Frieren: Understand Humans, Aura!

Weiß City, Northern Lands—

a forsaken relic caught between the tides of war, scarred by the ceaseless clashes between humans and demons.

Once a thriving stronghold of human civilization, the city had endured countless battles, its cobbled streets drenched in blood and its walls scorched by magic. Conquered and reclaimed, only to be lost again, Weiß City now stood as a hollow monument to the price of survival.

Recently, the humans had reclaimed the region, pushing the frontlines deeper into demon territory. Yet the former residents of Weiß City did not return.

Most had perished in the chaos of war; others had fled, unwilling to gamble their lives on a home that might once again fall to the enemy. Their absence left the city eerily still, untouched by human hands for months—maybe years.

The city itself remained largely intact. Towering stone buildings lined the streets, their facades stained with soot and overgrown with ivy. Empty windows stared out like the hollow eyes of ghosts, and the silence was broken only by the soft rustling of the wind through the abandoned market stalls and the faint creak of loose shutters swaying in the breeze. Weiß City had become a ghost town, haunted by the echoes of a life that had long since faded.

But today, that silence was broken.

Under the golden morning sun, a lone figure approached the massive gates of Weiß City. Her striking purple hair shimmered in the light, a vivid contrast against the lifeless grays and whites of the desolate cityscape.

The gates loomed before her, imposing in their sheer size—four meters high, as thick as a man's chest, and reinforced with heavy iron bands. In the past, it had taken a hundred men pulling ropes in unison to force them open.

Yet, with a casual push of her hand, the gates groaned and creaked, parting as if yielding to her will.

Through the narrow gap she'd created, a small head poked through. Purple hair framed her youthful face, and sharp, purple eyes darted around, scanning for signs of life.

"Anyone here?" her voice rang out, echoing against the empty streets.

"Is there anyone left?"

When no response came, her lips curled into a mischievous smirk. "If no one answers, I'm coming in!"

She stepped through the gates and into the silent city, her boots crunching softly against the cracked cobblestones. Her axe rested casually against her shoulder, its weight seeming inconsequential in her grasp.

Aura wandered through the streets with a leisurely gait, her gaze flicking over the abandoned shops and ruined homes. She felt no magical traps lingering in the air, no defensive barriers crafted by human mages.

Carrying her axe, she strolled leisurely through the streets, lined with desolate ruins and abandoned buildings.

The morning sun is full of life. In the gray and white town, the only touch of purple adds a touch of vitality to the dead city.

BANG!

Aura kicked open the door of a butcher shop.

She stepped into the dim, musty air, the faint, rancid scent of decay mingling with the smell of dust and mildew.

As she expected, the once-bustling shop was near empty. Most of the livestock had been carted away long ago, and the neatly stacked cuts of meat were nowhere to be seen. The few scraps that remained, preserved in ice and sealed in their cases, were beyond salvage.

The ice had long since melted, leaving behind only the unmistakable stench of rotting flesh.

Aura's eyes flickered across the room with disdain, her gaze falling on the skeletal remains of what had once been living creatures. They lay in the corners, hunched and brittle, their eyes long since gone.

The animals that had been abandoned here had starved to death, left to wither in the unforgiving silence of the empty city. Bones littered the floor, their hollowed-out shapes offering no comfort to the demon's hunger.

Although Aura will chew and swallow bones when eating meat, it does not mean that Aula likes to eat bones. Bones have no nutritional value and can only supplement calcium. They are okay as teeth grinding toys, but not as a main meal.

Aura rummaged through a pile of discarded refuse—shredded leather, brittle wooden crates, and shards of broken glass—until her fingers brushed against something promising.

Her eyes brightened, and she tugged free a few strips of smoked meat, their dark, cracked exterior doing little to discourage her. Without a second thought, she tore into the tough, dried flesh, stripping it from the bone with practiced ease. She didn't care for the flavor or texture; sustenance was the goal, not satisfaction. The meat went down in great, ravenous gulps, swallowed whole like the desperate feast it was.

Occasionally, her hands brushed against hardened loaves of black bread, their surface so cracked and stale it was nearly indistinguishable from stone.

Yet, as always, Aura's hunger drove her forward. She didn't hesitate, ripping off chunks and chewing through the rock-hard crust, grimacing only for a moment before swallowing it down. No matter how weathered or inedible the food might seem, to her, it was all the same—a means to quell the gnawing emptiness inside her.

Demons are tenacious and easy to raise. Raising cats and dogs is not as convenient as raising demons.

BANG!

After scavenging for edible garbage, Aura kicked open the door of a weapons shop.

