After a full night of work, Genji compiled and submitted the necessary report to the group chat before preparing to leave town. He had completed the preliminary work, but further testing would require varying levels of ruckus. It would be more productive to conduct these experiments in the wild, away from the witch hunters' scrutiny.
As Genji descended the stairs, he noticed that the usual drunkard in the corner was absent. The man had left late last night, and no one knew where he had gone. Sivan had also departed earlier that day at dawn to gather ingredients for his medicine.
Genji nodded to the hunter who had chatted with him and informed the bartender about his departure. Once they were away from the town, Genji handed Astros another stick and arbitrarily determined their next direction. The journey lasted two days before he spotted the dim light of oil lamps in the distance, which stood out like a sore thumb, attracting all sorts of unwanted attention.
One such case was a gruff man who rode away with a loosely wrapped bundle strapped to the back of his horse. The man rode with such haste that it seemed as if the devil was chasing him, going so far as to ignore the gunshots behind him.
The jostling from the breakaway loosened the bundle, causing a dainty hand to fall out. This hand flapped limply with the galloping motion, scattering specks of freshly dug-up dirt beneath it.
By now, the man had already left Genji's sight, so he rode toward the light source first. As he got closer, he saw another man kneeling by a fallen gravestone. A large crater was by his feet, testifying to the blasphemy that occurred minutes prior. Several of the grave robber's companions also lay around him, each killed by a single bullet through the head.
The man looked up with an unfriendly gaze, his hand reaching for his fallen revolver. However, he recognized Genji and stopped just before pulling the trigger. Genji recognized him as well. They weren't exactly acquaintances, but they had seen each other back at the hunter town. It was Old Bill, the grieving drunkard of the saloon.
"What are you doing here?" Old Bill asked with a rough voice.
"Just passing by. You seem to have your own troubles right now."
"I wish it were something that simple, but we might have more trouble than you think. That was no normal body they took."
"How so? Other than it not decomposing."
Instead of answering Genji, Old Bill uncorked a bottle of whiskey and took a big swig. He smacked his lips a few times to savor the aftertaste before looking absentmindedly into the distance. "Tell me youngling, how much do you know about the strongest witches?"
"I know they're hard to kill and have an endless number of tricks. Haven't fought one myself yet though, so I can't say for certain."
"Then let me tell you. The easiest way is to incapacitate and bury them alive. Put a stake through their heart, throw them into an airtight coffin, and let them suffocate. They'll be helpless to resist. You will have to deal with their incessant curses throughout the process, though." Although he described a cruel act, there was a hint of reminiscent sadness on his face.
Genji gave him a few moments before asking the main question on his mind. "What about Horcruxes? Can't they revive from that?"
"Who knows? In all my years, I haven't encountered a witch who survived this treatment." Old Bill took another swig from his bottle, trying to hide the growing sadness in his eyes.
Genji was speechless at Old Bill's logic. Of course, he hadn’t! If he was strong enough to put the witch in that situation in the first place, he was strong enough to do it again. Even if the witch survived, she wouldn't appear in front of him again, especially after all that trauma. And if one did appear, he wouldn't be alive right now given how vengeful they could be.
However, this remark did spark some ideas about the Horcruxes' true nature. Given how long Old Bill had been around, it is fair to assume he'd encountered a decent number of witches. Yet what are the chances that none of them tried to get revenge on him? Although the method might be peculiar, there must be some element of truth to it. The question lies in which part, and how to confirm it.
'I'll just relay this information and let the others think about it.'
"So how does this relate to grave robbery?" Genji asked after several seconds.
"When you kill a witch this way, you preserve their bodies. There's no airflow or critters that can eat away at it. The stronger they are in life, the longer this period lasts. You can even say their remains are agglomerations of curse energy, a powerful resource in the right hands. If used correctly, one can even access their powers for a brief period. And this one has been here for years."
