“YOU DAMNED RATS!”

The archdemon roared, his dark aura flaring wildly.

Two long claws extended from his fingertips as he swung his arm in a wide arc, aiming straight for Ella and Lucas.

Fwip!

Looking at each other, Lucas and Ella nodded simultaneously.

He planted his foot against hers, and with perfect coordination, they kicked off each other, launching themselves in opposite directions to dodge mid-air.

But—

The claws were too long.

The tips still reached out for them, slicing through the air with terrifying speed…

—Shing!

Until they heard another bland noise.

Thud!

Aestrea appeared behind Lucas in a blur.

His hand shot out, gripping Lucas’s wrist.

Without hesitation, he spun in place and threw Lucas straight into Ella.

BAM!

“Gah!”

The two of them collided hard, the force sending them tumbling across the ground, but in the end, they had avoided the archdemon’s claws.

Swoosh!

Before the demon could react, Aestrea had already stepped in front of him.

“Hey… even though you aren’t in your full power, how does it feel to be so weak?”

Appearing right before the archdemon, Aestrea asked.

There was no arrogance or coldness in his voice.

It was a completely neutral tone.

But that made it so much worse.

The archdemon’s eyes twitched, veins bulging in his forehead as his rage exploded. With a furious snarl, he lashed out, swinging his claws in a wild frenzy.

“YOU DAAAMN RAAT!”

Aestrea sighed.

『 Bleed 』

Splurt!

“ARGGHHHH!”

The archdemon screamed as deep gashes suddenly tore open across his arms and chest.

BAAM!

Aestrea stepped forward and drove his fist straight into the archdemon’s solar plexus.

Zoooooooom!

The impact sent a shockwave rippling through the battlefield, and the demon’s body shot backward like a cannonball, smashing into the academy’s fortified walls.

“Phew.”

“That must’ve hurt.”

Across the battlefield, dust and debris settled.

The archdemon groaned, his massive form rising from the rubble.

His muscles bulged unnaturally as his dark aura flared up once more, growing heavier, denser.

“A… mere human… how… how dare you?!”

The air around him twisted as weapons—dozens of swords, spears, and daggers—materialized above him, glowing with dark energy.

With a snap of his fingers, the weapons all shot toward Aestrea like homing missiles.

Aestrea didn’t flinch.

His scythe materialized in his hand—

Fwip!

—And in a single motion, he hurled it into the air.

The spinning scythe cut through the air like a boomerang, deflecting every incoming weapon as if they were nothing but leaves in the wind.

The archdemon bared his fangs, his entire body wrapped in dark energy as he charged forward.

Aestrea did the same.

BOOM!

The ground cracked beneath them as they clashed.

But something was different now.

The air around the archdemon shimmered with blood-red mana.

Aestrea’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“Blood Magic…”

‘He’s going to use his own blood to attack me… that might get a bit troublesome.’

Swip!

The archdemon’s body suddenly burst open like a geyser, spraying blood in all directions.

But it didn’t just fall—it moved.

The moment his blood hit the air, it twisted and solidified into countless spikes, forming a deadly cage around Aestrea.

Seeing this, Aestrea stretched his left hand slightly.

Shing.

A bland noise.

His scythe appeared on his hand as he pivoted on his feet, spinning around, cutting the blood spikes effortlessly.

But even as he did that, the rest of the spikes transformed into smaller spikes hurling towards many parts of his body.

The archdemon’s grin widened as he raised both hands, locked his fingers together, and slammed them down—

—Right where Aestrea stood.

“AAAHH, I FINALLY GOT YOU, YOU SNEAKY ANT!”

But just before the impact—

『 Ice Series: Ice Generation! (✦ 1st-Level Spell ✦) 』

A faint cluster of ice appeared on his right hand as he clenched his fist.

『 Ice Series: Minor Frost Explosion (✦ 5th-Level Spell ✦) 』

BOOOM!

A surge of freezing energy erupted outward, covering everything in ice.

The battlefield turned white.

