Arch Devil of Inferno

(10 Minutes earlier)

[Rick, the All Seeing Pope's POV]

It was a normal busy day like usual. I was busy with meeting people for official businesses and granting citizenships by analyzing them with my Magic Eye of Wisdom.

"Next!" I opened the door to my office and yelled out into the hallway. A young man and a teenage boy soon followed me into the office.

"So, what business do you two have with me?"

"Ah, I want to get a citizenship for my little brother here. He's 12, but he's not yet registered as a citizen yet despite that."

"I see. Normally kids would come here by 6 already you know?"

"That I understand, I'm terribly sorry for that."

"Alright. So now, what's your name, boy?"

"I'm Richard. Richard Boreal."

"Okay Richard, I'm going to use 'Appraisal' on you, and you'll feel a bit of a panic attack when I do it. But don't worry, nothing will happen to you, and it's only temporary."

"Okay. It's fine, I'm used to these anxious moments afterall."

"Really? Why's that?"

"Well, I'm the secretary for the Student Council in Zoward's academy."

"I see, that makes sense. Anyway just sit tight while I use my magic on you...."

Appraisal... on. A screen similar to a 'system' soon appeared and showed me the information on this kid.

Name : Richard Boreal

Age : 12

Race : Human

Birthplace : Kingdom of Ataraxia, Klada city.

Defense : 4

Attack Power : 16

Magic Power : 37

Reserve Mana : 32

Hmm....Well balanced stats, as expected of a member of the student council. With Magic power of above 30, this kid already qualified to become an adept ranked mage. Kids these days have a lot of Magic Power and Reserve Mana somehow....

Though his stats is still nothing compared to that prophesied girl. Last I checked on her, her stats are....

Name : Kyrielle Buffet

Age : 11

Race : Dragonkin

Birthplace : Kingdom of Ataraxia, Klada city.

Defense : 5

Attack Power : 19

Magic Power : 48

Reserve Mana : 59

Her stats was just ridiculous. At a mere age of 11, she had Mana rivaling the amount of a lower Saint ranked mage's... Perhaps thats just because of her race, or maybe because of her talent? That I wouldn't know for sure.

"...Pope?"

"Ah, sorry I was just distracted in my thoughts for a bit. Anyway, Richard Boreal is it? You are qualified to become a citizen."

I took the document that his brother handed me and stamped on it.

"Take this to the counter and show the receptionist there, he'll give you an identification card."

"Thank you. We'll take our leave then."

And as I finished some paperwork, I took a look at my newly purchased pocket watch. It's 1pm, so it's time for our break.

I walked out of my office and out into the main hall, and then exited the church. Outside, I took a big deep breath before I headed back inside again.

The church now lacked people, and that is because many workers head out to eat during the break. People don't come here during this time for this reason as well.

I sat down on a bench in front of the altar.

"You want some water, pope?"

My assistant Abby, handed me a glass of water.

"Thank you. "

I took the water as he sat down next to me.

We chatted for a small while, but then....

'Ahhhh!' I heard a woman's scream. Most likely from the receptionist priestess at the entrance.

"What was that?!"

"I don't know, let's hurry to the gate!"

Abby hurried to one of the counter and took out two mace that was hidden away. With our mace in hand, we went forward to the gate, to the counter right in front of the entrance.

We found her lying in front of the counter, bleeding out a pool of blood through her neck. Abby walked forward and crouched down to inspect her...

"It's too late to cast a healing miracle... she's dead." Abby inspected the sister, and confirmed her death.

"Damn, who did this?!"

"Why why, that would be me. "

A hooded man walked through the front gate and entered the church, with his hand holding a sword.

"Abby, enemy!"

I looked behind and saw Abby being held by another hooded figure. A knife is already stabbed into his throat, so that he wouldn't be able to chant a healing miracle. Coward must've his behind the counter!

"Come on now, you should know better than to look away from you enemy, old man! Hah!"

I immediately turned back to him expecting to smack him right in the face. However I was stabbed in my leg, by a throwing knife. My old leg lose balance and I fell on to the floor. If he can throw a knife that powerfully, he must be skilled!

"Argh...! You! The gods will never forgive what you did!"

