The Daily Life of the Demon King

Alex watched as his clone, Might Guy, ran off into the distance, shouting about the 'power of youth.' His smile was so dazzling, and his movements so theatrical, that Alex could only sigh heavily, barely suppressing a laugh. The clone had clearly gone overboard, fully immersing himself in the role of Might Guy—from his signature gleaming smile to his exaggerated 'Nice Guy' pose.

Alex recalled a time when he had once used that same pose while training the girls in Orario, inspiring them with speeches about the «power of youth.» However, he was quietly relieved that the clone hadn't taken it a step further by walking onto the arena on his hands, like the real Guy might have done.

Brunhilde, who still held Alex's arm, watched Might Guy with a mix of surprise and disbelief as his voice echoed through the coliseum's corridors. Young Valkyrie Göll, on the other hand, stared after him with genuine admiration.

«Your friend... he's rather strange. What does this 'power of youth' even mean?» Brunhilde asked, turning her gaze to Alex.

Her question also caught Göll's interest, and she looked up at Alex, awaiting an explanation. Alex paused, pondering how to simplify the concept. The essence of the phrase lay in the relentless pursuit of self-improvement, no matter the odds.

«Simply put, the 'power of youth' is the fire of the soul. As long as it burns, you're capable of extraordinary feats,» Alex explained, opting for the most concise version.

Brunhilde nodded, accepting his explanation. She understood that all great heroes, past or present, tended to be a little eccentric. Their remarkable willpower often bordered on madness. Even Raiden, currently unconscious among the ruins, was exceptional despite his peculiarities.

«Maybe, while we walk, you can tell me more about your... eccentric friend?» Brunhilde suggested, still holding Alex's arm.

Alex agreed and began recounting the story of Might Guy, the legendary shinobi who, at first glance, seemed an unlikely candidate for such a title.

«Guy had no talent for the primary ninja arts—neither ninjutsu nor genjutsu. Because of that, he couldn't even enroll in the academy,» Alex began calmly.

«Then how did he become a shinobi?» Göll asked, surprised.

«Through taijutsu. It's a fundamental discipline where the technique is rooted in martial arts and physical prowess. Guy turned his weaknesses into strengths, pushing taijutsu to an extraordinary level,» Alex explained.

«Taijutsu…» Göll murmured, intrigued by this new knowledge.

«But how can someone who lacks chakra and the two essential arts be considered a full-fledged shinobi?» Brunhilde asked, furrowing her brows.

«That's a surprise. If you want to see just how strong he is, wait for the battle. He's the best at what he does,» Alex said with a grin, clearly dodging further details.

Brunhilde nodded thoughtfully. Across the centuries, she had learned that shinobi typically needed to master both ninjutsu and genjutsu. Her curiosity grew about how someone without those talents could overcome his limits and still become a shinobi.

The two warriors Alex had chosen for the tournament were unknowns, yet they possessed a striking charisma. Atreus, for example, inspired determination and resilience through his mere presence, while Might Guy radiated friendliness and an unyielding willpower that refused to accept defeat.

Göll, satisfied with Alex's explanation, became even more interested in learning about taijutsu. Brunhilde, meanwhile, found herself increasingly intrigued by how a shinobi who relied solely on taijutsu could hold such a title.

Engrossed in their conversation, neither Brunhilde nor Göll noticed Alex's clone quietly appear behind him. Smiling, the clone headed toward the waiting room where Rebecca was. After all, Rebecca had a knack for attracting trouble, no matter what world she was in.

Alex's clone, in the form of Might Guy, was racing down the corridors of the Coliseum, beaming with a wide smile. In the spiritual space linking him to the original, Thrúd, who had stayed with the clone, established a connection with Alex's true body. Now, it was the clone who harnessed Thrúd's power, while she slowly began to understand his essence.

Upon entering this unusual space, Thrúd first noticed a massive castle, reminiscent of the Demon King's domain, and a blade radiating destructive energy. However, her attention quickly shifted to Alex's memories. The deeper she delved into them, the clearer she understood the motives and goals behind his actions.

«How should I call you? Guy or Alex?» Thrúd asked, establishing the connection with the clone.

«As you prefer,» the clone's calm voice responded. «I'm just a projection, so it doesn't matter to me.»

