As the Infernal disintegrated, its twisted smile lingered as if it knew something they didn't. The battlefield, once roaring with chaos, fell into absolute silence. Then, a gust of wind carried away the last traces of the beast—revealing a girl in an academy uniform lying motionless on the ground.
No one spoke. No one moved. A heavy, suffocating stillness settled over them all.
Then—"What on earth are you all waiting for?!"
Mammoth's voice shattered the silence, raw with urgency. "That poor girl needs help—damn it, do something!"
His frantic gaze shot toward Rai, expecting him to act. But Rai stood still. Unmoving. Lightning flickered faintly around his armor, but his piercing stare never wavered from the girl. His expression, firm and unreadable, hadn't shifted in the slightest.
Mammoth clenched his fists. Something about this wasn't right. His frustration boiled over.
"Rai!!!" he roared. "What the hell are you doing?! MOVE!"
But Rai didn't so much as flinch. His gaze remained locked on the girl, his breath slow and measured—as if he already knew something the rest of them didn't.
Rai, his expression unwavering, began to power down. The towering golden armor, crackling with raw energy, began to shrink—its immense form condensing back into a standard suit of fortify armor. Sparks flickered erratically as the transformation completed, his electric-yellow cape rippling in the wind. Though the overwhelming presence of his ascended form had faded, his piercing gaze remained locked onto the girl lying motionless before him.
Then—
"Ariel!!!"
A sharp, desperate cry shattered the silence.
It wasn't from the battlefield. Heads turned toward the academy, where a group of first-year students stood frozen at the hole in the academy wall in which Rai had first broken through to begin his fight with the infernal, their faces pale with shock. At the forefront, a girl clutched her chest, her trembling hands tightening as her wide, horrified eyes remained fixated on the unconscious figure.
The scene briefly shifts to the moment right after Rai's powerful finishing attack had landed. Inside the academy, where the first-year students had been hiding, a deafening thunderclap from Final Retribution shook the walls, sending a wave of fear through the young students. They huddled together, trembling, as the last echoes of destruction faded into an eerie silence.
For a few moments, no one dared to move. Then, slowly, hope flickered in their eyes.
"I... I think it's over now," one boy hesitantly voiced, lifting his head.
Murmurs of agreement followed, the tension easing ever so slightly.
"So... what do we do now?" a girl asked, her voice still cautious.
The boy straightened his back, forcing confidence into his tone. "We go find out what happened."
Now back to the present—panic and desperation filled the air as the first-year students, driven by shock and urgency, jumped down through the gaping hole in the academy wall, rushing toward Ariel to help her. But before they could get close, they were stopped in their tracks by Pragaya, Kromus, and Allseer.
"What are you doing?!" one of the students shouted in frustration, eyes burning with desperation.
Yet the three figures standing in their way wore the same look of frustration—not because they were holding the students back, but because they, too, were at a loss. It wasn't just confusion over Ariel's condition—it was something deeper, something unsettling.
But amidst the uncertainty, there was one person who wasn't confused.
Rai.
He stood there, silent, his gaze locked onto the girl on the ground. Unlike the others, his eyes held no confusion, no hesitation.
Only understanding.
Rai took slow, deliberate steps toward Ariel, each movement exuding an aura of strength and authority. His cape billowed behind him, caught in the lingering storm winds, giving him the presence of a true hero. But just as he neared her—
A refined, almost posh laughter echoed through the battlefield. It wasn't the guttural, monstrous cackle one would expect from a demon, but a smooth, sophisticated chuckle, the kind a well-mannered noble might let out over a glass of wine.
Everyone's gaze snapped upward.
There, floating above them, was a creature dressed in an immaculate tuxedo. His skin was jet-black, his sharp nose hooked downward like that of a scheming aristocrat, and his elongated, pointed ears twitched slightly. A devilish tail curled lazily behind him as if he had all the time in the world. Though his appearance spoke of refinement and high status, one undeniable truth remained—
He was not human.
