Chapter 247: Chaos in the Rustlands(7)

Point-of-View: Rai Rumel

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I...I did it...I resisted the Demon taking over my mind. I almost lost it there for a moment, but I managed to push back somehow, that was really close...I stood up with a groan and opened my eyes. I felt stronger and my body had changed a bit. I had a third eye, a curve horn growing out of my right shoulder and a spike from the tip of my tail. My fingernails had turned black and sharp too. 

"Are you finished taking over that human?" Inquired a familiar voice...n-no, it couldn't be... 

It was Key...she had two horns on either side of her head, the whites of her eyes had turned black and her fingernails had turned into black claws. But...

"K-Key...? S-stop kidding around, that's you in there, i-isn't it?" I asked nervously, a sense of despair starting to rise inside me. 

"Hm? You're the human? You resisted I see, quite impressive."

N-no, this can't be happening...please don't let this be happening... 

"G-get out of her body...give it back to her...!" I cried in despair. 

"I cannot return something to someone who no longer exists. If you want me to leave this body, you will have to kill it." 

"It? Don't you dare refer to her body as 'it', like it's just a tool, you fucking monster!" I yelled furiously, as a single tear ran down the right side of my face.

"Allow me to put you out of your misery," Remarked the Demon, drawing out Key's sword and zipping towards me, swinging the blade at my head. 

I ducked under it and leapt away, before it swung the blade down at me, I jumped back to avoid it and backflipped away. 

"Key, if you're still in there, snap out of it, you can still resist this monster!" I cried desperately. 

"Nonsense, the former consciousness of this body is dead...this body now hosts my consciousness, it belongs to me," The Demon replied, shooting towards me and driving the blade towards me several times, grazing my sides a couple of times. 

If I don't fight back, this Demon might kill me, but I just...I just can't bring myself to hurt Key's body. I need to restrain her body and then figure something out. I took out my chain, removing the blade at the end as I continued to evade the Demon's attacks. 

It then began charging up Obliteration Magic into the sword, the flames turning purple, before firing it at me in a fiery slash as it sprang back. I grabbed the railing of the staircase with my tail and pulled myself out of the way, narrowly avoiding the blast. 

I then swiftly swung the chain across towards Key's body, which struck her left shoulder and wrapped around her arms and torso before the Demon could react, before swiftly running lightning through it, electrocuting her body and eliciting a scream from the Demon, before knocking it unconscious. 

I collapsed onto my knees, my body shaking and my breathing ragged, as I shook my head to keep any more tears from spilling out. Damn it, this can't be happening...how did this happen...why did this happen...goddammit...what the hell do I do!? 

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Point-of-View: Lusk Cotuid

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No matter how many we cut down, there is just no end to them! I was fighting the enemies a little to the east of the castle, there were several dozens of them. I was alongside Necola and Rygar, but we were quickly getting overwhelmed. I had already lost two tentacles, my right arm was broken and I had several cuts and gashes all over my body. And the other two are faring a lot worse than I am. 

Rygar specializes in luring opponents into traps, and as result, this is the worst possible situation for him, having to fight multiple enemies out in the open...and as for Necola, she just had not been the same ever since her twin brother Poderl died, her fighting skills were mediocre at best...these enemies we're fighting, they have very poor fighting skills, but their sheer numbers were enough against her. 

I was barely able to fend off the enemies around me, so helping them was not an option for me...I was slashing their throats and piercing their hearts while staying constantly on the move, looking out for any incoming attacks and evading as best I could. I was using eight daggers to defend myself, two with my hands and six with my remaining tentacles. 

So long as I stay sharp, I can do this, but I cannot let up even for a second...because if I do, they will overwhelm me with their sheer numbers...and kill me. I have to stay alive, and to do that, I must kill them all before they can kill me! I ducked as one of the swung an axe at me, before driving one of my tentacles up and piercing the throat of the one who swung it. 

Another then leapt up behind me with a yell and drove a spear towards me, I swiftly flung a dagger at him, piercing the middle of his forehead before he could reach me. A fireball then came blazing towards me, I leapt up to avoid it and countered with a water bullet, right as one of them fired a lightning bolt at me, which I narrowly avoided, thanks to the poor aim. I spun myself across rapidly as I plummeted down, swinging all my daggers around as I did, slashing several of them simultaneously. 

Damn it, Necola is in danger, she's getting overwhelmed...if I don't do something, she will die. But I can't do anything...it is impossible, she is too far from my current position, and there are too many enemies in between us, if I try to rush over, I will just get myself killed...I grimaced and gritted my teeth as I turned away from her and focused on the enemies around me, forcing myself to ignore as she let out a scream of pain. 

I could see from the corner of my eye that she'd been impaled through the chest with a spear from behind...and then, several Elemental Magic attacks struck her, killing her instantly. The next thing I knew, something flew through the air and landed next to me, bumping against my left foot as it rolled towards me...it was a head...Rygar's head. They're both dead, just like that. 

In that moment, my mind went blank and everything turned red, as I let out a fierce roar of anger and despair before zipping around rapidly, my senses felt sharp and heightened, I evaded their attacks and slashed at them repeatedly, killing them one by one in rapid succession, my mind overcome with rage. Die...die...die...all of you...die...!

