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Detta tightened her grip on her sword, Iratus. She calmly inhaled and exhaled as the cattle began to stir, moving restlessly, herding their young into the safety of the center.
"Moooo."
"Moooo."
The cows were the first to be attacked by the demon.
"Moo—"
With ruthless speed, the demon tore through three cows before heading straight for the herd's core, where the calves huddled, shielded by the larger animals.
"MOOO!"
The bull could do nothing but call out desperately. Then Detta saw it.
It looked like a wolf stripped of fur, its tail serpentine, its body covered in scales, and its snout shaped like a jagged triangle. Eerie red eyes glowed as it let out a guttural growl, slipping past the defensive ring of cows.
"Shamula," Detta muttered under her breath.
Tough to fight. Twisted by the enchantress's magic, these creatures could corrupt others, spreading their dark influence.
As the Shamula stepped into the inner circle, Detta gripped Iratus with her right hand and slowly drew it from its sheath.
Clack.
She closed her eyes to focus—and opened them just as the demon stretched a clawed hand toward a calf.
Shing... swing... swing...
Detta dashed forward in a blur, her afterimage flickering like a shadow, and landed right beside the demon.
"Kraaaa—!"
The beast tried to recoil, but before it could move, its body crumbled—sliced cleanly into pieces.
"Wow!!"
"As expected of our captain!"
"That's our captain! The Shadow Ranger!"
The other Rangers and nearby villagers shouted as they rushed to the scene. But Detta raised her hand, and they stopped at once.
"What happened?" a villager asked.
"Stop talking," one of the Rangers whispered sharply.
Grrrr...
A second Shamula larger than the one killed by Detta leapt from the edge of the field, landing with a snarl and glaring at Detta.
It crouched low—then lunged.
CLANG...
Crash!
It struck Detta's outstretched sword and was sent flying, crashing into the earth. It stood again, limping.
That was one of Iratus's skills: the Vengeful Sword could redirect incoming attacks back at the attacker.
"Bring it on!" Detta challenged, her voice cold and steady.
But the demon hesitated. Sensing the sword's eerie energy, it turned, limping toward the edge of the field—toward a ravine behind it.
"Not so fast," Detta muttered.
She leaned forward, lowering her stance as she slid the blade back into its sheath—and then she struck.
Shing... swing... swing...
Flashes of steel tore across the Shamula's body. Purple blood sprayed in arcs, the creature collapsing into a heap of fur and meat at the field's edge.
Detta turned back to the villagers and Rangers. After scanning the perimeter, she sheathed her sword fully and walked toward the village.
---
The next morning, the entire village was celebrating. The demon that had terrorized them was gone.
Ale flowed freely, laughter echoed, and a whole bull was being roasted over an open fire.
But Detta didn't join in. She quietly packed dried meat and fruit into her bag.
"Should I follow you, Captain?" a Ranger asked.
"No need," Detta said. "It's a personal mission. I'll be back in a few days. Stay and help the guard with the others."
"Good luck, Captain. May the Lord of Light guide you," he replied.
'He's an interesting one,' she thought as she passed through the village gates.
She followed the trail quietly, traveling for a day before camping at a Ranger-used safe zone.
---
Flap flap...
A massive shadow streaked past the gorge above.
'Fuck. Persistent bastard,' she muttered.
It had been four days since she escaped the castle gorge's sewers. Four days of running from Dracula's relentless pursuit.
Her face was a mess. One of her horns had nearly been severed by a wave of energy from his sword. She hadn't rested in days—utterly exhausted.
Still, she pushed on, desperate to reach the Abyss's border. Just a few more gorges, and she'd find help.
'Two more,' she told herself.
But pain shot through her wing—and she started to fall.
In horror, she saw one of her wings—just seconds ago attached—spiraling down above her.
"Nooooo!"
Splash!
Her scream echoed, followed by the splash of water cushioning her impact.
Huff... huff...
She crawled ashore, collapsing onto the smooth stones.
"Haha... so it comes to this," she muttered with a hollow laugh.
She raised her hand.
Crack. She snapped off two of her horns.
"Fly," she whispered, placing an orb between the broken stubs.
Fwoosh.
The orb shot into the sky, disappearing into the forest canopy.
Crunch.
She turned, expecting to see a man with dark blond hair.
But instead, a woman stood there—green cloak, leather armor on her shins and shoulders, a gauntlet glinting in the low light.
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