American comics farmer: start by adopting the villain savior.

Chapter 191 The Goat-Headed Demon Malbas: I feel like I'll explode if I look at him any longer.
Time slips away quietly, like sand through our fingers, and in the blink of an eye it's already mid-January.

The Kent farm was enveloped in tranquility on a winter night, with only the occasional gust of cold wind sweeping across the low eaves, carrying a hint of lonely sobs, gently shaking the bare branches outside the window.

Locke, who had just managed to lull Virgil and Dante, or rather, Dante the Demon Orb, to sleep, hadn't even had a chance to catch his breath when his brows suddenly furrowed and his gaze abruptly turned to the deep night outside the window.

This time, it wasn't the 'qi' that gave the first warning, but rather the bloodline within my body, which was said to be the blood of a demon god, that first stirred up a sulfurous aversion.

This feeling
The monsters have respawned again.

He looked up and saw that in the depths of the boundless wilderness outside the window, a dense shadow, defying the laws of moonlight projection, began to writhe, condense, and shrink unnaturally.

"Crack!"

It was accompanied by a sound of bones dislocating.

And incomprehensible howls.

A twisted figure crawled out from it.

It was about two people tall, with a thin and hunched body covered in bone spurs. Its eyes, burning with murky yellow flames, were particularly striking in the darkness, and goat-like horns snaked along the sides of its head.

demon
A low-ranking goat-headed demon that has clearly just crossed dimensions and arrived in this world through some kind of unstable spatial rift.

At first, its consciousness, composed of pure chaos and negative energy, was somewhat confused, its burning yellow eyes scanning this land that was completely unfamiliar to it.

But soon, that destructive instinct locked onto something not far away.
Small town.

Um.
The magical barrier surrounding the farmhouse automatically blocked his senses, making it impossible for him to perceive anything.
Or perhaps, driven by the instinct for survival, it automatically ignored the farm, which possessed the power to annihilate it.

"Roar!"

With a sharp howl, the demon sprang to all fours, about to charge towards the town.

"Ugh……"

Locke sighed and rubbed his throbbing temples.

Since Dante and Virgil arrived, there have been countless such things that have been inexplicably 'refreshed'.

Transforming into lightning, Locke vanished from the warm room in an instant.

The next instant, he stood silently in the path of the low-level demon, blocking its way between it and the town.

The cold night wind ruffled a few unruly strands of black hair on his forehead, causing his clothes to flutter slightly, but it did not bring him the slightest chill. Instead, it seemed to be a sensible servant, flowing around him and making way for him in an invisible space.

The demon clearly hadn't expected a roadblock to suddenly appear.

Its simple mind paused for a moment, then its eyes suddenly turned ferocious. It opened its huge mouth full of fangs and roared as it tried to pounce on the ignorant human and tear him to pieces.

But before they could act
That seemingly ordinary farmer, without warning, exuded an aura that froze even its soul.
The terror stems from the overwhelming disparity in the level of life!
The howling stopped abruptly, and the ram-headed demon froze in place, its body covered in bone spikes trembling violently uncontrollably.

Seeing this, Locke didn't even bother to summon "Platinum Star".

He simply raised his right hand casually, his five fingers spread.

They were not empty-handed.

Because a long sword with an ancient design and a thick blade had appeared out of thin air in his hand.

With a slight thought, the 'Gen Mountain Qi' within him, capable of devouring all things, was activated, flowing through his arm and into the sword blade.

"Om-!"

It emitted a low hum, but the blade of power did not become dazzling. Instead, it emanated a restrained earthy yellow halo that flowed like water on the surface of the blade.

She stepped forward with an air of leisurely elegance.

Locke didn't use any fancy sword techniques; he simply thrust out his sword.

"call out!"

The longsword pierced through the demon without any resistance.

Where the sword tip touched, a tiny gravitational singularity was also generated!

An irresistible, terrifying suction force was generated, causing the collapse from the inside out!
"Roar--!!!"

