"Fortunately, I'm not very hungry yet." The Blade Demon's voice cracked like dry wood burning in a raging fire—hoarse and hollow. "You can die after answering a few questions."
Kellan fought to avoid its gaze. If he stared too long, he'd fall under its illusion again. The demon's body was blackened and charred, like a nightmare made flesh. Sweat drenched Kellan's skin, and his legs felt like lead.
"What drives someone like you to hunt demons?" the Blade Demon asked. "It's a brutal job—you earn no money, gain no respect. You spend your days chasing me and my kind, to kill or be killed."
"I don't know."
"Then you're an innocent fool. I almost want to spare you—after all, you're nothing like those hunters who're dead set on killing me." Every word felt like a deadly test.
Kellan was tense.
Surrender was shameful. Running was cowardly. But survival was paramount.
"How about this—swear you'll never hunt demons again, abandon your duty forever, and I'll let you live. Sounds like a good deal, doesn't it?" The Blade Demon's voice burst into sharp, mocking laughter.
Kellan stayed silent.
"Why so quiet?"
"I'm not worthy of talking to you now," Kellan said.
"'Worthy'?"
"If I were stronger... if I could fight you, if I had a chance to win... everything would be different." Kellan clenched his fists tight.
"Are you confused by your own weakness?"
He locked his legs to the ground, resisting the urge to flee. I'm going to die. I'm going to die...
"Ah, you perform well—like a faithful servant. You've earned yourself a chance at survival. Come, claim your reward! I'm willing to recruit you as my thrall." The demon's tone was mocking.
"No!" Kellan shouted. "I am a demon hunter. Once I have the strength, I will destroy you and all your kind, and drive you out of this world! Back to where you came from—"
The Blade Demon released a wordless, piercing scream. A crushing force slammed into Kellan's body.
It was overwhelming pressure, relentless and brutal. Yet the emerald necklace at Kellan's throat glowed softly, its magic shielding him, warding off the demon's power.
Julius's necklace... Kellan sighed inwardly. Master, your relic protects me, but I fear I am still doomed.
Seeing its power fail, the Blade Demon strode forward swiftly toward Kellan.
"Look at me."
Its footsteps came to a halt.
Etienne, sprawled on the ground, suddenly stretched out a hand and grabbed the Blade Demon's stepping ankle.
"Not dead yet?" The demon's feet ignited with emerald flames, scorching Etienne's hand. Normally, a mortal's hand would blister and burn unbearably, forcing a quick release.
"Aphen Flame," Etienne whispered.
A brighter fire flared up around the old hunter, far more radiant than the demon's dark green blaze. The flames passed through Etienne's hand, burning the demon's foot, crawling up its leg, enveloping its entire body in a searing inferno.
The Blade Demon leapt violently, soaring into the air, escaping Etienne's grip.
"Good thing I'm skilled," it sneered at the gasping Etienne on the ground. The golden flames around Etienne dimmed rapidly, his figure fading like a torch burning out. "Ha! Let's see how long you can last."
"Phantom Force!" Kellan cast.
The demon raised a finger, blocking the rushing energy.
"I already told you—your precious spells are garbage," it mocked.
Swish—
Taking advantage of the demon's distraction, Etienne quickly summoned back his magical rope and flung it toward the Blade Demon. The rope shot out, wrapping around the demon's right leg, yanking it down swiftly.
"You two—!" The demon fell, transforming its arms into blades, swiftly severing its own right leg to escape the rope's grasp on the ground. Etienne immediately burned the severed limb with Aphen Flame, eyes never leaving the Blade Demon.
Etienne's body blazed with soul fire, turning into a living torch, his skin charring black.
More than fifteen seconds, maybe even thirty had passed. The Aphen Flame surged into a roaring blaze, nearly licking the sky, ready to consume everything—but how much soul energy did Etienne have left to burn? Kellan dared not imagine.
He loaded another bolt and fired at the Blade Demon. It dodged swiftly through the air, but Etienne predicted its trajectory and hurled a golden burst of fire that struck true.
The golden flame melted the demon's outer shell, burning straight into its wicked core, forcing it into a deadly fall.
Etienne, still engulfed in flames, lunged toward the falling Blade Demon.
"Get away!" The Blade Demon's form twisted violently, sprouting countless spikes and blades all over its body, transforming into a grotesque, spiked orb. Anyone who dared approach would be shredded to pieces.
Kellan watched in horror as Etienne lunged straight at the spiked demon, willing to let those blades pierce him, just to coat the Blade Demon with his own Aphen Flame.
Master Etienne—my teacher—Kellan's heart tightened painfully.
Golden flames spread relentlessly across the demon's body, the sound of cracking armor echoing sharply.
"Get away!" the Blade Demon roared furiously, cursing, "I will destroy you!"
Its body rapidly regenerated; the burnt surface healed as if reborn. The golden flames seemed unable to truly wound it. Supporting itself on limbs morphed into spears and blades, it rose again, while Etienne remained pierced through and through, hanging on the demon like a martyr on a rack.
