Chapter 3

By the time they reached the place where the demon was supposed to be, the sun was climbing higher in the sky, casting shadows through the trees. The group paused for a moment, double-checking their gear and making sure they were ready.

"Alright," Garret said, drawing his sword and giving a confident nod. "Let’s find this demon and put an end to whatever trouble it’s causing."

Sarah stood at the back of the group, her eyes scanning the dense foliage ahead. She could feel a faint energy in the air, a sensation she recognized as demonic in nature. It was surprisingly strong when compared to other beings from this new world.

She allowed herself a small, knowing smile. "Lead the way," she said, her voice calm. "I’m ready." Of course, she could always just leave everyone to die and flee with [Teleportation] if things went wrong, so there shouldn’t be a reason to worry.

As the group made their way deeper into the forest, the air grew colder, and silence settled over them. The usual sounds of wildlife were absent, leaving only the soft sound of leaves beneath their boots. Sarah’s senses were on high alert, and she could feel it—a faint but distinct presence, like it was dark in nature. Whatever awaited them was not as simple as the "low-level demon" they had been led to believe.

When they finally reached a small clearing, the sight that they saw was chilling. Bodies lay across the ground, some in twisted, unnatural positions, others collapsed against the base of trees. Blood stained the ground, displaying a macabre picture of the carnage that had happened there. It was clear that whoever—or whatever—had done this had not shown mercy.

And there, standing calmly, was a woman. She had long, white hair that fell around her shoulders, contrasting sharply with her all-black dress, which was elegant and ornate, as though she had stepped out of a royal court. Her eyes were a cold, lifeless grey, almost as if they could see through everything, yet they seemed completely disinterested in the scene around her.

The group halted, their weapons drawn, and Garret stepped forward, his expression tense. "Hey!" he called out, trying to sound authoritative. "Who are you, and what happened here?"

The woman turned her eyes toward them, her movements slow, as if she had all the time in the world. Her lips curled into a faint, almost mocking smile. "Oh? More visitors?" she said, her voice soft but carrying a chilling undertone. "I was beginning to think no one else would come."

There was something in her tone, a casual nonchalance that made everyone’s skin crawl. The woman didn’t radiate the same kind of raw power that other high-ranking demons did, yet Sarah could sense something dark and twisted on her—something far more dangerous than her delicate appearance suggested.

"Stay back," Kade warned, his daggers ready to engage any enemy. "She’s the one behind this. Look at the bodies… she’s no ordinary person."

Sarah remained silent, her eyes narrowing as she studied the woman. There was no obvious display of power, no dark aura that typically accompanied demons. But there was something… unsettling, like a void that swallowed the light around her.

"What are you?" She asked quietly.

The woman’s grey eyes flicked to Sarah, and for a moment, they seemed to light up with amusement. "What am I?" she answered as if savoring the question. "Now, that’s an interesting way to put it." She tilted her head, her smile widening. "But it’s not what I am that matters. It’s what I can do."

Garret tightened his grip on his sword, his teeth clenching. "Enough games. We’re here to stop you, whatever you are. If you’re a demon, we’ll put an end to you."

The woman laughed softly, a haunting sound that sent chills down the spines of everyone present. "Is that so?" she said, taking a slow step forward, her dress whispering against the blood-soaked ground. "You think you can stop me? How amusing."

Sarah’s eyes never left the woman, and she felt a pang of unease. This was wrong. This woman was playing with them, and she didn’t seem concerned in the slightest. Sarah couldn’t shake the feeling that she was missing something, that there was more to this than met the eye.

The fight erupted into chaos almost immediately. The white-haired woman moved with a speed and precision that was almost impossible to follow. Within moments, she closed the distance between herself and the adventurers, her movements so smooth it was as if she was gliding through the air. The first attack came down on Garret, who tried to block with his sword, but the sheer force of her blow shattered his guard. He didn’t even have time to scream as her hand pierced through his chest, blood spraying out in a gruesome display.

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Kade was next. He tried to slip behind her, his daggers aimed for a critical strike, but she anticipated his move with almost mocking ease. With a swift, almost dismissive motion, she twisted around and grabbed him by the throat. For a moment, she seemed to toy with him, her eyes shining with amusement before she tightened her grip and crushed his trachea. Kade’s body crumpled to the ground, lifeless.

Elira, the archer, panicked. She fired arrow after arrow, but none could hit their mark. The woman dodged each shot effortlessly, weaving through the air easily with an almost ethereal grace. When she finally reached Elira, it was over in an instant. A flash of movement, a spray of red, and the archer was gone.