"The gods? Well, I don't believe in them. And are you sure you want to talk? Why don't you cast healing in your wound? "

"Tsk! Oh graceful one, grant blessings upon those who have faith, Lesser Heal!"

I casted a healing miracle on my leg as I pull out the knife. The wounds closed but when I looked closely, I saw that the knife was coated in toxic substance.

"Wha... Lord of blight and poison, relieve this one from one of thou's curse and allow this one to receive your- "

"Oh you don't!"

He kicked me right in the face and then stabbed me with the poisoned knife through the under side of my chin, stabbing through my tongue and preventing me from chanting for any miracles.

"You priests never learn do ya? Always preaching about how great your 'gods' is. Listen carefully now, old man. We are of the Western ideology of Republicans."

"Grghh... Uou!... (You!...)"

"I can't believe how stupid you lot really are... Because you know it didn't you, about this city's hidden past?"

"?!"

He's talking about the sealed Arch Devil?! How did he learn of that?!

"You must be thinking of how we acquired the intelligence on this right? Foolish pope, one of your very own priest was selling you lots out and you didn't even realise it. "

What...?!

"Indeed. I can't believe how stupid you people are, building such a major city right on top of one of the most dangerous devil, the Arch Devil of Inferno, Aamon! As one of the nine demon kings of the republic, he was one of the most influential figure!"

"But then, during one of the war he bravely fought in, you lots used underhanded tactics to surround him and sealed him away, despite being weaker than him. "

"Now, it's time for the ritual to undo the seal. The reason I didn't outright kill you is so that you can watch as I unleash upon you someone you feared the most."

No...! If you do that then the entire city will be endangered!

"Bring the sacrifices for the blood magic."

This man uses blood magic, something that is considered as heresy because of its ignorance of the loss of life. He is no doubt too dangerous to be left alive!

A few more hooded individuals carried 3 childrens forward. The kidnappings from years back must've been an attempt at unsealing the Arch Devil... How come I didn't realise it sooner?!

The one who went off on a monologue appeared to be the leader of these cultists. They must've already killed all the priests inside here and then kidnapped children on the spot so that they can use them as sacrifice in the ritual!

"Oh Blood, I offer you a deal. Grant me Mana, a fuel for life, so that I can fulfill my goals of achieving greatness! As a payment, I will offer up these being's blood for you. "

"Mmmmpphhh! " (3x) Upon hearing that they will be sacrificed, the children groaned and cried even though their mouth was covered.

He pulled out a ritual knife and stabbed the 3 kids. The kid's blood flowed out from their lifeless bodies and formed into a large amount of Reserved Mana, enough to use 'Dispel' on a large enough scale to dispel this seal.

"May my unstoppable will and unfazed fate knows no limits and undo this seal. Dispel!"

The crest that is hidden underground glowed brightly, and slowly floated up to the sky. After it reached the sky, the fountain blew up into an explosion.

'Boom!'

The ground was blown open, the fountain is completely gone and heat quickly filled the air. The fire and the dust covered my sight as I was knocked back by the shockwave from the explosion. The crests stops in mid air, and didn't go away until the seal was completely broken.

The Arch Devil of Inferno, Aamon, now stands in the crater of the explosion.

"My Lord! I have come to unseal you!" The leader of the cultists quickly gathered even after being blown away.

"Hah.... I have been dormant in this seal for so long now.... Thank you for unsealing me... Human. " With distorted voice, it spoke in the human language.

"It is natural, my Lord! "

"By the way... How did you unseal me from such a strong seal? "

"Why, I use blood magic of course!"

"Blood... Magic...?"

"Yes! I have sacrific- "

'Clank!' The demon immediately swung it's sword that is as big as a carriage and slammed right into the cult leader, killing him in the process.

"...Heresy! Blood magic is a forbidden art... An art that disregards lives! Under the Laws, the use of Blood Magic can only be sentenced... by death!"

"Wha- He killed the leader?!" The assassins was surprised at him as well. Some guards got here upon hearing the loud explosion, but it was already too late...

"You humans have a lot of nerve to seal me in this hole of yours for so long, and dare to even use blood magic to stain my name?! Right now, I am knee deep in the enemy's territory, sooner or later they'll bring in the golems... I should end this little game quickly then. "

"Stop him! He's about to cast a large scale spell!" One of the guards yelled out.

