"Ah, hell no! I aint going any further!" The deman immediately went out of the car and booked it. "I'll keep my life! You just shoot and talk as much as you like!"
Raynold shouted at him to get back as noticed a terrible stench filled into his nose.
"Ugh, what the hell is this smell?"
As the others in the car were complaining about the horrible smell, Lucy took an experimental sniff, before widening her eyes slightly. 'This smell...'
She then remembered this familiar smell. Realizing what it was, she felt... Petrified. 'No way... Why is the scent here!?'
Ichozuc quickly raised his repeater and aimed at the darkness followed by several other trappers, and the ants turned to the same direction as well. This attention didnt go unnoticed to the others.
"Oi, what are you doing?"
"Movement, ssssseveral metersssss ahead."
They all looked in front of them and heard faint footsteps. Almost by an eternity later, they saw a figure once they step into the light. It was a bloodied girl carrying a giant-ass weapon, walking towards them.
"Its a deman!" Lexter shouted out of nowhere and stepped on the gas. He sent the girl flying almost a few meters away from them.
"Didnt you send a girl just flying now!?" The doctor shouted.
"What!? No way..!"
"Shit, what the hell is this?! Stop the car rooster head!" Raynold told him, to which he complied. They all stepped out of the vehicle and cautiously went towards the girl.
The trappers were still keeping their sights on the girl, making a small semi-circle around her before Ichozuc ordered them to lower their weapons.
The deman girl doesn't look quite deman at all. It looked like a corpse. It had stitches on the joints, and its eyes around were black and only small dots of red in the middle. It was not anything usual you would find on a deman.
The human group were getting nervous and cautious, the girl they just crashed into was literally a corpse, but the group didnt knew about it. The doctor started checking the little girl's vitals but found none. The body of the little girl had grown stiff, and she obviously wasn't bleeding.
Ichozuc and the others immediately knew what this was. "Humanssssss! Ssssstand back, that corpssssee issss dangerousss!" He and the other trappers quickly raised their repeaters, followed by Workers who craned their necks upwards, ready to spit acid.
Before they heed the warning properly, the corpse moved its arm and almost cut the old doctor's chest if not for Lessa who just moved at the moment he was suspicious of the lack of soul from the corpse.
The trappers shot their repeaters and the Workers spitting acid on the corpse, luckily the shots hit and the corpse was not quite agile at dodging. However, the corpse was still standing, expected from an Undead.
"Aim for the head, usssage of [Fiery Shots] permitted." He said lowly.
He and the other trappers immediately changed their ammunition and fired again, this time the corpse seems to be taking damage now.
"What the hell was that!?"
"Undead, weaknesssss fire and holy." He replied. He fired an arrow to its head, and down it goes.
"Whoah, thanks for the save Lessa." Jin said. (The adult-male doctor if you forgot btw)
"If it wasnt for him," He gestured at Ichozuc. "I wouldn't have been suspicious of the corpse."
"Hey, you say this is an 'undead' right? You know these things?" Raynold said without breaking his sight on the burning corpse.
"Yessss," Ichozuc nodded. "Dead beingssssss that re-animate into beingssssssss with negative energy. Mosssssst of them is guaranteed hostile to living beingssssss."
"Wait, you said 'most' of them, so you say that there are others that are more friendly than this one?" Lexter asked.
The leader of the trappers, along with his brethren chuckled at his statement. "Dont compare thisss one to them."
"...Wait, where are the others?" Lessa said this out loud while looking around the darkness. The others looked around and noticed that the others were suddenly gone without a trace.
The insects tensed up for another possible fight.
"Mienna! Yuzuru! Lucy!" Raynold shouted. "Where did they go!?" Even the Warrior Ants that were supposed to be guarding them also vanished.
The red-haired warrior suddenly went silent before turning to the corpse, summoning fire onto the corpse, releasing his wrath. "!"
"Raynold! Calm down and put the flames out! Lucy cant is too far." Lessa said assuringly.
"Thing frigging dead body must be a diversion, and its obviously not the gatekeeper. We need to know what's going on in this place."
