Fight on!

Hikaru meticulously organized his desk, sifting through a pile of documents on his sleek laptop. His eyes darted from side to side as he focused on the task at hand. The room was enveloped in a tense silence, broken only by the distant hum of electronics.

Suddenly, a crackling sound shattered the quietude, and Hikaru's attention was drawn to his laptop's screen.

"What is your report?" Hikaru inquired, his gaze fixated on the screen, his demeanor calm yet alert.

"Hikaru-sama, we have spotted a dark figure inside the school. We attempted to track its movements, but it vanished near sector 5," came the voice from the laptop's speakers.

Hikaru's expression darkened instantly. He wasted no time and urgently contacted his father for assistance. The safety of Kurumi was at stake.

"Father, code 001, the school is under attack, repeat, the school is under attack! They are near the infirmary!" he relayed the dire message.

In a different location, a formidable man, burly and imposing, stood tall. His face contorted with rage, veins bulging from his forehead. The single word that escaped his clenched teeth was a promise and a threat: "Kurumi."

Without hesitation, he reached for his phone and placed a call.

...

Shuuta let out a wail of agony as he crashed into a solid wall, his body skidding onto a harsh, reddish cobblestone floor. The impact left him gasping for breath, his vision blurred.

"Kyaaa!"

Before him stood a grotesque beast, its presence petrifying. Kurumi couldn't believe that creatures like this existed; even the demons she had encountered in her nightmares seemed ordinary compared to this monstrous entity.

The beast extended its razor-sharp claws, and with a terrifying force, it swiped downward. Kurumi barely managed to avoid the deadly attack, but her clothes were caught and began to tear.

"Shuuta!" she screamed at the top of her lungs.

A resounding boom echoed through the room as a red, skull-like entity hurtled toward the demon, its jagged teeth transformed into sharp spikes. It devoured the monster whole, causing a purple liquid to splatter and dissolve the abomination.

Kurumi watched in shock as another monstrous entity materialized and swallowed the giant demon, leaving nothing but a gruesome aftermath.

"Kurumi! Get behind me!"

Another deafening boom followed, and the room began to crumble. Shuuta's cheeks twitched, and his silver eyes gleamed with a mix of determination, animosity, and concern for Kurumi.

Without a moment's hesitation, he scooped up Kurumi, holding her like a princess, and rushed out of the crumbling room. Many horrifying creatures began to notice them as they sprinted past.

Shuuta glanced over his shoulder as he fled, realizing that a horde of monstrous entities was tailing them. The entire environment seemed to sear his skin, making it clear that humans were not meant to survive in this nightmarish realm.

In the distance, a massive, steep hill loomed. Shuuta hoped that climbing it might provide them with a brief respite.

...

Back at the school, Hikaru was outside the infirmary room, but nothing seemed amiss. His sensory abilities yielded no results, as though the entire room had vanished.

He reached for the doorknob, but his hand met with a sudden burst of pain and a burning sensation. A crystalline rune covered the door, shining brightly and reflecting Hikaru's grim expression back at him.

"Damn it! Where is Noara when we need her?" he muttered, frustrated and anxious.

Suddenly, a hand tapped Hikaru's shoulder from behind. "Hikaru, it's been a while, old buddy."

The voice caught Hikaru off guard, and his reflexes took over. He delivered a powerful back kick, and a shadow dispersed as soon as his foot made contact with a solid form.

"Hahahaha! You haven't changed a bit, my friend, but this time, I'll make sure your cavalier attitude changes!" The shadow extended its reach and enveloped Hikaru, ensnaring his body.

"Mazumi... why are you here?" Hikaru's voice trembled.

"You know why, old friend, but right now, I'm not interested in you," Mazumi replied.

An image of Kurumi flashed before Hikaru's eyes. "Kurumi? Why are you doing this to my sister?"

"Your sister?" Mazumi burst into maniacal laughter. "I'm here for your new friend, the one with the red hair."

"Shuuta? You damn imbecile! My sister is in there!"

Silence hung in the air. After a brief moment, Mazumi spoke, "An extra casualty, my bad; I was targeting the other guy." His deep voice mixed with his laughter created an unsettling harmony.

"You..." Hikaru's mana surged, and it coiled around his body, breaking the restraints that bound him.

"Tsk." Mazumi emerged from his shadow, fully materializing in front of the blonde boy. He tossed his cloak aside, smirking at the stupefied Hikaru.

"W-what?" Hikaru stammered.

"You tried to look cool, didn't you," Mazumi taunted.

The boy, bearing a scar on his left cheekbone, blushed like a tsundere. "No, I didn't! I... I just reflexively did that." Clenching his fist, he declared, "I'll crush you!"

...

