**CHAPTER 16: The Relentless Battle**
"Today, I will instill fear in your hearts. You will know my name and tremble at it."
With a swift leap from the shadows, Anon targeted the injured Third Elder. As Damon, closed his eyes, revealing his "Heaven Wheel Eye."
"This only deepens my desire for you," the Second Elder declared, unveiling his "Devil Eye." He lunged forward, aiming to strike Damon, but his sword met an impenetrable barrier. When he tried again, the old devil was too quick, employing "Devil Steps" to evade. Yet there was no time to rest; he executed the "Spinning Devil," his strikes precise and deadly. "I am the most ruthless of the four, and I will claim your flesh."
But as he unleashed a flurry of attacks, he realized the young warrior before him was unlike any other. Damon dodged every strike with uncanny agility, countering with a "Void Rotation" that sent the Second Elder crashing into a pillar. Unyielding, Damon activated "Crazed Step" and "Crazed Zoom," transforming into a whirlwind of chaos. To onlookers, he seemed possessed by a primal urge for battle, each strike fueling his madness.
With Avalonia gripped tightly in his hand, Damon launched a vicious attack at the Second Elder's head, sending it flying. Suddenly, the Devil Lord burst from the palace, furious. "Bastard! Why not abandon your life?" He charged, delivering a powerful punch that sent Damon staggering back, his hand severed. Attempting to heal, Damon found his powers sealed. "You think you can heal? Don't bother," the Devil Lord taunted.
In a desperate move, Damon recalled Anon into his shadows as he fled towards a cliff—his only escape route. The Devil Lord pursued relentlessly. In a moment of desperation, Damon hurled his axe to buy time, but the Devil Lord caught it effortlessly and threw it back. "I, the Devil Lord, must kill you."
Realizing he had to conjure a miracle, Damon remembered a skill from his past life: "Oro Steps." This ancient technique belonged to the Masquerades, who danced upon the earth, allowing it to swallow them whole.
With a laugh, Damon caught his axe, sending vibrations through his feet as he struck the ground repeatedly. The earth opened up, engulfing him just as the Devil Lord unleashed a burst of demonic energy, annihilating everything in his vicinity. "I will find you, and I will take your flesh!" he roared, aware that he had underestimated the demon who had escaped five Emperor Realm experts, leaving two dead in his wake.
Frantically, the Devil Lord returned to his palace, summoning all squad leaders and elders. Rage consumed him. "Where is the fool who brought that demon into our sect?" he demanded. They presented a group leader, bloodied and beaten, but before he could explain, his head was severed. "I want Damon's head! I don't care how you do it—just bring it to me!"
The denizens of the Devil Palace pondered how to eliminate such a madman, one who had so easily escaped their lord. They had witnessed Damon's prowess, yet before their master, they showed no fear, chanting war cries as some set out to hunt him down.
Somewhere in the Demon Continent, Damon emerged from the ground, but he was gravely injured—his legs gone, a sacrifice for the earth's aid. He had no time to assess his surroundings; his regenerative energy was sealed off. With determination, he plunged his hand into his chest and squeezed his heart, summoning roots from his void space to drag his body into safety.
"That was exhilarating," Damon chuckled, scanning his surroundings. He quickly realized he was in a poison valley, the air thick with danger. As the toxins took hold, his vision blurred, and darkness enveloped him.
His mind was consumed by thoughts of a treacherous woman he had encountered long ago. Moments later, he awoke, cocooned in blankets with a damp towel resting on his forehead. As he lifted the covers, a sudden realization struck him—he was completely naked. Panic surged through him as he scanned the surroundings and spotted his gauntlets and axe, neatly placed beside him. Hastily, he wrapped the blanket around his waist and approached the woman seated by the campfire. She possessed an alluring, curvy figure, yet her face was shrouded in a veil.
"Damon!" she exclaimed, tears glistening in her eyes as she sprang to her feet and embraced him. Startled, he instinctively pushed her away, and a flush crept across her cheeks as she became aware of his state of undress. With a hesitant grace, she began to lift her veil, revealing the mystery beneath.