[Tekoa Town]

After the destructive flash of light erupted in the Mayor's estate, it soon then dissipated without occurring additional destruction to the surroundings. It simply destroyed a pacific area in the mansion, as if someone had suppressed its power. Even though no one knows how this happened, it was already thankful enough that the destruction was limited to a specific area.

With this said, Amit was lying on the floor, gasping for her breath, as she lost all the feeling on her limbs. Apparently due to Sato's attack, all her limbs were obliterated in exchange for dealing a significant wound on Sato. Even though she manage to land a hit, her situation was far worse than Sato himself.

On the otherhand, Sato was limping on his sword, as he was clutching his wound, due to Amit successfully stabbing him on his liver. If not treated immediately, this may lead to successive organ failure which can result to his death. Unluckily during this time, his limit break came to an end, causing his body to suddenly feel all the pain he had incurred during his limit break state.

He literally felt like dying as if his whole body was breaking apart like a glass. Each and every step he takes felt so heavy, his breath was slow on the rhythm, it truly felt like he was dying. However he refused to fall down. He was a hero, a hero who has the mission to protect the world from the demons. He was given a task to defeat the demons of this world and to prepare for the inevitable war. A literal trump card.

In this moment he was training himself, preparing for the inevitable battle. If he lose now to a person who is not even a demon, how would he be able to handle the war that was about to come. As far as he knows, the demons are far stronger than any opponent that he has faced so far.

With that, he then forced himself to walk towards Amit who was lying on the destroyed pile of bricks and stones, as he saw her laugh at him, after looking at his state.

"Gahaha-.... your dying, that's great.... if I die, I'll atleast bring one of you with me and surprisingly... the most annoying out of the bunch of them will be coming along with me in hell"

"Is that all you have to say for yourself? Don't you feel sorry for what you guys did to Ester and other people who I presumed you've done the same?"

"..... I... regret nothing"

The moment Amit said that, Sato closed his eyes, as he hesitated for a moment, before delivering a final blow by stabbing amits neck.

The feeling of his sword stabbing through the life of another human being, Sato couldn't help but feel sick, as he didn't expect that he had to kill a human being himself. Even though he had prepared his mind to kill a human being in the past if he or she is evil for the sake of peace, it seems like he still wasn't prepared for actually doing the deed itself.

Killing a human was still a bit too much for him considering he came from a world where such act is considered murder. However he refuse to vomit on the spot as he pulled out his sword and slowly walk away.

While amit is lying on the floor dead, Sato was going to check Takahashi's state, when he suddenly felt his energy leaving his body as if his adrenaline had been sucked out of him, as he fell on the ground face first and slowly lose his consciousness.

Just like that Sato and Takahashi's battle had ended with both sides unable to continue the battle any longer.

**********

Moving on just right outside the Mayor's estate, Lucifer is simply shocked and surprised by how much the hero had grown in this situation. However even though he had indeed improved, he is still far away till he reach his maximum potential and stand on the level of upper beings.

On the otherhand, the reason why the combined power of Sato's attack and Amit's attack didn't spread its destruction to the whole town and was simply restrained in one area, was all because of Lucifers intervention. By simply using his own power, he effortlessly suppressed the range of destruction to one area without causing it to harm the citizens itself.

The reason for doing this act which seemed good on the surface was a because of Sato's attack. Sato's attack combined with his Hero's status, has a trait of affecting the soul itself. If Sato manage to kill a person with his own attacks, he would be able to cleanse their soul and forcefully bring them to the other side. As an agents of the God's, Sato was capable of such feat. Unknowingly Sato seemed oblivious of this fact itself.

Due to such trait, Lucifer couldn't afford to have Sato's attack, spread throughout the town and affect all the dead souls he had spread all over by killing a certain number of the town's residents. He has a plan in store for all this souls and as extra measure, lucifer had mix in something foreign into those souls in order to prevent anyone who has the power related to death, to use the souls he had collected. Since that was the case, it was only natural why he would supress Sato's attack into a small area.

However this act alone, attracted some bothersome people along the way. Since his mana was exposed when he tried to suppress the attack, Azrael caught wind of his scent, as he rushed towards his direction, after dealing with some evil spirits along the way.

The moment Azrael landed on the building where Lucifer is, he immediately understood that Lucifer killed Jophiel in order to take out the only person who could potentially purify the souls aside from the hero himself. Since Sato's power hasn't matured yet, it was only natural for Lucifer to target the bigger threat, in order for his plan to succeed.

"Lucifer..."

"... Azrael... long time no see"

"So your the one who killed Jophiel, I figured as much since it's rare for someone to have the capability to kill an archangel"

"Aren't you going to ask me how I got here? Why I'm here? What I was doing here?"

