Venerable Demon King & The Doting Immortal (QT)-Chapter 30: I gave you a chance...

The arena pulsed with excitement the flags etched with ancient sigils flapping with the wind. Xiang Yu stepped into the centre of the arena, his crimson eyes locking onto Lu Se right across from him. Loud jeers shock the arena booing Xiang Yu. Some spat in his direction, while others threw things with derogatory insults hurled in his way. Lu Se was no stranger to bloodshed, her sun-kissed skin adorned with red scars from countless battles.

She didn’t just become the Demon King’s most revered and fierce concubine by sitting pretty. She endured years of suffering and climbed out of the trenches all by herself before she fell in love with her lord and vowed to kill for him.

The arena trembled as Lu Se drew her twin blades glinting in the sunlight. Demons, their forms grotesque and otherworldly, pressed against the barrier, their eyes gleaming with hunger. They had gathered to witness this clash of this infernal titan against a pathetic half-blood.

Some placed bets, waging against Xiang Yu. There were only a handful that placed their bets on him. That’s because they believed no one would be stupid enough to fight against Lu Se without something underneath their sleeves.

"You brat," she hissed, her voice like shards of glass. "Just because you have my Lord’s blood running in your veins it doesn’t mean that you will win. It won’t save you."

Xiang Yu flexed his fingers, sinister energy crackling around him. "I hope you said your farewells," he replied. "Because this is where you meet your end."

The crowd’s fervour intensified as she lunged at Xiang Yu, their anticipation palpable. Xiang Yu’s sword slid free from its scabbard as a sinister grin twisted on his lips. This was no mere duel. It was her final reckoning.

Her attack was swift, fuelled by rage. She sought to end him swiftly, her steps quick and light, but Xiang Yu defied her expectations. His strength exploded forth, a tempest of maliciousness. Their blades clashed, sparks dancing in the air. The extreme force threw her off balance. She flew back a few feet before stabilising her form her hand scraping the ground and raising dust. She raised her head sharply with confusion etched on her brows.

The Demon King, who was sitting high above the crowd surrounded by his concubines, suddenly looked up. He wasn’t paying attention before considering this a mere practice match for Lu Se but he had grossly underestimated his estranged son.

Xiang Yu’s eyes bore into hers, crimson flames flickering. "I will give you a chance. Yield, and when I slaughter your King, I will let you live," he hissed, and the arena seemed to shrink around them. The crowd’s cheers blurred into a distant hum.

"I will live and die for him," she growled as she straightened her back, her demon blood seething. She was the highest-ranking demon in the northern realm, second only to her Lord, but Xiang Yu’s power was something unexpected.

"Then so be it," he said, and with a thunderous roar, she attacked with everything she had in her. She couldn’t let this mongrel disgrace her Lord but she could barely touch Xiang Yu’s elusive figure. Quickly, she was forced to be on the defence. He moved with the grace of a predator, every strike calculated. His evil smile mocked her like he was toying with her.

She parried her desperation lending her speed. But Xiang Yu was relentless. He pressed her, driving her toward the edge of the arena. The crowd’s curses and bets faded, replaced by a primal tension. Lu Se’s blades trembled her veins throbbing. "What are you?" she gasped.

"A half-blood mongrel who will be the next Demon King," Xiang Yu replied, and his sword swept low, slicing through the air with an explosive rush. She barely deflected it, her arms shaking. The ground cracked beneath her boots her body covered in cold sweat.

Lu Se caught a glimpse of her Lord staring at her atop the highest tier of the arena. She couldn’t disappoint him. She had to win for his sake but Xiang Yu’s next strike shattered all her defences. The blade sliced through her guard, and pain exploded across her chest. She stumbled back her blood staining the sand. Her legs gave way, and she sank to her knees. Her twin blades slipped from her grasp, their light extinguished. The crowd fell silent, their breaths held.

Xiang Yu walked towards her his steps slow and deliberate. His unyielding eyes were fixed on his father their gazes locked in a silent exchange. He pulled her up and forced her to face her beloved as he murmured, "Remember, I gave you a chance."

Xiang Yu raised his sword’s blade cold against her throat. Her eyes widened, and she struggled, but his strength was inexorable. The crowd of demons watched, their anticipation thick in the air.

"Look," Xiang Yu whispered, his voice a venomous hiss. "Look at your precious Demon King."

Lu Se’s gaze shifted towards her beloved. The Demon King’s aloof eyes now held an emotion she had never seen before. Xiang’s grin widened, revealing sharp canine teeth. He had also seen it. The demon that had ruthlessly slit his throat and kicked him down a thousand stairs now showed a never before seen emotions.

"And here I thought he had no compassion," he said. "He is not a heartless bastard after all." The Demon King’s roar echoed through the arena, but he was too far away. It was too late to save her.

With one hand, Xiang Yu tore into Lu Se’s chest, fingers digging into her flesh. Her demon core pulsed in his fingers its energy pulsing. He wrenched it free, and her body convulsed. The light in her eyes dimmed, and blood dripped down her chin.

The Demon King leapt down into the arena, but Xiang Yu was faster. His blade swept across Lu Se’s throat, severing her vocal cords. She collapsed her blood pooling around her. The crowd erupted in a symphony of horror and awe.