Chapter 18: Happy Meal

The burning village seems like beautiful fireflies if one views it from far above, among the starry skies.

Many orange lights scattered about upon white snow makes for a poetic sight. The faint screams one can hear from down below makes for a dreary melody as well.

A certain house in the corner of the village was particularly in a bad state. Not burning as brightly as the other houses but the house is damaged the most.

The center of the house was in rubble with small licks of flame here and there, the walls of the house still burning except for the center that is.

Then the rubble shifts slightly, as if something is stirring inside of it.

..

...

Hot. Fucking hot.

"*mmph*"

Pain, fucking painfu-

*creak, poof*

Finally, now just gotta. Umph, there we go.

*rumbling sounds*

"Huaaaaah, finally, I'm out."

I manage to free one of my hands and pull myself out of the rubble. It wasn't that deep anyways.

"*cough**cough*"

I look around in a daze-like manner, the fuck just happened? All I remember was a weird sound, something burning and the village basked in-

My movements and thought stops as I gaze at the village through the remains of the house's walls.

Fire.

Seas of fire.

"Wh-what is going on-YEOUCH!!"

A stinging pain assaulted my senses as I hissed in pain, I look at the current state I'm currently in before realizing how badly injured I was.

Now I'm no doctor and have no idea about first degree burn and crap. But I think my burn damage is beyond bad and should be fatal for humans.

"Aw Crap!…I turned into a mole rat!...is….is that my bones? Holy moly!"

I raise my hand and gaze at it amidst my pain.

Then like magic, the pain disappeared. Muscles regenerates, skin regrew and in a span of a few seconds all the pain and damage disappeared as if it was all a lies, the only proof of said damage was my torn clothes and the wreckage I'm currently standing on.

I stare at my good as new hands in a daze then starts clenching and unclenching it.

"*sigh* Right, forgot I could do that…Aight, I'm good as new so let's see what is actually happeni-oof!"

I took a step forward only to lose the energy in my legs and fall onto the ground.

"B-bwuh?"

I try to raise myself up but my arms were trembling as I position myself on my knees.

"guh…I-what's going on?"

I ended up sitting on the ground weakly, it felt as if I just did an assignment from night till dawn, then forced to run a marathon before being handed a math test to complete.

My eyes flutter as my eyelids felt like it's getting heavier by the moment. I yawned weakly as I force myself to stay awake. With eyes closed I started to take a deep breath

*breathe in, breathe out, in, out….*

I open my eyes after a few moments of calming myself, the weak and sleepy feeling has subsided somewhat. I groaned out weakly as I raise myself up slowly.

Then I take a few steps forward towards the door…or what's left of it anyways.

I stumble outside through the door and saw the village in a clearer manner compared to before.

"…Damn…so hot and bright.."

I can feel the heat washing over me from the burning houses, my feet moves forward weakly as I look at my surroundings.

'Ah….it got destroyed…'

I stop for a moment or two to look at the large bonfire which was formerly the Okitsu's house burning brightly with gusto.

My gaze slowly turn away from the house as I resume my walk. I was coming closer and would soon pass the other villager's house which is a bit further away from the two family's houses…or at least that's what I wanted to do.

*BANG, CRASH!!*

A loud noise startled me as the burning walls crashes down with a burning silhouette coming through said wall and falls down a few steps in front of me…screaming.

"ARGHHHH, THE PAIN, THE PAIN!!!!"

The silhouette which is a man starts rolling down on the snow to put out the fire around his body…something flew all around him while rolls around on the snow.

I catch one of the flying object and look at it in curiosity and there I see a…round and metal object? Money?

I wanted to keep looking at it but a shout interrupted me.

"*pant* HEY YOU!"

I look towards the source and saw the man panting heavily, looking at me with a deranged look in his eyes. The fire gone from his body…albeit the damage seems to have struck him quite hard.

"PUT,*pant* MY MONEY,*cough, cough* Dow-"

He stopped whatever he was gonna say and stares at me instead..which is quitter unnerving to be honest. His facial expression suddenly turns happy and seem more energetic.

"A-aren't you the benefactor? The one who gave us with much food yes?"

I rub my head in an embarrassed manner.

"Yeah..that's me alrigh-"

My words got cut short as he started yelling at me.

"That's great! Very great!...could you perhaps do me a favor please retrieve the remainder of the coins inside the building.."

He points at the house where he broke through the wall just then.

"The remainder of the money is there, oh kind and benevolent benefactor please do help me with this trouble of mine."

I look at him in a daze, then at the house. Then at him once again.

"…Eexcuse me? You want me to go inside that burning house, endangering myself for some stupid coins?"

"It's not stupid!! Those coins can make you live in luxury for years! Or at least a better life than being in this crappy village!"

He spoke with gusto, phlegm and spittle flying around as I dodge them weakly. I then sigh before rubbing the bridge of my nose.

"Alright I'll do so but first let me ask. Are the coins truly yours? I won't help you if you don't tell me the truth."

