Magic!

In the desolate void, Shuuta's body floated aimlessly, shrouded in silence and darkness. There was no sight, no sound, just an eerie emptiness.

A smoky haze loomed in the shadows, and a sinister red-black mist crept silently toward Shuuta, slowly taking possession of his body.

"Huh? Has he already stopped breathing? How dull," the flirtatious girl complained.

The demon girl then turned her gaze towards the trembling Kurumi, whose hands quivered uncontrollably. Her eyes had lost all hope, and her feeble attempt to escape was in vain, as her delicate legs gave out, causing her petite form to plummet to the ground.

"It appears you're the weakest link here. What are you doing here, little girl?" Her gaze pierced Kurumi's heart, leaving a lasting impression.

"Hikaru... Shuuta..." Kurumi's fear had rendered her speechless.

"Then meet your end, little morsel!" The alluring demon lunged forward aggressively, her sharp claws aimed at Kurumi's neck.

Peng!*

A monstrous red skull with menacing teeth suddenly pierced her armor, drawing blood. The demon girl's eyes sparkled with a sinister glint, her face etched with malice.

Shuuta clenched his teeth and, with a burst of strength, shoved the demon away as if she were weightless.

"You vile creature! Torture won't be enough; I'll see your life extinguished this very instant!" She paused, extending her wounded arm, and opened her hand with a wicked smirk.

"[Demon Art: Lust Shrieker!]" A pink mist radiated from the demon girl, hovering above her head and transforming into tiny spikes.

Shuish!

One by one, each of the spikes darted towards Shuuta, who was ready to counterattack.

"[Devour Magic: Gluttony!]" Shuuta's skull suddenly roared like a ferocious beast, growing in size and ferocity. It immediately devoured all the spikes, leaving the demon girl bewildered.

"My attack didn't work? What's with this mana? It's tingling..." The demon girl had never felt such overwhelming mana, evoking memories of her abusive father. Her expression darkened.

"You naughty boy, you remind me of my daddy," the demon girl teased. Shuuta, taken aback, wiped the drool from his lips. "In what way?"

She began approaching Shuuta with a grim expression. "In a bad way."

"Huh?"

Foom!*

Dust filled the entire space, obscuring everything. Shuuta could only discern an outline as he observed the demon's transformation. Dark wings emerged and flapped forcefully, dispelling the dust.

"This time, I'll end you for sure!"

Gulp!

The BDSM loli was now dead serious.

Shuuta suddenly heard a rustling sound behind him. It was the president, a bit wounded but filled with determination.

"This demon... she's a B-rank, capable of using Demon Arts, and she's intelligent. Be cautious, Shuuta," Hikaru warned as he tapped Shuuta's back.

"Let me offer some support, Shuuta." Hikaru's hand began to radiate with mana, casting a warm light on his face, which bore a confident smile.

"Here I go!" With his shiny silver eyes, Hikaru unleashed his magic. His fist shimmered, creating a mesmerizing display of lights. The sheer force of his magic shattered rubble and tore through walls.

"Your mana will be mine," the girl who could stimulate the desires of any devoted anime fan charged at Shuuta. Her claws emitted a pink mist.

"Is that...? She can absorb lust from everyone and use it as a weapon! Be on your guard, Shuuta," Hikaru cautioned. He began drawing runes and letters with his fingers and then pointed his hand at Shuuta.

"[God's Grace!]" A surge of power enveloped Shuuta, surrounding him with a golden aura.

"Thanks, Hikaru. I'll put an end to this." Shuuta flashed a confident smile at the demon. His grin widened as time passed, knowing that his attacks were taking effect. "At least I can damage her the usual way." Shuuta clenched his fist, releasing more devouring magic.

The demon's eyes widened as bruises appeared on her body, setting off a bomb of emotions.

A miasma of bloodlust enveloped her, her claws turned darker and grew in size.

"You dare inflict further damage on my precious body? Now, I'll decapitate you and hang your head on my wall as a trophy!" Her maniacal voice resonated throughout the mall, even terrifying the wandering spirits on the third floor.

The girl unleashed her demonic wings and swung them fiercely at Shuuta. Pinkish spikes of mana shot his way.

Shuuta skillfully evaded most of them, though a few grazed his face and shoulders.

"This is nothing," Shuuta declared, maintaining his composure. He planted his feet firmly and advanced toward the demon.

The red skull hurtled toward the girl, but she nimply dodged it, obliterating a wall in the process.

"Is that all you've got?" She taunted, wrapping her arms around Shuuta and launching him toward a window on the third floor of the mall.

Shuuta crashed through the window, scattering wooden items and a desk.

Hikaru, though slightly injured, released a white ball into the sky, creating a powerful flash-bang explosion that momentarily blinded the demon.

"Shuuta!" Hikaru's urgent voice reached Shuuta, jolting him awake. With silver eyes now wide open, he swiftly rose from his previous position and dashed outside. His feet nimbly touched the railing before he leaped into action.

Upon landing beside Hikaru, he vigorously shook off the dust from his maid outfit and cast a defiant glance at the demon. His expression brimmed with fierce determination.

"That really hurt, you little monster," Shuuta growled, his voice dripping with frustration.

The demon flinched, her eye widening as she curled a sinister smirk. "Oh? It appears I must discipline you for that foul mouth of yours." Her vicious claws honed in on his chest, her feet rooted firmly as she moved with lightning speed. In the blink of an eye, her claws neared Shuuta's neck.

Reacting just in time, Shuuta swiftly crouched and counter-attacked by delivering a powerful kick to her gut, sending her small form hurtling upward. Shuuta followed up with an electrifying flurry of punches and kicks.

