No one's POV

Let's go back before Finn and his team got split up with each other. Asuna who was still fighting Revis got a surprised attacked by someone from behind her. That person managed to grab ahold of her beautiful face and dragged her towards one of the pit-holes separating her from her friends. She along with the person continue to fall, and Asuna was trying her best to let go of the hand that was covering her face.

Asuna: Just let me go, already!!

Asuna demanded as she forced herself to summoned her Water Enchantment magic Aqua Current. The water magic appeared surrounding her entire body and blast the person away from her.

But the person just smirk letting himself be caught by the water stream. The two of them continue to fall until both of them had landed into a huge wide area so big it could be consider a hall.

Asuna: Where is this place?

Asuna looked around trying to figure out where she was. She was trying to asses the situation as quickly as possible and trying to find her way towards the others. She only saw that there was only one passageway that leads out of the room she was in. But it was blocked by the man that had separated her from her team. But the moment she looked at the person, her eyes widened in shock as the person standing there just smirk.

???: It's been awhile, hasn't it? Berserker!

Asuna: No way...! How are you still alive...?!

A closer examination revealed that the cause of the silhouette's flickering outline was a black half cloak that whipped in the wind. The cloak's hood was pulled low, keeping the face completely hidden. But...

???: Gyahahahaha....!!

Asuna: No...it can't be. There's just no way...Am I...looking at a ghost...? That black cloak...That leather poncho...

???: As long as you and the Flash is here, I'll keep returning no matter how many times it takes.

Asuna: Your supposed to be dead 6 years ago. During the 27th floor Nightmare. Sora killed you with his own two hands.

Asuna felt the center of her head freeze, like it had just turned to ice. In the battle, the one man who was responsible for directly and indirectly killing more adventurers 6 years ago than anyone else.

He always wore a black poncho and did his bloody work with a huge dagger that was more like a meat cleaver than anything else. And now, 6 years later, that murderer was still had returned from the death and watching Asuna from afar.

Asuna:.........It can't be. It's an illusion. I'm seeing a ghost. Begone. Go away.

But the black silhouette flickering in the heat haze just mocked her prayer by raising its right hand. Then it wiggled it back and forth in a sarcastic greeting. Before she had time to wonder how he was still alive, the black-poncho man strode quickly over to stand right before Asuna. Even from this distance, she couldn't see through the darkness under his hood. The only details were a powerful lower jaw and black curls hanging around his neck. That mouth of his formed a cruel smile, and he said, almost cheerfully.

PoH: Hey...long time no see, Berserker.

Asuna(mind): That voice! Ah! It is him!!

Her breath caught in her throat. The words came unbidden from her chest.

Asuna: You're...PoH...! Evilus strongest member.

PoH: Ohhh, isn't that a nostalgic name? I'm so happy you remember it.

Asuna: You're still alive... How...?!

Asuna gritted her teeth and growled. But PoH only sneered.

PoH: It is true that I died that day. Got killed by the Flash own two hand. Man it was exciting. My body was chopped in half, losing an arm, almost everything. It was then, I met 'That person'.

Asuna: 'That person'?

PoH: That's exactly right. She was so beautiful and supreme. I couldn't help but tremble when I saw her. She offer me with a choice. To serve here, and I'll live on. So I can meet you two once again, like this! Gyahahahahahahaha!!!!!

PoH stared down at her without a word. Then she noticed that his shoulders were trembling. Within a few seconds, he was shaking with uncontrollable mirth. Under the poncho, his body twisted and writhed with laughter. Then suddenly Asuna npticed PoH's Mate-Chopper, still in his hand, emitted an eerie light with swirls of red and black. In fact, it seemed that the air of the entire battlefield was slowly rotating around the knife. PoH's Mate-Chopper shot its dark-red aura from its raised position.

Asuna(mind): What the...?! What is this power of darkness that the old PoH doesn't have...?

Asuna was completely stunned. Before Sora killed PoH, he's stats were a high level 6. If he was brought back to life by 'this person' that he had mentioned, and had gained a tremendous amount of strength.

Asuna(mind): He's now Level 7!!

Then PoH launched at Asuna in a terrifying speed. So fast that he even could be compare to Allen Fromel of Freya Familia's top speed. Asuna immediately drew her rapier and barely able to defend herself. They first clash has started. Asuna's knee immediately fell by the power of PoH's strength. But she managed to react and gain some distance.

Asuna: Guh...!

PoH: Hey now. Don't go dying on me now. Let me enjoy you to the fullest first.

Asuna: What is this power of darkness?!

PoH: Oh... Is a power that was granted to me by 'That person'. Right now, my power is far greater than Revis and Ein.