Pragaya, Kromus, Allseer, Mammoth, Lorenzo, Sylvia, the deans, and everyone else present in the crowd immediately felt an overwhelming presence—evil in its purest form. The sheer malice in the air was suffocating, pressing down on them like an unseen force. The weaker ones in the crowd collapsed to their knees, gasping for breath, while the rest struggled to move, their limbs frozen in sheer terror.
Kromus, Pragaya, Allseer, and the deans forced themselves to look up at the entity hovering in the sky, their sharp instincts warning them of something sinister. But as they analyzed the scene, a disturbing realization crept in—something didn't add up.
Meanwhile, Rai didn't flinch. He didn't even spare a glance at the new foe above, his focus locked solely on Ariel as he marched forward with unwavering determination.
"Well, well, well," the creature let out a refined sigh, his voice dripping with amusement. "I suppose I'm not even worthy of your attention? In that case… why don't I do something to earn it?" His wicked grin widened.
In an instant, he vanished—reappearing directly in front of Rai. But before he could savor his advantage, Rai moved. His body blurred, flashing past the creature without missing a beat, continuing his march toward Ariel as if the interruption never happened.
The crowd barely processed what had happened. Their eyes darted between the two figures in stunned silence.
"What the hell… He might even be faster than the Headmaster," Mammoth muttered in disbelief. His fists clenched at his sides, frustration welling within him. He wanted to move, to do something, but Pragaya's order rang in his head—none of them were to interfere.
Kromus, Allseer, and the deans—Shelly and Luthor—were equally stunned. Kromus turned to Pragaya, his voice laced with confusion. "Are you sure that's Rai?"
Pragaya's lips curled into a proud smirk. "THAT is Rai."
But just as quickly as his pride surfaced, it vanished. The situation was far more dire than it appeared. The suffocating malice that weighed down the battlefield—it wasn't coming from the tuxedo-clad creature taunting Rai. Something else was lurking. Something far worse.
Allseer was already attempting to pinpoint the source, yet no matter how far he stretched his senses, he found nothing. That fact alone sent a chill through the seasoned mages. If he couldn't detect it, then whatever it was had the power to conceal itself beyond even his perception.
For now, all they could do was watch. One wrong move, and both Rai and Ariel could be in grave danger. Pragaya clenched his fists, resisting the urge to act. He had to wait. Wait until the situation turned truly disastrous—because if he stepped in too soon, he might miss the real threat lurking in the shadows.
The creature's refined demeanor began to crack, irritation seeping into his voice. He let out an exaggerated sigh, "We have a smartass on our hands, gentlemen." His tone was theatrical, dripping with mock amusement. "I don't think you quite understand the gravity of this situation, my boy."
In a blur, he moved—his hand darting out to rest on Rai's shoulder.
But Rai, unfazed, sidestepped him effortlessly, his speed almost unnatural. Without so much as a glance, he continued his march toward Ariel.
Something shifted in the air. With each step Rai took, the creature's poise eroded further, his movements growing more frantic. It wasn't just frustration anymore. It was something deeper. Something like fear. He was desperate—almost as if his very existence depended on preventing Rai from reaching her.
The crowd could only watch, spellbound, as an uncanny game of cat and mouse unfolded. The creature lunged—Rai dodged. Again and again, Rai weaved past him without breaking stride, his cape flickering like a bolt of living lightning.
Then, Rai arrived at Ariel's side.
The creature froze. His once-sophisticated air had completely unraveled, his eyes wide with sheer dread. "Don't go near her, you fool!" he bellowed, voice laced with a panic that sent shivers through the crowd.
But Rai was undeterred.
Desperation took over. The creature had no choice. If words wouldn't stop him, then force would.
With a snarl, he lunged from behind, his razor-sharp nails extending mid-air, aiming to pierce straight through Rai's back.
For a split second, victory gleamed in his eyes—until his claws struck nothing but air.
His heart dropped.
Rai had left behind nothing but an afterimage.
Before the creature could even process what had happened, his own reckless momentum betrayed him. His body shot straight through the illusion, sending him crashing face-first into the dirt with a loud thud.
A stunned silence fell over the battlefield.
Rai, standing just a few feet away, hadn't even turned to acknowledge him.
