The Red Hand

Chapter 304 – A Declaration of War.

"Alright, pet, your mission, which you will accept since you have no choice, will be to keep an eye on the maid." Akagi said as she sat on the edge of the bed in Catkagi form. "Ensure that she doesn't try getting in my way, and watch out for her seduction tricks! I don't need to come back to the room and see that." She snickered.

"I don't swing that way." Amakusa sighed.

"In fairness, a lot of other girls said that to me, and they almost all gave in in the end." Elariel giggled.

{Though Shiroe isn't my type. She is cute, don't get me wrong, and the arrogance is adorable, but she's a bit too shy where it counts for my taste.} (Elariel)

"Maybe we should sick her on Naomi then?" Yumi laughed as she pet Akagi on the head.

"Kana would fucking kill me." Akagi laughed. "But getting on with things." She leaped off the bed and returned to normal. "Don't let her leave this room. Without her power, Elariel will be easy to stop, so I doubt she can overpower you."

"There's no reason to put me under guard. It's not like I can go anywhere with you holding my leash." Elariel said as she glanced at Amakusa, which caused Halifax to laugh.

{This room seems to have TWO pets.} (Halifax)

"Maybe, but I don't trust you not to have some last-minute change of heart when I go to kill one of the other Gods." Akagi figured that Elariel might try to warn her at the last minute out of a sense of comradery. "I have a specific plan for how I want things to go, and I'm not about to risk an unknown factor like you throwing it off."

"I agree with Akagi." Halifax nodded, not trusting Elariel. "I've known you long enough to know that trusting you is a poor decision. Better that you remain here where you can't fuck things up for us than bringing you with."

"Fine, do whatever you want." Elariel shrugged. "But once you've killed Tahena the Capital is going to explode. They'll likely lock down everything and I'm going to bet that another God will show up to investigate."

{I don't imagine that this is going to go well...} (Elariel)

"That's fine. If another one comes to say, then I'll just delete them." Akagi replied. "As for the chaos? That's part of the plan." She winked before turning to leave, swallowing Yumi into her shadow as she approached the door.

"Wait for me." Halifax followed her, leaving Elariel alone with Amakusa.

"And there they go." Amakusa hopped onto the bed. “Off to cause all kinds of fucking hell...”

"I imagine this had been hard on you, Shiroe. Please forgive me for dragging you into this mess." Elariel apologized.

"It was fun until I found out the truth." Amakusa flopped onto her side. "Being the Hero, saving the world... All that was fun... But to find out that I did something as fucked up as this..."

{…} (Amakusa)

"It really was irresponsible to drag outsiders in to help... You were all so young, and we took advantage of that..." Elariel looked out the window behind her. "And now... We're paying the price..."

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"Alright, it's time." Akagi and Halifax stood in one of the alleyways near the Regenalus Church. The Demon's plan basically boiled down to a broad daylight assassination, since she wanted to make a show of things.

"Tahena should be here by now." Halifax commented as she watched the crowd start moving toward the iron gates. "Are you really going to do this in the open?" She figured that it was risky.

{I know you're quite capable, but even still...} (Halifax)

"I need people to know that the Demon Lord has returned and that I'm at war with the Gods." Akagi said as she pulled out a black cloak and threw it on. "The best way to do that is to bump this lady off in the middle of her service."

"Do you need me to do anything?" Halifax didn't like being left out and wanted to do something to help.

"Not this time, no." Akagi shook her head as she pulled her hood up, which obscured her face and distorted her voice due to a simple enchantment. "I don't want you being publicly associated with the Demon Lord's return, so just keep low." She pulled out of the alleyway, joining in with the crowd who was beginning to move inside.

{A Demon Lord who was once an assassin... The very thought is terrifying. I bet she could kill anyone without them even knowing if she wanted to, so I'll just do as she says and watch.} Halifax took up a spot not too far from the entrance, bought an apple from a nearby stand, and started munching as she found a bench.

"Alright, 'Red Hand,' let's see how you do." Halifax smiled a bit as she bit into the apple.

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Slowly working her way through the crowd of worshipers, Akagi finally caught sight of her target. Tahena, Goddess of Health and Fertility, was a lesser God among Enoris' Pantheon, but that did not mean that she wasn't important. Most days, she spent time at one of her churches, giving blessings and healing those with grave illnesses. Among Enoris' Gods, she was arguably the most well-known God and was generally considered to be the closest among their rank to the people. Her striking gold eyes and silver hair were something that her children always inherited, and those born of her blood were generally regarded as Saints.

