A hush fell over the crowd as Meena squared off against Necoluse. She glanced at him lazily, her tone almost bored. "I don't have too much time," she said, as if the battle were nothing more than an errand. Necoluse gritted his teeth, frustration evident on his face. With a yell, he sprinted toward her and aimed a powerful kick at her body.
Meena reacted instantly, blocking his attack with precise technique. Necoluse felt a surge of shock at how easily she parried his move, and his focus faltered. Sensing his distraction, Meena seized her chance — she spun behind him and delivered a merciless kick to his back. The sudden strike caught him off guard, and he lost his balance, crashing to the ground.
The crowd watched the scene unfold, eyes wide, voices dying to a stunned silence. But as the realization of her victory set in, their voices returned, erupting in cheers. "You can do it! You're the best!" they chanted, their admiration ringing through the air.
Necoluse glared upward, humiliation and anger written across his face. "I was just distracted…" he muttered, his voice tense. "Don't think you can actually beat me." This time, the seriousness in his eyes was unmistakable.
Meena stood motionless, her expression unreadable, as if carved from stone — the quintessential professional. Necoluse struggled to his feet, unable to stay calm. He lashed out with a punch, but Meena dodged effortlessly and countered, striking his abdomen.
He doubled over from the pain, more intense than he'd ever felt before. His features contorted in agony. Only now did he realize just how badly he'd underestimated her. "You're wasting too much time," Meena said quietly.
Before Necoluse could process what was happening, Meena struck again, her attack landing with even greater force. He collapsed to his knees, his muscles refusing to obey him, his body operating beyond his control. In just three moves, he had been utterly defeated.
Necoluse stared at the ground, unable to summon the courage to meet her gaze. Disgust gnawed at him — was this really how the strongest student of the Heavenly Clan fought?
He braced himself, expecting ridicule, but was instead met with silence. Meena did not speak a word, neither taunting nor pitying him. He felt a wave of guilt pressing down on him.
As he remained on his knees, a hand appeared before him. Surprised, he looked up and saw the most beautiful sight he'd ever known: Meena's face, her crystal-clear eyes shining with kindness. It was hard to believe she was the same person who had so easily overpowered him moments before.
"How long are you going to stay on your knees?" she teased gently. He gazed at her for a long moment, speechless.
"Am I that beautiful?" she asked, a playful sparkle in her eyes.
He stumbled over his words, flustered, "It's not like that… I mean… let me explain–"
She interrupted, laughing softly. "Just kidding. Does it hurt?"
"No, it's fine. I'm not that fragile," Necoluse replied, trying to sound brave.
"About your back — it'll take two days to recover," she said knowingly.
He frowned. "What did you do to my back?"
"That's my secret technique," Meena replied with a smirk.
Necoluse accepted her hand and rose to his feet, determination flashing in his eyes. "Next time, I'll definitely beat you. Until that day comes, I'll wait for you." With measured steps, he departed, now intent on improving himself.
Meena watched him go, thoughtful. On the other side of the arena, Bleezbub watched with red eyes, his breath coming in short gasps. Pain — worse than anything he'd felt physically — stabbed through his heart. He hated how close Meena and Necoluse had become, and struggled to clear his mind.
It was a miracle he had found Meena again after so long. She turned to help him, sensing his distress even as she forgot the rest of the crowd. Her eyes met Bleezbub's, and she realized something was wrong.
Bleezbub's angry gaze was unsettling, but Meena did not shy away. The crowd continued to watch, inspired by her skill and poise.
"Are you okay?" Meena asked with gentle concern.
Bleezbub couldn't look away from her, as if she might vanish if he blinked. Meena supported him, helping him to her dorm so he could rest. For the first time, Bleezbub found himself sitting close to her, unsettled by the jealousy he felt over her interactions with Necoluse.
"It hurts more than physical pain," he thought, "but I don't have the right to feel this way. I need to clear my mind."
After gathering his composure, Bleezbub spoke. "You know, you've grown physically, but mentally… you're still just a child."
Meena raised an eyebrow. "What? I'm not a child!" Bleezbub replied, irritated.
"Okay, then. Tell me — as a mature man, what makes you this upset?"
Bleezbub bristled, not wanting to discuss his feelings. "Let's change the topic. How are you, really?"
Meena smiled. "I'm really happy today…"
Bleezbub interrupted, "Because you saw me lose?"
"No!" Meena protested. "I'm happy because I met you again."
"Really?"
"Of course, really. You're the only person I know here. I've been feeling lonely lately, but seeing you makes me feel like you're my shining star in the darkness."
Bleezbub nodded, the sadness lifting from his face. "Let's be friends?"
"Of course!" Meena replied, giving him a gentle, reassuring smile — like a ray of hope for someone still wary of the world's cruelty.
Bleezbub's curiosity was piqued. "I'm really curious about how you defeated Necoluse in only three moves. What did you do? He's stronger than most, but you managed to beat him!"
Meena answered thoughtfully, "I'm not a demon like you, as you already know. I'm human. Humans rely not just on strength, but on intellect and strategy. In battle, using your brain is just as important as brute force. You have to observe the opponent's weaknesses, look for loopholes. I noticed in your fight with Necoluse, he always protected his back whenever you attacked. That's how I defeated him."
Meena seemed impressed. "By the way, what is the Heavenly Clan exactly? When I was in the human world, I heard a lot of stories about demons and angels, and I thought the Heavenly Clan might be angels."
Bleezbub nodded. "You're right. That's quite smart of you. But it raises questions — demons and angels are supposed to be enemies. Why are they training together now? It's unprecedented. There were three major wars between demons and angels in Devildom history. I expected conflict again, but seeing how the elders interact, I'm not so sure anymore."
Meena was curious. "How did you know I'm from the human world?"
Bleezbub replied, "It's your scent — it's different from ours. Also, I've read plenty of books about the human world."
"Can I borrow those books?" Meena asked eagerly.
"I'd like to lend them to you, but I don't have them with me right now. I'll bring them when I can," Bleezbub promised.