For a sixteen year old boy, being told that his abilities are destined to be inferior from birth is not something he accepts easily. He trains harder than anyone else, pushes himself beyond reason, and risks more than he should, all to prove that his limits are not defined by bloodline.
That was me.
I am already the King of Combat among the Demon Hunters of my generation, and Renn is the foremost talisman card expert among our peers. We have proven ourselves to those our age, but that is not enough. We want the Elders to acknowledge us. We want to prove that a Demon Hunter's strength is not determined solely by bloodline purity. That is why we ignored our parents' objections and came to Lunewood to take part in this operation.
"Finish breakfast within five minutes. Search operations in Lunewood begin in ten. Signal immediately if you discover an Abomination."
Ancient Sumir's voice carried calmly across the camp. It was controlled and precise, loud enough for all to hear without disturbing the forest. I glanced at the roasted rabbit in my hand and quickened my pace. Demon Hunters value discipline above all. When five minutes are given, five minutes is the limit. I had no intention of being reprimanded.
Five minutes later, more than four hundred Demon Hunters stood assembled at the designated point. Orders were issued, teams were organized, and sectors were assigned.
Renn and I were placed under Elder Keyu.
Elder Keyu stood at about one hundred seventy five centimeters, lean and composed, with a square face and closely cropped hair. Our team consisted of five members, Elder Keyu, myself, Renn, a long legged blonde named Sheryl, and a refined looking boy with glasses who introduced himself as Inoue Togawa. One Elder and four juniors. On paper, we appeared to be one of the weaker units. Our assignment was to search Sector E3 of Area C in Lunewood.
We advanced through dense undergrowth and tangled vines, crossbows raised. I kept my senses sharp and activated my Hunting Instinct to its fullest extent, searching for even the faintest trace of an Abomination. Nothing answered. No disturbance, no resonance.
Hours passed. Our search yielded nothing, and fatigue began to settle in. Just as Sheryl suggested a short rest to the Elder, an indescribable sensation rose in all of our chests.
A signal.
Elder Keyu's eyes sharpened as he turned south. "Area D. Move, full speed."
He shot forward without hesitation, and we followed immediately.
After several minutes of running, a surge of violent intent flared within me, pulling sharply to my right. My Hunting Instinct had locked on. An Abomination was close.
I halted and swung my crossbow toward the right flank, but Elder Keyu was faster. His bolt had already been released.
A roar tore through the jungle as a dark figure burst from the foliage and lunged straight at me.
I fired three bolts in rapid succession, forming a triangular spread that sealed off its approach. The creature slashed with its claws, deflecting the projectiles while continuing its charge. The distance between us collapsed in an instant.
Now I saw it clearly.
A Werewolf.
I stepped back, slung the crossbow behind me, and drew the Holy Silver Longsword from my back. Steel met claw in a violent clash. Sparks burst at the point of impact. Golden wolf eyes locked onto mine, filled with feral hatred.
In that same heartbeat, six more figures exploded out of the surrounding jungle, hurling themselves toward the others.