“So, old man, how did you become demonized? I’m curious as to why you did it right when I went into the prison?” Aengus asked as they walked at a moderate pace, almost out of the Slave District.
Old man Kylian, feeling the suppressed pressure from the two beings walking beside him, shivered unknowingly. He knew full well that he was in the presence of two individuals with tremendous power.
He sighed in reminiscence and answered honestly, “Sigh, that is a long story…”
“Then make it short, old man,” Bella cut in from the sidelines rudely.
Old man Kylian didn’t mind Bella’s interruption; he had seen worse. He continued,
“My wife died a few years ago, leaving me alone with my son, his wife, and my lovely granddaughter in our village. They were ordinary farmers, while I was a hunter, risking the rest of my life to make their future a little brighter.
But it all came crumbling down when I heard the news of their kidnapping during a demon raid on our small village. I was out on a mission at the time, so I couldn’t save them… I failed as a father.”
His eyes reddened, but he pressed on.
“They were the reason I lived until now. I decided I would save them myself, with no help from anyone. But my power was insufficient, so I turned to demonic practices, eating human flesh to increase my strength. As a consequence, I was stripped of my blessing from the gods. But I didn’t care because demonic power was giving me more strength. And then… I became greedy for more.
One day, I found a vial of demon blood that could make me even more powerful through demonization. I didn’t understand the consequences at the time.
The next day, I was caught by the Knights of Arcadia City and imprisoned for practicing dark arts. The rest of the story, you already know.
I used the vial, hoping to make the best use of it for us. Foolishly, I thought I could retain my human form again. But it was all a hopeless assumption.
Until now, I’ve been living in some kind of nightmare.”
His voice cracked slightly at the end, the weight of his words heavy in the air.
The tragic story of the old man ended, and they found themselves outside the slave district.
“I see…” Aengus nodded, piecing together everything.
“So, you still don’t know if your family is alive or not, isn’t that right?” Bella asked, her tone pragmatic.
Old man Kylian hung his head low. “No, I don’t. But as long as I have life in me, I will search for them. I’m grateful to you both for bringing me back and giving me a new identity and power. You’ve made my path easier.”
“Do you have any clue?” Aengus inquired. “You must’ve investigated a little, right?”
Aengus wanted to repay the debt he owed, even if it was small.
“Yes, I found a clue, but it leads to the Demon Lord of Envy, the 4th ranking demon lord—Leviathan’s domain,” Kylian replied, his tone casual, but the seriousness of the matter showed in their faces.
“If that’s the case, old man, you have a long way to go. Our paths don’t match yours, at least not for now,” Bella said bluntly.
“I know already, Lady. Your goal is to destroy Beelzebub, the 5th ranking demon lord,” Kylian responded.
“Old man, if you want to find them, you should join us. We’ll eventually reach there,” Aengus offered, extending a helping hand.
Kylian shook his head. “No. I know you have incredible powers, but I need to find them as soon as possible. They’ve been suffering for too long, and I can’t wait. I need to save them.”
His resolve was clear.
Aengus remained silent. If Kylian was so determined, there was nothing more he could do.
Bella chuckled, “Old man, you don’t know what you’re missing. Anyway, just make sure you reach there alive,” she mocked sarcastically.
Kylian, unshaken, responded, “I will… I need to.”
Aengus paused, then took out the Spatial Ring from the old witch and handed it to Kylian. “Old man, there are 100,000 mid-grade demon cores inside. It’s all I can give to help on your journey. Use them to increase your strength and for whatever else you need. May we meet again.”
Kylian accepted the ring, understanding its immense value. The time had come to part ways.
“Thank you, boy. I hope we meet again too. Goodbye.”
The old man disappeared into the crowd of demons in the street, a solitary figure on a journey of his own—a story waiting to unfold.
Bella, still holding Aengus’s hand, said, “You’ve done enough, Aengus. Now it’s up to him. You can’t interfere or help everyone.”
“I know. But life seems so unfair for some,” Aengus said, his eyes lingering in the direction Kylian had gone.
“The world was never fair from the beginning,” Bella replied, her gaze steady. “If you want to change it, you’ll need power, Aengus.” She looked him straight in the eye. “And I know you can do it.”
Her words lit a fire within him, sharpening his focus on his ultimate goal.
“But before that,” Bella said, pulling him from his thoughts, “let’s look around the market for what we came here for.”
They entered the bustling marketplace, filled with various items and curiosities, each more unusual than the next. Their mission was clear: to find something related to souls.
They stepped into an old shop filled with treasures and mystical artifacts. Magical lamps hung from the ceiling, giving the place a more welcoming atmosphere compared to the dark, cluttered shops around it. The air hummed with faint magic.
“Hello, do you have anything related to souls, like Naga pearls or something similar?” Bella asked, her voice firm but casual.
Behind the counter stood a humanoid hound, its dog-like head tilting slightly in surprise at the sight of two half-breeds. It wasn’t illegal for them to shop here, but it was rare to see them in the streets, let alone shopping so freely.
The hound demon’s shrewd eyes quickly assessed them. Their confidence and aura suggested they were more than just ordinary demons—they were likely high-ranking demons, or at least held considerable power.
“Yes, we do, my lords,” the hound replied, his tone respectful, eager to assist such distinguished customers.
