Hunter of the Evernight
Chapter 192: Devil summoning

Chapter 192: Devil summoning

"Are you sure this is going to work?" Arwen couldn’t help but ask as she knelt before Alex.

Currently, she as well as Nadia and Alex were in a bunker room located in the underground office of the Department of Special Relations.

Illuminated by scented candles placed at certain auspicious locations, the room was barely large enough to contain 20 people with nothing placed within.

Two magic circles, separated from each other by a few meters lay dormant on the ground, drawn with the aid of white chalk.

One circle was two triangles overlayed over each other with one facing up and the other facing down while the other circle was in the shape of an eye with an X drawn in place of the iris.

Just in front of the two magic circles, a few materials containing a decent amount of aether were placed in a certain order, and at the center of the circle, a large black book lay open.

Nadia, seemingly feeling skeptical as well, concurred with Arwen’s words... "I agree. This is dangerous... who knows what might happen?"

"I understand but what choice do we have?... Our opponent is a being that caused even an old dragon to feel fear..."

"Wait, an old dragon?" Arwen’s ears perked up at Alex’s words. "But I thought all dragons were extinct... Unless..."

She trailed off as a certain possibility came to mind, causing her eyes to widen with disbelief and excitement.

"You guys have met Lady Anastasia?"

"...Yeah," Nadia replied while Alex could only look on feeling quite perplexed.

Arwen gasped. "Oh my gosh, you met the Last Dragon!"

Like a fangirl, she began to inquire without pause. "What does she look like?... Does she live up to her title as the Great Disaster?... Do you have a way to contact her..."

"Arwen," Alex called out in exasperation.

"Yeah?" Arwen glanced at him in anticipation of answers, unfortunately, there were none to give.

"Let’s focus on the ritual for now... we barely have 24 hours before we are all faced with certain death."

"... Right." Albeit unwilling, she was forced to reign in her curiosity.

Alex let out a tired sigh while massaging his temples. ’I forgot she was originally like this.’

"Shall we begin?" He asked after taking a moment to come to terms with Arwen’s weirdness.

Nodding in unison, both Nadia and Arwen began to recite something in a strange language, their voices slowly turning ethereal as they entered a trance.

Alex quickly backed away until his back was touching the wall.

Preparing himself, he watched the two ladies work.

Picking up the materials before them, Nadia and Arwen chanted while pouring out the contents in their respective magic circles, moving in tandem despite performing different actions.

Once done with the aether potent materials, they threw away the containers they held before picking up knives and slitting their palms, drawing blood.

Allowing it to drip, they then began the second round of chanting, moving in a manner almost akin to a spirit dance.

After almost five minutes of dancing, a reaction finally occurred in their respective magic circles.

Lit up by a crimson light, the area within the magic circle began to fall apart revealing the border to another world, one reeking with negative emotions.

Alex quickly snapped his fingers twice, once to unfurl Eternal Night and the other to utilize Chains of Twilight to pull Nadia and Arwen away from the circles.

Ignoring the collapsing circles for the time being, Alex checked on the conditions of the two ladies to ensure they were alright.

Thankfully, apart from a slight rise in temperature and being unconscious, both were stable.

Letting out a sigh of relief, he glanced toward the glowing pits leading to another dimension, seemingly expecting something.

However, it took a while before he realized something was wrong.

"Uhmm... did the summoning fail?" Alex muttered with his brows furrowed.

"Wrong!" Suddenly a haughty voice came from beside him causing him to back away in an instant.

"...On the contrary, it worked a bit too well." Yet another voice was heard.

But unlike the first, it seemed to come from one who was half asleep.

Alex frowned, taking turns to look at both Arwen and Nadia.

Familiar faces but unfamiliar voices...

Putting up his guard, Alex asked. "Are you the Devil’s of Pride and Sloth?"

"Indeed," Nadia replied in a tone uncharacteristic of her usual self.

Her current appearance suggested possession as her irises were gone, with only the whites left while strange black lines resembling veins appeared at the edges of her eyes.

Furthermore, her body was giving off a powerful aura formed by negative emotions.

Arwen was in a similar state but unlike the energetic Nadia, she seemed a bit more laid back and relaxed, with her current posture resembling that of someone half awake.

"Allow me to introduce myself." Taking a slight bow, Nadia said. "You may call me Vessina. I am the Devil of Pride."

"Nice to meet you," Alex muttered before turning to Arwen who seemed like she was about to fall back into slumber.

"... What?" Arwen snapped with a frown upon noticing his gaze, almost like she was upset that her nap was interrupted before it began.

"Won’t you introduce yourself?"

"... Do I have to?" Arwen asked. "It seems like a hassle. I just want to sleep."

"Uhmm." Alex turned to Nadia, hopeful for answers.

"We might be sisters but the Daughters of Lilith don’t have the same temperament. My sister, Xistora unfortunately is quite lazy and so wouldn’t show enthusiasm for many things, even if it included saving her own life."

Nadia... no, Vessina’s last words held a hint of disdain as she glanced at Arwen in the corner.

"Ugh, don’t blame me. I’m the Devil of Sloth, so I’m only doing what I was created for."

"You can at least try to not be a lazy bum all the time."

"Take it up with mother."

"Useless."

Alex’s eyebrows twitched. ’Are these guys meant to be the all-powerful leaders of the seven levels of Hell?... They seem more like a pair of teenage girls experiencing puberty.’

However, it didn’t take long for the awkward situation to end as both Devil’s suddenly turned fearsome, causing Alex to furrow his brows.

Sensing the tension, Vessina grinned. "Now then, since our introductions are over, how about you introduce yourself?... I’d like to know the name of the man foolish enough to summon not one but two Devil’s at a time. Are you so eager to die despite death being so close by?"