«Let's stick with Alex, or I'll get confused,» she said with a smile. «But I must admit, your plans are even crazier than the gods' schemes for Ragnarok.»

The clone Alex didn't comment on this. Alex's plan was fairly simple for now—win the battle and gather information. To accomplish this, he needed to send clones to different places while creating an alibi for himself. Then he would just lie, claiming something about ninja clones or something similar, so no one would suspect him.

The original Alex accompanied Brunhilde and Göll to observe the battle. Clone number one followed Rebecca and the trio of troublemakers to stir up problems and anger the gods. Clone number two, Might Guy, would participate in the battle against Shiva.

The original Alex had only recently realized that he could have started using his clones earlier to do more work. He had always dismissed the idea, thinking it unnecessary. But in this world, he found that using clones was essential due to the overwhelming number of events happening at once. To keep up, he needed to be in many places simultaneously.

«In this battle, I will only use your power, Thrúd,» Might Guy said, his voice tinged with amusement.

«Haha! Then show them the power of youth!» she replied with a smile.

Might Guy slightly grimaced but maintained his appearance and manners. Upon reaching the stone gates of the arena, he raised a finger to the sky.

«Today, the fire of my youth will shine brighter than the sun!»

The clone Alex inwardly winced but didn't show it on his face; after all, he needed to stay in character as Might Guy.

Thrúd, sensing the emotions of the original and both clones, was surprised.

«Aren't you embarrassed saying that?»

In reality, it wasn't just the Clone Alex who felt embarrassed—both the original Alex and the other clone were also feeling awkward about it. After all, the clones were only words; in reality, they were still Alex himself. To him, it felt as though he was in three different places at once—one standing before the stone gates, another heading to the waiting room to retrieve the troublemakers, and all of this seemed as though it was happening simultaneously.

«Just a little, but there's something exhilarating about it,» he replied with a beaming smile.

Meanwhile, Alex, accompanied by the two Valkyries, arrived at the spectator seats. The ruined stone arena began to reconstruct itself: the debris sank into the ground, and the surface returned to its usual state. This marked the beginning of the fifth battle of Ragnarok.

On one of the stands stood Heimdall, having changed into a shinobi outfit. He took a horn in his hands and loudly announced:

«The score is 2:2. No one knows how the fifth battle of Ragnarok will end. Both humans and gods have staked everything. Let the fifth round begin!»

The stone gates on the humanity's side changed, transforming into wooden Torii gates. Among the growing trees, the silhouette of a fighter appeared.

«In the eastern corner, representing humanity!! Born in the shinobi village known as the Village Hidden in the Leaves. He was someone who lacked the talent to become a true shinobi. But thanks to his unbreakable spirit and the power of youth burning in his heart, he managed to become what was called the strongest user of taijutsu. He is the one recognized by other shinobi villages, the one called the strongest. He is known as the Noble Green Beast of Konoha!! PLEASE WELCOME, MIGHTY GUY!!!!»

As Heimdall's words rang out, the Torii gates slowly opened, lifting fallen leaves into the air. The crowd on the humanity's side erupted in noise: spectators were in awe, discussing that a real shinobi was going to participate in the battle, and not just any shinobi, but the one called the strongest. However, Alex did not join in the general cheer. His gaze remained fixed on Heimdall, and his mind was bubbling with concern. How could this god tell the story of Might Guy? In this world, no one was supposed to know about ninjas, Guy, or even the hidden villages.

Noticing that Alex wasn't looking at the gates but was focused on Heimdall, Brunhilde leaned towards him, intrigued.

«Is Heimdall attracting your attention?»

Alex considered using his eyes to study the essence of the god but discarded the idea. There was a risk that others might notice the soul investigation. It could expose him. Mentally, he sent a request to his second clone to have G.I.R. check the world for the Avatar of Nyan-Nyan or shards of the power of an outer god. The situation seemed suspicious, especially considering Heimdall's knowledge.

«No, I just thought he looked ridiculous in that ninja outfit. Like a character from old comics,» Alex replied with a smile, shaking his head as if dismissing strange thoughts.

The wind picked up, lifting even more fallen leaves into the air. Might Guy made a spectacular entrance, doing a somersault across the entire bridge. Reaching the end, he pushed off with his hands, spun several times in the air, and landed in an impressive pose, flashing a dazzling white smile.

