Shadows in the Night (2)
“Is that really true?!”
The head of the Grain family shot to his feet before Philip Grain could even finish his words.
“It’s the truth.”
I affirmed it calmly, and I could see his fury grinding his teeth, resentment flickering in his eyes.
“Kuh… I knew there was something off with the poor harvests these past few years…!”
His face twisted in such grave injustice that his pent-up rage leaked out.
“Er… ahem, my apologies. I got a bit carried away there…”
But soon enough, his gaze met mine—watching quietly with composure—and he cleared his throat, trying his best to rein in his anger.
“No need to apologize. If I learned that a grave issue bearing my family’s name stemmed not from nature, but from someone’s schemes, I’d be just as outraged.”
I offered empathy for his mood.
“You truly are more human than the rumors suggest… No, forget I said that.”
His tone lightened a touch as he looked at me, but he abruptly cut himself off.
“……”
He’d probably been about to voice his preconceptions about Arnold Stenman. The man infamous as a cruel and vicious noble seemed puzzled by the sight of me comforting another.
“……”
Honestly… I was getting used to these looks by now.
“The more I think about it, the angrier I get…”
The family head clenched his fist, glaring into the void with eyes brimming with hatred.
The reason for his rage was the truth I’d revealed. The Grain family had faced crisis after years of bad harvests. But the cause? Sabotage by a certain group.
“Those filthy scum, the demons…”
In truth, the culprits behind the crop failures were the Demon King’s army. As the game’s story progressed, it was revealed that demons had sown chaos across the human kingdom to paralyze it—one scheme being the poisoning of the Grain family’s fields, the kingdom’s largest farmlands, to cripple food production.
That was why the Grains kept suffering declining yields.
“With that in mind, I have a proposal for you, Lord Philip.”
And so, I’d requested this meeting to help the family escape their downward spiral.
“What is it?!”
As I spoke gravely, Philip fixed me with eyes alight with desperation and vengeance. The veins still bulging on his forehead showed his grudge ran deep.
“Tonight, I’ll launch a surprise attack on the Demon King’s saboteurs.”
“I’ll drive them off, protect the land from their plots, and ensure this never happens again.”
“What…?!?!”
He gaped, pupils dilating in shock at my confident declaration.
“Lord Arnold, alone? Wouldn’t it be better to bolster guards or send scouts for a proper subjugation?”
His expression mixed hope and doubt, suggesting a more practical approach.
“That would tip them off. Mobilizing large forces draws attention, making the demons go dormant or more cunning.”
“We need a minimal team to strike their weakness and uproot them in one clean sweep.”
I countered with unwavering authority, no hesitation or doubt.
“……”
Philip Grain pondered my bold words in silence for a long moment, perhaps swayed by my conviction.
“You make a valid point. But can you handle it solo? At least let me provide some elite mercenaries as backup.”
He stroked his chin beard with thumb and forefinger, pledging support.
“That won’t be necessary.”
I declined politely.
“I can manage alone.”
And promised him victory.
A deep night in a secluded forest at the edge of the Grain estate’s private lands. Midnight under a full moon hanging at heaven’s edge.
Hoot— hoot—
In the silent woods, only an owl cried out relentlessly.
But then.
Swish— rustle—
“Everyone assembled?”
After the owl’s call rang six times, figures emerged soundlessly from the shadows like coalescing darkness.
“Seems so, Lady Rael.”
They wore black robes veiling their identities, the Demon King’s army emblem etched on their backs.
“No tails on us?”
““No.””
These were elite saboteurs handpicked from the Demon King’s forces.
“Hmm… something feels off, though…”
“Lady Rael?”
Their leader, Rael, sported two large horns sprouting from her head.
“Definitely… we’re short a few.”
The reason? She was a high-ranking demon.
“Hey, we’re missing one spot.”
Demons’ ranks were often told by appearance. Common ones had only red eyes as a telltale sign.
