A man in his early thirties stepped forward, the dim light in the cave finally revealing his form.

Though his steps were casual, he radiated an unfathomable presence — something that made it clear he was far from an ordinary human. His sleeveless tunic clung tightly to his broad, muscular arms, each movement emphasizing the sheer power beneath his skin. Even his neck looked thicker than a normal man's thigh.

His messy black hair swayed lightly in the air, a few strands falling over his face.

He held a katana in his hand — unsheathed. Though the pitch black blade barely glinted in the faint light, its presence alone was enough to send chills down the spine of anyone standing before it.

Yami Black.

The House Master of the Raging Bulls.

Even before anyone could clearly see him, Peter had already recognized that deep, commanding voice. He was the one who had unleashed that black crescent arc earlier, the strike that had shattered the rift itself.

Despite being only an Auran, he had managed to release energy outside his body. He possessed no known magical attribute, yet somehow wielded a unique ability to not only channel his aura through his katana, but also to release devastating arcs of that same aura that even seasoned mages found terrifying.

"I asked you something, Peter," Yami said again, his voice deep and steady as he came to a halt a few meters away.

For a moment, Peter couldn't move — couldn't even speak. It wasn't that he was choosing to stay silent — it was that fear had frozen him completely.

Only after being pinned under Yami's cold gaze for several seconds did Peter finally manage to speak. "You shouldn't have come here, sir."

His eyes flickered toward the demon standing a few meters away — the other one already engaged in a brutal clash with Leo's mutated beast form again. With their escape cut off, it had no choice but to fight.

"I don't know what happened that made you all try to leave without saying a word," Peter said to the demon standing beside him, his voice trembling. "But if you don't defeat and kill this man, you won't take a single step out of here alive."

'It's the only way now,' he thought, glaring viciously at Yami. 'If I want to survive, I need to get rid of him.'

The demon glanced back at its comrade, who was locked in a fierce battle with Leo's mutated beast form, then turned its gaze toward Derek's unconscious body lying motionless on the platform.

"Tch." It clicked its tongue in irritation, then looked back at Yami with burning eyes. "Human… I'll make you pay for interrupting my departure."

Without another word, the demon lunged forward, moving with frightening speed as if desperate to end Yami in one strike.

Yami tilted his head to the side, cracking his neck with a faint pop. "Oh-ho," he said with amusement. "You can even talk? That's a first for a magical beast. Alright then — show me what else you've got."

Unaware of what demons truly were, Yami had mistaken the creature for a magical beast — a perfectly reasonable assumption for anyone without knowledge of demonic entities. While higher-ranked demons bore a slight resemblance to humans, lower-tier ones looked more like magical beasts, though their intelligence far exceeded any monster.

The demon roared and swung its massive claws downward, the strike sharp enough to rend stone.

Clang!

A metallic ring echoed through the cave as Yami calmly blocked the blow with his katana. The devastating impact the demon had expected never came. Yami didn't even flinch. His blade held firm, his expression unreadable.

Before the demon could react, Yami's left hand shot forward. He seized its face like gripping a ball, spun sharply on his heel, and hurled the creature across the cavern.

The demon's body whistled through the air before crashing into the cave wall with a thunderous boom.

Without sparing it another glance, Yami started walking toward Peter.

Peter instinctively stepped back, fear flickering in his eyes.

"You have got some nerve, peter."

Yami was just about to reach him but suddenly...

his gaze fell upon Derek's limp body on the platform. Though the boy was bound like the girl beside him, there was something wrong — Derek wasn't moving. Not even his chest.

A muscle in Yami's jaw twitched. His steps quickened. He knelt, pressing two fingers to Derek's neck.

No pulse. No breath.

Veins bulged along Yami's forearms as fury surged through him. His eyes became bloodred.

"Peter…" His voice was low but trembling with barely contained rage. Then he roared, his voice shaking the very cave. "WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO?!"

He swung his fist before Peter could even respond.

Peter hastily conjured an air barrier, but it shattered on impact like thin glass. Yami's punch slammed into his face, launching him backward as if struck by a battering ram.

Yami started forward again, but the demon had already recovered. It lunged once more, claws slicing through the air toward his back.

Without even looking, Yami swung his katana in a single, fluid motion.

A black arc of energy burst forth, sending the demon flying again.

He stood tall amidst the chaos — calm, unshaken, unstoppable.

Like a tiger among a flock of sheep.

Yami then strode toward Peter, his expression dark and unrelenting. Before Peter could even rise from the ground, Yami's leg came crashing down on him.

Thud!

"Blarrghhh!"

The impact was brutal. Peter's body convulsed as he spat out a mouthful of blood, his vision spinning.

But Yami didn't stop. He lifted his leg again and slammed it down with even greater force.

"Blarrghhh!"

This time, the floor was splattered with red.

"What the hell did you do?! What?!" Yami roared, his voice echoing through the cave as he kicked Peter again and again, each blow heavier than the last. His fury was uncontrollable — every strike filled with rage and disbelief.

Peter could barely breathe. 'Shit… at this rate, I'll die any moment,' he cried inwardly.

Yami raised his leg once more, ready to deliver another devastating kick — but before he could, Peter's trembling voice broke through the air.

"He's alive!" Peter gasped hoarsely, blood trickling from his lips. "That kid… he's alive!"

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