“Huu…”
The Shadow Demon let out a short breath the moment he landed. The shock from his descent was so infinitesimal that this monster hadn’t felt it one bit—unlike the rest of the town.
The villagers were now rushing in his direction, some out of fear, some out of curiosity… well, it didn’t matter to Kahn.
Whatever their reasons were, the end results remained the same.
Still, he was a bit relieved that they were charging toward him. It saved him the trouble of having to look for them himself. Though it wouldn’t pose that much of an issue for him, he still preferred it when the small fry gathered so he could cull them off all at once.
“Hmm?” Kahn made a slight grumble and furrowed his non-existent brow a little.
His body was shrouded in darkness, so only his eyes gleamed white. No expression could be seen on his face as a result of his nature, but the glare he gave told of a slight displeasure that had gathered within him.
‘So, they’re placing all the children in a shelter while the grown-ups come to investigate, uh?’ Having enhanced vision, he could see through the thatched huts and other facilities blocking his path, to notice what was happening a distance from him.
He had wanted to kill all the villagers at once, but he reasoned that things didn’t always go according to plan. It would be a bit bothersome going after the children after finishing up here, but it wasn’t too much to handle.
“… Let’s hurry!”
“I wonder what it is!”
“It could be dangerous!”
“Get weapons!”
Kahn could hear the voices of the villagers from where he stood. Though he was certain they spoke in hushed tones, it didn’t matter to his heightened hearing. His ears stretched upright like that of a cat, after all. Though it wasn’t anything fluffy.
The sharp ears poked upwards like spikes, same as the broad shoulders he had. They had spikes on both ends, sharpened sideways, giving him a more majestic and intimidating figure.
“So, they chose to gather before coming here, uh? Wise choice…”
He could have ruined all their preparations, but why would he bother? They were going to come to him sooner or later.
Kahn watched as the villagers armed themselves, preparing for the worst possible situation. Bringing out rakes and Rusty metal plates to serve as shields, some of the men also carried bows and a bunch of wooden arrows. Clubs and blunt weapons were also brought out, and a few axes showed themselves as well.
Now fully prepared for whatever incursion might be upon them, the adult villagers moved in an orderly march and went towards the area where the loud rumble was generated.
“They’re here!”
Kahn’s eyes narrowed as he spotted a total of two hundred villagers, yes, exactly that amount, coming toward him.
‘The others are with the children, ah, there was one other person among them…’ Kahn thought to himself.
His senses indicated that he wasn’t far away, so there was no way the man could escape. in any case, he just had to deal with the pesky people that were approaching him.
The villagers who neared Kahn grew more worried as they drew closer.
Initially, they couldn’t see much from their distance. The first thing they noticed was the gaping pothole on the ground, as though something massive and heavy had landed there.
Their eyes darted to the fence erected there and found it to still be upheld. No signs of forceful entry too. What could have caused such a gaping scar on the earth, then?
As they slowly approached with caution, the malefactor began to take form in their sight. They hadn’t seen it before because of the Shadow Demon’s passive stealth ability that prevented detection. It was a racial trait that all Shadow Demons possessed, and Kahn was no exception.
They drew closer yet again and saw it even more clearly… a dark blot amid the rubble.
Closer, they began to notice the figure, like an illusion clearing up in their eyes. They saw its menacing gait, like a slightly slumping beast—its sharp ears and tall body. Its sharpened claws and naked shadowy figure.
They remained undaunted, thinking maybe their eyes were playing tricks as a result of the fear.
However, the moment they reached exactly thirty meters from the monster, they halted instantly.
The villagers finally realized that what they saw was no illusion. It was as real as anything—their crops, their families… anything!
“You’re finally here…” The Shadow Demon growled, but the villagers didn’t understand it.
The only thing they could do was tremble at the intense pressure of its voice.
Their eyes grew wide and their hardened bodies became paralyzed. In face of such a creature, their weapons meant nothing.
Even though all the monster said was gibberish, the pressure it emitted was enough to make them lose heart.
“T-that is…”
“N-no way…”
“How can… how can this be…?!’
The people had lived lives of peace and tranquility, founded upon hard labor. While they had never seen such a creature of darkness like this, they slowly began recollecting things they had forgotten as adults.
They remembered the stories of such creatures of darkness. Malevolent creatures who would plunge the world to doom and chaos. Demons!
But, the stories told of how these monsters were defeated and cast out centuries ago… by the great heroes of legend. Demons hadn’t been heard of or seen ever since. It had been so long ago that these tales were now brandished into fairy tales and epics sung by the bards.
No one thought them to be real since all those who could have experienced such calamity had died. The actual thing all happened so long ago… which was why no one could believe their sights.
The Demon before them was the real deal. It spoke, it stared, and then…
Kahn’s nonexistent lips parted ways, and it appeared as though its lower face cracked. Sharp lines were drawn and it formed a malevolent smile. With both sides stretching to the ends of his face, and the shadowy creature’s eyes narrowing even more… it seems like it was enjoying something—no, this was anticipation.
“Now that you’re all here… you should die!”