Chapter 56: Stalling For Time

The battlefield was chaos.

Rin moved like a phantom through the ruined streets, his blade cutting through Dark Order cultists with ruthless precision. Shadows lashed out, strangling demons before they could react, while bolts of lightning seared through the air, reducing others to smoldering corpses.

And all the while, the Lord-class demon behind him roared, its fury shaking the ground.

It was enraged—enraged that Rin had tripped it, enraged that it had fallen for such a humiliating trick. Now, it was mindlessly rampaging, its massive claws tearing through structures, its breath thick with pure malice.

And Rin?

Rin was using that very rage against it.

Each time the beast struck, it crushed more of the very cultists that had summoned it. Rin led it through their ranks like a living weapon, letting them suffer the consequences of their own recklessness. The once-coordinated movements of the Dark Order had devolved into sheer panic, their forces breaking apart under the weight of their own monster.

A twisted grin flickered on Rin's lips as he leaped off a crumbling rooftop, landing lightly atop a fallen statue. The Lord-class demon snarled and lunged—but its claws met only empty air.

Shadow Clone.

Three identical figures flickered into existence, dashing in opposite directions.

The demon hesitated, its monstrous gaze flickering between them, uncertain which was real.

That was all Rin needed.

He lunged into the nearest group of cultists, his blade cutting through their panicked ranks before they could even react.

Lightning surged at his fingertips. He unleashed a storm of electricity, arcing from one enemy to the next, frying them where they stood. Shadows rose around him, swallowing those who tried to flee.

The Lord-class demon, still confused by the clones, slammed its claws into the wrong target—wiping out an entire cluster of cultists in a single devastating sweep.

Perfect.

But Rin wasn't untouchable.

His breaths were getting heavier, his mana reserves dwindling. He had been fighting for too long, pushing himself too hard. He could feel the strain creeping into his limbs, the slight delay in his movements that hadn't been there before.

Not yet.

He reached into his shadow domain, retrieving a mana potion—a high-grade one, expensive beyond reason. He didn't hesitate. Uncorking the vial, he downed the shimmering blue liquid in one swift gulp.

A wave of energy rushed through his body, his senses sharpening instantly.

Worth it.

Unlike last time—unlike that nightmare when he was dragged into a subspace without a single potion to his name—this time, he was prepared.

This time, he wouldn't run out of options.

With renewed strength, he pushed forward once more, his mind already calculating his next move. He wasn't here to win—he couldn't kill a Lord-class demon alone.

But if he could buy more time, if he could thin their numbers even further, then this battle would be one step closer to ending in their favor.

And that was more than enough reason to keep moving.

Rin moved like a blur, his body surging forward with a burst of Lightning and Wind.

His eyes locked onto the child—a small figure, no older than six, desperately running from the devastation around them. But the moment Rin saw it, he knew—they wouldn't make it.

The building beside them groaned, its weakened structure giving way. Massive chunks of stone and wood tumbled down, and in that instant, Rin didn't think.

He moved.

With a crackle of lightning, he shot forward, faster than sight, his body breaking past his own limits. He caught the child in his arms just as the rubble crashed down behind him, shaking the ground with its weight.

A moment later—

BOOM!

The Lord-class demon's claws tore through the space where he had been just a second ago. The sheer force of the attack sent shockwaves through the street, dust and debris flying in all directions.

Rin twisted, using the momentum to land on a rooftop before quickly setting the child down.

"Run!" Rin commanded, his voice sharp yet reassuring. "Don't stop—head towards the evacuation zone!"

The child hesitated for only a moment, wide-eyed with terror, before nodding and scrambling away as fast as their little legs could carry them.

Rin exhaled, but there was no time to rest.

His shadow clones were gone—torn apart by the demon's relentless assault. He was alone again, facing the enraged monstrosity with nothing but his own skills and wits.

The Lord-class demon snarled, its murderous gaze snapping back to him.

