Chapter 3: The Demon

Atup: Arit: "Guh!!!"

A fire spell hit me. Its fire was so hot, and it was melting parts of my armor.

Demon: "How's that? HAHAHAHAHA!"

The demon in front of me was laughing. I was not prepared for this one. It was the first week since the king left, I can't fail here!

Demon: "DIEEEE!!!"

It flies towards me, wielding a fiery lance. If I get hit by that, I'm dead.

Atup: "YAHHHH!!!!"

I put all my might into one attack.

But-

Atup: "UGHHHHH!"

It withstood my attack and impaled me with its spear.

Atup: "No... not this way..."

I can't die! Not here!

Demon: "MUAHAHAHA!"

It prepares another spell while laughing.

NOOOOO!!!!!

Atup: "Hah, hah, hah."

I woke up from a nightmare. The nightmare was about my very first fight on the bridge. It was one of the hardest, but it was also one of the battles that gave me more power. Defeating a demon when I was still weak gave me a lot of rewards.

How did I beat it anyways? I think it got taken by the river? I must have pushed it, or it might have flown by itself into the river. That magical river is a beast itself.

Well, enough thinking about the past.

Atup: "Umm... what?"

On the chair was Anget sleeping. A few parts of her body were visible because the blanket was out of place.

She did have snow-white skin, but there were countless scars over the body. Mostly in the back.

They must've trained a lot in receiving surprise attacks too. The scars could have been from when she escaped also.

Atup: "Oi, wake up."

Anget: "Huh?? Ah!"

She quickly fixed the blanket.

Anget: "Don't look! I'll put on my outfit now!"

Atup: "Okay."

I never really was attracted to those kinds of things. I felt I was too huge for things like romance. It took Anget a few seconds to get her ninja suit on, and we went out of the house.

Well, there really is no other things for her to do. I'm just guarding the bridge, and she was there tied to me. I looked at her from time to time to check if she was bored or anything.

She just stands there silently. Ninjas can wait for days standing still.

Atab: "Oi!!! I've brought food!"

Atab runs over to us with some newly-cooked food. I ate with Anget in the field near the bridge.

Anget: "Umm... Sir Atup."

Oh, she finally said something.

Atup: "Yes?"

Anget: "I want to take a bath later. It's been days, and the smell must've been bothering you."

Not really. I, for one, haven't taken a bath for a month now? Maybe it's a good thing to take one later.

Atup: "Okay, we'll go for a bath later."

Anget: "What!? Together!?"

Atup: "Yes, What else can we do?"

She was fidgeting again. Her reactions are peculiar to me.

Atup: "What is it?"

Anget: "We can't do that yet! We aren't married!"

What? (Sigh)

Atup: "Don't worry. The chain is long enough for us to take a bath with distance from each other. You'll go far enough to hide behind a rock. As for me, I really won't try to do anything. So, don't worry too much."

Anget: "If you say so..."

She looked relieved and somewhat disappointed too. But I think that's just in my imagination.

.

.

.

I brought her to a natural spring behind my old cave house. This place is where I took baths and wash my armor and weapons. I also take my drinking water from the source.

Of course, I take care not to contaminate the water. I go to the spring only for getting drinking water, and Mr.Ric provided me a clean tool for that.

And, he said it was probably okay to take baths because the spring is magical and it can clean itself.

Atup: "We're here."

It's a great place. There were birds and trees around. The water was always cold, though.

Anget: "Okay... I go over there behind that rock!"

She pointed to a rock a few meters from me.

Anget: "I'm going to change now."

Atup: "Okay."

I turned around. She's too shy about that kind of thing. Or maybe she's hiding a weapon to attack me!

I quickly turn around to check what she was doing. My height helped me check out what's behind the rock.

Anget: "AH!"

Ah. Anget caught me. She was currently undressing.

Atup: "Sorry, I just checked if your hiding any weapons."

Anget: "Uuuuu... hmpf!"

She got angry. I did say I won't try anything. Oh well.

.

.

.

It was supposed to be another quiet day at the bridge except for a certain someone's shouting.

