Baal and Agares gaped at Zeke's words.
It was shocking enough that a human had brazenly uttered their true names. But to declare that he would take on both Archdemons at once was utter madness.
Provoked, Baal and Agares leaped to their feet.
"You filthy human scum!" "I'll crush you in an instant!" Rumble!
They had participated in the Grand Lords' council in Avatar Bodies, their powers restricted to maintain balance. Even so, their immense auras surged like a storm, shaking the entire hall.
Zeke stood unmoved on the dais, facing the combined pressure of the two Archdemons without flinching.
Mephistopheles, seated at the head, watched the scene with evident amusement.
At that moment, Asmodeus—the Lord of Unyielding Fiery Passion—opened his eyes, which had been closed until then. His beastly gaze flashed toward Mephistopheles as he spoke in a chilling tone.
"Demon Archlord, what scheme are you plotting by using that human?"
Mephistopheles shook his head at Asmodeus's question.
"A scheme? I've never plotted anything like that. It's exactly as I told you all. I wanted to see the successor in person and, if he proves worthy, acknowledge him as a Grand Lord to stabilize the Demon Realm. That's it."
Asmodeus's eyes narrowed at Mephistopheles's words.
Even before his fall, when he was known as the celestial constellation Azazel, Mephistopheles had been a master of intrigue. Asmodeus knew his nature well and couldn't easily let his guard down.
As he eyed Mephistopheles suspiciously, a massive crash echoed from the side.
Boom!
Baal and Agares had charged forward, utterly demolishing the dais where Zeke had stood.
The two Archdemons grew even more battle-hungry in their Tuma Tribe hosts than in their true forms. Red and blue Demonic Aura swirled wildly around their bodies.
"Human! I'll kill you!"
"I'll tear you apart and devour the soul of the Arrogant Savior within you!" Mephistopheles rose with a chuckle.
"It seems those two won't be satisfied until they test the successor themselves. We'll need a proper stage for that."
In the form of a noble lady, Mephistopheles's mystical violet eyes gleamed as he snapped his fingers.
The surroundings shifted in an instant.
Thud!
The conference room vanished, replaced by a traditional Demon Realm fighting pit.
Mephistopheles, Asmodeus, and the Lord of the Abyss took seats in the spectator stands above the pit, while Zeke, Baal, and Agares faced off in the arena below.
The change to the fighting pit only fueled Baal and Agares's excitement, their Demonic Aura surging anew.
Whoosh!
A powerful Demonic Aura storm swept through the area.
Zeke calmly drew Laevatein, watching them.
Agares stepped forward first. "I'll smash that arrogant fool myself." Baal ground his teeth and shouted.
"What nonsense! I'll be the one to kill him!"
The two Archdemons snarled, refusing to yield, both eager to strike first. Zeke spoke up.
"Don't waste time. Come at me together."
Baal and Agares's faces twisted in fury at Zeke's words.
It was only natural; he had insulted the pride of the two most battle-thirsty Grand Lords.
Agares exhaled blue breath and growled at Baal.
"Grrr! Fine! I won't hold back this time. Just make sure you kill him completely!" Baal stepped forward with a sinister grin.
Thud!
Baal ruled the ever-warlike Tuma Tribe as its Archdemon.
His massively swollen muscles and ominous Demonic Aura suggested his Avatar Body was at least that of a top-tier demon.
Staring down Zeke, Baal assumed a stance.
His muscles bulged as he unleashed a straight punch toward Zeke.
Boom!
Unlike the wild Demonic Aura that had clawed at the surroundings earlier, this was a serene, silent fist strike hurtling straight at Zeke.
Instinctively, Zeke raised Laevatein into a defensive stance from the Dragon Slaying Technique and blocked Baal's punch.
Boom!
Baal's fist strike exploded around Zeke's body, canceling out the impact.
But when Zeke looked up after the block, Baal had vanished from before him.
'No presence.'
In that moment of surprise, Baal's red bulk burst from Zeke's blind spot.
Boom!
Another refined punch, laced with Demonic Aura, targeted Zeke's vital point.
Zeke twisted away with Gale Technique, dodging the strike.
Boom!
The air tore with a deafening roar where Baal's fist passed.
Retreating, Zeke analyzed the sensation from the punch.
'It's not Demonic Qi Art.'
Incredibly, Baal attacked with purely human-like fist techniques.
Realizing how to counter him, Zeke tried to gather his power. But shockingly, a backlash of causality erupted from his body.
Crackle!
It seemed the unstable dimension had imposed its own power restriction to maintain temporary stability.
'Using a constellation's Authority here comes with severe limitations.' Then, Mephistopheles's voice whispered in Zeke's ear.
[Get your head in the game. Baal takes his martial arts seriously. Mess up, and you could die here.]
Gripping his sword tighter at Mephistopheles's warning, Zeke summoned the energy of Chaos Field.
Rumble!
As the power that neutralized constellation Authorities rippled forth, Baal extended his fist with an intrigued expression.
"Kuhahaha! Just as that old fogey said—you're quite the entertaining one!"
Baal's laughter cut off abruptly. He drew his arm to his chest, took a deep breath, and assumed a rider stance.
Huuu!
With the breath, his body swelled even larger.
Rumble!
It felt as if his flesh had turned into a heavy, unyielding lump of metal.
Zeke realized this transformation wasn't a constellation Authority and felt admiration.
'To wield such power through martial arts alone, without Authority.' Mephistopheles's words about Baal's seriousness rang true.
Baal's form blurred and vanished from sight.
Whoosh!
A residual image lingered as his fist appeared right before Zeke's face.
Zeke retreated with Gale Technique, deflecting the punch aside and countering with a strike to Baal's side.
Thwack!
The Chaos Field-infused blade hit precisely, but instead of penetration, a rebound like striking iron jolted up Zeke's arm.
'Without Authority, Chaos Field is useless against him.' Baal spun back, crouching low before charging straight at Zeke.
Whoosh!
The solid, iron-like rush was threatening in itself.
Zeke released Chaos Field and aimed Laevatein at the oncoming Baal.
Hummm!
A powerful sword resonance rang from his blade as a sword materialized in his mind.
Shiiiing.
A Heart-Sword domain spread from where Zeke stood.
Baal, charging forward, sensed the extending domain and halted abruptly.
Whoosh!
He retreated warily, resuming his breathing and rider stance.
"Keh heh, so you're not here just on dumb luck, human brat."
If Zeke had relied solely on the Arrogant Savior's soul power from some fluke, Baal would have torn him apart on the spot.
But since Zeke met his martial prowess with swordsmanship, Baal felt a thrill at the prospect of a worthy fight after so long.
Demonkind battles were brute clashes of power, leaving Baal—who craved diverse techniques and skills—unsatisfied.
Baal continued breathing, extending one fist forward while keeping the other at his waist, lowering his stance.
Agares shook his head in disgust.
"Hah, what a spectacle."
Though he said that, Agares realized Baal was taking Zeke seriously and watched their duel with interest.
Baal, emanating menace in his stance, resembled a snarling demon statue forged from molten iron.
Baal advanced slowly, encroaching into Zeke's Heart-Sword domain.
Rumble!
Zeke sensed Baal methodically eroding the domain bit by bit, realizing his martial realm surpassed imagination.
Zeke poured all his focus into maintaining the Heart-Sword domain, sword raised against Baal.
The two stared each other down, virtually motionless.
Rumble!
The standoff dragged on tediously without action, but none present voiced complaint.
They were all transcendents capable of perceiving the invisible, fierce domain struggle unfolding.
Crackle!
At some point, where their domains overlapped, dimensional ripples caused a rift.
It appeared as empty space, but an intense battle raged there as each invaded the other's territory.
Unable to withstand the two transcendents' power, the dimension tore.
In that instant, Zeke and Baal surged forward.
Boom!
Rumble!
At the rift, Zeke's sword clashed with Baal's fist.
Boom boom boom!
The collision widened the rift, unleashing a massive plasma storm within.
Crackle!
The entire fighting pit filled with intense plasma.
Mephistopheles stroked his cheek with a smile, intrigued.
"Haa, tearing the dimension mid-fight. Impressive."
Beside him, Asmodeus silently glared at the pit with beastly eyes, while the Lord of the Abyss watched impassively.
Rumble!
As the plasma subsided, Zeke and Baal reappeared at the pit's center.
Shiiiing.
Baal's arm blocked Zeke's sword, while Zeke's palm stopped Baal's fist below.
They had exchanged blows simultaneously.
Baal's brow twitched as he looked down at Zeke, then leaped back.
Thud!
Baal rolled his neck and clicked his tongue, turning to Mephistopheles.
"Damn it, Demon Archlord, I don't like your plan, but fine! A deal's a deal. I acknowledge him!"
Having clashed directly with Zeke's sword, Baal surprisingly admitted he was the Arrogant Savior's successor.
Baal's form faded from the pit and reappeared in the spectator stands among the other Grand Lords.
Mephistopheles snapped his fingers with a grin, conjuring a throne fitting Baal's bulk.
Thud!
Baal sat, still gripping his fist tightly, excitement unspent.
'Pushing further would shred this hard-won Avatar Body. And this domain would vanish too.'
Regretful, but continuing would be foolish. Baal resolved to summon Zeke to his own domain someday for a proper brawl.
Then Agares descended into the pit.
Thud!
Having watched the fight from below, Agares addressed Zeke.
"Nice show of mediocrity, human."
Famed as a martial artist like Baal, Agares ignited his Demonic Aura with a cruel grin.
"Sadly, unlike Baal, I have no interest in weak human martial arts. For demonkind, it's all about power! Prove yourself with raw strength!" With that, Agares's body began to transform.
Rumble!
It grew larger, sprouting three pairs of wings wreathed in blue flames from his back. His limbs elongated, and tough scales emerged on his skin.
'Hm?'
Zeke furrowed his brow slightly. Agares's changed form resembled a hybrid of dragon and human. 'A dragonkin?' Whoosh!
Agares, flames flickering across his body, declared to Zeke.
"Human, I don't know what you're scheming with the Demon Archlord, but I'll burn your pathetic shell and everything else to ash."