I focus, calling up my UI to scan them. The translucent screen flickers into existence before my eyes, analyzing their stats.

  [SYSTEM SCAN...]

  The one-horned demon’s information appears instantly, clear as day.

  [Name]: ???

  [Race]: Greater Demon

  [Class]: Mage

  [Level]: 92

  [STATS]

  [STRENGTH]: 289

  [VITALITY]: 310

  [AGILITY]: 255

  [ENDURANCE]: 278

  [DEXTERITY]: 240

  [MANA]: 524

  [Skills]:

  — ???

  — ???

  — ???

  My stomach twists. Those numbers are ridiculous. This guy could kill an entire adventurer squad on his own.

  Then I shift my gaze to the spear-wielding figure and attempt to scan him.

  [SYSTEM SCAN...]

  Nothing.

  [ERROR: Unable to Analyze Target.]

  I try again. The UI flickers, struggling. Then—

  [WARNING: Target's power level exceeds scanning threshold.]

  Cold sweat drips down my back.

  The one-horned demon was already terrifying, but this spear-wielding figure? He’s on another level entirely. Even my UI refuses to process him.

  The spear-wielding demon tilts his head slightly, as if noticing my attempt to scan him. His golden eyes lock onto mine.

  I freeze.

  A silent pressure crashes down on me. My breath is stolen, my muscles lock, and for a brief second, it feels like I’m being dragged into an abyss just by his gaze alone.

  Then he speaks.

  “You can see stats?” His voice is eerily calm, almost… curious.

  Shit.

  I didn’t answer him. I tried focusing on the one-horned demon—even though I could read its stats, the gap between us was massive. I’m nowhere near his level… What do I do?

  Before I could even react, the hornless demon disappeared from sight.

  Fast—!

  A crushing force slammed into my chest, pain exploding through my body as I was sent hurtling backward. The world blurred past me as I crashed through stone walls and wooden beams, buildings crumbling around me like paper.

  By the time I stopped, my body lay motionless amidst the wreckage.

  I couldn't breathe. My vision flickered. My thoughts slowed.

  I lost… just like that?

  Darkness crept into the edges of my sight. My mind drifted.

  Where… am I?

  A deafening silence followed. My body felt weightless, floating in an abyss of nothingness.

  Am I dead?

  No… If I were dead, I wouldn’t still be thinking. But my body—my body refused to move. I couldn't even feel it. Just an overwhelming emptiness.

  Then, a voice.

  Soft, distant, almost like a whisper inside my skull.

  [SYSTEM WARNING: CRITICAL DAMAGE SUSTAINED]

  A faint blue glow flickered in the void—my UI. It was barely functioning, the text sluggish, glitching in and out.

  [SYSTEM RECOMMENDATION: IMMEDIATE RECOVERY REQUIRED]

  Recovery? How? I couldn't even tell if I had a body anymore.

  My mind swam through the fog of unconsciousness, grasping at anything. Something.

  A sound.

  A distant thud.

  Then another. Louder. Closer. A rhythmic pounding, shaking the void itself.

  No… it wasn’t the void. It was the ground.

  My body.

  I gasped. Air rushed into my lungs like fire. The weight of reality slammed back into me, and suddenly—I felt everything. The pain. The broken bones. The blood soaking my clothes.

  I was back.

  And I wasn't alone.

  A towering shadow loomed over me. As my vision cleared, I saw him. The hornless demon.

  Still standing. Still watching.

  He tilted his head, his crimson eyes gleaming with amusement.

  "You survived." His voice dripped with something almost like curiosity. "Good. I was worried I might’ve killed you too quickly."

  I gritted my teeth, forcing my body to move. Every muscle screamed, but I refused to stay down.

  He smirked. "Oh? You still have fight left in you?" He twirled his spear effortlessly, the rings at the end of it clinking softly. "Then show me, human. Show me why I should let you live."

  He hurls the spear with terrifying force, the sheer power behind it tearing through the air like a thunderclap. Before I can react, a shockwave follows in its wake, shaking the ground beneath me.

  I hear the sound of houses crumbling in the distance, structures torn apart just from the force of his throw. But what I don’t hear—what I don’t feel—is my left arm being severed.

  It’s just… gone.

  [SYSTEM WARNING: REGENERATION NOT ENOUGH. FOCUSING ON BLOOD LOSS.]

  The notification blares in my mind, but my body is too numb to process the pain. Blood pours from the open wound, soaking my side, pooling at my feet. My vision darkens at the edges. My body sways.

  The hornless demon tilts his head, watching me struggle. A slow smirk creeps onto his face. "Come on," he taunts, stepping forward. "What happened? You were standing so tall just moments ago." His voice is smooth, mocking. "Don’t tell me that’s it?"

  I grit my teeth, my breathing ragged. My legs feel like they could give out at any moment.

  "Move."

  "Stay conscious."

  But my body isn’t listening.

  The demon lets out a disappointed sigh. "Tch. And here I thought you’d at least put up a fight." He lifts a hand, fingers curling. "Guess I’ll have to push you a little harder."

  I blink rapidly, trying to stay upright. My right hand digs into the dirt, barely holding me up. The world around me spins, the distant screams of people growing faint.

  I can’t die here.

  Not yet.

  I force a breath through clenched teeth, my remaining arm trembling as I reach for C13314. My vision flickers, but I manage to summon my UI.

  I still have one good arm.

  And I still have [Weapon Transfiguration].

  Before I can even activate [Weapon Transfiguration], the Archdemon is already upon me. His movements are terrifyingly fast—one second he's standing a few feet away, the next he's right in front of me, his fists crashing into my body like a relentless storm.

  Each impact sends shockwaves through my bones. I don’t even have time to react as he barrages me with blows, flinging me from one end of the town to the other. Buildings shatter. Streets crack under the force of my body being thrown like a ragdoll.

  I can’t do anything.

  I struggle to move, but before I can even process my next action, he’s already there—grabbing me by the face and slamming me into the ground with enough force to send debris flying. The pain is unbearable. My vision flickers. My consciousness begins to fade.

  Then, a cold, mechanical voice cuts through the darkness—

  [SYSTEM ALERT: HEALTH CRITICAL]

  A sharp, blaring sound jolts me back. My body feels like it's been torn apart, but the system doesn't care—it only registers my condition as dire.

  [SYSTEM ALERT: Activating 0-01]

  The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

  A faint warmth spreads through me. I can still fight—

  [SYSTEM]

  Activating: 0-01

  Condition: Health below 10% (Critical Status)

  Effect: Regenerates 5% of total health per second for 10 seconds (50%)

  But then—

  [SYSTEM: ERROR]

  [SYSTEM: ERROR]

  [SYSTEM: ERROR]

  More alerts flood my vision. My heart pounds.

  [SYSTEM - 0-01 FAILURE: CONTINUOUS DAMAGE IS PREVENTING HEALING.]

  I grit my teeth. What?! It’s not working. The regeneration isn’t enough—his attacks are too fast, too strong. My body isn’t getting the chance to recover.

  The ground trembles as the Archdemon steps closer, his heavy boots crushing the stone beneath him. His spear crackles with dark energy, glowing ominously as he spins it effortlessly in his hand.

  “Come on,” he sneers, his voice filled with amusement. “What happened? You were talking so big earlier. Keep me entertained.”

  I struggle to lift myself up, but my arms give out. Blood drips from my forehead into my eyes, blurring my vision.

  I’m out of options. Out of time.

  And he’s not done yet.

  The one-horned demon sneers, his voice laced with amusement. "Hey! You're taking all the fun for yourself."

  The Archdemon doesn't even spare him a glance, his crimson eyes still locked onto me. "Shut up and keep casting your spells," he orders, voice sharp. "If you fail to keep them out, you're dead."

