The Damned Demon
chapter-689

The traces of her energy, which had been clear up until now, suddenly vanished. Arthur frowned, looking down at the streets below. His gaze settled on a large public library building. The trail of disturbance had ended there.

He shot down toward the building, landing in front of the entrance with a determined expression. She's in there. But why?

His radiant aura rippled through the air, startling the people around him. The sheer power he exuded left them startled and wide-eyed, and when they recognized him, gasps filled the air.

"Is that… Star Prince?" someone whispered in awe, while others fumbled with their phones and devices, quickly snapping pictures of the famed S Ranker.

Arthur glanced at the crowd, his concerned gaze silencing the scattered murmurings, "Please, get away from this place," he said in a gentle yet firm tone, his voice carrying over the noise. "The Thundering Reaper is somewhere around here."

The words hit the crowd like a hammer. Their awe and excitement turned to terror, eyes widening in horror. Whispers spread like wildfire—the Thundering Reaper was in their midst, a killer feared for her swiftness and brutality. Just as they were wondering when the Thundering Reaper would strike again after not being spotted for a while, that demoness surfaced!

Panic set in as people scrambled to flee, hurrying toward the safety of their homes, desperate to escape before the demoness could reap their lives before they could blink.

Arthur didn't waste another second. He rushed inside the library, the tall glass doors sliding open as he burst through. Spotting a security guard at the entrance, he quickly approached, "Sound the alarms and lock down the entire building immediately please," he commanded, his tone leaving no room for hesitation.

The guard's eyes widened in shock but nodded quickly, recognizing the urgency and the authority of an S Ranker like Star Prince, "Right away, sir!" He rushed to the nearest panel, activating the alarm system, the blaring sirens echoing throughout the building.

Arthur could still feel the dark energy thick in the air, lingering like a ghostly presence. 'The Thundering Reaper is still here', he thought, his brows furrowing. She had likely taken a disguise, blending in with the people to slip away unnoticed. That must be how other Hunters were never able to hunt her down. She must have some special method to disguise herself as a human to slip away. But he wasn't about to let that happen.

The guards, seeing a S Ranker like Arthur in action, knew better than to question him. They mobilized quickly, securing the exits and guiding the growing crowd of panicked civilians toward safety.

"Please, don't panic," Arthur called out loudly, his voice commanding and calm, "Leave the building in an orderly fashion."

The frightened people moved with a little more control, though their faces were etched with fear.

Arthur kept a vigilant eye on the flow of people, scanning every face, every movement. He was well aware that the Reaper could hold people hostage once the alarms were triggered, but the alternative—letting her hide in a crowded space—was too dangerous. He needed to get everyone out, and fast.

As the crowd continued to move, the disturbance Arthur had sensed earlier seemed to suddenly dissipate. His frown deepened. She couldn't have escaped. Not without using her power. And if she did, he would've felt it.

His senses sharpened, focusing on every detail, scanning each person carefully. He scrutinized every face, searching for any sign of deception, any flicker of darkness that would betray the Thundering Reaper.

And then, just as the last group of civilians began to leave, his eyes widened in surprise. Among the sea of anxious faces, he spotted someone familiar—someone who he never expected to be here.

A young woman in a wheelchair wheeled herself forward, her face filled with anxious confusion, keeping close behind the other civilians. Her dark hair fell over her shoulders, and her dark gray eyes darted nervously, clearly unsettled by the alarms. "Anna?" Arthur mumbled in disbelief. What is she doing here? Wasn't she supposed to be working at the orphanage at this time?

Anna rolled forward, her movements slow and measured as she neared the exit. When her eyes finally found him, her brows raised in surprise, her gaze meeting his with a mix of worry and confusion. She seemed as taken aback as he was, her lips parting slightly as if to ask what was going on.

Arthur held her gaze for a brief second, gesturing subtly with his eyes, signaling that they would talk once he was done handling the situation. He felt a wave of relief wash over him—nothing had happened to her. She was safe.

Arthur exhaled deeply as the final group of civilians evacuated the library. The building was now completely empty, save for himself. He flew through the eerily quiet halls, making sure every corner was clear, and scanning the shadows for any sign of the Thundering Reaper.

