The Damned Demon

534  A Unsettling Threat To The World

The world was in a state of shock and terror as news channels and social media platforms were flooded with the harrowing scenes from the Black Knights Guild headquarters. The grim footage from the enhanced CCTV cameras showed the terrifying demon Hellbringer, a name synonymous with dread and destruction, torturing and letting his eerie flames envelop the guildmaster, Ray Foxx, reducing him to ashes. This startling violence shook the global community, highlighting a catastrophic lapse in the workings of the divine system.

But what terrified and shocked the people the most was that Hellbringer arrived with no warning which usually came in the form of a quest. A potential Doomsday threat like him indeed would trigger a very dangerous quest that would alert the entire world, especially the WHA, and allow them to take the necessary actions to deal with him.

Such threats were very rare, but the WHA always responded swiftly to deal with such threats.

However, no such warnings were issued, a fact that left the public both terrified and perplexed. How could such a powerful demon infiltrate and attack without any prior indication? The incident not only exposed unexpected vulnerabilities but also ignited fears of future unheralded attacks.

Compounding the horror, reports emerged that Hellbringer's accomplice was a peak Soul Devourer demoness who easily trapped the new Hunter team, including the emerging star of the Evangelion Family, Arthur Evangelion, and took his team members hostage as a means to escape.

With admiration and respect, they named him Star Prince for being as bright and powerful as a star, and yet not even he could stop them.

The demonic pair's ability to execute a surprise assault without detection suggested terrifying implications for the safety of the world.

What if they do this again? What if more demons were capable of doing this? What if the demons found some loophole, and every demon abused it to destroy this world?

In the aftermath, frightened citizens turned to prayer, seeking divine intervention from the angels to prevent such incidents from ever recurring. Mass prayers were organized, with people pleading for protection against such powerful and unpredictable threats.

Since the angels gave them these quests and even warned about dangerous threats through these quests, they can't think of any other way to seek help.

However, as the immediate shock subsided and leader figures were busy calming the people, some of them started being curious. Why had Hellbringer targeted the Black Knights Guild specifically? Why had the attack been so precise, so focused solely on the guildmaster? Demons of his caliber typically wrought widespread havoc and wouldn't leave without causing a carnage and taking as many lives as possible. He didn't even plunder for any resources or took anyone hostage.

Just as they were wondering about this, an unexpected leak of classified documents and video footage from the guild itself hit the media. The contents were damning, revealing a slew of nefarious activities orchestrated under Ray Foxx's leadership. The public was appalled by the depth and breadth of corruption and exploitation laid bare in these documents, tarnishing the guild's once-respected image.

Scenes aired showing Ray Foxx in compromising positions, misusing his authority for personal gain, alongside evidence of the guild's involvement in illegal activities. These revelations shifted public sentiment dramatically, from fear of the demon to outrage at the guild's misconduct.

As the scandal erupted, the higher echelons of the guild scrambled to identify the whistleblower, their efforts fruitless amidst the growing chaos. The WHA, quick to act, shut down the Black Knights Guild, citing the egregious violations, and began efforts to rectify the damage done, offering reparations to those affected.

This sequence of events left the global community in a whirlwind of fear, betrayal, and a desperate quest for answers, wondering if the very institutions designed to protect them were instead a source of deeper threats since this wasn't the first time.

Over the past few years few guilds were brought down, though they weren't that famous and the media for some reason even forgot about it within hours.

However, whenever each of those guilds were brought down, it was followed by damning evidence of illegal and sinister activities the guilds were involved in.

And every single time, the Coven of the Damned was involved and was led by the infamous Huntress.

It was as if they were specifically targeting corrupted guilds and they also didn't spare cults that indulged in such activities or worse. It was as if they were trying to cleanse the world of such filthy organizations.

And this time the pattern was the same but there was no sign of the Huntress. Instead, the attack was carried out by two powerful demons. However, the CCTV clip showed a large, dark green blazing figure of a skull etched on the floor.

It was the signature of the Coven of the Damned, which was left behind every time they struck.

What if one of these demons was the founder of the Coven of the Damned and made an appearance to make a dramatic entrance and announce themselves to the world?

However, why would a ruthless demon like Hellbringer care about making the human world a better place or any other demon?

Some suggest that Hellbringer was having sadistic fun and that the leaked documents and clips had nothing to do with him or his cult but a disgrunted guildmember taking advantage of the chaos.

Lots of theories were circulating as conspiracists wracked their heads to make sense of these patterns.

In the meantime, the sprawling headquarters of the once-esteemed Black Knights guild had transformed into a scene reminiscent of a high-security battleground. The area was barricaded extensively, a full kilometer in every direction, with local police and WHA special forces blanketing the perimeter. The team, comprised of specialists in various fields, moved methodically through the building to investigate the incident.

