"I am Akari," he announced, his voice steady. Behind him stood 10–20 Lampmen, each carrying a protective lamp.
"We are the Lampmen — guides to demon hunters. We shield you from lesser demons while you face the main threats."
He stepped forward to Ren's fallen body, bowing his head. "Take him with respect," Akari ordered. Two Lampmen carefully lifted the corpse, covering him with a shroud before carrying him away.
Then Akari turned to Nao and Riku. "You two fought well. Your courage will be needed."
The glowing lamps lit their path as Akari led them out of the haunted apartment. The survivors regrouped in the next area, their numbers thinned, faces pale from the horrors they had witnessed.
Riku stepped away quietly, joining Takumi and Shouta, who welcomed him into their fold with nods of respect.
Nao, still shaken, found comfort in Aoi. The two summoners shared quiet words, a bond forming quickly. Her Nekoma brushed against Nao's hand, giving him strength where his Beast Dog had failed.
Nearby, Tenzin, Daiki, Haruto, and Masaru gathered into a team, their confidence burning even in the dark.
Kaito, calm and deadly, stood beside Yuta, the boy with the curse of possession. Their strange partnership began.
In the shadows, Hana sat alone, her eyes filled with fire but her heart heavy, unclaimed by any group.
The next round awaited — darker, bloodier, and far more dangerous.
Souten, the Elder, stood before the survivors. His cold eyes scanned them.
"You've passed the first trial," he said. "But this is only the beginning. Next, you will enter the Ice Cream Factory. There you must defeat Hyoga, the Ice Demon, and four of his lesser kin. Only then will you be worthy to advance."
The group exchanged tense glances. Their breath already misted in the air as they approached the broken, frozen gates.
Inside, the factory was a graveyard of frost. Ice clung to every wall, blood frozen into red crystals on the floor. The air cut through skin like blades.
Aoi, shivering violently, called out to her partner. "Nekoma… I can't take this cold…"
The great yokai cat appeared, fur shimmering with spectral warmth. She pressed herself against its body, curling into its warmth. Her eyes slowly closed as she fell asleep, cocooned by Nekoma's heat, safe in the nightmare around her.
In another corridor of ice, Kaito walked alone. From the shadows, a figure appeared — a Sword Demon, its jagged blade-like arms gleaming. The two locked eyes. Without words, both drew steel.
Steel clashed against steel, sparks flying as the katana met the demon's claws. Each strike echoed through the frozen halls, fast as lightning. The demon roared, lunging with savage precision, but Kaito's face remained calm, his focus absolute.
Finally, with a clean step and perfect swing, Kaito's blade cut through. The demon froze mid-motion, then its head slid from its body. Blood splattered across the snow-like floor. Kaito exhaled, sheathing his katana.
Elsewhere, Tenzin, Masaru, Haruto, and Daiki advanced together. From the darkness, two demons charged, their icy claws gleaming.
Daiki stood tall, body glimmering with protective tattoos. He absorbed the blows — claws screeched against his body but did no harm.
"Now!" he shouted.
Tenzin's chants filled the air, and glowing chains bound one demon tight. Haruto rushed the other, his fists a blur. With a crushing blow, he smashed the demon's skull in, its body collapsing in shards of bone.
Tenzin turned to Masaru. "Help me finish this one!" he barked.
Masaru smirked nervously. "He broke free from your binding. I can't hold him."
Tenzin's focus wavered, releasing his spell — and instantly, the bound demon lunged, slamming into him. The monk staggered but steadied, fury blazing in his eyes. With a roar, he raised his mighty fist and struck. The demon's body shattered under the blow, its chest caved in.
Tenzin breathed heavily, his gaze cutting toward Masaru. "You lied… you let me release him…"
Masaru bowed his head quickly. "I… I'm sorry. I panicked. It broke free on its own."
Tenzin's eyes stayed cold, distrust heavy in his silence.
At the far end of the factory, Yuta shivered, his body weak. He clutched his chest, muttering, "Not here… not now…" Fear radiated off him.
A demon with massive legs stalked forward, its footsteps thundering. Its eyes gleamed as it saw Yuta's weakness. With a cruel laugh, it slammed a kick into Yuta's stomach. The boy crumpled, coughing blood.
"Pathetic… little prey…" the demon hissed, kicking him again and again, bones snapping under the blows. It wanted to play, to savor his pain before the feast.
Yuta's vision blurred. He fell unconscious. But in that void, something dark stirred. His body twitched, his eyes snapped open glowing red. The demonic possession consumed him.
With inhuman speed, Yuta grabbed the demon's leg and snapped it like dry wood. The creature shrieked, but Yuta didn't stop. He pounced on its chest, his hands digging deep into its flesh. With a primal roar, he ripped upward — and tore the demon's neck clean off, spine and veins dangling as blood sprayed in all directions.
Yuta's demonic self roared into the frozen air, clutching the severed neck like a trophy.
Takumi, Shouta, and Riku finally discovered Hyoga's den. The place was a nightmare — the walls and floor were littered with the frozen corpses of ex-hunters, shattered into broken pieces like glass statues. The air was sharp and cold, every breath cutting their lungs.
Before the three could strike, Hyoga appeared. With a single wave of his hand, the frost spread like wildfire, freezing everyone in an instant. He stepped in front of Takumi, eyes glowing with cruel delight, and shattered Takumi's frozen body into icy fragments, the sound echoing like breaking bones.
Hyoga turned toward Riku, raising his hand to destroy him next — but suddenly, a massive Beast Dog materialized, summoned by Nao. The beast lunged, slamming Hyoga back into the frozen wall. But Hyoga only smirked, rose again, and with a touch of his power, encased the beast in solid ice, its growl cut off mid-snarl. Nao's hands trembled, once again helpless.
Hyoga conjured a jagged ice spear, cold mist spiraling around it. He hurled it straight at Nao's chest.
But before it struck — a burst of fire exploded through the air, shattering the spear into molten shards. Hana stepped forward, flames dancing around her fists, eyes burning with fury.
She unleashed a torrent of fire, blasting Hyoga across the chamber. Hyoga roared, summoning walls of ice to smother her heat, but Hana pushed forward, her flames scorching brighter. The frozen ground cracked beneath her power.
Hyoga snarled, raising both hands. Ice surged around Hana, trying to encase her completely. But her fire raged hotter, melting through the prison. With one final cry, she unleashed a searing fire bomb, engulfing Hyoga in a blazing inferno. His scream echoed as his body melted and crumbled into ash and water, leaving nothing behind.
The Lampmen appeared, their lanterns cutting through the fading mist of battle. They guided the shaken candidates out of the factory.
Nao turned to Hana. "Thank you… for saving me."
But Hana only walked past him in silence, her flames dimming, and joined the Lampmen without a word.
Shouta placed a hand on Nao's shoulder. "At least you came at the right time. That's what matters."
Nao's eyes shifted to Riku. "The debt is cleared now."
The Lampmen spoke no more. They simply led Hana, Riku, Nao, and Shouta deeper, until they reached a dense, twisted forest, its trees blackened and claw-like. A rusted sign swayed in the wind, its words sharp and final:
"FORBIDDEN – NO ENTRY."