An old man walks through the countryside. There is an old gnarled staff in his hands, but not a staff used for magic. Just a regular old stick. His clothes were old and frayed. The gray color of his clothes matched his ragged hair. Yet in contrast to his unkempt look, his face was clean shaven. But this only showed how old he really was.

This old man walked slowly but purposefully. His eyes were not dimmed with age. He knew not where he was going, but knew that he was going somewhere. When he reached that somewhere it ended up being Longdale.

Through some mystery, this old man walked passed the gate guards without them even noticing. Yet his pace never quickened or slowed. People saw him, yet didn’t notice him. A person might bump into him, yet quickly forgot.

This person was not strong but looked very weak.

***

Jude stayed in the shadows and waited for the to leave before following them. Once they were far enough away, he easily wiped them out. He didn’t want them doubling back when he was in the middle of fighting Abaud and the Bandit.

Before heading back, he decided to take a quick look at this new entry that somehow came into Murl’s Journal. He pulled out the journal he had gotten inside of the Grimwar Caves from his . Before he had assumed it was just a normal paper journal, but there had to be something more to it. He opened up to examine the journal itself.

Jude was surprised at what he saw. The books he had seen before with were quite simple, but this book was densely packed with magical lines. was meant for the environment and he always had a hard time inspecting objects with it, especially complicated ones. But then again that was what the Rank III skill of was for. Jude hadn’t used it much and it was only at Rank I. But he gave it a try anyway.

was similar to and combined. The focus was only on the specific object, everything else disappeared. The only light in existence now was the object he was inspecting. It was made up of neon lines like . Each one was arrayed in a circuit fashion much like . Jude even recognized a few inputs but made no attempts to experiment. This item was too precious and he didn’t want to inadvertently destroy it.

His true purpose for examining the journal was to find out if it was more than just paper and binder. Now that he confirmed that, he would examine it later when he was in a safe place. Instead, he opened the journal and read the new entry.

***

June 3rd, the 342nd year.

Demons, again I’ve meet their kind. If anyone finds this journal in the future, I hope you will take this information to heart. But if you do find this journal and there are demons where you live, that means they have come back.

Every place that I go, I destroy all traces of the demons. They infest an area and eventually will raise a Demon Lord. Their very presence corrupts the land; it changes in ways that I’ve yet to completely understand. But once a Demon Lord arrives, he will try to kill off all the populous. The more the Demon Lord conquers the more the corruption spreads.

But few seem to understand this, not until they see the blightlands that it eventually creates. Because of that, the local populations rarely do a full extermination. Only when a Demon Lord rises up will they fight back in full force.

But from what I’ve discovered, demons are not a natural occurrence in any of the that I’ve been too. In fact, they are one of the reasons that I’ve set out to different . To not only find them, but to find the ones infesting them.

I’m starting to guess that the whole reason for the infestation though is the conflict itself rather than just the corruption.

After all, when a Demon Lord rises, the locals will usually summon a hero. I was surprised to find out the first time I meet one of these Hero’s that they actually originate from my own universe, my own Earth. These summoned heroes’ get a title that allows them to advance quickly and become very powerful. The ones I’ve meet are people who fantasize about a world like this and quickly accept it. After defeating the Demon Lord, they will settle down and usually marry and live out their lives.

But this is what unsettles me. I’m starting to believe that the ones who created the demons are the ones who want the summoned heroes here!

Jude, if by some chance, that you’ve gotten this Journal before I’ve found you, it means I’m probably dead. So please be wary of the demons and do not let locals summon a hero. It’s what they want! Hopefully, you will still have time. It usually takes a kingdom or two to be destroyed before they are willing to summon a hero.

***

“So this journal entry was triggered by the ,” Jude guessed. “But Murl are you truly dead? And how far did you travel? How far did you go? You were a true friend to have searched for so long.”

Jude felt sadden. He didn’t know if Murl was truly dead. But considering the age of the journal when he found it, it was most likely the case. He already knew that Murl lived a life far longer than a natural human.

