Co-Written with Demons Anarchy of Pride. The creator of many fantastic masterpieces such as: Fire Emblem: Eternity Unto Reformation, Code Geass: Lelouch of the R-eset, The Crow: DxD, Highschool, DxD: Shatter Destiny, RWBY's Reaper, Code Geass 00, Fractured Reality, Code Geass: Suzaku of the Counterattack, Devil Survivor: Destiny Rewind, and some of his new projects, such as Lagrange 111: You Are (Not) Alone, Tokyo Ghoul: A Flowered Colored Darker Than Black, Persona 4: The Unseen Truth, Monarch, Kill the Deadly Sin, Code Geass: The Butterfly Effect, DxD: Final, DC Heroes: FORGOTTEN BLOODSTAINED LEGACY, DxD: Nocturne, Project, A Tale of Three Dragons, A Dragon Darker than Black, Code Geass: Kill the Rebellion, RWBY: Black Rebellion, and more.

I highly recommend you check them all out.

I really appreciate your help, man. Couldn't have done this without ya!

Thank you to all who continue to support this story.

Also…..ALL FLAMES CAN JUST BURN IN HELL!... So don't even bother.

XXXXXXXXXX

Chapter 3: Beldr

It was Day 3 of the Lockdown. The chaos and blockade have yet to be resolved.

And once more, the group was in for a rude awakening.

"Gah...Dammit..." Klein groaned. "I can never get used to sleeping on the ground."

"I hear that..." Kirito mumbled as he cracked his neck. "I think I slept on the tree... My neck is all kinds of sore."

"The same could be said for my back..." Agil agreed as he twisted his back, allowing several cracks to be heard.

The others also woke up, with Philia having slumped next to Suguha and Yuzu, while Asuna and Yui slept together.

Kazuya was the only one to still be asleep, slumped against the concrete block.

XXXXXXXXXX

"O-oi... slow down, Akuma!"

"Try to keep up, AT-LOW! We're almost to the Spriggan Territory!"

Kazuya laughed.

He couldn't wait. They were so close!

It had been less than a month since they had gotten ALfheim Online, and needless to say, they rushed to put on their AmuSphere to play it. The sensation was phenomenal to them, especially this sensation... it was so incredible to him. It felt like a dream, especially soaring through the air like this!

Even if it was virtual, the feeling was as real as it could get. The rush of flying through the skies as free as a bird! Granted, when they first entered the game, their faces became well-acquainted with the ground.

It... wasn't a fun experience.

Despite the rocky start, they really enjoyed what ALfheim had to offer. They eventually managed to get the flying bit down.

"I swear, dude, you are going too fast!" Atsuro complained. As a Gnome, his appearance looked relatively the same, wearing a heavy blue coat with green trims and black hair underneath the hood. He had dark green marks underneath his eyes, resembling scars. Kazuya was a Leprechaun, his hair cut in the same style, except it was colored a much lighter color, almost silver, and had on a short-sleeve black jacket with silver trims. "Seriously, man! Slow down! It's not like the place's going anywhere!"

"I can't help it, AT-LOW..." Akuma grinned. "I'm too excited."

"Yeah, well, tone it down will ya?!"

Atsuro could understand his friend's excitement, but c'mon!

Akuma chuckled, but continued to speed away. Atsuro sighed, but quickly followed after him.

Eventually, they made it into Spriggan territory.

"Holy crap..." Atsuro panted, his hands on his knees. "We... are never... doing... that... again."

"Well, what are you waiting for? C'mon! Let's go!" Akuma then broke out into a sprint.

"H-Hey, wait for me!"

Atsuro ran after his friend. Seriously! It was like he was a different person than IRL!

It took nearly ten minutes before the computer geek caught up with his friend, who was running through the streets, carefully avoiding hitting other players. "Dude, will you slow down?!" he shouted at Kazuya, running right behind him. "Look, I get this is a limited-time event, but there's no need to rush!"

"I know!" the blue-haired boy replied. "But Naoya's going to be there! I haven't seen him in forever!"

"I know that too, but c'mon, Akuma! I know you haven't seen Naoya in a while...but he knows to wait for you!"

"C'mon AT-LOW! You know you're as excited as I am!" Eventually Atsuro finally caught up to his pace.

The tech geek chuckled sheepishly. "Okay, you got me there, but still!"

"Just c'mon! We might miss him if we don't-OOF!" Akuma was cut off, being abruptly being thrown to the ground, colliding into someone. Atsuro immediately skidded to a halt, concerned for his friend as he whirled around.

Whoa, are you okay there, Akuma?" AT-LOW checked on his friend.

"I think so. Are you alright sir?" The Leprechaun was more concerned for the person he bumped into.

He looked up to see the person he bumped into. It was a Spriggan with patted down black hair, wearing a black coat with a fur lining and a light blue accent mark along the sides and arms. On his back were a pair of twin blades, and like all ALO Avatars, he had pointed ears.

"Y-yeah..." the black-clad man groaned. "Damn that hurts..."

"Sorry about that. Guess I didn't watch where I was going..." Akuma held a hand out to help him up.

