"Assistant Commander, we've received another report!"
A voice crackled through our communication devices inside the military convoy.
"A demon has been sighted near Tigers high school!"
Daniella's eyes widened.
"What? How is that possible?"
Lucy's expression hardened.
For a moment, nobody spoke.
Two demon sightings. At thesame time.
And during the day.
"This changes things," Lucy said. "We're splitting up."
She turned toward Felix.
"I'll take a unit to the high school. Agent Felix, you head to Harassan's corp."
"Yes, Ma'am."
Alex sat silently in the back of the vehicle, listening to every word.
Something about this didn't feel right. Two demons appearing simultaneously during daylight wasn't normal. Not even close.
His eyes wandered around the vehicle.
One of the agents sitting beside hin was visibly nervous. His hands trembled slightly as he checked his weapon.
Alex glanced at his name tag.
Jack.
"Hey," Alex said quietly.
Jack looked at him.
"It's going to be fine."
Jack forced a smile.
"Yeah…"
But Alex could tell he didn't believe himself.
_ _ _
The convoy finally came to a stop.
Outside, the streets surrounding Harassan's corp had already been cleared by soldiers.
Military vehicles blocked every road leading toward the company.
Yet several civilians remained trapped inside the massive corporate building.
Felix stepped out of the vehicle.
"Alright, boys and girls, fall out!"
The agents immediately exited the convoy and began preparing their weapons.
Felix looked over the group.
"We're splitting into three units."
"Unit A will enter the building and evacuate the civilians."
He then pointed toward another group.
"Unit B will search for the demon."
Finally, he gestured toward the remaining agents.
"Unit C will remain outside as backup."
"If anything goes wrong, you call for backup immediately. Don't try to play hero."
Everyone nodded.
"Is that clear?"
"Yes, sir!"
Felix's eye moved across the recruits.
"Alex."
Alex straightened.
"You're with Unit A. Can you handle that?"
"Yes, sir!"
"Good."
Felix looked toward Daniella.
"You're Unit B."
Daniella nodded.
Unnlike some of the other recruits, there wasn't even a hint of fear on her face.
Her eyes were sharp.
Focused and ready.
Alex noticed her determination.
If she isn't afraid, neither should I.
He tightened his grip around his plasma sword.
Felix raised his hand.
"Alright…"
He lowered it.
"MOVE!"
_ _ _
Unit A entered the building first.
Their boots echoed against the marble floor as they moved through the lobby.
"Stay alert," one of the senior agents ordered.
Alex kept his weapon raised.
The building was strangely quiet. Too quiet.
"Agent Felix," a voice came through the communicator.
"We've found the civilians."
Felix immediately responded.
"Good. How many?"
"Approximately thirty people. Most of them are unharmed."
"Get them out."
"Yes, sir."
Unit A began escorting the civilians toward the exit.
Alex looked around.
No demons.
No bodies.
No signs of a struggle.
Where are they?
Suddenly, Jack spoke.
"This is strange."
Alex looked at him.
"What?"
Jack glanced around nervously.
"If there was a demon here, why haven't we found it?
Nobody answered.
Jack swallowed.
"They don't just disappear."
He was right.
Demons don't simply vanish.
Something is wrong. Very wrong.
Suddenly—
Their communication devices crackled.
Then Lucy's voice exploded through the speakers.
"FELIX!"
Everyone stopped.
"GET OUT OF THERE!"
Felix's expression changed.
"What?"
"It's a trap!"
Lucy's voice became frantic.
"ALL UNITS, EVACUATE IMMEDIATELY!" Lucy said."GET THE HELL OUT OF THERE
Then—
A terrifying growl echoed through the building.
Alex froze.
His blood ran cold.
Something was behind them.
He slowly turned.
Nothing.
Then—
BOOM!
The floor beneath them shook violently.
A monstrous figure emerged from the darkness.
Its body was enormous, covered in black, twisted flesh.
Two glowing eyes stared down at the agents.
The aura coming from its body was suffocating.
Alex could barely breathe.
"What…is that?" Someone whispered.
Lucy's voice came through a communicator.
"That's a Class-three Demon!"
Felix's eye widened.
"A class THREE?"
"GET OUT!"
Too late
The demon smiled.
Then everything went black.
_ _ _
The Demon's Domain.
