Chapter 10. Heroes Vs Demon

Trio POV:

They followed the arrow of Belda was levitating in the air. The thing only gave direction, so they sometimes reached dead ends or bumped into walls.

Maintaining this spell required a huge amount of concentration, so it was up to the two of them to guard her against bumping into things.

There was a point where they were too late and Belda pushed aside a little kid and continued walking without realizing it.

The arrow led them to the poor's district, precisely the worst part at the edge of the wall. Here lived the people whose life turned to the worst, forced to make their own houses from whatever scratch they could find. In this place, the law could not reach making it a hotbed for criminal activities. The habitant looked at the strangers with hungry eyes and without the arrow that was floating in front of them, a clear sign of magic they would have already jumped on them, taking away everything they owned.

Shortly, they arrived at an alley where the arrow suddenly fell on the ground, motionless.

"It's here."

"Ya sure?"

She nodded and put another arrow on her bow.

"What's the plan?"

Salma took out a staff that could fold into itself, a standard weapon of saints.

Josh took his sword and unsheltered it. It was made out of pure silver, reflecting the sunlight that touched it.

"First, we will fight it to have an idea about its strengths, then if we can't take it down now, we will flee, to prepare for another battle. Belda can you find it again right:"

"Definitely. Now that I have felt the real thing, I can track it to the end of the world."

"Perfect. Keep close and don't forget to not be rash, this is only the first match."

They nodded and took a formation.

Josh was at the front, Selma in the middle, and Belda in the back.

They went forward, readying themselves for the fight.

*****

They are here.

I was looking in front of me.

I was sitting on the chair facing the only way here. I was cross-legged and trying to make the most intimidating poses as I could.

Where I was right now is an open place, the size of a football field, located between the houses. The field could only be accessed by this particular alley, giving me a perfect advantage point.

I didn't dare to let them follow me to the safe house, who knows what might happen if I did.

When the specter told me that I was followed I made some preparation.

I sent away the carriage with the drugs to the safe house for later study, I choose a place with a perfect geographical advantage and I even prepared some tricks that will surely bring me victory.

I even changed my appearance. Right now, I had a beak that looked like the mask the pest doctors used, with black hair. I have no information that they know my true form, so I will play like this.

My plan was simple. I will talk to them while getting as much information as I can get, then if I can't reuse the situation by talking, I will use my preparations to escape. In the worst-case scenario, I'm prepared to fight with all my might, but I preferred to get out without any wounds.

From the alley, a group emerged. Two people and a boy. They were around my age. The boy looked ordinary, except for the silver sword that he had in hand, that let out an irritating light. The girl behind her wore the church's uniform, with a holy staff.

Lovers? No, they do not act like one. Maybe a party. I should check them.

In a low voice, I murmured "[ Appraisal]."

The skill activated, yet I could only see their jobs and their wishes.

What is this? Are they protected by some sort of skill? No, it must be an object. Ugh… A prince and a saint…and a high witch? One of them is hiding but where? Does she use a skill that turns her invisible?

I raised my head and spoke with my modified voice.

"Welcome! Lovely day we have, don't we?"

The two of them flinched from the sound of my voice. The prince, probably the leader stepped forward and pointed the sword at me.

"Today, your evil schemes end here, demon! Give up and we might go easy on you!"

Wow, nice bearing. His posture is firm, those he does this often. Is he strong? I need to stay on my guard. For now, let's play the dumb and see what's happens.

"Demon? I think you are mistaking. I know that my mask is very lifelike, but i-"

"Don't play with us! We know exactly who and what you are, Desmond!"

Do they know? Damn, this is troublesome. If they told this information to someone else and that person spread it to the public staying here will be troublesome.

"This is the last warning, reveal your true form now!" the prince made another step.

What a noisy person. Sigh, fine let's play his game for now.

I took off the bracelet, revealing my horns and tail. The pair flinched for a second, showing that this is the first time they have seen something like this.

"You got me; I admit I have horns! What do you want? A deal? I have seals on contracts that make people beautiful only for-"

"Don't play stupid with us demon! We know that you have been doing deals with the inhabitants of this city! You will break all the deals that you have made in this city in this instant or we will make you!"

"… Why?"

"What why?"

"Why should I do that? What are you accusing me of? Making deals? Giving people what they want? In this perspective, you are accusing all the merchants in this world to be demons."

