Heavy black clouds began to blanket the sky, as the last of the moonlight began to disappear. The surrounding area looked even more eerie as the darkness covered everything from miles.

A drop of sweat ran down my temple, as I looked at the demon standing on the ground with poise. All the wounds over his body had healed, and a wide grin was covering his face.

“I know that's not the best you can do,” the demon mused, studying Master. “Just use your full strength, and entertain me more.”

Master lifted his chin, not flinching away from his unnerving gaze or any words. Instead, he withdrew his sword back in the sheath and straightened his posture.

I saw a breath-taking white glow, shroud Master’s body, as his hair lightly lifted above his forehead. His eyes glowed with a majestic pulse of mana as the ground around him quaked.

“I guess I have to fight seriously for once,” Master said, as the mana around him surged and his veins bulged. He firmed his grip over the hilt and took a stance.

He pulled his katana backwards, and brought it down to waist level.

I quickly understood what he was about to do. I wrapped my arm around Klen, and dashed forward. My leg almost gave out, as it still felt numb. But I ran regardless.

I let go of Klen and both of us ducked down.

An oppressive gust of wind, blew all around the area, as a moment later, a blinding white light emanated from Master, and soon afterwards I heard a subtle clicking noise echo in my ears.

I lifted my head, and saw that the demon had taken flight again, but his right arm was missing, and his left side had a big wound through which black blood was spewing out.

But the thing which surprised me the most was, that the ground where the demon was standing previously, was split apart. A big crack had appeared on the ground, which stretched for at least a mile.

Master took a deep breath and lifted his chin to look up at the demon.

“Hehe... Good thing I came here instead of Ashmedai,” the demon chuckled as his face twisted with a devilish smug. “Or else he would have had all the fun to himself.”

I was always astound, whenever Master used the Crescent Moon Style. His control and ability to make hundred percent use of the movements were leagues above me. Even if Master had taught me the Crescent Moon Style, I still couldn’t execute them as beautifully and precisely as he could. I still had a lot to learn.

Soon the demon shot toward Master like a falling meteor. His arm regenerated as his body burst with a crimson aura.

Master put pressure over his calves, and dug his feet deep in the ground. Soon he shot toward the demon and both of them again clashed.

The ground beneath Master cracked and a small crater formed in the ground.

The demon threw an endless barrage of japs at Master, but he dodged each one of them and countered with a horizontal slash, soon following a vertical slash.

The area around them was getting destroyed, as they continued fighting.

The demon spun around Master, and kicked at his back. A shockwave shook the air, as the demon’s leg came closer and closer to Master.

But with a twirl, Master intercepted his roundhouse by bringing his katana forward.

A shockwave resounded in the air as Master and demon clashed. As soon as the demon attacked, Master would keep on intercepting.

But his breathing was becoming heavier. Unlike demons, we human didn’t have monstrous regenerative capabilities. So there was a limit to how much we could fight.

Master spun over his heel, and propelled his katana at the demon. The demon kicked back and with a summersault, vertically kicked downwards at him.

Master brought his free hand up, and blocked. But he was pushed back many steps.

The demon again giggled. “More... more... give me more human.”

I heard a thunderclap in the distance as there battle continued. The blanket of clouds became thicker as both of them flew and fought in the air.

I needed to do something, anything. In a way that I could to help Master.

But I would simply be in the way? That demon was one of the highest ranked demons in the demon king’s army. But I knew if anyone could defeat him, it was Master.

“Shun, I’ll be going back to the base,” Keln said from my side. “What about you?”

My gaze drifted away from Master, toward Klen.

But as if he had read my mind, he spoke. “Alright, but be careful.”

I nodded my head, and replied, “yeah, you too.”

Soon Klen withdrew his daggers from his dimensional ring—which he was wore over his thumb—and dashed in the direction of the base. His injuries had healed enough for him to fight now.

I was pushed back a step, as the oppressive gust of wind blew past me. I snapped my head back at the ongoing battle.

With a sudden twist, Master spun in the air, making himself as aerodynamic as possible.

He circulated the mana inside his body, and slashed vertically downstairs.

His katana connected to the demon's shoulder, and it cut through his flesh. A frown flashed across the demon's face, as the edged blade of the katana, ripped through his flesh.

But the demon had shot his arm forward, and in an animalistic manner he pierced Master’s eye.

“Master!!!” I shouted as I tried to step closer to them. But I was pushed back by the oppressive aura they were releasing.

Master kicked back and created some distance. But the demon was already over him.

Blood dripped from the big wound which covered the left side of Master’s face. His left eye now blinded, but his ability to fight was not effected much.

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The demon's regeneration had also slowed down. Staining his left side with a dull black.

Master waved his hand and several translucent swords came to life behind the demon. The sword burned with power, as the air shook around them.

In a moment, all of them launched at the demon.

I activated Mind’s Eye and scanned the demon’s body, searching for his core.

The demon twisted his torso and dodged the incoming swords, but, Master waved his index finger sideways, and soon the swords drifted, turned and changed their trajectory.

The demon lightly groaned, as all of the swords pierced through his body. But the just as the swords thrust his body, they imploded, and the demon was engulfed within the flames caused by the implosion.

The demon crashed into the ground, as the flames ate away at his body.

I took this moment and approached Master.

“Master are you okay?” I asked. But his condition was everything but okay.

I looked at the wound over his left side, as blood dripped down his face.

“I was really thirsty for a battle like this,” the demon’s voice echoed from the flames which burned twenty metres away. “And thanks to you, I can finally fight with all of my strength.”

The flames died down, and the demon stepped forward. With a heavy ringing, a shockwave ran passed my body, as Master pulled my body downward, and thrust his sword forward at the demon who had appeared before us now.

I was pushed back, and Master took a few steps back as well.

He gasped for air, as he locked eyes with the demon.

I snapped my head at Master and opened my mouth to speak. “Master you remember about my skill, Mind’s Eye?”

He thought for a second before replying, “Yeah...”

“I saw the demon’s core and its moving between his sternum and solar plexus,” I spoke. “But it’s changing position every minute in those two specific places. And right now its in the solar plexus, but in ten more seconds it will change its position again...”

Master’s brows knit together, as he sternly spoke. “Shun you better move away from here. I am going to end this battle.”

“Be careful Old Man,” I said as I stepped away from him.

Then he pulled his katana back into the sheath. The mana around him started to converge towards his sword, like a vortex sucking everything into it.

Soon his sword was enveloped with a blinding black glow, as every noise in the area hushed. Master’s breathing became calm.

I could see the veins over Master’s arm feriously bulge, as the mana around him surged and the air cracked with a subtle lightning.

The demon pulled his body into a stance and released all of his strength. Master and the demon’s aura collided, which shook the ground beneath their feet.

Master pulled his katana out of his sheath, and as soon as he did, a black veil covered everything around them, enveloping him and the demon inside it. I held my breath as I saw, the final movement of the Crescent Moon Style.

NIGHT LESS NIGHT!

A loud flesh cutting noise echoed in my ears as I directed my gaze forward. The black veil lifted and I saw Master and the demon standing close to each other.

Master’s Katana had pierced through the demon’s sternum, and I saw a shining small orb stuck to the edge of his blade.

The orb—demon’s core—cracked from many places, and fissures appeared all over its surface. A moment later it turned to dust.

But my eyes shot wide open, as I saw that the demon’s arm had thrust through Master’s solar plexus. My body began to shake as I couldn't believe what my eyes were seeing.

Master spat a mouthful of blood as he looked at the demon with his single remaining eye.

“That was a magnificent... movement human,” the demon weakly said.

Soon his body turned to dust and he died.

Master lifted his chin to look up, but his body gave out and he plummeted on the ground.

“Master!!!” I desperately shouted as I reached him.

I put my hand above his wound through blood was gushing out like a stream. I tried to cover it, tired to stop the bleeding.

“Master... oy, Master,” I shouted as I looked for potions inside my ring. But I didn’t have any left.

His breathing was getting shallow. My heartbeat quickened as I looked inside Master’s dimensional ring, but even he didn’t have any potions left either.

“Hey kid,” Master said.

I snapped my head and looked at him. “Everything's going to be alright, okay,” I desperately cried out as I held his body in my arms.

“I’m sorry,” Master said.

A weird shiver ran through my body as I heard Master’s weak voice.

“What the hell... are you talking about?” I said. My voice trembling with panic.

“Remember when you called me Father onc—!” Blood spat out of his mouth, as he continued. “A-And you got so embarrassed that you didn’t call me that again.”

