Celia's Perspective:

There’s no way to escape... Ronan, no. This demon can’t be beaten.

I felt a cold weight settle over me, my heart racing as I watched the arrow streak toward us. It burned with a heat that could scorch the very air, turning the ground beneath it pitch black, as if it were poisoning everything in its path. The flames wrapped around the arrow, eating up the space between us with terrifying speed.

Ronan’s voice cut through the chaos, his grin wide and cruel. “That’s the end for you.” His words were cold, confident—he was enjoying this. Enjoying our last moments.

I closed my eyes, bracing for the inevitable. The arrow was now only a breath away, about to turn me and Kiel to ash.

Oh no, no, no...

And then, a voice, distant but clear, echoed through the air.

“Oh really?”

It wasn’t Ronan’s voice. It came from nowhere. My head snapped around, eyes wide, but there was nothing. No one in sight. The arrow continued its deadly path, too fast to dodge, too powerful to escape.

I couldn't pull my gaze from it, not as it neared us, not as the heat began to singe the air around us.

This is it.

Then, without warning, someone grabbed my hand.

"—??!"

Kiel was dragged away from me, pulled by the hair as though something invisible had seized him. I barely had time to react.

In that instant, everything felt like it had stopped. The world slowed, almost painfully, as if time itself had hit pause. My senses sharpened, but nothing made sense. Then, with a blink, everything changed.

I wasn’t standing where I had been. I was somewhere else. Far from the blast. I turned just in time to see the arrow slam into the edge of a distant hill, exploding on impact. The sound was deafening—an ear-splitting crack that shook the ground beneath us. The blast sent a storm of fire and debris into the air, ripping apart everything in its wake.

I staggered slightly, my head spinning as I looked up.

A hand—strong and steady—held mine, pulling me to safety. My eyes darted upward, and the person who had saved us stood before me. But... was he even human?

He stepped out of the shadows, his presence so overwhelming it was hard to focus on anything else. His black hair, wild but somehow perfect, shimmered faintly, catching the light in a way that felt unnatural. It gave off an almost otherworldly glow, as if it didn’t belong in this world.

But it was his eyes—those piercing violet eyes—that made my breath catch. They weren’t just looking at me. They were looking through me, seeing every part of me I never let anyone see. I wanted to look away, but something about him... I couldn’t.

His cloak rippled around him, moving as though it were alive. It shifted unnaturally, despite the air being still. Beneath it, I could make out the outline of sleek armor, subtle but clearly designed for someone who moved with deadly precision. And the way he stood there, completely at ease, as though the ground didn’t even matter—it was unnerving.

Who is he?

His voice broke through my daze, light and teasing, but it had an edge that sent a chill down my spine.

“What’s that look for? Shocked by my good looks or my overwhelming power? Take your pick!” He chuckled, his tone playful, yet his presence was anything but casual. I couldn’t tear my eyes away from him. His very presence... It was hypnotic.

"I... um... Who are you?" I finally managed to ask, my voice small and unsure.

He released Kiel from his grip, and Kiel dropped to the ground with a soft thud. Slowly, Kiel turned his head, his eyes wide with disbelief, his mouth hanging open in shock. His expression was a mix of awe and confusion, like he had just seen something too extraordinary to comprehend.

Who was this person? Where had he come from? How could he do what he just did?

The questions hung in the air, unanswered, as the silence stretched between us, leaving me with a sense of wonder and fear all at once.

He didn’t answer me immediately. My eyes drifted to his right, where a sword was strapped to his side.

I couldn’t look away from it. The blade was black—darker than the night that surrounded us earlier. Its edge shimmered like shadow and steel fused together, almost as if the very darkness of the world had been carved into it. Shadows clung to the weapon, twisting and writhing like they were alive, feeding off his presence. It wasn’t just a sword; it was a part of him—just as deadly and untouchable as he was.

"Wow, you really love staring at me, huh? Hate to break it to you, but I’m not interested."

