#004. Demon Hunter (3)
Serman screamed as if shrieking at a howl he had heard all too often.
“M-Makum!”
He grabbed his own stark-white hair.
“It came all the way here! H-hurry!”
Panic-stricken, he ran toward where he had tied his horse.
In contrast, Virgil was calm.
He got up and spread the campfire embers as far apart as possible.
To secure even a little more visibility.
Not satisfied with that, he picked up burning firewood and plunged it into the ground all around them.
It was like a circular arena wrapped in flames.
“W-what are you doing! Run away immediately!”
Serman shouted while atop his horse.
-Hiiiiing!
The terrified horse refused to carry Serman on its back.
After a brief struggle, it finally toppled sideways.
“Huht!”
Serman was thrown to the ground, and the horse fled toward the city.
“Damn it! Run now!”
Despite his warning, Virgil stood firm.
“Th-this is….”
Could he be planning to fight?
Against that Makum?
What is a Makum?
It was a mutated specimen even among the ferocious Giant Owlbears.
The owlbear, with the body of a bear and the head of an owl, was one of the forest’s predators, but it had one weakness.
Its weak beak.
But this monster named Makum was different.
It had an owl’s face, but its beak rivaled that of a griffin.
Originally, Makum dwelled in a forest two hours away by foot.
Moreover, it was a creature rarely seen in this season when temperatures rose.
Something was wrong.
Serman’s eyes caught the stream beside the campfire and the fish guts scattered around it.
“D-did you deliberately….”
“Go, and hold your breath as much as possible.”
There was no inflection in Virgil’s voice.
Damn it! He’s thinking of fighting!
Serman clutched his head.
This outsider knows nothing of what Makum truly is. If he did, he wouldn’t be doing this. How many have died trying to hunt this thing!
“It’s impossible! Run away even now!”
“If you want to die, stay there.”
Virgil untied the chain at his waist and tied it to the end of the greatsword’s hilt.
Next, he laid the greatsword diagonally and began rubbing an unknown herb on it.
As he did, he looked back at Serman.
‘If this guy dies here, what happens to the quest?’
“I shall take my leave!”
Despite his worry, Serman quickly turned and ran.
-Krruaaaang!
Makum’s roar was heard right nearby.
He gripped the hilt with both hands.
Watching the front, he lowered his waist.
Ready to roll at any moment.
Thud! Thud!
It was coming.
Soon, the dense forest split in two and a massive form leaped out.
-Krruahaang!
A front paw flew toward him. Big and fast. He rolled forward to evade.
Boom!
The spot where Virgil had stood was deeply cratered, and a thunderous sound erupted.
‘Wow, brutal.’
A house-sized frame and a long, sharp beak.
Front legs that looked like they could easily snap a human waist, with blade-like claws attached.
Even a graze would be fatal.
In the game, Makum had been boring with its simple patterns, but facing it directly, it was quite threatening.
But if he thought this way over something like this, things would only get more daunting from here on.
To survive as the protagonist in this world, he had to fight terrifying monsters and demons beyond imagination, and clash with superhuman individuals.
This thing wasn’t even an appetizer.
-Krruaaaang!
The attack began anew.
It lunged with its massive bulk.
He threw his body sideways and simultaneously swung the greatsword with his core.
Thuk!
It only managed to scoop out a chunk of flesh.
In his compromised position, this was the best he could do.
This time, Virgil attacked first.
He put strength into his right foot as if driving it into the ground.
He directed the center of force past both shoulders toward his arms.
He laid the greatsword diagonally and thrust.
Puk!
Again, he couldn’t pierce deep through the hide.
After repeating such mundane motions several times, Makum’s fur was soaked in blood.
But as if such wounds were no problem at all, it roared at the top of its lungs.
-Krruaaaang!
It charged, kicking off the ground with all four legs.
A pattern he had already anticipated.
Virgil held the greatsword diagonally to the side.
He spun his body once and threw the sword directly.
Bwoong!
At the unexpected counterattack, Makum’s charging speed decreased.
But this was a feint.
Chalalak!
The chain bound to the gauntlet came loose.
Just as it was almost fully unfurled, he grabbed the chain with both hands.
He snatched the flying momentum.
Virgil’s arm muscles swelled as if about to burst.
“Hup!”
Using the recoil, he swung it around in a large circle.
Bwoong!
Far faster than swinging by hand.
A lump of iron the size of a person flew toward Makum’s head.
Kuung!
A far louder impact than before.
Makum staggered and sat down.
Virgil tilted his head at the technique he had executed himself.
This was one of the two techniques of the Recluse.
At first, he had doubted whether it was possible with his own ability, but he executed it as easily as a spinning slash.
It felt like drawing out and performing a movement engraved in his body after hundreds or thousands of repetitions.
Of course, it was possible thanks to the Recluse’s physique, possessing perfect balance and strength.
-Krruaaang….
Makum howled while collapsed.
It struggled to get up but kept failing.
The numbing herb applied to the blade finally took effect.
This herb worked best when hunting beast-type monsters.
Virgil approached Makum and immediately slit its throat without hesitation.
“Hoo….”
A strange experience crossing the boundary between game and reality.
The sensations and reactions felt real, but the enemy’s attack patterns and movements matched what he knew.
When Virgil was briefly lost in idle thoughts, Serman approached from afar.
“I-impossible… Makum….”
His voice trembled.
It had been a headache for nearby farms and the city alike.
How many lives had been lost to those claws?
All his worries were rendered pointless; Makum’s death was almost anticlimactic.
Moreover, about a year ago, a bounty had been placed on Makum with notices spread to nearby territories.
And that sum was considerable.
