The group stood frozen, their eyes fixed on the strange castle. The silence was oppressive, punctuated only by Ran's nervous clearing of his throat. He was shivering, fear etched on his face.

"What was a castle doing here?" Ran wondered aloud, his voice barely above a whisper. He steeled himself, trying to shake off the fear. "We have to complete the mission. I still sense the demon, it's close by."

The sorcerer next to Dane spoke up, his voice trembling. "Are you crazy? That thing is beyond us!"

Ran hesitated, his eyes darting nervously. "I know, but the mission's important."

The sorcerer's face twisted in fear. "Not as important as our lives! You're crazy to think we can take on something like this. I'm out of here!" He turned to leave, but before he could take a step, a dark, eerie energy enveloped him.

The air seemed to vibrate with an otherworldly energy, and the sorcerer's body began to contort and twist. His screams were cut short as his head suddenly erupted in a blast of blood and gore, showering the surrounding area with fragments of flesh and bone.

The group stared in horror, their minds reeling from the sheer brutality of the sorcerer's demise. The castle loomed before them, its walls seeming to mock them with their silence.

The group's screams echoed through the air as they stumbled backward, horrified by the sudden and gruesome demise of their companion. Ran's eyes widened in shock, his mind struggling to process what had just happened.

"Wh-what was that?" Elara stuttered, her voice trembling with fear.

Ran's gaze darted wildly, searching for any sign of the demon. "I don't know, but we need to get out of here, NOW!" he yelled, grabbing Code's arm and pulling him toward the trees.

But it was too late. A dark, ominous presence began to materialize before them, its aura radiating an unspeakable malevolence. The air grew colder, the shadows deepening as the demon's power washed over them.

"We're trapped," Dane whispered, his eyes fixed on the emerging horror.

Ran's grip on Code's arm tightened. "We have to fight," he growled, steeling himself for the battle ahead.

The demon finally materialized before them, its presence both mesmerizing and terrifying. Ran and the group knew at once that they were facing something far more sinister than a mid-class demon.

In the modern era, demons were classified into distinct levels: low-class, mid-class, upper-class, special class, and special disorders. The creature standing before them was unmistakably a special class demon. Its presence was intoxicating yet toxic, making the air feel heavy and oppressive.

The demon's physical appearance was just as daunting. Two curved horns protruded from its forehead, while its teeth seemed sharp enough to grind steel. Ran's mind racing with the implications, he couldn't help but wonder if the WAS had made a catastrophic mistake. The cost of underestimating this demon could be disastrous.

The air was electric with tension as the sorcerers faced off against the demon. The demon's eyes seemed to gleam with malevolent intent, and then, its face twisted into a grotesque grin. The grin was a horror to behold, its lips curling upward in a cruel, inhuman smile that seemed to stretch across its face like a gash.

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The group's hearts sank as they beheld the demon's grin. It was a grin that seemed to say, "I will enjoy killing you." Ran's voice was steady, but his eyes betrayed a flicker of fear. "Let's do this," he said, his voice low and even.

Teno and Soudra, the sword users, charged forward in perfect sync. Their blades flashed in the dim light, striking the demon with precision and deadly force. Soudra's sword sliced through the air, aiming for the demon's neck, while Teno's blade thrust upward, targeting its chest. The demon parried their blows with ease, its massive arms swinging in wide arcs, but the sword users dodged and weaved, avoiding its counterattacks with agility.

Elara's sorcery wove a complex web of illusions around the demon's head, confusing and disorienting it. She conjured images of writhing snakes and burning flames, making it stumble and lose its footing. Code, however, stood frozen, his eyes wide with fear. He had been tasked with providing elemental support through his fighting skills, but his mind was a blank, his concentration shattered by fear.

Ran's voice grew more confident, his commands more decisive. "Elara, maintain the illusions! Teno, Soudra, press the attack!" The demon stumbled backward, its defenses weakening, and for a moment, it seemed as though the sorcerers would emerge victorious.

But in an instant, everything changed.

The demon's eyes flashed with fury, and it lunged forward with a speed that belied its size. Its massive fist hurtled toward Kael, who barely had time to raise his hands in a futile attempt to defend himself.

