"What? Where?!" Takuma exclaimed suddenly, picking up the sound emitted by Karasu. The double 'tik' of its legs was a danger signal.

*tk*tk*tk* - the scarecrow demon continued to make the same sound, turning its entire body in the direction of its head and pointing that direction to its tamer. Takuma lowered himself onto his knees and rested a hand on his eyebrows, trying to focus on the designated area.

There didn't seem to be anything unusual at the foot of the low hill, besides the camp where Yoichi was still sleeping. The flat part of the valley looked peaceful and quiet, and the gentle downpour of the Waveless River echoed in the air, giving its listeners an atmosphere of serenity.

*tk*tk*tk*

However, despite the apparent tranquillity, Takuma could not help but trust his Sutotoko. Throughout his battles, the Grimbrook warrior had learned that there was nothing more trustworthy than a demon's sixth sense.

Suddenly, his eyes picked up a bright spot that seemed not to belong to the landscape. Takuma knew the valley too well and was sure he had never seen anything like it.

It was located right next to a bush, not far from the camp. The next instant, the spot emitted a white glow, and something flew at great speed towards the red-haired warrior.

"Fuck!" he grunted, throwing himself to the ground and dodging an arrow. The arrowhead grazed his hair and the scarecrow's straw. Karasu began to hop around.

With incredible agility, Takuma placed his shoulders on the ground, folded his legs across his chest, and stood up in a kippe. As soon as he was back on his feet, Takuma spread his arms wide and looked again at the spot where he had seen the bright glow a moment before.

"What the hell was that? Who's there?" he asked, knowing he couldn't raise his voice too high. If he had screamed, his words would have echoed throughout the valley, and the risk of attracting Demon Hunters to him would have increased.

The bright spot next to the bush had faded, and everything seemed to be back to normal. Without overthinking about it, knowing he was dealing with an invisible enemy, Takuma activated one of Karasu's skills.

The demon scarecrow raised both arms upwards, and its tamer grabbed them firmly. When Takuma's hands were clasped on the wooden sticks of Karasu, he bent his arms forcefully and broke them in half.

*crack* - The typical sound of broken wood slid down the hill, reaching the ears of Yoichi and his Hikigotsu. Neither of them woke up.

With that seemingly senseless move, Takuma and his demon shared no pain. Karasu turned around, and the two sticks it had in place of its arms stretched again, returning to their original size.

"When we're done, I'm going to smooth out the tips for you, Karasu. I know they bother you," Takuma spoke to his demon pet, referring to the tips of the two wooden sticks, now broken and full of splinters.

The scarecrow demon's arms and legs had the innate ability to regenerate. After only a moment of activating that skill, Takuma was no longer unarmed: he held two short sticks pointed at the ends as if they were two katanas.

*sniff*sniff* - The nostrils of the wild Grimbrook warrior flared, and his nose began to pick up the surrounding smells. At the same time, the toes of his bare feet sank into the shallowest layer of the ground as if they wanted to feel every slightest movement of the earth.

"Again!" he exclaimed aloud, turning to his left and noticing that the same glow that was previously at the foot of the hill had approached him.

*swissh* - A second arrow was fired towards him, who crossed the two wooden sticks in front of his face with proverbial speed. Parrying the shot, the arrow pierced through one of his sticks, and its tip stopped a few millimeters from his cheekbone.

"Grr!" snarling like a wild beast, Takuma broke the arrow on a knee and returned to a fighting stance. He wore no armor, weapons, or boots: wielding the two broken wooden sticks, he looked like a farmer seeking revenge.

"Fighting as an invisible man will not help you against me," the Grimbrook warrior spoke. Out of the corner of his eye, he verified that Yoichi was safe in the camp. "My senses are developed. I can hear your footsteps on the ground," he added, trying to intimidate his invisible opponent.

A third arrow was fired from another direction, and Takuma, tilting his back, dodged it. The arrow flew over the hill, dispersing in the valley.

Takuma's breathing became more and more intense. Meanwhile, Karasu positioned itself behind him, trying to perceive the danger. The expression sewn on the demon's face didn't allow anyone to guess the direction of its gaze.

*tk*tk* - Karasu swung the ends of its legs again, alerting Takuma. The Grimbrook warrior rotated both sticks in his hands and somersaulted backwards. At that very moment, an arm appeared in mid-air, and a long, rusty bow moved in front of him.

*thud*

It emitted a metallic sound, and its end stuck in the ground, missing its target. As Takuma moved away from his previous position, the enemy was forced to reveal his appearance.

Starting with his arm, the rest of his body took shape as a black halo faded like smoke. "Your reflexes aren't bad at all, kid," the mysterious man spoke.

Takuma had heard that voice before, and when he looked at the face of the invisible enemy, he remembered where he had seen him before. Taisuke, the Demon Hunter with his face covered by a bandana and a hood, popped out in front of the red-haired tamer.

His weapon was no ordinary bow: on the upper end, a blade belonging perhaps to a short sword had been clumsily welded to the metal of the bow, making it useful even at close range.

If Takuma had not dodged the last attack, that same blade would probably have killed him instantly. On that cold night, the Grimbrook warrior found himself facing a Demon Hunter on top of a hill under clear skies.