Haco came out from the mountains after having on purpose evaded the villages for more than a few reasons.
The most important was his impatience was getting thin. No, he was getting desperate watching how the villagers returned, dragging Danger Beast's carcass' with them.
The most infuriating thing was, he knew, they didn't personally do the kill.
In the woods, sneaky steel-jaw leghold traps had been carefully placed under the forest floor.
He later backtracked the stench of blood that had begun its journey in the high grass. Another Danger Beast had been attracted by the iron smell and fallen in the cowardly device.
This time though, the hunter would not be able to return later to find it dead— because it was strong enough to stand against the seething pain to get out.
Its hunger seemed to help with pushing it forward the village. It roared with confidence despite being wounded and charged down. Its big hulking body and powerful hind legs made it seem like a fired ballista, especially with its pronged horns.
Haco was watching it all from the top of a tree.
How the village guards quickly sounded the alarm and began shooting arrows into its thick fat body. After a dozen, its speed slowed significantly.
It lost all momentum to break the otherwise weak fence. In the end, it was stapped to death with spears from the space between the lumber.
It never got to see the face of its killer.
Haco was clenching his jaw so hard, 'The balance cannot continue to be like this. I must fix the scales. What legend? He's just a sinner.'
Haco was cursing the 1st Emperor. In honesty, he'd never looked up to the man, or his great feat of making the Teigu and crushing the biggest rebellion in history.
Because Haco believes that was the beginning of the great decline of Danger Beasts. Just look at the Super-class Danger Beasts—they are as good as instinct. Rarely, would they find a mate.
Humans were expanding, overhunting, and greedily taking whatever is in sight.
This was Haco's true goal—bringing back the age of Super-class Danger Beasts.
He believed, that only with them, would the arrogant humans think twice about calling this world theirs.
Haco is patiently waiting under the righteous cloak for the opportunity to make it a reality.
---
Haco entered the little wooden hut with a mountain in its backyard.
It would've seemed like the people he was supposed to meet were running late, if it wasn't for the clear stench of alcohol hanging in the air, merging with the sultry air of people being here.
In the dead of the night, Haco refrained from making a sudden movement such as igniting a flame.
Instead, he called out, "You don't have to be on guard. I'm Haco, the aid you've been waiting for."
Silence took over but for a moment until Gozuki pulled the curtains and let the moonlight in.
"It's good to have one with your ability here." Even with saying that, Gozuki was having a hand on his katana, making Haco very cautious. Because he'd heard a thing or two about the One-Cut Killer: Murasame.
Because a thought dreaded his mind, 'Would I also die from a cut by that thing?'
Suddenly, a girl's voice questioned, "Father, is this really the aid? He seems so unreliable."
Pony was not at all convinced. She was thinking he was kind of useless, just by his defenseless actions of walking into a dark room.
After another look, she seriously told Haco, "Muscles don't equal power!" with a look that of an experienced teacher, or at least tried to.
She ended up nudging an elbow into a dazed Green. He had already recognized Haco's identity and chose to stay quiet. After the tomb incident with Haco, Green had done his homework.
"It's you?!", exclaimed Tsukushi while pointing her gun at Haco. She was clearly waiting for permission to shoot from Gozuki, because in her mind, Haco was an enemy. Despite that, she kept her finger from the trigger and waited for Gozuki to speak.
She knew she might be confused, so she was waiting for the absolute truth.
"He's not an enemy," stated Gozuki and signaled her to lower the gun. Then he began making the fireplace again while saying, "Why don't you take a spot and warm yourself? We need to fight for a few other helping hands to come."
And so Haco did.
"Hey!!" complained Pony from being ignored. Though, none paid her any attention.
In a bad mood, she sat down beside Haco. It was quickly left behind when she tried to compete in the size of thighs. Then she locked her legs to show her elasticity before doing something so comically as making her toes touch the top of her head—by bending backward.
Clearly, she wasn't the type that could sit still. So he started a conversation with her.
"The Revolutionary Army sure is desperate to spend so much money on assassins to take down a few little girls…" Because of his lack of communication skills, it came out as more of a mumble.
Pony took it as he was talking to himself while being offended by being called little. Was her demonstration not enough to prove that?
"We're not just little girls! Father is here, oh, and Green too." Her tone seemed like she remembered him as an afterthought.
She also mumbled something like, "and we used to be more—" before slapping herself to remove the depressing thoughts, "—and who cares what villains are thinking!"
"Funny you call them villains. They say the same thing."
"They are obviously lying!"
Green was taken aback when he was suddenly asked by Haco, "What do you think?"
Under the eyes of his father, Green acted as he should to stay alive, "It's a good tactic making the good guys seem like villains in the eyes of the population. It would make it easier to raise an army."
Gozuki had from the beginning wanted to stop this topic, but Haco played stupid and ignored the intense gaze.
At last, his eyes landed on Tsukushi, "They are obviously evil—father also said so."
"He could be lying, and be the villain in disguise." It was said meant as a joke and said lighthearted, but the kind and considerate look disappeared and revealed what Haco wanted to know from the beginning.
'How brainwashed are these kids?'
Questioning her father's integrity seemed to be her sore topic. She was incensed and cast murderous eyes at Haco, "Father doesn't lie! Even if he does, it would only be for the best of our sakes in mind."