END OF THE FUTURE ARC PART TWO

IN THE DEMON REALM

The Demon Realm stretched endlessly, a jagged expanse of black stone scarred with molten veins. Heat rolled off the scorched earth, sulfurous smoke curling into the crimson sky, and faint embers drifted lazily in the air. The pulse of demonic Kantar vibrated through everything, thick and oppressive.

From the largest throne, a figure rose, massive and terrifying.

"I see, you're the one who they call the demon of tyranny, aren't you? I do sense demonic Kantar coming from you. Looks like the rumours are true," said Lucius, his voice low and resonant, echoing through the throne hall.

He towered on a black skeletal frame, strips of charred flesh draped like cloth, massive curved horns spiraling upward, and bat-like wings stretching wide. When he lifted his left arm, black smoke swirled and solidified into a massive trident inlaid with gold markings. Rising from his throne, his wings flared.

"I sense others coming also. An unnatural Rift between the human world and here has been made," he said, turning to the other demon lords. "Scatter, go find the others. I'll deal with this one."

In a swirl of black smoke, the other lords vanished, leaving their enormous thrones empty.

Leon smirked, tilting his head up at the towering figure.

"I see… so you're the big dog around here. I thought you all were equals, ‘cause you all bear the title of demon Kings," he said, summoning two guns from nothingness.

Lucius’ cold gaze fixed on him.

"You are a nuisance, a mere inconvenience in our grand scheme of things," he said, pausing to study Leon. "But I am intrigued. I want to see the limits of a first-generation demon hybrid, only rivaled by a fully realized second-generation hybrid. I, Lucius..."

He pointed the trident at Leon.

"I, Lucius, heir to the Fagiri clan of the Demon Realm, shall like to know the name of the prey I’m about to kill."

Leon grinned, guns aimed.

"The name’s Leon. No need to remember it. It’s gonna be the last name you ever hear anyway, boss man."

He fired, bullets glowing with red Kantar, striking Lucius squarely in the chest.

Lucius laughed, confident.

"Do you really think a human weapon can harm me?"

Leon tilted his head, gesturing at the wounds that refused to heal.

"I believe so, demon boss man," he said.

Lucius’ eyes widened in shock.

"H…how? This should be impossible," he muttered.

Leon smiled, summoning a massive greatsword, Kantar crackling along its edge. He swung, energy tearing into the air—but Lucius met the strike with his trident. Sparks flew as the weapons clashed. The shockwave threw Leon back; Lucius chuckled, a deep, otherworldly sound shaking the realm.

"I see now. Those bullets were created using demonic Kantar. I commend you, halfling. Your demonic power rivals even mine," he said, his wounds healing instantly.

"Well then, I’ll look down upon you no longer and crush you with all my might."

Lucius charged, trident aimed for Leon’s heart. Leon barely dodged, his left arm slashed and bleeding.

He's fast… I can barely keep up, Leon thought, pouring Kantar into the wound to heal it.

He fired a massive beam of Kantar into the sky; jagged spears rained down. Lucius dodged each one gracefully, then pierced Leon through the chest, forcing him to cough up blood. With a swing of his trident, Lucius flung Leon high into the air and slammed him into the scorched black earth.

Leon coughed, forming a high-voltage taser and shocking Lucius’ leg. Lucius staggered back, allowing Leon to regain footing. His chest wounds healed more slowly this time.

Shit… the air’s thicker here, gravity’s higher… Kantar’s almost gone, Leon thought. I can’t give up… I have to protect Hanz… I couldn’t protect Hannah’s brother, but I can protect Hanz.

Summoning a greatsword, red lightning trailing, Leon dashed forward. Lucius blocked the attack with his trident and countered with a kick. Leon flipped away, summoning two pistols, firing at Lucius, then teleported behind him, slashing across his back. Landing, he smirked.

"That’s one point for me, demon boss man."

Lucius’ back healed instantly.