Alex opened his eyes.
Silence.
There was no building.
No civilians.
No soldiers.
Nothing.
Just an endless black void.
Alex looked around in confusion.
"Where are we?"
Jack stood nearby, staring into the darkness.
"I…I don't know."
Suddenly, a voice echoed through the void.
"You humans…"
The sound seemed to come from everywhere.
"…foolish as ever."
The demon emerged from the darkness.
Alex's eye widened.
Is this the demon's domain?
The moment the demon appeared, its aura became even more overwhelming.
Why did its power increase?
Alex's heart pounded.
And how can it talk?
The demon slowly raised its hand.
"Run."
Nobody moved.
The demon smiled.
"I want you to understand something before you die."
Its eyes glowed brighter.
"This is my world."
Suddenly—
BOOM!
The demon disappeared.
"Where did it—
CRASH!
An agent was sent flying across the darkness.
"OPEN FIRE!"
Gun fire erupted.
Bullets tore through the darkness.
But none of them touched the demon.
It simply walked through the barrage.
One bullet passed directly through its head.
Another through its chest.
The demon didn't even flinch.
"What the—"
It appeared in front of an agent.
Its fist crushed into the agents chest.
The man was thrown several meters.
Another agent attacked from behind.
The demon turned.
SLASH!
Its sword tore across the agents armor.
He collapsed.
"KEEP FIRING!"
The agents continued shooting.
They knew they were outmatched.
They knew they were afraid.
But they didn't retreat.
They had taken an oath.
Protect humanity with your life.
And one by one…
They did exactly that.
Alex watched in horror as the demon tore through the unit.
They're dying…
Another agent charged forward.
The demon caught his weapon with one hand.
CRUSH!
The weapon shattered.
The demon struck him across the face.
He fell.
Alex's grip tightened around his plasma sword.
Then—
"AAAH!"
Jack charged forward.
He fired repeatedly.
The bullets struck the demon.
But once again, they passed straight through.
The demon slowly turned toward him.
Jack's face went pale.
"Oh, shit."
The demon vanished.
Alex's eyes widened.
"JACK!"
The demon appeared behind Jack.
But before it could strike—
Alex charged.
"GET AWAY FROM HIM!"
He swung his plasma sword.
CLANG!
The demon blocked the blade with its arm.
Alex's eyes widened.
It blocked a plasma sword with its arm?!
The demon grinned.
"You…"
Its eyes narrowed.
"There is something strange about you."
Suddenly—
BOOM!
The demon struck Alex in the stomach.
"UGH!"
Alex flew backward.
He slammed into the ground.
Before he could recover, something wrapped around his leg.
He looked down.
A shadow.
It crawled up his body like a living creature.
The darkness wrapped around his neck.
Alex's eyes widened.
The shadow tightened.
He couldn't breathe.
The demon lifted him effortlessly.
"Why…"
Its eyes glowed.
"…do I sense such a massive aura from you?"
Alex clawed at the shadow around his throat.
His vision began to blur.
The demon squeezed harder.
"Tell me".
Alex couldn't answer.
His lungs burned.
His vision darkened.
Then he saw them.
The agents.
Their bodies scattered across the darkness.
Jack was still alive, barely.
The demon slowly turned toward him.
"No…"
Alex struggled.
"Put…him…down…"
The demon ignored him.
It raised its hand.
Jack's eye widened.
"Alex!"
The demon's claws extended.
It was about to tear Jack apart.
Something inside Alex snapped.
No.
His fingers stopped trembling.
Not again.
A strange pressure began building inside his body.
I'm not going to watch someone die again.
The darkness trembled.
The demon stopped.
"What?"
A wave of energy exploded from Alex's body.
BOOOOM!
The shadow around his neck shattered.
Alex dropped to the ground.
His body hovered for a moment.
Then—
His eyes opened.
They glowed with an intense light.
A strange cross-shapedmark appeared on his forehead.
Another smaller mark appeared on his arm.
The demon stepped backward.
For the first time…
It looked afraid.
"What…are you?
Alex raised his head.
The demon lunged.
Alex disappeared.
BOOM!
The demon's first struck empty air.
"What?!"
Alex appeared beside it.
CRACK!
His fist slammed into the demon's jaw.
The impact sent the creature flying across the darkness.