Inside the lobby, where the devastating attack by Hellbringer took place, Arthur sat isolated on a chair, his posture one of dejection.

His head was bowed, eyes clouded with a tumult of guilt, regret, and disappointment. While Amelia, Emiko, and Yui had been rushed to hospitals to ensure no traces of demonic mana lingered in their systems, Arthur remained. He felt anchored to the site of the calamity, burdened by a profound sense of responsibility and a punishing self-reproach.

"There he is! The Star Prince in the flesh," a voice rang out, slicing through the heavy air with its scornful tone.

Arthur's gaze lifted slowly, tracing the source of the voice to Lenny, who approached with a condescending smile plastered across his face, "What are you still doing here, kid? Haven't you helped here enough? You should go home now and let us adults clean up the mess here," Lenny remarked, his voice dripping with disdain while wondering what Ray told Hellbringer since they seemed to have some kind of discussion before he got burned to ashes.

If only this Evangelion fucker did his fucking job, then he wouldn't have to go through all this mess.

Arthur felt a sharp sting in his chest at the words but felt as if he deserved it. The murmurs and sideways glances from the surrounding personnel only intensified the discomfort.

"Who said he isn't an adult?" The new voice commanded immediate attention.

All heads turned as Derek, the president himself, entered the building, his presence underscored by the entry of the intimidating Vanguard Corps who swiftly dispersed around the room, their disciplined movements silencing the murmurs.

Lenny's smug expression faltered, his bravado dissolving under Derek's imposing gaze. The entire room seemed to hold its breath as Derek strode forward, the weight of his authority making everyone salute to him.

Arthur, alongside Lenny, stood and saluted, "Sir!" he said, his voice steady despite the turmoil within. Meeting the president's eyes felt like an insurmountable task, the guilt gnawing at him deepening with the proximity of the president.

"At ease," Derek commanded softly, his eyes sweeping over the ashen remnants of the lobby. His gaze lingered on the exact spot where the figure of the skull was etched onto the floor.

"So all this time... it was Hellbringer?" Derek mused aloud, his expression twisting into a frown.

Lenny exhaled a frustrated sigh, his voice tinged with disbelief, "I can't believe it. The Coven of the Damned's master is Hellbringer? Then what about that vampire who accompanied him?"

Arthur, grappling with the shock and implications, remained silent, his mind racing. The realization that such a powerful demon was behind all these attacks was daunting.

"A senior demoness from House Thorne," Derek contributed, his voice steady despite the gravity of the situation, "Only they would have a powerhouse that has such a similar aura and great control over ice and blood magic."

"What the fuck? When did those senior demons start risking their long lives and the power they accumulated by coming to our world in person?" Lenny asked with a baffled look.

"The question we should be concerned about more is how did they find a way to wander around in our world? Obviously, this attack wasn't part of a quest," he said, shaking his head slightly, his expression grim.

Lenny scoffed, his frustration palpable, "Looks like those fucking demons have certain tricks up their sleeves which we had no idea about," he said, his gaze drifting toward Arthur with a mix of scorn and challenge, "But I genuinely thought our Star Prince here could have taken down Hellbringer or at least saved the poor guild master."

Arthur's eyes lowered, weighed down by guilt and responsibility, "I am sorry. I disappointed you all and failed my—" n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

"That's nonsense," Derek cut him off sharply, his gaze stern as he stared at Lenny, signaling him to back off. Lenny, his face clouding with indignation, gritted his teeth and walked away.

Derek then turned to Arthur, his voice softening, "Don't take what he said to heart. Not only you, but none of us had any idea that Hellbringer was the demon behind the Coven of the Damned. If we knew, obviously we would have prepared more, including you."

"But I still failed to save the guild master, nor could I stop those demons. I feel like I keep letting everyone down ever since I officially became a Hunter," Arthur admitted, his voice low, his gaze fixed on the ground.

"You shouldn't focus only on the bad things. Look at the bright side. You saved your team and acted calmly despite Amelia getting taken hostage. If you had made a wrong move or acted in haste, Amelia or everyone could have died," Derek counseled, his tone comforting and encouraging.

Arthur looked up, a faint smile touching his lips as relief washed over him, "Thank you, sir."

"Just call me Uncle Derek like before whenever we are among ourselves. You don't have to make me feel like a stranger just because you are officially a Hunter now. You are like family to me before anything, Arthur. Don't forget that," Derek said, his smile warm and reassuring.

Arthur felt a renewed sense of strength and belonging. He nodded, his smile broadening, "I know. Thank you, Uncle Derek." "But…Where is your Combat Advisor?" Derek asked, his tone pointed, his gaze searching Arthur's face for an explanation.

Where is he indeed... :#

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