The pain from Asmodiel’s assault snapped his eyes open, his senses reigniting as pain lanced through his skull. Without hesitation, he twisted his hips and threw a spinning backfist.

  Asmodiel’s forearm caught the strike just in time. His eyes widened.

  He’s still conscious?!

  Uriel wrenched Asmodiel’s arm behind his head, twisting hard as he rose to his feet and broke the hold. In the same motion, he snapped a high kick into Asmodiel’s jaw, sending him reeling.

  Without pause, Uriel spun and drove a back kick into Asmodiel’s chest, knocking him further back with a thud.

  Harnessing the kinetic force he had absorbed from Asmodiel’s earlier assault, Uriel unleashed a barrage of explosive energy bombs.

  Asmodiel vanished in a blink, transporting away just as the bombs detonated in a thunderous chain of bursts.

  “You’re more tenacious than I expected,” Asmodiel muttered, healing his wounds with a flicker of energy.

  “I assumed those hits would’ve ended it.”

  Light shimmered along Uriel’s injuries, sealing them shut.

  “You’re not bad yourself. You are stronger in close quarters… but that just means I won’t let you get close.”

  Asmodiel scoffed. “As if I’d give you the chance.”

  He lunged forward and froze mid-motion.

  A symbol flashed in Uriel’s eyes. The aura radiating from it sent a chill down Asmodiel’s spine. Instinctively, he pulled back.

  What was that? he thought, narrowing his gaze.

  “Smart move,” Uriel whispered.

  In a blink, lances of ice, fire, and lightning tore toward him.

  Asmodiel rocketed through the air, weaving between searing streams of elemental power—but Uriel was already two steps ahead.

  Pillars of flame and frost erupted along Asmodiel’s path, forcing him into a narrow escape.

  He zipped along the edge of the divine cage, dodging Uriel’s relentless assault.

  He dodged again?! Uriel’s gaze sharpened. Is his talent speed? No… It's like instantaneous transportation—but that’s impossible. I locked that down. What is he doing? Uriel pressed the offensive, firebombs flaring around his strikes.

  I have to end this soon, Asmodiel thought, veering away from a fire blast. His attacks are getting more precise by the second. That symbol in his eyes… it appeared after he entered flow. Is that the key? He studied the flickering glyph in Uriel’s eye, dodging blow after blow with surgical timing.

  It’s future sight... Realisation sparked. The faster the flickering, the more precise he is. He gritted his teeth. If I don’t finish this before that symbol stabilises, I’m done.

  Descending with each revolution around the cage, Asmodiel closed the distance, then lunged at Uriel’s blind side.

  Uriel didn’t even turn, with a glance, Asmodiel was surrounded with multiple fire bombs that detonated in a defensive ring, engulfing them both.

  The smoke parted, and Asmodiel burst from the haze with a right cross.

  He dodged that too?! Uriel blocked just in time—only for Asmodiel to vanish and reappear behind him with a kick. Uriel ducked, but the attacks kept coming. Faster. Tighter.

  Asmodiel ramped up his assault until a right hook slammed into Uriel’s jaw.

  I still can’t use my ultra-speed movement?! Uriel’s mind reeled. Even after amplifying my mana to bypass nullification… why?! Another strike caught him off-guard—an elbow to the face, then a knee to the ribs, followed by a right hook to the face. He could see them all coming, but couldn't react fast enough.

  Abandoning counterattacks, Uriel focused inward. Why can’t I use ultra-speed movement? What’s stopping me? He adjusted the flickering interval of his symbol. A golden pulse echoed in sync—a ring encircling him, blinking with the same rhythm.

  That’s it… Realisation hit. He cloaked the ring to appear only when my symbol vanishes. It's using my own flow-state rhythm against me.

  What a genius. Uriel gritted his teeth, battered under Asmodiel’s onslaught.

  But as Asmodiel readied an infinity jab, Uriel’s defence snapped into place—a perfect counter that reversed the attack’s force. It blew Asmodiel’s hand apart and launched him into the cage.

  “Damn… too late,” Asmodiel groaned, forcing himself to his feet. “The symbol stopped blinking.”

  “You exceed my expectations again,” Uriel said, walking forward. “That blast should have torn your upper half. But you redirected it mid-air and shielded the fallout. Impressive.”

  The aura in Uriel’s eyes darkened—Level Two Flow. Asmodiel was hesitant to attack, wondering what the upper limits of Uriel’s future sight were.

  That symbol looks like the one in the scrolls I read. If it does the same as Lord Samael’s eyes…I might be done for.

