The Prince of Sloth [DxD]

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Inside the Artificial Dimension

"This thick-headed lizard is this strong? Damn it… the force behind his attacks is insane!" Seir muttered through clenched teeth as Bova's Dragon Aura bullets pounded against his stone barrier with relentless force. The searing pain from the wound he had suffered earlier throbbed in his head, making everything worse. It wasn't just a nuisance—it was disorienting, leaving him feeling dizzy and weak.

'This is as bad as that ligament tear from my ankle twist…' Seir thought bitterly, recalling the worst injury of his past life. Back then, he had rolled in agony for nearly an hour before enduring months of recovery with a plaster cast.

But this pain… this was even worse.

'Aaargh… this sucks…' he groaned internally, struggling to stay conscious and upright. Only adrenaline and sheer determination to not get defeated kept him from collapsing. His pride, his refusal to accept defeat, was the only thing keeping him on his feet as he gritted his teeth against the pain.

But willpower alone wasn't enough. No matter how much he tried, the barrier couldn't hold.

Boom!

The moment another barrage of Dragon Aura attacks struck, it cracked instantly, unable to withstand the pressure. Realizing he had no choice, Seir swiftly conjured a Wind Magic spell, desperately trying to deflect the relentless onslaught.

Seeing Seir struggle, Bova let out a thunderous laugh. "Bwahahaha! This is it… this is what true power looks like! Do you see how weak you really are? And you still dare to mock me?!" He roared, launching another barrage of aura bullets.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

Each bullet slammed into Seir's wind barrier, chipping away at its durability. More and more cracks spread across it… the structure was barely holding together.

Perhaps it was because Bova Tannin had only recently learned to wield Dragon Aura and hadn't yet mastered its application. As a result, his attacks were fairly straightforward—mostly aura bullets and basic strikes. However, even these seemingly simple attacks were overwhelming, exerting immense pressure on Seir.

"Argh… damn it…" Seir gritted his teeth, struggling to maintain the barrier as blood trickled down his forehead, tracing a path along his cheek before dripping onto the ground. But he had no time to worry about the bleeding—Bova's relentless assault was overwhelming, and the pressure was becoming unbearable. He could feel himself reaching his limit.

"I have to do something… and fast!"

In an instant, he thrust his hand forward, conjuring a magic circle. With a surge of telekinetic force, he unleashed a powerful air blast, sending the dragon staggering backward.

"Get lost, will you?!" Seir shouted.

"Hah…" Bova barely staggered, his eyes flashing dangerously. "Not until you admit defeat, you bastard!" he roared, surging forward with even greater force. His claws, crackling with Dragon Aura, slashed through the air, aiming to tear Seir apart.

"As if that would ever happen!" Seir snarled through gritted teeth. There was no way he would admit defeat to this brute of a dragon. With a powerful flap of his bat-wings, he twisted his body into a spiraling evasive maneuver, desperately trying to dodge Bova's charge and relentless claw strikes.

But no matter how much he twisted, turned, flew, and glided, he couldn't completely escape. Bova's claws managed to graze him, shredding his cloak to pieces and leaving a deep wound across his waist. Blood immediately began to flow from the gash, and the pain sent Seir tumbling uncontrollably through the air.

"Damn it… this seriously hurts…" Seir groaned, his voice tight with agony.

Pain. Pain. Pain. Pain. Pain. Pain. Pain. Pain. Pain. Pain.

Itami o Kanjiro–

"No, not that kind of pain–!"

It was too much.

He had never felt pain like this—not in this life, nor his past one. It was raw, unbearable, and all-consuming. Compared to this pain, the pain caused by the ligament tear was nothing.

His vision blurred slightly, but when he focused on the one responsible for this torment, his fury exploded.

"Fuck you… you damn lizard… I swear, I'm going to murder you!" he spat, his usual composure shattered as he cared not for his image or his language at the moment and focused solely on cursing the bastard responsible for him having to go through this kind of pain. At this moment, rage—pure, unfiltered rage—boiled within him, stronger than anything he had ever felt before.

"I'm going to fucking murder you!" Seir roared, his voice shaking with unrestrained fury. His emotions surged beyond control, and with them, his Demonic Power erupted like a broken dam, spilling out in waves of dark energy.

"Bwahahaha! Now that's more like it!" Bova bellowed with laughter, his sharp fangs gleaming. Seir's fury didn't intimidate him—it thrilled him.

"This is your true self, isn't it?" Bova grinned, licking his lips with his long, serpentine tongue. His amusement quickly turned into renewed aggression as he lunged forward once more, his massive body rocketing toward Seir. His tail cracked like a whip, splitting the air with sheer force, while his maw opened wide, flames flickering deep within, ready to incinerate Seir from the skies.

Righting himself midair, Seir flared his wings wide, halting his descent with a powerful gust. He took a deep breath, his furious gaze locking onto the incoming dragon. Clenching his teeth against the pain, he made up his mind.

"This is what you wanted, right? Fine then... I won't hold back anymore!"

Gathering his Demonic Power, he flapped his wings forcefully and surged forward to meet the dragon in the air.

As he closed in, Seir drew the dagger strapped to his waist and manipulated it with Telekinesis magic. The blade, now spinning rapidly under his control, shot toward Bova with a whistling sound.

"Ha! This won't do a damn thing…! My scales are impenetrable!" Bova scoffed, barely acknowledging the attack. He didn't even attempt to defend himself against the dagger, confident that his hardened dragon scales would render the dagger's attack useless. After all, no ordinary weapon—especially one merely controlled by magic—could possibly break through his natural armor.

'Heh... as expected.'

Seir smirked inwardly. Bova's arrogance played right into his hands. From the very beginning, piercing his scales wasn't the plan. No, Seir had a much better target in mind—

The weakest point of any living being.

With a subtle flick of his finger, Seir altered the dagger's trajectory at the last second—redirecting it straight toward Bova's left eye.

Gaaaha!

A sharp, wet sound echoed as the blade drove into its mark, instantly robbing Bova of half his vision.

"AARRRGGHHHH!!" the dragon roared in agony.

Bova had never considered the possibility of such an attack. Up until now, Seir's magic-based assaults had done little more than annoy him, failing to penetrate his thick hide. But this was different—this wound hurt.

For the first time in the battle, Bova felt true pain.

"Damn it… it hurts!!!" he roared, his body thrashing wildly. Overcome with agony, he lost control and began spewing fire in every direction, scorching the battlefield in a blind fury.

Seir, watching the dragon writhe, let out a wicked smirk.

"How's that, you fucking piece of shit?! It hurts, doesn't it?! Still wanna say you're loving this? Oh, I don't know about you, but seeing you in pain like that, I sure as hell am Lovin' it as I see that furious scowl on your rotten bitch face!"

He laughed, relishing the sight of Bova struggling and agonizing. But he knew better than to get careless—this fight was far from over.

Bova, still blinded in one eye, swung his massive tail at Seir in rage. But before it could connect, Seir used telekinesis to alter its path, sending the devastating blow crashing into the ground instead. Taking the opportunity, he swiftly distanced himself, watching as Bova finally wrenched the dagger from his eye, blood dripping down his face.

Now, with only one good eye, Bova turned to Seir with pure, murderous intent.

But Seir didn't flinch. He met the dragon's glare head-on, his own eyes burning with the same lethal resolve.

Summoning another magic circle, he sneered, "You want a piece of me? Then come get it, you fucking lizard!"

Bova did exactly that.

Letting out an ear-piercing roar that shook the entire valley, he bellowed, "You are so dead!" and charged at Seir at full speed.

Seir smirked, unfazed. "Ha… not even in your wildest dream, you fucktard!"

Channeling his Demonic Power into the magic circle, he unleashed a surge of energy. The ground trembled violently as a colossal wooden dragon erupted from the earth. The massive creature, dozens of meters long, leaped into the air, its deep, glutaral roar echoing through the valley. 'Wood Dragon!'

Bova skidded to a halt, his eyes widening in disbelief. "What the hell is that?!"

"The Dragon that will Fuck you!" answered Seir.

The wooden dragon wasted no time, immediately launching itself at Bova, spewing massive breath attacks.

"Get away from me!" Bova snarled, trying to evade it, but the wooden dragon relentlessly pursued him, its lifeless, glowing red gaze locked onto him.

"Fine, then don't blame me…" Frustrated, Bova unleashed Meteor Dragon Blaze at the wooden beast, but it countered with its own blazing fire from its maw.

Bova then lunged at the wooden dragon, striking it with his claws infused with Dragon Aura. His attacks tore through its body, but vines rapidly sprouted from the wounds, regenerating the damage almost instantly. No matter how much force he used, the creature refused to stay down.

"Haaa… this is so damn annoying!" Bova growled, his frustration mounting.

While the wooden dragon itself wasn't particularly strong, its endless regeneration made it a nightmare to deal with.

