Yuto glanced down at the top of Catherine's head, a smile playing on his lips.

He squeezed her a bit tighter, enjoying the feel of her body pressed against his.

He then glanced over at Luna, noting the small smile on her face.

He reached a hand up and gently brushed a strand of hair away from her face.

"You two are much more cuddly than I expected you to be," Yuto teased, his voice quiet.

Catherine huffed, trying to act annoyed.

"I am not cuddly," she protested, though her attempt was ruined by the fact that she was burying her face deeper into his shoulder.

Luna chuckled softly.

"Don't be fooled, Yuto. Catherine is a secret cuddler," she teased back.

Yuto laughed quietly, enjoying the banter between the two women.

He knew very well that Catherine's tough facade was just an act, and that she secretly enjoyed moments like these.

"I know that," he replied, rubbing a hand over Catherine's back.

"And I'm sure you're a secret cuddler too, Luna," he added with a wink.

"Hush, you," Luna said, a hint of a blush appearing on her cheeks.

But she didn't deny his statement, and she snuggled in closer, nuzzling her face into his neck.

Catherine peeked up from her spot against his shoulder, a smirk on her face.

"Looks like you hit the nail on the head," she teased.

“I think I did…still, I think we should get some sleep now, I would like to start an adventure tomorrow”

Both Catherine and Luna nodded in agreement.

They were both already feeling quite relaxed and sleepy.

Catherine yawned, burrowing deeper into Yuto's side.

"Agreed," she murmured, her eyelids drooping.

"The sooner we sleep, the quicker tomorrow will come," Luna added, her words laced with a hint of exhaustion.

The room was quiet except for the soft sounds of their breathing.

The three of them lay there, each lost in their thoughts.

Finally, Catherine spoke up, her voice soft.

"Good night, Yuto," she mumbled, her eyes closed.

Luna echoed the sentiment, her words a sleepy murmur.

"Sweet dreams," Yuto replied, his eyelids growing heavy.

The two girls drifted off to sleep, leaving a very much awake Yuto alone with his thoughts.

“...”

“System”

<-System->

[ Yes? ]

“How is the progression of my humanity, is it still low?”

<-System->

[ 75% ]

Error

<-System->

[ 85% ]

“It went up?”

“How?”

<-System->

[ Somehow, that pink hair lady of yours, managed to reverse the effects of your demonic power while increasing your holy magic ]

“I didn’t think that was possible”

<-System->

[ Neither did I, but be thankful to her ]

Yuto turned his head to look at Luna, he wiped the strands of hair covering her eyes.

“I am”

“So is this a permanent thing or will I have to worry about my actions again?”

<-System->

[ … ]

[ Think of it like a scale, try to balance out the amount of good and bad things you do ]

“Sounds like a real pain in the ass but looks like I don’t have much of a choice”

“...”

“Thanks, Imma sleep now”

<-System->

[ Goodnight Master ]

With the question being answered, Yuto drifted off into a peaceful sleep.

The sound of breathing fills the room.

The night passed quickly, with no disturbances or interruptions.

The next morning, when they woke up, they were still cuddled together.

The previous night's activities are a blurry and pleasant memory.

After waking up and getting washed, the trio indulged in a hearty breakfast.

Yuto opted for a full plate of bacon and eggs, while Catherine settled for some oatmeal and fruit.

Luna chose a light meal of toast and fruit.

They thanked the innkeeper and set out towards the guild, the sun shining high overhead.

When they arrived, Emma was waiting for them by the entrance.

Upon seeing them, she gave a quick wave.

"Ah, you're here," Emma said, her expression serious.

"I have something to discuss with you three if you have a moment"

Yuto walked towards her, patting her head with a chuckle, "Nice timing, we were planning to speak with you"

Emma let out a huff of annoyance as Yuto patted her head, but didn't push his hand away.

She adjusted her glasses and gave him a small glare.

"I'll let it slide for now," she said, her words edged with irritation.

Catherine stifled a grin, her shoulders shaking with suppressed laughter.

Luna smirked, her expression amused by Emma's reaction.

"You're quite the tsundere, Emma," she mused, her voice playful.

Emma's frown deepened at Luna's comment, her face flushing slightly.

