Night fell like a blade over the forest, sharp and sudden, swallowing the slaver camp in a veil of shadow broken only by torchlight and the low murmur of guards who believed themselves untouchable. From the treeline, Scarlet crouched low, crimson eyes gleaming as she mapped the camp with predatory focus—watchtowers spaced with military logic, cages clustered near the center, command tent marked by heavier guards and better armor. Her lips pulled into a thin smile. Order like this always cracked the loudest when it broke.
Rimuru's perception washed over the camp in layered waves—life signatures, magical suppression fields, crude alarm wards hastily repaired and poorly synchronized. "They're competent." Rimuru whispered through the soul corridor they'd formed with the others. "But arrogant. They don't expect retaliation."
Yang rolled her shoulders, Ember Celica clicking softly as she flexed her hands. "They never do."
Rory stood with her halberd planted lightly against the earth, expression unreadable beneath her hood. The faint glow of divine power simmered just under her skin, restrained but eager. "Their leader." She said quietly. "He is called Shogun for a reason. He doesn't break easily."
Scarlet's scythe unfolded with a soft metallic whisper. "Good. I'd hate for this to be boring. That would make my hunt the more fun."
The group nodded silently as they moved within the shadows, the first watchtower went silent. Scarlet was a blur of red and black. Her movements were swift and stealthy, she used the shadows to her advantage. One moment there was a guard in the tower, the next. His body went limp, and collapsed onto the watchtower floor.
Scarlet's scythe cut through wood and armor like it craved the taste of blood. Each watchtower and guard fell, one by one. The last guard however was trembling in fear as his knees buckled and gave out. Scarlet's crimson red stared at him from the darkness, Scarlet grinned, her teeth stained red with blood. The curved blade and the sharp tip of Black Rose covered in blood as the tip dripped. The guard swallowed a dry lump that formed in his throat, his lips were dry and chappy. His heart raced in his chest, ears ringing with his own quickened heart beat. Palms sweaty from fear, eyes wide, pupils shrunken and shaking with terror.
Taking a deep breath in, Scarlet could smell his fear, her lips curled into a predatory grin. She licked her lips, setting Black Rose aside. The Grimm girl snickered quietly. She knelt down and cupped the guards chin in her hand. "Tell me, where are the prisoner cages? The ones that hold Yoji, Tuka and Lelei."
The guard didn't say a word. Not at first, but slowly began to speak. "T-Those three? We....we're going to auction them off in the morning....the boss has the rights to who can get them....a-are you here for them?"
Scarlet's grin flattered. "You're going to sell them?" Her voice took a dangerous turn. "Sell them? To whomever bids the highest price?" Her grip on his chin came loose, her hand then reached for his neck. Gripping it tightly. "You're lucky I'm in a bad mood now." She paused for a moment before speaking again. "No, take that back, you should feel unlucky." Her grip tightened as she snapped his neck. She tossed his body aside. Grabbing Black Rose, Scarlet sliced the mans body into pieces.
Yang however, bashed her way through the guards on the ground below. Her metallic fist came into contact with a guard's jaw, their jaw snapped as Yang then did an uppercut. "Shoryuken!" She ran through the night of the camp like a golden streak, alarms suddenly coming alive and blaring. A warning to what remaining people were on standby. But it was already too late, the camp was in chaos and screams filled the air.
"Nice going...what happened to stealth?" Rimuru asked while using telepath, mid flight in the air, their wings casting a shadow from the light of the moon.
"Hey, it's just what I do best." Yang spoke, totally ignoring the fact Rimuru was speaking to her in her head. She grinned as she leaped over a guard who had a shield, she wrapped her legs around his neck and bent backwards, slamming him onto his back. The guard gasped for air, the wind was knocked out of his lungs from the impact. Yang's grin got wider as she stood over the man. "Take a breath mint. Because, phew....your breath stinks." She cocked her fist back as she slammed her fist down with a hard punch. Breaking the mans nose.
Rimuru descended at the center, aura flaring just enough to crush resistance, not enough to harm the captives. Slavers froze mid-step, knees buckling as the sheer pressure of a Demon Lord's presence pressed down on them. "Stand down," Rimuru said calmly. "Or be erased."
Some listened. Most didn't.
That was their second mistake.
~~~
Yoji felt it before he heard it, the air shifting. A pressure like an approaching storm, then came the screams. The clash of metal, the unmistakable boom of something very angry hitting something hard and solid. He pushed himself to the bars, heart pounding. "Tuka! Lelei! That's Rory! I know it!"
Lelei's eyes glowed faintly in the darkness as she strained against her collar. "The magical interference is destabilizing," she murmured, excitement threading through her controlled tone. "Something powerful is disrupting the field."
Tuka gripped the bars of her cage, fear giving way to fragile hope. Then, the sound of something squelching was heard. The sound of someone choking on their own blood followed, a guard had their neck sliced. Their blood spraying out as they choked on their own blood.
The lock on the cages broke with a quick swipe of something sharp and something else. Standing there before Yoji was Yang. "You're hero is here to save the day."
Yoji looked at the blonde as Yang helped him get out. "I'm buying everyone drinks when we get out of here."
