After the Crocas attacked the city's rear side, a meeting was held once the battle ended.
It was decided that Duke Jalrai and his army would continue defending the front wall. Yuki would guard the left side of the city, Tiyara the right side, and one hundred elite knights led by a general would defend the rear wall.
This arrangement was made to ensure that if another surprise attack occurred from any direction, it could be stopped immediately.
During the meeting, another piece of information arrived through Duke Jalrai's spies. The next Crocas wave would be the final one—but it would also be far stronger than the previous two.
The next morning, the final battle began.
Duke Jalrai stood at the front of the army atop his horse.
To his left was Yuki.
To his right was Tiyara.
Behind the city stood one hundred elite soldiers alongside their general.
As always, Jalrai was positioned at the very front.
Soon, a massive wave of Crocas appeared in the distance.
Jalrai narrowed his eyes.
"They're here!"
He raised his sword.
"ATTACK!"
The knights immediately charged toward the approaching monsters.
The Crocas rushed forward just as aggressively.
But before either side could clash—
A loud, domineering voice echoed across the battlefield.
"I, General Taiju of Lord Sumaru's army—also known as the Demon Lord's General—order all of you to stop right now."
The effect was immediate.
Every Croca froze.
Those running stopped mid-step.
Those with their feet raised kept them suspended in the air.
Even the Crocas preparing to unleash flames kept the fire trapped inside their mouths despite the damage it caused them.
Not a single one moved.
The entire battlefield fell silent.
Only then did everyone realize the owner of that voice was a demon standing in the distance.
It was Taiju.
The very demon who had been searching for Yuki.
The human army stopped in shock.
Every knight, including Duke Jalrai, stared at him.
Taiju stood far to the right side of the battlefield and slowly began walking forward.
Tap... Tap... Tap...
Jalrai's expression became tense.
"Who are you?!"
His thoughts raced.
He's not a normal being.
He stopped thousands of Crocas with a single command.
Wait... didn't he say he was one of the Demon King's generals?
Damn it. Another enemy... and a powerful one at that.
Taiju continued walking without answering.
The tension among the soldiers grew heavier with every step.
Then suddenly—
BOOM!!
A massive explosion erupted around Taiju.
A dark sphere covered in purple lightning crashed directly into him.
The blast wave shook the surrounding battlefield.
Nearby knights struggled to maintain their footing.
The explosion was so loud that even Yuki and the elite soldiers stationed elsewhere heard it.
What was that?
Yuki wondered.
The attack had come from Tiyara.
Standing on the city's right-side wall, she had launched the spell the moment she noticed Taiju.
However, Taiju simply leaped into the air and avoided it.
Landing smoothly, he slowly turned toward her.
"I don't know who you are, bitch," he said coldly.
"But don't interfere with my work."
Tiyara smiled.
"Hmph. A lowly demon doesn't even realize that I am his death."
Taiju's eye twitched.
Then he laughed.
"Huh? I think your parents forgot to teach you common sense."
The next instant—
He vanished.
His speed was so great that Tiyara couldn't react.
He appeared directly in front of her and reached for her face.
But before his hand could touch her—
Slash!
Blood sprayed through the air.
Taiju's arm was severed cleanly.
His detached hand fell to the ground.
Startled, Taiju immediately jumped backward.
Only then did he notice the person standing beside Tiyara.
Yuki.
Using nothing but his speed and a perfectly timed leap, Yuki had arrived and cut off Taiju's arm.
Tiyara frowned.
"I didn't need your help! I could have killed him myself!"
Without taking his eyes off Taiju, Yuki replied coldly,
"Hm. Sure looked like it."
Taiju stared at him carefully.
So this is the brat.
I didn't even sense his presence.
His speed and swordsmanship are impressive.
Maybe he's the one who killed Jelrai.
A grin appeared on Taiju's face.
"Hey, brat. What's your name?"
Yuki smirked.
"Why? Planning to serve me after hearing it?"
Taiju laughed.
"Oh, no."
"I just want to torture you if your name happens to be Yuki."
For a moment, Yuki remained silent.
Then he looked down.
And suddenly—
"Hahahahaha!"
He burst into laughter.
Raising his head, he answered,
"Yeah. I'm Yuki."
Then his smile widened.
"So? Can you kill me?"
"Wait."
"Can you even touch a single hair on my head?"
Taiju's grin disappeared.
The next instant, he lunged forward and threw a devastating punch.
Yuki simply jumped into the air and avoided it.
The punch struck the ground instead.
BOOM!
Huge cracks spread across the battlefield.
He dodged it...
Taiju thought.
Meanwhile, Yuki floated in the air with a confident smile.
Suddenly—
CRACK!!
A bolt of lightning descended from the sky and struck him directly.
Tiyara's eyes widened.
When did he cast a spell?!
Yuki screamed.
"AAAH!"
Taiju slowly stood up.
"My casting speed is faster than most humans and demons."
"And in terms of physical strength..."
A proud grin appeared on his face.
"I am the strongest after Lord Sumaru himself."
"No human or demon can surpass me."
Duke Jalrai could only stare in shock.
Taiju laughed.
"After taking that lightning head-on, nobody could survive without activating a magical barrier."
"But that brat didn't even activate one."
"Hehehe..."
"It's my victory."
"Milord, I have killed the brat you ordered me to eliminate!"
He declared it loudly and confidently.
But then—
A calm voice emerged from within the endless storm of lightning.
"Hey..."
Taiju's smile slowly vanished.
"...what did you just say?"
Still surrounded by falling lightning, a figure walked forward.
It was Yuki.
His shirt had been burned away.
Parts of his clothes were reduced to ashes.
His muscular body and defined abs were fully visible.
Yet there wasn't even a serious injury on him.
Tiyara stared in surprise.
And despite the situation, a faint blush appeared on her face.
Taiju, however, could only watch in disbelief.
Yuki gripped his sword and continued walking through the lightning as if it were nothing.
His cold gaze locked onto Taiju.
"You said you're the strongest in terms of physical strength?"
The smile completely disappeared from Taiju's face.
Slowly, he turned around.
And what he saw made his eyes widen.
Yuki stood there unharmed.
The lightning continued striking around him.
His clothes were burned.
But his body had suffered almost no damage.
For the first time since arriving on the battlefield—
Taiju felt genuine shock.