Chapter 84 — The Bloody Moon
In the World of a Thousand Moons — Sacred Arena of the Scarlet Phoenix**
The battle had reached a level of savagery and beauty that surpassed anything the hybrid spectators could have imagined. The air vibrated under the pressure of the two fighters. The thousands of moons in the sky shone even brighter, as if watching this duel with divine fascination.
Seshomarû was no longer playing around. His arrogant smile had given way to a cold, focused gaze. He unleashed attacks with increasing speed and power, his katana wrapped in Lunar Blaze tracing arcs of pink-orange fire that lit up the arena like comets.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!**
Seth held his ground, but every parry cost him dearly. The heat of the lunar fire seared his skin, made his clothes smoke, and drew pained grimaces from him. Yet he refused to retreat. He slipped away with evasions, countered with powerful slashes, and looked for the slightest opening.
The fox-dragons watching from the balconies were stunned. Incredulous murmurs spread through the crowd:
"How can a human stand up to Lord Seshomarû?"
"It's impossible… No one has ever lasted this long…"
Seshomarû sensed the surprise around him, which only fueled his rage. He raised his katana high, the flames intensifying until they formed a gigantic halo above his head.
"You're starting to annoy me, you damn human. It's time to end this farce."
He spun his blade in a complex circular motion, gathering a phenomenal amount of lunar energy.
"Embraced Moon Solar Halo!"
A massive sphere of golden-pink fire formed, then exploded into a devastating circular wave. The attack swept across a large portion of the arena in a destructive radius. Pillars collapsed, walls were instantly vaporized, and an entire section of the domain was reduced to smoking ruins in an apocalyptic explosion.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!
Seth was caught directly in the wave. His saber shattered instantly under the overwhelming force. He was hurled through the debris like a ragdoll, rolling and sliding dozens of meters in a thick cloud of dust and smoke.
It took several seconds for the smoke to clear.
Seshomarû made an elegant gesture with his hand. His women, who had been watching from the sides, immediately moved as far away from the combat zone as possible even those on the upper floors their tails trembling with both excitement and fear.
Seth lay on the ground, breathing heavily. His body was covered in deep burns, blood flowed from his mouth and several wounds. He slowly got back to his feet, staggering, knees shaking, but his eyes still filled with fierce determination.
"…I just figured out how to beat you."
A memory suddenly surged back into his mind.
**Frozen Time Chamber — Several months earlier (according to the time flow)**
Obliranca stood before him, calm and imposing, in this dimension where time flowed differently.
"All magic is first and foremost a spirit that obeys the will of its wielder, Seth. It is not a brute, wild force that you release without thinking… It is an extension of yourself. Learn to channel it, to control it, to direct it with precision… otherwise it will consume you from the inside… and you will never be able to fully master your magic."
She had placed a warm hand on his chest and shown him how to concentrate his inner energy, how to transform his rage into a controlled, pure flame.
The sound of Seshomarû's footsteps cut the memory short!
Seth clenched his fists. A magnificent red flame pure, burning, and vibrant began to envelop his fists and forearms. The energy around him surged wildly, becoming almost visible to the naked eye, like a glowing red aura that made the air tremble.
Seshomarû narrowed his eyes, sensing the sudden change in power.
"Hm…? Am I imagining it, or has his energy just spiked abnormally…?"
At incredible speed, Seth propelled himself forward like a flaming arrow. The hand-to-hand combat that followed was incredibly violent. Seth unleashed a devastating series of attacks: flame-charged punches, explosive knee strikes, spinning elbows, and powerful low kicks that cracked the ground. Seshomarû blocked every assault, but for the first time, he struggled. His parries grew tighter, his retreats more noticeable.
**BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM!**
Seth struck with contained rage and newfound, almost surgical precision. Each red-flame-charged punch made the air vibrate and forced Seshomarû back several centimeters. The eldest son of Vaeris, accustomed to dominating his opponents, was now forced to block and retreat, his nine fox tails lashing the air in irritation.
**BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!**
The impacts echoed like thunder. Seth's red flame left burning trails in the air, contrasting beautifully with Seshomarû's pink-orange Lunar Blaze. The temperature in the arena had become unbearable a mixture of lunar fire and inner flame that made the pillars tremble.
Then came the decisive blow of the sequence.
Seth spun around with explosive speed, channeling all his energy into his right leg. His body turned like a tornado as he delivered a perfect spinning kick loaded with a massive amount of his blazing red energy. The movement was so fluid and powerful that the air whistled violently around his leg.
**WHHHHHHHHHHHHHOOOOOOOOM!**
The kick struck Seshomarû in the side with phenomenal force. The eldest son of the Goddess was literally lifted off the ground and hurled several meters backward like a projectile. He flew through the air in an arc before landing heavily on his feet, carving two deep furrows into the arena's marble with his shoes.
