Reincarnated As A Demon

Chapter 7 Archdemon

While riding on Garren’s back, Zerha noticed a thin line of blood running down Foxy’s neck. Her eyes widened.

“Foxy, you’re hurt! Let me heal you!” Zerha cried, scooting closer. She placed her glowing hands gently over Foxy’s wound until the skin sealed shut.

“Thank you, Master,” Foxy said, sighing in relief as the pain faded.

Suddenly, a scream tore through the sky.

“AHHH! HELP!”

All three of them turned their heads around. Ecanus came barreling toward them through the trees, his robe flapping wildly as he fled from the two demons chasing him.

“Tsk. He still hasn’t defeated them. What a weak angel,” Garren said, exasperated.

“AHHH! I will not let you capture me, you f****g demons!” Ecanus yelled, finally unfurling his wings and launching himself into the air. But instead of flying away, he dive-bombed straight onto Garren’s back.

“HEY! You’re not allowed to ride me, you weak angel!” Garren roared, twisting his head to glare at Ecanus.

“You’re hurt, Ecanus. Let me heal you,” Zerha said when she noticed blood and bruises covering Ecanus’s arms and face.

“N-No thanks! I’m not hurt!” Ecanus insisted, eyes darting away from hers.

“You’re not hurt? Look at yourself, you can barely stand up!” Foxy snapped, rolling her eyes.

And as if on cue, Ecanus’s knees buckled. He would’ve toppled right off Garren’s back if Zerha hadn’t grabbed his arm.

“You’re badly hurt. Stop trying to act strong!” Zerha said, exasperated. She quickly placed her hands on his injuries, and a soft glow surrounded him as his wounds knitted shut.

“F-Fine! But as you know, these wounds are nothing to me!” Ecanus muttered, cheeks flushed.

“There you are!!”

Zerha stiffened as she heard a furious voice. She whipped her head around. The two demons were charging at them. Even though they notice the black dragon, they still want to kill the angel, they just hate angels wandering around the land.

“Why the f**k are you chasing me as if I have a debt from you?!” Ecanus shouted back.

Sh*t! Zerha thought, panic racing through her veins.

“Let me handle them, Master!” Foxy shouted. She leapt from Garren’s back, transformed into a bird midair, and streaked toward the demons.

“Wait, Foxy!” Zerha yelled after her. Worry twisted her gut. What if these demons have that magical item like the one from earlier?

“Garren, we should go help Foxy,” Zerha urged Garren. Worried Foxy would be in danger.

“No need, Master. Look,” Garren said calmly.

Zerha followed his gaze. Foxy had shifted back into her beautiful lady form. The two demons stood frozen, eyes glazed over, staring at her in rapt fascination. A second later, they turned on each other and began brawling, snarling and throwing punches.

Huh? Did Foxy make them fight each other? Zerha wondered.

Foxy shifted back into her true nine-tailed fox form. A brilliant blue aura flared around her as she lunged forward, claws slashing in arcs of shimmering light. The demons screamed as she tore through them.

“Wow,” Zerha breathed, eyes sparkling with awe.

Once the demons fell silent, Foxy trotted back toward them, her tails swishing behind her.

“Fo-Foxy, you tore them apart! I didn’t know your claws were that powerful. You’re so cool!” Zerha exclaimed, practically vibrating with excitement.

Foxy chuckled lightly. “I rushed in because I knew they weren’t wearing the magical item like that other demon earlier.”

“Where did he even get that magical item?” Garren asked as they touched down on the ground.

Once they dismounted, Garren shifted back into his human form.

“That magical item… is it rare?” Zerha asked curiously.

“Yes. Actually…” Foxy reached into her clothes and pulled out a necklace that has a red gemstone at the center. “This is the magical item he wore. I took it from him before you turned him into pieces. It’s a high-level magical item. It can nullify illusions and protect the wearer from mental manipulation. I want you to have it, Master. In this world, I’m not the only one who possesses abilities like mine.”

She pressed the pendant into Zerha’s hands. It glittered with a faint red glow.

Zerha gasped. “So it’s like an item in a game!” She reached to put it around her neck, but her fingers brushed something cool against her chest. She blinked, confused, and pulled out another necklace already hanging there. It had a small silver key dangling from it.

What’s this?

“Master… what’s that key for?” Garren asked, frowning.

“I… I don’t know. I only just noticed it. I don’t remember wearing anything like this…” Zerha said, examining it. Though it is strangely oddly familiar.

“Strange. I can’t sense any magical power from it,” Foxy remarked, peering at the pendant.

“Maybe it’s just an ordinary necklace,” Garren suggested. “No magical power at all.”

Zerha drooped, disappointed. No magical power? I was hoping it was special. Or at least a key to some treasure chest… she thought, sighing dramatically.

“Oh, can I take a look?” Ecanus said suddenly, reaching for the necklace.

Zerha handed it to him. Ecanus’s face grew serious as he studied the pendant, brow furrowed. Zerha leaned forward eagerly. Does he know what it is? Is it magical?!

“Do you know what kind of item that is?” Garren demanded.

“Tell me! Is it something magical?” Zerha added, bouncing on her toes.

Ecanus solemnly raised his gaze and declared:

“I’m afraid… I don’t know! Ha-ha-ha!”

The three of them froze with identical poker faces. What’s with the serious expression then? We all thought he actually knew something… Zerha thought, sweat dropping.

“You’re not only weak. You also know nothing!” Garren snapped.

