DEMON INSIDE [ ✓ ] | Bungou Stray Dogs

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I was running out of breath already but that doesn't mean I have to give up.

"You shouldn't make an effort anymore." Hilaire smirked. He turned his back at me as if he just lost his interest. "I won't fight you unless you unleash that creature."

"But I can't afford to risk the lives of people in this room," I said.

"So you're willing to die in an instant? I thought you were smart. If you die, these people you are protecting will die, too." He faced me once again.

"Why can't you just stop this?"

"I can't. I am not the one who's supposed to stop this mess. It's you."

"But it's not the Blood Moon."

"Yes, it did mention the Blood Moon but that doesn't mean that you'll stop us right on that night! It didn't mention when you're supposed to stop it."

"Do you want to stop it?" I said.

"Of course, I want to stop it. I never agreed on the things that the Reds have been doing for years. They're inhuman and they're defying the Gods."

"Then why don't you tell them to stop?"

"If I told them to stop, that would only create a larger chaos. They'll rebel and they will be uncontrollable. The only way to stop them is my death."

"I don't want to kill you. I don't want to kill anymore," I said. My sight is becoming blurry due to tears that are building up on them.

"You have to... Or I will be the one who will do it," he said. He raised his spear and waved it. I shut my eyes and looked away as I was expecting him to behead me.

Few seconds passed by but I didn't feel any sharp things cutting my flesh. I opened my eyes and my mouth hangs open when Hilaire slashed the spear on his neck. I remained shocked until his head rolled in front of me.

"I knew it all along!" I looked at Belloc.

Does this mean it's already over?

I bent my knees and held his head. A smile was etched on his lips even though he's dead already. It's not a mischievous one or a sad one. It's a genuine smile.

"Good thing, he's not the leader." I turned to Belloc who covered her body with fog. When the fog cleared, it revealed Belloc whose body was covered by some ancient writing.

My eyes widened when I realized what it was. It was the power that has been transferred to the leaders of the tribe.

My gaze went back to Hilaire's head. Did she just use him? Did she just let her brother die? How can she stand it?

When I was young, I always envied her every time I saw her with Hilaire. But now, she's willing to sacrifice her brother for her own good?

I clenched my fist until I felt my nails sinked into my flesh. My breathing became unsteady and felt heavier and heavier as I felt a dark feeling clouding inside me.

The next seconds went in a breeze and the next thing I knew, I was standing behind Belloc already. When I turned to her, she was kneeling already.

"What did you do?" she asked as she was holding on her stomach where I pierced my sword.

"Don't worry, it will not kill you. I enchanted that sword so that whoever got pierced by it, it will purify them. I knew that I can't kill you, that's why I thought of another method to stop you. It's to transform you into Pure," I explained. "Whenever you try to use your ability to harm other people, it will be yourself who'll get hurt instead. Your body won't take any cannibalism acts anymore. It's the way the Pure hunt down the Reds. It's what happened to my ability, Demon Inside."

It's now over. I sighed in relief.

I won't keep a secret from Akemi anymore.

I don't have any burden anymore.

I can now live freely without worrying about my ability.

I thought my ability, Demon Inside, is a curse... but thanks to the people from the Agency, I finally managed to turn it into a blessing.

That's why I have felt before that I belong in the Armed Detective Agency. They are the only people who believed in me even when I had stopped believing in myself. I'm so glad they asked me to become one of them.

---

"Welcome?" Atsushi asked. I smiled at him.

"Thanks! Where's Kunikida-san?" I asked.

"Probably looking for Dazai-san again?"

"But isn't it your job?"

"It isn't! Why did you ask for him though?" right when he asked that, the one I've been looking for came together with the one he's searching.

"Kunikida-san! You're here, too, Dazai-san! I want to hear your thoughts about this," I said and handed them the hard copy of my article about the agency.

---

end.