Though this was not their first duel, thinking the fight would proceed like the ones before would be a fatal mistake. Although the spells and martial arts used were the same, the focus was on how they were utilized.
A fireball spell that once only moved in a straight line might suddenly snap into a sharp turn in the next exchange. These two were the perfect personification of what a true combatant looks like.
There were no ultimate finishers.
No fiery battle cries.
No flashbacks of memories.
Their entire focus was pinned on one thing—the enemy before their eyes. Both had been deadly serious since the first spell was cast. They needed no warm-up, no trial runs.
Right then, a massive clash of Mana was felt from a distance. Mujun and Leon stopped simultaneously, shifting their gazes toward the source as if bound by a wordless pact.
"It seems it has begun," Leon said calmly.
Mujun's eyes narrowed. He knew—the Hero and the Demon King had met. That fated battle was underway. He looked back at Leon.
"You've lost…" he said softly.
"I know…" Leon nodded lightly, then broke into a wide grin. "But I don't need to win to keep you pinned here."
Mujun's face hardened. Their fight appeared balanced, but both knew how it would end. Mujun held the upper hand. Perhaps the advantage was no thicker than a strand of hair, but it was there nonetheless. He could defeat Leon. However, the price required to bring down the Demi-human King would ruin his plans.
Mujun did not possess infinite Mana like the Hero and the Demon King. In the duel just now, despite fighting seriously, he had held back to conserve his reserves. He could have used more lethal spells, but every increase in destructive power meant a much larger sacrifice of Mana.
And Leon was no ordinary mage. Even if he eventually lost, he could stall Mujun here—perhaps until the war ended. That was what made this a stalemate.
"Do you want to die, Leon?" Mujun asked, attempting to negotiate. "Are you truly loyal to the Demon King? Is this worth it?"
Leon smirked. "You want to negotiate with me? The King of Beast? I thought you were smart, but it seems not that smart."
Anger surged in Mujun's chest.
Damn beast.
This was why this race was more disliked than the arrogant Elves. They were stubborn and impossible to reason with. The only language they understood was who hit harder.
Mujun took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly. If Leon truly intended to block him, there was only one path left.
"…I really didn't want to do this to you," Mujun whispered. "Leon… from the bottom of my heart, I truly respect you."
He had another way to stop Leon, but this method was an utter cheat. To Leon—and to every mage in this world—what Mujun was about to do was fundamentally unfair. He was going to use a power system that did not exist in this world. Yet that wasn't why Mujun felt heavy-hearted. The real reason was that he felt it was a complete waste to use it just to defeat the Demi-human King.
With the sharp hearing of his race, Leon caught every word.
"And from the bottom of my heart, I respect you too," he replied, his smile widening. "That is why I will hold you here—even if it costs me my life!"
Mujun was silent for a few seconds, then reached into his robe pocket. His hand emerged holding a small, dull, almost inconspicuous ornamental statue—yet the air around them shifted instantly.
Leon narrowed his eyes. His wild instincts screamed. The fur on his body stood on end, his muscles tensed, and he reflexively dropped into a combat stance.
"What is that?" he growled.
Mujun could feel the tension behind that voice. A thin smile etched onto his face.
"Something… that does not belong in this world."
Light then exploded from within the ornament. It wasn't a warm light, but a harsh flash that pierced the eyes, as if the world were being sliced from within. Shadows vanished. Colors collapsed into white. The ground beneath their feet trembled; the air felt pressurized by something invisible.
Leon reflexively shut his eyes, his instincts howling danger. The Mana around him surged wildly, as if rejecting the presence of what had just appeared.
And right in the center of that flash, Mujun stood calmly.
The ornamental statue in Mujun's hand shifted its shape into a lion with a golden mane. Upon closer inspection, the lion looked exactly like Leon. Glancing at the statue, Mujun narrowed his eyes. "Only enough to imprison him for an hour…" he muttered. He shook his head slowly, a sense of awe rising for the power of the Demi-human King who was no longer standing before him.
'I must finish this quickly.'
His body immediately teleported.
When he opened his eyes, the sight of a bloodied Nestal, his neck held in the Demon King's tight grip, greeted him. Sensing Mujun's presence, the Demon King turned his head.
His real name was Rugentta—a half-breed of Elf and Demon. He was born to an Elven mother who had been taken captive during the previous world war. However the story unfolded after that, Rugentta was born and swiftly ascended as the Demon King. Despite this, his official coronation had only occurred a few years ago.
The Demon race did not possess Diagram Towers to detect Will-users like humans did. Instead, they had something much simpler: bloodline resonance. Every demon was born with their own rank and level. The concepts of "King by bloodline" or "Noble by family" held literal meaning for this race—because those who were superior were truly born that way. Whenever a Demon King was born, other demons would know instantly from the vibration of obedience within their blood.
Aside from his ash-gray skin, there were no striking differences between Rugentta and any other Elf. Fortunately, the Demon race did not discriminate based on appearance, whereas the infamously arrogant Elves rejected any mixed blood without exception.
"I have heard of you," Rugentta said in a deep, authoritative voice. "The strongest Pure Mage to ever exist. Mujun."
With a jolt, Rugentta tossed Nestal aside like trash. Mujun did not answer. His gaze remained fixed on Nestal, who was already on the verge of death.
"It wasn't just about your strength," Rugentta continued. "I've also heard other rumors about you. Heh… humans truly are the most disgusting creatures."
A clear tone of loathing flowed from his voice.
"You are not disgusting because you are weak," he continued calmly, "for weakness is a natural thing for living beings. Nor are you disgusting because of greed, for greed can be found in every race. What makes humans disgusting… is that you are capable of understanding evil, yet you consciously choose it anyway."