Death March — Fixed

“Tek here, ‘I must pay attention to his arms!’--even after I thought this, I completely forgot about it halfway through the frenetic fight.”

The old priest, who got his internal organs torn out by the sharp claw, died instantly.

“What the hell is this arm?!” Uusu, who has the arm coming out of him, looks like he doesn’t understand what’s happening.

“T-That arm?” Zena’s words burst out, she quickly turns to me with an inquisitive look, “It’s one from the Demon isn’t it?”

I nod to her words.

“What’s that arm? You two know something?” The younger priest asked us, his voice only shaking a little.

Zena nodded, before dutifully answering his question, “It’s one of the arms that were cut off a higher-ranked Demon who attacked the lord’s castle.”

What kind of situation is this?

Uusu doesn’t look like he was a Demon from the beginning--nothing showed on my Heads-Up-Display--which means that he’s probably the host of a Demonic parasite, although I don’t know why, or how.

Let’s quickly check his information again.

Oh, there it is: Abnormal Status: Demonic Possession.

That wasn’t there earlier.

Even though I seem to have a cheat, if I rely on it too much--

I really should reflect on it.

The problem now is how to defeat it.

 

“If I try to pull it out my force, that man will probably die--what should we do?” I ask Zena.

 

“We don’t have time for you to try that, let’s call for reinforcement immediately!” Zena spoke quickly, her eyes focused on the Demon.

 

“I will try to confine it! **** ***** ** ******--” the younger priest began a long chant.

 

“Zena, please go and call for reinforcements! It’s probably fastest to have you call for help with your Wind Magic.”

 

For now, let’s keep Zena safe and away.

After hesitating a bit, staring into my face, she nods and runs away; her words float back to me on a soft breeze, “I’ll be back as soon as I can!”

 

As I listened to her, watched her leave towards safety, the claw tried to attack me again--but since Uusu seemed unable to move, and I was a safe distance from him, it couldn’t reach me.

A guttural growled echoed out from the arm, before it started to grow even longer. At first it was only about a meter in length, but it continues growing.

A stone thrown by one of the crowd who remained hit the side of Uusu’s head, it hit with quite a meaty ‘thwack’. Then, an arrow came flying from behind us and an arrow pierces through Uusu’s neck; when I felt dumbfounded, another three arrows flew rapidly through the air and hit in a row.

Looking behind, I see that two men dressed as hunters appear from the shadows.

 

“We bring down our prey when we are presented a chance.” The larger man speaks, one hand reaching back and stroking the feathers and shaft of one of the arrows in his quiver.

 

I have no idea where they came from, or how long they had been there for, it was slightly creepy--

Uusu, who should have been dead, suddenly rose to his feet--well I say rose, but he seemed to float upwards without bending a single joint--from that body, a strange black light begins to pulse just over his skin.

 

“You worms, for destroying the brain of this irritating host, I thank you.”

 

“--**** *****, Light Seal!”

 

“How impertinent, I laugh.” The Demon spoke in an uninterested tone as the younger priest invokes a spell which seals the hand of the Demon in a square of Light Magic.

 

Even though the Demon snickers at it, the Magic square persisted.

 

“Urgh--This isn’t a Magic that a human should be able to use! I miscalculate.”

 

The younger priest begins the chanting, to cast another spell.

The hunters have already withdrawn, knowing that the Demon isn’t an opponent that they can defeat with their arrows; the only people remaining in the square are just me, the younger priest, and the three Beastkin girls.

Seeming to be interested by the situation, there are some people peeking out of the shadows of the alleys around us--these people can sure run quickly.

The three Beastkin are chained together to a stake stuck in the square, so they can’t run away. For now, let’s get them out of harm’s way--I really shouldn’t forget the reason why I got into the old priest in the first place.

Breaking the chain with my bare hands would be way too conspicuous, so I settle for pulling the stake out. Since I didn’t look like I used too much force, even if someone saw it, they would think that the ground was loose.

 

“It’s dangerous here, leave, quickly. Since I can’t remove the chains from you, go hide together in the shadow of that building.” I speak carefully, calmly to the girls--I don’t want to scare them even more.

 

“Im-impossible--” The cat girl spoke timidly, slightly choking on her words. It seems that Uusu ordered them to not move away from the place--if they go against their master’s orders, the collar will tighten, and choke them to death.

 

This is a little troublesome.

 

I can’t wait for the army to arrive--they have already lost some of their war potential from the fight the day before yesterday, and there isn’t enough space in the road for them to bring either their cannon or the cavalry.

The number of Mages have also decreased sharply.

If it stays like this, if I play around, the number of victims will only rapidly increase.

I don’t want Zena, or the Beastkin girls to die here.

