In the morning, the first rays of sunlight struck against my eyes, slowly waking me up.
A long yawn escaped my mouth as my body stretched.
However, more important than that, there was something heavy on top of me that drew my attention.
'Wow, I'm so groggy that I didn't even notice this thing approaching. What could it be?'
I asked myself, still sleepy.
I soon looked to see what it was, and the sight made me wake up faster.
Rising and falling with my breathing, Euphy was lying on top of me in a lazy posture that betrayed the clear lethality that huntress could exert.
Her sleep was so deep that she ignored the natural awakening brought by the sunlight, something common to all animals.
I laughed in amusement, preferring to return to my sleep rather than bother her.
'It's been so long since I've wished for a peaceful dream that this scene is actually inspiring to me.'
Thus, we spent our morning.
…
In the afternoon, we both got up and went hunting. Otherwise, there would be no food.
[ You see, with all the ritualistic part ready. From now on, you can only eat those who are stronger than you. Their flesh will make you even stronger. ]
Laughing, I quickly anticipated and recited her lines in advance.
[ In other words, we can only eat Sinners who have already evolved. ]
[ Bingo! ]
Euphy then pulled a map from her bag, with dozens of colored metal pins marking locations.
Their meanings were not clear to me. Except for the red ones.
[ Our breakfast is a bit far away, I hope you're not very hungry. ]
[ Don't worry about me. If the hunger gets too strong, I'll just eat the delicious snack I brought with me. ]
[ … ]
[ … ]
Euphy suddenly frowned before looking deeply at me and questioning.
[ You didn't even bring the clothes on your back, what kind of snack could you have brought? ]
[ That's why I said not to worry about me, my snack. Worry about your own safety. ]
[ Huh? ]
Euphy looked at me with her mouth open, feeling challenged.
[ I'm stronger than you! If anyone is a snack, it's you! You're my expensive cheese that I'm letting mature like wine so I can eat it! ]
[ Of course. ]
[ … ]
[ … ]
I laughed in amusement as we stared at each other, measuring one another's strength.
A strange excitement formed in the air, almost demanding that we fight.
However, we were both far too hungry for that, and we let the atmosphere disperse.
With a deep sigh, Euphy returned to navigating the map before pointing in a direction.
[ Let's go already. We don't have all day, and we don't even know exactly where the target is, or if it's even alive. ]
With a nod, we soon ran through the forest toward our target, a few kilometers away at best.
Dealing with mobile targets was not exactly easy.
Knowing that others might have already hunted it only made things worse.
But the worst part was the lack of information about the target—it could simply be a rabbit or a pigeon that had managed to evolve.
And a rabbit or a pigeon wouldn't be able to fill my stomach, making my earlier joke much more realistic.
With a hungry sigh, I pushed those thoughts aside as I began to heighten my bodily awareness.
Slowly, I began to study my own anatomy, understanding how each muscle moved and connected to the rest of my body.
The fact that I was in constant motion made it much easier to practice and refine the earth-heart method.
Hours passed like this, until Euphy suddenly stopped.
[ The target should be nearby. Stay alert. ]
I nodded in agreement before starting to sniff around and look for tracks.
However, it didn't take long for me to realize it was unfeasible, and I spoke to Euphy.
[ The search area is large. We'd better split up and regroup here in an hour. ]
She nodded in agreement.
We quickly moved out of each other's range as we continued to study the surroundings.
After having met a Sinner and hearing more about them from Euphy, I had some basis for how to find their dwelling.
However, no matter how much I searched, there were no tracks on the ground.
The Sinner seemed more like a ghost that left no traces.
Moreover, going against the super-predatory nature of a Sinner, there were no signs of dead animals.
The natural life that should have been in total imbalance seemed completely normal.
Deer walked through the woods, as did rabbits and some larger and smaller predators.
The ecosystem appeared healthy, which shouldn't have been possible.
Super-predators were territorial, aggressive, and everything here went against that nature.
[ Euphy, are you sure this Sinner hasn't already been taken down? ]
I asked over the transmission, from a distance.
[ I'm not sure, but even so, we need to study it more deeply. Otherwise, we'll sleep hungry. ]
Sighing, I resumed the search.
'What makes a Sinner leave no tracks and not kill?'
I pondered for a few moments.
My experience was limited, but my brain could still make up for it with intelligence.
'Not leaving tracks could be something simple, like being a flying or burrowing Sinner. As for the second…'
I swallowed dryly as I tried to reason.