His voice was mocking, but there was a cold edge to it that made my skin crawl.

"Hey, what?!" I blurted out, momentarily forgetting the situation with the King of Flames standing before us.

"Anyways, let's stay focused here—" His words were abruptly cut off.

"Oh, you’re still alive?" Ronan's voice sliced through the air, sharp and menacing. "Impressive. I guess even trash has its moments of pride."

The King of Flames strode toward us, his demonic form crackling with power. The ground seemed to tremble beneath his every step, and his smile twisted into something far more dangerous than any fire.

"Excuse me? I was giving my heroic speech in front of th—" The man beside me began to speak again, but Ronan interrupted him with a flick of his fingers.

"Die."

The word was cold and final. In an instant, a deadly thread of fire-woven wind shot toward us with an explosive force. We barely dodged the last attack, but this one came faster, fiercer, impossible to react to in time.

Then, just as the attack closed in, the person beside me gripped my hand tighter and grabbed Kiel by the shoulder. Before I could even process what was happening, we were gone.

Time seemed to slow. In the blink of an eye, we had been ripped away from the path of destruction. The wind from Ronan’s attack reached us only a second later, a gust strong enough to whip our hair around us.

"What?!" My heart raced, still trying to catch up with the speed at which we moved.

"Celia, do you know who he is?!" Kiel gasped, his voice full of astonishment.

I turned to look at him, stunned by the speed and power of the person who’d just saved us. I had no answers.

As I was about to respond, another attack from Ronan was already charging toward us—quicker than the last. But again, we dodged it without a scratch.

"Is this supposed to be an attack or a warm-up?" The person who saved us spoke, voice dripping with disdain. "Because I feel like I should’ve stretched more."

Ronan’s smirk twisted, a wild glint in his eyes. "Hmm… Finally, something worth my time. But don’t mistake this for a battle—you’re just a slightly sturdier toy I’ll break quickly."

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The stranger’s voice turned icy, devoid of any humor. "Huh, guess that makes me the weakling who’s about to end your entire life."

Ronan’s face hardened into something savage, a low growl vibrating in his throat. "You want to fight me? You’ve got guts, I’ll give you that. Too bad I’ll be carving them out in a moment."

The tension between them crackled, thick and oppressive. It was the kind of silence before the storm, the kind of battle that would tear the world apart.

This wasn’t just a fight—it was the clash of two titans, each one determined to break the other. And I had no idea who would walk away alive.

Ronan didn't waste any time. He launched a barrage of fireballs, each one streaking through the air with deadly intent. They weren't just fired in a straight line—they curved, homing in on us from different angles, tracking our every movement. The flames blazed with an intensity that scorched the air around us. Kiel tried to dodge, weaving to avoid the incoming assault, but the man beside me had a grip on him, keeping him firmly in place.

"Nah... They’re too slow," he said, his voice unshaken. "We can relax."

image [https://i.imgur.com/mL8yRvW.png]

His words were casual, as though we weren’t seconds away from being engulfed in fire. He held us still, forcing us to wait as the fireballs closed in, their heat already burning the edges of my skin. I could feel the fiery aura growing hotter, suffocating the air with its intensity.

I blinked. In an instant, we were in a different spot entirely.

Ronan froze, his face twisting into a shocked expression, but it quickly morphed back into his usual twisted grin. He moved his hands, preparing for another attack.

"Oh, you’re trying so hard to stay alive. It’s adorable," he taunted. "But tell me, how does it feel knowing that all your effort is utterly meaningless?"

Without warning, the ground around us cracked open as walls of fire erupted from the earth, slowly closing in, encircling us in a blazing cage. The flames burned so bright that the world around us seemed to flicker with their light. My heart raced as I frantically searched for an escape, but Kiel... Kiel was unnervingly calm.

"Hey, why don't you just relax a bit? Let me handle this," he said, his voice smooth and confident, his violet eyes meeting mine, calming the storm of panic rising inside me.

