"You can use witch's magic?" Sivan asked, eyeing the fading embers over the compass.
"It's just a small trick," Genji replied. "Nothing too amazing."
'It seems anything but small,' Sivan thought, but he refrained from asking any more questions.
They hopped on their mounts and rode toward their destination in silence. After 40 minutes, they spotted a lone woman limping in the distance. Her right hand clutched her injured shoulder, doing her best to stop the bleeding. Long, messy hair hung from her drooping head, obscuring her face and accentuating her glowing irises.
At the sound of approaching gallops, she looked up, and a flash of viciousness flickered in her eyes. These were not the eyes of a human but of a cornered beast. The witch had realized her precarious situation and prepared for a final standoff.
Black mist seeped from her fingertips, initiating a hideous transformation. Her visible skin withered like aged bark, her hair dried up like twigs, her eyes took on an unnatural green hue, sharp jagged teeth jutted from her mouth, and her nails extended into menacing claws. She unleashed an ear-piercing shriek and charged at them.
Sivan leaped off the horse, drew his signature weapon midair, and pulled back the handle. A wooden stake emanating a golden aura shot toward the witch, forcing her to block with a swift swipe. A small ripple passed through the air as her left hand disintegrated into ash. But instead of faltering, the witch kicked her legs harder, knowing her only chance of survival was to close the distance and hack Sivan apart.
Suddenly, Genji appeared beside her and unleashed a storm of cutting intent. Intense light wrapped her body, leaving countless gashes across her skin. Genji kicked out hard, sending the witch backward faster than her approach.
A second stake impaled her chest as she soared through the air, further aggravating her injuries. Bruce also struck, but the curse thwarted his attempts. The witch rolled onto her feet, yanked out the stake, and fiercely glared at them. Then her remaining energy gathered by her index finger, forming a dense orb that she pointed at Genji.
The next moment, a streak of darkness pierced through Genji's cheek, exposing the nicked bone. At the same time, Genji manifested [Curse Bearer] and returned fire. Once emptied, the wound on Genji's face began to heat up as the flintlock absorbed the lingering curses from the area.
Genji dismissed the weapon and a mental shockwave crashed into the witch, disrupting her next action. Bloody skewers pierced through her neck from three even-spaced directions, forming a six-armed cross. Bruce commanded the construct to twist the head off and pulverize it mid-air.
Genji expanded his perception in preparation for any revival attempts, but this proved to be unnecessary. The witch was fully dead after this brutality.
"Good to know they don't have any absurd regeneration abilities," Genji muttered as he lowered his weapons.
"I wouldn't be so sure about that," Sivan quipped. "The competent ones all have Horcruxes or substitution dolls set up to take a hit for them. It's nearly impossible to kill them unless we find their hideouts or catch them at an unlucky time. We learned this the hard way after so many losses."
"And how does that work? It sounds way too absurd to be real."
"Trust me, we also want to know. If we can figure out how to break these abilities, we'd have a significantly easier time killing them."
"Is that so? Let me tell my associates then. Maybe they can help." Genji posted these findings in the group chat and looked up at Sivan. "Anything else you want to add?"
Sivan marveled at the implications of Genji's statement but shook his head. "That's all I know too. The witches are difficult to find and even harder to understand. They hide their weaknesses well and rarely leave survivors. If you're looking for more information, try Alder Town. It's where all the nearby witch hunters gather to exchange intel—a base of operations of sorts. I'd be happy to introduce you if you're interested."
"In that case, I'll gladly accept the offer."
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After a full day of traveling and stopping at a passing town for Sivan to change his horse, they arrived at their destination. Alder Town was a lively place, full of bustling townspeople and nightly activity. The fear and uncertainty common in most towns were nowhere to be found here, creating a semblance of normality. With so many passing witch hunters, security was easy to maintain. It would take a real disaster to shake this town.
Sivan led them to a two-story saloon, where they checked in for the night before heading upstairs and leaving Genji to his own devices. Soft piano music accompanied by the clinking of glasses echoed throughout the first floor. The witch hunters gathered in small groups, socializing with their peers.
Genji sat at the counter, ordered a drink, and observed the atmosphere. As he quietly sipped from his cup, a fellow hunter approached and tipped his hat at Genji. "Hi there. I don't recognize you. You new here?"
"Just arrived here not too long ago with a fellow named Sivan," Genji answered.
"Ah yes, the Impaler. He has quite the reputation in these parts."
"That sounds like an interesting title. Care to tell me how he earned it?"
"Nothing much. Just put a stake through enough witches to make him a veteran. I think his record is seven now?"
"Might have to bump that up to eight."
The man stared at Genji for a moment before bursting into laughter. "Figures. This is just like him. I don't know how he does it, but he can sniff out those witches like a hunting dog. Truly no one better to learn from if you want to establish yourself as a renowned hunter."
Genji smiled and brought the cup to his mouth, deciding there was no need to correct the misunderstanding, as that would only derail the conversation. "So what's with that guy?" Genji asked, pointing at a lone figure in the corner.
