SSS Demon King System: The Rise of a Dying Extra-Chapter 20: Cornering the Predator. (2)

"You really could have intervened sooner," Lloyd complained, though now he felt much more relaxed.

"I’m sorry, my lord, I only followed your orders," Sebastian excused himself.

Lloyd sighed.

Perhaps telling Sebastian to hide until he called him hadn’t been the best idea.

Playing detective had made him overconfident, though he had already paid the price.

The bad time he went through hadn’t pleased him at all.

He had to get stronger; he wouldn’t go through something like that again.

"Damn old man, you hit hard," a voice was heard from the wall, it was Lucia.

It took the girl a bit to get out; she had been practically embedded in the wall.

It was surprising she was still standing.

"Well, it seems I’m going to need more than one hit to bring you down," the butler said, while cracking his knuckles.

"Heh, don’t underestimate me, old man," the woman responded, spitting blood. Her attitude had changed; she could no longer afford to be playing around. "Aaah, I hate fighting strong people, it’s not fun at all. I prefer playing with cute little lambs like you, Lloyd. Why don’t you tell this old man to leave us alone? We’ll have a great time, you’ll see."

Or so Lloyd thought, but apparently, Lucia had many mood swings.

"No thanks, Sebastian, finish quickly please," Lloyd responded politely.

"Of course."

"Tsk, don’t underestimate me," she said annoyed. "Are you sure you don’t want to use that sword you’re carrying on your belt, old man?"

The old man shook his head, while caressing the silver handle of his sword.

"I only use it with real rivals, not with crazy whores like you," the butler clarified.

His tone remained serious even while mocking his opponent.

"Don’t regret it later," the girl gripped her knife tightly, and then; she disappeared.

Lloyd could barely perceive what happened next.

The woman had appeared right behind Sebastian.

However, this didn’t take the butler by surprise.

It would be difficult for some to perceive, but Sebastian’s position was perfect: he had one foot in front of the other, in semi-profile.

He only had to pivot on his heels to turn around.

As soon as Lucia launched her attack, trying to stab him from behind, Sebastian was already turning.

With precision, he deflected the blow with his forearm and taking advantage of the momentum, twisted his wrist to catch his rival’s arm, preventing it from passing by.

His foot described an arc, impacting the ankle Lucia used as a support point.

At the same time, a slight wrist adjustment redirected the force of the grip, bending the assassin’s arm inward, at the elbow area.

The joint gave way in the opposite direction to the natural one, fracturing the bone, which pierced through her skin.

The movement caused Lucia to fall forward, but she never reached the ground: Sebastian received her with an ascending diagonal hook, propelled by a hip turn.

All this without releasing her wrist.

The impact was so precise that Lucia didn’t manage to feel pain; she was already out of combat.

The entire sequence occurred with such speed and fluidity that Lloyd’s eye failed to capture anything.

He only saw Lucia disappear from the front to reappear behind Sebastian, on the ground with her arm destroyed.

"Wow, you’re going to have to teach me how to do that, Sebas," the young man said, impressed.

"I’m flattered, young master, and of course, I’d be delighted to teach you the Sword of Belphegor. After all, I was the one who taught it to your father," Sebastian said with clear emotion in his voice.

"The Sword of Belphegor?" the boy said, with wide eyes.

There was interest in his voice, but above all, Lloyd had the terrible feeling he had heard of that style before.

It sounded familiar.

It was then that he remembered: an impassive knight, capable of almost defeating the entire cast of fencing professors by himself.

Sir Sebastian Morfeus, retired general of the Demon King of the fifth circle.

An Incubus.

Was that old man really him?

How had he not recognized him before?

Well, it was understandable.

Lloyd was already surprised by how much he remembered from the novel.

In the novel, Sebastian wore armor, so he wasn’t described physically.

Even if he remembered everything about the novel, he wouldn’t have been sure that this Sebastian was the same one, since that would mean he was a demon, and it was hard to see one in Avalon territory.

Demons are the enemies of the first novel, along with the Djinn and exteriors, but in Tales of Avalon, it’s explained that the madness of demons calmed with their descendants, and the term "demon" came to describe any creature mutated by demonic and magical power.

Ironically, the inhabitants of Avalon didn’t consider themselves demons, despite having mutated through magical power.

In Avalon, it was uncommon to encounter a demon; if you did, it would surely be an exotic type of slave.

In the sacred land it was even more difficult: demons are illegal there, they will be killed as soon as they enter the kingdom.

Even for a half-breed it would be difficult to enter the holy territory of the church.

That’s why it was hard to believe that a demon, especially such an incredible one, was his butler.

"That’s right," the old man said, then sighed bitterly. "Perhaps it’s time for the young master to find out about some things."

"Mmm? What do you mean, Sebas?" Lloyd asked with genuine interest.

Sebastian nodded. His hands pointed at Lucia, who was still on the ground.

Suddenly, a viscous darkness acquired tangibility, molding itself like chains that wrapped around the assassin.

The butler picked up the woman as if she weighed nothing, and carried her like a sack of potatoes.

"Follow me."

Lloyd nodded, and began to follow Sebastian. 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

They began to walk in complete silence, entering a place he had never seen.

After descending a spiral staircase, they arrived at what seemed to be the place Sebastian wanted to take him.

There it was: a dusty room, full of objects covered by sheets.

Sebastian snapped his fingers, and quickly the room was illuminated. It was a lighting system that employed elemental spirits, the reason why light bulbs didn’t exist.

Sebastian dropped the woman on the floor while heading toward a painting, also covered by a white sheet.

"It’s time I spoke to you about your mother, sir: Barbara Morfeus."

Lloyd crossed his arms.

Sebastian’s expression said it all; this was a serious matter.