Inside the darkened entertainment facility, as the shadows on the ground swayed, a veritable monster slowly came into Leon and Yukino Yukinoshita's sight.
It was a creature whose entire body was an eerie pale blue, covered in scales that constantly seeped mucus—an [Alien].
The creature stood over three meters tall, its appearance resembling the legendary Merman. Its hands and feet were equipped with webbed, sharp claws. Its head was ferocious and savage, lined with fangs, and its eyes bulged like a frog's, making it appear both grotesque and terrifying.
"What... is that...?!"
Yukino Yukinoshita instinctively retreated a few steps, the expression on her face less fear and more a contorted look of visceral disgust and physical discomfort.
It couldn't be helped. This was the first time she had seen such a monster. Even a month ago, when she encountered the Fallen Angel Vadeen, the latter was at least humanoid, only possessing Fallen Angel wings. It was nothing like the grotesque creature before her—neither a complete Merman nor a typical monster—which made her stomach churn just by looking at it.
"That's what a general Devil looks like after it falls," Leon said calmly, even continuing to educate Yukino Yukinoshita with a composed expression.
"With no one to restrain them, it means no one to guide them. Moreover, magic power is, to a certain extent, a force that can realize one's desires. So, these grassroots-born contracted Devils, after indulging in power and wicked desires, usually end up like this: unknowingly completing a physical transformation, becoming the most repulsive form."
This was one of the reasons why Stray Devils were universally targeted for execution. If such a monster were to enter human society, who knew how much chaos it would cause?
The Three Factions are currently in a state where they cannot survive without humanity. Naturally, they must maintain the stability of human society and prevent its collapse.
Therefore, even without a bounty or warrant from the Stray Devil's original master, the official Devil powers would immediately investigate the Stray Devil's whereabouts and promptly commission Devils active in the human world to hunt them down.
It was through a communication from the Underworld that Souchi Kura learned about this particular Stray Devil intruding into Chiba City, so he contacted Leon and entrusted her with the task.
"Devils without guidance... all end up like this?"
Yukino Yukinoshita was somewhat glad she hadn't chosen to leave Leon due to her initial reluctance.
If leaving her master meant turning into this, she would rather have been stabbed to death by a Fallen Angel.
However, the Stray Devil before her did not seem to share that sentiment.
"I've already escaped into the human world, so why won't you let me go?"
The Merman-like creature spoke in a low voice. Although it sounded like a statement of resentment, the creature was chuckling while speaking, apparently already in a state of mental incoherence.
Upon closer inspection, the sticky liquid, similar to saliva, dripping from the corners of its mouth appeared crimson.
It wasn't saliva or mucus at all, but... blood.
"What have you done here?" Leon's gaze turned cold. "Whose blood is that?"
Prompted by Leon, Yukino Yukinoshita also reacted, clearly seeing the state of the creature's mouth.
The blood did not look like it was flowing from the Stray Devil's mouth; it looked more like it was smeared on.
Like having lips stained white after drinking milk.
"You noticed?" The Stray Devil's low chuckle grew louder, eventually turning into manic laughter. "Look at me, really! I'm a grown creature, and I forgot to wipe my mouth after feeding! How shameful!"
"But I blame that homeless man. His life was already ruined, wouldn't it have been good to offer the little remaining value of his body? Why did he struggle so hard? He made it difficult for me to bite!"
"The girl I specifically caught is better. She just fainted, so she couldn't struggle. It's just a pity I couldn't hear her pleasant screams."
Hearing this, let alone Leon, even Yukino Yukinoshita knew exactly what the monster before her had just done.
Immediately, feelings of anger replaced discomfort and fear, filling Yukino Yukinoshita's heart.
The hesitation, apprehension, and reluctance she had originally felt about killing a creature of her own kind instantly vanished, replaced by a coldness and ruthlessness befitting her title, the "Winter Flower."
"Deal with him, Yukino."
Leon said expressionlessly.
Yukino Yukinoshita slowly stepped forward, ripples of white mist emanating around her.
It was ultra-low temperature, nearing absolute zero—a chilling aura capable of freezing everything.
"Crack... crack, crack, crack..."
Yukino Yukinoshita, pulsating with this cold aura, walked forward step by step. Every time her foot landed, it left a layer of ice spreading out from her sole on the ground.
The earth gradually began to turn into an icy plain, instantly plunging the air temperature.
Looking at Yukino Yukinoshita, the Stray Devil felt no fear, but instead grew excited.
"Is this the girl who's going to fight me? Not bad, not bad at all. She's just as beautiful and as fresh and delicious-looking as the one I specifically caught earlier."
