Azazel moved to the edge of the room, giving us space. Vali stepped forward, removing his hands from his pockets in what seemed like slow motion.
"Don't hold back," he said. "It would be insulting."
I summoned my strongest practice sword from my inventory, channeling mana through it until the blade hummed with energy. "Wouldn't dream of it."
For a moment, we just stood there, sizing each other up. The air between us felt charged, like the moment before lightning strikes.
Then Vali moved.
He was fast—faster than anyone I'd ever fought. One second he was across the room, the next he was right in front of me, fist cocked back for a strike.
But thanks to my enhanced senses, I could track him. Barely.
I brought my sword up to block, channeling Mana Burst through my arms and legs for extra strength. The impact when his fist met my blade sent shockwaves through the room, cracking the floor beneath us.
"Not bad," Vali said, looking genuinely surprised. "You actually saw me coming."
I didn't waste breath on a response, instead using the moment to counter with a slash aimed at his midsection. He dodged it effortlessly, but I didn't let up, chaining attacks together in a fluid sequence that would've overwhelmed most opponents.
Vali wasn't most opponents.
He weaved through my attacks like they were coming in slow motion, that bored expression never leaving his face. When he finally counterattacked, it was with a kick so fast I almost missed it entirely.
I managed to bring my arm up to block, reinforcing it with mana, but the force still sent me skidding back several feet.
"Is that all?" Vali asked, not even breathing hard.
I gritted my teeth and pushed more mana through my system, feeling my muscles tighten in response. "I'm just warming up."
This time I initiated, crossing the distance between us with a burst of speed that would've been impossible for me a week ago. My sword became a blur as I attacked from multiple angles, mixing in kicks and punches to break his rhythm.
For a brief, glorious moment, I thought I had him on the defensive.
Then his expression changed. The boredom gave way to focus, and suddenly, it was like fighting a different person entirely.
His counterattack was devastating. A series of strikes so precise and powerful that I could barely keep up with my enhanced reflexes. Each blow that connected, even when blocked, sent pain shooting through my arms.
"Better," he said as we broke apart. "But still disappointingly ordinary."
That did it.
"Ordinary, huh?" I muttered, and decided to stop holding back.
I dropped the sword, letting it clatter to the ground. Vali raised an eyebrow, clearly thinking I was giving up.
He couldn't be more wrong.
I closed my eyes for just a second, centering myself. Then I reached deep into my core, to where my mana is.
And I let it explode.
Blue-white energy erupted around me like a supernova, crackling across my skin in electric arcs. The ground beneath my feet cracked and splintered from the pressure alone.
Vali's eyes widened slightly – the first real reaction I'd gotten from him.
I didn't give him time to respond. One moment I was standing there, the next I was right in front of him, palm aimed at his chest. The mana burst I unleashed would've liquified concrete.
Vali managed to dodge – barely – but the edge of the blast caught his shoulder, spinning him halfway around.
"Finally," he said, and I caught the ghost of a smile on his face. "A real fight."
What followed was nothing like the measured sparring of before. This was raw, primal, a clash of power that shook the foundations of the training room. Each blow we exchanged carried enough force to level buildings. My mana rippled and flared with each movement, turning simple strikes into devastating attacks.
We clashed in the center of the room, his fist meeting my mana-charged palm with an impact that sent shockwaves through the air. The force of it blew us both backward, and I used the momentum to flip mid-air, landing in a crouch on the far wall before launching myself right back at him.
"You've been holding back," Vali accused, blocking a kick that would've taken a normal person's head off.
"So have you," I shot back, catching his counter-punch and using his momentum to throw him across the room.
He recovered instantly, landing gracefully on his feet. "True. But that's about to change."
I felt it then—a shift in the air, a pressure that made my ears pop. Vali's aura intensified, blue-white light beginning to shimmer around him.
Azazel's voice cut through the tension. "That's enough for now."
We both froze, turning to look at him. Azazel stood with arms crossed, watching us with an expression that mixed amusement with caution.
"As entertaining as it would be to watch you two level this entire facility," he continued, "I think we've learned what we needed to today."
Vali looked like he wanted to argue, the light around him still pulsing with barely contained power. But after a moment, it faded, and he straightened up.
"Fine," he said, eyes still locked on me.
I gradually pulled my mana back, letting the blue-white energy subside until it was just a faint glow beneath my skin. My muscles ached pleasantly, buzzing with the aftermath of channeling so much power.
"You're stronger than you look," Vali said, studying me with renewed interest. "Much stronger."
I shrugged, "I work out."
That actually got a snort from him—not quite a laugh, but close.
Azazel strolled over, looking between us with that calculating expression scientists get when examining particularly interesting lab specimens.
"Well, that was illuminating," he said. "Leon, your control has improved significantly. And your raw output..." He whistled. "Impressive for someone who only recently awakened their power."
I nodded.
"As for you," Azazel turned to Vali, "still too eager to jump straight to Balance Breaker. Not everything requires nuclear options."
Vali just shrugged, unconcerned.
"So," I said, rolling my shoulders to ease some of the tension, "same time next week?"
Both of them looked at me with surprise.
"You want to do this again?" Azazel asked.
"Why not?" I replied. "Best way to improve is to fight people stronger than you, right?"
Vali studied me for a long moment, then nodded.
Azazel looked between us, a slow smile spreading across his face. "Very well—same time next week."
As they turned to leave, Vali paused at the door. "You're not what I expected, Leon Mishima."
"Is that a good thing?" I asked.
"We'll see." With that cryptic response, he was gone, Azazel following with a casual salute in my direction.
Once alone, I let out a long breath and slumped against the wall. Every muscle in my body ached.
I had held my own against Vali Lucifer. Not fully powered Vali, admittedly, but still. The guy who could go toe-to-toe with gods, and I hadn't been immediately flattened.
Besides, I was holding back too.
I am fully confident I would not lose should we fight for real.
=====
If you'd like to read ahead and support me, feel free to check it out: [email protected]/VashFF