Story: I'm a Daemon, so what?
Disclaimer: I do not own the original setting.
Chapter 109: Hinata Awakens
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- Hinata Sakaguchi -
Hinata groggily opened her eyes, and within moments she processed the events that had recently occurred.
She could feel her new Ultimate Skill perfectly slotted within her soul, its powers hers to call upon. She would have to test it out a little bit later before she challenged Veldora to a fight. This time she would face him with her own abilities, and she was even looking forward to it.
But that was for later, when things calmed down a bit, she got more free time, and she had a chance to truly experiment.
With a sigh she sat up and looked around the room.
She had no idea how long she had been out of it, but she hoped it wouldn't have been too long. She closed her eyes and expanded her senses only to let out a sigh of relief as she sensed Felix, Luminous… Damrada, and a Daemon of some kind all together in one room.
The accuracy of her senses had grown more potent through her awakening as a True Hero, she could tell that much.
She was curious who the last person with them was, perhaps she would go check on them, but first she clenched her fists.
The amount of physical power she had now was many times greater than the power she held previously. Awakening as a True Hero may not have evolved her or anything, but her physical power alone was enough to crush an Incomplete Saint in an instant.
Hinata flexed her fingers experimentally, feeling the raw power coursing through her body. Her muscles felt denser, there was more energy in them, and they felt more responsive, a stark reminder of her newfound strength. It was disorienting, but also exhilarating.
She could sense the difference in her own Aura, it was sharper, more refined, like a blade honed to perfection. She wouldn't have been able to tell before, but she could tell that there was a difference in people's Auras, based on their stage in evolution, age, mastery, etc.
She already possessed Divinity, but her Awakening refined it further as there were clear "tiers" within Divinity.
Felix's Divinity for example was more potent than hers, she wasn't quite sure why but her Awakening increased the potency of her own Divinity.
Divinity in general was not an authority or Skill of any kind, it was just another higher form of energy. It was of a higher quality and thus could do more with less, that was it.
Felix coated a stick in Divinity in the past and that increased the overall power and structure of the stick by an enormous extent. To the point that he was able to use that same stick to match and surpass her old Legend Grade rapier and soundly defeat her.
At its base Divinity was an enhancer to anything and everything it was applied to.
Hinata rose from the bed, her movements fluid and controlled despite her enhanced strength. She glanced at her reflection in a nearby mirror, her appearance had not changed as her evolution to Divine Human had already refined her to an incredible extent. She was in no way "perfect" as no one was, but her beauty was well within the supernatural category.
But there was no time for self-reflection. The presence of a Daemon in the same room as Felix, Luminous, and Damrada was troubling. She couldn't help but feel concerned despite knowing the strength of Felix and Luminous.
As for Damrada, she didn't know why exactly he was with them.
She wasn't quite sure how powerful the Daemon was as it was carefully controlling its power, only allowing a slight amount of Aura to emanate from his body. The Daemon would have to be a fool to be hostile, with the combined might of Luminous and Felix, not many if any would manage to get out of that alive.
She guessed Damrada and the Daemon were in league with one another, she knew Damrada was firmly on Yuuki's side and he had clearly made himself an enemy when he led her to attack Tempest.
The Daemon was likely involved in the attack in some way and Damrada and the Daemon were now possibly negotiating for something now that the attack had very clearly failed.
That was just her guess though, perhaps she was wrong. At least that gave her a general idea of just how much time had passed. If they were still dealing with the after effects of the attack then it couldn't have been that long since she fell unconscious.
Normally she wouldn't have even fallen unconscious, but her Awakening this time was different than most Awakenings.
Her power even before she Awakened was already incredibly potent, as a Divine Human she could take on some True Demon Lords and come out on top, she was in the same realm as True Heroes while not being one herself.
Yet she went and grew even stronger, such a drastic and sudden rise in energy can be dangerous if not handled properly. So her spirit forced her into unconsciousness so she could quickly adapt to the new level of power she possessed as well as use Fortuna to calculate the best way to control her power. Without Fortuna it would have taken even longer.
