Previously on Hakuna, the spiritual ritual known as Phahla was a complete success, and the Khanya princess, Nokukhanya, had gained the crucial intelligence she required from Nolitha. However, the revelation about the Tshabadira King and the stolen artifact meant there was a profound and immediate problem: The Philosopher now possessed Lilith's Rib, a relic capable of turning any human into a demon, meaning the DDF's war might have unknowingly been against innocent people.
Fade in…
The Weight of Human Blood
Hakuna was seen standing next to Nokukhanya, his expression shifting from diplomatic weariness to utter disbelief as the Princess relayed the facts of her confrontation at the Tshabadira palace.
"He has what?!" The Prince said, the information tearing at his carefully constructed emotional walls.
Nokukhanya replied, her voice low and grave. "Lilith's Rib, Prince Hakuna. The ancient relic."
Hakuna then asked, struggling to process the complexity of the theft. "I don't understand the implication. How does The Philosopher have that? And what would he use a forbidden artifact like that for?"
Nokukhanya sighed, the deep burden of the Bridge Clan's duty settling on her shoulders. "He stole it directly from the Tshabadira clan. They were using it. Its inherent property grants him the immense power to effortlessly summon and control high-ranking demons."
"Damn it! That explains the sudden surge in attacks," Hakuna muttered under his breath, clenching his fists.
"There's another thing," Nokukhanya said, her tone getting heavier, the true horror of the situation yet to be revealed. "This is the part that changes everything."
"What could possibly be worse than a demon army?" Hakuna asked, dread pooling in his gut.
Nokukhanya then spoke, her gaze unflinching. "The Rib also grants him the unique, terrifying power to instantaneously turn any human into a loyal demon."
"Say what now?" Hakuna muttered, the cold realization beginning to dawn on him.
Nokukhanya then continued, laying out the catastrophic implications for the entire war effort. "This means that ever since the beginning of the 40 Days of Corruption, there would have been a profoundly high possibility that the DDF—and you, Prince—have been unknowingly killing humans instead of true, naturally occurring demons."
Hakuna began to tremble violently, the shock running through his body like a high-voltage current. The immense psychic weight of all the lives he had taken descended upon him instantly.
"We've been killing humans this entire time?!" He said, his voice cracking, shaking with an unbearable mixture of fear and profound guilt.
Nokukhanya flinched at the raw pain in Hakuna's voice.
She then said, her voice filled with empathetic sorrow. "It seems to be so, Prince."
Suddenly, with a loud, sickening thud, a massive, high-ranking demon materialized near the hostel grounds.
The demon roared—a palpable, reverberating screeching that shook the very foundation of the academy, making even the unflappable Princess Nokukhanya instantly whirl around, her squadron readying themselves.
Hakuna, however, did not move. He was utterly paralyzed by the moral horror of the revelation.
Seloana appeared instantly, materializing in a protective crouch directly in front of him.
She then spoke, her voice urgent and laced with concern. "My Prince, a high-level demon has appeared near the entrance of the Hostel. There is a high chance of many casualties if it is not dealt with instantly."
Hakuna, still not moving, his eyes began to glow a cold light brown—the color of intense, focused analysis—but his mind was consumed by self-loathing.
He then muttered, the weight of the confession crushing him. "This entire time… all the blood on my hands… it has been human blood?"
Seloana murmured, her voice soft. "Your Highness. Please, focus."
The ground shook as Hakuna began to boil with a terrifying, contained anger. Anger at himself for failing to perceive the difference between true demons and converted humans. Anger at himself for ruthlessly killing human beings even though he had no way of knowing their fate. But most of all, absolute, volcanic anger at The Philosopher for using the lives of innocent people—his own soldiers, his own people—to do his wicked bidding.
With a loud, thunderous clap of displaced air, Hakuna vanished from his position.
Nokukhanya then murmured, her eyes wide with alarm. "Hakuna! Do not let the guilt consume you!"
The demon roared—a booming screeching that seemed to physically vibrate the ground under their feet.
An instant later, a familiar, furious yell ripped through the air. "KIHIMURRA!"
A massive, singular beam of concentrated purple light appeared, visible for a mile, vaporizing the demon in question completely.
Hakuna was seen standing at the blast site, his arm outstretched, his face a mask of shock and profound despair.
Unable to fully gather his thoughts, his mind still reeling from the murder charge, he failed to sense the impending attack from another, quieter demon that had sneaked in from the flank.
The second demon, a fast, shadowy figure, slammed Hakuna violently to a nearby wall, the impact cracking the stone around him.
He then thought to himself, the emotional wound reopening instantly. "Innocent human beings… gone forever. I destroyed them."
Nolitha chimed in, her voice frantic, piercing through his self-pity. "Hakuna! This is not the time to be sulking so much! Get up, please, you're about to be killed! You must fight!"
A monstrous Ogre-class demon, wielding a massive, jagged axe, walked slowly and deliberately towards the immobilized Prince.
Hakuna then muttered, his voice defeated. "How many have I killed? I am a murderer, Nolitha. Nothing less."
As the Ogre was about to swing its axe down, preparing to slice Hakuna in half.
Nolitha then yelled, delivering the brutal, necessary truth that would shock him back to reality. "Hakuna, stop! You're not a murderer! You are the Monster!"
Hakuna's eyes snapped open, glowing the cold light brown of focus.
He blocked the lethal slash of the gigantic axe with his bare arm, the sheer impact creating a deafening CRASH of metal against metal bone, but his arm held firm.
Vanessa, the Head Girl, and the other remaining EXCO students appeared, having rushed toward the commotion.
"Hakuna!" Vanessa called out worriedly, shocked by the force of the clash.
Hakuna replied, his voice strained. "I'm fine. Just distracted."
Six thunderous booms, occurring in quick succession across the campus, rattled the air, signaling the sudden, simultaneous appearance of multiple high-ranking demons.
"Oh no," he muttered, realizing the campus was now being overrun.
The school was now instantly saturated with high-level demons of various classes.
Nokukhanya appeared with her Royal Squadron, taking up a defensive position.
"Hakuna, why won't you finish and kill the demon?!" Vanessa demanded, pointing at the struggling Ogre.
Hakuna replied, his voice choked with emotion. "I can't! I don't know who they are!"
"Why not?! It's a threat to everyone!" she questioned, utterly confused.
"I just can't," Hakuna said, his eyes tearing up as he faced the unbearable dilemma of him possibly killing another human being, forever unaware of their fate.
He then thought to himself, the self-imposed title solidifying his will. "Monster. That's what I am. If I must be a monster to save them, so be it."
Nolitha then said, her voice firm and absolute. "Yes, you are the necessary evil. Now save everyone, and deal with the consequences later."
His eyes suddenly turned a violent, pure purple. His entire energy signature flared to a massive, destructive purple. Reality visibly distorted around him, the air bending under the sheer force of his power.
He then spoke with a chilling, eerie, synthesized voice that resonated across the entire campus. "PROTECT THE HOSTEL. KEEP THE STUDENTS SAFE."
He vanished in a crackle of pure energy.
Hakuna was seen flying at impossible speed towards a gigantic Kaiju-class demon that had materialized on top of the school hall.
He declared, his voice a distorted echo of lethal intent. "I WILL KILL ALL THE DEMONS! I WILL DESTROY EVERY ONE OF THE PHILOSOPHER'S VILE EXPERIMENTS!"
The Philosopher's Taunt
…At the Hostel…
Joy then spoke, drawing her own hidden weapon, her petite frame radiating surprising strength. "Seems like he's finally regained his senses and embraced the necessary darkness. I guess it's time for us to help and secure this perimeter."
Vanessa stood in complete shock, gazing at the destruction Hakuna had caused.
Naledi, one of the EXCO students, quickly asked. "What's the matter, Lady Vanessa? Why the look of horror?"
Vanessa replied, her voice filled with professional awe and terror. "Did you not see that? With just an attempt to stand up, he completely obliterated a Level 8 Ogre-class demon. That is an impossible feat."
Joy chimed in, maintaining her composure. "I did hear that he destroyed a Level 8 demon. It's not particularly surprising, given the rumors of his strength."
