Saravia was falling into that seemingly endless hole, unaware that they were crossing dimensions. When she finally exited the chasm above Setealem, she was already nearing the ground.
— Shinkai Jakusari, Third Element, Pressure! — Saravia unleashed her ability, thrusting her anchor into the ground with extreme force, opening a massive crater to soften her fall.
— Where am I? — Saravia looked around and saw a purple sky. Ahead of her was a city that appeared noble, with grand buildings adorned with gold arranged in rings around them.
She climbed out of the crater she had created and reached the surface proper. She had fallen into the middle of a plain, slightly away from the city.
She strapped her anchor back on her back and walked toward the city, which was filled with public places—mostly bars and clubs, and even a few sexy shops. Sinners and demons stared at her, but she ignored them.
— Should I stop now? I'm so hungry… — Saravia relaxed a bit and headed for a nearby bar. She entered, noticing that everything was relatively calm, though still in Hell, in the Ring of Lust, no less.
Saravia walked to the counter. The smell of strong alcohol and sweet perfumes filled the air. The place was bathed in reddish lights, with velvet curtains covering the walls. On the stage, some demonic figures performed sensual dances, drawing applause and shouts from the crowd. But Saravia didn't care—she just wanted a moment to rest.
She sat on a worn leather stool and called the bartender, a gray-skinned demon with backward-curving horns and a lazy smile.
— What'll it be, stranger? — he asked, wiping a glass with a dirty cloth.
— Something strong. As long as it doesn't kill me on the first sip, it'll do. — Saravia rested her arms on the counter, serious, but with the corner of her mouth lifting into a near-smile.
The demon laughed, showing sharp fangs.
— Strong? You fell into the right place. Here, even water has poison.
He grabbed a bottle that looked like it was made of black crystal and poured a shimmering purple liquid into a low glass. Saravia eyed it warily but drank it in one go. The taste was bitter, burning her throat, but a comforting warmth quickly spread through her body.
— Hmm… not so bad. — she muttered, tapping the glass against the counter.
A red-skinned demon with glowing tattoos across his body approached, leaning beside her with a smile.
— You don't seem from around here. What's a human doing wandering alone in the Ring of Lust?
Saravia sighed, rolling her eyes at him.
— Wandering, falling, whatever. I just need a place to breathe.
— Breathe? — the demon laughed loudly. — No one breathes here, darling. Here, we just… enjoy.
He gestured toward the tables in the back, where bizarrely-shaped creatures laughed, drank, and clung to each other without restraint.
Saravia looked away, having no patience for the display.
— I just want to fill my stomach before I start filling someone with punches.
The demon widened his eyes, intrigued, and then smiled wider.
— Heh… I like you.
Saravia called the bartender again and ordered something to eat, not even knowing what would come. Minutes later, he placed a plate of rare meat in front of her, its smell intense and strange. She eyed it suspiciously.
— What is this?
— Don't ask. Just eat. — the bartender replied, returning to another customer.
Saravia shrugged, grabbed a piece with her hands, and bit. The flavor was strong, almost metallic, but her hunger prevailed. As she ate, she noticed many eyes on her—some curious, others filled with desire.
— Guess I'm drawing too much attention. — she muttered to herself, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.
The tattooed demon approached again, leaning over the counter.
— You're going to get into trouble if you keep wandering like this. But… if you want company, I can show you the city's secrets.
Saravia studied him for a few seconds, serious, then let out a short laugh.
— Secrets? Heh… maybe I'll discover my own.
She sipped her drink again, feeling the burn in her throat. For the first time since arriving, she felt a bit of enjoyment, even in such a twisted place.
Then she stood from the stool at the counter, but as she did, a very strong aura came from the side. She turned and saw a smiling demon dressed in a suit, with a pair of horns on his forehead and chains coiled around his wrists.
— Could it be… Asmodeus? — Saravia approached him discreetly and placed her hand on his shoulder.
— Huh? Who are you? What do you want? — the demon said, annoyed.
— Are you the king of this ring of Setealem? Asmodeus?
The demon studied Saravia before responding, sensing a much stronger, familiar energy.
— Le- Leviathan? — the demon muttered to himself, then smiled proudly.
— Yes, it's me… Asmodeus — he stood from his chair, facing Saravia directly.
— Daughter of Leviathan here? What pride for our little serpent…
Some demons glanced at them curiously.
— You're not going to destroy this place and kill a bunch of people, right? — Asmodeus asked, proud.
Saravia grabbed Asmodeus by his ring and his suit. — No, because it's just us!
Saravia threw Asmodeus against the counter. Asmodeus landed a punch on her face, making her stumble back a little.
