I rushed over. "Is Feiya gonna be okay? Those cuts look bad."
"I will be fine," Feiya coughed. "Just kill it and we can go home."
I looked down at the demon. It seemed dazed, probably from the intense pain of being blown up and then bisected. At least I'd be putting it out of its misery.
I raised my sword and chopped down at its neck, decapitating the Demon as its head rolled–
Dorrn and Feiya crept toward the two-horned Demon, taking care to stay silent, while I hid behind a tree, head poking out so I could watch the fight.
The monster's back was still to us as– wait. Two-horned? It didn't have any horns at all on its bare head. Why did I think it did? Did they disappear or some– oh, shit! The Demon turned around and lunged toward Dorrn, catching him off-guard and swiping at his head with its claws.
He brought up his battleaxe to defend, but was a bit too slow, getting knocked across the head and stumbling to the side.
However, even if Dorrn was caught off-guard, his armor and Endurance Stat would protect him from any attack the Demon could throw at him.
But wait, the Demon was completely ignoring Dorrn. It sidestepped the stunned man and headed straight for Feiya.
I mean, judging from the fights I'd watched them have with previous monsters, that would objectively be the right play – Feiya relied on Dorrn's protection to cover for her relatively weak defensive options – but how could the Demon have known that?
She threw out a few stone projectiles at the Demon as it approached her, but it seemed to be expecting just that, dodging and deflecting them as they came.
It tackled her to the ground, swiping at her unarmored torso a few times before she cast a Spell that caused an explosion, flinging the Demon back.
But it landed on its feet, somehow prepared for her Spell. Just then, Dorrn finally reached it and swung at its back with his battleaxe, but the Demon turned around at the perfect time, and deflected the axe with its claws.
It swiped at Dorrn a few more times, aiming perfectly for the gaps in his armor as if it already knew where they all were.
Feiya launched another chunk of rock at the Demon from behind, but it ducked without even looking, allowing the stone to continue in its path and hit Dorrn square in the face, knocking him backwards.
The Demon turned back to Feiya, who had to have been running low on Mana at this point, and rushed at her again, seeming intent to finish her off.
It swiped at her over and over, slicing gash after gash into her stomach and chest, but it seemed she didn't have enough Mana to cast another explosion Spell.
Magic-Type Classes couldn't use any sort of melee weapon, either, so she was defenseless.
"However, Dorrn soon recovered, and swung at the frenzied Demon with his axe. It seemed that it had gotten too focused on Feiya, because it didn't even notice the weapon bearing down on it until it was too late.
Dorrn cut a huge slice down the Demon's back, and then grabbed it and threw it aside. It tumbled across the dirt while Dorrn bent over to check on Feiya, who was in much worse condition. The entire front of her body was torn to shreds. She kneeled on the ground, coughing up blood and breathing raspily.
"Get behind me," Dorrn ordered Freiya, putting a hand out to protect her as he stepped forward. "Do you have enough Mana for a buff Spell?"
"N-no." Feiya managed to get out.
Dorrn took a deep breath and hefted his axe. "Okay. I'll get us out of this."
The Demon had already gotten back to its feet during their conversation, standing tall once again despite the massive wound on its back. It tore forth, seeming energized by the felling of one of its enemies.
It swiped madly at Dorrn while also dodging and weaving through Dorrn's own counterattacks as though it'd already memorized the man's fighting style.
The Berserker was obviously losing the fight, taking hit after hit.
His Health must have been running dry, but he was putting his all into the fight. He swung his battleaxe at the Demon in a wild attempt to kill the beast, but it blocked the strike, stopping the axe in its tracks.
It twisted the weapon from Dorrn's hands, grabbing it and flying back out of the man's striking range. Then, it twisted its arm and flung the axe at Dorrn. He dodged, but didn't account for the woman lying behind him.
"Huk–!" A raspy breath came from behind. Dorrn looked in horror at Feiya, impaled through her chest by the large blade. She was shaking, staring down at the handle of the axe that pierced her. Then she wordlessly and slowly closed her eyes, falling limp and motionless.
Dorrn turned to the Demon. "You, you bast–!"
His words were cut off by a claw in his throat, stabbing all the way through and poking out the back of his neck. Dorrn slumped over. The Demon, beaten, battered, and bleeding from the back, let out a grin as it retracted its claw from the man's throat.
But just then, Dorrn surged forth, a wave of energy invigorating him. "–Bastard!" he shouted as he reached around, gripping both sides of the gash on the Demon's back, and ripping it open, every ounce of strength in his arms going toward doing as much damage as possible.
The Demon hissed and snarled in agony, swiping at Dorrn and shoving him away to the ground. Its back poured out a fountain of blue blood from the ripped-anew wound and it fell to the ground.
"Don't you ever… interrupt me… again," Dorrn muttered. He laid his head on the dirt.
Dorrn didn't get back up.
The Demon, however, did. Slowly, it got to one knee, then to the other, and then to its feet. I realized with more and more certainty that it would survive this encounter.
I couldn't let that happen.
I hadn't known them for long, but this Demon, this monster, killed two people. I couldn't let their lives be lost in vain. Staring at the monster's bleeding back that was turned toward me, I ran out from my hiding spot, sword held out at my waist.
Shunk.
The sword slid easily into the Demon's open wound.
You have struck Level 14 Temporus for 37 damage using Sword.
The Demon – Temporus, it seemed to be called – turned to me in shock and pain. It looked at my sword, and chuckled, shaking its head. It had an almost self-deprecating expression, like it realized it had forgotten about something obvious. I withdrew my sword, and it collapsed to the ground.
I watched the unmoving body, breathing heavily.
You have offered minor contribution toward the slaying of Level 14 Temporus.
Due to being Unclassed, you have earned 0 XP.
I took a breath. Was that it? Was I finally going to get my Class? I looked around wildly, waiting for the fateful System message.
It only took a few moments – probably only a second or two – but it felt like hours.
Feat of strength performed. You have used a sword to kill an enemy of at least Level 10.
You have been awarded the Swordsman Class, Melee-Type.
Yes! Finally!
I had done it! I had gotten–
Feat of strength performed. You have killed Legendary Monster: Temporus, Overlord of Tomorrows.
You have been awarded the Minute Mage Class, Magic-Type.
Override. You have two Classes. Deleting lowest priority Class.
Congratulations. You are now a Minute Mage.
…the Minute Mage Class?"