A pop sounded as the festering flesh of the woman-demon mixture sizzled, collecting into a grotesque copious pile.

"That's not what was supposed to happen," Violet said, watching the mess ooze. "It's almost as if the demon couldn't get out. It reeks."

Unable to stand the proximity, Violet covered her nose and turned away. Her eyes watered as brimstone, sulfur, blood, and cooked human flesh mixed into a putrid amalgamation. She distanced herself from the body while Hisoka leaned in to look it over. Explicit and perverse interest coloured his expression. He looked genuinely impressed at the unintended massacre.

"She's most certainly dead. The aura is completely gone ~ ♣"

"Is there anything lingering?" Violet asked.

"Hmm. Yes, there is something in the flesh, but it's not alive. It's not producing aura," Hisoka answered while observing the pile of flesh with calculating eyes.

"We'll need to salt and purify the remains. Demons can be born from the remains of dead hosts. The more violent the death, the more likely."

"I would definitely rank this a violent death. Well done, darling ~ ♥"

Violet rolled her eyes as they watered, and her whole body still reeled from the stench.

"I don't know why you were so upset when you beheaded that one fighter. Beheading is quite cordial compared to your normal killing style."

"Hisoka." He looked over, smirking impishly from his squatting position. "Shut up. There are still two more."

Hisoka dropped his expression into narrowed eyes as he scrutinised Violet for the first time since the kill.

Standing, he asked, "You said you needed an open space to fight? What about the roof? ~ ♠"

"I mean, I thought of it too, but we'd have to get there. Wouldn't that put us on stairs or elevators?" Violet said and frowned before crossing her arms. "If they attack in there, it's a disadvantage."

Hisoka smirked. She didn't know what he thought while wearing the expression, but it annoyed her. "It certainly would be. Who said we would go up that way?"

The sweetest smile lit the redhead's face. The innocent façade finished with a slight head tilted. But the illusion was shattered by the dark, mischievous glint dancing across his golden eyes.

"Wha—"

Before Violet could finish her thought, Hisoka started to climb out the window at the end of the hallway. The putrid mess of their first victim continued to fester a few steps away from his chosen exit.

"I'm not scaling the building to ge—"

Halfway out the window, Hisoka turned back and flicked his index finger in a 'come here' manner. His aggravating power pulled Violet down the hallway. She dug her heels into the carpet as much as the throbbing ankles would allow. It was all useless, and Hisoka snatched her out the window to meet the night's cool air. Relief came as it touched Violet's cheeks and burning nose.

A straight drop to earth met Violet as the pair towered over the two-hundred and forty-fifth floor.

"Hisoka! Stop!" Violet clung to Hisoka's shoulder and neck while he secured her tight against his left side. Given how Hisoka smirked at her discomfort, she could only imagine the horror-filled expression colouring her face. "We'll fall!"

Before she could say more, they shot upwards like a rocket. Violet gasped and dug her nails into his skin as she wrapped her legs around his waist for support. Despite the terror of moving through a pattern of jump and fall like a bungee cord, the vibrations of Hisoka's moan didn't go unnoticed.

It took a few leaps to scale the fourth-highest building in the Republic of Padokea, one of five countries that made up the Five Nations of the world she now resided in. Holding back a cry, Violet bit into Hisoka's shirt and by the neck to muffle the sound.

An abrupt halt to the movement happened as fast as it began, but Violet remained in her position with her eyes clamped shut.

"We're back on solid ground. You can let go. Unless you want to spend the night like this ~ ♥" His voice was seeping with lust.

Heat raced to her cheeks, and she swiftly released herself and distanced from the pervert. The classical smirk returned to his lips, but his eyes seeped with deep shades of aphrodisia. Hisoka brought an ace of hearts toward his lips. He seductively ran his tongue along the back of the card. As his tongue reached the end, he widened his eyes for a split second.

Red hot heat spread across her face, and she turned away, releasing a 'tsk' noise. You're such a creep. Why is my heart racing so much?

Violet surveyed the surroundings. The building's unique structure had always intrigued her. It wasn't built to a rectangular or cylindrical nature common for the skyscrapers where she hailed. Instead, it had a wide base with several smaller towers, and as it reached for the sky, the top narrowed to a point. The building appeared as a vast grey and black shining termite hill from a distance.

