Chapter 31 - Deathmatch Nasty-nice's Conspiracy
Athena looked anxious. "You didn't know?" she asked. "I've just come back, and I've heard everywhere in the city saying that the apprentice who performed well during Master Aldas's challenge will represent Dark Moon City to participate in the Sky Battle in the arena tomorrow. With your current strength, it's simply suicide!"
Chen Rui felt that the tournament sounded familiar. He thought of the scene in the magic store a few days ago, and he suddenly understood. "I'm being framed!" he exclaimed. "This sort of conspiracy is slightly difficult for Alan, who is brave but dumb. It must be that nasty-nice Joseph who thought of this!"
After listening to Chen Rui's experience, Athena frowned and said, "Joseph? Isn't it Alan? Why do I hear that it's Alan who spread the news?"
At this time, Alice spoke up, "Athena, although Joseph is usually refined and courteous; he even gives us gifts often, but he's actually the most despicable guy; Alan was just an idiot being used."
Chen Rui nodded secretly. This little loli who seems to like taking petty advantages and fooling people, but she is actually quite clear.
"Then why do you always take his gifts?" Athena glared at Alice.
"I don't like that Joseph, so I have never accepted what he gave," Alice replied. "The gifts are innocent." Her watery eyes flashed with bright stars, and her expression, tone, and gaze were so on point. Compared to before, little loli's performance had reached a higher level.
Chen Rui suddenly thought of the most common line in romance dramas: Tiger Body Vibration. Sure enough, Athena couldn't rival such a fierce gaze and admitted defeat.
It turned out that little loli was the leading figure of the blackhearted faction who cursed someone being sinister but still took the gifts.
Chen Rui looked at the little princess admiringly and asked, "What is this Sky Battle?"
"It's a gamble between Joseph and me," Alice said with annoyance. "Both parties will send one person to ride a flying demonic beast and battle in the air. Whoever drops first loses. The condition is that you can't do it yourself; you can only command the demonic beasts. You are at your own risk. This kind of tournament is highly dangerous, so it's also called the Sky Deathmatch."
Chen Rui frowned, "Why do you have such a gamble with him?"
"This is the 'heritage' left by my deceased old man," Alice explained with a lazy tone. "Under the command of the Regent, the Red Spirit Lord, Josh has to send someone to compete with Dark Moon City every year to damage Lord of Midnight Sun's descendents' pathetic prestige. My old man stubbornly wanted to maintain his ego. Every time, he will go all out and send people to participate. However, after my sister took over the Dark Moon, it's much duller. Regardless, the old man's last wish has to be obeyed, but my sister didn't have that energy, so I have to take over the troublesome gamble."
As she spoke, little loli showed a look of resentment and looked straight at Chen Rui. "Tell me, why must the next generation bear the grievances of the last generation's grievances?"
Chen Rui couldn't withstand her gaze at once.
Athena couldn't stand it and said, "Stop fooling around, Alice. You're always excited when you gamble, and I've already helped you win twice. Let's think of a way to help Chen Rui get through this instead. If he participates, not only might he die, but it will also damage the morale of the Dark Moon. Now that the news is spread, the Red Sprite Estate even sent a magical summon saying that they will send someone to visit. Even Princess Royal couldn't stop it. However, if Chen Rui avoids participating, he'll become the joke of the entire Dark Moon Estate."
Alice said weakly, "What else can be done? Being called a coward is better than losing life, right? It's just my pity bet. I've earned a lot from the Master Challenge anyway. Let's take it as losing money to avoid misfortune."
"Why do you need so much money?" Chen Rui asked with dissatisfaction, knowing that she had earned a lot from the Master Challenge. "What's the meaning of being a rich princess in the Dark Moon City?" Dark Moon City's economy was depressed, with few places to spend money. It was like a small countryside village, where it was difficult to buy good stuff even with money.
"I'm not rich," Alice said dejectedly. "Every time I have a little money, it'll be taken away by my sister, saying not to let me fool around with money." Chen Rui felt a sense of schadenfreude, thinking that the wicked would have a more wicked nemesis.
"However, the way to operate a business that you taught me last time seems to be useful," Alice said, blinking her big eyes with a big smile. "It seems that the human brother is much more powerful than I am. This competition is not just about my wealth; it is also about the prestige of the Dark Moon. Can human brother think of a way to save his own life and preserve the reputation of the Dark Moon in this match, and along the way... help me win some money?"
The coy-sounded "human brother" made Chen Rui's scalp tingle, but he gradually sorted out something in his mind. The victory of the Master Challenge had raised the spirits of the armies and residents of the Dark Moon City. This competition was likely intended to damage morale, probably ordered by the Red Spirit Estate or even the Regent Obsidian. Joseph had likely premeditated this, using Chen Rui's performance in the Master Challenge to praise him to the top, only to put him down ruthlessly. Chen Rui realized he was just a tool for Joseph to humiliate the Dark Moon.
Chen Rui began to weigh the pros and cons of the competition. Joseph had obviously planned this, spreading the news of the competition all over the city, with even the Red Spirit Estate's people attending. In the Demon Realm, cowardice was despised. If he avoided the battle, it would be difficult for him to do anything in the future, whether in the Dark Moon or other places. Being low-key was different from being timid; being passive would only let others take advantage. Since Joseph wanted to use his life to attack Shea and the Dark Moon City, Chen Rui decided to make him regret his move.