My lips trembled, as I felt my heart being ripped apart.

“Father... Father... Father,” I cried out, embracing his cold body. “I'll call you that anytime you want, so please just hold on a little longer.”

I heard a loud thunderclap, soon which followed a cloudburst. The cold rain fell over us, as I looked down at Master’s dying body.

“Tell Takeru... I’m sorry I-I couldn’t make it back.”

“No, I won’t, because we both will go home together, alright.” My voice quavered as I spoke.

A weak smile flashed across Master’s face as he opened his mouth to speak. “That day when I p-picked you up from the streets.... was the best d-decision I had made in my life."

His voice felt weak, distant. My mind was filled with panic. I couldn’t even tell what kind of expression I was making right now.

“And... I better not... see you up t-there.”

I was desperate.

“Shun...,” Master whispered.

Soon he took the last of his breaths in my arms. His eyes shut closed, as I just kept on embracing his cold body. My breathing hardened. My eyes got heavier. All the energy inside my body left.

“Oy, wake up,” I lightly shook Master’s body, as I felt warm tears trickle down my cheeks. “Say something, anything... please.” I pleaded over his dead body. “Fujimoto’s going to get mad at you. I’ll get made at you, so please open you eyes.”

“Please don’t leave me.” My lips trembled as my throat dried up.

My heart hurt. It hurt so much. It felt like it had been pierced by some sharp object.

I didn’t know I could feel such pain, such excruciating pain.

Tears streamed down my cheeks and blurred my vision. I couldn't breathe, as I felt the torrent of emotions raging inside me like a storm. Ripping me apart.

I clinged to Master’s body, like how a cub does to its mother. I felt a lump stuck inside my throat. Not one word came out.

‘Please come back. Please say something. Anything.’ But those words never came.

I simply cried, wrapping my arms around his body as tightly as I could. The cold rain continued to fall over us.

The world around me still moved on. But I felt stuck in this moment of grieving and loss. Master had a soft smile over his face. Which caused my heart to twist even more.

I finally understood after losing the most precious person in my life. What real grief was. What real sorrow was. What real pain was.

The physical pain of my body felt superficial. My emotions wrecked havoc inside me. Eating away at my very sanity.

The fiery claws, which were my emotions, clawed at my throat, gripping and tightly twisting my insides.

The person I was the most indebted to. Who fed me, gave me a roof to cover my head, showed me warmth, loved me like his own son.

Right now I was embracing that same person's cold body in my arms.

“—aster!!!”

My voice came out weaker than I had expected, which was muffled by the heavy rainfall.

My mind was clouded by rage, of my own powerlessness for not being able to save Master. My body trembled, as I cried like a little kid.

“MASTER......” I screamed, letting out all of those emotions. Allowing myself to breakdown. Allowing those emotions to tear me apart.

“Ahaaaaaaaaa.....”

***

I sprung up on the bed which I was laid in, and caught my breath, which came in hard gasps. I felt tears streaming down my eyes, as I took a moment to understand what was going on.

After taking a few minutes to calm myself down, I was finally able to comprehend reality from dream.

“How long has it been since I saw those memories?” I thought as a sorrowful expression covered my face.

I placed my hand over my face, and a moment later wiped my reddened eyes. But the tears kept on falling, soaking the blanket which was placed over my body.

Even to this day, I still couldn’t come to forgive myself for Master’s death.

On the day Master died, something within me died alongside him. I think it was a part of my sanity.

I felt a long sigh coming, but held it back.

No, those memories are of the past. They are still alive. I can still change their fate.

The sharp aching pain and numbness I felt throughout my body made me groan in pain. I couldn’t perfectly feel my left arm.

My left arm was covered in bandages, and my body ached with a bone-deep fatigue.

I took a deep breath and leaned against the bed. I didn’t perfectly remember what had happened after I had teleported using my skill, alongside Jiyoung. My memories after that were a little foggy.

I directed my gaze toward the room. I guess I was in one of the rooms in the medical facility.

“So the bombs didn’t detonate,” I said as a smile crept up my lips.

Suddenly the door of the room opened with a soft hum, as two people stepped inside.

“J-Ji...woo...”

It was Jihye and Jiyoung.

“Hey,” I waved my hand at them and Jihye burst into tears, as she rushed to my side and hugged me.