The icy wind howled as Dakota stood motionless, his brown eyes fixed on the two figures standing atop the ridge ahead. The blizzard obscured their features, but the oppressive aura they radiated left no room for doubt. These were not ordinary foes. They were Devils—creatures of raw malice and chaos, far beyond the monsters he had faced so far.
One of them stepped forward, the snow parting around his body as if nature itself recoiled from his presence. His skin was ashen gray, his body adorned with intricate black markings that pulsed with eerie light. His eyes glowed a deep crimson, his fanged grin filled with malicious amusement.
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"Dakota… So, you're the one who's been tearing through this mountain. We were beginning to wonder if we'd ever get some real entertainment."
The second Devil remained silent but exuded an even darker aura. He was taller, his body encased in jagged obsidian-like armor, sharp, spiked protrusions emerging from his shoulders and arms. His presence alone made the air feel heavier, almost suffocating.
Dakota exhaled slowly, gripping his sword tighter.
Dakota:
"I was wondering when I'd run into something worth my time. Took you long enough."
The first Devil laughed, his voice a sickening mixture of delight and menace.
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"Oh, you'll regret those words soon enough, human. We are nothing like the creatures you've faced on this mountain."
Without warning, the second Devil moved—too fast.
In an instant, he was in front of Dakota, his clawed hand striking out with devastating force. Dakota barely raised his blade in time, the impact sending him skidding back across the frozen ground. His feet dug into the ice, carving deep trenches as he struggled to stop his momentum.
Dakota: (gritting his teeth)
"Fast bastard..."
Before he could recover, the first Devil appeared behind him, his fist crackling with dark energy.
BOOM!
Dakota barely twisted in time, the punch grazing his side but sending shockwaves through his body. He coughed, feeling the sting of internal damage as he flipped away, distancing himself.
The two Devils stood side by side, watching him with amused expressions.
First Devil: (mocking)
"What's wrong? You're not as untouchable as you thought, are you?"
Dakota clenched his jaw. He had fought countless powerful foes before, but these Devils… they were different. Their attacks weren't just strong—they were overwhelming. The sheer weight of their presence made it feel like the mountain itself was against him.
Dakota: (thinking)
"They're faster and stronger than me… No, I can still win. I just have to be smart about it."
The battle resumed in an instant.
The armored Devil lunged again, his clawed hands aiming for Dakota's throat. Dakota ducked at the last second, spinning as he slashed at the Devil's side—only for his blade to barely scratch the obsidian armor.
Dakota: (thinking, eyes narrowing)
"That's not normal durability. Their bodies are enhanced by pure demonic energy."
A sudden burst of force slammed into him from behind—the first Devil had teleported and delivered a devastating kick to Dakota's back, sending him flying through the air.
CRASH!
He smashed through a jagged ice pillar, shards of frozen rock collapsing around him.
Dakota coughed as he forced himself up, his body aching from the repeated impacts. He wiped blood from his lips, watching as the Devils advanced leisurely, grinning.
First Devil: (mocking)
"Getting tired already?"
Dakota took a deep breath, focusing.
His magic surged around him, his body radiating a dark aura. The mountains cold air twisted, the very environment responding to his rising power. The Devils halted, sensing the shift in energy.
Dakota: (grinning despite the pain)
"I was just getting started."
With a single movement, he disappeared.
The Devils barely had time to react before Dakota reappeared behind them, his sword already mid-swing.
SHHHRK!
His blade slashed through the air, slicing deep into the first Devil's shoulder. Black blood sprayed across the snow, sizzling as it met the cold ground.
The Devil hissed in pain, but before he could retaliate, Dakota had already moved again—this time slamming his knee into the second Devil's gut, cracking his obsidian armor slightly.
The Devils staggered back, their amusement now replaced with frustration.
Dakota: (smirking, twirling his blade)
"Not laughing anymore?"
The first Devil's eyes blazed with fury.
First Devil: (snarling)
"You'll pay for that!"
Dark energy exploded from his body as he unleashed his true form. His muscles bulged, his body growing larger, sharper, more monstrous. His claws extended, his fangs dripping with pure demonic corruption.
The second Devil followed suit, his obsidian armor glowing with an ominous red hue. His power surged, and the very ground beneath them cracked apart.
Dakota exhaled, feeling the weight of their full strength.
Dakota: (thinking)
"This… just got a lot harder."
The battle escalated.
Dakota dodged and countered at inhuman speeds, but even he was beginning to struggle. The Devils attacked in perfect coordination, their enhanced forms pushing his reflexes to their absolute limits.
One mistake—one misstep—and he would be injured.
A clawed hand nearly tore through his chest, barely missing his heart.
A blast of dark magic shattered the ice beneath him, forcing him to teleport away at the last second.
His stamina was draining. The wounds accumulating on his body slowed his movements.
And the Devils knew it.
First Devil: (grinning, breathing heavily)
"Look at you… You're weakening. You may be strong, but you're still human."
Dakota didn't answer. He simply adjusted his stance.
His sword glowed with crimson energy.
Dakota: (muttering to himself)
"I just need one opening…"
The Devils lunged simultaneously.
Dakota vanished at the last possible second.
And then—
SLASH!
He reappeared behind the first Devil, his blade buried deep in the creature's chest.
The Devil's eyes widened in shock as he coughed out black blood.
Dakota: (coldly, twisting the blade deeper)
"You talked too much."
With a final slash, he ripped his sword upward, splitting the Devil in half.
The body fell, motionless. The ground beneath it sizzled as the demonic energy inside it dissipated.
The second Devil froze, his crimson eyes widening in disbelief.
As silence settled over the battlefield, Dakota straightened, exhaling. Blood dripped from his wounds, but his expression remained unreadable.
Then, he turned his brown eyes toward the last remaining Devil.
Dakota: (raising his sword, smirking slightly)
"One down… one more to go."
The surviving Devil took a step back.
For the first time…
He looked afraid.