The Battle Of Krahen Nest - PT 03

Peter crashed through the ceiling of a house. As he looked around, he realized he had landed in a child's bedroom—there was a small bed and a few stuffed animals on the shelf.

Thinking about the possible owner of that room, Peter was once again forced to face the harsh reality. The thought of a child being in danger at the hands of demons ignited a burning hatred in his chest.

As he stared at one of the stuffed animals, a female voice seemed to echo in his mind.
"Burn… them… all..."

Yes, that was the desire growing stronger inside Peter. A pure, genuine hatred that fueled his will to fight.

Muffled footsteps echoed from the hallway—part of Cydonia's army had entered the house. Just as the first demon reached the door, it was blasted off its hinges, slamming into his face like an explosion had gone off inside the room.

"Burning Down The House!"

Peter burst out in a wave of flames, incinerating the nearby demons. Outside, he found himself at one end of a hallway. Though he was outnumbered, the narrow space worked in his favor, preventing the demons from surrounding him.

Peter’s punches thundered down the corridor, smashing demon skulls and setting their flesh ablaze. He tried to avoid being hit in vital spots, but over time, he was scratched and battered by the onslaught.

One by one, the demons fell, leaving behind a growing pile of bodies at Peter’s back. While focusing on the ones leaping at him, he didn’t notice a shadow creeping closer from the far end of the hall.

It was another bipedal demon. Its body was stained black with corruption, but unlike the others, it wasn’t skeletal—it had trained muscles. What truly stood out, however, was its face... The mask had shattered, revealing human features.

While Peter was distracted, the masked demon struck a pose with its hands, and then—

"Yoake no Kaze!"

A torrent of wind surged down the hallway, sweeping everything in its path. Peter was thrown back along with the demons, slamming into the wall behind him—which cracked and gave way under the impact.

“Arghhh! What the hell was that?” Pushing debris off himself, Peter began to rise.

He had lost his cover and now stood in the middle of the street, surrounded by a horde of demons. As if their sheer numbers weren’t enough, he now had to worry about that surprise wind attack as well.

His situation was far from ideal... Maybe the smartest move now would be to find a way out—but once again, that voice echoed in his head...

"Burn them all."

"Burn them all? … Hahahaha! That’s exactly what I want to do!"

As Peter unleashed his spiritual energy, the air around him grew hotter, and a circle of fire began to rise from the ground.

"Who cares if I’m outnumbered? Who cares if the enemy has some mysterious tricks? I don’t care! I’m no strategist—all I need to do is burn these bastards to ashes!!!"

(...)

A few minutes earlier...

Cydonia was racing through the dark alleys, heading toward the spot where Arya had fallen. Once she dealt with the necromancer, nothing would stand in her way to finish corrupting the rest of the city.

But as she neared her destination, she was met with a surprise.

SWOOOSSSSSHHHHHH!!!

A blade whizzed past her neck—but Cydonia dodged just in time. Behind the weapon stood Edward, ready for battle.

“That was close.” One misstep and she would’ve been decapitated.

Edward’s sword was stained with the blood of the demons he’d cut down on the way. With a serious look, he pointed the blade straight at Cydonia.

“Hmmm… You carry yourself like a strong human. I wonder… could you break the mask?”

“Break the mask? What are you talking about?”

“Your group seems more open to conversation. Most humans only know how to scream or beg for mercy.”

“Not that I enjoy chatting with a demon.”

“But aren’t you the least bit curious? If you can break the mask, I can promise you incredible power.”

“I won’t listen to your lies.”

“Oh, but I speak only the most beautiful truth. With just one touch, you’ll feel an immense power coursing through you. If you’re able to control it, it’s yours.”

A demon’s offer should be easy to refuse, yet Cydonia’s words struck a nerve. Deep down, Edward longed for more power—because maybe then…

"... With that power, you might finally be able to protect the necromancer."

“Huh? How do you know that?”

"I can see it as clearly as water. Everything hidden within the human heart." The demon smiled kindly. "I can grant your wish. All I need is a simple touch."

