The owner of the unfamiliar voice could have passed for a normal human, but the pair of small horns protruding from the top of his head betrayed his true nature. Whereas Celestine, as a succubus, had the curled horns of a ram, this race of demons had the tiny horns of an Oribi.
He was short, nearly a full head shorter than Leon. Short black hair that faded into burgundy at the tips and sharp green eyes that stared down the group with raging intensity.
He wore sleeveless black robes trimmed in red. Spikes lined his belt and the leather straps that crossed his chest in an X pattern. The outfit reminded Leon of the monastery-style robes Guild Master Nadu wore, though this demon lacked the old warrior's muscular frame. Despite this, Leon could tell he was a close-quarters fighter.
Roselyn and Tala stepped in front of Leon and the 3 girls.
"A pathetic weak man! And yet even humans are protecting him and his monster girls. Now you're just trying to piss me of-GAHFK"
His sentence was cut off by Rika, who had finally made herself known when she stabbed her wakizashi down into the left side of the demon's neck. The tsuba stopped against his collarbone.
She stood crouched on his back, one hand in a reverse grip on the hilt, the other with palm against the kashira, and drove her weight forward. The demon buckled under her like he had turned into a hinge.
He was quick to respond, snapping a clawed hand toward her. Rika kicked off his back and drew her blade free in the same motion.
The demon's palm struck steel mid-air with a heavy crack, like colliding metal. The force hurled Rika backward, but she twisted mid-flight, regained control, and landed in a crouch to the demon's left.
His right hand shot back to his neck, clamping over the wound and squeezing it shut.
"You're going to pay for that! And of course you're another woman. Surrounded by women as if he's anything more than a pathetic human!! To hell with all of you!"
The demon rushed forward, still clutching his neck as he charged toward Leon.
"You four, fall back to Cersei."
Roselyn called out as she and Tala moved to intercept.
Leon helped the exhausted Tsuhiki run as they retreated with Celestine and Valeria. The four imperial knights and two spies formed a line as they all reached Cersei.
Leon spoke as the others caught their breath.
"Cersei, any idea what that guy is?"
"He's an Imp. Demon race of Envy."
"Ok... what does that mean?"
"They're the weakest of the demon races, but every hit they land weakens you. In prolonged fights, they become a serious threat. Which is why you want to take them out early."
That explained why Rika had gone straight for the kill. Everyone was already tired, and then the demon who specializes in endurance fights had to appear.
Roselyn, Tala, and Rika all engaged him at once. Despite keeping one hand clamped over the wound in his neck, the Imp still held them off.
Roselyn pushed in from the front, shield raised, blocking his attacks while trying to land strikes of her own.
Tala used her staff to guard while the vine flytrap heads struck independently. Each time he crushed one, another followed, doubling like a hydra, yet still losing voracity.
Rika, meanwhile, darted in and out of range, her movements cutting through the air in sharp, acrobatic arcs.
"You're all just as weak as he is! So why gather around someone just as pathetic!"
Yeah, Demon of Envy fits. Still though. His wound isn't closing and yet he's still holding his own
"You said Imps were the weakest demon race?"
"Yeah. They have some of the lowest innate abilities. That doesn't mean they can't train or grow stronger. This guy is something else."
Leon kept his eyes on the fight. He could see it clearly how each exchange was getting heavier. The girls were moving slower.
Valeria readied her rapier, then looked at Leon.
"I'm going to go help."
"You've got this!"
She rushed forward to support Rika, Roselyn, and Tala.
Damn it… what can I even do here?...
"TSUKIHI!"
"Huh? What?"
"Feed on me!"
"What? Right now? Here?"
"Yeah. If you feed on me, you should be good as new, right? We need you."
Tsukihi hesitated. Worry spread across her already exhausted face.
"Are you sure you won't forget me? If I eat your memories…"
Leon grabbed her hands.
"I already promised I won't forget you. So who's the one forgetting now?"
She smiled, then leaned forward and stole a kiss from Leon. Her lips lingered on his for a few seconds before she broke away to press her forehead against his.
Leon watched his life play in reverse:
The White Lotus, Tsukihi in the cottage, Queen Lycynthia, Valeria and Celestine feeding on him together, Bloodless, Rika stealing his first kiss, rolling a 100 Vitality, the Overseer of Death, the Void…
More Void....
Still Void.
OK! How long was I in that Void for?! I need to have a serious talk with the Overseer of Death next time I see him…
...Preferably not because of that stupid Imp.
Tsukihi eventually pulled back and opened her eyes.
"Leon… do you..."
"Did you just eat my memories and still almost ask me that?"
Tsukihi smiled.
"You're right. Guess I'm still your silly girl."
Before Leon could respond the demon had broken through Tala's wooden staff and hit her in the throat all in a single strike.
He went for another strike, but a purple ring flashed around his wrist. The sudden massive weight yanked his arm down. Cersei had stopped the attack to give Tala the opening to pull back just as the demon pulled his wrist free.
"I'm going to go help the others. Make sure to watch me!"
Tsukihi rushed off as Tala came back coughing and clutching her throat. Cersei spoke first.
"You alright?"
"I'm… I'm fine. If I hadn't wasted so much essence on th...at damn kitty cat… I could've crushed this Imp on my own."
Tala turned back to see Tsukihi fully recharged. Fire and ice bolts spiraled around her, launching towards the demon. Another Itano Circus of endless attacks flooding the air as they closed in from every direction.
Tala then looked back at Leon.
"A quick... snack and she go...od to go. You're pretty frustrating, Farm boy."
"Yeah..."
Could I just take turns feeding Valeria and Tsukihi mid battle? Maybe I should be calling myself the 'Demon of Endurance fights'?
The demon called out towards Leon.
"That damn Scrap Metal was right. They flock to you because you're food! Nothing more than a glorified side dish… and yet you're surrounded by all these women!"
Scrap Metal? He's a demon of Envy. His power is based around envy and he probably feeds off of it too. But this guy is also consumed by it too.
Leon looked at Celestine, a holy princess turned succubus. Yet despite that, she has remained strong and virtuous.
"Huh? What do you need?
"Oh sorry. Nothing. I was just impressed by you..."
Celstine turned bright red. Turning her face away from Leon yet still stepping closer to him.
"Are you mocking ME?!?! YOU PATHETIC HUMAN!!!!"
The demon's body warped. His skin bled into a dark red as his limbs stretched longer, joints snapping into inhuman angles. Large black bat wings tore from his back, and a tail unfurled behind him, ending in a sharp stinger.
When it finished, the Imp stood in its demon form, the wound already healed over. He looked more like the Imps from games in Leon's old world, but human size. He even grew taller when he transformed, only half a head shorter than Leon now.