As the last remnants of Marius's magic faded from the arena, Kazuki and his companions stood victorious. The crowd erupted into cheers, and Serena and Leo exchanged tired but triumphant smiles. Kazuki, though silent, couldn't help but feel relieved that the battle had finally ended. However, his relief was short-lived.
Out of nowhere, Kazuki's window screen reappeared, startling him. His eyes widened as it flashed a vivid red, displaying a serious warning:
**DANGER IMMINENT. ESCAPE OR PREPARE FOR BATTLE.**
"What...?" Kazuki muttered under his breath, confused and unsettled. It had been so long since he'd seen the window screen, and for it to appear now...
Before he could fully comprehend the situation, the air around them grew thick with an overwhelming pressure. A strong, dark aura began to fill the arena, so suffocating that even Kazuki found it hard to breathe. The crowd fell silent. Kazuki's gaze snapped toward the arena's entrance.
Marius, barely clinging to life, coughed out, "He's... finally here." With that, the last spark of life left his eyes, and he slumped over, lifeless.
A figure appeared at the entrance, moving slowly but with purpose. His mere presence felt commanding, radiating a terrifying aura that sent shivers through everyone in the arena. The pressure grew even more intense, and whispers of fear spread among the adventurers and warriors.
Kazuki clenched his fists. He had never felt anything like this before. Even he, someone who usually shrugged off fear, couldn't deny the gravity of the presence approaching them.
The figure stepped fully into the light, revealing his massive, muscular form. His body was chiseled like stone, with no armor on his upper half. His long, wild hair, reminiscent of a lion's mane, flowed freely, and a massive lion's skin was tied around his waist. His eyes glowed a fierce, predatory red as he scanned the terrified adventurers and warriors.
"Which one of you... is the strongest?" His voice was low and guttural, filled with disdain and menace, reverberating through the arena.
No one moved. Fear gripped the crowd as they felt the sheer power of this being. Kazuki could sense it too—this was no ordinary demon. His aura screamed of raw strength.
One brave adventurer, seemingly desperate to end the tension, charged forward. "I'll kill you!" he screamed, drawing his sword and running towards the demon general.
Without even turning his head, the demon flicked his finger. "Be quiet, human," he said with cold indifference.
In an instant, the adventurer exploded into a cloud of blood and gore, leaving only a shocked silence in his wake. The crowd recoiled in horror. Adventurers and warriors, some of them seasoned veterans, were trembling, murmuring in disbelief.
"He... he just killed an S-rank adventurer... with a flick of his finger..." one of them stammered, his voice barely audible.
Kazuki's eyes narrowed as he assessed the situation. This was bad—very bad. The demon's power was leagues above anything they had encountered so far. But he hadn't come this far to back down now.
"Serena, Leo, stay close!" Kazuki ordered, his voice tense. The two nodded, moving into defensive positions near him, though their faces betrayed their fear.
The demon's eyes flicked over the group, landing on Serena and Leo. A predatory grin spread across his face as he vanished from his spot, reappearing before them in an instant. His fist drew back, ready to deliver a deadly blow.
"Guess I'll find out for myself," the demon said, his voice dark and malicious.
Kazuki's instincts kicked in. He was fast—faster than the demon had anticipated. In a blur of motion, Kazuki leaped between the demon and his friends, his sword raised to block the attack. The force of the demon's punch collided with his blade, creating a shockwave that rattled the arena.
The demon's eyes widened for a brief moment, clearly surprised that his attack had been stopped. But then, a wicked grin stretched across his face.
"You blocked that? You'll do just fine," the demon growled.
Before Kazuki could react, the demon's massive fist slammed into him, sending him flying across the arena. He crashed into the ground, sliding to a stop against the far wall, gasping for air as pain shot through his body.
Kazuki struggled to catch his breath after being sent crashing into the wall by the demon's devastating punch. His vision blurred for a moment, but through sheer willpower, he began to push himself to his feet. Serena and Leo, seeing him in danger, immediately prepared to rush to his side.
"Do not interfere... or you'll die," the demon growled, his blood-red eyes narrowing at them, his voice carrying a menacing tone that froze them in place.
Serena's hand tightened around her sword, her body tense and ready to move, but the sheer force of the demon's gaze made her hesitate. Leo, his hands glowing with magic, glanced at Kazuki, unsure of what to do. The threat wasn't just a boast—they could feel the promise of death in the air.
Kazuki grunted, wiping blood from his lip as he forced himself upright. His entire body ached, but he couldn't let this creature win. Not here, not now.
"You… survived that?" the demon said, his tone almost amused. "Impressive, human."
Kazuki gritted his teeth. "I've survived worse," he lied, his grip on his sword tightening. The truth was, this demon was stronger than anyone he had ever faced, but backing down wasn't an option. His instincts told him to keep fighting, even if the odds were stacked against him.
