Hunter’s Blade

C1 – Shadow of the Forest

When Denver died, his sword was still held tightly in his hand.
Darkness shrouded the forest, making his still form look especially pitiful. He leaned against a tree, his face locked in a rictus of shock, as if it was fear that killed him. Shire saw that a huge wound had been gouged out of Denver’s chest. The blood had coagulated and turned dark, and his stomach was still bleeding sluggishly. His mouth was a half-open slash of crimson red, even his teeth had all been soaked in blood.
The sight filled Shire, not with disgust, but with sorrow.
Two Devil Hunters, one old and one young found their companion’s corpse and looked at it from a distance.
“Don’t close your eyes. You have to get used to dead people.” Etienne was Shire’s master. He had been in the Devil Hunting business for more than 30 years, so it was only natural that he had long gotten used to it.
“Okay,” Shire quickly replied.
Shire Grani was Etienne’s apprentice. He had been following the old hunter for only a year and was a new recruit among the hunters. He had studied the techniques of hunting devils, learned the theories, and had heard countless terrifying legends. Those bloody monsters were only in his imagination before, but now, their brutal handiwork was a horrifying reality in front of him.
Etienne saw Shire’s anxiety and kept silent, waiting for the young apprentice to gather himself.
“How… How did he die?” Shire looked at the huge lacerations on Denver’s chest. It could not have been caused by human hands.
“Who knows? Maybe the Blade Devil did it himself.” Etienne looked up at the dark sky. “If we can’t make it to the gathering point before nightfall, it will be our turn to face the devil.”
Shire swallowed heavily. He could not help but feel scared. If the Blade Devil attacked them, would he be killed next? What should he do? He was just a novice hunter…
The Lawman Kingdom was located on the western border of the continent, and it was currently in a precarious situation — it was a time of darkness. Heretics were emerging endlessly, causing strife and chaos, and the people were in great danger. Devils were running rampant across the land. The so-called devils were creatures that fed on souls, and their hunger was insatiable. Correspondingly, in order to deal with these monsters, the devil hunting profession was formed.
Shire and the other seven hunters gathered together. They were all here to chase after the Blade Devil. He was a cunning high-level devil, a Devil God from hell. When he first entered the real world, he was severely weakened, and his power was incomplete. Taking advantage of his momentary weakness, the devil hunters immediately organized a strike force to attack him. He was chased into Twilight Forest by the hunters. However, the devil was able to throw them off its trail, so the hunters had no choice but to expand their search range to prevent it from escaping. In their haste to do so, the devil hunters split up.
Under such circumstances, they were being picked off one by one. Shire knew that their position was precarious, but he did not have the authority to make any suggestions. Etienne also remained silent and did not object to the plan.
“What do you think of Denver?” Etienne suddenly asked.
“He was a good man.” A gush of sadness welled up in Shire’s heart. Denver had talked to him a few days ago, but now he was dead. Life was truly fragile.
Denver was about the same age as him and was also a new recruit among the hunters. However, Denver was short and fat, while Shire was tall and thin.
“We usually call a useless person ‘a good man.’ Well, people in our profession die all the time, new recruits more so. Alright, go and take his equipment, he won’t be needing it anymore.” Etienne looked around and said, “Be wary of an ambush, though. The Blade Devil might be hiding right above you. You never know.”
Shire could not help but raise his head quickly.
The forest canopy was thick. It was indeed possible for a devil to lurk above in ambush. The devil came from another world, and its abilities were ever-changing. Ordinary people would not be able to fight it. He had heard that devils mastered over a thousand types of evil arts. Therefore, the Devil Hunter had to be well-trained, smart, and strong in order to be able to fight them.
He had to think of a way to survive… Ever since they entered this forest, things had never go their way. They constantly quarreled with each other, and nobody could agree on anything. So, they acted separately, and Denver was killed off when he was alone. ‘Can we really kill the devil?’ Shire thought anxiously.
He held his breath from the stench of the corpse and mustered his courage to check his surroundings. He wanted to see if there were any terrifying runes and codes left behind by the devil. They had mastered a large number of horrifying spells that could warp reality and control people’s hearts.
