267. History of the 'Inner Fiends': The Threat that once began - Part 1

[Demon's War: Arc 13]

Approximately 100 Years ago ago, the first signs of 'Fiends' appeared with 'Inner Fiend's' alongside them. Humanity's safety existed no more and due to the high number of Spiritual Duelists, the number of 'Fiends' drastically rose along the years.

The first 'Inner Fiend' was known to seek one's body after it was sealed away into someone's else's. Over the hunt, he successfuly found his prey and tried to overwhelm his power, but due to the man unable to be a Spiritual Duelist he was incapable of being controled, until one day, that Spiritual Duelist received a weapon known as Ginken and was known as the first Substitute-Duelist. Righteously after the obtainment of that Ginken, the 'Inner Fiend' awoke itself from his slumber and immediately overtook that man's body.

Due to that Substitute-Duelist being easily to manipulated, he never contained his 'Inner Fiend' and decided to one day eject his Spiritual Symbolism and seal it away, due to losing his 'Spiritual Symbolism' he was then killed and both, the man and the Fiend died in one, over the years multiple Duelists received an 'Inner Fiend', but none of those 'Inner Fiends' managed to successfully overtake their bodies, until now.

Shinkaku Timoshī, 17 year old teenager and a 2020 Substitute-Duelist one day recieved a Ginken from another Spiritual Duelist Giovanni and from there became known as the 'Substitute-Duelist'. Over the years he had met multiple allies and fought multiple enemies, but never until now did he fall under 'Inner Fiend's' control.

In conditions of revenging Ayuka, he gave in to his 'Inner Fiend' and allowed him to surf on the surface of his body, his memories were fully lost and his existence has disappeared from his mind, now.

Only the 'Inner Fiend' stands in the world and has no intention of giving his control over back to Timoshī.

- Year 1920 -

[Planet Earth - Maisen City - Sunday, 10:10 a.m.]

Several people stood in front of men, each of them being a Duelist. "The two names that I will call out too, may step forward. Matsuo Toshio and Sako Tsuyoshi, please if you step forward." The man spoke, grabbing the paper while looking at it. Both of the two boys stepped forward while the rest of the Duelists stood behind. "I've heard reports of your brilliant skills, the last expedition on erasing Demons from the furtest link of the city was rewarded sufficiently well, due to your high results I have decided that you two will partake in our final request. Your job won't be simple and the expedition won't be short, you'll be sent to the Misano City, approximately 130,000 meters away from our department, our request is to departure over to the city and retrieve the potential threat and the Ginken that was abandoned by a kill Duelist, you'll have to make your way through the Demons and survive. Once you reach Misano City, I ask of you that you capture one of the Demons and bring it back to our city, the studies about their existence and survivibility are still unknown to us, with that said, will you accept our request?" The Duelist who was explaining their mission was known as Koda Shoichi, the top tier Duelist that was once found injured in an isolated canyon.

"Sir... If we do not manage to capture the Demon, what shall we do?" Wondered Tsuyoshi. "Come on now, don't begin unnecessary conversation." Sighed Toshio. "Do not manage? Then we'll count your mission as a failure. Any more questions?" Shoichi asked. "No, sir. I apologize for askin, we understand your request and we'll make it done as soon as possible." Spoke Tsuyoshi. "Good. Before you go, wear these." Two supporting Duelists came walking from the sides in front of the two Duelists with their hands holding something. "Huh? What are these?" Questioned Toshio. "Those are known as 'Dueling Robes' and these are the latest, which means only a few exist. Putting them on will prove to civilians of cities that you two are on expedition." Explained Shoichi. ".... 'Dueling Robes'.... I haven't seen them before." Claimed Tsuyoshi. "As I've said, these 'Robes' have only began to be created, whenever more of them are created, the Duelists will indeed need to wear them." Explained Shoichi. "Now, please, put them on." The two duelists took the 'Dueling Robes' and put them on before everyone else, they've tied them around their hips while the white tie continued to ripple down, in fully and primary colors, they were black.

Due to the bad discovery about Dueling techniques, the Ginkens were stuck to their hips or backs in scabbards. "Now that you've received these robes, please if you departure, we'll we awaiting you with high hopes of your success." Claimed Shoichi. "Of course. We understand, we won't disappoint you." Both of them bowed ahead. "I entrust you with my heart, return safe."

And with that said, both of the Duelits journeyed to capture a Demon in Misano City, since that was the last point of where the Demon was seen.

[Planet Earth - Maisen Forest - Sunday, 10:30 a.m.]

Tsuyoshi and Toshio were one of the most skilled Duelist among the groups and were known to partake in the most missions over their years of being a Spiritual Duelist.

The two have been moving among the forest path over the gaps of the branches on the trees, while having a conversation. "So, if I understood correctly, this entire mission is about capturing a Demon?" Wondered Tsuyoshi. "Of course. If we successfully capture a Demon, we'll be one step closer to receiving all the information needed, once we do that.... then we'll be able to fight them evenly and who knows, in future, the new Duelists might actually manage to defeat them, once and for all." Claimed Toshio as the two of them quickly moved over trees, jumping. "Correct. But how will we be able to score anything with just one Demon?" Wondered Tsuyoshi. "If necessary, we'll just capture two of them, but first, focus on arriving to the correct area." Claimed Toshio. "Yeah, I suppose it truly is one of the tougher missions.... I'm surprised they've never managed to capture or sustain a Demon before." Sighed Tsuyoshi, while dropping down toward the path.