It crashed into the ground.
Jack stared in disbelief.
That was Alex?
The demon quickly recovered.
"You think that was enough?"
Darkness erupted around its body.
It raised its hand.
A massive shadow slammed toward Alex.
Alex crossed his arm.
BOOM!
The attack exploded against him.
Dust and darkness filled the air.
The demon smiled.
"Dead".
The smoke cleared.
Alex was still standing.
His uniform was torn.
Blood trickeld down his face.
But he didn't move.
The demon's smiled disappeared.
Alex looked toward his plasma sword.
It was lying several meters away.
He slowly raised his hand.
The sword trembled.
Then—
WHOOSH!
The weapon flew through the air and landed directly in his hands.
Jack's mouth fell open.
"What the hell…"
The plasma sword began changing.
Energy surged through the blade.
Its blue glow intensified until the entire domain was illuminated.
The demon stared at the weapon.
"So…"
It summoned a massive black sword.
"…you want to fight?"
Alex raised his weapon.
The demon disappeared.
Alex's eyes followed its movement.
CLANG!
Their swords collided.
A shockwave exploded through the domain.
The demon attacked again.
CLANG!
Alex blocked.
Again.
CLANG!
Again.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
The two fighters exchanged blows at blinding speed.
The demon swung from the left.
Alex ducked.
A black balde passed inches above his head.
Alex countered.
The demon blocked.
Sparks exploded between their weapons.
The demon kicked Alex backward.
Alex flipped through the air and landed on his feet.
The demon charged.
Alex charged too.
Their swords collided head-on.
BOOOOM!
The ground beneath them cracked.
Neither moved.
The demon snarled.
"You shouldn't possess this power!"
Alex pushed harder.
"Neither should you."
The demon roared.
It swung wildly.
Alex dodged every strike.
The demon became faster.
But Alex became faster still.
The demon attacked from above.
Alex stepped aside.
SLASH!
The demon's sword cut through empty space.
Alex appeared behind it.
The demon spun around.
Too late.
CLANG!
Alex knocked its sword out of its hand.
The weapon flew across the darkness.
The demon immediately turned and sprinted toward it.
Alex vanished.
He appeared directly in front of the demon.
Their eyes met.
The demon froze.
Alex drove the plasma sword straight through his chest.
THUD.
Silence.
The demon looked down at the blade piercing its heart.
"No…"
Alex pushed the sword deeper.
The demon's body began to crack.
Black energy leaked from the wounds.
Alex's voice echoed throughout the domain.
"Nakamata…"
The demon's eyes widened.
"I cast you back to the depths of Hell."
"No!"
Nakamata screamed.
His body began disintegrating.
"No! No!"
The demon exploded into thousands of black particles.
Then silence returned.
Alex stood motionless.
The glow in his eyes disappeared and so did the cross on his head.
His plasma sword returned to its normal form.
The darkness surrounding them began to disappear.
The demon's domain shattered like broken glass.
_ _ _
Back to Reality.
Alex opened his eyes.
The building had returned.
Bodies were scattered across the floor.
Jack was lying nearby, staring at him in disbelief.
Alex looked around.
He slowly turned toward to Jack.
"Don't tell anyone."
Jack stared at him.
"Alex…what the hell are you?"
Alex didn't answer.
His legs suddenly gave out.
He collapsed.
"Alex!"
Jack rushed toward him.
_ _ _
Outside the building, Felix stared at his communication device.
"What's going on?"
He tried contacting Unit A again.
Nothing.
"Why can't I get a hold of anyone in Unit A?"
Daniella looked toward the building.
Her heart tightened.
Then—
The doors suddenly burst open.
"Alex!"
Daniella rushed forward.
She found Jack struggling to carry Alex.
"Well, I'll be damned…"
Felix stared at them.
"They made it."
Daniella helped Jack lower Alex to the ground.
"What happened there?"
Jack opened his mouth.
He remembered Alex's glowing eyes.
The cross on his forehead.
The sword.
And the demon that had called Alex's power an impossibility.
Jack looked at Alex.
"I…"
Before he could answer, several healers rushed toward them.
"Move!"
They immediately began treating Alex and Jack.
Daniella watched anxiously.
She had no idea what had happened inside that building.
But one thing was certain.
Jack was hiding something.