In the realm of Saxasol, an apparent peace reigned, yet King Kapard was a tyrannical sovereign, his iron fist disguised by a veneer of calm. He ruled through fear, the imperium his enforcers, their loyalty bought with power and privilege. But beneath this oppressive tranquility, unseen forces stirred. The true strength of the realm lay with the executors, warriors under the command of the unwavering General Saruth. And lending their ancient wisdom and keen senses to Saruth's command was the elven royal family, guided by the astute Rhon.
Then, one spring day, in the desolate expanse of Duzale, a region sparsely dotted with Saxasol's forgotten villages, the unthinkable occurred. Across the barren landscape, an enormous magic circle blazed into existence, a stark, malevolent glyph etched in light so dark it seemed to swallow the very stars. The few souls dwelling in the nearby hamlets could only watch in paralyzed terror as the ominous glow painted the horizon.
The light vanished as abruptly as it had appeared, leaving an unsettling silence in its wake. But the ground itself began to writhe. From the cracked earth, a legion of black tentacles erupted, snaking outwards like the limbs of some colossal subterranean beast. Screams pierced the quiet as the tendrils lashed out, striking the hapless villagers. Where they touched, life withered. The victims were drained, their essence pulled away, leaving behind only brittle dust that crumbled in the wind.
Just as suddenly as they had emerged, the tentacles recoiled, sinking back into the earth. Another blinding flash erupted, and from the empty air, a figure materialized. A demon. It stood tall and gaunt, its limbs like polished obsidian, its torso a stark, unsettling gray. A horrifying smile stretched across its face, and two vast, black wings unfurled behind its gaunt frame.
Before the echoes of its arrival could fade, a lone figure approached the monstrous being. He wore a simple brown kimono, his long white hair flowing in the gentle breeze. Two sheathed katanas rested at his waist. It was Kan. His gaze, sharp and unwavering, fixed on the demon. "I sensed your murderous aura from kilometers away," Kan's voice was calm, yet held an undeniable edge. "But I never imagined that to manifest, you would consume the very life force of these innocent people. Tell me, what is your name, demon?"
The demon's smile widened, a grotesque display of sharp teeth. "Human," its voice rasped, a sound like grinding stones, "you possess a foolish courage to approach me, one of the three demonic regents of the Blighted Lands."
Kan's grip tightened subtly on the hilts of his swords. "So, a demonic regent. Then I have no choice but to eliminate you here and now."
The demon chuckled, a dry, rattling sound. "You are the first human who dares to utter such words to my face. Very well. I shall grant you the privilege of knowing my name before your demise. I am Phimoral. And as I have already stated, I am one of the three demonic regents. For a creature as insignificant as you, merely facing me in single combat is an honor beyond measure."
In the blink of an eye, Kan shifted his stance, his hands blurring as his two katanas hissed free of their sheaths. "Wind sword slash!" he declared, his voice resonating with power. A swirling aura of whitish-green erupted around him, coalescing into a tangible force. And then, on his forehead, a third eye snapped open, its gaze piercing the veil of time, granting him a fleeting glimpse of the next ten seconds.
With a burst of speed, Kan launched himself towards Phimoral, his blades aimed for vital points. But the demon moved with impossible swiftness, vanishing in a flicker of shadow only to reappear behind Kan. Yet, the swordsman's foresight served him well. His second katana flashed upwards, intercepting the demon's descending claw. The force of the blow slammed Kan to the ground, but he was already pushing himself back to his feet, a blur of motion as he charged once more towards the grinning Phimoral.
The demon's hands moved, and from the air, black, pointed tentacles materialized, lashing out in a frontal assault. Kan's blades danced, severing the appendages with blinding speed, but the demon conjured more, an endless barrage of shadowy whips. With another lightning-fast dash, Kan closed the distance, reaching striking range. But Phimoral merely flicked his wrist, unleashing a burst of dark energy that forced Kan to evade.
