Hotaru

Two centuries after the Great Shift shattered the world and exposed the Gate of Sheol, humanity survives under the protection of the Crusade—an elite force of warriors known as Capes who battle demons using a volatile energy called Cheno. When a mid-rank Imp known as the Tapeworm infiltrates the quiet Shroom Village, an entire scout unit is wiped out, forcing the Crusade to dispatch one of its most unpredictable fighters: Jinote Maihito, the Cape known as The Painter. As Jinote confronts the demon, the chaos spills into the life of Hotaru, an orphan who values one thing above all else—belonging. Though untrained and outmatched, Hotaru refuses to watch his home and chosen family be destroyed. Through the clash between Cape and Imp, Hotaru witnesses the brutal reality of Cheno, the hierarchy of its techniques, and the cost of fighting evil. When Jinote is pushed to the brink, Hotaru makes a desperate choice that awakens something dormant within him. Chapter One marks the birth of a legend—not through destiny or rank, but through courage, hope, and the decision to stand when fear says run.