This man stood out as the only other solo person, downing shots like they were water. After each drink, he would slam the cup on the table and drunkenly wait for a refill. His face was flushed red and his eyes unfocused. One could immediately tell he was someone with a story.
"Oh him? That's Old Bill. He's been drowning his sorrows ever since that fated night. Not really my place to tell you about it. If you catch him on a sober evening, you might just get an answer, provided he doesn't lash out at you for bringing up that memory. Anyway, don't bother with him. He only wants some alone time now."
They talked for another hour before Genji excused himself from the conversation and headed upstairs to his room. As he sat down on the bed, he noticed Celine had sent a message in the group chat regarding the issues from the previous night.
Celine: I've been doing some tests and I believe the substitution dolls use cause-and-effect principles. By linking one's casual relationship with a replacement target, one can transfer all the sustained damage or status effects without delay. It's a strong application of fate, but I haven't figured out how they did it. I will need to see one in action to make any more conclusions. As for the Horcruxes, I suspect it's based on the soul, but that's not my area of specialty.
The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.
Harper: Is there any way to cut this connection? I've faced a witch and she got away because of this.
Celine: Currently no. But this might change if you can get me footage of their abilities or the ingredients they use.
Zon: That's a hard request. I guess we won't be doing that anytime soon.
Enigma: I might have a way. Is anyone near Alder Town?
Harper: No.
Celine: I'm unfortunately a long way off. Maybe meet at Jonas Circle?
Ningui: I'm there right now and I don't recommend it. Place is a mess after a recent attack. You won't have time to investigate.
Dost: @Ningui You need help there? I can swing by if you need.
Ningui: Thanks for the offer, but I have it covered. Focus on the other regions instead.
Enigma: I guess this is a solo job then?
Zon: I guess. Let us know what you find.
Genji closed the chat and scratched Astros between the ears. "Looks like we have our work cut out for tomorrow."
Astros purred against his hand and closed his eyes in comfort. Genji maintained this position until Astros fell asleep, then entered a light meditation himself. The following morning, Genji set off with a compass in hand. To his surprise, the pointer directed him to the other side of town, not even a kilometer away. A witch was hiding right under the hunters' noses!
The target quickly realized they were being tracked and hastily took preemptive actions, losing Genji in the crowd. But Genji remained undeterred and closed his eyes to sense for any vigilant gazes. Little by little, he filtered out the irrelevant presences until only one remained. His eyes snapped open and he sprang toward his target.
With a violent kick, the door to a house burst open, revealing an empty room with wisps of black smoke swirling about. Faint traces of space fluctuations could be sensed in the air, confirming the escape method.
However, the lack of a commotion indicated that the witch couldn't have gone far—there was still a chance to catch them. Genji swept the lingering aura onto his compass and resumed his chase.
Startled townspeople gathered around as Genji rushed out of the building. Unwilling to be stalled by the crowd, Genji climbed onto the roof and began jumping between the buildings. His eyes scanned for any suspicious figures as he followed the compass pointer.
Since this tracking used a physical medium, the lock-on was stronger and harder to shake off. It would take the witch at least a dozen seconds to break free—seconds she didn’t have right now.
Genji eventually noticed the incongruous figure and fired several shots while falling from the roof. Streaks of cutting intent snaked through the region, latching onto and carving out large chunks of flesh. Screams erupted around them as the bystanders fled the scene.
An immense mental impact stunned the witch as Genji snapped her neck. Then without pause, he ripped off the limbs, shattered the organs, and stripped the body bare, followed by a meticulous douse of gasoline. Bruce finished the sequence with a lit matchstick and prepared for combat. They knew better than to let their guard down after everything they'd heard about the witches.
Seconds into the incineration, the witch's body dissipated into smoke and recondensed a few meters away. However, this ability came at a high cost. Patches of skin were missing from her face, her figure had become emaciated, and all her hair had fallen out. In exchange, she had regained her limbs and mobility.
The witch glared at Genji and launched balls of mist at the townspeople. She knew she couldn't defeat or escape from Genji, so she opted to drag as many people down with her as possible.
Blooms of blood intercepted these attacks as Genji burst forward. Daggers plunged into decaying flesh, consuming large chunks of vitality with each strike. Genji suppressed the witch on all fronts, eventually decapitating her despite her best efforts. The commotion gradually subsided, and nearby hunters rushed to the scene with raised weapons.
"What's going on here?" One hunter demanded, provoked by the uproar. "Why are you causing such a big scene in town?"
"I should be asking you that. Why is there a witch hiding here?" Genji retorted, flicking off the remaining smoke. "If it wasn't for me, she would have gotten away and instigated who knows what troubles."
The hunters exchanged awkward glances and reluctantly lowered their firearms. "Still, couldn't you have waited until she left to confront her? Don't you care about the possible casualties?"
