With each step the Primordial Red took, I retreated. It was impossible for me to face him right now. Veldanava, that damn dragon, was the one who was supposed to fight him canonically.
"Wait a second! Before you make a move, answer my question," I inhaled some nervous air. "Who summoned you, and how many souls did you consume?"
If my knowledge wasn't failing me, this guy should have been summoned to the Central World by the High Human Emperor Jahil of the Super Magic Empire. He was summoned as an archdemon and tasked with destroying an enemy nation. Using a million corpses, Guy successfully incarnated and ascended to the rank of true demon lord, acquiring the souls of numerous people. In addition to destroying the enemy nation, he summoned the Primordial Vert and Blue, ordering them to massacre Jahil and all the residents of the Super Magic Empire. In short, that empire was already destroyed, which is why Rudra was planning a defense against Guy's arrival.
The Primordial Red stopped, raising an eyebrow and smiling even wider, if that was possible.
"Oh, are you interested in my story, Raquel?" he said mockingly, crossing his arms as I kept stepping back as if my life depended on it. "How curious, I thought you preferred to run away."
I swallowed, trying to maintain my composure, though my voice was trembling.
"No... it's not that I'm running away. It's... it's just that I like being informed, you know?" I tried to sound convincing, but the cold sweat on my forehead betrayed me. "I just want to know... who summoned you? And how many souls did you consume?"
The Primordial Red, who would later be known as Guy Crimson, let out a laugh that echoed throughout the place.
"A million, maybe a little more," he responded carelessly, as if he were talking about how many cookies he had eaten. "You know, the usual. An overconfident human emperor who thought he could control someone like me."
"No way!" I nearly screamed, my legs trembling more than I would have liked to admit. I turned to Veldanava, who was still watching the situation as if it were entertainment. "And you're not going to do anything?! This is YOUR problem!"
Veldanava raised a claw, as if thinking it over carefully, then responded with his usual calm.
"Well, technically... He's causing you trouble, right?" he said, shrugging. "Besides, Raquel, you're the one who needs the training."
"Training!" I repeated, my voice rising a couple of octaves. "This isn't training; this is a death sentence!"
Guy took another step closer, a look of amusement on his face.
"I like your style, Raquel," he said, and I could feel the terror creeping down my spine. "We're going to have a lot of fun together."
At that moment, I realized that perhaps learning explosive magic wasn't as useful as I had hoped.
"Veldanava, damn dragon!" I yelled. "You owe me another name!"
With that last shout, my eyes widened in surprise. I saw in slow motion how the Primordial Red's fist was coming toward my face. Suddenly, there was a massive explosion of dirt. I found myself off to the side, breathing heavily—I had moved at great speed to avoid the blow that might have ended my life.
I heard laughter, and when the dust settled, I saw the demon watching me with amusement.
"You're fast."
My heart was pounding in my ears as I tried to process what had just happened. I had barely dodged a punch that could have reduced me to dust. I could still feel the shockwave of the impact on the ground, the earth crumbling as if it had been hit by a meteor.
The Primordial Red—Guy Crimson, the future true Demon Lord—laughed, his laughter filled with the same arrogance that seemed to ooze from his every move.
"You're fast, Raquel," he said, and again, that name made me frown. Damn Veldanava and his ridiculous name choices! But now was not the time to think about that. The Primordial was advancing toward me, and I had no idea how I was going to survive the next assault.
I tried to mask my panic with a sharp comment.
"You know? If this is your way of saying 'hello,' we need to seriously talk about your social etiquette. You could start with a handshake, not a punch that destroys the landscape!"
Guy smirked maliciously, and before I could react, he was on me again. I felt the air shift with his next punch, and although I dodged by pure luck, the power behind his attacks was terrifying. Every punch he threw created craters in the ground, as if the very earth bowed to his power.
"You've got guts, Raquel," he taunted, moving at an impossible speed. "But that won't save you from me."
"Think, think, what do I do?!" I told myself. I knew I couldn't just keep dodging; eventually, he would catch me, and there was no way I could withstand even one hit. I had to do something, and fast!
Suddenly, I remembered something from the magic books I'd been studying. It wasn't perfect, but I had already mastered the basics: a magical explosion. If I could charge it enough, maybe...
"All right, Raquel!" I shouted to motivate myself, as my magic began to build up in my hands. "It's now or never."
The demon gave me a confused look, but not for long. I extended my hands forward and concentrated all the magic I had into a single fire explosion. The sphere crackled in my hands, and a humanoid figure I hadn't noticed formed behind me before launching toward him, enveloping him in a violent explosion of pure energy.
