“Another one,” reported Lucy, hunkering over a corpse of a Dire Wolf.

Callous lacerations all over the mangled carcass of a Dire Wolf. Beasts kill each other for food or over territory, rarely for sport. This body is neither of the three. If it is killed by a predator, there would only be bones. This body isn’t even half eaten. As far as I can tell, this is neutral grounds, so it cancels out territory aggression. The body is mutilated to the point of being unrecognizable. There is too much effort put in to be mere sports.

It’s almost if some creature lashed out all its suffering and anger onto the poor Dire Wolf.

“Mindless beasts….”

I overhear the small mutter from Liam. He looks pale. He has been covering his mouth ever since we encountered the first mutilated carcass of a beast.

Gore seems to disagree with him. I guess gore and I share a common interest.

But he nevertheless does his job. Which is harvesting the Mana Cores from the dead beasts. Mana Cores are the primary ingredient in crafting magic tools. The cores can only be harvested upon death and with an Arcane Art called Essence Extract, specially conceived for this line of work. It is the standard to at least have one member with Essence Extract in a party.

The Mana essence of the monsters leaks into Liam’s hand in a smoky form which then converges and crystallizes into a spherical object brimming with faint purplish blue light. Beasts and Monsters’ Mana are purplish blue while most of the Sagax races are blue. Demons and Majins are red though.

“Alright, keep moving,” said Roy. He beat me by one second.

The trees in this forest grew close to each other. Perceiving a few distance away is even a chore due to the compact growth formation of these trees. Roy is having a hard time moving due to him having the largest body size among us.

The pungent smell of the carcasses however, are quite apparent. I can tell another disfigure carcass laid not far from where we are just from the smell alone.

“It seems the Demons are more savage than I heard.”

With his helmet in the way, I couldn’t tell Roy’s facial expression but his status told me enough. It reads, Nauseous: Mild. I have grew accustom to the smells of dead bodies the Demons laid in their wake when I was in my old party.

Sylvia, the Majin is unbothered as I expected. I have heard Majins have high tolerance against foul smell and miasma. It turns out to be true.

Ren however, is doing the worst among us. His status is, Nauseous: Severe.

Being a cleric, he’s responsible for medical treatment and clearing any serious status ailment on us. He also has a magic for perceiving any imminent dangers, Augur. Since Augur is only level one, it is unreliable but it is still a magic worth having.

“Come on, we gotta keep moving.” I said after finish assessing the scene. Looks like I beat Roy this time.

Yeah, I’m petty.

Roy walks first as he is the vanguard. A sword and shield in his hands.

The middle is Sylvia and I. The backline will be Liam and Ren who are both spell casters. Lucy is acting as the scout in my place and she stays in the trees.

This our party formation, superficially in a sense at least.

Perception is my forte, thanks to Abaddon. Long distance sight is also one of my abilities and I also have an invisible three sixty field that allows me to any presence that enters into my field. The field spans a little bit over two hundred meters but outside a hundred meters, my perception will not be as effective.

Still, I would notice any person or thing in the vicinity faster than Lucy.

Lucy is a wolf-kin. Not some feline but she’s doing well in hopping from trees to trees. This is a different world after all. I can’t expect every common things to be the same.

We come across many carcasses of the same sorry state as we continue on deeper into the forest.

We are not wandering aimlessly nor leisurely. We are looking for the sauce.

The Spawn Portal. It is where the Demons emerged from. These portals appear arbitrary in places with dense miasma. From the information we have gathered, the Demons are coming from in the inner section of Bluebell Forest. There is where we are heading to.

We reach the middle layer of the forest but the pungent smell is only fading. Contrary to my expectations, the death count of beasts are also decreasing as we dwell deeper into the forest.

Looking at it logically, it makes sense. The animals, creatures, beasts, or monsters, their instincts are their lifeline. Most likely their instincts are telling them to distance themselves away from the inner parts. Which is why we mostly only encountered them in the outer layer.

We came under-attacked a few times by some Magic Beasts but we dispatched them no problem.

--Nay.

There is a slight problem.

Our teamwork. Or rather, the absence of our teamwork.

