Let's Play

Nero and the girls, along with the new addition to their party, continued on the path that Zhia had taken as fast as they could. Once in a while, they would come across stray victims who had no idea they were gazed upon by the goddess of misfortune today.

Although they really don't have an obligation to help them, but the fact that it was one of their own who caused their misfortune can't be denied. Fortunately, Star is with them now. Although there's a limit to what a priest can do in this situation, its way better than just potions and crude bandages.

As promised, Zhia did left everyone just barely alive that they can still actually be saved. Compared to how she usually acts, they're really glad that Nero had the sense to have Avyzhia promise. 

They were starting to get complacent, until they reached the fourth clearing and saw another group who had the misfortune of meeting the crazy Blade Demon. 

It was Mertyla who saw him first. She shrieked in horror and couldn't help but vomit on the spot.

This particular victim was cut up beyond recognition. He was covered in blood and deep wounds from head to toe that one would think he was killed by someone who held a huge grudge against him.

"D-Did Zhia do this?" Rosette couldn't believe how someone could do something like this. More so imagine someone in Avyzhia's body, whether it's Zhia or just Avy. True, the people they've tended too earlier were mercilessly cut up. But its nowhere near as cruel as this.

Nero could only frown. Zhia rarely does something like this. And if she ever did, it was because the target pissed her off a lot. There should be more about it than just her having her fun.

While everyone else started the first-aids. Nero looked for someone who had remained sober.

"Did you see the whole thing?" Nero asked the man as he gave him a potion. He was fortunate enough to not lose any limbs. 

In fact, compared to the previous groups, this group didn't suffer as much. Except for the unfortunate guy there, who seemed to have received all the love that Zhia was supposed to equally give to everyone. 

"...i-it was Killian's idea. I swear!" He answered desperately. "H-He said there's someone he wanted to get rid of, who knew it was actually a monster. If we knew... if we only knew..."

"She's not someone who would normally do this... Tell me what happened." Nero looked at him coldly.

At first, he just blinked at Nero but didn't hesitate to spill the beans shortly after.

"Killian… that bastard. He got too full of himself. He told her how he'd been getting stronger by sacrificing countless people with special affinity and skills… Ha! I cana't believe I've been in the beck and call of someone like that." The guy couldn't help but let out a dry laugh.

Even though no one should be ever subjected to such cruelty, the guy couldn't feel sympathetic towards Killian. He deserved what happened to him.

He glared at what used to be the person he admired the most and continued. "He told her he'd use her just like the others to achieve the ultimate body." 

The girls involuntarily glared at the dead man this time, even though just minutes before, they felt so sorry for him.

"I see." Nero sighed, having understood what had transpired. "Still, that's not enough to get her this pissed." Over the years, Nero had met a lot of people who tried targeting Zhia. Some one them had done things far worse than this Killian.

"About that… I don't know if it's related but… she started getting serioous when Killian told her it was someone from Emblem to told her about her." Nero cursed under his breath as his suspicions were proven true. "I know you guys are strong, but can you really afford pissing off someone like that?" 

That was a valid comment that Nero and the others can't refute. The guys at Emblem are all about getting stronger, yes… but they're not stupid. Although if someone would be crazy enough to actually try, Nero can only think about one person. As did everyone else.

"Did you notice in what direction she went?" She already guessed where, but Dheyniz hoped she was wrong.

"We have to hurry to the front lines. Come on." Their new party member answered instead. The concerned look he had on his face tells them that he actually knows what's going on.

"Shit." 

Rosette and Mertyla sympathized with Dheyniz's concerns. 

As for Nero. He exhaled loudly. This is what he'd been fearing ever since he heard that Avyzhia was told to participate in this event. They really can't afford to get kicked out of a guild again. Especially since this was the guild that they were aiming for from the start. 

 ~}×××@×××{~ 

"What's this? Fighting amongst yourselves. You guys really want us to win, huh?" The guild master of the Blackwood mocked smugly while the rest of his guildmates snickered.

Their mirth was interrupted when a small blade went past the guild master's cheek, earning him a cut that immediately bled.

Zhia just threw a Shuriken at him without even looking in his direction.

"A hypocrite like you who hides in numbers is no better, twig-man." 

This time, Zhia slowly turned to his direction and stared down at him, disgust written all over her face. Her hostility towards Duram was briefly forgotten. "What's so good about having numbers when they're all just cannon fodder."

"Y-You!" Ray was beet red as he glared at her. "Big words for such a little girl. Know your place! Who do you think you are?"

"Little girl? Me?" Zhia suddenly laughed out loud, shocking everyone. "Oh, Hekyesta! It's been so long since anyone's called me that." She smiled menacingly. "Very well, I'll show you what this little girl can do."

In a second, Zhia disappeared from where she stood. Soon after, purple smokes started to randomly appear amongst the group of the Blackwood guild. One by one, the members dropped down, coughing uncontrollably.

"What the- !" Even Ray was no exception. 

Zhia had used her AOE skill, 'Poison Spreader'. A skill that turns any type of poison into a gaseous substance and spreads it in a 3-meter radius. Although it's effectiveness depends on the type of poison used, since the potency of the poison is greatly decreased.

The problem is that Zhia used the new poison that Ashrain had given earlier, and since it's a new type of poison that he concocted himself, a simple antidote won't be enough. In no time, over half of the Blackwood's main force fell.

With a couple more bottles in her hands, Zhia was smiling like the demoness that she was as she slowly walked towards the stunned Emblem members, who in turn looked really terrified at her now.

"W-What do you think you're going to do?" One of the members stammered as he looked at the bottles in her hands, voicing everyone's thoughts. Everyone knew about that poison. Ashrain had been asking their poison-user guildmates to test it on people, after all. But because they knew how Ashrain's poisons could be, no one really wanted to. No one except Avyzhia, that is. 

"Avyzhia, I didn't give you those to use on your own guildmates," Ashrain called out indignantly. Even though he did develop an antidote since it's still a prototype, unexpected problems could arise. Being responsible for the damage from Blackwood is one thing, but with his guildmates on top of that?

"Why, whatever do you mean? Didn't you give these to me to try out?" Zhia raised her brow amusedly. "This is a battlefield, is it not? This is the best place to do that."

"Look, Avyzhia, let's not do this the hard way, okay?" Keith tried to step in. 

And soon after, one by one the other guild members followed his lead and surrounded Avyzhia. 

They know what it looks like... none of them ever thought they would someday gang up on a girl. But with how things look, if they don't they might just bite dust.

"We don't know what the guild master did, but let's not get everyone else involve."

"Pfft. Oh, you are most definitely already involved. You're collateral damage." Zhia had a deranged smile on her face. "If you'll have anyone to blame, blame your precious guild master." This time she directed her smile to Duram.

If there's one thing that strong and powerful men know instinctively, is that they can gauge if someone is on a level that they can handle or not. And Zhia is definitely on the level that they can't. 

Who would've thought that their guild was actually hiding such monster these whole time? 

Avyzhia changed after becoming a Demon Blade. Although they were surprised at first, they liked it so they didn't mind. But this side of her can't just be brushed off like that.

She even appeared covered with so much blood. And the fact that none of those are hers is definitely concerning. 

Without another word, Zhia smeared the remaining poison she had on her Katars then pointed them to Duram's direction. "Come at me boys, let's see if you'll be able to entertain me."

"Shouldn't we stop them?" Rim came to Duram's side as he anxiously look at Zhia and the others.

"Why? This is a good opportunity to see her in action." Duram grinned, finding the situation amusing. Despite the fact that Zhia is openly threatening him.

"Teiran and Nero were right to stop us from getting her involved. We're not getting out of here unscathed."

"Don't worry, she'll be fine."

"Honestly, I'm more worried for them."

If Teiran sees this, he won't just let it go.