582. Seconds
Her name was Vianna.
She was a [Hellreaper]. A Primeval Demon— the strongest of her kin. They lived together in a sanctuary. A safe haven amidst the destruction of the Netherworld. Together, they have survived for so long, undisturbed by even Revelation.
It was through sheer luck, really. The fact that they had managed to find such a secluded spot that the cycles of the Netherworld didn’t affect. It was an odd place. With grass and trees and water. Things that they had never seen before in their entire lives up until that point.
And they had never seen it anywhere else in the Netherworld. It was hidden away— buried deep underground. At one point, perhaps it had been a Lair of sorts. But it didn’t matter what it was.
They had turned it into their home. They survived safely thanks to it. And they would have continued to thrive there for an eternity…
Until those monsters came.
Vianna had thought they were like the others at first— those mindless creatures that only sought to destroy. But they could speak. She, herself, could barely speak as coherently as they could. Her [Advanced Language Comprehension] allowed her to communicate with her kin, but some of the words they spoke were incomprehensible to her.
And then she saw the metal rings they wore. Some of her kin who had moved into their sanctuary later in life had spoken of these Demons. They weren’t mindless— they were something else.
Something far worse.
They were slave Demons.
Minions of a so-called Demon King.
She hadn’t known why they came. They were there to cast a spell of sorts. They held a ritual, and their magic warped the world itself. It opened a hole in the sky that seemed to consume everything. One that showed another world there.
And this magic peeled the earth back, revealing their sanctuary.
Suddenly, the hideout of her people was no longer special. The world around them was replaced with a forest of green trees and tall grass. It was like their little world secluded from the rest of the Netherworld had spread far and wide.
Vianna had thought it was a blessing. But that was when those slave Demons noticed her. They spotted her kin, and that was when the hunt began. She tried to stop them.
She herself was the protector of her sanctuary. She had been Titled the Kinguard because of her strength. But it wasn’t enough to save them.
Vianna wasn’t strong enough. She was defeated, and her kin were captured. Many of them were killed too. It had been a slaughter where only those who submitted survived. The only reason she escaped was because they tried to kill her for fighting back. And somehow, she tricked them. She escaped before they could kill her.
And since then, she had been living a life of regret, roaming the Netherworld aimlessly. Driven by nothing but loathing for herself— for abandoning her kin.
But also rage towards those slave Demons who took everything away from her.
That was what fueled her.
Rage.
And that was why her Species changed— that was how she unlocked her Grand Skill. So that was how she acted.
“I will not die until you are all dead!”
She screamed as she lashed out.
And Haec watched as the [Hellreaper] charged at him. She moved faster than she did before as an aura of blue flames wreathed her.
It was the effects of a Grand Skill. Because of it, she had been able to heal from the wounds Haec had inflicted upon her. He had used his own Grand Skill— empowered by Taburas. But it wasn’t enough to end this battle.
Now Haec didn’t know how the four Archdemons were going to survive this battle. He wasn’t sure if he could even escape the [Hellreaper] now.
He raised his right arm— newly grown, thanks to his Grand Skill. It was no longer the arm of the Demon King. Rather, it was his own arm. It felt odd and almost alien to him. But at least he was no longer maimed like he was before.
But it wasn’t enough to change the outcome of this fight.
Haec swung up at the [Hellreaper] with all his strength. It was a [Instantaneous Strike]. A punch that moved so fast, it landed as soon as the idea of throwing it crossed his mind. It wasn’t his strongest attack, of course. But it served as a good counter to fast opponents.
Unfortunately, he watched with wide eyes as his fist bounced off the Primeval Demon’s aura of blue flames. There was a flash of light. It felt like Haec’s fist was burning. He stumbled back, blinking as he looked down at himself. His skin was charred and black.
“What…?”
The Grand Skill didn’t just heal the Primeval Demon. It didn’t just protect the [Hellreaper] from oncoming attacks. It also hurt her enemies in return. Like she was rebuking them for even daring to lay a finger on her.
