Demon Lord Jade

Ch 4: Bad Reactions


I have had a sucky past few weeks. I started driving for Uber Eats, and two weeks after that, I crashed the 18k car I was driving. It was a very nice car. Apparently, I fell for an optical illusion on the road and went into a ditch. The repair cost is more than financially viable, so the owner is selling it to the shop and buying an old 8k Lexus SUV. Now I feel even more guilty about it—first ever car accident. Here's hoping my next accident is my own vehicle, so I don't feel as guilty.

Although I do now have a Link Tree. /alcoruzukaze. You can find all my links to support me there.


Reviews:

Reader20448: Thank you.

Neon1311: Well, I was trying to emulate a more manga style. Like how you spend one hour with one character, then jump to another that was doing so and so in that same hour? Sort of like that.

TwinstarDragon: She would find it therapeutic. Especially since All For One can take a nuclear equivalent punch to the face and still walk off. The ultimate punching bag.


A smell wafted from the kitchen to Jade's nose, rousing her from her sleep. She yawned and pushed herself upwards from the couch. She groggily stretched, popping something in her back. As Jade blinked, she noticed her mother setting food on a small table in the kitchen.

Demon Lord Jade rotated off the couch and stood up. "Woah, blood rush." Her body swayed as blood rushed to her head. Inko hastily put down a bowl of food and rushed to Jade's side.

"Are you okay?" The mother asked in a panic.

Jade waved her off. "I'm fine. Just stood up too quickly. Human bodies are more fragile than I remember."

Inko baked off. "Oh. Sorry… for worrying."

"It's fine, mom. It's natural for you to worry." Jade told her. "But aside from that, what is that smell?"

Inko blinked. "You don't remember it? It's Katsudon, your favorite."

Jade just stared, confused, until her memory caught up. "Oh, OH! Right. I forgot I liked that. Pork, right?" She asked.

"Y-yes. I usually make enough for two and eat the leftovers the next day." Inko explained. "I just thought it would be a good first meal now that you're back."

At that point, Jade's human stomach rumbled. She visibly blushed. "Yeah, I don't think I had anything since that granola bar at the police station." Jade followed her mother to the kitchen, and they sat down.

Jade fumbled with the chopsticks for a moment before gripping them correctly. "Thank you for the food." She told her mother as she took a mouthful. She quietly ate the bite and put the chopsticks down.

Inko looked at her so-daughter. "Is it good?"

"Yeah. But, if I'm being honest… it's not my favorite anymore." Jade felt shame as Inko's face fell.

"Oh. Sorry. I just thought…"

Jade quickly waved her hands in sudden worry. "No, no. It's fine. It's not your fault. This is still a wonderful meal, one that was made with love." Jade said.

Inko looked down for a moment. "Well, maybe I can make you more of what you want? What's your diet like?"

Jade blinked and fought not to cringe. "My… diet?" Oh, this was going to be bad. "Could I see your phone?"

Inko's eyebrow raised momentarily as she handed over the unlocked device. Jade spent a minute looking for the exact word she was looking for. "Ah, well, demons in Lagurdia are Fac-u-ltative Carnivores. They can eat plants but thrive on raw meat-only diets. As a Demonoid, I'm largely the same, at my healthiest when I eat only meat." Jade handed the phone back.

"Oh, well, what kind of meat do you like?" Inko asked, wanting to accommodate her child's preferences.

"Ah, em, hmm." Jade lost the ability to speak for a moment. "Uh, lot of types? Cow's pretty good. So's deer. So long as it's bloody and raw."

"Do you have a favorite?" Inko innocently asked as she looked at Jade. Jade wanted to walk away from this conversation.

"I really would rather not say." Jade tried to deflect. "Not only would it be impossible to get here, but it would be amoral for you to make some in your home."

Inko frowned, not liking how Jade didn't consider the apartment her home again. And then, Inko thought about it. What kind of meat could make Jade feel it was amoral for Inko to prepare? Then… an idea; "…Wait, human?" Inko asked in a horrified whisper.

Jade said nothing, but the look on her face confirmed Inko's fears. Her child… ate humans. As in actual living, breathing humans. Inko started to feel slightly dizzy as she rushed off to the bathroom and threw up in the toilet. Bile dribbled from Inko's mouth as she completely lost her appetite.

