The air itself felt frozen.
Velzard stood before Loki, her presence no longer restrained. The temperature plummeted as invisible frost crawled across shattered stone and broken walls. Even the debris floating in the air slowed, crystals of ice forming along their edges.
Her eyes locked onto Loki.
"You do know," Velzard said calmly, though her voice carried absolute authority, "that True Dragons stand at the pinnacle of existence, right?"
Her gaze sharpened.
"And yet you still dare to stand before me in such a manner."
Her tone dropped, turning cold and lethal.
"Are you trying to die?"
For a brief moment there was complete silence.
Which was broken by Loki's genuine laugh.
"The pinnacle of existence?" Loki said, wiping a tear from the corner of his eye. "What, am I supposed to tremble, bow, and say I'm sorry, Dragon-sama, then kneel and kiss your toes?"
Rain stiffened in horror.
Misery sucked in a sharp breath.
Velzard's lips twitched.
Inwardly, she a rare sensation.
Cold sweat.
This demon… she thought. He's just like Guy.
No, perhaps worse.
Beings like this… beings with the potential to surpass even True Dragons.
Her gaze sharpened further, excitement flickering beneath her composed exterior.
Guy was right.
If this demon is left unchecked… he could shatter the balance we've preserved for tens of thousands of years.
Her smile widened ever so slightly.
As a Dragon tasked with maintaining balance, I should be resolute.
I should be prepared to stop him.
And yet
Why am I excited?
Her presence thickened, frost blooming violently across the ruined castle.
"You've got quite the vile mouth," Velzard said, smiling sweetly as the air screamed in protest. "Careful. Ice itself is preparing to answer you."
Loki met her gaze without flinching, eyes bright.
"A beautiful woman," he said lightly, "who's also powerful? Careful, keep that up and I might fall in love."
Rain nearly choked.
Velzard blinked… then chuckled.
"I'm sorry," she replied smoothly. "But my love already belongs to someone else."
She tilted her head, eyes gleaming.
"Do you think you could make me change my mind?"
Loki's grin widened. "Why don't we find out?"
He stretched his shoulders, rolling his neck.
"I'm trying to move around anyway," he added casually. "I'm trying to hold you in all the places that I wouldn't be able to while static.."
Velzard's smile turned sharp. "How dirty."
The pressure skyrocketed.
The air fractured.
Velzard and Loki prepared to battle. But suddenly.
"DON'T."
The command shook reality itself.
Both Loki and Velzard froze mid-motion.
Their eyes turned simultaneously.
Standing at the far end of a shattered window, silhouetted against the frozen sky, was a crimson-haired demon with crossed arms and an expression carved from pure irritation.
Guy Crimson.
He surveyed the wreckage.
The collapsed walls.
The shattered floors.
The destroyed throne room.
His jaw tightened.
"Like hell," Guy said slowly, "is there going to be another fight inside my castle."
He glared at them.
"Do you people have no respect for me at all?"
Rain's eyes widened instantly. "G-Guy-sama!"
She scrambled up despite her injuries, pointing shakily at Loki.
"H-He ambushed us and beat us up!"
Loki twitched.
Ambushed?
If anything you tried to sucker-punch me.
Guy turned his gaze to Misery.
"What happened here?"
Misery rose to one knee, head lowered, fists clenched.
"…Sorry, Guy-sama," she said honestly. "We failed to protect the castle from Loki. We're still not strong enough."
Guy sighed deeply.
"I never expected anything from you two anyway."
Rain froze.
Misery winced.
Loki chuckled.
He ran a hand through his hair and began walking forward, boots crunching over broken stone.
"Guy, huh," Loki said casually. "So you finally showed up."
He stopped directly in front of Guy, their faces inches apart.
"I've been waiting for you."
Guy smirked faintly. "Oh? How sweet."
Loki leaned in just slightly, voice low and amused.
"I can't wait to fillet you, Big Brother."
The atmosphere detonated.
Velzard, watching from a distance, smiled inwardly.
His lack of fear… it's genuine.
Most high-level beings develop fear immunity.
But this one…
She felt her blood stir.
He genuinely fears no one.
Neither Dragon nor Demon Lord.
Truly… an exciting existence.
Guy stared straight at Loki.
The ruined castle was silent, save for the faint creaking of fractured stone and the low hum of residual magic still lingering in the air.
"So," Guy said at last, his crimson eyes sharp and calculating, "you're Bordeaux, huh?"
Loki chuckled, casual as ever.
"That's not my name, Guy," he said lightly. "My name is Loki."
The moment those words left his mouth, Guy felt it.
A subtle but unmistakable pressure.
Guy's expression didn't change, but inwardly, his thoughts spiraled.
He's named.
His mind raced.
Which idiot thought it was smart to name a Primordial?
Do they have any idea what they've done?
Guy felt a rare sense of unease creep in.
Oh, my beautiful balance…
It's crumbling before my very eyes.
He exhaled slowly, keeping his composure intact.
"And what," Guy asked calmly, "do you need me for, Loki?"
Loki cracked his neck from one side to the other, bone popping audibly as he rolled his shoulders.
"You see, Guy," Loki said, eyes gleaming with excitement, "my whole reason for manifesting here was pretty simple."
He smiled wide.
"I came to kick your ass and claim my spot as the most powerful Primordial Demon in existence."
Velzard's lips curved upward ever so slightly.
Guy blinked once.
"So," he said, "you want to fight me."
Loki tilted his head. "I think I made that pretty obvious."
Guy stared at him for a long moment.
A very long moment.
Then
"No."
Loki recoiled slightly, his face twisting in visible disgust.
"…Huh?" he said flatly. "Did you just say something disgusting?"
Guy remained unfazed.
"Loki," he said evenly, "you are far too weak to stand with me."
The words hung in the air like a challenge.
Loki's lips curled into a grin, but his eyes sharpened.
"I knew it," he said. "They really do overrate you."
He scoffed.
"Statements like that give me the ick. Fight me and find out if I'm weak or not."
He leaned forward slightly.
"Or what, are you afraid?"
Guy chuckled softly.
"Not even in the slightest."
He straightened, his tone calm but firm.
"Loki, I'm not against fighting you. In fact, you and I are the same."
Loki raised an eyebrow.
"We both enjoy fighting strong opponents," Guy continued. "Putting our lives on the line. Testing ourselves against someone who might actually kill us."
Guy's eyes narrowed slightly.
"If we fought now, you might enjoy it."
He shook his head.
"But I wouldn't."
Loki frowned. "And why's that?"
"Because," Guy said, "you haven't reached the point where the fight would be worth it."
Loki straightened, his interest piqued.
"…And what point is that?"
Guy smiled faintly.
"You need to evolve into a Demon Lord."
Loki blinked once.
"Demon Lord?" he repeated. "Fine. Make me a Demon Lord. I don't care how."
Guy sighed. "That's not how it works."
Before Loki could respond, a calm, icy voice cut in.
"In order to become a Demon Lord," Velzard said, stepping forward slightly, "you must absorb ten thousand human souls during a Harvest Festival."
Loki turned his head toward her.
"…So I have to kill weaklings for no reason."
His expression flattened.
"I'm sorry, but that doesn't excite me whatsoever."
Velzard's eyes softened slightly, though her presence remained overwhelming.
"There are always reasons to kill humans," she said. "Many of them are cruel. Twisted. Evil."
She continued calmly.
"A time will come when you'll meet humans you won't hesitate to kill."
Loki hummed thoughtfully.
"I see."
He paused, then asked, "Any other requirements?"
Velzard nodded.
"Yes. You must possess a Demon Lord Seed. Without it, evolution is impossible."
She glanced at him.
"Fortunately for you, you already have one."
Loki smiled.
"I see."
He turned back to Guy.
"So once I become a Demon Lord," Loki said, "there'll be no excuses left, right?"
Guy nodded. "Of course."
But inwardly, Guy's thoughts churned.
I have over four hundred thousand souls.
I could give him ten thousand easily.
His gaze sharpened slightly.
But if he's already this powerful without being a Demon Lord…
Guy clenched his fist.
Giving him more power could be catastrophic.
If he goes on a rampage…
His mind flashed with memories.
We cannot have another Milim situation.
Guy exhaled slowly.
I need to observe him first.
See exactly what kind of person he is.
His eyes locked onto Loki.
________________________________________
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