Hunter’s Blade

C11 – Destroy

“Fortunately, I’m not hungry yet.” The Blade Demon’s voice, after regaining its form, crackled like burning firewood, hoarse and dry. “But you won’t escape death before answering a few questions for me.”

Shire did his best to avoid direct eye contact with the blade devil. Gazing at it for too long still left him disoriented. The devil’s body was as dark as coal, as if a dreadful nightmare had come to life. Shire’s body was drenched in sweat, and his legs felt heavy.

“Why do people like you hunt Abyss Devils?” The Blade Devil inquired, “It’s a challenging job. It won’t bring you wealth or respect. Day after day, all you do is seek me and my kind, either killing or being killed.”

“I don’t know.”

“You, who are bewildered, are truly innocent. I’m inclined to spare your life. After all, you are unlike those hunters who are resolute in exterminating me.” Every word spoken by the Blade Demon felt like a lethal test.

“Shire was very nervous.

Surrendering was disgraceful, fleeing was shameful, but survival was paramount.

“How about this: if you swear to never become a Devil Hunter and renounce your duty to hunt devils, I will spare your life. What do you think? It’s a fair deal, isn’t it?” The Blade Demon emitted a shrill sound, as if mocking him.

Shire faced it in silence.

“Why aren’t you saying anything?”

“I don’t have the right to talk to you now.” Shire said.

“Right? …”

“If I were strong enough… if I could fight you and have a chance at winning… everything would be different,” Shire said, clenching his fist.

“Are you bewildered by your own weakness?”

Shire relied on the strength of his leg muscles to keep himself grounded, suppressing his urge to escape. I’m going to die. I’m going to die!

“Ah, you have performed admirably, like a loyal follower. You have earned yourself an opportunity. Come forward and claim your reward! I am willing to take you in as my servant,” mocked the Blade Demon.

“No!” Shire exclaimed loudly. “I am the Devil Hunter. When I acquire power, I will vanquish you, destroy everything resembling you, and drive all of your kind out of this world! I will return with a vengeance…”

The Blade Demon emitted a silent shriek, and a tremendous force surged through Shire’s body.

The force was overwhelming, relentlessly weighing down on Shire. However, the green gemstone necklace hanging from Shire’s neck emitted a fluorescent light, and the protective power of the enchantment shielded Shire, resisting the threat of the demon’s energy.

Julius’s necklace… Shire sighed inwardly. Senior, your heirloom has shielded me, but I fear my demise is still inevitable.

When the Blade Demon witnessed the failure of its spell on Shire, it swiftly advanced towards him.

“Gaze at me.”

It stopped in its tracks.

Etienne, lying on the ground, unexpectedly reached out and grabbed hold of the demon’s ankle.

“He’s not dead?” Dark green devil flames engulfed the demon’s feet, scorching Etienne’s hand. Normally, a mortal’s hand would be severely injured, and the pain would be difficult to bear. It should have subsided quickly.

“Yafen Flame,” Etienne uttered in a low voice.

An even brighter flame ignited on the elderly hunter’s body, far surpassing the dark green devil flames. Its radiance was enough to illuminate the entire night. The flame passed through Etienne’s hand and engulfed the Blade Devil’s feet. It continued to spread along its legs, enveloping its entire body and searing its outer shell.

The Bladedge Demon exerted all its strength, leaping into the air, effectively breaking free from Etienne’s grasp.

“Fortunately, I am somewhat skilled,” the demon remarked, glancing at the gasping Etienne lying on the ground. As golden flames began to dim Etienne’s figure, his entire body gradually faded away like a torch. “Ha! Let’s see how long you can endure.”

“Phantom Divine Power!” Shire incanted a spell.

The blade devil pointed upward, using its finger to intercept the surging power.

“I’ve already told you that your spell is worthless,” the Blade Demon jeered.

Woosh~~~

Seizing the moment when Shire distracted the demon, Etienne swiftly summoned back the devil rope to his hand. He hurled it at the demon, and the magical rope flew out rapidly, binding the demon’s right leg and yanking its body downward.

