Heavenly Demon Showdown and Wedding Night
A month flew by while chatting with my abilities and sparring with the Heavenly Demon.
"Take it easy on me today."
I greeted my abilities. They buzzed in response, mana trembling through me.
The cult was buzzing with festival energy. Sightseeing the changed atmosphere ate up the time in a flash.
"Woooaaah!"
The Heavenly Demon Tournament had arrived.
"Hup—!"
I lightly stretched, waiting my turn. The scrubs had all been weeded out in the qualifiers—only the real contenders remained.
'Whatever. They're all still cannon fodder to me.'
Before the main bracket kicked off, the Heavenly Demon had a word.
"Unleash the power you've honed to its fullest!"
Her words—basically "go wild, ignore collateral"—fired up the cultists even more.
Baekhyang glanced my way before descending from the platform. Her expression shifted in an instant.
She'd always looked at me like a fun toy before. But now...
'She sees me as a worthy rival.'
Compared to our last clash, my total power hadn't changed much. What differed was control. I was compressing my mana to the max right now. Back then, I'd flaunted it; now, no one around could even sense it.
'Baekhyang noticed and made that face.'
I couldn't wait to face her. To test my full strength.
'Living in the cult's turned me into a battle junkie.'
I calmed my pounding heart and waited.
"Get ready."
My turn at last. As I stepped onto the arena, my opponent was already there—a towering brute over two meters tall, muscles bulging like a tank.
"Hahaha! This scrawny punk made it through qualifiers?"
He was mocking my streamlined, battle-honed physique—thanks to Hana noona's influence.
"A real man needs proper muscle like this!"
My opponent struck a bodybuilder pose, flexing grotesquely.
"You lunatic!!!"
A familiar voice boomed from the stands. It was Chunsik.
"Chunsik hyung?"
This guy must be one of his underlings. Chunsik's face had gone pale.
"So you're Chunsik's man, huh?"
"Uh, y-yeah... what's your name?"
The cocky brute flipped to deference fast—smart enough to clock me as "that hyung's little bro."
"Since you're Chunsik's brother, I'll go easy."
I raised one finger. A tiny spark flickered at the tip.
"Rare, just for you."
First time trying this level of control on a person.
"S-Sorry!!!"
He dropped to his knees instantly.
"Too late."
Solar God's flames shot toward him. They roasted him medium-rare, just as I willed. Minimal mana drain—plenty left.
'Gonna steamroll like this.'
No one could touch me, as expected. Fried by Solar God's flames or zapped by Thunder God's lightning—all one-shotted.
Every time I unleashed an ability, Baekhyang twitched. She was itching for her turn, barely holding back from charging in.
The crowd was already betting on my victory.
The Heavenly Demon Tournament ended. I'd gone undefeated, unscathed—no stamina or mana lost. I stood before Baekhyang in perfect condition.
"I knew you'd live up to my expectations."
Finally, face-to-face.
"Here to prove it."
That I'm worthy to be your husband.
We exchanged brief greetings. Short for old flames reuniting, but fine. Our real hello would be with our bodies.
Thwack—!
No telling who moved first—we lunged simultaneously. Fists collided.
"Hooh—!"
Her leg whipped toward my head. I spun, dodging, then countered with a roundhouse on the momentum.
She evaded effortlessly, of course. Fists on fists, legs on legs—we traded blows endlessly. Mere seconds, but countless exchanges before we separated.
"Warmed up?"
No more formal speech—proof we were equals on this stage.
"And you? Done stretching?"
That had been mere prep.
Baekhyang channeled her Heavenly Demon Art aura. I pulled Holy Sword Gram from my Inventory.
Now for full power.
Before moving, the Heavenly Demon bellowed at her executives.
"Full barrier, now!!"
To minimize bystander damage. The cult leaders deployed it instantly.
Boom—!
With a sonic boom, Baekhyang charged—a human missile. I summoned Holy Sword Gram to match, firing a blade of light.
She blocked it barehanded, armored in Heavenly Demon Art energy, but grimaced at the weight.
Pushing Gram upward, she thrust her right hand from her waist.
Twisting her hips for max power.
'Heavenly Demon Heaven-Shattering Fist!'
A technique I'd seen countless times sparring her. Stronger than ever—aimed to kill.
Black energy surged murderously. My ring glowed.
Crackle—!
Lightning wrapped my legs for instant acceleration.
Boom—!
The Heaven-Shattering Fist pulverized everything in front of her.
"You're so much fun!"
She glanced sideways. There I stood, lightning crackling.
Silent, I unleashed Solar God's flames around a light blade. The golden edge turned orange with fire, scorching the air.
Baekhyang stood firm in her Heavenly Demon Art aura.
'Or not so firm.'
She'd backed off, but sweat soaked her.
I swung Gram through empty air. A flaming slash hurtled at her.
Bang—!
She smashed it with a punch.
Crackle—!
Thunder God's lightning let me zip around her at range.
Whoosh—!
Flaming slashes rained.
Bang—! Bang—! Bang—!
She danced through them, blocking all—happier than anyone.
'Mana's getting tight.'
Even rationing, it was dipping low.
Quake—!
She stomped, unleashing Heavenly Demon Overlord Step, cracking the ground to slow me.
Then gathered her energy.
'Too late to dodge.'
Keeping distance for openings had backfired.
'Fine, then...'
I poured all my mana into Gram. Solar God's flames, Thunder God's lightning, and Gram's holy power converged.
"This is the pinnacle of the Heavenly Demon Art. Its ultimate technique."
Her grin vanished, face serious.
"Heaven-Shatter— the founding Heavenly Demon's will to sunder the heavens, the essence of the art..."
All her power funneled into that tiny fist.
"Cool name. Sorry, mine's unnamed."
Silence fell.
Fwoosh—!
Again, simultaneous lunges. Basic straight punch for her. Basic vertical slash for me.
KA-BOOOM—!
Fundamentals clashed with apocalyptic force. The arena vanished entirely.
"Ha... hahaha!"
"..."
Baekhyang laughed wildly on the ground. I stood over her, silent.
"I lost..."
"I accept it! You're my husband!"
Her shout echoed to empty stands—the crowd had fled long ago. Only I heard.
The Heavenly Demon Tournament was over. Only Baekhyang and I knew the true end. So we called it my loss.
Why? The Heavenly Demon must be supreme.
She offered her throne—I refused. Wasn't sticking around this dimension forever.
'High seats are a pain anyway.'
Various reasons led to our agreement. I confessed my origins too—figured it'd slide.
"What do I care?"
As long as she could be with me, other dimensions didn't matter.
Once cleanup wrapped, she installed me as an elder. Young guy as elder? It was pretext—to legitimize taking me as husband.
Baekhyang moved fast. Next day, she announced me as her man to the cult.
Skipped the wedding—fits her no-frills style.
The top brass grumbled, but not my problem.
Now, just our wedding night. I'd been hyped, but she kept dodging. Chatty and smiling by day, vanished at night.
'Tonight, I catch her.'
Plotted with the cultists.
Dusk fell; she fidgeted to bolt.
I signaled the others.
"W-Well... off to train..."
She stretched toward the back. But cultists lay in ambush.
"Huh?"
She sensed them, panicked.
"No escape."
"Th-this is the Heavenly Demon's command! Move!"
They flinched but held firm.
"Lady Heavenly Demon, time to think heirs."
The spokesman voiced the crowd's will.
Trapped, she let me lead her to the bedroom.
"Shall we spend our first night?"
Gulp—!
The Heavenly Demon's wedding night began.