The moment Takemi stood—
The demon moved.
BOOM.
Takemi barely reacted in time.
The invisible blade formed—
CLANG!
—but the force behind the strike shattered his stance instantly.
His feet left the ground.
Again.
He crashed, rolled, forced himself up—
Too slow.
The demon was already there.
A claw swung.
Takemi raised the blade—
CRACK.
The impact tore through his defense, sending a shock up his arms.
"…Ghh—!"
His grip almost gave out.
It was stronger.
Faster.
Smarter.
Not like the Dire Fang.
This thing wasn't just attacking—
It was reading him.
"Takemi—move!" Rauk shouted.
Too late.
The demon's second strike came from the side.
Takemi twisted—
Barely avoiding a direct hit.
The claw grazed his shoulder.
Blood sprayed.
"…Tch—!"
He jumped back, breathing heavy.
Think.
Think.
He rushed forward instead.
If he stayed defensive, he'd die.
The handle shifted in his grip—
The blade formed—
He swung—
Fast.
Precise.
CLANG.
Blocked.
The demon didn't even flinch.
Takemi's eyes widened.
"…No way—"
The demon countered.
A straight punch.
Takemi crossed his weapon—
BOOM.
The ground beneath him cracked.
His knees buckled.
"Lira—now!" he shouted.
Lira didn't hesitate.
A magic circle formed instantly.
"Bind!"
Chains of light shot forward—
Wrapping around the demon's limbs.
For a split second—
It worked.
"Rauk!" Takemi yelled.
"Yeah!"
Rauk charged from the side, blade glowing.
Takemi moved with him.
Two angles.
Perfect timing.
They struck—
SLASH.
IMPACT.
For a moment—
Silence.
Then—
The chains shattered.
Like glass.
The demon stood there.
Unharmed.
Rauk froze.
"…You've gotta be kidding me."
The demon moved.
Faster than before.
It appeared behind Rauk—
Takemi's eyes widened.
"RAUK—!"
Too far.
Too slow.
The claw descended—
CLANG!
Takemi forced himself in between, blocking at the last second.
The impact—
Was different.
He felt it.
Not just strength—
Weight.
Like something crushing him from the inside.
His arms screamed.
His vision blurred.
"…Move…!" he growled.
The demon pushed harder.
Takemi's knees hit the ground.
The blade flickered.
Faded—
Reformed—
Faded again.
"…Not… yet…"
The demon tilted its head slightly.
Then—
It disappeared.
Takemi blinked.
"…What—"
A presence behind him.
Too close.
Too late.
CRACK.
Something slammed into the back of his head.
Hard.
Everything went white.
His body dropped instantly.
The handle slipped from his grasp—
Clattering against the stone.
Silence followed.
Takemi floated.
No pain.
No sound.
Just emptiness.
"…So this is it…"
His voice felt distant.
"…Damn."
A pause.
Then—
A voice answered.
"You are not ready."
Takemi's eyes widened slightly.
"…You again."
The figure stood before him.
The same man from before.
Calm.
Unshaken.
"…Yeah," Takemi muttered.
"…I figured."
The man looked at him.
"…You rushed."
"…You relied on instinct… but not understanding."
Takemi let out a weak laugh.
"…We were gonna die either way."
Silence.
Then—
"…Perhaps."
The man stepped closer.
"…But not yet."
Takemi frowned.
"…What do you mean?"
The man's gaze sharpened.
"…I will show you."
Back in the chamber—
The demon stood over Takemi's unconscious body.
It raised its claw.
Lira's voice broke.
"STOP—!"
Too far.
Too late.
Then—
The handle moved.
On its own.
It lifted slightly—
Then flew into Takemi's hand.
A pulse.
A shift.
The air changed.
Takemi's body… stood.
Slowly.
But something was different.
The way he held himself.
The way he breathed.
The way he looked at the demon—
Calm.
Ancient.
His hair moved slightly, as if touched by unseen wind.
His eyes—
Steady.
Unfamiliar.
He glanced to the side.
Saw the students.
Fear.
Injury.
