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.

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

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

Clang—! Clang—!

metal being exchanged sounded throughout the battlefield, as the

Bang—!

the tower. Fine miniature crevices began to spread around the area I crashed as I spat saliva from my

"Kuhk"

the side of my lips, I looked down and found blood lingering by the thumb

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

letting my hair loose, I started to

'Enough playing.'

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

blurred, and I reappeared a couple of meters away from the demon,

the demon's attack pattern and what worked against it. Although I did suffer quite a bit during our previous exchanges, I now understood

in front of the demon, three rings revolved

was now time

—Bang!

as I was about to enter the demon's attacking range, I 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 me forward, but I had a solution. Pointing with my finger forward, one disc appeared towards my left and

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

demon could react, I was already upon it. The demon's face finally

mana suddenly burst out from my

"Huuup!"

the Keiki style, I simply unsheathed my sword and swung upwards. This

the demon was about to block the attack, using my last remaining ring, I used its gravitational pull effect and

"Puchi!"

creating a misty rain

upright body. Leaning forward slightly, the

Thud—!

was not

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

before it was blown away by the winds

rubbing my chest, which had somewhat swollen, I let out a

can't

found that the fight in the distance was slowly showing

as though the second wave was

mouth, I decided to move

the condition to fight

***

opposite, disappointment

like this attack

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

Kracka! Kracka!

as circular waves of pressurized wind began to

the size of a car slowly started to compress

I might as well even the playing field

WIIIIIING—!

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

just going to let

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

"Uaaghh!"

lungs, Waylan cut diagonally. From the bottom right towards the

"You annoying fucker!"

Marquis-ranked demon was obviously not happy with this new development as it glared at Waylan.

Fwuap—!

an instant, the demon appeared a hundred meters away from

was then that something

was about to miss, steam slowly expanded out of Waylan's body.

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!"

discard its previous plans and slapped the palm that contained the ball of energy towards the