Chapter 275: Devil Cat? (4K)

"You, you're… puh!"

After a moment of stunned silence, the devil blinked, abandoning all elegance to laugh mockingly at the boy's disheveled state.

"Hahahaha, what on earth did you go through? Hahahaha!"

Her lack of decorum stemmed entirely from how utterly absurd Herbert looked.

In the past, Herbert had always presented himself before her as a nobleman of refined appearance and cultivated bearing.

Though sometimes he colluded with Flora to target her, his "ruthless, treacherous" methods also aligned with Crete's aesthetic.

But now, Herbert's current appearance… Crete could only describe it as "comical."

Herbert looked as if he'd been pierced through and through by countless black feathers—no, he literally had been.

She might have thought she was looking at a hedgehog.

Not a single inch of Herbert's body had escaped the "visit" of black feathers, as if he'd been struck by a storm of them.

On his sleeves, his torso, his pants… even his head had not been spared!

A few black feathers stuck crookedly between his snowy white locks, swaying with every movement he made.

Seeing Herbert in this state, Crete couldn't hold back a single laugh—she burst into hearty laughter.

"Hahahaha!"

As she walked over laughing, she couldn't help whistling teasingly.

"Look at you, pitiful creature—did you go fight some Shadow Ravens in the Shadow Plane? How did you end up covered in feathers?"

"Did you lose?"

She reached his side, plucked a feather that had "landed" on his chest, and was about to tease him further.

"Hah, look at you—huh?"

Puh!

As Crete casually pulled the feather out, blood gushed from the spot where it had been embedded.

The blood shot forth like a crimson arrow, striking her unguarded face directly.

"Eh!?"

Swoosh—

Though Crete hadn't anticipated this turn, her reflexes were sharp—she twisted her head aside, avoiding the blood column entirely, only a few drops splattering onto her cheeks.

???

Wait, what is this?

This is…

"I didn't ambush you—you're the one who couldn't resist poking around," Herbert rolled his eyes, reached up, and plucked another black feather.

Swoosh—

Crete dodged another spurting blood arrow with a sidestep, blinked rapidly, and finally noticed what was wrong with Herbert.

Because Herbert's expression was calm, his demeanor too composed, Crete had unconsciously overlooked how the feathers were actually "attached" to him.

Those pitch-black feathers weren't stuck to his clothes—they were embedded in his flesh like blades!

Herbert looked as if hundreds of flying swords had pierced him through and through, each wound silently oozing blood.

Even among his hair, the feathers had sunk into his scalp, staining his roots with streaks of crimson.

"You're…"

Crete fell silent for a moment, her laughter fading; she shook her head, her face filled with shame.

Gazing at Herbert seriously, she said in a low voice: "I'm sorry—I understand now. I was wrong just now."

She openly admitted her mistake, then…

"Looking at you covered in feathers like this—you didn't run into Shadow Ravens, you must've stumbled upon some kind of porcupine demon, right? Hah!"

After speaking with feigned solemnity, the Young Lady resumed her earlier brazen demeanor, winking repeatedly at Herbert.

Was she the kind of girl who'd be frightened by Herbert's bloody state?

Impossible!

The Young Lady declared this was nothing at all~

In Crete's aesthetic, this scene was decent—but still fell short of art.

Hmm, just a little short of perfection.

Of course, Herbert wasn't fooled by the Young Lady's poor acting—he didn't believe for a second she'd suddenly become sentimental.

Please, she's a devil.

Not throwing a kick when you're down is already a miracle.

Expecting her to feel pity?

That's just too much to hope for.

"Hmph."

Herbert sneered, letting out a scoff.

"Laugh, laugh, go ahead and laugh."

As he pulled feathers from his body, he hummed lightly:

"Remember this—every word you say now, I'll report back to her exactly as you said it. Don't regret it."

Shadow Ravens, huh?

Porcupine demon, huh?

Fine.

You've got guts—I'll go straight to Luciel and tell on you!

"Hm?"

Crety was startled by Herbert's attitude, blinking her eyes.

"She"?

Who?

……Who cares who she is!

"Hmph, you think you can scare me with threats?"

Crety lifted her chin disdainfully, proudly saying: "You think saying that will frighten me? Save your breath."

