The Damned Demon

Chapter 732  There's No Escaping The Consequences

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"So killing thousands wasn't enough?" Grace's voice was cold, cutting through the tension like a blade, "Was it?"

Anna's head spun as the last remnants of her resistance faded. Her trembling hands gripped her mask, the metal edges cutting into her palms as she slowly turned, trying to steady herself. The teachers, finally snapping out of their dazed terror, grabbed the children, ushering them out of the building in a frantic panic. The sounds of their hurried footsteps and the distant cries of the children echoed through the empty hallway as Anna stood frozen in place, her mind heavy with the weight of what was to come.

She could feel this womans presence before she even turned fully—an energy, an aura of power that was undeniable. Something about her had changed significantly.

Grace... the Huntress, Anna thought, as one of the cult members had referred to her. The name seemed fitting. Grace wasn't just another fighter—she was a force. And now, that force was closing in on her. It seemed like her end had finally come, and she couldn't think of a better person than her. Far better than dying at the hands of those monsters.

Anna turned fully to face her, her heart eerily calm with resignation.

Grace looked at her, her figure cloaked in the cold, unforgiving aura of someone who had long since stopped hesitating. The mask Anna wore seemed like an empty shield now, a feeble attempt to hide her pain, her guilt, her regrets. It all felt so pointless. But even so, she couldn't help but offer a wry smile, one tinged with something darker, "I am glad you're here," Anna whispered, her voice barely audible, "You're here to finish things, right? So am I."

*ZKRAKK!*

In an instant, Anna moved, her injured body propelled forward with blinding speed. Her legs ached with the strain, but the rush of adrenaline pushed her forward.

She shot toward Grace, a streak of dark yellow lightning trailing behind her as she unleashed all the anger, the grief, the hopelessness within her. I will make this end now, she thought, her mind a blur of fractured resolve.

Grace, however, was a force of nature. She didn't flinch, didn't hesitate. Her lips curled into a cold smirk, her eyes narrowing as Anna closed the distance between them. Without a sound, Grace raised her hand, and in that instant, the world seemed to stop.

Willforce surged from her body, an invisible wave of power that slammed into Anna with the force of a freight train, making the tiles of the floor ripple and crumble into dust, expelling them forcibly in every direction.

"Ungh!" Anna was thrown backward, crashing against the nearby wall with a sickening thud, the air knocked from her lungs. The lightning around her flickered and sputtered out as she slid down to the ground, struggling to catch her breath.

Before Anna could recover, Grace was upon her, her movements fast, fluid, and brutal. Grace raised her hand again, and dark vermillion flames spiraled around her, coiling and twisting in a deadly dance. With a wave of her hand, the flames shot toward Anna like a storm of rage, searing the very air itself. "Arghhh!" Anna groaned in pain as the flames licked at her skin, burning through her suit, her body, her very soul. The agony was unbearable, but Anna had no strength left to fight back even if she wanted to.

Grace didn't show any mercy. Her eyes were cold, determined, as she manipulated the flames with terrifying precision. Anna's body was wracked with pain, her muscles twitching and spasming under the intense heat. But Grace wasn't done. Not yet.

With a flick of her wrist, Grace sent a wave of Willforce crashing into Anna's legs, snapping her bones with a sickening crack. *CRACK!*

"AHHHHH!!!"

Anna's scream echoed through the hall as her legs were crushed under the immense weight of Grace's power. The pain was unbearable, but it didn't stop Grace. She moved forward, her steps steady, like a demoness closing in on her object of obsession.

Anna tried to crawl away, to find some strength, but the will to live had already left her. Her mind was a fog, her body broken, battered, and scorched. She couldn't even summon the energy to raise her arms in defense.

Grace stood above her, looking down with a mixture of pity and cold determination, "You thought you could escape this... that you could live with your choices," Grace said, her voice low and full of finality, "But there's no escaping the consequences no matter the circumstances."

Anna's eyes flickered, her gaze still filled with sorrow, with regret. I don't deserve to live, she thought, her body trembling. I've lost. I've lost everything.

The only reason she even tried to fight Grace was to convince those monsters that she didn't give up. She desperately hoped they might consider this and be merciful to Cila and the others.

