"'I feel like playing with him a little,' said Lu Tao with a faint smile, his eyes never leaving the mid-rank demon.
The demon was massive — nearly ten meters tall. Its body resembled a mountain of flesh, its eyes were pitch-black, and its skin burned with a crimson glow.
It stared intently at Lu Tao, a grotesque grin twisting across its monstrous face.
'I don't like this… something's off,' muttered Desheng, keeping his eyes on the demon.
'Don't chicken out. It's just a mid-level demon,' Lu Tao replied calmly, his gaze unwavering.
'Well, if you're so eager to have fun, I'll just sit back and enjoy the show. You don't mind, do you?' Desheng smirked, sliding his blade back into its sheath and stepping aside.
'Of course not. Sit and watch,' Lu Tao said with a grin, extending his hands forward to activate his technique.
A thick, green mist burst from his palms — dense, toxic, and foul-smelling. It crept slowly toward the demon.
Seeing this, the demon opened its massive jaws. Deep within, a small fireball began to flicker, growing larger and brighter with each passing second.
In an instant, the orb detonated, unleashing a torrent of flames that surged straight at Lu Tao.
'If that hits me, I'm done for… oh well,' Lu Tao thought, quickly forming hand seals.
'Technique — Poisonous Barrier!'
A green haze surrounded his body, condensing into a solid shell. The attacking mist dissipated into the air.
The fiery explosion crashed against him with a deafening roar, shaking the ground as waves of heat and smoke filled the ruins.
When the flames finally faded, Lu Tao stood unharmed, a faint smirk still on his lips.
'I thought Master Lu Tao would be caught in that… but he's fine,' Desheng thought, still astonished.
'Hey, demon! Want me to show you something interesting?' Lu Tao shouted, forming a dragon-shaped hand seal.
Desheng straightened slightly.
'Wait… could it be…?' he thought.
'Alternate Dimension: Realm of the Poison Dragon!'
The moment he spoke, a shimmering barrier enveloped both Lu Tao and the demon. From the outside, it was invisible, but inside — the world had completely changed.
Emerald pillars rose all around them, and the air was thick with a green mist radiating danger and raw power.
'Do you know what this is?' asked Lu Tao. 'An alternate dimension. When the Awakened reach the peak of the semi-high rank, they face the Trial of Fate. If they succeed, the realm acknowledges their strength and grants them the right to create their own dimension. Inside it, they are gods. Everything within obeys them.'
He smiled faintly.
'I hope that was clear enough. Now let me show you what that really means.'
He pointed at the demon.
'Poison Mist!'
The demon's body was instantly consumed by a dense green fog. It coughed, choked, and writhed in agony as its flesh cracked and peeled away. Moments later, the creature collapsed, lifeless.
Lu Tao exhaled heavily.
'The alternate dimension amplifies elemental techniques… but it drains an enormous amount of energy. I can only use it twice a day. After that, I'm done for.'
The demon fell with a dull thud, its face frozen in a silent scream. The barrier fractured — then shattered completely.
Desheng rushed toward him, eyes wide with disbelief.
'Master Lu Tao… you actually used an alternate dimension?'
'Yes,' Lu Tao replied curtly.
At that moment, the rest of the team entered the building.
'That… that really was an alternate dimension?' Chandler asked, his voice trembling with excitement.
'Yes,' Lu Tao confirmed again.
'I see… I wish I could've witnessed it myself,' said Kazuhiko in awe.
'I'd gladly show you, but I've got almost no strength left,' Lu Tao said tiredly.
'Understood,' Kazuhiko nodded.
Then Russell Yamigage stepped forward.
'Clan leaders, all demons have been neutralized. We rescued around ten thousand civilians. During the sweep, I traced the demons' origin and found their nest underground. They all hatched from eggs, but one of them… was enormous. If it hatches, we'll be facing a semi-high-rank demon,' he reported seriously.
'I see. So the half-high-rank demon that attacked the academy is the same one,' said Seychelle.
'You're right,' replied Desheng. 'That means we have to move faster.'
With that, they all began making their way back toward the academy."