Conquering the underworld with my beautiful dragon wives-Chapter 43: The Night of the Hunt

The sound of gunfire and metal hitting wood shattered the silence of the cabin.

Ethan threw himself behind the wall, breathing hard.

"Okay... pretty sure this ain’t a joke anymore."

Fayra calmly spun her wrist as blue flames danced from her fingertips.

"You think?! Yeah, babe... those bullets are real."

Luna, hiding behind the chess table while shoving the king piece into her pocket, mumbled,

"Well... if they kill me, I can’t win... so we’re staying alive!"

Selena leaned by the window, her sharp eyes peeking through the curtain.

"Five of ’em. All masked. One of ’em... looks like a shadow."

Alice, as calm as ever, closed her notebook and said,

"Well, it’s either fight... or run."

Ethan stood up, dusted off his pants.

"Option two. For now."

They bolted out the back door.

The thick forest mist swallowed their footsteps. The air smelled like burnt wood and damp moss.

Fayra muttered,

"We gotta head for the lake. Open ground... less places to ambush."

Luna, running alongside, said,

"Yeah... then we can steal a boat and get outta here. Classic!"

Ethan, panting, chuckled.

"Yeah... nothing delays death better than an embarrassing escape."

Right then — a shadow leapt from the mist.

A girl, like a swirl of darkness, blocked their way.

Her yellow eyes glowing in the dark.

Mina. The Shadow Killer.

She spoke coldly,

"Running? Well... not tonight, darlings."

Selena didn’t hesitate, drew her sword and charged.

But the moment the blade passed through Mina, she vanished like smoke.

Luna shouted,

"Why is there always one of us who has to test it first?!"

Mina reappeared behind them, whispering,

"Rule number one of the hunt: prey runs... hunters laugh."

Ethan frowned.

"Rule number two: always have a backup plan."

He raised his hand, pulling a small glass orb from his pocket.

It hit the ground and burst, sending a wave of orange light around them.

Mina screamed and melted back into the dark.

Fayra, surprised, asked,

"What the hell was that?"

Ethan grinned,

"A gift from a grumpy old wizard. Light-eater spell."

Alice murmured,

"Let’s move."

They dashed toward the lake.

The sound of hunters’ footsteps getting closer behind them.

The air felt heavier with every step.

Berg, the Liar Hunter, showed up.

Tall, thin guy, with a metal mask and glowing eyes.

He said,

"End this right now. No lies. Who’s got the boat?"

Luna blurted out,

"Me!"

Immediately, clear ice shot up from the ground, trapping Luna’s feet.

Ethan yelled,

"Damn it! Luna!"

Fayra screamed at Berg,

"Go to hell!"

She blasted a wave of fire at him...

but the ice swallowed the flames.

Selena sighed,

"His power’s tied to lies... anyone who lies gets caught."

Ethan shouted,

"Hey! I’m not a dragon!"

Berg stared at him.

Nothing happened.

Ethan shrugged.

"Well... guess that was true."

Fayra smirked.

"Clever."

Alice, while freeing Luna, said,

"We shouldn’t answer him. Silence is the way."

Berg stepped closer.

"Alright... goodbye then."

But before he could move —

A flaming arrow hit his shoulder.

Mina shouted,

"What—?!"

Out of the mist, heavy footsteps came.

A huge man stepped in — Rain, the former Black Dragon.

He looked at the hunters and said,

"Not letting ’em die. Not yet."

Fayra stared, mouth open.

"What? You... aren’t you one of them?!"

Rain frowned.

"Some contracts... are meant to be broken."

Mina screamed,

"Traitor!"

Rain slammed his huge mace into the ground.

"Step aside."

He looked at Ethan.

"If you wanna live... you’re coming with me. Now."

Ethan said,

"And we’re supposed to just trust you?!"

Rain replied,

"If you don’t... you’ll be in pieces in about three minutes."

Ethan looked at the others.

"What do you guys think?"

Fayra narrowed her eyes.

"If he’s lying... I’ll burn him."

Luna,

"Let’s just go, fast."

Rain led the group down a side path through the woods.

A hidden shelter beneath a massive ancient tree.

Inside it was packed with old weapons, dusty maps, and photos of past hunts.

Rain shut the door and said,

"They’ll figure out where we are soon. We got a few minutes."

Fayra spoke,

"Okay — talk. Why’d you help us?"

Rain took off his mask.

A scarred face, eyes carrying a thousand years of exhaustion.

"’Cause I was prey once too."

Ethan sighed.

