The Broken Halo

Chapter 29: Can You...

The more Zaglur observed Simon, the more he found him enigmatic.

Simon was not even sixteen years old. He had not awakened his Demonic Heart, but he was still so calm and smart.

Zaglur had never seen a child from the Wildlands, a child from a dying and utterly impoverished tribe, to be this calm and smart.

Zaglur would not have been surprised if Simon cried, begged, panicked, or tried something foolish to save his life.

Although he would have been annoyed if Simon did all of these, he would not have been surprised.

However, Simon had been nothing but calm, and he asked questions a normal fifteen-year-old kid who grew up in the slums of the Wildlands should not know to ask.

’He acts like a boy with years of experience, and that is not the only strange thing about this kid.’

Zaglur glanced at Simon’s feet with slightly furrowed brows.

’The way he walks... His steps make it seem like he has years of fighting experience. Every step he takes makes it easier for him to react to attacks.’

’And his eyes... They’re always scanning his surroundings even when he’s not aware of it. It’s like he was born with it.’

’He has the bloodline of a one-horned demon and a lesser beastkin demon- a demon cat... Could that be why he has these traits?’

’Hmm... He could be trained into a useful guard, but he might die. And if he doesn’t die, his future would be ruined once I take back the Devourer’s blood essence from him. It would permanently ruin his foundation and even his demonic heart if he doesn’t die.’

’I’m also lucky that he has not awakened his Demonic Heart. This means that the Devourer’s blood essence has not fully assimilated into his heart.’

’It would make it easier to extract, and the chances of his lesser bloodline mixing, no... contaminating the Devourer’s blood essence would drastically decrease.’

Zaglur suddenly had a thought, and he nearly had the urge to facepalm himself.

He looked at Simon. ”When are you turning sixteen by the way?”

Simon glanced at Zaglur before he looked to the side with a wry smile.

”In two weeks time.” Simon lied with a straight face.

Zaglur hummed softly while stroking his chin, then he nodded.

”I guess we can make it to our abode before that day then. We should meet up with the others.”

Simon looked at Zaglur with a raised brow. ”The others?”

Zaglur only gave him a mysterious smile, and Simon clicked his tongue in annoyance.

”Let’s pick up the pace. I don’t want to stay in this desolate land anymore. I’ve stayed long enough.”

Simon said nothing, but inwardly, he was thinking of several things he could do to survive.

There was no proper plan laid out in his mind yet, but the first step was to deceive Zaglur about his Coming of Age.

He was going to turn sixteen in six days time, but he was not going to tell Zaglur this because he had a feeling that Zaglur would want to extract the Devourer’s blood essence from him before his Coming of Age.

He was not certain, but he could make a few guesses as to how it would be easier to extract the Devourer’s blood essence from him before it fused with his Demonic Heart.

But that was if he had the Devourer’s bloodline in him.

Knowing that he did not possess the Devourer’s bloodline but the Devour skill made him realize that his situation was in fact more grim than it seemed.

He needed to give himself more time, and he would be a fool if he ever told Zaglur that his Coming of Age was in six days time.

’If I can at least awaken my Demonic Heart, it would increase my chances of survival. Though it won’t be much, an increase is still an increase.’

As Simon had these thoughts, his mind went back to everything Zaglur told him about the Devourers.

Despite being the Hero of Earth and the most terrifying Demon Slayer, he knew nothing about ancient demons.

To him back then, his greatest concern and the most dangerous demon was the Demon King of Death who could summon and control millions of undeads.

The Demon King of Death was an extremely terrifying demon, and Simon was more concerned about the Demon King than any other demon.

But now, he was hearing of ancient demons like the Devourers and a First Great War where even demons and gods allied together to battle the Devourers.

How fearsome and terrifying were the Devourers, and how powerful were the ancient demons back then?

How would his past self compare to them?

How would the Demon King of Death compare to them?

Simon was curious, but he was more concerned about the clan that knew about this history and the clan that hired a Daegrin to search for the blood essence of a Devourer.

If not because of him and Zaglur’s arrogance, the clan would most likely have gotten this blood essence, and there would be a re-emergence of an ancient demon race.

And this would mean a lot of things for both the Demon race and the human race.

Although he was now a demon and was betrayed by his friends, that did not mean he suddenly hated all humans.

He lived for over six decades fighting for the human race. He was the protector and hero of the human race, and he still had a little bit of care for Earth.

Besides, his human parents never betrayed him or treated him badly.

How could he suddenly hate or be nonchalant about Earth?

’Humans... Earth... Demons... Ancient demons.’

’Who would have known that I’d be in such a situation. Life sure is funny.’

Simon released an inward sigh, then he looked at Zaglur.

”Can you tell me the clan that paid you to look for the Devourer’s blood essence?” He asked calmly.