Reincarnated As A Demon

Chapter 12 Darkness User, Aiden

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“Good morning, Milady," Sage greeted Zerha, letting out a yawn as she opened her bedroom door.

"Sage? Don’t tell me you stayed here overnight?!" Zerha asked in surprise, noticing the dark circles under Sage’s eyes. He looked like a panda, she thought.

Startled, Sage quickly adjusted his demeanor. "Ahem. Breakfast is ready, Milady." He then turned and walked briskly downstairs.

Foxy chuckled as she exited their room. "He didn’t answer your question. He probably stayed outside the door all night."

Zerha sighed in disbelief. Upon entering the dining area, they noticed Ecanus was nowhere to be found.

"Huh? Where’s Ecanus? Last night he said he couldn’t wait until morning to eat breakfast..." Foxy said.

"Don’t tell me he’s still asleep? I’ll go wake up that lousy angel," Garren grumbled. It was early, and he was already annoyed.

As Garren left, a tall man in his twenties entered the dining room. He had jet-black hair that was neatly swept back, and piercing ash-gray eyes that gave off an intense, almost predatory gleam. His posture was impeccable, his stride confident yet silent. The housekeepers and the landowner immediately bowed and greeted him.

"Welcome back, Sir Aiden."

Aiden gave them a curt nod and walked to his seat. As he sat, his eyes scanned the room until they landed on Zerha and Sage. His expression faltered momentarily, as if recognizing something dangerous.

Zerha raised an eyebrow at him. When Aiden noticed Sage staring back, he quickly masked his reaction and began eating.

"Who is he?" Zerha whispered. Why the hell he's looking at me like that? Does he want to fight? No, no, I shouldn't judge someone by his looks. He may look like those villains I saw in movies but we doesn't know he might be a kind person.

"I don’t know, Master. Maybe he’s just another guest," Foxy replied.

Suddenly, the slam of a door echoed through the inn. Heads turned to see Garren dragging a snoring Ecanus into the dining room.

"No matter what I did, this f****ng a*****le didn’t wake up! So I had to drag him here!" Garren barked.

"You need to calm down, Garren. Just let him sleep more," Zerha said, though internally she was baffled. He didn’t wake up even while being dragged?

"I’m sorry, Master, but no. Hey, bastard, wake up!" Garren shook Ecanus again but still nothing.

But then, when the delicious aroma of food wafted into Ecanus’s nostrils. Instantly, he snapped awake, dashed to a seat, and began devouring breakfast as if nothing had happened.

"How could you ignore me?!" Garren snarled.

"Oh, Garren. Are you not gonna eat? Why are you just standing there and not eating? If you won’t eat I'll eat your meal." Ecanus replied between mouthfuls. "Wow!! Delicious!!"

"You are an i***t!" Garren growled, raising a fist.

"Call me an i***t again and I’ll f-wring your neck, you useless beast!" Ecanus shouted, preventing himself from cursing because he’s in front of a food.

"Go on. I know you’re weak. You can’t hurt me!"

"What? You… I will f--ki-toss you into the air!"

That's a ridiculous threat for someone Garren that can fly. Zerha and foxy thought as they made a blank expression.

Ecanus suddenly stood up and lunged at Garren, but Zerha grabbed his collar from behind. "Both of you, calm down!"

"Do you want me to kill them so they won’t cause trouble, Milady?" Sage asked, his voice cold.

Everyone, except Aiden, froze and stared at Sage in alarm. Aiden, however, subtly tensed, prepared to act whatever might happen.

Zerha gulped. "N-No, thanks, Sage." I have enough of Garren and Ecanus being aggressive, not you too Sage. She sigh in destressed.

“How dare you say that ‘K’ thing in front of the food?!” Ecanus shouted angrily at Sage.

"If you guys don’t calm down, no food for either of you!" Zerha declared.

Ecanus immediately fell silent, not out of fear of her, but fear of missing breakfast.

"Hmph! I will let you off for today!" Ecanus pouted, while Garren continued glaring at Ecanus while Ecanus glares at Sage who casually continued eating with composed demeanor as if Ecanus didn’t talk to him.

These guys... Zerha sighed and resumed eating.

Meanwhile, Aiden watched them intently. What the hell is this situation? Demons... Why are they here? And worse, they’re mingling with humans?! I need to eliminate them before anyone gets hurt.

All of a sudden, the front door burst open then a man in his thirties stumbled inside.

"Ma’am! Ma’am!" he shouted in panic.

"What’s wrong, Matteo?" the landowner asked.

"Y-Your daughter... Ellie... a demon kidn*pped her!" he cried, stumbling over his words, his face pale and drenched in sweat. His chest heaved as he gasped for breath, hands trembling violently at his sides.

"H-How could that happen? She was just playing at home, right?" the landowner asked, her voice quivering. Her face had turned pale, and her lips trembled as she clutched her chest, trying to calm the rapid thudding of her heart. Tears welled up in her eyes, blurring her vision, and her knees threatened to buckle beneath her. The panic in her voice deepened, laced with disbelief and a mother’s worst fear.

"Yes, but while I was outside gathering herbs, a demon swooped in and grabbed her. I tried to follow, but he was too fast."

"Tsk. Now demons have the nerve to enter Haria?" Aiden said coldly, casting another suspicious glance at Zerha and Sage.

Why does he keep looking at me like I’m the one who captured her daughter?! I didn’t do anything! Zerha thought, chills running down her spine.

"Sir Aiden, please save my daughter!" the landowner begged through sobs.

"Of course. I’m a demon hunter. Where was she taken?" he stood up from his chair and started preparing of his things.