"Wha-What are you talking about? You are taking the souls of the people you make deals with! This is the greatest sin one could make!"

I frown my brows under my mask.

What the hell are they talking about?

"I can assure you I have done no such thing. In this period of time, human souls are valueless to me. Right now what I collection is gold, so if you ma-"

"Even so you are a demon, the worst being on the surface of the earth! Your entire race should be burned alive!"

Sweet hell that saint has some issues! Is she the type that looks good on the outside, but is wroten on the inside?"

"Am I guilty of being borne one? Is being a demon automatically make's me a bad person?"

"Yes! You are the incarnation of everything that is evil! Your race has killed thousands of people! You serve the devil, who wants t burn this planet into nothingness! "

Oh, wow we have a racist here! I didn't expect her to hate demons this much, but on the second hand, she is a saint so…

The church is really scary to brainwash a person at this point. I'm curious how much can I push her, before her fate starts to waver.

"… The sin of a father is the sin of its son? Do you really want to talk about this? You? Humans have been taking, killing, forcing their wills on other races! Your race is the most famous for slavery! Yet they are the master race of this land. Do you know the reason why?"

"It's because we are the chosen race! The gods blessed us with their power to take our place as the leaders of this land."

So this is how they see the world. Interesting but also…

"Then tell me, what is your race best at."

"What is this question? Humans are best in everything!"

"… Such pride. But the dwarfs are best in forging. The elves are the race of longevity and beauty. Beastmans are ridiculously strong. Fairies and spirits are experts in magic. Monsters are believed to be masters of destruction. Angels are the messengers of gods and they represent justice or at least that is the legend since no one has ever seen one since 1000 years.-" I managed to find some books about religion that didn't inflict me with any disease in the library. "-Us demons are represented as the incarnation of evil and chaos. This does raise: the question of what humans are good at? Do you wish to know my opinion?"

Seeing their face made me laugh inside. The saint's head was all red with anger while the prince looked interested. Meanwhile, the witch remains unfound, somehow camouflaging her states even more.

" Greed and breading. Your race can make more babies in a year than any other intelligent species in a decade. You guys have overpopulated this continent and when there was no more place you decided to take away the lands of other races, turning them into slaves, all in the name of your precious religion. And you know the funniest thing? Even within your own race, you discriminate against those who are different or not as lucky as you are! You make rules to put your comrades into positions where can not advance, only for your selfish benefit."

At this point, even I was surprised by what was coming out of my mouth.

The saint, whose head was red as a tomato started to shout at me.

"We do this to bring wisdom to those who are lost! We are making a fair society for those who-

"Fair? Do you want to talk about fairness? Do you even realize where you are?"

I took a deep breath and continued, pointing at the girl.

"Tell me, is it fair that a saint haze to give up on marriage even if she is deeply in love with a man, because some religion, dictated by the goddess."

The girl behind the prince made a gasping sound in her shock.

"How did he- "

"Or is it fair that a Witch that only wants to be accepted, has to hide her true nature, because of the rules she was borne in?"

From my left side, the air rippled a little.

So, there you are.

Finally, I pointed at the prince.

"Or is it fair to a prince, with no desire to rule, to be forced to accept the throne only because of his family?"

The prince started to frown. The sword in his hand shock with his determination lingering.

[Skill [Sweet Talk] reached level:5]

"You have no right to judge me. In my eyes, your race is worse than mine!"

The prince's and then saint's face was in complete shock and disbelief.

Just a little more push…

"This is what I'm offering. Leave me be and in exchange, I will change your physical appearance to whatever you like. Body height, hair color, body structure, even gender, I can give you anything you like. No one will be able to recognize you, even with magic. You can start fresh without any burden. Don't you want that? No more obligation, nor parent or god to judge you? Just a peaceful life, with the ones you love."

The air on my left side was shaking heavily, signaling that the caster who is hiding is barely able to maintain it.

The two in front of me weren't in better shape.

The saint's head was red, opening and closing her mouth like a fish out of water.

The prince who was frowning the entire time I talked, looked in the distance unsure of what he should do.

I don't know is it because of [Sweet Talk], but at least two of them seemed to be on the brink of accepting it.

Come one, say yes!

The Prince whose sword was almost on the floor suddenly raised it again with newfound determination.

