Even Aleera, who usually enjoyed arguing with Marishka, nodded in agreement this time.
Vlad glanced at the two women but slowly shook his head. He continued watching the demon hunters below and said, "You all sensed it wrong."
"Sensed it wrong?" The two women were stunned, unable to understand what he meant.
Just then, a burst of noise erupted from below.
Following the sound, a demon hunter wearing half-armor suddenly raised a golden scale glinting in the sunlight and shouted in excitement.
"Look what I found—gold! There's gold here!"
It turned out that while they had been talking, one of the demon hunters scouting ahead had reached the heart-shaped lake—and discovered gold. His shout instantly stirred up a commotion among the group.
"What did Ralph say?"
"He found gold! And there might be signs of treasure!"
"Treasure?! Let's go! We have to see this!"
The moment they heard the call, greed and excitement flashed across the hunters' faces. They broke formation and ran toward the spot where the gold had been discovered.
In the center of the group, the demon hunter leader, Rejason, frowned at the chaos. He turned to a scout who had rushed back from the front and asked sternly, "What's happening?"
"Ralph's team found traces of gold on the lakeshore," the scout replied, still catching his breath. "Everyone rushed over."
Rejason's expression darkened. Though he now understood the cause, there wasn't the slightest trace of joy in his eyes.
"Muriel, I have a bad feeling… something's wrong. I just can't explain it." His voice was low and serious.
"What's your take?"
As a veteran hunter with sharp instincts, Rejason trusted his gut. And this time, it told him something was off. He turned to the only witch in the group.
While they spoke, Rejason instinctively dismounted, raised his weapon, and stayed on guard.
Muriel, the witch, had already closed her eyes and begun muttering an incantation—an arcane and twisted magical chant.
A breeze stirred the air. Suddenly, Muriel's expression shifted. A sharp, piercing whistle burst from her lips and echoed through the forest.
At the sound of the whistle, every demon hunter's expression changed.
"Banshee scream!"
The banshee's sonic witchcraft made their eardrums swell painfully, and a buzzing began to reverberate through their heads.
But the sound itself wasn't the scariest part—it was what it meant.
"Danger! Everyone, regroup!"
A commanding voice suddenly rang out in the distance. Hearing it, the confused and panicked demon hunters seemed to regain their focus and began moving swiftly and decisively.
Within seconds, they formed new squads of three to five, grouping up with whoever was closest. Multiple defensive formations appeared almost instantly.
Clearly, these demon hunters were highly trained. Even when facing sudden danger, they could adapt and cooperate seamlessly. Their discipline was undeniable.
Even Vlad, watching from above, couldn't help but nod in admiration at their tactical coordination.
Unfortunately, even this wasn't enough to stop what came next.
Vlad's gaze shifted toward the center of the lake, where a massive water column suddenly shot into the sky.
As it crashed down, an enchanting figure emerged in full view.
"What is that...?"
Vlad narrowed his eyes. In an instant, he recognized the woman floating above the lake.
"Jibaro Banshee!"
It was the same banshee from the Love, Death & Robots series—said to be the daughter of the river god.
The figure began to dance the moment she appeared. Her seductive, curvaceous body was adorned with glittering jewels, gold, and agates. With every twist and sway of her hips, a delicate jingling echoed across the water—both melodic and mesmerizing.
"What the hell is that?"
"It's a banshee! Everyone, stay alert!"
As the danger became clear, the demon hunters braced themselves.
Shield bearers moved to the front, ready to defend. Crossbowmen and long-range attackers took position behind them, and melee fighters prepared to support. In a blink, a new defensive formation took shape—showcasing their rich experience in handling supernatural threats.
But it didn't help.
"Ahh! AHH!!"
The Banshee shrieked again, her voice piercing the air like a dagger.
The demon hunters screamed in agony, clutching their heads. Their formation broke apart.
On the lakeshore, the greedy hunters writhed in pain.
The banshee's dance grew faster, more enchanting, more dangerously seductive—each movement pulsing with temptation.
As she shrieked again, her hypnotic dance overwhelmed the hunters.
Suddenly, the demon hunters on the shore began dancing uncontrollably.
"What's happening?! I can't control my body!"
"Me neither! Ahhh, my head! Quick, kill her!"
"Yes! Kill her!"
In the blink of an eye, dozens of demon hunters, their eyes bloodshot and faces twisted in agony, raised their weapons and charged toward the banshee—dancing erratically as they went.
What was truly horrifying was that the archers, meant to stay back, dropped their bows and joined the frenzied melee.
"No! They've fallen into a psychic illusion!" Rejason shouted.
He and Muriel had just arrived, and both their expressions turned ashen when they saw the chaos unfolding.
Muriel quickly tried to cast a spell to save her comrades, but the banshee spotted her and let out another piercing scream—shattering her concentration and interrupting the spell.
Meanwhile, the demon hunters who had reached the heart-shaped lake had begun to slaughter each other.
"Haha! I killed her! I killed her!" one of them laughed hysterically.
Before he could finish the sentence, a flash of light streaked past, and blood sprayed from his neck.
A fellow hunter had sliced his throat open.
Corpses now floated across the lake, lifeless.
Even in death, that hunter still believed he had killed the banshee. He never realized that his end had come from his own comrade's blade.
As the chaos grew and more lives were lost, the once-clear lake turned red with blood.
The banshee continued to dance with pride, satisfied with the carnage she had caused.
"ROAAARRR!!"
Suddenly, a deafening roar tore through the forest and echoed across the lake.
The banshee's seductive rhythm faltered. Her body trembled as the beat of her dance scattered.
Everyone turned toward the sound.
In the heart-shaped lake stood a bald man nearly two meters tall, holding a massive shield. His roar shook the air.
His muscles bulged, swelling like balloons. His armor cracked, then shattered completely.
Moments later, he had transformed—becoming a towering giant over three meters tall, nearly four.
...
...
Read 40+ chapters ahead! Please support my work on patreon.com/CloudOfDreams.
Also please give reviews.
Thank you!