Danmachi: Bell Gojo

The dust hung thick in the air, a hazy shroud over the ruin of the Infinity Castle's hall. Kokushibo staggered, his golden eyes burning with rage and disbelief. His breaths were ragged, his body trembling as he regenerated yet another devastating wound. Bell stood calmly a few paces away, his katana resting casually on his shoulder, his face a mask of calm amusement.

"You look tired," Bell said, his voice tinged with mockery. "Perhaps I should slow down. Wouldn't want this to end too quickly."

Kokushibo snarled, his grip tightening around his grotesque blade. "You dare mock me?" he growled, his voice a low rumble. "I am Kokushibo, the pinnacle of demon evolution, the apex predator!"

"And yet," Bell interrupted, stepping closer with an almost predatory grace, "you're struggling to keep up with a human. Isn't that embarrassing?"

The taunt hit like a blade to Kokushibo's pride. His six eyes flared with rage, and his aura thickened, dark and oppressive. But beneath his fury lay something more dangerous—desperation. He had fought countless opponents over centuries, but none like this man. Bell's movements were impossibly fast, his strikes precise, his composure unshaken. It was as if Kokushibo was a child flailing against an unmovable mountain.

"You're holding back," Kokushibo spat, his voice venomous. "Mockery will be your undoing!"

Bell tilted his head, his expression softening into a bemused smile. "Perhaps," he said nonchalantly. "Or maybe I'm just waiting for you to show me something interesting."

Kokushibo's rage reached a fever pitch. The veins on his neck bulged, and his body began to tremble uncontrollably. He roared, a guttural sound that reverberated through the ruins. The air grew colder, heavy with malevolent energy as his transformation began.

Bell raised an eyebrow, his grip on his katana loosening slightly as he watched. "Ah, finally," he murmured. "This might get entertaining."

Kokushibo's body contorted grotesquely, his muscles bulging and his skin splitting in places as something monstrous emerged. His hair grew shorter and wilder, strands falling messily across his grotesque face. Massive, uneven white horns sprouted from his head, curving both forward and backward like cruel crescents. His face distorted further, red, jagged outgrowths spreading across his visage, framing six maddened, wandering eyes.

From his back and sides erupted black and red scorpion-like appendages, each tipped with deadly stingers that twitched and thrashed unpredictably. Thin, pulsating tubes jutted out from his torso, emitting faint hisses of steam. His nails sharpened into jagged points, and his teeth extended into mandibles that clicked ominously as he snarled.

Bell's eyes gleamed with intrigue. He lowered his katana slightly, the smirk returning to his lips. "Well, well. Look at you. I was starting to think you'd never crawl out of that shell."

Kokushibo, now unrecognizable as the composed swordsman he had been moments before, let out a distorted roar. His voice was deeper, layered with a haunting, inhuman resonance. "I will not be humiliated by you!" he bellowed, his scorpion-like appendages lashing out in every direction. The floor beneath him cracked and splintered under the weight of his raw power.

With terrifying speed, Kokushibo lunged at Bell, his monstrous appendages whipping toward him like a storm of blades. Bell sidestepped the onslaught effortlessly, his movements fluid and almost casual. His katana danced in his hands, deflecting strikes and severing a few of the appendages in quick, precise motions.

"You've certainly gotten uglier," Bell quipped, evading a stinger that smashed into the wall behind him, leaving a deep crater. "But I suppose that's a fair trade for power."

Kokushibo's fury only grew. He swung his blade in a wide arc, releasing a torrent of crescent-shaped slashes that tore through the air. Bell leapt into the fray, weaving through the attacks with graceful precision. He countered with a flurry of strikes, his katana slicing through Kokushibo's limbs faster than the demon could regenerate.

"You're still too slow," Bell said, appearing behind Kokushibo in a blur of motion. He slashed upward, severing the demon's arm at the shoulder. Black blood sprayed across the hall as Kokushibo roared in pain and rage.

Despite the intensity of the battle, Bell remained composed, his movements calculated and efficient. He was clearly toying with Kokushibo, testing the demon's limits while barely exerting himself.

"You're strong," Bell admitted, blocking a strike that sent shockwaves through the air. "But strength alone won't save you."

Kokushibo snarled, his monstrous form trembling with exertion. "You think you're invincible? You think you can taunt me without consequence?"

Bell shrugged, his smirk widening. "I think you're struggling to even scratch me. But don't take it personally. It's just that..." He moved so quickly that Kokushibo barely had time to register the strike before another of his limbs was severed. "...you're not quite good enough."

The words stung worse than any wound. Kokushibo's six eyes burned with rage as he launched himself at Bell with reckless abandon. His strikes became wilder, more desperate, but Bell countered each one with infuriating ease.

"You're holding back still," Kokushibo growled, his voice shaking with fury. "Why won't you fight me seriously?"

Bell's expression softened, his smirk fading into something more contemplative. "Because you're not ready," he said simply. "But maybe you will be, if you push yourself hard enough."

Bell stepped back, lowering his katana slightly as he addressed Kokushibo. "You've come this far. Don't disappoint me now. Show me the best you can do."

Kokushibo hesitated, his monstrous form quivering as he processed the taunt. His rage boiled over, and he roared, unleashing a wave of destructive energy that tore through the walls and floor of the castle. The sheer force of it sent debris flying, but Bell stood firm, his katana glinting in the chaos.

"You're getting there," Bell said, his voice calm but laced with a hint of excitement. "But I know you can do better. Push past your limits, Kokushibo. Show me something worthy of your title."

Kokushibo's distorted face twisted into a snarl, his six eyes blazing with unbridled fury. His scorpion-like appendages lashed out with renewed vigor, and his katana became a whirlwind of destruction. Bell parried and countered with unparalleled skill, his movements a dance of deadly elegance.

The hall was now a battlefield of chaos and destruction, the once-grand structure reduced to rubble. Kokushibo's monstrous form towered over Bell, his power surging with every passing moment. But Bell remained steadfast, his confidence unshaken.

"You've improved," Bell admitted, slicing through another wave of crescent slashes. "But you're still not enough."

Kokushibo roared in frustration, his attacks growing more frenzied. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't land a single blow. Bell's skill and composure were insurmountable, his every movement a testament to his superiority.

As the battle raged on, Bell's smirk returned, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. "Keep going," he urged, his voice almost playful. "Push yourself further. I want to see the full extent of your power."