1-9 Demonization

--Third Person POV--

The number of Black Arachnids are still increasing which isn’t helping the students and the knights from their situation. Luckily, there are no casualty right now thanks to the knights protecting them, but it won’t be for long.

Despair overcame them as the students were already panicked from their current situation. The Black Arachnids were nothing compared to the monsters that they came across. They were offsprings from the Unique monster version of the Black Arachnid Queen so they possess their parent’s trait of resisting magic.

Knowing that their usual magical attacks won’t work on these monsters, the students swing their weapons carelessly. They forget their training due to fear of death strucking them and the path of the stairs to the upper floors was blocked by the spider hordes.

(Hikaru) “‘Flash Cannon!’”

Just as everyone was about to give up, Hikaru managed to come to their aid while unleashing a white light bullet towards the spider horde and then it exploded, sending the spiders flying. Although the Black Arachnids have Magic Resistance Skill, it can only lower the power of the magical attack. Hikaru realized this after hearing from Captain Gale and put more power than usual into that attack.

(Hikaru) “Don’t worry, everyone! We will survive this together!”

(Gale) “What are you guys doing?! Don’t forget your training and organize into groups, you fools!”

Hearing from Hikaru’s encouragement and Captain Gale’s scolding, everyone’s spirit were lifted as hope finally appeared before them. Kiyoko and the others with high attribute on Recover Magic managed to healed everyone and raised their morales even more. Physically and mentally.

The students begin their counterattack against the Black Arachnids along with the knights. The close combat side raise their weapons and attack the spiders in a fashionally order. The magician side begin their chants and did the same thing as Hikaru as they start firing powerful magic towards the monsters.

The battle now shifted to their side as they wiped out the monsters in an impressive speed, but the enemy’s numbers hadn’t decrease at all as they fought for a while. Although only 10 minutes has passed, it felt even longer for the students as they battle with their lives.

Suddenly, the spider horde begin decreasing their numbers and everyone saw this chance to turn things around.

(Hikaru) “Alright! The enemies have no more reinforcements coming so let bring these guys down and advance to the stairs!”

Being encouraged by Hikaru’s speech and affected from his charisma, the students attacked more fiercely than before as they run through the path to the stairs.

After clearing out the last bunch of the Black Arachnids, the way to the stairs was opened and the classmates revealed an astonished expression as they wanted to head to the safety zone as soon as possible. However, Kiyoko’s words have stopped their tracks.

(Kiyoko) “Everyone, wait! We must help Fujiki-kun! He has been fending off that monster by himself all this time!”

The classmates exposed a doubtful expression after hearing her words. They thought it was impossible, after all, Shinji was tagged as a slacker. However, Gale also backed up her claimed.

(Gale) “That’s right! The boy has been holding back the Black Arachnid Queen to let us retreat! Vanguard! Protect the students from any monsters coming! The ones who can still fight must accompany me to help that boy out!”

Although the students were hesitant to battle again, they brace themselves while still perplexed about Shinji’s involvement. When they turned to where Shinji is, they held their breath as they couldn’t believed the scenery before them.

There were hundreds of spider corpses near where Shinji battle against Black Arachnid Queen. Their bodies were squashed, stabbed and pierced all over them as green fluids flooded the floor. The Queen itself look lifeless as a huge spear is pierced into its torso and doesn’t appeared to be moving which means it is now dead.

However, what shock everyone the most is that there are two familiar people fighting each other in the middle of this massacre.

--Shinji’s POV--

A few minutes earlier-

(Shinji) “Hah!”

I thrusted the spear into the humanoid figure of the Black Arachnid Queen with all of my strength. I can feel its flesh piercing through as the monster gives out its death cry. It struggle a little from my spear as I can feel its life force being drained away until it finally stopped squaming. This means it is now dead.

(Shinji) “Phew! That was tougher than I imagined. I wouldn’t properly have survived if weren’t for my skills.”

I let out my relief before turning around to see the mess that I caused. There must be more than a hundred Black Arachnids that I’ve killed to power myself up in order to increase my chances against the Queen.

The battle against Black Arachnid Queen was really tough. It can spray poisonous acid from its mouth and its extended hairy legs act like a spear to skewered its opponents. Its status were nearly equal to mine and since it is an Unique monster, its special trait makes the monster even harder to kill leaving Hikaru and the others with no chance of fighting against it except me.

While I was struggling to fend off its attacks, the Black Arachnid Queen cried out for its subordinates as the spiders came closer to protect their Queen. This looks like a dire situation yet it also a chance to increase my level in order to survive. Taking that risk, I continue battle the main boss while cutting down its subordinates up to this state.

