Demons Crash the Alliance Banquet
Ah, this was a romance fantasy, alright. The party hall, overflowing with nonstop laughter just moments ago, now drifted in a horrific silence.
"If any of you humans so much as twitch, I won't hold back."
They spoke human words, but they weren't human. Horns sprouting in twin curls from their heads. Skin in every color imaginable. Jagged fangs protruding from their mouths, and an aura that set everyone's teeth on edge.
"I'm hungry. Can't I just rip off an arm or a leg?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"No."
"Why not?"
The nobles' faces drained white at the demons' banter. Everyone knew these bastards actually devoured people. The terror of death crept up their legs like a slithering shadow.
Why? Why are demons showing up here of all places!
What the hell are the guards doing?!
Back in the early days of the war, annihilation had loomed like a real threat. Everyone had scrambled to secure ships for escape. But as time passed, the tide turned in humanity's favor. Superhuman feats on the battlefield. The alliance's formation. And one Mad Dog.
The nobles liked to pat themselves on the back for their leadership, too. The demons had acknowledged their disadvantage and begun retreating. Safety had been secured in many regions.
But today, at this very celebration of the alliance's founding—no one could have imagined a demon ambush.
"Shut your traps, all of you. You're too damn loud."
"Captain! Just one arm for me!"
"I'll take a leg! I'm starving!"
The squad leader approached amid his soldiers' shouts.
Crack!
"Kieek!"
"I said shut it."
"S-sorry, Captain! I get it, so don't hit me!"
The mid-level demon, Porkus, lowered his raised fist. They'd infiltrated successfully at last. A "miracle," in human terms.
It's all thanks to our kin drawing attention everywhere.
Sorry. And thank you, my fellow demons. I'll make full use of the opening you created.
"Tell those human scum to bring every last one of the Holy Kingdom's people here."
"Kee-it! You think they'll actually listen, Captain?"
"Tell them we'll start eating hostages alive, one by one, in five minutes."
"Hee-hee! M-me, an arm!"
"A leg for me! Gimme a leg!"
Watching his rowdy soldiers made Porkus's impatience boil over. At the war's outset, victory had seemed certain. A puny alliance? They could crush it anytime. Humans, other races—it didn't matter. Empire or Holy Kingdom, none could stand against them.
For years, demons had dominated utterly. They'd razed three kingdoms and feasted on humans to their fill. And that was without the great ones even showing up. Some had suggested sparing half the humans—turn them into livestock for a steady supply. The upper demons had approved; it was a solid plan.
But then the war's momentum shifted.
"Captain! Aren't you rushing this a bit?"
"You idiots! Our kin are stirring up chaos everywhere to make this possible. That guy's coming soon enough!"
Him. That one. The demons' faces paled—even their multicolored skin. Red faces, blue faces, black faces—all turned ashen in unison. Fear etched into their bloodless features.
"Kee-eek…!"
"Th-the Demon Slayer?!"
"Cain? Cain's coming?!"
"Captain! Let's run! It's scary! So scary!!"
"Not yet, you fools!"
Cain had no weaknesses in battle against demons. Ironically, that was his weakness: he never avoided a demon fight. If demons appeared, he charged straight in. That was the key—he'd leave his post!
"He hasn't shown up yet! Hurry them up!"
"Kee-hee-hit! Got it, Captain!"
As if the fear had never been, the demons cackled again. Latecomers lose their arms; legs go to the early birds. And so on.
"…."
Kiara watched the scene in silence. Disgusting demons. She wished they'd all drop dead. Those ones. The one who did this to her. All of them. She hated them. With every last breath of her life.
If only she had power, she'd slaughter them all.
"Hic, sob…."
She glared at the sniffling noble lady beside her. As if crying would fix anything. Pathetic wretch who couldn't even run.
Stupid bitch. Empty-headed fool.
As Kiara glared, someone approached.
"It's okay. Don't cry."
It was Estelle. Right, that was her name. Kiara remembered it for one reason: what Estelle had done earlier.
"Hey, hypocrite. Or should I say, walking pile of pretense?"
"Stay quiet. They'll gag you if you're not careful."
"What the hell kind of idiot are you? You didn't run, didn't fight the demons—just tried to help this crybaby and got yourself caught?"
Kiara had charged at the demons on sight and been grabbed. Estelle had been directing evacuations when caught. Same outcome, utterly different reasons.
"Why call me a hypocrite?"
"What else do you call it? You could fight but don't. You could run but won't. That's what types like you pick—pretend to help others. No backlash, no blame!"
Estelle gazed at Kiara, bound to the pillar. She couldn't understand this woman. Foolish words. What was wrong with helping others?
"How dare you talk about caring for others when you can't even care for yourself."
"How pitiful you are."
"I just can't comprehend your kind."
"Then don't. I never asked you to."
Kiara glared as Estelle turned away. Just as she thought. She despised people like that. Far too much. Drunk on moral superiority, acting above everyone else. She'd dealt with it endlessly. Without knowing her at all. Judging by their own standards. No better than demons!
"The humans are late? Captain! Let's kill one."
"That hungry, huh? Fine. Five minutes up. Grab a woman."
The demons snickered as they approached, aiming for the sniffling lady.
"N-no! Spare me! Nooo!!"
"Kee-it! You're the one! You look the tastiest!"
"Spare me! Please!!"
Estelle stepped forward at the desperate screams.
"Let her go."
"Kee-it? What's this? Who's she?"
"Human! You offering your limbs instead?"
"Yes! Do it for me! She said she'll take my place!!"
The reply didn't come from Estelle. The lady being dragged shot her a frantic look. You'd take my place, right? Die for me, right? You stayed to save me instead of running! You're a good person. You care about others. So die in my stead. I don't want to die!
"Ahaha."
