Shu vs Marcel

Shu stood at the edge of the dimly lit forest clearing, sunlight filtering through the high canopy in fractured beams. The scent of moss and blood still lingered faintly in the air. He stared at his mother, lying propped against a thick tree trunk, her breathing slow but steady.

With a teasing smirk, Shu said coolly, “Looks like someone’s finally getting their strength back.”

Hannah rolled her eyes and, with a strained groan, pushed herself upright. Her body trembled, but she managed a tired smile. “Shut up. I’m still the woman who brought you into this world. Now… what are you doing here?”

Shu’s grin faded as he stepped closer. His voice dropped. “That boy you fought. Did you know who he was?”

Hannah furrowed her brow, her voice uncertain. “Wasn’t he just another hybrid?”

Shu chuckled softly, almost pityingly. “You were always terrible at reading Kantar signatures, weren’t you?” He folded his arms. “You really didn’t notice? That demon’s signature… it was almost identical to Hanz’s.”

A flicker of recognition crossed Hannah’s face—half-knowing, half-doubtful. Shu saw it and gave a faint smile.

“You’re beginning to get it, aren’t you?” he said. “That was Hanz’s brother. Probably sent by a demon lord.”

Hannah’s breath hitched, but she quickly composed herself. “I see… still doesn’t explain why you’re here.”

Shu laughed. “Still the blunt type, huh? I was sent by the Celestial Council. We’ve discovered something troubling. The corpses from the last war—both demon and human—many are missing their hearts. All of them.”

Hannah’s eyes darkened. “You don’t think someone’s trying to…”

Shu cut her off. “We do. Those hearts weren’t removed at random. It’s either a rogue demon absorbing power through ancient rites… or a human attempting the demonification process. Either way, it’s dangerous.”

She groaned. “This is getting ridiculous. Do you have a suspect?”

Shu nodded grimly. “He was just here. Marcel. We’ve been monitoring him and Hanz. Marcel’s Kantar spikes are off the charts—even for a hybrid. The demon lords might be trying to turn him into their ace.”

He rubbed his chin, thinking aloud. “But unless they can control him, it doesn’t make sense. Demon lords don’t risk power so easily… especially after what happened with Agrasura. Remember? That second-class demon consumed two first-class lords and a king using harvested hearts. The Lords lost five of their own that day.”

Hannah scoffed softly. “You’ve gotten calculated. Since when did you grow so old?”

She paused, suddenly remembering something. “Wait. When I fought Marcel, something was… off. Just before I struck the final blow, I sensed an intense, almost concentrated demonic essence. It nearly corrupted my Kantar. I had to stop myself.”

Shu’s eyes lit up. “Mom, that’s it. That wasn’t just essence—it was a contract marker. The demon lords must have embedded a piece of their Kantar into him. Not a seal exactly, but a binding control mark. They can limit his power, move his body… even dispose of him when they’re done.”

---

Meanwhile, deep within a pitch-black throne room in the demon realm...

Marcel knelt before seven towering thrones, each one radiating an aura of absolute malice. Seven shadowy figures loomed above, their red eyes glowing like burning embers in the darkness.

“I failed you, my Lords,” Marcel said, his voice reverberating with twisted remorse. “The target eluded me.”

The demon lords spoke in a single voice—ancient, hollow, and commanding. “The Chosen Child interfered. That complicates things. You will now be granted full access to your latent power.”

They raised their right hands in perfect unison. A surge of energy erupted, bathing the room in crimson light. Marcel’s body convulsed, then transformed—his skin becoming darker, denser, armored in thick demonic scales. Four massive horns burst from his skull, and a thick tail lashed violently behind him. His eyes burned like twin furnaces as he let out a soul-shaking roar.

Without hesitation, he shot into the sky, tearing through dimensions, returning to the forest at terrifying speed.

---

Back in the clearing…

Shu’s senses flared. A violent pressure filled the air as black clouds gathered overhead. A sonic boom shattered the silence as Marcel descended, his presence crushing, almost suffocating.

Shu whispered, “His demonic essence… it’s drowning out his human Kantar. If this continues, he’ll lose his mind completely.”

Marcel landed with a thud that cracked the earth. His voice was low and guttural, echoing unnaturally. “Give me the boy… and you won’t have to die.”

Shu stood firm, his pulse steady despite the shivers running down his spine. He smirked and stepped forward. “Why don’t you kill me first? Then we can talk.”

Kantar burst from Shu’s body like a shockwave, splitting trees and kicking up a whirlwind of dust. In an instant, he launched forward—his punch colliding with Marcel’s chest like a cannon blast. The force shattered the nearby ground.

But Marcel didn’t budge.

Without a word, he slashed across Shu’s chest in a blur, then spun, his tail slamming into Shu’s side and hurling him like a ragdoll into a boulder.

Shu crashed hard but flipped mid-air, skidding to a halt. Blood dripped from his chest wound. He clenched his fists, eyes burning. With a stomp reinforced by Kantar, pillars of jagged stone erupted toward Marcel.

Marcel swung his blade in a wide arc, releasing a black crescent wave of raw energy that sliced through the stone like paper.

Shu roared, coating his arms in thick Kantar, and caught the arc mid-air—treating it like a tangible object. With a twist, he hurled it aside, where it exploded against a distant cliff. But Marcel was already in front of him.

Steel met flesh.

Shu blocked with his forearm, though the blade bit into it. Gritting his teeth, he kicked Marcel away, sending the demon crashing through a tree.

Shu glanced at his bleeding arm. “He’s strong… too strong.”

His pupils dilated. His wounds closed rapidly as red light flared from his core. Steam hissed from his body, and his hair lifted, wild and glowing. He formed a katana of pure Kantar and held it aloft.

“Great Lion’s Roar!”

With a ferocious swing, the blade shattered—its shards spinning mid-air to reform into a colossal lion’s head that surged forward, jaws wide, roaring as it collided with Marcel in an explosive impact that turned half the clearing into scorched earth.

Silence.

Smoke and debris cloaked everything.

Then—

A voice. Cold and near.

“There is no longer any need to fight.”

Shu turned swiftly—too late.

Marcel stood behind him, holding Hanz’s unconscious body by the collar.

Shu’s voice cracked with rage. “What do you plan to do with him!?”

Marcel’s response was vague, cruel. “You’ll understand… in time.”

And then he vanished—leaving nothing but wind.

---

From the sidelines…

Hannah clenched her fists, helpless in her weakened state. Her voice was low but firm. “We have to save him. If Hanz dies… the consequences will be dire.”

Shu turned to her, panic barely restrained. “You don’t have to tell me. If Hanz dies… this world could be erased.”

But Hannah’s expression sharpened. Calm and decisive.

“Then we go after them. We know where they’re taking him.”

Shu stared. “You don’t mean—”

“I do,” she cut in. “We’re going to the demon realm."

She pushed herself to her feet, trembling but resolute. “But we can’t do it alone. We need to reassemble the group.”

Shu nodded grimly.

“Starting with Tobi.”