"I-I am not a tsundere," she protested, her voice a little higher pitched than usual.

But her flushed cheeks and defensive tone betrayed her embarrassment, and both Catherine and Luna couldn't help but grin wider.

Yuto chuckled, enjoying Emma's reaction.

"Sure you're not," he teased, giving her head another pat for good measure.

Emma huffed again but didn't protest further.

She cleared her throat and composed herself, her face returning to its usual stern expression.

“Let’s go back to the office, yes?”

The trio nodded and followed Emma back to the guild office, the previous teasing and banter forgotten for now.

When they entered the office, Emma gestured for them to take a seat in the chairs across from her desk.

Once they were all seated, she folded her hands on the desk and looked from one face to the next.

"I have new information that you'll want to hear," she stated, her voice serious.

"What is it?"

Yuto asked, leaning forward in his chair.

His expression was serious now, all traces of teasing gone.

Catherine and Luna also looked at Emma expectantly, their eyes locked on her face.

Emma sighed, her expression solemn.

"We've received word from our intel team," she began.

"There have been several reports coming in about strange activity in the forests to the west of here"

[“West? That part of the map is?”]

“The location… which race lives there?”

Emma tapped a pen against her desk, a thoughtful expression on her face.

"The beast folk"

Yuto mumbled a few words, "The kingdom of Thornwild"

"Yes," Emma replied, nodding.

"The Kingdom of Thornwild”

“It's home to several different beast races, including werewolves and other shape-shifters"

Catherine spoke up, her eyebrows furrowed in concern.

"And what kind of strange activity are we talking about?"

Emma leaned back in her chair, her eyes on the trio.

"Reports of attacks on travelers passing through the area, people going missing, and strange occurrences in the nearby villages”

“The reports are all still being verified, but they're too many to be coincidental"

Yuto crossed his arms, a frown on his face.

"Sounds like there is a possible threat in the area,” he pointed out.

Luna nodded in agreement, her expression thoughtful.

"It would be dangerous to ignore this," she said quietly.

Emma nodded, her gaze firm. "I agree," she replied.

"Which is why the guild has decided to send in a mission team to investigate the situation. And I would like you three to be a part of it"

The trio exchanged glances, their expressions serious.

Catherine's face was set in determination, while Luna's eyes flashed with anticipation.

Yuto, for his part, simply nodded.

"Look, that all sounds good and all but what does his royal majesty think of this?"

Emma's expression darkened slightly at the mention of the king.

"The king has given his approval for this investigation," she said, her voice a bit strained.

This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author's work.

“But it felt more like a joke to him despite the numerous missing cases”

“...”

It was no secret that Emma had a complicated relationship with the king and his council, often butting heads with them on decisions.

It seems this was just another thing for her to deal with along with many other problems.

["That old man is getting on my nerves again"]

[“It seems like filling in for the guild leader isn't as easy as most would imagine”]

Yuto sighed as he scratched his head, "What else?"

Emma looked at Yuto for a moment, clearly noticing the irritation in his voice.

But she didn’t comment on it, instead choosing to focus on the task at hand.

"There are a few other details to go over before you embark on this mission," she said, pulling out a folder from a drawer in her desk.

She opened the folder and pulled out a map of the area, spreading it out on the table.

"This map shows the general layout of the area. You'll be heading into the western forest, here"

She traced her finger along the map, circling a heavily wooded region.

"This area is where most of the activity has been reported”

“We've marked out several villages and towns nearby that you'll be able to use for rest and supplies as needed"

She pulled out several other papers from the folder, rifling through them.

"You'll also need some equipment for the trip. Here are some basic supplies and a bit of gold to purchase anything else you might need"

"Ah don't worry about the gold just prepare some fine wine"

Emma smirked at Yuto's request, her irritation from earlier momentarily forgotten.

"You drink too much," she said dryly.

"But I'll see what I can do."

She jotted something down on a piece of paper, a look of resignation on her face.

Both Luna and Catherine looked at Yuto as his face flushed red in embarrassment.

"It's not like that!" he protested, trying to defend himself.

"I was just thinking we might want some wine to... celebrate after the mission"

Catherine couldn't hold back a laugh. "Sure, "celebrate", huh?"

