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.

my attack, as it did not do any of those useless dodging actions.

attacks would meet the demon's claws, they would be violently repelled back, creating an opportunity for the demon, which it rightfully

Clang—! Clang—!

battlefield, as the ringing metallic sound lingered in the

Bang—!

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

"Kuhk"

my lips, I looked down and found

to me. Although the demon was also sent back during our previous exchange, for anyone that witnessed our exchange, they

letting my hair loose, I started to circulate

'Enough playing.'

wiping the side of my mouth, a subtle green

blurred, and I reappeared a couple of meters away from

were merely me trying to figure out the demon's attack pattern and what worked against it. Although I did suffer quite a bit during our

the

now time to end

—Bang!

stomped my foot on the ground and tried to stop my body from fully entering it. But this wasn't enough as the momentum I had pressured

touched the left ring before I tensed my leg and shot towards the right ring, where

the demon could react, I was already upon it. The demon's face finally changed, but it was too

of mana suddenly burst out from

"Huuup!"

out a low cry, rather than using the Keiki style, I simply unsheathed my sword and

pull effect and changed the course of the swing. Since I was already going fast,

"Puchi!"

creating a misty rain

looked at the demon's immobile and upright body. Leaning forward slightly, the demon's body

Thud—!

I was not fooled. Since the

back my sword in my scabbard, I walked up to its body and once again pierced my

into soft powder before it was blown away by the winds that arose due to

which had somewhat swollen, I let

I can't

head, much to my relief, I found that the fight in the distance was slowly showing

as though the second wave was coming to

the right side of my mouth, I

longer in the condition to fight and needed to go back upstairs to

***

its body from Waylan, who stood opposite, disappointment flashed the Marquis ranked

like this attack is also

ferocious black ball levitated on top of its palm. The energy contained within the ball caused Waylan,

Kracka! Kracka!

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

which had become the size of a car

as well even the playing field

WIIIIIING—!

attack below, Waylan suddenly appeared before it.

just going to let the demon do as

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

"Uaaghh!"

cut diagonally. From the bottom right towards

"You annoying fucker!"

was obviously not happy with this new development as it

Fwuap—!

appeared a hundred meters away from Waylan. Outside of the striking

was then that something shocking

his attack was about to miss, steam slowly expanded out of Waylan's body. The veins

hand. The broadsword once again lengthened, this time, a lot more than before. The

"You!"

no choice but to discard its previous plans and slapped the palm that contained the ball of energy towards the