The Demon Seed (2)

Sophia was staring at me, her wide eyes betraying how flustered she was. Her usual confident demeanor was gone, replaced with something unsure, almost vulnerable. 

"T-thank you," she stammered. 

I didn't respond. Instead, I slipped the shield back into my *Subspace,* ignoring her lingering gaze. Saving her hadn't been out of the goodness of my heart. If Sophia Belmont died here, it would cause a cascade of problems I wasn't willing to deal with. The Belmont family ruled Lovina, and her death would mean a less capable and far more troublesome heir would ascend the throne. 

This wasn't heroism. It was pragmatism. 

---

Before Sophia could say anything else, chaos erupted around us. 

More students were beginning to mutate. Their bodies twisted and warped as the demonic energy consumed them, turning them into grotesque versions of their former selves. Their skin darkened, pulsating with glowing red veins, and their movements became erratic and predatory. 

The demonic human I had saved Sophia from let out a guttural roar and charged. 

I activated *Appraisal,* its stats flashing before my eyes. 

Name: [Demonic Human] 

Strength: D-

Agility: F 

Endurance: E

Intelligence: None

"Shit"

Before I could brace myself, the creature slammed into me, its clawed hand striking me hard in the ribs. I was thrown across the ground, pain flaring through my side as I struggled to get up. 

The monster didn't relent. It was on me in seconds, raining down heavy blows. I blocked what I could, but each strike felt like it would break my arms. A particularly vicious hit sent me sprawling, my vision blurring from the force. 

"Enough!" 

Sophia's voice rang out as a beam of light magic struck the creature, forcing it to stagger back. 

I watched as she stepped forward, her golden hair glowing faintly as mana surged around her. She unleashed a barrage of light blasts, each one precise and powerful, forcing the creature to retreat. 

But the demonic human wasn't giving up. It roared and lunged at her, its claws slashing through the air. 

Sophia managed to dodge most of its attacks, but one of its claws caught her shoulder, leaving a deep gash. She winced, her movements faltering as she tried to keep her distance. 

I couldn't just watch. 

Reaching into my *Subspace,* I pulled out a healing potion and downed it in one go. The pain in my ribs faded, and my strength returned. 

I surged back into the fight, Aura flaring to life around me. 

---

Together, Sophia and I fought the creature. 

Her light magic created openings, and I capitalized on them with precise, Aura-enhanced strikes. My kicks cracked its ribs, while her magic blasts kept it off balance. 

The synchronization between us was almost effortless, and slowly but surely, we wore the monster down. 

Finally, with a combined effort, we managed to bring it to the ground. 

I staggered back, breathing heavily as I surveyed the damage. My shirt was completely shredded, leaving my upper body exposed, but I didn't care. 

"Not bad," I said, glancing at Sophia. 

"You're not too bad yourself," she admitted grudgingly, though there was a hint of a smile. 

But then she turned to look at me, and her face turned bright red. 

"C-can you dress decently in front of royalty?!" she shrieked, flailing her arms in exasperation. 

I blinked, looking down at my tattered clothes. Right. 

With a sigh, I pulled a coat out of my *Subspace* and threw it on. "Better?" 

Sophia crossed her arms, still flustered. "At least have some decency…" 

---

As the chaos continued around us, we regrouped. 

"This isn't normal," Sophia said, her tone serious. "What do you think is causing this?" 

I paused, pretending to consider my answer. "Whatever it is, we need to stop it. But first, we need reinforcements." 

She nodded. "We can try contacting the academy or the Holy Knights. Either way, we need a communication crystal." 

I nodded. "We should split up. Whoever finds a crystal first can send for help." 

Sophia hesitated but eventually agreed. "Fine. Be careful, Vaelorian." 

"You too." 

In truth, I had no intention of contacting anyone. This was just an excuse to separate from her so I could deal with the real threat. 

---

Chiyo stood at the edge of the chaos, her figure silhouetted against the dim light of the academy's courtyard. 

From her vantage point on a rooftop, she observed the fights unfolding below. Students were locked in desperate battles against the mutated creatures, their screams and the clash of magic echoing through the air. 

Her crimson eyes scanned the scene, lingering on the novel's main cast. Alex was holding his own against one of the demonic humans, his longsword a blur of motion as he parried and countered each attack. Sophia, too, caught her attention, her light magic creating a radiant display as she fought beside… Julius. 

Chiyo's gaze narrowed. 

Julius wasn't supposed to be here. 

Everything else was happening exactly as it had in the novel. The students were mutating, the academy was descending into chaos, and the main cast was stepping up to the challenge. 

But Julius… Julius was different. 

He wasn't supposed to be fighting beside Sophia. He wasn't supposed to be pulling out shields and potions from *Subspace.* He wasn't supposed to exist like this. 

Chiyo's lips curled into a small, knowing smile as she whispered to herself. 

"Maybe… he's like me." 

---

As soon as she was gone, I turned toward the far edge of the training grounds, where I knew Professor Doyle would be hiding. 

He wasn't just a professor—he was a demon cultist. A man obsessed with the Demon King and his kin, determined to become a demon himself. 

But Doyle didn't realize he was making a fatal mistake. 

He thought he could absorb the Demon Seed, a powerful artifact he created using the mana of all the students he had mutated, as well as the mana of the students they were killing. It was capable of creating a true demon. But demonic energy wasn't something a normal human could control; it would consume him, leaving him vulnerable to possession by an Aspect.

Aspects were the remnants of demon kings' dead generals, each representing one of the demon king's seven traits.

In the novel, Doyle had been possessed by Gluttony, one of the Seven Deadly Sins. His incompatibility with the Aspect made him weaker than he should have been, but he was still dangerous enough to put the academy in jeopardy. In the novel, Alex would hold him off until the holy knights arrived, at which point Doyle would be captured along with the Demon Seed.

I wasn't planning to wait for Alex to clean up the mess. I needed the Demon Seed; I couldn't let it fall into the hands of the monarchy, especially with the new variable of Darklight magic in play.

This time, I'd deal with Doyle before he could absorb the seed and take it for myself. After all, a Demon Seed could be used to craft a powerful weapon.

I reached the hidden entrance to Doyle's chamber, taking a moment to prepare myself. 

"Let's end this."