Demon hunter's Cooking Manual

Whoosh!

The sharp sound of cutting through the air was undoubtedly decisive.

Lawrence maintained his smile as he raised his hand, blocking the path of the dagger.

He was not empty-handed but wore a glove, a black one with a simple design.

The swift dagger came to a sudden stop.

It just halted right in front of the glove.

In Dibala’s narrowed eyes, a fierce glint flashed, and then he swiftly retreated.

The butler, who had been brandishing a kitchen knife, charged forward once again.

Clap clap clap!

Watching his butler momentarily hold off Dibala, Lawrence, still smiling, clapped his hands. Amid the applause, he spoke, "You truly are deserving of the title ’Hunter,’ Your Excellency. I thought you would fall for it."

"Thank you for your visit, but I must temporarily take my leave now." n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

"We are far from ready for a formal introduction."

"The time... has not yet come."

As Lawrence said this, he walked straight towards the balcony, along the edge of the hall.

He planned to leave directly from there, instead of taking the elevator.

But just as he stood on the balcony—

Whoosh!

In a sound that made one’s scalp tingle, a car charged towards the balcony.

No!

Not charged towards!

It was as if hurled by a catapult, thrown upwards, smashing up from below.

Boom!

The balcony was shattered outright.

However, Lawrence didn’t retreat back into the room. Instead, noticing the car coming, he dashed towards one side of the balcony, where there was the neighboring room’s balcony.

Lawrence, having undergone rigorous training, grabbed the balcony railing and vaulted up.

Then, he saw another ’Hunter’ on the ground.

"To be able to hurl a car up to the height of the tenth floor like a trebuchet... the President of Ang City’s Bounty Hunters Association, Dibala?"

"Worthy of the ’Night Owl Court’ indeed!"

Almost subconsciously, Lawrence guessed the identity of the person.

It was not difficult.

Upon his arrival in Ang City, he had already begun his investigations.

Easily, he matched the person with the target he had in memory.

Then, Lawrence began to jump again.

Because another car had been hurled towards him.

After several attempts, Lawrence reached the ’emergency escape route’ he had prepared—a drainage pipe.

He grabbed the drainage pipe, not going down.

But up!

The hotel was only ten stories high.

He chose a luxurious suite precisely to be closer to the tenth floor.

The rooftop was his ultimate choice.

However, just as he made it to the rooftop, he was completely stunned.

Another figure, cloaked and masked, stood there—a ’Hunter’.

More importantly, at the person’s feet were several disassembled hang gliders.

"Which ’Hunter’ Your Excellency might you be?"

"To have three of Your Excellencies mobilized, I am truly honored."

"However..."

"Might we make a deal?"

Lawrence spoke.

Even at this point, he remained composed.

This composure stemmed from a necklace he wore.

Besides being sturdy, the necklace had no remarkable features, and the rabbit’s foot charm was rough and even somewhat dirty, as if it had been salvaged from a fire and picked out of a pile of rubbish.

Unsightly in appearance, its function was significant.

It could bring luck.

Although losing it carried severe consequences, wearing it meant no harm.

Thus, he had made a solid collar.

"A deal?"

"Ha."

"Do you have any ’unusual’ items on you that could facilitate a deal?"

Aio. Kite laughed.

Then, he scrutinized Lawrence closely.

Although it was merely a look-over, Lawrence felt his skin crawl.

"Hat, gloves, coat, bell, huh?

"Hmm... and a necklace."

"You also have some strange ’unusual’ items in your pockets.

"You really came fully equipped!"

Aio. Kite commented with a laugh.

"Facing the renowned ’Night Owl Court,’ I naturally had to prepare thoroughly."

"Otherwise, I wouldn’t have dared to come to Ang City to negotiate this deal with you."

"But even so, I couldn’t escape the eyes of the ’Night Owl Court.’

"Truly admirable, ’Night Owl Court.’"

Lawrence did not skimp on his praise.

"A deal?"

"I would like to hear what kind of deal."

Aio. Kite asked with interest.

"I want to join the Night Owl Court!"

