The devil watched Piers approach. Piers's entire eyes were glowing red, and black spirits surrounded him. His authoritative expression struck fear into the devil, who quickly flew away. Piers instantly jumped, his Holy Sword slashing through the devil's stomach, creating a wound that didn't regenerate. His new black wings kept his trajectory upwards.
"Damn, Rei, if you had focused on your combat instead of making things, would you have become like this?" Kaiser muttered, impressed. Adreil watched the whole thing with a chilling, unblinking smile, which looked very creepy.
The devil, feeling the wound, screamed, "If this is going to be it, then I am taking you down with me!" The devil's muscles grew, compressed, and formed a black mist. When the mist cleared, the devil emerged, his body now sleekly muscular and lean. Thunder raged in the clouds.
Piers descended from the thunder, his red eyes and wings intimidating. He struck with the Holy Sword, aiming to sever the devil's limbs. The devil countered with black smoke to keep his distance, moving rapidly through the sky. Piers channeled Hellsfire into the Holy Sword, and the flame instantly turned sacred golden. With a single slash of the golden flame, the black smoke vanished.
My body is drained, even if I push myself, I might get some irreparable injuries, Piers thought. He stopped his assault and used the sacred spell Chorus Vitae, which healed Piers's wounds and muscles, restoring him to peak form. I did not want to use hidden spells, but it seems I can't do anything about it.
Piers then cast the hidden spell: "Chordae Fati." Suddenly, Piers saw threads of fate linking to every person present. The devil saw the spell and cried out, "No! That's a hidden spell! No, don't!"
Piers seized the devil's thread and pulled it. The devil's body ached, and the power in his body went berserk, causing his form to explode. Piers flew toward him, Holy Sword ready, but paused as the devil's chest was suddenly pierced by a hand.
The devil looked behind him in dread. "Who are you?"
The one who pierced him was Adreil. With a maniacal smile and the Sin of Pride symbol blazing on his forehead, Adreil said, "You don't get to know my name." The devil felt his power draining, not just from his current body, but from his true form in hell, too.
"Sin... of... pride..." the devil gasped before his eyes went lifeless. Adreil floated with the same maniacal expression.
"What is that fool doing?" Kaiser demanded.
"Is he turning into the Sin of Pride?" Sentry worried.
"We have to stop him," Hella said. Sentry and Hella charged, jumping toward Adreil.
"What are you holding, Sentry?" Hella asked.
"It's my scepter," Sentry replied, getting an idea. "How about this: I am going to use a Wind Bomb to propel both of us! Get ready!"
"Yeah, it will help," Hella agreed.
Adreil looked at Piers. "You have Mephisto's powers."
"What about it then?" Piers challenged. Adreil covered himself in dark black energy. "Give me your devil powers!"
Sentry's Wind Bomb propelled them upwards. Adreil charged at Piers, and Piers charged at Adreil, both ready to kill. Sentry stopped Adreil with a wind wall from his scepter, and Hella stopped Piers with her sword.
"Get away from my way! Maniacs like him don't deserve to live!" Piers shouted.
Suddenly, a wind blast and a fire slash struck Piers. He used the Phantom Insignia in his left hand to send a fire slash to stop the attack. Piers pushed Hella away with the Holy Sword and landed on the ground, facing Tenko and Kaiser. He noticed Lyla was behind him.
"Who are you? What do you want?" Piers asked.
Tenko growled, and Lyla said, "We just want our friend."
Four figures—the 4 Heads of the Devil Hell Branch—landed on the building above. "Well done, children. Now give this boy to me," one of them demanded, holding a severely injured Zen.
"Master!" Piers cried, ready to charge.
"Stop, Piers!" Zen's voice was weak but firm. "The devil and guardian holders have become corrupted! Now is the time for you to bring a revolution! Go ahead, Piers! I am inevitably going to die, so leave me and bring a revolution in this tainted bloody country!"
Piers was crying, overcome with grief.
One of the Heads sneered. "You talk too much." With his devil energy, he killed Zen.
Piers wiped the tears from his eyes, then jumped and flew out of the area. "You are not going anywhere!" one of the Heads shouted, sending a beam of energy after him. A ball of thunder intercepted the beam. The head that fired the energy turned around to see that a mere deadly beast had intercepted his blast. the head said, "How dare a mere deadly beast intercept this great one's blast." However, Tenko ignored him.
Tenko turned to Kaiser and barked urgently. "Sure, buddy," Kaiser agreed.
"I will fight with him here too! Go now Kaiser!" Lyla said. Kaiser jumped and rushed after Piers.
Piers landed and was immediately surrounded by Bret, Ben, Emilia, and Luc. Kaiser landed next to Luc.
"This doesn't have to be this way," Ben pleaded.
"I don't know who you guys are or what you want from me, but if you are going to fight me, then don't think it will be easy," Piers warned.
"So be it," Bret said. "If you want a fight, we will certainly give you one."
Adreil landed with a maniacal smile, followed by Hella and Sentry. "I knew one day you would lose your mind, but I never thought it would be like this," Sentry sighed.
"Get a hold of yourself, Adreil," Hella urged.
"I don't know what you mean, but you have some interesting spiritual power, which I am ready to suck," Adreil said, fixing his gaze on them.
"Spiritual power? What is he bickering about?" Sentry whispered.
"I don't know, but in our group, he is one of the heavy hitters. I don't think we even stand a chance against him," Hella replied, concerned.
The 4 Heads landed, threw Zen's body to the ground, and watched. "Just you? This is going to be interesting now."
Tenko growled, and Lyla declared, "Time for you to get crushed!"
Piers, surrounded by enemies, stood his ground. "So, let's get this fight started!"