Rin tightened his grip on his blade.

If it gets past me, more people will die.

That wasn't going to happen.

Summoning every ounce of remaining energy, Rin charged straight at the beast, his lightning sparking once more.

Time blurred as Rin continued his relentless assault, weaving through the battlefield with a deadly grace.

His hit-and-run tactics were working—infuriating the Lord-class demon more and more with every passing second. Lightning cracked through the air, shadows lashed out, and yet—his attacks barely scratched the beast.

Its thick, armored hide absorbed his blows like they were mere nuisances. No matter how precise or well-placed his strikes were, they lacked the power needed to truly wound it.

This isn't enough.

Rin knew the truth—Supreme-tier magic could hurt it, but even that wasn't a guaranteed victory. To force this thing into submission, one needed Forbidden-tier magic, a level of power that only a handful in the Empire had ever reached.

And Rin?

He was still at Master-tier—just a step below Supreme, yet still far from enough.

If it were Azure Empress Nao, she could crush it with sheer overwhelming force.

If it were Vermillion Empress Hikari, she'd incinerate it down to its very bones.

If it were Black Empress Minako, she'd bury it in darkness before it even realized it was dead.

If it were Emperor Masaki, it wouldn't even last long enough to be called a fight.

Even among the high officials of the Empire, only a few could handle this kind of monstrosity alone.

But they weren't here.

They were all occupied—mobilizing forces, leading the purge, ensuring the Empire's stability.

And that meant—it was up to him to buy time.

I just have to hold out.

Rin exhaled sharply, adjusting his grip on his blade. His mana reserves were already being pushed, but stopping wasn't an option. Not when people were still evacuating.

Another mid-class demon lunged at him—its claws slashing toward his side.

Too slow.

Rin moved before it even realized what had happened. His blade whipped through the air—clean, precise—severing its head in a single stroke.

Blood sprayed across the ground, but Rin had already disappeared, dodging another massive swipe from the Lord-class demon. The sheer force of the attack shattered the building beside him, sending debris flying.

One wrong move, and I'm dead.

But that was fine.

He wasn't here to win.

He was here to stall—to keep this thing occupied until reinforcements arrived.

And as long as he was still standing, he'd make sure that not another innocent life was taken before then.

Rin moved without hesitation, his body a blur of lightning and shadow, striking at the Lord-class demon whenever an opening appeared. He wasn't dealing any significant damage, but that wasn't his goal—he just needed to keep it occupied.

Yet, the longer the battle dragged on, the more erratic and furious the demon became.

And then—

BOOM!

A sudden shockwave erupted from the Lord-class demon's core, rippling outward with devastating force.

Rin barely had time to react before the ground beneath him shattered, sending him hurtling into the air. His body twisted midair, the sudden impact knocking the wind out of his lungs. He wasn't gravely injured, but he had been caught off guard—something that hadn't happened this entire fight.

For a brief moment, suspended high above the battlefield, he saw it.

The Hoshimi Empire's army was on the move.

From this vantage point, he could see them advancing—regiments of Imperial soldiers, their banners flying high, their formations disciplined and unwavering. War horns echoed across the capital, the sound of marching boots rumbling like thunder.

They were finally mobilizing.

But there was no time to admire the sight.

The demon, still enraged beyond reason, wasn't about to let him land safely.

With a guttural roar, it lifted massive chunks of stone and debris from the ruined battlefield and hurled them straight at him.

Dammit.

Rin twisted midair, summoning a burst of wind magic to slow his descent. The gust softened his fall, but it wasn't enough to stop the barrage coming his way.

The first boulder was already upon him.

With a sharp exhale, he enhanced his blade, the familiar surge of mana coursing through him. His sword gleamed—strengthened by raw magic—as he slashed through the incoming debris, cutting through stone like it was nothing.

Another rock. Another swing. More debris rained down.

Yet, Rin kept moving, kept slicing, kept dodging.

