The Heavenly Demon Is Just Stuck In My Head

What the hell…?

I blinked. Rubbed my eyes. Splashed my face with more water. But no matter what I did, the handsome man in the stream’s reflection still stared back at me with eyes the color of blood.

I’d always had black eyes—charming, deep, and full of allure.

What was going on?

I checked over my body. The left arm the beast had half-chewed was whole again. My back, where its claws had pierced, was unmarked.

Not every injury was gone, but every single wound that could have killed me had completely healed.

“Now that I think about it… that thing ate my eyes, didn’t it?”

So my eyes had turned red… all my wounds had healed… and I had come back from the dead?

I’d never heard of such a thing.

Then, through the dull ache in my skull, I felt… something. A presence. The same alien feeling I’d had right before losing consciousness.

Instinct told me—it was the cause of everything impossible that had just happened to me.

Swallowing hard, I asked aloud, “Who are you?”

A voice answered.

[And who are you?]

“…!”

It wasn’t a sound I heard with my ears—it reverberated directly through my skull.

It was the voice.

The one I’d heard after that blood-red meteor had cut through the night and slammed into me, just before my death.

I could tell instantly—this was no ordinary being.

Carefully, I replied, “Ashuban.”

[Ashuban? That your name?]

“That’s right.”

[Stupid-sounding name.]

“…Right.”

So much for showing respect.

“And you? Let’s hear this great name of yours.”

[I am called… the Heavenly Demon.]

“…Heavenly Demon?”

[That’s right.]

“What a ridiculous name.”

[…]”

I shut my eyes and tried to sense him more clearly.

It felt like he was embedded in my head—like he’d been carved into my very mindscape and couldn’t be removed.

“Alright, Mister Heavenly Demon. You’re the one who brought me back, then?”

[Don’t know.]

“You don’t know?”

[I don’t, but let’s assume so for now. I crashed into your head, and right after that, you came back to life.]

I started firing questions at him without order or restraint.

“Where are you from? Why me? No, how did you even get here? What exactly are you? A ghost? A spirit? Some kind of magic? Like an ego sword?”

The Heavenly Demon’s voice grew irritable.

[I don’t know, so shut up. I’ve got just as many questions. I was sure I was ascending, yet somehow I’m stuck in your thick skull.]

“You don’t know? Then who the hell would know?”

He ignored me and muttered to himself.

[I thought I was finally transcending… and instead I get dumped into the head of some idiot. Where is this place? Is this some part of the path to immortality?]

“…Right.”

That was when someone tapped my shoulder.

I flinched and turned to see the bearded man from before—he looked just as startled.

“Ah, sorry. You didn’t answer when I called you.”

Behind him, his wife peeked over his shoulder with a worried expression, the little girl who had found me hiding behind her skirts.

“Are you alright? You kept muttering to yourself. We thought maybe you’d hit your head.” the wife said.

The man frowned at her. “You keep slipping up today.”

“I was just worried.”

He gave her a pointed look, then turned back to me.

“You must be hungry. We have some food—join us.”

My mind was a whirlwind of impossible events, but my body… my body was simple and honest.

Grrrrowl—

My stomach howled for food.

The wife covered her mouth, laughing. The girl giggled out loud. The man smiled.

“Sounds like your stomach agrees.”

“…Right.”

The world is full of things we can’t understand. Sometimes, you just… keep it simple.

First, I’d eat.

“…Then I’ll take you up on that.”

Several days passed.

The man’s name was Hans, his wife was Julia, and the little girl—who stared into my eyes like she could see straight through me—was Joy.

“Mister, why are your eyes red?”

“Good question.”

In the meantime, I’d spoken more with the Heavenly Demon.

According to him, he’d been the most powerful man in a world called the “Martial Realm,” the undisputed ruler of all under heaven.

It was hard to believe… but less hard than believing I had come back from the dead, so I decided not to argue.

He’d been shocked to realize this wasn’t his world.

I’d been just as shocked, so really, our situations weren’t so different.

He complained politely at first about being unable to leave my mindscape. Now he was just… quiet.

I’d recovered enough to carry my sword again, so I stepped outside.

Hans was chopping firewood and wiped his brow.

“Ashuban, you’re still healing. Where are you off to?”

“I’ve been sitting still too long. I’m just going to loosen up a bit.”

Julia, hanging laundry, added, “That’s fine—just don’t overdo it.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“And Joy, don’t bother Mr. Ashuban too much.”

“Okay!”

I jogged lightly into the forest, letting Joy follow me.

She laughed as she kept up easily.

This area was free of magical beasts, which was why they’d settled here.

We ran until we found a quiet clearing, the stumps suggesting Hans sometimes cut trees here.

“Alright, kiddo. I’m going to train with my sword now. Stay back—it’s dangerous.”

“Can I watch?”

I pointed to a comfortable stump. “If you sit over there.”

She scurried over and plopped down.

I chuckled and rolled my shoulders.

I wasn’t fully healed, but moving didn’t hurt much anymore.

“…Was my recovery always this fast?”

The life-threatening wounds had vanished when I revived, but the ones that remained weren’t exactly small—and yet, in just a few days, they’d almost healed.

