No one's POV

Now that the prologue was out of the way, Bete's eyes flashed with a sharpened glint. He could already sense the presence of the ten-, twenty-some assailants hiding in the shadows of the surrounding pillars. This was a trap; that much was for sure. But none of that mattered to Bete. Not now. He was ready to kill, no matter how many enemies came at him. Fury coursing through his veins, he took a step forward. But...

Bete: ?!

That's when he noticed it.

Bete(mind): What's...? Is this a Trap?

The stone floor was ever so faintly glowing, myriad geometric shapes shimmering faintly on the surface. They were a reddish-purple color, just about masked completely in the amaranthine phosphorescence of the magic- stone lanterns lighting the room. And they covered the entire length of the room, each one of them 120 or so meders across.

The round shapes seemed to center around Valletta in the middle of the room. Bete narrowed his eyes.

Valletta: What's wrong, Level Six? Don't tell me you're scared! You wouldn't run away with your tail between your legs now of all times, would you?

True enough, Bete didn't have much choice in the matter now. Was it magic? A curse? Or something else entirely?

Bete(mind): Tsk. Whatever, bring it on!

At this point, though, he didn't really care. This hungry wolf had only one thing on his mind: killing and eating his prey. He stepped forward, metal boots landing in the range of the reddish- purple circles.

Valletta: He-he-he!

With one grin from Valletta, the battle began. Bete shot forward, kicking up and off the stone. Only for Valletta to leap to the side, dashing back into the shadows of the columns to escape.

Valletta: What, you don't wanna play?

Bete hissed as he raced after Valletta, who was now making use of the entire width of the underground chamber to duck and dodge away from the wolf. She let out an even louder guffaw, and though Bete knew she was trying to goad him on, he couldn't stop the anger from bubbling up inside him. Column after column he smashed in his pursuit as the woman cackled in glee.

Valletta: Do it guys

It was like he was stuck in an endless loop. Though clearly the faster of the two, he realized that no matter how many times he tried to attack, one of her Thanatos Familia goons was always there to block him.

Bete: Out of the way!

Thanatos Familia: Gaah?!

Valletta: Uwah, that bloodlust! I'm soooo scared! How ya feeling there, Vanargand? Better be careful, if ya get caught by my boys you're dead for sure.

Bete: Stop running away! And don't you fucking dare play with me!

The rosy glow of the magic-stone lanterns overhead. The reddish-purple haze of the patterns underfoot. Together, they made for an ethereal, otherworldly ambience, and in the midst of that world of color, Bete's face twisted in increasing irritation.

Valletta: Don't let him touch me, you worthless pieces of scum! Ha...Bwa-ha-ha- ha-ha!!

Again and again, they leaped from the shadows, the obedient servants protecting their mad queen. It was a deadly game of cat and mouse. Or hide-and-seek, perhaps, only this hider was having the time of her life shooting blades at the seeker. Valletta's features seemed to glow red in the light emanating up from the floor.

Bete: G​r​u​u​u​u​u​a​a​a​a​a​A​A​A​A​R​R​R​R​G​G​G​H​H​H​H​H​H​!​!

Valletta: Gngh?!

Bete let out a roar as he suddenly charged forward, his fist just barely missing Valletta's throat. The force, however, was enough to carve clean through the stone floor, and the gust of wind it created was more than capable of launching her into the air. She tumbled backward, forced to thrust her sword into the ground like a staff to slow her slide and pull herself back up to her feet.

Valletta: Shoulda known...gettin' too close to you was a bad idea...

She hissed, her ever-present provocative smile still on her lips as she brushed the dust from her cheeks. At the same time, another group of attackers rushed forward to meet him, and Bete grimaced.

Bete(mind): I missed?! Goddammit!

Bete cursed himself and his own missed opportunity. She was only a Level 5. He should have been able to take her down easily. Was his own rage hindering his movements? He scowled, throwing himself at the incoming enemies. Limbs flying, he aimed punch after kick at the clingy gnats, decorating the underground hall with their blood. Then, he set his sights back on Valletta, who herself had already put some distance between them.

Bete(mind): Next time. Next time I'll get her for sure.

And with that oath, his amber eyes ran red with murderous resolve. There weren't any traps, or at least none that he could sense immediately. Just try and dodge me now, he raged, the maddened fire inside him building into an inferno. Only—there was one thing wrong with that thought. Valletta's trump card was already in place—and had been for some time.

Bete:...

The first thing that clued him in was the sudden change in light. Then, her followers, the Thanatos Familia disciples he'd already blown away, began gradually, ever so slowly, catching up with him. Tears and blood streaming down their cheeks, they pointed their cursed blades at the werewolf, faces half-crazed.

Bete(mind): What the...?! Are those bastards getting faster?

It was so strange. They were somehow speeding up. Or no. Not even that

Valletta: He-he-he.

It was so faint at the beginning, Bete himself hadn't even noticed it.

Valletta: He-he-he-he-he.

But it was becoming clearer and clearer as time went on.

Valletta: He-he-he-he-he-he-he-he.

As Valletta's smile grew in voracious amusement, Bete's movements began to slow, and he finally became aware of just what was happening.

Bete(mind): No that's not it. What's going on...? I can't move my body properly!

His limbs felt heavy. Like his whole body was made of lead. It wasn't that the enemies were moving faster. No, quite the opposite. Bete was the one who was moving slower—laughably so. Hilariously so.

Valletta: Took damn well long enough—but now, the time has come!

