(CHAPTER 31: HELP) 

"What the hell-" The moment I arrived at the shack, it was already set ablaze.

"Aiko!" I bashed open the door, entering the house. The items inside were scattered, but no one is there. I walked into the flame, and on the wall, was a folded note, pinned with a dagger. I pull out the dagger and read the scribbled words on it.

"THANK YOU FOR THE ITEMS. HAVE A NICE LIFE.

-CROW"

Within the folded note alongside these words was a few silver feather and a patch of black fur. Looks like he got here before I return and bring away Raven as well as Selina. Although both Aiko and Raven were just normal fighters and Selina is just a witch, but if it is just a normal bandit, there is no way they could kidnap them away that easily. Crow, I had a bad feeling about this man. Whoever he is, he is not a normal, average motherfucker. But now I look back, it didn't hint he brought Aiko. Where is she… I turn around and take another look and sure enough, at the corner, crushed by the fallen roof. "Aiko!!" I rushed towards her, pushing away the planks and bring her out from the house. She was unconscious, with burnt marks on her body. Her snow white fur was charcoal black, toasted, so do her face. She was breathing but barely. "Aiko…" I hug her up, she needed to go to the hospital at the town. Right now!!

"The Demon Kings Son…"

Great, more problems. I turn around alerted, as a figure approached, smothering the flames with smokes. "Crow really do kept his promise. Looks like that five milly is all mine." The figure take a deep sip out of his cigarette before huffing out the smoke. His action seems awfully familiar. Is it? I formed a fire ball in my hand to light up the surrounding a bit. And sure enough, it was the old man I met earlier at the bounty headquarter, the line is all connecting together.

"So this all is a fucking trap?" I glare at him, he continue to smoke on his cigarette slowly, enjoying the moonlight. "Attracting my attention with that dude in the morning just to leave them unguarded !? You are despicable!" Since the fight with Brutus, I had already smell something fishy. Brutus is great at a one v one fight, so there is no way Will would lose that badly with all of his friends along his side. And according to the collection of teeth, none of them are fresh, meaning he didn't fought anyone in the morning yet.

"No, no, no…" The man shook his head. "He is there for his step sister, while I, am here for you. We had no relationship in this operation. He take what he wanted, and I take what I needed." "So you wanted to wear me out with that fight in the morning right? Too bad, I am still fresh to go. Fuck off." I raised up my fist, flame ignite it. "I will kill you first, before that Crow." "Too bad, you are still too weak." I let out his final huff of smoke before tossing the burnt out cigarette to the ground, stomping it for a few time. "You shall feel the gap between to of us. The Demon King's Son, and I, the formal admiral of the Royal Army."

"Talk is cheap."

"Then bring it." He just stood at there, staring at me. Body wide open, his cloak flaps alongside the night wind, revealing his old, crooked, wrinkled body. In anger, I darted towards him, my fiery fist landed square on his face. But instead of an direct hit, his face turned into a gust of smoke as my hand phases through it. "Why don't punch harder?" He grab my hand, with a slick flick I was tossed aside.

"Wanted you alive should be better, ten milly, twice the money." He take out another cigarette from his pocket and began smoking once more. "If you can take me alive!" I dash towards him once more, this time switching into my Demon Beast form. I lunged my razor sharp claw towards him. But the smoke alongside him suddenly started to reform to a shape of shield and block down the attack. I strike once again, but all of them are blocked, in front of him, I am just a bratty kid. Experience really does matter huh.

Strikes rained onto him, the smoke block it all as he just stood there and continue to enjoy his time. "Interesting." He stare at me, not even an hint of fear appeared on his face. He had seen way too much bloody bath in his days at the battlefield, no one could faze him nor bring back the young fighting spirit within him. Except from him.

"Crimson Fist!!" I landed my strongest attack of all time, the shield crack a bit, before finally shattering. "Time to end this." The moment I raise my fist and approached, he let out a gigantic breath of smoke right into my face, choking and blinding me. Before I could wrap my head on what is going on, the smoke formed into needles and penetrated by body before tossing me into the ruins again.

"F-fuc-k." I stood up, my body is like mozzarella cheese, with holes on it, various holes. My body began steaming as I return back to my original form. If in my beast form I couldn't defeat this old shit, then it is like smashing an egg against a stone right now. People say in the face of desperation, we will either be fuelled by fear, or fall weak in front of it. But for me, I can't. With my last effort, I reached for my pocket. And sure enough, there was the sone that guy gave to me back then. Luckily I didn't lose it, when I press it, will you really arrive and help me? Just like what you promised? I had no idea, but I had no choice too. With my last strength and will, I pressed down the button.

"Took ya long enough"

"You are awake Tora?" The moment Tora sat up from her bed, her mother immediately arrives and asked, handing her a hot towel. "What, what happened." She wipes her face with it, the sudden warmth made her feel a little more wide awake. "Your friend, what is his name again? Rei, yeah Rei, sent you home hours ago. You are drunk as a mud." Her mother let out a chuckle. "She also left this to you, Three million. He said you deserve it." She stood up and hand Tora a huge bag of coin, it seems heavy as she had quite a trouble carrying it.

"Three million?" She seems quite surprised, isn't the grand total of their hunt after the gold license is three million? She immediately unknots the rope tied to the sack, and within it, was something that made her heart skip a beat. Her expression changed from shock, to whimpering before sobbing.

Within the sack, on top the stacks of gold coins, was a golden bounty license.