"Human!" Ichozuc said, gaining their attention. "Thissss place almosssst sssseemssss like a cave, the sssspace around is... wide." Them being insects can see through the dark, but only barely a few meters around. They can only sense movement through their feelers and antennas.
"...Lexter, you got any light? Its too dark, and we need to know where Lucy is near or not."
Lexter started to shuffle in his pockets. "Your right. I dont have too many left but... I could use these." He brought out small objects, they seem like pills. The insect trapper would scoff at how would those help them see, but knowing that this pink haired human is a tinkerer, he thought secondly.
Lexter threw them to the ground, and seconds later, the whole place lit up bright as day. And what was in the darkness, what a wide ass room. Almost the size of a gym court.
They saw a high-tall structure at the other side of the wall, and on top looked like piles of black bags, most likely trash... And maybe dead bodies since there are several bodies lying on a sheet of clothing, and the bodies were little deman girls.
"What... What is this!?"
"The hell is this place...?"
Lexter looked troubled before turning to Raynold. "Oi, there should be a GPS receiver inside the weapons I made!"
"What?! Seriously!?"
Ichozuc had no idea what this 'GPS' is, but it seems to be useful considering their reactions.
"Its just that... I'm not sure if it works because we're in deman territory. Their satellites might cause some problems."
"Well, I think it's fine... Just do whatever."
As they converse, the insects looked around, trying to see any movement beyond the light's reach.
They then noticed something moving behind them, it was the corpse.
"Undead!" One of the trappers yelled, gaining the attention of the others.
"What the hell!? How can it still be alive!?"
"Dead, itssss no longer a living being."
"Right right... Wait, that doesnt matter, why is it still moving!?"
"My suspicion seems to be correct," Lessa said. "It must be the dark energy I felt when I attacked her."
'Dark energy? Issss he referring to negative energy? Must quessssstion thissss later...'
"Dark energy? But dark energy leaves the body after its host dies, and that one is definitely dead!"
"I know that too, but Im certain that one possesses some and I'm gonna collect it!"
Lessa stabs his sword to the ground, Raynold and the others confused by his action. Before they could do anything, immediately a wall of black opened before them.
"What issss thissss!?" Ichozuc shouted in surprise, along with the other insects.
"Rav, come out." He waited for a few moments before... "Raviel?"
"W-wait, what the hell is that!?"
"...Im busy."
Suddenly, someone dropped down from the wall of black. Someone in white clothes, white hair. For a brief moment, they saw glowing wings coming from the figure.
'An angel!?'
It landed on the corpse as if inspecting it. Ichozuc felt the power from the angel, its aura produced power than anything that he had sensed recently. Although, he was sure that this power cannot rival his master's level.
"Just to make this clear: I didnt come because you summoned me, but..." His voice was powerful, rough yet strong as steel. "Luckily, you just opened the portal at the right time."
"What do you mean?" Lessa asked, confused about what the angel meant.
"I, too, am quite interested in being here. Every few hundred years it happens that a soul cant reincarnate..." He paused as if looking down on the corpse like an interesting object. "Because the body couldnt reunite itself with the earth."
----------------------------------------
"What. In. The. Fuck?"
Jim said, completely in shock. "Is that an angel? But... why the hell does he look like a clone?" He whisper-shock before shaking out of the sudden stupor.
He was just observing on how the group was doing, he couldnt trust himself to his summons in case they may do something soooo fucking wrong that it will jeopardize everything.
I know he could just ask them if he could come with them, but why not just make the whole damn thing much more complicated like from some novels he read?
Quick and easy is too fucking boring; slow and steady is quite entertaining.
Back to the story. . .
The angel just appeared from a dark rift. It almost looked like a {Gate}, but the structure of the portal is wayyyyy too fking tall. Almost like a Giant can fit through the portal.
'So there are new spells to learn eh?' Is what he thought. New spells meant new efficiency in developing new quarters of technology that may be compatible with the tech he can make. But still unsure if the magic tech he may input IF he learned new spells that these guys have, he might be the strongest in this world.
That is if, the magic aint shit here.
