During the day, Yuki would sit atop Eris, firing icicle spears at monsters below or at approaching aerial threats. With the spears accelerated with wind magic from Eris’ help, the spears easily pierced the flesh of even the strongest monsters, helping her gain experience points rapidly.

At night, Eris would dig out a foxhole with the help of earth magic, using it to compact the earthen walls. Yuki will rest while Eris keeps watch for monsters.

The way she killed monsters is a bit special; since the monsters in this forest are irregularly strong, she couldn’t effectively fight them head on.

[Greater Direwolf has appeared!]

Using [Sublimation] right after casting a wind spell, she used the knockback to fling herself at the monster.

Transforming into a mana leech, she attaches herself onto the beast.

[Life Drain]

[Mana Drain]

The direwolf began to flail wildly to no avail, its forearms too large to reach its back.

Soon, the direwolf collapsed, suffering from mana burnout and loss of life force.

[You have slain a Greater Direwolf]

Your senses have been enhanced.

[Intimidate obtained!]

Slight chance to cause enemies to flinch. Increases based on level.

[Level up!]

[Level up!]

Due to the irregular strength of the monsters, she gained a lot of experience points.

Eris checked up on Yuki, who slept soundly in the foxhole.

Early in the morning, they foraged for food; nuts, berries, fruits, and vegetables.

The elvens provided a shaker of their seasoning, but it was finished quickly.

“So bland…” Yuki complained as she munched on some nuts. "Blergh."

They continued this routine, finally reaching Calarin after a month.

Using illusion magic, they snuck past the patrol and entered the city of Wesclim.

First stop, the adventurers guild.

Eris slipped Mina a note.

Yuki is a royal, we just escaped. Please keep quiet.

She looked at Ers, then at Yuki.

“...”

“Are you serious?? she hissed. “Going on the run with a royal?! You had me worried sick!”

In the guild lobby, Eris began pulling out monster corpses from Yuki’s bag of holding.

“Oh and we are selling these….”

“...!”

“These are! All B rank and above monsters!”

[Lieaibol Ursus]

A humanoid bear monster that possesses a tough hide and intelligence.

Thick hide has been enhanced to reinforced hide.

[Papio Flange]

A C rank baboon monster, the threat level increased to B+ rank as they tend to work together in groups.

Eris at first had trouble dealing with them, but she used illusion magic to change her appearance and hide from the other beasts.

Party buffs amplified by 10%.

She only needs to consume one of a species to gain their skills, however, some are particularly unpleasant to kill, such as plant monsters.

[Elven Good Luck Charm]

Can communicate with plants

It’s quite unpleasant to listen to the screams of plant monsters, so she only killed one treant before she stopped. Eris made a mental note to not kill plant monsters.

[Root Snare]

Summons a flurry of roots to entrap and pierce your targets.

Mina looked up at them.

“Did you kill them by yourself?” she asked.

The monsters have been perfected exsanguinated.

“We actually killed more, but couldn’t bring all of them back,” Yuki scratched her cheek sheepishly.

Mina’s eyes widened, as she started to drag the monster corpses to the back.

“One moment for me to check with the guildmaster…” she trailed off.

After a while of deliberation, Guildmaster Enzo decided their reward : a pouch of gold coins, and a tentative promotion straight to C rank.

Yuki spread her arms wide, spinning around on one foot, giving Eris a hug.

They collected the reward for the monster materials, then purchased a room for one day at an inn.

“I can’t remember the last time I took a hot shower…” Yuki trailed off.

After that, they made preparations for their journey.

Eris set out to buy extra rations, while Yuki looked for useful equipment for their journey with their newly found wealth.

This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

[Blizzard Staff]

Crafted from the preserved breath of a frost wyvern and the shaft made from high quality elven wood, it helps amplify ice magic.

“Freeze everything.”

After that, they set off for demon territory.

At first glance, it may seem harmless, the demons emit a special substance known as miasma. In small doses, you may experience weakness or dizziness, but prolonged exposure may cause death. Only those blessed with holy powers can purify and withstand these effects.

Eris unsheathes and unsealed her sword, feeling the holy power of the sword envelop her.

“A demon slayer does not fear death.”

Yuki, as an emissary of the goddess, is naturally immune to the miasma.

After they finished their preparations, they set off for demon territory.

The atmosphere noticeably changed, the air growing heavier as it ever so slightly dimmed.

As they flew further, the terrain became increasingly more forested, leading up to a clearing.

At the center of the clearing revealed a portal—-a disturbing mess of writhing crimson tentacles as if an asteroid has struck the spot. It pulsed slightly, like a heartbeat with no sound, unnerving them both.

As they landed, they grabbed a nearby twig and tossed it into the portal. It got sucked up, disappearing without a trace.

