Damien stood in the decayed clearing, his flaming sword casting flickering light across the grotesque figures closing in around him.
Kareeei~
Grrrrrr~
The demons hissed and growled, their disfigured forms illuminated by the fiery glow of his blade.
The atmosphere felt heavy with the stench of decay, and the oppressive aura of demonic essence made the forest more suffocating that it ought to be.
The swarm consisted mostly of Grade Six demons—feral, hulking creatures whose claws glinted with malice.
Interspersed among them were a few Grade Five demons, their auras more menacing, their movements calculated. Damien’s sharp eyes caught the difference immediately, but it didn’t faze him.
He stood firm, his grip steady on the hilt of his sword. Behind him, Aquila perched on the edge of the battlefield, its golden eyes gleaming as it watched the advancing horde.
“Aquila,” Damien said without turning, “you know the rules. Unless they attack you, don’t intervene.”
The griffin let out a low cry, its feathers ruffling with anticipation.
“Good,” Damien muttered, his lips curling into a smirk. “Let’s see what these wretches are made of.”
The first wave came crashing toward him, a chaotic blend of clawed limbs and snarling maws.
Damien didn’t wait for them to strike first. With a sharp intake of breath, he surged forward, his sword blazing brighter as he activated his (Advanced Flame Magic) skill.
His first swing cleaved through two demons, the searing heat of his blade leaving their charred remains crumpled on the forest floor.
He spun on his heel, parrying an incoming swipe from a third demon before slicing through its arm with a precise, upward slash.
Kaareeeeiii!
It screeched in maddening pain.
As another lunged from the left, Damien raised his free hand, summoning a gust of wind that hurled the creature into a nearby tree.
Bang!
Crack!
Its body slammed against the trunk with a sickening crack, and Damien wasted no time closing the distance, driving his sword through its chest.
Black, corrosive liquid flew toward him, launched by one of the Grade Five demons lurking in the backline.
Damien deflected the attack with a flick of his wrist, conjuring a swirling barrier of wind that sent the liquid splattering harmlessly against the ground.
“You’ll have to do better than that,” he growled, his gaze locking onto the demon responsible.
He dashed forward, his sword trailing flames as he closed the gap in an instant. The Grade Five demon raised its claws to block, but Damien’s blade carved through them effortlessly, the flames engulfing its body as it let out a guttural scream.
The demons quickly adapted, splitting into smaller groups to surround him. One group hurled projectiles—black fireballs and corrosive liquids—while another charged head-on, their claws glinting in the dim light.
Damien stood his ground, conjuring a swirling vortex of wind that deflected the projectiles.
Fwoooosh~
The black flames fizzled out harmlessly, and as the charging group closed in, he unleashed a wave of fire from his sword, incinerating them in an instant.
“Is this the best you’ve got?” he taunted, his voice carrying over the snarls and screams.
A pair of demons lunged at him simultaneously, one from the front and the other from behind.
Damien sidestepped the first, slashing through its torso with ease before ducking under the second’s claws. He pivoted, driving his blade upward into the demon’s neck and sending it crashing to the ground.
As Damien continued his rampage, a small group of demons broke away from the main horde, their glowing eyes fixated on Aquila. The griffin had remained still until now, watching the battle with quiet intensity.
The first demon lunged at Aquila, claws outstretched. The griffin reacted instantly, swiping it aside with a powerful wingbeat that sent it hurtling into a nearby tree.
Another demon leapt high, aiming for Aquila’s neck, but the griffin ducked and countered with a sharp jab of its beak, piercing the creature’s chest.
The remaining demons hesitated, but Aquila didn’t give them a chance to regroup. It pounced, talons ripping through flesh as it crushed one demon after another.
Splaaat!
Black ichor splattered across the barren ground, and the griffin let out a triumphant cry as it dispatched the last of its attackers.
Satisfied, Aquila flapped its wings, sending a gust of wind through the clearing before returning to its perch. It watched Damien’s battle with renewed interest, hoping for another chance to join the fray.
Damien was now facing the last dozen demons. The battlefield was littered with corpses, their twisted forms sprawled across the ground in grotesque heaps. The air was thick with the acrid stench of burnt flesh and demonic essence.
One of the remaining Grade Five demons let out a deafening roar, charging at Damien with glowing claws. He smirked, sidestepping its attack with ease before delivering a swift, horizontal slash that severed its arm.
Grrrr~
The creature staggered back, snarling in pain, but Damien gave it no time to recover.
With a burst of wind magic, he propelled himself forward, plunging his flaming sword into the demon’s chest. The flames engulfed its body, and it collapsed in a smoldering heap.
The remaining demons grew frantic, their movements erratic as they realized their defeat was inevitable. Damien moved through them like a storm, his blade cutting down one after another with ruthless efficiency.
Finally, only one demon remained. It staggered backward, its glowing eyes darting around in search of an escape.
“Not so fast,” Damien said, raising his free hand.
A surge of wind magic shot forth, pinning the demon against a charred tree.
Bang!
Tsssss~
The demon thrashed and hissed, but Damien silenced it with a powerful strike, his sword cleaving through its torso.
The clearing fell silent. The fires scattered across the battlefield crackled softly, their light casting shadows over the carnage.
Aquila let out a soft cry, stepping forward to inspect the aftermath. Damien sheathed his sword, wiping sweat from his brow as he surveyed the scene.
Dozens of demon corpses lay scattered across the clearing, a testament to his overwhelming strength.
“Another job well done,” he muttered, patting Aquila’s head as the griffin approached.
The griffin let out a low rumble, its golden eyes gleaming with satisfaction.
“Let’s head back,” Damien said, climbing onto Aquila’s back. As they ascended into the sky, he glanced down at the battlefield one last time.
“Only 310 more to go,” he whispered, a faint smile on his lips as he thought of unlocking his next summon.