The words of a demon were anything but pleasant to hear, but Anton, who remained calm, did not speak with the malicious entity for the moment. Instead, he silently drew a modified nail gun, indistinguishable from a real firearm.
"Rafael, if Mr. Norris intervenes, take him out of the room."
Rafael nodded in silence. As Anton's right-hand man, his job was to carry out orders smoothly, and he never doubted Anton's words, even though he was younger.
Without a moment's hesitation, Anton raised the nail gun and fired multiple shots at the thrashing Josh.
Crack! Crack! Crack!
Three consecutive shots hit Josh, and the nails embedded themselves in the boy's small body.
"Hahaha!" Josh tilted his head to the side, looking over his shoulder, where a nail had sunk deeply.
Blood began to ooze from the wounds where the nails had penetrated, and a sinister smile formed on Josh's young face as he writhed abnormally.
"When did the goodbye dogs start using this kind of thing? Did you lose your cursed cross, Priest?" The demon's words within Josh's body were mocking. Nevertheless, Anton remained calm. His serene expression remained undisturbed by the words of that dark entity as he took out a bottle containing a blue liquid.
"Inject the entire dose; I want him sedated for a few hours." Anton handed the blue vial to Rafael, who nodded and prepared a syringe.
For many, exorcisms are dangerous and delicate because the demon, spirit, or devil would typically try to kill the possessed body before being expelled. However, there was an effective way to prevent this: sedating the victims' bodies.
Josh, despite having a small body, was being controlled by a dark entity, making him highly dangerous and, therefore, in need of sedation.
The first injection administered was a drug to numb the limbs, followed by a second one that induced a deep sleep, leaving the body in a coma that was impossible to wake up from for a few hours.
"According to scientists' theory, eliminating a dark anomaly is not enough with Grimorio's word; even werewolves are killed by shots."
Anton adjusted the silver cross around his neck and said, "With such a tiny body, you won't withstand the first dose, so I'll eliminate you before you do something foolish. Are you listening?"
"Hahaha!" The demon in Josh's body coldly laughed. But long before he could boast about his resistance, the medicine began to take effect. Josh, who had been thrashing around like a madman, was now losing strength.
Josh, who wanted to keep playing, shouted fiercely, "Cursed Priest, what have you done to me?"
"Close your eyes and return to eternal darkness." Anton murmured defiantly as he stared at the entity inside Josh's small body.
At this point, Josh forced his eyes open and stared at Anton with contempt. Now, after that man injected him with a strange liquid, he couldn't have complete control over this body.
Anton, who nodded to Rafael, walked towards Josh, took out a silver cross, and whispered, "Obey the will of the light and leave this body!"
"Grrr!!!"
Josh felt that something was wrong with the body he had taken and fought like a fierce beast, knowing he could die at any moment. However, compared to his overwhelming strength before, he is now as weak as he should be in reality.
Seeing this result, Anton smiled slightly and murmured, "Demons, spirits, and even the devil, by taking a human body, acquire the flaws of humans. If I kill you now, you die; if I cut you now, you feel pain. So, if I numb your limbs, you feel drowsy."
Anton was surprised that these methods weren't used more often by exorcists. Many considered sedating the possessed subject unnecessary, but he believed it was the best course of action.
However, this could only happen with high-ranking spirits. Furthermore, if the subject did not succumb to sedation, it meant they were facing an extremely dangerous entity. As for measuring the level of strength, typically, when a demon possesses a body, it only enhances its physical strength. In special cases, they might gain supernatural powers like telekinesis.
For a dark entity, there are six levels across its four existing denominations. The types of dark entities include corporeal, material, incorpororeal, ethereal, and spirits that possess bodies.
Regarding the level, there are only six, and the one he was currently exercising was at level four with a high level of control over the possessed body. Below level four, drugs can be effective, but above that, what he was doing now wasn't effective.
"Level four is confirmed. Is there anything else you've observed so far, Rafael?" Anton casually looked at his right-hand man, trying to get him accustomed to being his assistant.
Rafael shook his head and said, "Nothing noteworthy, Priest."
"For a demon to come from hell to the human world is not complicated. What is truly complicated is staying in the human world without being detected by us. Although the Association of Light has ways to identify them, they often impose themselves." Anton said as he approached Josh's now calm body.
"How much strength do they lose with the drug?"
Anton thought for a moment and said, "A quarter of their strength."
Saying this, Anton approached Josh, who was now being controlled by the demon, and said, "Maybe they don't know me now, but they will soon hear of my reputation in hell."
"Hahaha…"
Anton pressed the cross gently on Josh's forehead and poured holy water. The whole process was becoming increasingly tranquil. By soaking the cross in holy water, the effect would be more special. With the blessing of Light, Anton's will, and his energy, the effect would yield results.
Anton didn't know which God he used as a weapon to eliminate evil, but regardless, it only existed in presence and not in form within his consciousness. By representing God in that way in his mind, Anton filled himself with power to eliminate evil.