Genji's eyes narrowed at this revelation. Several points didn't line up. If that was the case, why didn't they-
"Don't look at me like that. The witch hunters won't use this method," Old Bill interrupted his thoughts. "Nothing good ever comes from dealing with witches. That saying is as old as time here. It's not just the hunters but those around them who are at risk when they use this power. Misfortune plagues them like shadows. One wrong move and a whole region disappears off the map. It's simply not a worthwhile trade."
"Sounds like we have a brewing disaster in the midst. I assume you'll gather hunters for this?"
"That'll take too long. We don't have the time right now. I would appreciate it if you could join me. We'll go after them right away."
"I don't mind, but are you in any condition to fight after all that drinking?"
Old Bill grinned at Genji and patted a large holster by his waist. "I might be a drunk and old enough to be the Impaler's father, but I'm still a veteran hunter. I can hold my own against them."
"You'll need a horse, then. Mine isn't that keen on strangers."
"That's easy," Old Bill said, bringing his fingers to his mouth and letting out a sharp whistle that echoed into the distance. Seconds later, a brown horse with a saddle galloped into view.
The horse stopped a few meters away and nervously shuffled its legs, clearly disturbed by Bruce's strange presence. There was just something about this red cousin that triggered its instincts. Bruce repaid the favor with a curious look, wondering why a fellow horse could be so timid.
*Sigh* 'Horses these days. Just aren't as brave as they used to be. Seems like I'm still the best,' Bruce thought, a sense of pride swelling in his chest.
"Now now. It's okay," Old Bill said in a soothing voice, stroking the mane of the distressed stead. This process took a few minutes before Old Bill pulled himself up. "Alright, I'm ready."
"You know where their hideout is?"
"I have a rough guess. There's only one place that allows them to avoid the hunter's attention."
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After some travel, they arrived at an abandoned mine carved into the mountainside. The entrance was boarded up with wooden planks, from which a metal sign warning of potential hazards hung. Just as Old Bill began searching for an alternative way in, Genji placed his hand on the barricade and channeled his cutting intent. With a single flash, a door-sized opening was neatly carved out.
"That works as well," Old Bill said with a light grin.
They waited for the dust to settle before walking through. Old railroads and a dusty minecart full of coal entered their view. They followed the railroads and gradually descended into the mountain. Newly opened food cans and animal bones soon appeared, indicating they were at the right place.
A ghastly bellow echoed from below, followed by the echo of approaching footsteps. Old Bill swiftly drew a revolver, but Genji stepped forward and pushed the muzzle down. "Let me. Wouldn't want to risk a dust explosion right now."
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
Old Bill obliged and returned the gun to his holster. Seconds later, a swarm of deathly white humanoids dashed into view. Their claws and the corners of their mouths were smudged with dried blood, testifying to their recent feast.
Genji moved forward at a comfortable pace as if taking a casual stroll rather than confronting a pack of monsters. The creatures lunged at him, claws poised to tear him apart when they suddenly froze mid-air. Genji stepped past their falling bodies as geysers of blood erupted behind him. Yet, before a single drop could touch him, the blood veered away, racing toward the entrance where Bruce was trailing them.
'So that's why Janice was so scared. That's not a normal horse,' Old Bill thought, pulling his hat down.
Bruce joined Genji and they resumed their descent. Genji cut down more monsters along the way until they reached the main area at the bottom. Many branching tunnels stretched out around them, but the agitated energy emanating from one path made their choice evident.
As they walked down the dimly lit tunnel, Old Bill drew his signature weapon, a pistol with a barrel so thick that it was practically a hand cannon. Light glimmers of golden circuits peaked out from the barrel interiors, indicating its might despite its strange weight balance.
As they advanced through the dimly lit tunnel, Old Bill drew his signature weapon—a pistol with a barrel so thick it was practically a hand cannon. Faint golden circuits glimmered from within the barrel, hinting at its formidable power despite its peculiar weight distribution.
A faint smell of burnt sulfur wafted through the air as the walls began to glow with a reddish hue. In the distance, incomprehensible chanting echoed, revealing a group of outlaws gathered around the stolen body. One person brought a knife to the side of their neck and yanked hard, splattering blood onto the body. The others followed and swiftly collapsed with content gazes.