Luna raised an eyebrow, a smirk on her lips. "You do drink quite a bit, Yuto," she teased.

Yuto groaned, his face now turning a deeper shade of red.

"I'm not that bad," he mumbled, though the protest sounded weak even to him.

"Three bottles are the norm compared to every other adventure behind this door"

Emma chuckled at Yuto's response, amused by his attempts to defend his drinking habits.

"Three bottles is 'the norm'?" she echoed, her tone both amused and exasperated.

Both Catherine and Luna snickered, clearly finding the whole situation very entertaining.

Emma collected the papers from her desk, stacking them neatly back into the folder.

"You may leave today per my suggestions as this journey will at least take a week to get to the nearest village located there"

The trio nodded, their expressions focused once again.

"We'll pack up our supplies and be ready to go within the hour," Yuto said, standing up from his chair.

Catherine and Luna followed suit, both of them already mentally preparing for the mission ahead.

Emma also stood up, walking around the desk to stand in front of the trio.

"Stay safe out there," she said, her expression serious.

"And don't do anything stupid"

The last part was directed at Yuto in particular.

Yuto rolled his eyes but didn't protest, knowing that Emma was just worried about them.

"We'll be fine," he assured her.

"You just worry about finding me some good wine when we get back"

Emma's expression remained serious for a moment before a slight smile tugged at the corners of her lips.

"Yeah, yeah," she said, giving him a light smack on the arm.

"Just be careful. All of you"

Catherine and Luna nodded in agreement, giving Emma reassuring smiles.

"We will," Catherine said firmly.

"We'll come back in one piece," Luna added, her voice confident.

Yuto mumbled a “Yeah” before they left the office and headed back toward the inn to pack up their things.

Yuto used his Storage Ring to store most of their supplies, as it would make traveling much easier.

Over the next week, they traveled on foot toward the village located near their mission site.

The trip itself was fairly uneventful, filled with long hours of walking and campfires set up in secluded areas at night.

At last, after several days of travel, they arrived at the entrance of the village.

The village was small and picturesque, nestled among the trees and surrounded by the thick forest.

There were a few buildings clustered together in the center, along with a few other smaller houses scattered around the edges.

As they entered the village, some of the villagers stopped what they were doing to look at the newcomers.

A few of the older ones exchanged wary glances, clearly wondering why strangers were visiting their secluded village.

Yuto gave a polite bow, "Greetings, we are from the adventures guild, we've come because of the recent disappearances"

The villagers murmured amongst themselves at Yuto's words, clearly wary of the reason for their visit.

A few of the older ones gave them suspicious looks, their expressions guarded.

One particularly wiry old man stepped forward, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"So you're here to investigate?" he asked, his voice gruff.

“Yes”

The old man's expression remained guarded as he studied the trio, his eyes flickering from one face to the next.

"And why should we trust you?" he asked, crossing his arms across his chest.

The villagers around them nodded in agreement with the old man's question, their faces ranging from curious to hostile.

Yuto kept his voice steady and his expression calm, not wanting to give them any reason to distrust them further.

"We're here to help," he reassured the old man.

"And find out what's been causing these disappearances"

The old man grunted, clearly still suspicious.

"And you think you can handle it? We've had no luck finding out what's behind these disappearances"

"I need not disrespect you but do not compare me to those who have no experience with situations like this"

The old man's expression darkened at Yuto's words, clearly not appreciating the hint of condescension in his tone.

"And you're such an expert, are you?" he demanded, his voice laced with irritation.

Some of the other villagers murmured in agreement, clearly not happy with Yuto's attitude.

Catherine and Luna cast him a warning glance, silently telling him to watch his tone.

Yuto, feeling the glare from them, looked back, "What?"

Catherine gave him a small warning glare and muttered under her breath. "Be careful”

"You don't want to anger them," Luna added quietly, her expression serious.

The old man was still watching Yuto, his eyes narrowed.

"You sure are confident for such a young man," he said with a hint of sarcasm.

Yuto felt a twitch go off as he started reaching for his sword.

Catherine and Luna quickly stepped closer to Yuto, their hands casually moving to their weapons.

"Yuto, hold on," Catherine said quietly, her voice a warning.