He seem reluctant to say and wanted to argue, but a glare manage to deter him. He then speaks up after a few moments of indecisiveness.

"T-the coins aren't mine…they belong to an old man and his daughter…."

"…what?"

"I said, the coins aren't mine! It belongs to someone else!"

"….the fuck? Then why did you ask me to get it for you?"

"I-i…"

He looks at the ground as he stutters…oh dammit don't tell me…

"Were you…were you trying to rob them?"

He stayed silent and trembles on the ground.

"Y-you lunatic! You still manage to find time to rob people when something like this is happening!?"

"SHUT UP! IT'S NOT LIKE THEY WILL BE ABLE TO USE THOSE COINS ANYMORE! THEY WILL HAVE BETTER USE IN MY HANDS!"

He roared at me? He actually has the audacity to roar at me?

I step closer to him before kicking him right on the face. He was sent stumbling backwards due to my kick not having much energy.

"Damn it! That's not even a good justification you fool!"

I huff tiredly as a bout of dizziness hits me once again. The dude on the ground was already sobbing and breaking down mumbling nonstop. I focus on his words….which I immediately regretted.

"..it's not my fault, I didn't meant to harm them, it's not my fault, not my fault not my fault…"

"Y-you…you killed them? You killed the old man and the girl?"

He didn't answered me and kept crying and mumbling nonstop instead. Fuming, I stagger towards him before flipping him around and mounting him. Then I pulled him by the collar and glare at his sobbing face mere inches away from mine.

"Tell me everything."

He started crying while talking.

"Ionlywantedthemoneyididntmeantoharmthemlikethatpleasebelievemepleaseletmegoplease"

I gave him a slap which knocks a few tooth out.

"Speak clearly."

He continues to cry but manage to speak at a more normal pace now.

"I…I didn't want to kill them, I just wanted to scare them, I- I thought they will be scared of the knife I brought and that it was the best time to do so as…the..festivities would be the main attention and people would be less at this parts."

"Go on."

"S-so I brought my knife along with me to rob the old man when his daughter went to get food..at first he was struggling so I had to rough him up a little bit. The girl came back since she had forgotten something, then she caught me packing the coins, her father tied up with a rope…she wanted to scream so i…i…"

I waited for him to continue but only silence ensues.

"Well? Continue."

He shakes his head and stays silent.

"I'm warning you, continue being silent and you'll regret it."

He stayed silent so I fulfilled my words, making him regret it.

I grabbed his pinky fingers before bending it backwards till a snapping sound like pringles being eaten sounded out.

**insert incoherent screaming here*

His tears doubled down as he flops around like a fish out of water and keeps screaming in pain.

I might be feeling weak but that ain't mean I can't snap a finger or two.

"Are you going to talk or will I have to snap another finger or two?" I ask him as I reach down towards him.

"STOP!! STOP!! PLEASE!! I'LL SAY IT, I'LL SAY IT, PLEASE LET ME GO!!!"

I stayed silence and gestures at him to continue. He's still holding his finger in pain but looking at me in fear and reprehension.

"Alright, go on."

"Before I start can you promise me one thing?"

I sigh at his attempt of bargaining, "Yeah sure what is it?"

"..Please don't torture me and let me go.."

I snorted, "That depends on your full story..now go on with it."

He stayed quiet before mumbling something so quietly not even my demon sense could hear it.

"What? What did you say?"

"I-*mumble, mumble*"

I grab his collar once again before looking at his eyes, face apart by a few inches.

"Speak clearly."

"I HAD A BIT OF FUN WITH HER!"

"…..what?"

"I-she was one of the most beautiful girl in the village and I always wanted her..i..i thought that I can't stay here anymore so…why not go all the way?"

"….you damn bastard."

One punch to th face knocks his head back onto the ground. Hard, also a few more tooth got sent flying.

"*inhale, exhale* Wait…how did you survive the fire though?"

He cough weakly and replied, albeit a bit unclear due to facial damage and missing tooth.

"Fwi-Fwi yuus ther voby thu pwotek maiseff.."

"….you used their body to protect yourself!?"

A weak nod from his head made me stare blankly at him....what a damn bastard…aight, I've decided.

"I have decided…you'll have the honor to be my first.."

He looks at me weakly and in confusion. I grin back at him, grab his left wrist and lift it towards my mouth, I brought two of the fingers in front of my jaws , opens my mouth and-

Chomp.

Two finger fries went into my mouth, the juiciness of the meat was amazing, the fire made his meat crispy and slightly cooked, the juicy sweet blood flowing outwards…

I see him taking a breath, perhaps a scream is incoming based on my prediction, cant be having that yet, thus I choke him so he can't scream.

"Heuk!!?"

I then put my lips near his ears and whispers softly at him.

"Your scream will make my meal taste even better."

Chomp.

Bye-bye right ear.

I release his throat and at the same time he scream out loud.

"Oh…yes this is going to be a great meal."

..

….

If one was paying attention or if any living people were nearby the edge of the village during the disaster they would've heard it.

An inhumane shouting….accompanied by the cackles and laughter of a demon.