Fight!

Shuuta, fueled by fiery grit, closed in on the untamed boy, his attack poised to shatter the very air around them.

Just as his fists were about to make contact, the wild boy sidestepped with a blur of motion.

Shuuta's punches grasped at empty space.

In an instant, the air resounded with the grotesque crack of a demonic skull, accompanied by an eerie wail echoing through the battlefield.

"Arght!," Shuuta winced as his fist throbbed in agonizing pain.

Suddenly, a cold grip clamped around Shuuta's neck from behind, and he was hurled through the atmosphere like a helpless ragdoll.

With bone-rattling force, he crashed into the ground, the impact generating a massive cloud of dust.

"Entertain me more! Amuse me more!" the wild boy's taunting words pierced the haze.

Shuuta sprang to his feet, ire burning in his eyes. He unleashed a Demonic Skull-like projectile, his voice echoing as he called out, "[Devourer Seeker!]"

But his opponent, Yaseiko, stretched his body to an unnatural length, ready to evade the seeker's strike. The air quivered with tension as the seeker hurtled toward its target.

Boom!*

The ground shook as the projectile exploded, casting a pall of dust and debris over the battleground. Shuuta peered through the settling cloud, his anticipation growing.

As the dust cleared, Yaseiko stood there, a malevolent grin etched on his face.

His body bore no visible wounds, and he erupted in mocking laughter. Shuuta gritted his teeth, realizing that Yaseiko had somehow tanked the attack unscathed.

His eyes narrowed as he noticed an odd glint on Yaseiko's body—a metallic and unyielding substance, emanating an unsettling scent. It resembled blood but was something far more sinister.

"Earth Magic? Shuuta, get away from him!" a concerned voice called out.

But it was too late. Shuuta's vision blurred, and crimson liquid splattered across the sky.

A searing agony radiated from his abdomen as a blade-like appendage suddenly pierced through his school uniform and deep into his flesh.

"W-what?" Shuuta gasped, unable to comprehend the blinding speed at which Yaseiko had attacked. No sound, no warning.

"Ghost dash, level one. You couldn't even see level one? Pathetic," Yaseiko taunted as he withdrew the blade-like appendage, and a torrent of blood cascaded onto the ground.

"You're finished…What?!" Yaseiko's eyes widened in shock as a demonic skull materialized from the wound, its grotesque maw clamping down on Yaseiko's arm.

Yaseiko shrieked in pain as the searing fire of the skull consumed his arm. "My skin? But how is it possible? My Tungsten skin cannot burn so easily!" He spat furiously.

Himitsu, a bystander who had been observing the battle, squinted as he noticed the mana emanating from Shuuta's wound. A sense of recognition sent shivers down his spine, and his hand twitched involuntarily. "I see. That's why the Menos opened up."

At that moment, Himitsu grasped the gravity of the situation. He had stumbled upon the successor of Devour Magic, a lost magic capable of transcending even the power of Gods and Deities—an entity without boundaries of time or dimensions, capable of bringing about unparalleled destruction.

Himitsu was faced with a daunting choice: Should he slay the boy now or allow him to live, knowing that the consequences would reverberate through multiple dimensions? The fate of the Mystic society hung in the balance, and the birth of a new Demon King was a real possibility.

The demonic skull surrounding Shuuta transformed into armor, concealing his head and leaving only gleaming, sharp teeth and fiery eyes visible. It bore a resemblance to a fearsome samurai, and another armor encased his right arm, evoking a demonic yet samurai-like appearance.

"M-my body… I can't move it," Shuuta gasped, his consciousness rapidly slipping away. With great effort, he managed to form a hand sign, conjuring a katana forged from his dark red mana. The sword emanated an ominous aura, its aged hilt and blade hinting at its malevolent power.

"A cursed blade of Muramasa? An infamous blade concealed within that boy?" Himitsu muttered, his grip tightening on his scabbard.

Peng!*

Yaseiko brought his arm down upon the blade, but it merely cracked the surface of his skin. His eyes flashed with pain and fury as he realized that Shuuta's katana had inflicted damage.

Shuuta swiftly twisted his arm, slicing deeper, causing the blade to be drenched in an even greater torrent of crimson blood, its crimson glow intensifying.

In response, Yaseiko pounded the ground, causing rocky formations to erupt and thrust Shuuta into the air. Then, with relentless force, he drove Shuuta back into the ground, creating a massive crater.

Boom!*

The earth trembled, and the shockwave echoed through the battlefield, leaving a testament to the intensity of their battle.

The Katana cleaved through solid rock as if it were paper, another boulder hurtled toward him, but Shuuta, with a deft stroke, sliced it in mid-air, his pace unwavering as he closed in on Yaseiko.

