Piers sat in a room with his three house leaders: Astarte, Garth, and Silas. He took out the Dendrogram and wrote: How much time will it take to demonify completely?
The Dark God replied: At least 10 days, maybe even lower.
Piers then wrote: Did I avoid the deaths of the disciples?
The Dark God replied: No, not yet, but you might sure has signed your death if others died.
Piers put the book away. "We will commence our mission in 10 days. Get ready."
"But why do you want to fight the devil alone?" Astarte challenged. "We can help, or do you think we are too weak?"
"Astarte, do not question our master," Garth chastised.
"But I too can help," Silas insisted. "The Dark Lions are partial devils; we can easily kill the devil."
"I know that you are all very strong," Piers said. "But if you were to fight that devil, there would be more casualties than if I were to fight."
"That's why we are here," Astarte argued. "We are not just ornaments. We are fighters, warriors who fight and give our lives for something."
"You can give your life, but your life belongs to me, and I am not ready for you to lose your life," Piers stated. "Now, promise me that the time you will lose your life will be the time you all will be remembered. You won't die as a no-name disciple who fought against a devil and lost his life."
Astarte, Silas, and Garth were taken aback by his words. They knelt on one knee and said, "We promise."
As the days passed, everyone could feel the corruption consolidating, forming a pending disaster. Piers and his underlings stood on top of a building. "Do you feel it?" Piers asked.
"Yes, I feel it," one underling replied. The boy they were tracking, their target, had his eyes turn red, his transformation about to begin.
Outside the Devil Hell Branch, Tenko was meditating, generating elements using his Qi Domain in preparation for the inevitable fight with Piers. He was floating above the ground, surrounded by fire, water, earth, and plant energy, with occasional thunder rumbling through his body, and the ground covered with ice. Suddenly, he felt a powerful shiver and fell down. He quickly focused on the Devil Hell Branch and felt a presence that shook him to his core.
Kaiser and Lyla arrived. "You are feeling it too, right?" Kaiser asked.
Tenko barked a confirmation.
"Something big is going to happen, and it might involve Rei," Lyla said, looking at the Devil Hell Branch with concern.
In the Astria Kingdom, Eugene and Daina were lost in the middle of a forest after Eugene's cryptic "our fate starts from here" comment.
"What's the problem with you? Because of you, we got lost!" Daina said angrily.
"I really am feeling something here; I'm not kidding," Eugene insisted.
Daina scoffed. "Oh, what? Nothing! How did you even survive all this time, much less train or even get food?"
Eugene remembered his past self about how before he met Rei or the forest tribe he was just a shy kid who had very low self confidence. "Trust me, I was way different from what you are watching. I just recently got this confident. The story started there."
"I don't care where your story started! I just want to find a path. This place doesn't even have any fruits to eat," Daina complained.
"Someone's stomach is empty," Eugene teased.
Annoyed, Daina attacked with her sword. Eugene kept blocking by creating small holy barriers. "Sorry, but I am still stronger than you," he said. Daina, annoyed, put her sword away. I am missing my days with my master.
Suddenly, they saw a girl their age walking by, carrying a bucket of water. "Finally, we found someone! Hey!" Daina called out.
The girl was shocked by Daina's reaction. "Umm... what do want from me?" Daina and Eugene went to her and Daina asked "can you tell us where we are" the girl a little relieved said "sure, you are in the Death River Valley."
"Wait, Death River Valley? That's just the opposite of where we were planning to go!" Daina exclaimed.
"Can you take us to your house?" Eugene asked the girl.
"Eugene, stop!" Daina protested.
"Yes, sure," the girl replied.
As the girl led them, they saw her house was built in a quaint, fairy-tale fashion. Once inside, Daina noted, "Wow, your house is very fairly built."
"Oh, it's nothing," the girl replied.
While they talked, Eugene said, "I can sense you have something that might help a swordsman."
"Yes, I do! How did you know?" the girl asked.
"Because I sensed it," Eugene said.
"Eugene, stop, we don't need—" Daina began, but the girl interrupted.
"Oh no, please take it! I want my family's tradition to be alive, even if I am not the one using it."
The girl took out a book and gave it to Daina. Daina, who had learned an incomplete swordsmanship technique from her master Sigil, wasn't sure if the book would matter. When she opened it, she realized it contained her sword technique's final forms—the part she had never learned. With this, she could complete her swordsmanship.
"Thank you, I am going to treasure it," Daina said.
"Please do," the girl replied.
Daina turned to Eugene. "I guess you are not so bad at directions, Eugene."
"Yeah, I guess so," he replied.
Piers, back at the Devil Hell Branch, looked at the dark winds blowing. Astarte, Garth, and Silas stood behind him.
"Master, don't say you are going to fight him alone," Astarte pleaded. "I can feel his devil powers increasing exponentially."
"We will do everything we can to help you, Master," Garth affirmed.
"Master, if we can't attack, we will become your shields," Silas offered. "You won't have to worry; the Dark Lions can easily take care of the corruption."
"Your dedication is admirable, but I am the only one who needs to be in this battle," Piers insisted. He took out his Phantom Insignia, which said, Don't worry, boy, I will help you.
Meanwhile, Zen looked up at the sky and said, "My time has come. The kingdom of cards is going to fall."