Continuing the last chapter - Daiko and his team rushed to the place where the explosion happened and coincidentally, it also happens to be the location where The Supernovas were at. The moment they were closing in, they saw branches of tree scattered along the way. They followed the trail until they suddenly heard gunshots, Daiko and the others were startled as they immediately rushed to The Supernovas' aid.
As they are getting closer to the fight, they saw one of the members lying down beside the trail, injured and bleeding. Daiko immediately called a Physician to tend the wounded. Daiko asked the injured person, "What happened?"
The injured person answered, "I don't know... I just heard a gunshot from afar and suddenly, I was bleeding... The others went ahead to find where the shot came from... It was too fast to see. Please save them..." As he collapsed from severe bleeding and blood loss but they now that his life can still be saved.
Daiko called in his best unit, The Sapphire Guards to proceed on following the trail that The Supernovas left behind.
Upon arriving at the scene, they saw the party was taking cover behind the tree trunks and giant rocks, cornered and two of their members are injured from the fight while their archer fires back to cover the injured. As the Supernovas' team leader, Kiriwa saw Daiko and the others from behind, he immediately commanded the physicians in his team to take the wounded to the rear where Daiko and the others are waiting while his archer, Emil, gives them cover.
When the gunshots stopped, Kiriwa immediately signals his team to bring the wounded while Emil fires at the enemy's position to provide cover fire. While carrying the wounded members, Emil got shot in the right shoulder. Kiriwa noticed it and immediately went to his aid but was stopped by Emil himself and said, "Captain! Don't go back for me!" As he proceed to find some cover. "Carry them back to the camp! I will be fine here! It's just a scratch, I won't die from it!"
Kiriwa clenched his fist and replied, "This is not an order, but a request as a fellow adventurer! You need to stay alive until we get back!"
Emil was speechless for this and nods at Kiriwa as they proceed on carrying the injured members while Daiko sends a few of The Sapphire Guards to retrieve Emil from the battlefield but they can't cross over to Emil's location because of the gunfire, fearing for an enemy that they can't see.
Emil realized that the situation is hopeless where the enemy will not accept any attempt of surrender, he knew that it's either walk away or death that awaits for them here. He also realized that they underestimated the enemy's capabilities, they thought that they were hunting a single person with a few equipment on hand and the most fatal mistake that they made is that they challenged the Last Witch Hunter, the group of people that was used to track and hunt down supernatural beings such as witches, hence the name suggests.
They cannot be compared to ordinary adventurers, mercenaries and knights since they have not encountered any supernatural beings in their life. Unlike the Witch Hunters, they hunt these beings for living. The Witch Hunters are considered legendary beings as portrayed in the books because they are the ones who has the willpower to confront unusual enemies such as the undead, ghouls, witches and even demons themselves.
Only few people can join because of their talents, skills and determination. Emil smiled and starts laughing out loud, and said, "We really underestimated you, witch hunter..." As he grabs his bow and blindly starts shooting arrows rapidly. Kiriwa immediately went back to retrieve Emil, only to see him got shot in front of him.
Seeing this made Kiriwa desperate to go to him, but the Sapphire Guards stopped him. Emil turns around to Kiriwa as he stands up and smiled at him.
Kiriwa cannot help but watch Emil as he fall down to the ground. The battle ended miserably for Daiko and the others, especially for Kiriwa who lost his comrade in the battlefield, the campaign took a heavy toll on them, not only they lost the Scouting Team, they even lost to the Witch Hunter. They have no choice but to go back to the royal capital emptyhanded.
They underestimated that capabilities of their enemy and failed miserably. Some of them agreed while majority of them cannot go back until they successfully captured Madison, the Last Witch Hunter. Daiko has no choice but to stay since they believe that the death of their comrades will be in vain if they did not capture the target.
They have no choice but to relocate their camp after burying the dead bodies before nightfall in order to not attract the wild animals nearby.
Nightfall - after burying the dead bodies and giving prayers, they successfully relocated their camp. There was no celebration, no song nor feast and story telling. They still can't get over on the earlier events, the atmosphere is depressing as someone they know, friends and peers have lost their lives in the process.
Daiko and the others knew this was coming, he realized the toll on this campaign, traversing inside the forest of unknown, getting a whole team wiped out, fighting against an enemy they can't defeat. It's too much burden on him, so he decided take a walk. One of his guards insisted that he should take someone who could he have talk to. Daiko smiles and agreed.
While taking a walk, Daiko tells a story to the guard he's with, a story that was told him ever since he joined the knights. "From the time I officially became a knight, I have heard stories of legendary people who used to hunt down supernatural entities, beings that are beyond our common sense, beyond normal.
They were the heroes of this world when it is about to plunge in darkness and malice. They were the ones who saved this world yet I don't know why they are so few. Despite being outnumbered, they still emerge victorious, despite their losses, they remain unfazed. I admire those people, the legendary Witch Hunters."
Madison asked, "Do you have the slightest idea about Witch Hunters?"
Daiko answered, "No, I don't..." He realized his bodyguard disappeared, instead it was Madison who was listening to him all along. The last Witch Hunter whom the king searched for.
"Turn around, young lad."
Daiko turns around and started to felt chill down to his spine as he felt Madison's deadly aura. He is afraid yet amazed, the people he was talking about are legendary, he admired the Witch Hunters as a whole.
Daiko asked, "In what honor do I owe your presence?"
Madison answered, "That's what I'm supposed to ask here." And asked, "What are you doing in this forest?"
Daiko answered, "You were called by the king. He sent us to retrieve you, when we entered this forest, I thought that we could get a heartwarming welcome from you guys, but instead, you attacked us and killed many of my men."
Madison replied, "What are you talking about? This is the first time we met and I'm the only one living in the forest unless you encountered many of the ruffians who went for my head which can be a misunderstanding on your part."
Daiko was left speechless on that part, he realized that during the fight, there was not only one enemy they fight. He also realized that the gunshots came from different angles and places, he, again asked, "Then what about the bodies that was here before we came here?"
Madison replied, "Bodies? Wait... You don't mean those pile of dead bodies, right?" Her facial expression starts to change as if she will be going on a killing spree, too much bloodlust came from her gaze as if she will kill anyone in sight the moment she remembered those pile of bodies earlier.
Daiko asked again, " Madison, what's the matter? You know something, do you?"
Madison desperately answered, "Lad, you need to get your men out of here... I don't have time to explain, but you need to leave the forest, now."
Seeing Madison's face made Daiko realized that something is about to happen and quickly rushed back to the camp.
To be continued...