However, at the peak, the roof was impressive. There were three platform levels, with the highest one above where the pair stood and was designated an airship landing pad. Littered throughout the middle and lower landings were brick maintenance houses. Beyond those, several machines ran full tilt, keeping the backbone of air filtration, heating, cooling, and water running to the floors below. It would be perfect for Violet's stealth and hit-and-run styles.

There were shadows, but the moon, surrounding buildings, and multiple airship warning signals above the roof played no small role in banishing full night, preventing any troublesome demon abilities. Demon speed and strength would still be a factor, but this was far better fighting conditions.

Violet wondered about the delay. The demons had been on her heels when she ran into Hisoka. Thick nerves spread across her gut, making it churn in discomfort.

Demons working together? They're intelligent and tricky enough individually. And that kill before. It should have just been a standard removal procedure. Something doesn't add up.

They were creatures born like any animal and could die if you found their main bodies. Violet did not see them as some unstoppable supernatural force, but she had far more experience and insight than the average hunter.

Shaking her head. Now is not the time to revisit your tragic history! Forget it and move forward, or there won't be a tomorrow.

Violet wrapped the rosary around her wrist for easy access.

"I think they got bored. Boo~" Hisoka complained. "Perhaps your attack on the last one scared them off. What a pity ~ ♠"

"Shush. They could literally be hiding in any of the shadows waiting to pounce."

"Is that how the other one appeared?" He grinned as his muscles twitched with excitement. "How fun this will be. I'm glad I ran into you tonight."

"Hisoka. I know you're not the helping type. But, could you cover me for a few minutes at the beginning of the fight?" Violet asked.

"Hmm? ♠" The magician eyed her with suspicion, complete with a slight frown and one distinctly raised eyebrow.

"My Nen is not developed enough to fight a black demon. My Ko and defences are inconsistent at best, and I'll break my body if I rely on it for this fight," Violet said. "I've been working more with my other ability. It will be way more useful against demons. I need a few minutes to access it."

"Why weren't you doing that sooner? They could have attacked by now. I am curious to see these other abilities. What makes you think they aren't Nen?"

Urgh! Now is not the time to grill for information on my skills!

Violet knew the answer would be no if she didn't offer something. Although, she couldn't deny she was starting to wonder about the same point.

"It takes energy, and I'll be vulnerable while accessing it. I need someone to distract them."

Hisoka's look turned serious, and he was lost in consideration.

She pushed, desperate for acknowledgement of aid. "It will be quite a challenge for you to take two by yourself, don't you think? Could be a fun test."

Hisoka turned with so much evil in his features that Violet froze. "My dear. Are you trying to tempt and play me? Naughty little kitten ~ ♥"

Heat raced to Violet's facial features. Of all the condescending terms and pet names, that was her least favoured. A snarl sounded from her chest as her nose wrinkled, and she could feel the hatred seeping from her eyes.

As she opened her mouth to retort, her instincts flared. Turning, a demon possessing deep black eyes with spiralling yellow highlights extended its clawed hand for her neck. Bracing for the attack and pain, she raised her arms in defence.

The demon shot upwards and jolted to the side, shattering the wall of one of the brick maintenance houses. Violet blinked but didn't have time to think about it, with another one rushing in. Vertigo struck as she rushed through the air out of the demon's reach.

All she could process was a flash of white and demon shrieks. When things slowed enough for Violet to grasp, she sat atop a maintenance house on her knees. Hisoka squatted beside her, with an arm around her waist.

How fast exactly is this man? It was unnerving that he could outpace her with so much ease. Maybe I'm not giving this Nen stuff a real chance.

"Hm. They will be a challenge. Excellent ~♥"

The second demon ferociously pulled cards from their body, dark oozing eyes dripping with death. All the hits would have been critical to a normal human, but now these were human husks. The first demon recovered and was snarling.

"Th- They're not the same ones as before!"

Three more stood on the roof; the two Violet faced earlier were within the group of five.

"Seems your count was off by a bit, darling ~♥"

Hisoka's words were playful, but his tone held a tense excitement. Stiffness riddled her body. Meanwhile, her partner's muscles were twitching.

They were calling for backup and killing off their hosts. Dammit, I don't like these odds.

Dark electricity grew throughout Hisoka's aura, nipping in static electricity across Violet's skin. A thick pink tongue emerged from his mouth, gliding psychotically across wide lips with lustful anticipation.

Such a psycho!

Violet was less excited, but Hisoka visually expressed what she usually felt before a demon hunt. However, she was accustomed to hunting this prey with a large team under her command. Taking on five demons would be difficult, regardless of which skills she used.