She brushed a strand of hair behind her ear before she gently rubbed a finger across the bracelet that housed her armor and rapier. Both had been given blessings of sorts from her Awakening. They were even stronger now and were in the process of stabilizing. She expected their total energy to at least increase by 50% which was a significant margin.
As she prepared to leave she spotted something from the corner of her eyes. Her eyes narrowed as she saw Granbell's longsword leaning harmlessly against the wall. No energy from it was leaking, it was as if it didn't exist to her perception.
Just what was it doing here?
She was grateful to Granbell for what he did for her so she was rather upset that despite everything he wasn't put to rest with his weapon at the very least. It was what she would have wanted were she to die. She thought Granbell was worthy of at least a proper death. The man was a Hero, he followed his beliefs even if they put him against the entire world. He did what he did because he believed it was right, and Hinata respected that immensely.
As she walked towards it she felt it start to release a subtle aura causing her to lift a brow. It was possible to imbue your intent within a weapon, though it was incredibly difficult. What she felt from Truth was that it wanted her to wield it as her weapon. Had Granbell wished to gift her Truth? Truly she was being spoiled.
If that was what Granbell wanted then she wouldn't reject it. Though she already had a weapon of choice, and she wouldn't just throw Divine Moonlight away, it was a gift from Felix.
She smirked slightly. She had always wanted to dual wield but could never find two weapons of similar high quality to wield. With her increased strength she could manage to put the same amount of force behind her strikes when she used two hands with one hand now, so her strength would not suffer for it.
Hinata reached out to Truth, the longsword radiating a faint pulse as her fingers brushed its hilt. It was subtle, but she felt the resonance between them, like a quiet acknowledgment.
It wasn't just a weapon, it was alive in its own way, imbued with Granbell's will and purpose. The intent was unmistakable, Truth recognized her, approved of her, and wanted to be wielded by her.
Truth was a powerful weapon, it had more energy than Divine Moonlight did, at least before Divine Moonlight was strengthened by her Awakening.
Truth was Granbell's weapon of choice for centuries so it made sense that it was a very high tier God Grade weapon. It had been through an unimaginable amount of bloodshed, of that she was certain.
She wrapped her fingers around the hilt, and as she lifted it, a wave of energy surged through her arm, rushing to meet her core. It was not overwhelming, but invigorating, as if the sword were testing her, gauging her worth. Tool spirits weren't quite alive per say but they had a will.
Hinata's smirk deepened. "So, this is how it is, huh? You want to see if I'm up to your standards?" She muttered, gripping the weapon more firmly. It was a rather arrogant weapon in her opinion, but that would just make it more satisfying when she inevitably tamed it.
Truth seemed to answer. The sword hummed faintly, its aura aligning with hers, amplifying her Divinity. It seems Truth's primary effect was that of "amplification". That explained why Granbell's Melt Strike was so powerful.
Truth was not domineering but cooperative, as if it had been waiting for her to wield it properly. The blade's edge shimmered faintly in the light, and Hinata could sense the immense potential it held.
"Fine." She said softly, giving the weapon a small flourish. The blade responded effortlessly, moving with her, an extension of her will. It felt...right. It wasn't quite as natural as Divine Moonlight, but Hinata felt it would reach that stage eventually.
Hinata turned her attention to Divine Moonlight, the rapier gifted by Felix. She summoned it from her bracelet, its sleek form materializing in her other hand. The two weapons radiated distinct energies, Divine Moonlight precise and graceful, Truth powerful and unyielding. Yet, when held together, they complemented each other perfectly, like two halves of a greater whole.
"How convenient." She muttered. "Granbell, if this was your intention, I'll honor it." She said quietly. She'd use his weapon alongside her own to protect Humanity in her own way.
Her grip on the swords tightened as she felt them synchronizing with her aura. The room seemed to respond to the convergence of their energies, a faint ripple spreading outward. Even without unleashing their full power, the potential was staggering.
She gave an experimental swing, the motions fluid and precise. The swords moved as if they had always been meant to be wielded together, and her body adjusted naturally to the new rhythm.
