I quickly threw on some clothes, my mind racing as I thought about Vali's unexpected visit.
Vali Lucifer. The White Dragon Emperor.
Our relationship was... complicated.
Back when things were still good between Azazel and me, Vali had been a semi-regular visitor to the mansion.
We'd developed a routine of sorts. Every few weeks, Vali would show up, we'd beat the hell out of each other in the training facility, and then he'd disappear again. He wasn't much for conversation - stoic, arrogant, and completely focused on growing stronger. But there was mutual respect there. He appreciated that I could take his hits and keep getting back up, and I respected his absolute dedication to power.
But after the Shinjuku incident, after my relationship with Azazel went to hell, Vali had stopped coming.
I couldn't blame him.
I'd made it clear that I wanted nothing more to do with the Governor-General, it had put Vali in an awkward position. Choosing sides between his mentor and his sparring partner wasn't really a choice at all.
Though knowing Vali, I didn't expect him to care much about awkward situations or choosing sides. But he'd respected it, I suppose. Kept his distance rather than forcing the issue.
And despite his reputation as a cold, arrogant battle maniac, I knew the real Vali. The one who'd been abused as a child, who'd found a father figure in Azazel, who secretly wanted nothing more than a happy family but would never say it out loud. The one who showed fierce loyalty to his teammates and would do anything to protect the people he cared about.
"Kuroka," I said, turning to where she was hurriedly getting dressed. "Should I be worried about Vali knowing you're here?"
She paused in adjusting her outfit and gave me an amused look. "He probably already knows I'm here anyway. I told him I was coming to check on you."
"Oh. Okay then."
I made my way downstairs with Kuroka beside me.
I straightened my shoulders and opened the door.
Vali Lucifer stood by the window, his back to us, looking out at the garden.
"Vali," I said, closing the door behind us.
He turned to face us, those sharp silver eyes immediately finding Kuroka before settling on me. A slight smirk played at the corner of his mouth.
"Leon. Kuroka." His gaze moved between us, taking in our slightly disheveled appearance and the obvious intimacy in how we stood near each other. "I see you two have been... getting to know each other better."
Kuroka didn't even blush. "Hello to you too, Vali, nya."
"To what do I owe the pleasure?" I asked, moving to take a seat in one of the armchairs. "It's been a while."
"It has." He didn't sit, instead moving to lean against the mantelpiece. "I heard about Kokabiel. About damn time someone put that bird down. Never could stand that filthy crow."
"He had it coming," I said simply.
"That he did." Vali's eyes gleamed with something that might have been approval. "Though I have to admit, I'm impressed. I didn't expect you to grow that strong in a short time. Which brings me to why I'm here."
"I'm listening."
Vali stopped pacing and fixed me with that intense stare.
"I want to fight you for real." His voice carried an edge of excitement that was pure Vali - the battle maniac who lived for strong opponents.
I felt something stir in my chest - that same primal excitement I'd felt during our old sparring matches, but magnified. The dragon's blood in my veins responded to the challenge, and I could feel my heart rate picking up.
"I want to see it all. And I want you to see what I've learned since our last fight. I've gotten stronger too, you know."
I looked at Kuroka, who was watching both of us with a mixture of exasperation and fondness.
"Boys and their need to beat each other up, nya," she muttered, but I could see she wasn't really opposed to the idea.
I turned back to Vali. "When?"
"Now, if you're up for it." His eyes practically glowed with anticipation. "Unless you need time to prepare?"
The challenge in his voice was unmistakable. Classic Vali - pushing buttons to get a reaction.
"Where?"
Well we can't exactly do it in the training facility as past experience told us that we won't be able to unleash our abilities fully.
"I know a place." He grinned.
I stood up, feeling the familiar thrill of an incoming fight. "Let's go."
"Excellent." Vali's grin was predatory now. "This is going to be fun."
But before either of us could move toward the door, Kuroka stepped between us, her eyes flashing with exasperation.
"Oh no, you don't, nya." She crossed her arms, fixing both of us with a stern look. "You two are not running off to beat each other senseless right now."
Vali raised an eyebrow. "And why not?"
"Because Leon and I aren't finished yet, nya." Her cheeks turned pink, but her voice remained firm and possessive.
She continued, ignoring my embarrassment, "if you two are going to have a proper fight, the whole team should be there to watch, nya."
"Besides," she continued, her golden eyes sparkling with mischief, "we have important things to discuss. Like making babies, nya."
The room went dead silent.
I choked on air. "What?"
Vali's expression shifted from surprise to knowing amusement
"Leon's strong, I'm strong. Our kittens would be amazing, nya."
"Just what, nya? Started dating? Had amazing sex? Decided we care about each other?" She moved closer to me, her hand trailing down my chest. "All excellent reasons to start planning for the future, nya."
