Multiple guards entered the room and charged toward Tres. As a chain formed near his neck, he pulled it out and started spinning it. In a single slice of the chain, each of them was beheaded. The researchers screamed in panic as they tried to run, but in an instant, the headless man cut them in half using the chains.
The body picked up the girl, who was still unconscious, in his arms and walked outside. On the way, he grabbed his head. As he walked out, multiple members of the Demonic Guild saw him below.
Two of them were the same ones Luke was talking to earlier. They jumped at him, stabbing him with their swords. Their blades pierced his skin as he stopped moving.
His blood seeped onto their swords as his body began healing from the wounds. Their swords were now stuck in his body. Flames ignited on the blades, erupting upward and engulfing the attackers. The two screamed in anguish as he continued walking.
Luke, witnessing all of this in horror, suddenly heard a voice.
"LUKE! HERE!!"
It was the head speaking. Luke looked toward it and shouted, "What the hell are you doing?!"
Tres's head replied, "Dude, these guys are onto some evil shit. They're killing people."
Luke looked down at Tres and the bodies beside him and thought, And what the hell do you think you're doing?!
"Anyways," the head continued, "Luke, grab my head and this girl and take them outside to some safe place."
Luke nodded and hurried down, grabbing Tres's head and the girl.
"Good, now let's exit fa—"
The ceiling collapsed.
A girl wearing armor stood there, looking enraged. Runa glared at them.
"Where do you think you're going?! Traitors!"
Tres's head shouted, "RUN, RUN, RUNNNNN! LUKE, RUNNNNN!"
Luke started running past her as Runa threw her hand faster than Luke could even see. In a single motion, it should have beheaded him—
But the headless body grabbed her hand.
Luke, terrified, ran outside as the head said, "Don't worry about anything else. We need to escape for now."
Runa looked at the headless body, anger burning in her eyes. "You were the one… You tricked me… I should have known."
The headless body didn't respond. It threw a quick punch at her head, which she dodged, countering with a kick to his stomach that sent the Dullahan several steps back.
"CRIMSON THREAD!" she shouted.
She bit her finger, drawing blood. The blood formed into threads, which she hurled like claws. They struck instantly, severing the Dullahan's body into five pieces.
As the body parts fell, she glared at him. "You killed the branch Sovereign, didn't you?"
His body pieces ignited into flames. The fire pulled them together, reconstructing his form as he stood back up. She clicked her tongue in annoyance and dashed toward him.
The Dullahan raised a finger, pointing it at her. Words emerged from the smoke pouring out of his neck.
[Demonic System]
Skill: Mark of Death (Denied)
Description:
Place a death mark on any target weaker than you.
Effects:
– Reveals the target's true full name.
– Imposes a fear debuff, weakening them and stopping any regenerative capabilities.
– Tracks their exact location anywhere, no matter how far they run.
Caution: Target is stronger than the individual in terms of combat. Skill cannot activate.
"Eh?" The message popped up in front of Tres's head as he looked surprised.
Outside, Luke reached safety carrying the head and the girl. He saw Andy. Andy burst into tears upon seeing his sister and thanked Luke repeatedly. Luke, feeling awkward, nodded.
"Uh… yeah, kid, we gotta run."
Luke handed Tres's head to Andy while still holding the girl. Andy froze in confusion as the head was placed in his hands, then screamed loudly.
"WAIT! KID, IT'S ME! I'M ALIVE! IT'S A PARTY TRICK! CALM DOWN, CALM DOWN!"
People nearby turned to look. Andy slowly calmed down, though he was still shocked.
"Andy, we gotta run for now. Quick, take us somewhere."
Andy looked at Luke holding his sister and nodded. "Follow me."
He started running, holding Tres's head.
…
"What is it? Why are you pointing a finger at me?" Runa said, annoyed.
Her threads wrapped around his hands, immobilizing him as she drove her fist into his heart, piercing it clean through.
"Huh? Where is your hea—"
Before she could finish, a chain erupted from his neck and pierced Runa. Her threads loosened. He grabbed the chain and kicked her into the wall, the chain still embedded in her body. He followed with heavy punches that shook the mansion.
