Duel in the Land of Shadows

A blank expression on her cute face, Scathach raised her right-hand into the air, and then in the next second a red spear appeared in it.

Her legendary weapon, and one of the most well known weapons in human mythology.

Gae Bolg.

After it appeared Scathach pointed her weapon right at us, her power rising as she did so.

"Who are you?" She asked us. "Why have you treaded into the domain I call home devils?"

I'm not surprised that she can tell we are devils. She is a centuries old warrior who has seen countless battles. Once a human who obtained minor divinity, she is a prime example of just how far humans have the potential to go.

And she doesn't even have a sacred gear.

Yep, she is a badass no matter how you look at it.

One that will be my queen.

Just thinking about it made me put a stupid grin on my face.

I then noticed what was I was doing and shook my head.

'Damn.' I thought. I am simping really hard for Scathach for some reason. No idea why.

It's not like I am not around women as beautiful as her 24/7. I don't know, I guess there is something about her.

After I cleared my head I looked Scathach in the eyes, and didn't back down despite the power she is displaying.

She is already satan-class in terms of power by the way. But again, because it's her I am not shocked in the slightest.

"Greetings lady Scathach, I am the Maou Asterius Asmodeus." I told her.

"So you are the famed Lord of Nature and Grey-Haired Pervert of the devil race?" Scathach mused.

"You got it in one." I told her, giving her a thumbs up and a smile.

Her facial expression didn't change at all.

For some reason I get the feeling she, Angelica, and Grayfia will get along rather well.

"Tell me then Maou Asterius, why have you come here?" Scathach asked me.

"I would like you to become my queen." I told her. I then began explaining the evil pieces system to Scathach, and that I wanted her to join my peerage. Along with all the benefits should would get if she did.

Though I didn't mention anything about asking her to become my woman. I have some semblance of shame you know.

"So, what do you think?" I asked her when I finished my explanation.

"A question. Why me?" Scathach asked.

"Because I have heard the tales of your greatness. That you are a skilled warrior, and a teacher. One who knows when to lead, and one who knows when to take a step back. Your legend says that you care for your people, and seeing you right now I believe that to be the case. But more than that, it is my own personal goal to build a strong peerage, and since you are one of the strongest I want you apart of it." I told her. "Also I find you cute and would like to court you." I told her.

Scathach is definitely the type of person who doesn't like roundabout ways of doing things, even with relationships. So I just decided to come right out and say that I wanted her.

"This horndog of a master of ours." Reynard grumbled.

"Well, at least he is brave enough to say what he wants. Even if it horribly wrong given the situation." Echidna said.

'Those little fuckers!' I thought. Talking shit about me without a care huh?

Seems my two apprentices are getting a little full of themselves.

I am going to have to correct that.

Turning my head to Reynard and Echidna I flashed them a serene smile.

When I did I saw both of them visibly shiver. Since they know when I show them a serene smile it means I will put them through some sort of hellish training and won't stop no matter how much they cry and beg me.

They brought this upon themselves.

Putting down my smile I turned back around to face Scathach.

When I did I saw her titling her head slightly, a thinking expression on her face.

The moment I laid eyes on this my nose started gushing blood.

Critical hit!

She just gave me a critical hit without even trying. Scathach is dangerous in more ways than one, that's for sure.

Wiping the blood from my nose I looked at her once again. "So, what do you say? Will you become my queen and maybe my lover?" I asked her.

"Yes." Scathach said. "But only if you best me in combat and prove your worth."

"That's fine." I said, putting a serious look on my face.

After all, I expected things to turn out like this.

"Very well then." Scathach said. "Follow me." She said.

Scathach then began walking, the doors of Dun Scaith closing by themselves as she did. The rest of us started following her.

We walked for some time, until eventually we reached an area 100 meters wide. It was a circle, formed by ethereal balls of glowing blue light.

When we arrived Scathach came to a stop and pointed at it. "This is the personal battlefield I have set up. A testing ground I have used for challengers and students alike over the long centuries. Here is where we shall do Maou Asterius, and should you best me and I find you worthy. I will become your queen, and I guess it wouldn't be so bad to have you as a lover as well." She said, getting a small blush on her cheeks as she did. "You are a handsome man after all."