Lawrence stated decisively.

Even Aio. Kite, the helmsman of the Kate Family, had not anticipated such a response. He was taken aback, then scrutinized Lawrence with an even sharper gaze.

It was as if he was truly recognizing, for the first time, this individual who was once an A-level personnel wanted by the "Sanctuary."

"What can you offer?"

A moment later, Aio. Kite asked.

He did not ask why.

Because he had a rough idea.

On the contrary, he was more interested in what Lawrence could offer to move them.

You see, the Night Owl Court was in a state of disarray.

If the conditions were favorable, he would consider accepting what Lawrence was willing to pay.

Of course, just what Lawrence was willing to pay.

Not Lawrence himself.

You say deception?

Sorry, the Night Owl Court has always been this cold and merciless to enemies.

"All the anomalies on my body."

"And, I know the whereabouts of the ’Fountain of Youth’!"

"Of course, if these are not enough, I will give a planet to the Night Owl Court!"

"A complete ’planet’ within Ang City."

Lawrence said earnestly.

Then, he quietly observed the expression of the ’Claw’ before him.

But unfortunate for him, the mask obstructed most of the expression.

Just the eyes remaining?

They were not enough to discern anything.

Eyes are the windows to the soul, but they can also be sunglasses that deceive others.

"Such touching chips."

"Too bad, the ’Fountain of Youth’ isn’t in Ang City."

"Too bad, the planet is still in the process of being nurtured."

Aio. Kite said with a sigh.

The real sigh on his face, hidden behind the mask, indicated that as the head of the Kate Family, Aio. Kite knew far more than Lawrence could imagine.

"You knew?"

"The Night Owl Court is not isolated."

"No!"

"This isn’t about being isolated or not, it’s about channels. The people who have these channels in Ang City... are you from the Kate Family?"

Lawrence asked.

And then, he continued to speculate aloud.

"The Kate Family is the most historically significant family in Ang City; if someone is connected to the Night Owl Court, it must be the Kate Family!"

"However, Mr. Mondy. Kate’s age doesn’t match."

"That only leaves Aio. Kite."

"You must be using secret techniques to disguise yourself usually, and only now have you reverted to your true appearance when reappearing in the Night Owl Court."

"Am I right?"

Lawrence gave a smile to Aio. Kite.

Aio. Kite nodded, not denying it.

Phew!

Lawrence let out a long breath, as if a weight hanging on his heart had finally been lifted completely.

"Thank you for admitting it so readily."

"I had prepared several pretexts to get information out of you."

"Now, there’s no need, which is good."

Lawrence smiled again.

But this time, his smile was filled with smug satisfaction.

He looked at Aio. Kite before him, the ’anomaly’ in his pocket making him involuntarily add a few more words—

"To prove to the ’Sanctuary’ how corrupt Ang City is, it must be completely erased from the map, do you know how much I had to give? Not only risking a lone deep infiltration but also having to deal closely with you ’Claws’, it really made me feel like I was courting death."

"But I succeeded!"

"Good that you did!"

"As for what I just said, about the bounty on the Black Market, and the subsequent wait?"

"Idiot!"

"Of course, it was to lure you out!"

Lawrence’s tone became involuntarily arrogant, haughty.

He pointed to a flock of small black dots appearing against the night sky, revealing a ferocious smile. Explore stories at empire

"Look!"

"Watch as Ang City falls into a sea of flames, watch as the ’Owls’ get roasted like chickens in the flames!"

The malevolent smile revealed Lawrence’s eyes wide with a frenzied, bloody madness.

Aio. Kite, however, remained extraordinarily calm.

The head of the Kate Family just nodded, seemingly indifferent.

"Hmm, I understand."

"We were deceiving you as well."

"Putting up with a naive person like you was really difficult."

The elder nodded and sighed.

But Lawrence, influenced and arrogantly looking at the patriarch of the Kate Family as if he were looking at a fool, watched as the old man raised his right hand.

Snap!

A snapping of fingers came with a proclamation—

"I am..."

"’Claw’ NO.2."

Boom, boom, boom!