Chapter 97: Giving Tips
Before, when Flaris saw Gadcu provoking and trying to humiliate all the half-demons, she had only gritted her teeth in secret and did not act on impulse, afraid of causing problems for her clan.
But...
Just from watching that other woman exchange a few blows, Flaris felt that she would hardly be able to win. She hated how insignificant her current power was. Her chest burned with an immense desire to go to the sect of the Divine Plane as soon as possible, so she could grow on equal footing with that figure.
Only then, in the future, would she be able to come back and recover her clan’s honor, as well as make the name of her other demon race respected.
But Flaris had never imagined that this woman would point directly at her.
When she saw the tip of Gadcu’s finger in her direction, Flaris narrowed her eyes and was instantly stunned.
All eyes focused on Flaris at once.
She was not only tall; her entire body emanated an easily noticeable physical pressure. Her figure, on the other hand, was not muscular, but rather slender and feminine, which made it clear that she was flexible and well-trained.
In seconds, many let out faint laughs of disdain. Although Flaris’s physique was impressive, it did not change the fact that she came from the Ylisse clan.
That clan was only the slaves of the alliance. In the Mortal Plane, Magic Arts were only a bonus, one that did not represent much in the overall power of an organization. That was because, even if they had several Earth-class ones, their power was still inferior to the Ancestral Art of a race.
In other words, the more powerful a race’s Ancestral Art was, the greater the clan around it would be.
But the Magic Art of the Vanculari had no combat power at all, and even while receiving help and resources, the lack of a powerful Ancestral Art created a distance like heaven and earth between them and the others. Therefore, they would always be the most pathetic and irrelevant insects.
Orlaith stood up, extending her hand in front of Flaris. Then she spoke hurriedly:
"Flaris is only a very talented young woman from the side branch of my clan. Because she is from the side branch, she did not receive everything my clan had to offer. So there is no meaning at all in wanting a duel with her; no one will gain anything from this."
"Side branch?" Many people murmured with even more amused expressions.
"Who cares? If you have courage, come fight. Or you can just give up like a cowardly and mediocre half-demon," Gadcu snorted dryly. "Although... the combination of a half-demon with the Ylisse clan could only result in this... really, it was to be expected."
Orlaith and everyone at the Ylisse clan’s table clenched their fists tightly.
On their planets, they were supreme geniuses or supreme rulers. There was no one with the courage to look down on them even a little. But now that they had left the "well," they were seeing what the sky truly was.
"Flaris... if this young woman wants to fight you, the decision to accept or not is yours."
Orlaith’s voice sounded through her teeth. She could not endure that level of humiliation. Even knowing she would lose, it was better to accept.
Flaris was not fragile or weak. If she went all out and paid attention, she would be able to withstand a few moves from her opponent. With luck, counting on her powerful physique and endurance, she would not suffer such serious injuries when she lost.
Defeat was guaranteed. But if everything went well, the clan could still come out ahead in this.
"Yes, clan Leader," Flaris nodded and raised her voice firmly. "I will fight. Without pain, there is no growth. I need to experience the difference between the two of us now, so I can surpass her in the future."
Seeing her enormous body of almost two meters move, even bigger than the men in the place, the young people swallowed hard.
"Hahaha..." Gadcu’s laughter rang out loudly. "Great! Come, I’ll give you some pointers to help you with that!"
Disdainful laughs, filled with contempt, also came from the elite youths present there. Flaris’s words sounded like the most ridiculous joke possible to them.
The two women stood face to face, in the center of that hall.
Flaris sighed, drawing her demonic sword.
In the next second, her eyes shone in a flaming blue tone.
Her sword and body ignited with Yin flames, her specialty that came from her demon race.
Priam became serious, observing his cousin’s flames.
The fire element was known for being almost completely Yang. Because of that, these Yin flames were an anomaly that ordinary people could not create.
All five natural elements possessed Yin and Yang at the same time, at different levels. Using special methods and powers, it was possible to create Yin flames or even Yang water, for example.
But being an anomaly did not mean it was more powerful. In fact, the lack of Yang made these flames strange, with much less explosive power than normal fire.
According to what Flaris had explained to Priam, these flames were much more effective when used for purification, or things not related to destruction.
In the past, Yin flames were called the Flame of Salvation, because they could purify poisons and other nefarious things.
Even with that history, when they saw those dense flames coming from Flaris, most people in the hall only found it pathetic.
Just like the Earth element, which had little offensive power in theory, Mages placed exaggerated value on flashy elements and powers that could simply kill easily. Because of that, this type of power was always ridiculed.
"Hehe... come," Gadcu waved lightly, and a purple aura subtly covered her body. "Since I accepted to give you pointers, you can attack me with everything you have ten times, and I won’t defend against your strike."
Flaris did not fall for the verbal provocation, but her eyes burned with fury.
Her demonic horns pulsed, emitting an oppressive aura. Her flames rose, and suddenly, the environment was taken over by a dry and unnatural breeze. It was a heat that did not burn the skin, but seemed to dry out the lungs of those watching.
She exploded forward.
Her slender body cut through the distance like bluish lightning.
She jumped, descending with her sword in a devastating vertical strike.
All the half-demons watching held their breath.
That strike was truly refined and fast, made to kill without giving time to react.
But...
Gadcu did not even blink. Without retreating, without assuming a proper stance, she only raised her right arm, intercepting the path of the blade.
*CLANG!!!*
The sound was not of flesh being cut, but of a sledgehammer striking an anvil. The shockwave made the dust around them rise.
"You call this mediocrity skill?" Gadcu growled, her face only centimeters from Flaris’s.
The sword, which should have split her opponent’s skull, was stagnant, vibrating under the impossible resistance of the purple aura. The disdain in Gadcu’s gaze was sharper than any blade.
"I said I wouldn’t defend directly... but I never said I wouldn’t strike back."
In a blur of movement, Gadcu pulled the sword’s blade with her bare hand.
The purple aura flowed like hot tar, trapping the metal and nullifying any attempt to retreat.
Flaris tried to release the weapon, but her body seemed submerged in lead.
Gadcu spun on her own axis. Her legs whipped through the air in a perfect circular kick.
*CRUNCH!*
The sound was sickening. It was not just a thud, but the dry, multiple crack of bones imploding. The kick struck Flaris’s flank, instantly crushing her ribs.
"Gah...!"
The air was expelled from Flaris’s lungs in a mist of blood. She was thrown backward like a discarded rag doll, violently tumbling across the floor between the tables, until she stopped several meters away.
"Flaris!" Priam immediately stood up, roaring.