Confrontation

In the center of Dryd Village…

Captain Yuro spread his black wings and descended from the sky. He landed near a large stone fountain in the center of the village, a smile on his face.

Fear suffocated the citizens. The children stopped playing with each other as they clung to their parents. They averted their eyes from Yuro, secretly gossiping.

The captain strolled around the fountain, hastily looking around. “Satori! Where are you, Mr. Satori?”

No response. The awkward silence gave everyone second-hand embarrassment.

The demon curiously ran to nearby citizens, asking if they had seen me. They refused to answer him. Yuro’s eyes scurried around the area like a child losing his toy.

“Come on, Satori. You said you wanted to fight? Where are youuu?”

He continued to look around the village for a while, with hope in his eyes.

…

Back at Hinabe’s home…

We all faced the front door, feeling the demon’s presence. His aura definitely felt more intense than before. It was as if he were using himself as bait.

Yuro had no idea where I was located. So, he purposely exposed his location, so I knew where he was. I don’t know if that’s strategic thinking or simply overconfidence.

“He’s already here! What do we do?” Amada nervously said.

We glanced at each other in silence, contemplating our next course of action. The demon wanted to catch my attention, but I don’t know his abilities. Going in without a plan was suicide!

Naima nudged my shoulder, hinting, “Takumi should go and face him.”

I pointed at myself with my mouth dropped to the floor. “Why do I have to go?!” Then, I pointed towards Anojin. “Let’s make the crusader go.”

“Nice try, fake hero. He’s calling for you.” The crusader implied with a disinterested look. “Although I don’t expect you to put up much of a fight.”

“What did you say?!” And just like that, Anojin provoked me, stirring up another of our childish fights.

However, before I engaged with the stupid crusader, I regained my composure. I began to recall hearing about Captain Yuro back at the mansion. The thought of that demon being weak slipped my mind.

The King always rejected him, so that meant that Yuro wasn’t worthy of his attention. No one at the royal place, and even here in the village, took him seriously. Only when he attacked the town, like a baby throwing a tantrum, did anyone notice his existence.

As I took a moment to think things through, my nerves began to settle. The anger faded from my expression.

“Huh?” Anojin’s face squinted as I turned my back on him. The sudden shift in my emotions left him puzzled. His plan to annoy me failed.

The girls nervously chatted among themselves about what they should do. I calmly walked past them. Everyone silently watched as I picked up my Tri-Carver and headed to the front door.

Once I arrived near the exit, I couldn't help but chuckle.

Their anxiety shifted to my weird behavior. Hinabe shyly wondered, “Are you okay, Takumi?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. I’m going to go deal with this demon captain, or whatever title he has.” After declaring my intention, I turned the doorknob and opened the door.

Hinabe interrupted me as I took one step out the door. “Will you be okay? Do you need help?”

“Nah, I don’t need it. I can handle this all by myself.” I turned my head back to the crusader with a final comment. “Hey, you scrap of metal. Make sure you watch this. I’ll show you why I’m better than you.”

That comment struck Anojin’s heart. I noticed him smacking his lips. Before he could fire back, I went on ahead towards the captain of the demon king’s army.

…

Hinabe’s house was on the outskirts of the village. It would take a while before I arrived at the center. So, I followed the demon’s aura, using it as a navigation method. The more intense it felt, the closer I was.

I travelled around the village for about 10 minutes. Soon after, the captain came into view.

Yuro sat on the tip of the fountain, kicking his feet in the air, waiting patiently. As I approached the fountain, the captain noticed me. A warm smile spread across his face upon seeing me arrive. “Mr. Satori!”

He dropped to the ground, landing on his feet. He happily grinned at me, waving his hand excessively. “Satori, over here!”

My first impression of him was that of a terrifying opponent. His black wings and suit flattered his sinister aura. However, his childish attitude shocked me. It did not match his appearance in the slightest.

The elves surrounding us kept their distance, wary of the potential battle. Amada and others eventually caught up to me.

We stepped toward each other, like a Mexican standoff, until we were face-to-face. Due to the height difference, I lifted my head, revealing no emotion.

Unfortunately, Captain Yuro could not read the room. While I intensely glared at him, he replied with a genuine smile.

“Hey, Satori. Thank you for accepting this.” Yuro subtly inspected the Tri-Carver. “And I see you brought your sword with you. Oh, I can’t wait to start!”

Out of all the fights I had, this one gave me the most confidence. That was because the king did not take Yuro seriously. Even though I beat the king, on a technicality, I assumed this demon was weak. It almost felt like bullying a little kid.

From my friend’s perspective, it looked like I was full of myself. Maybe it was my ego that overtook my body, but I felt unstoppable.

I insisted, showing no fear in my body. “Mhmm. Let’s get this over with.”

…

“Great! Now then,” Suddenly, Yuro extended his body out, increasing his hit box. “Because you accept this, I will allow you to get the first shot.”

Confusion filled the air, infecting everyone around us. All eyes were locked on the captain. What was going through his head? What was he thinking?

His invitation surprisingly sounded genuine. It did not feel like a trap. So, I gladly accepted his offer.

I slowly charged my sword, focusing my energy on the blade. “Thank you, demon. But… you will regret that.”

Yuro happily stood there, keeping his guard down.

Once I finished charging my attack, I swung my sword at the captain with great force.

The blade clashed with the demon’s stomach. The aftershock of the slash rippled into the air. I couldn’t unleash the three slashes like before. I only swung it normally.

Once the aftereffects ended, I proudly shut my eyes. I put a lot of power behind it, so I assume I would have damaged him. He must be down. I cockily chuckled. “Ha, that’ll show you.”

I expected the crowd to cheer for my victory. However, they remained silent.

With my blade resting on his stomach, I could still feel Yuro breathing. I cautiously raised my head.

…I never would have expected what happened next.

“Oh, come on, Satori. I didn’t say go easy on me?” laughed Yuro, looking down at me.

Easy? That was impossible! I mustered a bit of my strength into that attack. I realized my ego inflated me, but I still used enough power for one of the demon king’s captains. How was he unfazed!?

I slowly removed the Tri-Carver from Yuro’s torso. All my self-confidence flew out of the window.

After laughing for a while, Yuro recuperated his composure. “I appreciate the kind gesture… Now, it’s my turn.”

…