"I refuse!"

"Ehhh?!"

Why? Why are you refusing it?! You were so close to accepting it! Is this what they call plot armor?!

"Even if I did accept it, I would be punished by the Goddess for disobeying-"

"Goddess?"

"- that gave me this mission! You are an evil that must be purged before it can do any more harm! I will rather be a hero with a hard life than having a peaceful one with regrets!"

While shouting the riles on my left stopped and a girl with a bow appeared with tears in her eyes.

The witch? With a bow? Is this normal around here?

I slowly stud up, my eye on the prince.

"Are you sure?"

He firmly nodded.

I looked at the two girls.

The Saint also nodded vigorously while the archer just stood there silent.

Come on, this went so well! But this is interesting, the Goddess wants me dead. Did they finally find out that I was alive? This is bad, I need to hide even more! Screw the mafia I will need to get myself out of here as soon as possible!

And I know how I will do it…

I snapped my fingers.

At that sound windows opened from the surrounding houses. From these windows, people wearing tainted cloth came out holding a different weapon. Man or woman, children or aged, there were from all ages, each with determination in its eyes.

Ahh, the reason why so my skill levels skyrocketed.

I seriously outdid myself, there were around 50 people here!

The trio got stiff seeing the mob.

I let out a chuckle and I spoke louder.

"Let me present them to you. While I was waiting for you, I made some deals with the locals. These peoples are the inhabitants of these houses. They all accepted to protect me for some food and money. You wanted to play the hero with a hard life, right? Then, by all means, let me assist you in it! Get them!"

*****

Josh POV:

Did I make the right decision?

This thought went through my mind while I deflected the first barrage of attacks. Compared to my training partners, who were knights in the highest order this was easy, yet I did receive a hit on his left leg by a kid, holding a log.

"Holy Blind!"

From behind, I could hear Selma using her magic. Those who got caught up by it got a ring made of light around their torso binding their arms, making them unable to fight. Yet they were pushed aside by their comrades away.

I took away the log from the kid's hand and used it to hit a man in his head. The person immediately passed out only to be replaced by the next one in line.

I didn't want to kill them. Even if they lost their souls to that demon, they were still humans who only did that in necessity.

Even it's slim, there is a possibility that by killing the demon, they can get it back, as in the stories I once read when I was a kid.

"Selma, cover me!"

I didn't know if she heard me, but I run into the mass of bodies.

Using the log in one hand and the backside of my sword I pushed them aside till I reached the chair where he sat, which was now empty.

I searched for him, but the surrounding mobs continued to attack me making it too hard to look for anything.

"Damn it!"

I threw the log at the head of the nearest person, then I held the sword in my two hands and stabbed the ground.

"Holy weapon, Silver Rain release!"

The sword let out a silver glow and, on its hilt, a green gem appeared, signaling that it was active.

Each holy weapon had an unique power and a name. By saying their names out loud the user can manifest the power inside them.

What I had with me was Silver Rain, the favorite sword of a famous swordsman hero who fought in the war 200 years ago. He was killed by a demon general, but not only did he take him with him, he even killed 5000 demons, with mortal wounds.

The sword let out a silver light and the ground started to shake. No, not shake.

Ripple.

Waves made out of dirt started to come out of the ground around me, washing away everyone surrounding me. Some of them got buried by the earth waves, others fainted, the rest were keeping a good distance away from me.

This is the power of this sword.

By stabbing it into a solid object, it can turn it into a liquid and make waves that turn solid after a while.

Makes one wonder how the hero lost with this kind of ability.

Now that my vision was cleared out, I finally found the demon. He was on a rooftop with Belda. She was shouting arrows at him that she imbued with magic, while the demon kept evading them, throwing knives, that got bounced back by the barrier Belda put on her. An arrow just hit his shoulders then it exploded, leaving a nasty wound. He screamed in pain, with several blue lights appearing next to him. Different figures appeared from the lights, each jumping at Belda.

"Summoner."

While I murmured, I deflected a rock that was thrown at me without even looking.

"Josh I will use it, buy me some time!"

I nodded to Selma who was not far behind me, knowing exactly what she was talking about. I got next to her deflecting any attack directed at us.

