The woods trembled under an unseen weight, and a chilling wind whispered through the trees, carrying with it a dreadful sense of imminent danger.
Shadows slithered deeper within the thicket, as if the very essence of the forest had twisted into something sinister and alive. An unsettling pressure gnawed at the edges of perception, as if the land itself was aware of a lurking menace.
Sora's white radiance flared brighter, pushing back against the invisible darkness that weighed on the air. Her posture shifted—no longer casual, no longer exploratory.
This was a combat stance.
Null felt it too.
Not fear.
Not exactly.
More like the sensation of standing at the edge of something vast and hostile—something that noticed them.
The ground ahead cracked.
Dark purple veins of demonic aura spread across the soil like living scars, crawling up the twisted tree roots. The air grew thick, saturated with a bitter, metallic stench.
The forest's corrupted canopy quivered as a massive surge of dark mana rolled through the atmosphere like an advancing storm. Even the warped branches of the trees recoiled, creaking in protest as if trying to retreat from the malevolence manifesting in their midst.
Then—
A shape emerged.
Once a mere mana beast, it had been twisted into something far more grotesque.
A towering, quadrupedal monstrosity loomed before them, its form grotesquely distorted. Jagged, obsidian-like plates covered its flesh, pulsating ominously with dark mana. A single, blazing crimson eye burned in the center of its skull like a malevolent sun, while the rest of its face was a horrific collage of twisted bone and exposed muscle.
Fantasy Omniscience activated within Null's mind, its neutral voice cutting through the oppressive atmosphere:
[Entity Identified: Demon Beast – D-Rank.
Threat Level: High.
Recommended Action: Caution.]
Null exhaled slowly.
Dark mana poured from the beast in thick tendrils, warping the terrain beneath its weight with every deliberate step.
It raised one massive claw.
The ground exploded.
Blackened roots and corrupted stone shot upward in a violent arc, tearing through earth and plant alike, like living weapons unleashed.
"Large-scale attacks already?" Null muttered. "No warm-up, huh?"
He staggered a step back as the pressure slammed into him.
"Okay," he muttered. "Now this feels like a boss fight."
Sora stepped forward without hesitation.
Her white radiance surged outward, forming a luminous barrier that enveloped both of them. The incoming corruption slammed into the light and dissolved into harmless sparks.
The forest behind them was left in ruins.
"This demon beast is beyond your current level," Sora said calmly, though her eyes were sharp with focus. "Stay inside the barrier."
She turned to face him, her expression a blend of resolve and concern.
"I'll take care of it."
Null raised a brow. "Wow. Kicking me out of the fun already?"
"This isn't fun," she countered, though the corner of her lips twitched upward ever so slightly. "Unless you enjoy near-death experiences."
He placed a hand theatrically over his heart.
"Here I thought you trusted me."
"I trust you," she replied, her tone steady. "I just don't trust your survival rate."
He chuckled. "So this is your way of saying you'd miss me if I died?"
Sora's cheeks faintly warmed.
"Don't flatter yourself," she said, turning away. "Just… behave."
Null smirked.
"Yes, Saintess."
The demon beast roared, dark mana swelling violently around its massive form like a tempest.
The sky above darkened as massive orbs of corrupted energy began forming overhead, each pulsing with catastrophic intent.
The forest shuddered ominously
Sora raised both hands.
Sora raised both hands, her white radiance intensifying, expanding into a multi-layered light barrier that wrapped around Null, cocooning him in a protective glow.
Do not step outside," she commanded with a steady, unwavering voice.
He offered her a lazy salute. "Alright."
With a deafening crash, the demon beast slammed its claws into the earth.
The corrupted orbs rained down like meteors.
Explosions tore through the forest, turning trees into ash and soil into molten glass.
But within the barrier—
Everything was calm.
Null watched in stunned silence as the destruction crashed harmlessly against Sora's transcendental light.
The demon beast roared again, gathering even more dark mana.
Sora stepped forward, white radiance blazing like a second sun.
"Now," she whispered,
"its my turn."
....
The forest howled.
Dark mana surged like a living storm around the demon beast's towering form, warping the land into jagged, corrupted spires. Trees blackened and twisted, their roots writhing as if trying to escape the creature's presence.
The air felt heavy. Suffocating.
Sora stood before it, calm and radiant.
Her white radiance flared brighter, forming intricate halos of luminous light around her body. Each step she took purified the tortured land beneath her feet, restoring patches of the forest to their original state.
The demon beast raised both claws menacingly. A tidal wave of blackened earth and twisted roots erupted forward, tearing through the terrain in a wide, devastating arc.
Sora lifted a single hand, unwavering.
