The air above Amazon Castle grew heavy, thick with an aura so dark it seemed to swallow light itself. The jungle trembled, trees bending as though bowing under the pressure of a presence older and more terrifying than Javier had ever sensed. The four Upper Demons staggered back, their wounds searing with residual aura energy, but even they trembled at what was coming.
From the shadow of the crimson night, a figure emerged — colossal, ethereal, and terrifyingly real. Its aura pulsed like a living storm, black and scarlet threads twisting around it like tendrils of shadow, suffocating the air. The Lord Ghost Demon had arrived. Every heartbeat Javier felt was amplified, echoing with the pulse of ancient darkness.
> "So… the first Wielder has come," the Lord Ghost Demon's voice resonated like thunder rolling through a canyon, deep, omnipotent, chilling. "You… dare to face me?"
Javier's golden-crimson aura flared explosively. His body shook with energy, muscles taut with tension, every fiber ready. He gripped his father's sword tighter, letting aura swirl around him, coiling like serpents of light and fire. The jungle, ruined battlefield, and shattered Upper Demons' corpses all seemed to pale against the sheer force radiating from this entity.
> "I do not fear you," Javier said, voice steady, eyes blazing. "I fight to protect, and I will not let you destroy this world."
The Lord Ghost Demon laughed — a sound that warped the air, making the trees shiver. With a wave of its clawed hand, it sent a shockwave through the ground, tearing soil and rocks, scattering the remnants of the Upper Demons like rag dolls. Its aura surged outward, dark and oppressive, seeking to overwhelm Javier before the fight even began.
But Javier did not falter. His aura responded instinctively, golden and crimson threads coiling to form a protective barrier. The divine energy from Buddha and the lessons of his parents flowed through him, intertwining with his raw anger and determination. He could sense the Ghost Demon's attacks before they materialized, the flow of aura revealing patterns in the chaos of dark energy.
The fight began in earnest. The Lord Ghost Demon moved with unnatural speed, claws striking like lightning, aura waves crashing like storms, and shadow tendrils twisting through the air to ensnare Javier. But the Wielder was ready. His sword glowed, aura flaring like a rising sun, and each strike he made was precise, slicing through shadows, repelling strikes, and cutting through the crushing waves of energy.
> "Heaven-Slaying Arc!" Javier roared, unleashing a flurry of golden-crimson strikes. Each one cut through the air with divine resonance, cleaving tendrils of shadow and tearing at the Ghost Demon's aura.
For the first time, the Lord Ghost Demon staggered, its colossal form recoiling as if shocked by the force of one human wielding such concentrated power. Javier's aura coiled further, responding to every attack with counter-strikes, dodges, and energy bursts. Limbs of shadow tore apart mid-air, aura shockwaves ripped chunks of earth from the ground, and the night itself seemed to fracture under the intensity of their clash.
> "You… are… strong," the Ghost Demon hissed, aura pulsing like molten darkness. "But strength alone is meaningless. Kneel… before me… or be consumed."
Javier's eyes narrowed. He did not hesitate. Channeling every lesson, every strike, every ounce of control, he surged forward. His aura condensed, forming a massive golden-crimson spear of energy that struck at the Ghost Demon's chest. The impact resonated like a thunderclap, throwing the demon backward, staggering it.
> "I kneel to no one!" Javier shouted, aura blazing brighter than ever. "I am the first Wielder! And I will never bow to darkness!"
The Ghost Demon's form twisted, claws tearing at the ground, aura erupting in violent waves. But Javier was relentless. He combined multiple Heaven-Slaying Arcs, each one faster, sharper, and more precise than before. The Ghost Demon's defenses began to falter, cracks forming in its shadowy armor, aura bleeding from its form.
With a final surge, Javier launched himself upward, sword extended, aura converging into a single, focused beam of energy. The strike pierced the Ghost Demon's chest, forcing it to its knees. Its massive form trembled, the aura around it flickering, dark threads unraveling as it struggled to maintain control.
> "Impossible… a human…" the Ghost Demon growled, kneeling but glaring with fury. "You… cannot… dominate me…"
Javier's aura enveloped the demon completely, golden and crimson threads coiling like chains, binding its movement. His voice was calm but resonant, carrying authority that cut through the night.
> "I am not just human," Javier said, aura flaring to maximum intensity. "I am the first Wielder, protector of this world! You will not rise again… not while I live!"
The Ghost Demon's head bowed involuntarily, kneeling fully now, shadows writhing in defiance but unable to resist the strength of the Wielder. Javier's aura pressed down like a living force, demonstrating control, dominance, and mastery.
In that moment, Amazon Castle trembled, and the surrounding jungle seemed to exhale. Even the Upper Demons cowered, witnessing the first mortal who had dared to dominate the Lord Ghost Demon itself.
Yet Javier knew — this was only a temporary victory. The Ghost Demon had retreated into submission, but its essence, its will, was far from destroyed. The true darkness still lingered, waiting for an opportunity to strike back.
> "You will kneel, but this is not the end," the Ghost Demon whispered, voice low and venomous. "My bloodline… my essence… remains. When the time comes, I will return, stronger than ever."
Javier's aura flared once more, reinforcing the hold on the kneeling entity. His body ached, sweat mingled with blood, but his mind was sharp, focused. He had faced the ultimate force of darkness and had prevailed — for now.
> "Then I will be ready," he whispered, aura still blazing around him. "And when you rise again… I will be here to stop you."
The Lord Ghost Demon's presence shimmered, darkness coiling like smoke, before it dissolved, leaving only a lingering, oppressive chill in the air. Javier stood amidst the battlefield, sword in hand, aura radiating brilliance, knowing that he had just survived the first true test of an Aura Wielder.
The fight was over. The victory was his — but the war against the Scarlet Demon had only just begun.
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