The Archfiends looked at the battle stages in silence.
There were six stages in total, each surrounded by a faint red barrier. The barriers were not tall, but the pressure coming from them made it clear that they were not decorations.
They were not there to protect the fighters but to contain their battles and attacks.
If they wanted to leave, they’d have to shatter the barrier with their abilities... and that was easier said than done.
Korran Veyl stood before the stages with his hands behind his back.
"The combat test will not be done one by one. That would waste too much time."
A few demons looked at the stages again.
Six stages.
That meant twelve demons could fight at once.
"When your token glows, look at the number on it and enter the stage with the same number. Your opponent will do the same. The match begins when the barrier closes completely."
He paused for a second.
"The match begins when the barrier closes completely. If you attack before that, you will be crippled. If you refuse to enter after being called, you fail that match."
An official beside him raised a black plate covered in small runes.
"Win two matches and you pass. Lose two and you fail. Refusing to enter the stage after being called will count as a loss."
Korran’s gaze swept across them.
"Begin."
The black plate lit up.
A second later, twelve grey tokens among the Archfiends released a faint red glow.
The first group had been chosen.
Some demons looked pleased. Some looked calm. Some looked at their opponents and immediately felt their expressions change.
A Prime Archfiend with grey skin looked at the number on his token, then at the Supreme Archfiend walking toward the same stage as him.
His face twisted.
"Is this a joke? He’s a Supreme Archfiend. How do you expect me to fight him?"
Another demoness, a Minor Archfiend, clenched her token and looked toward a Superior Archfiend with blade-like claws.
"How is this fair?"
The complaints spread quickly.
They had not entered the barriers yet because they knew the moment the barriers closed, the match would begin. Outside the stage, at least they could still speak.
Korran looked at them coldly.
"Do you want to forfeit?"
The grey-skinned Prime Archfiend froze.
The Minor Archfiend demoness also stiffened.
Korran continued.
"If you want to forfeit, say it clearly. It will count as one loss. If you do not want to forfeit, enter the stage."
His eyes became colder.
"You have five seconds. If you are still standing outside after that, you will not lose the match."
He paused.
"You will lose your life."
The compound became quiet.
Nobody thought he was joking.
The Prime Archfiend gritted his teeth and entered Stage Two. The Minor Archfiend demoness followed her opponent into Stage Five with a pale expression. The rest of the chosen demons entered quickly after that.
The red barriers rose higher, then curved inward slightly like bowls turned upside down.
The moment they closed, the battles began.
There was no slow start.
No testing each other.
On Stage One, a Superior Archfiend with dark scales rushed forward and spat a stream of black water from his mouth. His opponent, a Prime Archfiend with thick arms, crossed both arms to block, but the black water ate into his skin like acid.
He screamed, but he did not retreat.
Instead, he charged through it and slammed his shoulder into the scaled demon’s chest.
Crack!
The sound of breaking ribs echoed through the stage.
The scaled demon coughed blood, but his tail wrapped around the Prime Archfiend’s neck and pulled hard. The Prime Archfiend’s eyes bulged, and before he could tear the tail away, claws dug into his face.
The scaled demon did not pause or say a word.
He only clawed downward.
Slash!
Splash!
The Prime Archfiend’s face was ripped apart. Blood and flesh splashed across the barrier.
The Prime Archfiend fell on the floor, his life and death status unknown.
"Stage One. Winner, Dren." The official announced the first win.
On Stage Two, the grey-skinned Prime Archfiend lasted less than ten breaths against the Supreme Archfiend he had complained about.
He tried using the wind to keep distance, but the Supreme Archfiend walked through it with his demonic energy covering his body. When he reached the Prime Archfiend, he grabbed his arm and broke it backward.
The Prime Archfiend quickly shouted surrender before he lost his life.
The Supreme Archfiend stopped, but not before throwing him to the ground hard enough to crack the stage beneath him.
"Stage Two. Winner, Morga."
On Stage Five, the Minor Archfiend demoness who had complained fought like a trapped beast. She knew she was weaker, so she did not waste time pretending otherwise. The moment the match began, she released a burst of fire at the ground, covering the stage in smoke and heat.
Her opponent, the Superior Archfiend with blade-like claws, moved through the smoke and slashed at where she had been standing.
But she was not there.
She had dropped low and moved behind him.
Her claws dug into the back of his knee.
The Superior Archfiend snarled and turned, but she bit into his wrist before he could swing properly. Her sharp teeth tore flesh, and dark blood poured into her mouth.
The crowd stirred slightly.
She was weaker, but she was vicious.
Unfortunately, vicious was not always enough.
The Superior Archfiend grabbed her hair, dragged her away from his wrist, and smashed his knee into her face.
Once.
Twice.
The third time, something cracked.
She collapsed, but before he could finish her, she spat blood and shouted,
"I surrender!"
His claws stopped inches from her throat.
He looked irritated, but he stopped.
"Stage Five. Winner, Morvak."
The barrier opened, and the demoness was dragged out with her face ruined but her life still intact.
Simon watched silently.
The fights were not pretty, but he was able to see how this generation of demons fought compared to his generation of demons.