"Well played, mortal… well played indeed. But you’ll need more than that to beat me," he said, spikes of Kantar shaking the realm. Leon’s greatsword disintegrated under the pressure.

Wow… monstrous aura… time to bring out the big guns, Leon muttered, stretching out his arm. "Come here, Demon Slayer blade."

The sword flew into his palm. Leon matched Kantar with Lucius’ aura.

"Okay, demon boss man… let’s rock this joint," he said, charging at supersonic speed.

He hurled the greatsword; Lucius parried. Leon blurred forward, uppercutting Lucius’ jaw with reinforced Kantar. Lucius leapt back, but Leon followed with Demon Slayer, arcs of compressed Kantar destroying volcanic mountains far off.

Lucius gritted his teeth.

"It’s time to end these silly games," he growled, dashing with his trident.

Leon tried to block—his sword passed through the trident. Both turned to black smoke. Lucius reappeared behind Leon, skewering him with a barrage of strikes until he collapsed, bloodied and near unconscious. Lucius planted a foot on his chest.

"You see the power of a true demon Lord, boy… feel the terror that creeps into your heart. All your friends are going to die… and it will be your fault," he said, turning to Hanz.

Hanz’s body went rigid, lifeless, despair etched into his gaze.

Leon opened his eyes, blood pooling around him. I’m sorry, Hanz… I did my best… he thought.

That face… I recognize it… I swore I’d protect you… I won’t hold back… even if it kills me, Hanz thought.

Red light exploded from Leon. Lucius leapt back. When the smoke cleared, Leon’s hair was pure white, eyes glowing red. Scales covered his ash-colored skin, magma-like cracks glowing, horns protruding, wings ragged and incomplete. He roared, shaking the realm.

So this is the power of a first-generation hybrid… unstable and chaotic… the true embodiment of a demon, Leon thought.

With Demon Slayer in release form, Leon teleported behind Lucius, severing his left wing and kicking him across the battlefield. Smoke poured from Leon’s nose and mouth. Lucius spun his trident clockwise; flames erupted from Leon’s mouth, swirling around Lucius’ weapon. Leon slashed through the flames, multiple delayed cuts striking Lucius.

Lucius stared in shock.

"Impossible… I’ve killed celestials, fellow demons… yet I’m being defeated by some halfling beast!"

Lightning struck the battlefield. Smoke cleared. Lucius’ true form emerged: black raven wings, skeletal skull face, hair flowing to his waist, eyes ablaze.

"This is my true form… I’ve rarely been pushed to use it. Only twice before," he said.

The demonic form of Leon vanished behind Lucius, attacking. Lucius blocked but smiled.

"You’re getting slower… your body can’t keep up with reckless Kantar usage for long."

Lucius slammed his trident into the ground, causing a massive earthquake. He aimed for Leon’s heart—separating it would guarantee death. Leon instinctively blocked with Demon Slayer; the force shattered it, pieces raining down like reflective shards.

Leon roared, gathering a ball of condensed Kantar in his mouth. The attack tore a massive hole through Lucius’ chest, black blood spilling.

Lucius laughed.

"Incredible… but you’re fighting the strongest of them all. My power knows no bounds… immortality is mine," he said.

Leon tilted his head, then hurled an arc of Kantar from the remaining edge of Demon Slayer. Lucius caught it and threw it back. The impact triggered a new transformation: horns shortened and curved, crimson scales spread across ash-colored skin, wings now full and coat-like, eyes glowing yellow.

Fully in control, Leon’s voice boomed like a river.

"Oh, boss man… you look kinda different. Sorry I blacked out… shall we continue?"

He teleported behind Lucius and drove Demon Slayer through his heart, exiting the other side.

MEANWHILE

Shu and Hannah arrived, greeted by six of the seven demon lords. Hannah gave a small smile.

"Well, this would be a hassle… looks like we have to go all out from the get go, Shu," she said.

The stage for the next battle was set.