"Too many shit of a questions, little time to think for an answer." He grumbled as he packs up his food and jumped off to another roof.
Zone 3, the atmosphere of the place was like a ghost town. But much darker, filled with evil lurking around at every damn corner. Everything looked like it was made from the renaissance-era. And whats worse, he couldn't find any junk to salvage materials and no sight of a CONVENIENCE STORE!
THE CHIPS GOT TO HIM DAMN IT!
He grumbled on lacking on food and chips as he followed the car on which the group was in. The Warrior Ants were able to keep up the speed of a car, the Trappers keeping their presence hidden and going from the air so that in case the ground was ambushed, they'll have some advantage from the air.
The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
Tactics man, tactics.
The group stopped and the humans went in along with several Trappers, possibly scouting the place if its clear or not. The Warrior Ants just sent hiding into the shadows that can manage their size. They would dig underground, but that will just make a noise and mess, creating attention.
Feeling suspicious of the lack of movement, there has to be someone living in the buildings. Because if not, then there would be trash around and the conditions are not maintained, which they are.
"{Scan}" He then felt multiple familiar body signatures in the building. Feeling the humans and the Trappers signature, they were at the ground floor, spreading out for more ground.
He then felt unfamiliar signatures, two of them. One was as small as a child. The one from the ground floor was slowly heading upstairs. But both signatures dont feel like humans...
He immediately {Messaged} Ichozuc of the possible danger.
----------------------------------------
"-I'll go take a look at that side." Lexter said.
"I'll just stay here, take a rest for a minute." The doctor grunted.
"I'll check the upstairs then." Raynold said.
"Wait, ssssssomeonessss here." Ichozuc suddenly whisper-shouted, causing all of them to halt their movement.
"What? Where?" Lessa said, slowly eyeing the corners of the room around.
"Theressss two, one upsssstairssss, the other in thisss floor." The insect leader said as he cautiously pointed his repeater at several corners.
"...Move quietly." Lessa said lowly.
"You two," Ichozuc pointed at two Trappers. "ssssstay with the human doctor." They nodded in acknowledgment as they stood guard.
The group then slowly moved upstairs, trying to look for any movements they could see.
Raynold saw a cable, he told them quietly about it and decided to follow where will it lead. Following the one-eyed fellow, the room was darker that they need a light.
Raynold risked on lighting up the dark and saw a figure sitting on a bed.
It was a deman child.
"H-Humans? W-Why are you here...?" She said meekly.
Ichozuc immediately aimed his repeater at the deman, before he could fire, a hand pushed his weapon downward.
"What, are you crazy!? We cant kill a child!" Lexter said panicky.
"Child yessss, but it issss a deman!" The Trapper retorted angrily. "There isssss another one in thisssss houssse and we need to clear it out!"
The child trembled, practically out of fear "D-Dont kill me please!" She pleaded, making Raynold and Lexter argue Ichozuc to put his weapon down.
"Quiet!" Lessa shouted in a very, very fucking quiet tone. "Someone's coming!"
Lexter and Ichozuc immediately hid behind the doors, knowing that if they were to open it completely and hopefully not enter the room, they would be fine. Raynold was suddenly pulled by the deman child and pushed him underneath the bed. Meanwhile, Lessa hid inside a large closet drawer.
It was almost like a scary hide and seek, because of the atmosphere they were feeling.
They could hear the footsteps coming closer.
"Canaria..." It was an old, woman's voice. Possibly in her fifties. "My... Canaria..."
"A... Aunt..."
'Aunt?' Is what on the minds of the humans right now.
"What are you doing here?" The old deman woman said, almost sounding concerned if it were not her stone cold face. "Didnt I tell you to come down for dinner?"
"I, ah, looking for something. I lost a hairband..."
The deman woman sighed. "You klutz."
"Anyway, hurry up and come down. The food will get cold." The deman woman said as she started to leave.
"Yes... I'm coming..."
After a moment, they finally come out from their hiding places. Lexter closed the door slowly, with Ichozuc still wary of the child. He could actually just end it's life with a [Hell Bolt] to the head, but he would just follow the plans of the humans for now...
