Chapter - 59 - The Symphony of Teeth and Moonlight
The air tasted like rust and rotting wood. Ishida's boots slid slightly in the dust as he adjusted his stance, the grip of his sword slick with sweat. Five demons circled him now, their movements unnervingly precise. No wild lunges, no frothing jaws. Just cold, calculated steps that boxed him against a collapsed pillar. Moonlight filtered through cracks in the ceiling, painting their jagged claws silver.
"They're not just hunting," he realized, his pulse throbbing in his ears. "They're herding."
The largest demon—a sinewy creature with spines protruding from its knuckles—hissed, and the pack shifted. Two demons peeled off to flank Ishida's left, their claws scraping the stone floor in unison. Another pair mirrored them on the right, while the leader hung back, its milky eyes tracking every twitch of his blade.
"They've done this before. Worked together. Killed together. This isn't their first slaughter."
The demon on his left feinted forward, claws swiping at his knees. Ishida pivoted, sword raised to block—but the attack was a ruse. The real strike came from above as a second demon dropped from the ceiling, talons aimed at his skull.
The stench of decay hit him first—rotten meat and wet fur. Then the whistle of claws cutting air.
"Second Form: Pearl Flower Moongazing!"
His blade arced upward, defensive crescents erupting around him. The demon's claws sparked against the shimmering barrier, giving Ishida just enough time to duck and roll. The attacker's momentum carried it into the path of its ally, their limbs tangling in a snarl of claws and curses.
"Even demons hate looking stupid in front of their friends."
He didn't waste the opening. Lunging forward, Ishida drove his sword through the spine of the closest demon. The creature screeched, its body dissolving into ash before it hit the ground.
[Enemies Defeated: 11/15]
[Fatigue: 45 → 50/100]
The pack leader let out a guttural roar, and the remaining four demons regrouped. Their formation tightened, claws clicking like soldiers reloading rifles.
"They're not scared. Not angry. Just… focused. Like this is a job."
The leader's claw snapped upward—a signal. The demons split into pairs, two charging head-on while the others flanked wide, their movements synchronized. Ishida's eyes darted between them, muscles coiling.
"They'll try to pin me. Left and right. Then the front pair goes for the kill."
He let them come.
The first demon lunged, claws aimed at his throat. Ishida sidestepped, letting it barrel past him. The second attacker swiped low, forcing him to leap over the strike. Mid-air, he twisted—
"Third Form: Loathsome Moon, Chains!"
Crescent slashes spiraled from his blade, wrapping around the demon's legs. It stumbled, and Ishida finished it with a downward thrust.
[Enemies Defeated: 12/15]
[Fatigue: 50 → 55/100]
The flanking demons struck next. One raked its claws across his back, shredding fabric and skin.
[HP: 680 → 640]
"Cheap shot, asshole."
Ishida spun, elbow smashing into the demon's jaw. Bone crunched, and he followed through with a pommel strike to its temple. The creature reeled, disoriented—
"First Form: Dark Moon, Evening Palace."
The crescent slash cleaved its head from its shoulders.
[Enemies Defeated: 13/15]
[Fatigue: 55 → 60/100]
The remaining two demons hesitated. For the first time, their rhythm broke. The leader hissed, spines along its back bristling like a porcupine's quills.
"What's wrong? Losing your team spirit?"
The leader's milky eyes narrowed. Then it *moved*—not toward Ishida, but to the far wall. Its claws sank into the stone, ripping free a chunk of mortar.
"It's not attacking. It's—"
The demon hurled the debris at a cracked support beam. The ceiling groaned.
"They're bringing the roof down."
Ishida dove as timber and stone cascaded around him. A chunk of wood grazed his shoulder, another clipping his ankle. Dust choked the air, reducing the battlefield to a hazy nightmare.
[HP: 640 → 610]
[Fatigue: 60 → 65/100]
"Fine. You want to play demolition? Let's play."
He surged toward the leader, sword blazing. The demon scrambled back, but Ishida feinted left, then pivoted—and kicked a loose stone into the face of the remaining underling. The demon staggered, and Ishida's blade found its heart.
[Enemies Defeated: 14/15]
[Fatigue: 65 → 70/100]
The leader was alone now. It backed toward a shattered window, moonlight glinting off its spines. Ishida advanced, his breath ragged but his blade steady.
The demon lunged, claws a blur. Ishida parried, the impact rattling his bones. Strike after strike, they danced—steel meeting claw, sparks flying. The demon's milky eyes never left his, calculating, adapting.
"You're not just smart. You're desperate. You don't want to die here."
The realization fueled him. He pressed harder, driving the demon toward the unstable rubble pile.
A deliberate stumble. The demon took the bait, claws slashing downward—
"Fourth Form: Crescent Moon!"
His blade became a whirlwind, layered slashes carving through the demon's defenses. It screeched, spines shattering as the storm of crescents pinned it against the wall.
"For my family."
"First Form: Dark Moon, Evening Palace."
The final crescent shaped slash severed its head.
[Enemies Defeated: 15/15]
[Fatigue: 70 → 80/100]
"New tricks. Same old demons. At least the scenery's improving."
---
Ishida sagged against the wall, blood trickling from a dozen cuts. The dust settled, moonlight now unobstructed. His sword trembled in his grip, its edge notched but still gleaming.
[Floor 6 Cleared. Proceed to the next floor.]
[Rewards Available:
Instant Healing Potion x8 (Requires 3 minutes of stillness to activate)
Instant Teleportation Scroll x1 (Limited use, situational)
New Breathing Forms Unlocked:
Eighth Form: Moon-Dragon Ringtail
Ninth Form: Waning Moonswaths]
Ishida leaned back against the wall, catching his breath. He was thinking hard about what had just happened. "Two new breathing styles," he said to himself, sounding both tired and excited. "Moon-Dragon Ringtail and Waning Moonswaths. I wonder what these can do for me."
"But seriously, what's the use of having an MP stat if these new styles don't even use it?" he thought, scratching his head in confusion.
He took out one of the healing potions from his bag and looked at it closely. "Three minutes of staying still," he remembered from the instructions. It seemed like a small inconvenience for the healing benefits, especially since he had a little break right now.
He carefully opened the potion and drank it, feeling the cool liquid slip down his throat. Right away, he felt warmth spreading through his body, sweeping away his tiredness. His muscles relaxed as the potion started working.
[HP: 610 → 640]
[Fatigue: 80 → 50/100]
He shut his eyes and concentrated on his breathing, letting the potion do its job. The cuts and bruises on his body started to disappear, and the pain faded away like a distant memory. His heartbeat calmed down.
[HP: 640 → 660]
[Fatigue: 50 → 30/100]
As time went by, he felt his strength coming back, like fog lifting on a sunny morning. His mind became clear, and he felt focused again as the battle's cloudiness vanished.
[HP: 660 → 680]
[Fatigue: 30 → 10/100]
When the three minutes were up, Ishida felt re-energized, every part of him buzzing with vitality. He opened his eyes, and everything around him seemed more vivid.
"Whatever's up ahead, it's been waiting. Let's not keep it bored," he said. He stood up, grabbed his sword, and put it back in its sheath. "Alright, time to move."