Higher breeds grew horns. Their size and carvings denoted finer hierarchies, but horns alone marked elites commanding dozens to a hundred subordinates.
“Where’s Squad Leader Berlo and the seven saboteurs?”
Her keen senses picked up the awkward gap immediately.
“Come to think of it…”
“Lady Rael, maybe the humans caught on and they can’t return?”
The demons murmured about their missing comrades.
“Quiet, all of you. We don’t know for sure, but per protocol, assume total loss. Briefing starts with who’s here.”
Rael commanded coolly, judging with detachment.
““Yes…!””
“Good. As you know, our mission is to drought-strangle the Grain family, owners of the kingdom’s largest farmlands. We meet weekly to check progress and performance.”
The demons, unease quelled by her leadership, listened intently.
“Our goal: contaminate soils with these special fertilizers, spread like plague. Report results in order.”
“Squad 1: smooth sailing.”
“Squad 2—”
They reported methodically.
……
“Hmm, got the picture. Good work, everyone.”
Just as she’d heard from all her subordinates.
Rustle—
A presence stirred in the bushes.
“Lady Rael.”
“Berlo, you’re late.”
“Apologies. Escaping the tightened patrols took time.”
Out emerged the squad she’d just mentioned.
“No pursuit?”
“No issues, probably.”
They knelt on one knee, giving a vague reply.
“Probably? I said handle it cleanly.”
“Forgive us.”
The saboteurs bowed deeply under her sharp rebuke.
“There—!!”
Then… blinding lights flooded their gathering, guards charging in.
“Hmm, Berlo. Seems not.”
“Ugh… my shame.”
The Demon King’s forces exposed at full assembly.
“W-what are you all?!”
One guard recoiled at their numbers.
“Kuh… too many! One of you run back—report the emergency!”
Over sixty by rough count. But only four guards.
Overwhelming numerical disadvantage.
“Chris, you’re fastest—go! We three will hold them!”
The guards steeled for sacrifice, entrusting it to one.
“Chris? Chris!!”
But for some reason, despite urgent calls, one stood blankly silent.
“Chris?! Snap out of it! This isn’t a joke—wha…?”
The ordering guard turned—
“Huh?!?!”
And screamed at Chris’s state.
“Guh… guhuk…”
The man, fine moments ago, now spewed blood from his throat.
“Kuek…!”
Like a puppet with cut strings, strength fled him. Thud— splat…! Knees hit ground, head cleanly severed with a dull thud.
“Chris!!”
“What the hell?!!”
The surviving guards shrieked his name in horror.
“Got time to gawk?”
Even in this dire mystery, Rael taunted leisurely, directing her saboteurs.
“Ugh…! What did you… huh?”
A furious female guard glared at Rael—and froze again.
“Heh~ nice voice.”
Rael now gripped a curved sword. The oddity?
“What’s wrong~?”
Blood coated the blade.
“…Wha—”
Comrade dead in a blink, enemy weapon bloodied despite standing still.
“……!!”
Short time, but realization dawned.
“Uwaaah!! What the hell?!”
“D-Demons?! A monster like that?!”
“You’re kidding, right?! Huh?!?!”
Understanding hit; terror gripped them.
Their absurd conclusion: despite meters away, foe closed at imperceptible speed to behead him.
“Kuh…!! Who the hell are you?!”
Absurd, but the only fit for the scene.
“Want a fun fact?”
“Your last moments—cherish it.”
She shed her robe, revealing her true form.
“…!”
High-exposure outfit, crimson eyes glowing like a blood moon.
“My kin call me ‘Rael the Flash’.”
“Too fast, you see?”
Her presence oozed dread, fear incarnate.
“Wha—”
The glaring female guard blinked in disbelief.
“…?! She’s gone…!”
In that instant, Rael vanished from view.
“Behind you.”
“?!”
She whipped around at the mocking voice.
Slash— sching—
“Wha-wha?!?!”
Head turned; the other two comrades decapitated simultaneously.
