The Author's POV

BOOOM—!

Ferocious shockwaves appeared in the sky.

The residual mana that spread from the shockwaves enveloped the entire battlefield.

BANG—!

This exchange had been going on for about a day now, and it had started to become progressively stronger. Both sides were still not going all out as they were gauging each other and buying time for those fighting below. Whenever the situation shifted for one side, the other would quickly interfere to return the balance.

"Why don't you guys open up the barrier? The situation looks tough for you guys."

The Marquis ranked demon pointed at the battle that was ensuing below as he coldly laughed.

"Will you guys be able to last without it?"

"You're really full of nonsense."

Waylan glared at the Marquis-ranked demon. His hand that held onto the large broadsword swung downward.

The large broadsword whirled around, releasing waves of pressuring wind sounds.

WIIIIIING!

Seeing Waylan's swift and ferocious attack, the Marquis ranked demon's face grew darker. Finally, he let out a cold laugh, and a ferocious aura suddenly sprang out from its body.

"You're truly one annoying human."

***

At the same time.

"Khh..."

Taking a couple of steps back, a light groan escaped from my mouth.

Standing opposite of me was a demon. Similar to the other demons that I had killed before, it was Baron ranked one. However, this time, the situation was different.

"Haaa!"

—Click!

Crying inside of my heart, I tapped on the sheath of my sword. Just like usual, a subtle clicking sound rang out.

Clang—!

However, unlike my previous fights, the demon did not cower at my attack as it met it head-on. The demon appeared to specialize in speed; therefore, it left me with little to no time to attack. The moment I was about to attack, the demon was already upon me, preventing me from releasing the full might of my attack. Taking a step forward, the demon's sharp claws carried a powerful force as they violently met my sword mid-swing.

Clang—!

A clear sound of metal on metal came rippling out from the mid-point where my sword and the claw met. Then, following the circular sound waves that came as a result of the collision between my sword and the demon's claws, a powerful force soon began to spread out, blowing everything that was near away.

The ground beneath me and the demon also began to crack, forming small crevices that expanded for a couple of meters.

"Khh…"

At this fierce exchange, I came out at a disadvantage as I took a couple of steps back in contrast to the demon who was merely pushed one step back.

"Kekeke, very good human. I didn't expect to meet a human this strong at your age."

A disdained laugh escaped from the demon. It appeared that the demon was feeling confident about its chances against me. Or perhaps it was just trying to provoke me.

BANG—!

Ignoring the demon's blatant provocation, I stomped my foot on the ground, and my body explosively shot towards the demon, like a sharp arrow.

it did not do any of those useless dodging actions. Instead, its sharp and sturdy nails

would meet the demon's claws, they would be violently

Clang—! Clang—!

throughout the battlefield, as the ringing metallic sound lingered in the air for a while

Bang—!

flying backward, I crashed against the side of the tower. Fine miniature crevices began to spread around the area I crashed as

"Kuhk"

looked down and

eyes locked onto the demon opposite to me. Although the demon was also sent back during our previous exchange, for anyone that witnessed our exchange, they would've been able to tell that the demon held the upper

and letting my hair loose, I started to circulate the mana inside of my body

'Enough playing.'

side of my mouth, a subtle green glow enveloped the bottom

my vision blurred, and I reappeared a couple

out the demon's attack pattern and what worked against it. Although

I reappeared in front of the demon, three rings

was now time to end

—Bang!

as the momentum I had pressured me forward, but I had

foot softly touched the left ring before I tensed my

upon it.

wave of mana suddenly burst out

"Huuup!"

style, I simply

last remaining ring, I used its gravitational pull effect and changed the course of the swing. Since I was

"Puchi!"

above, creating a

forward slightly, the demon's body fell heavily towards the ground with a small

Thud—!

on the ground, I was not fooled. Since

the demon helplessly stared at the nearing ground, sheathing back my sword in my scabbard, I walked up to its body and once again pierced my arm through its body and removed the demon core before putting it inside of my

soft powder before it was

somewhat

I can't fight

much to my relief, I found that the fight in the distance

second wave

mouth, I decided

longer in the condition to fight and needed to

***

Waylan, who stood opposite, disappointment flashed the

like this attack

this, a ferocious black ball levitated on top of its palm. The energy contained within the ball caused Waylan, who was standing opposite, to become

Kracka! Kracka!

ball as circular waves of pressurized wind began to spread out throughout the surroundings, creating

had become the size of a car slowly

as well even the playing field once

WIIIIIING—!

demon was about to attack below, Waylan suddenly appeared before it. He had not been staying

going to

golden glow around it brightened considerably. Right after, the sword

"Uaaghh!"

lungs, Waylan cut diagonally. From

"You annoying fucker!"

was obviously not happy with this new development as it glared at Waylan. Then, extending its enormous wings, a small

Fwuap—!

hundred meters away from Waylan. Outside

then that something

expanded out of Waylan's body. The veins on his face became

with the broadsword in his hand. The broadsword once again lengthened, this time, a lot more than before. The weight of the sword also increased drastically, and the velocity of the swing

"You!"

react in time. Staring at the incoming attack, the demon had no choice but to discard its previous plans and slapped the palm that contained the ball of energy