Chapter-8

The air crackled with a furious energy as Eldric, now a glowing beacon of divine power, charged at Roland. His movements were lightning-fast, fueled by the goddess's blessing, and the holy blade of the Sword of Sky cut through the smoke-filled air with a terrifying hum. Yet, Roland remained unfazed. Years of isekai adventuring had honed his reflexes to an uncanny degree. He easily sidestepped Eldric's initial attack, the crackling aura of divine protection brushing harmlessly against his scaly hide.

Eldric, fueled by a mixture of righteous fury and a growing sense of frustration, launched a relentless assault. He unleashed a flurry of sword strikes, each one imbued with holy energy. Yet, Roland danced around the onslaught with an almost comical ease. He parried blows with Ryujin Jakka, the fiery blade leaving streaks of orange across the battlefield. He ducked under lunges, his movements blurring as he leveraged his monstrous agility. Every attempt Eldric made to strike him seemed to be anticipated, countered with a practiced grace that belied Roland's monstrous form.

"Come on, grandpa," Roland taunted, his voice laced with amusement despite the intensity of the fight. "Is that all you got? Maybe you need a nap and a glass of warm milk!"

Eldric roared in frustration. The creature's mocking words were as infuriating as its seemingly effortless defense. He gritted his teeth, channeling more divine power into his attacks. The holy aura surrounding him intensified, crackling with a potent energy. He unleashed a blinding flash of light, a technique passed down through generations of paladins, designed to banish demonic entities.

But Roland, ever the anomaly, merely blinked. The flash, meant to be debilitating, seemed to have no effect. He chuckled, a sound that echoed eerily across the battlefield. "Light shows? Really? Didn't you learn anything from those vampire novels you humans seem so fond of?"

Eldric stumbled back, his confidence shaken. Not only was the creature impervious to his attacks, but it seemed to possess knowledge about human lore? It was as if he was fighting a being from beyond their world, an entity that defied the very laws of their universe.

A thick, green fog billowed onto the battlefield, obscuring Roland from view. Eldric, momentarily blinded, stumbled back, coughing as the acrid fumes stung his lungs. He knew this mist – the signature technique of Belial, the demon lord. It was a poisonous concoction that could debilitate even the most seasoned warriors. Panic clawed at Eldric's throat. Was Belial planning to betray them both, eliminating Roland with the poisonous mist and wiping him out later? His grip tightened on the Sword of the Sky, his righteous fury boiling over into something closer to fear.

Suddenly, a booming laugh echoed from within the green fog. It was a sound that sent shivers down Eldric's spine – a laugh that radiated amusement and a hint of... arrogance?

"Well, well, Belial," boomed the voice, easily cutting through the dense fog. "Looks like you decided to join the party after all!"

The fog swirled and parted, revealing Roland standing unscathed in the center. The poisonous mist seemed to dissipate harmlessly around him, leaving him untouched. His crimson eyes gleamed with a playful challenge, fixed on Belial, who stood a few paces away.

Belial, for his part, looked utterly bewildered. He had witnessed Roland's pyrotechnic display with a mixture of fascination and trepidation, but this? This immunity to his poisonous mist was a new wrinkle in the situation. A frown marred his perfectly manicured brow.

"Interesting," Belial drawled, his voice laced with a hint of grudging respect. "It seems your little fiery friend here is more resilient than I anticipated." He raised a hand, sending a ball of crimson fire hurtling towards Roland. "But surely even you can't be immune to everything."

Roland chuckled, a sound that danced with a hint of condescension. "Fire magic, eh? Cute trick. Seen it a thousand times before, from goblins throwing torches to actual fire deities." He raised Ryujin Jakka, the flames around the blade flaring defiantly. "But hey, why not give it a shot? Maybe you'll manage to singe my eyebrows."

With a flick of his wrist, Roland sent a wave of even hotter flames towards Belial's fireball. The two attacks collided in mid-air, a miniature inferno erupting as they battled for dominance. For a moment, the battlefield was bathed in an eerie orange glow, the clash of fire magic shaking the very ground.

Then, with a decisive hiss, Roland's flames overwhelmed Belial's, engulfing the fireball completely. The leftover inferno surged forward, licking at Belial's outstretched hand. He yelped in surprise, hastily pulling back as his meticulously manicured nails singed and curled.

Belial stared at his singed hand, the shock evident on his face. Never in his long, demon lord career had he been outmatched in a fire duel. His gaze flicked back to Roland, who now sported a cocky grin that stretched from horn to horn.

Belial's singed hand seemed to momentarily dampen his flamboyant demeanor. But then, a devious grin stretched across his face, as wide and sharp as a shark's. "Well, well," he drawled, his voice dripping with amusement, "that wasn't entirely out of my expectations anyway." He flicked his wrist, a crimson sigil flashing into existence beneath Roland's feet.

Eldric, momentarily forgotten, watched with a mixture of confusion and morbid curiosity. What new trick was the demon lord about to unleash?

Before Roland could react, a pillar of searing flames erupted from the magic circle, engulfing him entirely. It wasn't Belial's most powerful attack, not designed to utterly destroy Roland. Instead, it was a calculated move, a fiery prison meant to inflict pain and delay. Belial wasn't naive enough to believe a single fire trap could incapacitate this bizarre creature, but perhaps it would buy him some time, some leverage.

A guttural roar echoed from within the inferno, the sound tinged with surprise and, dare Belial say it, a hint of amusement. This creature, this enigma from unknown entity, seemed incapable of taking things seriously.

"Whoa, Belial, that tickles!" Roland's voice boomed from within the flames, surprisingly unharmed. "Is this supposed to be your big finale? Because frankly, it leaves a lot to be desired. You demons really need to up your game when it comes to fiery torture."