She realized she might have overreacted.
Meanwhile, Yukino wore a serious expression.
"Rei Ao-kun, are you saying Saki Kawasaki's disappearance is truly connected to the Inner World?"
"That's correct."
Rei Ao raised his hand, revealing a strand of black, mist-like energy floating in the air.
"This is?"
"This magical aura belongs to a demon."
Rei Ao had sensed the demon's presence the moment he arrived.
He began walking in the direction where the demonic energy extended.
Yukino and Yui exchanged a glance before silently following behind him.
In a dimly lit underground basement, Saki Kawasaki slowly regained consciousness.
Her neck ached, and her head felt fuzzy.
But as her awareness returned, she realized her dire situation.
"!!!"
Her limbs were shackled in iron chains, bound spread-eagle on a wooden plank bed. Above her, a dim, flickering lamp barely illuminated the dark basement.
"Where am I?!"
The last thing Saki remembered was taking leave from the bar to head home. Everything after that was a blank.
Her current predicament made her think she'd been kidnapped.
She tried to struggle against the chains, but the only result was the sound of clinking metal. It was futile.
Clang, clang!
Her heart began racing, and her breaths grew shallow. She had no idea how she ended up here or who had done this to her.
Fear crept into her mind, tightening its grip on her.
Tap, tap, tap!
Suddenly, the sound of approaching footsteps echoed through the basement.
The footsteps grew louder and closer.
Her heartbeat quickened with them. She didn't know who was coming or what they intended to do.
She could only silently pray for safety.
Tap, tap, tap!
The sharp clack of high heels stopped.
"Stop struggling, Saki. You're my first prey in this world, my first meal. I have to savor this moment~."
A woman in a striking red dress, her figure swaying seductively, stepped out of the shadows.
"It's you!"
Saki's eyes widened in shock.
She recognized this woman. She had been frequenting the bar lately, and they had even exchanged friendly conversations.
"Oh my, Saki, you remember me!"
The woman's eyes curved into crescents as she smirked.
She bent down and lightly traced Saki's cheek with her finger.
"I've had my eye on you for a while now, looking for the perfect prey."
As she spoke, Saki noticed a drop of saliva falling from the corner of the woman's red lips.
A chill ran through her.
"Why are you doing this? What do you want from me?"
"What do I want?"
The woman's eyes suddenly glowed red.
Heh heh heh heh heh!
A sharp, eerie laugh erupted from her mouth, a sound that was anything but human.
In the next moment, the woman leaned closer to Saki.
"What I want is to eat you, of course!"
To Saki's horror, the woman's human form began to contort and twist, transforming into a grotesque creature with pale, leathery, and emaciated skin stretched taut over its skeletal frame.
The realization hit her like a brick wall.
Saki's mind went blank.
She stared in terror as the creature's gaping mawlined with jagged, inhuman teethlunged toward her head.
Is this a nightmare?
Even as fear paralyzed her, a small part of her clung to the hope that this was all a dream.
But deep down, she knew it wasn't.
Fear coursed through her veins, her thoughts racing.
What will happen to Mom and my brother if I die?
She thought of everything in an instant but something was off.
The "instant" felt unnaturally long.
She quickly noticed that the monster wasn't moving.
And then came the light.
The dark basement was suddenly flooded with bright, blinding light.
Saki instinctively squeezed her eyes shut.
When she reopened them, three figurestwo girls and one boystood before her.
Her eyes locked on the two girls she recognized immediately: Yukino and Yui.
"It's you!"
"Kawasaki-san, are you okay?" Yui asked nervously. She tried to step closer but hesitated when she saw the monstrous figure.
"Y-Yeah, I'm fine."
Saki's heart still pounded in her chest as her eyes darted to the mo
nster mere inches from her face.
Now, under the light, the creature's horrific appearance was clearer than ever.
Its pale, rough skin stretched taut over a bony frame. Its arms were replaced with bat-like wings, tipped with razor-sharp claws.
It looked like something from a nightmare.
~~~
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Chapter 153: A Succubus from Ente Isla
[Demon]: Banshee Demon
[Level]: 13
[Ability]: "Illusory Soundwave"
The term "banshee" seemed fitting to Rei Ao, evoking imagery straight out of Western fantasy stories.
He walked straight past the motionless creature, not even sparing it a glance. With a casual wave of his hand, the chains binding Saki Kawasaki snapped.
