Chapter 169 Satan’s Nightmare - Final
"This is getting stale pretty quick… let's end this, Satan," Daniel coldly declared as he relentlessly pursued his quarry through the deserted main street in the dead of night.
Satan, with speed surpassing that of any human, desperately sought refuge in a place where Daniel's pursuit would be hindered, a place where a mage like Daniel would face greater restraints. In this world, only three locations could potentially restrain this formidable human.
The first option was the Hightower HQ, but it was out of the question. The Hightower had a strict agreement with the Vatican to report and cooperate in the event of any demon incursions within civilization. Satan's very presence would serve as undeniable proof of such an incursion, and his injuries put him at a severe disadvantage.
The second option was The Vatican, but it was an obvious death sentence. Instead of restraining Daniel, he would meet his end there.
The third option, however, was the Romanov Kremlin Palace. It stood as a magical fortress, the second most potent fortification in the modern world. Moreover, Satan still had a favor to cash in with the Romanov. He would seek their protection or at least a delay tactic to buy enough time for him to escape to his primary hellish dimension.
Without hesitation, Satan channeled his power while fleeing, determined to open a portal to the Kremlin Palace.
Yet, Daniel was well aware of Satan's intentions through their mind link, and he promptly disrupted Satan's magic and demonic energy once again. Satan, who had experienced this before, could only grunt in frustration before burning another 5% of his core energy, forcibly fueling the spell to make it work, and then swiftly jumping into the portal.
Daniel wasted no time and pursued Satan through the portal. Although, the transition bore a slight delay, courtesy of Satan's cleverly designed portal defenses. However, Daniel's determination prevailed as he forcefully bypassed the intricate restrictions, but this exertion cost him approximately one minute. Little did he know that this brief respite allowed some of the Kremlin guards to catch wind of his arrival, and they hastily prepared themselves to fend off this unexpected intruder.
As Daniel materialized high above the Kremlin, a cascade of searchlights illuminated the night sky, their piercing beams cutting through the darkness. The grandeur of the historic fortress sprawled out beneath him, its towering walls and intricate architecture an awe-inspiring sight even in the cover of night. The courtyard, typically tranquil, was now alive with a palpable tension, accentuated by the partially alert state of the Kremlin.
Below, the roads that encircled the Kremlin were dotted with the lingering presence of cars and people. Some individuals, either caught up in the enchanting allure of the Kremlin's architecture or simply wrapped up in their own thoughts, had yet to retreat to the comfort of their homes. The glow of lamplights and the distant hum of conversations lent an air of normalcy to the extraordinary events unfolding within the fortress's walls.
Daniel descended through the night air, the group of royal court mages of the Romanov came into view. Their robes billowed like spectral wisps, their stances poised and vigilant. The beams of the searchlights cast dramatic shadows across the courtyard, enhancing the otherworldly atmosphere that enveloped the scene.
As Daniel descended from the sky, the mages below sprang into action, their spells readied to attack the intruder who had been forewarned by their superior. They remained ignorant of the identity of this unwelcome visitor and how their superiors had been alerted, but their duty was unwavering – protect the palace at all costs.
The mages unleashed a barrage of curse spells, their energy projectiles hurtling towards Daniel with considerable speed. Yet, despite their efforts, Daniel swiftly drew two sacred blades from his Universal pocket and deftly deflected each curse with ease.
The curses they launched were not lethal; they were meant to immobilize or induce sleep, as the mages remained unsure of Daniel's true identity. They feared that harming him without cause might invite dire consequences for the Romanov dynasty, especially if he turned out to be of high status. Thus, they opted for non-lethal measures to halt Daniel's advance.
However, when they witnessed Daniel's seamless deflection with his twin sacred blades, the mages immediately shifted to high alert. They recognized that only the infamous Vatican's Secret Exterminator Unit utilized such a weapon style. Members of this unit were unequivocally troubled, notorious for their refusal to heed reason, especially from those they deemed heretics.
Daniel had recently been in close contact with Christopher Ward, The Grand Paladin who had personally confirmed the resemblance between Daniel's fighting style as the Grand Hunter and that of the Vatican's Secret Exterminator unit. This information emboldened Daniel's strategy, aiming to manipulate the mages and the Romanov to yield to his demands, well aware of the challenges posed by dealing with the Vatican. He could only hope his ruse would succeed.
