lEW GO . "No visitors up here, day in, day out. You're hunting a demon? Well, you've found one. That makes you the next best solution to my tedium." His words carried a mocking lilt, his sharp eyes meeting Jin's with a glint that set off alarms, the air thick with unspoken tension.

Jin's grip tightened, his body tensing as he pressed further. "Which demon are you?" he asked, his voice low, instincts flaring like a warning fire. The barkeep stretched lazily, his thin frame uncoiling like a serpent, then declared with arrogance dripping from each word, "Kaelen, Herald of Pride." His tone was casual, but edged with a haughty certainty, as if the name alone should send Jin reeling.

Jin's skepticism flared, his stance unchanging, Muramasa's hum a quiet pulse in his palm. "You don't look like pride," he countered, wary of deception, his eyes scanning the barkeep's human-like form, no flames or shadows betraying a Herald's might. The neon lights cast shifting shadows, the counter a dividing line between them, the jukebox's hum fading into the background as the tension coiled tighter.

The barkeep chuckled, unfazed, his eyes flashing with amusement. "Don't judge a book by its cover, hunter," he said, leaning forward, his voice smooth but laced with condescension. "Accept what's in front of you. Appearances deceive, especially in a world like this." He gestured vaguely to the bar's modern trappings, his smile widening, but his gaze sharpened, probing Jin's resolve.

Jin's voice hardened, his hand inching closer to Muramasa's hilt. "If you're Pride, why surrender? Don't you serve the Abyss's purpose?" The question cut deep, challenging the Herald's loyalty, the air growing heavier, the neon lights flickering as if responding to the shift.

The barkeep's demeanor snapped, his eyes flashing with sudden fury. In a split second, he grabbed Jin's collar, his muscles expanding with a surge of hidden power, his thin frame bulging as veins rippled beneath his skin. He pulled Jin close, his voice sharp, a growl that echoed the wrath of a Herald. "I serve myself," he snarled, his breath hot, his grip like iron. "No one else, not even the Abyss." The sudden aggression shocked Jin, his body tensing, ready to draw his blade, the counter digging into his side as he was yanked forward.

Outside, Haruka and Kael edged closer, their silhouettes tense against the plateau's rocky expanse, stars vivid above, the cold air biting. Haruka's hand tightened on her weapon, her warrior's knot loosening slightly from the wind, while Kael's dagger gleamed, his thief's senses on high alert. The summit's jagged ground crunched under their cautious steps, the bar's neon glow spilling through the windows, illuminating their worried faces.

Inside, the barkeep released Jin with a shove, dropping him back onto his stool, his muscles deflating as quickly as they'd surged, his frame returning to its thin, unassuming state. He sat back, his smile returning, but his eyes held a cold edge, the air still thick with tension. Haruka and Kael burst through the window, weapons ready, their exhaustion forgotten in a surge of loyalty. Haruka's blade gleamed, her voice sharp. "What game is this?" Kael muttered, dagger raised, "This guy's trouble."

Jin raised a hand, his voice cutting through their charge. "Stop, both of you!" He steadied himself, his posture unshaken, eyes locked on the barkeep. The general's sudden aggression had revealed his true nature, the human facade a mask for Pride's arrogance. Haruka halted, her weapon lowered but ready, while Kael froze, his dagger glinting in the neon light. The barkeep laughed, leaning back with theatrical flair. "Welcome, new guests!" he said, his voice light but laced with mockery. "Maybe this surrender needs some spice." He gestured to the empty tables, his smile widening. "Sit, relax. Or are you here to hunt?"

Jin's instincts screamed caution, the bar's modern interior a surreal trap on this ancient summit. The neon signs flickered, the jukebox hummed faintly, the air heavy with unspoken implications. Haruka and Kael tensed, their eyes on the barkeep, sensing the shift, the cold air from outside seeping through the broken window. The trio stood poised, Jin at the counter, Haruka and Kael flanking him, their alliance a shield against the Herald's game. The barkeep's eyes glinted, his surrender a ploy, the summit a stage for what came next.

