"Well?" Cassius grinned, his eyes creasing up in concealed joy as he stared down the Arena like one big EXP-dispensing machine. "What say you?? Would you like to solve all your problems for you??"
Although still reeling back from the shock, Exisia ultimately broke free from her stupor. She then revealed a troubled look, mumbling, "Not strong enough. You're too weak…"
"Ouch," Cassius revealed a falsely derived hurt look. "You sure know how to give pep talks, girl. But don't you worry about ; just accept the offer."
Shaking her head, Exisia replied, "No… You don't understand—"
"Ladies and gentlen! Today, we have an Honorary battle taking place between our 100-year straight reigning Champion and a Rising Newcor!"
The booming voice of the Tartarus Pit's Announcer cut through Exisia's words. The crowd beca even rowdier, with their excitent reaching all-new highs.
FWOOOOSH!
Suddenly!
Descending from the grimly lit, lava-red skies was a tough-looking man. On his way down, he sped up his advance, striking the Arena ground in the form of a Nebula-bursting bolt of lightning.
Angels and Demons alike lost their minds in the stands. They broke the sound barrier with how loudly they were yelling.
"Ladies and Gents! Welco the Rising Star: Thundercrest, the Adherer to Supremacy!"
HOOOORAAAAHH!!
Following another long period of cheering, a suffocating aura suddenly pressed down on all of them, forcing them to go quiet and look up. There, they saw nothing.
However, when they returned to looking at the Arena's center area, their eyes grew round.
Standing opposite to the handso and refined Eight-winged Thundercrest was a mber of the Demon Race. A woman, at that. One who was not only shockingly beautiful, but was also in possession of an aura that made even other Transcendents sick to their stomachs.
Finding his bearings, the Announcer—who hovered over the massive Arena on a magical levitation device—found his voice.
"W-Welco the 102-year reigning Champion of the Tartarus Arena! For 102 straight years, she has not only managed to remain undefeated while fighting the very best of the best among Angels and Demons, but she has also done so without being seriously injured! Her na!?"
OOOM!
"Zaraphina Astaroth!! The 3rd Eldest Prodigal Daughter of the Great Demon King Astaroth!!!"
RAAAAH—!
The roar-like cheers beca so loud that their voices could even be heard in the endless infernal abyss surrounding the Pits of Tartarus.
Ancient prival Behemoths lurking and swimming through the Abyss were even alerted. But after sensing where the source of the disturbance originated, they imdiately voided all hungry thoughts.
"Hum?" Noticing a drastic change in Exisia's expression, Cassius paused. Then he slowly asked, "It can't be… Is she the one who wants you???"
Exisia nodded, her complexion paling.
"I see…" Cassius murmured as he took another good look at the purple-haired woman.
'Long, flawless violet-colored hair, similarly colored eyes, and a well-developed body. Definitely a looker of the highest level, but… Damn… So even Demons can have preferences like that…?'
Flipping his gaze between Exisia and Zaraphina, a scandalous image ford inside his mind. But he swiftly swatted the thought cloud away, refocusing on the demonic beauty below.
{[Zaraphina Astaroth]}
[Race: Royal-Demon]
[Cultivation: EX ]
[Battle Power: GX- -]
[Age: 295]
[Mood: Murderous]
— [Bearing witness to a plethora of the atrocities that her Father did to won from all races to please himself, Zaraphina grew to abhor n. As a direct result of her ntal scarring, her preferences leaned more toward liking other won. And as a supre genius of the Demons, she always got whoever she wanted, whether they wanted it or not.]
— [That was except for one…]
Cassius tilted his head, question marks fluttering off of him.
'So let get this straight… This Demon chick had a Father who abused won, so she started going for won instead of n. Only to then repeat the sa atrocities as her father…?'
He was seriously wondering where the logic in that was.
But regardless of the craziness of that notion, he grew curious about her strength. Thus, he activated the VOPC, choosing her as the target for projection.
FWIP!
After being transported to the World of the VOPC, Cassius was instantly greeted with a powerful burst of purple light. It ca in the form of a Qi Slash, containing enough power to topple a Middle-level Layer of Reality such as the 3rd Floor of HELL.
Faking amazent, Cassius nonchalantly evaded her attack.
"You're sothing else, alright," he praised, dodging her follow-up attacks as well. "In terms of pure energy output, you're definitely superior to . If I were to make a rough guess, then you probably have what—20 Godforce?"
BOOOM! BOOOM!
"Either way," continued Cassius, reality-altering explosions ringing out in the background, "You're powerful."
SHING!
"Just not powerful enough."
Zara's projection displayed visible surprise as she looked at her right arm, which had been rebounded by so mysterious force.
Her other arm followed suit, with her whole torso now totally exposed.
"Well, actually," said Cassius, pondering. "You won't lose due to a lack of power. Rather, you'll fall because you… simply…"
SHA!
SPURT!
"Can't control your raw energy as well as I can," Cassius's blade lobbed off one of Zaraphina's arms, with that sa eternally voracious blade whipping around at millions of tis the speed of light.
"One underestimates control until it really cos down to it. Though, by then, they're already—"
SPLAT!
"Dead."
Sheathing Lilith back in her scabbard, Cassius turned around.
In cinematic fashion, Zara's projection popped like a balloon of blood, with particles of that very blood tainting the atmosphere.
Behind the corpse that was nowhere to be seen, millions and billions of sword marks decimated the area.
If such a barrage of sword strikes was unleashed on sothing like the Isolated Solar System, it would simply vanish into Oblivion.
Too fierce!
However, with one trial run not nearly enough to satisfy Cassius, he re-ran the simulation another ti.
Then another.
And another.
And… another…
Only after winning 150 tis in a row did Cassius exit the VOPC World, satisfied.
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