The blinding light that had swelled from Beelzebub's body finally dimmed. In its place stood a monstrous figure. He had grown two more sets of thin, spindly arms, each covered in long, hair-like strands. From his back emerged a pair of translucent wings, twitching like those of a grotesque housefly. His eye sockets were cavernous, hollow, and from them oozed a thick black goo, dripping like corrupted tears.
"Metamorfosi: Praise of the Decay," the Lord of the Flies proclaimed.
Metamorfosi — the transformation unique to heavenly beings. In their sealed state, they lived with most of their magical essence suppressed. But in this form, they unleashed the full might of their divine or in Beelzebub's case, corrupted power. It a heavenly being's true form.
And Beelzebub was pleased. The Nephilim boy had forced him to abandon restraint. Now, he could truly let loose.
"Prepare yourself, boy," he growled, grinning. "I'm not sure how much I can hold back."
"Tsk." Gerard raised his fists, masking the surge of fear that coiled in his gut. The transformation didn't just look horrifying, it radiated evil, a palpable aura of decay that gnawed at the edge of his courage.
"Are you ready?"
The voice was right behind him.
"Wha—?" Gerard spun too late. Beelzebub's punch struck with brutal force, launching him through the air before his brain could process what had happened.
Beelzebub pursued in a blur and caught up mid-flight. "This brings back memories, doesn't it boyyyyy!!" he howled gleefully, smashing Gerard into the earth with such force that a shockwave exploded outward, rippling across the entire planet.
"Guahh!" Gerard choked, blood spilling from his lips. It felt as though his insides had shattered.
"Come on, get up," Beelzebub ordered, his voice thick with ecstasy. Pain, the purest expression of understanding. In suffering, others would finally comprehend him. That, in his eyes, was justice.
"This... is... n-nothing," Gerard muttered, staggering to his feet. "I trained... all this time... to defeat you."
He glared at the fallen angel with seething hatred, but beneath it throbbed raw fear. Beelzebub had tortured him five years ago for no reason other than sport. Gerard would never endure that again.
"That's my boy." Beelzebub's grin widened. The boy still had spirit. That meant he could still be broken. He kicked Gerard mid-recovery, launching him through the air once more. With cruel efficiency, he caught up and hurled him again, this time over a distant ridge.
"It's going to take him a while—if he survives." A dark laugh burst from Beelzebub's throat. "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! THIS IS HOW IT'S MEANT TO BE! IT SHOULD HAVE ALWAYS BEE—"
ZEEEEEM.
His laughter froze. His arm had gone numb.
He glanced at it. It was white.
Pure white.
Confused, Beelzebub stared. The negativity he had accumulated over countless years—gone. Purged.
"Damn, I missed."
Beelzebub turned. The red-haired boy stood protectively in front of a screaming Bishop, who clutched her head in agony.
"I see my daughter is having another one of her episodes," Beelzebub said.
"M'lady. Not your daughter, you freak." Raphael drew his blade, hand trembling. "With the power vested in this blade... I'm going to exorcise you."
"Ha ha ha... more strong emotions for me to devour."
BLITZ.
He vanished.
Then reappeared, fist raised to strike Raphael down.
But the moment he neared, time betrayed him. His movement slowed. Like wading through molasses.
"I placed a layered temporal field around myself," Raphael said, voice steadier now. He raised his sword skyward.
The blade pulsed, glowing brighter with each breath. Beelzebub's instincts screamed in warning. He thought of his hand. This boy... had a purifying power. He had to stop him.
"By the blade of righteousness I sever thee from darkness EXCALIBUR!!"
Raphael brought the sword down.
A blinding white flash consumed the area. No thunder. No explosions. Just the stillness of wind.
"Haa... haa... I did it..." Raphael gasped. "I stopped him..."
"Did you now?"
Beelzebub's twisted voice returned.
From the fading light, he emerged torso now warped into a grotesque, gaping mouth.
"How? You should be purified!"
Raphael's eyes widened. A blow like that should've downed even someone like Dante.
"It's simple really," Beelzebub grinned. "If I can't defend against your attack... then I eat it."
His form rippled and twisted back into shape.
"Now shall we continue, boy?" he mocked.
"You betcha!"
A new voice thundered from above.
Beelzebub looked up. Gerard had returned, battered and bloodied, hauling a mountain-sized boulder over his head.
"Here's a thank-you gift for the trip!" Gerard hurled the boulder downward.
BOOM!
The impact shattered the ground, a miniature mountain erupting into debris and dust.
Gerard hovered down next to Raphael. "I saw what you did... I think I've figured out your ability."
Raphael nodded, winded. "Yeah... but I can only use that move once more. After that... I'm spent."
"Then let's make it count."
Without hesitation, Gerard launched forward, spinning mid-air to build momentum. His body whipped like a coiled spring before he hurled himself toward Beelzebub.
He aimed a kick at the demon's head.
Beelzebub parried with one arm, countering with another punch.
But the punch phased through Gerard.
The purified hand couldn't touch him.
"Sorry, Lord of flies. Angels can't harm me," Gerard smirked.
He twisted like a leaf caught in a hurricane, landing a solid kick into Beelzebub's gut.
"I don't know any sealing magic... but this—" Gerard spun again, wrapping his limbs around Beelzebub's arms and legs "—should be enough. NOW!!"
"By the blade of righteousness—!"
Beelzebub's eyes snapped wide. He couldn't contort his body — the Nephilim had locked him in place.
"I sever thee from darkness... EXCALIBUR!!!"
Raphael unleashed a brilliant arc of white light.
Beelzebub thrashed. He couldn't break free. He couldn't dodge. He refused to be purified. He would rather die than be reduced.
But just before the light could strike—
A figure leapt in its path.
Bishop.
She spread her arms, taking the full force of the light.
"YES! DAUGHTER! I KNEW YOU WOULD UNDERSTAND!"
"Shut up," she spat. "This is for everyone you've ever hurt."
She began to glow, brighter than before.
"You forgot what my power is... father?"
"No... You don't mean—!"
"That's right."
She unleashed the beam again — larger, faster, stronger.
---
When the dust cleared, Gerard stood, barely conscious, body trembling.
"Heh... guess I'm not all that pure," he muttered. "But I'm still better than you."
Raphael and Bishop joined him, standing over the fallen demon.
Beelzebub lay at their feet, burnt and broken.
"Looks like the purification didn't work, m'lady," Raphael observed.
"I didn't analyze it properly. It just came out as a light-based attack," she admitted.
"Daughter..." Beelzebub wheezed, raising a half-charred hand. "Save me... daughter..."
Only his face and part of his arm remained intact.
"I. AM. NOT. YOUR. DAUGHTER."
She stomped down, crushing his skull. Black goo splattered across the ground.
"That's disgusting," Gerard muttered. "But... at least we won."
"All thanks to m'lady here," Raphael said with a nod. "Now nothing can go wrong."
"Don't you ever say things like that," Gerard groaned. "Now something will go wrong."
"What could possib—"
He was cut off.
The sky cracked open.
Rain began to pour. Not a drizzle, but a downpour unlike anything Paradis had ever seen.
Gerard's eyes widened in horror.
He had forgotten. Forgotten the flood.
His mission.
He had told himself he had to stop Rain before it was too late, but Beelzebub had distracted him. And now...
It was too late.