With two powerful blades, dual wielding wasn't just a pipedream for her anymore, it was a viable strategy, one that suited her newfound strength and agility. She didn't need a free hand to cast Magic or anything, she could do that chantlessly without any sort of gestures if she wanted to. Though she didn't use pure Magic much in the first place.
Hinata sheathed both weapons, returning Divine Moonlight to its bracelet as she made to carefully set Truth at her side, Truth itself reacted to her storage bracelet. Her brows shot up as she felt Truth connect with her storage bracelet. Previously the bracelet was designed with the sole function of storing her armor and rapier, Felix made it that way. Yet now she felt the bracelet changing to allow Truth to be stored in it as well.
How convenient. Truth was quickly stored within her bracelet.
Straightening her posture, she left the room, her steps echoing in the corridor. "Lady Hinata." She paused and turned around, unsurprised to see Gunther standing by.
In her experience Gunther was always around when he felt he was needed. She had already sensed his presence before he spoke up. His Aura was rather unmistakable after all, and despite his age he didn't have quite perfect control over his leaking Aura.
It was incredibly difficult to completely suppress your leaking Aura, in fact she thought it impossible for years until she realized just how weak she was in the grand scheme of things. Even Luminous originally radiated a slight amount of her Aura, though ever since Hinata had come back to the present she noticed that Luminous no longer leaked any Aura.
"Gunther." She nodded with a smile to the old butler. She wasn't really close with Gunther but she appreciated his service and reliability. Many times in the past he had prepared her delicious meals, both when she went to the past and after she joined Luminous' inner circle.
He was a strong fighter too, she remembered him helping in one of the Tenma Wars. It truly enlightened her on just how much strength he was hiding in his old visage. Safe to say, Gunther's mastery of his Vampiric abilities was absurd.
"I do believe that you should be resting." Gunther said in his grandfatherly tone.
She just smiled. "I'm fine, Gunther. I cannot afford to be lazing about during this trying period of time."
Gunther sighed as he adjusted his glasses. "Very well, I suppose I cannot convince you otherwise."
As she made to turn around and leave she paused. Perhaps Gunther could give her some more information about the situation.
"What is the situation like now?" She asked.
Gunther immediately knew what she was getting at. He went on to tell her about what happened after she fell unconscious. About Luminous killing Granbell, about the Monsters that had attacked Lune, about how her Paladins reacted to the attack, Gunther knew almost everything.
She was rather proud that her Paladins were able to react in a timely manner and deal with everything in an orderly fashion. She had trained them for such spontaneous events but drills and such did not totally prepare one for how to act in a catastrophic event. Drills did not capture the sheer range of emotions one felt during such catastrophes.
The fact that they maintained their composure and executed their duties flawlessly was a testament to their discipline and the leadership abilities the other Great Saints had displayed.
Saare was not around for the majority of the attack as he had been ordered by her to represent the Western Holy Church in the meeting between Tempest and the Council of the West, yet he still managed to return.
Saare had displayed a real change ever since she came back and she couldn't be happier. It wouldn't take long for him to completely spiritualize into a Complete Saint.
"Do we have confirmation of the other attackers' identities?" Hinata inquired, her tone sharp.
It wasn't as if Granbell acted alone, the Monsters he had somehow tamed couldn't all have been under his command while he simultaneously fought her. There was Kagali and her Moderate Harlequin Alliance, and then even Cerberus wasn't completely dismantled to her knowledge. While Yuuki was its head it wasn't as if the organization would immediately collapse without him.
There was Kagali, and Damrada still left as well as other higher ups of Cerberus.
Gunther nodded. "One lady known as Misha was taken care of by one of Lord Felix's subordinates. Razul, the Guardian of the West was also finished off by two of Lord Felix's subordinates."
She raised a brow. She didn't know much about Misha other than the fact that Misha was one of the three leaders of Cerberus alongside Damrada and Vega. That left only Damrada.
