The world around me smoldered like the aftermath of a battle that hadn’t yet finished. The thick air felt more suffocating than the usual stench of smoke. Flames crackled in the distance, casting long, flickering shadows across the charred landscape.

The Eldergrove Expanse, or what remained of it in this blazing district, seemed hollow and drained of life—just like the situation that had spiraled beyond my control.

Nebula slowly pushed herself up to stand beside me, and I could feel the subtle tremble in her stance, barely noticeable to anyone else but painfully obvious to me, and I was sure the Holy Knight too. Her shoulders squared, her back straight, but her eyes… her eyes were wide, filled with panic from the weight of the accusation.

She quickly composed her expression and said, “I-” her voice caught, and she had to clear her throat. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, sir,” she said finally, voice tight. “The [Skill] just looks dramatic like that. It doesn’t mean I am a vampire.”

She was scrambling—grasping for a way out that didn’t exist. I didn’t need to see Sir Likard’s face to know he didn’t buy it. He wasn’t going to let this slide. His suspicions were confirmed. His hands flexed near the hilt of his sword, and I could feel the shift in his aura.

He had made up his mind before Nebula had even finished speaking.

“Do you take me for a fool?” His voice was cold and sharp, like a blade honed for this exact moment. He took a step forward, and I felt his presence thicken as if the air itself bent under the weight of his judgment. “It could have worked on a normal person, but I’ve seen your kind before. I’ve fought them. I’ve burnt them.” He spoke in a grim voice. “If you think you can deceive me with words, you’re living a fool’s dream. That blood magic reeks of vampiric taint. I don’t need more proof than what you’ve already shown.”

His gaze didn’t leave her, but I could feel the attention hanging over me too, like a noose tightening around my neck. I was unsure if he suspected me as a demon, but he definitely thought I might try to stop him from harming Nebula. Anyhow, I wasn’t his main target. The Holy Knight had been itching for a reason to purge what he believed to be impure. And right now, Nebula was his target.

“B-but…” Solara tried, hoping her status as a Duchess would help, but I didn’t even focus on her words to know it’d be pointless.

My mind deafened the sound around me. I exhaled slowly. This was my fault. I could feel it in the pit of my stomach. Maybe if I’d told Nebula about my secret beforehand, this wouldn’t have happened. If she knew I could’ve handled the ape without much trouble, she wouldn’t have used that vampiric skill.

She only used it because she wanted to save Solara and me from death, even if it meant exposing herself to Solara. And given how tight her financial situation was, she didn’t want to call Katheran for help since that’d invalidate all of our hunting. It could have been avoided if I had told her beforehand.

Not telling Nebula about Sir Likard following us was, of course, a bad decision on my part too. Because suspicion was better than total reveal.

I had made a mistake. In hindsight, it was a domino effect of bad choices. As a result, here we were: caught in a web of bad decisions, spiraling toward a worse outcome.

“Enough, Fenixia. If you attempt to delay this through further conversation, I’d take you into custody. And you,” he looked at Nebula. “As much as I wish I could exorcise you right now, I will call your teacher due to the promise I made,” Sir Likard’s voice broke through my thoughts, his tone full of restrained venom.

A chance. He wasn’t going to start butchering us right away. He wanted to call Katheran first. His aura began to pulse, leaking out around him in waves. I could feel the shift in the air again. If enough of that power escaped, Katheran would notice. He’d lock his [Aetheris Eyes] onto this part of the forest, and he’d come rushing.

I clenched my fists. Should I take it…? I knew how Katheran’s power worked. His eyes weren’t omniscient. They didn’t give him a perfect view of the forest all at once—he had to scan the area, like shifting through a puzzle. The professor had likely been ignoring my group, thinking we could handle ourselves against low-tier monsters and focusing on other weaker students.

But Sir Likard’s aura was loud. He was actively trying to bait Katheran’s attention. The professor wouldn’t miss this, and if he came, he’d side with the Holy Knight.

It was over for Nebula if that happened.

My body tensed as I weighed the options. Waiting for Katheran would mean certain doom for Nebula, and at one point, if they suspected me and put me through further holy trials, I’d be exposed as well. Still, taking down Sir Likard wasn’t a simple task either.

The man was strong, too strong to take lightly. But if I do nothing… I glanced at Nebula. Her face was pale, fear flickering in her eyes as she stared at the Holy Knight.

