Reincarnated As A Demon

-Disclaimer This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. -photo's not mine credits to the rightful owner ........ “Hahaha! Is this the one who beat you? Are you kidding me? She’s just a little girl! Hahaha!” The leader of a high school g**g swaggered forward, sneakers crunching on gravel as he stared down the girl standing alone in the area. The bruised boy beside him lowered his gaze, trembling. “Y-yes. It’s not just me… the others were beaten up by her too,” he confessed, wiping a trickle of blood from his split lip. The leader scowled. “Where are the others?” “There.” The boy pointed a shaky finger toward a group of students sprawled across the pavement, groaning in pain. Some clutched their stomachs. One was missing a shoe. When the g**g leader saw the wreckage, his eyes went wide. His voice dropped to a whisper. “H-how…?” Zerha shifted her weight onto one foot, adjusting the strap of her schoolbag. She was about to leave when the g**g leader barked after her. “Wait! Would you like to join our g**g?” he suggested all of a sudden. She stopped, turning to look him dead in the eyes. “Why would I join such a lame group?” “W-what? L-lame?!” The leader’s face flushed red. His fists clenched at his sides. How could she just say that? His group is the top rank of all the gangs in different schools! Zerha merely stared at him, expression bored, as if she couldn’t be bothered that he was about to explode. “Looks like you want to get hurt,” the leader hissed. “Boys, get her!” At his shout, the other g**g members surged forward. Zerha let out a heavy sigh and murmured, “Looks like I don’t have a choice.” All of a sudden, the so-called leader of the g**g phone’s rang. He fished out his phone from his pocket and answered the call. “Yeah? Who is it?” “How can you just ignore my calls?” A cold voice was heard from the other line. “B-Boss?” the so-called leader muttered in surprise. So that person was just acting as a leader? Zerha thought in the middle of the fight. The area behind the school erupted into chaos. Punches flew. Sneakers scraped against concrete. In less than five minutes, the g**g members were lying in a heap, groaning in agony. Zerha sat on top of them, legs crossed, wearing a smug grin. The so-called g**g leader stared, phone still clutched in his trembling hand after taking a call. His eyes widened, mouth hanging open. “H-How could a girl…” Zerha tilted her head. “What?” She rose, strolled toward him, and jabbed him swiftly in the neck. Hitting his neck’s vital point. The so-called leader dropped like a stone, unconscious. Zerha stretched and yawned. “Gotta get home, or Brother will scold me again.” The sun was dipping low when Zerha’s on her way home. A warm breeze carried the faint scent of fried food from distant street stalls. Up ahead, she spotted an old woman struggling with a pile of plastic bags bulging with vegetables and household items. Zerha hurried over and slipped the bags from the woman’s trembling hands. “Zerha, it’s you,” the old woman said gratefully. Her smile creased the wrinkles on her cheeks. “Thank you. You always help me carry my things every time you see me.” “Because you’re already weak and old! Tsk.” Zerha rolled her eyes. “And look at yourself. You’re so skinny, yet you easily defeated those boys. I saw you.” Zerha shot her a look but didn’t answer. “You’re really kind and helpful. I hope you won’t ever change, no matter what your form, or even if the whole human race turns against you.” Eh? Zerha blinked. What is this granny talking about? Old people always say the weirdest things… The old woman patted her arm gently. “Thank you again today, Zerha.” she said as they arrived at her house. “Don’t go around carrying heavy things again, Granny!” “Don’t worry. I’m still strong! Hahaha!” “S-strong? Look at your body, Granny!” Zerha sighed and waved. “I gotta go now.” “Be careful on your way home!” The old woman waves her hand at Zerha’s leaving figure. As Zerha continued home, she noticed a little boy bouncing a bright red ball in the street, giggling as he chased it. “Where are his parents? Don’t they know it’s dangerous for kids to play in the streets?” she muttered. She roamed her eyes around, the people around were just busy with their phones or talking to each other. Zerha even sees some students busy dancing while the other student is not taking their video. As she looked back at the boy, the ball slipped from the his hands and rolled onto the road where cars were speeding by. Without hesitation, the boy chased after it, eyes wide, oblivious to the bus thundering toward him. Zerha felt her stomach drop. “Sh*t!” she shouted. She sprinted forward, shoving the boy toward the sidewalk. The child stumbled back to safety, but Zerha was too late to dodge the oncoming bus. Hold on! Am I gonna die here?! Why did I save that kid anyway? Sh*t… In Zerha’s view, everything seems moving in slow motion. Ah f**k... This slow motion effect... It really feels like that I'm dying, living this sh*ty world. A long and loud honk filled her ears as the bus bore down. Zerha thought wildly: If this is the end, shouldn’t there be slow-motion flashbacks? And where’s my background music? In movies, there’s always dramatic music when a character’s about to die! All of a sudden, a song titled “Fire” by BTS played. It came from the students that were dancing for their content. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! “Fire” by BTS?! That’s not exactly suitable for dying here!! …Well… at least my last moment is spent hearing a BTS song. I guess I’m ready to accept my fate… Metal screeched. Tires smoked on the asphalt. Zerha felt a massive impact slam into her side as she closed her eyes. Pain exploded through her body, and collapsed instantly onto the street, vision swimming as a crimson pool spread around her. So… I’m gonna die here? What a life I had… sigh… Through fading vision, she glimpsed someone familiar standing at the edge of the road. It was the old woman from earlier. She was smiling calmly as she watched Zerha bleed. What the hell? Why is she smiling at me?! Is she happy that I’m dying?! After all I’ve done for her?! How terrible! “Z-Zerha! Zerha!” A new voice broke through the chaos. It was Zale, her older brother, rushing toward her with tears streaming down his face. “Z-Zerha! Don’t leave me! F*cking idiots! Call an ambulance!” Zale shouted to the people surrounding them. He then drop to his knees beside her and gripped her cold hand. “W-why? Zerha… you’re the only family I have… and now you’re l-leaving me? Please… don’t give up on me… please…” Zale said between his sobbing. I’m sorry, Zerha thought, feeling her strength slip away. A tear fell onto her cheek. Her eyelids fluttered shut. A paramedic pressed fingers to her neck, then glanced at Zale. His voice was quiet. “We’re very sorry, sir. She didn’t make it.” “Nooo! Ahhh! Zerha!” Zale screamed, shaking as sobs wracked his chest. Onlookers stared in stunned silence. “Zale,” all of a sudden, someone patted his shoulders. Zale turned his head to see who it was that called him. “G-Granny?” …… A dark cave. Strange sounds echoed, growls, the flutter of wings, the hiss of unseen things. Zerha groaned as her eyes blinked open. “What the hell...?” She sat up slowly, pain stabbing through her body. “I’m alive? No way. Did I survive the truck somehow?” But one glance around told her she wasn’t anywhere near a hospital. Jagged stone walls, glowing moss, and the faint trickle of water... It was a cave. But not a normal one. She blinked rapidly, her gaze darting around. The ceiling above her wasn’t white hospital tiles, it was jagged black rock. What is this place? All of a sudden, heat rippled in the air. Then a flicker of orange light played across rough stone walls. Sh*t… don’t tell me I’m in hell?! Panicking, she shot upright, stepping on the long hem of her dress and stumbled forward. Huh? Why am I wearing this? She stared down at herself. A flowing red dress and a black cape draped over her shoulders. “What’s going on?” she muttered. She spun in place, eyes scanning the dim cave lit by glowing crystals. Ugh, I felt a little dizzy. Then, gingerly, she raised a hand to her head but touched something hard and curved. “W-what the hell is this?! And who dyed my hair white with red highlights?!” “I need a mirror! Ugh f**k! What hell is going on?!” She rummaged around frantically but found nothing reflective. Since she couldn't find any mirror, she touch the curve thing in her head again, trying to figure out what it is. Then after a minute of realization, her eyes widened, heart pounding fast. “I-Is t-this a h-horn?!” she shouted in horror. W-Why do I have a horn?! And what is this place?! Hell?! I don't think so! But if I’m not in hell, am I in heaven? I’m already dead, right? I understand if heaven didn’t accept me, but why didn’t hell accept me either? Am I too devilish for them? I’m not a bad person! Tears pricked her eyes. Why did both places reject me?! She then realized that there's no point on thinking about that thing and just leave the place. Her wandering feet carried her deeper into the cave. As her panic faded, she noticed something glittering across the floor. Thousands of gemstones sparkled like stars, rubies, emeralds and diamonds. Piles of precious stones glowed under the cave’s orange light. “F**k… this is my first time seeing so many gems!” She dropped to her knees. “I’m gonna get them all… but where should I put them? I hope I have a bag…” No sooner had she said the word “bag”, a backpack materialized beside her. It was exactly the shape and color she imagined. She blinked in disbelief. I-Isn’t this my backpack? “H-how? I don’t know how you appeared, but I’ll take it!” She scooped handfuls of gems into the bag. “Emeralds! A ruby! There are all kinds of gemstones here! Don’t worry, I’ll get all of you!” she then laughed maniacally. Her eyes sparkled brighter than the jewels. She was so absorbed that she didn’t notice shadows slithering closer. A massive black serpent reared its head behind her its low hiss echoed through the cave. Zerha froze. Slowly, she turned, and saw the snake, no a serpent! “A s-snake… I’m not afraid of snakes, but that is WAY too big for a snake! AHHH!” She quickly grabbed her backpack and bolted, shrieking. “Ahhh! I didn’t know snakes could be that huge! So am I really in hell? A rich hell? Ahhh!!!” The serpent lunged and spat a jet of venom. Zerha dove sideways, skidding across the stone floor. The venom hit a boulder nearby, sizzling as it melted through solid rock. T-The boulder melted?! What kind of venom is that?! If I’d been hit, I’d be jelly! The serpent hissed and spat again. Zerha twisted and dodged, barely avoiding each deadly spray. A few sizzling drops splattered her cheek, burning her skin. It was painful but she didn't have time to cry. Her cheek should’ve melted clean off just like all those stones that have been hit by those acidic substances, but to her, she only got burned, it didn’t even spread the venom further. Was she healing? Was her skin resisting? Zerha skidded to a stop, chest heaving. She wiped her cheek with trembling fingers. Her face darkened. She couldn't take it anymore that her face are now full of wounds. This f****ng snake... “How dare you harm my beautiful face?” she muttered while glaring at the serpent. All of a sudden a fierce aura crackled around her. The serpent recoiled, suddenly shivering in fear. It's as if something inside her made it scared. “You know what I hate the most? When my beautiful face gets wounded!” She balled her fists. “Die, you f*****g snake!” She shouted while death glaring at the serpent. Then in the blink of an eye, the serpent disintegrated into ashes. After a moment of realization, Zerha blinked. Jaw dropped as she stared at the pile of black dust swirling on the cave floor. “…How the hell did that happen…?” she muttered in horror. …….