“A-ah…?”
Rael had circled behind unseen, slashing both throats.
“…!!!”
Flash-like motion left her alone.
“Uwaaaah—?!”
Terror shattered her will; she collapsed.
“Giving up? Well, you never stood a chance.”
“Don’t worry—no pain.”
Rael readied the final blow to erase witnesses.
“Eek…!!”
The guard huddled, eyes squeezed shut like a child.
Swoosh—!!
Insane speed—
“……”
But.
“Huh…?”
The guard felt puzzled. Wind-like, but no pain. No odd sensation.
“Huh?”
Just as she wondered if mercy-killed as promised.
Crack… crunch…
“!!”
Eyes opening slowly, she screamed silently.
“Eek?!”
Her eyes couldn’t track the strike.
“Who are you…!”
A smaller boy had blocked it effortlessly.
“Oho… intriguing…!”
Rael was inwardly stunned. She, dubbed Flash, whose agility outpaced even the Four Heavenly Kings, matched in speed.
A first for her.
Cling—!
“Hmph…!”
The black-haired boy blocking her: eyes sharp as a beast’s, aura murderous.
“Fun.”
Pressure like facing a black wolf.
“Blocking my strike—impressive.”
“Kin call me Rael the Flash. You?”
She steadied, preparing seriously for once.
Names before battle? Fine. Arnold Stenman.”
She mulled his name; tense fights were rare.
“Curious why I’d tell an enemy? You’ll close your eyes here, after hearing mine.”
“Nice block, but you’re just another witness to erase.”
She baited lightly.
“Mm…!”
Unlike fodder, she exploded from her legs, shattering earth, slashing at him.
‘No one in the human realm matches this speed! One full-power strike ends it!’
She half-claimed victory, imagining his clean beheading.
Cling—!
But.
‘No way…?’
“What…?!?!”
No underestimation; she’d unleashed her best from the start to end it quick.
“Really? Fascinating.”
“I planned no witnesses either, hence the name.”
Arnold parried casually.
“Huh? What just…?”
From their view. Onlookers?
“No way… he blocked Lady Rael?!”
“Nah… lucky fluke…”
They’d barely registered clash and sparks.
“Ugh…!”
Chill hit Rael; she leaped back.
“Haa…”
Regulating breath.
“Hmph!”
She charged again.
Cling—!
But Cling—!
Next Cling—!!
Then Cling-cling—!
All blocked.
“Eek! Impossible!”
Tried varying targets, fearing obvious neck strikes.
Cling— Cling— Cling— Neck, waist, gut, thigh, calf, ankle…
“What the…!”
“This can’t be?!”
Everywhere parried easily.
“Hm.”
Each defense, his word:
“Slow.”
Utter humiliation for her.
“Ugh…!”
Face crumbling in fury for the first time, she lunged again.
“And—”
Slash!!
“Your guard’s sloppy.”
“Pfft…!”
First hit landed, unlike her initial confidence.
“Eek… kuh…”
Fury gone; slashed once, her momentum shattered.
“Lady Rael?!”
“Am I seeing this?!”
Her minions tasted despair.
“Amazing… didn’t see what happened, but incredible…!”
The guard, helpless at comrades’ deaths, just marveled.
“Eup… haa…”
Vitals spared, but deep flank gash endangered her.
“A human like this…?”
Grinding teeth, spitting iron-tanged blood.
“My turn.”
No respite; Arnold gripped two-handed.
“Eeeek!”
Rael glared, focusing desperately on defense.
Cling—! Cling—!
Swifter, heavier than her elite strikes.
Cling—!
“Agh!”
Even deflecting strained her.
Slash— no, imperfect guard.
Each clash a wound; sizes varied, but Arnold’s barrage whittled her life.
Sching—!!
“Uwaaah!!”
Violent speed like this. Her body shredded like scored sausage.
“Haa, haa…”
“That all?”
Her shame contrasted his unflappable calm.
“Eek, unforgivable…!!”