While on guard I glanced at the rooftop. The demon spouted bat wings out its back and tried to fly away, but Belda didn't let him with her arrows. The creatures that were summoned couldn't be seen anywhere, maybe they were already dead or hidden.

Another arrow hit one of his wings that were imbued with freezing magic. The demon landed on the roof with a mass of ice on its back only to receive an explosive arrow in its face.

"Aaaaahhhhhhhh!!!!"

He let out an ear-piercing scream. While he was holding his fuming face Belda got close to him and kicked him down to the ground.

The demon fell to the dusty ground, bloodied, fuming, and frozen but still alive. He got back on his feet, holding his left arm, which shoulder was missing a part.

"Protect me!"

The reaming people that still could move quickly surrounded him, with their weapons raised, trying to look menacing.

From the mass of people, his shouting could be heard this time hundreds of times louder.

"To all my contracted in the city! This is your chance to pay your debt: kill the prince and his companions!!!"

No good he just gave orders to kill!

The mobs started to move with him in the middle coming closer to us.

"Selma are you ready?"

"Almost… Now, duck!"

I threw myself on the ground, a white wave passing over my head. Everything that the light touched became engulfed in an aura of light that slowly disappeared.

The mob stopped when they saw what happened, looking at their bodies wondering what just happened.

Selma stepped forward and talked in the tone she used when she was in front of a big audience in the church.

"People of the poor's district hear my voice! I have freed you from the curse of the demon! You are now free! Stand next to us and let's fight to-"

"You're a fool!"

The moob separated in the middle showing the demon. He held an empty bottle in his hand, while his wounds were healing.

"My contracts aren't curses! They are as neuter as they can be!"

He opened his wings again. The one that was frozen for a second was now free and the hole caused by the arrow was gone.

"So long, suckers!"

He took the air and flew away.

Or that what he wanted to do before his wing was hit with another arrow that detonated.

He felt a good 5 meters before landing again, followed by a cracking noise.

Another arrow landed right before my feet with Belda appearing next to us.

"Cover your ears!"

We did as she said.

In the next moment, the arrow let out a horrible noise. It was a symphony of nails sliding on chalkboards, tortured cats screaming, and something else that was unrecognizable.

The mass of people was too slow to react, they screamed in pain, and fell one by one unconscious.

When everything calmed down, we were the only ones standing.

"That was my last arrow," Belda murmured while she took out a stick with a precious gem on its top.

The demon got up on his feet, his back smoking, without any trace of its former wings.

"Holy Magic: Holy Arrow!"

From the staff of Selma, an arrow made out of light flew out with great speed piercing the left thigh of the demon, the wound immediately catching flame.

"Isn't that a little overkill?"

"Yeah, I feel like we are bullying it now."

"Sorry, I just wanted to make him pay for what he called us."

"What, a fool?"

"No, the other one."

"That hurt!!!"

The demon started to roll around in the dirt trying to put out the flames on its leg.

It was futile, magic flames can only be put out by the caster who made it.

When the demon saw that the flame was spreading, he did something that I couldn't imagine even in my wildest dream.

He took out a knife from his remaining clothing and stabbed himself in the leg. With him cursing and screaming he cut his leg off, which was soon enveloped in flames.

Then the area around the wound quivered and a spike made out of bone grew out, forming a prostatic leg.

"Regeneration?!" I shouted in surprise before Belda put her hand on my shoulder.

"No, I don't think so. Look he became thinner. He must likely use his muscles to make a new one. To think something like this is possible…

"So, it's not a legendary beast?"

Some monsters are capable to use regeneration, but they were slime-based and weak. Only a handful of strong monsters could use it, called legendary beasts, capable of destroying an entire town.

"… I don't think so, but it is close to that state. We need to kill it before it evolves again."

I nodded and readied my sword.

The demon looked in our direction and raised his hands.

"Wait! I give up! I will leave this city! You will never hear from me again! I will give you anything! I- "

Boom!

Belda swung her wand letting out a ball of fire that collided with its face.

When the smoke cleared the beak was broken, revealing withe teethes.

"A mask?"

The demon let out another scream and rushed in the direction of the nearest house, probably to escape.

Before he could do that, I stabbed my sword in the ground again and I drew a half-circle facing the demon.

"Silver Rain!"

The edge of the line rippled and a wave the size of a house made out of dirt emerged, burying the demon.

