Leo simply vanished.

Right before everyone’s eyes, the Fire Lion Knight became a reddish flash that tore across the square like a bolt of lightning.

For a fraction of a second, even Nox lost track of him.

And that made him feel something he didn’t experience very often.

Danger.

"Stay alert!"

The demon’s voice echoed from the rooftop.

"Don’t take your eyes off him!"

Audrey quickly turned her head from side to side.

Her eyes swept across buildings, alleyways, and rooftops.

"Where is he?"

Misty also went on guard as wind slowly began gathering around her legs.

The blind old man clenched his teeth.

"It’s the same move..."

Nox looked at him.

"What?"

"The one he used against me in the mountains."

The old man frowned.

"Not even my senses could follow it."

And then it happened.

A single red flash cut through the air.

The old man’s body trembled, and a massive wound suddenly appeared in the centre of his torso.

Blood spilled forward, and his chest was nearly split in half.

"Old man!"

Nox’s eyes widened as the old man dropped to his knees.

At the same time, Leo reappeared.

He stood in front of the old man and behind Misty.

The dancer reacted instantly.

She spun around and unleashed a powerful kick.

But Leo had already moved.

He dodged it by mere centimetres.

"Sorry about this."

His voice was calm.

"I can’t waste time on you."

Flames spread through the cracks of his sword.

"I have a job to finish."

The old man collapsed face-first onto the ground, and blood began spreading beneath his body.

"Nooo!"

Nox shouted.

But the old man let out a small laugh.

"Don’t worry about me, lad."

Audrey appeared from the side.

Her daggers glowed with dark energy.

Nox charged the hero with his demonic daggers.

They attacked simultaneously.

Two different trajectories. Two strikes aimed at the hero’s neck.

Leo raised one hand.

Ashes appeared.

And his massive black shield materialised in front of him.

The daggers slammed into it, yet Leo didn’t take a single step back.

"What a nuisance."

He muttered.

Nox immediately activated his Wind Legs.

Wind gathered beneath his feet, and he leapt over the hero.

Meanwhile, Audrey and Misty continued attacking relentlessly.

The huntress unleashed rapid slashes while the dancer used bursts of wind to force him onto the defensive.

All to buy a few seconds.

Just enough.

Nox landed beside the old man.

The wound was terrible. He was losing far too much blood.

’No.’

The demon clenched his teeth.

’I’m not letting anyone else die.’

He extended both hands, and golden flames began to appear.

His Phoenix Regeneration.

The fire slowly enveloped the old man’s shattered torso.

The bleeding began to stop. Muscles knit together, and skin started regenerating.

The old man smiled.

"Interesting ability."

"Don’t talk, old man."

"Lad."

Nox looked up.

"What?"

"Don’t get distracted."

The old man slightly turned his head.

"Worry about the enemy behind you."

◇◆◇

Meanwhile...

Misty and Audrey continued their assault.

Kicks and slashes.

Leo endured a constant barrage of attacks.

And yet...

He kept smiling.

Something wasn’t right.

Audrey was the first to notice.

"He’s waiting for something."

Misty frowned.

"What?"

But it was already too late.

The black shield began to glow.

Until it became incandescent.

Leo smiled.

"Thanks for the energy."

The shield unleashed a shockwave that swept across the entire square.

"Shit!"

Misty shouted.

The dancer was blasted several metres away.

Audrey crashed into a nearby wall.

Leo dismissed the shield.

His sword began glowing once more as he spun around.

Directly toward Nox.

The blade shot toward his neck.

Chains instantly appeared behind the demon.

"Got you!"

But Leo smiled.

"No."

The sword split into two.

Both blades slipped through the gaps between the chains.

Nox’s eyes widened.

’What...?’

He couldn’t block it.

He couldn’t reach it.

There wasn’t enough time.

And then...

The old man rose to his feet, shoved Nox aside, and took his place.

The sword pierced his head.

Half of his face fell to the ground.

The other half remained attached to his body, and the old man stayed standing for several seconds.

Then his body began to collapse.

The Marauder’s Mask disappeared from Nox’s face.

The demon stood frozen.

Watching.

Unable to understand.

"Why?"

His voice trembled.

"Why did you do that?"

The old man smiled.

Even now.

Even on the verge of death.

He smiled.

"Because..."

He coughed up blood.

"...that’s what friends do."

Nox’s hands began to shake.

The old man barely lifted his head.

"Fulfil my revenge."

His voice was weak, yet firm.

"Destroy the Church."

Another mouthful of blood.

"And destroy the gods."

The old man’s eyes began to lose their light.

"For all of us..."

And then...

He never spoke again.

◇◆◇

Leo looked at the corpse on the ground.

Then he looked at Nox.

And something changed in his expression.

"Wait."

The hero narrowed his eyes.

"I know you."

Nox didn’t respond.

"Yeah, yeah... that night at the bar."

Leo smiled.

"The tavern night."

The Fire Lion Knight immediately remembered that encounter.

The strange man.

The guy who drank two large bottles of beer by himself.

And now he could see him clearly.

The red skin beneath the damaged makeup, the horns, and the eyes.

A demon.

Leo sighed.

"What a problem."

Flames once again flowed through his sword.

"I don’t really have a choice."

The energy around him began to rise.

"I’ll have to kill you. It’s part of my duty."

A tear rolled down Nox’s cheek.

And the mask reappeared.

The Demonic Dual Knives materialised in his hands.

The new chains began slithering around his body.

Darkness, wind, and hatred.

Leo didn’t retreat either.

His shield reappeared, his sword reformed, and flames engulfed his armour completely.

The entire square trembled.

Two monsters stood face to face.

Ready to kill each other.

Nox took a step forward.

Leo did the same.

And just as both of them were about to charge...

A woman’s voice echoed across the square.

Firm.

Authoritative.

And strangely familiar.

"Brother."

Leo froze.

The hero’s eyes widened slightly.

Nox turned his head as well.

A figure was descending the stairs from a nearby street.

Tessa...