While it isn’t a big problem now but it will be one when we face the Demons.

Unlike me, my current companions have no experience with fighting Demons.

Facing Demons head on without any plans nor cooperation is a foolish and lethal decision. My first excursion with my original companions taught me that.

Thank god for magic. Otherwise, Greg and Shin would be limbless cripples for life.

It was a horrifying experience but Shin is strong-willed and thick in the head. We picked ourselves back up eventually.

We walk on while continuing fending of Magic Beasts. We weren’t their aim. They were just running away and we were coincidentally in their way. Roy and Sylvia are the only one doing work. The rest of us aren’t slacking. We just weren’t given a chance to.

I’m not complaining but I doubt it will look good in the reports.

Before long, I can tell we are entering into the inner layer as the lushes of greens decreased tremendously. A thin layer of midst engulfs the inner layer. Everywhere I looked, there are only decayed carcasses and dead trees. It might have been the slightly thick midst as some of the trees and stumps look blurred to my view.

My heart drummed suddenly but I’m not fazed by it. It has happened too many times to be surprise to it any longer. It is the impetus as the signal for imminent threats.

Lucy then imitates a bird’s chirping which is our signal for enemies closing in.

Demons, four of them. They are closing in fast.

But…. It’s kinda different. They are coming to us head on. From my experience, Demons don’t attack head on. They are more like wolves. They have always used traps and ambushes. Rarely head-on unless as a last resort.

“Demons! They are coming to us!” shouted Lucy from the trees.

“Luce, stay up there!” I shouted back. Lucy’s combat experience extends only as far as E-rank Horned Rats. She’s no match for Demons, not even the lesser ones.

“How many?!” asked Sylvia with a shout.

“A-about three?! Their movements are erratic, I can’t tell exactly.”

I’m considering to tell them the real numbers but doing that will make them question my true abilities. I do not want my Divine Art to be discovered.

“Argh! Useless!” complained our attack mage, Liam. “Whatever, I’ll just burn them all down no matter how many comes our way.”

Burn them down?

Before I can find my voice to retort, Roy found his first.

“Liam, we are in a forest. Using fire magic is a fool’s move in a forest.”

Liam clicked his tongue from being pointed out of his idiocy.

“Should I be doing something?” Ren asked with trembling legs.

“Be prepare to cast a barrier or defensive magic on us, in case of emergency.” I told him.

“E-emergency? There’s going to be an emergency?”

Oh dear, what is with this two?

“They are here!”

Sylvia’s yell brought my attention to the front.

Three Demons appear from the trees. One of them is still behind.

They are too fast and they are kinda more erratic than usual. They are coming at us like wild dogs.

Sylvia is a C-rank and so is Roy. Their speed value are not enough to compete with the Demons’. They will need leverage.

“Winds of compulsion, Howling Gale.” I chanted and unleashed a crowd-control spell.

The strong wind clashes against the approaching Demons, slowing their advances. The raised dust clouds obstruct their visions.

“Now!”

At my signal, Roy and Sylvia charge at the Demons with their swords drawn.

“Aim for their core, it’s the only way to kill them.” I yelled out. “It is mostly around the center of their body.”

Unlike normal Magic Beasts, a Demon’s Mana Core is crystallized by default which makes Essence Extract inept against them. Without Mana Vision, it is tough to tell the location of their Mana Core but they are most common location is the center of their body.

Roy empowers his long sword by using Magic Melee Arts: Spell Edge. He then uses Tri-Cleave and cuts the Demon into five pieces, revealing the reddish Mana Core of the Demon. He brings his sword around and thrusts at the Mana Core, shattering it.

As for Sylvia, she also uses Spell Edge in conjecture with a double cross-cut. The Demon split it into four pieces but Sylvia is lucky to have struck the Mana Core with her attacks.

Both of the Demon withered into ashes and get carried away by the winds. At least they know enough to try to aim for the Mana Core which is a standard tactic for killing any Magic Beasts.

Since there are no Mana Cores to be harvested from killing Demons, it is not a profitable business. So in addition to being a tough job, it isn’t even rewarding. Which is why Demon hunting is often left to Heroes.