Jade ate humans. And not out of necessity, either. She did mention liking livestock and wild animal meat. Jade, the Demon Lord, ate humans raw because she liked the meat. Did she view all humans as such? If… Jade never remembered Inko; would she have been seen as nothing more than food to her daughter?

Inko flushed the toilet, rinsed out her mouth with some water, and slowly made her way back. Jade hadn't moved from her seat, staring at the still-warm food. "Sorry, mom. I didn't know how to tell you." Jade tried to explain.

"I-it's fine, J-Jade." Inko stammered as she tried not to make eye contact. "I… shouldn't have forced the c-conversation. I'll just… put my share of food away for now. K-keep eating."

Jade frowned. "You sure?"

Inko nodded. "Absolutely."

Jade watched her mother momentarily before sighing and returning to the Katsudon. She wasn't lying; it was still good, even if it was no longer her favorite.


Jade lay in bed, sighing. That was an unmitigated disaster of a dinner. Jade could've lied to her mother about her tastes, but if there was one human alive Jade wanted to be honest with, it was Inko. The Demon Lord had trouble understanding the point of view Inko had, it being centuries since Jade was even Human, let alone considering herself one. To her, humans were nothing more than entertainment and food. Even the so-called "Heroes" weren't that interesting.

She sat up. Maybe she could go a little easier on the bluntness of her evil. Just a bit. Jade didn't care for sugar-coating words, but she would restrain herself for her mother's sake. 'Actually,' a thought came to mind, 'are the humans in this world even human?' They all had superpowers and were physically different from humans who weren't born with unique non-magic powers. Could the two versions of Humanity even procreate together?

…Possibly. She had magic, after all. Or was that just the result of her transporting to Lagurdia as a child? Eh, something to look at later. She stood up from her transfigured bed and held out her hand. "Summon [Braxi]," Jade spoke out as her shadow stretched, and the wolfman from earlier appeared, already kneeling. Over his shoulder was a bag.

"I live to serve." He said. "It is good to see you, my Lord. Even if by your perspective it has only been mere hours."

Jade nodded. "Rise and meet my gaze." He did so. "How goes the project I assigned you?"

"…Uh, good and bad."

Jade's eyes narrowed. "…Good First."

"Well, we've managed to create crystals that will synchronize the timelines of both worlds." The wolfman said. "Bad news, it takes massive power just to charge the crystals for use. Simply charging one of them took nearly five thousand demons feeding magic into it for several days in shifts."

Jade relaxed a bit. That wasn't terrible, all things considered. "Do you have one of these crystals on you right now?"

"Uh, yes." The Wolfman said as he pulled out a large purple gem from his side bag. He promptly handed it over without question. "We were going to start charging that once all the demons had recovered from the loss of magic."

Jade took the crystal in hand and studied it in the artificial light of the bedroom bulb. "Hmm, a substantial magic capacity. I'm impressed. If we could manufacture these smaller, more portable, and quicker, we could make magic batteries for troops."

The wolfman perked up. "Ah, an excellent idea, my Lord. Once the current project is done, I shall personally work on this new project."

Jade suddenly gripped the large crystal and fed it magic at an astonishing rate. Braxi couldn't help but stare as he saw the gem slowly fill up many times faster than the first. Once the gem was glowing, Jade returned it to her top scientist. "Hungry little thing. Took a third of my total magic."

The wolfman dumbly nodded. 'It took several thousands worth of demons to fill the first. And Lord Jade mentioned being weaker here. How much power does she even have if she can match that much raw magic?!'

"What else do you need?" Jade asked.

"Uh," The wolfman took a moment to gather his thoughts, "Well, I just need to leave this crystal here and activate the one back in Lagurdia. It will slow down the time there to match here. Then, using both crystals as waypoints, I construct two gates that link up."

Jade hummed. "Is that the plan? I wanted to avoid letting the other Demon Lords know until the last moment."

"Unfortunately, yes." The wolfman looked down in shame. "The ambient magic in this world is several times weaker than in Lagurdia. As a result, we would need several times more power just to accelerate the time of this world."

Jade frowned but understood the underlying explanation. Less power means it would take far longer to synchronize the two worlds, and the longer she was gone from Lagurdia, the weaker her position as Demon Lord became to the other seated members. Well, if she were the only one who could access this world, it would still be fine.