I opened my eyes in shock at the devastating explosion, sweat dripping down my forehead. I didn't remember my magic being that powerful. Plus, I had briefly noticed a small humanoid figure accompanying the attack.
The ground shook with the impact, and a cloud of smoke and flames covered the area where Guy was. I breathed heavily, not daring to lower my guard. Had it worked? Had I even stopped him for a second?
The smoke was clearing, revealing the Primordial Red completely unharmed. The only thing affected was his hair, now a bit disheveled. He dusted off his shoulders with unsettling calmness and began to laugh as if the explosion I had launched was nothing but a game to him.
"That was... interesting," he said with a wicked smile. "But now it's my turn."
My legs trembled, but I couldn't show weakness. Seeing that the situation was about to get worse, I couldn't help but blurt out:
"Veldanava..."
The dragon, who had been observing with his usual serenity, looked at me.
"If I survive, I swear I'll mock you all day," I said, a mix of desperation and seriousness while adopting an overly orthodox fighting stance, like something out of an old martial arts movie. I had no idea what I was doing.
Veldanava smiled with amusement.
"Seems fair," he replied, as if this were just another day at the office for him.
The Primordial Red advanced, and I did the only thing that came to mind: I tried a spinning kick. Don't ask me why, I just did. Naturally, it didn't work. Guy blocked my leg with ease and, with overwhelming strength, hurled me into the air like a feather. I felt the wind hit my face as I flew toward a tree.
"What kind of joke is this?!" I screamed as I crashed into the branches.
Collapsed on the ground, I got up, wobbling, covered in leaves. Guy watched me with a mixture of amazement and amusement. Veldanava, on the other hand, seemed to be enjoying the show far more than he should.
"Raquel, you're lacking some style," the dragon teased.
"Don't call me Raquel!" I snapped, shaking the leaves from my clothes, trying to regain some dignity. "And stop enjoying this!"
Guy, who had been pleased with the chaos up until now, decided that was enough. With a swift motion, he hurled a ball of energy at me.
"Shit..."
With no time to react, all I could do was close my eyes and brace for impact.
The explosion was so violent that the trees vanished as if they had never existed. The darkened sky and the curtain of smoke covered everything, giving the sensation that the apocalypse itself was underway.
"Is the fun over already?" Guy said in a disappointed tone, turning his gaze toward Veldanava. "What a shame, I suppose I'll have to entertain myself with you."
Veldanava showed no concern; his calm, as always, was almost unbearable. However, before Guy could act, a blur shot out of the smoke at incredible speed.
It was me!
Even Veldanava raised an eyebrow, surprised at how quickly I had emerged from the chaos. And then, with all the strength I could muster, I threw a punch directly at Guy's cheek.
The impact was impressive, more than I ever could have imagined. Guy flew like a bullet, his body disappearing among the trees in the distance. For a moment, there was absolute silence.
"I did it!" I exclaimed, completely euphoric, raising my arms as if I had just won a martial arts tournament. I was about to celebrate more when Veldanava let out a small laugh.
"Not bad, Raquel," he said, clearly amused. "But I think..."
Before he could finish, the ground trembled. I heard a crack in the distance, and my eyes widened.
"... it's not over yet."
From among the fallen trees, Guy emerged, dusting himself off and touching his cheek with a wicked smile. The small mark my punch had left was already fading.
"Well, well..." he said, a mix of awe and mockery. "That wasn't bad, but..."
He vanished suddenly.
Before I could blink, I felt a presence behind me. I turned quickly, but it was too late. With overwhelming speed, Guy slammed me back to the ground with a punch to the stomach that knocked all the air out of my lungs.
"... now it's my turn."
I crashed into the ground, rolling a few meters. I tasted dirt, and pain spread through my entire body.
"Damn it..." I muttered through clenched teeth, trying to get up. "This wasn't as fun..."
Veldanava, of course, was enjoying the show.
"Still planning to mock me all day?" the dragon asked with a sarcastic smile.
"If I survive this," I replied, wobbling as I stood again, "I'll mock you with my bad jokes for a whole week."
Guy, standing with a clearly satisfied expression, was slowly approaching.
"I think I can make sure that won't be a problem," he said with a dark laugh, his eyes gleaming with malice.
"You don't get a say here! You were supposed to fight him!" I yelled, pointing angrily at Veldanava.
Veldanava, noticing my furious accusation, just opened his eyes slightly, as if realizing he'd been caught in his "discreet" avoidance. With a gesture that could only be described as clumsy for a dragon of his caliber, he looked away, pretending to be very interested in something on the horizon.
"Oh, look at those pretty clouds," he mumbled, making a vague gesture toward the sky.
