The gap between Hyde and Fike, who were around 1000th place and the very top places was a seemingly uncrossable chasm.

To get into the top 100 (right now) They would need at least 150 points. Since they only had 35 right now, this was a crazy number. It was only possible for some of the oldest demons to reach such a high number by killing general level Shrikes and gaining 25 points each time.

So far, Hyde and Fike weren't too confident in their ability to kill a Shrike that big, so they had stuck with warriors and workers.

If you looked at the top 100 right now, you would find that most of the demons ranked there, were those who had already attempted and failed the second 'Penance' before. They had both the experience and the strength to back up that experience.

For those that failed the 'Penance' The crystal that was forming in their chest would shatter and dissipate. But, the strength they had gained previously wouldn't be lost. After waiting for the next war to come around, they would have a big advantage over those who were taking the second 'Penance' for the first time.

However, even amongst those in the top 100, there was an uncrossable gulf in points between ranks. Never was this clearer than the top 10. In order to reach the top ten, you needed at least 500 points and the top 3 all had over 1000. Of course, the top 3 couldn't be judged by normal standards.

...

In third place, is the Drunken Sword. His nickname and appearance clashed. Standing around six feet tall, he wore sunglasses and his white shirt was tucked into his trousers, his sleeves were rolled up to the elbows and his top button was undone.

When he removed his sword from the shredded roots of a fallen shrike, he looked like a businessman that had just finished a days work.

However, behind those sunglasses were hollow black holes where his eyes should have been. The name, Drunken Sword, may have painted the image of a casual and careless man, but he was anything but that.

Although he was unable to see, his other senses were unbelievably sharp. Particularly his sense of touch. Using it, he could feel the slightest movement in any direction and 'see' in 360 degrees. Some swore that he had eyes in the back of his head.

Usually, he walked carefully, leaning on his rapier for support, like a walking stick. However, his whole demeanour would undergo a change whenever he was in a fight.

The drunken swordsman was actually incredibly calculative. He used his ability to read vibrations, to put off his opponent. By travelling in between wavelengths, his movements appeared stilted and random, like that of a drunkard.

He was currently in third place and wasn't happy about it. Out of all the demons taking this 'Penance', he was one of the oldest and he knew exactly what the first place reward was.

The problem was the two monsters above him.

...

In second place is a demon named Wisp.

Her appearance is that of a frail young woman, but, in hell, nothing is as it seems. She is a key example of why you shouldn't judge a book by its cover.

Although at first glance she seems weaker than most of the demons in hell. That is until she opens her mouth. Her demonic race is that of the flame spitter.

Inside her demure mouth, her saliva burns like lit gasoline. When confronted with an enemy, for example, a Shrike, she opens her mouth and breaths out a liquid flame that covers them.

Unlike Hyde's flame, this flame is sticky and can't be put out with normal means. Once you are caught in it, it's over.

Right now, she was walking out of a ruined section of forest. Behind her, 10s of Shrike were being turned to ash. Her fire produced no smoke. It burned so hot and so fast that there was nothing left to produce smoke.

Although she was the only person in the top three that was unable to kill a Lord ranked Shrike. The reason she could hold her spot was through sheer numbers. With one breath, 10s of Shrike would be turned to dust with ease.

Wherever she walked through the forest, swathes of undergrowth would be wiped from existence. Leaving nothing but ash and scorched earth behind.

But, even to her, who killed Shrike by merely breathing, catching up to the first place felt... impossible.

...

The demon in first, the one who stood above thousands of others, was called Titan... That was all that was known about him... His name.

All of the demons in the top 10 already knew each other. All of them were demons that had already failed [The Horde] once before and, as a result, they had spent over a year together and were publicly known as the strongest demons in the second circle. But, none of them knew who Titan was.

He had climbed to the very top spot, without warning and with relative ease. His points were double that of Wisp and Drunken Sword. And, nobody knew who he was.

Deep in the forest, far far deeper than any of the other demons had dared go yet, Stood a young man. He looked like a completely normal human. His appearance was deceptively innocent, the only thing that betrayed the violence that lay beneath his kind outer shell, was the monstrously large corpse of the Shrike he was sitting atop.

Acres of the forest had been flattened beneath the enormous fallen Shike. It was far bigger than even a Lord ranked Shrike ought to be.

And yet, The kind looking young man who had just killed it looked dissatisfied... No, he looked furious "I was sure that would be the progenitor. Why else would it be so damn big? Dammit, just where is that useless boss monster! I've already been trapped on a planet with these wretched demon scum for three days."

...

Unaware of the fierce battle for the first place, Fike and Hyde ran down the side of the barrier of sand that ringed the desert.

Lit from behind by the blinding morning sun, they looked paradoxically angelic. What betrayed their image was, of course, their strange, inhuman bodies.

For instance, Hyde's claws had grown both longer and sharper. Whilst his razor-sharp canine teeth and wolfish ears made no effort to hide his violent nature.