Although recently…. There was a group of Templar Knights called Night Hunters. They are basically Demon Hunters. I can still vividly remember my encounter with them. The leader of Night Hunters, Xatara Ae’myun is by far the strongest person I have met. I haven’t seen her in action but the information from appraisal is basically filled with evidence of her true strength.

Terrifying she may be, she is also a person of great beauty for a fighter.

While I’m reminiscing, the third Demon rushes at me.

“Power that courses through my veins, takes the shape of an arrow, Magic Bolt.”

After a slightly long chant, three blue arrows made of magic appear and went flying at the Demon. One missed but the remaining the two found its mark.

That isn’t enough however.

“Such tenacious foul beast,” cursed Liam.

Bzzt, wrong. You suck, that’s all.

He didn’t even aim for the Demon’s Mana Core and that’s a very long chant for just a beginner spell, Mana Control: Magic Bolt.

The Demon is still rushing at my way.

“Shizu!” yelled Lucy from the trees. I give her a secret thumbs out to signal that I’ll be fine.

I sneak a glance over my shoulder.

Ren is frozen stiff at the situation. Normally, the support mage should be casting defensive magic to protect its companion from harm but this support mage is too busy shitting himself.

No choice but to save myself.

“Arise as my shield against all harm, Vacuum Wall.”

A barrier of vacuum forms between me and the lunging Demon. The brittle intermediate level defensive magic broke in a single clash but that bought enough time for Sylvia and Roy to come to my rescue.

I say my thanks to the two while faking heavy breathings. My perception ability kinda slows down time for me to perceive things, so I know if something are actually dangerous such as the Demon who lunged at me. I judge that with Vacuum Wall, I will be able to buy enough time for the two to reach me. Although time slowed but that’s only perception wise, my movements are still of real time.

“You’re welcome.” Roy accepted my gratitude without complains.

“You should stay even further if that’s all you’re capable of,” but it was different for Sylvia. Although I can tell she isn’t actually trying to insult me but advising me.

“S-sorry,” said Ren as he finally regains his composure.

I wonder who sanctioned him for a field work.

But he recomposed himself at the wrong timing.

“Stride on the swift wind, Gale Rush.” Ignoring the confused gaze of my companions, I use an intermediate movement acceleration magic towards Ren.

The ground behind him cracks and bursts apart immediately after.

Between the exploded ground and the charging me, is a dazed Ren.

I reach him just in time as the Demon emerges from the ground.

“Air Burst.”

As the name stated, the air in front of me exploded, sending Ren and I flying backwards, away from the Demon.

Liam screamed at the sudden ambush of the forth Demon. In a panic, he begins to chant a fire spell.

“Element that incinerates and obliterates, fire that engulfs my enemies in a flash, Fire Bolt!”

Why in the fuck’s name of Abaddon would you do that?!

The fire attack magic exploded against the Demon.

The nearby dead leaves and trees contracted the raging flames from the scattered sparks.

“Liam, you idiot!” screamed Sylvia who is running towards Liam.

There isn’t even a silver lining to his fuck-up. His MP is now only a quarter and the Demon lives, with a thirty percent of its health.

In the midst of confusion, I quietly chant an advance level spell.

“Element of tranquility and rage, slicing fury of the winds, Wind Slash.”

A straight line of compressed air, bisects the Demon diagonally into half. I aimed it in a way that it would cut the Mana Core along with it.

The ashes of the deceased Demon swallowed up by the raging wild fire. To the others, it must have looked like the Demon died from the Liam’s attack.

Skill Point(s) gained +1

Ability Point(s) gained +2

These words appeared in my view.

Not much is gained but it is reasonable considering I only shaved off what little remains of its health.

“Liam, what were you thinking?!” Roy yelled.

“Shut up, I just did what any reasonable man would do, you dimwit.”

Wow, this guy is obstinate beyond saving. It wouldn’t be wrong to call him the chaotic evil version of Shin.

“Ah, fuck it!”

The profanity came from Sylvia. She took out a scroll from her belt sack.

The pop-up tells me that it is a Magic Scroll. The spell it contains is, Aqua Rush. Additional information tells me that it is of advance level and it’s basically a small tidal wave.

