94th Adversary: Testing Each Other’s Growth

*Bam!*

At the Renacido border, Momo and the others were clashing with members of the Flameheart Clan. Momo, who was leading the Renacido side, was battling it out with an elder of the Flameheart Clan. She was in her adult form after so many years.

*Bam!*

She swung her staff in front of her. Darkness rushed forth and flooded the area devouring everything it could. The elder flew back with wings made from emerald light. He floated a bit away from Momo and stared down at her.

"That staff….That's Sonia's isn't it?"

"And what if it is?"

Momo twirled the staff overhead and the eye sockets of the skull on the top started glowing red.

"Open, Gates of Avicii!"

A double-door gate appeared under Momo's feet. The doors swung inward. A realm of endless flames was revealed to the world. The elder could see countless pairs of beaming eyes within the flame world. He sensed the inhabitants of that world were about to invade this one.

"It really is the Key Of Naraka! The treasure that has direct access to the infernal hells of Naraka!"

A huge smile appeared on the elder's face.

"So Sonia didn't leave the empire with it? This is my lucky day! To think I would be able to gain such a wonderful treasure!"

While the elder was overjoyed, demonic limbs started coming out of the gate. Large fiery monsters started walking out one after the other. When the elder saw this his enthusiasm suddenly plunged.

"What the hell are those? The residents of Naraka aren't like this…. Could it be that's not the Key Sonia had?"

"I never said it was. I just said that this belonged to my mother, which is the truth."

Momo showed him a mocking smile.

"You little!"

"Anyway, Elder, who I'm too lazy to know your name, I'm in a bit of a rush."

Momo jumped and landed on the shoulders of one of the 4m tall fiery monsters.

"So I'll have you retire here."

"You freaking brat!"

"Let's go!"

Momo pointed her staff. The monsters rushed towards the elder, who also did the same while roaring.

Meanwhile, Miko and Luka had arrived at their destined battleground after flying for nearly an hour. They were in one of the many woodlands in the empire's borders. No one lived here except for wild animals. It was perfect for a duel between them.

They landed several meters apart and were staring each other down. A golden light flashed on both sides and two more persons joined the party. It was their Parent Gods, Tiamat and Ouroboros.

"Do you two wish to partake in a Proxy Duel?"

Ouroboros looked at the two and asked. They both silently nodded.

"I see, then we will now explain the procedure."

The two gods walked forward and stood between the two.

"A Proxy Duel is a righteous duel where the honor of not only you but ours is put on the line!"

Tia said.

"This means whoever wins this duel will be recognized as both the superior proxy as well as the superior Higher Being who is worthy of the throne!"

Ouroboros added.

"There is only one ironclad rule, there must be a winner! A draw is unacceptable! You must continue fighting until someone dies or admit defeat!"

"In the case either or both of the proxies involved are unable to surrender from being incapacitated then an Apostle of either party can surrender for them. If no one wishes to surrender then the fight must go on until either one or both parties die; even if it means their Apostle must fight in their stead!"

Reminder: Apostles are loyal followers of a Proxy who have pledged their allegiance to the Proxy and their God Parent in return for the Higher Being's blessing, which will grant them some of their power. Only someone truly loyal to the Proxy can be made their Apostle.

Tia continued.

"As this is a battle for supremacy, apostles are allowed to interfere since they too represent us as well as you! Gaining loyal subjects is also a necessity and proof of a powerful king after all!"

The two gods looked at both proxies.

"Do you accept these conditions?"

"I do."

"I do."

*Flash!*

At that moment. insignias appeared under Miko and Luka's feet. Miko's was that of a dragon emerging from the sea, and Luka's was that of a dragon swallowing its own tail. The insignias disappeared a moment after.

"Both parties have agreed to fight with everything on the line. As long as both parties are alive, another duel is possible in the future. Meaning, honor which was lost can be regained again."

"Keep that in mind as you fight."

The two disappeared in a flash leaving both Miko and Luka by themselves.

