HUNT 4

Midnight, Yamamoto's Mansion, Tokyo.

Together with Hasegawa Takio, a Dealer, who knew better about the paranormal investigation, we were sitting cross-legged waiting for a Spirit named Carol to appear in front us in the quite living room. To sense her appearance, a torchlight was left in front of us so that it would blink when a Spirit presented, together with a voice recorder to detect any kind of unusual voice.

According to Takio, Carol was originally the daughter of a European automobile company's CEO which had opened a branch in Tokyo. The story began 40 years ago, when her dad bought a piece of land from Yamamoto's family, desperately sold by the family's last generation due to their financial crisis. After the mansion had been fully established, the name of Yamamoto's family was taken to be the mansion's name as a sign of respect to the previous land owner.

At first, Carol's family was living happily, but few years later, her family began to fall apart due to her parents misunderstanding. Her dad quietly had a mistress. Carol who believed that the mansion could bring the happiness that they once owned, told her parents to reconcile and not leaving the house. It was until then, her dad decided to leave the house because he felt burdened with the marriage relationship, Carol ran down the stairs to her dad, but unluckily she fell and died there. Since her death, she turned into a Spirit haunting the big house. There were many other families tried to live in the mansion, but Carol chased them away and forbade whoever wanted to take over her beloved home.

It was until Carol met Takio who was so obsessed with the history of Yamamoto's mansion. By the help from Takio who loved all the paranormal activities and wanted to preserve their mysteriousness, he bought the mansion and left the building empty to calm Carol down and he prohibited anybody from going there, while just waiting for her to 'return' to where she supposed to be.

"Last month, Carol disappeared. I thought she already left for good, but she actually went into rage. She keeps on wandering anxiously… She cries endlessly… Getting angry for no reasons… The neighbours can't take it anymore. I wanted to help her but she ignored me. She said I didn't solve anything… I don't know what to do…"

"It's quite hard, Takio-san. Be patient. We'll help with everything that we can." I tried to make Takio calm. To make his heart be at ease.

"I hope you can solve this case…" His hope were fully on us, who were known as Conquistadors. We were just freshmen, too little experience with paranormal activities that we had, but we had to display some credibility as the Spirit Army's apprentices, whom trusted by the people.

"Hawkeye" What is your position?" By using a walkie-talkie, I contacted Harry who was aiming towards the bungalow I was in from a tall building located around 900 metres in distance from the mansion, looking for any mystical appearance with his sniper.

"All clear, Captain…" Harry replied.

"Athena… Hercules… How about you guys?" I contacted Anna using the symbol on the back of my right hand. It turned out to be the symbol known as the Crest, a communication device for a Conquistador and the Spirit. Now, I already knew that the painful symbol was actually a device used by Anna to detect my location before.

"We're ready. There's no Spirit detected yet." Anna and Harry's Spirit, Hercules, who was wearing an iron armour, looked like a Roman soldier with his tools, wearing a lion headdress and using a stone hammer as his weapon. He was the same like Anna, who was among the Olympian Spirits, a demi-god Olympian Spirit, possessed god's level of power as described in the Greek's mythology. Anna was a goddess-level Olympian Spirit who was then modified to be dad's first e-Spirit, being in a battle mode wearing the armoured purple dress while holding the Excalibur, the legendary sword of King Arthur according to the ancient European mythology, tightly.

I was with Takio in the living room, Anna and Hercules were upstairs, and Harry was on aim 900 metres away from the mansion. Just to make sure the case would be solved successfully by Conquistadors, a tight supervision was put forward to prevent any Rogue Spirit to come and disturb the process.

"Make sure to keep your eyes open. We can't fail in our first assignment."

"Roger!"

Takio started the conversation again, after the first trial failed to get Carol's response.

"Carol, are you there? Please answer me…"

No response.

"Please answer, Carol. We can solve everything if you tell us…"

Out of nowhere, a cold and chilly wind came in, touching our faces. The wind came suddenly and there was no sign that it going to rain outside, it meant the Spirit will appear anytime soon.

