Asmodeus drew closer and closer to Saravia, the chains clutched in his hands. Saravia began to sweat slightly, but she forced herself to stay calm.
— What do I do? Now what? I'm trapped! Leviathan? What do I do? — Saravia thought to herself, desperately searching for an answer from Leviathan.
— Think of my sin, of my form, of yours and of our desire. Think of what I am capable of and what I can become. Just think. — Leviathan spoke inside Saravia's mind, offering no direct answer, more like guidance for her to find her own way.
— Form… Sin… Becoming… I… I get it! — Saravia looked at her own wrist, and her body began to shrink, becoming smaller than normal, almost like that of a seven-year-old child.
That caused the chains to loosen around her wrists, thighs, and feet. Just as Asmodeus was about to strike her neck to decapitate her, Saravia slipped free from the chains and leaped backward at the exact moment Asmodeus' claw scraped past her neck.
Saravia returned to her normal size and surged forward at ultrasonic speed — not toward Asmodeus, but to retrieve her anchor.
— I did it! — Saravia said to herself.
She readied her Shinkai Jakusari.
— Apparently he has portal powers and chains… and something more… — Saravia planted one foot back and braced herself.
— Shinkai Jakusari, Sixth Element, Cyclone! — Saravia spun her anchor, manipulating the chain into a spiraling vortex that surged toward Asmodeus. The chains tore the ground apart as they twisted violently around each other.
With a powerful motion, she yanked her arm back, causing the chains to snap inward with brutal force, closing precisely where Asmodeus stood at the center.
When the chains constricted, Asmodeus was nearly obliterated — one arm torn off, blood spraying, deep gashes carved across his body. Yet Saravia knew without question that this was nowhere near enough to kill one of Setealem's most powerful demons. Almost instantly, his body began regenerating.
— Maybe I need to deal as much damage as possible to eliminate him… but that attack should've done it. So is it… cutting off the head? — Saravia thought as she watched Asmodeus regenerate.
She gripped her anchor's shaft, intent on decapitating him.
— Let's see if that's it… — Saravia charged forward, closed the distance, and swung for his neck — but was stopped instantly.
— Kōkyū no Mon, Third Element, Illusion Mirrors. — Asmodeus opened a portal, from which a red energy sphere emerged. As it launched forward, mirrors suddenly appeared, rebounding the sphere repeatedly, amplifying its speed and destructive power.
— I can't counter it… the mirrors appear at the exact timing of the orb, but… — Saravia grew visibly nervous, sweat pouring down her face. Still, she steadied herself and had an idea.
She teleported into the middle of the mirrors, grabbed her Shinkai Jakusari by the chain, inhaled deeply, and calmed herself.
— Shinkai Jakusari, Eighth Element… — She began spinning the anchor even faster. — Leviathan.
She smashed the anchor violently through the mirrors, shattering the ground and every reflection. The energy sphere broke free and shot into the sky, detonating moments later.
Amid the dust, Asmodeus was briefly distracted — just enough for Saravia to spot a perfect opening. She lunged forward and swung her anchor, cleanly severing his head.
— I think… I did it! — She stepped back, but when she looked again, she saw Asmodeus regenerating his head from the inside out — every nerve, every blood vessel, every molecule reforming — while the severed head decayed on the ground.
— What? It wasn't the head? Then how do you kill this demon?! — Saravia attempted to strike again, but when the blade collided with his neck, it was harder than diamond. She couldn't cut through.
— Haha… my dear, that's not how you kill me. You'll have to figure it out on your own. — Asmodeus said, smiling.
He seized the moment and landed a powerful punch to Saravia's face, sending her flying violently into a massive stone pillar.
As Saravia stood up, she spat blood, her tongue brushing against empty gaps — she had lost two teeth from the blow. Dizzy, she steadied herself.
— Strongest punch I've taken so far… damn… — Saravia laughed faintly as she rose.
Asmodeus teleported in front of her and threw another punch, but Saravia dodged. The strike hit the pillar behind her, causing it to completely collapse. Saravia teleported away, watching the structure crumble.
She gripped her anchor tightly.
— Shinkai Jakusari, Fourth Element, Water Jet. — Saravia sprinted forward and hurled her anchor with all her strength.
As she ran, she noticed a purple portal opening nearby. Asmodeus stepped out and landed. Saravia stopped.
— You know, girl… I'm really tired of this now. Let's finish it. — Asmodeus' pupils turned purple, his fingers became claws, his teeth sharpened, horns grew from his forehead, and his body expanded, becoming even more imposing.
Saravia shuddered completely.
— Holy shit… if it was bad before, now it's worse… — She glanced at her anchor, thinking.
Then Leviathan spoke within her mind.
