Compared to a genie he just met, the father who took care of him for years is clearly more trustworthy. On top of that, Raphael is actually a demigod. Even though he’s weakened, he’s still way stronger than a ’fake’ god like Michael.
Plus the reason he wants to kill Michael is kinda weird. His dad can’t have more kids means... That seems pretty scary.
Leo didn’t need even a second to think, he immediately blocked the door so Michael couldn’t escape. This is a great chance to build goodwill with his dad, so he can’t miss it.
???
Michael felt completely dumbfounded. Didn’t expect the chosen one he hadn’t even known for a few hours would betray him like this.
"What the hell are you doing? Get out of my way!"
He yelled and ran, not slowing down for a moment. But Leo’s body was like an iron wall, the moment he bumped into it he tumbled onto the ground.
Leo immediately pressed down on him and locked his arms. Of course he held back a little, since Michael came here to help him after all. But if Michael struggles too hard now, his arm will definitely break.
"Ow, ow, ow. Leo! You f*cking assh*le!"
Michael screamed in despair. Tears and snot running down from the pain. This is the first time in his life he’s ever felt pain this bad.
He might not be afraid to die, but this pain is extremely uncomfortable. He’d rather have a quick death; that would feel better.
"Hmph, shut up. Or I’ll really break your arm."
Leo saw the situation wasn’t good so he immediately chose Raphael’s side. But he still left a little room for retreat. Otherwise, Michael’s bones, though tougher than a normal person’s, would break.
Raphael was now silently staring at the genie lying helpless under a boy just barely three years old.
"This is really weird. Calling yourself a god but you can’t even beat a three-year-old kid? Back then, did Elio aim for my chest?"
"Huh? How do you know that? Hey, are you insulting me? You f*cking assh*le. If you’ve got the balls, just kill me now. If Rias sees you now..."
Michael was about to curse more but a glance from Raphael made him swallow the words he was about to say.
"Let him go. He doesn’t have the ability to run away anyway. With that speed, even if a dog chased him, he wouldn’t be able to escape."
The killing intent that came off Raphael earlier was nowhere to be seen. Seeing things going well, Leo naturally wasn’t going to keep pinning Michael to the ground anymore.
"What do you want?"
Michael stared at Raphael warily and helplessly. What can he do now? Does slamming his head into a wooden pillar count as suicide?
"Back then, Elio’s attack was aimed at my chest area, right?" Raphael asked again.
"Right."
Michael answered without thinking. To him, this thing just happened yesterday so he definitely wasn’t wrong.
"So that’s how it is. I thought it was weird back then because an attack on that spot would be hard to deal fatal damage to me. Elio wouldn’t joke around like that since he needed to go back and report the results to the other members of The Great Sun Temple."
These past few years Raphael hasn’t come down the mountain, barely even interacting with the closest small village. Even so, he’s still sure that The Great Sun Temple confirmed his death long ago.
"So you’re not mad at me?"
Michael asked a bit anxiously. He really doesn’t dare talk shit to someone who could actually crush him easily... No, to be exact, he’s more scared of the system’s punishment than death since he can’t be completely killed right now.
"Who said that? You shifted the attack to such a shitty spot and made me suffer for years. How could I not be mad? But I still have to thank you, because without you we’d probably be dead."
Raphael obviously believes Michael is a god, since back then nobody else witnessed what happened. Plus he can see that even though Michael is very weak, his weirdness is also huge.
???
Leo blankly stared at Raphael as if Raphael just played him. Just a moment ago there was all that killing intent, but now he’s talking about thanks. What’s that supposed to mean? Is he trying to make Leo piss Michael off so things get harder for him later?
He really f*cking wants to curse Michael out, but the situation doesn’t allow it. Not because Raphael is his dad, but because Raphael’s own value is too high. Losing Raphael’s support would make becoming king way harder for him.
As for Michael, his face is bright red like a volcano about to erupt. What’s this supposed to mean? Thinking he’s easy to push around ’cause he’s nice? Thinking he’s so scared to die that he’ll put up with anything?
"What the hell are you doing? Looking down on me that much?"
He was a little scared of Raphael before. But hearing that tone, which was seriously asking for a beating, made Michael lose his shit. Die if he has to, but a genie can’t be humiliated like that.
"I am looking down on you. When you have enough strength, I’ll stop looking down on you."
Raphael bluntly dumped a bucket of cold water on Michael’s head. Even if Michael was a god, the truth right now is he’s just a three-year-old kid with a bit of height.
"Hmph, wait until I have strength, then I’ll show you. And what the hell is Elio’s technique? How can it affect you even until now?"
Michael still cares more about this weird move. He’s afraid that if he ever gets hit by it later, he’ll be living worse than death for years.
"Elio’s fourth technique is Eternal Flame. Like the name says, that flame will burn forever inside the body of whoever gets hit. For the weak, it’s certain death, but it can’t kill a demigod.
It has a weakness: it can only be used on one person at a time. That means right now he’s banned from using his fourth technique until he takes back the flame burning inside my body."
"That means he still knows you’re alive. He even knows where you are?"
Michael naturally noticed a bit of gratitude from Raphael when talking about Elio. At the same time, he’s also glad this technique has a limit like that.