"Can you stand on your own?"
"..."
Saki Kawasaki couldn't grasp what was happening. Suppressing her fear, she stammered, "Y-Yes, I think so."
She tried to stand, but her trembling legs betrayed her bravado. She stumbled, nearly falling, before Rei Ao caught her just in time.
"Thank you"
Her gratitude was sincere. Normally proud and independent, Saki disliked relying on others. But faced with the incomprehensible, she had no choice but to accept the help.
Rei Ao guided her to Yukino and Yui.
"Take her outside. I'll handle this."
"Understood."
Knowing they couldn't offer much assistance, the two girls supported Saki Kawasaki and helped her leave the basement.
Rei Ao then summoned Raphiel and Vignette.
"Another otherworldly intruder?" Raphiel said casually, as if used to such situations.
"Yes, a demon. It's likely from the same world as the last one." Rei Ao turned to Vignette. "Has your Demon Realm identified the world they're coming from?"
Vignette sighed, shaking her head. "Sorry, not yet. All we know is there might be a passage connecting this world to theirs, but we haven't pinpointed its location."
"In that case, let's ask her. She's already learned to speak human languages."
With that, Rei Ao released the temporal interference magic suppressing the banshee demon.
"Aaaahhh!!!"
The demon let out an ear-piercing scream, its distorted voice grating on the ears.
Rei Ao frowned in irritation. Without hesitation, he kicked her.
Boom!
The sheer force sent the banshee demon flying, slamming her hard into the wall.
"Rei Ao, maybe tone it down a bit," Raphiel interjected, though not out of pity.
"If you kill her, we'll lose a potential source of information."
"Relax," Rei Ao said coolly. "I know what I'm doing. She's not going to die."
The demon coughed violently, her body wracked with pain but still very much alive.
Rei Ao made a gripping motion with one hand.
The banshee demon, still lying in the rubble, was swept into his grasp by a gust of wind, his hand clamping tightly around her neck.
"Don't struggle. Stay obedient, or I'll make you wish you were dead."
The cold words sent shivers down the demon's spine. Her instincts screamed that this man's strength alone could crush her. She froze, completely still.
"M-My lord, ask whatever you want! I'll tell you everything! Just please, don't kill me!"
"Are you from the Holy Cross Continent, Ente Isla?"
"Yes, my lord."
The banshee demon, trying to appear compliant, introduced herself. "I am a soldier in the Demon King's Banshee Demon Corps. I thought I'd died on the battlefield, but when I woke up, I found myself in this world without any magic power."
"She actually learned the human language of this world?" Vignette was surprised.
After all, the werewolf demon they previously encountered couldn't communicate at all.
"I've been here for a while and deliberately studied the human language," the banshee demon explained.
"How long have you been here?" Raphiel asked curiously.
"By human reckoning, almost two months."
"Two months, and you've already mastered the human language, secured an identity, and a place to stay? Not bad," Rei Ao remarked, raising an eyebrow.
He recalled how poorly the Demon King had fared in the original story.
"W-Well, my lord, I'm a fast learner. As for money and identity I obtained them through, uh, what humans call 'compensated dating'..."
"???"
"C-Compensated dating?!"
Raphiel and Vignette thought they had misheard.
There were so many things to question herewhy a demon would resort to such methods to earn money, and, most importantly, who on earth would be willing to sleep with this creature in its demon form?!
Vignette felt she might need to wash her eyes just thinking about it.
Thankfully, Rei Ao released his grip, and the banshee demon reverted to her seductive human guise.
Seeing her now, Raphiel and Vignette finally understood. Though her looks were average, her flamboyant demeanor made the idea of compensated dating plausible.
But Vignette was more concerned about another matter.
"How many people have you eaten in these two months?"
Her tone was cold, suspecting the worst. After all, the demon had almost devoured Saki Kawasaki earlier.
The banshee demon's expression changed drastically.
"N-No, my lady! You misunderstand! I haven't eaten anyone! I was just trying to collect fear to convert it into magic energy!"
She explained hurriedly, her voice tinged with desperation.
"I accidentally discovered that fear could be converted into magic power. Once I collected enough energy, I would erase their memories and let them go. Please, you must believe me!"
The demon's trembling voice and panicked demeanor made it clear how afraid she was for her life.
Rei Ao released her and nodded. "She's not lying. Her emotional response is genuine."
