The mansion’s interior was eerily silent, its dimly lit corridors devoid of the chaos they had expected.

Contrary to their expectations, there weren’t many Demonic Guild members left behind.

Most had already fled, abandoning their stronghold like rats deserting a sinking ship.

The ones who remained were pitiful—discarded by their superiors, left behind like broken tools no longer of use.

But Derek and his team showed them no mercy.

The Demonic cultists begged as they were cornered, their voices trembling with desperation.

“Please, spare me! I was forced into this!” one cried, falling to his knees.

“You’ll say anything to save your skin,” Derek replied coldly.

His blade moved swiftly, ending the man’s life.

To Derek, and to most of his team, these people were no longer human.

They had crossed the line, becoming monsters in human skin.

After dealing with the remnants of the Demonic Guild, they descended into the mansion’s underground levels.

The air was thick with the stench of damp stone and decay. At the end of a narrow hallway, they found a heavy iron door.

“Captain, over here!” a hunter called, gesturing to the door.

Derek stepped forward and forced it open with a single heave of his shoulder, his aura amplifying his strength.

Inside, the sight stopped the team in their tracks.

The hostages—villagers and travelers alike—were locked in filthy cells, their faces gaunt from hunger and fear.

Some looked up with hollow eyes, while others flinched at the sudden intrusion, expecting more torment.

“Don’t be afraid. We’re here to help,” Derek said firmly, his voice steady but softer than before.

The hostages hesitated, their trust long eroded by captivity.

But as the hunters began to free them one by one, hope flickered in their eyes for the first time.

After ensuring the hostages were safe, Derek and his team began searching the mansion for more evidence.

What they found was unexpected—a cache of documents, including maps and notes revealing other hidden hideouts beyond the previously known seven.

“Captain, look at this,” one of the hunters said, laying out a large map on the dusty table.

“It marks several locations we didn’t know about before.”

Derek’s gaze darkened as he studied the map.

Each mark represented another stronghold, another pocket of chaos waiting to be unleashed.

“More hideouts...” Derek muttered, his voice tinged with frustration. “It never ends.”

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“Captain, what should we do next?” one of his team members asked hesitantly.

Derek leaned over the map, his brow furrowed.

“What’s the status of the other groups?”

The hunter pulled out another map, dotted with marks showing the movements of their allies.

“Mr. Shaun and Ms. Cecilia headed for this hideout,” the hunter explained, pointing to one of the marks.

“But they had to split up after discovering more locations nearby. Mr. Victor faced the same issue and divided his team as well. As for the Guildmaster…”

Derek’s eyes narrowed. “What about him?”

“He’s dealing with the last hideout. It’s suspected the leader of the Demonic Guild might be there.”

Derek nodded. “He’ll be fine. But what about Cain and the Vice Guildmaster?”

The hunter hesitated before answering, “They’re together. It seems the Vice Guildmaster joined him to prevent… unnecessary collateral damage.”

Derek exhaled heavily.

“Of course, she did. Cain’s capable of razing an entire village to the ground if it suits his plans.”

The hunter nodded grimly. “That’s exactly why she’s keeping an eye on him.”

Derek rubbed the bridge of his nose, his frustration evident.

“Haa… That guy never changes. Fine. Let’s divide our team and move out. We’ll handle these new hideouts and make sure none of this insanity spreads further.”

Derek’s team members nodded, their resolve solidifying. The air was heavy with tension, but there was no time for hesitation.

“Stay sharp,” Derek said as he stood, his hand resting on the hilt of his greatsword. “This isn’t over yet.”

The team split into smaller units, each assigned to one of the newly discovered hideouts.

Derek watched them depart, his heart weighed down by the responsibility he bore.

Protecting humanity was no simple task, and the lines they were forced to cross seemed to blur with every step.

But there was no turning back now.

-----

The sun was dipping below the horizon as Cain and Scarlet approached one of the suspected Demonic Guild hideouts.

The quiet village looked almost serene, but the air was tense, filled with an unshakable sense of foreboding.

Cain’s green eyes scanned the surroundings, his sharp features etched with an impatient scowl.

His reputation preceded him, and as they entered the village, people cowered in their homes, whispering rumors about the "Hunter Without Mercy."

