Under the purple moonlight, four figures walked through the carnival, surrounded by tents, merry-go-rounds, and other games.
As they neared the Ferris wheel, which stood on an open stretch of ground, they spotted three figures at the edge of the clearing.
They recognized them as Wen Yu and the First and Fifth Princes.
As they approached, the three also noticed them.
Gu Zhiyuan asked, "Where is Third Brother?"
The First Prince shook his head. "Don't know."
Gu Siyu asked, signaling toward the Ferris wheel, "Did you find anything?"
Kanoru stared in the same direction.
He could see a faint purple light glowing beneath the Ferris wheel.
However, from this distance, he couldn't tell what was producing it.
The First Prince said, "We're waiting for everyone to gather before investigating."
Suddenly, Kanoru heard a chilling voice.
"Good, everyone is here. I won't have to search for you one by one before eliminating you."
His eyes snapped toward the sound.
A hulking figure emerged.
Its face was split vertically—half black, half white—with a red heart symbol painted on the white side of its forehead.
It wore a red dress, green pants, and oversized yellow boots.
From behind its back, four sword handles protruded.
In one hand, it clutched a severed head.
Kanoru's eyes widened in horror.
The head belonged to the Third Prince.
Now he understood why the monster, which resembled a twisted version of Piedmon, had said, "Everyone is here."
Even in death, the Third Prince had been brought along—at least, part of him.
Piedmon smirked and mockingly raised the severed head, shaking it.
"Why are you all angry?" he sneered.
"Because of this?"
He shook the head again.
"Don't worry. In a few minutes, you'll all be like this—my collection."
"Bastard!" the Fifth Prince roared.
Stones erupted around his body, and he transformed into a massive purple stone werewolf.
He had activated his avatar spell—Demon Wolf.
The werewolf charged at Piedmon.
As he lunged, Piedmon calmly stepped forward and caught the werewolf by the throat.
With a brutal punch to the gut, he sent the Fifth Prince flying.
The werewolf's massive form hurtled toward Kanoru and the others.
Seeing him coming, they quickly scattered, dodging as the Fifth Prince crashed into a kid's Ferris wheel behind them, shattering it into debris.
The First Prince's expression hardened.
"Looks like this monster has the strength of a higher-ranked cultivator. We'll have to join forces to kill it."
Gu Zhiyuan clenched his fists, his eyes burning with fury.
"Let's avenge Fifth Brother and get out of here."
Flames erupted from his body, engulfing him.
He transformed into a towering purple fire elemental with a crow's head and a flaming spear in hand.
Gu Siyu followed suit, shifting into her Faceless Demon avatar.
Her icy, featureless form radiated a chilling aura.
The First Prince activated his avatar as well, turning into a heavily armored knight, covered from head to toe in gleaming metal and wielding a massive two-handed sword.
All three avatars now stood as tall as Piedmon.
The Fifth Prince, still in his Demon Wolf form, staggered to his feet.
With a furious snarl, he charged once more.
The three princes stormed toward Piedmon together.
However, the monster moved effortlessly.
He blocked their attacks with ease, landing counterpunches and kicks that sent them reeling.
Kanoru, observing the battle, quickly realized the problem.
Piedmon's combat skill was far superior.
Combined with his higher cultivation realm, he easily outmatched the three princes.
None of their attacks landed, while he struck them repeatedly.
Gu Siyu suddenly formed two blobs of water in her hands.
She whipped them forward, and the water streaked through the air, coiling around Piedmon's waist like a rope.
Still gripping the other end, she rapidly froze the water, encasing Piedmon's torso in ice.
Though the process seemed longer, it happened in under two seconds.
For a brief moment, Piedmon was held in place, unable to move.
The three princes seized the opportunity and launched a joint attack.
But before their blows could land, a dark aura erupted from Piedmon's body.
The ominous energy blocked their strikes and surged through the frozen rope, sending a bolt of black lightning back along the ice.
It struck Gu Siyu, who was still holding the other end.
She groaned in pain and stumbled back two steps, the ice rope shattering into shards.
Wen Yu's eyes narrowed.
"Looks like we'll have to join in."
Runes began glowing on his skin, and his aura exploded outward.
A massive water hammer formed in his hand, and he charged at the monster.
Lu Yue's skin also became etched with glowing rune markings.
A wooden whip materialized in her hand, and she sprinted toward Piedmon.
Seeing them enter the fray, Kanoru drew his sword and charged as well.
Although Piedmon was twice his height, he attacked without hesitation.