Jade nodded. "Leave that here then and return to Lagurdia."

The wolfman bowed again after putting the crystal down on the ground. "I live to serve." He started sinking into the shadows and left the room entirely.

Jade barely put the crystal away and got into bed when it sent off a burst of magic. It was weak and likely not felt beyond the shores of Japan, but it was noticeable. 'If that was the crystal here, what was the shockwave like back in Lagurdia?'

Over in UA, Nezu's tail straightened out as his fur stiffened. "Already?" Things were moving too fast.


A massive wave of energy rolled across Lagurdia, alerting anyone and everyone with the slightest bit of active magic. While the human countries were going crazy, the Demon Lords recognized a signature within the wave.

He was enjoying a nice book when he dropped it. Out of instinct, Nixes' six wings ruffled, eyes opening on each feather. His perpetual smile faded just slightly. "What did Jade just do?" He asked himself, thinking of the new headache he was about to receive.

"Nixes." He turned towards a provocatively dressed woman with a massive mane of white spiky hair. In her hand was a glass of red liquid. "My interest has been peaked, so I'll be going as one of your "Attendants," Kay?" She asked.

Nixes snorted. "It's not like I could stop you, Primordial Entity White."


Deep in the second-largest ocean on Lagurdia, a massive dragon-like figure with several arms silently drifted. Its eyes opened and promptly narrowed. Leviathan was not happy to be interrupted from her napping.

"My LADY!" One of her servants swam into her personal cave in a panic. "Everyone is panicking at the massive wave of magic! Even the magic-resistant war sharks are freaking out!"

Leviathan stared down at her subordinate before glowing. She assumed a more human form with purple hair, horns sticking from the sides of her head, and a long tail extending from her backside. Scales shifted to cover the bulk of her body faster than the subordinate could see. "I'll forgive your rude transgressions this time." The sea demon stiffened and swam out in a hurry. Leviathan got hungry when she got angry, and the demons who served her were just small snacks to her proper form.

"What is she doing?" The woman Leviathan was in a constant contest of position with did something incredibly stupid; she just knew it.


In a country shrouded in constant overcast, a finely dressed blonde man, visibly in his middle age, sat in his personal study. He slowly drank a fine blood wine made by a young lady who made the mistake of crossing into his territory. The Vampiric Progenator cared not for humanity and merely needed their blood, as it was the richest taste among the many sapient races.

The wine stem fell from his hand, shattering on the ground. Zatel was horrified to see such a waste of good blood. But he had more significant issues. He could feel the panic and fear from all the psychic bonds to his thralls. Jade was going to pay for disturbing everyone, even if he personally didn't have the power to challenge her.


Deep in the northern mountain range, a pair of yellow-slitted eyes snapped open. A young female black-haired dragon-kin flew in and kneeled to their Lord. "The source of power originated from the Territory of Demon Lord Jade, Lord Crenzin." That was what he appreciated about Boonchoy; she got work done quickly and without issue.

The giant yellow dragon huffed, smoke billowing from his nostrils. "I wonder what she did now. Even when she was a Hero, she was always so shortsighted." He knew her from when neither had been demon lords. He even bestowed one of his traits on her after she bested him in single combat.

The Emperor Dragon shifted and took a smaller, more human form. If it weren't for his glowing yellow-slitted eyes, one could mistake him for a buff, tall human with a tan. A grin revealed sharp teeth. "Guess it's almost time for a conference. Been almost a decade since the last one." The topic of discussion, Jade.


Deep in the largest ocean of Lagurdia, a mermaid was practicing laps when familiar magic rolled over her. Even centuries later, that magic still caused such a warm feeling, especially in her nether regions. The Deep Sea Queen's webbed hands tied back her blue hair, avoiding the fins that jutted from the side of her head.

She just sighed. Her ex-girlfriend, who still had strong feelings for her and vice-versa, just did something that was going to piss off the other Demon Lords. Of the two, the mermaid was the more level-headed, while Jade acted as she pleased. Then again, Jade had the raw power to do so. The only people who could stop her were Leviathan and Nixes.

Fita activated an isolation spell and worked on getting the warmness in her core gone. Once that was done, she would deal with her probably panicking subordinates.


Sitting upon his throne, a skeleton dressed in robes rattled a bit. His eyes glowed as he stood up. "Lord Jade has shifted something in nature." As the Undead Lord, he was more in tune with the laws of the universe than his fellow demon lords, save for perhaps Nixes.

