The third test
Anos stared at her in silence, allowing her to process what she had seen.
"That wasn't just a dream," he finally said, his tone firm but not lacking in empathy. "It was your future. But it's one you can avoid, if you just grow stronger."
Kanae clenched her fists. Though Anos' words were harsh, they were also a reminder that she still had a chance to change the fate she had seen.
"Then, I will not allow that future to become reality," he said with renewed determination.
Anos gave her a slight smile, satisfied with her answer.
"That is the attitude you must maintain. Now rest. Tomorrow we will move to an interesting place."
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Dawn broke, and both Anos and Kanae set out on their journey towards a destination covered in a blanket of snow. As they moved forward, Kanae broke the silence with a question she could not hold back.
"Anos, you saw my future, didn't you? How did you do that? How did you know about my sister, if you don't even know her?" "Kanae," she asked, a mix of curiosity and distrust in her voice.
Anos glanced at her from the corner of his eye before chuckling softly, with that overwhelming calm that characterized him.
"Kanae, I have ruled my world for millennia. Since my birth as a demon, I have been gifted with wisdom that surpasses human understanding. My power is unmatched, and my mastery of magic allows me to see beyond what others can imagine."
Kanae, though she had already heard of his immense power, could not help but be surprised. The events of the previous day had confirmed that the extent of Anos' abilities was unimaginable.
"Anos… how did you come to this world?" she asked cautiously. "And more importantly, what do you plan to do here?"
Anos paused for a moment, as if Kanae's words had taken him back to a distant memory. Finally, he replied,
"I abandoned my world after I died to create a barrier that would divide the four races. It was my way of ending an endless conflict." I succeeded, but a power of fate brought me to this world and now I plan to stay here resting for a while.
Kanae watched him silently. At that moment, she understood that behind the title of Demon King of Tyranny was someone with a nobler purpose.
"You are a better person than I thought, Anos," she said bravely.
Anos let out a faint bitter smile.
"Most who know me would think otherwise. I have eliminated countless humans and demons, sacrificing them to fulfill my goals."
Kanae did not hesitate.
— But you have surely saved more lives than you sacrificed.You did it for a greater purpose, and that's what really matters.
Anos fell silent, surprised by the firmness of Kanae's words.
Kanae did not ask Anos anything else after that, but she trusted him completely, knowing that he would not harm her world because, like her, he longed for coexistence with demons.
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As night fell, they came to a snowy forest. The landscape was a spectacle of pure whiteness under the moonlight, but there was a palpable tension in the air. Anos stopped and, hovering above the forest, spoke.
"This is your third test. You will face a higher moon, but it will not be a full demon. I have freed it from its master's control, but it retains its power, abilities, and demonic nature. Your mission is not to kill it, but to convince it that there is a path to coexistence with humans."
After listening carefully to Anos' words, Kanae nodded and prepared for whatever was to come, she knows that before she didn't have the ability to kill a higher moon but now with her will stronger than ever and her training with a demon king like Anos, she has already improved quite a bit in battle and has a chance.
Anos raised his hand and, with a gesture, dragged a demon miles away. The creature appeared wrapped in a spiral of dark energy, its body imposing and its presence overwhelming. With a simple snap, Anos disintegrated its physical form, altering its essence and freeing it from the bonds that tied it to its master.
Afterwards, he extended both hands, uttering words in a deep and emotionless tone:
— Jio Graze.
Magical energy enveloped the forest, destroying the vegetation around it and leaving a completely empty space. Immediately after, he invoked another magic:
— Iris .
Energy flowed from the ground, building a giant arena of about 20,000 square meters. The structure rose in a spectacle of light and shadow, its walls reflecting a faint glow under the moonlight.
Finally, he summoned a magic circle and muttered,
— Ingall .
The demon revived, appearing in the center of the arena, clearly stunned but radiating an aura of violence.
"What the hell did you do to me?" he roared, his golden eyes burning with fury.
Anos, from above, looked at him emotionlessly.
Don't worry, she is your opponent. Your task is to defeat her. And hers, by convincing yourself that you already have humanity.
The demon, hearing that, didn't wait any longer. Roaring like a beast, he charged towards Kanae with devastating speed, wanting to kill her.
Kanae adjusted her stance, unsheathing her katana with lethal precision.
— Second Form: Honorable Shadow Plum
A torrent of glowing petals accompanied her movement as she blocked the demon's first attack. The impact pushed her back, her boots digging into the snow as the cold bit at her legs.
"Don't give me cheap tricks, huntress!" the demon roared, his golden eyes flashing with fury.
He leapt at her with inhuman speed, like black lightning. Kanae barely had time to turn.
— Fourth Form: Crimson Hanagoromo
The katana traced a brilliant arc, deflecting the attack, but the force of the impact tore through the ground and sent her rolling several meters. She stood up, panting, feeling a fresh cut on her left arm. Blood stained the sand.
"Is that all a demon hunter has?" the demon sneered, his voice filled with contempt. "Worse yet, you come to lecture me about humanity? Don't make me laugh!"
Kanae frowned. "I must convince him, not kill him… but how do I do that when I can barely keep up with him?"
— Fifth Form: Peonies of Futility
She spun around, creating a vortex of petals that cut through the air like blades. The demon momentarily recoiled, its claws gnashing against Kanae's technique. In the blink of an eye, however, it was gone from sight.
"Too slow!" the demon roared, appearing behind her.
Kanae barely had time to spin her katana to block the blow. The force was so overwhelming that the sword vibrated in her hands, and a second strike sent her flying into a tree. She felt the air escape her lungs as she fell to the ground.
"He's too strong…" she thought, her vision blurring. But then she remembered Anos' words: " Convincing him will be harder than defeating him."
The demon walked toward her slowly, his shadow lengthening in the moonlight.
"There's nothing to save here, Huntress. There's no humanity in me. I'm just a demon."
Kanae coughed, struggling to her feet. Her legs trembled, her left arm hanging limply, but her gaze remained firm.
"It's not true. If it were, you wouldn't bother saying it," she said in a broken voice.
The demon paused for a moment, seemingly remembering something, but then roared with even more fury.
"SHUT UP!"
He leapt at her with a devastating blow, his claws extended to cleave her in two. Kanae closed her eyes for a second, focusing her breathing.
— Sixth Form: Whirling Peach
She disappeared in a blink, leaving a trail of light behind her. The demon spun around in confusion as quick, precise slashes circled around him, like shooting stars in the night. With each slash, however, Kanae felt his body weaken.
"ENOUGH!" the demon screamed, unleashing a wave of dark energy that sent her sprawling to the ground.
Kanae fell to her knees, panting, her katana digging into the snow for support. The demon stepped closer, covered in shallow cuts, but his savage grin was still intact.
"You think this will stop me? I'm a demon! A beast with no name or memories!"
Kanae raised her head, looking him straight in the eyes.
"If you have no memories… why are you shaking?"
The demon stopped. His hands clenched into fists, shaking slightly.
"You lie!" he roared, as if trying to convince himself. "There's nothing in me to save!"
Kanae struggled to his feet, staggering. His lips were pale, but his gaze was firm, and he shouted loudly at the demon,
"You were human!! You had a name, a life. Someone who was waiting for you!!" At that moment Kanae let out all the strong emotions she had suppressed, this further strengthened her will to coexist with the demons.
Finally, after a long struggle between the physical and the emotional, the demon fell to its knees, its body trembling as Kanae's words seemed to pierce its soul.
From above, Anos watched everything with a light smile.
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Author's Note:
MR_HOOD, thank you so much for the 3 Power Stones! Your support is what drives me to continue posting new content.
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