The Damned Demon

Few hours ago, Asher was still in his doll body and was chilling in her home since nobody was there. 

Still, he continued to keep a close eye on the number of Life Crystals he had,

[ Life Crystals : 3702 ]

Grace consuming 5 Life Crystals per hour was already costly for him, and that was if she didn't use any powers and remained in her granny form. He didn't want to guess what the number would be once she gets—

[ Life consumption of Grace increasing : 5 -> 50->100->150->300->500->1000->2000 Life Crystals / hour ]

"Wait, wait!" Asher almost threw up the juice he was trying to drink, not that he was able to drink it anyway.

Seeing the life consumption of Grace skyrocketing, he couldn't stop blinking his eyes. This was atrocious! 

He knew it would increase once Grace started using her powers, but looking at these numbers, he knew he had to be careful with how he used his Soulservant. He can't use her unless it's for the important stuff.

But on the brighter side, these numbers were way less than what the Contract Master he consulted had told him. The numbers he heard were north of 10000 Life Crystals per hour. So compared to that, 2000 seemed like he was surprisingly getting off easy.

However, with this, he knew that shit was going down. Knowing that she was a veteran hunter, he knew she would be able to handle herself and escape in time.

[ Life Crystals Gained : 40 -> 60 -> 80 -> 150 -> 300 -> 700 -> 1500… ]

"Damn…She wasn't kidding…" Asher rubbed his eyes upon feeling the inflow of life crystals and wondered what kind of rampage Grace was on to bring in so many life crystals. 

He walked towards the hall and turned on the TV to look at the news since surely somebody must be recording something, at least on their phones.

His doll-like form sat on a creaking armchair and switched to a news channel.

( Breaking News! Blade of Brotherhood Guild is under attack! A fiery storm is consuming the building as we speak. Authorities are trying to assemble the best team to deal with this but to deal with a situation of this magnitude it would surely take some time…)

"Somebody is on fire…" The possessed doll let out a chuckle as he looked at Gary's guild, crumbling down like a toy building.

Still, seeing the fiery storm that was wreaking havoc but contained within the perimeter of the building, Asher was impressed by Grace's power and her control over it. She hasn't lost her touch despite the passing of so many years.

He knew she had a deadly combination of abilities, especially the Willbending pathway in her mana circuit that would make her quite a terrifying one to deal with for her enemies.

Willbending was a rare and powerful pathway, as it revolved around the manipulation of the mind and the direct projection of one's will onto the world. And Willforce was one such ability of this pathway that Grace possessed.

The life crystals kept pouring in, and he couldn't feel happier. But he knew this honeymoon period was temporary since it was not like Grace could keep killing powerful people every day.

However, what made him feel glad the most was that he had a powerful servant on Earth to do his bidding. That could surely be helpful in the future.

…

The screams of Gary and Tristan filled the dark hideout of the cult as Grace strode out of the building, her footsteps echoing in the silent night.

The moon cast a pale glow over the streets, casting eerie shadows as she made her way to the roof of a deserted building. The satisfaction from her vengeance still lingered, a smile playing on her lips as the cool breeze swept through her vermilion hair.

As she stood on the edge of the rooftop, overlooking the cityscape below, her smile gradually faded, replaced by a wistful expression.

Memories of Dorian and Emily flooded her mind, tugging at the strings of her heart. She could almost see their faces, hear their laughter, and feel their warmth as they embraced her.

The quiet night seemed to amplify her thoughts, making her heartache all the more palpable. A tear rolled down her cheek, sparkling in the moonlight before disappearing into the darkness below.

"Dorian…Emily…It's finally over," Grace whispered softly, her voice trembling with emotion, "I avenged you both, and I am sorry I took so long. I hope you two are at peace now," Tears glistened her eyes as she stared at the starry skies above. 

The wind picked up, swirling around her, lifting her hair and fluttering the leaves around her, as if responding to the depths of her emotions.

"You surprised me in some ways, you know? But I have to say I am impressed," A squeaky voice echoed from behind as Grace cleared her eyes and reeled in her thoughts as she turned around, slanting against the parapet, "I was just thinking when you were going to show up," Grace said with a grin.

Asher had arrived here after possessing a different doll. However, when Grace turned around, he was a bit taken aback by the sight of her newfound youth and beauty.

All this time, he was used to interacting with a frail 90-year-old granny, a mere shadow of the powerful and vibrant figure she presented.

He found himself momentarily stunned, unable to reconcile this sizzling-hot beauty with the elderly woman he had been dealing with all this time.

His eyes widened, taking in every detail of her transformation: the vermilion hair that now cascaded down her back; the smooth, unblemished skin that seemed to radiate with an inner light, and the determined, confident glint in her almond-shaped brown eyes.

But the sight that surely stood out was how the glossy red jacket was tightly hugging her slender curves while offering a tantalizing glimpse of her sumptuous mounds and tempting cleavage.

