Darmine was a big enough city that Han Li recalled its name vaguely from geography class, but small and inconsequential enough that he knew little to nothing about it. In fact, he expected it to be populated by religious rednecks or something because he hadn’t really traveled outside of New Lidway aside for missions. He had little opportunity to actually explore his surroundings. He sort of expected this experience to be the same but Han Li is stunned to find the entire parameter had been sealed off by a large-scale spell. Before Han Li could even properly assess the location, he was thrown into a constant state of malaise.
They were meant to wait at the base by the barrier gate to meet up with their unit. But due to Han Li’s condition, Seoyun had made the executive decision to let the two of them set out and meet their unit captain within the midst of the city.
She had informed them that the demonic activity was already bustling within the city. The breach within the Edelstein Barrier was swelling, allowing easier travel between realms. Han Li and Seiji were to take the quickest route to their appointed destination but Han Li’s nausea demanded a break or two if he wanted to be at least partially operational by the time they joined up with their unit.
Unable to take it anymore, he forced Seiji to stop the car.
“This is most troublesome,” Seiji complained as he rolled down the window of their rented vehicle.
The divine power that vibrated off the heavenly spears made him feel nauseous and he might have thrown up a couple of times after the car passed through the sealed gate. Even when they became but golden silhouettes that glimmered in the distance beneath the morning light, they seemed to vibrate with inexplicable holy power and made Han Li feel faint just from looking.
Emptying the last bits within his stomach, Han Li heaved for air before bringing a water bottle to his lips. “It’s not like I’m trying to waste time,” he hissed, feeling particularly pissy about the thick swell of divine energy around the barrier parameter.
The car door slammed shut and they were back on the road. The streets of Darmine City were eerie, the buildings stale and lifeless without their residents; grey and static. The streetlights still flickered to the rhythm of traffic that had no longer eased the chaos at the crossroads.
The only signs of activity were the lines of seals and traps left behind by fellow hunters that had already scouted and made rounds within the area.
Just like Seoyun had said, the miasma that hearkened the presence of demons was thickening. The further away from the spears and deeper within the miasma, the better Han Li felt.
He sighed, relieved, and reclined his head into the headrest, desperate for a moment of reprieve after the damn nausea.
Unfortunately, it was cut criminally short by a sudden jolt that launched the vehicle a few inches into the air before it crashed back down. Han Li’s eyes flew open, his hands clasping around Weian’s sheath. “Fuck! What in the—” Something in the air caught his sixth sense, causing the hair on the back of his neck to rise.
Seiji clicked his tongue and wrestled with the steering wheel. The car swerved violently as his foot came down on the gas pedal. “I shan’t let these measly obstacles get in the way of our journey!”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
“Shut up!” Han Li growled as he held on for dear life. The car jostled again and despite scanning the horizon, Han Li didn’t notice anything particularly of the ordinary aside from the rustling of trees.
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By some miracle, both of them managed to burst out of the car before a dark, tentacle-like appendage circled around the vehicle.
Han Li’s mind worked on overdrive, the world slowing as he fell. First, his eyes zeroed in on Seiji, who had grappled his case before doing some air acrobatics shit to avoid the dark tendril that lashed out from below them. Okay, good, one less thing to worry about, Han Li thought, unsheathing Weian in one swift motion. The sheath was discarded as he twisted in the air, barreling down into the earth with his sword’s lustrous edge.
The tentacle-like appendages seemed to seep out of the ground, their form but blurry darkness that oozed miasma.
An invisible force caused the ground to tremble as Weian collided with the ground, the demonic entity recoiled and sank back into the ground. Han Li did not lose his vigilance and looked around, his chin tilted up in search of a particular scent.
It was quiet around him. Not even Seiji could be seen around Han Li, which suited him just fine.
Sorrow demons were cowardly creatures that preferred to lurk and strike only when they are at an advantage.
Han Li reached into his jacket and pulled out a talisman, uttering an incantation. The words glowed brightly before a string of light unwound in front of him. However, instead of one path, there were a dozen that unraveled, leading him to all manners of directions.
Damn.
That was a lot of demonic traces. Han Li smiled wryly at the information. There was one string of light that glowed exceptionally bright compared to the others, likely leading to the sorrow demon that had so rudely overturned their vehicle.
Now he only needed to decide if it was better to chase after his opponent or ignore it.
The spell was deactivated. Han Li tucked the talisman away and tapped into the communication spell that connected him with the cosplayer hunter.
‘Hey. Where are you?’
‘3 o’clock,’ the answer was brisk, uncharacteristic of the tomfoolery that Han Li expected when dealing with the redhead. For some reason, this only caused Han Li’s eye to twitch. Did that mean that Seiji was purposely being useless that last time with the nelapsi?
But there was no time for past gripes, Han Li cast a glance to the quaint clothing store that stood at his 3 o’clock.
‘We’re going to avoid confrontation,’ Han Li uttered into the spell, ‘you cool with that?’
‘Alright. I’ll follow you.’
