Archdemon is a classification of a demon and its type is the second strongest of all kinds.
There are three kinds of demons: normal demons, archdemons, and sin demons. The normal demons are the weakest among these three, and this is the only kind that requires a gate to step foot on earth. They're the demons that Hayden recently encountered in the barrier. Although this kind is labelled the "weakest" they don't always come weak, they're just weaker than the other two. Furthermore, they have danger levels from F to S-level, meaning some normal demons can be as strong as the different kinds.
The next on the pyramid was the archdemons; they naturally have more potency than the normal ones and the difference that sets normal demons and archdemons apart is their ability to think. Normal demons act based on their instinct to kill whereas archdemons can generate IQ—they can learn like humans. That's not the only ability that makes them cunning, they can also imitate a human body structure and pretend to be one.
Lastly, the demon that guarantees death when you encounter one is the sin demon. Just like the name stated, they're demons of each sin and there are seven of them. They freely roam around the globe and they share the abilities of the archdemons, having the power of intelligence and disguising themselves as a human. The difference between the two is the raw dark energy of the sin demon—their power is beyond fathomable and it will take 5 or more S-rank DHs to match its strength. What's scarier about it is that there are still 7 of them, and in that span of their 2000 years stay on earth, no DH has managed to kill one.
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"I have important errands to make. Can you cover my responsibilities from here?" Hayden asked for Jace's aid.
"If it's something important, you may go. I can handle the ladies from this point."
As Hayden tread back to the wall they had escaped from, Aubrey shouted at him, "Just where do you think you're off to?"
Hayden paused and glanced at her sour face.
"You're not planning to go back in there, are you?" Grace asked, also concerned as Aubrey is.
"Jace will drive you home. I'll catch up shortly."
"Enough with your rash bullshits! I don't care how strong you are, you're not going back in there, no buts," Aubrey asserted.
Hayden looked her in the eyes without uttering a word, showing no compliance.
Aubrey's salty demeanor interpreted that look in his eyes as belittling her. Her sense of superiority was involved in this particular scenario, which is why she's extremely peeved by his disobedience.
"You're just my bodyguard, so do as I say! Get in the car!"
Hayden, being fed up with her demanding attitude, found a golden opportunity to cut ties with her.
While maintaining his calm and collected expression, he said, "Not anymore. I resign."
Sudden bolt of shock ripples across her face.
"I~ How~ But~ You…"
Thousands of negative emotions welled up in her. She was utterly overwhelmed that the words she wanted to release were jumbled in her thoughts, causing her to let out a stuttering and shaky voice. Tears began to knock on the corners of her eyes, but as always, Aubrey is the type who never wants to appear weak, so she blinks away her tears and stops it from revealing that she's feeling vulnerable. Although Aubrey acts rough and bossy to everyone, she's still an immature girl with a fragile heart.
"You…" Her fists clenched. "You're fired!" She felt the necessity to say the word as a coping mechanism.
"You're the biggest jerk, Hayden! I don't wanna see your stupid face ever again. I hope you die there!!" She released her anger before rushing inside the car, thinking she had lost something she never even had.
Little did she know, that's actually the last time she'll see him.
Grace followed Aubrey and comforted her while Jace bid Hayden a farewell before also getting in and driving away.
~~~~~~~~~~
*Ring*
"You finally fucking answer! I hit your phone like a million times, and I've been trying to reach out since the dinosaur age!"
Everytime these two assholes talk on the phone, a volcanic eruption of rebuttals happens like it's a tradition.
"You dickhead! Your intel was garbage! You could've killed me with that misinformation," Hayden rebutted.
"Shut up, brat! You don't know how difficult it is to gather intelligence."
They're yelling at each other through the phone as if it's their love language.
"The agent responsible for that inaccurate information is now making amends," Franklin said. "By the way, where's my niece?"
"Are they your niece?"
"No, but you could consider me as their uncle."
"I intentionally upset the one with the attitude and resigned. It requires me to take that measure, so I could return to the mission you ordered me to."
"You mean Aubrey?! Did you fucking hit your head? That job could be your only chance to pay your grandma's hospital debt and you resigned?!"
"I've considered that."
"Unbelievable! Do you know that that girl is a walking money? When she was little, she hated me so much that she paid me her father's money just to allow her to punch my face."
"What's done is done, and it's not like I did that for no good reason. So if you may, I'd like to return to my mission."
"I bet that reason was as impractical as killing those kids on your last mission because you deemed they'd end up wandering in the streets." He let out an exasperated sigh before continuing, "I swear, I hate when you solve things your way.''
"Making impractical resolutions is my niche," Hayden deadpanned.
Franklin knows that he can't control Hayden, so he just lets it go just as he always did.
"Forget about killing the principal, I've sent someone in that regard," Franklin said. "Besides, the principal actually turns out to be a demon, and it's the guild's job to exterminate demons, and you're not one of them. Instead, I have a new mission for you."
"Just give me the command."
"I've heard the White Hawks participated in clearing the gate. This particular mission might be too much for you, so I wouldn't be surprised if you came out dead—I'll get you a coffin in advance. Now listen, your target is the S-ranked swordmaster..."
~~~~~~~~~~
Hayden watched his target upon locating him inside the barrier, a middle-aged man with a distinct gait, as he walked along the school promenade. The promenade was a popular area for students to hang out, with its wide open space between two large buildings. The floor, made of beautifully crafted cemented bricks, added to the charm of the area.
Standing boldly exposed in the path of the target was a peculiar someone, having the body of a human, and a wolf mask.
The target noticed the wolf's almond-shaped eyes locked on him, giving him the impression that the wolf obstructing his path was instigating a fight.
The tension ramps as every step the target took cuts his distance from Hayden. With his sharp katana dancing along his waist, Ermit pressed forward, knowing that the person standing before his eyes, was the most wanted criminal in the nation.
With a certain gap between them, Ermit paused on his tracks and locked eyes with Wolf.
~The objective is to thwart Ermit's attempts to vanquish the archdemon. Allowing him to claim credit for defeating such a formidable threat would inadvertently bolster the influence of the White Hawks guild within the town. This, in turn, could empower their unscrupulous guildmaster, Gavynn, granting him the means to exert control over the entire community.~
Planning to finish the mission faster by killing him altogether, Hayden draws out his gun and points it at Ermit.
Unthreatened by the pistol aimed at him, Ermit dared not move as he knew that firearms aren't capable of puncturing through any DHs skin.
Although guns can kill normal humans with a single bullet, it's ineffective against DHs and demons, failing to deal any damage. That's why there are barely any military forces because they were all replaced by guilds.
"Wolf; the Headhunter with the highest bounty. A young, exceptional DH with a proficient talent. You could've saved many lives if only you didn't choose that dishonorable path," Ermit said, his voice sounding wistful.
Hayden, without breaking eye contact, didn't give him a response.
"I suppose you're here to end me," Ermit said, thinking that the gun was a fluke since almost everyone knew it was useless. "I'd like to give you my warning, young man. Instigating a fight against me… is a surefire way to see the afterlife."
*Bang!!!*
The bullet hurtles toward Ermit's face at incredible speed, and his lightning-fast reflexes allow him to track its trajectory effortlessly. Confident that the bullet will fail to penetrate his skin, Ermit decides to absorb the incoming projectile, demonstrating to Wolf the uselessness of firearms in DH combats.
Then, blood spills out.