Just as Valletta's spit reached the ground... The enemies' attacks began to hit.

Bete: Gngh!

It came from the back first, a light scratch that left him briefly in shock. Though the gash itself wasn't deep, the searing pain of the curse made his fur stand on end, and with a quick half spin, he sent his elbow into the jaw of the offending assailant. They swept toward him in constant waves, sending up panicked wails as their swords came flying—a fierce retaliation, as though avenging their fallen comrades.

Bete repelled what incoming cursed blades he could, but his movements were so sluggish. Too sluggish. He couldn't respond fast enough. His body could no longer keep up with the rapid-fire perception of his first-tier-adventurer mind. He was evading less and less, forced to defend more and more.

Bete(mind): This...!

Bete could sense it now. The strange change that had befallen his body. His movements themselves were being restrained at an accelerating speed.

Valletta: How ya feelin' there, Vanargand?

Bete: ?!

As Bete barely managed to leap away from an enemy attack, he felt Valletta's sickly sweet breath directly on his cheek. How had he allowed her to get so close? Only a second ago, she'd been running away from him! He hurled his fist like a bolt of lightning at that vicious smile, only for Valletta to quickly duck out of the way. Her eyes flashed as she activated the blades on her boots, sending out her leg in a high-speed horizontal kick.

Valletta: Hrraaauugh!!

Bete: Gngh?!

The two strikes landed direct hits on his Frosvirt, shattering not only a section of their armor but the inlaid yellow jewels, as well. With their core gone, the mythril Superiors fell silent.

Valletta: You don't think I know about your nasty old magic-sucking boots, huh?!

Valletta laughed, moving like an acrobat as she directed a kick toward his upper body while standing on her head. When her leg struck his armguard, she used the recoil to jump back, reclaiming the distance between them.

Bete(mind): Shit, my Frosvirt broke! But more than that...

Bete, meanwhile, now completely robbed of his weapon and power, stumbled backward. Losing his Frosvirt was bad, for sure, but his biggest problem now was still the overwhelming weight slowing down his body. It seemed like every second that passed saw his reaction time worsening. No, his power, too. He threw a glance first at the cracked jewels on his boots, then at his arms and legs, and finally, down at the still-glowing reddish-purple pattern decorating the floor.

Bete(mind): The more I move, the worse it gets. That thing must be lowering my Status...!

Valletta: Took you long enough to realize, you great big galoot!

Valletta called out, her voice only adding to the already building panic in his gut.

Valletta: Let me introduce you to my own special brand of magic!

Bete: !

Valletta: I call it Shaldo! I suppose you could call it a type of...barrier magic.

She explained, her voice reverberating through the underground hall as the attacks on Bete came to a momentary halt. Almost as though responding to her call, the geometric patterns on the floor seemed to glow even brighter.

Valletta: But this magic isn't a barrier at all. What's more, it has an annoyingly long chant, and it dissipates the moment I step outside it. Not even that useful in real combat, either, given how much Mind it zaps. Damn thing!

She ranted, clearly irritated at the one magic spell she possessed.

Valletta: However!

She started again, lips curling upward.

Valletta: It's perfect for a trap. Even more so for catching impudent little beasties who can't rein in their own rage!

Bete: Ngh...!

Valletta: As you might have guessed already, Shaldo is a Status Down spell. It saps the power and speed of any uninvited guest who steps inside...And the more they move around, the worse it gets.

Whether she simply had time to spare or was enjoying this opportunity to bestow his death sentence, Bete wasn't sure, but Valletta gave him all the details about the features of her spell. Listening to it, however, made the color drain from his face.

A type of anti-Status Magic, then, but one that didn't require repeated castings, able to continuously drop an opponent's Status all by itself—rare magic, for sure. And if the chant really was as long as she said, its power had to be massive, with no way to break it aside from Valletta's previously revealed conditions. It seemed that no matter how many of them there were inside it—one, ten, even a hundred—all of them would have their Statuses lowered by this super-wide-range spell.

Valletta: The more you scuttle around, the tighter the invisible strings of my magic!

Everything inside the reddish-purple circle. Was Valletta's castle. Her prison. In other words...

Valletta: That's right, my little flea. I'm the spider...and you've walked straight into my web!

Bete's eyes widened in shock.

Valletta: There's no running away now, Vanargand! You've been rampaging about so much already, the threads of my web are already alllllll over you!

It was true. Bete's Status had dropped so low by this point, he'd breached the level threshold. If he had to guess, he was down to a Level 4 already, which was perilously low. What's more, Valletta had slowly lured him straight into the center of the barrier. Even if he used every ounce of strength he had left to try and escape, who knew how many attacks he'd have to fend off before he made it to the edge? And with every block, every dodge, his Status would plunge even further. The frenzied wolf had truly fallen straight into her trap.

Valletta: Now then...let's play! Ready yourselves, my inept minions!!

As the strident command echoed off the walls, the rest of the Evilus materialized from the shadowy expanse behind the columns. Every single one of them—wielded a magic sword.

Bete: Fuck!

Time came to a halt. Then Valletta's voice rang out again, and in one simultaneous sweep of their swords came an explosive wave of fire.

Bete: Gngh?!

First flames, then lightning, then ice, they bombarded him with all variety of magic attacks. Like rain, the barrage fell upon him from all sides, and though Bete was able to dodge the raging hurricane thanks to his unparalleled dynamic vision and motor reflexes, the brilliance of those same abilities was already rapidly fading. And thanks to his broken Frosvirt, he couldn't absorb the magic, either.