Clangs and clashes filled the air as Shuuta parried an onslaught of beastly attackers. He wielded a piece of the demon's claw, using it as a makeshift weapon. Blood dripped from his forehead to his chin, and his lips bore the marks of battle.

With every slash and dash, he fought valiantly, defending against the nightmarish creatures. Meanwhile, Kurumi, despite her fear, climbed the steep hill in a desperate bid for safety.

A powerful beast, filled with fury, coiled its arm like a drawn bowstring and launched an attack on Shuuta, striking him squarely in the chest. The impact sent him flying back several yards, performing an acrobatic backflip to regain his footing.

But the onslaught didn't cease. Out of nowhere, a fireball erupted and hurtled toward Shuuta, engulfing him in a fiery explosion.

A cloud of dust shrouded the area, and Kurumi wailed in despair. Her eyes witnessed a gruesome scene of bloodshed and suffering as the red-haired boy was torn apart by the relentless beasts.

"Stop..." Her quivering voice fell on deaf ears. "Please..."

A single tear streamed down her cheek as she watched Shuuta, battered but unyielding.

Shuuta, now at the surface of the hill, sat there in a daze. His vision blurred, his head aching. Clutching his throbbing temples, he struggled to focus and regain his strength. His body was drained, and his limbs felt like lead, but determination coursed through him.

"Shuuta, stop! If you overuse your mana, your body will endure excruciating pain, and you'll fall into a coma! Please, just stop," Kurumi pleaded.

Shuuta remained silent. His face was shrouded in darkness, illuminated only by the crimson glow of his magic. Taking a deep breath, he steadied himself.

"And then what? Are we just going to die?" Shuuta's voice was resolute. "I refuse to sit idly and die a meaningless death. I've made a decision to protect you with every breath in my body. One last thing..."

Kurumi's eyes glistened with tears, and emotions swirled within her. She tried to speak, but her voice caught in her throat.

"Don't forget this, because it's a one-time show."

Shuuta's fists blazed with an intense shade of red, his fingers clenched with fervor. A fierce smirk danced on his lips, radiating a serious determination that seemed to push the dust and rubble away from him.

With a final war cry, Shuuta surged forward, charging headlong into the horde of nightmarish creatures. His speed was otherworldly, and Kurumi struggled to keep up with his breakneck pace.

Boom! The resounding impact of a strike echoed in Kurumi's ears, as if a grenade had detonated right next to her. A monstrous creature, towering at almost two meters, was sent hurtling backward, crashing onto the ground. It rolled uncontrollably, eventually plunging into a pool of lava with a harrowing wail.

Kurumi's eyes gleamed with astonishment. She had never witnessed such power before, even in comparison to her brother's battles. The gap was colossal, akin to heaven and earth.

Another demon advanced upon Shuuta, delivering a crushing blow as he remained suspended in the air following his previous attack. Shuuta, however, had already anticipated this move.

He harnessed the momentum of the demon's strike, swinging his arm in the same trajectory to parry the attack. The tremendous claw of the demon became lodged in the ground.

"HAAAH!" Shuuta's voice rang out, resembling a transformation in progress. Magic enveloped his fist, its crimson glow consuming his school uniform until only the arm covering remained.

"[Devour Magic: Abbadon's Fist!]" Shuuta and a mysterious voice echoed in unison, the incantation reverberating through the hellish landscape.

Shuuta's fist shot out like a cannon, leaving a blurred trail of red light in its wake.

A right uppercut.

BOOM! The demon's head was torn from its body, ending its existence.

A voice inside Shuuta's mind intimated, 'You have less than 50 seconds...'

Shuuta, however, paid it little heed. Was he going mad from the depletion of his mana? Or was there something else at play?

"50 seconds?" Shuuta scanned the vicinity, spotting more menacing creatures closing in on him.

"I'm going to need more than just a voice in my head!"

'Upgrade menu... installing, wait a few minutes...'

"Upgrade menu? What are you talking about?"

Slash! Shuuta nimbly dodged a sharp claw, sidestepping like a seasoned martial artist. He countered with a powerful kick that stunned the monster, following it up with a flurry of rapid punches and kicks, rendering the beast rigid on the ground.

"Can't you speed this up?!" Shuuta demanded, evading a barrage of fireballs.

'Can't you wait?! I'm installing an upgrade menu for you, dumbass!'

Shuuta's mouth fell agape in disbelief. Why was Hanako talking and yelling inside his head?

"H-Hanako? What the hell are you doing here?"

'I'm here to assist you. Do you want to die next to a lava pool surrounded by barbecued monsters? Not to mention a tender and juicy loli!'

"Shut up, you... *sigh." Shuuta warmly smiled, finding Hanako's presence reassuring. Who would want to be alone in such a hellish place? He dismissed his confusion and grinned with genuine joy.

