Neither Chad nor Cadoc moved.
They stood facing each other, their eyes fixed on one another.
The wind swept across, carrying dust through the battlefield. The ground beneath their feet was cracked from their previous exchanges, and the air remained heavy with the heat of Chad's dark flames.
For several seconds, silence prevailed.
Then—
COUGH!
Chad suddenly staggered.
He dropped to one knee, coughing as blood escaped his mouth and fell onto the ground.
His right hand remained wrapped around his katana, while his left pressed against his chest.
COUGH! COUGH!
His body trembled.
He tried to steady his breathing, but another coughing fit interrupted him.
His fingers gradually loosened around the sword.
CLANG!
The katana slipped from his grasp and struck the ground.
Chad planted one hand against the earth to support himself while keeping the other pressed against his chest.
"What's happening to my body?"
He struggled to understand what was happening.
His movements had become heavier. His breathing was increasingly difficult to control, and even standing upright required more effort than it should have.
He clenched his teeth.
"Damn it."
Across from him, Cadoc watched without saying a word.
Then he finally spoke.
"You're dying, Chad. Do you know that?"
Chad slowly raised his head.
Blood stained his lips.
"Last thing I want to hear is another word from you, you bastard."
Cadoc didn't smile.
He simply stared at Chad.
"Two days."
Chad froze.
"Two days?"
"What's he trying to say?"
Before he could question him, another coughing fit seized his body.
He turned his face aside, trying to regain control of his breathing.
Cadoc finally smiled.
"You have two days left to live, Chad Grace."
Chad raised his head.
"What do you know about me, you demon?"
"More than you think."
"Don't pretend you know anything about me!"
Chad forced himself to stand.
His legs trembled, but he refused to remain on the ground.
At that moment, a voice echoed across the battlefield.
"DAD!"
Mason came running from the distance.
He had been standing roughly a hundred metres away, watching the battle unfold. But seeing his father fall to his knees had finally compelled him to move.
"Father!"
Chad turned toward him.
"Mason! Stay back!"
Mason stopped.
His eyes moved between his father and Cadoc.
Something was wrong.
He had seen Chad fight before. He had witnessed his father's extraordinary swordsmanship and the destructive power of his dark flames.
But he had never seen him like this.
Chad was struggling to remain standing.
His uniform was torn, his breathing was irregular, and he had been coughing up blood.
Mason's hands tightened into fists.
"What's happening to Dad?"
"Why is he coughing up blood?"
His gaze shifted toward Cadoc.
"Is this demon doing something to him?"
He wanted to rush forward.
He wanted to help his father.
But Chad's warning kept him where he was.
Meanwhile, Chad turned his attention back to Cadoc.
"What made you say that?"
Cadoc tilted his head.
"You want to know how I figured it out?"
Chad remained silent.
"Demons possess certain abilities that allow us to examine the human body. We can observe its internal structure, identify weaknesses, and understand how it functions."
Cadoc raised one hand.
"Muscles. Organs. The flow of energy through the body. We can examine these things and determine how well a human can withstand physical strain."
He paused.
"Depending on the individual, we can sometimes estimate how long their body can continue functioning."
"Of course. It's not an exact science."
Cadoc's gaze returned to Chad.
"But your condition is particularly interesting."
Chad bent down and retrieved his katana.
He used it to steady himself before standing upright.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
Dark purple flames flickered along the blade.
"Whatever you say, that's on you."
The flames grew brighter.
Mason watched from a distance as his father's familiar dark aura surrounded the katana.
Chad tightened his grip.
Then he swung his sword.
"Let's see if you can back up those words."
Before Cadoc could respond—
SHING!
Chad disappeared.
Cadoc's eyes widened.
A dark streak crossed the battlefield.
SLASH!
Chad reappeared behind him.
Both of Cadoc's arms fell away from the attack.
Chad landed several steps behind the demon, his katana extended at his side.
"Burn."
Dark flames spread across Cadoc's severed arms.
The demon glanced at the ground before looking back at Chad.
"Not bad."
Dark purple fire erupted from the damaged areas of his body.
The flames intensified, and the surrounding air trembled from the heat.
Mason raised an arm to shield his face as powerful gusts swept across the battlefield.
Dust rose from the shattered ground.
He stared at his father.
"Yeah…that's my Dad"
The wind rushed past Mason, carrying dust and debris across.
Even from his position, he could feel the heat radiating from the battle.
The dust began to settle.
Chad stood with his katana in hand.
His breathing was heavy.
He coughed again, then looked toward Cadoc.
The demon was still standing.
Before Chad could react, Cadoc's arms began regenerating. His body restored itself until both hands were completely formed again.
Cadoc flexed his fingers.
"Come on, Chad!"
He lowered his stance.
"You're better than that!"
Then he charged.
Chad rushed forward to meet him.
Their attacks collided.
BOOM!
The impact sent a shock wave across the battlefield.
Cadoc swung his fist toward Chad's head.
Chad twisted aside and slashed at the demon's arm.
SLASH!
The blade cut through Cadoc's hand, but the demon continued his attack with his other fist.
Chad ducked.
The punch passed over his head.