But Bova wasn't one to back down. Fueled by rage, he attacked wildly, tearing the creature apart faster than it could regenerate, determined to put an end to this nuisance.

Seir watched with a smug expression, arms crossed. "Hmph, if you think that's annoying… just wait for what I'm about to bring out next. I promise it's going to make you piss your pants. Though, I guess you don't wear one so it's going to piss your disgusting loincloth."

Without waiting for Bova to finish dealing with the wooden dragon, Seir began constructing an enormous magic circle across the valley, pouring every last ounce of his Demonic Power into it. As more and more demonic power left his body, his vision blurred, and blood trickled from his nose. These were clear signs of the strain he was under.

"Damn it… this spell demands way too much demonic power… but… this is the strongest one I have right now… so, let's just fucking do it without giving a shit, worst case scenario, I'll go unconscious for a few hours!"

Yet, he refused to stop.

Meanwhile, Bova stood amidst the scattered remains of the wooden dragon, his chest rising and falling with heavy breaths. His body was littered with wounds, his once-pristine scales cracked and battered with several cuts and bit marks that even reached down to his flesh at multiple places. Even so, he clenched his jaw and prepared to unleash another fire-breath attack at Seir.

"Too late, you piece of shit," Seir said as he cast his gaze over the valley. The spell was already complete.

The entire valley trembled violently, forcing Bova's attention downward toward the massive magic formation now glowing beneath him. Though not particularly skilled at sensing energy, even he could feel something powerful stirring from deep within the valley—and it wasn't Seir.

"What now…? Another one of those damn wooden phonies?" Bova muttered, watching as countless wooden vines erupted from the earth, twisting and writhing like a living entity.

Instinctively, he attempted to incinerate them before they could take shape, but the scale of the spell was far beyond anything he had faced before. No matter how many vines he burned—dozens, hundreds—it barely made a dent. The sheer number was overwhelming, making his efforts futile.

As the vines continued to rise, they intertwined and thickened, morphing into enormous layers of bark. These, in turn, merged further, slowly forming the towering frame of a colossal wooden golem. Its massive body loomed over the battlefield, adorned with a pair of imposing horns, its tongue sticking out, and a hundred mighty arms clenched tightly, ready to smash a certain dragon into smithereens.

'Hundred Arms Wood Golem!'

"What… what is that thing?" Bova stammered, his voice laced with disbelief as he stared at the monstrous wooden golem towering before him. Its glowing red eyes burned like embers in the darkness, and its sheer size was overwhelming. Just one of its massive palms was larger than his entire body—and it had a hundred of them.

'I wanted to create the Thousand-Armed Statue… but that's way too much. For now, a hundred arms will do,' Seir thought as he examined his wooden golem.

There was no doubt about it—this magic was heavily inspired by the most powerful ninjutsu ever used by a certain Hokage who was widely recognized as the God of Shinobi.

Anyway…

"This is your end, you piece of shit," Seir spat, struggling to keep himself afloat having consumed most of his Demonic Power in the spell… Despite the exhaustion weighing him down. He pointed at Bova and snarled, "Crush that bastard!"

At his command, the golem moved with shocking speed. Its hundred arms swung in unison, each strike faster and heavier than the young dragon had expected.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The valley quaked as colossal fists rained down upon Bova, each impact sending shockwaves through the land.

"Arrgghhh!" Bova roared in agony, his wings shredded and his body battered beneath the relentless onslaught. He tried to take flight, but the golem's massive hands swatted him back to the ground every time, leaving him no escape. No matter which direction he turned, another enormous palm was already waiting to smash into him, sending him tumbling across the battlefield.

With each strike, his once-impenetrable dragon scales—already cracked from their prolonged battle—began to shatter. Fragments of his armor-like hide peeled away, exposing raw flesh underneath, which was immediately pummeled by yet another devastating blow.

And then came the final strike.

A single, crushing downward slam.

Boom!

The earth itself seemed to cave in as Bova was driven deep into the valley floor, his body embedding into the dirt.

"Damn it…" Bova cursed in a low voice as a flickering glow surrounded him, and his form began to break apart into light particles, slowly dissolving from the artificial dimension.

Smoke and dust swirled in the aftermath, rising from the shattered terrain.

High above, Seir hovered in the sky, his wings spread wide as he raised his fist in victory over the defeated dragon. With a triumphant roar, he shouted, "Did you see that, you bastard?!"

For a moment, an intense silence filled the air as the announcer seemed unable to process what had just happened. But as Seir held his fist high, reality set in, and the announcement finally came.