Haec winced as she snarled at him.
“You killed them!”
She swiped a claw down, slashing across his chest. He braced himself in time— his [Skin Of The Charred] took the brunt of the attack. But he was still bleeding as the [Hellreaper] raised a second claw.
“You monsters—”
“Get away from him!”
Taburas screamed as she slammed the palm of her right hand onto the ground. Tendrils of ash shot out, seemingly swimming through the rock ground. They shot forward and intercepted the [Hellreaper].
Aemula steadied Haec as he nearly collapsed to the ground. He looked up with gritted teeth, watching the Primeval Demon easily tear through the ashen tendrils. Taburas shouted, creating a thousand blades in the air.
They crashed down into the [Hellreaper], distracting her for a moment. But she roared as she leapt into the air and tore through the hurricane of ashen blades. She fell upon Taburas with her teeth bared.
Haec’s eyes went wide, but Betrugil moved faster. He moved his mouth as his voice seemed to echo around the crevice.
“Stop.”
The [Hellreaper] froze for a moment. He pointed at her as Taburas ran back towards Haec. The former Heir of the Netherworld rose to his feet, holding onto his chest. He looked down at the blood pouring out of his wound, before looking back up at the Primeval Demon.
“Haec— are you alright?”
Taburas asked as she steadied him. He nodded, watching as the [Hellreaper] broke free from Betrugil’s verbal curse. The [Abraxas] was pointed at the Primeval Demon. But nothing was happening.
The [Hellreaper] didn’t react like earlier. Only her flames seemed to flicker, and that was it. She glared at him as he backed up, gritting his teeth.
“My attacks aren’t working anymore!”
Betrugil yelled. Haec pursed his lips.
“I’m fine… I—”
He opened his mouth, and Betrugil cursed.
“Someone help me!”
He leapt out of the way from another clawed strike. The [Hellreaper] barely missed him— his earlier Skill must have gone through its cooldown since it was like he was being yanked out of the way. But the next time the Primeval Demon attacked, he wouldn’t be able to evade it.
Taburas nodded, raising a clawed hand.
“Right—”
She conjured a giant hammer made of ash as she turned to face the [Hellreaper]. But Haec stopped her. He caught her by the arm, shaking his head.
“Wait… I can use my second Grand Skill…”
And Taburas paused. She stared at him with wide eyes.
“But if you use it—”
She started. Haec stopped her. He drew forward as Aemula blinked, looking between him and the [Succubus].
“Wait, what are you talking about?”
“It doesn’t matter.”
Haec spoke simply as he looked towards the [Hellreaper]. She paused right before Betrugil as he was backing up into a wall. The Primeval Demon narrowed her eyes, turning towards him. He raised his right hand as he pointed at her.
“This is our only chance to survive.”
He took in a deep breath, and the [Hellreaper] took a step forward. She didn’t move. She just looked at him with narrowed eyes.
Haec exhaled slowly as a gray aura seemed to wisp off him.
“[I—”
He started. And the [Hellreaper] moved impossibly fast. He blinked as she seemed to be propelled towards him with a burst of flames, raising her claws. His eyes went wide, and he raised his arms to block the attack.
But he was too slow. Whatever Skill the [Hellreaper] used let her strike him within seconds. It sent him flying back as he screamed in pain.
“Haec!”
Taburas shouted as she ran up to him. The [Hellreaper] grinned, taking a step back. Betrugil cursed under his breath, and Aemula backed away in fear.
Haec crashed into the rock wall as the Primeval Demon’s laughter echoed in the background. He felt the burning pain in his chest— the wound dug deep. Far deeper than the first wound he sustained. He gasped as he looked down at his bloodied body.
He opened his mouth. His lips moved.
And he closed his eyes as the world went dark.
MelasD
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582. Seconds
Her name was Vianna.
