The Divine Hunter

Underground Laboratory, Temple Island.

On the laboratory theater was a lean, slender man in thin clothes curled up like a fetus. He was clutching his belly, shivering and chattering. The trembling undulated across his body, starting from his belly. It ebbed and flowed like waves, crashing against even the man’s fingertips and every strand of hair on his body.

Beads of sweat trickled down the man’s cheeks, drenching the operating theater. His face was contorted in agony, and his eyes were closed. He was clenching his teeth so hard, they could be crushed at any moment. His gums, like his skin, were red, as if they had been dipped in boiling water.

The veins under his skin wriggled and writhed like catfish stuck in the mud. Standing beside the operating theater was a gorgeous lady in a black silk dress. With one hand, she patted his back, and with the other, she touched his forehead.

Her beautiful eyes were clear, iridescent blue, but her lustrous crimson lips were pursed. There was worry and reluctance lurking in her eyes. The plan was for Roy to handle Fear all by himself, but Lytta’s heart went out for him. The lad was in agony.

“I’ll try to relieve some of the pain.”

“No, you will not!” The lad regained a sliver of his sanity and tried his hardest to turn around. A hint of resolve flashed in his golden eyes, and he gave Lytta a look of reassurance. He extended his scorching, trembling hand and held Lytta’s hand tightly. “Trust me. I can deal with this.”

Roy did not like this hell one bit, but he had to go through it. The virus had to destroy his immune system if he wished to become the perfect vessel for the Manticore’s Trial, and yet his powerful body was proving to be a burden in this hurdle. This was just the first of three viruses. Everyone’s putting in all they have. I can’t fail them.

“Breathe…”

Roy’s cheeks were almost distorted from the suffering he was going through. Sweat poured forth from the skin like water spurting through a fountain. His muscles were wriggling and writhing like earthworms digging through the soil, while sweat and tears trickled down the corner of his eyes.

Yet the young witcher held on. He clenched his teeth and concentrated on his character sheet only to find his HP nearing zero. Activate! And with that, Roy regained fifty-one points of HP.

A cool sensation traveled from his head through his body, and it finally coursed into his veins. The pain was no longer unbearable, and he could turn around comfortably. Gurgles escaped his lips, and his eyes rolled back into his head. Then it seemed like a current of electricity ran from his head to his toe.

He grinned at the sorceress, as if the virus failed to affect him at all. “The brothers will take care of the kids. I’ll handle the mutation.”

“It’s been a month or so since Cleaver last contacted me. And Francis is acting really suspiciously lately.” Gawain pushed his chair back and trudged to the windowsill. He put his hands on the sill and answered, “I’ve received troubling news. Over the last couple of weeks, the number of beggars on my turf increased by a quarter, but it makes no sense. Beggars usually dip in numbers when winter comes.”

“I noticed that on my way here. They are on high alert and always looking out for something,” Letho quipped. “I see Bedlam is trying to keep an eye on us as well. It’s possible that one of those two sent the bounty hunter after the children.”

Letho sighed. If possible, he would rather not break the peace treaty they worked so hard to get. “Gawain, assuming that either Bedlam or Cleaver is behind this attempted kidnapping, what do you suggest we do?”

“No impetuous move, that’s what. I know your team is capable enough to get rid of a couple of regular men. In fact, I have no doubt you can destroy most of their men without breaking a single sweat and ruin their gangs. But there will be hell to pay.”

Gawain knocked on the window, and resignation filled his eyes. “If you do that, you’ll be breaking the law a second time. And this time, all hell will break loose. We’ll be public enemy number one. The church, the town hall, the associations… All of them will come after us.”

“We can’t do anything reckless.” Gawain sighed. “You’re our trump cards. Something to intimidate our enemies, to keep them in check. We cannot ask you to fight all the battles. That’s usually done with skirmishes and negotiations. I’ll arrange a meeting with Bedlam and Cleaver. We’ll talk and find out what their plans are. Then we’ll settle our differences,” he suggested. “If they did send that bounty hunter after the children, they will pay for scaring the kids. This act of brash bravado will not go unpunished.”

“Very well.”

***

“Is the captive still alive?”

Letho shrugged. “We’re using him as bait.”

“I see. If you can find out who the employer is, we’ll have more chips on our side during the negotiation. I’ll dispatch a team of fifty to guard the orphanage and the children. Do not worry about their food and lodging. I’ll deal with that.”

A sneer curled Gawain’s lips. “If someone tries to invade our turf and hurt the children, lethal force is permissible.”

***

***