The second shadow Valletta had painted across the floor—her Shaldo— had him in its icy grip. It was even worse than a curse. A permanent set of chains that had been wrapped around his entire body. He truly felt like a flea caught in a spider's web. The more he struggled, the more those threads wrapped around him. Just like the spider's prey, left to await its inevitable end at the hands of a ghastly predator.

Bete: Ngh?!

One of the magic blasts finally hit its mark as Bete attempted to flee the barrier. It was a direct hit, dyeing Bete's vision a fiery red.

Bete: Gnghaaah!!

He screamed, the pained cry torn from his throat.

Valletta: Just die already!

Valletta shouted, a sadistic smile on her face as another simultaneous blast came flying at him.

Bete: Nnggaauuugh!!

The wolf's shadow flickered in the midst of the blinding flash.

Valletta: Again!

Like heralds of death, the Thanatos Familia servants raised their voices, sending forth another murky stream of light in an attempt to bring the giant werewolf to his knees.

They went through magic sword after magic sword as they rushed, half- frenzied, to carry out Valletta's orders; as soon as one sword broke, they simply grabbed another one and chipped away piece by piece at Bete's frame. Not even the spilled blood on the floor could withstand the attack, evaporating in the brilliant gleam as the entire chamber thrummed with the building waves of colossal magic power. It became a veritable concerto of light, with Valletta holding the conductor's baton.

Valletta: He-he-he-he-he-he-he-he-he-he-he! Kill him! Kill him!! Kill the little Loki Familia hotshot! And then? I'm coming after you, Finn!!

Valletta squealed, practically climaxing at the scene of absolute liquidation in front of her. Beneath her feet, Shaldo gave its own flash of euphoric light, almost as though joining her in riotous laughter.

(Elsewhere)

Sora: This...

Back aboveground in the Pleasure Quarter's restoration zone. Sora, Asuna, and Aiz had just happened upon the very same message that had led Bete to Belit Babili.

Aiz: Come to the palace...Vanargand...

Aiz slowly read aloud the bloodred Koine words on the piece of stone beneath the archway. They'd caught sight of the trail of blood almost immediately upon entering the war-torn district of brothels and had followed it to this spot posthaste. All three threw a concerned glance in the direction of the abandoned assassin corpse, then made to leave, prepared to follow the clue and find Bete. Except...

Aiz: Hn...?!

A sudden vibration underfoot brought her to a halt. It was faint, almost like an earthquake. And while it wasn't strong enough to throw them off-balance, the intermittent shock waves that followed were enough to clue her in to the fact that something wasn't right. Kneeling down, Asuna pressed her hand to the ground.

The rumbling against her palm made for a sort of haphazard melody, almost as though a great many bombs were going off underneath the earth's surface.

Asuna: It's coming from...underground...? No!

With a start, they realized what was going on. Their head popped upward, and they took off in a flash. Kicking off first from the ground, then the walls, they leaped free of the streets and onto the roofs of the surrounding brothels. Sora, Asuna, and Aiz raced ever forward, row after row of shingles beneath their feet and the shadowy visage of Belit Babili, standing tall and solemn, in their sights. Making a beeline toward that towering palace, they ran, moving among the rain-swept slopes and dilapidated crags of the buildings below.

(Elsewhere)

The cacophony of explosions continued in the underground chamber, so numerous that Bete had lost track of them.

Bete: Grrugh...Gah...!

Smoke fizzled from his skin; Bete himself was only just managing to keep from collapsing to the floor as globules of scorched, congealed blood dropped from the wounds now littering his body.

Valletta: Tenacious little bastard, aren't ya?

Valletta hissed, the depraved delight momentarily fading beneath her furrowed brows at the sight of Bete still standing. It didn't last long, though—that unforgiving smile of hers returned within seconds.

Valletta: But this is the end, Vanargand. Once my Shaldo's got its grip on you, it never lets go.

Even now, the wolf's entire body was being bound tighter and tighter by the invisible threads of her masterpiece glowing underfoot, not only sapping his Status but completely inhibiting his escape, as well.

Valletta: One quick stab from a cursed weapon'd end this right quick...But why take the risk? There's no need to get that close. Even as he is now, one misstep could see his teeth in my neck!

Yes, there was no need to rush things. Not anymore. Better to just keep on doing what she was doing, chipping away at his life bit by bit from afar. He was much too wounded to make any attempt at escaping now, after all.

Valletta: And it's a good thing I lured him down here, too. Don't wanna risk his going all beast mode on me...No, there's nothing Vanargand can do to turn the tables now.

The biggest risk one took confronting a werewolf on the surface was their transforming under the light of the moon. And once that happened, they were said to possess power far greater than that of any other species. The rain may have stopped up above, but they were safe below the surface, where not even the slightest trace of moonlight could filter through.

Valletta let out a loud peal of laughter, completely assured of her coming victory. Hearing this was enough to bring smiles to the faces of her minions, as well. For them to take down a first-tier adventurer, after all, would be a major step toward attaining their life's greatest desires. Seduced by thoughts of joy, excitement, and an appetite for destruction, they released yet another salvo at the already crippled werewolf.

Bete:...Tsk.

Bete grimaced through the bolts of lightning, shards of ice, and flaming embers as they formed a whirlwind around him. He clenched his hand into a fist, muscles practically shaking from the sheer fury rushing through him.

Bete: Dammit...dammit...dammit...DAMMIT!

He groaned, teeth grinding against one another. He was angry with himself. With Valletta and her men. With the world. The fang on his cheek felt like it was on fire, the pain buried inside begging to break free.

His world was red. The anger had taken control. He cursed the world. Cursed fate. Cursed reason.

A white heat overtook his vision. His thoughts were a raging, chaotic mess. He couldn't accept this. He couldn't accept himself. Just like he hadn't been able to accept much of anything for as long as he could remember. That scar, that wound from his past, was always there to prolong the anger inside him. Bete's heart was a constant storm of turmoil on the battlefield.

Bete(mind): I cannot accept this.

This was the only 'Commandment' he'd given himself.

Bete(mind): I cannot forgive them.

But there was one thing for certain, and that was if he kept going like this, his anger would have nowhere to go. It would completely destroy him. The fiery rage from having his companions torn from him. The inferno of enmity at seeing that girl get killed. They were unacceptable.

Bete(mind): I cannot forgive myself. I cannot forgive this world.

Not everyone could be protected. Not everyone could be saved. But Bete was the only one who couldn't seem to put out the flames. The strong were the only ones who couldn't forget. The cries of the weak as they fought back against the world. The tears of the frail when they were forced to yield to fate.

Bete: Goddammit!!

He roared, cursing his own self. And then, raising his head, he looked through the waves of flames to meet Valletta's smile head-on. He decided, then and there, to break the one "commandment" he'd given himself. The one selfish act he'd childishly told himself he'd never resort to, even in the face of certain death.

All of a sudden, the memories of the past few days flashed across his amber eyes. The Chains that were binding his Fangs. Bete now... was going to break them.

Bete(mind): Forgetting about all those dead wimps is absolutely unforgivable! That's why, I cannot forgive myself for dying now!

Then. He began weaving his song.

Bete: Chained Fros, king of the wolves—

And casting his spell.

Valletta: Wha...? Vanargand using...m-magic?!

Valletta stammered, completely taken aback. This wasn't possible. How could she not have known about this? Loki Familia's Vanargand was a meaty powerhouse who belonged on the front lines with the Amazons. That was why he had to rely on his metal-boot Superiors if he wanted to use any kind of magic. A look of panic crossed her face. This kind of trump card might actually be able to turn the course of battle. There was no way she was going to let him get away with this.

Valletta: Don't just stand there! Hurry up and fry 'im!!

She screeched, her underlings releasing another wave of fireballs and lightning bolts. But Bete made no move to dodge or even block them, his eyes shut and arms dropped to his sides as he focused everything he had on the chant. Withstanding direct hit after direct hit, he simply stood there, continuing his spell as the world of shadow around him lit up in a brilliant phantasmagoria.

Bete: The first wound: Gelgja, the fetter. The second wound: Gjöll, the cry. The third wound: Þviti, the hammer. The ravenous slaver your only hope, may it form a river, mixing in the tide of blood, to wash away your tears.

Bete wasn't capable of Concurrent Casting. Nor was his magic power anything to write home about. He'd never had any reason to spend time honing a skill he'd told himself he'd never use.

Bete: Never forget those irreparable wounds. This rage and hatred, thine infirmity and incandescence.

Bete hated this spell. It was a reflection of the caster's nature, as well as the contents of their soul.

Bete: Denounce the world. Acknowledge fate. And dry thy tears.

And it revealed the weakness buried in his heart. Brought his focus back to the scar he'd tried so hard to ignore these many years.

Bete: May the pain become your fangs, the lament your roar—and your lost companions your strength.

He hated this spell more than anything else.

Valletta: What the hell are you guys doing? Are you even trying to hit him, you incompetents?! He's half-dead already—I couldn't have served 'im to you on a better platter!

Evilus: L-Lady Valletta, we're definitely hitting him...he's just—not going down!

And it was true. Though the blasts from their magic swords were landing direct hit after direct hit, setting him ablaze, the werewolf's feet were still firmly planted on the ground. Even as his upper body rocked from each subsequent impact, his lips kept reciting the chant, almost as though some sort of caged beast was struggling to break free.

Bete: Free yourself of the chains that bind you, and release your mad howl. O lineage of enmity, pray use this vessel and devour the moon, drinking greedily from its overflowing cup.

With that, the chant of the wounded wolf began to increase in speed. Valletta, meanwhile, could only scowl in growing concern as more and more magic swords began to explode, having reached their maximum use.

Valletta: Gnngh...Fine! Then just attack him directly! Skewer 'im with your cursed weapons! Go, go, go!

She finally howled, completely giving up on the magic approach. Her followers were quick to respond, gulping as they took off toward the wolf. Grabbing cursed spears, they leaped, four of them flying across the length of Valletta's magic barrier and quickly closing in on Bete with spearheads hurtling.

Bete: Bare your fangs—and devour all.

Only... Bete was a second faster. His amber eyes popped open with a treacherous glint—then he released the chains of ego muzzling the colossal wolf of his magic.

Bete: Hati.

The short name seemed to echo throughout the room. Then... A flaming pyre engulfed Valletta and her men.

Evilus: G​G​R​R​R​R​R​R​R​R​R​R​R​R​R​U​U​U​U​U​U​U​U​U​U​U​U​U​U​U​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​ A​A​A​G​G​G​G​G​G​G​G​G​G​G​G​G​G​G​G​G​G​G​H​H​H​H​H​H​H​H​H​H​H​H​H​H​!!

