RD 4 Ch 24

Our group had reformed with a few more to go after the Hell Gate and the Gate Guardian closest to Vein City.

Already, humanity had lost control of the Hell Gate, and the surrounding space had begun terraforming to this particular demon clan's preference. Small ponds, far deeper than they looked, dotted the landscape in front of us. Meanwhile, the area was abuzz with demonic activity that we could see from the ridgeline as we overlooked the budding demonic fortification in the distance.

"These demons don't look like the ones we've seen thus far," Gloria said, casting a glance my way.

"I think of them as old faithful servants for whatever demonic clan they serve. They've been given a chance to come here and reap rewards before the masses run in and suck everything up. The ones we've seen mostly thus far on earth are more akin to moltings, or perhaps caterpillars in cocoons might be a more apt description. Just like all of the many butterflies make cocoons that look the same." I hesitated. "Is this making any sense? Demons can take a hundred years to reach maturity after they possess someone and they are more varied than humans."

"Some," Nyx spoke up, waffling her hand. "So what you're saying is the dark deformed ones are like the cocoons and so they all sort of look similar but eventually they take on more distinct appearances?" She asked as she pointed out at the ones below that all had a fish-like quality to them. They had fins on their arms and spines with scales dotting their skin, though they remained dark with a hint of purple or blue.

"Yeah, pretty much," I said with a shrug. "Don't think too hard about it. Just know recently possessed all look the same even if they weren’t human to start. And only once they get old," I gestured down below, "do they start to have some unique traits."

The group all nodded. Joining me were my ladies, Simone, Nyx, and Gloria. I wouldn't leave them out of the potential rewards. Then there was a small group from the Nester clan that had been allowed to join, including Bobby, Candy and some of their picks.

Because this was going to give far more valuable rewards than sitting around picking off demons in the city.

Also with us were Merlin and Circe, who had brought several of her elites. And finally, even though she had stopped my father from going alone, my mother and Thorin had come to help.Jenny and Amanda were leading a small crew of Mul Branova that were familiar to me from the vault.

All together the group was only about three dozen strong. 

"Is there a plan?" my mother asked, more than a little judgment in her tone.

"Preferably don't die," I smiled at her, pinching my face as much as I could before turning back to the problem at hand. "In case someone thinks it's decoration, I need you all to be aware that that is the gate guardian." I pointed ahead at the tail wrapped around the structure.

"Big," was all Thorin said with a grunt, pulling out a massive axe from his spatial ring.

"I'll take it on directly," I said, glancing over my shoulder to spot Simone. "You and Gloria will help. Nyx, I want you to cover the Mul Branova, and the Nesters to prevent as many deaths as you can."

Nyx nodded sharply, her serpents all bobbing in unison before splitting up and watching over the groups I’d mentioned.

"Merlin and Circe, I want you to pick off any elites you see pop up during this fight and deal with them. You can come help me after that." I continued to divvy up responsibilities.

"As for you, Mom," I glanced over at Elle Heroes, "I'd prefer if you stuck with Dad. I'm sure I don't have to ask him to keep you alive." 

She frowned at me. "You treat me as if I'm a burden."

"No, I just didn't plan for you to come and don't want to have to keep an eye on you. After all, your sword style is less than perfect for an all-out battlefield." I smiled, unable to help myself.

She gave me a look that said she wished she could still put me in timeout.

"Everyone else, kill any demon you see. I'll go first." I stood up from the ridgeline and began charging directly at the gate and the structures they’d built around it. 

The wind curled at my back before pushing me forward. Circe was clearly giving me a more than gentle push as my legs began to devour the distance between me and the fortress. 

Demons looked up, pausing in their work. It was hard for me not to be noticed as I barreled across the field. While I moved, demons picked up weapons and flung spells. I soaked them up, smiling at training my resistance, letting my new Immortal Body take care of the damage from the small fries. 

Shouts erupted behind me as the rest of my group began moving. The Mul Branova and the Nesters happily mopped up the lower-level demons before I jumped, feeling more of Circe's wind catch me and push me over the small lake.