Eris and Yuki exchanged a knowing glance, and their face an expression of unease.

Suddenly, a demon materialized before them. He resembled a human, with a few key exceptions. Sickly purple skin, and a single horn protruding from his forehead.

Before the demon could even process his surroundings, Eris lunged forward, fatally stabbing him in the heart.

With a final blood curdling screech, he collapsed on the floor lifelessly.

[Demon Communication obtained!]

[The penalty is mild]

Her body felt foreign, heavy and weak.

She looked down, realizing she was inhabiting the body of a middle aged man, his ankles and wrists tightly bound to a gurney.

“Tell us where they went,” the guard barked, spit flying from his mouth, cracking a whip against his hand.

The man screamed and convulsed in futility. A searing pain was engraved into his abdomen.

[The penalty has ended]

Eris gasped, clutching her forehead, with the world suddenly snapping back into focus.

“Are you ok?” asked Yuki, her voice tingled with worry and anxiety. “What happened? Your eyes just glazed over… And you stopped moving for a moment.”

“I’m… Fine,” Eris said, her voice strained but steady.

With a final concern glance, she prodded no further.

Eris took a deep, shuddering breath, shaking off the disorientation. “Let’s go.”

Gripping each other’s hand tightly, they leaped into the portal.

The moment they crossed through, she felt gripped with nausea. They appeared somewhere 50 feet above the ground.

Summoning a gust of wind, they gently descended on the ground. They landed on a small clearing on a hill, overlooking a river. Behind them, a dense, vibrant green forest.

However, the scenery ahead was unexpected. Instead of what they imagined, a fiery landscape devoid of life, they could spot a pristine city, surrounded by high walls with homes overlooked by a towering castle.

Suddenly, they heard a soft spoken voice behind them.

“You stand here in demon territory, not for the faint of heart. Tell me, did you come here seeking a fight? Be you a friend or foe?”

The voice came from an elderly man, leaning on a gnarled staff. His white hair and beard gives him a kindly appearance. His eyes are shut, masking his emotions.

“Now tell me, I don’t got all day.”

Eris hesitated, thinking for a moment, before responding. “We are…. Friends?”

Yuki appeared confused to their conversation.

He stroked his beard, raising a single skeptical eyebrow. “Oho? You speak our tongue?”

“Well that is a refreshing change of pace,” he said as he shuffled closer. “At Least you are better than those inquisitor fools who attack on sight.” He shook his head sadly, recalling those bitter memories.

Yuki leaned closer and whispered. “What's the deal with this guy?”

The old man smiled.

“There is nothing wrong with me,” he said, chuckling slightly to himself, changing to a different language. “Now come with me. We’ll talk while we walk.”

“Wait, hold on!” Eris frantically called out, stepping forward. “You… Don’t seem like the other demons…?” her voice trailed off, uncertain.

“How amusing,” he said with a smirk. “The other demons? Ah, but you probably don’t know the ancient tale, lost to time. Now come along, let me tell you the tale.”

His voice grew somber as he retold the ancient story.

“Long ago, the first demon was born. The demon lived alongside other people. He looked a little different, but that's alright. He was strong, he would plow the fields, carry logs, all sorts of odd jobs,” the old man explained. “However, one day, a mysterious illness spread through the village, taking the lives of everyone but himself.”

His hand tightened around his staff. “The villagers, stricken with fear, blamed him, ‘You fiend! You killed our brothers! Our sisters! Our mothers and fathers!’ “ They shunned and imprisoned him, casting him out.

“The first demon did not understand. He isolated himself far in the west, away from civilization. Soon, more demons are born, migrating to where the first demon resides, the first demon lord.”

Eris and Yuki exchanged an uneasy glance.

“We now know the mysterious “sickness” is miasma. Demonkin releases trace amounts of miasma in the air, toxic to other races. So we mostly keep to ourselves, living in isolation.”

Yuki raised her hand. “So why did the demons attack us?” she asked curiously. “According to you, demons are peaceful creatures?”

“Long ago,” he began. “There existed a group of explorers. They entered our lands without any preparation, succumbing soon after to the miasma. This was the spark that ignited centuries of war. The pope declared us heretics, starting a holy war.”

“.... So, we’re the bad guys?” Yuki asked, her voice small.

“In a way, yes,” he said frankly. “But make no mistake, the demons you guys are used to fighting are not the same as demons here. They are the lowest of the society, murderers, traitors, and outcasts. Exile to your world is the harshest punishment we can give.”

They stood in silence, in front of the towering gate, guarded by armed sentinels.

“We welcome the Legion,” the guards said in unison, saluting him.

‘Legion? Why is he called the Legion?’ Eris thought, furrowing her brow.

