"Huh!" Dorian exhaled sharply as he took another step forward, his Aura burst forth around him. He drew heavily upon his soul, Law Energy running through his veins.

In the confrontation, Dorian opted to not use any of the Seven Great Demonic Laws, instead using only the much more holy ones. The Aura that the Demonic Laws gave off was one that shifted and turned, hard for non-practitioners to detect, but there was no reason to risk detection.

Not when he was in the middle of a popular city that was located right outside a massive demonic ruin, likely full to the brim with Demon experts.

"Draw your weapon!" Bayran began, glaring at Dorian. The air around Bayran crackled sharply, deadly energy from his Law of Cutting rioting in the air.

Thanks to Bayran's actions, the street was now empty of civilian onlookers for more than 100 meters. The only people remaining were those with the strength to protect themselves from the aftershocks of any fight.

The fact that this challenge had gotten so far and was literally happening on the city street cemented Dorian's guess that this challenge was sanctioned by the leaders of, and Major Powers that influenced, Cracktyl.

Dorian glanced down at the plain sword that he had clipped to his waist. The weapon was a strong, reliable one, a low-level Artifact he had acquired that was tough and durable. However, he highly doubted it would survive any serious confrontation with a King Class expert. It wasn't a powerful Artifact by any means.

He also was nowhere near as talented with a sword as the legends of him claimed.

"You do not wield the blade and I am not here to kill you, Alchemist. Therefore, I shall fight barehanded." He made up an excuse on the spot.

The onlookers all murmured, observations of how fair and wise Lord Inigo was spreading. None of them seemed put off by the abrupt challenge, taking everything in stride. The warriors in Dorian's army all nodded as they heard him speak.

"That's Lord Inigo for ya."

"Of course, how could he let anyone fight at a disadvantage?"

"Sigh, if I was half as brave as Lord Inigo."

"So kind and wise!"

Similar conversation could be heard, spreading out across the wide stone street.

"Are you looking down on me? The greatest King Class Warrior-Alchemist to ever live?" Veins bulged in the reedy Alchemist's forehead. The Aura around him rippled with sharper, cutting power.

'I'm not trying to, dammit! I really am mediocre at best with a sword!' He internally winced.

"No, not at all." Dorian responded, shaking his head. Before he could continue speaking, he was cut off.

"Foolish 'hero.' You do not need a blade to cut! My cauldron here is plenty sharp enough to slice you apart, equal to any sword!" Bayran's voice was loud as he whipped his oversized cauldron forward, pointing it at Dorian.

"But… how can a cauldron be sharp? It's… round?" Dorian held his hands off to the side, at a complete loss.

"Hmph! You are merely uneducated! My cauldron gains its sharpness from its overwhelming might! Everything that lands in its path is obliterated by it, like a deadly blade!" The Alchemist seemed to have a habit of pontificating and enjoyed hearing himself speak as he lectured Dorian.

"But that's not cutting anything… that's just using it to crush or bash things…" Dorian noted out loud.

"You!! Stop asking so many questions!"

WHOOSH

Without waiting, the Warrior-Alchemist Bayran rushed forward, leaping towards Dorian.

Despite his reedy appearance, the Alchemist moved with skill and strength. The Aura that surrounded him allowed him to move quickly, as if he was slicing through the air. In just an instant, he arrived right a few meters away from Dorian, slamming forward with his oversized cauldron. He had used some sort of fast movement technique, a Mystic Martial Art that allowed him to move even more unnaturally fast.

Dorian's eyes flashed as he instantly responded.

'Perfect Body, activate! Mystic Armored Body, Law of Valor, cover me!'

The world around him lost some of its color as he activated his best defensive powers, raising his hands out in front of him. His entire body tingled with valorous energy and power.

'Rumbling Earth: Boulder Breaker!' He activated one of the few Mystic Martial Arts he had left over from Yukeli, launching forward with a mighty, energy enhanced punch of his own, one he infused with the Law of Mercy.

With so many people watching, including likely powerful experts from Major Powers, there was no chance that Dorian would dare to draw on any Demonic Laws. Not when they were right next to a famous Demonic Ruin.

He also made the elective decision to use as few Abilities as possible. He might be able to get away with a few, but the more Abilities he used, the more unexplained and inexplicable powers he showed, the more suspicious he would appear. Maintaining his cover was his number one priority.

'I also can't let myself lose this fight, however…'

A split second later, the oversized cauldron slammed into Dorian's waiting fists...

And immediately blasted him backwards.

BOOOOOM

'What?!' Dorian's mind was awash with confusion as he was knocked backwards, his hands shaking as if a colossal weight had just crashed into him. His Mystic Armored Body Ability managed to dim part of the impact and his Perfected and Valor boosted physique managed to tank another part.

But not enough to stop himself from being thrown backwards.

CRASH

Dorian sailed around a dozen meters before he managed to stamp his foot into the ground, forcibly stopping. The stone street cracked as he threw up great clumps of rock and dirt, his body trembling.

As he managed to stop himself, he looked down at his chest in actual shock.

A long, red gash could be seen, dripping blood. It spread from his right shoulder all the way down to his hip.

"Great Hero!"

"Oh no!"

"Holy Highlord!"

Yells from the onlooking audience, mostly of horror or shock, rang out in concert. Dorian's army shifted restlessly, the visage of confidence wavering as they saw Dorian become injured. Meanwhile, the Shades on the Warrior-Alchemist's side all kept their arms crossed, observing silently.

