The Damned Demon

The next day, two figures were present in a large van filled with the buzz of electronics and the resentment from a certain woman with voluptuous curves.

Asher, demonstrating a cold, tactical demeanor, sat unorthodoxly atop Rebecca, using her as a makeshift chair as always.

He was beginning to realize that her curvy and soft back was ten times better than the most comfortable chair he had sat upon. It made him feel good in a way he couldn't quite put his finger on.

Rebecca's face was flushed, not because of having to endure his weight on her back, but with anger due to constantly being humiliated like this whenever he got the chance.

No matter how many times he had done this already, it didn't make it any less bearable. It only kept reminding her how she was reduced to a fate worse than a street dog.

"You four are in an Expert quest category where the entire town is being laid siege by dozens of goblins, the nastiest bunch you have ever seen and not your usual weak ones. Once they destroy the barrier protecting every house and establishment in the town, all the people in the town will die, and the town will be wasted. This town is small and the goblins are very quick at anything they do. So, time is of the essence," Asher advised through the microphone, his voice firm and authoritative as he monitored the four screens before him, each displaying a live video feed from the body cams of his team.

Arthur, Amelia, Emiko, and Yui stood at the edge of the besieged town, their expressions a mix of resolve and trepidation as Asher's instructions rang in their ears.

"Understood, sir. We will quickly defeat the goblins before they can harm anyone," Arthur responded, his voice filled with determination.

"Not so fast. Are you really going to rush in without a plan while relying on something as straightforward as rushing in blindly? You think it's that easy when the quest is of the Expert category? Individually, the goblins might be weak but they are strong due to their sheer numbers," Asher challenged, his tone skeptical, prompting Rebecca to roll her eyes silently, wondering why he was even wasting time teaching these humans about strategies. Was he really a traitor who was trying to make the humans stronger by teaching them how to deal with demons?

Arthur's confidence faltered as he glanced at Amelia, Emiko, and Yui, seeking affirmation or advice, though they only shook their heads in response.

Noticing their shared uncertainty, he stuttered, "But uh... as you said, time is of the essence, and we have to get rid of the goblins as fast as possible, right? So, should we really take time to plan things when each second could be important?"

"That barrier is strong enough to last at least a few minutes, and the citizens are safe for now. You need to always keep in mind the difficulty of the quest to guess some things like this. But if you go in without a solid plan, those minutes might seem like seconds and you could fail the quest," Asher explained, his arms crossed, his gaze stern.

"Then how about a plan where we..." Arthur glanced back at Amelia and then at Emiko and Yui as he proposed, "...split up and deal with the demons?"

Asher clicked his tongue in frustration, "Tch, that is the stupidest plan I have ever heard from a peak S Ranker who didn't even consider any other factors. This is what happens when someone gets too strong using their background and connections," he critiqued harshly.

Arthur's expression dimmed, hurt and confusion evident as he grappled with the criticism. He knew his combat advisor was pointing at the fact that he was an Evangelion, one of the most powerful families in the world.

Still, wanting to do better, Arthur quickly tried to think of a better strategy while Amelia sighed, wondering if Asher was planning to purposefully keep being hard to Arthur because of whose brother he was.

But she couldn't decide whether it was right or wrong to do so, considering Asher's feelings.

Asher's frustrated sigh filled their earpieces as Arthur kept thinking hard.

"Forget whatever experience you had as a so-called vigilante. You are now working with a team. So you cannot act on your own and take risks as you please. Not everyone is as strong as you, while some are better at certain things than you are. You have to know your team better than your own family if you want to succeed at a quest without letting any of your team members die. So tell me what you know about your team?" Asher asked sternly.

Arthur shifted his gaze to Amelia, collecting his thoughts before speaking, "Amelia is a very experienced Hunter with the power to manipulate all the prime elements and transform them at will. So she will be perfect to play the role of a Spelldancer and Bulwark combined due to the defensive powers she can employ."

Amelia gave him a nod of approval and mouthed, "Good one."

"Hmm. Now what about Emiko and Yui?" Asher probed further, his gaze sharp and assessing.

Arthur glanced at Emiko and Yui, who were watching him curiously. Taking a deep breath, he continued, "Emiko and Yui share similar abilities which include the power of wind magic and restoration magic that focus on healing. They can be excellent Spelldancers to support me and Amelia while we fight or focus on protecting the people trapped inside and tend to the wounded if any."

Asher nodded slightly, "At least you know their abilities instead of only caring about your own."

