AUTHOR'S NOTE
"A big shout-out to Mika Pekkarinen for joining the Art of Imagination Society on my Patreon! This chapter is dedicated to you as Dire Wolf—thank you for your support!"
--------------
"I know," Zalario replied quietly, and his aura surged—not wildly, but with the stable pressure of someone who had trained for hundreds of years.
Guy finally narrowed his eyes, no longer grinning.
He raised his sword, and his aura grew colder and more focused.
"Alright," he said. "Let's stop warming up."
And Zalario adjusted his stance as well, light gathering faintly at his blade.
No massive explosions. No twisted space.
Just two beings at the top of their races—Primordial Daemon vs. Primordial Angel—getting ready to fight seriously.
The next clash wouldn't be flashy.
But it would decide everything.
The world shifted with a flicker of teleportation magic, and suddenly Karlos and Misery stood in the middle of a wide, empty grassland. The breeze was soft, the sky clear—an oddly peaceful place for what was about to happen.
The grass underfoot swayed gently, as if unaware that two Demon Lords had arrived.
Karlos adjusted his coat slightly, stretching his neck as he sized up the woman across from him—long green hair, pale skin, and that cold, eerie smile. There was a calmness in her posture, but it was dangerous. Relaxed, but confident.
"So…" Karlos began, arms crossed. "Primordial Green, or should I say Misery, I presume?"
She nodded once, her tone playful. "That's me. And you must be the daemon with the sharp tongue."
He smirked. "Let's keep it civil—at least for now. My name's Karlos, humble servant of Lord Velsun. I've awakened as a True Demon Lord… and from that, I evolved."
Misery raised an eyebrow. "Evolved?"
"Yes. I became something new. Not a Devil Lord like you Primordials. I couldn't, since I wasn't born like you," he explained, brushing a hand through his dark hair. "But through mutation… I reached a different evolution."
He looked at her straight. "I'm now a Daemon Emperor."
Misery blinked. Then she tilted her head, curious. "Huh. So you weren't all talk after all, Karlos."
He chuckled. "I don't talk unless I can back it up."
She took a few slow steps forward, her long hair catching the wind. "So, Daemon Emperor… You're saying that evolution's as strong as Devil Lords?"
Karlos shrugged. "Maybe not the same path… But power-wise? Yeah. I'd say we're about equal."
Misery laughed, not mocking, but genuinely amused. "Bold words for someone who isn't a Primordial. But I'll give you credit—you're confident."
Karlos's eyes narrowed slightly, but a grin pulled at his lips. "And you? You've awakened too, haven't you?"
She nodded. "I have. I'm no longer just a Primordial… I'm an Awakened Demon Lord now."
For a brief second, Karlos's eyes widened—he hadn't been entirely sure.
But instead of backing down, he smiled even wider. "...Even better."
Misery blinked. "Huh?"
Karlos took a step forward, his aura beginning to rise—not violently, but steadily, like pressure tightening around the air.
"It means I don't have to hold back."
The peaceful breeze of the grasslands vanished the moment Karlos and Misery released their auras.
The air grew heavy, dense with magicules. The grass around them wilted instantly under the pressure.
Karlos' body was wrapped in thick black mist—his Daemon Emperor's aura flaring steadily. Not explosive, but sharp. Refined. Efficient.
Across from him, Misery's presence darkened the skies above. Her green hair danced wildly in the wind as her aura surged with death energy and despair. It wasn't chaotic—it was cold, suffocating, the kind that saps the will to fight before a blow is even thrown.
For a moment, they simply stared at each other.
Then Misery moved first.
[Opening Attacks]
With a flick of her fingers, black vines erupted from the ground—twisting with cursed energy, aiming to bind Karlos' legs. At the same time, she launched a volley of green-glowing needles from her fingertips, each one laced with paralysis curse magic.
Karlos didn't flinch.
"Shadow Step."
His body dissolved into smoke for a second, vanishing before the needles hit. He reappeared to Misery's left with a dagger formed from condensed magicules.
"Too slow."
He slashed horizontally, aiming for her ribs.
Misery spun gracefully, barely avoiding the full blow, but the edge of the dagger still grazed her side. Her smile didn't fade.
"Not bad."
She retaliated instantly, swinging her palm upward. A wave of death-attribute energy burst from the ground beneath Karlos in a fan-like explosion.
He jumped back, just in time.
[Escalation—Skills and Speed]
Now the battle shifted.
Karlos summoned four floating black blades—Daemon Edge—Spectral Fangs—and sent them flying toward her, controlling them with his will.
Misery summoned a shield of sorrow mist, the blades colliding with the barrier in quick bursts. She snapped her fingers, casting "Despair Domain," a wide-area spell that weakened morale and slightly drained the target's stamina and resistance over time.
Karlos felt it immediately—the subtle drain on his focus. But he smiled.