“What the?! Hey! You don’t know what it is either!” Ecanus shot back.

“But at least I’m not weak like you!”

“I’m not weak, you f****g useless lizard!”

Zerha squeezed her eyes shut. Sigh… What am I going to do with these two? “STOP ARGUING!” she yelled. She turned to Foxy. “Foxy, how far is the Haria Kingdom?”

“Not so far, Master. But we should hurry before another demon attacks.”

Please, no more demons, Zerha thought miserably.

“Garren. Ecanus. Let’s go!” Zerha called. But the two continued bickering.

“Come on, Master,” Foxy said with a sigh. “Let’s leave those two.”

“Ah… okay…” Zerha agreed, and the two started walking ahead.

A moment later:

“HEY! Wait for me!” Garren yelled, scrambling after them.

“Huh?! Hey, don’t leave me behind!!” Ecanus shouted, running to catch up.

…..

“We’re almost there,” Garren announced after a while.

“Ack… h-help…”

Zerha’s head whipped around. Who was that? “Did you hear that?” she asked urgently.

“Hm? I didn’t hear anything,” Foxy replied.

“Help… ugh!”

“Someone’s calling for help! Don’t you hear it?” Zerha insisted, glancing between them.

“I don’t hear anything, Master,” Garren said, shaking his head.

“Yeah, me either,” Foxy agreed.

Ecanus shrugged. “Maybe you’re hallucinating.”

Even Ecanus doesn’t hear it? Zerha thought, baffled.

“Someone… please… help… me… ack!”

There it was again, a pained, cracking voice. Zerha’s eyes widened. He sounds like he’s about to die!

Without warning, Zerha turned and strode into the trees. She heard Garren and Foxy calling after her, but she didn’t stop.

This isn’t the first time… Zerha thought. In my previous life, whenever someone called for help, I always felt like it was my responsibility to step in, even if I didn’t want to. My body would just… move on its own.

She let out a soft sigh, remembering how many times she’d helped strangers, only to wind up exhausted or in trouble.

I’m not some kind of superhero that saves the day! Zerha let out a sigh.

“Help…”

The voice was clearer and louder now. Zerha slowed, creeping forward until she peeked around a tree.

In a small clearing, several humans stood over a figure on the ground. A man with gold-trimmed armor and a sneering grin cracked a long whip against the figure on the ground.

“He’s already at his limit! We’re so glad you came with us, Sir Leo!”

“Yeah! Your ability is amazing, Sir Leo!” another man gushed.

But one of their companions just stood there silently watching.

Sir Leo grinned. “You know, I could kill him outright, but that would be too easy. Let’s t*****e him for a while. A demon like him deserves a punishment like this.” The man called Leo summoned a bigger whip that has thorns on it.

“Demons don’t deserve to live!” one man yelled.

“Yeah! Kill him!” the other one agreed.

Zerha’s eyes widened as the man they called Sir Leo cracked his whip again. Blood sprayed across the ground.

“Ugh…” The demon coughed, blood trickling from his lips.

That man… he’s cruel. Why doesn’t the demon fight back? Zerha thought, shaking with anger.

“Your black wings look so pretty… too bad they’re already broken!” Sir Leo laughed, slashing the whip across the demon’s back again.

Zerha clenched her fists. He’s so cruel… He has to be stopped!

Without another thought, she leapt from her hiding place and flicked her wrist. Drops of glowing venom flew toward the man they called Sir Leo. All of them were shocked by what they witnessed.

“T-there’s another demon?!”

“AARGH!!” Sir Leo screamed as the venom sizzled into his skin, melting it like acid. His men shrieked in shock.

“Wh-what kind of ability is that?!”

“You’re a cruel human!” Zerha shouted. She raised her hands, and more venom splashed across Sir Leo’s face and chest. He shrieked as flesh melted away, revealing bone, then nothing but black sludge. In moments, he dissolved completely. The other humans turned pale as ash.

“S-Sir Leo! He… he melted! Even his bones!”

One of them pointed a trembling sword at Zerha. “You demon… you’ll pay for that!”

Demon…? Zerha glanced down at herself, and realized her skin was glowing faintly, her horns exposed. She didn’t notice until then that she was in her demon form.

Two humans charged at her, weapons raised, but stopped dead when she leveled her palm at them.

“If you don’t want to be vaporized, leave. I’ll spare you this once,” she said coldly.

Terror overtook them, and they turned tail and ran screaming into the woods. Once they were gone, Zerha rushed to the demon on the ground. He lay b****y and trembling, his black wings battered and broken.

He’s badly hurt… Why didn’t he defend himself?

“Let me heal you,” she whispered. Light gathered in her palms as she touched his wounds.

“MASTER!” Garren’s voice boomed through the trees. He was worried when he saw humans, thinking Zerha could be in danger.

“Master, are you okay?!” Foxy cried as she and Garren burst into the clearing.

“Hey, why did you run off like that?!” Ecanus yelled, flying in behind them.

“Sorry,” Zerha said softly. Why do they all look so worried?

But when Ecanus caught sight of the demon she was healing, his eyes widened, all traces of comedy gone. “That demon…”

Zerha glanced from Ecanus to Garren and Foxy. Both of them were staring at the demon with grim expressions.

What’s going on? Zerha thought. “Why are you looking at him like that?”

“Master… stay away from him!” Garren barked suddenly.

“Why?” Zerha demanded, confused.

Garren’s eyes darkened. “He’s… an archdemon.”