Boom—!


    A loud eruption resounded in the area. The scattered remains of the fire dragon, embers of its mes,busted as the mes remained to burn on the ground, incinerating the swarm of shadows.


    [Shadow Nyx: +20pts]


    [Shadow Nyx: +20pts]


    [Shadow Nyx: +20pts]


    [Shadow Nyx: +20pts]


    [Shadow Nyx: +20pts]


    [Shadow Nyx: +20pts]


    [Shadow Nyx....]


    Arcuied pressed the stopwatch, momentarily stopping it from beeping. He stared at the scenery Infront of him — it was like hell. The mes of hell broke loose, burning everything on its path.


    He shifted his attention to Elise. Who knew the most unassuming member proved to be one of the strongest in the group. Her cheery and introverted personality provided to mask her extreme magical prowess. Elise Ember was a top generation talent. There was no doubt about that.


    ...Not only that, but the dragon skill reminded him of Eugene''s trademark water dragon. Was there a connection perhaps?


    "Dragonic Arts?!" Sophia shouted, her eyes widening in disbelief. "From which Dragonyer family are you?!"


    Hearing that, Thomas widened his eyes in simr disbelief.


    A Dragonyer family. Anyone that had heard of it spoke of it with deference and utmost respect. Only few were crowned of such a special title. The title Dragonyer was not just a mere status recognition, it was also the reflection of strength and heroism.


    Dragonyers were noble families that participated in the past raid against the Dragonic Realm. In the monumental Third Era of the world, an era of war and destruction; they returned alive from the decade year conquest. The moment they returned, the new King Arthur crowned them as Dragonyers for deference of their valor and strength. It was said their techniques and skills reflected the dragons they slew and defeated.


    "Dragonyer?" Arcuied muttered, confused. What was that...?


    "Huff...huff...haa..." Elise panted, her magical reserves quickly going down in the drain as she felt arge amount of her stamina sapped away. She breathed deeply, replying. "...Ember House."


    "...Ember House? Howe I never had heard of it before?" Sophia asked, confused.


    Elise pursed her lips.


    "In any case, sorry to break it to you — twodies...but," Arcuied said, his face hardening as he pointed his sword filled with snowkes and hurricanes at thest Shadow Nyx. "Our job isn''t done just yet."


    "What?!" Elise shouted in disbelief. She stared at thest remaining Shadow Nyx — somehow,pared to the others it was farrger and exuded a heavy aura. It had physical strength and presence which the previous weak Shadow Nyx''scked.


    "Shadow Nyx: Silver Dagger..." Arcuied calmly described the demon. "A Rank D Shadow Nyx threat."


    Unlike humans, demons did not have ranking system nor a proper system for their path of power. The strength of a demon was decided upon its birth, there was no changing that.


    Due to this, humanity had taken charge of ssifying demons through the threat they possess. Rank E threat meant it can at most, cause minimal damage to walls and metal. Rank D meant it can defeat a swarm of humans and break through defenses easily. And after that, Rank C...then the list goes on.


    "...Arcuied," Sophia frowned, staring at Arcuied. Her previous doubts on Arcuied had long vanished. "Tell me now, should we run right now?"


    "... No, on the contrary let''s try this out. It''s been a while since I encountered a Rank D demon." Arcuied replied, his hand gripping over the handle of the sword. "Thomas, stay here with Elise. Protect her in case the Shadow Nyx suddenly backstabs. Sophia,e with me."


    Arcuied walked closer to Shadow Nyx, his eyes unflinching as he marched towards the formless shadow silently. Rank D threat... it was just a one rank difference. Besides, he wasn''t that far from advancing to that rank. Only a little more touch, and he would be Rank D soon.


    Sophia stared at his back for a while. Internally, she decided to trust the man in the entirety of test if they won. She shook her head as a smile graced her lips. "Sure thing, Leader Arc."


    "Didn''t I tell you not to call me that, Sophia?" Arcuied sighed, his mind manipting the magical energy in his body as he spread it through his body — reinforcing his strength and speed.


