The human was no more, it was replaced by a shadowy figure that was ever-expanding. Ten...twenty...fifty… the ground rumbled as the many monstrous creatures flew towards the darkness within.
The mirror-like barrier that protected people from the demonic continent started to break. Many thin spider-like web cracks appeared before everything shattered into pieces.
People gathered here gasped out of fright but instead of an army of demons attacking them a massive surge of demonic energy flew towards the growing demon king. In this dark light, Zhang Dong could see many of the creatures that he had seen before.
'He is absorbing all of the demons from the demon side?'
Everyone backed away, stunned by what they were seeing. The human king that was the strongest man alive was the actual Demon King and now he was revealing his true form.
His children were here, they all dropped down to their knees with their eyes looking at the creature that was their father. Was he a demon from the beginning or did he replace him through the years? While the royal family members were having an identity crisis their father's form started taking shape.
Before Zhang Dong and everyone else stood a giant being. It was similar looking to some of the previous archdemons. Its body was darkish red and he had quite a bulky humanoid-shaped demonic body.
Around the forehead area, there were many protruding horns that surrounded a crown made of flames. Its face was truly demonic and the usual three eyes that the demons from this world had were there. From its spine and shoulders, massive spikes were expanding, and where its abdomen should be there was a secondary face with quite the toothy mouth.
It was quite gigantic with hooved legs and a long spikey tail. The moment its transformation was complete a certain lack of any other demonic being could be seen. This monster somehow absorbed all of the demonic energies from this place along with any demons that were here.
"The cycle was broken but the cycle must continue!"
The demon roared while everyone grasped their heads. Everyone was forced to the ground with the exception of Zhang Dong. He could tell that this was some kind of strange attack that only affected the people from this world which he was not a part of.
"Damn, what is that bastard even talking about… what cycle?"
Zhang Dong grasped the air with his hand and a golden bolt of lightning appeared in it. After a short charge-up he chucked it towards this demonic being. The spear of light made a beautiful arc and headed right towards the massive creature's head. Before it could connect it collided with some kind of dark barrier of flames which it couldn't pass through.
"What?"
Zhang Dong saw the holy energies being erased by this barrier and the demon not suffering any kind of damage. He could still feel that this was a demon being like all the rest of them before it. It was just many times stronger than them, even than the early stage of nascent soul that he was in at the moment.
The monster didn't even flinch but before it advanced forward a large amount of magical energy headed its way.
"Don't forget about us!"
Takeshi shouted out while all the other people with ranged capabilities throughout various of their attacks at the large monster. The golems used large cannons, the elven mages combined their mana to form a large lance of pure magical energy, and even the people that were in the taken apart ships used their weapons to fire away.
The large monster's whole frame became bathed in fire and explosions. Even though it was so huge its whole body became covered by all of this magical and technological energy.
Zhang Dong didn't just remain in place either. He noticed that this monster wasn't taking a step forward but neither was it backing off. It was clearly showing off like every evil enemy that thought that they were superior. This critical lapse in judgment was something that these boss-like monsters had and he would use it to his advantage.
"Takeshi, lend me your sword!"
In a flash of lightning, he appeared next to the hero that was performing some ranged slashes with his sword. Even before the young man could reply his sword was snatched away by Zhang Dong that quickly flew towards his enemy.
This was the strongest weapon that he could use and even though it wasn't quite of the heaven grade it would have to do. Zhang Dong's strongest attacks applied to swordsmanship, with his power fading fast this would need to do.
Together with his sword heart, he put everything he had into his swordsmanship skills. He grasped this longsword with both his hands and pushed all of his soul into it. He needed to destroy this demon down to his very being, damaging its body would not be enough.
Zhang Dong's body glowed once more but the glow soon faded as the golden light shifted towards the hero's sword in his hand. He pushed it up, holding it above his head. The light that he produced pierced the clouds above and revealed the shining star that lit up this planet.
"Sever…"
The demonic being suddenly moved its hand but it was too late at that point. Zhang Dong cleaved forward, both his hands moved down in a clean slicing movement. The moment the sword was pointing down the attack had gone through and it shattered into many tiny pieces, unable to last through the massive amounts of energy he was pushing into it.