Vanessa then continued, detailing the classification knowledge only the highest-ranking students possessed. "There's more to it than just raw strength. There are four different classes of demons currently: the Tikoloshe Class, the Humanoid Class, the Ogre Class, and the Kaiju Class. All of them come in various levels, but they do have specific Level Caps. The Tikoloshe have a Cap of up to Level 3, which is why they are typically used to train Grade 8's and 9's. The Humanoids, however, do not have a Level Cap, ranging from Level 1 to 10, with their level counting for their Power to Strength Ratio, magic affinity, and, most importantly, their intelligence. The Ogres, while similar to the humanoids in power, only Cap at Level 9 due to the inefficiency of their massive size. Kaijus Cap at Level 9 as well, but their level only matches their size—they have immense strength and power, but due to their sheer bulk, they have very little intelligence."
Joy replied, connecting the facts instantly. "Oh, so that means the ones Hakuna—"
The Philosopher interjected suddenly, his presence materializing out of thin air, a new layer of threat settling over the group. "Very clever, Head Girl. Your classifications are precise."
Everyone immediately snapped into a defensive stance at The Philosopher's sudden, chilling appearance.
"You again," Vanessa said, hatred dripping from her voice.
Nokukhanya immediately chimed in, her diplomatic authority taking precedence. "Philosopher, return the unholy relic you stole from the Tshabadira Clan. The Khanya demand its surrender."
"Relic?" Vanessa questioned, confused by the term.
The Philosopher raised his left hand, displaying a bone—the unmistakable, ancient ivory of Lilith's Rib.
Naledi asked, staring at the object. "What is that… rib bone?"
Nokukhanya replied, her voice grim. "An ancient, forbidden Relic that should have been destroyed millennia ago. Lilith's Rib."
Two gigantic, monstrous dogs—massive, muscular, and radiating raw dark energy—appeared instantly beside The Philosopher.
The Philosopher then spoke, introducing his newest weapons. "These are a specialized kind of Kaiju demon, not naturally occurring. With slight modification and the use of the Rib, they become the terrifying embodiment of attack dogs that follow my orders implicitly."
Vanessa muttered, her eyes wide with recognition. "No… not the attack dogs of the abyss…"
The Philosopher then said, mocking their fear. "That's right, Head Girl. Now, enjoy the chaos! XXSSSXSSSSAA!"
The dogs and the other surrounding demons instantly attacked everyone, the chaos spiraling out of control.
Joy yelled, drawing her blade and pushing back a massive Tikoloshe demon. "Shit! This is more than we bargained for!"
…At the Hall…
Hakuna was seen tearing through a small army of Humanoid and Ogre demons, the air crackling around his purple-flamed fists.
He then thought to himself, the political implications forgotten in the rage. "How the hell did so many high-level demons get here?!"
Hakuna decimated them, one by one, with blinding speed and savage efficiency, similar to the legendary tales of how his father took on an entire army on his own.
A Demon roared hysterically in the background.
Hakuna's focus instantly shifted as multiple demons, working in chilling coordination, grabbed hold of his legs, attempting to ground him.
Hakuna mutters, his surprise palpable. "Eah… what the—?!"
More demons grabbed his arms, attempting to restrain the Prince, but then, suddenly.
Hakuna roared, the sound an explosive release of divine fury. "HAAAAAAA!"
With a quick, targeted burst of his power, all the surrounding demons instantly evaporated into nothingness, leaving no trace.
Hakuna then pointed his arm towards the massive Kaiju demon still perched ominously on top of the School Hall.
He then spoke, his voice cold and filled with judgment. "THERE'S MORE OF YOU I HAVE TO DESTROY."
He charged a massive, destructive energy blast in his open hand.
And said, his voice a final declaration. "GOOD BYE, FORMER HUMAN… KIHIMURRA."
The large purple beam, visible from the other side of the school, obliterated the Kaiju demon in an instant, the energy searing the roof off the hall.
…At the Hostel…
Joy was seen skillfully fending off a large number of demons alongside Sureina, the Khanya warrior.
"I don't remember there being this many high-levels! They're swarming!" Joy said, her exertion showing.
