The Prince of Sloth [DxD]

Inside the Artificial Dimension

"Bwahahaha! Are you ready to be crushed beneath my foot?!" bellowed the fiery young dragon as a triumphant grin stretched across his face.

Seir, carrying a magic staff in his left arm and a small dagger strapped at his waist, stood unfazed as he glanced at Bova and merely shrugged sarcastically. "I'm afraid your 'foot' isn't quite big enough for that."

"Grrrr… Still mocking me, huh?! I'll make sure you remember this lesson for the rest of your miserable life!" Bova growled, grinding his teeth in fury. He then roared, "Just you wait and watch this…" and immediately shed his smaller form, transforming back into his full dragon form. His body expanded rapidly, growing several meters tall, covered in thick, rugged violet scales, exuding raw power and dominance. Now looming over Seir, he flashed a menacing grin, flaunting his vicious maw filled with many sharp teeth, each one as big as Seir, and sneered, "What do you think now? Is my foot still not big enough to stomp you to death?"

Seir stood silent for a moment, his gaze shifting up and down as he observed the massive dragon before him. 'I see… so he wasn't in his true form earlier,' he mused.

Like many supernatural creatures, dragons possess the ability to alter their size and even take on a humanoid form or a smaller chibi form despite their true bodies being massive, scaled beasts stretching dozens of meters tall.

While their smaller forms are convenient for interactions with other smaller beings, their real bodies—intimidating and overwhelmingly powerful—are what truly define them as mighty dragons.

Although Seir had seen many dragons before, it had always been through a screen when watching a Rating Game.

'I've never even seen Jin take on his Dragon form from up close before either…'

Jin, or Jin Buné to be more exact, is the [Rook] of Roygun's peerage, hails from the now-extinct Buné Household, and possesses the power of a Dragon. However, despite Jin being a Dragon, Seir had only ever seen him in his Dragon form from a distance or through the flat screen—never up close.

Therefore, this was truly the first time he was this close to an actual dragon in its full, mighty form, and it would be a lie to say he wasn't a little nervous.

'This form of Bova is certainly intimidating…' Seir thought, feeling his heart race, his muscles tense, and his thoughts accelerating as countless dangerous possibilities flashed through his mind like,

'This guy could tear me apart with a single swing of his claw.'

'God damn, look at all those teeth…'

'It will probably hurt a lot…'

'I might really die here…'

'I haven't even lost my virginity yet…'

He couldn't be blamed; after all, dragons were some of the strongest creatures in the world, and each one was a powerhouse. Bova Tannin, despite being a young dragon, was the son of Blaze Meteor Tannin, a former Dragon King. No matter how young or seemingly weak, Bova was undeniably powerful. In fact, he was widely regarded as the most talented of Tannin's children. Even in his current state, he was not a force any ordinary devil child could face.

In fact, any child his age who even considered trying their luck against such a young dragon would be deemed insane. No wonder Seir was feeling a bit uneasy.

As if sensing Seir's unease, Bova chuckled loudly. "What's wrong, whelp? Are you cowering in fear of seeing my mighty form? Want to give up?" he taunted. "If you beg me for forgiveness, I might be gracious enough to let you off the hook."

Seir couldn't help but mock himself internally. 'Haha… getting intimidated by an overgrown lizard with no brain? How pathetic…' He, then, took a deep breath and calmed himself. 'Relax… it's just a lizard for a brain, there is no way that the one getting a thrashing here is me…'

It wasn't just about obtaining the Demon Spear; losing this fight would be downright humiliating. 'Yeah… I can't afford to embarrass myself here in front of everyone, now can I?'

With that in mind, he turned back to Bova, showing no signs of fear. He smirked and said, "Well... at least now you look like a real challenge. I might actually take this fight seriously."

Seeing Seir act confidently, Bova grinned menacingly. "Bwahahaha... you're going to be crying soon enough!" He shouted loudly, "GET THIS SHOW STARTED ALREADY!"

"Yes, yes... stop shouting in my ears, you stupid lizard," Bedeze muttered under his breath as he glanced at the two. With a signal, he called out, <> and disappeared from the artificial dimension.

The moment Bedeze Abaddon signaled the start of the fight, Bova–having spread his wings–laughed loudly, "Bwahahaha! Die, bastard!" and, without a moment of hesitation, lunged forward, his massive claws carving trenches in the ground as he pounced, 'Meteor Dragon Charge!'

