King's Kou: Do not awaken the knight in the beast

Chapter 29: Skin

'Lord our Father, who sits in the throne of Elysia, I know I've fucked up a lot–I mean, I am aware of my crimes to humanity and my blasphemy to you. Lord the Father, I have smeared filth to your name after having humans become the main course of my three meals in a day for the past centuries. It's your fault for making them taste so go–ghastly. My sins are ghastly. I am a disgusting servant who deserves punishment for mass murder.'

It had been so long since he prayed that his intrusive thoughts got in the way of giving a decent and sincere prayer. Basil's forehead was scrunched in frustration. How will the heavens give him the blessing to purify souls if he couldn't make himself solicit with genuineness?

Meanwhile, Karma was thinking of retiring early in life despite achieving little. He was young; he could learn how to farm or fish. He didn't have to make a living out of killing bloodthirsty demons, ghosts, and demon lords. Kids his age couldn't even stand a mild toothache while Karma had fought with shattered ribs and a bleeding liver many fights ago. The vessel that appeared out of nowhere jumped down from the tree, creating a small earthquake and dragging him away from his thoughts of retirement.

The child that the vessel folded like clean laundry must have killed Jinx which resulted in this abomination. This vessel is a Curse Level 4 Fledgeling. From Karma's experience, this type of vessel had an adoration for mutilating their prey and taking home body part/s as a trophy. Unlike the Curse Level 3 Juvenile that would raid towns in a group, fledgelings would never work with another fledgeling as they prefer to hunt on their own. They'd first fight to death if two or more fledgelings meet in one place.

Belladonna grinned; ghosts were superior to vessels and Karma was proving to be a big hindrance to achieving her goal to please her Lord Mammon. She extended her arm to the direction of the vessel; the gigantic mace that it was holding was lifted with its lone and muscular arm in an attempt to strike Basil.

"Watch out!" Karma called out.

Basil scooted back without opening his eyes. The mace was swung; but it wasn't towards the snake, it was towards Belladonna. The weapon spiraled her way, splattering her head like a watermelon. Gore escaped her like a fountain. Strings of thick blood squirmed like worms reaching up from her neck. She was releasing a slow rattling noise while she pieced herself together. That slow and deep continuous croak became a high-pitched scream as soon as she was healed. Ayami stood. She removed her head from the scythe, dashing towards the vessel and slashed off its hand that was to smack her away. She was moving more agilely, as if Belladonna gave her a boost of strength.

The clones that Karma created fought each other since Karma #3 remained under Roi's blazing command. Karma #3 created a circle of fire around them, caging number 2 inside. His blazing scythe pierced inside the sane clone, infecting him with the controlling fire.

This trick of his bit Karma back in the ass twice. The two clones turned against their origin, charging up to him with raging speed.

"Basil, are you having a tea meeting with God? Hurry up!" the teenager snapped.

The dismembered hand of the vessel, having the life of its own, grabbed onto Ayami's body and squeezed her like an orange. Her body was squashed into a pulpy mess. Ayami's voice pierced into the vessel's head, making it cease its movements for a short time.

'Oww...owww! Make it stop. Make it stop! Please....please stop.'

Jinx was conscious while the vessel living inside of him wreaked havoc. He could hear the orphans' voices all too well.

'Why can I hear you?'

'I want to go home...I'm scared! I'm scared!' Roi cried.

'What do you want me to do? I'm stuck inside this monster's body too...' Jinx reasoned.