Chapter 153: Clash of Non-Natural Demons

Chapter 153: Clash of Non-Natural Demons

Keith shows his demon form to Subject 7, beginning a clash of unnatural demons.

“I got a warning for you,” Keith says. “Fighting me in my demon form is a whole different animal, so to speak.”

“So you look different,” Subject 7 replies. “It won’t change a thing.”

“When I say a whole different animal, I mean you’re about to get destroyed,” Keith says. “I’m going to finish this up quickly and then grab myself a drink.”

With his demon form unleashed, Keith launches himself at Subject 7. Subject 7 teleports to the other side of the room, but Keith reaches into an opening portal and grabs him. He yanks Subject 7 through the portal and lets go, immediately following up with a barrage of rapid punches. Subject 7 hasn’t adjusted yet and takes a brutal beating.

Subject 7 finally attempts to counter, but Keith grabs his arm, spins, and slams him into the ground. Keith follows that by driving his spiked arms into Subject 7’s gut, dealing even more damage.

Keith stops and charges his magic even further for a special attack, but Subject 7 teleports to an upper section of the circular staircase. Keith looks up.

“You were right,” Subject 7 says. “I was unprepared. However, that will change now.”

Keith frowns with teeth clenched. “Tch.”

He begins jumping up the staircase toward Subject 7. As he closes the distance, he enters a portal.

“A fake-out, eh?” Subject 7 notes.

Subject 7 tries to anticipate Keith’s next move. To his surprise, two portals open, one farther up the staircase and one below. Keith appears from both.

“Two of him!?”

Both Keiths charge at Subject 7, one rushing up the stairs while the other rushes down the stairs. Both reach Subject 7 at the same time, throwing punches simultaneously. Subject 7 blocks both punches, then counterpunches one of the Keiths, only to be grabbed from behind by the other. The Keith that was punched recovers and delivers his own counter, smashing Subject 7 in the face.

Subject 7 breaks free and thrusts his knee into the gut of the Keith that punched him. The impact knocks that Keith out.

That Keith dissolves, its energy returning to the other.

“A clone made from your own magic energy,” Subject 7 says. “Clever trick, but it won’t work again.”

Subject 7 teleports to Keith. They attempt to punch each other, their blows colliding. Subject 7 reacts faster, kicking Keith off the staircase before jumping down and punching him into the floor below.

Keith stands and wipes blood from his face, smirking. “I guess you can still put up a fight against my demon form. This is getting exciting! Looks like I will have to hold off on the drinking for a bit longer!”

Keith enters a portal and immediately reappears near Subject 7, thrusting his leg upward and kicking him square in the chin. The kick launches Subject 7 upward, smashing through several stairs above. Keith leaps up the staircase after him.

They are now near the top of the room, roughly fifty meters above where the fight began.

Keith and Subject 7 lock eyes. Keith smiles as his skin turns slimy. He rips the slime from his body and drops it nearby.

The slime reshapes itself into several mini-Keiths, each about two feet tall.

“Am I supposed to be afraid?” Subject 7 asks. “All you do is divide your power when you do that. It makes you weaker.”

“Smart strategy can make up for that,” Keith replies.

The mini-Keiths launch themselves at Subject 7. He tries to strike them, but their erratic movements and unpredictability make landing hits difficult.

As the minis harass him, Keith charges a massive amount of energy. Subject 7 realizes what’s happening too late. The minis seize the opportunity, grabbing onto him, while the one mini not holding on kicks him into the air. The others cling tightly.

“You can’t teleport with someone else holding on to you without using a lot of magic,” Keith says. “That is your flaw. With a lot of my minis holding onto you, you would risk running out of magic by teleporting.”

Keith races up the stairs until he is above Subject 7, then leaps directly over him as Subject 7 begins to fall.

“Demonic Burial Cannon!!” Keith screams.

Keith unleashes a massive beam of dark red energy downward. It engulfs Subject 7, obliterating the minis as their energy flows back into Keith. The beam slams violently into the floor, blasting a massive hole through it.

When the beam finally ends, Keith lands on the floor and peers down into the crater.

He freezes in shock.

Subject 7’s body is still intact, badly wounded, with blood covering him and large patches of hair gone. For the first time, his eyes are visible, no longer covered by his bangs. They are wide open and bloodshot.

Subject 7 slowly stands within the hole, anger boiling, as he glares up at Keith.

“He can live through that!?” Keith mutters. “What will I need to do to kill him!?”

Keith focuses on Subject 7’s eyes, examining them thoroughly. His own eyes widen in shock.

“Wait… He doesn’t have blue shading in his eyes,” Keith says. “He’s not under Kogen’s control? He’s doing this of his own free will?”

Keith’s battle against Subject 7, an Enigmus serving Kogen of his own free will, enters its final phase.

Chapter 153 END

To be Continued in Chapter 154: A Heart-Ripping Experience