The Damned Demon

Chapter 734  Don't Make Promises You Can't Keep

"If you... don't leave... you will never escape... in time..."

Blood dripped from Arthur's swollen lips, and his body trembled with the effort of holding the barrier in place.

Grace's eyes narrowed, and her fury reached a boiling point. She clenched her fists, her knuckles cracking as she glared at this foolish young man, the sight of his unwavering determination setting something off within her. Her vision blurred momentarily, and her mind flashed back to Emiko—the way Emiko's body had felt in her arms, cold and lifeless, and the graves of her loved ones.

The memory of those moments, of the injustice that had been done, lit a fire in her chest. It ignited a rage that she could not suppress.

"You are no Hunter!" Grace shouted, her voice seething with fury. In one swift motion, she raised her foot and slammed it into Arthur's stomach, a sickening crunch ringing out as the force of the blow sent a wave of pain through his body. *Krashk!*

"URGH!"

Arthur coughed violently, blood splattering from his mouth, but the radiant energy from his finger didn't stop—it flickered, briefly weakening, but it held firm, the barrier around Anna still glowing with protective light.

Grace's face twisted in rage, "Stop protecting her, or you're going to be the one who dies." Her voice dropped to a low, deadly whisper, "All my life, I was denied justice for those I loved... and I won't let you deny it to me as well, no matter what your intentions are."

With that, she raised her foot again, kicking Arthur in the ribs with brutal force. Each strike made his body jerk violently, his bones cracking under the impact, but still, he held onto the staff, his finger pressing forward just enough to keep the radiant energy flowing.

"You really think you can stop me?" Grace hissed, her voice filled with fury as she continued to kick him, each blow more devastating than the last. The pain was excruciating—Arthur could feel his bones breaking, his chest caving in, but still, he clung to that one purpose, that one goal: protect Anna.

Anna, her heart breaking at the sight of Arthur's suffering, watched helplessly from within the barrier, her vision clouded by tears. She could see how much he was enduring, how far he was pushing himself just to keep her safe. His body was battered, bloodied, and broken, but his will to protect her remained unbroken.

Her heart clenched as she weakly tried to move, to stand, to do something—anything—to help him even at the cost of her own life. She knew Grace would stop if she gets the chance to kill her. But alas her legs were lifeless, the pain too much to bear. She could barely feel her body, but her mind raced, her soul aching with the knowledge that she was helpless. "Aunty Grace, please stop!" A voice broke through the haze of Anna's grief, piercing the tension like a dagger.

It was Yui's voice, filled with panic and desperation. Anna's eyes widened as she saw this girl charging toward Grace, her face twisted with worry.

Yui, in her panic, lunged forward, throwing herself at Grace's feet, her arms wrapping around her waist, "Please... stop. This isn't who you are, Aunty Grace," Yui pleaded, her voice trembling as she looked up, her tears streaming down her face, "You taught us... you taught me... to be better than this. To fight for what's right, not destroy everything in our way for revenge... please, Aunty Grace... don't lose yourself."

For the first time, Grace's movements stilled. Her foot, still raised to strike, faltered in midair. The anger in her eyes softened, just for a moment, as Yui's words cut through the haze of her fury. The tension in the room was suffocating as Grace stood over Arthur, her bloodied feet planted firmly on the ground. She had come so close—so close to ending his life. But now, as she looked down at Yui, who was clinging desperately to her waist, her tears slipping down her pale cheeks, something inside Grace stirred.

Yui, the one who also had lost Emiko, the one who was hurting the most, was the one stopping her from finishing this.

Yui's small hands were wrapped tightly around Grace's waist, as if trying to hold onto the last remnants of her humanity, trying to stop her from making a choice she would never be able to undo. The weight of it all pressed down on Grace, and for the first time, she truly saw the desperation and pain in Yui's eyes. Her own heart clenched at the sight.

Grace's gaze shifted downward, past Yui, to Arthur—bloodied and battered, just inches from death. His body lay half-conscious on the floor, barely clinging to life.

She realized that in her rage, in her desire for revenge, she had completely overlooked him—overlooked the very man she had nearly killed.

He wasn't a monster. He wasn't the enemy. He had only been trying to stop her, to do what he believed was right, and she had let her anger blind her to that fact.

His eyes were swollen, blood trickling down from his mouth, but there was still a light in them—a light that wouldn't die, even in the face of her fury.

