To Tempt A Saint

Nine's patience had already been wearing thin, but the monk's cryptic nonsense was making it worse. His fingers curled into a fist, muscles tensing, and in one swift motion, he swung his arm forward—

Only for the monk to flinch back, shielding himself with both arms like a coward.

"I told you to speak clearly," Nine growled.

"But I am!" the monk whined, voice high with indignation.

Nine stared at him, unamused. "You're about to be very clear once I knock you into next week."

He stepped forward, cracking his knuckles, and the monk yelped, stumbling back until his back hit the cavern wall. "V-Violence isn't the answer—"

SPLAT

Both of them froze.

A body crashed into the cavern's shallow entrance, limp and motionless. Blood pooled beneath it, dark and glistening against the stone.

The air grew thick with the scent of copper.

Nine shoved the monk aside by his collar, striding forward. His expression was unreadable as he studied the corpse.

The monk, who had been whining mere seconds ago, changed. His shut eyes snapped open, sharp and alert, the lazy air around him vanishing. His hand lifted, palm outstretched in warning.

"Don't." His voice was steady, completely different from before.

Nine halted—not because of the warning, but because the body twitched.

At first, it was subtle. A small, involuntary spasm. Then—

A violent convulsion seized its limbs, its back arching inhumanly as its fingers scraped against stone. A sickening, wet crack filled the silence as the corpse moved, its neck twisting at a horrifying angle.

Nine tilted his head. "Okay. That's new."

The body jerked upward, struggling to stand on shaky, broken legs. Its head lolled back before it slowly—too slowly—turned to face them.

Nine raised a brow.

The monk exhaled sharply. "Demons."

Nine's lips curled into a half-smirk. "Oh, first time seeing one."

The creature lifted its ruined face.

Its mouth hung loose, lips shredded beyond recognition. Blood seeped from its eyes in thick, sluggish trails, staining its cheeks like tears. It trembled, as if caught in a silent, endless scream.

For a brief moment, something—someone—seemed to flicker behind those ruined eyes.

A dying soul, trapped beneath the corruption.

Nine rested his sword on his shoulder, watching the thing struggle. "So, uh... how do we kill that?"

"Stab the heart," the monk said.

Without hesitation, Nine dashed forward.

His sword cut through the air, aimed straight for the demon's chest—but the moment before impact, the body twisted.

Its spine bent unnaturally, its hips jerking aside at an impossible angle. The grotesque sound of bones snapping filled the cavern.

Nine's strike missed.

Landing lightly on his feet, he exhaled through his nose, watching.

The monk took his chance, his fist darting forward in a brutal, precise strike—only for the creature to fold its body backward at an unnatural angle. Instead of hitting the torso, the monk's fist slammed into its skull.

The demon didn't flinch.

Nine sighed. "Tough bastard."

The demon let out a wet, rattling sound. A grotesque mockery of laughter.

Nine moved again. This time, he was faster. His blade drove forward, straight for the heart—

But the body twisted again, jerking violently to the side.

The sword skewered through its arm instead.

A sharp snap echoed as the demon wrenched itself free, severing its own limb in the process. The detached arm fell uselessly to the ground.

Then, the real horror began.

Its entire body convulsed.

Limbs snapped and twisted, folding inward and outward in rapid, jerking movements. Flesh tore apart. Bones jutted through skin. The grotesque dance of destruction continued, an agonized mess of breaking, twisting, and collapsing in on itself.

Finally, piece by piece—

It fell apart.

A silence settled in the cavern.

Nine waited a beat, then walked up and stabbed the heart, just to be sure. The corpse twitched once, then stilled.

The monk sighed, stepping back and pressing his hands together in prayer. His voice was low. "Demons have always wanted to roam our realm. But they can't. They're punished souls. Desperate to escape. But if the human body isn't compatible..."

He gestured toward the mangled remains. "They break. Forced to contain an energy they can't handle."

Nine nudged the corpse with his foot. "And the demon?"

"It shatters along with them."

Nine hummed, processing the explanation. "So they're that desperate? They'd rather gamble their own existence?"

The monk nodded solemnly. Then, as if nothing had happened, he walked back to the statue and sat down, crossing his legs.

"The sins that emerge from Hell—" he started.

"Feed on desire. Yeah, yeah, I got it." Nine cut in.

The monk ignored him. "But it's not just about feeding. The essence chooses its host."

Nine paused. That part was new.

He turned fully, eyeing the monk. "And how do I do that?"

The monk exhaled through his nose. "I don't know."

Nine's eye twitched. "You know yet you don't?"

"The mind is vast, endless—"

Nine threw a dagger at him.

The blade embedded itself right at the feet of Buddha.

The monk jumped. "What the fuck?! I almost died!"

Nine slowly grinned.

The monk stiffened. Realization dawned too late.

"…You…"

He slapped both hands over his mouth, but it was useless. His elegant poise shattered in real time as he slumped forward, groaning. His robes loosened, slipping off his shoulder, revealing ink-black tattoos sprawling across his chest.

Nine whistled lowly. "Well, well."

The monk groaned louder. "I'm still a monk," he muttered. "My name's Honu. And a seer."

Nine smirked. "And yet you didn't see that dagger coming."

Honu scowled. "I wasn't paying attention."

Nine clapped a hand to his chest. "Tragic."

Honu muttered something under his breath, then suddenly lunged.

Nine barely dodged in time.

The monk's palm came dangerously close to striking his head—but Nine countered, sidestepping effortlessly. And before Honu could react—

SLAP

Nine's palm smacked his bald head.

A loud echo filled the cavern.

Honu froze. His mouth hung open in utter betrayal.

Nine grinned. "That's for earlier."

Honu clutched his head, expression dark. "I…I'll get my revenge soon."

Nine only shrugged and turned toward the cliff's edge. The ground beneath him crumbled slightly, bits of stone tumbling into the abyss.

Honu stepped beside him, inhaling the air. For the first time, his voice was quiet.

"…Let's fix this world," he muttered.

Nine tilted his head, watching the horizon. He wasn't sure if he agreed.

But one thing was certain—

This was going to be fun.