My Wives are Beautiful Demons - Chapter 580

Chapter 580: Continuing the duels

Ingrid breathed heavily, her chest rising and falling as the heat of the battlefield began to dissipate. The air still trembled with the remnants of their energy, and the ground, riddled with fissures, smoked in small spots.

She wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth with her thumb, straightened, and looked at Katharina with that crooked smile—the kind of smile only someone stubborn enough to defy hell would wear.

“Admit it,” Ingrid said, her voice hoarse but filled with pride. “You couldn’t beat me in a fight to the death.”

Katharina raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms. The fire around her slowly faded, leaving only the smell of ash and the sheen of sweat on her skin. “I know.”

Ingrid blinked, slightly confused. “What?”

“I know,” Katharina repeated matter-of-factly, wiping the blood from the cut on her arm. “That’s why we stopped, remember? I’m not here to die because of an inflated ego.”

She gave a lazy half-smile and added, “Besides, I don’t even want to participate in this ridiculous tournament.”

Ingrid’s gaze narrowed. “So you were just… testing me?”

“Pretty much,” Katharina replied with a shrug. “And honestly, you’re a walking nightmare, so congratulations.”

Before Ingrid could respond, a rhythmic clap echoed behind them.

Sapphire.

The matriarch watched the scene with an expression that mixed boredom and maternal disappointment. Her arms crossed, her posture impeccable, and a look that would make even a veteran demon want to go back to school.

“Are you done with the little act?” she asked, arching an eyebrow. “Because if so, I have some unpleasant news.”

Katharina swallowed hard. “Ah… Mom…”

Sapphire sighed deeply—the kind of sigh that was laced with “again, Katharina?” “I go months without supervising your training and what do I find? You getting cut on the arm, sweating like a mortal, and stopping the fight because you’re ‘lazy’?”

Katharina took a step back. “It wasn’t laziness, it was… strategic awareness.”

“‘Strategic awareness’?” Sapphire repeated, with a dry chuckle. “I’ll show you strategic awareness when I beat you until you remember what discipline is.”

A shiver ran through Katharina’s body instantly. She straightened, the smile freezing on her face. “N-No need for that, Mom. I’m fine. In shape! Just… warming up!”

“Uh-huh,” Sapphire replied, starting to snap her fingers, like someone warming up for an educational sparring session. “Your ‘warm-up’ is three months late.” If you were a Spartan soldier, you’d have been turned into a carpet by now.

Katharina paled. “I… I’d rather not be a carpet.”

“Good,” Sapphire said, slapping her palm once, the sound echoing like suppressed thunder. “Because I didn’t train my daughter to be a talented slacker.”

A chill crept up Katharina’s neck as if someone had poured liquid ice down her spine. She shivered and stepped aside, trying to appear casual. “Okay… punishment, punishment, training, I get it. Full schedule, look, I have to go—”

Sapphire stepped forward, her predatory smile appearing. “Oh, you’re ‘going,’ yes. Straight to the training yard, with me.”

Ingrid, even exhausted, couldn’t resist letting out a quiet laugh. It was comforting—and slightly frightening—to see the woman who had nearly defeated her tremble in front of her own mother.

Katharina turned and pointed at Ingrid, trying to change the subject. “See? She’s strong. I’m encouraging her growth. Practical education!”

“Yeah.” Sapphire crossed her arms. “And you’ll keep encouraging her while I teach you what happens to those who slack off in training.”

Katharina sighed and muttered to herself, “Damn Spartan discipline…”

Sapphire arched an eyebrow. “I heard that.”

“I said ‘beloved Spartan discipline’!” she replied quickly, with a nervous smile.

Roxanne, who until then had been watching with her arms crossed, looking like she was about to open a bag of popcorn, whispered to Ada, “I bet you fifty she passes out before the third round.”

Ada chuckled. “Fifty? For that cowardice? I’ll make it a hundred.”

Sapphire slowly turned her gaze to the two of them, and they both froze.

“What did you two say?” she asked, her voice as sweet as a polished blade.

“Nothing!” they replied in unison, so quickly that the echo seemed to laugh at them.

When Sapphire turned her focus to Katharina, they both exhaled and exchanged a knowing look. Ada gestured with her fingers.

“Jokenpo?” she whispered.

Roxanne nodded. “Always.”

They raised their hands discreetly.

“One… two… three… go!”

Ada made “rock.” Roxanne, “scissors.”

“Looks like it’s my turn, doesn’t it?” Roxanne said, her voice calm but filled with confidence.

Ingrid looked up slowly. “You came to test me, too?”

“Me?” Roxanne chuckled softly. “No. I just want to see if all that fury of yours is good enough to cut through the wind.”

Ingrid pulled the katana from the ground, spinning it practicedly. “Be careful not to get blown away with it.”

“Ha.” Roxanne raised her hand, and the air around her changed density, becoming almost visible. “I promise not to fly too far.”

The air seemed to hold its breath for a moment—and then everything happened at once.

The first blow was swift. Ingrid lunged forward, the ground cracking beneath her feet, shadows reaching out like tentacles to propel her. Roxanne raised her hand and deflected the attack with a smooth movement, the wind deflecting the blade by millimeters. The katana passed so close to her face that a lock of silver hair was cut off.