Now, Rai stood directly above Ariel, his face still locked in that unwavering seriousness. The tension in the air was thick, and the crowd could no longer hold back their frustration.
"Go on, help her!" someone shouted.
"See if she's alive!" another voice demanded.
"Do something, man! Don't just stand there!"
But then, Rai did do something.
A sudden, chilling silence fell over the battlefield. The murmurs died, and in their place came the ominous crackling of lightning. At first, the crowd expected it to be his armor or cape, as it had been before—but it wasn't. The sound was coming from something else entirely.
A bright, crackling sphere of pure electricity formed in Rai's palm—a Spartan lightning sphere.
And then, to their horror, Rai raised his arm.
Not toward the creature.
But toward Ariel.
A ripple of disbelief washed over the crowd, their frustration melting into pure terror. Their minds struggled to comprehend what they were seeing. Some gasped. Some went pale. Others simply froze, unable to process the unthinkable.
Rai wasn't trying to save Ariel.
He was about to strike her down.
Mammoth could no longer contain his emotions. "You coward!" he roared, struggling against Lorenzo and Sylvia as they held him back along with the others. "I respected you, damn it! But you'd raise your hand against a defenseless girl?!" His voice was filled with raw fury, his body trembling with rage.
Even the creature—who had taunted and toyed with Rai just moments ago—now stood paralyzed, his expression frozen in sheer horror. Every eye in the crowd was locked onto Rai, their faces painted with disbelief, confusion, and dread. Even Pragaya, always calculated and composed, found himself at a loss for words.
No one could understand. No one could even begin to process why Rai—Rai of all people—would do this.
And before anyone could react… before a single soul could stop him…
He drove the spear of lightning straight toward Ariel's heart.
Everyone flinched, their instincts forcing them to shut their eyes, unable to bear witness to what was about to unfold. Only a few strong-willed individuals—the Headmaster, Kromus, Allseer, the deans, and Mammoth along with his two closest friends—kept their eyes locked on the scene. Even among them, confusion clouded their expressions. The Headmaster himself seemed momentarily taken aback.
As the rest hesitantly opened their eyes, bracing for the worst, what they saw left them utterly speechless.
Ariel was alive. The spear had not pierced her heart.
Instead, a powerful barrier shimmered in the air, stopping Rai's attack dead in its tracks. And the source of that barrier? Ariel herself.
The girl, who mere moments ago appeared unconscious, had lifted her left palm, effortlessly blocking the Spartan Lightning Spear.
A cold chill ran down the spines of everyone present. Even the creature, who had exuded nothing but smug arrogance, now seemed visibly shaken.
One question echoed in their minds.
"What the hell is going on?"
Yet, amidst the chaos, Rai's expression remained unchanged. His sharp, unwavering gaze spoke volumes—he had known. He had known all along.
Kromus felt his pulse quicken. How? How had Rai predicted this when even Allseer, the man who could see beyond the ordinary, had failed to notice?
He was about to speak, to demand an explanation—
But before he could utter a word, Ariel retaliated.
With a sudden surge of power, she repelled Rai's attack, unleashing a shockwave so potent that it rattled the air itself. The sheer force of it sent a resounding crack through the battlefield.
And in that moment, it all became terrifyingly clear.
Kromus' lingering question found its answer.
The suffocating, malevolent aura, the overwhelming sense of evil that had paralyzed even the strongest among them.
It wasn't coming from the creature.
It was coming from Ariel. And out of all the people here only Rai noticed it.
Pragaya moved swiftly, wasting no time in evacuating the students—including Mammoth, Sylvia, and Lorenzo—to safety. Meanwhile, the deans, Allseer, and Kromus remained on high alert, their bodies tense as they braced for whatever was to come.
Rai, having been pushed back by the force of Ariel's counter, dug his heels into the ground and swiftly regained his footing. His expression remained unchanged, unwavering.
The creature, now scrambling in desperation, rushed to Ariel's side as she slowly lifted herself from the ground. But the way he assisted her was not that of a servant tending to a fallen ally it was reverent, almost as if he were tending to royalty.
