I raised my sword towards the sky in a pose to swing it down, a red aura exploded from the blade reaching through the atmosphere, as the edge became hundreds of thousands of shards.
[We have about 30 seconds until your final rebound.]
'Then let's end this in 10.' I responded while fuming.
I began swinging the blade down at a speed that was near instantaneous, if one was outside they could see the slash cut through the air for miles into the distance. My execution of the skill was near perfect despite my first attempt, but unfortunately for me the target I aimed for was completely unscathed by the attack and Minos stood with his smug expression.
'Looks like I'll have to use all my cards against this fucker.'
The handle of Zenith slid out of my sub-space I eyed the demon while grasping it with my left hand, but in a brief moment, the minotaur crossed the space between and swung his axe diagonally before I could even notice my right hand which had my sub-space ring attached went flying.
"I'm on a limited-time schedule, and I've gone against orders so I can't fight pretty with you honored dragon. What is your name?"
I looked up at the tall demon standing before me with a deadpan but sinister face.
"Rei Ven-August."
The demon looked down at me with a slightly opened mouth, and a slight glare went through his eyes.
"The Ven-August family continues to haunt this world." Minos simply said.
I felt a sharp pain instantly in my chest, looking down a knee was piercing my stomach and I went crashing through the ceiling I closed my eyes through the extreme pain. Opening my eyes I saw the horizon line, "How high am I?!" My momentum didn't stop and the wind crashed against my body flying, I grit my teeth with a pained expression currently my body was tearing itself apart and reforming from the inside.
"This is going to hurt... Dragon."
I looked up seeing Minos floating above me despite the speed I flew off into the air, he was somehow above me, no matter what I did I couldn't stop the momentum from sending me up toward him, in my desperation two white shining wings flew out of my back. But it was too late, for any last-second hopes.
I felt both the wings getting grabbed, my head jerked and I saw a massive leg raised in the air it descended tearing the wings off and sending me flying back down... I screamed feeling the pain of two newly gained limbs being mutilated in such a cruel way.
Getting sent downwards by the massive kick I felt every bone in my body shattered, looking down the demon was already below me preparing what seemed to be a gut punch.
"Arghhhh!" I groaned in my pain while preparing for what would happen next.
I flew right into the demon's fist and his punch sent me flying in another direction, the pain was nothing I've felt before... But despite my insane injuries, I didn't lose consciousness.
[5 Seconds left Rei.]
The voice in my head was just a signal of doom as I glanced and saw Minos prepared to strike me again. I regret telling him my last name at these moments. The next blow was an uppercut to the back of my head, it sent me flying down spinning through the air... And I finally lost consciousness.
***
Dawn watched as Rei got sent flying through the ceiling by a massive minotaur, everyone including her had a look of fear conflicting with other emotions. They had all felt the powerful aura Rei emitted, but to see him get dominated made them lose all hope immediately.
After about 20-something seconds a mangled body was sent through the ceiling, Dawn ran over and held the body up with tears falling out of her eyes. It had the shape of Rei but it was covered in blood missing multiple limbs and was cold with no sign of life.
Dawn hugged Rei tightly as Minos crashed back down through the ceiling, she lowered her head with a tight embrace avoiding any eye contact with the massive demon.
"Perhaps I've failed my assignment."
Minos looked down at the mess on the ground in front of him, a young girl hugging the nearly obliterated corpse of the dragon he was tasked to not kill or offend.
Minos crouched down and leaped out through the ceiling again leaving everyone in the room. Right after he was gone there were exhales going around the room and a few people bursting out in tears after holding in their true emotions for so long.
Amelia walked over to the crying Dawn over the top of Rei, she said nothing and got into a position to pray, and a bright light radiated from her hands. Just as the light touched Rei, it dimmed and completely vanished Amelia looked at the two with a frustrated expression not knowing what just happened and why.
"Our Holy God refused to bless him, unfortunately, I'm unsure of the reason..." Amelia said in a somber tone looking at Dawn
"Why don't you just leave?" Dawn looked at her with pure anger... Perhaps because she worded it like Rei was some kind of criminal who the god shunned.
"It didn't work because he's not human."
Silas walked over to the two looking down at the bloody disaster on the ground.
"Am I the only one who saw horns shoot out from his head? Heard that absolute monster call him a dragon multiple times?" Silas added with a smug expression.
"He's known for being able to form a bond contract with a dragon." A voice from the crowd spoke up, it was Leo Silvermoon.
"Are you stupid? Do you really think a dragon would contract to a human, binding their soul and passing down lineage? It seems I'm the only smart one in this room, last time I checked people with bonds still use mana... Whatever he was using was nothing like mana."
The explanation Silas gave to everyone made a lot of sense, but the facts were unbelievable so people simply looked at him like he was a minor. Dawn simply continued to cry with the still bleeding body covering her with blood.
