CH 1

C1 – Shadow of the Forest

When Denver died, his sword was still held tightly in his hand.

Darkness shrouded the forest, making his still form look especially pitiful. He leaned against a tree, his face locked in a rictus of shock, as if it was fear that killed him. Shire saw that a huge wound had been gouged out of Denver’s chest. The blood had coagulated and turned dark, and his stomach was still bleeding sluggishly. His mouth was a half-open slash of crimson red, even his teeth had all been soaked in blood.

The sight filled Shire, not with disgust, but with sorrow.

Two Devil Hunters, one old and one young found their companion’s corpse and looked at it from a distance.

“Don’t close your eyes. You have to get used to dead people.” Etienne was Shire’s master. He had been in the Devil Hunting business for more than 30 years, so it was only natural that he had long gotten used to it.

“Okay,” Shire quickly replied.

Shire Grani was Etienne’s apprentice. He had been following the old hunter for only a year and was a new recruit among the hunters. He had studied the techniques of hunting devils, learned the theories, and had heard countless terrifying legends. Those bloody monsters were only in his imagination before, but now, their brutal handiwork was a horrifying reality in front of him.

Etienne saw Shire’s anxiety and kept silent, waiting for the young apprentice to gather himself.

“How… How did he die?” Shire looked at the huge lacerations on Denver’s chest. It could not have been caused by human hands.

“Who knows? Maybe the Blade Devil did it himself.” Etienne looked up at the dark sky. “If we can’t make it to the gathering point before nightfall, it will be our turn to face the devil.”

Shire swallowed heavily. He could not help but feel scared. If the Blade Devil attacked them, would he be killed next? What should he do? He was just a novice hunter…

The Lawman Kingdom was located on the western border of the continent, and it was currently in a precarious situation — it was a time of darkness. Heretics were emerging endlessly, causing strife and chaos, and the people were in great danger. Devils were running rampant across the land. The so-called devils were creatures that fed on souls, and their hunger was insatiable. Correspondingly, in order to deal with these monsters, the devil hunting profession was formed.

Shire and the other seven hunters gathered together. They were all here to chase after the Blade Devil. He was a cunning high-level devil, a Devil God from hell. When he first entered the real world, he was severely weakened, and his power was incomplete. Taking advantage of his momentary weakness, the devil hunters immediately organized a strike force to attack him. He was chased into Twilight Forest by the hunters. However, the devil was able to throw them off its trail, so the hunters had no choice but to expand their search range to prevent it from escaping. In their haste to do so, the devil hunters split up.

Under such circumstances, they were being picked off one by one. Shire knew that their position was precarious, but he did not have the authority to make any suggestions. Etienne also remained silent and did not object to the plan.

“What do you think of Denver?” Etienne suddenly asked.

“He was a good man.” A gush of sadness welled up in Shire’s heart. Denver had talked to him a few days ago, but now he was dead. Life was truly fragile.