  For the first time, I glance past the one-horned demon—toward the edges of the battlefield. There’s a strange pressure in the air, like something unseen is trying to break through. The ground hums with foreign energy, tendrils of black mist slithering across the streets.

  I don’t know who ‘they’ are… but if this bastard is worried about them, then they’re a problem for him—which means they might be my only chance.

  I force myself onto my knees, my breath ragged. My left arm is still missing, blood dripping onto the shattered stone beneath me. My regeneration is stalled. My body is breaking down.

  But I can’t die.

  Not yet.

  but what can I do? I cant move, if I can feel the pain right now I would have probably been dead.

  I hope Yuna is safe...

  A drop of something watery lands on my face. Blood? Rain? I can barely tell.

  “Hey, boss, why are you lying on the ground? And—uhh, where’s your arm?” Varis asks, casually licking his lollipop like we’re not in the middle of a massacre.

  The demons turn their attention to him, their eyes gleaming with intrigue.

  "Boss?" The one-horned demon tilts his head. "So you're a slave owner? You enslave children?" His voice drips with mockery before twisting into something far darker. "You humans are even worse than us."

  I try to respond, but my throat tightens. Much worse? They’re slaughtering people—burning down homes—for what? Some twisted sense of justice? Entertainment?

  Before I can even attempt to move, the one-horned demon begins murmuring under his breath, his fingers tracing eerie symbols in the air.

  A chilling force takes hold of Varis, lifting him off the ground. His eyes widen as he kicks and thrashes, but it’s no use. He’s floating—dangling—like an insect caught in an invisible web.

  The demon’s voice booms.

  "SUFFOCATE!"

  Varis gasps. His hands fly to his throat, clawing at nothing as his body convulses midair. His lollipop drops, shattering against the bloodstained cobblestone.

  "Just continue chanting. I'll handle this," the archdemon says, his voice cold and final.

  Varis, still floating midair, blinks. His expression remains blank for a moment before he tilts his head. "Ohhh, I get it now."

  The air around him distorts. A crimson aura erupts from his body, and with a sudden crack, the invisible force holding him in place shatters. He lands on the ground effortlessly, rolling his shoulders. The lollipop in his mouth shifts as he grins, revealing sharp teeth.

  "Boss, I'm gonna go kill that guy now," he says casually, pointing at the one-horned demon still chanting.

  The archdemon steps forward, placing himself between Varis and his target. "Tch. You’re not going anywhere."

  "Eh?" Varis pouts. "Move."

  The archdemon doesn’t.

  Varis' legs bend slightly. Then—

  BOOM!

  He explodes forward, the ground beneath him cratering from sheer force. His claws lash out, aiming straight for the one-horned demon’s exposed throat—

  CLANG!

  A shockwave ripples through the battlefield.

  The archdemon’s armored hand catches Varis’ strike at the last second, stopping him cold. For a brief moment, their eyes meet.

  Then—

  CRACK!

  Varis' knee slams into the archdemon’s ribs, sending him skidding backward. The archdemon retaliates instantly, swinging his fist at blinding speed, but Varis ducks—his movements unnatural, primal, almost instinctive.

  The two disappear in a flurry of movement, their battle tearing through the ruined streets. Buildings collapse in their wake, the sheer impact of their blows sending shockwaves through the air.

  Despite the archdemon’s overwhelming strength—

  Varis is keeping up.

  The archdemon clicks his tongue, adjusting his stance. "Not bad, kid. But you're still too slow."

  Varis grins, baring his sharp teeth. "Then I just gotta get faster."

  He lunges forward again, his claws tearing through the air. The archdemon meets him head-on, their strikes colliding with explosive force. Each impact sends shockwaves through the streets, cracking stone and shattering windows.

  Varis twists mid-air, feinting a strike before driving his knee into the archdemon’s side. The demon barely blocks in time, skidding back from the force. Before he can recover, Varis is already on him again, relentless, his movements unpredictable and wild.

  The one-horned demon glances over while chanting, his expression amused. "He’s actually keeping up with you? How embarrassing."

  The archdemon growls. "Shut up and keep casting."

  Varis doesn’t give him a moment to breathe. He swings low, aiming to take out the archdemon’s legs, but the demon leaps back. Without hesitation, Varis closes the gap, clawing at his throat.

  The archdemon counters with a brutal elbow to the chest, but Varis barely flinches, twisting his body to absorb the impact. His hand lashes out, catching the demon’s wrist in a vice grip.

  For the first time, the archdemon’s expression shifts—mild surprise.

  Varis tightens his hold. "You're strong," he admits, his grin widening. "But so am I."

  With a burst of strength, he throws the archdemon straight into a collapsed building. The rubble explodes outward from the impact, dust and debris filling the air.

  Varis turns, his eyes locking onto the one-horned demon. "Alright, now it’s your turn."

  But before he can take a step, a black blur shoots out from the rubble.

  The archdemon, faster than before.

  Varis barely has time to react before a fist slams into his gut, hard. His vision blurs as he’s sent flying, crashing through several buildings before rolling to a stop.

  The archdemon dusts himself off, cracking his neck. "That was fun," he admits, stepping forward. "But playtime’s over."

  The archdemon exhales, shaking out his shoulders as the dust settles around him. Behind him, the rings on his spear begin to glow, pulsing with an ominous energy. Slowly, deliberately, he reaches back and grabs one. The moment his fingers wrap around it, the air trembles with raw power.

  "You’re strong, I’ll give you that," he muses, tightening his grip on the ring. "But I didn’t come here to play fair."

  With a sharp crack, he snaps the ring in half.

  The shattered fragments dissolve into dark energy, surging into his body like liquid fire. His veins glow faintly beneath his skin, his muscles tensing as if infused with something beyond mortal comprehension.

  The very air shifts.

  A heavy pressure bears down on the battlefield. Varis, mid-recovery, feels his knees almost buckle from the sheer weight of it. His instincts scream—something is wrong.

  The archdemon rolls his shoulders, letting out a breath that turns into a swirling mist of black energy. "This one enhances my speed," he says with a smirk. "Let's see if you can keep up now."

  And then—he disappears.

  Varis barely has time to react before a crushing force slams into his ribs. He’s sent skidding back, his claws digging into the ground to slow himself.

  But the moment he stops, another blow lands. This time, his stomach.

  Varis gasps, the impact sending him airborne. The archdemon is already above him, his spear spinning in his grip. In a blur, he slams the blunt end into Varis’ back, sending him crashing into the ground below.

  The force leaves a crater.

  Varis groans, forcing himself up, but another kick sends him rolling across the battlefield. His body feels heavy—too heavy. His vision swims.

  "Damn it…"

  The archdemon doesn’t relent. His attacks are now everywhere, his speed turning him into a phantom of death. Each time Varis tries to counter, the demon is already gone, striking from another direction.

  Varis spits out blood, his breathing ragged. His body is struggling to keep up, his regeneration slowing from the continuous damage.

  "This is bad."

  He braces himself, trying to predict the next attack, but it never comes. Instead, the archdemon stands a few feet away, rolling his shoulders. "Tiring already?" he taunts. "I was hoping you’d last a little longer."

  Varis grits his teeth, pushing himself up despite the pain. I just need to buy time.

  But before he can act—

  A deafening crack shatters the sky.

  The archdemon and the one-horned demon both stop, their attention snapping toward the city’s center. A pulse of energy rips through the air, distorting everything in its path.

  And then—

  The barrier breaks.

  Like glass shattering under immense force, the golden dome protecting the invading demons bursts, its fragments disintegrating into nothingness.

  A powerful presence surges forward, and from the remnants of the broken barrier, a lone figure steps through.

  A hunter.

  No—an SSS-class hunter.

