Triiffic-Soul: Can I Be In Control?-Chapter 158 – Combat with the Demonic

Chapter 158 – Combat with the Demonic

The large, deep crater was filled with demons engaging in combat.

From above, in the demon mountain, the remaining demons and Anlesa’s human acquaintances watched the carnage from above.

The demons were excited and cheering on from the sidelines. Flick was quiet, as the fierce competition below was shocking, as the strength of these demons was even greater than the rumours she had heard. Finally, the children were looking down with a mixed concoction of emotions.

Billy, Susan, and Jerry had different perspectives. Billy was scared watching the mad display, but he couldn’t look away. There was something entertaining about the whole thing; the fact that everyone looked like they were having fun gave him a weird feeling watching all the violence. Susan's eyes were locked on Anlesa, the sole human combatant, as she fought seemingly effortlessly against larger-than-life demons. Jerry was simply speechless. He heard the stories of the fearsome demons, but spending a few days made him realise they were just mostly weird people who really liked to fight. The demon he had his eyes on was the one in the centre of the area. Velelenra told him that the demon’s name was Alraius. He was fighting against ten demons at once and not even breaking a sweat.

Despite their differing perspectives, they shared one thing: they were all completely silent.

On the ground, despite their poker face, Eva’s internal mind wasn’t exactly as calm or dealt with these fights as effortlessly as it seemed.

[Okay…I got… this…] (Eva)

At the start, multiple large demons that seemingly a chimeric combination of animals had entered around her. None of them had an exact target besides what was in front of them, and Eva was in the middle of that.

Mental wires floated around her and reacted instantaneously as demons lunged in. She used the wires to slash at the demons’ legs and grabbed onto their limbs as they tried to attack her. She even pulled herself towards demons by latching onto them to escape other attacks headed her way.

Eva’s brain was already in overdrive, keeping track of every foe and their action surrounding her.

[That’s enough for a warm-up, Eva. I will handle enemy locations and will give the necessary updates.] (Syrus)

[Alright…] (Eva)

They reformatted their approach, still keeping Eva at the helm. Syrus listed out all their current enemies and began tracking all their motions.

“You are impressive with those whips, but you look like you are barely breaking a sweat.” Rocks exploded as a demon whose body was a large collection of bones surrounding a blue humanoid mass punched into the ground. The stone reattached to its arm, which he then realised fired out like bullets.

Syrus handled the dodging of those and taunted, “I’m just taking it easy; is that a problem?”

“Haha! Cocky one! Everyone is cocky during their first celebration!” The surrounding stone floated up and began to form around his body, encasing him in rocky armour. With a roar, his fighting intent increased, and he made a mad dash towards Anlesa, his speed not even dampened by the extra weight.

[Syrus…] (Eva)

[What..? This is your fight; deal with it.] (Syrus)

[You didn’t have to taunt him.] (Luna)

[Best learning experiences are the ones that are worth learning.] (Syrus)

[I swear there are many better expressions that you could have used.] (Luna)

[Words are what you two are good at.] (Syrus)

[Ergh…] (Eva)

[Perhaps not all the time, but hey Eva, you got this.] (Syrus)

Syrus still handled the movement and evaded the demon’s attacks, but Eva was trying to figure out how she could break through the rocky armour. A quick poke with the wire did nothing, so she would need something more powerful.

Syrus danced around the demon for a little bit but then moved in close behind the demon, and then Eva gave the order.

[Fire, please.] (Eva)

[Got it.] (Syrus)

Syrus whacked the demon’s back with the shield, cracking the practically glued-on rocks, and launched a wave of fire into the demon’s armour.

It laughed as it fell over and dispersed its armour.

Syrus had basically set herself up for that attack, but Eva didn’t argue. She had tried to figure out a way she could deal with the problem but wasn’t finding one in the timeframe. In the end, Syrus' actions were for the best, and Eva adjusted her thinking.

[Behind, target six, unprotected.] (Syrus)

Without even turning around, both metal wires stabbed behind her, and the large goat demon hunched down as the wire stabbed his unprotected chest.

