The first time Asura opened his eyes, somehow, he realized he wasn’t a stranger to this world. He was familiar with all the information he received through the five senses.

He didn’t think much of it. Since he had been born a god, he accepted his innate perfection.

It was a misjudgment. Asura quickly realized that he was imperfect when he lost to Grid and his subordinates. He lost too much the moment he was born, so he was in a state of immense anger.

Asura really felt that he couldn’t refuse Judar’s threatening offer of ascending to Asgard if he wanted to be safe. He hated Grid for forcing him to accept Judar’s offer. He resented Baal’s desire that only made him this complete.

From then on, Asura had been sharpening the blade of revenge. He was conscious of Judar’s collar around his neck, so he didn’t show his desires, but he was always on the lookout for an opportunity.

Finally, the much expected day arrived. Just as the cooperation between Asura and Raphael served as an opportunity for Mumud, this was an opportunity for Asura to turn the whole situation around.

[Did you say you would guarantee Asgard’s future?]

Ninety-nine halos spun, shooting out rays of divinity. Asura stood in the center of them and sneered at Mumud.

[Why? What is the value of Asgard? Is it important just because this is where the gods live? Why do you want to give your life for the gods who have forgotten their duty?]

God of Fighting Asura—his name was the same as that of a god worshiped by a handful of monks.

Asura wasn’t a stranger to the world when Baal created him because he’d had a previous life. Even Asura only recently realized this. How could the desire of the first-ranked Great Demon and many sacrifices, including the hell moon, give birth to a god as powerful as him?

The question he always asked himself had finally been answered. Baal had merely resurrected an almost forgotten god.

[Just as I prove myself through fighting, the heavenly gods will have their own means to prove themselves. However, the majority have forgotten their duty and have become obsessed with human praise and worship. They are the ones who have been eliminated. The present day gods of Asgard are dependent on others to survive and are worse than the trash you find on the streets. So why are you trying so hard for them? Is it because you are an angel, so you instinctively serve them?]

Asura’s intention in criticizing the state of Asgard and Mumud was simple. He was denying and ridiculing all of Mumud’s beliefs and efforts. To put it simply, he was picking a fight. The God of Fighting’s desire was, of course, fighting. In other words, he was sowing the seeds of discord because of his innate malice. This was why Baal had struggled to create Asura.

[Now, if you are angry, then come at me. Just give it a try.]

It was just like how clapping could only be done when both hands clasped together. Provoking a fight wasn’t effective unless the other person took the bait. Mumud was unaffected by Asura’s taunts. Everything Asura said was true.

[You’re right about me succumbing to instincts. I am trying to guarantee the future of Asgard merely because I am an angel.]

[......]

It was a somewhat embarrassing reaction from Asura’s perspective since he got more beneficial effects the stronger the opponent’s fighting spirit became. Of course, this didn’t hinder him. There were plenty of other opponents to play with beside Mumud, though they weren’t as fun to play against.

Asura snorted before turning away to look at Grid. His eyes were drooping like water drops hanging from eaves.

Annihilation energy hadn’t existed before. Asura would be able to get the best revenge now. If he took away the power only one person in the world possessed and used it to pierce that person’s heart, Grid would die and experience the greatest fear, anger, and despair imaginable.

Grid laughed while awkwardly scratching the back of his head. “Hey, Asura, I didn’t know you thought of me like that. Haha.”

[......?]

Asura cocked his head. What Grid said was so unexpected that he got confused for a while. Mumud and Noe were also staring at Grid, puzzled. The clone also scratched the back of his head like Grid and laughed awkwardly. Marie Rose simply crossed her arms and watched.

Finally, Asura asked a question. [Uhm... What?] He couldn’t withstand his curiosity.

He was in an absolutely advantageous position. While Grid had been busy destroying the Full Moon Fortress, Asura had absorbed the power of the gods, including Dominion, and the angels. In the process, he almost died as he had to overcome several major crises, but he was successful nonetheless. The God of Fighting became stronger the more he fought.

Grid blushed slightly.

“You criticized the gods of Asgard for forgetting their duty. This was actually praising me in a subtle way, right? Asura, you might be a scumbag, but I feel like you have an eye for people. I don’t feel too bad.”

[.....]

Suddenly, Asura thought back to what he said earlier. He had taunted Mumud while watching Grid’s reaction at the same time.

‘However, the majority of gods have forgotten their duty and have become obsessed with human praise and worship. The present day gods of Asgard are dependent on others to survive and are worse than trash you find on the street...’

If Grid conceded that this was Asura’s opinion, it was easy for Grid to misunderstand.

Unlike the gods of Asgard, Grid was faithful to his duty. Rather than relying on others, he was the one others relied on.

[You... You thought I was criticizing the gods of Asgard by comparing them to you...? As a result, you misunderstood that I complimented you. Is that correct?]

