The Seven Demon's Tamer

**Tick tick tick**

The sound of time passing resounded in Yuki Nakamura's ears as he kept his face fixed on the ticking clock. Each movement of the thin metal hand seemed to echo louder than it should have, marking the final moments before his careful planning would unfold.

He stood at the apex of a towering structure on the outskirts of his guild base—a watchtower—particularly the one positioned at the center of Falcon Guild base. The stone structure rose nearly two hundred feet into the night sky.

The tower had no walls at its peak, only a conical roof supported by four massive stone pillars. Between these pillars hung the guild's great alarm bell—a massive bronze instrument that could be heard throughout the guild in every direction when properly struck.

Tonight, however, Yuki Nakamura had different plans for this ancient warning system that still didn't feel outdated to him.

He wasn't alone in his wakefulness. Mia stood just behind him and to the right, her own hair—a striking black that seemed to shimmer in the moonlight—tied in a bun as usual.

She maintained perfect posture, her hands clasped behind her back in an unwavering stance.

From their elevated position, they could see for miles in every direction. The Falcon Guild's vicinity stretched out below them like a real-life chessboard. Training grounds, residential quarters, and all other places were within their field of view all at the same time.

However, tonight, all of that carefully maintained order of the calm base that had been free from war was about to make a move—they were about to make a surprise attack.

"Master," Mia spoke quietly, her voice barely audible over the wind, "the troops have been in position for the past six hours. They await only your signal."

Yuki didn't respond immediately. Instead, he continued to stare at the clock in his hands—a small, miniature clock that he had grown fond of using at times of intensity and seriousness.

It was now exactly eleven minutes and forty-seven seconds until midnight.

"Tell me, Mia," Yuki Nakamura said softly, his voice carrying an eerie calmness that seemed to slice through the heavy whipping wind surrounding them, "what do you think our enemies are doing right now?"

Mia took a thoughtful pose before replying. "If I were to guess, Master, I would say they are likely gathered in a group meeting between their strongest leaders, debating the best course of action—whether they should obey our proposal or not."

"And what conclusion do you think they will reach?" Yuki pressed, though his tone sounded like someone who already knew the answer.

"They will choose to fight," Mia replied without hesitation. "Dwang Sung will not simply hand over the black-marked summoner, especially due to the way he got the black mark into his guild. I was there to witness it."

"Exactly correct," he murmured, his red eyes gleaming with malice. "My dear blood brother has always been predictably stubborn."

The clock in his hands continued to march toward midnight. Ten minutes and thirty-two seconds remaining.

Below them, the Falcon Guild's force had been assembled since sundown. Two hundred of the guild's finest warriors stood in orderly formation in the main courtyard.

But the human soldiers were not the most terrifying aspect of tonight's striking force.

Yuki's smile widened as he thought about the nine creatures currently waiting in his personal dimensions—nine black-marked beasts.

It had taken him years of serving the Dracogon to get them. And for the first time, he was going to use them.

The Dracogon had gifted him with some of the demons and devils he ruled over, commanding them to give total submission to Yuki Nakamura alone. It was still impossible for anyone to contract a black-marked beast from this recent age—apart from Ryder, of course—but Yuki Nakamura never contracted them.

He was gifted them by Dracogon with the sole purpose of bringing Ryder to him.

Eight minutes and fifteen seconds until midnight.

"There is one more thing I should mention," Yuki said, his tone becoming more serious. "Once we begin this assault, there will be no turning back. The Red Eastern Guild will either surrender the black-marked summoner, or they will be destroyed and wiped out of existence. There is no middle ground."

"I understand, Master," Mia replied firmly. "The troops are prepared for any eventuality."

Yuki Nakamura glanced at Mia, then grinned. No one knew of his nine weapons yet, so it was no surprise Mia was visualizing the Falcon Guild members doing the destruction.

Five minutes until midnight.

In the courtyard below, the assembled soldiers stood motionless. These were not ordinary members. They were the elite of the Falcon Guild, warriors who had proven themselves in countless battles for the falcon guild.

Their leader, Captain Kyujiro, stood at the front of the assembled elites—a massive man with scars covering his lower face and arms. His head was bald and his muscles were well pronounced.

Mia just couldn't help but stare at him for a long fleeting moment. Other than Yuki Nakamura, the second person she had ever feared was Captain Kyujiro. The last time, which was also the first time they fought, he gave her a sound beating.

Three minutes until midnight.

Two minutes until midnight.

One minute until midnight.

"Master," Mia said, her voice carrying evidence of anticipation, "thirty seconds."

Yuki nodded and raised the clock so that its face caught the full moonlight. The hands were so close to midnight one could simply hallucinate and see them touching.

"You know what I find most amusing about this entire situation?" he said, his voice barely audible over the wind.

"What's that, Master?" Mia responded.

"They probably think they still have until dawn to prepare. The letter I sent specified twenty-four hours."

Fifteen seconds until midnight.

Ten seconds.

Five seconds.

Three seconds.

Two seconds.

One second.

Yuki Nakamura smiled.

**Tick**

That last final movement of the thin arm of the portable analog clock in his hand resounded as it finally reached midnight, the sound somehow seeming to pause the blowing wind just so its last tick could be audible.

"Sound the bell," he commanded, turning slightly to stare at Mia, just enough for one of his sinister red eyes to be visible.