An Extra’s Rise in an Eroge - Chapter 267

Chapter 267: Demon [2]

Alan, Alex, and Arthur stood still, staring at the creature before them — the thing that had once been a woman.

Its body twitched every few seconds, the multiple eyes on its arms blinking erratically like they hadn’t yet learned how to function. Black steam rose from its shoulders. The faint sound of its bones creaking filled the air.

Alan gulped, his knuckles white on the hilt of his sword.

Alex’s expression was grim, jaw clenched tight.

Arthur, however, looked calm — too calm. His sharp eyes didn’t miss the smallest detail.

The demon finally lifted its head, the skin of its faceless face stretching like rubber. When it spoke, its voice sounded like several throats speaking in uneven tones.

“Hmmmm… finally free.”

It rolled its neck, bones cracking one after another.

“I must thank you… little human. If you hadn’t hurt that body so much, I’d still be trapped inside that pathetic shell.”

Alex frowned, lowering his stance. “Arthur… what the hell is this thing?”

Arthur’s gaze didn’t leave the demon. Inside, his mind was racing.

(A demon. Count-level at least. But why here? Why now?)

His thoughts ran deeper with every passing second.

(This kind of entity isn’t supposed to appear until the academy’s third year arc. The first-year students can’t even handle a lieutenant-class monster yet. Alex is still barely a peak intermediate swordsman, and Alan’s magic… it’s decent, but nowhere close to handling something like this.)

Arthur narrowed his eyes.

(Did my actions… the things I’ve changed, shift the timeline this much? Did my butterfly effect really pull something of this scale ahead of time?)

The demon started to stretch, its body cracking, aura flaring outward like a pulse.

Alan flinched as the wave of mana hit him — cold, suffocating, crawling into his bones. Alex gritted his teeth, sweat dripping down his neck.

Arthur stayed motionless, silently measuring the strength.

(Wait. No. This isn’t full power. Its mana is unstable — fluctuating. The horns are shorter. Its body isn’t fully formed. That explains the weaker pressure.)

(The demon seed must’ve been planted inside the woman long ago… and when she almost died, it activated on its own. The seed must’ve awakened prematurely. If she had died, the seed would’ve died with her.)

Arthur’s eyes narrowed slightly, his expression firming up. (A premature awakening. That’s why it’s weaker. Still dangerous, but manageable.)

“W-What are you?” Alan repeated, his voice trembling.

The demon tilted its head toward him, and for a moment, all the eyes on its arms swiveled in Alan’s direction. It was a sight straight out of a nightmare.

“So, you’re the one who forced me out early,” the demon said in a mocking tone. “I should thank you… and kill you at the same time.”

Its tone shifted — half amusement, half malice.

“I’m happy I’m free, but angry that I’m incomplete. Half my strength, half my body… quite a miserable situation. I think I’ll take it out on you. Don’t worry, little human. You won’t even feel a thing.”

The words carried weight — not because of volume, but because of the aura behind them.

A suffocating wave of mana burst from the demon’s body.

Alan’s knees buckled. His body wouldn’t move.

Alex’s fingers froze mid-grip, his sword slipping from his hand and stabbing into the dirt.

[FEAR] — the natural pressure of a higher being. Their bodies trembled on instinct, not will.

The demon smirked — or perhaps the flesh on its face twitched in what passed for a smirk. “Pathetic. Humans are so fragile. I could crush your hearts without even touching you.”

Then came another voice.

“Wake the hell up, you idiots!”

Arthur’s tone sliced through the paralysis like a blade. His voice carried a weight of its own — cold, commanding, sharp enough to pierce through their fear.

Alan blinked rapidly, his breath shaky as control slowly returned.

Alex gritted his teeth, regaining his stance.

Arthur clicked his tongue, glaring at them both. “Do you two want to die here? Get your heads together. And you—” he turned toward Alan, “—what the hell were you thinking asking introductions from a demon? This isn’t some friendly tournament!”

Alan’s face paled. “D-Demon?” he stammered, as if trying to process it. “T-That thing… that’s a demon?”

Arthur exhaled sharply through his nose. “Yeah. And not the kind you can reason with. It’s a corrupted being from the void, born from pure chaos.”

Alan took a step back, trembling. “H-How the hell is something like that even here?”

Arthur’s gaze flicked to the monster again. The demon had started to take a step forward, the ground cracking under its feet.

“That’s what I’m wondering too,” Arthur said under his breath.

The demon tilted its head again. “You’re still talking? Then allow me to interrupt.”

In a blur, its arm shot forward, stretching unnaturally long like rubber. The clawed hand slashed through the air, sending a dark shockwave toward them.

Arthur reacted instantly, stepping in front.

“[Arcane Barrier.]”

The invisible wall of energy formed before them just in time — the impact slammed against it like a physical explosion, shaking the trees and pushing debris into the air.

Alan and Alex covered their faces from the gust.

Arthur clicked his tongue again, muttering. “This one’s faster than it looks.”

The demon retracted its arm, the eyes along its body shifting direction again. “Ohhh… a mage?” Its tone deepened. “No, wait. That smell… you’re not just a mage. Something about you feels different.”

Arthur’s expression stayed flat. “You’ll find out soon enough.”

Alex tightened his grip on his sword. “Arthur, what’s the plan?”

Arthur’s gaze remained on the demon. “Stay sharp. Don’t get separated. Its aura alone can crush your mind if you lose focus.”

Alan, breathing heavily, nodded. “Got it.”

The demon crouched low, claws digging into the dirt. “Then let’s begin, humans. Let me see how long you last.”

It disappeared in an instant.

Arthur’s eyes flashed. “Brace yourselves!”

~~~~

Somewhere else in the forest—

The clash of steel and bursts of magic had been echoing relentlessly. Oliver’s group had been locked in a fierce skirmish with a squad of masked men, each movement calculated, every strike leaving another scorch mark on the forest floor.

Then, suddenly—

Everything stopped.

An unnatural chill ran through the air, followed by a heavy, suffocating stillness. Even the sound of clashing blades faltered as everyone froze mid-motion.

A strange pressure rippled through the atmosphere. It wasn’t something they could see, but everyone felt it in their bones—the kind of dread that made your instincts scream run.

Emily was the first to speak, her voice barely above a whisper.

“What… was that?”

Noah lowered his sword, his brows furrowing. “No idea,” he said grimly, his tone sharp. “But whatever it was, I’ve got a bad feeling about it.”

Before anyone could respond, a gust of wind swept through the trees. Birds shot out from the forest canopy in a frenzy, flying away from a single direction—as if fleeing from something unspeakable.

Everyone exchanged uneasy glances. The air itself felt different—thicker, darker.

“Something’s wrong,” Oliver muttered, scanning the treeline. “That wasn’t mana fluctuation… that was aura. And it wasn’t human.”

The masked men too seemed unsettled. One of them—nervous and trembling—turned his head toward the west. “He’s… awakened…” he whispered, before biting his lip and retreating back into the shadows.

Meanwhile, a few hundred meters away—

A hooded man rushed through the trees, his breath ragged. He stumbled to a halt before another figure standing silently in the dark—his presence commanding and cold. The man bowed hastily.

“Captain—Silver is dead,” he reported. “Esteemed Count Belmorath has… awakened.”

The captain’s head snapped up, his once relaxed expression turning stone-cold.

“What did you say?”

“It’s true,” the man stammered. “But… it’s not the right time yet. He won’t be in his full strength.”

The captain went silent for a long moment, the tension between them thick enough to cut. Then, his tone dropped—firm, decisive.

“I know.” He turned toward the west, his eyes glinting beneath the hood. “But that changes nothing. Leave a few men here to hold them off. Signal the rest—everyone moves west. We’re going to assist Count Belmorath.”

“Yes, Captain!”

The messenger darted off to relay the order.

For the first time since the fight began, the captain’s nonchalant demeanor had vanished. He drew his weapon, the faintest smile tugging at his lips.

“So… the Count couldn’t wait any longer, huh? This forest is about to become a graveyard.”

Oliver’s group, still catching their breath, had witnessed the exchange from afar. The moment the enemy scattered, they exchanged a quick nod.

“Noah, Emily, Amara,” Oliver said, voice low but firm. “We’re moving. That disturbance—it’s coming from the west.”

“You’re thinking what I’m thinking?” Noah asked.

Oliver nodded. “Yeah. Arthur’s group was last seen that way. If that aura is what I think it is, they’re in trouble.”

Without another word, the four of them broke into a sprint, the forest rushing past in blurs of green and shadow. Behind them, the remaining students continued holding off the masked men—unaware of the real nightmare waiting deeper in the woods.

As they ran, the air grew heavier, the oppressive feeling intensifying with each step. Even the sounds of insects and night creatures had gone silent.

Emily clenched her staff tighter, murmuring, “This pressure… I can’t even breathe properly.”

“Keep moving,” Oliver said, his tone sharp. “We can’t waste time. Whoever—whatever—that thing is, it’s strong enough to shake the entire forest. If we don’t hurry, there might not be anyone left to save.”

And so, without realizing it, they were heading straight toward the eye of the storm.