Luna put a hand on his arm, her expression pleading. "Don't do anything stupid," she whispered.

The old man chuckled, sensing Yuto's growing irritation.

He looked smug as if he was enjoying the younger man's reaction.

"What's the matter, boy? Can't handle a little criticism?"

Yuto grit his teeth, his irritation growing with each passing second.

The old man continued to taunt him, a sneer on his face.

"Oh dear, does someone have a short temper?"

Some of the villagers around them laughed at this, clearly enjoying the show.

Catherine and Luna watched with increasing concern, both of them tense and ready to interfere if necessary.

"He's trying to rile you up," Luna mumbled, her voice low.

"Don't give him the satisfaction"

Catherine looked back at them with the shut the fuck up expression.

But Yuto was past the point of listening to reason.

The old man's taunts were pushing him to the edge, chipping away at his patience.

"Oh, is the little boy angry now?" the old man taunted, his tone growing more derisive.

The villagers around him were all watching now, their expressions a mix of curiosity and excitement.

Yuto's grip on his sword tightened, his knuckles turning white.

He was trying to hold on, to not react, but the old man's words were like an itch under his skin, impossible to ignore.

The old man chuckled, clearly enjoying Yuto's struggle.

"What are you gonna do, boy? Attack me?"

The villagers around them began to murmur again, anticipation in the air.

“Yeah”

“Yeah, I am”

“What?”

Seven Sins Art: Wrath

Catherine and Luna both reacted to Yuto's words, their eyes widening in shock.

Yuto's eyes suddenly glowed red, his expression darkening.

The villagers around them took a small step back.

"Yuto, wait!" Catherine protested, her hand going to her sword.

But it was too late.

Before either of them could stop him, he swung his blade, dark flames swinging with him.

The old man stumbled back, his expression shocked.

"What in the world-"

The villages gasped, some of them crying out in alarm at the sudden display of power.

"What is he?"

"Some kind of demon?"

"Get away from him!"

Catherine and Luna stood by, their faces pale.

They knew Yuto's power, but seeing it used in such a way was unsettling.

Yuto ignored the villagers' reaction, his focus solely on the old man.

"You should choose your words carefully," he warned, his voice low and edged with anger.

The flame hit the old man enveloping him in flames, he screamed in agony as he collapsed to the ground and within a second stood back up.

His flesh melted off as he grew in size.

The villagers looked shocked and horrified as the demons' disguises were revealed.

Some of them screamed as they scrambled backward, clearly panicking.

Catherine and Luna both froze, their eyes widening at the revelation.

"Demons..." Luna whispered, her voice low.

The old man, no longer the elderly human he had appeared as, now looked like a demonic being, his true form revealed.

"How did you know?" he demanded, his voice a growl.

Yuto stepped forward, his expression stoic.

"I have my ways," he replied simply.

The red glow in his eyes faded, but the fire of anger still burned within them.

The old demon sneered at him, clearly pissed.

"You mortals are more perceptive than I thought"

He glanced around at the other villagers, all of them now showing their true demonic forms.

“...”

“Is that all of you?”

The old demon chuckled darkly.

"Not quite," he said, a sinister smile on his lips.

On cue, several more villagers, who had been in their "human" forms, let their disguises drop and revealed their demon forms.

Catherine and Luna both tensed, their hands going to their weapons.

They were outnumbered.

“Where are the real villagers?”

The lead demon cackled, his eyes flickering with amusement.

"You want to know where they are?" he taunted.

"They're safe and sound, in another location”

“We needed some... bait, let's say. And you three were just what we were looking for"

“Where are they?”

The lead demon chuckled again, clearly enjoying this game.

"Why should I tell you?" he taunted.

"I mean, what's in it for me?"

Skill: Speed Blitz

In a flash, the lead demon was beheaded.

Yuto's sword was vibrating from the speed he showed.

He slowly wiped the blood from his sword and looked back at the rest of them.

"Where are they?"

The other demons gaped at Yuto, clearly taken aback by his speed.

Even Catherine and Luna were shocked, their eyes wide with surprise.

After a moment, one of the demons, a younger one who seemed reluctant, spoke up.