"How is that Katana able to slice my Earth Magic so easily? My Magic is harder than a blade!" Yaseiko's confusion gave voice to his bewilderment.

Himitsu responded with a solemn tone, "He wields a cursed blade, one with infinite sharpness, capable of cutting through anything. Not even your Tungsten body can withstand its edge."

Yaseiko charged forward, his intentions malevolent, uncaring of the cursed blade. He was determined to end Shuuta's life.

"[Earth Magic: Mud Sanctuary!]" Yaseiko bellowed, and the ground beneath them transformed into a mucky quagmire, sapping Shuuta's mobility. But it was short-lived.

Shuuta's feet radiated with Devour mana. With each step, he erased the mud's grasp.

"Damn it all!" Yaseiko grunted, his determination unyielding.

"Did you lose your cool? Ha! You were so cocky before!" Shuuta's voice resonated, his demeanor turning wilder and more extreme than Yaseiko's.

"Shut up! I am barely starting! I will show you secret techniques forged by me! The one and only Toriyana Yaseiko!" Yaseiko roared, crossing his fingers and forming a peculiar sign with both hands. "[Earth Magic: Tungsten Blade!], [Earth Magic: Tungsten Armor!], [Earth Magic: Tungsten Will!]"

Himitsu, observing the battle closely, interjected, "Yaseiko, you know what will happen if you cast multiple Magics at once. You will be weakened, losing your Mana for five minutes. In those five minutes, your opponent can kill you easily. You must end the fight now."

"I know!" Yaseiko held the Katana aloft and swung it to his side, cracking trees and sending bushes scattering.

Shuuta sensed the surge of power in Yaseiko and knew that getting wilder would cost him his life.

A small grin played on his lips.

As the battle raged on, Shuuta checked his upgrade menu, noting that his XP bar was still negative. Many skills had been overridden by an unfamiliar entity within him, and he selected a skill that lit up red instead of white. "[Devour Magic: Gluttony Miasma.], [Devour Magic: Abbadon's Fury!], [Devour Magic: King's Throne!]"

Himitsu noticed the shift in Shuuta's approach, understanding that both opponents were gearing up for a final clash. He turned to his subordinate, concern etched on his face.

"HAAAAAA!" With a synchronized battle cry, both combatants lunged at each other, pouring every ounce of their Mana and strength into their final strikes.

BOOOOM!*

The very fabric of space trembled as their blades clashed, and a colossal dust cloud engulfed the battlefield. Hanako clutched her chest with one arm, her other arm securing Yae.

She had never seen Shuuta so fierce and unyielding, his form enveloped by a shroud of dark miasma. Shuuta and Yaseiko stood back to back, locked in a silent struggle.

"Buagh!" Yaseiko spat blood, falling to his knees. His blade had been cleaved in two, and he dropped it in disbelief. 'How... can this be?'

Before he could finish his thought, he saw a blade hurtling toward his eye at breakneck speed. Shuuta's face was that of a vengeful demon closing in on its prey. With a surge of fear, Yaseiko shut his eyes, bracing for his impending doom.

Peng!*

Yaseiko's eyes flew open as he heard the clinking of metal. His gaze widened in disbelief. "You insolent fool."

Himitsu had intervened, stopping Shuuta's Katana just inches from cleaving Yaseiko's head in two. Shuuta's face twisted in anger, but before he could react, Himitsu swiftly severed Shuuta's hand without even moving.

The Muramasa Katana soared into the air, drenched in crimson blood, and Shuuta writhed in pain, trying to staunch the bleeding.

"Magical Power isn't the only aspect of battle..." Himitsu calmly sheathed his unique Katana, his veins bulging as he gripped the hilt, yet no mana was involved. It was a mere skill. "One must have the skill."

Shuuta's body gradually froze, a runic symbol manifesting in his demonic, bloodshot eyes.

"[Full Moon-]

Himitsu unsheathed his Katana with a lightning-fast motion, delivering an electrifying flurry of slashes toward Shuuta. His attacks were too swift for the naked eye to follow, and blood spurted in every direction as Shuuta's body bore the brunt of more than a hundred slashes in a mere five seconds.

[-Slash!]"

Shuuta's fading gaze fixed upon Hanako, and a solitary tear welled up, tracing a slow, poignant path down his cheek. Time seemed to stretch, and his dwindling breath escaped in a fragile whisper, barely audible, as he struggled to utter Hanako's name one last time.

"Shuuta!" Hanako's anguished cry reverberated through the battlefield as she rushed to his side, cradling his lifeless form. The ghost girl, Yae, drifted alongside her, their eyes filled with grief.