Accompanied by a piercing scream!

That twisted body was not simply torn apart, but rather grabbed by an invisible giant hand, twisted and compressed wildly!
Then
Swallow it in one gulp!
The dark energy, negative emotions, and even that meager essence that constitute the existence of demons.
All of these were forcibly separated from its body by the Blade of Power, transforming into a pure energy stream that flowed into the Blade of Power and then into Locke's body.

The whole process was incredibly fast.

It was done almost in the blink of an eye.

There was no explosion, no debris, not even a trace of ash or the smell of sulfur.

Every trace of this demon's existence was completely digested and absorbed by the demonic sword that Locke had infused with greed, turning it into nourishment for both the demon and the sword.

The earthy yellow halo on the longsword flickered for a moment, then slowly faded away.

是 的
This is the new discovery Locke has gradually made in the process of dealing with these 'uninvited guests' recently.

The Blade of Power, this demonic sword intertwined with his destiny, can serve not only as a sharp weapon, but also as an excellent vessel.

He can perfectly receive and amplify the power characteristics of various 'qi' within his body.

original
The absorption and transformation represented by the Qi of Gen Mountain mostly require strengthening oneself through relatively direct 'feeding' or by absorbing energy from the environment through meditation.

But after attaching and guiding this energy to the blade of power.

Its properties will then undergo a wonderful change.

Simply insert this demonic sword, imbued with 'devouring', into the body of any being possessing energy or a special essence, and a highly efficient conversion channel will be opened.

It almost forcibly absorbs the other party's power and makes it its own.

but
Locke, however, was not happy.

He lowered the sword tip, his face showing no relief at having resolved the problem, but rather a deeper weariness and irritability.

He muttered a complaint under his breath, his voice carrying a distinct echo in the silent field:
"It's endless..."

This endless cycle.
It made him feel more like a security guard tied to his post, on call 24/7, than a father with his own life.

These demons are undoubtedly eroding the time that should belong to his family and peace.

Sometimes, a strong impulse would even surge within him.
They stormed straight into that chaotic hell dimension, guarded the gate, and used the most brutal method to completely plug that loophole!
But it's just a thought, after all, hell...
“Rumble——!!!”

Just as Locke's mind wandered slightly, the solid ground beneath his feet suddenly trembled and rumbled without warning!
Cracks, exuding a strong stench of sulfur and a scorching heat, instantly tore apart the wasteland in front of him!

The boiling magma, like blood from hell, surged forth from the depths of the cracks, flowing wildly and casting an eerie glow on the cold winter night!
A powerful, chaotic aura filled with blasphemy and whispers.
At this moment, it is rising rapidly from the deepest part of that crack with an arrogant and domineering attitude!
Locke gripped his sword tightly, his body snapping into battle stance.

A sharp, cold glint flashed in his eyes.

A scene that had been buried in the corner of his memory for a long time and was almost forgotten was suddenly ignited by this hellfire and exploded in his mind, as clear as if it had been replayed yesterday!

—Coastal highway, icy rain, a dying demon warrior…

And, what followed
He forcibly dragged his consciousness into the hellish space...

That person attempted to lure him with immense power and eternal life, to make him their agent in the human world...

Marbas the Goat Demon!
"This feeling... can't be wrong..."

Staring directly at the source of the crack, Locke's gaze seemed to pierce through layers of space, confirming the identity of the newcomer.

The weariness and irritability on his face vanished instantly.

Instead, a fierce look, a mixture of icy fighting spirit and a desire to find a scapegoat, appeared.

He was just feeling frustrated because he had a lot of anger that he had been building up from taking care of the kids lately and had nowhere to vent it!

And just like that, a familiar punching bag, one to whom you wouldn't have to take any responsibility after hitting, delivered itself right to your door!
"You've come at the perfect time, old friend..."

