"Who the hell was that?" Edric muttered.
He stared at the demon's corpse on the ground. What should have been one body told a different story—an extra severed arm near the leg, clean cuts everywhere. One demon had died instantly. The other had clearly tried to escape.
"So there were two…" Edric said under his breath.
Duke Will stepped closer, his gaze dark.
"This is getting out of hand," he said. "How did demons even reach this land?"
Edric clenched his fist. "Someone like Aldwin could defeat a lesser demon… but it wouldn't be easy."
Duke Will nodded slowly. "And yet, look at us. We're completely healed."
Edric glanced down at himself, confused. "I don't even know how that happened."
Silence fell between them before Duke Will straightened.
"We can't stay here," he said. "Let's continue to the meeting."
Edric nodded, then turned to the knights. "Report everything to Aldwin and the others. Tell them to stay alert."
"Yes, sir!" the knights replied, retreating quickly before boarding their carriage and riding off into the night.
Meanwhile, Rowan sat on his bed in the dark, his sword resting across his lap.
If I don't act, the nobles will die, he thought. And worse… that high-ranking demon might move.
He exhaled slowly.
"I'll do it," he whispered.
Rowan rose, gripping his sword tightly. Even as he lifted it, he knew the truth—this skill was far too much for his current body.
Still, he swung the blade in a controlled motion.
"Sword Spirit Manifestation."
Golden light exploded from the sword. A second figure emerged from Rowan's body—pure gold, identical to him, radiating overwhelming power.
Rowan's voice was calm but strained. "Go. Kill every lesser demon you sense."
The golden figure shot through the window and vanished into the night.
The moment it left, Rowan's body began to tremble. His knees buckled, pain flooding his limbs. His eyes became blurred for an instant before he collapsed unconscious onto the ground.
One by one, across the land, lesser demons fell.
None escaped.
In another place, far from the castle, a sorcerer stared into a bubbling pot.
"…They're dying," he whispered. "Most of them."
He leaned closer, eyes widening. "No—every lesser demon… except the one that escaped."
Valzaha slammed his hand onto the table. "Impossible. Lesser demons are not weak. This can't be the work of multiple humans."
He turned toward the surviving demon, who was kneeling on the ground, breathing heavily.
"Speak," Valzaha commanded. "What happened?"
The demon trembled. "My lord… there is a human child. Far too powerful. He could have killed us from the start."
Valzaha's eyes sharpened. "Where is he?"
The demon opened its mouth. "He is in—"
Its body went still.
"Wake up," Valzaha snarled, striking it. The head shattered into dust.
The sorcerer stepped forward calmly. "There's no need for anger. There is still a trace. Faith. Residual power."
He poured a substance over the corpse, extracting a tiny metallic fragment and dropping it into the pot.
The image shifted.
A castle formed within the liquid.
"Duke Will Castle," the sorcerer said quietly. "The power is faint… but this is where he is."
Valzaha stared at the image, then smiled coldly.
"It doesn't matter," he said.
He rose, shattered the ceiling above him, and flew into the night—straight toward Rowan's castle.
The knights rushed to Aldwin and reported everything they had witnessed.
"Are you certain?" Aldwin asked, his expression darkening as he reached for his sword.
"Yes, sir."
Aldwin exhaled slowly. "Go. Check on Rowan. He was in the backyard earlier. Make sure nothing has happened to him."
The knight hesitated. "And your wife, sir?"
"She's still inside, speaking with her friend," Aldwin replied. "But something is wrong."
The knight straightened.
"As a sword guard, I can feel it," Aldwin continued. "Something is coming. Something far stronger than what you described. Stronger than a lesser demon—something I've never faced before."
The knight nodded and hurried away.
Aldwin turned and dressed quickly, fastening a clean coat with an ankh set at his chest. He secured his trousers, strapped his sword at his waist, and stepped forward.
At that moment, the air shifted.
A crushing pressure descended.
Knights collapsed instantly, their knees giving out as the force pressed them into the ground. Some couldn't even breathe.
Only Aldwin remained standing.
The sky trembled as a figure descended.
Boom.
The ground cracked beneath its landing. Heavy armor gleamed darkly, an ankh etched into the metal. Steam rolled from the creature's nostrils as glowing red eyes swept the courtyard.
"Who is the young one," Valzaha said slowly, "who killed my lesser demon?"
Aldwin raised his sword. "I don't know what you're talking about. Leave. Now."
Valzaha laughed softly.
He drew his sword halfway, then stopped.
"You," Valzaha said, pointing at Aldwin. "Raise your blade. Prepare to die."
Valzaha moved.
He swung toward Aldwin's head.