“....” I couldn’t wait. If I wanted to act, I had to act now.

The decision made itself.

I channeled my Qi, the dark energy flowing through me like a flood breaking through a dam. I channeled the Qi properly, the technique responded with a surge of power, and a wave of darkness exploded out of me—light blinked away from the world.

[True Demon God Art: Eclipse of the Shadow Tyrant].

The world went dead. The fire, the smoke, the charred forest—all of it vanished in an instant, swallowed by the impenetrable blackness that stretched out in all directions. The shadows coiled around us, thick and suffocating, cutting off everything beyond this small pocket of existence.

It wasn’t just night; no, it was the absence of everything, although few sparks of flames remained.

I closed my eyes, all my senses focused on the Demonic Sphere. Nebula stiffened beside me, and I felt Solara’s soft gasp of surprise. Even Sir Likard faltered for a moment, the darkness catching him off guard. He let out a low grunt, his hand moving to his sword.

“What type of trick is this, vampire?” His voice echoed through the void, sharp and angry. He thought Nebula had done this. Good. Let him think that for now.

I moved silently through the shadows, using [Void Step] to close the distance between us in an instant. I appeared behind him, and the third form of my Fist Art burned in my veins. The power of a titan surged through me like an unstoppable force.

[True Demon Fist Art, Third Form: The Relentless Thunder of the Titan Ape]!

My fists shot forward, landing with a force that rattled my bones and sent shockwaves rippling through the air. The impact was immediate—Sir Likard’s armor buckled under the onslaught, the golden metal bending with each hit. The power of a Titan Ape within me was overwhelming, a raw, primal fury fueled the punch. The ground beneath us cracked, the sound of it lost in the thunderous echo of my blows.

Sir Likard roared in pain, his body staggering under the relentless attack, but he wasn’t beaten yet. His sword swung backward, cutting through the air with a deadly arc. I leaped back just in time, dodging the blade by inches.

“Holy Sword!” He shouted, and his sword flared with light, a sharp radiance that illuminated the area within the darkness.

Not good. The light only illuminated us four—the shadows remained on the forest as if this space had been cut off from the rest of the world. It was a space empty of any trees and even the dead monsters that littered the ground earlier. It was just us and darkness.

Sir Likard’s eyes finally fell on me, realizing it wasn’t Nebula attacking him. “You…?” His voice carried disbelief. “Why? Why would you betray your family’s honor for her? You’re engaged, yes, but—”

I didn’t let him finish. I moved again, closing the distance with a speed that left him momentarily stunned. My fists struck again, the Fist Art’s Third Form pounding through his armor. But even as I landed solid blows, there was a nagging realization at the back of my mind. This wasn’t enough. Sir Likard was strong, too strong to be taken down by raw power alone.

He wasn’t a typical Knight; he was a Holy Knight. A man who had been trained to purge demons and those like Nebula. Those like myself. His armor was too durable.

I yanked out the Demonic Dagger from my [Soul Storage]. I channeled the True Demon Sword Art’s Third Form into it, and it slashed across the armor harshly. The metals screeched against one another, and my senses felt a small scratch on the armor.

It’s not working. I could feel my control slipping, the strain of keeping the space of darkness active while attacking him full force. My Qi reserves were burning fast, and although I had inflicted damage, Sir Likard was far from done. I swung again.

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“Fool!” His sword came down again, faster this time, cutting through the air with power that made me step back instinctively.

The blade slammed against my demonic dagger, and the force of the impact sent a shockwave through my arms. I felt the dagger splinter, the blade cracking under the pressure. Shit.

That thing had saved my life a few times.

And it was destroyed from a single clash with that Holy Sword.

I jumped back, tossing aside the broken weapon and clenching my fists again. I was running out of options. My aura danced around me.

“You…” Sir Likard’s voice was low, his eyes narrowing as he studied me. He stared at the red smoke rising from my fists, the shattered demonic dagger. “You’re not human,” he muttered, disgust dripping from his words. “A disappointment to your grandfather’s name.”

His sword flared with holy light again, brighter this time, as if the intensity of his resolve had doubled. He had decided to take me seriously. “I will save your family’s honor by slaying you here today.”

I could feel Nebula’s gaze on my back, wide-eyed. She seemed more shocked than the Holy Knight seeing demonic energy leak out of me. I sighed. I should have just told her.