When the dust finally settled down, I fell on my knees and looked at the destruction.

Holy weapons took a huge toll on the human body, some even killing the user. This sword only took MP, but still, it was a huge quantity.

From behind, I could hear the girls talking.

"And you think this isn't overkill?"

"Sorry. I got myself at the moment. Did we win?"

The instant the question left my mouth. Something flew in our direction.

*****

[Users Hp critical]

[Preparing quietus …]

[ Master code entered…]

[Unrecognised Master Code been blocked by system]

[System overwriting...]

[…System is overwritten]

[Surviving protocols initiated]

[… Warning! Following protocol may result in user's permanent damage in various states!]

[ Do not proceed!]

[Transferring data…]

[Do not proceed!]

[Transforming MP and states into HP and body mass… ]

[Do not proceed!]

[System will disable consciousness!]

[Alert!]

[Without consciousness surviving protocols can't be initiated!

[Requesting outside assistance…]

[System will block all connection]

[Do not proceed!]

[Preparations for quietus complete…]

[Waiting for HP to be set at zero.]

[… Assistance found.]

[Connecting to an outside source.]

[Alert, unidentified source detected!]

[Recallibrrrraaaaa…..]

[Connected to the system.]

[Acceding to surviving protocols.]

[Protocols allowed.]

[Do not proceed!]

[Request to fuse with outside system sent.]

[Do not proceed!]

[Request been accepted.]

[Fusion complete in: 3]

[Do not proceed!]

[2]

[Do not proceed!]

[1]

[...]

[Fusion complete.]

[Temporary locking main system.]

[Lock complete.]

[Restarting surviving protocols…]

[Unique skill [Body Physic Manipulation] set on overdrive.]

[Unique skill [Body Physic Manipulation] set on auto-drive.]

*****

It was a book surrounded by blue light. It circled around the area before stopping in mid-air and sinking into the ground with an incredible speed. Seconds later something else came out.

It was the demon, but it was transforming before our eyes, screaming. Its body was becoming bigger, twisting in unnatural positions accompanied by a disgusting sound.

"What's happening?"

I turned to the girls who looked as surprised as I was.

The demon finally finished transforming.

It became 3-meter-tall and unnaturally thin. His skin was ashen white and rigid. His arms were half the size of its body ending in claws with some with fur growing on it. The bird skull mask reconstructed itself and looked more menacing with fangs growing out its sides. The goat horns on his head grew more and Its extremities became similar to deer antennas. From his back, bone-like spikes emerged looking able to cut steel with ease.

The monster stood up and let out a blood-freezing scream.

"Guys, I think we should run, like now!" Belda took some steps back.

"We can't! If we leave it like this thing will destroy the whole city! We need to get rid of it!"

"Are you mad Josh?! Do you not see that thing? Shiiits coming!"

The monster took a step, then another, visibly not yet used to its body. It suddenly stopped looking at the ground. With his hand that was reaching the ground, it scooped out something from the dirt.

It was one of the guys who made a contract with him and got knocked out by us.

The demon, no monster, lifted him in the air over its head.

Then it exaggeratedly opened its mouth…

Chomp! Much! Crack! Mush!.

It was eating it.

Not only that with every bite its muscles got more developed and the spikes became sharper and more numerous.

"… It's getting stronger by eating."

I looked at Belda who was in total shock.

"What are you talking about?!"

"… That thing is probably trying to get stronger by eating flesh, like a wendigo!"

"Do you known how to stop it?"

"Killing it should stop it, but to how to do that I have no clue!"

"That thing is still a demon Belda! I can feel it! Josh, I have a way to kill it, but I need time!"

"How much."

"5 minutes."

"…Belda do you have enough magic to keep it occupied?"

She took a bottle and drunk a mouth full of it.

"Now I have."

"Ok, I will distract it here while you take the higher ground and bombard it from there."

Belda nodded and run in the direction of the nearest building.

I took out a mana potion and drunk its content, feeling immediately refreshed.

"Here I go! Silver Rain!"

I drew a half-circle again, sending another wave.

The creature eating its third victim saw the wave and with an ear-piercing scream swung his fist that now was a hulking mass of muscle.

The fist and the wave collided letting out a tremendous roar. Yet, the monster's fist went straight through it, cutting the wave into two.