— Kōkyū no Mon, First Element, Forced Impulse! — Asmodeus lunged at Saravia at extreme speed and punched her chest, sending her crashing into the bar wall with such force that it shattered, and she flew out into the street.
Meanwhile, Martin was falling into the endless pit. When he finally exited it, he appeared in a very familiar place.
As he fell, he looked around. Everything was black, yet somehow not dark—it was illuminated by a light that didn't exist. It was the Ring of Wrath.
Martin finally landed. — Anybody there!? Someone…? — he said, a bit worried.
— Look… who dares to fall into my territory?
Martin looked back and saw a tall, muscular, completely black demon blending with the environment, his bright white eyes and massive horns marking him as the ruler—Satan.
— What is a child of Man doing here? Nothing here will please you, little one. — Satan said with a wide, bright smile.
Martin readied his attack but waited for the perfect moment.
— Sh*t… I can't beat him, he's the second strongest demon of all! — Martin trembled, sweating, tense and scared. This creature was utterly intimidating, even with a "simple" appearance; just being a top-tier demon made the tension unbearable.
Satan lunged at Martin almost instantly with a downward punch, but Martin dodged with a backward impulse, startled, but successful.
— He's too fast! I can barely predict him!
Satan was slightly impressed and moved. — Uhh… a human has dodged me for the first time in trillions of years, interesting…
Martin prepared to strike, but Satan extended a hand and said: — How about joining the Seven Capital Sins? I can turn you into a demon so we can train for eternity! And maybe even dominate Heaven. What do you say?
Martin reflected, looking at the ground. — But if I refuse, I'll have to eliminate you here… — said Satan, his smile playful yet intimidating.
Martin looked down, thinking — If I become a demon, my team will see it as betrayal, and Daytona… I won't do it…
Martin looked at Satan seriously. — If it's death or joining you, I'd rather die.
— Excellent… — Satan clapped his palm hard, making everything vibrate and the ground crack.
— Meikai no Akuma, Seventh Element, Palm of Setealem — Satan struck again, a massive shockwave hitting Martin full force, deafening him briefly and making his nose bleed.
Satan took advantage of Martin being slightly "lost" and attempted another attack, but Martin blocked it with his forearm, barely managing.
Satan tried a low strike, but Martin dodged again.
— Kyūkyoku no Ningen, First Element, Direct! — Martin seized the opening and punched Satan's chest, pushing him back.
— Not bad… haha — Satan stood, spat a little blood, smiling, still unharmed.
— I like you… you're very strong for a human, perhaps too much… you're not normal, are you? Not an angel, nor a demon… — Satan looked at Martin with pride.
— Meikai no Akuma. — Satan extended his arms — Main Element, Warn — He grew even stronger, muscles larger and more imposing, horns extending slightly.
— Time to party…
(back to Saravia…)
Saravia was thrown out of the bar, knowing this would spark a battle that could kill dozens of demons and sinners. She had to think fast…
— Didn't think this would be so fun. — said Asmodeus, walking out of the bar, arms crossed.
Saravia stood. — But don't forget, we're just getting started!
She grabbed the anchor on her back, spinning it at high speed, charging at Asmodeus to seize him, and threw her anchor upward with all her velocity.
The momentum made them "fly" upward, but Asmodeus struck her, sending Saravia near the crater she had created earlier.
— Kōkyū no Mon, Fourth Element, Judgment! — Asmodeus created a portal, launching a purple energy sphere toward Saravia.
Saravia quickly stood, ran toward the sphere, and ducked. The sphere erased matter it touched, leaving a void in its path.
She then leapt high.
— Shinkai Jakusari, First Element, Maritime Chain! — She hurled her anchor at Asmodeus at supersonic speed.
Asmodeus dodged sideways, trying to grab the anchor and throw it back, but the anchor, made of Obsidian and Tungsten, weighed almost 11,000 tons.
— It's too heavy… I can barely move it…!
— Shinkai Jakusari, Fifth Element, Chain! — While Asmodeus was still falling, she took advantage of her anchor's proximity and ensnared him with its chains.
Saravia strained to slam Asmodeus into the ground, raising dust and large rocks.
— Kōkyū no Mon, First Element, Submission. — Asmodeus summoned portals in the dust, from which chains emerged, binding Saravia's wrists, then knees, then legs. She tried to free herself but couldn't, eventually releasing the chain holding her anchor.
— Oh no… — Saravia thought, worried about how she would get out of this.
— Now you can't do anything more. These chains are extremely hard, and you… are trapped. — Asmodeus said, stepping toward Saravia, emerging from the dust.
Asmodeus prepared a fatal strike, wrapping his chain around Saravia's neck.