Using that Magic Scroll, Sylvia managed to completely extinguish the fire before it gets out of control.

“You know, if the scout did a better job, we wouldn’t have been ambush and I won’t be force to make a hard decision.”

Instead of repenting, he only digs his hole deeper. Even Ren has a look of disbelief of how obstinate one can be.

Oh?

Obstinate One and Unseeing of Truth, has been added as his titles but they are grayed out. Unsightly deeds or remarkable achievements’ title are always grayed out which mean the titles are hidden from normal appraisal abilities.

Stuck-up he may be, we are still on a quest and every member counts.

His punishment will be postponed after our excursion.

Although he’s in-denial of his mistakes through his words, his status which reads, Anxious told me enough.

“Ruins up ahead. In a clearing.”

I thanked Lucy for her report and signaled my companions to move slower and quieter.

We have encountered two more Demons along the way but our last battle made it easier this time. Roy and Sylvia don’t seem to have any problems with my command but the same cannot be said to Liam. Ren on the other hand is just too much of yellow-belly. The only he done was provide minor healing on Sylvia who received light wounds from the last two Demons.

We lighten our steps and creep closer to the clearing. I made sure to tell them not to tread on any twigs as much as they can.

Lucy gasped suddenly.

“Luce, what is it?” I already know why but I asked for appearance’s sake.

“There’s a lot of them,” she told us with a hush voice.

“How many?” asked Roy.

“Dozens.”

A silent shriek escapes Liam’s closed lips. He looks around to see if anyone heard that.

I did but I didn’t show it.

“W-what do we do?” Ren asked, nervously. He is making so much noise with the staff trembling along his with hands. I made him put it down to avoid alerting the Demons.

“Relax.” I told him.

I have actually cast Serenity, an advance level Wind Magic that silence the sounds around the caster. Since my Wind Magic level is still only four, casting advance level spells drains a lot of my Mana. Serenity along with Wind Slash earlier, my current MP is cut down to thirty percent of its maximum value.

Although it will not become a problem as I have remarkable MP recovery rate, which is also thanks to Abaddon.

I’m sure glad there isn’t anyone with Appraisal or Analysis in my party. I can hide and camouflaged my titles and abilities but not my HP and MP. I don’t have an absurd amount but recovering too fast will still invoke some questions. Like a game, my HP and MP bar is placed on the top left corner of my view.

Slowly and steadily, we reached the clearing and sure enough, the ruins of a cathedral is crawling with Demons.

Huh…. That’s strange. I’m not wrong about the feeling I had. They may be mindless monsters but they are not simpletons. Their current formation are too disordered, there is no formation, so to speak. Unless they are feeding, they don’t stand in open grounds and reveal their location for all to se. They are instinctually cunning monsters that relies on stealth. This behavior is unbefitting of them.

I wonder what’s making them deviating from their normal behavior.

“What’s our next move?” asked Roy.

“Something’s wrong,” I told them. “We should head back and get more people for this. They are not acting like the usual Demons.”

“What do you mean?” the dubious Sylvia turned to me.

I explained to them of the Demons’ normal behavior. I thought they would at least provide an argument but they are surprisingly trusting of me. Perhaps it is because of their instincts as seasoned warriors. They all agreed with my advice except for Liam, of course.

“Oh please, you’re just saying this to make yourself look good as a hero. Just admit that you have cold feet. Don’t try to hide it on stupid pretexts.”

What the hell is wrong with this guy?

“Liam!” Roy silently reproached him but his voice is still a little too loud for comfort. His voice is a little too aggressive too for the usually calm Roy.

“You all are so stupid. Can’t you tell what this lass is trying to do? She got kicked out of her original party but of course there is no way the Empire or she will admit to that.”

That’s his interpretation?! Shin might have a competition now.

Without minding the reproachful glare he’s garnering, he continues.

“If she can’t take command, then I will.”

A flash of light crossed my eyes.

Roy has drew his sword and landed a shallow cut on Liam’s cheek.

“Be silent”

“How dare you!” instead of backing off, the cut only further aggravates Liam.

“You simpleton mage. I have been wanting to have your head and you are starting to give me a reason to.”

