## Chapter 1273
"This is impossible..."
Pride stared at the void where the Heavenly Demon had just vanished, his eyes wide with disbelief.
—Absolute madness...
Wrath was equally stunned, his mouth hanging open like a gasping fish, clearly caught off guard by the turn of events.
"Well now..."
In contrast to the two stunned rulers of hell, Raon merely licked his lips, appearing entirely unfazed.
"The outcome here is a bit tricky to define."
He fought back a smirk that threatened to surface, casually rubbing his clean-shaven jaw.
"That is..."
"Actually, perhaps it isn't. You agreed to my terms, and subsequently, the Heavenly Demon turned down the fight. It stands to reason that this counts as a concluded bout."
Raon nodded rhythmically, firing off logical points that were bound to leave Pride backed into a corner.
"Surely the Monarch of Pride wouldn't dream of contesting the validity of such a clear result."
He made a point of emphasizing the title Monarch of Pride, a thin, sharp smile touching his lips.
"Ghh..."
Bound by a vow made upon his very identity, Pride could only gnash his teeth in silence. His eyes flickered with a violent, flickering intensity, suggesting he was on the verge of losing his temper and obliterating his surroundings.
—Y-you...
Wrath gulped nervously, his voice trembling as he addressed Raon.
—Don't tell me you foresaw every bit of this?
The small spirit’s lips quivered, unable to fathom how someone could orchestrate such a scenario.
'It wasn't that complicated.'
Raon gave a casual shrug, glancing between the uncharacteristically livid Pride and the visibly shaken Wrath.
'The clues were scattered in everything you and Pride said. I just pieced the puzzle together.'
Wrath and Pride were legendary rivals within the Devildom, having spent eons locked in a stalemate. Because both kings had chosen human representatives to champion their cause, the desire to pit them against each other was inevitable. Raon knew Pride harbored that competitive urge, and by poking at his ego, it was easy to lure him into the wager.
'And the Heavenly Demon is even easier to read.'
Had the Heavenly Demon been a devious soul like The Fallen or Derus, the Five Kings would have been decimated, and Zieghart would have faced ruin. But the Heavenly Demon was a stoic seeker of martial perfection, obsessed solely with Glenn Zieghart. Predicting his refusal was so simple that even a common mutt could have called it.
—You are truly deranged...
Wrath’s chubby cheeks shook with agitation.
—T-this human is a literal freak! How does a monster like this even exist!
Terror flashed in the spirit’s eyes as he realized Raon was now effectively preying upon Pride as well.
"So, what's the verdict?"
Raon shifted his focus from Wrath back to the towering figure of Pride.
"You're going to honor the terms of our bet, aren't you? After all, you are the Monarch of Pride."
He gave a slow nod, twisting the knife by repeating the grand title.
"Grrrr..."
Pride struggled to swallow the bitter pill of defeat, his massive fists—each the size of a cauldron lid—tightening and relaxing. Every time he squeezed his hands, Flame Storms erupted; every time he loosened them, a searing gale capable of blistering skin swept through the area.
"......"
Raon remained perfectly still, absorbing the weight of Pride’s suffocating pressure as he waited for a response.
"Fine. You aren't wrong. A forfeit is a definitive conclusion. However!"
Pride gave a stiff, begrudging nod and spoke through gritted teeth.
"I-it only happened twice! Standard dueling protocol dictates that a participant must ignore their name three times before a forfeit is officially declared!"
He held up a finger, insisting that they adhere to the formal regulations of the arena.
"That might be true, but why do you say twice? The Heavenly Demon only turned down the request once, didn't he?"
Raon had anticipated some pushback, but the math didn't seem to add up, causing him to tilt his head in confusion.
"Because this king summoned him by opening the gate, and the fool failed to emerge the first time!"
Pride growled, counting the Heavenly Demon's initial silence as the first strike. He seemed genuinely incensed by the slight, a dense, shimmering heat radiating from his massive shoulders. The air around them began to warp and liquefy into a thick, hazy distortion.
"Ha..."
A dry, incredulous laugh escaped Raon.
'He’s being incredibly petty, yet it fits him perfectly.'
While failing to accept a loss immediately seemed beneath a king, the technicality of counting the first failed summons was vintage Monarch of Pride. It appeared this demon king was just as multifaceted and strange as Wrath.
—What a pathetic loser!
Wrath crinkled his nose in disgust.
—This is his classic move! He always pulls this kind of nonsense to avoid a loss, which is why we never have a winner!
The spirit sighed, explaining that while he often held the upper hand, Pride would always find a bureaucratic loophole to keep his record clean.
'I can see that.'
Raon chuckled, finding himself in agreement with Wrath’s assessment.
"Regardless, this king maintains there is one final opportunity!"
Pride lifted his chin defiantly, demanding one last chance to call upon the Heavenly Demon.
"Hmm..."
Raon didn't reply at once. Instead, he turned his gaze upward toward the empty sky.
—Huh? What are you staring at?
Wrath blinked in confusion.
—This king is right here in front of you...
"<Wrath> has voiced his opinion."
Ignoring the spirit floating beside him, Raon spoke as if addressing the Heavenly Demon directly.
"He says he will permit it. However..."
He raised a single finger, his eyes burning with an intensity that rivaled the demon king’s own heat.
"If the Heavenly Demon refuses again, you must swear right now to accept the loss and obey his directives without question."
Raon pointed directly at Pride’s chest, demanding a firm commitment.
—Hey! Since when did this king ever say—!
Wrath flailed his arms, protesting being used as a pawn in Raon's negotiation.
