It was the dead of night in the Vatican, though in Saint Stella it was already morning—proof of how time could twist and stretch across the lands. Yet, despite the hour, there was no peace in the holy city. A cacophony of destruction filled the air, led by the chilling shrieks of demons whose voices echoed endlessly across the burning streets.
The number of demons had grown to five. They prowled like predators unleashed, their hulking figures illuminated by the fires consuming the city. Towering above them all, a monstrous demon stood at an absurd fifty meters in height, dominating the apocalyptic skyline. Its blackened, molten skin crackled ominously, and its very presence felt like a proclamation of doom for the Vatican.
"What an awful sight," Gleren muttered, his voice carrying a mix of irritation and resignation. Perched casually atop the skeletal remains of a luxury high-rise, he gazed at the chaos below with all the enthusiasm of someone forced to watch a boring lecture.
Beside him, Matthias stood with his arms crossed, his normally composed expression creased with tension. "I cannot argue with that," he admitted, his voice tight.
This was a rare sight—Matthias, the ever-dignified one, teaming up with someone as unpredictable as Gleren. But the situation left them no choice. With destruction looming, their usual bickering had been shoved aside in favor of survival.
"You should be careful," Matthias warned, his sharp gaze flickering to Gleren. "Demons that emerge from that gate don't react to attacks made with Demon stone abilities. If I'm correct, your ability to manipulate shadows is from a Demon stone, isn't it?"
"Yep," Gleren replied nonchalantly, as if Matthias had just asked about the weather.
"Then, that big fat ass down there is a bad match for you."
"Well, now. That sucks," Gleren said with a shrug, entirely unfazed.
"You sound like it isn't a big deal."
"Nah, it's a big deal," Gleren said casually, stretching as though the demon's presence was just another mild inconvenience.
Matthias sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I just hope you won't think badly of Lady Martha," he said quietly, his voice tinged with sadness.
Gleren paused, his eyes flickering for the briefest moment. There was something in Matthias's tone that almost pulled at him. Almost. But he merely clicked his tongue and brushed the comment off.
"It's coming," Gleren said suddenly, his voice sharpening.
As if on cue, an enormous fireball roared through the air, its blazing surface lighting up the night like a deadly second sun.
"Move!" Matthias barked, diving for cover.
The fireball hit their perch with devastating force, obliterating what remained of the building in an instant.
"Not only is it big, but even its magic is extra big too?! Aw, come on!" Gleren shouted as he ducked behind a crumbling wall.
"Not that it's illogical," Matthias retorted, dusting himself off.
"Gimme a break!"
The rubble smoldered as the two of them regrouped, their banter momentarily halting as another fireball curved unnaturally through the air, forcing them to split up again.
"That magic just curved, didn't it?! It did, didn't it?!" Gleren yelled, narrowly dodging the attack.
"It sure did!" Matthias called back, irritation and exhaustion evident in his tone.
The colossal demon didn't let up, hurling one relentless barrage after another. The ground shook under the force of its attacks, and buildings crumbled like sandcastles.
"Ugh! I've had enough!" Gleren shouted, his frustration boiling over as he punched a nearby chunk of rubble.
"You have some brilliant plan?" Matthias asked sarcastically, his eyes narrowing as he dodged yet another projectile.
Instead of replying, Gleren summoned a jet-black baseball bat, its surface pulsing with shadowy energy.
"What the hell are you thinking, you slimehead?!" Matthias yelled, his usual calm demeanor evaporating.
"Hehe, watch!" Gleren shouted back, grinning like a madman.
He leapt down to the street below, the bat slung over his shoulder. Dust swirled around him as he landed, and he immediately squared up like a seasoned batter stepping onto the field.
As the next fireball roared toward him, Gleren swung with all his might.
The impact was thunderous. The fireball reversed course, flying back toward the demon at breakneck speed. It struck the towering creature square in the face, triggering an explosion that rocked the city.
"Home run!" Gleren cheered, pumping his fist in triumph.
Matthias, standing slack-jawed at the sight, buried his face in his hands. "This guy is insane…"
***
Since all my built-up stress wasn't going anywhere, I figured I might as well have some fun. And let me tell you, smacking that demon's fireball back in its face? Extremely satisfying. Sure, it wasn't the smartest idea, but hey, what's life without a little chaos?
