The Essence Devil moved first.
Not with speed.
With weight.
Its enormous body shifted, and the earth answered.
BOOM.
The plaza split apart as thick roots burst through the mud like veins tearing through skin. Broken stone and soaked wood shot into the air before crashing back down.
Akhiro slammed his palms together.
"Barrier Formation — Second Layer!"
Golden talismans ignited across the ground. Symbols spread outward in glowing chains that wrapped around the nearest roots.
For a moment—
They stopped.
Then the roots pushed back.
The golden chains stretched, trembling violently as something beneath the earth pulled against them.
Akhiro felt sweat crawl down his spine.
"…It's too strong."
Kaito laughed.
Not nervously.
Excited.
"Then we just cut it."
He sprinted forward through the rain.
Mud splashed beneath his boots as he rushed toward the towering devil.
The creature's massive limb slammed down.
CRASH.
The street shattered where Kaito had stood.
But he was already gone.
Steel flashed upward.
CLANG.
His blade carved across one of the devil's twisted limbs. Black liquid sprayed into the rain like ink spilling through water.
But the wound did not remain.
The flesh shifted.
Roots twisted beneath the surface.
The cut closed.
Kaito landed lightly on the roof of a broken house.
"…Oh?"
The devil roared.
The sound rolled through the valley like thunder trapped beneath the earth.
More roots erupted from the streets, ripping apart buildings as if they were made of paper.
Akhiro shouted from the plaza.
"Kaito! It's regenerating!"
Kaito wiped the black liquid from his blade.
"Yeah."
He tilted his head.
"I noticed."
Behind them—
Adryn stepped forward.
Rain streamed down his face as he stared at the creature.
It was larger now.
Wrong in ways that felt impossible.
Every movement of its body caused the roots beneath the town to shift like muscles under skin.
Akhiro glanced toward the Holy Tree.
The bark pulsed again.
Thump.
That same heartbeat.
Slow.
Ancient.
"…It's connected," Akhiro whispered.
Adryn's voice was calm.
"The devil isn't standing on the roots."
Another thump echoed from the tree.
Adryn finished.
"…It's growing from them."
Akhiro felt his stomach tighten.
That meant—
The devil wasn't just a creature.
It was a branch.
A fragment of something much larger buried beneath the valley.
Kaito jumped again.
He ran straight up the devil's arm, using the twisted roots like steps.
Rain and black liquid poured down the creature's body.
He raised his blade high.
"Let's see if you grow a new head!"
The sword fell.
SHRRRAK.
Steel tore through the upper section of the devil's body.
The impact shook the creature violently.
A massive section ripped away and crashed into the plaza.
The devil collapsed sideways, smashing half the square into rubble.
Mud and shattered beams filled the air.
For a moment—
Silence.
Then the fallen mass began moving again.
Roots slithered across the ground.
The torn flesh twisted unnaturally.
The severed section slowly dragged itself back toward the main body.
Kaito stared.
"…You've got to be kidding me."
The pieces reattached.
Like wet clay forced back together.
The wound vanished.
Akhiro felt cold dread settle in his chest.
"Adryn…"
Adryn already understood.
"It doesn't regenerate."
Lightning tore across the sky.
The devil rose again.
Adryn finished quietly.
"It rebuilds."
That difference was worse.
Regeneration meant damage.
This thing simply rearranged itself.
As long as the roots remained—
It could not die.
The Essence Devil slowly turned its hollow face toward Adryn.
Black liquid poured endlessly from the empty space where its head should have been.
Then the roots beneath the plaza surged.
Dozens of them burst upward.
All aimed at him.
Adryn moved.
Too fast to follow.
CRACK.
His fist smashed into the first root, shattering it apart.
Mud exploded outward.
Another root lunged forward.
Adryn caught it mid-air.
His fingers tightened.
The wood splintered like brittle bone.
He spun and hurled the broken mass directly into the devil's body.
BOOM.
The impact staggered the creature.
But the devil answered instantly.
Its enormous limb crashed down toward him.
Adryn didn't dodge.
He punched upward.
The collision sounded like thunder.
For a moment—
The devil's arm stopped.
Then it shattered.
Chunks of bark and twisted flesh scattered across the plaza.
Kaito whistled from the rooftop.
"Damn."
But the devil simply grew another limb.
Roots slid from the ground and fused into its body.
Akhiro's hands trembled.
"Adryn… it's endless."
Adryn stood in the rain.
Silent.
Watching.
Every time the devil moved, the roots beneath the town spread further.
Like something beneath the valley was stretching its fingers.
Testing its reach.
The Holy Tree pulsed again.
Thump.
Akhiro suddenly looked around the ruined town.
The broken houses.
The silent streets.
The endless roots crawling beneath the mud.
A terrible realization formed in his mind.
"This town…"
His voice shook.
"…this whole place is a nest."
Kaito jumped down beside them, resting his blade across his shoulder.
"So what's the plan?"
Akhiro didn't answer.
Because he already knew the truth.
Even if they destroyed the devil's body…
It would simply grow again.
Because the real monster wasn't standing in front of them.
It was buried under the valley.
The Essence Devil roared once more.
Its body swelled larger as more roots forced their way into it.
The ground cracked open across the town.
Buildings collapsed as the earth shifted violently.
Adryn clenched his fists.
Lightning flashed again.
For a brief moment—
The devil's shadow stretched across the plaza.
And behind that shadow—
Another shape moved beneath the ground.
Much larger.
Much older.
Watching.
Waiting.
Kaito lifted his sword again.
The grin returned to his face.
But this time—
Adryn noticed something strange.
Kaito wasn't looking at the devil.
He was staring at the roots beneath the town.
As if he had already realized something the others had not.
Something about this place.
Something about this battle.
Something about how it would end.
The rain began falling harder.
And beneath Denjiyon Town—
The roots continued growing.
Like fingers tightening around prey.