Dark Fantasy’s Extra Chapter 167

It was a routine mission.

Though everything had become more difficult since daylight disappeared and only night remained, it was clearly meant to be a simple reconnaissance mission at first.

“Retreat! Fall back to Lady Sephira’s position-!?”

The 8th-rank hunter’s shout was cut short as his head was severed and flew upward.

His headless body staggered briefly before collapsing stiffly like a broken robot.

The 9th-rank hunters were fleeing behind him.

The high-tier Beast ‘Lord of the Underworld’, wielding a massive scythe and wrapped entirely in a black cloak, briefly weighed whether to chase them or focus on the soul it had just harvested.

“Whoosh…”

One slightly more valuable soul would be better than six worthless ones.

A sound like wind howling through caves began emanating from the empty hole in Lord of the Underworld’s head.

The eerie purple curse breath that spewed from that hole breathed life back into the hunter’s corpse and raised it up again.

But that lasted only a moment before the reanimated corpse was split vertically, losing its false life.

“…”

Sephira, who had cleaved the undead in one strike, stared impassively at Lord of the Underworld.

Likewise, the Beast observed the powerful hunter that had appeared.

Six purple eyes opened within the empty socket beneath the black hood.

A moment later, with a shattering sound, the soul-eroding gaze that burst from Lord of the Underworld’s eyes struck Sephira directly.

“…”

Sephira staggered briefly.

Lord of the Underworld seized that opening to instantly close the distance with Sephira.

It swung its scythe at her slender white neck, but Lord of the Underworld’s arm was severed first, sending the scythe flying in an odd direction.

But more arms burst out from within Lord of the Underworld’s cloak to grab and pull Sephira closer.

“How unpleasant…”

Lord of the Underworld was split precisely in two like the undead from earlier and vanished like smoke.

Though she had dispatched a high-tier Beast, Sephira’s expression wasn’t that of someone victorious.

She hadn’t been properly looking at the Beast from the start.

She simply couldn’t escape that disgusting scene etched in her eyes from that day.

That woman forcefully kissing Eugene…

“Filthy…”

When Sephira swung her holy sword Robera with all her might, a massive skull-shaped blade of energy flew toward the approaching undead.

The skull ravaged the undead, literally shattering their bodies to pieces.

It was excessive force against enemies weak enough that even lower-ranked hunters could handle them with rifles.

“Filthy. So filthy.”

She had thought about it for a long time.

That too much filth clings to that person.

Because he was so pure and radiant, even the smallest speck of filth stands out.

The insects that cling to Eugene’s warmth.

But until now she had endured it.

Because no one had crossed the line.

However…

“So selfish and presumptuous.”

That utterly plain woman with no particular worth had crossed the line.

What’s most painful is knowing that Eugene would probably accept it anyway.

Because he’s too kind and too gentle.

He would forgive that selfish woman’s actions.

“…!”  

Sephira’s chest ached at the terrible thought that flashed through her mind.

What if… just what if that plain woman tried to fully unite with Eugene?

Getting married normally, making a normal home, having children normally…

“No…!”

The skull Sephira had launched didn’t disappear but continued rampaging.

The more intense its master’s emotions became, the more violent and destructive it grew in response.

It tore, crushed and mauled the bodies that, though weakened, were once human.

By now Sephira was the only one left standing.

“How remarkable.”

A voice called down from the sky.

When she looked up, a giant raven with purple eyes was gazing down at her from above.

Someone was likely sharing consciousness through that raven.

“You resemble her. You do.”

“…”

“Not just the sword but even your gaze… It’s like seeing Belle back then. Indeed, you are worthy of being the hunter Belle entrusted her sword to.”

Silently, Sephira pointed her sword at Bari’s behemoth Ragnarok, causing white energy to rise up again and transform into a skull shape as it flew.

Even an emotionally volatile Sephira could roughly gauge her opponent’s strength.

That Beast was surely a behemoth.

It was definitely stronger than Sephira.

However, its presence seemed weak, as if injured.

She could take it down now.

“Caw!”  

When Ragnarok let out a cursed cry, the flying skull shape clashed with it and disappeared.

“My, aren’t you hasty. Or perhaps you have reason to be? Your impression is quite different from what I’d heard about.”

“…”

Sephira still gave no response.

“Could it be… because of Eugene?”

“…!?”

Sephira’s expression instantly turned fierce.

This was not the face of the woman called the little Saintess or Saintess’s avatar.

It was truly that of a wrathful demon.

“Fufu… I just mentioned it on a hunch, but I didn’t expect such an honest reaction. He really is a sinful man.”

“Who are you? How do you know about him?! Don’t tell me you’re with Blanc?!”

“Hmm, being compared to such a mongrel is rather unpleasant, even for me.”

“Answer me!!”

“Is it really so surprising? That Eugene man is quite famous. Especially popular with women, isn’t he?”

“…!!”

Sephira gritted her teeth and launched another slash.

But Bari, possessing Ragnarok, avoided it with simple flight.

“Did I hit a nerve? Fufu, even that resembles Belle. Belle probably did the same thing because of Noah…”

“Shut up!”

Sephira took stance to launch another slash.

But at that moment her balance wavered.

“Huh?”

A small bone hand had emerged from the ground to grab Sephira’s ankle.

Bari didn’t miss that tiny opening.

Ragnarok’s hook-like talons dove suddenly and deeply grazed Sephira’s arm as it passed.

“Ugh…!”

“Really now, aren’t you too excited? If I had been trying to kill you just now, you wouldn’t have gotten off so lightly.”

Bari circled above Sephira again.

“Why… didn’t you kill me?”

Seeing the deep burning sensation in her arm and the blood flowing freely, Sephira finally regained some composure.

As Bari said, she had been overly excited.

The opponent was clearly a behemoth.

She should have known she couldn’t win alone after experiencing Blanc.

“Fufu, are you finally in the mood to talk? Even being difficult to handle resembles Belle.”

“Let me say this first – I have no intention of negotiating with you.”

Sephira took out a medicated bandage from her pocket and wrapped her arm.

Bari watched silently as her opponent applied first aid.

It was clear her goal was conversation, not battle.

“Everyone says that at first. But as long as you’re human, there’s always a chance for mutual understanding and empathy. We just need to find common interests.”

“…What business do you have with Mr. Eugene? How do you even know about him in the first place?”

Killing intent crept back into Sephira’s voice.

But it wasn’t from excitement – this was her usual cold and composed self.

“I told you earlier, didn’t I? That he’s famous for being popular with women. My sisters, Blanc, it’s really quite pitiful. And now even making other men’s women fall for him…”

“What are you trying to say?”

“I know someone within the Order who bears a grudge and wants to kill Eugene… Perhaps by sending him on dangerous missions deliberately to get him killed…”

“…! Who is it?!”

Sephira asked urgently.

Seeing this reaction, Bari smiled wickedly inside.

“Fufu… I’ll tell you everything.”

It was blatant instigation.

But it works on those who are susceptible.

Especially on a desperate woman like Sephira.

It could even accelerate her fall by making her think she’s crossed the line herself.

“It’s someone you know. In the neighboring country…”

* * *

“Back to Offenbach…”

After focusing on rehabilitation training with Gerda for a while and recovering somewhat, I was finally able to return to my instructor duties in Offenbach.

I heard Marcus and Auntie Beth were still working as instructors in that country.

It’s time for me to return to my duties too.

Though it’s surprising that muscles and reflexes lost over a month recovered in just days, it’s chilling to think this isn’t purely my own ability.

Still, being able to return to duty quickly is good.

However…

“It can’t be helped.”

I knelt on one knee to meet Gerda’s eye level and spoke carefully.

“You’ll officially become a hunter soon too. But this time I can’t come along.”

“But… I’m your sister!”

Perhaps as a reaction to being left alone while I was unconscious for a month, Gerda had become increasingly intimate in expressing herself.

Her speech became less formal and she showed her emotions more often.

Though it was pleasing as her guardian, it made parting all the more painful.

But it couldn’t be helped.

This wasn’t a shelter or something similar.

Soon Gerda would shed her trainee status and be assigned as a mid-ranked hunter.

Just like Hilde had been.

“You still have Ms. Pieta. And I’ll talk to Hilde about…”

“No!”

Gerda suddenly hugged me.

“I said no! Are you leaving me behind again?!”

“Ugh…”

That incident must have been quite traumatic…

I admit I was rather harsh then.

But public and private matters must be kept separate.

“Gerda.”

I tried to pry her off.

“Nngh…!”

But Gerda clung on and refused to let go.

“Gerda!”

I spoke more forcefully while trying to remove her, but Gerda held on even tighter.

“Let’s talk about this.”

Though I felt somewhat uncomfortable using force against Gerda, I had no choice but to try pushing her away with all my strength.

“No!”

It felt like trying to push away a piece of iron firmly attached to my body.

She wouldn’t budge at all.

Has she already grown this strong…?

“I’m staying with Brother! I’m staying with you!”

“W-wait…”

What… strength…

“You can’t leave! You can’t go too!”

“No… that’s…”

She wouldn’t budge even when I tried to pull her arms off.

I couldn’t apply a joint lock from this position.

And targeting vital points against Gerda was out of the question.

What should I…

No, more importantly, she’s really squeezing tight… can’t breathe…

Oh… falling… backward…

“…What are you doing?”

Platinum blonde hair and violet eyes appeared in my view of the ceiling.

“H-help… me…”

“You’re hurting Eugene. Let go, kid.”

Zepetia said.

“No!”

Gerda still clung to me with tremendous strength while shaking her head violently.

“That wasn’t a request.”

Zepetia pointed something at Gerda’s head.

With a crackling sound, Gerda’s body stiffened before going limp and collapsing.