The sun beamed over the training grounds, casting golden rays across the dust-laden floor as Alex stood with Diablo, focusing all his energy into forging a blade of death unlike any other.
A swirling mass of unstable energy gathered in his hands—the Blade of Death. Raw, unstable energy sparked violently all over the training field as he poured immense power into it, pushing past his limits.
Diablo watched calmly from the side, arms crossed. "You're doing great. Keep it up, Alex."
But before the weapon could fully manifest, it exploded in a burst of chaotic force. The backlash flung Alex several feet backward.
Coughing through the smoke, Alex sat up. "Tch… This again?"
"You're doing far better than I expected," Diablo said with a small nod. "At this rate, you'll perfect the ultimate form of the Blade of Death in no time."
Alex dusted himself off and stood. "I still don't get the point of this training… Why even bother with this blade?". Diablo had a wierd smile on his face "Where did all that enthusiasm go? So much for your excitement.", he thought to himself.
Diablo's gaze shifted toward the horizon as if recalling an old memory. "Because the Blade of Death isn't something just anyone can master. You created its basic form at age twelve, in a short amount of time. That's not just impressive—it's unheard of."
Alex raised an eyebrow. "So what's your point? Am I some kind of prodigy or something?"
"The Blade of Death was originally created by a woman named Misaki Mio. She was said to be the strongest member of the Demon Clan… and a direct student of your grandfather, Ranpo."
Alex blinked in surprise. "Wait—Grandpa trained someone like that?"
Diablo nodded. "Out of everyone in the Demon Clan, she alone attained all eight demonic transformations. She was an A-rank, easily."
Alex whistled. "She must've been a monster. But she must have struggled to achieve that level of power."
"She was a monster," Diablo agreed while having a faint memory of how she use to get annoyed at sensei Kazuma by dragging him around with annoyance while he and his teammates just watched in shock. "But even she couldn't perfect the Blade of Death's ultimate form."
"The ultimate form?" Alex tilted his head. "What exactly is it?"
Diablo smiled slightly. "It's the evolved version of the Blade of Death. Its destructive feats far surpass the original. But to reach that level… you'll need perfect control and unimaginable energy. The more you controll your energy, the more powerfull it is."
Alex scratched his head. "Yeah, I'm not getting any of this."
Despite his confusion, he raised his hand and summoned another Blade of Death, this time forcing even more energy into its core.
Diablo's eyes narrowed as he watched. "You need concentration. And massive energy reserves. Without both, you'll never control it."
Alex gritted his teeth and pushed harder, the blade glowing brighter with more unstabled energy crackling all over thr place, It began to shift—its form unstable, flickering between colors.
Then—BOOM.
The blade detonated again, and Alex was blasted straight through a nearby tree.
"You alive?" Diablo asked, smirking.
Alex groaned. "Yeah… I think I need a break."
Later that day, Alex lay beneath the shade of another tree, arms folded behind his head. The warmth of the grass and the whispering wind almost lulled him to sleep… until the dream came.
A massive figure loomed before him—shaped like a demon, cloaked in shadow, eyes burning red like twin stars. It didn't speak. It didn't move. But its presence chilled him to the bone.
Alex jolted awake, breathing heavily. Diablo, who had been sitting beside him, looked over.
"Nightmare?"
"I keep seeing this… giant demon in my dreams," Alex muttered. "Always staring at me. It freaks me the fuck out. I remember seeing it very often when i was younger, especially during my three years of training."
Diablo paused. Then, softly, he said, "There's something I need to tell you, Alex."
Alex turned. "What is it?"
"No matter what happens… don't give up your humanity so easily."
Alex frowned. "What are you talking about? What's that supposed to mean?"
"That demon you see—that's the manifestation of your true power. One day, you might have to face it. Fight it."
"What do you mean by 'manifestation of true power'?"
Diablo looked him dead in the eyes. "You have a Millennia Stone sealed inside your body. It contains the Divine Beast of Power. You have potential beyond just the eight demonic transformations. The stone is the key to pushing past your limits without much difficulty."
Alex blinked. "Wait… I remember using up to stage four when I fought Bara. The memory was hazzy, but somehow, i was concious to a small level."
Diablo nodded. "And that's still nothing. Your potential is enormous. But so is the danger. The more power you gain, the harder it will be to stay yourself. Your lust for strength… it could consume you."
Alex grinned. "Sounds exciting. I'll just perfect this blade and crush anyone who stands in my way."
Diablo sighed. "Were you even listening to me…?"
Meanwhile…
In a dark lab pulsing with energy, Bara stood tall as crimson power surged through him. The Flame Millennia Stone embedded in his chest glowed like molten lava. A mechanical suit covered his body—gleaming armor with red circuits flowing across it.
He stared at his reflection and smirked. "I've finally started to reach the peak of what im capable of. Now I can destroy the city as I please. Not just that....." a deranged smirk of excitement appeared on his face "BUT I CAN GO TO THAT GOD FORSAKEN COUNTRY THAT TREATED ME LIKE ASS AND WIPE IT ALL TO THE GROUND!!"
Just then, Kenji entered the lab.
"Sorry to barge In and bother your little mad man monologue, but Ukina's calling everyone to HQ. Immediately.". Bara turned to Kenji with a smirk "Oh, I'll be there."
Soon, all members of the Dark Sign were gathered. Ukina stood before them, expression grave.
"Garou is dead." Kirihai said with a look of disinterest "Wow, jumping straight to the point huh?"
Kenji sighed. "Not surprised. He was always chasing danger, just to test his strength. It was only a matter of time before he got his ass killed."
Kirihai crossed her arms and legs. "I expected it."
Mirio's eyes narrowed. "Still… it's unfortunate losing a member is going to take a toll on us."
Sorata leaned comfortably on his chair. "So what now? We've lost a member."
Kenji glanced at Bara. "How do you feel? He was your partner, wasn't he?"
Sorata squinted. " Hey, Bara! You're covered in red energy… If you're bloodlusted, calm the hell down."
Ukina stepped forward. "Bara, what do you plan to do with your new power?"
"I'm going to destroy the city," Bara said coldly with a smirk. "And hopefully… bring that demon boy with me. Not just that, i hope to go to my original country, the country of Raijin. IM GOING TO TURN IT ALL TO ASH." With that, he stood up, turned and walked out.
Sorata scoffed. "Fool. He's going to get himself killed with that uncalculated bloodlusted attitude he just picked up."
Kenji shrugged. "Let him do what he wants. We all have our own personal goals."
He then turned to Ukina. "What about Shinki? Has he completed his last mission before leaving the organization?"
Ukina's expression darkened. "Diablo is coming for me. Shinki is the strongest among us. He should be able to hold Diablo off… for a while."
Sorata's eyes widened. "You sent him on a suicide mission?!"
Ukina remained calm. "Once Diablo defeats him, it'll give me the time I need. Once I seal him away using the Sealing Scroll… I'll declare war on the world. And I'll destroy everything."
END OF CHAPTER.