Six days in demon territory had transformed theory into instinct. Alice and Mira moved with the confidence of warriors who'd proven themselves repeatedly—dozens of demon kills between them, rune pouches heavy with resources, combat reflexes sharpened by constant hostile environment.
The expedition was heading home. The cleared corridor had served its purpose—controlled encounters, supervised combat, real experience gained without catastrophic casualties. Both students had exceeded expectations, performing at veteran levels despite their youth.
Kael rode at the front, scanning the route home with practiced awareness. They'd been traveling for three hours through familiar terrain, retracing the path they'd taken into demon territory. The volcanic plains stretched ahead, twisted rock formations providing natural cover, the oppressive atmosphere as heavy as ever.
Something felt wrong.
Kael raised his fist, signaling immediate halt. The Iron Thorns responded instantly, weapons drawn, formation tightening. Years of operations together meant no questions—when their commander sensed danger, they prepared.
"What is it?" Adrian asked quietly, moving beside his uncle.
"The air's different. Demon activity ahead, but deliberately concealed." Kael's eyes scanned the rock formations flanking their route. "We're being watched. Ambush setup."
Garrick immediately shifted position, moving closer to Alice. His entire demeanor changed—from observant instructor to absolute protector. Princess safety was priority one, and ambush scenarios demanded maximum vigilance.
"How many?" one of the Iron Thorns whispered.
"Unknown. But they're coordinated enough to wait for optimal position. That suggests—"
The demons attacked.
They erupted from concealed positions among the rocks—a planned ambush with numerical advantage. Imps came first, dozens of them, aggressive and screaming. Behind them, Demon Soldiers advanced in organized ranks. And in the rear, three larger figures moved with deadly purpose.
Demon Generals. Three of them.
"Iron Thorns, engage!" Kael's command was absolute. "Students, standard protocol—eliminate lesser demons, avoid Generals. Garrick, princess protection. Adrian, you're with me."
The Iron Thorns responded with devastating efficiency. These were elite warriors who'd survived years in demon territory, and coordinated demon ambush was nothing they hadn't handled before. They moved as single unit, creating protective perimeter while systematically eliminating threats.
Alice found herself fighting beside Mira and several Iron Thorns, facing waves of Imps that kept coming. She moved with practiced precision—no hesitation, no wasted movement, just efficient demon killing refined through six days of constant combat.
Mira activated her White Spirit Sword immediately, the base form glowing along her blade as she cut through Demon Soldiers with ruthless effectiveness. Six days of experience showed in her movements—she'd learned demon patterns, understood their weaknesses, fought with confidence born from proven capability.
Garrick maintained position near Alice, not actively fighting unless demons breached the perimeter. His entire focus was princess protection. One hand on his weapon, eyes constantly scanning for threats that might target Alice specifically. High Knight in full guardian mode, prepared to extract her at first sign of overwhelming danger.
The lesser demons fell rapidly. Imps died by the dozens, Demon Soldiers got systematically dismantled by Spirit Sword-enhanced Iron Thorns. Within minutes, the numerical advantage evaporated.
Then the three Demon Generals stepped forward.
They were massive—each standing head and shoulders above the Demon Soldiers, armor far more elaborate, weapons emanating malevolent energy. And unlike lesser demons, these had intelligence evident in their eyes.
"Humans," one General spoke, voice carrying demonic resonance that made the air vibrate. "Hunting in our territory. How arrogant."
Speech. Demon Generals could speak, could think, could plan ambushes and coordinate forces. These weren't mindless monsters—these were commanders.
"Three Generals," Kael assessed calmly, showing no fear despite the threat level. "Iron Thorns, take the two on the flanks. Adrian—" he looked at his nephew with slight smile, "the center one's yours. I know you've been itching for real demon fight."
Adrian felt something surge inside him. Six days watching others fight while he coached and supervised. Six days of restraint, of holding back, of being careful not to reveal too much. Six days since he'd truly cut loose.
But more than that—the memory of Brann's death still burned. The caravan ambush. Holding back, being cautious, and watching his friend die because Adrian hadn't used his full strength when it mattered.
Never again.
"Understood," Adrian said quietly, stepping forward.
