Genji was promoted again when he returned to the branch. With this promotion, the vampire hunters asked him to meet them in a specific town to receive his rewards. Genji considered letting this opportunity go, as it sounded troublesome, but Lazul convinced him otherwise.
"You don't want to miss out on this reward. It will be a big help in your travels."
That's how Genji took his silver plate necklace and embarked on a long journey. Fortunately, due to his recent massacre, his body still reeked of vampire blood, discouraging any pests from approaching him. Who were they kidding? This hunter had such a heavy smell of blood on him. Unless they were suicidal, they would run in the other direction upon smelling that.
After much traveling, Genji arrived at a town with a stone wall. Genji knew this was a major town from its polished exterior and vigilant guards on the wall. After showing his tag and explaining his purpose, he was led to a barn.
"Just what is this reward?" He asked the hunter.
"You'll see," she replied with a gentle smile. "John, you have another guest!"
After her call faded, a middle-aged man walked out.
"Yes, I've been informed. Welcome, Hunter Enigma. The reward is right inside."
"Inside? How strange. This is a barn, right?"
John flashed a smile but said nothing. Moments later, Genji stood in front of a large horse that possessed carnassial teeth typical of carnivores instead of the rectangular teeth of an average horse. Pairing this with its lush black mane and hide that wrapped around its steel-like muscles, Genji knew this was a ferocious beast.
Genji looked at the horse in confusion as it munched down on a piece of fresh bloody meat, wondering how something could give off the presence of a vampire so strongly.
"This is Bruce, a nightbane," John explained.
"Nightbane?"
"Yes, a species of horse that has adapted to vampire blood and mutated to become like this. They are aggressive, but taming one means you have a valuable companion to carry you into battle. Of course, nightbanes only acknowledge the strong, which is why only silver-ranked hunters and higher can obtain one. If they are any weaker, they might be killed by its violent movements. See if you can subdue it."
"Before that, can you explain what you mean by adopting vampire blood? Aren't they supposed to be toxic to humans?"
"Under normal circumstances, yes. But now and then, there's someone who mutates after surviving vampire blood exposure. They gain strength from the mutation but take on characteristics of vampires. Depending on how much they are affected by the blood, they also develop different problems."
Genji understood what John was getting at. Isn't taking in vampire blood one of the methods of becoming a vampire? Of course, there are some rituals needed for someone to turn safely, but that's not the point.
Things never end well when vampire hunters take on vampire characteristics. Because of the high exposure to the blood, it was only a matter of time until these mutations started again, making the hunter more vampiric.
Once that happens, the hunters will obtain similar weaknesses as vampires, including but not limited to the silver solution they constantly use, without the blood arts. It was like they obtained all their problematic traits without getting their main strength, making this a terrible trade.
That was not to mention the changes in personality such an unstable form might develop. No matter how sane someone thought they were, some factors will cause the hunter to lose control.
But if someone were willing to accept all these flaws, then the hunter would obtain a stronger body, if only for a short time before they lose themselves to it. This was why most of the hunters mutated by vampire blood chose to attack vampire lairs and go out in glory.
Since they would become a monster anyway, they preferred to contribute before becoming a danger to their comrades. Just the idea of cutting down their families or friends that way was more than enough to convince them to fight in their last moments.
On the bright side, these hunters typically possessed bodies stronger than any of the gold-ranked hunters. The difference was so significant that they coined a makeshift rank above gold.
Although the Platinum-ranked hunters never got a corresponding tag, their names were carved into the Stone of Honor, forever remembered as heroes who fought against the vampires. It was only through these sacrifices that the hunters were able to fight for so long against their outmatched opponents.
"So all I need to do is prove my strength, right?" Genji asked, walking next to the horse. The creature looked at Genji and bared its sharp canines, not thinking highly of him.
"Yes, but it's not an easy process. Hunters can take weeks before they earn their nightbane's acknowledgment."
"Was that so?" Genji asked, unleashing all the bloodthirst and killing intent that he had suppressed. After his massacres in these past worlds, his killing intent had reached unbelievable levels. Sensing this immense change, the nightbane went into shock and trembled under Genji's gaze.
To Bruce, Genji felt more like a devil who had walked out of hell. No, not even a devil felt this intimidating to the simple-minded nightbane. Just where did this guy come from? How many had he killed to accumulate such a presence? Was he really human and not a vampire butcher who slaughtered through the ages?
Genji smiled and brought his hand up to comb the nightbane's mane, intensifying the creature's tremors.
"I like this guy. He's strong."
"How rare. Not many had such a presence, so it didn't surprise me that he acknowledged you," John said with cold sweat.
"I'll leave him here for now. After I visit the branch in this place, I'll come back for him."
"That's fine as well. I'll get things ready for you until then."
Genji left the barn on the outskirts of town and headed out to gather some information. This, unexpectedly, proved to be quite easy, as when he walked in, he was met with a wall of posters. Many people surrounded the bulletin board, reading and picking up missions that seemed feasible for them.
