Chapter Demon Worshippers.

.Episode 25. Demon Worshippers.

**KWOOM!**

The undead serpent’s massive jaws slammed into the ground where I had just been standing.

I narrowly dodged the attack by throwing myself to the side, but the undead serpent slithered over beside the fanatics, surrounding me.

“What the hell is this…”

I reached out toward the undead serpent, trying to assert control over the mana imbued in it—but it was useless.

Ever since the old man gave the command, the undead serpent had slipped out of my control.

“*Heh heh heh,* surprised? No matter how powerful your mana is, it’s useless in the face of Lord Valak’s authority.”

“What a pain.”

It infuriated me to see it under the demon’s influence—but what could I do?

Trying to apply common sense to demonic power is as foolish as it gets.

An unexplainable supernatural ability.

That’s what demonic power is.

The undead serpent and the cultists slowly closed the distance between us.

Convinced they had subdued me, the old man clicked his tongue and muttered.

“I really don’t understand. Lloyd Desmond, a scion of one of the Four Great Houses who enrolled this year—how could someone like that, who practices dark magic, attend Sancternim, the very institution that exterminates demons and monstrosities? When one could gain overwhelming power simply by serving the Demon Lord. Isn’t that the true path?”

“You think dark mages are the same kind of freaks as you cultist bastards?”

“I’m aware the Dark Empire differs from us in some respects. But even among such foolish people, there are always those who see the truth.”

“See the truth, huh?”

“Yes. Like Aaron Bayonel.”

“…What?”

My mind went cold at the unexpected name.

“Why… why are you saying that name?”

“He turned his back on the Dark Empire despite being born into one of the Four Great Houses. That can only mean one thing.”

The old man spread his arms, smiling maniacally.

“He must’ve disagreed with the ideals of the Dark Empire. He’s a promising undead mage, and we should consider his awakening a blessing.”

“…Kuh!”

I couldn’t help myself. I buried my face in one hand and burst into laughter.

“Haha! Hahaha… You said *what*? That Aaron Bayonel is a promising undead mage?”

“Is something funny?”

Even in the face of death, I laughed so hard the cultists wore confused expressions.

“Yeah… it’s hilarious. If this isn’t funny, what is?”

Seriously, what a joke.

I left the Dark Empire to stop the world’s destruction, and now it’s making demon-worshippers see me in a favorable light.

*Tch.*

I lowered my hand and glared at the old man.

From my chilled mind, heat surged again.

“…Twisting things however it suits you. How pathetic.”

I’d had enough.

…So, let’s end the act here.

**“GYAAAAH!”**
**“W-Why is the undead…?!”**

A cacophony of shrieks erupted from one side of the encirclement.

The cultists, including the old man, turned toward the noise—only for their faces to freeze in shock.

**Screeee! Boom! Crunch! Snap!**

The undead serpent had turned on them, thrashing its massive body and mowing down nearby cultists.

Some were impaled outright by its venomous fangs, dying before they could even scream.

**Krrrk…**

With blood dripping from its jaws, the undead serpent loomed over them, and the cultists’ faces drained of all color.

“P-Priest! What’s going on?!”

“Why is it attacking *us*?!”

“N-No! I didn’t—this isn’t my doing!”

As chaos erupted among the demon worshippers, a smirk curled at my lips.

“*Kekeke… oh, this is rich. You thought having a demon’s power made you invincible, huh?*”

“H-How…?”

I snapped my fingers. Glowing purple runes rose from the serpent’s scales.

“When I created the undead, I also wove a defense spell into it. One designed to resist demonic influence.”

That’s why it took me a whole hour to complete the undead serpent.

“You’ve been chanting praises to your so-called master. But you never received full power from Valak, did you?”

Just because someone forms a pact with a demon doesn’t mean they get overwhelming strength.

Demons grant power proportional to the price paid—and not all payments are equal.

“What could a decrepit old man like you even offer? Judging from your intact limbs, I’d guess you gave up a bit of blood or a few of your followers’ lives. Like a demon would be satisfied with that.”

Clearly, he hadn’t received any real power from Valak.

If he were a powerful contractor, not only would I have known—even as a regressor—but he could’ve easily destroyed my defense spell and taken control of the undead.

Most of all—

“You didn’t even notice that I took back control of the undead. You think someone like that qualifies as a powerful contractor? Don’t kid yourself.”

“You insolent—!”

The cultists abandoned the serpent and charged at me with their daggers raised.

But their speed was barely above average.

Unlike before, there wasn’t even a trace of demonic energy radiating from their bodies.

