The following morning, as Mey woke up, Liebe signed to her, "Good morning." Mey signed back, "Good morning." After she stood up, she forgot she wasn't wearing anything and got flustered, covering herself with her wings. Liebe put on his uniform and said, "Our clothes are dry now." Mey put on her clothes.
Liebe said, "Sorry, but we also have fish for breakfast. I should head out now."Mey signed, "Are we heading back now?"Liebe signed, "Not yet. I still haven't done my job properly and checked this island properly. As an inspector, it's my job to make sure there are actually devils on this island. So if you want, you can head back — it's a 7 km walk straight east, and when you reach the shore the ships will take you. Don't worry." He sheathed his dual swords. "I guess I should get going."
As he was leaving, Mey grabbed his wrist and signed, Please don't leave. Let me come with you.Liebe said, "Sure. Stick close, ok? Without magic we don't have much chance of victory."
They began to ascend the mountain toward the town. Liebe stopped when he heard footsteps and whispered, "Mey, stop — we aren't alone here." Liebe saw black humanoid monsters. They weren't moving aimlessly; they were working in packs and carrying wood. Liebe signed to Mey, Don't move. They are devils, and from what he could see, since they were similar to beasts they might be low-ranking — between floors 24 and 25. Not an immediate issue.
As the devils passed, the pair continued toward the town. When they reached the town they saw bigger beasts; this time the monsters were eating the concrete that the buildings were made of.
Liebe said, "Something is a mess here — devils in packs, low- and mid-tier ones too." As they sneaked through town, they were discovered by one of the giant ones.
Liebe screamed, "Mey, run!" They sprinted toward an abandoned church and slammed the door shut, but the beasts' acidic saliva was melting the building; the structure began to crumble.
Liebe said, "No choice — dark magic." Suddenly Mey stepped on a tile and the floor opened, revealing a secret passageway; Mey fell in. Liebe shouted, "Mey, I'm coming!" and jumped in after her. They landed on a soft, circular object.
Liebe said, "Mey, are you okay?"Mey signed, I'm safe. This surface is quite soft.
Liebe observed the surface — it had scales. "This isn't a soft surface," he said, as a giant snake rose in front of them and hissed, Prey finding their way to me on their own.
Liebe said, "No choice now," and used his dark magic — dark magic cleanse. He clashed with the snake, but it was still alive and attacked with its head. Liebe pierced its head with his sword, extended by his darkness, and then shouted, "Now — dark magic bloom sword!" A rose-garden of thorns erupted as spikes grew from the blade; the thorns killed the devil snake.
Mey signed, You really are strong. You killed that thing despite the Z-jammer.Liebe said, "Those few spells cost me more than half the magic and focus I could muster. Now let's keep heading this way."
They kept walking down the path and eventually found an old library. Seeing this, Liebe was reminded of the secret room beneath the Forbidden Cathedral inside House Faust. The library even had an altar and the correct magic circle required to summon a devil — except the words in the circle were altered. Upon closer inspection, Liebe understood this circle had been used to summon the supreme devil of the 24th floor. He wondered: why would a room used for summoning devils be under a church?
On one of the tables he saw bottles of holy water. One bottle was yellow. As Liebe touched the yellow bottle, it felt as if his entire right hand would be burned away. He realized this final bottle held the tears of Saint Louis — one of the most holy substances in the world. Other bottles contained blood of Saint Louis and blood of Saint Marie.
Liebe understood this room wasn't used for a devil-binding ritual; it was used to summon devils and torture them — a room to find ways to test their weaknesses. An experimental chamber that was grey — a room that demonstrated human stupidity.
Mey signed to Liebe, What are these?Liebe said, "The only place on the island where we are safe from the devils." Yet the cave went on. As they followed it deeper, Liebe saw skeletons.
Mey asked, What are these?Liebe said, "Humans who took refuge here but died of starvation."
As they went in deeper, the skeletons began to change: some had fangs, some had horns. Liebe understood immediately — these were people who had failed the devil-binding ritual. Mey signed, Why do these people have horns? Liebe said, "I don't know." Seeing this, Liebe realized these devil hybrids had tried to enter the library again but had failed because of the holy substances.
They exited the cave and saw a giant crater the size of a lake — except the lake had run dry. At the bottom was a black magic circle, and in the center stood a humanoid devil.
Mey signed, What is that?Liebe said, "It's best if you don't know."
Low- and mid-tier devils placed wood inside the circle. The humanoid devil chanted, Accept life and offer death. May all mortals burn bright and let the world be ours, as it is our right. The ritual blood began to dry; it was as if the creature were drawing life. Cracks began to grow in the circle.
Liebe said, "No — it can't be!" His eyes widened. Mey signed, What's wrong? Liebe grabbed Mey and ran into the library. Mey signed, What's wrong? Liebe said, "We are all about to die. We have to do something." Mey signed, Why?
Liebe said, "That in the middle is a supreme devil — maybe the supreme devil of floor 24 or 25 — and it's using forbidden magic to break the seal on the Underworld and create an artificial entrance by sacrificing organic life. Plants don't offer much, but after enough offerings it accumulates. We have to stop it. But how? I doubt the seal will last until tomorrow noon. We can't even use our magic properly, and our communicator is useless — I can't ask for backup. All we have here are these books and… these vials of holy water and tears and blood."
The sun was setting. Liebe said, "Mey, you take some rest. I will plan. For this fight, it's best if you stay away."