Rattole would sigh if he could've. But he lacked any lungs, and the magic he used to speak couldn't reproduce the sound. It had been nearly three centuries since he became an Undead, and he missed the ability to make sarcastic remarks with just bodily noises. He was somewhat immature for a former master wizard.

A zombie strolled in, waiting for orders. "Gather my counsel." The skeleton ordered. The zombie groaned, shuffling away. It was dumb and couldn't speak, but it made for an excellent errand boy. When Rattole sent that specific zombie, the others knew to come.


The Battle Monarch waved under a spear, her cat-like reflexes kicking in. Her sparring partner was an old friend who shared a once-mutual goal of being the strongest beastman. But Nakoma prevailed and, almost a century ago, ascended to the Demon Lord.

She stepped back and frowned. She could see the tiredness in her old friend, who had been with her since childhood. Magic did extend one's life, but she knew his time was soon up. A Demon Lord was both a classification and a unique race that was ageless but not immortal. He didn't have that, so his body still aged, albeit slower than a magicless human.

The physically older Tigerman held out his hand in respect for a good fight. Nakoma grasped it in a firm handshake. "I'm glad you allowed me one last fight before I go to the beyond." He said.

Nakoma frowned and moved to say something when a magic wave crashed over them. "What was that?!" The Tigerman asked.

Nakoma frowned but then perked up. "Say, how'd you like to come to the next conference? Demon Lord Jade was responsible for that if her magic was any indication, and the others won't be too pleased."

"R-really?" The old Tigerman asked, astonished. He had only been allowed to attend one Conference before when he and Nakoma challenged two sitting Demon Lords to a fight.

Nakoma nodded. "As a parting gift to a passing friend, be by my side."

The male smiled. "Thank you, my dear friend."


A sizeable wolf-like monster stopped his hunt in a forest deep in the largest continent. The Lord of War was caught off guard by Jade's magic, which lost him his target deer. The wolf scowled as much as it could.

Jade certainly had no care for the thoughts of others, interrupting what they were doing. Not that he had the power to stop people. Being the only demon lord without a Bi-pedal form limited him and his power. It's why he was the weakest of the current Demon Lords.

He was still a threat, but compared to other Demon Lords, he didn't stack up. But he held the title and would act as a Demon Lord should.


The following day, Jade woke up well-rested. She barely covered her yawn as she shuffled to the bathroom to take care of her morning routine. She stared at the room momentarily, trying to remember how to navigate the shower.

Give her a break; her castle didn't have running water. Actually, she should work on importing the technology of this world to Lagurdia. It would be fantastic. And she drooled a little as she imagined her pressing a naked chick against a shower wall in all that warm water.

She shook her head to dispel her thoughts. 'Horny later. Bathe, now!' She told herself. She'd find someone open for a lesbian one-night stand later. Maybe even get a number once she had a cell phone.

As she fiddled with her clothes, Inko stepped inside, as Jade had overlocked the lock. Jade and her mother traded looks for a moment before Inko rushed outside. "Sorry for not knocking!"

Jade looked confused before shrugging. She got out of her clothes and slipped into the shower, jolting from the sudden rush of cold water before it warmed up. She rubbed her body to remove the grime and noticed shampoo and conditioner bottles. She stared at the instructions on the backs of the bottles.

"Seems easy enough." Jade would learn that it was not "easy enough."

She huffed as she stepped out of the shower twenty minutes later, her hair an even bigger mess than before the shower. Give her a break; she didn't have all these modern products to contend with back in Lagurdia. Jade was half tempted to ask her mother for help but wanted to be self-sufficient, so she aimed to get an online instructional video.

She dried off with a large towel and tied it around her shapely body, her c-cups pulling the towel up and exposing her ass. She frowned before shrugging. Ah well, if there's anyone who was allowed to see her ass in a non-sexual manner, it was her mother. She noted that she was smaller than her adult form but would eventually grow into a shapely size if she left her human body alone long enough. She might have to convince her mother to buy more oversized towels.

She rolled up her clothes and went to her room, where a new set of clothes was on her bed. A note was written. "An old set of my clothes. It might be a bit loose as I was taller at your age, but we have nothing else. -Mom."

