Chapter 525: Smash


    Sitting cross-legged, Lucifer waited. Luring an opponent by threatening those weaker than the target had never been his style. But, thousands of years with someone like Kaal and Dream would... ''Who am I even justifying to?'' Lucifer sighed, his gaze drifting towards a certain location, ''The higher the rank, the greater the restrictions to be an Undead... nobody chooses this path, but still stumble upon the rotting of their selves.'' Standing up, his feathers actually waving slightly due to the sudden gust of wind, the undead seraphim held his sword with the sheathe still covering the edge. The pitch-ck sheathe with light blue edges glowed. Finally, as the ear-piercing shriek rang quite far from him, the man waved his sword, and in wake of his attack, all the trees and branches were sliced from somewhere in the middle.


    It only took another gust of wind for the trees to start copsing over at Lucifer''s direction. Unfurling his wings, wide enough to hug eight chunkies together, he flew high. Finally, as he avoided the first of the many titan trees in the surroundings that fell, finally creating arge spotlight with blessed golden sunlight touching the trees'' barks after many years, the raven-haired seraphim observed a headless monster with rotten wings flying around aimlessly. Its figure barely surviving the dust-raising copse as Lucifer''s grey skin glowed brightly under the reflection of the sun.


    {Not the reference of twilight, but the pale skin simply took on golden light temporarily}


    Narrowing his gaze over the untended wound of the undead creature, Lucifer chuckled, his voice finally spreading in the empty surrounding, "Undeads run at my beck and call, Nik... Faran." Instantly, the headless vulture stopped and perched onto one of the many broken barks as Nik slowly walked out of the carved out back, shaking his head in annoyance. Looking up, for the first time, Nik felt a little less... intimidated by Undead Lucifer, considering that it was their second face-to-face encounter.


    "So... hello?" Nik tilted his head. The first objective being getting as much information as possible from the man and only then getting violent. The only way to start a conversation, as Nik has been taught, is through greeting. With his expression kit brightly that even made Nik reconsider the threat the man posed, Lucifer nodded, "Well, hello! It''s been a long time since someone even has the courtesy to greet..."


    ''He is socially awkward,'' Nik nodded internally, "Can we... discuss things at a levelforting to the eye. You looking down and me continuously looking up is simply... redundant. Here." Taking out two one-seater sofas from his Dream Core, Nik ced the two facing each other but with quite a distance between them. Finally feeling out of ce, Lucifer''s wings retracted as he freely fell over the trunk, unsurprisingly well after the fall and then walking over to the sofa. Observing it for a few seconds, the man sat as Nik produced a table in front of Lucifer, ss, and wine already present before sitting and doing the same. Next, he looked to his left, a little unnerved by the approaching hosts who still held their caution of observing from far away. After all, any person with the strength of cutting such sturdy trees is not to be messed with, considering that they are all Rank 1 hosts.


    "It feelsfortable. Discussing like this," admitting candidly, Lucifer smiled, "Are you aware of your origins? Or do you want me to dispel the confusion you might be facing at the moment."


    "I really wish that Kaal wasn''t my previous incarnate, if that helps," Nik added with a wry smile, pouring himself a ss as Lucifer didn''t indulge himself with a ss. "It doesn''t," the man refused, his wings raised and resting on the armrest of the sofa, creating quite an amusing picture. "At our... my level, a grudge can continue past many generations and incarnations." Revealing a bit of information that gave Nik a little understanding to Lucifer''s and probably, countless other stuck up experts of his rank, the apostle continued to listen patiently, "Of course, I would like to say that despite the cheapness of using your homeworld as leverage, it is the result that has ced me in a great mood."


    Not losing hisposure and finding a chance to redeem slightly, Nik didn''t let go of the pretentious, easygoing smile. With one hand waving in dismissal, and the other pulling the ss closer to his lips, Nik whispered, "It doesn''t matter much. The homeworld you might be talking about is a migrated one. I am already thinking of trying and get into a world with better conditions and form of energy." As he spoke this, Nik drank from his ss. Hearing Nik, Lucifer furrowed his brows before sighing softly. "As carefree as Kaal... a little hateful, but understandable. Forming bonds only causes weakness." Now ignoring the hate Lucifer might hold for Kaal, Nik measured the man''s expression. Probably Lucifer got the idea of invading his homeworld out of his head, maybe not. But now, there remained an undeniable risk that the moment Nik returned to his homeworld, it might get wreaked...


    "However," cing his ss on the table, Nik inquired with an honest expression, unwilling to hide his curiosity, of course, a facade he put on once again. Truly, he should already get an acting skill for himself. "How would you even know my location... I mean... that''s an invasion of privacy."


