"Ok, ok... how can I use my Demon Form?" Tobey thought as he looked at the entrance of the cheap hotel that he was in, seeing those two figures approaching.
[It's simple, Tobey. You just need to make the flames of your heart burn with the force of your willpower. Set your heart ablaze, squeeze your buttocks, and yell this in your heart: SMAA-]
"Oh dear god, just shut the hell up, Mask," he got so frustrated that he even said it out loud.
[Hehehe, figure it out alone, you dumb! You already did it one time. Just use your brain.] Mask mocked him.
"Yeah, yeah, I got it. I am going, then."
Tobey took his backpack and any of his belongings that he left spread across the small hotel room. After that, he went downstairs, not bothering to use the elevator as it seemed quite dangerous to him.
'They are coming from the front door, which means that they probably know that this hotel is a mess and barely a living soul appears here. Coming to that place was a double-edged sword as it was very dangerous because I am almost alone in this huge building, but it also made it very difficult for them to find me.'
Tobey went down the steps of the staircase two at a time until he gave the last jump and fell into the hallway that led to the exit.
'One thing that Mask said back then was true, though. The thing about making the flames of my heart burn... I mean, it's not like it will burn for real, but the last time I changed to Demon Form my heart was burning inside the chest as if there was hot iron pressed against it. This feeling got intenser as I was kissing Han, which means that it may be related to adrenaline, dopamine, or serotonin.
'I refuse to accept that my powers are activated when I kiss someone, by the way!'
[Well, that would be an interesting way to activate it though. Or, then, that Han girl was one of the seven witches of this city and her power is to transform people into demons.]
'Stop the references and let me do it properly, you as*hole!'
[Watch out!] Mask shouted.
Tobey's vision focused in front again as he ignored Mask. When he realized, there was a fist coming in his direction, which he dodged by inches waving his body backward, but still being scratched on the tip of his nose.
'Holy cr*p! This fist was so fast that it burnt the tip of my nose! What the heck!?'
[Be careful, these guys are not low-grade Paladins at all. One hit is instakill.]
Tobey went past the Paladin that punched him. The momentum of his running made him fall to his knees as he waved his body backward to dodge, making him slide forward and only stop once he got to his feet again.
As soon as he got up, he needed to leap to the side in order to avoid another attack coming from the second Paladin, who tried to kick him.
'Why are they attacking with their fists and not using their Soul Mirror?'
[They are worried about something... I bet that there is something to do with the rumors that we discovered that were getting spread among them. Since you destroyed the battleaxe of that Paladin, they think that your Soul Mirror has the ability to shatter other people's Soul Mirror, remember?]
'Hmm, I see, it might be this. I wouldn't get surprised at all. Anyway, isn't it a disadvantage to them?'
[More or less. They are just measuring your strength now. Though these rumors are really spreading out there, they are still rumors. After that, there is no evidence about you shattering other Soul Mirror, which makes it quite strange.]
As Tobey dodged another attack aimed at him, then somersaulted forward, not willing to stay at close range at all.
His objective was to go out of the building. He knew that there were cameras inside that hotel. However, outside was a different matter.
Tobey ran out of the building, going to the huge front parking lot it had. For some reason, the owners of that hotel put cameras on the early half of the parking lot, but not in the part near the streets, which was something quite reckless, but Tobey wouldn't complain about it at that moment.
'As long as I can pass unnoticed, then it's okay to go at full force without hesitation right now! It's been a while since I don't use my Demon Form again. I hope I can do it!'
[Oh, so you DID figure it out, huh? I knew you could do it!]
Tobey smiled confidently as he turned around and saw the paladins following him, sprinting forward like professional runners. Tobey didn't need to run away anymore, though. He was ready to fight against them.
'Feel the excitement arising... then the increasing heat in my heart! Make it grow hotter, more intense, and even more overbearing! It needs to feel like there is hot iron pressing against the center of my heart!'
Tobey closed his hands tightly into fists while gritting his teeth. His heart was racing crazily inside his chest, starting to burn quickly as he felt his adrenaline rising. His entire body was tingling, from the tip of his toe to the top of his head
The paladins stopped to run midway, feeling the Dark Energy surging in the air. After several days, it was the first time that paladins would face his Demon Form again. They seemed quite anxious about it.
"Do you think that we should call reinforcements?" one of the paladins asked, narrowing his eyes to that man. He was covered by light armor, his face hidden under a simple helmet. His body was tense under that armor as he was prepared to act at any time.
"We should do it, indeed. Do you think you can hold him?" a female voice sounded from inside the helmet. That woman was wearing light armor, just like her partner. Her helmet was a bit fancier than his, which made her look like having a higher rank than him.
"Based on this amount of Dark Energy? Well, I guess it is quite easy for me to pull through. The problem is that he may be hiding his true power just to get us engaged in battle and unable to escape. Many people use this type of trick to trap their opponents. Are you sure you want to go?" the male asked.
"Do we have another choice? That's our duty after all!" the woman said as she gave a step forward and stretched her hand as if trying to get something invisible in the air. Once she closed her hands, something began to appear there; she was summoning her Soul Mirror. It was a fancy-looking scimitar, with golden adornments and a pure white blade.
The male Paladin nodded his head firmly, looking forward as he placed his hand above his back as if unsheathing a weapon there. Suddenly, a sword really began to materialize in his hand. It was a longsword that he wielded with both hands, though it was light enough to be wielded with just one as well.
Meanwhile, Tobey finally finished his preparations. After much struggle, he was able to concentrate all that Dark Energy around him, triggering his transformation. His skin got grayish gradually, his nails got black, white hair, black pupils outlined with a red circle, straight black horns curved in the extremes... Every single trace that appeared in his body before was there.
Tobey felt the change not only in his looks but also in his physical prowess. His muscles felt sturdy like steel and strong like never before. His body was lighter and his movements felt very fluid. He could feel all that Dark Energy invading his veins, his bloodstream, his arteries, going to his nerves and infecting the fibers of his muscles... All his body got enveloped by that sensation, a breath of vigor making him feel better like never before.
'This form isn't beautiful. To be honest, it's quite disgusting. However, feeling like this right now, I can only greed for more.'
[Hahaha! I knew you would learn how to like this form, I just wasn't expecting that it was going to be so early... Anyway, do you think you can summon your Soul Mirror just like them?]
'Are you kidding me? Of course! I figured it out, after all.'
[Good boy. My job here is finished... though I did nothing but bother you.]
Tobey bent his knees, preparing himself for the upcoming clash. He was relaxed despite going to fight with Paladins that probably were stronger than him even when in his Demon Form.
'How did I do it the last time...? Ah! I remember...'
The paladin stomped the ground, rushing towards Tobey at an incredibly fast pace. Just by summoning his Soul Mirror, his power rose by several levels. Tobey could clearly tell the difference.
Since now his reflexes were worth his Demon Form, he no longer saw that blade as a flash of light nearly unavoidable. It was still a blur, but much better than when in his human form.
Tobey closed his right fist tightly while bringing it next to his waist, then he swung his arm forward.
'Stop it! Stop it! Make that damn dagger appear again!' he shouted in his mind, mentalizing that dagger in his hand; a sturdy and sharp dagger that could cut through anything.
'Stop it, so you can survive, Tobey!!'