The Black Saint is My StalkerCh56 - Warm against his back

Han Li thought he heard wrong. The last time he checked, he didn’t sign up to deal with any higher demons, just clean up the mess that would inevitably come about from a higher demon breach. Something must have happened, but he was missing too much information to put together a clear image.

His lips pulled taut, veering his gaze to the two black-clad S-rank hunters before him. Though it was dark and the city empty, there were still the scant streetlights that sculpted their features with the barest of light. “Just what—” kvxqyi

“I understand that this wasn’t part of your contract,” Graham cut in, his lips pulled downward. “But I fear that the worst-case scenario has come to being.”

Seoyun smiled, apologetic. “Things have become less than favorable. I know that it was never ideal for you to come into contact with a higher demon but due to the current situation, I, Jong Seoyun, implore that you come and help us deal with the issue. We don’t have any other options as of now; at least not ones that are immediate.”

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“…” Han Li stared.

And Seoyun, for whatever reason, took this as a reason to continue, “But I understand if you aren’t comfortable with the developments. If that’s the case then, I grant you permission to return to your assigned team—” v5zIMU

“Seoyun—” Graham began with a chiding tone.

But Han Li cut the saint off before he could continue. “Wait,” he hissed, reaching up to nurse his temple. He didn’t even understand what the hell they were rambling about. “You two aren’t even explaining what in the world is even going on. Stop trying to throw me around here and there without even giving me a clear picture.”

Seoyun blinked, realizing her blunder. She lowered her head, expression strained. “Forgive me, I’ve been a poor commander.” A soft sigh escaped her lips, her visage soon schooled into that picture-perfect calm again. She thus began to explain the situation in detail, beginning at the miscalculation on the part of the original investigation. What the Association had originally assumed to be a single higher demon breach ended up actually being three simultaneous summons.

One thing led to another. In hindsight, Han Li honestly thought the current situation could have been way worse considering the scale of what a three higher demon breach. He nodded slowly, listening to Seoyun’s words.

“The first demon lord, unfortunately, escaped the large-scale spirit bomb array, which thus had led us to this situation.”

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.

“…Don’t tell me this is what’s left on the A-team,” Han Li paled, his eyes glancing at Seoyun and Graham.

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“In truth, we had happened upon you by chance and the choice had been to take you along and leave you unconscious and defenseless until your team members could go to pick you up. I had opted with the decision that was the least time consuming but it, unfortunately, leads us to this situation.”

“Wait—” Han Li held out his hand, stopping her from rambling again. “Did you really think that I was going to… I don’t know, bitch and walk away from a higher demon?”

“…I was under the impression that was why you had originally filed for retirement,” Seoyun hummed, head tilting.

“…” Graham, the bastard, said nothing and watched in silence. LXKzMB

Han Li almost smacked his face with his palm. “Look, I’m not sure if you realized this but I’ve also taken the Hunter’s Vow too. Even if I didn’t want to get conscripted, I’m here now. Did you really think I’m just going to walk away from a threat when I’m on duty? If it’s going to cost my life to take care of a national-level threat then so be it.”

“…” Seoyun’s smile strained. She almost forgot the age at which hunters took their vow. Han Li was so young, just about the same age as her late brother. He too had taken the vow. “I…I see,” she said stiffly, “Thank you for cooperating with us.”

Han Li refrained from rolling his eyes. Why was he being thanked just for doing the job? Being ready to die was just part of being a hunter. It was also part of the reason why he wanted to leave but now that he was back on the field, it wasn’t as though he was going to complain about it.

Graham’s contemplative hum broke through the awkward silence, “We will be counting on you.” ASTvXr

“Oh, erm, right.” Han Li rubbed the back of his neck, shuffling on his feet. His gaze veered downward and he chalked it up to embarrassment. “It’s no big deal.”

…

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After catching wind of it, the demon lord’s temporary lair was not too difficult to find.