"No need, after all it seemed like Jophiel already knows, I'm just going to ask him when our queen revives him"

After Azrael said those words, he quickly brandished his scythe, as he slashed it towards Lucifer, only to be blocked Lucifers staff which seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. Upon seeing that his attack has been blocked, it then quickly pulled back his sycthe, as he spun around for momentum, before swing it on the opposite direction.

However Lucifer also blocked such an attack, as he pushed Azrael's sycthe upwards with his staff, before turning around and stabbing it towards Azrael. Unfortunately Azrael saw through  Lucifer's attack, as he quickly redirected his stab to the side, before swing it towards lucifer, who quickly turned into shadow to evade his slash.

When that happened, Lucifer quickly manifested behind Azrael, as he sifted his weapon into a heavy mace, and slammed it down towards Azrael. Upon seeing that Lucifer's weapj had shifted its form, Azrael couldn't help but be surprised, as he got pushed back while glaring at Lucifer.

Considering Lucifer's traits and properties, it wouldn't be surprising of his weapon could also shape shift like it's wielder, with that Azrael kept a calm look as he focused on Lucifer rather than his weapon. On the otherhand Lucifer seemed to misunderstand Azrael's expression as he begun to talk.

"Curious about my weapon?"

"Not really"

"Oh! Is that so..."

"....."

"Anyway now that you said it, your queen is indeed will be quite annoying... killing archangels like you is easy, but it won't be easy if your queen has the ability to revive you... which brings me to a great idea!!! If your queen can revive you as long as she is alive, then can your queen be revived too if I kill her?"

The moment Lucifer posed that question, Azrael quickly rushed towards him a he attack him continously, forcing Lucifer on the defensive. This time however Azrael's attack became even more diverse that Lucifer had no choice but to keep using his ability to turn into shadow.

After their 30th exchange, 5 dodges, and 10 parries, Lucifer quickly distanced himself as he spread out its golden wings on its back as if trying to intimidate Azrael. At the same time when Lucifer showed his wings, Azrael showcased his black wings, in an attempt to rebel against Lucifer's intimidation.

"ENOUGH!!!" Shouted by Lucifer

After Lucifer shouts those words, he then slowly composed himself as he arranged his suit while calming down his tone.

"It seems like I hit a nerve, so that's how important she is to you people"

"Your not allowed to go near her lucifer, nor be in her presence"

"Why? It's not like I plan to actually hurt her... cause I know that if do that, all of you will come after me, not that I don't mind... but there is an arrangement for everything"

"After what you did in the past, do you really think we could trust you?"

"I guess not... but above all, I am quite curious about her... why did it send her here instead of his precious son?"

"Cease your question Lucifer, I'm warning you... his name shall not be spoken from the mouth of such sinner"

"Sinner... now that you say about it  what was my sin?"

"You know what you did"

"What? Rebel? Giving an ape to the first humans? Isn't all of that a byproduct of free will? Imposing so much free will on us, and yet so controlling... isn't that contradictory?"

"....."

"Your silent... I take it that I'm right?"

"Not quite! I know what your doing Lucifer... your stalling, i just don't know what your stalling at"

When Lucifer heard Azrael's words, he then suddenly smiled as he replied while having the darkness shroud his presence.

"It is for the grand plan Azrael, you will know soon enough"

When Azrael saw that Lucifer was about to make his escape, he then tried to chase after him, only to get tackled and realized that Lucifer had released his demonic hounds on him.

"Seriously! I didn't expect you to deal with those evil spirits so easily, anyway till we meet again Azrael"

Blocked by the demonic beast that Lucifer released in his shadow, Azrael couldn't help but watch as Lucifer flee, while he was pre occupied by the demonic beings. Just like that Azreal couldn't help but bore a slight hatred towards Lucifer.

*********

Meanwhile, after the violent shaking that almost tripped Ester, him together with Hino and Fujino, finally arrived at the dimly lighted basement floor, as a long hallway greeted them when they opened the basement floor's door.

The moment the door was opened, the scent of Ziv passed by Ester, as he quickly recognized the scent and limply followed its track.

Not long after the hallway finally came to an end as the door to the next room was in front of them while being guarded by multiple soldiers wielding weapons and being led by Vaknin who stood at the forefront of the troops.

"I advise you to surrender and go away, if you do so, we could decide to lighten your punishment for trespassing in the Mayor's estate"

When Hino and Fujino heard that, both of them looked at each other, before quickly pulling out their respective weapons. When Ester saw this, he then felt gratitude that the girls quite younger than him was willing to fight by his side. At the same time he was also sad that they were willing to risk their young life in order to help him. No matter what he needs to repay their groups kindness by making sure that the two girls come out alive in this fight.

On the other hand when Vaknin saw this, he then felt sorry for the choices that they made, as he pulled out his great sword and called put to start the battle.

"Kill them"

***ReadAtWebnovel***