Return of the Mythic Bloodline-Chapter 369: Lucifer vs Ignis II

Ignis’ Soulforce began to surge; his arms glowed a brilliant blue as burning energy materialised around his fists. The temperature on the stage rose sharply as Ignis lunged at Lucifer with blazing fists. Lucifer ducked at the last possible moment, narrowly evading the strike by a hair’s breadth.

However, Ignis had no intention of granting him even a moment to breathe. In an instant, he drove his knee toward Lucifer’s chin. The blow connected, jolting Lucifer’s body backward.

Before his back could touch the ground, Lucifer swung his arms behind him and planted them firmly on the floor, arching into a semicircle with his stomach facing upward. In the next heartbeat, he snapped his legs upward, delivering an uppercut kick to Ignis’ masked chin and rising smoothly back to his feet.

The entire exchange, from Ignis launching his fist to Lucifer’s counterattack, unfolded within two seconds. The audience could barely follow their movements.

"H-how dare you?" Ignis muttered, instantly adjusting his mask. "A nameless lowborn dares to kick my face!"

Veins bulged along Ignis’ arms, and the flames around his fists flared even more intensely. Clenching his fists, he drew his arms back before thrusting them forward at a terrifying burst of speed.

"Flame Cannon!"

Two massive spheres of blue fire erupted from Ignis’ fists, hurtling straight toward Lucifer.

Sensing the incoming attack with his Divine Sense, Lucifer immediately responded.

"Lightning Bolt Version: Galactic Punch!"

Ignis stood at the first level of the True Sage Realm. The difference between him and Lucifer was not merely a matter of levels but an entire major realm. Lucifer’s physical strength had already reached the True Sage level, and it proved effective, significantly slowing Ignis’ Flame Cannon. However, his calamity-class lightning was easily overwhelmed by Ignis’ superior heavenly-class flames.

Though weakened and slowed, the Flame Cannon still struck Lucifer, sending him tumbling across the stage.

Before his body could even come to a halt, Ignis appeared before him, unleashing a relentless barrage of punches.

"Do you think a brat still wet behind the ears can defeat me, the greatest prodigy of this generation?" Ignis’ heavy voice rumbled from behind the mask as he mercilessly pounded Lucifer into the ground.

Meanwhile, Lucifer raised his arms, crossing them tightly to shield his face and protect his face-changing mask from the scorching blows.

The air filled with the acrid scent of burning flesh as Lucifer’s arms were scorched by the relentless assault. In the midst of the barrage, he swung his leg and struck Ignis’ ankle. The unexpected attack caught Ignis off guard, sending him crashing to the ground.

Seizing the opportunity, Lucifer sprang to his feet, yet strangely refrained from pressing the attack.

Since the battle began, Lucifer had remained eerily calm, his expression unreadable. Even as the skin on his arms blistered and melted, his face showed not the slightest change.

Moving his hand to his space ring, Lucifer drew out his sword, Vajra.

"Greatest prodigy, huh?" he murmured.

Suddenly, he vanished, leaving behind a streak of lightning.

"H-he’s become even faster?" Ignis gasped inwardly, his eyes barely able to track Lucifer’s movement before losing him entirely.

"Where is he?" Ignis muttered, desperately scanning for any trace of him.

"Lightning Slash Version: Cross Impact!"

Lucifer’s voice echoed from above. Following the sound, Ignis snapped his head upward, only to see a menacing cross of crimson lightning descending upon him.

He instantly raised his fists to block, but it was already too late.

The interwoven arcs crashed down with a thunderous roar. Crimson lightning scattered in all directions, hurling dust and debris across the arena.

When the dust finally settled, a deep cross had been carved into the stage, with Ignis at the very center of the impact. At the last moment, he had managed to shield his head with his fists. However, his arms, which had not been reinforced with Soulforce, bore the brunt of the strike.

Deep gashes marred his skin, remnants of crimson lightning still flickering within them as blood dripped steadily to the ground.

If I had reacted a second later, I would have died.

The realization sent a chill down Ignis’ spine. Why would he attempt to kill him? Was he not afraid of retaliation from the Flamebane Sect? Did he truly believe that the Thunderbane Sect, already half in the grave, could shield him from his father’s wrath?

All these questions surged through Ignis’ mind at once. Yet the one that troubled him most was how.

"How does he possess such strength when he stands an entire realm below me, not to mention that my attribute is superior to his?"

In that moment, Ignis understood he could not afford to hold back any longer. It wounded his pride to go all out against an opponent of a lower realm, but the humiliation of defeat would be far worse.

Taking a deep breath, he lowered his arms and began circulating Soulforce throughout his entire body. His form turned radiant white, glowing like the blazing sun in the heavens. His amber hair whipped violently as an intense heat descended upon the platform.

Then, suddenly, he screamed at the top of his lungs, his concentration faltering.

"This damned pain again!" he roared, clutching his mask tightly before forcing himself to regain control. He had grown somewhat accustomed to the stinging agony.

Steadying his focus once more, he transformed into a brilliant, blazing sun.

"This is the Pure Yang Body, a physique possessed only by highborns blessed by the heavens," Ignis declared with arms spread wide.

In the blink of an eye, he appeared before Lucifer, faster than ever before.

"You are a hundred years too early to pose a threat to me," Ignis muttered as he drove his fist toward Lucifer’s abdomen.

Lucifer managed to block the strike with his blade, but the sheer force behind it sent him staggering several steps backward.

Before he could fully regain his footing, Ignis appeared behind him and drove a punch into his lower back. The impact arched Lucifer’s body backward and hurled him into the air.

As Lucifer descended, Ignis reappeared above him and drove his knees into his abdomen, slamming him into the ground with crushing force.

Blood burst from Lucifer’s mouth as his body went limp from the devastating impact.

---

Nymeria, who had witnessed the entire battle, clenched her fists around the armrest until her knuckles turned white. Frustration was evident upon her otherwise cold face.

"It’s still too early for him," Nymeria thought inwardly. "He is not ready yet."

She rose from her seat, and just as she was about to leave...