“You two…!” The Bladedge Demon’s body plummeted, and its arms transformed into blades. It severed its right leg, which crashed to the ground. Etienne seared that severed part of its body with the Aphenial Flame. Then, he raised his head and locked his gaze on the blade devil.

Etienne’s body was engulfed in soul flame, turning him into a fiery figure, his body gradually charred black.

After fifteen seconds, or perhaps more than thirty seconds, the Yafen Flame reached an explosive stage, its intensity escalating. The flame seemed to surge towards the sky, threatening to consume everything. However, how many souls could be sacrificed to fuel Mr. Etienne’s soul? Shire didn’t dare to contemplate.

Shire loaded a crossbow and aimed at the Bladeblade Demon. The demon swiftly maneuvered in the air, evading the arrow, but Etienne anticipated its trajectory. He unleashed a golden flame that struck the Bladeblade Demon’s body.

The golden flame incinerated the demon’s exterior and surged towards the malevolence within, causing the demon to plummet.

Etienne, enveloped in flames, charged towards the descending blade devil.

“Get away!” The appearance of the blade devil underwent rapid changes. Countless spikes and razor-sharp blades protruded from its body, transforming it into a repulsive and lethal sphere. Anyone who dared to approach would be pierced with innumerable holes.

Helpless, Shire watched as Etienne lunged at the deadly blade devil. No matter how those sharp blades pierced his body, they were determined to make contact with the blade devil’s body, ablaze with the flames of Yafen.

Mister Etienne… Master! My heavens! Shire’s heart brimmed with anguish.

The golden flames continued to spread across the Blade Demon’s body, accompanied by the sound of cracking carapace.

“Get out!” The Blade Demon cursed furiously, “I will annihilate you!”

Its body swiftly regenerated, and its charred skin rejuvenated. The golden flames seemed ineffective in causing any significant harm. The demon used its transformed body, supported by its altered spear and razor-sharp blade, to rise to its feet. Meanwhile, Etienne remained impaled by the demon, hanging like a tortured soul.

With its hand, the blade demon gripped Etienne and slowly pulled him out from its body.

“Yafen Flame!”

Shire widened his eyes, fixing his gaze on the blade demon as he unleashed the spell Etienne had taught him. Under the circumstances, he couldn’t employ Exbanishment since the demon’s true form lay hidden within its body. Only the Aphen Flame could have an impact… It was enough!

Previously, Shire had only employed the smallest scale of flames to burn his soul, causing a temporary, burning pain to awaken him. Now that Shire had unleashed the full power of the spell, the pain was intense enough to shatter his will, pushing him to the brink of endurance. Simultaneously, the same golden flames that consumed Etienne began to blaze upon his own body.

He drew his sword, and the flames instantly spread from his hand to the blade.

This is my sole opportunity to defeat it. This is humanity’s lone chance to vanquish the demons!

Shire charged towards the Blade Demon.

“I will control all the weapons!” The devil roared in anger.

“It’s blunt!”

The weapon in Shire’s hand had been bent and used as a soil shovel for an extended period. It could no longer be called a sword. The blade was severely damaged, and the tip had lost its sharpness. It no longer belonged under the control of the Blade Demon.

“I will avenge Denver!” Shire exerted all his strength as he swung down. The wretched being who toyed with people’s lives, return to hell!

It was this crude and blunt weapon that now blazed with the furious flames of Aphen. It slammed heavily into the Blade Devil’s shoulder, forcefully shattering its outer shell and incinerating the malevolent soul within.

“You can’t kill me!” the Blade Devil shrieked persistently. “You can’t kill me!” It erupted into wild laughter.

Etienne, who had been consumed by the flames for quite some time, weakly turned towards Shire.

“Shire…” The old hunter spoke in a hoarse voice, “What a pity…”

What? Shire was stunned.

The golden light blinded Shire’s eyes.

Accompanied by a series of thunderous explosions, a massive surge of energy flung Shire through the air.