What? Sylvia, you too?

Lucy drops down from the tree and draws her dagger.

“You insult Shizu one more time, I will show you the prided fangs of the Wolf-kin.”

Even the usual feeble Ren is staring daggers at Liam, his hands curling into a fist.

Seriously, what the hell is wrong with everyone?!

….?!

Realizing something, I look at my own status menu and everyone else’s.

Except for mine, everyone’s read, Disgruntled: Moderate.

As for mine, it was, Mind Magic Influence: Resisted.

I see.

“You all, calm down.” I raised my voice slightly. “We are all being influenced by some mind magic in the area, we are not being ourselves right now.”

Hearing my words, the level of influence drops to mild.

“You’re right. My head kinda feels lighter now,” said Sylvia.

Mind Magic is a powerful magic depending on the circumstances but some loses its potency when the victim becomes aware of it, like this one.

“Looks like this is what made the Demons changed their behavior too.” I relay my thoughts on this matter.

Roy and Sylvia agreed but—

-- Not Liam of course.

“Great, now you’re blaming it on magic,” said Liam, mockingly.

Something moved swiftly among us and it was followed by a light “thump” sound.

“Eh?” muttered Ren as he realized his staff was gone from where he put it down.

In front of us, Liam lies unconscious.

Lucy has knocked him out cold with Ren’s staff. Looks like she is only half-kidding about what she said earlier.

“Not the desired outcome but it’s the best one we got,” said Roy.

“Should we go back now?” Ren suggested.

“No. We must at least find the Spawn Portal first before we head back.” Sylvia recommended.

“W-what?! We are?!” asked the now frantic Ren.

“Yes,” answered Roy. “It’s better and easier to gather information now with a small a party than a huge party later.”

I agreed with what Roy said. Reconnaissance is always easier when the team is small.

Just then, a wave of magic energy expanded out from the ruins of the Cathedral.

From the brief moment of the wave rushing past us, I caught the information that popped up. It reads, Void Energy.

Void energy? I don’t think I have ever heard of such magic or element before. At most, there is the Abyss Magic I know of which is essentially, the highest tier of dark magic.

“Hey, Hirano.”

The Majin called me, without the “Lady” part.

Almost everyone has been calling me Hirano or Lady Hirano for a while now. I’m starting to think they presume Shizuka is my family name instead of Hirano. Western names do have their surnames on the right unlike eastern. At this point, I don’t think I care that much about it.

“Aren’t the Demons acting weirder than before?”

Looking at the Demons who are now peeking around like meerkats, I nodded. Looks like the energy wave just now has gotten them riled-up.

One by one, they begin running in odd directions. Some went into the cathedral ruins and some are heading into the forest. In other words—

--some of them are coming towards us.

Not good.

“We should retreat.”

All of them nodded at once to my suggestion.

“Who’s carrying this idiot?” asked Sylvia, pointing at the fainted Liam.

Before we could decide, twigs snapping and leaves rustling from behind us sent us into a state of alert.

We turned to look but there was nothing.

--No. There is something.

Concentrating my vision on the slightly blurred trees in my view, text box of information popped-up simultaneously.

Oh god, how can I miss those?

The trees and dead stumps we passed by aren’t exactly what they seemed. It wasn’t my vision nor the midst, they look blurred because they are merely fakes.

Mimic, is what’s written in the pop-ups.

“Mimics.”

At my word, Roy and Sylvia strengthened their swords with Spell Edge .

“I don’t smell anything?” said Lucy.

“You won’t be able to. Their mimicry extends toward the aspect scent too. Even a normal appraisal would be fooled.”

I told Lucy who is inching closer to me. Hopefully my voice isn’t loud enough to be heard by the other three.

Sensing that they have been found, the Mimics undone their disguise and reveal themselves to us. Their original form is that of a ball of blackness with four sickle limbs protruding from their spherical body. Their mouth encompass their entire body.

They are as large as an average child.

“They found us!” yelled Ren. I fought against my urge to roll my eyes.

The Demons who are running arbitrary have also found us.

Upon further inspection, there are so much more Mimics beyond those in sight.

