WHOOOM!
Magic burst and exploded across the ground and in the air. The clash of steel rang loudly while sprays of blood scattered and spilled onto the earth.
Aven moved swiftly and gracefully, blocking, slashing, and thrusting down every knight who came at him from all directions.
Dozens of spells rained from the sky onto the spot where he stood, yet they were easily deflected as he activated a barrier around his body.
Throughout the battle, Aven smiled as he cut them down one by one. Fael appeared from above and swung his sword down at him with full force.
The impact of their blades thundered. Aven blocked the strike and shoved Fael back, forcing him to retreat several steps.
Fael's breathing grew heavy. Aven stood there, sword still drawn.
"That's it? That's all the Fifth Unit has?"
The other knights hesitated to move forward after seeing several of their comrades lying lifeless around them because of Aven.
One knight nudged Fael.
"What now? We can't defeat Aven on our own. Let me remind you, he was once the captain of the First Squad, the strongest knight in the kingdom, and a former S rank adventurer."
"Captain, I'm not doubting your strength or our unit, but the one we're facing is considered a threat across the entire kingdom."
Fael clicked his tongue "I know."
"So what? If we don't try, we'll never know whether he can be defeated. We have the numbers. We attack together."
The knight clenched his jaw, holding back his frustration at Fael's stubbornness.
Fael raised one hand. The knights scattered and attacked Aven from all sides. Demon magic filled the sky, ready to descend and crush him.
Fael charged forward, preparing to slash Aven from the front.
Aven's eyes moved quickly, analyzing the battlefield.
"KNEEL!"
The knights, including Fael, widened their eyes as their bodies froze and were forced down by overwhelming pressure. The spells in the sky detonated midair.
The demons felt it too, their bodies dragged toward the ground under immense force.
Gin, kneeling, tried to rise. His wings spread and flapped, helping him push himself up.
"What kind of magic is this!" he roared, struggling with all his strength.
He planted his foot and shot toward Aven at high speed, his fist aimed straight at his face.
Aven was thrown back but quickly rolled and dropped to one knee, wiping his cheek.
The knights and demons slowly stood as the crushing pressure lifted.
Gin cracked his wrist.
"Fael, from here on, I'll step in as well."
Fael stood beside him.
"I don't care anymore. Do whatever you want. Kill him. Don't hold back."
Gin grinned "Gladly."
He suddenly froze mid sentence, sensing a far greater danger approaching.
He turned toward the forest behind them, but saw no one.
Gin swallowed.
"Maybe it's just my imagination."
Fael glanced at him.
"What is it?"
"I feel something dangerous… but I don't know what."
Fael snorted.
"That's just your nerves."
"Maybe."
Fael raised his hand and ordered another simultaneous assault. Gin lunged at Aven, throwing a punch.
Aven dodged, grabbed his arm, and drove his knee into Gin's stomach.
Gin staggered upward from the impact, spun, and kicked at Aven's chest, but Aven blocked it with his arm.
From behind, Fael slashed at Aven's back, but the blade shattered upon striking the barrier that formed around him.
"What the—"
Before he could react, Aven's elbow smashed into his cheek, sending him flying across the ground.
FWOOSH! FWOOSH!
Dozens of spells blasted toward Aven in massive explosions. He held his barrier firm, but under the relentless barrage, cracks began to form.
Aven leapt aside and sprinted to evade the rain of magic. Gin appeared before him, kicking his stomach and hammering his face, chest, and body in rapid succession.
Aven clicked his tongue, caught Gin's arm, pulled him close, and slammed his elbow into Gin's face. Fael appeared behind Aven and slashed across his back.
"Got you." Gin's fist struck Aven's jaw, followed by a spell from his other hand that exploded against Aven's abdomen, blasting him several meters away.
Aven steadied his breathing for a moment.
Gin sneered.
"He's not as strong as I imagined."
Fael narrowed his eyes.
"Don't be careless. It feels like he's toying with us, as if he's stalling."
"Aven, what are you planning?"
Sitting on the ground, Aven shrugged.
"What? I just don't feel like getting serious against opponents beneath me."
