Oni! Demon Lord

Rain poured from the dark sky as lighting rumbled in the distance.

A group of 12 dirty-looking armed men approached the village gates, knocking twice with a heavy pounding. The elderly gatekeeper stumbled carrying keys, opening the viewing slide, and seeing the men wearing the Franzia Kingdoms insignia, instantly let them in.

He didn want to upset the countrys knights; being a small gatekeeper in a small border village, he worried because his children were now old enough to be conscripted into the army.

With a reluctant smile, he fumbled with the keys to open the gate.

Click!

Once the man settled the doors lock, the men laughed and smiled at each other. The poor gatekeeper didn notice as a spear flashed through the slide piercing his head and dying instantly.

Silently the men were able to infiltrate the small village. Its guards were merely ageing militia as most young men had left to become knights, soldiers or dungeon explorers.

The group of dirty-looking men approached several houses west of the village. Behind them were several dead men with their throats slit, unable even to call out the names of their loved ones one last time.

What happened next was a scene only described as hell on Altera. The small village of Celom is now filled with corpses of the poor males who tried to fight back and the ugly older women.

Screams could be heard from the tiny house away from the main village. A young boy awoke from his sleep curious at the sounds of wailing and begging so loud he could hear them from several hundred metres away.

A rugged hand filled with scars and hard skin stroked his broken horn, brushing his black hair backwards.

”Don worry, Asmodea. Ill go check out whats going on. ”

”No matter what, you stay inside your secret room till Im back, okay? ”

”But why dad? Is there something bad happening!? What about Lumia! ” The milky voice rang, leading the handsome middle-aged man to frown before giving the small pale boy a tight hug to reassure him.

”Ill make sure shes safe. Don worry, listen to my words! ”

After hearing his fathers stern words, Asmodea nodded before walking quickly towards the corner of the room. A rune flashed. It was demonic language for My dear son. As a trapdoor opened, revealing a small room with a cool temperature. After the boy entered the room, the trapdoor sealed and disappeared completely.

”Im sorry, Asmodea… I hope you can forgive this old man you graced calling me father. ”

With a serious face, the man with a sizeable greying beard and grey eyes leaving the house, his mana-infused eyes could see the horrific scenes in the village, young maidens lay covered in white fluids, and several headless males knelt as if theyd watched the scenes.

Kent recognised them all, David the butcher and his wife kelly, Marianne and her lover Harris. Despite his heavily scarred body and carrying a demon child, they had accepted Kent, the former adventurer.

He felt remorse. The house away from the village delayed his ability to sense the tragedy. Kent drew his sword, taking slow, heavy steps whilst the tears forming within his eyes evaporated from the extreme heat produced by his body in rage.

”You chased me this far, Harris Beltova? I had already given you the throne, dearest brother! ”

These dirty-looking men were neither bandits nor knights of Franzia. They were the Dark Paladins of Beltova, who worked directly for the Beltovian Royal family committing their darkest deeds, from assassination to espionage.

”Hah! ”

His face becoming fierce, Kent forced his tired body, already crumbling from the pressure of mana with his damaged core. Kent flew towards a paladin, his sword pierced directly through his throat, gurgling with blood oozing down his chest.

Several paladins saw this, throwing aside the violated women, quickly stuffing themselves back inside and charging toward kent with a flurry of sword swings.

Clang!

Kent could evade one blade with an upwards stroke, dodging to the left to avoid anothers stab. However, his waist was slashed by the third paladins dagger, causing him to step back several steps holding his palm towards the Paladins as burning flames shot forwards, melting their flesh and bones until nothing remained.

”Hah… hah.. hah… ”

Now only 8 Paladins remained. Their leader just stood wearing a thick black armour watching Kents desperate battle, lifting his foot and crushing a persons head underneath, killing her as his eyes met with Kent.

”Marrisa! Noooo! ”

Kent lost himself in rage, ignoring the cracks that formed on his body. As a former S class Knight, hed learned to ignore and limit pain. Mana filled his feet with a flash of green light, his speed now several times greater as he carved two more paladins into half, their screams music to his ears.

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”Go, dad, go! ” Asmodea screamed whilst sitting inside the basement space.

Unknown to Kent, Asmodea could use scouting techniques by mimicking his fathers words and actions. In front of him was a small screen that displayed his fathers fight vividly.

”No, dad! watch out!! ”

______________

Woosh!

A large golden spear pierced through Kents thighs, leaving him half kneeling. He felt as if his son was calling out to him desperately, which made him smile despite the horrific situation.

”Ah, Asmodea, finding you was my greatest joy. My son, I fight for you! ”

Kent gained a second wind, the hole in his leg sealed superficially once again, holding his sword across his chest as his body began to glow.

”My body for Centura, My spirit for Anturios and my Life for Asmodea! ”

With his final mana, a brilliant white light surrounded the encompassing area. When the leader realised the phenomenon, he desperately tried to flee, but it was too late.

”Divine Judgement! ”

Boom!

The entire area exploded with holy mana, and the paladins who were about to pierce through Kent instantly vapourised, returning to the world as sacred mana. The leaders eyes filled with remorse and regret reached towards the