As for Razul, she knew that the Guardian of the West was an ally of Granbell's. She was honestly impressed by his strength. To hold off the Lord of Darkness' Daemons was no easy feat. She wondered which of Felix's subordinates took care of him?
"As for Kagali and her subordinate Tear, Lady Luminous took care of them." Gunther informed.
Hinata nodded. "Excellent." With Kagali likely dead that should mean that Cerberus would no longer be an issue. Damrada would be taken care of, he was in the same room as Felix and Luminous, she was sure they had something in mind to deal with him.
Perhaps Gunther would have an idea about the Daemon she sensed. For some reason the Daemon just seemed… off putting. She couldn't explain why but she just had a bad feeling even when just thinking about him. "What of the Daemon I sense with Luminous and Felix?" She asked.
For the first time Hinata saw a look of genuine fear and worry on Gunther's face. "The Daemon…." Gunther sighed. "Is Guy Crimson. He showed up for some reason, Lady Luminous and Lord Felix left to receive him."
Hinata didn't bother responding as she vanished, heading towards the meeting room. She hadn't ever met Guy Crimson in person, but if what Felix and Luminous said about him had even a grain of truth, then she should be there acting as some sort of reinforcement. After underestimating the Demon Lords once before, she would never do so again.
- Gadra -
As Gadra continued his reconnaissance, he felt a growing unease despite his skills and precautions. He had made every measure to make sure he remained undetected, he truly was not underestimating the Demon Lord's forces but he still felt something was off.
It was subtle, like a whisper at the edge of his awareness, but it lingered. His Extra Skills, Danger Sense and Presence Detection, had remained silent, yet the instinct honed over centuries of perilous encounters nudged at him.
He dismissed it for now, chalking it up to paranoia brought on by the high-stakes mission. However the longer his instincts warned him the more he realized he should arrange an escape plan immediately.
As he made his way through the city he quickly began thinking up the quickest and most efficient ways to evacuate himself. The Anti-Magic Area would be troublesome but he could think of a way around it in a pinch.
He continued to examine the city as he observed the guards. Their strength and competence was something the good Lieutenant would want to know. Gadra also hoped to get information on the military but he was beginning to feel like that may be too much of a risk.
The city's layout was meticulous, the streets forming a network that subtly guided the flow of people and goods. The placement of magical nodes and guard posts was designed not only for efficiency but also for redundancy, ensuring that no area was left vulnerable.
Even with his extensive knowledge of barriers and defenses, Gadra was begrudgingly impressed.
He eventually began making his way back closer to the palace. He wouldn't be getting too close, merely within its line of sight.
His focus sharpened as he neared the outer edges of the palace district. He took care to avoid the eyes of patrolling guards and the occasional hovering surveillance construct. Gadra paused by a market stall to blend into the crowd, pretending to examine an assortment of enchanted trinkets while covertly scanning the palace's defenses.
He noted the layers of protection, physical walls reinforced with runes, magical barriers that shimmered faintly in the air, and concealed sentries who blended seamlessly with their surroundings.
If the reports of Demon Lord Felix's strength were accurate, Gadra suspected that the Daemon needed none of these protections, but it was all about status. What would people think if the Demon Lord had to defend himself?
It would signify massive incompetence among the Demon Lord's guards, that was certain. Emperor Rudra had a similar arrangement, he had four personal guards, each Saints of obscene strength to protect him.
"This is more formidable than I expected." He muttered under his breath. The Empire's intelligence had underestimated Demon Lord Felix's defenses, though that was natural, Kondou had not managed to learn much. He would need to adjust his report accordingly.
Yet even as he observed, the unease returned, stronger this time. He cast a spell to heighten his perception, extending his senses outward in search of the source of his discomfort. The city hummed with life and magic, but nothing stood out as an immediate threat. Still, the feeling persisted, like a predator watching from the shadows.
With his reconnaissance conducted he decided to leave. He wanted to do more originally but he valued his life far more, he could always come back.
For now leaving the capital city of Azeroth was his priority. As he began casually leaving the palace district he once again attempted to expand his senses discreetly. Oftentimes if his instincts were warning him, then that meant something was amiss. He merely needed to figure out what was wrong, the more information he had the more informed of a decision he could make.