"They're... they're in the forest, in a cave a few miles northeast from here," he stuttered, clearly intimidated.

Skill: Speed Blitz

Three more were beheaded.

"Did you kill anyone?"

The remaining demons looked increasingly nervous now, their eyes flickering between Yuto and their fallen comrades.

"We-we just put them to sleep!" one of them blurted out, hands raised in a supplicating gesture.

"DON'T YOU DARE LIE!"

The demon flinched at Yuto's tone, clearly scared.

"I-I'm not lying!" he protested, his voice shaky.

"We only put them to sleep, they're alive, I swear!"

Skill: Speed Blitz

Yuto's sword flashed again, taking out two more demons.

Only three were left now, and they looked absolutely terrified.

"P-please, we're not lying, we didn't kill them!" one of them pleaded, tears in her eyes.

The other two demons were cowering, looking like they were on the verge of pissing themselves.

They nodded vehemently, clearly eager to get Yuto to believe them.

"We-we swear, we just used a sleeping spell on them! They're okay!"

The first demon repeated, her voice cracking with desperation.

"Are you the ones behind the missing reports?"

The remaining demons nodded vigorously, clearly eager to provide whatever information Yuto demanded.

"Yes, yes we are! That was us!" one of them babbled.

SWISH

Yuto's sword flashed again, but before he could swing, Catherine placed a hand on his shoulder, holding him back.

"Yuto, wait," she said quickly, her voice sharp.

"Don't kill them!"

Yuto turned his head to face Catherine, his eyes full of intense rage and bloodlust.

“What?!”

Catherine held up her hands, trying to calm him down.

"Think about it, we need them alive to get the villagers back safely," she reasoned.

Luna backed her up, her expression serious.

"She's right. We can use them to get the villagers back safely and then handle them after"

Yuto didn't respond for a moment, his eyes flickering between the demons and his two companions.

The anger in his eyes was still there, but it was clear that he was listening to them.

Finally, he lowered his sword, huffing in frustration.

"Fine," he said, his voice terse.

Yuto turned back to face the three demons, "Which of you three has the best route to get there?"

The demons exchanged nervous glances, clearly not sure who to pick.

But after a moment, one of the younger-looking demons stepped forward timidly, raising her hand.

"I do," she mumbled, her eyes darting nervously between Yuto and his companions.

Yuto gave them a slight smile, "You know?"

The young demon looked surprised at the smile, her eyes wide.

But she nodded quickly, her expression still quite nervous.

"Y-yeah, I do. I've been there a few times. I know the route"

Yuto gave another sly smile, “So… the two behind you aren’t needed then”

The other two demons' expressions became panicked at Yuto's words, and they began to protest.

"No, wait, please-" one of them started, but Yuto cut him off.

"You're not needed," he said coldly.

"Your friend here will give us the information we need"

The demons looked terrified, their eyes flickering between Yuto and their friend who had agreed to guide them.

It was clear they wanted to protest, but they were too scared to do so.

"Please, we can be useful," one of them pleaded, their voice almost a whine.

"We-we know other things, information you might need," the other added, his voice tremulous.

Yuto raised an eyebrow at their words, clearly skeptical.

Catherine and Luna, sensing his hesitance, spoke up.

"Let's hear them out," Luna suggested.

"It never hurts to have extra information”

“...”

“Yuto?”

“No”

SLASH

The other two demons were unable to react in time as Yuto's sword cleaved through them, their bodies turning into puffs of smoke and ash.

The remaining demon girl let out a frightened squeal, her eyes wide with panic.

Catherine and Luna both looked at Yuto, their expressions tense.

They were starting to get uneasy at Yuto's violent tendencies.

"Yuto," Catherine began, her voice tight.

"That was a bit much, wasn't it?"

Yuto didn't answer her, his eyes still focused on the remaining demon.

The demon girl was trembling now, her eyes wide with terror.

She looked like a cornered animal, paralyzed with fear.

"Please, don't hurt me," she pleaded, her voice trembling.

"I-I'll tell you anything you want to know, I swear"

Yuto's expression softened slightly at her plea, though he still looked tense.

He didn't say anything for a moment, his eyes flickering from the demon girl to Catherine and Luna.

