Two hours after dinner and an hour after wandering through the city streets, Mariel and Celinee decided to end their leisure time and search for a high-class demon to capture.
That was why the two of them were now inside a bar on the outskirts of the city—not too far from the inn where they were staying.
"Which one?" Mariel asked in a half-whisper as they walked toward the main row of seats in front of the bartender's counter. "I'll have the lightest beer," he added, this time speaking a little louder, directing his words to the bartender who had already noticed him.
Celinee didn't answer his question. Maybe the demon had an ability to conceal its prana well. That would explain why Celinee was having trouble. However, if that were true, it meant the demon knew it was being hunted. Luring it to a secluded place would be difficult. At this point, they might be forced to play the role of stalkers.
"You're new around here, aren't you?" the bartender asked as soon as Mariel sat down—and Celinee still hadn't responded. "Not only are you new, but you're also young. If this were Camelot, you'd probably be punished for entering a bar at your age."
"If some—"
"M."
Mariel immediately stopped speaking and turned to Celinee. He didn't need to ask if she had found the demon. From the corner of his eye, Mariel saw a cloaked and hooded figure heading toward the exit. The person seemed to be in a hurry. There was no doubt that was the demon they were looking for.
"Sorry, I'll have my drink another time."
Without waiting for a response, Mariel turned and walked away. Celinee quickly matched his pace. By then, the demon had already left the bar.
"What made it so hard for you to find him?" Mariel asked in a half-whisper.
"He has sharp perception," Celinee replied. "His prana control is extremely high. He managed to deflect my detection waves several times. I only found him when I focused completely."
"Is he strong?"
"If you think a Level 1 Sterminatore is strong, then yes, that demon is strong. His prana capacity is greater than mine, but not greater than yours. How do you even have that much prana? Yours is nearly as vast as Sir Lukhiel's. And you're still young. Imagine how much prana you'll have when you reach your twenties."
"Is he a Super Demon?" Mariel asked, ignoring Celinee's question; he didn't want to remember the brutal training Lukhiel had put him through.
"No. He's strong, but not strong enough to be a Super Demon. He's an Ultimate Demon."
"How strong is a Super Demon?"
"I've never seen one in person. But from what I've been told, they are nearly as powerful as Sir Lukhiel. As you know, Sir Lukhiel isn't as strong as he was when he still consumed human souls. If he were as strong as before, it might be King Arthur who would be on the brink of death."
"In that case, I only need to worry about the Primordial Demon."
Celinee snorted at Mariel's confident remark, but the young man ignored her. Even with her demonic powers, Celinee envied Mariel's strength—and she didn't bother to hide it.
"You just need to work on awakening your spirit's power."
Celinee snorted again.
Normally, Mariel would have taken that as frustration over the fact that the ninja still hadn't been able to meet her spirit. However, after what had happened during dinner earlier, he wasn't so sure anymore. Maybe she was doing it on purpose to make him think she still hadn't awakened her spirit's power.
Celinee was cunning—Mariel had no problem admitting that.
"How are we going to handle this?" Celinee asked, changing the subject—they were keeping a distance of about twenty meters behind the demon. "Quickly or slowly? Do you want to test his strength or not?"
"I'd like to see what he's capable of, but I also want to rest soon. Let's do it quickly and efficiently."
"Alright. I'll behead him after you nullify his power. But what if he's deliberately leading us to another demon? There's one not far from him. His prana level is about the same as mine."
"Do you want to handle him on your own? We'll get more money if we capture two demons, and our strength will be recognized even more."
"Then I'll head straight there."
"Yeah. But make sure you stay cautious. Leave immediately if you feel like you're going to lose."
"I'm not a weak woman," Celinee stated firmly before snorting and veering left—within seconds, she had already darted across the rooftops.
"Damn ninja," Mariel muttered as he quickened his pace slightly, not wanting to let the demon slip out of sight.
-----ooOoo-----
Lliotra knew when someone was targeting him. He was an incredibly perceptive demon.