The moment Scathach said that I felt an arrow pierce my heart.

She is definitely trying to kill me. Just not through combat.

"Those are acceptable terms. "I managed to say, wiping away another small nose bleed. "So, shall we begin?"

"Yes. Let's." Scathach said. She then waved her hands a few of the balls of light parted.

Allowing us to walk into the ring.

Once they did, they returned to their original positions.

The two of us then walked into the middle of the ring, Scathach turning to face me after we did so. "The rules are as follows. You cannot receive outside assistance, no killing, and above all if you leave the ring at any time during the battle, then our deal will be null and void. But something tells me you won't." She said.

"Of course not." I said.

If I did that then there was no point agreeing to this whole thing in the first place.

And I am not that kind of man.

Besides, if I do I will never get Scathach as my queen. I cannot allow that to happen.

"Then, begin." Scathach said.

She then rushed at me, appearing before me in an instant.

Gae Bolg at the ready she thrust its tip toward my left arm.

I leaned out of the way and dodge it. Then as soon as I did I activated [Tower Burst] engulfing Scathach in a pillar of intense flames.

But not to my surprise at all Scathach jumped out of [Tower Burst], hardly any damage at all done to her.

Deactivating my attacks I waved my hand in the air, summoning multiple thorny vines from the ground, all laced with [Worthless]. I then sent straight at Scathach.

When I did she moved with incredible speed and grace. using Gae Bolg she chopped down my thorny vines, carving a path straight toward me.

However when she reached me I used [Bleve] to blow her back. Then a few second after the first attack, the second part of [Bleve] went off, sending Scathach sliding back along the ground.

This time around, some notable singes on her body.

Raising my power more, I looked at Scathach with a small grin on my face. "Come on, that can't be all the legendary teacher of Cu Chulainn and Connla has got can it?" I asked her.

The purple-haired beauty didn't say anything and simply lifted up her head. When she did I saw a smirk appear on her face.

Then a second later I felt magical energy in the air. A moment after I did various runes appear, all of them turning into chains and moving to wrap around my body. After they did, lightning raced through the chains, shocking me all over.

It hurt.

But since I am used to pain now I shook it off. I then upped my own power even more and simply broke free.

While I did Scathach brought her free hand up into the air and started writing runic script without pause.

She managed to write five lines. Then once she did she stopped and the five lines of runic script turned into a giant beam of cold, blasting straight towards me.

I summoned forth a wood dome to defend myself, and blocked the attack.

Then I instantly jumped to my right, as the tip of Gae Bolg pierced through my wood dome. If I had been a few seconds slower, it would have pierced through my right leg.

Realizing this I smiled.

I knew making Scathach my queen was the right choice. The way she fights, how quickly she casts runic spells, and her intuition and battle instinct.

All of it, wonderful and amazing.

Just like her.

Ok it's official, I am a simp for Scathach.

There I admit it, now let's move on.

Snapping my fingers the wooden dome around me shattered.

The moment it did I summoned several 25 meter tall trees within the battle grounds. I then commanded said roots from those trees to go after Scathach.

Seeing my attack, she retracted Gae Bolg, and then quickly used her runic magic to create several fireballs.

'Nice try.' I thought.

But it's not going to work. A fire that weak won't even scratch my roots.

They moved through the flames like they were nothing at all, heading towards Scathach.

When she saw this she tried to run away.

But when she did I summoned several [Dea Yggdrasil] and sent them at her, flying at breakneck speed.

Scathach had no time to dodge and was hit, being thrown into the ground.

When she was several of my roots wrapped around Gae Bolg, disabling all its special propeties, since they were coated with [Worthless].

Once that was done I closed the distance and delivered a punch to Scathach face, sending her flying back.

My close-combat skills are not my strong suit, but that doesn't mean I will lose when and if I choose to fight with my fists. The reason I am doing this is simple. I want to show Scathach I am not afraid to fight her on her own terms.

Getting closer I began engaging Scathach in an exchange of blows.

She hit me way more than I hit her, but I also got in several good hits. Eventually the two of us backed off from each other, both of us with cuts and scrapes on our bodies.

"This is fun. It's been a long time since I've had this kind of a vigorous battle." Scathach told me.

"Why thank you." I told her. "But anyway, let's end this." I said. I then activated [Linear Explosion] along the vines, right under Scathach feet, engulfing her into a torrent of flames.

When they died down I sent roots to secure Scathach's entire body, two roots moving to wrap around her neck.

Once that was done I approached her. Getting within a few centimeters. "Do you yield?" I asked her.

"Yes." Scathach told me.

Once she did I released her, and then sent all my constructs away.

"So, do I pass your test?" I asked her.

"Yes. "Scathach said. "You pass my test. Actually from the moment I saw you I already felt the outcome would be this way. Since despite your perversion, you are an honorable and strong man, one who I would be proud to fight beside." She told me.

"Thank you Scathach." I told her, flashing her a smile. "Now then, let's make this official." I said.

I then took out my evil pieces box and removed my queen piece. Then I placed it against Scathach chest and it went in.

Then in the next few seconds, it was done.

Scathach is now my queen.

I jumped for joy when it was done, ignoring the looks she and everyone was giving me. Doing so until I have my fill.

The moment I did I stopped.

I then looked at Scathach. "Pay no attention to that. I was just expressing my joy of you becoming my queen." I told her.

"I'm flattered." Scathach told me. "And since we have just had a battle I invite you all to stay at castle Dun Scaith tonight." She said.

"Sure." I said. "And thank you for having us."

"It is no trouble at all. My king." Scathach said.

Once she did we went back over to the others and then left the battleground and headed back to Dun Scaith.

After we arrived Scathach had several of her ghostly companions, show us to our rooms. Then we had dinner, a bath, and then we all started drinking some wine that Scathach got long ago from The Morrigan herself.

For a death god to give someone a gift. I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing.

Either way we all drank it.

It was some good shit.

So much so in fact that I actually did something I haven't done since my previous life.

I got black-out drunk.

-----------------------------------

Opening my eyes I put a hand to my head.

"Fuck." I muttered. I have a hangover.

Something that I haven't had since I started drinking again.

Whatever was in that wine The Morrigan gifted Scathach is no joke. If it can even get someone like me drunk.

Taking a moment I let my mind pull itself together.

As I did I noticed several things.

One, I am naked in a bed.

Two, I am not alone.

Feeling something shift under the covers I moved them out of the way. When I did I saw Angelica sleeping with a serene smile on her face.

But was wasn't only her.

Scathach was clinging to me as well, a serene smile on her face.

Once I saw this I started to remember what happened the previous night.

After we all got drunk I started making out with Scathach. One thing led to another, and she ended up joining me and Angelica in a very hot three-way.

As it all came back to me I learned that Scathach is a screamer, and that she is a pervert.

Since she preformed Anilingus on both me and Angelica last night.

But I actually don't mind that.

Not one bit in fact.

Moving on, Scathach began to stir a few moments after I did. When she opened her eyes she looked staight into mine. Then she picked herself up and kissed me on the lips, laying on top of my chest afterwards, a serene smile on her face.

"Last night was amazing." She said.

"Yeah, it was." I said. "But listen, just because we had an amazing time doesn't mean I am expecting you to do it again." I told her. "I mean what I said, I do like you and want to be in a proper relationship with you. So if you ever feel uncomfortable just let me know." I told her, pulling her closer to me. "But again, last night was amazing."

"It was." Scathach said. "And I have no issue doing it again." She said. "We have plenty of time to get to know each other after all. Besides..."

Scathach got a small blush on her face. "It's been so long since I've been with anyone, I am quite frustrated. So, will you help me out?"

Cute! Too cute!

"Yes mam, I will." I said, saluting my queen.

"Thank you." Scathach said.

"It's no problem." I said.

No problem at all.

The two of us stayed like that until Angeica woke up. Once she did we all got cleaned up and then headed downstairs, from what was Scathach's personal room, for breakfast.

But the moment we got downstairs we found a site.

Reynard and Echidna, both naked and laying on the floor, nothing but a blanket covering them.

Seeing this, we all knew what had taken place. I can even smell the sex and body fluids in the air.

The only question I have now is, are they a couple is this just some sex friends thing?

Actually either way it doesn't matter. I will tease them mercilessly about this anyway.

This trip to the Land of Shadows has been quite fruitful indeed.