The village stood in silence.
the air carried the weight of a tragedy that had unfolded only moments earlier.
Mason stood near the village entrance, unable to move. His eyes remained fixed on the devastation before him. His mind struggled to accept what had happened to the people he had known as family.
A short distance away, Chad Grace stood facing the man responsible.
Cadoc.
The demon's expression carried no regret. If anything, he seemed almost pleased to have finally found the person he had been searching for.
He stepped forward, his gaze fixed on Chad.
"You have been wanted in the demon region for quite a long time," Cadoc said. "Now, I have finally received an order worthy of my attention."
He slowly raised one hand and gestured toward Chad.
One of his eyes glowed crimson.
"The Demon King has ordered me to execute you, Chad Grace."
Chad tightened his grip on his katana.
Cadoc continued, his voice calm and deliberate.
"And you already know the reason. The force you carry has never truly—"
"You murdered my family."
Chad's voice cut through the silence.
His eyes burned with anger.
"You came into my hometown, took their lives, and now you stand before me talking about orders?"
Cadoc studied him for a moment.
"I came for you," he replied. "Their deaths were a consequence of the life you've chosen to live."
Chad's expression darkened.
"Don't you dare put their deaths on me."
Cadoc's smile widened slightly.
"Then stop me."
For several seconds, neither man moved.
Then Cadoc's attention shifted.
He noticed Mason standing near the village entrance.
His eyes lingered on the young man before returning to Chad.
"So, this is your son."
A sinister smile spread across his face.
Without another word, Cadoc lunged toward Mason, moving at terrifying speed. In an instant, he was right in front of the young man, reaching out to grab him.
But before Cadoc could touch him, Mason suddenly vanished from his sight.
Chad had moved.
Using his incredible speed, Chad snatched Mason away from the demon just before Cadoc could reach him. Within the blink of an eye, Chad appeared at another location, safely away from the village entrance, and gently set Mason down.
Mason staggered slightly, struggling to process what had just happened.
Chad turned toward him briefly, making sure he was safe. Then he faced Cadoc again, his katana firmly gripped in his hand.
Cadoc stood still for a moment, staring at the spot where Mason had been.
Then he slowly turned toward Chad.
A smile spread across his face.
"Interesting."
His expression grew more excited.
"This might actually be fun."
BOOM!
Cadoc launched himself forward.
Chad moved to meet him.
Their distance disappeared almost instantly.
Cadoc threw a powerful punch toward Chad's head, but Chad tilted his body just enough to evade it. The punch cut through the air beside his face.
Before Cadoc could recover, Chad pivoted on one foot and swept his leg toward the demon's side.
Cadoc twisted his torso to avoid the kick.
However, Chad had already anticipated the movement.
He used the momentum of his turn to bring his katana across Cadoc's path.
CLANG!
Cadoc raised his forearm to deflect the attack, but the impact forced him to take a step backward.
Chad didn't give him time to recover.
He advanced with another slash, followed by a sharp thrust toward Cadoc's center.
Cadoc shifted his body sideways, allowing the blade to pass him by. He immediately stepped into Chad's reach and drove a punch toward his chest.
Chad turned his shoulder, redirecting the attack, then brought his knee upward toward Cadoc's midsection.
Cadoc blocked the knee with his arm.
Their limbs collided.
For a moment, they stood locked at close range, each trying to overpower the other.
Then Cadoc suddenly twisted his wrist and attempted to seize Chad's katana.
Chad released one hand from the hilt, rotated his grip, and pulled the blade free before Cadoc could secure it.
He stepped backward, his katana sweeping into a defensive position.
Cadoc looked at him with growing interest.
"You're quite skilled."
Chad said nothing.
He attacked again.
His katana moved in a series of precise, controlled arcs. Every slash forced Cadoc to adjust his position, while Chad's footwork kept him at an angle that made it difficult for the demon to land a clean punch.
But Cadoc was no ordinary opponent.
He ducked beneath one slash and drove forward with his shoulder, forcing Chad to abandon his next attack.
Chad twisted away, but Cadoc followed immediately.
A right hook came toward Chad's face.
Chad leaned backward.
The punch missed by a narrow margin.
Using the movement to his advantage, Chad planted one foot and drove a powerful kick toward Cadoc's chest.
BOOM!
Cadoc was pushed backward.
Before he could regain his balance, Chad advanced and brought his katana down.
Cadoc crossed his arms and braced himself.
CLANG!
The impact forced him to lower his stance.
Chad followed with a sweeping kick that struck Cadoc's side, pushing him farther across the ground.
Dust rose beneath Cadoc's feet.
For the first time, Chad appeared to have control of the fight.
But Cadoc only laughed.
"HA! Now this is what I wanted!"
He straightened his body and charged again.
His fighting style changed.
Instead of attempting to match Chad's movements, he began attacking with relentless aggression. Punches came from different angles, each one carrying enough force to make the air tremble around them.
Chad parried one strike with the flat of his katana.
