A desolate star region, countless fragments of shattered stars floating in the void.
Orosius floated silently at the center of this dead silence, like a solitary king standing amidst the apocalypse.
By now, he was fully prepared, his entire being exuding a calm certainty of victory. That world-destroying power made his aura increasingly steady and heavy.
This was his peak state. He was born an incredibly proud being and disdained using any underhanded tactics. In his eyes, victories won through schemes and trickery were not true displays of strength; they only tarnished his dignity.
What he wanted was a fair and square duel.
He intended to defeat Lilith head-on with absolute power in this star region, personally seizing the Demon King's authority that belonged to her and taking the fate of this entire star region into his own hands.
This was his style, etched into his very bones, and the pride and bottom line of a top-tier powerhouse that brooked no desecration.
However, as time quietly slipped away.
Orosius remained floating in place, his gaze fixed on the agreed-upon location, waiting for Lilith to appear.
He had plenty of patience; after all, waiting for an opponent worthy of his action was a mandatory lesson for the strong.
Yet the void remained deathly silent.
Finally, Orosius's brow furrowed slightly.
“What's going on?” he muttered to himself, his voice dissipating faintly into the void with a hint of subtle confusion. “Where is she?”
According to their previous agreement, Lilith was supposed to arrive at this battlefield on time today to begin the duel.
But now, more than half of the appointed time had passed, yet the void was still empty. Not even a trace of Lilith's aura could be detected.
Orosius didn't dwell on it for long and soon suppressed his confusion.
He privately speculated that perhaps Lilith was making final pre-battle preparations; or perhaps... she was afraid.
At that thought, the corners of Orosius's mouth slowly curled into a cold, contemptuous sneer.
Fear was only natural.
His strength had long since echoed through the heavens. Across all realms, there were few who could rival him. Faced with a peak powerhouse like himself, any rational being should feel a deep-seated terror.
Presumably, she feared this certain defeat, which was why she hesitated to show her face.
Thinking this, the slight doubt in Orosius's heart vanished completely. He maintained his posture and continued to wait in the void.
One hour, two hours, three hours...
Time ticked away, second by second.
Still, the void offered no response.
Gradually, the patience in Orosius's heart began to run thin, and his originally calm aura grew restless.
The surrounding star fragments were crushed by the invisible pressure radiating from him, then shattered violently into the finest stardust, vanishing entirely into the void.
“How long has it been?” Orosius's voice carried an unmistakable impatience, and the destructive aura around him began to spread uncontrollably.
It was only now that Orosius finally realized what was happening.
He had been played.
The current Demon King actually dared to openly violate their agreement and stand him up.
After a moment of silence, Orosius began to chuckle low.
“Good... very good...”
The wild laughter stopped abruptly as Orosius slowly withdrew his smile.
“Lilith... you are very good...”
He spoke one word at a time, each syllable carrying a ruthlessness that could crush anything.
He raised his right hand, clenched it into a fist, and punched out.
With him as the center, the surrounding space was instantly cleared.
All matter within range was ground into nothingness by the power of that punch.
The last trace of a smile vanished from his face, replaced by a frigid killing intent.
He never imagined that he would one day be so slighted, so publicly stood up. He would make Lilith repay this humiliation a thousand times over.
...
The next day.
Demon Realm, outskirts of Demon King City.
Veen and Lilith appeared on a wasteland.
Veen looked at Lilith beside him.
Lilith was different today than usual.
Her eyes were calm and waveless, her face devoid of expression.
But Veen could feel that she was exceptionally solemn today.
“Your Majesty,”
Veen spoke softly. “It is time. If we wait any longer, Orosius will likely go on a rampage and start a slaughter in that area. If that happens, many lives could be at risk.”
Lilith nodded.
“Mhm,” she said. “Let me prepare.”
She raised her right hand, palm up.
Magic began to converge.
At first, it was just a tiny glimmer, but it rapidly expanded, turning into a white energy orb several meters in diameter.
But it wasn't enough.
Lilith closed her eyes and fully activated the magic within her body.
Her bottomless magic surged out like a flood breaking through a dam, pouring into the orb.
The orb's volume began to expand, only to be forcibly compressed.
By the time Lilith stopped injecting magic, the mana inside the orb had reached the critical point of what its size could withstand.
Yet its mass continued to increase; it was constantly absorbing the surrounding magic, drawing in everything it could.
Inside the orb, energy was violently compressed, radiating a destructive aura. Its mere presence caused the surrounding space to warp and the ground to crack.
Lilith opened her eyes, looked at the orb in front of her, and nodded with satisfaction.
“That should do it. Veen, send me over.”
Veen looked at the orb, a flicker of complexity in his eyes.
He could feel that the energy contained within this orb had reached a terrifying level.
“Your Majesty,” Veen hesitated. “Are you sure you want to do this? An attack of this magnitude will also take a heavy toll on you.”
“I am,” Lilith said, her tone calm. “I figure that in a battle of this caliber, long-range magic bombardment probably won't do much, and this magic consumption is nothing to me.”
Veen was silent for a moment, then nodded.
He raised his hand and tore through space.
Behind the crack was the star region that Orosius had cleared.
Lilith took a deep breath and stepped inside.
...
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