"My lady, forgive me," the creature spoke in his usual posh manner, bowing his head low. "I could not hold him back long enough."
Ariel, now fully upright, dusted off her uniform with an air of effortless grace. "That is quite alright, Zaass," she said, her voice laced with regal authority. "This whole ordeal was entertaining enough as it is."
But Zaass was visibly uneasy. His hands twitched slightly as if debating whether to reach for her again, his posture tense with guilt. "I am truly sorry, my lady, I"
"I did not permit you to speak."
Ariel's voice cut through the air like a blade, crisp and commanding. A cold shiver ran down Zaass's spine, and in an instant, he dropped to one knee, his lips sealed shut. He dared not utter another word.
She cast a sidelong glance at him, then sighed. "I won't fault you for this. That brat turned out to be more of a man than I had anticipated," she mused before shifting her gaze back to Rai. Then, with a wave of her hand, she dismissed Zaass entirely. "You are to return and await further orders."
Without hesitation, Zaass nodded sharply. His form flickered for a brief moment before vanishing entirely, leaving behind only a faint ripple in the air.
And just like that, the true enemy revealed itself.
Kromus finally understood why he had felt that overwhelming malice the moment the creature appeared it was because he had been summoned by Ariel. And for that to happen, she had to unlock her powers.
"How did you not see her, Seer?!" Kromus demanded, his voice sharp with frustration.
Allseer, still staring at Ariel in sheer disbelief, shook his head. "I looked everywhere… except at that girl. I could never have imagined her" He cut himself off, his expression darkening as the truth fully settled in.
Now that Ariel no longer needed to hide, the true intensity of her evil was unleashed upon the world, and it was suffocating. It felt as if the very gates of hell had been flung open, as if even God Himself had abandoned humanity.
Kromus, Shelly, Luthor, and Allseer stood frozen in place, their minds reeling. What they were witnessing wasn't just powerful, it was something far worse.
For the first time since the battle began, a flicker of emotion crossed Rai's face—worry. His hardened gaze faltered ever so slightly as he finally grasped the full extent of the nightmare standing before him.
Ariel scoffed, her lips curling in distaste. "How revolting," she sneered, waving her hand dismissively. "This form is disgusting."
Without hesitation, her body began to shift. Like dust swept away by the wind, her academy uniform disintegrated, merging seamlessly with her skin as an entirely new presence emerged. The transformation was hypnotic—eerily unnatural yet impossibly graceful.
Her once-modest appearance was gone. In its place stood a woman adorned in a lavish, form-fitting gown that accentuated every perfect curve. A daring slit ran along the left side, revealing her toned leg encased in sheer thigh-high stockings. The gown's neckline plunged just enough to expose her ample cleavage, a sight both tantalizing and dangerously entrancing. Her long, jet-black hair cascaded down her back like silk, framing a face sculpted with an almost divine precision. Crimson lips curved into an amused smirk, and her eyes—now an intoxicating shade of blood red—shimmered with an allure that felt both irresistible and deadly. Unlike the other Hellrisers and Infernals, who looked like creatures of the dark, Lilith was human for the most part, having none of the features of the previous foes such as the tail or pointy ears.
She was the embodiment of seduction, an enchantress crafted by the hands of the most skilled artisans to reflect every desire a man could ever dream of. And yet, beneath that breathtaking beauty lurked something far more sinister—something beyond mere mortal comprehension.
The shy, reserved Ariel was gone.
In her place stood a demon in the flesh.
"Hmmm… that's so much better. Hmm-hmm," she purred, her voice dripping with sultry desire as she stretched her arms gracefully. "Ugh, what a pain it was keeping up that ridiculous act." Clicking her tongue in disapproval, she ran her fingers through her silky black hair before shifting her gaze toward Rai.
Her crimson lips curled into a wicked smile as she bit her lower lip, her eyes burning with amusement and hunger. Then, in an instant—before anyone could react—she vanished.
Rai's eyes widened slightly.
For the first time in this entire battle, he had been caught off guard.