He pivoted and swung his katana toward Cadoc's torso.
Cadoc leaned backward, narrowly avoiding the blade, before driving his knee forward.
Chad blocked the attack with his forearm.
The impact forced him backward.
His boots scraped across the fractured ground.
He steadied himself.
"Damn it."
His body wasn't responding as it normally would.
His movements were becoming slower, and his muscles felt increasingly strained.
He could still fight, but maintaining his usual speed and precision was becoming more difficult.
Cadoc attacked again.
Chad raised his sword.
SLASH! SLASH! SLASH!
Three rapid strikes forced Cadoc to defend himself.
The demon blocked the first with his forearm, avoided the second, and took the third across his shoulder.
Chad immediately followed with another attack.
Cadoc caught the katana between his hands.
For a moment, the two struggled against each other.
Chad pushed forward.
Cadoc pushed back.
The ground cracked beneath their feet.
Then Cadoc grinned.
"You're getting slower."
Chad narrowed his eyes.
"Shut up!"
He twisted his sword, forcing Cadoc to loosen his grip, then drove his knee toward the demon's stomach.
Cadoc absorbed the impact.
Before Chad could retreat, the demon punched him in the abdomen.
BOOM!
Chad flew backward and crashed against a rocky outcrop.
The impact shattered part of the rock.
Dust erupted around him.
For a moment, he remained still.
Then he planted a hand against the ground and pushed himself upright.
His uniform was more severely torn, and his breathing had become ragged.
He wiped his mouth and raised his katana.
Cadoc appeared in front of him.
Chad barely managed to lift his weapon before the demon threw another punch.
BOOM!
Chad blocked with the flat of his blade, but the force drove him into the ground.
Cracks spread beneath his feet.
Cadoc pulled back his fist and struck again.
Chad rolled aside.
The punch landed where his head had been, shattering the rock beneath it.
Chad sprang to his feet and slashed toward Cadoc's chest.
The demon caught his wrist.
For a split second, they stared at each other.
Then Cadoc tightened his grip.
Chad grimaced but refused to release his weapon.
Instead, he turned his body and drove his elbow toward Cadoc's face.
The strike connected.
Cadoc's head snapped to the side.
Chad tore his wrist free and slashed upward.
SHING!
The blade cut across Cadoc's chest.
The demon staggered backward.
Chad pursued him with another strike, then another, forcing him to defend himself.
The battlefield filled with the sound of steel cutting through the air and fists colliding with the earth.
Chad attacked from multiple angles.
A horizontal slash.
A twisting strike.
A sudden change of direction.
His swordsmanship allowed him to control the distance between them, forcing Cadoc to respond to each movement.
Cadoc countered with his fists, blocking when possible and evading when necessary.
But Chad's body was beginning to betray him.
His next swing came a fraction too late.
Cadoc noticed.
The demon stepped inside the arc of the blade and punched Chad in the stomach.
Chad doubled over.
Before he could recover, Cadoc struck him across the chest.
Chad was sent backward.
He twisted in midair, landed on his feet, and slid across the ground.
His knees nearly buckled.
He caught himself with his sword.
Not yet.
He drew a deep breath.
I'm not finished.
Chad lowered his body.
Dark purple flames surged around him, spreading across his arms and wrapping around his katana.
The ground beneath his feet began to crack.
Across from him, Cadoc widened his stance, his fists raised and a fierce grin spreading across his face.
"Come on, Chad!" he shouted. "Show me everything you've got!"
Chad's eyes narrowed.
"Don't regret this."
BOOM!
The ground shattered beneath Chad's feet.
He launched forward, moving just a few feet above the ground as his dark flames trailed behind him like a blazing shadow.
In the blink of an eye, he reached Cadoc.
KABOOM!
Chad drove his katana forward, striking Cadoc with tremendous force.
Cadoc crossed his arms to defend himself, but the impact forced him backward.
His feet scraped violently across the ground.
Chad didn't give him a moment to recover.
He continued pushing forward, his sword pressed against Cadoc's guard as the dark flames surrounding the blade intensified.
The ground fractured beneath Cadoc's feet as Chad drove him farther backward.
Dust erupted around them.
Cadoc gritted his teeth, struggling against the relentless pressure.
"Is that all you've got?!" he roared.
Chad's expression hardened.
"Not even close."
Then, without releasing the pressure of his attack, Chad shifted his stance.
Dark flames gathered behind him.
The air trembled.
A deep, rumbling sound spread across the battlefield, growing louder with every passing second.
Cadoc's eyes widened.
"What—?"
Chad drew his sword back.
His dark flames surged violently, twisting behind him into the enormous silhouette of a dragon.
Its enormous head emerged from the swirling fire, its blazing eyes fixed on Cadoc.
Chad raised his voice.
"FLAME DRAGON!"
The dragon roared.
ROOOAAARRR!
It surged forward from behind Chad, its massive body composed entirely of dark purple flames.
Cadoc barely had time to react.
The dragon opened its jaws and swallowed him in a torrent of dark fire.
BOOOOOOM!
The force of the attack tore through the battlefield.