Asuna: 'That person' again. I assume you won't tell me who this person is? Whom I'm guessing wasn't Enyo.

PoH: Enyo? Hahahahahah! I have nothing to do with that God. Though, I will enjoy killing the rest of your friends with this power. Who knows, maybe the Flash will go into despair if he sees you die by my hands.

Her right hand twitched, when she heard that, she slid across the surface of the earth, and grabbed what lay there: the handle of Lambent Light. When she raised her head, the Grim Reaper. The furor around them seemed to vanish momentarily, all eyes trained upon that merciless edge. Asuna held her breath, gritted her teeth, and put all the strength she still had left into her legs. She pushed off the ground.

Asuna: Raaaaaaaaah!!

With a bloodcurdling scream, she drew back the rapier. Brilliant-white light shone from its tip. The basic fencing Aqua Current rapier thrust was one she'd performed thousands of times, if not hundreds of thousands. PoH's reflexes were sharp enough that he noticed the surprise attack.

PoH: Oh—

He grunted, leaning backward. She thrust her hand straight for the darkness of the hood, which was now moving away from her. There was a small bit of feedback in her arm. One lock of curly black hair flew into the air, and a few droplets of fresh blood sprayed from dark skin.

Asuna(mind): He dodged it!

Asuna was frozen for a brief, fatal instant—and PoH's knife came rushing straight for her torso. But at the same time, she focused her mind on the ground under PoH's feet. A faint rainbow of light glowed there and vanished. She used the power of Stacia to generate a little bump of earth, just inches tall, under his feet.

And for that heavy price, the dark reaper lost his balance, and his knife did nothing but rip her dress a little.

Asuna: Rrgh...!

Free from her paralysis, Asuna pulled back the rapier again.

PoH: Whoa!

PoH's poncho swung up into the air as he raised his knife to block it. The divinely quick thrust and the powerful slice met in midair, creating a mixture of white and crimson sparks. Asuna put all her strength behind her weapon, trying to push through PoH's blade.

Asuna: What... do you want? What is it that you truly desire? What would you gain from trying to destroy Orario?

She demanded, her voice hoarse. With a smirk and a snarl, PoH said from beneath his hood,

PoH: Destroying Orario...? I want no such thing. Isn't it obvious? The one in black... the one I first tried to kill when I first formed Evilus and never could. He's the only one I really want.

Asuna:...Why do you hate Sora so much? What did he ever do to you?

PoH: Hate?

PoH repeated, affronted. He leaned in closer and whispered.

PoH: I thought you, of all people, would understand how much I truly love him. In this world full of assholes, he's the only person you can unconditionally believe in. He never broke down, no matter how much I tormented him. Never gave in to temptation, no matter how much I invited him. He always brought me hope and joy. That's why I will do anything to make sure he will go down by my very hands. I will be the one to bring that Light of Hope, despair!

As the personification of death exhaled these words, they became a black miasma that clung to Asuna, sapping her will to fight.

Asuna: Hope...? Joy...? Giving him despair...? As if you had any idea...of how much he had to endure because of you! How much he had already despair because of you.

She snapped back, but the point where their weapons met and scraped sparks into being was slowly, slowly tilting back toward her. In fact, it wasn't just that Asuna's willpower was weakening. PoH's wicked Mate-Chopper was trembling like a living creature in his hand, growing slightly thicker and larger with every passing second. PoH noticed her shock. A smile emerged from the darkness beneath his hood.

PoH: I hope you haven't forgotten what my skill is...? Blood Conversion!

Asuna: !!

PoH's skill Blood Conversion. A special skill that makes the users grow stronger by the amount of human blood near the 500 meter radius. Whether it be above him or below him. And not to mentioned, Asuna's blood as well. Which she couldn't heal right now when she was struck down the first time.

PoH: Right now your Familia has probably fallen by now. The blood of that Pallum especially. The more blood is spilled, the stronger I become.

As the Grim Reaper whispered, his Mate-Chopper creaked and groaned, growing larger. Asuna's Lambent Light, top-level equipment, seemed unable to withstand its pressure. All the sound in the background faded away, leaving Asuna with only her breath and her pulse in her ears. PoH's very presence seemed to weigh on Asuna, as though the evil weapon's effect also applied to his height.

PoH: Once I suck up every last one of those blood, I'm going to kill all the people this entire world, from end to end. I'm not just talking about those pathetic Familia of yours—I mean all of them: Freya Familia, Hestia Familia, and all the people in the world. However many thousands of people that is, I'm sure he'll fall into despair this time. If he is the Light of Hope I believe in.

