Chapter 42: The Light Of Justice
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It was just going to be another day in the life of Hector Suarez; he would make tons of profits by overworking his stepdaughter and keeping it all for himself, so he could save enough money for a nice and relaxing retirement in a few more years. Since he married that girl’s mother, his life became much better, and all the debts he had were paid by using that woman’s money. After she died in an accident that he provoked, he kept all her inheritance, just a few months after having signed the marriage papers.
Sooner or later, he was probably going to provoke another “accident” and make it so that annoying girl was to die in a few more years; this way, he wouldn’t have to bother supporting her, and he would be able to get all the profits from the restaurant. However, because he didn’t want to pay for personnel, he had to at least keep her around so she would serve in the restaurant. Dan Baihe was a gullible and obedient girl, so it was very easy to order her around and treat her like shit.
But now, everything has changed.
Throughout his entire life, he had never paid much attention to the Hunters or Gates; he wasn’t someone who could awaken any magical power, and no sponsor was ever interested in him. Although his parents died in the First Awakening incident, he had never changed who he was.
He always saw this type of world as something else on TV, something unreachable and away from his usual normal life. Something he didn’t even have to care for. However, this has changed now. He was swallowed by a Dungeon Break as a gate opened, and so were all his restaurant clients and some Hunters that had shown up out of nowhere.
At first, he was confused, screaming, running away, and using other people as bait so monsters would target him. He didn’t even doubt throwing a little boy into the jaws of a wolf so he could escape alive.
Yet, when they showed up, there was nothing he could do. He and a couple of other people were dragged in front of a giant titan of a man. Muscular, covered with brown hair, a long and rough beard, and a body covered with scars His eyes, red-colored, glowed with malice he had never seen before in his entire life.
In that moment, he truly realized he had never seen the truth of this world. He had never seen someone who was truly vile. Fearing his prompt death by being devoured by these monsters, he, of all people, was given a chance.
“Become my slave. Offer me your soul.”
“Eh? Who’s talking right now?”
Hector was confused, but the leader of the pack of savage cannibals answered.
“Lord Leviathan has found you interesting. You’re not even an awakened person, yet he’s offering you a contract.” He said. He was smiling. “So? What are you going to do, pig? Are you going to sell him your soul, become his slave, or be eaten alive? I am getting hungry for some pork meat, you know." The disgusting savage licked his lips, which were covered in blood.
Hector had nothing else to lose at this point.
“I-I accept! I’ll become a slave!"
His soul was pulled out of his body in an instant, and like something else, a demonic power filled the empty area where his soul should be. However, of all the people who had ever made a Demonic Contract, Hector felt the least affected.
It felt like nothing.
“Huh? This power…” He smirked wickedly. "It didn’t even hurt."
The other Demonic Humans began laughing while howling.
“Gahahahaha!”
“I can’t believe it; this bastard was rotten to the core!”
“He didn’t even feel his soul hurt when he sold it."
“He’s a bastard like us, then!”
“Welcome to the pack, pig!”
The leader of the pack smiled with a sickly smile as he suddenly showed Hector something—his first meal—the arm of someone he had ripped apart with his bare fists.
“Eat it.”
“E-Eh? Eat?”
“Demonic Humans cannot continue being alive without devouring human flesh, pig. If you want to live and grow stronger so you can be of some use, eat it!”
“A-Ahhh… Hahhh…”
Hector, who had already been an inhumane bastard, didn’t even blink. He grabbed their arm and started gnawing at it savagely; flesh, bones, and blood were consumed. And his demonic powers awakened more and more.
“Perfect. Everything is going according to Leviathan’s plans. He shall be the one that slays the little girl he was interested in before.” Their boss laughed.
“L-Little girl?” Asked Hector, while covered in blood.
“Dan Baihe was her name. Or something like that." Said the man.
“D-Dan…?” Hector muttered, suddenly beginning to laugh. “Hah… Hahahah… HAHAHA! PERFECT! It is what I need to truly leave behind that pathetic life. Fine, I’ll kill her! I’ll tear her apart, that damn little bitch!”
“No, please let me go! PLEASE! I don’t want to die!” A woman was dragged in the middle of the pack, screaming in fear as she saw the faces of countless half-beasts smiling, with their bloodied jaws and red-shot eyes.
The one holding her, someone resembling a bear, smiled.
“Stay still, bitch. It is fresher when we eat you alive. The meat is warm and salty, too good.” He laughed.
“Hahhh… Fresh meat!”
“Oooh! I’m calling for the legs!”
“Can I eat her eyes?!”
“Ooh, such a tender skin!”
The girl began breathing heavily as she saw countless monstrous beasts surround her, pointing their claws at her. They were not Demonic Humans for nothing. They were perhaps worse than beasts, as beasts, at the very least, did not think such vile things while attempting to hunt someone.
"Now, pig, bite her first. This is our ritual of initialization!”
“Do it! BITE! BITE!”
“BITE HER!”
“Bite…” Hector began smiling, his face twisting as he showed more and more of his true colors. “Yeah… I… I’ll bite her!”
“G-Get away… GET AWAYYYYY!”
The girl cried in horror as the disgusting man opened his jaws and was about to bite her chest.
SLASH!
“Ungh?!”
However, before that could happen, Hector’s entire lower jaw was sliced off his head as a blade of light emerged from the distance. And then it exploded right after.
“Graaargh!”
Hector screamed in agony as his arms were fried on the spot and his legs broke. The agony he felt was indescribable; the light hurt so much it made him rethink his entire life choices before he fell unconscious, covered by the snow of the explosion.
“W-What was that?!”
“Oi… Oi, you’ve got to be kidding me!”
“Why are they here?”
The half-beasts panicked, seeing the figure of a woman wearing golden armor and holding a shining sword in the distance, her power overflowing everywhere. It covered the ground and the skies, and everywhere else was now...
Her domain.
“Impure beasts, monsters. You are no longer holding on to the privilege of living. Perish in the name of justice for the innocent. Shall their suffering and agony burn you into the depths of hell! As that is the only place you belong, demons! {Star of Justice}!”
FLASH!
Her Holy Sword shone as brightly as the sun itself; a wave of pure heat covered her surroundings. Encompassing all Demonic Humans and burning them into charred corpses.
“Gryyaaaggh!”
“It burnssss…!”
“My body…?!”
Those that were targeted burned into ashes and fell to the ground. Those who were not, such as the innocents they had captured, were protected by this very heat and light, encompassed by a barrier that healed them. This was the power of Henrietta Claus, someone close to being an S-Rank Hunter, the innate talent that gave her such strength... {Star of Justice}. However, a few of the Demonic Humans survived, encompassing their bodies with such malicious and vile powers that they survived even in the light of justice.
“It is nice to see you here, Henrietta Claus. Devouring your flesh shall be a delight.” The man smiled.
Henrietta furrowed her eyebrows.
“I can’t believe you’re the leader of this cult, you from all people…” She sighed. “When my Constellation revealed the truth, I didn’t want to believe it.”
“Heh, you should have.” The leader of the Leviathan Cult laughed. He was not only a leader, but also Leviathan’s current Incarnation.
“I will no longer consider you a human, nor a friend, nor a companion, nor an ally. You are an enemy now, Darius!” Henrietta roared, her eyes overflowing with light.
“Darius…?” Henrietta's brother asked, shocked.
"Milady, you mean... He's... The Guild Master of the Knight’s Pride Guild?!” Asked her loyal knight.
Darius Goodman was a man praised for his charisma and nice personality. He was famous all-around America for donating millions to charity and always appearing on TV. He was an example to follow for many hunters, a great man above all others. Yet, he was now the most savage monster Henrietta had seen so far.
“Once the truth is heard, nobody will ever see you the same again!” Kevin roared, furious.
“If I kill you all, then there will be nobody to reveal the truth.” Darius stood up, smiling wickedly. “As simple as that!”
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