Leon drifted in a sea of darkness. He felt weightless, floating in an endless void, his thoughts scattered like the wind. Somewhere, beyond the abyss, he heard a voice—a girl's voice, muffled and distant. It called to him, soft yet urgent, like an echo in the depths of his mind. He struggled to understand, to grasp onto consciousness, but it slipped through his fingers like sand.
Then, warmth. A soothing, radiant warmth spread through his body, chasing away the pain. His breathing steadied, the agony in his limbs dulled, and his mind slowly clawed its way back to reality. His eyelids fluttered, heavy and reluctant to open, but instinct forced them apart.
Light. Blurred at first, then gradually sharpening. A face appeared above him—beautiful, serene, yet filled with concern. A girl knelt beside him, her hands glowing as she worked to heal his wounds. She had long silver hair, cascading over her shoulders like strands of moonlight, and eyes that shimmered like the ocean beneath the sun. Her delicate hands pressed lightly against his chest, radiating warmth that numbed the searing pain in his side.
For a moment, Leon was mesmerized. Her presence was calming, like a dream he didn't want to wake from. But then, the weight of reality crashed back into him.
The battlefield.
His breathing hitched. The blood. The screams. The demons. The blade that had pierced his flesh. He had fallen—no, he had been struck down. He remembered the sensation of cold steel, the sickening twist of pain as he collapsed into the dirt. He had thought he was going to die.
His body tensed, adrenaline surging as he shot upright. He ignored the lingering ache in his muscles, his gaze snapping in every direction. The battlefield was still alight with chaos—warriors clashing, steel ringing against steel, the scent of death thick in the air.
Then, a deafening explosion shook the ground, a shockwave ripping through the battlefield.
A monstrous aura flooded the air, suffocating, oppressive.
Leon turned his head slowly, dread creeping up his spine.
The commander of the demons had arrived.
A massive figure loomed over the battlefield, clad in dark, jagged armor that pulsed with an eerie glow. Its crimson eyes burned with malice, and the air itself seemed to tremble under its presence. Leon could barely breathe, his body frozen in terror.
Then, movement. A group of adventurers, clad in gleaming armor and wielding weapons infused with magic, stepped forward. Their leader, a warrior with a greatsword as tall as himself, planted his feet firmly into the blood-soaked earth.
"Everyone, formation! We take it down here and now!"
Leon could only watch as the battle for survival truly began.
The leader of the adventurers, a battle-hardened swordsman named Darius, swung his greatsword with immense force, clashing against the demon commander's armoured fist. Sparks erupted as raw strength met unrelenting steel. His grip tightened as he pushed forward, forcing the demon to skid back slightly, but the beast retaliated with a deafening roar, swinging its clawed hand in a wide arc. Darius barely managed to parry, the sheer force sending him staggering back.
Beside him, an assassin named Lyra flickered in and out of sight, her twin daggers coated in a deadly poison as she danced around the enemy's defences. With unmatched agility, she darted between the demon's blind spots, landing swift, precise strikes against its joints and tendons. Each successful stab released a wisp of black smoke as the poison began to take effect, but the demon commander showed no signs of slowing.
At the frontline, a towering tank named Gaius stood firm, his massive shield absorbing the shockwaves of the demon's relentless assaults. Every strike from the commander sent tremors through his arms, yet he held his ground, his face locked in a grimace of unwavering determination. "Is that all you've got?!" he bellowed, slamming his shield into the ground and forming a protective barrier around his allies.
Behind them, a sorceress named Selene chanted incantations, weaving magic into devastating bursts of fire and lightning. Her hands moved in elegant patterns, each motion drawing forth immense energy. With a final incantation, she unleashed a torrent of flames that engulfed the demon's left side, forcing it to bellow in agony as its flesh sizzled. Seizing the moment, she followed up with a bolt of lightning, striking its weakened armor and sending sparks flying.
Finally, the healer—the same girl who had saved Leon—stood at the ready, her name whispered on the wind: Iris. Her hands glowed with a soft, golden light as she tended to the wounded, her magic knitting flesh and restoring strength. Though she was not at the front lines, her presence was crucial, ensuring her comrades could fight at their full potential.
Together, they fought as one, driving the demon commander back. The battle was fierce, the outcome uncertain, but for the first time, hope flickered amidst the chaos.
Leon stood frozen, gripping the hilt of his katana as the battle raged before him. The adventurers fought with precision and courage, their teamwork a seamless display of skill honed through countless battles. The demon commander, however, was no ordinary foe. Its strength was monstrous, its armor impenetrable, and its movements deceptively fast for its hulking frame. Each strike of its massive claws sent shockwaves through the battlefield, forcing even the most seasoned warriors to fight for every inch of ground.
He had never seen anything like this before. The sheer power, the unrelenting chaos—it was overwhelming. Fear clenched at his heart, whispering doubts into his mind. What was he supposed to do? How could he, a high school student, possibly stand against such a foe?
Iris's voice cut through his spiralling thoughts. "Leon, snap out of it! We need you!"
Her plea shook him. He turned to look at her, seeing the urgency in her ocean-blue eyes. She wasn't just asking him to fight—she was trusting him to.
