“This bastard…!”

One of the professors growled, his rage boiling over.

Zooom!

In a flash of light, he vanished, reappearing right in front of Kagetaro with twin axes swinging straight for his head.

But just as the axes were about to connect—

Click!

Splurt!

A big hole pierced through the professor’s body.

Thud.

The professor’s body fell coldly into the ground.

The student’s eyes widened in horror.

Fwip!

Zeva immediately stepped in the front, swinging a wave of aura towards Kagetaro.

“Oh?”

He raised an eyebrow as he disappeared into thin air.

Click!

His mana strings shot towards Zeva who blocked with her swords and twisted them slightly, cutting off the strings with ease.

“A twin sword artifact… huh,”

“Quite interesting…”

Kagetaro remarked, a faint smile curling his lips.

He moved his arms, and the mana strings danced around him like deadly ribbons, weaving a tight, suffocating circle around Zeva.

BOOM!

A burst of energy exploded from Zeva, shattering the strings into ash.

Kagetaro took a few quick steps back—

—BAM!

Behind him, a fully covered mana sword strikes down, causing him to twist his body and use his mana strings to block the strike.

At that moment, another professor appeared, and two daggers shot toward his waist and his neck.

But even with multiple attacks, Kagetaro smiled.

“Bang.”

He muttered slightly.

Splurt!

Two large projectiles shot straight towards both the attackers, slicing through the air with a sharp hiss.

At the same time, another was aimed directly at Zeva.

Fwip!

She reacted instantly, swinging her weapon to deflect it.

The force of the deflection sent the projectile veering off course, smashing into a building in the distance and punching a clean hole right through its walls.

“Damn it…”

Looking at the dead bodies of her colleagues, Zeva gripped his twin swords tightly, as the aura on her body got more deadly than before.

She swung her left arm—

BAM!

A crescent-shaped wave made out of aura ripped across the ground, carving through the air toward Kagetaro.

His eyes widened, caught off guard by the sudden attack.

He barely moved in time—

Splurt!

The energy tore through his right arm, blood spraying like a fountain as the limb fell limp at his side.

For the first time, Kagetaro’s calm demeanor cracked, a flicker of surprise flashing across his face, yet the small grin on his face remained.

Tap. Tap.

Footsteps echoed through the tense battlefield.

“Step back,” a calm voice cut through the silence.

Zeva turned her head slightly to see a familiar figure walking forward.

It was Lucas, his golden hair glinting under the dim light of the darkened sky, strode into the fray

His sword, Excalibur, was glowing faintly, the holy energy pulsing slightly, causing small waves of energy.

“I’ll take it from here, Professor Zeva. We’ll need you for the fight against the Arch Demon.” Lucas said firmly, looking at Zeva for a while.

Zeva hesitated for a moment but then nodded, stepping back to catch her breath.

“Oh? Another one?” Kagetaro said lightly but his grin widened, his mask somehow looking even creepier.

“And here I thought things were starting to get boring.”

Lucas didn’t reply.

Instead, he raised Excalibur, gripping it tightly with both hands.

The sword hummed with power, its blade almost blinding as golden light burst forth.

BOOOOM!

The ground beneath Lucas cracked as he launched himself forward, closing the distance between him and Kagetaro in an instant.

CLANG!

Kagetaro’s mana strings snapped out like a whip, blocking Excalibur’s strike.

Sparks flew as the two forces collided, the sheer force of the impact shaking the ground.

But Lucas didn’t stop.

He pressed forward, swinging Excalibur in powerful, precise arcs, each strike aiming for Kagetaro’s vitals.

CLANG!

CLINK!

Kagetaro moved like liquid, his body twisting unnaturally as he dodged and parried with his remaining hand and mana strings.

“Not bad,” Kagetaro said, his tone amused as he slid to the side, narrowly avoiding a downward slash that left a deep gash in the ground.

“But, it isn’t enough!”

Lucas didn’t respond.

Instead, he stepped back and thrust Excalibur forward, releasing a wave of golden energy.

BOOM!

The energy tore through the battlefield, heading straight for Kagetaro.

“Hmm,” Kagetaro mused, raising his remaining hand.

His mana strings formed a barrier in front of him, absorbing the impact. The explosion sent dust and debris flying, obscuring the view.

Before the dust could settle, a loud roar echoed across the battlefield.

“MOVE!”

A figure shot out of the shadows, her fists glowing with a fiery aura. Maya charged straight at Kagetaro.

BAM!

Her punch connected with his mana barrier, shattering it like glass. The force sent shockwaves rippling through the air.

Kagetaro staggered slightly, his grin faltering for the first time, leaping backwards to create some distance.

Maya wasn’t about to let him off easy.

“Come here, you freak!” she yelled, her fists blazing as she followed up with a barrage of punches.

WHAM!

BAM!

CRACK!

Each strike was aimed at his torso, her movements fluid and relentless.

