Reflecting on the Demon Evil Cycle

Iruma watched as Ameri slammed the furry demon into the ground, protecting an unbelievably tiny classmate from being swallowed whole. Apparently, the council had known the larger demon was in his wicked phase and been keeping an eye on him, just in case.

Although it was his first time seeing it after finding out about it, the wicked phase had been on his mind for some time now. Ever since Alice had talked about it to him.

And the reason was because of Kiriwo. Because the existence of the wicked phase threw all of his actions during the Battler Party in a totally different light. Closing his eyes, Iruma could still see the others slitted pupils as he explained his past and the truth of his desires for despair.

He thought back to the demon's story of discovering his joy for misery and wondered if the stress of everything he'd been put through had actually forced him to slip so deep into the wicked phase he was stuck in it. Was such a thing possible for them?

Iruma knew that when humans got into an emotional state due to traumatic experience, they couldn't always come back without help. Could it be the same for demons, that they get trapped in these Wicked Phases, unable to recover on their own in the same way?

And the one place he'd ever sought help, the Magic App Battler, had led him to getting swept up by his mysterious 'big bro' who, rather than help him recover had turned out to be 'like him' and encouraged him to embrace this state.

The thought of this demon taking advantage of some kid seeking out help made Iruma feel sick. From what he'd said, Iruma suspected that Kiriwo's 'big bro' had seen a target, alone and rejected by the rest of the world gthat would be easy to manipulate and control.

Iruma had long learned to watch out for such people in the past. As a child taking up enough work to support their family, he could easily become a victim to one of many people with horrible intentions, if he didn't watch his step. He knew deep down that although most people were good, there could be some who'd take advantage of others anywhere.

Kiriwo probably hadn't really known to worry of such things back then. Iruma got the impression that most kids didn't really think about dangers the same way he did. Many seemed to expect their families to completely sheild them from it.

He remembered wondering what that must be like. Now he knew how nice it could be.

But Kiriwo had paid dearly for it.

Could someone even help Kiriwo now? How many demons would care to try? Iruma had seen how low-level demons were viewed. It was in part because of how weaker demons were treated that his senpai had slipped into his current state in the first place.

If he ever saw Kiriwo again, he'd promised to do anything he could to help him, like he had wanted all those years ago, when he reached out only to be pulled into a hidden, dark corner of Babyls.