368. The Hero's heinous outcome.

WARNING!

The story contains graphic depictions of violence, sexuality, strong language, and/or other mature themes.

[The Demon's God Pursuit: Arc 17]

Once upon a time, on Planet Earth, a young girl was born; the story goes that her identity was never adequately clarified, but she was effectively known as the 'Holy Light.'

Her title depicted the real life of one's planet. Humankind did not know the Dimensions that had appeared alongside her birth, only of the Spirits that had been destroyed or disappeared.

The woman... The Holy Light, the heir of all the inhabitants, was not born alone. The arrival of the Demon God, whose name was Rez, caused anarchy, and humanity was on the brink of extinction.

Humans terrified him because of his recklessness and hunger for blood, and Demons started to manifest all over the Earth and The World of Zero, alongside alternate races such as The Inner Fiends, The Shades, Wraiths, and Spirits.

To combat the challenge, a new breed of people has awakened, the 'Spiritual Duelists' and 'Substitute-Duelists,' who have been dubbed the "First Army to Face Evil."

With their Legendary Weapons, the Ginken. This swarm of humans increased the world's cleanliness to the greatest extent possible, overwhelming the Demons of various grades and placing their survival at risk.

But, after several years of waiting, the 'Holy Light' gave birth to a human child, a girl of theoretically greater worth than Zero herself, but unlikely to become the next 'Holy Light,' their Goddess gave the girl to a friendly family, and since her mother needed to participate in protecting the divinity, the girl's memories were wiped.

But there is another royalty trapped within the shadows that have been concealed for millennia, even longer than the birth of a Demon...

The only one who has beaten the 'Holy Light's own is the Fiend Lord. Its lurkers will undoubtedly be wiped out, and the newfound foe will ready the battlefield...

- Gyuma City, Tuesday, 1:00 pm -

Tim took a step toward the mirror, reaching his hands into the sink, undressed and revealing his taut chest, while cleansing his face with the streaming water and staring in the mirror.

"Would you take a look at yourself? Have you been exercising? I had no idea you had such a strong physique." Looking at Tim's body, Hagiwara smiled. "Tell me how it felt to slaughter all those innocent people. I'm sure it wasn't you from back then." Hagiwara claimed, looking at him but not getting any responses.

"N-nothing, just stopping by to say hello. I didn't want you to be so serious, you know. What I'm trying to suggest is that I'm shocked you're so serious about this 'power.'" Hagiwara looked around and smiled.

"I understand you have immense strength, but you didn't need to destroy those innocent people. If you ask me, it was a little stupid." Hagiwara spoke, and Tim's head refused to turn around to face him as a splash of water ran down his face and chest.

"But I'm curious! How have you managed to keep your hair white? Don't tell me you're naturally of that color. If that's the case, that's very amazing." Talked Hagiwara, he laughed. "All I'm going to do is warn you. I have the power to crack through your cell, and if you don't stop talking for another second, I'll kill the foe in front of me. Have you gotten that?" When Hagiwara laughed, Tim shouted.

"Now is the time. You ought to relax. You see, there's no reason to be aggressive. Your powers are designed to be handled by someone who isn't as competitive as you are. Or, who knows, it could all end in disaster!" However, as soon as Hagiwara said this, Tim reached through the cell with his right arm and took his clothing, lifting him.

"The power was never meant to be mine in the first place! It's utterly pointless, so I have no choice but to do this nonsense before I understand how to do it correctly! I'll caution you once more: I have enough power to destroy the three of you, and I will simply shatter this whole building to ashes! So shut up before that happens, it's not like I agreed to sit in this jail, all those poor people weren't deserving of life! Got that?!"

Tim screamed as white energy started to spin through his body, glowing his pupils.

"Damn! You maniac, let go of me! What the heck do you think you're doing?!" When Tim thrust his right arm forward and knocked him up against the wall, Hagiwara yelled. "Who the heck put me on the guard with this jerk?! I'm not cut out for this role, Maniac!" Tim's eyes and energy dissipated when Hagiwara screamed and burst through the door.

- Yashikami City, Thursday, 1:00 pm -

"Why did Toyama abruptly end the fight and not resume it for another 30 minutes? Is there something he's planning, or is he really wasting time?" Elliot pondered this as he sat next to Ayuka.

"How could I have known? The fight was halted just as Ken was about to hit Kylin. I'm not sure whether there was a particular motive, or whether it was just to save her from being hurt..." Ayuka pondered, crossed her arms, and struggled to comprehend.

"I'll make sure he doesn't go any further if he wins the lousy duel. There is no way." However, Ayuka became worried the moment Elliot said it. "I thought he was pretty cool in that fight..." Yet Elliot's eyes shook the moment he realized this. "What exactly do you mean?! You weren't rooting for him, were you? Didn't you?" Elliot inquired, his face irritated.

"I didn't do that. I just don't understand why the two of you keep on arguing. Whether he wins, he wins; if he loses, he loses. By the end of the day, it's not my call..." Elliot kept his chin as she spoke.

Kylin was standing by the door, her knees clenched. "His intensity is almost as great as Tim's... How could I ever beat him on my own?" Kylin inquired, taking a deep breath to reassure himself.

