Demon King Candidate

Seeing the lights from a distance wasn’t a good sign. Seeing the light go away was not a great sign. Seeing pulsating inky black tendrils in the dark of night was a very bad sign. The had made their way out of the fog. Apparently it was a deterrent set up by Lobos to stop intruders and for them to collect stories. Lupa and Selena, the panther spirit, were immune to the effects. Which was why Leo needed to be carried. Sophia also seem to get really quiet after her experience in there. But that didn’t matter. All that mattered was getting the two girls back.

“They should be at the ceremonial site!” Lupa called. Then once they pass the trees they saw it. To Leo it was definitely an open theater with a stage. On that stage were three figures; Zentella, and older glowing wolf girl, and the Gargoyle. The two girls were now wrapped in a snake like living shadow each

“TIBERIUS!” Leo couldn’t hold in his rage and jumped off Lupa. The back of his still clear head would have thought that Lupa would pull him back, but this was Lunatic Lupa the A-rank adventurer. Of course she was jumping in with him too.

“Ah… good more pages have come to me on their own.” Tiberius chuckled to himself looking at the two. Then Leo say it, a glowing red book in his hands. Instinctively, almost with thought definitely not his own, he knew. He had gained a shard and the system was morphed to him.

BLACKWELL’S WINDBLADE

Seeing that they were in the path of an invisible slash Leo reach for his sword.

ALIEISTER’S QUICKDRAW

It was a long shot, espessialy without an active mana core, but if could just alter the way of the skill…

The quickdraw worked as Leo intended. Alieister’s mana shot out from the blade and met the Demon’s skill canceling each other out. The shockwave however sent both Leo and Lupa into the audience stands.

“Ah I see.” Tiberius smirking to himself, “Absorbing two shards allow one to not even need the book. I wonder what happens when I have three.”

Need the book? Leo eyes widen, “He doesn’t know he can automatically call the skills yet!” That also means that he doesn’t know what all his skills are yet.

“Leo! He fights an awful lot like you now!” Lupa said

“Yeah I noticed!” His attention turned to the two still trapped, he was going to suggest that one of them freed the two, but now he just hoped that Sophia was up for it. He’ll apologize to Zen later. “Plan hasn’t changed Lupa! We keep attacking!” He then prepared to launch himself at Tiberius.

ALIEISTER’S LEAP

Lupa let out a wild laugh, “I didn’t even realized we had a plan!” She bit down on her hand realizing her Blood Runes, “But this one is my style!” And again took her greatsword and launched herself at the gargoyle.

Leo reached him as he blocked with his arms. That didn’t matter the point of Leo’s plan was just to keep him busy. If he wasn’t used to the skills yet, he would want to keep trying to read what they do.

“Rah!” Lupa then came around the other side with her greatsword and he made the misjudgment that she was the same skin level as Leo. As when he braced himself for it greatly staggered him. Not wanting to let up Leo struck again.

ALIEISTER’S TRIPLE SLASH

Again he sent a flurry of slashes at the Demon. This time they found purchase and even left some cut on him. That was apparently not appreciated as he went back for Leo. He didn’t read from his book as he punched. Leo barely caught the punch with his sword to mitigate some of the incoming damage.

Lupa was now being ignored and had set up another swing and broke off a wing on him. She apparently really loves to go for the appendages.

“GRAH! My Wing! You little mutt!” Then when his back was turned to try to go for Lupa, Leo steadied his blade.

ALIEISTER’S THRUST

Then with a wet sound Leo’s blade dug deep into the open wound that Lupa made.

“GRAHHH! Enough already!”

Then the instant killing intent bathed the field once again. Leo figured this had to be something other than the regular killing intent used by other beings as a Blood Rune powered Lupa still got caught and paralyzed.

“Damnit…” Leo muttered as his body didn’t listen to him.

“That… mortals, is your mana recognizing fear of the absolute inevitability.” He then walked over to where his severed wings was, “That what awaits you all in this world is death by the hands of Demons. Every single one of you is on a trial run of living, borrowing powers that you could never hope to understand.” He then picked up his wing and positioned it behind him again.

LAZARUS’ REGENERATION

With book in hand he then began to heal. The severed wing now reattaching itself to his back. Was this it? How could the people of this world even fight Demons if they have a cheat code that can make their mana freeze up in fear?

“I never personally liked stories where the prologue tells you the ending.”

Then, as Tiberius looked at the now freed wolf woman a flash of crimson slashed his healing wing.

“Grahhh! You little… LOBOS!” Triberius roared as he called the woman the Great Spirit confusing Leo as he was expecting the wold. Then beside her Zentella stood swinging the Demon’s blood off her dagger. She was able to move! Leo even saw Selena meaning that her and Sophia were able to free them.

“Wait… sis? Are you in there?” Lupa called

The woman called Lobos then walked forward speaking in her triple voice, “It leads to two things when told poorly. One; it takes out the joys of the journey as you painstakingly judge every action and weigh it against where it would end of wether there is worth. Or two; it is revealed that the story is told by an unreliable narrator.”