"Hey Ichozuc, how the hell did you know that there were people living here?"
"...Inssstinctssss." He said.
"U-Ummmm... Why are you here? There are only demans here and its dangerous." The child deman said.
"Can we borrow your internet?" Raynold said, deflecting the question or ignoring it.
"Of course you can...! Wait, you only need the internet?" Almost forgetting that there was someone here still pointing a fking loaded repeater on her.
"Yeah, nothing else. Dont worry."
"...Alright. But make sure you wouldnt be seen by that woman earlier. Make sure you guys are quiet."
"As if we would need a reminder." Lexter snorted in amusement.
"No need to worry about us. I can just finish her off by setting her on fire."
"No! Please dont!" She said quickly. "It'd only cause trouble..!"
"...Ok, well, my friends and I wanted to spend the night here to rest. But I guess we cant, too risky."
"I'll... help you get internet or whatever else you need but just please be quiet..."
"If you say it like this... then we'll be careful."
The girl seem to be relaxed than before. "Theres a computer right next door. And once your finished please leave through the window."
"CANARIA!" The woman's voice shouted throughout the room towards upstairs.
"Yes, yes! I'm coming!" The girl hurriedly ran out of the room, leaving the group to their thoughts.
"...This is suspicious, why is she helping us?"
"Dont know, but we got little time, let's make the use of it."
. . .
Lexter was typing away into the computer, trying to locate his sister, Yuzuru and Diane.
Ichozuc was confused about how the computers work, and Raynold trying to explain how it works in a very... basic way.
"Sssssso thisssss thing doessssnt work on magic?"
"No it doesnt. Just think of it like a, eh, device. Yeah, a device that you can virtually do anything." The one-eyed red head explained. "You can look up anything, but somewhat limited."
"Ssssso, if I were to ssssearch for a magic item with thissssss, it would immediately tell me where one issss located?"
The humans just looked at each other, way out of head confused. "Ummmm, we are not exactly sure, but you can look up magic items... But they dont exist in a legit way. Since we dont think magic is real in anyway."
Before the Trapper leader could retort in a way, Lexter spoke in their way.
"...Found em." Lexter said. "They seem to be moving to a place not far from here."
"Ssssso this is a ssscrying device." One of the trappers said. "What tier issss it?"
"Oh for goodness sakes- this isnt a scrying device!" Doctor Jin groaned. "This is a machine that can make complex calculations in a virtual way!"
"Can you guys just stop questioning and just try to find Lucy and the others?" Lessa deadpanned. He is also confused about how does computer works, not really fond of the technology of this era.
"Anyways... they seem to be moving to the center-!"
"KYYYAAAAA!"
Everyone stopped and looked at the door, hearing a woman's scream. Almost immediately, Raynold moved out of the room.
"Rano!?"
"Hey! Where are you going!?" Jin exclaimed. "We dont have time to worry about a deman!"
"...I'll be right back." Raynold said calmly. Although there is no doubt rage behind those words.
"I'll follow him." Lessa said, brandishing his blade in hand.
"...Humansssss." Ichozuc sighed. "Troubling beingssss."
----------------------------------------
"Whoah, weird. A castle in modern times? That'd be rare in my world..."
What he is currently seeing with his eyes is a castle.
It almost looked like a frigging cathedral with the crosses at the balcony, but those are just railings. The place was looking almost it had been an attractive place for entertainments.
Then again, there is a "Bell's House'. Someone took residence in it and decided to make a fucking house from an old town hall.
A fuckin town hall that literally looks like a castled cathedral.
And there are people outside in line, almost like waiting for their turn. And what the hell is up with the Out and In doors? What is this? An audition?
"{Scan}" He felt multiple presences within the building. Most of the inhabitants are impure, demans. There are some of those annoying giant-ass demans, tucked into one hanger-sized room. There is some uncorrupted presence, but those are just the minority. He managed to find those two other girls, but he couldnt seem to find any presence of the familiar signature of Lucy anywhere in the building.
