Chereads / Shin Megami Tennsei: Karmic Judgement / Chapter 3 - Cycle 3: No Harm No Foul

Chapter 3 - Cycle 3: No Harm No Foul

I could feel my very life slip away. As I felt my soul slip away, I forced myself to my knees sitting as I do on a mat. Pointing at the demon before me I spoke.

"I will force you to kneel"

"Oh will you, with what the last of your strength?" the demon questioned.

He had seen through my plan but that didn't matter now. forcing myself to stand. I crushed a bead in my teeth, I felt my wounds heal. I drew my sword and prepared for an altercation. I knew that I had enough strength to land maybe one or two good blows. The rest was resting on my homeless looking teacher. The demon looked confused scratching his chin. He cocked a grin and chuckled lowly.

"Oh nice butter knife you have there kid" He said laughter embedded on his words like a foul stench. Without skipping a beat I rushed forward. Aiming for his midsection I threw my fist.

"ONI KAGURA!!!!!" I said as my fist connected with the demon's stomach. I felt the bones in my arms snap and shatter as I put all my strength behind this one solitary punch. All i managed to do was stagger the towering demon back by a foot.

"I like ya style kid, I really really do. But I don't do play dates" the demon said as all my senses once again drained from my body. His fist past through my chest. in a fit of adrenaline-fueled rage. I grabbed his torso.

"I can't let you! I can't let you leave this room!!!!" I said grappling the demon as a sumo would. all my will, all my dreams, all my hopes, my entire reason for life gathered in my arms. screaming like an irate imp I somehow managed to get the demon to kneel. he fought and fought to pry me off but my will was absolute, I refused to budge. Continuing to scream I felt a warm courage build inside of me. It was firey, fierce, strong and unstoppable.

"BURN IN HELL WITH ME!!!!" I shouted, at that moment a pyre of flames engulfed us both. "MARAGI!!!!" I screamed the flames grew higher and brighter. I refused to release my arms even as I endured his demonic flurry of blows and the hellfire that blazed on top of me. I knew I was as good as dead. but I refused to stop fighting. I continued to scream and roar, the flames only grew hotter. as my body began to slowly lose strength I could only feel unfulfillment. images of Utopia flashed back and forth in my mind. Finally, my body gave, I could fight no longer. this was it. eighteen years old and nothing to show. I released my grip and collapsed to the ground like a sack of flour. I was dead.

"A little too dramatic for my tastes, but I think you'll make a fine pawn" He knelt down and placed a hand on my chest. my body roused from slumber opened its eyes. "Damn should of waited for his soul to die, I was a little too gunny on this one" the demon sighed and placed a hand on my head.

"You are now my body!" he declared. "I get out of this shithole and you get renown, how does that sound?" He waited for a response but I was quiet, my body, Me was in a state of near-death suspended animation.

"oh that's right you can't talk" He shook his head. "Eh, the struggles of the father of murder I guess" boots heavy leather boots, stomped on the floor above.

LIFE was rushed back into my veins. my body moved with a strength that wasn't mine. My eyes glowed with hatred that wasn't mine. my soul struggled against the weight of the new resident.

"Hoshino?"

"Y-Yes!" my body spoke creepily. My eyes glowed with a demonic purple hue.

"Ah Cain, so you've taken up your old tricks" Khruschev, threw off his blue robe. He stepped forward. Khruschev flexed the muscles in his remaining arm.

"BERSERKER GOD!!" Khruschev appeared in front of Cain in a split second. he planted his fist deeply into my stomach, wounding not only me but Cain. Blood flew from my mouth and splattered against the ground.

"You see Cain that's your problem you're too caught up with the mortal world" Khruschev spoke harshly as he restrained Me/Cain with a bundle of prayer beads and rosaries.

"you're lucky you inhabited my student's body" His tone was inhumanely harsh and cold. it wasn't the same jovial, fatherly tone he spoke within the plaza. Lifting the demonic body onto his shoulders Khruschev made the return trip.

I came to, my eyes weakly opening. I looked around at the room I was in. a cold, lonesome room. I was shackled. Khruschev, The Abbot, and Priestess Gabby sat in my room muttering to themselves. with groggy ears, I could hear bits and pieces of their conversation.

"Well, what do we do Khruschev? he's your student?"

"Yeah but its Possession, he can't really help it"

"That may be true, but he fought recklessly and should have retreated"

"Ay don't give me that shit Gabby, the kid is a true samurai, he fought hard"

"While yes he has proved himself in combat he is now a threat. He must be executed"

"You can't do that"

"Should we risk him staying around, and infecting your team with his demonology"

"Please, Leave, I just need a moment to think and be alone"

"Very well Captain Khruschev, we will await your answer in the monastery"

the door closed. Khruschev slumped down in a chair beside my bed. He mumbled incoherently, before breaking into a sob. All I could hear from his incomprehensible ramblings was.

"He's just a boy!"

To Be Continued.