    "Did you?" Sophia chuckled. She gripped the icy white scythe on her hand — applying a technique — spiky blue thorns of ice formed on the de of the scythe.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Arcuied smiled. He shook his head, staring at his sword before shifting his gaze to the enemy. A hurricane of purplish snowkes gathered around the de of his sword. He raised his hand, pointing the sword directly at therge Silver Dagger Shadow Nyx.


    "Sophia." Arcuied muttered cooly. At that moment, his body vanished like a blur, rapidly advancing to the Shadow Nyx at the middle.


    Sophia nodded, following Arcuied as she reinforced her body with magic, amplifying her strength and speed.


    "....!" The Shadow Nyx silently stared at the two advancing figures — shining silver daggers formed in its hand. It gripped it tightly as it moved its body.


    Woosh!


    Arcuied widened his eyes, staring at the previous position of the Shadow Nyx. It vanished. He closed his eyes, trying to sense its presence... Gone. It was utterly gone from the world.


    Suddenly, arge presence loomed over his back — the Shadow Nyx appeared, holding six silver daggers as it swung an arc.


    "Arcuied!" Sophia shouted in concern. At that moment, she mmed her icy white scythe to the ground — generating a paved path of ice.


    The paved path of ice led to the Shadow Nyx. On the end of the path, arge icy thorn suddenly erupted — however, before it could hit the Shadow Nyx — the demon vanished, avoiding the spiky thorn breathlessly.


    "...Thanks, Sophia." Arcuied said, chuckling. He almost got stabbed there. He stared at Sophia''s figure, his gaze shifting to her back. His eyes suddenly widened as he shouted. "Look out!"


    Sophia immediately tried to turn her back.


    "Not on my watch!" Arcuied said, his body varnishing like a blur. It wasn''t only the demon that had extreme agility. In mere seconds, he appeared at Sophia''s back — blocking the shining silver daggers.


    The nging sounds of the des shing resounded. The Shadow Nyx stared at Arcuied. Arcuied returned the stare.


    At that moment, Arcuied lips curled into a smirk. On his sword, one of the hovering purplish snowkes drifted to the Shadow Nyx''s body silently.


    The Shadow Nyx was ignorant of this — its attention was all focused at Arcuied. Before long, the purplish snowkended on its body.


    The Shadow Nyx felt something softnd on its body. It shifted its attention to its body, staring at the purplish snowke that was attached on its dark flesh. It widened its eyes. In that instant, it moved its body as it vanished.


    "Toote." Arcuied said, swinging the sword vertically. The hurricane of purplish snowkes shot forward to different directions, some of themnding on the Shadow''s Nyx body.


    In that instant, an explosion ured.


    A cracking sound echoed. The Shadow Nyx shrieked as it tried to move, however purplish ice slowly enclosed its dark flesh, freezing its body from moving.


    Not only that — but It also felt a poisonous element dug deep on its body. The poisonous element of Mand silently engraved deep on its very being, making it shriek from the pain.


    "Sophia," Arcuied called out, the hurricane of purplish snowkes on his hand vanishing. He continued. "You know what to do."


    Sophia widened her eyes. She nodded, a smile gracing her lips as she reflected the sight of a blooming ice flower. She handled the icy white scythe masterfully, replying: "You can trust on me, Leader."


    Arcuied sighed.


    Sophia stared at the frozen Shadow Nyx — gone was its intimidating and strong presence, what remained was but itsrge body enclosed of ice and helpless stature. She manipted the magical energy inside her body, redirecting it to the scythe on her hand.


    At that moment, pure sacred blue ice gathered around her scythe. The ice shone, showing its esoteric prowess as it froze everything near it. The air formed small snowkes — making it hover around the scythe.


    "?Sacred Blue..." Sophia said with a smile stered on her face. She dashed in to the Shadow Nyx — appearing on its position, she swung the scythe in an arc. "...Sacred Icicle?!"


    The Shadow Nyx only saw white. And by the sacred white it died. Arge spike of ice stabbed through its body. Originally formless, but now pierced by esoteric blue — its body slowly vanished from the earth, leaving nothing behind.


    —


    [Silver Dagger Shadow Nyx: +75pts]