Hey guys if u like the fanfic and want to read ahead by 5+ Chapters or just want to support take a visit on my patreon.
(P).(A).(T).(R).(E).(O).(N)
http://patreon.com/Marin_kitawaga
~~~~~~~~
Healing potions and pills were rare among demons.
Their powerful bodies and innate magic made such things largely unnecessary.
The Great War had forced them to develop some medical alchemy, but it was crude and simplistic.
The only healing agent here that didn't make me sneer was the so-called "Phoenix Tears," produced in limited quantities by the Phoenix Pillar.
And then there was me. A "young genius" with "miracle" pills that could heal wounds in minutes. It had earned me resources, a reputation, and a giant target on my back. But it was a necessary risk.
Four demons were currently vying for the vacant thrones of the Great Satans. One of them, Rizevim Livan Lucifer, didn't seem to care about Hell at all.
The other three, however, were actively pushing for a resumption of the Great War. Tensions were high.
A bloody conflict was inevitable within the next decade, and I had to be ready.
I stepped onto a teleportation circle at the bottom of the stairs. My torn training clothes vanished, replaced by the practical gear of a mercenary, including a full-face mask. I raised my hands and began to input the spatial coordinates.
With my current resources, I could repair my spiritual root within a few months. But even then, I wouldn't be able to match Sirzechs Gremory's power for at least a century.
He was a monster, and he would undoubtedly be a key player in the coming war.
My only hope was to find a Sacred Gear, one of the so-called Longinus, or some other treasure that could accelerate my growth. But I had a better chance of a Nine-Rebirth Pill falling from the sky.
A flash of silver light, and the stone walls of my workshop were replaced by a wide, grassy plain dotted with hills.
I manifested my wings and took to the air. In the distance, I could see the city my mother and I had visited two years ago.
I glanced in the opposite direction, toward the monster-infested wastelands, and then, reluctantly, flew toward the city.
The hunt could wait. The materials I needed to deal with the heir of House Gremory could not.
Crowley tapped his fingers on the table, a knot of nervousness tightening in his gut. It had been years since the Great War ended and his Lord had disbanded his legion.
Instead of joining one of the new armies being raised by the descendants of the Satans, Crowley Alistez had chosen a different path.
He knew he lacked the talent or the bloodline to rise high in the ranks during peacetime. So, he became a mercenary.
The end of the war had created a power vacuum.
Fallen Pillar houses and newly established noble families lacked the strength to properly control their territories, which were now plagued by monsters, bandits, and renegades.
They needed people willing to do their dirty work for coin.
The door to the tavern room creaked open. The leader of the "Silver Swords" mercenary group looked up at the newcomer.
A short figure, cloaked and masked, stepped inside, his gaze sweeping over the two subordinates standing behind Crowley before he sat down at the table.
"The days have gone merry…" Crowley began the coded phrase.
"…the devil played a cruel joke," the dwarf-like figure finished, his crimson eyes sharp and expectant.
"Your task, Mr. Darri, was… delicate," Crowley said, choosing his words carefully. "But we completed it without attracting unwanted attention. However, unlike our previous arrangements, I would like to receive the remainder of our payment now. Then, we will give you the location of the warehouse."
The dwarf's raspy voice filled the room again. "And what is the reason for this sudden change? Are you afraid of something? Or are you planning to cheat me?"
"I was extremely surprised to learn that you possess those new medicines created by Rofocale Lucifuge's non-heir son," Crowley stated calmly, watching his client's reaction.
"They are impossible to find, even on the black market. This leads me to believe that you, Mr. Darri, either belong to or have close ties with the House of Lucifuge. And I have a reasonable concern that, after completing this delicate work, you or your patrons might decide to eliminate us to tie up loose ends."
The atmosphere in the room grew heavy.
A suffocating killing intent began to emanate from the masked figure, a raw bloodlust Crowley had only witnessed on the battlefields of the Great War.
The mercenary leader tapped his finger on the table twice, a silent signal to the mage behind him to prepare the room's defensive barriers.
"And you thought you could cheat me by hiding a rat in here?!"
Crowley shot to his feet, his sword instantly in his hand. A black spear had materialized in "Mr. Darri's" hand as if from thin air.
But instead of attacking Crowley, the masked demon thrust the spear behind himself.
There was a sickening squelch and a spray of blood. A demon, previously hidden by an invisibility spell, materialized with the spearhead protruding from his mouth.
With a flick of his wrist, the client tossed the corpse to the floor.
Crowley's body flared with his demonic aura. "I underestimated you, Mr. Darri. But you should surrender. We have the numbers and the prepared ground."
The masked demon glanced at the blue glow of the activated barriers on the walls and simply shook his head.
"You lost the moment I stepped into this room."
The black spear shot toward Crowley. He swung his sword to parry, but a sudden wave of dizziness and fatigue washed over him. His demonic aura flickered and died.
The flat of the spear shaft smacked his hands, sending his sword clattering to the floor. A follow-up punch sent him sprawling. His limbs felt heavy, his mind sluggish.
He watched, as if in slow motion, as his two subordinates collapsed under the client's assault. And then, he understood.
"Poison…"
~~~~~~~~
Hey guys if u like the fanfic and want to read ahead by 5+ Chapters or just want to support take a visit on my patreon.
(P).(A).(T).(R).(E).(O).(N)
http://patreon.com/Marin_kitawaga