"Spark, Ember, Fire, Flame, Blaze, Inferno. Become the very volcano, and set alight every living being!"

"I won't let you! " A guard ran forward and attacked the demon with his spear.

'Clank!' It only made a loud metal sound. His attack didn't even scratch the demon.

"No way... Run!"

"Be unleashed upon this world, Fire Storm!"

A loud sound of glass shattering was heard as the spell finished casting. After his crests finished casting...

'Boom!' (30x)

Multiple explosions happened and one of them blew near me, burning my numbed legs and sending me flying even further into the rubble. This is it for me....

I slowly felt my consciousness slip out from the poison, and I accepted my fate.... I did my service to the twelve gods so I have no regrets in the end.... But there's only one loose end...

...would that little girl had been the prophesied... person...?...

[Kyrielle's POV]

(Back to present)

"Forbidden Sun!"

I shot my strongest attack forward to the middle of the group. It flew forward like a cannonball, faster than a conventional fireball that can only be hand thrown by the caster.

'BOOM!'

A huge explosion happened, large enough to cover the entire street and blasted the 6 assassins into oblivion. A huge crater that is still burning red hot formed on the ground, and the remains of the 6 assassins couldn't be seen.

....I felt nothing. I had finally killed... but I felt nothing. Worst of all, it made me feel a sense of accomplishmemt and I hate it...

...Shit, this is no time to be thinking! If I don't move fast I'll end up like them! Besides, I'm not anxious about them at all, but it's about that 'thing'.

I turned back towards mom and then started running towards them, who's about 20 meters or so ahead.

"Now get over here!" Mom yelled at me.

'Thomp! Thomp! Thomp!" In a rapid succession, loud sound could be heard.

What is that familiar noise? Each sound of it shakes the very earth and it sounds like something running.... Then I realised where I had heard this sound before.

My legs weakened, my voice trembles and I could feel my heart beat getting increasingly faster... all out of fear.

'Bwuom!' A huge flaming demon with body made out of metal immediately rammed itself straight out of the terraces from the sides, right between the space of me and mom, and I stood right in melee distance....

It's at least 6 meters tall, holding a giant sword and has flames on every part of it's body. Finally, two large horns protrude from it's head.

While it's appearance had changed a bit, it is no doubt the demon that I saw in my dream.

"Kyrielle!" mom yelled my name from behind me.

Within these very lands lies an impenetrable wall!

"Shut up and run you idiot!" is what I thought, but I had no chance to even say it out loud as my entire attention focused on the demon who just took notice of me....

The demon immediately raised it's sword and then swung at me. I need to pull this trick off or else I'll be dead.

Earth Wall!

'Clank!' 'Boom!'

The wall raised from the ground and instead of blocking the giant sword it intercepted the sword and thrown it off by slamming against the body of the blade mid swing. It's a deflect with a spell, and it sent the sword off it's intended target, hitting the terraces to the side in the process and making a loud sound.

Seeing this chance I immediately started sprinting backwards. As I did so, it finally started talking in a distorted voice.

"What a skillful way to use such a simple spell, that means you must be the mage that have caused that explosion? You are a dangerous one... " With distorted voice like in my nightmare, it spoke.

It immediately grabbed a large piece of rubble nearby and threw it at me.

'Boom!'

I switched direction and ran diagonally, which avoided the large slab of wall.

Within this very earth lies an impenetrable wall...

It started running towards me and it threw it's sword forward which barely missed me as it landed right in front of me, blocking my way,

"Shit!"

I immediately turned back, and what I saw was the demon with his fist raised and coming straight for me.

Earth Wall!

The demon swung it's hand at me, and then hit the Earth Wall that I just created. The punch from that thing shattered the Earth Wall like it's candy and then hit me right in my body, sending me flying further down the streets.

"Gah!" I could feel my entire body in extreme pain as I slide on the ground.

It's still too early to give up...! I need to land at least one hit in...

The demon picked it's sword up.

"Hmm... I expected more from you, but no matter."

It walked forward and raised it's sword up, preparing to hit me with that car sized sword... It's already too late to fight back now, this is it for me...

'Boom!'

An explosion occured at the demon's back. Someone had shot it with a spell at it's back.

