Chapter 657:Masters of the Past. 3
"Normally, I would just sweep this filth off the land." He spoke with disgust as he looked at Meya as if her very existence was one big pile of garbage.
"But I needed to stick to the plan, and now that you are here along with the other Goddesses, it will be impossible to kill her… Haah." He sighed.
"…Yama must be pleased with your efforts."
"Indeed, the former Yama would be, but the current one is just a sadistic brat. Well, he's still useful."
Scathach's eyes only grew sharper.
'Why is he giving out so much deliberate information?' With every word Merlin spoke to Scathach, the woman perceived one or two hidden meanings.
'Ugh, it's always like this. He hasn't changed at all; in fact, he's gotten even worse.' She grunted in inner annoyance. She didn't like dealing with Merlin. She never did because nothing with him was simple, it was all too complicated.
She didn't doubt at all that his becoming a Demon was something he planned himself. Such a thing wouldn't be impossible; he was a rare specimen, the only male Human in history who could use Magic.
The same Magic that the Witch Queen used today, a Magic that was 'supposed' to be exclusive to women, a fact that all Witches have hidden over time.
'I would have completely forgotten about it if I didn't hear his annoying voice.'
"Hmm…? Well, it looks like other Goddesses came along, ugh. I can feel my body shaking with agony from feeling their Divine Power; this weakness is annoying. Though, thanks to this armor, I won't have to worry about that in the future."
'Again, throwing deliberate information, what's the scheme this time, old bastard?'
"Wait-."
"Don't," Scathach warned Agnes.
"… Are you letting him go?" Agnes asked in disbelief.
"Don't be silly. I'm keeping you from walking into a trap."
"If he is who I think he is, nothing with that bastard is simple."
"Look how confident he is. He's standing in front of Natashia, someone with a speed he can't react to, as if it's nothing, just a minor annoyance."
"He knows of the existence of the Goddesses, and one Goddess in particular who has his weakness, and he's still composed."
"If he's the old man I know, I can tell you he only acts like that when everything is going according to his plan."
'It was irritating when he always did that when it came to Arthur.' Scathach thought.
"Heh, it's an honor to be spoken of with such caution by the Strongest Female Vampire."
"Tsk, I didn't want to remember how annoying it is to deal with you."
"Mah, Mah, don't be like that, it may not look like it, but I respect Arthur's sword teacher a lot, you know? Only you made that man grow a pair and fulfill his destiny."
"Something I could never have done..."
'Haah... This is exhausting.' Scathach mentally sighed but didn't let it show on her face.
'Merlin would never admit his faults in public. He only did this once to me, and that act was to demonstrate that he was the real thing, ugh... Just what happened for him to become a Demon and a Demon from a completely different Mythology?'
"Oh, Scathach, do an old acquaintance a favor."
"What?"
"Kill that filth. Just looking at her and the history of these people, I feel bad memories coming back."
"..." A solemn look appeared on Scathach's face:
'Even after he became a Demon, he still remembers her, huh...' The thought that Merlin, of all people, falling to become a Demon was something planned by the man himself was reinforced again.
"That's impossible... She's still useful."
"Well, I knew you would say that. Not to mention that if I know someone capable of changing a culture's ingrained thinking through force, that someone is you. You have always been very convincing."
"… Just go away, Merlin."
"And remove these damn Magic Traps." Scathach slammed her Spear on the ground. Her Spear was glowing with strange runes, and the moment the butt hit the ground, a Magic Circle appeared and was destroyed.
"How can you use Magic as a Demon?"
"Demon Magic is very useful, you know?" The Demon laughed as several red Magic Circles appeared on the ground. Each of them looked very different from 'normal Human Magic'.
"Demon Magic..." Scathach glared at him, confused.
"I coined the term. Even though I can't use my old Energy, I can do something similar with the Miasma of Hell and the Demonic Energy in my body."
"Don't tell me… You did it again, you old bastard." Scathach looked at him in disbelief.
"Hehehe~, that's not such a difficult thing to do. Energy is Energy; whether it's good or bad, it all depends on the user's Will. However, every Energy has an implicit rule. Without knowing these rules, you can't progress."
Merlin looked at the Magic Circle he had created, "The unspoken rule of this Demonic Energy lacks the subtlety I was used to, but... Beggars can't be choosers."
"..." Natashia and Agnes just looked at the Demon as if it had grown a second, or even third, head.
'Demon Magic? Huh? What the fuck is he talking about.' The two thought.
"Ugh, it's good to know your genius wasn't killed by turning into a Demon."
If before she had doubts that this Demon was Merlin, now she was absolutely sure that it was that old man. Only that accursed old man would be a genius capable of creating a new branch of Magic.
'But that doesn't explain the knowledge he has of our group. How is that possible? Ruby and I are pretty sure we're hiding things... Though he might deduce something from my weird attitude, the way he said it was like he was absolutely sure of what he was saying...' The gears in Scathach's head were working full throttle now; she wanted to understand what was going on.
