Free The Psyche Diver Trilogy: Demon Hunters by Baku Yumemakura Page A

it unnoticed. The probability of someone navigating ten meters without giving themself away was close to zero, especially in the mountains where the narrow path was full of obstacles, even more so in the dead of night. Had this man just been lucky? Impossible, Biku dismissed the idea. The dark figure had done it--he had skillfully steered himself through the narrow passage.
    “You must be Hosuke Kumon,” Biku said.
    There was no reply. A part of the shadow twitched; a sound of scraping travelled through the darkness. The shadowy figure seemed to be scratching its head. The bulky form stepped forward. The man walked up to the fire, positioning it between the two of them. He came to a stop.
    The man in the firelight was covered in a thin layer of dirt. He was about the same height as Biku, 178 centimeters. Despite this, his build was far more bulky. He stood with a slight slouch. He looked like a physical laborer, the type with a story, there was always one like him. His eyes regarded Biku with something of an odd spark in them. He had an impressive beard. He probably had not shaved since withdrawing into the mountains.
    His clothing, his skin...everything gave the impression that he had absorbed the mountain to his core. He looked exactly like someone would if they had been wandering lost in the mountains, but at the same time he did not betray even the slightest hint of fatigue. If anything, he was overflowing with a peculiar sense of energy, but the energy did not seem to be anything animal. It was transparent, as though someone had taken a chunk out of the mountain and chiseled it into human form.
    Biku attempted to channel his energy toward the man, but it was as though the man had no physical presence. It was not that he hid himself with magic, more that his form had blended with the mountain. Like the mountain air, the man’s aura was crystal clear. To discern his presence in the darkness would be no simple feat.
    “Hosuke Kumon, right?” Biku repeated.
    The man nodded. They stared across the firelight. Hosuke’s eyes were pools of glass. His expression was difficult to read; Biku was unable to tell if he was angry or enjoying himself.
    “So you’re the one that’s been following me.” An enormous sense of power resided in his eyes.
    “Yes,” Biku answered, returning the stare, “For nine days now.”
    “Hmm.” Hosuke crouched and reached out for one of the skewers. “Not easy,” he muttered to himself as he took a bite of the meat. His teeth looked shockingly strong. He swallowed the meat and licked his fingers as he scanned the area. “This was yours too?” He was referring to the Sacrosanct Barrier Biku had evoked.
    “You picked up on that, I see.”
    “Impressive,” Hosuke said with genuine admiration. Of course, Biku knew that Hosuke Kumon, the man that had just strolled through the barrier’s blind spot, was no slouch himself.
    Then, the two of them noticed something. Something else . Something was coming closer through the darkness. A faint sound, something heavy trampling through grass...something large brushing against the branches of the shrubs and still approaching. A strong, animal smell wafted into the air.
    “Ah, a bear,” Biku stated. He did not try to stand. He poured some coffee into the pot on the stove and placed it on the ground in front of Hosuke. “How about it?” His sharp eyes focused on the man, watching for his response.
    His question had been purposefully vague; he could have been asking if Hosuke wanted coffee or he could have been asking if he was afraid of the coming bear. Biku wanted to see how this strange man would react. His reaction would allow him to judge the extent of his talents.
    “Don’t mind if I do.” Hosuke took the cup in his hands. Nothing in his expression had changed. Casual acceptance, that was the extent of his reaction. Usually the mention of a bear was enough drain the color from a man’s face. “Delicious,” Hosuke muttered, taking a