Chapter 256
Her eyes brightened at his words. For the first time, he had referred to her as “student” rather than “little girl” or something dismissive. The acknowledgment filled her with pride and a renewed sense of determination.
Her chest swelled with an unfamiliar warmth, and for the first time in what felt like ages, she believed she was truly capable of living up to someone’s expectations.
Someone was depending on her.
She swallowed her nerves, her fists tightening at her sides. “Yes! I’ll do my best!” she said earnestly.
Her chest swelled with an unfamiliar warmth, and for the first time in what felt like ages, she believed she was truly capable of living up to his expectations.
Oliver began explaining his plan in detail.
__________________
“Captain, we’ve surrounded the camp and sealed off all exit points,” a demon reported, bowing before Sera, who stood atop a short cliff overlooking the horizon.
Sera remained silent, her gaze fixed in the distance, lost in thought. The night sky above seemed unnaturally still, its dark expanse devoid of stars, as if even the heavens held their breath in anticipation. The low hum of infernal energy from her soldiers thrummed steadily, a suffocating aura pressing down on the camp like a predator poised to strike.
Her mind was occupied with the enigma of the human they had cornered.
How? How had one human waded through a region of their kind—uncaught, unseen—and left nothing but ash in his wake? Even Vasoth, a master of detection and perception, had failed to sense him.
She flexed her claws slowly, the sharp tips gleaming under the pale light of the crescent moon. The motion was hypnotic, each metallic flick catching the faint light, as if testing the edge of the weapon she wielded with deadly precision. The act was instinctive, a way to ease the strange tightness in her chest.
Now that they had trapped him, she couldn’t help but wonder what he would do next.
Her tactical mind worked overtime, generating multiple scenarios and crafting countermeasures for each. In her mind’s eye, she placed him like a lone chess piece on the board, surrounded by her army of rooks and knights. Yet the unsettling part wasn’t the checkmate she envisioned—it was the nagging feeling that he might move in a way she couldn’t predict.
Yet, something about this human unsettled her.
Placing a hand over her chest, she felt her heart beating faster than usual. Each pulse drummed faintly in her ears, a rhythm she couldn’t ignore. It was strange—a ripple in her otherwise calm emotions. Was it anticipation? Curiosity? Or perhaps a foreboding sense of danger?
Whatever it was, she couldn’t deny her intrigue.
‘This human is not simple,’ she thought.
She turned to her subordinate, her gaze sharp as a blade. “Proceed as per the plan.”
“Yes, Captain.” The demon hesitated before speaking again. His head dipped slightly, his body language timid, though he dared to speak. “Captain, is it really fine for you to personally handle this?”
Sera’s cold glare froze him in place. The demon quivered but quickly explained himself. “I… I don’t mean to doubt your abilities. You’re the strongest here, of course.” He paused, swallowing audibly. “It’s just… a single human doesn’t seem worth your status.”
The demon’s voice wavered, but he ended with a flattering tone, hoping to salvage his misstep. His words hung in the air, brittle and awkward, like a precarious bridge over a chasm. He had risen to his current position by being cautious and respectful of authority, not by offending those stronger than himself.
“Worth my status?” Sera scoffed, her tone dripping with disdain. Her lips curled into a half-smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “The same human you’re dismissing just massacred an entire region full of demons without alerting anyone. If this doesn’t warrant my interference, then nothing does.”
Her words laced the air with icy finality, a warning as sharp as her claws. Her subordinate’s throat tightened as a chill ran down his spine.
Massacred an entire city province without being caught?
Looking at the captain’s expression, he knew she wasn’t exaggerating.
His skin prickled under the weight of her words, the reality sinking in like a blade through armor. ‘No wonder Sir Vasoth was so cautious, even after surrounding him,’ the demon thought. Most of the gathered soldiers had no idea of the severity of the situation—they had been mobilized too quickly for detailed briefings.
Hearing it directly from Sera made the weight of their predicament crystal clear. His pride gave way to a gnawing dread, an uneasy awareness that they were facing something—or someone—they had no precedent for.
“I understand now, Captain. You’re right. This requires your strength.”
The demon bowed deeply before retreating to inform the soldiers, ensuring none acted recklessly out of overconfidence. His movements were hurried but careful, as if the air around him had grown too heavy to breathe freely. Losing troops unnecessarily was the last thing he wanted.
As the subordinate disappeared into the shadows, Sera turned her attention back to the camp below. It was time. She descended the cliff, her presence radiating authority and menace, ready to face the human personally.
____________
“Damn, so many demons.”
Oliver muttered under his breath, his gaze sweeping over the countless demons surrounding him. Their glowing red eyes flickered like dying embers in the dark, watching him with beastily patience. They were stationed everywhere—behind trees, on cliffs, crouched near rocks. Wherever he looked, their figures loomed, each one dressed in formal military attire.
It wasn’t just the numbers that unnerved him; it was their precision. They had sealed off every possible escape route, leaving him boxed in.
Despite their numbers, there wasn’t a single wasted movement among them. No chatter. No signs of restlessness. Just disciplined silence. It sent a faint chill crawling up his spine.
Yet, despite their overwhelming presence, none of them approached. They maintained a calculated distance, encircling him like wolves waiting for their alpha’s command.
A ripple of movement among the ranks caught his attention. The demons parted to create a path, their rigid formation breaking only to allow someone through.
Oliver’s stomach sank.