The darkness around us swirled, and I readied myself for what was to come.

****

The lightless forest smoldered around us, little ash and embers swirling in the air as if the world itself were suffocating.

Everything felt heavy—too heavy—a perfect match for my thoughts.

I could feel my Qi slipping through my fingers like sand, my breathing growing more labored as the battle dragged on. My muscles ached, the strain of keeping up with Sir Likard’s onslaught pushing my body to its limits. His strikes were powerful, and they were also precise and calculated.

He was trying his best to knock me out, but I felt that he wasn’t trying to kill me. If he did, without proving my demonic allegiance, my grandfather would destroy not only him but every church of his god too. That was just the kind of man my grandfather was. He must’ve been fearing the same, otherwise I couldn’t understand why he’d hold back.

Still, it didn’t mean things were easy for me. Sir Likard, this immovable bastion of holy light, was relentless.

His sword cut through the air with a brilliance that made the shadows around us seem darker, the divine glow of his blade carving arcs of light in every strike. I barely managed to parry with Demonic Qi, each block sending painful reverberations through my arms, as though the weight of his sword was crushing not just my body but my very will.

“You should’ve remained hidden in your place,” the Holy Knight sneered, his voice grating against the sound of dim crackling fires. His divine sword, shining with holy light, cut through the air with a searing glow.

I barely managed to block, but the sheer force behind his strikes sent shockwaves down my arms. My bones felt like they were on the verge of snapping.

“Iskandaar!” Solara shouted, yanking free the dagger from Nebula’s thigh pocket, as she flung it toward me. It was the short dagger that I had bought for Nebula.

I caught it, and immediately his sword came crashing down. I gritted my teeth, holding my dagger up just in time to deflect his next strike. The force knocked me back a few steps, my feet dragging across the dirt as I struggled to stay upright.

His divine aura was suffocating. It pressed down on me, choking the air from my lungs as though the heavens themselves had turned against me. To be fair, it must have been.

Another slash crashed into my defense, and the impact sent me hurtling into a tree, the bark cracking under the force. I hit the ground, the dagger tumbling far, blood trickling from the corner of my mouth.

“Weakling demon,” Sir Likard said, taking slow, deliberate steps toward me. His sword pulsed with divine energy, each step bringing that oppressive light closer. My light armor was cracked, and my Qi drained fast. His strikes were precise and relentless as if he could sense the ebbing strength in me.

I could barely catch my breath. I grumbled. I hadn’t underestimated him, but still, how was he so strong? He was barely hurt. I now realized how dangerous the Holy Knights were. Shit. Nebula was watching. Solara was watching. They couldn’t help; they might die if they tried. I couldn’t lose.

I tightened my grip on the hilt of my sword, and my thoughts raced. I can’t win by force, not against him. My mind flickered to the astral blade. Let’s see if this works. He can’t see it. He can’t block what he can’t sense.

I forced myself up, eyes locking onto Sir Likard as I activated [Astral Rend]. The invisible extension of my weapon hummed to life in my grip. And it was infused with [Soul Sever].

If his holy powers flickered for a moment like before, perhaps I’d have a higher chance. I gritted my teeth, faking a stumble, using the Demonic Sphere to sense Sir Likard’s next move. The Holy Knight surged forward, confident in his inevitable victory. His divine sword swung down, ready to cleave me in two.

No, he’s not trying to kill me. I hoped, and at the last moment, I dodged, feeling the light of his sword rush past my face. My feigned weakness had made him overconfident for a moment, and I saw a gap at that moment.

I struck back with the Astral Rend, slashing at his armor—for astral blades didn’t care about casual defense. It didn’t work. His holy light remained. After all, the chance of severing the connection was slim. I slashed again and then again, and right before he could push me back, the connection to the holy light flickered, where his divine aura briefly faltered.

Immediately I saw it—a crack in his power, a weakness. Sir Likard’s steps faltered for a second, his light dimming for the briefest of moments. That’s all I need.

Before he could recover, a long, demonic sword appeared from my Soul Storage, a blade I had acquired in the black market months ago. I wasn’t just sitting still in the last few months, even if my experience points were restricted.

A cursed weapon dripping with the energy of the Demon Realm appeared in my head. It wasn’t anything special, but it had bonus damage against holy magic.