The moment the two masked humans entered the bar, Lliotra realized his life was in danger. He wasn't afraid of the half-demon woman, but the young man beside her. He was dangerous—his instincts told him so. That was why Lliotra quickly left the bar.
The other demons would laugh at him if they found out he was trying to escape from a human—especially one so young. Even Super Demon Zagabob would scoff at him; he might even be expelled from Zagabob's group. But Lliotra had no other choice. His only options were either life or death.
It would indeed be disappointing if he couldn't take part in the effort to conquer the Neiracia Empire. Like Zagabob and the others, Lliotra had grown stronger thanks to Primordial Demom Levia. He desperately wanted to help Zagabob offer Neiracia to their revered master. However, if he died, he would never again be able to witness the grandeur of Levia. That was why Lliotra had to survive, even if it meant running away.
But it seemed his two hunters had realized what he was trying to do. The woman was no longer behind him—she was likely planning to intercept him before he could lure Lerhoa into attacking them. Only the young man was still pursuing him.
Lliotra knew that among the two masked hunters, it was the woman who had sent a detection prana wave at him earlier. So, the moment he realized she was gone, he immediately tried to put more distance between himself and the young man, hoping to lose him. Yet once again, his attempt was noticed—the young man quickened his pace as well.
Lliotra's salvation came when he spotted an alley with two branching paths in opposite directions. He could use them to throw off his pursuer. His plan was to turn into one alley while tossing his cloak into the other. Then, he would flee at full speed toward the other side of the city, enter a building, and hide.
At least, that was what he had planned. But plans didn't always go as expected. The young man was already standing at the intersection before Lliotra could reach it. He had just entered the alley, and the masked human was already there, wearing a condescending smirk. They were only fifteen meters apart.
"What do you know about Nessthanovla? Do you have any information on Merlin the Immortal Mage?"
-----ooOoo-----
Celinee wasted no time in locating the building where her target was hiding.
It was a simple house, but fairly large. She suppressed her prana and presence before slipping inside. If she could behead the demon before it even realized she was there, that would be ideal. If she could win without a fight, why not?
Her target turned out to be a female demon.
She was sitting at a table with an adult man of handsome features, their hands clasped together.
Celinee felt disgusted at the sight. She might have tried to understand if their love was genuine, but that wasn't the case. She could sense the demon's prana inside the man's head. That fool had already been manipulated into loving the demon.
"You need to hide your emotions better if you want to kill me in secret."
Celinee's eyes widened as both pairs of eyes turned toward her. The demon smiled faintly; she didn't look angry or upset in the slightest. Celinee reflexively dropped from the ceiling corner. It seemed this demon could sense emotional fluctuations, making further stealth impossible.
Without responding, Celinee immediately drew her kunai. But before she could throw it, the man had already stepped in front of the demon, arms outstretched. His expression was furious.
"What do you think you're doing?! I won't let you kill my fiancée!"
Celinee frowned. She didn't like this situation. The man had been manipulated to the point where he was willing to die for the demon. Absolutely disgusting. The demon's ability was truly vile and repulsive.
"Lerhoa is a demon, yes, but she has never killed a single human. She doesn't deserve to die. She just wants a family. There's nothing wrong with that!"
"That's right. Are you really going to kill me just because I want a family? How cruel. Can't a demon like me be happy? Oh, why is the world so heartless…?"
"I won't hesitate to kill you if you try to harm such a kindhearted demon," the man threatened, grabbing a knife from the table. "I'm not joking. I will really kill y—"
A kunai pierced his head before he could finish his sentence. He collapsed onto the floor, his life ended without warning. But, the demon only smiled.
"As expected from a half-human, half-demon. Whether it's a demon or a human, you don't hesitate to kill."
Celinee ignored the words—both the praise and the insult. She immediately activated her demon power and curse. She had no intention of staying here any longer. She would behead, dismember, and incapacitate the demon in an instant.
"Let's see just how right you are," Celinee murmured, closing the distance between them.