The sky became saturated with a crimson shower of blood. Etienne’s flesh and limbs were launched into the air, only to be instantly reduced to ashes by the scorching flames before they even touched the ground. The metal and leather materials were instantaneously incinerated, while the ashes of the bones dispersed like sand in the air.

The body of the Blade Devil crumbled and plummeted to the ground upon impact. Only the upper half remained, with four-fifths of its body obliterated. Beneath the shattered head and a few remaining scales attached to its neck, an abundant amount of intensely dark matter desperately wriggled and attempted to escape, seeking to infiltrate its own head. Concealed within a protective barrier, even more sinister energy inevitably seeped into the surroundings. However, it quickly dissipated into nothingness, fading away rapidly.

The impact sent Shire crashing to the ground. His back collided violently with the grass. Was it painful? Surprisingly, he felt no pain.

What… is wrong with me? He opened his eyes wide.

Strange… Why am I unable to move? My hand… I want to move my hand, but it remains immobile. I attempt to move my feet, but they won’t respond. Even my toes, I can only imagine their motion, but I can’t feel their actual movement.

I… Shire’s head kept spinning and spinning. I am lying on the ground. Why am I unable to move? Where is my body?

Ah, so it was obliterated. His hands, feet, legs, and stomach—all gone. Only a golden flame engulfs his body, silently consuming his soul.

How foolish… Shire thought. He was merely a novice hunter, yet he was thrust into the most perilous hunting mission. He exerted every ounce of strength and expended all his spells in an attempt to battle the devil.

The way humans fight is foolish, amusing, and absurd. They must detonate themselves to inflict harm upon the demons.

Frankly, we hunters don’t earn much money, so why must we risk our lives in combat?

Perhaps this profession should not exist.

However, if no one becomes a Devil Hunter, wouldn’t the demons run rampant? Those peaceful villages… Cities… The civilized world could be destroyed at any moment… Hunters like us who possess crossbows, swords, curses, and potions… Dealing with demons is exceedingly challenging, let alone for ordinary individuals. Even if the entire army were to gather, without understanding the proper way to combat them, they would be easily slaughtered by the demons alone.

After all, the demons are so powerful.

Alright, that’s enough, hunting demons.

I’ll do it in my next life…

Shire closed his eyes. He was truly exhausted, having given it his all. If the Blade Devil still wouldn’t perish despite this, then there was nothing more he could do.

“Don’t die.” A voice rang out.

Another Devil Hunter? Shire’s eyes opened wide. Geffany had returned!

No, it was even more terrifying than that. He could sense that it was the voice of a devil.

The Blade Devil, with its flesh and blood severed into two blades, struggled forward, supporting its horned head. It made its way towards Shire with great difficulty. The sharp blade rested against its emaciated neck, giving it a desolate and grotesque appearance. Countless malevolent energies emanated from its head, dissipating into nothingness.

I’m going to die soon. Shire felt his blood gushing out like a fountain. Why must you kill me? My soul is here, consumed by flames. Come and devour it, if you can still consume.

“You mustn’t die, mortal. I implore you, please don’t die,” the Blade Demoness’s voice carried a profound sorrow. “I no longer possess a usable body, yet I cannot be driven back into the rift… I cannot return… The other demons banished me to this place. If I go back, they will surely kill me. I do not wish to die…”

Shire felt dizzy.

“No! Get out! Go to hell!” Shire mustered the last of his strength to hoarsely shout, “You want to control me? Not a chance!” Despite losing his windpipe and vocal cords, his soul screamed.

“Are you willing? Are you willing to die like this? You’re only seventeen years old! You could live for another century, couldn’t you? Don’t you want to witness this world once more?!” The Blade Demon responded with the same fervent roar. “Lower your defenses, allow me into your consciousness. I can save you! And you can save me too! I don’t want to be slain by the native hunters of this primitive world! Hurry! You still have a few seconds!”

Shire truly wished to cry, but he couldn’t. That was what saddened him the most. Perhaps Etienne had been right all along; he had lost the ability to shed tears.

Perhaps even Devil Hunters had their own peculiar obsessions, and this was Shire’s peculiar obsession.

“Alright.” Shire said, “Let’s live together.”