The two approached each other.
And Desmond just couldn't wipe the grin off his face. 'I'll end this soon.'
He thought, lightning screaming around him as he zapped, clashing swords with the demon again.
But the rhythm had changed this time.
Desmond met the demon's strike.
Not with his sword—
But with his arm guard.
The broke off and started clashing wildly.
The demon pressing forward aggressively, both swords cutting in from different directions.
Desmond resisted, now blocking most of the demon's strikes with his lightning reenforced arm guard, then striking back with his sword.
The demon pressed harder, blades coming faster now, wind screaming around each swing.
Desmond didn't retreat.
First strike—blocked with arm guard.
Second strike—deflected with sword.
Then he stepped in.
Too close.
The demon's eyes widened slightly, realizing its own vulnerability.
Desmond's sword flashed, a shallow cut tore across its side.
The demon jerked back, more surprised than hurt.
Desmond exhaled slowly—lightning flickering tighter around him, more controlled.
The demon growled—then surged forward again, faster than before.
It attempted a sweeping strike—
Desmond lifted his left arm, lightning crawling on the guard.
Clank
The strike rang louder than the first.
The floor beneath his feet cracked slightly as he held it.
His teeth clenched. "Heavy."
The second blade came in.
Desmond moved back but not fast enough.
It grazed his side, a sharp hiss escaping him.
Then he bit his lip, ignoring the pain as he adjusted his footing. Lower. More stable.
Then they clashed again.
More faster this time.
The demon trying to overwhelm Desmond while he stubbornly refused.
Block—
Redirect—
Step in—
Strike back.
Another cut landed on the demon.
Small but clean.
The demon's breathing shifted.
Just slightly.
Desmond noticed.
Then he stepped in, raising the intensity of his attacks.
The demon's feet dragged against the ground as it was forced to take a step back.
Desmond stepped forward again, pressing harder.
"Right here. Right now. I'm surpassing my limits. And then I'll kill you."
He roared, unleashing a fury of attacks.
Several cuts began marking at different parts of the demon's torso.
The cuts weren't big.
But the look on the demon's face told how much it stung.
A grin tugged at Desmond's lips.
"You're feeling it now, aren't you?"
The demon didn't answer.
But its stance tightened.
More cautious.
Desmond shifted slightly forward.
Lightning burst outward as he stepped in.
Focused.
The demon met him head on—lifting both swords—
Then crashing them down on him.
Desmond crossed his sword sword and arm guard, catching the demon's blade.
For a split second, everything seemed to stop.
Then—
He pushed back.
Hard.
The demon's guard broke open.
Desmond stepped through the opening—
And slashed upward. A deep carve. Aiming to split the demon's torso in two halves.
But at the last second, the demon shifted sideways—
And the attack missed.
Well, almost.
Its arm hung in the way.
Desmond's blade cleaved halfway—
Then stopped through.
The demon howled in pain, arm barely attached.
Desmond stood, breathing heavily.
He was starting to feel it. His muscles were getting tense.
But his his eyes was locked dead on.
Still sharp. 'Shit. I couldn't end it. This bastard is so persistent.'
The demon staggered back, tearing itself from the damaged limb.
Blood sprayed as the arm dropped.
It didn't scream. Just groaned lightly.
Staring at Desmond.
Breathing low.
Desmond's expression shifted.
Not disappointment.
Recognition. His voice low.
"Tch. You're still standing..."
Then vaulted forward.
His smile returning as he noticed the agony on the demon's face.
Then stomped the demon hard on the demon's chest—sending it flying back.
The demon crushed into a tree, falling to the ground with a loud thud.
Desmond stood, every part of him vibrating with excitement of his newfound defense.
He saw the demon get up.
It looked pretty beat, going down and clutching its chest. 'This kid. I thought he was going to die from his stupidity. But he somehow got stronger.'
It glanced up at Desmond who walked slowly toward it. 'I can't tell if it's determination that's drawing out his strength or... it's his excitement that's doing all the work.'
A grin crawled up its face. 'Although I'm pretty much excited myself.'
It slowly stumbled to its feet, now with an arm missing—the other gripping its sword. "Not bad, brat. I guess I underestimated you."
Desmond stopped.
his expression turned serious, sensing a shift in the demon's vibe.
"Maybe I should get serious."
At that, wind started whirling around it—getting intense with every passing second.
But it wasn't normal wind.
A purple glow complimented it.
Desmond watched,his eyes wide, his heart beating fast.
But not from fear.
Intrigue? Excitement?
A grin curved up his lips. "To think you were holding back the whole time."
He said, taking a stance. "That only makes things more interesting."
Lightning tore through the air around Desmond—flashing with intensity.
The demon's grin widened. "Now then. Let's see who dominates, shall we?"
