Chapter 65. Pride vs Desperate
BOOM!
The clash made a sonic shockwave, a deafening roar that shredded the glade, hurling jagged debris into the air. Crimson flames spiraled around Leo like a living inferno, clashing with Valtharion’s shadows, which churned like a black maelstrom.
Leo spun mid-air, the recoil launching him backward, sliding on one foot across broken ground, boots scraping as he skidded to a stop.
He clenched his teeth, eyes glinting with savage defiance, blood trickling from a cut on his brow.
Valtharion surged forward, his greatsword slamming down with destructive force. Leo sidestepped at the last second, dragging his flaming katana along the demon’s blade, red and blue sparks flying, the metal screaming loud.
Leo twisted, slashing upward with a fiery arc, his blade cutting into Valtharion’s shoulder. The armor cracked—a thin, spiderweb fracture.
"Too slow, child!" Valtharion growled, voice deep and angry, his metal hand swinging hard.
The blow caught Leo’s chest, launching him backward, his body skidding through dirt and ash, ribs screaming, breath stolen. He coughed blood, wiping it off with a trembling hand, and flashed a wild, unhinged grin.
"Still prettier than your sorry face," he spat, charging again, flames trailing his katana like a comet’s tail.
Valtharion’s purple eyes burned, his patience gone. He swung his greatsword in a brutal overhead arc, the blade howling. Leo dove aside, the strike splitting the earth, a geyser of dirt and rock exploding outward, pelting his face.
He rolled, springing up, and thrust his katana, unleashing a spear of fire, blazing, molten—that aimed toward Valtharion’s helm. The demon tilted his head, dodging with unnatural precision, he countered with a gauntleted backhand.