Osiris lunged at with terrifying speed—his fist already in front of my face before I could blink.
If I’d hesitated even a second, that punch would’ve shattered my skull. But instinct took over—my legs sprang back just in ti.
Damn. The old man wasn’t bluffing. No wonder they called him the North Tempest.
I gripped my sword with both hands and struck forward, trusting my body to do the work.
In that mont, I was sure the hit would land.
But like a snake, he twisted and sidestepped, letting the blade graze past harmlessly. He was toying with —dodging like it was child’s play.
My strike had been humiliatingly ineffective.
Then, like a seasoned fighter in a ring, he spun and launched a kick. I took off into the air to avoid it.
"You little punk!" Osiris spat. "Pulling out your tricks again, huh?"
"Seriously, how old are you?" I taunted. "You fight too damn well for a grandpa."
"Hah! Getting cocky with your elders? Didn’t that bull of yours ever teach you to respect the old?"
I’d montarily forgotten—Minho had fought this guy in a fair duel. And I was no Jisun. If even he couldn’t take Osiris down...
"I heard it took over a hundred soldiers to capture you. Do you know a hunter nad Lee Yeon-ho?"
"That punk in the white shirt? Hmph. I could never forget him. The only one who ever went toe to toe with ... And compared to him, you’re all just pathetic little bugs!"
With a roar, Osiris exploded off the ground with the full power of his legs. The pavent cracked beneath him as he launched at like a cannonball.
How the hell—?! Damn demon caught off guard!
He grabbed my shoulders and dragged straight down with him. The impact as I hit the ground sent a shockwave through the air.
My blood armor absorbed the hit—but damn it, my entire body was aching!
"Kid," he growled. "You sll wrong. Don’t tell you’re one of demons?"
"Says the king of them," I muttered, forcing myself up. "You called Lee Yeon-ho a ’punk’... Why? Can’t handle that soone beat you?"
"Huh? You lost your mind? That fight was twenty years ago."
Twenty?!
No... wait. Sothing’s off.
How could they have captured him twenty years ago? Human-like demons didn’t even exist back then...
While I was frozen in thought, he charged again. Just from the way he moved, I knew—if he landed that strike, I was done.
If even Jisun couldn’t beat him in a straight fight...
"Don’t doze off!" Osiris barked with arrogance, raining down a flurry of brutal blows.
I could barely keep up. Sothing was wrong.
Was I slowing down... or was he speeding up?!
I ducked under a swing, tightened my grip, and slashed.
For a split second, I thought I’d landed it. But then—
He caught the blade. With his bare hands.
"W-what...?"
I couldn’t believe it. He’d stopped my strike barehanded.
Osiris grinned like a beast.
I dismissed my sword and leapt backward, reforging it instantly in midair.
That’s when it hit .
I had underestimated him.
He took a single step—and in the blink of an eye, his fist was in my gut.
What happened...?
Ti around seed to slow. Every neuron in my brain lit up. I knew—I’d already been hit.
I could feel his knuckles boring into my core, tearing through the Kuroen like it was paper.
And then—I was airborne. His punch sent flying into a car with bone-shattering force.
Bones intact—but for the first ti, soone had shattered my armor in one hit.
I stood up at once.
"Why do you even care about that hunter?" Osiris asked, walking toward . "You trying to surpass him? Ha! Impossible. That man could slaughter a thousand demons alone."
"Surpass him? No. I’m not in competition with anyone. I just want to know—how did he beat you?"
"You think I’ll just tell you? Not that it would matter. Fine, I’ll indulge you. That punk used his brain. You lot don’t have even a shred of that."
He lunged at again, arms wide. It was almost absurd how much power he had—no weapons, no armor—and he still dominated the battlefield.
This fight was so unfair. But why... why couldn’t I beat him even with my blade?
His hands shot for my neck. If he grabbed , it was over.
I dropped low and went for another slash. My timing was perfect. I swung my sword with everything I had—so hard the air itself howled behind it.