"Nice trick," he muttered.
Then his body surged with flame-like black energy.
"Daemon Emperor's Mantle: Abyss Form."
His body changed slightly—his limbs covered in armored black flame, his horns glowing faintly, and his speed suddenly doubled.
He shot forward like a bullet.
This time, Misery wasn't able to dodge.
His punch connected with her stomach, sending her flying across the field. She hit the ground hard, sliding for several meters.
[Mid-Battle Break – Mutual Respect]
Misery stood up.
She was still smiling.
"You're strong," she said plainly.
Karlos exhaled, his breath slightly heavy but his stance still solid. "So are you. Haven't had a fight like this in a while."
There was a pause.
"Your energy feels… odd," Misery said. "It's not chaotic like most daemons. It's… stable."
"I evolved differently," Karlos replied. "But I'm still a daemon. Just… a refined one."
Misery narrowed her eyes slightly.
"You're dangerous."
He smirked. "I get that a lot."
Misery raised her hands.
"Alright. No more testing. Time to go all in."
From her back, two curved scythes of pure green curse energy formed, floating behind her like wings. Her aura expanded again—thicker, heavier, and with more killing intent than before.
"Misery's Dance: Bloom of Despair."
She vanished.
Appeared behind Karlos.
Slash.
He barely turned in time to block, but one of her blades grazed his shoulder.
"Fast," he muttered, jumping back, blood trickling down his arm.
He raised both hands, magicules concentrating.
"Daemon Emperor Technique: Abyssal Rain."
From above, dozens of spears made of compressed black flame rained down, targeting her with pinpoint accuracy.
Misery clicked her tongue and expanded her despair mist outward to shield herself. Explosions lit the field, one after another.
Reinhart and Rain reappeared in a wide, empty field. There was nothing around—just cracked ground, dry air, and an endless horizon.
The wind blew gently, but the tension in the air was sharp.
Rain folded her arms, looking unimpressed. "Ugh… out of all the fights, I get stuck with the human."
Reinhart's hand rested on the hilt of his sword. His expression remained calm, though the edge of his mouth twitched in annoyance.
Rain kept talking. "I mean, yeah, you're strong for a human. Back when we wiped out that High Human kingdom, none of them even scratched us. But compared to those other two you're with?" She shrugged. "You're nowhere near their level."
Reinhart's grip on his sword tightened. The silver weapon, a legendary-grade heirloom, glinted under the light. Since becoming a Chosen Hero, the blade had evolved—resonating with his growing strength and the light spirits that guided him.
He unsheathed it slowly.
"We'll see if I'm close enough," he said firmly. "Prepare yourself."
[Opening Clash – Ice and Speed]
Rain rolled her shoulders, sighing. "Fine. I guess I'll get a little serious."
She raised her hand, and the temperature dropped instantly.
The ground around her froze in a perfect circle, spreading outward like a frost bloom. Mist coiled at her feet. Then—
Boom!
She vanished and reappeared behind Reinhart with a flicker of space magic, aiming a knife-hand strike at his neck. Reinhart twisted in time, blocking with his sword. The impact sent a blast of cold air outward.
"Fast reflexes," Rain muttered.
She stepped back, flicked her fingers—three thin ice lances formed instantly and shot toward him with deadly accuracy.
Reinhart parried one, ducked the second, and slashed through the third.
[Counterattack—Heroic Swordplay]
Reinhart rushed forward, sword glowing faintly with light-attribute energy. His strikes weren't flashy, but they were clean, sharp, and precise. Each swing was filled with purpose.
Rain dodged lightly, stepping just out of reach.
"Tch. You're better than I thought."
Reinhart said nothing. He stayed focused, adjusting his stance and watching her movement closely.
[Rain Gets Serious—Space Slice]
Rain narrowed her eyes.
"Guess I'll have to use something proper."
She lifted a finger—and space warped around her hand. A thin, glowing edge appeared midair, like a blade made of the void itself.
"Space Slice," she whispered.
She flicked it toward Reinhart.
It wasn't visible—no arc, no flash. Just a clean cut that slashed through the earth in a perfectly straight line.
Reinhart barely dodged, a shallow cut forming on his cheek. The sword of light in his hands pulsed.
He leapt forward and slashed again—light flaring from his blade. Rain parried with a conjured blade of ice, her face now more serious.
Rain waved her hand, and dozens of razor-thin ice shards floated into the air, surrounding Reinhart.
"Frozen Petal Storm."
The shards shot forward, curving unpredictably. Reinhart focused, his body glowing faintly.
"Light Step."
His form blurred for a second, dodging most of the shards—then he burst through the last wave and landed a direct strike on Rain's arm.
Rain winced and leapt back.
-----------------------
A/N: If you can, please support me on Patreon.
Link: www.Patreon.com/Gottle
(No spaces btw)
Can read up to 40 chapters ahead.