As Valletta hastily threw her hands up to shield her eyes, she heard four sets of screams. With a startled gulp, she made to strengthen her magic barrier, only to see the forms of her companions wriggling and squirming as they burned alive in the searing inferno—followed by the terrifying visage of the werewolf as he shredded them to pieces.

Through the multitude of embers he walked, four searing flames now sprouting from his body. One on each of his hands and each of his feet. Four flames, four parts, and at their center, a crimson inferno.

Valletta: Ha...ha-ha...ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! What the hell is this, huh? All that buildup for a stupid little enchantment? I ain't scared of that shit!

Valletta forced out a great guffaw, her earlier tension melting away. While certainly it must have been a fairly strong enchantment to allow him to take down four of her guys even after the Status Down, it was still just an enchantment. So long as she didn't get close, that thing couldn't reach her. And considering Bete's abilities were still dropping by the second, he'd go down long before he got anywhere near her.

Bete, however, wasn't fazed by her laughter, not saying a word as he began walking toward her.

Valletta: Shoot him, you half-wits! And this time, make sure you blow him away!

She commanded, stirring the rest of her troops back into action. As they began their magic-sword barrage anew, the underground chamber was once more filled with a brilliant deluge of light, a whirling storm of flames forming around Bete.

Valletta: Bwa-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha— Huh?

Only... Her laughter among the explosions quickly came to a halt. She watched. As with every new wound opening on the wolf's body from the magic salvo, the flames encapsulating his limbs grew in strength. The hellish conflagration pouring from his body grew more fierce, more crazed, the more he was attacked.

Evilus: L-Lady Valletta...?!

Came the shaky voice of one of her fellow Evils. Though the flaming wisps on his hands and feet had started out around the size of a shield, they were silently, and ever so certainly, growing. They were already taller than Bete himself. Even now, from where they stood a safe distance away, the malevolent waves of flame seemed liable to swallow them whole.

Evilus: It's like he's...eating the magic.

One of the Evils associates muttered in awe. And suddenly, they all came to the same realization. The glinting hellfire in front of them was actually absorbing each one of the blasts from their magic swords. Just like Bete's broken Frosvirt—just like a ravenous wolf—the flames were devouring everything, magic and all.

As they watched the blaze grow larger and larger, they quickly halted their attacks in horror. Their zealous determination to take the wolf down first had been completely engulfed by the flames. As it would turn out, though, their hypothesis was only half-correct. Because Valletta noticed something else about Bete. And that was the new burn that had appeared on his right shoulder. It almost seemed to be in sync with the flame enveloping his hand, a hazy film of light hovering just on its surface as the wisp on his fist grew ever larger.

Valletta(mind): Magic Drain...?! No... Don't tell me—?

In a Magic Drain Enchantment, you have to get hit by Magic to absorb it. But Bete's Hati was different. For its Firepower to increase, Bete must get hurt. The more injuries he receives, the stronger his magic gets.

Valletta(mind): A DAMAGE DRAIN!!!

Valletta swallowed hard, unable to believe what she was seeing. Then, with a glint in his eye, the wounded wolf charged. The speed was nothing compared to Bete's normal abilities. However, it was just enough to close the distance between him and the stock-still enemies in front of him now. They barely even had a chance to react, their eyes widening as he leaped forward, flourishing the blaze on his right hand. It drew from the power of the three other mini infernos, swelling up to an unimaginable size as he sent his flaming fang flying.

Valletta immediately grabbed the shoulders of one of her nearby subordinates, using him as a shield. Then... In one single swipe of his arm, the entire chamber erupted in a brilliant, incandescent hellfire.

(Elsewhere)

It happened the moment Sora, Asuna, and Aiz reached the palace, bringing their wind-like rush to a halt. The immense garden guarding the entrance exploded into flames.

Sora and Aiz: ?!

Asuna: He's using his magic!

The mighty crimson roar burst straight out of the earth, splitting the ground with it. Sora, Asuna, and Aiz barely had time to avoid it, forcefully diverting their forward momentum and activating their magic as the fiery hurricane swallowed everything.

Sora: Roar, Lightning!

Asuna: Flow, Auros!

Aiz: Awaken, Tempest!

Protected by their armor of lightning, water, and wind, they pushed back against the oppressive waves of heat.

(Elsewhere)

Raul: What the...?!

The explosion was visible from even as far away as Babel Tower in the center of the city. Like an incarnate of fire, the colossal pyre towered, a monstrous wolf howling at the sky.

Cruz: I-it's an inferno! And it's coming from the direction of the Pleasure Quarter...?!

Gareth: Seems our boy has gone and used that magic of his.

Raul: M-Mister Bete? Magic? Does he even know any?!

Raul sputtered in response to Gareth's awed murmur. The dwarf merely nodded as Raul and the rest of the stupefied Loki Familia members looked on.

Gareth: He does, indeed. Though he'd rarely deign to use it,.

He continued, throwing a glance at Loki, who confirmed his words with a nod of her own.

Loki: True that. The only time we've seen it is when he first converted.

Gareth turned away from his bewildered companions and back toward the southeastern corner of the city, where even now the inferno had started to dissipate.

Gareth: This magic of his...it feeds on magic power.

Raul: Feeds on...magic power? Then, you don't mean...?

Gareth: Aye...A type of magic drain, it is.