Toshio quickly leaped over the gap and then dropped down in front of Tsuyoshi who caught up. "Of course, because of that exact reason, we'll succeed. Demons are our almost-immortal enemies and the only enemy, so if we get more details on them, then we're all set." Toshio added.

"Of course, bet on that." Claimed Tsuyoshi. But without realizing, the two of them were unaware of reality, there were multiple enemies lying ahead, not just Demons.

[Planet Earth - Kamino Village - Sunday, 2:54 p.m.]

The two skilled Duelists reached the nearest Town and were immediately put into responsibility, since a loud scream was heard. "What's going on?" Questioned Tsuyoshi, and due to the scream, Toshio quickly jumped up on the branch, crouching and looking over the city. "I was afraid. We must hurry, there are already several people infected by Demon's blood, if they aren't killed, we'll be spreadig this infection over the cities, let's hurry." Both of them rushed into the Village while entering the city below the weak sunlight.

A woman who was in fear had a baby girl in her hands and was running. "Please! Somebody, help me!" Without wasting time, Toshio and Tsuyoshi dashed in to protect the woman.

Toshio appeared out of nowhere behind the woman's back when twisting his needled blade and making a step forward.

The Demon who was targeting the woman jumped forward, but luckily Toshio sweeped with his blade and instantly managed to cut Demon's front arm, the Demon dropped in front of him an instantly recovered, when swinging his other arm, luckily Toshio made a sharp turn with his body to the side and quickly sweeped his sword, cutting the other front arm of the Demon, when he immediately raised the sword and sliced it down, cutting the back of the Demon's neck and decapitating his neck, the Demon began to slowly disperse into red blood particles. "Ma'am. Are you all right?" Questioned Toshio as he saw the woman at the wall of the building, holding the baby. "Y-Yes.... T-thank you." She claimed, fully afraid. "Ma'am, would you explain what had happened?" Questioned Toshio.

"M-me and my husband were in the middle of packing food, when we heard a window's glass shattering and scattering on the floor. We've.... We've rushed in, and there it was... a Demon with long tongue, taking a shape of a wolf stood there, it didn't have any eyes, so we thought we could escape with our baby, but we.... we were wrong, the more movement we've made, it easier found us, at the end my husband was scratched and he got infected, but the other Demon was killed due to the low blood pressure, I believe..... T-The Demon that you.... You've just killed was.... was my husband." In surprise, Toshio stood up. ("Her husband? How is that possible, since when are Demons able to infect other people and then die? It's abnormal.... How does that work-") But as he thought, he soon heard. "Toshio! I need backup! A swarm of Demons is headed this way!" Shouted Tsuyoshi when blocking the Demon's attack and then cutting its neck. In the distance, there ran several Demons. "Damn it.... Grab your child and run to the nearest hideout, they're built all over the forest and around the Towns, don't waste time, me and my companion will take care of these Demons!" Ordered Toshio and without wasting time, the woman rushed as the baby cried.

"This is one hell of a number, usually 3 to 4 Demons swarm an area, but this time, due to the large number of people, there's more of them than usually!" Toshio quickly disappeared when Tsuyoshi was standing in front of the two Demons. "Damn, where did you assholes come from?!" Tsuyoshi noticed the right Demon jumping toward him with its mouth opened and ready to bite, but with a step back and a sharp turn, Tsuyoshi sweeped his katana and dislocated the Demon's jaw, ending it with dislocating its head.

The left Demon followed up quickly and would easily be able to kill Tsuyoshi if he were to not have assistance.

In luck, Toshio appeared and sweeped his blade through Demon's full body, halving him and both of the attacking Demons were transformed into blood particles, as they slowly vanished.

But, there was another group of Demons, some were on the roofs while some were around the corner or path. "There's 13 of them! We must take care of them, immediately!" Spoke Tsuyoshi. "I'm aware. But they got us surrounded, it'll be hard not to die!" In that instant, all of the Demons jumped and leaped for their prey.

[Planet Earth - Kamino Village - Sunday, 3:30 p.m.]

The final Demon fell to the blade and multiple blood particles were floating around Tsuyoshi and Toshio, both of them breathing heavily. "That's the last of them, for now...." Claimed Toshio. "It took more time than expected...." Tsuyoshi said, having Demon's blood on his cheek as it was wiped off. "Did you get injured?" Questioned Toshio. "No, I'm fine. Just covered by some of their flithy blood, should disappear quickly though." Claimed Tsuyoshi. "All right, then let's get going, whenever it gets dark, we'll camp outside and hopefully sleep until daylight, we'll continue tomorrow to where we end up." Claimed Toshio when putting the blade back in his scabbard. "Yeah, that's as best as we'll manage to get." Sighed Tsuyoshi and did the same. The two of them have decided to continue their journey while successfully protecting multiple people, only a few lives were lost.

But as they thought that they've succeeded, the particles began to form a gigantic body, a body that was never seen before, it was the first appearance of Grade 5 Demons.... The Titanic Demon, it roared among the sky while feasting on the killed people.

To be continued...