Atlas stood on guard, fully focused on the demon in the distance. The creature clearly looked displeased. The attacks it had unleashed in the last few moments were no longer dealing significant damage to Atlas.
"Come. Do it again," he said calmly.
The demon lifted its face and clawed at it in irritation. Then it shrieked, more like a piercing scream mixed with that maddening laughter.
"Khi! Khi! Khi! Interesting! Interesting! The human has learned! But you are wrong! Khi! Khi! Khi! You are mistaken if you think you have won just because you managed to endure attacks that were merely playful!"
The shadow energy around the demon's body began to move violently. The shadow bandages wrapped around it suddenly shifted, piling up around its legs and arms. The demon's thin, emaciated body now looked grotesque, with oversized limbs formed entirely from condensed shadow.
Atlas immediately braced himself. It was clear the demon was preparing a new type of attack.
