With his neck grabbed and arm twisted by Lucart, Lucifer couldn’t move easily. The strength in Lucart’s grip was immense, and any wrong move might result in a broken neck.
Of course, if this body was destroyed, Lucifer could transfer to another one. However, since he hadn’t yet recovered a perfectly suitable body, such a scenario would become a huge hassle. He might end up wandering for a long time searching for another appropriate vessel.
Because of this, Lucifer forced a smile and tried to speak to Lucart.
“It’s been a while. How have you been?”
“………..”
“Why aren’t you answering? Is it because you don’t even want to talk to someone like me? Or have you lived so pathetically for so long that you’ve forgotten how to speak? Hmm?”
Lucifer grinned slyly, flicking his tongue. At the same time, he signaled to Gabriel with his eyes, suggesting he attack while Lucifer distracted Lucart.
“Don’t move.”
But Lucart, well-versed in such dirty tricks, didn’t let his guard down.
“If you so much as blink, I’ll tear your master’s face apart.”
“Tch.”
Lucifer clicked his tongue in frustration and then spoke to Gabriel.
“Stay still. This one tends to keep his word once he speaks.”
“But…”
“If you want to see my face torn apart, you’re free to move.”
“………”
Gabriel withdrew his power and lowered his head.
Lucart immediately grabbed Lucifer by the collar, lifting him up to meet his gaze.
“What’s your scheme?”
“Hmm?”
“What’s your plan with collecting the blood of the merfolk? No, what are you scheming by disguising yourself as a human and staying here?”
Lucart’s violet eyes glimmered with a murderous intent. Was it because he was facing an old nemesis? Or because Lucifer was always plotting sinister schemes while trailing him? Regardless, Lucart’s glare made it clear that he was ready to tear Lucifer apart.
“What a disappointment.”
But Lucifer remained unfazed. There wasn’t the slightest hint of fear toward death. Instead, he lightly held the hand gripping his collar.
“I thought you’d understand.”
“You…!”
“Why else would I do this?”
Lucifer smirked, his eyes narrowing as he answered.
“It’s to make the entire world mine.”
“Do you think that’s possible?”
“I think it must be.”
He continued in a hushed tone.
“You can feel it too, can’t you? My power—it’s not the same as before.”
Hearing this, Lucart’s eyes widened in disbelief. He scanned Lucifer’s face, looking for a lie, but the energy he sensed remained unchanged.
Yes. Lucart could feel the divine energy he so despised emanating from Lucifer.
Impossible. No, this shouldn’t be happening.
Lucart frowned deeply. His eyes no longer glimmered solely with rage. Instead, they carried a mix of anger and pity.
“Lupe, what on earth…! What are you thinking?!”
“There it is again. That look.”
Lucifer chuckled bitterly, murmuring as if to himself.
“You’ve always had that look. That gaze that belittles and mocks me. No matter how hard I struggled, you always acted as if I could never measure up.”
“Lupe.”
“But look. Now, you’ve taken on my role.”
Crunch. Lucifer gripped Lucart’s hand tightly.
“I’m going to kill you.”
An overwhelming force surged forth. But Lucart didn’t shake him off. No—he couldn’t afford to. Letting Lucifer go here would lead to unimaginable consequences.
“I’ll kill you, your lackeys, and everything around you. I’ll erase you all from this world.”
Lucifer wrinkled his nose and burst into laughter.
“This is my answer to your betrayal.”
“……….”
Lucart’s gaze faltered for a moment, but it was only for a moment. He immediately steeled himself, unleashing his power.
“I didn’t want to kill you again, but it seems I have no choice.”
And with that, he unleashed all his strength toward Lucifer.
“Die.”
“Let’s see.”
Boom!
A massive collision of tremendous magical energy and suffocating dark energy filled the air.
***
“Huff, huff…”
Yuriel clutched his abdomen, panting heavily. Blood poured from a wound inflicted by Virtus’s attack just moments earlier.
But he endured. He had to. If he fell here, there would be no one left to handle the situation.
“Why are you so persistent?”
Virtus clicked his tongue as he looked at Yuriel.
“I’ll give you this—you’ve got determination, insect. But that’s all. You’re going to die here.”
Yuriel exhaled shakily and raised his head. In front of him stood Virtus, not unscathed but clearly pushing his limits.
“For… for someone saying that, you d-don’t look so g-good yourself. Y-You seem about the same.”
“You insolent…”
“Neither of us w-will die. Instead, w-we’ll both die here.”
He meant it.
Yuriel had no intention of letting Virtus escape, even if it meant both of them perished.
Perhaps sensing Yuriel’s resolve, Virtus hesitated for a moment.
He glanced around.
‘Two kids. No sign of the merfolk.’
He looked to the sky.
‘They’re still locked in a standoff…’
Quickly assessing the situation, Virtus formulated a plan. He decided to buy time until Gabriel arrived or his strength returned.
“Why are you stopping me?”
Virtus’s voice was now calm and subdued.
“I haven’t harmed you. Even if humans died, they were strangers to you, weren’t they? Your companions are unharmed and safe. So why are you so angry?”
Virtus was a celestial being and, unlike demons, had a broader range of emotions.
If his master had been hurt, he could understand feeling rage. If a family member or friend had died, he could comprehend intense grief.
But to be angry over the death of strangers? That was beyond his understanding. They weren’t connected to him, so why mourn or rage? Virtus shrugged.
“If you retreat now, I’ll spare you and your companions. Consider it a generous offer.”
Upon hearing this, Yuriel couldn’t help but let out a bitter laugh.
“Ha… haha. Truly…”
Yuriel closed his eyes tightly.
“Once, a long time ago…”
Slowly, Yuriel began to speak.
“There was an earthquake, and many people in the neighboring village died.”
“What?”
“At the time, I was so heartbroken that I cried and cried. I didn’t know a single person there. I had no emotional connection with anyone. And yet, I was sad. I was heartbroken, sorrowful, frustrated, and angry… Wondering if there was anything I could do, I even went to help with the reconstruction efforts.”
Slowly lifting his gaze, Yuriel stared at Virtus with eyes that burned more fiercely than ever before.
“Respect and mourning for life have nothing to do with familiarity. It’s simply what must be done.”
“There’s no such thing as a must-feel emotion! As long as I live well and those around me are fine, that’s all that matters!”
“If you can’t understand this, if you can’t feel these emotions…”
Yuriel’s expression hardened like never before as he continued.
“Then you are an incomplete being.”
“Y-You…! How dare you!”
Virtus, having completely forgotten the plan he had just crafted, charged toward Yuriel. Incomplete? I am a celestial being. A great celestial being that inherited the power of the divine! There isn’t even a hint of imperfection in me…!
“Die!”
At that moment.
Yuriel’s body collapsed to the ground.
Standing behind the fallen Yuriel was a very small figure—Shekina.
“No, he’s not dying.”
Shekina spread her palm wide. The moment she did, something pitch black that had been beside her began to stir.
“But you, you’re the one who’s going to die by my hand, okay?”
A monster.
Virtus instinctively took a step back.