We can neither retreat nor advance.

What do we do?

This not my usual party. I don’t know the extent of their potential.

Perhaps Roy knew I froze. He takes charge and gives out an order.

“Head to the ruins. At least we can have some cover there. I’ll carry Liam.”

Then, a Demon and a Mimic both lunge at us from both sides. Roy move to intercept fast with Sylvia as back-up.

“Ren, Blinding Flash, now!”

While holding off the lunging Demon, Roy ordered.

“R-right! Element that illuminates the path in darkness--”

Lucy has intercepted the Mimic who aimed for me. Her small dagger plunged into its body but not enough to kill it. It only died after I bisected the Mimic into two with my sword. Some notification pops up in my view, probably about the ability and skill points I gained from slaying a Mimic but now isn’t the time to look at it.

“—paint all corners with the color of hope, Blinding Flash!”

Light engulfs the dim forest. Under the cover of this radiance, we move stealthily but quickly to the ruins.

Even the Demons who aren’t blinded by the light, they are attracted to the light like moths to a flame.

We ran through the open field with Body Strengthening to increase our speed. The Demons aren’t noticing us and continue to be attracted to the light, probably due to the Mind Magic influence.

Since Ren doesn’t have Body Strengthening but he uses Flash Steps instead. It has terrible cost-performance issue but he doesn’t have any other choice. He is even chugging down a Mana Potion as we run which made him lacking behind us but not too far behind.

Suddenly, he gives out a short shriek. His voice draws the glances of Sylvia, Roy, and Lucy. It didn’t draw mine as I’m looking at the reason for his shriek.

Among all the Demons who are captivated by the dazzling light, one didn’t.

Dashing across the clearing towards the ruins like a missile, one Demon among the dozens set its sights on us.

The mere sight of this particular Demon chilled my blood.

This Demon is twice the size of the rest.

It isn’t a Mid but a Greater Demon, Rank B+ with Abyss Magic and Death Magic.

Its undulating form of a tetrapod further loses its shape as it sped directly at us. Despite its massive size, it made no almost to no sound when it move at such speed.

The fear of the sudden emergence of an unexpected stronger enemy froze my thoughts for a few seconds. I would have saw it coming from a mile away but I didn’t. It spawned just as we are crossing the clearing.

Almost as if someone waited for that timing.

I saw it coming but I didn’t even think of warning my party who hadn’t yet took notice.

It darts towards us.

When I did found my voice, I am however, far too late.

In front of me, Roy who is carrying Liam, is attacked by the Greater Demon.

Without so much as a single second to react, the two are instantly cleaved into pieces by the strange sharp protrusion on the Demon’s body as it rammed into them.

Shivers are sent down spine as the status of the two change to Deceased in an instant.

Sylvia’s natural response is to draw her swords upon witnessing the death of her companion. A fighter till the end.

Ren beside me, is screaming at the sight of it, snapping the Demons out of their attraction to the light.

The Demons screech at us before beginning to charge at us. There are some Mid Demons among the group.

We are now surrounded on all sights.

If it’s just me, I wouldn’t have trouble escaping but I can’t just leave them behind.

What the hell do I do?

Is this the end for us?

That won’t do.

I heard a voice in my mind that is clearly not mine.

And the next moment, the ground beneath of our feet gave out. The newly appeared hole swallowed, me, Ren, and Lucy.

I saw Sylvia reaching for us—

--which was my last memory before disappearing into the darkness that devoured us.

Name

Hirano Shizuka

Status

Alive: None

HP

500

MP

200

Age

17

Class / Job

Scout Hero

Gender & Race

Female / Human

Standing

Hero of Zerogian

Arcane Arts

Magic Melee Arts – Lv. 4

Body Strengthening – Lv. 4

Wind Magic – Lv. 4

Spirit Magic – Lv. 2

Title & Deeds

Abaddon’s Apostle

Scout Hero

The Elusive One

Demon Slayer

The Audacious One

Overall Power Ranking

S

Effective Combat Strength

1600

Attack - 350

Defense - 200

Magic - 250

Resistance - 200

Speed - 600

Remaining Skill Points: 6

Remaining Ability Points: 2