Let’s disguise as the masked hero, and finish off the Demon when the younger priest completes his current spell.

Ducking into the shadow, I ‘transformed’ using Quick Dress, before the Demon can do anything else troublesome.

 

“Oi, bastard in the mask--You worm, you dare to ignore me, I am angry!”

 

I face the arm of the Demon--my Heads-up-Display reading has changed from Uusu to Demonkin--it seems that Uusu has either been completely devoured, or died.

While keeping my gaze on the Demon, I quickly check the information on the Beastkin girls; their statuses have all changed to display Master: none.

 

“You bastard, who are you? I am uncomfortable,”

 

Suddenly his body twitches, “W-Wait! I am Uusu! Please take this arm out of me--I don’t want to die! Please, help me?!”

 

Hmm?

 

He should be dead, and the Demon said something about removing the consciousness--I wonder, is the Demon doing what they always do in stories, is it trying to make us think that it is the host talking--luring us into a false sense of security?

When I paused to think, the Demon arm launches three of its five poisonous nails at my face.

 

“Kukukuku! Humans always react this way, I am thrilled.”

 

Quickly swinging my hand, I knock all three claws out of the air with the stake that is still in my hand--I was moving using an unknown instinct, which seemed to be imparted into me when I put ten points into my skills.

 

“Oh, you blocked that? I am astonished!”

 

I pick up a ‘holy’ stone from the ground, should I try to weaken him with this?

Uusu’s jaw transforms, ripping and expanding, spraying blood across the square and towards the Beastkin girls and I; it soon looks like a distorted wolf muzzle.

I tried to throw the rock at him before the transformation was complete, but he blocked it with one of his remaining claws.

 

“Aaah, it’s so much easier to talk now! I am excited!” His voice sounds much less Human, incredibly distorted, seemingly trying to dig through the listener’s ears--A thick, dark voice, mixed with howls and barks--

 

I will probably have nightmares tonight.

 

“****, Spear of Light!”

 

At the younger priests words, a spear of light appears out of thin air and flies towards the Demon.

 

“I ridicule!” The Arm Demon roars, a thick wall of darkness erupts and diverts the light spear’s course, causing it to penetrate through a nearby building.

It seems that not only can the Arm Demon speak more clearly now, he can also use his Magic again.

 

Everyone, please quickly get away from the square! Attack Magic is incoming!” I desperately raise my voice as I shout at the observers loitering in the shadows.

 

>>Skill: Loudspeaker Acquired.

 

“All that panic, fear, anxiety, prejudice, hatred, and arrogance that still linger in the air from earlier tastes truly splendid! I am satisfied.”

 

I will be fine no matter what happens, but at this rate, it is likely that the Beastkin girls will all die--

Suddenly, the Arm Demon tilts its twisted jaw back an lets out an especially long and loud roar, “Therefore, let this place become my new nest--don’t you all feel happy? I service!”

 

Should I carry the Beastkin girls on my shoulder and run?

It can’t be helped if I attract attention--but I won’t let them die just because of my wish to hide.

Luckily though, while I was having such needless worries, the situation began to rapidly change.

The ground below us begins warping and shifting, even though it was hard stone, it begins to flash a dark violet--twisting and stretching like taffy--before a sudden violet light flashes.

***

When the light clears, I find that I am now standing in what looks like a cave--beside the paved ground, all the walls and the ceiling looks like it is made from bare rocks. The cavern seems to be around ten meters in diameter, and I can only see a single exit on one of the walls; I can see my surroundings because of a faint purple light glowing from the floor.

The people in this room are just me, and the Beastkin girls; I had grabbed the cat girl with one arm and the dog girl with the other, both of which are still chained together and the lizard girl--who I had slung over my shoulder--I didn’t have a chance to warn her, it was an emergency.

The younger priest and Arm Demon, who were nearby when the light show started, aren’t here.

 

“Welcome to my Labyrinth. While it still doesn’t have a name, Monsters are already being created, so you can thank me for that. I am diligent!” The Arm Demon’s voice is coming from somewhere, it doesn’t seem to be telepathy.

 

The dog girl seems to have noticed my confusion, and is pointing at a corner of the ceiling. Looking closely, I can see a small hole, which seems to be where the voice is coming from.

 

“For the sake of my complete revival: experience extreme fear, kill each other, snatch everything! I encourage!” After a brief pause, the Arm Demon continues, “The souls of those who give up are thin, I hate! Therefore, every room has at least one exit that is connected to other rooms--there is a way out, and a way to my room. I am fair! I am expecting a lot of despair, which comes after hope. Strive fodder! I encourage!”

 

I see.

This is like some kind of forced event, a Labyrinth Escape Mission.