Side Story ~The Death Devil~
That day was supposed to be just another ordinary one for Lucius.
Waking up late as usual.
Wandering the streets like a good-for-nothing idler.
Snatching an apple from the market and munching on it—that kind of day.
But the mundane routine shattered into pieces, thanks to an unexpected intruder.
The sun was dyeing the sky in sunset hues.
■■■■■──!!
It started at the coastline.
Black mist spread in an instant, blanketing the shore in darkness.
At first, it only encroached on part of the coast, but soon it blackened the skies over the kingdom, spreading terror among the people.
"What the…"
Meanwhile, Lucius, who had been napping atop a tall tree, jolted awake at the ominous chill prickling his skin and gazed up at the sky.
Spotting the black mist approaching the capital, he scowled and drew his spear.
The air cracked open, and a rugged spear materialized. Without hesitation, Lucius grabbed it and leaped to the ground.
Kud thud—
He left deep footprints in the earth as he launched himself forward.
With each step, the ground cratered massively, and birds, startled late by the commotion, flapped into the air in panic.
Moving at speeds beyond human limits, he reached the coast in a flash.
He swung his spear to dispel the inertia, then scanned for survivors.
"Don't fall back, everyone! We hold this line or die trying!"
"Ghoul?"
And that's when Lucius saw them.
Soldiers locked in desperate combat with pitch-black corpses.
The soldiers' condition was dire, even as a polite exaggeration.
The defensive line could collapse at any moment!
No time to think.
Having assessed the scene, Lucius immediately swung his spear at the corpses.
What happened next was astonishing.
The spear swept slowly through the air, but along its path, the corpses were neatly bisected.
As the horde collapsed from the strike that ignored distance, the stunned soldiers finally noticed him.
"G-General!"
"The general's here!"
"We're saved!"
The soldiers rushed toward him, relief washing over their faces.
Reading their expressions, Lucius asked,
"So, where are the others? Anyone know what's going on?"
"We… don't know the details either, sir. Black smoke just started rising from villages everywhere, swallowing people in an instant. Luckily, some heroes spotted the anomaly early and evacuated the civilians… but those who couldn't escape were all taken by the mist…"
"So that mist turns people into these things?"
"Yes, sir."
"…Hah."
Lucius let out a short sigh.
A mere touch from the mist turning healthy people into corpses? Normally, he'd snap at them for spouting nonsense, but seeing it firsthand left no room for denial.
"For now, protect the evacuated civilians. Contact the nearby guild and muster every available hero, adventurer, or mercenary. I'll handle that mist."
"Understood!"
"And where did the black mist first appear? It didn't pop up everywhere at once."
"Not certain, sir… but probably around the lighthouse."
At one soldier's words, Lucius's face hardened instantly.
"…The lighthouse? For real?"
"Yes, if my eyes didn't deceive me, that's where the black mist first rose!"
"……."
There was only one lighthouse on the coast.
The Reivik Lighthouse.
The eye that pierced the ocean's darkness, the natural breakwater shielding against deep-sea monstrosities.
It had stood alongside the Lukidus Kingdom through history.
A special mana stone, passed down through generations, ensured it never broke or failed—the kingdom's unblinking eye.
He hated to imagine it, but if an enemy had targeted that lighthouse…
"That's grim."
With that thought, Lucius dismissed the soldiers and plunged into the mist.
To search for any survivors—and the culprit behind this mess.
"Gotta deal with this spreading mist first."
Knowing it was toxic to humans, he wrapped his body in mana for protection, then swung his spear.
A fierce gale followed the blade, sweeping away all the surrounding mist.
The retreating soldiers gawked skyward as the black vortex spiraled upward like a dragon ascending.
A short while later, horrific scenes unfolded within the mist.
"Grraaagh!"
"Hmph!"
Half-transformed corpses gnawing at each other—Lucius flicked his wrist dismissively.
His spear dismantled the ghouls in an instant.
"Nothing here either."
Glancing around briefly and finding no survivors, he sighed softly.
Seems like all the civilians had turned into ghouls.
He occasionally ran into living people, but they were heroes and adventurers like him, here to rescue survivors.
Anyone who could handle inner energy could navigate the foul mist to some degree.
So Lucius directed them to search for survivors.
In this environment, speed was key—missing the golden hour could be fatal.
Thankfully, they grasped the gravity and followed his orders willingly.
They're probably combing the streets for survivors right now.
