Chapter 15: The Demon's Challenge
As the new dark vortex opened, the atmosphere shifted, growing heavier with every passing moment. The crowd, which had been cautiously hopeful after the defeat of the shadow creatures, was now filled with fear once again. The adventurers who had remained began to question their decision to stay. Even some of the seasoned warriors faltered, staring wide-eyed at the swirling portal.
Kazuki, still holding his sword at the ready, scanned the area. His mind raced as he considered his next move. The strain on his team was clear—Leo was nearly out of mana, Serena's stamina was wearing thin, and the other adventurers were reaching their limit. If this new threat was as powerful as it seemed, the battle was far from over.
The tension was interrupted by a deep, sinister laugh. Marius, still standing at the far side of the arena, raised his arms to the sky as if conducting some unseen orchestra. "You've done well, Kazuki," he said, his voice echoing throughout the arena. "But you've only faced my minions. Now it's time for you to see what true power looks like."
From the portal, the ground began to rumble again, and new figures started to emerge. These weren't the mindless monsters from before. They were more structured, disciplined, and far more dangerous. Kazuki could see that these were lesser demons—high-ranking ones, not like the cannon fodder they had been fighting until now.
Serena, her sword at the ready, stepped up beside Kazuki. "This isn't looking good," she muttered. "We need a plan, and fast."
Leo, catching his breath, leaned on his staff. "I'm almost out of juice, Kazuki. Whatever you're planning, it needs to happen now."
Kazuki didn't respond immediately. He was focused on the swirling portal. His instincts told him that something far worse was coming. His gaze drifted up to the window screen that appeared before him again, blinking with another notification.
**[Warning: Elite Demonic Forces Detected]**
Before Kazuki could process the information, Marius clapped his hands, and the demonic figures straightened up in unison, as if receiving orders from their master.
Kazuki turned to his team. "Everyone, fall back. These things aren't like the others. We'll need to regroup."
But just as Kazuki was about to move, Marius raised his hand again. "Not so fast, hero," he sneered. "You're not going anywhere."
Suddenly, the ground around the arena erupted in dark flames, trapping them inside. The flames rose high, forming a barrier that cut off any escape.
Alaric, standing near the flames, grunted in frustration. "Great. We're boxed in."
Mira, the archer, fired an arrow at the barrier, but it simply disintegrated on contact. "It's too strong," she said, her voice tinged with worry.
Darius, always the optimist, slammed his shield into the ground. "Well, I guess there's no running. Let's give them hell!"
Kazuki's eyes remained locked on the vortex. The portal flickered, and from its depths, a single figure began to emerge. Unlike the other demons, this one carried an aura of overwhelming malice and power. Its armor was adorned with strange symbols, and its eyes glowed an intense crimson. The ground cracked beneath its feet as it stepped forward, its massive form towering over everyone present.
Marius's smile widened. "Allow me to introduce you to one of my finest. A demon of high rank—one of my personal enforcers. I hope you're ready for a real fight."
The demon looked down at Kazuki and his companions, its eyes narrowing with contempt. "Pitiful humans," it rumbled. "I'll make quick work of you."
Kazuki tightened his grip on his sword, the weight of the situation finally hitting him. This demon wasn't just strong—it was on an entirely different level from anything they had faced so far. For a brief moment, doubt crept into his mind. Could they really defeat something like this?
But before he could dwell on it, Serena's voice snapped him out of his thoughts. "Kazuki, we've got your back."
He glanced over at his team. Serena, battered but still standing strong, met his gaze with unwavering determination. Leo, exhausted yet resolute, nodded in agreement. Even Alaric, Lyra, Mira, and Darius stood ready to fight, despite the odds.
Kazuki exhaled, steeling himself. He wasn't going to back down now. Not after everything they had been through. He could feel the weight of his responsibility—not just as a hero, but as a leader.
"Alright," he said, his voice calm but commanding. "Let's do this."
The demon let out a guttural laugh, raising its massive sword. "You'll regret standing against me, human."
With that, the demon charged forward, its blade slicing through the air with terrifying speed. Kazuki moved just in time, parrying the attack with his own sword. The force of the blow sent shockwaves through the arena, and Kazuki skidded back, digging his heels into the ground to steady himself.
Serena rushed forward, slashing at the demon's legs, but the creature's armor deflected her strikes with ease. Leo, summoning what little mana he had left, fired a barrage of fireballs, but they barely seemed to scratch the demon's armor.
The adventurers fought valiantly, each one pushing their limits to fend off the onslaught of lesser demons that poured from the vortex. Alaric's axe cut through the creatures with raw power, Lyra danced through the battlefield, and Mira's arrows found their marks with deadly accuracy. Darius stood as a wall, shielding his companions from the brunt of the attacks.
But the demon enforcer was relentless. It swatted away attacks like they were nothing, its movements impossibly fast for something of its size. The group was beginning to tire, and Kazuki knew that they couldn't keep this up forever.
In the midst of the chaos, the window screen appeared again in front of Kazuki.
**[New Skill Unlocked: Mana Burst]**
Kazuki blinked. "Mana Burst?"
Without thinking, he raised his hand, focusing on the new skill. A surge of energy flowed through him, and his sword began to glow with a bright, radiant light. The power felt overwhelming, like a river rushing through him, but he could control it.
With a single slash, Kazuki sent a wave of energy toward the demon enforcer. The attack struck the creature square in the chest, and for the first time, the demon staggered back, roaring in pain.
Kazuki didn't stop there. He charged forward, his sword glowing brighter with each step. The demon raised its sword to counter, but Kazuki was faster. He dodged the strike and brought his blade down on the demon's armor, shattering it with a single blow.
The demon fell to its knees, its body trembling as it tried to recover from the attack. Kazuki stood over it, his sword raised high, ready to deliver the final blow.
Kazuki striked his sword at the demon, killing it instantly
Then he turned to glare at marius, who was shocked by kazuki attack "don't think you've won just yet!" Marius sneered as he got ready to launch an attack, but in the blink of an eye, kazuki appeared behind him and delivered the final blow.
The dark flames around the arena suddenly vanished, and the remaining demons began to vanish . Marius stepped forward, a satisfied grin on his face. "You've impressed me, hero. But this battle isn't over yet"