REAPER SCANS
Surviving as a Broken Hero
[Author – Farlight]
[Proofreader – Harley]
Chapter 126 - Demons (1)
Our high spirits lasted for a couple of days until the Awakeners following us, most of whom were used to city living, began to grow tired of sleeping on hard ground and eating the long-lasting food we’d stuffed into our item bags.
“They’re a bit soft, huh?” Koise asked me during one of our evening rest stops.
We sat atop a small hill, looking out over the army behind us. The others—Rhil, Eve, Bernard, and Velle—were all nearby, each either lost in their own conversations or thoughts.
He extended his arm and half-waved out over the army before us. “All the enhanced stats, abilities, experiences fighting monsters, and dungeon dives, yet still we rely on the comfort of warm rooms and soft beds at the end of the day. I’m surprised that, out of 5,000 people, none have already left.”
“Yeah, well, who would pass out on a fortune for killing a few demons?” I asked. “It’s probably worth losing a few nights of restful sleep for them.”
“How much farther is it, Aizen?” he asked. “Any indication with that tracker in your head?”
“No.” I shook my head. “I just know we have to head deeper into the forest from here.”
Beyond the army of Awakeners lay the central forest of human territories—so thick with foliage and tree cover that the light only barely managed to trickle down to the forest floor.
Most of it was unexplored. Was that where the Demon King was hiding? In the center of human lands? It would make sense since humans had, from what I’d gathered, been hit the worst so far.
“And when we get there?” he asked. “We don’t exactly have an organized army. It’ll probably be a free-for-all when we start. It’s not like we’re leading a Roman legion, after all. You could say this is little better than a disorganized group of mercenaries.”
“We’ll let them fight and take out the Demon King before he can escape,” I answered, peering off into the looming trunks of the tree line.
* * *
Koise was right. At the entrance to the treeline, an argument broke out between groups of Awakeners unwilling to venture so far into unexplored territory, even at the possibility of the fortune waiting for them.
[Slots: 4,477/5,000]
Over 500 Awakeners left us, taking the days-long trip back to Londo over whatever lay ahead.
Stepping through that treeline was like stepping into another world—light faded into a dim twilight beneath the shade of the thick foliage, insects chirped in alarm all around us, and animals rustled through bushes, giving us a wide berth.
The trees themselves were each easily seven meters in diameter, reminding me of redwood trees from Earth with how they towered almost a hundred meters overhead. Some of the trees grew so thick and close together that natural walls formed here and there around us.
The moment we crossed that boundary, the tugging in my head grew stronger than ever. With each passing moment, the pull seemed to become an inescapable force, drawing me to the Demon King for our confrontation.
“Aizen? What’s wrong?” Velle asked me, noticing I’d suddenly stopped in place and gazed off into the distance.
Not knowing how long I’d been standing there, I shook my head clear. “We’re getting closer, I suddenly felt it.”
“I’ll tell the others. Maybe that’ll brighten the mood a bit.” With a brief glance around at the dim forest floor around us, she was gone again.
At least we didn’t lose any other Awakeners on our continued march, perhaps due to Velle’s encouragement. Another day passed, far into the forest and outside of the maps, when we met a clearing and saw the demon stronghold ahead.
* * *
“What are they doing?” Rhil asked. “They know we’re here, so shouldn’t they have ambushed us or tried to pick us off in the forest?”
Just as she said, the demon forces had consolidated inside and around their city—a city very similar to what I’d seen in my dream, albeit it had been nearly empty back then.
“That’s not what he wants…” I trailed off, recalling the massive Demon King from my dream and his insidious smile.
“How do you know what he wants?” she asked.
“Remember Gregor?” I replied. “He could have run, hidden, or finished Koise off, but he liked seeing us struggle. I think this Demon King is the same. He needs his demons to subtly corrupt their targets at first… but he enjoys the fight.”
“It’s foolish,” she sighed. “If they’re just going to wait for us, we have all the time we need to prepare. Are they that confident?”
Recollections of purple mist and my System powers being sealed flashed through my mind. No doubt, whatever was waiting for us within their city would be just as bad if not worse, and the Demon King would be waiting at the center of it all.
How would the Awakeners waiting just at the edge of the clearing with us react when their abilities were stripped away and they became little better than ordinary humans?
No doubt, many would panic, terror would set in, and we’d lose any advantage we had in numbers.
Even from a distance, figures scuttled about the demon city and watched us. A small army of corrupted goblins and trolls gathered outside of the city walls, waiting.
“Any ideas?” Velle asked me.
Again, the purple mist came to my mind. “Have people spread out around the clearing and warn them that the demons have a sort of area-of-effect purple mist that can disable their skills.”
“They do?” she asked in surprise. “No grouping up then. Got it.” She relayed the orders, and Awakeners started moving through the forest.
Unfortunately, people would have to end up grouping up either way. Since the demons circled around their city to match us, apparently able to keep tabs on us through whatever reconnaissance they used, people would end up closer together as they closed in, like a snake constricting around prey.
‘I don’t think they’d listen if we told them to stage the attack.’
Most of the Awakeners had only signed up for the promise of gold, and the others wanted revenge on the demons for the attack on Londo. Either way, they wanted to get at the demons as quickly as possible and wouldn’t be keen to have the others take all of the fun.
Some time passed, and the sun was starting to fade over the forest behind us, casting orange light over the clearing and throwing the shadows of the trees ahead of us by the time Velle, Bernard, Koise, and Eve all grouped back up with me.
“It’s done,” Velle said. “The moment I give the word, the attack will start, and it’s anyone’s guess how things will go from there.”
“Good.” I nodded in response. “We’ll stick together and head straight toward the fortress at the center of the city. The Demon King will be waiting for us there.”
The tugging in my head confirmed it—the pull directed me straight toward the center of the city.
“Do it.”
* * *
Reaper Scans
[Author – Farlight]
[Proofreader – Harley]
Join our discord for updates on releases! https://dsc.gg/reapercomics
* * *
The moment Velle confirmed the order…
[Commence the attack on the Demon King!]
A system window appeared before each and every Awakener present. Since Jen had handed quest priorities over to her, she was able to post updates whenever she needed.
Shouts filled the clearing, and the Awakeners rushed forward with whatever abilities they had, charging toward the demon city. Those without movement abilities were left behind to sprint across the barren ground.
The first Awakeners to reach the city—mainly those who could fly—were shot down almost instantly by concentrated purple beams emerging from the fleshy tendrils hanging from the city’s spirals. More specifically, from the eyes opening on the tendrils.
Taking the hint, the others flew lower to the ground and met the demon forces, overconfident in their own abilities and skewered by goblin spears.
No ordinary goblins, the corrupted goblins were faster and stronger than what people were used to, surprising the first Awakeners with their raised baseline stats.
Making sure to stick together, I ran at a pace Eve could keep up with, and we lagged behind almost every other Awakener there, only making it to the frontlines after corpses littered the battlefield from both sides.
Most casualties occurred in the first rush, the Awakeners at the front so far ahead they were almost all swarmed or surprised by just how strong the demons were.
[Slots: 3,685/5,000]
Almost 1,000 Awakeners, gone in mere moments, all for the sake of the gold they’d been promised.
I made a mental note to track down their names from the sign-up screen if we made it out of there alive. Some sort of memorial would be appropriate.
Just as there were Awakeners to rush to the front, so too did many hang out near the back, not wanting to risk death and instead content to take potshots or kill-stealing blows at whatever they could.
Pushing through the chaos and magic flying around us, taking care not to get hit by friendly fire, we finally arrived at the front lines.
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