The fight didn't slow.
It grew.
The three Sinborn's didn't rush blindly like the earlier ones. They moved with purpose, spacing themselves out, circling, testing. It was obvious they were a higher level.
Kael noticed it first.
"They're stronger," he said.
Dain didn't take his eyes off them.
"Good."
One of the demons stepped forward.
Tall. Lean. Its movements smooth in a way that felt 'human'.
"You're different," it said, its voice low and steady.
Its gaze stayed on Kael.
Dain clicked his tongue.
"Eyes over here."
Flames burst from his arm as he moved, faster this time. He closed the distance in a flash and struck hard, his attack forcing the demon back.
The ground cracked beneath the impact.
The other two moved immediately.
One rushed Dain from the side.
The other went for Kael.
Kael stepped forward.
Not back.
The creature lunged, its claws aimed straight for his chest.
Kael didn't dodge.
At the last second, he shifted slightly, just enough for the claws to miss his heart. They grazed his shoulder instead, tearing fabric, drawing a thin line of blood.
He didn't react.
His hand came up.
Caught the creature's arm.
It struggled instantly.
Violently.
"Let go!" it hissed.
Kael didn't.
There was no rush in his movement.
No panic.
Just pressure.
The air around them felt heavier.
Dain noticed.
Even while fighting.
"…again," he muttered.
Kael's grip tightened.
This time, the change was clearer.
The creature didn't just freeze.
It weakened.
Its body sagged slightly, like something inside it was being drained, piece by piece.
Its voice cracked.
"…what… are you…"
Kael's eyes stayed calm.
Empty, almost.
"I don't know," he said.
And then—
He pulled.
Not physically.
Something deeper.
The creature let out a sharp, broken sound as its body collapsed inward, its form breaking apart without resistance.
The darkness inside it slipped out—
And vanished.
Gone.
Kael let go.
The remains dropped.
Still.
No struggle.
No second attempt.
Just… over.
Silence pressed in for half a second.
Then—
Dain's voice cut through it.
"…Tch."
He was Annoyed.
The demon he was fighting lunged again, forcing him to move. He met it head-on, his flames surging stronger than before.
Brighter.
Hotter.
"You think you're the only one who can do something like that?" he muttered.
His next strike hit harder.
Faster.
He drove the creature back with a series of attacks, each one sharper than the last. His control tightened, his movements cleaner.
More focused.
He wasn't just fighting anymore. He was proving a point.
The second Sinborn turned its attention back to Kael.
This time, it didn't rush.
It stepped carefully.
Slowly.
"You're not like the others," it said.
Kael didn't respond.
A pause.
Then—
Kael's fingers curled slightly.
The thing inside him stirred again.
"…yes," it whispered.
He ignored it.
The creature moved.
Faster this time.
Kael met it head-on.
No hesitation.
Their movements clashed—sharp, direct. The demon struck with precision, not wild attacks. It adjusted quickly, trying to find an opening, testing his reactions.
Kael adapted just as fast.
Every step matched.
Every strike answered.
There was no wasted movement.
Dain saw it.
And something in him tightened.
Because Kael wasn't struggling.
He wasn't even being pushed.
He was… steady.
Too steady.
Dain's flames flared higher. His thoughts growing more complex. He had thought the black haired boy with his thin frame would be weaker or maybe match up to him, but now....
His opponent didn't last much longer.
With a final strike, he burned through it completely, reducing it to nothing but ash.
He turned immediately.
Just in time to see Kael end it.
Kael stepped inside the demon's reach.
Close enough that anyone else would've hesitated.
He didn't.
His fingers passed through its chest, wrapping round its heart...
For a second—
Nothing happened.
Then—
The creature froze.
Its eyes widened.
"…no…"
Kael didn't press, he simply smiled. The heart in his grasp disintegrated.
And just like before—
It collapsed.
Kael stepped back.
Breathing even.
Expression unchanged.
Like it meant nothing.
Dain stared.
Not at the demon bodies.
At Kael.
A long silence stretched between them.
Then—
Dain let out a short breath.
"…So that's how it is."
Kael glanced at him.
Dain's expression had changed.
The easy arrogance was still there.
But now—
There was something sharper beneath it.
Focus.
"You're not holding back," Dain said.
Kael didn't answer.
Dain stepped closer.
"Good."
His voice was quieter now.
More serious.
"Because I'm not either."
The air between them shifted. There was no hostility, just a pervasive tension. It wrapped around their hearts like a string.
Tight, like something had just been set.
In the distance, another scream echoed.
Closer this time.
Neither of them looked away from each other.
"…Don't die before I beat you," Dain said.
Kael held his gaze, but didn't make a sound. Just like before, he seemed uninterested. His black eyes stared straight at Dain like a pool of stagnant water.
Dain smiled. His smile was filled with defiance and something more complex..
Then he turned.
And moved forward.
Kael followed. His steps didn't falter, the blood on his shoulders had stopped, the wound had scabbed over. Even he didn't notice.
The thoughts in his head were muddled and unclear, but the hunger in his blood was churning like a beast.
The distance between the two was smaller now, Kael matched Dain's steps like a specter.
His heart had cooled from Dain's declaration.
He thought he had gained a comrade.
Most especially wen they synchronized during the fight. He had instinctively matched the rhythm.
At that moment, the feeling was comfortable. Even the thing inside had purred with excitement.
But now, he could only gaze at the silver haired boy as the distance he thought had closed spread out further.
Kael sighed inwardly, but his heart didn't ripple as much. They just met anyways.
The thing inside kept silent...
He rose as an invisible slender shadow from Kael's back and stretched his arms to the Silver haired boy walking in front.
It seemed he couldn't reach, but that didn't mean he would stop.