He was one of the strongest and most knowledgeable mages in the Cardinal World, there was not much he could handle, but he would rather overreact and be safe than underreact and be in danger.
- Lalatina -
Lalatina's grin widened as she watched Gadra subtly attempt to probe his surroundings. His instincts were sharp, she'd give him that much credit. But no amount of perception-enhancing magic would help him detect her presence. She was just too far above him for anything in his power to be capable of truly affecting her.
She hovered above him, her wings folding slightly as she deliberated. She could reveal herself now, perhaps play the part of an inquisitive local to gauge his intentions more directly. But that would be too easy, and far less entertaining. Besides, she doubted the man would actually tell some random stranger anything worthwhile. He was too old and experienced for that.
She continued to watch as Gadra began discreetly getting further and further away from the palace. He wasn't obvious, he went around to some shops, acted as if he was merely window shopping and he just happened to be getting further away, but she knew that it was all likely an act. It seems that Gadra was satisfied with the information he got.
She blinked as she felt Arcueid and Sukuna teleport in tow to the palace. It seems that things had wrapped up then. Arcueid had left to take care of some of the loose ends like Granbell's allies, though Lalatina wouldn't be surprised if Arcueid did some other things as well on the side.
"Lalatina." Arcueid said through a Thought Communication. "Megumin has already informed me of Gadra's presence, are you tailing him?" Arcueid asked curiously.
"Mhmm. Just watching him for now. He was just looking around, observing the people and the guards. Though it seems he has finished since he's beginning to get further and further away from the palace."
"Is that so? He did not take the proper channels to enter our Lord's territory despite the invitation he had been given. That alone deserves punishment. Are you able to take him in, Lalatina?"
She sighed. "Fine, fine. I wanted to watch him a bit more, see if I could freak him out but I'll deal with him now."
"Thank you." Arcueid said as the Thought Communication between them was ended.
She said she would bring Gadra in, but that didn't mean she wouldn't have some fun with him.
Her World System Skill was completely out of consideration, but she did want to have some more fun with her Ultimate Skill. She hadn't had many chances to use it yet, she had only used it against Arcueid and Megumin so far.
Due to that she felt her mastery over Samael was lacking, Ultimate Skills were instinctively wielded, but to truly master it she would need to practice with it and use it in live combat, especially if she wished to get a bit more creative with its uses.
Her Ultimate Skill was extremely powerful, she needed to gain perfect control over it sooner rather than later if she wished to be of use to her Master.
Even now she could feel the Multi-Dimensional Barrier her Master gifted her, enveloping her entire body.
Lalatina descended silently as her coat flickered in the wind, her presence still concealed. She landed in a shaded alley just ahead of him, folding her wings behind her back. A flick of her hand cloaked her in an unassuming aura, blending her into the surroundings as she stepped out into the bustling street.
She walked directly toward him, her every movement deliberate. Gadra was taking on the form of an old, old man. She didn't doubt that he could change his appearance, if he couldn't after all his so-called experience then he was a failure as a mage. He had long, white hair and a matching beard.
The moment Gadra's eyes met hers, she dropped her concealment, allowing her full power to be perceived by the tiny human.
She had already placed a barrier around them, one that was rather small on the outside but the inside was expanded using Space-Time Manipulation. There were no civilians within the barrier, and those around it wouldn't be affected at all. They wouldn't even know what was happening right next to them.
"Hello there." She said, her voice smooth and honeyed, a hint of amusement laced within.
Gadra immediately stiffened up, she could see the panic in his eyes.
He immediately began casting a teleportation spell, one that was powerful enough that it would tear most Anti-Magic Areas apart allowing the spell to be cast in the first place.
Anti-Magic Area prevented one from manipulating the Laws, but there were ways around this. For one, Anti-Magic Area only worked on the most basic method of Law Manipulation, that being through magicules.
If anyone used a higher form of energy such as spiritrons then it would fail to work, but there were countermeasures for each stage.