Chen Rui thought quickly and asked, "Little princess, is the match between you and Joseph a one-off game?" Initially, Alice was still joking, not really wanting him to risk his life. However, after seeing Chen Rui's determined look, she quickly replied, "No, it's the best of 3. Athena's beast taming skill is the best in Dark Moon. She has helped me win for the past 2 years. Last year, even Joseph lost to her personally."
Chen Rui thought to himself that Athena's winning streak was due to her father's influence as the first general of the empire, the less significant nature of previous matches, and Joseph deliberately hiding his strength. After pondering for a while, Chen Rui had a rough plan. He asked, "Little princess, I have an idea, but there's no guarantee that it will win. It might be a draw. If we're lucky, we might win. It's just that I don't know how bold you are."
Alice replied, "If I'm bold, I won't lose money? Maybe I can even win some money?" She was particularly focused on the word "money". Seeing Chen Rui nod, she straightened her body and looked domineering, "There is no fear in the dictionary of the Lucifer royal family, I, Alice Lucifer, am fearless!"
Little Loli's powerful aura made Chen Rui shudder. He quickly shared his rough plan with her. After listening, Athena frowned, looking worried, while Alice gestured that it wasn't bad. She tiptoed and patted Chen Rui's shoulder, "I really didn't pick the wrong person. You are more despicable than the Old Gauss beside my sister. From now on, follow me and do your best!"
Such praise made Chen Rui feel guilty. He suddenly thought of something and said, "I have a delicious candy with me. My Lord, please taste it."
"I'm a princess!" Alice corrected, grabbing the sugar pill and eating it. She then criticized the sugar pill for its ordinary taste, saying it was far from expectations.
Athena's eyes lit up, and she understood that Alice had just eaten the "antidote." She praised Chen Rui's wit in her mind and said, "There isn't much time left now. Chen Rui has never ridden a flying demonic beast before. He needs to master some basic riding techniques immediately."
"Well, fine, I have to go to the store to take a look," Alice said with a strange smile. "The business has been better the past two days; it won't do without the princess keeping the store running. Athena, I'll pass Chen Rui to you. It's his first time, remember to be slightly gentle."
"Exactly because it's the first time, that's why he needs special training," Athena said, unaware of Alice's implication. "What's the use of being gentle? How can one do it without suffering?"
Chen Rui was sweating, afraid that Alice would make more weird comments. He quickly pulled Athena and said, "Since our time is tight, let's go quickly!"
After escaping from Alice's hands, Athena got a griffin and took Chen Rui to an empty land outside the city. The griffin was a common flying demonic beast, with an eagle's head, a beast's body, full of feathers, and huge wings. It was aggressive and violent, but its stamina was relatively poor. Generally, it could be used as an assault force unit in conventional combat.
"The trump card of air combat is the wyvern," Athena explained. "It's powerful and venomous, able to take off and land vertically. It can be considered a combat helicopter. The rider is known as the dragon knight. Only a small number of wyverns can be tamed, so it's good enough for an empire to have 1 to 2 dragon knight units with wyverns."
"As for dragons, the actual aerial overlords," Athena continued, "the Demon Realm's dragons are relatively rare compared to the surface world, but they're fiercer and more powerful. Let alone riding, no one dares to even provoke them."
"These tamed demonic beasts aren't difficult to control," Athena said, patting the griffin's head lightly. "The best way is to get bonded with it, but due to the lack of time, you just have to let it understand you." A low note came out of her mouth, and the eagle-head that was initially anxious suddenly fell down obediently.
Chen Rui asked, "Why don't you use a saddle or rein?"
Athena shook her head and replied, "If you use that, will it still be called an aerial deathmatch? Besides, the requirement for the aerial match is to start at 100 meters high. 100 meters high! And there's no supporting equipment!"
Chen Rui was shocked. This was not like riding a plane or a bus-like tri-horned rhino. If he was slightly careless, it would turn into a free fall. Even with the "Astral" feature, he couldn't afford the damage.
"I guess it's time to learn the Air Force knowledge of the Demon Realm," Chen Rui thought to himself.
"Don't be afraid in the air," Athena advised. "The more fear you have, the more dangerous it is. In fact, as long as you master the rhythm and feeling, you can easily control the demonic beast."
As Athena spoke, she sat on the griffin's back, patted its neck, and the griffin took a quick sprint forward, flapped its wings, and flew up. Chen Rui enviously watched Athena flying in the sky on a griffin. He had always dreamed of flying in the sky, and the feeling of soaring over the clouds and overlooking the earth was wonderful. Flying with Athena on the back of a demonic beast seemed even more exciting.
Athena controlled the griffin to maintain a certain height. She even stood up on the narrow back of the griffin, which was in the midst of high-speed flying. Such a high-difficulty move seemed pretty scary.
Athena, however, looked calm and easy. Her purple hair was blown back by the strong wind, and her short robe was swaying, yet her feet stood steadily on the back of the griffin until it landed.