Then, a pure European girl appeared floating in front of us who were sitting cross-legged there. Her fierce-looking face stared at us, almost made me lost control. If I was following my heart, I would have been running away from the start. But I knew we were in the middle of solving our first paranormal case. So, I couldn't follow my fear and to evolve myself as a Spirit's Army apprentice.

GO AWAY!

Angry and anxious. Those emotions were written on her face. By then we knew she didn't playing and unintentionally even managed to scare all the neighbours. There might be something bothering her.

"Carol, first tell us why you're being like this? I bring my friend here to help you."

YOU CAN'T STOP IT! IT IS NOT AN ORDINARY CREATURE!

"We're Conquistadors, the paranormal investigators. Carol… Can you tell us who is it that made you anxious like this?" I calmed her down, made her to tell us why she felt tortured at her home.

"You can't fight it!"

TUP… TUP… TUP…

While I was guarding the situation in the living room, I heard footsteps from the upstairs. It was Anna and Hercules's hiding place!

Ceh! Only I can hear the footsteps and the Spirit is even using a barrier spell. Ah! The Rogue Spirit is here! Its appearance made me froze like I was in the glacier. What kind of Rogue Spirit are we facing now?

"Ow… Our guest is here."

A black wolf came out. It was so big as the size of a horse, long fur covered its head to the tail and there were fangs hanging out beside Carol. From the beast character, it was not an average Rogue Spirit. It was Fenrir, the A-class Rogue Spirit. It was the 'dog' of the Dark Gods and could be controlled by only the higher class Shamans. Short range attack might be deadly, could form a barrier spell and summoned Ghouls, the cannibals- this were all Fenrir's traits.

"Conquistadors are here… But just a small bunch of kids…"

This is mad! It is not on our level! This should be handled by the Spirit Army's unit! This is not a C-level case! I must bring Takio and the other comrades out from here and report this to…

"Don't forget the other Spirits, Fenrir!" Anna shouted.

"I don't expect the Rogue Spirit here to be Fenrir." Here came Hercules, into the living room.

Out of my expectation, Anna and Hercules appeared as fast as a lightning while their weapons were charged towards Fenrir. They were too confident with their reckless action. Ah! What I'm thinking? I shouldn't think too much and be nervous about the Rogue Spirit now. No matter how strong it is, I will fight it as an apprentice of the Spirit Army.

"I'm Edward Freeman, first year student of the University of Witchcraft Defensive. As an apprentice of the Spirit Army, I'll give you a chance to go back to where you belong before I chase you away!"

I pointed ny Anti-Rogue gun to Fenrir who was responsible to turn Carol's peaceful life upside down. I was hoping Fenrir knew the consequences of its stubbornness.

"Hey kid! You think that by having your strongest Olympian Spirits pointing guns at me, I can make it out without bringing something with me??"

WAAAARRGH!!!

Fenrir's howl was too powerful making Anna and Hercules were both thrown back and smashed the wall. Then, few Ghouls emerged from the wall and tied for of us without any time for us to think. It was also when I was trying to contact Harry to attack Fenrir from behind.

"Hawkeye… You have to get here fast… We're facing an A-class Rogue Spirit…"

"Sorry, Captain. We also have some problem here. We need to defeat the Ghouls guarding the bungalow…"

Mini gun shots from Harry could be heard outside. It will be long before Harry could get in here without me doing anything to delay this dangerous Rogue Spirit.

"Okay" Problem solved. There is only two of us here. So should I start with your head? You dare? Hahaha…"

Without thinking, I pointed my gun and shot it non-stop until all the bullets gone. Damnit! I could only did that to stop the Rogue Spirit.

"Hahahaha… Stupid! The bullets won't do anything to me!"

"Shut up! You really think this will be our end? You can go die!"

No more bullets. No bullets to reload. If I knew the situation would turn out like this, I would've brought more Anti-Rogue bullets. Ah! If only my internal Spirit inside me has awaken and can use its power…

Hurricane…

Part of Gaia's rampage…

Eh? Who's voice is this?

Serve me…

Turn your rage towards me…

Gaia's messenger…

Is this some kind of spell?

Be gone all the unholy destroyers!

Hurricane Push!

