Sen hadn’t spent any time on the fourth floor of the academy, so normally it might take him time to find his bearings. Tonight, that wasn’t an issue. He simply followed the crushing magic pressure that followed greater demons. Before he’d reached the top of the staircase, he’d already sensed them. Three of them, and his senses told him they were all at least on par with the one he’d fought in the dungeon during the Academy War.
“Fantastic.”
The first of the demons looked like a skinny man with pale gray skin and eyes. It was the oldest-looking of the three, and long, straight white hair hung down to about the center of its back. It wore ragged brown clothes that reminded Sen of a street beggar. One of his powerful arms was still outstretched, as if he’d just hit something.
The second demon was about eight feet tall and almost too wide to get through a door. His skin was a vibrant red that reminded Sen of blood. His biceps looked like plump watermelons, and his large hands as if they could crush boulders. Dark void-black hair clung to the sides of his face, pressed down by a black helmet that covered the top of his head and temples. He carried no weapons that Sen could see, but that didn’t mean he was unarmed. Besides, he was a demon. He could almost certainly use magic.
The last demon was the same shade of red as the previous one. She was more human-shaped, like the gray demon. She wore a black breastplate that covered her chest and a few inches below it. Black greaves and armored leggings covered her from the waist down, and her midriff was exposed. She had a toned core, and she alone looked back with red eyes that looked ready to pierce Sen’s soul. They reminded him of his own. Her hair matched that of the other red demon, and she wore it up in a ponytail. Her hair tie resembled some kind of bone. Probably because it was. There was a sword sheathed at her waist, and it radiated heat. It reminded Sen of Alari’s Flamespear. Except this sword was white with black flames that covered it.
Professor Ladia stood in front of the doors leading to the high-grade artifact collection, where most of the student body was taking shelter. To her left, a Girch-sized crater was in the wall. The man himself slouched over in front of it. Susanna stood over him, a golden shield creation hovering in front of them. She seemed on the verge of passing out, and it was no wonder why. These three greater demons weren’t the only ones present. They were just the only ones remaining. The bodies of lesser demons and cultists littered the floor. There were a few in academy uniforms as well. Sen didn’t recognize the faculty members, but they’d been high-level instructors. Thankfully, there weren’t any other students here. He swept his magic senses over the bodies to see if any of their souls lingered, but it was quickly apparent they were already lost. He frowned at that.
Professor Ladia wore a horrified look on her face, and Sen realized why the pale demon’s hand was still outstretched. An older man with hair combed to the side slowly appeared in front of the demon. He’d been under some kind of illusion, but the grey demon’s hand had pierced his chest and crushed his heart.
“Childres…” Ladia stammered.
Susanna gasped when she saw it. She hadn’t known the man was there either.
Sen recognized the name, but not the man. He’d been on the list Oliver had gone over for his one-on-one rank reward. Professor Childres was the academy’s expert on demons. If any of the faculty members stood a chance against these three, it should’ve been him. Professor Childres looked down at the hole in his chest. Blood trickled from his mouth and the open wound.
Sen reached out, feeling for the Professor’s soul, but someone already had a hold on it. He realized Ladia was going to attempt to resurrect him. But he wasn’t the only one who sensed it. The pale demon grinned. “Soul Shatter.” Professor Childres’ eyes rolled into his head, and his soul ceased to exist. The lifeless corpse slid off the hand and fell to the ground.
[This one’s rank is higher than the others. It’s beyond greater demon. I cannot calculate how far beyond.]
The stronger a demon became, the greater its grasp on souls. It was part of what made them so dangerous. They could do more than kill your mortal body; they could destroy the soul, making it impossible for an ally to resurrect you.
He needed to get Susanna and Girch away from here. Before he could act, Professor Ladia threw herself on the floor at the demon’s feet. “Please spare me!” she begged. The sight made Sen sick. He hadn’t expected this from her. But something prickled at his senses that he couldn’t quite place. Some strange magic.
The grey demon arched an eyebrow at her. “You’re wise. Step aside, human. We’re just here to kill the students. You may live.” He gestured to the side for her to move.
Professor Ladia looked up, rising but remaining on her knees. She seemed almost surprised.
Sen realized that the strange feeling he had had originated from his adamantine mind.
Professor Ladia raised her hands and slowly lifted both her middle fingers.
The grey demon scoffed, just as the real Ladia appeared at his side and plunged a dagger into the side of his chest. He reacted immediately, swatting with a powerful hand full of unfiltered mana. The force sent her tumbling backward over herself. A door slammed shut, and Sen realized Girch and Susanna were gone. They’d escaped behind the barrier.
[It seems her control over illusions is quite impressive. Perhaps you should have taken some lessons with her.]
The grey demon turned to follow her, but the demon woman put a hand on her shoulder. “Teacher, should we not finish what we came here for?” she asked.
He considered her for a moment, the wound in his side already healing. “Yes. I’ll ready a spell.” He lifted his hand, and a black aura covered it.
Sen’s eyes widened, and he readied himself to act. But the woman acted first. “Teacher, we weren’t sent to eradicate them. We only need to find the targets.”
The large demon beside them both chuckled. “Relax Rella. If Samael wishes to wipe them out, let him. Imagine the screams.” He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. “The bloodshed,” he said fondly.
Rella frowned. “We did not come here to kill them indiscriminately. Besides, that technique won’t breach the door.”
Samael, the grey demon, smirked. “It’s not for the door.” He turned and casually threw the power he was building up in Sen’s direction.