Hisoka jumped down, leaving her stranded on top of the building. He rushed the demons. Guess I'm watching a Hisoka fight, whether I like it or not tonight.

Seeing demons having trouble matching pace with just one man was odd. She couldn't deny he was a strong fighter. As the demons surrounded Hisoka, he easily avoided the strikes. Enjoyment was written on every twitch of his muscles and glint of his golden eyes.

Violet turned, sensing two demons. She rose and stumbled, the pain searing to life within her ankles, now far worse than her arm injury. The wobble drew the demons on both sides, over-confident, seeing their target struggling to stand.

A seasoned veteran, Violet knew demons as hyper-intelligent, large predators. Faking injury, or faking its severity in this case, often drew them in for an easy kill. As they both lurched forwards, she dropped back, spun, and slipped off the maintenance house.

The demons collided hard in mid-air where she once stood. Instead of human flesh between their claws, they met the meat of their own kind. Demons had very little patience for one another, being solitary poachers. A full-blown, bloody battle erupted between the two. Shrieking, screaming, and furious, unrestrained rage echoed until a winner was decided. Violet used the time to separate herself, hoping one might take the other out and leave the victor wounded.

One demon crouched, almost showing submission to the other. It lost an arm in the altercation, which lay in four pieces across the roof. Both were injured, but not enough to avoid a fight.

The two stalked forwards, closing the distance Violet created. She stepped back, and the demon lacking an arm appeared at her back. Agility and experience helped her dodge the demon's attacks from behind without taking her eyes off the other. The weaker demon was chewing through the cement ground with every miss like freshly laid soil. The missing arm created enough safety for her to keep standing.

Once the black demon joined the fray, things became more critical. There is only one option, take a hit and hope I can handle the pain enough to lay a retaliating strike.

Dark eyes with colour swirling in warning of imminent death pushed Violet backwards near the L-shaped protrusion of an air ventilation system. Cornered, she readied. A harsh jolt pulled her sweat-laced body free of the trap. The sound of rushing air danced across her skin before her body clashed with Hisoka's heat, wrapped within his arms once again.

I'm starting to get whiplash!

Demons pursued their redheaded target closer than his own shadow. Hisoka sprung back and used the water tanks, machinery, and maintenance houses to evade. Rage decimated the demon's expression as much as the howls they released. They were ill-suited to handle the frustration that came with the work involved in this hunt.

"When you're ready, don't hold back. No one is going to hunt you down for having power!" Hisoka said before leaving her nestled safely in the light of the stairwell roof entrance.

Hisoka smiled, leading the hell-born group away. Irritation tickled the fine hairs of her arm. Casting her eyes downwards, she spotted the magician's blood staining her wrist and shirt. A stiff frown painted her lips as she turned back to Hisoka's fight. He held his own as a strong fighter and had removed a few limbs from his opponents but not without a cost.

Anyone who would hurt me is stuck back home. Let's see what I can really do.

Power buzzed to life from her core and spread to the tips of each finger. Surrounded by a catalyst of inner fire, she opened access to her flow visualisation. Violet tapped into her own flow rather than that of the demons. She slid energy down her tibial nerves and into the lesser nerve bundles, dulling sensation just above the ankles to her heels.

Unlike humans and other animals, demons were horrendously challenging for Violet to read and control. A dark, disgusting, and abysmal energy surrounded each. The particles swooped around their forms in deep black and dirty crimson red, with not a single fleck of grey or white. One of the human hosts clung to life, and their flow intertwined with the demons.

I'll release you from torture soon.

Flow theft was vastly superior to her other abilities, but at a horrendous cost, partial muscle death afterwards, as what was taken needed to be repaid. Utilising it, she pulled the energy of the surrounding steam from pipes and the life force of insects littering the night sky into her body. Their power enhanced her muscles in preparation for the next phase of the battle.

Muscles blasted into action, launching Violet into the fray. Using the sides of the structures on the roof, she stalked behind the group Hisoka was entertaining and launched off the far wall, bringing her leg down hard on a demon. The crunch of shattering bone sounded, rendering the victim's arm useless.

The demon's flow changed instantly. Violet managed to dodge. A well-timed manoeuvre saw her back on the initial target's shattered arm, and, yanking full force, she tore it free.

Another attacked from behind, but the flow change alerted her. Parrying, the second demon's claws landed deep in the first demon's chest. As they reeled with their predicament, Violet lodged the arm she removed moments prior deep into the neck of her new opponent.