The total cast time of Gadra's spell would be less than a second, it was a shame though that she interrupted him using Space-Time Manipulation.
Realizing that his attempt to flee had failed, Gadra stood up straight, his expression betraying only a flicker of surprise before his mask of neutrality returned. "I don't believe we've met." He said carefully, his tone polite but guarded.
Lalatina tilted her head, a coy smile playing on her lips. "Oh, we haven't. But I've been watching you for a while. You're quite the careful one, aren't you?"
Gadra's lips twitched at her confirmation. "So I was being followed."
She could see the tension in his stance.
"Just an interested observer." She continued, stepping closer. "But you're leaving so soon? That's a shame. I thought we could chat a bit. I feel like you might have some information that my Master would love to hear."
Gadra's eyes narrowed. "I have no business here beyond sightseeing. If you'll excuse me—"
Lalatina laughed, the sound echoing with an unnatural edge that seemed to make the air around them vibrate. "Oh, you misunderstand. You do not have a choice in this matter. I am sure that you will serve as an amusing toy." Lalatina giggled maliciously as she stepped forwards.
Gadra's staff appeared within his hand. His instincts must have been screaming at him by now.
Gadra didn't waste a moment. His centuries of survival had most likely taught him the value of swift action in the face of danger. With a quick flourish of his staff, a shimmering dome of light enveloped him, crackling with energy. It was a high level defensive barrier, one that could reflect physical and magical attacks alike.
The Extra Skills Ranged Barrier, and Multilayer Barrier after all weren't the only barrier abilities out there. They were just the most convenient and optimized. Gadra swirled his staff, she could feel the energy around them shifting as Gadra began to cast his spells.
She held out both of her hands as the dual short swords her beloved Master gifted her appeared. She tightly gripped both as she felt her blades respond to her desires. Both had grown stronger from her own Awakening, each having more EP than most Saints.
Gadra used the time he had to begin his attack. Instead, he channeled his energy into the ground, activating a hidden glyph he had placed moments earlier, one that she allowed him to place out of curiosity. A surge of Earth Magic erupted, jagged stone spears shooting toward Lalatina from below.
Her movements were fluid, almost lazy, as she sidestepped the attack with ease. One blade flicked out, cleaving through the magic-infused stone as though it were paper. The other sword danced in her grip, catching a secondary wave of magical energy Gadra had layered into the attack.
It was dismantled effortlessly. It was strong, don't get her wrong, it was complex enough to catch even a powerful Enlightened and weaker Saint off guard due to how the attack was layered, but it just wasn't enough to deal with someone of her caliber.
"Cute." She remarked as she flourished her twin swords. Her Weakness Identification sub-skill had already pinged many of Gadra's supposed weaknesses.
It seems Gadra's soul was not quite damaged but it was not healthy, likely due to his repeated reincarnations. Something like that could be exploited by her poison with ease. She could easily create a poison tailor made to kill Gadra in particular now if she wished to do so.
Her twin swords glimmered as she began using Death Poison Refining, coating them in a poison that was especially made to take advantage of that weakness of Gadra's, though this one wouldn't kill him, merely put him in an artificial coma only she could wake him from.
Gadra didn't stop trying to attack her as he levitated himself into the air. She felt the shift in the air, a surge of spiritrons that were focused on the focal point above his staff.
The street seemed to dim as his spell took form, shadows stretching unnaturally while a fiery orb materialized, burning with a brilliance that rivaled the sun. She raised a brow, she was impressed with his attack.
Even now the effects of his spell could be felt and he hadn't even sent it at her. The surrounding temperatures increased drastically. The enchanted cobblestone beneath their feet began to crack and glow faintly red, unable to withstand the sheer intensity of the heat radiating from the orb. The enchanted wooden signposts along the street warped and smoldered, their edges curling as faint trails of smoke rose into the air. Glass windows in the nearby buildings fogged over before shattering under the rapid expansion and contraction of the heat's pressure.
The tendrils of flame flicked outward, searing through the air with a hiss, leaving lingering trails of heat that shimmered in their wake.