"It's fine. I'm equally to blame." The stranger took the hand.

Pulling him up, Akuma absently noted how tall the stranger was. "Still, sorry." he said, bowing his head. "I should have been more careful."

"Eh, don't worry about it." the black-clad man told him, smiling as he waved it off. "No harm done. Still, what's got you guys in a hurry?"

"There's a limited-time event going on right now," Atsuro informed him. "And this guy's cousin is supposed to be there. He hasn't seen him in a long time, so he's really excited to see him again."

"Ah, I see. But I think it's a coincidence. I was just on my way to meet my friends for the event as well."

"Really? Then maybe we can all go together."

The stranger grinned. "Sure!" he said, agreeing with the idea. "The more the merrier, I say!"

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go already!"

With that, the newly formed group of three started running. As they did so, the two failed to notice the small mass of black hair sticking out from the coat pocket of the black-haired stranger's jacket. "Psst!" The owner of this small mass of hair was a short girl wearing a pink dress and fairy-like wings. "Papa! Are you sure it's a good idea to bring them along?"

"It's fine, Yui." The man whispered back. "This guy seems pretty eager to see his cousin, so why not?"

The girl, now named Yui, tilted her head as she folded her arms. "If you say so, Papa."

XXXXXXXXXX

"...uya? Hey, Kazuya!"

The blue-haired teen slowly began to stir from his slumber, eyes fluttering open as he forced himself to adjust to the harsh sunlight. Above him were Atsuro and Kirito. "Oh..." he yawned, holding a hand over his mouth as he rose up. "Hey... morning."

"Man...took you long enough. We've been trying to wake you up for a good five minutes."

"Sorry..." he replied, rubbing the drowsiness from his eyes. "I was having a good dream... So, has the Laplace Mail come in yet?

"Not yet. But it should be coming soon."

"What were you dreaming about?" Sinon asked out of curiosity. "Must be something good to make you really stoned."

Kazuya smiled sheepishly. "It was the day when me, Atsuro, and you guys first met in ALfheim."

"Oh yeah. It was during that limited time Winter event, right?"

"Hahahahaha," the techno geek chuckled. "Man, that brought back memories. To think it's already been a year since then."

"Yeah, you're right." Kirito agreed. To think it had already been a year since he asked Naoya take him in as his apprentice.

"We kicked ass in that event." Klein smiled upon remembrance.

"Oh yeah..." Asuna giggled. "That was pretty fun."

Philia frowned, having trouble remembering the event. "What was that event again? I know Sumeragi-sagi and Seven were orchestrating it as a sort of campaign for ALfheim."

Yuzu raised an eyebrow. "Um... who?"

"Sumeragi and Seven. Or rather, Ryouta Sumeragi and Nanairo Alsharvin. They were our friends back in ALO." Kirito answered.

"Don't forget about Rain-san too, papa." Yui reminded.

"Still got no idea who they are." Yuzu deadpanned.

Atsuro sighed. "Nanairo Alsharvin, or Seven as she's better known as, is a prodigy in the tech world. Not only did she graduate one of the most prestigious universities at a young age, she's also considered to be one of the top ten idols in Japan right now." The teen put a hand to his chin. "If I remember right, she's currently on par with another singer from the Indie scene."

"Indie...?" Klein raised an eyebrow. "How much you wanna bet that's Haru?"

"Probably is." Kazuya said. "Unless you know of any other singers from the Indie." Just then, a synchronized beep echoed into the air. "There's the Laplace mail." the blue-haired boy said, swallowing the nervous lump in his throat. "Well... here's hoping whatever happens is good."

He pulled the COMP from his pocket, and opened it. After a few inputs, the screen shifted over to the mailbox.

FROM: The Observer
Subject: Laplace Mail

NEWS.

1) At 18:00 in Minato-ku Aoyama Cemetery, Belder the immortal will be revived. Over 300 casualties will be effected.

[][]ve a N[]ce day.

"What the...300 victims?! No way...!" Yuzu gasped.

The others were in similar states. Agil's face was set into a grim mask, while Klein and Philia looked pale. Atsuro and Shino looked very disturbed, disbelief and shock written across their faces while Asuna and Suguha could scarcely believe what they were reading. Kirito and Kazuya were the only ones to have a serious look to them, eyes narrowed.

There was no way they were going to let this Beldr kill all those people. The same thought ran through both their minds.

"Beldr...that's the demons' boss...He's finally here."

"So, we just beat him, and we should be safe for a while..." Klein said, unsure. "Right?"

"That's what we're assuming." Atsuro nodded. "He's one of the five Bels, so naturally, we might have to fight the other four." A sigh escaped him. "Although... I wish we didn't have to. Would it be wishful thinking that if we bet Beldr we can go back to a normal life?"

"Probably would," Agil chortled. "But it'd be nice. Makes me wish things were always that simple."

"Unfortunately, they never were." Kirito deadpanned. "And for some reason, I don't feel like beating Beldr would be easy...otherwise, he wouldn't be called an immortal."

"Yeah..." Atsuro sighed. "We need to find that mistletoe, and fast!"

