Chapter 28: Taste of Devil Hunting Part III
[Word Count: 1562]
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Grumbling under his breath, Leo retrieved Kishibe's knife and stepped cautiously into the decaying factory. The scent of oil and decay filled the air, intermingling with the aroma of rust. Nature had started reclaiming its territory, as ivy snaked its way through cracked concrete, and birds nested in forgotten corners.
Leo wondered if the devil they were after had sought refuge in the warehouse. Sunlight seeped through cracks in the roof, casting eerie patterns on the deteriorating floors. The suffocating silence and absence of human activity hung heavily in the air, a stark contrast to the memories of vibrant industry and bustling workers now reduced to faded photographs and whispered tales.
As Leo glanced at the decaying floor, something caught his attention—the glistening sparkle. Using Kishibe's knife, Leo discovered an unusual amount of glass shavings covering the floor. A quick scan revealed that most of the visible floor shared the same peculiar trait. It was strange to find such a significant accumulation of glass in the heart of the factory. Was someone deliberately dumping it here?
Surveying the surroundings once more, Leo couldn't shake the feeling of being watched from the shadows.
Suddenly, without warning, Leo had to swiftly dodge a massive glass shard, narrowly avoiding a potentially deadly blow. The shard effortlessly sliced through the nearby equipment, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.
The soft tinkling sound of shattered glass began to reverberate throughout the factory, akin to the gentle chimes of a distant melody.
Following the trajectory of the glass shard, Leo's gaze fixed upon a lithe silhouette emerging from the shadows. The presumed devil possessed a form that shimmered like crystal in the dim light. Its entire body appeared to be fragile glass, reflecting the surroundings in fractured, mesmerizing patterns. Every movement was accompanied by the delicate sound of glass chimes.
The devil's translucent skin revealed an intricate network of cracks, giving the impression that it could shatter into countless pieces at any moment. Intricate designs and patterns twisted and intertwined within its glassy body, creating a mesmerizing kaleidoscope of colors.
As the devil moved slowly through the shadows, its head swayed from side to side, examining Leo with a mixture of curiosity and malice.
Another glass shard was launched towards Leo, this time aimed at his neck. Reacting swiftly, Leo ducked, narrowly evading the deadly projectile.
Glancing at Kishibe's knife, Leo clicked his tongue in the realization that it would do little against the glass devil's impervious form. He needed a blunter weapon.
Circling the glass devil, Leo searched for a weakness to exploit and a blunt object to bash its fragile head. Thankfully, they were in a factory, where abandoned machinery offered the potential for improvised weaponry.
Yet another glass shard was fired, but something felt off about it. Instead of merely dodging, Leo swiftly moved out of harm's way, completely evading the attack.
The wind was knocked out of Leo as he crashed into what seemed like nothingness, causing it to shatter upon impact revealing a conveyor belt.
More glass shards were unleashed, forcing Leo to take a deep breath and quickly analyze the situation. A clear path opened up before them, but caution was paramount after the previous encounter.
Stabbing down with Kishibe's knife, Leo shattered the illusory "nothingness," revealing a sturdy metal table. Leaving the knife embedded, he leaped over the table, now relying on his memory of the factory's layout to navigate.
Taking cover proved futile, as the glass devil effortlessly cut through rusting metal. Leo realized he had to keep moving to avoid being impaled by the shards.
The first priority was finding a suitable weapon. Although nothing in the factory seemed reliable enough
to combat the glass devil, having something in hand was better than being defenseless.
Assessing his surroundings, Leo observed as one by one, the factory's interior was swallowed by the glass, transforming it into an empty illusion. A discarded steel pipe caught his eye amidst the debris, and with a determined lunge, Leo seized it, feeling the cold metal against his palms.
Sensing Leo's movement, the glass devil lunged forward, shards of glass forming sharp blades that sliced through the air. Leo's reflexes kicked in, allowing him to swiftly sidestep the attack and redirect it using the steel pipe against the glass's flat surface. The improvised weapon met the devil's glassy body with a resounding clang that reverberated throughout the factory.
Capitalizing on the clash, Leo spun with agility, swinging the steel pipe in a wide arc, aiming for the devil's fragile form.