“Wow,” Roxanne said with a half smile. “Straight to the point, no warning.”

“I don’t like long introductions,” Ingrid replied, spinning and delivering another diagonal blow.

Roxanne took two steps back, the wind swirling around her like a protective whirlwind. The blade met resistance—not solid, but elastic—and the impact generated a gust that knocked them both back.

The sound of the air ripping echoed like suppressed thunder.

Ingrid landed, sliding to her knees on the cracked ground, and immediately launched three shadow blades in succession. Roxanne spun, dodging two and slashing the third with a horizontal blast. The shadows dispersed in the air, like black ink being diluted.

“You really are pissed, huh?” Roxanne teased, smoothing her hair. “I bet Katharina provoked you just to see you like this.”

“She played with me.” Ingrid gritted her teeth. “She humiliated me.”

“Welcome to the club,” Roxanne replied with dry humor. “That’s what she does.”

Ingrid stepped forward again, anger mingling with focus. Shadows began to condense around her feet, creating invisible steps in the air—and she used them to propel herself upward. Roxanne looked up, evaluating each step as if watching a choreography.

“Ah, how beautiful…” Roxanne murmured. “A dark climb.”

Ingrid descended at absurd speed, her katana shrouded in dark energy. The blow struck the ground—and an explosion of shadows spread in a circle, like a black flower blooming. Roxanne was thrown backward, but spun in the air, landing softly.

She brushed some dust off her clothes and whistled. “It would have ended me if it had been anyone else.”

“It still could,” Ingrid replied, already preparing for her next move.

Roxanne smiled and clapped her hands once. The sound was muffled—and the wind responded.

A sudden pressure built around Ingrid, compressing the air. She felt her chest tighten for a moment, the air growing denser, as if the entire world were trying to push her to the ground.

“Try moving now,” Roxanne said calmly, controlling the pressure with a flick of her wrist. “That’s the difference between attack and control.”

The shadows around Ingrid began to vibrate. She felt the weight increase, but instead of retreating, she smiled.

“I like a challenge.”

Ingrid’s shadow expanded abruptly, breaking through the wind barrier and sending out a blast that cracked the ground. Roxanne was forced to step aside, sliding gracefully to the side. The next instant, Ingrid appeared behind her, her katana poised to slash.

Roxanne raised her arm—the wind solidified for a second, creating a transparent blade that intercepted the blow. Sparks of energy and shadows flew everywhere.

“You learn too quickly,” Roxanne said, locking the wind blade against the shadow katana.

“I learned from a monster,” Ingrid replied, her eyes flashing. “And I don’t intend to be his next victim.”

They separated with a shockwave, each sliding across the uneven terrain. The silence lasted only a second—and then they began again.

Roxanne charged forward, her movements quicker than before. She created small currents of air that sliced ​​through the space like blades, forcing Ingrid to retreat. Roxanne’s every step seemed choreographed, as if she were dancing among the shadows. Ingrid tried to block and counterattack, but the wind reacted with almost living intelligence.

In an instant, Roxanne disappeared—and reappeared right behind her, the air whispering like a warning. Ingrid spun instinctively, crossing her katana and blocking the invisible attack. The impact generated a sharp crack and a flash of energy.

“Good reaction!” Roxanne shouted, stepping back and smiling.

“You talk too much!” Ingrid retorted, pushing herself forward with the shadows and unleashing a horizontal blow that nearly hit Roxanne in the abdomen.

Roxanne dodged it by inches, the wind exploding in a sideways explosion that tore a hole in the ground. Ingrid took advantage of her imbalance and kicked the ground, creating a shadowy spear that emerged beneath her opponent’s feet. Roxanne jumped instinctively—but was caught off guard when another spear appeared in the air, slashing upward.

“Oh, damn!” she screamed, narrowly dodging and landing awkwardly. “That was dirty!”

“It’s war, not ballet!” Ingrid replied, laughing.

Roxanne held up a finger. “Ballet hurts too, you know?”

The wind gathered around her, spiraling upward. Within seconds, Roxanne was in the center of a small, compact tornado, her body floating lightly. Ingrid raised her katana and prepared herself.

“Let’s see if you can reach me,” Roxanne said.

The tornado surged forward.

The arena erupted into chaos. Ingrid’s shadows were torn by the wind, chunks of stone flew in every direction, and the pressure increased. Ingrid planted the katana in the ground, using the shadows to anchor herself as the gale tried to drag her along. Her body trembled, but she wouldn’t budge.

Then, with a roar of fury, she pulled the shadow energy from the ground and channeled it into a single blow.

“Break!” she screamed.

The tornado cracked—literally. The air split like glass, and the vortex lost its shape. Roxanne was thrown backward, rolling across the ground and slamming into a broken column.

Silence.

Ingrid remained standing, her chest heaving, her shadows wavering. Roxanne coughed, but laughed immediately afterward.

“Okay…” she said, brushing herself off. “That hurt.”

“Do you still want to continue?” Ingrid asked, pointing the katana at her.

Roxanne stood up slowly, rolling her neck. “Of course I do. I’m having fun.”