Five minutes ago…
On an uncharted island somewhere southeast of the Korean peninsula
"
Master Hamadaw, we have live reports of a survivor from the incident at Ichin Serko
," a red-robed pyromancer informed his superior, entering his personal room in the dojo. "
But he appears to be engaged in battle with a Gargonian. Almost critically injured
."
"
Is that so?
" Cairo Hamadaw rose up from his seat, ditching the book of spells he was busy consuming to his heart's content and mind's thirst for newfound knowledge. "
Then announce a raid set for the coordinates immediately. Gather the rest of the Akamine immediately. We must not lose this survivor, Nokau. You know very well the reasons why
."
"
Yes, sensei, as you command
," Nokau took a brief formal bow before heading out of the room full of bookshelves and antique demonic relics.
"
Good
," the leader of the Akamine smiled at the sight of his soldier taking this task seriously. "
Nokau Ora. Rank-B. A fire mage with a talent for trouble. I hope he doesn't mess anything up. Cannot trust the immature youth these days with serious issues.
"
He got up from his ornate armchair, grabbing hold of a trusty axe that had helped both of his arms develop fabulous muscles from the years he spent wielding it as he chopped off the heads of orcs, goblins and hostile monsters alike.
Heading out to meet the atmosphere outdoors, the amber afternoon sunlight greeted the top half of his body, the bottom shaded by the fences of the second floor of the Akamine headquarters.
The sight before him pleased Cairo more than his expectations called for.
"
All hands forward!
" Nokau shouted, trying to mimic the air of Cairo as he knotted his hands behind his back. "
It's raiding time! Melee warriors in front, ranged ones behind. Tank units in defence, supports in safe centers, strikers on the loose
."
Cairo laid a hand over Nokau's shoulder in a gesture of satisfaction.
"
Ora, I might be lying to you if I tell ya that I'm not impressed
."
"
Sensei!
" Nokau was slightly startled by his commander approaching. "
That means you ARE impressed, right? Awaiting your orders now. The rescue squad is ready
."
Indeed they were.
With a keen interest on banishing and destroying demons and non-human creatures on sight, the Akamine guild took pride in massacring tendencies, knowing very well that their actions would have no consequences - in the human world atleast. Internationally, there were no rules or laws about being aggressive towards otherworldly species. Not even BERC maintained any spotlight about the ethics on what was right and wrong. Surely, all of humanity as a whole would be willing to agree on protecting their own home world to prevent any chances of colonization by alien races.
To the Akamine, anything or anyone who didn't appear to look or behave like a human was categorized as a 'demon'.
Dozens of banners and on the robes worn by the Akamine members themselves, their insignia rested - giving each person a collective sense of identity and belonging, as if united by a brotherhood that transcended age, gender, religion, and political views. From the superficial pattern of how the Akamine operated, it almost seemed like a nation state.
Guilds were regulated by BERC internationally, with an enforcement of the world's S-rankers on leashes to carry out any kind of legal resistance or punishment for violations; not that the S-rank heroes were always cooperating either, but just by having them as figureheads, the organization knew that all guilds had to comply. But the Akamine knew exactly what loopholes to use in order to stay safe. All they needed to do was provide valid logical reasonings behind their objectives: they didn't trust the demons; they wanted to save humanity from foreign forces they couldn't waste time verifying intentions, nor to try forming treaties or alliances.
"
Is that him?
" an Akamine fresher asked his senior standing beside him while they all stood in the assembly formation. "
Cairo Hamadaw? An A-ranker?
"
"
Yes, can't you see already?
" the more experienced Akamine veteran woman replied, only moving lips and eyes and keeping her body stiff like a clay statue. "
The last time I heard, he was rank 20 worldwide. Only ten ranks more and he'd have been in S rank. Look at the way he stands! Even the sunlight seems to be in submission to his aura
."
The sunlight didn't cross over to Cairo's deep-set eyes.
"
Uh-huh, I see
," the junior also kept his voice low to not let the higher ups hear him. "
Also Ora senpai seems to be in a serious mood today. Usually he isn't like this, right?
"
"
Yeah.
"
"
So today's mission must be important
."
"
Yeah. Now shut up before we both get a scolding
," she hissed. "
Stay absent-minded like this, and you're gonna get injured in battle
."
"
I wouldn't be afraid knowing you're near, Haru sempai
," the Akamine recruit winked.
"
Dream on, Soroi. This is no training drill. This is a real fight. A new guy like you will never understand how scary it is. I'll have to heal the other veterans rather than waste my mana on a newbie like you
," Anita Haru swept some hair off her shoulders. "
Face the reality, sweetie. You're so useless that nobody would even notice if you go missing. If not for me
."
"
Whoa, whoa, chill, chill, big sis!
" he almost lost grip on his katana hearing the sudden shift in tone from the senior he admired. "
I wouldn't care if the others looked out for me or not. As long as you notice me, senpai. Haha
."