Mid-air, Shuuta seized her feet and slammed her onto the ground, creating a billowing dust cloud. Coughing from the dust, the demon gradually opened her eyes, only to see a dark silhouette hurtling toward her.

Boom!*

The ground quaked, and Hikaru watched in astonishment as he quickly pieced together an observation. Shuuta seemed to grow stronger the longer he fought. "Damn it... You're good, Shuuta."

Fwoosh!*

The mischievous demon, with her naughty tendencies, grabbed hold of Shuuta again and rocketed through the ceiling, tossing him against a wall.

Shuuta spat and groaned while attempting to regain his composure. As he looked around for the demon, she suddenly swooped past him and crashed onto him.

"Shuuta!" Hikaru yelled, concern etched on his face for his friend's well-being.

Boom!*

The tremendous impact created a massive dust cloud. Silhouettes fell and struck the ground with a thud.

"Damn you, kid!" A deafening screech grated on everyone's ears.

Shuuta stood there, a wicked smirk playing on his lips as his eyes remained locked on her. He exuded an aura of killing intent, sending chills down the demon's spine.

A menacing glint appeared in Shuuta's eyes, and his beady red orbs shone brightly in the dimness, like a beacon in the night.

"Come," Shuuta challenged, standing as if time had frozen, his eyes fixed on her seductive yet menacing form.

As the demon charged, her claws sliced through the air with deadly precision. Shuuta remained patient, waiting for the right moment.

Boom!*

The demon's claw sailed past Shuuta's head. Seizing the opportunity, he shot his fist toward her gut.

"[Devour!]" Shuuta's right hand emitted a dazzling glow, and the devil's magic was swiftly drained, rendering her unconscious.

"Good job, Shuuta! I can't believe you pulled it off," Hikaru exclaimed, his voice filled with admiration and disbelief. Shuuta had defeated a B-class demon with impressive prowess.

"No problem. Was that supposed to be a challenge?" Shuuta brushed it off with nonchalance, rubbing his nose.

Rumble*

Suddenly, Shuuta and Hikaru sensed two distinct presences.

Shuuta groaned, feeling perplexed, while Hikaru raised an eyebrow. They were aware of the presence but couldn't see anything. Even Kurumi was curious.

Hikaru arched an eyebrow, his senses tingling as he detected the presence of two mysterious beings.

Shuuta, however, could only manage a bewildered moan.

"Thank you, young man," an elderly-looking ghoul with a bushy mustache chimed in.

"Yeah, you saved our lives-tsu," a young child, presumably the ghoul's son, added with enthusiasm.

Shuuta's eyes began to twitch as he noticed these ethereal figures hovering nearby.

"You saved our lives? Aren't you supposed to be... well, dead?" Shuuta inquired, his mind struggling to comprehend the surreal situation.

The young ghoul chuckled wryly, "Well, yes-tsu..."

"But not exactly," the father clarified while stroking his mustache.

"What do you mean?" Shuuta's confusion deepened with each passing moment.

From the left, Hikaru slapped Shuuta on the back. "Who are you talking to?"

"Can't that young man see us? It's peculiar... and by the way, what is that lady doing up there?" the elderly ghoul gestured towards the ceiling, where a crystal opening revealed Hanako floating like a balloon.

Shuuta's eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets.

Although Hanako was unconscious, her floating form remained unharmed. Despite his nervousness, Shuuta tried to play it cool. "I'm pretty sure she's okay," he reassured them, stealing a quick glance in her direction.

"Seriously! Who are you talking to?" Hikaru's concern grew as he felt the presence of these beings, even though he couldn't see them. Kurumi, too, was curious about the strange occurrences.

"They're ghosts. I can see and speak with them," Shuuta finally admitted.

"What? You have the ability to communicate with ghosts?" Kurumi's eyes shook, not entirely surprised, but still filled with fear of the supernatural.

"What? Are you scared?" Shuuta's eyes flashed with a wicked smirk.

Kurumi's eyes welled up with tears as she nodded slowly.

"Time for some payback," Shuuta thought, with a mischievous grin. He cleared his throat and spoke loudly, almost yelling, "I'm so hungry! Oh man, when I get back home, all those puddings will disappear into my belly."

A vein bulged on Hanako's forehead, her voice mysteriously appearing behind Shuuta. "They're mine... If you eat them all, I'll turn you into a magical stew!"

"Eek!" Shuuta jumped in alarm. He had never witnessed this side of Hanako before. Quickly, he bowed deeply, adhering to the traditional Japanese apology.

Kurumi, perplexed, wondered, "What is this idiot doing? Can he really speak with ghosts, or is he pulling our leg?"

Hikaru, equally bewildered, admitted, "I don't know."

"But I believe him. I mean, why would he lie? And he just defeated that B-class demon," Hikaru mused, glancing briefly at the defeated demon.

Suddenly, a dark event disrupted the ongoing conversation.

Slash!

"[Demon Curse Magic: Asmodeus Lust!]" The demon's claw tore through a part of Kurumi's dress, revealing a dark magical circle etched onto her chest. Kurumi let out a painful cry and crashed onto the floor.

"Kurumi!" Hikaru rushed towards the demon, crafting bright golden sigils in the air.

"Divine Chains!" Chains infused with blinding white light burst forth from the inscribed symbols, ensnaring the demon and immobilizing her.

Shuuta's expression darkened as a surge of explosive rage coursed through him. He yearned to annihilate the demon, to tear her apart.

"What did you do to her? Tell me!" Hikaru's face twisted into an expression uglier than death itself. His grip on the demon's neck tightened with each passing moment.

"I...cursed her. You've lost... only my father can dispel the curse," the demon wheezed.

"Your father? Who is he?" Hikaru demanded, his voice filled with frustration.

The demon paused, a weak smirk playing on her lips. "Asmodeus..."

"...!"