Kiara couldn't hold back her laughter. That was the world. That was humanity. What a fool. What had she been hoping for? That her goodness would make others good too? Did she think she was the protagonist on this stage?
"Kee-it! Answer us, human!"
"Too late. Just take this one. I'm starving."
"No! Save me! Die in my place! Die for me!! You couldn't save me! You couldn't get me out! So die instead!!"
Estelle bit her lip at the lady's screams.
"Alright. I'll die in her place."
"You heard her?! Let me go! Release me!!"
Good lord. What a touching sacrifice. How could someone be that stupid?
Kiara couldn't fathom Estelle. Talking about valuing others while not valuing herself. That just proved the hypocrisy. The pretense. If anyone ever spoke of Estelle's tale, she'd do everything to shatter it….
Thud thud!!
"What was that?!"
"Kee-it!!"
A pounding at the party hall's entrance.
"Captain! Someone's here!"
"Quiet, all of you!"
Humans called demons evil. From the demons' view, humans were no different. Sly bastards. Deceivers and liars. The only difference was appearance—yet they claimed to be God's creations!
"Might be a trick. Everyone, prepare!"
"Kee-it!"
The demons positioned themselves among their hostages. Any funny business, and heads would roll. Human blood would temporarily empower them. They could handle whatever came.
"It's someone from the Holy Kingdom! The one you want—release the hostages now!"
A robed figure stood at the door, others shouting behind.
"Hurry! Free the hostages first!"
"Kee-hee-hit! Captain, they say so."
"Idiot! No releases until we confirm that human's the saint candidate!"
"How do we know you won't kill the hostages after taking him?!"
"Got a problem, humans? We'll eat one alive right—"
Step.
The robed figure strode in boldly. A priest's robe peeked from below. Holy Kingdom, sure enough.
"Captain! Whatever, kill him first! If he's got the saint's fate, great. If not, blame the humans!"
One Mad Dog had already wrecked them mercilessly. If the Holy Kingdom's new saint showed up here? Demons would end up as human slaves!
"Kee-hee-hit! Don't care! Kill!"
"Saint or not! Kill him! Kill everyone here!"
The demon soldiers licked their long tongues. Blood of a fated saint? How delicious, how sweet? Salivating, they charged.
"Me first! Me!"
"Kee-hee-hit! No, me!"
"The arm's mine! Arm! Arm!"
"Fine, leg for you then—"
"Yeah. You first."
Thwack!
Huh? What just happened? Why am I falling? The leg-obsessed demon realized too late—his leg was gone. He collapsed limply.
"U, uwaaa! My leg! My leeeeg!!"
Splat!
The wail cut short. The man who turned demons into mere remnants of themselves casually draped his robe aside.
"Kee-ee-it?!"
"I-it's him! Him!!"
The demon soldiers screamed and retreated. Even Captain Porkus recoiled in horror.
"C-Cain! How are you—?!"
Definitely a priest's robe. From the Holy Kingdom! He'd even probed with mana—no trace of combat power. So he'd assumed it was the real saint candidate. At worst, a time-wasting hostage!
"Turns out this thing's more useful than I thought."
Cain held up the mana-restraining cuffs on his wrists.
"Mana Restraining Cuffs? You wore those here?!"
"Yeah."
"And one kick took out my subordinate?"
"Yeah."
Madman. Did he think they were just handcuffs? They suppressed mana—demons hated them. Even knights were helpless.
"Impossible. How?!"
"Nice. Better than sandbags for training."
Cain grinned in satisfaction, twisting his wrist. Ting! The cuffs shattered.
"Any more questions?"
"Uh…."
"None? Then back to it."
The demons scattered in panic, dragging hostages to flee the monster. But the monster was several times faster.
Splat!
"Kee-it!!"
A red blur streaked through, snatching demons. Crimson mist hung in the air. The metallic tang of blood filled the room.
"Uwaaaak!"
"Kyaaak!"
The demons weren't the only ones shocked. The humans were too. The hostages tried to flee—but Cain's next words froze them.
Move, and you might get lumped with the demons on the way to hell. Stay put, and you'd get out alive.
"…."
"…."
Most hostages ducked low at once. Most. Not all.
"Huaaaak!!"
The lady nearly dragged off earlier bolted despite the warning—and got snatched by Porkus.
"Monster!"
He hadn't expected it back so soon. How fast? How strong? The great ones needed to descend soon, turn this arrogant human to ash!
"Come closer, and I'll make this one my vassal."
One of Porkus's powers as a mid demon: drain blood to enslave as a personal slave. Irreversible once done. It weakened him temporarily, but desperation overrode that.
"Doubt it."
Cain smirked, spinning his fist.
"Already made her one, haven't you?"
"…Krhat!"
Porkus hurled the vassal forward and spun toward the window. Smash through and escape—possible. Somehow get away….
"Huh."
Why was his body tilting forward? Not his body—the world. His vision tilted. Slowly down. Down. Falling endlessly.
Thud!
Cain's blade severed Porkus's head without a millimeter's error. He turned to the incoming vassal.
"Wait!!"
Estelle's cry. But he didn't hesitate. The vassal's head joined its master's. A perfect, flawless slash—no excess motion.
"Ah…!"
Estelle arrived late, staring at the corpse. Red blood touched her toes; she flinched in horror.
"This… this isn't right."
Cain eyed her quietly.
"You could have taken her alive!"
Taken alive for what? Find a cure?
"Yes! The Holy Kingdom has a way to reverse vassalization! If we ask them!!—"
As if reversal was guaranteed. And would the Holy Kingdom even help?
"You don't know that. We have to try! As fellow humans, how can you kill another without a second thought…."
What a novel way to say thanks. No problem at all, protagonist. Cain smiled, raising his left fist—and smashed it into Estelle's head.