Dual Cultivation: Beasts and Women!

"That fool! She attacked rashly and was left defenseless!" Said one of Susanna's companions, clenching her hands tightly.

Mary's eyes lit up as she felt perhaps Liam would overcome this tough challenge!

'All you have to do is attack her and victory will be yours!' Mary watched Liam move his sword against Susanna.

Susanna took two steps back in surprise at Liam's bravery in ignoring the burns all over his body and attacking her so suicidally.

She was certainly in her most vulnerable state, but she wasn't defenseless, nor was she harmless. With the burns he already had on his body, Liam wasn't at his best, either.

'You think I'm that easy? I'll show you the difference between Phila and me!' She dodged Liam's first move, feeling the wind move as the blade of the enemy's sword passed by her side.

Her sharp nails grew six inches as they turned magma orange.

Every Spirit Master inherited power from their Spirits, and Susanna was no different.

Combining the abilities she had inherited from her Spirits, she attacked Liam's chest, doubting that he would take this blow lightly and certainly retreat.

'This is all I need to get my Spirits back to me.' She smiled, feeling the thrill of battle reach a peak in her heart.

Concurrently as her attack, the Ifrit was rushing back toward her, while even the black eagle moved away from Thal'Korr to come to her aid.

Thal'Korr sensed his master's decisive move, and he attacked the two creatures, using as much of his dark power to delay the woman's rescue.

The two creatures failed to fully repel Thal'Korr's attacks, giving Liam the seconds he needed.

Unaffected by the attack to his chest, Liam attacked Susanna again, this time mixing his Seduction Aura with Shadow Suppression.

Susanna's eyes widened as she saw Liam not dodging her attack. She grabbed his right chest, slashing at it as she pierced it with her searing nails until she reached his ribs.

Liam didn't scream, taking full advantage of one of the strengths of the Ephemeral Ascension Pill, a feature that had the side effect of reducing pain.

Since such a pill was often used in desperate moments, its creators had included an effect of partial sedation of the senses on it.

Susanna trembled with fear for the first time in this fight, frightened but also fascinated by such a man.

'Why am I fighting him?' She asked herself without noticing the intense look on his face, seeing Liam as he should be—brave, heroic and handsome.

Her body temperature warmed and even with a sword approaching her heart, Susanna couldn't help but feel weak, thinking only of the strong young man in front of her.

'Master!'

Suddenly, the voice of her demonic Spirit sounded in her mind, waking her from her trance as Liam's Seduction Aura manipulated her.

She blinked rapidly, understanding what Liam was doing to her. Yet, it was too late for her to turn away!

As her grimace grew more intense, Liam's weapon reached her left breast, just before she felt his icy weapon slash through her body.

"Susanna!"

The cries of her companions rang out from a certain point in the stands, as she did the only thing she could in this situation.

"I won't die alone!" She grabbed Liam's body in a tight embrace, digging her long nails into his back as orange flames enveloped his body.

Liam shuddered with rage as he looked into the woman's eyes, feeling the pain in his body more than it had a moment ago. But he could not move away from her while she was still conscious.

'Shit! Such a bitch wants to burn me alive!' He felt the effects of the pill wear off, while even his Dark Regeneration was weakened against her.

Blood trickled from Susanna's throat, mixing with the taste of iron in her mouth, but she remained determined to keep Liam pinned down, a twisted smile on her face.

"Didn't you w-want to seduce m-me? Now I'm on f-fire for you, d-darling," she said with difficulty, but making sure that Liam understood her amidst his ever-increasing burns.

By now Liam's clothes were almost burned off, while his black hair was no longer visible on his head, melted in a way that the Healers in the area knew would be painful for him to recover from, if he survived, of course.

Susanna's flames were not simple. In a matter of seconds, every hair on Liam's body melted, along with his fingernails. Parts of his body showed the flesh beneath the skin, even parts of his bones became visible.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaagh!"

He could no longer stand the pain and opened his mouth in horror as the entire arena audience watched in silence.

Susanna's allies stood with clenched fists and narrowed eyes, witnessing their companion's last moments.

Mary's eyes were red with worry for Liam, and her heart ached strangely. She didn't know how she felt about him, but she was sure that he was more than just a lover and a way to strengthen herself.

She didn't want him to feel any pain. For a moment, she almost felt his misery, even though she wasn't in contact with those flames.

Felicity closed her eyes with a sigh, feeling the weight of regret settle upon her as she realized she had arrived too late to aid her newfound ally.

'Just when I had a name for you...' She wailed as she tried to ignore Liam's horrible screams.

Being burned alive was one of the worst ways to die. But even watching it wasn't easy!

Many turned their faces away to avoid seeing the outcome of this battle, while others, thirsty for blood, watched with wide eyes and a smile on their lips.

Such was the case with Azariah, who stood up as he felt he was getting the result he had been waiting for after the scare Liam had given him.

'You wretch! I thought you would win!' Azariah thought, relieved at this outcome.

The Officer of the fight watched it closely, but neither disciple gave up and both still had vital signs.

'The moment their Spirits disappear, I'll step in,' thought the referee as he observed that Thal'Korr and the two remaining Spirits were still alive.

When a Spirit Master died, their Spirits would almost instantly dissipate with the master's death.

A Spirit Master didn't die when their heart stopped beating, but when their soul left their body. As such, a Spirit would dissipate along with the master, since they were parts of the souls of these beings.

Anyway, while screaming in pain, Liam found himself in his soul space, where the incubus sat in the lotus position on his platform.

A worried, sad look formed on the creature's face as Liam gazed at this place and sighed, feeling that his end would come shortly after his arrival in this world.

'And this is how it ends?'

He wondered as he looked at the brilliant blue essence illuminating this space—the star covered in strange symbols that had invaded his body during his stay on the Eternal Doom Island.

Suddenly, some symbols of this blue star shone brighter than the others, and a breeze blew from those points toward Liam's spirit body.

The incubus opened his eyes and looked in that direction, feeling a chill run through his core.

Liam felt a veil of bluish mana envelop him as his physical wounds seemed to lose much of their power against him, along with the emergence of a strange will and strength in his heart.

When he opened his eyes on the platform, a blue glow emanated from them as he roared and pushed his enemy's body away from him.

"NOOO!"

Liam ignored how Susanna's nails tore into his back and shoulders until he ripped her from him and threw her to the ground as her eyes lost all remaining light.

All the spectators saw the last act of this battle, just a second before the two moving Spirits, about to reach Liam, disintegrated in the air.

Both Spirits exploded like fireworks, lighting up the stage in many colors, leaving only Thal'Korr with his master.

With Susanna's death, the previous silence ended, and more than half of the crowd rose to their feet, raising their voices in a celebration of Liam's majestic fight.

Then the referee's voice rang out, officially ending the match.

"In this challenge match, Liam Porter defeats Susanna Alexander!"