Having anticipated Bova's attack, Seir reacted instantly. His bat wings snapped out, propelling him higher, and at the same time, he flicked the magic staff in his hand. A magic circle appeared, summoning a gust of wind that sent him soaring backward just in time to avoid being crushed. 'Wind Gust!'

"Try this!" Seir called as he ascended. Another magic circle formed, this one far larger than Bova's body. From it, a torrent of ice spikes erupted, raining down toward Bova, 'Icy Rain!'

"Ha... as if flimsy ice is going to do anything," Bova scoffed, twisting his body in the middle of Charge, and with a powerful stomp, he leaped into the air, easily dodging most of the ice. A few spikes grazed his purple scales, but they barely left a scratch. He scoffed again at Seir's weak magic.

With a mocking growl, Bova inhaled deeply, his chest swelling. Then, fire poured from his mouth in an endless wave of molten fury, 'Meteor Dragon Breath!'

'I have to protect myself from this… no matter what…' Seir thought. With a powerful flap of his bat-like wings, he shot upward, narrowly avoiding the wave of fire. But expecting Bova to direct the Fire Breath towards him, he quickly swept his magic staff, summoning a swirling barrier of water to protect himself. 'Water Barrier!'

The torrent of water collided with Bova's fire breath, hissing violently as steam billowed into the air, quickly engulfing the valley in a thick mist.

"Tch!" Bova clicked his tongue in irritation as his attack was neutralized. But then, a grin spread across his face, followed by a booming laugh.

"Bwahahaha! Foolish move! You've covered the battlefield in mist, but that means you've blinded yourself! Let's see how you handle this!"

Without hesitation, Bova surged forward through the steam. With a powerful swipe of his claws, he sent multiple razor-sharp air blades streaking through the fog in all directions. 'Meteor Dragon Claw Attack!'

Seir, hidden within the mist, let out a small sigh and shook his head. "Idiot… does he think I'm as reckless as him?"

From his concealed position, he watched as Bova's air blades sliced through the mist and went past him as he narrowly avoided each one of them.

Unlike Bova, Seir could clearly pinpoint his opponent's exact position. No, rather than merely sensing it, it was more accurate to say he could monitor everything within the mist. Since the mist was formed from his own Demonic Power, he had complete awareness of its surroundings. He knew precisely where the razor-sharp air blades originated, the angles at which they moved, and their intended paths. As a result, it was no surprise that he effortlessly avoided every single one.

'He really is just swinging wildly… maybe he's not that great at sensing opponents.'

A smirk tugged at Seir's lips.

'Oh well… my turn.'

While effortlessly evading the air blades, Seir seized the opportunity to launch his counterattack. With a swift downward thrust of his staff, he summoned a blazing arrow of fire. 'Fire Drill Arrow!'

The fiery projectile shot forward, spinning furiously as it drilled through the mist, homing in on the young dragon's back before erupting in a powerful explosion upon impact.

Boom!

"Gahaaa…!" Bova roared in agony as the fire arrow drilled into his scales, searing through the mist with an explosion. His body twisted in mid-air as intense burning pain appeared in his back. For a moment, he lost control of his wings as the scorching heat tore into him, leaving trails of smoke where the attack had struck. "Damn you, bastard!"

Seir remained hidden within the thick mist, a sly smile forming on his lips. "Weren't you just mocking me for being foolish? And now you're the one cursing in anger… Well, I suppose I understand—after all, you were the foolish one to begin with."

Without wasting a moment, he flicked his magic staff again, summoning a dozen more fire-drilling arrows from the same magic circle. They tore through the sky in a blazing swarm, locking onto Bova. 'Fire Drill Arrow Barrage!'

Bova's eyes widened in alarm as he spotted the heat of the incoming projectiles from behind him. "Not good…"

Panic set in as he twisted and rolled mid-air, attempting to dodge the fiery barrage. But to his horror, the arrows didn't just fly past him—they turned sharply, homing back onto their target, onto him!

'You can run, but you can't escape,' Seir thought with a smirk as he guided the trajectories of the Fire Arrows.

"Bastard!" Bova cursed yet again, flapping his massive wings in desperation. He soared higher, dived deeper, and made a swift turn trying to outrun the relentless pursuit of the Fire Drill arrows, but no matter where he went, the arrows pursued him like homing missiles.

"They're still coming…!"

Realizing that escaping was impossible, Bova gritted his teeth and changed tactics. In a split second, he inhaled deeply, his chest swelling with immense power before he spun around and unleashed a massive fire breath straight at the incoming projectiles.

'Meteor Dragon Breath!'