The Stray Devil's face became even more hideous. The blood at the corners of its mouth was replaced by actual saliva, dripping down bit by bit.
"I'll gladly accept this food sent to me by the trash from the Underworld!"
With that, the Stray Devil moved.
"Whoosh!"
Like a fish suddenly flicking its tail and darting quickly through the water, the Stray Devil's viscous feet stomped the ground. Carrying splashing mucus, it charged towards Yukino Yukinoshita.
Its speed was very fast. Even without the intel from the Underworld, Leon could easily judge that it should be a contracted Devil of the [Knight] rank.
Even having betrayed its master, the characteristics of a "Knight" were not lost, transforming the massive, three-meter-tall figure into a fleshy battering ram, rapidly charging into Yukino Yukinoshita.
"Bang!"
The next moment, the battering ram collided directly with Yukino Yukinoshita, eliciting a loud crash.
However, the Stray Devil ultimately collided not with Yukino Yukinoshita's delicate body, but with a thick wall of ice that had silently risen in front of the girl.
The ice wall was streamlined, like frozen flowing water, causing the Stray Devil that crashed into it to be bounced back along with splashing ice shards.
"Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang...!"
Following this, a continuous series of intense collisions erupted.
This wasn't the sound of the Stray Devil attacking Yukino Yukinoshita again, but Yukino Yukinoshita's own action.
The instant the Stray Devil was repelled, she ruthlessly chose to press the attack, making the ice wall explode on the spot, turning into countless scattered, irregular ice projectiles that slammed one by one into the Stray Devil's body.
The ice projectiles struck the Stray Devil continuously like machine-gun fire, bursting and provoking dull thuds, making the Stray Devil howl in pain.
"You detestable brat...!"
The Stray Devil was enraged, no longer chuckling, but roaring in fury.
"I'm going to tear you apart!"
Covered in ice shards and frost, it charged at Yukino Yukinoshita again with an angry face.
But it failed to notice that its joints had frozen solid, significantly slowing its speed compared to before.
"Don't come near me, you hideous thing."
Yukino Yukinoshita transformed into a veritable Winter Goddess, becoming even more unfeeling and venomous than usual. White mist around her stirred up waves, from within which various kinds of ice flew out, attacking the Stray Devil.
Ice projectiles, ice needles, ice pillars, ice blades, ice shurikens... countless flying projectiles made of ice flew out of the white mist, relentlessly striking the Stray Devil, forcing it back.
The Stray Devil realized the futility of its efforts. It initially tried to dodge and bypass Yukino Yukinoshita's attack route, but Yukino Yukinoshita was indifferent, allowing the Stray Devil to evade, but simply showering it with an unrelenting barrage of ice, striking the opponent comprehensively and making it impossible to avoid.
Gradually, the Stray Devil's angry roars turned into mournful wails. The scales on its body were either frozen into ice or sliced open by the sharp ice needles or ice blades, leaving it covered in blood and gore.
It tried to approach Yukino Yukinoshita, but was either forced back by the ice barrage or nearly frozen into an ice sculpture by the white mist coiling around Yukino Yukinoshita, forcing it to flee in terror.
But Yukino Yukinoshita seemed prepared for this, too. Seeing the slightest sign of the Stray Devil trying to escape, she immediately froze its feet, causing it to fall to the ground.
The girl mercilessly tormented the monster, the scene appearing intensely gripping.
"What a pleasant surprise."
Leon, who had expected Yukino Yukinoshita might suffer a slight setback due to lack of experience, immediately brightened up at the sight.
Admittedly, Yukino Yukinoshita had no prior combat experience, but she was exceptionally clever. As long as she could think calmly, she could surely adopt the most suitable approach based on the combat situation.
She had likely figured out the Stray Devil's movement and combat patterns and had already formulated a winning strategy in her mind, allowing her to systematically launch her offense and gradually push the opponent to desperation.
What surprised Leon the most was that Yukino Yukinoshita had not summoned Ice Princess, but was fighting purely with magic power.
Yes, Yukino Yukinoshita was achieving this result using only the power of a Devil, without resorting to her [Absolute Demise].
"Mercy!"
Seeing its hands and feet already frozen solid, and even its body slowly freezing, the Stray Devil began to beg for its life.
"Vanish!"
Yukino Yukinoshita hesitated instinctively, but recalling everything the creature had just said, she immediately made up her mind.
"Crack, crack, crack—"
Before long, the Stray Devil was entirely encased in a gigantic block of ice.
"Thud!"
The ice block shattered, turning the ferocious Stray Devil into ashes, like scattered ice shards dancing in the air...
-----------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------
I handpick only the finest and most captivating novels for you. Don't forget to check out my other novels!
p@treon HongMengZi