A whirlwind of motion followed as Kan moved in a dizzying series of afterimages around Phimoral. Then, with a precise, cross-cutting technique, using his lingering images as a feint, he finally drew blood. A crimson line appeared on Phimoral's arm, and the demon's smile vanished, replaced by a flicker of annoyance. A dark aura pulsed around Phimoral, and from the palm of his hand, a sphere of concentrated black energy formed, crackling with malevolent power. It shot towards Kan, who narrowly dodged. But then, a relentless barrage of similar projectiles rained down upon him. He parried some, but others struck home, tearing through his flesh. Kan staggered, wounds blossoming across his body, but he remained standing.
Phimoral regarded him with a hint of surprise. "You are far more resilient than I anticipated, human. I did not think you would survive even that initial assault."
Kan spat out a mouthful of blood. "Mph… and you believe this is enough to kill me? Don't make me laugh… Wind sword slash awakened!" The very air around Kan seemed to grow heavy, charged with an unseen force. The blades of his katanas pulsed with a vibrant, phosphorescent green light. His third eye spun wildly, bleeding profusely, the white sclera turning pitch black, the iris a burning crimson with a stark black symbol etched within.
Phimoral's eyes narrowed, a flicker of genuine interest in their depths. "Interesting. I never imagined a mere human could possess such latent power."
Kan's voice was strained, but resolute. "There are humans far stronger than I, like my one and only student. He has become truly powerful… he has even surpassed me by a significant margin."
Without another word, Kan shifted into a low stance, his body coiled like a spring. Then, with an explosive burst of speed, he launched himself forward, his twin blades blurring in a devastating cross-slash that tore through Phimoral's chest. This time, the demon's composure finally shattered. A raw fury contorted his features as he unleashed a torrent of razor-sharp demonic needles. But Kan, in a single, fluid motion, sliced through them all. Another swift strike, and Phimoral's left arm was severed, a guttural roar of pain and rage tearing from the demon's throat. "Enough!"
A dense pillar of dark energy erupted from within Phimoral, and his form began to twist and change. Blood-red, curved horns sprouted from his head, and a crown of swirling black energy encircled them. A massive red sphere pulsed in the center of his chest, radiating an aura of terrifying power, far exceeding his previous state. Without hesitation, Kan charged forward, his blades aimed true. But Phimoral, now faster and stronger, parried the strikes with ease.
As their blades clashed, Phimoral's voice dripped with malice. "This form you see is but an incomplete manifestation. It is all the fault of the pathetic magical energy of the nearby humans. They were insufficient to properly nourish me."
Hearing these words, a cold fury gripped Kan. He unleashed a relentless flurry of slashes, but the demon, with a mere flick of a finger, sent him hurtling backwards. Phimoral then conjured his demonic needles, now a sinister violet hue, and launched them at Kan. The swordsman parried desperately, but the sheer volume overwhelmed him; several needles pierced his defenses. Kan tried to close the distance again, but Phimoral effortlessly blocked his attacks.
Kan gasped for breath, his body screaming in protest. "That form… it's on par with a full awakening… and I can barely keep up…" His resolve hardened. "Then I will wager everything! Unlocking the eye of foresight!" The orbit of his third eye began to shift erratically, spinning at an impossible speed. Blood streamed down his face as the eye strained, the entire sclera turning black, the iris a vibrant violet, a line of deep purple cutting through the pupil. A raw, agonizing scream tore from Kan's throat, but he quickly regained his composure, his hand instinctively going to his throbbing third eye, which felt strangely weary. The auras of his two katanas flared, now a menacing scarlet. With a renewed surge of speed, Kan attacked head-on. Phimoral conjured his demonic needles once more, but Kan's blades moved like twin crimson lightning strikes, slicing through them all and carving a deep gash across Phimoral's shoulder and chest.
