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The next morning, Mika and Rias woke up early, not wanting to be discovered by their guests, especially Sirzechs.
However, even so, Grayfia was already busy in the kitchen when they emerged, while Sirzechs sat on the sofa, reading a newspaper, as if he were the owner of the apartment.
"I'll help," Rias said, hurrying into the kitchen. She couldn't, after all, let her brother's wife prepare their meal.
Mika sat down beside Sirzechs. "Sleep well?"
"Yes, just like at home," Sirzechs replied, setting down his newspaper and smiling.
"That's good."
If he had slept well, it meant his stay had been comfortable.
"Are you free today?" Sirzechs asked suddenly.
"I don't have any plans. Is there something you need?" Mika straightened up, his earlier relaxed demeanor replaced by a cautious curiosity.
"I was hoping to explore Kuoh Town and needed a guide," Sirzechs said with a smile.
"A guide?" Mika realized what he was truly asking, yet, instead of refusing outright, he countered with a proposal of his own.
"I can be your guide, but I'd like to spar with you first, to assess the difference in our strength." He had been wanting to fight Sirzechs, one of the world's top ten strongest, he was eager to experience his power firsthand.
"I accept," Sirzechs replied without hesitation. He, too, was interested in experiencing Mika's unique fighting style, influenced by other worlds.
It might even provide him with valuable insights for his own growth. He hadn't felt this competitive in a long time. "We'll duel in a pocket dimension—"
"Very well."
They had made no attempt to lower their voices—their conversation was overheard by the others, who had also woken up early and were now gathered in the living room.
Despite having bonded with Sirzechs the previous night, they still treated him with a certain deference—after all, he was a Satan.
They didn't want to keep him waiting.
"Mika is going to duel Sirzechs-sama?!" Issei exclaimed. "That's awesome!"
"Indeed," Xenovia agreed excitedly. Challenging a Satan had once been her ambition as well, a dream she could no longer fulfill. However, watching Mika do it it was almost as good.
However, Rias and Grayfia's arrival quickly dampened their enthusiasm.
"Sirzechs-sama, Mika-sama, are you two really going to fight?" Grayfia asked, her voice laced with concern.
She had also switched to a more formal address, "Mika-sama," likely due to her conversation with Sirzechs the previous night. He had revealed that Mika's strength was comparable to his own, among the world's top ten.
Therefore, a certain level of respect was required.
"Don't worry, Grayfia. We're both responsible individuals. We won't let a little sparring match get out of hand," Sirzechs reassured her, his gaze meeting Rias's.
"Indeed. We know what we're doing," Mika added. After all, it had been his suggestion.
Hearing their assurances, and recalling their personalities, Grayfia and Rias relaxed slightly. A battle between two top-ten level beings could have devastating consequences.
After all, Earth, in this world, was protected by the Gods' power. It was far more resilient than the Earth in the Saint Seiya world. Even Mika, with his planet-destroying potential, couldn't truly harm it.
However, indirect annihilation, through collateral damage, was a possibility. Therefore, high-level battles were usually either conducted outside of Earth or with significant restraints—
This was why Grayfia and Rias had been so concerned.
"We'll be dueling in the Underworld. You have nothing to worry about," Sirzechs assured them.
"Very well. I have no objections." Mika smiled.
Rias and Grayfia were finally relieved; the Underworld could withstand their combined power. After all, it was there that the original Satans had battled the God of the Bible.
———
After breakfast, Rias and the others went to school, while Mika accompanied Sirzechs on his tour of Kuoh Town.
However, Sirzechs's choice of destinations surprised him:
An amusement park, a fast food restaurant, even a Shinto shrine—places Mika hadn't expected him to be interested in.
This gave him a new perspective on Sirzechs.
However, Mika's focus was on their upcoming duel.
———
After several days of exploring Kuoh Town, Sirzechs was finally ready to get down to business.
And that meant his duel with Mika...
Their battle didn't take place on Earth.
They traveled to the Underworld, where they created a pocket dimension and unleashed their full power—
This was not only to contain their destructive potential, but also to conceal their true strength from prying eyes, saving it for a more opportune moment.
They were both strategists, after all, wolves in sheep's clothing.