"Azumi..... I assume you did not earn enough points to win the duel. Having said that, Ken won..." Shin said as he approached from the front. "That's funny. Much as I had expected..." Kylin rose to his feet, while Ken stretched his whole frame.

"Toyama! If you don't force me to tackle the jerk, I'll do it myself! And I don't care how daring I am! If you don't bring me up against this jerk, I'll- I'll-" Yet he was abruptly cut off.

"That's fine. Go ahead and engage in this needless fight if you're too thirsty." Shin stepped back as Elliot's mouth rattled. "At long last, I will demonstrate that this guy is hopeless." Elliot took a step past Ayuka, causing Ken to sigh. "He's such a moron..."

- Nitsuragi City, Thursday, 1:02 pm -

Codey was carrying Ena despite being soaked in hot steam, as a result of so many people he had to kill.

"Every single one of them... They were a group of uninvolved individuals. I can't believe I was such a moron as to murder them... What was I thinking?!" Codey pondered, clutching his brow and suffering from a headache.

"Look, there he is!" The same man who had come to warn the Guild's death, along with his companions, appeared behind Codey, causing him to become stressed and back a step-down. "Once again, you are a charlatan. What the heck are you looking for?!" However, they arrived at the worst possible time, having seen Codey murdering all of those victims.

"I had a feeling! You're a homicidal maniac! For the helpless people! It was crystal clear! You dumb 'Half-Demons' should think about being killed!" The man yelled angrily at him, pointing, alongside.

"They were the ones who attacked me with hoes, forks, and other ineffective farm tools! I was just defending myself!" Yet, oblivious to the situation, the man spoke. "Falsehood! You killed those people with no remorse! You must be put to death! Hurry up, men, and pile on him! Don't let him escape!" Seven men appeared suddenly, either from the rooftops or from nowhere.

"You have to be kidding me! Where the hell did you even come from ?!" Ena then started to weep, and Codey was at a loss for words. "Not right now! Come on, Ena. Relax, I understand. You're terrified, so please. Don't worry. Ena, please! Shhh, shhh..." But it was pointless, Ena kept crying.

"That's the kid! Get her and get rid of her right now!"

"Sir, yes, sir!!" The men ran towards their prey, leaving Codey perplexed as to what to do. "Why is this happening to me?! I can't battle them while holding her! She'll get hurt!" They were taking advantage of Codey because he was carrying an infant.

("Damn it! Just what should I do?!") When the men swept by him, followed by another when slicing with the knife, Codey avoided by leaping into the air and landing on the roof, when a man came landing on the roof and swiping the blade, when Codey turned to face him and instantly ducked, while spinning on the crouch and forcibly making the man slip when quickly jumping into the air, with another one attuned.

He fell on the opposite roof and slipped down the bricks, almost losing his footing. However, in order to maintain his stance or location, he immediately clenched his feet and came to a complete halt before crashing through the edge of the roof.

("I can't just go after them... I'll end up murdering a large amount of people! I don't want to kill them! Why the fuck do I have to be a part of this decision? ") Codey pondered, turning on the spot, sweeping his leg behind his back and then ducking to avoid the man, backflipping onto the road, at which point another man stood behind him and swiped the blade, successfully cutting Codey's throat.

With luck, however. Codey ducked once more before easily outstretching his left leg and striking the guy in the stomach. When the next one came rubbing in, but right with that, Codey stomped the earth with his ankle when a wind pulse drafted itself from the ground and knocked the guy sky high, who then dropped back down and flew through the bricked roof, having those bricks stacked on his frame.

"Please accept my apologies!!!" Codey stressedly yelled, attempting to stop the man's next strike.

"Damn! Are you a bunch of nerds?! You don't land a single blow! He literally has a newborn in his arms! Kill him right now!" The group's chief roared.

- Yashikami City, Thursday, 1:05 pm -

Elliot stood on the other side, immediately facing Ken, detecting his frustration.

"I believe you were Codey's friend a few years ago. So, what just happened? For the last three years, you seem to have been very irritating." Elliot inquired, carrying a pen, after Ken sighed. "You are mistaken. I never intended to be a friend; I just had to deal with the jerk. Otherwise, I'm here to exterminate any Demon in existence, including you..." Ken spoke while watching Elliot spin the tiny pen.

"Is that right? I gotta admit, I'm very taken aback..." Elliot scratched his nose as he spoke.

"If I win. What do you say that you distance yourself from the woman, as well as your murderous feelings toward a friend of mine?" As he took a step forward, he thought.

"So just tell me everything. Is that your tiny pen, your Ginken? Since, if you ask me, it seems to be quite dull..." Ken asserted while gripping the sword.

"Is that a pen? That's right. I almost forgot about it. The other Ginken was released because it was almost crumpled to smithereens. But don't worry, this one's a lot more fun."

Elliot spoke, his pen rapidly rotating in his hands.

"It's a 'pen,' you see... How stupid would you get?" But, in that moment, Elliot spoke while smiling. "A pen... True... But-" He flung the pen over his head at that moment, and it danced and shone in the light.

Instantly, yellow electricity surrounded the pen as the yellow electricity shone behind Elliot's back, at which point a yellow blade made of electricity expanded outwardly and summoned speedy energy, which began to sweep across his body, at which point Elliot swept with his right arm and caught the sword within his grasp, as it flashed behind his back.

"But it's not just some old pen..."

To be continued...