It was so sudden that Fenrir which was getting near me smashed to the right wall. Then came in a small hurricane with something that looked like a long spear which hit Fenrir to the wall from continuing to eat me. Is this hurricane comes after the spell that I've heard just now?

Zaap!!!

Hercules managed to get away from the Ghouls grasp, followed by Anna. The other Ghouls holding me were also disappeared. Yes! Fenrir lost its power to control its subordinates. This was our chance to end its life!

"Hawkeye! Order Hercules to finish the enemy!"

"Roger! Hercules! Make your enemy to suffer!"

Duusshh!!

Like a professional wrestle, Herculesgrabbed Fenrir from its back and threw it to the back, that was how he treated Fenrir which later became unconscious by the sudden attack. It was unexpected that the story of the legendary Hercules was actually a true story. He fought the enemy empty-handed.

"Athena! End it now!"

Zaap!!!

Yes! Excalibur penetrated Fenrir's heart, the core for a Rogue Spirit. From the penetration, it was an end for the chaos of Carol's life. The moment when the Spirit's particles dissolving from its body, Fenrir laughed sarcastically reflecting his satisfaction towards the previous show. Ceh! You're being chased away now and yet you have the time to laugh?

"Hahahaha… I know who you are, Edward Freeman…and… The spirit inside you…"

Hah! It knows who I am?

"My existence is merely a warning for you, Edward Freeman… Soon… Overlord Legion will rise to hunt you…"

That was Fenrir's last words. Overlord Region? Hunt me down? Ah… This is giving me more headache.

Dush!

The bungalow's main door sprung open. Harry came in later while panting, carrying the unreloaded mini gun.

"Sorry, I'm late… I only managed to open door since the barrier spell disappeared… Am I missing something?"

"We were fighting an A-class Rogue Spirit. But... it already been chased to go back to where he belongs."

"A-class? Supposedly we report it first to the university before we fight against the Spirit…"

"That was what I wanted to do but our Spirits got into action first! Then we just had to chase it…"

Hercules went to support the tired Harry after fighting against the Ghouls outside the bungalow.

"Just the Dark God's dog, it was easy for me and Athena."

"But we have to follow the Spirit Army's investigation protocol. Oh… How should we explain to Aisyah-sensei later…"

Fenrir, what was you trying to say? Is it really that you wanted to send your final message then you had wasted your time troubling Carol?

"Brother, are you okay? You are having an unpleasant look on your face."

Ah… I snapped out hearing Anna's worried voice. In just in a blink of an eye, her face came near mine, examining my face.

"I'm okay. Harry, do you know anything about the Overlord Region?"

"Overlord Region? It's my first time hearing it. Why?"

"Fenrir warned us that the Overlord Region will come after him."

"Hmm… About the organization, I'm not really sure. But it seems like Mr. Freeman must be cautious from now."

"Hahahaha… Don't think too much about that. Let's think about what happened here and send our first report!"

I'd intentionally changed the topic from discussing further about the unknown Overlord Region. When we went back later I'll explain the matter to Aisyah. I hoped that she could give answers to all the questions, besides the thing about the Spirit inside me.

I looked around, only displayed decorations and some furniture were severely broken. If the entire bungalow was destroyed, we need to ask for the Spirit Knight Squad's help under Aisyah's Supervision to restore it original shape. Looking at Takio, he was unconscious. Searching for Carol, she was lost untraced. Even Anna and Hercules couldn't track her. I felt that she went into hiding because she was afraid of Fenrir's appearance earlier.

"Duh… We need to go tomorrow to confirm Carol's condition before sending a full report."

Harry agreed. While helping Harry to support the unconscious Takio, from the corner of my eyes, I saw a petite-looking woman. No, it was more like a girl, she wore a full set of unidentified traditional tribal garment, leaning against the wall and smiled at us from afar.

"Who's that?"

Turned my head back, she was nowhere to be seen. Aik… Is it true what I'm seeing? But I could really see her clearly before. If she was there, maybe she was a witness of the battle? Precisely, it could be her who casted the hurricane spell, making Fenrir weak?

"Dreaming again, Mr. Freeman?"

Harry's teased took me out of my long thought. Ah! I'm thinking too much. It's better if I stop. I should finish what I should now.