Countless demons roamed the streets, slaughtering everything in sight. Buildings and houses were engulfed in flames. A mother clutched her son tightly, covering his mouth so the demon wouldn't hear their breathing.
The sound of heavy footsteps drew nearer. Suddenly, the demon pushed aside a large stone and looked straight at them, his lips curling into a predatory smile. The mother shut her eyes and shielded her son's face, bracing for death.
But then, a voice rang out:
"Blood Technique: Crimson Chains!"
From the man's body burst streams of cursed energy, forming blood-red chains that shot forward and pierced through the demon. The creature didn't even have time to scream before it fell lifeless to the ground.
"You're brutal, Seychel," Russell said.
"Scum like that doesn't belong in our world," Seychel replied coldly.
"You're right, Master Seychel," Vincent added.
"No need to be so formal. You're the headmaster of our academy, after all," Seychel said, his gaze locked on the demons still ravaging the city.
Meanwhile, the head of the Husho clan, Deshen, found himself surrounded by demons. They attacked all at once.
"Blade Technique: Circular Slash!"
In a flash, every demon within ten meters was sliced to pieces.
"Not bad, kid Deshen!" Lu Tao laughed.
"Coming from you, Master Lu Tao, that's an honor," Deshen replied with a faint smile.
"Haha, not bad, not bad," Lu Tao said, stroking his beard. "What do you say we have a little fun with them?"
"As you wish. Looks like most of these are already transformed," Deshen replied.
"A pity we couldn't save them," Lu Tao said with a sigh.
"Poison Technique: Venomous Mist!"
A thick green fog began to pour from Lu Tao's body, spreading in a thirty-meter radius. The demons who inhaled it collapsed to the ground, writhing in agony before dying.
Behind Deshen, twenty more transformed creatures appeared. Gripping his blade tightly, he whispered,
"They can't be saved anymore... How unfortunate. May the gods forgive me."
In the next instant, he dashed forward. In a blur of motion, all twenty of them were cut down.
"We should move ahead. There are stronger demons up front," Deshen said.
"As you say," Lu Tao nodded, and they continued onward.
At the same time, Kazuhiko tore through the battlefield like a storm. His strikes were merciless, his eyes blazing with fury. Every demon that dared to face him fell instantly. When the last one dropped, he kicked its corpse aside.
Beside him fought Chandler — equally fierce, equally relentless.
"Not bad," Kazuhiko muttered.
"Heh, I'll be better than you soon," Chandler smirked.
"Better than me? Care to test that?" Kazuhiko grinned.
"You're challenging me? Fine. Whoever kills more demons in five minutes gets one item from the loser's clan!"
"Oh, I like that! Let's do it!"
Both men charged forward, cutting down demons left and right. In three minutes, Kazuhiko had slain fifty; Chandler — fifty-four. Just a difference of one.
Two minutes left. Ahead, Chandler spotted three demons devouring a corpse and moving toward another victim.
"Twin Tiger Technique!"
The attack wasn't at full strength, but it was still devastating. The three demons fell dead on the spot. Chandler rushed to the unconscious man nearby and carried him to safety — but the act cost him precious seconds.
"I guess I lost," he said, walking up to Kazuhiko.
"How many?"
"Fifty-seven."
"Hah! Then I win — sixty," Kazuhiko said, smirking. "But I won't take anything from your clan. I saw you give up victory to save a man. That's something worthy of respect."
"Heh, thanks," Chandler replied with a faint smile.
Suddenly, a massive explosion erupted behind them. Both turned to see a wall of fire rising into the sky.
"Let's go," Kazuhiko said.
"Yeah," Chandler nodded.
At the site of the explosion stood Deshen and Lu Tao, facing a massive demon.
"He's nearly reached the peak of the mid-rank. Any higher, and he'll evolve into a high-tier demon," Lu Tao noted.
"That's bad. Should we wait for the others or strike first?" Deshen asked.
"They'll be here soon... but playing with this one sounds fun," Lu Tao said with a grin, raising his hand to attack.