Battle On The Sarushima Mansion

Two figures moved through the front yard of the Sarushima mansion. Clad in casual clothing, at first glance, they might have seemed like ordinary people. But tonight was far from ordinary.

In the darkness of the night, they treaded the grounds with large weapons in their possession, their shadows stretching long across the mansion's lawn. The first, a young man around 25, held a massive golden sword in his grip. Its edge gleamed faintly under the moonlight, a weapon clearly meant to cut down demons. Beside him was an older man, gripping a double-barreled shotgun, each barrel thick as a 10-inch pipe, like twin cannons ready to blow apart anything that got in their way.

"So, this is the Sarushima mansion, huh?" The old man's voice rasped. "Never thought demons and monsters would be holed up here. I always figured it was just some rundown tourist attraction. Now I get why no one offers guided tours to this place."

"If you're looking for guides, they're right there," the younger man replied with a smirk, nodding toward a group standing in the shadows. "Looks like they're more than ready to guide us."

His gaze fell upon the group—a cluster of women, all of them watching closely. The first figure that caught their eye was a woman with long blonde hair and piercing ruby-red eyes. Her presence radiated power. She was unmistakably a Sarushima. Dangerous. The Sarushimas might not have the largest mana reserves, but even a small amount in their hands was enough to cause absolute devastation.

"I'm sorry, but this isn't a tourist spot. It's private property, owned by my family," the blonde woman said, her tone icy. "You're trespassing. So, before I have to call the police, I suggest you step away."

"Apologies, Young Lady, but we'll have to decline that offer," the younger man shot back, a smug grin tugging at his lips. "We heard some interesting news about a certain child of anti-prophecy—born with the blessings of the Ayin—so we came to see for ourselves. And judging by all your pawns gathered here, I'd say the report was dead-on."

That man managed to leak information about me and Okumura-kun to the entire demon hunter society? But how? Yuuna's mind raced, her expression unchanging. I made sure he was dead, that the secret was buried with him. Someone else must have been watching... all along.

"Now that I think about it, this lineup's not looking too good for us," the old man muttered, his gaze hardening. "They've got that demon over there."

"Yeah, I heard that maid's fucking terrifying," the younger one replied, glancing toward the woman in question. She stood poised, her eyes like cold steel. Known as the Demonic Samurai, her skills with a blade had earned her a reputation as a ruthless killer. The bounty on her head, set by the demon hunter society, was enough to ensure a life of luxury. But no one had yet been able to claim it, a testament to just how dangerous she was.

"Well, we don't get paid unless we bring back the body of the child of anti-prophecy. The rest of them... they're just extra cash," the younger man said, cracking his neck with a grin.

"I'm glad you're keeping that positive attitude," the old man replied, voice low as he tightened his grip on the shotgun

The air crackled with tension as both sides braced themselves for the inevitable clash. Sarushima and her allies prepared, muscles tensing, while the two intruders steadied their grip on their weapons.

"This is gonna be a long night. Well then, how about we get started?" the old man said with a smirk. Without waiting, he squeezed the trigger, and the night erupted with a thunderous explosion. His shotgun roared like a beast, the barrel spitting fire. It sounded more like a cannon than a shotgun, each blast tearing through the air. Yet, despite the monstrous kickback, the old man stood firm, unshaken by the recoil.

Kaboom! Kaboom! Ch-chak!

Yuuna and the others scrambled for cover. The heavy slugs from the shotgun slammed into walls and splintered wood, each impact leaving craters behind. A single hit could shred a person into pieces, turning flesh into a bloody mess.

"These aren't just some run-of-the-mill demon hunters. That old man knows what he's doing," Aria muttered, eyes narrowed as she assessed their attackers. Her years—centuries, even—of combat experience had taught her to recognize a seasoned fighter, and the old man was definitely one of them.

"Think you can take him down, Aria?" Yuuna said.

"I can… if I can get close enough," Aria replied, knuckles whitening around the grip of her katana, ready to make her move.

"We'll cover you. Find your opening and end him."

"Right."

Kaboom! Kaboom! Ch-chak!

The old man's relentless barrage continued, riddling the stairway and doorways with gaping holes. Each blast left scorch marks and shattered debris in its wake. The moment he fired his last shot, he'd load in more shells with swift, practiced hands, then pump the shotgun back with a mechanical, chilling rhythm.

Kaboom! Kaboom! Ch-chak!

"You're always so damn impatient, old man. I thought you'd at least give me a chance before you went in guns blazing," the younger man chuckled, eyes sharp as he kept watch over the battlefield.

"Here they come," the old man growled as he reloaded. Yuuna and Hina broke from their cover, unleashing a volley of demonic spells that lit up the night, aiming to overwhelm the attackers with sheer force.

"You don't need to tell me. I've already read their move," the younger man replied smoothly, stepping in front of the old man. He swung his massive sword in a wide, powerful arc, the blade slicing through the air. The spells crashed into it, splitting apart as if cut by a scythe, their energy dissipating in a flash.

"What...?" Yuuna's eyes widened. The combined might of her and Hina's spells, obliterated so easily. "No way...!"

But while Yuuna was caught in disbelief, Aria had already positioned herself behind the attackers. Her katana glinted as she bent her arm back, ready to deliver a fatal strike aimed right at their torsos, intending to cleave them clean through their hips.

Yet, just as her blade swung down, something blocked her path.

"Ngh?!"

"Not a chance!"

A third figure appeared out of nowhere, intercepting her attack with a speed that caught Aria off guard. The old man, not missing a beat, swung his shotgun toward her, his finger already on the trigger.

Kaboom!

Aria darted away, the blast tearing through the air where she'd stood a heartbeat ago, leaving a smoking hole in the ground. She barely escaped, the shockwave brushing against her.

"There are three of them?" Yuuna's voice wavered. "And those weapons they're carrying... they aren't just ordinary. Those are holy weapons."