?


    Swish...


    My Katana sliced through the air in a blur of motion as its sharpened edges gleamed in the low, purple light of the Ancient Bedroom.


    Its perfectly honed de descended in a swift arc, approaching the thick neck of the Demon, which has just emerged on the other side of the broken door.


    !!!


    For a moment I thought that my sneak attack was sessful, but the Demon''s cold, green eyes locked onto mine, making me jolt backward, abandoning my initial n.


    As the creature slowly gazed at me, its demonic face twisted into a malicious grin and an infernal chuckle emanated from its grotesque, fang-filled mouth.


    "What a surprise to find a human pest here..."


    The Demon''s raspy and gut-wrenching voice filled the room, making the hair on my neck stand up.


    I tightened my grip on my Katana and took a step back, resisting the urge to run. The amount of Dark Mana the Demon was emanating was almost suffocating, but I knew I had to stay alert andposed.


    "Is he unable to speak?"


    The being moved its head from side to side for a moment, seemingly amused by my pale face. It lifted its wed hand and pointed a long, bony finger at me.


    "Have you ever felt real pain, human?"


    Its green eyes glistened with excitement as it took a step forward, its massive frame filling the narrow doorway.


    However, I remained silent, watching the Demon''s every move with my Katana ready.


    This was no monster or beast I''d fought before, it was a Demon, an intelligent and powerful being that had probably been lurking within the spire for centuries.


    Although its Rank was simr to mine, I knew that its experience inbat was far greater than mine.


    "Speak, human! Have you ever felt true agony?"


    The Demon licked its sharp teeth and let out a low growl, trying to taunt me. Demons felt pleasure in the fear, hence I refused to be shaken or show any emotions.


    Thud...


    As the Demon took another step forward, I revealed a smile, making its face consort into disgust.


    Since it could only see one side of my face, due to the dimly lit room and the angle of my position my expression was unreadable.


    It expected me to be afraid, to tremble in its presence or even beg for mercy, but all it received was a calm and collected smile.


    This infuriated the creature since it enjoyed dominating its opponents and breaking their spirits.


    It hadn''t seen humans for centuries, yet I was not the pitiful creature it had expected.


    "Did they evolve...?"


    It spat out the words, its eyes narrowing as it assessed me. The Demon wanted to gain at least some pleasure in ying with me before destroying me.


    "I''ll just have to settle on torture... Everyone breaks eventually."


    The Demon chuckled darkly as it swung its muscr arm forward, using its long ws to sh at me.


    nk...


    My Katana met the creature''s ws, deflecting its attack as I swiftly dodged to the side. My whole arm tingled from the impact and I was forced to take a dozen steps back to regain my bnce.


    The Demon''s green eyes widened in surprise, as it didn''t expect me to be able to defend myself.


    Its face twisted into a gleeful smile as it prepared for another attack. The Demon seemed to enjoybat.


    "Scream human, scream!"


    The creature roared as it charged toward me once again, swiping its ws in a blurringly fast motion.


    Boom...


    I managed to duck the blow and roll away, but the impact caused a shockwave that knocked me onto my back, sending a sharp pain up my spine.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Despite the pain, I quickly sprang back to my feet and assumed a defensive stance, tightening my grip on my Katana.


    However, the Demon didn''t let me recover, and continued its relentless assault, using its superior body to overpower me.


    nk...


    As the Demon pressed its advantage, I found myself on the defensive, parrying its vicious strikes with all my skill and agility. Each sh of our weapons reverberated through the room, filling the air with a symphony of steel meeting steel.


    The Demon''s power was overwhelming. Its strikes were swift and precise, with a strength that threatened to shatter my defenses.


    As we circled each other, the Demon''sughter echoed through the chamber, its voice like shards of ss scraping against my eardrums.


    "Is this the best you can offer, human? Pathetic!"


    However, I ignored his taunts, I knew I couldn''t let doubt or fear consume me in this battle. With every sh of our weapons, I analyzed the Demon''s movements, seeking a weakness to exploit.