Kagetaro dodged most of them, but a few managed to land, cracking the ground beneath him with their sheer force.

“Annoying,” Kagetaro hissed, lashing out with his mana strings.

FWIP!

FWIP!

The strings wrapped around Maya’s wrists, pulling her toward him.

But before he could attack—

THWOOOM!

A blast of fire shot through the air, forcing him to release her.

“Back off!”

Rose stood a few meters away, her hands glowing with flames. Her fiery red hair whipped around her face as she prepared another spell.

『 Fire Series: Fire Pillar! (✦ 4th-Level Spell ✦)』

WHOOSH!

A column of fire erupted from the ground, forcing Kagetaro to leap into the air.

“Don’t get comfortable up there!”

Maya was already waiting. She jumped high, her aura-empowered fist aiming for his chest.

BAM!

The punch connected, sending Kagetaro crashing back to the ground.

“Nice hit!” Lucas called out, rushing in with Excalibur raised.

Kagetaro rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding the sword as it slammed into the ground where he had been moments ago.

CRACK!

The impact left a deep crater.

“Enough of this!” Kagetaro snarled, his voice losing its playful tone.

He raised his remaining hand, and a web of mana strings shot out, forming a deadly net that spread across the battlefield.

“Get down!” Zeva yelled from behind, dashing forward, and then proceeding to slice through the strings near her with her twin swords.

Lucas, Maya, and Rose ducked and dodged, avoiding the razor-sharp threads.

But Kagetaro wasn’t done.

BOOM!

A wave of dark energy erupted from him, knocking everyone back.

Iris, standing at the edge of the battlefield, raised her staff.

“Hold still!” she shouted, golden light flowing from her hands. The healing magic washed over the group, mending their wounds and easing their pain.

“Thanks, Iris!” Maya called out, getting back on her feet.

Finally, Violet decided to step forward as a faint purple aura loomed over her.

She raised her hands, and sharp crystal shards formed in the air around her.

『 Crystal Shards! (✦ 1st-Level Spell ✦)』

FWOOOSH!

The shards shot toward Kagetaro like a storm of daggers.

Kagetaro dodged and weaved, but the crystals moved with him, homing in on his position.

“Tch,” he clicked his tongue, swinging his mana strings to deflect the shards.

But Violet wasn’t done.

CRACK!

『 Crystal Spike! (✦ 3rd-Level Spell ✦)』

A massive crystal spike erupted from the ground beneath him, forcing him to jump.

“Now!” Violet shouted.

Lucas and Maya rushed in from opposite sides, their weapons aimed at his chest.

SLASH!

BAM!

Excalibur sliced through his side, and Maya’s punch connected with his ribcage, sending him skidding across the battlefield.

Blood dripped from his wounds, staining the ground.

But Kagetaro was still grinning.

“You’re better than I thought,” he said, coughing slightly.

However, at the same time, his smile slowly returned.

He raised his remaining hand, snapping his fingers.

CRACK!

The aura behind him flared, growing darker and more oppressive. The ground trembled, and the air grew thick.

“Wait… the Arch-Demon..” Violet muttered, her eyes widening.

The oppressive aura grew stronger, signaling the Arch-Demon of Pride was awakening.

Before anyone could react, Kagetaro’s severed limbs began to move.

SWISH!

The pieces of his body shot toward him, fusing back together in a grotesque display.

The blood and flesh reassembled, and within seconds, his body was whole again.

He rolled his shoulders, flexing his fingers as if nothing had happened.

“Well,” Kagetaro said with a sly grin.

“I’d love to stay and chat, but I think it’s time for me to leave. Goodbye!”

Fwoop!

With a flourished bow, he disappeared from everyone’s sight.

But then—

An enormous, dark aura exploded upward from the ground, blacker than the deepest shadow.

The air grew heavy, and it felt as if the entire world was holding its breath.

Crackle!

Lightning shot across the sky, slicing through the dark clouds that had gathered out of nowhere.

“What… what is that?” Rose stammered, her voice trembling as she stared at the swirling mass of darkness.

“It’s him,” Violet said with a grim face.

“The Arch-Demon of Pride… He’s waking up.”

The ground began to shake violently.

RUMBLE!

Chunks of earth broke apart, forming cracks that glowed with a fiery red light. Lava-like energy oozed up from the cracks, filling the air with the smell of sulfur.

“Everyone, get back!” Lucas shouted, raising Excalibur in front of him.

The golden light from the blade flickered, struggling against the oppressive darkness.

At this point, everyone already knew that Lucas had the Excalibur and was the Hero and because of that, they all trusted him.

Immediately, all of them retreated, forming a defensive line.

But the aura kept growing.

It pulsed like a heartbeat, each throb making the ground quake even harder.

Shine…!

Iris, standing behind the group, raised her staff. A warm light spread from her hands, creating a protective barrier around them.

“Stay close, I’ll shield us as long as I can.”