*Sanctified Barrier*
A luminous wall of condensed light formed instantly before her. The demonic wave slammed into it—
And dissolved.
The corrupted energy evaporated into harmless sparks, leaving the forest behind her untouched.
The demon beast growled, its fury palpable, crimson eye blaring with ominous intensity. Dark mana coalesced around its form, twisting into massive, jagged spears of shadow that hovered ominously in the air.
They launched all at once.
Sora's eyes narrowed, calculations whirring in her mind.
Her form blurred.
In a flash of white radiance, she vanished from her original position, reappearing dozens of meters to the side as the spears obliterated the ground where she had stood.
*Divine Acceleration*
Light surged beneath her feet, propelling her forward faster than sound.
She streaked across the battlefield like a falling star, leaving vivid trails of white in her wake.
The demon beast barely had time to process her movement before Sora was already before it.
She raised her hand.
*Judgment Ray*
A blinding beam of condensed holy light fired point-blank into the demon beast's chest.
The impact was catastrophic.
The creature was launched backward, crashing through multiple corrupted trees before slamming into a rocky cliffside. Dark mana exploded outward, scattering like shattered glass.
The forest trembled with the force.
The beast roared in agony, dark energy pulsating violently from the deep wound.
Yet still, the demon beast moved. Its armored body cracked and leaked thick streams of corrupted energy, but the beast fought through its injuries, roaring with feral rage.
In a desperate retaliation, the demon beast slammed its fists together, generating a massive vortex of swirling darkness above its head. The pressure skyrocketed, cracking the ground beneath it into fractured ruins.
A large-scale annihilation attack brewed.
The vortex expanded rapidly, swallowing light itself.
From within the storm, Sora's white radiance burned even brighter.
She spread her arms.
*Sacred Range*
A colossal magic circle formed beneath her, radiating an air of celestial authority. Pillars of pure light erupted from the earth, rising like steadfast guardians to form a radiant seal that pushed back the encroaching darkness.
The demon beast unleashed the vortex.
A tsunami of corrupted mana surged forward, devouring everything in its path.
Sora descended into the maelstrom.
*Divine Aegis*
A spherical barrier of pure light enveloped her, absorbing the demonic storm in a violent clash of opposing forces. Shockwaves tore through the forest, flattening corrupted trees and blasting debris into the sky.
Light and darkness screamed against each other.
Then—
The darkness shattered.
Sora emerged unharmed, her aura blazing brighter than ever.
The demon beast staggered, its grotesque body cracking under the strain of its own power.
Seizing the moment, Sora raised her hand skyward.
*Heaven's Verdict*
A massive spear of transcendent light formed above her, its brilliance eclipsing the corrupted sky. Holy runes spiraled around it, humming with overwhelming power.
Sora pointed forward.
The spear descended.
It pierced straight through the demon beast's chest, obliterating its core in a blinding explosion of holy radiance.
The creature let out one final, distorted roar before its body disintegrated into ash and fading shadows.
Silence followed.
The oppressive pressure vanished.
The forest, though scarred, finally felt… breathable again.
Sora lowered her hand, her white radiance gradually softening.
Behind her, Null stepped out from the safety of the barrier, his wide eyes lingering on the battlefield, still processing the magnitude of their confrontation.
"...Okay," he said slowly, breathless. "Next time, I'm bringing popcorn."
Sora glanced back at him.
She rolled her eyes—but the faint smile that followed couldn't be hidden.
"Still. Kind of impressive."
"Kind of?" she echoed, bemused as she crossed her arms.
He shrugged.
"I'm saving the word 'overpowered' for later."
Sora rolled her eyes again, but a light smile creased her lips, subtle yet genuine.
The battle was over.
The air grew still as the remnants of the battle settled, the faint echoes of splintered wood and crackling mana lingering like the last notes of a haunting melody.
Yet, something deep within the shadows stirred, waiting in silence.
And something far more dangerous was yet to reveal.
Clap.
Clap.
Clap.
A slow, deliberate clap resonated through the clearing, slicing through the aftermath with a chilling clarity.
Null stiffened instantly, his hand snapping to his sword.
Sora's expression shifted as well. The white radiance around her brightened, sharpening into a vigilant glow.
From the shadows between the twisted trees, a figure stepped forward.
Tall.
Humanoid.
And unmistakably demonic.
Its body was lean, cloaked in dark, flowing garments that seemed woven from living shadow. Dark orange markings pulsed faintly across its exposed skin like glowing veins, and a pair of curved black horns swept back from its head.
Its eyes—
Deep, molten gold.
With an air of unsettling confidence, the demon tilted its head, a knowing smile creeping across its lips. "Quite the show you've put on," it purred, voice silky with mockery. "But I hope you didn't think this was the grand finale."