'But why the fuck are they there? Could it be the Zone Boss that wants them? Why the alive...? Shit, I think I may have to intervene...' Contemplating on what to do. He took some plans ahead, but most of them require loud actions.
He has some spells and scrolls that could assist him in stealth, but he couldnt be taken sure if the enemies could sense him. Even there doesn't seem to be any signs or knowledge of them knowing YGGDRASIL spells, it's still better to know more.
Gazing upon the people in line, he noticed some familiar faces.
'...Why are they in costumes?' He thought in disbelief, thinking that these arent the humans or just another look-a-likes, but they are the real ones. Not fakes.
His trappers seem to be nowhere in the line, he could sense that they are somewhere else around the cathedral castle.
"This whole situation is going wayy too fucking complicated." He groaned as he brought up his [Ranger's Sequoia] and a curved blade before vanishing.
----------------------------------------
'Thissss place issssss tainted beyond normal...'
Ichozuc thought as he and two other trappers stealthily move through the hallways. With their cloaks performing camouflage for them, all they have to do is move quietly.
Surprisingly, the demans around dont have any ways to detect them. They have several thoughts that they could smell, but with the cloak, they perfectly blend on the surroundings.
He had received a {Message} from his master, telling him that the humans are indeed in the building they are in. Although there is one problem, the sister of the human redhead; Lucy, is not here.
He would have to ask forgiveness immediately to his creator for not fulfilling his mission on protecting the deman girl, if not for his master's generous mercy blessed onto him. His master might have known where the deman girl is, but he doesnt think himself worthy enough to ask lest he will risk his master's rage.
Perhaps all of this is just a test to prove his loyalty and competence. Yes, perhaps it is that...
After looking around the place, they managed to find two large doors. Possibly some main room where most demans are in...
Since they were informed on how this 'Doll choosing' works, all chosen contestants would be gathered into one ballroom for which the Queen of the 3rd Zone to have a... party.
Risking by opening the door, they quickly went inside and stick through behind the shadows of the pillars and columns.
The deman child that informed them about it was telling the truth, no doubt that he was being wary of the deman. Simply because they are humans who wish to become unpure of soul.
Pushing the thought away, they observed that the ones gathered are little girls. They looked like... Dolls. Wearing pretty dresses and makeups.
'Every ssssingle one needssss to be purged...' He gripped the handle of his repeater a little bit tighter. Feeling the need for justice and purge of evil, but he reminded himself that not every single deman are evil. Some were turned unwillingly, that they may have felt the guilt of becoming one of the monsters.
He questioned why his master didnt just purge every evil presence in this land, but questioning his god and creator would seem to be blasphemous. All who were created by the Supreme Beings know it.
*CRASH*
All eyes went towards the sound of glass breaking. The Trappers looked to where it is, and the source was coming from the throne. The figure, a female deman, was drenched in wine.
The Trappers wondered who would throw a wine bottle towards a dangerous enemy, possibly provoking a battle.
A doll stepped forward, a large machete held in her left hand. "You still have that nasty hobby of collecting dolls... Couldnt give it up could you, Belle."
It was a familiar voice, a sense of tone filled with venomous touch.
It was Lucy.
'But what isssss sssshe doing!? Sssshe issss rissssking hersssself of danger!' The Trappers would have immediately rush out to aid her, but knowing their specialty, they would need to have a good opportunity to support the strike. They are not assassins after all, only having rogue and ranger capabilities. One hit kills is a task impossible for them to achieve.
The two conversed, with Lucy trying to bargain the Queen of the 3rd zone to have the other human girl; Mienna, back.
He had received no report from the other Trappers sneaking in the building in a search for the female humans. They do, however, managed to find the gnome (human midget, if you folks didnt think that well... heh) woman. She told them that she was searching for Mienna as well, they decided to aid the female gnome in a search for the other said human.
Seeing that Lucy is now stomping her way through the deman dolls, who are trying to stop her from getting close to the Queen, the Trappers sprung out from their hiding place. Even if they were outnumbered from 5 to 70, they decided to aid her.
"Aim at their headssss!"
"What!?" The Queen exclaimed in surprise.
"You guys!" Lucy shouted both in surprise and in gladness.