I made a few breaths in order to regain most of my strengths. My Matchless Vitality is one of the main factors that I was able to win against the Black Arachnid Queen. Not only my stamina increases, it also increase my healing factors as it only take a few minutes to recover from a deep cut.

While I was cutting down the spiders, my level must have gone up by a huge margin. However, I didn’t have time to leisurely look at my stats as my classmates are still in a predicament.

As I about to head over there, I feel that same murderous stare at me again along with killing intention as my Crisis Sense has been activated suddenly. Feeling the incoming attack behind, I did a backflip to dodge as the attacker went pass underneath me.

(Yaiba) “What the fuck?! How the hell do you noticed me?!”

(Shinji) “So that stare was from you after all…”

I’ve landed on my feet as I gaze towards my attacker and also my classmate, Yaiba Onizuka. He looked surprised when his assault has failed while I’m surprised that he has succumbed to this level.

Although I’ve might have guessed that since he’s one of the few who really dislike me, it was too rash for him to do this sort of thing. This must be one of the betrayal templates where the protagonist gets stabbed in the back by his follower comrade.

I looked at his status and immediately figured out his way of avoiding being noticed.

Yaiba Onizuka

Race: Human

Class:Assassin

LV: 12

HP: 800

MP: 1200

ATK: 120

DEF: 80

SPD: 180

INT: 75

Magic:

Fire Magic

Shadow Magic

Skills:

Phantom Step

Assassination Technique

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

Invisibility

Hidden Weapon Art

Language Comprehension

His job class is an Assassin which he can kill a person unnoticed and hide in the shadows like some ninja. With his Invisibility skill, he was able to sneak by me and planned to kill me unnoticed if weren’t of my Crisis Sense.

Also, his level barely increased when we enter the dungeon. That means this coward hide his presence to avoid the spiders and not bothering helping out our classmates.

(Shinji) “What are you doing, Onizuka? This is no time for your one of your so-called training.”

(Yaiba) “Tch! If that didn’t work, then I just kill you up front!”

(Shinji) “Hey!”

I thought that he will make an excuse about his actions, but instead he decided to let out his intentions as he comes towards me with his metal claws which is also his Relic. Those weapons can poison any living being who been scratched by them and they will die in 5 minutes if they don’t apply a cure in time.

I blocked one of his metal claws with my sword, however he attack with his other one which I block it again. He keeps throwing his punches in any direction in order to poison me as I keep blocking every attempt.

The sound of metal clashing each other vibrates the room as I and Yaiba continue to parry each other. As we clash our weapons, I decided to talk some sense into that bastard’s head.

(Shinji) “Stop, you idiot! I know that you don’t like me, but this is going too far!”

(Yaiba) “Shut up, you slacker! You have no right to talk to me that way!”

(Shinji) “If you keep this up, it won’t end for you with a happy ending than you think!”

(Yaiba) “Shut the fuck up! Someone like you… Someone like you doesn’t deserve to be near to Kiyoko!”

No use, this guy has already gone crazy than I thought as I saw his eyes gone bloodshot in anger and jealousy. If that the case, I don’t have to hold back on him.

I made up my mind as I blocked his claws again and I send a kick into his stomach.

(Yaiba) “Gaah!?”

Yaiba was sent flying from my kick just now as he landed on the ground rolling with a shocked expression of the power of my attack. He soon shake it off as he comes at me again with greater speed than before.

One of the features of an Assassin is their speed as they move quickly in the shadows and escape from their pursuers after finishing the deed. However, my status is already greater than his from the start as I dodging his attacks without lifting my sword. His expression has turn disbelief after seeing none of his attacks are hitting me.

(Yaiba) “Why?! How do you keep dodging them at this speed!? It’s impossible!”

(Shinji) “Why, you ask? Because my status is even higher than yours.”

(Yaiba) “Ridiculous! There’s no way that a mob-character like you gonna beat me, the chosen one!”

(Shinji) “Yet I’m still hadn’t gone full strength. This is nothing.”

(Yaiba) “Damn it! Then how about dodging this?!”

Seeing his attacks aren’t working, he change his tactics as he chants and produce a large fireball hovering above his head. It was even bigger than the one back at courtyard.

(Shinji) “Oi, oi! You really aren’t holding back! Stop on what you are doing before you regret it!”

(Yaiba) “Just shut up and die! Take this! ‘Fire Bomb!’”

Not bothered listening to me at all, Yaiba throws his huge ball of fire as me as if it flares more fiercely like it contains every bad emotion from him. Anger, jealousy, hatred, madness and other things I think mixed in there as it coming towards in my direction.

