Jason laughed and said, "Why don't we carefully place it in the sheath?"
I nodded, chuckling. "Yeah, that's a good idea."
As we gently slid the sword into its sheath, the ship suddenly wobbled. Before we could react, an alarm sound was echoing across the deck.
"Beep! Beep! The ship is under attack. I repeat, the ship is under attack. Passengers, remain calm and head to the deck where Ranker police are stationed."
Jason and I exchanged a glance before grabbing the sword—surprisingly light for its size—and rushing to the deck.
When we arrived, chaos had already erupted. A man hovered mid-air, his sharp features illuminated by the ship's emergency lights. At first glance, he looked completely human, but the curved horns sticking out from his head gave away his demonic nature. Demons usually blended in, but those with horns or wings stood out, and this one was impossible to miss.
One of the Ranker police stepped forward, his voice calm but firm. "Stand down! You're under arrest for violating inter-realm conduct."
The demon scoffed, brushing his hair back with an air of arrogance. "Arrest me? You think you can arrest me? A mere human replaced me—me! Do you have any idea what kind of insult that is? To be stripped of my title and brought down to this miserable realm?"
He spoke with the cadence of someone used to commanding attention, his tone sharp and biting. Every word dripped with disdain, and his presence alone was enough to make the other passengers huddle together, hoping the Ranker police would take care of it.
Suddenly, the boy from the virtual training room leaped into action. A hammer of pure wind materialized in his hands as he swung it toward the demon's head. The blow landed with a loud crack, sending shockwaves through the air. The demon staggered slightly but didn't fall. Slowly, he turned to face the boy, his expression calm but menacing.
"You should have stayed out of this," the demon said, his voice low but carrying a weight that made the boy freeze in place. "Do you want to die so soon?"
I couldn't help but stare, wide-eyed. This felt like watching a live-action movie unfold right in front of me. All we needed was popcorn and seats to make this perfect. Jason, however, seemed more focused on the scene itself.
"Is it just me, or does this feel like one of those fights where we're supposed to step in?" I muttered to him, still clutching the sword.
Jason smirked, his grip on the weapon tightening. "Let's see how this plays out first. No need to rush things. Yet."
I crossed my arms and muttered, "Okay, based on what I'm piecing together, this demon was the lowest-ranked Ranker in the hell realm, and some human finally challenged him, won, and took his spot. Now he's stuck down here, furious about it." I paused, shaking my head in disbelief. "Yeah, I get it. It's humiliating or whatever. But seriously—how the fuck does that concern us? Like, why are we involved?"
Jason shrugged, smirking. "Beats me. Maybe we're just lucky."
Before I could reply, the Ranker police sprang into action. Their powers flared to life, each one unique and intimidating. One of them wielded lightning, darting around with electricity crackling from their fists. Another, with golden hair and an almost regal demeanor, moved like a ghost, teleporting in flashes of light. He was so graceful and effortless in his attacks that I couldn't help but comment.
"If this guy's life was a novel, it'd be called something like Teleportation: I Can Traverse Time and Space. Seriously, look at him!"
Jason snorted. "You're not wrong. Dude's putting on a whole show."
The teleportation Ranker appeared behind the demon, tapped his shoulder, then vanished before the demon could react. A second later, he reappeared in front of him and casually slapped him across the face. I blinked in disbelief.
"Did he… just slap the demon? Like this is a playground fight?"
Meanwhile, the lightning Ranker zipped around, striking the demon from multiple angles with quick punches, each one crackling with energy. The demon snarled in frustration, his patience wearing thin. Suddenly, he let out a roar and unleashed a shockwave of fire, forcing the Ranker police to scatter. Flames swirled around him as he began summoning massive fireballs, hurling them in every direction.
Luckily, another Ranker police officer had the foresight to conjure a shimmering force field around the ship. The barrier absorbed the explosions, keeping the passengers safe. Despite their coordination, the fight was escalating quickly. The playful, back-and-forth nature of the battle was giving way to something far more dangerous. The air itself seemed to hum with the intensity of the fight, each boom and crackle of energy sending vibrations through the ship.
Even though the Ranker police weren't losing, it was clear they were burning through their energy reserves fast. Their movements were slowing, their attacks less precise. I turned to Jason, gripping his arm.
"I know you haven't fully mastered your powers yet," I said, glancing at the sheathed sword in his hand. "But this sword might be the edge we need, right?"
Jason raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Okay, so what's the plan? You're the brains here. I'm just the cool, ridiculously handsome brawn."
I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, yeah, keep telling yourself that. Alright, see that guy over there?" I pointed to the elemental Ranker, who was trying to get back on his feet after being tossed aside by the demon. "That guy controls wind, right? Ask him to launch you into the air with his powers."
Jason's eyes widened. "Wait, you want me to fly?"
"Not fly. Just… get launched. Big difference. Anyway, once you're in the air, use the sword to hit the demon. But keep it in the sheath. We don't want to slice the ship—or, you know, the planet—in half."
Jason nodded slowly. "Alright, that sounds cool, but… how exactly am I supposed to land?"
I hesitated, then shrugged. "We'll figure that out later."
Jason blinked, staring at me like I'd just told him to wrestle a dragon barehanded. "What do you mean later?"
"Hey, it's not like I've planned this out a hundred times. Improvise!"
Jason groaned but didn't argue. Instead, he tightened his grip on the sword and took a deep breath. "Fine. If I die, though, I'm haunting you."
"Deal," I said with a grin. "Now go."
Jason jogged over to the wind Ranker, explaining the plan. The guy looked skeptical at first but eventually nodded, raising his hands. A swirling vortex of air gathered around Jason, lifting him off the ground. As he soared upward, I couldn't help but shout after him.
"Don't screw this up!"
Jason's voice echoed back, dripping with sarcasm. "Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence!"