Hunter’s Blade

C10 – Real and Fake

This place is devoid of light, distant from civilized worlds, and a realm that tests people’s psychological endurance.

Shire understood that illusions were among the most potent abilities possessed by devils.

Etienne had previously shared with Shire a manuscript on Devil’s studies, delving into the analysis of devil abilities.

Demons had the innate ability to perceive the souls of others, which encompassed their consciousness, thoughts, and emotions. By manipulating a person’s soul even slightly, demons could alter their perception of reality, causing them to mistake day for night, justice for evil, and life for death. The human heart, so fragile and limited, appeared to demons as an abundant source of manipulable errors.

As Shire gained a true understanding of reality, the illusory facade of the devil’s corpse rapidly dissipated, revealing Dalton. His body was drenched in blood, his skin pale, and he had been deceased for an extended period. His mangled form was repulsive, from the chest down to his hip bones.

“That’s why you witnessed it,” Dalton turned his head to face Shire, his lips moving stiffly.

“Who’s speaking?” Frederick, upon hearing the voice of the deceased, cautiously stood up.

“Danger!” Shire trembled and instinctively leaped backward, his innate instinct urging him to flee.

Waren’s eyes blazed with the sinister dark green flames of evil.

“Flowing Dark Shadow.” His body transformed into a shadow, gliding across the ground and materializing behind Frederick. With one hand, he clutched Frederick’s throat, while the other plunged a sword into Frederick’s heart. Blood incessantly dripped from the blade’s tip.

Shire was left bewildered by the sight. Master Frederick?

“Mistakes. All mistakes,” Waren declared, drawing his sword and nudging Frederick’s lifeless body aside. “Speaking of which, you certainly know how to cause concern.”

Shire swiftly turned and fled into the forest.

“You do realize I can easily catch up to you with a teleportation spell, right?” Waren smirked.

“He seems frightened,” a raspy and parched voice echoed from within Waren’s body. Was it a demon? Was it a demon speaking through Waren’s vessel?

“He’ll wet his pants,” Waren chortled, bursting into laughter. “Oh, poor recruit!”

In a state of panic, Shire dashed through the dark forest. He treaded upon fallen leaves and mud. The darkness was all-consuming, obscuring his vision. He couldn’t even see his own fingers in front of him. Under such circumstances, running became a challenge. Nonetheless, he had to keep running. Eventually, he stumbled and fell. Shire stepped on a rock that shifted beneath his feet, sending him into a state of panic. He lost his balance and crashed onto the ground. His arm violently collided with the earth, immediately drawing blood. The point of contact throbbed with searing pain.

“Damn it! Damn it!” Shire struggled to rise. Waren’s incantation resonated through the air. In the pitch-black night, a deeper shadow streaked across the ground, and before Shire realized it, it had already arrived by his side.

“Save your energy,” Waren advised him, then unsheathed his sword and swung it towards Shire.

Shire grasped his sword, surrounded by an enveloping darkness that obscured his vision. Waren’s blade flickered, leaving Shire uncertain of its origin. Would the strike come from the left or the right?

A whistling sound filled the air. Waren’s arm suddenly went rigid as a rope coiled tightly around it, firmly securing it.

“You’re still alive?” Waren glanced over. “The devil left behind four knives for you.”

“When did you take refuge within Waren’s body?” Shire recognized the familiar voice.

Etienne stood beneath the moonlit forest, his appearance now aged by ten years. His white beard bore dried bloodstains, his eyes carried weariness, and his hair was disheveled. Half of his hunter’s cloak had been torn away.

“I was once half a devil. Now I choose to ally with my own kind. Dalton is the only one among you who made the right choice. Why won’t you listen to his counsel?” Waren shrugged.

“Come to my side,” Etienne instructed. “Be careful not to get injured.”

Shire hastily distanced himself from Waren, his heart pounding furiously. A devil! The Blade Demon was still alive, residing within Waren’s body!

“Ah, I see. Do you think you can handle the situation? You believe yourself to be the senior among all hunters, capable of handling everything effortlessly. Yet you say nothing. It’s because you know Frederick doesn’t trust you. But why didn’t you accompany us? Why did you insist on finding Shire? If you had joined us from the start, you might have noticed something.”

Is it because of me? Did everyone meet a tragic end? Shire was dazed. Perhaps Master Etienne wished to stay behind and teach me a lesson, which delayed his departure. If he had been resolute from the beginning, Etienne could have hunted demons alongside everyone else. Then…

“Fight and don’t doubt yourself,” Etienne gripped his sword, fixing his gaze upon the devil. “Don’t let anything distract you from defeating the devil.”

Waren raised his hand, and a buzzing noise emanated from the camp. The fallen blade soared through the air, slashing towards Etienne from a distance.

“Bid farewell to the old man.”

Etienne furrowed his brow and exerted all his strength to strike back at the blade. The two weapons clashed in mid-air, producing a jarring sound. The Fallen Blade tumbled to the ground, devoid of its malevolent energy as it dissipated.

“Tsk. It seems ineffective,” Waren expressed his dissatisfaction.

Shire grew increasingly resentful as he pondered upon the blade that emerged from Dalton’s lifeless body. The grotesque sight of Dalton’s corpse filled him with disgust. This was how the devil desecrated the fallen hunters. He had previously hung Julius from a tree, slain Denver, and even claimed the life of Master Frederick.

