"Prepare to die... you little puppy!!"
The lava demon's roar echoed through the ruined city. Its molten arm radiated such intense heat that the air around it distorted. It drew back its lava fist, preparing to unleash the most devastating attack Sin had ever faced.
BOOM!
But before the flaming fist could reach Sin, Knight's massive body leaped in front of it! The faithful demon wolf used its own body as a shield for its master without a moment's hesitation. The sound of scorching flesh and Knight's pained roar erupted simultaneously. Its body was sent flying several meters, mangled almost beyond recognition.
"KNIGHT!!!" Sin screamed, his once-calm eyes now blazing with fury and pain.
"You... you bastard..."
The image of the gravely injured Knight... it overlapped with a memory from his past he had tried so hard to forget... the image of that day... the day he first met Knight, and the same day its eyes were extinguished forever...
(Flashback Start)
The Forbidden Forest outside the city of Azura...
A much younger Sin was gasping for breath, his body covered in wounds from his battle with a "Shadow Demon"—the final trial to close the Soul Rift of the Twin Sword School. He had to defeat it alone to prove himself worthy of the power that lay dormant within him.
But he was losing...
He was too weak... talentless... unlike his genius sister or his legendary father. He was about to fail...
"Get up, Sin! Don't give up!" Sylvia's voice shouted encouragement from a distance.
But the Shadow Demon didn't wait. It opened its mouth wide, gathering dark energy into a massive ball and launching it straight at him!
Sin closed his eyes in resignation. He knew he couldn't dodge... this was his end... a pathetic death.
But in that split second of despair, the Soul Rift on his thigh suddenly flashed brightly! It didn't wait for him to pass the trial; it opened on its own, driven by the instinct for survival!
ROAAAAAAAARR!!
The massive black silhouette of a demon wolf shot out from the Soul Rift! It was "Knight," a summoned beast just born from his own spirit! This was the first meeting between master and servant... and it might be their last.
Knight appeared before Sin, using its own body to take the full force of the dark energy ball meant for the master who had just summoned it!
"GRRRRRRAAAAAAA!!!
Knight's scream of pain cut deep into Sin's soul. He opened his eyes just in time to see a horrifying sight... Knight's once-bright amber eyes, full of life and power, were being corroded and burned away by the evil energy until they were extinguished... turning into hollow, dark sockets...
It was blind... His summoned beast... his first friend... was blind from the very moment it opened its eyes to the world...
And it was all because of his weakness... his cowardice... a cowardice so profound that even his own Soul Rift couldn't bear to watch and had to unleash its power to protect him!
Guilt and rage against his fate and himself erupted! Sin roared! He gripped his twin swords tightly and rose to his feet with a resolve he had never known before!
(Flashback End)
"I... will not let history repeat itself a second time!!"
Sin declared, the pain of the past transforming into immense power. He tightened his grip on his twin swords, the wind beginning to swirl around him more violently than ever before.
The lava demon sneered. "Hmph... finally getting serious, are we?"
"Too late!!" It stomped its foot on the ground. The surrounding debris melted into magma before launching at Sin like a meteor shower!
Sin didn't dodge. Instead, he charged right into the storm. The twin swords in his hands became a whirlwind, deflecting and destroying every piece of magma that flew at him! His speed increased until he was almost a blur to the naked eye!
"Wind and Fire Combination Arts..." Sin muttered to himself. The element of fire began to blaze on his right sword, combining with the wind energy on his left, creating a swirling vortex of fire around him. "...First Form... Earth-Cleaving Flame Gale!"
He launched himself into the air, spinning like a drill as he descended upon the lava demon, his flaming twin swords rotating like a fiery buzzsaw!
The lava demon roared, raising both arms to defend itself, but Sin's power was now far beyond what it had anticipated!
SLICE!
The Flame Gale swords cut through its lava arms with ease! Searing hot liquid sprayed everywhere!
"It's not over!" Sin shouted, still hovering in mid-air. He swung both swords in a circle. "Second Form... Blazing Tiger's Claw!"
The wind and fire energy combined into the shape of a massive tiger's claw, pouncing viciously on the lava demon!
BOOOOOOOOOM!!
The explosion sent the lava demon's body flying. It struggled to get up, but half of its body was already destroyed. Its regeneration was slowing down significantly.
"You... you little puppy..." it choked out.
Sin landed softly on the ground, his twin swords still ablaze. He glanced at Knight, who was trying to push itself up, before turning back to his enemy with cold eyes.
"For Knight... and for everyone you devoured... pay with your life."
His twin swords flashed brilliantly...
...And the scene cuts to Rift.
"I've got a bad feeling about this."