Salvos (A Monster Evolution LitRPG)

579. Prowling

Haec had seen the flash of light. He knew where the blast had come from. It was evident that the source of that devastating attack had been [The Great Agarus]— the wild Primordial Demon he had seen passing over the landscape above.

It was the only thing that could have caused such destruction. It was like there was an instantaneous shift in the environment of the terrain. A terrible earthquake washed over the crevice as cracked rocks and debris came crumbling down over the river of lava.

Entire sections of the ravine had been buried under stone. Haec raised his head as he looked up towards the crimson sky of the Netherworld. He could see the outpouring of light from the cracks of Revelation— he stood at the center of a clearing, unaffected by the landslide.

He would have been crushed by the giant boulders and collapsing cliffside had he not reacted in time. With his glowing fists, he ripped through the falling rubble during the chaos. And eventually, the earthquake subsided.

Now, he looked back down at his companion. Taburas lay cowering beneath him with round eyes. She stared up at him for a moment, before she leapt to her feet. She hugged him tightly as she spoke through gritted teeth.

“Haec—”

“We’re fine, Taburas. It’s over.”

He raised his head as he hugged her back. He looked towards the sky, watching as a blanket of smoke rose up to slowly cover the crimson canvas above. He shook his head as he drew back from the [Succubus].

He swept his gaze over the rock clearing, calling out.

“Betrugil, Aemula, are you guys still alive?”

“I wish I wasn’t…”

A voice came in reply. Betrugil dusted himself off as he walked up to their side. He grasped his shoulders, groaning and shaking his head.

“I think I broke my shoulder.”

“You’ll recover.”

Haec nodded, before narrowing his eyes. He spun around and called out once more.

“Aemula? What about you?”

The other [Fiend] coughed as she stumbled forward, bloodied and cut. But she was still alive. She gave Haec a weak smile.

“I’m… here.”

Aemula grimaced as she struggled to remain upright. Taburas helped steady her, and Haec nodded.

“I’m glad to see you’re both still alive.”

“Not for long.”

Betrugil snorted as he forced his shoulder back into place. He stretched his back, shaking his head.

“If that Primordial Demon doesn’t kill us on accident, then the Deathsquad Hunters are going to find us soon. Either way, we’re dead.”

Haec pursed his lips. He looked down at his right hand, before looking up at Betrugil. He saw the glint of the metal rings— the collars placed on each of the four Archdemons to track their every movement.

It also functioned for summoning rituals. To bring them to the Mortal Realm from the Netherworld. But Haec had never traveled between the planes, so he wouldn’t know whether that was even true.

However, what he did know was that there was no way to remove these collars without severing the body part they were attached to. And while Haec was lucky in that his ring was attached to his right arm, Taburas, Betrugil, and Aemula were collared by the neck. That meant they would have to cut off their own heads to get rid of it.

Which wasn’t an option. They would die unless they had a Skill to recover a missing head. And none of them had such a regenerative ability. So while it was easy for Haec to remove his collar, it wasn’t so easy for the others.

Only the Demon King himself could remove these collars without harming them. At one point, Haec had been collared by the neck too— just like the rest of them. But Regnorex removed the collar, placing it on Haec’s wrist instead as a sign of trust. A proof of the Demon King’s recognition.

Because Haec had become the Heir of the Netherworld. Because he had been the first Archdemon in ten thousand years to learn two Grand Skills before his Primeval evolution.

While he didn’t know exactly what a ‘year’ was— other than conceptually and theoretically, based on what he had been taught— he knew it was a very long time. So that was why he had been granted the Title.

And he had betrayed this trust that had been given to him. Haec had fled the Demon King’s Domain, searching for freedom— searching for his true leader.

To find Salvos.

But now, he was trapped in a tough predicament. Because while he initially planned to escape alone, he had three other Archdemons accompanying him now. Taburas was one of them, and she was… his companion.

