Ever since that day, the day our worlds became one with humans, fey, and spirits, we had established a power above them all. We, of the demi-humans, are the strongest compared to them all. But those...demons. They suddenly came and changed the ranks of power in this world. Their immense mana is too far apart from how we are. It does not make sense!

How could any race be as overpowered as them?

How is this fair?

I will change that!

We of the beast-kin will be the strongest again after I activated this artifact!

That is the sole duty for me as the champion of the demi-humans!

***

The Wolf Demi-human, Rolaf, attempts to strike a blow at the man who is clad in black. Even so, this man blocked his attack seemingly with little to no effort, "I am not impressed," he said.

Even with boosted power, this guy can still hold my attack?

Rolaf's pride got shaken a little bit, but he paid it no thought. He felt a lingering feeling of fear, but it wasn't enough to shake his confidence. "We are just getting started," Ralof said. It was actually him who needed to say that more than to say nothing. Ralof is at that point where he isn't sure if he can win, but he just deluded himself into thinking that he could win for sure. But what his opponent said had properly ruined his confidence.

"Sure. I'll toy with you until I am bored." The man said as he threw Ralof's arms to the side.

His hand was clearly enhanced with magic, noticeable by the bluish particles around it, and struck an uppercut toward Ralof's chin. Sparks of mana appeared as his fist hit. As Ralof can feel the mana grazing his skin.

The movement of the strike itself was simple, but the amount of mana control this man had was flawless. To strike with your mana-enhanced fist is relatively easy. But to purposely create sparks upon hit was extremely hard because you need to release the mana concentrated at your fist and make it disperse as soon as you get in contact with the target.

Only then will you be able to do what this man had done. To do what is called a 'Mana Flash.'

He is able to control mana flowing in his body as if it was breathing.

Ralof said as he suffered the blow of the man's attack.

I can do it too!

Ralof recovered from the blow as he attempted to do the same thing that his opponent did. First, he gathers mana from his body and envelops his right fist with it. Unlike the man clad in black, Ralof's mana was red colored. Red particles enveloped his fist as he went on to strike the man who was smaller than him in his gut.

Ralof, being the champion of the demi-humans, had also been taught mana control by his masters. He can adequately do what his opponent has done. That's what he thought. His fist crashed onto the man's stomach area as red sparks dispersed.

"That must've hurt, right?" Ralof said.

"Heh." The man smirked as his left fist went straight for Ralof's right arm, which was now at his stomach. His movement was quick, unlike before, and on hit, again, bluish sparks exploded at Ralof's arms. This time, the wound was deeper than it was before.

This does not make sense!

He didn't even faze at my attack?

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How? It's not possible!

Ralof went a step back as he tried to process what had happened. It is natural actually to be in a state of disbelief. He was facing a man who claimed to be part of an organization that controlled the world from the darkness.

No. I can still win!

I will win!

The Wolf Demi-human doesn't submit to his intrusive thoughts and is willing to keep on fighting the man.

The man disappeared into thin air as he closed the gap between him and Ralof. Again, his speed just suddenly increased out of nowhere. The man raised his fist and swung it back and forth from left to right, aimed at Ralof's body. Upon every hit, the fists did a Mana Flash that grazed Ralof's skin. Sparks upon sparks of mana exploded at Ralof's face, arms, and body. It was clearly a flawless move, only able to be performed with someone who is ridiculously good at mana control.

It makes no sense!

It makes no sense!

How is this fair?

"Who the hell are you!" Ralof was sent flying to the side as he suddenly remembered a particular sensation.

When have I felt this before? Ralof thought as he was getting destroyed by the man clad in black. It was when he failed miserably at hunting The Demon King of Death. Hunting the top echelon of the demonic race.

He was utterly defeated back then, even worse than this. This time, he was able to enhance his power using the scepter of the sun and moon. But back then, he was just a dumb youth who thought he had power. Who was known as the strongest. Yet, he was effortlessly defeated and humiliated in front of everyone he knew.

Unacceptable! I won't ever lose again!

"I didn't have the power back then. But now, I am strong. No, I am the strongest!" Ralof proclaimed to his enemy. He had lost his composure. He had let his mana run wild by completely deluding himself in front of his enemy. As the magical energy rampaged in his body, it emitted red sparks around him.

"I am the strongest of the demi-human. The strongest champion of the demi-human. The strongest of the world!"

"Saying yourself the strongest. It is never the way to convey your strength. It is utterly pathetic." The man said.

"What do you know!? You are a nobody! No one has even heard of you!" Ralof shouted as the sparks began to strike the walls of the labyrinth.

"Do you know why? It is because no one had survived. To tell the tale."

"YOU'RE ALL TALK!" Ralof said as he moved swiftly as if disappearing from the air.

"You say that, but what are you doing? Casually borrowing another batch of power using the scepter?" The man clad in black said.

Ralof was now lifting the scepter of the sun and moon again. It was like he was desperately trying to channel the power of the full moon once again.

"Master! He is going to-," A white-haired elf said.

The man clad in black just held out his hand as if signaling her to stand down.

"POWER! COME TO ME! POWER!" Light emitted upwards again from the scepter as more mana came down from the moon.

The white elves recorded the scepter of the sun and moon as a requirement to amplify the power of a demi-human up to 10 times the original power. It is also can only reach that percentage if the scepter is used when the super full moon is occurring. Yet now, there was just a full moon. What is not known is that the scepter can grant unlimited amounts of mana as long as the user keeps sending the beacons of light upwards.

This action, however, was forbidden. As the mana overflowed your body, it would likely explode, increasing the chances of death by uncontrollable mana rampaging through your body and destroying it. It can also be dangerous if there are civilians nearby.

However, at this point, Ralof couldn't care less.

He needed power. That's all there is to it for him.

He needed power to defeat the enemy in front of him.

As Mana poured towards him, he could feel his body regenerating the wounds he received. He felt a sensation of ecstasy. Unwavering will and confidence filled his body. Only to be ruined by his opponent's words.

"Using a power that is not even yours and calling yourself strong. It is an insult to those who worked hard to achieve the title of strong."

"SHUT UP! WHO ARE YOU? TELLING ME ABOUT WHAT I SHOULD DO OR NOT!"

"I AM RALOF THE STRONGEST! THAT'S WHO I AM!"

In this world. There's only win or lose.

We only win, or we'll lose.

If you win, you are strong.

If you lose, you are the weak.

It doesn't matter how you win as long as you win.

The demi-human champion known as Ralof was now non-existent. He was deluded and consumed by the thirst for power. No more shame, no more values. Just power.

"I am Ruin. Harbinger of Destruction and Renewal. I bring destruction for the sake of progression. By my power, I will erase you, Ralof. Or should I say, the bottomfeeder of the demi-humans?"