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

Explosions erupted mid-air as several fire arrows were obliterated upon contact with Bova's scorching flames. But not all of them were destroyed. A few arrows broke through the inferno and struck Bova's body with devastating force.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

"Gahaaa…!" The young dragon howled in pain as more fiery explosions engulfed him, and the impact sent shockwaves rippling through the misty battlefield.

Crack! Crack! Crack!

Faint cracking sounds echoed through the air, too subtle for most to notice—but not Seir. His sharp ears caught every crack in the scales.

'Although the Fire Drill Arrows didn't completely break through his scales, they did leave cracks,' he thought, his lips curling into somewhat of a satisfied smirk. 'Good. If I keep this up, he'll go down eventually.'

Since Bova wasn't particularly skilled at sensing his presence, Seir had the perfect strategy: remain hidden within the mist and chip away at his opponent with relentless attacks until victory was inevitable.

But was Bova really going to let things play out so easily?

Not a chance of that happening!

Gritting his teeth against the pain, Bova let out a thunderous roar. His fury surged like wildfire as he beat his colossal wings with overwhelming force, unleashing violent gusts of wind that swept through the battlefield. The mist, which had provided Seir with such a vital advantage, was rapidly torn apart and scattered in all directions.

Within moments, the entire battlefield was clear of all the mist.

"Eh? You have the brains to do that?" Seir muttered, momentarily taken aback by how Bova actually thought of flapping his wings to create wind waves that would blow away all the mist.

"I guess I was underestimating him a bit too much… Oh well…" he shrugged, not caring about it anymore, and decided to change his strategy.

And while Seir was planning to change his strategy, Bova began to cover his body in a purple Aura as he shouted, "Get ready to have a taste of defeat, you bastard… Now I am going to get serious!"

"Hm? Dra… Dragon Aura?" muttered Seir, yet again takenaback.

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"Dragon Aura?"

"He's using Dragon Aura?"

"How old is Bova Tannin? Can he really already control Dragon Aura?"

"This battle is getting very interesting…"

Seated among the spectators, Rudiger turned to Tannin with a curious glance. "Lord Tannin, your son seems exceptionally talented to be wielding Dragon Aura at his age."

Tannin stroked his chin, eyes fixed on the screen. "Hmm… Even I wasn't sure if Bova had fully awakened his Dragon Aura yet. He may have just unlocked it in the heat of battle."

Despite its grand name, Dragon Aura was simply a dragon's natural life force—their equivalent of Touki, Ki, or Chi. While all dragons were born with it, not all could consciously wield or manipulate it. Only high-level dragons and those of exceptional talent could harness their Dragon Aura effectively, and even then, it wasn't an easy feat.

To be honest, the fact that Bova can wield Dragon Aura in battle isn't all that surprising. After all, he is Tannin's son and the most talented among his siblings—it's only natural that he would be capable of using it. What's truly remarkable is that he has managed to awaken and control it at such a young age.

Indeed, for Bova to already be using it in battle… that was no small achievement.

Watching Bova envelop his claws and tail in a radiant purple Dragon Aura, unleashing a flurry of shockwaves that gleamed with a menacing glow, Moros Abaddon appeared deep in thought.

Seirios, realizing the danger, hastily conjured a Stone Shield around himself in an attempt to block the attack. However, the Stone Shield shattered instantly under the sheer force of the shockwaves, leaving him no choice but to summon powerful winds to propel himself away at the last moment. Despite his efforts, the shockwave's impact was overwhelming, sending him crashing into the valley floor and creating a deep crater upon impact.

Boom!

As the dust settled, the spectators could now see Seirios in a disheveled state—his clothes tattered and stained with dirt, his once-neat white hair matted with dust and grime, and a fresh wound on his forehead that trickled blood down his face.

A single attack infused with Dragon Aura had forced Seirios into such a dire state, which is a clear testament to the sheer power behind Bova's strike. If more of these attacks were to land, the outcome of the battle would be inevitable.

In fact, many had already begun to question whether Seirios Belphegor stood a chance at all.

"It looks like Seirios Belphegor is going to lose," murmured Kyra Abaddon, her gaze fixed on the screen.

A single attack from Bova Tannin had caused such extensive damage—Kyra found it hard to believe that Seirios Belphegor stood any chance if Bova Tannin continued his relentless assault.

Mephisto Pheles, however, remained silent as he observed the screen, his mind lingering on a particular thought. 'He hasn't used that spell yet.' While the Fire Drill Arrow was undoubtedly a good spell, it was not the spell Seirios had been preparing to unleash earlier. Mephisto was quite certain that the fight was far from over.