Despite the words, Seiji did not make himself known. Han Li was not too concerned about this. Much to his surprise, he had learned that Seiji was in fact a scout and not a paladin or vanguard. Which made sense for him to remain unseen in the shadows. While normally it made sense for a scout to move on ahead first, Han Li was also a vanguard, a position that specialized in making entries and taking blows from the enemy. It was practically his job to be a meatshield so if that’s what Seiji wanted, it suited Han Li just fine.
Han Li walked along the eerie streets. The car they had driven was left in a burning heap, smoking rising from its metal carcass. There was another car, abandoned at the side of the empty road and Han Li frowned, wondering why they never taught anything useful for day-to-day life at Saint August’s.
Like, you know, how to hotwire a car.
“…”
Han Li sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. There wasn’t much he could do now aside from continuing onward until they finally met up with their unit, and hopefully avoid any demonic encounters beforehand. He continued on, his footfalls against concrete seemed to echo in the empty city.
Absently, he wondered what Graham was currently up to. Because somewhere within the very same city, the Saint of Eternity was no doubt preparing his stand against a higher demon. Han Li’s hand unconsciously reached up to touch the earring that hung from his ear.
Graham was likely fine.
Han Li couldn’t think of Graham being anything less than fine.
…
Including Seoyun’s sophisticated supreme large-scale array, there were at least one hundred and thirty-three anti-demon mechanisms that have been littered across the abandoned warehouse.
“What an uncreative location!” Marie-Josianne had chirped, dogging Graham’s steps ever since he arrived at the scene. “I swear, an abandoned warehouse is so cliche. I’ve seen it used at least seven hundred times for demonic summonings in movies and books.”
Graham had no clue what he did to earn her company but he supposed that there was no harm in it for their one last inspection around the site before settling into their appointed positions in the warehouse.
There were roughly six cold spots spread out across the edifice, each with signs of blood rituals and miasmic energy nearby. Though it was impossible to fully anticipate from which cold spot the demon would arise, there were hints as to which specific area was likely going to host a ripple between realms.
Graham’s echoing steps came to a slow halt. Seoyun was kneeling, inspecting the lines of her own array, drawn in blood. Her visage was paler than before, but she refused to show any weakness and did ask for any rest. “It will come soon,” her sharp voice drew clouds of breath in front of her face. The cold was absolutely biting at the very back of the warehouse.
Graham nodded in agreement but he couldn’t help but knit his brows in concern. They had already set up around all the cold spots, including the two outside of the warehouse (one in the parking lot and one in a separate office building across said parking lot). And yet, Graham felt that something was off.
Many exorcism rituals were performed to disperse the excessive miasma and yet not a single cold spot showed signs of diminishing. He had never seen a demon that would cause so many breaches to appear at once. Then again, the Edelstein Barrier was relatively new and was erected a mere seventy years ago. For a time, the world saw no breaches from higher demons at all. It wasn’t until roughly twenty years ago that the Anti-Summoning Failsafe, well, failed. And since then it became possible for higher beings to crawl through the Edelstein Barrier once more.
In short, Graham didn’t really have that much experience with higher demon breaches, so he couldn’t really say with certainty if the situation was normal or not.
In the end, the only thing they could do was take to their positions and wait.
Author: Sorry for the late update ; w ; i’m pooped been at work the whole day weeps my brain has been reduced to a pile of puddy. By the way, just in interest check among people but currently my ko-fi has basically nothing. What do you guys think about releasing extra chapters/fun extras after reaching certain goals?
Yay! Can’t wait for the swish swoosh (a poor attempt of swordplay).
Extra chapters is definitely a great idea. Now, if only I had my own money (a poor senior high student like me could never 😭), I’d definitely give you support (donation wise), cause you definitely have my support in all of the aspects!!
Thanks for the chapter!!! 🤭
YAY swish swoosh swoosh.
Aw! It’s okay ; w ; THAnk you so much <3 I might just have it set up by the next chapter release lol since there’s no hurting anything to do that (aside my feelings T w T).
Oh, so Seiji is a scout, well that explains him being useless in fight. If Han Li and Seiji are late for the meeting they can always say that a tentacle monster destroyed their car, no one would blame them.
I agree with @FLINCH, extra chapters are a great idea. I have to explore the coffee mechanism and if it’s possible for my location.
And a small question, the side character Marie-Josianne name’s “Josianne” is read with J as in Johanna or H as in Jose? I’m curious as I somethimes like to read stuff out loud.
Thank you for the chapter!!! I love the sense of tention.
hmm! I have no idea how payment works aside from the option that does it through paypal ; w ; I’ll try to have it set up by the next chapter release ahhh and we’ll see what happens.
Josianne is read as J in Johanna! The pronunciation is French~!
Dun worry about the lat chapter patpat
If I could afford it i think I’d be giving kofis to everyone ;w;
Thank you for the chapter!!! ❤️❤️
*Late (╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻
TT w TT its okii just study well <3
weeps my update time is always so random sighhh
thanks for the chapter! <3
dem mooooves!!!! o(≧∇≦o)