As a small elite squad under the supervision of the false Demon King, led by General Gonro, entered deeper into the jungle belonging to the indigenous jungle people, their minds were prepared to face whatever their enemies had in store for them.They had been given enough training to be able to defeat ordinary men who lived in the jungle with little or no mana to boast of. It was a wonder why the new Demon lord hasn't tried to take over their lands.While watching his men get to work of clearing a path for them to pass through, Gonro's eyes burned with determination. He used his intelligence to properly instruct his soldiers to fan out and search for their targets, Abron and Skr'll."The traitor Skr'll must be found and brought to justice. Make sure you do whatever you can to capture her alive," Gonro commanded, his voice cold and authoritative. "And as for Abron...he will suffer for his betrayal."The soldiers nodded in understanding, their faces set in cold determination as they set
Gonro's powerful wave of weakening magic swept through the jungle, affecting all within its wide range including Nicolas, Lou-ra, and the jungle king."What was that?" Lou-ra asked as she looked around the room, wondering where such familiar magic had come from.Nicolas shook his head, unable to identify the true direction of the darkness he felt a few seconds ago.They all felt its effects ripple through the air like a dark omen. Unlike the residents of the jungle, Nicolas and Lou-ra remained unaffected, their strength unshaken by the dark forces at work.The jungle king and his men collapse to the ground, weak from whatever attack flew towards them.Nicolas rushed to help him up. He could feel the jungle king wasn't as strong as he had been earlier. Something ominous was at play."There might be a problem. This is unsual" He said.Lou-ra's eyes started to one of the servants who was also affected. She watched as the small girl's skin begin to go pale and peel off."This is more than
As the battle raged on around them, Nicolas and Gonro faced off in a fierce duel, their eyes staring at each other, waiting to see who would attack first."Gonro, it's been awhile" Lou-ra said,her resentment towards Gonro evident in her countenance.Gonro snarled as he shook his head."It's General Gonro to you" He replied."I see you've finally been given the position you so shamelessly begged for" Lou-ra said.Gonro frowned. He hated the tone Lou-ra was using with him."I didn't beg for this, I earned it" He replied.Lou-ra let out a small laugh."Keep telling yourself that if it helps you sleep better at night, that's if you're not still warming the bed of your fake Demon King" Lou-ra snickered as she watched Gonro's blood boil.Nicolas eyed him suspiciously. He could tell from merely looking at him that his power level was on the high side. Due to the fact that his mana had not fully recovered, he didn't stand a chance against Gonro, but he was prepared to do all it takes to defe
The loud sounds of swords clashing and screams of death caused Skr'll to slowly regained consciousness in the dim confines of the jungle people's sickbay.As she opened her eyes, she felt a sense of disorientation come over her. Her head throbbed with pain, and her body felt heavy and sluggish as she struggled to make sense of her surroundings.The last thing she remembered was fighting Hero Hinnel with Demon Lord Abron then getting pierced by an attack she had not seen coming.She wished she had been strong enough to sense such a attack from a mile off. She would need to get stronger if she hoped of being able to fight alongside Demon Lord Abron.With a groan, she pushed herself upright, blinking away the remnants of sleep as she tried to focus her thoughts. Her head was still scrambled into various pieces that it made her unable to think properly. She could feel her weakness and it more than irritated her than waking up in an unknown place."Where am I?" She asked herself.She turn
"Had enough?" Gonro asked as he watched Nicolas fall on one knee.He waited to see if Nicolas would be strong enough to continue his futile attempt to stop him. Nicolas scoffed at his words. There was no way he was going to give up until he was sure he has finally defeated Gonro. If his soliders saw that Gonro has been defeated then they would definitely retreat. He might as well kill two birds with one stone.Nicolas gathered the blood spilled on the ground and used it to form a longer and firmer sword than the one he had used earlier.Due to the fact that his new sword was mostly made from the blood of the jungle people, it's colour was dark green. It's glow made it seem like a weapon belonging to a villain in one of his video games."You think just one wound is enough to stop me?" Nicolas slowly stood up on his feet. "Come on, give me your best shot."Lou-ra stared at Nicolas in awe. She has always been impressed with how resilient he was. That was one of the things she admired de
Gonro's mind was filled with utter darkness as he struggled to make sense of the surreal scene unfolding before him. He stood within the depths of Nicolas's consciousness, his senses overwhelmed by the suffocating darkness that surrounded him. And there, standing before him, was the visage of Demon King Abron, the same Demon he had been fighting several seconds again.Gonro had heard about Demons that were able to use a type of magic where they carried their opponents into a space which they had complete power over, but It had only been in books."What is this place?" Gonro muttered to himself as he stared around."You do not bow before your king when you enter his presence?" Abron asked.Abron eyes Gonro cautiously. He had tried him right from when he was still a teenager. It wasn't a surprise he inflicted several injuries on Nicolas, it showed he remembered everything he had taught him.But still, it was an outrage that he had decided to join his enemies to soil his name and treat
