There were a lot of hunters on-site. Some were even from other companies—not the one Damian and Troy worked for.
This incident was serious—critical for the city's security. If the attacker truly was an evolutionary-type demon, the threat level was extremely high. Everyone wanted answers.
Of course, it wasn't a demon—it was Damian who had done it. But he couldn't say a word. That would bring problems he couldn't begin to solve. The hunters would demand explanations he wasn't ready to give.
Troy stayed with Damian this time, walking to the back of the building beside him. He wasn't just sitting in the car like some hired driver—he was fully involved now. After all, Troy was a skilled hunter in his own right.
Behind the building lay the rat—same one Damian had killed earlier. It hadn't moved at all.
Now that the creature was dead, its body was visible. Demons, after death, lost their cloaking abilities. That's how it had been discovered. One of the homeless people living there had seen it and reported it.
Troy knelt beside the rat.
"Looks like it was killed by claws," he said. "What's interesting is—there may be poison involved too. You see that liquid there?"
Damian knelt as well, keeping his expression neutral. He had to avoid looking suspicious.
"Yeah, I see it. Are you sure it's poison?" he asked.
"Definitely. I can detect a faint trace of mana coming off it. That's a magical poison. Judging by the way this body looks, I'd say the poison was the main cause of death. See those melted patches on its flesh?"
It didn't take Troy long to figure out how the creature had been killed. Other hunters were also scanning the area, searching for clues.
Damian was starting to worry.
These hunters were sharper than he'd expected. Their efficiency… unsettling.
Worst of all was the scale of the response. One dead rat. One missing chunk. And now—a full-blown investigation.
"So how do you know it was one of those evolutionary demons?" Damian asked, playing the curious rookie. "I mean… now that the body's visible, couldn't someone else have cut that part off?"
It was a fair question. Troy smiled, liking the curiosity.
"Good question. Shows you want to learn. Maybe someday you'll be more than just a cleaner… Anyway, we already ran tests. The wound was made moments after death—while the rat was still invisible to regular humans. That means whoever cut it was either a hunter with special tools… or the demon that killed it."
While they spoke, another hunter returned from inside the building.
"I found some footprints," he said.
Damian's pulse spiked.
"That's probably nothing," Troy replied. "Lots of homeless folks pass through here. Try to identify prints that match a demon's gait. If it's weak, it may not have covered its tracks."
"Got it."
Damian exhaled quietly.
"What exactly am I doing here today?" he asked. "How am I helping the investigation?"
"You're not," Troy said bluntly. "Someone else will collect the body. I called you so you'd get your daily payment. No one needs to know you're just observing."
Troy really was a good guy.
Damian stayed there for the night, watching how the investigation unfolded. Nothing critical happened. None of the hunters found a clue that might link him to the killing of that beast.
It was a relief.
Troy drove Damian back home.
"Do you think the hunters will find this demon?" Damian asked, staring through the window. "Things are getting tougher, you know. Someone from my apartment just moved. They said it's not a safe place anymore."
The whole city was suffering more attacks. At least that's what Damian saw on the news. He didn't know the reason for the change—but it was happening. No denying that.
"I honestly don't know," Troy replied. "I hope we do. Like you said, there are lots of attacks happening. Now imagine an evolutionary beast too? That would make things a lot worse…"
Troy said goodbye when Damian arrived home.
He headed upstairs to his apartment. But on the staircase, someone called him.
He checked the number. It was the demon he'd been talking to.
"What's wrong?" Damian asked. "You want to talk about the mediator thing again?"
"You're in trouble," the demon said. "That friend of yours—he's watching you. I saw his car parked near your apartment the other night, and I think he'll do the same tonight."
"What? No way…"
Damian reached his apartment. He opened the door and closed it behind him.
"Are you sure?"
"I am. Also—we'll be buying another place for your cafeteria. Your driver knows where you work, so that won't do. Is that a problem?"
"If you keep the same staff members in this new cafeteria, then sure. No problem."
Damian walked to the window and looked outside.
Troy's car was parked there.
"I didn't even notice he was there. I mean… why would my driver spy on me?" Damian said.
"No idea. Maybe he knows you're doing something with demons? Either way—you should be careful. We can't let him know about our deal. If that happens, then you or I may have to kill him."
The demon hung up.
Damian kept staring out the window, eyes locked onto Troy's black car.
He was actually there. Watching him.
Never did Damian think something like this would happen.
But the real question was: why?
If it was because of earlier things—like his demon eyes or the fact he could see traces of mana—then maybe it was nothing.
But if it had to do with the dead demon behind the abandoned building? That changed everything.
If Troy was spying because of that, then they might know something they hadn't shared with him.
"There's no way they can link that dead demon to me," Damian thought.
Because Troy was there, Damian had a hard time falling asleep. He turned off all the lights to make sure Troy thought he was sleeping.
After two hours, Troy left with his car. He wasn't spying on him for the whole night. That was good.
"Let's see if he does this tomorrow..."