Stranger: "You demon!"

Atup: "Eh?"

I was sitting in front of the bridge while talking to Anget when suddenly someone shouted.

Atup: "Uh, yes. How may I help you today?"

Stranger: "Don't give me that shit! You killed my father! Now you're going to pay!"

Atup: "Who is your father?"

Orut Wizard: "He's the Head Wizard of the Kingdom of Orut."

Orut? Head Wizard? Who was that again?

Atup: "Head Wizard... Head Wizard. Oh! The flame guy with a long robe! He had a long white beard, right?"

Orut Wizard: "Yes, that's him, and I'm here to avenge him! You murdered my innocent father!"

Atup: "Innocent? Well, maybe before when you were with him, but he wasn't so innocent when he demanded our surrender and finally opened fire when he lost his patience."

Orut Wizard: "You! How could you not accept the kindness of our kingdom! We offered you our support if you came under us!"

Atup: "Kindness? Stop it, kid. You don't know anything about real life. Go home to your mom and tell her you're sorry."

Orut Wizard: "Grrr.... Ha!"

Atup: "What is that spell? Secret Magic or Family Magic?"

A huge red spell circle appeared in front of the "son" of the Head Wizard. Two flame pillars came out roaring like twin dragons.

It went straight for me.

Atup: "Take cover, Anget."

Anget: "Okay."

Walls made from earth blocked the raging flames, but it was gradually breaking down.

Orut Wizard: "Hah! That mud wall of yours can't beat our family's Inherited Flame Magic!"

.

Behind the Earth Wall, I made a blue spell circle.

Atup: "You should take cover too, kid. If you die here, I will bury you alongside your father."

Orut Wizard: "What!?"

The Earth Wall was destroyed moments after that, but the spell circle that I planted was released. A blizzard of came out and defeated the flame pillars.

Orut Wizard: "No! This can't be!"

!

Flames covered the body of the kid in the form of a sphere-like shield. The were all burned up.

Orut Wizard: "Huff... huf...."

And it seems his energy is used up too.

Atup: "Give up. You don't need to die a useless death. Your father was a much stronger man. You have no chance the way you are now."

Orut Wizard: "But!... Huff.... I...."

Atup: "Here."

I threw his father's belongings at him. It was a staff and a legendary robe.

Atup: "Go home."

Orut: "I'll... I'll be back, you hear me! Hah. huff..."

He ran away. Good thing too, I don't want needless killings. Anget seemed to be excited about the battle.

Anget: "Great job, Sir Atup!"

Atup: "It's a normal thing around here. You get comfy there because you'll spend a long time with me."

Anget: "That's Gre- I mean... It's okay..."

Hmm? Is she hiding her cheerful self?

Head Wizard Ep, huh?

(flashback)

!

Unholy flames come out of many spell circles. They were burning even on top of the river waters. The magical river tried its best to help me out, but it has reached its limit.

Trees, grass, and everything green turned into black. I hope no one was watching from the castle. This battle is terrible.

! !

Foooosshhhh!!!

The flames of hell mercilessly attacked my shield. The Ice spell that I used is barely holding out against him.

Head Wizard Ep: "HAHAHA! SURRENDER YOU BEAST. YOU KILLED MY ARMY BUT I'M MUCH MORE POWERFUL WITH THEIR SOULS!"

His army souls were used to awaken a demon inside of him. This fight might be it.

Atup: "This is the last attack that I've got!"

Head Wizard Ep: "BRING IT ON!"

His image was very intimidating. His beard and hair were engulfed with flames. His robe was bloody red.

He was releasing powerful fire spells with every breath.

The king forbids me from using this spell because of its terrible power.

But I have to do this. I just wished she was sleeping right now.

Dark clouds suddenly formed above us. Lightning. Black Lightning was coming down on the battlefield.

Head Wizard Ep: "WHAT IS THIS!??"

Two bolts hit him, and his arm fell off.

Head Wizard Ep: "WAHHH!!! WHAT??? WH-!"

A great shadow consumed the bridge for a day. No one knew what happened that day except for me.