The battlefield trembled as Aaron, the Devil of Inferno, took a step forward. His presence alone distorted the air—thick waves of mana swelled like molten air rippling above a forge. The lingering flames from the Fire Dragon he'd summoned earlier still danced around him, now fading into embers as if bowing to their master. The red earth beneath cracked with each step he took, the ground itself acknowledging a creature of higher existence.
Mia and her squad stood in formation, their armor smeared with soot, their breathing uneven but steady. Across the scarred battlefield, Aaron's calm grin carved through the tension like a blade.
"So," the devil began, voice dripping with amusement, "you chose to challenge me directly. I suppose muscle truly is what humans trust when they grow desperate."
"Desperate?" Mia's icy tone snapped through the heated air. "No. Just done playing your little games."