"We need to leave great Hero, I'm sorry for your loss" Amelia looked down at Dawn while patting her on the shoulder.
Gale simply looked at the bodies of his older sister and his younger brother in sadness, he hadn't moved from the spot he was blasted back to by Rei, he had blamed himself for the situation as if he would have just not worn a sword today both his siblings would be alive.
Gale steeled himself and his nerves, if he was going to be the future leader of the Ven-August family he had planned in the future to kill that demon in the worst way possible. Gale walked over to Dawn holding a severed hand, he slid off the ring on it and placed it in the crying Dawn's hand.
"I'm sure you were closer to my brother than I was, this stuff is his and he'll probably appreciate you having it more than me." Gale looked her in with a sincere expression as he sympathized with her great pain of losing two beloved family members.
He also used this to form a connection to the great Hero in the future now that the Ven-August family lost two important heirs, it was the worst situation possible.
Right as everyone was about to leave being escorted out by knights a small red hue burst out from Rei and think small scales grew over his entire body, after a few seconds they vanished and he was relatively unscathed but still covered in blood.
Tears fell from Gale's eyes seeing this and a smile spread from his lips he didn't say anything and simply walked away, collecting his sister's remains and leaving the room.
Dawn looked at Rei with relief, she slid the sub-space ring into her pocket and pinched his skin while ruffling his hair. The passerby looked at them while cringing but ignored the scene and moved on. Dawn was attempting to wake him up but to no avail, it didn't work, but feeling his warmth and seeing him breathe was enough for her to calm her nerves.
"We need to leave Hero! The fighting is not over yet!"
A guard picked up Rei and the other pushed Dawn along briefly. They soon exited the building and the sight was terrible, half of the palace was destroyed she looked to her right and saw Malkeith on the ground unconscious being treated, it looked like he would live but his injuries seemed critical, that surprised Dawn seeing that Malkeith is the strongest mage she's ever met.
****
Minos leaped out of a building filled with students, he flew through the location Ithral and the other demons invaded. In the air Minos saw multiple mages fighting, it seemed to be one versus he recognized all of them as ones who had joined the Demons and supported their plan, the one he didn't recognize looked heavily injured but the other mages had holes blasted through them and were on the verge of death.
Minos ignored this after all that wasn't his fight, he descended through a crack in the roof and the scene surprised him. Azgoraths corpse was bisected on the ground he was by no doubt dead as Minos didn't sense any energy from it, Ithral and Morpheus were heavily injured in a fight, and Mala was on the ground unconscious.
Not only were the powerful demons sent injured, but the 3 Sword Gods they had turned also were not doing well either, 2 of them were in critical condition bleeding out on the ground while one with crimson red hair covered in blood and missing an arm was repelling the two who fought against all of them.
Minos unveiled his pressure and the fight came to a standstill, everyone in the room shook or fell to their knees aside from an uninjured man covered in blood with long black hair and yellow eyes. Features Minos recognized and truly hated. The man simply turned towards Minos while holding out his blood-covered sword.
"What is your name human?" Minos glared at Julien.
"Julien Ven-August," Julien said while slinging blood off his blade.
"Ven-August..."
Minos opened his mouth and steam flew out of it while he prepared both of his axes, "Your son is quite impressive."
"Which one?"
"Honestly... How did a human like you manage to bed a dragon? Ven-August truly is a bloodline filled with singularities who do the impossible... Which is why I will do my best at ending it."
"You must be talking about Rei..." Julien had a worried expression spread across his face thinking about how his children came face to face with this monster, who apparently has some kind of grudge against them. "Elyndria leave...Now. This demon is on another level compared to the others and you will get in my way and die if you stay."
Elyndria swallowed, and she was in a heavily injured state, even before Minos came she was holding Julien back with him constantly saving her life, despite that Julien had not a single injury and didn't seem fatigued.
"I will leave... Good luck, Julien." Elyndria said before sliding outside of the window behind her and vanishing from the sight of Minos and Julien.
"Let's get this over with." Julien approached Minos.
Julien thought about his children, his wife Sierra, and then Aroth... A beautiful woman he met with snow-colored hair and deep red eyes, he remembered how she always told him she has lived millions of his lifetimes every time he proposed to her until she finally gave in. Thinking of her he wished for Rei and his other children's safety, though he knew these were hopes he couldn't put all his belief in. The demon before him had extreme bloodlust and earlier he had sensed Draconic Force a power exclusive to Rei, meaning Rei went all out and this demon is unscathed.
Minos dashed at Julien and they began trading fierce blows, multiple blasts of purple lightning flew through the air. Julien and Minos backed away from each other, Julien had a cut spanning across his chest, while Minos simply had a small nick on his arm.
'Perhaps if I had kept Aerinheart on me prior to this I would have had more of an advantage against this demon.'
Julien laughed at his thoughts and rushed at Minos again.