The monster drew two of his swords, one in each hand.
Dark thunder crackled along the blades, signaling his readiness for battle.
The battle raged on.
Kanoru's sword clashed violently against Piedmon's crackling black blades, sparks flying with every collision.
Beside him, Lu Yue's wooden whip lashed out, wrapping around one of Piedmon's arms.
She pulled with all her strength, creating an opening.
Wen Yu's water hammer slammed into the monster's side, sending ripples of force through its body.
Gu Zhiyuan, still in his Fire Crow form, unleashed a spiral of searing flames.
Gu Siyu's Faceless Demon pounced, her ice claws raking across Piedmon's chest, leaving jagged frost marks.
But despite the onslaught, the monster fought with relentless ferocity.
Its dark aura surged violently, pushing back the attackers.
The First Prince, armored in steel, slashed with his massive two-handed sword, striking at Piedmon's leg.
The blow staggered the monster slightly, but it countered with a brutal backhand, sending the prince skidding across the ground.
The Fifth Prince, still in his Demon Wolf form, roared and leaped high, aiming for Piedmon's neck.
But the monster spun, catching the werewolf by the throat once again.
Piedmon slammed him into the ground with a thunderous crash, creating a crater.
The impact was so severe that the Demon Wolf form flickered, and the Fifth Prince reverted to his human form, coughing up blood.
The First Prince, battered and barely standing, dismissed his avatar form as well, his armor dissipating into motes of light.
Despite their injuries, both princes gritted their teeth and rejoined the fight, relying on spells and sheer willpower.
The battle reached its peak.
The seven surrounded Piedmon, their eyes blazing with determination.
Their combined strikes, though slowing, became sharper and more precise.
Kanoru's sword blurred with speed, carving glowing arcs through the darkness.
Wen Yu's water hammer shattered into smaller fragments, which he wielded as whirling projectiles, slamming into Piedmon from multiple angles.
Lu Yue's whip moved in fluid, snake-like motions, binding the monster's legs.
Gu Siyu and Gu Zhiyuan unleashed synchronized elemental spells, flame and ice converging on Piedmon's body, charring and freezing it simultaneously.
Piedmon stumbled slightly, its movements growing sluggish, its dark aura flickering.
Sensing the opening, Kanoru's chakra surged.
With a burst of speed, he lunged, his sword flashing like silver lightning.
The blade pierced Piedmon's chest, driving deep into its core.
The monster let out a guttural roar, dark thunder flaring around its body.
The others seized the moment.
Wen Yu's water hammer expanded into a massive tidal wave, crashing into the monster's back.
Lu Yue's whip struck its exposed throat.
Gu Zhiyuan's flaming spear pierced through its abdomen, while Gu Siyu's ice claws sank into its spine.
With a final cry, the Fifth Prince summoned jagged stone spikes from the ground, impaling Piedmon's legs.
The First Prince, bloodied but defiant, chanted an incantation, unleashing a barrage of light spears from his palm.
The spears shot forward, piercing Piedmon's chest and pinning it in place.
Kanoru gripped his sword tightly and twisted the blade.
"Die."
Piedmon's eyes widened in shock.
Its entire form shuddered violently.
With a distorted, monstrous shriek, its body suddenly burst into a cloud of dark sparkles.
The black and white mask, once part of its face, fell to the ground with a hollow clatter.
For a moment, there was silence.
The seven stood still, breathing heavily, their bodies covered in wounds.
Blood dripped from their lips and cuts marred their skin.
The First Prince and Fifth Prince, now without their avatar forms, slumped slightly, their knees barely holding them up.
Kanoru, chest heaving, stared at the mask.
The fight was over.
They had won.
Finally, they could breathe.
Finally, they could feel relief.
But before they could even catch their breath—
A crushing pressure suddenly fell upon them.
It pressed down on their bodies like an immovable weight, driving them to their knees.
Their hearts pounded.
The air grew thick with an overwhelming, suffocating force.
Their limbs, already weak, trembled under the sudden strain.
Kanoru's eyes widened.
Above them, a massive dark purple hand materialized, slowly descending from the sky.
It was enormous, blotting out the stars, its fingers claw-like and jagged, dripping with swirling darkness.
The seven, battered and barely able to stand, could only stare in shock.
The hand continued to descend.
The suffocating pressure intensified.
Their bones felt as though they would snap.
Their breathing became labored.
Victory was still fresh on their lips.
And yet—
Despair was already sinking its claws into them once again.