Letting go of the rest of his victim, the monster got on his all four and launched itself in my direction.

"Silver Rain!" I sent another wave with more mana in it. The creature did not bother to defend against it and brook through it like it was made out of ice.

When a meter was separating us the creature stopped, using the momentum to speed up his punch.

"[Speed Acceleration]!"

My body became lighter and I evaded the incoming attack, only to receive a vertical hit at my side with its other hand, sending me into a wall.

My vision became blurry with blood coming out of my mouth.

I could hear it come in my direction eating something.

Boom!

Belda shot three fireballs simultaneously hitting its body from a rooftop.

The creature screamed in pain then turned around facing her with its back.

I couldn't comprehend what it was doing when a bone spike on its back suddenly south out like those new weapons called canons.

The projectile didn't break her barrier but sent her away, where I couldn't see her.

I got on my feet only to witness the creature screaming. Its body shrank a little, its skin peeled off revealing an armor made out of bones with more spikes growing on its back. In the middle of its chest, there was an opening appeared where a huge eye grew out, turning madly in blood.

It turned itself into a literal tank!

Without thinking more, I launched myself with [Speed Acceleration], my sword scratching the ground.

It looked down at me and launched another punch.

This time I was ready, dropping my speed, letting the first punch the ground in front of me, using it to launch myself in the air.

While doing so I tried to pierce its armor, but I only managed to scratch it, not enough to use the sword's power.

I landed behind it and quickly run in front of it before it could launch the spikes.

The demon raised its two fists in the air and started to let out a barrage of attacks.

"[Iron Body], [Speed Acceleration]!"

Each time I evaded it by the skin of my teeth or deflected them slightly before they could touch me.

When it finally stopped the ground in front of it looked like it was hit by a small rain of asteroids, with me still standing with only some small injuries and a broken rib, from a punch that I tried to block even with [Iron Body].

It raised its first and before it could swing it again; its body was frozen in place by a block of blue ice.

Where the magic was casted Belda stud, still on a rooftop. She looked flustered, probably she was running up the stairs to get here.

"Now, Josh! I can't keep it like this for long!"

Understanding what she meant I inhaled and channeled the power within me.

"Proetus!"

My family's unique skill, that has been passed down for generations. Even in its diluted form, it had huge power.

A light green aura started to cover up my body like a cape, with some dust flying around me. Every part of my body became energized, tingling with power.

With my newfound power, I made a horizontal swing with my sword at the ice cube that was already covered by cracks.

A light green explosion blinded me and my surroundings.

This skill has the capacity of making one of my attacks twice as powerful as I could muster with an explosion effect. But it had a severe drawback. For 5 minutes, my physical abilities are divided. 5 minutes is a deadly factor in a fight as my father always told me.

When the dust finally settled, my eyes almost popped out of my skull.

The demon was still standing, with its left arm missing, spitting blood like a fountain. The eye in the middle of its chest was spinning madly with tears of blood coming out of it.

With its remaining arm, it grabbed another person and bite into it. Immediately the wound started to close.

"Is this thing invincible?"

"Josh get out the way!"

When I heard Belda's voice I noticed that there was a red glove over the demon's head.

"Oh no…"

"Take this! Compound Magic: Blazing Wind!"

I jumped away in time when a literal tornado made out of fire surrounded the creature, its roaring sound overlapping with the monster's scream.

When it finally ended the outer layer of the beats was black with some parts are still burning.

The eye became dried up, almost tree bark like and it didn't move.

The huge mass felon on its knees and landed on its stomach, motionless.

From the rooftop, I could hear Belda shouting. "Next time don't underestimate a witch of the highest order!"

Before I could celebrate with her, I heard a cracking noise. New and new spikes grew on each other at a rapid rate.

When I realized what it was doing, I jumped in front of Selma who was still muttering herself, and drew a half-circle.

With my mana I controlled the waves of dirt to solidify, creating a wall, just in time.

The ball of spikes erupted, sending deadly projectiles everywhere, transforming the houses which were already in poor condition into ruins.

One of the projectiles managed to pierce through my wall, going through my abdomen.

Once again blood came out of my mouth, this time in greater quantity, while the bone spear pinned me to the ground.

With my concentration failed the wall I made fell apart revealing a scenery from hell.

