Chapter 14: The Devil

Baphomet floating in his soul form could finally see the attacker, it was a masked person who he didn't even notice till now. Those eyes piercing even through the viel of the ethereal world and staring straight at him. The soul state was not visible to normal people because their eyes can't pierce the viel between the ethereal and non ethereal. But this person seemed to see right at him and that gave Baphomet shivers.

"That mask..." He thought to himself. It seemed quite familiar with the aura of a hated person. He just couldn't remember it for now so he let go of the thought.

Baphomet's soul was dissipating quickly. Perhaps it was more apt to call it a fragment of his original soul. He had arrived here through much difficulty and found this place only to die at the hands of some low level shits. Even the Demon-slayers hadn't been deployed yet. He would simply become a laughing stock if others learn of this colossal failure.

He didn't have enough strength right now to possess another person but he sensed a strange power deep down beneath the hall. It was a strange energy filled with resentment and it seemed to have sensed his inner resentment. Now being beckoned by such an energy Baphomet grew curious and just like that fell downwards and into the floor.

Just past the floor, there was an enormous cave filled with skeletons of huge monsters. The skeletons were archaic, almost brittle due to the flow of time. But these aren't what caught Baphomet's attention. There was an energy enriching him as it continued to sustain his soul.

He floated past huge bones, from dragons, giants and such, ignoring them. Soon he found the source of the resentment and that energy.

' A devil?.... What's that creature doing here.' Baphomet found a corpse, red of skin and huge horns coming out of it's forehead, and Bat wings coming out of it's back.

Baphomet panicked immediately, it was the first time he was in this state since he arrived here as he realized it was a trap. Devils were the bane of all beings that had a soul. Souls were food to them, hence they were the enemies of every being on the celestial grounds.

Baphomet began to retreat. Floating back towards the ceiling, but the seemingly dead devil at the moment, opened it's eyes. It's red eyes made Baphomet tremble in fear and he froze in place.

"Hmmm... A demon?" A dry hoarse voice came from the devil's mouth. It sucked in deep and a mysterious power responded in turn, warping Baphomet's soul, which couldn't even struggle at all. Only to meet with a fate of being devoured.

"Too weak..." The low tone of voice seemed to show it's dissatisfaction with it's meal. The devil got up from the ground.

"How long has it been...." It seemed to keep muttering to itself, while observing the dark place, with bones scattered all around, with it's dull red eyes.

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While in the hall above the cave, Ron seemed to see Baphomet's soul, heading downward. Although he could destroy the soul with his flames but the burden on his soul after doing so, wouldn't make such a gamble worth it. So he could only see it helplessly go away.

Fin who had returned to normal after the fight, was still enraged. He saw the moment Baphomet was killed with just one shot, he knew Ron could've done so easily a lot before and not let those guards and Raiz die in vain. Even he and Anabelle were injured like this.

So he rushed over and swung his spear at Ron. Ron seeing this simply dodged to the side. And looked at Fin with cold murderous eyes.

"You got a death wish?" He demanded in a cold low tone of voice.

"Why?" Fin thrust his spear asking the question.

"Why didn't you save them? You clearly have the power. So why? Do you not care about human life at all." Fin continues with each swing of his spear while Ron calmly dodges.

"What do you mean? save them? Why would I?" Ron counters with a question of his own while getting in close and kicking Fin in the stomach.

"Didn't they do their duty and die willingly for what they believed in? Who am I to deny them their choices." Ron continues with a barrage of kicks and punches. Knocking away Fin's spear and tackling him to the ground.

"Keep your sense of justice to yourself, Dumb bastard. Don't for a second think that I wouldn't kill you." A terrifying murderous aura permeates the entire hall, causing even Anabelle who is lying down outside to feel shivers.

[Quest completed: Kill Baphomet.]

[ Rewards granted.]

[ Random skill from Baphomet, Overwhelming Might .]

At this moment the system announces in Ron's mind, the quest is completed which means Baphomet is dead. And he even got a skill from it.

So Ron retracts his murderous intent, showing such mastery in controlling it as if it was a mere illusion.

And that's how Fin felt , one moment the murderous intent to burn down even the whole world descended and then at the next, a calm and serene presence as the morning breeze. This person was not one to be messed with. But he still couldn't let go of his anger so he only glared at Ron while being pinned down.

"Huh, Did his soul dissipate on it's own or...." Ron pauses thinking of possibilities that might've lead to Baphomet's demise but nothing came to mind. It seemed too illogical. Baphomet really didn't have the power to destroy the whole town. But the town was destroyed in the original timeline.

So he had a vague uneasy feeling, as he didn't remember the exact circumstances.

Anabelle rushed into the hall, disregarding her injury and her state of only being covered with Fin's shirt.

"Fin..." She shouts wondering what has happened. " Let him go!!" She rushes towards them.

But at this moment, the floor cracks and a crimson red hand appears, and slowly holding on to the floor, the devil crawls up. Sensing more souls in here it has come to feast.

It crawls up from the floor and stands between Anabelle and Ron.

"Aaahhhhh!!!" Anabelle shrieks, as if she hadn't had enough monsters for one day, another one appeared. This one even more hideous than the previous goat-headed one. She tumbles to the ground, the shirt barely covering her.

The devil having crimson red skin and those dark red eyes, stands tall with it's bat like wings folded at it's back and tail swaying around with joy. It created the perfect image with the devils talked about on earth.

While Anabelle was busy shrieking, Ron let go of fin and without making any sound, he retreated hurriedly.

'What the fuck..... It all makes sense now.... This scion of calamity, the stupid hero title indeed brings such encounters.' Ron is cursing in his mind. He realized how the town was destroyed, it was definitely this devil. As the hero title of Fin has the aspect of bringing upon unexpected events, so as to aid his growth.

But these events are so catastrophic that the hero even with his plot armour will suffer. Now what is Ron supposed to do when he got none.

He looks at the devil with his sage's eye.

[ Name: Azel Orlus Pructus(Wandering Boss.)

Title: None.

Affiliation: 4th Hell

State: Weakened.

Level: 50

HP:??????

MP:????

Skills:

????

????

????

????

???

???]

"Fck when everything is question marks you know you are fcked." Ron mutters to himself, slowly moving towards the door of the hall. This is the second time his eye's can't see the stats at all. It seems this time due to level difference.

And of course at this moment the devil, stared straight at him, sensing his gaze. It smirks and disappears from his vision the next instant.

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[To be continued.]