[Syrus.] (Eva)

[On it.] (Syrus)

They spun around, and Syrus kicked the demon clean in the head, knocking it to the ground.

[Ouch…] (Eva)

[Our toe isn’t broken. It's fine.] (Syrus)

With that foe's defeat, they moved towards the centre. Another bit of advice they received was not to stick to the edges unless you are fighting someone there, and they weren’t willing to risk finding out if that was merely a cultural suggestion or advice about some sort of danger.

Eva continued her slow advance towards the centre. She didn’t wish to become the majority’s primary target. Their sword and shield already began to feel heavy, a sign that their body were still feeling the physical burdens. While Syrus wished she could have her custom longsword here for this, the weight of that thing would’ve been too much to wield, let alone carry all the way here.

Still, despite the struggle, Eva continued to do alright. Her metal wires were the most mana cost-effective method of attack they had, and she was using them precisely, as the restriction of this ability lay more with user’s mana control than output. Syrus provided minor support, not by saying how Eva should attack but by telling her what parts of a demon’s physiology they entered combat with seemed vulnerable and left the rest to Eva’s decision.

The attacks kept coming, but Eva continued with her fight. She even managed to slam her shield into a demon’s face without Syrus’ help.

[Ergh…] (Eva)

[Okay, Eva? You can take a step back.] (Syrus)

[No… It's fine.] (Eva)

The metal wires curled and spun around Anlesa, cutting into the demons that tried to jump from behind.

This was the first fight they were allowed to be comfortable in; there was no threat to anyone else’s safety or their own, but it was still a challenge for them.

That was partly due to their physical condition limiting how they could fight, but the demons were still tough opponents.

Still, this ended up being an important opportunity for growth for Eva. The limitation left her abilities to be the main ones that could be used, and she finally had an environment where she felt comfortable experimenting with the effectiveness of her abilities.

One of the demons laughed. A large Mealraioc demon with a humanoid form with dark reddish skin, horns poking out from all over the body, and a large furry back. He gripped the wire, and it dug deep into his hand, but he tugged, trying to pull Anlesa over. He had already sustained injuries, so none of them were worried.

[Just getting a lot of stress out of the system.] (Eva)

[I think something more than just stress is flowing out.] Syrus let out a small chuckle. She could feel the adrenaline pumping in her body from Eva’s actions.

Eva’s wire loosened completely, and the bracelet clicked off her wrist.

The demon yanked the wire harder, but the only thing that happened was a bangle flying towards its head.

“Huh?”

[Fire please.] (Eva)

Eva dipped towards the demon, slicing at the demon from behind with her wires that acted more like snakes striking their prey than any piece of metal.

Eva stretched out their hand, and a small, weak burst flew out in the demon’s face.

“Argh!” He rolled back, letting go of the wire, and Eva quickly picked it up and equipped it on her wrist.

Syrus followed up with a well-placed kick to the lower body, which sent him right into the edge of the crater.

Eva took a quick glimpse of their surroundings; the large demon in the centre still had multiple demons attacking him, but he was fighting back, no problem, and many other scuffles of demons were fighting all over the place. There were none immediately next to her, as some of the others she had cut earlier had immediately started fighting each other. As they fought, the one who grabbed the wire had the best shot at one versus one, so they decided to have a go at defeating the others who were around them. None of them were aware that Anlesa’s conflict had been completed so fast.

While there was a moment, Eva asked, [Syrus, did you always enjoy fighting?]

[Weird thing to ask right now, but perhaps not immediately. Originally, it was just a way to defend myself, but quickly, once I knew what I was doing, I began to like it.] Syrus answered. [But you know me, I like to move, and fighting is what I stuck to. Maybe if sports were more of a thing, or if monsters didn’t attack my old country so often, maybe I could have done something different. Why do you ask?]

[...I think… I am having fun.] Said Eva. They could feel that Eva was feeling a little bit guilty about it. Eva herself didn’t know exactly what part of this she was finding enjoyment in, but she knew she was having fun right now.

