The group read the coordinates that led them to yet another cave. Azire sighed, running a hand through his hair. "When will we ever be out of these caves?"
As they entered, a horrific sight greeted them. Maya, Hollie, and Suna were chained up against the stone walls, unconscious. They looked unharmed—no scratches, no bruises—just asleep, likely drugged. However, the real horror lay around them. Piles of bodies, some barely recognizable as human, were stacked carelessly across the room. Twisted, mangled forms suggested cruel experiments had been performed. The stench of death was thick in the air.
From a darkened corridor, an angel stepped forward, smirking. "Great to see you all again."
Azire sneered. "So, you've got a name, huh?"
The angel chuckled. "Well, you've seen me twice now, so I suppose I should tell you. My name is Elioud."
Before he could continue, Azire dashed forward, throwing a punch. Elioud mirrored the movement, and their fists collided, sending shockwaves through the cave. Their auras flared, pulsating with raw energy.
Belial smirked. "I can't let you have all the fun, huh, Azire?" He lunged forward with a punch of his own, but Elioud countered with a sharp kick, sending him crashing into the cave wall alongside Azire.
Ken and Uno wasted no time, rushing in to engage. As the fight raged, Elioud spoke, effortlessly dodging and countering. "My master assigned me this tedious mission for one reason."
Uno leaped back, generating a powerful air wave. "What reason?"
Elioud smiled. "To make the Demon King stronger. You'll see what I mean soon enough."
Azire summoned his sword, gripping it tightly. "Belial, let's do that attack."
Belial nodded, summoning his gauntlet. Azire slashed at it, charging their attack. Belial called out to Ken, "Move! Now!" Then, he roared, "Eclipse Rupture!"
A massive explosion engulfed the room, shaking the ground. Dust and smoke filled the air.
Maya, Hollie, and Suna groggily opened their eyes, still feeling the effects of the drug. Seeing the battle before them, their hearts filled with hope. "They saved us!" Hollie exclaimed.
But as the smoke cleared, Elioud stood unfazed, his palm raised as if he had deflected the attack with ease. He smiled. "That was interesting."
Belial collapsed from exhaustion, leaving Azire, Ken, and Uno standing alone. Azire clenched his fists. "How can we even beat him? He's too strong."
Uno stepped forward. "Azire, you have to. We can't give up now. Think of something!"
Elioud let out a low chuckle and reached for his weapon. The sword he pulled out gleamed with divine energy, different from what he had been using before. "Meet Holy Excalibur. Since you're taking this seriously, I will too."
The radiant sword emitted a blinding light. Azire could feel it—one strike from that blade could be fatal. He summoned Abyssfang, gripping the hilt tightly.
The two clashed, their swords colliding in a flurry of sparks. They moved at blinding speeds, striking, parrying, and countering all across the cave.
Watching the battle, Suna turned to Hollie and Maya. "We need to help somehow."
Hollie shook her head. "There's nothing we can do. They're moving too fast—our magic won't even reach them."
Maya, however, felt something stir within her. A voice echoed in her mind.
"Use me," it whispered. "We need to help him. You know I can."
She recognized it—Nyx, the Violent Crescent. Taking a deep breath, she nodded. Her violet eyes glowed, and a crescent moon symbol appeared beneath one of her eyelids. Her earrings pulsed with energy, turning a deep violet.
"Crescent Phantom!" she shouted.
Three clones of Maya emerged, surrounding Azire and channeling energy into him. Strength surged through his body, his exhaustion vanishing. His movements became faster, his strikes heavier. Elioud's confident smirk faltered.
"Don't think you're winning," Elioud muttered. "This is all part of my plan."
With one final clash, the two combatants jumped back, standing on opposite sides of the battlefield.
"We can't give him a break!" Uno called. "Ken, let's go!"
They sprinted toward Elioud, weapons ready. But Elioud merely scoffed, whispering to himself, "Cattle who think they are stronger than me… How disgusting."
Then—
Slash.
Silence.
A body dropped to the ground.
Uno.
Dead.
Everyone froze. The weight of the moment pressed down on them like a crushing force. Azire stared at Uno's lifeless form. Stared. And stared. His hands trembled.
Cocobeal appeared from the shadows. He looked at Elioud and spoke in a low, ominous tone. "Angel… you have made a grave mistake."
Then he vanished.
Azire's aura darkened, shifting into a deep black mist that swirled around him. It grew, consuming his entire form. His breathing became heavy, unsteady. Then, horns sprouted from his head. A demon tail flicked behind him. His wings burst out, no longer those of an angel—but something far more sinister.
He lifted his gaze, his eyes glowing blood-red, filled with unrelenting fury.
Azire rushed forward, grabbing Elioud and throwing him against the cave wall with such force that the rock cracked. Before Elioud could react, Azire was upon him again, pummeling him mercilessly. Bones cracked. Blood spilled. Elioud's cries of pain echoed through the cave.
Suna, Maya, and Hollie watched in horror. This wasn't the Azire they knew. This was something else—something terrifying.
They were afraid.
And they had no idea how to stop him.