A crowd gathered as smoke rose into the sky. Runa's blood covered his hands as she smirked.
"You… you fell for it!"
Her blood spread over his hands like bacteria, hardening and crushing his bones.
The Dullahan tried punching the wall, but the blood didn't budge. Fire erupted from his hands, yet neither the blood nor the flames gave way. His hands healed and shattered repeatedly, every second.
Runa stood up and wrapped him in a body lock, completely immobilizing him.
Outside, people screamed as the mansion shook and began collapsing. Then, in the distance, trumpets sounded.
Everyone turned.
The Axalia Church had arrived with a small army. They entered the city gates, led by Simon Colewell, the unit commander. He had white hair, brown eyes, and an immaculately sculpted body.
He spoke to the gate guards. "We have received orders to subjugate the Archdemon here."
A massive explosion echoed. Simon looked ahead.
"Rush in," he ordered, mounting his horse. He led the charge through the city. Citizens fled as he spotted the burning mansion in the distance.
"COVER THE HOUSE! MAKE SURE THE DEMON DOES NOT ESCAPE!"
Andy, holding Tres's head, watched from afar. "Who the hell are they?!"
Andy answered, "That's the Church of Axalia. I don't know who the man leading them is, though… Anyways, mister, should we go to my house? What if they come there?"
Tres thought as he glanced at Luke, who was staring at the destruction.
If only there was a way to escape faster…
…
"What the hell? The Church is here?!" Runa thought, panic rising as she continued crushing the Dullahan's bones.
He twisted his shattered arm, using it as leverage to rise. She tried tightening her lock, but the Dullahan tore through the hardened blood with flames. He grabbed her neck from behind, his fingers piercing her body.
She screamed in pain, but he didn't stop. His chains erupted again, this time plunging into her chest. One slipped into her heart and began to crush it.
She spat blood, her eyes reddening. "W-what the h-hell…?"
The chain tightened slowly, threatening her life.
A blinding light filled the sky.
"LIGHT OF JUDGEMENT!" Simon shouted.
Spears of light rained down, obliterating the mansion in seconds.
When the dust cleared, Runa opened her eyes. The Dullahan was above her, his chains woven into a shield, blocking the spears before they could reach her.
Her eyes widened. He had protected her.
"What…?" she whispered.
…
"What the hell! The timing is so goooood," Tres's head said as he stared at the message.
[REPLICATION SYSTEM]
Skill: Portal to Your World
Since your world is Earth, you can create a portal anytime you want to return from anywhere.
"Use skill," Tres said.
A blue portal opened in the alley where they were hiding.
"COME ON, LUKE AND ANDY! GO IN THE PORTAL, FAST!!"
Andy hesitated, but Luke immediately ran in with the girl. Seeing his sister disappear inside, Andy rushed in as well. The portal closed behind them.
…
"BEGIN THE SECOND WAVE OF ATTACK!" Simon commanded.
He saw the Dullahan rise, holding Runa, who was half-conscious and still clinging to him.
Simon glared.
Runa regained her senses and saw Simon. Panic filled her eyes. Why is he here? The leader of the extermination squad… We need to run!
The Dullahan's chains erupted again. One wrapped around Runa's waist, binding her to him.
She blushed. "Hey! Let me go!"
He ignored her. Swinging his chain skyward, he latched onto a building.
Simon dashed forward in an instant, sword drawn, reaching the Dullahan in a second as the extermination squad fired arrows of divinity from all directions.
[Demonic System]
Skill: Heads Down
Forces anyone and everything within a 100-meter radius to look down, including inanimate objects, for one second.
In an instant, everyone's head—including Runa's—was forced downward. Arrows fell harmlessly to the ground. Simon dropped to one knee for a split second.
That was enough.
The Dullahan launched himself across rooftops, vanishing over several buildings.
Simon roared, "EVERYONE, MOUNT UP! WE ARE NOT LETTING THE ARCHDEMON ESCAPE!"
He watched the Dullahan soar away, chains propelling him at terrifying speed.
"By the will of God Axalia," Simon muttered, "you will die today, demon."