She, just like Victor, was very overprotective of her people, and she wouldn't let this matter go so lightly.
"Genius? Nah, I'm a hardworking genius, Scathach." He laughed, and soon a dark portal appeared behind him.
'Hardworking genius, my delicious ass. Even someone very hardworking couldn't do what you did.' After all, he wasn't just a 'genius' but an absolute monster in his field of expertise.
"I'll see you in the future. Oh, a little warning, if I see any of these free Amazons out there, I'll be sure to kill them as brutally as possible."
"See-"
"Merlin."
"..." The Demon stopped talking and looked at Scathach:
"Tell me, how did you find out about us?" She didn't know what to think, so she decided to ask the Demon, hoping their past friendship might be worth something.
The four-eyed, four-armed Demon just had a neutral smile. The thought of not telling crossed his mind, but he withdrew that thought. Scathach knowing or not knowing did not interfere with his future plans, so he replied:
"On behalf of our ancient friendship, I will tell you." He held his hand up, showing four fingers.
"There are four Beings and groups that, no matter what you try to do, you can never fully hide things from."
"First, Nyx, the Primordial Goddess of the Night of the Greek Pantheon and the Mother of 'Concealment'. Nothing can be hidden from her, only if a Being of the same rank or greater than her protects her group from her interest."
"Tsk, this little piece of shit! Don't give spoilers! Why are you putting my name in the game!? I should just show up afterward!" Nyx screamed angrily, and even though she was screaming right in front of the group, no one could hear her if she didn't want them to.
Merlin continued to speak, utterly unaware that he had managed to anger the Primordial Goddess of the Night.
"Second, the Primordial Entities that maintain Balance, but they are not interested in the matters of ordinary Beings unless necessary. Their only concern is keeping everything running, so you can relax with those."
"Third, Mortal Beings and Divinities who can see the Threads of The Future."
"...."
"The third group, in particular, doesn't know anything 'detailed' about you. They only know about 'events' that may or may not happen, since the future is not determined yet, and your present choices that shape the future."
"But unlike the first and second, the third group just has information about what might happen, so you don't have to worry about them."
"After all, those who can see the future multiple times are only Gods related to Fate. Weaker Mortals cannot see the future often, or it will cause them too much harm. After all, it is something that should not be observed because It hasn't been built yet."
"Now the problem starts; the fourth group is the most active and dangerous."
"They are a group formed with many common goals."
"They call themselves 'New Dawn', and they have various Races to their name, be they Werewolves, Noble Vampires, Vampire-Human Hybrids, Hybrids of Werewolves and Vampires, Demons and Hellish Creatures."
"Their scope of influence reaches everywhere and everyone. They may not know too much detail about you, but definitely, they are aware of your movements. Fighting in a dueling arena with the current Leader of the Youkai Faction is not something that can be kept hidden from other Supernatural Beings with more than one specific group like that."
"... Well, that wasn't a very well-thought-out move," Agnes spoke.
"Indeed. About that group, recently… A new Race has been added to this increasingly dangerous alliance."
"The Elder Gods, strange Beings who are not well understood by us but have techniques that can spy on people and deal with most situations."
"They completely complement each other, don't they?" Merlin snorted.
Scathach, Natashia, and Agnes grimaced in discomfort when they heard what the Demon said.
They remembered the tiny 'monsters' the Alphas used to spy on them.
'That's impossible. Victor would know if that insect was spying on us... Are they using something else?' Scathach couldn't figure it out, but one thing she was sure of:
'I will further strengthen the defenses against spies.'
"Not to mention that your Progenitor is not well known for acting in the shadows. Despite being a Being of The Night, he looks like a sun that catches everyone's attention."
'... Well, he's not wrong. Victor isn't very subtle about these things.' Natashia thought.
"Scathach Scarlett, what did you teach Arthur in his first combat lesson?"
With Merlin's question, Scathach's dormant memory was reactivated, and she spoke:
"He who knows himself and his enemy can fight many battles and will never lose. A lesson to never underestimate your opponent…." Scathach opened her eyes wide.
'The trap set for Victor, the Messengers of the Elder Gods being more active, the Races that are allies in this new organization, the enemies that Victor didn't kill in the past because they lived in hiding...' The pieces started to fit in Scathach's head.
'Ruby was right. Something was moving in the dark.'
"The grudge of 3000 years will one day have to end, and on that day, believe me when I say that your enemies will be more prepared than you. Unlike you, who fight each other, they are united."
Merlin turned around and continued speaking, "Scathach, the line of good and evil, black and white, right and wrong, the thing we call duality will be tested once again. What the Kings of Hell plan is not a simple war, but a complete change of how things are."
"I'll see you around, Scathach Scarlett, the woman I respect most and will continue to respect."
.....
