CH 53

Vivi, the Gnomide Earth Spirit that Lou summoned, led them through the Spirit World by Transference Magic.

“Hurry up, Vivi!”

Lou commanded the spirit girl with a serious expression.

The walls of the Spirit World, inhabited by the spirits of the Earth, were as beautiful as ever, with deposits of various gems and metals, but…

The three now had no time to appreciate the scenery.

Even Kelturi, who always got herself involved, fell quiet.

Before long…

The Spirit World connected with their destination, and before they knew it, the three people were standing on the ground.

Their destination was the Ancient Ruins as Lou had specified, and indeed, they landed right in front of the place.

At that moment.

A strange magical aura struck the three as if to envelope them.

The horror of it was that it was non-human.

Basically, when using Transference Magic and getting targeted…

It would be the moment you arrive at your destination.

Spirits instinctively considered the safety of the magicians at the destination.

They were supposed to take you to a place where there was no enemy threat.

This time, however, an existence beyond the power of spirits was waiting for them.

The first to react to the danger was Vivi, who had brought Lou, Fran and Kelturi here.

The spirit girl spread her arms to the left and right and glared at her opponent, as if protecting them.

Who was it?…

“Nadia!”

The person in front of the three of them was … none other than Nadia Charlois.

Kelturi shouted her student’s name.

However!

The terrifying magical aura that emanated from Nadia was no longer hers.

『Hahahahaha! This woman’s negative emotions are comforting! Not bad for a vessel.』

A low, heavy, hoarse man’s voice came out of Nadia’s mouth.

Lou bit his lip tightly and looked at Nadia.

“It’s a devil!…And this magical aura isn’t a piece of cake.”

Did he hear Lou’s mutterings?

From the mouth of the ‘once Nadia’ came a high-pitched laughter and words that hinted at amusement.

『Fwahahahahaha, you little bastard! Can you tell who I am? Your magical aura is also quite interesting. And for a … human, that’s a hell of a lot of magical power!』

Lou was dealing with a devil…

He commanded Fran and Kelturi with his hand and motioned for them to stay back.

『Hahaha, you want to protect the women? But it’s no use.』

The devil laughed again, muttered something, and pointed the fingers of both hands at Fran and Kelturi.

『In the name of this Vine…make thy true name known to me! From this moment on, you will be my faithful servant!』

The terrifying Secret Technique(Hijutsu – https://narutofanon.fandom.com/wiki/Hijutsu ) of the devil, Vine…

Humans, and even devils, had a true name. A True Name was bestowed to them by the Creator.

A True Name could be described as a word that indicated the entire soul.

Therefore, to have one’s true name known was to have one’s soul, which was the foundation of the individual, bound and to have one’s freedom taken away.

Vine had the ability to read people’s True Names through his evil power and make them his servants.

After Vine released his Kotodama…

Fran and Kelturi’s eyes lost their focus, and life drained from their faces.

In no time, they fainted and collapsed slowly to the ground…

“You…”

『Hahaha, are you frustrated, kid? My power can read True Names that the Creator has given and manipulate anyone as I see fit. You’re next. You and your women will be my servants.』

『Hold there!』

『Hmm?』

What a surprise!

Vivi, who hadn’t spoken a word until now, spoke through Telepathy and glared at the devil with Lou.

『Whoa! An Earth Spirit, Gnomide? But I have no use for low-level spirits! Unless you want to be collateral damage, then get the hell out of here!”

“Shut up! Wood devil! You dare to speak to me like that when you know I’m the daughter of Amymon, the noble Lord of the Earth!”

『W-What! Amaymon, you say?!』

The surprised Nadia-Vine Devil … stared at Vivi.

Then, after a few moments of silence…

He started laughing in amusement.

『Hahahahahah, you’re indeed the daughter of the Earth King! But why are you following this human? Hmm?』

“Shut up! Who do you think you are?! Demon! Insult Master Lou, and I’ll never forgive you.』

『Oh! How can you not forgive me?』

Vivi shouted, and…

A dark magic power rose from the earth.

Evidently, Vivi was willing to fight Vine to protect her Master.

『I will crush you with the magic of the great Earth!』

『Ho, interesting! Let’s do this, little girl! Let me take care of you…』

Vine was challenged to a fight and was ready to accept.

However!

『Vivi, I’m fine…Leave this to me.』

After Lou quietly ordered Vivi to back down, Vivi, who blew her top, surprisingly accepted.

“…Master Lou, are you telling me to get out of here?…I understand.』

After Vivi said that…she disappeared without a trace.

Vine, on the other hand, nodded vigorously as he watched Vivi leave.

『Mmm! I’m getting more tempted to make you my servant! A mere mortal with the daughter of Amaymon as his follower!』

Apparently, Vine’s interest in Lou deepened.