He had become the most annoying fly this demon had ever faced—darting around, impossible to hit, always just one step ahead.

And as long as he could still move, he wasn't planning on stopping anytime soon.

Rin's breath was ragged, his body aching from the relentless battle.

His mana reserves were gone. Every last potion he had brought was spent, and his limbs felt heavy from exhaustion. Yet, despite everything, he was still standing—still facing down a Lord-class demon that refused to stop.

His vision swam, but then—

Footsteps.

Calm. Measured. Unshaken.

The unmistakable presence of someone powerful approaching from behind.

Rin didn't need to turn to know who it was.

Vermillion Empress Hikari.

She strode forward, clad in her crimson battle robes, the faint scent of embers lingering around her. The air itself felt warmer in her presence, the oppressive heat of her mana radiating outward like a slow-burning flame.

Stopping beside Rin, she gave him a glance—her golden eyes taking in his battered state, the dirt and blood covering him.

"…Are you injured?" she asked, her voice calm yet laced with quiet concern.

Rin exhaled, wiping his brow before shaking his head. "It's not my blood."

For a brief moment, Hikari smiled.

Even after all this time, after leaving the Imperial Palace, after keeping his identity hidden—he was still this stubborn. Still the same Rin she remembered.

She took a step past him, her gaze now fixed on the rampaging demon that had pushed Rin to his limits.

"You've done well," she said, her voice carrying a warmth beyond just her magic.

Rin didn't reply, but something in his chest eased at those words.

Hikari hadn't forgotten him.

She had remembered the Second Imperial Prince who had once been called a genius—who could have been Crown Prince, yet fate had led him down a different path.

And yet, even after leaving the Imperial Palace, after all the time apart—he was still fighting for the Hoshimi Empire.

A part of her felt it was a shame. A child like him should have been at the center of the Empire, not fighting in the shadows. But even now, he was fulfilling his duty in his own way.

She understood that.

And she was proud.

Placing a hand on Rin's shoulder for just a moment, she walked past him toward the battlefield, toward the demon that had caused so much destruction.

"You can rest easy now," she said.

Because now, she was here.

Rin dropped to his knees, exhaustion finally catching up to him. His breath came in ragged gasps, yet—he laughed. A tired, almost amused chuckle escaped his lips as the last embers of his mana faded away.

The uniform he had worn—the enchanted battle attire he had maintained through sheer will—dematerialized. The mana sustaining it was gone, revealing the worn-out clothes beneath, torn and stained with blood and dirt.

But he didn't care.

Because now—Hikari was here.

She unsheathed her sword, a sleek and deadly blade, yet it wasn't the steel that commanded attention.

It was the flames.

The moment she drew her weapon, golden fire ignited at its edge, burning slow at first—calm. Controlled. But with every step she took, it grew.

The heat didn't sting Rin, but he could feel it.

Each step she took forward fed the fire, turning it from a flickering ember into something far greater—a growing inferno.

Then, with a single breath, she unleashed it.

WHOOSH!

A crimson blaze erupted from her form, spiraling outward in a perfect, controlled storm of golden-red flames. The air itself warped under the sheer intensity, distorting the battlefield as heat waves shimmered like a mirage.

The domain of Vermillion Flames expanded, swallowing the area without harming anything but its enemies.

And then—

It appeared.

The Vermillion Bird.

A towering, majestic entity of pure fire, its wings spread wide, casting a golden glow upon the ruins of the battlefield. It wasn't just heat—it was power incarnate. A force that could reduce entire cities to ash if left unchecked.

The Lord-class demon, so enraged before, froze. Its instincts screamed at it.

This was no ordinary fire.

This was Forbidden-tier Magic.

The flames complimented Hikari herself—her beauty, her commanding presence. She wasn't just an Empress; she was a force of nature. A woman who stood at the pinnacle of power, whose mere presence silenced the battlefield.

And as the Vermillion Bird spread its wings, illuminating the night in a fiery radiance—

Rin couldn't help but smile.

