Chapter 6: The Hunter Raid

Yaxoc and Yaxocara stood alongside Hannah Hight, staring up at the ominous glow of the Blood Moon. Its energy pulsed like a heartbeat, painting the sky in hues of red and black.

Hannah held a device in her hands, scanning the energy radiating from the moon. Her face darkened as the readings confirmed her fears. "The power level of the Blood Moon is far beyond ours. That explosion of energy? It was just the beginning."

Yaxoc furrowed his brow, glancing at Yaxocara. "What do you mean? We destroyed that thing—didn't we?"

Hannah turned to face him, her expression grim. "You didn't destroy Calamito. You only delayed its return. Calamito isn't dead. It's preparing to come back even stronger."

Yaxoc raised an eyebrow. "Wait, are you telling me that thing wasn't a demon? I used my angelic essence on it! Shouldn't that have ended it?"

Hannah shook her head. "No, Yaxoc. Calamito isn't a demon—it's an entity. A being made entirely of blood energy, fused with divine tools crafted by an unknown creator. Its origins date back 50,000 years, but its history has been shrouded in mystery ever since."

Yaxoc blinked in disbelief. "An entity? Then what the hell are we dealing with?"

Hannah exhaled sharply. "Calamito is more than just a tricky opponent. It possesses unlimited regeneration. No matter how many times you destroy its body, it reforms by using its own blood. This creature doesn't just control blood—it commands it. Every drop of blood from the fallen during the Magician-Demon War in 3400 BC was absorbed by Calamito. It's part of why it's so powerful. It shapes its body, weapons, and even its horns from its own blood to disorient and overpower its enemies."

Yaxoc grimaced. "So, slicing it up was basically useless?"

"Not entirely," Hannah replied. "Your angelic essence forced it to retreat, but it's far from finished. It will come back stronger, more prepared. And when it does, we'll need to make a decision."

"A decision?" Yaxocara asked warily.

Hannah nodded. "If we can't defeat it, we may have to convince it to join us."

Both Yaxoc and Yaxocara recoiled in shock. "YOU WANT US TO DO WHAT?!" they yelled in unison.

"It's our only option," Hannah said calmly, folding her arms. "But don't worry—I know its weakness. For now, let's focus on what's ahead."

Without waiting for their response, Hannah began walking. Yaxoc and Yaxocara exchanged uneasy glances before following her.

As they walked, Yaxoc couldn't suppress his curiosity. "Okay, I have to ask—how did the Blood Moon even come to exist? And why was Calamito inside it?"

Hannah glanced over her shoulder, her tone steady as she began to explain. "The origins of the Blood Moon date back 500,000 years, long before magicians had mastered agriculture or literature. During that time, they faced a terrifying threat—creatures."

"Creatures?" Yaxoc repeated, confused.

"Yes," Hannah continued. "These weren't ordinary animals. They were beings of immense strength and durability, far beyond what humans could handle. Take the Lioking, for example—a massive ancestor of modern lions. Its crown-like mane symbolized its dominance over entire regions. The magicians were terrified of its power. It could demolish entire villages with ease."

"But couldn't magicians fight back with spells?" Yaxoc asked.

Hannah shook her head. "At that time, magicians hadn't developed defensive spells strong enough to combat such creatures. They had no choice but to flee. Creatures like the Lioking had unparalleled physical strength—if we were to measure it today, their DNA would show an S-rank in raw power."

"Wait, they analyzed its DNA?" Yaxoc asked, intrigued.

Hannah nodded. "In 1954, scientists began studying the DNA of ancient creatures for experiments. However, the project was shut down in 1975 after laws were passed banning human experimentation."

She paused before continuing. "As for Calamito, it was once a human child—a magician with a talent for agriculture magic. But during the Demon Raids, the child was caught in an unexpected attack and was killed."

Yaxoc frowned. "How does a dead child turn into that?"

"No one knows," Hannah admitted. "Even the most brilliant scientists have been unable to explain how the child was resurrected as a divine entity. What we do know is that Calamito absorbed the blood of countless heroes and demons, becoming a vessel of blood energy and divine power. The Blood Moon itself is connected to this transformation—it acts as a catalyst for Calamito's abilities."

Yaxoc narrowed his eyes. "So, what now?"

Hannah stopped and turned to face him. "Now? We prepare for what's coming. The Blood Moon's mechanisms have temporarily deactivated, but it's only a matter of time before Calamito returns. Next time, it will be even more dangerous."

Yaxoc and Yaxocara exchanged determined glances. The fight wasn't over—not yet.

A few hours later, Brock strolled through the desolate streets with Urioh at his side, the tension palpable.

"We brought you back for a reason, Urioh," Brock said coldly. "But pulling a stunt like that against him? You nearly ruined everything."

Urioh sighed, his tone remorseful but tinged with defiance. "I was careless, I admit it. But hey, I'm standing here now, aren't I? Thanks to you."

"Don't get comfortable." Brock's gaze hardened. "We're not done. We're finding that idiot again, and this time, we're ending him—for good."

As they walked, Urioh abruptly stopped, his eyes narrowing. His gaze locked onto a wide, glistening pool of blood smeared across the ground.

"Hold up."

Brock raised an eyebrow. "What's your problem now?"

Urioh's voice dropped, steady but sharp. "That blood—it's not normal. It's… alive." He shifted into a battle stance. "Stay back. I've got this."

