The demon summoner stood within a barrier of flames. The pillar of fire that marked his arrival had already reduced many nearby residents to ash. While these residents were of considerable status, status alone did not equate to strength.0

"Fire… fire…" the demon summoner muttered incoherently. His thin, gaunt frame remained motionless as he conjured a ball of blood-red fire in his hand and hurled it toward the crowd.0

"Help!"0

"Run! Run for your lives!"0

"City guards! Kill him, quickly!"0

Panic erupted among the people. The arrogant demeanor they had displayed earlier while pressuring the city guards vanished without a trace. They now resembled the residents of the slums when faced with an unexpected demonic attack—frantic, helpless, and terrified.0

"Out of the way!" The young squad leader was one of the first to react. Shield in hand, he charged toward the descending fireball, shoving the panicked crowd aside with a forceful kick and bracing his shield against the oncoming flames.0

"No!" Edward's shout rang out, but it was too late.0

The blood-red flames struck the squad leader's shield. Instead of burning him directly, the flames corroded the thin membrane of white light covering the shield—a protective layer of Edward's secret art, Steel Sunlight.1

"What the—?!" The squad leader turned back, stunned, but the flames...0