Track

Huff... Huff...

Pretending to be in pain, I watched as Sophia's frame moved out of my view. Observing her petite figure as she disappeared into the cloud of debris and dust, I couldn't help but feel a sense of relief.

The pained expression on my face also slowly faded.

Just as a safety measure, I waited a few more minutes before finally tilting my head to make sure that she truly had left the area.

Fortunately, it seemed that she had gone to help either Jake or Alex, leaving me alone.

"Finally..."

With a sigh, I rose to my feet and brushed off the dirt from my pants. I was already getting tired from pretending to be injured.

Staring at the rubble and destruction around me, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, trying to steady my heartbeat and focus on the Mana in the surroundings.

I've dealt with the Demon that had come to kill me, now I had to kill another one.

"Found it."

I whispered under my breath as I spotted the trail of the Mana Signature I left on James before the whole event.

All I had to do now was follow the trail.

[ Burst ]

***

Luna stared at James's face and raised her fists.

Her entire demeanor and her previously calm expression were now filled with silent fury. Although her face betrayed no emotion, within her ocean-blue eyes burned a cold flame.

"He's a Demon Contractor, retreat behind me Lucy."

She spoke in a low, authoritative voice, her eyes never leaving James' form.

Lucy, the silver-haired girl, nodded in understanding, her grip tightening around her staff as she stepped back, positioning herself behind Luna.

James, or rather the Demon Contractor, chuckled softly, the sound sending a shiver down Luna's spine. With a swift movement, he raised his hand, and dark tendrils of mana began to swirl around his fingers, forming a sinister-looking sigil in the air.

Luna's senses sharpened, her Sixth Sense skill alerting her to the imminent danger. Without hesitation, she activated her Ice Dragon's Fist technique, coating her body in a shimmering layer of icy aura. The air around her grew colder, and frost began to form on the ground beneath her feet.

Swish...

With a burst of speed, James lunged forward, his movements fluid and unnatural. Luna's instincts kicked in, and she dodged his attack with ease, her agility proving to be her greatest asset.

But James was relentless, his attacks coming in rapid succession, each strike fueled by the dark power of the demon within him. Luna parried his blows with precision, her martial arts skills allowing her to hold her own against the possessed foe.

Meanwhile, Lucy stood ready behind Luna, her eyes glowing with determination as she watched the battle unfold. She knew she couldn't match Luna's combat prowess, but she was determined to do whatever it took to support her teammate.

As the fight raged on, Luna could feel the icy aura draining her stamina, but she refused to back down. She focused her mana, channeling it into her fists as she prepared to unleash her most powerful technique.

With a fierce determination burning within her, Luna unleashed the full force of her Ice Dragon's Fist technique. Frost danced along her fists as she launched a devastating counterattack against James, her movements swift and precise.

The icy blast struck James head-on, engulfing him in a whirlwind of freezing mana. Luna poured every ounce of her strength into the attack.

For a moment, it seemed as though the tide of battle had turned in Luna's favor. But to her dismay, James emerged from the icy onslaught seemingly unscathed, his eyes gleaming with malevolent intent.

"You think you can defeat me?"

He taunted, his voice dripping with contempt.

Luna gritted her teeth, her fists clenched tight as she braced herself for another round of attacks.

[ Wind Blast ]

However, before James could make his next move, a powerful gust of wind erupted from Lucy's outstretched hand. The gust of wind created a momentary distraction, causing James to stumble and lose his balance.

This allowed Luna the opportunity she needed to strike.

Unleashing another devastating combo of punches and kicks, Luna unleashed her fury upon James.

Her blows landed with precision, each strike carrying the weight of a freight train.

At first, James could parry the blows but soon a single swift kick from Luna sent James flying backwards, crashing into the wall.

"..."

Clenching her fists she lowered her body and prepared to finish the fight, however, before she could make her move something fell out of the sky and crashed into the ground, creating a cloud of smoke and debris.

Luna immediately took a dozen steps back, standing aside Lucy, her eyes scanning the smoke-filled air for any signs of movement.

"Well... Well..."

A chilly voice cut through the silence as a figure emerged from the smoke, causing Luna's heart to skip a beat.

It was a Demon and quite powerful at that.