Chapter 135: Gods or Heroes (III) - The First Demonic Hero

[Haruki Hotaru POV]

"Just who is this guy..?" I was whispering to myself quietly so that he wouldn't hear what I was saying, right now I was tied up in a weird rope that seems to be made out of strange flowers, not only that but for some reason, I can't use my skills, so I was just laying here on the flowery floor doing nothing.

The good thing is that he didn't cover my mouth, but I guess it makes sense since I wouldn't be able to speak to him if my mouth is covered.

And about talking, it's getting kind of boring right now, the mysterious man who tied me up was just standing in front of me talking to someone via messaging.

He's been messaging and sometimes talking all by himself for about a couple of minutes already and it's freaking me out.

But nevertheless, this is getting out of hand already! The first one to constantly invite me in my dream is Lucifer, after him is Asherah, so please don't tell me that this weirdo is the third.

Our meeting hasn't already been an hour and he tied me up already- talk about making a good impression, am I right? Anyway, even if I'm calm right now it doesn't change the fact that this guy is dangerous.

He's releasing a dangerous strench that's suffocating me, of course that was merely a hyperbole but it doesn't change the fact that this guy is dangerous.

I don't knwo how, but both my gut and mind is panickinng everytime this guy looked at me, and that's not all, but the odd aura coming out of him is a bit concerning, it hasn't done anything that can harm me but I just had a bad feeling about it.

Nope, let me change that. This guy is on another level of bad news, I don't know if he made it ntentional to make me fear him, but what's concerns me is that I'm more afraidof him than Zeus. That's just how I can describe this guy, he is not scary by looks but in the inside it he's far more dangerous than anyone I have encountered.

"*Sigh* Seriously, how tiresome..." The man heaved a sigh and stretched his arms, he then lookd at me with a mischievous smile and sat on the ground to get closer to me. "How's the scenery Haruki? Is it in your liking?"

The surroundings was really different from the scenery in the Garden of Eden, the first thing I immediately discovered is instead of tall grasses filling the entire garden, this world is instead filled with many types of flowers, not only that but instead of a constant civil twilight sky, this world has an odd pink sky with also a pink moon.

"It's okay," I replied timidly: not wanting to insult him. "Honestly, it's much better than the Garden of Eden." This was the truth, I wholeheartedly think that this place is much better than the Garden of Eden, but in the end, my experience here is worse than Eden because I need to be wary of this guy in front of me.

"Really? I'm glad that you liked it more than that stupid garden." He happily boasted. "Anyway, now that I'm not busy anymore, I guess I can answer a few questions you want from me."

This guy is so carefree, I don't know if he's an idiot or if it's just an act he's pulling, but this is my chance to question him who he is before any interruption comes. "Thanks for that, but first can you untie me?"

"Haha!" He laughed at me mockingly. "Sorry, but I can't do that Haruki. That rope that I tied you with is made out of special materials that can deactivate the Skill Soul of anyone it touches, which is why freeing you would become a problem to me, but rejoice Haruki because once the rope is not touching your skin you can use your skills again."

"I see..." Well, I guess I already had a grasp in why my skills won't work here and it looks like he confirmed my hunch to be true. "I see... But don't worry, I won't do anything to harm you once I got my skills back."

"Hmm... We'll see about that Haruki, because I know for sure that you and I will have a battle soon."

"What do you mean?" I asked him confused of what he said. "I'm pretty sure you're a hundred percent stronger than me." Proof of that is I'm more afraid of him than Zeus. "So, there's no way I would fight you if it'll just be an immediate lost to me."

"We'll see about that." He just gave me a mischievous smile, he sat closer to me and moved me so that I would be sitting down instead of uncomfortably laying on the ground.

"So any other question? I only have a few time left before something interesting will come."

Something interesting? I wonder what he's saying? But I don't have time to guess. "Then tell me, who are you and what do you want from me?"

"Hmm... Due to private circumstances, I can't tell you my real name, so you can call mean as Bermuda, you know like the devil's triangle in the Atlantic Ocean that is filled with urban legends."

Bermuda... That's only an epithet he's using so he could hide his true name, so it won't be useful information to know who this man is.

"Not satisfied with the answer Haruki, well I guess I can tell you about my life for a bit, would that work?"

"Of course!" Seriously, this guy is really an idiot.

"Hmm... Actually, now that I think about it, telling you my life would be quite a problem for me too since that annoying sister of yours is gonna guess my identity immediately."

D*mn, so he isn't a fool...

"But, I guess I'll tell you the reason I kidnap you though, is that fine with you?"

"Yes, I guess so..." I guess this is better than having no actual information at all.

"That's because I envy you Haruki Hotaru." He let out a dejected smile when he said that.

