Percy examined the human hunter. The man was wrapped in baggy black clothes, his face was covered with a cloth mask, only his eyes could be seen, and they were painted in black paint.

He couldn't see any weapons under the man's clothes, but he couldn't be sure with such baggy clothes. There could also be other people hiding in the dark.

"All that's left is just you," Percy said quietly to gauge his reaction.

The hunter's eyes narrowed, but he didn't glance in any direction. But was that really a sign that he was alone? Percy reserved any judgment and glanced at the Spellbolt on the ground a few meters away.

The hunter also saw his eyes turn towards the weapon and inched forward, gripping his dagger tightly. Percy smiled softly and waved the man forward.

"Don't worry, I won't go for it."

Without a second thought the hunter launched himself at Percy, dagger reaching towards his liver. But he jumped out of the way then dodged another jab at his throat.

They maintained steady balance where the hunter didn't want to overreach and was somewhat faster than Percy.

Even if the man didn't learn any Arete techniques, it was quite common for warriors to slowly learn to use their Fighting Spirit, even reach Rank 2. This guy didn't seem like a veteran, but he was dangerous, and he was very careful despite fighting a kid.

Percy rolled backward and turned his back to run for a short burst, but when he checked on the hunter behind, the man was slowly approaching instead of attacking carelessly. The man really was too cautious.

You're fighting a kid, man. At least try a bit harder.

He decided to end things. Originally he planned to kill him without using the flashbangs he took out of his storage, just in case the hunter had other allies. But things were getting annoying.

In an instant he took off back towards where he dropped the Spellbolt. The hunter kept up easily, a dark figure flashing between the trees. They both watched each other running side by side.

Then the man finally used Spiritmancy again. The chant was a hoarse, painful voice that was completely inhuman. The shadows deepened around the hunter, his flickering figure sinking into them.

Percy had suspected the hunter was a Dark Spiritmancer this whole time, because the man basically appeared in the shadows he first attacked Percy. Not that this made things any easier.

Because now he would have to rely on his spirit warning him like last time to dodge the next attack. And he wasn't keen on that because the chances were too random. It hadn't warned him about the archer when he tried jumping over the lake.

So instead he had another plan. In his head he counted, seven seconds. Not too fast, or too slow. It was tuned to a frequency he learned while fighting the hunter.

The man had a rhythm to his attack, a timing when he chose to strike. Of course, this could all just be Percy overthinking things, and then he would get stabbed in the back.

At the last second he threw the flashbang against the ground, activating it. His eyelids were still closed but he saw white through them, eyes ringing as it exploded.

"Ahhh!" the hunter screamed behind him as he was temporarily blinded.

He opened his eyes just before he ran into a tree and stumbled out of the way, finally reaching his Spellbolt. He could see the hunter now, the shadow spell broken.

The enhancement in his legs flowed up to his eyes like a sloshing bottle of fire. Everything slowed down and he locked onto the hunter and fired without a second thought.

CRACK!

The forest came alive with light and sound once again, a blue bolt of mana soared over the ground and buried itself in the hunter's chest. The man was lifted off the ground and slammed into a tree.

Percy let the moment linger, rising to his feet and walking slowly around the forest, finger still firmly on the trigger of the Spellbolt. His eyes searched the dark forest but he seemed to be alone.

Where is Thalos? There was no way he didn't hear the sounds of the Spellbolt firing, and he's faster than a car, he should be here by now.

He kept the Spellbolt ready to fire and ran back to the camp. Something was wrong.

○——○

Thalos dodged the shadowy hands rising from the earth, skipping through the forest in lightning-fast hops that almost seemed like teleportation. He was surrounded by three Spiritmancers, none too strong to worry about, but there was one hidden.

A Spiritmancer that should be at least Rank 3. He or she was responsible for the shadow hands chasing him around.

Another warrior attacked, coming low for a vertical slash with his sword. Thalos jumped over him, flipped upside down, sword flashing once, before he kicked off a tree to evade the hands chasing him.

The warrior stumbled for a moment, then dropped his sword and grabbed his neck as it bloomed with blood. One of his comrades tried to run over and help but Thalos was there.

The helper was holding a bottle of clear red liquid. He roared at the top of his voice.

"Dina, stop him! If he kills me I swear to the spirits your kids won't survive."

Those black hands reared up from the shadows cast by the branches of the trees, protecting the man trying to save the other warrior. Thalos took in a deep breath then used Marrowbiter's ability to cut spirit energy to solidify his Fighting Spirit.

Then he used the third technique of the Blood Demon School, Demon Seeker, to extend his blade.

Crimson sparks surged from the katana as its edge elongated by the blood-red energy covering it. The red blade cut through the shadow hands and sunk into the man behind it.

The man could barely let out a pained cry before being sawed in half. The forest grew quiet, filled with the morbid sounds of the man's body splattering against the ground, and the warrior's croaks as he choked on his own blood.

The last Spiritmancer quivered as Thalos approached him. Only his eyes could be seen through the cloth mask he wore, and the sweat covering his forehead.

"Dina!" the man roared. "Dina, stop him! You think the Viper will forgive this?! Every one of us that dies here will be taken from the hostages in blood—"

Thalos silenced the man before he knew what was happening, appearing beside him with a flicker of movement, katana already stained red.

The man and his head fell in two separate directions, and Thalos finally rejoiced in the quiet. He looked around a bit for the Dark Spirit user, but he couldn't guess where he was. They were masters of hiding after all.

He shrugged, deciding to go find Percy. George was okay, all he had was maybe a cut to the chest from his fight with the assassins, and he was protecting the camp. If there was one thing Thalos trusted the man to do, it was to protect his family.

Now Thalos had to find his own son and make sure he was alive too. But only moments later he heard footsteps cutting through the forest.

Percy was running towards this place, most likely he heard the sounds of the battle and came here. Thalos appeared behind him in a single stride.

Percy jumped and pointed the Spellbolt at him, but his grey-purple eyes cleared as he saw it was his father.

"Don't just jump behind me like that."

"Sorry, but there's one enemy left," he apologised. "A Dark Spiritmancer that might be Rank 3."

Percy frowned and nodded, raising his Spellbolt and surveying the area. He was about to tell his son to go join George and wait for him when a voice interrupted him.

"Wait, please. I-I surrender. Please, I don't want to fight anymore."

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