Grim Battle

Several attacks failed to break through. Instead, the attackers were left covered in wounds. Although the injuries healed quickly, the pain was still very real.

Because of this, many demons had become smarter. They no longer charged headfirst like they did at the beginning. Instead, they learned to dodge and weave to evade the Nichirin Blades.

A demon with a green face and fangs scurried towards the battle line, using all four limbs to dig into the dirt.

Unlike other demons that charged directly at the crowd, this one advanced by alternating its movements left and right, making it difficult for the defending team members to figure out where it intended to strike.

Furthermore, since it kept its hands and feet on the ground simultaneously, its body was low to the ground. The team members had to lower their own bodies to deal with it.

Compared to demons that walked upright, dealing with a demon crawling on the ground was clearly more strenuous.

The demon rushed towards a team member, feigning a pounce.

The team member quickly swung his Nichirin Blade towards the ground, but the demon's downward motion wasn't an attack towards him. It was a feint, and it lunged towards a team member on its left instead.

This unexpected attack caught both of them by surprise.

In the ensuing panic, the team member on the left could only wildly parry with his Nichirin Blade. How could such a hasty, unorganized defense possibly withstand the demon's attack?

For a moment, the team member was forced back by the demon. He could only instinctively retreat while swinging his blade to block. Just then, a demon to his right was pushed back in the same manner.

Suddenly, two demons converged on them. One attacked the lower body with all fours, while the other stood upright and attacked the upper body.

Although the two demons were forced together, their attacks were not hindered. Instead, they unintentionally formed a partnership.

On the other hand, the team members on the left and right were instantly thrown into a panic. They wanted to swing their blades but were afraid of injuring their comrades. If they didn't swing, they could only watch as an opening was torn in their defensive perimeter. Caught between a rock and a hard place, they descended into chaos.

Everyone was like they were tied together by a single rope, mechanically following Kimura's commands. If any part of the rope collapsed, it would pull everyone on either side, and the rope's length was limited.

In this way, the defensive perimeter, which everyone believed to be impenetrable, was inadvertently breached by two demons. The sudden turn of events shocked everyone inside and outside the circle.

If the gap wasn't closed quickly, everyone knew what it would mean for them.

Team members on the outer perimeter who weren't under attack wanted to reinforce it, and team members inside the circle also wanted to fill it. The once orderly formation was now in danger of disintegrating.

Demons lurking around seized the opportunity, howling and charging fiercely. The already precarious defense was now hit by a sudden change, filling everyone with anxiety and despair. With such a mindset, forget about active defense; merely surviving was a blessing.

As expected, screams soon erupted from the team. Two team members were accidentally knocked to the ground, and the surrounding demons swarmed them.

The shrill screams were like needles piercing everyone's hearts, shattering the fragile defense line.

Have you ever heard the screams of people before they die?

That sound wasn't from this world, but from hell. It made one's scalp tingle and their soul tremble.

Kimura was also stunned by the sudden turn of events, but he quickly regained his composure.

He knew that if he couldn't stop the panicked situation immediately, the entire team would fall apart in an instant.

If that happened, without unified deployment, it would be even harder to survive through individual strength. Everyone would become prey for the demons.

Kimura took a deep breath and said sternly, "Everyone, don't run around! Those on the outer perimeter, immediately return to your positions and stop the other demons' attacks. The empty gap will be filled by those inside the circle. The rest will be responsible for rescuing the injured."

Kimura's words were like a shot of reassurance. The panicked team seemed to have found direction.

Everyone followed Kimura's instructions. Especially the team members who had been on the outer perimeter defending, they all returned to their positions nearby and continued to fight the surrounding demons.

Then, Kimura arranged for the personnel inside the circle to fill the gap.

After everything was done, Kimura charged towards the two demons that had broken into the circle. He and a few team members jointly killed one, while the other escaped the formation amidst the chaos.

The team member who had been knocked to the ground stared with vacant eyes. He had been dead for a long time, a gaping hole in his neck bubbling with blood.

The stabilized team gradually began to resist the demons' offensive momentum. As the first demon retreated from the battle, the remaining demons also gradually returned to the edge of the forest, both to heal their wounds and to find new opportunities for attack.

In a clearing not far away, three mangled corpses lay scattered. On one of them, a demon was perched, reaching into its chest cavity to pull out and gnaw on its organs. Another demon was playing with a head with its hands, much like a cat batting around a ball.

Everyone breathed a temporary sigh of relief. Although they had successfully repelled the demons' attack again, everyone knew that the next assault would begin soon and would be even more ferocious than this one.

The demons, having tasted blood, were now more excited. In contrast, the participants were all listless and looked ashen-faced.

While the demons were not launching a new round of attacks, Kimura arranged for the team members inside the circle to replace those on the outer perimeter. Withstanding several waves of demon attacks consecutively would exhaust anyone.

Several female teammates were bandaging the wounds of injured members, while others distributed water and food that had been prepared beforehand to the team members.

The atmosphere around them was both eerie and oppressive. The long-dead team member still lay on the ground, staring with wide eyes, unblinkingly at something unknown.

Many had the same thought: they wanted to throw it away. Leaving it there was too terrifying. But no one voiced it. Throwing it away would only result in it being eaten by demons.

Doing so would not only be disrespectful to the deceased but also a desecration of the efforts of all the team members who had fought bravely. He had died protecting those behind him.

It could also potentially undermine the unity of the entire team. After all, no one knew if they would be the next one lying there. If it were them, would they also be thrown out to feed the demons?

Time ticked by, and it felt like a long time. The demons never launched another attack.

Judging by the position of the moon in the sky, it was likely the middle of the night.

Initially, only one demon was playing with a head in the clearing nearby. Soon after, another demon joined it.

The two demons were like two large cats, playing with a ball under the moonlight.

Suddenly, the two demons seemed to be startled by something. They dropped their beloved toys and fled into the forest in a hurry. Even the other demons lingering outside hid in the shadows.

Kimura and the others also sensed something was wrong. This was what had happened last time, and then the female team member had disappeared.

Could it be...?