As Nicolas held onto Gonro, the general remained trapped in a trance-like state, his eyes staring blankly ahead as if he were lost in another world. Nicolas could feel Abron had made contact with Gonro and they got into an altercation, which would explain why Gonro had frozen.As he kept his grip on the general, blood gushed out of his injuries and he groaned in pain. He wished his mana would replenish as fast as possible.Although he had not lived his entire life In the realm where magic was the most essential thing that defined a person's life, he still didn't like this feeling of powerlessness. He had grown accustomed to his new powers that it felt like not having it meant he had lost a vital part of himself."My lord!! I'm coming" Lou-ra said, her voice filled with concern for the wellbeing of her master.Lou-ra hurried to Nicolas's side, her hands glowing with healing magic as she tended to his wounds with gentle care. Nicolas attempted to stop her so she wouldn't waste her ma
Nicolas and Lou-ra exchanged a bewildered glance as they watched Skr'll engaged in fierce combat with the jungle people sorcerers. They had expected to find her still weak and recovering in the sickbay especially after the intense injury she sustained from her last battle.Nicolas could only do what he could to help Skr'll in her fight against their newfound allies. He marveled at how powerful she was, even as a human. He couldn't stop himself from continuously staring at her, while slaughtering his enemies in one blow.Before Nicolas could comprehend what was really happening and why the jungle people were attacking them, another powerful blast from the gem was fired at Skr'll.Skr'll immediately summoned a shield from her scales, but they proved ineffective against the powerful blast. In the blink of an eye, she was sent flying off her feet.Rushing forward, Nicolas attempted to check on if she had sustained any more injuries, his heart heavy with confusion and concern. Lou-ra put
The beast's snarling echoed through the jungle as it turned to face Nicholas once more, its eyes glowing with primal hunger. Nicholas's breath came in ragged gasps, the world around him spinning as fatigue and fear gripped him in equal measure. He stumbled backward, his mind scrambling for any solution, any way out. But there was none.The beast lunged again, claws extended, saliva flying from its jaws as it hurtled toward him. Nicholas raised his arms in a futile attempt to defend himself, but he knew it was hopeless. This was the end.Suddenly, a shadow flickered at the corner of his vision, fast and silent. Before Nicholas could comprehend what was happening, a blur of motion slammed into the beast with bone-cracking force. The creature let out a deafening roar as it was knocked off course, crashing into a tree with enough force to shake the ground.Nicholas blinked, his mind struggling to process the scene. The man, his new teacher, stood between him and the beast, his movements
Nicholas stood frozen, every muscle tense, as the figure slowly approached him. The jungle’s oppressive silence seemed to amplify the sound of the stranger’s footsteps, each one deliberate, almost too measured. Nicholas had never seen anyone like this before, and the man’s glowing eyes made his skin crawl. Despite the man’s frail appearance, there was something unsettling in the way he moved, like he wasn’t fully human. "You seek power," the figure repeated, his voice a rasping whisper that seemed to slide through the thick air like smoke.Nicholas swallowed hard, trying to ignore the knot of fear twisting in his gut. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he replied, his voice rough from exhaustion. He stepped back, his hand instinctively reaching for the sharp stone he had used against the beast earlier.The figure chuckled, a sound that seemed far too deep for someone so gaunt. “Do not play games with me, boy. You wouldn’t have survived this long if you weren’t seeking somet
Nicholas strained against the heavy branch, muscles trembling with exhaustion. The wood groaned and splintered under the pressure, but it still held firm. Below him, the beast circled, blood dripping from the wounds he'd managed to inflict with the rocks. But it wasn’t backing down—it was waiting, eyes gleaming with a cold, predatory intelligence.Nicholas grip tightened around the branch. His body was screaming at him to stop, to rest, but there was no time for that. The beast would not give him a second chance.With a grunt, Nicholas gave the branch another violent shake. It splintered more, cracking like a whip in the still air of the jungle. Below, the beast growled, pacing in tight circles, as if anticipating his next move. Sweat dripped down Nicholas’s forehead, blurring his vision, but he couldn’t afford to stop.The branch finally gave way with a loud crack. For a heart-stopping moment, Nicholas hung in the air, feeling the world tilt as the massive piece of wood began its f
