Maurice wasn’t the only one who saw it—Carlo did, too.
A figure, bathed in blinding white light, hurtled toward him, its aura so overwhelming that it sent shivers down Carlo's spine. It reminded him of the demonic bird that had nearly devoured him before, though this presence was even more terrifying.
In an instant, Carlo’s black cloak was torn apart as two enormous bat wings—each spanning nearly two meters—unfurled from his back. Without hesitation, he grabbed the stunned Talia and darted away.
A deafening explosion followed. The tower spire where Carlo had just stood was obliterated into rubble, sending grey stones cascading to the ground.
"Indeed, you are a demon from Hell."
Carlo’s gaze fixed on the man now clearly visible before him—a strikingly handsome youth with chiseled features, his eyes ablaze with fury as they bore into Carlo.
The man’s greatsword, glowing with radiant white light, caught Carlo’s attention, its brilliance marking it as no ordinary weapon. A quiet sigh escaped Carlo's lips.
It was bad enough that the man was stronger, but he also had superior equipment. How could he possibly fight this?
Escape was the only option—a thought that Carlo accepted with the pragmatic resolve of a true demon.
But the powerful young knight of the Holy Light had no intention of letting him slip away so easily.
Carlo tossed Talia onto a nearby rooftop and, through their soul bond, issued his command: “Talia, do whatever it takes to cover my escape.”
Talia, ever the faithful servant, responded without hesitation: “Master, I am always ready to sacrifice everything for you.”
The Holy Knight’s aura intensified once more, a brilliant radiance gathering around him. Worse still, Carlo could now hear the faint murmur of a spell being cast. The hated aura of Holy Light grew thicker in the air.
There was a powerful cleric hidden somewhere in the shadows.
“Talia, speed up the ghouls!”
Panic gnawed at Carlo. This was the second time he had felt death's icy grip so close. Just like when he had faced the demonic bird, even though he was now stronger, it still wasn’t enough.
Talia, in the presence of such power, was nothing more than an insect. Carlo could only gamble—would these champions of the Holy Light, in their righteousness, choose to save the innocent civilians below or pursue him?
Below, the ghouls went berserk, tearing into the remaining townspeople. Talia cast "Corpse Explosion," turning the scene into a gruesome spectacle. The ghouls could now explode at any moment, each one a ticking time bomb in their battle with the living.
The number of survivors plummeted. One of the ghouls even ripped out a cleric’s throat.
"You damn demon!" Oliver’s eyes blazed with fury as he glared at Carlo. His very soul ached to purify the demon with Holy Light, but the civilians were in desperate need of help. One strike could save them.
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Oliver hesitated.
Carlo, ever observant, saw the flicker of doubt. A cruel smirk tugged at his lips, and he taunted, “Go ahead, kill me. The damned souls in Hell will thank you for your noble service.”
His words pierced the knight's heart, tipping Oliver’s inner conflict to its breaking point.
Even if he slew the demon, the dead would remain so. Elijah’s divine spell was already prepared, ensuring the demon’s inevitable death. One more blow seemed unnecessary.
Yielding to the compassion in his knightly heart, Oliver turned away. "You won’t escape," he muttered, before charging down to confront the ghouls below.
Carlo’s heart raced, its dark, purplish hue pounding violently in his chest. The Holy Light was nearly upon him, and his life teetered on the edge. In a last desperate gamble, he roared in his mind, "Redeem! Blood Bat Spell!"
Deceiving the knight was only a temporary hope. This was his true escape plan.
The cleric’s chanting ceased, and a radiant beam of Holy Light descended from the heavens, streaking toward Carlo like a divine sword.
In a burst of blood and shadow, Carlo’s body disintegrated into countless tiny blood-red bats, scattering in all directions.
The Holy Light, as sharp as a blade of judgment, incinerated many of the bats mid-flight. Their shrieks of agony filled the air as they were reduced to ashes. But a small group of bats managed to survive, vanishing into the distant sky.
In less than a quarter of an hour, the entire city had been cleansed by the Holy Light. The ghouls were reduced to heaps of rotting flesh. Maurice, saved at the last moment by Oliver, directed the remaining guards to gather the bodies. They poured oil over the corpses, and the flames that consumed them turned the sky a fiery red.
"Forgive me, Your Eminence," Oliver said, his voice thick with regret. "I should have struck down the demon. He wouldn’t have escaped..."
Elijah’s tone was both understanding and regretful. “Oliver, you made the right choice.”
Oliver’s hand rested on his greatsword, and he swore solemnly, “By the honor of the Knights of the Holy Light, I vow to destroy this evil.”
His gaze shifted to Talia, who stood beside them, her expression vacant. "Your Eminence, should we execute this witch who has fallen into darkness?"
Elijah shook his head. “The demon is gravely wounded. Even the crystal orb cannot track him now. Keep his servant alive—we may need her to find him.”
"Understood." Oliver tightened his grip on his sword, his gaze fixed on the horizon, where his hatred for Carlo burned even brighter.
...
In the dense Lost Woods, a small swarm of bats fluttered through the forest, draining the blood of every creature in their path.
As the wildlife in the area was drained dry, the bats coalesced into a swirling mass of dark mist. From within the black cloud, a pale demon stumbled to the ground—Carlo.
He was gravely injured.
The Blood Bat Spell, a secretive blood magic technique that came at great cost to the user, had taken a heavy toll. Coupled with the searing touch of the Holy Light, Carlo was in worse shape than ever.
He lay there, weak and helpless, much like when he had first been born into the world. He needed to recover—and fast.
Carlo, his body limp, let his mind sink into the system that existed in his consciousness. He knew there was something there that could help him heal.
His eyes brightened. There it is!
"Fruit of Sin: A fruit from a divine tree that fell from Heaven into the Abyss, nourished by the sins of mortals. Its fruit brims with hatred’s raw power, the perfect nourishment for a demon."
"Cost: 1,000 Evil Points."
Carlo confirmed the exchange, and a blood-red fruit, about the size of a fist, materialized in his hand. It resembled an apple from his previous life.
“A fruit from Heaven that benefits demons... Could this be from the Tree of Knowledge, the very same fruit that led Adam and Eve to their fall?”
His expression twisted with dark amusement, but without hesitation, Carlo took a bite.
The fruit was delicious, its flavor rich and satisfying. He devoured it whole, even swallowing the core.
Moments later, the fruit dissolved into a mysterious energy that spread throughout Carlo’s battered body.
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