Warning: Vamoe Hunter Lumen may contain scenes of graphic sexual situations. It is suggested for readers 18+ only. Though to be fair, at least a couple 16-17 year olds had the chance to read the original.
Episode 8: Risk (32%)
Preview: Umbra’s having a hard time going solo. Working a job at Onyx proves dangerous as she’s attacked by a werewolf. Her job is to kill the shape-shifting wolf-demon that cursed an entire classroom of kids, but it’s possible that the demon is one of the students!
Onyx Forest
Umbra: Uah, where is this damned village?
*awooooooo!*
Umbra: Kya! Wh-what was that?
From behind I heard something rush at me at high speed. I turned around just in time to defend myself from an attack by a wolf-demon. Unfortunately, I was easily pinned down due to my lack of weapons.
Umbra: Ugh! A wolf-demon? Why couldn’t I sense it?
It was all I could do to hold the demon’s jaw at bay. Maybe this is why Master always carried that rod with him… I always thought it was just for show.
Wolf Demon: Gaooo!
Umbra: Grr… Flame!
I used a low-level flame spell and ignited it in the wolf demon’s face. It howled in pain and ran off.
Umbra: Not so tough now, huh? Spirits of flame and wind, form arrows of-
???: Wait, don’t attack him!
Umbra: Huh?
Onyx Village
Umbra: So you’re the client, huh?
David: Yes. I’ll be blunt. That demon is a student of mine. He and the rest of my class were cursed by a shape-shifting wolf demon… Now, every full moon night like this, they transform and attack travelers.
Umbra: Oh, I must’ve misread the request or something. Sorry, but my partner handles curses, and he only does vampires.
David: This isn’t a request for a curse removal. Like it says, this is a demon hunter job.
Umbra: Wha?! But… didn’t you say…
David: Yes, all 50 of my students are affected.
Umbra: I’m not killing 50 innocent kids!
David: You don’t need to. We already attempted a curse removal, but the curse is bound by the life of the original demon. I don’t know what his or her motive is, but we know the demon has changed its form to that of one of my students.
Umbra: How do you know that?
In the morning I followed David to the school. As soon as we entered the room…
Umbra: !!! The Demonic Mana in here… it’s… incredible…
David: Yes. As you know, Cursed Humans, even in large numbers, don’t emanate much Demon Mana, but the presence here is enormous. So much, in fact, that we can’t determine its source. But as soon as class ends, its presence disappears. It’s like a direct challenge.
Umbra: So what do you want me to do?
David: Find out who the true demon is and kill it to stop the curse.
Umbra: Huh. So I guess failure means I kill an innocent… *sigh* This is gonna cost you.
Girl Student: Teacher! Who’s that woman?
David: Ah.. just a new aide, to help me out with the class for a while. This is Ms. Umbra.
Umbra: Oh… How do you do?
David: I hope you’ll be nice to her as she gets to know you all.
Students: Yes, teacher!
That setup certainly made this job easier for me. I spent the next few days getting to know each of the students to see if I could find any clues…
Umbra: So, how did you get the curse, Ren?
Ren: It was three months ago, I was bitten while playing in the forest with my sister Cathy.
Cathy: . . .
Umbra: Is this true?
Cathy: *nods*
Ren: She doesn’t talk much anymore.
Umbra: I see… Do you know who bit you?
Ren: No… We don’t retain any memories from when we’re in wolf form…
Umbra: Okay… Well, enough about that. What do you like to do in your free time?
Ren: I have to take care of Cathy, so…
Umbra: Bummer.
Lorelei: . . .
Umbra: . . .
Lorelei: . . .
Umbra: . . . why won’t you talk to me?
Lorelei: . . . who are you?
Umbra: An aide…
Lorelei: Are you David’s lover?
Umbra: Wh-what?! NO!
Lorelei: Liar! I saw you enter his place late at night!
Umbra: Huh? Wait, that was…
Lorelei ran off before I could explain myself.
Nina: Don’t worry about Lorrie. She has a stupid crush on David.
Umbra: Yeah, I figured. You’re Nina, right?
Nina: That’s right. I’m the top student, Nina! Smart, beautiful, and humble too!
Umbra: I can tell.
Nina: and I know you’re not a normal aide. You were sent to take care of our curse, weren’t you?
Umbra: Nothing gets by you, huh?
Nina: Actually, that was just a wild guess, but now I know!
Umbra: Ack…
Nina: Ha ha, don’t worry, it’s not like you’re the first one. But you know… I’m not sure just how much you’re going to get out of talking with us like this.
Umbra: Really? Why is that?
Nina: Let me speed up the process for you. Eventually you’ll figure out that there’s no trail for you to follow because everyone in the class was cursed in the same two days, three months ago. Not to mention we’ve all known each other for years since it’s a small village.
Umbra: Well then… How many of them are orphaned?
Nina: About half.
Umbra: What? Oh, man…
Nina: Well, good luck!
Umbra: Yeah…
Umbra continues trying to get to know the students, but just as Nina says, there are no leads. Eventually, Nina reveals a secret that the students have been hiding… something that happened several months ago…
Nina: David’s never going to love a half-demon like you!
Ren: Hey, that’s going too far!
Nina: Well, she should just give up already!
Lorelei: But… I…
Nina: Just give up! You’ve got no chance you idiot!
Lorelei: Grr… Rah!
*Lorelei pounces on Nina and scratches her face*
Nina: Aah! That hurts!
Lorelei: You… don’t ever say that again! If you were all demons too… it wouldn’t matter!
Umbra: Lorelei’s a half-demon? And everyone knows it?
Nina: Yup! But David says she can’t be the one. He’s just trying to protect her.
Umbra: (Is she? No… I don’t think she’d go that far…)
Umbra’s suspicions prove true. She saves Lorelei from an attack by the true demon: Nina! As it turns out, the shape-shifter demon Nina also loved David and was jealous of Lorelei, so she used her powers and demonic arts in an attempt to turn everyone against her. While Lorelei fights back, Umbra uses her Flame Arrows to kill Nina and break the curse.