The morning sun bathed the field in a golden light, its warmth a contrast to the tension that filled the air. Luci's chains clinked softly as he walked alongside the knights, the sound barely audible over the distant hum of steel being sharpened and swords clashing in the practice yards. The grand halls of the Warrior's Keep had been cold, but out here on the training field, the open sky and the smell of fresh grass were a welcome change.
The field itself was expansive, a wide open space surrounded by the towering stone walls of the keep. The ground was covered in thick, green grass, soft underfoot, and in the middle of it all stood the wooden training dummies—the pells—roughly hewn but sturdy, shaped like men with arms outstretched.
Luci's eyes were drawn to the figure standing in the center of the field. Daniel. His armor gleamed brilliantly under the sun, each polished plate reflecting the light, making him seem almost larger than life. The legendary Gold Knight, known throughout the kingdom not just for his skill in battle but for his unwavering loyalty and strength, stood with his twin swords sheathed at his sides, waiting.
Daniel noticed Luci's approach and smiled, though there was a hint of something more behind that smile—anticipation, perhaps even excitement.
"Oh, hey, Luci," Daniel called out, his voice casual, as though this were just a normal day, just another sparring session. But the way he carried himself, the way his muscles tensed beneath his armor, suggested otherwise. Today was different. There was an unspoken understanding between the two of them that this wouldn't be just another practice match.
Without turning his head, Daniel raised a hand and gestured toward the knights who had accompanied Luci. They understood immediately, dispersing from the field with quiet efficiency. Their armored forms clinked and clattered as they moved to the edges of the training ground, their gazes lingering on Luci and Daniel, knowing that something worth watching was about to unfold.
Luci came to a stop a few paces from Daniel, his crimson eyes scanning the field one last time before settling on the man in front of him.
Luci ignored the whispers. They didn't matter. What mattered was the man standing in front of him, swords at the ready, the morning breeze gently rustling the grass at their feet.
Daniel's smile widened as he finally spoke again. "Why don't we practice?" he suggested, though the glint in his eyes made it clear that he intended to push Luci today, to test him in ways he hadn't before.
Luci glanced at the pells standing in the distance, then back at Daniel. The field was wide, open, and perfect for what Daniel had in mind. He knew that Daniel was serious. There would be no holding back today.
"Alright, let's start," Luci replied calmly, loosening the chains wrapped around his wrists. The metal links slid down his arms with a soft, familiar clinking, and he let them hang loosely by his sides, ready for the battle that was about to begin.
Daniel wasted no time. With a fluid motion, he unsheathed his twin swords, the sound of steel sliding against steel ringing out across the field. His armor, already bright, seemed to glow as the sun caught the edges of the polished metal. But what caught Luci's attention more than the swords was the sudden surge of energy that radiated from Daniel's body.
A fierce, purple aura flared to life around the Gold Knight, the energy crackling in the air like a storm gathering strength. Daniel's grey eyes gleamed with intensity, the glow in them growing brighter as the purple energy flowed through him, making his presence feel heavier, more dangerous.
"Now, Luci," Daniel called out, his voice charged with the excitement of the fight to come. "Show me what you've got!"
With a burst of speed, Daniel dashed forward, his swords raised and ready to strike. The grass beneath his feet scattered in all directions as his movement sent a gust of wind rippling across the field. In an instant, Daniel was upon him, the twin blades slicing through the air with deadly precision.
Luci reacted just as quickly, his chains snapping up to meet Daniel's attack. The sound of metal against metal rang out as Luci's chains wrapped around the blades, stopping them in their tracks. The force of the clash reverberated through the field, and for a moment, the two warriors were locked in a struggle, their weapons pushing against each other, neither giving an inch.
The grass beneath them swirled violently in the wake of Daniel's speed, and the air seemed to hum with the raw energy both men exuded. The force of their struggle scattered the fallen leaves and loose blades of grass across the training field, sending them spinning through the air in chaotic patterns.
For a brief second, they stood frozen, their eyes locked, iron meeting iron in a stalemate. But Luci wasn't about to let this continue. With a sudden twist of his wrist, he shifted the chains, loosening them just enough to give him leverage. In one smooth motion, he pushed Daniel back, forcing him to take a step away to regain his balance.
Daniel slid back slightly, his feet digging into the earth as he steadied himself. But before he could fully recover, Luci lunged forward, his fist aimed directly at Daniel's chest, the chains clinking softly with the movement.
Daniel's smirk widened, clearly anticipating the attack. "Calling the God of Matter, Solid State: Unbreakable Metal!" he shouted.
At his command, a gleaming metal shield formed out of thin air, materializing just in time to intercept Luci's punch. Luci stopped his fist just before making contact, but the sheer force of the blow was enough to leave a deep impression on the shield's surface. The ground beneath them trembled slightly from the impact, and the air itself seemed to shudder as the shockwave from the attack rippled outwards.
For a moment, Daniel's expression faltered, his eyes widening ever so slightly in surprise. He had expected Luci to hit hard, but not *this* hard. Before he could fully react, Luci followed up with a powerful kick, his foot slamming into the shield with enough force to send both the shield—and Daniel—flying backwards.
Daniel tumbled across the field, his armor scraping against the dirt as he rolled. But years of training kicked in, and before he could be thrown completely off-balance, he planted one hand firmly into the ground, stopping himself just before he would have crashed into the stone wall that lined the edge of the field. He rose to his feet quickly, brushing the dirt from his armor with a calm, collected motion, as though the exchange had been nothing more than a minor inconvenience.
But there was no hiding the gleam in his eyes now. He was impressed. And more than that—he was excited.
"You're surprisingly strong, Luci," Daniel said, his tone carrying a mix of respect and curiosity. "How's that possible?"
Luci smirked, the lie slipping easily from his lips. "I'm a moned."
The words hung in the air for a moment, and though Luci said them with confidence, he knew Daniel wasn't completely convinced. Still, it wasn't the time to reveal the full truth. Not yet. If Daniel or anyone else knew what Luci really was, things would change in ways Luci wasn't ready to deal with.
Daniel narrowed his eyes, studying Luci for a moment longer, but he didn't push the matter. Instead, he let out a short, almost amused laugh.
"Special race or not, I'm not done yet!" Daniel declared. His purple energy flared again, this time stronger, more intense than before. The aura surrounding him seemed to pulse with power, and it flowed from his body into his twin swords, which were now embedded in the ground where he had dropped them.
The energy hummed through the air, radiating from Daniel like the heat of a roaring fire. The ground beneath his feet began to crack, tiny fissures forming in the earth as the sheer force of his power grew.
"This technique... it's designed for slaying heaven's enemies—demons," Daniel said, his voice filled with the weight of the technique he was about to unleash. "Calling the God of Matter, Three States Combined: One Slash Demonic Slayer!"
With a powerful swing of his sword, Daniel sent a shockwave of energy racing toward Luci. The energy transformed as it traveled, shifting from gas to liquid before solidifying into a sharp, crystalline form that hurtled through the air with lethal speed.
Luci stood his ground, his crimson eyes narrowing as he watched the attack approach. **Should I dodge or take this hit?** he thought, weighing his options. In the end, his curiosity won out. **Let's see what this is made of.**
The crystal slash struck him head-on, and within moments, Luci's body was encased in a thick, purple crystal, the sharp edges glistening in the sunlight. For a brief second, the entire training field went silent. The air hung heavy with anticipation as the knights watching from the sidelines held their breath, their eyes wide with a mixture of awe and concern.
Daniel stood, his chest heaving slightly from the exertion, but his grey eyes remained fixed on the crystalized form of Luci. He had seen his Demonic Slayer technique reduce even the most formidable of enemies to nothing, their bodies broken beneath the weight of the crystalline energy. But now, looking at Luci encased in the shimmering prison, Daniel hesitated.
"Luci…?" Daniel called out, his voice filled with uncertainty. "Are you alright? Should I stop?"
For a moment, there was no response. The purple crystal stood unmoving, a silent, ominous reminder of the power that had been unleashed. Daniel's grip on his swords tightened, his instincts telling him that something wasn't right.
Then, a crack appeared.
It was small at first, barely noticeable—a thin fissure running across the surface of the crystal. But within moments, more cracks began to spread, splintering in all directions like a web of broken glass. A faint glow emanated from within the crystal, and with a sudden, explosive force, the entire structure shattered.
Shards of purple crystal flew through the air, scattering across the field like fragments of a broken star. Luci stood amidst the debris, his body unharmed, his expression calm, almost amused. His crimson eyes glowed faintly as he met Daniel's gaze, a faint smirk playing at the edges of his lips.
"Is that all you've got, Gold Knight?" Luci asked, his voice smooth and steady, as though he had just shrugged off a simple inconvenience rather than a powerful, demon-slaying technique.
Daniel's expression hardened, his earlier concern giving way to renewed determination. He had suspected that Luci was holding back, but now there was no doubt in his mind. This was no ordinary opponent. Luci's power was beyond anything Daniel had ever faced before, and it was clear that Luci had yet to reveal the full extent of what he could do.
"Alright," Daniel said, his voice filled with resolve. "Let's finish this."
He raised both of his swords high above his head, and the purple energy surrounding him flared even brighter, crackling in the air like lightning. The ground beneath him trembled, small rocks and debris lifting from the earth as the sheer force of his power grew.
"Calling the God of Matter, Three States Combined: Two Slashes Demonic Slayer!"
With a fierce roar, Daniel swung both of his swords, sending two massive waves of energy hurtling towards Luci. The attacks were even more powerful than before, the energy transforming once again—first gas, then liquid, and finally solidifying into two razor-sharp crystal slashes, each one larger and more devastating than the last.
Luci stood his ground, his arms spread wide as he prepared to take the full force of the attack. The knights watching from the sidelines could only stare in disbelief as the twin crystal slashes bore down on him with terrifying speed.
"Let me feel it again," Luci muttered under his breath, his crimson eyes gleaming with anticipation.
The crystal slashes collided with Luci's body, wrapping around him like a swirling vortex of energy. For a brief moment, it seemed as though the attack had succeeded, the sheer force of the technique enough to bring even the most powerful opponents to their knees.
But Luci was not most opponents.
With a subtle movement, almost too quick to see, Luci raised his hand and pressed a single finger against the edge of one of the crystal slashes. The energy around him shifted, and with a simple flick of his wrist, Luci sent a small shard of the crystal flying through the air, aimed directly at Daniel.
Daniel barely had time to react. Before the shard could reach him, a voice rang out from the sidelines—urgent, panicked.
"Sir Daniel!"
The sudden shout caused Daniel to turn his head, just in time to see the crystal shard whiz past him, narrowly missing his cheek by mere inches. The shard slammed into the stone wall behind him, exploding into a cloud of dust and debris. A small cut appeared on Daniel's cheek, a thin line of blood slowly trickling down his skin.