The woman in question, still standing tall as a blade, slowly removed her helmet, revealing short pale green hair framing an angular and impassive face. Her cold eyes pierced him.
"You can call me Zitish, sire," she said in a dry voice devoid of any warmth.
Linfer's smile widened, a mischievous gleam shining in his red eyes.
"A cold beauty... Just what's missing from my harem."
Zitish narrowed her eyes slightly, unflinching before his burning gaze.
"The rumor that you're a bloodthirsty pervert seems to be true," she replied in a cutting tone.
Linfer burst into laughter.
"It seems my reputation precedes me."
Uriel, seated calmly, gave his niece a disapproving look before sighing, his fingers tapping softly on the armrest of the couch.
"I apologize for her," he said in a composed voice. "Her parents were absent during her childhood. As her uncle, I took charge of her education, but she has always lacked tact."
Linfer waved his hand through the air, still amused.
"No problem. I've gone through similar things myself. And I like women with spirit." His eyes rested on Zitish, who looked at him with undisguised contempt.
The tension in the room became more palpable, but Linfer broke the silence.
"Anyway, may I know the purpose of your visit?" he asked, shifting from a playful to a calculatingly serious tone.
Uriel took a moment to respond, adjusting his gold necklaces.
"An alliance..." he finally declared.
Linfer raised an eyebrow, interested but cautious.
"Hmm... An Elysian from the south seeking an alliance with an Inferno? That's... suspicious. It seems that for generations we haven't held each other in high regard. So, what makes you swallow your pride and this ancestral hatred, Uriel Morningstar?"
A smile touched Uriel's lips.
"I don't care if you're an Inferno or an Elysian. What interests me is the destruction of my enemies. Belzebuth is causing problems for both of us. Why not join forces?"
Linfer leaned back against the chair's backrest, his claws caressing the armrest absentmindedly.
"I don't think I need you to deal with him."
Uriel raised an eyebrow, slightly amused by this arrogance.
"You're underestimating Prince Linfer Vamp."
"Really? And what do I gain by accepting this alliance?" Linfer replied, his interest piqued but still hesitant.
Uriel straightened up, a calculating smile on his lips.
"You asked for Minerva White's corpse. I can give it to you. Consider it a token of good faith."
Linfer remained silent for a moment, thinking.
"Hmm... Alright. But something more solid would be needed to cement this alliance, wouldn't it?"
His mocking smile stretched as he looked at Zitish, his gaze devouring every centimeter of her body under the armor, from head to toe.
Uriel raised his eyebrows, casting a glance at his niece, seemingly open to the implicit suggestion. But before he could say anything, Zitish cut him off coldly.
"I'd rather die." She uttered those words bluntly, her tone as sharp as the blade she carried.
Linfer's face hardened, his gaze becoming icy.
"Then die." His voice was cold, terrifying. The scent of blood filled the air as the heat suddenly rose. Behind him, Nestia had already raised her lance, and Zitish, her hand on the hilt of her sword, was about to draw it.
Uriel frowned, golden sparks crackling around him like threatening snakes. The air charged with electricity, and suddenly, the room seemed to shift into another reality. Linfer, though impassive, felt his world wobble. His concentration clouded, but immediately, a wave of heat surged from his body, burning everything around him. A disdainful smile formed on his lips.
Uriel, with calculated slowness, took a step forward, his hips swaying. Each movement seemed to make the sky rumble, and outside, the clouds gathered, heavy and dark, responding to his aura. The atmosphere thickened, as if the air itself was bending under his power.
Linfer, still his hands in his pockets, straightened up slightly. His aura, ablaze with infernal intensity, clashed with Uriel's. He took a nonchalant step forward, his expression displaying unmatched arrogance.
The two Origin 7s faced each other. Uriel, his hands on his hips in an effeminate posture, while Linfer, his eyes half-closed, sizing up his opponent, stood with provocative nonchalance, his hands in his pockets.
Their auras collided like destructive waves. Around them, reality distorted, the walls cracking under the pressure, and space itself seemed to bend to their will alone.
Nestia was forced to leave the room under the crushing pressure, while Zitish planted her sword in the ground, her legs trembling under the effort.
Without a word, Linfer slowly took his left hand out of his pocket, surrounded by crimson flames that distorted the space around him. Uriel, on the other hand, extended his right hand, lightning bolts exploding in the air like deafening detonations. Reality seemed to deform, the objects around them cracking and shattering under the pressure.
*Boom*
Linfer and Uriel's fists clenched against each other, their auras clashing with unimaginable violence, but neither seemed injured.
"Deal." Linfer displayed a mocking smile, revealing his canines.
Uriel nodded, a cornered smile, his golden eyes shining with a wild gleam.
"It's good to have powerful allies."
Gradually, their auras calmed down, reality resuming its initial form.
Linfer cast a glance around him. "I had some doubts about your power, seeing how long it took you to conquer the White house."
Uriel shrugged slightly. "I wanted to avoid a bloodbath of innocents."
"Everyone has their methods." Linfer cracked his index finger in a sign of indifference.
Zitish, still breathless, pale as a ghost, intervened in a trembling voice. "Uncle... you could have warned me next time..."
Linfer turned to her, feigning a sorry look. "My apologies, Lady Zitish." He extended his hand to help her up, but she pushed his gesture away with a grimace. Uriel seemed about to say something, but he thought better of it, the silence weighing heavily in the room.
"Nestia, take Lady Zitish to a suite so she can rest," Linfer ordered. "She seems exhausted."
"Not in my dreams..." Zitish stumbled before collapsing, her armor resonating heavily against the floor.
Linfer cast a glance at Nestia, nodding his head. "I think you don't really have a choice."
An amused smile crossed his face before he turned to Uriel. "Blood Devil, we must talk strategy."
Linfer nodded, seriousness returning to his face. "Come, let's discuss it in my office."