Spears made of bones everywhere, some blood-red, showing that it hit one of the mobs that were unconscious.

In the middle of the rubble, a figure emerged.

It was as big as me, skinless, its muscles exposed on its painfully thin body. Its limbs ended in blades made out of bone. On its chest, an eye turning in blood observed the surrounding.

Its head was now a skull without eye holes and sharp fangs in place of teethes, some strands of muscle holding it on the body.

The creature sniffed the air and let out a screaming noise.

I looked around fighting the pain.

Belda was missing, probably lying unconscious somewhere in the rubble, Selma is still chanting with tears flowing from her eyes, but unharmed.

The creature scratched the ground and started to eat something on the ground. With every bite, small spikes started to appear on its back.

It is reloading. I cannot let it do it again.

With a war cry, I grabbed the spike still in my guts and pulled it out. Then without looking at my wound I took out a glass bottle that miraculously survived and drunk its contents. A warm feeling spread through my body, healing me. Moments later I was in peak condition, thanks to the high-grade potion that I was forced to bring with me.

"Thanks, dad…"

I firmly grabbed my sword and run in the direction of the best that was still eating. The spikes on its back grew to a centimeter long, looking like small knives.

It was so absorbed by its food that it didn't even realize that I was almost next to it.

I brandished my sword, and I made a horizontal slash.

The sword cut its left forearm of the monster like butter.

The creature screamed again and pushed me aside with its remaining arm blade that I blocked with my sword, making a cut sound.

"Shit, just die already!"

I pushed aside the blade and kicked it on the ground. The spikes that grew on his back pined it down, making it incapable to stand back up.

Suddenly the sky darkened. It was already close to night-time, but now clouds appeared from nowhere, blocking the sun.

"Belda…"

I looked around until I found her.

She was standing on a pile of rubble. Her cloth was torn apart and bloodied. She used a spear that the monster shot out as a leaning stick, while with her other hand, she held the wand high in the cloudy sky.

"I said don't underestimate me! Compound Magic: Heavenly Hamer!"

Boom!

A thunder wide as the thickest tree fell from the ground where the monster was, creating a wide crater.

When the dust settled, nothing was left only a crater.

Once again, I felt the joy of victory to only being pushed back.

Belda screamed.

When I looked in her direction, I saw the demon. Its back was bloodied, with a big chunk of flesh missing from it. It was standing over Belda who was on the ground pressing her hands on a wild wound that spread from her left shoulder to her right hip.

The demon raised its bloodied blade to make the finishing blow.

"NO!"

I threw my sword in desperation. The silver blade spine in the air for a moment that looked like eternity. The monster was about to attack when the hilt of the sword miraculously hit it in the head. The blow it misses, stabbing the ground milometers from Belda's head.

It turned its head in my direction and ran at full speed. I grabbed a spike in each hand and blocked the incoming attack.

The beast made a screaming noise, sending blood and saliva into my face. The eye on its chest stared at me hatefully, maybe for the first time fixing on something. The arm I was cut has already healed and now a new blade was forming.

"Ugh, y-you! This Is for my Belda, you monster!"

I pushed the monster away from me, giving me space for the move I was about to do.

"Proet- ugh!"

Before I could finish the creature launched itself at me with incredible speed and pierced my right shoulder, with such force that the surrounding bones broke.

"Josh!"

This time It was Selma who screamed my name. She had a small ball made of light, pulsing with golden light.

The demon must have sensed the danger because it let me go and ran at her with great speed.

Before I could do anything, the monster was already in front of her, its blades piercing her stomach and lifting her up, blood spilling everywhere.

"Nooo!"

I tried to get back up, but the pain in my shoulder didn't let me.

Selma's face was a mixture of shock and pain with blood coming out of her mouth.

The demon let out a scream and it was about to bite her when something miraculous happened.

A force field pushed it away from Selma's body, sending it to the crater where the lightning struck.

Her body was surrounded by a white aura, healing her wound. She opened her eyes, which were glowing in a white light and she raised her hand.

Her voice was overlapped by that of another more feminine voice.

"Holy magic: God's Lance."

A magic circle appeared over the monster's head and a lance made out of pure light descended from the heavens.

When it made contact with the ground it didn't make any sound, or raise the dust, only enveloping the area in a holy light.

When everything returned to normal, there was silence.

