early twenties, hunched posture, tired eyes behind round spectacles, stands nervously in line. His clothes are plain and slightly oversized, hiding a frame built more for libraries than battlefields. People glance at him, easily dismissing him.
He clutches a folded document: a confirmation for his Awakening Re-Assessment.
"They said if you don't awaken by 18, you're just normal. That it's random. That it's fate… But what if that's not true?"
He steps forward to the reception.
RECEPTIONIST
(cheerful, rehearsed)
"Name?"
ARVAN
"Arvan. Here for an anomaly review."
She scans the code on his paper. A beep confirms it.
RECEPTIONIST
"You're in Line B. Wait there for the test officer."
He moves aside, eyes flicking to the glowing holographic ads: "Do YOU have what it takes to be an S-Rank?" / "New dungeon appeared in Uttarakhand—S-Rank recommended only."
He exhales and takes a seat… right next to a young man.
The man radiates calm strength. His body is lean but precise—like a taut bowstring. Long, disciplined hair tied behind. Dressed in a dark hunter's uniform with no flashy emblems. A long black case rests beside him.
Arvan glances at him. The young man returns the look briefly and nods.
Im Ekalavya
(first to speak)
"First time here?"
ARVAN
"Kind of. I was here last year… but nothing happened."
EKALAVYA
"Late bloomer, huh?"
Arvan half-smiles.
ARVAN
"Guess so."
They sit in silence for a moment. The atmosphere tense with anticipation. A screen buzzes quietly nearby showing a raid party returning — bloodied but alive.
Ekalavya seems calm, almost meditative.
ARVAN
"Im arvan,
You… look experienced."
EKALAVYA
"I'm just a B-Rank. Still learning."
ARVAN
"B-Rank is not small."
Ekalavya shrugs.
EKALAVYA
"Power means less than purpose. I've seen F-ranks with more heart than some S-ranks. And I'm not sure why I was given this power to begin with."
"He doesn't know… He doesn't feel it."
There's a flicker in Arvan's eye—an ancient presence watching quietly from within.
RAVAN
"That one… I've pierced his heart before."
"Funny. The arrow still sings in his soul, and he hears not its song."
Arvan straightens slightly, the voice within stirring.
ARVAN
"Do you believe in… past lives?"
Ekalavya tilts his head, caught off-guard.
EKALAVYA
"Not really. I believe in this life. And making the most of it."
He offers a firm, grounded smile.
EKALAVYA
"You okay, though? You look… haunted."
ARVAN
(laughs awkwardly)
"Just Bad dreams. That's all."
The intercom buzzes.
RECEPTIONIST
"Arvan. Room 7. Please proceed."
He stands, glancing back once at Ekalavya—who has already closed his eyes, as if meditating before war.
RAVAN
"A hunter… unaware of the hunt he's lived through once already."
He walks down the hall, the shadows on the walls subtly twisting—like fire trying to claw its way out of his body.
CHARACTER INTRODUCTION
Ekalavya
Current Role: B-Rank Hunter, master archer with flawless precision.
Personality: Quiet, disciplined, humble yet confident. Prefers solitude, speaks only when needed. Respects tradition and shuns flashy tech.
Appearance: Lean, tall, sharp steel-grey eyes, long black hair tied back, carries an ancient wooden bow.
Past Life:
Once the legendary archer Ekalavya from the Mahābhārata, who sacrificed his thumb as a sign of devotion and lost recognition he deserved. Though unaware of this past, the spirit of sacrifice and silent defiance guides his skill and resolve. Driven by an unspoken quest for mastery and redemption, his archery transcends ordinary limits, hinting at a greatness buried deep within.