'Now, how should I cook this?'
Raon licked his lips as he looked at Askara, as if he were about to devour a bite-sized morsel.
-Ho, a doormat?
Wrath widened his eyes in disbelief.
-What on earth are you trying to get from him...
He shook his head, saying he couldn't understand what Raon wanted.
'You'll see.'
Leaving the dazed Wrath behind, Raon approached Askara, the Balrog King.
'Hmm, the injuries are severe.'
It felt like a knife was lodged in his energy center. Just taking a single step caused pain as if his energy center and mana circuit were being torn apart. It seemed to be the backlash from simultaneously using the full power of the Sword Domain.
It was an extremely serious situation, as it was an internal injury that burst from within rather than an external impact, but now wasn't the time to worry about that. He had to finish the fight with Askara first.
"What a pathetic body."
Raon shook off his blood-covered hand, enduring the excruciating pain coursing through his entire body.
"Wrath! What are you thinking!"
Deep anger flowed from Askara's breath.
"Do you really want to die by my hands!"
He tore at the dimension with his fingers as if he meant it. From the split cracks, a powerful fighting spirit that sent chills down one's spine gushed out.
"If you want to kill me, go ahead."
Raon spread his arms, telling him to do as he pleased.
'Askara will never touch me.'
What Askara wanted wasn't Wrath's life, but a duel with Wrath. If he just stayed still, Askara wouldn't attack.
"Wrath..."
Askara's clenched fist trembled. He wanted to fight but was confused by the situation where he couldn't.
"Why won't you fight! At least tell me the reason!"
Askara stomped his foot in frustration, demanding an explanation.
"Didn't I tell you? I don't like dealing with weaklings."
Raon shook his head with a sneer.
"Me, a weakling?"
Askara's mouth gaped open, seemingly hearing this for the first time since his birth.
"The reason I didn't kill you and threw you into the sea of the Devildom was because I had expectations for the future. But to think you're only at this level, I'm disappointed."
Raon slowly lowered his eyelids as if genuinely regretful.
-Huh?
Wrath blinked in disbelief.
-What is this! Why are you such a good actor!
He let out a sigh, saying even actors couldn't match this performance.
-Askara! This bastard is just acting! Wake up!
Wrath waved his hands up and down, begging him to realize.
"Wh-what nonsense! The me now is vastly different from back then!"
But Askara was so shocked at being called weak that he couldn't even think that Raon might be acting.
"Why don't you see for yourself!"
Askara tore the split dimension even wider. Despite consuming an enormous amount of fighting spirit due to dimensional interference and his body being torn apart, he showed no signs of stopping.
"How disappointing."
Raon clicked his tongue as he looked at Askara's hand gripping the dimensional rift.
"You consume so much fighting spirit just to cross dimensions, yet you think you can fight this king?"
He shook his chin, telling him not to waste his efforts.
"Wrath..."
Askara gritted his teeth in frustration. The sound of bones being crushed could be heard from how hard he was clenching.
"Do you want to fight me that badly?"
Raon narrowed his eyes as he looked down at Askara.
"Of course! I'd do anything to fight you!"
Askara struck his own chest with his fist as if he truly meant it.
"I dislike dealing with weaklings, but if you insist so much, I suppose I can oblige."
Raon nodded calmly as if sipping tea.
"Re-really?"
"But not now."
He waved his hand at Askara, whose eyes had widened.
"What do you mean not now?"
Askara furrowed his brow as if asking what he meant.
"You've wasted your stamina and fighting spirit breaking through dimensions. There's no value in facing someone like you now. If we're to fight, it's best when we're both at full strength."
Raon clasped his hands in front of him, rubbing his chin.
"Then..."
"This king will accept your challenge when I return to the Devildom. I'm also interested in the events unfolding in this world."
He lowered his chin, saying they should fight in the Devildom, not the human realm.
"Are you serious? You must know the impact would be huge if you and I fought in the Devildom?"
"Has this king ever lied?"
Raon stared at Askara with unwavering eyes.
"Besides, there won't be any impact since this king won't lose."
"...You're indeed different from those who are kings only in name."
Askara nodded as if he could trust Wrath's words.
"But your last words are wrong. This time, it will end in my victory."
He clenched his fist with black flames burning, as if telling him to wait.
-Huh...? What?
Wrath gasped.
-Wh-what's this! Why is a duel decided when this king didn't say anything!
He shook his plump arms in disbelief.
