16

Hunter, Don't Shoot My Friend

Chapter 16: How to Do a Good Job?

"Are you alright?"

Ethan, who had sat down near an ambulance, didn't respond immediately. He was just wondering who the person that unknown demon wanted him to kill was.

Some names came to mind, but none were significant enough to cause demons as much trouble as the last heir of the ShadowBane family.

Ethan had fought alongside him on a few occasions. It wasn't precisely the highlight of his career as a hunter, but they were good times.

In any case, he wasn't interested in following orders, much less those of a demon. "Mission details?"

"A corporeal-class entity with supernatural abilities. Anyone else would have died in his situation, and it's certainly surprising that he eliminated it while unconscious."

Ethan knew this was due to his guns. Any other weapon wouldn't harm a demon as much as the bullets from his special weapons. He knew the difference in power between his inherited tools and conventional ones.

"Well, I'm off. I want the special department to be open as soon as possible in Beacon Hills," Ethan said as he walked towards his vehicle to leave the place as soon as possible.

"Yes, boss."

"I don't want any delays, or I'll go and kick everyone's ass in the office."

One of the agents who stayed to organize the mess said, "How's the boss now that he's not surrounded by blood, guts, and death?"

"He's kinder. Even old Tom was surprised that he didn't refuse to take on this low-level mission."

"He's just taking care of himself. I think our boss is obsessed with work, which is why he was assigned this case to clear his mind."

"At least it wasn't bloody."

"I won't deny that this anomaly is extremely dangerous. To be able to get into a Winchester's head, any of us would be dead."

"We certainly would."

...

The reason Ethan took on this mission was simple: he was bored.

All this time, he had grown bored because nothing significant was happening around him. He even invited two unknown boys to his home because a part of him couldn't recognize them.

However, now that he had released his stress with this dark entity, it seemed that everything had returned to normal within him.

"I won't forget to bring my main tools from now on. I thought there wouldn't be any dangerous dark entities in this place, and I was wrong," Ethan thought, reflecting on the small mistakes he made by underestimating the place where an anomaly was developing.

Hours had passed, and after a few days without sleep, he returned to town.

As usual, he drove automatically, and given his orders, no one was waiting for him.

When Ethan got out of the vehicle, he felt a presence approaching and turned his head, finding the gaze of a female coyote.

"Where did you come from?"

Rrrr!

Ethan checked the time and said, "If you're looking for food, I can bring you some, but you'll need to stay here for a few minutes."

The coyote didn't move. She could sense Ethan's bloody presence and did nothing to provoke his fury.

"I'll take that as a yes." Ethan entered the food warehouse and came out with two large cuts of meat.

He didn't know why he was doing it; he simply pitied this predator, who seemed a bit young. He didn't remember there being coyotes in this area, so he disinterestedly threw the meat from afar.

Ethan then took a pill for his headache and said, "You can take both. Eat them here, and no predator will be able to harm you."

The female coyote sniffed the meat repeatedly, doubting that it wasn't poisoned.

"It's good food—rather expensive cuts of meat that I'm sure you'll never taste in your life if it weren't for me." Ethan smiled slightly due to his schizophrenia, which was awakening as he spoke to a female coyote as if she understood him.

Ethan sat in front of a tree and said, "Well, I'll keep you company while you eat."

The coyote began eating without looking at Ethan. She considered this human a good Samaritan who fed her out of fear of being eaten in her place.

"I want you to know that I feel as lonely as this old tree, waiting for something to cut off my head and finally give my unpleasant life a rest."

Ethan, feeling the effects of the potent drug he had taken, said, "Unlike many idiots, I have no doubts about anyone. On the contrary, the world owes me a lot for everything I've done to maintain the lives of many in peace and harmony."

"I remember once loving my mother, but over time that love turned into resentment, and the last thing I remember was a fight. We argued, and she died the next day." Ethan smiled slightly, fueling his self-mockery.

The coyote had finished eating by now, but mysteriously, she approached Ethan and sat in front of him.

Ethan looked at the female coyote, expecting something, and while he waited, he said, "Life is really cruel. I hope that in this place I can get a bit of that life I so longed for."

"If you come tomorrow night, I'll feed you. I might even adopt you."

Rrrr!!!

The female coyote didn't like this idea because she didn't want to be considered a pet.

In response, Ethan stood up indifferently and said, "You've lost the chance to bite my neck. Maybe you can try tomorrow."

The female coyote watched Ethan leave while her blue eyes revealed a hint of human understanding, as if she comprehended everything Ethan had said.