Haru was about to open her siren lips to reply but got interrupted by Cairo Hamadaw positioning himself at the front of the formation, raising his axe for catching everyone's attention. Behind him, three hooded mages rubbed their hands in some ritual.
"
Akamine! Are you all ready?
" the words came out slowly from the leader's mouth.
The crowd went alive in an uproar for replying "
YES
".
The three mages cast their spells.
Three shimmering gates appeared immediately atop the grassy courtyard. On the other side of the distorted surface of the portal, the onlookers could see the interiors of an icy cavern and a bizarre demon that they identified as a Gargonian.
"
Charge!
"
No one knew who uttered that word, but all the Akamine warriors were busy passing through the portal with their weapons pointed towards the threat.
Once inside the Gargonian Mountain Pass, warping through the fabric of space-time via the portal, the Akamine strikers hungrily attacked the demon while a group of healers backed them up.
Larflehrouk spun around and used its tail to smack away some of the strikers, but the numbers kept increasing as even the damage-absorbing tankers reached the proximity. Too busy with self-defence, the Gargonian ignored whatever was happening with its victim, Jinju Wan.
"
Grab him!
" Cairo's voice snaked through the chaos, reaching almost every Akamine hero immediately. "
Heal him!
"
"
Master, he's too badly wounded! He's losing too much blood
," came one of the responses from the healers and supporters assigned with retrieving whatever was left of the A-rank demon hunter's body. "
Our spells are not powerful enough. His soul seems to be at its last breath. What do we do?
"
Cairo closed his eyes and muttered something in brief and grief. The best Akamine healer was not on guild duty today, currently five light years away on a distant planet on a quest commissioned by an American guild. If only he were present right now, Jinju could have been saved
naturally
.
Meanwhile, six of the Akamine melee specialists stabbed away at every eye that they could see on the Gargonian's body. Its mind controlling abilities could not be used when so many humans were surrounding him from all sides. They were no ordinary humans, either. Adventurers of a guild renowned for its savage ambitions on eradicating demons and 'hellspawn' from the Earth at all costs. Even the Gargonian was confused whether to continue fighting or retreat back to its homeworld.
Since Jinju couldn't be healed naturally, there was only one other option left to try. His soul was a few more seconds away from vanishing forever into the realm of no return, Cairo knew very well.
The guildmaster of the Akamine sighed before he spoke the sentence which none of his guild members had anticipated. It wasn't on any of the plans, not even plan B which involved resurrecting Wan from the dead if they had to. But a dead warrior wasn't as smart as living one.
"
People! We must perform… the ritual
," Cairo knelt down beside Jinju's near-corpse. He turned to face the others who had all suddenly become quiet. "
Nokau, I'm leaving you in charge of the guild.
"
"
Wha'?! Me?
" Nokau pointed a finger to himself, still unsure if his boss mentioned him.
The Gargonian was lying flat on the floor now, the human predators busy ripping out shreds of its feathers, organs, tentacles, eyes and all sorts of alien gore. Its soul choked while Jinju's was about to regain consciousness.
Cairo brought out a cursed dagger from his robe. The eerily beautiful shape and curvature of its material shone in the dimly-lit environment.
"
Evil Fate, they called you,
" Cairo recalled the name of the mystical blade. "
Never knew there would come a day when I have to use it. But if I have to do it for the sake of this world. To ensure that a greater human race emerges from our sacrifice
," he looked once more at Jinju's disfigured face. "
Then so be it
."
Sheenk!
"GHAAAAAAAH!"
Cairo Hamadaw howled in pain as he sank the knife into his own heart.
The onlooker Akamine adventurers stood in their respective spots, all horrified.
"
Sensei!
"
"
Master!
"
"
Lord Hamadaw!
"
He ignored all of their cries of surprise and gasped for air. Then, when he felt the dagger begin to produce shadowy wisps of a dark energy all around him, he pointed his hands over Jinju's body, hovering them along the length of his height.
"
Alive!
" he threw his voice at Jinju.
Everyone could see the results live. Stem cells materialized out of the space-time vacuum soup and magically reconstructed all the missing or damaged parts of the demon hunter's body.
Somewhere amidst the silent mob, Anita quietly took a moment to check her phone. The screen displaying a news headline from two weeks ago: "Failed Heroes! Mission Ends In Tragedy At Himalayas as Korea Loses 4 Top Potential Rising Dungeon Stars." From the gallery grid of images of the four individuals, the central focus was on the squad leader. She double-checked the photograph with the spectacle that was unfolding right in front of her in real life. The same person presumed dead was clearly not! Atleast, almost at the brink of making the news 100% true if not for their altruistic guild leader.
But it still wasn't enough. Jinju's body now seemed completely intact. But he was still unconscious. Was his soul still there? Or was it too late?
"
No!
" Cairo couldn't accept defeat. He was so close. So close! Yet not at the desired goal yet. He looked at the dagger eating into his own soul, grabbing hold of it and then pulling it out.
Cairo, Jinju and the Gargonian all lay on the floor.