"Are you trying to undress this old lady with your eyes? That's rude," Grace chuckled upon noticing the gaze of this demonic doll.

Asher, unfazed by her remark, said with a smirk, "We demons aren't exactly known for our manners, are we? But after such a transformation, you can't really blame a man for staring, can you?"

Grace rolled her eyes playfully, responding with her own sarcastic quip, "Silly me for forgetting that you are a demon. But I suppose I should feel flattered."

Asher chuckled as he walked forward and asked, "Talking about your revenge, I never thought you had such a demonic side inside you. I bet Gary and Tristan felt the same until the last second. You were once a gallant and powerful Hunter, and yet you didn't blink despite killing a few innocents in that building."

He was a bit surprised Grace truly went demonic for a while to punish her enemies since she was coming from a Elite Family who had nurtured her to be valiant and heroic since she was a small kid unlike him. 

Even if his demonic power freed the demon inside her, someone with strong mental fortitude like hers wouldn't let the demon inside her cause chaos and destruction unless she wanted to.

In his career as a Hunter, he had never seen any renowned Elite Hunter going demonic. 

Grace's eyes flickered with a complex mix of emotions at Asher's words. She responded with a casual shrug, maintaining a nonchalant face, "When you've been through what I have, you learn to adapt. Desperate times call for desperate measures."

Asher felt like he could relate strongly to that since he also adapted, changing drastically compared to his past life version. Otherwise, he doubted he would have the desire to keep on living and survive long enough to get his revenge as well.

This was why he purposefully asked Grace this question since she was the only Hunter he personally knew who gave in to her demonic side willingly. 

However, as Grace spoke, her heart clenched within her chest. Inwardly, she wrestled with the guilt of having killed innocents in her quest for vengeance. It was a stark contrast to her former life as a Hunter, sworn to protect those very people.

But just like Asher said, she didn't even blink, nor did she think about it much when she destroyed Gary's building. It was as if the demon within her had possessed her, and all she wanted was to vent her pain and resentment of almost twenty years and burn everything around her.

She underestimated how unrestrained and resentful she could be when the demon within her got out.

However, she knew she chose this willingly and didn't regret it despite crossing lines she had never imagined she would. It was a price she had been willing to pay, even if the angels might damn her soul for it.

Her revenge was more important than the lives of people she didn't know, and if given a chance again, she knew she would still do it all over again.

It was something she knew when she sold her soul to Asher, and so she added, "Besides, it's not like I can go back now. The path I chose has led me here, and there's no turning back. Based on the name of the cult I am in, I am a damned one now, and my soul is in your hands. This is why I didn't want Remy to be anywhere near me or see me like this. That's the least I should do for him."

"But one thing I don't understand is why did you wait for a demon like me? I heard humans can do rituals to summon powerful demons to make a deal with them. So why didn't you make one with a demon closer to your strength so that things could have been easier for you?" Asher asked with curiosity.

Grace let out a subtle scoff as she shook her head and said, "I would be a fool to seek out a powerful demon since they won't give me a rest and take advantage of me for a very long while. But if someone like you comes along, then I wouldn't be used recklessly," Grace only told the half-truth as she didn't reveal her thoughts that someone as weak and young as him wouldn't have enough resources to keep her alive for long. 

And so she wasn't worried about getting used by a demon for too long.

But Asher could guess what she was thinking and now realized why she didn't hesitate much when signing the contract. She thinks she won't last long by assuming that he can't keep her alive for long.

But he inwardly smiled, knowing that she had no idea that the cost of keeping her alive wasn't more than what he can't handle now. Of course, he had no reason to tell her this since she would find out as time passes.

However,

Name : Grace Eleanor

[ Life consumption : 50 Life Crystals / hour ]

Asher knew even if she wasn't using her powers, his life crystals were being burned to maintain her youth.

And so he immediately said, "Grace, you should now revert back to your granny form. Your youth is costing me a lot of life crystals."

Grace let out a sad sigh and replied, "You know, it's not every day a granny like me gets a second chance at being young. Can't you let me enjoy this youthful form just a little longer, at least until you leave? Think of it as a reward for all those life crystals I earned for you."

Asher contemplated her request, remembering what Duncan had advised him. To keep people loyal and dedicated to him, he needed to give something back. 

And so he decided to let her enjoy it for a little while longer since it wouldn't cost him too much, "Fine. Consider it as a reward for the work you did today."

Grace grinned and said, "I appreciate your kindness, Master."

She then snapped her fingers together as if she remembered something, "Ah, I forgot. There is something I want to show you before you go. Hop on," Grace said as she offered the possessed doll her hand.

Asher raised one of his brows, wondering what she wanted to show as his doll body hopped into her hand.

"Carrying a doll does make you feel young," Grace chuckled as she carried the possessed doll while Asher shook his head, though it wasn't that bad since, looking up, the sight of her melons subtly jiggling within her jacket was a good time pass.