As Kuro walked outside, the forest has become nothing like before, the house he went in was an inn, the whole forest was green. The lively tree could be seen around, The man he met just now was already disappeared. Bird could be seen chirping on the tree, the grass and the wind, it made the forest lively.
"Is this one of his power?"
Letting that question unanswered Kuro went back to Airi. While the barrier is still activated, Airi was sleeping inside it.
As Kuro touched the barrier it destroyed and a spark could be seen coming from the barrier.
"Oi Airi," Kuro kicked her body. The last time he woke her up in a soft way, Airi wasn't even affected by it. Hence, Kuro always woke her up in a harsh way.
Even when he was kicking her right now, she was soundly asleep.
*Sigh* < Water >
*Splash*
"Eek!" Airi woke up soon after the water reached her face. With that cool water Kuro made using his magic, Airi forced to get out of her dream.
"Ahh, it just you..." Her voice was weak as she just woke up while rubbing one of her eyes slowly. She ignores the fact that she just got woken up in such a way. After all, this has happened almost every day.
"Ehh?! The forest..."
"Yeah, hmm Airi. Looks like I'm gonna do 'it' now"
"Wah~ Did something triggered you? But whatever, he is stronger than the guy you fought on the mountain. Are you sure that you are ready?"
"Yeah" Kuro replied short and confident at the same time - The conversation ends there.
--> 5 Days later in the adventurer guild master's room
"I have done my preparation"
Kuro was sitting in the middle of the crouch making a serious face. He invited everyone to tell them his strategy. Both of the guild masters were agreed to help him in this fight.
What he asked was simple.
"Protect the people in the town"
With that being said, Kuro can focus on fighting Zephyr. The problem now was those 3 of Zephyr's commander(general).
In the end, he asks Airi and Ascillia to help him defeat those 3 generals. In the fight, everything could happen. If he was to fight those general alone, he scares that his mana would be wasted on them. And with that taking into account, Kuro comes to the conclusion where he needs the help of those two.
"You asking us to gather all people in the town in one place. But, do you know Zephyr might realise it and become curious?"
"Don't worry, I already have a plan"
The distance between Zephyr's castle and the town is 10 kilometers. With the amount of strength Zephyr have, he could easily rush to the town in an instant. in the worst case possible, he might able to use < Teleportation > magic that human considers high-tier magic even if someone would able to use it, they might be considered high ranking.
Taking that into account, Kuro came out with another plan...
--> 2 days later.
And thus, the meeting end and today is the day where they gonna raid Zephyr.
...Somewhere 1 kilometer from Zephyr's castle...
Kuro was standing on a branch of a tree while looking at the castle with a serious face. He already wears all of his gear. He doesn't want to mess on something like this. If this was a game, Zephyr could be one of the strong bosses. A player would normally equip their best gear to fight one.
"Kuro, the town's people already made their movement" Airi communicate with Kuro via telepathy.
Kuro who received the information via telepathy understood the hint that Airi gave, and with that, the raid began....
...Inside the castle...
"Hmm, Someone entered my barrier?" It's not like Kuro didn't expect this, he knew that when he comes near the castle, he will also enter a barrier at the same time.
[System]
[All stats will be decreased by 65%]
[Host body has success to use the < Body Purification >]
[All stats has come back to normal]
[Host body has become slower]
[Bad effect has successfully dispelled]
"So much bad effect, what a strong barrier" Kuro slowly landed on the entrance of the castle. Precisely, he is now inside the castle. He broke the barrier and enter it at ease. With his current strength, destroying the barrier is nothing.
A few seconds later, a lot of demon-folk appeared with full equipment on their body. Their stats are all above average.
"As expected of the demon lord, but..."
< Thunder Chain > With that he could trespass the entrance easily and broke inside the castle. The castle has two floors and Kuro is now on the first floor. He met with a lot of demon-folk along his way to the stairs that lead to the second floor.
Airi suddenly appeared beside him using < Teleportation > since her mission on the town was already done.
"Done?"
"Yeah"
A bright smile appeared on Kuro's face.
It was already decided when they do the meeting the other day.
-->
"After the evacuate done, Airi will join me inside the castle. I just hope all people who can fight could protect the town's people"
"Airi? You mean her?" Mr Phillot pointing his finger at Airi who seem to not care about that.
"Hmm, you might not know, but that little girl possesses terrifying power that even we might not be able to beat."
"Ehh?" Mr Phillot was shocked. Who could expect a little girl could be somewhat strong. They didn't know that Airi is actually an ancient dragon.
"Ehh, you realised?" Kuro didn't expect that Mr Cain could see right through Airi's power where even Mr Phillot couldn't
"Hohoho, don't look down on my < Sage Eye >. It could even see the deep of the ocean."
