Each Harboring Killing Intent

(Wait, that female hunter just swung a... fist at me?)

(Could that be some kind of hand signal they use to identify their own?)

(Those sly bastards really might have planned for this much.)

(Looks like I can only play dumb and move straight in.)

(First, close the distance as much as possible. If they show even the slightest hesitation, attack immediately!)

Having thought this through, Betasha once again whispered instructions to her sisters behind her:

"Follow behind me now and quietly approach them! Listen for my signal and be ready to attack at any moment. Until then, none of you are to act rashly!"

Fuyilai and Parihame nodded in agreement at the same time. They then flew with Betasha toward Oko in the distance at a steady pace, offering no further response to her fist-waving gesture.

Watching the three figures in hunter trench coats approach her at an even speed, Oko neither hesitated nor turned to flee. Instead, she likewise flew calmly toward Betasha without the slightest delay.

At the sight, Parihame could not help but let out a sinister grin. The thick belly hidden beneath her trench coat began to quiver in secret, rising and falling like waves.

"Hehehe, she really took the bait! Big Sister's disguise scheme worked perfectly!"

Fuyilai's expression also turned feverishly excited. Her smooth forehead began to twitch involuntarily, as though something were about to drill its way out from between her brows.

"Mhm! Looks like we got lucky. At least we get to split such a pretty, distinctive piece of 'meat'~"

However, unlike her eagerly excited sisters, as the distance between friend and foe steadily narrowed, Betasha's expression grew increasingly strange beneath its solemnity.

The reason was Oko's long, cherry-blossom-colored hair streaming in the wind.

Ordinarily, an unusual hair color alone would not