"...…"

"...…"

The two stood in silence. This continued for quite a while. Eventually, Miko was the first to speak up.

"When was the last time the two of us faced off like this?"

"Who knows? Six years ago, I guess. Back then you didn't put me in your eyes though."

Luka showed a smile. Miko smiled as well.

"Luka, let me just say this before I take your life."

Miko took off the jacket he was wearing and threw it to the ground.

"You're the one person I really didn't want to fight ever again."

"Hahaha."

Luka laughed dryly and started loosening her wrists.

"It's funny. It's quite opposite for me."

"So we disagree until the end, huh?"

"Sounds like us, doesn't it?"

"Yeah, I guess it does."

The two stood in silence again, and then-

They both moved at the same time. They instantly cut the distance.

"Die, Miko!"

"Go to hell, Luka!"

*Bam!*

Their fists clashed. A thunderous noise reverberated through the area. They entered a deadlock. They stared into the other's eyes while trying to force the other back. Their bodies trembled as they both tried their best to not be forced back.

"Ahhh!"

Miko roared and kicked Luka in the midsection pushing her back. He leaped and aimed a kick at her head. Luka stooped under it and grabbed Miko by his collar. She threw him over her shoulder, slamming him on the ground. He landed on his neck, almost breaking it.

*Bam!*

Miko twisted his body and swung his legs like whips. He kicked Luka on the side of her head. This caused her to let him go and gave him the chance to spring to his feet. He gathered water in his palm and created a giant rotating sphere of water.

"Hydrosphere!"

He thrust his attack at Luka, who threw a punch.

*Bam!*

Instead of her hand being destroyed, a burst of electricity erupted and forced Miko back, destroying the Hydrosphere. Luka chased after him with lightning forming a blade over her right arm. She thrust the lightning handblade at Miko's chest. Miko evaded by sidestepping. Luka didn't let up. She kept attacking Miko with her lightning blade. He continuously moved back to avoid her. Each of her attacks targeted Miko's vitals.

"Ignition!"

*Bam!*

Miko exploded and flames spread out around him in waves.

"Ugh?!"

Luka was hit by the waves of flames and suffered a few burns.

"?!"

She dove to the side and avoided a beam of light fired from within the flames. The laser hit a cluster of trees and turned them to ash.

"I'm going to fight you using your uncle's techniques."

Miko threw a punch and fired a laser from his fist. Luka jumped to the side and threw a kick. An arc of lightning cut toward Miko. He ran towards it, jumped over it, and threw another punch firing a laser at her. Luka lifted her leg and thrust it into the air. A powerful bolt of lightning clashed with the laser.

*Boom!*

An explosion of fire and lightning formed between them, blocking each other's view of the other. Luka heard something cutting through the air and peeked at her side. Miko popped up stooping beside her. He thrust his hand forward. Luka reacted quickly and kicked the side of his arm. She changed the path of the laser he was gonna fire at her. The laser flew past her. She followed up by kneeing Miko in the face with her other leg.

"Argh!"

Miko was blown to the side. His body bounced off the ground. Luka leaped and aimed a stomp at him.

*Bam!*

Miko fired a laser at the ground and blew himself out of the way of her stomp. He twisted his body and slammed his hands on the ground. Cracks opened up in the ground at an alarming rate.

"Detonation!"

*BOOM!*

The ground exploded and a powerful explosion devoured both Miko and Luka. Dust and smoke covered the area. In the smokescreen, two silhouettes could be seen battling it out. One aimed a punch at the other's face. Their opponent parried it with a casual movement of their hand and counter with a palm strike at the chest. They tried to follow up with a kick to the side but their opponent jumped and kicked them in the head.

Luka was forced out of the smokescreen and crashed into a broken tree. Miko chased after her with a flying kick. Luka rolled out of the way of avoiding the attack before circling him. She grabbed him by the neck and put him in a sleeper hold.

"Keh!"

