“I’ve never seen the evolution of a Kabotoko in person,” the Demon Hunter said as he appeared amidst the shadows. “It’s amazing that such a small and harmless being can become a chilling scarecrow. Don’t you think?” he continued, referring to Karasu.

Taisuke’s eyes, which was the only visible part of his face, were as black as night. Inside them, there seemed to be no pupils, and from the look in his eyes, it looked like he had taken some strange drug. 

“Karasu is my Oracle demon. I’m sorry for you, but you couldn’t steal it from me even if you killed me,” Takuma replied coldly, exposing his enemy’s plan. 

“Hmhm,” Taisuke chuckled. “The market value of Sutotokos is relatively low. Even if I could have stolen it from you, it wouldn’t have been worth it. Who are you and where are you headed?” the archer inquired, keeping the blade of his bow inches from his face.

“That’s none of your business. I know you are not alone. I have seen your companions. My friend and I do not possess anything that would interest you; we are traveling north to visit a distant relative” – in that moment of difficulty, Takuma’s instincts suggested he make up a believable story.

Although he had no way of knowing what Taisuke’s demon was and what fighting level it was at, he had no intention of finding it out. The Grimbrook warrior was a big believer in his abilities, but he wasn’t stupid enough to face a grown Demon Hunter.

Just as he kept thinking about what he might have said if the conversation had continued, Takuma noticed something move next to one of his interlocutor’s shoulders: a strange shadow the size of a modern soccer ball floated around his head and perched on his shoulder.

A spherical, black, faceless body was covered by an ethereal sheet of the same color. Takuma had never seen a demon like that of Taisuke’s before. 

“Where is the Inoshuma? Do you have it?” the archer asked again. His eyes were thin and sharp. They expressed pure evil.

A chill ran down Takuma’s spine after that question. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. We don’t have any Inoshuma. My Sutotoko and my friend’s Hikigotsu are our only two demon pets. 

Once again, Takuma preferred to lie, trying to avoid the confrontation. The sticks clutched in his hands trembled for a few seconds. 

Taisuke stretched one arm forward in the direction of the red-haired tamer. He moved his index finger left and right, “No, no. That’s not good,” he spoke. “I can’t stand it when people lie to me. After I give you the punishment you deserve, I will go to your friend and kill him. I will take possession of your demons and supplies and return to my camp.” 

“Yes, that’s how it’s going to be,” Taisuke repeated, activating a skill of his floating black demon. 

Suddenly, the small black faceless ghost released a large amount of black smoke. The smoke enveloped the Demon Hunter’s body and made him invisible again, putting his opponent in a difficult situation. 

“Fuck! Here we go again!” Takuma gulped, leaping back and twirling the two rods in his hands. “That man is going to try to hit us, Karasu! Be careful!” he said aloud, alerting his Oracle. If he had yelled to wake Yoichi at that moment, his voice would probably have reached all the way to the lake where the other Hunters were camped.

The only solution Takuma had was to get rid of the enemy with his own strength, hoping that the sounds of fighting might wake Yoichi up.

*blink* – The glow that preceded the firing of an arrow appeared to his left, and, a second before the shot went off, Takuma rolled nimbly to the other side. 

Showing agility worthy of an acrobat, the Grimbrook warrior rose vertically on the two wooden sticks and fell back on his feet after a few meters.

After his flight, the arrow shot by Taisuke pierced the ground, but something else happened in the next instant. Focusing his attention on the arrow, Takuma had been forced to move from his previous position. 

Taisuke, on the other hand, benefiting from his invisibility, had snuck up behind him. As soon as Takuma’s bare feet touched the cold turf of the hill, the rusty blade of the enemy’s bow appeared near him.

His reflexes were once again quicker than his opponent’s, and Takuma managed to raise an arm, twist a wooden staff, and use it to parry the blow. 

*tk*tk* – Thanks to the sound generated by Karasu’s woody legs and his almost bestial reflexes, the Grimbrook warrior’s fighting style relied mainly on speed.

“Take this!” he boomed, twisting the rod he had just used to parry the bow and trying to hit his enemy with the other.

*swung* – When Taisuke’s arm disappeared again, his body became ethereal, and Takuma’s weapon passed through the smoke, missing its target. 

In the next instant, a light kick struck Karasu’s tamer on the calf. Taisuke’s low blow aimed to bring his opponent to his knees, but what his foot found left him stunned. 

The muscles of Takuma’s legs and arms were as hard as mountain rocks, and at the moment of impact between the instep of his enemy’s foot and his calf, Taisuke felt a sharp pain. The sensation was comparable to kicking a wall.

“Aargh!” Taisuke lamented, revealing his position. Takuma hurriedly turned around and lunged a wooden rod forward, using it like the blade of a sword. The splintered tip of the wood struck a hidden spot on Taisuke’s body, making him disappear again. 

The Grimbrook warrior continued to rotate the wooden sticks in his hands, using his bestial senses to geolocate his enemy. “My grandfather taught me how to survive in the Boneside Swamp at night. I don’t need to see you if I want to kick your ass!” Takuma growled, taking courage. 

When Taisuke’s demon reappeared in mid-air, its tamer was also revealed by the moonlight. The sharpened rod had managed to strike him on one arm, causing a deep gash just below his left shoulder.