The demon? Oh, it was pissed. Like, royally pissed. Its guttural roars shook the ground, and I couldn't help but laugh.
"What? A little fireball to the face, and you're throwing a tantrum? Don't be such a baby!"
"You've got a nasty mouth," Matthias muttered, appearing at my side.
"It's part of my charm," I replied, winking at him.
***
The sky above the city darkened as Gleren's shadows spread like a storm front, blotting out the moon and stars. I stood below, staring in disbelief at the display of power.
"What on Earth…" I, Matthias, muttered, my voice barely audible over the demon's enraged roars.
Above me, the sky teemed with black, writhing shapes, their edges sharp and liquid all at once, defying the very laws of nature. It was as if Gleren had summoned the night itself to his aid, folding and bending it to his will.
But there was no time to marvel. The colossal demon, now thoroughly enraged, roared and hurled another fireball. This one was enormous—twice as big as the ones before—and it was aimed directly at Gleren, standing motionless on the rooftop.
"Move, you idiot!" I shouted, sprinting toward him. There was no way he'd survive that.
Then, just as the fireball reached him, the shadow beneath Gleren rippled, swallowing him whole in an instant. My feet skidded to a stop as my heart lurched.
Where…?
Before I could finish the thought, a ripple in the air beside me caught my eye. The shadow on the ground twisted unnaturally, and Gleren reappeared, entirely unharmed, with that irritatingly smug grin plastered across his face.
"Neat, huh?" he said casually, as if he hadn't just narrowly escaped fiery death.
I blinked at him, my brain struggling to keep up. "You can actually do that? With shadows?"
He didn't bother answering. Before I could press him, he vanished again, his figure dissolving into the night.
What happened next was nothing short of madness.
One moment, Gleren was gone; the next, he reappeared beside the demon's head, his jet-black sword slicing through its grotesque ear with precision. Then he disappeared again, flickering like a phantom to its other side.
Slash. Disappear. Slash. Reappear.
His movements were impossibly fast, almost too quick for my eyes to follow. He was everywhere and nowhere all at once, striking at the demon's joints, its tendons, and even its grotesque mouth.
The demon roared, its massive arms swinging wildly in an attempt to swat him away. But Gleren danced through the air, weaving between its attacks with infuriating ease. Each time the demon lunged, he was already gone, leaving only a faint ripple of shadow in his wake.
From where I stood, I could see the damage accumulating. The demon's arms hung limply, its movements growing sluggish as its tendons gave out. Its ears were shredded, and its massive legs trembled under its weight.
And yet…
"He's doing all this without breaking a sweat?" I muttered to myself, watching as Gleren flickered in and out of sight, like a blade of darkness cutting through the night.
The sheer scale of his technique was staggering. Those shadows—each one a portal for instant movement—had completely turned the battlefield into his playground. He wasn't just fighting the demon; he was toying with it.
But it didn't stop there.
At one point, Gleren appeared directly above the demon's head, suspended mid-air by a shadowy platform. He raised his sword high, its edge shimmering with an ominous, dark light. Then, with a single, devastating swing, he brought it down, carving a deep gash into the demon's shoulder.
The impact sent a shockwave rippling through the air, and the demon let out an ear-splitting shriek, its massive body staggering from the blow.
"Is this guy even human…?" I whispered, a shiver running down my spine.
But even as the demon reeled, it wasn't enough. I could see it beginning to regenerate, its grotesque wounds closing as quickly as they had been inflicted.
Then, as suddenly as he'd started, Gleren landed beside me, skidding to a stop in a cloud of dust.
"Tsk! It didn't work!" he complained, clicking his tongue like a child whose toy had broken.
I stared at him, dumbfounded. Not a single bead of sweat lined his brow, and his hair swayed lazily in the night breeze.
"What?" he asked, sulking. "Disappointed I didn't beat it?"
I didn't answer immediately. Instead, I turned my gaze back to the demon. Its wounds were healing, yes, but the damage Gleren had inflicted was nothing short of catastrophic.
"You pretty much trashed the thing," I said finally, mimicking his nonchalant tone.
He blinked at me, then grinned. "See? I'm not so bad, am I?"
I sighed, rubbing my temple. "Has all common sense left this guy already?"
But before I could say more, the demon let out another deafening screech, its fury shaking the very ground beneath us.