"So since when could you destroy souls?" Mom asked sternly, her eyes narrowing as she leaned against the wall, arms crossed like she was interrogating a war criminal. The quiet hum of mana wards in the room seemed louder with the weight of her question, like even the walls leaned in to hear my answer.
I shrugged without looking up. "Since forever. I have demon mana, after all." My tone was flat and deliberately dismissive, but inside, I could already feel her glare digging holes into my skin.
She pushed off the wall and stepped closer, her boots clicking softly against the marble. "You do realize you just gave yourself an even bigger target." Her voice was sharp enough to cut.
"Not really." I let out a bored sigh and picked at the scuffed edge of my gauntlet, pretending the dull scratch on the metal was infinitely more interesting than her words. "I only damaged his soul a little. It's not like they know I can destroy it completely. And anyway…" I gave a sharp exhale through my nose. "This tournament's been boring as hell. Might as well add some spice."
Mom's eyes softened just a fraction, but her arms stayed crossed. "Why did you even make a spell like that? And don't say, 'Because I could.' It looked effortless—dangerously so."
I looked up, actually surprised. "Wait… seriously? You don't know why I made it?"
She frowned, confusion flickering behind her stern gaze. "No. Why? What the hell would make you want to destroy a soul entirely? Hurting them is bad enough. Didn't Kayda talk to you about this?"
I scoffed, my jaw tightening as I leaned forward. My voice dropped, colder now, carrying weight. "To make sure monsters like my father don't get another shot. I'm not risking him reincarnating, not ever. Souls like that? They need to end."
The silence that followed was heavy. The kind that pressed on your chest. For a moment, it was like she didn't even breathe.
Then finally, Mom exhaled. "…Right. Fine. Just… don't overuse it." Her tone wasn't approval but reluctant acceptance.
I smirked faintly. "I won't. That's what Kayda's for—keeping me in check."
She gave me a knowing look, sharp but almost amused. "She did tell me about the spell, by the way."
I tilted my head, eyebrows raised. "Oh?"
"She didn't want to, but you scared the crap out of her when you almost erased someone mid-yawn."
I snorted, breaking into a laugh. "Whoops."
Shaking her head, Mom finally eased her stance, though her gaze stayed watchful. "So… has Zagan talked to Amari yet?"
I slouched deeper into my seat, stretching my legs out. "Nope. Last I heard, he locked himself in his room again."
"I hope that fight wasn't just a fluke," Mom said, brushing her bangs back with a sigh that sounded more like frustration than worry.
I shrugged. "I doubt it. Dean said that Zagan just needs time to sort out his feelings."
I arched my brow at her. "What, like years of time?"
"I hope it won't take that long," Mom said, her voice tightening. "Amari's not going to wait around forever. Most nobles lock down their matches in the academy. And you two are heading there next year, remember?"
"Ugh, yeah…" I groaned, leaning my head back against the chair like it had personally betrayed me. "That's coming up."
She smirked faintly. "Well, your grandmother runs the place. No transferring out."
"Tsk. Total waste of time."
"It's also a great place to level," she added flatly, the practicality in her tone leaving no room for argument.
"I could just sneak into the Dead Forest and do it there," I muttered under my breath, already bracing for the incoming scolding.
Her sharp look landed like a dagger. "No. You're not ready for that place."
"...Riiight~," I replied, dragging out the word and rolling my eyes with a grin.
"I'm serious," she warned, her voice carrying that weight only mothers could pull off—the one that rooted itself in your bones.
"I am taking it seriously… just selectively," I added cheekily, flashing her a grin. "Anyway, why hasn't my match started yet?"
Mom tilted her head slightly. "Good question."
I glanced at the clock mounted high on the wall. "They probably forfeited."
"I wouldn't be surprised," she said with a dry chuckle.
I blinked. "Wait, why would they?"
She looked at me like I'd just failed the simplest math problem. "You blew the last guy's head off with a gun. What exactly do you think they'll do? Block it with prayer?"
I smirked, unable to hide my amusement. "I only use the gun if they're boring."
She raised an eyebrow, her expression caught between disbelief and resignation. "And you think anyone in this tournament can entertain you?"
"Maybe that kid who wrecked Zagan," I admitted, half-shrugging.
"You really think he's a threat?"
I shook my head. "Not really. He just buffs himself. At best, he has a rare class. And the rarer your class or title, the harder it is to level. You guys know that."
She gave a wry smile. "That was a lot of words to say, 'He's not a big deal.'"
"Yeah, yeah. I know. "Don't underestimate him," I said, mocking her tone, grinning at her like I'd just turned the tables. "I'm not that short-sighted."
Mom's tone dropped, her voice quieter but heavier. "Just… remember there's an adult watching."
I hesitated, my grin faltering. "You think he will be here?"
"I doubt it," she said quietly, almost to herself. "But there's always a chance."
The loudspeaker crackled overhead, saving me from answering.
"Ladies and gentlemen! Sorry for the delay. The two contestants are ready to begin!"
"What the hell is going on now?" I muttered, standing and stretching my shoulders.
Mom's lips curled into a dry smirk. "You're fighting a big angel. I honestly didn't think he'd stay in. You're an agility fighter. He's… well, not."
I stared at her flatly. "And you're telling me this now?"