"Go!" Ichozuc shouted as he fired his repeater, easily maiming one of the dolls and killing another. "Sssslay her!"
Lucy just looked at him before nodding her head. She then leaped at the Queen and her blade that was aiming towards her neck-
"Before you start boasting about your strength" A familiar, bubbly voice came from a deman doll wearing blue and black. "You'll have to defeat me first." She smirked.
Lucy was pushed back, sliding backward by force. "Why are you here...?" She spoke in a low tone.
"Not really surprising. I'm a doll too." The Lord of the 4th Zone shrugged. "And dont you remember? You were my sunbae (senpai) after all. You taught me one thing or two."
She then glanced behind her, making a mocking smile. "Ah, I see you also brought with you insects as well."
"Dont you dare mock them! And I didn't teach you anything! Didnt Lessa save you!?"
The girl looked confused. "? What are you talking about...? Ah, so you're one of those girls that tell stories. Meh, I wouldn't care anyway." She walked forward, slowly raising her spiked club. "Just play with me for a while. We still haven't decided the winner of our last match, Lucy!"
. . .
Lucy was thrown against the wall, cracking from the force behind the impact of Mindy-Mindy's club. Falling down face flat to the ground, wounded and bleeding from her head. In against of physical strength, she wasnt able to win against Mindy-Mindy.
She managed to wound her, but it was more like a scratch rather than a deep wound for a deman compare to a human comparison.
For the Trappers, all 5 of them were beaten and captured by the order of the Queen. But they were, however, able to kill a dozen of them and injuring at least 20. They tried to escape from the dolls' grasp, but their strength was beyond theirs.
"So you tried to incur an assassination on me huh?" The Queen said, almost confident, with a smile on her face. "Well, you failed."
"Give... Mienna back..."
She frowned. "You still dont get on whose side you belong too? How could you ever join the humans? You dont know how cruel they can be. Even though you were once one of them, they will never accept you."
As she continued to misguide and deceive her with soothing words and a silver tongue, Lucy's power began to rise.
The Trapper leader noticed the change around Lucy. "Girl! Dont!" Ichozuc shouted. "Do not risk your own life for ussss! Your brother will be here soon!"
"Oh? What did he say? Raynold's coming here?" The Queen smirked sadistically. "Let the screen down!" She stretched her arms outward.
One of the deman servants clicked on a remote, activating it and a large white projecter-screen was lowered down behind her throne.
"Are you sure that your brother will come here?" She mocked. "Take a good look Lucy. I'll show you what's become of your brother."
----------------------------------------
"Hmmm... Dark energy...? Why did it vanish so suddenly?" Apoc said as he nonchalantly fired another bullet at a deman charging at him, easily killing him.
He cleared out the main hallway and several rooms, and was he was doing so he felt a spike of untainted, corrupted energy. Even though it was pure darkness, it didnt feels quite malicious and full of hostility.
And it was quite incredibly nearby too. For some reason, the presence of power he had felt was coming from below.
"AAHHHH!"
He heard shouts and screams of agony and pain, making him stop pondering on his thoughts. He quickly went towards the source of the noise, turning corners and noticing sometimes several demans running past away as he passed through them.
He then heard the crackling of wood and the sounds of flames.
'...Is that the brother?' He thought as he felt the temperature go up, feeling a bit warmer than usual.
"-is Lucy?"
His movements went slower, taking time to assess the damages Raynold had done, and the casualties he had inflicted on the demans around. Most of them were burned obviously since their weakness is anything that is holy and flame based. Hell, even the frigging sunlight can turn them into ashes.
PRAISE THE SUN BTCHES!
PRAISE IT!
"I see you are alive and well, flamey boy." He smirked.
The redhead looked at him, almost with hostile intent. "...You know where Lucy is?"
He shrugged. "No idea who that is, but I'm also trying to find someone here man."
Before they could speak anymore, someone was walking towards them. It was distorted, yet a monotone voice.
"Hansel Target Confirmation." The figure almost looked like a cyborg. A cold air surrounding him, or rather it.
""Huh?""