Cadoc was carried away by the dragon's charge, his body engulfed in flames as the enormous creature surged farther forward.
The ground beneath its path cracked apart.
Dust and debris exploded into the air.
Chad stood his ground, his katana extended as the dragon carried Cadoc farther away.
Then—
KRA-KOOOOOOOM!
The Flame Dragon erupted in a massive explosion.
Dark purple fire engulfed the surrounding area, and a powerful shock wave swept across the battlefield.
The blast sent dust and debris racing outward.
Mason raised both arms to shield himself as the shock wave reached him.
For several moments, the battlefield disappeared behind a towering cloud of smoke.
Chad remained where he stood.
His sword arm trembled.
Dark flames flickered across his skin, and his breathing grew heavier.
He stared into the smoke.
He knew better than to assume the battle was over.
Especially against a demon capable of regenerating his entire body.
The ground beneath him darkened from the intense heat.
Mason shielded his face as a powerful gust swept across the battlefield.
He could barely see through the dust and smoke.
What is that power?
Even from his position, the heat reached him.
He took an involuntary step backward.
Father…
The explosion finally subsided.
For several seconds, the battlefield disappeared behind a thick cloud of smoke.
For several seconds, nothing moved
Then a silhouette emerged within the cloud.
Cadoc slowly stepped forward
His body was severely damaged, and the flames continued to consume what remained of the demon's outer form.
He lowered his head.
His body twitched.
Then his regeneration began.
The damage gradually disappeared as his body restored itself.
The burns faded.
His form returned to normal.
Cadoc rolled his shoulders and looked toward Chad.
His smile widened.
"Now we're talking!"
Chad stared at him.
His breathing was ragged.
His sword arm trembled.
He could barely keep himself upright, but he forced his body straight.
Cadoc took a step forward.
"That was a beautiful attack."
Chad said nothing.
"You nearly turned me to ash."
Cadoc examined his regenerated hands.
"Almost."
He raised his head.
"But almost isn't enough."
Chad tightened his grip on his katana.
Cadoc's expression became serious.
"Come on, Chad. You're bigger than that!"
He rushed forward.
Chad raised his sword.
Cadoc's fist came down.
Chad shifted aside and cut across his arm.
The demon ignored the wound and drove his other fist toward Chad's face.
Chad ducked beneath it and slashed upward.
Cadoc blocked with his forearm.
The blade cut deep.
He retaliated with a punch to Chad's ribs.
Chad staggered.
Cadoc struck again.
Chad blocked with his katana, but the impact drove him backward.
His boots tore through the dirt.
He tried to counterattack.
His sword moved—
But his body couldn't keep up.
The strike lacked its usual speed.
Cadoc caught the blade.
Then he punched Chad in the stomach.
Chad struggled to catch his breath.
Cadoc twisted his body and hurled him toward the ground.
CRAAACK!
Chad slammed into the earth.
A crater formed beneath him.
Dust erupted in every direction.
Cadoc landed nearby.
He walked toward the crater, anticipation filling his expression.
"Come on, Chad."
Chad's fingers curled against the ground.
"Get up."
Chad slowly pushed himself onto one knee.
Blood ran down his face.
His vision blurred for an instant.
He blinked and forced himself to focus.
My body…
His muscles were failing him.
He could feel it.
His dark flames were becoming increasingly difficult to maintain, and his body was struggling to withstand the power he continued to unleash.
His endurance allowed him to keep moving.
It couldn't make the damage disappear.
He gritted his teeth and rose.
Cadoc watched him carefully.
"That's it."
Chad lifted his head.
"Shut up."
He raised his katana.
The dark flames flickered.
For a moment, they appeared to weaken.
Then Chad forced more energy into them.
The flames surged again.
They spread from his sword to his arm, across his shoulder, and over portions of his exposed torso.
His skin burned beneath the dark purple fire.
He felt the pain spread through his body.
His jaw tightened.
He endured it.
Not because he couldn't feel it.
Because he refused to let it stop him.
The air around him began to distort from the heat.
The ground beneath his feet darkened.
Cadoc's eyes widened slightly.
Then he laughed.
"YES!"
He stepped forward and stretched out his left hand.
"That's the Chad Grace I wanted to fight!"
He placed his left foot forward and settled into a fighting stance.
"Bring it on, Chad!"
He grinned.
"I'm waiting for you!"
Chad stood opposite him.
Blood dripped from his chin.
His torn clothing fluttered in the hot wind, and dark flames danced around his body.
He looked at Cadoc.
For a brief moment, the battlefield fell silent.
Then Chad lowered his body.
He held his katana at his side, positioning the blade for a forward strike.
The flames along its length intensified.
His legs bent.
His muscles tightened.
Every remaining ounce of strength gathered into his stance.
Mason watched from a distance, unable to tear his eyes away.
Father…
Chad's gaze remained fixed on Cadoc.
His expression hardened.
Then—
BOOM!
The ground beneath Chad's feet shattered.
He launched forward in a burst of dark flames, his katana trailing a blazing purple-black streak through the air.
Cadoc's grin widened.
He stepped forward to meet him.
Neither intended to back down.
And the battle continued.