C5 – Shock

Shire had a nightmare all night.

At first, he dreamed of being a helpless wild dog, pursued by masked hunters. Later on, he walked through mountains where huge rocks fell from the cliffs on both sides. Soon after, he transformed into a goat, a deer, and watched as his companions were slaughtered. Towards the end of the dream, he suddenly realized that he had become stronger. Just as he was about to seek revenge, he woke up.

Upon waking up, he noticed that the sky was just beginning to brighten and the clouds were moving. The golden sunlight shone into the forest, illuminating some parts more brightly than others due to the leaves and tree trunks blocking it.

The entire Greenwood Alder Tree had already been burnt down, and smoke rose high into the sky. Despite this, the other hunters had not yet arrived. Perhaps they had already gathered at Dew Camp Stone to regroup and prepare for their next move against the Blade Demon.

The Dew Camp Stone was an ancient military ruin located in the heart of Twilight Forest. Lawman People built it as a defensive position to protect against attacks from the Ancient Empire, who had Flying Dragons on their side. It was said that the trees around Dew Camp Stone had all been burnt down by the dragon’s breath, and nothing had grown back since.

The Devil Hunters had agreed to split up and move for four days to limit the Blade Demon’s range of activity, and then meet again at Dew Camp Stone to plan the second phase of the battle.

However, Shire had doubts about whether their plan could be considered successful. They had lost Denver and Mr. Julius, and among the remaining hunters were an unstable person like Waren and a new hunter like him.

“Let’s go to Dew Camp Stone,” Etienne said, opening his eyes. He had been frozen stiff all night.

Shire took care of the camp while Waren devoured the pickled beef and drank the entire pot of water.

They continued to trek through the forest together. The forest was situated in the northeastern border of Lawman Kingdom. It was somber and quiet, with few people around. After exiting the forest and traveling towards the east, they reached the ruins of an ancient empire that was believed to have been destroyed by darkness. That place was even more dreadful than Lorman’s forest. It was referred to as a forbidden land, and even the Devil Hunter did not dare to venture deep into it. People avoided discussing it, fearing that they might become entangled by the terrifying curse there.

If the Blade Demon managed to escape and enter the forbidden land, it would be like a fish returning to the sea. Nothing would be able to stop her anymore.

The rustling leaves and shrubs appeared ominous. In the distance, faint animal cries could be heard, sounding like the mocking laughter of demons.

Everything around them could be a manifestation of the Blade Demon. The thought made Shire shudder.

In reality, demons were instinctively afraid of humans, but fear was also a natural instinct of life that couldn’t be hidden or avoided. Shire could only do his best to differentiate between reality and illusion, and remain vigilant of his surroundings.

Etienne appeared unfazed, and Waren was even less concerned. His demeanor was more intimidating than that of demons.

Occasionally, Waren would leave the group to find a spot to store water. Shire worried for his safety, but he would always return quickly. Waren remained as haughty and overbearing as ever, making Shire regret being concerned about someone like him.

The trees gradually became sparse.

They saw a desolate grassland with a Devil Hunter sitting on it. It escaped the shadow of the forest and hid under the sunlight.

“Dalton!” Waren shouted, “Are you daydreaming there?”

The Devil Hunter, who was sitting with his legs crossed, turned his head tiredly and looked at the few people walking over.

Dalton was about thirty years old. His dark green eyes looked quite worried. He had short maroon hair, thin lips, and a thick beard from his chin to his lips.

Shire found it very strange that such a child-like expression of fear appeared on an adult’s face.

“You are a little lost.” Etienne said, “What is it, Dalton?”

Shire was familiar with Dalton. He was a novice Devil Hunter, known for his slow progress. Initially, he had dealt with minor demons in a nearby village, offering assistance to the villagers and receiving modest rewards in return. However, despite his time spent as a Devil Hunter, he lacked the experience of confronting actual demons.

Shire’s greatest concern was that if he followed in Dalton’s footsteps and became a hunter himself, he might not be capable enough to fulfill his duties of hunting demons.

“This is too scary.” Dalton murmured, “Too scary… Blade… Blade’s phantom…”

“Did you see Blade Demon? Where is it?” Etienne asked.

“It’s everywhere. It’s lurking in the forest. They’re watching me,” Dalton’s voice quivered. “They’re waiting for me. Once I reveal my vulnerability, they will pounce on me… I want to stay here, I want to stay here…”

Shire surveyed his surroundings. This grassy slope offered an unobstructed view, and the warm sunlight cast an ethereal beauty upon it. If the sole reason to stay here was fear of the darkness, it might seem like a suitable choice. However, what would be the purpose?

“Let’s go. We need to make our way to the Dew Camp Stone remains,” Etienne urged. “Let’s depart quickly, so we don’t embarrass ourselves in front of the apprentices.”

Dalton glanced at Shire, and his words stirred the remnants of pride within him.

“It’s highly perilous,” Dalton stood up, clad only in a leather robe without any protective gear. “It’s far too dangerous… Let’s, let’s not go to Dew Camp Stone.”

“Where else can we go? Back home?” Etienne exclaimed.

“Home… home… Yes! We should go home,” Dalton stuttered as he voiced his thoughts. “We are utterly powerless against the Blade Devil. It’s a true fiend. This is the manifestation of its real form, the true body of the Devil God. How can we possibly contend with it?!”

“Accept reality, Dalton. In order to confront the Blade Devil, all eight Devil Hunters in Upper Lawman have joined forces. None have escaped. Julius and Denver even sacrificed their lives in the line of duty. Dalton, fulfill your duty,” Etienne’s tone grew increasingly fervent, his voice filled with solemnity.

“I…” Dalton gathered his resolve and nodded. “Then I will go with you. Hurry up and leave.”