-You crazy bastard! Not content with sucking away this king's abilities, now you're selling this king's name! What are you going to do!
Wrath shouted, asking why he had to fight Askara.
'Wait. The terms of the deal are just right now.'
-You're the one eating those terms! This king is the one cleaning up! Next to you, there's all responsibility and no pleasure! What kind of deal is this!
He waved his hands wildly, telling him to stop this fraudulent deal.
'Huh? Don't tell me you're going to lose to Askara?'
Raon blinked at Wrath.
'The Monarch of Wrath losing to a Balrog?'
-Wh-what nonsense! Even if you've sucked away this king's power, I can easily crush such a demon!
Wrath snorted, telling him not to talk nonsense.
'Then it's fine.'
-Yes, that's it, that's it, we'll just beat it lightly and be done with it... eh?
Wrath, who was grinning, suddenly opened his eyes wide.
-No! It's not about winning or losing, why does this king have to fight!
He gritted his teeth, saying even angels wouldn't sell someone out like this.
"Looking into your eyes, I can see you're serious."
Askara nodded, saying his sincerity was readable.
'Of course I'm serious.'
Raon smiled faintly as he looked at Askara.
'Because I'm not the one fighting.'
He could sincerely say he would fight without hesitation because Wrath would be the one fighting. This seemed to be pleasure without responsibility, contrary to Wrath's words.
"This king does not lie."
Raon nodded calmly, ignoring the wailing Wrath behind him.
-It's a lie! This bastard spouts lies every time he opens his mouth!
Wrath flailed in the air, begging someone to listen.
"Then when will you return to the Devildom?"
Askara licked his lips, already eager for the fight.
"Right now, this king is enjoying watching the journey of his subordinates. When this body returns to dust, this king will return to the Devildom. I'm also interested in the events unfolding in this world."
Raon answered that he would return only after this body's life was extinguished.
"That long?"
Askara furrowed his brow as if it was too long.
"This king's subordinate will live at most 80 more years. It's but a fleeting moment in our lives."
"I know. But just thinking about fighting you makes my blood boil even now!"
He raised his fingers burning with black flames, saying he wanted to fight right now.
"Wait and build up your strength so that the duel you're so looking forward to doesn't end anticlimactically."
He waved his hand at the impatient Askara.
"80 years..."
Askara grabbed his head with his hand, still thinking it was too long. He had seemed calm and dangerous, but when it came to fighting, he was no different from a child.
'This is where it gets important.'
Having deceived Askara this far, he couldn't just let him go. He had to suck out as much as possible, even if not as much as from Wrath.
"Then let's do this."
Raon raised his finger to point at his own chest.
"Give the fighting spirit you possess to this king's subordinate. When this body dies, the fighting spirit will return to you, so you'll know when it's time to fight this king."
"Hmm..."
Askara lowered his eyebrows, seemingly interested in the idea.
-Th-this was it!
Wrath clapped his hands as if he finally understood.
-You sold this king to aim for Askara's fighting spirit!
He trembled his blue eyes, saying how vicious it was.
-Don't be fooled! It's all lies! He's acting to get your fighting spirit!
Wrath clasped his hands, hoping his words would reach Askara.
"Not bad!"
But Askara, unable to hear Wrath's wishes, muttered that it was fine.
"With fighting spirit remaining in that body, it shouldn't be too difficult."
He nodded as if enticed by Raon's words.
-Aaaaargh!
Wrath's scream, as his last hope disappeared, echoed throughout the underground.
"But does your subordinate living 80 more years mean he's currently twenty?"
"Close enough."
"To have such physical abilities and aura at that age, I can see why you made him your subordinate. Very well."
Askara revealed an interested look and opened his hand. Black-dyed fighting spirit broke through the dimension and enveloped his entire body. Unlike before, it wasn't mixed with killing intent, so Raon stood still and accepted Askara's energy.
Through the trait
It felt like his entire body was being seared on a hot plate. The fighting spirit of Askara, the Balrog King, possessed great power and heat in itself. It seemed he could further enhance the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation through this fighting spirit. However, although he thought it would end quickly, Askara was giving much more fighting spirit than he had expected.
It was far more than the lightning aura he had recently obtained from the Celestial Thunder Arts.
"You're giving more than I expected. Do you have a reason?"
Raon narrowed his eyes, asking what he was thinking.
"It's a gift for a young powerhouse."
Askara straightened his back and nodded with dignity.
"A gift for a young powerhouse?"