The oxygen supply to Miko's brain was immediately cut off. His vision was quickly starting to fade. Sensing the danger, Miko's body started heating up.

*Bam!*

Flames exploded from his body again. The surrounding was immediately covered in flames.

"?!"

Miko was supposed to blow Luka off him, but Luka was clenching on him just the same.

"You thought I would use a choke hold knowing that you could just detonate your body? I'm not an idiot."

Luka's body was surrounded by a cloak of electricity, which protected her from Miko's flames.

"I have something more devastating than a choke hold!"

At that moment, thousands of volts of electricity were poured into Miko's body without warning.

"Ahhhhhh?!"

Miko screamed out in pain as the electricity hit his organs causing him to twitch uncontrollably.

"I wonder how long can you last?"

Luka whispered in his ear.

"Don't….Underestimate me….Luka!"

Miko gritted his teeth and jumped into the air with Luka still grabbing onto him.

"What are you doing?!"

"You asked how long I can last right? Let me answer you."

Miko smiled as his body started glowing.

"All night long, baby!"

*BOOM!*

A massive explosion of flames erupted in the air. The explosion was so powerful it caused all the surrounding trees to burst like balloons and the clouds in the sky to disperse. Luka was seen crashing out of the sky emitting smoke. She fell and hit the ground.

"Cough! Cough!"

She coughed out the smoke in her lungs and looked up into the air. She saw Miko floating in the air holding a giant rotating fireball overhead.

"Say, could you do me the favor of allowing me to test this technique I just thought of on you?"

He swung his hand down and threw the fireball at the ground.

"Pyrosphere!"

The fireball started rotating like a top as it descended onto the earth. Luka quickly brought her hands in front of her. Electricity started dancing above her.

"?!"

Miko's eyes widened. A sphere of rotating electricity formed in front of her.

"Electrosphere!"

The spinning sphere of electricity shot forward like a bullet and clashed with Miko's sphere of flames. The fire and electricity meld with each other forming a rotating sphere of flames and electricity before exploding.

*BOOM!*

An explosion of fire and electricity swallowed up the two and their surroundings. After the explosion faded a huge crater was left behind. Even the air smelled burnt.

"....."

"...."

Luka and Miko stood on opposite ends of the crater. Other than some minor burns, the two were hardly wounded.

"I wanted to see how much you've grown since we were kids."

"And?"

Miko smiled.

"Your growth terrifies me as always. I know that I slacked off for a while, but I'm still supposed to be considered a very strong person you know? I mean, I killed Darius after all. Yet, you're able to keep up with a monster like me. If that's not terrifying, then I don't know what is."

"Hahaha, Thanks for the compliment. I, on the other hand, was awfully disappointed. Not by your strength, it's impressive for you to be this strong after slacking for five years. What I'm disappointed with is the way you fight."

Luka glared at him.

"Miko, you're not taking this seriously are you?"

"...…"

"You've inherited Darius' memories which means that you should know the fighting style of my clan, on top of that, you should be well-versed in multiple other fighting styles, as well as swordsmanship and other weapons."

She pointed at him.

"Most of all, you're not using Vita. Isn't magic supposed to be your weak point? If you're this strong with magic, you should even better with Vita."

"Unfortunately, it's quite the opposite now. Because of Momo's spartan sessions, I'm stronger with magic than Vita these days."

"Stop messing around Miko."

Luka's body started trembling.

"Do you know how difficult it was to gather the resolve to come here to kill you?"

The bandages on Luka's arms were now loose and the wounds she got from harming herself were visible.

"If you don't want to fight then let me kill you and get this over with!"

She held her head while her body was visibly shaking.

"I'm already on verge of collapsing as it is."

"...."

Miko looked at her in silence before sighing.

"Unfortunately, I can't die by your hand. I have too many things to do."

Miko stretched his hands out to the side and Ishma and Regis appeared in his grasp.

"You're right, I wasn't taking this seriously enough. Forgive me."

He pointed his swords at her.

"From now on I'll come at you with the intention to kill."