Evanii POV:    

“APIS, EVANII,” a familiar voice rang out. 

“On it,” I yelled simultaneously alongside Apis.

A beautiful fusion of sapphire and emerald aura expanded throughout the room as Apis and I carried out our responsibilities.

Funneling my own mana and manipulating that which was around my fallen peers I quickly encased them with what could best be described as life support. 

A veil of sapphire encompassed the Chancellors who had fallen as well as James and my little brother. Speaking of my brother…

Cronus had somehow managed to stay conscious despite such a powerful pressure. A feat that most of the Chancellors couldn’t accomplish. I was even suffering from a sore throat from such intense power.

While the stronger you are definitely helps in being able to withstand bloodlust or mana pressure, in truth, it was much more of a mental struggle than a physical one. 

The stronger you are, the less a presence affects you, but if your mental fortitude was weak you would still crumble. Especially when faced with pressure like this.

To be so young yet mentally strong enough to withstand this strength… my brother was definitely on a different level. 

Apis’s Donar’s Oak roots and Wisteria vines stretching across the room quickly brought me out of my head. The barrier that had just been made was near impenetrable. Making use of the most durable arts of nature, Apis had successfully created a defense that could withstand the full force of a Rigel vs Rigel brawl. 

The preparations had now been completed. I was funneling enough mana into everyone so they could at least breathe while Apis had created a barrier to protect them. 

Now it was all up to Damon. 

Our plan had reduced my mana reserves to about 50% while Apis only had 30% of his power. 

Generally, this plan would work flawlessly. We had always assumed it would be the enemy trapped inside with a monster. Yet, it turned out that it was Damon who was trapped in the ring with a devil. 

Igniting his own mana which erupted into a sea of pure light, Damon warned the devil, “I’ll ask you one more time, who are you, and what are you trying to accomplish.”

Despite his mana dwarfing my own, Damon had only summoned a little over half his power. Any more than that and I wouldn’t be able to protect the others from the combined pressure of those two.

“Hmph, I like you, you're kinda strong, but don’t be naive,” the red devil said casually, “If you want to beat me, you're going to have to go all out.”

“You know,” Damon responded, “It’s been a long time since I’ve been underestimated, I just hope you don’t use it as an excuse for when you're gurgling up blood on the ground.”

The devil simply laughed in response.

“The names Cyprian,” the devil who was apparently named Cyprian responded, “Now, join me, hell, even these two others with their cute presence can join you, sacrifice the others, they are nothing but weaklings anyway.”

“What a typical villain monologue,” Damon replied condescendingly.

“What can I say, I’m a simple man, with a simple plan, but inferiors piss me off, and now you're starting to annoy me,” Cyprian responded casually.

“Know your place, the last one of your caliber acted the same way, obeying his masters without a second thought, yet he failed to realize I was his new master, so I had to put him down, like the disobedient dog he was,” Cyprian mocked.

“Don’t make the same mistake.”

Breaking his general demeanor for just a split second Damon flinched. Then, calming himself, he coldly asked, “Kael?”

“Oh you knew him,” Cyprian responded genuinely surprised, “Ha, yes, I think that was his name, if only he wasn’t so blinded by his own self-righteousness.”

“I see,” Damon said deadpan, “Then we have nothing more to discuss.”

With unbelievable speed, Damon blitzed 10 yards instantly. In that same blink, he had also augmented himself in pure light. 

I was hardly able to keep up as the pair exchanged blows. With Damon’s attribute being Light he was able to move at speeds near unfathomable. 

However, blocking those attacks effortlessly with one hand was Cyprian whose attribute was unknown. Despite his malicious presence the devil had yet to even give a hint to what his attribute may be. 

50. 100. 200. 300 swings from Damon and 300 blocks from Cyprian. All in a matter of seconds. 

Speaking of seconds.

“Damon,” I yelled, “About one more minute, we only have to hold him for one more minute.” 

Damon nodded. 

Whoever that shadowy man was, he had warned that Cyprian only had two minutes. Luckily, they had spent almost a minute talking. Now, all we had to do was hold him for a little while longer. 

“Oh, yall are no fun,” Cyprian said, understanding what we were hoping to accomplish, “Guess I can’t play with you anymore, one more chance, harness your full power.”

Damon replied with a sucker punch right into Cyprian’s lower jaw. Connecting his first hit he leaped back and summoned a short-sword made of light. 

“Ha, bring it on you ugly beast,” Damon replied tilting his head in a mocking way. 

Smiling, Cyprian cracked his neck. Then he vanished. 

Damon was in the air long before I even saw Cyprian reappear. 

Now residing where Damon once stood, Cyprian, smirked for a moment as he watched Damon airborne. 

Then, as Damon almost fell to the floor, Cyprian appeared again as he held Damon up by his clothing. Lifting him up, Cyprian then slammed the helpless Rigel into the floor. 

Teleportation? Maybe. I couldn’t tell yet. 

Damon struggled on the ground as Cyprian looked down on him. However, after regaining his consciousness Damon rolled and dashed away before he could be manhandled again. 

Damon wiped the blood that covered his face before forming another sword. 

Without speaking any words the two began their clash once again.