Danger Sense was stirring again—not like a sudden alarm, but more like a low, dangerous growl that kept rising in magnitude, warning of an incoming, inescapable outcome.
Zachary's stomach churned, his ears ringing. 'What's going on?'
The girls quickly noticed his growing restlessness, but with a raised finger he silenced their questions before they could be voiced.
Where had things gone wrong?
Looking down, Zachary watched as the Demon circled beneath the branch they stood on. From time to time, it tapped the bark of the tree with its pincers and scythes, as though testing its condition.
Suddenly, it looked up.
And at that moment, Zachary felt something else stirring through his Danger Sense. Just like with the poor Sleeper during the spar, he sensed strong hostility directed at him—but this time, there was something more.
A dark, murky color seeped from the Demon's body, exuding from every part of it as it slowly drifted toward him. He didn't need to think to understand.
Malice.
It clicked immediately. When a strong enough emotion was directed at him, one that exceeded a certain threshold, Cinder Eyes registered it as a color. Now, at last, everything made sense. His previous plan had worked only because he had forced a breach between the Demon's instinct and its imposed control. Now, both were aligned, woven together, aimed at the same target.
Zachary.
The Blasphemer meant to be purged—standing atop the very tree that was meant to be protected.
"I fucked up," Zachary muttered under his breath, mind racing. "I was overconfident about following the canon..."
'No. Since the beginning, this was bound to fail.' A cold realization weighed on him like lead. 'Now that I've seen how the Demon reacts to my Attribute, the thought of the Creature of the Mist responding the same way... it sends a shiver down my spine.'
And that was without considering what that creature really was—something born of Nothingness, whose power grew depending on how it was perceived. He, with his enhanced senses, would be the worst possible matchup against such a nightmarish creature. His thoughts flashed to the words tied to his own ability.
Innate Ability: [Cinder Eyes.]
Ability Description: [Being aware of your cage makes you able to sense more than you should be permitted to. But beware, for there are things that a mortal shouldn't witness.]
"Hah... hahahaha." Zachary laughed at the absurdity of it all. The girls exchanged worried glances, his laughter only deepening their unease.
'What a fumble,' he admitted to himself, sobering quickly. 'Don't sink into pessimism, Zachary. I wasn't wrong—I just lacked perspective.' He recalled Nedd's riddle, and had to agree with the old man: ignorance can never be the parent of knowledge.
What's in my pocket?
The statement appeared in his mind like a bolt of lightning clearing the darkness. The corner of his lip curled up into a smile.
'No, it's not over. I just need another plan. I haven't failed.' Determination rooted itself in his heart.
Clearing his mind, he turned toward the girls. Their expectant gazes weighed on him. For a fleeting moment, he considered making a joke, but quickly shook his head. This wasn't the time. With a steady sigh and a clear voice, he told them the truth.
They couldn't wait until nightfall. The Demon would make its move before then. By the gradual swell of Danger Sense, they had, at most, an hour before it struck.
"So it was all for naught?" Cassie asked, her voice tight with worry. Nephis, by contrast, kept her focus sharp—her own mind clearly working at speed to find an answer.
Zachary shook his head. "No. We noticed early. We have the initiative—and the terrain advantage."
At his words, Nephis's eyes sharpened. She understood at once: he was already weaving a new plan.
'If it's not broken, don't fix it.' A foundation of a plan began to take shape in Zachary's mind. He just needed more information… and a few minutes to sharpen the edges.
He walked to the edge of the branch and looked down toward the Demon. The creature growled up at him, its full attention fixed solely on Zachary. A flash of recognition glinted in its eyes.
He turned to Nephis. "Wait here. Once you hear my whistle, damage the tree."
She studied him for a second, then gave a taciturn nod. With that, Zachary leapt to another branch, using the trunk as a foothold. Below, the Demon followed, its gaze never straying from him.
That was confirmation. He alone bore the brunt of the Demon's malice and hostility.
With a defeated laugh, Zachary kept running and leaping across the colossal branches. The Demon pursued him relentlessly, like a fanatic chasing his favorite superstar—except, much to Zachary's misfortune, with a very different emotion and purpose.
Once he had gained enough distance from the girls, far enough that the Demon remained ignorant of their presence, Zachary pulled out the bone whistle. He blew hard. The sharp, piercing note rang through the branches, but the Demon didn't react. Only after three seconds did its body shiver—then it snapped its gaze toward the girls.