I didn’t understand how he could be so composed in the face of something this deadly. But then he spoke again, his voice low, carrying the weight of something ancient.

"O veils of darkness, arise and consume the arrogant flame. Swallow its light, and carve a path for your master to tread."

I didn’t know the incantation, but the shadows around his sword began to stir on their own, moving like they had a life of their own. The flames around us crackled, their heat turning to something colder, darker. The fire began to melt into shadows, their light consumed by an unnatural darkness. The shift was sudden, almost surreal. The flames hissed and melted away, replaced by shadows that writhed and burned with an eerie glow.

Without a second thought, the man beside me walked right through the now-dark flames, his path untouched by the destruction around us. The air seemed to grow colder as the shadows swirled at his feet. He released his grip on Kiel and me, his eyes locked on Ronan with cold determination.

"You two should stay back," he said, voice steady. "I’ll finish the demon."

Kiel and I just stared at him. He had dodged all of Ronan's ultimate attacks without breaking a sweat. He walked through Ronan’s flames like they were nothing more than smoke. And still, I couldn't understand who he was or how much more power he was hiding, concealed behind a calm and teasing demeanor.

"Careful looking at me like that," he said, his tone suddenly light, playful. "People might think you’re falling for me."

I was completely caught off guard by his words. "Could you be any more serious?!" I snapped, flustered. My heart still pounded from the chaos, yet here he was, turning the tension into something strange and awkward.

He chuckled, the sound low and teasing. "You’re cute when you’re flustered. But don’t worry—I won’t tell anyone. For now."

His smile widened as shadows swirled around him, almost as if they were being absorbed into his body, becoming part of him.

"What do you mean, 'for now'?" I demanded, suddenly irritated at his playful deflection.

He waved a hand dismissively. "Don’t worry, I’ll sign autographs after we’re done here."

I opened my mouth to respond, but Kiel cut in, his voice tense. "Celia, he is The Sword—"

Before he could finish, Ronan’s voice sliced through the air, dripping with venom. "You really think you stand a chance? How cute. Let me show you just how small and insignificant you are before I erase you—"

But Ronan never finished his sentence. His words were swallowed by the silence that followed, his threat hanging useless in the air.

A second ago, he had been standing behind us, but in the blink of an eye, he was already in front of Ronan. His sword was drawn, gleaming in the dying light, poised to strike. Ronan barely reacted in time, his arms igniting in a burst of fiery energy as he blocked his swing. The force of the clash sent shockwaves through the air, and though Ronan's defense was swift, his strike grazed his face, drawing a thin line of blood.

"Aghh!" Ronan hissed, stepping back, fury flashing in his eyes as he struggled to regain his footing.

But before anyone could blink, He was back in front of us, effortlessly closing the distance. It was like he was everywhere at once, his presence so overwhelming it left Ronan reeling.

"You’re really confident, huh?" His voice was calm, almost mocking. He locked eyes with Ronan, both men sharing a death stare that could kill. "I’d say that’s cute, but this is more like secondhand embarrassment for you."

Ronan's grin twisted into something darker. "Oh? You scratched me. Congratulations, worm. Your reward? A slower, more painful death awaits."

image [https://i.imgur.com/emaFfN4.png]

But he smirked, unbothered by the threat. "You speak a lot for the power you possess. Don't tell me you're trying to fake it?"

Ronan’s laughter was cold, dripping with contempt as he took a step closer, his form radiating a menacing aura. "Hmph. At least you’re not completely worthless. Keep this up, and I might even remember your name for your power."

Once again, his violet eyes gleamed with a sadistic delight. “Wow, thanks! I was going to say the same about you, but let’s not lie to each other! We both know who truly is stronger."

Ronan’s sneer deepened, his hands crackling with fiery power. "I can sense power in you, but before I destroy you, I want to hear your name. Who do you think you are?"

The pressure in the air built as the two locked eyes, their auras clashing like raging storms. The ground seemed to crack beneath them, the very air charged with raw, unrestrained energy.