A cold gust of wind rustled his leather hood, revealing the eyes underneath for a brief moment. They were red and dimly glowing. A devil. He was not human, but a true devil. That was the true nature of PoH. The mask of the cheerful agitator he used to wore and the mask of the harsh commander he wore here were both just that: lies. In truth, he was a cold, cruel agent of vengeance who sought only to inflict pain, to torment, and wipe out all traces of humanity... The strength went out of Asuna's knees. Her rapier creaked in its struggle, and the knife's blade edged closer to her throat.

PoH: Don't worry. I won't kill you yet. I'm just going to make sure you can't interfere anymore. You need to be around to watch...when the boy you love dies in my arms.

The Mate-Chopper was close to twice its original size now. Lambent Light issued a high-pitched scream, and a fine crack ran through its length. With her right knee having fallen to the ground, Asuna watched a black mist spilling from the hood covering her eyes. Through the darkness shone only the thick steel blade and her crimson eyes. Just before Asuna completely lost all strength, someone's small hand touched her back, providing support.

Slyphid(telepathy): It's all right. I'm here now.

A pure-blue light shot from the center of Asuna's chest, piercing the darkness.

Slyphid(telepathy): Don't let this devil tormented you by his pathetic words. Just let everything out.

Asuna(telepathy): Out...?

Slyphid(telepathy): Just like how Sora managed to coat himself with a layer of lightning with his enchantment. You can too with your water.

After hearing those words, Asuna could feel her heart pumping loudly. Slyphid had entered her body to increased her Mind. With that in mind, Asuna shouted.

Asuna: Auros: Aqua Current: Akira!!

With that spell in mind. Her water enchantment erupted. Asuna manifested a tremendous amount of water in an instant. The water completely surrounded her, then swelled rapidly to try and swallow PoH as well.

PoH: Wha...

PoH nearly froze for a moment, but he quickly jumped back to gain some distance

PoH: She  brought out a ton of water in an instant.

PoH looked at the scene. The amount of water Asuna had created was great enough to swallow the entire Knossos. Yet the huge mass of water didn't break shape at all, maintaining its elastic droplet shape.

PoH: What the hell is going on...?

PoH poured essence into his Mate-Chopper and released a slash of darkness at the water mass. However, the strike merely bounced off the surface of the water—it was unable to open a hole. On top of that, the water that rebounded off the surface returned to the mass. It was just a waste of magic essence.

PoH: Tch... What is she trying to pull?

PoH hatefully glared at the mass of water Asuna had created. Then the wall of water around her started undulating. Covering her entire body. She now looked like a female humanoid surrounded in a large reservoir of constantly flowing water. The water flows from her head down her body and towards the ends of her limbs, where they wrap back around upwards to form pigtails. Her eyes glow blue.

PoH: Wha—?!

PoH couldn't believe what he was seeing. Then she could hear voices of her friends. And her beloved fighting not to far from her. A gentle breeze so powerful approach the very room the two of them were in.

Bete: Hey... Freak of nature...

Tione: Having fun bullying our sister, are ya?

Tiona: We ain't gonna go easy on ya!

Gareth: Off ye go now.

Bete. Tione. Tiona. Gareth. And not just her closest companions. She could also hear the rest of her Familia not to far from here, like Raul, and Aki and the other as well, like Narfi, Cruz, Rakuta, Nick, and the many other Familia member. They were all still alive fighting and not giving up. Then she as well must not give up.

Asuna(mind): I can still fight. Your hearts united give me strength.

Asuna: I won't give in...I will never allow myself to succumb...to someone like you...who is only capable of hatred!!

She screamed. A surge of white light issued from her being, jolting PoH backward. Asuna returned to her feet and drew back her rapier hand. With Slyphid's power inside of her. And a pure white light that belongs to her lover covering her. Waves of pale- purple light reminiscent of the color of thyme flowers emerged from the weapon, coloring the entire world.

PoH: Hrrrng...!!

The reaper attempted to stand his ground, but that just left him wide open to attack. Asuna activated the Original Sword Skill. Five attacks from the upper right, lightning-fast thrusts in a diagonal line. Five attacks from the upper left, another line of glowing points intersecting with the first.

PoH: Gaaah...

PoH gasps were flecked with bright blood, but his giant knife still glowed red. If he caught her flush with a direct counterattack, it would easily wipe out what health she had remaining. But Asuna's onslaught wasn't over.

Asuna: Raaaaaaah!!

She focused all her remaining energy into the tip of the rapier for the last —and biggest—attack, right at the intersecting point of the two lines. It was the end of the eleven-part OSS, Mother's Rosario. A purple flash like a shooting star penetrated PoH's chest. The black-clad personification of death flew high into the air and came crashing down heavily a good distance away. But she wasn't finished just yet. The moment PoH was thrown off, she started chanting the fastest chant she could.

Asuna: Confine, o Ice! Everlasting Confinement, Entwine thus, Ice! Frozen Curse. Shimmer forth, Ice and Light! Multi-Colored Ray.

Her words came out faster and faster as the spell of ice and frost formed on her tongue.

Asuna: May we're forged by the bitter cold blizzard. Freeze into the nothingness.

Only she didn't stop. She continued, transitioning directly into another spell.

Asuna: Come forth, Water! Raging Whirlpool...

The diamond-colored magic circle already formed beneath her grew in splendor as her chant shifted toward magic of complete and total annihilation—her water dragon spell.

Asuna: Descend, O Water. Blessing of the Heavens...

Concatenated Chanting. It was a special magic characteristic possessed by the high elf queen, Asuna Yuuki and Riveria Ljos Alf. A type of chant that could encompass any of the three spells expressed in their Status. Just as different levels could exist within a single Status, so, too, did three levels of spell exist within her Magic.

From ultrashort chants to short chants, from short chants up to long chants, and from long chants all the way up to protracted chants. By connecting the respective levels of chants, one could bolster the total magic output, change the magic's effects, and amplify their destructive power.

Offensive, defensive, healing—three different types of magic each with three different levels. This made for nine different spells the high elf could concatenate at will depending on the situation. A name that struck fear and awe into her many elven brethren. It was the name of the strongest magical swordswoman user in all of Orario.

Asuna: Flow like the raining sea. True essence of the flow of the water...

This was no longer simply her ice spell, Windy Icicle. With each additional word of the concatenated chant, she focused even more Mind, a colossal amount. The chant she wove now was a high-tier spell, the longest in her arsenal and boasting the greatest range. It was a spell that would set every enemy within its blast radius swallowed in raging waves. The sublimation of ice into water, short into long destructive power doubling in a spell of catastrophic proportions.

Asuna: Splash into the abyss...

A brilliant light flashed from the cracked magic jewel at its tip as the mammoth magic power was released.Her hair danced in the rippling waves of magic light flowing from her magic circle, and slowly, ever so slowly, she opened her diamond eyes.

Asuna: Lake of Wisdom: My name is Wishe!

It was complete. As far, far ahead of her, where the devil lay on the ground, the magic circle at Asuna's feet grew to encompass the entire battlefield. She had found it. The creature, in the middle of that rubble, threatening her companions even now. Then, she pronounced her spell.

Asuna: TRUE AQUEOUS GEYSER: YAMATA NO OROCHI!!

It has erupted. The mighty spell of the 8-headed Water Dragon. It was at least 10 meters tall. Asuna sent one of the water dragons to fall towards him on the ground. The amount of mass-energy falling was immeasurable.

PoH: What—?!

Then in his panic. The water dragons managed to strike PoH. It was like colliding with a gigantic iron ball. PoH's body was blown away at an incredible speed, smashing into the adamantite walls destroying them. Asuna jumped towards one of the 8 heads and follow after the hole that was made by her magic and went to chase after PoH.

It smashes through everything in its paths. Even the hard adamantite walls was powerless by Asuna's mighty magic. And with Slyphid increasing her Mind, Asuna wasn't the least bit tired after unleashing such power. She went straight towards the cause of the breeze where Aiz had unleashed her magic and she burst through. Then through those walls, Asuna and PoH landed on another room, where she saw Sora and her comrades and Revis the Red Tamer whose body had been sliced in half.

Everyone: Asuna...!

Sora: Looks like she made it here just in the right time.

Blasting PoH towards the wall near Revis, Asuna landed near her boyfriend and fell to a knee again. PoH's avatar was still lying prone on the ground. But it was impossible to imagine that he had taken an eleven-hit combo skill and getting hit with a huge spell and survived.

Asuna: Hah... Hah...

Sora: You alright...?

Asuna: Yeah. I'm fine... My Mind hasn't gone down just yet.

Sora: That's my girl.

Only Sora could understand the words Asuna mentioned. Slyphid had gotten there in time and aid Asuna in her battle. She got to her feet, then turned to check on her comrades. She saw all of them battered up and saw Finn and some of the critical condition, they watched her in disbelief. Asuna wanted to heal their wounds as fast as possible. But no sooner had she taken a step or two than she sensed a faint rumble through the earth.

They held her breath and looked. PoH was on the ground, completely immobile. But the Mate-Chopper, still in his hand, emitted an eerie light with swirls of red and black. In fact, it seemed that the air of the entire battlefield was slowly rotating around the knife.

