After finishing breakfast, Mai leaned forward, resting her chin on her palm as she looked at the little girl with a gentle smile. "By the way, we never asked," she said. "What's your name?"
The little girl looked up, her face bright with excitement. "Anne! My name is Anne!"
Haruto, who had been drinking water, paused for a moment, staring at the girl with a puzzled expression. He set his cup down and leaned forward slightly. "Anne..." he repeated, his tone oddly serious. "By any chance, do you have an older sister?"
Anne tilted her head, her brows furrowing slightly. "I don't!" she replied confidently before shifting the subject. "Can we go outside and play for a bit? Pooch looks like he really wants to run around!" she asked eagerly, eyes shining with excitement.
Mai glanced at Haruto, who gave her a questioning look. She shrugged and turned back to Anne with a warm smile. "Sure! Let's go out!" she said cheerfully.
But the moment they stepped outside, everything changed. The bright blue sky darkened into a deep reddish hue, the vibrant green grass withered into dry, lifeless brown, and an ominous energy filled the air. The peaceful morning was instantly replaced by something unnatural.
Before they could react, a shadowy figure materialized before them— the old man from the previous night. But he looked different now. His body pulsed with dark energy, and his eyes glowed a deep crimson.
Without warning, the old man lunged forward at lightning speed, kicking Haruto with immense force. Haruto's body flew through the air, slamming hard into a nearby tree with a sickening crack. The massive tree collapsed on top of him, and he let out a painful scream.
"HARUTO!" Mai screamed, her eyes wide in shock.
Without hesitation, she snapped her fingers. "Wind Shield!" she shouted, conjuring a transparent layer of swirling wind around herself and Anne. The barrier formed a protective armor of air, ensuring the girl remained safe.
With her other hand, Mai summoned another spell. "Wind Spear!" she declared, creating a long, nearly invisible spear made of compressed air. She hurled it straight at the old man.
The spear shot forward at blinding speed, cutting through the air with a sharp whistle. The old man tried to catch it, but the sheer force of the wind sent him flying backward, his feet scraping against the dry ground as he struggled to keep his balance.
Without wasting another second, Mai dashed toward Haruto, gripping Anne's hand tightly. She reached the fallen tree and swiftly channeled her magic. A powerful gust of wind surged forward, lifting the massive trunk just enough for her to pull Haruto free.
"Are you okay?!" she asked urgently, kneeling beside him.
Haruto groaned, wiping the blood from his lips. His body ached from the impact, but his anger burned hotter than his pain. He clenched his fists, his teeth grinding together. "I just recovered from getting thrown into trees… and now this happens?!" he growled, his eyes flickering with frustration and fury.
Mai gave him a quick look-over before helping him to his feet. "Don't push yourself too hard," she warned.
Haruto took a deep breath, steadying himself. His eyes locked onto the old man, who had now regained his footing. "What the hell is going on here?" he demanded.
"Oi, old man! Mind explaining what you're doing?" Haruto demanded, his voice sharp and unyielding.
The old man smirked, dusting off his robes before looking at Haruto with an amused expression. "Oh, sorry about that," he said, his tone dripping with mock sincerity. "Let me introduce myself. I am Uvan, a title bearer from the Demon King's army, bearing the title of Captain of the Sixth Company."
Haruto clenched his fists. "Demon King's army? Why the hell would one of you be here? And why attack us?!"
Uvan chuckled, crossing his arms. "Attack? No, no, this was simply a test. I wanted to see if the rumors were true, that you were strong enough to be a threat to us." His gaze shifted to Mai and Anne, his smirk widening. "But I must say, your little wife here is quite impressive. That wind spear of hers packed a punch."
Mai glared at him, stepping protectively in front of Anne. "If you think I'm going to let you harm this child, you're mistaken. I don't care who you are." Her magic began swirling around her, the air crackling with power.
Uvan let out a low whistle. "Oh, feisty. I like that." He stretched his neck, rolling his shoulders as he loosened his muscles. "But let's be honest—you're both outmatched. Do you really think you can take me on?"
Haruto wiped the blood from his lips, stepping forward. "We don't need to think. We'll beat you, simple as that."
Uvan's smirk deepened, his eyes gleaming with amusement. "Very well then… let's see if you're as strong as they say you are."
Without warning, Uvan vanished from sight, reappearing instantly in front of Haruto. Before he could react, Uvan grabbed him by the neck and teleported a short distance away from Mai and Anne. Haruto barely had time to register the movement before Uvan slammed him into the ground, delivering a brutal punch to his stomach. Haruto coughed up blood, gasping for air.
"Is this it?" Uvan muttered, kicking Haruto in the ribs, sending him rolling across the dirt. "I expected more." He stomped down on Haruto's chest, applying pressure that made Haruto's vision blur. "Was I lied to by him?"
Haruto forced a smirk through the pain. "You're… quite weak… here I thought you'd be worth fighting."
Uvan's eye twitched. "Tch. Cocky brat." His hands ignited with fire. "FIREBALL!" he roared, unleashing a fiery explosion at point-blank range.
Haruto was sent flying, his body rolling across the ground, smoke rising from his charred skin. Uvan scoffed, dusting off his hands. "Hmph… all bark but no bite. I'll have to take care of that informant as well before I do anything else."
As Uvan turned to leave, he suddenly froze. A strange energy pulsed behind him. He turned his head, eyes widening as Haruto's body, seemingly lifeless, began to glow with a radiant white light. But then, the white aura darkened, shifting into a menacing black and red energy that pulsed violently.
"Who gave you permission to walk away?" Haruto growled, his voice distorted and deeper.
Uvan spun around, stunned as Haruto stood up, his left arm blackened with cracks of crimson energy coursing through it. A single charred, demonic wing unfurled from his back. His wounds were still there, but he stood as if they meant nothing.
"What… the hell is that?" Uvan muttered, gripping his fists tightly.
In an instant, Haruto disappeared. Before Uvan could react, a brutal kick landed on his stomach, sending him flying backward. Haruto reappeared mid-air, slamming his fist into Uvan's face, teleporting again before impact and repeating the process relentlessly.
Blow after blow, Uvan was launched into the sky, helpless against the rapid strikes. Haruto suddenly stopped above him, grabbing Uvan by the head.
"Meteor Smash!" Haruto roared, diving down from a thousand meters above, slamming Uvan's skull into the ground with monstrous force.
A massive crater formed from the impact, dust and debris shooting into the sky. Haruto stood over Uvan's unconscious body, his breathing ragged. The dark energy surrounding him flickered before dissipating. His demonic wing disintegrated into ash.
Then, his body gave out. Haruto collapsed beside Uvan, unconscious.
To be continued...