«MIGHTY GUY HAS ARRIVED ON STAGE!» the clone proclaimed loudly, pointing to himself with his thumb.

Alex barely restrained the urge to facepalm. The spectacle felt so embarrassing to him that he could feel his cheeks burning. But the audience clearly enjoyed it: they screamed, clapped, and even tried to mimic Might Guy's pose. Even some gods in the stands took the same stance, considering it impressive. Alex watched with a blank stare, fighting the inner desire to cover his face with his hands. But then he noticed that the young Göll next to him had also assumed the same pose.

«Are you serious?» Alex sighed, ruffling the Valkyrie's hair.

When he looked back at the arena, his clone was already doing handstands and push-ups, shouting:

«The power of youth!»

The crowd on humanity's side enthusiastically picked up the chant and supported Might Guy, applauding and chanting along with him.

«Here it is, the power of youth in our contender, spreading to all the spectators!» Heimdall enthusiastically commented, adding even more fuel to the fire.

Alex closed his eyes and sighed deeply, trying to shake off his embarrassment. He understood that this was his own plan, but it was hard to see everything from three different perspectives at once. The tension was somewhat relieved as preparations for the appearance of the opponent began. The stone gates on the gods' side started to open, and the ground beneath them trembled, as if a herd of giant beasts were approaching the arena.

«In the western corner, representing the gods, here he comes. The one who created the world according to his will and can destroy it just as easily. After destruction comes rebirth, but for him, the whole world is just a game. His name spreads fear and dread. Presenting... THE DESTROYER OF WORLDS SHIIIIIIVAAAAA!!!» Heimdall announced loudly, pointing at the gates.

Alex watched carefully, a cold gleam flashing in his eyes. After this battle, he thought, there will be no more god of destruction in this world.

Alex's eyes became empty when Shiva was called the god of destruction; after today's battle, there would be no god of destruction in this world, and Alex's clone would take care of that. Alex didn't want to seem arrogant or vain, but the embodiment of destruction could only be one, and that was him. No one else could exist as such.

The more Alex merged with destruction, the more it became part of him, and the more he had to control himself. His situation resembled Superman's, who, under the yellow sun every fifteen minutes, becomes twice as strong.

And Alex continued to grow and become stronger. While Superman needed the sun, Alex only needed to be himself and pursue destruction, which he did by creating weapons.

A herd of mad elephants rushed to the center of the arena, but immediately scattered as Shiva jumped off one of their backs and landed on the ground. Standing on one leg, he dramatically pointed his finger at the stands, causing a storm of applause among the gods. Their chanting drowned out the shouts of humanity's side, creating such a noise that Alex felt his head was about to explode.

«How much more of this shouting, you mongrels...» Alex grumbled, rubbing his temples.

His irritation reached its peak, and without thinking, he grabbed a brick from the wall and, with clear intent, swung it toward the gods' stands. Brunhilde and Göll froze, unable to believe their eyes.

«Alex, what are you doing?!» Brunhilde tried to stop him, but it was too late.

«SHUT UP, YOU MONGRELS!» Alex bellowed, hurling the brick with such force that it broke the sound barrier, accompanied by a deafening boom.

The brick smashed through a piece of the wall behind the stands, causing complete confusion among the gods. Brunhilde froze with her mouth open, trying to comprehend what had just happened. Göll nervously glanced between Alex and the bewildered gods, who were now completely silent in shock. Even Shiva, who had been preparing for his dramatic monologue, squinted and frowned, clearly not expecting such boldness.

«What audacity!» Might Guy bellowed with clear approval, giving a thumbs-up in support.

Alex, however, remained extremely irritated. Shiva, calling himself the destroyer of worlds, was pushing him to the edge.

«Any more noise from you, mongrels, and next time, it won't be a brick flying!» Alex shouted again, his gaze flaring with anger.

The gods hesitated to continue their noise. Their eyes met Alex's, which were now bloodshot with fury, and most of them quickly averted their gaze. Even the supporters of humanity, though Alex's wrath was directed at the gods, fell silent, fearing to attract his attention again.

Brunhilde finally regained her composure and sharply tugged on Alex's arm to get his attention.

«Are you out of your mind?! Do you even understand the consequences this could have?!» she whispered loudly, gradually raising her voice.