Bete's spell: Hati. While the four enchantments on his arms and legs boasted firepower of their own, its true strength lay in its ability to drain other magic. Any magic- based attack it touched was absorbed, boosting its magic output and destructive power.

Graeth: Bete's Frosvirt is actually a downgraded version of the spell. Stubborn lad as he was, refusin' to use his own magic, he had Tsubaki make 'em for 'im to use in its stead.

Gareth explained. Raul and Anakity gulped at this new piece of information. Not even they, for as long as they'd known Bete, knew any of this.

Raul: But...but why wouldn't Mister Bete use his magic if it's this crazy powerful...? Wouldn't that make him even stronger...?

Loki: His scars.

Loki answered Raul's confused question.

Raul: Huh?

Loki: Usin' that magic...forces Bete to face the scars of his past.

She murmured almost sadly, looking down at her own palm as though picturing the Status on Bete's back.

Loki: You see, it's got one more attribute to it, as well. Its true feature, you might say.

Aki: True feature...?

Loki: It's a damage drain...Meanin' that the more Bete gets hurt, the stronger it becomes.

Raul and Aki:...!

Loki: It ain't like Tiona and Tione's Berserk magic. This thing basically has no limits on how strong it can get. It can even become the sort of column-like pyre we just saw earlier.

This news left Raul and the other's utterly speechless. That was the true nature of Bete's magic, Hati. As it absorbed more and more magic, the enchantment properties of the spell made it impossible for Bete to avoid burning himself in the flames. And as Bete took more and more damage, the spell would grow even stronger, the wounds on his body acting as kindling for the growing inferno. His own pain and suffering would make the fang of that colossal wolf stronger, more powerful than ever.

Loki: And that is the true form of Bete's fang...or its origins, I suppose.

Loki finished sadly.

Gareth: He's only ever used it once in front of us.

Gareth continued.

Gareth: During an expedition. When the tail end of the party got 'emselves caught up with an Irregular. You remember, don'tcha? Raul? Aki?

Raul: You mean that one time five years ago?

Aki: I remember we were with the front line...but that a number of people on the back line got killed. Is that what you're talking about?

Gareth: Aye...One after another, they were gettin' wiped out. So Bete cast his spell...and incinerated all. Aggro'd everything and wiped 'em all out. The lot of us were takin' care of our own enemies an' could do nothin' but watch... Line, Asuna, and I are about the only ones that's lived to tell a tale about it, watchin' him howl at the rear.

The old soldier dwarf's voice was laced with regret.

Aki:...Line!

Raul: So I guess she knew everything...

The room grew silent, no one saying a word, as Gareth turned his gaze toward the door and the sky beyond. The earlier clouds were gone, almost as though frightened away by the flaming wolf, revealing the golden light of the moon.

Gareth: That lad...Once he shows 'is true colors, he's stronger than anyone I know.

Gareth muttered as he narrowed his eyes.

Gareth: Those blokes really stepped on the wrong wolf's tail this time.

(Elsewhere)

Valletta: What the...hell...?!

Everything was in flames. Tossing aside the colleague she'd used as a shield, his body now slumped and charred to a crisp, Valletta rose to her feet, her eyes practically trembling as she took in the sight of the blazing red hall around her. From the collapsed columns to every nook and cranny of the grand chamber, everything was alight with crackling cinders as wave after wave of heat rose from the floor. It looked like the inside of a broiling-hot oven.

Valletta's cheek twitched. The sheer overwhelming power of the flames had scalded her skin. The rest of her troops, too, having quickly darted beneath the safety of the columns and barely hanging on to their lives, had lost all will to fight.

She turned her gaze skyward to where the blast had carved through the thick crust of the earth, leaving a gaping hole overhead. The dark sky was now connected to the hellish world below the ground.

Valletta(mind): Shit.

She mentally cursed, sweat running down her face. And almost as if answering her fears, the visage of the fire starter himself, now standing in the middle of the chamber, had begun to change. Clouds parting, the light of the moon spilled down into the underground chamber. Almost instantly, Bete's gray fur stood on end, his muscles rippling. Then, the pupils of his amber eyes turned to slits. He was transforming. Making him not only more aggressive but insanely more powerful, to boot. The second Valletta realized what was happening, she screamed.

Valletta: Kill him! Kill hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiim! It's not too late! Take him dooooooooooooooown!!

The maddened screech of her voice spurred what minions of hers remained into desperate action. The Thanatos Familia puppets didn't fear death—not with the promise of resurrection that their god had given them. Though fearful of the pain that would come, they would do anything to fulfill their life's greatest desire, and so they launched themselves at the wolf, shaky war cries tearing at their throats and blood, tears, and snot flying, almost like suicidal warriors dying for their cause. But—

Evilus: GNGGGH!

Before they could even reach him, the wolf was gone, leaving behind a cracked floor in his wake and taking out two of them before they'd even realized what had happened. He seized them by the face, the flame on his right arm still increasing in fervor, and slammed them straight into the ground. Their bodies shattered instantly into flying, flaming chunks. At the same time, he lashed out with his legs, the scorching blades slicing through the upper halves of another set of assailants, turning them into nothing more than clouds of black dust. The Inferno Stones they'd equipped themselves with in case they needed to self-destruct began going off en masse, the resulting blasts acting as further fuel for Bete's Hati.

Valletta: Guh...wah...?!