I held my sword steady as I concentrate my magic power into it. When the huge fireball is in my range, I slice it in the center where it had split apart into two halves as they went into different direction.

(Yaiba) “Wha- Offh?!”

Yaiba was so shocked that I deal with his attack as I took this chance to punch him in the face and sent him flying backward.

I wasn’t on planning holding back, but I put some degree of restraints to at least knock him out. Although I might be able to kill him, his death will leave problems for me like the knights hold me for murdering one of the Heroes. Also, I might face a hassle from Hikaru who is the lump of justice.

I think of this as I saw Yaiba getting up from my punch. Although I put enough power to knock him cold, I have underestimated his resilient as I tried to talk him out of it once more.

(Shinji) “Hey, you better stop this foolishness of yours right now or someone will get hurt.”

(Yaiba) “D-Don’t you dare to act cocky with me! I’m not done with you yet!”

Still stubbornly refusing to quit, Yaiba charges at me again with a frenzy look on his face as if he is getting desperate. At that time-

(Kiyoko) “‘Shine Reflection!’”

A wall of light appears between us as Yaiba was too late to stop his charge. When the surprised Yaiba slammed into it, he was sent flying backward before crashing onto the ground.

I look back and saw Kiyoko with an angry expression that look like it will explode any minute. Her, Hikaru, Mariko, Daiki, Aki and Captain Gale came over to my side as our classmates and the knights have already gotten out of their predicament with the Black Arachnids.

They too have an angered and disgusted expression over Yaiba’s action as Kiyoko check on my condition. As soon as I tell her that I’m okay, Kiyoko look relief for a moment before it changed back into anger when facing Yaiba.

(Kiyoko) “What are you doing?! Why do you attack Fujiki-kun like that?!”

(Mariko) “Yeah! I knew that you are the worst, but this is too low, Onizuka. Even for you!”

(Hikaru) “The battle has already over! Why are you attacking our follow comrade?”

(Yaiba) “Shut up! All of you! I was getting rid of the pest that hurting my Kiyoko!”

(Kiyoko) “Fujiki-kun wasn’t hurting me!”

(Mariko) “Since when Kiyoko was your property? There must be something wrong with your head!”

(Yaiba) “Don’t lie to me! I saw you and that slacker making out in his room last night! You guys kissing and embracing each other in front of my own eyes! I bet that you two have already done sex together!”

“Eeh?!”

Kiyoko, Mariko, Hikaru and the others were dumbfounded about the words coming from Yaiba’s mouth, including me as well. I didn’t think that our little night out was discovered, although now I understand his recent rash behavior of killing me over jealousy. Kiyoko was the first to regain composure as she retorted back to Yaiba with a frustrated tone.

(Kiyoko) “W-We didn’t have sex yet! I was trying to help Fujiki-kun’s penis to c-cum! We didn’t do anything further after that!”

(Yaiba) “Why?! Why do you go so far for that slacker? He’s only going to be a nuisance! Can’t you see that I’m doing this for you?!”

Yaiba tries to justified his actions while letting out his feelings to her as Hikaru and the rest were surprised once more about what Kiyoko have said earlier. She went silent for a while before giving out her answer.

(Kiyoko) “I’m sorry, Onizuka-kun… I appreciate your feelings about me.

(Yaiba) “Then-!!”

(Kiyoko) “But I can’t accept you because... because I love Fujiki-kun!”

Kiyoko gives out her love confession towards me as her expression was mix of embarrassment and happiness coming from being able to convey her feelings. Beside her, Hikaru and and the others were in blank surprise, agape, and in a pandemonium-like situation.

While I knew about her recent feelings about me, it is still embrassessing for me as well as I scratched my face a little. I saw Yaiba’s face changed into a heartbroken expression while turning white pale as Kiyoko continues her words.

(Kiyoko) “That’s why I won’t forgive you for hurting Fujiki-kun! Not ever! In fact, I’m already disgusted with your behavior and action towards the person that I loved!”

(Mariko) “W-Well, I already guess that your feelings about Fujiki-kun a while back, but what this about making his p-penis cum?! What the heck did you do last night, Kiyoko?!”

(Hikaru) “Wa-Wait! Please wait a sec! I don’t understand this. Kiyoko likes Fujiki? Kissing and embracing? Eh? What does this mean? How, how did it suddenly come to this? Fujiki! You, just what have you done to Kiyoko.”