“Now come in, it's chilly outside,” he beckoned. “I will tell you more stories. It’s rare that we receive guests.”

As they wandered through the city, Eris and Yuki were struck by how similar demons lived compared to humans, especially in appearance. They laughed together, talked together, and worked together. Children played in the streets while merchants peddled their wares.

“It's…. So peaceful, almost like a utopia,” Yuki exclaimed.

“When a demon commits an egregious crime, they get exiled to the “otherside,” where you live. For this reason, the crime rate is unusually low, and the streets are safe even after dark.”

He nodded.

“Demons” are somewhat similar to ghosts. While ghosts wander the world through lingering resentments, sometimes the resentment is so strong they get reborn as a “demon.”

“When the world claws at you,” he explains. “We claw back.”

Everyone has fragments of memories from their past life.

From the poor farmer who lost his children to the war, to nobles who lost their life in a fight for inheritance. Everyone is equal here.

“Humans are irrational creatures; one moment they will laugh together, the next moment they will be stabbing each other in the back. We demons don’t squabble over such trivial issues like pride, fame, and wealth . We are bonded through something deeper than blood—grief.”

“A large majority of demons are very religious,” he explained. “They prayed everyday for the goddess to help, but she never responded. “When the world claws at us, we claw back.”

Holy magic works on demons by purifying their grief and resentment, allowing them to move on. Similar to how it works on ghosts and the undead.

“And that is why holy magic is so deadly to demons…”

“And about the demon generals?” Yuki inquired. “What’s all that about?”

“Ah, that is also misunderstood. They are akin to…. Department heads. We all work together like a cog in a well-oiled machine, with the “demon lord” at the top as the CEO and demon generals working as heads of human resources, tax collection, miscellaneous stuff like that.”

Eris and Yuki stared at each other dumbfounded.

He laughed to himself, “Much of what you know about us is false. Propaganda. So tell me, will you still fight for an unjust cause?”

They stood silent without a word.

It shook her a little to find out the truth. The demons seem happier than the people back home, the elves, the humans, the beastmen. It’s almost… Unnerving.

“Mankind will always fight over trivial things. Not us. In the eyes of the goddess, we are all specks. We are all equal under the goddess.”

He raises his arms above his head in a wide flourish.

“The only absolute thing in this world is the goddess. People may come and go, live and die, but she forever sits above, watching over us.”

He sighed.

“So tell me travelers, what is it that you made the journey here for?”

“We want to meet the master botanist called Hemlock. The world tree is dying.” Eris said sadly.

“The world tree is dying?!” he said in shock. I will contact her right away. Follow me.”

They were led into the castle, up multiple flights of winding stairs, until they arrived at a room.

“Come in,” a female voice said from beyond.

“This is our Human Resources head,” he explained. “She calms down people through aromatherapy. I’ve tried it once, it really works.”

Stepping in, “Hemlock” is actually an alraune, a type of plant monster.

The room is filled with greenery, almost like a pocket forest. Leaves, vines, and flowers cover their vision.

Her upper body appears as a human, her skin a striking green hue. Her lower body resembled the bulb of a flower, with petals curled protectively around it. She moved with the assistance of vines. Small blossoms and leaves dotted her body.

“So,” she said. “What brings you here, Legion? More aromatherapy?”

“The world tree is dying,” he said, stepping outside.

“Are you sure??” she asked, slamming her hands on the desks.

“The world tree is dying,” Eris repeated solemnly.

Hemlock’s emerald-green eyes widened, her delicate fingers rubbing against her temple. “Are you certain? If the world tree is dying, it will bring catastrophic consequences. Whether it be demons, elves, humans, or beasts, death will spell immeasurable consequences.”

Yuki nodded. “We came here in search of your assistance. The elves trust that your expertise in botany is unparalleled.”

Hemlock placed a hand over a chest, her expression resolute. “I can’t ignore this. I will help in any way I can. The world tree pumps life into the world, without it, all plants, including me, will wither and die. It must be connected to a deeper disturbance.”

Her eyes flicked to Eris and Yuki.

“If you 2 made it this far while withstanding miasma, I trust that you can bring me to the world tree?”

“Escorting a master botanist? Count us in,” they grinned.

Eris glanced between them, then nodded. “We’ll ensure your safety.”

Hemlock began to gather up supplies, sweeping in into a pouch.

As they left the room, the elderly demon from earlier approached them. “You’ve taken on a noble task, but be forewarned, the journey will be fraught with danger. Take this, you will be able to communicate with me.”

[Mini-me Legion]

Easy to carry, this is a shrunken down version of the Legion. How convenient!

“We are Legion.”

“We are all connected through a hive mind,” he explained. “In fact, another Legion member is watching over the portal right now.”

Eris nodded, slipping it into her pocket. “Then let us depart.”