The Heavenly Demon Is Just Stuck In My Head

“Haa…”

I exhaled, steadying my breath.

My internal energy was almost drained.

But it had been necessary.

The room had been filled with knights, and Kail was the strongest among them.

If I had tried to conserve energy and held back on using martial arts, the battle would have been far more difficult.

Once again, I realized just how much of a glutton for Qi the Night Sky Star Moon Art truly was.

That black fog, that Night Sky shrouding my blade—

It was all my own internal energy, transformed and pouring out of my dantian.

I gave my sword a sharp flick, sending the blood splattering off the blade, then looked down at Kail’s fallen body.

I’d thought he was a man without honor. But no—whatever others said, he had pursued his own brand of honor.

And he had certainly been stronger than Gustav—physically, and in spirit.

It was only thanks to the Night Sky Star Moon Art, passed down from Heavenly Demon, that I had prevailed.

Without it, I too might have struggled.

Kneeling on one knee, I gently closed Kail’s wide, unyielding eyes.

“Sir Kail. I hope next time you serve under a better lord.”

I offered a brief word of condolence for the other fallen soldiers as well.

Though they had come to kill me, the dead were still travelers setting off on a long journey.

…Of course, not all of them were dead.

Some were unconscious. Some lay among corpses, feigning death.

My Qi sense caught them all. Impossible not to notice.

But I pretended not to.

After all, I too had once hidden among corpses.

“There! This way!”

“Hurry!”

Even after cutting down so many, more and more of them kept coming.

“Haa…”

I calmed my breath and checked the energy left in my dantian.

Not much remained after using the Night Sky Star Moon Art several times.

Enough for maybe two or three more uses.

But that was fine.

It wasn’t my only weapon.

Rushed footsteps echoed closer, and knights and soldiers appeared from down the corridor.

“No!”

Seeing the fallen bodies of their comrades at my feet, their eyes burned with fury.

“You dare harm Sir Kail…!”

I glanced at the knight leading them.

No aura.

Not every knight was an aura-user.

There was a reason Baron Barankia had given Gustav’s lot the title of keepers—to keep rare aura-users under his leash.

While I mused idly, they charged, shouting.

“Kill him! Avenge Sir Kail!”

They rushed me like they were heroes smiting an archvillain, as though I were the scourge of the world.

“…Unfair, isn’t it? The villain isn’t me—it’s them. Like the man who farts and then scolds others for the smell.”

“Die!”

A nameless knight thrust his sword at me.

Though he wielded no aura, the force behind it carried the weight of a trained knight.

But weight only mattered if it landed.

To me, it was feather-light.

I simply slid my left foot behind my right, letting his sword pass, then swung my blade in an almost casual arc.

Slash!

The knight’s head flew.

“Wha—!”

The soldiers behind him faltered, frozen mid-charge.

That pause was all I needed.

I swung again, cutting down three more in a single motion.

Blood sprayed, and I flicked my blade instinctively to clear it before speaking.

“Those who want to die, step forward. Those who don’t, play dead like the rest—or run while you still can.”

They froze, silent.

Their glares were sharp, but I let them wash over me without expression.

“Decide quickly. Fight, or flee. I’d prefer the latter.”

“…”

“I’m not merciful enough to spare anyone who raises their blade against me. If you fight, be prepared to die.”

One soldier screwed his face into grim resolve, then charged with a roar.

“Uwaaaaah!”

And like dominoes, the others followed, screaming as they rushed me.

A smile tugged at my lips.

“That’s it.”

The baron’s castle ran red with blood.

Some charged, some fled.

It didn’t matter to me.

Both had their merits.

The brave gave me exhilarating battles at death’s edge. The cowards spared me needless slaughter.

I cut down those who fought, each kill as clean as the last.

“Where’s the baron?”

I hadn’t yet decided whether to kill him.

He was a wretch who scorned peasants and the weak, that much was true. But killing him posed its own problems.

Kail had been right—slaying a noble would make for a spectacular entrance.

Too spectacular.

And I didn’t need spectacle.

Fighting strong opponents who came seeking me was one thing.

But having the entire Blake Kingdom hunting me? That was another.

Especially while still within its borders.

That would shatter my plan of returning to the Maia Kingdom.

