Matthew was at level 37. Infused with Unholy Mana, his stats more than doubled. This meant his stats were closer to level 80 with it. However, he was facing a demon king.

He fought alongside Aym against Beleth. He estimated their levels to be over 100. Perhaps over 150. If Vine was as powerful as them, Matthew had no chance to survive.

He decided to sneak in using his Shadow Form skill and hit the Black Rider with his blade coated in unholy flames. A strategy that worked in his favor many times.

Not only his blade didn’t pierce the demon king’s vital shield, but the holy mana around the temple that kept the demonic mana from Haerisis away extinguished his flames.

Upon being stabbed, Vine turned around to Matthew bringing his sword down with a roar. Matthew parried the attack, but the electric currents on the incoming blade traveled through his to his arms making them numb and hurting like hell.

Matthew was defenseless against the kick that came towards his chest sending him flying away.

Ffyr kept flying and attacking Vine with air blades and fire balls while Avariel and Mitzrael engaged in close quarters combat, each with their blades.

Vine was not only very powerful, he was a master with the sword. He easily could hold both angels’ attacks and dodge Ffyr’s spells at the same time.

Unable to use unholy fire, Matthew used his Copy skill to copy the holy fire spell on Avariel’s sword. The holy mana could not be applied to Aym’s dagger that he carried, because it was made of infernal iron and the holy mana would damage it. Therefore, only his other sword was coated in holy flames.

Matthew approached from the shadows again, jumping out only when the opportunity seemed to be present.

His blade stopped just shy of hitting the demon king. Matthew was then repelled by a lightning bolt that fell from the sky.

At the same time, Vine’s blade met Avariel’s wing, taking off the left one.

Blood flew all over the flowers and the angel screamed in pain. She quickly retreated and closed her wound with healing magic.

Mitzrael kept his attack wielding a variety of weapons made of holy light.

The archangel would use axes for heavy strikes, spears for long attacks and daggers for close combat. His weapons shifted and transformed at his hands like if made of water, but hit hard as metal.

When Viine sent forth a lighting bolt, Mitzrael shifted his weapon into a shield protecting himself from the spell.

At that moment, Ffyr’s fireball hit the demon king’s legs making the muddy floor cede beneath him and making him stumble backwards.

Matthew then hit him on the back with Aym’s sword, a magical blade strong enough to take a slither of blood from the ruler of Haerisis.

Instead of pain, Vine roared in anger. He used his sword as a cane to keep his balance and turned quickly with a bite, sinking his teeth on Matthew’s arm that held his sword coated in holy fire.

The lion’s teeth damaged the ligaments in Matthew’s arm, making him drop his sword. Matthew quickly applied his Anesthesia skill to dull the pain, it was already a second nature for him.

In the next movement, the mortal tried to stab the demon king on the neck while his teeth were still inside Matthew’s arm. However, Vine dodged the attack and pulled Matthew upwards in the same action and let go.

Matthew flew several feet in the sky, but was gently guided down by Ffyr’s wind spell.

Mitzrael stepped forward trying to help Matthew with a spear of gold light, but was unable to prevent him from being tossed into the sky.

Now the archangel and the demon king were in close combat again, while Matthew took some time to breathe and heal his arm. Luckily, he did not lose his hand movement.

Avariel charged once her wound was closed, missing Vine with the attack. The Black Rider dodged by ducking and sweeping Mitzrael legs with the same movement. He then quickly got up with a slash of his blade that hit the angel on her breastplate and sent jolts of electricity around her body.

Avariel fell into the floor among the flowers feeling herself numb by the electricity and unable to move properly. She had a shallow wound on her chest where the demon king’s sword opened a gap on her armor like it was a can of sardines.

Mitzrael got up with a flap of wings and attacked Vine with a ray of gold light that pierced the demon’s shoulder.

The black rider roared in pain and his steed then joined the battle hitting Mitzrael from behind with its front legs and a loud neigh.

"Why won’t you use it?" Matthew heard a couple of voices, a male and a female, in both his ears.

"Belial?" Matthew froze.

