Ishida stood over Zarathis, his sword shining in the dim light of the 7th floor. The snake-like demon hissed furiously, its long, coiled body ready to strike. But Ishida wasn't completely focused on the demon. His forehead wrinkled as he tried to figure out why Zarathis' words had been cut off earlier. It was like something was interfering, but he couldn't see what.
"What the hell was that?" Ishida muttered under his breath, glancing around the empty room. "Why did his words just stop like that? And why does it feel like… like someone or something else is here?"
He could still sense it—something faint but strong, much stronger than Zarathis. It didn't feel dangerous, though. It felt… different. Like it was just watching.
"Are you done yet, human?" Zarathis hissed, snapping Ishida out of his thoughts. "I'll tear you apart!"
Ishida smirked, though his eyes stayed sharp. His mind was racing. "Keep talking, snake," he said, lowering his sword slightly. "Maybe you'll say something worth hearing."
Zarathis lunged, its claws slicing through the air. But Ishida dodged it easily, moving so fast he ended up right behind the demon. He saw his chance and went for a slash at Zarathis' neck, aiming to end the fight quickly. But before his sword could connect, 3-4 vines shot up from the ground and wrapped around his sword arm, stopping him mid-swing.
Zarathis moved out of the way just in time, its grin widening. "You might want to rethink your strategy," it said, its voice dripping with malice. The vines tightened around Ishida's arm like iron.
"You're finished, human!" Zarathis hissed, lunging forward with its claws ready to strike.
Ishida's eyes narrowed. He shifted his weight, focusing all his strength into one explosive burst. The vines around his arm snapped, falling to the ground like dead leaves. Before Zarathis could react, Ishida was gone—a blur of motion as he reappeared behind the demon.
"Not so fast, are you?" Ishida said, taking a deep breath. "Moon Breathing, First Form: Dark Moon, Evening Palace." He swung his sword in a precise, crescent-shaped slash aimed at Zarathis' neck. But at the last second, the demon moved just enough to avoid the deadly blow. Instead of the neck, the blade cut deep into Zarathis' shoulder. The demon hissed in pain, backing away as the wound started to heal.
"You're persistent," Ishida muttered, his voice calm but focused. He took a step back, his eyes scanning the room. Vines were sprouting everywhere now—from the floor, the walls, even the ceiling. Their tendrils were writhing like snakes, shooting toward him from all directions. But Ishida moved like a shadow, cutting through them effortlessly.
"What?!" Zarathis looked shocked as its most powerful attack was destroyed so easily. It was like it meant nothing to Ishida.
But before Zarathis could recover or launch another attack, Ishida was already moving again. In a blink, he was right beside the demon. Zarathis swung its claw at him in a desperate attempt to strike, but Ishida dodged it without breaking a sweat.
"Zarathis, you're strong…" Ishida said calmly as he brought his sword up in a swift motion. With a quick slash, he cut off the demon's clawed hand. Then, without hesitation, he used Moon Breathing, First Form: Dark Moon, Evening Palace again. A crescent-shaped slash sliced through Zarathis' neck before the demon could even react. Its head fell to the ground, quickly disintegrating into ashes, followed by the rest of its body.
"…But I've been leveling up all this time," Ishida finished, lowering his sword as the last of the demon's remains disappeared into nothing. He took a deep breath, his eyes still scanning the room, sensing that strange presence again. Whatever it was, it was still there, watching. And he wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not.
[1st Task is Completed]
[Zarathis Is Defeated]
[EXP Gained : 25,000]
[Defeated Opponent : 1/7]
[Next Opponent Will Be Deployed In 20 Seconds]