Nicholas blinked, rubbing his eyes, his vision swimming. When he looked again, nobody was there. No footprints, no signs of movement, only the quiet crackling of the fire remained.He staggered, disoriented. His heart was still pounding from the fight, his body bruised and aching, and now his mind was unraveling. Lou-ra’s comforting presence was gone, evaporating into the night like mist.He was alone. The jungle’s oppressive atmosphere closed in on him, the thick air suffocating as it pressed against his lungs. The dark canopy above loomed like a ceiling, shutting him off from the sky, from any sign of hope.Panic clawed at his chest. He fought to suppress it, but the loneliness gnawed at his mind, dragging him into despair.”I have to get up. I have to keep moving."But his body refused to cooperate. Every inch of him ached, a testament to the brutal training he had endured. He hadn’t just been fighting the man he had been fighting against his own fear, his weakness. And now, it was
Nicholas's muscles tensed as his mind raced. His body screamed for him to retreat, to flee into the dense jungle, away from the impending confrontation. But something deep inside him resisted. Maybe it was pride, or perhaps the sliver of defiance that refused to bow to fear. Regardless, he knew there was no turning back. The man had laid down the challenge, and to back down now would mean surrendering his spirit entirely.The man continued to stare Nicholas down, a tower of strength and menace, his battle-scarred chest heaving with quiet confidence. He wasn't making idle threats; Nicholas knew that. This world didn't leave room for empty promises. Survival was earned through blood, sweat, and the unwavering will to stand when everything inside screamed to fall."I... I'm ready," Nicholas finally said, his voice barely above a whisper.The man’s lips curled into a feral grin, satisfied with the decision Nicholas had made, even if it was drenched in fear. "Good," he said, his voice l
Nicholas's heart pounded loudly against his ribs. The man's casual dismissal of his plea for an alternative sent a fresh wave of terror crashing over him. A primal urge to flee battled with the knowledge that escape was impossible. This wasn't a test of his fighting prowess; it was a potential death sentence. Nicholas was stuck between pleading for his life or just putting his hands up as a sign to show that he has surrendered. He knew that fighting with this man would mean his imminent death and she was not prepared to die especially when he had to return to Lou-ra."Sir, please," Nicholas pleaded, his voice cracking with a tremor he hated. "There has to be another way. Let me train with something, a log, a…" he cast his eyes around, desperately searching for anything that wouldn't fight back. The man's lips curved into a humorless smile, devoid of warmth. It wouldn't be a mistake to say that she was actually looking forward to this fight.There was something about Nicholas that ju
Nicholas stirred from a restless sleep, shivering beneath the thin blanket he had wrapped over himself the night before.The cave, once a temporary haven, had offered little protection against the bitter cold that had transformed the jungle into a frozen wasteland. His breath emerged in visible puffs, and he rubbed his arms continuously, trying to bring warmth into his limbs.As he emerged from the cave, blinking in the early morning light, Nicholas' eyes registered the significant change in his surroundings. The cold desolation of the previous night had given way once again to a lush, vibrant jungle. Birds chirped cheerfully, and the air was thick with the earthy scent of plans and trees. It always felt unreal how the jungle had reborn itself overnight, shaking off the icy grip that had held it captive. The beauty of it all marveled Nicolas each time he sees it.Standing at the edge of the clearing was the man who had taken Nicholas under his wing, training him for the Armageddon
The birds beneath them let out warning cries and adjusted their flight paths to give Nicolas and the man better positions to defend themselves. Another beast lunged at Nicolas, its talons extended and fangs bared. Before it had time to fully attack Nicolas, it's found itself getting struck in the head in an instant.“Good!” the man shouted. “Keep moving, don’t let them overwhelm you!”Nicolas barely had time to register the man’s words before another beast was upon him.This one was larger, more aggressive. It swooped down with terrifying speed, its claws aiming for Nicolas’s face. He ducked at the last moment, feeling the rush of air as the creature’s talons whistled past his head. He swung his knife upward, catching the beast in its unprotected belly. It howled in pain, thrashing wildly before retreating.All around them, the battle raged. The man moved with a grace and precision that left Nicolas awestruck. His movements were a blur, his weapon flashing in the moonlight as he st
The rush of wind roared in Nicolas' ears as he plummeted through the air, the ground rushing up to meet him at a terrifying speed. His stomach lurched, and he felt sick.This was it; he was about to die. The realization struck him with a cold finality, and every second felt like an eternity. Nicolas closed his eyes, bracing for the inevitable impact.Then, a sharp whistle cut through the chaos, and something massive and powerful surged beneath him. In an instant, strong talons wrapped around his torso, and the sensation of free fall ceased. His eyes flew open, and he gasped as he saw a bird, majestic and enormous, soaring upwards with him in its grasp. The bird’s feathers glimmered in the sunlight.Within moments, Nicolas found himself back in the sky, being lifted toward the man and the first bird. The change from impending death to sudden rescue left him breathless and shaking. As the bird finally leveled out beside the man, Nicolas clung to the feathers, his knuckles white.The m