— A demon's weakness is destroying both its heart and its head within the shortest time possible. Try it.
Saravia reflected.
— So that's it… that's it! — She lifted her head and locked eyes with Asmodeus, gripping her anchor tightly.
— I can do this! Shinkai Jakusari, Fifth Element, Chain! — Saravia tried to bind Asmodeus, but—
He teleported instantly beside her and struck the side of her head with such force that she was launched hundreds of meters away, slamming into something unseen.
Asmodeus teleported again, standing over her as she lay seemingly unconscious, her head and face covered in blood.
— Oh… it ended so quickly. Such a shame, so young…
He turned and walked away.
Suddenly, his left arm was severed. Then the right.
Confused, he turned back — Saravia was gone.
A deep gash opened along the right side of his abdomen.
— So I'm the "greatest," huh? Quite the ego. — Saravia appeared before him, the Mark of the Beast now etched into her neck. Her appearance mirrored Leviathan, coiled around her neck, her pupils glowing blue.
Asmodeus smiled proudly.
— Beautiful… taking your first steps.
His arms regenerated.
— If you keep going, you'll die anyway — either to another demon or to an angel, little girl.
Saravia gave a menacing grin.
— Then why haven't you killed me yet? Thought you were tired… right? Haha!
Enraged, Asmodeus charged, but Saravia dodged and countered with a punch to his face, forcing him back.
— Shinkai Jakusari, Fifth Element, Chain. — This time, the chains bound Asmodeus so tightly that some of his bones cracked.
Saravia detached her anchor, preparing the final blow — but Asmodeus broke free and stomped the ground, collapsing everything around them with sheer pressure.
Dust engulfed the battlefield.
Saravia frowned — then—
— Kōkyū no Mon, Sixth Element, Dual Mirror. — From the dust, Asmodeus opened two portals, firing an arrow that struck Saravia, launching her violently into the air and then into the ground, forming a small crater.
— That's not fair… — Saravia rose, nearly unharmed, her forehead streaked with blood.
Her chains snapped back to the anchor as if magnetized. She began spinning it, anticipating the attack.
Asmodeus appeared above her — but she was ready.
— Shinkai Jakusari, Third Element, Pressure! — Saravia hurled the anchor with full force, striking Asmodeus before he could fully exit the portal. The portal closed, but the chain pierced through dimensions.
A colossal explosion obliterated the area.
Saravia lay below, unconscious, her right arm gone, the Mark of the Beast deactivated.
Another weak portal opened. Asmodeus emerged, horribly wounded, missing half his left arm, barely standing.
— You bitch… now you'll pay… — He summoned a magical sword and advanced toward Saravia, ready to strike her head—
A stone struck him.
He turned.
It was the demon from the bar.
— Stop this shit! We're not here for the destruction you keep causing!
Asmodeus lunged toward him — but suddenly his legs were severed.
Saravia stood behind him.
— I won't let you bring more misery to this place. Now die!
With her remaining strength, Saravia cleaved through Asmodeus' chest and head simultaneously, finally defeating him.
As he disintegrated, Asmodeus wept silently — no sound, only tears — accepting his fate.
Saravia collected his ashes, knowing they would be useful for Raydillon's antidote.
She smiled at the demon… and collapsed.
The demon, named Kruss, rushed to the city for help.
They carried Saravia to Kruss' home, where she remained unconscious — but her journey was far from over.
Minutes later, she awoke, dizzy and weak, but stood.
She descended the stairs and found Kruss cooking.
— Where am I? What happened?
— You passed out, girl. I brought you here to recover. Want some food? You look drained.
— Yeah… I'll eat. I can't stay long though. I still have missions.
— You almost died… and so did we. Thank you for saving us.
— Saving you from what?
— From that sin. Lust no longer exists. This ring will collapse soon.
Saravia froze.
— So he was the source of all Lust?
— Exactly. Just like Satan spreads Wrath and Hatred.
She finished eating.
— I have to go. Thank you.
— Go.
Saravia retrieved her anchor and headed for the Ring of Wrath.
Elsewhere…
Lucifer walked across an ancient battlefield as his raven landed on his shoulder.
— Lord Lucifer, Asmodeus has vanished after a clash with an energy comparable to a Throne-Class Angel.
Lucifer clenched his fists.
— Another Capital Sin gone? Impossible… Investigate. Now.
The raven vanished. A massive aura spread across Setealem.
(In the Ring of Wrath…)
— Hm? Asmodeus was killed? What a surprise… Haha! — Satan chuckled.
Martin smiled, relieved.
(In the Ring of Greed…)
— Asmodeus is dead? What an idiot… — Mammon snarled from his golden throne.
The battles were far from over. Chaos echoed through every Ring of Setealem, awaiting the next uprising.