Shadowkeeper removed his cloak and faced Damian. He was a tall, slender man with blond hair and blue eyes. Underneath his black cloak, he wore gleaming armor reminiscent of paladins.
Damian had no idea who this person was. Granted, he was in a frenzy, unable to think clearly, but even if he were in his right mind, he still wouldn't have known who that man was.
However, many people recognized him. He was a powerful superhuman from Earth, and the last bandit Damian was going to kill—the woman who controlled shadows and wielded daggers—felt relieved.
"Oh, you've come to save me?" she said, kneeling and pleading.
Shadowkeeper, standing at a distance, replied, "Yes, even though you're a despicable bandit, your place is behind bars, not dead."
Damian seemed to pay no attention to what the two of them were saying, delivering a forceful slap to the woman's head, tearing it off.
A tremendous amount of blood spurted, and her body convulsed for a few seconds, as if in shock, unable to comprehend that she was no longer in that world.
Damian turned around and asked, "Who exactly are you? What do you think you're going to do here?"
Shadowkeeper looked at him with a serious and astonished face. "Are you serious? You don't know who I am? I am the paladin of justice, responsible for dealing with people like you."
"And what the hell is someone who calls themselves a paladin of justice doing in this city full of bandits? Don't you realize I'm making your job easier?" Damian retorted.
"Do you really think so? These bandits would have been apprehended, not cold-bloodedly killed! Not to mention you're conducting some macabre ritual here!"
Damian was wearing his mask, so Shadowkeeper had no idea who Damian was, but he was certain that Damian was someone connected to the dark arts, perhaps even the demon haunting the region.
They were about to fight, but something stopped them! A crow appeared in the sky, perching beside Shadowkeeper. Damian fixed his gaze on the crow and saw it transform into a beautiful woman in a black dress.
"We have a problem," she said.
"A problem? Bigger than this bloodthirsty monster in front of me?" Shadowkeeper responded.
The woman turned her gaze and saw all the bodies surrounding Damian. "Yes, worse. A demonic army is gathered at the gates of Lemoria, and they will attack any moment now!"
Damian was a little distant but could hear every word clearly. His body trembled, and the bloodlust that had consumed his mind subsided.
Images flashed through his mind—his friends, his shop, and all the innocent people of Lemoria who would suffer at the hands of Miller, a bloodthirsty demon.
"Are you serious? Damn, we're in deep trouble!" Shadowkeeper exclaimed, turning to face Damian. "Our confrontation is still on, don't think for a second that I've forgotten what you've done here. And it won't be just me, nobody will forget!"
With those words, the woman transformed back into a crow—this time a colossal crow, large enough to be used as a mount.
Swiftly mounting the crow, Shadowkeeper departed, racing against time to reach Lemoria.
Seizing the opportunity presented by the man's departure, who appeared to possess some formidable strength, Damian proceeded to decimate the two neighboring cities that harbored numerous criminals.
He slaughtered without mercy, absorbing the lifeblood of his victims and steadily augmenting his own abilities. If Miller was already positioned at the city's gates, ready to conquer, it meant that the demon wouldn't abide by the seven-day deadline he had given Damian.
"That bastard tricked me!"
To stand a chance against Miller, Damian realized he needed to kill more people and do so at an accelerated pace. While uncertain about Miller's exact power level or how a new battle between them would unfold, Damian was resolute in his belief that increasing his own power was a necessity.
Three cities lay in ruins as Damian single-handedly eradicated all the criminals within their boundaries. It was a shocking feat that sent shivers down the spines of all who heard the tale. However, amidst the awe, concerns mounted for Miller, who was preparing to invade Lemoria.
Nobody knew the extent of Damian's actions, not even Damian himself. His mind was clouded, confused, but the only anchor that kept him sane was his unwavering loyalty to his friends—the very people he sought to protect.
'The power bestowed upon me by this ability is incredible, but I must exercise caution in the future. Perhaps I should absorb its energy gradually or seek out a mystical artifact to aid me...' Damian pondered.
He could sense an immense power surging within him, far greater than anything he had ever experienced. With the three cities dealt with, it was time to depart. Damian activated his Anchor magic.
A deep connection resonated with the floating cube housed in the secret chamber of his temple. Within seconds, a passage materialized before his eyes—a portal leading back to his secluded sanctum.
Upon passing through, Damian found himself standing once again in his secret chamber. The portal closed behind him, but the cube remained as a testament to the magic's potential for repeated use.
Removing his mask, Damian resumed his normal appearance and left the secret chamber, rejoining the other members of his organization.
Restlessness and fear gripped them all, their minds swirling with uncertainty about what lay ahead.
"Damian! You've finally appeared! But where did you come from? No one saw you enter through the front door," Serana exclaimed upon spotting Damian.
"Now, tell me about the demons gathering at the city's outskirts, and tell me everything—right this instant!"
Serana swiftly explained the situation, providing intricate details about the army of demons that had recently appeared in front of Lemoria.
Miller, somehow, had managed to gather even more demons, despite claiming it was impossible during Damian's last encounter with him.
The situation appeared dire, and Damian was uncertain if he would be able to confront Miller and his army.
The source of this c𝐨ntent is fre𝒆w(e)bn(o)vel