The Damned Demon

Half an hour ago,

In the outskirts of a town, the decently sized headquarters of the Black Knights Guild loomed, a beacon of security amidst the ever growing fears of demonic cults. The building, marked by the huge sign 'Black Knights', was renowned not just for its impressive architecture but as a hub for Hunters specializing in intelligence gathering for the WHA, particularly targeting demonic cults.

They also were good at hunting down these cults on their own and even dealing with corrupted Hunters.

Inside, the atmosphere was charged with a blend of respect and vigilance. Ray Foxx, the Guildmaster, walked through the ground floor clad in a sharp blue suit that contrasted with his subtly grayed temples, signaling his years of experience and authority. Behind him trailed a group of men and women in neat suits, all attentive to his every move.

As he passed, employees stood in respectful silence, acknowledging his presence with a mix of admiration and apprehension. Scattered throughout the building, men in black sunglasses and armor stamped with the WHA emblem guarded every corner. Some held rifles, others traditional weapons for any close encounter situation, and they were all ready to take care of any hostile activity that may occur in this guild.

Ray's expression was one of visible annoyance as he glanced at the stationed WHA soldiers. His voice low but filled with irritation, he muttered to his secretary, a young woman with blonde hair neatly tied in a bun, "How long are these goons going to stay in my building? I can't even do any shit properly with them sitting on my back 24/7. You better find a plan to get rid of them, Stacy."

Stacy winced, her expression troubled, "Sir, you know they are here for our protection. The Coven of the Damned might attack us any time, and if they do, these WHA soldiers will take care of that cult while our assets will be safe."

Ray clicked his tongue, his annoyance palpable, "Tch, why are you talking as if our guild is useless and can't handle some trash cult?"

Stacy, her voice laced with urgency, hurried to clarify, "I wouldn't dare, sir. I apologize if I made you misunderstand."

Ray scoffed as he said, "People think that just because we are not an Elite Guild, we aren't that strong. But we are the ones who did most of the heavy lifting for the WHA, especially a few years ago, right after the Corrupted Prince was killed."

Stacy's brows raised as she asked, after hesitating for a bit, "S-So the rumors of the Black Knights taking down a peak S Ranker who was corrupt was true?"

Ray smugly smiled as he said, "Of course. Taking down that Russian bitch was supposed to be the greatest moment of glory for our guild. But unfortunately, she was part of a superpower in Russia, and we couldn't risk attracting unwanted attention when we already have a lot on our plate."

'More like afraid her people might come after your guild?' Stacy thought naturally but didn't dare to voice her thoughts.

"She was so feared and was said to be the Corrupted Prince's right-hand woman. They grew up together, apparently as servants of the Evangelion Family. But all it took was a simple trap to lure her and fifteen of my best men and of course myself. I am a low-level S Ranker, and yet it was I who plunged my blade into her heart. That moment was so satisfying that I wish I could relive it every day."

Stacy swallowed her saliva, terrified upon knowing that he had taken down such a powerful woman despite the disparity in their rank. Was he hiding his strength or something? That can't be…

As they approached a floating elevator, the rest of the entourage stopped, and only Ray and she entered.

He sighed and shook his head, "It's a pity, though. She was quite beautiful. If only those annoying bastards at the WHA hadn't given those orders, I wouldn't have killed her that fast," As he said this, Ray's expression was filled with disappointment since such a woman with great power and beauty was never so near within his grasp.

If only the WHA had given him some leeway...What a waste.

Stacy briefly wrinkled her nose before controlling her expression as she said in a low voice, "I…I will try my best to find a way to come up with measures to make the WHA think that we are equipped to protect our own guild without their help."

Stacy could guess that the guildmaster probably wanted to do something that he didn't want the WHA to poke their noses into. Otherwise, who would refuse free protection?

As the elevator began its ascent, Ray's demeanor softened slightly. He placed a hand reassuringly on Stacy's back, causing her to flinch subtly and tried to take a small step to the side.

