The private hospital was in a forested part of the northern shore of the Saint Laurent's River. The exact location was still unknown to most people, but it wasn't far enough from the city to be entirely off the grid.
So, when panic ensued at its entrance, and people started driving away like maniacs, it was only a matter of time before some news outlet got the news. And now, with four people fighting a high-stakes battle in the woods, it was easy to find them.
As the demon kept getting his hands on anyone getting close to him, he kept getting punished by the other three. Each time the teen got hold of anyone other than Guo, he would suffer a slash from the sword in his hands.
Those wounds weren't closing up like the others, visibly weakening him. As time passed, his regeneration started slowing down, and Alexander, Jonathan, and Kary could finally inflict wounds that lasted longer.
This had turned into a battle of attrition, with the demon standing on the losing side. But the demon wouldn't go down without a fight.
Figuring he couldn't win in this current battle, the demon shed off the vessel he was in. Roaring to the skies like a wounded beast, the demon caught fire.
The blaze was intense, and even Kary couldn't get too close to it.
The flames were black as a night sky, and all four humans present could no longer see the body of the teen inside them.
Burning for only a dozen seconds, the blaze subsided. In the middle of it, where had previously stood a teenager's body, an abomination was now standing.
A short and fat black demon, with eyes as dark as its skin, containing purple iris, was standing there, with a grin stretching from ear to ear. It cackled as it looked at its four enemies.
"Rrakakaka! Now it's time for round two! Let's see if you can still win when I'm released from those mortal shackles."
It lifted its foot to step forward, but disappeared from its spot. Guo went onto high alert, as his senses alerted him to danger from behind.
He brought his sword to his back as fast as he could, and the hissing of metal on metal resounded as sparks went flying, followed by Guo.
He was blasted forward, hitting trees on the way, breaking a clavicle and severely bruising his ribs. When he finally stopped flying forward, his body was hurting all over, and he was bleeding from the nose and mouth.
Getting back to his feet, Guo saw the demon was still looking at him.
'He knows I'm the only threat to him now.'
Guo positioned himself, getting ready to receive another attack like that last one. But his three allies started attacking the demon restlessly.
The demon didn't even block the attacks, as they failed to leave even scratches on his skin. He only grinned at his attackers as they buzzed around him in vain.
Suddenly lifting one of his pudgy arms, he grabbed Jonathan, who was whizzing by, by the throat. The immediate block on his airways sent the boy into a panic.
Jonathan tried cutting off the arm of the demon, to no avail.
"Yes, rrakaka. Buzz around, you little fly. I will show you what a real blade feels like."
Extending his other arm to the side, a sword made of pure black flames appeared in his hand. Jonathan's eyes bulged in fear.
Alexander clawed at the demon with all his might, trying to make him turn his attention to him. But the demon was unfazed.
Kary was trying to burn a hole through the demon's head, with a constant stream of flames, but she was already weakening by the second. She wasn't as used as Alex to controlling mana on this side, and it was quite taxing to her.
Guo dashed in, slashing at the arm holding the boy, trying to save his boss' grandson. Jack would have his head if the boy died here.
*Clang!*
When Guo's sword impacted the arm, instead of slicing through like it had done many times previously, the sword stopped abruptly, sending all of its momentum to Guo's arms, as vibration.
The reverberations were almost enough to make him drop the sword, as the skin in his hand tore open, as he maintained his firm grip on the hilt. Guo gritted his teeth, bearing the pain.
But the sword had failed its job. And now, as the demon cackled, he swung the blade in an arc, aiming for the boy's arm that was wielding the wind blade.
A dull thump followed, as Jonathan's arm hit the ground, a spurt of blood spraying from his now cleanly cut shoulder. The flames from the black blade were already eating at his flesh there.
Jonathan wanted to steam, the pain unbearable to him, but the lack of airflow in his throat kept him from doing that. But the demon was a sadist.
Seeing the boy wanting to scream, he let him go.
Jonathan dropped to the ground, taking in a large breath, before exploding out in cries and screams of pain.
"Aaarrrggghhh!!!! My arm! He cut my arm! Aargh!"
The demon's grin widened, which anyone would have thought impossible, given how wide it already was. Its eyes also bulged outward as it burst into laughter.
"Rrakakaka! Yes! Scream! Cry! Rrakakaka! Ahh yes! All the pain!"
Guo ran to the boy's side, quickly applying pressure to the wound, trying to stop the bleeding. But it was already clotting up, because of the black fire eating at his wound.
The problem was that the fire seemed to corrode his flesh, too.
Guo tore away his shirt, using it to cover the wound, hoping to extinguish the flames. Although it worked, the wound started bleeding ferociously again.
At this rate, Jonathan would bleed out in seconds. But Kary would not let that happen.
She ran up to Jonathan, risking herself by being so close to the demon, and ignited her hands. Although her control wasn't good enough to ignite her body here, and the flames were already hurting her, she didn't care.
With her burning hands, she rapidly cauterized Jonathan's wound, stopping the bleeding.
The demon watched as they struggled to keep the boy alive, relishing in their misery. He didn't budge, letting them struggle in vain as it fueled his excitement.
But someone else was about to make his day go bad.
"A minor demon like you dares cause a scene? In front of me? Your life will not be enough to compensate for the shame you are putting me through," came Alexander's voice, from the side, with a weird doubled voiceover.
Turning his head over to the young man, the demon's laughter stopped, and his smile disappeared.
"A k…k…king of hell!"
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