Chapter 126: Chapter 126: The Moment the Predator Became the Prey
Two figures stood between the trees.
Two young women.
One wore a black-and-white outfit. Her dark violet hair moved slightly in the wind, while a distinctive raven-shaped insignia rested against her clothing.
The other had long black and crimson hair and wore a refined dark outfit decorated with patterns resembling branches and leaves. A faint golden-green light surrounded her body.
Neither appeared concerned.
Aoda glanced toward the demon.
"As expected."
Her lips curved into a faint smile.
"No wonder I felt such a dense demonic presence from this distance."
Valentine calmly looked toward the ruined battlefield.
"So they finally made their move."
She glanced briefly at the Hero Party.
Lemuel stared at them.
"W-Who are you?"
Valentine finally looked at him.
"We almost forgot there were other people here."
Her expression remained calm.
"We are members of the Eclipse Order."
The Hero Party exchanged confused looks.
"The Eclipse Order?"
Helena’s eyes widened.
"The organization the kingdoms have been investigating?"
"T that’s them."
Roland stared at the two women.
"How did they approach without us noticing?"
Elara’s expression became uneasy.
"I didn’t even sense them at all."
The demon slowly emerged from the wreckage.
Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
Yet instead of looking angry, he looked delighted.
"Interesting."
His eyes moved between Aoda and Valentine.
"Two more."
He laughed.
"And judging from your presence, you’re considerably stronger than the humans."
Aoda smiled.
"You finally noticed."
The demon stepped toward them.
"Are you another Hero Party?"
Valentine’s expression immediately changed to one of disgust.
"No."
She looked him up and down.
"Stop talking to me. It’s disgusting."
The demon’s smile disappeared.
"What did you say?"
His voice became colder.
Valentine simply looked away.
"You’re irritating."
The demon’s expression twisted with anger.
"It doesn’t matter."
His aura erupted.
"I’ll eat both of you."
Aoda smiled.
"Valentine."
The response was immediate.
"Gotcha."
Valentine raised one hand.
A golden-green magic circle appeared beneath the battlefield.
Then the world around them changed.
WHOOOM.
A massive barrier rose from the ground.
It formed a vast spherical enclosure around Aoda, Valentine, and the demon, while the Hero Party remained outside.
The barrier was translucent, but its surface carried intricate patterns resembling intertwined roots and branches. Golden-green light flowed through those patterns like veins, and at several points along the surface, small leaves appeared before dissolving back into energy.
Helena stared.
"She created that without an incantation..."
Roland narrowed his eyes.
"And she separated us from the battlefield."
Valentine looked toward them.
"Stay outside."
Lemuel frowned.
"Because you won’t be able to help, you’re just going to slow us down."
Her tone wasn’t insulting.
It was simply a statement of fact.
The demon looked around the barrier.
"What is this?"
He placed his hand against it.
Nothing happened.
His expression changed.
He pushed harder.
Still nothing.
"What?"
He struck the barrier with a concentrated blast of green energy.
BOOM!
The barrier didn’t even shake.
The demon stared at it.
"What did you do?"
Valentine smiled faintly.
"You’re not leaving here alive."
The demon’s eyes narrowed.
Then Aoda disappeared.
The demon’s expression changed.
"What—?"
Aoda appeared directly beside him.
CRASH!
Her sword struck his side.
He barely managed to block it, but the impact forced him several steps backward.
He stared at her.
"How..."
Aoda smiled.
"Too slow."
She attacked again.
The demon blocked.
CLANG!
He countered.
Aoda twisted aside.
The demon’s claws passed through empty air.
She moved behind him.
SLASH!
A deep cut appeared across his back.
He turned immediately.
"You..."
Aoda was already gone.
She reappeared several meters away.
Valentine watched quietly from the edge of the barrier.
"You’re stronger than before."
Aoda looked at her hands.
She smiled.
"Yes, it’s all thanks to Master."
She had only recently received the Death Raven Authority.
Yet the difference was undeniable.
Her body felt lighter.
Her mana moved more naturally.
Even her movements seemed to have become sharper than before.
The demon charged.
This time, Aoda didn’t retreat.
She met him head-on.
BOOM!
Their attacks collided.
The force shook the barrier.
The demon swung again.
Aoda blocked with her sword.
CLANG!
He attacked from another angle.
She twisted away.
Aoda countered.
SLASH!
The demon stumbled.
He looked at the wound in disbelief.
"How are you this strong?"
Aoda’s smile widened.
"My, my..."
She stepped forward.
