Following behind Ange’s tall figure as she entered the bar, Ingrid Beltans appeared even more reserved, and this time, those looking at her weren’t even human, but all sorts of demons.
Nearly everyone sitting in the bar drinking wasn’t human—either Minotaur Demons with horns on their heads, or Liquid Men who looked like slimes, or even Shadow Demons, just a mass of shadow.
Can he even drink? Ingrid wondered.
“Oh? Rare sight—two humans at once.”
The Minotaur Demon drinking from what could hardly be called a cup—more like a bucket—snorted out hot air from his nose, making the first comment about the pair.
“Hey, watch your mouth. See that Badge? They’re from the Demon Hunter Academy.”
The shadow beside the Minotaur Demon put down his glass and leaned close to his ear to speak, though his voice was anything but soft.
In fact, it sounded like he was saying it more for Ange and Ingrid to hear than the Minotaur Demon.
“What’s the Academy doing here? What, here to hunt us?”
“No way, the Academy’s already negotiated with us. As long as we don’t cause trouble, they won’t bother us. These two might just be here to drink?”
“Heh! What’s the matter! Think human boiled water doesn’t have enough kick, little lady? Want to try our drinks, huh!”
“Hey, you’d best know that messing with them never ends well.”
The Shadow Demon next to the Minotaur Demon seemed to be advising him, but it sounded more sarcastic than anything.
Curious, Ingrid glanced back, and to her surprise, met eyes with the Minotaur Demon.
“Yo! Look at that, she’s got her eye on me!”
“Hey! You’ve had enough!”
“Who cares!”
The Minotaur Demon instantly stood up, stomping heavily toward Ingrid, as if he were an upright elephant.
His arm alone was thicker than Ingrid’s waist.
Seeing that the Minotaur Demon had no intention of stopping, Ingrid’s right hand instinctively moved to the slender sword at her waist.
“Stop.”
But just as she was about to draw her sword, Ange pressed down on her hand, stepping forward to shield Ingrid and face the Minotaur Demon in her stead.
Ange-sensei…
Although Ange was half a head taller than Ingrid, in front of that massive Minotaur Demon, she could only be called petite—she barely reached his chest.
“Yo! So, silver-haired little lady! You interested in me too? Looks like you’ve hit that age when the wolf is at the door! Tired of human men being too small and not satisfying, eh? Good timing! I’ve got—”
Boom!
Before the Minotaur Demon could finish, Ange lifted her leg and kicked him flying.
The massive bull body crashed into the bar’s wall before tumbling to the ground and rolling several times.
“You bastard!”
Enduring the Minotaur Demon’s furious glare, Ange slowly lowered her raised leg, as if deliberately showing him just how at ease she was.
“If you’re a Minotaur, go look for a Minotaur lady—at least a cow, right? Isn’t it weird to go into heat for us humans?”
“You!”
The thoroughly enraged Minotaur Demon panted, each breath as heavy as a bellows.
Ingrid could only cover her mouth, looking lovestruck.
Ange-sensei… so cool…
That kick from Ange had struck her right in the heart.
The way she elegantly raised her leg and then lashed out—not only was the movement beautiful, the power behind it was stunning.
That Minotaur Demon was like an elephant, and yet he’d been sent flying with a single kick from Ange-sensei.
Could it be her teacher, like herself, had inherited Behemoth blood?
Such strength was usually only possible for those of the Behemoth lineage.
“Enough with your you you yous, watch closely.”
With that, Ange spread her arms. From her sleeve, a Gunblade fell—left hand grasping, right hand in reverse grip.
Once more, she struck that Cross of Gunswords pose before Ingrid, a symbol of special meaning.
Maybe it was just Ingrid’s imagination—or her instinct—but as soon as Ange formed that cross, her whole aura became dangerously sharp.
Her purple eyes glowed, and if you looked closely, you’d see her pupils had narrowed vertically, like a cold-blooded animal’s.
“The Cross?!”
“Hey! No joking! Only the Academy’s top assassins can make that move!”
“This woman is actually…”
Sure enough, the moment Ange struck the cross, every demon present became wary. Those who had been watching the show moments ago now scrambled to flee the bar.
“Plenty of you may have heard the name—Ange, the Academy’s Number One Demon Hunter. I’m here on his orders. Be smart and just drink your drinks.”
“Yes, yes! I’m drinking! I’m drinking!”
“Hey! You bastard! That’s my glass you’re drinking from!”
“Stop drinking! You’ve already had too much! Any more and you’ll die!”
“No worries! I’m a Liquid Man! I’m made of water, how could I drink myself to death?”
“Where’s the water?! There’s barely a drop of water in this booze!”
Ignoring the frightened looks from the demons, Ange put away her Gunblade and gave Ingrid a brief glance.
Though it was just a casual look, Ingrid couldn’t help but tremble—she felt she’d caused trouble again.
“Sensei…”
“It’s alright, Ingrid. You’ll get used to it. Demons are like this—straightforward, especially Minotaur Demons. They’re not really bad, actually pretty honest, never hiding what they think of you.”
“I see. Looks like the demons in the black market are actually pretty friendly.”
Ingrid watched as the Minotaur Demon whom Ange had just kicked had sensibly sat back down to drink in silence.
The Shadow Demon beside him even patted his back, as if comforting him—‘Don’t worry, getting kicked by such a beautiful woman is no loss, right?’
“Come with me.”
Ange walked to the bar. She braced her right hand on the counter, arching her hips, and spoke to the bartender.
“Long time no see, Carlos.”
Ingrid quietly followed from behind Ange to the bar. She couldn’t help noticing how shapely Ange-sensei’s hips were—probably could balance a glass of wine on them without it falling.
“It really has been a long time since we last met, after that incident.”
The bartender, Carlos, was a demon who looked very much like an octopus, with four long tentacles tipped with sharp claws mixing drinks. It was clear he was very skilled at his craft.
“This young lady…”
“Yes, it’s me.”
Here it was! The classic moment between old Demon Hunters and their contacts—Ingrid always loved this kind of scene, it felt so cool.
“And you are…?”
“Huh?”
But Ange-sensei’s silence was deafening.
Ingrid silently lowered her head, so as not to get sucked into the awkwardness that made her want to curl her toes.