Phimoral's eyes burned with murderous intent. With a blindingly fast movement, he struck Kan at point-blank range. But Kan, guided by his enhanced foresight, managed to parry the explosive blow. Then, with a speed that defied the eye, Kan unleashed a myriad of strikes, each blow landing with precision, leaving Phimoral momentarily stunned. Kan pressed his advantage, channeling his remaining magical energy into his katanas, their scarlet auras intensifying. He lunged towards Phimoral, but the demon had already regenerated, and with a powerful blow, sent Kan flying through the air. Phimoral teleported instantly behind him, his hand crackling with dark energy. "Demonic point-blank shot!" he roared, unleashing a massive energy blast directly into Kan's back.
The resulting explosion ripped through the desolate landscape, carving a massive crater. Kan, miraculously, had survived, but half of his body was a charred ruin. "I can barely feel the right side of my body anymore…" he gasped, his voice ragged. "And unlocking the eye of foresight… it's slowly draining my life force… but I will give everything… to ensure that future generations can live in peace…"
The cataclysmic explosion and the sheer number of lives extinguished had finally alerted the executors. By Saruth's urgent command, a full detachment had been dispatched to investigate. Now, an entire legion of these elite warriors surrounded the crater, their faces grim as they watched the impossible struggle between Kan and the demonic regent.
Kan, despite the horrific burns that ravaged half his body, his movements guided by the fading whispers of his third eye's foresight, managed to take a final stance. His two katanas, their tips pointed skyward, were enveloped in a potent red aura. With a final, desperate surge of strength, he launched himself forward. Phimoral, in response, conjured a long, black sword, its surface shimmering with dark energy. The two figures clashed at an unbelievable speed, their movements a blur of steel and shadow. Finally, they stood on opposite sides of the ravaged ground, the silence broken only by Kan's ragged breathing.
"In the end I lost…" Kan's voice was a mere whisper, thick with blood. A massive wound, stretching from his shoulder down his torso, blossomed open, releasing a torrent of crimson. His eyes lost their light, and he crumpled to the ground, lifeless.
A collective roar of grief and fury erupted from the assembled executors. Without hesitation, they surged into the crater, a wave of righteous anger crashing against the demonic regent. But Phimoral merely smirked. Charging a massive amount of dark energy in his hands, he unleashed it in a devastating explosion. The executors who had entered the crater were annihilated in an instant, their bodies vaporized. Only one managed to react in time, a lone warrior conjuring an energy barrier that shielded her nearby comrade. When the dust settled, only ashes remained. They were all gone.
But then, amidst the devastation, a figure stirred. Phimoral, his triumph tinged with surprise, fixed his gaze on the rising form. "Who are you?" he snarled. "How dare you survive my attack, you insignificant insect?"
The survivor was a girl. Her skin was a shade of dark rose, and her jacket and pants were now stained a grim gray from the blast. Pointed ears twitched beneath her short, black hair. Her name was Sabrin, the daughter of the general commander of the executors, Saruth. "My name is Sabrin," she declared, her voice trembling slightly but filled with unwavering resolve. "You foul monster… you must be destroyed." Sabrin drew her katana, but her hands shook visibly. Taking a deep breath, she cried out, "Pink sunburn!" and with a burst of speed, she attacked Phimoral, the blade of her katana erupting in a vibrant, rosy flame. Phimoral effortlessly dodged her frantic slashes. Sabrin tried to outmaneuver him, attempting to strike from behind, but the demon's mere aura sent her flying backwards, crashing to the ground.
Phimoral's gaze was dismissive. "What a disappointment. I had hoped you would provide a bit more amusement." He charged a sphere of dark energy in his palm and hurled it towards the fallen Sabrin. All seemed lost when, out of nowhere, a figureInterposed himself between her and the deadly projectile, causing it to dissipate harmlessly.
It was Salson. He stood tall and resolute, Mountain Cleaver held firmly in his grasp, its massive blade gleaming. He turned his gaze towards Phimoral, his eyes burning with righteous fury. "Are you the one who has caused all this suffering?"