A thicket of miasma encased a small suburban mall that sat a bit far from the center of the city but still maintained a decent distance from Miguel’s divine barrier. By the time they happened upon it, twilight had begun to invade the sky. It wouldn’t be long until dawn brought with it its vibrant hues. K7dXc6

With only a team of three, they decided on a stealthier approach. Clarent cut through the chains that clung onto a side entrance door and they slipped inside. Seoyun erected a small barrier around them, staving off the worst of the miasma, but also subtle enough that it wouldn’t alert the demon of their presence right away. Quietly, they tiptoed through the narrow hallway.

The mall was humble, only two stories in height and it didn’t exactly take long to locate their first obstacle.

The long, serpentine body was so large that at first, all they saw was an organic black wall that blocked the exit of the side entrance hallway. Its black scaled body slowly inflated and deflated with each breath. The thing was huge, so much so that if Seoyun hadn’t told Han Li that this was a serpentine demon, he wouldn’t even begin to guess what that black thing even was.

Han Li held his breath, his back was against the cold tiled wall, hand gripping Weian tightly. He wasn’t even that concerned about the damned demon lord. But his lack of fear and concern might have been due to the demonic miasma dancing in his head, tugging and stretching his emotions and thoughts into all sorts of weird places. Rather than fear, he was brimming with excitement. dLFk15

Opposite him, Graham stood calmly, Clarent in one hand and the Archivist in the other.

What had meant to be a smile of gratitude, twisted into a smirk.

The three shared a look. A nod was all that was needed.

Han Li did a quick scan of the mall’s interior before rushing out, but he wasted little time before driving Weian between the shiny caps of blackened scales. The creature flinched, muscles twitching. A hiss echoed so loudly, the ground trembled beneath them. GYdlAx

Han Li got onto the serpent’s body, using his sword as a lever. Several talismans were drawn out of his jacket, seeking out the points on the demon’s body where miasma was the thickest.

The enormous snake writhed and Han Li finally got a good look at the size of the thing. For its body length easily stretched from one end of the mall to the other. The giant head that was in the distance could easily swallow a man whole with little effort. It rose from its reclined position, a cobra neck fanning as it hissed in displeasure.

It tried to shake Han Li off, and when that didn’t work, the beast unhinged its massive jaws. A jet of red shot out from its elongated fangs, the color bright like vermilion drenched it neon. The liquid shot out with almost pinpoint precision, aimed right as Han Li.

He nimbly sidestepped, dodging the suspicious fluid by an inch. The bit that landed on the demonic serpent seemed entirely inconsequential however the droplets that hit the floor instantly ate through the ceramic tiles. teYuUL

But just then a bright light assaulted the serpent from behind its massive skull. At the same time, Han Li brought his free hand up, forming a seal. The talismans littered on the serpent’s body began to vibrate and sizzle, tendrils of lightning erupted from within. A while light drowned out the entire mall as windows shattered with crashing sounds. Loud hissing could be heard along with the wet splay of that acidic venom.

Han Li strained his ears and felt the shifts around him and wasted no time to unleash more of his talismans, uncaring that his supply was stretched. The talismans fluttered and Han Li found his control pinpoint, ushering them through the air with enviable precision while his eyes still fought to recover from the brightness.

Lightning rumbled, crackling, and tickled his skin. There was something warm against his back that made Han Li feel safe, even in the midst of battle. Or maybe he was just feeling intoxicated.

When his vision returned he saw that the serpent’s black tail, encased in thorny spines had crashed down upon his barrier of sizzling lightning, drawn by an array of talismans and them held together by point of Weian’s blade. Ig7RKY

Graham’s back was pressed against his and at that moment the blistering throb of divine power didn’t feel so awful to Han Li. Clarent was raised, catching the beast’s extended fangs which now dripped with both acidic venom but also dark viscus demon blood that flowed from all the wounds from within the serpent’s mouth and atop its snout.

Han Li felt his heart flare with untold giddiness. At that moment, he felt unstoppable.

Chrysanthemum Garden.

Author: I’m always so pooped after weekends. I just want to quickly deliver this to y’all before I go and die ; w ; I really need to make some time to read ahhhh