But her eyes widened as his grip hardened around her waist, pulling her back closer to him. His smile was smooth, almost disarming as his hand moved subtly down her back, "Of course. I know that. Even if you are my new secretary, I know you have been working quite hard, Stacy."

Stacy felt her heart thud against her chest as she felt her skin crawl the longer his hand moved down her back, "I-I am glad to hear that, s-sir."

"You are so pretty and sweet, unlike my old hag of a wife. All she does is glare at me before I remind her of her place with a few good old slaps to her face. But you remind me of my younger days, making me feel young again," Ray said with a disturbing smile as he ogled Stacy's modest assets before sliding his hand down towards her buttocks.

Stacy's body jerked, and her eyes widened upon feeling his rough hand squeezing her buttocks, "S-Sir, please…" Stacy could hear her heartbeat in her ears and fidgeted as she tried to step away from him.

But he was gripping her buttocks so firmly that she was unable to move and had never felt so terrified. She unconsciously looked around for help, but the elevator was purposefully going very slowly, and the glass of the elevator was tinted to prevent anyone outside from seeing the inside.

Ray smiled as he looked at her, cowering under his grip, and pushed her against the glass of the elevator as he said, "I know you joined our guild to pay the bills for your ailing brother, and I am taking care of it as I promised. But if you don't take good care of me, would it be fair for me to keep looking after your brother? My previous secretaries never appreciated my goodwill towards them," Ray then added as his tone grew sinister, "So I had to let them go, albeit they must be deeply regretting it now."

Stacy's chin quivered as she felt his other hand creeping up over her shirt and began to unbutton it. Did he do these disgusting things to his previous secretaries?

She clenched her fists and wanted to push him away, but thinking about her brother, her hands trembled, and her eyes became teary.

But Ray's lecherous intentions were abruptly cut short as he scowled upon noticing a commotion at the entrance of his building.

Stacy felt a huge sense of relief upon feeling Ray's hands leaving her body alone and wondered if he changed his mind. But then she nervously took a peek at him, only to see him looking somewhere else.

Her heart skipped as she witnessed an elderly man with black sunglasses forcefully trying to push past the guild's security. The guards, usually unflappable in their duties, struggled visibly, their efforts seeming almost futile against the old man's surprising vigor.

She knew nobody was allowed to enter this building until they had a prior appointment. So why was this old man trying to get inside, and how was he able to make those guards struggle?

Even the WHA guards who were holding traditional weapons came rushing to investigate while those with guns stood afar but prepared for the worst.

Ray, sensing something amiss, snapped into action, his voice booming through the comms attached to his suit, "Kick that old bastard out! He is up to no—" *BOOM!*

But before he could finish, the world erupted into chaos. A deafening explosion shook the very foundations of the building, engulfing the lobby in a chilling dark green light.

This blast of eerie dark green light expanded almost instantaneously, engulfing the guards and the WHA soldiers who had surrounded the old man in a devastating wave.

The shockwave from the explosion rocked the entire building, sending vibrations through the floor and walls. "Aaaah!!" Stacy shrieked, thrown off balance, while Ray managed to hold his footing against the elevator floor.

Gasping for air and grappling with the situation, Stacy clung to the wall of the elevator for support. Ray, fueled by a mixture of rage and disbelief, quickly regained his posture, his eyes blazing with fury as he sought to identify the motherfucker who dared attack his guild.

As the dust and smoke began to settle, the scene at the entrance became horrifically clear. Amidst the ashes and scattered remains and blood of the fallen guards and soldiers, a skeletal figure enveloped in dark green flames stood ominously. The skeletal being slowly raised its head, its hollow eye sockets seemingly locking gaze with Ray.

The sight struck a chord of deep fear and recognition in Ray, his voice barely a whisper as he uttered in disbelief, "H-Hellbringer??"