The bar's neon lights flickered, casting erratic shadows across the polished wooden counter, the air charged with anticipation, the hum of the jukebox a faint pulse in the background. Jin stood firm, his hand near Muramasa's hilt, his hakama still against the tension that coiled between him and the barkeep, who leaned forward, his thin frame relaxed but his smile sharp, a predator toying with prey. Outside, the summit's rocky plateau stretched cold and silent under a starry night sky, Haruka and Kael poised like sentinels, their silhouettes tense, the mountain's warmth gone, leaving the air thin and biting.

The barkeep, Kaelen, Herald of Pride, tilted his head, his voice dripping with mockery as he broke the silence. "Let's make it fun," he said, his fingers drumming lightly on the counter, each tap deliberate, like a countdown. "A fight, one on one. First to be taken down loses. One rule: no jumping." His grin widened, his eyes gleaming with the arrogance of a being who thrived on control, the challenge a reflection of his pride. Jin's instincts flared, his mind racing, the sudden proposal a shift from the earlier surrender, a game designed to amuse the Herald. He glanced toward Haruka and Kael through the window, their weapons glinting faintly, their readiness a quiet anchor.

Before Jin could respond, Kaelen flicked his wrist, a casual gesture that sparked a blinding flash of light. Haruka and Kael vanished, their forms swallowed in an instant, leaving only the echo of their startled gasps. Jin's heart lurched, his hand tightening on Muramasa, but his system-enhanced instincts held him steady, assuring him they were unharmed, likely transported elsewhere on the summit's vast plateau. The bar's neon glow seemed to dim, the air heavier, Kaelen's grin unwavering as he watched Jin's reaction, savoring the moment. "Just you and me now, hunter," he said, his voice smooth, taunting. "Agreed?"

Jin controlled his shock, his gaze locked on Kaelen, his resolve firm but cautious. The Herald's power was undeniable, the disappearance a display of Pride's dominance, but Jin sensed no malice in the act, only a desire to isolate the challenge. He nodded, his voice low and steady. "I'm in," he said, accepting the fight, his mind already mapping the summit's terrain, anticipating the Herald's tactics. Kaelen's grin widened, his eyes flashing with delight, as if Jin's acceptance was the first move in a game he'd already won. He extended a hand toward the door, his gesture theatrical, almost mocking. "After you," he said, his voice light but laced with an edge that promised danger.

Jin stepped toward the door, his movements deliberate, his hand near Muramasa, its weight a grounding force against the Herald's unpredictability. The bar's neon glow faded behind him as he pushed through, the door creaking softly, opening to the summit's stark, rocky plateau. The night sky stretched vast, stars bright and unyielding, their light casting faint shadows across the jagged ground. The air was cold, biting at Jin's skin without the mountain's warmth, the plateau a desolate arena under the celestial canopy. Kaelen followed, his thin frame moving with an unnatural grace, his grin a constant, the Herald's arrogance palpable in every step. Haruka and Kael's absence was a weight, their silhouettes gone from the plateau, but Jin trusted his instincts, certain they were safe, his focus narrowing to the challenge ahead.

The summit's rocky expanse stretched around them, cliffs looming like silent judges, the stars above a cold audience. Kaelen stopped a few paces away, his hands clasped behind his back, his posture relaxed but his eyes sharp, glinting with the pride that defined him. Jin faced him, his stance wide, Muramasa's hilt a steady presence at his side, his mind racing through strategies. The Herald's rule—no jumping—felt deliberate, a constraint to limit Jin's agility, a nod to Pride's need to control the battlefield. The bar stood behind them, its neon glow a faint echo in the darkness, a surreal relic against the ancient peak. Jin's breath was visible in the cold air, his resolve a beacon against the unknown, the challenge a pivotal moment in their quest.

Kaelen's hand remained extended, a mocking gesture that invited Jin to begin, the fight set, the summit a silent witness to the confrontation. The stars burned brighter, their light casting the Herald's shadow long and sharp, his grin a challenge in itself. Jin stood ready, his eyes locked on Kaelen, the weight of Haruka and Kael's absence pressing but not breaking him. The plateau's cold stones crunched underfoot, the night's silence amplifying the tension, Solara Peak a stage for the clash with the Herald of Pride, the outcome uncertain but inevita words