"Hehehe~ Just hold on a little while longer. I am your Familiar, bestowing a power unlike any other before. In this tumultuous world, you must rise as a pillar for a new generation and reach unprecedented heights."

Shuuta maintained a poker face, bewildered by the concept of a Familiar. Didn't she want to be his future girlfriend?

Those words reached deep into Shuuta's heart, making him feel valued and needed for a more significant purpose. A smile formed on his face, and excitement coursed through his veins.

Boom! With sparkly silver eyes, Shuuta landed a thunderous haymaker on a smaller creature, creating a small crater upon impact. His hand extended, and he absorbed the creature's mana entirely.

'Your timer has been extended.'

Suddenly, a colossal worm-like monster, its maw brimming with sharp teeth, burst forth from the lava, shaking the entire landscape.

Kurumi watched in dread as her heart pounded in her chest. The monster was as tall as a skyscraper, seemingly insurmountable for someone with average Mystic prowess.

Clutching her chest with tiny, trembling hands, she murmured, "Shuuta... I entrust my life to you..."

Shuuta stood face to face with the colossal worm, his eyes locked onto it. Clenching his fist once more, he allowed his mana to envelop his entire body.

"[Mana Release: Devourer of Deities!]"

'Good job, Shuuta! That's the skill. Now, use it wisely. There's no second chance.'

...

'Upgrade menu has been installed, Shuuta! Do a circle with your finger! That'll open up the menu; after that, tap the skill shop!'

"Huh?" Shuuta followed her instructions, tracing a circle with his finger and then tapping the skill shop. A multitude of bars filled the screen, each containing skills and cryptic descriptions. Shuuta noticed a box labeled 'XP' with a '0' beside it. The skill tree extended across the screen, revealing countless abilities that were grayed out.

"Well, this is Devour magic? There are so many skills!" Shuuta's eyes sparkled with excitement.

"Shuuta, this is an emergency. I'll override your Upgrade Menu; it may come with side effects like mana depletion, long-lasting headaches, and, uh, some other issues. But don't worry about it, okay? I can handle it."

"Hey...what did you say? You mentioned something important..."

...

Pressure!

A crimson aura enveloped Shuuta like a shroud, its immense weight immobilizing everything in his vicinity. Its mere presence could paralyze even colossal creatures.

The ground beneath him disintegrated as if it were made of sand.

'Shuuta, do it! You're at the peak of your power now.'

Shuuta's fist clenched, his heart racing. This was the moment. One final push, and they might survive. He held everything in his grasp.

"We will survive!" Shuuta glanced back at Kurumi.

She saw it too, her eyes sparkling with hope as she gazed at Shuuta. He offered her a sweet smile and vanished from her sight.

Crack!

Dust and debris scattered as Shuuta propelled himself forward, a brilliant red beam forming a straight line, cutting through the fabric of reality itself. A massive red chasm opened up, tearing through the very fabric of existence.

Boom!

A blinding light engulfed everything, obliterating the surroundings.

...

"So, how's your day?" A student sat at a café restaurant, wearing a contented smile as he inquired of his friend.

"Bad...I've been swamped with commissions," the girl grumbled.

"But commissions mean money! If I could draw like you, I'd be thrilled!" The boy teased, making the girl blush and squirm like a child. "Shut up, Rokuro! Don't say that so loudly!"

Rokuro smiled and sighed, feeling somewhat stressed. "That Hikaru better treat us to some good food, or I might reconsider this Familiar gig."

The moment his words left his lips, Rokuro's body quivered involuntarily, sensing an overwhelmingly powerful presence above him. Both he and the girl shared a sense of unease.

"Yoshino, can you feel that? This is..."

Yoshino swiftly rose from her seat, and Rokuro followed, their anxiety growing.

"It's a breach, but it feels...different."

A red fissure tore open, and an array of demons tumbled out of the sky, along with rubble and torrents of lava, transferred from the Nether to Earth.

The girl with a curse on her felt a turbulent wind buffeting her clothes. Kurumi's eyes snapped open, nearly giving her a heart attack.

"Kyaaaaa! Shuuta!"

She was plummeting through the air, surrounded by the corpses of demons and ravenous creatures. In the distance, a red light streaked toward her, reaching her in an instant. She gazed at the unwavering and determined Shuuta, despite his injuries. Blood trickled from his forehead, and he bore multiple wounds – two broken ribs, an Achilles injury, and a dislocated shoulder. Yet his resolve remained unyielding as he raced to save Kurumi.

Unable to fly any longer, his mana down to 2%, Shuuta's upgraded HUD displayed the stark reality.

"Critical damage? Is my life on the line? Stupid HUD, stop beeping so loudly in my head!"

'Shuuta, if your mana reaches 0%, you might die!'

The lad, radiating a crimson aura, gritted his teeth. Pain wracked his body as his adrenaline waned.