Aki: Ah...

Raul: What is he...?

The Grim Reaper in black rose to his feet, as though pulled upright by the floating weapon. The front of the poncho was greatly damaged, exposing his figure and his tight leather suit. There was a huge hole in his chest where the final blow of the OSS and Water Dragon had struck, through which the background behind him was visible.

The Loki Familia second-tier exclaimed in fright when they saw PoH standing despite his entire heart having been blasted out of his chest. Even Sora was unnerved by it. Most likely, the Blood Conversion was absorbing the tremendous amount of blood resources in the air and converting them into life for PoH. But even with that assumption in mind, Asuna couldn't stop herself from trembling. The god of death just grinned with blood dripping from his lips—and bellowed in a voice loud enough to shake everything within hearing distance.

PoH: It's been awhile, Flash.

Sora: Well... Well... Well... If it isn't the Prince of Hell. So you are still alive are you?

Gareth: PoH. He was supposed to be long gone.

Raul: We saw his body.

Aki: So how...

Sora: My guess he's been revive as a Creature as well. Even more terrifying than that Red Tamer.

PoH smirk and looked at Revis on the ground.

PoH: What a disgrace, Revis. Showing such pathetic sight.

Revis: Stop pestering me and help out!

PoH: Hmph...!

PoH grabbed Revis upper half and put her on his shoulder. He looked at Sora and the other Loki Familia member.

Sora: Asuna... Go heal them. I'll handle them.

Asuna: Alright.

Asuna walked towards her companion and started chanting her strongest healing spells.

Asuna: Heal them, golden ale, cleanse all toxins, and have them stand to the line of battle once more: Dia Geist!

It was Asuna's strongest healing magic that heals any wounds, stamina, status ailment, and curses within a 5 meter radius. A green flash brought grass and flowers up from the dirt that vanished as soon as they arrived. Everyone was cured from their wounds. Even Finn who had been struck down was now fully healed but still unconscious.

Tione: Captain.

Gareth:...A spare ax, lass. Toss it to me.

Gareth hissed to one of the supporters.

Rakuta: R-right!

The dwarven soldier, equipped with half-shattered armor, accepted the offered weapon, preparing himself for battle. Aiz, too, with her wounds fully healed, she readied her sword, looking directly at PoH and Revis. Just then. The walls of the room—came crashing to the ground.

Sora: Huh?!

It happened without warning. A swath of steely skin suddenly obscured a side of their vision. And as the great hulking beast lumbered toward them in a shower of stone and adamantite, none of them could breathe. Even PoH and Revis looked surprised. But it was Sora who found his voice first, shouting at the top of his lungs.

Sora: RUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUNNNN!!

And they did, abandoning everything and retreating from the room. They flew toward the exit en masse. And as for the lower-ranked members who couldn't get to their feet as quickly, Asuna, Aiz, Tiona, Tione, Bete, Raul, and the other higher-ranked adventurers grabbed them by their clothes and yanked them along for the ride.

Revis: How did Gugalanna get here of all places? Shit...!

PoH: Oi...! Isn't that supposed to be contained?!

PoH and Revis revealed that this was an Irregular for them, as well, before disappearing inside the dilapidated labyrinth wall. Sora and Aiz watched them go, but that was all they could do, because the giant creature now blocking their vision was hot on Sora and Loki Familia's heels.

Tiona: What's going on, what's going on, what's going on?! What the hell is that thing?!

Bete: How the hell am I supposed to know?!

Bete answered Tiona's bewilderment with an angry shout as the raging destruction around them swallowed up the tunnel. Clueless as to what was going on, all they could do was run into another large room up ahead. An earthquake-size explosion rent the air behind them.

Aiz: ?!

The shock hit their backs, sending them flying. They tumbled across the ground, lower-levels and elites alike, somehow getting up to turn around...just as a colossal silhouette emerged from the shadows. Four impossibly large, powerful legs supported its lower half, two mangled horns twisted away from its head, and its skin was the sickly yellowish-green of corroded steel. It was tall, more than six meders from the ground to its shoulders, and from its back sprouted a tail that split in two down the middle, both ends sharpened into swordlike points.

All in all, it very much resembled an ox, save for one thing—the woman's body jutting out from the creature's forehead. The upper half of its body was female, its lips curved in a disconcerting smile.

Raul: Did it just...break through the adamantite walls—like it was nothing...?!

Raul murmured in horrified awe as the first-tier adventurers felt an unsettling sense of déjà vu wash over them. And then, as though summoning the nightmare back to reality, Aiz said its name.

Aiz: A demi-spirit...!

Sora:...