Brock scoffed. "What the hell are you even—"

Before he could finish, the blood rippled unnaturally, coalescing into a humanoid shape. With a grotesque fluidity, it solidified, revealing a tall figure adjusting a tilted fedora.

"Ah, perfect timing," the figure said casually. It smirked, crimson energy flickering faintly around its form. "And who do I have the pleasure of meeting today?"

Urioh's fists clenched, his eyes locked on the entity. "Who are we? No—who are you?"

The figure placed a hand on its chest with exaggerated dramatics. "Me? Oh, I'm just a humble passerby." Its grin widened, revealing unnervingly sharp teeth. "You can call me Calamito."

Brock cracked his knuckles, stepping forward. "Passerby or not, I don't like your face."

Calamito chuckled softly. "Oh dear, straight to hostility, are we? Relax, I'm a pacifist!"

Brock sneered. "Sure you are." Without warning, he lunged, his fist aiming for Calamito's head.

But Calamito sidestepped effortlessly, Brock's punch smashing through a nearby wall.

"Well, someone's feisty." Calamito adjusted its hat, unfazed. "If you're so eager, why don't we see what you've got?"

Brock growled, unleashing a flurry of strikes. Yet Calamito evaded each one with uncanny precision. In one swift motion, it drove a blood-soaked fist into Brock's gut, sending him sprawling across the pavement.

Brock staggered to his feet, pulling a sleek, silver firearm from his jacket. "One more step, and I'll blow your—"

SLASH.

Before he could finish, a razor-thin arc of blood sliced through the air, shattering the weapon into pieces.

"Guns?" Calamito tilted its head mockingly. "How quaint. Unfortunately for you, they're useless against me."

In a flash, it closed the distance, landing another devastating blow that hurled Brock into the side of a building.

Urioh stepped forward, cracking his neck with a smirk. "So, you're not just some pushover, huh? Guess it's my turn."

But before the clash could escalate, a calm yet commanding voice rang out.

"Not so fast."

Hannah stepped into view, flanked by Yaxoc and Yaxocara.

Urioh's gaze shifted to the newcomers, his expression twisting with amusement. "Well, well. If it isn't the brat I took down before. And… what's this? A tiny little girl? How adorable."

"HEY! Watch your mouth, you creep!" Yaxocara snapped, glaring. "I'll show you who's tiny once I knock you out—"

Her rant was abruptly cut short as Hannah placed a hand over her mouth.

"Silence," Hannah said firmly, her tone brooking no argument. "Let me handle this."

Calamito's eyes gleamed with recognition. "Ah, so it's you kids again. Still thinking I'm a demon, huh?" Its gaze shifted to Hannah. "And who's this? Another savior?"

Ignoring the remark, Hannah raised a hand, her telekinetic magic slamming Urioh against a nearby wall and pinning him there.

"Calamito," Hannah began calmly, "I'm here to propose something."

"Oh?" Calamito folded its arms, intrigued.

"I want you to join us," Hannah said.

Calamito's smirk returned, sharper than ever. "Join you? That's a bold request."

Hannah met its gaze without flinching. "You'll find we're full of surprises."

Calamito raised a finger, mockingly wagging it. "Alright, let's make this fun. How about a little… test?" It held up its hand. "Tell me—how many fingers do I have?"

Hannah's brow furrowed as she considered the question. Then, without hesitation, she answered.

"Over 500,000. Hidden within you."

Calamito froze, its smirk faltering for the first time. Its eyes widened in genuine surprise.

"...Okay," it said slowly. "Maybe you are worth my time."

Yaxoc and Yaxocara exchanged bewildered glances as Calamito let out a low chuckle.

"Well, then," Calamito said, extending a blood-red hand toward Hannah. "Consider me intrigued. Let's see where this goes."

The squad vanished in a flash, leaving Urioh crumpled on the ground.

"Damn it..." Urioh groaned, pushing himself up slowly. His body ached from the impact, but his pride hurt even more. "That woman... her telekinesis is leagues stronger than his. She's no joke."

As he dusted himself off, a familiar figure emerged from the shadows, her scythe glinting ominously under the crimson light of the blood moon.

"Urioh!" Karie called out, her voice sharp and urgent. "Got any updates?"

Urioh turned to face her, his expression dark. "Three saviors just recruited some kind of powerful entity. It's going to be a problem."

Karie tightened her grip on her scythe, her eyes narrowing. "Of course they did. That's just our luck." She paused, glancing up at the eerie red glow in the sky. "I bet it came from that thing—the blood moon."

Urioh followed her gaze and smirked. "The blood moon, huh? So that's the source? Perfect. Then we've got ourselves a target."

Karie shook her head, her tone grim. "Don't get cocky. Destroying the blood moon won't be easy—it's not just some decorative light show. But…" She rested her scythe over her shoulder with a confident smirk of her own. "I'll help you take it down."

Urioh chuckled. "I knew I could count on you, Karie."

Without another word, Karie turned on her heel, gesturing for Urioh to follow. "Come on. Grab Brock and keep up. We've got work to do."

Urioh hesitated briefly, glancing at the unconscious Brock nearby before hauling him to his feet. "You heard her," he muttered.

Reluctantly, he followed Karie into the shadows, the ominous blood moon looming overhead, a silent reminder of the battle that awaited them.