Were the monster stud before us a second ago now was a hole that led to darkness.

"Is it dead?"

Belda looked around in the rubbles.

"I don't feel anything. I believe we are in the clear."

In my head, I could hear The Voice as it wanted to reassure me.

[ 320 Exp earned.]

[Level 46 reached]

It's dead.

*****

The knights soon came. First, they tended the wounded and rescued the survivors from the rubbles.

They also wanted to arrest them all for terrorism, but we convinced them other vised. Even if they were guilty, a lot of them were wounded or creped and that was enough. Furthermore, we were too tired to care about it.

Selma was immediately taken away, to the nearest church. What ewer healed her there, it only closed the wound, she still had internal bleeding and her mana reserve was dried up, leaving her with fever.

I and Belda were staring at the crater caused by Selma's magic. From the bottom of it, the two of us could hear water flowing.

"…What do you think, will she make it?"

"The nun? Don't worry she is thought. She will be back on her feet before you know it."

"…What the hell was that?"

Belda let out a long sigh while taking out something from her pocket.

"I believe this caused it."

It was the book that we saw floating over the first before the demon transformed.

"What is it? "I took the book from her hand and opened it. There was no word in it just a pile of letters randomly throw on some pages.

"I found it inside of the carapace of the demon. It's a cursed book, the highest order. They say that there are seven of these things, containing knowledge that can incomprehensive for normal humans. The nun must have reacted to this thing when the demon… touched her, resulting in this mess."

"What are you going to do with it?"

"… I will start by sealing it, then find a way to read it. There might be ways to help people in it."

"… Help peoples."

She stayed with me for a while, then she went back to the castle of the duke.

I was the last one to stay there, still looking at the hole where that thing disappeared.

I was sure that nothing could survive that attack and yet I had that strange feeling that it will return.

I shake my head and left the place, leaving the earth magicians to tidy the place up.

Without my knowledge, the fight between us and the demon became a bedtime story, that parents will tell their children if they were misbehaving. The story of the three heroes and the monster that almost destroyed this town.

They even gave a name to that demon.

It was a simple name, common, and yet terrifying.

The Beast.

*****

…

[…]

[…]

[…]

[Lock removed.]

[…. System calibrating.]

[New skill received: [Healing]]

[New resistance received: [Fire]]

[A great number of contracts have failed.]

[Number of failed contracts:52]

[Calculating…]

[ Failed contracted loose: 10 HP capacity; 10 MP capacity and 3 levels.]

[Transferring data…]

[User reached Max level.]

[Evolution possible.]

[Alert! Surplus levels detected.]

[Calculating …]

[Transforming extra levels into skill PT…]

[Success.]

[Current skill PT: 658]

[Alert! Users HP in critical state!]

[Preparing for quietus …]

[#&#@###&]

[Unacceptable course of action!]

[Transferring 46 skill PT to [Healing]]

[Skill [Healing] evolved into [Fast Healing]]

[Alert! Users HP in critical state!]

[Alert! Users HP in critical state!]

[Preparing for quietus…]

[Transferring 92 skill PT to [Fast Healing]]

[Skill [Fast Healing] evolved into [Speed Healing]]

[Alert! Users HP in critical state!]

[Alert! Users HP in critical sta-]

[Users HP increased.]

[HP stabilized.]

[Alert! User's body is unable to function properly due to extensive damage.]

[Alert! Mental degradation detected]

[Alert! Unique skill [Body Physic Manipulation] is out of control]

[Alert! Unique skill [Body Physic Manipulation] is now affecting surroundings]

Alert! [Possible physical mutations caused by Unique skill [Body Physic Manipulation]: high]

[Curse detected: [Iophobia]]

[Curse detected: [Holy Burn]

[Chance of survival: zero.]

[Preparing for quietus…]

[Terminal accessed by Administrator.]

[Entering Master password…]

[Proceeding to modifications…]

[Modifications accepted.]

[New passive skill derived from [Body Physic Manipulation]: [Midas's touch]]

[Forceful evolution initiated.]

[Current evolutionary choices: [Demonic Beast] [High Crossroads Demon] [Jester Demon] [Demonic Preacher] [■■■■●■■■]]

[None of the evolutions completes requirements]

[Processing…]

[Requirements meant!]

[New evolutionary path found…]

[De-evolution Started...]