“Athena, if you were to face Culia again, do you have the confidence to win?”
Athena’s eyes were full of confidence, “I have absolute confidence to defeat him!”
“Good.” Chen Rui moved backward a few steps to distant from her, “Then, use your sword to attack me at full strength now.”
“What?” Athena thought she misheard.
“Didn’t you do such a thing when I was outside the camp?” Chen Rui’s words made Athena blushed with embarrassment. “Now, let’s get started! This time, I won’t be like the last time.”
With Athena’s current strength, she should be a good sparring opponent which allowed him to measure his actual strength accurately.
Athena glanced at him with hesitation and took out a greatsword from the space bracelet. Under Chen Rui’s encouraging eyes, she finally attacked, but unfortunately, it wasn’t lethal.
“If you want to help me, be serious.” Chen Rui grabbed and pinched the tip of the sword. He shook his head and deactivated his passive ability, <Hidden> to show his strength at the Mizar state.
Athena’s pupils shrank slightly. This level of strength is actually the level of Higher Demon! Besides… it’s even above Culia at that time!”
The powerless, weak human a few months ago has actually improved to the level that can almost rival me!
Although she heard Dodo actively exposing the incidents before, so she already had some mental preparations. When Athena actually felt the strength by herself, she still couldn’t help to reveal her shock and ask the guess that she had been keeping in her heart for a long time, “Chen Rui, is this the grand master’s…”
Crossing over and Super System were his biggest secrets, so Chen Rui didn’t intend to disclose to anyone. The grand master’s inheritance that was used in emergency at the beginning could be used as a substitute nicely as it was also justifiable theoretically. He smiled and asked, “Shouldn’t a smart girl keep her promise?”
Athena was rarely praised as “smart”, especially bu Chen Rui, so she felt sweet in her heart. She recalled that she just promised that she wouldn’t ask any questions, so she kept all her extra thoughts. She took a deep breath and an intimidating demeanor emerged. She turend the greatsword and swept. Chen Rui dodged the greatsword at lightning speed and went to her side to punched toward her.
Athena hurriedly retracted her sword; the punch hit on the back of the sword and muffled sound rang. She only felt that a surging, violent force came one after another and she almost couldn’t hold the sword in her hands tight. She was shocked and staggered backward with her eyes flashed with surprise.
“As I said, get serious.” Chen Rui knew that Athena was still afraid of hurting him, so he added, “Culia had already died in my hands the other day…”
Athena was shocked. Culia actually died in the hands of Chen Rui a few days ago!
She put away her sword, lowered her head, looking like she was hesitating. Finally, she seemed to have made up her mind. Flame appeared on her body, her skin turned pale red and a pair of curved horns appeared on her head, “Is this the “serious” you want?”
Immediately after Chen Rui nodded, he saw that Athena, who just lowered her head had disappeared on the spot and a sharp wind came whistling from his back. Chen Rui had repeatedly encountered this type of attack where the opponent teleport to his back to attack, so he was prepared. He turned around and avoided. While she missed her attack, he punched toward her. However, Athena’s sword didn’t stopped; it turned and sliced upward. She indeed didn’t hesitate at all.
Chen Rui didn’t expect her moves to change so fast. If he didn’t retract his hand fast enough, his wrist would’ve been cut by the sword.
After the training with 8-fold gravity, Chen Rui’s speed made a significant leap. He attacked again after sidestepped the attack. As the greatsword wasn’t suitable for close combat, Athena withdrew her sword and parried. The surging force made the thick sword trembled. Chen Rui repeatedly attacked as if his pair of hands seemed to become a few pairs. Athena felt like her body was in a stormy waves as even the demonic fire on her body was shaken by this tremendous force.
Her combat experience was very rich. After blocking the attack, she decisively spun her body and guided her greatsword to strike toward Chen Rui with the surge’s power.
Chen Rui didn’t expect Athena to have such a move. He quickly jumped and distant himself. A long mark was sliced on the ground with the greatsword touching the ground. Athena didn’t hold back as she immediately teleported to his side and struck forcefully again.
Next to the cabin, a translucent long arm extended to the pile of fruits that Athena picked up today. It grabbed one, slowly retracted to the front of a onion-head, threw it into his mouth, chewed and swallowed leisurely.
This time, finally there wasn’t anyone to stop Sir Slime from enjoying delicacies.
Looking at the two distant figures crossing against each other repeatedly in loud noises, Dodo who was bored yawned and concluded, “Boring man and boring woman. Boring master and mistress. It’s truly a boring morning.”
A few hours later, Chen Rui sat down and panted. Athena was also leaned against the tree at the side. Her rosy face was dripping with sweat and her towering chest was undulating. Her hand was holding one part of a broken sword. The other part was on the ground with a smooth cut, as if it was cut by a sharp weapon.
“The skill from grand master’s inheritance is truly wondrous. What is the skill that you used your hand to cut off my sword called?”
“<Aura Blade>. Culia was killed with this skill.” Chen Rui said an apologetic expression, “I’m sorry that I broke your greatsword. Yet, I thought about it when you battled with Culia the last time that you need a better sword. I will definitely give you a good sword in the future.”
