Rise of the Rejected Deity from Chaos-Chapter 76 - 75: The First Encounter

With what little strength remained, Hayne grasped Seiya’s clothes, his fingers trembling as his wide eyes remained locked on Seiya who continued advancing casually like he couldn’t sense the ominous presence surrounding them.

Or… could he truly not sense it? Hayne wondered, recalling his uncle’s words about Seiya having no presence. Could that anomaly affect his ability to perceive others’ spiritual presence as well? Including one so dark that it even left him paralyzed?

As they ventured deeper into the cavern’s darkness, the malignant energy only grew denser, pressing down on Hayne’s chest and making it hard for him to breathe—each one a struggle.

They soon advanced into a spacious chamber, illuminated by the flickering glow of wooden torches—its brightness, a stark contrast to the darkness they had been navigating a while ago.

"Oi, Sei," Hayne rasped, his voice unsteady. "I did ask you to bring me somewhere peaceful to rest but isn’t it a bit too cruel to hasten my death by bringing me straight to a graveyard?"

Seiya remained silent, his steps unhurried as he carried Hayne deeper into the cavern. The ground around them was littered with brittle, decayed skeletal remains, while dried blood marred the walls. To one side, an eerie sight greeted them: a sword aloft in midair.

The blade was black, with matte black, elongated blade, exuding an ominous energy that demanded attention. The hilt was adorned with intricate, dark engravings, almost as if it pulsed with a life of its own. The handle was wrapped in black soft vines, woven seamlessly into an endless, curling loop.

Down the center of the blade lay a sleek black embedded whip—composed of spiked razor-sharp, segmented arrowheads, compressed tightly in place. It stretched from the base to the tip, vividly dividing the fuller—a sharp gleaming contrast against the rest of the sword’s dark form.

The sword hung mid-air, its blade pointing downward in eerie stillness—its presence unnerving.

Cold sweat beaded across Hayne’s face as the suffocating aura intensified, sinking deep into his gut with a paralyzing fear. His grip on Seiya’s clothes tightened, his mind racing as he began to understand the source of this dread.

"Demon," He breathed out, his voice barely audible, his eyes wide with terror as he clutched Seiya’s clothes. "There’s….. a demon."

Seiya remained silent, carefully lowering Hayne to a corner of the cold, barren floor. But Hayne didn’t let go. His hands clenched tighter, unwilling to release Seiya’s clothes.

"There’s a demon," Hayne repeated in the same hushed voice. But still, Seiya showed no reaction, no response or any form of acknowledgment.

Suddenly, a whooshing sound sliced through the silence, echoing from behind them. Hayne’s eyes shot to the source of the noise, his pulse quickening in terror.

A figure emerged, sending a chill down Hayne’s spine. A grin of amusement spread across his face as he stood, exuding an energy full of spite.

A demon.

Tall with a slender frame. His jet-black hair fell messily over his face, its uneven strands varying in length, giving it a naturally untamed look. However, the most striking feature was the thin streak of golden hair running down the exact center of his scalp—from the front of his forehead all the way to the nape of his neck. The golden line is narrow, like a delicate brushstroke of light against the darkness, standing out but never spreading beyond its confined path.

His eyes—black as ink—held only a single sliver of color: slit pupils of deep crimson. Draped in a thick black coat over matching dark garments, he exuded an energy that parched the air itself.

Seiya didn’t budge, his posture unwavering, his silence unbroken as he crouched before Hayne, utterly still.

"Oh?" The demon mused, his voice taunting as he approached Seiya. The oppressive energy radiating from him made Hayne’s throat dry, suffocating him with its intensity.

"I had assumed only one had entered—I sensed but a single presence. And yet, there are two of you. I must be growing senile." He chuckled, leaning in too close to Seiya’s face, his grin widening as he invaded Seiya’s personal space.

His face was mere inches from Seiya’s but Seiya remained indifferent, unbothered by his proximity.

Hayne remained stilled in place, his mind struggling to process the scene unfolding before him. There was no doubt in his heart that the demon before him held a rank far beyond their comprehension—its power far surpassing anything they could imagine.

"And to think," the demon said with feigned hurt, swaying his head dramatically, "you blatantly ignored me. You’re the first to do so." His smile grew broader, a sinister gleam in his eyes.

Seiya, undisturbed, paid no mind to the demon’s incessant chatter, his focus unwaveringly on Hayne.

Seeing this, the demon shifted, peering down at Hayne, who shuddered beneath his gaze.

"This one seems severely damaged," he remarked, as if Hayne were some mere goods. His lips curled into a smirk as he turned to Seiya.

"How about this?" The demon grinned, his voice rising with excitement. "We have a duel. If I lose, I’ll heal your friend. But if you lose, I’ll take your soul and life force."

Seiya remained unbothered, his silence speaking volumes. He saw no purpose in engaging with a demon whose words held no value. Hayne’s condition was beyond saving, and even if it weren’t, Seiya felt no inclination to intervene—his actions had long been governed by reason, not emotion.

"C’mon! It’ll be fun!" the demon coaxed, circling Seiya like a predator. "I’m even letting us have a duel instead of outright killing the both of you. Am I not merciful?" He cackled softly, the sound grating.

"Oh!" the demon exclaimed, as if a thought had just occurred to him. "I’m not lying when I say I’ll heal your friend, you know. I can heal almost anything in this world." His smile was sly, his eyes gleaming with malice.

Seiya turned his gaze briefly to the demon, then back to Hayne. He lingered in silence, weighing his options. After a moment’s pause, he stood, his decision made.

"Alright then," Seiya replied, his tone composed. He had weighed the situation carefully. If the demon’s promise of healing Hayne proved false after the duel, he would simply end him.

The demon’s grin widened, his eyes gleaming with unsettling delight.

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"Can you see though?" He asked, seeing as Seiya was blindfolded with thick clothing.

Seiya said nothing, stepping away from where Hayne lay, his pace deliberate and unhurried.

"Then let’s begin!" The demon declared eagerly.

"Wait," Seiya interjected, moving to stretch—

But before he could even lift his gaze, the demon vanished.

In an instant, he reappeared before Seiya, delivering a devastating punch.

The impact shattered the air and ruptured the space around them, obliterating the thick cavern wall behind Seiya—reducing it to nothingness.