Though no one had succeeded….
Ah! Could this man have seen that?
Due to paralyzed city functions, there was no reward money available right now.
Serman’s emotions shifted several times in a brief moment.
“You are incredible… Demon Hunter, sir… I was truly worried.”
His tone in addressing Virgil had changed.
From a guest from a foreign land to a distinguished VIP.
Virgil smirked at his attitude.
“Why didn’t you run away?”
“I got lost and came back….”
It was a lie.
Virgil had known from the start that Serman was spying on his fight from not far away.
‘He probably never intended to run in the first place.’
“I see. Understood, so step aside.”
“Huh? Ah, yes….”
Serman, who had been blocking the front of Makum, stepped aside.
Virgil drew a dagger from his waist and approached Makum’s corpse.
Then he stopped blankly.
A moment later.
Unable to stand it, Serman asked Virgil.
“Just what are you doing….”
“It doesn’t work.”
He had been waiting to see if an auto-butcher function existed.
Virgil looked at Serman.
“I have one request.”
***
The End of the Spear.
Or the Grave of Spears.
A title the city once bore, meaning that the spear arts of House Javelin had dominated the continent.
But after the previous head of the family, the last successor of the spear arts, met a mysterious death and it fell into ruin, the title the city came to bear afterward was.
The City of Lament.
This ominous title well represented the current atmosphere of Javelin.
A dark and humid land where the sun did not rise, and the people living upon it.
Their faces were always shadowed, devoid of vigor.
Not even joy, but no interest of any kind could be seen.
The residents felt with their whole bodies how much the sun brought to mankind.
And so today as well, a few households that had been enduring and enduring decided to leave their hometown.
“I say, must it really come to this…?”
At the city’s north gate, a scuffle was in full swing.
A bitter scuffle between those who were leaving and those who were staying.
“Brother, stop being stubborn and leave this city. There is no future here.”
“How could I… If we just wait a little longer, surely the lord will….”
Clatter, clatter.
A wagon drawn by three horses appeared from outside the north gate.
Since only wagons were leaving and none entering, people’s gazes gathered on it.
A sentry slowly approached the wagon.
“Who goes there?”
At the sentry’s question, the coachman brought his face toward the torch.
“It’s me.”
“Head Butler! Did you not say you were going to escort a VIP? How are you back so quickly….”
“Hehe, I’ve brought him now, so please make way.”
Serman smiled brightly and ordered the soldiers to open the gate wide.
The gate, closed for some time, opened with a loud noise.
People’s curiosity turned toward the wagon.
What could it be that made the Head Butler react that way?
Just what kind of VIP was it?
Rumble.
The slowly rolling wheels of the wagon.
As the wagon entered beneath the torchlight, its contents gradually began to be revealed.
A massive body and brown fur, bird feathers starting from the nape, and a sharp beak.
The sentry who saw it up close widened his eyes.
This is!
“It’s Makum!”
At his shout, the surrounding soldiers jumped in fright and raised their spears.
At their reaction, Serman laughed softly and raised his hand.
“Everyone calm down. This one is already a corpse.”
Even at his declaration of death, the soldiers could not lower their spears.
It didn’t feel real.
As if understanding them, Serman clicked his tongue in good spirits and signaled to the rear.
Then two horses emerged from the darkness.
This time, not a wagon, but a small carriage.
There sat Virgil in a comfortable posture, with his massive greatsword.
“That person is….”
In that instant, the same thought arose in the soldiers’ heads.
The rumor that had started in the slums yesterday.
That the Demon Hunter had come to Javelin to break the curse.
“I-it was true….”
An emotion different from before was etched on their faces.
Hope.
They couldn’t hold back the cheers bursting from their lips.
“Waaah!”
“Long live the Demon Hunter!”
The cheers that started from the soldiers spread to everyone nearby, including the residents who had been scuffling.
“Demon Hunter, sir!”
“Please help us!”
“Salvation for Javelin!”
The grand cheers continued, and only when Serman stepped forward did things return to normal.
After that, Virgil headed to the market under the soldiers’ guidance.
“Please understand. It is because there has been no good news for so long.”
“It’s fine, I expected it.”
“Ah… is that so? Hehe, then what should I do now?”
“Call a butcher, a tailor, and a blacksmith.”
Shortly after, the only three craftsmen who had not left the city gathered.
They stared at Makum’s corpse with blank faces, then came to their senses at Virgil’s call.
“Can you do it?”
“W-what do you mean?”
“Did you not hear me?”
“My apologies… It doesn’t feel real….”
“I shall explain once more, so listen well.”
Virgil’s order was as follows.
Make a cloak to cover his body and a small backpack from Makum’s hide. And use the beak to make several short daggers, and grind the heart to mix with silver to make arquebus rounds.
Lastly, cut the stomach in half and package it.
“…Is that all?”
The craftsmen looked at him with faces that said, ‘Keep going.’
Virgil waved his hand.
“That is all.”
“Then the remaining parts are….”
“Take them as your payment.”
“R-really!”
Serman, who had been listening to the conversation, stepped forward.
“Ahem, then might you consider donating to Javelin instead?”
“Do as you please.”
He answered without hesitation.
At his answer, Serman grinned from ear to ear.
Aside from what Virgil ordered, the owlbear’s corpse had many other uses.
He was giving away such a treasure trove just like that.
Rumors had it that the Demon Hunter’s fees were enormous, but it seemed they were all false.
This man was a hero!
“Ah, right. I almost forgot.”
“Please speak, Demon Hunter, sir.”
Serman became even more deferential.
Toward him, Virgil spoke dryly.
“When can the bounty on Makum be settled? It can be in goods, too.”