Hearing that made me feel a slight burn in my chest, it was a weird sensation in my stomach that I couldn't describe.

I look at him to see that behind him was a blood-red sky, not only that but my surroundings suddenly changed in a second.

Instead of beautiful multiple-colored flowers around us, all of them changed to a blood-red color.

"Oh, how I envy everything about you..." Two demonic wings came out of his back and two blood-red horns appeared on his head.

His long white hair matches the blood-red color of the surroundings and his smile that's filled with his jealousy of my existence.

"Oh! Sorry about that, I got a little carried away." Everything went back to normal when he spoke and smiled happily as if nothing happened.

My heart skipped a beat when I saw everything change and when I saw him change into a demon, it felt like I had a heart attack.

It was strange, I never felt this much fear before, I could see why I said that I'm more afraid of him than Zeus.

Because this guy's existence is just on another level, even if he's a demon his existence was like that of an evil god.

I'm also confused about his existence, I know that he's a devil but why does he seem far different than my friends and the others? He isn't like Lucifer and the other first-generation Archdukes of Hell, he was just a different demon that I couldn't describe.

This is insane, even if I'm the current King of Hell, there's no way I could compare to this guy, and my father... Even with the Soul Bound he used against Metatron back in the past, it's still wasn't on this guy's level.

He is just... He is just...

"Is something wrong Haruki?" He asked me joyfully.

"No... I'm okay..." That was a lie... Right now, I'm panicking... If this guy is on the same side as Zeus then we're dead... We're really dead...

This guy is basically the type of guy who would enjoy seeing people suffer, and when he's in battle he'll be the type to not show off his true power just to mock his enemy.

This is why he's dangerous, unlike anyone who wants something big, this guy is just hungry for entertainment.

"Now... Let's go back to our question and answer-"

I looked at him to see why he stopped talking and I was surprised, on his stomach was a scythe, not just any scythe but Luna's scythe; it was stuck on his stomach...

"Haruki!" I looked behind to see Luna running toward me, on her hand were swords made out of bones, and her four wings were now gone.

"Oh my... Looks like your girlfriend is already here Haruki."

I looked back at him to see how he was doing and I saw that the scythe was already laying on the ground while his stomach was completely unharmed.

"Seriously, what an annoying girl." His joyful smile disappeared and he brought out staff and pointed it in the air.

It glowed bluish light and the ground started shaking, Luna stopped running and duck to ensure her safety from the earthquake.

"*Sigh* How pitiful." The ground didn't stop shaking but the flowers then started moving.

Vines were coming out of the flowers and binded Luna's body before she could even react.

"What the?!" Luna was struggling to get out of the flowers but she couldn't move her body. "*Tsk* Then I'll just turn into a ghos-" She fell silent all of a sudden, her eyes widened from shock and confusion. "I can't use my skills..."

She can't use her skills?! Don't tell me? Not only this role are stopping us from using are skills but also the flowers?! This guy... Is not an idiot at all!

"Now, now, time for the second round of question and answe-"

"Now, are you ready for round 3?"

I looked to see who spoke and saw Asherah and Beelzebub beside Luna, with just one touch on his fingers the flowers died immediately.

"Tasty." Beelzebub mumbled as he smiled at me and waved happily. "It's been a long time hasn't it Haruki Hotaru, I'm here to save you!"

Oh Beelzebub... Even if I want to punch you eight now because of what you did to me, but I'll refrain because you saved my life.

"Now then." Asherah looked at the mysterious man with a dissatisfied smile. "You better leave now if you don't want any trouble mage, I know that you know that yourself."

"Of course, I wouldn't want to get on the nerve of the great Asherah, so bye-bye Haruki." The man turned into a bunch of small flowers and was blown away by the wind.

"*Sigh* Good thing that you two are safe." Asherah sighed in relief.

The rope that was binding me then turned to dust, but my body was numb due to the uncomfortable posture he left me in when tied up, so I was just laying still on the ground.

The three came closer to me and Luna put my head on her lap. "I'm glad that you're okay..." Luna mumbled happily.

I smiled back at her for appreciation of what she did, I looked at Asherah silently trying my best not to make things awkward between the two of us. "Umm... Asherah, back at Mt. Fuji..." I wanted to say sorry for misunderstanding the situation, I didn't know that she was trying to have me from Freyja at that time, so I hurt her feelings because of my pettiness.

"You don't need to worry about that Haruki Hotaru, I forgive you. It was my fault for not explaining it in the beginning."

"I see... Thanks, Asherah..." I was happy that she was willing to forgive me, I guess that makes sense because she's kind toward her descendants.

"Also Beelzebub." I looked at him in anger of what he di to me back when we first met, and he just started whistling to ignore what I would say. "Thank you for coming here to save me."

