The battle was a maelstrom of chaos. Smoke, dust, and the acrid stench of burning buildings filled the air.
Damien had been teetering on the edge of unconsciousness when the notification of Luton’s advancement pulled him back from the brink.
Ding!
«Your summon, Luton, has advanced to Grade Three!»
His blue eyes snapped open, the pain and fatigue momentarily dulled by a surge of adrenaline and hope. Without hesitation, Damien mentally commanded the system to summon Luton. “Summon Luton!”
“Luton, I need you here. Now!”
But no portal appeared.
For the first time, Damien felt a sliver of unease creeping into his mind. Why wasn’t the summon responding?
The massive demon, its towering form dominating the battlefield, raised its head high and roared into the sky.
Graaaaarr!!
The sound reverberated through the ruined town like an earthquake. Its deep, guttural growl seemed to shake the very earth beneath Damien’s feet.
As the roar subsided, the demon lowered its head, and black flames began gathering at the back of its throat.
Woooooong…
The flames swirled and condensed into a concentrated inferno, glowing ominously. Damien’s instincts screamed at him—this attack would destroy everything in its path.
With a sudden surge, the demon unleashed the column of black fire like a raging dragon’s breath.
Damien rolled to the side just in time, the searing heat of the flames brushing past him.
Bwaaaaam!!
The fire struck the ground where he had been standing, incinerating it and creating a chasm that seemed to stretch endlessly into the earth.
Damien stared at the bottomless pit, his chest heaving. “That… would’ve killed me,” he murmured, his voice barely audible.
He turned his gaze back to the demon, but it was already on the move. With a blur of motion, the demon lashed out with its claws, each strike leaving arcs of black energy in its wake.
Swooooosh!!
Using his (Wind Manipulation) Skill, Damien boosted his speed, leaping out of the way as the demon’s slashes tore through the air.
Shhrrrrrrrip!!
The sheer force of the attack ripped apart a dozen buildings in its path, reducing them to rubble.
“This thing is insane,” Damien muttered, his breath coming in short gasps.
Before he could catch his bearings, the demon roared again, but this time it didn’t come for him. Instead, it turned toward Fenrir, the massive wolf that had been attacking relentlessly.
Fenrir darted in, its fangs glowing with an aura of condensed magic essence, and sank its teeth into the demon’s side. Cerbe, from the opposite flank, launched another set of crimson columns of fire.
But the demon was stubborn, refusing to go down. With a snarl, it reached down and grabbed Fenrir with one massive hand, lifting the wolf high into the air.
Baaaang!!
Awooo!
Fenrir howled in pain as the demon slammed it into the ground with bone-shattering force. The ground quaked from the impact, cracks spidering outward from the crater Fenrir’s body had created.
The demon wasn’t done. It picked up Fenrir once more, spinning the wolf before hurling it toward Cerbe’s incoming attack.
“Damn it!” Damien roared, his mind racing.
With a swift command, he canceled Fenrir’s summon. “Cancel Fenrir’s summon!”
The wolf vanished into a portal just as Cerbe’s fiery assault collided with the demon. The flames engulfed it, burning its charred body even further.
For a moment, the demon seemed stunned, its movements sluggish as the flames seared its flesh. But then it roared again, this time louder and more ferocious than before. Its eyes glowed with pure rage as it turned toward Damien.
Black flames licked at the edges of its mouth, and Damien knew what was coming.
The column of fire exploded forth, racing toward him like a tidal wave of destruction. Damien stood frozen, his body refusing to move.
Just as the flames were about to consume him, Damien’s signature portal of blue light opened directly in front of Damien. A blob of dark red ooze emerged from the portal and landed with a soft plop.
Its aura was undeniable—a Grade Three mana beast ready to join the fray.
The demon pushed forth its assault, its reptilian eyes narrowing as it turned its attention to the new arrival. Luton quivered with energy, its surface rippling as it prepared to unleash its newfound strength.
Damien pushed himself to his feet, his resolve stronger than ever.
“Luton!” Damien gasped, relief washing over him.
The Stellar Slime reacted instantly, its (Universal Space) ability activating without hesitation.
Woooosh…
A black hole materialized in front of it, sucking in the column of fire with a terrifying speed. The flames vanished into the void, leaving only the faint scent of charred air.
The demon paused, its reptilian eyes narrowing in confusion.
Luton squirmed forward, positioning itself protectively in front of Damien. With a sudden expansion, the slime swelled to twice its usual size, its surface shimmering like liquid obsidian.
Damien commanded Cerbe to leave the demon’s path, realizing what was about to happen.
“Do it, Luton,” he whispered.
The slime pulsed once, twice, and then unleashed the very flames it had just absorbed. The column of black fire erupted from Luton’s body, hurtling back toward the demon with devastating force.
Booooooom!!!
The demon barely had time to react before the flames slammed into it, engulfing its entire form. Its roars of pain echoed across the battlefield as the fire tore through its defenses, burning its flesh and scorching its bones.
As the flames subsided, the demon staggered, smoke rising from its charred body.
Its movements were slower now, more labored. It glared at Damien and Luton with a mix of hatred and fear, its once-overwhelming aura now dimmed.
Damien wiped the blood from his mouth and gave Luton a small nod of gratitude. “You’re a lifesaver, buddy.”
Luton bobbed slightly, its gelatinous body rippling in acknowledgment.
“Let’s finish this,” he said, his voice steady despite the pain.
Without a moment to delay, he gave a command to his system. “Summon Fenrir. We’re about to go all out.”
Fenrir appeared immediately, joining up with Cerbe to flank Damien, their fierce gazes locked on the demon. Luton quivered in excitement, ready to prove itself.
The battle wasn’t over—not by a long shot. But now, Damien had the upper hand. His hidden card was finally usable one again. Luton was back!