SSS-Ranked Demon Hunter: The Prodigy
Chapter 27: Midnight Glow

Chapter 27: Midnight Glow

The Blood Moon—a mysterious phenomenon that heralds the rise of the Dukes in the sky. Anyone caught under its light dies in an instant, their bodies slashed by unseen blades.

There are no exceptions. From humans to animals—these invisible cuts spare no one, regardless of strength or resilience.

The Blood Moon rises and feeds the Dukes with the blood of all beings that perish within its radius. Their blood ascends into the sky like roots, filling the Moon like a chalice.

Across the region, hordes of demons surge in every direction, trampling anyone unfortunate enough to stand in their way.

The pounding of their footsteps echoes so loudly that it drives many people to madness.

This phenomenon continues until the Blood Moon is fully sated.

"Once every few years..." murmured a soldier in terror, kneeling with his hands over his ears, the thundering chaos of demons on the streets overwhelming his senses.

The demons charged without purpose, without direction.

They were unstoppable.

Anyone foolish enough to step outside and face them would be crushed into pieces.

"How long will this go on?!" I shouted, pressing my hands tightly to my ears.

"Huh?" Taehwan responded, squinting. "I can’t hear you!"

To us, it felt like we weren’t making a sound at all.

Everyone who managed to survive had taken shelter in buildings.

The abandoned house we were hiding in, along with a few dozen others, trembled under its own weight, barely held up by creaking beams.

"This is the end!" cried Salez over the radio. "We’re all going to die! A dishonorable, merciless death..."

Those who heard his voice through their radios huddled together, trembling.

Their eyes had lost all hope for life.

"They’re going to crush us," some muttered.

A soldier in a nearby building looked out the window—and saw an endless wave of demons. Above the chaos, three Dukes loomed silently in the sky, their dark silhouettes bathed in the blood-red moonlight.

Their cloaks fluttered in the wind, and their inhuman gazes scanned the ruined streets with grim stillness.

"You’ve got to be kidding..." the soldier muttered, his will breaking.

"Don’t look out the window! They might see you!"

"What does it matter anymore... We’re not making it out. This is how our story ends."

The soldier began to laugh—nervously, hysterically. His comrades heard the insanity in his voice.

He pulled a pistol from his pocket... and shot himself in the head.

His body collapsed. The dead face wore an empty smile.

"Oh no!" the others gasped, shaken by the sudden death.

Hope, it seemed, had finally and completely vanished.

Even I was ready to give up—not by choice, but by sheer helplessness.

But when I looked at Taehwan... I froze.

His eyes still burned with fierce resolve. His face was stern, unwavering.

Taehwan, even now... you keep fighting. When all seemed lost, it was your plan that saved us from the demons. Looking at you—I see a true hero.

"We can’t give up," his voice came crackling through the radio.

Because of him... I found a sliver of strength to hope again.

Not far from us, in a nearby building, Harin sat curled in a corner, crying with her ears covered.

To her, this was the end. She couldn’t stop replaying the image of Minjae’s frightened eyes—the man who sacrificed himself to save her.

That memory dragged her deeper into despair.

But in her mind... one final moment stood out: before he died, Minjae smiled.

"Minjae is gone," she whispered.

Then she heard Taehwan’s voice on the radio.

"Harin! Are you alright? Where are you?!"

She didn’t respond. The tears just kept falling.

"Harin, say something. Once the demon stampede ends, we need to regroup."

She picked up the walkie-talkie with trembling hands and whispered back:

"I’m alive. Minjae... Minjae is dead... He’s dead..!"

Our squad, hearing her voice over the channel, was devastated.

I lowered my eyes. My lips quivered.

Harin, please... don’t die too.

"I couldn’t help him... I was afraid I’d be cut down too..."

"I see," Taehwan replied. "Snake, Shark, Dolphin—status?"

"We’re on comms. Nearby," said one of them.

"Good..." Taehwan’s voice was heavy. "All we can do now... is wait."

The thundering noise stopped.

The demons vanished into the distance, leaving eerie silence behind.

After a grim pause, Harin added:

"Three years ago... I stood under the light of the Blood Moon. I had to protect my younger sisters—it was my duty as the eldest... But I just stood there, frozen. Mom and Dad saved us... but they couldn’t get to shelter in time. Since then, I swore I’d be brave. That I’d save everyone next time. I wanted to be ready for the next Moon. But in the end... I’m still the same useless coward who just gets in the way..."

"That’s not true," said Taehwan. "We’re lucky to be alive. Nightwatch is gone. Now... we survive."

Survive... We have to survive...

Time passed.

From the corpses, blood began to rise. Drawn upward from every direction, it flowed into the Red Moon, filling it like a sacrificial chalice.

That night... humanity lost more soldiers than ever before.

The Blood Moon rises only once every few years, with no pattern. To this day, no one knows what triggers its arrival.

Once the Moon was full, the Dukes vanished into the clouds.

The red glow disappeared beyond the horizon.

And in its place... a cold, silver light bathed the night.

"Is it over?" Dolphin asked, looking around.

He suddenly heard the ceiling groan. A deep crack split across the roof—and it began to collapse.

"Everyone out!" Dolphin shouted, leaping away.

The roof caved in, crushing several people. Dust filled the air as Dolphin dashed toward the exit.

Both rocket-launchers in our squad managed to escape, following after him.

"Where’s Snake-1 and 2?"

"They didn’t make it... There wasn’t enough time. They couldn’t get out."

"Damn those demons!" Dolphin slammed his fist into the wall. "How many more are we going to lose?!"

"Lieutenant, we can’t give up now. Elephant ordered everyone to regroup."

Elsewhere in the district, two S-rank Hunters—Reina and Minho—emerged from their shelter.They called out to the remaining soldiers and stepped onto the street.

Reina looked up... and her heart dropped.

There, under the moonlight, stood a familiar figure—watching her from atop a building.

"You again?!" she growled, summoning her Kenketsu. "Why won’t you just die already?!"

The shadow stepped into the light.

It was the Crimson Reaper, katana in hand.

"Long time no see, red-haired."

Minho and the soldiers moved beside her, weapons ready.

"You die tonight," said Minho. "This time... your opponent is me."

"The Ghost himself, huh? Not an easy match."

Reina glanced at Minho, anxious.

"Ghost... you remember how to fight him, right?"

"I do, girl. Don’t worry about me. Go help the others. He’s not alone."

"Got it."

Reina ran off with three A-rank Hunters.

Meanwhile, in the western district, Sora and Chanwook were blocked by a silver-haired young man.

The soldiers called him Silverhead.

He’d dropped from the sky—now standing before them, barring their path.

"You’ll pass only if I let you. So? Who’s brave enough to try?"

"You punk..." Chanwook muttered. "How dare you talk like that to elders?"

"If I were you, Hunters..." Silverhead said with cold eyes, "I’d drop to my knees and beg. Maybe then... I’d spare a few of you."

While the battle erupted...

I quietly stepped toward the exit of our building.

Everything on the street was still—until—

"Ki-hyuuun~!" rang out a cheery, twisted voice. "Come out! No more hide and seek. Let’s play tag instead!"

A young man with curly hair strolled the street—The Mad Jester. His sly, sing-song voice was driving the hidden soldiers insane.

Umbra had caught us all off guard.

What do I do? Hide... or face him head on?