'The Demon is still reacting to the tree being damaged!' Zachary realized. This was the final piece he had been missing. Now, at last, his plan took form.
He returned to the girls, both of whom stood ready, determination burning in their eyes. Zachary looked at them for a moment, then let out a serious sigh.
"Listen up. This is what we're going to do."
***
Everyone was in position. Zachary had explained the plan piece by piece to the girls, and now they were finally ready to act. He stood on a lower branch, only a few meters above the Demon's reach. The creature prowled below, its malice now further marinated by madness and hate.
To Zachary's surprise, that feeling was slowly becoming mutual. He admitted it quickly enough—this bastard had done nothing but give him problem after problem. Their gazes locked without wavering, like two gunslingers in the Old West, staring each other down over an old, fated debt.
With a hateful laugh, Zachary spread his arms wide and announced in a dramatic voice: "It's over, Demon! I have the high ground!"
The Demon, to Zachary's dismay, did not answer back. Its hateful attention remained fixed solely on him. With a defeated sigh, Zachary muttered: "Why does no one understand my references..."
And just as he said that, the Ashen Barrow was suddenly inundated in a sea of fire.
The flames, reflected in his crimson eyes, carried him back a few minutes earlier.
"The plan will remain mostly the same," Zachary began, checking the oil sacks the girls still carried. "A clash of Aggros. But this time, instead of using it to avoid pursuit, we'll turn it into a weapon."
"We'll use the remaining flammable oil as cover for Neph—" He stopped abruptly, unease flickering in his eyes. "Although—"
But Nephis's steady voice cut him off: "Don't worry. Fire won't harm me." She said it like it was nothing.
Zachary only nodded, not asking for details. Her immunity was most likely tied to her Divine Lineage.
While the Demon's hateful focus was locked on Zachary, Nephis circled the Ashen Barrow, spreading the oil. With the dry death leaves carpeting the ground, the flames caught easily, devouring the clearing.
The Demon ignored the fire, its burning gaze never straying from Zachary. Compared to the earlier Echo's explosion, this blaze posed no threat to the tree. Zachary could only laugh. "Wrong choice, little guy."
A sharp whistle cut through the crackling inferno. Suddenly, a blazing arrow streaked from the fire!
"How many arrows do you have left?" Zachary had asked earlier as he weighed the last oil sack in his hand.
Nephis frowned faintly. "Seven. But even though they're made from a Monster remains, their design is crude. They won't hold up in a fight."
He was about to defend his craftsmanship but decided against it, so Zachary's lips just curled into a smug grin. "But if the target stays still—and you get close enough?"
A flash of understanding glimmered in Nephis's gray eyes.
The arrow soared, flames trailing in its wake, and the Demon didn't even flinch. Then, with elation born from seeing his prediction come true, Zachary watched it strike home—straight into the Demon's chest.
The exact place Cassie's vision had foretold: the wound that had never healed.
"SKREEEE!"
The creature shrieked, its pincers and scythes thrashing wildly as fury and pain tore through its body.
Seizing the opening, Zachary leapt from the branch. Cinder Eyes flared, guiding him as he twisted past the Demon's lashing appendages. Using the fall's momentum, his weight, and the enhanced edge of Ender's Solace, he drove the weapon straight into the Demon's head—through its left eyes.
The Demon's guttural screech doubled in volume, a storm of violence erupting around it. Danger Sense pulsed like a drumbeat in Zachary's mind, but he used it to rip his sword free and hurl himself away. He landed hard in the burning barrow, putting distance between himself and the raging beast.
"Begin Operation 'Through the Fire and Flames'!" Zachary declared with manic enthusiasm.
"What's with that name?" Nephis asked with a raised eyebrow as he revealed the title of the plan.
Without thinking much, Zachary launched into explanation. "Well, there's this Power Metal band called DragonForce that—"
"Focus," Nephis cut him off flatly. "Good start, but now we're both beneath the tree dealing with the Demon. There's no one left to damage the tree."
Zachary raised an eyebrow. "But there is one, my impatient friend." He tilted his head toward the blind girl who had been listening intently.
Nephis's expression immediately hardened—she knew exactly what he meant. But before she could object, a quiet, resolute voice spoke up.
