9 Prep talk

The news spread like a blazing wildfire throughout the entirety of SK. The First-Year Demon student had agreed to a 51 v 1 dueling match. The exclamations of students and teachers alike exploded into a bomb further fueling the blazing inferno of excitement. Impromptu posters were hastily printed out by the Journalism Club and spammed all over the campus: The new Demon student, Lucifer, was taking on ALL of his Divine challengers at once.' The biggest Group Duel in Shukuto-Kodo's history, with the biggest difference in ratio ever. 1 mage against 51 others...even the teachers got worried.

"What're you doing!?" exclaimed Sakura for the hundredth time. Lucifer, Yasu, and her were waiting in the competitor's room in the arena that had been scheduled for the fight. As the final lecture of the day had finished, just as lazily as ever, Lucifer had walked out of his classroom to leave. But this time, there had been something powerful about his each step; instead of vanishing into the crowd, he seemed to make the crowd instantly melt out of his way as he walked. They whispered as he went past, but their murmurs were lost in the dark wings of his deep aura. Sakura and Yasu had both wordlessly rushed after him, not stopping even when he was ushered backstage by the hall staff where only the participants could enter.

Right now, the booms of the pouring crowd gathering in the arena echoed all the way down to the plush prep room making Sakura even more anxious. "It was just more convenient." said Lucifer simply as he yawned.

"WHAT?"

"Think about it." said Lucifer. "How long would it have taken me to fight them 1 after the other? You really think I want to waste the time of 51 fights?" he asked, almost bored as he relaxed on the soft sofa. "It was just easier to deal with them all at once and go home to take a warm bath." he added longingly.

For a second, Sakura stared at him with utter disbelief, her green eyes wide in pure shock. "There's FIFTY-ONE other people against you out there!" shouted Sakura. "Powerful, dangerous mages from powerful, dangerous families!"

"There's also some third-years and second-years in that group..." said Yasu quietly. She was sipping some chocolate milkshake from the stalls outside that few quick thinking sophomores had put up, but her eyes were concerned. "They have been in this school for a lot longer than you...their power-levels are easily far more than even me."

Lucifer laughed. "I wouldn't be so sure of that."

Yasu raised her eyebrows.

Lucifer clicked his tongue and sat up on his sofa. "Any third-year who agreed to this duel does not have any confidence in himself to be fighting a mere first-year. Third-years are like the top of SK; the most senior 'elites' in a school of elites. To even stoop down to validate an unproven first-year should be more like an insult to our great Divine senpai-s." Lucifer's eyes glinted. "Yet here they are, all gathering like rats." He laughed. "Heh, I'm willing to bet most of them are the losers of the third-years, a hair away from expulsion."

Sakura and Yasu fell silent, almost afraid at how savage Lucifer was being. "As someone who hates Divines so much...you sure understand them well." said Sakura quietly.

"But that still doesn't disprove my point." said Yasu. "Even if they are losers compared to other third-years, that-"

There was a knock on the door and an organizer's head peeked in. "It's time." he whispered.

Lucifer nodded and stood up to stretch widely, letting out one final yawn. He turned back to the girls and with almost tragic eyes, Sakura saw Lucifer's usual dark aura just pour out behind him, blinding her to all light. "Go back to the stands you two." he said quietly, his voice low yet tinned with arrogant confidence. "I'll catch up later."

"We can still help-"

"It's fine." said Lucifer. His tone wasn't loud, but there was an unnerving finality to it; a command. "They want to fight a demon...so I'll show them one." Without another word, he turned his back to the two girls and walked out.

"You know, Yasu..." muttered Sakura quietly in the empty room, Lucifer's Demonic aura burned into her eyes. "I...don't think it would be a bad idea for Lucifer to lose this fight." Yasu's eyes turned to her without a word as Sakura continued. "He...HATES Divines. Maybe this is our chance to show him we can be graceful in victory...that not all of us are...are...bad. That we can help him..." she said pleadingly.