This time, Duanmu Huai was truly furious.
He had just picked up his new gunboat, barely rolled it out of the 4S dealership, and it was already scrapped?
How the fuck could anyone tolerate that?
So he stopped holding back and went straight in, opening big to "show goodwill"!
"BOOM!!!!"
As Duanmu Huai smashed into the Demon army like a meteor, a massive mushroom cloud slowly rose into the sky. At the same time, pitch-black flames around him exploded outward like a storm, instantly swallowing all the surrounding Demon soldiers.
But it wasn't over yet.
In the next moment, Duanmu Huai clenched his greatsword. The flames along the blade suddenly condensed, forming a fifty-meter-long flaming greatsword. With a furious roar, Duanmu Huai swung it down in a single strike!
At that instant, the black flames rippled outward like waves. Wherever they passed, Demon soldiers were completely engulfed and wrapped in the black inferno, screaming as they collapsed to the ground. In the blink of an eye, countless Demon soldiers were utterly reduced to dust, vanishing into the air.
"Whew...…"
Howling winds swept across the battlefield. When Duanmu Huai stood upright again, not a single corpse remained before him—only a thick layer of ash-gray dust, like volcanic ash, covering the land.
"Hiss...…"
Seeing this, Shizuka couldn't help but suck in a sharp breath.
Although she had known Duanmu Huai for quite a long time, this was the first time she had witnessed his combat firsthand. Even if you beat her to death, she would never have imagined his strength to be this terrifying. Tens of thousands of Demon soldiers had turned into dust almost instantly—perhaps not even a Demon Lord could achieve something like this!
Sitting dazed on the ground, staring at Duanmu Huai's towering figure in the distance, with ashes and dust drifting down around him, Shizuka even began to feel an illusion—
—as if everything in the world was marching toward death and destruction, with only endless decay left behind…
"Who are you, daring to run wild here?!"
At that moment, a sharp cry suddenly rang out from the sky. Duanmu Huai raised his head and looked upward, seeing a girl with short purple hair, curved bull-like horns, and wings floating in the sky not far away. She held a short spear in her hand and stared sternly at Duanmu Huai. Behind her were countless winged girls who looked like angels.
"Who are you?"
Duanmu Huai tightened his grip on the greatsword and asked coldly. The purple-haired girl snorted.
"I am the Demon Person Sezer. A mere human dares to cause trouble here—how ignorant of death!"
"Demon Person?"
Hearing this, Duanmu Huai's eyes lit up.
A Demon Person—and a female one!
Didn't my experimental subject just walk right up to me?!
"Get down here and die!"
Without hesitation, Duanmu Huai roared and thrust his right hand forward in a grasping motion. Instantly, Sezer felt her body crushed as if by a thousand-pound boulder, plunging straight downward!
"Hmph! You think this will work?"
A cold glint flashed across Sezer's face. She raised her short spear, and in the next instant the surrounding temperature plummeted. Hardened ice rapidly formed at her sides, solidifying into several terrifying, gigantic ice pillars that shot straight toward Duanmu Huai!
As a Demon Person, Sezer's power was naturally formidable. She could freely manipulate cold air into ice, creating frozen masses capable of freezing everything.
This was Sezer's power—unrivaled absolute ice!
Against her cold, any ordinary person would only end up frozen solid.
But…
Duanmu Huai clearly wasn't buying it!
"Useless!"
Facing ice pillars as thick as skyscrapers, Duanmu Huai showed not the slightest fear. He clenched his fist and punched straight at the crushing ice!
"ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA!!!"
"It's useless!!"
Seeing Duanmu Huai's actions, Sezer burst into laughter.
"Prepare to be crushed into meat paste! Hah!!"
As she laughed, Sezer extended her hand again. The already massive ice pillars expanded even further, then slammed violently into the ground!
"RUMMMMMBLE...…"
The ice pillars struck—and Duanmu Huai's figure vanished.
Seeing this, Shizuka was completely dumbfounded, unable to utter a single word.
"Hmph. That's all."
Standing atop the ice pillar, Sezer gazed down contemptuously.
"A mere human dares challenge a Demon Person? Humans as small as ants could never be a match for Demon People!"
After saying this, Sezer snorted and turned to leave.
However…
Just as her leg moved, it suddenly stopped.
W-what?
Sezer's face went blank. She tried to look downward—but found her body moving extremely slowly…
No—not slow.
It wouldn't move at all!
"How is this possible…? My body… it won't move at all?!"
Panic finally seized Sezer. As a Demon Person, she had never encountered anything like this before!
At that moment, a voice sounded behind her.
"I didn't expect you to still react even after I stopped time. Looks like Demon People really live up to their reputation."
"W-what? Stopped… time?"
Sezer was shocked. She instinctively tried to turn her head, but couldn't move at all. Looking forward, she finally realized—
The entire world had stopped.
Even the dust kicked up by the crushed ground beneath the ice pillars was frozen midair, completely motionless.
"Y-you… who are you? Why do you possess such power?"
"How does it feel?"
Duanmu Huai didn't answer her question. Instead, he walked toward her step by step.
"This feeling—being unable to move while someone approaches from behind—is like someone who can only hold their breath underwater for one minute. Just as they surface after a minute, ready to breathe…"
As he spoke, Duanmu Huai extended his hand and placed it on Sezer's shoulder.
"…they're suddenly dragged back underwater!"
"Ugh—————!!"
