And at the center of all these demons…
A human.
A human who clearly had no place here.
Luci froze on the ground, breathless.
…Shit.
The silence turned suffocating.
Then a voice rang out from the crowd, sharp and clear, in perfect Latin:
— Estne… homo?!
— A human? Here?!
— Impossible! Lord Abbadon forbade it!
Whispers spread like wildfire.
A cold drop of sweat slid down Luci’s temple.
He was alone. No guards. No Lucio. Just him… and dozens of demons.
— Why is he wearing a skull? Is he pretending to be one of us?
— You mean… why is he chained up?
— …Did someone lose their dinner?
Laughter erupted from the crowd.
Luci, meanwhile, was slowly inching his hand toward his makeshift knife. Just barely within reach.
His heart was pounding so loudly, it drowned out everything else.
The laughter began to fade.
The demons were advancing. The circle tightened.
By instinct, Luci raised himself slightly, still on the ground, and held his knife out defensively. His voice rang out in Latin, too formal, almost liturgical:
— Nolite… appropinquare! (Do not approach!)
Tense silence.
Two demons glanced at each other… and took a step forward.
— Nolite appropinquare dixi! I mean it! I’ll fight! If you get closer, I… I’ll attack!
His voice trembled, but his eyes held a stubborn spark.
That of a royal child not yet ready to break.
The scaly demon—a massive pangolin, the one Luci had tripped over—raised a brow, intrigued.
— You want to… attack us?
— I-I won’t hesitate! Come any closer and—
A dark-furred hyena demon took a step forward, her sharp grin full of fangs.
— Hmmm… That sounds like a challenge to me, doesn’t it?
A shiver of excitement passed through the crowd. Whispers. Hisses.
Luci felt thrown back in time.
Once again a frightened little boy, brandishing a useless knife at a demon.
Hoping that courage alone might keep danger at bay.
— I… I know your rules! I’ve fought before! I’m not afraid of you! B-back off!
The hyena hesitated. Her eyes flicked between Luci and the pangolin, torn between caution and eagerness. Her claws scratched nervously at the stone.
Luci played one last card.
— Listen to me! I didn’t come to fight. I came as a friend! So treat me as one… and I’ll do the same.
The pangolin let out a long sigh and smirked.
— Ah… So now humans deserve courtesy?
Fine, human. You want respect? Earn it.
— You’ll get a proper demon welcome, ahah!
He crouched into a ready stance, his tail clicking against the ground.
The hyena licked her lips, claws extended, a low growl rumbling in her throat.
The crowd closed in, buzzing with anticipation.
Luci clenched his jaw and stood.
A tiny knife in one hand. A golden chain wrapped around his left arm.
A human, alone, facing two demons. He had that sinking feeling… That he’d chosen all the worst dialogue options. But there was no “restart” button now.
He had one choice left.
Fight.
⸻
Luci rose, knife and chain in hand, a defiant smile at the corner of his lips.
If they wanted to see a human fight… they weren’t going to be disappointed.
The hyena dropped to all fours. The pangolin curled into a tight ball.
First rule of combat: analyze your opponent—
BAAAM!
Luci didn’t even have time to blink. The rolling demon crashed into him like a cannonball, sending him flying through the crowd like a rag doll.
He soared through the air and, by sheer luck, landed in a narrow water channel that ran through the plaza.
A scaly demon swimming nearby stared at him, then silently turned around, muttering something unintelligible. Whatever was going on here, he wanted no part of it.
Luci surfaced, gasping, soaked and bruised… but alive.
And he understood one thing: these demons outclassed him in every way. Strength. Speed. Endurance. They didn’t even need magic to overpower him—and they weren’t going to hold back.
This was their turf.
He staggered out of the water. Laughter exploded from the crowd.
His opponents weren’t even taking him seriously anymore. He’d made a strong impression… just not the one he wanted.
Dripping, heavy clothes clung to his skin, slowing every step. He looked ridiculous.
He clenched his teeth. Time to fix that.
— Ex calidus aqua evaporata…
A soft blue glow wrapped around him. White steam hissed from his clothes as the water evaporated.Dry again. Light on his feet. But still not in control.
He needed to change the battlefield. Between the plaza stones, he spotted tree roots, tiny sprouts pushing toward the stream. An idea sparked.
He placed his palms on the ground and whispered:
— Mana vitae, pare voluntati, connectere creationibus. Terra, aqua, plantae. Crescite. Vigor, tempus acceleratum, energia transmittantur.
A vibrant green light pulsed from his hands, seeping into the cracks between stones. Then the earth broke open.
Roots burst forth, followed by vines, shrubs, and even trees. Within seconds, a miniature forest had taken root in the center of the demon plaza. Visibility dropped. No more straight lines. No more easy charges.
Surprised, the demons growled. Worse for them—they lacked coordination. They split up immediately.
Perfect.
Luci darted into the underbrush, climbing up the twisted trunks. The pangolin appeared first. He’d need power to pierce that armored shell.
— Fortis maxima.
A red aura surged through him. He leapt from a branch, knife drawn.
But the demon heard him. He raised an arm just in time.
The knife sank between two plates of scale—stuck.
Luci tugged. Nothing.
He let go and dodged a vicious claw. The pangolin’s tail cracked the earth, even slicing a nearby tree in two. No holding back now.
— HE’S MINE!
The hyena charged from the side, snarling. Her claws slashed the air. Luci dodged, barely, but not cleanly—one slash grazed his cheek.
He ran, heart hammering, weaving through his forest. Blood trickled from the cut. Just a scratch.
But his mana reserves were dropping fast. That complex terrain spell had cost him dearly. Maintaining Fortis would drain the rest.
And demons… demons didn’t have such limits. Their natural mana overflowed. They didn’t need to ration it.
— You’re funny, human. Think you can outrun me? Hide from a predator?
Her mocking voice echoed through the trees.
But Luci wasn’t running.He had a plan.
He crouched and whispered:
— Celeritas aucta.
A pale light glowed around his feet.
— …Especially when you REEK of blood!
A mana-charged slash exploded past him. His tree was split in half.
He rolled just in time. Faster now. But still no weapon. Only a chain.
Rule number two: use your opponent’s strength against them.
He ducked low, passing right under her.
His chain coiled around her leg.
At the end of the slide—he pulled.
She crashed down, chin-first into a root.
She rose, furious, blood in her teeth.
— YOU! Get over here!
— I’m waiting.
She charged again. But the chain around her ankle had caught on a root.
It jerked both of them forward. Luci didn’t resist.
He let the momentum swing him upward, twisting in the air, and landed a solid kick to her jaw.
She flew back. Unconscious. The crowd gasped. No time to celebrate. A battle cry behind him.
The pangolin.
Still rolling. Knife still lodged in his scales.
Luci dodged, barely. He was slowing down.
The pangolin turned, faster now.
This time… no more running.
He waited.
At the last second, Luci leapt, seized the knife with his chain, and pulled.
The demon spun off course, arcing around a thick trunk.
SLAM!
It hit the tree at full force.
Luci landed, panting. Raised his arm.
— Fortis maxima!
He struck. The demon crumpled. The chain snapped under the strain.
Silence.
Luci turned to face the stunned crowd, chest heaving.
— I won.
— NOT YET!!
The hyena was back. Bloodied, enraged.
Luci dodged—once, twice—but his spells failed him. His speed spell was gone. No mana. No strength.
He tripped on a root. Fell. Crawled. Tried to rise again.
Too slow.
He stopped near the edge of the crowd.
No weapon. No mana.
The hyena roared, leaping.
Teeth bared.
All he could do now… Was pray.
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