I wouldn’t even be able to approach a teleportation circle. My survival itself would be uncertain.

The Maia Kingdom forbade killing nobles too, yes—but not to such an extreme.

Here, it would mean endless pursuit, sleepless nights, the constant threat of blades in the dark.

‘Maybe I should settle for slapping that toad-faced bastard a few times.’

With that thought, I pressed on.

Finding Baron Barankia wasn’t difficult.

The more men blocked my path, the closer I was.

“If you want to die, come out. If you want to live, attack me.”

“...?”

The strange looks they gave me told me I’d misspoken.

“Ah—other way around. If you want to die, attack. If you want to live, get out of my way.”

Repeating lines too often was messing up my tongue.

“Stop him!”

“Don’t let him near the lord!”

Some fled, some fought.

Perhaps Kail’s influence lingered, because despite their lord’s worthlessness, more knights and soldiers than expected threw themselves at me.

With no choice, I swung my sword, blood splattering across the hall.

“Hiik!”

“R-run!”

Even those fired up with vengeance turned pale and fled after seeing their comrades fall.

I didn’t bother chasing.

Instead, I called encouragement after them.

“Go, then. The survivor is the true victor! Run far, you bastards!”

The real experts—the aura-users, the skilled swordsmen—had already fallen to the Night Sky Star Moon Art back in my chamber.

Those left were small fry.

They had no aura, no refined swordsmanship.

Against them, I didn’t even need martial arts. A simple thrust, a casual cut, and they fell.

At last, I arrived before a building that resembled a temple, though construction materials lay scattered about, suggesting it wasn’t yet complete.

“Don’t let him through! Hold the line here!”

“Goddess Ketel is with us!”

“Uwaaaaaah!”

Slash!

“Out of the way, you holy bastards.”

“…!”

Cutting down the guards at the door, I stepped inside.

There, a towering statue of a goddess loomed, gazing down with benevolent eyes.

And kneeling beneath her, praying desperately, was Baron Barankia.

So, the man was pious after all?

“Goddess Ketel! He wields cursed black magic! Deliver divine punishment!”

“…What a load of crap.”

So that was it. He thought me a black mage, and ran here seeking sanctuary.

Clang!

The knights around him drew their swords at once.

I raised a hand to still them.

“Friends, give me a moment.”

I shut the temple doors, then dragged a long pew from the rows of benches and wedged it against the entrance.

“You wretch! What are you doing!”

One of the so-called champions of justice could no longer stand it. He shouted and charged at me.

I didn’t even look back.

I merely stepped aside and let his sword whistle past.

Thud!

The knight’s sword, aimed at my heart, jammed into the pew instead.

I drove my heel into his jaw with a spinning kick.

Crack!

“Ghhk…”

His eyes rolled back, and he collapsed.

“Tsk. I told you to wait.”

“……”

Clicking my tongue, I resumed dragging the pew into place.

“Almost done. Just hold your horses. So impatient, honestly.”

“……”

After stacking three long pews against the door, I turned with satisfaction.

“There. Now we can enjoy some quality time together.”

I curled a finger.

“Come on, hurry. Let’s give the goddess a nice fight to watch.”

The knights exchanged glances—then charged.

One of them rushed forward with a flask and splashed its contents at me.

Splash!

“Face holy water, demon!”

Drip, drip.

Blinking at the liquid running down my face, I muttered,

“…You bastard.”

Another knight muttered a prayer while slashing at me.

“Ketel, who smites evil! Grant me the strength to defeat this black sorcerer!”

And for a second, it worked.

Not because of divine power, but because I was dumbfounded.

“…Did you just call me a demon?”

Clang!

I knocked his blade aside, shouting,

“You idiots! This isn’t black magic—it’s martial arts!”

“Silence, you filthy servant of darkness!”

“Go lick your demon lord’s feet!”

I punted one of Ketel’s fanatics across the floor and barked,

“Oh, that’s rich. When your baron tried to kill me, you all shut your mouths. But now that your necks are on the line, suddenly it’s unfair? Do you even know the meaning of conscience?”

“Shut up, demon!”

“Ketel, don’t let us be swayed by his vile words!”

“…Hah, unbelievable.”

Fury boiled in my chest. I threw my arms toward the statue towering above us.

“Lady Ketel! Damn it, they tried to kill me first! Grant me the courage to cut down these shameless hypocrites!”

With “Ketel’s blessing” at my back, I cut through the fake faithful—those who splashed holy water, those chanting empty prayers.

Once I had slain them all, I raised my sword high.

“Ha ha ha! The goddess Ketel is with me!”

Even then, Baron Barankia kept muttering prayers at the statue, deaf to everything.

I nudged a fallen sword with my foot, flipping it up, then kicked it hard.

Thwack! Crash!

The blade shot straight into the statue’s chest.

“Uwaaah!”

The baron finally screamed in terror.

I strode toward him.

“Baron. What now? It’s just you and me.”

He pounded his fist against his goddess.

“Ketel! Why such a trial? Have you truly abandoned me?”

I kicked him in the face.

Thud!

“Urgh!”

“You dare blaspheme our Lady Ketel?”

He crumpled like an insect.

I seized him by the collar and hauled him up.

“Baron. I am no trial sent by the goddess. I am the natural consequence of your own greed. Don’t you dare blame her.”

“L-let go of me!”

“Still want this dagger, do you?”

I pulled it out and waved it before his eyes.

“……”

Even now, his greedy gaze clung to it, like an addict to his vice.

Disgusted, I slapped him across the face.

Smack!

“Ghhk!”

As he reeled, I asked coldly,

“Tell me, Baron. What do you plan to do with Ophosis’ legacy?”

Snarling, he sprang upright.

“You seriously ask?”

“I wouldn’t, if I knew. How could I guess what rattles around in your head?”

“Fool! To seize Ophosis’ legacy is to seize a power vast enough to command the world! None shall ever scorn me again!”

I picked my ear lazily.

“What the hell are you babbling about? Aren’t you already a noble? Who scorns you?”

“Who else? The high nobles of the capital! To them, a border baron like me is no better than a worm! But I will show them. They will never again look down on Lucas Barankia!”

“……”

Pathetic.

He who despised peasants for being low-born was himself groveling before higher lords.

What a ball of contradictions.

A thud rattled the door.

—My lord! Are you inside!?

The baron’s face lit with hope.

“Yes! Quickly, kill thi—”

I kicked him in the gut.

“Ghhhk!”

Sword in hand, I walked toward him as he coughed blood, trembling in terror.

“Y-you don’t mean…”

“Mean what?”

“Kill me? A noble?”

“Why not?”

“You… You can’t be serious.”

I strode closer in silence.

He scrambled backward on his rear.

“W-wait! You’ll make the entire Blake Kingdom your enemy!”

“……”

“A lowly commoner killing a high-born noble? Impossible! Do you know what will happen?”

“……”

“They’ll send royal knights to claim your head!”

I stomped his chest, pinning him to the ground.

“Khuk! Stop! I said stop!”

He thrashed beneath my boot.

I raised my sword.

“N-no!”

He squeezed his eyes shut.

The blade came down.

Crack!

“……”

Cautiously, he peeked.

“…?”

The sword was buried in the floor beside his ear.

“Baron.”

I stared straight into his eyes.

“Live cleanly. Forget about the dagger. Understood?”

“……”

“Or not. I don’t care.”

I tightened my grip on the hilt.

“I-I understand! I’ll forget it! I’ll never think of it again!”

“Good.”

I patted his toad-like cheek and turned toward the door.

Killing him wasn’t worth the cost.

This much was enough.

News of the dagger’s new owner would spread far and wide. No one would suspect Hans.

I could keep cutting down those who came sniffing after it, while finding my own way back to the Maia Kingdom.

That was enough.

Turning an entire kingdom against me?

Ugh. The thought alone made my skin crawl.

—My lord! Are you safe!?

As I approached the door, my eyes fell on the sword jammed into the pew.

The very blade that had once missed my heart and stuck there instead.

“……”

I stared at it for a long moment.

Then I pulled it free—

—and hurled it at the baron as he struggled to his feet.

Shhk!

The blade pierced his throat.

His eyes bulged wide.

“W… why…”

Thud.

I looked down at him and muttered,

“No matter how I think about it… I just don’t like you.”

(End of Chapter)