"...Did you just hit me with a Fire spell? Fool! I am made out of fire!"

The demon barely even looked like it flinched at the explosion and turned backwards towards the one who casted that spell. Dumbfounded, I looked there as well, and who I saw was an old man holding a staff. It was Gondur, my tutor.

This is the perfect chance for me to run but my body was all torn up from the punch it just hit me with, I physically can't run anymore... Instead I decided to charge up my Mana Ball.

"Idiot, let me show you what is fire. My dark flame, turn my enemies to dust. Abyssal Fire. "

A crests form in front of it's out strected metallic arm. Then, a fireball with a dark spot in the middle formed and grew larger and larger.

Gondur didn't wait for it to cast the magic, as he immediately shot the Demon with Ice Spear, an Adept ranked Ice magic.

'Clank!'

It hit the demon but it didn't even left a scratch on the demon's armor.

"It's useless, your weak spell can't even scracth my Mana SShield But pay attention, as what I am about to show you here is real fire!"

It threw the Fireball at Gondur and Gondur summoned up an Earth Wall, but it was useless against a spell of this level.

'Boom!'

The fireball immediately blow up as it hit the wall. The explosion was so large it covered the entire street, and it didn't just blow up the wall, it even melted the surroundings and splattered a large amount of molten rock around.

There is no way that the Wall can even block a spell of this scale, just like how you can't block a truck with a shield.... The large explosion didn't even leave any remains of the tutor that had helped me so much in the past, but instead is a crater full of molten hot liquid... Gondur is now dead....

"You...!"

'Boom.'

I immediately shot the devil in the head with my Mana Ball. This Mana Ball is the strongest I have ever charged, and it's power is indeed 100%. It shot forward with velocity of a cannon and hit him right in the head.

'Clank!' A loud metallic voice could be heard.

"Hmm. That spell was not bad, for an impudent human that is. "

It didn't even flinched at the attack, and then turned around and faced me again. It raised it's sword up and swung down at me this time.

"Kyrielle!"

Someone yelled my name and immediately rammed into me, throwing me to the sides. It was dad.

'Clank!' A loud sound was made when we both dodged the sword and it hit the ground.

"Yet another insect shows up at the door step."

It raised it's giant sword again.

"Run Kyrielle! "

He stood back up and with his back facing me, he turned towards the devil. The devil raised his sword and swung it at dad. To protect me, dad didn't dodge and instead he tried to deflect the giant sword by catching it with his own sword and trying to redirect it..... but there's just no way that could happen... because you can't deflect something like that....

"Dad!"

'Clank!'

Instead it slammed right into his body and right cleaved through, sending the two halves of his body flying into the terrace at the sides.

"No way... dad... Thomas!!"

Dad is cleaved cleanly in half.... That dad who's so skilled with a sword that I could never touch him at all in spars, and the dad that fought assassins like they were normal people... is now dead... My mind can't handle this...!

I... I can't let this thing get through me no matter what.... Mom... Marielle... Richard... If this thing gets through me it will kill them all...

"I'll.... I'll kill you...!"

I picked up the sword that dad dropped on the ground and used it as a cane to lift myself up.

"Give it up. "

'Boom!'

The demon swung it's hands at me, as if it was mocking and slapping me, but it hits like a truck as sents me flying backwards and made me take even more damage.

"Gah!... cough cough!..."

I tried to stand back up again... Using the sword as a cane. But to no avail because my body is just simply too badly injured to. Blood dripped down my face, my mom's winter coat and my shirt all torn up, and my entire body are full of cuts and bruises, and I could feel my ribs in sharp pain everytime I breathe.

"Hmm, persistent are we? You really are an unusual one, after all that beating and you are still alive and kicking?"

If the twelve Gods really exists.... then please... save my family and kill this thing....

That's right... I still have that 'thing'... Even if I am not sure if it is strong enough, I have to give it a go....

"Grasp....cough cough cough!"

"Oh? Are you gonna show me another trick?"

"...By my order as the caster of this seal.... Grasp....Cough cough!... I hereby unseal this barrier... "

I used the last of my strength to unseal the Binding Vow of the Dragon inside of me. Immediately after that, I felt my consciousness slipping away and fainted...

(Chapter 35 end)