'I am sorry Cila…My fight ends here…'

Just as Grace raised her hand for the final strike, ready to end Anna's life, the sudden roar of energy cut through the air. *WHOOOSH!*

A blinding white beam of radiant light shot toward Grace, striking the space between them like a bolt from the heavens. The sheer power of the beam made Grace's eyes widen, and without hesitation, she raised a Willforce barrier to shield herself.

The impact sent a shockwave through the building, shaking the very foundations as Grace's barrier absorbed the blast. The earth beneath them trembled violently, and Grace was forced to skid back, her feet scraping across the floor as she tried to maintain her footing. The force of the beam had pushed her back several feet, and the barrier crackled under the strain.

The damage was visible, the shattered remnants of walls, broken furniture, and splintered floors signifying the chaos that had just unfolded.

Grace's eyes flared with anger as she scanned the room, her face forming a dark frown, wondering who had interrupted her?

As the dust settled, her Willforce barrier flickered, but she didn't let her guard down.

She glanced toward the source of the beam and saw a tall figure.

Arthur.

Grace's brows furrowed in confusion as she noticed him stepping into the room.

His face was a complicated mix of emotions, a deep sadness intertwined with an unshakable resolve. He held his staff in front of him, not as a weapon but as a symbol of his commitment—his purpose.

"You..." Grace's voice was tinged with frustration, her gaze narrowing as she took in Arthur's presence, "What are you doing here?"

Arthur briefly glanced at Anna's broken figure, his eyes flickering with a flash of pain. He then looked up at Grace, his stance steady as he walked past the wreckage, coming to a stop in front of Anna's broken form. He stood between her and Grace, blocking any further advancement.

"I'm sorry," Arthur said, his voice unwavering, "But I can't let you kill her. You both need to be arrested and judged before the people."

Anna's eyes, half-lidded from exhaustion and the weight of everything she had endured, flickered in surprise. She had expected him to finish the job—to end it all. But instead, he stood between them, his words a surprising, quiet act of defiance. Why can't he just end it after everything she did to him? The disbelief in her chest threatened to swallow her, but she was too weak to express it. Instead, her heart felt heavy with the realization that Arthur, despite everything, hadn't given up on her. He still believed in justice, in the right way. If only he knew…

Grace's laughter suddenly broke the silence, a harsh, bitter sound that echoed through the room. "Hahahaha..." she laughed, her voice laced with mockery. She shook her head, her expression turning cold as she looked at Arthur, eyes filled with disdain, "You want to save her because she's your girlfriend? You must feel very proud to call yourself a Hunter by sparing the life of someone who kills innocents without batting an eyelid."

She took a step closer, her voice growing sharper with each word, "I can't express enough how disappointed I am to see what kind of Hunter you truly are. You are either too naive or a fool."

Arthur's jaw clenched, his grip tightening around the staff. But he didn't falter. He stood his ground, his eyes locked on the Huntress as he met her gaze without flinching, "Even before I knew who she was, I wasn't planning to kill her but bring her to justice the right way. But now that you have shown up, I will have to bring you in as well. So please... surrender, and we can do this the easy way."

Grace's smile turned into something colder, something more dangerous. She slowly began to walk toward him, her footsteps deliberate and measured, the very air seeming to grow heavier with each step she took. Her eyes never left Arthur's face as she spoke in a low, menacing voice. "Kid, you have no idea what kind of situation you're in, do you? So let me be the one to warn you... Get lost before you make me hurt you for protecting a tool used by evil."

Her words were sharp, cutting through the air like a blade, "You will be no better than her by trying to stop me from giving her what she deserves. And I will never forgive such people nor go easy on them."

Arthur felt his heart tighten in his chest. He could feel the weight of her power, the strength in her voice, but he didn't back down. She was definitely far more powerful than how he remembered her before.

Yet, his eyes glowed with determination, a quiet fire igniting within him as he readied his staff, positioning it in front of him as if preparing for a battle.

"Then I will do everything in my power to stop you," he declared, his voice steady, unwavering.

Grace's eyes darkened with fury. She stopped walking, her hands starting to glow with an ominous vermilion light, the flames rising from her fingertips like serpents of destruction.

Her expression hardened, the full extent of her power beginning to manifest.

"So be it.