Dark smoke curled from its lips as it inhaled deeply, savoring the mortal air. "Now I shall cause calamity upon every human. I will start with you."

Silence fell like a blade. No one dared move.

None of them smiled.

Nolan's expression didn't change. He watched the demon as if studying an insect. Cold amusement flickered in his eyes. He tilted his head, voice low and steady. "I'd like to see you try."

The demon's laugh cracked the air, an ugly sound that made the cavern tremble.

"No last words?" Nolan murmured, and in that single, quiet phrase there was no fear, only the promise of violence.

The demon's grin spread slow and cruel, smoke curling from its maw. "What do you mean no last words? Have you forgotten your place, mortal?" it sneered. Its voice rolled like distant thunder. "It seems you've forgotten what demons do. It's been a thousand years since we showed humans our power, since we brought calamity down on your kind. The Archangels and the Gods have left this world… and now," it breathed, eyes glittering with malice, "you will all die. Along with those you love."

Dark energy gathered in the demon's outstretched hand, a void like glow that drank the light around it. The cavern chilled. Shadows leaned closer.

Nolan's gaze never wavered. He watched the coil of darkness like one studying a spark. "I asked you a question," he said, voice calm as ice. "Any last words?"

The demon's laugh snapped, sharp and furious. "How dare you speak to me like that!" it roared. It hurled the dark energy forward in a sweeping arc a barrier of shadow roaring into being and slamming down where Nolan stood. The strike struck the shield and showered the room in choking smoke.

The demon's laughter filled the chamber. "That's what happens when you poke the wrong beast. You deserve to burn. Now I will rise to the surface, lay ruin to your cities, slaughter every last one of you, and consume their souls."

Smoke swirled. The ritual flames danced in the haze. The demon savored the moment, certain of victory.

"Is that all you've got?" Nolan said, quiet, like a door being closed on an argument.

The demon snapped its head toward him, surprised for the first time. "Who the hell? How did you survive that attack?" it demanded, momentary doubt cracking the mask of fury.

Nolan's lips curled, not quite a smile. "If you thought that would take me down… then you're the real disappointment."

Silence crashed between them. Dust hung like a curtain. The demon's dark aura flared, then faltered because for the first time since it rose, it wasn't the one dictating the scene.

The two of them stood motionless, eyes locked, the air between them vibrating with raw power. The entire underground chamber trembled.

Who is this guy? the demon thought, eyes narrowing. How can a mere human possess this strength?

It tried to sense Raito's mana but found nothing.

Wait… this can't be right. His mana capacity… it's empty. There's not even a trace. But his strength… it's overwhelming. Only divine beings like the Archangels could hold that kind of power without mana.

The demon's jaw tightened. No. Impossible. He's just a human. Humans could never

Raito vanished.

In an instant, he appeared right in front of the demon, so fast the air cracked with a thunderclap.

"Let's trade punches," Raito said flatly.

BOOM!

The entire cavern erupted. Their fists met with enough force to shake the stone walls apart.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

Each strike sent shockwaves blasting outward, splitting rocks, shattering pillars, and filling the air with dust. The ground buckled beneath them, creating deep craters where their feet struck.

The demon growled, covering its arms in swirling black energy. Each of its punches tore through the air, bursting with violent pressure. But Raito's fists met them all, clean, unflinching, faster and heavier each time.

The demon's face twisted. No… he's overpowering me. How is this happening?!

Raito slammed his fist into the demon's chest, sending it flying backward into a stone wall. Cracks spidered outward.

The demon roared, shaking off the impact, then launched upward, smashing its head and claws into the ceiling. CRAAAAASH!

Chunks of rock and dirt rained down as it burst through the upper layers of the underground tunnels.

Raito stared up at the rising light filtering through the cracks above. He crouched slightly, gathering strength beneath his feet.

Then BOOM!

He shot upward after it, a blur of raw force, ripping through the tunnel walls as he chased the demon through the collapsing earth.

Both of them broke through the last layer of stone

and sunlight exploded across the scene.

They emerged from beneath the ground, dust and debris scattering into the bright sky. The sun blazed overhead, cutting through the chaos like a spotlight.

The demon hovered above the torn earth, dark aura boiling around its body. Raito floated opposite him, golden light gleaming off his shoulders, calm and silent amid the destruction.

They stared at each other again, two forces of nature, one of shadow, one of light.

The ground below still trembled from their last clash. But the next strike… would shake the entire world.

As they shot upward through the shattered ceiling, Raito and the demon clashed again and again, fists colliding with explosive force.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

Their blows echoed like thunder, each impact shaking the clouds above them. The sky itself seemed to rumble with their power, flashes of light and darkness sparking through the air like storm bolts.

They rose higher, punching, blocking, twisting in midair, two streaks of energy, one black, one white, spiraling upward.

Wait… who is this guy? the demon thought as it threw another punch. How is he still standing? I'm a demon… and yet am I the one losing?!

They broke through the lower clouds, their battle lighting up the bright sky.

Then the demon suddenly stopped, floating in place. It spread both arms wide, dark aura flaring around it. The energy began to spiral, condensing between its palms into a massive, pulsating sphere of shadow.

The air shook.

The dark energy grew larger, larger, larger, until it looked like a small sun of darkness hovering in its hands. The sound was deafening, a deep hum that turned into a roar.

The demon's eyes glowed crimson. "There's no way you'll survive this!" it shouted.

It hurled the gigantic blast straight toward Raito.

The sky warped from the force of it. Wind tore through the air, clouds splitting apart.

But Raito didn't dodge.

He raised one hand, calm, silent, and caught the attack.

Fwoooom.

For a moment, the entire sky went still. The huge sphere of dark energy trembled against his palm.

Then he slowly closed his fist.

CRACK.

The energy shattered. The entire attack vanished into a burst of faint sparks.

The demon froze. What… the hell? How… how did he just do that?!

Down below, people across the empire looked up.

"Wait what's that?!" someone shouted. "There are two figures in the sky!"

"Are they… flying?"

More gathered, shielding their eyes from the sunlight. The scene above was blinding, two figures locked in battle high above the city.

Linda ran out from the streets, looking upward. "Wait isn't that Master Nolan?!" she gasped.

Celia turned beside her, eyes wide. "What Master Nolan? You're right! He's fighting… something!"

Then, as the dust cleared and the dark aura became visible, whispers turned to panic.

"Wait look closely!" someone yelled. "That thing… it has a horn!"

"No way… that's a demon!"

The crowd erupted. People screamed and scattered, running through the streets as chaos broke across the empire.

Linda clutched Celia's arm. "That's… that's a demon! Look, the horn, do you see it?!"

Celia nodded, trembling. "Yes… you're right. I've only read about them in the old texts. But seeing one… for real…!"

Above them, Raito and the demon hovered in the blazing daylight, one radiating calm power, the other trembling with rage.

The people below could only watch in fear and awe as light and shadow prepared to collide again, this time, in the open sky.

High above the empire, the sky still trembled from the clash. Down below, from the royal balcony, the King of the Empire stood with solemn eyes. Beside him was the King of Sindra, still under Nolan's protection. The two watched in silence as light and shadow collided in the heavens.

The aura of the Beria barrier flickered faintly around them, then, all at once, it dissolved.

The King of Sindra's eyes widened. "He… deactivated the Beria?"

The King of the Empire nodded slowly. "Yes. He must have judged that it's no longer needed. That means… he's confident enough to fight freely now."

The King of Sindra clenched his fists, gazing up at the sky. "To think someone could battle a demon like that… even my own eyes can barely follow their movements."

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