High above the battlefield, perched on a jagged outcropping of black stone that overlooked the carnage below, nine Nightmare-class demons watched their packmate struggle against a single human.

Gravok, massive and earthen, his body seeming to be carved from living stone, crossed arms thick as tree trunks. "Permafrost's making a fool of himself down there."

"Pathetic," Terrak agreed, his body radiating contempt. "Thirty-three lesser demons are dead, and he can't even land a clean hit on one human."

Terrak was similar to Gravok, with the exception of being slightly smaller.

Glacier, whose crystalline body refracted light in patterns similar to Permafrost's but with a purer, colder essence, shook her head. "He's panicking. Look at how wild his attacks are becoming. No precision, no strategy."

"The human's faster," Cryovek observed. "He's using blue lightning as well. Regardless how strong Permafrost is, if he can't keep up he'll lose."

Pyrras, wreathed in flames that never consumed his form, laughed, a sound like crackling fire. "Maybe Cho deserved to die if this is the quality of Pho's bloodline. Weak deathfrost and hellfire demons who can't even handle basic combat."

"Careful," Ignar warned, though his own fire aura flickered with amusement. "Pho won't appreciate hearing his family insulted."

"Pho's not here," Pyrras shot back. "And if he was, maybe that human would have more corpses to play with."

Noctis, cloaked in a living shadow, remained silent. His dark affinity made him naturally observant, patient.

He watched the human's movements with interest that went beyond just a simple fight.

Umbrix, the other dark demon, finally spoke. "The human's kill count is rising. Six already since the dome shattered. And look…" he pointed toward the great raven engaging harpies overhead, "...his companion is contributing as well."

At the center of their group stood Luminarch, the pack leader.

Unlike his subordinates who bore clear elemental alignments, Luminarch radiated something more complex.

A fusion of light and dark that made him appear almost human-like in form, but with an aura of authority that marked him as the strongest among them.

His eyes, one gold and one silver, tracked every movement of the battle below with the focus of a predator.

"Enough mockery," Luminarch said, his voice cutting through the chatter like a blade. "Gravok, Terrak, Noctis, Umbrix, go around to the northern approach. Coordinate with the remaining basilisks and whatever lesser demons haven't fled. I want that human to be surrounded properly."

The four demons exchanged glances, then nodded.

Gravok and Terrak began their descent, their earth affinity allowing them to move through stone as if they were surfing on the stone.

Noctis and Umbrix simply dissolved into shadow, reappearing on lower ledges as they made their way toward the battlefield's northern edge.

"Glacier, Cryovek," Luminarch continued, "assist Permafrost. Three Nightmare-class demons should be more than sufficient to end this quickly."

The two water demons prepared to leap from the outcropping, their forms already gathering frost and moisture from the air.

"Before you go," a voice said from directly behind them, casual and confident, "I should mention that none of you are leaving this ridge alive."

Every demon froze.

It was impossible. Their senses were enhanced, their awareness supernatural.

Nothing should have been able to approach without detection, especially not close enough to speak from arm's reach behind their leader.

They turned as one to find a man standing there, completely at ease.

He was tall and elegant, dressed in the impeccable attire of a butler.

Black suit perfectly tailored, white gloves without a single stain despite the mountain's harsh environment.

His dark hair was neatly styled, and in one hand, he held a partially eaten tangerine as if he'd simply been out for a pleasant stroll.

His eyes, however, told a different story. They glowed with a crimson light that made even Nightmare-class demons instinctively step back.

"Who the hell are you?" Pyrras demanded, flames intensifying around his form. "And how did you get behind us?"

The man, S, though they had no way of knowing his name, smiled pleasantly and took another bite of his tangerine.

"Does it matter? What matters is that my master has a vested interest in that young man down there surviving. And you nine represent an unacceptable risk to his continued existence."

"Your master?" Luminarch's dual-colored eyes narrowed. "You dare speak of masters while addressing Nightmare-class demons? We serve no one but the Demon Lords themselves!"

S chuckled, the sound warm and entirely out of place given the tension crackling through the air.

"Oh, I know exactly what you are. Low-grade Nightmare demons who think yourselves powerful because you can command lesser creatures and terrorize mortals. But let me be clear…"

Pyrras didn't let him finish his sentence.

The fire demon launched himself at S with the speed that came from a Nightmare-class physique, claws extended and wreathed in flames hot enough to melt steel.

His attack was a blur of killing intent aimed directly at the stranger's throat.

S didn't even look.

The three-headed hellhound materialized mid-leap from a ledge fifty meters away, covering the distance in a single bound.

The massive creature, with fur like dark blue flame, opened its center head's jaws and swallowed Pyrras whole.

The fire demon's scream cut off instantly as the hellhound's teeth closed around him.

The creature landed beside S with a ground-shaking impact, its three heads turning to regard the remaining demons with eyes that burned like miniature suns.

Pyrras's body bulged against the hellhound's throat for a moment, flames trying desperately to burn through from the inside.

Then the creature's middle head tilted back and swallowed, and the bulge disappeared down its throat.

Complete silence fell across the ridge.

"As I was saying," S continued, his tone unchanged as if he hadn't just watched one of their pack get devoured,

"You will not be leaving here. My master's will is absolute in this matter. The boy must survive, must grow stronger, must fulfill his purpose. Your interference would complicate that process."

His eyes flared brighter red, and his smile widened slightly, not an expression of warmth, but something predatory and ancient that made even Luminarch's confidence waver.

"If you want to be stupid about this," S said pleasantly, "you will die. Quickly, if you're fortunate. Slowly, if you annoy me."

Ignar, the remaining fire demon, took an involuntary step backward.

"You... you're insane. Do you have any idea who you're threatening? We're Nightmare-class! We've destroyed armies! We have connections! What makes you think…."

"I think," one of the water demons interrupted, his voice trembling, "I think I know who this is."

All eyes turned to Glacier, who had gone pale despite his shiny complexion. His usually steady hands were shaking as he pointed at S with something approaching reverence and absolute terror.

"The red eyes," Glacier whispered. "The casual demeanor. The complete lack of fear. And that hellhound… there's only one being in all the realms who travels with a three-headed Cerberus and has those eyes."

"What are you talking about?" Luminarch demanded.

"The Crazed Red-Eyed Demon," Cyrovek breathed. "The legend. The monster that even Demon Lords refuse to provoke. He's supposed to be a myth, a story told to keep lesser demons in line, but…"

S laughed, delighted. "Oh, how flattering! I didn't realize my reputation had grown to such proportions. Though I must correct you, I'm not crazy. I'm simply very, very dedicated to my craft."

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