Fike's Harpoon, which gleamed wickedly in the morning light had become barbed. Now it would be even harder for anything he pierced to escape his grasp.

Currently, Hyde was in a horrible mood. He hadn't been able to eat much in days. The only thing to eat in the forest was berries and fruits.

At the moment, he was complaining to Fike, "What's with that first-place prize huh? Recruitment my ass! If it was something good, like... um, I dunno, A juicy steak then maybe..."

"Shut up you glutton!" Fike Snapped "Is all you think about food?"

"Pretty much, It is my [Path] to be gluttonous after all."

"Hmm, that is true but it's still annoying when you go on about it all the time."

"Yeah really, Well what right do you have to complain? Mister. 'Why doesn't this planet have any fish on it?'"

"Wow! You're really going to bring that up huh. We'll see if I help you spot fruit later on then."

"Don't be such a baby Fike, If worst comes to worst I might just eat you..." Hyde joked.

Fike shuddered. When Hyde had said that, the look in his eyes was deadly serious.

"You... you wouldn't really eat me would you?"

"Why not? Foods foods isn't it?"

"Yeah... I guess... You know what, I will help you look for fruit later."

"Awk thanks, What changed your mind?"

"Ahh, you know, things and stuff... the usual"

As the pair talked, they arrived at the bottom of the dune and continued on into the forest. In the areas they walked through, the ground was burnt black. This was the result of previous fights here.

By now, the entire forest that ringed the desert had been destroyed for about a mile past the boundary. This was the result of the countless battles between demons and Shrikes.

The further they got into the forest, the denser the plants and trees grew. They also began to encounter stronger Shrike.

Just because part of the forest was damaged didn't mean it was safe here. If a demon strayed too deep into the forest, it would be devoured by a Shrike. For a worker Shrike, all it would take was absorbing the life force of one demon for it to become a warrior ranked Shrike.

The result of all the battles between demons and Shrike was that both sides decreased in quantity but increased in quality. The only way to end this conflict was to kill the commander of the Shrikes, The Progenitor. The problem was that no one knew where it was. Even if they did know where it was. There wasn't any demon on this planet that could kill it... No demons anyway.

Hyde and Fike were luckier than most when it came to finding Shrike. All they had to do was allow Hyde to roar, and they would be swarmed almost immediately. Although, it was questionable whether or not the ability to easily be swarmed was good.

So far, they had figured out that the Shrike were mostly instinctual creatures. They would only run away whenever they were extremely hurt, and other than that, they were basically like piranhas. They would pounce on any living creature that dared to enter the forest and devour them.

Hyde came to a stop in an area that was surrounded by giant trees. Despite being blackened and burned previously, these trees still stood tall. This was a testament to how sturdy they were.

Fike walked up to one of the trees and kicked it to test its strength. Although some ash and parts of blackened bark fell from the impact of the kick, the tree itself stayed strong, unmoved.

"Perfect! These trees will make great cover," Fike proclaimed after judging the strength of the trees.

Hyde looked doubtful, "Are you sure it will work this time? I don't want to end up getting swarmed... again."

"Bah! The only reason it went wrong last time was because there were too many Shrikes. As long as you can get them to come here one at a time, It will be easy."

"Hmm, If you say so... But don't blame me if we end up running away like idiots again."

Honestly, Hyde wasn't too confident in Fike's plan. It had already failed twice and was particularly difficult to pull off correctly. He also had some other thoughts on the nature of this plan, namely.

"Fike... Are you sure this isn't just you wanting to fish?"

"Fish! Fish, what Fish? What are you talking about fish for Hyde? Get food out of your mind already and go lure a Shrike over here. And this time, only lure one." Said Fike defensively.

Hyde looked at the flustered Fike and sighed. 'It definitely is because he wants to fish huh' He thought. Sadly, He wasn't any good at coming up with plans and, in the end, he could only go along with Fike's plan.

He begrudgingly trudged off into the forest, 'Only one huh. I'll show you only one Shrike' Hyde silently vowed.

As he walked through the cramped and overbearing forest, Hyde kept his eyes and ears open. Because his sense of smell was always confused when he entered this forest, he had to pay extra attention to sound and sight.

Since he had been spending so much time in the forest lately, his sense of hearing had become tuned to listen to the slightest sign of an approaching Shrike.

Meanwhile, Fike, who was surrounded by three particularly enormous trees was laying his trap. Or, that's how he liked to think about it anyway. All he actually had to do to set the trap was climb the sturdiest looking tree and wait on the strongest looking branch.

'Since the branch couldn't hold the last time, I should reinforce it' Fike thought.

Just as he was finishing strapping vines around the branch and trunk of the tree, he heard a boom from the forest. Right after that, Fike heard a scream, presumably Hyde's.

From his high perch on the branch, Fike could easily see the forest being flattened by something that was approaching at a frightening speed.

"Of fucking course he would find the biggest one!" Fike swore. At this point, Fike was grateful he had reinforced the branch he was standing on. Otherwise, there was no way it could bear the weight.