"Kurumi, hold onto me! I'm landing this thing!"

Kurumi clung to Shuuta, trembling in fear, whether from vertigo or the descending monsters remained uncertain.

Zoom!

Shuuta descended beneath his school, homing in on the main entrance, where he sensed both familiar and unfamiliar sources of mana.

...

Beneath him, a strikingly handsome boy emanated a resolute glare, brandishing a razor-sharp light sword.

"Come at me, pretty boy!" Mazumi taunted the boy, blood trickling from his lip.

Hikaru clenched his teeth and charged, striking the ground with his sword, creating spiraling arcs of blinding light.

"Argh! My eyes!" Blinded by the dazzling light, Mazumi sought refuge within his own shadow. A sly smirk crept upon Hikaru's face.

"[Light Magic: Karui hebi!]" Hikaru chanted. A yellow sphere appeared in his hand, forming an elongated whip resembling a snake.

He cracked the whip, and the snake-like form swiftly pursued Mazumi.

Clap!

The serpent coiled around Mazumi, allowing Hikaru to yank him from the shadows. He sent Mazumi hurtling into the air, followed by a powerful slam into the ground.

Mazumi seized the whip and enveloped it in his own shadowy energy.

Hikaru dissolved his mana and charged, his gaze never leaving the menacing figure of his opponent. Suddenly, the ground trembled, and sharp, dark shards emerged, closing in on Hikaru at incredible speed.

Crack!

The crystalline formations shattered with a fierce gust of wind. Despite his injuries, Hikaru emerged, his fists bloody and battered. A radiant light still emanated from his bruised knuckles.

"Mazumi!" Hikaru's voice echoed with rage. "I will never forgive you if my sister dies."

Mazumi was taken aback by Hikaru's actions. Despite the excruciating pain and injuries, Hikaru remained composed.

"Tch. You crazy bastard," Mazumi grumbled. He knew that eliminating Hikaru would make the Memorial territory more accessible to the "Purgatory Axe," a rebel group with a fervent desire to purge Mystics entirely. In their eyes, all Mystics were irredeemable.

Smack!

Hikaru and Mazumi traded powerful blows to the face, sending them tumbling in opposite directions.

"....!" Hikaru froze in place, a bone-chilling presence overwhelming both combatants, paralyzing their very souls.

Unable to move, the duo felt an unbearable terror seeping into their beings.

BOOOOM!

The earth quaked as an intense shockwave erupted. Hikaru was hurled away by the sheer force of it, while Mazumi was sent sprawling in the opposite direction.

"W-what...?" Hikaru's soul ached, an unprecedented feeling of insignificance overcoming him. The creature before him was akin to a true demon.

"Impossible! That's..."

Fwush!

With a sudden movement, the creature's belly was cleaved open, and blood and entrails spilled out as a powerful force emerged.

From within, Shuuta emerged, exuding an aura of demonic intimidation, plunging everyone into chaos. His body bore the marks of a grueling battle, his numerous injuries a testament to his resilience.

Mazumi shuddered at the sight, overwhelmed by Shuuta's colossal presence and the extent of his wounds. "He survived Sheol...! Impossible! Just how unbelievably strong is he?" Mazumi clenched his fist, grinding his teeth.

Hikaru, too, was taken aback by Mazumi's comments. He couldn't believe his eyes, marveling at Shuuta's extraordinary determination and commitment to protecting his loved ones. Hikaru's eyes settled on something precious – his new partner, holding Kurumi, who clung to Shuuta.

"Kurumi..." Hikaru's eyes glistened, a smile of relief spreading across his face as he held his sister, grateful that she was unharmed.

Shuuta's overwhelming aura finally ceased everyone's movement. As he drew closer, the gravitational pull intensified.

"I'm sorry, President... my mana is almost depleted... but I kept my promise..." Shuuta's crimson radiance gradually diminished, and his pressure subsided.

'Shuuta! You're at 0.1%. This is critical! I'm shutting down completely so you don't suffer a severe backlash. I don't want you to die.'

"Wait, Hanako. Let me do something first."

'What?! You're skating on thin ice! Stop!'

Suddenly, Kurumi was left where Shuuta had been. In a burst of incredible speed, he materialized before Mazumi, glaring at him. "You're responsible for this, right? I heard your voice from miles away..."

Mazumi's eyes widened in horror, the specter of death looming. His body was sent hurtling through the school, crashing through walls and ultimately slamming against one, blood gushing upon impact.

"Fast...!" Hikaru could barely keep up with the lightning speed of the attack. He held Kurumi, who was traumatized.

After Shuuta unleashed that punch, his formidable aura faded, and he lost consciousness, a fleeting smile on his face as his body tilted backward.

Bam!

His body collided with the ground.

"Shuuta!"

His name echoed in the abyss.