[New Quest initiated]
[Quest: You aim to become the Demon's Head. Sit on the Throne with the League's acceptance and loyalty.]
[Completion: ???]
[Failure: Death at the hands of Malcolm Merlyn]
'Let's stay focused.'
Derek calmed himself as he stared at the League before him, Malcolm and Nyssa standing at the back, identical to how Derek knew them to look.
'I'd have liked to do this after I injected the serum, but I don't know enough about the Lazarus Pit to predict the effects it'll have on me.'
'I'd rather do it when I'm not being hunted by all these Assassins for trespassing.'
Not to mention the palace was built like a maze. He assumed it was done on purpose to throw off intruders in case of an attack.
However, when you could summon hundreds of small balls with Eclipse like Derek to speed in every direction and report back, you didn't have to worry about getting lost.
But he didn't mind too much.
Despite his shaking hands and racing heart, he wasn't worried about dying.
"Do you really expect me to accept that challenge?" Malcolm scoffed, pointing with his sword.
"I saw what you just did. You're clearly some sort of Metahuman. Your kind don't get to choose how they die. You have enough privileges as it is."
"Pathetic."
Malcolm's smile faltered for a second as the Figure replied.
"You're the one who replaced the great Ra's Al Ghul? He was never so cowardly as to nitpick at those who challenged him."
His grip on his sword tightening, Malcolm frowned.
"What did you say to me…"
"Be that as it may, I won't be using my weapon. I'll fight you bare-handed with weapons chosen by you."
-BLOP
Eclipse removed itself from Derek's skin, crawling upward and converging into an obsidian phantom mask on his face, leaving him shirtless.
However, as he did, he revealed his less-than-impressive physique.
It wasn't like he was malnourished or obese, but simply that his physique didn't match his bold words.
An average amount of muscle was spread out, nothing that indicated peak human physicality.
His ribs were visible and his skin was on the paler side.
So much so that Malcolm couldn't help but snigger, alone in his mockery. Though the other assassins were stoic in their expression they shared Malcolm's thoughts.
There was only a single female there whose eyes remained burning.
"You can't be serious…"
"Accept the challenge, Malcolm."
Malcolm suddenly snapped his head back, his eyes locking with Nyssa who had spoken.
"Those are the ways of the League. If you cannot punish those who look to disrespect you, you bring disgrace to us."
"I beg your pardon?" Malcolm had half the mind to cut her throat. And he would have if Derek didn't make him have his guard up.
"What? He killed your men and mocked you in your presence. Is this how you wish to start your reign?"
It wasn't long until the smirk returned to Malcolm's face.
"I know what you're doing."
'Good.'
Derek thought upon seeing this. If Malcolm were to reject, he'd lose the loyalty of his soldier who'd think he wasn't fit enough.
Nyssa further pushed this narrative, which Derek expected.
'Though, I'm surprised she's being so upfront about it.'
At that moment, Malcolm grabbed his garments, yanking them off his body and tossing them, leaving his bare torso, far more impressive.
The handful of scars indicated his experience as a warrior while his muscles bulged intensely as if his body was automatically preparing for battle.
The assassins immediately cleared the middle of the room, forming a large enough circle for the fight to commence while surrounding it.
Derek and Malcolm stepped into the ring as Nyssa unsheathed her sword, approaching Derek and handing it to him.
They locked eyes as her face remained neutral despite staring for extra long as did he.
The sword was a Scimitar, curved at the blade, the same as Malcolms,
Taking the sword, she passed him to join the crowd.
"He fights like he acts. Cocky."
These hushed words entered Derek's ears, but he remained looking forward.
"Are you ready?" Malcolm grinned, to which Derek simply stared.
Not waiting for an answer, Malcolm's feet dug into the ground as he shot forward like a predator, pulling back his sword.
'I can see it…'
Derek thought, seeing Malcolm approach at speeds that looked as though all time was frozen.
He could predict Malcolm's swing aiming straight for his throat, looking to end his straight away.
But Derek didn't remain standing.
Snapping into a stance, he swiftly ducked, the whistle of the sword slicing past him.
'He's too far.'
Derek noted, seeing Malcolm keep the distance enough to react if Derek tried to counter.
Despite this, Derek leapt, closing the distance.
'Hmph, amateur.' Malcolm, like everyone else, thought.
However, Nyssa's expression remained stoic.
Malcolm was quick to pull back his sword, countering Derek's predictable and rather mediocre swing quite easily.
-CLANG
The vibration resonated in Derek's arm as he grits his teeth, watching Malcolm shoot his sword forward like a bullet before he recovered.
'Shit, he's fast.'
Of course, he was. After all, this was the same person who was catching arrows shot from a compound bow a few feet away.
Derek wouldn't be surprised if his Stats were all S-Rank since he was achieving minor superhuman feats.
But Derek could practically see Macolm's muscles tense as they prepared for the next attack.
-SHING
Derek slightly tilted his head just enough for the sword to pass him.
'He dodged that?!'
Malcolm thought, his eyebrows notting.
Though he could see Derek's movement and attacks were average at best, his movement left him puzzled.
This confusion only increased as Derek swiftly dodged the next dozen attacks thrown at him without even a scratch dawning his body.
'What the hell!'
Malcolm grew more frustrated.
Nyssa also had her eyes wide, watching in awe.
"Enough with this!"
Malcolm stepped forward, coming face to face with Derek as the battle continued.
'Shit, my body has less time to react.'
Derek cursed, the blade getting uncomfortably close. He threw a few swings that ended up being meaningless.
It wasn't until Derek raised his back foot, aiming to break down his opponent, shooting a low kick.
However, Malcolm grinned as he witnessed this, raising his lead foot and intercepting the attack at the perfect moment to cause Derek to fall to one knee, losing his balance.