[Nothing to be ashamed about.] Syrus was the first to speak. [Everyone likes winning, people like improving, and we all like doing what we are good at. Not to mention, this is the first time you have felt any joy about this sort of situation, which is the only time when there were no stakes or lives at risk. You are better than I in that way, if you are worried about the behaviour.]

[I don’t share the enjoyment of the process itself, but I understand the fun of wanting to win. So Lilly, go and try and do it. We have already thrown our hat into the ring, so there is no leaving until it is done.] (Luna)

A smile crept onto Anlesa’s face as they slowly walked towards the centre.

There, the demon who nearly appeared to be made of marble stood, unmoved from the centre crater since the start. Floating metres above him was the large red crystal that was the centrepiece of the arena.

[Feeling the energy it emits up close… It sure is something powerful.] (Luna)

[Would be a funny show if the church ever figured out what the demons held.] (Syrus)

[It wouldn’t be funny in the slightest.] (Luna)

Eva, completely ignoring their conversation, mumbled. [I can feel our body being energised just being near it… the pain is being numbed as well… fascinating. The question is how it works…]

[Earth to Eva, fight priority one; we are right next to the big guy after all.] (Syrus)

[Oh, right, sorry about that.] (Eva)

There were still tens of metres of space between them, but for everyone involved, they were close enough.

“Hello, child of the humans, the Untres that has been welcomed into our home today.” The demon tossed a demon that had jumped at him away and kicked another whose body had been lying on the ground in front of him away.

They weren't the only two combatants left, but the other demons, once seeing the conversation start, didn’t interrupt the impending fight; this would be the first time in ages that a human had challenged an elder in their festival.

“Untres? No idea what that means, but it is the simplest demon-created term I have heard so far.” Said Syrus.

“Hmm, fair question.” The man twirled his beard. “Untrammelled, untruthful, or untrained—that is how demons see the majority of humans. Weak little men that even when they fight for their lives, amount to nothing.”

Syrus replied, “I think you added a bit of your own bias in as well.”

The man didn’t deny it and laughed. “Haha! Perhaps I did.”

He looked up and down at Anlesa with a curious expression. “I was curious if you held any demon blood within you, but seeing you now, you clearly don’t.”

[People actually have children with demons…] Luna was deeply concerned.

[That’s possible!] Eva was surprised and curious about how such a thing could happen.

[I can see that happening.] Syrus could picture such events playing out very easily.

“I’m not surprised that it can be detected, but I am surprised that it can just be done with a glance over. Looking for a physical trait that made me a little demony?”

“Ha, that can be a way, yes, but it can be so tricky with all you humans playing demon lookalikes with the more fun attributes.”

[Of course Demons call exotic attributes the fun ones.] (Luna)

[I mean, it makes sense. Demons can probably get them as well, the effect could vary in how it applies to them than humans, but they would certainly be classified in the realm of something that demons would find fun to use.] (Eva)

“I see, well, I hope you haven't got your horn twisted with my participation.”

“No, I do enjoy beating down any newcomers who think their strength has reached the realm of adults.” He paused for a moment, “I am surprised you decided to participate. When we heard you brought children, I first thought you took Velelenra’s offer as a simple vacation. Then, based on the injuries everyone had received, my mind shifted that you were simply using the opportunity to lie low.”

“And now I am just using your free healing as an opportunity as well?”

“Ha, perhaps, but you need a demon’s level of insanity to think the best way to get healed up is to be beaten up. If that is truly the reason, then you are more than welcome on the battlefield today.”

“Well, Alraius, you can thank Velelenra for the invitation.”

Syrus flung their sword towards Alraius' chest.

“No hesitation–” The man laughed.

Anlesa couldn’t even register what happened. For a moment, he was standing at a completely different angle, and the sword simply passed his side. Then, in another blink or you would miss it moment, he was back in the original standing position.

“–But it won’t be that simple.”