Chapter 19:

Unstoppable Force

Brought into my Unfinished Game World


The demon pulled its spear free and raised it again, preparing to deliver a finishing blow to the wounded cleric.

Suzaku stood with blue flames dancing around her hands, but Alpha noticed something strange - she wasn't attacking. Her sunset-colored eyes darted between the demon and Kuria, and her jaw was clenched with what looked like frustration.

— Stop right there, demon, or I will blast you off this ship, Suzaku called out, her voice carrying a deadly edge.

The armored creature turned its glowing red eye slits toward her and let out a low, rumbling laugh.

— You will not dare cast your spell, little mage. I know exactly what you are capable of.

Alpha looked between them, confused. Why wasn't Suzaku attacking? Her flames were growing brighter and more intense, but she remained frozen in place.

— Your destructive abilities are legendary, continued the demon, keeping his spear pointed at Kuria's throat. Everything in your path gets reduced to ashes, does it not? Such overwhelming power, yet so... imprecise.

Suzaku's eyes narrowed dangerously.

— I could certainly withstand one of your blasts, the demon said with cruel amusement. But your friend here? She is not only unequipped for battle, but lying far too close to me. One spell from you and she gets caught in the crossfire.

Alpha finally understood. Suzaku's incredible offensive power - the same strength that had made her legendary among adventurers - was now working against them. She couldn't risk hitting Kuria with her area-of-effect attacks.

Dave floated nearby, his mind racing. This demon wasn't just enhanced - it was tactical, intelligent. It had planned this attack specifically to neutralize their most powerful fighter by using their healer as a shield.

— What do you want? Alpha demanded, drawing his sword.

The demon's head turned toward him.

— I want the life bender. Surrender yourself and your friend lives. Resist, and I will make her death very slow indeed.

Kuria gasped weakly from the deck, blood seeping through her fingers as she pressed them against her wound. Her enhanced staff lay just out of reach, its crystal dim and powerless.

Suzaku's flames flickered with her uncertainty, caught between her desire to unleash devastating magic and the knowledge that doing so would kill her ally.

Alpha stepped forward, raising his sword defensively but not attacking.

— I am the life bender you are looking for. Let her go.

The demon's helmeted head turned toward him, and Alpha could hear amusement in its voice.

— Yes, I already know who you are.

— How? asked Alpha, confused. We have never met before.

— Items modified by life benders leave off a specific aura, explained the demon, keeping his spear trained on Kuria. It is quite distinctive once you know what to look for.

Dave floated behind Alpha, listening intently to this new information about his abilities.

— The demon who attacked the Twilight Kingdom a week ago reported that you were wearing extensively modified gear. Combined with your presence at that location, it was obvious you are most likely a life bender.

Alpha's grip tightened on his sword as he realized the implications.

— So that attack... it was reconnaissance?

— Among other things, yes. We have been searching for life benders for quite some time. Your kind is... valuable to our cause.

Kuria coughed weakly, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth. The demon pressed the tip of his spear closer to her throat.

— Now then, life bender. Will you come quietly, or shall I demonstrate just how slowly a healer can die?

Alpha looked at Kuria's dying eyes, then at Suzaku's frustrated expression. He made his decision.

— Fine. I will come with you.

Alpha let his sword drop to the deck with a metallic clatter and began walking slowly toward the demon. Dave watched in alarm as Alpha approached the creature, hands raised in apparent surrender.

— Alpha, what are you doing? Dave called out.

The demon watched Alpha's approach with satisfaction, but kept his spear trained on Kuria.

— A wise choice, life bender. Your cooperation will be—

As Alpha closed the distance to just a few feet, he suddenly raised both hands. With his left hand, he cast a low-level wind spell that sent a gust of air rushing toward Kuria, pushing her injured body several feet away from the demon's spear. Simultaneously, his right hand unleashed a high-level paralysis spell directly at the armored creature.

— [wind_push]! [paralysis_7]!

The demon's body went rigid as the paralysis magic took hold, his muscles locking up as he struggled against the spell's effects. His grip on the spear tightened involuntarily, but he could no longer move to strike.

Alpha immediately leaped backward, putting distance between himself and the immobilized demon.

— Now, Suzaku!

Without missing a beat, Suzaku unleashed the spell she had been holding back. Blue flames erupted from her hands in a concentrated blast that streaked across the deck at incredible speed, aimed directly at the paralyzed demon.

— [azure_inferno_6]!

While the blue flames roared through the air toward their target, Dave quickly acted to help Kuria. He opened the data panel for the modest robe she was currently wearing and rapidly inserted a [health_regeneration +60] stat into its properties. It wasn't much, but it would slow her blood loss and give them precious time to defeat the demon before she bled out.

As Dave finished the modification, he could see Kuria's breathing becoming slightly less labored. The regeneration effect began working immediately, fighting against the severity of her wounds.

The blue flames engulfed the demon completely, and for a moment it seemed like Suzaku's attack had been successful. But as the fire cleared, the armored figure was still standing. Its black metal plates were glowing red-hot from the intense heat, but the demon was mostly unharmed.

The paralysis spell was wearing off, and the demon slowly regained control of its movements. Its fingers released the spear, which began spinning in the air for a few seconds before suddenly thrusting forward toward Suzaku at high speed.

Suzaku dodged the projectile with ease, her enhanced reflexes allowing her to sidestep the weapon. But what she didn't expect was what came next.

The demon's heavy armored body came rushing through the air at incredible speed, following the path of its weapon directly toward her.

Alpha's eyes widened as he realized what was happening - the demon could somehow dash instantly to wherever its spear landed. That explained how it had appeared so suddenly on their ship when the spear first struck Kuria.

— Suzaku, look out! Alpha shouted.

Just before the demon's massive form could collide with her, Alpha raised his hand and cast another wind spell.

— [wind_push]!

The gust of air struck Suzaku from the side, pushing her out of the demon's trajectory. She tumbled across the deck but avoided the crushing impact. The demon crashed into the wooden railing where she had been standing, splintering the wood with the force of its arrival.

Dave watched in amazement and horror. This wasn't just an enhanced demon - it was using combat tactics he had never programmed into any of his creations.

The armored figure straightened up from the broken railing, brushing splinters off its blackened plates. Its glowing red eye slits turned toward Alpha.

— Impressive reflexes, life bender. You managed to save your companions twice now. But if this is all you are capable of, then you are doomed.

The demon retrieved its spear from where it had embedded itself in the ship's deck, the weapon sliding smoothly back into its gauntleted hand.

— I have been hunting life benders for months. You fight better than most, but you still think like prey. Reactive, defensive, always scrambling to protect the weak links in your group.

Suzaku had rolled back to her feet, blue flames already forming around her hands again. But Alpha could see the frustration in her eyes - not only were her attacks barely scratching this creature, but she seemed to be holding herself back as well.

— What do you want with life benders? Alpha demanded, keeping his sword ready even though he knew it would be useless against such heavily armored opponent.

— That information is above your clearance level, the demon replied with cold amusement. All you need to know is that your abilities will serve a greater purpose than wandering around enhancing trinkets for weaklings.

Kuria stirred slightly on the deck, the regeneration effect Dave had added to her robe keeping her stable but not healing her fast enough to return to the fight.

Dave had been observing the entire battle, his mind racing as he analyzed the demon's abilities and their tactical situation. Suddenly, an idea struck him. He floated quickly over to Alpha's side.

— Alpha, I have a plan, Dave said urgently.

Don.Coals
Author: