BOOM!
The moment the signal was given—
Daemon vanished, lightning snakes coiling around his body.
His speed was unreal for someone built like a tank.
In an instant, he appeared at Frey's side, driving a rocket-like punch straight toward his face.
Frey barely managed to block it with his sword—
But the sheer momentum launched him across the arena, smashing into the barrier.
Daemon didn't give him a moment to recover.
He immediately clasped his hands together ,Gathering a terrifying amount of lightning aura.
"Let me show you the difference…"
The difference between a true warrior—
And someone like you.
"Lightning Artillery."
From between his hands, a monstrous beam of lightning shot out—
Slamming violently into where Frey had landed.
Frey barely dodged in time, his speed saving him from the blast.
But Daemon relentlessly tracked him—
Keeping the lightning barrage aimed at him wherever he fled.
In a situation like that ...
Instead of running...
Frey charged straight toward his opponent.
Dark aura ignited around his sword, forming a shadowy blaze.
He surged forward like a black arrow.
Daemon immediately switched tactics—
As if he had been waiting for this.
Twin dragon heads of lightning formed around his fists.
"Come!"
Frey's sword slashed with force—
Daemon's fists crashed forward like explosions—
The two collided violently, exchanging blow after blow at breakneck speed.
Frey attacked and defended at once—
While Daemon focused solely on offense.
His reinforced body absorbed most of Frey's strikes.
"Your attacks tickle, Frey Starlight!"
Each time, Daemon deflected Frey's sword—
His fists harder than steel.
With every punch that landed—
Daemon gradually gained the upper hand.
He could see it clearly—
And so he pressed harder—
Gathering lightning in his fists to form his strongest weapon yet.
"Black Lightning."
With a single, blinding strike—
He hit Frey's side directly—
Causing him to cough up blood.
Frey was dragged across the ground ...
And Daemon followed mercilessly ...
Driving devastating punches into his face, his gut—anywhere he could reach.
Daemon had no interest in dragging out this fight.
It meant nothing to him.
After a brutal series of blows—
After tearing into his opponent—
Daemon's fists were stained red with Frey's blood.
BZZZZT
BZZZZZT
Crackles of lightning burst around him as he finally pulled back—
Leaving Frey embedded in the shattered wall.
The audience watched ...
Then erupted into cheers for Daemon.
A display of overwhelming power,
Just as they had expected.
Fulfilling every expectation.
Ada's face darkened.
Iris Sunlight shook his head slowly.
"What a shame..."
Frey Starlight ..
The boy who had reached heights his peers could only dream of ...
Yet with such limited potential ..
Now standing against Daemon Valerion,
Blessed from the moment of his birth.
Fate had been brutally cruel to that young man.
In Iris's eyes ..
The match was already over.
And everyone agreed with him.
Even Daemon knew he had already won.
But the match—
Wasn't finished yet.
From amidst the rubble—
Frey rose, his head drenched in blood.
The audience stared in disbelief as the battered boy stood once more.
"You're still able to fight?"
Daemon asked with a frown.
Meanwhile—
Frey chuckled, blood streaming into his eyes, blurring his vision.
"Yeah… I guess I should thank you."
His thoughts had been spiraling recently—
After witnessing Snow's overwhelming strength,
Frey had been trapped in a whirlpool of negative emotions ...
Drifting aimlessly, lost in despair.
"Thanks to you… I've finally come back to my senses.
After all that beating you gave me..."
"What bullshit are you spouting?"
Daemon couldn't understand what he was talking about.
But Frey didn't care.
He didn't need to explain anything to his enemies.
He only needed to crush them.
"Let's continue!"
With a violent stomp of his foot—
Frey surged forward, shrouded in a whirlwind of dark aura.
Daemon answered immediately—
Gathering dark lightning aura once more.
BOOOOM!!!
Again—
They clashed at terrifying speeds.
The black arcs of energy Frey launched—
Colliding with the lightning rockets fired from Daemon's crushing fists.
This time—
Frey fought with greater efficiency.
Greater power.
His sword reached his opponent—
Leaving wounds across Daemon's body.
Daemon now found himself needing not just to attack—
But to defend.
Still—
With his perfect physique ..
And his ability to fight from every position ..
Daemon remained overwhelming.
Once again ...
His blows smashed Frey's body even further.
Locked in a storm of slashes and punches—
Frey staggered violently.
"You can't defeat me!"
In a single decisive moment—
Daemon broke through Frey's guard,
Sending him flying.
He immediately followed up—
Leaping high into the air, gathering crackling lightning around himself.
"Thunderclap Strike!"
Daemon came crashing down upon Frey like a meteor ...
Burying him deep into the ground amidst a vortex of lightning.
Amid the rising dust and devastation—
Daemon pulled back, taking a deep breath.
He had completely crushed him this time.
That was how it should have ended.
But ...
Frey emerged again—
Swinging his right arm, the one still holding his sword—
Covered in dirt and blood—
Grinning like a madman.
"Why the hell are you smiling ?"
Daemon asked, thrown off by the sight.
"If you won't come to me..."
Frey charged forward again.
"Then I'll come to you!"
"You bastard!!"
Once more—
They collided violently.
This time ...
Black dragon heads gathered around Daemon's fists ..
As he struck with devastating force.
Meanwhile ..
Frey unleashed the full extent of his Ten Thousand Steps of Shadow technique.
That footwork ..
Allowed him to fight Daemon head-on.
Daemon clenched his teeth,
Releasing a battle roar that surpassed even the rage of furious beasts.
His fists rained down at impossible speeds. .
Like a rocket launcher with infinite ammunition.
Storms of black lightning engulfed the arena ..
Tearing through it ..
Breaking it apart ..
And mercilessly battering Frey's body.
Daemon cared for nothing now—
Except crushing his opponent.
All or nothing.
In pure strength ..
He was far superior.
He should crush him.
He should obliterate him.
Frey shouldn't have been able to endure even a second against him.
"Dragon Gate."
Daemon Valerion's ultimate strength.
He grabbed Frey's face and smashed him brutally into the ground,
Dragging him all the way to the edge of the barrier.
With Frey's head pinned in his grip—
The sky darkened above them,
As Daemon summoned a raging storm of lightning—
Which crashed down, enveloping both their bodies.
"Let's see you get up after this…"
BOOOOOOM!!!
The blast erased everything around them—
Leaving Daemon standing there,
Still holding Frey's face aloft.
Daemon panted heavily—
Convinced it was over.
But then—
The burning pain from his abdomen jolted him back to reality.
Frey's sword—
Had pierced him.
Not deeply ..
Daemon had tensed his muscles just in time to stop the blade from driving further in.
But it was there.
Immediately, he threw Frey aside.
Frey Starlight ..
Rose again.
Wounded.
Burned.
His body caked in dirt and blood.
Yet—
Even to the bitter end—
He had prevented any fatal blows from landing.
He had taken everything else gladly.
Daemon stared at his opponent through labored breaths.
Frey—
Began walking toward him again.