The center Demon General noticed him, eyes narrowing with assessment. "A whelp challenges me? Human arrogance knows no—"
Adrian activated his Spirit Sword.
Crimson fire erupted along his blade. Not white base form—not measured, controlled activation. Full manifestation. True power. The color that had never been seen in history, the unprecedented hue tied to demon prince reborn as human.
The crimson flame blazed with intensity that made the volcanic heat seem cold by comparison. Energy radiated from the Spirit Sword in waves, distorting the air, casting red shadows across the volcanic rock.
Alice felt a surge of pride watching the crimson ignite. She'd faced that blade in the tournament semi-finals, experienced its overwhelming power firsthand. Seeing Adrian unleash it against real demons filled her with admiration—this was the warrior she'd come to care for, showing his true strength.
Mira's expression showed deep respect. She'd fought Adrian in the tournament finals alongside Gareth, experienced the crimson Spirit Sword's full power in that 2v1 match. She knew exactly what that unprecedented color meant—absolute dominance in combat.
The Iron Thorns paused for split second, eyes widening at the unprecedented color. Even veterans who'd seen countless Spirit Swords had never witnessed crimson manifestation.
Even the Demon Generals hesitated, demon instincts recognizing something fundamentally wrong about that crimson color.
Kael watched his nephew with fascination. He'd heard reports, seen descriptions, but witnessing the crimson flame firsthand was different. This was power that transcended normal Spirit Sword manifestation. This was something else entirely.
"What—" the center Demon General started.
Adrian moved.
Three hundred years of demon combat experience compressed into human form moving at speeds that shouldn't be possible. The crimson Spirit Sword cut through space itself, leaving afterimages of red fire in its wake.
The Demon General tried to block. Its blade met Adrian's in crash of energy that sent shockwaves across the battlefield. The demon was strong—General-class strength that could crush Demon Soldiers effortlessly.
Adrian was stronger.
He pressed the attack with relentless aggression, each strike carrying force that drove the General backward. The crimson flame enhanced every movement, every cut, every defensive block. Where normal Spirit Swords provided edge in combat, the crimson manifestation dominated completely.
"Impossible," the General snarled, struggling to counter. "No human should possess—"
Adrian didn't let it finish. He exploited opening created by the demon's momentary distraction, slipped past its guard, and drove the crimson blade through a gap in armor with surgical precision.
The Demon General stumbled, ichor bleeding from the wound. It tried to rally, but Adrian gave it no chance. He followed up with combination attack—high feint, low strike, spinning follow-through—that would have impressed master swordsmen.
The demon's head separated from its body. The General collapsed, dead before hitting the ground.
Total engagement time: less than two minutes.
Adrian stood over the corpse, crimson Spirit Sword still blazing, breathing steadily despite the exertion. Inside, Azrael screamed with satisfaction—demon killed, enemy destroyed, combat instincts fully satisfied. Outside, Adrian maintained control, keeping the demon prince's bloodlust contained beneath human discipline.
Around him, the Iron Thorns had finished their two Generals. These were elite warriors, High Knight-level combatants who'd killed Demon Generals before. Two-on-one with coordination made the fights manageable, if not easy.
But they'd taken longer than Adrian. And they'd required teamwork.
Adrian had solo killed a Demon General in under two minutes with apparent ease.
The battlefield fell silent. Lesser demons were dead, three Generals eliminated, ambush thoroughly crushed. The Iron Thorns began collecting runes—General-class runes were extremely valuable, worth the effort of extraction.
Kael approached his nephew slowly, studying the crimson Spirit Sword that still blazed along Adrian's blade.
"That was... impressive," Kael said carefully. "I've fought Demon Generals before. They're not easy kills, even for High Knights. You made it look simple."
Adrian released his Spirit Sword, the crimson flame fading to nothing. "I'm done holding back when it matters. Brann died during the caravan ambush because I hesitated, because I held back my full strength trying to be careful. I won't make that mistake again. If someone I care about is in danger, I use whatever power I have to protect them."
Alice's expression softened with understanding. She'd been there that night, had witnessed Brann's sacrifice. "He'd be proud of you. Of the choice you made."