However, despite their cunning and manipulative nature—when they fought—it was with an unrestrained, almost primal, passion.
Their battle was fierce, both clearly enjoying the challenge, though neither used their full power. They both held back.
It was, after all, just a sparring match—
Revealing their trump cards would be foolish. Such abilities were reserved for life-or-death situations.
Therefore, their duel ended in a draw, their power evenly matched.
Within the framework of Cosmo, Mika and Sirzechs were equals, though Mika, thanks to Cosmo's combat focus, held a slight advantage.
However, it wasn't enough to secure a decisive victory.
That advantage stemmed from their fundamental difference:
Sirzechs's Satan-class status.
While Mika's Cosmo granted him power comparable to the world's top ten, it was merely power.
Satan-class was a different matter entirely.
It was a state of being, a transformation, a fundamental shift in one's existence, though its expression varied between worlds.
While some Satan-class beings might struggle against even powerful mortals, their inherent potential was far greater.
Just as there were vast differences between humans, so too were there differences between gods.
Ascending to that level granted immense power, enhanced potential, and a clarity of purpose, a clear path forward.
It was a transformation, an evolution of one's very being.
Therefore, while Mika could match, and even surpass, Sirzechs in terms of raw power, Sirzechs's higher life force, its potential fully realized, granted him access to unconventional techniques and abilities.
This made him a formidable opponent, regardless of Mika's advantages.
Mika wasn't surprised.
Unlike Cosmo, a purely physical power focused on destruction—Satan-class beings wielded the power of laws, their abilities often strange and unpredictable.
While their destructive potential might be lower, their versatility and mastery of the world's fundamental principles made them dangerous opponents.
Therefore, without resorting to his most powerful, otherworldly abilities—Mika couldn't defeat Sirzechs.
Sirzechs undoubtedly had his own hidden trump cards.
After all, unlike Mika, a relative newcomer to this world, Sirzechs, a Satan, had lived for millennia, accumulating a vast arsenal of knowledge, skills, and experience.
While Mika, thanks to the Counter Force's knowledge, could potentially surpass even these ancient beings, he needed time to integrate that knowledge, to translate theory into practice.
While he had already made significant progress, he couldn't fully utilize it until he achieved godhood. The difference in their age, their accumulated experience, was still a significant factor.
Even so, Mika had enjoyed their duel immensely.
Battling a Satan-class opponent was a completely different experience from his battles against Shaka and the other Gold Saints.
While he had sparred with Yahweh and Hephaestus, they weren't the same.
Hephaestus was far weaker than him.
And Yahweh, influenced by his own experiences, possessed a similar skill set, their powers overlapping. Of course, it was also possible that she had deliberately limited herself to Cosmo, not wanting to reveal her true power, her mastery of laws.
But now, facing Sirzechs, he finally understood the difference.
———
"That was refreshing..." Mika said, wiping the sweat from his brow, his voice filled with exhilaration.
"Refreshing for you, perhaps. I, however, found it rather frustrating," Sirzechs replied, shaking his head.
Mika's attacks had been relentless, a barrage of blows that had felt like hitting a brick wall. After all, Mika's Cancer God Cloth was incredibly durable.
"Well, I can't help that, can I?" Mika grinned at his disgruntled expression.
For a Saint, their Cloth was essential. Without it, they couldn't unleash their full power. Therefore, it was, in a sense, part of his strength. He wasn't concerned about Sirzechs's frustration.
"Never mind." Sirzechs sighed, though he had also gained valuable insights from their duel, observing Mika's unconventional techniques, a clear indication of his otherworldly origins.
He was now certain of Mika's claims.
He had sensed that Mika hadn't reached the level of a true God yet, despite his immense power, comparable to the world's top ten, achieved without relying on any artifacts or external enhancements.
Such a power system, capable of transcending the usual limitations, clearly didn't originate from this world.
This confirmed Mika's story, strengthening Sirzechs's trust in him and further piquing his interest in other worlds. While Mika had shared some details before, this firsthand experience was far more—informative.
"One more round?" Sirzechs asked, eager to learn more.
"With pleasure," Mika replied, a grin spreading across his face.
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