"I'll do it," Cassie said, clenching her fists. "I want to help too. I've had enough of only waiting for you." Her voice carried a strength that defied her size, forged from countless moments of helplessness and torturous waiting.
Nephis's gaze softened at her friend's determination, while Zachary gave a weak smile. He summoned Antlered Wrath and handed it to Cassie. The sight of the small girl holding such a savage, towering Warhammer made him laugh honestly despite the danger. Wiping a tear from his eye, he muttered with amusement:
"Go. Do a crime."
Among the sea of fire, Zachary kept retreating from the Carapace Demon as it thrashed wildly in pain and fury. Finally, its remaining eyes focused on him. Cinder Eyes immediately flared, detecting immense hostility and danger. Just as the Demon lunged forward in a frenzy, a rustle of leaves and branches came from above the Soul Devouring Tree.
The Demon froze, trembling, its body shifting erratically. Then Nephis emerged from the curtain of fire, clad in the Starlight Legion Armor and wielding her Dream Blade like an executioner delivering a sentence. With perfect timing and flawless sword mastery, she leapt and struck the Demon's carapaced leg at the joint.
The blow landed true. The leg was half-severed, and the monster stumbled, forced to shift its weight onto its remaining limbs. Nephis disappeared back into the fire before the Demon could retaliate.
Zachary seized the moment, circling to the creature's left side—the side where its eyes had already been destroyed. The Demon snapped its pincers at him, twisting its body to catch him.
A sharp whistle cut through the roar of the flames, followed by a blazing arrow. Nephis struck again, this time aiming at the half-healed wound in the Demon's chest.
But this time the Demon remembered. With a furious screech, it raised a scythe to block the projectile. The instant of distraction was enough—Zachary dashed forward, closing the distance. The Demon turned, scythe already moving to cleave him in two.
Then another rustle above.
The creature faltered for half a heartbeat, just long enough. Zachary channeled all his strength and precision into a single strike, cleaving another of its legs cleanly with Ender's Solace.
Now crippled, with one leg gone and another savaged, the Demon teetered, forced to bear its weight on only four hind legs.
Zachary slipped back to the Demon's blind side. As it twisted to follow him, Nephis emerged from behind, driving her blade into the monster's underside. The strike didn't pierce deep enough to cripple it—but it bought him the opening he needed. Using the severed leg as a foothold, Zachary launched himself upward, aiming for the Demon's pincers.
With his six hundred Soul Fragments and flawless Body Control, his body no longer moved in the realm of men. His strength and speed surged into the realm of the superhuman. The itch of Unbalance still lingered at the back of his mind, an unsolved riddle, but it no longer dulled his edge.
The Demon reacted instantly, slashing with its scythe to guard its left side. Zachary twisted midair like an acrobat, barely evading the fatal arc. Ender's Solace struck true, biting deep into the pincer. It didn't sever cleanly, but the damage was enough—the limb hung useless.
A third rustle from above drew the monster's attention, giving Zachary the moment he needed to disengage and catch his breath. Then another arrow screamed down from the fire, striking the Demon's right eye. The creature shrieked, thrashing violently. Now only a single eye remained.
'We can do it.' The thought burned bright in Zachary's mind, a beacon of hope amid the flames. But he refused to let it blind him. In the midst of battle hope was just as deadly as despair. Focus was all that mattered.
The plan was working. Little by little, they would chip away at the beast. Prey had brought down behemoths since ancient times, not with strength, but with persistence—like hunters dragging mammoths to their deaths by bleeding them dry.
So they danced. Fire and steel against carapace and claw. The Demon guarded its last eye and its festering chest wound with ruthless precision, but Zachary and Nephis pressed the assault everywhere else. They hacked at its hind legs, slashed its underbelly. Zachary finally tore free the mangled pincer. At one point, Nephis abandoned restraint, her blade bursting into searing flame. Using Zachary's shoulder as a foothold, she vaulted high, cleaving clean through the Demon's right scythe.
Each strike, each wound, was made possible by Cassie above, her counted blows against the tree forcing the beast to split its instincts between rage and duty.
Now the Carapace Demon was a ruin. One pincer. One scythe. Its legs shredded, its body marked by a dozen deep wounds. And yet, it still stood.
"We can do it." Zachary repeated, confidence brewing in his heart. "We can win. The plan will work."