In theory, any animal could become a Sinner.
In practice, I had my doubts.
However…
'If the Sinner weren't carnivorous, it wouldn't kill. But it also can't be herbivorous, otherwise the forest would be in poor condition. But it could be hematophagous; that way, it would leave its victims alive even after feeding.'
A flying, hematophagous animal with real chances of becoming a Sinner…
It certainly couldn't be a mosquito, but it could be a…
[ Euphy, check the animals around you for me. See if they have bite marks in areas with many blood vessels. ]
[ Huh? Why? Wait! A bat Sinner? Could it be? ]
[ I don't know. It's a possibility. ]
[ Okay, wait a bit! ]
I sighed while Euphy did her job.
It could have just been a desperate idea from someone who was hungry, especially since the area seemed normal and without a Sinner.
But still, it was worth trying.
[ I just captured a deer. It does have marks. I'll check a few more… ]
A short time later, new positives came in succession, one after another.
[ Almost every animal in this area is being vampirized. You were right. We have a Sinner. ]
I laughed in amusement, ignoring the not-so-amusing thoughts.
'Now…how the hell do we find a single bat, and even worse, how am I supposed to feed on a single bat?'
A short while later, we regrouped.
[ What's the plan? ]
I asked, looking at Euphy, who just shrugged.
[ A hematophage likes blood. Demon blood, yummy blood. ]
She quickly pulled a knife from her waist and placed it against her own hand.
In a single motion, she cut deeply and let the blood flow into the surrounding forest.
The smell was impossible to ignore.
Any predator would sense it from kilometers away.
Especially a vampire bat.
As expected, it didn't take long for there to be a reaction.
However, what I saw next was not what I had expected.
'Ah shit! I don't know whether to be happy or sad.'
A wide, dense shadow like a dragon was cast over us, and after circling a few times, it dove down.
[ Here it comes, get ready! ]
Euphy watched with tension as the 'tiny' bat dove toward us, its face as ugly as one could expect.
It opened its mouth, its reddish eyes thirsty for our blood.
At the last moment, Euphy and I jumped to the side, letting it bite only air.
It soon landed on the ground, making the earth tremble—the creature at least five meters tall, looking like the ugliest dragon in the world.
Its roar shook the world.
However, the second roar was worse.
BOOOM
A supersonic wave traveled toward me, destroying giant trees and rocks.
I dodged at the last instant and could only ponder in horror what would have happened if it had hit.
[ Kai! This is not the time to admire the opponent! ]
Euphy shouted, making me swallow dryly.
WOOSH
My aura surged forward like a wave from one side, while on the other, Euphy and the bat did the same.
The bat's aura was powerful.
However, the two allied waves aligned and fused, creating a larger wave that swallowed the bat like a tsunami.
The bat snarled in irritation as its strength drained away.
In retaliation, it screamed, creating successive sonic waves that destroyed everything around us, while Euphy and I used the surrounding trees and rocks to gain momentum and dodge.
[ I'm more agile. I'll draw its attention, and you finish it. ]
Euphy transmitted, then immediately ran closer to the bat in a dangerous move.
Soon, it focused solely on her.
Euphy clenched her teeth as the sonic waves missed her by only a few centimeters.
In that instant, a single mistake could have been her death.
However, I would not let that happen.
With the bat distracted, I advanced through a blind spot, trying as much as possible not to draw attention.
Soon, I reached beneath it.
Jumping from one tree to another at high speed, I reached head height and then leapt at it.
My claws dug into the bat's face as my fangs sank into its head.
The bat screamed in pain, forgetting Euphy, who instead of sighing in relief, also advanced.
Seeing that it was losing, the bat tried to flap its wings to escape.
However, Euphy noticed and leapt onto the wings, tearing them apart, knocking it down midair and making the bat crash forward.
My attacks never ceased, and taking advantage of the fall, I repositioned myself and struck its eye, blinding it.
Even so, the bat tried to get up, but Euphy attacked the second eye, making it scream and leaving it even more disoriented, thus sealing its fate.
…
A short while later, the two of us gathered around a campfire with skewers around it.
Euphy quickly grabbed two of them, bringing one to me and one to her own mouth.
[ Cheers! ]
[ Cheers! ]
We laughed playfully, celebrating our first joint hunt.
[ We're not such a bad duo after all. ]
Euphy said with a wide smile as I simply ate the strange meat with pleasure.
[ Of course. ]