    "Gegege," chuckling weirdly, making Nik''s lips twitch, Lucifer grinned, "The lowest level of divinity can get your position easily. It doesn''t even matter, truly. As long as you have a soul, anybody in existence can divine your position." Without giving out any countermeasures, Lucifer continued, "Let me satiate my curiosity. How did you know about Kaal?"


    "The smartass appeared in front of me himself."


    Nik heaved a deep sigh. He had figured that he might just be able to get the information he wanted and talk his homeworld out of a great threat... but the moment he looked at the cross-armed Lucifer looking at him with an earnest expression, Nik felt like giving up. It was extremely underestimating and insulting to think that a monster capable of being his era-old grandpa can be manipted easily. "Man... why you gotta hunt me," Nik groaned in distress to which Lucifer instantly snapped a reply.


    "Because... I have considered your previous incarnation a rival for far too long. A mentality that now bears a pressure far too much to handle. I hate Kaal, not you. A man who is incapable of differentiating his grudges is simply far too weak-minded... but, I still need your death under my hands. No hard feelings. After that, I''ll cut that bitch D"


    "Wait, wait!" Nik hurriedly interjected, making Lucifer express an annoyed look as Nik inquired, "Were you probably going to name Sky? I mean, your sister and the Seraphim''s daughter?"


    "I was going to name the talent capable enough to reach the realm of supreme grandmaster in the concept of space and dream... a feat I have yet to achieve."


    "Yeah, her. We don''t do that here. Not until I pass her test... I''ll not speak her full name out loud... although, I pretty much know it by now. Anyway, don''t spoil it for me."


    With a slight look of admiration, Lucifer nodded. "To not take things for granted... I wish Kaal was like that..."


    Unwilling to break Lucifer''s misguided judgment, Nik let the man continue. "We should begin."


    Still, Nik tried once again, "Hey, you said that being rivals with Kaal is what is driving you to hunt me... what if I say that we are not rivals? I don''t even know you."


    Instantly, smiling so broadly that even Nik''s spine tingled in actual horror as Dream''s scowl rang within, Lucifer spoke loudly, "Your death is necessary. I appreciate your consideration though." Standing up, Lucifer looked around, "There are many pests gathering..."


    "Nik, look away!" Sky shouted, a little toote as a formless pressure spread out of Lucifer. A pressure so heavy and chilling that Nik broke the ss in his hands, his other hand crushing the armrest while the dust flew about. The world turned grey for a moment, Lucifer''s figure seemed to have grown toorge... far toorge while Nik felt small. Tiny, even. In the world of grey, Nik felt his breathing stop as Dream shrieked, alongside the remaining three of his spirit while a little warmth spread through his body, barely resisting the pressure and only after this interaction did Nik realize that the intent hidden within this pressure wasn''t even pointed towards him. With the entire second passing akin a year, Nik''s breathing returned, the world grew color and looked wonderful once again. And, if Nik hadn''t purified himself, he would have shat himself.


    Only then, Lucifer whispered with amus.e.m.e.nt, "This is what happens when ''Will'' meets ''Spirit''. I would have felt disappointed if you fell to my will so easily..." Waving his sheathed sword aimlessly, moving his arm in a manner of warming up, Lucifer finally pointed at Nik, who remained covered in sweat, tongue-tied, and... horrified. "Flies have been taken care of. Now... let''s fight, Nik Faran. Aside from our insights, we are not all too different. You even have the handicap of me being without any equipment.


    ''F.u.c.k... f.u.c.k! f.u.c.k! f.u.c.k! f.u.c.k! What the hell was that?! I am not fighting this freak, Sky! It''s been good knowing you... but, let''s meet in the next life, too. You seemed interesting!'' Nik yelled internally in distress, still unable to recover from the grey dome the man had created. Hearing his words, for the first time, Sky or any other spirit for that matter, didn''t reply in their usual sass.


    "Understood..." Sky whispered, "But, if you can, stand and fight... if you can''t gain courage by yourself... for a moment, think of Tanya. Even I want to live long enough to teach the little gal things far beyond your own understanding.


    Of course, I won''t judge you otherwise... deathes to everyone, someday. I am proof of that."


    Nik''s mentality grew worse for a single reason. All his skills, all his experience, all his sarcasm would fail whenpared to a single stare that Lucifer showed. This only left him with two or three ways to tackle the situation and while one of them had previously gained Nik''s greatest confidence, staring at the eager winged-man in front of him, Nik felt like faltering and rolling away.


    "Snap the f.u.c.k out of it!"


    Nik yelled. Raising his hand up, clenching it into a fist and bringing it down ruthlessly over his crotch in a single smash.


    "Gaaaaaah!!"