Chapter 29: Forbidden Demon

“Hahaha!”

Norton burst into laughter again after hearing that— so this little girl had already been targeted by another demon, and now she wanted that demon to help her? What a joke!

“To be honest, I really want to kill you right now. But I also don’t want to piss off one of my own kind, so I’ve decided on a different approach. How about letting you watch your father die a little at a time?

I’ll take him away and slice off his flesh bit by bit, delivering it right to you. Gahahaha!”

Stealing prey was considered extremely disrespectful among demons.

Not wanting to make unnecessary enemies, Norton let go of Suna and turned back toward Suho.

Time was running out— the demon hunters would be here any moment.

No… Father!

“Please, Lord Demon, help me! I’m willing to sign whatever contract you want!”

Lying on the ground, Suna screamed in agony once more. So she had been fooling herself all along.

She had no redeeming qualities to offer the demon— and it was probably just hiding somewhere, silently enjoying her despair…

What did you say? Any contract?

But I don’t really have any normal contracts to offer.

Truth was confused. Why was this girl suddenly trying to take advantage of her?

Honestly, Truth was thinking like someone from the old days.

These days, everyone believed demon contracts were just sugar-coated traps that would eventually ruin you.

But in the game, contracts were just a kind of social mechanic.

For example, a lover’s contract could share storage; a master-apprentice contract could grant extra XP when teaming up, things like that.

Truth’s contracts were a bit different.

Most of them were battle-oriented— like the Apostle Contract, which let others borrow her power, or the Slave Contract, where the loser in a duel had to hand over half their dungeon rewards for several rounds…

And all of those would turn Suna into a powerful half-human, half-demon hybrid by granting her a portion of Truth’s power.

But that would also mean she’d get beheaded by demon hunters sooner or later.

Wait… what about the Pet Contract?

Unlike the others, the Pet Contract wouldn’t subject Suna to any of Truth’s influence.

Plus, according to an old book, this contract was considered lost— Truth was probably the only player left who could use it.

Combined with the unique evolution system of the pet mechanic, Suna could benefit from it too…

Damn it, could this girl be banking on the fact that I won’t hurt her and trying to milk me for all I’m worth?

But Truth didn’t think Suna was that clever. Fine, let her milk it— think of it as a long-term investment.

Helping her find some evolution materials wouldn’t be that hard. Now let’s see if she actually signs it.

Then, a voice echoed in Suna’s mind—familiar, yet strange:

“Any contract, you say? I like the sound of that.”

The next second, everything went dark for Suna. And not just her— the entire hall was plunged into pitch black. No one could see anything.

【Skill Activated: Vision Deprivation】

“What’s going on?!” Norton panicked at the sudden blindness. Who was there? Who was nearby? He froze in place, maintaining a defensive stance and listening for any movement.

A gust of blood-red wind brushed across Suna’s face. In the darkness, she shuddered violently.

A claw— colder and deadlier than Norton’s— rested on her shoulder, and a seductive whisper breathed into her ear:

“Give me everything, and I’ll grant your wish…”

Suna trembled head to toe— her cry for help… had worked!

A ghostly flame lit up her world of darkness, transforming into a burning contract.

Its terms were simple: Suna would become the demon’s pet.

Wait… Pet?!

She had expected to become a slave or maybe even food— but a pet?

Fine. As long as I can save my father, I’ll agree to anything!

Without hesitation, Suna pressed her handprint onto the contract.

The searing demonic fire made her grit her teeth.

As the contract formed, flames surged from her arm to engulf her entire body— down to her soul!

【Contract Activated: Pet “Suna” Acquired】

On the panel before her, all of Suna’s stats appeared before Truth.

A natural-born mage, and with a hint of elven blood in her veins— how interesting. Time to help her maximize her potential.

Truth chose an evolutionary path for Suna: to become a half-elf.

【Pet “Suna” Evolution Path Selected. Missing Materials: Crimson Serpent Fang, Ghostfire Stone Shard】

Perfect. Generous investments bring the highest returns. Truth looked forward to Suna’s future.

And now, it was time to fulfill the contract.

The moment the contract took effect, everyone’s vision returned.

No one had seen what kind of contract Suna had signed.

Then they looked up and saw Norton standing stiffly in place, drenched in cold sweat.

“Ugh…”

What’s happening? My body… It hurts!

With a low, painful groan, the once-arrogant Norton suddenly exploded in a spray of blood from the waist down.

His upper half toppled forward, while his lower half remained standing.

Norton had been sliced clean in half. Who? Who did this?!

Slapping at the pool of blood with trembling hands, Norton turned to see his own lower half… and behind Suna stood Truth, who no one had noticed before.

One claw rested on Suna’s shoulder; the other pointed at Norton. A villainous grin spread across her face.

“Zhe… Truth?!”

Suna looked up in shock at Truth’s blood-red eyes.

So the demon had been hiding inside Truth all along— and not even High Priestess Tia had sensed it?

And with just one blow… she had slain Norton, who to them was like a god…

Not far away, Anderson clutched his mouth, holding his breath, terrified of drawing Truth’s attention.

We’re doomed, we’re so screwed! Two demons in one night?! And one of them possessed that cheap and efficient little priest? And now they’re even fighting each other?! Reg, you’ve totally screwed me over!

Stealing a glance at Reg, Anderson was stunned again— Reg was lying on the ground in a relaxed pose, eyes peacefully closed, completely unconcerned with what was happening.

What the hell… did he just give up?

“You… you killed the Divine Guide!”

Lying on the floor, Norton finally realized how the Divine Guide Kral had died.

It was him— he had brought Truth into the dungeon, which indirectly led to Kral’s death and his own downfall…

She was the true disaster that had destroyed his life. She had to die!

Looking into Truth’s scornful eyes, a blaze of fury ignited in Norton’s heart. I told myself— no one will ever look at me like that again!

He pushed against the ground with both hands, trying to launch his half-body at Truth.

“Pfft!”

Suddenly, just as his hands touched the floor, Norton felt a cold sting at the back of his neck.

The world spun wildly before his eyes, and the last thing he saw was the tip of a longsword.

His twisted head was cleanly severed by that blade. Eyes wide open, Norton could no longer utter a word.

Hearing the commotion, Anderson looked up and saw that Reg— who had been lying on the ground a moment ago— had somehow dashed in front of Norton and delivered the killing blow.

What the hell?! You were playing dead just to pull off a sneak attack? And in front of another demon?!

In truth, Reg hadn’t planned to finish the job. But then Truth’s voice had rung out in his mind:

“Loser, hurry up and finish him off to get the XP. Until you hit Tier Nine, don’t you dare tell anyone you’re with me— I don’t want that kind of shame!”

And so Norton’s body was now in three pieces, incapable of harming anyone again.

But no one dared to move— because another, even stronger demon had just arrived.

Norton was dead, but the demon inside him was not.

To eliminate it completely, Truth raised her black-red claw again, terrifying the demon Morgros— who had been playing dead— into action. Panicked, Morgros channeled his power, using sticky tendrils to stitch Norton’s body back together and stand it upright.

The resurrected “Norton” stood like a puppet in the center and spoke to Truth:

“Please, senior, wait! I am Morgros, son of the forbidden demon Dakros. If you kill me, Lord Dakros will—”

“I don’t care if the Primordial Demon himself shows up— I’ll kill him too!”

Truth hated this kind of “beat the minion, here comes the boss” drama— just like those endless fetch quests in grindy games. Absolutely nauseating!

Not giving Morgros a chance to name-drop, over a dozen near-invisible bloodlines flashed around “Norton,” and his corpse exploded into a cloud of gore.

A faint, humanoid shadow inside it shattered into nothingness.

She actually did it! She really attacked! She didn’t even flinch at the name “Dakros”?! That name had always made other demons wary of me!

With his last, desperate scream, Morgros cried out:

“Lord Dakros, avenge me!”

In the cloud of blood, it was as if his call had been heard.

With a terrifying wail and pressure that made people cough blood, an enormous, twisted, nightmarish face— more grotesque than Norton’s— appeared on the ceiling of the hall:

“Who dares kill my offspring?”

Oh great… the boss really showed up…

Meanwhile, at the highest watchtower in Deya City, Demon Hunter Kavel frowned as he looked toward the direction of Suho Manor. He turned to his subordinates and ordered:

“Recall the two scouting teams we just sent out. I’ll lead a squad to that manor myself.”

Kavel had sensed an overwhelming demonic presence. Gripping the life talisman on his chest, he prayed silently:

“We’ve got serious trouble. Watch over us, O Goddess.”

Inside the manor, one of the Forbidden Demons— Dakros— was unleashing pressure so immense it could make bodies explode on the spot.

Reg and the others were crushed to the ground, barely able to breathe, slipping into unconsciousness one by one. Only Truth remained standing tall.

What, a high-tier demon just like me? Interesting. Looks like a typical dark demon that likes to spread its spawn everywhere.

High-tier demons were at least Tier Nine in power.

Aside from deities and the rarest king-class adventurers, almost no one could restrain them.

And the gods? All they could do was exile these demons to the world’s edge and carve out territories to keep their influence in check.

Killing a high-tier demon was just too troublesome.

But today, Dakros would learn that this world now had someone capable of ending him…

“Begone.”

Truth’s crimson eyes locked onto the face above, her voice devoid of emotion.

Dakros paused, intrigued. How amusing— it had been ages since anyone dared speak to him like that.

And she could even resist his pressure? Let’s see if her strength matches her arrogance!

In the next instant, Dakros fired a black beam from his mouth— sharp enough to rend space itself, a blast that could wither all life.

But Truth caught it with a single claw. Just like that. The space-piercing beam hit her raised claw and couldn’t get through.

“…Huh?”

Dakros was momentarily stunned. What was this creature’s strength? True, he’d only projected an avatar here— but even that was something no Tier Six creature could hope to resist.

So when did a demon above Tier Six appear in Deya City—and how had the Goddess of Life not noticed?

Then he realized something else.

The little priestess his projection had possessed— her eyes were now glowing with ancient magical arrays.

And those arrays… were for tracking!

This demon was trying to locate his true body!