"Yes, son of Adam. Why won’t you use my gift?" They asked.

Matthew was hesitant on using that blade. He didn’t understand Belial’s motives or the way they thought. But now was no time to hesitate. Avariel was hurt, Mitzrael couldn’t land a hit and all Ffyr could do was to give support from the sky while avoiding lightning bolts from the sky.

Matthew took out Belial’s dark blade from his inventory. The blade seemed to vibrate happily for being used. Matthew felt the ease that his skills interacted with the blade. It refused holy mana, but his Imbue Mana and Sharpen skills seemed to flow so naturally that it almost didn’t consume any mana from him. It was a feeling similar to when he wielded Orpheu’s katana.

He looked up to see Ffyr keeping the black steed away from the archangel with a barrage of fire and wind spells.

Then Matthew attacked Vine by flaking him with Mitzrael. The archangel interlocked a holy light blade with the demon king’s electrified one, opening the way for Matthew to cut the Black Rider’s arm with Belial’s dark blade.

Vine roared in pain again and leaped back after Matthew’s attack opened a big wound on his arm.

"What’s that sword?" Vine asked, holding his wound.

Mitzrael took the opportunity to take a deep breath and looked at Matthew’s new sword.

"Belial’s blade." Avariel said after getting up with a lot of effort.

Vine kept his eyes on the dark sword. He was now more cautious than before.

Mitzrael decided to ignore the blade for now and directed his voice to the demon king now that he seemed more composed.

"Fames. It’s not too late to end this tomfoolery. This is hallowed ground consecrated by our lord himself. If you keep your aggression, you will incite the ire of heaven itself." The archangel warned him.

"The ire of Yahweh." Vine chuckled. "What is this if not his ire already." He asked with his hand over his heart. "You, demon slayer. You understand me. You know this pain." He added, pointing at Matthew. "Would you do any different if you lost the object of your affection?"

"I wouldn’t force her to submit to my will. If she decides to leave me, it would hurt for sure, but I wouldn’t force her to stay with me." Matthew answered.

Vine took a deep breath.

"Is that what I should do?" He asked, looking at the clouded sky he created.

"You should accept she doesn’t want you and move on." Matthew insisted.

"I told you before. There’s no love in the hells." Vine said, lifting his sword. "I won’t lose my songbird."

"Keep him inside the temple." Mitzrael said, shifting his weapons to a sword and shield made of holy light. "The holy mana is weakening him."

"Not enough." Matthew laughed at himself, feeling impotent.

"Just keep fighting. Together we can defeat him." Mitzrael assured him, taking a step forward and facing the demon king.

"Not even the first god’s aid will hold my anger." Vine said, conjuring a ball of sparkling electricity on his hand. "I will have her."

Mitzrael raised his shield to protect Matthew from the blast when the demon king threw the lightning ball at them, making the light shield shatter and burning his forearm.

Matthew used his Copy skill to infuse his blades with the same spell Vine had on his own sword, electrifying them. He used his Reckless Agility and Sixth Sense skills to dodge a couple of lightning bolts that fell from the sky on him.

At the same moment, Ffyr threw a huge fireball at the ground holding the advance of Vine’s black steed that was charging to meet Matthew halfway through him and the demon king.

Avariel came in later, flapping her one good wing piercing the demon horse’s heart with holy fire.

While the beast neighed in pain, Matthew charged Vine with his swords trading blows with the lion-faced demon in rapid progression.

Even with his enhanced Agility, Matthew was not able to surpass Vine’s speed. If it wasn’t for his Six Sense skill, Matthew had no chance to dodge the demon king’s counter attacks.

A moment of carelessness was all it took for Matthew to be hit on his shoulder causing a large quantity of blood to fall on the floor.

Matthew didn’t scream, because his Anesthesia skill dulled the pain. But he lost movement on his right arm, the one holding Aym’s dagger.

Mitzrael pulled him back, saving him from a mortal attack directed at his neck. The archangel soon took his position fighting Vine.

Avariel rushed to heal Matthew’s wound.

He breathed heavily feeling his muscles grow back under the severed skin.

They couldn’t win.