The entire city, even those on the outskirts were ordered to evacuate to the neighboring cities. The threat that the archdemon carries can't be gauged by the authorities, yet they advised that drastic measure as they presume it exceeds the level of an S-rank archdemon.
The archdemon's appearance was all over the news, and it attracted the attention of all the guilds in that division. At that moment, an official request from the Demon Hunter Association has been delivered to all the guilds, permitting them to partake in the hunt.
However, only A-rank and above are allowed in the archdemon's vicinity. Any rank lower than that is instructed to help evacuate civilians and deal with the transfigured humans.
Several zones in the city which are flooding with transfigured humans have been conquered by the other guilds. They held those demons captive, hoping there's a chance to turn them back into a human.
About half an hour has passed since the umbrella gate has closed and all the zones surrounding the archdemon have been secured. Almost every civilian in the center of the city has fled, however, there are still some caught in the crossfire and are taking shelter in the buildings.
Tremors from the lurching golem send terror in the hiding humans.
*RUMBLE*
As the golem staggered on the road, its left hand pressed against the building of its size, demolishing the structure.
*Rustle*
*Rustle*
A military tank rolled in the road, waiting for the golem to approach the firing range.
Military forces are rare in this world of DHs, hence there's only a single tank.
"Fire!"
Behind the tank, a dozen armed military forces stepped out. Their firearm rose to take aim, then simultaneously unleashed the bullets. Along with the sparkling gunshot bombarding the golem, the tank launched a shell, blasting the golem's torso.
The projectile landed successfully, producing a cascade of dust clouds as it struck its target. With the impact, a chaotic swirl of debris filled the air. The military troops, recognizing the effectiveness of their strike, held their fire.
Unfortunately, they were mistaken. The tremor persisted, signaling that their attempt was futile.
Unscathed, the golem loomed out of the dust. The military, realizing that they could barely scratch its molten structure, decided for a second round. The commander ordered to take aim, then fired once more. But this time, their target is different.
"AIM AT THE ARCHDEMON!!!"
The golem, with its hand still firmly pressed against the building, submerged it within, seizing a hefty chunk before hurling it with a sweeping motion towards the tank. The chunk broke into pieces of debris, coming down as if a meteor shower.
A couple soldiers were flattened in an instant, and the tank was hit by the front with the barrel completely smashed under a huge fragment. With the blood splattered on the road, the soldiers lost their composure and fled like a chicken.
The tank operator survived the impact with some luck involved. However, the golem was approaching and he was abandoned by his comrades. He struggled crawling out of the narrowed hull roof, but before he could get out, the entire tank was shadowed by the golem's arm, poised to crush him.
"Why wasn't I granted with a blessing,? " he murmured as his final remark.
*Zoom!*
At a speed that his eyes failed to follow, a slashing sound of metals scratched his ears. A man with a conical hat atop his head, swooped in and sliced the tank vertically, making space for the tank operator to escape.
The man hoisted him through the hull roof, then swiftly ejected him from the tank, sending him tumbling down the road.
*Smash!*
The golem's massive hand obliterated the tank, and the tank operator's life was spared. As he sat on the road, witnessing the man who had rescued him being crushed beneath, he found himself unable to focus on anything but his own survival. Despite the twinge of conscience gnawing at him, he turned his back and fled.
Unintentionally, the hand got slightly uplifted, as if something was pushing the golem's hand. The hand elevated as the man stood up straight.
"A mere boulder," Ermit remarked, bearing the golem's weight with his katana. His tone sounded collected, mirroring his unruffled composure as he carried the massive appendage effortlessly. "Even a blunt kitchen knife could cleave through this stone; if I'm the one wielding it, that is."
The golem retracted one massive hand, only to strike with the other as the ground trembled beneath its weight. Unfazed by the hand hurtling towards his face, Ermit swiftly evaded backward.
The golem's attack missed, marking a crater upon the road. Ermit stepped onto its outstretched hand, then whirled around it as his katana sparkled upon scraping against stone.
Reaching the peak, his feet set on the golem's neck where the archdemon was relaxing. By then, the golem's right arm cracked, detaching from the shoulder. The arm fell on the road, crushing the vehicles beneath.
Ermit pressed on without a break, decisively maintaining his momentum as he charged forward. His katana swayed at a graceful motion, directed to behead the motionless demon.
Despite the palpable threat emanating from Ermit's presence, the archdemon seemed unperturbed. Perhaps Ermit's movements were too fast to follow, or was there a reason for it to be dormant.
The blade is an inch away from the neck, yet the demon shows no effort of evading. It was a certain strike, when suddenly, the entire city dimmed under the night.
Ermit was robbed of his sight, yet his katana remained steadfast on its trajectory, undeterred by the sudden shroud of night. Although he's unable to see it, he felt his katana making contact with flesh—he even exerted a greater force to cut it clean.
There's no doubt in Ermit's mind, he decapitated the archdemon. The darkness then dissipates, confirming Ermit's thoughts. He did slice off its head, but the archdemon remained up straight with its hand holding its detached head over its neck.
Standing face to face with the archdemon, it giggled diabolically, creeping into Ermit's ears.
The malevolent laughter paused so it could stretch open its repugnant mouth. Sensing the danger, Ermit pulled away and—.
*Screeeeee!!!*
It roared, unleashing a force that propelled Ermit to blast into a building. He crashed through the wall and found himself inside an office with several workers hiding behind their cluttered desks.
It only took Ermit a second to recompose and get back to his feet before walking to the edge of the massive hole of where he crashed. He spent a second to watch the golem replace its lost arm by conjuring one on the ground.
It can regenerate by harboring natural landforms. The only way Ermit could defeat this enormous but brainless rock is by slicing it into dice.
The thought of it brimmed an exhilarated expression on his face. Ermit is an old man who hadn't fought to his limit in the past couple of decades—and for that reason, he has been feeling rusty. His swordsmanship is aging together with his white hair.
Finally, Ermit found an excuse to be young and reckless. The sensation of the thrilling battle that is about to erupt is visible in his eyes. His stance says it all: grip fastening around the katana's hilt, and legs eager to pounce on the enemy.
He can't wait a second longer.
But suddenly.
"Was there any pizza left, or am I late to the party?"
A man, clad in a meticulously tailored tuxedo popped out in the archdemon's rear unnoticeably. On the bridge of his nose, sat a pair of sleek black glasses. His demeanor was lazy and confident, and the way he stood with his chest puffed signifies the power he exudes.
He materialized out of thin air, so stealthily that neither the archdemon nor Ermit could discern his presence—a stunt only an SSS-rank DH could pull, the pinnacle of stealth.
"Perhaps, I've spoiled the fun?" Froilan mused, a tinge of sadness coloring his words.
Though of course, he was being sarcastic.