There was a flash. The dark expanse lit up followed by the clangor of metal. The iridescent light vanished as a roar filled the cosmic background.
I grinned, leaping back as Avaritia charged me. The [Changeling] was fast. Of course he was. He had the Boots of Alexander on him. And without [Haste] or [Warped Time] active any longer, he was faster than even me. Just barely, though.
So all I did was react. I waited for him to strike— because he would always attack first. He was livid. His eyes flashed red as he morphed between various Demons. He’d circle around me as an [Imp], swing for my head as a [Djinn], and disengage as a [Jinn].
But each time, I blocked his attack with the Greaves of Alexander. I raised my legs and kicked his punches and kicks and bites away. The Mythical Grade artifact shimmered, sending a pulse of rainbow light bouncing around this empty pocket space. The cosmic floor rippled like water as I stepped back and bared my teeth at the enraged [Changeling].
And why was he angry? Well—
undefined“You could’ve killed me when you had the chance!”
He spat as he hounded after me. He took the form of a [Hellhound] and swiped his paws at me in quick succession. I knocked him aside with a kick from the Greaves of Alexander, and his body blurred back as he darted around me. I stood there, watching him circle me as his voice echoed.
“What kind of tricks are you playing, wretch!”
He lunged at me, but I was prepared for it. His movements were getting predictable, even in his erratic state. I sidestepped him and kneed him in the stomach. He grunked, and I kicked him with the Greaves of Alexander. Avaritia went flying, skipping across the water-like surface as I watched. I could have killed him here, but…
I didn’t. And that only infuriated him even more.
“Do not mess with me!”
He yelled as he leapt my way once more.
“We’re nearly there!”
Daniel called out as he ran ahead of the group. He glanced back, looking at Edithe, Hadrian, and Amanda as they followed after him towards the roaring black flames just outside of the city. Beads of sweat slid down the back of his neck as he felt its oppressive heat even from this distance.
It was like he’d been thrown straight into the depths of hell, faced with fire and brimstone and an outpouring of molten ash. It was suffocating. He’d only ever felt this uneased once before in his life. Back during the battle with Lucerna in Silvergrove.
Certainly, Lucerna’s ashen magic could not be compared to the grand magic unfurling before him. And if he faced the Greater Demon again today, he was certain he’d win with a single swing of his blade. The only similarity wasn’t in the intensity of the heat itself, rather it was the evident gulf in power between him and his opponent.
The young man from Earth was nervous. He knew he was face-to-face with one of his strongest opponents to date, and there was always the lingering question of whether this was where his luck would run out. If this was where he would die. Back then, it was Salvos driving her to face Lucerna. But now? He moved on his own.
He reached a collapsed part of the city’s wall and leapt atop the pile of rubble. There were guards from Alyras gathered all around, tending to not just wounded soldiers but also the civilians caught in the fighting. A line of [Mages] stood over the broken part of the wall, combining their magic to create a small dome over the part of the city.
Daniel cast his gaze over those gathered here and caught sight of a familiar figure amidst the soldiers and adventurers.
“That’s… Xyren, isn’t it?”
“Yeah, the Ranger of Zelios.”
Edithe nodded, recognizing the [Archer] as well. Xyren was shouting orders as figures moved all around him in the chaos.
“The Ranger of Zelios? Who’s that?”
Amanda raised a brow, and Daniel shook his head.
“Edithe and I met him a few weeks back. Come on, he should know what’s going on with these black flames.”
The group ran forward as Daniel called out.
“Xyren!”
The [Archer] paused, breaking away from a group of Alyrsian soldiers. He turned to Hadrian first, then Daniel and Edithe, blinking.
“You’re the leader of the Valiant Dreamers… and you two are those guys who—”
Then he frowned. He must’ve used [Identification] on the [Hero], because he stared with an agape jaw for a moment. But Daniel shook his head and spoke out.
“How do we stop these black flames from destroying the city?”
“The black flames are… we don’t know.”
Xyren managed to catch himself from gaping for any longer. He gestured beyond the barrier as a streak of the dark inferno lashed out.