[True Demon Sword Art, Third Form: Chaotic Requiem of the Hellfire Wasp]!

I swung it in a wide arc, aiming for the gap between his helmet and his armor, hoping to take the bastard’s head clean off. It should have worked, his holy connection had been disrupted for a moment, and it should have gone right through his neck.

But he grabbed my sword with his gloved hand.

I saw his jaw clench under his helmet as he glared at me. “Fool.” A blur.

Pain exploded in my shoulder. My mind blanked. I didn’t even see his counterattack until it was too late. His sword had flashed, and my arm was gone.

Just like that, from down my elbow, the mound of flesh fell with a light thud.

Blood sprayed from the stump, and I heard Nebula and Solara scream. The shock made my knees buckle, but I forced myself to stay upright, raising my good hand to stop them from interfering.

“It’s okay, stay bac-” I started, but Sir Likard kicked me in the chest. My ribs cracked, and I was sent sprawling across the ground, my demonic sword flying out of my grip. I coughed. My vision blurred from the pain, and I barely managed to push myself up on my elbow.

“Seems like this is the end,” Sir Likard said, his voice filled with cold satisfaction. “That was your sword hand. I was thinking of keeping you alive, but you’re too dangerous. I’ll end you, and your dead body should prove demonic enough.”

I coughed, blood splattering on the ground. The stump where my arm used to be burned with a searing pain that cut through my thoughts. No sword. No arm. No chance.

Hah, shit. I sighed, looking up. Sir Likard approached slowly as if savoring the moment. His aura radiated divine judgment, his sword raised high above my head. I could feel the cold edge of death closing in on me, but my mind regained sharpness.

…It seems everything followed the plan. The sacrifice was ready.

Sir Likard stood above me, his blade poised for the final strike. “May you burn in hell until the end of time, demon,” he muttered.

“...True Demon God Art,” I whispered against his words, my hazarded expression changing into a grin. “Curse of Defying Heaven.”

Flesh Explosion. The blood from my severed arm exploded into mist, thick and dark, wrapping around Sir Likard in an instant. He froze. His body tensed, his holy power flickering as if being drained away.

The curse latched onto his divine essence, corrupting it from the inside.

“What... is this?!” Sir Likard’s voice wavered with panic as his blood became tainted, turning against him. His sword dimmed the light sputtering. He was paralyzed.

I laughed through the pain, forcing myself to stand despite the loss of blood. It hurt, but this was the only path I could take to earn victory. I grabbed Nebula’s dagger from the ground and leaped forward, spinning high in the air, my legs coiled with demonic energy. I brought my foot down on his helmet with all the force I could muster.

The impact sent shockwaves through his skull, the metal caving under the pressure. His scream echoed through the burning forest as his neck crunched under the strain.

Before he could recover, I wielded the dagger, its blade gleaming in the flickering firelight. I huffed, switching my affinity to the other one beside the Star Affinity that created the Chaos Affinity. “[Destruction Affinity]!” I said, and without hesitation, I drove it into the gap between his helmet and his neck, burying it deep into his flesh.

A gurgling sound filled the air, and his skin shattered as if it were made out of glass. Sir Likard’s flesh chipped and cracked, and then his body went limp. He fell forward, collapsing face-first into the ground, blood pooling beneath him.

[You have slain Sir Likard the Mountain.]

[You’ve defeated an opponent far above your level.]

[Tremendous experience Points Gained.]

[You have leveled up.]

[You have leveled up.]

[You have leveled up.]

[You have leveled up.]

[You have leveled up.]

[You’ve reached Level 39!]

[You’ve unlocked an Ascension Quest!]

[You…]

I staggered, the world spinning around me as exhaustion hit me like a sledgehammer. My arm... my blood... I was losing too much.

The girls rushed to my side, Nebula’s eyes wide with shock and concern. “Iskandaar, you—”

I shook my head, falling to my knees. “I’m fine...” I wasn’t, but I couldn’t let myself pass out just yet. There was still stuff to do.

The world grew dim around me, the smell of blood and burning wood filling the air. My eyelids felt heavy, but I forced them open. I couldn’t afford to rest yet.

I had won, but now I had to deal with the dead body and the consequences of killing a Holy Knight. The smoke of the forest blurred our surroundings as the three of us fell silent in a rhythm of panting.