"It's over." Himitsu declared, and Shuuta collapsed lifelessly to the ground, his eyes devoid of vitality.

Thud* Himitsu struck Hanako's neck, rendering her unconscious. "Shuuta..."

Himitsu then turned to his subordinate, instructing him to take Yae with them. He also decided to bring the ghost girl.

Yaseiko stood next to Shuuta, glancing down at him, frustration in his eyes.

"I guess there won't be a next time for us, whoever you were. But if you survive, I look forward to battling you again," Yaseiko said, his face expressing sincerity. It was his first loss in combat, and a heavy feeling weighed on his chest as he watched the blood continue to flow from his wounds.

"Survive, kid." Yaseiko's voice held a hint of respect, and he couldn't help but wish for Shuuta's recovery.

Himitsu began a ritual, performing intricate hand gestures and incantations. A circular rift materialized, radiating a brilliant blue light and pulsating with energy.

Himitsu leaped into the rift, clutching Hanako, and vanished from the battlefield. Yae gave Shuuta one last glance before she, too, was whisked away.

As their figures faded into the distance, a profound stillness enveloped the world. Time, previously suspended in the wake of their departure, resumed its relentless march. The trees, once frozen in solemn vigil, swayed with a melancholic rhythm, shedding their vibrant leaves in mournful descent. The air grew heavy with the distant echoes of somber birdsong, a lament for the youth taken too soon. Tears from the heavens themselves, in the form of rain, began to fall, as if nature itself wept for the loss.

Then, amidst the symphony of sorrow, two shadowy figures materialized before the lifeless young lad.

The lady with silver hair felt as though her very heart had been ripped from her chest, the middle-aged man's face contorted in anguish as if he had lost a part of himself, and they gazed upon the boy's lifeless body, his crimson hair draping his face like a shroud, crimson liquid staining the whole sidewalk.

"We...we're too late," Noara's voice trembled, a profound sorrow etched into her features, and Kentaro's eyes were pools of grief as he muttered, "We were too late." The weight of their failure bore down upon them, a crushing burden that left them drowning in despair.

As Noara cradled Shuuta's lifeless body, her tears fell freely, splashing onto his pale, lifeless face. Her heartache was palpable, the depth of her grief immeasurable. She gently brushed a strand of crimson hair from his forehead, her trembling fingers caressing his cold skin. The world around her seemed to blur as her eyes fixated on his still form.

Kentaro's fury and anguish boiled within him. He couldn't bear the sight of his comrade, his friend, lying there, life extinguished. His voice quaked as he muttered, "Himitsu...you bastard," a deep growl lacing his words. Every fiber of his being screamed for vengeance, for justice, for a way to reverse this horrifying tragedy.

His hands balled into fists, releasing torrents of mana that sliced through trees, rendering them into splinters, and cutting the pavement into chaotic fragments. The once serene landscape was now a reflection of the tempest raging within Kentaro's soul.

Noara's heart ached not only for Shuuta but also for Kentaro, who had been more than a commander; he had been a mentor, a pillar of strength. Seeing him in such agony cut her to the core.

But Kentaro couldn't bear the loss, and in his grief-stricken desperation, he contemplated an unthinkable act. A dark, forbidden magic that Mystic Societies had deemed too perilous to wield, an ancient and illicit power that defied the very laws of life and death.

"Kentaro, no," Noara whispered in a trembling voice, her hand reaching out to stop him.

Ignoring her, Kentaro began to perform the forbidden ritual, a dark incantation that should have been left untouched, buried in the depths of history. As he chanted, his voice echoed with a mixture of sorrow and anger, invoking the forbidden spell.

Mystic energies swirled around him, dark and malevolent, as he focused all his will and mana on resurrecting Shuuta. The forbidden magic responded, breaching the boundary that separated the realms of life and death.

The ground trembled, and a palpable sense of dread hung in the air. The sky darkened as storm clouds gathered, a reflection of the unnatural forces being summoned. The wind howled with a mournful wail as if the very world itself protested against the violation of its laws.

Noara watched in horror as Kentaro's desperate incantations continued, the rift between life and death growing thinner with each passing moment. She knew the price of meddling with such dark arts, the cost it could exact, not just on the caster but on the world itself.

But Kentaro, driven by the agony of losing Shuuta, was willing to pay any price, heedless of the consequences. His voice rose to a crescendo, and the very fabric of reality seemed to shudder.

And then, in that eerie moment, a faint glimmer of crimson light surrounded Shuuta's lifeless body. The world held its breath, and Noara's heart pounded in her chest.

The forbidden magic had taken hold, but it was uncertain what it would bring back, if anything. Noara and Kentaro had ventured into the abyss, clinging to the faint hope of defying fate and death.