Shire took off the blood-stained sword sheath from Denver’s belt and put it on his waist. He then took the crossbow, arrows, and potions from the body. He also opened Denver’s backpack and took out the things inside. Finally, he gently removed the sword from Denver’s still white-knuckled grip.
The crossbow was prohibited by the law, but the Devil Hunter was already straddling the edge of a normal life. Because of this, almost everyone among the Devil Hunters carried a crossbow without bothering about legalities. The potion was made by the witches. The potion on Denver’s body allowed the drinker to detect disguises. Unfortunately, he died before he could even make use of it. His backpack was filled with dried meat, wine, and cheese. Shire took everything with him.
Denver was already dead, and now Shire had taken away his belongings, which made him look even more pitiful. He had been left behind in Twilight Forest like this.
Shire prayed over Denver’s body for a moment, hoping that gods would help him, and that his soul would rest in peace.
“Don’t waste any more time. We’ll come back and bury him after we kill the Blade Devil,” Etienne said.
“Alright,” Shire obeyed his master and followed behind him.
“Denver was Julius’s apprentice. If Denver died, I’m afraid he won’t have survived either…” Etienne muttered to himself.
“Mr. Julius… Where could he possibly be?”
“In fact, I hope he has escaped. I hope he has escaped from Twilight Forest and gone back to the civilized world. I hope people there will mourn for us.”
“Will we die here?” Shire was shocked.
“I don’t know, but at this point, the situation we are in is too dangerous.” Etienne looked around and said, “Let’s take a look at this place. Little Shire, how weak are we, and how powerful are the devils? You’ve grown very fast, but not fast enough.”
Shire followed the old hunter’s gaze and looked around.
Twilight Forest was a primordial forest. Its trees had grown tall over the years and no human had left their mark in this forest for a long time. The undergrowth was near impassable, the weeds and shrubs intertwined tightly with each other. No sunlight could pierce the thick canopy, leaving its interior dimly shadowed. The surroundings were eerily quiet. The critters could sense the devil’s supernatural malice, and they had long escaped.
Only they were still struggling here, deluding themselves to fighting the devil.
“Afraid?” Etienne asked.
“Yes,” Shire admitted it. He knew that he lacked experience, that he was still too young and immature. This kind of mission was just too dangerous for him.
However, the Devil Hunting profession was a harsh one. He did not have the time to learn for three to five years. He had to follow skilled hunters to participate in every operation and pray he could learn fast enough to survive the extremely dangerous situations.
“There’s no need to be afraid.” Etienne turned around and faced Shire. The old hunter was in his fifties and had white sideburns. He stood tall and straight, though his face was etched with the hardships he had experienced. “After completing this mission, you will have passed all the tests. I will personally award you in Hunter Palace, and announce that you have become a true Devil Hunter. By then, you may use all the skills that I have taught you at will.”
“Really? A true Devil Hunter!” Shire was looking forward to it.
“Do you still remember the Hunter’s Code?”
“I promise that I will never believe in the devil. I will never save the devil. I will never forgive the devil.” Shire’s tone was firm.
“Take out your sword.”
Shire pulled out the sword Denver left behind. He could not help but tightly grasp the hilt to feel its weight.
This was the first time he had held a sword. It was new to him, but very exciting.
“Humans are animals, but they are also the most powerful ones.” Etienne pulled out his sword. He waved it gently in the air, and the blade shone with a hazy light. “Our eyes are sharp, and we can see things from far away. Our bones are very solid. They can resist strong impacts, yet they are very light. They won’t stop us from running and jumping. Our arms are strong, and we can easily swing the five-foot long sword you hold in your hand. That sword comes from skilled blacksmiths, who use the best iron they can get to forge the best weapons they can. They will not disappoint your trust.”
Shire fiercely swung the sword in his hand. The silver blade swept through the air and made a whistling sound. He could not help but carefully observe the sword. The edge of the blade was sharp, and it was a superior weapon. It was especially used for battles, and it was sharp enough to cut through armor and flesh.
“In order to find the Blade Devil, we had to split up. This deep into the forest… Well, you saw how Denver died. He had no power to fight back and was easily cut open… but because we are humans… And because we are the elites of humans, the Devil Hunters, we know that, even if our path probably leads to certain death, even if our heads will probably be separated from our bodies in the next second, we still have to give it a try. We have to find and defeat it. We cannot let it escape just like that. Even if we are sacrificed… it would still be worth it. Or rather, because of the sacrifice… That makes everything meaningful,” Etienne said slowly but firmly.