  Light surged in Asmodiel’s hand, and it regenerated instantly.

  “Oh, and your golden ring?” Uriel added with a wry smile. “A heavenly pact. Amplified by [Deuteronomy: Law of the Land]. No wonder I couldn’t nullify it.”

  He noticed that too late. A grin flashed across his face.

  Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

  I see, he might have the same ocular ability as Lord Samael, but he isn’t as proficient as him. Victory isn’t impossible.

  Asmodiel let out a quiet laugh, which then grew louder. Even the spectators blinked in surprise.

  He figured it out, Samael mused. This Asmodiel... he’s impressive.

  “So that's your cheat code,” Asmodiel smirked. “No matter. I’ll beat you—even with your omniscience.”

  Both fighters squared up. Tension thickened as they prepared for Round Two.

  Asmodiel lunged, vanishing into blur-speed. Uriel’s soul flooded with visions—hundreds of possible futures.

  He’s moving so fast, he’s creating new futures with each step. Uriel's mind strained under the overload, barely keeping pace. So, this is his flow? Unrivalled speed.

  A flurry of jabs rocked Uriel from all sides, bouncing him across the cage. His limbs tore under the pressure, but he kept fighting, kept dodging—until he evaded a high kick by inches.

  Asmodiel’s eyes widened. He adapted? Already? Frustration burned as Uriel met his attacks with clean dodges and sharp counters. One caught Asmodiel in the ribs and hurled him into the cage.

  The tide of the battle had shifted, and Uriel pressed his advantage by landing a flurry of blows on Asmodiel. However, Asmodiel was not one to be underestimated. He suddenly disappeared from Uriel's sight and reappeared behind him, but Uriel had anticipated the move and ducked under the attack. With a swift uppercut, Uriel sent Asmodiel soaring into the ceiling.

  Jophiel jumped up, ecstatic. “He’s winning!”

  Adriel shook his head. “Not yet. Asmodiel hasn’t reached level two of flow yet.”

  “I believe Uriel will finish this,” Jophiel said, unwavering.

  Fafniel crossed his arms. “Asmodiel’s technique is sharper. It might not end how you hope.”

  “He’s growing,” Gabriele murmured, eyes narrowing.

  “Enough,” Samael said, silencing them. “Watch.”

  Inside the cage, Uriel pummelled Asmodiel into the ceiling. Blood sprayed, pressure rising.

  Damn it. Am I losing? Asmodiel gritted his teeth—but steeled his heart.

  He turned himself into a bomb and detonated.

  The blast tore through the cage, throwing Uriel back. Smoke surged—and then, a punch connected. Uriel blocked it, absorbing the kinetic energy but stumbling slightly.

  Jophiel’s eyes widened. “He survived…?”

  Asmodiel stepped forward, his aura darker. His wounds regenerated rapidly.

  He took a page out of my book, not a bad plan.

  Uriel's eyes narrowed. “I won’t let another miracle happen.”

  Asmodiel vanished—then reappeared mid-flurry. Uriel blocked each strike with growing ease, absorbing their force and accelerating.

  He weaved vector control into his counterattacks, using [Divine Counter] to hurl Asmodiel’s blows back at him.

  The fight turned surgical. One clean hit would end it.

  The numerous injuries both fighters had sustained significantly depleted their mana reserves. This heightened the stakes further, as any significant attack would drain the remaining energy they had left.

  Uriel pushed the limit, increasing his attacks' lethality and speed. He baited Asmodiel with an opening.

  Asmodiel took it.

  A brutal punch slammed into Uriel’s chest—exactly as planned.

  The spectators gasped.

  Uriel grunted but held his ground. He took the bait. A glimmer lit his eye.

  His shield, [Psalms X Job X Ecclesiastes: Rejuvenating Protection from the Lord], regenerated on impact, absorbing the blow. Leaving him unharmed, surprising Asmodiel.

  Uriel seized Asmodiel’s wrist. “Got you.”

  [Revelations: Eternal Seal] flared—immobilising Asmodiel’s speed.

  Asmodiel’s instincts screamed for him to retreat, but when he tried, it failed.

  My speed...it’s gone?

  Uriel cracked Asmodiel’s wrist and pulled him, while throwing a divine flash amped infinity jab.

  The crowd cheered in anticipation.

  Then, three bangs echoed in the arena.

  Three unseen strikes hit Uriel in rapid succession—head, nose, chest.

  He staggered, stunned. Blood spilled.

