The question Heather asked him sounded rhetorical, but somehow it seemed like she wanted him to answer it. Why bother? She wanted to know why<span style="font-style: italic">he</span>bothered. He didn't have any kind or goodhearted reason for fighting demons. Not really. But he did have reasons. Number one: there was this little thing called the Elite hunter curse. Ijemaru<span style="font-style: italic">wanted</span>to become a demon, he wanted it desperately. If he was a demon hunter he could kill demons (and enjoy it, to satisfy the whole 'sin against life' thing), and not get in trouble. You didn't just kill demons without being part of a demon hunting organization. Sort of like how you didn't kill humans unless you were a mercenary. Of course he<span style="font-style: italic">could</span>just up and tell them his plans, but that would be moronic. If anyone at the academy who had any kind of authoritative power over him found out he would be in<span style="font-style: italic">serious</span>trouble. Worse still if they found out he was already at stage two. They'd probably outright kill him.<br/><br/>"Yeah, why bother?" he answered. "Well, I don't have to. Demon hunters are only obligated to kill demons. There's nothing in the rules that actually says we have to protect humans. I know. I read them twice. If you want the scary truth there isn't even anything in the rules that says we can't kill humans if we have reason to believe they're possessed or becoming demons. But after they're dead there's no way to tell if they really were possessed or transforming." He looked at Heather. "You've always overestimated me. I don't learn the rules so I can follow them, I learn the rules so I can break them without getting caught." His eyes narrowed as he looked at her, "And you wouldn't believe how many rules I'm breaking right now." He wasn't really threatening her, rather, it was almost like he was telling her he trusted her--enough to be dropping so many hints. Maybe the rule-breaking part of him was hoping for a friend in the rebellious weaponsmaster.