"She's not wrong," Vali said with obvious amusement. "Though I have to say, your timing is impeccable as always, Kuroka."
"But more importantly," Kuroka continued, completely ignoring my shocked expression, "if you two are going to have a proper fight, the whole team should be there to watch, nya."
"You're changing the subject," I pointed out weakly.
"Am I, nya? " Her grin widened. "Arthur would love to see Leon in action, and Bikou's been curious about you. Plus, it'll give me a chance to properly introduce my new mate to the team."
Vali chuckled. "Tomorrow then."
"Just don't expect me to cheer for you, nya," Kuroka replied with a grin.
"I wouldn't dream of it." Vali opened the window and stepped out onto the ledge, his wings manifesting. "Tomorrow, Leon. Put on a good show."
"Of course." I smiled. "About damn time for a payback."
He smirked and then he was gone.
The moment Vali disappeared from view, Kuroka turned to me with that gleam in her eyes that I was easily becoming familiar with.
"Well, nya," she purred, moving closer until she was pressed against my chest. "Now that he's gone..."
"Kuroka," I started, but she silenced me by placing a finger against my lips.
"You didn't think I was joking about not being finished with you, did you, nya?" Her voice dropped to that sultry whisper that sent shivers down my spine. "We have the whole morning ahead of us."
Before I could respond, she grabbed my hand and started pulling me toward the door.
By the time we finally emerged from my bedroom, the sun was high in the sky, she also now left saying she needed to leave to inform her teammates and ensure they'd all be available to watch tomorrow's fight. She was clearly proud of claiming me as her mate and wanted to show me off properly to the Vali Team.
Before departing through the window, she kissed me goodbye and made it clear she expected me to win against Vali. The possessiveness in her voice made my territorial instincts purr with satisfaction.
=====
With the rest of the day ahead of me, I decided to make good use of the time. I made my way down to the underground training facility.
I stripped down to my training pants and sat cross-legged in the center of the room, closing my eyes and reaching for the Body of the Everflame manual from my inventory. The familiar weight of the book appeared in my hands, its pages glowing with that soft golden light.
For weeks, I'd been stuck at the same barrier, unable to push through to the next level of the manual. My progress had been steady, but something was still missing.
But now, as I settled into the meditation pose and began circulating the energy through my meridians, something felt different.
Like I was on the verge of a breakthrough.
I pushed deeper into the cultivation technique, feeling the energy respond to my will. The golden warmth spread through my body, and for a moment, I thought I had it. The barrier that had been blocking my progress seemed to waver...
And then it snapped back into place.
Damn it.
I tried again. And again. Each time, I got tantalizingly close to that next level before hitting the same wall. It was like trying to grab smoke - the harder I reached for it, the more it slipped away.
After an hour of failed attempts, I finally gave up and leaned back against the wall, considering the problem. Maybe I was approaching this wrong. Maybe brute force wasn't the answer.
And that was the problem.
When I'd designed the Body of the Everflame manual through the Workshop, I'd focused on creating a cultivation technique that would enhance my physical abilities and integrate with the dragon's blood. But in my eagerness to gain power quickly, I'd overlooked something crucial - bottlenecks.
Every proper cultivation manual had natural barriers, points where practitioners had to overcome specific challenges or insights before advancing. I'd been so focused on the end result that I'd forgotten to account for the journey. Now I was paying the price for that oversight.
I could always try creating something in the Workshop to help with the breakthrough - a pill or vial that could push me past this barrier. I could probably design something specifically for cultivation advancement.
But when I checked my Workshop slots, they were all occupied. My projects were still days away from completion, and I couldn't afford to cancel. The Workshop was powerful, but its limitations were frustrating at times like this.
As I sat there, thinking about what else might be missing.
When was the last time I'd had a real fight? A proper challenge that pushed me to my limits?
Kokabiel had been disappointingly weak. For all his reputation as a Fallen Angel Cadre, he'd folded pretty quickly once I'd gotten serious and that was with the clone. The fight had been more about revenge than testing my abilities.
And Loki? That hadn't even been a real confrontation. His children, they'd all been instantly incinerated by Laevateinn before they could mount any kind of resistance. Loki himself had fled rather than face me directly.
I suppose I could have fought them without the sword, tested myself against the legendary monsters with just my physical abilities. But that would have been recklessly stupid. Fenrir alone was supposed to be capable of killing gods. Taking that kind of risk just to satisfy my desire for a challenge would have been pure arrogance.
But maybe that was the problem. Perhaps the Body of the Everflame required more than just meditation and energy circulation. Maybe it needed to be forged in actual combat, tested against a worthy opponent who could push me beyond my current limits.
Perhaps what I needed was a real fight.
Well, I wouldn't have to wait much longer for that.
=====
If you'd like to read ahead and support me, feel free to check it out: [email protected]/VashFF