Time seemed to slow as the demon's blow connected with a sickening crunch. Kael's body jerked backward, his eyes wide with shock and terror. His scream was cut short, his voice trapped in his throat as his lungs collapsed.

The group watched in horror as Kael's body began to crumple, his legs buckling beneath him. The demon's fist had torn through his abdomen, leaving a gaping wound that seemed to pulse with a life of its own. Blood and gore burst forth from the wound, splattering the surrounding area with a gruesome, crimson rain.

Ran's voice was the first to break the stunned silence, his cry of rage and grief echoing through the air. "NOOO!" He rushed forward, his sword flashing in the dim light, but it was too late. Kael's body hit the ground with a lifeless thud, his eyes frozen in a permanent stare of terror.

The group's world seemed to shatter in that moment, their confidence and determination crumbling alongside Kael's lifeless body. They were faced with the harsh reality of their own mortality, and the crushing weight of their foe's power.

Ran's rage boiled over like a cauldron, his eyes blazing with fury as he gazed upon Kael's lifeless body. His best friend, his brother in arms, lay slaughtered before him. The demon's grin seemed to sear itself into Ran's mind, fueling his anger.

With a battle cry that shook the air, Ran charged forward, his sword flashing in the dim light. "I'LL KILL YOU!" he screamed, his voice hoarse with emotion. Elara's voice pierced the air, "Everyone, support him!" The group sprang back into action, their sorcery and steel weaving a complex web of attacks.

Code, shaken from his stupor, darted towards the demon with his dagger unsheathed. Teno and Soudra also darted forward, their swords slicing through the air with deadly precision.

Ran, fueled by his rage, launched himself at the demon with reckless abandon. He wasn't thinking straight, his mind consumed by a singular desire: to kill the demon. The demon, sensing its chance, hurled its massive fist toward Ran, intent on crushing him beneath its immense power.

Ran, with a skill born of desperation, dodged the blow by a hair's breadth. He leapt into the air, soaring over the demon's head to strike from behind. As he spun through the air, his sword flashing in the dim light, the group held its collective breath.

This was it, the final blow. Ran's spinning slash would sever the demon's head from its shoulders, ending the battle in an instant. But in that fleeting moment, the demon seemed to sense Ran's intentions. With an unnatural speed, it twisted its body, its fist connecting with Ran's in a gruesome, bone-shattering impact.

Ran's body exploded in a shower of blood and gore, his limbs torn asunder by the demon's devastating blow. The group's triumphant cry died on their lips as they stared in horror at Ran's lifeless body, his sword slipping from his grasp to fall to the ground with a mournful clang.

"It's over," someone whispered, trembling in fear. The Arabian sorcerer next to Code suddenly screamed, "Allahu Akbar!" as he turned to flee. He knew that standing his ground meant instant death, but his attempt to escape was futile.

The demon's gaze fell upon the fleeing sorcerer, and with a swift swipe of its massive arm, it struck him down. The sorcerer's body crumpled to the ground, his cry of faith silenced forever. The group watched in horror as the demon's rampage continued unabated.

The carnage was absolute. Code shivered in terror, his eyes fixed on the lifeless bodies of his teammates. The brutality of the scene was something he had never witnessed before. Fear gripped his heart, and he yearned to flee, but he knew it would be a futile attempt.

The demon, seemingly unsated, began to close in on the remaining twelve. Panic set in, and the group scattered in all directions, desperate to escape the slaughter. But there was nowhere to hide. The castle loomed before them, but the fear of meeting the same gruesome fate as their fallen comrades kept them at bay.

As the demon drew nearer, the group's desperation grew. "Arrrgh! I have a wife and children. I can't die here!" Dane cried out, his voice laced with despair. With a surge of adrenaline, he charged toward the demon, hoping against hope that he could somehow make a difference.

But it was too late. The demon raised its massive foot and brought it down on Dane, crushing him beneath its weight. The sound of his body being pummeled was a sickening crunch that echoed through the air.

One by one, the demon hunted down the remaining members of the group, its relentless onslaught unstoppable. Code and Elara were among the last four standing, their hearts heavy with grief and their spirits crushed by the hopelessness of their situation.