Cydonia stepped forward, her index finger extended toward Edward. Her wicked charisma had always proven effective in stirring human emotions—after all, that was the easiest way to corrupt them.

Edward couldn’t deny it—he had wavered for a moment and even considered accepting the offer. But deep down, he knew nothing good could come of it.

"...Tell me, what happens if I fail to control that power?"

"Ah, about that..."

One of the masked demons approached from the opposite direction.

"If you're not strong enough... you’ll just become one of them."

Edward stared in horror at the masked demon—then looked with even greater dread at his own sword, finally understanding what he had done. Many of the demons he had just slain were like the one now walking toward him.

"Those who manage to break the mask become worthy vassals. But the weak... they’re nothing more than disposable pieces."

"You bastard!"

Fueled by rage, Edward charged at Cydonia. She had shaken his focus, making him attack recklessly.

The demon spotted an opening and was about to lay her filthy hands on him—but Edward expanded his bone through the ground, and it shot up just in time, grazing Cydonia and forcing her to retreat.

Both fighters leapt back in opposite directions, regaining some composure. With a heavy heart, Edward took the chance to eliminate the masked demon behind him.

"Not bad, kid. You really do have the potential to become an excellent vassal."

"Sorry, not interested."

"Heh. Then how about getting a taste of that power?"

While Cydonia kept Edward distracted, a new threat emerged behind him—a broken-mask demon with a towering build and massive arms. Its fist sliced through the air at high speed, aiming straight for Edward's head.

Edward ducked at the last second—barely avoiding instant death. The demon's punch smashed into the wall, leaving a huge crater.

Edward jumped to the opposite side of the wall, trying to put some distance between himself and the attacker. Cydonia saw another opportunity and lunged at him again.

But Edward was paying attention this time. Using the bone from his forearm, he extended it like a spear and drove it forward at high speed—piercing the demon's chest.

For an ordinary demon, that would’ve been a fatal blow. But Cydonia was on a whole other level—she was a fully developed Sin.

"Heh!" Caught off guard, Cydonia halted her advance for a moment—but then wrapped her hands around the bone impaled through her.

Cydonia’s demonic energy began spreading along the bone, turning it black and giving it a cracked, corrupted appearance. The corruption crawled toward Edward’s arm. Sensing the danger, he severed the bone from his body—just like he did with his bone whip—and backed away.

Assessing both enemies, Edward came to the harsh conclusion: there was no way he could win this fight. He swallowed his pride and made the right call.

Drawing his bone whip, he lashed it forward, forcing the demons to take a few steps back. That small gap was all he needed. He pushed off with everything he had, sprinting away with all his strength.

In his adrenaline rush, Edward didn’t notice he was running straight toward Arya—the very direction he had been trying to keep Cydonia away from.

Realizing his mistake, his stride faltered for just a second. But that single second was enough to mark his downfall.

The broken-mask demon was right behind him, and it didn’t miss a beat. It leapt at Edward, raising both arms and slamming them down together in a crushing blow.

"Double Hammer!"

Edward had just enough time to raise his sword and block the strike—but...

Crack!

The demon’s raw strength shattered the blade. The force of the impact created a deep crack, and the sword broke into two pieces.

Edward staggered backward, watching the shards of his weapon fall with him. Disarmed and dazed, he was seconds away from death.

Using the unmasked demon as a springboard, Cydonia launched herself high into the air. With her claws outstretched, she dove toward Edward, ready to strike him down.

Edward looked up in despair, watching that demonic face twist into a smug, victorious smile. This was the end. In that moment, only one thought crossed his mind:

"(Arya… I’m sorry. I hope you make it out alive…)"

...

CRASHHHHHHHH!!!

The sound of shattering glass caught Edward’s attention, and his gaze shifted slightly to the side.

Leaping out from the second-story window of the neighboring house, a pink-haired girl entered the battlefield.

"ARYA KICK!!!!!!!"