DxD : The Siscon Demon King and the Swapped Princess

"Wow, this place is way too atmospheric..."

I leaned against the cold warehouse wall near the harbor and slowly surveyed my surroundings. The darkness naturally muffled my voice, leaving only the gentle lapping of waves against the shore to break the silence. A single lamp flickered at the warehouse entrance, but honestly, it barely provided any light at all.

Just as the neighborhood rumors had suggested, there wasn't a soul in sight—but it was so pitch black that it was genuinely terrifying. If I hadn't come here under the pretense of an investigation, I probably would have turned tail and headed straight home, muttering something like "It's too dark, this is impossible." It was just plain scary.

The time was around ten o'clock. I'd left home at 8:30, so about an hour and a half had passed, I noted as I checked my watch in the dim light. I'd taken my time patrolling the neighborhood today. Maybe because of the missing person case, people were turning in earlier than usual, but with fewer folks around, my patrol had gone smoothly. With a sigh of relief, I'd finally reached my destination.

"I also checked the last place where the missing person was seen, but of course, as an ordinary human, I couldn't sense anything beyond what my sacred artifact could detect. So the only option left is to investigate with my own eyes."

As soon as I'd arrived at the port, I'd activated the sacred artifact to conceal my "presence, aura, and form" from others. You never know what might happen—though naturally, nothing happening would be ideal.

I swallowed hard and began walking toward the warehouse with determination.

"Wow, that container is massive. It's probably several times my height."

I touched the enormous iron gantry crane lifting the container and continued on, examining machinery I'd never seen before. I wondered how many tons it weighed. To be honest, I was only able to maintain that casual curiosity for the first few minutes of my exploration.

"Ugh, scary, scary, scary. I brought a flashlight, but should I use it? Then again, demons can see in the dark, right? If they spot the light, it'll be game over. Better to keep going as is, just in case..."

All I could hear was the sound of waves, but occasionally a strong gust of wind would howl like a scream. I felt pathetic, but I couldn't move forward without muttering something to distract myself from the fear. A little darkness wouldn't be a problem, but it was so black that terror was getting the better of me. Demons supposedly prefer darkness, but I'm human—I feel safer in sunlight. Once I finish this exploration, I'll head straight home and greet the morning with peace of mind.

With such thoughts running through my head, I wandered around the warehouse district for about an hour. The darkness only deepened, but I still didn't sense anyone else's presence.

Are there really no people or monsters here? If that's the case, then I've accomplished my goal. I only came because I had this nagging feeling that something terrible was about to happen, so it's probably better that there's nothing here. Just a false alarm.

Let's go home, I said to my partner, opening my mouth to speak when—

Clang, clang...

"Huh!"

Startled by the sudden noise, I let out a small yelp, quickly clamped my hand over my mouth, and crouched down on the spot. I clenched my teeth to stop them from chattering and pressed my other hand against my racing heart. Taking slow, deep breaths, I scanned the area around me. The scenery before my eyes was exactly the same as before. The sound seemed to have come from somewhere further away—probably from the large warehouse around the corner to my right.

It might just be the wind knocking things around, but I should go check it out. Once I confirm the source of the sound, I'll stop this exploration and hurry back. I know I'm being ridiculous, but I feel like this might have taken years off my life. I even considered using my sacred weapon to erase the fear, but fear serves as self-defense. I should save that as a last resort.

"Let's go, partner."

Gripping the red spear tightly, I muster my courage by speaking aloud. As I move toward the sound source, step by step along the wall, I see another large warehouse of identical design. Even after spotting the warehouse, I still feel no presence of anyone else. The source of the sound remains unknown, but at least I know no one is there.

"...Hmm, what's that?"

When the wind caused the light to flicker, something near the warehouse entrance caught my eye. It was only for an instant, but it looked like a cell phone—probably an older model. Maybe someone had dropped it. It could be a clue. I checked my surroundings several times and cautiously stepped forward. I could feel the artifact's concealment effect working. Remaining calm, I tried not to make any noise with my breathing or footsteps as I slowly approached.

Just a little more... almost there. Maybe I should try poking it with the spear tip first, just to be safe. As I thought this, I took another step forward.

—The world changed.

"—"

I passed through something. I think I just passed through some kind of barrier. Along with that strange sensation, I saw fresh bloodstains.

I couldn't believe I hadn't noticed it before, but there was blood all over the cell phone. The atmosphere around the warehouse had changed completely. Before, there had been no sign of anything—only the sound of night wind and waves—but now a twisted laughter echoed through the space. I could tell something was moving inside the warehouse. There was a presence so overwhelming that I could feel the abnormality even from outside.