No more leisure since his arrival; no smiles.
“Hmmm…”
She gathered mana, staunching wounds. No healing talent; bleeding stopped at best.
“Never thought I’d use this on a brat human.”
Maintaining breath, focusing mind.
“…!”
Eyes wide, unleashing all.
“Limit Break!!”
Body enhancement magic. Transcending limits for brief superhuman power, but costing massive life force—a double-edged sword.
“This isn’t sabotage anymore!”
“For demonkind’s future, I erase you here.”
Tremendous aura shook the forest. Winds rustled leaves endlessly.
Cling—!!
Next strikes were leagues apart.
“…!!”
Arnold’s composure cracked first, brow furrowing.
“Haha!”
Seeing hope, Rael pressed relentlessly.
Cling— clang—! Cling-cling—!!
“How’s that!”
Pouring every ounce.
Chaaang—! Ngh—! Clang—!!
“Can’t touch me!”
All-in clash, total war.
“……”
But—
“……?”
Her glee faded quick.
Limit Break pressured him, yes.
“…”
“……?!”
But only that.
“No way?!”
Equalized, not superior.
“Stronger, sure.”
Arnold just shed leisure.
“Heh… heh…!”
No hits, no scratches—same as before.
“But overfocused on attack. Full of openings!”
Twaang—!
Offense obsession weakened her defense further.
“Ack?!”
Arnold exploited ruthlessly.
Cling— “…!!”
Fierce thrust unbalanced her.
Briefly exposed entirely.
Shaaaash—!!!
Finishing sweep like circling blade, slashing the high demon.
Thud— rollllll—
Rael tumbled like roadkill stray.
“Kuh… guhek…!”
Arnold’s finale was lethal.
“Ugh…”
Yet high demon Rael squeezed last strength to rise.
“…!”
But couldn’t even stand.
“Ugh? My… my…!!”
Why?
“My feet…!!”
Ankles gone—empty voids.
“Speed your everything? Losing legs is a death sentence.”
“Wha…?!?!”
Her mangled form versus his overwhelming presence.
“D-don’t come… monster…!!”
Initial dignity gone; she crawled away desperately.
“Don’t worry. No pain.”
“…!!”
She never foresaw it.
Her last words to weaklings—
“N-no… no… I don’t wanna—!!!!”
Now hers as the weak.
Schwick—
“……”
Honestly, I realized something now.
“This… might be a big mess.”
I hadn’t known… maybe I had little qualms killing.
Past life, even hunting beasts unsettled me.
Now? Monsters, even near-human intelligent beings differing only in race and look—I took lives without hesitation.
Stomach stronger too… Reflecting, no aversion to monsters from start.
“……”
Why? Reality awareness clear, yet low burden killing others.
“Worry later.”
Anyway, Rael was tough. Game mid-to-late boss tier, level-scaling by encounter.
Proved by my peak focus here…
As said, Arnold Stenman’s talents shone. Attacks seemed slow, body moved instinctively.
“Lady Rael’s down?!”
Now, her minion saboteurs remained.
“What now?!”
“Run, duh?!”
“I-I said help instead of watching!”
“But jumping in… eek?!”
“Ugh…! Retreat, everyone!”
“Report up top quick!”
“Human kingdom’s got a threat!”
As expected… flies scattering post-leader fall, fleeing for survival.
“Hmm…”
But I’d prepared.
“Ugh!!”
Saboteurs bolted desperately.
Thud—!
“Agh?!”
Thud— “Ugh…!!”
Bam—!
“Ow?!”
They slammed into thin air, plummeting.
“All captured.”
How? Advanced barrier spell.
“Agh… ugh…”
Transparent walls segmented space; contact with other magics caused prolonged stun/paralysis.
“Nearly let some slip.”
Good I layered densely during fight lulls.
“Ugh… a-amazing…”
Now—
“Hey.”
“Y-yes?!?”
With all settled—
“You okay?”
Time to head back.