They trekked through the forest for a while.

Dalton felt suspicious and fearful of everything around him as they continued their journey.

Shire wondered if Dalton was losing his sanity. It was common for those who had been in close contact with demons for an extended period to develop mental instability. It was an occupational hazard inherent to this line of work, and it was nearly impossible to eliminate it.

What was the root of this fear? Was it because they were incapable of overcoming something? Or was it because they lacked understanding?

If there truly existed something that was exceptionally terrifying, possessing an extraordinary nature that surpassed human comprehension and power, should humans bow down and surrender to it, admitting defeat? Shire pondered deeply on this matter.

“Sigh… Sigh…” Dalton couldn’t help sighing.

“Silly.” Waren sneered.

“Bastard, shut up!” Dalton suddenly turned his head and shouted angrily at Waren.

“…” Waren narrowed his eyes and the whole team stopped in their tracks.

“Ah? Did I touch a nerve? From the first day I joined the team, I noticed that you’re different from the other Devil Hunters. You’re exceptionally cruel and rude. Your abnormal character indicates that you’re willing to take everything away from me. I suspect that your mind has been influenced by the devil,” Dalton criticized intermittently.

“Madman” Waren dismissed, unwilling to engage in such a discussion.

“I want to inform the others. Once we reach the stone, I’m going to reveal this discovery to everyone,” Dalton stubbornly asserted, while Waren’s expression became uncertain.

Shire pondered, wondering if the group would fall apart without the Blade Devil making a move. What had made Dalton so anxious and nervous? Had he perhaps seen the true form of the devil?

For Shire, merely looking at the Fallen Machete created by the Blade Demon caused a strong mental disturbance. He had to rely on the Aphen Flame to stay alert. Other hunters who lacked defensive spells would be completely overwhelmed upon encountering the actual body of the Blade Demon.

However, upon further consideration, even with Dalton’s strength, how could he escape unscathed if he confronted the Blade Devil directly? Even skilled hunters like Julius and his assistant Denver would be easily slain by the Blade Devil and displayed on a large tree.

Or could it be that Dalton had already been killed by the demon, and the Dalton standing before them was merely an illusion?

As Dalton continued talking, Shire couldn’t help but let his imagination run wild. He found Dalton even more irritating than Waren. Despite Waren’s greed and multiple threats, he at least possessed strong determination.

After their argument, they finally reached the Dew Camp Stone ruins in the afternoon.

The rumors turned out to be false. The surroundings of Dew Camp Stone had transformed into a flourishing forest. Its life force had not been completely extinguished by the dragon’s fire. The Dew Camp Stone itself was truly massive. It stood tall on the ground, resembling a gigantic egg with a perfectly round shape. It was wide enough to accommodate numerous huggers, equivalent to the size of an entire house. Its shadow loomed ominously, and its surface was covered in moss.

Carved into the stone was a line of words, clearly visible from a distance. It appeared as if it had been gouged out by a colossal claw, with horizontally aligned and sharply defined strokes. It was not a human language.

Two towering stone walls had been erected around Dew Camp Stone. Additionally, a rudimentary defensive tower and a pile of round stones were present, remnants of the ancient Lawman People’s efforts to fend off attacks. Each stone bore signs of heavy wear and seemed as if it had been melted by intense heat and then rapidly cooled. This gave the ruins an incredibly weathered and damaged appearance.

Perched atop one of the stone towers, a female Devil Hunter scanned the surroundings. Spotting a group approaching from afar, she waved her hand and greeted them.

“Etienne! Shire!” she called out. “Waren! Dalton! You’ve finally arrived.”

Excellent! The others had survived and made it to the Dew Camp Stone ruins. Shire recognized the woman as Geffany, a friendly and skilled female hunter in her thirties who had a close relationship with Master Frederick.

“Geffany! Thank you, god Luo Man. We are here.” Etienne nodded, “But you can roughly guess that the situation is very bad.”

“Did you see the others?” Geffany asked, “Julius? Denver?”

“This is the bad part. They are dead.” Etienne’s voice was hoarse, “It would be best if we could kill the Blade Demon to comfort their souls.”

“Of course. In that case, we’ll have all the skilled hunters gathered here. Please come in,” Geffany descended from the tower. “Master Frederick is waiting for us by Dew Camp Stone.”

Frederick, a distinguished noble and the most formidable Devil Hunter in the entire region, held the secret key of the Holy Church. Though his experience was not as extensive as Etienne’s, his strength and talent were remarkable. He served as the backbone and leader of the hunter team.

Shire held great admiration for Frederick, aspiring to become a Hunter Master like him. It was his greatest dream.

Shire strived to be well-prepared, always honing his skills, and ever ready to combat any terrifying demon, overcoming every obstacle in the world. He yearned to be like Master Frederick. The prospect of meeting the esteemed Master filled Shire with anticipation.

Geffany led the way in front.

“Did you encounter the Blade Demon? I didn’t.” Geffany sighed. “If I met it, I could at least weaken it by 50%. That way, it wouldn’t kill Julius and poor Denver.”

“The Blade Demon is a nightmare.” Dalton said dejectedly.

“Specially to scare cowards.” Waren mocked Dalton’s cowardice.

Dalton glared at Waren hatefully.

Geffany turned around because of the short argument and saw the cut on Etienne’s waist. The wound was covered with linen and was bleeding. It was dark red.

“You are injured.” Geffany said.

“We have reason to respect the Blade Demon, a powerful opponent.” Etienne said.

“Yes…” Geffany nodded and didn’t ask further.

Only Shire, who was at the back, saw that the old hunter was wrapped in a cloak, covering the injured parts. This made Shire feel sad. Although he was only seventeen years old, he could vaguely understand the concept of “not having enough strength.”