Shadow Slave novel Chapter 1708

Chapter 1708: The Huntsman.

Rain had taken off her winter coat, her light armor, and even her military jacket, leaving only the henley and the wool vest on. No amount of armor was going to protect her from the Awakened Demon, so she wanted her movements to be as agile and unobstructed as possible. It seemed a little poetic, as if she was proclaiming that there would be no retreat, only victory… or death.

It was also a bit funny. Awakened warriors were often shown preparing mentally for battle while donning their armor, but she was doing the same while taking it off. Such was the pitiful life of a mundane hunter.

The preparations had long been complete, the traps were laid. All Rain had to do was venture into the depths of the forest and face the demon.

Taking a deep breath, she went through a series of stretching exercises. She had always been nimble, but after years of training under the sinister shadow, her flexible body was like that of a snake… no, a gymnast. A very graceful, limber gymnast! That was a much better mental image.

Still, she had to be careful when going all out. Her mundane flesh was lagging behind her skill and training, so it was easy to damage.

«What are you, a ballerina?»

Rain glared at her teacher silently.

«Didn't you once tell me that you're the best dancer in the world… two worlds, even? So who's the ballerina?»

He coughed.

«Well, uh… if your teacher said it, then it's true! There was this one time I danced with a princess at a ball, and immediately after, she dragged me into a private room. No, wait… or was it me who dragged her into a private room? In any case, the two of us ended up in a private room!»

Her teacher smiled wistfully.

«And let me tell you, what happened in that room… ah, it was nothing short of life-changing…»

Rain stared at him for a moment, then pretended to be sick.

«Old pervert…»

He was offended.

«Who are you calling old?! No, wait, who are you calling a pervert?!»

She did not deign to answer, shaking her head silently. At the same time, though… Rain noticed that her previous nervousness was almost entirely gone. She felt calm and ready, as if her teacher's familiar nonsense could magically make any situation, no matter how dire, seem mundane and ordinary as well.

Rain took a deep breath and checked her weapons one last time.

She had already stringed her bow, Her quiver was full of arrows — she had made the arrows herself, tashioning the arrowheads from the bones of Awakened abominations. Her Javelin was ready to be used, while her dagger was freshly sharpened.

Finally, there was her sword. She drew the tachi from the scabbard and studied its blade.

At that moment, her teacher suddenly spoke:

«Wait a moment. For this hunt… I'll lend you something better.»

He walked closer, and then bent down, reaching for the shadow of her sword.

In the next moment, something strange happened. Her teacher's hand seemed to reach into the ground and pull the shadow off it. Suddenly, her tachi didn't have a shadow anymore… however, there was an identical tachi in his hand, only made entirely of lusterless black steel.

Rain looked at it, suddenly feeling a cold chill run down her spine.

The black tachi… seemed sharp enough to cut the world in half, like a blade made of pure killing intent. It was as if she was looking at death itself.

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