"Tsk."
Pride scoffed and looked up.
"I am the Monarch of Pride! I would never shrink away from a clear victory or defeat!"
He ground his teeth, offended that his integrity was being questioned.
"And mark my words, I will never, under any circumstances, take orders from that blue idiot!"
Pride nodded firmly, convinced of his impending success.
"Very well. Proceed with the summons."
Raon stepped back and crossed his arms, giving Pride the floor.
"Whew..."
In a rare display of nerves, Pride took a long, steadying breath before clasping his hands together.
*Kuguuuuuu!*
Behind him, a portal manifested, roaring with flames even more violent and concentrated than the ones before.
*Thud!*
The heavy gates swung open amidst a surge of molten fire, and the Heavenly Demon stepped out once more.
"What do you want now?"
The Heavenly Demon’s brow furrowed, clearly irritated by the repeated interruptions.
"I am commanding you as the sovereign who spared your life."
Pride unleashed a suffocating aura that pressed down on the Heavenly Demon, his will manifesting as a literal palace of crimson flames that engulfed the horizon.
"Engage this human who carries the essence of <Wrath>."
Tired of the games, Pride skipped the rhetoric and delivered a blunt, direct command.
"......"
For the first time, the Heavenly Demon actually looked at Raon. His eyes glimmered with a brief spark of interest, but it vanished as quickly as it appeared.
"I decline..."
"Listen to me before you refuse!"
Pride cut him off, his frustration boiling over.
"If you won't fight this boy, then you'll have to trade blows with me instead!"
He lifted his chin arrogantly, issuing a direct challenge to his own subordinate.
"Fight you..."
The Heavenly Demon shifted his gaze from Raon to Pride.
"Fine. Let's begin."
He gave a calm nod, as if fighting a demon king was a much more attractive prospect.
*Kuguuuuuu!*
The Heavenly Demon wasn't bluffing. He released his dormant Fighting Spirit, projected a terrifying pressure that rivaled Pride's own. A whirlwind of dark red heat and gale-force winds erupted around him, pushing back the boundaries of Pride's fiery palace.
"You stubborn fool!"
Pride stomped his foot in fury, struggling to keep his flames under control.
"Why are you being so difficult! Why can't you just follow orders for once!"
He hissed through his teeth, baffled by the Heavenly Demon's defiance.
"Do you remember what you told me when you first saved me?"
The Heavenly Demon looked at Pride and slowly closed his eyes.
"'If you walk with this king, I will grant you a life where you never taste defeat. I will forge a pride in you that refuses to bow even to the heavens themselves.'"
He recited Pride’s own promise back to him before reopening his eyes.
"I am simply existing in the way you commanded."
The Heavenly Demon nodded, asserting that his current stubbornness was the literal manifestation of the pride the king had cultivated.
"Hmm..."
Pride was momentarily silenced, his eyes widening as the weight of those words hit him. For the first time since his arrival, the boisterous monarch fell into a contemplative hush.
"Currently, there is only one man I care to face: Glenn Zieghart."
He tightened his fist, reiterating that his focus was singular.
"Haaa..."
Pride let out a heavy, weary sigh while staring at the Heavenly Demon.
"I thought we were kindred spirits, but it seems we are too similar for our own good."
He rubbed his temples as if a headache was forming, but the annoyance had vanished. Instead, he looked at the Heavenly Demon with a sense of genuine respect and admiration. Watching them, Raon couldn't help but wonder about the deep history shared between the two.
"If your demands are finished and there is no fight, I am leaving."
The Heavenly Demon offered a respectful nod to Pride.
"Go on then! Do as you please!"
Pride flicked his wrist dismissively, signaling him to depart, though a faint, satisfied smile played at the corner of his mouth.
"Raon Zieghart."
The Heavenly Demon paused before the black mist could fully claim him and called out Raon's name.
"If you truly have business with me, come and find me yourself."
He tossed out the arrogant challenge, telling Raon to seek him out once he was finished dealing with Pride.
"I'll be there."
Raon bit his lip, staring intently at the spot where the man was fading. Pride’s sudden arrival had temporarily distracted him, but he remembered his original purpose for being there.
"I will find you, no matter what it takes."
"......"
The Heavenly Demon gave a slight nod, a silent "try it if you can," and vanished completely into the dark fog.
"Excellent!"
As soon as the Heavenly Demon was gone, Pride slammed his massive palms together.
"This king admits defeat! You are the victor, Wrath!"
True to the better half of his nature, he conceded the wager with a vigorous nod, looking strangely refreshed by the admission.
—T-this king actually won!
Wrath threw his arms up in a celebratory cheer.
—I finally bested that red moron... wait, why am I celebrating this?
The spirit’s joy was short-lived as he realized he hadn't actually contributed to the win.
'You really shouldn't be proud of this.'
Raon let out a soft laugh and gave Wrath’s forehead a playful flick.
'Aren't you supposed to be a demon king?'
He waved his hand dismissively, suggesting that such a hollow victory was beneath a ruler of hell.
—G-grrr!
Wrath’s face turned bright red with indignation.
—This is all your fault!
The spirit screamed, pointing out the hypocrisy of Raon's teasing.
"Now, speak up."
As Raon prepared to settle the frantic Wrath down, Pride made a grand gesture with his hand.
"Tell me what it is you desire from this king."
Pride straightened his back, waiting to hear the price of his defeat.
"......"
Raon took a deep breath, mentally rehearsing his request. He looked up, his eyes now cold and focused.
"He..."
—Even now, you're putting on an act! You absolute devil!
