Hunters

[Neville, the first kingdom in the Golden Continent.]

[Baton: A small town inside Neville.]

[Night Time.]

The chill of the night air nipped at Kyle's face as he stood atop the highest building in Baton. His red hair, usually vibrant, appeared almost black under the pale moonlight, and his blue eyes, sharp and focused, moved across the bustling night market below. He was clad in his signature black outfit, a long overcoat, which was billowing slightly in the gentle breeze. He gripped the sheathed long sword in his hand, as he fixed his eyes on the market below.

The sounds of bartering, laughter, and the occasional argument drifted up to him, a stark contrast to the silent vigilance he maintained.

"My name is Kyle Blade," he murmured, his voice barely audible above the distant clamor.

"The last descendant of the Blade lineage, who have held the title of the number one hunters in the whole Golden Continent."

His gaze, calculating and precise, swept across the crowd below, searching for any sign of the unnatural. He wasn't simply observing; he was analyzing, dissecting the scene, looking for the subtle tells that separated the ordinary from the demonic.

"And as hunters," he continued, a hint of steel in his voice, "we have a huge responsibility, which is... to hunt down every single demon and execute them on the spot."

He raised his head, his gaze drawn to the full moon, its silvery light illuminating the intricate stonework of the building's parapet. A deep sigh escaped his lips. "There's only one problem with being a hunter... and that's tracking the monsters, who can take the appearance of any human."

His blue eyes flickered, a faint glow briefly illuminating the shadows beneath his brow. "I've been a hunter for five years now, and I am the youngest number one hunter alive."

From below, a sharp, angry voice cut through the ambient noise. "Hey! What's your deal?!"

Kyle's attention snapped to the source: a meat seller, his face flushed with rage, was berating a young woman. Her shoulders were hunched, her gaze lowered, and she mumbled a quick apology before slipping away into the crowd.

Kyle's eyes followed her, his brow furrowed. There was something about her... a subtle unease that lingered in the air, his senses heightened.

"Being the strongest comes with countless privileges," he mused, his voice laced with a hint of weariness, "And also, high-rank missions."

He tightened his grip on his sword. "I know those fools and that Emperor are looking for ways to get rid of me... To him, I am a threat. But how can I leave, when my father instructed me to protect Neville? And also gave me this before he died, leaving me alone in this world?"

He glanced to his left, where a faint, ethereal glow emanated from a translucent screen. On it, a timer ticked down relentlessly.

{Timer: Years: 00. Months: 00. Weeks: 00. Day: 00. Hour: 01. Minutes: 56. Seconds: 23.}

"I don't know what this is," he muttered, a hint of frustration in his voice, "but it's been counting down for five years now. I don't know if it's my death or a high-rank skill, but I'll just have to wait and see."

Whizzzd!

A soft, pulsing light drew his attention to the right. The blue gemstone embedded in the parapet was glowing, and a moment later, a holographic projection materialized: a beautiful woman with long blonde hair and green eyes.

"Lord Kyle, we detected a demon..." Juliet reported, her voice calm and professional.

"Don't worry, I detect it too," he interrupted, his gaze already moving back towards the alley where the woman had disappeared.

"Uh?" Juliet's projection flickered, her expression momentarily surprised.

"Just get ready, Juliet... I'm on it," he said, and waved his hand, disconnecting the link.

He glanced back at the timer, a sigh escaping his lips. "I also noticed I'm the only one who can see this," he said to himself.

From below, a cry of outrage echoed through the market.

"Hey!! You... That's mine!!"

A meat seller yelled in rage, as the same woman took a raw meat from his stall and ran away.

"Got you!" he muttered, leaping off the building. His overcoat billowed behind him, casting a brief shadow over the startled merchants below.

BAM!!

He landed softly, the impact cracking the cobblestones beneath his feet. He scanned the area, his senses heightened, and then calmly walked towards the dark alleyway.

__

The alley was shrouded in shadows, the air thick with the stench of refuse and damp stone. The woman from the market, knelt on the ground, tearing into the raw meat, her eyes darting nervously around.

"Hmm... What do we have here?" A voice echoed through the darkness, sending a shiver down the lady's spine.

The woman froze, her head swiftly turned around, only to see a figure standing at the entrance of the alleyway... His faces concealed in the shadows, but she could clearly see the weapon in his hand.

