At the same time…

Toma and Arlen were on their way home, exhausted from the train ordeal, when a distant boom shook the air.
Explosions…?
Their heads snapped toward the horizon. Without a word, they took off running.

When they reached the scene, their eyes widened.

A gigantic demon was tearing through buildings like paper.

It stood three meters tall. Instead of a normal face, a mask-like structure covered its features — pure white, with three black stripes running down each side in perfect parallel, starting at the forehead, crossing over where its eyes should be, then curving down toward its ears.

When the demon’s mouth opened, rows of razor-sharp fangs gleamed in the fading light.

From behind the mask, red eyes glowed like coals, radiating pure malice.

Three twisted horns jutted from its head, and with each step it took, the ground trembled.

“What the hell is this giant demon!?”

“I don’t know,” Arlen shouted back, eyes locked on the towering creature, “but it’s been wreaking havoc and killing people!”

“Then come on, Arlen—let’s get him!”

“Okay! Let’s see how you like this, demon—Fireball!”

Arlen hurled a blazing sphere of fire, but the demon raised its massive hand. A dark shimmer flared around its palm—a shield.

The fireball burst harmlessly against it.

“What the fuck!? He deflected my attack!”

“Mine too!” Toma growled, blue light crackling around him. “Arlen, I have an idea—let’s switch to melee, but don’t draw our katanas!”

“You’re thinking of amplifying our punches with Full Flow?”

“Exactly!”

“Okay—let’s push! Go for his head!”

The two launched themselves from opposite sides, aiming twin kicks at the demon’s masked head—
—but the demon’s hands shot up like lightning. It caught both their legs mid‑strike and hurled them away like ragdolls.

“This demon is faster than us!”

“Fucking hell! Never mind—let’s keep fighting hand‑to‑hand!”

They darted back in, fists blazing with aura.
The demon’s hide was incredibly tough, absorbing punch after kick after punch.
But Toma spun low and smashed his foot into its stomach, forcing it to stagger.
Arlen was already there, stepping in with a blazing fist—a hard punch that knocked the creature off balance.

“Arlen, now!”

“I know! Combination attack!”

Blue nova energy flared from Toma as Arlen’s fire erupted.
Their powers intertwined, a searing wave of blue and orange, crashing into the demon with devastating force—

BOOM!

Smoke cleared—
and one of the demon’s arms crumbled into dust.

“**Yes, Toma—**we did it!”

“We did it! Now let’s finish it!”

But even as they prepared another strike, the demon’s body shuddered.
Its arm regenerated instantly, dark matter swirling as the limb reformed.

Then it threw its head back and let out a deafening roar, shaking the very ground—

—and a sudden surge of dark energy erupted from its core.
A blinding red beam shot forth: Xeron.

Arlen and Toma leapt aside just in time, the beam slicing past—
and the building behind them vanished in an instant, reduced to drifting ash.

(Xeron is a red beam of light — the power of demons. It’s like nova energy for humans, except demons use demon blood instead of aima. Demons eat humans, and the more blood they consume, the stronger their Xeron becomes.)

“Holy shit! I’ve never seen Xeron this strong before!”

“**Me neither—**but what worries me more is that it’s regenerating.”

“I think you’re wrong, Arlen! **This isn’t regeneration—**it can freely reshape its body without limits.”

“You might be right! But what should we do now?”

“Let’s change our fighting style and draw our katanas. For defense, we’ll use our abilities!”

“Okay!”

Both drew their blades in one swift motion.
But the demon wasn’t waiting.
Its left hand twisted into a jagged shield, its right morphed into a massive spiked mace dripping with dark aura.

Toma gripped his katana tightly, blue light humming along the blade.
Arlen shifted to the side, eyes locked on every subtle move the creature made.

Suddenly—it moved.

The mace blurred through the air, a streak of death.
Toma threw himself to the side—
CRASH! The weapon smashed into the ground, sparks flying, dust exploding outward.

Arlen was already behind it.
He spun, blade flashing, slicing at the demon’s leg—
SKREEE! The katana screeched against its hide, barely breaking the surface.

The demon let out a guttural snort—
then swung its shield backward without warning.

Arlen ducked in the nick of time—
the shield howled past his head, the wind alone enough to sting his cheek.

“We’re not going to break through!” Arlen shouted, panting.

“Yes, we will!” Toma roared back.

He charged, leapt—then dropped low in a sudden slide.
His blade drove deep into the back of the demon’s knee with all his might.

SHUNK!

The creature staggered, its monstrous frame lurching forward.

“Now!”

Arlen launched himself upward, landed on the demon’s back, and with both hands drove his katana straight into the side of its neck.

The creature’s roar shook the air itself.
Its body shivered, then slumped—
dropping to its knees.

Then it unleashed a scream so loud it rattled the buildings.
Its body convulsed—going berserk.

The boys couldn’t even get close now.
Wild energy poured from its form, the ground splitting from the force.

Then its horns flared—
XERON!

Twin red beams erupted, sweeping through the city, disintegrating buildings into ash.

“Can’t this thing be killed!?” Arlen shouted over the chaos.

“I don’t know, but it’s definitely pissed off now!” Toma yelled back.

“We haven’t tried from the air yet! The demon can’t fly!”

“You’re right—let’s do it!”

They crouched, ready to launch skyward—
—but the demon was faster.

Its fingers twisted and lengthened into black tendrils, whipping through the air.
Before they could react, the coils lashed around them, binding them tight.

“Damn it, I can’t move!” Toma gritted his teeth, struggling. “I have my katana in my hand, but I can’t move my arms! Are you kidding me!?”

The tendrils constricted, crushing their ribs, their blades pinned uselessly.

“We’re going to get crushed by a demon!? Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! Shit! We’re done for!”