Realm Lord
Chapter 158: Aziel vs Grey

Chapter 158: Aziel vs Grey

Arthur’s world narrowed to the platform before him, every fiber of his being focused on the unfolding confrontation. The training room around him seemed to fade into background noise, the excited murmurs of the crowd becoming a distant hum as his attention locked onto his friend’s fate. His hands clenched into fists at his sides, knuckles white with tension as he watched Aziel face down an opponent who should theoretically outclass him in every conceivable way.

The fight began with explosive intensity. Aziel, true to his nature, launched himself forward with lightning crackling around his entire body, his spear materializing in his hand with a brilliant flash of electrical energy. Arthur had seen that spear in action countless times, had sparred against it and knew its devastating potential, but somehow it looked smaller now, almost fragile against the casual confidence of their opponent.

Grey stood motionless as Aziel charged, his expression one of mild interest rather than concern. It was the look of someone watching a mildly entertaining performance, completely divorced from any sense of personal danger. Arthur’s stomach twisted as he recognized the implications of that expression—this wasn’t going to be a fight. It was going to be a demonstration.

The first exchange shattered any lingering hope Arthur might have harbored. Aziel’s spear thrust forward with blinding speed, electricity arcing off the blade in brilliant tendrils that should have been impossible to dodge. Grey simply wasn’t there anymore. He had moved with such fluid grace that Arthur barely registered the motion, appearing at Aziel’s left side with his hand already moving toward a devastating counter-attack.

The blow landed with sickening precision, Grey’s fist connecting with Aziel’s ribs in a strike that sent shockwaves through the platform. The sound of impact echoed through the training room like a gunshot, followed immediately by Aziel’s sharp intake of breath as he was launched backward, his lightning aura flickering like a candle in a hurricane.

"Come on, Aziel," Arthur whispered under his breath, his voice barely audible even to himself. His friend rolled with the impact, using his momentum to create distance and buy precious seconds to recover. Lightning danced more frantically around Aziel’s form now, responding to his desperation and pain, but Arthur could see the slight tremor in his stance that betrayed just how much that single hit had taken out of him.

Grey’s laughter filled the space between them, a sound devoid of genuine mirth. "Is that all? I was expecting something more... challenging." He reached into his pocket with deliberate slowness, his movements theatrical and mocking. When his hand emerged, Arthur’s enhanced vision caught the glint of copper between his fingers—a simple penny, innocuous and worthless.

The crowd fell silent, sensing something significant in the gesture. Arthur’s mind raced, trying to understand the threat posed by such a mundane object, but his questions were answered with terrifying clarity in the next instant. Grey flicked the penny with casual ease, the small coin spinning through the air in a lazy arc that seemed almost playful.

Then it exploded.

The detonation was far beyond what should have been possible from such a small object. The blast radius engulfed nearly a quarter of the platform, flames and concussive force radiating outward in a sphere of destruction that made Arthur’s ears ring even from his position in the crowd. Aziel barely managed to dodge, his lightning-enhanced speed allowing him to leap backward just as the explosion consumed the space he had occupied moments before.

Arthur’s breath caught in his throat as he watched his friend land hard, rolling across the platform’s surface with smoke rising from his singed clothing. The casual ease with which Grey had produced such devastation was more terrifying than any display of brute force could have been. This wasn’t just superior physical ability—this was a completely different level of power application.

"Interesting reflexes," Grey commented, already reaching for another penny. "Let’s see how many you can dodge."

What followed was a nightmare of explosions and desperate evasion. Grey’s throws were precise and calculated, each penny detonating at exactly the right moment to maximize Aziel’s difficulty in avoiding the blast. The platform became a minefield of fire and smoke, with Aziel forced to move constantly, his lightning providing the only thing keeping him ahead of the devastating chain of explosions.

Arthur watched in growing horror as his friend’s movements became more labored, his lightning flickering more erratically with each near miss. Sweat poured down Aziel’s face, mixing with soot from the explosions, and Arthur could see the exhaustion beginning to take its toll. The gap in power between them wasn’t just significant—it was insurmountable.

"This is insane," Arthur muttered, his hands trembling with the urge to intervene. Every instinct screamed at him to jump onto that platform, to help his friend, but he knew it would only make things worse. This was Aziel’s fight now, and any interference would only serve to humiliate him further.

Grey’s assault intensified, the pennies coming faster now, their explosions creating a symphony of destruction that echoed through the training room. Between throws, he closed the distance with hand-to-hand attacks that showcased his superior physical conditioning. His punches carried the weight of years of experience, each strike perfectly placed to maximize damage while minimizing his own exposure to counter-attacks.