The blood spikes froze mid-air.

Aestrea’s entire body was covered in a thick layer of frost—

Crack.

But it shattered instantly.

It was his own spell. It wouldn’t hold him.

Across from him, the archdemon was also frozen solid.

For a second.

Crack! Crack!

CRASH!

The ice around the archdemon shattered violently, and he let out a furious howl.

“ARGHHH!”

Aestrea rolled his shoulders, tilting his head.

“Well… I guess that wasn’t enough to cool you down.”

[3 Minutes… 19 seconds.]

‘Just a little more I guess.’

“HAAAAA!!!”

The archdemon’s red eyes burned with rage as his dark aura pulsed like a living flame.

His cracked skin oozed thick, black blood, mixing with the blood energy mana around him.

His breath came in short, sharp bursts.

His lips curled back into a snarl, revealing jagged fangs.

“I’LL RIP YOU APART, HUMAN!”

BOOM!

The ground shattered beneath his feet as he launched himself forward. His claws slashed through the air, aiming straight for Aestrea’s throat.

Aestrea’s body blurred—

Whoosh!

—He dodged left, twisting his upper body to avoid the deadly swipe.

But the archdemon reacted quickly.

And before Aestrea could land, the demon spun and swung his other claw—

Swish!

Aestrea barely managed to duck, feeling the sharp wind from the strike pass over his head. He countered instantly, driving his knee into the demon’s ribs.

BAM!

The archdemon grunted but didn’t stop.

He lashed out with his tail—

CRACK!

It smashed into Aestrea’s side where Aestrea quickly created a small protection of ice, but the impact sent him skidding backward across the battlefield.

His boots dug deep trenches in the dirt as he narrowed his eyes at the archdemon.

The archdemon didn’t let up.

He charged again, swinging both claws in a deadly cross-slash—

Shing!

Aestrea raised his scythe just in time, blocking the attack. Sparks flew as metal clashed against demonic claws.

But the impact was too strong—

CRACK!

The force sent Aestrea sliding back once more.

The archdemon grinned, his fangs gleaming.

“WHERE’S THAT CONFIDENCE NOW?!”

Aestrea exhaled through his nose, rolling his shoulder lightly.

“Still here.”

The demon’s grin vanished.

His aura flared up again, and the blood in the air twisted violently.

“DIE!”

FWOOOSH!

A massive wave of bloodshot toward Aestrea like a tidal wave, forming sharp tendrils.

Aestrea’s eyes flickered.

Swoop!

In the blink of an eye, his body vanished.

SHLAAASH!

The blood tendrils tore through empty air, cutting deep trenches into the ground.

Before the archdemon could react—

WHOOSH!

Aestrea reappeared above him.

His scythe spun in his hand—

『 Moonlit Ice Lotus Sword Art: Reverse Moonlight’s One Flash! 』

A single slash of air shot downward.

SHING!

The archdemon raised his arms in defense—

SLASH!

The attack cut deep into his flesh, leaving a glowing green wound across his chest.

“GRRRAAAHHH!”

The demon stumbled back, his breathing ragged.

But he wasn’t done.

Not yet.

His blood surged out of his wounds, forming into jagged red blades that floated in the air beside him.

“YOU’RE DEAD!”

With a flick of his hand—

FWOOOSH!

The blades shot toward Aestrea at blinding speed.

Aestrea twisted his body, ducking and weaving through the deadly storm of blood blades.

One barely missed his cheek—

Another grazed his shoulder—

But he kept moving.

His eyes locked onto the archdemon’s position.

Aestrea sprinted forward—

BOOM!

The ground cracked beneath his feet as he closed the distance.

His scythe glowed with an intense violet aura before he swung with all his strength.

SHIIIING!

The scythe’s blade tore through the archdemon’s arm, severing it from his body.

“GRAAAAAH!”

Black blood sprayed into the air as the demon reeled back in agony.

His severed arm twitched on the ground before dissolving into a red mist.

