How To Survive A Calamity-Chapter 176: Misery [4]

The large black hand of darkness held Alexander's body pressed up against the wall, and squeezed mercilessly as they crushed his bones.

Alexander's eyes rolled back and widened as a Pained cry resounded from his lips.

"Aarrggghhh!!!"

His eyes became bloodshot and anguish painted his expression as blood shot out of his mouth abd bloodied his lips.

"Huff... huff..."

Alexander bit down his lips as he struggled against the pain in his ribs.

Hos bloodshot eyes raised and he shot a glaring gaze at Nicodemus's figure from across.

A black swath of moving Darkness surrounded his figure, from which a long black massiv arm of darkness outstretched and pinned Alexander against the wall.

Nicodemus's face wasn't any prettier than Alex's was.

His brows were folded tightly, and his white skin was pale and eerie. A deep crimson red glinted ominously inside one of his otherwise pitch black eyes, while the other still retained theor lightless black iris, but was still relatively human.

One horn — a protruding bump— rose from one side of his forehead.

His entire countenance and representation depicted a chillingly contrasting scene and sight. It was almost as if Nicodemus was in a halfway crossed state between a human and something that crawled from the depths of hell —

—A Demon.

It was clear and obvious that Nicodemus was becoming more used to the Demon of Misery abilities and powers, gradually making it more and more his own.

It was evident in his current mutating appearance.

It was a revolting sight that made something deep insiyof Alexander want to rage.

"Haarghh!!"

And he did.

Alex swallowed down on the pain woth bloodshot eyes and forced himself raised his sword over his head with both hands and a cry.

"Demon!!"

With a wide descending vertical swinf, Alex brought down his sword against the black hand made of darkness that held him tightly in a crushing grip.

-Clang!

The sharp fierce sound of colliding steel pierced the air in that moment.

Alexander's sword seamlessly bounced off the hand as of it had hit a sturdy steel wall without any effects.

A tremor rovked through his hands and shook his shoulders at their joints.

Alexander's eyes trembled and his expression twitched as he felt the grip around his body squeeze a little more tighter, ravaging his body with pain that was agonizing and piercing.

-Crunch!

He could feel it.

"Ack...!"

Fragments of his bones and ribs pierce his organs.

"Alex...!!"

Trise cried with tears in her eyes as she tried to get up, but her body refused to listen to her.

The weight of her body pressed against her. She couldn't control her trembling and the unnatural fear that permeated her.

A single sidelong gaze from Nicodemus's coldy shut her up.

Trise trembled like a trapped calf in a corner under his gaze and she held her breath.

'Why...'

The way her body responded to Nicodemus's mere voice and presence was instinctive and terrified her greatly.

'I'm sorry...'

Trise couldn't do anything.

'...Alex.'

She could only continue to whimper in place.

Alexander's cries formed a cruel backdrop. It felt like even if she blovked all her senses, she could still hear it.

It haunted her.

And to no ends.

"That's enough. Give up." Nicodemus's cold voice came out radpy and gruff as he glared at the figure pressed tightly against the wall.

Why...how was he so persistent?

[He has a strong Will, this one] a sinister, dark voice chuckled inside Nicodemus's mind.

'It's annoying.' Nicodemus replied back with a snarl this time.

Alex...was the first unlike any other he had faced ever since signing a Demon Contract and obtaining his immense power.

Most people already broke and shattered long before thise point.

Usually, all Nicodemus had to do was 'scare' them a little.

The hearts, mind, thoughts and emotions of humans were so vain and fickle

With merely the right words abd actions, you could break them.

Nicodemus was the physical embodiment of that saying.

—The House of Misery was.

A diabolical and devilish Clan of Demons where the momds and hearts of others offered them a playground.

They truly were the most perfect representation of a 'devilv whispering into your ear from the shoulders'.

Not directly perhaps, but Nicodemus by contract to the Demon Zets was now one of such.

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Zets laughed internally for only Nicodemus to hear slithery voice.

[It's a bit rare at times, but it's not uncommon for some humans with particularly slightly stronger will and emotional being to come around every now and then. If you live long enough, you happen to see one or two every here and there,] Zets said, then laughed, and continued with wretched amusement;

[But you, perhaps you might be unlucky, boy. Running into one of suvh gentle age possessing such resistance this early on when you've only just began your life is... If that isn't ominous and bad luck, then i fear what is. Hahah, boy, this with means you just might not get to live long as a Demon Contractor, or far more worse fates awaits you on this path. Hahaha.]

Nicodemus crumple his expression as he heard the rolling laughter of his Demon tickle his irritation.

'Silence. This...this is nothing. He might have a pretty strong Skill or an Attribute, but it's clear the effects are beginning to mount on him. He be on his knees anytime from now if we keep this up.'

Truly believing so, more black lightless arms with multiple fingers and claws sprouted out from the darkness billowing around his form like sinister tendrils of darkness.

They sought through the air and shot at Alexander's struggling figure still pressed tightly against the wall and pressed down on his shoulders, flailing arms and kicking legs.

"Hmph...hmph...nghh!" Alexander heaved, huffed like a caged beast, his eyes bloodshot— one that shouldn't be let out — as the hands swiftly moved to restrain him.

One even going as far to push down on his head by grabbing his face.

The wall cracked open again as the back pf Alex's head dug into it with his face pressed.

[Do you really think so?] After a while, Nicodemus heard the familiar voice of Zets speak up again in his head, this time sounding more sober and solemn than before.

Nicodemus didn't fail to notice the nonexistent trace of amusement and nonchalance that once was and frowned as he restrained Alex.

'What?'

[That boy, you think he's is a skill that resists so strongly? An Attribute thay guards his mimd and thoughts, just like the other little monster from before?]

The little monster Zets spoke about, Nicodemus had no doubt that it was Ceres the Demom referred to.

The black haored boy silently regarded the implications of the Demon's voice in his head.

Ceres Walker was also one, the only other one, who had been thoroughly immune to his ability before. At first Nicodemus believed that perhaps it was due to the vast difference in Ranks between them, but came to realise better that it was more like a Skill or an Attribute.

And indeed it was, even Zets had managed to confirm so eventually.

Then...

Wasn't... Alexander's?

'What do you mean?'

Nicodemus swallowed a breath. Strangely he felt the implications of the Demon's words make him feel uncomfortable for a reason.

Then Zets simply spoke;

[Fool.]

'...'

The Demon snarled with disdain.

[Look at him. Look at his eyes — the bloodlust and his emotions. You think that's a Skill or a good Attribute?] Zets laughed mockingly at Nicodemus.

[You still have so much to learn, boy. That boy right there, that monster, has only managed to resist and will continue to no matter how long until death not because of something as simple and common as a Skill or Attribute. It's Will.]

Zets continued.

[I told you. It's rare hut not entirely uncommon, but there are those with particular strong and terrifying sense of being and stubborn Will, truly. I've met a few that even i wouldn't like to cross again — humans even I don't wish to tread against a second or third time . These types are our natural e enemies. And look at you! Haha, it seems you've finally met yours — a particularly disturbing one at that too.]

'Wh-what do you mean? Be clear with it.]

Nicodemus had no need or interest for Zets play and loiter around with words. Alexander was still struggling desperately even after restraining him like this.

Zets clicked his tongue internally.

[You'd do better to kill him right now before he grows any older and possess an even greater sense of being and purpose. But this is also interesting to he honest. That boy — Alex was it you called him, hm?— he possesses one of the most strongest types of Will.]

Zets laughed again, darkly.

[What have you done to him in your previous lifetime, boy? So much hatred in one body!]