The regent replied with his usual mocking smile, "And even if I was?"
Salson's grip tightened on his weapon. "You have slaughtered countless innocents for your own selfish gain. And the only one who immediately recognized your threat is dead… now, it is my turn to play my part." Salson took a wide stance, hefting Mountain Cleaver with both hands, and with a powerful leap, he charged towards Phimoral. The demon conjured his demonic needles, but Salson swung his massive blade in a single, sweeping arc, shattering them all into dust. On his right arm, Salson wore a peculiar contraption, a metallic gauntlet that covered his hand and forearm, a single, glowing gem embedded in its center. As he closed the distance, Salson unleashed his aura, which was instantly absorbed by the device. Then, with a mighty roar, he struck Phimoral, sending the demon hurtling backwards.
Sabrin, still shaken, asked, "What… what is that thing on your arm?"
Salson replied, his gaze never leaving the demon, "This is a magical energy catalyst. It draws the mana I release and stores it. When I strike with my right fist, that accumulated energy is unleashed upon my target."
Phimoral landed on his feet, a look of surprise flickering across his face before it settled back into its usual arrogant smirk. He teleported to Salson's side in a blink, attempting a swift strike, but Salson parried with Mountain Cleaver, the impact sending shockwaves through the air. Gripping the massive sword with both hands, Salson channeled the energy from his catalyst into the blade. With a mighty swing, he cleaved the ground, the force of the blow tearing a deep fissure and wounding the demon, who staggered back. "I wear this catalyst," Salson explained, "because I cannot fully control my own mana. But thanks to this… I can unleash it without restraint."
Phimoral lunged, a fist crackling with dark energy aimed at Salson's face. But Salson was faster. With a swift, precise movement, he slashed the demon's arm and then followed through with a devastating punch that sent Phimoral reeling. As the demon hung in the air, Salson brought Mountain Cleaver down in a brutal, targeted strike, sending Phimoral crashing to the ground.
But even as he lay defeated, Phimoral began to laugh, a chilling, manic sound. He slammed his hands into the earth, and his demonic needles erupted from the ground, piercing the soil and greedily drawing in magical energy. "Thanks to the slaughter before…" Phimoral's voice was laced with dark satisfaction. "I have enjoyed a substantial feast. And thanks to that fool Kan… I will finally be able to access a significant portion of my true power!" The red core in the demon's chest blazed with an intense light, and Phimoral's body began to contort and reshape. His limbs elongated, turning a grotesque mix of red and white. Three curved horns erupted from his head, and his mouth stretched into a nightmarish maw filled with blood-red teeth.
High above the ravaged landscape, Saruth watched the unfolding battle, his expression unreadable. He seemed lost in thought when Brihan materialized beside him, his presence as silent as the falling ash. "Do not fret, General," Brihan said, his voice calm and reassuring. "He is strong. He will manage."
Saruth's gaze remained fixed on the struggle below. "I will observe for now," he replied, his voice low and steady. "But if I see the tide turn against him… I will not hesitate to intervene."
Below, Phimoral, in his monstrous new form, lunged at Salson, a clawed hand aimed for a fatal blow. But Salson dodged with a speed that belied his size, retaliating with a swift slash that tore across the demon's flesh. However, the wound began to regenerate almost instantly. Phimoral unleashed a torrent of his demonic needles, now a terrifying blood-red, but Salson met the assault with a whirlwind of steel, parrying the majority of the projectiles. With a powerful leap, Salson closed the distance and struck Phimoral, the blow landing squarely but failing to inflict significant damage. The demon retaliated with a brutal strike to Salson's chest, sending him flying through the air. Phimoral then slammed him back to the ground with a thunderous punch.
