The demon's roars filled the air, shaking the very foundations of the summoning chamber. Chaos spread as students ran in all directions, desperate to flee from the terrifying presence. Hiroshi, caught in the current of panicked classmates, felt the instinct to run surge through him. But just as he was about to escape, a sight froze him in place.
Selene. Standing near the front of the chamber, her hands already summoning magic circles, her face set in grim determination. She stood alone, her eyes locked on the towering demon, refusing to back down.
"Selene, what are you doing?!" Hiroshi muttered under his breath.
She unleashed a barrage of powerful spells—flashes of fire, crackling lightning, and icy shards flew toward the demon. Each one struck with impressive force, but the demon barely flinched. Its massive form absorbed the damage with ease, and it continued its advance toward her, growling with rage.
Then, with a sweeping motion, the demon swung its massive arm, sending a shockwave through the air. Selene couldn't react in time. The impact sent her flying across the room, crashing into the stone floor with a sickening thud. She lay still, unconscious, her body limp on the cold ground.
"Selene!" Hiroshi's voice tore through the air, his heart lurching.
The demon, now unbothered by any remaining threats, loomed over her, raising a massive clawed hand to crush her.
Hiroshi's feet moved before he could think. In an instant, he dashed forward, his legs carrying him faster than he thought possible. Time seemed to slow as he closed the distance, the demon's deadly claws poised to strike.
Just as the demon's hand came down, Hiroshi threw himself over Selene's body, rolling her out of the way just in time. The ground shattered beneath the demon's blow, sending shards of stone flying everywhere.
Breathing heavily, Hiroshi stood, looking down at Selene's unconscious form. She was pale, her breathing shallow, but alive. Relief washed over him, but it was short-lived. The demon was turning its gaze toward him now. Its fiery eyes locked onto him, and a low growl rumbled in its chest.
Hiroshi's mind raced. He could run. He could leave Selene behind and try to escape, but the thought made his stomach twist. He couldn't abandon her, not after everything.
"I've got no choice…" he whispered, standing tall as he turned to face the demon.
He had to fight.
With a deep breath, Hiroshi summoned his skills, feeling the mana pulse through his body. The weight of the situation pressed down on him—this was no ordinary opponent. It was far beyond anything he'd faced before.
He activated his first skill: [Analyze].
[Target: Demon General—Rank: SS] [Weaknesses: Unknown] [Resistances: Physical damage, low-tier magic]
Hiroshi gritted his teeth. An SS-rank demon? This was bad—far worse than he expected. There was no information on its weaknesses, and most forms of damage seemed ineffective. He needed to find a way to stall it.
The demon growled, taking a step toward him. Its massive foot crushed the stones beneath it, shaking the ground. Hiroshi knew he couldn't face it head-on. He needed to stay fast, to stay one step ahead.
"[Flicker]," he whispered, feeling the familiar energy surge through him.
His body flickered, vanishing for a split second before reappearing several feet away. The demon's claw slammed into the spot where he'd just been standing, missing him by inches. Hiroshi's heart pounded in his chest as he focused on staying light on his feet. He couldn't let the demon corner him.
Another swipe came his way, and he barely dodged with [Flicker], moving just in time to avoid the strike. He kept using the skill, darting back and forth across the room, trying to keep the demon off balance. Each time he used it, his body felt more strained, the repeated bursts of speed taking their toll on him.
But he knew he couldn't keep this up forever.
The demon roared again, its patience wearing thin. It stomped the ground, sending a shockwave that knocked Hiroshi off his feet. He tumbled across the floor, wincing as pain shot through his body.
"Damn it," he muttered, scrambling to his feet.
He needed a plan. He had no other offensive skills, and the demon's resistances made brute force useless. His only advantage was his speed and intellect.
Hiroshi glanced around the room, his mind racing for ideas. His eyes settled on the ceiling above the demon. Large, heavy stone columns held up the massive structure. They were old—worn down from years of use.
"That might work…"
As the demon advanced on him again, Hiroshi activated [Flicker] one more time, darting past the beast and toward the far side of the chamber. He raised his hand, channeling the last of his mana, and focused on one of the columns. With a precise burst of energy, he sent a small shockwave through the base of the pillar.
The stone cracked.
The demon, enraged by his constant evasion, charged at him, roaring with fury. Hiroshi looked up as the ceiling began to shake, dust falling from above. The weakened pillar wouldn't last long.
"Come on…" Hiroshi whispered under his breath, his heart racing.
The demon closed in, raising its clawed hand for a final strike. Just as it was about to hit, Hiroshi activated [Flicker] one last time, darting away from the demon and back toward Selene.
With a deafening crack, the weakened pillar collapsed. Massive chunks of stone fell from the ceiling, crashing down onto the demon with a thunderous roar. The ground shook violently as the rubble buried the creature, its growls muffled beneath the weight of the debris.
Hiroshi stood over Selene, panting heavily, his mana completely drained. He stared at the pile of rubble, waiting, his muscles tense. For a moment, there was silence.
Then, a low growl echoed from beneath the rocks.
Hiroshi's eyes widened in horror. The demon wasn't finished. It was still alive.
"I've got no other choices…" Hiroshi thought, his body trembling from exhaustion. He reached for the sword strapped to his back—the one he had found in the ruins. He'd been hesitant to use it before, not knowing its true power. But now, there was no time for hesitation.
As his hand closed around the hilt of the blade, he felt a surge of unfamiliar energy course through him. The demon stirred beneath the rubble, slowly rising once again.
Hiroshi tightened his grip, his eyes narrowing as he prepared to make his stand.