    With a surge of determination, I unleashed a flurry of swift strikes, my Katana whirling through the air in a deadly dance. Each swing was precise, aiming for vulnerable spots between the Demon''s bulging muscles. But the Demon, agile and battle-hardened, deflected my attacks with ease.


    In the midst of our sh, I noticed a pattern in the Demon''s strikes. It favored a diagonally downward sh followed by a quick horizontal sweep. Anticipating its next move, I sidestepped its diagonal strike, allowing its momentum to carry it past me. Seizing the opportunity, I swiftly changed the direction of my de, aiming a precise counter strike toward its exposed side.


    nk...


    Metal met flesh as my Katana sliced through the Demon''s skin, drawing a deep gash across its torso. A guttural roar of pain erupted from its monstrous mouth, its green eyes widening in disbelief. It was a rare vulnerability, a crack in its otherwise imprable facade.


    Roar...


    Emboldened by my small victory, I pressed my advantage,unching a series of rapid attacks, exploiting the Demon''s wounded side. With every strike, I channeled my Mana, honing my focus and agility to outmaneuver the beastly adversary before me.


    However, the Demon was no ordinary opponent. It possessed an unholy resilience, fueled by the dark Mana pulsating within its very being. As my strikes rained upon it, the Demon''s wounds began to close, regeneration mending the torn flesh. It was clear that a single strike wouldn''t be enough to defeat this formidable foe.


    Realizing that a frontal assault alone would be futile, I adjusted my strategy. I lured the Demon into an intricate dance, circling it with calcted precision. As it lunged forward, its ws aiming to rend me apart, I swiftly sidestepped and delivered a powerful strike to its back, targeting its spine.


    "Human..."


    The Demon growled, its eyes now ame with anger and hatred. At first, it treated me like mere prey that it could toy with, but now it recognized me to be a threat.


    As my de connected with the Demon''s back, a surge of exhration coursed through my veins. But the momentary satisfaction was swiftly reced by a chilling realization. The Demon''s rage had been unleashed, and it was more relentless than ever.


    eaglesnov?1,сoМ Growl...


    With a snarl, the creature spun around, its ws shing through the air with newfound fury. Its movements became erratic and unpredictable, forcing me to shift into a purely defensive stance. I parried and dodged its onught, narrowly avoiding its lethal strikes, but the pressure was mounting.


    ''Shit!''


    Despite my best efforts, the Demon''s ws found their mark. A searing pain ripped through my side as its jagged talons tore into my flesh. I gritted my teeth, refusing to let out a cry of agony, even as blood trickled down my body. The wound was deep, and I could feel my strength waning.


    The Demon grinned sadistically, relishing in its triumph. It knew it had wounded me severely, and now it sought to exploit my vulnerability. It pressed its advantage, relentlessly attacking with unmatched ferocity. Blow after blow rained down upon me, and my defenses crumbled under the onught.


    Thud...


    I stumbled backward, desperately trying to regain my footing. But the Demon was unyielding, driving me further into a corner. Each strike was like a thunderbolt, jarring my body and threatening to break my bones. I fought back with all my remaining strength, my Katana a blur of desperate shes and parries, but it was clear that the tide had turned against me.


    Kikikiki...


    The Demon''sughter filled the air, a cruel symphony that mocked my futile resistance. Its green eyes gleamed with sadistic pleasure, reveling in my torment. It relished the pain it inflicted upon me, drawing satisfaction from my struggles.


    "Do you feel the pain, human?! Do you want to scream?"


    Its strange remarks were punctuated by another barrage of attacks, leaving me staggering and gasping for air.


    Although I could endure the pain, my body was rapidly reaching its limits. It was no longer a question if I could handle the pain before I killed the demon, but would my body not crumble under the relentless assault?


    "..."


    ring at the Demon who was sadisticallyughing, I pressed my bleeding lips together.


    "You will fucking die..."