Rimuru stood there by Lelei's cage, and helped her take the suppression collar off from around her neck with threading magic, Lelei's magic flowing back through her. Her gaze met Rimuru's for a moment.
"You're free. Tuka is the last one. Rory has that part covered." Rimuru spoke.
Tuka blinked as she saw Rory standing in front of her cage, the lock falling to the ground with a thump. But Tuka collapsed into Rory's arms. "Took you long enough." She was scared, but glad to be alive.
Rory stiffened for a moment, but rested her chin on the top of Tuka's head. "You're safe now, the others should be free from their cages as well." She paused as she moved back from Tuka. "Come on, we don't have much time. We need to hurry before the Shogun takes notice."
At the heart of the camp, Katsuro Shin stood amid the chaos, blades drawn, eyes sharp despite the carnage unfolding around him. Bodies littered the ground—his men, broken and scattered—but his posture remained calm and disciplined. When Scarlet approached, Shin inclined his head slightly. "So.." He spoke. "The hunters arrive."
Scarlet snarled but chuckled. "Hunters? I wouldn't say the others are hunters. But I on the other hand."
Shin smirked. "It doesn't matter what you and the others are called. You come in and invade my camp, to save those who were going to be sold on the market."
Scarlet scoffed. "Selling people to be slaves...a unwise choice for you." She tightened her grip on Black Rose. "This is where you fall."
~~~
The fight was brief—but not easy. Shin moved like a seasoned warrior, parrying divine strikes and magical assaults with grim efficiency, his blades humming with enchantments stolen from fallen foes. He managed to wound Scarlet, a cut that formed on her abdomen was deep. Her blood seeping out, her body struggling to heal itself. Her aura flickered from the deep cut, she winched in pain. "D-Dammit.....not again."
"What's wrong? You look a bit....dizzy." Shin spoke with a dark chuckle.
Scarlet wobbled on her feet, her vision spinning as she saw Yang rushing forward from the back. "No, stay back."
Shin deflected Yang's oncoming attack, he kicked her in the stomach as Yang puked up blood. She was sent crashing into a tent. "Ow, geez...." She stood up slowly as her aura flickered. "That does it.... now I'm mad!" Her hair burned brightly as she used her semblance, her eyes changing to a crimson red. She rushed towards Shin again. She threw a fury of punches at him, her punches hit...but he stood unfazed. "The fuck?"
Shin would then headbutt Yang, his forehead slamming against hers. Yang stumbled back as she felt blood trickle down her forehead.
"It doesn't matter how many of you there are, I will stand supreme... I am The Shogun...and I can never b-" Shin was then cut off, her coughed up blood as he looked down. A sword had stabbed him from behind, he lifted his head up as he looked behind him.
"You just love to hear yourself talk...." Rimuru spoke. "I didn't want to do this, but what you did...I cannot forgive you for that." Rimuru yanked their sword out from Shin's back.
Shin vomited blood as he collapsed forward, his head hitting the ground as his blood pooled under his body.
Rimuru stood there, the look of regret filled their eyes. But they had to do what was necessary, they looked towards Scarlet for a moment. "Are you going to be okay?"
Scarlet placed her hand over the cut as she looked at Rimuru. "I should be." She wobbled over to Shin's dead body, she fell to her knees, she opened her mouth and sank her teeth into his flesh. Tearing the flesh from his neck.
"Let her eat, then we can leave." Yang spoke, taking her orange scarf off her around her neck and tied it over her forehead like a bandanna. "He stole magic from others...."
Rimuru nodded lightly. "If we didn't come in time to save Yoji and the other two..."
"Right..." Yang muttered. "He would've stolen Lelei's and Tuka's magic."
After Scarlet had devoured Shin's body, she slowly stood up. She licked the blood from her lips, she glanced down at the deep cut wound. It slowly healed itself up. She scoffed lightly.
"Seems like your immortal body is decaying in a weird way..." Rory muttered as she approached the three, behind her was Yoji, Lelei and Tuka. "I would've stepped in sooner to help you. But Rimuru beat me to it."
"I'll be fine." Scarlet hissed, but part of her knew Rory was right, she needed something more....something to help her body recover, if push came to shove.
Yoji stepped forward as he spoke. "Drinks are on me. Let's get back to the base and celebrate this rescue mission."
Scarlet didn't say anything, she turned around as she walked ahead. "Go on without me, I need time to myself for a moment."
Yang smirked as she approached from behind, she draped her arm around Scarlet's neck. She leaned against her. "Don't be a party pooper. I can't even drink. Unless it's a non-alcoholic strawberry sunrise."
Scarlet shot Yang a death glare, but Rimuru spoke up. "Maybe you just need rest, and I don't mean when we had camp in that cave. I mean like an actual bed and a good amount of sleep without an disturbance."
Scarlet paused for a moment, she couldn't recall when the last time she had any decent sleep. She let out a defeated sigh as she brushed Yang's arm off of her. "Fine, you win..."
As dawn began to creep over the horizon, Yang took the lead. Leading the group away from the camp. Though the camp had remained standing, it was just a marking on what waited for those who tried to do the same thing Shin did. But it wouldn't be much of a warning to the Empire, their threat still loomed over their heads.