"Ah, you see the sharpness of my cauldron now? Foolish fake hero! How could you think to measure up to me in a battle of strength? I have done nothing other than strengthen my physique for decades!" Bayran's voice was cheerful as he stopped attacking, taking another moment to enjoy hearing himself speak.

"I am an avowed Demon Hunter, my side job from working as an Alchemist. In my journey to wipe out the remnants of the Demon Race that plague the Shade Commune, I came across great wisdom left behind by members of the Great Heroes, true warriors that I respect, unlike you." His voice was full of confidence.

"Words written by Yukeli of the Absolute and the Wizard King Telmon! That's right, I've read something left behind by even the legendary Great Hero Yukeli himself, my idol!" The Alchemist clapped his hands together, a smug look appearing on his face.

"Telmon theorized to Yukeli that all life was made up of tiny round objects, composed together in grand collections! Yukeli agreed, sharing his own unique insights and knowledge that solidified this theory! While the scrap I found was very incomplete and only showed part of their conversation, its knowledge has stuck with me!" Bayron continued, his voice and demeanor confident.

"And I thought to myself, if even the sharpest of blades is composed of tiny round objects, but is still considered sharp… why can't my trusty Pill Cauldron be sharp too?! From that thought alone, I broke through in the Law of Cutting and achieved King Class!" He finished speaking, the smug look on his face annoyingly present as he tapped upon his cauldron lovingly.

'What? But… No, that… That still makes no sense… It's still round, not sharp...' Dorian gave up on trying to understand the Alchemist's logic.

Dorian looked back at the self-proclaimed Warrior-Alchemist, his eyes narrow. It seemed that Telmon had discovered the truth about reality, about particle physics, all on his own.

'What an incredible genius Telmon was. Is, I mean. He's still alive, after all. And, of course, Yukeli agreed because he would have had access to my memories from Earth. He would know it to likely be true here, even if he disdained the memories.' Dorian could feel his body rapidly regenerating from the injury on his chest thanks to his Constant Regeneration Ability. He called to mind his status, maintaining his silent look at the Warrior-Alchemist.

-

Dorian - Soul Status

Soul Stage: Lord Class (Pseudo-King)

Health: Good

Energy: 188,002/218,602

-

'Damn. I can't take many more hits like that.' In his Perfect Body state, Dorian's mind operated at an enhanced rate. As he considered the situation he was in, he made several conclusions.

'He's got an extremely powerful physical body, as he said.' Energy Levels did not fully reflect the physique of a being. A Dragon with an Energy Level of 1,000,000 and a Shade with an Energy Level of 1,000,000, there was a huge difference between the two. Despite the equal Energy Levels, the Dragon would be vastly stronger.

This Warrior-Alchemist had trained his body to an abnormal level, likely through the use of Magic Pills and other enhancements. In addition to that, his cauldron operated under some weird use of the Law of Cutting, giving its movements deadly strength.

If it had just been that, Dorian would've been able to at least tank the hit with grace.

However, the moment the cauldron had slammed into his fists and chest, Dorian had felt a piercing, painful sensation deep in his soul.

This sensation seemed to react with the energy from the Law of Greed and the Law of Wrath in his soul. As soon as he felt it, the cauldron's attack seemed to grow much stronger, carrying with it an impact that far exceeded Dorian's capability to resist.

'Damn. Is it a weapon designed to help kill Demons or those using the Demonic Laws? It must be.' His eyes widened imperceptibly as he reached that conclusion.

The Warrior-Alchemist before him was almost a perfect counter to Dorian.

'I can't use my Dragonfire here and I don't have a very good explanation yet for my Hyperion Beams. I can't use most of my Abilities, not with all these experts watching.' Dorian's eyes blazed with light and frustration.

'So be it.' His heart grew calm as he focused himself, not allowing his irritation to sway his emotional state.

'I have one last card I can play, one that even you won't be able to counter!'

His thoughts had covered the span of roughly half a second. In that time, the Warrior-Alchemist had finished speaking and rushed forward at Dorian again.

"Let's see if you can take a second blow, foolish fake hero! Give up now, while you still can!" His voice echoed as he yelled at Dorian, Bayran's body swarming in sharp energy.

Once more, the reedy fighter's body blurred and reappeared just a few meters away from Dorian. The movement technique the warrior used was at least comparable to Yukeli's Thundering Wings: Flush Gale.

"Holy Highlord!"

"Nooo!"

"Careful, Great Hero! Dodge it!"

"Don't let it hit you!"

Shouts of worry and fear echoed forth as the onlooking Shades yelled out in horror. Many of them clutched at their weapons, their bodies rippling with energy as they prepared to jump to Dorian's defense.

Dorian ignored them all and stood ready for the attack once more, this time not using a Mystic Martial Art. Instead, as he stood still, he did two things.

He drew upon his soul, commanding Fate to change. His soul vibrated as energy flooded off of it.

At the same time, he slowly raised his right hand in front of him, in an almost lazy, off-hand gesture and spoke aloud to the crowd of onlookers.

"Sigh, ye of little faith."

WHOOOOSSH

For just the briefest instant, so brief that no one alive noticed it, the world around Dorian seemed to shiver.

And then the impossible happened.

.

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