Why... why didn't I notice this sooner? Such a massive disturbance. Such intense killing intent. My head was pounding, the metallic smell in my nose made me want to vomit, and the oppressive atmosphere enveloping my body made my legs tremble. The laughter—a disturbing "keta keta keta"—seemed to be directed at someone else. I could tell that the murderous intent was aimed at something other than me.

"—Ah, —Help!"

A scream?

Someone might be inside that warehouse. They might be running from the source of this killing intent. There's a massive presence inside the warehouse, moving around as if it's enjoying itself. Is the person being hunted the missing person? The owner of this cell phone? Someone else entirely? I don't know, but I do know one thing.

This is the underworld—a realm of conflict where people fight to steal each other's lives and existence for the sake of their own beliefs. A place where the weak are trampled underfoot and only the strong survive. In a world like this, surface dwellers have no power. They are nothing but prey to be devoured and plundered.

"...Hidden by a barrier?"

Most likely, a barrier isolating this specific area had been erected around the warehouse. That's why I couldn't detect anything unusual from outside the barrier. I think I was only able to notice it because I physically entered the barrier set up by a non-human entity.

The barrier's effect is probably to prevent anyone outside from noticing anything unusual—not just those on the surface, but those from the other side as well. I wondered if they'd noticed that I'd entered the barrier, but my partner communicated through telepathy that my presence had been completely erased. In other words, they haven't detected me yet.

My goal was to confirm whether this incident was related to the supernatural world. In other words, my objective has been achieved.

I should escape before they notice me.

My worst fears have come true. I cautiously pick up the blood-stained cell phone and activate the screen. The LCD is cracked, but it still seems to function. There's a photo sticker on the back showing three young women who appear to be close friends.

The victim is probably one of these three. They look like college students—all still so young. They weren't on the missing persons list, so this must be a new case. With the phone covered in blood, I don't hold much hope for the owner's safety.

"More screams..."

I want to cover my ears. I want to escape from this nightmare as quickly as possible. I know that with my trembling body, I stand no chance against whatever's in there. If I could be like the heroes in novels and anime—defeat the villain and live happily ever after—I'd do it in a heartbeat. I would call for help right now and do everything in my power to save them. But that's not how reality works.

I should just abandon them. I should pretend I never saw anything and find a way to inform the church or the devils about this. The victims were simply unlucky. I should give up on them.

Even if I went into the warehouse now, I wouldn't be able to fight. Even if I tried to escape with the victims, only I can erase my presence. To make the effect work on others permanently, I'd have to keep stabbing them with the spear. And unlike with myself, I've never tried it on anyone else, so it would be my first attempt. If they noticed us, I don't know if I could escape.

I don't want to die. I can't be the protagonist of some heroic story. I don't have the courage to face them head-on. So...

"..."

I turned toward the barrier exit, away from the warehouse.

***

Why did things turn out this way? I forced myself to stand up even though I wanted to collapse, and moved my feet to get as far away as possible. I felt a sharp pain on my cheek and wiped it with my sleeve, noticing blood. Tears welled up again, but when I heard that mocking voice from deep within the warehouse, I immediately started running.

Today, I'd been hanging out with three friends from the same university. We'd been told to go home early because of the missing persons incidents, but we'd decided to go out anyway. We thought we'd be fine, and despite the seriousness of the situation, we'd even felt a bit relieved that classes had been canceled. We figured we could head home before nightfall—there was no way we'd get caught up in anything dangerous.

We went shopping, then stopped at an arcade to take some photo booth pictures as souvenirs. As dusk approached, we decided it was time to head home and started toward the station. But before we knew it, all three of us were walking toward the port. No one questioned it. Everyone just followed along as if it were the most natural thing in the world. By the time we realized something was wrong, we were already trapped.

"Keta keta keta..."

"No... no..."

When I first saw it, I couldn't believe it was real. A gigantic body more than twice the height of a human, with the voluptuous torso of a woman but an insectoid lower body. Its arms were sharp like a mantis's scythes, with what looked like dried blood crusted on the blades. Emanating a strong metallic odor, the creature smiled at the three of us, its mouth splitting into a horrifying grin.

Stray devils—monsters that were once human beings reincarnated as servant demons through devil magic. However, their bodies had been corrupted by demonic power, and they had succumbed to the overwhelming strength, constantly seeking to satisfy their desires. As a result, they had become "stray devils." These demons, drunk on power, had killed their masters and betrayed their factions, and were now shunned by all sides. Many of them preyed on innocent humans, using them as food.

This place had become a new hunting ground for the stray devil. It used magic to lure humans here, delighting in their expressions of terror, killing and devouring them while treating it all as a game. What stray devils particularly enjoyed was the moment when fleeting hope transformed into despair.