And indeed, it was a good plan. Considering the circumstances—the short time, the scarce knowledge, and the fragments of information at his disposal—Zachary had managed to craft and direct something coherent, even elegant. Determination, insight, and creativity had carried it through. By every measure, it was a flawless execution—
—that is, considering the knowledge he had.
A scream suddenly tore through the crackle of flames and clash of steel. From the corner of his vision, Zachary saw Cassie falling from the tree. His heart plummeted into his stomach.
'What?!' His mind raced, grasping at countless possibilities: had the Soul Devouring Tree decided to defend itself? Had it enthralled another creature from the labyrinth? Was there an enemy hiding above, waiting for them to make the wrong move? Or something else entirely, something he couldn't yet name?
Danger Sense ripped him back to reality. Reflexively, he parried the Demon's pincer with the edge of his sword. His teeth clenched so hard they creaked.
The truth was, the questions didn't matter. Cassie had fallen. If no enemy struck her down, then the fire would. They had to act—and fast.
Diving beneath the scythe and darting into the Demon's blind side, Zachary locked eyes with Nephis. A single glance was enough. She understood immediately, bursting in the direction Cassie had fallen.
Left behind, Zachary ground his teeth harder still. He was alone with the damned Demon—mangled, half-dead, yet refusing to fall. Madness, fury, duty, and bottomless malice rooted it in place, all of it focused squarely on him.
And then it sprung forward. With no one left to draw the tree's Aggro, Zachary was forced onto the defensive. He couldn't attack—only dodge, parry, and block, cursing under his breath as he did. The Demon was already at death's door, yet it was still an Awakened Demon. If not for Cinder Eyes and Danger Sense guiding him through its strikes, if not for Balance Control, a half-full Soul Core, and a weapon that could endure the punishment, Zachary would already be dead.
And even with all of that, he felt like he was dying.
Cinder Eyes traced the Attack Lines before they came, turning the Demon's movements into a map of inevitable violence. And with his ennhanced senses sharpening the picture, Zachary perception was almost at the level of precognition. But none of it was enough. The sheer weight behind the blows was tyrannical, his deflections like a child pushing back against an avalanche.
The best he could do was redirect, slip aside at the final heartbeat, stave off annihilation. Little by little, his clothes tore. The Witness' Testament—so proud, so unyielding at first—now showed its limits. The armor was not as resistant as he once thought.
Cuts carved themselves into his flesh. Blood mixed with sweat, soaking him until his grip on the sword slickened and his arms trembled. His bones screamed with each impact. His mind began to fray, drowning in the ceaseless tide of attacks.
But through sheer will, through the thread of Balance that was his anchor, Zachary pulled himself back from the brink. He could not fall here.
Cinder Eyes flared, and through the haze of fire Zachary glimpsed a ray of hope. Behind the Demon, Nephis had reached Cassie's side. The blind seer lay unconscious, but blessedly unharmed. With swift movements, Nephis dragged her clear of the flames, then turned—her eyes locking with Zachary's.
He felt like he was drowning. Every breath stolen by the Demon's relentless assault, every muscle screaming from fending it off. He needed a pause. Just one breath.
Nephis knew it too. Sparks danced in her eyes as her sword ignited, and with a clean, resolute motion she drove the Dream Blade deep into the trunk of the tree. Zachary instantly leapt back, ready to seize the brief reprieve her strike would buy. The moment the Demon shifted its attention, he would be able to breathe again.
It was a logical decision, a reasonable development. The kind of decision born of hard-won experience and trust in the rhythm of battle. None of them thought, not for a second, that the pattern could break now.
But if anything can go wrong, it will go wrong.
The shift came first as a tremor. Cinder Eyes flickered with warning—and then Nephis' scream tore across the Ashen Barrow, but Zachary was unable to hear it.
Agony bloomed. Sudden. Absolute. A brutal intrusion that ripped every thought from his mind. Instinct made him try to recoil, but his feet no longer touched the ground.
With trembling eyes Zachary looked down.
The Demon's scythe was buried through his stomach.
Taking everyone by surprise, the Demon finally chose to ignore the tree's command and instead followed its instincts, hate, and malice.
It focused in the one who had given it the hardest of times.
The overwhelming hatred it bore toward the Blasphemer was enough to momentarily overwrite the control of the Soul Devouring Tree.
And the Demon used this opportunity to gift death to the detestable being that had caused it so much pain.