2026-08-07 20:54:57
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The Underground Ring
Damien glanced around the rundown restaurant Rias had finally settled into. The place had evidence that it had survived three wars.Maybe four, in fact.One flickering light hung above them, buzzing every few seconds like it was about to finally give up.The tables and chairs that didn't match were scratched.The walls had stains that Damien was almost certain were older than him.Yet somewhere behind the counter, something was sizzling loudly enough to make him question whether they were actually cooking food or forging something.Damien stared at the plate in front of him."Is this..." He shifted the plate with his finger. "...edible?"Opposite him, Rias was already eating."Probably.""Probably?"Rias shrugged and made an expression with his face that said he was also unsure."See, if you don't ask questions, the food tastes better."Damien looked down at the plate again."You brought me here.""Yeah?""Why?""Because you're angry."Damien looked at him."I'm not angry."Rias pause
The Card
The arena was still roaring as new contestants were announced for the night.But Damien, who stood outside, couldn't hear it. He stared at the closed doors where the Pillars had walked out. His fists were tightly folded, so much so that his nails dug into his palms.His mind ran all over the place as he thought to himself.“The fight was supposed to happen. Everything had been arranged from the meeting with the Devil.”“And then, just like that, I win without the opponent showing up?”“How can there be no explanation?”Damien exhaled slowly through his nose."Unbelievable."Beside him, Dante Rias stretched his arms over his head."Well."He yawned lazily as he began walking forward, forcing Damien to join him."At least you didn't have to punch anybody."Damien turned sharply."You think that's funny?"Rias looked at him, then at Damien's hands.His smile faded slightly."Whoa…."Damien frowned."What?""Your hands."Damien looked down.“What about them?”“They were…..shaking, almost
Meeting Iron Fist
The arena went dark and quiet for a while.Even the lights above the ring dimmed as the announcer stepped forward with a microphone close to his mouth.His voice boomed through the massive arena.“Ladies and mentlegen!”The crowd cheered loudly.The announcer waited for the noise to settle before raising his hand.“Tonight, we have a special challenge match!”Another wave of cheers rolled through the arena.“And representing the capital…”He paused and glanced around.“…welcome…”Funky entrance music suddenly blasted through the speakers.Damien stood behind the entrance tunnel.For a moment, he glanced towards the ring.His fingers curled into fists.His heart pounded against his chest.He took deep breaths one after the other.“I came here for a reason.”Damien stepped forward.The moment he entered the arena, the spectators exploded into cheers, with boos coming from some corners.The lights followed him as he walked toward the ring.Every step he took felt heavy, but he tried his
Countdown To Midnight
Damien pushed open the door to the bar where he first met Vesna.The music was quieter now.He stopped by a man passing through the door. “Where's everybody?”The man continued walking.“Nobody would miss tonight's match at the arena, news is, we have a new contender”Damien took a deep breath as he stood by the counter and glanced around the room. His face lit up as he spotted Oma at a table."There you are."Immediately she saw him, Oma stood up from the table so abruptly her chair scraped across the floor.She marched straight toward him. Before Damien could say anything, she hit him on his chest."Do you have any idea how long I've been waiting?"Damien blinked."Oma….""Almost an hour!"She hit him again."I thought you were dead!"People nearby glanced over before returning to their drinks.Damien caught her wrist before she could walk away."I wasn't out there playing."She stopped."Then explain yourself."He told her everything from finding Vesna to looking for the devil, to
Ashen Champion
Damien stood frozen. His eyes never left Vesna.For a long moment, nobody in that room spoke.Then, one after another, the memories came crashing back to him like a wave."You have to wait until the Devil decides when he wants to see you.""If you want to keep your head on your neck... it would interest you to address the Devil with respect.""The only reason you're still standing where you are now…..is because I know Cole."Even the Crown Ember. “She hadn't taken payment to lead me to the Devil. She….”His lips parted slightly.".....You're the Devil."Vesna rested her chin against one hand."I was beginning to wonder when you'd figure it out."Damien shook his head in disbelief."You walked me through the Ninth...""I was bored and had to leave here.""You warned me not to disrespect the Devil….""I hate men….I put up with them because of their pillar and stones and their firm touch. Asides that, I'd kill any man who dares look down on me.""You charged me for bringing me here.""We
Hell
The words of the guard lingered in his ears."You're in Hell now."Damien slowly turned around."This is Hell?"A quiet stone pathway stretched before him.Rows of flowering trees lined both sides, their branches swaying gently beneath a cool breeze that carried the scent of fresh grass instead of ash.Low fountains trickled softly into narrow streams that wound through carefully trimmed gardens.Small metallic robots moved silently between the flowerbeds.Each stood no taller than a child, their polished bodies reflecting the evening light.Damien blinked."How?"He had expected Hell. Instead, it felt closer to a forgotten paradise.Ahead stood an enormous building constructed from a mixture of ancient stone and salvaged steel.Tall glass windows reflected the gardens behind him, while vines climbed across its outer walls.Above the entrance, carved into a slab of black metal, were two words.El SanctumDamien stared at them for a long moment."You've got to be kidding me."He pushed
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