Old Bill's eyes dilated at this strange scene and agitatedly fired at the body. His hand jerked back from the powerful recoil, but he refused to stop as if haunted by a past memory.
"It's too late," the leader declared with a sinister laugh. "The ritual has already begun. You can't stop it now." Smoke rose from the corpse, coiling around his body and forming an expanding energy coat.
The energy twisted his joints unnaturally, warping his limbs like splintered wood. The skin on his face peeled away, exposing decaying flesh and ashen bones. With a gaze brimming with megalomania and arrogance, he tilted his head back and reveled in his newfound strength. "So this is power. So this is invincibility."
*Sigh* "Another fool who lost himself in pursuit of power. These witches sure know how to cause trouble even when they're dead," Old Bill muttered in a resigned tone.
"What do you know? I'm not like you cowardly hunters—having powerful tools but not daring to use them. I am brave! I am almighty!" The leader spread his twisted arms as if basking in imaginary glory.
"And the worst part is that he doesn't even know what he's done," Old Bill continued, ignoring the delusion leader. "Seriously, why does this always come back to torment me? How many times must I kill her?"
"I don't know what you're talking about, but I assume it has something to do with that body? What's the catch for using this power? You seem especially familiar with this witch." Genji asked, subtly positioning himself for a surprise attack.
"Not just familiar. Much more," Old Bill answered before raising his voice at the leader. "Show yourself, Gina. I know you can hear me!"
At his demand, portions of smoke drifted from the leader's back and congregated into a female apparition. Her exact features couldn't be seen, but her presence still evoked a sense of unease. The leader remained ignorant of this change and taunted Old Bill for his words when he suddenly let out a painful scream.
"It's been a long time, darrrrrlllliiiiinnnggg," the apparition stretched out the last word, causing Old Bill to wince in pain. "I hope you missed me."
"You...you...Who are YOU!" The leader yelled out before Old Bill could answer.
"How rude. You take a girl's most precious first time and you have the audacity to ask her who she is? You are worse than a beast," the apparition said in a teasing voice.
"WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME!?!" The leader roared again.
"Alright, that's enough out of you. You've served your purpose. Now quiet down." At those words, the leader's eyes bulged like a dying fish out of water before they abruptly dimmed. His head slumped at an awkward angle, and his limbs unraveled like frayed rope. Yet despite this, his body remained standing, frozen in place like a lifeless puppet awaiting its master's command.
Old Bill sighed again, shook off his lingering feelings, and pulled the trigger. At the same time, Genji kicked off the ground, appearing behind the leader before the bullet even hit its mark. His daggers were extended outward, approaching the end of their attack trajectory.
The next moment, the impact took effect, causing the leader to jerk violently from side to side. With each abrupt change in direction, wounds appeared, but no blood flowed out. The body had been completely refined into a puppet, so how could there be any blood left? After 39 rapid pulses, the previously fired bullet harmless passed through the apparition.
The apparition reached out at Genji with a chilly touch, but he instinctively twisted out of the way. His dagger sliced through the outstretched arm, but that only resulted in a thick layer of frost coating his blade. Another bullet passed through the apparition's head, distracting her long enough for Genji to slide away.
Genji briefly evaluated the transparent figure before charging back in. His daggers swiped across every body part, probing for a weakness. However, the result remained unchanged. At this moment, a quiet groan sounded from the fallen puppet leader. Black threads stretched across his wounds and sewed the body together. Then it stumbled back onto its feet and limped toward Genji like a zombie.
As it drew closer, it raised both arms and slammed into the ground with immense force. Jagged rock shards flew in all directions, leaving deep indents in the walls. Genji relied on his impeccable footwork to bypass these projectiles and continue his offensive strikes.
As the battle raged on, Genji's mind raced to make sense of the bizarre situation. 'She’s completely unaffected. Energy, physical attacks, and even cutting intent have no effect. What’s her weakness? There must be a breakthrough point. Think, Genji. What is she trying to hide?'
His gaze darted around the tunnels and inadvertently locked onto the witch's original body. It was vastly different from before, pulsating with a sinister dark glow that all but confirmed the connection between the apparition’s immortality and her physical form.