"Of course, anything for the current Ruler of Hell."

"Now..." My tone shifted from a more serious one. "I believe you know who that man is Asherah and what he wanted from me."

Asherah heaved out a heavy sigh and her smile changed to a more serious one. "That man is the most dangerous man in the world, even I wouldn't compare him from the likes of Zeus and Yahweh, he's just that dangerous."

Then my suspicion is right, whoever that man is, he's gonna be our strongest enemy.

"But don't worry about him, because he isn't on anyone's side, he's the type of man who would only join the war for the sake of his entertainment."

Another correct guess, if he's truly that type of a man he really is indeed far more dangerous than anyone I've met. People like that are what makes the war more bloody and if he's now interfering in the second Great God War, then this could be more bloody than the first one.

"Also, what's worse is that he's only interested in you Haruki Hotaru, because he's envious that you got the attention of the Gods."

"Why is that? Isn't it only normal that the Gids wanted me because not only I can use Soul Bound but also I'm the first-ever Hero who has the blood of a demon on him."

"The Soul Bound the Gods on Zeus' side wants that, but now that the Moon Goddess has access to Soul Bound they wouldn't want you anymore, but instead they want you and Luna because of you two being the impossibility."

She means because I'm the first-ever demonic Hero and Luna is the first-ever Archnephilim, I can see why Zeus wants us to join his side.

"Luna I can see why Zeus want her, but you in the other hand Haruki is something I don't know why."

I was shocked to hear what Asherah said, what did she mean that she doesn't know why? I'm the first demonic Hero, isn't that reason good already?

"Of course, I understand that you'll be in denial Haruki but in truth you're not the first Hero who has demonic blood, but the man who kidnapped you is."

No way... So me being the first-ever demonic Hero was a lie? But I could've sworn the Gids wanted me because of that reason. "Then why do the Gods want me then?"

"I don't know, but for some reason the Gods seems to have forgotten who that mage is-"

"That's wrong Asherah." Luna disturbed. "Freyja knows who that mage is, so there's no way the Gods couldn't remember that man."

"*Sigh* Tell me, Luna, why did you think Freyja helped you to save Haruki?"

"That's because... That's because she respects me."

"That's true, but don't you think that's odd? A powerful God like her wouldn't trust her enemies, but why did she?"

"That's because..." Luna fell silent at Asherah's remark.

"That's because Freyja planned to make sure Brynhildr wouldn't die because this is what she expected, she already knew that Brynhildr would go berserk and just acted like she doesn't know. She sent you here so that she can ensure Brynhildr's safety and to make sure that man is not gonna kill Haruki, because why is that? That's because she betrayed Odin and has joined Yahweh's side."

"But how can you be sure of that?!" Luna shouted, not wanting to believe that Freyja tricked her.

"Elena Astrid, are you two familiar with that name?"

Luna was shocked to hear the name but I on the other hand doesn't know who that woman Asherah mentioned.

"Elena Astrid, she's one of the maids that worked for the former King Jarren in the castle, Dawn reported that she was a Valkyrie spy sent by Odin to spy on us, but Dawn already killed her."

"And don't you think it's odd on why a Valkyrie is I. He'll in the first place and teamed up with Milicas Lucifer to fight Dawn? And at the same time, Odin doesn't know of Haruki Hotaru's existence?"

Luna finally understood what Asherah was saying, it was already before she and I met that Freyja has joined Yahweh's side.

Luna could only grit her teeth from anger that she was tricked by Freyja, I held her hand to calm her down to which she responded with a sigh of relief.

"Now back to the man, just like I said he is the first ever Hero to have demonic blood, and the reason Freyja remembers her is because Yahweh made her too, reason for Yahweh not forgetting the mage is because he was the one who made the Gods forget about him back during the first Great God War."

Beelzebub stepped in to take the lead. "Also not only that, but that man is part of our Mythology too Haruki, which is why id the other Gods found out about him it would be to doom of our entire Mythology, and don't underestimate the Gods hunger for power."

I was silent at what the two said, if that man is more important than me then why did I even exist in the first place?

"I know that you're verbally abusing yourself right now Haruki Hotaru," Asherah said in a disappointed voice. "Remember, I didn't choose you over him without a reason."

Asherah's right, I can't believe I started to doubt my ability again, this is why I can't change if I keep on looking down on myself.

"Now, I can't tell you his name because of circumstances but I can tell you his title as a Hero."

Asherah let out a gulp and heaved a heavy sigh to prepare. "He is the mage who knows all, a man who can see the past, present, and future; one of the greatest mages in the entire history of Heroic mages, and the man blessed by both Yahweh and Lucifer. He is... The Antichrist."