Out of the three prey this time, one had died immediately due to a miscalculation of force. Another had provided some entertainment, but the creature had accidentally slammed her into the wall with its scythe, causing severe bleeding, and she'd stopped moving. Something had flown out the window, but it shouldn't matter. Therefore, the stray devil was carefully cornering the last one, taking its time to play with her.

The rules were simple: a game of chase. Inflict small wounds, gradually corner the prey, and slowly break them down. For the stray devil, this was nothing more than a game and entertainment. Rational thought had long since collapsed—it was a true monster, toying with life as it pleased.

"Where can I run?"

Her labored breathing was a sign of not just physical exhaustion, but mental fatigue as well. Even if she ran, it would eventually catch up. Even if she hid, it would be over once it found her. The will to live and the desire to escape this pain were eating away at her heart.

"Hic... ah... ah..."

She was about to give up when her pocket suddenly vibrated. She almost screamed but managed to suppress it, opening her eyes wide as she brought the phone to her hand. The vibration indicated a call from her friend—the only person who had come with her. Despite there being no signal earlier, it had connected here. She hurriedly pressed the call button, praying he was still alive.

"Hello, Akiko. I'm so glad you're safe. That thing was chasing me, and I thought I was going to die..."

"...I'm sorry, I'm not Akiko. I just found this phone outside and decided to call."

The voice on the other end wasn't her friend's. It was probably male, but high-pitched—maybe a young man or boy.

Still, hearing a voice that wasn't the mocking laughter of that monster brought a wave of relief.

"Listen! I know this might sound unbelievable, but I'm being attacked by a monster. Please, call the police or someone!"

"First, calm down. Are you Kei-san?"

"What? You know my name?"

"It was written on the photo sticker with the phone's owner. Also, from the email history, I can see that the three of you went out together today. I couldn't connect with the other person, but I was able to reach you. I know this might be hard to believe, but I have a pretty good understanding of your situation. Right now, you're in a warehouse, separated from the others, running from the monster. Is that correct?"

Who was on the other end of the line? How did they know all this? Countless questions raced through Kei's mind. Could this be a trap? Could the voice be connected to those monsters? Laughter and earth-shaking sounds echoed from the depths of the warehouse, and she forced herself to keep running despite her trembling legs.

"...That creepy laughter confirmed it. Do you know where in the warehouse you are?"

"Who are you? What's going to happen to me?!"

"Please, just listen to me."

"I don't want to die! I don't want to die yet..."

"I understand. Please, just answer my question! —Sorry, I'm sorry for shouting. But I want to help you. I don't have the power to save you directly, but if you work with me, there might be a way to get you out of this! So please..."

Like Kei, who was in a state of panic, the boy's voice also sounded desperate. She didn't know who he was. It might be a trap designed to give her false hope. Still, she chose to believe in those words that seemed to be torn from his throat—words that showed he genuinely wanted to save her.

If things stay like this, I'll die. So even if it's a trap and I don't know who you are, I want to cling to this chance. Kei bit her lip hard, managed to regain some composure, and said what the boy wanted to hear.

"...I understand. I'm on the second floor, and I can see the ocean from the window. The ocean should be to the south, so I think I'm running along the hallway on the south side."

"South... Can you get down to the first floor? If you can get outside, I might be able to help you."

"No way! I've tried opening every door I can find, but nothing that leads outside will open!"

If she could get outside, she would be saved. Those words gave her hope, but she'd already tried everything. Even the windows wouldn't break, no matter how hard she'd hit them.

"Sealed by magic, then. If you're on the south side, it's probably heading that way too. ...All right, I'll make the east door accessible without it noticing. If you run straight east, you should be able to escape. So please, somehow get away from it and make it outside."

"East... But what if it chases me even after I get outside?"

"There's no guarantee, but I'll try my best. Even if magic or supernatural abilities don't work on it, pure physical attacks should still be effective."

The strained voice on the phone made her anxious, but she had no choice but to trust this boy. She had to escape the monster and get out through the eastern door. It was easier said than done, but if there was even the slightest chance of survival, she would fight until the end.

"—The laughter is getting closer. Please, help me, no matter what!"

"I'm sorry for asking something so reckless of you. I'm sorry I can't help you directly right now. But I'll do everything I can... so..."

The signal wavered, and the conversation became garbled. The next sound she heard was the dial tone indicating the call had ended. She considered calling back, but running while on the phone would increase the risk of being caught. Gripping her phone tightly, she summoned her last reserves of strength and sprinted toward the stairs leading to the first floor.

As night deepened and despair threatened to swallow everything in darkness, they chose to reach for even the faintest glimmer of hope.