The narrow alley fell completely silent for a single second.

It was the kind of silence that only existed before a battle began.

Nox stood a few steps ahead of the group, calmly watching Ava, although his newly acquired Danger Sense made every muscle in his body tremble. The warning never changed.

’Just our luck...’

He only needed to glance upward to realize the situation was getting worse.

Two figures appeared on the rooftop of the building to their right.

Both wore armor.

The first was impossible to forget.

Long black hair.

A massive sword that crackled with lightning even while still sheathed.

The moment Dawn saw her, she narrowed her eyes.

"Olive..."

The Lightning Inquisitor.

The same woman who had tried to capture her in the abandoned village.

Standing beside her was another Inquisitor, far more heavily built.

Her body was covered in gleaming golden armor, while enormous metal gauntlets encased both of her arms.

Nox recognized her as well.

’The one with the gauntlets... she’s the one who almost shattered every bone in my body.’

However, the woman only glanced at the demon for a few seconds before looking away.

She didn’t seem to recognize him.

The changes brought about by Fallen Genesis had altered his appearance enough that he looked like an entirely different demon.

But that wasn’t all.

Far above both buildings, on a much more distant rooftop...

A third figure sat casually atop a chimney.

Pink hair.

A thin shortsword rested in one hand.

In the other, a small crossbow spun playfully between her fingers.

She wasn’t looking at Nox.

Nor at Dawn.

She wasn’t even watching her fellow Inquisitors.

Her eyes were fixed entirely on Audrey and Claws.

And she was smiling.

Like a little girl who had just found a brand-new toy.

◇◆◇

"Please..."

Tessa’s voice shattered the silence.

"Leave that idiot to me."

Flames exploded around her body.

Her golden spear ignited in her hands.

Enormous wings of fire slowly unfurled behind her back.

Ava smiled.

"I knew you’d react like this."

Without waiting another second, Tessa vanished.

In the blink of an eye...

The two spears collided in the center of the alley.

Golden and orange flames illuminated the entire street.

Ava kept smiling.

Tessa didn’t.

Every strike carried all the rage she had bottled up ever since discovering that another woman had inherited the title that once belonged to her.

◇◆◇

At the same time...

Olive stepped off the rooftop.

Lightning wrapped itself around her enormous sword.

"I’m sorry we have to face each other again..."

She looked directly at Dawn.

"...Princess."

The Inquisitor descended like a bolt of lightning.

Nox reacted on instinct.

Several black chains erupted from the ground, forming a wall in front of Dawn.

CLANG!!

The lightning sword slammed into the chains.

Sparks illuminated the entire alley.

But Dawn gently placed a hand on Nox’s shoulder.

"You’ve already done enough for me tonight."

He turned his head.

The princess was smiling.

"Let me handle this Inquisitor."

Nox hesitated for only a moment.

Then he nodded.

"Alright. I know you can."

Dawn smiled confidently.

However...

The moment Nox stepped back, another shadow dropped from above.

The Berserker Inquisitor.

Both massive gauntlets raised overhead.

"DIE!!"

Her gigantic fist came crashing down toward the demon’s head.

But it never landed.

A graceful leg intercepted the blow.

Misty.

Her teasing smile hadn’t changed in the slightest.

"How rude. Interrupting other people’s conversations... that’s simply bad manners."

The impact shook the ground.

The two women remained frozen for a brief moment.

Then...

A yellow energy began flowing across the golden Inquisitor’s legs.

Her eyes widened.

"W-What...?"

The energy took the shape of a gigantic spectral hand.

It slammed into the Inquisitor’s side.

She was hurled violently into the wall of a nearby building.

Stone exploded outward.

Dust and rubble filled the alley.

Catherine smiled.

Felix’s tiny spiritual head peeked out beside her.

"We’ll take care of Goldie."

She grinned mischievously.

The spectral hand coiled around her arm once more.

Like an enormous yellow cat waiting for its next command.

From the opposite side of the alley, Olive’s eyes widened.

"No, Aurea!!"

But that tiny distraction was enough.

The chains vanished, and Nox appeared directly in front of her.

The Demonic Dual Knives gleamed in his hands.

"Don’t lose focus."

The demonic blades clashed against the lightning sword.

Olive slid several steps backward.

Electricity surged across her blade once again.

"So... you’re the famous demon."

Nox casually spun one of his knives.

"I’m getting used to hearing that. Nice to meet you."

The Inquisitor smiled.

"Now I understand how the princess escaped."

Lightning exploded around both of them.

And another battle began.

◇◆◇

Meanwhile...

An entirely different battle unfolded across the rooftops.

Audrey fired arrow after arrow.

Each Dark Arrow streaked through the air, leaving behind a trail of darkness.

Yet none of them reached their target.

Clang!

Clang!

Clang!

The pink-haired woman deflected every arrow with her slender sword.

Never once stopping her smile.

Then she raised her small crossbow.

Three shots in rapid succession.

Audrey answered with another leap.

The bolts barely grazed her body.

But Claws appeared directly behind her.

With a mighty roar.

His four massive claws shredded the projectiles in midair.

Fragments of metal rained across the rooftops.

The Inquisitor burst into laughter.

"HAHAHAHAHA! Now this is fun!"

She twirled her sword between her fingers.

"I haven’t enjoyed myself this much... since the last time we met in that abandoned village."

Audrey drew another arrow.

Her gaze remained completely cold.

The woman tilted her head.

"I think you’ve earned the right to know my name."

Silence.

Audrey released another arrow.

The Inquisitor deflected it once again.

"I’m not interested."

The huntress answered.

"I only want to rip your head off."

The woman opened her eyes wide.

Then her smile grew even wider.

"What a mean girl."

She aimed her tiny crossbow once more.

"Then remember this name well. Luna, the Hunt Inquisitor."

Her grin stretched even further.

"Because it’ll be the name of the one who takes your head..."

Her gaze slowly lowered toward Claws.

"...and your adorable little bear’s... as a trophy."

Claws answered with a deafening roar that shook the rooftops.

Audrey, on the other hand...

Didn’t change her expression at all.

She simply raised another arrow.

Darkness gathered around her bow once again.

"You talk too much."

She aimed directly at Luna’s head.

"Let’s see if you can keep smiling after you stop breathing."