Chapter 380:Friendly fight.
The first light of dawn slipped over the black rooftops of the capital, casting a faint golden glow across the enormous palace walls.
Inside the palace, however, the atmosphere remained relaxed. Atheline and Lilith had breakfast with King Seragus and Lucifer before their departure.
The meal was considerably less formal than the welcoming banquet from the previous evening. There were no ministers seated around them and no diplomatic discussions. It was simply a final breakfast.
Lucifer, however, seemed incapable of sitting still. His eyes kept drifting toward Atheline. Eventually, Lilith noticed.
"You really are impatient."
Lucifer laughed.
"I’ve been waiting for this duel since yesterday."
Atheline calmly continued eating.
"You could have challenged me after breakfast."
"That’s exactly what I’m doing."
Lucifer looked toward his father.
"Father, you aren’t going to stop us, are you?"
Seragus laughed.
"Why would I?" He took another bite before adding casually, "Just don’t destroy anything expensive."
Lucifer grinned.
"No promises."
Atheline shook his head.
"You should probably listen to your father."
Lucifer pointed his fork toward him.
"You’re just worried about losing."
Lilith nearly laughed. Atheline stared at him for a moment.
"You really like provoking people."
"It works."
"It won’t work on me."
Lucifer smiled.
"We’ll see."
After breakfast, they left the dining hall together. The palace’s training grounds were located behind the main structure. It was a large open courtyard surrounded by reinforced stone walls and several defensive formations.
It was clearly designed for powerful combatants. By the time Atheline and Lucifer arrived, several people had already gathered; some palace guards,a few knights, and several attendants.
Even a handful of ministers who had apparently heard about the duel and decided that whatever their other responsibilities were, watching the Demon King’s son fight a foreign ruler was more interesting.
Seragus arrived shortly afterward. He stood near the edge of the training grounds with Lilith.
"This is going to be interesting," he said.
Lilith smiled.
"Probably."
Seragus looked at her.
"You’re not worried?"
"About Lucifer?"
Lilith shook her head.
"Not particularly."
Her eyes moved toward Atheline.
"I’m more curious about how long he intends to pretend he’s taking this seriously."
Seragus laughed.
"You think Atheline is that much stronger?"
"I know he is."
The Demon King raised an eyebrow.
"That’s quite a statement."
Lilith smiled.
"You’ll see."
At the center of the training ground, Lucifer rolled his shoulders, his casual clothing had been replaced by light combat armor.
A large battle axe rested in his hands. The weapon was enormous compared to an ordinary axe, with a broad dark-metal head and a long reinforced handle.
Atheline looked at it appreciatively.
"I find the way you wield the axe to be fascinating, I should probably try it. High elves do not weild such weapons."
Lucifer grinned.
"You haven’t seen anything yet."
Dark flames suddenly appeared around the axe. The flames were almost black, with deep crimson light flickering within them.
The temperature around Lucifer immediately rose, several spectators stepped back.
Atheline’s eyes narrowed slightly.
"It really matches you."
Lucifer nodded.
"Thank you, your majesty."
Atheline smiled.
"Don’t thank me yet."
He reached behind him and drew his bow, the weapon settling naturally into his hand. Lucifer’s expression became serious.
"Ready?"
Atheline nocked an arrow.
"Whenever you are."
Lucifer moved first.
The instant the signal was given, dark flames exploded beneath his feet.
He shot forward, the axe caming down with enough force to crack the stone beneath Atheline’s feet.
Atheline wasn’t there, he had already moved. A gust of Wind Aether carried him several meters backward.
Lucifer immediately followed. His axe swept horizontally but Atheline ducked beneath it, and released his arrow at point-blank range.
Lucifer twisted his body, the arrow passing his shoulder. Atheline immediately drew another aiming at him.
Lucifer slammed the butt of his axe against the ground, and dark flames erupted outward, forcing Atheline to leap into the air. The flames passed beneath him.
He twisted in midair and released three arrows in rapid succession. Lucifer blocked the first with his axe, the second struck his shoulder armor, and ghe third struck the ground beside him exploding in dust and stone, the impact forcing him sideways.
The spectators immediately began murmuring.
"He’s fast."
"The prince is being pushed back already."
Lucifer gritted his teeth.
He hadn’t expected Atheline to move like that, his opponent wasn’t merely fast but was predicting him. The last time they had sparred, they had been on equal footing but now, he felt so overwhelmed.
Lucifer charged again. This time, he surrounded himself with dark fire, the flames forming a burning aura around his body.
He swung the axe.
Atheline raised his hand, and Wind Aether exploded outward.
The two forces collided, the resulting shockwave sweeping across the courtyard. Lucifer pushed through it, his axe descending despite the wind blocking him.
Before he could break through, Atheline blocked it with his sword. The impact forced him backward several steps.
Lucifer smiled.
"Got you."
Atheline looked at him calmly.
"Did you?"
Ice spread from beneath his sword.
Lucifer’s expression changed as the ground beneath his feet froze. He immediately jumped away.
Atheline followed. He swang directly at him from above. Lucifer barely blocked the strike. The next attack came from the opposite direction he managed to block it but another follow right after.
Atheline’s movements were smooth and precise. He switched between his sword and bow without hesitation. Whenever Lucifer closed the distance, Atheline used his sword. Whenever Lucifer created space, the bow returned to his hand.
Wind increased his mobility, earth reinforced his defenses, ive restricted Lucifer’s movements, fire countered the dark flames, lightning increased the speed and force of his attacks, and Water flowed between them whenever Atheline needed to disrupt Lucifer’s fire.
Atheline used each one for a specific purpose. Still, Lucifer fought brilliantly. He was aggressive,his axe strikes were powerful enough to destroy stone.
His dark flames repeatedly forced Atheline to reposition, and had even managed to land several glancing blows, but the difference in strength was simply too large.
Atheline was operating on an entirely different level, which Lucifer realized after the first few exchanges. He was losing because Atheline was simply much stronger.
Lucifer roared and poured nearly all of his Aether into his axe. Dark flames erupted across the battlefield, forcing the spectators to back away.
The axe became surrounded by an enormous mass of black fire. Lucifer swung the pressure becoming visible. A wave of dark flames tore across the courtyard.
Atheline didn’t retreat.
He drew his bow as lightning gathered around the arrow, and wind wrapped around the shaft. The moment he released it, the arrow became a streak of light. It pierced directly through the wave of dark fire.
The flames split apart.
The arrow struck Lucifer’s axe and knocked it sideways. Before Lucifer could recover, Atheline was already standing in front of him, his sword resting lightly against Lucifer’s neck.
Silence fell over the training ground.
Lucifer stared at the blade, then he slowly lowered his axe.
"...I lost."
Atheline immediately lowered his sword.
"That was a good fight."
Lucifer looked at him.
"You weren’t even using your full strength."
Atheline smiled awkwardly.
"No."
The prince sighed.
"I knew it."
Several people around the courtyard laughed. Lucifer shook his head before looking back at Atheline.
"You’re ridiculously strong."
Atheline sheathed his sword.
"So are you."
"Don’t flatter me."
"I’m not."
Lucifer smiled.
"Next time."
Atheline nodded.
"Next time."
Seragus approached them. He looked at his son first.
"Are you injured?"
Lucifer shook his head.
"Nothing serious."
Then the king looked toward Atheline.
"You certainly didn’t hold back."
Atheline smiled.
"He asked me not to."
Seragus laughed.
"I suppose that’s true."
Lilith walked toward them. She looked at Lucifer.
"That was a good attempt."
"Attempt?"
Lucifer stared at her.
"That’s all you’re giving me?"
Lilith smiled.
"You lasted longer than I expected."
"That’s somehow worse."
Atheline laughed.
The mood remained friendly. There was no humiliation in Lucifer’s defeat, if anything, the prince looked energized.
He had experienced the difference between his current strength and a realm beyond his understanding. Instead of discouraging him, it seemed to have made him more determined.
After exchanging a few final words, Atheline and Lilith returned to their chambers. Their luggage had already been prepared.
There wasn’t much to pack, since they had never brought much with them in the first place. Their most valuable possessions were stored safely within their spatial storage.
The little fox waited near the doorway. Atheline picked it up.
"Ready to go?"
The fox responded with a quiet sound.
Lilith smiled.
"I think that’s a yes."
They made their way through the palace one final time. King Seragus was waiting near the entrance of the teleportation chamber. Lucifer stood beside him.
The Demon King extended his hand.
"Thank you for visiting."
Atheline shook it.
"Thank you for having us."
Seragus smiled.
"Next time, try not to disappear for several days."
Atheline laughed.
"I’ll consider it."
Lucifer stepped forward.
"Next time we fight, I’m winning."
Atheline smiled.
"I’ll be waiting."
Lilith shook her head.
"He’s already planning the rematch, you two seem to have grown closer."
"Of course."
Lucifer grinned.
The final farewells were brief, since there was no need for ceremony. They had already spent enough time together to know that their friendship would continue beyond this journey.
Atheline and Lilith walked into the chamber. A few manipulators were standing around the circle respectfully waiting for them.
Atheline looked toward Lilith.
"I can’t wait to go home."
She took his hand.
"Tell me about it."
Together, with their little fox following beside them, they walked toward the teleportation circle.