“We can’t give up,” Shire said.
“No, we can’t. The safety of the entire region depends on us. We are not omnipotent, and our numbers are in decline. There are only eight of us, and some of us have already died. But only we know how to fight against the devils… Shire, only we have a chance to defeat the devils. Even if the enemy is much stronger than us, the Devil Hunters can’t afford to turn away at this moment. “
“I understand.” Shire’s pulse surged in excitement.
“Oh, there is one more thing. If you die, don’t forget to smile and give people a better impression of you. Look at Denver. He didn’t die very happily. Others would feel bad if they saw him. ” Etienne continued to move forward.
Shire’s face immediately darkened.
His parents sold Shire to a group of human traffickers, and then the human traffickers gave him to a group of evil wizards. They tied Shire and other children to the altar and prepared to sacrifice them. Halfway through the ceremony, Etienne broke into the hideout and defeated all the wizards to save the children.
Etienne let all the other kidnapped children go, and only chose Shire and asked him to learn how to hunt devils.
Shire had complicated feelings for his profession. He faced unprecedented danger and learned a lot of hunting techniques that he did not know when he could use, such as shooting, spells, and knowledge about devils. However, if Etienne had not saved him, he would have been literal devil fodder long ago.
All in all, he could only bite the bullet and soldier on.
They walked through the forest for a few minutes, and then the silence was broken without any warning.
“Help!” A hoarse shout came from afar.
Etienne smacked his lips, readied the sword in his hand, and quickly ran in the direction of the scream.
Shire followed closely. He did not dare to fall behind. If he was left alone in the forest, the devil would surely come to find him.
The cry for help led them to a nearby green alder tree.
Shire was shocked. From afar, he saw that the Devil Hunter Julius was hanging upside down. His leather armor was tattered. A black rope bound the tree branch and his ankle, forcing him to painfully struggle in mid-air. All of his tools were scattered on the ground, and his hands were waving wildly in the air.
“I – We have to save him,” Shire burst out.
He smelled a strong stench, which was unusual.
“Think about it carefully. Who could hang him on a tree? That’s not even a proper rope trap.” Etienne snorted. “It’s not the time. Let’s go.”
Julius looked around in panic. When he saw Shire and Etienne, he could not help but shout, “Etienne! Save me!”
“You know you’ll die for sure. For God’s sake, and yours, give us some peace.” Etienne held his sword and prepared for battle. Shire did not understand why the old hunter was so tense.
“No – save me! Didn’t you see Denver? Denver had already been killed by it! It was nearby! Please save me… Please… Etienne… Don’t do this! Please…” Julius begged.
Shire clearly remembered what Julius used to look like. He had a black beard and wore a windbreaker. He was calm and capable, his every action exuding a solemn dignity. He had completely forsaken that dignity though. In this dangerous situation, he had seemingly lost all his abilities and was desperately begging for help.
“Don’t mess around.” Etienne scolded, “You want to drag us into this? Shire, let’s go.”
“But…” Just like that, he was left there to wait for death?
“Let’s go.” Etienne was determined. He lowered his voice and said, “Don’t you smell anything strange?”
Smell… Smell. That smell just now. Shire’s eyes widened in realization. The smell was exactly the same as Denver’s.
He and Etienne took a few steps forward and suddenly heard an ear-piercing sound behind them.
Crack! Crack!
Shire turned around and saw Julius’s upside-down body quickly festering. His intact skin cracked layer by layer, and a huge wound appeared on his body. The coagulated blood that was hidden on the ground was slowly reappearing.
“Illusion!” Shire realized that it was the trick of the devil.
Etienne narrowed his eyes.
“You just don’t know when to stop.” Julius’s dry lips stretched in a lurid sneer. He closed his mouth and a bloody saber flew out from the wound on his stomach. This saber was undoubtedly an evil creation of the devil. Under the control of an unknown force, it swiftly sliced through the air and slashed toward them. Dark blood splattered along the way.
Etienne quickly put his sword up defensively, but then he frowned. Something was not right. “Shire! Watch out!”
Shire subconsciously wanted to escape, but in an instant the blade had already arrived in front of him.