<<"We have our victor! In a stunning turn of events, using an incredible Wooden Golem no one expected… Lord Seirios Belphegor has defeated Bova Tannin and won the fight! Give it up for the winner of the duel—Seirios Vandegor Belphegor">>

The moment the announcement rang out, Seir's body gave out. Overwhelmed by pain, blood loss, and complete exhaustion, he lost control and plummeted toward the ruined valley below.

Damn… this is going to hurt like hell… he thought while falling. He knew from this height, the impact would be brutal, but he no longer had the strength to do anything about it.

But just before he could crash into the ground, a pair of arms caught him, a familiar warmth wrapping around him and stopping his fall.

Feeling that warmth, Seir, now barely conscious, smirked weakly. "How'd I look, Roygun? I was cool, right?"

"You were incredible in the fight, no doubt about that," Roygun said with a smile. But as she glanced at his current state, her expression softened with concern. "Just look at you now…" she murmured, her voice laced with worry as her fingers gently traced the deep gash on his forehead and the nasty wound on his waist.

"Hisss… that really hurts…" Seir gritted his teeth, wincing at the burning pain.

"Hmm… don't worry, I have just the thing you need," Roygun sighed softly. She uncorked a vial of Phoenix Tears and carefully poured the shimmering liquid over his wounds. "This should do the trick."

Hiss…

The moment the potion touched his injuries, a faint vapor rose as the wounds began to mend, the torn flesh regenerating before their eyes. Watching the healing take effect, Roygun gently urged, "Rest now. You need it."

"Yeah… I think I'll be out for a while," Seir muttered as a wave of drowsiness overtook him. And with that, he drifted back into unconsciousness.

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<<"We have our victor! In a stunning turn of events, using an incredible Wooden Golem no one expected… Lord Seirios Belphegor has defeated Bova Tannin and won the fight! Give it up for the winner of the duel—Seirios Vandegor Belphegor!">>

Though the applause was not as thunderous as the announcer had hoped, the hall was still filled with murmurs and respectful clapping. Given the audience, this reaction was hardly surprising. Every spectator present was a High-Class Devil or higher, most of them nobles with prestigious lineage. It was simply beneath them to display open excitement in such an unrefined manner.

However, their restrained demeanor did not mean they hadn't been thoroughly impressed. The duel had captivated them, and nearly every group in the hall was engaged in animated discussion, marveling at the performance of the young devil.

"As expected of the heir apparent of the Belphegor Household..."

"That boy truly takes after Lady Belphegor..."

"Such remarkable magical prowess at such a young age..."

"The wooden golem he summoned at the end… I've never seen anything like it. Just how many arms did it have?"

"And that wooden dragon… it was truly a spectacle to behold."

"The rumors about him don't seem exaggerated in the slightest. He is indeed an incredibly gifted devil."

"Truly… the House of Belphegor has produced yet another formidable individual..."

"I would expect nothing less from the little brother of the Cherry Blossom Empress…"

Naturally, Seir wasn't the only one receiving praise. Many Devils also acknowledged Bova's strength.

"The son of Tannin was quite impressive as well…"

"That is true. His raw power was undeniable."

However, compared to the admiration Seir received, the praise for Bova was far less enthusiastic. Many in the crowd even dismissed the idea that Bova's performance was particularly remarkable.

"Against Seirios Belphegor, Bova Tannin was nothing."

"Indeed. All he did was rely on his Dragon Aura."

"When compared to the magic displayed by Seirios Belphegor, Dragon Aura alone seems unimpressive."

This reaction was also understandable. While Bova had certainly showcased his strength, Seir had summoned a massive Wooden Dragon and an enormous Wooden Golem with a hundred arms—feats that overshadowed anything Bova had done. Against such a display of magic, Bova's abilities seemed almost ordinary in comparison.

On the other hand, Malakarion laughed heartily, his pride evident as he celebrated his son's victory. "What did I tell you? There was no way my son was going to lose."

Rudiger, equally satisfied, analyzed Seir's performance with the keen eye of a teacher. "Not only did he use magic flawlessly, but he also strategized brilliantly… Well, I suppose this much is to be expected."

The two exchanged glances before bursting into laughter, much to the exasperation of those around them, who could only sigh at their enthusiasm.