"Everyone, please be patient. Our morning service will start soon, but I must attend to those in need first." Tahena spoke to the crowd. Her voice was soft and warm, and Akagi detected no hint of deception in her words. It seemed that this Goddess genuinely wanted to help the sick and injured, but that mattered little to the Demon.

{'Good' or not, she agreed with invading my world and killing my people. I don't care how many sick and injured you heal, Goddess. That doesn't mean you're absolved of your sins, so I will take your head as recompense.} Akagi made her way to the line that formed with the gravely sick and wounded, blending in by pretending to be unsteady on her feet.

As the line shortened, Akagi could hear people cheering and crying as they were healed by Tahena. She always asked for something of value in return, though it was not always necessarily gold that she required. Some worshipers were forced to sacrifice part of their body for healing, while others were healed only in exchange for agreeing to a binding pact to give something up. Akagi thought this was actually a pretty reasonable system, as most of the time the terms of the pact required abstaining from things like smoking, while those who lost body functions were essentially taking on an inconvenience to save their lives.

{Interesting, some of those people were sterilized as part of the healing process. I guess I understand what this Goddess's true goal is. She's weeding out people with 'undesirable traits' from the gene pool, and using a facade of treating the injured and sick to make people go along with it.} Akagi noted that Tahena was employing some kind of eugenics by selectively requiring the sterilization of people who she determined had unwanted inheritable traits on top of sneaking it in to other treatments. {I suppose this isn't the worst way to go about it, and at least she is actually helping people. Though I suspect that many wouldn't be too happy if they found this out.}

The line gradually grew shorter and shorter until Akagi was only a few places back in the que. The Demon noted the complete absence of any guards, and that the only 'security' around was two Priests that were assisting Tahena in her 'healing'.

{If this were anyone else, I'd be suspicious of an ambush, but I highly doubt that anyone would suspect an attack on a God. Killing an Avatar wouldn't normally do anything, and the people of this world are generally not foolish enough to anger Gods who can and will hunt them down.} (Akagi)

"Next!" Tahena called out to Akagi, who slowly walked up to the Goddess. "My child, what ails you? Please tell me so that I may give you my Divine Blessing." She looked at Akagi, not batting an eye at the fact that she could barely make out parts of her face.

{Good to see that hiding my energy is so effective.} (Akagi)

"Death haunts me, My Lady." Akagi replied in a weak and raspy voice. "I have been beset with a terrible curse, and my body is slowly fading away." She showed her right hand, which had been changed into a dry and withered form to give it added effect.

"Oh, you poor dear!" Tahena put her hand over her mouth in shock, which Akagi could tell was half real and half fake. "This is truly terrible! Tell me, who did this to you?"

"I know not her name, only that she claimed to be a Goddess." Akagi said, fake sadness in her voice. "But I know that couldn't be possible! For a Goddess would never do such a horrible thing to innocent people."

"A Goddess?" Tahena furrowed her brow but shook away confusion after a moment. "You're right, my child. A Goddess would never harm the innocent, but that is a powerful curse. So tell me, what are you willing to give to be rid of such a blight?" She smiled.

"What can I give?" Akagi asked with a weak voice, feigning desperation.

"It needs to be of equal value for balance to be maintained, so try and think of what that might be." Tahena continued to smile.

{Equal value, huh?} (Akagi)

"If... If it needs to be of equal value..." Akagi smirked. "Then I think your blood will do!" In an instant, Akagi summoned and plunged the Black Sunrise into Tahena's chest, shocking everyone including the Goddess.

"W-What?" Tahena was completely caught off guard, and the massive amount of pain she could feel coursing through her body left her unable to do anything in retaliation.

"Then again..." Akagi quickly pulled her blade from the Goddess's chest before spinning around dramatically and slicing Tahena's head from her shoulders, killing her. "The blood of a Goddess isn't that special." She laughed as the head flew in the air before catching it by its hair and holding it up for the terrified and panicked crowd to see.

"In the name of Demon Lord Akagi Dumetor, I have taken the life of the Goddess Tahena!" Akagi began to laugh psychotically as people started screaming. "And soon all the Gods will fall to the Demon Lord!"

{All hail the Demon Lord.} (Akagi)