Since this place was the central hub for this area, countless mission requests gathered here, all requesting reinforcements. Any passing hunter read these as they restocked, allowing them to understand the happenings around the region.
"Vampire infestation near Goteth town. A group of hunters is requested."
"Long-term station needed. Earl town has suffered massive casualties and needs some hunters until more are recruited."
"Baron coven spotted. A strong force is needed to eradicate them."
Piles of missions related to hunters were posted on this board. From minor missions that people could accept at any time to urgent ones, it was fair to say this board had everything.
Genji continued to scan the board until he found one that caught his attention.
"Numerous people had disappeared in Zerath town. The cause was unknown, but it was suspected that vampires were behind it. Please investigate and stop the cause."
Unlike the missions that had a clear objective, this one was very unorthodox. With a vague statement and unknown enemies, it was very hard to determine the danger levels. Because of that, this mission had been neglected by most of the hunters here. They might be brave, but they weren't stupid.
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Yet it was this very mission that attracted Genji's attention. Since everything was so mysterious, maybe he could find something. If not, at least he had something to do instead of sitting around.
With his mind made up, Genji reached out to peel the parchment off the wall. Then he walked to the desk to register it.
"Thank you for taking this mission. It had been there for so long, but no one accepted it. I was getting worried about the town's condition, but we didn't have the manpower to help everyone," the assistant said, relief evident on his face.
"How long, if you don't mind me asking."
"At least three years. I don't know exactly, as it had been there since I started."
"And the town never said anything?"
"They did, but the local hunters didn't make a big deal out of it. It was only occasional disappearances with seemingly no danger, leaving them more baffled than anything. From the updates they sent, it seemed like everything was fine. I think they were testing their luck and informing everyone rather than hoping for reinforcements."
"I see. Then I'll go check out the situation."
After Genji restocked his supplies, he returned to the barn to pick up Bruce. John led the nightbane outside his stable and strapped a saddle on the back.
"Before I forget, let me tell you about his diet. As you can tell, nightbanes are carnivorous creatures that subsist on raw meat. Don't bother cooking it. They need the blood to help sustain their strength. In fact, if you have the chance, feed him vampire blood in small amounts. This will make him stronger as his body adapts to it."
"The more I hear about nightbanes, the stranger they sound," Genji remarked.
"That's just how things were."
With this, Genji led Bruce outside of town before getting on. Then they galloped towards the distant town.
----------------------------------------
Days later, Genji arrived at the outskirts of Zerath town. This town was unlike any Genji had seen before. First, there was no fence or guards to keep out unwanted intruders. Genji could stroll through the place without anyone stopping him. It really made him wonder how they maintained security.
Secondly, a thick fog blanketed the area, further obscuring the darkness. People hurried from one location to another, afraid to stay outside for long. Everything about this place exuded a moody atmosphere that accentuated the mysterious disappearances.
Genji dismounted and walked around, hoping to ask someone for directions. However, it was difficult, as everyone avoided him with distrustful eyes. Every time he tried to approach someone, they quickly walked away. He also found it strange that he only found men wandering the streets instead of the balanced gender ratio of other towns.
After some efforts, he managed to corner a villager to answer his questions.
"I mean no harm. I was here to investigate the missing cases this town reported. Can you tell me anything about it?" Genji asked, flashing his tag.
Seeing his high status, the person relaxed and explained the situation.
"Most of the people disappeared around the Weeping Hills outside of town. There have also been rare disappearances in the town itself. That's all I know. Can you let me go now? It's not safe to be outside."
Despite the questionable last statement, Genji let him go. It was no surprise the villager felt this way given the circumstances.
As a starting point, Genji decided to investigate the Weeping Hills the person mentioned.
After riding for a few minutes, he came across a hill with fog denser than anything he had seen before. It was so thick that it hindered his perception, making it unnerving to explore.
Genji left Bruce outside this area and trudged deeper. The nightbane refused to enter, and Genji didn't feel like coaxing right now.
The heavy fog clogged his nostrils with a damp smell, further numbing his senses to the surroundings. A few minutes later, ghastly wails echoed around him. With each step he took, these screams grew in intensity, doing their best to terrify any trespassers.
Pairing this with the rustling of tree branches and the scurrying of footsteps around him, a weak-willed person would have been driven to a panicked sprint. And all of these unsettling sounds were only further amplified by the silence of the fog.
Genji drew his weapons, ready to defend himself, and continued walking. After a while, the ghastly wails became deafening as Genji approached their source. His grip tightened, and his muscles tensed up, ready to spring into action.
Yet the source of these terrifying sounds was not what he expected. In front of Genji, a large withered tree with a hole in the trunk stood. As the chilly night air blew through it, the whistling of the wind was distorted to produce these spine-tingling sounds. Understanding this, Genji's body relaxed, but that doesn't discount the eerie atmosphere of this place.
