Above the Sky Battle Arena, countless dark clouds coalesced into a colossal gyre. As the clouds churned, a massive purple orb descended from the heavens, its aura saturated with malevolence and curses, causing all present to furrow their brows in unease.
"Is this the work of a deity?" Miuxi, witnessing a demon for the first time, inquired in bewilderment. Typically, only a deity could wield such immense power, far beyond human reach.
"No, Princess. This is the demon of legend, slumbering at the border of Biscode and Galette," Darkeion corrected, gripping her longsword tightly. Facing a demon of this caliber posed a formidable challenge.
"This is a demon?" Miuxi gasped. Simultaneously, the ground around Grana Floating Fortress erupted in towering pillars of flame, a spectacle of apocalyptic proportions that sent nearby soldiers fleeing in terror. Only Zhang Fan and his company remained, observing the transformation of the orb into a gigantic beast.
With its dark green body marked by countless scars and six massive purple tails thrashing, its maw filled with giant teeth seemed capable of devouring everything. Was this monstrous transformation a deity's doing? Its overwhelming presence nearly suffocated them.
"This will be a tough battle," Darkeion admitted. The appearance of the demon significantly diluted the ambient magical forces, Frolinde's power, constraining them further.
"No, we must not kill it!" At that moment, He Luo interjected.
"Why?" Everyone turned to her, puzzled.
"Because the child is crying! We must save it!" Before He Luo could respond, Miuxi continued, empathizing with the demon's apparent distress. Despite its cries, if they let it rampage, it could destroy all of Frolinde. Save it? But how, and who possessed the power to rescue such a creature?
"I'm sorry, Princess, but I'm not certain we can defeat this demon, let alone save it," Darkeion finally confessed after a moment of hesitation.
"How can this be?" Miuxi faltered, pained at the thought of the creature's suffering.
"Actually, saving this little one isn't impossible," Zhang Fan suddenly spoke up.
"What? Do you have a way, Zhang Fan?" Yu Jikazhe and the others looked at him incredulously.
"See the cursed blade on its back? Simply remove that, and the creature will revert to its original form," Zhang Fan suggested calmly, pointing to the beast howling in the sky with a sinister sword embedded in its back, secured by chains.
"That seems difficult, not just to reach the blade but even to approach the creature," Aikeleir pointed out. Given their inability to fly, how could they possibly reach the top of the hundred-meter-tall demon?
"No worries, for this mission, He Luo, Darkeion, Yu Jikazhe, and I will suffice. Aikeleir and Leong Miuxi, you're responsible for the Princess's safety," Zhang Fan decided without hesitation.
"No, how can you risk yourselves?" Miuxi protested, her voice betraying her concern for Zhang Fan.
"Don't worry; we'll be successful," Zhang Fan reassured her, patting her head before nodding to his companions. Parathion transformed into a surfboard, unusually large this time to accommodate them all comfortably.
"All aboard the Hero's flight. Please fasten your seatbelts," Zhang Fan joked, giving a thumbs-up before they soared into the sky.
"Take care, Hero!" Miuxi shouted after them, her calls lost as they ascended to confront the demon, leaving her fraught with worry.
"This is too dangerous, Princess. Let's retreat," Aikeleir insisted, prioritizing Miuxi's safety.
"But what about the Hero?" Miuxi's concern was palpable.
"Don't worry, Milxi. The Hero is no ordinary man; he'll be fine," Leong Miuxi reassured her, using her nickname and touching her deeply.
"Leong Miuxi?" Miuxi blinked, moved by the familiar term of endearment.
"Some things can wait. For now, we must trust in the Hero and Darkeion," Leong Miuxi urged, taking Miuxi's hand and leading her to safety away from the impending battle.
Back in the skies, as Zhang Fan and his team approached the demon, they faced its tentacled defense. The tentacles, tipped with blades, posed a lethal threat.