The Blade Demon grasped Etienne, slowly pulling him free.
"Aphen Flame!"
Kellan's eyes widened, focusing fiercely on the demon as he cast the spell Etienne had taught him. Exile Beyond the Heavens was useless now—the demon's true form was hidden deep inside its shell. Only Aphen Flame could reach it... and that was enough!
Before, Kellan had only used a small-scale flame to scorch souls, creating brief, searing pain to wake the mind. Now he unleashed its full power—an agony capable of shattering willpower, nearly breaking his own endurance. At the same time, the same golden fire ignited Etienne's body.
He drew his sword, the flames spreading instantly from his hand to the blade.
This is my only chance—this mortal's only chance to defeat a demon!
Kellan charged the Blade Demon.
"I control all blades!" the demon roared in fury.
"But this one is dull!"
Bent and battered from countless battles and digging, Kellan's weapon was no longer a sword—its edges worn down, its tip blunt and broken, beyond the demon's control.
For Denvar, I take my revenge! Kellan struck fiercely—sending the tormentor of lives back to hell.
This dull, clumsy blade, now engulfed in raging Aphen Flame, slammed heavily onto the Blade Demon's shoulder with crushing force, shattering its outer shell and burning its wicked core.
"You cannot kill me," the Blade Demon shrieked again and again, laughter wild and unhinged.
Burned for so long in the flames, Etienne weakly turned to Kellan.
"...Kellan..." the old hunter rasped, "...too bad..."
What? Kellan was stunned.
Blinding golden light exploded, and with a deafening series of booms, a massive shockwave threw Kellan violently away.
Blood rained through the air. Etienne's flesh and limbs flew in pieces, burning to ash before hitting the ground—only blackened fragments remained. His metal and leather armor incinerated instantly; bones and ashes scattered like dust on the wind.
The Blade Demon's shell crumbled, collapsing with a thunderous crash, leaving only a hollow upper torso—five-fifths of its body destroyed.
Beneath the shattered skull and the few scales still attached to its neck, vast masses of pitch-black substance desperately fled and hid, trying to burrow back into its head and safe shell.
But more and more of its evil energy spilled into the air, dissipating rapidly, vanishing into nothingness.
Kellan was slammed to the ground, his back hitting the grass hard. Did it hurt? He couldn't tell.
What's happening...? He opened his eyes wide, confusion flooding his mind.
Why can't I move? His hands… he tried to move them, but they didn't respond. His feet — same thing. Even trying to wiggle his toes was just an image in his head, no real movement.
My… my body? Kellan's head spun, searching, desperate. Where am I? Why am I frozen like this?
Oh. Of course. I got blown apart. Hands, feet, legs, stomach — gone. All that's left is a golden flame flickering within him, silently burning his soul.
How foolish… Kellan thought bitterly. A rookie hunter, thrown into the deadliest hunt of all. Giving everything he had, pouring every spell into this fight against the demon.
Humans fight so stupidly. So recklessly. We have to sacrifice ourselves just to wound the demons.
Honestly, hunters don't even make money doing this. Why are we so determined to risk everything?
Maybe this whole job shouldn't even exist.
But if no one hunts demons, won't they run wild? Destroy peaceful villages, cities, civilization itself…
Even hunters like us, who know how to wield crossbows, swords, spells, and potions, barely stand a chance. What hope does a normal person have? Even armies fall without knowing how to fight them.
Demons are just that powerful.
Enough. Hunting demons can wait for the next life…
Kellan closed his eyes. He was so tired. He had tried his best. If this wasn't enough to kill the Blade Demon, then there was nothing left he could do.
"Don't die." A voice spoke.
Another hunter? Kellan opened his eyes again.
No — something worse. He recognized the voice.
It was the demon.
The Blade Demon struggled forward, piecing its bloodied flesh into two crude blades, propping up its jagged, battered head. Its once-mighty crown was now pitiful and grotesque. Dark, malevolent energy leaked from its skull, dissolving into nothingness.
I'm dying soon. Kellan felt his blood drain away like water from a broken dam. Why bother killing me? My soul's already scorched by fire — come and take it, if you can stomach it.
"Please… don't die, mortal," the Blade Demon's voice cracked with desperation. "I have no more bodies to use, but I can't be sent back to the Rift… I can't go back… The other demons exiled me here. If I return, they'll kill me. I don't want to die…"
Dizziness washed over Kellan.
"Go to hell—stay away—die!" He shouted hoarsely with his last breath. His throat was gone, his voice nothing but the scream of his soul.
"Are you willing? Will you just die like this? You're only seventeen! You should have lived a hundred years! Don't you want to see this world one more time?!" The demon's roar matched his own fury. "Lower your guard, let me into your mind. I can save you. And you can save me! I refuse to die at the hands of backward hunters from this forsaken world — hurry! You've got seconds left!"
Kellan wanted to cry. But no tears came. That was the cruelest part. Maybe Etienne was right — maybe he'd lost the ability to cry.
Perhaps all demon hunters had their quirks. This was Kellan's.
"Fine," he said quietly. "Let's survive. Together."