Her two childhood friends start questioning to Kiyoko about what we did last night as the culprit herself turns red and hides her face from shame about the words she spoken. Daiki and Aki still couldn’t comprehend the strange conversation earlier while Captain Gale shake his head over our ridiculous situation.

The classmates who have heard and looked at the scene before them have various reactions. The girl side went all yelling Kyaa— Kyaa— about the love confession and the boy side stare at me with a menacing look. Didn’t you guys just escaped death earlier?

(Gale) “That’s enough of… an interesting facts now. Either way, Yaiba Onizuka, I can’t overlook your actions of commiting a murder towards one of the Heroes. When we get back, you will be imprison in the castle for your crimes until further notice.”

When I heard Captain Gale’s voice, I turned to face Yaiba who held his head down where we can’t see his expression. After a brief moment of silence, I began hearing some muttering as it grew louder.

(Yaiba) “...Why. Why did she like that bastard? What’s the difference between me and him? If it is Hikaru, than I understand. No, even if it’s Hikaru, I won’t like it! Why that slacker hangs out with her? How can a guy like him talk with people like her? You don’t have the right to call her name with your incompetent position. Why are you with her?...”

(Hikaru) “O-Onizuka…?”

Eventually, Hikaru and the others have noticed that muttering as it is coming from Yaiba. Sensing a bad premonition, Captain Gale get closer to Yaiba as the muttering gets even louder.

(Yaiba) “...It shouldn’t be possible for her to like that slacker! I should be next to her! She’s belong to me! If he wasn’t around… If all of them didn’t get in my way, I would have my Kiyoko! Why why why why why WHY?!?!”

(Gale) “Boy, don’t you dare to do anything rash. Just turn yourself over and-”

(Yaiba) “NO!!! THAT’S IT! IF I COULDN’T HAVE KIYOKO, THEN I’LL JUST KILL THAT SON OF THE BITCH AND DESTROY EVERYONE WHO DARES GET IN MY WAY!!!”

Yaiba yells and curses out his feelings over this as everyone flitches from his declaration. He made a demonic look on his face as he raises his metal claws towards us. Hikaru, Mariko, Daiki, Aki and Captain Gale readied their weapons to subdue Yaiba while Kiyoko stand next to me.

(Gale) “Stop it, boy! Don’t resist any further!”

(Yaiba) “Fuck off! Even though you are my instructor, you’re inferior to me, the Hero! Why do I have to listen on what you said!”

(Hikaru) “Onizuka! Don’t be unreasonable! Gale-san is helping us to get stronger so we can peace to this world! You can’t just-”

(Yaiba) “Just shut the fuck up, you stupid ikeman! You know, you always get on everybody’s nerves with that ridiculous sense of justice of yours just because you are more special than us! I’m tired of hearing your  annoying voice everytime we met!”

Hikaru’s mouth hangs open absent-minded when he heard Yaiba’s hateful complaint about him. Although some people he met were annoyed of his attitude, they didn’t directly complain to him about it so he was very shocked when he heard it.

Captain Gale sense that this negotiation isn’t going well and was about to quickly subdue Yaiba as the bastard took something out from his pocket. It was a purple gem-like orb that shines ominously in his hand as Yaiba give out his mad intentions.

(Yaiba) “All of you, get the fuck out of way! I’m the real protagonist! I’m going to kill you all if I have to!”

No good, this guys has gone beyond crazy! Suddenly, the orb glows brighter in purple light when I think of his behavior. This makes us more cautious of his movements as most of us have prepare for Yaiba’s attack. However, the next scene has left us dumbfounded.

(Yaiba) “Gaahh!!!???”

(Hikaru) “What the?!”

Hikaru speak out what the rest of us feeling about this strange situation. The orb digged into Yaiba’s hand and purple vein-like lines started to emerge from the spot it enter as it moves towards the rest of his body.

Yaiba screamed out as if it was painful to him and his body begins to trashed around on where he still standing. The rest of us still stood where we are as we couldn’t comprehend this unusual phenomenon in front of us. My classmates and the knights have the same reaction as changes started to form on Yaiba’s body.

First, his hair grows even longer and it gained a hint of purple tone mixed in there. Next, his muscles started to thicken, bulged and expanded as he grew in height. His skin color turns blue and his eyes changed into black with purple irises.

After a while, his transformation seem to completed as we turned speechless at the now changed Yaiba Onizuka. Just like his surname, his appearance is now closely related to-

(Gale) “Impossible… That boy has turned into a demon…!”

The shocked Captain Gale finished the words that I’m thinking as the demonized Yaiba gives out his inhuman roar where we shuddered from it.

The true disaster of the Widowood Dungeon has already begun.