Though her Multi-Dimensional Barrier protected her from all the effects, not that she even needed her barrier to deal with it. Temperature of this level was far from enough to inconvenience her. Though she'd need to get someone to fix the mess Gadra was making. At least there were no civilians around, they were still going about their days outside of her barrier not realizing what was happening next to them.
"Impressive. For a mortal." She remarked with a cocky grin.
Gadra's eyes narrowed, sweat dripping down his brow despite his protective spells. The fiery orb continued to grow, its brilliance now near-blinding as it prepared to unleash its devastating energy.
Lalatina tilted her head, observing with a detached curiosity. She could sense his desperation in the way the spiritrons swirled chaotically around him. This was quite literally an all or nothing play for Gadra. It seems he rated her threat level rather highly and wished to not have a prolonged encounter with her.
Gadra's spell swirled above his staff as it slowly began destabilizing due to how long Gadra was taking in deploying it. "I know not your name." Gadra stated. "But hear me, I will unleash this catastrophe right here in the middle of this city if it ensures my survival." Gadra said with a grim smile. "No barrier can last against something of this caliber. However, should you allow me to leave, I will contain this spell."
She raised a brow at Gadra's certainty. Because she was sure that her barrier would last against Gadra's spell. She shrugged, she wouldn't be telling him just how wrong she was.
She blatantly yawned, cutting Gadra's words short. "Hurry up, I'll give you one shot before I have my turn." She said, treating it as if it were a game.
Gadra sighed. "Very well. Do not blame me for this."
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She stored her twin blades in her Spatial Storage as she stood on top of Gadra. After he deployed his spell, unsurprisingly her barrier held up. Though all of the land within the barrier was scorched to smithereens.
Oops.
After using his spell Gadra got even more desperate, he was low on internal energy so she had an even easier time than she would have before. She didn't even really get to use Samael on him that much since he was that weak. He wasn't worthy of her Ultimate Skill, it was her mistake to think she would be able to learn a thing or two from this fight.
"Arcueid." She said through a Thought Communication.
"Are you done with your games?" Arcueid said in a fed up tone of voice.
It didn't surprise her whatsoever that Arcueid knew what she was doing. She took her job as her Lord's regent very seriously.
"Yup! He was weaker than I thought he would be."
"Hmm, I will keep that in mind then. I will send Sukuna to pick Gadra up." Sukuna was always really obedient to those stronger than him. He may have been one of the Seven Demonic Lords under her Master, but he knew his place.
"Mkay, by the way make sure to send someone to clean the area up."
Arcueid audibly sighed through the Thought Communication. "How much will need to be rebuilt?"
A sheepish smile grew on her face. "All of it? But it's Gadra's fault! No one asked him to throw a miniature sun at me!"
"Very well then. I will have the civilians in the area escorted away. Once that is done please dispel your barrier."
"Got it!"
While she waited she floated around as she kicked her legs back and forth. Before long she felt Sukuna's arrival outside of her barrier. She felt his incoming Thought Communication. "Would you mind dispelling your barrier, Lady Lalatina?" Sukuna requested.
Sukuna was a real formal guy surprisingly, at least he was to those that were stronger than him. Sukuna lived on the same mindset that almost all Daemons did. Those who were strong were right, and those who were weak deserved everything that happened to them. It was a simple and cruel mindset, but it was one many shared.
According to her Master he was rather similar even in his previous world, though in her Master's own words, Sukuna was more "unhinged". Her Master defeated Sukuna and then remade Sukuna in his image.
Ever since then Sukuna had always been trying to get stronger, perhaps it was an old holdover from his previous life, perhaps he merely wanted to be useful, but Lalatina was still interested in him nonetheless. He was stronger than almost every single Daemon in existence, when there were billions upon billions of them that was an impressive feat.
Not to mention his World System Skill was something she was interested in, that was before she acquired her own World System Skill.
Though one thing about Sukuna that she had noticed was an internal sort of conflict within. Her Master had told her about his story and how he was recruited, and Lalatina could only assume it was a small hold over from his previous life.