Aziel’s spear work, normally a thing of beauty and precision, became increasingly desperate. He was fighting not to win, but simply to survive, his attacks growing wilder as Grey’s relentless pressure forced him into reactive patterns. The lightning that had been his greatest asset was becoming a liability, draining his energy reserves at an unsustainable rate.

Arthur watched his friend take a particularly brutal combination—a penny explosion that forced him to dodge left, directly into Grey’s waiting fist. The impact sent Aziel sprawling, his spear clattering away across the platform as he struggled to maintain consciousness. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, and for a terrifying moment, Arthur thought the fight was over.

"Stay down," Grey advised, his tone almost conversational. "You’ve proven your point. You’re brave, I’ll give you that. Stupid, but brave."

But Aziel wasn’t listening. Arthur watched with a mixture of pride and terror as his friend forced himself back to his feet, lightning beginning to coil around his form once again. There was something different about it now—more focused, more controlled. The desperate flailing had been replaced by something approaching calculation.

"I’m not done yet," Aziel spat, blood staining his words. His spear appeared back to his hand with a crackle of electricity, but instead of the wild, unfocused energy he had been displaying, the lightning now moved with purpose. It concentrated along the weapon’s shaft and blade, creating patterns that Arthur had never seen before.

Grey’s eyebrows rose slightly, the first sign of genuine interest he had shown since the fight began. "Oh? Finally getting serious?"

The next exchange was different. When Grey threw his next penny, Aziel didn’t just dodge—he moved with it, using the explosion’s force to accelerate his own movement. His spear work became more precise, no longer trying to overwhelm Grey with raw power but instead seeking to exploit the tiny windows of opportunity that existed in his opponent’s defense.

Arthur leaned forward, his heart pounding as he watched his friend begin to adapt. It was still an uphill battle—Grey’s superior experience and raw power hadn’t diminished—but for the first time since the fight began, Aziel was fighting smart instead of angry.

Lightning began to dance across the platform in new patterns, Aziel using his electrical abilities not just for direct augmentation but to create zones of interference that disrupted Grey’s throwing accuracy. The pennies still exploded, but their timing was slightly off, creating openings that hadn’t existed before.

"Better," Grey acknowledged, dodging a spear thrust that came closer than any previous attack. "Much better. Maybe this won’t be completely boring after all."

The crowd was on its feet now, the energy in the room palpable as they witnessed what appeared to be the beginning of an actual contest. Arthur found himself holding his breath as Aziel pressed his advantage, his movements becoming more fluid and purposeful with each exchange.

For the first time since the fight began, Grey was forced to give ground. Not much—just a step here and there—but it was progress. Aziel’s lightning was no longer just crackling randomly around him; it was forming deliberate patterns, creating a network of electrical energy that made approaching him increasingly dangerous.

Arthur’s mind began to process what he was seeing. Aziel wasn’t trying to match Grey’s power anymore—he was trying to make the fight about endurance and adaptation. Every failed attack was teaching him something new about his opponent’s patterns and preferences. The desperate flailing of the fight’s opening had been replaced by calculated risks and measured aggression.

Grey’s expression had shifted as well. The bored amusement was still there, but underneath it Arthur detected something else—a growing respect for his opponent’s resilience and adaptability. The Pathfinder was no longer toying with Aziel; he was actually having to think about his attacks.

"Interesting," Grey mused, deflecting a spear thrust with his bare hand before countering with a penny that exploded dangerously close to both fighters. "You’re actually learning. Most people never get past the panic stage."

Aziel’s response was to channel lightning directly through his spear in a new pattern, creating a sustained arc of electricity that forced Grey to maintain his distance. For the first time in the fight, the initiative belonged to the Chosen rather than the Pathfinder.

Arthur watched with growing excitement as his friend pressed the advantage, his spear work becoming more creative and unpredictable. The lightning augmentation was evolving in real-time, adapting to the demands of the fight in ways that surprised even Arthur.

The platform beneath them bore the scars of their battle—scorched metal from explosions, electrical burns from lightning strikes, and the occasional crater where Grey’s pennies had detonated with particular force. The air itself seemed charged with potential energy, crackling with residual electricity that made the hair on Arthur’s arms stand on end.

Grey’s attacks were still devastatingly effective, but they were no longer effortless. He had to work for each opening now, had to respect the zones of control that Aziel was creating with his lightning network. The fight had transformed from an execution into something approaching an actual contest of skills.

As Arthur watched his friend find his rhythm, adapting and evolving under the pressure of facing a superior opponent, he felt a surge of pride mixed with cautious optimism. The fight was far from over, and Grey’s power advantage remained overwhelming, but for the first time since this nightmare began, Aziel had a chance.

The real battle was just beginning.

Search the lightnovelworld.cc website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.