“Unless you declare neutrality, any god can pay the required price and challenge you to a duel,” V said.
“I could have avoided this duel, and you speak of it only now?” I was furious.
Rejecting the duel was impossible. If my information ended up in that Netherworld deity’s hands, I was in huge trouble. The term "information" was terrifyingly vague. It could mean just my title, but it could also mean everything - my stats, my origin, maybe even my real name.
Letting Aurelion participate in a duel I knew was lost from the start left a sour taste in my mouth. But in this scenario, I’d be losing much less and even gaining something in return. Aside from the 1,000 divinity compensation, Aurelion would gain experience in fighting against other Angels. And that mattered, especially since I’d have to face the Night God in a few months.
“I never imagined that dealing with the God of Merchants would cause me more trouble than benefit,” I hissed. The spectral body dulled my voice, but the venom still seeped through.
“We…” V started, but I cut him off.
“Not only did you drag me into your failed dealings, but your negligence created an active threat to me. I was trying to hide my identity. Now, thanks to you, I’m forced to either hand over my information to a hostile deity or let my Angel be paraded in the arena.”
“But it was your decision to visit the arena…” He tried to shift the blame.
That was the wrong thing to say.
“It’s one thing to make a choice,” I snapped. “It is another to be backed into a corner by someone else’s incompetence.”
I paused, staring at the lizard-like creature. He seemed to shrink under my gaze, his shoulders hunching.
“Do you know what is worse? I do not believe you or your god even care.”
V froze. His pupils dilated, swallowing the gold of his eyes. Then, his mouth started moving at a blurry speed.
Finally.
My goal, from the very beginning, had been this. If I were to have even a slight chance of success in this fight, I needed the God of Merchants on my side. And nothing motivates a merchant like an angry customer.
V remained frozen like that for a while.
The silence stretched, giving me enough time to properly calculate my odds. I was pushing for a one-time-use item - something that could bridge the gap between Aurelion and that monster. I would have preferred a permanent artifact, but I wasn’t delusional. There was no chance I’d be getting that.
Actually, it was more likely they’d offer me a second guide, or something equally useless.
V snapped back to reality.
“My liege wishes to express sincere apology for what happened.” He bowed deeply, his nose almost touching the floor.
That’s it?
“To show that we indeed care about our precious customers, my liege offers information about the deity. Free of charge!” He paused, spreading his hands as if he expected me to show gratitude.
“Unless that information can guarantee victory against their Angel, I would much rather prefer your liege resolve the trouble you have caused me. Give me an item my Angel can use to win this duel. Otherwise, the word might spread that the God of Merchants creates problems for his customers and then abandons them when the bill comes due.”
“Threats will get us nowhere, Your Lordship. Besides, an item of such magnitude would cost too much. Even my liege cannot give up such divinity carelessly…” V slipped and I wasn’t going to let the moment go.
“Your carelessness is going to cost me much more than that. But if your liege cannot afford it… fine. Make it one-time use instead.” My spectral body leveled my voice, stripping away the excitement I felt. For once, I was glad for the filter.
“Your Lordship…” V started to complain, but he froze mid-sentence. His pupils dilated, and his mouth began to blur again.
This time, V remained frozen far longer than I anticipated. The silence stretched until Aurelion’s voice whispered directly into my mind.
“My King, I can defeat that Angel even without the God of Merchant’s help!”
His words were completely detached from reality. But strangely, it didn’t irritate me. On the contrary, I felt a surge of pride. He didn’t hesitate. He knew he was about to face an opponent leagues above him, yet he was ready to throw himself into the fire for me.
And while Aurelion would never admit it out loud, I could read his thoughts. I could feel his emotions. I knew he wasn’t living in an illusion. He realized just as well as I did that the outcome of this duel would not be in our favor. He was just willing to suffer for my sake.
“It’s always better to be extra careful,” I responded, choosing to play along with his bravery.
Aurelion smiled. He slammed his fist against his chest in a salute. The wings on his back rustled, as a proud shadow crossed his face.
He is indeed like a child.
Stolen novel; please report.
Perhaps his actual age played a role, or maybe this was just who Aurelion was. Gullible to a fault and honest to the core. At least with me.
“My liege agrees,” V said at last, his eyes regaining focus. “We will provide an amulet that will guarantee victory.”
V extended a clawed hand. The air above his palm warped, and an obsidian amulet manifested from the distortion. It hovered there, heavy and black, shimmering red
The energy radiating from felt familiar. It wasn’t identical, but it felt close to my own. Far too close.
I almost activated Guidance to analyze it, but the memory of the crushing pressure from earlier stopped me.
“What is this?” I asked. I needed to know why this item felt like it was connected to me.
“This is a replica of a Celestial grade item, Mother’s Embrace,” V explained. “Originally, it creates a barrier that lasts for nine seconds and reflects any type of damage back to the attacker, amplifying it two times.”
Mother’s Embrace… It sounds OP.
The amulet flared and drifted toward Aurelion, settling around his neck as if drawn by a magnet.
“My liege has designated your Angel as its owner, so only he can use it,” V added. “Since this is a replica, it can only reflect a single attack, and the amplification is reduced to 1.2 times.”
“What is that energy around it?” I asked, unable to restrain my curiosity anymore.
“The item was created using the core of a demigod demon. It’s their energy,” V replied flatly.
A demigod demon… does that mean I’m also a demon?
“Your Lordship.” V’s voice pulled me from my thoughts. “To win this duel, your Angel must activate the amulet when his opponent uses their strongest attack. But before that, he must keep his distance and… he must provoke the demon.”
Aurelion’s brows furrowed, casting a shadow over his eyes. I felt his irritation bleed into my mind.
“My King, I shall not escape nor run and bring shame to your name!” Aurelion declared. “But I swear I will come victorious!”
He slammed his fist against his chest and took a firm step toward the edge of the platform. He looked ready to fight.
And as though it had been waiting for that exact moment, the blue notification flashed before my eyes.
[Do you accept the challenge? Y/N]
…
Aurelion looked up, his eyes meeting mine across the distance. The moment his boots hit the packed earth of the arena, the constant hum of his thoughts in my mind vanished.
I couldn’t hear him anymore, but I knew what he’d say.
“I shall win in your name!” He probably thought something heroic like that.
But the opponent he was facing… it was a monstrosity. Only when the creature stepped fully into the arena did I realize that the form I’d seen before had been compressed. Standing at full height, Reest was a tower of charred flesh and muscle.
He had two horns, or rather, a single massive ridge that curved across his skull like a half-moon. His entire head was crowned in black fire, distorting the air around him.
Will that amulet be enough…
[Aurelion believes his opponent (Reest) goes against your teachings - Skill 'Reaper' activated. All physical attributes increased by 20%]
The notification didn’t bring me any relief. The thing down there was a natural disaster. Not only was this Aurelion’s first real fight, but he didn’t even have a weapon.
Reest charged.
He snapped his giant, blazing wings open, creating a violent explosion in his wake. The force propelled his massive frame toward Aurelion, dragging a wave of fire along with him.
Aurelion didn’t panic. he threw himself sideways. The wave of fire missed him, crashing into the earth. He didn't hesitate. He pivoted, using the momentum to drive a right hook into Reest’s jaw.
The impact shook the arena floor, kicking up a cloud of dust. Reest’s head snapped back, but he didn't fall. He just laughed, a wet, guttural sound, and spat a mouthful of black ichor onto the ground.
Aurelion disengaged, clutching his right hand. It was engulfed in flame. He swung his arm violently, trying to smother it, but the fire clung to his skin like oil, refusing to extinguish.
He didn't get a chance to recover. Reest closed the distance in an instant, unleashing a barrage of punches.
Aurelion’s figure blurred. He weaved through the onslaught, avoiding the direct blows, but the grazes were enough. Every touch left a patch of smoldering skin. Dark fire bit into his flesh, mapping his body in burns.
Finally, he found an opening. He drove a knee into Reest’s abdomen, sending the demon skidding backward.
“What are you waiting for? Finish him! I want that bug squashed!” The roar came from the platform beside me. The Netherworld Marquess leaned over the edge, screaming at his Angel.
Reest obeyed.
He retreated, increasing the distance, and planted his hooves. The flames around him shifted, growing darker and more volatile.
Reest began forming a giant black sphere. All the fire surrounding his body swirled toward the orb until it was three times his size. Then, he started condensing it.
It happened in less than three seconds, but the moment felt like an eternity.
Use the amulet.
I prayed Aurelion wouldn’t try to be a hero and tank the hit.
The sphere compressed until it was the size of a small pebble.
Then Reest fired.
It whistled and the next moment it crashed into Aurelion’s chest.
[Aegis has been activated!]
A blazing tornado erupted, swallowing Aurelion. Black flames roared upward, the heat intense enough to warp the air around the spectator platforms.
“Is this all you can?”
The voice came from the center of the inferno - raspy, wet, but defiant.
I felt a momentary surge of relief, but it vanished the instant the wind died down.
Aurelion was broken. His skin was charred. His wings were gone, reduced to drifting ash. He must have wrapped them around himself to survive the blast.
Even with Aegis… even with the damage reduced to just 1%…
The gap in power wasn’t a gap; it was an abyss.
“Finish him! Turn him to ash or I’ll kill you myself!” The Netherworld Marquess was practically climbing over the platform, screaming at his Falvan. A shockwave followed as Reest flared his power one more time.
He began to shape another giant orb. His body trembled uncontrollably, black ichor coming from his eyes and mouth, sizzling as it hit his burning skin.
This is it. This is his last attack.
Aurelion was swaying, barely keeping his feet. Blood ran down his scorched back where the wings used to be. The dark fire still clung to him, eating away at his remaining flesh.
A whistling sound came.
Reest finished the spell and fired.
“Now!” I screamed, the voice escaping from my throat without permission.
But before my words could even form, a pulse of crimson light erupted from Aurelion’s chest, and a blue window flashed before my eyes.
[Mother’s Embrace has been activated]