"Seriously?!" I exclaimed, even more furious. But before I could continue, Guy, clearly entertained by our exchange, took advantage of my distraction.
WHAM!
I felt his fist slam into my side, sending me flying again. I rolled across the ground, and as I tried to get back up, with dirt in my mouth and pain all over my body, the only thing I could think was, "Damn traitor dragon..."
"You should pay more attention," Guy said with a mocking smile. "Your friend won't save you this time."
I got to my feet, though I could barely keep my balance, and wiped some blood from my lip. My eyes filled with determination.
"I don't need him to save me," I growled, breathing heavily. "I just need him to keep watching the clouds a little longer."
Guy raised an eyebrow, clearly amused.
"Brave, proud, and sarcastic—I like it. This will be fun."
Without further ado, he rushed at me again with blinding speed. I barely had time to react, but by some miracle, I dodged his attack just in time. I rolled across the ground, quickly getting back up and throwing a small fireball at him. I didn't expect much, but at least it might slow him down.
The fireball hit his chest, and though it didn't cause any damage, it forced him to stop for a second.
"Ah!" I exclaimed, surprised. "It worked!"
"Do you really think that did anything to me?" Guy responded, brushing the ash from his chest.
"No, but now I know I can at least get you dirty," I replied with a grin.
Guy laughed.
"You're funny... But I think I've played enough."
He lunged at me once again, but this time, before he could hit me, I managed to concentrate all the magical energy I had left into a single spell.
A massive explosion of fire and lightning erupted between us, and again, that humanoid figure appeared, launching us both backward. I crashed to the ground, gasping, as the smoke slowly cleared. My entire body felt on the verge of collapse, but when the smoke finally dispersed, I saw Guy standing, dusting himself off once more.
"Well, well... that was better than I expected," he said with a sadistic smile.
As for me, all I could mutter through gritted teeth was:
"This... is going to hurt tomorrow..."
...
The ground trembled beneath my feet all day, courtesy of Guy. More than just explosions, they were earthquakes that made the earth crack and trees snap like twigs. The sun was starting to set behind the mountains, painting the sky in shades of orange and pink, when another explosion shook everything around us.
I stood there, hand outstretched, trembling from sheer exhaustion. I could barely stay on my feet after unleashing all the magic energy I had left in a direct fire blast towards Guy. The ground around us was a smoking crater, and for one brief, glorious moment, I thought I had finally done it.
"Is that all?" Guy's voice came through the smoke, as if he had just stepped out of a spa day.
My eyes widened in disbelief. Emerging from the rubble and dust, there he was, the Red Primordial, brushing the dust off his shoulders as if what I had launched wasn't an explosion but a gentle breeze.
"This is getting boring," he commented with a lopsided grin. "Don't you have something more exciting?"
"Boring?!" I shouted, feeling a mix of indignation and fatigue. "I've thrown half a mountain at you! I don't even know what else I can come up with!"
My legs were shaking, and I could barely stay standing. It felt like I was out of magic, out of ideas... and out of patience.
Guy crossed his arms, watching me with a raised eyebrow, clearly enjoying my frustration.
"You're trying, I'll give you that," he said, like a teacher grading a student's homework. "But don't you think you're missing something a bit more... spectacular?"
"Spectacular!" I muttered through gritted teeth. "You want something spectacular? I'll give you something spectacular!"
With the little energy I had left, I clasped both hands in front of me and prepared my last big feat: a sphere of energy crackling with electricity and fire. "This has to work," I thought, though I honestly had no idea what I was doing.
"Here goes!" I shouted, hurling the sphere with all my strength toward Guy.
The sphere flew forward, growing in the air... and then exploded right in front of me, blasting me backward as if I'd been hit by a gust of wind.
When I landed on the ground, dazed and with my face full of dust, I heard Guy's uncontrollable laughter.
"That's the funniest thing I've seen in centuries!" he said between laughs, nearly doubling over.
"Great..." I muttered, lying on the ground. "Now I'm a walking joke..."
From the depths of my despair, I heard a heavy sigh, coming from Veldanava, who had finally decided to speak from his throne of observation.
"I told you," he said, with a hint of humor in his voice. "Annoying me all day doesn't seem so bad now, does it?"
"Shut up!" I replied, trying to get up. "This is your mess too!"
Guy, still laughing, took a few steps toward me, extending his hand as if offering to help me up. I didn't sense any threat.
"Giving up yet?" he asked with a teasing smile.
"Give up..." I muttered, feeling every bone in my body aching. "Aren't you tempted to just kill me already? That would be better—then I wouldn't have to endure that dragon's mockery!"