She was a [Hellreaper]. A Primeval Demon— the strongest of her kin. They lived together in a sanctuary. A safe haven amidst the destruction of the Netherworld. Together, they have survived for so long, undisturbed by even Revelation.
It was through sheer luck, really. The fact that they had managed to find such a secluded spot that the cycles of the Netherworld didn’t affect. It was an odd place. With grass and trees and water. Things that they had never seen before in their entire lives up until that point.
And they had never seen it anywhere else in the Netherworld. It was hidden away— buried deep underground. At one point, perhaps it had been a Lair of sorts. But it didn’t matter what it was.
They had turned it into their home. They survived safely thanks to it. And they would have continued to thrive there for an eternity…
Until those monsters came.
Vianna had thought they were like the others at first— those mindless creatures that only sought to destroy. But they could speak. She, herself, could barely speak as coherently as they could. Her [Advanced Language Comprehension] allowed her to communicate with her kin, but some of the words they spoke were incomprehensible to her.
And then she saw the metal rings they wore. Some of her kin who had moved into their sanctuary later in life had spoken of these Demons. They weren’t mindless— they were something else.
Something far worse.
They were slave Demons.
Minions of a so-called Demon King.
She hadn’t known why they came. They were there to cast a spell of sorts. They held a ritual, and their magic warped the world itself. It opened a hole in the sky that seemed to consume everything. One that showed another world there.
And this magic peeled the earth back, revealing their sanctuary.
Suddenly, the hideout of her people was no longer special. The world around them was replaced with a forest of green trees and tall grass. It was like their little world secluded from the rest of the Netherworld had spread far and wide.
Vianna had thought it was a blessing. But that was when those slave Demons noticed her. They spotted her kin, and that was when the hunt began. She tried to stop them.
She herself was the protector of her sanctuary. She had been Titled the Kinguard because of her strength. But it wasn’t enough to save them.
Vianna wasn’t strong enough. She was defeated, and her kin were captured. Many of them were killed too. It had been a slaughter where only those who submitted survived. The only reason she escaped was because they tried to kill her for fighting back. And somehow, she tricked them. She escaped before they could kill her.
And since then, she had been living a life of regret, roaming the Netherworld aimlessly. Driven by nothing but loathing for herself— for abandoning her kin.
But also rage towards those slave Demons who took everything away from her.
That was what fueled her.
Rage.
And that was why her Species changed— that was how she unlocked her Grand Skill. So that was how she acted.
“I will not die until you are all dead!”
She screamed as she lashed out.
And Haec watched as the [Hellreaper] charged at him. She moved faster than she did before as an aura of blue flames wreathed her.
It was the effects of a Grand Skill. Because of it, she had been able to heal from the wounds Haec had inflicted upon her. He had used his own Grand Skill— empowered by Taburas. But it wasn’t enough to end this battle.
Now Haec didn’t know how the four Archdemons were going to survive this battle. He wasn’t sure if he could even escape the [Hellreaper] now.
He raised his right arm— newly grown, thanks to his Grand Skill. It was no longer the arm of the Demon King. Rather, it was his own arm. It felt odd and almost alien to him. But at least he was no longer maimed like he was before.
But it wasn’t enough to change the outcome of this fight.
Haec swung up at the [Hellreaper] with all his strength. It was a [Instantaneous Strike]. A punch that moved so fast, it landed as soon as the idea of throwing it crossed his mind. It wasn’t his strongest attack, of course. But it served as a good counter to fast opponents.
Unfortunately, he watched with wide eyes as his fist bounced off the Primeval Demon’s aura of blue flames. There was a flash of light. It felt like Haec’s fist was burning. He stumbled back, blinking as he looked down at himself. His skin was charred and black.
“What…?”
The Grand Skill didn’t just heal the Primeval Demon. It didn’t just protect the [Hellreaper] from oncoming attacks. It also hurt her enemies in return. Like she was rebuking them for even daring to lay a finger on her.
