Shade let out a sigh of annoyance as he looked down at his chipped blade, the daemon before them was like nothing he'd ever seen before. If a Dentanium blade was being worked this hard he feared to imagine what'd happen to a normal blade.

Meanwhile it was clear Alice had been keeping her own with it, just as one would expect from a Slayer who had trained since childhood.

Then there was the daemon itself, a creature that seemed to adapt to anything and everything around it, gaining power from magic around it.

Of course that damned witch had to call on something so terrifyingly powerful for such a low tier area. If it were anyone else here they'd be dead in an instant.

If this fight was to go on longer then this thing would become a true threat, one that only the Dark Lord would be able to beat.

"Oh what the hell, no better time to use it..." Shade says with a reluctant excitement.

In one smooth motion he brings his sword up in front of him, placing his free hand upon the blade. The aura upon the blade begins to falter, changing in color from its normal blood red into a deeper darker color, hints of black and a tinge of purple appearing before vanishing.

A surge of energy bursts forth as the blade seems to sing to life, Shade can't help but smile as he sees the power of Death bring his blade to life.

"It's not perfect, far from it... but this should be enough to give us an edge!" Shade mutters while looking towards the daemon once more, focused on looking for the perfect opening.

This wasn't going to last long, either the power would give out first or the daemon would adapt to it in some way.

It needed to be a quick, and decisive blow to at least cripple it. With Alice drawing the creature's attention it shouldn't be too hard, just wait for an opening and commit.

Slowly he circled around, trying to find an opening while observing the Slayer dancing elegantly around the Daemon's cosmic attacks. A flurry of steel and stardust creating a haze that was hard to see through, just how was she keeping up with this?!

All Shade could do was guess how this old Slayer was able to keep up with this monster brought forth by Eternity, just what monsters existed in the old world.

Quietly he began to inch forward, waiting for the perfect chance... whatever it may be. He didn't have to wait long though as Alice dug her blade into the Daemon's left arm, the blade wouldn't budge further due to the Daemon's building resistance to her attacks. Though what neither Shade nor the Daemon could've expected was what Alice would do next.

Digging her feet into the ground and gripping her sword tightly she pulled with all her might, first dislocating the Daemon's arm before ripping it off entirely.

A strange viscous black liquid began pouring from the wound, the first real damage done to it since the fight began.

This was it, the opening Shade needed, he refused to let this slip on by.

Quickly he dashes in, readying his sword for the perfect deadly attack, for this is one attack the Daemon would be unable to adapt to in time.

With one quick thrust Shade plunges the blade deep into the Daemon's chest, piercing its heart and letting the aura do its work.

Soon the Daemon couldn't even stand, the aura eating away at its very life force, its body growing colder and colder until not a single ounce of life remained... only the corpse of what was a Daemon of Eternity now lie before them.

"Oh thank christ it actually worked..." Shade mutters as he dispels the aura before collecting his sword.

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Though before he can react there's a stinging sensation in the back of his head, his vision blurring as his body collapses like the Daemon in front of him.

The last thing he sees before passing out being Alice standing above him, sword at the ready in case he tried anything.

It wasn't until he awoke that he realized what was happening, and that he'd been played so easily in the heat of the moment.

There he was in some dark room, tied up to a metal pole with anti magic warding all around him.

"They really went all out..." he mused as his eyes adjusted to the darkness, looking for any sign of where he was.

It was quiet and there was no clear sign of any battle going on outside, so he must've been out for the rest of it.

While trying to get out of his bindings a door just out of sight opens, flooding the room with light as a familiar blonde haired swordsman walks into the room.

"Well, I'm surprised you're finally up... with how hard Alice hit you i didn't know when you'd wake up." Ryder comments while walking up to Shade, an inquisitive look in his eyes. "Now then, why don't we have a little talk? You seem to know this game better than anyone else at this point."

Shade stares him down confused initially before laughing like a maniac, easily surprising Ryder who instinctively reaches for his weapon.

"Game?! You still think this is just a game?! You mean to tell me you managed all of THIS without realizing the truth?!" Shade hysterically yells before laughing once more, almost doubling over despite being tied up. "Oh this is gold! You really are a goddamn idiot! I can't believe you actually got THAT power, you must've just been lucky!"

Ruder can only stare in confusion, unsure of what to make of this entire situation unfolding before him. "What the hell are you talking about?"

Despite being nearly out of breath from laughing so hard Shade composes himself a fair bit, a devilish grin on his face as he locks eyes with Ryder. "This was never a game, not even close... how have you not realized it? The way the NPCs move and act, the little details like their breathing and the way their eyes reflect light so realistically... this isn't something any game would be able to achieve! We're not in a goddamn game anymore, this isn't a dream either, this is reality."

"That- what does that even mean?!" Ryder says while backing up, trying to wrap his head around this. "That doesn't make sense!"

"It means, dumbass, that you and everyone else here are no longer in the real world or digital world-"

Ryder pauses and looks back at Shade, uncertain what he'd say next but fearing he already knew what was coming.

A confirmation to his fears and a shattering of what he knew to be true.

"You've been transported HERE, to Velstan, and there's NO WAY OUT without claiming the throne and undoing all this timey wimey fuckery."

Ryder grits his teeth and stares Shade down, looking for any possibility of this being a lie, yet not a trace is found in his eyes. Shade isn't lying, he has no reason to lie, he'd gain nothing from it.

"And how are you so certain?" Ryder asks, crossing his arms now while waiting to judge the response.

"Oh that's easy... and while you may not believe it I'm telling you the whole truth by saying this." Shade says with a sly grin and an eerie aura about him. "It's because... I've lived this all before, I've seen this play out time and time again."

He lets out a tiny little laugh while leaning back now.

"I'm in a time loop. I was sent back to make sure you claim the throne."