Jade smiled. It was nice to have a mom that cared so much. Not that her adoptive mother wasn't wonderful.


Jade walked out of her room, the shirt loose on her. But it fit without slipping off. And that was fine. "Hey, Mom," Jade said as she entered the living room. She stopped. "Hold on, don't you have a job?" The Demon Lord asked.

Inko lightly smiled as she looked up from her laptop. "I do. Well, I just put in my two-week vacation. We have a lot of time to make up for."

Jade smiled. "So, what's on today's agenda?"

Inko frowned. "Well, first, I should take you shopping for new clothes. Those don't fit. Then I should probably check with the Police about your legal status."

Jade nodded. "Well, clothes here are nicer than Lagurdia clothing. But once my status is confirmed alive, what do we do?"

Inko hummed. "Well, I was going to take you to the bank and open an account for you to spend money."

Jade blinked. "Are you certain you want to give me money? What about bills and food?"

Inko smiled. "I've been living alone for years, often working overtime. I never really went out unless your Auntie dragged me. I have more than enough savings to pay for well over a year. Giving some to my daughter is a more than reasonable use of a fortune."

Jade frowned. 'Auntie…' Mitsuki brought forth more memories, specifically about her former best friend. The Demon Lord shook her head. Now was not the time to spiral. "If you're certain. Oh, should I get a cell phone?" She asked.

Inko nodded. "Good idea. I can also sign you up for scho-"

"Bzzt!" Jade waved her arms in an x formation. "Sorry, Mom, but even if legally I'm a teen, I am an adult, and I'm not going to waste my days in a building with snot-nosed punks a fraction my age. I'm including the teachers."

Inko blinked. "But it would've been…"

"Nope. Not happening." Jade repeated. "If the government requires it for some reason, just say I'm doing homeschooling. You can even enroll me in some online classes, but I'm not returning to school full-time. I've got… work."

Inko visibly deflated, and Jade felt bad but wasn't going to be budging on this issue. "Okay." Inko finally relented. "Depending on how the government approves your paperwork, they'll have you take a test to see your level of competence."

Jade nodded. She would do some quirk studies and use [Memory Recall] and [Alter Ego] to ace any and all tests. She should also brush up on legal laws just to see what she could legally get away with if there were witnesses. "Should we go, or do you want breakfast?"

Inko thought for a moment before nodding. "I suppose a small meal couldn't hurt. Do you want to join?"

Jade shook her head. "Nah, thanks to my magic skill, [Conservation], I can eat less food than a typical human and still be full."

Inko blinked. "Oh, so you can manipulate your metabolism?" She asked. "Lucky. I wish I could do that."

Jade frowned. "Well, if you have enough magic, I could teach you a few spells."

Inko blinked. "Y-you don't have to do t-that!" Inko said, panicked. "I'm fine, just slightly frustrated with my appetite."

Jade looked at her mother for a moment, "You sure?" Inko nodded. "Ok. The offer remains open."


All For One smiled when he saw somebody he was looking for on the camera. Jade was walking around with the woman known as Inko, who, according to Police Files, was the Demon Lord's Mother.

All For One initially thought he could get a conversation with Jade by grabbing her mother, but he talked himself out of that idea. That would only anger her if she were as possessive of her family as All For One was to his brother. So, he did something different, something more… confrontational. He slipped on his helmet and warped near her position with Kurogiri's warp gate. With the Notice Me Not quirk, All For One would stalk them, wait for Inko or Jade to go off independently, and then introduce himself directly.

It was tedious, waiting for this physically teenage girl to get bored of shopping with her mother until he saw his chance. Jade sat on a mall bench while her mother walked toward the restroom. Bingo.


Jade could feel somebody watching. But she couldn't look around without her mother absorbing her attention. So she waited. Inko would need to freshen up soon, and when she did, Jade offered to watch the bags of clothes. Once Inko was gone, she sat down on a bench.

A large man in a suit sat down in the free space a mere minute later. "This seat empty?" The man asked.

Jade turned and looked at the man who wore a large black mask. The suited man was massive, easily over two meters tall. "And you are?"

"Ah, do forgive my impudence." The masked man placed a hand on his chest. "I am All For One. A pleasure to meet you, Demon Lord Jade."


A/N: The order the Demon Lords appear in is by power, not by seniority. I'll show seniority at the conference.