Göll nervously swallowed and pressed her hands to her chest, expecting the worst.

«It's fine. If some idiot crawls out thinking too highly of himself, we can just beat him with a stick,» Alex replied calmly, shrugging.

Brunhilde exhaled heavily, deciding it was easier to ignore what was happening. Heimdall, waiting for the tension to die down, cleared his throat loudly to draw everyone's attention.

«So, we hope this unexpected incident won't affect the course of events. We can now announce the start of the fifth battle of Ragnarok! The god of destruction versus the strongest shinobi! Who will emerge victorious?» he proclaimed loudly.

Shiva and Might Guy stepped onto the arena, standing opposite each other. Guy took the characteristic stance for taijutsu: his right hand extended forward, left behind his back, his body slightly turned sideways. Shiva stood in a relaxed, easy pose, with his arms slightly lowered and his body leaning forward.

«Well, are you ready for destruction?» Shiva grinned, his eyes gleaming.

«Ha-ha-ha! Great joke, god of destruction. Then let me have one too. Are you ready to feel the wrath of the leaf?» Might Guy replied, tilting his head back and laughing out loud.

Alex only sighed heavily, looking away. This is going to be a long battle... — he thought.

The two fighters exchanged jokes, causing the spectators in the Coliseum to exchange confused glances. But the laughter quickly faded: Might Guy was already preparing for battle. Switching to a new stance, he began to lightly bounce in place, stretching his arms and legs like a spring, ready to snap at any moment. And with one final jump, he vanished.

«Great Lightning of the Leaf!» he shouted, delivering a swift kick.

A moment later, Might Guy appeared right in front of Shiva, his leg already aimed at the target. Shiva barely had time to raise his arms to block the strike. In that instant, there was a deafening crash, as if lightning had struck the ground, and the force of the blow made Shiva slide backward, leaving deep grooves in the arena's sand.

«Not bad for a mortal,» Shiva said, shaking his arms, still feeling the power of the impact.

«And this is just the beginning, God of Destruction. Today is the day when the Power of my Youth burns brighter than ever!» Might Guy declared with his signature smile, his voice confident and full of energy.

Without wasting any time, Guy disappeared again. This time, he appeared above Shiva, attacking from above. Shiva, sensing the movement, instantly covered his head with his upper arms, while his lower arms protected his torso. However, Guy used the technique «Very Powerful Leaf Vortex»: the first strike shattered the block protecting Shiva's head, and then, spinning in mid-air, Guy kicked Shiva straight in the jaw, sending him flying to the side.

Shiva, like a ball, bounced a few times on the ground but quickly regained his footing, using his lower arms to restore his balance. In the next moment, he lost track of his opponent again, as Might Guy appeared right beneath him and sent him flying upward with a powerful kick.

Despite Shiva's impressive mass, he soared into the air, and Guy, pushing off the ground with his hands, began a series of rapid kicks, launching Shiva higher and higher. The spectators watched in amazement as a mortal lifted the God of Destruction into the air using only his legs.

«What is he planning to do?» Göll whispered, tugging at Alex's sleeve.

«You'll see soon. But I can tell you one thing — it's going to be spectacular,» Alex replied, his eyes focused on Might Guy's movements.

Shiva, despite the blows, gradually felt his rage intensify. However, noticing that the attacks had stopped, he tried to spot his opponent through his defense. Before he could figure anything out, he felt his body tightly ensnared.

«Taijutsu Technique: Front Lotus,» Guy whispered directly in Shiva's ear.

Binding Shiva, Guy twisted him head-down and began to spin rapidly as he headed toward the ground. Like a meteor, the two fighters relentlessly descended toward the earth, surrounded by a vortex of air created by their speed. The arena fell into a tense silence, broken only by the whistle of the wind.

With a heavy thud, they crashed into the ground, kicking up a huge cloud of dust. For a moment, everything froze. Then, performing a dramatic backflip, Might Guy shot out of the dust cloud. As the haze cleared, the spectators saw Shiva, stuck halfway into the ground, like a strange tree growing in the sand.

Shiva, staggering, rose to his feet, his forehead bleeding, but his eyes burning with the thirst for battle.

«That hurt,» he said, still smiling, as if savoring the challenge.