It's much easier to slice them open with their own weapons.

The demon pulled its claws from the chest of the first to remove the severed arm left in his neck. While he preoccupied himself, she removed the heart from the hole remaining in the first demon, then spun beyond the range of both foes. The heartless demon staggered back but remained standing.

This one will be significantly slowed but can still deal damage.

There was another shriek behind them as Hisoka beheaded one of the three still assaulting him. For sufficient measure and taking Violet's words to heart, he shattering the fallen head into several pieces.

Thus, Hisoka took the first demon out of the fray.

She spared a quick peripheral look at the demon the magician had disabled. The head was useless, but the body moved violently and erratically as it tried to rise from the host. It looked like the person was having a massive seizure in the middle of a dust storm. The demon kept trying to force an exit while simultaneously being drawn back. This grotesque show continued until all the energy was exhausted in the host and parasite alike.

Is it trapped? Are they all like that?

Distracted, her opponents took advantage of her split attention. They rendered several superficial wounds on her arms and cheeks. Cursing under her breath, she avoided further damage. Altering a demon's flow was impossible.

Violet inched her fight closer to Hisoka, who noticed and met her the last few feet of the distance.

She addressed him between evasions and counter-attacks, "If I used one of your cards, would it still cut as it does for you?"

"Provided you don't move too far from me. You had no problem with the arm you took from the other demon ~♦" He snickered and released bloodlust in a small amount.

"There's something else I want to check," Violet hissed in a coarse tone. Simply expecting him to collaborate, she put her hand out.

Hisoka handed her two cards, a queen of hearts and an ace of spades.

"I'm going for the black demon." She signalled to the upper floor fighter. "Keep the others busy."

Within seconds Violet was sprinting across the distance. Hisoka's bloodlust nipped across her skin. Battle lust clouded her better judgement. Intoxicated with her power, she chose the hardest of the demons for her experiment.

Hisoka removed the other demons in her path using his ability to pull them away. Reaching her opponent, she feinted to the left and moved the rosary to the palm of her hand. Narrowly avoiding the upper floor fighter's attacks, she sprung, rotating mid-air over his head to land on the host's left side.

Quickly whirling behind the demon, she pulled one of the playing cards from her back pocket. Cutting from the left shoulder to the right hip along the victim's back, the clothing below dropped. She forced the rosary between the shoulder blades.

The demon shrieked as the blood rosary did its job, and burning steam billowed from the back. Face-planting him into the ground, she forced the advantage.

Nothing. No binding marks anywhere on his back. They should appear when the rosary contacts. What's going on?!

The demon broke Violet's hold, slashing its claws against her injured arm. She avoided more profound damage, the hidden action of removing half her neck. Swaying backwards, she cut feeling to the wounded part of her arm. The cloth Hisoka provided earlier fell into shredded pieces revealing slick blood which coated her arm.

This one is too strong. It can avoid a blood ritual artefact. Let me try out that new technique.

Most rosaries were useless, but hers packed a punch since it was soaked in saint's blood and ritualised through dark methods she didn't comprehend. Altering the energy flow of water in the air, she created a micro-layer around the rosary. The dark aura of the rosary moved into the water.

Violet spun with her opponent and punched his face while avoiding the claws. The demon screamed as the enhanced water breached his skin, and the wounded area blasted into flames. She moved her hand into a grip position while shifting the water over her fingertips. Scratching down, she slit him open from neck to navel.

Unearthly shrieks filled the air as the demon flailed. Splattering bleeding wounds burst open and exploded with steam and fire. Violet grabbed both of Hisoka's cards, one per hand, and moved the water over the cards.

Please don't affect his Nen!

Sweat dripped from her brow and chin as she pushed her ability and body past their limits. She jumped and kicked the demon's face to distract from her final move. She twirled mid-air until she was facing the demon again. Violet embedded the cards on either side of the demon's shoulders as she dropped and cut a long, curved attack.

The water surrounded cards rooted deep along the attack's path, and she sent them flying outward behind her at the end of the action. The wounds along the host's chest and abdomen burst into white and blue flames that were hungry to consume the demon whole. The aggressive inferno followed the internal organs as they spilt out of the open body.

Violet stepped back to avoid the growing mess. The demon collapsed to the ground, writhing with piercing screams of anguish. It continued to burn long after the body movements ceased. She collapsed, panting and releasing her hold on the water.

Sweat soaked her skin as she tried to recover.