Chapter 64: Hellborns (Bonus)

Neo’s fingers finally cleared away the last of the splintered debris pinning Nora down, his breath catching sharply in his throat at the sight of the blood staining her torn gown, dark and glistening beneath the moonlight filtering through the smoke.

"Nora—"

Then, her eyelids fluttered.

Slowly, painfully, her eyes cracked open, unfocused and hazy as she stared blankly up at the night sky above them.

"You’re awake, Thanks to the heavens, you’re actually awake." Neo breathed, relief crashing through him so suddenly his hands trembled as he gently pulled her upright into his arms.

Nora blinked slowly, her gaze gradually sharpening as she registered his face hovering anxiously above her. She didn’t speak, still too dazed to properly form words, but the faint press of her fingers weakly curling against his sleeve told him enough.

She was alive. Battered, bleeding, but alive.

Neo held her tightly against his chest for a brief, precious moment, his heart still hammering wildly from the sheer terror of finding her motionless beneath the wreckage. ℯℯ𝑙.

Then, the sound of footsteps reached his ears.

Multiple footsteps, deliberate and unhurried, crunching steadily across the scattered debris surrounding the site.

Neo’s head snapped up sharply, his arms instinctively tightening protectively around Nora as his gaze locked onto the figures slowly emerging from the surrounding treeline.

The figures wore dark hoods and masks that concealed their faces completely, leaving only their eyes exposed. A faint, unnatural red glow burned within them, sending an uneasy chill through Neo.

Then the wind shifted.

For a brief moment, one of the hoods was pushed back, revealing something protruding from beneath the fabric.

Horns. Sharp, curved horns protruding from beneath their hoods.

Neo’s blood ran cold.

’Devils. Actual devils, not some mercenaries. Not this time.’

His mind racing. At least a dozen surrounding them from every direction, their movements far too coordinated, far too controlled to be simple lesser devils wandering out from the Desolate Land.

’Hellborn. These are Hellborn.’

He remembered the classification clearly from the anime’s story, Hellborn devils are far stronger and more intelligent than the common Dreadlings and Fiends or even Demonkins, that occasionally spilled out from the forest’s edge. Each one individually possessed strength rivaling a trained Expert or Master Awakener, and unlike lesser devils, Hellborn fought with genuine tactical coordination.

Standing slightly ahead of the others, taller and more imposing, stood a figure radiating an entirely different level of pressure altogether. Thick, curling horns spiraled from either side of his head, his red eyes burning with cold, calculating intelligence far sharper than anything Neo had seen in the lesser creatures surrounding him.

A Dreadlord.

Neo’s stomach dropped further.

’A Dreadlord leading a full pack of Hellborn. This wasn’t some random ambush. Someone sent them here specifically.’

The lead devil stepped forward, his voice low and gravelly, carrying an unnatural echo that sent a fresh wave of chills crawling down Neo’s spine.

"Give us the girl, Do this, and we will let you live." the devil said flatly, his glowing red eyes fixed directly on Nora’s trembling form still cradled protectively in Neo’s arms.

Neo’s jaw tightened, his grip around Nora instinctively tightening further.

"Not happening," his voice steady despite the fear churning violently in his chest.

The devil’s crimson eyes narrowed slightly, though he showed no particular surprise at the refusal. "A foolish decision."

Without further warning, the surrounding Hellborn surged forward all at once.

Neo shoved Nora gently but firmly behind him, ice condensing rapidly around his clenched fists as he prepared to meet the first wave of attackers head-on.

The first Hellborn lunged with terrifying speed, its clawed hand slashing toward his throat. Neo barely managed to duck beneath the strike, retaliating with a sharp burst of frost directly into its exposed torso. The ice spread rapidly, but the creature merely grunted, shaking off the frozen shards with disturbing ease before pressing its attack again.

’These aren’t like the lesser devils Mother fought years ago. These things can actually take a hit.’

Neo twisted aside from another incoming strike, gravity condensing sharply around a second attacker’s legs, forcing it momentarily off balance. He capitalized instantly, driving a concentrated blast of starlight directly into its chest, the brilliant impact finally dropping the creature to the ground.

But for every Hellborn he managed to fell, two more closed in from either side.

He fought desperately, weaving between attacks, using every technique and skill he’d spent years perfecting, ice, gravity, starlight, combining them in increasingly desperate combinations as the relentless assault continued without pause.

A clawed strike caught him hard across the chest, tearing through fabric and skin alike, sending sharp, blinding pain lancing through his entire side. He staggered, barely managing to throw up a hasty ice barrier before the follow-up strike could finish him off entirely.

’I’m not strong enough. Even at my current level, I’m barely Master rank. These things are just as strong, and there’s too many of them.’

Sweat mixed with blood dripped steadily down his face as he forced himself back onto his feet, his breathing ragged, his mana reserves draining rapidly with every desperate spell cast.

Another Hellborn lunged from his blind side, and though he managed to twist away from the worst of it, its claws still raked deeply across his shoulder, tearing another agonized gasp from his throat.

He stumbled backward, positioning himself once again between the advancing devils and Nora’s still-recovering form, his vision beginning to blur slightly at the edges from the mounting pain and exhaustion.

The Dreadlord watched the entire one-sided battle unfold with cold, detached amusement, making no move to join the fight himself, clearly confident his subordinates alone were more than sufficient to overwhelm his target.

Neo raised his trembling hands one final time, gathering every last scrap of mana he had remaining, his legs shaking violently beneath him as the surrounding Hellborn slowly, methodically closed in from every direction.

’I can’t win this. Not like this.’

Behind him, he heard Nora’s ragged breathing, felt her weak fingers suddenly grasping desperately at the back of his torn jacket.

He gritted his teeth, forcing himself to stand firm despite every instinct screaming at him to collapse.

’I don’t care. I’m not letting them touch her. Not while I’m still breathing.’