He tilted his head slightly, his smirk never fading.

"Heh… Ahhahahaha... are these your last words? Fine, I’ll humor you."

He drew himself up, his voice carrying with an unsettling confidence. "The name’s Levi Ashton. You might’ve heard of me… one of the Five Sword Saints of the World. I’m also known as the Wielder of God-Speed."

image [https://i.imgur.com/z7eu4JK.png]

The revelation hit like a explosion. I had heard of the Sword Saints—legendary warriors whose powers were beyond comprehension. They were not simply skilled swordsmen or mages, they were anomalies. Beings who wielded a unique bond with their swords and magic, capable of defeating S-Ranked mages and monsters with nothing but their blades.

And now, one of them was standing before me, facing down Ronan with a look that said he was untouchable.

“Levi... Wielder of God-Speed?" I whispered, my voice trembling.

The power emanating from him was unreal. His speed was something beyond normal perception. He didn’t just move quickly; it was as if he could bend time itself, striking before anyone even realized he had moved. And the way he manipulated magic—it was like he could control nature itself, shadows and flames bending to his will.

Levi wasn’t just strong. He was untouchable. No one—no S-Ranked mage, no elemental demon—could stand against him. His speed, his strength, his magic—they were all on another level.

Ronan, clearly unfazed, chuckled darkly. "Was that it? All that boasting, all that bravado… and you couldn’t even make me blink. How utterly boring."

Levi's response was a low, menacing laugh that sent chills down my spine. "Ahahahahh... Really?"

He took a step forward, the shadows around him deepening. "Let me make this easy for you: run now, and I might forget this ever happened."

Ronan’s eyes burned with rage. "You’re beginning to irritate me. Consider all of the warnings off now, I will remove you from existence altogether."

Levi just shrugged, unfazed by Ronan’s fury. "Hey, if you’re trying to intimidate me, you might want to work on your delivery. I almost felt something—almost."

Ronan closed his eyes, and the temperature in the air spiked, the ground beneath us trembling with the force of his power. The flames around him roared to life, and the pressure between the two of them grew unbearable. My instincts screamed at me, but I couldn’t take my eyes off them. Ronan’s power was immense, but Levi... Levi wasn’t fazed in the slightest.

I was safe around him, but my heart refused to let go. Kaiser was still there—lying on the ground, unconscious. That was all I could allow myself to believe, even if the truth whispered his death. He couldn’t be gone. I wouldn’t accept it. I would never accept it. Not while there was breath left in me.

In this moment, with everything on the line, my thoughts couldn’t stray from him. Kaiser... my friend. My chest pained with the weight of it. If I could just ask Levi—if only he could help, if he could save him... Please, I can't lose him.

"Hey, Levi—" I started, but before I could finish, he interrupted.

"You’re lucky you looked pretty. Otherwise, I might’ve let you squirm a little longer," he said casually, his eyes on me.

"...Excuse me?!" I reacted, flustered by his words. What was he saying?

Kiel, trying to stay strong, spoke up. "Hey, Levi. Let me help you fight Ronan, he is one of the elemental demons. You might not be able to take him on—"

“Oh, how cute. You really want to join the fun?" Levi’s voice was light but laced with a deadly edge.

"Let me help you fight, I know we can both beat him." Kiel persisted, but as he spoke, he started coughing, still drained from his earlier battle with Kaiser.

Levi glanced over at him, his eyes cold. "Look, I’d love to let you tag along, but it seems like you're still recovering. You can’t comprehend your condition yet. So do me a favor, stay back, and watch me win."

"But... Ronan is an elemental demon. Would you alone be able to defeat him alone?!" Kiel asked, concern etched on his face.

"Nah, I’d win." Levi said simply, the deadly aura around his sword growing thicker with each step as he walked toward Ronan. His confidence was unwavering.

This was it.

The King of Flames versus the Sword Saint of God-Speed. The battle that would decide everything.