A stunned silence fell over the entire arena.
Seshomarû slowly straightened up, one hand pressed to his side where a burning red mark was visible through his torn clothes. His expression had completely changed. All traces of amusement, mockery, or nonchalance had vanished. His gaze was now cold, serious, almost murderous. His nine fox tails stood erect, crackling with energy.
The hybrid spectators were shocked. Incredulous murmurs and exclamations erupted from every balcony:
"Impossible… Lord Seshomarû is injured!"
"This human… he actually hit the eldest son?!"
"His energy just exploded! How is that possible?!"
"Look at his flames… they're red!"
In the room where Vaeris stood, she watched the battle through a large magical projection, her brows furrowed. Her fan stopped moving in her hand. For the first time since the start of the Festival, a look of genuine surprise crossed her violet eyes.
"Oh…?" she murmured to herself. "His energy increased phenomenally in just a few seconds… What kind of magic is this? This little human was hiding such power all along…!"
In the arena, Seshomarû wiped a trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand. He stared at Seth with icy intensity, his voice low and dangerous:
"How? How dare a pathetic human like you strike me? Who do you think you are? And where did this strange power come from?!"
Seth caught his breath, his chest rising and falling rapidly. The red flame continued to dance around his fists and forearms. He gave a tired but proud smile.
"Thank you so much for the training, Obliranca…" he whispered, almost to himself, before raising his head.
"You taught me that magic is not just brute force. It is also spirit. It is will. I simply stopped letting it consume me… and now I'm going to win…"
Seshomarû narrowed his eyes, visibly irritated by the explanation.
"Obliranca? Who is that woman? Hmph… It doesn't matter… Listen well, human. Even if you received worthy training, it changes nothing… because I swear to you once again: you will not leave this place alive."
The spectators, galvanized by the sudden turnaround, began shouting again:
"Lord Seshomarû! Don't let him humiliate you!"
"Kill him!!!!!"
Seth clenched his fists once more, the red flame intensifying around him. Despite the burns covering his body, despite the fatigue and pain, his gaze remained determined.
"Come on, big guy. This is where the real fight begins."
Seshomarû spun his katana once in his hand, the Lunar Blaze roaring louder than ever. The air between the two fighters crackled with explosive tension.
The duel, far from over, had just entered an even more dangerous and unpredictable phase.
On the Other Side of the Domain — Golden Corridors**
Reynard was sprinting at full speed through the luxurious corridors of the domain. His footsteps echoed heavily on the floor of pure golden marble, reflecting the thousands of moons shining through the large vaulted windows. Each breath came in sharp gasps, but his gaze remained determined. He knew he had been followed for several minutes already.
He stopped abruptly in the middle of a vast circular hall, breathing hard. Without even turning around, he spoke into the empty air with a cold and confident voice:
"Stop following me. I know you've been there the whole time. Show yourself."
A silence hung in the air for a few seconds. Then an elegant silhouette slowly emerged from behind a massive pillar inlaid with gold and gems. A young man with long golden hair cascading down to his waist, amber eyes gleaming with intelligence and arrogance, dressed in a refined princely outfit embroidered with lunar and solar motifs.
"I didn't think you'd notice me so quickly," he said with an amused and calculating smile, casually playing with one of his closed fans.
"Most intruders don't last nearly this long."
Reynard turned slowly, his gaze hard and wary, his body still tense from the chase.
"Dragons have heightened senses. Your scent, your presence… everything betrays your position. Now tell me: Who are you?"
The man bowed slightly with an almost arrogant elegance, a faint smile on his lips.
"My name is Seijuromaru. Dragon of the Golden Moon. I am the second son of Goddess Vaeris."
The hall where they stood shone with a nearly blinding royal brilliance. The floor was entirely covered in pure gold, the massive pillars inlaid with solar gems and intricate lunar patterns that seemed to glow with their own light. A heavy, luxurious, and oppressive atmosphere reigned, as if the air itself was charged with divine power.
Seijuromaru continued in a calm, cold, almost melodious voice:
"You are currently in my domain, human. My mother has decided that you and your friend would be the main entertainment for this Lunar Festival. I thought my guards had killed you, but I see that's not the case… Unfortunately, you will not leave this place alive. And neither will the two of you."
Reynard had already stolen a saber from one of the soldiers who had attacked him earlier. He pointed it in front of him, the tip aimed at his opponent, his eyes burning with determination.
"I have no intention of playing your twisted little game. I have a kingdom to save and a friend to find. So either you let me pass… or I'll go through you."
Seijuromaru drew two very sharp fans, beautiful and razor-edged like blades, encrusted with sparkling ice crystals. He opened them in a graceful, fluid motion, a cruel smile stretching his lips.
"Very well. Let's have some fun."
To be continued…