Questions formed in his mind as the creepiness of this place poked at him.
Why was this tree withered, and how did that hole form? No matter how he thought about it, this place didn't seem naturally created, so who carved those holes?
To confirm his suspicion, Genji followed the wails from another direction, leading him to a similar tree. At his approach, a few raccoons climbed out of the hole and scurried away.
Genji ignored them and continued to explore the area, searching for anything he could call a clue, but had no results.
'I don't think I will find anything useful like this.'
Genji took out the fox badge and activated its tracking effect.
"Track a random person in this area."
Genji hoped this effect would lead him to a potential culprit, but the badge failed.
[No targets meet the requirement.]
It's important to note that the effect failed because there was no one to track, not because it was unable to. This difference implied that should someone enter the area, Genji would be able to catch them. Unfortunately, the effect was now on cooldown, making that idea impossible.
Genji took out a vial of green liquid and uncorked it. As the liquid made contact with the air, it evaporated into green gas that blended with the surrounding fog. This was a variation of Genji's infectious poison that clung to anyone who breathed it in. Unlike its deadly cousin, this one only hibernates inside the body with no way to activate.
One can even say it's harmless, making it much cheaper to produce. But it didn't need to have an effect. Its sole purpose was to synergize with his Fox badge, becoming a target for tracking. This was Genji's workaround in case the badge failed.
For now, Genji would set the bait and return later. Perhaps he could find someone with this method. After all, anyone entering this area would be suspicious.
After spreading some more vials around the area, Genji returned to the resting Bruce. It wasn't often that the nightbane got such a peaceful break after following Genji.
They returned to town and decided to visit the local hunters. After receiving some odd looks, Genji was guided to a run-down building.
Upon entering, the hinges produced a jarring screech, causing the few people inside to look up. Seeing the emptiness of this place, Genji frowned. Compared to the other branches, this place was very barren.
Cobwebs adorned the corners, and small holes allowed critters to enter as they pleased. Many of the wooden furniture pieces had splinters and uncomfortable abrasions from neglect. A few termites nibbled on some of the chairs where hunters sat, but their listless faces indicated that they didn't care about it.
"Only a few of you?" Genji asked, his confusion evident.
"A new face. I never thought anyone would stop by these parts," a hunter with dark eye bags muttered.
"I accepted the mission to investigate the missing cases. Can anyone tell me the details of the situation?"
"Oh! I can help you with that," a pale young man behind the counter said, waving to Genji. "You know, I didn't think anyone would ever accept that request."
"I'm not surprised. A little off-topic, but aren't you a little too young to manage the branch?"
Under normal circumstances, the person behind the counter was typically someone who communicated with the relay towns. Almost all of them were capable hunters with a good understanding of the organization and the ability to make the best decisions in important situations.
However, such positions usually required experience, which was why most of these managers were older hunters who had retired for various reasons.
"Yeah, but we don't have much of a choice right now. I'm one of the few willing to take this position."
"One of the few? What happened here?"
The person took a deep breath to gather his thoughts before recounting the events that led to this situation.
"Everything started around 7 years ago. We had people go missing when they worked in the fields. At the time, we didn't think much of it, but then it escalated. By the time we noticed, about 10% of the town had disappeared. Our local hunters went to investigate, but they also went missing. With no other option, my father had to request help."
"Your father?"
"Yes, but he passed away from an illness a while back, so I had to take over."
"So what happened after that?"
"Many hunters accepted the mission and came to investigate the area, but they met the same fate. After a while, the hunters recognized the pattern and stopped accepting the quest. That was about four years ago."
"And these disappearances have continued since then?"
"Yes. Hunters are typically the ones who go missing, but sometimes, it's the women of the town."
"Women?" Genji asked, noticing the peculiar specification.
"Yes. For some reason, about 70% of the recent disappearances have been women. It's gotten so bad that only men leave their homes, and even then, they're taking a huge risk."
With this explanation, Genji understood why the hunters appeared so listless. Who wouldn't when they were in such danger? As for new recruits, that was impossible right now. No one wanted to join when it would only increase the chances of being targeted. Things were already bad enough, so why make them worse?
"What a strange phenomenon. That aside, do you have any leads or places I could start investigating?"
Hearing his question, the young man looked at him with newfound respect.
"You're still willing to do this after understanding everything?"
"Yes. There's no reason to back out now," Genji affirmed.
"That's great. Unfortunately, I can't help you with any leads. Maybe you can ask the veteran hunters."
"Thanks, then."
As Genji stepped back from the desk, a veteran hunter beckoned to him.
"I heard that you accepted the mission?" He asked in a low voice as Genji approached. When Genji nodded, the man continued.
"Then I have a place for you to start. When I was young, I found an abandoned castle on the side of a cliff. It was in ruins, but the walls were something else. I've had many people visit that place, but none of them returned. Maybe it's related to the mission."
"Mark it on the map, and I'll check it out."