บท 73: Lucifer Clan Tournament-I
Third Person PoV
It was early morning in Hell, at this time most of the devils were sleeping. At such an odd hour, Cain was standing in the arena.
In Front of him were Scathach and Morgan. Scathach looked used to such a thing, while Morgan looked like she didn't sleep at all last night.
Having a fivesome last night, with his maids and Morgan, Cain was now relaxed. That definitely had the calming effect on him.
"So what did you want to talk about?" Scathach asked, even if her face didn't show it, her curiosity was there.
She hadn't seen Cain being troubled at all, if he was troubled then it must be something strong or unique, maybe she will get to fight a new opponent?
Now that Cain had rested and his mind was back on track, he thought that this was a good time to check how strong everyone in the Lucifer clan is.
"Wait, I had a better idea. You will love it, Scathach."
The godslayer tilted her head at that.
'I will love it? There is not much that I love. What does he plan?'
"Fia." The silver haired maid appeared with a magic circle.
"Yes, My Lord?"
"Bring everyone here, Zeaira, Rayla, Lilith, the goddesses, my peerage members, Vanessa and Melissa. Ask them to stop whatever they are doing and come here. If they are doing something important then tell them to postpone it indefinitely."
"As you ask."
The maid disappeared. Grayfia would be lightning quick for this. This move had left both Morgan wide awake and Scathach intrigued.
Within half an hour everyone was standing in front of Cain. Zeaira and Rayla were looking pissed, while the others were curious.
"Alright, where do I start from…?"
Cain launched into the happenings of yesterday, explaining everything from his point of view.
His true motives, unknown to the audience.
…
"So that's why, to keep everyone on their toes, I announce the Lucifer Clan Tournament!"
Everyone was looking at Cain with a deadpan on their face, even Grayfia, someone who went along with anything he did.
"Hey, came on! It's not that bad."
"It's not that bad? Cain, if you have forgotten, there are three people here who are in the top 10, isn't the result obvious?" Zeaira said.
"And? That is the point, to be used to fighting someone stronger, smarter and better than you. And even in the top 10 there are levels, I can beat both you and Scathach at once."
Both the women in question started boring holes into his face.
"Dear, I am not really a fighter, can't I just sit this out. Maybe I will be a cheerleader or manage the tournament." Rayal asked coyly.
"No, all of you are participating! And that is final."
"Even me, and the goddesses?" Lilith questioned.
"Yes, mom. You, Nyx and Ereshkigal are participating too. I have worked up the battles. Here they are!"
With a clap, the match ups appeared in the sky, written in flames. The match ups were.
Round 1
Melissa & Vanessa v/s Jeanne
Medusa v/s Brynhildr
Round 2
Ereshkigal v/s Morgan
Nyx v/s Grayfia
Round 3
Lilith v/s Scathach
Rayla v/s Ingvild
Round 4
Zeaira v/s Echidna
Seeing the matching, Ingvild asked a question.
"Umm, Cain, you are not in this?"
"Ah! Ingvild, I will fight whoever wins."
Ingvild looked confused at that but everyone simply accepted that, it was understandable that he would not fight in these matches.
"So when are the matches starting?" Scathach, eager to start, asked, it had been a while since she was able to fight seriously.
The first few fights will serve as a good warmup for her, while the later ones will be challenging even for her.
But Zeaira had other plans.
"Even then, I am not fighting. It is pointless. I will win and then fight you, it's already determined."
"Who knows Zeaira, maybe you will be surprised, and there is an incentive. I will give the top three competitors a ticket, to summon me and to order me to do anything for a single day, as long as it is doable by me."
That line changed the moods of every woman here.
"Now, that is very interesting, Master." Jeanne remarked.
While Ereshkigal was licking her lips, maybe Isthar did influence her a bit.
"Then shall we start today's bracket?" Cain said with a huge smile on his face. This was worth enough for him to give out something like tickets for controlling him.
It's a win-win for him. In the end he will be the one on top of the bed by nighttime for every ticket.
The Arena was ready, the competitors were ready, and the referee was ready. The Lucifer Clan Tournament has now started.
…
Round 1: Match 1: Maid Duo v/s Fallen Saint
The first battle was between the oldest members of clan Lucifer and the newest. While Jeanne was the lucky one, in a twisted sense.
Longinus, experience, she had everything. While the two maids only had their clan traits, Vanessa didn't have her clan trait.
Cain was flying above the arena, he was the referee for every match except the one where he would fight.
"Begin!" With a single shout the fallen saint moved into action.
She had her sword in her hand and rushed towards Vanessa. The stoic maid quickly reacted and blocked the attack with her twin knives.
She skidded back but was not harmed. Jeanne didn't relent and kept on pushing her advantage.
While they were going at it, Melissa was concentrating hard. She was calling the demonic beasts in the forest behind the castle.
She wasn't prepared for fighting as this was very sudden. Thus, as she was calling upon her tamed beats, Vanessa was keeping Jeanne busy.
"You maids would lose against me, the witch of vengeance."
Vanessa didn't say anything and kept on defending. Her lack of real combat was showing itself.
While Jeanne was in her tempo, the cuts and scratches were accumulating on Vanessa's body, the white portion of her maid dress was already being dyed red.
Just then a howl sounded from outside the arena and following that multiple demonic beasts jumped inside the arena.
…
"Demonic beasts? Did the barrier fall?" Ingvild questioned.
But Lilith answered her query.
"No, it is Melissa's clan trait. As a barbatos, they can control and tame the demonic beasts."
…
"These mindless beasts wouldn't prove to be any useful."
But instead of Vanessa, Melissa answered.
"Who said they are mindless, Jeanne-sama?"
A huge spider managed to get its web on Jeanne's legs while she was focusing on Vanessa.
She tried to cut it off but her sword was blocked and a well timed cut by Vanessa made her sword fall.
The sudden change in the tone of battle caught Jeanne off guard, in her new found powers, she was still arrogant.
The web pulled and a gorilla punched her, she spat blood, before she could come back to her senses.
A wolf jumped on top of her, it pressed its paw against her back and brought his mouth near her neck. The spider wrapped her legs and the gorilla kept an eye on her.
"Please surrender, Jeanne-sama." Melissa said.But Jeanne was in rage.
'Two maids managed to defeat me? The witch of vengeance?'
"Reduce them to cinders, Incinerate Anthem!"
And the three beasts were burnt to ashes before they could react. Incinerate Anthem's flames could instantly kill devils even at high class.
Jeanne stood up, with the flames blazing around her. Her hand now held the flag she used in the past.
With a swing the flames rushed towards the two maids, who were unable to dodge or outrun the flames.
They simply decide to try and survive being hit by the holy fire. But the flames stopped mid-way, extinguished by something more powerful.
"Match end, Jeanne wins!" Cain announced.
He had stopped the flames, no way the two maids could survive that attack.
'But Jeanne's arrogance is getting bigger day by day, well her next opponent will curb that.'
…
"That was disappointing." Scathach said in a bored tone.
"I agree, the maids should be stronger." Brynhildr said.
"No I was talking about the saint, for someone that strong, she still got caught in a trap and had to use a Longinus. While the maids did a splendid job."
…
Round 1: Match 2: Gorgon v/s Valkyrie.
"Who do you think would win?" Zeaira asked Scathach.
As someone who had some experience in training both of them, she should have a fairly good idea of who should win.
"I have no idea. Brynhildr has experience and magic, with good spear skills. While Medusa can negate her magic prowess, and she can physically overwhelm her. It's a match to decide, long range or close combat. Whoever manages to get past another, wins, it should be fairly short."
Scathach gave a detailed analysis, although if Brynhildr's skill with spear was good according to her, then Brynhildr's skill should be truly impressive.
…
"Begin."
Medusa rushed towards Brynhildr, her chained weapon held taut in her hand. But before she could travel halfway through, vines erupted from the ground, attempting to ensnare her.
Medusa, although surprised by the speed of magic casting, used her unmatched agility and manoeuvred her way through the creeping vines.
It took her less than a second to do this, but by then Brynhildr had already casted three spells.
Becoming a devil had only boosted the strength of Brynhildr, her magic now faster and stronger.
Three rock golems stood tall, covering the body of Brynhildr and hiding her next move.
"Tch!" Medusa didn't stop and continued moving.
Two of the golem came up to Medusa but got their necks crushed by her chains. Medusa made her way to the third golem and landed on its head with a high jump.
An axe kick ended the golem's short life. But it was too late. Nordic runes were etched in the air and ground.
With a roar, a Chinese dragon came into life. Lightning and fire coursing through Its body.
Leaving Medusa to the dragon, the Valkyrie once again started chanting a spell.
Medusa only got annoyed at that and used her full speed. Running around the dragon, she saw the area unprotected by the elements.
The dragon was unable to keep up with the agility of Medusa. It tried launching its breath but Medusa had dodged it every single time with ease.
But even Medusa can't focus on Brynhildr if a beast like this is focusing on her, so she had to end it fast, who knows what spell Brynhildr is casting.
Medusa pulled at her chains and trapped the dragon's snout in it. The large reptile tried to open its maw but Medusa was stronger than it.
She kicked the ground and vanished, appearing exactly at the weak spot she had seen.
The dragon rolled its body but was unable to avoid the stab. Medusa ran along the dragon, cutting it open from one side.
The dragon with a wail died, but Medusa didn't stop her running and before the body disappeared threw it at its summoner.
But alas, the body was not able to stay for long enough to reach the still Valkyrie. But that was enough of an distraction, that Medusa was almost near Brynhildr, her knives near the Valkyrie's throat.
But a blinding light rushed from outside the arena and crashed into Medusa, throwing her away.
Medusa skidded for a while and stood up. There was a trail of blood on her chin, coming from the corner of her mouth.
…
"What was that?" Rayla asked.
"That was a trick of the Valkyries, their loyal steed, which always stay in Asgard until called." Lilith answered having known about this.
"So now Brynhildr will win?" Rayla again asked, she was a bit out of loop here.
"No, after all that horse is a magical beast. And anything magical against a Gorgon is almost useless." Nyx said, showing her wisdom.
…
Medusa looked at Brynhildr, and found her sitting on a Pegasus. Seeing a Pegasus brought bad memory for the snake woman.
And the runes she had placed in her eyes, courtesy of Scathach, were undone. The eyes of the gorgon, capable of sealing all magical properties watched the Valkyrie and her stead.
The Pegasus of Brynhildr vanished and the Valkyrie landed on the ground confused.
Most people only knew about the petrification property of the gorgon. But Medusa wasn't done just yet, she began to transform into her true form.
She dwarfed Brynhildr, the lone Valkyrie who was now looking at her opponent with a spear on her hands.
Medusa rushed, her snake body slithering on the ground at speed far above she showed before.
The claws and the snakes of her hair crusaded on the Valkyrie. Brynhildr was now completely out of options.
She wasn't strong enough to overpower the eyes of Medusa and without her magic she is only half strong.
Even so the Valkyrie struggled defiantly, her spear moving with grace that mesmerized the audience.
But in the end she made a mistake of blocking Medusa's attack instead of parrying it.
A little mistake caused her to lose her weapon and balance, Brynhildr didn't knew that Medusa was physically this strong.
The claws of Medusa came to the stomach of Brynhildr, who was not is any shape to block or dodge.
The valkyrie twisted her body to minimize the damage she would take and gritted her teeth.
But just like Cain stooped in for the Maid Duo, he stepped in here too. The claws were stopped in their tracks.
Medusa was getting flashbacks of their first meeting. She quickly jumped back and reverted back. Her instincts controlling her body in that instant.
"Winner is Medusa!" Cain announced calmly after helping Brynhildr stand up. He also whispered in her ears.
"You did well!"
…
Brynhildr sitting in the audience asked Scathach.
"What did I do wrong, Scathach-Sama?"
"You played too defensive. Against someone physically superior to you and literally has anti-magic, your defense which is primarily magic based is bound to fail. You should have taken the offensive and capitalised on her initial weakness of not being in her top form and her sealed eyes."
Scathach gave her an honest opinion. Brynhildr nodded her mind at that mentally made sure to be more proactive in the next fight she has.
"The next match is sure going to be interesting." Nyx said.
"Yeah it is." And Lilith responded, understanding what Nyx was implying, leaving the other a little bit confused.
…
Round 2: Match 1: Goddess of Souls v/s Fae Queen.
…
AN:- Mostly a action based arc. After this will be the last stretch of this volume and we would get to the pre-cannon volume, aka the birth of the main cast. The remaining arcs are-
1. Liliths reveal and Rating Games.
2. Crow and Pigeon.
3. Chaotic Karma and Crescent Circle.
4. Nine tailed fox and swordswoman.
5. Lucifer's peerage v/s East Yokai Faction.
6. The Shinto problem.
7. The Aztecs.
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