She quickly stood up:

"I don't hunt humans, hunter! Let me go!" she hissed, her voice laced with a demonic rasp...

"Let you go? Hmph!" He scoffed, stepping into the alley. "That's not how this works."

The woman took a step back, her heart pounding in her chest. She could feel the raw power emanating from the Hunter, a dense, suffocating energy that pressed down on her like a physical weight.

"Please!" she pleaded, her voice strained.

The figure walked into the moonlight, his features illuminated.

"Hehehe... In all my years of hunting your race, I haven't let even a child escape, why would I let you?" he asked, a cruel grin spreading across his face.

The woman's gaze darted around the alley, searching for an escape route, but there was none.

"Don't bother trying to escape... You're surrounded. All you need to do now... is get ready to die."

"HISSSS!!"

She hissed, her nails elongating into sharp claws, her pupils splitting into serpentine slits. "I might be a Rank 5 demon, but I won't go down without a fight!"

She lunged at him, her claws outstretched, but the Hunter casually swung his sword, sending a blue energy blade, which slammed into the demoness and sending her crashing into the brick wall.

BAM!!

She crumpled to the ground, a mouthful of black blood spilling from her lips.

"You... You dare attack?! How can a mere Rank 5 demon think of taking me, a Rank 15 hunter, down?!" The guy yelled:

"Please, I was just hungry. I don't hurt humans, I've never hurt or hunted humans. Please," she begged, her voice trembling.

"Hehehe... And you expect me to believe that? You demons only know how to lie. Killing you will be doing good to Neville." The guy grinned, raising his sword to deliver the final blow.

Just as he was about to strike, a figure landed between them, sending a powerful sonic wave through the alley. It was Kyle.

"Lord Kyle?" Andrew stammered, his eyes wide. "What are you doing?"

"Interfering," Kyle replied, his voice cold.

"But she's a demon!" Andrew protested. "I was just completing the mission!"

Kyle turned his head to the demon, who shakily stood up, her face even more paler, seeing Kyle... The hunter known for his brutality, and a Freaking Rank 30 powerhouse, the strongest young hunter in Neville.

Already knowing her Grim future, she got ready to defend herself, instead, she heard something that stunned not only her but Andrew:

"Leave."

His voice was calm, soft and cold... She couldn't pinpoint the weigh of his word, until shs heard it again, now more colder.

"Leave, Or die."

The lady quickly nodded her head, and leaped to the wall, she held a hole on the wall, and looked down at Kyle... Then leaped over the roof, running away.

"Lord Kyle, why did you let her go?" Andrew demanded.

"Our jobs as hunters is to hunt and kill demons, not innocent ones... I have been observing her for an hour, and she never hurt any one, let alone eat them... She is just hungry."

He turned to leave, but paused. "I know your ambitions, Andrew. And you won't achieve them by killing the weak."

Andrew's face contorted with rage. 'I'll surpass you one day, Lord Kyle! You'll see!'

He spat inwardly.

GROWL!

Suddenly, a guttural growl echoed through the alley. A massive, black werewolf, its eyes glowing crimson, lunged at Andrew.

'Fuck!! Is this how I'll die?'

BAM!!!

A trail of blue energy struck the wolf, before it could get to Andrew... Leaving him speechless.

"Huh?"

Andrew stared at the 2-meter-tall black werewolf, who smashed into the wall... Cracking spiderweb cracks on it; for some seconds.

"You were just showing your strength to a weak demon. And now, you can't even detect a demon close to you."

Hearing a female's voice, He looked over his shoulder, seeing Kyle standing at the alleyway, with a beautiful lady, in the same outfit and overcoat standing beside Kyle.

'This?? Juliet was the one who attacked?' He eyes widened.

BAM!!

The werewolf shook its head, and stood up... Its red eyes fixed on the three Hunters.

AAWOOL!!

It let out a loud howl, sending a loud sound wave all over the place.

"Hmm... A Rank 17 Demon... Ok, let's wait for your friends." Kyle said with a smile.

"Friends?"

Both Andrew and Juliet were stunned.

BAM!! BAM!! BAM!! BAM!! BAM!!

"This?!"

Andrew raised his head, seeing more than five werewolves, hanging on the walls , some standing on the roof... Their red eyes and furs glowing under the moon light.

"Ok... Now these are demons who deserves killing." Kyle muttered, his face calm and emotionless.