NABC Chapter 81: Hunting the Blood Demon (2)
Chapter 81: Hunting the Blood Demon (2)
Chapter 81: Hunting the Blood Demon (2)
Amon's party annihilated the bloodless corpses with ease, giving them their final deliverance through holy fire. With the area finally cleared, the young party had a brief break to catch their breath and rest before continuing their hunt.
Gale, Adelia, and Rufus sat solemnly in a circle, their faces bleak and ashen. They couldn't believe what they had just witnessed and what they had just done as much as they were trained to be soldiers who would remain calm in the face of adversity. This was their first actual battle, and they fought against zombies that were once innocent humans.
It was a little hard for their adolescent hearts to comprehend.
Amon and Yue were far more experienced than the novices; hence, they were far calmer. Their focus was more on tracking the Blood Demon, who could be anywhere.
"For so many bloodless corpses to awaken... The Blood Demon must have regained its former strength substantially." Yue remarked grimly.
Among everyone present, she was the one who had the most experience when it came to dealing with the Blood Demon. Amon's knowledge mainly was through reading [Bright] and, therefore, theoretical. Yue, on the other hand, had personal experience when it came to combating the formidable foe.
"It must have consumed a living, powerful person. Otherwise, there's no reason for its strength to explode." Amon solemnly concluded.
"A knight... Do you reckon it's from our forces?"
"Hard to tell," Amon rubbed on his chin. "Secretly call Bane and ask him if he's lost any forces. When we return to camp later on, let's do a roll call and see if any Knights are missing."
"That's our only option, I suppose."
Yue didn't let out a single joke or teasing remark. She knew well what grim reality they faced if the Blood Demon regained its original strength. That monster was a sinister beast that was unscrupulous in its approach. It used deceit to trick enemies stronger than itself and would ruthlessly slaughter weak innocents without batting a single eyelid.
The world would be much safer if they could nip the threat in the bud and eradicate the Blood Demon while it was still weak.
If it regained its lost power and grouped up with the Demon Cult as it did in Yue's original timeline...
"How are your mana reserves?"
Amon's commanding voice called out to Yue, breaking her thoughts. She snapped out from her recollection and turned to face the tall youth. Smiling, she replied:
"All good. I barely used any mana actually; we can continue the search as soon as the others have rested up."
"Good."
Amon nodded his head and didn't continue further. Yue hadn't participated in the earlier battle, not because she was lazy, but because she had a more pivotable role. Ever since they'd entered Mistwood, she'd been using her summons to search the vicinity, hoping to cover every bearing on the path they traversed.
With the mana of six circles, Yue could keep her summons around endlessly, so Amon didn't need to worry that much. Nevertheless, Yue's involvement was pivotal in locating the Blood Demon, so Amon made a point to check in on her periodically.
Speaking on checking up on others...
Leon stood silently over the pit, his blue eyes showing deep signs of austerity. Hundreds of thoughts crept in, making his entire atmosphere solemn and grim. It wasn't until Amon approached his side that he finally cracked a sentence.
"Amon... Why do Demons do this to us?"
Lost and hollow, Leon couldn't fathom the depravity of the situation. He'd always heard the damage that Demons caused humanity, but this was the first time he'd seen it in person. Not only did the Demon kill innocents, it sucked their blood and ripped them of their humanity.
Even after death, the innocent civilians were enslaved into thoughtless zombies that fought for the Demon that killed it.
It was gruesome and unthinkable... and something that Leon could never understand.
"Leon, are you a Demon?"
"Huh?"
Yue Elune.
The Princess of the Elune House. She was the heir to the mighty Magician's House and was widely considered the most talented mage of her generation. Besides the Saintess, she was the most famous girl in Hyades and the idol everyone yearned to see at least once.
And it was for good reason. Yue was perhaps the most jaw-dropping beauty Adelia had ever seen, and she was even prettier the closer one got to her.
Adelia heard rumours that there were even fan clubs dedicated to spreading snippets of her image—not because they were lustful but because Yue's appearance enchanted them. And after staring right at the beauty for a few seconds, Adelia could understand why.
Yue's everflowing white hair cascaded down like moonlight strings, exuding mystery and grace. Her deep, ruby eyes heavily contrasted with her ethereal hair, which made people pay more attention to it. Like casting a spell, anyone who met eyes with her would have their breath swept away as they were charmed by her mystical gaze.
She was a breathtaking, otherworldly beauty who looked like she was from another dimension. Such a beauty couldn't be tied down by mortal means.
But of course... someone had tied down her heart.
"Sorry to spring this onto you, but could you do me a favour?"
"O-Of course! What would you like me to do?"
"I think we're closing in on the Demon soon, so I would be a little busy later on. When the time comes, could I entrust you with the recording?"
Yue reached into her pocket and handed over two recording crystals. They were high-end crystals that could record everything in high-definition, and each was expensive enough to buy a comfortable house. Adelia hadn't seen one in person, so to see Yue hand them out so casually gave her a slight fright.
'As expected from one of the richest girls in the world. But wait, recording?'
Adelia was rightfully confused by Yue's words. Did they need to record the Demon for the mission's purposes? Even if they did, there was no need to invest so much in expensive recording crystals like the ones in her hand.
Unfortunately, Adelia's hopes were about to be dampened instantly.
"Please help me record Amon, okay? And try to do it secretly! Amon gets annoyed whenever I record him secretly, and he'll stop allowing me to hug him! We can't have that, right?"
"..."
Adelia was utterly speechless. She didn't know what to say in response to the young beauty's fervour. All she could do was stare straight at Yue's lovestruck expression blankly.
"Tch, we've been going out together for the past eight years; you would think he would be okay with me filming him by now! But he's just so stingy! Don't you think so too?"
'Then don't film him secretly?!'
Adelia couldn't help but retort in her mind. All of her majestic, imaginative impressions of Yue crumbled instantly as she watched the woman frown and scold Amon with a dissatisfied pout. Adelia thought of the countless enamoured members of Yue's fan club and their genuine worship of the girl.
How would they feel if they saw their idol with hearts in her eyes for another man?
"Make sure to take good videos, alright? Try to get his good side and zoom in whenever you see a handsome shot. Ah, but don't fall in love with Amon. He's mine, after all."
Yue's cold hand grasped Adelia's shoulder, sending a chilling sensation down her spine. Unknowingly, Adelia saw the death god hanging behind Yue's perfect face, and she was compelled to answer promptly if she wanted to survive.
"I-I won't!"
"Ehehe, good!"
As Yue casually walked over to Amon and sauntered by his side like nothing happened, Adelia felt her legs give way. She tapped on her beating chest and wiped off the cold sweat from her forehead. While calming herself, only one thought remained in her head.
'They really are the Fantasy Couple.'