"If she's truly capable, let her come face me herself!"

I'm right here now—dare her to come bother me!

I'm not scared at all!

Not scared at all… Hm?

Crety was about to keep boasting when she suddenly noticed Herbert's gaze upon her—playful, as if observing some rare and amusing curiosity.

What's wrong?

Didn't I say something right?

The young man stared at the devil, speaking softly: "You really want her to come? Should I call her for you?"

No, something's very wrong!

The moment Herbert spoke, Crety instantly sensed the manipulation in his words.

He's trying to trap me!

The Devil Young Lady immediately backtracked, warning: "I never said that—don't slander me!"

Though she didn't know who the woman was that had reduced Herbert to such a state, if he reacted this way, her power must be formidable.

Crety had no desire to earn her enmity over something like this.

Herbert smirked at Crety's instant retreat (her cowardice) and stopped trying to lure her into further provocation.

Still, though he no longer wished to press, the Devil Young Lady's own curiosity got the better of her.

Crety suddenly became curious about the feather's owner.

Who exactly was this person who could make Herbert so wary and respectful?

Dammit, curiosity's been sparked.

"Cough! Uh..."

The Devil Young Lady cleared her throat, feigning reserve, yet unable to suppress her curiosity—finally blurting out: "Herbert, who exactly is this 'she' you're talking about?"

"Oh?"

Herbert plucked another feather and tucked it away, raising an eyebrow: "You want to know? Aren't you afraid I'll trick you?"

Since she'd already asked, Crety no longer hid it, replying frankly: "Yeah, just hearing the name won't hurt me."

I'm so curious!

"Heh."

Herbert smiled, watching her eyes brimming with longing for the truth.

The world is vast, full of wonders beyond imagining.

I went out of my way to spare you mercy, yet here you are, throwing yourself at me.

Heaven's door is open and you won't walk through—hell's gate is shut, yet you barge right in—hey, come to think of it, you really should go to hell.

It seems curiosity doesn't just kill cats—it can kill devils too.

So, can we derive an equation—devil = cat?

Thinking this way, Herbert actually found some supporting evidence.

Devils can't resist tormenting humans, burdening them with heavy contracts.

Cats do too.

Devils appear and vanish unpredictably, their trails impossible to trace.

Cats do too.

Devils can be summoned through special rituals, requiring sacred offerings.

Cats do too.

And most importantly—the one definitive proof: cats and devils have never appeared together!

Clap if you get it!

Herbert couldn't help sighing over his astonishing discovery, but the Devil Young Lady, waiting impatiently for the revelation, could no longer hold back.

"Hey, what are you thinking about? Why did you suddenly go quiet?"

Why are you dragging this out?

Herbert's train of thought was interrupted; he turned and sized her up, then nodded silently.

Under the influence of his preconceived notions, the more he looked, the more he felt the Devil Young Lady would suit cat ears and a cat tail.

It fit her aura perfectly.

Sassy yet cowardly—like a dairy cat needing regular exorcism!

Herbert's gaze automatically dropped to Crety's front, sweeping over those prominent curves.

Hmm, her figure fits the dairy cat too.

"Very nice."

"Hey, are you going to tell me or not?"

Seeing Crety growing impatient, Herbert pulled his gaze away, thought for a moment, then said:

"How should I explain her identity to you... well, let me put it this way, you know what angels are, right?"

Young Lady Devil raised an eyebrow, half-annoyed half-amused, and said: "Of course, what's there not to know? Back in my day I even fought against the Angel Legion... huh? You said angel?"

How did this place get tangled up with those angel b*tches?

Kreti's gaze shifted, looking down at the feather pinched between her fingers.

Huh?

"Wait, this is an angel's feather? But this color..."

Kreti fell silent.

Black sword-feathers, the aura of corruption.

At this point, how could she possibly fail to react to the other's identity.

A Fallen Angel!?

"... Tch."

At this moment, Young Lady Devil's expression looked a little unnatural.

In this world, devils are the targets angels need to destroy; the Angel Legion would sweep through Hell from time to time.

Fallen Angels are also a thorn in the Angel Legion's side, with a cleanup priority even higher than other enemies.