Looks like they spent all their mana maintaining the barrier to hide from Leviya. So that’s how lightly they took me?

**Chraaat!**

I summoned four Shadow Daggers and flung them at the cultists’ foreheads.

Four of them collapsed with blades buried in their brows.

Despite the accuracy and lethal precision, the others continued rushing me, undeterred.

A smart choice. Better to kill the caster than to deal with the mid-tier undead.

But they forgot one thing.

My primary dark magic isn’t summoning.

**Clench.**

I grabbed two of the Shadow Daggers in my hands.

—

**Curse Enchant.**
**Curse of Durability.**

—

The cursed daggers clashed with the enemy’s weapons.

**CLANG!**

The cultist’s dagger cracked and snapped cleanly in two.

Ignoring the startled look on his face, I slashed his exposed neck.

**Slash!**

Weapon destruction. Strike the weapon with the Curse of Durability, break it, then go straight for the vital point.

This level of response is more than enough for the likes of you.

**Clang! Slash! Clang! Slice!**

I destroyed weapons and struck their vitals.

After taking down around eight of them, the rest stopped charging so recklessly.

**SCREEEE!**

Those who didn’t dare come near were devoured by the undead serpent.

If they hesitate, the undead kills them. If they attack me, *I* kill them.

…So then, who’s really trapped like a rat?

The cultists hesitated, unsure of their next move.

Even the old man behind them froze.

“You control undead… You wield shadow weapons… You even use cursed combat magic…?”

His eyes trembled.

“What *are* you?”

“Me? You want to know who I am?”

I flicked the blood off my dagger.

“…You probably don’t understand why the Dark Empire relies on dark magic—a power most other nations shun. You who blindly worship demonic power wouldn’t get it.”

I recalled the teachings of my former mentor, Lienna Baroness, which she’d drilled into my head countless times.

“It’s to show people like *you* that demonic power isn’t everything. That we dark mages can prove it ourselves.”

I reached for my neck.

With the barrier in place, no one would know what happened here.

So watch closely.

See exactly whose wrath you’ve provoked.

“You said I was from one of the Dark Empire’s Four Great Houses, didn’t you? Good guess. You’re right.”

I took off my pendant.

—

**Polymorph, release.**

—

Jet-black hair and crimson eyes.

The unmistakable features of House Bayonel revealed themselves, and the cultists’ faces turned pale.

“…Aaron? That’s Aaron Bayonel!”

“Feels different seeing me in the flesh, huh?”

I pocketed the pendant and twirled the dagger.

“You picked the wrong person to mess with.”

**SCREEE!**

The undead serpent lunged again. Screams of pain and terror filled the sealed barrier.

—

**\***

The forest was soaked in the stench of blood. The corpses of the old man’s followers lay strewn across the ground.

Blood splatters and torn flesh marked the trees, painting a grotesque scene. But I felt nothing.

Compared to what happened in the previous timeline, this was hardly a horror.

I’ve done this more than once.

“You’re the last one, huh?”

“I… I don’t understand…”

The old man, coiled by the undead serpent, moaned in agony.

“Why… why are you siding with the Dark Empire after abandoning it…?”

“You stupid? Why else would I come to Sancternim?”

“Then… were you hired by the Holy Empire…? *Guhk!*”

The serpent tightened its grip and shut his mouth.

He was way off.

Not even worth answering.

“Anyway, let me ask again. Why’d you do this?”

“*Heh heh…* I told you. To eliminate users of holy power who could threaten Lord Valak…”

“Is that so? Strange.”

I cut him off and looked down, recalling my previous life.

“The Valak I know wouldn’t harm Sancternim students.”

“…!”

The old man froze.

So I hit the mark.

“This wasn’t Valak’s doing, was it? You acted alone, just because you wanted to kill the holy-awakened.”

“How could you…?”

I didn’t need to hear any more.

Knowing this wasn’t Valak’s will was enough.

“Living by your own twisted standards must make things easy for you.”

Despite being a demon-worshipping madman, the old man reminded me—just a little—of my past self.

Mad Dog Aaron.

I believed I was right and never doubted my ideals. Just like this guy.

Maybe that’s why he resorted to murdering the holy-awakened.

I get it.

And *because* I get it…

I’m the one who has to end this.

I raised the shadow dagger behind me.

“You know something?”

“W-Wait—!”

**Shk.**

Blood burst from the horizontal slash across the old man’s neck.

And to no one, I murmured:

“…Living like that only leads to regret.”

—