Ch. 9: Part 2 — The Crowned Demon’s March

Aris darted in at Arata’s flank, her saber flashing silver. She cut through a streak of black fire aimed for his back, her voice sharp above the roar.

“Focus. He’s faster than he looks. ”

Arata let the corner of his mouth quirk, blood at his lip, his Draconic Eyes blazing crimson-white behind his shades. “—Good. Would’ve been boring if he wasn’t. ”

He twisted, katana cleaving in an arc that split the street. Fire surged upward, clashing with shadow in an explosion that lit the sky.

The Crowned Demon laughed, golden eyes gleaming with cruel delight.

“Yes. Burn brighter, flame. Show them the monster they chained, the curse they exiled. ”

He swung his blade wide, black fire erupting in a wave that devoured entire buildings. Screams rang as stone melted, shadows swallowing everything they touched.

Aris sprinted through the inferno, her saber glowing white-hot from the heat. She parried a strike aimed for Arata’s side, her body nearly buckling from the force.

“He’s trying to drag you into rage. ” she shouted. “Don’t give him what he wants. ”

Arata’s thin smile curved sharper, dangerous. “—Tch. Rage is all I’ve got left. ”

Flames detonated from his chest, his katana blazing like a dragon’s fang. He charged again, every strike shaking the city’s bones.

Above, soldiers and civilians clung to the walls, watching the clash with wide, trembling eyes.

“—They’ll level the city. ”

“—Which one’s the real demon? ”

“—If this is salvation, we’re already damned. ”

Their whispers carried sharper than the roar of the battle.

And the Crowned Demon smiled wider, feeding on their fear.

The city became a crucible.

Arata’s katana roared, fire bursting skyward in waves that turned stone molten. Every strike lit the streets like a second sun, every clash with the Crowned Demon’s blade tore the ground into jagged scars of flame and shadow.

Buildings collapsed. Towers crumbled. The air itself screamed under the weight of their power.

And the people watched, trembling.

“—This isn’t a battle. ”

“—It’s the end of the world. ”

Whispers spread faster than fire, twisting through soldiers and civilians alike. Fear blurred the lines between savior and destroyer.

Aris fought at Arata’s side, her saber clashing against streaks of black fire, her body burning from the heat. Sweat stung her eyes, her voice raw as she shouted above the storm.

“Arata. You’ll tear the city apart if you keep this up. ”

But his let out a small, lopsided smile curved sharper, blood dripping down his chin. His Draconic Eyes blazed behind the shades, crimson-white and relentless.

“—Better ash than chains. ”

He swung, katana cleaving through a tower that crumbled into molten dust, forcing the Crowned Demon back in a torrent of flame.

The Crowned Demon laughed, golden eyes gleaming with cruel triumph.

“Yes. Burn, flame. Show them your true nature. Every scream, every stone you shatter proves me right. ”

He raised his blade high, shadow pouring outward in a wave that devoured entire streets. Civilians fled in terror, their screams echoing into the inferno.

On the walls, a soldier dropped his weapon, voice trembling.

“—He’s no savior he’s the end. ”

Others echoed him, their faith breaking. Some fled, others raised blades toward Arata himself, convinced the greater danger stood not before the gates—but within them.

“—If we kill him now. ”

“—We can survive. ”

The word spread like wildfire, louder than the roar of battle.

Arata stood in the heart of the inferno, chest heaving, smoke curling from his lips. His gave a wry smile faded into something colder, heavier.

“—Save them, scare them. Guess it was never gonna change. ”

His katana blazed brighter, fire roaring skyward.

“—Fine. If I’m the monster. ”

The street cracked beneath him, flames spiraling upward like wings.

“—Then I’ll burn everything in my way. ”

The firestorm raged.

Arata stood at its heart, his katana blazing white-hot, flames spiraling upward like a dragon unfurling its wings. The streets melted into rivers of molten stone, the air burned with every breath.

Demons shrieked as they turned to ash, but so did the homes, the walls, the city itself.

And the people’s fear ignited louder than the fire.

“—He’s killing us too. ”

“—He’s no savior—he’s a curse. ”

“—Monster. Monster. ”

The word rolled across the city, sharper than steel, heavier than chains.

Aris fought against the tide, saber flashing as she cut through demons that slipped past the storm. Her lungs burned, her voice raw as she screamed above the roar.

