Book excerpt: Akira is riding high after his successful rescue operation. With new gear and new friends, he’s ready for the next phase of his relic-hunting career. But Akira isn’t the only young hunter in the wastelands, and success might just paint a target on his back. Katsuya, a rookie with the hunter syndicate Druncam, is desperate for recognition, but the veterans around him are more interested in Akira’s feats. Unaware of how much support Akira receives from the ghostly Alpha, Katsuya struggles to outdo his fellow up-and-comer, pushing himself and his friends into ever greater danger in the process. But just when it seems he’s pushed his luck too far, Katsuya has a mysterious encounter of his own. When a major job throws these two young hunters together, Akira must come to grips with Katsuya’s one-sided rivalry while facing down a nest of new and deadly monsters.