But Lou laughed and shook his head.

『Me? Your Servant? I don’t want it.』

『Nuh-uh! It’s no use! Once the True Name in your soul is exposed…you won’t be able to resist me at all.』

Vine smiled in amusement and now pointed his index finger at Lou.

『Kekeke, now, why don’t you tell me your True Name?』

Lou, however, was completely unfazed.

A moment later, Vine’s questioning and upset voice sounded…

There was even a hint of impatience.

『W-Why? How ridiculous! Y-Your name! I can’t read your True Name!』

Vine was utterly flustered.

He was caught in a strange situation of failing to read the True Name of someone he had underestimated as a mere human being.

Once he read a True Name, the victim would become his slave, and there was no way he/she could resist him.

『Huh, what’s the matter? Show me what you’re good at. Your lowly power to steal and read people’s True Names!』

『Hmph! My power is not limited to this! Storm, come!』

Vine shouted, and a huge tornado appeared.

Despite witnessing tremendous magic…

Lou’s expression didn’t change.

On the contrary, there was an inscrutable smile on his mouth.

Eventually, the tornado struck Lou, but he remained unperturbed.

The blades of wind that were supposed to cut Lou to shreds hadn’t hurt him at all.

Vine’s expression changed to one of astonishment.

The wind attack magic that he had cast had not reached Lou.

The attack magic had been nullified.

『I-Im-Impossible!? M-My magic! I can’t believe you deactivated it!』

Who exactly was the person in front of him!

Vine held his head in his hands as all of his options were blocked one by one.

『Devil! You’ve only got your spirit inside her anyway, haven’t you?』

Lou said to the demon, as if he had seen through everything.

Then, he scowled at Vine sternly.

『When a devil like you nests in a place like this, it puts quite a strain on your vessel. I don’t want anything more to happen to my precious student’s body.

『Stupid! This woman’s body can be replaced in any number of ways. For example, one of the two of them.』

In response to Vine’s words, who didn’t give a damn about Nadia as a substitute…

Lou’s magic power swelled all at once, perhaps in anger.

『As I thought, you devils are cunning and cruel. No…how did you get that way?』

『The he-hell, human?』

No wonder Vine was surprised.

What!

Lou’s voice changed mid-sentence.

The first voice was Lou’s, but the next turned into someone else’s voice.

『You must have started out noble as apostles. You dared to fall from heaven to guide the Son of Man…so where did your noble aspirations of self-sacrifice?』

The mysterious voice sounded familiar, didn’t it…?

Vine was completely shaken up and so terrified which was clearly visible from the side.

『T-T-That, was that your voice?! No way! I-I-It can’t be! That’s impossible! Ah, that being! His soul and body were supposed to be bound to the nethermost level of the underworld.』

Vine covered his ears and tried to block out the mysterious voice, but his efforts were in vain.

『Huh! Have you become desperate just because I was gone? You fool!』

『I-I-it’s a lie! You can’t fool me! Hahaha, kid! Let’s get this over with! I’ll be waiting fro you in the ruins.』

Vine managed to regain his composure, spat out a discarded line and tried to escape.

But!

Nadia’s body, which he had been occupying, was stuck as if she were in a golden bind.

『D-damn it! Hey, y-you!!!』

『It’s useless… I cast a Binding Spell on her body. I told you not to put any more strain on her.』

Unbeknownst to him…

Lou had already bound Nadia’s body and cast a spell that made her immobile.

It was also accomplished without him chanting while talking to Vine…

It was truly an unfathomable power.

Lou stepped forward and opened his mouth.

This time, it was Lou’s true voice.

『I don’t see them here, the two other women…Did you capture them?』

『Gah! W-What if I did?! What are you gonna do? You wretch!』

Lou’s eyes narrowed at Vine’s reply, and his face was distorted a bit in anger.

Lou licked his dry lips with his soft red tongue and…

Once again, a voice that was not his spoke to Vine in a relentless tone.

『Needless to say… should anything happen to the women…』

『W-What if something happened to them? What’ll you do?!』

『I will tear your soul into pieces and return you to eternal emptiness.』

『Wh! What?!』

『If your soul is mutilated…even an immortal devil can never resurrect again. You will become a garbage remains, wandering in the void for eternity, hahehe!』

That personality wasn’t at all Lou’s…

He borrowed his face and laughed coldly with a frenzied look on his face.

Obviously, the devil feared him too…

As Nadia stood there, bound by Lou’s Binding Spell, a mist-like object poured out of her mouth and fled toward the ruins.

As to his whereabouts…

Lou, who followed him with a keen eye, pasted a ruthless smile on his face, which made him entirely different from his usual appearance.