AFTER DEATH I LIVE AGAIN - Season 1 Episode 89

*ring*

*ring*

*ring–clack*

“H-hello?” Hecate asked into the phone in a subservient voice, still wearing a businesswoman’s outfit of a white button up shirt on top and a black pencil skirt on the bottom. Her stockings were still ripped from before, with holes here and there.

“What is it?” a deep, magically infused voice replied. It was her enigmatic manager, and in the background of the call Hecate swore she could hear the cries of some kind of monster that her manager was currently subduing.

“I-I think I’ve figured out why the thief stole Devon Hall’s file. Whoever the thief is, I have a strong hunch that they’re an entity that can take possession of other people’s passives. A-and with the passive that Devon has, I think we need to launch a full scale investigation. If that’s possible, sir.”

Silence came from the other line for a moment, but it was brief.

*Crack*

*Snap*

*Crunch*

“S-sir, are you okay?” Hecate said into the phone, worried. But in fact, she was not worried about her manager. She was more concerned for whoever was currently on the receiving end of his ire.

Guuuuuuuuuuuuuu–

Whatever demon her manager just faced probably just had his face beaten into a bloody pulp.

*Click*

“I see,” the manager replied, completely ignoring the carnage that just sounded in the background of the call, and continuing as if nothing happened. “I had my suspicions about that as well. Very well, I will mobilize the underworld army to investigate this particular passive thief.”

“Sir, I’ve been monitoring Devon’s world and it seems that there are demons appearing at a high rate in the world, after thousands of years of silence. May that have something to do with the underworld?”

The manager paused for a moment, then answered. “If one of my rivals is attempting to colonize this new world and transform it into a breeding ground for demons that are out of my loyalty, then we may be in store for a coup. And so this rival is attempting to capture Devon Hall and capture my passive as well, absorbing [Dead Man Walking] into their own body before they decide to declare open rebellion against me. An interesting attempt, but it will ultimately fail… nevertheless, I don’t tolerate dissent. We will crush this infidel before the seed begins to sprout.”

“Of course, sir.”

“I will be mobilizing hell’s armies. And for now, I need you to visit the world that Devon occupies, contact him, and secure his safety.”

“B-but sir, the contract–”

“The contract only stipulates that you may not actively initiate a communication with a contractee once they’ve undergone the second chance program. So do it passively. If he approaches you first, then the contract no longer applies. Pull the strings from behind the scenes, and make yourself available for first contact to him.”

“Yes, sir. Understood.”

“Good. Now go, I have something I need to take care of.”

BOOM.

Splat.

And with that, her manager hung up the call.

Hecate sighed. It had been a long time since she ever entered a mortal world, and she had no intention of doing so ever again because mortal worlds were dreadful affairs, but she could not ignore a direct from her manager.

“Hm, what should I bring?” she said, floating over to her closet and opening it up. Besides her clothing, there were whips, chains, and spiked knuckles and chokers. She picked up a particular spiked object and placed it in her interdimensional knapsack, patting it as it fell into the sack. “Of course, I’ll need this.”

—–

THUD.

The behemoth crashed onto the battlefield, trampling several Algorian soldiers and howler monkeys in the process under its house-sized hooved feet. It put its head to the ground and charged forwards like a bull, digging up the earth below like an earth-avalanche as it crashed forwards, sending people and beasts flying without any discrimination as to its targets.

“Faster!” Madame Elisa shouted to the carriage driver.

“W-we’re going as fast as we can already, madame! The horses are at their maximum capacity already, and they’re a bit spooked by the howlers running parallel to us!”

The madame shook her head while dangling her thigh in a crossed leg position. “Devon, we need to get rid of those howlers. Get ready to cast some fireballs with me, alright?”

“Yes ma’am,” Devon replied, as the madame peeled aside the curtain and held onto the carriage frame as the carriage bumped up and down due to the rocky road. She held her staff out the opening and pointed it at one of the gorilla sized howler monkeys running side by side with the carriage.

“Fireball!”