The Hundred Demon Bats

The summer breeze blew gently, bringing a hint of coolness.

Clad in a luxurious black robe, Mingye arrived at the coast, a longsword hanging at his waist. His black hair cascaded like a waterfall, framing sharp brows and bright eyes.

After leaving the dark forest where Hairinbō lived, Mingye had gone through considerable trouble to learn about that tribe, finally arriving at the shore where they dwelled.

He stood at the edge of a cliff, gazing at an endless expanse of blue-the sea, which he had not seen in so long.

A fishing village stood near the shore. Its houses bore the marks of wind and rain, the passage of years etched into their walls.

Young, strong fishermen went out to sea to fish, accompanied by elders who taught them techniques and shared their experience.

Children played along the shore, catching little fish and crabs on the beach, seemingly without a care in the world.

"This really takes me back..."

Mingye sighed softly. Since coming to this world, this was the first time he had seen such a scene. In this age of warring states, it seemed like an undisturbed haven.

Such sights had been commonplace in Mingye's former life. Sadly, he could never return.

"Big brother, is something wrong?"

A little girl approached. She had noticed Mingye some time ago and, after watching him from hiding for a while, finally stepped out.

"Nothing."

Mingye shook his head slightly. His eyes were deep, and the little girl was instantly captivated-not just by his eyes, but also by his flawless, snow-white face.

"What a pretty big brother..."

The little girl's heart fluttered wildly. She could not help drawing closer, longing to narrow the distance between herself and Mingye.

"Little girl, are there any frightening demons around here?"

Mingye asked in a rich, resonant voice that was warm and approachable.

As a member of the Demon Wolf Tribe, Mingye showed almost no visible signs of being a demon. With his astonishing control, he had also suppressed and concealed his demonic aura.

Thus, the little girl did not realize that Mingye was a demon, taking him for an ordinary human.

"Demons!?"

The little girl startled at the question, her expression immediately turning uneasy. Her eyes darted away, and her body gave an involuntary shudder.

Her reaction clearly showed that she had encountered terrifying demons before.

"Big brother, why... why are you asking about demons? Are you a demon slayer?

"Grandpa told me that powerful demon slayers can easily kill a whole bunch of demons."

At first, the little girl was puzzled. Then, believing she had figured out Mingye's identity, she began spilling everything she knew about the nearby demons.

"Big brother, those bat demons are really scary. They often come out at night to attack us. Are you going to get rid of them?"

By the end, the little girl's eyes were full of hope. She had noticed the sword at Mingye's waist, which seemed far from ordinary, and grew even more certain that the big brother before her was a demon slayer.

"Yes, I did come to get rid of those demons."

Mingye had not expected the little girl to imagine so much on her own, but he did not deny it.

"All right, hurry home. I'm going to slay the demons."

Mingye ruffled the little girl's hair, then turned and headed toward the demons' lair she had described.

"Big brother, please be careful! Those demons are really strong!"

The little girl waved as she called out her warning. She truly did not want such a handsome big brother to get hurt.

Mingye did not look back and continued forward along an extremely steep cliff, where the path was only wide enough for one person. Below, roaring waves battered the cliff face.

Reefs lurked beneath the water. If an ordinary person accidentally fell, they would most likely die on the spot.

Yet Mingye advanced steadily without the slightest pause. It was much like his path through life-a narrow passage between cliffs, fraught with danger.

Still, his expression remained unchanged as he resolutely strode toward the future, facing every hardship and peril ahead.

About a quarter of an hour later, Mingye spotted a cave out at sea near the coast. The sea breeze blew from that direction, carrying an utterly nauseating stench.

It was the scent of the Hundred Demon Bats. As a member of the Demon Wolf Tribe, Mingye had an exceptionally keen nose, and even he could not help frowning when the stench reached him.

His Demon Power surged, forming an invisible barrier that shut out the foul odor.

Mingye flew down from the cliff to the surface of the sea, and the water froze into ice the instant his foot touched it.

He walked toward the cave, the seawater beneath his feet turning into solid ice that supported him as he steadily advanced.

Inside the pitch-black cave, an enormous Hundred Demon Bat suddenly opened his eyes. Blood-red, sinister, and bloodthirsty, they gleamed as he hung upside down from a stone pillar.

Behind this Hundred Demon Bat were densely packed members of his tribe.

They rested during the day, only venturing out at night to forage and hunt.

"An unfamiliar demon is approaching..."

"Tsukiyomaru, raise the Guardian Barrier!"

The enormous Hundred Demon Bat was clearly the tribe's leader. His voice sounded exceedingly old as he gave the order; he was already well advanced in years.

"Yes, Father!"

A younger voice answered the old bat. A young man emerged from the darkness, holding a precious jewel.

As the young man poured his Demon Power into it, the jewel blazed with dazzling light. A purple dome formed around the entire cave—the Guardian Barrier of the Hundred Demon Bats!

"Oh, putting up your Guardian Barrier right away... You really are cautious..."

Mingye raised an eyebrow and stopped. He had already reached the cave and stood only a few yards away.

A purple dome of light blocked his path. Even without attacking it, Mingye could sense that the barrier was powerful.

"Boy, what business do you have with the Hundred Demon Bats?"

Daiyokumaru, leader of the Hundred Demon Bats, emerged from the dark, damp cave and demanded to know Mingye's purpose.

In this age of endless warfare, unfamiliar demons who entered another's territory usually harbored ill intentions.

Thus, Daiyokumaru's tone was far from friendly. Still, once he sensed just how absurdly young Mingye was, the old fellow relaxed a little.

"I hear the barrier of the Hundred Demon Bats is renowned throughout the demon world."

"Hahaha! Boy, the barrier of the Hundred Demon Bats can withstand the power of a Greater Yokai. Naturally, no other demons in the demon world can compare!"

Daiyokumaru was immensely proud of his barrier's power. His demon tribe had a long history, and the barrier that had kept them from being wiped out all these years was certainly no simple thing.

"Now that I've seen it, it is indeed impressive.

"Hand it over!"

Mingye tapped the barrier and felt a powerful repelling force. Its strength was indeed considerable, and he was very satisfied.

The Demon Wolf Tribe was weak now, without enough powerful fighters. He was their only one, which inevitably made it difficult for Mingye to leave with peace of mind.

The power of this barrier would neatly resolve that problem.

"Hand it over?"

Daiyokumaru almost thought he had misheard. A mere boy actually coveted the barrier power of the Hundred Demon Bats. It was utterly laughable.

"Boy, you've got some nerve, daring to demand the barrier power of the Hundred Demon Bats! If you don't know what it means to court death, I'll teach you!"

Daiyokumaru's eyes turned vicious as immense power gathered within him. Opening his great maw, he fired a blast of Demon Power over ten feet across!

Boom!