“Well… no point complaining about good fortune.”

I drew my sword and gave it a few test swings.

“…Hm?”

My body felt unusually light.

“Just my imagination?”

Only one way to find out.

I went through one of my usual sword patterns—step forward for a deep thrust, retreat while parrying an enemy’s counter, spin for a horizontal slash, then kick hard into the opponent’s gut.

As they fell, drive the sword into their heart, push off the ground, and finish with an upward slash.

Before my feet touched the earth again, I brought the blade down to slice their neck.

“Wow!”

Joy clapped enthusiastically from the stump.

I smiled, gave my little audience a bow… and then tilted my head.

That last sequence usually only succeeded once or twice out of ten attempts.

And yet, I’d nailed it perfectly on the first try.

Tsk, tsk, tsk…

“…Hm?”

The Heavenly Demon’s voice clicked his tongue.

“How pathetic.”

“What now?”

Tsk, tsk, tsk…

“…?”

Then—

Fwoosh!

A reddish streak shot into the sky in the distance.

“That’s…”

It was a magic device that triggered the moment it sensed an intruder—one of the several Hans had placed around the area, warning me not to wander too far.

“Danger!” Joy cried.

“Dad said red means danger! If you see it, you have to run straight home and hide, no matter what!”

A bad feeling hit me hard.

“Kid, on my back.”

“Okay!”

I hoisted her up and sprinted at full speed.

By the time we returned to the cabin, a group of men were loitering around, surrounding the place.

I couldn’t just charge in, so I gently set Joy down in the brush and crouched beside her.

“Why are you here?” Hans said evenly, shielding Julia behind him.

The men snickered.

“The last disciple of Ophosis—Hans. I wondered where you’d gone. Turns out you were hiding here. Almost fooled us.”

“Didn’t expect you this deep in the woods,” another added.

Hans’s face tightened. “Where are you from?”

“Lord Gustav wants to see you.”

I understood instantly—filthy bandits.

The kind who terrorized people and scraped by on whatever spoils they could steal.

I leaned to Joy and whispered, “Stay right here. Close your eyes, cover your ears. No matter what happens, don’t come out. Understand?”

This was the safest spot for her.

She nodded, face pale.

Keeping low, I crept around to the bandits’ backs.

One, two, three… eight.

I blinked.

Eight men—for one small cabin? Ridiculous.

Still… eight was no easy number.

These bastards. I’d break their skulls one by one. Somehow.

“You know why we’re here. Hand it over.”

“How did you even find me?” Hans asked.

One of them grinned. “Didn’t you buy beef in the village yesterday?”

“…!”

My stomach turned. That beef… Hans had made stew with it yesterday, saying nothing beats good meat for a fast recovery.

“What you’re after isn’t here,” Hans said. “I left the forge long ago. What could a cast-off disciple have? If it’s money you want, take this and leave.”

He tossed a jingling pouch to their feet.

The one who seemed to be their leader smirked, pocketing it. “Come on, Hans. We both know you’ve got something better than coin.”

Another chuckled. “Yeah. Something really special.”

Hans bit his lip. “I have no idea what you mean.”

“Want us to explain?”

Their hands went to their weapons.

Now!

I burst from the brush, driving my sword straight into the nearest man’s heart.

Shk!

“Ghk—!”

He collapsed instantly.

No time to pull my sword free—I whipped a dagger from my belt and slashed the throat of the next man.

“Khahh!”

He clutched at the wound, gurgled, and dropped.

“What the—?!”

“Who the hell—?!”

The rest backed up quickly, weapons out.

I yanked my sword from the corpse and shouted, “Run!”

“Ashuban—!” Hans’s face flashed with alarm.

“Go! Joy’s safe—don’t worry!”

“Be careful!”

Hans grabbed Julia and vanished into the woods.

“After them!”

Two of the bandits took off after him.

I flung my dagger after them—not expecting much.

But it flew like a master assassin’s throw, spinning with deadly precision and burying itself in one man’s neck.

Thk!

“Ghhk!”

He stumbled mid-sprint and dropped.

…Huh.

Both I and the remaining bandits froze for a beat.

“What are you waiting for? After him!” the leader barked.

“Y-yes!”

Go, Hans. I’ll leave one to you—your arms looked plenty strong for it.

I turned my attention back to the four left before me.

The leader’s face twisted into a snarl. “Who the hell are you?”

“Just a passing traveler.”

“You should’ve kept passing.”

“Not possible. A cat can’t just walk past a fish stall.”

“What?”

“A kind-hearted traveler can’t just pass by when he sees scum like you. The stench is too strong. Trash needs to be taken out if you want to sleep well at night.”

“Look at this—flies swarming already.”

A crooked smile spread across his face. “Eyes red as blood… the nobles would pay well for them.”

I snapped, “Idiot! I don’t like nobles.”

“Kill him and bring me the eyes,” the leader ordered.

“Yes, sir!”

I readied myself. “Come on, then. Let’s see whose head gets smashed first.”

I’d been noticing it since earlier—

Today… my body felt light.

Almost like I could fly.

(End of Chapter)