Demon

Crack...

One of the stone pillars in the hallway emitted a loud sound, various cracks spreading across its weathered surface.

Everyone froze in place, their heads slowly turning toward the ancient structure.

"Wh-"

Jake wanted to say something, however, before he could finish his sentence, the stone pillar collapsed, smashing into one of the support beams and causing a chain reaction throughout the entire hallway.

Walls surrounding us began to crumble, sending clouds of dust and debris into the air.

"I- eve... ok!?"

I could hear Sophia's panicked voice shouting amidst the chaos, however, I could barely make out her words as the noise of falling debris and crumbling stone drowned out everything else.

The area was completely shrouded in a thick layer of dust, making it nearly impossible to see more than a few feet ahead.

"It's starting..."

I muttered to myself, unsheathing my sword that was strapped to my waist. Clenching the weapon with both of my hands, I braced myself for what was about to come.

Swish...

A sound of something piercing the air reached my ears. I barely had any time to react, instantly activating my newly acquired skill.

[ Burst ]

Everything around me seemed to slow down as I activated my ability, however, it was not the case. My speed had increased by a minor realm.

Instantly, I threw myself to the side, narrowly avoiding a projectile that whizzed past me.

At the last second, I managed to catch a glimpse of what was hurtling towards me.

It was a dagger.

"You dodged it?"

In the midst of the swirling debris and dust, a figure slowly materialized, a sinister silhouette emerging from the chaos. Its form, shrouded initially by the billowing clouds, gradually became discernible as the particles settled around it.

First came the horns, twisting and curling atop its head like darkened, jagged obsidian. They arched from the creature's skull with an ominous elegance, sharp tips glistening faintly in the dim light that penetrated the dusty veil.

As the creature stepped forward, its frame became more apparent, revealing a body that seemed to ripple with an otherworldly energy. Taut, pale skin stretched over lean muscles, veins of an eerie, iridescent hue pulsating just beneath the surface. Sinewy and agile, its form exuded a sense of predatory grace.

Wings, stretching out from behind its back, unfurled like the tattered remnants of a shadowy cloak. They bore a resemblance to the membranous appendages of a bat, but these were larger, more imposing, and seemed to drink in the ambient darkness, their edges shimmering with a faint, ethereal glow.

The demon's eyes burned with an unholy radiance, twin orbs of searing crimson that pierced through the veil of dust with an unsettling intensity.

Its face bore angular features, sharp and almost chiseled, accentuated by lines that seemed to flicker and dance like veins of darkened flame etched upon its visage. A twisted, wicked grin parted its lips, revealing a set of razor-sharp teeth that glinted in the sparse light.

"..."

For a second, I simply stared at the creature in awe.

'Do I look like that when my veil is deactivated?'

Scratching my chin, I felt a grin spreading across my face. The Demon looks pretty cool not gonna lie.

"Die for me, please."

However, the Demon wasn't planning to wait for me to collect my thoughts. Without hesitation, it lunged forward, its claws slashing through the air with a blinding speed.

Even with my burst skill activated, I barely managed to avoid the Demon's Attack.

From this single exchange I could tell that he was an F- Rank opponent.

He also had no clue, I was also a Demon, which meant whoever sent me to this Academy, my superiors, really didn't notify anyone about my true identity. I was literally sent here to die.

The demon moved with an otherworldly agility, its movements fluid yet erratic, making it a formidable adversary. With each strike, it seemed to anticipate my dodges, adjusting its attacks with an unnerving precision that kept me on the defensive.

Whoosh...

Its claws sliced through the air, leaving streaks of ominous shadows in their wake. I countered, parrying the strikes with my sword, the clash resonating through the crumbling hallway.

Despite my increased speed, the demon matched my movements effortlessly, its attacks coming in a relentless flurry. I danced between crumbling pillars and dodged falling debris, trying to find an opening to counterattack.

The demon's wings unfurled, propelling it forward in a blur. I sidestepped, narrowly avoiding its lunging attack. Its movements were unpredictable, each strike accompanied by an unsettling grace.

I seized a moment of distraction, darting forward to land a blow. But the demon twisted away, its form melting into the shadows before reappearing behind me, claws poised for a devastating strike.

"Fuck!"