Sarah stood back, her eyes narrowed, silently observing the unfolding massacre. She had positioned herself at the edge of the clearing, away from the fight, watching the white-haired woman with a cold, calculating gaze. To the others, it might have seemed like she was paralyzed by fear, but in truth, she was analyzing—taking in every movement, every spell, every indication of how this demon fought. There was no guilt, no sense of responsibility for the group she had joined. They had been a convenient cover, nothing more.

Lena and Mira, the cleric and the other magic user, were all that remained. They stood together, backs pressed against each other, desperately trying to fend off the woman’s attacks. Mira cast defensive spells, conjuring barriers of light that were shattered almost instantly by the woman’s dark energy. Lena attempted to heal the wounds as fast as they appeared, but it was a losing battle, and she was rapidly draining her mana.

“Where is she?!” Mira cried, her voice laced with fear and desperation. She was frantically glancing around the clearing, looking for Sarah, the supposed magic caster who had joined them. “She was supposed to help us!”

“She’s… she’s run off, hasn’t she?” Lena said, her voice breaking as she struggled to keep her composure. Tears streaked down her face as she fought to hold the barrier, her hands trembling from the effort. “Coward…!”

Sarah’s lips curled into a faint, almost invisible smile. She could hear their cries, their desperate pleas for help, but she did nothing. They were of no consequence to her, just pawns that had outlived their usefulness. Of course, Sarah wasn’t proud of it, but she really couldn’t feel the slightest of empathy for this group of adventurers. It was who she was now, a demon. She remained in the shadows, cloaked in an illusion that masked her presence, observing how the demon fought, trying to see her strengths and weaknesses. She needed this information, needed to know what she was truly up against.

The white-haired woman, seemingly bored with the battle, began to play with her preys. She moved closer to Lena and Mira, her fingers dancing with dark energy that made cracking sounds. The air was thick with the scent of blood and the oppressive weight of her power.

“Is this really all there is?” she mused, her tone dripping with disdain. “I was hoping for something more… entertaining.”

Mira, her face pale and drenched in sweat, raised her staff and tried one last desperate spell. “Stay… away!” she screamed, launching a bolt of fire at the woman. But the attack was effortlessly deflected, dissipating into a harmless puff of smoke. The woman’s smile widened, almost pityingly, as she raised her hand and released a surge of dark energy.

Mira’s scream was cut short as the energy engulfed her, the force of it tearing through her body like a knife through paper. She collapsed, her lifeless form crumpling to the ground beside the others.

Lena was the last one standing, her breathing heavy, her eyes wide with terror. She clutched her staff, trembling, but it was clear she had nothing left to give. She looked around frantically, her gaze landing on the spot where Sarah had last been seen. “Please… help me…” she whispered, her voice barely audible, as if clinging to the last shred of hope.

Sarah remained silent, her expression indifferent. She had seen enough. This demon was strong, but there were flaws—subtle patterns in her movements, where her attacks could be countered. It was all valuable information, and she had gathered everything she needed. The others had served their purpose.

The woman turned to Lena, her eyes glinting with sadism. “It seems you’re the last one,” she said softly, taking a step closer. “How unfortunate… but don’t worry. This will be quick.”

Lena screamed, a sound filled with terror and despair, as the woman raised her hand, dark energy swirling around her fingertips. But before she could deliver the final blow, she paused, glancing up and staring directly at where Sarah was hidden. A knowing smile spread across her lips.

“So… you were watching the whole time, weren’t you?” she said, her voice echoing through the clearing. “Come out, little mouse. I know you’re there.”

Sarah’s eyes narrowed. She hadn’t expected to be noticed, but it didn’t matter. She had learned what she needed to. Slowly, she stepped out of the shadows, her expression calm and composed, as if she were merely observing a play rather than witnessing a massacre.

The white-haired woman’s smile widened, and her grey eyes sparkled with a mixture of amusement and curiosity. “Ah, there you are. I was wondering when you’d stop hiding.”

Sarah met her gaze, her posture relaxed. “I’m here,” she said simply, her tone cool. “But you’ve made a mistake if you think I’m like them.”

The woman’s smile disappeared for a moment, and she studied Sarah with interest. “Oh? And what makes you so different, I wonder?” she asked, taking a step closer. “You’re not afraid… you should be.”

Sarah’s lips twitched into a faint smile. “Perhaps,” she said. “But I’m not like them. And you won’t find me as easy to deal with.”

The white-haired woman tilted her head as if considering Sarah’s words. “Interesting,” she murmured. “Very well, then. Let’s see if you can entertain me… unlike the others.”

The clearing fell silent, the tension rising, as the two of them stood facing each other. The bodies of the dead lay scattered around them, blood staining both the ground and the trees around them. But Sarah’s eyes were focused solely on the woman before her, her mind already calculating what her next move would be.

She had no intention of losing and she wouldn’t.