As for Betrugil and Aemula— he couldn’t just leave them behind. So Haec sighed as he looked back down at his right hand. His knuckles were bloodied and bruised. He had broken his wrist during the ensuing chaos.

To protect Taburas and the others— to smash through the avalanche cascading onto them— he had injured himself. But he had a Skill that allowed him to quickly heal all such wounds. He’d be able to swing his fist at his enemies without any impediments soon enough.

Still, it took time. And he had plenty of time. Or so he thought. Not unless the Deathsquad Hunters found him soon.

Haec knew how efficiently the Deathsquad Hunters worked. He had seen the extent of their capabilities up close and personal. They would be able to locate him soon enough— especially since he still had his tracking collar on him.

He raised his head as he looked back up at Betrugil, Aemula, and Taburas.

“I-I’m sorry… for slowing you guys down.”

Aemula mustered up weakly as she leant on Taburas. But the [Succubus] just scoffed.

“Shut up— if we wanted to, we’d have already left you behind. Don’t apologize when none of us are complaining.”

“Actually, I’m complaining—”

Betrugil started. Taburas glared his way.

“You shut up too.”

“Make me.”

He grinned back, and Haec took a step forward, cutting them all off.

“That’s enough.”

The former Heir of the Netherworld spoke over them as he raised his hand. He stared at the glinting metal of the ring on his right hand, before nodding at Betrugil.

“Betrugil is right— the Deathsquad Hunters are probably hot on our tail. Maybe they were slowed by… this.”

Haec gestured vaguely at the destruction wrought to their surroundings.

“But they are after me first and foremost. They probably don’t even care that any of you are gone. They want to find me.”

“And for whatever reason, I decided to follow you. I’m getting myself killed for no reason, aren’t I?”

Betrugil sighed exasperatedly, but Haec just smiled.

“That is right. All three of you have a higher chance of evading the Deatshquad Hunters if I weren’t with you. That’s why we’ll be parting ways now.”

“Haec?”

Taburas blinked. Her eyes went wide as she stepped forward.

“We talked about this— you can’t just go! I’m not going to leave without you!”

She protested as Aemula weakly nodded in agreement.

“We’re sticking together.”

“Don’t worry.”

Haec smiled at both of them. He raised his right hand as she stared at the glinting ring clinging onto his crimson skin.

“I will just stay behind and—”

In a single motion, he swung down with his left hand, slicing off his right wrist. Taburas blinked. Aemula stared for a moment, uncomprehending. Betrugil sputtered as he pointed at Haec.

“Are you mad? What are you doing?”

But there was a clink. The metal ring fell onto the ground as Haec took a step back. He looked up reassuringly at Taburas as he clutched his bleeding right forearm. His hand was gone. It had flopped to the ground when he sliced it off. Along with the collar.

“I am staying behind and distracting them.”

He smirked as he gestured at his shorn off hand— the metal ring glinted as Betrugil’s eyes flickered, understanding what was going on.

“Oh.”

Taburas shook her head as she ran up to Haec’s side.

“Why did you just do that without warning? You’re hurt!”

“I’ll recover soon enough.”

He nodded back at her. Then he stepped up to Aemula’s side, helping her walk.

“Come on, now. That will only buy us some time. We still have to stay on the move.”

“R-right.”

Aemula pursed her lips as she stared at the bloodied hand. She limped forward with both Haec and Taburas supporting her, and Betrugil just shook his head at the bloodied hand.

“That is insane… but I’m not complaining.”

And the four Archdemons began to make their way out of the rubble— but they didn’t make it far. Because right as they crested to the top, they came to a halt.

A figure stood there right in front of them, waiting expectantly. It was bloodied and hurt. But it had its gaze fixed on its prey. Haec, Taburas, Aemula, and Betrugil backed up when they saw it.

“That is…?”

Haec narrowed his eyes as he saw the four-legged creature. Its darkened skin was protected by a layer of white bones— like a skeleton was covering its body. It took a step forward as it growled softly.

[Hellreaper - Lvl. 164]

“A Primeval Demon.”

And it howled.