"Well, it really powerful, I guess..."
-->
Kuro stopped in the middle of the castle below a big chandelier while surrounded by thousands of strong demon-folk.
< Demonic Aura > With aura alone, thousand of demon-folk fell unconscious in an instant.
Even Kuro - himself didn't expect the skill to be this strong.
"Send all of our strongest armies to kill that man on the first floor. No wonder there is some weird movement in the town. Send all the people left and attack the town. Kill all of them, find this man family and kill them."
From outside, Kuro could hear there is the sound of something moving. It was the demon sent by Zephyr to attack the town.
As just what the necromancer told me when Zephyr felt dangerous, he would send his strongest force to stop them at all cost. And when all of his strongest armies were focus on me... the ones sent outside were only the weakling.
Kuro could look at their stats, even a B-rank adventurer or hunter could kill them.
On the stairs, there is 3 silhouette appeared that blocked Kuro from continuing to go to the upper floor.
A demon with a bull face and two-horn was in the middle. It was holding an axe in its right hand.
The other was wearing white clothing, a vampire with glasses.
The last one was standing with a calm face like he confident that he could win at any fight. He has a devil wing and a red muscular body.
"Ascillia came out."
Those three has far higher stats than the demon he fought until just now.
"3 general... Airi, Ascillia. Let's go!"
"No need to tell me"
"All right, master"
...Meanwhile in the town...
Around five thousand demons flying above the town.
"Kekeke, you human dare to attack our master's castle let---"
An arrow suddenly comes flying destroyed the demon's head.
It was the adventurer from the town. if they were to talk about the number... Then, the adventurer along with the hunter who can fight is only around 500 people or more. But, if it about strength... Both of the guild masters jumped far into the air with each holding a sword and a cane in their hand, killing every single demon that comes.
"Krekk," A big shrieked could be heard from the sky. The town now filled with demon's rain and their blood flowing through every path.
It also part of Kuro's strategy, if even their guild master takes the enemy head-on, the adventurer and the hunter must be fired up.
"Impossible! Just you wait, I will come to you when I finish here!" The demon lord was filled with rage as he crushed the crystal ball he used to look at the army that he sent but to become nothing other than death for those adventurers and hunters.
He stood up from his extravagant throne ready to come out from the room as he already lost his patience with what was happening right now. He - who stands above all, controlling the town... Now being intimidated by someone.
*Crash* The door that leads to his room got destroy while one of his three generals got thrown inside it. It was already on a brink of death.
Zephyr was shocked. It was not even long after he sent those generals and they were already sent back to him in such a way. Consider that this one was already on the brink of death means that the other two were already dead.
Kuro now could see the so-called demon lord Zephyr that he has been longing to defeat. It was his first goal since he came to this world. He had a hard time levelling up, facing a lot of things that made him stronger day by day.
A demon yet has a human's face. his teeth are a bit sharp. He has no horn like the other demons making him looks like a human. He was wearing black armour without the helmet.
A big sword appeared from the ground as he took it and made a normal stance. Kuro didn't see any fighting stance from him. Zephyr's face was appeared calmer than he thought. Nothing like someone whose house got raided.
As he slowly raised his sword, he swung it even though Kuro were still in a distance.
Nothing came out from it that made Kuro wanted to do something but what he didn't realise was a scar appeared on his cheek along with blood flowing out from it.
It was the wind that came out from his swing earlier.
Both Airi and Ascillia retreat a few steps letting some space for Kuro and Zephyr to fight.
Both of their faces didn't show any hesitation to fight and not even fear appeared on each other faces.
Kuro's also was already hold his sword since earlier and Ascillia already channel 40% of her power inside it. Might not want to use all of them since he still uses her to fight the general.
"Impressive. I thought I already cutted your head"
As Kuro now has high defense, an attack like that would only leave a cut on him.
"Well, why don't we--" Without finishing his word, Kuro rushes towards Zephyr. When he was already confident with his speed while seeing the surrounding become slower, Zephyr eyes move at the same speed as his making him took a retreat.
"I see, the type to underestimate your enemy, huh? You really think I could not see something slow like that?"
(Slow, huh?)
"Well if you don't want to attack why don't...
< Demon Gaze > Zephyr suddenly using magic while his hand pointing Kuro. A dark miasma appeared filling the whole room.
[System]
[All stats will be decreased by 90%]
[System]
[Bad effect has been successfully dispelled]
This time - shock appeared on Zephyr's face.
It was that he never expected Kuro could dispel something like that. It all was thank to his passive skill < Body Purification >.
