Insult

The moon continues to shine ever so brightly as the two valiant fighters are at each other's throats. Golden Dragonfly tirelessly cracks her whip against Ruby, who dodges every attack. Back and forth and left and right, her mind was filled with ways to land a hit on the enemy while swiftly darting away from the whip. And when Dragonfly pauses to catch her breath, Ruby pulls her spear and charges unto the pugilist leader. Dragonfly immediately repositioned herself and blocked the spear with her whip swung against Ruby, pelting the spear from her hand. Ruby looked behind to try to run to her spear, but was stopped once the golden whip wrapped around her body. Immobilized by the shockwaves, Ruby fell to the ground, motionless.

Golden Dragonfly enthusiastically mocks Ruby. "Man, your skills are rusty. Are you sure you're the one who killed the first Pugilist Leader?"

"Shut your mouth!" Though she struggled, Ruby replied. She struggled despite every movement causing electric shockwaves.

"Woah, calm down, no need to be so butthurt! I'm pretty sure I didn't hurt you that bad."

"Urrghh, you... You dirty... Disgusting mud colored big-mouthed freak!" Ruby exclaimed. It silenced Dragonfly.

The thunderstorm worsened a few moments later. Thunderstrikes doubled and the rain became heavier than before, and at that moment, the Superior Leader finally stood from their chair. They walk slowly towards the tied up Ruby, followed by a golden disciple carrying an umbrella. "Dragonfly, withdraw your weapon." said the Superior Leader with a low, threatening tone. Dragonfly then pulled her whip, untying the demon and retracting it. "Uhm... what's your plan?" Dragonfly responds.

On the other hand, Ruby immediately stood, backed away and summoned her weapon back to her grip, pointing its head at the leaders standing before her. "Both of your heads are mine!" she screams, carelessly rushing towards them. But she was then stopped as she plunges. A hand was clenching the spear's sharp blade, tightly holding unto it.

"Have you no idea of the laws of war?" The Superior Leader speaks. "You strike your enemy with your weapon, aim your blade properly with a proper stance and stature."

Moments later, the tightening grasp caused the blade to shatter into shards. The leader pulls the steel pole and kneed the demon in the stomach. Blood splattered from Ruby's mouth, weakened from the hit. She fell to the ground once more, coughing blood and gasping for air.

"The flaw in your battle is your dishonorable tongue." The Superior Leader continues. They then threw the pole to the side and kicked Ruby in the head. Ruby's throat became desperate to breath with the Superior Leader's heel forcing itself on her neck. "You needlessly insulted your opponent. You lost." The Superior Leader's voice sounded strict, strong and threatening. The only thing stopping the leader from killing the demon on the spot is the prince's request, otherwise, Ruby would've died from being crushed to a pulp.

Ruby clenched her teeth and tried to fight back. She grabbed the leader's ankle and desperately pulls it away from her. "You know nothing about war. How dare you say I'm a loser!"

"You should be grateful, the prince asked me to spare you and your comrades. Otherwise, I've long gotten rid of your head. But perhaps I could use you to send a warning to your cowardly subordinates."

"Cowardly?! My subordinates who you call cowardly are out to hunt you all down!"

"Oh, then I'm glad you're all making our work easier. I'm certain you know well how many of you have already died in the hands of the Cardinal Manors. Of course, I was very delighted to mutilate many of them myself. "

"You seriously think you can threaten me?" Ruby said with a wide and proud grin on her bloodied face.

"I have all your names written on my compendium. Your origin, your crimes, I know everything about each one of you. 447 names have already been underlined red, we only have 219 left. If it weren't for the prince, it'd be 218."

"Fuck you!" Ruby tries to push the leader's foot off her, almost getting up from the ground but was forced back down. While she struggled, the leader was completely, effortless even, it's as if they were only stomping on a pesky rat.

"Oh you don't have to worry yourself. You only assisted in killing the first Pugilist Leader. Your sins are not heavy enough for harsher punishment. Lucius, however, is quite an interesting man, even my disciples found it hard to track him down. He's the talk of the people, yet even I struggle to see a strand of his hair. Some of you impress me, but he impresses me the best. If you could, tell him I'm eager to see him soon."

"And tell your Cardinal Manors to wait for Queen Anarchy's return. She will raze your Cardinal Manors just like before."

Hearing this, the Superior Leader couldn't help but let out a small mocking laugh. "Poor little Anarchy's servants still are as foolish as ever." they said. "Believe me, Asperity of Envy. She won't be returning any time soon. Your lives are now mine to play with."

Ruby's eyes widened. The Superior Leader finally stepped back to let go of the demon, who was now terrified of them. The purple barrier surrounding the area finally disappeared, and Ruby was now given a chance to escape. She stood up again, yet this time, she had already lost all her courage. The grin she once had left with no trace, and her eyes widened with fear. She trembled at the sight of the leader who towered before her.

The leader then lowered their head to stare at the demon. From behind their mask, their glowing purple eyes spill out. With a low yet wrathful tone in their voice, they spoke: "Run."