Haec winced as she snarled at him.
“You killed them!”
She swiped a claw down, slashing across his chest. He braced himself in time— his [Skin Of The Charred] took the brunt of the attack. But he was still bleeding as the [Hellreaper] raised a second claw.
“You monsters—”
“Get away from him!”
Taburas screamed as she slammed the palm of her right hand onto the ground. Tendrils of ash shot out, seemingly swimming through the rock ground. They shot forward and intercepted the [Hellreaper].
Aemula steadied Haec as he nearly collapsed to the ground. He looked up with gritted teeth, watching the Primeval Demon easily tear through the ashen tendrils. Taburas shouted, creating a thousand blades in the air.
They crashed down into the [Hellreaper], distracting her for a moment. But she roared as she leapt into the air and tore through the hurricane of ashen blades. She fell upon Taburas with her teeth bared.
Haec’s eyes went wide, but Betrugil moved faster. He moved his mouth as his voice seemed to echo around the crevice.
“Stop.”
The [Hellreaper] froze for a moment. He pointed at her as Taburas ran back towards Haec. The former Heir of the Netherworld rose to his feet, holding onto his chest. He looked down at the blood pouring out of his wound, before looking back up at the Primeval Demon.
“Haec— are you alright?”
Taburas asked as she steadied him. He nodded, watching as the [Hellreaper] broke free from Betrugil’s verbal curse. The [Abraxas] was pointed at the Primeval Demon. But nothing was happening.
The [Hellreaper] didn’t react like earlier. Only her flames seemed to flicker, and that was it. She glared at him as he backed up, gritting his teeth.
“My attacks aren’t working anymore!”
Betrugil yelled. Haec pursed his lips.
“I’m fine… I—”
He opened his mouth, and Betrugil cursed.
“Someone help me!”
He leapt out of the way from another clawed strike. The [Hellreaper] barely missed him— his earlier Skill must have gone through its cooldown since it was like he was being yanked out of the way. But the next time the Primeval Demon attacked, he wouldn’t be able to evade it.
Taburas nodded, raising a clawed hand.
“Right—”
She conjured a giant hammer made of ash as she turned to face the [Hellreaper]. But Haec stopped her. He caught her by the arm, shaking his head.
“Wait… I can use my second Grand Skill…”
And Taburas paused. She stared at him with wide eyes.
“But if you use it—”
She started. Haec stopped her. He drew forward as Aemula blinked, looking between him and the [Succubus].
“Wait, what are you talking about?”
“It doesn’t matter.”
Haec spoke simply as he looked towards the [Hellreaper]. She paused right before Betrugil as he was backing up into a wall. The Primeval Demon narrowed her eyes, turning towards him. He raised his right hand as he pointed at her.
“This is our only chance to survive.”
He took in a deep breath, and the [Hellreaper] took a step forward. She didn’t move. She just looked at him with narrowed eyes.
Haec exhaled slowly as a gray aura seemed to wisp off him.
“[I—”
He started. And the [Hellreaper] moved impossibly fast. He blinked as she seemed to be propelled towards him with a burst of flames, raising her claws. His eyes went wide, and he raised his arms to block the attack.
But he was too slow. Whatever Skill the [Hellreaper] used let her strike him within seconds. It sent him flying back as he screamed in pain.
“Haec!”
Taburas shouted as she ran up to him. The [Hellreaper] grinned, taking a step back. Betrugil cursed under his breath, and Aemula backed away in fear.
Haec crashed into the rock wall as the Primeval Demon’s laughter echoed in the background. He felt the burning pain in his chest— the wound dug deep. Far deeper than the first wound he sustained. He gasped as he looked down at his bloodied body.
He opened his mouth. His lips moved.
And he closed his eyes as the world went dark.
MelasD
You can now read up to 30 chapters ahead on my patreon and support the webcomic.
Join my discord or subreddit.
Follow me on twitter or instagram.
