Four colorful rag dolls were carefully placed back-to-back within a perfect circle, which in turn belonged to a larger rectangle, and ancient symbols were neatly carved in some way on the concrete. Each doll headed one of the cardinal points and numbers “1, 2 and 3” beneath them. Outside the circle, excluded, the number four that completed the formation was crossed out.

For the alchemist, it symbolized a rejection of completeness, leaving intact the essential, the internal that composed the world. Essentially, separating this space from reality temporarily.

She injected a large amount of mana into the formation, illuminating the circle with flashes and tiny combustion. The dolls flew out, each in the direction corresponding to the element it represented, soon to be lost in the distance.

With this, all preparations were ready. She carefully placed and stroked the flat silver headband to one side of her hair and gallantly headed out.

A fresh wind blew on the night of the hot summer; however, on the pleasant night, except for the center and other certain nighttime areas of the city, the streets were mostly deserted.

Although classes were suspended for the rest of the week, the students still had to be back in the dormitories before 9:00 PM, Maika, however, did not have to worry about things like a surprise check or anything like that because, as she appeared, she could disappear right now and no one would question anything. If there was a single concern that she could have now, that would be surviving.

The dilapidated buildings made up the stage for the waltz that was about to start soon. Like a deserted theater's balcony, the dirty holes that were once vents looked like doors to a hell from which imps and demons alike laughed and drank expectantly of the fate of the solitary, fragile-looking girl.

Maika was in the middle of a long street in the abandoned district surrounded by old buildings, looking at the sky, or more precisely, examining the upper floors of the buildings.

—I should have woken up by now —a hint of loneliness escaped the hunter's face.

She was, of course, thinking about the wild-haired boy. That fool who, instead of trembling under his sheets and asking for help, his eyes shone and he extended his hand.

Taking everything into consideration, he had done not only what was necessary, but also what was right. And that was precisely what was tormenting her, she knew she had done the right thing, but a part of her was drowning in guilt and regret.

As she lowered her head, she positioned her right arm at shoulder height and her hand with the palm open, taking the form of holding a gun.

The bracelet with the paw pendant shook in the wind. Amidst this torrent of feelings, Maika forcibly expelled all those thoughts from her consciousness.

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She couldn't afford to be distracted in this situation. She released all the pressure from her chest in one sigh and donned her conviction once again. Her intense gaze was proof of this.

A strong unnatural breeze, contrary to the one before, loaded with a spine-chilling feeling, came from a few meters ahead and spread through her body.

—They finally arrived, it's bad manners to make a lady wait —said Maika, her eyes cold and serene—. Well, at least they're good prey, in that aspect the complements, if they're all together, I don't have to go hunting them one by one.

Three humanoid creatures, of deformed figure, none of them directly touched the ground, these floated a few centimeters from the ground. The spiritual splendor emanating from the three could almost be captivating, except for their deformed bodies with high humps on their back that seemed to be about to burst.

—I knew it. My assumption was correct, he can't control the homunculi for much longer, an attack with all his strength is the only option he has left.

One of the creatures, the one on the right, charged at an incredible speed towards Maika. As it approached, its shape was changing into something even more repugnant. The deformation on its back exploded, between dried blood and skin, wings extended, opaque and devoid of vitality, like those of a dragon that died a long time ago. But it didn't catch her off guard, her hand was holding the handle of her weapon.

Maika fired three bullets, one at each of the monsters charging towards her. The first monster changed direction without hesitation, and the other two easily dodged the bullets. Explosions echoed in the night.

Without the barrier she had set up earlier, the internal security department would already be here wearing powersuits and a dozen combat drones with the best A.I. capable of dealing with any situation; except, perhaps, this one, in which Maika was fighting true monsters.

The creatures moved at an overwhelming speed, but Maika, being a mere human, kept up with them perfectly, which was even more surprising. In fact, it was she who controlled the pace, never allowing them to get too close, always keeping a safe distance.

—Die, damn monster! —the hunter shouted with all her might.

She fired another bullet and this time the explosion of fire barely missed one of the monsters, but it was enough to receive it with another while avoiding the first. This time she managed to severely scorch one of its wings.

However, the other two did not give her the opportunity to deliver the final blow. Left, right, behind, right again. They fluttered with their horrifying wings, like cockroaches, from one side to the other, but she kept the times and distance of the overwhelming 360° battle to perfection, it was an incredible sight.

That was her way of fighting, anticipating the monsters' movements and dodging the blows coming from different directions, from the beginning Maika was the one who controlled the fight. She was truly worthy of fighting a monster.

—Is that all? —said Maika with a confident expression.

The cartridge fell from the gun and disappeared into the air, and another appeared in its place. She quickly took it with her other hand, before it disappeared, she inserted it into the weapon without wasting time and resumed the communion between monster and hunter.

—I'm going to start going all out then!