Swish.

Drem soared through the valley at blinding speed, the air rippling behind his wings. Explosions flashed near Jerfinndor's cave, shaking the cliffs with deafening roars.

"What the—" His voice faltered as the scene unfolded below him. The valley had turned into a graveyard. Dragons were slaughtering one another in a frenzy. Some ripped their own throats apart; others tore limbs and wings from their kin. The sky stank of burning flesh and blood.

Broken bodies carpeted the earth—none intact, every corpse torn, crushed, or blown apart.

Drem's gaze drifted forward. A massive skeleton sprawled across the valley floor—an ancient dragon's remains. Seated casually within its gaping skull was a figure—a morgan—lounging as if he ruled the chaos.

"How dare a lowly creature make fun of us?" Drem's voice rumbled, heavy with rage. He raised his spear and leveled it directly at the intruder.

<Agony>

<Soul Burner>

The spear flared to life, its shaft glowing a furious red as black fire coiled around it like serpents.

Pull.

He drew his arm back and hurled the weapon. The air screamed as it cut through.

Swish.

"Hmm....?" Anon tilted his head upward, a faint smile curling his lips.

Then, without warning, he vanished. A breath later, he appeared beside Mira, picked her up in his arms, and vanished again.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

The spear struck the dragon's skull. The world erupted. The blast tore through the valley, shattering bones, rock, and every demonic dragon still alive in between the chaos. The mountains trembled under the force.

Swish.

Anon reappeared a kilometer away, setting Mira down gently. The ground beneath them still quivered from the explosion.

"W-What happened? I-I was just there—and... Oh, shit." Mira's voice shook as she looked at the smoking crater and then up at the dark shape descending from the sky. Drem hovered above them, his face carved with fury.

"Looks like you know him, luv," Anon said, brushing ash from his coat. He flicked his cigar aside and rolled his neck.

Crack—crack—crack.

"H-He's Drem," Mira stammered. "One of Jerfinndor's strongest demonic generals. The weapon he holds—Tsuikha—it's cursed. They say it can wipe out entire races, even kingdoms, with a single strike."

Anon's lips curved slightly. "Finally… a good fight."

He reached into his inventory and pulled out two pitch black curved sickles, the Arcane Slayers. The weapons spun around his fingers before he gripped them tight, their edges catching the faint light of the burning valley.

THUD.

Drem landed before them. The earth cracked beneath his weight. His gaze fell on Mira, and he raised his spear, its point steady and unshaking.

"You have no idea what you've done, girl," Drem said coldly. "Your entire family will suffer for this."

The spear's light flared brighter.

"And you," he added, shifting his aim toward Anon, "will pay with your life."

Anon tilted his head slightly. "You're going to kill me? Right here, right now?"

Drem's grip tightened. "I will burn your soul along with your body so that—"

Anon's quiet chuckle cut through his words.

"Hehehe... HAHAHAHAHA."

The laughter echoed across the valley, soft at first, then rolling into madness. Mira's heart skipped. Drem's face hardened in silent anger. Without hesitation, he hurled the spear again.

<Agony.>

<Soul Burner.>

The weapon ignited, streaking forward like lightning. The distance between them vanished in less than a blink. But before the strike could land, Anon's laughter stopped. His expression shifted, eyes narrowing to sharp focus.

Mira closed her eyes, expecting the blast. But nothing came. The silence was heavy. She opened her eyes slowly—and froze. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

Anon stood unmoved, his right hand raised. One sickle was held before his face, its curved edge catching the spear's tip perfectly. Sparks hissed where metal met metal.

Blood slid down his wrist, dark against pale skin. His arm trembled, muscles swelling and tearing beneath the strain, but his stance did not falter. His gaze was locked on Drem—cold, steady, unflinching.

The spear's glow dimmed. The flames vanished, snuffed out as all their magic was cancelled out by the Arcane slayers, Then—

THUDD.

It dropped to the ground.

Anon placed his boot over the weapon and pressed down firmly. Slowly, his torn flesh closed, his hand knitting itself back to flawless form.

"You talk about killing me," Anon said, voice calm but sharp, "and yet your strongest weapon couldn't even make me move back a step."

Drem's expression didn't change, but his eyes flickered for an instant. "I don't know what you are," he said, his tone hard, "but you are not a morgan. Turn back now. Leave this place, and the damage you've caused will be forgotten. We can both walk away from a bloodbath."

Mira watched in silence, her mind struggling to make sense of what she had just seen.

'He stopped one of the strongest demon general's attacks with one hand… and now Drem is offering him a peace deal ?'

Anon sighed softly in disappointment and slid his sickles back into his inventory. "Why can't you just dragon up and fight me properly? I summoned my sickles for nothing."

Drem straightened. "What did she offer you for your help? Whatever it is, we can offer you a hundred times more."

Anon smiled faintly. "What are you—a warrior or a merchant?"

"I am the protector of this valley," Drem replied. "Demon General Drem is my name and you've proven your strength. You've bested me once already by absorbing my best attack without even moving from your position. That is why I now turn to diplomacy."

Anon tilted his head, amused. "You're straightforward, I'll give you that. Well then… how about you offer me—what was his name again, luv?"

"K-Krevin," Mira said softly.

Drem's brows drew together. "Krevin? The king's son? The one destined to inherit the valley?"

"Yes," Anon said simply.

A tense silence stretched between them. Then Drem's grip on his spear tightened again as he picked it up from the ground.

"I see," he murmured. "Then our discussion is over."

The spear began to glow, red light bleeding from its edges.

Anon's expression remained unchanged.

"I'm sorry," Drem continued, voice calm but heavy, "but a fight to the death is the only conclusion left between us."

"I don't feel like killing you outright," Anon spoke with a smile. "There must be someone left to tell your king who came here and murdered his son. But I will take your right eye, your left wing, and your right leg. You will live—but never be able to heal again."

Anon's smile thinned, as he summoned the arcane slayers once again.

"Have you ever heard of 'Domination' ?" Anon asked with a smile as he disappeared from his position.

"What-" Before Drem could've located his Aura, he re-appeared near his right leg and pressed the sickle against it, slightly.

*Slash*

In just a second, Drem's right leg was chopped off from his body and he lost his balance.

*THUD*

Drem tried to use the spear to gain his balance but Anon re-appeared in front of his right eye.

"I will show you it's true meaning." Anon replied with a crazy smile as he stabbed the sickle deep into his right eyes and gauged it out.

*Pop*