.

.

.

.

...I was done before I even realized it, I just kept swinging and dodging until there was no one left to swing at...they were all on the ground, in growing pools of their own blood. I collapsed weakly to the ground, a puddle of blood beneath me as I struggled to catch my breath. 

I was trembling all over, and I just felt sapped of energy right now...I was emotionally drained, I couldn't find the strength to stand back up. Suddenly, I stiffened as a chill ran down my spine, a presence behind me...I slowly turned around to face it, to see...a large black cloud. 

Is this...a Demon? This is not good, I need to get away-...I began to scramble back onto my feet and run, but it was already too late, because in the very next instance, everything went dark. 

And I could feel the Demon inside me, its consciousness flooding over my own...this is bad...I don't think I have the mental power to resist this, especially after what just happened...no...is this the end for me...?

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Point-of-View: Prato Cichudde

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"Damn, I don't know what's going on here, but whatever it is, everything is batshit crazy right now!" Exclaimed Arts, as plumes of smoke rose up all over in the distance and echoes of screams rang out around us. 

"That's putting it lightly, this is a pretty dire situation," Remarked Riefe with a frown. 

"Um, guys, we should be careful, there must be a lot of enemies," I chimed in timidly. 

"Yeah, good point, man. Based on all the smoke we're seeing, there's multiple battles occurring at the same time, which means a large number of enemies," Replied Arts, flashing me thumbs up, "Let's keep our guards up as we move." 

"That goes without saying," Sighed Riefe in response, before suddenly adding, "Hey, I can hear some noise coming from over there, to our left."

Now that he mentions it, I can hear something too...I couldn't quite identify it, but it sent chills down my spine... 

"Yeah, I hear it too, it sounds like people screaming. There doesn't seem to be any other commotion nearby, so let's go check it out," Responded Arts with a look of concern, before unleashing his Retractable Anima and flying up as his arms turned to wings. 

As he flew towards where the noise was coming from, Riefe and I followed after him along the ground, weaving through alleyways and cutting through the streets, the screams getting louder and louder, until they finally came into sight...wh-what is this? 

Several innocent civilians of the Rustlands had been gathered in one spot and surrounded by enemies, who were gleefully firing Elemental Magic attacks and weapons at them, killing them bit by bit. 

"You bastards!!" Exclaimed Arts furiously, unleashing a powerful gust of wind by rapidly flapping his wings, knocking them off balance before swooping down and using the blades on his shoes to slash at a couple of their heads, killing them swiftly and then zipping back up. 

Riefe and I joined in, I fired out several quick heat beams in rapid succession, scorching through their heads and chests before they could react, while Riefe used his slingshot to fire small explosives and spiky metal balls at them. 

We were slaughtering them rapidly, they were completely caught off-guard by our sudden appearance, and their response was sloppy, their counters were easy to evade. 

It didn't take long before we had wiped them all out, I used a Mana Orb to replenish my Mana as we checked on the civilians...almost all of them were injured, and several were dead. 

"Damn it...where did these fuckers all come from?" Growled Arts with a frown. 

"They must have teleported in...didn't the being who declared this attack on us appear in the Guild to address some of our S-Ranks out of nowhere?" I replied, recalling the report on that incident. 

"Hm, good point. I have to admit I'm kinda afraid to find out just how many of these bastards made it in," He grimaced, scratching his chin before turning to Riefe, "Hey, man, let's get going, more people probably need our help." 

"Right, I'm com-," He began to reply as he walked over to us, when suddenly, something crashed down by him, it was too fast to see, all I saw was a blur... 

"What the-...!? What just happened!?" Exclaimed Arts, as the smoke began to clear. 

I then froze as it cleared, revealing what looked like a person possessed by a Demon, he had dark brown hair that was parted in the front and tied in a low ponytail in the back. The white of his left eye was black and he had long, sharp black fingernails, along with a spotted leopard or cheetah tail...he had a tight grip on the top of Riefe's head, who was struggling to try and break free but to no avail. 

"Who are you?" I asked warily, pointing a heat beam at him, but dropping my hand as he used Riefe as a shield. 

"Let him go, you son of a bitch!" Snapped Arts, looking for an opening but to no avail. 

"Hm, I have been searching for a strong Adventurer to kill, but...I suppose you weaklings will have to do for now," He responded with a sigh, before smirking and transforming... 

A third eye opened in the middle of his forehead as two horns grew out on either side of his head, along with a third one growing out just above the third eye. Riefe then gritted his teeth and aimed his slingshot backwards at him, but right before he could let go and fire, he stiffened and let out an ear splitting scream of pain, as his head and body grotesquely morphed and mutated in a matter of seconds. 

"N-no, Riefe!" Cried Arts in despair. 

"I am Hacte Routh, and I will kill you all, as a warm up before I face someone stronger. Now, then...you can first fight this monster that was once your comrade!" He declared with an amused, malicious laugh. 

Riefe's mutated body let out a roar and walked towards us threateningly...this can't be happening...this is just cruel...he killed my friend and turned him into a monster, forcing us to fight him...Hacte Routh, you bastard...I will kill you...!

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