Locke's lips curled into a smile. The blade of power in his hand seemed to sense its master's boiling killing intent and the 'resentment' that needed to be vented, emitting a low, eager hum.

No more suppression, no more restraint!
Locke's Spartan blood, which was boiling and about to explode upon sensing the aura of a high-level demon, was now surging within him!

"boom--!!!"

An aura as black as ink, carrying both nobility and violence.
It suddenly burst forth from Locke's body!
It is so magnificent, so pure.
So much so that the air around Locke groaned under the strain, light was distorted, and space itself rippled slightly!

His figure also changed rapidly within this magical light!

The skin was covered with a dark, hard, metallic-looking stratum corneum, and on both sides of the forehead, a pair of winding and ferocious black horns broke through the skin and grew wildly!
Demon wings, adorned with dark red magical patterns, unfurled with a thunderous roar, blotting out the sky and the moon!
"Snapped--!"

And then there was his dragon tail, covered in fine scales, extending from his coccyx! It lashed restlessly in the air, whipping out ear-piercing sonic booms! This was the first time he had displayed himself completely without reservation—

Demon transformation!
The oppressive aura, mixed with the purest demonic energy, swept across all directions!

Locke calmly watched the crack from which lava was still gushing.

They await the arrival of their 'old friend' named Marbas, to complete the ritual of His or His apostles' descent.
then…

Prepare for a thoroughly enjoyable reunion.

As expected, Marbas's seductive and arrogant declaration of hell did not materialize.

The fissure was expanding and spewing out scorching magma.

It seemed that after sensing the pure, noble, yet boundless and violent demonic aura emanating from Locke, they were suddenly jolted as if someone had grabbed their necks!
The expanding hellish energy contracted instantly, and the surging magma was also brought to a standstill.

The next second, under Locke's astonished gaze...
"Shh-!"

The cracks in the ground, along with the Marbas aura that hadn't yet fully emerged from within.
It was as if an invisible hand had grabbed both sides and glued them back together perfectly at a speed ten times faster than when they were open!

The lava that had just gushed out of the ground was all instantly poured back into the depths of the crack, leaving not a single drop behind.

It only took the time it took to have one or two heartbeats.

The aura of hell vanished, and the smell of sulfur quickly faded in the air.

That was the terrifying prelude to the earth-shaking, lava-gushing event.
It all seemed like a vivid but fleeting illusion.
Dead silence.

The night returned to tranquility at the Kent farm, with only the soft rustling of the cold wind blowing through the bare corn stalks.

In the courtyard, only Locke's massive demonic body, nearly three meters tall and fully transformed into a demon, remained standing alone in a fighting stance.

The demon's wings were slightly open, and the powerful dragon tail was frozen in mid-air, unable to release the force it was about to unleash.

The scene was once...

Very embarrassing.

Locke: "...?"

He felt Marbas, who was scurrying away faster than a rabbit and even went so far as to close the door himself, with veins throbbing beneath the hideous, demonic keratin on his forehead.

Just as I was getting my breath up, the sandbag...

Ran?

It seems this demon lord
He was far more knowledgeable than he had imagined, instantly assessing the difference in power levels between the two sides, and decisively slipped back to Hell.

Staring at the charred crack on the ground, the pent-up energy in Locke's chest slowly subsided.

He closed his eyes briefly, then opened them again.
The dark, keratinized layer covering the entire body instantly melted away and shrank back under the skin.

The winding black horn began to crack from its tip, turning into specks of black light that dissipated.

The enormous membrane wings behind it drooped limply and were transparent, eventually scattering in the night wind like ashes from burnt paper.

He returned to his normal self, standing in his own yard.

The cold night air returned, and the heat that had just been magically released quickly dissipated.

The fact that no trouble came is, in a sense, a good thing.

This saved him unnecessary energy and wouldn't wake up the two little troublemakers, Dante, whom he had just managed to lull to sleep with great effort.
Virgil, who is always silent but also deserves attention.

