The moment Asmodeus finished speaking, the cat-man dashed forward. His steps caused slight tremors in the ground while his spear twirled and thrust forward at Asmodeus. The tip almost penetrated his throat in the blink of an eye.
'What?!'
'Damn... he just had to be an agility type...'
CLANG—!
A flicker of steel and a loud clash echoed.
The power of both men caused the ground to crack, a small crater forming beneath their feet. Asmodeus used his left fist to throw a punch at the cat's face.
"Bastard, don't move around!"
Baku twirled in a circle, avoiding his fist, before sweeping at Asmodeus, trying to trip him. The demon king growled, letting several mana barriers form, blocking the spear with a loud smash.
A sound like glass shattering.
Despite his seven layers of shields, the tiger's blow still partially broke through, and in retaliation, Asmodeus chopped at the tiger with his axe.
"Tsk... young one, why are you so crafty!"
"Old man don't act innocent!"
Woosh!
Asmodeus swung his axe, tearing apart the hidden wind blades. Baku tried to attack him sneakily while speaking.
The two met and stood facing each other with a slight smirk on their lips. It felt good—Asmodeus felt a sense of nostalgia like when fighting his mother, and Baku wondered if this was what having a grandchild growing up would feel like.
"I'm coming to get you Baku!"
"Gyahahah! Come boy!"
Asmodeus lifted his hand and gathered a large amount of blood mana at his fingertip while Baku's mouth sucked in the surrounding wind mana.
A swirling ball rapidly grew and compacted as Asmodeus showed a twisted smile; the old tiger also seemed to have a distorted grin while sucking a raging sphere of mana into his throat.
They threw their spells at the same moment before a red beam of light fired towards Baku and a massive ball of wind flung towards Asmodeus.
"Howl of the Tiger God!"
'This dumb old man calling out the name of his technique!'
Both attacks clashed, and a shockwave exploded. Baku leapt into the sky in a hurry to avoid the blood beam cutting through his spell and absorbing the mana inside.
However, Asmodeus slowly lifted the beam, cutting through the sky and clouds, which created a loud explosion in the distance. One of the small mountains split in half.
"YOU DAMN CHEATER!" Baku shouted, looking at the beam slicing off some of his whiskers. He turned towards Asmodeus, who was suddenly upon him, axe in tow.
"You dumb tiger! What are you doing!"
Asmodeus slammed the axe on the spear, sparks flew. He felt irritated that the old man held back and seemed to have underestimated him. Thus, with his left hand, he touched the face of the tiger while their weapons locked together.
"Blood NOVA!"
"Wha!?"
BANG——!
A blood-red explosion filled the sky.
Then, a loud flash followed, creating an immense force driving both bodies apart. After the attack, the old tiger fell to the ground with his face and upper body burned from the explosion.
However, the demon king didn't come unscathed, for the power he wielded also struck him. His hand became a burnt mess while the tiger's counterattack sent him flying, destroying multiple trees that got in his path.
"Guh...."
"Ah... My face, my beautiful face..."
They stood up, blood dripping and tears falling from the cat's face.
"God damn, this old geezer!"
'How? What did he do?!'
"You fucking brat! I'll crush you!"
The demon king felt a sense of confusion about how his magic damaged himself. The counter destroyed the exoskeleton, protecting his left arm and burning him with a throbbing pain travelling down it.
Yet before he could react, the tiger's claw sliced through the air and ripped open his chest. He discovered the old man's eyes had changed and now seemed to be serious.
Then, he followed up with a brutal kick into the stomach of Asmodeus, sending him shooting into the air.
Asmodeus chuckled.
"Then let's fight!"
***
A loud series of explosions filled Baku's secret world. The mountains and grass were now a burned mess, cracked and destroyed, and nothing remained the same.
BOOM! CRASH—!
"Oof! UGH!"
"ARGH! HAAAAAAA!"
"Gyahahaha! Come on, young blood!"
They fought for nearly three hours straight. Neither remained in perfect condition. Asmodeus now had one horn missing and destroyed, while half of Baku was bald, with his right arm missing.
Their eyes burned with fire and the delight of battle.
"Haa....haa...ha....haa..."
Baku felt this monster was too terrifying. He didn't seem tired after fighting with magic or physical fights. There was a sense that with each exchange, the damn kid learned more of his techniques and weaknesses. It was a feeling of dread for an ageing tiger.
"You monster... how can you keep growing..."
'Baku, if we lose this fight without going all out... then what was it all for?' Asmodeus asked himself in his head, but his mind didn't stop moving.
He analysed everything he could of Baku during their battle, learning what type of individual he was.
This ability was the main advantage Asmodeus gained over time—his intelligence and instinct grew to new heights during battles. Only improved by his Bloodline. He felt he could see a bit more with each moment longer they fought each other.
"One more... one more clash..."
Baku's words were desperate; he didn't have the endless vitality of his younger self, and Asmodeus could sense it... that was something he wanted, too. The spirit beast, maybe it would have won in the distant past...
'I was born too late.'
'One more clash... Then I won't hold back!'
The two were breathing hard, and it looked like they would die, for they didn't stop... no... the battle could only end by both their deaths.
Baku grinned, and so did Asmodeus; their bodies swirled with the last of their mana.
Asmodeus pushed both hands together and cupped them towards Baku while the tiger squatted and began to suck in the surrounding mana.
An intense vortex of magic began to swirl around the pair. It seemed their clash wouldn't end until one of them killed the other.
A deadly sphere of mana filled his hands. At the same time, a raging storm swirled within Baku's body.
"This will be our..."
"Final Strike!"
Their voices echoed at the same moment.
The crackle of bloody energy filled the air while a storm rumbled.
A bright flash and immense pressure spread from their bodies as they slammed their magic against one another.
'As the True Heir of Byakuya's power, this magic, our last resort and divine punishment for enemies who cross the children of Byakuya.'
—WHITE LIGHTNING!
Lightning flashed, hitting the sphere in the sky above Asmodeus, who was looking at his hand. Baku seemed to have passed out while standing, a hole in the tiger's stomach.
However, his spell continued, striking down on Asmodeus like a divine hammer! Baku didn't even care to watch, knowing his end was near, and even without a head, his spell would kill his enemy!
BZZT—!
An enormous crackle rang through the air as lightning from his sphere in the sky shot down, but Asmodeus didn't seem to care... the lightning connected, striking the demon king. The explosion shook the land, creating a blinding flash.
The last clash ended with two bodies falling slowly... smoke billowing up while their eyes faded from the light of life. But the moment the tiger hit the ground... Asmodeus stuck out his leg and remained standing while breathing hard!
"Fuck... that was fun.... old man...."
The next moment he collapsed and closed his eyes, reverting to his half-demon form.
[Congratulations!]
[Demon King - Level 65 -> 70]
[Fallen Angel - Level 80 -> 90]