Idle Mage: Humanity's Strongest Backer-Novel

But there was no time to celebrate. The Demon God was still drawing power from the sins and fears of the Netherworld, and Ashton knew that he had to act fast. He began to chant another incantation, his voice ringing out through the twisted landscape like thunder.

The Demon God seemed amused by Ashton's efforts. He raised his massive hand and sent a blast of dark energy at Ashton, and he felt a surge of fear wash over him. The Demon God was feeding off of his fear, drawing power from it like a vampire.

But Ashton refused to be consumed by fear. He summoned all of his willpower and continued to chant his incantation, his voice growing louder and more powerful with each passing moment. And as he chanted, he felt a surge of energy flow through him, like a river of pure power.

Suddenly, the air around him began to shimmer and twist, and a massive portal opened up in front of him. Ashton could feel the raw power of the portal pulsing through his body, and he knew that he had to act fast.

The Demon God laughed at Ashton's feeble attempts to resist him. He raised his massive hand and began to weave a spell of his own, drawing power from the sins and fears of all those who had ever entered the Netherworld. The air grew thick with a sense of malevolence, and the shadows around the Demon God seemed to grow deeper and darker.

Ashton knew that he was in trouble. He tried to summon his magic again, but it was no use. The Demon God was too powerful, and he was completely outmatched.

And then, it happened. In a single, lightning-fast motion, the Demon God struck Ashton with a massive bolt of dark energy, blasting him backward and sending him crashing to the ground.

Ashton lay there, his body wracked with pain. He could feel his life force ebbing away, and he knew that he was dying. The Demon God loomed over him, his massive form casting a shadow over Ashton's broken body.

The Demon God laughed, a deep, rumbling sound that seemed to shake the very ground beneath them. He taunted Ashton, mocking his foolish bravado and all his empty words. Ashton tried to summon the strength to fight back, but it was no use. He was too weak, and the Demon God was too powerful.

And then, everything went dark. Ashton's body went limp, and he felt himself slipping away. He knew that he had failed, that he had been foolish to think that he could ever stand up to a being as powerful as the Demon God.

"Hmph! I can't believe that a pest like this brought so much trouble to my men." The Demon God sneered. "All that bravado and yet you still end up the same; dead. Tch. Useless."

"Yeah, you tell him!" A voice sounded behind him.

The Demon God whirled around, his massive form towering over Ashton. He couldn't believe his eyes. Ashton was supposed to be dead, lying broken and defeated on the ground.

But there he was, standing before him, unharmed and seemingly unscathed. The Demon God narrowed his eyes, suspicion rising within him.

"What is the meaning of this?" he growled. "How are you still alive?"

Ashton just smiled, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Come on, did you really think it was that easy?" he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

The Demon God snarled, his massive fists clenching and unclenching. He had been so sure of his victory, so confident in his power. But now, he realized that he had underestimated Ashton. And that was a mistake he would soon come to regret.

Ashton stepped forward, his body surrounded by a bright, glowing aura. He raised his hand and began to chant a powerful incantation, drawing on the power of the Fey and the light of hope.

The air around them crackled with energy, and the ground shook beneath their feet. The Demon God tried to counterattack, but he was no match for Ashton's power.

With a final, thunderous blast of energy, Ashton struck the Demon God, sending him reeling backward. The Demon God screamed in agony as he was consumed by Ashton's magic, his massive form crumbling into dust.

...or at least that's what he thought.

"Hello!? Can you hear me!?"

The Demon God's entire body shook in surprise, flinching at Ashton's voice.

To his disbelief, he found himself still alive and well. Standing tall and proud despite his flinching earlier when Ashton called out to him.

"Zoning out in front of an enemy? How disrespectful! You might be a God but that doesn't exclude you from having manners!" Ashton berated.

The Demon God couldn't believe what he was seeing. He had been so sure that he had been destroyed by Ashton's powerful magic, yet here he stood, alive and well. His consciousness blared in panic as he tried to make sense of the situation.

"How is this possible?" he demanded, his voice laced with fear.

"What?" Ashton replied looking a bit confused.

"I swear I just...this is your doing!!" The Demon God snarled upon seeing that hateful expression on Ashton's face.

Ashton just shrugged, still wearing that infuriatingly smug smile. "I told you, I'm not so easily defeated," he said. "But I must admit, I'm impressed. Your will is stronger than I thought."

The Demon God glared at him, his fists clenching in anger. He had been so close to victory, so close to claiming the Fey as his own. But now, it seemed that his plans had been thwarted once again.

"Enough of this," he growled. "I tire of this game. I will destroy you once and for all, and claim the Fey for myself."

With a flick of his wrist, the Demon God summoned a powerful blast of energy, sending it hurtling toward Ashton with deadly force. But Ashton was ready, and with a wave of his hand, he deflected the blast, sending it harmlessly into the void.

The two opponents faced each other, their eyes locked in a fierce battle of wills. The Demon God was determined to claim the Fey as his own, to rule over them with an iron fist. But Ashton was equally determined to protect his people, to defend them against any and all threats, no matter the cost.

For what seemed like hours, the two battled, their powers clashing and sparking with deadly force. The ground trembled beneath them, and the air was filled with the sounds of their screams and roars.

Finally, with a final burst of energy, Ashton struck the Demon God, sending him flying backward with a deafening crash. The Demon God lay there, his massive form battered and broken.

Ashton approached him, his eyes blazing with triumph. "It's over," he said. "You've lost."

The Demon God glared up at him, hatred burning in his eyes. "You may have won this battle," he said. "But the war is far from over. I will return, and I will claim the Fey as my own."

And with those words, the Demon God disappeared, leaving behind nothing but a cloud of dust and a bitter taste of defeat.

***

"Hey! Are you listening to me? I'm right here!! What are you zoning out for!?"

The Demon God blinked in confusion as he found himself standing in the same spot once again. He couldn't understand what was happening. Was he stuck in some kind of time loop?

His mind was already muddled by the constant twists and turns of the battle, and this latest development only added to his confusion. He looked around, trying to make sense of his surroundings.

Ashton was still there, wearing that same infuriatingly smug smile. "You look confused," he said. "Is something bothering you?"

The Demon God gritted his teeth, his frustration mounting. He had come so close to victory, only to have it snatched away from him at the last moment. And now, it seemed that he was trapped in some kind of endless loop.

"What is this?" he demanded. "What kind of trickery is this?"

Ashton just chuckled. "No trickery, my friend," he said. "Just a little time manipulation. You see, I've been studying your powers, and I've found a way to use them against you."

The Demon God felt a cold shiver run down his spine. He had never encountered a mage like Ashton before, one who could not only match him in power but also outsmart him at every turn.

'How could he have studied my powers? This is the first time we've met! And it hasn't been long since we fought!'

The Demon God was slowly losing it. Added to the sheer anger and humiliation he felt, his mind was no longer rational.

He knew that he had to find a way out of this situation, or else risk being trapped here forever. With a roar of rage, he summoned all his power and launched himself at Ashton, determined to break free of this endless cycle once and for all.

Consumed by all of these thoughts, the Demon God forgot about one crucial thing that would've greatly helped him in his predicament.

He forgot about the existence of illusions...