Kaelus Mammon, slightly taken aback by Seir's overwhelming performance, mused to himself, This boy has a bright future ahead… Well, with Rudiger as his teacher, our connection with him is already strong. Perhaps we can benefit from this in the future…

Meanwhile, Tannin sighed, embarrassed by his son's brutal defeat. "Roygun's little brother is truly an exceptional talent…"

He knew Bova was incredibly gifted—being able to wield Dragon Aura at such a young age was no small feat. But even with such potential, Bova had been utterly overwhelmed by Seirios. Tannin had no choice but to acknowledge the boy's extraordinary abilities.

Mephisto, on the other hand, sighed in disappointment. "What a shame…"

Having witnessed Seirios's potential firsthand, he couldn't help but regret that the boy already had a mentor guiding him in magic.

After regaining his composure, Malakarion turned to Moros. "So, about the wager…"

Moros gave a small nod, his expression calm. "It seems you've won, Lord Malakarion."

Despite losing the bet, he didn't appear particularly disappointed. In fact, there was a hint of satisfaction in his tone, as though he had no objections to the outcome.

Kyra, on the other hand, was seething internally, 'Damn it… I dropped my guard because of his tame behavior, thinking Moros was planning something like this and intends to go through with it.' Though she also understood there was nothing she could do at this point, 'My plan of making use of her is ruined now…'

Moros ignored Kyra and continued speaking to Malakarion. "I'll have her prepare to depart for Belphegor Castle. Please give me some time."

Malakarion nodded with a smile. "Certainly. The Belphegor household will welcome the child." Then, turning to excuse himself, he added, "For now, though, I'd like to check on my son and ensure he's all right."

It wasn't just Malakarion; Tannin also wished to see Bova. "I need to check on Bova as well," he said. After all, compared to Seir, Bova had suffered a far more brutal beating from that colossal Wooden golem. Almost all his dragon scales were cracked and shattered, and the flesh was also damaged.

Even though a Phoenix Tear had likely been used, so there is no specific concern for safety, a parent couldn't help but worry.

"Of course," Moros replied, then turned to his butler. "Malrik, please guide Lord Malakarion and Lord Tannin to the rooms where their sons are resting, and also bring the girl to my study."

The butler gave a slight nod. "I understand, my lord." Then, turning to Malakarion and Tannin, he bowed respectfully and said, "Lord Belphegor and Lord Tannin, please follow me."

"Thank you," Malakarion said, then offered a polite farewell. "Well then, my lords and ladies, I shall see you shortly."

Tannin followed suit, excusing himself from the gathering hall and trailing after Malrik.

Mephisto Pheles had intended to accompany Malakarion and Tannin to see Seirios, as he needed to present the promised reward. However, he was uncertain how long it would take for Seirios to regain consciousness. Truthfully, he would have preferred to wait, but as a man of his position, he couldn't easily excuse himself or afford to spend too much time waiting for a child to wake up while making all the others wait.

Thus, he chose a more practical approach and reminded Malakarion, "When the child regains consciousness, bring him to me. I shall present him with the reward I promised to the winner."

"I understand, Lord Mephisto." Malakarion nodded before disappearing from the gathering hall alongside Tannin.

At the same time, Moros excused himself and headed to the study where Malrik would be bringing the child.

Kyra, watching him leave, clicked her tongue and followed.

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While the grand hall buzzed with discussion over the battle between Seirios and Bova, a small girl with shoulder-length blonde hair watched from the shadows, her green eyes gleaming with amazement.

"That… that was incredible…" she murmured, awestruck. "He actually won against that dragon… and… and what was that thing he used in the end?! It was so bi–!"

Before she could process her thoughts, a cold voice cut through the air behind her.

"What are you doing here?"

The sparkle in her eyes vanished instantly. She recognized that voice. Slowly, she turned around to face the stern-looking maid standing behind her.

"I believe I made myself clear—you are not to leave your room," the maid said in a sharp tone.

The little girl hesitated, her fingers nervously fidgeting. "I was just curious… and… and nobody saw me…" she said softly, and added, "I promise…"

The maid pressed her lips together in disapproval. After a brief pause, she spoke again. "Let's go back to your room." Then, after a moment of silence, she added, "This is no place for an illegitimate child like you."

With that, she turned and began walking away.

The girl lowered her head, her voice barely above a whisper. "Yes, ma'am…"

She followed obediently, but just before leaving, she cast one last glance at the screen. Her gaze lingered on the while-haired crimson-horned boy sleeping in the arms of the cherry blossom-haired woman.

"Hurry up," the maid's cold voice reminded her, pulling her from her thoughts.

"Yes, ma'am!" With one last glance back, she lowered her gaze and quickly followed the maid.

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Author's Note:

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