But even Iris’s magic was struggling against the darkness. The barrier flickered, the edges crumbling like paper burned by fire.

Then, from within the swirling darkness, a low growl echoed.

Grrrrrhhhhhh…

It obviously wasn’t human.

It was a growl that seemed to come from the depths of the earth itself.

The group froze.

And then—

BOOOOM!

The center of the battlefield exploded.

A massive clawed hand emerged from the ground, tearing through the lava-filled cracks.

The hand was enormous, its blackened skin covered in cracks that glowed with fiery red light.

Its claws were long and sharp, each one dripping with molten energy.

THUD!

The hand slammed into the ground, sending shockwaves rippling across the battlefield.

“Get ready!” Lucas shouted, his grip on Excalibur tightening.

From the darkness, a second clawed hand emerged, followed by two glowing red eyes. They burned like twin suns, filled with malice and pride.

The creature’s head followed, its massive horns curving back like a crown. Its face was grotesque, a twisted mix of sharp edges and dark energy.

And then, the rest of its body began to rise.

The Arch-Demon was enormous, towering over the battlefield like a living mountain.

Its chest was covered in jagged armor-like scales, and its wings stretched wide, blocking out what little light remained.

ROOOOAAAAAR!

The demon let out a loud roar, shaking the very sky.

Lightning struck again, the bolts dancing around its massive frame.

“We can’t let this thing fully awaken!” Zeva declared, gripping her swords.

“If it does, we’re all dead!”

Rose nodded, fire swirling around her hands.

“Then let’s stop it now!”

WHOOSH!

Rose shot a stream of fire at the Arch-Demon, aiming for its face.

The flames hit their target, but—

FIZZLE!

The fire disappeared, snuffed out as if it were nothing.

Rose’s eyes widened in disbelief.

“What?!”

The Arch-Demon’s glowing eyes flicked toward her, and it raised one massive claw.

SWIPE!

The claw slashed through the air, sending a wave of dark energy hurtling toward the group.

“MOVE!” Lucas shouted.

BOOOOM!

The wave hit the ground where they had been standing, leaving a massive crater in its wake.

Violet raised her hands, summoning a crystal barrier to block the next attack.

CRASH!

The barrier shattered instantly, the force sending Violet flying backward.

“Senior Violet!” Maya yelled, rushing to her side.

“I’m fine,” Violet groaned, struggling to her feet.

“But this thing… it’s on a completely different level.”

Lucas gripped his Excalibur tightly and then charged toward the Arch-Demon, his sword blazing with holy energy.

“Demon Slaying Sword Art…!”

『 Corruption Sword! 』

CLANG!

Excalibur struck the demon’s arm, but the blade barely left a scratch.

“Damn it…” Lucas muttered, jumping back to avoid a counterattack.

Zeva joined the fray, her twin swords slicing through the air.

SLASH!

SLASH!

Her blades struck the demon’s leg, but they, too, barely left a mark.

“This isn’t working!” Zeva yelled, frustration in her voice.

The Arch-Demon roared again, its massive wings spreading wide.

With one powerful flap—

WHOOSH!

A hurricane-like wind tore across the battlefield, knocking everyone off their feet, even the students who were too scared to move.

Iris struggled to keep her barrier intact, the golden light flickering dangerously.

“This… isn’t good,” she muttered, her hands trembling.

But even as the group struggled, Lucas refused to give up.

He planted his feet firmly on the ground, raising Excalibur high.

“Everyone, focus your attacks on one spot!” he shouted. “We’ll break through its defenses together!”

The others nodded, determination filling their faces.

Maya charged forward, her fists glowing with a fiery aura.

BAM!

BAM!

She landed two heavy punches on the same spot Lucas had struck earlier, small cracks forming on the demon’s armor.

“Keep going!” Lucas yelled.

Rose unleashed another stream of fire, aiming for the cracks.

WHOOSH!

The flames burned brighter this time, fueled by her determination.

Violet followed up with a barrage of crystal spikes, each one slamming into the same spot.

CRACK!

CRACK!

The cracks grew larger, the demon letting out an angry roar as it felt the pressure.

Lucas seized the moment.

“NOW!” he shouted, leaping high into the air.

BOOOOM!

He brought Excalibur down with all his strength, the golden blade piercing through the cracks and sinking deep into the demon’s armor.

The Arch-Demon howled in pain, its massive body trembling.

But then—

THUMP!

THUMP!

The dark aura around it flared again, stronger than before.

“No… it’s still getting stronger!”

The cracks in the demon’s armor began to heal, the fiery red energy sealing them shut.

And then, to the group’s horror, the demon began to laugh.

“Hahaha… HAHAHAHA!”

Its deep, booming laughter echoed across the battlefield.

“You… mere ants…” it growled, its voice shaking the earth.

With a snap of its massive claws—

BOOM!

A wave of darkness erupted outward, engulfing everything in its path.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep