He stared, dumbfounded, at the stump below his elbow. The hand that had been there moments ago was now lying in the dirt, twitching feebly.
“My… My hand…?” His voice trembled. “One strike… It’s on the ground… W-What…? How… is this… possible…?”
He gawked at the severed limb, lips moving silently as his brain failed to catch up.
I stepped toward him, my voice cutting through the moment like a cold wind.
“Oh, and one more thing,” I said, leveling my blade. “You seem to think I’m just some thick-headed brawler with nothing but muscle and grit.”
My eyes locked onto his.
“Hate to disappoint you—” I swung the blade into a ready stance “—but I’m a speed-type swordsman.”
“Wha…? Huh? Wha…?” he stammered, eyes darting wildly.
I showed no mercy.
Not anymore.
“Upside down, was it?” I said, voice cold and calm.
“Upside down…?” the Demon God echoed dumbly, his expression blank with confusion.
“For you,” I clarified, stepping forward with deliberate menace. “That was the punishment you had in mind for Cordelia and Lilith, wasn’t it? So it’s only fair you get the same treatment.”
His brow furrowed. “W-What?”
I gave him a thin, humorless smile. “Don’t worry. I’m merciful. No slow death or drawn-out torment. Once you’re hanging, I’ll kill you quickly.”
“Huh?”
Before he could react, I slashed again in a brilliant arc of light that sent his left thumb exploding off in a spray of crimson.
“W-What… Why… Why isn’t it regenerating?”
That was the first time fear crept into his eyes.
“It’s simple,” I said, raising my blade just slightly. “My sword’s not ordinary. It stops regeneration.”
His lips trembled. “Wait… don’t tell me… Is that… a god-slaying… Damn it! I let my guard down!”
I grinned slowly and mercilessly.
“So, upside down it is.” And then, still smiling, I tilted my head and added, “Let’s start with your limbs. Mind if I cut them off?”
“Cut off my limbs?” His voice faltered, but then he let out a low, bitter chuckle. “Fine. My right arm’s out of commission. But I think you’ll be a little surprised by this.”
With a fleshy squelch, four new muscled and clawed arms burst from his back.
“Asura, huh?” I muttered, memories from my days in Japan stirring at the sight.
The Demon God gave an approving nod. “Exactly. And now I won’t be holding back. No more talk of taking you alive. I’ll grind you into paste right here.”
“Sure,” I said, rolling my neck with a sharp crack. “Come at me. I’ll give you a warmup.”
My calm clearly struck a nerve. His face twisted with anger, brows pulling tight.
“You arrogant little—!”
With the right arm already severed, the Demon God now had five functional limbs. He came at me fast.
First strike, a left hook.
I ducked, letting the blow whistle past my cheek.
“Persistent bastard,” I muttered, already sliding behind him.
With that many arms, this was going to be a pain.
But I wasn’t exactly planning to make it easy for him either.
I slashed twice in a perfect X, a motion so fluid that the sound of severed flesh hitting the ground followed instantly.
Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud.
All four of the newly sprouted arms dropped to the dirt, twitching uselessly.
Only then did the Demon God seem to realize I was already behind him.
“Huh?” he gasped, eyes wide, expression vacant.
“You really misunderstood something back during our little brawl,” I said coolly, straightening from my stance. “I was letting you hit me and playing along, because that’s the mood you set.”
“Huh?”
He stood there frozen, blinking like he couldn’t quite process my words.
I sighed. “Okay, let me dumb it down for you.”
He still didn’t move, so I gave him the breakdown he clearly needed.
“In human terms, it’s like a frontline warrior with a tower shield trading punches with a backline rogue. And the rogue still holds his own.”
The Demon God blinked again. Then slowly, his eyes widened in dawning horror.
“You seriously didn’t get it until now?” I said, cocking my head. “Man, your brain’s even duller than I thought.”
His face went pale. Completely drained of color.
Then, in a sudden burst of panic, he started shouting with a cracking voice.
“Wait! Wait! Wait, wait, wait, wait!”
“Hm?”
He was crying now. Actual tears rolled down his cheeks as he spoke, desperation thick in his voice.
“Just… Just give me a moment! Please, hear me out for a second!”
I shrugged. “All right. I’ll listen.”
Relief washed over his face. He let out a shaky breath, clearly grasping for anything that might save him.
“I said earlier that I’d welcome you as a guest. Remember that?”
“I remember,” I replied evenly.
He lowered his gaze with a solemn, pitiful expression.
“I see it now. I finally understand. You and I, we’re not even on the same stage.”
“Not the same stage?” I echoed.
He nodded slowly, lips trembling. “Right. You’re in a different league entirely. That sword you wield must be a god-slayer, right?” the Demon God said quietly, tension simmering beneath his voice. “I can’t think of any other skill that could block my regeneration.”
I gave a casual shrug. “If you hadn’t figured that out by now, you’re not much of a god.”
He scowled, but it came off more petulant than threatening. “You’re unbelievably rude, you know that?”
“Yeah,” I said, deadpan. “The Dragon King said the same.”
But then he grinned. Not the smug, condescending kind I was used to from him. This one was sharp, brimming with glee. A dangerous grin that made something deep in my gut twist.
“Thanks for the distraction,” he said, his voice as smooth as polished glass. “I’m fully charged now.”
“What?”
He met my confusion with a serene smile. “This skill… Well, it’s not something you use mid-battle. It takes time to align every ounce of power and every nerve in my body for full synchronization. But now? It’s ready.”
Even before he finished speaking, I could feel a dreadful pressure rolling off him like an impossibly vast stormfront, the malignant energy radiated from its core so thick it distorted the air itself.
“So why show your hand?” I asked, frowning. “Why let me know you’re about to fire?”