[33] Clean up any remaining trash (II)

Kaoru stepped forward calmly, even though hundreds of demon soldiers stood before him. These creatures varied in every terrifying form—some had giant bodies with black armoured skin, while others appeared as blurry shadows with elongated fangs and claws. Each possessed strange and deadly abilities, from hellfire blasts to illusions that could disorient the mind. Yet, to Kaoru, they were nothing more than minor obstacles.

Without much thought, Kaoru gripped the legendary sword in his hand, Caliburn, a sacred weapon imbued with the power of the Aslan Kingdom. With each swing, the sword moved so fast and lightly as if swatting mere flies, slicing through the demons before him as though they were thin paper. The elegance of his movements contrasted sharply with the destruction he wrought—the Holy Power emanating from Caliburn was so intense that each demon struck by its blade was not only cut down but also felt excruciating pain before vanishing into nothingness. Their screams echoed in the air, but Kaoru remained utterly unaffected.

Even the demon generals—beings hailed as the deadly weapons of Asmodeus—were mere easy prey for Kaoru. They approached with overwhelming force, but in an instant, Caliburn had sliced through their bodies, ending their lives without a meaningful struggle. Kaoru's eyes remained cold, devoid of any emotion in his actions, as though he were merely cleaning up debris that obstructed his path.

The sky above seemed to echo the destruction Kaoru brought, with dark clouds and blood dripping from the battlefield, painting an apocalyptic scene. Yet Kaoru continued forward, unfazed and without slowing down in the slightest.

In the distance, heavy footsteps could be heard, accompanied by a low growl that grew nearer. Each step shook the ground, and from the dense darkness emerged Asmodeus in his true form—a far more terrifying sight than the avatar usually seen in the human world. Standing ten metres tall, his body was covered in jet-black skin that appeared to be made of darkness itself. Two long horns jutted from his head, curving like the scythe of death, ready to reap souls. From his mouth, tentacles extended, writhing and slimy, as if thirsty for blood and eager to devour anyone daring to come close. Giant bat wings on his back flapped powerfully, stirring up winds that sent sand and debris flying, creating a mini-storm around him.

His fiery red eyes, glowing like the embers of hell, locked directly onto Kaoru, the human who had effortlessly breached his castle defences, leaving a trail of death in his wake. Asmodeus, the Demon King of Lust, felt humiliated. No one was supposed to reach this place, let alone a mere human.

"Impressive," Asmodeus hissed, his voice deep and buzzing, echoing in the tense air. "You've managed to break through my forces in a most unusual way. Were they so boring that you look drowsy as you face me?"

Kaoru, gripping the legendary sword Caliburn, simply yawned nonchalantly, as if nothing mattered to him. His eyes were half-closed, displaying an expression more fitting for someone bored than a warrior on the battlefield. "Yawn~ Yeah, yeah, I stayed up late last night, so let's just finish this quickly," he replied calmly, flicking Caliburn to the side, the holy light of the sword flickering briefly.

Asmodeus frowned, rage boiling within him. His dark laughter suddenly erupted, shaking the surroundings. "Kekeke~ So, that's how it is, arrogant human!" he bellowed, his eyes glowing even brighter. "Do you think you can win in my domain? In this place, I am the king! Suffer forever in the depths of hell!"

With his anger rising, the tentacles around Asmodeus's mouth thrashed even more wildly, and the dense black aura radiating from his body became more oppressive. The ground beneath him began to crack, and the dark energy of hell itself seemed to respond to the presence of its king.

Kaoru merely smirked slightly, showing no trace of fear. He knew that Asmodeus's power in hell was far greater than in the human world, but he also knew one thing: Caliburn was no ordinary sword. The blade carried a holy power capable of obliterating darkness, even in a place as dark as hell.

And so, without any warning, the true battle began.

Asmodeus shot forward with a speed unimaginable for his massive frame. His bat wings whipped up deadly winds, sending debris flying like a massive storm. His tentacles lashed out at Kaoru, aiming to immobilise him in an instant.

But Kaoru was ready. With equally astonishing speed, he brought Caliburn forward, parrying the tentacle strikes with a light slash. Every contact between the sacred sword and Asmodeus's tentacles produced bursts of light that burned the demon's limbs, forcing them to retreat with deep, agonised wails.

"Is that all?" Kaoru smirked, staring at Asmodeus. "I expected more from the king of hell."

Asmodeus roared in fury, his anger exploding as he failed to accept that Kaoru, a human, could so easily repel his deadly attacks. "I will destroy you, human!" Asmodeus bellowed, his voice shaking the once grand but now crumbling throne room. His entire body pulsed with an even more intense dark aura, as if he was drawing power directly from the depths of hell itself.

Asmodeus's castle slowly fell apart under the immense power unleashed during the battle. His throne hall—once filled with grandeur and power—was now a battlefield between two extraordinary forces. Kaoru danced gracefully between Asmodeus's attacks, each swing of Caliburn creating flashes of holy light that slashed the demon's body. Yet, though Asmodeus's body was cut, the wounds quickly regenerated. His rapid healing signalled one thing: Kaoru's holy power was still not enough to deliver a fatal blow.

"It's been a while since I've combined these two powers…" Kaoru muttered softly, stepping back to create some distance. His face showed no hint of fear, only a dangerous calm.

Asmodeus laughed darkly, his voice chilling like the cracking of bones. "Kekekeke~ Do you realise that I am invincible here? This is my domain; my power is limitless! I am one of the kings of hell, the ruler of lust, Asmodeus! Tremble in fear of your sins for daring to defy me!"

Kaoru sighed deeply, then looked at Asmodeus lazily. "Blah-blah-blah… Do you always talk this much before a fight? Seriously, every opponent who talks like that always ends up the same way… with an embarrassing defeat," he taunted casually.

Without warning, Kaoru slammed Caliburn into the ground with a thunderous crash. He quickly formed a series of hand seals, and in that moment, two immense yet opposing forces—Aura Power and Holy Power—began to merge within him. Dark red and bright white light erupted from Kaoru, creating a vortex of energy that shook the very space around him.