"So you know who put the bounty on us."

Rain nodded.

"Yeah... only one guy could’ve done it."

He ripped an old photo off the wall and laid it out.

A picture of a man with a golden mask.

And beneath it:

"The Master of Contracts"

Rain said,

"Leader of all the hunters. He’s the one who put you on the kill list."

Luna said,

"Well... let’s go kill him."

Rain chuckled.

"Not that simple. He never fights himself."

Fayra,

"So what do we do then?"

Rain looked at the book Ethan carried.

"That... it can open the exit."

Ethan, breathing hard,

"No. I swore I wouldn’t read it."

Rain,

"Then stay... and die."

Silence.

Everyone stared at Ethan.

Fayra softly,

"It’s your call."

Ethan closed his eyes.

The sound of his friends breathing... the soft crackle of Fayra’s flames... Luna’s shaky hand... all circling in his head.

He opened his eyes.

"There’s another way."

Everyone together,

"What?!"

Ethan smiled.

"We fight. But... we break their game."

Rain,

"How?"

Ethan said,

"With lies."

Rain was standing behind a broken shelf and said:

"Every hunter follows a hunt law. Their laws... are based on truth. Lies mean death for them."

Selena frowned.

"What do you mean?"

Rain turned and looked at her.

"Contract hunters swore to only chase the truth. ’Cause their power comes from the law... if they break their own rule, they fall apart."

Luna, a little impatient, said:

"So we... lie to break their laws?"

Rain gave a bitter smile.

"Not just a lie. You gotta believe it. If you even doubt it... you lose."

Fayra spoke quietly:

"And what if we fail...?"

Rain grabbed an old rusty sword off the wall.

"We die."

Ethan stood up, looking around the shelter.

"Alright. Then we need a plan. One big lie... one we all stick to."

Alice, flipping through her notebook, said:

"I got an idea. A lie so big... it’ll shake even the world."

Everyone turned toward her.

Alice said:

"A blood pact."

Rain suddenly stiffened.

"You’re insane. That’s... forbidden!"

Ethan asked seriously:

"What is it?"

Alice gave a crooked smile.

"A contract made of lies... but if you believe it, it turns real. A fake deal... but if everyone swears and bleeds for it, even the world has to accept it."

Fayra, unsure, asked:

"And if the world doesn’t...?"

Alice coldly replied:

"We all turn into uncontracted ghosts. Not alive, not dead. Just a bunch of scattered pieces."

The room went dead silent.

Ethan took a deep breath.

"Alright... I’ll go first. Whoever’s with me, give me your hand."

One by one, they reached out.

Fayra first — her hand warm and steady.

Luna — hand shaking, but smiling.

Selena — silent, but firm.

Alice — calm and serious.

Rain — last, frowning, eyes heavy.

Ethan smiled.

"Okay... one big lie."

Alice said:

"Say it... you’re a contract hunter."

Ethan raised his hand.

"I’m Ethan, a contract hunter. Killer of the contract master. The next ruler."

A moment of silence.

Everyone grabbed the blades Alice pulled from her pocket and cut their palms.

A few drops of blood hit the ground.

A greenish light circled them.

The cuts healed quick.

Rain, shocked, said:

"It’s working..."

Suddenly, footsteps and familiar shadows outside.

Mina yelled:

"I know you’re in there! Give up!"

Ethan shouted back:

"Come on in... but this time, I’m the hunter!"

The door burst open.

The hunters stormed in.

But when the light of the pact hit them, one by one, they collapsed.

’Cause their law was truth.

And these guys... were a living lie.

Mina screamed:

"Impossible! You’re... you’re no lie...!"

Ethan calmly said:

"I wanna be."

Right then, Fayra and Luna turned into blazing dragons.

Rain raised his hammer with a roar.

The fight broke out.

Fayra burst into flames.

"Die, you contract pups!"

Luna bared her teeth.

"Game’s flipped."

The fight was fire, lies, and blood.

Ethan dashed at Mina.

Grabbed two knives from Alice.

Threw one — held one.

Mina dodged.

"You can’t kill me!"

Ethan said:

"’Cause I’m lying."

The second knife sunk into her chest.

Mina dropped.

Alice grinned.

"A good lie... can kill."

As the hunters fell one by one,

Rain looked at Ethan and said:

"You... you could really change this world’s law."

Ethan smiled.

"No... we can."

The sound of the lake.

Quiet.

They were alive.

For now.

But...

Alice softly said:

"He’s coming."

They all turned.

From the mist...

A man with a golden mask.

The contract master.