The supposedly death-accepting followers of the God of Death went white with terror. Nothing they'd ever witnessed before could hold a candle to the brutality taking place before them now. Bete had truly become one with his fang. On his arms, on his legs, on his every limb. Four fangs, forming the top and bottom of a fiery jaw, that would consume them whole.

His hands were the upper fangs, ripping apart the flesh of his enemies, and his feet were the lower fangs, crushing their limbs. The merciless amber eyes of the werewolf shot straight through his terrified prey. And then he opened his jaw, prepared to swallow the sun, the moon, the entire world.

Evilus: G​-​G​U​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​G​H​!​!

The few Evilus who remained screamed, half-crazed, as they saw their final battle looming before them. Even as they quaked with fear, they rushed forward, a veritable army of the dead as they attacked the wolf. Bete sidestepped them easily, his instincts now as sharp and wild as a beast's, his fists turning his enemies' entrails to ash and his heels coming straight down on their heads in a vertical line of scorching fire that charred their bodies, cursed weapons, and everything. His flames swallowed what incoming magic attacks yet flew at him, growing ever larger as he annihilated every one of the God of Death's followers.

It was a dance of embers, a nigh uncountable amount, his punches and kicks leaving trails of fire in the air. It was a scene not of this world, truly reminiscent of the end of days, and as Valletta watched from a distance, her hands and feet shaking, she murmured in awe.

Valletta: It...can't be...

Before she knew it, her companions were gone, and the giant wolf turned his sights on her. Every single hair on her body stood on end, but in that split second...

Sora: This is...

Aiz: What's going on...!

A shadow suddenly descended from the hole overhead.

Valletta: L-Lightning Flash...?! B-Berserk Healer....?! S-Sword Princess...?!

Valletta's voice cracked at the progressively worsening state of affairs, while meanwhile, Sora and Aiz themselves could only look around them in bewilderment. Asuna on the other hand—

Asuna: Bete!

Valletta(mind): Shit, you've gotta be kiddin' me!

As Valletta's thoughts became a whirl of obscenities, the Light of Hope, Divine Berserker, and the Doll Princess's gaze fell on the last remaining enemy left in the chamber. Aiz made to unsheathe her sword. Asuna made to heal the werewolf's wound. Only...

Bete: Don't touch her!!

Came the sudden incensed order.

Aiz: Mister...Bete...?

Asuna: You...

Asuna and Aiz stopped, stunned.

Bete: You touch her and I swear...I'll kill you guys, too!!

Bete howled threateningly before turning his eyes back to the woman in question. Leaving Asuna and Aiz to stand there in shocked silence, Sora on the other hand made no effort to move as he watched in silent. Bete took first one step, then two, then more and more as he slowly crossed the world of hellfire and approached Valletta.

Valletta: Th-this is insane...This is insane...This is insane...!!

Valletta began to see red as she watched the wolf chuck aside the bodies of her former comrades, leaving nothing between the two of them. Somehow that rage had washed away the fear and the dread, leaving her almost, just the tiniest bit calm.

Valletta(mind): Gimme a break, Vanargand! You're really gonna come at me when your own body's about ready to fall apart...?!

It didn't matter how much damage and magic his Hati had drained at this point—the wounds plaguing his body weren't about to heal anytime soon. He'd kick the bucket far before Valletta even got close.

Valletta(mind): Plus, my Shaldo's still workin' its stuff! So what if he's transformed, huh? He keeps flailin' around like that and it'll suck 'im dry, back to the exact way he was before.

She calmly told herself, glancing down at the still-glowing reddish-purple patterns beneath her feet. She smiled despite the anxiety tugging at the back of her mind.

Valletta(mind): Yeah, bring it on. Let me cut you down to size.

With a sadistic grin worthy of the name "Arachnia," she readied her cursed shortsword.

Valletta: Huh—?

Until her wandering gaze froze in an instant. The patterns underfoot, the ones spanning the entire length of the chamber, and Valletta's carefully woven barrier... Were beginning to flicker, almost as though giving up a dying wail, their power being sucked into the ravenous wolf's fangs. Magic drain. With those two words, Valletta felt an overwhelming despair wash over her.

Valletta: This is insane...This is insane...THIS IS INSANE...!!

Because Bete's Hati had one thing different about it from the weaker Frosvirt he normally employed. It could eat anything. Attacks. Curses. Even barriers. Anything that used magic power.

Valletta: B-but it's not even attack magiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiic!!

Bete's fang, his scar, was one even Asuna, as a healer, couldn't mend. This time, the color really did leave Valletta's face. If Bete sucked up her barrier and broke the Status Down binding him...As Valletta grew more and more panicked, Bete lunged forward at lightning speed.

Bete: RRRUUAAAAAGH!!

Valletta: Gnnaagh?!

He hurled his fist of flame upward, a sweeping uppercut right into her belly. Valletta's body curled in on itself as spit went flying from her mouth. Before she could even recover, Bete was spinning on his heel, delivering a flying kick as powerful as a raging river that sent flames across the side of her face as she was launched across the room.

Still, the hungry wolf kept up the attack, the tremendous force of his fang pounding into her again and again and again for a multi-punch salvo that left her body a crippled mess.

Valletta: GNGH...G​R​R​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​ A​A​A​A​U​U​U​U​U​U​U​U​U​U​U​U​U​U​U​U​U​U​U​U​U​U​U​U​U​U​G​G​G​G​G​G​G​G​G​G​H​H​H​ H​H​H​!!

