Chapter 19: Fruit of Darkness

Koda had deliberately chosen a secluded corner of the volcanic camp to test his latest discovery; a weird fruit he’d found during the hunt. With the other demons occupied with their own affairs, he had hoped to enjoy a few minutes of peace.

Unfortunately, Hell rarely rewarded a demon for expecting privacy.

"Hmm? Someone’s there?"

Koda turned his head.

A succubus has somehow appeared, standing several steps away and watching him with open curiosity. She was one of the stronger demons gathered under Lord Vaelric’s command.

Her attention, however, was fixed on the strange object in Koda’s hand.

The fruit was dark, almost black, with an irregular surface covered in curling patterns. It looked nothing like the decaying vegetation scattered across Hell.

Koda ignored the succubus and quickly took a bite to prevent her from seizing it. What if it was a a treasure? He couldn’t afford to give it away.

But his expression immediately twisted. ’What in the eighteen layers of Hell is this?’

The taste was indescribable. Bitter, rotten, sour, and somehow worse than all three combined. It was as though someone had gathered every disgusting substance imaginable, compressed them into a single mouthful, and decided that demons deserved to suffer for tasting it.

Koda nearly spat it out.

Unfortunately, he didn’t want to waste the fruit. The Devouring Origin had led him to this fruit, so it couldn’t be useless... right?

His stomach churned. He forced himself to swallow the first mouthful before taking another cautious bite.

The succubus’s expression darkened.

A low-ranking demon had just ignored her.

Worse, he was eating something that looked valuable without even offering her a glance.

She was not technically a high-rank demon. She stood at the upper end of the middle rank, but the distinction meant little to demons beneath her. To Koda, she was strong enough to cause trouble if she decided to take offense.

And she clearly had.

"What are you eating?" she demanded.

Koda glanced at her, then returned his attention to the fruit.

"Something edible, I hope."

Her eyes narrowed.

The fruit’s unusual appearance had already attracted her interest. Koda’s decision to hide in a secluded corner and eat it only made her more suspicious.

Then she noticed his contorted expression.

For a moment, she hesitated.

Was the little demon pretending to hate the taste to discourage anyone from taking it?

The possibility made sense to her. Demons routinely lied, cheated, and manipulated one another over anything valuable. Why should a strange fruit be different?

She approached and held out her hand.

"Give it to me."

Koda looked at her outstretched palm. Then he looked at the fruit.

"My lady, it’s just a strange fruit."

"I’ll decide that myself."

"It’s genuinely disgusting."

"Enough!" she snapped. "Do you think I need your permission to take something from you?"

Koda lowered his gaze, concealing the amusement beginning to replace his discomfort.

"No, my lady."

He held the fruit closer for a moment, pretending to hesitate before finally handing it over.

"Since you insist."

The succubus snatched it from his hand.

Koda subconsciously knew he had already obtained what he wanted from the first bite. Whatever remained was little more than a revolting shell, and he had no intention of wasting time arguing over it.

The succubus inspected the fruit, becoming increasingly convinced that she had acquired something rare.

Without another word, she opened her mouth and took a large bite.

Her confidence lasted approximately one second.

"BWAAAGH!"

She spat the fruit out and collapsed onto her knees, coughing and vomiting.

Koda watched with genuine sympathy for precisely half a heartbeat. Then he remembered how she had demanded his property.

His sympathy disappeared.

The succubus continued retching, her face turning an unpleasant shade of green. Whatever she had expected, it certainly had not been this.

Koda crouched beside her.

"My lady, are you all right?"

She looked at him with murderous eyes.

"I told you it was disgusting," he reminded her.

"You little..."

She tried to rise, but another wave of nausea forced her back down.

Koda stood and brushed ash from his armor.

"I’ll find you some water."

The succubus could only glare at him as he walked away.

Koda had no intention of returning.

By the time she realized that he had fooled her, half an hour had passed. She had lost most of her dignity, along with whatever remained in her stomach, while the demon responsible was nowhere to be found.

Meanwhile, Koda was already examining himself. He stopped in a deserted stretch between the camp’s black rock formations and concentrated.

A faint darkness gathered around his claws.

It resembled smoke, except it moved against the wind and seemed to swallow the dim red light around it. Koda flexed his fingers, and the dark haze thickened briefly before fading.

His eyes brightened. "It worked."

The strange fruit had successfully integrated into his body, granting him access to its darkness-based power. The effect was still crude, and he had barely tested its limits, but the initial result was promising.

Possessing an ability did not mean he had mastered it. He would need to experiment, understand its limitations, and gradually learn how to use it effectively.

Koda dismissed the darkness and looked at his claws.

For now, he had enough information.

Testing an unfamiliar power in the middle of a military camp was an excellent way to attract unwanted attention. He had already learned that lesson from his tracking seal.

He returned to the main gathering area.

The senior officer responsible for their deployment had gathered the summoned demons near the command tents. Koda spotted the succubus’s companions among them, along with several other powerful demons who looked increasingly impatient.

The officer had spent much of his energy organizing the assembled forces. Even demons who enjoyed fighting were becoming restless while they waited for their next orders.

Koda took his place among the gathered conscripts and kept his new ability concealed.

He did not need to wait long.

The succubus eventually returned.

Her complexion had improved, but the fury on her face had not diminished. The moment she spotted Koda, she strode toward him.

He watched her approach with mild interest.

Then she noticed who stood nearby.

The senior officer was recovering his strength only a short distance away. Disturbing him over a petty dispute would be an excellent way to invite trouble.

The succubus stopped. Her fists tightened.

Koda gave her a polite nod.

"My lady. Feeling better?"

Her face darkened.

She looked ready to tear him apart, but she could not afford to create a scene in front of a superior. After several seconds, she turned away and returned to the other demons.

Koda almost laughed.

He had not promised to return with water because he was kind. He had promised because it gave him a convenient excuse to leave.

Besides, they were in Hell. A demon who demanded respect from weaker creatures could hardly complain when someone used the rules of hierarchy against her.

More importantly, he had no intention of wasting his attention on a grudge that might soon become irrelevant.

The assembled demons had been summoned for a reason. Their commanders had spoken of an impending confrontation, and Koda suspected the danger was considerably greater than the vague warnings suggested.

If the enemy attacked, these powerful demons would be expected to fight on the front lines.

He had no desire to become entangled in their problems before understanding the situation.

Time passed.

Eventually, the senior officer straightened and began issuing orders. The demons around him quieted, anticipating instructions to move out.

He barely managed to open his mouth before an arrow struck.

It tore through a nearby lesser demon and pinned the unfortunate creature against a tree. The impact was so violent that the shaft buried itself deep in the wood.

For one brief moment, the gathering fell silent.

Then a second arrow arrived and a third followed.

The sky above the camp filled with dark streaks as a coordinated volley descended upon the gathered demons.

"Incoming!"

Koda moved immediately.

His bone talons snapped from his fists with a sharp KRRSHK as he shifted behind a nearby rock formation. Arrows hammered into the ground around him, sending fragments of black stone into the air.

The succubus screamed as she scrambled for cover.

The senior officer’s expression changed completely.

He recognized the attack pattern.

"Dark Elves!" someone shouted.

Koda peered around the rock.

Figures moved among the distant ridges, their silhouettes barely visible against the crimson haze. More arrows were already being drawn, and the first volley had been only the opening strike.