Riki’s gaze locked directly onto the distant, tangled canopy. Even with the mutated monster groaning in the mud before him, his focus had completely shifted to the hidden voyeur hiding in the trees. He didn't know why, but a sudden, intense spike of annoyance flared in his chest. He absolutely hated being watched.

Up in the purple shadows, the Shadow Demon of the East held a glowing dark mirror close to his face, his voice hushed but frantic as he spoke to the obsidian reflection of the Tyrant Eastern Lord.

"My Lord, the human mercenaries have failed," the demon whispered quickly, sweat dripping from his chin. "The target is safe. A boy from the Fire Rat family is protecting her. He possesses absolute mastery over multiple high-density elemental magics and flawless physical martial forms. He doesn't chant. His raw threat level is—"

The demon froze.

Down on the riverbank, Riki didn't even draw his blade completely. He simply gripped the hilt, took a sharp breath, and executed a blinding, upward drawing slash into the open air.

"Void Rend: Crescent Cut!"

A massive, glowing arc of dark void energy erupted from his blade, slicing clean through the air. The crescent wave tore across the riverbank, effortlessly cleaving a massive, straight path through the dense forest. Towering trees were severed in half like blades of grass, collapsing into the mud as the spell roared directly toward the demon's exact branch.

"What?!" the Shadow Demon shrieked.

With no time to dodge, the demon dropped his mirror and crossed his forearms, channeling his dark demonic mana into a thick, crystalline shadow shield.

BOOM!

The void slash slammed violently into his guard. The sheer kinetic and spatial pressure shattered his shadow shield into glittering dust, the residual force slicing deep cuts across his arms and tearing his cloak to shreds. The impact threw him backward off the branch, sending him crashing heavily through the lower foliage.

"Dammit...!" the demon hissed, coughing up a splash of dark blood as he stabilized himself on a lower root, clutching his bleeding forearms. "Stupid brat... he found where I am?!"

Through the newly carved, empty pathway in the forest, the dust cleared.

Far across the bank, Riki was standing completely still, his sword lowered. His eyes were focused directly through the gap in the trees, staring straight at the wounded demon with an unbothered, terrifying precision. He had pinpointed his target perfectly.