Without wasting any time, Shiva disappeared from his position and appeared in front of Guy, attacking with both right arms simultaneously: the upper one aimed at his head, and the lower one at his torso. Guy managed to block the upper strike with his elbow and the lower one with his raised knee.

Their collision turned into a kind of grapple: Shiva grabbed Guy's arm, trying to pull him in, but Guy pushed his leg forward, holding back the force.

«Taijutsu Technique: Strong Fist,» Might Guy said, pulling his free arm back and preparing for the next attack.

Shiva smirked, as if Might Guy were repeating the same trick, and raised his free arms to block the strike. Guy's hand collided with Shiva's, and at that moment, there was the sound of breaking bones, echoing loudly across the Colosseum. Due to the high speed of the battle, the spectators had been watching in silence, tensely following each movement of the fighters. However, the sound of the break shattered the stillness, causing everyone to flinch.

«Oops, looks like you broke my arm. But luckily, I still have three left,» Shiva said with a grin, looking at his lower arm, which hung limply.

A murmur started in the arena — the spectators were discussing how it was Shiva who had taken the first hit, not Might Guy, who still maintained an aggressive stance, as though preparing for the next strike. The murmur continued until it was silenced by a loud voice from the stands.

«Guy, stop going easy on him! Show him the full strength of your youth!» Alex shouted, waving his hand.

Might Guy turned around, gave Alex a thumbs-up, and flashed his signature wide smile. Alex just shook his head, seeing how his «doppelganger» was fully embracing the persona. The audience's interest grew — everyone froze, waiting for what would happen next. Even Brynhildr and Göll were watching closely, trying to figure out what more this mortal could do, having already broken the arm of one of the strongest gods.

Under the intense gaze of the spectators, Might Guy slowly knelt down and removed his orange weighted bracelets. When he held them in his hands, they seemed like regular training tools. But once he dropped them to the ground, the weight caused deep cracks to form in the arena's surface, spreading outward like a web.

The spectators gasped, their eyes widening.

«How much do they weigh to cause such destruction?» Brynhildr asked, looking at Alex.

«A lot. No wonder they call him the strongest,» Alex replied with a smile.

After removing the weights, Might Guy suddenly disappeared with such speed that he broke the sound barrier, creating a powerful shockwave. Almost instantly, he appeared next to Shiva and delivered a kick. Despite Shiva's attempt to block it, the strike sent him flying.

Before Shiva could regain his balance, Might Guy reappeared behind him and delivered another blow to his back, sending him flying in the opposite direction. Without giving Shiva a chance to recover, Guy continued the attack, each blow sending him soaring with even greater force. The final strike sent Shiva crashing into the stands where the gods were sitting. With a loud crash, he slammed into the wall, and debris rained down, covering the god's body.

A noise erupted among the gods. Ignoring Alex's previous threat, they began to cheer loudly for Shiva, encouraging him. As if responding to their calls, Shiva emerged from under the rubble.

He shook off the stones and slowly got up, covered in blood. One of his arms hung broken, and blood flowed from his shattered forehead. Spitting out blood and a knocked-out tooth, he smirked.

«Since they're cheering for me, I can't lose,» he said, raising one of his arms into the air.

The cheers grew louder as Shiva took a new combat stance. He extended one arm forward, as if preparing to grab something, while pulling the rest of his arms back. The right side of his body began to blaze with fire.

Shiva vanished from his position and appeared in front of Might Guy, delivering a strike. Guy dodged just in time, dropping into a low stance.

«Leaf Hurricane!» Guy shouted, sweeping Shiva's legs.

Losing his balance from the trip, Shiva began to fall. Guy's leg continued its motion, and, shifting into a handstand, he slammed his heel into Shiva's chest, driving him into the ground. The powerful strike caused deep cracks to form across the arena. Performing a somersault, Guy landed lightly, ready to continue the fight. Shiva, though shaken, quickly rose, as if the hit only spurred him on.

Shiva vanished from his spot with incredible speed and raised his hands, positioning them like a hammer, preparing to deliver a crushing blow from above. Guy, showing phenomenal reflexes, leaned back to avoid the strike, which left fresh cracks on the arena floor. Seizing the moment, Guy stepped on Shiva's hands, jumped up, and delivered a knee strike directly to the god's face, causing his head to snap backward. Without giving Shiva a break, he grabbed his head and used the momentum to deliver another powerful knee strike. Shiva's body was launched into the air before crashing to the ground with a loud thud.