It's just that one named Marbas
I got to know him.

Locke raised his hand and touched his forehead, which had returned to normal temperature.

If someone who knows them runs away, the news will spread.

The next time it crawls out of the ground, it won't be one of those creatures that shrinks back after a brief encounter. It might be something more troublesome, something that comes following the scent.

He recalled several names that Martian hunters had mentioned, names whose very pronunciation carried the scent of sulfur and ancient curses.

He turned his head and looked at the second floor of the house.

The curtains were drawn tightly, but he knew which window Virgil and Dante were sleeping behind.

These two small ones are like two loose valves, leaking out a special aura in wisps.

Now, with his father added to the mix, and this equally restless Spartan bloodline...

"Looks like I'll have to find some time to ask Miss Magician."

In the stillness of the night, Locke murmured to himself:

"Let's see if she has any clever ideas to tailor an effective 'shield' for these two boys."

The night wind blew.

The farm fence behind him creaked as it rubbed against each other, as if in response to his whisper.
-
hell
Lava Palace.

The wailing souls embedded in the stone wall fell silent.

The six-eyed crimson demon on the throne was staring intently at the churning sulfur pool before him, its wrathful reflection shimmering on the surface.

The good news is.

He was just doing it as a routine matter.
Following the coordinates of several nodes in the human world that exuded powerful magic, a few low-level demons were randomly deployed there, like casting a net to catch fish, hoping to strike it lucky and capture a few potentially wicked human souls to bring back to hell and expand their ranks.
As a result, by a twist of fate, I unexpectedly caught that familiar scent again.

They found the person who had given them a hard time on the coastal highway years ago.

The bad news is...

Only through the dimensional barrier, in that fleeting, almost negligible glimpse, did I perceive the blurry outline and pure aura.
His knees, covered in thick armor, felt a little weak.

That power...

It is something that no human should possess, nor is it something that ordinary demons can achieve.

It was something much older and more essential, a mixture of pure violence and a sense of order he couldn't comprehend.

"boom!"

Frustrated, it slammed one of its forepaws, covered in bone spurs, against the stone pillar beside it, causing the spirit on the pillar to emit a brief shriek.

He desperately wanted to immediately dispatch a more powerful subordinate, and even considered personally projecting a wisp of his will there to investigate and utterly tear apart the one who had repeatedly offended Him…

Can.
just in case…

What if that guy casually destroys his will and then follows the trail to kill him?
Six eyes burning with scarlet flames began to dart around erratically, making it impossible for Malbas to focus.

He still couldn't understand.
The human who once flatly rejected him, preferring to detonate himself rather than break free from the contract.
how come…

How could it have transformed into something like this, something that makes his heart tremble just by revealing its form?
That was no ordinary demon agent, nor even a level of power and life essence that a common demon duke's retinue could obtain.

He only felt this way when he saw certain unspeakable beings from afar…

Marbas's thoughts suddenly stalled here, crashing into an invisible wall.

Ok
Those are names that can't even be mentioned.

However, three of His eyes could still uncontrollably turn toward the deeper parts of hell.

Although that name also failed to take full shape in his mind, leaving only an outline representing absolute destruction and fear.
However, he could still sense it in the end; after all, that was his father.
The Three Palaces.

No.

impossible.

Marbas violently swung his enormous ram's head, trying to shake off the absurd association. The dark flames coiling around his horns flickered.

But that oppressive force that froze one's soul
Yet it was firmly etched into his perception, impossible to erase.

He curled up, and the corner he occupied seemed to shrink.

The six eyes finally stopped darting around and just stared blankly at the churning lava.

“…Damn it…”

A suppressed growl finally escaped from Marbas's massive, fang-filled mouth:

"Who...is that guy...working for?"
-
P.S.: The concepts of Hell and demons in DC Comics, as well as the Sparda twins from Devil May Cry, are listed in the works-related section. You can check them out if you're interested.

(End of this chapter)