"Is that fear I see?"
The demon’s expression hardened.
"Don’t get arrogant!"
He disappeared.
Aoda remained still.
The demon appeared behind her.
His claws were already descending.
Then Aoda’s body scattered.
Not blood.
Not flesh.
A flock of black ravens exploded into the air.
The demon froze.
"What?"
The ravens flew around him before gathering several meters away.
Aoda reformed from them, her sword already in hand.
She smiled.
"What did you think you caught?"
The demon stared at her.
"What kind of power is that?"
Aoda tilted her head.
"Something that you don’t need to know."
She raised her sword.
"Just know that you can’t catch me."
The demon roared and charged again.
Aoda met him.
Their battle accelerated.
The demon’s strength remained tremendous, and every strike carried enough force to destroy stone, but Aoda’s new authority allowed her to move through the battlefield in ways he could not anticipate.
Whenever he cornered her, she dispersed into ravens.
Whenever he tried to predict her movement, she emerged from another direction.
And whenever he attempted to overwhelm her with raw strength, her Death Raven Authority answered with something far more troublesome.
The demon suddenly felt his body becoming weaker.
He looked down.
"What..."
Aoda’s hand was glowing with dark energy.
"Soul Drain."
The demon’s eyes widened.
"No!"
The dark energy pierced through his defenses.
His body convulsed.
A scream tore through the barrier.
"AAAAARGH!"
The Hero Party stared from outside.
Helena’s expression changed completely.
"What is she doing?"
Roland watched the demon struggle.
"She’s draining something from him."
Lemuel’s eyes widened.
"His energy..."
The demon collapsed onto one knee.
Aoda stood before him.
The dark energy continued flowing toward her.
His strength rapidly diminished.
"You..."
He struggled to breathe.
"How can you..."
Aoda looked at her own hand.
The power flowing through her body felt extraordinary.
She had been strong before.
But this was different.
The Death Raven Authority had transformed the way her power behaved.
She smiled.
"So this is what it means to become stronger."
The demon trembled.
Aoda slowly looked back at him.
"What now, Mr. Demon?"
The demon stared at her.
For the first time since appearing, his confidence had completely disappeared.
"Who..."
His voice shook.
"Who are you?"
Aoda smiled.
"My..."
She tilted her head slightly.
"Has fear finally begun to appear in your eyes? I see, how pitiful."
The demon roared and forced himself to stand.
He charged.
Aoda didn’t move.
The demon’s claws descended.
Aoda disappeared.
He struck nothing.
She reappeared behind him.
SHING!
He turned.
She was gone again.
Ravens filled the barrier.
Hundreds of black wings moved through the darkness.
The demon looked around frantically.
"Where are you?!"
Aoda’s voice came from everywhere.
"keke I’m here."
The demon’s breathing became unstable.
Then the ravens vanished.
Aoda stood several meters away.
The demon charged once more.
This time, Aoda raised one hand.
The world around him changed.
The barrier remained exactly as before, but everything beyond Aoda seemed to disappear.
The demon’s breathing became unstable.
The green aura that had once covered his body had already become considerably weaker, flickering around him like a dying flame. Blood ran down his arms and across his torn clothes, while several wounds covered his body from the battle that had continued far longer than he had expected.
Then the ravens vanished.
The countless black birds that had filled the battlefield only moments ago disappeared without leaving so much as a feather behind.
Aoda stood several meters away from him.
She looked completely composed.
There wasn’t a trace of exhaustion on her face, nor any sign that the battle had become difficult for her.
The demon stared at her.
His breathing became heavier.
He had already used everything he had accumulated over the past several months. The life force of humans, the strength of monsters, the mana he had absorbed from the forest and even the magic thrown at him by the Hero Party had all become fuel for his body.
Yet none of it had been enough.
The woman standing before him had reduced all of that strength to almost nothing.
Still, he refused to retreat.
He was one of the Four Generals of the Demon Kingdom.
He had survived countless battles and consumed enough powerful creatures to evolve beyond what he had once been.
He could not accept that he was being cornered by a woman who looked younger than himself.
With a roar, the demon charged once more.
Aoda raised one hand.
The world around her changed.
The barrier remained exactly as it was, but everything beyond Aoda seemed to disappear.
The trees vanished.
The ground vanished.
The sky vanished.
Even the distant figures of the Hero Party disappeared from his sight.
The demon stopped in confusion.
He looked around.
There was nothing.
Only darkness.
"What...?"
His voice echoed strangely through the empty space.
Then he heard footsteps.
