“Give me the watch and I’ll let you live,” The demon said, his voice raspy, like he had just climbed out of a grave.

Levi twirled with the mana in his container, ready to use it with force. “You didn’t ask last time,” Levi said, one hand on his spear. His ears twitched at the sound of distant battle. “Over there is your real body, isn’t it?”

If Levi could kill time here, he would. After all, he may be ready for a fight, but that didn’t mean that he’d willingly do so if he didn’t have to. If he could avoid the fight entirely, he would. The demon snarled in response.

“So be it.”

The demon launched forwards, fingernails ready to rip his throat out. With the battle started, Levi held nothing back. While stepping back to gain distance, he launched a javelin of fire at the demon. It streaked through the air, but the being dodged it at the last second, dipping his body low to the ground like a four-legged beast.

Hands and feet dug in, he leapt forwards with immense speed. But it wasn’t fast enough to catch Levi unaware. Levi grinned and controlled the fire on the ground. Energy turning physical, the remnants of fire on the forest ground lanced upward. Slender blades of fire tore the man’s flesh, but no blood fell.

Confused with no time to dwell, Levi kept his distance from his crazed opponent. The longer they fought, the more Levi was certain that the demon was a fake, a clone. Weaker, with no abilities to mention, and only relying on the high physicality of his body, the fight drew on.

Levi was getting used to his fighting style. He kept the demon as far away as possible, and although Levi didn’t have any movement abilities, with his spear and magic, he was able to create the distance he desperately needed to maintain. He unleashed javelins of fire from a distance, and when the being closed in, his spear pointed, ready to intervene.

The fight in the distance was getting serious. It was also getting closer. Levi could tell from the desperation in the demon’s lifeless; he was running out of time.

In a desperate bid to take Levi’s life, the demon changed tactics. Without care for any wounds, he quickened his assault.

Levi darted to the side and the monster chased, fangs on display. He ran into one of Levi’s traps. It exploded, sending wildfire in all directions. His charred body emerged from the thick smoke, dark and hot, flesh charred and eyes scarlet red.

The desperation caught Levi by surprise. The demon latched his brunt hand around Levi’s throat and sent a punch crashing into his gut. Levi’s throat lurched, heard a rib crack, and pain lanced through him. Levi didn’t give into panic.

Flames enhancing his legs, Levi snapped his knee at the demon’s solar plexus. A sickening crunch sounded out, and the demon’s grip shook loose. Levi held nothing back. Fire exploding from his open palm like a compacted geyser, a rocketing fire crashed into the summoned creature, sending his body tumbling back.

Blackened like scorched bark, the demon somersaulted on the ground and charged for him again, darting in between the surrounding trees.

Levi frowned and sprayed his fire all around him. The bushes, the trees, the grass, all transformed into a raging inferno. The only thing visible was a sea of crackling orange and red, and it consumed all living life. It had obscured Levi’s vision, but it was the same for the demon. Levi was ready.

Feeling the slight changes in the fire, Levi spun on his heels and fired a magical arrow seemingly into nothing but flames. But hearing a pained grunt, Levi kept up the pace. Whenever he felt something was wrong with the mana around him, he retaliated with a powerful javelin.

Time passed and Levi swore the demon didn’t have much energy left; he couldn’t. Yet he still persisted despite his body being burnt into charcoal.

To make matters worse, the battle in the distance appeared to be reaching its apex. Blue lights spawned from above, flashing like stars in the night sky. Not certain whether Gregory and the others could defeat the oncoming threat, Levi started moving toward the ancient, primordial trees while fending off the ravenous, seemingly unstoppable humanoid chasing him.

Levi grit his teeth and shot another lance into the blazing fire. The mana stirred, and out came the demon from a nearby bush. Bounding straight for him, it was the same attack like all the others. Because the monster was so focused on the other battle, the clone was simple and barbaric; clearly only relying on brute force to claim his life.

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Doubts squirmed into Levi’s thoughts. It must have had some idea of Levi’s strength. There was no way something of its level didn’t, or couldn’t, sense his mana. Bram told him that anyone that manages to climb to such a level of strength, was aware of others like them.

Did the demon hope that Levi, despite his powers, didn’t have the knowledge to utilise his spells? Maybe it thought he was rightfully a small child and he’d panic under a true fight?