Sureina then spoke, her movements precise. "It's too much. We cannot hold them for long."
Vanessa was seen holding the massive fang of one of the giant dogs, her immense physical strength barely containing the beast, which was forced back by her effort.
She strained, teeth clenched. "Eaaaaahh! Keep… puuushhhhiiiiing!"
Hakuna's blast from the hall shrouded the entire area in a massive, blinding flash of purple light.
Nokukhanya muttered, shielding her eyes. "Huh? What was that immense power?"
"Was that Hakuna? Did he just destroy the Hall Kaiju?" Joy asked.
The Philosopher then thought to himself, a visible grin forming beneath his mask as he looked toward the direction of the explosion. "Interesting. He seems to be feigning oblivion to the possibility of all these demons being human. I know your heart, Hakuna. Your kindness is your absolute weakness. No matter how you try to mask it, you are profoundly defeated."
"You enjoy this? You enjoy watching him tear himself apart?" Nokukhanya questioned, her eyes narrowing at the faint movement of his lips under the mask.
The Philosopher then mumbled, feigning ignorance. "Hmm? Did you say something, Princess...uh...?"
Nokukhanya then continued, speaking over him, deliberately stating her name. "Nokukhanya Serame, of the Bridge Clan. You heard me. Elaborate your answer: You enjoy seeing him suffer like this, don't you?"
The Philosopher then said, adopting a philosophical tone. "Why yes, Princess. Is it not simply human nature to derive perverse pleasure from the suffering of others?"
Phumaphi yelled out, snapping the neck of one of the giant dogs with a sickening crunch. "You're wrong, you pathetic man!"
Gorata then said, ripping a demon in half with a furious heave. "Only evil enjoys another's suffering!"
Noligoa chimed in, using her staff to smash three demons simultaneously. "Human nature is to fight for what's right and protect the weak!"
As she said this, the three Khanya warriors instantly entered a disciplined fighting stance, challenging the Philosopher directly.
"Is that so?," The Philosopher asked, his voice dripping with sinister amusement.
…At the Quad…
Two Ogre demons and a single Kaiju demon were seen terrorizing and chasing a group of defenseless Scholar students.
Hakuna was seen flying rapidly around the perimeter, looking for more of the high-level threats. As he spotted the students in mortal danger, he immediately dove in for the attack.
But as he was about to land a lethal strike on the Ogre, the Kaiju demon swung its massive tail towards Hakuna with brutal speed.
Mihlali appeared instantly, materializing with a flash, tackling Hakuna violently to safety. She took the full brunt of the Kaiju's sweeping attack instead.
Nolitha muttered internally, the spiritual connection allowing her voice to be felt by Hakuna. "Mihlali…"
Hakuna muttered, stunned by the warrior's selflessness. "Huh?"
Mihlali was seen holding off not only the bone-crushing tail from the Kaiju demon but also an immediate follow-up attack from one of the Ogre demons with sheer, determined willpower.
Mihlali then spoke, her strength immense. "Go, Prince Hakuna! Destroy the others! I'll take care of these ones. I can hold the line here."
She then launched her assault on the demons, a furious blur of righteous combat.
Hakuna then said, accepting the sacrifice and responsibility. "Alright. Thank you, warrior."
He flew at blinding speed toward the school Tuck Shop as Mihlali began to conclude her brutal, single-handed battle.
Mihlali then said, a final declaration of trust and hope. "I leave it all to you, Prince Hakuna. You are our last hope."
…At the Tuck Shop…
Hakuna landed amidst massive destruction.
"What the hell happened here? This area is pulverized," he questioned, seeing the extent of the damage.
A figure sat atop the shattered remains of the Tuck Shop roof.
"Who are you?" he questioned, his voice cold.
The figure then spoke, his tone bored and contemptuous. "Pitiful. They all just ran, pathetic little rats. No one challenged me. Weaklings bore me."
Hakuna fired a powerful warning shot from his finger, narrowly missing the figure's head, the blast carving a deep trench into the wall behind him. "I asked you a question. Who are you?"
