Devil's Eye Reborn - Shadow Angel Awakens - Chapter 98

Chapter 98: Chapter 96：Bloodlust Eye
 

After Aimana moved the equipment and the two cheetahs, we drove to a nearby hotel recommended by Perin and checked in. We rented two suites, one for the men and one for the women. Having spent the entire day in the desert, our clothes and hair were filled with sand. So, we all went to our rooms to take turns washing up before gathering to discuss our next steps.

“I really hope Aimana’s friend can help us,” Yan’er said, sitting on Daji’s lap and drying her slightly damp hair with a towel.

“Though I don’t know how skilled Perin is, since Aimana says she can find the giant for me, I have to trust her,” I said, sitting cross-legged on my bed.

“I’m just worried they might have destroyed your master’s body, and all our efforts will be in vain,” Zicheng said.

“Yes, I have that concern too. So, after I rest for a while, I’ll go out and look around myself,” I replied.

At this moment, Hayashi Junko, who had been silent, suddenly asked coldly, “What if your master’s body is really destroyed? What will you do then?”

“Maybe the treasure my master left for me, as mentioned by Kong ming, isn’t just his memories but something else. I will use it to fight against the Satan’s Cult,” I said, looking at Hayashi Junko, whose eyes held a hint of resentment. “If I can’t find anything, I’ll directly ask Kong ming what to do.”

Hayashi Junko didn’t ask further, just crossed her arms and looked at me with a cold smile.

Ignoring her, I turned to Daji, who was sitting by the window, and asked, “Senior, did you mention earlier that there is a Devil’s eye that can explain the giant’s sudden strength?”

Daji, holding Yan’er, was lost in thought while looking out the window. I had to call her several times before she snapped out of it and asked, “What did you say, young master?”

I rarely saw Daji so distracted, knowing something was off. I asked seriously, “Senior, did you discover something?”

Daji nodded, her brows furrowed slightly. “For some reason, I feel that the people in this city are very strange. The whole city emits an unsettling atmosphere.”

“Unsettling?” I closed my eyes briefly and then opened them again. “I don’t feel it.”

“Young master, you haven’t been a demon for long, so it’s not surprising you can’t sense it,” Daji said with a smile. “Moreover, I was originally a wild fox, born and raised in nature, so my sensitivity to the environment is stronger than most demons.”

“Where do you think this unease is coming from?” I asked, standing beside her and looking out at the street.

“Emotions. Many people in this town emit a faint sense of unease,” Daji said, looking at me. “If I’m not mistaken, the one who stole your master’s body is a demon, and he’s still in town.”

“Do you mean that the people in this town are aware of this demon’s presence?” I asked in surprise.

“I’m not sure, because demons can often disturb people’s minds without obvious actions. However,” Daji smiled, “young master should still be cautious.”

“Thank you for your concern,” I said, recalling how I had once unknowingly shortened the lifespan of an entire village’s residents.

“By the way, senior, you previously guessed that the giant’s sudden strength was due to a Devil’s eye. What exactly is that Devil’s eye?” I asked again.

Daji nodded and said, “If I’m not mistaken, the Devil’s eye that made the originally powerless giant suddenly full of energy is called the ‘Bloodlust Eye.'”

“The ‘Bloodlust Eye’?” I frowned. “What abilities does this Devil’s eye have?”

“Simply put, the ‘Bloodlust Eye’ can make a person become frenzied and extremely bloodthirsty,” Daji explained. “Except for the demon who cast the spell, the affected person will develop intense murderous intent towards anyone they encounter, even loved ones, and won’t stop until they kill them. They won’t rest until they taste blood.”

“Though this Devil’s eye sounds special, it doesn’t explain the giant’s sudden strength,” I said, rubbing my chin.

“That’s the other effect of the ‘Bloodlust Eye,'” Daji said with a smile. “The demon possessing the ‘Bloodlust Eye’ can plant ‘Blood Condensation Seeds’ in the hearts of those affected. Once these seeds are planted, the demon can control the degree of bloodthirstiness at will.”

“This sounds a bit like the ‘Puppeteer’s Eye’ of the Satan’s Cult leader,” Zicheng remarked, listening nearby.

“It’s only somewhat similar. The ‘Puppeteer’s Eye’ can directly control the affected person, while the ‘Bloodlust Eye’ makes those with ‘Blood Condensation Seeds’ bloodthirsty but doesn’t control their physical actions,” Daji paused and continued with a smile, “However, the advantage of the ‘Bloodlust Eye’ is that it can make the affected person stronger, which the ‘Puppeteer’s Eye’ cannot do.”

“Stronger?” I frowned, waiting for Daji’s explanation.