"Die!"
Malcolm raised his sword, however, Derek was quick to raise his sword to defend himself.
"Hmph, coward."
-STOMP
Derek watched Malcolm place his foot on the former's bent knee, using it as a stepping stool to shoot himself up, driving a rocket of a knee straight toward Derek's face.
'Tsk!'
Derek flung his head back desperately, the knee just barely passing him.
He watched as Malcolm, his powerful attack met with nothing but air, followed this momentum and shot into the air, performing a backflip to clear the distance.
'He's good. He knew he put himself in a vulnerable position by missing that…wait a minute…'
All of time was slow.
Therefore, to Derek, Malcolm loomed in the air, about to touch the ground.
Only, his hands were empty as he was grinning widely.
Derek's heart skipped a beat as his eyeballs shot up, barely able to see the sword shooting toward his throat.
'He…the goal was never to land those attacks…he was just looking for an opportunity to attack my blindspot where I wouldn't be able to react before it was too late.'
It was at that moment that Derek remembered Malcolm's nickname in the show.
The Magician.
He didn't know Derek possessed an ability to process things at super speed, yet he instinctively chose his next move to be an attack the boy couldn't even see.
Despite the fact that he could see it, Derek's body wasn't fast enough to react.
Well, most of his body.
-SHING
-THUD
-CLANG
Malcolm's feet touched the ground, smirking arrogantly as he brandished his empty hands like a magician at the end of his disappearance act.
However, he wasn't given the reaction he expected as he witnessed all eyes on his opponent.
He wasn't quite able to see since Derek's head had flicked backwards, however, in the next second, he froze as he witnessed the boy pull back his head.
'I-Impossible…he caught it with his teeth…'
Malcolm thought, seeing the boy's mask converge to just his upper face, revealing his mouth. And with it, the sword he caught in his teeth.
The corner of the boy's lips was bleeding, as a result of the blade pressed against it.
'He couldn't react in time…so he used his teeth to catch the sword aimed for his throat.'
Nyssa thought, her jaw dropped.
-WHOOSH
Malcolm was still dumbfounded when he witnessed Derek dash toward him.
The boy wasn't fast by any means, however, this window of opportunity was all it took for him to cover the distance, pulling back his sword for a final blow.
But as Malcolm saw this exaggerated wind up, he grinned.
'I'll take his weapon and kill him with his own blade!'
He thought, waiting for the attack.
Nyssa saw this, stepping forward unconsciously as her expression changed from one of shock to dismay.
"No!"
-SHING
The sword stabbed out as Malcolm moved his head, listening to the weapon pass his head, both of his arms going up to grab it.
'I win!'
"Coward."
"Huh…"
Malcolm and Nyssa froze upon watching the boy release his weapon, regaining a solid stance as Malcolm's arms went for the sword.
'He…how…'
But Nyssa knew. Because she, unlike the others, didn't once underestimate the figure.
She couldn't.
Perhaps it was foolish of her.
But she needed him. She relied on him.
'10 Sp points into a random stat.'
What happened next would dictate what he did.
Fortunately…
[Strength: 12 (D+) -> 15 (C)]
This combined with his daily quests he poured into the same stat…
-BANG
Malcolm stumbled upon the blow landing on his chin.
The colour in his eyes faded for a second as his brain shook within his skull.
'That blow…it was far better than anything he's thrown before.'
Nyssa noticed. It wasn't on their level, but far better than the amateur he was posing to be.
'He did it on purpose…to be underestimated…'
Nyssa's lips curled upwards as she continued to watch.
Derek raised his lead foot, not giving Malcolm a chance to recover, shooting it into his back knee, causing the latter to drop to one knee.
"Did you mean to do this…" Derek asked, stepping on Malcolm's knee and shooting upward.
-BANG!!!
A gut-wrenching CRACK could be heard as Derek smashed his knee into Malcolm's face, causing blood to gush out from the latter's nose.
Derek's feet touched the ground once again as Malcolm dropped to his side, barely conscious.
"I win."
No words were spoken as all eyes stared at their downed leader and the new figure that appeared from nowhere.
And they all had the same thought.
'He won without getting hit once.'
"You…don't win till you kill me…do it!"
Malcolm, his broken nose evident in his muffled voice, slowly rose to his knees as he yelled.
"Sorry…your kind don't get to choose how they die."
"That is the way of the trial. Only one person leaves the ring."
One of the many assassins stepped forward.
-BLOP
-SHING
The mask on Derek's face suddenly protruded a long spear, piercing the assassin in between the eyes before he dropped to the ground, dead.
"Does anyone else want to tell me what to do?" Derek asked, silence descending as his Eclipse spread to the rest of his body, into his previous attire.
"Good."
Derek moved to Malcolm, snatching the ring off his finger before placing it on his own.
Nyssa was the only one smiling at Malcolm's pitiful defeat, watching the figure equip the ring.
"In that case, I am the new Demon Head. So…kneel!"
Derek's voice roared as every assassin dropped to their knee, including the chipper Nyssa.
'Ah, I understand it now.'
Derek stared at this sight, dozens of capable assassins bowing at his feet.
The feeling he knew all too well returned.
The racing heart, shaking hand and almost manic grin.
He felt it when he bested Savitar and when he survived Thawne.
At the time he thought it was just fear.
It partly was, but there was something else.
Excitement.
Addicting excitement that he couldn't get enough of.
Excitement at besting the best.
Excitement at looking death in the eye and living to tell the tale.
Excitement at…being better.
"Take a good look, Malcolm…"
Derek turned to the bitter-faced Malcolm.
'This feeling of power…of superiority…I like it.'
"This is what it means to be a King."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hey, you!
Yes, you!
Gimme those powerstones!