I landed with a thud next to two demons who I grabbed with my bare hands, using them to soften my landing. I practically collapsed their necks into their shoulders before I pushed off and resumed my pace straight for the fortress ahead. 

The massive demonic beast in front of me slowly uncurled itself from the fortress. It looked like a giant moray eel, only with equally giant spines rising from its back where there should be a solid fin. It let out a piercing cry that rippled through the air and caused more than a few demons to clutch their heads in pain.

I silently thanked it for helping me as I shouldered through the demons, rushing upon the fortress with an iron blood blade forming in my hands. 

The eel moved far faster now, uncoiling itself. I cast Soul Gaze on it to see what I was about to take on.

[Name: Nelly Gnomstix

Level: 652

Class: Monstrous Hydromancer SS

Status: Hungry, Agitated

Strength: 8721

Agility: 7395

Vitality: 16215

Intelligence: 11328

Spirit: 12863

Skills:

…]

Unlike what anybody would typically expect from a creature this size, it was actually a mage.

It opened its mouth and a stream of bubbles big enough to engulf a school bus fired out.

I shielded myself as they slammed into me, grinding my momentum to a halt.

As they popped, each of them exploded with enough force to knock me around and nearly make me stumble over. Then the next bubble's explosion tried to catch me and toss me in the opposite direction.

I stabbed the blood iron sword into the ground to keep me from flying off, only for the monster's attack to cease and giant watery tentacles to explode out of the surrounding ponds.

They whipped around not just at me, but the rest of the group as the massive demon leveled his head at me.

I grinned at the demon as it tried to inspect me and it was brushed off with a moment of focus. Even if it wasn't my strongest stat in my last life, it was still strong enough to resist a demon of this level. 

"Pathetic human," it hissed. "Why have you come to lose your life so early? You could have lived for so many years before we finally refined your corpse into one of us. But now you've presented yourself to me today. And I think you would make a fine host for some of my children." The demon spoke in a gargled voice as it rose above the fortress, fully uncoiling itself. Most of its body rose high in the air. Gills flared on its side as if it was inhaling magic.

A glow streamed from the gills before it let loose another torrent of water.

Simone's barrier popped up, bolstered by my own Crimson Barrier. The double shield was only up for a moment, but it was long enough for me to run underneath the blast and reach the demon's flank. 

I slashed at its exposed underside, then threw myself to the side as it dropped its body on top of me with a thunderous boom.

I managed to escape being squished, but it displaced enough wind that I wasn't able to follow up with another strike to its side, too busy trying not to be blown away. 

The demon, now with its weight on the bulk of its body, slapped down with its tail, sending me flying nearly a football field's length.

As I flew through the air, I summoned my drop sword into my hand. I activated the ability, changing my trajectory and rocketing to the ground. This skill spared me from taking more damage as the eel blasted another stream of bubbles into the cluster of soil that I had just been inside. 

The explosion that followed was loud enough to drown out any other noise on the battlefield.

I activated charge and closed the distance, reaching the demon and burying my sword into its side once again.

Its eyes flashed angrily as its head snapped in my direction, but it looked confused. It must have lost track of me, expecting me to be caught up in its combo attack. 

I only grinned, activating Sanguine Locking.

The spell wrapped around the immediate area but failed to contain the entire demon.

As its jaws snapped down at me, I pulled back, swinging my blade and creating a small storm of Sanguine Slashes to cut up the demon's face. I narrowly dodged past its jaws and finished my attack by burying the blade deep into the demon's cheek. 

It reared back, trying to toss me away, but I held tightly to the sword even as the wind roared in my ears.

I cast several more Sanguine slashes as I held on for dear life, like I was trying to stay on a mechanical bull.

The demon roared in rage and slammed its head back down on the ground, with me to the side. 

I went to get back to my feet, quickly realizing that the demon had placed me strategically into the middle of an ongoing battle.

A dozen demons turned and immediately began stabbing me with spears and tridents.