Nothing.

His fists clenched at his sides, disappointment coursing through him. Once again, she had slipped away—right before his eyes. This was the second time he'd encountered the Thundering Reaper, and each time, she had managed to escape. 'If only I were stronger…' The thought gnawed at him, fueling the frustration in his chest. Still, there was some comfort. This time, he had come close, much closer than before. A part of him couldn't help but think of Ash—how his training had pushed him to new limits. Without Ash's help, he wouldn't have even gotten this far.

But that comfort was short-lived as his thoughts shifted to Anna. She had looked so startled and worried when she saw him at the library, and he knew he needed to make sure she was okay. Without wasting another moment, Arthur took off into the sky, the familiar rush of wind filling his ears as he sped toward Anna's home, where he had asked her to wait.

—

Meanwhile, not too long ago, Asher watched Arthur disappear into the sky, heading off in pursuit of the Thundering Reaper. His gaze remained fixed on the horizon for a moment before he reached up to his earpiece, attempting to contact Rebecca.

"Rebecca, respond," he said, his voice tense.

Silence.

Asher frowned. 'She wouldn't dare ignore me unless…' His stomach sank as he realized the only explanation. Something had gone wrong. Without hesitation, his entire body ignited in dark green flames, vaporizing his skin and flesh in seconds until only his blazing bones remained. Wyvern-like bony wings spread out from his back, the fire roaring as he ascended into the sky.

He tore across the desert at incredible speed, a trail of green fire streaking behind him as the landscape blurred below. When he arrived at the scene, his eyes narrowed in surprise.

Rebecca was collapsed on the sand, bleeding and barely conscious.

Asher quickly descended, his bones crunching against the cracked earth as he approached her. He scanned the area, noting the energy signatures lingering in the air—Arthur had chased someone away.

Kneeling beside Rebecca, Asher placed a hand over her chest, feeling the faint but steady pulse of her heart. Relief washed over him. Her avatar was severely injured, but her core was still intact. It would be such a waste to lose this body, he thought grimly.

But then, something caught his attention—an unmistakable trace of lightning energy. His eyes narrowed. The Thundering Reaper.

"Hey. Wake up and tell me what happened," Asher ordered, his voice cold as he slapped Rebecca's face with a sharp crack.

Rebecca's eyes snapped open, a pained cry escaping her lips as she coughed up blood, "Ah! Which ba—" Her words froze in her throat as her gaze met Asher's.

Her expression immediately shifted from anger to fear, her body trembling slightly. She clutched her chest, her face a mask of pain, "M-Master, I think I'm going to die…"

Asher scoffed, rolling his eyes at her theatrics, "You're seriously saying that in your human avatar? Now quickly tell me what happened, or I'll leave you here to rot in this human body."

Rebecca winced, biting back her pain as she sat up with an aggrieved look, wondering how he could still be this cruel when she got this injured for him. She clicked her tongue in frustration and took a deep breath to gather some strength before speaking, "Fine. It was that Unseen bitch. She showed no hesitation at all in attacking me, even knowing that you or others might show up. She wanted to take me alive."

Asher's frown deepened, "But why was she here? In the middle of nowhere? She wasn't following you."

Rebecca's lips curled in disgust as she scoffed, her dark red eyes flashing with venom, "Now I'm sure she was following that starry-eyed human fool. But what baffles me is why she was so afraid of facing him. She had no qualms about taking me on, yet the moment he showed up, she ignored me and ran."

"Arthur?" Asher's mind raced, piecing together the strange puzzle, "That's strange indeed… Why did she run away from him? Someone like her could easily incapacitate him. She could have neutralized him and left without breaking a sweat even if Derek had ordered her to not kill him."

Rebecca nodded, her face twisted with bitterness, "Exactly. I could feel it. She had no fear of me. But the moment he arrived, she fled. Like she was… scared of him. But it can't be just that."

Asher remained silent for a moment, his gaze hardening. Something isn't adding up. He knew the Thundering Reaper—was cautious, but scared of Arthur? That didn't fit. Not unless there was something he was missing here. Even Rebecca felt that.

Asher's eyes burned with quiet intensity, "There's more to this," he muttered, his voice low. "And I'm going to find out what."