"M-My lord, thank you!" The banshee demon looked at him with gratitude, relieved that her explanation had been accepted.
"Don't give me that look." Rei Ao frowned. "It's annoying."
"Y-Yes, of course!" The demon quickly corrected herself, not daring to offend further.
Turning to Vignette, Rei Ao asked, "You've got all the information you need. Should we send her back to the Demon Realm?"
Vignette pondered for a moment before nodding.
"If she hasn't lied, and she hasn't harmed anyone, there's no need to eliminate her. Plus, since she knows both languages, she might be able to extract more information from the werewolf demon."
The banshee demon's eyes lit up when she realized her life would be spared.
"Yes, yes! I'll be very useful!" she volunteered eagerly.
"Fine. Take her away," Rei Ao said indifferently. While her methods were questionable, she hadn't caused any real harm. It wasn't worth dealing with her further. Better to let the Demon Realm investigate her world.
"Thank you," Vignette said, stepping forward.
She waved her hand, activating a teleportation spell.
In a flash, she and the banshee demon vanished from the basement.
~~~
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Chapter 154: Enjo ksai
Vignette had left with the demon.
"Raphiel, there's nothing else to do here. You can head back as well," Rei Ao said, his tone sounding more like he was dismissing an errand runner.
To be fair, the scene didn't require much cleanupthere were no bodies or bloodstains, making this a relatively minor incident.
But Raphiel didn't leave.
Instead, her gaze lingered on Rei Ao, her expression hesitant.
Rei Ao noticed her reluctance.
"You seem like you have something to say," he prompted.
"Yes," Raphiel finally admitted. "What do you think of Gab, from an opposite-sex perspective?"
She still hadn't gotten over the scene she witnessed the other day. Initially, she wanted to ask directly if the two were dating, but in the end, she chose a more roundabout approach.
Rei Ao, guessing the motive behind her question, smirked.
"I think Gabriel is very cute."
""
That wasn't the answer Raphiel wanted. But Rei Ao wasn't done.
"From an opposite-sex perspective, though, Gabriel isn't as mature or gentle as you. Compared to you, she also has a more youthful figure."
"Eh?"
Raphiel was stunned. Weren't they supposed to be discussing Gabriel? How had the topic shifted to her?
Even someone as composed as Raphiel couldn't help but feel flustered at the unexpected compliment.
"And also"
Seeing Rei Ao about to continue, Raphiel quickly raised a hand to stop him.
"Sorry, Rei Ao-kun! I just remembered something urgentI need to leave!"
With a flash of holy light, Raphiel disappeared.
Rei Ao chuckled.
Her small schemes were all too transparent to him.
Unfortunately for her, she'd encountered someone determined to claim all four little angels. Just one Gabriel wouldn't suffice.
When Rei Ao emerged from the basement, Saki Kawasaki was seated on a chair, looking much calmer after being reassured by Yukino and Yui.
Seeing him appear, Yukino finally relaxed and asked, "Rei Ao-kun, is everything resolved?"
"Yeah, it was a minor issue."
Saki Kawasaki stood and bowed deeply before him.
"Thank you for saving me!"
"I'll accept your thanks," Rei Ao said nonchalantly. "But you should be thanking Yukino and Yui more. Without them contacting me, I wouldn't have known about your situation."
"Hehe, it was just a coincidence that we got involved because of the request," Yui said with a laugh. "I'm just glad you're okay, Kawasaki-san."
"Thank you both so much!" Saki Kawasaki sincerely expressed her gratitude to the two girls.
Rei Ao then added, "However, there's something you should know."
"What is it?"
All three women looked at him curiously.
Yukino furrowed her brows and asked, "But didn't we see her about to eat Saki Kawasaki when we arrived?"
Rei Ao laughed. "That's the funny part."
Remembering the earlier scene, he couldn't help but chuckle.
"Her goal wasn't to kill Saki Kawasaki. She was trying to scare her, feed on her fear, and then erase her memory of the incident."
"So she wasn't trying to kill me?" Saki Kawasaki said, confused.
"Correct. She needed the emotion of fear to convert it into her power."
"Is that really a thing?" Yui exclaimed in surprise.
Yukino was equally taken aback.
Saki Kawasaki, still bewildered, asked, "But what exactly is she?"
"I'm a banshee demon, of course~"
An unexpected voice answered.
Saki Kawasaki turned around and saw the familiar figure. Startled, she instinctively backed into Rei Ao.