"We both know that's a naive thought, so let's stop the conversation here. Putting aside whether I can catch her, do you think she would have left if I hadn't taken such drastic actions? No, she clearly had malicious intentions with how long she'd been lurking. It's better to remove the tumor now and endure a little pain than let it fester and destroy the whole body. Anyway, since you're here, you can deal with the aftermath. I've done my part." With those words, Genji stowed away the loot and walked off.
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Later that afternoon, the same gentleman from before approached Genji for a casual chat. "Wow, I didn’t expect you to sniff out a witch on your first day. You might even be on par with the Impaler in tracking. Looks like I made a joke of myself yesterday. I hope you didn’t laugh too hard behind my back."
"What is there to laugh about? Everything depends on accomplishments. Until one has proven themselves, it's normal to assume they are unimportant."
The man chuckled and waved to the bartender. "Well, aren’t you pragmatic? Tonight’s drinks are on me. Order whatever you want."
Genji cast a side-long glance his way and took another swig. "I haven’t paid a single coin since I got here. The drinks are free. How are you going to treat me?"
"Don’t be like that. That’s only the case for the first two shots. Drink some more."
"Sorry, but I prefer to stay sober, especially with the current situation. Witch and all, in a secure town."
*Sigh* "I should have expected as much. You and Sivan are cut from the same cloth—pure business and no celebration. Don’t you know how to unwind a little? Then let me get straight to the point. The witch’s house turned up empty. Do you know where her stuff went? We suspect there are some dangerous components in her stash and would prefer to dispose of them."
"I don’t know what you're talking about," Genji smoothly lied. "I haven’t been near her house since this morning. Why would I know anything about it?"
"Just a hunch. In that case, I won’t bother you any longer." The man got up and walked away.
Genji asked for another drink and slowly savored the mellow flavor. Afterward, he went up to his room and meditated until dinner time. But instead of going downstairs for a meal, he went into town. As he passed by a narrow alleyway, a small critter leaped onto his shoulder and snuggled against his neck.
"Good to have you back," Genji greeted Astros. "I assume everything went well?"
"Squeak squeak," Astros proudly replied.
Genji lightly smiled and scratched Astros behind the ears. "Then let’s eat something before we retrieve the stash."
Astros buried his face deeper into Genji’s neck and contently closed his eyes. An hour later, near nightfall, Genji stepped into a remote path outside of town and began digging. After several shovelfuls of dirt, the tip hit a metal box. Genji swept aside the surrounding material to reveal a trunk around 2 cubic meters in size.
Genji transferred the container into his storage, replaced the dirt, and casually walked back. Taking an alternate route, he arrived at the saloon from the opposite side and spotted Sivan on the balcony. Contrary to his previous strong appearance, Sivan was coughing into a bloody rag. The darkness of the night hid his figure from common eyes, but he failed to elude Genji’s senses.
Sivan let out a few strained coughs before wiping his face with a wet rag and retrieving an unlabeled bottle from his pouch. A strong medicinal smell wafted into Genji’s nose, followed by furrowed brows. Even with a rough analysis, Genji could tell the drug had a strong effect—so strong that it could easily overdose a normal person. By Genji’s fatality standard, he estimated Sivan had a 40% chance of death.
'What condition does he have to warrant something so potent? A severe injury? No, it doesn’t look like that. An illness? Maybe. I can't tell from this distance.'
Sivan chugged half the bottle and calmed his heaving chest. After stashing the bottle away, he leaned against the wooden railing and buried his face in his left hand. "I'm running low again," he muttered. "Will need to replenish my stock soon."
Genji walked around Sivan’s view and returned to his room as if nothing had happened. He organized the items from the witch and posted a picture in the group chat.
Enigma: I retrieved everything I could. Let me know if you need me to cooperate with any experiments.
Celine: Can you find out what properties each item has? A detailed record would be helpful.
Enigma: I'll have a rough outline by tomorrow morning and more details in the following days.
Celine: No rush. We all have things to do.
At that moment, 7156 posted a picture of a messy table full of items. The assortment of items was greater than Genji’s collection, and the background also included multiple instruments. One such vessel was a round tripod cauldron made of black cast iron, 2 meters tall and 2 meters in diameter. A large crack ran through the walls, releasing bright green goo onto the ground.
Below the picture, the caption read, "A witch’s hideout."
Celine: Excellent. Now we have two people on the case. 7156, talk with Enigma and figure out which materials he has. Skip those. Also, share your location. Anyone nearby can head over and help out. Enigma, if you can, teach 7156 how to analyze materials and write a scientific log. Let’s get this done so we can start hunting those witches.
Enigma: Sounds good. 7156, hop on a video call.
7156's name dimmed in the group chat, and seconds later, the expected call arrived. Genji unfolded the device into a large display and tapped his sheath. "Help me out, would you?" He then accepted the call and made a few gestures, roughly indicating that he couldn't make too much noise right now. 7156 nodded and panned his camera around his room, starting the information exchange.