Leon clenched his jaw. If he let fear control him now, he would only be a burden. He had been given this power for a reason. The katana in his hands pulsed, almost as if it was waiting for him to act. He took a shaky breath, then another, forcing himself to steady his nerves. He had to move.
Gaius's shield shattered under a devastating blow, sending the massive tank sprawling across the ground. The demon commander roared, raising its clawed hand to deliver a finishing strike.
Leon's body moved before his mind could catch up.
With a burst of speed, he dashed forward, the wind howling past him. His katana gleamed in the flickering battlefield flames, and for the first time, he felt a connection to the weapon, as if it were an extension of himself. He reached Gaius just in time, his blade intercepting the demon's crushing blow. A surge of energy erupted from the sword as steel met claw, the force sending a powerful shockwave through the air.
The impact rattled his arms, but he held firm.
Darius seized the opening. "Now!" he bellowed, charging forward with his greatsword poised for a killing strike. Lyra appeared behind the demon, her daggers flashing as she targeted the exposed joints.
Leon gritted his teeth and pushed back against the demon's strength. His heart pounded in his chest, adrenaline coursing through his veins. He wasn't just an observer anymore—he was part of the fight.
Selene's voice rang out as she unleashed another incantation. "Leon, fall back!"
He reacted instantly, leaping away just as a massive bolt of lightning crashed down upon the demon. The impact sent it reeling, its armor cracking under the combined assault. Smoke and dust filled the air as the creature staggered.
Leon landed, breathing heavily. He looked at his katana, the blade humming with latent power. He had felt something in that moment—a spark, a glimpse of what he could become. This was only the beginning, but for the first time since arriving in this world, he felt something stir deep within him.
A fire, waiting to be unleashed.
The battle was far from over, but now, Leon was ready to fight.
The demon commander's monstrous form loomed over the battlefield, its armor cracked but its resolve unshaken. With a guttural snarl, it swung its massive clawed fist, sending a shockwave that forced Leon and the adventurers to scatter. Dust and debris filled the air, obscuring the battlefield in a suffocating cloud.
Leon barely had time to react before he felt the tremor beneath his feet. The demon commander lunged toward him, its crimson eyes burning with hatred. Instinct took over. He pivoted sharply, dodging the crushing blow as the demon's claws buried into the earth, splintering the ground like fragile glass.
"Don't stop moving!" Darius shouted, his greatsword gleaming as he charged forward. With a powerful swing, he aimed for the demon's exposed flank, but the commander twisted at the last moment, its jagged tail whipping out like a steel cable. The strike sent Darius flying backward, his body crashing into the remains of a fallen wall.
Leon gritted his teeth. They couldn't keep taking hits like this. If they didn't act fast, the tide of battle would turn against them.
"Selene, can you slow it down?!" he called out, dodging another swipe from the beast.
The sorceress's voice rang clear amidst the chaos. "Buying time—on it!" Her fingers traced glowing runes in the air, and with a final incantation, chains of crackling blue energy erupted from the ground, coiling around the demon's limbs. The commander roared in fury, its movements momentarily restrained.
Lyra didn't hesitate. She flickered into motion, her twin daggers a blur of silver as she struck at the creature's joints. Each stab seeped more of her deadly poison into the demon's system, but the beast was relentless, thrashing violently against its magical bindings.
"Leon, now's your chance!" Iris yelled, her hands glowing as she cast a protective barrier over him.
He didn't hesitate.
Gripping his katana, he sprinted forward, his body moving faster than ever before. His muscles burned, his breath came in short gasps, but he pushed through. He leapt into the air, his blade raised high, and in that moment, time seemed to slow. The battlefield, the roaring flames, the sounds of steel clashing—it all faded away. There was only him and his target.
The katana pulsed with raw energy, reacting to his will. He swung downward with everything he had, aiming straight for the demon's exposed core.
A blinding arc of light erupted from his blade as it met flesh.
A deafening roar shook the battlefield. The demon's armor split apart, a fountain of dark blood spraying into the air as Leon's attack tore through it. The force of the blow sent shockwaves rippling outward, knocking even the adventurers back.
For a moment, silence hung over the battlefield.
Then, with a final, guttural snarl, the demon commander collapsed to its knees, its massive form shuddering before finally crumbling into the dust.
Leon landed hard, his knees nearly buckling as exhaustion hit him like a wave. His katana trembled in his grip, steam rising from its surface. He stared at the fallen beast, his mind struggling to process what had just happened.
A moment later, a chorus of cheers erupted around him.
"We did it!" Lyra exhaled, clutching her side. "It's finally down!"
Gaius, bruised but grinning, pounded his fist into the ground as he pushed himself up. "Damn, kid… that was one hell of a hit."
Iris rushed to Leon's side, her eyes filled with relief. "Leon, are you alright?"
He nodded slowly, still catching his breath. "Yeah… I think so."
Darius wiped blood from his mouth as he approached. "That was reckless," he said, though there was admiration in his tone. "But I won't lie—that was one of the best damn sword swings I've ever seen."
Leon let out a shaky laugh, his body still trembling from the rush of battle. He looked down at his katana, its glow dimming, and he finally understood.
The power was inside him. He just had to learn to wield it.
The battle was over, but his journey as a warrior had only just begun.