Feeling the touch on her shoulder, Sezer shuddered violently. For the first time in her life, fear took root in her heart.
Could it be… that my invincible barrier doesn't work against this human?
How is that possible? Ordinary humans should never be able to break through an invincible barrier!
"But don't worry. I won't kill you—because for you, something far more terrifying than death is waiting."
With that, Duanmu Huai clenched his fist and punched forward.
"ORA!!!"
With a violent impact, the girl's body twisted grotesquely, frozen midair.
Then—
"Time begins to flow."
As Duanmu Huai's words fell, Sezer was suddenly launched away, slamming headfirst into the ground and skidding forward hundreds of meters before finally stopping.
"Eh? Eh??"
Seeing this, Shizuka was utterly stunned. Just moments ago, she had clearly seen the Demon Person crush Duanmu Huai beneath ice pillars—then in the blink of an eye, the Demon Person was sent flying, while Duanmu Huai appeared in her original position!
What kind of magic was this?!
Before Shizuka could react further, Aegis extended her hand. Puppet strings shot out, binding Sezer tightly.
At that moment, Duanmu Huai returned to their side.
"Alright, let's leave this place first."
As he spoke, Duanmu Huai glanced up at the Demon army still in the sky, then grabbed the unconscious Sezer and shook her slightly. Seeing their Demon Person captured, the monsters panicked and fled in terror, disappearing in the blink of an eye.
"Ah… okay…"
Shizuka nodded blankly, stood up, then looked at the unconscious Demon Person in Duanmu Huai's hand, frowning.
"Why are you taking her with us?"
"To do an experiment."
Duanmu Huai shrugged.
"You know."
"Wait—you're really planning to do that? Will it work?"
Shizuka wasn't stupid. She had heard Duanmu Huai mention his wild plan before, but at the time she'd only taken it as idle talk.
She hadn't expected that this time, Duanmu Huai actually intended to go through with it.
Facing Shizuka's question, Duanmu Huai chuckled.
"Whether it works or not—you won't know until you try, right?"
After that, Duanmu Huai took Aegis and Shizuka away from the ruins toward the Fortress City. Of course, he didn't forget his plan. Along the way, they rested in a mansion that had been completely looted by Demons. Shizuka was utterly exhausted and quickly found a guest room to sleep.
Duanmu Huai assigned Aegis to stand guard, then went to another room and tossed Sezer, whom he was carrying, onto the floor.
"Alright, stop pretending to be dead. I know you woke up long ago. If you keep pretending, I'll make you a real corpse."
"What exactly do you want?"
Realizing her act had failed, Sezer raised her head and glared viciously at Duanmu Huai.
"Simple."
Duanmu Huai stared at her coldly and smiled.
"You're a Demon Person, right?"
"…Yes."
"A Demon Person counts as a magical creature, doesn't it?"
"What are you trying to say?"
Sezer frowned deeply, staring at Duanmu Huai, unable to understand what this terrifying man intended.
"Oh, let me introduce myself. My name is Duanmu Huai. I'm a Beast Tamer… now do you understand what I mean?"
"Beast Tamer? Magical creature… wait!!"
Sezer muttered a few words, then suddenly realized.
He asked if she was a magical creature, then introduced himself as a Beast Tamer—any idiot could connect the dots!
"You want me—a Demon Person—to be your familiar?! Are you insane?!"
Sezer stared at Duanmu Huai in disbelief, completely at a loss for words. For a Demon Person to become someone's familiar—this kind of blasphemous idea was something she had never seen anyone seriously consider!
"Whether it works or not—you won't know until you try, right?"
"You're dreaming!!"
Sezer jumped up, wishing she could bite Duanmu Huai to death.
"Don't think I don't know! A familiar contract requires mutual intent! Ordinary magical creatures might submit to you, but I, Sezer, would rather die here than ever share intent with you!"
"Mm, I'm very aware of that."
Duanmu Huai was well aware. Back on the snowy mountain, that perverted snow woman had been scared half to death and still refused to sign a contract with him—so he had anticipated this outcome long ago.
But…
That didn't mean he hadn't prepared.
In fact, Duanmu Huai had already formed an idea—one inspired by Princess Lia.
Back then, Princess Lia had been brainwashed by a Demon Person, her mind twisted. But after Duanmu Huai gave her a thorough "lesson," she became completely devoted to him. This wasn't because Duanmu Huai was especially skilled—it was simply because he had left traces of black-flame divine power inside her body, causing her to instinctively grow close to him.
Now, using the same method as he did with Bunny, the maid, or Makina to subdue Demon Person Sezer was obviously impossible. Duanmu Huai never expected Sezer to sincerely submit as his familiar.
So…
He decided to try again.
Without another word, Duanmu Huai yanked open his belt. In the next instant, three feet of gleaming steel burst free from its sheath, presented directly before Sezer!
"Eek—————!!!"
Seeing this, Sezer's face turned deathly pale. If she still didn't understand what Duanmu Huai intended, she would truly be an idiot!
"D-don't come closer! If you do, I'll manipulate the cold air and smash that thing to pieces!!"
Sezer panicked completely. Her body trembled as icy cold erupted outward—she was already desperate.
But facing her threat, Duanmu Huai sneered. Instantly, pitch-black flames surged forth, wrapping around the three-foot blade!
"Get ready, Demon Person miss—this is only the beginning!"
"Nooooooooooooo!!!!"
At this moment, Sezer fell into complete despair.
(End of Chapter)