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.

those useless dodging actions. Instead,

violently repelled back,

Clang—! Clang—!

sounded throughout the battlefield, as the ringing metallic sound lingered in

Bang—!

Fine miniature crevices began to spread around the area

"Kuhk"

of my lips, I looked down and

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

hairband on my air and letting my hair loose, I started to

'Enough playing.'

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

after, my vision blurred, and I reappeared a couple of meters away from the demon, much

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

of the demon, three rings revolved around my

now time to

—Bang!

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 another towards my right, a

air, my foot softly touched the left ring before I tensed

was already upon it. The demon's face

wave of mana suddenly burst

"Huuup!"

cry, rather than using the Keiki style, I simply unsheathed my sword and swung upwards.

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

"Puchi!"

down from above, creating

I looked at the demon's immobile and upright body. Leaning forward slightly, the demon's body fell heavily towards

Thud—!

ground, I was not fooled. Since the

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's body turned into soft powder before it was blown away

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

can't fight

to my relief, I found that the fight in the

second

side of my mouth, I decided to move

in the condition to fight and

***

its body from Waylan, who stood opposite, disappointment flashed the Marquis ranked demon as it looked

like this attack is

demon's hands. Following this, a ferocious black ball levitated on top of

Kracka! Kracka!

of pressurized wind began

ball which had become the size of a car slowly started to compress

might as well even the playing

WIIIIIING—!

Waylan suddenly appeared before it. He had not

wasn't like he was just going to let the demon do as

holding onto the broadsword, the golden glow around it brightened considerably. Right

"Uaaghh!"

lungs, Waylan cut diagonally. From the bottom right

"You annoying fucker!"

happy with this new development as it glared at Waylan. Then, extending its enormous

Fwuap—!

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

it was then that

miss, steam slowly expanded out of Waylan's body. The veins on his face became more prominent, and

broadsword once again lengthened, this time, a

"You!"

unable to react in time. Staring at the incoming attack, the demon had no choice but to discard its previous plans and slapped