Chapter 82

Meanwhile, at the frontlines, chaos reigned as heroes desperately battled the endless tide of demons.

"We need backup! We're running out of supplies!" a soldier shouted, loosing an arrow that struck down a lesser demon. His arms trembled from exhaustion as he turned to his comrades.

"Damn it, at this rate, we'll be overrun! When will this nightmare end?"

The battlefield churned with despair. But then, something unusual caught his eye—a strange black shape darting through the air, tearing through the demons effortlessly. Whatever it was, it didn't just kill; it erased them from existence, leaving no trace behind.

Other heroes began noticing the phenomenon too.

The soldier reached for his radio. "We've encountered a strange anomaly. Conditions don't seem hostile… yet. Over."

A voice crackled back. "Explain the situation. Over."

"It's... something black. Floating. It's shaped like a girl, and it's killing demons. I don't know if it's friendly, but it's helping. Over."

There was a pause before the response. "Keep your eyes on it. Do not engage unless provoked. Over."

"Affirmative."

Suddenly, a massive tsunami of mud surged toward their position, threatening to bury them alive. "Holy fu—" the soldier started to yell, but before he could finish, one of the black figures appeared. With a simple gesture, the mud vanished as if it had never existed.

More of the black entities descended onto the battlefield. Some tended to the wounded, their hands emitting a calming aura that healed burns and gashes instantly. Others darted into the fray, evacuating trapped civilians.

The soldier watched in awe, muttering into his radio, "The anomaly may be friendly! I repeat, it may be friendly! Alert all squads immediately!"

The voice on the radio replied, "Roger, Sergeant. Message relayed."

As the black anomalies moved in synchronized precision, they began working alongside the heroes, evacuating civilians and clearing paths for reinforcements. Skeptical at first, the military soon realized the anomalies were healing civilians and cooperating efficiently.

One by one, civilians were carried out by the shadowy figures. Families outside the battlefield rushed to embrace their loved ones, tears of relief streaming down their faces.

Among them, a frail elderly woman was rescued by one of the clones. As she was set gently on the ground, she looked up at the black figure and, with trembling hands, stroked its head affectionately.

"You saved me, child. Thank you," she said, her voice soft and kind.

The clone's blank black face turned crimson, embarrassed by the unexpected affection. Without a word, it dashed back into the chaos, leaving the woman chuckling softly.

The military observed this interaction, noting the anomaly's distinctly human behavior. Yet, something inexplicable lingered—the civilians who had been declared dead were somehow alive again. To them, their demise was nothing more than a fleeting nightmare.

---

While my clones continued their mission, I was dealing with the core of the problem.

"Are you all done playing?" I called out, my voice reverberating with raw, cursed energy.

Elta's eyes narrowed. He wasn't confident he could defeat me, but his gaze flicked to Maria, who was still holding Zoth's body. A twisted idea sparked in his mind.

'If I can't kill her, I'll at least take that girl out!'

With blinding speed, Elta charged toward Maria, his claws poised to strike.

But before he could reach her, I turned my head sharply, locking eyes with him. My gaze alone stopped him mid-stride.

Elta froze in place, his body trembling as if bound by invisible chains. His eyes widened in terror.

'I… I can't move! What is this?!'

Maria, startled, looked up to see Elta struggling in midair.

I spoke coldly, my tone sharp and final. "I told you, I am your opponent. To strike at her is treachery. And treachery comes at a price…"

Elta's body began to contort unnaturally. Cracks formed along his skin, glowing with fiery energy. He roared in agony as his form expanded like a grotesque balloon, his body unable to contain the power surging within.

And then, he exploded.

Blood and viscera painted the room. The sight left Maria horrified, her trembling hands covering her mouth. The remaining demons, Meldis and Gletta, stood paralyzed by fear.

Gletta's mind raced. She could kill us at any moment, yet she hasn't. Is she playing with us? No… no, I'm the predator! I'm not prey!

But her trembling hands betrayed her resolve.

"You… you monster!" Gletta screamed, her body cracking under the pressure of her rage. "I'm not your plaything! If I'm going down, I'm taking you with me!"

Her body began to glow with an intense, blinding light.

I realized too late what was happening. My eyes widened. "Wait… she's going to explode?!"

Thinking quickly, I acted on instinct.

Gletta's final words echoed. "Take my… pant... all!" But before the energy within her could release, her glowing body turned to stone, petrified in an instant.

Meldis stared in disbelief, his mouth agape. "What… what just happened to her?"

I let out a satisfied burp, patting my stomach. "Whew! She almost caught me off guard. Good thing I ate her soul in time."

Meldis's face turned ashen. "A-a-ate… her soul?"

"Yes!" I said, grinning. "Would you like to continue?"

Meldis didn't respond. Fear overwhelmed him, and without another word, he turned and fled, screaming.

I sighed, shaking my head as I restated, "Didn't I say running isn't allowed?"

Meldis froze mid-step. The space around him shifted, folding in on itself until it became an endless abyss of darkness.

"What… what's happening?!" he stammered, his voice trembling.

The void around him pulsed ominously. Then, without warning, something grotesque began to materialize behind him. Meldis could feel it—a presence, cold and menacing, breathing down his neck.

Slowly, as if compelled by an unseen force, he turned to face it.

In the distance, a small figure stood—a little girl. Her silhouette was innocent, almost fragile, but the air around her reeked of malice.

Meldis froze, his instincts screaming at him to flee. But before he could react, the girl's head began to expand. It grew grotesquely, stretching to an impossible size until it loomed over him like a monstrous shadow.

"No! Stay away!" Meldis screamed in terror, his voice echoing into the void.

The massive head lunged forward, jaws wide open, consuming him whole. His agonized screams faded as the darkness swallowed him, his form reduced to nothingness.

In the real world, Meldis's body crumpled to the ground, lifeless. Whatever essence he had was gone, leaving only an empty husk.

Maria stared at the scene, her mind racing to process what she had just witnessed. Her trembling gaze shifted toward me, filled with a mix of fear, awe, and disbelief.

I met her eyes briefly but turned my attention to Zoth's lifeless body.

As I stood over him, I raised my hand. Dark energy swirled around his broken form, wrapping him in threads of shimmering light and shadow. His wounds began to close, and his shattered core regenerated piece by piece.

Maria gasped softly as she watched life flow back into him. Her curiosity burned brightly in her wide eyes, but she dared not interrupt the process.

Soon, Zoth's chest rose with a sharp inhale, and the light returned to his eyes. His body stirred, and he sat up slowly, his movements deliberate.

He blinked, glancing at me briefly. There was no shock on his face—only calm understanding. To him, my intervention was the most natural outcome.

Zoth turned to Maria, who had been holding back tears. Before he could speak, she lunged forward, wrapping her arms around him tightly.

"Zoth!" she cried, her voice choked with emotion.

He stiffened, startled by the sudden embrace. But as her warmth sank in, his body relaxed. Relief washed over him, and he closed his eyes for a moment.

Then, unexpectedly, Maria tilted her head up and pressed her lips to his.

Zoth's eyes widened in surprise, his face flushing. But within seconds, he smiled against her lips, leaning into the moment.

I watched the tender scene unfold, a soft smile spreading across my face. Turning away, I decided to give the lovebirds their moment of privacy.

"Ah," I muttered to myself, "young love."

And with that, I vanished into the shadows, leaving them to bask in their hard-fought reunion.