Chapter 169: Revenge

Chapter 169: Revenge

After the last battle, it became evident that the war would soon come to an end. However, I still had unfinished business before everything concluded. I had to find and eliminate someone.

I placed Agon in a medical tent among many others and stepped outside to get some fresh air. With the war over, it was easy to succumb to impulsive decisions driven by emotionsan aspect I had tried to avoid during my brief career as an exorcist.

"Wow! You must either possess a technique to suppress emotions or have exceptional control over your Ord," a voice remarked from beside me.

I nearly flinched, but I realized that if this person intended to harm me, she would have done so already. Since Carpy had not alerted me to anyone approaching, it meant this woman had managed to sneak past his senses. Only a handful of individuals could achieve that feat.

"What is the Sage doing here?" I questioned.

"I prefer being called the Saint. It suits the priestess vibe I have going on," she insisted.

It felt strange seeing a super granny who looked and acted like a teenager, despite being well over a hundred years old.

"So, between me and that demon Zumi claimed you killed, who do you think would have emerged victorious if I were in your position?" she asked playfully, puffing her chest and ready to accept compliments.

"You would perish before even laying a finger on him," I truthfully responded. The Sage's combat style resembled that of a typical warriorrelying on brute force and powerful punches. However, such tactics would prove ineffective against Otakemaru who emitted intense heat, capable of reducing limbs to ash before a blow could even connect.

"But you defeated the demon. Does that mean you're stronger than me?" she inquired, raising a questioning eyebrow.

"Even at my best, I highly doubt I would survive a single strike from you," I confessed.

"That strong of a counter?" she smiled, seemingly amused. However, her true emotions were difficult to discern.

"You could say that," I casually shrugged. It was crucial that others remained unaware of the extent of my abilities, regardless of who they were.

"So, what about that Special Exorcist position? We can make a few adjustments," she proposed.

"No, thank you," I declined, causing her to frown.

Oh shit. I mustered the smoothest voice I could and added. "However, that's only because I believe I lack sufficient experience for now."

"You have plenty of experience; you defeated an ultimate class demon . Not even other Special Exorcists can compete with that," she placed a hand on my shoulder. It made me uneasy, as one slap from her and my head might pop off.

She was right, but I wasn't about to admit it. Acknowledging my prowess would only burden me with responsibility and few benefits. Special Exorcists would be overwhelmed with work after the war, and all I wanted was time to train. Technically, I was now twenty years old, so my body should continue to develop.

"It seems we're at an impasse," I tried to appear nonchalant while buying time to come up with a plan.

He had coppery red skin, and his left arm was smoldering and burnt. Even the demon's regeneration couldn't repair that damage. Furthermore, his eye was destroyed, and half of his left face was burned. It was Kidomaru.

How had someone like him ended up in such a state? It seemed he had been struck by a curse that hindered his regenerationan unfortunate circumstance for a demon of his caliber. Though he must have been careless, considering his exceptional speed there were few things he couldnt dodge.

Kidomaru had a tragic upbringing, growing up with an absentee father who deemed his own child weak. Shuten Doji was many things, but a good father he was not. His relentless, Spartan-like mentality would never acknowledge someone like Kidomaru.

Ironically, had Kidomaru chosen to leave his father's side and forge his own path in the world, Shuten Doji might have respected him. Kidomaru's absence from the front lines indicated Shuten Doji's true feelings toward his son. Regardless of his injuries, a powerful demon like Kidomaru would have significantly disrupted the situation if he had fought alongside his father.

"Who are you?" he asked.

I wondered if he genuinely didn't recognize me or if this was a ploy to provoke my anger. If it was the latter, I had to commend him because enraged exorcists tended to be careless.

However, I wasn't there to become angry or complain. This was a war, and he had taken Bets' life. I didn't intend to inquire why or how he could be so merciless.

"If you surrender now, I promise not to subject you to a painful death," I offered, unsheathing my cursed sword.

Whether my statement was a lie or the truth, I couldn't even say. Would I restrain myself and grant him an easy death simply because he gave up? After all, he had killed my closest friend.

But pondering such matters was futile, as Kidomaru rose to his feet and propped his spiked bat on his shoulder with his uninjured arm. It was evident that he had no thoughts of surrendering. I didn't blame him, for in his eyes, I surely appeared weak and insignificant.

I analyzed his posture and demeanor, noting that his left arm hung limply by his side, indicating its inability to move. Or perhaps it was a ruse? Regardless, I had to remain vigilant.

It was clear that Kidomaru sought to mimic his father with his choice of weapon. Even the way he wielded it was a poor imitation of Shuten Doji.

Now, I just had to anticipate his initial attack.

In an instant, he vanished from my sight, but I had already reacted, crouching low. The strike whizzed above me, and I almost smirked.

As expected, just as humans were trained to combat demons, the reverse was also true. Although with Ord there were humans capable of healing, the brain was still a major weak point, so he had trained to target it and my prediction was correct.

However, my celebration was short-lived, as a swift, red blur of a kick struck my face. My world spun, and I lost consciousness. When I came to, I found myself slammed against the colosseum walls.

I touched my chin, feeling a dampness. It meant that Carpy had barely managed to create a water shield in time to soften the blow.

The impact felt as if it could have crushed my head. Thank the gods that Kidomaru, being a pure demon unlike his father, lacked the Warrior Affinity to bolster his physique. Otherwise, that attack would have been lethal.

This will be a grueling battle...