Aoda was standing several meters in front of him.
The demon’s expression hardened.
"Such power for a mere human."
He lunged toward her.
His fist passed directly through Aoda’s body.
Her figure scattered like smoke.
The demon’s eyes widened.
"What?"
A second Aoda appeared behind him.
He turned immediately and attacked.
Again, his fist passed through her.
Another figure appeared.
Then another.
Then another.
Before long, Aoda surrounded him from every direction.
The demon swung wildly, destroying one illusion after another.
Every time he struck one down, another appeared in its place.
"Stop!"
He swung his arm.
The Aoda in front of him disappeared.
Another stood behind him.
He turned.
Another was already waiting on his other side.
The demon’s breathing became ragged.
"Which one..."
He stopped.
His eyes moved between the figures.
They all looked identical.
The same expression.
The same posture.
The same calm eyes.
For the first time, uncertainty appeared on his face.
"No..."
He stepped backward.
"This isn’t real."
One of the Aodas smiled.
The demon immediately attacked.
His claws pierced through her chest.
The figure disappeared.
The demon froze.
Then another Aoda appeared directly behind him.
"You missed."
The demon turned around and struck again.
His hand passed through her.
Another illusion.
His breathing became increasingly unstable.
He attacked again.
And again.
Every time he destroyed one, another appeared.
Even his senses, which had allowed him to detect enemies hidden within forests and darkness, had become useless.
The demon suddenly stopped.
His chest rose and fell violently.
"W-what’s the meaning of this?"
No one answered.
The Aodas surrounding him simply stared.
The demon slowly looked around.
The darkness had become deeper.
He could no longer even see the ground beneath his feet.
There was no forest anymore.
There was no battlefield.
There was nothing.
Only darkness.
Then he noticed something in the distance.
Two enormous eyes had opened within the darkness.
His instincts screamed at him to run.
But there was nowhere to run.
The eyes slowly moved closer.
The demon stumbled backward.
"No..."
The darkness seemed to expand around him.
"No, don’t..."
His knees suddenly gave way.
He collapsed onto one knee, his hands trembling uncontrollably.
"This isn’t real."
The eyes continued approaching.
"Don’t come any closer."
His voice had lost all of its previous arrogance.
"Stay away from me you monster."
The demon tried to force himself back to his feet, but his legs refused to respond.
He looked around desperately.
"Where are you?!"
Only his own voice answered him.
Then the darkness shifted.
Aoda appeared directly in front of him.
The demon stared at her.
His face had gone pale.
"No..."
Aoda tilted her head slightly.
The demon crawled backward.
"Don’t come any closer."
Aoda continued walking.
"Y-you monster..."
He pressed one hand against the ground, desperately trying to move away from her.
"Don’t come near me!"
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
The Hero Party stood behind the barrier, watching the scene unfold.
None of them understood what they were seeing.
The demon who had forced all five of them into a desperate battle was now trembling on the ground, completely terrified of a single woman.
Helena stared at the battlefield.
"Look at him."
The Archmage’s voice was quiet.
"He can’t even tell what’s real anymore."
Roland watched Aoda carefully.
"It seems he doesn’t match that woman at all."
His expression remained serious as he observed the demon’s desperate attempts to escape.
"We were struggling just to keep him contained, yet she has driven him into a state where he can’t even fight back."
Lemuel remained silent.
He had seen powerful warriors before.
But what Aoda was doing was different.
She wasn’t simply overpowering the demon.
She had dismantled his ability to understand the battle itself.
Saint Elara looked toward Aoda.
"How can someone so young possess that level of power?"
No one answered.
Valentine, who had remained several meters away from Aoda throughout the battle, finally spoke.
"Aoda."
Aoda glanced toward her.
"We still have work to do."
Her tone was calm, but there was an unmistakable impatience beneath it.
"Hurry up."
Aoda sighed.
"Alright, alright."
She looked back toward the demon.
The demon immediately recoiled.
"No..."
Aoda smiled.
"Now then, Mr. Demon."
She slowly approached him.
"Do you want to go to the afterlife now?"
The demon’s entire body trembled.
"N-no."
He shook his head desperately.
"Don’t come any closer. you fucking monster"
Aoda stopped in front of him.
"My."
She placed a hand against her chest and gave him an almost offended expression.
"How rude."
Her smile widened.
"Calling a beautiful woman like me a monster."
She glanced down at him.
"Why don’t you take a good look at yourself first?"
The demon’s breathing became erratic.
Aoda’s expression remained pleasant, but something colder had entered her eyes.