However, the glass devil proved to be surprisingly nimble, evading the blow with an elegant twist of its translucent body. Shards of glass scattered in its wake, glinting menacingly under the dim light. Leo realized that rolling on the ground was not an option if he wanted to avoid the scattered glass particles—perhaps going shirtless had not been the best idea.
Reacting swiftly, the devil retaliated, launching a relentless barrage of glass shards toward Leo. With incredible agility, Leo leaped and twisted through the air, narrowly evading the lethal projectiles. The shards embedded themselves into the surrounding walls, adding to the already abundant shattered remnants that adorned the factory's interior.
Leo's mind raced, seeking a strategy to overcome the glass devil. With calculated precision, he swung the steel pipe, aiming for the devil's torso in an attempt to shatter its glassy form into a thousand fragments.
The sound of impact reverberated once again as metal clashed against the devil's resilient body. Undeterred, Leo realized he couldn't afford to make any more mistakes. With a calculated move, he closed the distance between themselves and the devil, aiming to exploit its fragile nature.
In a swift counterattack, the glass devil launched shards from its limbs toward Leo's exposed position. Reacting with lightning-fast reflexes, Leo deflected the shards using the steel pipe, sending them flying in different directions. The shards shattered against the walls and floor, further adding to the labyrinth of broken glass.
Recognizing that brute force alone would not suffice, Leo shifted his approach. He focused on exploiting the devil's delicacy and its reliance on precision attacks. With calculated steps, Leo circled the glass devil, studying its patterns and movements.
As the devil lunged forward once more, shards forming deadly blades, Leo anticipated the attack. Swiftly sidestepping, he used the steel pipe as a lever to redirect the incoming shards away from his vulnerable body.
The devil's glassy form trembled as its attack missed its mark. Sensing an opening, Leo launched a counteroffensive. With a powerful swing of the steel pipe, he aimed for the devil's extended limb, seeking to incapacitate it.
The steel pipe connected with a satisfying thud, eliciting a cacophony of tinkling glass. The devil recoiled, its crystalline body showing signs of strain. Leo pressed the advantage, unrelenting in his assault.
Delivering a flurry of well-aimed strikes, Leo targeted the devil's weak spots, exploiting its fragile nature. Each blow resonated with the force of determination and annoyance, causing cracks to spread across the devil's glassy form.
As the glass devil weakened, its movements grew slower and less precise. Shards of glass fell to the ground, scattering around the factory like a shattered mirror.
With each strike, the glass that had previously coated the factory
's machines retreated into the glass devil, revealing the factory's interior once again. In a last-ditch effort to keep Leo at bay, the devil protruded spikes from its body.
Amidst the wreckage, Leo stood his ground, the glass devil's chimes enveloping the factory as they faced off. Taking a deep breath, Leo began walking toward the glass devil, prepared to react swiftly if it launched another glass shard.
But to his surprise, instead of launching a shard, the glass devil unleashed a barrage of them. Thousands of glass shards hurtled toward Leo, leaving no way for him to dodge.
With no other alternative...
SNAP!
Leo snapped his fingers.
Suddenly, the pieces of shard caught ablaze. One by one, flames climbed up the glass shards before reaching the glass devil, engulfing its form in a wave of fire. The flames seared across its glassy surface before seemingly disappearing into nothingness.
Steam burst through the glass devil, causing it to jolt and slam its glassy body against the walls. The previous flames now burned it from the inside, intensifying its pain and weakening its structure.
Before the fire could claim another victim, Kishibe's voice reverberated around the factory.
"Enough," Kishibe called out, his commanding tone cutting through the chaos.
Kishibe stood at the factory's entrance, for how long Leo didn't know.
The glass devil, its once frantic movements subdued, gradually settled down as the flames consuming it died down. The crackling sound of the diminishing fire echoed through the factory, mingling with the remnants of shattered glass.
Kishibe walked up to Leo and stood next to him as he watched the glass devil settle down.
"I'll be turning it over to the Public Safety Division," Kishibe explained.
While annoyed, Leo understood why. The glass devil had the ability to change its surroundings while being able to launch projectiles; it could provide one hell of a contact in the future.
Letting out a sigh, Leo turned around and left Kishibe with the glass devil. He'd done his part, now it was time for Kishibe to do his.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone