The Broken Halo

The narrow road leading up to Ironcrest Watchtower was bordered by shattered trenches and walls of fractured stone.

Smoke drifted across the slope in uneven waves. Farther below, humans and demons continued tearing into one another, while explosions from the artifact cannons caused the ground to tremble beneath Simon’s feet. Above them, Ironcrest Watchtower remained protected by its four formation pillars and layers of silver light.

The seven Demon Slayers stood between Assault Core Seventeen and the path upward.

Simon’s gaze moved across them once.

The six D-ranks ranged from Level 30 to Level 49.

The strongest among them was a broad-shouldered man at Level 49. He carried a rectangular shield almost as tall as he was, and dense Aether had gathered beneath his skin and full armour. His stance was rooted, with most of his weight pressed into his rear leg.

Simon narrowed his eyes slightly.

’Hmm... A Guardian Blessing, most likely.’

Beside him stood a Level 47 woman holding a narrow sword. Frost gathered around its edge without touching her fingers, making her an Elemental Blessing user.

The Level 45 man carried two short spears. Unlike the woman, no Aether escaped his body. It circulated through his arms, shoulders, and weapons in a steady rhythm.

Simon tilted his head slightly.

’A Martial Blessing?’

The remaining three were Levels 40, 35, and 30. One held a rifle covered in glowing lines, another wore metal gauntlets, while the last carried a hooked chain wrapped around one forearm.

Simon could make reasonable guesses about them, but not conclusions.

Blessings were not as predictable as demonic bloodlines. The type of Blessing did not decide its strength. A Guardian Blessing could be more dangerous than a Divine Blessing, while something that appeared unimpressive could possess one troublesome ability capable of changing a battle.

His attention settled on the female captain.

’Hmm... She seems to be around Level 55? But she’s definitely a C rank though.’

She wore fitted grey armour with the Grey Pike insignia over her chest. Her dark hair had been tied behind her head, and both hands rested comfortably around her long silver spear.

The Aether inside her body flowed differently from that of her squad.

Most of it gathered around her spine, shoulders, wrists, and legs before entering the spear. It strengthened her movements and the weapon at the same time, but showed no sign of becoming an element.

’Another Martial Blessing.’

’Probably one connected to a spear-wielding Martial Spirit.’

Her breathing was controlled. Her stance left no obvious opening, and the way her eyes moved between Simon, Sonya, and Akaza showed that she was not focusing only on the enemy directly before her.

Simon could see that she was experienced, disciplined, and slightly stronger than the average human at her level.

However, the suppression of Earth’s World Law made the difference between them smaller than it should have been. Her squad also occupied the narrowest section of the road, where their numbers and formation could become useful.

Simon finished judging them within seconds.

The Level 49 shield-bearer stepped forward.

”You demons-”

”Akaza,” Simon said without bothering about the man’s ugly expression.

Akaza’s gaze shifted toward him.

”Fight her... The leader.”

The female captain’s eyes narrowed.

Simon continued, ”It will be a good experience for you.”

Akaza looked at her properly this time. His gaze moved from her spear to her feet, then returned to her face.

”My first human opponent,” he said, and a faint smile appeared on his lips. ”I wondered what that would feel like.”

”She is comparable to a Minor Greater Demon,” Simon replied. ”Slightly above average.”

The woman’s expression stiffened.

Simon ignored that as well.

”Do not assume her Blessing works like a bloodline ability. Humans can be difficult to read until they reveal what their Blessings truly do.”

Akaza rolled his shoulders.

”That only makes it more interesting.”

”Sonya, Virella, Rellis.”

The three looked toward Simon.

”Take the other six. I will protect the Runemasters.”

Captain Veyran glanced at him, but said nothing. Osra, Drevik, and Namis tightened their grips on the cases and remained close together behind Simon.

Sonya’s cheerful expression disappeared.

”Why does he get the strong one?”

”Because she will be good experience for him.”

”She would be good experience for me too.”

”No,” Simon said calmly. ”She is too weak for you to truly enjoy the battle.”

Silence followed.

The female captain’s grip tightened around her spear and her expression was dark and ugly.

Sonya considered Simon’s words, then released a dissatisfied sound.

”That is not the point.”

”It is exactly the point.”

”You always give Akaza the better opponents.”

Akaza glanced at her.

”That is because I appreciate them.”

Everybody, including even Simon immediately had strange expressions.

’Appreciate?’ They all thought at the same time.

Sonya turned her blind eyes toward him.

”I appreciate them too.”

Akaza scoffed.

”You break them too quickly.”

Sonya folded her arms with narrowed eyes.

”That is how I show my appreciation.”

Rellis slowly looked away from her.

’Crazy. They’re definitely both crazy.’

Virella’s fingers trembled as she examined the six D-ranks. Roots shifted faintly beneath the soil around her boots, responding to her unease.

”There are six of them,” she said.

”Yes,” Simon replied.

”And only three of us.”

”That is also correct.”

Virella gave him a strained look.

”Two opponents each while we are being suppressed by Earth’s World Law will not be easy. Rellis and I are not monsters like the three of you.”

Rellis nodded.

”I would have chosen a kinder word, but her meaning is accurate.”

Sonya raised one hand.

”I will take four.”

Virella blinked.

”What?”

Sonya looked at her with a smile.

”I will fight four of them. You and Rellis can take one each.”

Rellis immediately nodded and nodded.

”That arrangement is much better.”

”It is not better,” Virella said while giving him a strange expression. ”It is only better for us, not the entire team.”

Rellis shrugged.

”That is usually what people mean when they say something is better.”

Virella opened her mouth, stared at him, then closed it again.

Sonya pointed toward the six Demon Slayers.

”I want the shield, the ice woman, the one with the gauntlets, and...” Her finger shifted between the remaining humans. ”The one with the chain.”

”You selected them by their weapons?” Rellis asked.

”Yes.”

”Why?”

”They look more fun.”

Everybody’s lips could not help but twitch.

The Grey Pike Squad listened to the entire conversation, and their expressions became uglier with every sentence.

The Level 49 man’s face reddened beneath his helmet. Frost spread farther along the female swordswoman’s blade, while the man carrying the twin spears lowered his body and stared at Sonya with naked killing intent.

Even the three weaker members looked as though they had been insulted beyond reason.

Their captain was the calmest among them, but the Aether flowing through her body had become sharper.

She took one step forward.

The end of her silver spear scraped across the stone, leaving a bright line between the two groups.

Her eyes passed over Akaza, Virella, and Rellis before settling on Sonya.

”Are you really looking down on us?”

Then her gaze shifted toward Simon.

The muscles in her jaw tightened and her eyes glinted with an extremely cold light.

”On me?”