  Their aura alone is suffocating, the sheer weight of their presence eclipsing even the archdemon’s oppressive power.

  The one-horned demon’s expression darkens. "Tch… I knew this would happen if we took too long."

  The hunter cracks their knuckles. "So, which one of you bastards dies first?"

  The hunter wasn’t alone. From what I could see, there was a girl, a massive man built like a fortress, a priest—or at least, someone who looked like one—and a lone figure standing eerily still. Their presence felt different, almost unnatural, yet the most unsettling part was that all of them wore masks.

  Were they hiding their identities? Or was there another reason?

  The archdemon let out a mocking chuckle, resting his spear on his shoulder. "Pft… You think you can kill me with just four people? I have an army," he sneered, stretching out his arms as if presenting the carnage around him. "And this is all you bring?"

  As if on cue, the demons that had been scattered throughout the town began emerging from the rubble, their grotesque forms moving through the smoke and debris. Their eyes gleamed with malice as they closed in from all sides, the sheer number of them overwhelming.

  I gritted my teeth. I still couldn’t move. Damn it. And here I thought I was supposed to be the protagonist.

  Then, a soft hum filled the air.

  Small orbs of golden light flickered into existence, dancing around the masked priest like fireflies. A second later, those orbs shot forward, transforming into thin, radiant beams that tore through the darkness.

  The demons didn’t even have time to scream. In an instant, they were annihilated.

  A thick silence followed, the tension heavier than ever.

  "You and what army?" the priest said calmly, lowering his hand.

  The one-horned demon had barely managed to cast a barrier in time, his face twisted in frustration as he glanced at the cracks forming on the surface of his spell.

  The archdemon, however, simply stood there, his body riddled with holes—holes that were already closing, steam rising from his skin as his regeneration worked in overdrive. He looked down at his wounds, then let out a deep, pleased chuckle.

  "This is gonna be fun," he smirked, rolling his shoulders.

  But before anyone could make a move, another figure appeared.

  A masked man, lean and tall, stepping out of the shadows with effortless grace. In his hand, he held a sword, its edge gleaming under the flickering light of the ruined town.

  He stopped a few feet away from the others, his posture relaxed but his presence suffocating. There was no mistaking it—whoever this was, they weren’t just some bystander.

  Then, he spoke.

  "Let me handle this, Ravyn," he said, his voice calm yet absolute.

  Ravyn? Who the hell was Ravyn?

  The battle raged on, the clash of steel and bursts of magic echoing through the ruined streets. I could hear them speaking, their voices cutting through the chaos, but their words were distant—subtle, like whispers slipping through cracks in my consciousness. I couldn't focus on them, couldn't move, couldn't even force my body to react.

  All I could do was think.

  And stare at the sky.

  The smoke rising from the burning town twisted into the air, staining the heavens with dark, curling shapes. Beyond it, the stars still shone, distant and unaffected, as if this battle—this nightmarish invasion—was nothing more than a flicker in the vast, uncaring universe.

  It was strange. Despite everything, the sky remained the same. Peaceful. Infinite. Unbothered by the destruction below.

  I clenched my teeth.

  I hated this feeling.

  Being powerless. Being nothing while others fought. While others bled.

  Move.

  Get up.

  But my body refused.

  Varis stood over me, grinning, his mouth moving as he spoke—but no sound reached me. His expression was bright, relieved even, as if everything was fine. As if I wasn’t lying in a pool of my own blood, unable to move.

  I wanted to respond, to ask what he was saying, but my body refused to listen.

  Then, another figure appeared. A girl.

  She stepped into view, her presence inexplicably soothing. Just being near her dulled the pain, like a gentle wave washing over my broken body. The chaos around me—the battle, the distant screams, the crumbling buildings—it all faded into the background.

  For the first time since this nightmare began, I felt… safe.

  But before I could focus on her face, before I could even try to speak—

  Darkness swallowed me whole.