The interior was dim, save for the shafts of sunlight that filtered through the dusty windows. The air carried the scent of rust and oil, the remnants of a once-thriving craft.

As expected, there wasn't much left. The finely crafted weapons, the elegant blades and shining armor, had long been taken when the craftsmen had abandoned the city. What remained was little more than rusted scrap iron and clumsy, oversized weapons too bulky to carry away.

Aura threw away the dented axe in her hand, picked up a giant sword and swung it around. She hefted the weight of it, swinging it once, then twice, but quickly discarded it when the hilt felt awkward and unbalanced in her grasp. With a sigh, she moved to a sledgehammer, testing its heft and feel, before tossing it aside in frustration.

None of these would do.

Finally, after several attempts, Aura's eyes lit up as she spotted her beloved axe, still tucked away in the corner. A gleam of satisfaction crossed her face as she reached for it, the weight of it familiar and comforting in her hands. It wasn't just a weapon—it was everything she needed.

What a nice axe!

Held horizontally, it could serve as a shield to deflect blows and sturdy. Turned the other way, it became a powerful hammer capable of crushing enemies in a single strike. And for more mundane tasks—chopping wood, cutting meat, even cooking—there was nothing more convenient. The perfect companion, versatile and efficient

BANG!

Aura kicked open the door to a clothing shop, her booted foot making a loud thud against the fragile wood. The door creaked and groaned as it swung open, revealing the darkened interior. As it swung wide, a skeleton, slumped awkwardly against the doorframe, tumbled to the ground with a sharp clatter of brittle bones. Aura froze, her eyes narrowing slightly at the unexpected sight.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" she said, feigning surprise, her voice dripping with politeness. "I didn't know someone still lived here!"

She tilted her head slightly, staring down at the scattered remains of what was once a human. With care, she bowed at the skeleton in an respectful manner. "May I come in?" she added with sincerity, her tone playful.

The dust in the air hung thick, a sign of long abandonment, but there was something oddly pristine about the shop's contents. It appeared as though, despite the passage of time, the clothing and accessories had remained untouched by decay. Cobwebs clung to the rafters, and the once-vibrant colors of the fabrics had dulled under the oppressive layer of dust, but the quality of the merchandise was still evident.

"Ah, thank you! You're giving me the whole store? How generous!"

Aura stepped inside, her boots making soft echoes on the wooden floor as she glanced around. The faint scent of old perfume and dried leather lingered in the air, and the sunlight filtering through the grimy windows revealed a motley collection of clothing—fitted dresses, soft woolen shawls, delicate lace hats, all draped haphazardly across stands and mannequins.

A small grin crept across her face as her eyes brightened with delight. "Ah, now this is more like it," she muttered to herself, fingers grazing the luxurious fabrics. The finely tailored dresses seemed to call to her, their elegance a sharp contrast to the bleakness outside.

She picked out a fitted dress, its material soft and silky to the touch. It was a shade of blue that would have once been vibrant, now muted by time but still striking in its own right. Aura slipped it over her head with ease, the dress fitting her like a second skin. She paired it with a delicate shawl, its rich fabric shimmering faintly in the light. And then, the pièce de résistance—a deep purple lace hat, its design intricate and lavish.

She twirled in front of an old, cracked mirror, admiring her reflection. For a moment, the world outside seemed distant, and all that mattered was how she looked. The lace hat tilted just so, perfectly hiding her broken left horn, which had long since healed but still bore the faintest scar. The horn no longer caused her any pain, and with the hat in place, she no longer needed the tall, cumbersome headgear she'd worn in the past to conceal it. Her appearance was now flawless, a masterful illusion of humanity—precisely what she needed for infiltrating human territories.

She reached up, touching the stump of her horn with a soft, thoughtful gesture. Her fingers lingered there for a moment before she adjusted her hat, feeling a brief flicker of satisfaction. The reflection staring back at her was no longer the fierce, menacing demon that so many feared—it was the image of someone who could blend in, someone who could walk among humans without suspicion.

Aura clasped her hands together, a smile curling on her lips. "Thank you, kind humans," she whispered, her voice dripping with reverence.

"I hope everyone dies!" Her voice rose in cheerfulness, as though toasting the long-dead city.

"This way, all the property that can't be taken away will be mine!" Her eyes gleamed with amusement.

"I can take whatever I like, and you'll happily pass on your life's accumulated wealth to your heir—that is me, Aura!"

She paused, her eyes closed as she looked heavenward. "Goddess, please grant this loyal follower such a humble wish!"

With a flourish, Aura opened her eyes and stepped away from the mirror, the soft swish of her dress filling the silence. She turned to leave, stepping over the scattered bones of the former shopkeeper with an air of indifference. She had taken what she needed, and now it was time to move on.