He dodged another.
A third forced him to turn his body sharply.
Cadoc suddenly changed levels and swept a punch toward Chad's legs.
Chad jumped over the attack, twisting in midair before bringing his heel down toward Cadoc's shoulder.
Cadoc raised his arm to block it.
The impact drove him to one knee.
Chad landed lightly and immediately followed with a horizontal slash.
Cadoc leaned backward, narrowly avoiding the blade.
Chad continued his movement, pivoting on his heel and driving another kick toward Cadoc's side.
Cadoc blocked with both arms, but the force sent him sliding several feet across the ground.
The village environment trembled beneath their movements.
Mason watched from a distance, his eyes following every exchange.
He had seen his father fight before.
But never like this.
Chad wasn't simply swinging a weapon. Every movement of his katana was connected to his footwork, his balance, and the direction of his opponent's attacks. He used every opening, turning defensive movements into counterattacks without wasting a single motion.
And yet, Cadoc continued to smile.
The demon wiped a hand across his face and looked at Chad.
"You're good with that sword."
Chad adjusted his grip on the katana.
"And you're getting on my nerves."
Cadoc's smile widened.
"Then let's make this more interesting."
He rushed forward again.
This time, Chad met him head-on.
Their movements blurred.
Cadoc threw a punch.
Chad deflected it with the side of his katana.
Chad slashed.
Cadoc twisted away.
Cadoc countered with an elbow.
Chad ducked beneath it and struck with his knee.
Cadoc caught the attack against his forearm and immediately swung his other fist toward Chad's jaw.
Chad shifted his head aside, allowing the punch to pass, then struck Cadoc with the hilt of his katana.
THUD!
Cadoc staggered.
Chad followed with a kick that sent him crashing into the ground.
Dust burst outward.
For a moment, Cadoc remained crouched in the shallow depression his body had made.
Chad stood several feet away, breathing steadily, his katana pointed toward the ground.
Then Cadoc rose.
He brushed the dust from his shoulder.
"Not bad."
His expression became more serious.
"But I think we've played around long enough."
Chad's eyes narrowed.
A dark aura began gathering around his body.
The atmosphere changed.
The air grew heavy, and dark flames emerged around Chad's katana. They twisted along the blade, casting an ominous glow across the ruined village entrance.
Mason stared at his father.
Dark Flames.
Chad raised his weapon.
Cadoc watched the flames with visible curiosity.
"So that's your magic."
Chad's eyes hardened.
"You're about to find out what it can do."
He disappeared from his position.
Cadoc barely had time to react before Chad reappeared beside him, his katana sweeping toward his torso.
Cadoc twisted away.
The blade passed close enough for the dark flames to illuminate his face.
Chad followed with a second slash, then a third.
Cadoc dodged the first two, but the third forced him to retreat.
Chad pressed forward.
His katana cut through the air in rapid succession, each swing accompanied by trails of dark fire. Cadoc countered with punches and forearm blocks, refusing to surrender the space between them.
A dark-flamed slash forced Cadoc to lean aside.
Chad stepped forward and drove a kick toward his chest.
Cadoc blocked it, but Chad used the contact to pivot and bring his katana around from the opposite direction.
BOOM!
Cadoc was forced backward as the attack struck.
He slid across the ground, leaving deep marks beneath his feet.
Chad landed and turned toward him.
The Dark Flames around his katana intensified.
Cadoc slowly straightened.
His smile returned.
"Excellent."
Chad tightened his grip.
"Keep smiling."
He lifted his katana, and the dark flames surged around the blade.
"But don't expect to leave this place standing."
The flames suddenly gathered behind Chad.
At first, they formed a swirling mass of darkness and fire. Then the energy began taking shape, extending outward into a long, serpentine body.
A massive dragon emerged behind him.
Its head rose above Chad's shoulder, its dark, blazing eyes fixed on Cadoc. Flames coiled around its body, and its enormous jaws opened as the energy continued to gather.
The ground beneath Chad's feet cracked.
Mason stared at the spectacle.
Even from the village entrance, he could feel the pressure radiating from the technique.
Cadoc looked up at the dragon.
For the first time, he stopped smiling.
Chad slowly raised his katana toward his opponent.
"Dark Flame Dragon."
The dragon roared.
ROOOOOAR!
The sound thundered across the village.
Then Chad swung his katana forward.
The dragon launched.
It surged toward Cadoc with terrifying speed, its enormous body tearing through the air as it raced toward him.
Cadoc planted his feet.
He watched the incoming attack approach.
Then he clenched his right hand.
His fist tightened until his knuckles stood out, and he drew his arm backward, preparing to meet the dragon head-on.
"COME ON!"
The dragon closed the distance.
Cadoc stepped forward and threw his punch.
BOOOOOOOOOOM!
The collision unleashed an enormous explosion.
Dark flames swallowed the surrounding area as a shockwave tore across the battlefield. The force shattered the ground beneath Cadoc's feet and carried him away from the village, sending him hurtling beyond the entrance.
The dragon's energy continued forward, engulfing the area in a tremendous burst of dark fire.
Then everything disappeared beneath a cloud of dust and smoke.
The shockwave swept through the village entrance.
Mason staggered backward as the force struck him.
Chad remained standing, but the impact was so powerful that his uniform snapped violently behind him. His black hair whipped across his forehead, and the ground beneath his boots cracked as he resisted the force.
For several seconds, the entire area was consumed by smoke.
Chad stared into the distance.
His katana remained extended in front of him.
He waited.
Nothing moved.
The Dark Flames gradually faded, leaving only the rumble of settling debris.
Chad slowly lowered his weapon.
"I got him"
The explosion had been enormous.
The dragon had struck Cadoc directly, carrying him out of the village.
There was no way he could have escaped that attack unscathed.
Chad stood still, watching the dust.
Perhaps it was over.
Perhaps the man who had destroyed his family was finally—
"Is that all you can do, Chad?"
Chad froze.
His eyes widened.
"What?"
The voice came from beyond the smoke.
Chad stared ahead, unable to believe what he had heard.
Then the dust began to vanish.
A silhouette appeared in the distance.
Someone was standing in the middle of the fading flames.
Cadoc.
He stood upright, his body surrounded by Chad's Dark Flames.
Yet something was wrong.
The flames weren't growing stronger.
They were shrinking.
Slowly, the dark fire curled inward, drawing closer to Cadoc's body as though an invisible force were pulling it into him.
Chad's expression changed.
"What is he doing?"
The flames continued to diminish.
Cadoc looked down at himself, then threw his head back and laughed.
"YES!"
His voice thundered across the battlefield.
"YES! YES!"
The remaining flames twisted around his body before disappearing completely.
Cadoc spread his arms, his smile growing wider.
"BRING IT ON, CHAD!"
He took a step forward.
"BRING IT ON!"
Chad stared at him.
The Dark Flames were gone.
Not because he did it
Absorbed
His dark flames technique had struck Cadoc directly, yet the demon stood before him as though the attack had only made him more excited.
Chad's mind raced.
What?
He tightened his grip on his katana.
He absorbed my Dark Flames?
Before he could process what had happened—
BOOM!
Cadoc appeared directly in front of him.
His fist came forward with terrifying speed.
Chad's eyes widened.
He raised both arms instinctively, crossing them in front of his body just before the punch landed.
KRA-BOOOOM!
The impact shook the battlefield.
Chad's arms absorbed the initial collision, but the force behind Cadoc's punch was overwhelming.
His feet left the ground.
He was launched backward, flying farther and farther away from the village entrance.
The ground rushed beneath him.
Chad twisted his body in midair, attempting to regain control, but the momentum carried him onward.
BOOM!
He crashed into the ground.
The impact sent dust billowing into the air, and cracks spread through the earth around him.
For a moment, Chad remained down, trying to understand the sheer force of the attack.
Then he sensed movement behind him.
His eyes widened.
Cadoc was already there.
The demon had closed the distance before Chad could fully recover.
He drew his fist back, preparing to deliver another devastating punch.
Chad barely had time to react.
Soul Swap!
In an instant, their positions switched.
Cadoc's punch slammed into the ground where Chad had been lying.
KRAAASH!
The earth shattered beneath his fist.
Chunks of stone and dirt scattered outward as a deep crater formed at the point of impact.
Chad reappeared several feet away, his katana still in hand.
He stared at Cadoc.
"What the hell was that?"
His breathing had become heavier.
"Who is this guy?"
Cadoc slowly lifted his fist from the crater.
He glanced at the damage, then turned toward Chad with a satisfied smile.
But something else caught Chad's attention.
The damage to Cadoc's body was disappearing.
His body was regenerating at an astonishing speed. What should have left him struggling to continue fighting seemed to be healing almost as quickly as it had occurred.
Chad watched in disbelief.
"His regeneration is that powerful?"
Cadoc rolled his shoulders as though nothing had happened.
Then he looked toward Chad again.
Chad tried to steady his breathing.
A cough escaped him.
He bent forward slightly, coughing up blood before wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.
His uniform was torn, and dust covered his clothes. His arms ached from blocking Cadoc's punch, and his body had begun to feel the consequences of the relentless battle.
Still, Chad forced himself to rise.
He planted his katana against the ground for support, then straightened until he was standing upright once more.
His eyes never left Cadoc.
The demon observed him for a moment.
Then he smiled.
"Impressive, you know."
Chad tightened his grip on his katana.
Neither man moved.
The wind swept across the damaged battlefield, carrying dust between them.
Cadoc's smile remained.
Chad stood battered but unyielding, facing an opponent who could absorb his Dark Flames and regenerate from devastating attacks.
For the first time in a long while, Chad Grace faced an enemy whose abilities he could not understand.
And the battle was far from over…..
To be continued…