The cityscape raced past in a blur of stone and shadows, rooftops catching the early morning sun like jagged spears of light. Every step echoed down the narrow streets as I and Liam sprinted through the capital's eastern district. My breath was steady, my mind sharper than the wind slicing across my face. Liam's boots pounded beside mine, the sound almost in rhythm with the distant tremors I could feel beneath the earth. The air itself seemed to hum with unease, a low vibration that crawled under the skin.
"Hey…" I called out, turning slightly toward him without breaking stride. "Doesn't this all seem a little too convenient to you?"
He glanced at me, brow furrowed, eyes narrowing as he thought. "Yeah… now that you mention it." His tone carried the weight of realization, the kind that tightens your chest before the truth hits.
I looked ahead again, gaze fixed on the hazy skyline of the eastern outskirts. The faint scent of burning mana lingered in the wind. "The last demon attack happened on the prince's birthday," I said quietly. "It appeared right in the market square — as if it knew exactly where to strike. And now this one… the timing's too perfect."
Liam's steps faltered for a heartbeat, then resumed. "You're saying someone's orchestrating this?"
"I'm saying it's not random," I replied grimly. "Think about it — the King and Queen left for the Elven Kingdom three days ago. The royal mage corps, the swordmasters, even the transcendents — all sent off to the southern coast to investigate that 'artifact machine' the artificers found. Every high-tier combatant is gone at once. The capital's basically defenseless."
Liam swore under his breath. "So whoever planned this… waited until the capital was hollowed out."
"Exactly," I said. "Someone's pulling the strings, and the demons are just the weapons."
The ground beneath us quivered again, a faint shudder that rippled up through the cobblestones. The early sunlight painted long, trembling shadows across the walls. The city was eerily quiet. Even the merchants and guards who usually crowded these streets had vanished into silence, doors barred, windows shuttered. The capital was holding its breath.
When we reached the outer district, the eastern walls loomed before us — high and solid, their ancient stonework carved with runes of protection that flickered faintly with residual light. Guards lined the battlements, their faces pale, their armor rattling as the ground trembled harder this time. The smell of ozone and ash filled the air.
One of them spotted us and shouted from above, "Sir! The demon is approaching!"
I looked up, locking eyes with the man. "Status?"
He swallowed hard. "It's… massive. Bigger than the one that hit the market square."
I nodded once, then turned to Liam. "You ready?"
He gave a dry grin, though tension coiled beneath his expression. "Do I have a choice?"
"Not today," I said, unsheathing my sword. The blade hummed faintly as mana surged along its length, threads of fire blooming into thin crimson lines. I cloaked my body with aura, heat gathering in the air around me until it shimmered. Liam mirrored my action, silver energy coiling around his form like condensed lightning.
The massive gate ahead of us creaked open with a groan that echoed across the plains. Dust scattered, sunlight spilling through the widening gap — and with it came a wave of dark pressure. It wasn't mere air. It was mana, thick and malevolent, heavy enough to make the lungs tighten. The guards nearest the gate staggered back, one nearly collapsing to his knees.
Liam's voice was low. "This much darkwave… just from its presence?"
I didn't respond. Words weren't necessary. That kind of oppressive aura came only from a demon above the second tier. My hand tightened around my sword hilt as the gate opened fully. The A-rank demons were divided into 7 tier–higher the tier the more powerful they are.
And there it was.
The demon towered in the distance, a monstrous silhouette against the morning light. Its crimson flesh gleamed wetly, its golden eyes burning with unnatural hunger. The creature's shape was almost humanoid, but twisted — limbs too long, claws curved like blades. When it moved, the air around it rippled as though reality itself recoiled.
The earth cracked with every step it took toward us. The sound was a thunderous, rhythmic beat that rattled the heart. My instincts screamed to move, to act, to kill before it reached the walls.
"Near third-tier," I muttered, the words tasting like iron. "If it breaks through the gates, the entire eastern district is gone."
Liam drew his sword, silver aura flaring so bright it nearly blinded. "Then we have to stop it here."
The demon's roar shook the air, a guttural thunder that made the walls tremble. I felt the vibration deep in my bones. The flames along my sword intensified, answering the challenge. I could feel the heat rise behind me as the runes etched into the gate flared to life, reinforcing the barriers. The guards braced themselves, but they were no match for what was coming.
The demon raised one clawed hand, and with a casual flick, summoned a sphere of dark fire — black and red, pulsing with chaotic energy. It hurled it toward the walls.
"Down!" I shouted.
The fireball struck the gate before it fully closed again. The explosion that followed shook the entire eastern side of the capital. Dust and debris filled the air. The runic wards barely held.
Liam coughed, eyes blazing. "That was just one attack…"
I stepped forward through the swirling smoke, aura blazing brighter, flames roaring to life along my sword. "Then let's show what happens when you pick the wrong day to attack."
The demon roared again, its golden eyes narrowing with malice. It charged, the ground cracking beneath its weight.
I pushed off, body surging with mana, leaving a trail of fire in my wake as I met the monster head-on. Liam followed, his silver aura cutting through the dust like a comet.
When our blades struck its claws, the impact split the air like thunder.
The real battle had begun.