Aftermath

Kenji leaned against a tree, still catching his breath after the intense battle. Mikazuchi's voice crackled through the Bluetooth earbud, urgent and slightly irritated. "Kenji, where did Azamuku go? We need to track him down before he recovers."

Kenji sighed, already knowing how this conversation was going to go. "Don't bother, Mikazuchi. It was a teleportation spell. Azamuku is long gone by now. Chasing him would be a waste of time."

There was a pause on the other end, followed by Mikazuchi's gruff voice, "Take your earbuds out. Now."

Kenji barely had time to react before Mikazuchi flew past him in a flash, the air around him crackling with energy. The sudden electrical discharge short-circuited Kenji's earbuds, causing them to smoke and fizzle out. Kenji yanked them from his ears, cursing under his breath. "Always the dramatic one," he muttered, watching Mikazuchi disappear into the distance.

Meanwhile, across the battlefield, Jimen was taking a relentless beating from Satoshi and Rem. His attempts to counter were feeble at best, every move he made being anticipated and countered with brutal efficiency. Rem, hot-headed and relentless, landed a powerful kick that sent Jimen sprawling to the ground. Satoshi followed up with a series of rapid strikes, each one drawing blood and wearing down the demon's defenses.

Jimen, battered and bruised, tried to find an opening to retaliate. Seeing Rem and Satoshi suddenly leap back, he thought they were retreating, giving him a chance to regroup and launch a counterattack. But as he prepared to strike, he realized too late that he had been tricked. The brief pause was not an opportunity—it was a setup.

A sharp crack echoed through the forest, and before Jimen could react, a sniper's bullet pierced his right chest. The impact was instantaneous, the bullet not just penetrating but detonating on contact. Jimen's upper body exploded in a shower of blood and gore, the force of the blast sending shockwaves through the trees.

At that exact moment, Mikazuchi, who had just arrived at the scene, was about to deliver a powerful blow of his own. Ready to strike, the explosion beat him to it. He pulled back at the last second, the wave of heat and force from the explosion forcing him to shield his face. The remains of Jimen's upper body were scattered across the forest floor, leaving nothing but a gruesome reminder of the demon's demise.

Mikazuchi, shaking off the debris, looked around for the source of the shot. His sharp eyes quickly found the sniper perched high in a tree far away, calmly reloading for another shot. The hunter, a specialist known for her deadly accuracy, nodded in acknowledgment as Satoshi glared at her from below.

"Nice shot," Rem grumbled, though there was a hint of appreciation in his tone. He turned back to Satoshi, who was now approaching, "You're reckless, Rem. That could've gone a lot worse."

Satoshi shouted. "Shut up, Hot headed".

Mikazuchi shook his head, though a small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "That was mine. Hunting is over."

As the hunters began to gather, tending to the wounded and assessing the damage, the atmosphere was tense. The battle had been fierce, and though they had managed to take down Jimen, the threat of Azamuku still loomed large. The hunt was far from over, and the next encounter could be even deadlier.

But for now, they had survived. And in this line of work, survival was the first victory.