The explosions that were covering the creature's body were pushed to the side. It was a clean cleave through the middle of the monster's body. It was a clean hit that managed to pierce through the demon's defenses and even its large hand that he threw forward to defend itself.
Earth parted beneath the monster and a giant fissure that went on for kilometers was created in the wake of this attack that Zhang Dong put all of his power behind. A massive shockwave tossed everything to the side of this parting earth as the ground rumbled. The earthquake could be felt by anyone on this continent and even reached up to the elven island.
Silence ensued as the monster's body started parting. It was a clean-cut that produced two symmetrical parts that were now opening up. While these two sides continued to part, Zhang Dong could see a large crystal inside, it was even bigger than the one that he received from the fake demon king.
"I...is it over?"
People stared at the monster and as it continued to part. It seemed that the monster had been dealt a critical blow but it wasn't so.
"The crystal…"
Zhang Dong eyed that corrupt gem and quickly flew towards it. There was something wrong, even though the monster was falling apart before his eyes this gem had not been sliced by his attack.
"I have to commend you on your perseverance, traveler."
A voice escaped from this gem and it sounded like the late human king. In a flash of light, the gem radiated power, a power through which Zhang Dong was sent flying backward from where he came from.
"Alas, you don't belong to this world anymore. Your connection to it has been cut, you can not harm this body!"
The red gem began giving out dark red light. Many strange dark tentacle-like whips shoot out from all directions. They embedded themselves into the large red demon's body and quickly started pulling it back together.
At this time Zhang Dong's body collided with the ground and he started bouncing like a ball. When the dust was cleared he found himself in the middle of the encampment, almost at the same spot from where he took off.
'What the hell, that should have been enough to kill it...do I need to be connected to a summoner to harm it?'
He wasn't sure what this was about but for some reason, this world would not allow him to kill this being. It seemed that only a person that was directly born in it would be able to achieve this feat.
'Is this some countermeasure about people from other worlds?'
If this theory was true, then even if the Hero party got strong enough they would not be able to kill this monster. Maybe that's how this whole thing worked, the demon king would just play dead and regenerate itself later to play this game once more.
It would lie dormant in the background allowing the heroes to win only to return later to do the same. For what reason this cycle of demons vs heroes continued was still unknown to him. One thing was clear, this demon here was not playing around anymore. The farce was up so now it needed to eliminate everyone that saw through its scheme.
While the red gem was pulling back the body together everyone else resumed their attacks. Even though they were connected no damage was being done. This was obvious as the monster was clearly something that was at the nascent soul level and close to its maximum.
'What should I do… what can I do?'
Zhang Dong looked tired standing up but the moment his foot had to support some weight it crumbled into tiny mana particles. He fell forward on his face and he finally noticed it, his body was fading away. The energy that he was left with had run out, soon he would fade away and be forced back into the soul dimension.
There was no real danger that he himself was in. He had enough energy to flee this world and this demon here would probably be unable to follow him to the space between worlds that he resided in.
He needed to make a decision as well, due to him losing his connection to Beatrice he would need to leave immediately. That would mean that he would need to leave everyone here to die. There was no time to send the four kids back to Earth, nor could he save anyone here with no energy left. Making another contract with someone else would also not give him enough power to defeat this demon.
"Leigong… please...I'll do anything… just bring her back…"
Zhang Dong snapped out of it and looked up. There Isabella was holding Beatrice in her hands and still crying. The girl had not moved from the spot at all and remained by the side of her close friend.
"Bring her back?..."
There was a way to do this, but it was a gamble. He was not sure what would happen if he fused these girls souls together but at this point, there might have been no other choice.
While crawling towards Isabella with his upper torso still in place he thought back to how things played themselves out. He had made many mistakes, he was hasty, he didn't think things through and how they would affect these youths. There were several things he could have done to prepare but he chose his family over the people in this world and now these two girls would have to pay for it.
"There is a way Isabella but…"
"I don't care, just bring her back!"
Zhang Dong nodded while giving out a sigh, the reply came fast and without any hesitation. He could only answer this resolution by reaching out with his hand towards Beatrie's forehead and touching it with his index finger...