"I had a feeling that the young human you call your subordinate might one day reach a position like mine."
He licked his lips, saying it was a milestone he was leaving for that moment.
"Of course, I've made it so that the fighting spirit will return to me when your subordinate dies. 80 years from now, was it? I'm looking forward to that day so much."
-No!
Wrath flew towards Askara, shouting.
-This damned bastard will live disgustingly long due to this king's influence! He'll definitely live over 100 years!
He frowned, saying he would live a long and healthy life. I'm not sure if that's a curse or a compliment.
"By the way, what did you mean by interesting events earlier?"
Askara turned his gaze as if remembering what was said at the end.
"There are times when ugly demon kings and even uglier angels stir things up. It's quite entertaining to watch."
It was obvious that angels would intervene when fighting Derus Robert in the future. He threw out this bait in advance because this battle-crazed Balrog might be helpful.
"Demon kings and angels..."
Askara narrowed his eyes with interest but then shook his head again.
"As you say, it's interesting, but right now I'm only looking forward to fighting you."
He revealed a heated gaze, saying that while other fights were good, he only wanted a duel with Wrath now.
-I won't fight! This king absolutely won't fight!
Wrath shook his head vigorously, telling him not to talk nonsense.
"Then I'll be waiting for your return in the Devildom."
As Askara waved his hand lightly, the numerous dimensional rifts and crimson sparks he had created began to disappear one by one.
"Lastly..."
Askara, who was about to turn away, stretched out his pale hand. The dimension that had been gathering like threaded needles was torn apart again, and his great sword spewed out powerful black flames towards the left void.
"Aaaaargh!"
A white-haired man jumped out from the shadow of a falling rock from the ceiling and screamed. He tried to shake off the black flames using demonic energy, but Askara's flames would never be extinguished.
"So it was you. The vermin who tried to draw me out."
Askara's gaze turned not just fierce, but cold.
"W-wait a moment! Listen to me! We are..."
"The only sound a rat can make is a squeak."
As he shook his chin, the black flames exploded, shattering the white-haired man's body into pieces. Thanks to Askara's consideration, his flames didn't reach the people embedded in the right wall.
'Everyone's safe.'
Dorian, Borgos, and the masters were all unconscious, Burren, Martha, and Runaan were barely keeping their eyes open, and Sheryl was holding her two swords, ready to intervene if she was in danger. They probably didn't hear most of the conversation due to the noise from the dimension and sparks Askara had left open, but it seemed some explanation would be needed.
"Worms."
Askara dusted off his hands, emitting a chilling aura.
"Then I'll be waiting."
With those final words, he closed the last remaining dimension and disappeared.
"Wow..."
Raon swallowed dry saliva as he looked at the black flames that had incinerated even blood.
'That was dangerous.'
If Askara had wanted to, he too would have left not even blood behind like that white-haired man. A cold shiver ran down his spine.
-How can you just leave like that!
Wrath waved his hand towards the space where Askara had been.
-You should have burned and incinerated this one too! He's a problem just by being alive! He'll ruin the whole world!
He shook his head, saying he should be killed too.
'Why are you like this between friends?'
Raon approached Wrath and grabbed his shoulder.
-Friends? What kind of friend sells out their friend!
Wrath gnashed his teeth and swatted away his hand.
'I had no choice if I wanted to survive. I felt so sorry that I was going to eat everything you wanted for a week, but I guess not.'
Raon licked his lips, saying it was a shame.
-A, a week?
Wrath's body very slowly turned towards Raon.
'Yeah. I was going to eat dessert every time too. With bead ice cream.'
-B-bead ice cream...
His eyes slowly rose as if they would touch the sky.
-Ahem! If it's for survival, it can't be helped! This king with a broad mind will understand!
He sidled up, saying it was fine.
'As expected of someone with a broad mind.'
-There's no demon king with a broader mind than this king in the vast Devildom!
'Then will you fight Askara too? You can easily win if you just put your mind to it, right?'
-O-of course! If this king uses his power, I can easily crush him!
Wrath nodded with a somewhat awkward smile.
'That's a relief.'
As Raon nodded with a grin, it happened.
[You have perfectly deceived the Balrog King.]
[You have achieved a great feat.]
[All abilities have increased...]
[Trait
Rewards for defeating Askara popped up.
'Hmm, since we're friends, I guess this much is okay...'
-I won't do it.
Wrath shook his fists and screamed.
-I won't be friends! You bastard! This is extortion, not friendship!