"Huh, first see who's the real fool," the man sneered, his voice carrying a cold edge. "I wonder who has made you into a dangerous place now, it is not like before. I'm not one to spare you, Zaryx..."
The voice was unmistakable—it was the president of the academy.
Without hesitation, his body began to glow with intense energy. His hair stood on end, crackling with power like a raging storm. His arms stretched slightly, his muscles tensing as raw strength surged through him. The very air around him vibrated, his presence so overwhelming that the ground trembled beneath his feet.
The battle was about to begin.
Zaryx tilted his head slightly, a wicked grin spreading across his face. "Hah… Foolish. You know my name… interesting," he muttered, his voice laced with amusement.
Then, in an instant, he lunged at the president with terrifying speed, his claws aimed straight at him.
But the president was no longer there.
Before Zaryx could react, a chilly presence appeared behind him. The president had transformed, and his Celestial Reaper form was now fully activated. Dark, spectral chains floated around him, humming with energy.
Without warning, the chains shot forward in an instant, wrapping tightly around Zaryx and binding him in place. The air crackled with tension as the battle truly began.
Zaryx's red eyes glowed as he felt the chains wrap around him. He let out a low chuckle, his sharp teeth showing through his wicked grin.
"Hah… trying to bind me?" Zaryx growled, his deep double echoeing voice vibrating through the air. "How foolish."
The chains tightened, glowing with celestial energy, locking his limbs in place. The president stood behind him, his Celestial Reaper form emanating a powerful aura. His white, ethereal cloak billowed, and his eyes shone with a bright silver light.
"For a so-called Bloody Demon King, hu not real, you certainly fell for this easily," the president muttered, raising his hand.
But, before he could react, Zaryx's laughter grew louder. The chains that bound him suddenly cracked, allowing black energy to seep from his body and corrupt it. With a single flex of his muscles, the chains broke into pieces.
The impact caused shockwaves to reverberate through the air, forcing the president to leap back.
The president's eyes widened with surprise as the chains shattered into pieces. The Celestial Chains were supposed to be unbreakable—yet Zaryx had broken free as if they were nothing.
Zaryx gave a dark chuckle as he rolled his shoulders and stretched his claws. "Nice trick… but you'll need more than that to stop me. Did you really think I'd become weaker? No… I have become thousands of times stronger than before."
His red eyes were filled with amusement as he tilted his head. "Now, let's see if your strength matches your cold words."
Then, in an instant, he vanished.
The president barely had time to react before Zaryx reappeared right in front of him, swinging his massive claw.
The president dodged, his body flickering like a shadow, before countering with a powerful strike, his fist crackling with energy. Zaryx blocked with his arm, causing a shockwave that shook the ground beneath them.
The battle was intense—both moved at blinding speed, their attacks clashing like thunder.
The president summoned his celestial chains again, whipping them toward Zaryx, but the demon twisted his body, dodging them with unnatural agility.
With its claws aimed at the president's chest, Zaryx lunged, but the president slashed across Zaryx's arm with a glowing energy blade.
While snarling, the demon smiled, relishing the battle. With a forceful kick in return, he sent the president flying into the ground, creating a large crater.
But the president wasn't done yet. In an instant, he shot back up, his energy surging, and slammed his fist into Zaryx's face, sending the demon flying across the battlefield.
Before Zaryx could recover, the president followed up with a barrage of attacks—punches, kicks, and energy blasts—all landing perfectly, forcing the demon back.
For a moment, it seemed like they were evenly matched. The fight was thrilling, a clash of titans shaking the entire city.
But then, everything changed.
The air grew thick with a crimson aura as Zaryx raised his hand. His voice echoed like a death sentence.
"The Bloody Rain."
Without warning, the sky darkened, and thousands of blood-forged blades materialized, descending at terrifying speed. The sharp weapons pierced everything in their path—shattering rooftops, impaling the ground, and striking down anyone caught in the deadly storm.
Screams filled the city as the professors, including the president, were overwhelmed by the attack. The ground ran red with blood as the once-powerful defenders struggled to rise, their bodies riddled with deep wounds.
The news of the Bloody Demon King spread like wildfire across the nation. Even the government took immediate action, deploying elite graduates—battle-hardened mages who served as the country's last line of defense.
However, amidst all of this turmoil, Arvian remained motionless in the sky, unnoticed.
Jaxyn and Dareth were also awake from the noise, searching for Arvian. Jaxyn's heart was filled with fear. Dareth looked through the window toward the city and saw the sky slowly turning red, with a deep, absolute red in the center.
Meanwhile, Lioren Varkhali had already caught wind of the situation. He was protected by a dark barrier that redirected the pelting blood blades as he ran full speed toward the academy. He was not alone, though.
He spoke, but to no one in sight. It seemed like he was talking to himself.
"Oi, Zephiron, where exactly are you sensing it?"
A deep, chilling voice responded in his mind.
"It's not at the academy… It's in the middle of the city."
Lioren grinned, his golden eyes flickering with excitement. "Good. Then let's not waste time."
Zephiron—the Absolute Demon King residing within him—let out a low, dark chuckle.
"Oh? Hurry? How boring… Let me make it fun."
Lioren's body suddenly experienced a tremendous surge of power. His speed doubled, then tripled. His figure blurred, and with an eager, almost reckless energy, he raced toward the battlefield while the wind howled around him.