Chapter 73 Sharp Blood

I stood before the demon, my heart pounding in my chest. But fear was not what I felt. No, fear had no place in this moment. Instead, I felt a fierce determination, a burning desire to prove myself. I looked the demon straight in the eye, unflinching.

"Good," I said, my voice steady. "So you will relay a message for me to him."

As I spoke, I bit my thumb, drawing blood. With a quick, fluid motion, I traced a circle around myself, the red droplets forming a perfect, swirling ring around my body. The blood seemed to glow, casting an eerie light on the demon and me.

"I shall send you back to hell," I declared, my voice ringing clear and strong.

In that moment, I thought of my siblings, of the way their souls had been devoured by some other demon, some other creature from the depths of hell. I didn't know if this was the same demon, if it was even possible for demons to have distinct personalities and motives. But none of that mattered. All that mattered was this moment, this chance to prove myself.

I stood tall, my eyes locked on the demon's, and waited for its response.

The demon snarled, its eyes narrowing as it charged towards me. But I was ready. I focused my energy, channeling it into a powerful spell.

With a wave of my hand, a shimmering wall of mirrors appeared around us, reflecting the demon's every move. The demon slammed into the wall, and for a moment, I felt its hot breath on my face. But the wall held, unyielding.

"Ppff..."

The demon roared in frustration, clawing at the mirrors with its razor-sharp claws. It was then that I saw my opportunity. I closed my eyes, drawing on my inner strength, and focused on the demon's feet.

With a sudden burst of energy, I sent a wave of mirrored magic through the floor, freezing the demon's feet in place. The demon howled in fury, struggling to break free. But it was too late. I had it trapped.

I opened my eyes, my heart racing, and stared at the demon. It glared back at me, its eyes filled with hatred and rage. But I felt no fright. Only a deep sense of satisfaction, of pride in what I had accomplished.

"You will tell your master," I said, my voice ringing out through the chamber, "that I am not to be trifled with."

The demon snarled, its eyes blazing, but I knew that I had won. With a final burst of energy, I banished the demon back to the depths of hell, where it belonged.

"Aaaargghh!!"

As the mirrors around me shattered into a million pieces, I stood there, breathing heavily, my heart pounding with exhilaration. I had faced the demon and emerged victorious. And I knew that I was ready for whatever other challenges lay ahead.

Catching my breath, my thoughts drifted back to a discovery I had made a few months ago. It was a secret that the author of the story had never told anyone, and it had taken me by surprise.

I had been studying ancient tomes and scrolls, searching for any information that could help me in my quest for vengeance. And then, in a musty old book hidden away in the depths of the library, I had stumbled upon a passage that spoke of a little-known fact about demons.

It said that if a human's mana was stronger than that of an existing demon, their blood could send the demon back to where it came from. Whether it was hell or some other location, it didn't matter. The blood was like a beacon, drawing the demon in and then banishing it with a burst of energy.

At first, I had been skeptical. It seemed too simple, too easy. But then, as I delved deeper into my studies, I began to realize that there was truth to this secret. I experimented with my own blood, drawing on my mana and infusing it with a powerful spell. And when I tested it on a lesser demon, I watched in amazement as it was banished back to its realm.

It was a discovery that had filled me with hope and determination. I knew that I had a weapon in my arsenal that could turn the tide of battle in my favor. And as I faced off against the demon just now, I knew that my knowledge of this secret had given me the edge I needed to emerge victorious.

With a sense of satisfaction, I made my way out of the library , my mind already turning to my next move. I had come so far, but there was still much to do. And I knew that with my newfound knowledge, I was more powerful than ever before.

"Crack"

I heard a voice behind me. "As for someone so young, you are quite experienced with demons..."

I turned around, my hand instinctively reaching for my sword. But when I saw who it was, I relaxed. It was the same guy with the dark black hair and heavy eyelids, the one who I saw in the hall.

"I was pretty sure that I announced it during the introductions," I replied, my voice laced with a hint of sarcasm.

He didn't seem to notice. "We know Hector's location," he said, his tone serious.

I paused, surprised. Hector, the real and true demon responsible for the deaths of my siblings, the one I had been searching for all these months. "Are you sure?" I asked, my heart racing with anticipation.

He nodded. "Positive. I've been tracking him for weeks, and I finally found him."

A rush of excitement flooded through me. After all this time, I was finally going to confront my greatest enemy. "Where is he?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

The guy hesitated, his eyes darting around the room. "It's not safe to talk here," he said finally. "We need to go somewhere more private."