The Author's POV

In a large and wide corridor, footsteps echoed.

"Do you think it was the right idea to just let him go like that?"

Kevin asked, while he turned to face Amanda who was running next to him. Before she could answer, he raised his sword and slashed toward his right.

SHIIIING!

"Huek!"

The body of a demon split in half.

"Yes."

Amanda nodded. Taking out her bow, she brought the string back as three arrows formed on the bow.

Clang—!

Letting go of the string, the arrows shot toward the distance and impaled three nearby demons.

"Since he's recovered his mana, he should have no trouble protecting himself, and…"

Lowering the bow in her hand, Amanda proceeded to head deeper into the corridor.

"…he's not exactly alone."

***

Ba…Thump! Ba…Thump!

Feeling the demon's hollow gaze pause on me, my heartbeat started to rapidly increase and my breathing also became more difficult.

My back began to sweat when the demon once again began to raise his hand.

'Well, shit…'

I thought to myself as the Duke ranked demon slowly brought his hand down.

But…

A figure materialized behind the demon as his hand was halfway down and attacked him from behind.

Spurt—!

The demon began spraying black blood on the ground, and I noticed an enchanting figure standing behind him.

Her hand was currently reaching out for the demon's orb that was now visible to the naked eye, through a gaping hole in his chest area.

"Took you long enough."

I muttered with a smile and supported my body up.

'Thank god our plan worked.'

It was clear from the moment I decided to save Liam that I would not be able to defeat a Duke ranked demon with my current capabilities. Even if it was weakened and I had Liam's help. I still saw no way to defeat it.

Thus.

to have Angelica turn into a ring like usual, and dropped her toward

I was able to get Liam to push the demon toward the pillar where Angelica sat so that

plan, and things should've ended there,

Bang—!

swung to the other side of the room, before crashing into one of the pillars as a loud banging sound

moment later,

Drip—! Drip—!

blood spilling from the demon's chest as he held

his body, and his

'…how is this possible?'

I thought in shock.

his core exposed like that, he was able to move his

wide, I alternated my gaze between Liam and Angelica. They were currently both still alive, but I knew that it was only a matter

true for Liam who was bleeding profusely

knew that I had

at the moment. He was currently in a

the time passed, the weaker his attacks became. I understood then that

last

minutes? …or maybe less, then he would without a

couldn't afford such luxury. Taking note of Angelica and Liam's condition, mana erupted from my body as I placed

"Now!"

to glance at my shadow

a black sword, and the mana inside of my

Click—

disappeared from the spot and reappeared

the [Keiki style] :

Bang—!

where the demon's core was. Unfortunately, in spite of the extreme speed at which he appeared and attacked, the demon didn't seem to be the slightest bit startled as he just move

the shadow servant right in the abdomen area, completely severing the servant into two. He soon disappeared into thin air and the mana inside

"Ugh."

a small groan, I pressed my sword's hilt with my thumb and carefully took

'Good enough.'

servant toward the demon, the goal was to stop it from healing and buy me enough time to accumulate enough mana

last and most powerful movement to

the [Keiki style] :

Cr..crack…crack…

white light suddenly enveloped the surroundings as the space around the Duke ranked demon started to crack

formed next to the demon, and lights began to shoot out from them, heading toward the Duke

"Huek!"

body, and even more

screams echoed out. Had the demon been in the right state of mind, and not as injured, he may have been able to easily avoid my attacks, but he wasn't, and it wasn't long before his figure started

Drip—! Drip—!

of blood formed, before the white lights impairing him scattered and

I rapidly appeared before the

Crack—!

felt the core in my hand, I rapidly shattered

"Haaaa…."

butt, I leaned back and

was burning, and I was currently feeling

lot harder than I

in order to handle the Duke-ranked demon, it took everything I had to kill him.

'That was really close…'

turned to gaze in Liam's direction and forced my body

"Ugh."