With his arms folded across his chest, Malakarion smirked. "You think so, Lady Abaddon? Well… I think you're in for a surprise." His confidence in Seirios remained unshaken—he was certain the battle had yet to reach its climax.

"Is that so?" Kyra Abaddon raised an eyebrow.

"Definitely…" Malakarion replied without hesitation. He had witnessed his son's relentless efforts and magical prowess firsthand. There was no doubt in his mind—Seirios would not be defeated, not when he has yet to use everything he has.

Rudiger nodded in agreement. "Indeed. Seirios hasn't even shown his full power yet. In fact, he hasn't even gotten serious."

Tannin's eyes widened slightly. "Huh? Really?"

Malakarion reaffirmed his stance. "Yes, there is no way my son will lose."

Moros Abaddon observed Malakarion's unwavering confidence, his lips pressing together in thought. 'Seirios Belphegor… can you truly win this fight?'

As he pondered, another thought surfaced—the proposal made by Sephie Belphegor a while ago. 'Although we cannot accept that girl as a fiancée for our son considering the difference in their status, as a servant, it's another matter…'

His gaze remained fixed on the battlefield, but after a brief moment of contemplation, he turned to Malakarion and spoke. "Lord Belphegor, it seems you are quite certain of your son's victory; then, shall we make a wager?"

Malakarion's eyes narrowed slightly. "A wager? And what exactly do you propose?"

The others—Mephisto Pheles, Kaelus Mammon, Kyra Abaddon, Tannin, and Rudiger Rosenkreutz—were caught off guard by Moros Abaddon's sudden proposition. Their gazes turned to him and Malakarion with curiosity.

Moros wasted no time getting to the point. "This concerns the matter we discussed earlier… If Seirios Belphegor wins, I shall accept Lady Sephie Belphegor's proposal. However, if the young dragon emerges victorious, then you must accept my proposal… This means that, that child Kuisha… she will be engaged to Seirios Belphegor as his first wife regardless of the difference in status…"

Kyra Abaddon's eyes narrowed. 'You can't be serious, Moros… Are you trying to ruin my plan?'

Malakarion, taken aback, frowned deeply as well. "Lord Abaddon, are you being serious…" he muttered. "Do you even realize what you're saying? I can't just agree to something like that."

Moros simply smiled. "Well, aren't you confident in your son's strength? If he manages to win, such a thing won't happen at all…"

Seeing Moros propose such a wager to Malakarion, Kyra Abaddon attempted to stop him. "Moros … I think—"

But Moros cut her off coldly. "I know what I'm doing; don't interfere," he said firmly before turning to Malakarion with a smirk. "So, Lord Malakarion, what do you say? Are you confident enough in your son's abilities to accept this wager? If he's truly as strong as you believe, he won't lose… right?"

Malakarion hesitated. "That's true… but…" But then he noted the desperation in Moros' eyes as a smile tugged at his lips, and he nodded confidently, "Very well… I shall accept. If the young dragon wins, then we, the Belphegors, shall acknowledge Kuisha Abaddon as my son's fiancée, regardless of the difference in their status. However, if my son defeats the young dragon, then she will cut all her ties with the House of Abaddon and be sent to us as a servant for the rest of her life."

"…" After a moment of silence, Moros nodded, "Very well…" He then turned to Mephisto Pheles and Kaelus Mammon and requested them, "Lord Mephisto, Lord Kaelus… will the two of you act as witnesses to this wager?"

The two devils exchanged a glance before giving a slight nod. "Very well."

Seeing Mephisto and Kaelus agree, Kyra gritted her teeth and shot a sharp glare at Moros. However, the Grand Duke paid no attention to his wife's glare and turned his attention back to the screen.

What had started as a simple duel—intended to offer Bova a chance to redeem his honor and add some excitement to the Extra Demon Gathering—had quickly escalated. Now, the stakes were much higher. The winner wouldn't just gain the Demonic Spear Chastiefol; the outcome of the duel would also determine the future of the children named Kuisha Abaddon and Seirios Belphegor.

Regardless of who wins or loses the duel, one thing was certain, from this moment forward: Kuisha Abaddon would be linked to Seirios Belphegor. All that remains uncertain is whether she would be his fiancé or his servant.

Meanwhile, Seirios, unaware of this development, remained fully focused on the duel.

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Author's Note:

That's it for this Chapter. Enjoy reading it.

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