My team lunged at Osiris with their sharpened blades. The enemy couldn’t dodge in ti and was forced to take the full brunt of the attack.
Blocking so strikes with his arms, he still suffered several deep wounds across his body.
"Fall back!" I shouted, and the squad retreated a few steps. "We’re up against a serious threat. Our first mission as Team Kusanagi—eliminate this beast."
The hunters bared their weapons, eyes locked on Osiris with deadly intent.
All of them wore dark tactical suits, designed specially for Kusanagi.
The old man looked tense. His wounds wouldn’t heal—he’d never once learned to manipulate demonic blood. The natural regeneration granted by nature alone would no longer suffice.
"Damn it," he muttered.
He steadied his stance, took a deep breath, and cald himself. Five hunters. One demon.
anwhile, my regeneration allowed to call upon Kuroen again. My team watched warily as the dark armor spread across my body, swallowing like ancient steel.
"Advance!" I commanded, summoning my swordspear.
We all charged at once. Osiris tracked our movents, analyzing which of us was the weakest. He quickly identified Yeonghee and launched his counterattack.
Her body wasn’t reinforced—had that strike landed in her gut, she’d be down for good.
I managed to react in ti, shoving her aside and intercepting the blow with my blade. The mont I did, the rest of my team slashed across his back.
Osiris took several hits and leapt back.
"Give it a rest, old man," I said. "Did you really think we wouldn’t see through that? Assuming the girl has the weakest defense—shows you’re not as clever as you think."
Spitting blood, Osiris wiped his shoulder.
"Just as I thought... no such thing as a fair fight with you humans."
He dropped into a stance again and this ti dashed forward himself. He charged straight for Ming—the shortest among us. anwhile, we encircled him from all sides.
Ming, thinking fast, leapt up and clung to a nearby wall. Osiris pivoted mid-run and lashed out at Ryu and Blade, who were the first to strike.
They barely managed to deflect him, but were thrown back dozens of ters.
From above, Ming saw an opening, spread his claw-like arms, and dove. Osiris caught him—at the cost of several fingers.
His grip was brutal. He was about to rip Ming’s arms clean off.
"Ming!" Ryu launched himself forward, blade drawn. Osiris backed off, forced to retreat.
Ming was saved.
"You okay?"
"I’m fine. Thanks. We need to find his weak spot."
"No clue until we beat the crap outta him!" Ryu roared and charged in alone.
"W–wait!" Ming chased after him.
Ryu’s Kenketsu took the shape of a straight-edged swords, unlike Yeonghee’s curved dual blades.
Osiris blocked their attacks like he was playing with children. Blade and I flanked him while Yeonghee struck from above.
With such a coordinated assault, it seed impossible for the demon to hold his ground—
But we were wrong.
In less than a second, Osiris did the unthinkable. Spinning, he kicked both Ryu and Blade aside with his legs, flung Blade away with a punch, and deflected my sword with his free hand.
Several teammates were knocked unconscious.
Only Yeonghee and I remained. We fought together, circling the beast, pressing him without pause.
I hadn’t realized how skilled she was with a blade. A formidable ally—yet behind her focused expression, I saw sothing bitter.
After our last talk... things were strained between us.
"Get lost already!!" Osiris roared, swinging in a wide arc. "Buzz off, you insects!"
We jumped back, but the old man imdiately rushed Yeonghee, wrapping a hand around her throat.
His eyes said it all—he was growing desperate. To defeat , he had to break the others first. Yeonghee gasped, struggling helplessly in his grip.
In an instant, I appeared behind him. My eyes dark and furious, I swung my blade and sliced through the arm choking her.
The severed limb fell. Blood gushed from demon’s stump.
Yeonghee collapsed, breathless. Osiris spun and kicked into a nearby car. It exploded, flas swallowing whole.
"No... Kihyun!"
Yeonghee’s eyes shook. Her arm-blades extended as she dove at Osiris, slashing with burning fury.
"Enjoying the view?" Osiris mocked, dodging easily. "Your commander just burned alive. That’s what happens when you underestimate ."
Monts later, a figure erged from the fire and smoke.
It was . Walking forward, my entire body encased in blood-forged armor—even my head.
To so, it ant mastery over Kuroen. To others... it was a descent into madness.
Kuroen devoured the minds of those who wore it completely. Like a virus, it corroded the brain, unraveling the user piece by piece.
"Kill..." growled my voice. "Kill..."
Osiris and Yeonghee stood frozen.
"Stay back. He’s mine."
Wings burst from my back as I took to the sky. A Godslayer Swordspear ford in my hand—and I dove onto Osiris with devastating force.
The girl backed away, rejoining the team. Ryu watched my relentless strikes with admiration. Deep down, they finally acknowledged as their leader.
But even this power wasn’t enough. Osiris, even with one arm, stood firm. And he didn’t even try to escape.
"There you are!" he yelled. "Without your unholy powers, you’re nothing. Just like I said!"
"Victims shouldn’t bark at predators."
"Oh, look who’s talking big now. Think you can kill , boy?"
He ducked beneath my wide slash and punched in the jaw. I collapsed on a pole.
"You’ve dood your friends, boy. Driven to kill all demons? Let tell you sothing—I’ve trained my whole life not to die to little brats like you! Mother Nature has gifted vitality, and I’ll prove she chose right. I’ll crush every soul on this planet and show there’s no one stronger!"
I had surpassed my limits. Stronger, faster, tougher. His blow alone couldn’t cripple . But in exchange—I was losing sothing far more valuable.
Sanity.
The rage granted by demonic blood was consuming with every breath.
"You won’t last long, kid. How much ti do you think you have before that power eats you alive?"
Yeonghee’s breath caught in her throat. She covered her mouth, trying to steady herself.
Our battle raged on, too deadly for anyone else to step in.
But she did.
She stepped forward. Ryu imdiately stopped her.
"Where do you think you’re going? Didn’t you hear Prodigy’s order?!"
Yeonghee brushed his hand off.
"Are you just going to wait until he loses his mind?"
"We can’t stand their attacks! A-Ranked hunters aren’t capable of handling this beast."
"With that mindset, how are we planning to stand up to the Dukes?"
She leapt into the fray, slipping between our blades. Aiming straight for Osiris—she went for his remaining arm.
"What are you doing, Tempest?!" I barked.
"I’m not sitting by while you suffer!"
I launched myself at Osiris.
"I can handle this alone! You’ll all just get in the way!"
"But I—"
Before she could finish, Osiris lunged at her. If he caught her, it would be over.
I grabbed her and shot into the sky, barely dodging the attack.
"You’re the Director’s daughter. If you die, everything falls apart. Get a grip—this is a war of attrition!"
"Let go," she said, eyes lowered. "I told you... I don’t want to hear that. Director’s daughter, special status—what does it matter? You asked yourself... does this matter to ?"
We landed. I let her go.
Osiris spat blood and wiped his neck.
"Prodigy," she said, "you’re our commander now. I know you still see as that fragile girl who cried in front of you. But don’t get the wrong idea. Out here—I’m not Yeonghee. I’m Tempest. And I want you to understand that."
"Yeonghee..."
She stepped toward the enemy.
"Stop torturing yourself over our last talk. It’s pointless now. You’re not alone on this battlefield—we’re here with you. So trust us, Prodigy!"
Alone, she charged Osiris once more. Her courage and resolve lit a spark in .
I’m not alone anymore... On this field—I have comrades.
The entire team followed her lead. We beca an unbreakable fortress, moving as one—like a pack of wolves cornering their prey.
Here, on this battlefield, we are united.
We have sothing worth fighting for.
And now—it’s ti to win.
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