"Well, Yuto? What's your call?" Luna prompted, her voice cautious.

Yuto didn't answer immediately.

He was wrestling with his anger and bloodlust, his body tense and coiled.

Finally, he spoke, his voice still tight with anger.

"She'll help us get the villagers back. That's what matters"

Catherine and Luna exchanged a glance, both of them looking a bit relieved at his decision.

They had expected Yuto to continue his onslaught, but it seemed he had managed to control himself, albeit barely.

The demon girl shakily exhaled a sigh of relief, her face still pale but no longer as terrified.

"Thank you," she mumbled, her hands trembling.

"I-I'll show you where the caves are"

Yuto didn't say anything as he merely followed the girl, wiping the blood off his sword and putting it back where it belonged.

Catherine and Luna followed behind Yuto and the demon girl, their eyes scanning every tree and branch for any more possible threats.

The demon girl kept glancing over her shoulder at Yuto, clearly still terrified of him.

“What?”

To which the demon girl jumped, startled.

"Nothing, nothing!" she said quickly, her voice high and nervous.

Catherine and Luna exchanged another glance, clearly noticing the tension between the two.

"She's terrified of you," Luna said quietly, her voice holding a hint of reprimand.

Catherine agreed, a hint of concern in her voice.

"You could try being a bit more gentle, you know"

Yuto grunted in response, not exactly pleased with their comments.

But he didn't say anything, his expression unreadable.

The demon girl looked at them anxiously, her eyes flickering from Yuto to them and back.

He walked forward and grabbed the demon girl and placed her on his shoulders.

"Which way?"

The demon girl squeaked in surprise, clearly not expecting to suddenly be hoisted onto Yuto's shoulders.

But she quickly collected herself, pointing towards a thick part of the forest.

"T-that way," she said, her voice still tremulous.

"A mile northeast from here are the caves"

Yuto nodded, adjusting his grip on the demon girl carefully so as not to startle her further.

"Keep your eyes peeled," he cautioned Catherine and Luna as he walked forward, following the direction the demon girl had pointed.

The girls smiled as they walked behind him.

The further they went into the forest, the more tense the energy became.

The trees grew denser, the shadows longer and darker.

The demon girl clung tightly to Yuto's shoulders now, her eyes wide as she peered into the darkness.

She occasionally mumbled directions to him, guiding them through the maze-like path.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, they came across a large cave entrance, partially concealed by a thicket of bushes and trees.

Yuto came to a stop, silently gesturing for Catherine and Luna to be on guard.

The girls both tensed, their eyes focused on the cave entrance.

There was no sound coming from within, and the darkness in the cave was too thick to see inside.

The demon girl's grip on Yuto's shoulders tightened, her body trembling with fear.

Yuto simply put her down as he cracked his knuckles, "You two stay here with her"

Catherine and Luna immediately protested.

"No way, we're coming' with you," Catherine said firmly, her hand going to her rapier.

"It's dangerous to go alone," Luna added, her voice resolute.

Yuto chuckled, shaking his head.

"I can handle myself," he said confidently.

"You two are better off staying here to watch the girl”

Catherine and Luna exchanged glances, clearly unhappy with his response.

"But Yuto-" Catherine began, about to argue further, but Yuto just gave a small smile.

"I'll be fine," he said firmly, his voice brooking no argument.

"Just stay here until I come back"

Catherine and Luna begrudgingly nodded, their expressions still clearly unhappy.

They both knew arguing further would be useless, Yuto was as stubborn as a mule.

He jumped down and ran towards the cave, as he left they still couldn't shake off this odd feeling.

They merely shook off that feeling and turned to the demon girl, who looked even more terrified now that Yuto was gone.

"It'll be fine," Luna tried to reassure her, giving her a small, weak smile.

Catherine nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, Yuto's strong, he can handle himself"

"T-that man"

Catherine and Luna both looked at the demon girl, a bit startled by her sudden comment.

"What about him?" Catherine asked, her voice curious.

"W-why does h-he have the au-ura"

Catherine's brow furrowed as she tried to make sense of the demon girl's fearful stammering.

"Aura?"

Luna, however, looked a bit more concerned.

"What kind of aura?"

“...”

“Of the Demon Lord?”