"I think it’s time to say goodbye."
"W-wait."
The demon raised both hands.
"Please."
Aoda stopped.
"I’ll tell you everything."
His voice trembled as he spoke.
"I know the locations of the other generals. I know their forces, their movements, their bases... I can tell you everything you want to know."
Aoda looked at him without saying anything.
"I’ll cooperate with you."
The demon swallowed hard.
"I’ll help you against the Demon Kingdom. I’ll even help the Hero Party. Just..."
His voice broke.
"Just spare me."
Aoda remained completely still.
Then she smiled.
It was not the pleasant smile she had worn moments earlier.
There was something almost wicked about it.
"That’s quite a tempting offer."
The demon’s eyes brightened with a faint trace of hope.
Aoda raised her hand.
"But unfortunately..."
The smile remained.
"...I don’t need anything from you."
The demon’s eyes widened.
Aoda’s fingers slowly closed.
The demon suddenly felt something seize his entire body from within.
His eyes widened as his soul was violently pulled toward the surface.
"W-what are you doing?!"
Aoda didn’t answer.
The green aura surrounding the demon flickered once.
Then disappeared.
His body began to weaken rapidly.
The strength that had allowed him to stand against the Hero Party was being drained away, not from his flesh, but from the very core of his existence.
His soul began to tear apart.
"No..."
He reached toward Aoda with a trembling hand.
"Wait..."
Aoda watched him without the slightest hesitation.
The demon’s fingers stopped halfway.
His eyes slowly lost their light.
His body collapsed.
The battlefield became silent.
Aoda released her hand.
The demon’s remaining soul dispersed into the air.
She then drew her sword.
Mana immediately began gathering around the blade.
The amount was not excessive.
It was dense.
Controlled.
Every trace of energy was concentrated along the edge until the blade seemed to hum under the pressure.
Aoda looked down at the demon’s lifeless body.
"At least make this clean."
She swung.
SHING!
The sword passed through the demon’s body.
His corpse split cleanly in two.
The two halves fell to opposite sides of the battlefield.
Aoda calmly lowered her sword.
Behind her, the Hero Party remained silent.
Valentine lifted one finger.
The barrier surrounding them slowly disappeared.
The transparent wall of magic faded away until nothing remained between them and the battlefield.
The pressure that had filled the air was finally gone.
Valentine walked toward Aoda.
"Next time, let me fight too."
Aoda looked at her.
Valentine’s eyes moved toward the remains of the demon.
"I want to see how much stronger I’ve become."
Aoda smiled.
"Fine, fine."
She sheathed her sword.
"How about a duel later?"
Valentine’s expression immediately changed.
"Really?"
"Why do you look so surprised?"
"I won’t refuse."
Aoda gave a small laugh.
"Then it’s settled."
Without another word, the two women moved.
Their figures shot upward.
The ground beneath their feet cracked from the force of their departure as they rose high into the sky, rapidly disappearing beyond the treetops.
The Hero Party could only watch them vanish.
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
The battlefield was still.
The remains of the Demon King’s general lay scattered across the ground.
Lemuel finally lowered his sword.
"So strong..."
His eyes remained fixed on the sky where the two women had disappeared.
"We need to report this to the kingdom."
Helena slowly nodded.
"The Eclipse Organization is far stronger than we expected."
She looked toward the remains of the demon.
"That was one of the Demon King’s generals. The five of us were forced into a prolonged battle just to survive against him, yet she defeated him almost entirely on her own."
Roland remained silent for a moment before speaking.
"More importantly, she didn’t appear frightened of him."
His eyes narrowed.
"Neither did that woman named Valentine."
Saint Elara looked toward the direction the two women had disappeared.
"They were calm from the beginning."
Lemuel frowned.
"Almost as if fighting a demon of that level was nothing unusual to them."
Helena crossed her arms.
"But where did they obtain that kind of power?"
She looked at the others.
"They’re still young. Even if they’re exceptionally talented, their strength shouldn’t be anywhere near this level."
Roland considered the question.
"Could it be a legendary artifact?"
"That’s possible."
Helena’s expression remained troubled.
"But I don’t think that’s the whole explanation."
Saint Elara looked at the darkened forest.
Her voice was quiet.
"Not even when the demon revealed his true strength."
She lowered her gaze.
"They looked at him as though they had already faced countless beings like him."
Lemuel tightened his grip around his sword.
Whatever the truth behind the Eclipse Organization was, one thing had become certain.
They had severely underestimated it.
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