Demons were categorized into the seven cardinal sins: greed, gluttony, lust, envy, pride, wrath, and sloth.
Each demon was a master of powerful elemental and attack magic, but their true specialty lay in mind manipulation. They thrived on playing mind games, twisting desires, and distorting emotions. Their ability to manipulate the minds of others was what made them particularly dangerous.
But their most insidious power came from their ability to form contracts with other species—offering power in exchange for loyalty. This made them even more formidable, turning ordinary individuals into deadly, demonic pawns.
That was the situation I was dealing with right now.
Luke's jealousy of me for being close to Rachel had been festering for a while, but it had never been anywhere near enough to drive him to kill me.
Demons, however, magnified those negative emotions. They preyed on vulnerability, amplifying even the smallest desires or darkest thoughts until they became overwhelming. The more powerful the demon, the more skilled they were at doing this.
In the novel, it was one of the demon dukes of envy who caused Drake's fall after his loss to Ren. But now, everything was happening far earlier, and both Drake and Luke were caught in the web of demonic manipulation.
It was possible—likely even—that a Demon Lord of Envy had made a move.
The thought made me uneasy. I knew little about Demon Lords since they didn't appear until much later in the novel, but based on what I learned from Alastor's mind magic, they were almost certainly beyond Radiant-rank.
This explained why Demon Lords had never focused on Earth before. To them, Earth was weak and unworthy of attention.
At the same time, it could just as easily be two demon dukes from different sins working together to corrupt both Drake and Luke. Demonic influence was notoriously difficult to detect, and it could only be discovered with a thorough check of the body. Unfortunately, that meant only Radiant-rankers, of which there were only eleven in the world, could effortlessly detect such corruption.
'Luna did mention that her senses have weakened since she's sealed,' I thought, my grip tightening on my sword.
It explained why I didn't notice sooner.
Still, none of this changed the reality of the situation. Luke was standing in front of me, fully consumed by demonic power, his eyes burning with hatred. Whatever influence had been exerted over him, it had pushed him to this point—and I had no choice but to confront it head-on.
I couldn't afford to hold back.
I steadied my breath, clearing my mind as I prepared for the next attack.
If the demons were truly starting to move, this was only the beginning.
Honestly speaking, even with Luke's newfound strength, I knew I could beat him. But the cost of that victory was clear. I'd have to kill him to ensure it.
Because to win, I would need to use God Flash: Absolute at full power.
That wasn't a move meant for sparring.
When I used it before—against Valerie, my father, and even Lucifer—it was only because there was a massive gap between us. I knew they could handle it, that they wouldn't be in danger of losing their lives no matter how hard I pushed. Valerie could stop my most powerful attacks with just her fingers.
But this was different.
Back then, I wasn't fighting with intent to kill. I wanted to defeat Lucifer, not end his life. The weight of that intent was worlds apart from what I faced now.
Here, facing Luke, if I unleashed God Flash: Absolute with everything I had, the result would be final.
No hesitation. No turning back.
My fingers tightened around the hilt of my sword. The air between us felt heavy, thick with the weight of decisions yet to be made. Luke's eyes glinted with malice, darkened by the influence of demonic power.
I could feel the pulse of his black mana in the air, warping the space around us.
But even so, I knew one thing for certain.
I didn't want to kill him.
Luke wasn't some faceless enemy or disposable character in a story. He was a person, someone I had fought alongside, someone who had dreams and struggles of his own. No matter how twisted those dreams had become, I couldn't bring myself to end his life.
Not unless I had no other choice.
But what other choice did I have?
I braced myself, eyes locked on Luke's next move. The decision hung over me like a blade, and I knew that the moment to act was quickly approaching.
I fully activated Lucent Harmony, feeling the familiar surge of mana course through my veins. My connection with the elements deepened, becoming something more than just power—it felt like a part of me. The air around me hummed with energy, sharpening my senses, heightening my focus. I could see every flicker of Luke's movements before they even fully materialized, his intentions laid bare by the subtle distortions in the mana around him.
I had to end this quickly.
Luke came at me with another ferocious swing of his blade, the black mana swirling around him like a storm. His attacks were stronger, more erratic, and yet…predictable. With Lucent Harmony in full effect, I could read the flow of his mana. It made it easier to anticipate each strike, each move.
Step left, parry, disengage.
The dance of our swords rang out in sharp, metallic clashes. Every strike he threw, I deflected. Every lunge, I countered. His attacks, fueled by demonic influence, were relentless, but I was faster. I sidestepped his next attack, and in one swift motion, brought my sword down, cutting through the shadowy aura that surrounded him. Luke stumbled back, his breathing heavy, his face twisted in frustration.
This was it. The opening I needed.
With a burst of speed, I closed the distance between us, knocking his blade aside. My sword was poised at his neck, my eyes hard and unyielding.
"Luke, stop this," I said, my voice steady but firm. "You're better than this. Don't let the demons take you."
For a brief moment, it looked like my words might have reached him. His eyes flickered with something—hesitation, doubt. But then, as quickly as it had appeared, it was gone, replaced by a deeper rage. His grip tightened on his sword, and I saw the black mana flare up around him again.
Before I could react, a burst of purple lightning erupted between us, forcing me back. I barely had time to raise my guard before Drake Namgung stepped forward, his eyes gleaming with dark amusement.
"That's enough, Arthur," he said with a smirk, his voice dripping with satisfaction. "We wouldn't want you ending the fun too soon, would we?"
Drake's black mana surged through the room, far more intense than Luke's. The air grew thick with the oppressive weight of it, pressing down on me. My body tensed as I readied myself for the real threat.
"You've played with Luke long enough," Drake continued, his voice taking on a darker edge. "Now it's my turn."
Before I could respond, Drake's lightning magic crackled to life, twisting around him like a living serpent. I could feel the intensity of his power, far beyond anything I could handle without going all out.
This was going to be much harder than I anticipated.