"B-Behind our house. Near the f*******n Forest!"

"Take me there. You two, come with me!" Aiden suddenly pointed to Zerha and Sage.

"Hey! Who do you think you are ordering my Master around?" Garren snapped. "If you want to save the girl, go. But don’t endanger my Master!"

Master? Why is a human calling the demon ‘Master’? Did the demon already brainwash them? Aiden thought, his stomach twisting with dread. His fists clenched at his sides, and a wave of doubt surged through him. Are they really under her control?

"You two are also demon hunters? Please, help Aiden save my daughter," the landowner pleaded, her voice trembling with fear. Her eyes brimmed with tears, and her hands shook as she clutched the hem of her apron. "She’s all I have... please, bring her back to me safely."

Zerha couldn’t ignore the woman’s pain. "Okay, I’ll help on finding her." she also stood up from her chair.

"But Master–" Garren began.

"It’s fine, Garren."

"Then let us come with you!" Garren insisted. Foxy nodded.

Sage chimed in, "I’ll do anything to be of help, Milady."

All of a sudden Ecanus ran away from the table and exclaimed. "Then let’s go and kill some f****ng demons!" he stood away from the table so he could shout an indecent word.

The five of them followed Matteo while he was comforting the landowner. “Here we are,” Matteo said, as they arrived at the back of a house near the entrance of the Kingdom's market. It is near the f*******n forest too since the front entrance of the market is near the entrance of the f*******n forest.

Aiden knelt with precision, his cloak billowing slightly as he lowered himself. His gloved hand touched the earth, and a ripple of black energy surged from his palm, crawling across the ground like living shadows. The very air grew heavier, and the surrounding light dimmed as if the sun had momentarily been swallowed by clouds. The grass around his fingers wilted, and a faint hum of power vibrated beneath their feet.

His magic... It’s familiar… Right! It's like from those demons! Zerha thought.

Zerha was right, Aiden’s ability is like a demon's, that's why he can locate and determine whether someone is a demon or not even if wearing some disguise. That is how he can tell Zerha and Sage were demons even they are in human forms.

Aiden finally stood. "I know where the demon went. Follow me."

Surprised, Zerha said. "Whoa. He just touched the ground and figured it out?"

"He’s a human using dark magic?" Garren muttered, confused.

“You’re right.” Foxy agreed, staring at Aiden suspiciously.

"Let’s go! What are you waiting for?!" Aiden snapped.

"Wait! Let me come too," the landowner said.

"Ma’am, no! It’s dangerous!" Matteo said.

"He’s right. We’ll save her. Please stay here," Zerha added.

So that’s how she manipulates people? Pretends to be kind until they trust her? Disgusting, Aiden thought.

"Please save her," the woman sobbed. Zerha just gave her a nod.

They entered the vast, foreboding forest, where towering, ancient trees loomed overhead, their twisted branches forming a dense canopy that allowed only thin shafts of sunlight to pierce through. Moss clung to the trunks, and thick vines curled like serpents around the undergrowth. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and rotting foliage. Strange, luminous mushrooms glowed faintly along the forest floor, casting eerie shadows. As they pressed deeper into the gloom, Aiden’s gaze sharpened, he hoped they could find the girl before nightfall. Beneath a massive, gnarled tree whose roots twisted aboveground like skeletal limbs, they spotted movement: a group of demons encircling something, no, someone.

"One, two, three... ten demons," Garren counted.

"Are they the ones who took the child?" Zerha asked.

They then spotted a young girl on the ground tangled in vines.

"Is that the girl?! She’s alive, right?" Zerha asked.

"Yes," Aiden confirmed. Why is she asking if she's alive or not? To devour her soul later, perhaps? he thought grimly.

"Come on! What are you guys waiting for? Let’s attack those f****ng demons!" Ecanus was about to charged but Aiden spoke.

"Wait! They’re mid-level demons. Also, are you really demon hunters? This is the first time I saw you. Which guild are you from?" Aiden asked suspiciously.

"Oh... Um... Ahem! Yes, we are demon hunters! That's right we are demon hunters!! " Ecanus replied, averting his eyes.

Aiden stared at him, clearly doubting him.

"We should save the kid now!" Zerha said.

"She’s right. Let’s go!" Without a second thought. Ecanus rushed in and punched a demon.

"That weak angel!" Garren yelled, joining the fray. "Why did you charge? We need to come up with a plan, you i***t!"

A demon attacked Garren, but he countered with a fiery kick, slamming the demon into a tree.

In human form, he used his fire ability but Garren’s fire was weaker because of his human form, but his physical strength made up for it.

“WAHAHAH! I’m gonna kill you!” Ecanus charges at the other demons using his light magic.

A fire and light user? Interesting. Especially the light. Rare indeed, Aiden thought.

"Ecanus, behind you!" Zerha shouted. Two demons crept behind him. Ecanus didn’t notice them because he was busy fighting the demon in front of him, though Ecanus was almost beat up by the demon.

Before the two demons struck at Ecanus, Zerha unleashed razor-sharp threads, slicing them to pieces.

The demons were shocked after they had just witnessed their allies being shredded to pieces that instant.

Aiden stared, stunned. Her power... it’s not darkness. What is she? I’m sure that she is a demon!

"Milady!”

“Master!"

Sage and Foxy immediately run towards Zerha when they notice that a demon was sneaking behind her waiting for a time to attack her.

But both of them were too late, the demon already slammed into Zerha, sending her flying into a tree.

“Ugh!”

The impact was brutal. Zerha's body slammed against the tree trunk with a sickening c***k, her breath escaping in a sharp gasp before everything went black.

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