Black chains erupted once more in front of the princess.

They collided head-on with the massive greatsword crackling with electricity.

Lightning raced through the links for only an instant.

Then they exploded.

Olive tore through the chains as though they were nothing more than brittle branches.

The flash of electricity illuminated the entire alley.

Dawn leaped backward, breathing heavily.

The ice coating her katana had begun to crack.

Her body still hadn’t recovered from all the time she had spent in chains.

Then...

She heard Nox’s voice.

"You’ve done enough."

The princess glanced over her shoulder.

He stood there with that strange black rifle resting on one shoulder.

One of his Demonic Dual Knives gleamed in his free hand.

The Marauder Mask concealed his expression.

"It’s my turn now."

Dawn’s eyes widened slightly.

"...What?"

But before she could finish asking...

Nox was already gone.

"..."

The princess blinked.

’Where...?’

Black chains burst from the ground again.

This time, directly in front of her.

Protecting her.

Olive let out a laugh.

"Again?"

Her sword erupted with lightning.

The chains shattered into pieces.

But they had only been a distraction.

Nox appeared at her side.

His demonic dagger slashed straight toward the inquisitor’s ribs.

Olive reacted on pure instinct.

She twisted her body.

The blade scraped across her armor.

A shower of black sparks scattered through the air.

"You’re not fast enough."

She smiled.

Or at least, she thought she did.

Because Nox had never intended for that strike to hit.

His left arm was already raising the rifle.

’So predictable...’

Ashbringer roared.

Not with a deafening blast.

Only a short, dry crack.

A black bullet sliced through the air.

So fast...

...that it practically vanished.

Olive sensed the danger.

She turned her head on reflex.

The bullet grazed her face.

It left nothing more than a shallow cut across her cheek.

Nothing serious.

It hardly even felt like a real shot.

The inquisitor landed several meters away.

She pressed a hand against the wound.

Looking at the blood on her fingers.

"...Is that all?"

Then she frowned.

Mixed with the crimson...

...was a strange black tint.

Dark as ash.

Olive slowly lifted her gaze.

Nox hadn’t moved.

Still smiling behind his mask.

The inquisitor chuckled.

"I don’t know what you expected to accomplish."

She spun her massive sword.

"But cheap tricks like that won’t work against a true heroine of the Church."

Nox calmly rested Ashbringer across his shoulder.

"I don’t have time to keep playing with a mere pawn."

Olive stopped smiling.

"...What did you say?"

The demon slowly raised one hand.

Pointing directly at her.

"I’m giving you one chance."

Dawn watched the scene, completely confused.

Nox hadn’t even taken a defensive stance.

He simply stood there.

Perfectly still.

"I’ll let you hit me once."

Silence filled the alley.

"I won’t move."

Olive arched an eyebrow.

"Are you serious?"

"Completely."

Nox lazily spun the dagger between his fingers.

"But if you fail to hit me..."

The grin beneath his mask grew even wider.

"...I’ll cut your head off."

For a second...

No one spoke.

Not Dawn.

Not Olive.

Only the distant explosions from the other battles echoed through the night.

Then...

Nox’s heart began pounding harder.

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

A strange sensation spread throughout his body.

It was different.

He could smell blood.

Olive’s.

Dawn’s.

Misty’s.

Catherine’s.

Even his own wounds.

He had never experienced anything like it before.

Adrenaline coursed through every muscle.

His breathing remained slow.

And for some reason...

Everything around him seemed to move more slowly.

’What the hell...?’

He didn’t understand what was happening.

But he liked it.

Far too much.

Dawn continued staring at him.

There was curiosity in her eyes.

And something else.

A faint trace of fear.

She had never seen an expression like that on the demon’s face before.

He looked like he was enjoying this far too much.

◇◆◇

Meanwhile...

Olive took a deep breath.

She tried to take a step.

But the ground seemed to tilt beneath her.

"..."

She blinked.

The alley walls began swaying.

As if she were standing aboard a ship.

She looked back at Nox.

The demon hadn’t moved.

Yet...

For some reason...

He seemed to be moving.

No.

That wasn’t quite it.

His silhouette was distorting.

As though he were dancing.

As though several overlapping versions of Nox occupied the same space.

Olive gritted her teeth.

’What’s... happening to me?’

The effects of Ashbringer’s bullet had fully taken hold.

She shook her head.

Her vision didn’t improve.

Instead...

The entire alley spun around her.

The inquisitor tightened her grip on her sword.

Blood mixed with black ash continued dripping down her cheek.

"...What did you do to me?"

Nox smiled.

"Nothing important."

Olive inhaled deeply, forcing herself to focus.

’Ignore it. Even if I see double... even if the whole world spins... I only have to hit him once.’

She raised the massive greatsword with both hands.

Electricity surged across the blade once again.

Blue lightning illuminated her face.

"You’re going to regret..."

Her voice remained steady.

"...not moving."

Nox exaggeratedly yawned.

"You’re taking too long."

Olive’s smile disappeared.

She slowly closed her eyes.

’I can’t trust what I see. Then I’ll rely on something else.’

She took one final breath.

And listened.

The wind.

Nox’s breathing.

The rustling of his coat.

The faint footsteps of Dawn backing away.

When she opened her eyes again...

She didn’t follow the demon’s image.

She trusted only her instincts.

Her grip tightened around her sword.

Electricity exploded around her body.

She vanished.

A streak of blue lightning shot across the alley.

Dawn’s eyes widened.

’Too fast!’

The princess could barely follow the movement.

Olive crossed the entire distance in a single instant.

Straight toward Nox.

The demon...

Didn’t move.

He remained exactly where he stood.

Wearing that same smile.

The rifle still resting on his shoulder.

A single dagger in his hand.

Dawn felt time come to a halt.

’Move!’

She wanted to scream.

But no sound escaped her lips.

Olive’s sword came down.

The blue flash illuminated the entire street.

Then...

It was over.

Dawn threw both hands over her mouth.

Her eyes remained wide open.

She couldn’t believe what she had just witnessed.

Nox was still standing.

Beside him...

Stood the inquisitor’s body, still gripping her greatsword.

But she had never completed her strike.

Olive’s attack had missed.

By only a few centimeters.

Nox stood with his arm outstretched, his dagger dripping with blood.

At his feet...

The stone street was soaked crimson.

And Olive’s head rolled across the ground.

Completely severed from her body.