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Chapter 12: Sparks of Destiny
(Kai's POV)
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The world blurred around me as I fell to one knee, panting heavily.
Another ruined fortress.
Another pack of corrupted beasts.
Another blood-soaked victory.
I tasted copper in my mouth as I wiped the back of my hand across my lips.
The gauntlets I wore—enchanted from my Gate—were cracked from overuse, icy mist leaking from the fissures.
> "God... when did surviving battles become my cardio?"
"No pain, no gain, right?"
"No wonder anime protagonists always end up traumatized. This shit's exhausting."
Azazel, that devilish bastard, was sitting atop a broken wall, munching on... was that a corndog?
A fucking corndog.
While I was bleeding out my damn pores.
"You done?" he called out lazily.
The fallen angel's grin stretched wide, like a coach enjoying his student's misery.
I pushed myself up, groaning.
"Yeah, yeah... what's next? Wrestling bears?"
Azazel laughed, tossing the half-eaten corndog aside.
"Nah. You've passed the warm-up arc, kid. Time to meet some real players."
My brow rose. "Real players?"
Azazel stretched his wings lazily, shadows dancing across the battered courtyard.
"You're strong, Kai. Scary strong for your age. But raw strength can only take you so far."
He tossed a coin into the air, catching it with a smirk.
"You need rivals. Allies. Foes. People who'll hammer your flaws into shape."
His gaze sharpened.
"And tomorrow, you'll meet a few... starting with one you'll never forget."
---
That night, I couldn't sleep.
I lay on the rough bedroll inside the abandoned barracks Azazel set up as our 'camp,' staring at the cracked ceiling.
The memories of my past life—earthly comforts, mundane routines—felt like a distant dream now.
> "Back then, I worried about rent, exams, jobs..."
"Now... it's life and death. Powers that can shatter mountains. Dragons. Gods."
I chuckled bitterly.
> "Talk about a glow-up."
"Still... would it kill the gods to give me a damn break? Maybe a hot bath? A massage? A tsundere maid or something?"
I closed my eyes.
Images floated behind my eyelids.
Rias' concerned gaze.
Akeno's teasing smirk.
Koneko's quiet presence.
Asia's shy smiles.
And... an unknown figure.
A silhouette.
Silver hair flowing like moonlight.
Eyes like glaciers.
A cold beauty that made my heart tighten in anticipation.
> "Who are you...?"
I didn't know yet.
But fate had started weaving its threads.
---
The next morning came brutally fast.
Azazel yanked me up by the collar, tossing me a battered coat.
"Time to move, sleeping beauty."
I groaned but complied, slipping into my blue cloak.
The dragon-shaped earring at my left ear glinted faintly in the morning light, mist swirling faintly around me.
We flew.
Azazel took the skies effortlessly, and I struggled to keep up.
Flying was still something I was mastering—thankfully, my Ice Magic let me create platforms and propellers to speed things along.
Below us, endless ruins stretched like broken bones across the earth.
Ghost towns.
Abandoned fortresses.
Craters where battles once raged.
> "A testament to how fragile civilizations are when monsters walk the earth."
After what felt like an hour, Azazel finally descended near a crumbled cathedral.
And there... standing amid the rubble, was a group.
At first, I thought it was a small unit. Maybe mercenaries.
But as we drew closer, I realized...
No.
These were not normal beings.
Each of them exuded pressure.
Power.
Leading them was a girl.
A young woman, no older than me—maybe 16, 17 at most.
She had short silver hair that framed her face like a warrior princess, and ice-blue eyes that radiated a chilling intensity.
Her figure was lithe, athletic, yet undeniably feminine.
Clad in a tight white battle suit that hugged her toned curves, she stood with arms crossed, a thin smile playing on her lips.
And damn...
> "Even in a post-apocalyptic battlefield, she looks like a goddess."
Her chest, while not absurdly large like Rias' or Akeno's, was firm and perky, fitting her warrior vibe perfectly.
Her hips had a slight flare, just enough to make a man's mind wander.
And those thighs... lean, strong, flexible.
I swallowed.
Azazel chuckled, nudging me.
"Eyes up, Romeo."
I scowled, adjusting my cloak.
> "Focus. Focus. Focus. First impressions matter."
As we landed, the girl's gaze locked onto mine.
I felt it immediately.
The recognition.
The challenge.
The spark.
> "So this... this is Vali."
Azazel clapped his hands.
"Everyone, this is Kai. He's the rookie I've been molding."
The girl stepped forward.
Her voice was smooth, melodic... and cold as the glaciers of Antarctica.
"I'm Vali."
No titles. No honorifics.
Just pure, unfiltered confidence.
I smirked back, tilting my head.
"Kai. Nice to meet you, Ice Queen."
There was a flicker—a twitch of her lips.
Almost a smile.
Azazel laughed. "Oh, you two are gonna have so much fun."
Behind Vali, the rest of her team shifted.
Kuroka—a busty, black-haired nekomata in a skimpy kimono.
Arthur Pendragon—a blond knight with a sharp, calculating gaze.
Le Fay—a cute mage girl with a shy smile.
Bikou—a wild-looking monkey king wannabe.
All of them... dangerous.
And all of them sizing me up.
I felt a grin stretch across my face.
> "Finally... opponents worth my time."
---
Vali raised a hand.
"Before anything else... let's test your worth."
I blinked.
"Wait, no introductions? No tea and cookies?"
She tilted her head, smirking faintly.
"You survive, you earn respect."
Azazel clapped my shoulder hard enough to nearly dislocate it.
"Go get 'em, tiger."
> "Goddammit, Azazel."
Before I could protest, Vali moved.
One second she was twenty feet away.
The next, she was right in front of me, her fist cocked back and charged with magic.
Instincts roared.
I ducked, sliding backward across the rubble.
Vali grinned, the first genuine emotion I'd seen from her.
"Good. You're not just pretty."
I snorted, summoning a halberd from my Gate.
"Neither are you, Ice Queen."
---
The battle exploded.
Weapons clashed.
Magic lit up the broken cityscape.
Vali fought like a storm—swift, ruthless, precise.
Each blow aimed to cripple, each spell designed to exploit weaknesses.
I countered with sheer adaptability.
Ice platforms, summoned treasures, teleportation tricks.
We danced around each other, neither gaining a clear advantage.
Every strike sent shockwaves through the air, dust clouds exploding around us.
My heart pounded in my chest.
> "This... this is what I was missing."
"Not just strength. Not just skill."
"A rival. A partner. A trigger for my growth."
We clashed again, halberd against fists, magic against magic.
Sweat dripped down my forehead.
My muscles screamed.
But my spirit blazed.
I was alive.
---
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Azazel whistled.
"Enough, lovebirds. Save it for the wedding."
Vali pulled back, breathing lightly.
I dropped to one knee, gasping for air.
She walked toward me, offering a hand.
I blinked, then took it, letting her pull me up.
For a moment, our eyes locked.
A silent understanding passed between us.
We would clash.
We would fight.
We would grow.
And maybe... just maybe...
We would conquer this world together.
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