It's amazing how much power I can feel coming from that knight. A pillar of divine energy rises from his body, and I know exactly what that power means.
Although I honestly don't know the exact requirements to achieve it, summoning a deity—or even just a fragment of one—is no easy feat. Your body has to endure an unimaginable burden just to manifest it, unless you have some artifact to reduce the strain.
The moment the pillar of divine energy vanished, there he stood—the silver knight. His sword and armor blazed with golden flames, and an uneasy feeling crept over me.
Being a demon, that divine energy is practically poison to me. I can endure it to a certain extent, but that doesn't make it any less dangerous.
"Perish," he said before disappearing from my sight.
I leapt forward just in time to dodge the swing of his greatsword. For a moment, I thought I had escaped unscathed—but I hadn't. A burning pain seared across my back, as if an invisible cut had been carved into my flesh. Worse, it was interfering with my regeneration. If that was just a graze from his energy, I don't even want to know what a direct hit would do to my body.
Twisting midair, I landed firmly on the ground. The silver knight stomped forward, charging at me with his sword raised high.
His speed and strength are nothing remarkable—but that sword is no joke.
"I suppose I can't take him lightly," I muttered.
I began circulating energy through my body without letting it leak out, forming an ice sword in each hand. They were slightly shorter than standard blades, but that made them sturdier—concentrating more energy into a smaller size naturally increased their durability.
When his divine-powered greatsword came down, I intercepted it with my right-hand blade, deflecting it to the side. My sword shattered instantly upon contact, but I used the momentum to launch my left-hand blade toward his torso. A golden membrane blocked it.
I had expected that—it was never going to be that easy.
I retreated several meters, glancing at my right arm. It was numb, trembling slightly. When I looked back, the knight was still attacking in silence. Was he even conscious anymore?
He suddenly raised a hand to the sky, summoning several orbs of light that shot toward me. They were easy enough to dodge, but the shockwaves still grazed me.
"This energy is really starting to irritate me," I thought. My body burned with even the slightest touch of it.
I couldn't go all out inside the city—a single wrong move, and the entire place could be reduced to rubble.
"In that case, I just need to take him out of the city."
Letting energy overflow from my body, a violet aura engulfed me, forming a barrier against the divine energy of his sword. It wouldn't block everything, but it would be enough.
I kicked off the ground with all my strength, forming a massive ice mace in my hands. The silver knight failed to react in time, and the blow sent him flying. Without wasting a second, three Leviathan-shaped ice heads appeared around me, firing beams of sky-blue energy that struck him dead-on, knocking him far beyond the city limits.
I immediately gave chase.
From above, I saw the north and east sides of the city in ruins—buildings reduced to rubble or engulfed in flames, explosions echoing in the distance. People ran in all directions, desperate to escape. The south side, however, remained almost untouched.
I focused back on my target.
The silver knight's body tumbled through the air until it smashed into a mountain peak, sending a massive cloud of dust into the sky.
"Tell me, demon—why do you protect humans?"
The voice that spoke was deep, androgynous, and laced with hostility. The dust cloud vanished instantly, revealing the silver knight, golden flames still burning around him, completely unscathed.
"I'm not protecting the humans," I replied, keeping my guard up.
"Then what is this supposed to mean?" The voice didn't sound like his own.
"You're attacking the city I live in. Did you really think I'd just stand by and watch?" I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm.
He—or rather, she—sighed and removed the helmet.
I froze. Beneath the armor was a stunning woman with platinum blonde hair and piercing blue eyes, though her gaze radiated hostility.
"Hm? It didn't work?" she muttered.
"So, you're a woman?" I asked cautiously.
"You didn't fall for me," she said, sounding dissatisfied.
I had to admit she was beautiful—but nothing compared to Lilith, Anastasia, Aisha, or Harriet.
"Sorry, but you're not my type," I said flatly.
A wave of killing intent hit me, sending a shiver down my spine.
"Ha… I see. Is that so?"
Her blue eyes darkened, locking onto mine.
You've got to be kidding me. Another lunatic? Did I really hurt her pride that much?
"This is the first time in my memory…" She smiled—a sharp, twisted smile.
"That I've ever been told I'm 'not all that.' Since when has my beauty been questioned?! I am Aine, Goddess of War and Beauty—a flower even the gods cannot touch! And you, a mere mortal, dare say I'm not all that?! You're blind!"
"My wife and my companions are far more beautiful than you," I replied without hesitation.
Her face hardened. "Fine. If that's how you want it, you leave me no choice. I'll have to descend. A god's pride is not a game."
A new pillar of divine energy shot up from her body, reaching the heavens—only to vanish instantly.
"What the hell?" I muttered.
"Shame… I'm sealed. Still, this should be enough—it was worth sacrificing that bastard," she said.
Her armor was gone now, replaced by a white dress with black accents and a black belt, from which hung a sheer fabric that draped most of her leg.
"You're pretty spoiled, aren't you?" I remarked without thinking.
"Shut up!"
She lunged toward me, a silver rapier materializing in her hand. Her power had increased, but I could handle it.
"I don't have to hold back anymore," I told myself.
Dodging the rapier's tip, I seized her wrist and slammed her into the ground.
"Impossible," she gasped.
"Did you think I was fighting seriously in the city? I couldn't go all out there," I said with a shrug.
"I can't underestimate you, demon," Aine said, rising and putting distance between us.
"Let's make a bet," she declared, her eyes locking on mine.
"Oh… that sounds interesting," I replied, a smile tugging at my lips.
"Whoever loses this battle becomes the slave of the winner."
I paused for a moment before asking, "And what do you gain from this?"
"You're a king without a crown, aren't you?" she said confidently.
"And if I am?"
"The ancient beasts you've contracted with… they're on par with the most powerful gods. The only reason no god descends to these lands is because of their presence—it's their territory. That's why summoners exist here. Without a physical body, there's no point in challenging them."
"Yet here you are, with a physical body," I said, narrowing my eyes.
"That won't be a problem, as long as I take you for myself."
"Are you really that sure you can beat me?" I asked.
"Even if you're a king without a crown, you're not fully developed. That means I can still shape you," she said, licking her lips in a way that made her intentions clear.
Good thing Lilith isn't here. I don't want to imagine what she'd do.
"I see. I accept your proposal. It'll be interesting to have a goddess as a slave. Of course, you'll serve me in many ways," I said, smiling.
Her face turned bright red.
"Oh… perverted goddess."
"Silence!" she snapped.
Twenty spears of light appeared around her, all aimed at me.
This time, I didn't dodge.
"Let's begin."
Twenty ice spears formed at my side, launching forward to meet hers.
"Aine… let's see what you can do."