"I... I promise..." Arthur's voice was barely a whisper, his body trembling with each word, but his sincerity was undeniable,"She won't hurt anyone ever again... I... I will make... sure of it... I swear on my... life." He could guess why she was so desperate to kill Anna. He could see that Emiko meant a lot to this woman even though he couldn't make sense of how good Hunters like Emiko or Yui were connected to a cult.

But he had a feeling they weren't really bad people. Otherwise, he would be dead by now if they were truly demonic in nature.

The Huntress, whose real name seemed to be Grace, could have finished him earlier if she wanted to.

Anna's eyes began to blur as Arthur's words echoed beside her ear, dolefully thinking she could at least help him keep that promise, and the next moment, she lost consciousness from the injuries and pain. Grace froze as the words hit her like a sledgehammer. How could this young man still be so determined, trying to reassure her, even after everything she had done to him? The words rang in her ears, but they weren't enough to quell the storm raging inside her.

She realized, in that moment, that she had never once stopped to consider what Arthur had been feeling—the betrayal, the hurt of being beaten by someone he was only trying to stop. If it was any other Hunter, they might have tried to kill Anna as well.

"Aunty Grace, we have to go. The other Hunters will be here soon," Yui anxiously said as she tried to pull away Grace.

Grace nodded stiffly, her heart aching. She cast one final, lingering glance at Anna's unconscious form before turning to Arthur, who lay broken on the floor, "Don't make promises you can't keep, kid," she said, her voice cold but tinged with something deeper—something like regret, "You have no idea who you are fighting for. Do you even know that the man you call the 'President' is the one who created the Thundering Reaper?"

Arthur felt his vision blurring, but he still heard what she said, making his reddened eyes flicker in confusion and disbelief, unable to believe what she just said.

"If you truly care about seeking justice, then you should start taking a careful look at the people around you who pretend to be righteous and just the most,"

Without another word, Grace grabbed Yui and launched herself into the air, the two of them disappearing into the skies as quickly as they had arrived. For a long moment, all was still.

Arthur, battered and broken, kept repeating what she said in his mind. But he didn't even have the energy left to process another thought and finally allowed his hand to fall limply to the floor.

The radiant barrier that had protected Anna flickered and then faded, leaving her vulnerable once more though he no longer had to worry.

And then, just as he exhaled a breath of relief, his consciousness faded away into the darkness.

Right then, the unmistakable sound of armor-clad soldiers echoed through the building. Several guards descended onto the scene, taking up positions around the perimeter of the orphanage, ensuring that no one else would intervene.

A middle-aged man with neat blonde hair and a matching beard, dressed in a classy gray suit, stepped forward. He clicked his tongue in displeasure, his gaze narrowing as he surveyed the wreckage. "What a mess this is," Greg muttered, shaking his head. "Get these two back to the station. Quick! The last thing we want is people sniffing and snooping around this area."

The guards nodded, moving quickly to collect Anna and Arthur's unconscious forms. As they carried them away, Greg's sharp gaze lingered on the ruins of the battle, his lips slowly forming a smirk.

—

Meanwhile, Grace and Yui arrived back at their Culthold, their flight swift and tense. Inside, Asher and Rebecca were waiting for them, their expressions a mix of impatience and curiosity.

"I can't believe it! I thought you would kill her for sure," Rebecca said, her arms crossed, disappointment and disbelief in her tone.

"That's enough, slave," Asher firmly said, making Rebecca bite her lip in frustration as she sat down.

Grace slowly shook her head, her expression weary as she collapsed into a chair, "I still want her dead," she said, her voice soft but resolute. "But then I realized that even if I kill her, it won't change anything. We won't get Emiko back. We won't be punishing the true culprit behind her death. Derek. He forced her into this, manipulated us into fighting each other while he reaped the rewards. By killing Anna, I would only be playing into his plan, making it easier for him to get rid of a loose end and cause more infamy to fall upon us."

She glanced down at Yui, gently caressing the girl's head, "I have to thank Yui for helping me see reason," Grace added softly.

Yui's eyes were filled with tears as she smiled weakly, nodding.

Rebecca rolled her eyes but couldn't argue with Grace's reasoning. She knew it was true, even if she still felt conflicted.

"You are right, Grace," Asher said thoughtfully, his expression softening. "We can't forgive Anna for what she did, but she can be a weapon against Derek. Unless, of course, he kills her after this. We are in a situation where we can't afford to leave out any options."

Grace nodded slowly, her eyes filled with quiet sadness, "I know. That's another reason why I left like that. But for now, let's first mourn Emiko in a way she deserves."