So his search ended here.
'If there are any left, they'll find them.'
With that, Lucius's gaze hardened on the towering structure piercing the sky.
A stone building blending white and blue in perfect harmony.
The Reivik Lighthouse, landmark of the Lukidus Kingdom.
Even in this chaos, it shone steadily toward the sea.
"Gotta check the source."
There'd be a mastermind to deal with—or at least whatever spawned the mist.
Nodding to himself, Lucius gripped his spear tight and headed straight for the lighthouse.
'The mist is getting thicker.'
On the path to the lighthouse, he fiddled with his spear amid the densifying fog.
'…Should I clear it?'
A brief hesitation, then he shook his head.
There might still be survivors nearby—blowing it away could harm them.
Even without survivors, rescuers were active close by, so it was too risky.
"Tch!"
In the end, Lucius pushed through.
The thick fog was annoying, but transcending human limits meant it couldn't hinder him much.
Crunch—
Reaching the lighthouse, he confirmed his worst fears had come true.
"Demons for real."
The faint demonic energy mixed in the black mist.
Until then, he'd dismissed it as a bad hunch.
But a demon invasion? Unbelievable.
'Crossed the Black Storm? Seriously…?'
Lucius struggled to accept it.
Why had the Lukidus Kingdom stayed a neutral bystander in continental politics?
The Black Storm separating the Diabolus Continent of demons from Lukidus!
That impenetrable barrier—nothing could cross it, save one exception.
Mana, aura, even demonic energy—all useless.
A storm of unknown forces that jammed compasses and spawned waterspouts, hurling everything skyward…
Rumors even called it a scar from the Demon God and Goddess of Light's battle—a natural miracle in itself.
Worst of all: its powerful interference field suppressed all inner energy.
Even flying powerhouses were grounded there.
That was the Black Storm.
'Only the Lowei Trading Nation can cross it worldwide…'
That's why they held exclusive trade rights with Lukidus.
Their invincible fleet was the only one capable.
Even Lucius had bowed to its might, so he knew its dangers intimately.
Thus,
The demon incursion hit him hard.
Demons had always had to detour around it to invade Lukidus. A breakthrough meant catastrophe for the kingdom.
Lukidus as a demon-free continent? No more.
"Hoo…"
Lucius exhaled slowly.
'Stay calm. Panicking here changes nothing.'
This was enemy territory.
No room for carelessness, whatever demon lay ahead.
'Actually, good timing. A demon invasion gives the kingdom excuse to act decisively.'
Until now, they'd half-heartedly supported the alliance as bystanders.
This incident provided justification for full commitment.
Gripping his spear anew, Lucius entered the lighthouse.
Instantly, he and the demon sensed each other, eyes gleaming.
"Strong…!"
His instincts screamed danger!
The prey-before-predator sensation—it'd been ages since Lucius last felt it.
And he knew exactly which demon evoked it.
"Hahat! One of the Four Heavenly Kings, eh?!"
The pinnacle of all demons: the Demon King.
His direct subordinates.
The Four Evils symbolizing darkness, death, terror, and war.
The demon atop the lighthouse was surely one of them.
Meanwhile, sensing Lucius's aura, the demon glanced down with shadowed eyes narrowing further.
"…Troublesome."
After a brief look below, it reached for its original target: the mana stone.
The protective magic circle around it lay in ruins, its countermeasures evidently successful.
Just as its hand neared the stone—
Whiiirrr—!
"……."
A spear hurtled toward its hand with ferocious momentum.
The demon yanked back swiftly and looked down.
Crunch—
"Sorry, but."
"……."
"That's our kingdom's treasure."
"……."
It was Lucius, spear slung casually over his shoulder, sauntering in.
Like some bored thug.
Grinning as he appeared.
But his eyes held no slack, locked on the demon.
"So, mind putting that down?"
"…Divine Spear, huh."
Its mere presence weighed down the air.
At a glance, a typical street punk—but one of the seven powerhouses etched in the Power Stone.
Divine Spear: the epithet for reaching godhood with the spear.
Knowing this, the demon drew its weapon for the first time here.
A small, gleaming black dagger.
No—more like a surgical scalpel.
Paired with its attire, it evoked the image of a doctor of death.
"This just got annoying."
As the demon donned a crow mask from its belt, Lucius snarled and shouted,
"Hahat! Then how about you turn tail now—Death Devil──!!"
His spear cleaved space itself as it shot forward.