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.

any of those useless dodging actions.

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

Clang—! Clang—!

metal being exchanged sounded throughout the battlefield, as the ringing metallic sound lingered in the air

Bang—!

Fine miniature crevices began to spread around the area I crashed as

"Kuhk"

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

during our previous exchange, for anyone

hairband on my air and letting my hair loose,

'Enough playing.'

side of my mouth, a subtle green

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

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

front of the demon, three rings

time to end

—Bang!

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

left ring before I tensed my leg

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

powerful wave of mana suddenly burst out from

"Huuup!"

the Keiki style, I simply unsheathed my sword and swung upwards. This was no regular swing,

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

"Puchi!"

down from above, creating a misty rain of

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

Thud—!

was not fooled. Since the core was not

its body and once again pierced my

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

chest, which had somewhat swollen,

I can't fight

my head, much to my relief, I found that the fight

the second

mouth, I decided to move

was no longer in the condition to fight and needed to go back upstairs

***

stood opposite, disappointment flashed the Marquis

like this attack is also a

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

Kracka! Kracka!

lightning crackled around the energy ball as circular waves of pressurized wind began to spread out

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

as well

WIIIIIING—!

just as the demon was about to attack below, Waylan suddenly appeared before it. He had

was just going to let the demon do as it

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

"Uaaghh!"

Waylan cut diagonally. From the

"You annoying fucker!"

this new development as it glared at Waylan.

Fwuap—!

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

was then that

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

in his hand. The broadsword once again lengthened, this time, a lot more than before. The weight of

"You!"

unable to 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 towards the incoming attack. Soon, the two