After Raye and Jerusha ate breakfast together, Pyro and Zephyrus woke up not long after. But Raye was about to leave to meet Lycus and Devin, so he just left the two in Jerusha's care. Jerusha said she got it, and she reassured Raye with a sweet smile. Raye thanked her, so without any worries— He used his wind element and dashed off with a speed of sound! He was heading to an outdoor training ground where Lycus and Devin usually train and spar, the one near where Kyle's original stall was. "Good morning, you two." Jerusha greeted Pyro and Zephyrus and started cooking up roasted deer meat for them. The two spirits sat obediently nearby, eyes gleaming at the scent of food. Not long after leaving— Raye reached his destination. And when he got there— He saw Devin and Lycus having a spar! A pretty serious spar if he might add. Bright sparks flew everywhere as Devin and Lycus clashed violently. Lycus swung the red dagger in his right hand— But Devin just grabbed it with his left gauntlet, then with his right, he followed up a straight counter! But it was deflected by Lycus using his left dagger. Nᴇw novel chapters are publɪshed on novelFire.net And immediately after that— they exchanged fast blows after blows, no clear hits landed! They attacked and blocked at the same time, they dodged and countered. But they didn't even graze each other! Raye was silently watching the two, he realized that they were so focused on each other that they probably didn't know he arrived. They didn't know he would come too. But he didn't dare or even think about interfering. 'Lycus is already insanely strong... And Devin... I can't believe an npc like him would be able to go toe to toe against a main character.' Raye thought, a weird smile on his face. The intensity only grew as the two continued exchanging techniques. Devin's gauntlets glowed faintly with mana, every swing heavy, carrying raw force behind it. Lycus, on the other hand, was fast— his movements sharp and fluid, his dual daggers weaving in deadly arcs like crimson fangs while coated with aura. A dagger scraped across Devin's shoulder guard, but it didn't cut. Devin instantly retaliated with a hook to the side— Lycus twisted his body just in time, the punch grazing past his cheek. He landed lightly, sliding backward with a smirk. "Heh, you're improving faster than I thought." Lycus muttered under his breath. Devin clicked his tongue, then he charged in again! The ground cracked under his steps, dust spraying as he closed the distance in an instant. Raye's eyes widened slightly at the display. 'Monsters… both of them are monsters.' He crossed his arms, leaning against a nearby wooden post, and continued to spectate. His lips twitched upward— half amusement, half recognition of the threat both could pose to the demons in the future. Minutes passed and the tempo of the fight only escalated. Devin's fists blurred, each strike powerful enough to rattle bones, while Lycus danced between them, daggers flashing like streaks of blood-red light. It was a duel of sheer power against relentless speed. But what shocked Raye more was that neither seemed to falter. 'Damn... this isn't even a fight anymore, it's like watching a bear and a wolf collide.' A sudden clash shook the air— Devin locked both of Lycus's daggers in his gauntlets, their strength colliding. The earth cracked beneath their feet as they glared into each other's eyes. "You're holding back." Devin grumbled with a frown. Lycus smirked, twisting his wrist. A flash of red aura flared from his blade, forcing Devin to break away. The impact sent both of them skidding back, dust and sand scattering around. Raye let out a soft whistle. He muttered under his breath. "If they fought seriously, I don't even know what would happen to this training ground." Then, at that moment— For the first time, both Lycus and Devin finally noticed him. They turned their heads at the same time, surprised to see someone was watching them. Raye raised both hands casually. "Don't mind me. My business with you two can wait." Then he said that with a casual smile. Lycus laughed lightly. Devin, on the other hand, only snorted before adjusting his gauntlets again. But neither of them resumed right away. Instead, Lycus tilted his head, a grin spreading on his lips. "Since you're already here... maybe we should drag you into this, Raye." Devin didn't say anything, but the dangerous glint in his eyes made Raye's skin crawl a little. 'Oh... don't tell me they're serious?' The wind around Raye stirred slightly as if his instincts were already preparing for what was to come. Raye stood there, staring at the two with a deadpan look. He shrugged his shoulders, letting out a sigh. Then, with a lopsided grin— "Fine, whatever. If that's what you want... I can use some morning stretching." His casual acceptance made both Lycus and Devin smirk. The atmosphere shifted instantly. The training ground that moments ago echoed only with their clash now carried a different kind of tension— one directed squarely at Raye. Lycus twirled his dagger between his fingers, the red aura flickering faintly like fire dancing in the wind. His grin widened. "Haha, still casual as usual." "Come on, Raye. Get ready." Devin muttered, cracking his gauntleted knuckles. His eyes didn't leave Raye for even a second, the sharpness in his gaze like a predator locking onto new prey. Raye rubbed the back of his neck, a half-smile on his face. "Man... you two are really something. You fight like you've got unlimited stamina or something." Neither of them replied— they just slowly spread out, forming a loose triangle with Raye caught between them. The wind picked up around him, brushing his hair to the side. He could already feel the pressure of their slight killing intent, even though they weren't attacking yet. It wasn't suffocating, but it was heavy enough to demand respect. Lycus rested one dagger on his shoulder, tilting his head with a smile. "Don't hold back on us." Raye's smile only widened. "Hold back against you two? What am I? Stupid?" The words left his mouth calmly. For a moment, no one moved. Raye took out [Nyx] from his spatial storage.