“Yes. The more bloodthirsty and violent the affected person becomes, the stronger they get,” Daji said seriously. “The principle behind the ‘Bloodlust Eye’ is that the demon’s own power is transferred to the affected person, causing the ‘Blood Condensation Seeds’ to grow, making the person bloodthirsty. This power also enhances the affected person’s physical abilities.”

“I see… The giant was on the verge of death but suddenly became vigorous and powerful. It was because the demon with the ‘Bloodlust Eye’ increased his bloodthirstiness,” I realized, then questioned, “But can the ‘Bloodlust Eye’ only make one person bloodthirsty at a time?”

“No, planting ‘Blood Condensation Seeds’ requires only a small amount of demonic energy, and unless the demon dies or removes the seeds, they will remain in the person forever. So, the demon can make as many people as they want into affected persons.”

“This group of affected people forms a network called the ‘Crimson Lotus Network.’ The demon can inject demonic energy into it at will,” Daji explained. “For example, if the ‘Crimson Lotus Network’ has ten affected people, the demon can distribute the energy evenly, making all ten equally bloodthirsty, or only activate the seeds in two of them, making one strong and one weak. As long as their power allows, they can distribute the energy as they wish.”

“But a demon’s power is limited. They can’t make every affected person extremely bloodthirsty,” I said, rubbing my chin. “Moreover, if they give away too much power, their own strength will decrease, making them vulnerable.”

“Young master is correct. To maximize the ‘Bloodlust Eye’s’ effectiveness, the energy must be distributed wisely,” Daji said with a smile.

The ‘Bloodlust Eye’s’ ability sounded impressive, but I knew that in a confrontation, this intriguing power would become a deadly threat.

“By the way, senior, you mentioned before that this Devil’s eye should have been destroyed. What did you mean by that?” I recalled what Daji had said at the oasis.

Daji stared at me for a moment, then sighed and said, “Have you heard of witch hunts?”

“Witch hunts? Do you mean the European church’s centuries-long persecution of witches in the Middle Ages?”

“Yes, that’s what I mean. Do you know the whole story?”

“I remember it was because some people didn’t believe in Christ, yet they were quite knowledgeable. The European church felt threatened and falsely accused them of being Satan worshippers to justify the hunts, right?”

“You’re correct, but that’s just the reason the church used to deceive the public,” Daji paused and continued, “The real reason was that the Demon Slayer Association wanted to capture a demon.”

“Capture a demon?” I suddenly realized, “The ‘Bloodlust Eye’!”

“Yes, the owner of the ‘Bloodlust Eye.’ The centuries of bloody hunts in Europe were actually because the Demon Slayer Association wanted to pursue this demon,” Daji said, stroking Yaner’s hair. “As I mentioned before, the ‘Bloodlust Eye’ can plant ‘Blood Condensation Seeds’ in people. If the affected person is killed while the demonic energy is still in them, that energy doesn’t return to the demon but disappears with the person’s death. So, the Demon Slayer Association kept killing the affected to shrink the ‘Crimson Lotus Network’ and weaken the demon directly.”

“What did that demon do to provoke such a massive effort from the Demon Slayer Association?” I asked, frowning.

“Let me start from two thousand years ago. After the Second Angel War ended with Satan’s death, demons split into three factions: one led by Samael, forming the Satan’s Cult; one where Cerberus allied with humans to hunt demons, forming the Demon Slayer Association; and the remaining independent demons who didn’t side with either,” Daji recalled, looking at the street outside. “The demon with the ‘Bloodlust Eye’ belonged to the third faction, never involving himself in the disputes. However, due to his great power and the unique ability of the ‘Bloodlust Eye,’ both sides tried to recruit him. Initially, he loved freedom and didn’t want to be controlled, so he didn’t join either side. But later…”

“But later, he was persuaded to join the Satan’s Cult, which led to the Demon Slayer Association hunting him, right?” I asked.

“This time, you’re wrong,” Daji smiled faintly. “In fact, he agreed to join the Demon Slayer Association.”

“Incredible!” I asked in confusion, “What did he do afterward to provoke the Demon Slayer Association to such an extent?”

“There are many theories about why he fell out with the Demon Slayer Association. Some say he defied Cerberus and injured him; others say he was actually a member of the Satan’s Cult, sent to steal the Association’s secrets and hand them over to the cult,” Daji paused and continued, “The true reason is known only to that demon and the leaders of the Demon Slayer Association.”

“But why did the witch hunts last for hundreds of years? Could it be that the Demon Slayer Association and the European Church couldn’t capture that demon?” I asked.

“You must understand that in ancient times, technology was primitive, and information was not easily shared. Often, when the witch hunters received n