Paradox: Distorted Reality

Chapter 12: The Forest Demon

Demons, fearsome man-eating creatures, are often considered the most powerful species in the world. Their origins remain a mystery, with some theories suggesting they emerged from hell, while others propose they are the result of a failed experiment. All we know for certain is that one day, they appeared, and the Demon King quickly followed, causing widespread destruction and death. Eventually, a Hero emerged and vanquished the Demon King, leading to a temporary halt of demon attacks. However, every hundred years, the Demon King is reborn, typically by an individual seeking power. The ritual is open to candidates from all species, including slimes, beast men, demons, humans, elves, and dwarfs.

This time, the Demon King was reborn after only twenty-one years, and no Hero was born to oppose him. That's where I and Aksha come in. While not all demons are evil, they are generally distrusted by humans, and while they don't need to eat human, some of them still choose to feast on humans simply for the pleasure of it. Additionally, various types of demons specialize in different forms of magic.

If the Demon King manages to conquer the world, he might establish human farms to sustain his appetite. I wonder whether he'll carry out this plan sooner or later. Regardless, I'll need to find a way to stop him, although it'll be a while before I can fully accomplish that.

As I strolled through the Grove, these thoughts were in my mind. The path we were on had been relatively monster-free so far, but I knew it wouldn't last. Just after a minute, my suspicions were confirmed as I spotted a reality bird blocking our way. These creatures had a peculiar and dangerous ability to alter reality, living up to their name. However, I couldn't help but think that, despite their power, these birds weren't exactly known for their intelligence, so their creativity might be limited.

Nevertheless, the bird could still turn the ground bellow us into quick sand, its primary form of attack. To the best of my knowledge, they couldn't transform us into worms, which was a relief since that would have been disastrous from the start. I cautiously maneuvered around the bird, but a loud noise suddenly erupted behind me, causing immediate discomfort in my ears. I covered them instinctively and looked back to see a vocal python attempting to devour the bird. Its paralyzing sound rendered the bird helpless, and the python began to constrict and consume its prey. I decided to let nature take its course, not wanting to tangle with the python.

As I continued my walk, still shielding my ears, I glanced back and saw Aki attempting to rescue the bird. She had her sword ready to strike the python, but the serpent noticed her and unleashed a powerful sound wave directly at her. Aki tried to protect her ears, but it was too late; she was stunned by the deafening noise. Although the python wasn't large, I suspected it might have some venom that it could use on Aki. Just then, the python lunged at her, only to be impaled by an ice shard from Layla.

The bird remained unconscious, but when it finally awoke, it swiftly took flight. I approached Aki and gazed down at her, asking, "So, how do you plan on walking now?" Given the significant attack she endured, we faced a dilemma: wait for her to recover or carry her on my back. Both options seemed less than ideal. Waiting wasn't a great idea since the Grove was filled with dangerous creatures, and making a prolonged stop could be dangerous.

Aki struggled to speak but managed to say, "Just carry me on your back or something. Come on, it wouldn't be that bad; I'm not that heavy." I hesitated for a moment and then attempted to carry her on my back. She was heavier than I anticipated, manageable but likely to tire me out after a few minutes.

We continued down the path, with me having to pause every few minutes to catch my breath. As far as I could recall, her paralysis should only last an hour or two at most, so this ordeal should be over soon, right? Another hour passed, and Aki's condition remained relatively unchanged, except that she could now speak properly.