The demon felt a shiver of excitement run down his spine. A wide, sinister grin spread across his face. He slowly turned around, eyes gleaming with sadism, and said in a chilling voice:
— Oh... I see you really want to die by my hands.
Igris stared at him, a confident smile tugging at his lips. He raised a finger and replied in a firm tone:
— Don't get your hopes up. You're the one who's going to die—by my hands.
The demon raised an eyebrow, examining Igris from head to toe: a long metal chain wrapped around his torso, strange objects hanging from his belt, and in his hand, a gleaming Swiss knife.
He narrowed his eyes, then burst out laughing:
— Seriously? You think looking like a damn mechanic is going to help you kill me? You're hilarious, man!
Igris smirked and replied calmly:
— Then come find out for yourself.
"Come on… Closer… Just a bit more…" he thought.
The demon laughed harder.
— You really think your little tools scare me? I'm not afraid of metal, insect!
Igris tilted his head and shot back with a smirk:
— Funny words from someone who was hiding six meters up just a minute ago. If you're so strong… THEN COME AT ME!
Enraged, the demon roared and leapt off the pole:
— I'M GONNA SMASH THOSE SKINNY LITTLE HANDS OF YOURS, FOOL!
Igris grinned wide.
— Perfect.
With a swift motion, he pulled out a small black orb from his belt and threw it at the demon.
The demon easily dodged it and laughed:
— Missed!
But before he could finish the sentence, the orb exploded in a blinding flash of light. The alley was flooded with intense, white brilliance.
The demon's laughter was instantly cut off—replaced by a scream of agony.
— AAAAARGH! WHAT THE HELL IS THAT THING?!
Igris burst out laughing and said:
— It's a flash bomb, bro. Actually, a lot of humans have them. I just borrowed a few.
The demon, his charred skin beginning to regenerate, growled angrily:
— How did you know that would burn me?!
Igris replied calmly:
— I read a few books about demons. I saw that you're a shadow demon, and you guys can't stand bright light. You're stronger at night… but you, you're just a class E demon, not A. So honestly, you suck in battle.
Enraged, the demon screamed:
— YOU BASTARD!
He rushed at Igris, claws stretched like razors.
Igris smiled and pressed a button while whispering:
— Pathetic.
A much stronger light than before burst out behind him. He chuckled and said:
— Oh, didn't see the projector I brought?
A 5000W light suddenly lit up the alley, literally burning the demon.
— You guys are just like vampires… That thing cost me all my savings, but it was worth it.
The demon writhed in pain, his body scorching under the intense light.
Igris threw all his flash bombs at him. The demon's screams echoed through the neighborhood. People were panicking:
— What's going on?! — A demon! Call the Hunters!
Terrified residents peeked out from their windows.
Igris simply sighed as he watched the demon burn:
— Tch… I thought this would be more exciting. I'm disappointed. But today was perfect—Mom and Chris are at church, so no one to get in my way.
Then, looking at his agonizing enemy, he added with a satisfied tone:
— But at least… I avenged Sempai.
Suddenly, the demon, half-charred, lunged at Igris and landed a devastating punch to his chest.
The blow sent Igris flying across the street. He crashed into the projector, shattering it, then slammed violently against a wall.
— Damn it… Igris groaned, trying to get up through the searing pain.
The demon was glowing strangely. His body slowly regenerated. Some of his organs were still visible from the burns, but he was still standing.
He growled with a voice full of hate:
— You... I'm going to kill you in the worst way possible.
Despite his wounds, Igris clenched his teeth and pulled out a modified Swiss knife shaped into a small dagger.
With a determined tone, he shouted:
— Bring it on, you damn demon! Come at me, bastard!
The demon, filled with rage, screamed:
— THAT'S IT! I OFFICIALLY HATE HUMANS!
With those words, he charged at Igris. Igris barely had time to react before the demon's claws dug into his stomach. The chains wrapped around his torso slowed them down slightly, but they still pierced through.
How can he still move so fast with all those injuries? Igris thought, spitting blood. He must not be that strong.
Igris screamed in pain, but through gritted teeth, he drove his dagger into the demon's jugular.
The demon howled in pain and growled:
— You're lucky that spotlight weakened me… But you're still going to die!
He slashed Igris again across the stomach, the blow snapping the chain. Then he punched him violently on his left side.
Igris collapsed, unable to move.
The demon approached slowly and whispered:
— Ahahah… You really thought you had a chance, pathetic human? You know what I'm going to do after I kill you? I'll go after your mother... and that little brother of yours who gave you those damn bombs.
Igris's eyes widened.
— DON'T TOUCH MY FAMILY!
In a last burst of strength, he slashed the demon's leg, slipped behind him, and stabbed the knife into his back, dragging it downward to rip through his flesh.
The demon screamed in agony, turned, grabbed Igris's left hand, and drove his claws into his gut, pushing through until they came out the other side.
Igris gritted his teeth, refusing to scream.
He noticed that the demon's organs were still exposed from the burns.
Taking the chance, Igris drove the blade straight into the demon's heart.
The demon froze, his eyes wide in fear and disbelief.
— Ho… How… How did you defeat me...? This… is impossible…
Igris gave him a weak smile and said:
— Hey, lizard freak… We agreed, right? If I win, I get your power. So… die, and never come back.
He pushed the blade deeper into the demon's heart and, with a sharp motion, sliced it in two.
The demon spat out blood and, just before dying, muttered:
— Wow... kid, you beat me. Respect. But you should know… you've just involved yourself in something way bigger than you. By killing me… you'll trigger things beyond your imagination. And to think I called myself a psychopath… turns out you're the real Boubou.
(Boubou = "psychopath" in the demon tongue.)
Then he took his final breath and collapsed.
Igris, staring at the corpse, whispered through the pain:
— I did it... I might die, but at least I avenged Yann. It was worth it.
Suddenly, an unbearable pain surged through his entire body.
— Aaah… Why is my body burning?!
he cried, writhing on the ground.
The pain was far worse than any of his previous injuries.
The demon, thought to be dead, coughed and said weakly:
— A deal is a deal... I told you you'd get my powers if you won... They're yours now. The pain you're feeling… it's just your mark appearing. That's all. I wanted to warn you… before I go. You've become a half-demon now. But don't worry…
Then, he truly died.
Igris, still groaning in pain, muttered:
— Tch… You got me good, bastard...
His wounds began to heal on their own. As he recovered, he felt something strange, like energy pouring over his skin. Within seconds, every cut, even the deepest ones, vanished.
He stood up, no longer in pain.
Looking around, he saw the stunned faces of the street's residents watching him in awe.
He turned his eyes to the demon's body and said:
— Finally… I've avenged him.
Closing his eyes, he added:
— Time to get stronger. I need to reach the Demon Continent.
Suddenly, voices echoed in his head. He looked around, but no one was there.
> "The demon has been located on Kaster Street."
He understood instantly: demon hunters were on their way. Thanks to the heightened hearing he'd inherited from the demon, he could now detect distant sounds… even whispers.
Seconds later, the hunters arrived and saw the scene: the demon's corpse, and Igris standing alone beside it.
They instantly understood what had happened.
Igris looked at them coldly and said:
— Bunch of cowards. Always late…
Then, without another word, he turned around and walked home.
A few minutes later, Igris's mother returned from church with his younger brother. The street was full of people, kept at bay by demon hunters.
— Do not approach! This area is secured! they shouted.
Seeing their neighbor, she approached:
— Mr. Yong, what's going on?
The man, excited, replied:
— Madam Luzolo! I was about to come get you. Your son… what he did is amazing!
— My son?! she gasped. What did he do?!
Christ smirked:
— Told ya… he'd end up in jail one day.
But Mr. Yong burst into laughter:
— No, no! Your son... he killed a demon! By himself!
Both froze, then shouted:
— Igris killed a demon?!
She ran toward the house, screaming:
— IGRIS! IGRIS!
— He must be in the training room... Christ muttered.
They rushed down, and there he was — lifting weights as if nothing had happened.
— Big bro! said Christ, wide-eyed. I heard you beat up a demon alone!
His mom rushed to him, teary:
— Are you hurt?! Are you okay?
— Don't worry, mom. I'm indestructible, he said with a grin.
— Don't say that! You're not even a registered Hunter! You could've died!
Igris looked her in the eyes and said:
— I did it to avenge my best friend. And… I want to become a Demon Slayer.
He pulled off his shirt, revealing a black cross glowing on his back — the mark of a level E Hunter.
His mother stepped back:
— That's a… a mark?! But… why now? You're already 17… It usually appears at birth!
He rested his hand on her shoulder and whispered:
— Don't worry, mom…
Then smiled and raised a fist:
— I'm immortal.
---
☀️ The next morning, 7 a.m.
Christ yawned as he walked into the kitchen in pajamas.
— I'm starving...
He grabbed milk from the fridge. Then, a voice behind him:
— One for me too, please.
He turned around… and froze.
A tall, muscular man, shirtless, was drying his face with a towel.
— AAHH! WHO ARE YOU?! A ROBBER?!
My brother killed a demon without a mark, so you'd better leave if you value your life!
The man laughed:
— Huh? You still half-asleep, Christ?
He took the milk bottle from him.
— Wait… why do you sound exactly like my brother?
The man pulled the towel off his face.
It was Igris. Except… bulkier, stronger, totally transformed.
— WHAT THE—?! You're not my brother! You look like a superhero!!
Christ screamed:
— MOOOM!!
She ran in with a broom, shouting:
— What?! What is it?! A mouse?! A cockroach?! A mutant-rat-roach?!
— Look, mom! pointed Christ.
Igris smiled:
— Morning.
She fainted on the spot.
— Oh Lord Almighty…