The two lunged at each other—swords flashing in their grip.
Then—
They clashed—a powerful wave of wind bursting outward.
Desmond's knees bent slightly, a crater forming beneath his feet.
'His hit has gotten heavy again.' He thought to himself.
But kept smiling through the danger of it. "I'm so glad you've lost an arm. I would have been at a huge disadvantage if not for that."
The demon chuckled, pushing forward. "Don't underestimate me, human. I can still beat you without it."
Desmond's knees bent again.
This time his smile dropped. 'Huh? What the...? It's like the gravity around me has risen.'
One knee dropped to the ground hard—the crater beneath him deepening. 'Wait. That's not it. This bastard.'
He gazed into the demon's mischievous glare.
'He's tightened the wind pressure around me to push me down.'
Then he tried to inhale.
But nothing came properly.
His chest tightened.
'Dammit, I can't breathe.'
True to his word, some sort of purple wind pressure came into view. Pressing down on him.
No roaring sound.
Just a quiet, suffocating force, pressing in from every direction.
Desmond grinned again. "You're good at utilizing your power, brainiac."
"I told you not to underestimate—"
"But don't think you can kill me with just this."
His voice dropped low.
"My resolve is stronger."
He let his left arm go off the sword.
Pulled it back—fist clenched.
Heavy.
Lightning crackled around the guard. Then surged.
With a sudden burst—he struck the demon's blade with it.
And pushed hard—along with his sword.
The pressure broke—
The demon was forced back, feet dragged across the ground before it steadied itself meters away.
Desmond staggered upright, breathing rough.
His chest rose and fell unevenly.
'That was close. Any more of that and I would have been crushed.'
The demon clicked its tongue, taking another stance. "You've got an annoying defense."
"Well, thanks."
Desmond also took a stance, his eyes sharpening.
'I have to find a way to counter that technique of his. Or else I might get crushed by it.'
They moved again, swords striking and bouncing back.
The demon spun, sword coming back with the force from the recoil.
Desmond blocked with his lightning reenforced guard again—
But was blown back.
He gasped. 'He used the technique again.'
The demon rushed him before he could land—preparing to strike.
Desmond crossed his left arm with his sword—lightning flickering around the blade and guard.
And struck the demon's incoming blade with it, blasting both of them apart.
Desmond crashed hard into a tree, coughing out blood.
The demon on the other hand—landed on the ground, skidding to a stop.
It tightened its grip on the sword, wind wrapping around the blade—
Tip pointed at Desmond, it started thrusting the sword repeatedly, shooting out multiple wind drills.
[Abrasive Bombard Barrage]
Desmond noticed it and jumped off the tree as the drills shattered the trunk.
He landed on a tree branch—
The demon didn't stop—
It continued showering drills after drills at Desmond, giving him no room to breathe.
Desmond leaped to another branch as the one behind him snapped off.
He immediately vaulted again.
The attacks followed relentlessly after him as he moved through the woods.
He dropped to the ground, dashing sideways—
Barely avoiding the attack that just tore through the space he just left.
'Come on. Think. He compresses the wind into a crushing pressure. Then uses it to push away or press down on me. How does lightning beat that?'
The demon stopped.
And sliced the air with its blade—sending a wide arc of compressed wind at Desmond.
Desmond jumped up—missing the attack just barely.
The slash cut the trees beneath him cleanly off.
'Any moment late and I would have been done for.'
He thought as he landed.
Lightning flashed wildly around him. He lifted his sword.
The lightning channeled into the blade, shooting out into several lightning whips.
[Lightning Lash]
Then he swung the sword sideways.
The whip swept across the ground, heading for the demon.
But it jumped into the air—avoiding the attack.
Air current whirled around its blade again as it pointed the tip down at Desmond from the sky.
Desmond stopped stopped his attack, turning to the demon hovering in the sky.
He stiffened.
The demon's wind had that same purple aura within.
It grinned, blasting a huge wave of spiraling at Desmond.
Desmond dashed forward as the whirlpool blew past him, once again destroying the trees behind him.
The demon followed up, falling towards Desmond while spinning forward like a boomerang.
Desmond noticed too late.
He couldn't dodge.
He ended up blocking the demon's strike with both his blade and guard this time.
Another wind pressure crushed down on him—forcing him on both knees.
His expression screaming, "I feel like I'm lifting ten tonnes".
He couldn't even lift his head. 'Dammit. I'm gonna get crushed if I don't do anything. Come on, think. Think, dammit.'
— — — —— — — —— — — —— — — —— — — —— — — —— — — —— —
Hey there guys.
Sorry for extending the climax again.
I just got multiple ideas and it was hard trying to suppress them. I don't mean to brag.
Please forgive me.
I'll try and end things with the next chapter.