Suddenly, the first wave of souls attacked. The battlefield was a mental plane, a vast void where shadows twisted into grotesque forms. The first soul materialized as a jagged, clawed specter, its glowing red eyes filled with hatred. It lunged at Kaito with incredible speed, swiping at his face. He sidestepped with a fluid motion and countered with a devastating punch that shattered the specter into shards of shadow.
Before he could recover, three more souls appeared, each taking on a more monstrous form. One had elongated limbs tipped with claws, another wielded a flaming blade, and the third was an amorphous mass of shadowy tendrils. They attacked in unison, their shrieks like nails scraping across a chalkboard. Kaito ducked under the blade of the second soul, spinning on his heel to avoid the tendrils, and retaliated with a burst of cursed energy. The shockwave obliterated two of the souls instantly, their forms disintegrating into nothingness.
The third, however, reformed itself and came at him with renewed vigor. Kaito smirked, his crimson eyes narrowing. "You'll need more than that," he muttered, summoning a blade of cursed energy in his hand. With a swift strike, he cleaved the soul in half, its form dissolving into wisps of darkness.
The battlefield didn't relent. As soon as one wave was defeated, more souls emerged, each more formidable than the last. A hulking figure of smoke and flame charged at him, its massive fists pounding the ground in an attempt to crush him. Kaito leapt into the air, his wings of cursed energy spreading wide as he dodged the attack. From above, he unleashed a barrage of energy blasts, each one striking the hulking soul with pinpoint accuracy. The creature roared in pain, swinging wildly, but Kaito descended with a final, crushing blow, driving his fist through its core and scattering it into ash.
The battles became fiercer. Souls began to merge, creating monstrous amalgamations that towered over Kaito. One such creature, a giant with glowing eyes and sharp, jagged teeth, roared and charged at him, swinging a massive spectral club. Kaito raised his arm, summoning a shield of energy to block the attack. The impact sent shockwaves through the mental plane, but Kaito stood his ground.
"You're nothing but an obstacle," he growled, slashing through the giant's arm with his energy blade. The creature roared in agony, its arm falling to the ground before reforming. Kaito gritted his teeth, realizing the fight wouldn't end quickly.
The battle raged for what felt like hours. Kaito moved with unmatched precision, dodging and countering attacks with ruthless efficiency. He conjured weapons from his cursed energy—a spear to pierce through multiple souls at once, a hammer to crush the more resilient ones, and even chains to bind the faster adversaries. Every attack he launched carried the weight of his power, each blow forcing the souls closer to submission.
Yet the souls were relentless. They swarmed him, clawing at his body, attempting to tear him apart. Kaito roared in fury, his body erupting in a burst of cursed energy that incinerated dozens of them in an instant. But more came, their numbers seemingly endless.
Then, the final wave approached—a swirling storm of darkness, a collective force of the strongest souls he had ever faced. The storm coalesced into a massive, writhing beast with dozens of eyes, each one glowing with a malevolent light. Its tendrils lashed out in all directions, each strike capable of obliterating everything in its path.
Kaito planted his feet firmly, his cursed energy surging to its peak. His True Devil form glowed with an intense crimson light, his aura expanding to match the beast's size. As the beast lunged at him, Kaito met it head-on, his energy blade clashing with its massive tendrils. Sparks flew as the two forces collided, each trying to overpower the other.
The battle was cataclysmic. Kaito dodged and struck with unparalleled speed, his blade carving through the beast's tendrils while his energy blasts created massive explosions. The beast retaliated with devastating strikes, one of which slammed into Kaito and sent him flying. He crashed into the ground, but quickly rose, his body radiating raw power.
"This ends now!" Kaito roared, summoning every ounce of his cursed energy. His body burned with power, his True Devil form glowing brighter than ever. He charged at the beast, his blade transforming into a massive scythe. With a single, decisive swing, he cleaved through the beast, splitting it in two. The storm of souls dissipated, their energy now fully absorbed into Kaito.
The battlefield fell silent. Kaito stood victorious, his chest heaving as he surveyed the aftermath. His body was bruised and battered, but his power had grown exponentially. Every soul he had fought was now under his control, their energy fueling his cursed abilities.
As he returned to the physical realm, the graveyard was eerily still. The goblin couple, who had been spared his wrath, watched him from a distance, their expressions a mix of awe and gratitude. Despite his usual indifference, Kaito felt a strange sense of satisfaction.
"You're lucky," he muttered under his breath, glancing at the couple. "I don't spare anyone. But you… you're different."
With his mission complete and his power unmatched, Kaito turned and walked away, the graveyard now a silent testament to his dominance. The souls were his, the goblins were safe, and his True Devil form had proven unstoppable. As the moonlight bathed the graveyard in a pale glow, Kaito smirked. Another victory, another step closer to ultimate power.
After the long and grueling battle, Kaito finally returned to his home. The journey back felt like a blur, the night's events replaying in fragments in his mind—the graveyard, the goblin couple, the storm of dark souls, and the surge of power he had absorbed. His body carried the weight of his triumph, but the exhaustion was undeniable.
Pushing open the door, Kaito stepped inside, his usually sharp demeanor softened by fatigue. The house was silent, its shadows stretching in the dim moonlight streaming through the windows. Without a word, he made his way to his room, each step heavier than the last. His True Devil form had faded, leaving him in his normal state, but even that felt burdensome after the battle.