Asura’s intent shook a bit as he said this. Was it because he was angry? No. It was because he was amused.

[Hah... Hahahahaha!! Grid, do you really believe that this world revolves around you? I can see how comfortable your life has been so far. Everything you have accomplished is rubbish. You have achieved everything easily without experiencing many hardships or trials, so your accomplishments are worthless.]

Asura’s intent trembled more and more violently, responding to the change in his emotions. Asura was no longer laughing. He was clearly angry.

[Did I have to endure so much humiliation and shame because I lost to you just because you were just a bit lucky...?!!]

Asura had never shown it, but he rejoiced every time Grid accomplished more. The more valuable the opponent who defeated him was, the more valuable the defeat became and the more experience he would gain from that failure.

Asura's previous defeat had been assured because Grid was too great. He was making excuses for himself. If it hadn’t been for these excuses, Asura wouldn’t have survived all these years. He would’ve gone crazy after living in pain day after day, lamenting that he was kept on a leash by the dogs and pigs of Asgard.

Yes, Grid had to be great. However, in truth, Grid wasn’t that extraordinary. Asura’s pride, which had never been broken by any ordeal he had gone through, was shattered beyond repair.

[I was always going to kill you, but... Once isn’t enough. Die a thousand times as atonement for me, Grid.]

‘Since I can only die twice a day... Does that mean I have to die for the next five hundred days?’

[Die and die, lose and lose again. Return to being an insignificant human being!!]

‘I will quit the game before then. This fucking guy...’

Grid had been feeling a bit intimidated by Asura’s deadly pressure, but now his forehead twitched. He pulled out two swords. Grid spoke the skill name aloud. “Item Combination.”

Defying the Natural Order and Twilight merged into one in Grid’s hand. He felt like he would swear strongly if he didn’t do this. He didn’t want the child in Marie Rose’s womb to hear such awful words.

“Grid’s Sword Dance, Transcended Linked Kill Wave Pinnacle.”

Hundreds of thorns seemed to be soaring up. Dozens of sword energies shot from Grid, flew at the speed of light, and engulfed Asura in an instant, stabbing, piercing, and slashing him. He was in the center of the dizzying, intersecting purple thorns.

[Ack...! So this is Annihilation energy...!]

The Absolute Defense he had learned while fighting the old dragons and the Mumud-style Shield had no effect and were slashed. All the halos taken from the angels were also destroyed. The ninety-nine rays of divinity that he fired had their trajectories offset and missed.

Most of all, Asura’s skin, which was as hard as the scales of an old dragon, and his flesh, muscles, and bones couldn’t withstand the sharpness of the Annihilation energy. They were all easily pierced and cut like he was a piece of meat, showing an unpleasant looking cross-section.

Asura found the blood erupting from his wounds really strange. He thought it was a sight he would never see again. Rather, this became a harbinger of hope—hope that he could buy time until he analyzed and absorbed the Annihilation energy.

[I am the God of Fighting. The more I fight, the stronger I become.]

Flash!

A red magic circle emerged from the cross-section of Asura’s wounds. This was the result of blood magic, Marie Rose’s, to be exact.

There was strong willpower in the blood pouring from Asura. It was killing intent. Every drop of blood took on a shape to kill Grid.

[Don’t go wild with the power you were just lucky to obtain, scumbag.]

Grid was about to get hurt by swords, awls, spears, threads, hammers, huge rocks, and so on, weapons which took form from Asura’s red blood. This counterattack was so fast, not even an Absolute could perceive it. It was a miracle created by combining blood magic with the mystical arts of the cultivators, as well as utilizing the principles Asura had learnt in the process of absorbing Mumud’s magic.

[This is dangerous...!]

Mumud paled as he placed layers of shields over Grid. But instead of being relieved, his face became even paler. Mumud could feel the weight of Asura’s blood magic through the shields.

Mumud involuntarily turned toward Marie Rose, asking with his eyes if she could do anything about this blood magic.

Marie Rose snorted. “There is a duty that a wife must follow. I learned this from Irene.”

It smelled as if something was burning.

“I can’t take care of the opponent that my dear husband is trying to beat to death.”

All the blood magic that had been on the verge of piercing Grid suddenly evaporated thanks to his helmet, chest piece, gauntlets, gaiters, boots which released Annihilation energy.

[You say... I have lived a comfortable life?]

This was the manifestation of intent. Even Grid’s embarrassing past events, which he had suppressed, were released for the first time in ages.

[How dare you say that to me?]

He hoped that this uncontrollable anger would be conveyed to Asura.

Asura’s eyes widened and he retreated. Even if it was only for a moment, the God of Fighting felt overwhelmed.

[This is ridiculous...!]

A lightning-like attack came from the six-fusion sword dance and slashed Asura as he denied reality.