Chapter 210: Corrupted

"Huh, looks like they haven’t publicized the fact that the Archdemon is masquerading as a human. I suppose that makes sense, it’d definitely cause mass panic if the public knew that there’s a crazy powerful Monster blending in with them, people might start attacking each other," I muttered as I scrolled through an article on my I-Watch display.Today’s the 27th of July, 2169, two days had passed since Luxuria identified the Archdemon that’s on the loose right now.

Charlotte contacted me soon after I texted her the info I got from Luxuria, she asked me a few more questions to relay to Luxuria, but Luxuria didn’t know much more about the Archdemon than what she’d already told me and Aria.

The Archdemon’s appearance isn’t going to help much since he’s currently assuming the form of the Teleporter he’s posing as.

Luxuria was fairly certain that he has to stay tranformed as his target to keep using their powers, if he goes back to his normal form, he won’t be able to tranform into the same person again, he’d have to devour someone else and tranform into them.

Looking for someone with an Aura on the level of an Archdemon would be pointless too, since this Archdemon copies his victim’s Aura...I mean, he’d have to, otherwise he’d have blown his cover immediately.

Anyway, I was currently out, having bought new pairs of gauntlets and boots, since the Hunters Armory had just released new and improved versions of the types I owned.

I was wearing a face mask and a pair of shades, since I still get stepped on the street fairly often by people who want to get selfies with me and whatnot.

The hype around me has died down significantly, thankfully, but there’s still a fair bit of attention on me.

One of the Diva Guild members had live-streamed my duel against Trent, which drew some attention to me, though most of the online responses were negative reactions to Trent.

Alright, guess I’ll head back home now.

Don’t really have anything to do for the next couple of days, until my next raid, so might as well make use of this free time and lounge about at home.

I’ll get some training in later today, but for right now, I-...hm?

I tensed as I sensed an intense, palpable bloodlust behind me, spinning around right as a blast of Negative Energy came shooting towards me.

I sprang back as fast as I could, chanting to manifest Drain and swallowing up the blast before it could reach me.

Alarmed cries rang out from the surrounding passersby, quickly backing away from me as I narrowed my gaze in the direction the bloodlust was coming from...this feels familiar, where have I sensed this bloodlust before?

Actually, never mind, I think the fact that I can’t see whoever just attacked me answers that question...

"<Command: Show Yourself>," I chanted as I focused on the bloodlust, a familiar figure coming into sight.

"D-Damn, you...! I’ll kill you...I’ll kill you, I’ll kill you, I’ll kill you...!"

"Huh, is it just me, or do you look more unstable than before?" I inquired, as I took off my mask and shades, tossing them into Treasury and drawing out Desecrator, as several onlookers began to run away, while some stuck around, recording the commotion.

"Y-You fucking b-bastard...you humiliated me, y-you ruined my reputation! But it’s fine, I-I’m going to make you pay for that, right here a-and now...thanks to my benefactor, I-I can do it! N-No, I will do it!" Exclaimed Trent, a crazed look in his eyes as he pointed one of his blades at me.

His Aura, there’s something different about it...it looks more intense than it was before, and its hue has changed a bit too, there’s a tinge of black to it that wasn’t there before.

And the benefactor he mentioned...based on the timing, it must be the Archdemon, it has to be.

There’s only one explanation, it must be another Demonic Art that Archdemon possesses, evidently some kind of ability to grant power ups to people. Looks like the tradeoff is a hit to the individual’s sanity.

And since Luxuria didn’t know about it, it must be an ability the Archdemon decided to keep under wraps.

Let’s take a look, Appraisal:

HP: 851

MP: 645

Strength: 857 ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ novel•fire.net

Agility: 1238

Vitality: 845

Perception: 1194

Power Level: 938,300

Potential: 722,800

Huh? What the hell am I looking at?

His Power Level is higher than his Potential, but...that’s supposed to be impossible. All his physical stats are higher than mine now, and even his MP has increased.

But something else is strange about this...his stat screen is glitching, as if the data has been corrupted or something, I can’t even read the rest of the details of Appraisal, I can just barely make out his stats.

"It does look like you’ve grown more powerful. But really, how pathetic...to think you’d have to submit yourself to an Archdemon just to stand a chance against me," I smirked tauntingly.

"H-Huh? Don’t...don’t you dare insult m-my benefactor, you little shit!" He snapped furiously, his eyes practically bulging around his head.

Huh, now that I get a closer look...the whites of his eyes were black, and his teeth and nails were more akin to fangs and claws.

Seriously, what in the hell exactly happened to him?

Suddenly, dark, shadowy energy surrounded his blades, before he rapidly whipped them across, firing out a pair of Negative Energy slashes at me.

I swallowed them up with Drain as more people began to run away in fear, before Trent shot towards me, lightning crackling around his blades.

He snarled as he closed in and leapt towards me, whipping his right blade across at my head, which I swiftly ducked under, before he smirked viciously and drove his left blade down towards me.

A sharp clang rang out as I block the slash with Desecrator, his blade cracking deeply upon impact, before he suddenly snapped his jaws open, Negative Energy swirling inside his mouth.

I slammed my knee onto the middle of his stomach right as he fired it, just barely managing to swallow it up with Drain, before I quickly tilted my head across as he flung his cracked blade towards my face with a sharp flick of his wrist.

The blade grazed my left cheek, drawing out a trickle of blood before it hit the ground behind me and skidded away, the blade snapping in half as the cracks deepened.

He isn’t just stronger and faster than he was before, but his movements are sharper, a lot sharper.

Now, then, what should I do here? Incapacitate him? Or kill him? I’m definitely leaning towards the latter...