Mana Protection roared to life. The shadow spell smacked into his defenses and dispersed.
Samael frowned at that. The large demon beside him grinned. “More blood.”
Sen sighed and started moving to his left, with the railing at his back. The students should be safe behind a barrier of this strength, for now, but he worried about Ladia. She was still recovering, trying to pry herself off the ground. But she was alive. “You should leave while you can,” Sen warned. He positioned himself between the demons and Ladia.
[Are you certain you can win, or are we bluffing?]
The large demon trembled with rage. Rella, the demon woman, looked at Samael with a worried expression on her face. She expected him to react poorly to Sen’s goading.
“Leave? Are human children so cocky nowadays? If you’d like to die, we’re high enough. Jump off,” Samael gestured toward the railing. “You don’t need to antagonize us. Just end yourself.”
Sen chuckled. “It’s always amusing when my opponents think highly of themselves. I want you to remember this moment, when you thought I was the fly. Remember it when you learn I was the flyswatter.”
“Tsk.” The grey demon started wriggling his fingers together in each hand. It was an odd, almost familiar motion. He said nothing, but held his hand toward the door. “Brute, Rella. Kill him. Slowly.”
“Sen, run…” Professor Ladia called out. Her voice sounded weak.
If Sen were being honest, he would’ve preferred not to take this fight. He’d enrolled in the academy for the purpose of growing stronger and learning about this world within a controlled environment. It was the equivalent of an educational vacation for him. But things hadn’t quite gone as planned so far. Demons. Cultists. Jerks with scales for hands.
Now he was facing three greater demons, not even long after facing another recently. The difference was that here there weren’t any resurrection runes. If he failed to protect Professor Ladia or the high-grade artifact collection room, that was it. A majority of Bright Sail Academy’s students would die.
Brute, the largest of the three demons, shot forward.
“Wait!” Rella called after him. But it was too late. She swore and drew her blade, rushing toward Sen as well.
Encapsulation made him feel weightless, and Aggression shot through him like blood pumping through his veins. A surge of strength and anger coursed through his body. Brute reached him first, swinging a massive fist toward Sen’s face. Sen dodged at the last second and brought his own fist crashing into the giant demon. He swiveled in place, focusing on the necklace he’d removed and wrapped around his wrist earlier. At the softest whisper of his intention, the necklace broke and reformed instantly. His newly formed sword clashed against Rella’s. Being this close to her sword was like standing in the flames of the Shadow Hell itself, and Sen couldn’t imagine the harm it would do if he allowed it to touch his flesh.
Brute shouted from behind him. “Hellfire Soul-Seek!”
With a burst of effort, Sen deflected Rella’s blade to the side and ducked out of the way. Brute’s spell smacked into her, knocking her back. It wouldn’t have any effect on a demon’s soul. That didn’t mean it would feel good. Sen used the opening to push toward Samael. Brute and Rella would be close behind.
There weren’t many attacks that could penetrate the multi-layered protection woven over the high-grade artifact collection. Many artifacts would activate on their own, acting to protect themselves. Others would choose the most compatible wielder and offer themselves up to that person in an act of preservation. Of course, not all artifacts had wills of their own, but there would be enough to make a difference in most cases. The problem was Samael wasn’t trying to destroy everything within the room. His spell was of a different variety. When he finished channeling it, Sen’s heart pounded even quicker in his chest. He should’ve taken the grey demon out first.
“Soul Death’s Echo Samael.” Unlike humans, demons often used their rank or name as maximizers, channeling the spell directly through their own body. Samael’s arm lit up instantly, surrounded by an aura of pure black. The shadow attack would take time to charge, but he’d already given it a target. As soon as that spell finished channeling, everyone in that room would die. The destruction would reach down into the very essence of their souls. Susanna and Girch were in there. And any number of his other friends. Samara, Joseia, Oliver, and maybe even Milim.
[Redirecting it will be costly.]
Sen had two options here. Neither was favorable. He could force the spell to target himself instead, trusting in his wards and the strength of his own soul to maintain itself. That was the riskier of the two options, but he almost preferred it to the alternative.
The second option would risk setting something in motion that would move far beyond his control.
Over a thousand years ago, before Sen became the God of Magic, he was known by another title.
He was a pissed off sixteen-year-old boy with a grudge against demons, and he made that their problem.
Brute was right behind him, reaching out to grab his leg with a powerful fist. Rella’s blade just as close. She’d pierce through his defenses if he didn’t act.
Option number two it was.
“Banishing Light, Demon Scourge-Maxima.” The spell’s power echoed. The echo of his voice was even deeper than the original.
The sword in his hand was wrapped in a blinding celestial light, and he swung it toward Samael.
Without turning, Samael dove out of the way. Brute and Rella retreated backward as well, seeing the strongest of the three react as he had.
“Samael?” Brute swallowed so loudly Sen could hear it behind him.
“Teacher? What’s wrong?” Rella asked.
Samael cowered on the floor. “That technique…it was lost. How can you…” His eyes widened as he stared at Sen. He shook his head fervently. “No…no…no…”
“Samael, what is this?” Brute demanded. Their teacher’s behavior was unnerving them.
Sen ignored them and slowly walked toward Samael, drawing out the moment.
“The Punisher of Demons…The God of Magic has returned…”
Sen glared at the cowering demon. “I told you I was the flyswatter.”
/c/KaneDrake
Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!
Use arrow keys (or A / D) to PREV/NEXT chapter