37 New Version
"Dad, stay here," Anna said suddenly, standing up from the ground.
Her gaze sharpened as she sensed the approach of three individuals. The distinct scent of their blood made it easy for her to figure out their identities; they were certainly no ordinary humans.
They had the same scent as the old man she had killed before, but theirs was noticeably weaker in comparison.
George could see the seriousness etched on his daughter's face. He felt the urge to reason with her, to just leave Reign behind , but he knew that she wouldn't listen to his words.
He knew all too well how deeply in love she was, to the extent that it bordered on mental disorder. "Can you handle it?" He asked with a worried tone. Anna turned toward him, wearing a confident smile.
"They're easy prey," she replied before utilizing her improved control of blood to increase her speed towards the depths of the forest, ready to confront the enemy head-on.
For years, she had lived cautiously, avoiding the spotlight, knowing that too much attention often led to trouble. However, the presence of Reign shattered her logical reasoning, and now all she could focus on was protecting him.
It was somewhat amusing to consider that she fell in love with a monster simply because he smelled good to her. But, for Anna, he had already become an irreplaceable presence in her heart. 'I won't let anyone hurt him,' she vowed .
Her senses heightened as she got closer to them, each hunter moving through the foliage with confident strides. She could feel their blood pumping through their veins, their hearts racing not with fear but with anticipation. But the same sentiment applied to Anna as well. She was also excited to test her new powers after evolving. She was confident that this version of herself was far more lethal in every aspect.
Anna delved deeper into the forest, her anticipation growing with each step. She spotted a tall tree nearby and quickly devised a plan. Using her blood tendrils, she scaled the tree, reaching a strategic vantage point in the canopy.
Though she felt stronger than before, the prospect of facing three opponents simultaneously was still something she had never experienced yet. "They're close," she whispered, her eyes turning red as her aura shifted into something more dangerous. It was a complete shift from her usual sweet demeanor. .
If Reign were here right now, he would likely be contemplating whether his plan to kill her was the right choice. He had severely underestimated Anna due to her attitude towards him, forgetting that she was an existence even the strongest hunters would approach with caution. "James, hold on, someone's coming," Cyle, the woman in the group with pure white eyes, raised her fingers to signal her companions. She possessed the keenest senses among them and specialized in scouting.
Scouting hunters were actually quite rare. While they might not be the strongest fighters, they were invaluable members of any team. A team with a hunter possessing scouting abilities had twice the survival rate compared to those who didn't. In fact, she had always been sought after by other teams. And the sole reason she stuck with this team was because she had feelings for James since their days in the academy. She believed James had the potential to become a double-digit hunter in the future, and was betting on it. "Keep quiet, I need to concentrate," she whispered. In her vision, she spotted a faint aura atop the tree. It wasn't particularly powerful, likely emanating from a demon of lower rank.
"What kind of demon is it?" Jake, the green-haired hunter, asked with a laid-back attitude. Cyle contemplated for a moment. Normally, demons wouldn't bother hiding their true aura, as they were prideful creatures. However, when they did, it was often easily detected by fluctuations.
"It's not fluctuating, so it must be just a lower rank," she concluded after considering all variables.
"That's it? Are you telling me that a lower rank demon could not be killed by an ex double-digit hunter?" Jake asked, his tone tinged with doubt.
"It's not really impossible. Master Dominic had been retired for a long time, so his power might not be that impressive anymore," James responded. It was the only explanation he could think of. No matter how powerful a hunter was, they were still humans, not immune to the passing of time. "Alright, let's use formation B for this one," James ordered. Formation B was their default strategy when dealing with unknown types of demons because it offered the highest defense rate.
Jake took the front position, as he was the most tanky in the group, while James defended the rear. Cyle positioned herself in the middle because it was the safest spot.
"Let's go!" Jake bent his knee, and on cue, he unleashed his breathing technique to increase his speed.
This was followed by the other two as they leaped from one tree to another to directly confront the demon. Since it was just a lower rank, they didn't have to worry about it setting up some kind of trap, as lower-rank demons were typically not very cunning. However— "Jake on your right !" Cycle cried out. She saw something in her vision , in one of the trees something shot out like a projectile .
"I got it," Jake said after hearing her, immediately concentrating on his surroundings to prepare for an incoming attack.
"Hawk Breathing Technique, Whirlwind !" he roared, and mid-air, he rotated his body together with his sword to create a wave of wind to block the attack.
The projectile hit the wind and scattered into pieces, but before Jake could have a breather, another shout erupted from behind him. "Don't stop, it's everywhere!" Cyle cried out in distress, and what followed was a barrage of projectiles bombarding the group from all directions. They were forced to land on the ground to gain some footing and relied on their sword techniques to slash out and hold on. "What the fuck, Cyle! You said we were dealing with a Lower Rank Demon!" Jake berated, struggling to control his breathing to conserve energy. If they had known the demon was this powerful, they would never have chosen to confront it directly.
"I..." Cyle stuttered, feeling responsible for their predicament. However, she was genuinely confused because she hadn't observed any fluctuations before.
"Stop blaming her and focus," James interjected. He, too, was dealing with the projectiles, but unlike the other two, he found it much easier to stop the projectiles.
He swiftly swung his sword, deflecting the incoming projectiles with precision. His movements were efficient, ensuring each attack was redirected away from himself and his companions. Amidst the chaos, James remained composed, relying on his training to defend against the onslaught. In the distance.
'Oh, they're better than I thought,' Anna pondered to herself as she watched everything.