Scarlet, on the other hand, was a stark contrast.

Her fiery red hair seemed to glow in the fading sunlight, her presence commanding but not menacing.

As an S-rank fire mage, her mere presence was enough to quell resistance.

At the first signs of unrest, Cain’s solution was as straightforward as ever: complete eradication.

“Let’s get this over with. I’ll sweep the place,” he said coldly, reaching for his weapon.

“No, Cain,” Scarlet snapped, her tone firm.

“You’re not killing everyone just because they might be guilty. We’ll handle this my way.”

Cain turned to her, his sharp gaze meeting hers. “Your way will take too long.”

“Maybe,” she said, crossing her arms, “but we’re not butchers.”

With a scoff, Cain relented. “Fine. But if things go south, don’t expect me to hold back.”

Despite a few moments of resistance from frightened villagers, Cain’s reputation and Scarlet’s commanding presence ensured they reached the hideout with little bloodshed.

Those who resisted were swiftly knocked out by Scarlet’s controlled spells, leaving a trail of unconscious bodies rather than corpses.

The hideout itself was unassuming—a simple roadside inn with creaking wooden shutters and a faded sign swaying in the wind.

But as they entered and descended into its underground levels, the true nature of the place was revealed.

Beneath the quaint exterior was a labyrinth of damp stone corridors, lit by flickering torches that cast unsettling shadows on the walls.

The air reeked of decay and something far darker—the unmistakable stench of Demonic energy.

The team encountered resistance immediately.

Demonic cultists poured out of side rooms, armed with crude weapons and fueled by desperation.

Scarlet’s fiery spells roared to life, lighting the cavernous halls.

“Incinerate,” she muttered, and a wall of flames surged forward, forcing the cultists to scatter.

Cain moved like a shadow, his blade cutting through the air with precision.

Unlike Scarlet, he showed no hesitation.

Every strike was lethal, his green aura trailing behind him like a viper ready to strike.

“Pathetic!” he muttered, his tone devoid of empathy.

Within minutes, the hideout was cleared, the cultists either dead or subdued.

In one of the deeper chambers, they found clues—maps, letters, and symbols etched into stone tablets.

Scarlet frowned as she examined them.

“These are different from the others,” she said, her fingers tracing the strange runes.

Cain leaned against the doorway, arms crossed. “What’s the difference?”

“More hideouts,” she said grimly. “Beyond the seven we already know.”

“Of course,” Cain scoffed. “It’s never that simple.”

Scarlet sighed. “We’ll have to divide our forces again. We’re running thin, Cain.”

“We’ll manage,” he said curtly. “We don’t have a choice.”

Their divided teams began launching simultaneous attacks on the newly discovered hideouts.

But as Cain’s team approached one of the marked locations—a dilapidated warehouse on the outskirts of another village—they encountered something different.

The first to emerge was a golem.

Its massive, hulking form was made of blackened stone, cracks glowing with an eerie, crimson light.

It moved with heavy, deliberate steps, each one shaking the ground.

Its glowing, pupil-less eyes locked onto the hunters with an emotionless, predatory stare.

“Great,” Cain muttered, his blade humming with energy. “Stone puppets.”

Before they could attack, another enemy appeared—a chimera ant.

Its insectoid body gleamed with a carapace as black as obsidian.

Its mandibles clicked menacingly, and its multi-faceted eyes shimmered like polished jewels.

Its legs ended in sharp, serrated claws that looked capable of tearing through steel.

The chimeras were fast, darting forward with incredible agility.

“What are those?” one hunter whispered nervously, gripping his weapon tighter.

“Steady,” Scarlet said, her voice firm but calm.

But while the hunters braced themselves with fear, Cain’s reaction was entirely different.

“This…” Cain muttered, a feral grin spreading across his face.

He unsheathed his blade, the metal singing as it left its scabbard.

“This is going to be fun.”

He stepped forward, his aura flaring to life—a swirling vortex of green energy that made the air hum with tension.

“Cain, don’t do anything reckless!” Scarlet snapped.

But Cain only laughed, his voice echoing through the field.

“Reckless? No, Scarlet. This is what I live for!”

And with that, he charged forward, his blade cutting through the air as the monstrous horde surged to meet him.