  Asmodiel chose those three locations strategically.

  The strike to his head damaged his brain.

  The strike to his nose affected his breathing.

  And the strike to the chest damaged his heart.

  The once cheerful crowd looked in disbelief. No one could perceive Asmodiel’s moves.

  All the crowd witnessed was Uriel staggering before dropping to a knee.

  What was that? Not even my omniscience saw it. That would be impossible unless...he used a heavenly pact. Uriel’s mana surged, healing his injuries.

  He analysed where the attack came from and the results left him shocked.

  Seriously? An attack from the past, what kind of training did he do?

  Asmodiel cancelled the seal with [Divine Nullification], yanked Uriel forward, and unleashed a high kick.

  His leg glowed with [Acts Reversal: Flash Freeze], enhancing the impact.

  The blow twisted Uriel violently and froze his head on impact.

  Then came the follow-up—Asmodiel flipped midair and slammed his heel down like a guillotine.

  It struck Uriel’s neck, cracking through his frozen head.

  His soul went limp.

  For a moment, it looked over.

  But in the next, Uriel’s soul snapped back from the floor like an elastic whip—propelled straight at Asmodiel.

  Asmodiel didn’t flinch.

  He charged in with an infinity jab, prepared to end it.

  The angels around them fell into a stunned hush.

  Asmodiel’s brutal momentum and surgical precision had silenced them all, all except Jophiel, who could only watch, lips parted, her voice lost in the chaos.

  Even Asmodiel believed it. His fist was milliseconds away from impact.

  But right before the blow could land—

  Uriel swiftly regenerated his head in an instant

  And he brought his hands together.

  "[Divine Territory]."

  Asmodiel’s eyes widened. “Shit,” he muttered.

  In a blink, both combatants vanished.

  The battlefield held its breath.

  Shock rippled through the angelic host.

  Disbelief morphed into murmurs.

  “…Was that [Divine Territory]?”

  “No way. Only an archangel can use that.”

  Another voice whispered.

  “If anyone can do it, it’s Lord Samael’s chosen.”

  Amidst the speculation, Jophiel’s gaze didn’t waver from the empty space where they vanished.

  Her mind spun—not with awe, but with analysis. One question consumed her:

  What is Asmodiel’s talent?

  “Brother.”

  “Yes?” Samael replied.

  “What is Asmodiel’s talent?” she asked.

  Samael didn’t answer right away. He folded his arms, thoughtful.

  “I’ll tell you,” he said. “But first—let’s test your deductive skills. What do you think it is?”

  Jophiel frowned. “From what I’ve seen… it must be something time-related. That would explain the absurd speed spikes.”

  Fafniel stepped in. “I doubt it. If it were time-based, Uriel’s omniscience would’ve seen it. It didn’t. My bet’s on particle manipulation.”

  “Particle manipulation?” Jophiel scoffed. “That’s too basic. Uriel wouldn’t be struggling with something so trivial.”

  Fafniel arched a brow. “You think particle manipulation is trivial? Then you’re not very imaginative.”

  “You little—”

  “Enough.”

  Samael’s voice cut clean through the tension. Jophiel bit her tongue, begrudgingly falling silent.

  Samael turned to another. “Adriel?”

  “I’m not sure,” Adriel said honestly. “Lady Jophiel and Fafniel both make sense, but I can’t quite pin it down.”

  “And you, Gabriele?”

  “I agree with Adriel. There’s merit in both, but nothing definitive.”

  Jophiel pressed, “So what is it?”

  Samael finally answered, eyes flicking between her and Fafniel.

  “You’re both right—partly. But Fafniel’s closer.

  Asmodiel can manipulate particles with such precision… he can control them in both the past and future.”

  A hush fell.

  Jophiel’s breath caught. “With that kind of power… why did he lose to me?”

  Samael shook his head.

  “He hadn’t awakened it yet. If you fought now, he’d defeat you easily.”

  Jophiel clenched her fists. The sting of that truth seared deep—but it only hardened her resolve.

  She whispered, more to herself than anyone else, “I won’t lose to him again. Not after what he did to Amenadiel.”

  “Wow,” Fafniel said, genuinely impressed. “No wonder he’s that strong.”

  “You can say that again,” Adriel agreed. “I wouldn’t stand a chance.”

  “Me neither,” Gabriele admitted. “He’s on another level.”

  Meanwhile, within Uriel’s Divine Territory, the tide had turned—Asmodiel’s advantage vanished, and he now stood at Uriel’s mercy.