I’m not sure if the exchange center can redeem weapons and armors in the future. If it can, I must help Athena exchange for a set of godly artifacts or sword.
“En.” Athena was rejoiced in her heart. Suddenly, she hesitated for a moment and took out her courage to said after a while, “I still want a dagger. Something light and easy to carry will do. This dagger actually…”
It was the first time that Athena took the initiative to make a request, so Chen Rui clearly wouldn’t refuse. Seeing her hesitating to say something and feeling embarrassed, he quickly said, “No problem!”
Hmph! Athena suddenly stared at him. She seemed to be unhappy about his interruption of what she was going to say next and walked away furiously.
Chen Rui was stunned for a moment as he didn’t know what he had said wrong again. Surely, as a sage once said, women were truly unpredictable creatures.
Athena didn’t talk to him until lunch.
Chen Rui handed over a stick of barbecue and extended his other hand to block Dodo, who wanted to grab the food, “Athena, if you’re still not talking, I’ll leave?”
“Hmph!” Athena replied coldly and and took the barbecue.
“I’m serious, Athena. I need to be away for a while. As the time is tight, I need to leave soon.”
Time was indeed tight as he wasn’t only going to Town Leia, but he also had to go back to the Dark Moon City directly to fight Arux.
Athena was shocked and finally asked, “Where are you going?”
Chen Rui didn’t answer and said, “Athena, can you go back to the Dark Moon City? Within half a month, I’ll definitely go to see you.”
“You want to face danger alone again? Dodo told me a lot of things that you’ve secretly done!” Athena suddenly got a little annoyed and stood up. “Why can’t you take me with you? Do you take me as a useless woman like a decorative vase?”
Chen Rui glared at Dodo ruthlessly. This time the slime couldn’t deny, so the onion-head made two hands that covered his eyes: I can’t see you; I can’t see you…
Chen Rui shook his head gently, “Athena, in my heart, you’re definitely not a vase. Exactly because you aren’t, you should know that a lot of battles in life must be faced alone. I can promise you that if the conditions allow, we will fight together in the future. So, can you promise me to go back to the Dark Moon City to wait for me?” Athena lowered her eyes and said, “I know that you’re concern of my safety, but…”
“I want to stay here to help the miners, okay?”
Chen Rui knew that she was worried about the suffering miners. Moreover, the danger at the mines was greatly reduced and the leader of the Red Devils wouldn’t return for the time being. Also, the few heads of the bandits like Culia were already eliminated and he was going to deal with the remaining Barnacle at Town Leia. Thus, Athena should have no problem here.
“The bandits are now at Mountain Walan. For the time being, don’t have any conflict with them. If you’re here, they wouldn’t dare to harass the miners.” Chen Rui thought about it and said, “I’ll leave Kegu here for you.” You can bring the miners back to Mountain Xilang’s residential area to stay, but you absolutely can’t enter the main pit.”
Athena nodded. Chen Rui turned his eyes to the slime who was peeking through the gaps of his hand. Then, he gave the space ring that he looted from Culia to Athena and said to Dodo, “Dodo, stay here to help Athena. I’ve put the dragon bone inside of the space ring so you can pose as ghost dragon when necessary. If Athena has any damage, I won’t forgive you! ”
Dodo heard the sternness of his master’s words and quickly nodded with his hands covering his eyes.
“Good.” Chen Rui stood up and said, “I’m leaving. Athena, remember to protect yourself.”
“Before I came to the Dark Moon, my father once said this to me and I’ll say this to you now.” Athena took a few steps forward and stared at him sentimentally, “Although you’re fighting alone, but you’re not alone.”
The eyes are the windows to the soul. Chen Rui looked at the pair of beautiful red eyes, he felt her feelings for him entirely in the blink of an eye. It wasn’t like the blurry and faintly discernible feeling like before.
Yes, I’m not alone.
In this position after rebirthing, in this sinister and strange Demon Realm, I am no longer alone.
Chen Rui couldn’t suppress the strong impulse in his heart, so he went forward and held Athena tightly in his arms.
Athena’s body trembled a little. From the man coming forward to when he hugged, she obviously could’ve avoided, but she didn’t. Her strength as a Higher Demon approaching its peak disappeared without a trace for no reason and she had to rely on his strength from the hug to support her soft body.
The two listened to each other’s heartbeats as if the entire Demon Realm’s time had stood still, leaving only the warm embrace and the fiery heartbeat.
After a long time, Chen Rui finally let go of his hand. Just now, Athena was immersed in the wonderful feeling that she had never experienced before and she didn’t feel particularly shy. Now that she was stared by his bright eyes, she suddenly lowered her head and didn’t dare to look at him; heat was spreading from her cheeks to her ears.
“Wait for me to come back.”
After Chen Rui said that, he strode forward to Mengda without hesitation, mounted on the wyvern and flew away.
If he stayed any longer, he was afraid that he couldn’t leave this warm cabin.
There were still many unknowns and dangerous tests ahead waiting for him, but at that moment, Chen Rui’s heart was full of unprecedented confidence.