(I wonder what would happen if this skill doesn't exist.)(Kuro)
"Impressive body you have there"
"Yeah, I have been training it day by day"
"Well, enough talk, I still got some trash(the town) to deal with"
Both Zephyr and Kuro's silhouette becomes a blur as they were moving at a fast speed letting normal human could not even follow their movement.
For Airi and Ascillia who were the only 'audience' of those fight, they could see it clearly. Movement like this can be considered as child play for them. After all, the demon lord is the second-lowest on the 'Dark World' system. And without to say, who they already fought was someone that has a high rank in the last war.
*clank* *clank* *slash* *slash*
Cutted appeared on both of their body as both of them ignore defense for an attack. They can be said equal.
< Aura Speed > (The skill that made agility increase on every successful hit on the opponent) As Kuro use this, his movement becomes faster time by time and with that, he has a better chance of winning. Both of them stopped clashing with each other. Zephyr got more cutted than Kuro. It was his right choices for him to stop that as he already lost in speed.
For Kuro, he also stopped as Zephyr might change his fighting style and it would be dangerous to confront him right now.
Zephyr pointing his hand at Kuro and a big magic circle appeared.
< Demon Ash > A typhoon appeared from the magic circle that made Kuro jumped on an impulse and evade being hit by it. When he landed again, he could see the forest behind him was destroyed as it got hit by the attack just now.
"Scary... if I was to get hit by that, I would be a goner by now."
When he looks back at Zephyr, dozens of magic circle was already prepared...
< Dark Cannon > Dark flame came out from it at a fast speed that made Kuro's body react and avoid being hit by all of them.
After none of them hitting Kuro - he.. "Is that everything you got?"
With being provoked like that, Zephyr filled with rage.
He stopped using his magic.
"Listen, human. I will show you something that will make you beg for your lif--"
"Cliche, you will chit-chat like that. In the end, you will lose tho, no?"
Being provoked by that, Zephyr's body suddenly becomes bigger as his stats increase by tenfold.
< Corruption >
Hearing that, Kuro shocked. The stats that Zephyr has now is higher than Kuro. As the aura that it release was dangerous, Kuro, who react by it move at Zephyr at a fast speed along with his sword.
This time Kuro was serious, he uses full power that the sword has and...
*Slash* The forest behind Zephyr was cut in half along with the castle that is now destroyed.
Kuro suddenly felt danger that made him retreat a few steps behind.
With that powerful attack, it only leaves a thin cut on Zephyr's body.
This time, it was Zephyr who went behind Kuro at a light speed that even Kuro could not keep up with that. As his body reacts at the last second, Kuro could only block the attack that Zephyr gave with his arm and with that, he was thrown far into the wall of the castle.
*Cough* Blood came out from his mouth.
*Kekeke, you are lucky that I won't touch your subordinate, I will kill you first!" And once again he teleports to in front of Kuro and when he was about to step on Kuro - fortunately, even in his current condition - Kuro successfully avoid that.
He teleports far away from Zephyr making a distance between them.
"Now that it has come to this. I will go all out"
< Shi no Kaze-style > The skill he uses to make his body come inside the wind and to find it might be impossible.
With that Kuro's body disappeared and now in a wind form. While he at that, he attacks Zephyr rapidly when...
Zephyr moves his hand and Kuro's body came out from the wind and thrown.
"Such magic, if you think I could not see that, you are wrong. You look down on me!"
< Demon Scorch > Flame came out from Zephyr's mouth and when it was to hit Kuro... a smirk appeared on his face.
< Force Dispel > Cheating skill that will dispel any kind of magic. The limit is unknown as of now as Kuro can use it without any limit and without using any mana. With that, all magic used by Zephyr will be gone.
Kuro was shaking as he badly injured and slowly try to stand up.
"Also... You said I was underestimating you? Since when?"
After Kuro said that, Zephyr just realised that on the first floor, there was a magic circle set by Kuro. He set this earlier in case something like this happens.
And when someone standing at the magic circle while it being activated... Their body will not be able to move. It will target the enemy in a straight line - That's why even when Kuro set it on the first floor it could reach Zephyr who is currently on the second floor.
"You think that would work? I have the po-"
"I know. I realised this when certain someone said that I'm powerful because my power is based on my system. Since then I realised, your power must be based on the fear and worry feeling that you gave to the town. At first, it is weird that why would you want tax from them if you can just take anything from the town without paying anything.
And so, I realised the atmosphere in the town feels off. With that, I conclude that... Your source of power is from the town's people fear emotion."
Zephyr's eyes become wide opened as he was in shocked.
Kuro just looked at him with emotionless eyes.
-----------