Guy let out a hearty laugh as he leaned a bit closer, with that grin of his that seemed to be enjoying the situation far too much.
"Kill you? No, no... that would be too quick and boring. I've really enjoyed your courage and pride, honestly. Maybe I'll come back another day to fight you..."
My eyes widened as I processed what he just said. Another day? I felt a wave of despair wash over me. With a long, defeated sigh, I let my head fall back.
"Great..." I murmured, exhausted. "Another day... as if today wasn't enough humiliation."
From his spot, Veldanava remained calm, watching the scene like it was the best show he had seen in years. I dared to glance at him, filled with resentment.
"You know what would be better than fighting you another day, Guy?" I said in a bitter tone. "Never seeing you again! That way, I wouldn't have to endure that dragon's mockery for the rest of my life."
Guy crossed his arms, amused, while Veldanava let out a small chuckle.
"I can't promise you that," Guy said with a mischievous grin. "But hey, at least you survived today, right? That's something."
"Yeah, great... what an impressive achievement," I replied, still lying on the ground, wishing I could disappear right at that moment.
Clearly, the only victory I'd achieved today was making it through the day without losing my mind... or my life.
I accepted Guy's help and stood up from the ground. I looked down at my tattered clothes and let out a tired sigh. Suddenly, Guy started walking in another direction, away from all the destruction we had caused.
"I told you, I'll come back to fight another day!" he said, waving his hand in a farewell gesture. "I hope you get stronger... Raquel."
My face flushed at the mention of the name Veldanava had given me. Guy had finally disappeared into the distance. I looked around at everything—literally everything—laying in chaos and destruction.
I stared at the devastation around me: shattered trees, craters everywhere, and the ground barely recognizable after all the day's explosions. I let out another sigh.
"'Raquel,' huh?" I muttered under my breath, feeling the blush still on my cheeks. "Perfect."
I glanced sideways at Veldanava, who, to my surprise, had a completely calm expression, as if everything that had just happened was a mere distraction in his day.
"Seriously, Raquel?" I asked in exasperation, spreading my arms to gesture at the destruction around us. "You couldn't come up with anything better?"
Veldanava looked at me with pure innocence and shrugged.
"What's wrong with it? It's a name with character."
"With character!" I scoffed. "I have the name of someone who sounds more like they're opening a bakery than fighting primordial demons!"
Veldanava couldn't help but chuckle lightly, which only made me feel more frustrated.
"Raquel, Raquel..." I muttered, shaking my head as I surveyed the disaster. "Well, I guess I survived... though my dignity didn't."
I glanced toward the horizon where Guy had disappeared, wondering how in the world I was going to fix all this... and how I could avoid another "training" session with the red primordial in the future.
"Putting that aside, how did I manage such power just from you naming me?"
I crossed my arms in curiosity; it seemed almost impossible that I could have gained so much power from just having a name. Then again, it made sense—the name was given to me by Veldanava.
"It wasn't just the naming. Thank the elemental I summoned for you."
"What...?"
Suddenly, a small sphere of energy emerged from my body, radiating immense magical power and a noticeable heat.
"Is that an elemental?"
"Exactly, it's a fire elemental, and a high-level one at that," Veldanava said with a mischievous smile. "Although it's still young, it will grow with you."
I stared at the small floating sphere, now circling around me, emitting tiny sparks of fire as it did so. I crossed my arms, trying to keep my composure, but a small part of me was excited. Now that I think about it, this little sphere had taken on a humanoid shape, as Guy had mentioned during our fight.
"An elemental..." I murmured, observing the sphere curiously. "Well, that explains the power boost."
I reached out a hand toward the small being, which seemed to grow excited, releasing a few larger sparks.
"Hey, little guy... or girl," I said, tilting my head. "Don't go burning me, okay?"
Suddenly, I felt a small burst of heat near my head, and when I realized it, a strand of my hair was singed.
"Hey!" I exclaimed, waving my hand to put out the small flames that had ignited in my hair. "We're off to a bad start, buddy!"
Veldanava laughed as he watched the scene.
"It seems to like you," he commented with a smile.
I turned to look at Veldanava.
"But isn't the Great Elemental Queen supposed to bless me with these elementals?"
Veldanava chuckled softly and nodded.
"You're right. I met that little spirit not too long ago, I promise the Elemental Queen will understand my decision."
I let out a sigh. I hoped Ramiris, the Elemental Queen, wouldn't be angry. Still, I could explain it to her later.
I eyed the elemental warily as it continued to float around me excitedly, tossing tiny flames here and there.
"Great... the last thing I need is a little fireball with an attitude," I said, sighing as I crossed my arms again. "This is going to be interesting..."