Aestrea didn’t give him time to recover.

He moved again, closing the gap—

WHOOSH!

His knee smashed into the demon’s gut.

BAM!

The archdemon spit blood as he doubled over.

Aestrea grabbed his head—

And drove his face straight into the ground.

BOOOOM!

The earth exploded from the impact, sending dust and debris flying.

But Aestrea knew this wasn’t over.

As the dust cleared, the archdemon’s body twitched.

His aura flared even stronger.

Aestrea’s eyes narrowed as he clicked his tongue.

‘He’s still getting stronger…’

The archdemon’s body began to change.

His muscles bulged.

His skin darkened.

His single remaining arm morphed into a massive black claw.

His blood blades floated around him, sharper than before.

His lips curled into a wicked grin.

“NOT BAD… HUMAN, BUT THIS IS THE END FOR YOU!”

BOOM!

They charged at the same time.

The archdemon swung his massive claw—

Aestrea ducked, pivoted, and slashed upward.

SHING!

The demon leaped back just in time, dodging the fatal strike.

But—

Aestrea vanished.

He reappeared behind the archdemon, scythe ready—

SWIPE!

But the archdemon reacted fast, spinning and slamming his tail—

CRACK!

Aestrea was sent flying.

He twisted mid-air, landing on his feet.

The demon roared and raised his claw—

A sphere of pure darkness formed in his palm.

“DIE, INSECT!”

FWOOOOOSH!

The sphere shot toward Aestrea like a comet.

He had seconds to react.

『 Ice Series: Ice Barrier! (✦ 1st-Level Spell ✦) 』

A thick wall of ice formed in front of him—

BOOOOOM!

The attack shattered the ice, but it gave Aestrea enough time to dodge.

He dashed forward—

His scythe glowed brighter.

The archdemon raised his claw for another strike—

But he was too slow.

Aestrea was already inside his guard.

His eyes glowed intensely, leaving a faint light blue and red trail behind them…

“Moonlit Ice Lotus Sword Art…”

『 Fourth Move! (✦ Lunar Collapse ✦) 』

SHING!

The scythe cut through the archdemon’s torso.

A deep, glowing wound spread across his chest. Along with it, a large crack appeared in the air, spreading to at leas ten meters, as if Aestrea’s move had cut the space itself.

The demon’s eyes widened.

He stumbled back.

His aura flickered.

His blood weapons vanished.

His breath shook.

Aestrea stood behind him, his scythe resting on his shoulder.

“…It’s over.”

‘For now…’

The archdemon growled loudly.

“NO… NO… I CAN’T LOSE TO YOU!”

His aura flared one last time—

But then—

His body gave out.

He collapsed to his knees.

And then—

THUD.

The archdemon’s body hit the ground.

At the same time, Aestrea’s aura got much weaker than before.

“…Fuuu…”

But, Aestrea wasn’t done yet.

His fourth move wasn’t really enough to defeat the archdemon; he was just temporarily knocked down and Aestrea himself wouldn’t be able to kill the demon.

Why?

Because of his [Demon Core]; something very indestructible that only the power of an actual SSS-Rank awakened could destroy.

But other than that, Lucas’s Excalibur should be enough to crack it, but it didn’t seem like he had enough power to do it.

“…..Damn it.”

“How come they didn’t arrive yet?”

Aestrea bit his lower lip.

He looked behind him and saw the multiple shocked expressions of the students and professors, but he wasn’t worried about that.

Instead, he just wanted the Sword Duke and the other high awakeners to get there as soon as possible.

He looked toward the demon’s body and saw the convulsing mana that was relentlessly forming in his heart made him freeze slightly.

“…So soon?”

Gurglee…

The demon’s body grotesquely twisted and cracked open, before a more perfect form, that was much closer to a human form, came from inside his body.

The demon’s red eyes landed on his figure, burning with eternal rage.

“Fuck…”

Aestrea’s left eye had turned red again.

And this time, the law scale symbol appeared in both of his pupils.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep