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nIris’ red crystal armor seemed to screech. Her very movements were reminiscent of nails scratching across chalk boards.

nBoth of her eyes had become an abyss of dark red as blood seeped from them. Whatever it is she was doing, was at a massive detriment to herself. But, she no longer cared.

nIn the distance, in the same section as the Ragnor and Cavositas, the Matriarch of the Ipsum auxiliary clan shook violently. She knew all too well what this technique was.

nThere was a reason Iris, despite being such a genius, only knew a single will. Red crystal will wasn’t natural. It was fostered through blood sacrifice and often required rituals of untold pain to advance in. That said, in exchange for that, you were able to grasp a will that was infinitesimally close to being a supreme law.

nBut, that was only the case while it was still at the level of a will. When this will stepped into the level of an intent… It underwent a conformational change.

nAs a created will, red crystal will worked much like a technique. It had steps of mastery that provided better rewards. Unlike natural wills that often only improved in power output, red crystals changed their fundamental nature.

nUnfortunately for Iris, that wasn’t what was occurring for her. She had artificially boosted her will to an intent by using a sacrificial technique. As such, she gained the power boost associated, but, none of the fundamental nature change.

nDyon’s two pairs of wings flapped in the skies as he looked down on Iris’ still falling figure. His shirt had burst apart, revealing his bandaged sides, but he had grown used to ignoring that searing pain inside of him. After taking Madeleine’s virginity, the pain at his side has severely lessened due to the increase in his body cultivation. But, it seemed a full heal would only be possible if he broke into the saint body level. Something that was very much impossible for now.

n“I’m glad you’ve decided to go all out.” Dyon’s voice penetrated through the screeches, seemingly effortlessly.

nIn the Sapientia box, Ester snapped her head up. After centuries of working with music will, how could she not tell what was going on. “Intent level music…”

n“This way,” Dyon continued. “I’ll hear less excuses.”

nIris didn’t seem to be in a healthy state of mind. The bleeding from her eyes only increased as time passed and her crystal armor was beginning to crack and her demeanor was crumbling under Dyon’s powerful voice. But, the staff she held in her hand seemed to be glowing more and more feverishly.

n“Act 1. Stage 3. Demon Emperor’s Will. Perfection.”

nThe veins of gold raged through Dyon’s body, his muscles increasing a size before condensing. His skin seared red as the beating of his heart grew so robust that it could be heard by everyone in attendance.

nThe eyes of Patriarch Pakal narrowed. “That technique… Caedlum.”

n“Yes, father?”

n“Did you say you knew this boy?”

n“Yes.”

n“I believe you said you owed him? Did you give him one of our techniques as compensation?”

n“Of course not. My life was never in any real danger because I didn’t enter the legacy tower along with the others. I was trying to learn demonic will because it was a good opportunity. Unfortunately, I failed. That said, it is because of him we found the whereabouts of the blood sacrifice technique.”

nThe brows of the Patriarch furrowed. ‘Am I wrong?…’

nDyon stood like a Devilish King in the air. In response to the technique, his hair had grown out wildly, whipping about viciously in the wind.

nFirst level wills began to spin around him. Sword will. Space will. Time will. Wind will. Celestial will. Demonic will.

nBlack and silver clashed.

nThe arena beneath Iris’ feet burst under her, sending tears through the earth as her weight multiplied again and again.

nHer screeches increased in protest. The pace of the accumulating red light quickened, sending an eerie feeling through the stadium.

nSword, wind, celestial and space will wrapped around Dyon’s arm, spinning viciously as he flashed forward.

nThe impact of the flap of his wings was unprecedented. A crater spanning hundreds of meters appeared below his feet, creating an abyss that one could barely see the end of.

nIn an instant, Dyon appeared in front of the screeching witch as her staff screamed toward him.

nDyon’s fist ripped through the air, shattering the crystal that held Iris’ accumulated power.

nA stream of blood coated the surroundings as Iris cried out in agony.

nMatriarch Ipsum stood violently. “Impossible!”

nDyon’s fist, though, didn’t seem intent on stopping. It careened toward Iris’ torso, tearing through her red crystal armor.

nIris flew backward, her ribs cracking once again.

n“You know.” Dyon spoke, his eyes flashing causing a brilliant purple gold defensive array to abruptly stop Iris’ momentum as his will coated fist slammed into her again. “I find it funny when you nobles think your lives are the only ones that matter.”

nDyon’s defensive array shattered against the strength of his fist, but another appeared just as quickly, catching Iris’ momentum yet again.

n“Because I seem to remember,” Dyon’s fist pummeled into Iris’ once delicate face, “My life being threatened by eleven of you so-called nobles.”

nDyon’s gravity will slammed Iris downward, landing her squarely on his viscious kick.

nQueen Acacia cringed even as she giggled, “It seems it’s not too good to make our son in law angry, no husband?”

nKing Acacia’s lip twitched, but he didn’t respond.

n“In my estimation.” Dyon’s wings flapped, catching him up to Iris’ flying figure in an instant. “You’re all quite lucky I only killed one of you.”

nDyon’s body rotated as he flexed his torso to the extreme. His heel jetted forward, graced by wind will that increased even as he spun faster.

nFirst level. Fourth level. Ninth Level.

nA sickening crack reverberated through the arena as Dyon’s foot nearly caved Iris’ skull inward.

nHer body flew downward so quickly that a dense fire began coating her.

nBut, it didn’t seem like Dyon had had enough. His body flashed forward before he coat Iris by her throat.

n“Stop! You’ve won!” Matriarch Ipsum sent a message directly to Dyon. She couldn’t afford to anger Patriarch Ragnor, so this was her only option.

n“And then you want to talk about how it’s my fault you aren’t in the top ten.” Dyon didn’t seem to hear anything. “You’re at least 40 years old. Maybe even 50. You think after all those accumulated campaign years that a single year is the reason you aren’t in the top ten?” Dyon’s grip tightened on Iris’ throat as her nearly lifeless body hung in the air.

nThe crowd didn’t even properly register what they were seeing. Was this real?

nDyon’s eyes flashed with gold as an array wrapped around Iris’ neck and lifted her into the air. Then, with another flashed, the arena was completely fixed. It was as though nothing had happened.

nAn annoyed look appeared on Dyon’s face as he suddenly noticed he had hair in his eyes. “How annoying.” With a single sweep of his sword will, his hair was once again as short as it had been.

n“You.” Dyon pointed out and into the crowd as he picked up his sword.

nEveryone looked around confused. What did he mean ‘You’.

nBut, that was when a sudden realization hit them all… Dyon wanted to continue challenging…

nElder Den’s face twitched. What was he supposed to do about this?

nThe monitors flickered. The Cowardly Demon’s name shot upward.

nThe Cowardly Demon – 2pts

nThe person Dyon pointed at didn’t know how to feel. Was he really supposed to go up now? It wasn’t as though he was weak. He was number 97 on the cumulative rankings. But, how could that possibly compare with Iris?

nHe shook his head, vehemently, “I forfeit.”

nThe Cowardly Demon – 4pts

n“You.” Dyon pointed again. This time toward a woman. Ranked 72nd. In an act that was of no surprise to anyone, she too shook her head.

nThe Cowardly Demon – 8pts

n“You.”

nThe Cowardly Demon – 11pts

n“You.”

nThe Cowardly Demon – 16pts

n“You.”

nThe Cowardly Demon – 21pts

nSuddenly, the crowd understood what was happening. But, before anyone could say anything. Dyon began challenging those top nine rankers twice to take away the rest of their points. After all, there was a cap of 5pts per battle. But, did they dare to battle Dyon?

nIn the end…

nThe Cowardly Demon – 55pts

nIris’ unconscious body had been challenged by Dyon 3 times. And because she was unfit to battle, they were deemed as automatic losses for her.

nOthers may have thought of taking advantage of this too. But, did they dare to provoke Dyon in such a way?

nEveryone could only watch as Dyon made a fool of the proceedings. He wiped out the top 9 on his own and had practically gifted eight warriors a spot in the top 100 they didn’t deserve. All to prove a point.

nClara rolled her eyes, “And to think I was worried for you. Still the same arrogant ass hat.”

nThe Elvin girls giggled, very much used to both Dyon and Clara’s personalities by now.

nAfter accumulating 55 points to himself. Dyon turned his gaze back to Iris who was still hanging by her neck before snorting and dropping her. ‘You crippled your own self.’

nDyon leisurely leaped off the stage, releasing his Demon Emperor’s Will as he was greeted by tens of bitter faces.

n“Oh? Are you all angry with me?” Dyon’s smile had come back. He was nothing like he had been.

nCries of agreement rang out, especially from the top nine excluding Iris, of course.

n“Even if you had a grudge with Iris, why did you have to take it out on us too! Now we’re eliminated!” Using the mob to gain courage, one of the rankers spoke out.

nDyon started laughing, “You want to be mad at me? How about you be angry with the organizers who saw it fit to put me here in a group with people at this level?”

nThe rankers froze. If Dyon had said these same words just a few minutes ago, they would have been taken as a joke… But now? Could he really have earned his number one spot?

n“To call me the cowardly demon? The Cavositas clown clan is nothing but that.”

nElder Den’s features steeled at Dyon’s words.

nHowever, there was a single person who had rage building up that surpassed just about anyone else.

nThe earth quaked and rumbled under his every step. He was a massive man, standing at four meters tall. His jaw line was so large that who looked almost like an ogre, having both the size and muscle mass to be.

nFemi Geb. Rank 11. True rank 10.

nDyon raised an eyebrow as this massive figure stood before him. The earth seemed to want to pull Dyon in and his weight seemed to increase with the glare of this massive man.

n‘A pseudo gravity will? Interesting.’ Dyon thought this even as his feet sunk into the earth below him, making him seem even shorter than he was already was.

nThe reason he was angry was obvious. He had spent his entire career within the top ten until he got the shock of a lifetime just a few months ago.

nThat anger didn’t dissipate even when he found out that Dyon was likely a cheater, it only made him want to crush this so-called genius.

nBut now Dyon was practically spitting in his face. Calling the organizers clowns was just like saying him being in the top 10 was nothing more than a joke. That he hadn’t earned his spot. And that if the Cavositas were intelligent, he would be kicked out.

n“Do you need something?” Dyon’s eyes flashed, clearly unperturbed by the height difference.

n“I came here to make sure that I was the one you challenged for a spot in the top ten.” His voice was deep and coarse, as though there were rocks rubbing against each other in his throat.

n“And why would I do that?”

n“Are you a coward?”

nDyon scratched an itch on the back of his neck, “Why would fighting someone who doesn’t deserve to be in the top ten prove my bravery one way or the other?”

nFemi Geb’s veins bulged. The reddening of his skin.

n“My plan was to challenge the fake number one from the beginning. I’m not here to entertain you people nor do I care about building up your suspense.”

nFake number one?

nSuddenly everyone understood exactly what Dyon meant. He had never planned on attacking the top ten’s weakest link and hoping for the best. No. He had wanted to crush Lionel Belmont from the very beginning. He didn’t want to hold anything in suspense nor did he care to.

nKing Belmont sent a glance toward his son but could only sigh when he saw the same deadpan expression he always did. At first, he had wanted Dyon to prove himself worthy of Madeleine by beating his son. But, Dyon had not only proven that he had no need to fake rankings, he had also slipped away with Madeleine right under his nose. King Belmont had little doubt in his heart that Madeleine’s virginity was gone and he had no control over the matter.

nAnd now this child had no qualms about publicly slapping the royal clan in their faces. But, could Belmont blame him? As a king all he had done was allow his subjects to slander someone who was just a boy at the end of the day. King Belmont had little doubt that had he been Dyon back in the day, or had King Acacia or Big Red been, they would be reacting in this exact same way.

nDyon brushed by Femi. He had no intention of wasting anymore of his time here. But, he then said something that made Dyon freeze.

n“Don’t blame me for making things difficult on your wives and friends then.”

nDyon turned his head back. “Excuse me?”

nFemi suddenly felt as though he had fallen into an abyssal hell. But, as an experienced warrior, he wouldn’t let a look perturb him to the point of showing visible proof.

n“I just mean that their brackets are coming up soon. And sure, they’re very powerful. But, this system allows for chain challenges, no? Planet Deimos has quite a few in these later rounds. It would be a shame if they didn’t make it to the top 100 because they were too tired to.”

nBlack flames danced in Dyon’s eyes.

nThis Femi character wanted to make use of the same challenge abuse Dyon had used to force Ri and Madeleine into multiple back to back battles.

n“And say they get hurt.” Femi’s eyes get a sinister glow. “Accidents happen after all. A few small cuts. And maybe they end up more than hurt. Maybe even dead.”

nDyon suddenly held out a finger. No one knew what he was doing, but for those paying attention, he was clearly pointing toward the Belmont-Sicarius skybox that housed his in laws.

nWhy? He was very clearly saying he’d handle it.

nQueen Acacia’s blue-silver tails slowly dissipated in the air. Had Dyon not done what he had, she would have flown out with speeds even faster than she had before. She hadn’t seen her daughter in eleven years. She didn’t care what war it started, but she wouldn’t let anyone threaten Ri in front of her.

n“Do you know the difference between you and Iris?” Dyon said faintly.

n“She was weak. Imagine thinking you could have been in the top ten with such pitiful cultivation and only a single mastered will.”

n“No.” Dyon replied. “The difference is that I’ll be killing you.”

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