The Damned Demon

As the tension in the air thickened, Asher and his group squared off against Agonon and his group. The two groups stood like poised chess pieces, assessing the others, ready to strike or defend at a moment's notice.

Jael, however, gracefully stepped towards Victor's group, a serene smile playing on his lips, "I'll handle this lot," he announced to Asher, an almost teasing glint in his eyes as he and Victor and the others stepped away from the rest to avoid getting caught up in the battle from the other side.

Emiko and Yui felt their hearts pounding against their chests as Yui whispered to Emiko, "S-Shouldn't we be helping Master?" Yui could see how great of a disadvantage their Master and his team were when facing off against those scary half-dragon demons.

It was for a great many reasons the Draconians was considered the strongest in general in the demon realm.

Emiko shook her head as she pressed her lips together, "Remember his orders…No matter what happens, we are to keep playing our roles until he tells us," Emiko didn't even know if they would survive against this vampire they were facing off, who was giving quite the unsettling aura.

Yui bit down on her lip and nodded with a tense expression.

Victor, though seemingly unperturbed, narrowed his eyes. He had personally experienced Jael's skills, and it was not to be taken lightly.

As Jael bit into his lip, allowing a droplet of blood to fall onto the rose he held, Victor swiftly cautioned the others, "Don't get distracted. Keep your eyes on him and ignore everything else. No matter how real it seems, it's all an illusion."

Rachel and the others exchanged puzzled looks but heeded Victor's advice, their gazes riveted on Jael.

They watched as the blood from Jael's lip dripped onto the rose, an almost hypnotic sight. But Victor wasn't about to let Jael complete his spell.

With a swift motion, Victor drew his greatsword, channeling a brilliant gust of wind along its blade, making it shimmer with a radiant light. With a battle cry, he launched it towards Jael.

But Jael's agility was unparalleled. Before the blinding light could reach him, he seemed to multiply. As the luminance cleared, Victor and his group found themselves encircled by ten versions of Jael, each one brandishing a different weapon, their stances threatening, their expressions different but similar — each of them reflecting the calm, confident smile of the real Jael.

Victor clicked his tongue in annoyance, "He has become faster," he muttered but was focused despite seeing all ten Jael's closing in on him and his team.

Amelia's eyes darted anxiously between the multiple figures of Jael, "How do we figure out which one is the real Jael?" she whispered, trying to maintain her composure amidst the chaos while brandishing her staff, ready to manipulate all four elements to her advantage.

Rachel, her eyes fierce and determined, tightened her grip on her spear, "We don't need to," she said, her voice steely, "We'll just strike down every one of them." Without hesitation, she invoked her water magic, sending spirals of water wrapping around her spear, amplifying its power.

With a swift motion, she lunged at the Jael directly in front of her.

Jael, or maybe the illusion of him, blocked her strike with ease, his movements fluid. In an unexpected twist, he managed to counter her attack. A powerful force hit Rachel, sending her flying back,

"Argh!" As she crashed to the ground, blood spewed from her mouth.

"No! Rachel!" Amelia screamed, stepping forward, panic evident in her eyes. But Victor's arm shot out, holding her back.

"Stay focused!" Victor ordered, his gaze never leaving the scene in front of them, "That's not real. It's all in your mind. Rachel is fine."

Amelia looked at him incredulously. Breathing heavily, she closed her eyes, focusing all her energy on deciphering what was real and what wasn't.

When she opened her eyes again, she saw Rachel, not as the bloodied and injured warrior she'd seen moments before, but sitting on the ground, rubbing her shoulder with a pained expression, though no visible wounds marred her skin.

Amelia took a shaky breath, the realization of Jael's terrifying powers sinking in. The battlefield wasn't just a physical plane but also a mental one. They weren't just fighting Jael; they were fighting their own perceptions and fears.

Victor's eyes narrowed, darting between the multiple Jaels surrounding them, clearly annoyed, "It must be the scent of that cursed rose he brought with him," he grumbled.

Without waiting any longer, Victor took a deep breath, concentrating his power.

His greatsword began to glow even brighter, as the combination of wind and light magic surrounded it. He then unleashed his potent skill while Amelia's eyes widened recognizing one of his signature moves, the Gleaming Blade Hurricane.

*Whoosh!*

Suddenly, a blinding light burst forth from the sword, rapidly expanding in all directions. As it did, the wind began to pick up, forming a fierce, whirling cyclone around Victor, making the fabric of his clothes billow dramatically.

Amelia, Emiko, Yui, and Rachel still had to use their mana to not get pulled into the hurricane despite standing right behind Victor.

The fierce wind, combined with the intense light, began to pull in the multiple figures of Jael, who seemed to be momentarily caught off guard.

The force of the cyclone was so strong that it kicked up dust and debris for more than a mile, obscuring the vision of everyone present. The cyclone's intense slashes were not just meant to damage, but also to disorient the illusions. The sheer force of Victor's attack made the ground tremble, and the sound of it roared in their ears, momentarily deafening them.

As the devastating attack subsided, the dust slowly settled, revealing the aftermath of Victor's skill.

The once-clear area was now littered with fresh scars and cracks, evidence of the brutal power he had unleashed.

But, standing amidst the chaos, a lone figure emerged, still holding a rose in his hand.

