Booooom!!
Damien was slammed into one part of the wall unannounced.
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Greeeeeiii!
The cavern trembled under the force of the demon’s roar, its deep, guttural sound reverberating like a war drum, drowning out even the sound of Damien’s ragged breaths.
From his place half-buried in the cracked wall, Damien peeled himself free, grunting as the dust and rubble fell around him.
Blood trickled from his forehead, partially matting his silver hair to his skin, and though his muscles screamed for rest, his sharp blue eyes burned with determination. He had to somehow finish this demon off.
The demon, now fully aware of its advantage, loomed over Damien, its towering figure shrouded in a dark, corrosive aura that seemed to decay the very ground beneath it.
Its jagged claws dripped with black ichor, and its glowing crimson eyes narrowed as if mocking Damien’s futile resistance.
The creature’s hulking form was five times the size of a human, rippling with thick, sinewy muscle that made it seem invincible.
“Still wanna go?” Damien muttered under his breath, wiping the blood from his face with the back of his hand. He exhaled sharply and adjusted his grip on his sword. “Fine. Let’s keep this going.”
Swiiishh~
The demon struck first, its massive claw slicing through the air with terrifying speed. Damien barely dodged, ducking under the swipe before rolling to the side.
He sprang to his feet, darting forward with a sudden burst of speed and slashing his flame-imbued blade across the demon’s thigh. The steel cut deep, leaving behind a bloody gash that hissed as flames licked at its flesh.
Greeeeii!
The demon howled in anger, twisting with surprising agility and sending its other claw toward Damien.
Damien jumped back just in time, narrowly avoiding being crushed. Landing lightly on his feet, Damien moved fluidly, weaving through the demon’s relentless attacks.
His lithe form allowed him to dart in and out, landing small but precise strikes on the demon’s body.
“Too slow,” Damien taunted as he slid under another swipe, his blade carving a long slash across the demon’s torso.
For a moment, it looked like Damien had the upper hand. The demon staggered, its body marked with searing wounds that dripped black blood onto the cavern floor. But then, something shifted.
The demon’s breathing deepened, and its speed suddenly spiked. Its crimson eyes glowed brighter, and before Damien could react, the creature’s claw moved like a blur.
Baaaang!!
It slammed into him, sending him flying across the cavern like a ragdoll.
Booooom!!
He smashed through a jagged section of the wall with a bone-rattling crash, his vision blurring for a moment.
“Ugh… that stung.” Damien coughed, blood speckling his lips as he climbed back to his feet. But before he could fully regain his stance, the demon was already upon him, its movements now faster and more vicious.
Damien dodged left, but a claw scraped his arm, leaving a shallow cut that burned like acid.
Another blow sent him skidding across the cavern floor, his boots scraping against the stone as he tried to regain control. The demon’s onslaught was relentless.
His once-precise strikes were now barely scratching the creature’s thickening skin. It was as if the demon’s muscles had hardened, and each attack Damien landed only fueled its fury. He realized with grim clarity that the battle stance had shifted.
The demon had adapted!
The cavern shook again as the demon stomped toward him, its claw raised high. Damien barely managed to block the strike with his sword, the force sending tremors up his arms as he was pushed to one knee.
“This… is getting annoying,” he growled.
The demon roared, its voice shaking the air as a dark energy began to pulse from its body.
The ground beneath it cracked and turned black as the corrosive energy spread in a ten-meter radius. Everything it touched withered and decayed instantly—rocks crumbled to dust, and the putrid air grew even more unbearable.
Damien’s eyes widened. “An area effect skill? Damn it!”
With no time to hesitate, he dashed backward, barely escaping the expanding zone of decay. His breathing grew heavier as he watched the ground dissolve where he had been moments ago.
Behind him, the humans trembled in terror. Some sobbed quietly while others sat frozen in fear, unable to comprehend the carnage unfolding before their eyes. The more lucky ones were the unconscious ones.
And then one of them—just waking up and unaware of the danger—decided to run.
Damien heard the faint shuffle of feet behind him and turned, his heart sinking. A man, bleeding but mostly unscathed, had pushed himself to his feet and was stumbling toward what he thought was safety.
“Hey, stop!”
“Wait!!”
The others whispered harshly, begging him to stop, but it was too late.
The demon’s head snapped in their direction. Its eyes locked onto the man, who froze mid-step as terror washed over him. The demon’s lips curled into a sinister grin, and it began to advance.
“No, you don’t!” Damien barked.
Pinned against the wall and still reeling from the demon’s last attack, Damien had no choice. He reached into his mind, summoning his most trusted companion.
” Summon Fenrir, now!”
A blue portal shimmered into existence, and out of it leaped Fenrir, Damien’s monstrous wolf. Its enormous black form landed with a ground-shaking thud, golden eyes blazing with fury.
Roaaaaaar!!
Fenrir’s howl tore through the cavern, echoing like thunder.
The demon paused mid-step, turning its attention back to the beast that had just appeared. For the first time, the demon’s expression faltered, its crimson eyes narrowing in recognition of a worthy foe.
Fenrir growled deeply, its body radiating a powerful aura. It lowered itself into a predatory stance, baring its fangs as its hackles rose.
The wolf was no ordinary beast—it was a Grade Three mana beast, an equal to the demon standing before it.
The humans stared in awe as Fenrir’s presence filled the cavern. The enormous wolf snarled once before charging, its claws digging into the ground as it shot toward the demon like a white bolt of lightning.
The demon roared in response, its corrosive aura flaring up again as it prepared to meet Fenrir head-on.
Booooooom!!
The two clashed with a deafening explosion, their auras colliding like a thunderstorm. Claws met fangs, and raw power shook the cavern.
Damien watched from the side, his breathing slowing as he wiped the blood from his face. “Yeah, you’ve had your last meal,” he muttered, a crazed grin forming on his lips.