“Waren, I will surely end you!” Shire gritted his teeth.

“Calm down,” Etienne and Shire stood side by side, facing the perilous forest. They uttered, “Remain cautious and humble. Refrain from impulsive advances. Avoid fighting solely for fleeting victory or defeat.”

“In such circumstances, do you still find the time to mentor your apprentices?” Waren laughed. “Shire, if you’re wise, surrender. I’ve told you before, life is paramount.”

“The legacy of the Devil Hunter is passed down through generations. What do you understand?” Etienne responded with a resolute voice. “Enough, cease your attempts to sow discord between us. Your aim is to undermine our morale and confidence. Devil, reveal yourself and face us in fair combat.”

“As you wish.” A spectral voice emanated from Waren’s being. His eyes darkened, and a billowing cloak enshrouded his form. He required no external support, nor did he bear wings upon his back. Yet, he defied gravity, traversing the air with ease. All signs indicated that he had fully embraced the corrupting power of the devil.

Etienne spat and directed his sword towards Waren. “Nuin Sharp Edge!”

The incantation materialized into a sword light. Bang!

“You think you can challenge me with a formidable weapon? So this is the Devil Hunter’s legacy, the Fire of Life.” Waren sneered. Gripping the sword with his right hand, the longsword in Etienne’s grasp emitted a piercing sound. It bent in an instant, rendered useless by rust. The spell’s form also transformed from a sharp crescent to a disc-shaped ripple, greatly diminishing its power. Waren’s cloak remained adorned with a few minor creases.

Etienne cast the rusted sword aside. “Had Frederick wielded it, you would have been crushed long ago.”

“Frederick was mighty! Frederick possessed immense power! What a formidable Frederick! How did Frederick meet his demise?!” Waren laughed hoarsely. His laughter filled Shire with a sense of sorrow. “The most threatening among you is now nothing more than a lifeless corpse… And as for you, you know nothing of true sharpness.”

He extended his hand, causing the stone walls surrounding the ruins to emit a grating sound of wear and tear. The stones underwent a dramatic transformation. Manipulated by a mysterious force, they stretched and elongated into sharp spikes, resembling the jagged protrusions of a crown’s edge.

“Run, Etienne! Flee like an animal,” Waren pointed at Etienne, and one of the stone spikes lunged towards the seasoned hunter. Etienne discerned the whistling sound of the wind and made every effort to evade it.

Witnessing the sorry state of the elderly hunter, Waren smiled with satisfaction.

“And you.” Waren looked at Shire. “Um…”

He found Shire was staring at him.

“Little hunter, could it be that you also…”

“Phantom Divine Power!”

Bang!

A tremendous force cleaved through the air, descending from above and ruthlessly striking Waren while he was airborne, slamming his body heavily onto the ground. The impact of the armor colliding with the ground was staggering. Etienne turned his head and witnessed this scene, causing him to be filled with shock.

“Shire, you…”

“This is the spell Geffany taught me today.” Shire was surprised by the spell’s potent effect. He swiftly retrieved his crossbow and loaded it with a wooden bolt.

“What a pity, what a pity…” Etienne’s voice carried a deep sense of regret.

Shire didn’t understand what Etienne found regrettable.

Waren rose in an unusual posture, as if an unseen force was pulling his back and lifting him from the ground. His movements appeared rigid, lacking any sign of voluntary control.

“This is repulsive.” Waren’s pitch-black eyes gradually regained clarity, and above his head, a tall black shadow began to materialize.

“Banish from the heavens!” Etienne seized the opportunity and cast a curse upon the demonic statue.

“Let me be frank. The so-called incantations you’ve inherited are nothing but rubbish.” The demonic statue rippled, but its effect seemed minimal.

It soared towards the source of the fire. Shire observed a soul floating out of Frederick’s lifeless body from a distance. The soul appeared tormented, bearing the signs of immense suffering. The devil gestured towards the soul, causing it to swiftly disintegrate, darken, and descend before solidifying. It transformed into a genuine Devil Substance that adhered to the devil’s form, manifesting as a new demon body. The soul of the Hunter Master had been profaned, giving rise to a fresh demon form.

“I still have unfinished business,” declared the Blade Demon, having completely recovered.

With a swift slash of his blade, Etienne collapsed to the ground. The formidable veteran hunter couldn’t even endure a single strike from the Devil God.

A profound terror gripped Shire’s heart. This was an authentic, formidable, invincible devil. The hunting plan had utterly failed, and the hunters were being systematically eliminated. Soon, they would all be laid to rest in the Twilight Forest.

“Phew, I finally escaped. The old hunter perished instantly,” Waren remarked, remaining stationary as he pressed his temple. “Knife is truly a savage and merciless individual. Hehe, now it’s my turn to utilize the silver key…”

Shire seized the opportunity when Waren was least prepared. He raised his crossbow, rapidly aimed at Waren, and decisively pulled the trigger. The arrow struck Waren in the face, piercing between his eyes and through the bridge of his nose, penetrating into his brain.

He had pondered on the swiftness of casting spells versus loosing arrows, and now he had found the answer.