Even in exhaustion, this sight was always breathtaking.

Hikari stood amidst the swirling inferno, her golden-red flames casting an eerie yet mesmerizing glow across the battlefield. The air crackled with energy, the sheer intensity of her magic making the very ground beneath them tremble.

She exhaled, her gaze settling on the towering Lord-class demon—the creature that had dared to harm a member of the Imperial Family.

"…What an annoyance," she muttered, rolling her shoulders as if this was nothing more than a mild inconvenience.

Her eyes flickered toward Rin, who remained kneeling, catching his breath. Despite being battered, drained of mana, and exhausted beyond reason, he was still alive.

That alone was enough.

Her gaze snapped back to the demon, and her voice carried a cold finality.

"Hurting a member of the Imperial Family is punishable by death."

Without another word, she moved.

BOOM!

The ground beneath her cracked as she dashed forward, flames surging in her wake.

The Lord-class demon reacted, its massive claws swinging toward her, desperate to crush the threat before it.

Too slow.

Hikari twisted mid-air, her blade a blur of light and flame. **One clean strike—**and an entire arm was severed in a whirlwind of fire.

The demon screeched in agony, but it had no time to recover.

Hikari was already on the move.

Another slash—another limb gone.

A third strike—its torso was carved open.

With precise, merciless efficiency, Hikari dismantled the demon, slicing through its body piece by piece as if she were tearing apart an unworthy opponent.

And with one final swing, her blade burst into golden flames, consuming what remained of the beast.

The Lord-class demon burned.

Its body crumbled into ash, the inferno swallowing it whole, leaving nothing but the scorched remains of where it once stood.

And as the flames finally died down, Hikari landed effortlessly in front of Rin, her crimson robes untouched by the chaos around her.

The battle was over.

The battle was over. The flames had died down, the towering demon reduced to nothing but ashes. The once-chaotic battlefield now lay still, save for the soft crackling of embers in the air.

Hikari turned to Rin, arms crossed, a knowing smirk tugging at her lips.

"Nine out of ten."

Rin, who had just pushed himself to his feet, blinked in exhaustion. "…Seriously?"

Hikari nodded. "You made all the right decisions given your strength. You lured the demon away, minimized casualties, and kept it occupied until reinforcements arrived." Her eyes narrowed slightly. "But you still couldn't kill it. That's the only reason you're losing a point."

Rin sighed, rolling his shoulders. "Tch… My combat teacher is too strict. If I were just a little stronger, it would've been a perfect score."

Smack.

Rin barely flinched as Hikari's hand landed on his head.

"Don't get cocky."

She ruffled his already messy hair in a rough, almost fond manner before pulling away. Rin let it happen—he was too tired to fight back anyway.

"By the way," Hikari said, her tone softening, "White Empress Asami is safe."

Rin's breath hitched for just a second. Then—his shoulders eased, and a relieved smile spread across his lips.

"…Good."

Hikari observed him for a moment before sighing. "You really haven't changed, huh?" She pulled out a mana potion from her side pouch and handed it to him. "Here. Drink this and get out of here before the troops arrive."

Rin took the potion without argument, chugging it down in one go. The refreshing surge of mana instantly began repairing the fatigue in his body.

He wiped his mouth, nodding. "Thanks, Mother Hikari."

Hikari paused.

For a moment, she simply stared at him, expression unreadable. Then—

"…Tch. Calling me that after all this time?" She turned away, though Rin could see the faintest trace of a smile.

He smirked. "What? Am I not allowed to?"

"Hah." Hikari scoffed but made no move to correct him. Instead, she turned her gaze toward the distant battlefield, where the sounds of Imperial troops marching could be heard.

"Go," she said. "Before they get here."

Rin nodded. He had no intention of being found.

He took a step back, then another—before glancing at Hikari one last time.

"…Be careful, Mother Hikari."

And with that, he vanished into the shadows.