Whatever the reason was, Levi aimed his attack like all the others–threatening to skewer the humanoid's body with a physical manifestation of fire. But this time was different. Something came from the other side just as Levi’s attack landed. Fire engulfed the already charred pale flesh. Levi spun his head, only to see a person identical to the demon.

Eyes wide, the humanoid didn’t bother attacking Levi. Instead, it jumped for the devil, hand clasping his outstretched arm. Two transformed into one, and the moment the devil landed, a red haze engulfed his feet, and with a push, blasted towards Levi.

Levi cursed under his breath as the demon landed on one of his traps, exploding his body. He ignored the savage magic, and tore straight for Levi.

Dodging the clawed fingers of the beast in human skin, Levi replied with a thrust of his spear. Enhanced by mana, the blade tore into his shoulder. Blood spilled. Blood? Levi thought, realising that merging with another clone had changed his body’s constitution somehow. That wasn’t all. The moment his spear contacted flesh, he felt the extra resistance pull back Levi’s arms.

Throwing his body away from an incoming fist, Levi placed more strength in his arms this time, rolled on the ground, planted his feet, then thrust with all he had against the demon. Metal meeting flesh and bone, Levi blasted the demon backwards, fire erupting from his spear.

Levi used the time he had bought himself to pick up his speed. He sprinted as fast as he could, leaving smouldering grass in his wake.

The summoned demon was catching up. It wouldn’t be long before he did, and he’d be back to attacking like an undying barbarian.

Levi was aware his situation didn't look good. The demon had half an inch of life left within him, now he was strengthened. All the while Levi’s mana reserves were depleting. If another clone arrived, he’d be caught in shit creek.

The air whooshed and something sliced past Levi’s cheek, warmth trickled down his cheek. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw the demon picking up a branch, and brought back his arm in one swift motion.

Groaning, Levi darted behind a tree for cover. The branch, as fast as any arrow fired from a bow, smashed into the tree behind him. Levi’s heart smashed against his chest. He was about to turn and fight when he saw the gargantuan trees in the distance. Hope boiled. Levi picked up the pace, using more mana than he should, and bolted towards the trees.

He didn’t make it far before something slammed into his calf, forcing him to crash onto the floor, rolling. Levi didn’t dare stop. He had a twig poking out of his leg; most of it had shattered, leaving only fragments of wood. Brought forward by copious amounts of adrenaline coursing through his system, he leapt for the tree line as another javelin-like stick whooshed past his head.

Picking himself up, he made it only a few feet before the demon was already standing in the middle of two trees, stick in hand. He grinned. “I’ve caught you now.” In an instant, the demon threw the stick so fast that Levi could hardly react in time. The stick bore through his stomach and slammed into the tree. Levi could hardly breathe.

The demon stalked forwards. “You should have handed over the watch. Maybe you’d have kept your pitiful life.”

Levi stumbled to the side, revealing the mess the demon had made of the tree. Although the bark was tougher than any ordinary metal, red soaked the surface, fragments of wood marked the bark. The trees groaned, and something stomped the earth. Something massive, or strong… was approaching.

Levi grinned, wiping the blood from his lips. “You made a mess. You shouldn’t have done that.”

The demon clearly felt the approaching threat. Even then, he refused to retreat. The signs of fighting in the distance were also approaching. Levi heard Bram roar. Somehow, even with Bram, Gregory, and reinforcements, still had trouble with the demon. Just how strong was he truly?

Holding his wound, Levi stepped back, only for him to hit something solid. He looked up, and the familiar face of Aleric. He gazed down at him, clearly ignoring the demon; he didn’t look pleased. “You brought an intruder to my domain.”

Levi coughed up blood. “Figured you could use a little stretch.”

Aleric didn’t respond. He hoisted his axe and swung it, as slowly as he had done before. The demon tried to move, but his body was pulled straight to Aleric’s axe; like a human magnet. Sucked in, the axe tore him in half, straight through his chest.

The being Levi had failed to kill, Aleric had slain him in one single move.

Levi sighed, thinking it was over. He was about to say his thanks, when the skies transformed. A godly hand emerged. Levi and Aleric’s expressions changed for the worse. Caught in shock, Levi gazed as the hand blotted out the sky, and devoured the light. Plunged into darkness, Levi felt a crazy amount of mana appear high above. Even through the abyss, he saw it.

Crackling purple lightning screamed into existence, and with it, a harrowing howl. A monster arrived. What, exactly, Levi didn’t want to find out.