Chapter 5

## Chapter Guide

**Smoke Signal** (狼煙 (のろし) , *Noroshi*?) is the fifth chapter of Yuki Kawaguchi's *The Hunters Guild: Red Hood* series.

## Summary

With Dodou defeated, Velou thought that his village was finally safe. However, two new enemies have arrived; ones with mysterious motivations.

While Grimm attempts to hold them back, Velou and the villagers make a run for it. But not before these two powerful foes leave with a final, devastating parting gift: a hamlet in flames.

## Plot Details

The giant wolf stands imposingly over the hamlet, all while the witch floats in the air next to him, commenting on the "bumpkins" staring up at them. The villagers look on, shocked by this sudden, strange turn of events. Velou asks Grimm what the heck that gigantic werewolf is, but the huntress ignores his queries and hurriedly tells him to take the villagers and go.

The boy looks quizzically at Grimm, while the witch pouts, seemingly recognizing her. The werewolf spreads out his arm, sending dust flying into the air as he does, and proclaims to the villagers that they should fear not; for he has only come to check on his sons. The witch pipes up, telling the wolf - whom she refers to as Lycaon - to look over at the huntress.

*"Well, well! Is that Grimm of the Hundred Cannons I spy?"* Lycaon says, as Grimm begins to pull a long chain from her suitcase. She bounds forward, hopping across buildings toward the werewolf, whipping the massive chain - a Hunters Tool known as the "Chain of Sapience" - behind her. Showing a much more intense side of herself, Grimm states that she doesn't care why they are here; *all* werewolves must die.

With Grimm swiftly approaching him, Lycaon winds up his arm, saying that her response is worthy of her title. The werewolf then takes a massive swing at the huntress; the force from which creates a strong wind, that blasts several houses to smithereens, and pushes Velou and the other villagers back.

Lycaon looks up to see Grimm, who managed to dodge and - in the process - wrap the chain around rubble to create a make-shift morning star. Before the werewolf can react, the huntress flings the massive ball of debris and brings it crashing down on his head.

The giant wolf remains motionless for a moment, his eyes closed. Grimm freefalls next to him, when suddenly, his eyes shoot open. *"I felt that!"* Lycaon shouts, as he grabs the Chain of Sapience with both hands and begins to pull the huntress in mid-air. He grabs Grimm and slams her down on the ground, sending another powerful wave of wind hurtling through the hamlet. Velou yells out for Grimm, as he thinks to himself: Lycaon isn't just big, his speed and toughness are off the charts; he's incredibly powerful! Even so, the werewolf looks surprised at something.

As the dust clears, Grimm kneels on the ground, holding up Lycaon's massive clawed hand. Velou looks on in shock, surprised that she was able to survive, as Grimm screams at him to run. The boy calls to the villagers, telling them to follow him; meanwhile, Lycaon marvels at the huntress' strength. At that, Grimm remarks that she doesn't have much time left, and the witch jeeringly asks her if her "magic spell" is about to wear off.

Lycaon sniffs around, and says that he can't smell the scent of his sons on Grimm. He then turns to the "peach-colored boy", and states that the last wisps of his sons' souls linger about Velou. Dodou's regrets in particular, cling to the boy's spirit, the massive wolf observes.

*"Proof of a warrior!"* Lycaon says, his eyes beaming with interest, as Velou begins to pick up a rake that lies on the ground behind him. He has to buy the villagers time to escape, Velou thinks to himself, and raises the rake up in front of him. The boy, tiredly wielding the rake as a weapon, says that if Lycaon is taking revenge for his family, then the same goes for him.

Lycaon gives a deep guffaw, strong enough to push Velou back. *"You face me with that simple farmer's tool?"* The wolf scoffs, then praises the young boy for his bravery; killing a werewolf at his tender age is no small feat. So, out of respect for that, Lycaon says that he will refrain from eating Velou. For now.

*"Instead, let me wait until you're a warrior grown. I'll look forward to savoring the taste of your blood then!"* The werewolf says to Velou, as he lifts his hand off of Grimm. The huntress - mysterious steam rising from her body - tells them that they can't leave. Lycaon ignores her protest, saying that his sons are dead and it's time to go home; much to the witch's chagrin.

Like a spoilt child, the witch whines about how she hasn't done anything yet, and so, Lycaon beseeches her to light a final bonfire. The Ashen Witch, Cinderella, is greatly pleased by this, as the wolf stretches out his arms and says: *"A signal pyre for my sons on their journey to Valhalla; they at least deserve that final gesture for falling in glorious battle."*

Cinderella raises her wand, twinkling at the tip with light, and begins to cast her spell. *"Upside-Down Chrysanthemum!"* The witch says, as a fiery flare begins to drop down from her wand and onto the village, splitting apart and blooming like a bouquet of burning flowers. The sparking buds set the hamlet huts ablaze, and soon, the entire village becomes engulfed in flames.

Lycaon begins an intelligible chant, as Velou looks on in dismay. He begins to rush forward, saying that he has to put the fire out, but one of the villagers holds him back and tells him to get to the lake. Meanwhile, Grimm is on her hands and knees, slowly beginning to shrink in size. She asks why two "direct retainers" would come all this way just to check on some minor flunkies, and surmises that something strange must be going on in the hamlet. What are they really after?

The Ashen Witch sneers at the red huntress, and tells her to never mind that for now; instead, she wants Grimm to deliver a message to the Guild for them:

*"The Red List is on the move again."'*

Cinderella says that no matter how many of them the Guild hunts and kills, the list will just keep getting longer. They want to live too; they aren't going to give up, she tells Grimm, who has completely reverted back to her child form.

*"Someday, there'll be too many of us for you humans to handle."* And with that, the witch's omen signals the end of Kasoka Village. The hamlet, and surrounding countryside are completely engulfed, as the villagers float down the river in their canoes. The pale moon hangs high in the sky and Velou looks on, helpless, as all he has ever known is reduced to cinders.

With their homes burned to the ground, the villagers had nowhere left to live. One by one, they left to find new homes in others places. And that was the end of the village that Velou had fought so hard to protect.

Velou and Grimm rest at the bank of the lake, and the huntress laments that the mission was a complete failure. The boy, battered, bruised, and tired, looks up at her solemnly. According to her contract, Grimm says that she will return his fee, but Velou tells her to forget it.

Kasoka Village is no more, he says, and there are a lot of people missing as well; the person who had manned the lookout tower for one. Velou stares down at the ground, frustrated; eyes brimming with tears. He had told himself he would protect them...He had sworn that he would.

The huntress says that she will call for a new hunter and reinforcements immediately. Once the search for the missing is finished, she'll take her leave. At that, Velou stands up and asks her to take him with her. He has to go, he says, and wipes the tears from his eyes.

*"Take me to the Hunters Guild."*

## Characters in Order of Appearance

* Lycaon
* Cinderella
* Velou
* Grimm