My Supernatural Girlfriends Spoils Me Rotten

"He must be hideous under that veil. Then again, everyone looks ugly next to us," she joked, dripping with vanity

Ash sighed, relieved they were in the VIP room where no one else could hear her words.

She might have been easier to deal with than Ashley, but she was still spoiled—born into royalty, gifted with talent, unrivaled beauty and used to having things handed to her.

His own case was different. Her mother often reminded him that his bloodline wasn't as strong as his step-siblings'.

To stand on the same level, he had to rely on both talent and effort, not privilege.

In addition, being called the worst of his generation so often made him a little more humble.

When his gaze focused to the hooded stranger in the arena, an odd feeling stirred in him.

The man looked like a mirror—someone who climbed higher not by birthright, but by persistence and hard work.

He saw the man look up at him, and his hand instinctively trembled for a reason he couldn't tell.

***

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***

Back in the arena, the two contestants sized each other up.

Ashley smirked as he spread his arms wide, soaking in the attention of the crowd.

"Well," he called, his voice loud even without magic, "looks like I drew the short stick. A no-name challenger? This won't take long."

The figure across from him stayed silent.

Ashley clicked his tongue. "Not much of a talker, huh? Tell you what—I'll give you a handicap. You get the first strike. Hit me with everything you've got."

The crowd roared at the bold statement. Some cheered his bravado, others muttered that it was pure arrogance.

But one thing was certain—Ashley saw his opponent as nothing more than a stepping stone to the finals.

His opponent lifted one hand as per his instruction, sleeve falling back to reveal pale fingers.

Ashley laughed and raised both arms wide. "Come on then! Don't hold back. Let's see what you've got!"

For a moment, nothing happened. Then, without warning, a spear of red lightning screamed across the stage.

The bolt tore through stone, splitting the air with a deafening crack.

Ashley's smirk dropped a second before impact.

BOOOOOOM!

The explosion rocked the entire arena. Dust and shattered stone filled the air, swallowing the ring.

When the smoke thinned, Ashley stood in the center, faintly glowing.

Dragon scales lined his arms and shoulders. Smoke curled from burns etched across his palms where he had blocked the strike.

He lowered his arms slowly, no longer smiling.

"Heh," he muttered, flexing his scorched hands. "That actually stung."

Sparks still hissed from the hooded figure's fingertips, but Ashley focused only on the burn searing through his skin.

Rolling his neck, he cracked it to the side. "Fine then. If that's how you want to play…"

He slammed a foot into the ground. Stone shattered under him as golden and purple energy rose higher.

"Let's see if you can handle a dragon's wrath!"

He lunged forward. Air bent around his fist as it hurtled toward his opponent's chest.

Purple lightning burst in his path, colliding with his strike mid-swing. The clash detonated, cracks spidering through the arena floor.

Ashley gritted his teeth and pressed harder, inch by inch forcing through the resistance. His arms trembled, but his grin stayed.

"Not bad. But I'm just getting started."

He forced through the lightning, his fist pushing closer inch by inch.

Tendrils of lightning coiled suddenly around his arm, burning through scale and flesh. He hissed and ripped free, dragon blood sealing the wounds almost as fast as they formed.

"You think this can hurt me?"

With a snarl, he spun and whipped out his tail of golden energy. The strike slammed against a barrier of red light that bent but didn't break. 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

The audience erupted—half cheering, half stunned.

Ashley jumped back, breathing heavier now. "So that's your game. You've got power, I'll give you that. But you can't win by hiding behind petty tricks like my brother."

The hooded man stayed motionless, letting the sparks fade.

"Still not talking huh?. I'll crush you head-on."

Golden energy poured from his body, reshaping him. Muscles swelled, horns pushed further from his skull, and his aura roared like a storm.

Even the spectators fell silent beneath the pressure.

Ashley pointed at his opponent "You won't survive this."

He lunged again, fist charging with concentrated amount of energy.

BOOOOOM!

The barrier shattered under his blow, the impact sending shockwaves across the arena. For the first time, the hooded man staggered back a step.

The audience gasped.

Ashley grinned savagely. "Got you."

But then red light flickered under the hood. Lightning erupted in a dome, blasting him across the stage.

Ashley clawed the ground to stop himself, sparks spraying from his scales as he slid.

Blood spilled across his arm when he coughed, but he only wiped it away with the back of his hand and forced a laugh.

"Heh… Alright then. Guess you're not as boring as I thought."

The crowd, along with Ash, Ashmae, the queens, and the high-ranking demons, stared wide-eyed.

None had expected Ashley to be pushed this far.

When he glanced at the VIP room, his mother's worried eyes met his. The sight only fueled his anger. For someone as prideful as Ashley, it was unbearable.

His fist clenched, and his aura kept rising, swelling until it thickened into a liquid form—a feat said to belong only to the queens. Yet it was happening now.

"Do you see this? This is the difference between us. I was born blessed with this godlike body."

His opponent was silent as always, and it only made his blood boil.

"Do you think I'm not worthy of your words?" Ashley spat. It was the first time he had ever felt this humiliated.

SWOOOSH!

He vanished and launched a punch.

BOOOOM!

The spot where his opponent had stood was obliterated, reduced to dust—but the figure was already high above, moving with a speed that rivaled Ashley's.