"Where is Satan? Where did you hide him?" Daniel audaciously demanded, attempting to replicate the disdainful tone Christopher had used when they first met and clashed.
"Satan!? How dare you defame us, Paladin! You are fully aware that Satan would never set foot in the mortal realm without a significant reason. And certainly not here," one of the mages replied, misunderstanding Daniel's role and assuming him to be a member of the Vatican's Secret Exterminator unit – precisely the illusion Daniel had aimed to create.
"Do you not know?" Daniel skeptically inquired, his smirk dripping with disdain, provoking an escalating sense of anger within the responding mage.
In a swift and calculated motion, Daniel flung a set of Sacred blades in a specific direction. The blades streaked through the air and embedded themselves into the wall of a guest room within the Kremlin. The impact triggered a deafening explosion, the force of which ripped apart the wall and revealed the presence of Satan. Amidst the chaotic aftermath, Daniel wasted no time. He lunged towards Satan, delving into his mindscape with a single-minded focus.
Inside the mindscape, Daniel sought to utilize a spell that could disrupt enchantments. However, to his surprise, he encountered an unexpected obstacle – his mana pool within the mindscape was insufficient. A sudden realization struck him – the mana of 'Dilmun' that resided within him was the only available source.
With quick thinking, Daniel swiftly managed the crisis by retrieving The illusory facade that had maintained Satan's human guise mana vials he had thoughtfully prepared and stored in his Universal Pocket. The clash of energies was palpable as the mana was channeled, rectifying the dire situation.
In an instant, the enchantment veiling Satan's true form shattered. The illusory facade that had maintained Satan's human guise dissolved, revealing his genuine, ominous form.
This time, his form stood at a mere 4 meters in height, a stark contrast to the towering 30-meter giant he had previously manifested as. The array of bruises, injuries, and unhealed broken arms presented a grim spectacle before the watchful eyes of the mages.
Despite their lack of expertise in biblical or theological matters, the mage group readily identified Satan. Demonology, though not a widely embraced field of study, was not prohibited among their ranks. Many mages perceived demonology as an essential branch of knowledge, one that could be harnessed for power and understanding.
Typically, the appearance of a few dozen demons in disguise within the city would hardly raise an eyebrow among the mages. They even tolerated the presence of true form demons in controlled numbers.
However, the emergence of a High Ranking Demon like Satan within the city's confines was an entirely different scenario. The unbridled power emanating from such a formidable demonic entity had the potential to swiftly induce demonic mutations in the surrounding life forms – be it plants, animals, or even humans.
This risk was particularly acute for ordinary individuals without inherent magical resistance, who could easily succumb to the corruptive influence of the potent demonic energies radiating from beings like Satan.
Daniel surged forward, clutching several Sacred Blades in hand. He masterfully executed the age-old Hunter fighting style, meticulously mirroring the techniques employed by today's Paladins. This deliberate emulation served as a calculated ruse, designed to foster the illusion of an affiliation with the Vatican or the enigmatic Vatican's Secret Exterminator Unit.
In stark contrast, Satan was trapped in a nightmarish reverie, assaulted by grotesque visions of his own captivity and the unfathomable horrors he endured. He bore witness to himself as a captive, a specimen subjected to nightmarish experiments by the human monstrosity before him. These scenes, more horrifying than even his hellish imagination could conjure, depicted Daniel reveling in his sadistic torment and unrelenting vengeance. The demon from hell himself shuddered at the sheer malevolence and creativity of these torturous imaginings.
Amid this surreal trance, Satan's voice erupted with vehement resistance, a defiance fueled by dread and desperation.
"You!! You, Human! I will not become your experimental plaything! You shall never take me alive! Raaaargggghh!" A resounding roar accompanied his declaration, as Satan ignited his demonic core, a volatile fusion of lingering vitality and the remnants of his expiring power, the whole amalgamation on the brink of combustion.
Recognizing the dire predicament, Daniel realized that Satan must have gleaned his intent from their shared mind link, one that was mysteriously cut off from the Tessia Kingdom's mana supply. Acting swiftly, Daniel issued a command to the bewildered assembly of royal court mages.
"Reinforce the shield encasing Satan! He's initiating a self-detonation!" His urgent directive snapped the mages into action, mobilizing their collective magical prowess to erect and fortify a protective barrier around Satan, a desperate endeavor to contain the impending explosion.
This 𝓬ontent is taken from f(r)eeweb(n)ovel.𝒄𝒐𝙢