One of these demons was a hulking Archmage-level warrior with a wicked grin stretched across its face.

Elion’s gaze lingered on that one the longest, and for good reason. The creature was massive, easily taller than the others by a full head, with thick black horns curling from its skull and a body covered in dark, armour-like plates that looked more grown than forged.

Its muscles were absurdly dense, and its shoulders were broad enough to block a doorway on their own. The raw pressure rolling from its body was enough to make the crimson flames along the walls bend away from it, as if they were being wisped away by an invisible pressure.

In terms of raw strength alone, this thing probably eclipsed him by quite a margin.

’An arch demon huh...’ Elion thought grimly.

A warrior, too, not even a caster. In this situation, that made things worse for him, especially in such an enclosed space. He didn’t have enough space to put his best traits to good use.

Casters were dangerous, but at least they could sometimes be pressured at close range. Warriors at this level, however, were walking disasters. He also wouldn’t be surprised if the bastard was also fast. What he knew from previous experience was that they were durable, explosive, and usually far harder to kill than they looked.

Not to mention the others.

Elion slowly exhaled a shuddering breath. This would probably be his toughest fight yet.

"Wow Maya," he muttered. "You really prepared quite a welcoming party for me."

Maya smiled softly. "You should feel honoured."

"I feel many things right now," Elion replied. "Honoured is not very high on the list." 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

Yaana giggled from behind Maya, her eyes still shining with that strange, unsettling fascination.

"You’re still so calm. How cute."

Uta clicked her tongue in annoyance. "Must you flirt with everything that breathes?"

Yaana tilted her head. "But brother, he’s handsome."

"And he is an enemy."

"Well, he can be both."

Elion’s brow twitched with visible annoyance. Maya looked at Elion with almost genuine regret.

"I really did hope it wouldn’t come to this."

Elion adjusted his grip on Kurogoroshi’s hilt, "Funny. I was thinking the same thing."

The sword hummed in his hand, and the demons closest to him took a single step back when they felt an oppressive presence pressing on their psyches. Elion did not miss their reactions and the terrified looks on their faces.

They could feel the blade and its effect on them. Even if they didn’t know what it was, even if they didn’t understand its grade or enchantments, their instincts understood enough.

Kurogoroshi was especially dangerous to them.

Maya noticed that reaction as well. Her eyes moved briefly to the sword before returning to Elion’s face.

"That weapon is going to be a problem."

Elion smiled faintly, "Only the weapon?"

Maya’s expression softened, almost sadly, "No. You are still the main problem."

The Arch demon suddenly moved, probably impatient or perhaps irked by its own fearful reaction to the blade.

"Kill!" It roared loudly and stepped forward; the floor cracked beneath its foot as it approached with terrifying speed. Elion’s eyes followed its movement without much effort; He was already moving to react.

Kurogoroshi came up just in time as the demon appeared before him with great speed, its massive fist descending like a falling boulder.

Boom!

Elion blocked with the flat of his blade and reinforced his body with mana at the same time, but the force still blasted him backward across the hall. His boots scraped violently against the black stone, leaving twin lines behind as he slid several metres before catching himself near one of the pillars.

His arm trembled from the force.

’Yeah... this is bad.’

The Archmage demon rolled its shoulders and laughed deeply.

"You are strong for such a little thing."

Elion slowly raised his head.

"And you are quite ugly for a big one."

The demon’s grin became vicious; at the same time, the others attacked all at once.

Maya’s fingers curled as her staff flashed into her grip. At the same time, Uta’s repulsive invisible hands unfurled from behind his lean frame with that wet, unnatural sound.

Yaana swung her scythe in a wide, lazy arc as her eyes glittered with disturbing excitement, and the swordsman stepped forward with his sword and shield raised while the six demons behind them spread out to surround him. The hulking Archmage demon’s arms spread wide, it looked up, and a thundering laugh tore from the back of its throat.

Without suspense, the hall exploded into motion, ten against one.

’There is too many of them, and they are all strong, so I have to take the initiative.’

Kurogoroshi flashed in his hand as he kicked off the ground, his boots cracking the black stone beneath him while he shot straight for Maya. She was at the back, exactly where a troublesome mage should be.

He would have liked to deal with her first. Something told him that she would be the biggest annoyance in this fight.

Her level was only forty-four, just one level above him, and on paper, that should not have meant much.

He was far stronger than any ordinary Advanced Mage now, especially with Kurogoroshi bound to his soul, but the moment Maya lifted her staff, mana gathered around her, and four pale blue angled barriers snapped into existence between them.

The first barrier stood straight, taking the full force of his approach. Kurogoroshi split it cleanly, the blade passing through with a metallic shriek that made the air ripple.

The second barrier was slanted, forcing his wrist to tilt when he cut through it. The third was curved inward, catching the edge of his momentum. The fourth was the worst, bending like liquid glass around the blade.

Maya was clearly not trying to stop Kurogoroshi, but was redirecting the momentum of Elion’s body just enough to come out of the exchange unscathed.

"Manfred, attack his left!" Maya said calmly.

The swordsman moved instantly.

He raised his shield and directed it straight at Elion’s face; however, Elion moved fast enough that he avoided the brunt of the attack. To his shock, with a casual flick of Maya’s staff, Manfred’s body gained an ethereal, smoky-white glow, and the ground cracked beneath his feet. His body exploded in a burst of motion. He wittingly adjusted the path of his shield, slamming it straight into Elion’s side.

Bang!

The impact landed against Elion’s ribs with a brutal, compact force. His armour flashed, the enchantments spreading the blow across his chest, shoulder, and waist, but even then, the hit drove the air from his lungs. His boots ground across the floor, sparks flying beneath his heels as he slid back, twisting his body before he lost balance completely.

Yaana was already above him.

"Mine," she sang sweetly.

Her scythe came down for his neck.

Elion leaned back so sharply his spine almost formed a bow. The curved blade skimmed past his face, close enough that the cold edge kissed his skin and cut several strands of hair loose. His eyes narrowed, and he twisted his wrist upward, Kurogoroshi flashing toward Yaana’s exposed arm.

She giggled and spun the scythe shaft between her fingers.

Clang!

Steel met black steel. Crimson sparks burst between them, scattering across the hall like fireflies. Elion pressed, trying to force the scythe aside and step into her guard, but two High Mage demons attacked from both sides before he could take her arm.

One spear wreathed in black flames stabbed toward his ribs, and another jagged blade descended toward his shoulder.

Elion clicked his tongue.

’Annoying.’