Salson staggered to his feet, his body aching, but his resolve unwavering. He took a defensive stance as Phimoral charged a massive amount of magical energy in the palm of his hand, unleashing it in the form of a destructive wave of black energy. But Salson stood firm, meeting the attack head-on with Mountain Cleaver. The massive blade sliced through the energy wave, cleaving it in two, and Salson pressed his attack, dashing towards Phimoral. But the demon was too fast. A barrage of demonic needles struck Salson, tearing through his defenses, one even piercing his left eye. Phimoral followed up with a devastating punch to Salson's chest, the force of the blow sending him crashing against the wall of the crater.
Phimoral, his grotesque smile unwavering, said, "In the end… you are nothing special. Just give up."
Salson pushed himself to his feet, blood dripping from his wounded eye. "I… I will never give up!" he roared, his voice filled with pain and fury.
"Because you… you hurt people I care about!" As the words left his lips, Salson's aura flared, intensifying to an almost unbearable degree. His wounded left eye began to glow with an eerie, dark light, the sclera turning pitch black, the iris a vibrant violet, and the pupil a deep, swirling purple. Cracks like fissures spread across the skin around his eye, an unsettling transformation taking hold.
Phimoral recoiled slightly, a flicker of unease in his crimson eyes. "It's impossible… for a human to possess demonic abilities… perhaps he unknowingly absorbed my blood when I struck him with the needles…"
Without hesitation, Phimoral lunged, a clawed hand aimed at Salson's chest. But Salson reacted with impossible speed, his right hand intercepting the demon's attack, stopping it cold. Then, with a swift, brutal motion, Salson swung Mountain Cleaver, the massive blade slicing through Phimoral's torso. The demon was bisected, but even as his body separated, Salson moved again, a whirlwind of motion. Mountain Cleaver danced, reducing Phimoral's form to a shower of grotesque fragments.
Yet, the demonic regent was not so easily vanquished. The scattered pieces writhed and reformed, and Phimoral unleashed a furious barrage of black energy blasts. But Salson met the assault head-on, deflecting the projectiles with his massive blade. He closed the distance in a blink, his fist slamming into Phimoral's face, sending the demon crashing to the ground. Phimoral, even in his weakened state, lashed out with a volley of demonic needles, but Salson dodged with practiced ease.
Holding Mountain Cleaver with the blade facing outwards, Salson's violet aura intensified, engulfing the massive weapon. The blade began to glow, the light spreading from the hilt to the very tip, turning a vibrant violet etched with lines of raw energy. Phimoral scrambled to his feet and lunged, but Salson met him with a swift, powerful slash that tore through the demon's flesh. This time, Salson noticed the red core in Phimoral's chest was far more exposed, pulsing weakly.
Without a moment's hesitation, Salson delivered a brutal uppercut, sending Phimoral reeling into the air. He followed through with a final, devastating blow, slamming the demon against a jagged rock formation. The rock shattered, and Phimoral, his body broken and his energy fading, let out a strangled cry of desperation.
"Enough!" Phimoral shrieked, his mouth widening into a grotesque maw as he unleashed a final, desperate attack: a colossal beam of crimson energy erupted from his gaping maw, tearing through the air towards Salson.
But Salson stood his ground. He charged towards the devastating beam, channeling every ounce of his remaining energy into Mountain Cleaver. The violet aura around the blade blazed, and with a mighty roar, he swung the massive weapon, cleaving through the crimson energy wave. The force of the blow continued through, striking Phimoral's weakened form. The demon's body erupted in a final, blinding flash of light and energy, utterly destroyed by Salson's desperate attack.
Salson, his body battered and his energy depleted, walked over to the charred remains of the demonic regent. He reached down and picked up the faintly glowing red core, the last vestige of Phimoral's power. Without hesitation, he brought it to his mouth and devoured it. A surge of raw, dark energy coursed through his body. The violet aura around him intensified, coalescing into a towering pillar of red energy that erupted into the sky before dissipating as quickly as it had appeared. Salson stood panting, the battle won, but the cost etched deep within his weary soul.