"I'll enjoy possessing the body of that pure little girl," the demon said, his tone a mix of menace and triumph.
"Oh, please," I replied, clenching my fists. "Do you always stick to the same routine, or do you ever take a day off from demon clichés?"
Not waiting for a reply, I lunged at him. I couldn't give him even the smallest advantage. Of course, my opponent wasn't the polite villain who just stands there and waits.
"DIE!" he roared, his voice so thunderous it could have knocked down a heavenly choir.
His arm, resembling an infernal tree on steroids, swung toward my face. I barely managed to dodge, feeling the wind from the strike slice at my skin like a warning. Pivoting on my heels, I used the momentum to deliver a direct punch to his ribs.
The impact sounded like a muffled drum, and all I managed to do was annoy him. But if there's one thing I'm good at, it's being stubborn, so I followed up with a flurry of punches that, at the very least, seemed to irritate him.
"You know," I said, landing another blow to his stomach, "you could invest in a gym. Maybe a heavenly one—they say they're more effective."
Before I could finish my sarcasm, the demon caught my fist with his massive claw. He lifted me like a rag doll and brought me face to face with his four black eyes.
"This is ridiculous," he spat—literally, as some of his drool landed on my face. "A priest like you resorting to cheap tricks. Do you really think you can beat me in a fistfight?"
"Cheap tricks?" I replied, wiping the drool off with my free hand. "I call it 'technique.' But hey, if you need a tutorial, I can make you a PowerPoint later."
The demon snorted, letting out a laugh that reverberated through the entire mental plane.
"Pathetic. Thanks to your antics, you've given me something better than the boy—a new body."
Before I could retort, he slammed me into the ground with a force that made it clear I wasn't in his league. Pain shot through my ribs, and I let out an involuntary cry.
"Stay down, false servant," he ordered, turning toward Aria. "Watch as I take what you value most."
My vision blurred, but I could still make out Aria. She was still praying alongside the boy's father, her face beaded with sweat, her expression tense yet resolute. I knew she wasn't just an assistant, and the demon was about to find out.
When he tried to touch her, it was as if he hit a wall of pure divine energy. A burst of light sent him flying, disintegrating part of his arm.
"What the hell…?" he growled in shock.
"Isn't it obvious?" I said, dragging myself up with difficulty. "They prayed for your defeat. And look—it works."
The demon snarled something unintelligible as he struggled to recover, but I wasn't about to give him the chance. I pulled a small vial of holy water from my pocket, poured some over my fist, and smirked.
"Call this the Blessed Punch Deluxe, jerk."
With the last of my strength, I delivered a punch straight to the core of his essence. The impact echoed like thunder, and the demon began to dissolve, leaving only a lingering echo of hatred behind.
Finally, exhaustion overtook me, and I collapsed to the ground.
"Well…" I muttered before losing consciousness, "just another day at the office."