"We need to find cover fast! ," Jarren while escaping "We can't keep running out in the open like this."
Both of them decided to stick to the road, well aware that jumping from one building to another would be too eye-catching.
Such a feat would generate too much shockwaves, essentially painting a target on their backs for a demon lord like Reign to easily track them down.
The blond hunter named Marlon nodded, his face pale and filled with pain. "There—an alley up ahead."
"Alright... But are you okay?" Jarren asked, glancing back at his teammate, who was struggling to keep up.
"I'll manage," Marlon replied through gritted teeth.
He clutched his side, wincing with every step as the pain from his wounds and broken ribs had slowed him down.
His rune regenerative abilities had already activated, but since it was of lower quality and he hadn't fully absorbed it like Nekola, its effect wasn't as powerful.
Finally, they reached a somewhat safe place in their opinion, and they began to heal themselves while keeping watch on each other's blind spots.
"I can't believe we got played like a fool by a demon," Jarren muttered, clicking his tongue in annoyance. His body was far tougher than the rest, so he was in better condition.
"Seriously," Marlon replied with a shake of his head. "We just let our guards down, and ended up like this!,"
Jarren scowled, his frustration evident. "We underestimated that demon," he admitted grudgingly.
"Don't worry, a lot of people do," Reign's voice echoed mockingly from the sky as he flew casually above them.
"Fuck!" Jarren cursed out as the two hunters quickly stood up and gripped their katanas.
Reign's smirk widened, savoring the thrill of the chase.
"Come on, show me what you've got!" Reign taunted, his voice echoing sadistically.
The two hunters exchanged a glance, their faces contorted. They knew they had to do something drastic to survive.
Jaren took a deep breath, gathering his remaining strength. "We need to split up and report this. He can't follow both of us," he said, his voice strained.
Marlon nodded, wincing from his broken ribs. "Got it. Stay safe."
With that, they broke off in different directions, hoping to confuse Reign.
But Reign did not mind at all.
He extended his wings and surged forward, choosing to follow Marlon.
This choice often results in hunters inadvertently exposing weaknesses in their defense, as they prioritize speed over power in their desperate attempts to fend off threat
'I'll take you down with me,' Marlon gritted his teeth as he begrudgingly sacrificed the rune inside his body.
He raised his hands, took a deep breath, and then inhaled another layer of air.
Energy erupted from him, crackling and swirling around him like a flaming vortex.
His skin flushed a deep crimson color, veins pulsating with power as if they were rivers of molten lava beneath his flesh.
The ground beneath his feet glowed with a fierce orange hue, the floor itself succumbing to the blistering heat radiating from his body.
'Oh, this is the same one that Arc used before,' Reign thought to himself, recognizing the technique.
"Demon, do you know what this state is?" Marlon spoke as he raised his katana above him.
The fear in his eyes was gone, replaced by a calm acceptance of his fate.
After activating this ability, his chance of living was zero so he no longer have to worry about his life.
With the fear of death gone, all his senses was now heightened, and devoid of distraction.
"I don't have a clue at all," Reign shook his head while he materialized two skull grinders in his hands.
He could tell that Marlon had undergone a major power-up, so he felt it was only right to get a little bit serious.
"Rune Overload, this is my last resort. I will die either way, so I'm killing you for the sake of humanity while I'm at it," he responded, each of his words releasing a breath hot enough to melt a person's face.
He could barely contain the temperature.
"Does this Rune Overload thing also make you talkative?" Reign chuckled, but inside, he was curious to see what would happen next.
If he got lucky, the dying hunter could show him some advanced techniques that he could copy, like Stream Guide.
Marlon ignored the taunting. He knew that the demon in front of him was just trying to get into his head, but it was alright, because he also need time.
He focused inward, feeling the intense heat building up within him, each heartbeat increasing the blood flow.
Sweat evaporated up his brow as the temperature around him continued to rise, the air crackling with the intensity of his power.
Every breath he took felt like inhaling flames, searing his lungs with each inhalation.
With his sword ready for action, he stood in a wide stance, his right foot planted firmly forward, while his left foot remained behind.
"Fire Drake Breathing Technique...." Marlon's voice echoed, his words hanging in the air like an impending calamity.