The figure turned slowly to Hakuna, his eyes burning with chaotic energy. "Hmm. I don't have a name. I exist only to cause havoc. I enjoy it, I live by it. It is the very source of my power."
Psycha chimed in, running a rapid diagnosis. "Vessel, be cautious! He's a high-level Humanoid Demon!"
The Demon then said, sensing Hakuna's power. "Will you fight me, human? You at least seem capable of surviving the first blow."
Hakuna replied, purple flames beginning to lick at his fists. "Oh, trust me…"
His eyes began to have an intense, terrifying light brown glow.
As he then said, his voice laced with pure, focused intent. "I will."
The climactic battle began.
Both Hakuna and the Humanoid demon launched themselves at one another with explosive force as they clashed in the center, the sound sending massive shockwaves throughout the entire school.
"You're strong! This'll be fun!" the demon said, delighting in the impact.
…At the Hostel…
Noligoa was seen attacking The Philosopher alongside Gorata and Phumaphi, but despite their coordinated assault, none of the Khanya warriors had landed a single blow on him.
The Philosopher became momentarily preoccupied as he then thought to himself, glancing toward the Tuck Shop. "Eeah, the Prince is already engaging the high-level humanoid. Hmm. This is progressing faster than anticipated."
Phumaphi taunted, sensing his distraction. "Are you worried, coward? Is your champion failing?"
The Philosopher replied, dismissively. "No, warrior. I'm rather bored waiting for the inevitable outcome."
Gorata grunted in fury. "Why, you little!"
She threw a powerful, swift punch, only for The Philosopher to catch it effortlessly with two fingers.
Gorata then muttered, disbelief flooding her face. "Wha—?!"
The Philosopher then said, with his trademark, cruel pity. "Oh my, you look defeated."
In a blur, he knocked out the three primary warriors of the Khanya Clan with three simple, precise strikes.
He then turned toward Hakuna's battle location and calmly folded his arms, settling in to watch.
Nokukhanya, standing in awe, realized she was no fighter and could not attack. She muttered, "After all that, he just stands there. He is just watching."
Vanessa scoffed, her anger rising. "Unbelievable. He's deliberately humiliating us."
The Philosopher did nothing, he just stood completely still, seemingly watching the intense battle between Hakuna and the Humanoid demon.
…At the Tuck Shop…
The battle between Hakuna and the Humanoid demon raged on, a ferocious spectacle of speed and power.
Each blow exchanged between them sent massive, earth-shaking tremors throughout the school.
Hakuna thought to himself, analyzing his opponent's power. "He must be a Level 8, judging by his ability to match me."
Psycha chimed in, her diagnosis cold and definitive. "No, Prince. He's a Level 10."
Hakuna muttered, shocked by the revelation. "Huh? The Level Cap?"
Psycha then said, confirming the terrifying fact. "He is at the absolute highest level for his class. He is stronger than Sparta ever was."
He mumbled, a primal thrill mixing with the fear. "Hmm. A true challenge."
He flared his energy, ready to fight the demon seriously, channeling his full, lethal potential.
With his fists entirely covered in aggressive, burning purple flames, he launched his assault.
The demon converged as well, meeting the attack head-on.
Hakuna sent a punch, only for it to land on the demon's incoming, mirroring punch.
The demon instantly sent a punch with his other fist, only for it to land on another incoming punch from Hakuna.
This precise exchange carried on, back and forth, forth and back, the exchange moving faster and faster until the speed was inhuman, both Hakuna and the demon appearing to be at completely equal footing.
Until they both were violently thrown back by the final, mutual impact. Hakuna had somehow received a bleeding cut on his cheek.
And the demon was completely unscathed.
"Huh?! When did that happen?!" Hakuna stammered, checking his cheek.
The Demon laughed, a delighted, chaotic sound. "Hahahahaaa! This is awesome! A human I can finally play with! I can use my true strength! HaaaaaaaaAAAAAA!"
His power level flared drastically, his energy immense and blinding.
Hakuna then said, wiping the blood from his cheek. "Grrr. He's cocky and he's been sandbagging me."
He attacked, channeling his energy into his signature move.
"Fist of Infuaaghh—"
In the blink of an eye, the demon effortlessly deflected Hakuna's attack and landed a devastating, bone-jarring blow directly to his stomach.
The Demon chuckled. "Hehehee. Too slow, Human."
The blow sent Hakuna flying backward, smashing him violently into the metal fence behind him, bending the thick steel into a grotesque shape.
Hakuna coughed, spitting blood. "What the hell? He's faster than I am."
Nolitha then said, her voice sharp and uncompromising. "Wake up, Hakuna! Time to get serious."
Hakuna walked slowly out of the bent fence, seemingly beginning to warm up, rolling his neck and stretching his shoulders, preparing for a fight to the death.
"Hmm!" He let out a powerful, controlled grunt.
He had instantly activated Psycha's full power, overlaying his speed and reflexes with the demon's own power, granting him perfect reaction time.
The Demon was fascinated by the sudden surge of strength. "Woah, huh? Oof!"
It was a complete blur. Hakuna vanished from the demon's sight, and just as soon as he had gone, he instantly appeared, immediately punching the demon with devastating force.
The Demon noticed the shift. "Oh, that's a demon's punch you have there! Interesting and utterly hypocritical!"
Hakuna immediately began his final assault, pushing past his physical limits.
"Inferno: Fists of Fury!"
He sent a barrage of continuous, relentless, purple-flame-covered punches, each one intended to spiritually disintegrate the demon instantly.
The Demon muttered, his voice fading with the destruction. "That… was… fun…"
With his final, furious punch, Hakuna completely destroyed the high-level Humanoid demon.
…At the Hostel…
The Philosopher was still seen standing in the middle of the chaos, his arms now unfolded, facing the direction of where Hakuna was.
Everyone was struggling severely with the continuous waves of attacking demons.
The Philosopher then spoke, his voice carrying clearly over the fighting. "Hmm. He defeated the Humanoid. A solid performance, Prince."
He then turned toward everyone still fighting.
As he then said, with a theatrical sigh. "I guess I—"
Suddenly, Hakuna landed directly on top of a demon right next to The Philosopher, instantly crushing and destroying it.
"CONCENTRATED ATMOSPHERIC BURST!"
Hakuna launched a powerful burst of focused power that individually killed all the remaining demons in the immediate vicinity of the Hostel.
All in an instant.
"Incredible. He truly is pushing himself," The Philosopher muttered, his head cocked in appraisal.
Hakuna immediately launched himself directly towards The Philosopher, the purple energy flaring to maximum.
But before he could land his attack, before he could touch the masked man.
His purple energy vanished completely.
His eyes returned to their normal, frightened, brown color.
He instantly fell to the ground, disorientated and weak.
Hakuna then strained, his voice ragged. "Wha… what did you… do to… me?"
The Philosopher replied, his tone clinical and detached. "This is a mere experiment, Prince Ntlamele. The query is simple: what are you without the powers of your demon?"
Hakuna began to panic, the sudden loss of power absolute.
"Psycha? Psycha!?" He called out frantically in his mind.
The Philosopher then said, his voice laced with triumph. "Oh my, Prince. You look defeated."
Hakuna then roared, fueled by pure, desperate rage. "Eeaaaaaahhhh! You bastard! Give her back!"
He threw a desperate punch only for it to fall straight through the fading image, as the Philosopher began to dissolve into a heat haze.
Hakuna fell to his knees, his energy gone, his world spinning.
"Psycha, answer me! Please!" He called out, his voice heartbroken.
Nolitha chimed in, her voice filled with a final, desperate sadness. "She's gone, Hakuna."
Hakuna was panic-stricken, utterly unaware of everyone's stunned anticipation surrounding him.
Vanessa then questioned, staring at the defeated Prince. "What did he mean by, 'Your demon'[1]?"
Hakuna turned slowly to face the Head Girl, who was now standing over him, pointing a massive, ceremonial sword directly toward his throat.
He muttered, completely defenseless. "Ah?"
Fade out.
End of Episode 57.
[1] No one in the school aside from Master Mokoto and the BBC were aware of the power Hakuna would use, unaware that it was the power of a demon.