Even Kromus, Allseer, and the deans failed to track her movement, their eyes scanning wildly for her presence. But there was one man who did.
Pragaya.
He had returned just in time.
As the air distorted before Rai, the creature materialized right in front of him, her delicate hand reaching out to caress his face. But before her fingers could so much as graze his skin, a powerful grip clamped around her wrist.
Pragaya stood between them.
His expression was calm, yet his presence was like an unshakable wall. The creature's red eyes flickered with irritation as she clicked her tongue in annoyance. With a small flick of her wrist, she shook off Pragaya's grip effortlessly, brushing her fingers along the spot he had touched as if ridding herself of filth.
"Don't be so stiff, old man," she said, her voice laced with mockery. "I wasn't going to hurt your precious Rai here." Her gaze flicked back to Rai, eyes brimming with dark amusement. Then, she smirked, tilting her head ever so slightly.
"Because…" her voice lowered into a whisper, husky and dripping with seduction, "he might just become a precious little plaything for me soon."
Her gaze locked onto Rai, brimming with a twisted sense of desire. Then, she let out a slow, mature laugh, her every movement oozing an intoxicating charm—one that could reduce even the strongest of men to their knees.
Rai's usual confident and stoic demeanour had vanished. Beads of sweat rolled down his forehead as his breathing grew uneven. He was trying to maintain his composure, but the truth was undeniable—he was outmatched by a long, long mile.
Pragaya's voice rang out, firm and unyielding. "Ariel, I will have to kill y—"
Before he could finish, the creature cut him off sharply. "It's Lilith, you senile fool! Don't ever call me that ghastly name again," she spat, her voice laced with sheer disgust.
A smirk curled on her crimson lips as she lifted her chin in arrogance. "I am not like the pathetic creatures you've faced before, so don't make the mistake of treating me like them. I command far more respect. I am a true devil—not some lowly human turned monster." Her words dripped with superiority, her presence suffocating in its grandeur.
Lilith twirled a lock of her silken black hair between her fingers as her sultry gaze swept over the battlefield. "You should feel honored to even lay eyes on a being as divine as me," she declared, the very essence of seduction flowing from her voice.
Then, her attention shifted, locking onto Rai like a predator setting its sights on prey. "Now, if you'll excuse me, old man, I have a rather important conversation to finish with this fine young man."
Her lips curled into a teasing smile, her eyes glinting with carnal amusement as she stepped closer to Rai. "I will give you the honor of being my plaything… if you surrender yourself and come with me," she whispered, her voice a melodic poison, intoxicating and irresistible.
The moment the words left her lips, a powerful force erupted between them. Pragaya attempted to intervene, but in an instant, a shimmering force field blasted him backward, separating him from Rai. The crowd watched in horror as the two were now completely alone.
Lilith's delicate fingers trailed up Rai's cheek, her touch feather light yet commanding. "Come on, Rai… be mine," she purred, her breath warm against his skin.
Pragaya, now visibly frustrated, gritted his teeth as he pounded against the force field, but it didn't budge. His mana flared wildly around him, but no matter how much power he exerted, he couldn't break through. Desperation crept into his usually composed face.
Kromus, Allseer, and the deans quickly joined in, unleashing a barrage of attacks against the invisible barrier. Every ounce of their power slammed against it, but it absorbed everything without a single crack. The realization struck like a hammer: Rai was completely on his own.
Inside the barrier, Lilith let out a sultry chuckle, her voice dripping with honeyed temptation. "So, what do you say? Would you come with me?" she whispered, her deep red eyes locking onto Rai's.
Rai's breathing grew uneven as he stared into her mesmerizing gaze. His body felt lighter, his mind hazy. Every fiber of his being screamed at him to resist, but he couldn't move—no, he didn't want to move. He was caught.
And who could blame him?
A beauty beyond human comprehension, a voice laced with the sweetest allure, an intoxicating presence that drowned out reason itself. It was as if the very concept of resistance had been erased from existence.
Lilith smiled victoriously, gently cupping his cheeks with both hands as she leaned in closer, her lips just inches from his.
This was it.
She had won.