“Arata. Stop. You’ll destroy everything. ”

But he didn’t answer. His wry smile curved sharp, dangerous, his Draconic Eyes blazing crimson-white behind his shades. The flame inside him was no longer held—it roared wild, unstoppable.

“—Monster, huh? ” he muttered. “Guess that’s all I’ll ever be. ”

His katana swung wide, a torrent of fire splitting the streets, hurling demons and soldiers alike into the air.

On the walls, soldiers turned their blades inward, voices cracking with fear.

“He’ll burn the city to the ground. ”

“We have to end him now. ”

“Kill the flame before it consumes us all. ”

Their arrows loosed, streaking toward the inferno.

Aris’s eyes widened. “No—. ”

She leapt, parrying one arrow aside, another embedding into her shoulder with a sharp cry. Blood stained her uniform, but her saber stayed raised, her voice breaking.

“Damn it. He’s not your enemy. ”

But the whispers drowned her.

The Crowned Demon laughed, his voice rolling across the flames, golden eyes gleaming with cruel triumph.

“Yes—look at them. They strike at their own flame. Every arrow, every curse feeds the truth: you are not their savior, Arata. You are the doom they always feared. ”

His blade of shadow rose high, black fire spiraling around him.

“When their trust breaks, so will you. ”

Arata stood frozen for a heartbeat, arrows raining, soldiers screaming, civilians cursing his name. The fire flared wilder, his let the corner of his mouth quirk fading into something heavier.

—Save them, and they hate me. Let them burn, and I prove them right.

The choice burned sharper than any wound.

And in that hesitation, the demon’s trap closed.

The arrows rained like judgment.

Arata stood in the heart of the inferno, katana blazing, his chest heaving as the word monster echoed louder than the drums of war. Soldiers’ blades turned inward, civilians screamed for his death. The fire around him roared in answer, wild and unchained.

For the first time, his thin smile faltered.

They’ll never see me as anything else.

His grip on the katana wavered—just for a breath.

The Crowned Demon struck.

His blade of black fire cleaved through the storm, carving a path straight into Arata’s chest. The impact shook the earth, flames scattering like torn paper.

Arata staggered back, blood spraying across the molten ground. His knees buckled, his katana dimming in his grip.

The city gasped, their terror shifting to silence.

“—He’s falling. ”

“—The monster bleeds. ”

“—Maybe we can survive without him. ”

The whispers were knives, sharper than the wound.

Aris’s voice cut through the storm as she darted to his side, her saber flashing to deflect a killing blow. Sparks burst, steel screamed, her body straining under the force.

She shoved the demon’s blade aside, standing between them with blood dripping from her shoulder. Her voice was raw, fierce.

“Damn them. Forget their words—fight for me. ”

Arata lifted his head, Draconic Eyes blazing faint crimson-white, his breath ragged. For a heartbeat, the fire inside him flickered uncertain.

Then his let out a small, lopsided smile curved faint, bloodied but sharp. “—Heh. Guess I can’t say no when you put it like that. ”

The Crowned Demon laughed, golden eyes burning brighter, his smile cruel.

“Yes—fight, flame. Fight for her. Bind yourself to one fragile soul. Because when she falls, you will finally break. ”

The black fire surged higher, the final clash drawing near.

The city held its breath.

The endgame had begun.

The city burned on the edge of silence.

Demons prowled through crumbling streets, shadows spilling from the Crowned Demon’s blade like rivers of night. Soldiers clutched shattered weapons, civilians huddled in ruins, their whispers trembling between despair and betrayal.

And at the center, the three of them stood.

Arata, blood dripping from his chest, his katana dimming.

Aris, her saber raised though her arm trembled, blood soaking her uniform.

And before them, the Crowned Demon, golden eyes blazing with cruel triumph, black fire spiraling skyward.

The Crowned Demon’s laughter shook the ruins.

“Look at them, flame. They curse you, they strike you, they name you monster—and still you burn for them. Pathetic. ”

He raised his blade, shadows writhing.

“Fall. And when you do, the last ember of mankind dies with you. ”

Arata gave a wry smile faintly, cigarette clinging to his lips though blood stained his teeth. His Draconic Eyes flared crimson-white behind the shades, sharper than the pain in his chest.

“—Tch. Always did talk too much. ”

He lifted his katana, fire crackling back to life, molten cracks glowing across its steel. His voice cut low, steady.

“—You want the monster? Then I’ll give you one. ”