Chapter 498: The Meeting, Part 1

After a while, the meeting finally began. Haruna and Hiyori entered the conference room together, where the heads of the Demon Hunter Association had already gathered alongside the older members who remained affiliated with the Ichinose Family.

The atmosphere inside the room was unusually serious, with nearly everyone present wearing a solemn expression. Judging by the number of influential people who had been summoned, this was clearly not an ordinary meeting. Even the older members who rarely attended gatherings like this had made time to come, suggesting that whatever they were about to discuss was important enough to demand everyone’s attention.

At the front of the room sat Ichinose Hisashi, the father of Haruna and Hiyori. He was already preparing to begin the meeting, looking over the people gathered before him with a stern expression. He had apparently been waiting for everyone to settle down before finally addressing them.

"I believe some of you may be wondering why I suddenly called everyone here for a meeting," he began. "However, the news I have received is extremely important, and its implications could affect the entire world. More importantly, it could change how the Association handles the demons from this point onward."

Hisashi paused briefly, allowing his words to settle before continuing.

"Depending on how we respond to the situation, this could lead us toward victory, or it could bring about the complete defeat of humanity. That is why I have called you all here today. We need to discuss the matter thoroughly, consider our available options, and determine how we should proceed before the situation gets any worse."

Hiyori listened intently to her father’s words.

It was unusual to hear him speak with such seriousness, especially when he was addressing people who had spent decades dealing with the supernatural world. Her father had been involved in this line of work for a very long time, and he had undoubtedly witnessed more than his fair share of dangerous situations.

Yet even he seemed genuinely concerned about whatever had happened.

That alone made Hiyori curious about the matter.

At this point, she had absolutely no idea what her father was going to announce, but it was clearly something significant if he believed it could determine humanity’s future. His words made it sound as though the world was approaching a turning point, and the decisions made during this meeting might have consequences far beyond the people sitting inside the room.

Hiyori couldn’t help wondering what could possibly have happened to make her father so concerned.

After all, she had grown up in a family that was deeply involved in hunting demons. Although she had never personally encountered one, she understood that demons were considered dangerous beings that threatened humanity. Their existence was one of the main reasons the Demon Hunter Association had been established in the first place.

From what she had been taught, demons were beings born as personifications of evil, creatures that brought destruction wherever they went. Naturally, the Association had devoted itself to hunting them down and eliminating them before they could threaten innocent people.

At least, that was what she had always believed.

Of course, the truth was that Hiyori had already encountered several demons without realizing it. Her memories of the time she had witnessed Kouhei’s death had been erased, and the memory manipulation had also affected her recollection of the demons she had seen around that time. Consequently, she had no idea that some of the beings she had encountered were demons themselves.

As far as Hiyori was concerned, she had never met one in her life.

Even so, she understood the implications of what her father was saying. Being part of the Ichinose Family meant that she had grown up hearing about the dangers demons posed to humanity. The family had a long history of hunting them, and the belief that demons had to be eradicated was deeply rooted in its traditions.

However, judging by her father’s expression, the current situation seemed considerably more complicated than simply finding demons and killing them. Whatever he was about to reveal had apparently become serious enough to concern even the people who had spent most of their lives fighting against supernatural threats.

Hisashi eventually resumed speaking, drawing everyone’s attention back toward the front of the room.

"We have received news concerning someone known as the Child of Anti-Prophecy," he announced. "According to the information available to us, this individual possesses the ability to prevent a prophecy known as the Death of All Demons from coming to pass."

The moment those words left his mouth, several people immediately shifted in their seats.

Hisashi continued without paying much attention to their reactions.

"According to the accounts surrounding this prophecy, the Child of Anti-Prophecy is an individual whose appearance has long been anticipated. Information about this person has circulated throughout the supernatural world for quite some time, and many of you are undoubtedly familiar with the stories."

He paused for a moment before revealing the most important part.

"However, it appears that this individual has already appeared."

A wave of murmuring spread throughout the conference room.

Hisashi allowed the people present a brief moment to react before continuing his explanation.

"According to the information coming from the Demon World, this individual has already begun making his presence known among the demons. Furthermore, a demon of considerable influence within their society has apparently started working alongside him. From what we have gathered, this powerful figure intends to help him rise through their ranks and eventually become the next Demon Lord."

The room immediately grew noisier as the people present began discussing what they had just heard.

Several of the older members exchanged troubled glances, while others leaned toward their companions and whispered among themselves. Even the representatives of the Demon Hunter Association, who had initially appeared composed, could no longer hide their concern.

The news was certainly alarming.

The Child of Anti-Prophecy was not an unfamiliar name to those who had spent years studying the supernatural world. Among people who possessed knowledge of supernatural affairs, including angels, demons, and humans with extraordinary abilities, the prophecy had been discussed for a long time.

It was one of those subjects that could never be treated casually, regardless of whether someone believed every detail surrounding it. The possibility that such an individual could actually appear had always been a concern, but hearing that the person was already active within the Demon World made the situation much more urgent.

The reason was simple.

The Child of Anti-Prophecy was believed to possess the power to interfere with the prophecy of Yesh, a prophecy that foretold the eventual death of all demons. If the Child succeeded in preventing that prophecy from being fulfilled, the consequences could be catastrophic for humanity.

The balance between the supernatural factions could be overturned, and the final conflict might end in a completely different outcome from the one that had been anticipated.

More importantly, the demons could emerge victorious.

For the Demon Hunter Association, that possibility was more than enough to justify taking immediate action. They had spent generations preparing to confront the demons, and the idea that a single individual could potentially change the outcome of the final conflict was something they could not afford to ignore.

The appearance of the Child of Anti-Prophecy was already a serious problem, but the fact that someone influential within the Demon World was helping him become the next Demon Lord made the situation even worse.

If the individual gained the support of the demons and eventually secured the position of Demon Lord, stopping him would become considerably more difficult. He would have both the power associated with his unique ability and the backing of an entire supernatural faction, leaving humanity in an extremely dangerous position.

The Association could not afford to let that happen.

Hisashi watched the people in the room as their discussions continued, giving them enough time to understand the gravity of the situation. Once the murmuring began to settle, he spoke again, his voice noticeably firmer than before.

"This individual represents a threat that we cannot afford to overlook. We must find him and eliminate him before he can establish himself firmly within the Demon World and bring about the destruction that the prophecy warns us about."

Hisashi’s expression hardened as he addressed everyone present.

"That is why I am officially announcing the mobilization of our forces to hunt down the Child of Anti-Prophecy. I want everyone to understand that this operation must be treated as a priority. We cannot afford to hesitate or allow personal considerations to interfere with our objective."

He paused briefly, allowing his gaze to sweep across the room.

"Find him, identify him, and confirm his identity beyond any reasonable doubt. Whoever succeeds in locating the Child of Anti-Prophecy and provides reliable evidence that the individual is indeed the person we are looking for will receive the full backing and support of the Ichinose Family."

The announcement was already significant enough to make the people present pay closer attention, but Hisashi was not finished.

He turned his gaze toward his two daughters, Haruna and Hiyori, who were sitting among the people attending the meeting.

"There is one more condition," he said. "The person who successfully identifies and locates the Child of Anti-Prophecy shall be rewarded with the right to marry my two daughters."

The moment he made that declaration, the conference room erupted into murmuring once again.

Several people looked at each other in surprise, while others immediately began considering what Hisashi’s announcement meant for them. The offer was certainly extraordinary, especially when combined with the promise of receiving the Ichinose Family’s full backing.

For those who had ambitions of their own, the opportunity was difficult to ignore.