She continued her looting spree, walking from building to building, entering those that were still standing. The majority of the shops were even more stripped down than the butcher and weapon shops, with barely anything left—just the bare walls, remnants of human habitation now completely emptied. The remnants of a forgotten world, scattered to the winds.

As she walked through the desolate streets, her gaze lifted to the sky, a look of disdain crossing her features.

"What a stingy goddess," she muttered, her voice laced with contempt.

Demons, after all, were all unbelievers. They were creatures of ego, driven by their own desires and ambitions. Very few held any true faith in deities. If prayer could bring them something tangible, they would gladly kneel and offer their thanks, but if the gods were indifferent, then there was no reason to waste a second on their so-called blessings.

Aura was perhaps the worst of them all. She scoffed at the very idea of divine intervention, doubting the goddess's existence with every fiber of her being. To her, a deity who never interfered with the mortal realm was nothing more than an invention, a fairy tale spun by humans. Everything she had not seen with her own eyes was a lie, a creation of magic, or human deception. The concept of divine grace, of punishment for sin—these were simply stories to keep the masses in check.

What, you say you don't believe it but you can't be disrespectful, what if the goddess really blames you?

"Then bring the goddess here to strike me down!"

Just as Aura raised her hand to make an obscene gesture toward the heavens, BANG!—a chain, spanning a hundred meters, shot out and slammed her away.

——————

Clang!

Clang!

The sound of chains being retracted echoed.

Two pitch-black figures stood atop the highest point of the city wall—one tall, the other short. Both bore horns, radiating overwhelming and domineering mana. These were powerful demons.

One of them wore a cloak. Even under today's blazing sun, the inside of his opened cloak remained an impenetrable black void, with not even a sliver of light able to pierce through. A massive black chain, as thick as a thigh, was slowly retracting into the cloak.

"Did you kill her?"

"No."

"The average demon cannot withstand a sudden attack of this magnitude with their physical bodies. Did she notice us?"

"No, she didn't. Your magic perfectly concealed our presence. Before the attack, she didn't even realize there were several great demons within a hundred-meter radius."

"…As expected of a demon chosen by Schlacht. Such formidable strength. It seems we're in for a tough fight today."

"Yes, this is our only chance. The Precognition magic is too terrifying. We must take this opportunity, while his influence is waning, to eliminate his key pawns. Otherwise, we'll never escape his control."

"Agreed. Schlacht is intolerable. Before he appeared, the Great Demons were free to live as they pleased. Even if the Demon King oppressed all demons, his power couldn't precisely monitor individuals. Great Demons could hide in the shadows, doing as they pleased without being detected. But with Schlacht, it's different… That guy wanted to control all the Great Demons in his hands."

"For freedom—"

"For freedom!"

The two great demons cast their eyes towards the distance at the same time. In the dusty ruins, the purple figure that was hit by the huge chain slowly stood up with her giant axe across her chest.

Through the rising smoke and dust, three more figures materialized from the shadows, their movements silent but deliberate. These demons didn't hesitate. They formed a triangular formation, closing in on Aura, the purple-haired demon at the center. Their approach was methodical, confident—these were no mere foot soldiers, but seasoned warriors with specific roles in the battle to come.

Two of them were demon generals, towering figures clad in armor that shimmered with dark enchantments, their weapons drawn and ready. The third was a demon mage, a practitioner of slicing magic, her staff crackling with mana, its aura sharp and precise.

Aura stood still, her body poised in a side-horse stance, her legs spread wide for balance, her body lowered in a state of readiness. Her calculating eyes swept over the three demons, assessing their movements, analyzing their strengths. She didn't rush into action. She waited. A predator preparing to strike.

"Who sent you? Why are you trying to kill me?" Aura's voice was cold, but there was a subtle edge of curiosity underneath her steely tone. Her gaze was unwavering as she sized up her opponents.

The demon surrounding her didn't respond immediately, instead exchanging a brief, unreadable glance with the others. The one holding the staff, the demon mage, was the first to speak, her voice dripping with mockery. "Think about who you've been associating with lately, and who you might have offended—"

The towering demon surrounding Aura didn't answer directly. Only the staff-wielding demon let out a mocking laugh and responded with a question of his own.

"It's Schlacht!" Aura guessed.

"Correct!"

'Damn it! That bastard figured out my plans and sent people to kill me!'

Aura seethed with rage.

'This purple-haired demon must be an essential part of Schlacht's scheme!'

The three demons raised their respective weapons.

Rip!

With the sharp sound of air being torn, the battle began.

No further words were needed.

The three demons charged at Aura, and she clashed with them!