Lying on his back, Shiva stared at the clear sky. Memories of his rise to the top of the pantheon, the moment he became the strongest of the gods, flashed in his mind. These memories fueled the fire of his resolve. He raised his hand to the sky, clenched his fist, just like the day he swore to never retreat. Rising to his feet, Shiva glanced at Might Guy, who seemed to have not received a single scratch. The god's eyes burned with excitement—finally, a worthy opponent!

«Ready to see my greatest dance?» Shiva said with a wide grin.

In the stands, Alex calmly smoked a cigarette, watching the events unfold. The chanting and songs from the gods supporting Shiva began to grow louder. Alex pondered, but he couldn't recall anything useful about Shiva's dance.

«Since you're getting serious, I won't back down either. Seventh Gate: Gate of Wonder—open!» Might Guy loudly declared.

Blue chakra flames erupted from his body, surrounding him with a powerful energy field. Both fighters froze, waiting for the first move. Questions began to rise in the stands.

«What are these gates?» Brunhilde asked, waving away the smoke from Alex's cigarette.

«It's a secret shinobi technique. Every human body has eight inner gates through which energy flows. With training, they can be opened. Each one increases strength. The first is the Gate of Opening, the second is the Gate of Healing, the third is the Gate of Life...» Alex began to explain, not taking his eyes off the arena. «The seventh, which Guy has opened, is called the Gate of Wonder. Opening it increases strength exponentially.»

The battle continued. The blows from Might Guy and Shiva shook the arena, creating shockwaves that destroyed everything around them. Guy's legs became weapons of destruction, each strike directing energy flows toward Shiva.

«But you mentioned eight gates, yet you only named seven,» Göll clarified, holding up seven fingers.

Alex smiled and ruffled her hair, as if praising a diligent student. The girl blushed, feeling more and more like Alex's younger sister.

«The eighth gate, the Gate of Death, causes an incredible surge in strength. However, it heats the body to such an extent that the blood literally boils, evaporating into a red mist. If you don't know how to handle it, the user dies,» Alex continued, recalling the story of the original Might Guy.

«So, opening these gates is fatal?» Brunhilde asked anxiously.

«If done correctly, you can survive. Otherwise, the body burns from the inside, turning to ash,» Alex replied, thinking about the time Naruto saved Guy from death.

On the arena, Guy and Shiva collided again in close combat, their strikes becoming even more destructive. The spectators couldn't take their eyes off the battle, which had turned into a true legend.

Brunhilde stopped asking questions and continued to watch the fight. Unconsciously, she leaned her head on Alex's shoulder. Supported by him, she followed every movement of the fighters. Meanwhile, Guy and Shiva continued to exchange blows. But suddenly, Shiva used both hands to deliver a powerful double strike to a single spot. Guy managed to block the attack, but its force pushed him back—this was the first time in the entire fight.

From the stands, the gods were jubilant, seeing their champion seemingly starting to gain the upper hand. Alex glanced at the cheering gods, who had already begun to celebrate. But his attention quickly returned to the arena, where Might Guy stood without a single scratch, and his clothes remained undamaged.

«Ho-ho! I managed to push you back, mortal,» Shiva smirked, studying his opponent.

«That only proves that the flame of my youth is not burning brightly enough,» Might Guy replied with a serious expression. The chakra around him flared even stronger, like a fire fueled by the wind.

Might Guy vanished from his position, reappearing before Shiva in the blink of an eye. His hands were formed into a seal resembling a tiger's face.

«Midday Tiger!» he shouted loudly, releasing a powerful compressed air strike from his hands.

Shiva instinctively raised his remaining arms to defend himself, but it was already too late. The air, compressed with incredible force, formed into the shape of a massive tiger that seemed to latch onto the god's arms. The powerful strike tore off two of Shiva's upper limbs, sending him flying and crashing into the ground. A roar of triumph erupted from humanity's side, cheering for Might Guy.

Brunhilde instinctively gripped Alex's arm, on which she was leaning, her eyes never leaving the arena. Alex simply shook his head, knowing that for Might Guy, this was still not his limit.