It was Jael, though he looked a tad worse for wear. A small trickle of blood flowed from the corner of his lips. Despite the evident injury, his eyes sparkled with mischief and excitement.

He wiped away the blood with the back of his hand and smiled, his teeth flashing white against the red backdrop of his blood.

"Impressive," Jael said, his voice a mix of admiration and challenge, "But I'm just getting started."

Victor wiped off the sweat trickling down his brow while Amelia and the others realized why Victor called this demon a freak.

On the other side, a couple of minutes ago,

"Take care of the Kraken and continue forging the Deviar," Agonon ordered as the four standing behind him firmly nodded.

Circe, with her eyes gleaming, tilted her head back and laughed, "Consider it taken care of. It's a bit unfair you get to enjoy toying with them on your own, my prince."

Isola and Asher were worried about Callisa, but at this moment, they didn't have the luxury to do anything else.

All they could do was instruct Callisa to retreat, though as expected, the stubborn young Kraken refused to run away and was snapping her giant pincers together, facing off against the 4 Draconians with killing intent glowing in her bulbous eyes.

Whereas Agonon's attention was solely fixed on the four before him. His deep, fiery eyes locked onto theirs, sending shivers down Merina's spine, who wasn't used to facing terrifying people like him.

They didn't find it relieving that Agonon was going to take on all four of them on his own. Since Agonon was a mid-level Soul Devourer with a powerful bloodline and insanely talented, they didn't really have an advantage despite having more numbers.

Isola, Ceti, and Merina could feel his indomitable aura weighing heavily on them while Asher's figure suddenly vanished into thin air, though Agonon didn't seem to care about it.

"I am going to offer you one last chance, Princess Isola. Are you still willing to die like a fool?" There was an unsettling calm in his voice as he asked her.

But the silence that followed didn't last long. Isola, her lips set in a firm line and determination shining in her eyes, gave her response by parting her lips as her expression contorted.

Inhaling deeply, she released a chilling, almost supernatural scream, amplified with her power.

"SCREEEEE!!!"

The scream acted like a destructive wave, causing the earth to crack and tremble, sending debris flying all around.

Agonon's frame tensed as he felt the impact of Isola's attack. While it did force him to shift his position, with his feet only pushed back a couple of meters, it was evident he had resisted the bulk of the force.

He looked up and, brushing some stray dust off his shoulder, grunted, "All this struggle...It's futile."

Isola's sapphire blue eyes widened, dismay evident seeing how her attack barely affected him. It was as if she attacked a massive mountain and realized she underestimated his physical strength.

Ceti's features turned stern. Her protective instincts kicking in, she said, "Mother, stay back," Without waiting for a response, she lunged forward, brandishing her weapon, her every move precise and deadly.

"Ceti!" Merina called out in worry, but she bit her lip, knowing she was too weak to help her daughter against someone as terrifyingly strong as Agonon.

However, Isola knew Ceti was using herself as a distraction to buy her time.

Closing her eyes, Isola took a deep breath and began to sing, her voice clear and enchanting, weaving a magical melody.

Her voice, filled with anguish and determination, resonated in the downpour, creating an almost surreal atmosphere. The stormy rain around them acted like nature's orchestra, accompanying Isola's haunting melody.

The melody even caused Circe, Vespera, Erebus, and Rune to get disoriented, allowing Callisa to wreak havoc on them.

As the melody snaked its way into Agonon's ears, a brief haze clouded his eyes. The usually formidable and unstoppable mid-level Soul Devourer faltered, if only for a split second.

Seizing this momentary lapse, Ceti shot forward, her movement a blur. With gritted teeth, she put all her strength into her fist, aiming straight for Agonon's jawline.

Her punch landed with a sharp crack, but to her dismay, it only caused Agonon's head to turn slightly. No immense damage, just a bruise.

Despite Isola's beautiful and compelling voice reaching far, its magical effects didn't cripple Agonon.

His face contorted in pain as if he was battling the enchantment of her voice.

Ceti, determined to still not give up and sensing a chance, lunged for another blow.

But this time, Agonon unexpectedly reacted. His massive clawed hand shot out, grabbing her wrist with an iron grip.

Ceti tried to retaliate with her other hand, but he was quicker again, capturing her other wrist.

"Ugh…" Ceti gasped in pain, feeling the pressure on her wrists increase.

Agonon's eyes, red as molten lava, bore into hers, "I expected more from the daughter of Roul," he hissed, contempt evident in his voice.

With a swift and cruel motion, he snapped Ceti's wrists, eliciting a sharp cry of agony from her.

"Aaahhh!"

Following this, he delivered a fierce kick to her midsection, causing blood to burst from her mouth as she was sent reeling backward.

"Ceti!" Isola screamed, her voice filled with fear and panic.

Merina, with tears streaming down her face, dashed to where her daughter lay crumpled, pain evident in every line of her body.

Isola's eyes locked onto Agonon, her eyes ablaze with a mixture of fury and determination.

Agonon, standing tall and unaffected, spoke, his voice booming like thunder, "You can't save them from dying. Everyone you are trying to protect will perish. And always remember... you chose this path."

The heavy rain, combined with the ominous aura that Agonon exuded, made the atmosphere palpable with tension, with Isola standing alone, defiantly against the seemingly unstoppable force.