Helplessness.
"…Children," he murmured softly.
He raised his hand.
A barrier formed instantly—
Smooth.
Solid.
Protecting them all.
Rauk blinked.
"…Takemi?"
Lira shook her head.
"…No…"
The figure looked down at the handle in his hand.
"…It has been a while."
A faint smile.
"…It brings back memories."
For a moment—
His gaze drifted.
Not at the chamber.
Not at the demon.
But somewhere far away.
Battles.
Journeys.
Companions.
Loss.
Victory.
All of it—
Reflected in a single quiet breath.
He closed his eyes briefly.
Then opened them again.
Sharp.
Alive.
He stepped forward.
Facing the demon.
A small exhale.
"…Now."
A faint shift of stance.
"…Let's dance."
The demon moved first.
Fast.
Violent.
But—
The hero was gone.
He reappeared to the side.
Effortless.
The handle shifted—
A blade formed.
Katana.
A single step.
A single swing.
SHING.
The demon staggered.
A clean cut across its torso.
It reacted—
Faster.
Stronger.
But the hero was already moving.
The weapon changed—
Spear.
Distance widened.
Thrust—
Thrust—
Thrust—
Each strike precise.
Relentless.
The demon tried to close the gap—
Too slow.
The weapon shifted again—
Shield.
BOOM.
The demon's strike landed—
And stopped.
Completely absorbed.
The hero didn't even move.
"…Predictable."
He stepped in.
Weapon shifted—
Gauntlets.
A blur of motion.
Fast.
Unseen.
Blows rained down—
Not wild—
Perfect.
Each strike targeting weak points.
Breaking rhythm.
Breaking balance.
The demon roared—
The hero stepped back.
Weapon shifted—
Warhammer.
He raised it.
Brought it down—
CRASH.
The impact shattered the demon's armor.
Fragments flew.
The ground cracked open.
Silence followed.
The demon staggered.
Weakened.
Unstable.
The hero exhaled slowly.
"…You are not the one."
He raised the weapon—
It returned to its formless state.
Then—
Light formed.
Not a blade.
Not a weapon.
A seal.
He pressed it forward—
The demon tried to resist—
Too weak.
Too late.
"…Return."
The light engulfed it.
Pulled it back.
Dragged into the dark core.
The catalyst pulsed—
Then sealed.
Silence.
Complete.
The hero stood there for a moment.
Still.
Then—
He looked down.
At his hand.
"…Time is short."
The world shifted again.
Takemi stood there.
Watching.
"…That was insane."
The hero faced him.
"…That was control."
Takemi scratched his head slightly.
"…Yeah, I noticed."
The hero stepped closer.
"…Listen carefully."
His voice grew firm.
"…You are not ready to face what lies beyond this seal."
Takemi didn't argue.
"…Figured."
"…Then become ready."
Silence.
"…Grow stronger."
"…Not alone."
Takemi's expression shifted slightly.
"…A team?"
The hero nodded.
"…You will need them."
"…Or you will fail."
A pause.
Then—
"…The seal will hold."
"…For five years."
Takemi's eyes widened slightly.
"…That's it?"
"…That is all."
The weight of that settled heavily.
Five years.
Then—
Something worse would come.
The hero turned away slightly.
"…The destroyer will not wait."
"…And next time—"
He glanced back.
"…It will not send something this weak."
Takemi let out a breath.
"…Great."
The hero's form began to fade.
"…Remember."
"…Protect them."
"…Or lose everything."
Takemi's eyes snapped open.
He gasped.
Back in the chamber.
His body—
Exhausted.
Broken.
But alive.
The barrier was gone.
The others rushed toward him.
"Takemi!"
"You idiot, you're alive!"
Lira knelt beside him.
"…Are you… you?"
Takemi stared at his hand.
Then let out a small, tired laugh.
"…Yeah…"
A pause.
"…For now."
He looked at the sealed catalyst.
Then at his friends.
Then down at the handle.
His grip tightened.
"…Five years…"
The words felt heavier than anything before.
"…Guess I don't have time to mess around."