“That Demon— that [Jinn]— somehow created this damn calamity. No matter what we’ve tried to do, we can’t stop it. It just keeps growing and all we can do is slow its expansion.”
The fiery tendril struck the barrier, and a tremor shook the area. Xyren and Edithe stumbled back, but Daniel stood tall and raised the Sword of Alexander. Its blade shimmered— almost flashing just from the subtle movement.
“If that firestorm is the Demon itself, then we just have to snuff it out entirely.”
The [Hero] could feel its power coursing through him as he acclimated to the Mythical Grade artifact. Apparently, others must’ve sensed its power too. Xyren stared at the Sword of Alexander, working his jaw.
“...what is that?”
He asked slowly. Daniel opened his mouth— and flew backwards as a shockwave broke through the barrier. Xyren went flying, while Hadrian caught Edithe. Amanda herself managed to brace for the impact.
Daniel picked himself up quickly, looking around with a wary gaze. Then his eyes widened as he saw the figure floating in the air, before the raging black inferno.
[Fiend - Lvl. 150]
Gula sneered as she raised a glowing sphere.
“That, my dear Humans, is mine.”
And she flew straight for Daniel.
Why? Avaritia didn’t understand. He bounded forward and swiped at Salvos with a pair of claws. She blocked them with ease, matching the speed of the Boots of Alexander. She was simply reacting— parrying his attacks.
He should be dead ten times over, yet she stayed on the backfoot, letting him come forward, almost like she was playing with him. It was really starting to piss Avaritia off.
“Just kill me already, you damn b—”
The [Changeling] was interrupted by a kick to the face. He stumbled back and growled. His body morphed as he took the shape of an [Arachne]. He towered over the silver-haired girl and lashed out with his eight limbs, one after another. She blocked each swing with the Greaves of Alexander, grinning the entire time.
“You!”
He bellowed and transformed back to an [Imp]. His hands and legs were bleeding— skin flaking from clashing with a Mythical Grade artifact too many times. He kicked off the air, using the Boots of Alexander to boost him, and crashed straight into her. The shockwave sent cracks throughout the floor and ceiling of the Forbidden Prison, but the space didn’t break. His hands, however, did.
Avaritia yelped as his wrist snapped. He took a step back, grasping his broken right hand in pain. She stared at him, not finishing off the job, and he growled.
“I will rip off your—”
He swung at her with his left arm. She blocked it with the Greaves of Alexander. His left hand broke on impact as well. He cried out in pain again, both his hands broken. Tears streamed down his face as he choked.
“Y-you…”
Avaritia saw the [Cambion]’s face. The aloof expression she wore. She didn’t even take pleasure in torturing him like this. If she had a sadistic smile or a pitying look, he’d be less upset. But as it was now, he just sobbed.
“W-why…?”
“Why?”
She cocked her head back at him. He gritted his teeth and dropped to his knees.
“Why won’t you just kill me already?”
The Archdemon of Greed removed the Boots of Alexander from his feet, using only his legs. He kicked them towards her as his shoulders sagged.
“You’ve won. Good job, Salvos, traitor of the Netherworld. Now why won’t you finish the job? Haven’t I suffered enough?”
He looked up at her weakly, and she shrugged.
“Maybe.”
She tapped a finger on her chin as he waited. He wasn’t going to attack her. There was no point. He let her gloat in her victory— if he had to guess, she was an Archdemon of Pride. No other kinds of Demons would be this foolish. Only Gloria would be stupid enough to let a defeated but dangerous opponent live this long.
Salvos eventually sighed.
“Well, if you really want to know, it’s because of what I read in a book once.”
That made Avaritia blink.
“A… book?”
“Yep, this book.”
She snapped a finger, and an ancient leather bound tome appeared in her hands. The golden text at its cover glinted, even in the darkness, and she continued.
“It’s a book called Path to Divinity, and it talks a lot about Divine Essence and Grand Skills....”
Gula hurled the shimmering sphere towards the crowd of soldiers and adventurers. Daniel wasn’t a [Mage], but he could see its power radiating from within. He glanced around, seeing all the lower-leveled people that were going to be caught in the sphere’s blast.
“Get back!”
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