"You're a despicable damn rat. No, rats are holier and cleaner than you... Go straight back to eternal rest, cleanse your sins, and free this body from evil." Anton murmured in Latin while closing his eyes, feeling the aura of light moving within his body.
"Accursed priest…"
"What did you say?" Anton asked gently, but now Josh couldn't respond to his question.
Rafael then saw thick white smoke beginning to emanate from the profusely sweating body of young Josh.
"Ahhhhhhh!" Suddenly and without warning, Josh let out a loud scream.
"AAAHHH!"
Josh's scream was not that of a small child but similar to that of a beast, which was chilling to hear. At the same time, a strong gust of wind rose from outside, and the windows in the room opened resentfully, lifting the curtains.
"Leave this body under my will!" Anton, who had been expending his energy, frowned, knowing he was spending more than usual.
"[...Name: Anton ShadowBane
[Occupation]: Exorcist
[Faith Strength]: 6,502
[General Strength]: 22
[Spirit]: 190
[Talent] 2
[Prominent Skill]: Hand of God
...]"
He had spent more than five hundred faith points because he didn't want to fail in eliminating this demon. He didn't know how powerful it was, so this was the best he could do.
"Ah ah ah ah ah!"
A cold sweat spread across Anton's face, but he continued holding the cross on Josh's forehead. The boy kept trembling and screaming monstrously.
"Leave this body!" Anton shouted as he exerted more and more force on Josh's forehead, feeling something unyielding push back with much greater force.
Vein marks on Josh's skin became prominent, and in a last attempt at resistance, the demon asked, "Accursed priest! Tell me your name!"
Anton pressed his hand against Josh's neck, covered his face, and, using the Hand of God, a sacred skill, said, "Why should I tell you? Go back to hell and stop bothering me!"
"Rrrr!"
Crack!
The windows in the room shattered, the curtains fell to the floor, and after a few seconds, everything returned to calm. At this moment, the surroundings became vivid, and the previously gloomy and empty space slightly came to life.
"Cover the boy's wounds." Anton murmured as he looked at the burn mark in the shape of a cross on his right hand. His sweaty face regained composure, and after confirming the success, he stepped back.
"Yes, Priest!" Rafael walked in with a first aid kit, removed the nails from Josh's body, and began treating the wounds.
At the same time, Josh's face began to show changes. The dark eye sockets with black marks returned to normal, and his previously fierce expression now looked innocent. An innocent boy now sleeps peacefully in his bed.
"Congratulations on completing a high-level exorcism; you have gained 20 points of general strength!"
Mr. Rossi seemed to have realized that it was all over and asked, "Is it all over?"
Anton sighed, walked towards Josh while holding his hand, removed the cross from his forehead, then looked at Mr. Rossi, who seemed very worried, and said, "Your son will be fine."
"Really?" Mr. Rossi couldn't show any doubt about it. What he could see now in his son were the most obvious signs of recovery.
Anton nodded, looked at Josh being treated by Rafael, and said, "Josh is still asleep due to the effects of the medication, but he should wake up tonight."
"Honey, Lucia, you can come up now!" Mr. Rossi shouted with an anxious look.
As soon as his words left his mouth, hurried footsteps were heard from the stairs, and the first to enter was Lucia, who immediately ran to her brother.
"Oh my God, is everyone okay now?"
"My dear Josh." Mrs. Rossi rushed in and, after seeing her untied son, cried with relief. She approached, touched Josh's face, and made sure he wasn't seriously injured.
However, Mr. Rossi was more composed, and he stood beside Anton, who had bandaged his hand. "I must thank you, Priest Anton. Thank you very much for helping my son."
After seeing that Rafael was taking care of things, Anton walked out of the room to speak more privately with Mr. Rossi and said, "Tonight, two people assigned by the church will come to bless the house and check that everything is well with your son. I'll just ask that you don't share any of this with anyone else."
"Of course, I understand what you mean."
Anton smiled slightly, looked at the man in front of him, and said, "Exorcism is my job, so you don't have to thank me. Now that the matter is resolved, it's time for us to leave."
The Association of Light has fixed tasks, so it's not convenient to go back and forth without at least being informed of the news that place has to offer. Although such quick exorcisms were uncommon, there were many more things than just spirits.
"If anything happens, you can make a phone call instead of coming in person." Rafael pulled out a business card and handed it to Mr. Rossi.
After confirming that everything was completed, Anton sighed and walked towards the exit. When Mr. Rossi saw that Anton and his companion were leaving, he quickly lowered the cross from the door and shouted, "Priest Anton, you forgot your cross."
"You don't have to return it. This is a gift for not losing faith. Some god will always be watching over us." Anton smiled, walked to the door, and left with Rafael, who was carrying most of the luggage.
The family watched their son a bit longer. Even after seeing the small wounds on her brother's skin, Lucia wondered why those wounds were necessary but didn't say anything.
Everyone had heard about exorcisms at least once in their lives, although it was taboo; everyone was aware of how to distinguish one thing from another. That's why she couldn't ignore all the help the priest had given her family, so she quickly ran to catch up with Anton, who was leaving the house.