Grief turned to anger and anger to hate. Jude now had more than one or two reasons to hate the . He would take up his friend’s mantle and exterminate these vile creatures. Murl had most likely exterminated the demons here in the past, which means the one he had been chasing was also here. After all, who else could create demons than the one that Murl was after?

Perhaps Abaud would know a thing or two about this.

Jude took a moment to setup a before heading towards the area where Abaud was at.

Casually, Jude walked forward. But behind his eyes and relaxed demeanor was a burning fire.

The Bandit was the first to notice and he shot to his feet, “Who are you and how did you get here?”

Jude ignored him, “Abaud, we never had a proper introduction. But you seem to be doing well for yourself considering your crimes.”

Abaud sneered, “And what crimes are those Jude? I was in the right for every action that I took.”

“Really?” Jude asked. “So hunting me and Ellie down was right? Then going on a smear campaign against us was also a good thing? And if that had all worked, I guess you would have what? Killed us?”

“Ha ha,” Abaud laughed, “No, we would have tortured you first!”

“Ah, I guess for a that really is the right thing.”

“Oh, so you know about that already? That’s a shame, I really wanted to see the look on your face the first time you saw my grandeur!”

Abaud changed color and his muscles bulged. The hair on his head fell away and horns sprouted out. The muscles rippled across his bare chest in perfect symmetry and definition.

Abaud smiled, “Can’t you see the perfectness of my new body? My true body?”

“All I see is corruption and death,” Jude shook his head. “It’s the ugliness of your desires manifested.”

“Enough,” Abaud frowned, “The charade is now over and I will kill you with my own hands. Then you will see just how powerful I am now. No one can contend against me!”

“Then come!” Jude beckoned.

The Bandit sat down as if to enjoy a good show, while Abaud aggressively walked forward.

Jude merely smiled as he waved his hand. His eight spectral swords shot out clashing against the that was Abaud.

Abaud did nothing to defend and the swords hit him leaving little to no damage!

“There is nothing you can do but die!” Abaud said as he picked up a spear stuck into the ground.

Jude continued to use his spectral Swords to attack and at the same time readied his own sword to defend.

Abaud wasted no time and activated his own spear skill . He came at Jude in a flash of light, an unavoidable direct hit against Jude.

BAM!

The spear struck Jude’s !

“Too weak!” Jude jested.

Spears now flashed forward as they impacted Jude’s sword and magic shield. The demon wasn’t only quick, but he was strong too. Jude was having a problem keeping up with the speed and every time the spear clashed his sword his hand would feel numb and every time the spear hit his magical shield he would be pushed back.

“Am I still too weak?!” laughed Abaud

“We’ve just started,” said Jude.

Now his spectral swords also entered the fight. Jude’s skill with the swords was at Rank V, his spectral swords couldn’t exhibit all that skill, but there were eight of them and it made up for the lack.

Abaud and Jude continued to exchange blows. But now that the spectral weapons were in play he was no longer at a disadvantage. Jude could now intercept each and every blow. He was now landing strikes down on Abaud’s hardened skin.

Small cuts were beginning to appear and Abaud was gradually growing more frustrated. Jude using his numbers to great advantage. He was making sure that multiple swords would strike the same spots in quick succession. This was allowing him to slowing break through the tough defense of the demon before him.

“Inconceivable! How can you injure me when I’m twice your level?!” Abaud roared. “Enough of this, I will just have to use the power of demons to subdue you!”

Abaud jumped back and roared again creating a shockwave. The shockwave blasted back Jude's spectral swords and even pushed him back a few steps.

Then dark energy and black mist started seeping from Abaud. If Abaud was going to unleash some sort of ultimate attack, then Jude would as well.

“!” Before coming, Jude had used to connect two skills. Those two skills were both from , and !

Three magic missiles shot out from Jude and hovered over his head. The tips of each missile then flared as beams of power shot out from each missile! Using the combination effect of the missiles beams converged before shooting forth towards Abaud!

