Flock!

"Fucking… hell," Levi growled, his eyes darting from one Black Wing to another. What had once been a single entity had now split into a swarm of monsters, all charging toward him with bloodlust in their eyes.

"Are they illusions?" His mind raced, trying to make sense of the scene unfolding before him. But his gut told him otherwise. Each of these creatures moved with the same ferocity and precision as the original Black Wing. They were too real—too dangerous—to be simple tricks.

"Shit!" Levi cursed as the swarm closed in. There was no time to devise a plan, no time to distinguish which—if any—was the real one. Each one of these Black Wings seemed identical, their muscles rippling with a deadly intent as they surged toward him. 

He had barely a moment to brace himself before the first wave hit like a freight train of flesh and bone.

The impact was brutal—claws slashed at his skin, teeth sunk into his shoulders, and blows pummeled his gut. Yet, through the chaos, Levi noticed something crucial,

'Weak!'

Despite their numbers and ferocity, these Black Wings were far weaker than the original. It was as if the creature had divided itself into many, sacrificing strength for numbers. Levi's demon form held its ground, his muscles straining as he fended off the relentless assault. 

With a growl, he tore through the nearest Black Wing with his claws, sending a spray of dark blood into the air. His leg swung like a hammer, crushing the head of another creature. Without pausing, he sank his canines into the shoulder of a third monster, adrenaline surging as he slashed, kicked, and tore into his enemies.

There was no technique to his movements, no elegance—just raw, unfiltered bloodshed. 

For every Black Wing he felled, two more seemed to take its place. They clawed at him, bit into him, and ripped at his flesh, but Levi pressed on, refusing to yield.

Pain exploded across his back as sharp talons found their mark. Levi roared in fury, spinning to face his attacker, only to have another Black Wing lunge at him from the side. Its long, sinewy arm whipped toward his face, and he barely deflected the blow, stumbling from the sheer force of it.

Blood dripped from countless wounds, and his breath came in ragged gasps. He was tiring. Each defense, each strike drained him further. His essence was running low, and he knew he couldn't keep this up forever.

"Goddammit!" Levi spat, his frustration mixing with the metallic taste of blood in his mouth.

Before he could gather himself, another hard hit sent him reeling. He stumbled, his foot catching on the uneven ground, and he fell hard. The impact knocked the wind from his lungs, and before he could react, the swarm of Black Wings piled on top of him, a suffocating mass of claws and fangs.

In that desperate moment, a new idea hit Levi like lightning. He had been going about this all wrong. Brute force wouldn't win this fight—he needed to outsmart the creature.

"Arrrghhh!" Levi roared, summoning every last ounce of strength left in his battered body and coating the essence around himself. 

With a surge of power, he scattered the Black Wings like broken toys. As he forced himself back onto his feet, a strategy began to take shape in his mind.

"Fucking shithead," he snarled through clenched teeth. "I swear I'm gonna roast you into chicken." 

Focusing his remaining essence into his core, Levi activated Lunacy! 

A sickly green aura began to build around him, pulsing with chaotic energy. The Black Wings, momentarily stunned by his resurgence, regrouped and charged at him again, a tidal wave of gnashing teeth and claws.

Levi stood firm, letting the Lunacy energy swirl around him like a storm. Just as the first of the Black Wings closed in, he unleashed the power in a wave of chaotic green light, bathing the entire horde in its insanity-inducing glow.

And immediatly, his eyes darted between the creatures, searching for any sign of a reaction. Most of the Black Wings kept coming, their minds too alien or focused to be affected by Lunacy. But then, at the back of the swarm, Levi saw it—a single Black Wing faltered, its movements becoming erratic as Lunacy seeped into its mind.

"Found you," Levi growled, his eyes lighting up with a predatory grin.

With reckless action, Levi charged through the mass of monsters, no longer caring to fight them off. His singular focus now was the original Black Wing—the one which was affected by his Lunacy. 

Claws tore at his flesh, but Levi ignored the pain, his demon healing working overtime to mend the wounds almost as quickly as they appeared.

Each step brought him closer to his target, and as he neared the creature, Levi unleashed another pulse of Lunacy. 

His essence reserves plummeted dangerously low, but he didn't care. His gamble was paying off.

The affected Black Wing convulsed violently, struggling to maintain control. 

Levi had guessed right—the Black Wing had divided itself into numerous entities, not cloned. It had spread its power too thin, and now, under the influence of Lunacy, it was losing its grip on its own body.

Normally, the Black Wing would have resisted a mental attack from someone of Levi's caliber, but the strain of dividing itself had left it vulnerable. Now, the very skill it had relied on was proving fatal.

Realizing its error, the original Black Wing let out a guttural screech, and the other Black Wings immediately rushed to form a wall between Levi and their master.

They blocked his path, clawing and slashing at him to buy time for the original to recover. But Levi's focus remained unwavering.

His eyes narrowed, an insane grin creeping across his face. He was so close—there was no way he was letting this one get away. 

"You're mine."

At that moment, the lunacy in Levi's eyes was nerve-chilling!

---***---

Hello dear readers,

I have a small announcement to make—our book is nearing 50 chapters, and I've decided to go premium! This change will likely happen within the next two chapters.

I would also like to ask for a small favor—please take a moment to leave a rating and write a review. It only takes two minutes, but it can help new readers decide whether to start reading and will be a great motivation for me as well!

Writing slow-paced stories can be challenging, especially since it takes time for them to gain popularity. Your support is what keeps authors like us going!

Thank you all, and I hope you'll continue to support the journey ahead!