He rose to his feet and stretched. The slash across his back closed rapidly.
"Instead of focusing on me, you might want to check on your troops behind you."
"Huh?" Fael turned. His eyes widened at the sight of pools of blood and every one of his knights lying dead, blood spreading beneath them.
Gin cursed upon seeing his demon forces lying the same way "What happened?"
Aven shrugged "No idea."
He dashed forward, kicking Fael away from Gin and raining heavy punches down on him.
"My business is with him. You enjoy yourself."
"What do you—"
Gin froze. His body stiffened, breathing heavy under immense pressure. Slowly, he forced himself to look behind him.
Claude stood there with arms crossed, his gaze sharp.
Gin swallowed hard.
"C Claude Scarlet? How are you here?"
"I came to help a friend."
He backhanded Gin across the face.
Gin was sent crashing to the ground.
"Damn it…"
"Die, Claude!" Gin appeared before him, unleashing countless spells.
BOOM! BOOM!
The magic exploded in front of Claude in rapid succession. Through the smoke, Gin was kicked backward violently.
Claude stepped out of the smoke, brushing dust from his clothes.
Gin growled, eyes burning with rage.
His wing flapped and he launched forward again, punching. Claude dodged and grabbed Gin's wing.
Before Gin could react, Claude tore it off.
"Argh!" Gin screamed in agony.
Claude's knee slammed into Gin's stomach. He grabbed Gin's hair and forced their faces close.
"What is your king's motive for working with Eidolan?"
Gin gritted his teeth "I am not permitted to reveal my king's intentions to just anyone."
Claude pulled his head back harder.
"So obedient. Admirable."
Gin swept at Claude's legs, but Claude avoided it and smashed Gin's head into the ground.
"Damn you!"
Gin released a massive explosion of magic between them. Claude leapt back to create distance.
Gin rose, his right eye red, blood flowing from it.
"I will kill you."
He charged again, spells floating at his sides. Claude evaded every one.
Gin struck with fists and kicks in rapid succession, but Claude blocked them all.
Gin leapt backward and took flight despite having only one wing, casting a large scale spell.
Claude sighed "Typical demon."
He extended his right hand toward the sea of blood from fallen knights and demons.
In an instant, all that blood lifted and swirled around him.
Gin's spell exploded violently, sending powerful winds across the battlefield.
Even Aven paused mid punch against Fael and glanced back with a grin.
"Insane…"
Gin's breathing grew ragged. His eyes widened as Claude stepped out from the vortex of blood completely unharmed.
"Impossible…"
Claude walked toward him slowly.
"I'll give you one chance. Surrender and tell me your king's plan."
Gin cast another spell, but it was effortlessly blocked by the blood shielding Claude.
"Never!"
He cast again and again until the battlefield was consumed by smoke and debris.
He prepared one final sphere of magic, but stopped when he realized his chest had been pierced by blood under Claude's control.
Gin coughed "When did…"
Claude kicked him aside.
"Still unwilling to answer?"
Gin tried to crawl up "Never…"
"What a shame."
Gin gasped for breath.
"What can you do, huh? Drown me in that blood?"
"No."
Claude placed his palm in front of Gin's face.
"What are you—"
Gin's eyes rolled back. Blood poured from his ears, nose, mouth, and eyes. Every drop of blood in his body was pulled out, floating before Claude's palm.
"Vampires are blessed with the power to manipulate their own blood."
"But I am different."
"I can use my own blood or the blood of any living being as I please."
Gin's body grew thinner as his blood continued to drain.
"As long as my opponent has blood, I can control it."
Gin's eyes turned white. His body went limp.
When the last drop left him, he collapsed lifeless, his bones visible beneath his skin.
Lucia descended from the sky, returning to her human form, staring in shock at the miserable corpse of the demon commander.
"What terrifying power, Lord Claude."
"Well, I didn't really want to kill him, but it couldn't be helped."
The blood around him slowly evaporated into mist and vanished in the wind. Lucia rushed into the palace to find Aris.
Claude crossed his arms, watching Aven and Fael still exchanging relentless blows.