The haze of smoke which was coming from the burning capital slowly blanketed the Bramble Maze Forest, obscuring the visibility as Catharina began her hunt. However, it was an ideal condition to utilize her demonic ability to the fullest.
The forest came to life as the Demon Hunters combed the area strategically as if it knew that it must protect the heir. Thorny vines slither around, emerging from ground, blocking their path while releasing thick miasma which further hinder their senses.
“Fuck this thorns! There's no end to them! Captain, why don't we burn all the forest instead?”
“And losing the demoness’ scent due to the wildfire?” The captain, a man with scars all over his face, shot back at his henchman fiercely. “Think before you speak!”
“I-I am sorry, captain.”
Suddenly, the temperature dropped, the mist thickened in a single breath. Their eyes caught a movement, jumping from one tree to another.
“The demoness is here, ready your swords.”
The sound of metals being pulled out of their scabbards resounded unisonly, each glowed in the wielder’s mana affinity.
Catharina weaved amongst the shadows, lurking in the darkness whilst the demon hunters were standing in a circle. She giggled every now and then, hissing eerily.
“Where did that demoness go? This thick miasma makes the anti demon cuirass couldn't detect her demonic mana,” said one of the hunters.
“That wench must have suppressed her mana. Peel your eyes open, she’s smart and dangerous.”
“Quiet…” The captain of the hunters squad reprimanded his henchmen. “That demoness must be badly injured after that fall, she wouldn't be able to maintain this theatrics for long. Stay sharp.”
As the fog crept closer around them, Catharina picked the weakest hunter among them, she cleaved the young man in twain. It happened in a mere second, there was no sickening sound, he just simply split open like a watermelon.
The hunters couldn't even react when they saw their peer was slashed effortlessly. The horror was only registered into their brains when the blood and visceral organs burst out.
Clamor ensued between the demon hunters, each of them was frantically searching from which angle the attack came from. However, the previous eerie quietness returned. After a short pause, a woman’s voice resounded from the shadows.
“Why are you all chasing me?”
One of the demon hunters then replied with a wry smile. He tried his best to not look intimidated by Catharina’s demonic presence.
“Heh! Do we need reasons to hunt demons?! You are all pests! Nothing more!”
“Utter fool.”
Having finished speaking, the guy’s head rolled down from his shoulders. Catharina continued to massacre the rest of them with her scythe, limbs flying in the air, heads tumbled down and splitted in half.
All dead, except the hunter captain whose life was spared for the time being. He was fatally wounded, even the anti-demon cuirass that he wore couldn't stop the [Scythe of Endless Night].
Catharina finally emerged from the shadows, she brandished the scythe toward the man’s neck and spoke menacingly, “Why are you after me? How did you find me so easily?”
The man smirked from ear to ear, giggling. “I have no obligation to answer you, wretched demon. Go on, just kill me already.”
Catharina swung her scythe with surgical precision, she sliced the man’s left ball in one fell swoop, evoking a raw, unadulterated roar of pain from the man.
“Aarrgh! Fuck! You shameless, wretched pest! You’ll pay for this!”
Catharina slapped the man with the hilt of her scythe. “I’ll definitely cut off your pathetic cock in my next swing. Answer me!”
Still grunting in pain, the hunter captain finally relented. “Fine! I’ll tell you everything! Just let me heal up for a bit!”
Catharina stomped his crotch with her heel, she shoved her foot whilst increasing the pressure between his legs.
“Arghhhhh!!!!” The man roared in pain, gritting his teeth. “Please, at least let me die with dignity!”
Catharina wouldn't fall into that trick. She cut off his other ball swiftly. “Answer me!”
“Ooowww! Huuhuuu… The Holy Maiden. She—she has prophesied about the birth of the Demon Princess a long time ago. Henceforth, the Holy Church launched the crusade, they issued the quest to hunt and take every Demoness in the Diablo dead or alive!”
“Is that everything?” Catharina squeezed his already limped cock under her heel.
“Aarrgh! That's all I know! Please, spare me! I’m just a D-Rank Demon Hunter, I have family and kids!”
“You shouldn't have come here in the first place. Farewell, human.” The demon maid slashed his head coldly. Catharina couldn't feel any remorse for the hunter, there was no room for empathy in time of war.
By the time Catharina walked away from the gruesome scene, the Bramble Maze Forest were awakened by the smell of the human’s blood. The thorny vines slowly creeped up from underground, and wrapped their corpses.
The demon maid hastily returned to where she left the princess, and found hundreds of small forest faeries hovering above the cage of thorn vines. They were not necessarily harmless, and could be quite a nuisance if left unchecked.
“Go away!” Rebuked the maid, swinging his scythe in a non-deadly manner. As the little creatures scurried away, the cage of vines and thorn opened itself, revealing the baby princess.
Catharina picked Alice from the basket, cradling the princess in her embrace and left the forest.
At dawn, the two arrived at the forest’s outskirts. The Great Meadows stretched out for hundreds of miles before her eyes.
Catharina could see pillars of smoke billowed from smaller demon villages in the distance. Completely destroyed by the Holy Church’s Legions.
Hundreds of Airships hovered above the sky, scouring the sky and hunting down any demon who tried to flee. At this moment, Catharina understood that the magical technology advancement of humankind has outpaced demon’s magic civilization by leaps and bounds.
‘What should I do? The Silverwood Forest is beyond the Great Meadow, the demon hunters would definitely find me… I need to make a detour, or perhaps a place to stay low for the time being. No! Scratch that. I need to keep moving!’
Author's note:
Holy shiteee! 1,1k views with just 3 chapters in! I'm so humbled. Thank you for the supports!
Also, would you prefer longer chapter i.e 2k words. Or shorter chapter with 1k words so you wouldn't feel too tired. Let me know in the comments. Happy reading!
Chapter 5 will be uploaded in a few hours.