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.

seemed to have expected my attack, as it did not do any of those useless dodging actions. Instead, its sharp and sturdy nails swiftly danced around as none of my attacks were able to penetrate past

claws, they would be violently repelled back, creating an opportunity

Clang—! Clang—!

as the ringing metallic sound lingered in

Bang—!

crevices began to

"Kuhk"

of my lips, I looked down and found blood lingering

demon was also sent back during our previous exchange,

my air and letting my hair loose, I started to circulate

'Enough playing.'

mouth, a subtle

reappeared a couple of meters away from

what worked against it. Although I did suffer quite a bit during

in front of the demon, three rings revolved

time

—Bang!

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 another towards my right, a bit further from the second

in the air, my foot softly touched the left ring before I tensed my leg and shot towards the right ring,

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

suddenly burst

"Huuup!"

rather than using the Keiki style, I simply

the attack, using my last remaining ring, I used its gravitational pull effect and changed the course of the swing. Since I was already going fast, the demon was unable to

"Puchi!"

creating

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

Thud—!

I was not fooled. Since the core was not destroyed, the demon

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 dimensional

was blown away by the winds that

my chest, which had somewhat swollen, I

I can't

found that the fight

second wave was coming to

side of my mouth, I decided to

condition to fight and needed to go back

***

Waylan, who stood opposite, disappointment flashed the Marquis

like this attack

to swirl around the demon's hands. Following this, a ferocious black ball levitated on top of its palm. The energy contained within the ball caused Waylan, who was

Kracka! Kracka!

the energy ball as circular waves of pressurized

become the size of a car slowly started to compress together before turning the size

I might as well even the playing field once

WIIIIIING—!

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

just going to let the demon do as

around it brightened

"Uaaghh!"

Waylan cut diagonally. From the bottom right towards

"You annoying fucker!"

this new development as it glared at Waylan. Then,

Fwuap—!

instant, the demon appeared a hundred meters away from Waylan.

then that something shocking

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

The broadsword once again lengthened, this time, a

"You!"

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 towards the incoming attack. Soon, the two