But, regrettably, the enemy of an enemy is not a friend.

In the eyes of most Fallen Angels who have betrayed their past, devils are still targets that need to be destroyed!

Thinking of this, Kreti couldn't help but click her tongue.

Tch.

Those brainless idiots, can't they learn to be a little flexible!!?

Don't they understand the concept of facing a common enemy?

The Fallen Angels understand, but for them, compared to angels, devils are the "outsiders."

Even though their stance has changed, their bodies fallen into the abyss of Hell.

That hatred buried deep in the Fallen Angels' souls still will not change.

Both Fallen Angels and angels will hunt devils.

Moreover, Fallen Angels not only generally have individual strength surpassing angels, but their fearlessness of falling again also renders them immune to many of devils' attack methods.

Troublesome, hard to deal with, disgusting!

After realizing these feathers came from a Fallen Angel, Kreti felt a bit of distaste and wanted to throw the feathers away.

But just before tossing them, she suddenly realized something else.

Each and every one of these Fallen Angel sword-feathers emanated an extremely dangerous aura.

Legendary?

No.

This f*cking thing is an Epic-level Fallen Angel!

"... Gulp."

Young Lady Devil broke out in a sweat.

A Legendary-level Fallen Angel was already very hard to deal with, and now this one is Epic-level.

"Since you know about angels, then that makes things easier."

Herbert was completely oblivious to Kreti's awkwardness and continued his tale: "She, well, is actually a kind-hearted person, with a dream she pursues, and willing to work hard for her goals, a good..."

"Ahem, alright, alright, I'm not curious who she is anymore, please stop talking!"

Kreti coughed twice, actively cutting off Herbert's introduction, and stiffly changed the subject: "Um, ahem, why did she stab you full of feathers all over? What did you do to her?"

After one curiosity was satisfied, a new curiosity arose in her heart.

Why would that Fallen Angel treat Herbert like this?

She even deliberately created such a tragic scene like being pierced by ten thousand arrows.

"You mean this?"

Herbert plucked off a feather and tucked it away, shaking his head: "You've got it wrong, this isn't harm, I specifically asked her to do it."

Kreti:?

Huh?

Young Lady Devil felt the sharpness of the sword-feathers, then suspiciously looked at Herbert in his miserable state.

Stare—

She didn't say anything, but somehow seemed to say everything.

You... masochistic pervert?

"Heh heh."

Herbert naturally read her gaze, but deliberately didn't explain, continuing to pluck the sword-feathers from his body.

Heh heh.

What would a tiny little devil like you understand?

These are all precious monster materials!

In a sense, these are all single-pull tickets.

Previously, just one sword-feather had let Herbert awaken the ability of a War Angel.

Now with this many, quantitative change leading to qualitative change, who knows what changes might occur!

Herbert finished collecting the feathers on his front, only the back was out of reach—but this couldn't stump him.

A shadow tentacle emerged from the shadow beneath his feet, nimbly reaching toward his back like an arm, plucking out those feathers one by one.

Kretti watched the scene and suddenly asked, oddly, "Wait, this shadow tentacle... you moonlighting as a mage?"

Herbert tilted his head and said casually, "No, it's just an innate ability. What's up? Is it strange?"

There were no outsiders here, so he didn't pay it much mind, simply attributing these abilities to a special talent he had awakened at birth.

Even if someone from his past saw it, it didn't matter — the answer would just be a newly awakened one.

"No, I just... hmm, feel like something's a bit off?"

Kretti rubbed her chin and muttered uncertainly, "Why does it feel like I've seen this spell somewhere before? When on earth was it?"

She leaned her head over again, carefully observing the tentacles poking out from the shadows.

Not sure, take another look. JPG

The spell 【Summon Shadow Tentacle】 wasn't a high-level one; for a legendary fiend like her, it wasn't a difficult spell to master.

But the question was, why did these shadow tentacles feel so familiar to her?

And just as Kretti frowned in earnest thought... she didn't notice.

Behind her, one shadow tentacle after another was slowly emerging from the shadow at her back.

From within the shadows, an evil presence cackled.

【"Heh↑ heh↑ heh↑ heh↑"】

Whoosh—

"Hm!?"

(End of chapter)