Facing The Demon

After consuming its host, the demon grew back to its previous size and stared down at Thomas and his friends.

"Now… gold crests or not… I intend to feast on all of you!" The demon laughed and prepared to attack.

Thomas immediately readied a vial in each hand. One being the Fire accelerant and the other being the Ice Mist one. He then turned to Corbin and Alex.

"Do you guys trust me?" Thomas asked smiling and his friends both rapidly grinned back towards him.

"Yeah, no doubt!" Alex beamed with confidence.

"Are you guys ready?" Thomas turned back around to face the demon.

"Not in a million years," Corbin laughed nervously.

This was the do or die moment.

"Now, charge!" Thomas yelled and they began to sprint against the demon.

A cackle was heard and the demon got excited.

"Do not think you will trick me twice with those things!" The demon launched a hardened spear against Alex and his other arm extended to grab Corbin.

Thomas crossed his arms and their entire group smiled.

"Now!" Thomas shouted and tossed the vials left and right with his arms crossed to reach for their right and opposite directions.

Alex and Corbin switched places by dashing forward then jumping sideways. Corbin bursted the spear with his water sphere and caused it to crystallize and break. Alex took care of the ooze stretching arm by severing it.

They managed to close in on the demon who now began barraging them with smaller spike-like spears and started shooting ooze across.

Thomas kept on taking vials out of his pockets and smashed them to counter every attack. Corbin and Alex responded likewise and co-ordinated their attacks in perfect sync.

"Stop your frivolous struggle and surrender! What hopes do you have of defeating me! Eventually you will run out of vials!" The demon angrily complained then laughed.

Thomas knew the demon was right.

[Scanning]

[Name: Formerly Peter Fenner]

[Appearance: Four Legs. Black horns and claws. 13']

[Race: Tier-2 Demon, Pit-Lord]

[Ability: Stretching and Hardening Ooze]

…

There was no real information about any signs of clear weaknesses other than their tactics of using vials and co-ordinated attacks.

"Thomas we are running out of time here!" Alex said worryingly.

The group kept fending off the incoming attacks but it was time to strike the demon now that they were up close. Thomas remembered something about destroying all of the demon's hearts. Since this was a tier-2 demon, he assumed it would have two hearts.

"Alex, strike its heart now!" Thomas tossed a Fire Accelerant on the demon's left chest.

Alex rapidly jumped and drove his Flaming Sword through it. In response the demon roared out in pain.

"Clever human, however it is futile! My heart will soon regenerate!" It laughed and knocked Alex away into the corridor with its left arm.

Alex's back hit the hallway wall hard and he looked at his two friends up front while falling onto the ground.

"I leave it all up to you guys now!" Alex yelled out mid-air.

Thomas took the opportunity when the demon flung Alex to slide under its feet and initiated another scan now that it was weakened.

[Arcane System Initializing…]

"Scan for a potential weakness like you did automatically and called out during the exam versus the demon ogre!" Thomas commanded the system in a desperate attempt.

[Scan initializing…]

[Weakness found]

[Second heart is stationed at the end of its tail]

This was it. Thomas unsheathed his wooden sword while sliding under and popped an Ice Mist vial open with the help of his mouth.

Thomas had no more vials remaining of either accelerant, this was their final attempt to end it all in one blow. He looked to Corbin and spit out the cork.

"Aim for it is tail!" Thomas called out and Corbin smiled.

Corbin hastily fired away his water sphere after jumping sideways to gain vision and target the end of the demon's tail. Thomas matched it by the second with smashing the vial at the perfect moment and it crystallized.

The demon turned around in panic and aimed to impale Thomas by forming both of his arms like spears and plunging them hurriedly.

Thomas sliced the tail instantly once crystallized and severed the heart from its main body. The heart was destroyed right on time as both spears reached and touched Thomas' throat, causing a tiny prick. A slight blood drop dripped down Thomas' throat and the attack was halted.

The spears were drawn back to regular arms and the demon slowly reverted back to its smaller size, wailing in complete agony.

"How did you know where my second heart was? How can three mere first-years defeat me? This does not make any sense!" The demon roared out and slowly began dissipating into a dark purple mist.

After a few seconds nothing remained of either the demon or Peter, it all vanished before their eyes. The mist was carried by the wind and blew out one of the open windows in the hallway.

Thomas and Corbin immediately collapsed backwards with their legs and fell flat on their asses.

"Phew… thought I was a goner!" Thomas wiped his forehead in relief.

"So did I! But we did it!" Corbin grinned.

"Yes, we did…" Alex managed to pick himself up and stood in front of Thomas and offered his hand.

"Thanks," Thomas smiled and got back on his feet.

Alex did the same for Corbin and they dusted themselves off. They headed for the exit downstairs and to report back to the academy about the incident. Corbin looked at Thomas for a second.

"How did you know where the second heart was?" Corbin inquired with a strange expression.

Thomas thought carefully for a second before answering.

"You know… I like to study and all! I think it was a lucky hunch or maybe something I remembered from an old textbook or so!" Thomas laughed.

Although Alex did not seem as easily fooled like Corbin. He sensed Thomas was definitely being dishonest and was hiding something.

"Oh well! Does not matter! All that matters is you guys saved my ass!" Alex joined in on the laughter and wrapped his arms around their shoulders.

Alex pretended to feign ignorance and revisit the matter at a different time if need be. Thomas assumed both bought his white lie and did not think twice to consider otherwise.

A new message then suddenly appeared before Thomas.

[Main Quest Complete!]

[Slay The Demon]

[You have gained 75 Exp]

[You have reached the maximum Exp]

[Experience: 100/100]

[Remainder of Exp will be calculated towards next level]

[Congratulations you have enough Exp to level up!]

Thomas could not help but smile, this was something he had been excitedly waiting for. However a new message popped up shortly after which got Thomas slightly confused.

[Do you wish to level up?]

[Warning! Any changes will be irreversible]

Thomas gulped for a second.

"Yes," Thomas gave a firm response to proceed on with leveling.