At the same time, Abaud was gathering his strange mist that crackled with dark energy like lightning. The mist congealed and formed a large head the size of Abaud himself. It was a head like that of a dragon with a massive maw and piercing eyes of dark energy.

The converged beam shot forward as the dark energy dragon head launched towards Jude!

The dragon head opened its mouth and out of the mouth burst forth more black mist infused with dark energy like fire! A black fire of corruption!

This black fire hit the energy beam first. The black fire tried to push back the energy beam by corrupting it into nothingness, but the beam was being constantly powered by Jude with pure energy. This caused the black fire to slowly disintegrate as the beam pushed forward. At this time Jude added in the attack of his spectral Swords.

The spectral swords came down on the head of the dragon. But this dragon head made of black mist and dark energy was definitely dangerous. Even without using he could tell that it would thoroughly corrupt anything it touched. It had almost succeeded in corrupting Jude’s own attack!

The spectral weapons came down and Abaud could do nothing to stop them. In fact, he even smiled at their dissent!

The swords landed on the head and the corruption power of the dragon destroyed the swords almost instantly. But Jude also noticed that the overall power of the dragon fell with his attack. It wasn’t much, but it was something. This was a desperate attack by a weakened Abaud who had already tired himself out doing whatever he had done to those slaves.

“!” Jude summoned a new set of spectral swords and sent them flying towards the dragon head. Again they were destroyed, but Jude kept up the attack. Summoning more and more swords.

Jude’s converged beam was also making progress against the black flame that continuously spewed forth from the mouth of the dragon head. But as the beam was entering the mouth of the dragon, when it looked like the dragon was about to be defeated, the dragon bit down!

“Explode!” Abaud shouted in distress!

The dragon head then ignited its own energy creating a blast of dark corruption!

The blast blew apart Jude’s swords and his spell.

The energy of the blast wave corrupted everything. Jude’s also blasted apart, barely saving him. The slaves, those corrupted and those yet to be, all turned disfigured and black before exploding in black goo. The Bandit who had been watching the whole time had been blasted to the away hitting the wall behind him. His skin turned black as if burnt, but smelt pungent as if he was now deceased. Yet he was still alive.

Abaud collapsed, it had taken a lot out of him to summon the dragon head and it wasn’t something he could easily do even when he was at full strength. But exploding the head after weakened him even more! He shifted back into his human form as he had yet to fully integrate with his side. His human side was still the dominate one.

He tried to grab his spear and stand up, but the spear turned to ash.

Jude had been saved by his . But even he was weakened after this tough fight. Most of his mana had been expended by the combination. However, Jude would always have enough mana for one spell.

“,” Jude’s voice was raspy. The very air felt dirty.

This made him take a look at all that around him. It wasn’t only the carnage that caught his eye, but everything seemed to have changed after the explosion. The entire cave was pitch black and sizzling sounds could be heard as if acid was slowly eating away at all the rock. Light from torches was no longer visible, but random purple flames surrounded by black light illuminated the cavern. And just like in black light, Jude’s clothing lit up.

Jude didn’t dare move close to Abaud. Who knew what desperate measure he would use next.

“Who made you into a ?” he asked.

Abaud’s voice was even raspier than Jude’s but he laughed anyway, “As if I would tell you that.”

Jude had a spectral sword stab into Abaud's thigh, “You sure? I can make this painful or quick.”

Abaud merely grunted then smiled, “It’s not like I can’t tell you. It’s just that I don’t want to.”

A few more sword strikes and Jude was getting nowhere. Abaud wasn’t feeling any pain.

“Any last words?” Jude asked.

“Yeah,” Abaud’s said, “You will die. Guudnash will find you and he will flay you alive. I was weakened when we fought and you barely won, but Guudnash is even more powerful than me. And soon our lord will rise and he will wipe clean the land of your kind!”

The swords flashed at the end of his words.

Level UP! Wizard now level 23!

Inscription Magic Unlocked!

Title Gained: Demon Slayer!