The scream of agony was enough to make even Asuna and Aiz, with her years of experience on the battlefield, plug her ears. Her bones snapping, her skin searing, even her tears themselves evaporating into mist, Valletta was beaten to a pulp. Bete's strikes carved through the very air itself, his left fist, his left fang delivering a resounding blow that sent her hurtling straight into one of the columns in the middle of the chamber.

Asuna: Bete! Your body couldn't handle any more Burns!

Asuna suddenly cried, having come to herself, but not even her desperate plea could get through to him now. His fury had taken control. He walked toward Valletta, now writhing on the ground, as his every step sent the stone below him up in flames.

Valletta: A-aggghhhhh...?!

Bete: On your feet.

Bete ordered coldly. He was doing everything in his power to keep from turning her into ash right then and there, his slit eyes simply staring at the woman on the floor. Valletta did as she was told, pushing her trembling, half-charred body to its feet.

Valletta: E-enough already, Vanargand...I—I can't take it anymore...It hurts too much...Too hot...I-I'm begging you...! L-look what you did to me! I'm not even th-thinking straight!!

She pleaded shamefully.

Valletta: I—I don't wanna die! I still haven't...That pompous bastard Braver...Finn and I...I still need to... have my way with him...So let me go...please!!

She forced a smile in desperate appeal.

Bete: And what did you do, huh? When all those weaklings you killed looked up at you with those same words?!

Bete hissed back, the flames around him flaring up as her expression froze under his callous gaze. They were so close. A mere five meters away. With only a single step, Bete could swallow her whole. Valletta could almost see the giant flaming wolf, his fangs bared as he stared at her from over Bete's shoulder.

Valletta: S-seriously?

She sputtered.

Valletta: You're still mad about that Amazonian brat?! Or do you mean those friends of yours I killed down in Knossos? D- don't you think you're kinda barkin' up the wrong tree here?

Bete:...

Valletta: You guys are adventurers, aren't you? Fully prepared to die at a moment's notice! That's just our way of life! Y-yours and mine!

Valletta stammered, already starting in on her high-handed excuses, while behind them both, Asuna and Aiz's fingers unconsciously curled into a fist. Bete remained silent until Valletta was finished, then answered softly.

Bete:...It's true. You're not wrong.

At this, Aiz couldn't believe her ears.

Bete: They died because they're weak. So perhaps my anger is misdirected... It's the duty of the strong to take from the weak, after all. That's just the way of this goddamn world.

He acknowledged. It was the same thing he'd said to Asuna and Aiz back in the pub. That was right. The strong could do anything. Could take anything. While the weak were powerless. Constantly having the things important to them snatched away. The weak shouldn't be allowed to live. That was simply the way of the world, since the day life came into being.

Valletta: Th-then...?

Valletta started, a glimmer of hope in her eyes. But then... Bete suddenly howled, his eyes flashing with rage.

Bete:—WHICH IS EXACTLY WHY!! THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH ME RIPPING YOU TO SHREDS!!

Valletta's face went stark white at the werewolf's outraged howl. There was a loud crunch as Bete stepped forward, then Valletta turned tail and ran.

Valletta: G-gaaaaaaaagh?!

That was enough for Bete. This piece of fish bait who couldn't even howl, who was running away with her tail between her legs, didn't deserve to live.

Bete: R​u​u​u​u​u​u​a​a​a​a​a​a​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​R​R​R​R​R​R​G​G​G​G​G​G​G​H​H​H​H​H!!

Valletta: G-G-G-Y​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​A​H!!

He was on her, fists flying, legs sailing, and finally, claws curling around her face in an iron grip. He lifted her off the ground, slamming her into the nearby pillar and causing the very flames surrounding his body to tremble.

Valletta: W-wait?! I-if you kill me, you'll never...never find the key—!!

Bete: Oh, shut up.

Nothing could stand in the way of the hungry wolf now. His fangs would systematically, impartially tear the flesh of his prey into thousands of tiny pieces. Valletta's desperate appeal to the key was immediately quashed.

Asuna: WAIT, BETE!!

Not even Asuna could stop him now. His fangs were bared.

Bete: BURN IN H​E​E​E​E​E​E​E​E​E​E​E​E​E​E​E​E​E​E​E​E​E​E​E​E​E​E​E​E​E​E​E​E​E​L​L!!

The world around them erupted.

Valletta: A​G​H​?!

The jaws of the inferno opened wide, and its tremendous roar completely masked Valletta's scream of agony. Her body was engulfed in flames, turning her into blackened ash in mere moments and frying her alive. She made for an even more wretched sight than that of the many monsters he'd previously incinerated.

And Sora, Asuna, and Aiz saw everything. The spectacle seared into their eyes. The world of death and destruction the werewolf had invoked. The terrifying spectacle of fire and brimstone his fury had set into motion. There, in that giant underground chamber of glowing red, Vanargand had writ the final page of the Evilus' saga.

Bete: A​W​O​O​O​O​O​O​O​O​O​O​O​O​O​O​O​O​O​O​O​O​O​O​O​O​O​O​O​O​O...

Enshrouded in flames and drenched in the light of the moon, the lone wolf howled into the night sky. An indicator, perhaps, that he'd fulfilled his oath; to Sora and Aiz's ears, it sounded both ferocious and heartbreakingly sad. Asuna on the other hand watched him, embers singeing her face, sweat pouring from her temples, and her blue hair glinting.

Asuna: Bete...

While the wolf stood there, savage, gallant, and destitute in the flames.