She shook her head, she was getting distracted. "It's dispelling now." Lalatina responded before cutting the Thought Communication.
The citizens had already been moved out according to her senses. Most of the people who resided here were aware that there would be times where they were expected to comply with the orders of her Master's representatives. It was only natural to follow the words of the Demon Lord who ruled the lands you called home.
Within moments Sukuna appeared in front of her, his hands clasped firmly behind his back. A look of scorn appeared on Sukuna's face as he took in the sight of the fallen Gadra. "This is him then? I must say, he seems rather disappointing."
Lalatina shrugged. "Maybe compared to the people you associate with, but in this world few would be able to match him."
She knew full well how abnormal the people she associated with were. Even the weakest of her Master's direct subordinates were capable of fighting Saints who were at around 0.000~1% of the population.
Even Sukuna could fight at that level, he may not have had the same raw power as most Saints had, but his Unique Skill and technique could help bridge the gap somewhat.
"Hmm, I suppose you are right." Sukuna conceded.
While he was here she decided to hear more about the overall situation, Sukuna was with Arcueid so he should know more.
"So how'd things go with the Council of the West?" She asked.
An evil grin grew on Sukuna's face. "Everything went as it should. Those weak Humans fell in line quickly and now live and serve at Lord Felix's whims."
She blinked in confusion before just writing it off as Arcueid being an overachiever. She didn't think her Master had once told Arcueid to try and gain control over the Western Council.
Though he didn't say anything about taking over the Free Guild either. She pouted as she realized that if she didn't do something Arcueid would surpass her in the race!
The race to what one may ask? Well Lalatina didn't know, but she didn't want to lose!
"And what about the attack on Ruberious?" She asked with interest.
"The attack was truly quite something, the amount of force present in one city was more than I could have understood in the past." Sukuna said with a dreamy sigh.
Sukuna went on to tell her about what happened in Lune while she was busy playing spy.
Apparently some Monsters were causing trouble, someone tamed them and set them loose on Lune. Even an Arch Dragon was tamed according to Sukuna, though right after he went on to say how disappointing the Dragon was in battle.
In reality even an Arch Daemon would likely lose against an Arch Dragon of the caliber that Sukuna described.
It went to show just how special her Master was to recruit such powerful beings with ease. Even his older subordinates were shaping up to be powerhouses.
Saeko and Raiden were swiftly catching up to her in power before she became a Devil Lord, while Kurumi was just a little bit further behind.
Ingvild did not like combat much so she was lagging behind, but even she was capable of fighting Moss to a draw, who was once the strongest Daemon under the Primordials.
After dealing with the Arch Dragon Sukuna met up with Kurumi and then her Master. It seems Hinata was fighting with Granbell. She would have to pay Hinata a visit sometime.
Lalatina didn't forget how Hinata had blocked her way when she had gone to Ruberious to have fun with Luminous. Back then she was restricted by the world so she could only use the power of an Arch Daemon leading to her defeat.
After that Sukuna was sent to support Arcueid who was taking control over the Western Council. It seems everything worked out perfectly.
"I see." She hummed to Sukuna.
"If that is all I will take this man to Lady Arcueid then." Sukuna said as he picked Gadra up.
Lalatina waved him along. "Feel free."
With that Sukuna vanished, teleporting away.
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Author's Note:
Hello everyone, back with another chapter of Daemon. Hinata finally wakes up with another uber powerful Ultimate Skill. She also gets another weapon so she'll be dual wielding that. In canon she just used one weapon but I feel like dual wielding would suit her quite a bit. In canon only Dino was known to dual wield his weapons so there aren't enough people doing it, that's for certain.
Then Gadra gets dealt with, the guy is really damn strong. Like he taught Razen, Razen who could beat weaker Demon Lords on his own (Seeds). Gadra is an absolute beast that can beat most Saints, it's just that Lalatina is broken as hell. It was just a bad match up from the start.
Thanks to @Salante and @Flowerman for beta'ing this chapter.