But this ti, Osiris twisted aside.
Got you!
No matter how strong his arms were, the diagonal force of that swing gave an opening. I followed up imdiately with another thrust.
This ti, I landed a hit. He blocked with his arms, but I still left a wide gash.
Blood stread down his side, but the old man didn’t even flinch.
Cracking his knuckles, he snorted.
"So you’re actually serious. Good. This is going to be fun."
Grinning, he charged at head-on. His attacks tore through the air and shattered stone. If even one of them landed—I wouldn’t be able to dodge the next.
I ran like prey before a lion. He was the king of the wild—minus the pride.
I leapt between buildings, up balconies, through crumbling hos—anything to avoid that relentless barrage.
His eyes glinted with mad delight. This man... he was enjoying every second of this.
"Can you feel it, boy? That helplessness? You’re fleeing like a rabbit from the predator, clinging to your life while I toy with you. Whether you die or live—it makes no difference."
Diving through a window, I twisted midair and grabbed the wall. Kicking off, I slashed with my Kenketsu just as he lunged, carving into his forearms again.
"What, can’t even hit my torso?" the old man cackled, infuriating further. "A clumsy brat like you will never win a fair duel."
I used my wings to smash through a wall and tried to fly off—but he still chased through concrete.
"What fair duel are you even talking about, old man?"
"A fight without demon blood!"
"Oh really? And you expect to believe that body of yours—able to take sword strikes head-on—wasn’t strengthened by demon blood?"
At that, Osiris stopped. And then—he burst into laughter.
I landed on a rooftop, uncertain what was so funny.
"Did I say sothing wrong?"
"You’re mistaken, brat," he smirked. "You all rely on your demon blood now. You’ve forgotten what a real fight is. To you, power cos only from blood. But real strength—true strength—is willpower!"
Osiris lunged forward and grabbed my wings. With brutal force, he yanked, refusing to let fly away.
I scread—it felt like he was tearing off my arm.
And finally, with one vicious pull, he tore my wings off completely. Blood poured from my back like a river.
I had to... dispel Kuroen, now! But if I lose my armor—he’ll finish in a single blow.
The old man reeled back for another hit. I couldn’t waste another second.
To heal, I dispelled the armor and leapt away. Since my wings were part of Kuroen, they hadn’t been physically attached to my body.
Still... the pain. I felt it in every nerve. Kuroen was part of . My blood.
"All my life," Osiris roared, chasing through the rubble. "All sixty years, I spent becoming stronger. No one else has evolved like I have. I—am the pinnacle of evolution, forged from the weakest demon!"
"And what, you think that makes demons the peak of existence? I’ve had enough of you lunatics preaching your evolution!"
"Demons, humans—who cares? Boy, you don’t get it. I am the peak of evolution!!"
He caught up to and slamd his foot into my back. I crashed through walls, crushed poles, and hit the pavent hard.
Leaping toward , Osiris cracked his neck and waited for the dust to settle around the crater.
And there I was.
"You’re still alive? Even without that damn armor?"
He saw sitting up. My clothes were shredded—and through them, he could see my entire torso coated in solidified blood.
Blood Reinforcent—a technique that concentrates a mass of blood into a specific part of the body, then dries it into a hardened shell capable of withstanding lethal attacks.
Defense rating: slightly weaker than Kuroen, but consus far less energy.
With a crooked grin, I raised my middle finger high—let the bastard choke on it.
Osiris lost it.
Finally... he let his guard down. From the beginning, he never gave an opening. Always flaunting his edge over .
But now—everything had changed. I’d wounded his pride. He’d lost control.
"NOW, GUYS!"
At my shout, four hunters launched in from every direction. My squad—Ming, Ryu, Blade, and Tempest—all together.
Each of them, transforming their arms into Kenketsu mid-air, crashed down on the demon with overwhelming force.
"Well, old man—did you see that coming?"
Osiris, stunned by my grin, couldn’t dodge our synchronized assault.
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