Chapter 109: The Demon Awakens
Scene: The battlefield rumbles under the weight of the ongoing clash. The knights and soldiers of the South Nation fight valiantly against Zarek's elite forces, but the true heart of the battle lies where the heroes stand against Zarek himself. Rylan, overcome with rage, charges at Zarek in a blind fury, determined to avenge Eren's fall.
Narrator: Rylan, the Dark Elf, launches himself toward Zarek with reckless abandon. His eyes burn with fury, his body surging with dark energy. He raises his Abyssal Blade, summoning a barrage of black arrows that streak across the battlefield toward Zarek. Each arrow hums with lethal power, but Zarek remains calm, his cold gaze unwavering.
Zarek dodges the black arrows with precision, moving like a shadow through the air. His movements are swift, almost too fast for Rylan to track. As the last arrow flies past, Zarek counters, closing the distance between them in the blink of an eye. He raises his hand and strikes with brutal force, his fist connecting with Rylan's head in a sickening thud.
Rylan is thrown back, his body skidding across the dirt as Zarek looms over him. Pain throbs through Rylan's skull, but he grits his teeth and forces himself back up, his anger fueling him.
Zarek: (mocking) Is that all you've got, Dark Elf? You're nothing compared to me.
Rylan wipes the blood from his lip, his eyes narrowing with focus. He takes a deep breath, centering himself as he remembers the lessons from the Village of Mula. His mind sharpens, his body stills.
Rylan: (softly) Kito... second stance: Pierce.
With those words, Rylan shifts into the second stance of the ancient combat art of Kito. The stance is precise, low to the ground, designed to strike with lethal force while conserving mana. There are seven stances in total, but this second stance allows Rylan to strike swiftly and relentlessly, focusing his energy on pure physical combat.
Rylan moves with lightning speed, closing the gap between him and Zarek in an instant. He strikes with his blade—once, twice, and then a flurry of blows that rain down on Zarek like a storm. Each strike lands with devastating precision, tearing through Zarek's defenses. Zarek's shirt rips away under the barrage, exposing his scarred chest as blood splatters onto the ground.
Zarek grits his teeth, his face twisting with anger as he takes a step back, momentarily stunned by Rylan's assault.
Zarek: (furious) You'll pay for that!
Summoning his Divine Mana, Zarek forms a large, glowing sphere of white energy in his hand. Inside the sphere, sharp projectiles materialize, whirring dangerously as the sphere grows in size. With a flick of his wrist, he hurls the sphere at Rylan.
Rylan has no time to react as the sphere slams into him with a deafening impact. The sharp projectiles tear at his flesh, and he's thrown to the ground, his body aching from the sheer force of the attack. He struggles to rise, but the pain is overwhelming.
Asher and Aria, seeing Rylan in danger, sprint across the battlefield, their hearts pounding in their chests. They reach Rylan's side, helping him to his feet as he groans in pain.
Asher: (urgently) Rylan, stay with us! We need you for this.
Aria: (firmly) We're not giving up now. We've got a plan.
Rylan nods weakly, his vision clearing as he forces himself to focus. Despite the pain, he knows they can't afford to lose now. The three of them stand together, their determination unshaken.
Narrator: Rylan, Asher, and Aria, their bond forged in battle and strengthened by their training in the Village of Mula, know that they must work together if they are to bring Zarek down. Their combined strength could tip the balance.
The three heroes focus their mana, drawing on the technique they learned in Mula—the ancient art of Liquid Mana. Asher and Aria unleash their Liquid Mana, the fluid energy rippling from their bodies like a stream of water. Rylan taps into his own form of Liquid Mana, a dark and misty energy that he calls "Mana Mist."
Together, they adapt Eren's technique, each of them forming ten clones from their Liquid Mana and Mana Mist. Thirty ethereal forms of the heroes now stand on the battlefield, surrounding Zarek from every direction.
Asher: (grinning) Let's see you handle this, Zarek!
The clones move in perfect synchrony, attacking Zarek from all angles with a barrage of mana-infused strikes. Mana bursts, water-like slashes, and dark mist swirls toward Zarek, overwhelming him with sheer numbers and relentless force.
Zarek grunts in frustration as the clones swarm him. He deflects some attacks, but many land, knocking him to the ground. He struggles to rise, his clothes torn, his body bruised and bloodied. For the first time in the battle, Zarek looks vulnerable.
Zarek: (seething) You think this will stop me?
The heroes stand back, their breaths heavy but their resolve strong. They watch as Zarek slowly rises to his feet, his chest heaving with anger and frustration. But something changes in the air. A dark, sinister energy begins to emanate from Zarek, growing stronger by the second.
Narrator: The battle pauses for a moment, a brief silence falling over the battlefield as the heroes await Zarek's next move. But what they don't realize is that Zarek is no longer holding back. His anger has reached a boiling point, and the demonic blood within him begins to stir.
Zarek's eyes flicker, his expression twisting into something far more dangerous. He clenches his fists, and a low, guttural growl escapes his lips. The air around him warps as his mana shifts again, the white Divine Mana being consumed by a deep, dark purple energy. His body trembles as his demon blood fully awakens.
Zarek throws his head back, a primal scream ripping from his throat as his transformation begins. His once white hair darkens, turning black as midnight, and his eyes glow a deep, menacing purple. His body pulses with demonic energy, far stronger than anything the heroes have seen before.
Zarek: (roaring) You wanted a fight, didn't you?! Well, let's see if you can handle a demon!
His mana erupts around him in a violent storm, swirling with dark, chaotic energy. The ground beneath him cracks, and the air itself seems to shudder under the force of his power. He is no longer the Zarek they had faced before—he has fully embraced his demon side, and with it, a power far beyond their expectations.
The heroes step back, momentarily stunned by the sudden transformation. Zarek's presence is overwhelming, and his demonic aura fills the battlefield with dread.
Aria: (whispering) What… what is this?
Asher: (grimly) His demon blood… it's taken over completely.
Rylan, still weakened from the previous exchange, grits his teeth and grips his blade tighter.
Rylan: (furiously) I don't care what he is. We'll bring him down, no matter what!
Narrator: Zarek's transformation is complete. His power, now fully demonic, radiates across the battlefield, filling the air with malice and destruction. The heroes are left to face a foe more dangerous than they could have imagined.
The chapter ends with Zarek standing amidst the chaos, his dark purple eyes glowing with fury. His transformation into his full demon form is complete, and he is ready to strike with all the power he now wields. The heroes brace themselves for the battle that lies ahead, knowing that this fight will push them to their absolute limits.