The Slayer Ascension: Cursed and Blessed.-Chapter 32: Hunt for the blessed (5)

Chapter 32

The carnage continued with full force across the world.

For common folk, what was happening felt like the end of everything. For those who understood even a fraction of the truth, it was no better.

Demons had always avoided the daylight. Under the sun, their power weakened, drained, suppressed. But these past few days were different. The drain was still there, yet it was a pale shadow of what it used to be. They could still fight. Still kill. Still unleash their monstrous strength.

And they did.

They hunted the blessed humans relentlessly, erasing them before they could grow into threats. Cities burned. Streets drowned in blood. Many lives were lost. Most belonged to those blessed by the Lord of Radiance. The rest were nothing more than collateral damage.

Five days had passed since the beginning of the Golden Days. Only two remained.

Yet instead of slowing, the slaughter intensified.

Every hour took more lives. Every moment, survivors ran, hid, prayed. The carnage showed no sign of stopping.

In what was once a vibrant city, now reduced to half-burned ruins, chaos reigned. Buildings lay torn apart. Smoke clogged the air. Screams echoed through broken streets.

A mother ran through the city, gripping her daughter’s hand tightly. She did not slow. She did not look back.

The little girl was wrapped in a thick blanket, but it was useless. A golden glow leaked through the fabric, shining brightly from her body. Warm. Radiant. Beautiful.

Deadly.

That glow was the reason they were running.

The woman’s breath came in ragged gasps as she dragged her daughter forward, praying they could escape the city alive. Just as hope flickered, just as the city gates came into view, she froze.

Standing at the entrance was a creature.

It looked humanoid, but it was not a human. Not fully.

Its body was twisted wrong. Each hand had only three fingers, ending in long, lethal claws. A single eye sat at the center of its face, glowing with pure malice.

The creature turned slowly.

Its eye locked onto them.

Then it charged.

The mother moved without thinking, stepping in front of her daughter. She spread her arms wide, shielding the small body behind her. Her eyes shut tight, heart pounding not for herself, but for her child.

She waited for death.

It never came.

A sharp impact echoed through the street.

The creature was struck hard, a kick smashing into its neck and sending it flying several meters away. It crashed into rubble, struggling to rise.

The woman’s eyes snapped open.

Standing before her was a young lady, no older than fifteen or sixteen. Light poured from her body like a miniature sun. Her gaze was calm, cold, unwavering as she stared at the wounded creature.

"Mom," the little girl whispered, pointing. "She’s like me."

Her voice trembled with awe.

"She’s glowing."

The young woman turned. Her eyes met the child’s curious stare, then shifted to the terrified mother. The coldness in her expression softened, changing into a faint smile filled with something hard to describe.

Warmth. Resolve. Something deeper.

She knelt down and gently placed her hand on the little girl’s head.

"Yes. I am like you," she said softly. "But if you want, I can make you normal. Like your mom. It will keep you safe from danger."

She paused.

"But the choice is yours."

The mother’s eyes widened. If what the stranger was saying was possible, then maybe her daughter could survive this disaster. Unlike her sister. Unlike her friend from years ago. The thought alone made her chest tighten.

The little girl looked at her mother. At the sweat soaking her clothes. At her shaking hands and heaving chest. Then she looked back at the stranger and nodded.

The stranger smiled.

"Okay. It won’t hurt."

She closed her eyes and focused.

The golden glow around the little girl began to dim. Slowly. Gently. At the same time, the glow around the stranger surged violently. If she had looked like a miniature sun before, now she radiated like the real thing.

Blinding. Overwhelming.

She exhaled.

"It worked," she said quietly.

"Go. As long as you keep your distance from the battles, you should be safe."

The woman nodded frantically, tears streaming down her face.

"Thank you. Thank you so much."

She bowed again and again before grabbing her daughter and running. Their figures disappeared into the ruined streets.

The young woman watched them go, a wistful expression flickering across her face.

She barely remembered her own mother. But she knew she had been loved.

"What a sweet memory," she murmured.

Then her gaze hardened.

That could wait.

She looked down at her hand, clenching and unclenching it slowly. A smile tugged at her lips.

The good news was clear.

She felt stronger. Far stronger than before.

The bad news followed immediately.

She raised her head.

The area had changed.

Where there had been only one demon before, there were now many. Dozens. Maybe more. Their eyes burned with malice as their tongues slid across sharp teeth. They stared at her like moths drawn to flame.

The black-haired young woman swallowed.

"Oh.... crap," she muttered.

----------

Meanwhile, she was not the only exceptional blessed human to survive. Those who managed to grasp their aura and learn how to wield it properly were still fighting. Still killing. Still holding on.

One such battle unfolded near the capital.

Deep within a forest, several demons hung frozen in the air. At first glance, it looked like time itself had stopped them. But a closer look revealed glowing white strings binding their bodies tightly.

They struggled. Screeched. Thrashed.

It was useless.

The one controlling them was a young boy, no older than sixteen. His gaze was calm. Detached. He held the final glowing string between his fingers.

Without hesitation, without emotion, he pulled.

The remaining strings sharpened instantly.

Whiss. Whiss. Whiss.

The demons were sliced apart midair. Their bodies fell lifelessly to the ground.

Several low and mid-ranked demons lay dead at the feet of the strange, icy boy.

He stared at his glowing hands for a moment, golden light pulsing softly around them.

Then he spoke.

"It’s such a hassle," he muttered.

"To be blessed."

TO BE CONTINUED.