As the tentacle lashed out, she used the claymore to intercept it. The tentacle was soft but once it was fully stretched, it can be hard as steel.

Volkara pushed it away with all her strength. Being pushed back, it immediately retracted.

“Tch!”

Garshor sneered and once again he used the tentacle to attack.

It was slightly different as he used harden on most of the tentacle surface. It taut and straightened like a pole as it swings sideway.

The impact was different as Volkara who blocked it was clenching her teeth and she pushed back.

The tentacle retracted once more.

Volkara could see that he was trying to keep a distance between him and her and he was trying win by attrition.

She could win if she could get close to him but it wouldn’t have been that easy.

Garshor attacked with the tentacle but it was faster than before. It seems that the tentacle had been imbued with lighten, decreasing its weight.

She was parrying the fast tentacle attacks while enhancing her legs.

After the Enhancement was done, she broke into a run while deflecting the flurry of attacks.

Seeing her swiftly approaching him, Garshor retreated a few steps back. Even so, he was within the range of her slash. After she deflected an attack strongly, enough to fling it a few feet’s away from her, She thrust the claymore, right towards Garshor. Garshor cursed and dodged it as he turned his body aside from his right shoulder. He then thrust his own dagger towards Volkara. Volkara reacted as she jumped backward. As she did that, the tentacle came from her left side. Fortunately it wasn’t hardened or lightened so she didn’t need to put more effort in blocking it.

“You’re skilled enough to be in the Black Guards Legion, I find it odd for someone like you to be in this back water region.”

“I’m not good in the whole order and discipline thing, so I actually passed on the offer to the legion and I learnt long ago that a battle is only as worthy as its cause. This 'back water' region is where there's enough battle that I find worth in.”

Volkara renewed her stance and crouched slightly.

“Who goes there!!?”

Before they could engage each other again, a shout came from behind Volkara. She only glanced for a second but Garshor took the opportunity as he swings the tentacle and used harden on it.

Volkara reacted in time and blocked the tentacle but Garshor had turned around and made a run.

She wanted to give a chase but gave it a second thought as she needs to attend to the person behind him.

Amongst the long thickets, Hervan came out.

“You’re...!”

“As I recalled your name is Hervan. Please call Miss Vaneri, there is something urgent going on right now. I’ll lead you to the manor where Zecruix is waiting.”

“Zecruix?! What’d happened?”

Hervan was slightly wary as he narrowed his eyes looking at Volkara.

Volkara sighed.

“Believe me or not, all I can say is that you two are in danger.”

Hervan doubtful expression was gradually replaced concern.

“Please wait, I’ll get milady.”

After he went back from where he came, five minutes later, Hervan came out with Vaneri. Volkara hastily explained the entire situation to them and both of them reluctantly nodded.

“What about the sigil?”

“You mean that shiny symbol? I don’t know. Zecruix didn’t leave any instruction regarding that. I think it’s better to prioritize your life first.”

And so they walk back to the manor.

--

“Hard?”

“Made my legs and right arm strained.”

“You won.”

Koschel and Roschev were conversing with each other while carrying the unconscious Fhanja. Koschel was carrying at the base of Fhanja foots and Roschev was carrying Fhanja by the neck.

Fhanja was tied on foots and wrists.

They had approached the front of the manor. There stood Varius who awkwardly stood beside Jellika.

“Finally, you two are here? Is that guy… Fhanja?”

“Yeah, unconscious.”

Varius sighed in relief. Jellika was glaring at Varius as he did. Varius looked at her with his own glare.

“What, you’re the one who killed him!”

“I told you it was a kill or be killed situation, like I have the luxury to knock him out!!”

Both Roschev and Koschel tilted their heads in wonder as they saw the two bicker.

Then Zecruix appeared behind them and he directed his eyes at the twin.

“He is alive right? Good, I have a plan.”

--

He woke up. It was strange. The last thing he remembered was getting elbowed in the face. After that everything went dark.

Yet he woke up in alley inside the town. He checked his right arm and it was still a human hand.

He sighed in relief. He would have a hard time moving around if the transformation had remained.

Still what had happened? How did he end up here?

He shakes his head off and got up. More importantly, he has to go back to the base.

Every part of the operation had failed. They had failed to kill the demonhunter that night. They had failed to frame the demonhunter by killing the accomplices. The only thing they could do was to procure the demon in the manor and hopeful kill the demonhunter after he leave the town but since their identity was blown off, even that is now impossible for them.

The only thing left was to go back to the base and take off after some clean up.

As he took off, little did he knew, that eyes were watching him.

After fifteen minutes of running in the town to the outskirt, he arrived at a cottage. It was like where Vaneri and Hervan had lived but it was located opposite of them. It was provided by Falvius.

He saw that the door was opened and a ruckus of a sound could be heard from the inside.

He entered and found that Garshor was quickly scrambling all the objects and items that they had assemble when they arrived a few weeks ago.

Garshor turned towards the door and frowned upon seeing Fhanja.

“Adept, let me assist-…”

Before he could finish, he collapsed to the floor as he was bashed by a hurled rock.

Garshor widened his eyes as he saw multiple figures stormed and surrounded him.

“The hunt ends here.”

Zecruix with Volkara and Koschel on his left and Roschev and Jellika on his right, was standing opposite of Garshor.