The demon grinned, revealing sharp teeth. "Good. Show me how long you can last."
With a sudden burst of speed, the demon lunged at Kazuki, closing the distance between them in an instant. Kazuki barely managed to raise his sword in time to block the demon's fist, the impact sending a shockwave through the air and cracking the ground beneath them. Kazuki slid back, the force of the blow almost knocking him off his feet, but he managed to hold his ground.
Kazuki countered, swinging his sword in a wide arc aimed at the demon's torso. But the demon was faster, dodging with ease and delivering a swift kick to Kazuki's side, sending him stumbling again.
The fight raged on, with Kazuki doing his best to keep up with the demon's relentless assault. It was clear that the demon was stronger and more skilled, his every move calculated to break Kazuki down. But Kazuki wasn't giving up. His sword danced in the air, striking where he could, though each hit seemed to bounce off the demon's hardened skin.
The demon smirked, his eyes gleaming with amusement as he deflected Kazuki's attacks. "You've got heart, I'll give you that. But heart won't save you from me."
Kazuki's breaths came in ragged gasps, but he refused to back down. "I don't need saving."
The demon's grin widened. "We'll see about that."
Just as Kazuki felt the strain of the fight wearing on him, Serena, Leo, Alaric, Lyra, and Mira finally made their move. Unable to stand by any longer, they rushed forward, determined to help Kazuki. Despite the demon's warning, their resolve was unshakable.
Together, they launched a coordinated assault. Serena's blade sliced through the air with incredible precision, while Leo hurled powerful spells from the back. Alaric's shield deflected blows meant for Kazuki, and Lyra and Mira used their agility to distract the demon, moving swiftly around him, making it harder for him to focus on any one of them.
But Varkath's focus never wavered from Kazuki. Even as the others attacked, it was clear that Kazuki was the one the demon was truly interested in. The battle was fierce, and despite their best efforts, the demon continued to dominate the fight.
"Stay focused!" Kazuki called to his team, his eyes never leaving the demon.
With a well-timed distraction from Mira, who darted in with a quick strike to the demon's side, Kazuki saw his opening. Channeling all his strength, he launched himself at the demon, his sword glowing with power as he swung it down with everything he had. The force of the attack sent a massive shockwave through the arena, kicking up dust and debris.
For a moment, everything was still. The dust hung in the air, obscuring everyone's view of the battlefield. Then, as the dust settled, Kazuki's team saw the result of his attack—his sword had grazed the demon's arm, drawing blood. A thin line of crimson ran down the demon's bicep, a clear sign that Kazuki had managed to land a blow.
But then, Kazuki's sword shattered in his hand. The sheer force of the attack had been too much for the blade to withstand.
The demon, his arm bleeding slightly, stared at the wound with mild surprise. Then, a grin spread across his face. "Impressive. You actually managed to hurt me."
Kazuki staggered back, breathing heavily, his shattered sword useless in his hand. He was exhausted, but the fight wasn't over yet.
Varkath chuckled darkly. "You're strong, human. But you're not strong enough."
Suddenly, the ground beneath them began to tremble. Dark portals opened up, and from them, lower-ranking demons began to emerge, their grotesque forms snarling as they poured into the arena. The adventurers and warriors in the stands screamed in terror, some running for their lives, while others steeled themselves for the coming battle.
"Deal with them," Varkath ordered his minions, his gaze never leaving Kazuki.
While Serena, Leo, Alaric, Lyra, and Mira fought valiantly against the lesser demons, Kazuki stood alone, facing Varkath. The demon watched him with a mixture of curiosity and amusement.
"You are a strong one, human," Varkath said, his voice low and menacing. "What is your name?"
Kazuki, his breath still heavy, met the demon's gaze. "It's Kazuki."
Varkath's grin widened. "Well, Kazuki, I am Varkath, one of the Seven Generals of the Demon Army. The Sin of Wrath."
The moment those words left the demon's mouth, a collective gasp echoed through the arena. The remaining adventurers and warriors, already shaken, were now utterly terrified.
"No way… Did he just say one of the Seven Generals?" the crowd murmured in horror.
Varkath's eyes burned with anticipation as he turned back to Kazuki. "Now, Kazuki… Show me what you can do."
Kazuki, though exhausted, clenched his fists. This was it. The final round. He wasn't sure if he could win, but he had no choice but to fight.
The battle resumed with even more intensity. Kazuki and Varkath clashed, their fists flying, each blow sending shockwaves across the arena. Despite the pain, despite the odds, Kazuki fought back with everything he had. And for the first time, both he and Varkath shared the same expression—grins of excitement.
They were both enjoying this.