"He deserved better than dying because I was too cautious," Adrian said quietly. "I pledged to myself—and to him—that I'd never let holding back cost someone's life again. Not if I can prevent it."
"That color," Kael continued, eyes sharp with curiosity. "I've never seen anything like it. Not in decades of combat, not in any records I've studied. Where does crimson Spirit Sword come from?"
"It first manifested when I was young," Adrian said carefully. "Demon attack on the manor while Father was at Harrowick dealing with an incursion. I protected Mother and the maids. The crimson just... appeared when I needed it most."
Kael nodded slowly. "I heard the rumors when I returned from expedition—unprecedented Spirit Sword color defending Northwatch manor. The family kept it quiet, protected you from kingdom attention. Smart decision, given how rare that color is."
"We kept it secret for years," Adrian confirmed. "Until the caravan ambush. A General was going to kill Alice and the others. I couldn't hold back anymore—not when lives were at stake. That's when the kingdom learned about the crimson."
"And then the tournament made it impossible to hide," Kael said with slight smile. "Once you used it there, everyone knew. But at least by then you'd already proven it in real combat, not just arena matches."
"Brann's death taught me that secrecy isn't worth losing people who matter," Adrian said. "The crimson is part of who I am. I'm done apologizing for it or hiding it when it could save lives."
Alice approached, eyes shining with pride. "I knew you were strong from fighting you in the semi-finals, but seeing you use that against a real Demon General... you're incredible."
"Just doing what needs to be done," Adrian said, meeting her eyes. "Protecting what matters."
Mira was extracting the rune from Adrian's General, holding up the crystal with awe. "This rune is massive. General-class quality. This single rune is worth more than everything we collected all week combined."
"Three General runes," Vera called out, having finished extraction from the other two. "Plus dozens of lesser demon runes from the ambush. This engagement alone justifies the entire expedition from resource perspective."
Garrick approached Adrian, expression serious but respectful. "That level of power... you've been holding back during training. Significantly."
"Combat training doesn't require full strength," Adrian pointed out. "Students need controlled instruction, not overwhelming demonstration. But against real threats? I use what's necessary."
"The crimson Spirit Sword is beyond normal manifestation," Garrick observed. "I've seen many colors in my career. None compare to that."
"Probably because it's never been seen before," Kael said. "Unprecedented manifestation. Makes sense it would be extraordinary."
The expedition regrouped, collecting runes and treating minor wounds from the ambush. Despite the surprise attack and three Demon Generals, casualties were zero. Elite warriors with proper preparation could handle even coordinated demon assaults.
As they resumed travel toward Northwatch, Kael rode beside Adrian.
"You held back," Kael said quietly, statement not question.
"What makes you say that?"
"Because I've killed Demon Generals. I know how difficult they are. And you made it look too easy—like you were operating at fraction of actual capability." Kael's expression was knowing. "That General never had a chance. You could have killed it even faster if you'd wanted to."
Adrian was quiet for moment, then honest. "Yes. I held back. Showing full strength would raise questions I'm not ready to answer."
"Questions about what?"
"About where power like that comes from. About what crimson Spirit Sword actually means. About..." Adrian hesitated, "about things I don't fully understand myself."
Kael nodded slowly. "Fair enough. We all have secrets. Just know that whatever you're carrying, whatever that power represents—I'm not judging. I'm just... impressed. And maybe slightly concerned about how strong you actually are when you're not holding back."
"Strong enough to protect what matters," Adrian said simply. "That's all that counts."
"I can respect that," Kael replied. "Using your full strength to keep people safe—that's what power should be for."
"Exactly."
They rode in comfortable silence, the demon territory ambush behind them, Northwatch ahead. Alice rode nearby, occasionally glancing at Adrian with expression of pride and admiration.
The crimson flame had blazed again. Azrael's power channeled through Adrian's control. Demon General dead, observers impressed but not suspicious.
Perfect execution. Just like Azrael would have planned.
Just like Adrian needed to maintain.
The line between demon prince and human warrior grew thinner with every use of that crimson flame. But for now, Adrian walked that line successfully.
How long he could maintain the balance remained to be seen.