She shrugged. "I figured he'd withdraw."
"Whatever." I rolled my neck and smirked. "Let's get this over with."
[Arena—Match Begins]
The crowd roared the moment I stepped onto the field. The noise hit like a physical wave, banners waving, chants rising, but my focus tunneled to the figure across from me.
He was massive.
Just under four meters tall, his wings spread wider than a carriage length. His body was a wall of muscle, armored with divine plates etched in symbols that burned faintly with holy light. His jaw was square, his eyes glowing like twin suns, and the halo above his head pulsed like a living thing. Heat radiated off him, prickling my skin from meters away.
"Ah, so you didn't forfeit," he rumbled, his voice deep enough to vibrate the marble beneath us.
I tilted my head, openly sizing him up. "Wow. You're, uh… bigger than advertised."
The angel narrowed his eyes, his mouth twisting.
I circled him slowly, making a show of inspecting him. "No offense, but what did you eat to grow like that? Fallen stars? Divine steroids?"
He blinked, confusion marring his godlike face. "??".
"Oh. Right," I said, tapping the side of my head. "Muscles this big—gotta cut power from somewhere. Guess the brain got sacrificed first."
"What did you just say?!" he barked, stomping forward and swinging a fist down with all the subtlety of a landslide.
I casually stepped aside, letting the punch crater the marble floor, shards spraying outward like shrapnel.
"Hey now," I said with a grin, "the match hasn't started yet."
"Who cares?! Demons like you don't deserve rules!" he roared, his voice cracking the air as he slammed both fists down like twin hammers.
I backflipped away, landing lightly on the arena edge. "Okay, so we're doing this. Cool. Let's dance."
The gong rang, and the fight officially began.
I vanished.
Reappeared behind him and tapped the back of his head like I was flicking dust off a shelf.
He spun with a snarl, his fist blurring toward me—but I ducked, slid between his legs, and flicked his shin with a tiny frost spell.
"Ow! What was that?!" he bellowed.
"Oh no, I tickled the mighty angel," I said, leaping up and landing casually on his shoulder. "Now what?"
"Get off me!" he roared, grabbing at me with massive hands.
I hopped straight up as his hand swept through empty air. Mid-air, I snapped my fingers, sending an icicle straight into his armpit.
"ARGH!"
"You know what your problem is?" I called as I landed behind him. "You're all bulk and no technique."
"You think you're funny?!" He spun, wings lashing out like battering rams, trying to crush me under their sheer weight.
I blinked out of range before the feathers could clip me.
He flapped upward, rising into the air with surprising speed for his size.
"Oh, we're flying now?" I called, squinting up at him. "Fine, I'll come to you."
I blinked, reappearing mid-air above him.
His eyes widened. "What?!"
I stomped down on his halo. Sparks of divine light shattered outward, and he reeled, losing balance. I followed with a triple flip down his back, leaving behind a trail of tiny frost explosions that detonated one after another.
BOOM-BOOM-BOOM!
He spiraled downward, barely catching himself before hitting the ground.
Snarling, he steadied and thrust his glowing hands forward. Twin beams of holy light tore across the arena, searing the air.
I blinked behind him again and tapped the back of his neck. "Too slow."
He screamed, rage twisting his face as he whirled to body slam me mid-air. I let him get close, then drove an ice-coated fist into his kneecap.
Crack!
He screamed, wings flailing as he plummeted.
I landed first, crouching. As he tried to regain footing, I darted in low and punched the back of his other knee.
POP.
"AAAAAAHHHH!"
"Oh man, that sounded painful," I said, waving at the audience like I'd just performed a trick. "Can we get a medic here? Just in case?"
"You'll pay for that!" he roared, his face red, holy flames licking his fists.
"Yeah, yeah," I muttered, rubbing my temples. "Cue the righteous fury arc…"
He launched himself at me, wings spread. I let him get close, then twisted mid-air and landed on his shoulders.
"Say cheese," I whispered, slamming both fists into his head with frozen bursts.
He tumbled, stunned.
Before he could recover, I grabbed one wing at its base.
"Nope. You're grounded now."
With a heave, I ripped him into the ground. Marble cracked, feathers scattered.
I stood over his twitching body, his wings struggling weakly.
"You talk a lot of shit for someone with such weak joints," I said, cracking my knuckles.
Then I stepped on his back, grabbed both wings, and pulled.
"Wait—!"
RIIIIIP.
His scream rattled the stands as I tore the wings free. Blood and light sprayed in arcs, and he collapsed into unconsciousness.
"Oh, come on," I groaned. "Don't black out now. This was just getting fun."
I conjured a sphere of icy water and dropped it on his head.
"Ah! Wh—what?" He sputtered, blinking in confusion.
"Ding ding! The winner is Kitsune Draig!" the announcer shouted.
"What?! I did not surrender!" the angel screamed, scrambling to his knees in panic.
I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, but you lost."
Before he could argue further, I drew my gun and fired.
BANG!
His head snapped back, his body crumpling to the floor.
I blew smoke from the barrel, holstering it with a flourish as stunned silence gripped the arena.
"Seriously?" I muttered. "You guys still think holy magic blocks demon bullets?"
Turning toward the exit, I waved lazily at the frozen crowd.
"You don't stand a chance."