Shiva lay on the ground, struggling to regain his composure. His body trembled with pain, and his ears still rang. Gradually, the noise of the crowd reached his consciousness, but through all the chaos, he clearly heard the voice of his friend—Rudra. This cry awakened memories of past battles and of how he had climbed to the heights of glory.

«I hear my supporters, Green Beast of Konoha,» Shiva rasped, rising despite the pain. «But I cannot fall here for those I've defeated and for those who follow me. For I stand at the Peak of Svarga!» he declared, striking a heroic pose, mimicking Might Guy.

Might Guy's chakra flame flickered slightly as he carefully watched Shiva, barely standing on his feet.

«Do you mind if I break through my limit?» Shiva asked with a wide grin.

With those words, he clenched his hand over his chest, intensifying his heart's work. His veins began to swell, and his body heated to its limit. With every beat of his heart, steam poured from his skin, until he was engulfed in flames. Suddenly, a pillar of fire shot from his body, soaring into the sky and illuminating the arena. As the fire subsided, Shiva stood before the audience in a new form. His skin had turned crimson, and tongues of flame flickered and faded all over his body.

«It would be rude of me not to answer you. The flame of your youth burns like a volcano, but know this: the flame of my youth burns like the SUN! EIGHTH GATE—THE GATE OF DEATH, OPEN!» shouted Might Guy.

He pressed his thumb to the area of his heart, and a powerful surge of chakra erupted from his body, stronger than Shiva's flames. Gradually, the chakra transformed into a blood-red mist, enveloping his figure. His hair turned red, and his eyes became snow-white spheres.

Brunhilde anxiously gripped Alex's hand, recalling his words about the eighth gate leading to death. Alex simply nodded.

«Now, let's dance,» Might Guy said, releasing clouds of white steam from his mouth, preparing for the final battle.

Might Guy and Shiva disappeared from their positions, clashing at the center of the arena in an instant. Their strikes were so fast that none of the spectators could follow the fighters' movements. Only the deafening sounds of their collisions filled the arena, creating the sensation that the very earth was trembling from their power.

Suddenly, the strikes ceased. Both opponents flew backward to opposite ends of the arena, stopping and silently staring at each other, as if reading each other's thoughts.

«We won't hold back anymore. Let's end this with one strike,» Shiva said, his voice firm, his gaze burning with determination. «Let's see who will burn faster — you or me.»

«Show me, god of destruction, the true flame of your YOUTH!» Might Guy shouted, taking his starting position as if preparing for the final dash.

The world froze. It seemed as if time itself had slowed in anticipation of the last clash. Then, as if waking from a dream, everything moved once more. Shiva and Might Guy launched toward each other with incredible speed.

«Final stage of the fire dance: Deva Loka!» Shiva's voice boomed.

«Night Moth!» echoed Might Guy in reply.

To the spectators, their clash appeared as a battle of two elements: Shiva's fiery meteor rushed forward, blazing brightly, while the red dragon of Might Guy's chakra tore through space in its path. At the center of the arena, they collided, creating a blinding explosion. A massive shockwave spread across the arena, scattering rocks and lifting a thick cloud of dust.

The crowd stood in tense anticipation. Who had emerged victorious? The dust slowly settled, revealing the silhouette of the winner. Every spectator stretched their necks, trying to make out who remained standing.

When the mist cleared, the arena was in ruins. In the center stood Might Guy. His clothes were torn, and his body emitted the residual heat of red chakra. Beneath his feet lay Shiva — only the head and torso of the god of destruction remained, slowly turning to ash.

The silence was shattered by the mournful wail of the gods of the Indian pantheon. Shiva's wives and children wept bitterly, expressing their pain and loss. However, on humanity's side, loud applause and cheers erupted.

Might Guy raised a finger in the air, declaring his undisputed victory. His face expressed pride, but in his eyes, there was respect for the fallen opponent.

The crowd enthusiastically cheered him on. This was not just humanity's triumph — it was a victory of spirit, fury, and the power of youth.

To be continued...

(Yohoho, the author managed to overcome his laziness and wrote two chapters in one day. And this chapter was released yesterday on P*treon for those who fed me. I did this because my conscience does not allow me to take something for nothing. And that's why I will try to write two chapters a day now, and I will post them on P*treon for those who fed me.)