The demon raised a clawed hand, examining it as though bored.
"I should rip you apart just for insulting me with your presence. But no…" It paused, its grin widening further, teeth glinting in the dim light. "Perhaps I'll play with you first. Tear you apart piece by piece until you beg for mercy you'll never receive."
It tilted its head again, its glowing eyes locking onto Arthur's. "Or maybe I'll make an example of you. I'll paint this arena with your blood and let it serve as a reminder of who we are and what you are not."
From the way the demon's fiery gaze swept across the arena when he first spawned, its expression laced with confusion and disdain alongside its words, Arthur quickly realized something.
"It's his first time here," Arthur thought, piecing it together. The demon's words, the arrogant disbelief in its tone, and its unfamiliarity with the surroundings all pointed to one fact: this demon hadn't been summoned into the arena since it was sealed.
"That makes sense," Arthur mused, his sharp mind racing. "If this thing had fought before, there's no way that Lesser Demon would still be around for me to fight. It would've been dead."
The demon's confusion and its prolonged monologue gave him precious time to study it and prepare his approach.
Despite the oppressive aura emanating from the towering figure, Arthur's composure remained unshaken. His expression stayed neutral, his sharp eyes meeting the demon's blazing red gaze without faltering.
Instead, a faint smirk tugged at the corner of Arthur's lips. "Done talking? You talk just as much as that filthy demon you follow," he said, his voice steady, calm, and dripping with mockery. He tilted his head slightly, his expression as if daring the demon to respond. "Hmph. The glorious knight dealt with him easily."
The arena seemed to grow colder as the words hung in the air.
The demon's fiery eyes flared, the glowing veins on its cracked skin pulsating erratically as rage overtook it. It let out a low, guttural growl that echoed through the arena, shaking the ground beneath their feet.
"You dare speak of His Majesty in such a way?" it bellowed, its voice trembling with fury. The mocking grin that had adorned its face moments ago was gone, replaced by a snarl of pure hatred. "Filthy mortal! You know nothing of his greatness!"
Arthur's smirk widened, though inwardly he remained focused. The reaction was exactly what he wanted—rage was the fastest way to loosen a foe's tongue. If the Lesser Demon's arrogance had been useful for gleaning scraps of information, then the unrestrained fury of this stronger demon would be a treasure trove.
He shrugged nonchalantly, his tone light but deliberately provoking. "His greatness? All I saw was a demon groveling before a human's strength. Doesn't sound so 'great' to me."
"Silence!" The demon roared, the arena trembling with the force of its voice. "That knight was no mere human! He… he used forbidden powers! Treachery! His Majesty would have obliterated him in a fair battle!"
Before Arthur could retort, the demon moved.
Arthur's eyes widened, his pupils dilating as his instincts screamed danger. The air around the demon seemed to ripple as it blurred forward, claws glowing with fiery crimson energy, aiming straight for him.
"Sylvaris!" Arthur barked.
The massive serpent coiled tighter around him, its scaled body forming a protective barrier. Just in time.
Sylvaris and the lesser Demon Were unable to react as the demon appeared in front of Arthur who was protected by Sylvaris with Neko on his shoulder.
The demon's claws slammed into Sylvaris's armored coils with a deafening impact, sending sparks flying.
Sylvaris hissed in pain but held firm, his emerald eyes glaring defiantly.
"Sunless, Lesser Demon!" Arthur commanded.
The undead knight moved instantly, its rusted blade rising to parry the second strike. The Lesser Demon leapt forward, claws meeting claws in a vicious clash.
The sound of metal and flesh colliding echoed through the arena as the two blocked the demon's onslaught.
But they couldn't hold it.
The force of the attack pushed them both back. Hard.
Sunless stumbled, its skeletal feet scraping against the cracked stone. The Lesser Demon skidded alongside it, clawed feet gouging the ground.
Five steps. That's how far they were forced back.
Arthur's sharp eyes darted between them and the demon, taking in every detail. Sylvaris uncoiled slightly, hissing in pain but readying himself for another clash. The Lesser Demon's glowing eyes flickered, its pride clearly wounded. Sunless remained steady, its blade raised, though its bony frame bore cracks from the impact.
Arthur exhaled through gritted teeth. "He's strong."
[Level 11 Demon (Superior-Rank Boss)]
Superior. The word burned into his mind.
"So that's the rank after Epic," Arthur murmured, his thoughts racing. "This… this is what comes next."
The demon straightened, laughing coldly. It flexed its claws, the crimson glow flaring brighter. "Is that all? Your pitiful summons can barely stand against me."
Arthur didn't respond. His eyes were locked on the demon, analyzing every movement. Its speed, its strength, its timing—every detail mattered now.
Sylvaris hissed again, uncoiling fully and snapping its tail like a whip, sending a gust of wind across the battlefield. The Lesser Demon growled low, its stance more aggressive. Sunless remained steady, blade raised, glowing eyes locked on the target.
Arthur raised his dagger, his smirk gone. His voice was calm, but his tone was razor-sharp. "Sylvaris. Lesser Demon. Sunless. Hold the line."
The summons moved instantly, falling into a tight formation around Arthur.
The demon grinned, fangs glinting in the faint light. "What are you waiting for, human? Too scared to fight me yourself?"
Arthur didn't rise to the bait. His focus was absolute. His summons were his strength, his strategy. Let the demon talk—it only gave him more time to find an opening.
The demon snorted, clearly unimpressed. "Fine. I will show you the difference between us demons and mere humans like you!"