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Haru muttered under his breath, eyes scanning the horizon.
"Really⊠Juane's kin are so bird-brained and impatient."
Esprit, smirking, charged at him, intent on defeating him in a single strike to humiliate him. Haru, sensing the movement almost instinctively, charged forward at the same moment. Their forearms collided with an explosive shockwave, debris scattering in every direction.
Esprit blinked, surprised at Haru's reactive speed and the sheer force behind his attack. She staggered back, recalibrating immediately. The air around them trembled with residual energy.
"You⊠what are you?" she hissed, her face darkening.
Haru looked back at her calmly.
"What do you mean?"
"No Greater Demon should have this strength," Esprit said, her eyes narrowing. "Your power⊠is it on par with an Archdemon when you're still a Greater Demon. What joke is this?"
Haru scratched the back of his head.
"Well⊠I don't know how to respond to that."
Esprit squared her stance, floating slightly above the ground.
"It doesn't matter. At the end of the day, you're still a Greater Demon. I'll kill you no matter what it takes."
Haru smiled.
"Well then⊠do your best."
With a flash, Esprit unleashed a massive sphere of black energy, streaked with violet arcs, slamming it toward Haru.
Haru wouldn't kid himself by saying he could blow this away, so he instead erected a Multi-Functional Barrier just in time, halting the destructive force midair. The impact rippled through the ground but caused no lasting damage to him.
Haru darted forward, closing the distance with inhuman speed. His first strike was a dismantling slash, swinging low to cut at Esprit's side. She barely twitched, and the cut healed instantly.
"You are a fast one aren't you," she said, creating a shimmering barrier to repel his next attack.
Haru smiled inwardly. Diablo had taught him precisely how to dispel such barriers. With a flick of his wrist and a subtle shift of magicules, he nullified the barrier and launched a rapid combination of strikes, forearm punches, elbow jabs, spinning kicks each movement precise, fast, and unrelenting.
Esprit raised her hands, firing off magical projectiles from multiple directions. Haru, anticipating every shot, moved backwards and ran along the ground with projectile exploding behind him as he moved. He remembered Diablo's lessons, applying the same logic: assess, counter, and exploit openings.
Haru then moved with speed above Esprit and tried to hit her with an overhead kick, bit Esprit moved aside and delivered a kick to Haru's abdimon sending him flying backwards and rolling over until he stopped.
"This is why I hate speed types," Esprit said, narrowing her eyes. "But it's not something I cannot handle"
Haru wiped a speck of dust from his shoulder, grinning.
"My my, what reaction speed. I guess I'll have to go faster than this to catch you off guard."
She smirked and raised her hand, forming multiple shimmering barriers that blocked the space around her like a cage. She launched herself upward, attempting to gain distance. Haru mirrored her movement, flying after her, closing the gap instantly.
"Could you stop following me creep?" Esprit said, with a smile.
"I can't beat the crap out of you without following you now can I," Haru replied casually, twirling midair as he unleashed another dismantling slash. The slash cut through one of her barriers. Esprit's eyes narrowed, and she blocked the next one with a precise, instantaneous counter. Haru's heart raced in exhilaration.
He indeed had not come here for a fight, but when given the chance, this was exactly what he wanted: a worthy challenge.
The fight escalated into a midair dance of strikes and blocks, black flame bursts, and lightning-fast kicks. Haru used every maneuver Diablo had drilled into him: feints, redirection of force, manipulation of spacing, and barrier dispelling mid-combat.
Esprit, initially taking the fight lightly, began to show her true strength after seeing that she had underestimated Haru. Her movements became more sharper and her magic more precise.
Haru, remembering Diablo's teachings, rotated his body at the last possible moment and struck with a downward cleave aimed at her shoulder. The blade energy barely grazed her, and she regenerated instantly, her eyes flashing with irritation.
"Why do you keep using that cutting technique of yours when it does zero damage to me. Its really annoying you know." Esprit muttered, floating back a few meters.
Haru smiled, eyes gleaming.
"Maybe it's because I am not taking the fight seriously yet, show me more Demon, make me get serious."
Esprit raised her hand, a swirling vortex of destructive magic forming around her. Haru quickly erected a Multi-Functional Barrier just in time, the energy dissipating harmlessly against it.
They broke apart midair, hovering several meters away from each other. Debris swirled around them from the residual shockwaves. Both had steady breathing. Focused, eyes locked, each waiting for the next move.
Esprit's expression had shifted from playful to deadly serious.
This was actually good for Haru he thought. For the past 3 years the only person he had fought was Diablo, so he was never able to fully grasp his own strength. Esprit was perfect for such a task.
Haru then said "Demon, I'm about to get serious now okay, you better prepare yourself"
Esprit clicked her tongue "So are you saying you've been playing this entire time, don't upscale yourself. A mere Greater Demon"