Without hesitation, Genji appeared beside the body and drove his dagger into the chest, unleashing a blinding column of light. A dark barrier materialized around the body, absorbing the brunt of the attack's force. However, this was not the only thing that appeared. Connecting the apparition to her mortal coil was a black chain that radiated pure malice.
Genji slashed at the chain with his other hand, but the dagger bounced off after gouging out a small chunk. However, despite its resilience, the chain couldn't endure the attacks for long. After all, the sharpness Genji developed over his entire journey was nothing to scoff at. By a rough estimate, it would take 3 to 4 more strikes to break the chain.
This realization sparked a wave of panic in the witch, prompting her to hurl three curse bolts at him in quick succession. With each projectile, her apparition grew more transparent and her dark aura lighter in color.
Genji grabbed the chain and swung it into the projectiles, shattering them. However, a rising sense of crisis told him the attack was far from over. Releasing his grip, Genji jumped back and narrowly dodged a newly emerged bolt from the chain. The next moment, Genji found himself springing off the ground with a single-handed as the other two bolts grazed his leg.
Genji spun midair and unleashed a razor-sharp kick at the chain. Another chip broke off as shadow flames wrapped and compressed into Genji's daggers. A block of energy formed beneath him, acting as a foothold and allowing Genji to burst forward.
Two crescent arcs dug into the chain, leaving visible cracks in its surface. Tendrils of resentment rose around him, seeking to envelop Genji before he could completely sever the connection.
At that moment, Old Bill fired a carefully aimed shot at the damaged intersection. The chain grew taut, and Genji shifted his next course of action. Instead of deploying a quantum barrier, Genji opted for a decisive kick. Metal ground against metal in a shower of sparks until the chain finally snapped.
The witch gasped in pain and the tendrils around Genji dissipated. Her apparition dimmed, the puppet collapsed for good, and her body rapidly withered. In a matter of seconds, her body transformed from a young woman with plump skin to an old hag with countless wrinkles. No matter how impressive her means were, there was no way to come back from this.
"I'm...glad...you...were...the...one...to...land...the...final...blow," the witch muttered in Old Bill's direction. Then she faded away as her body scattered into ash, having completed the cycle of decay instantly. The only objects left behind were the wooden stake previously stabbed into her chest and the bullets from Old Bill's gun.
Old Bill stared somberly at this scene and covered his reddening eyes. Soft sniffles full of heartache sounded from his throat as he choked back audible sobs. This reaction was particularly sad because he knew they were parting for good this time. And he was the one to send her off.
[You have slain Remnant Soul of Gina (Mini-Boss)]
[Your maximum energy has increased by 43 points.]
[You have obtained 469 realm coins.]
[You have obtained Soul Anchoring Stake]
[Soul Anchoring Stake]
Rating: Rare
Durability: 34/60
Effect: Trap the soul of anyone stabbed by to their body.
Description: An ordinary wooden stake that gained extraordinary powers when witch Gina used it to bind her soul to her body, thus extending her existence.
Note 1: Use it smartly and it may save your life. Of course, this depends on your definition of living, as your physical body will certainly be dead.
Note 2: Its use case is so peculiar that you might be better off using it as firewood. At least it'll make some good s'mores.
Note 3: If you do intend to use it, beware of the dried blood on the tip. Might want to clean it first.
Genji gave Old Bill some time to recompose himself before approaching and picking up the stake. "Mind if I take this as a souvenir?"
Old Bill discreetly wiped away his tears, shook his head, and mustered a cheerful tone. "Go ahead. In fact, I'll do you one better." He walked over to a piece of ore that had broken off during their fight and handed it to Genji along with a map. "Take this and go meet an old friend of mine. He’ll give you something valuable in exchange."
Genji held his stare for a few moments before graciously accepting. "In that case, I'll thank you ahead of time. It was pleasant working with you. I hope we get another chance to team up."
"Yes... Yes, I hope we do."
With that, Genji turned away from Old Bill's stiff smile and made his way to the exit, leaving the veteran hunter to himself.