Arthur winced slightly and wondered if all combat advisors were as harsh as him.

Asher added, "Now since you are leading them into the quest, how are you going to deal with the demons while making the best use of their abilities?"

Arthur paused, thinking through the strategy carefully before responding while recalling his own training and experience, "We will first observe and gauge the strength of the demons. If they are too weak, then I can deal with them alone while the rest of my team can focus on protecting the people inside. But if they are too strong for me to handle alone, then we will all work together to defeat them."

"And what happens if they manage to break the barrier and start hurting the people inside?" Asher pressed, testing Arthur's readiness for every possible scenario.

Arthur's confidence grew as he outlined his plan, "Then I will ask Emiko and Yui to focus on protecting the people and taking them to a safe place while Amelia and I will focus on dealing with the demons until everyone is safe."

The tension was palpable as Asher's voice came through the communication device, crisp and clear, "Sounds satisfactory. Now go ahead and destroy those goblins. I will be leaving right now. You guys are on your own," His tone was dismissive, almost bored, as if the fate of the town and the impending battle were merely items on a checklist.

Arthur and the three women exchanged determined looks, their resolve firming as they stepped into the danger zone.

Back in the van, Asher reclined, his demeanor casual as he relaxed. He gave Rebecca's plump buttocks a patronizing pat, his voice cool and mocking, "Get ready, my pet. It will soon be our time to play."

Rebecca's expression twisted with scorn, her voice dripping with contempt as she retorted, "You are a disgrace to not only our kingdom but to our kind. You first used those ogres to accept a quest and forced them to not harm any of those humans, only for them to get slaughtered by your human pet and that bastard with the stupid staff. And now you forced the Fleshbiter Clan to enter this quest only to let your little team of humans kill them soon. Are you seriously using our kind to train your pets?"

Asher's laugh was low and untroubled as he looked down at Rebecca's angry face, "The Fleshbiter Clan has always been preying on the weak tribes of our kingdom after the people of those tribes leave our kingdom for any short trips. It's high time they paid for their crimes towards our kingdom. They should feel lucky that I didn't massacre them. The same goes for the ogres. As for why I am training my little human team... I don't think a slave is qualified to learn about their master's intentions. You will only know what I want you to know."

Rebecca's smirk was cruel, her words laced with a venomous echo, "Urghh... Just you wait. One day all this will be exposed and then everyone will try to cut you down left and right. No matter how strong you are, you won't survive when the whole world is against you, hmph."

Asher looked unfazed, and his response was a cold smile, "Aren't you forgetting something important? If that happens, then you will share the same fate as your master. If I die…you die. So you should stop holding out any hopes of getting free from me. You will only be disappointing yourself more."

Rebecca's face darkened with fury as she inwardly vowed, 'Just you wait…I will make you remove my slave seal on your own.'

Meanwhile, after half an hour, in the ravaged town, Arthur and his team surveyed the aftermath of their battle.

The streets were littered with the bodies of goblins, the air heavy with the scent of destruction and blood.

Arthur wiped the sweat from his brow and addressed his team, his voice filled with relief and pride, "Great job, everyone. All the demons are dead, and we were able to successfully escort the citizens to a safe zone."

Amelia, Emiko, and Yui, despite their exhaustion, returned his smile, "You did great too, especially after coming up with a good plan like Advisor Ash advised," Amelia said with a nod.

Arthur wiped the sweat from his brow and addressed his team, his voice filled with relief and pride, "Great job, everyone. All the demons are dead, and we were able to successfully escort the citizens to a safe zone."

Amelia, Emiko, and Yui, despite their exhaustion, returned his smile, "You did great too, especially after coming up with a good plan like Advisor Ash advised," Amelia said with a nod.

Arthur recalled one of the battles he had earlier in this quest, "I wasn't expecting that goblin leader to be so-"

"Ting! Ting!*

Arthur's words got stuck in his throat as suddenly an SOS notification began to go off from his tracker device on his wrist.

Arthur's expression turned grave as he looked at the screen and mumbled, "Oh no…A prominent guild named 'Black Knights' are under attack. It's not too far. We have to leave now!" Arthur felt even more anxious since it was one of the guilds the president had asked him to protect and one that could be targeted by the Coven of the Damned cult.

What if this very cult was the one attacking the guild? He definitely can't let them destroy that guild like the others!

The three women nodded with serious expressions, though they exchanged a subtle yet imperceptible meaningful glance before following Arthur.