"Um... Did I catch you guys at a bad moment?"

"Huh?" The group turned around the source. The hat-wearing teen widened his eyes.

"Keisuke?"

The brown-haired boy smiled sheepishly. "Hey." he greeted. "Sorry if I interrupted you guys."

"No no, it's fine." Yuzu said. "We were just discussing something. So... what's up?"

"I've been looking for you all."

"Did something happen?" Kazuya asked.

"Well, something's come up...it's about Midori..." His expression showed signs of anxiety. "Letting her have a COMP may have been...a mistake..."

At this, Kirito's eyes narrowed at him. "...Go on." His voice was tense.

"Okay...She started saying she was going to use the COMP to help people out. We let her have the COMP so she could protect herself against demons, but..."

"She didn't make the contract?" Kazuya guessed.

"No...She beat the demon that emerged and formed a contract with it...with my help. But...ever since she started swearing to help people, her death clock decreased..."

"W-wait, what?!" Asuna cried in shock, eyes wide. "What do you mean?!"

"I told her to give up the COMP, but she wouldn't listen! "

"But...Midori hasn't grouped up with anyone, right?! Shouldn't she be able to see her own death clock...?" Yuzu inquired.

"Right...but she doesn't even realize that's what the number above her means." Keisuke shook his head. " I tried explaining it to her, but she won't listen at all. At this rate...she will die to tomorrow..."

At this, Kirito had heard enough. He marched up and grabbed Keisuke by the collar. "See?! This was why I didn't want Midori to have a COMP! Now do you understand?!" He snapped angrily. "You just let her sign her own death wish!"

Keisuke refused to meet his gaze. "I-I'm sorry, I didn't realize this would happen!"

"I told you it was a bad idea!"

"Kirito! Calm down!" Atsuro grabbed his arm. "Look, I know things are bad but-"

"Bad...BAD?! That's not even enough to describe this! It's a disaster!"

"We know that!" Atsuro snapped back. "And we'll going to fix it! Look, we can't just leave Midori alone if she's closer to getting killed!"

"He's right, Kirito-kun." Asuna nodded in agreement. "Regardless of whether or not it was a mistake, we have to help her."

The Black Swordsman gritted his teeth. He should've stood his ground and refused to give Midori the COMP in the first place! Now she's off doing something naive and stupid!

"Dammit!" He let go of Keisuke.

"Look, Kirito-kun..." Shino said, looking directly at him. "What's done is done. Now we have to deal with the aftermath." A smile formed on her face. "Don't worry. We'll set her straight."

"Damn right we will." Klein smirked, though it fell a second later. "Yare yare... First we got to deal with some immortal monster, now we gotta save a damsel in distress. Talk about one busy schedule!"

Keisuke frowned. "Immortal monster?" he questioned, looking to Kazuya. "Did... something happen?"

"We just learned about a powerful monster called Beldr that is going to be appearing today at the Aoyama Cemetery." he answered. "It's supposedly immortal, and if the Norse legends are to be believed, the only thing that can kill it is some kind of mistletoe."

"Mistletoe? The parasitic plant used for Christmas tradition?" He repeated as if he heard right.

"Yep. It was weird to us to. But that myth is all we have to go on. It may be our only hope of beating this immortal."

The brown-haired boy nodded, seeming to understand this before he paused. "Keisuke?" Atsuro questioned, noticing how deep in thought his friend looked. "Something up?"

"...it sounds like you guys are going to have it pretty rough." he commented. "Would you... mind if I tagged along?"

Everyone was stunned. They stared at Keisuke as if he had grown a second head, unable to believe what he had just said. Kazuya looked the most disturbed, as an unsettling expression crossed his face. "...Keisuke, you can see the Death Clock, right?"

He nodded.

"And... you can see it's zero, right?"

Again, he received another nod. "I can... And?"

"And!? Well, you know that it means well die today, right?!"

"I'm fully aware of that."

"So why do you want to join us?"

"Because I feel responsible." Keisuke answered, his face utterly serious. "If I had maybe agreed with Kirigaya-san, then maybe Midori wouldn't be in this situation... I feel like it's my fault." His fists clenched as he looked back at them with the utmost seriousness. "That's why... I need to make up for it."

The others seemed to agree with his statement. He made a mistake, and he is willing to correct it. Kirito stared at him for the longest time in contemplation. Finally, he gave his answer. "...Okay. At least you are willing to atone for your mistakes."

Keisuke smiled in gratitude. "Thank you, Kirigaya-san." As soon as he said that, his Death Clock readout changed.

It had gone from 5 to 0. Kazuya and Kirito grimaced upon seeing it, but they understood Keisuke's decision. He wanted to do something, in order to make up for his actions. "Well, glad to have you on board, Keisuke." Atsuro chuckled. "Still, I gotta ask... Why so worried about Midori? I get she's super famous on the net as Dolly, but..."

"Er, well..."

As the brown-haired male tried to find a proper response, Atsuro's eyes widened, as if realizing something. "Wait, don't tell me..." he said, gaping in shock before a large grin formed across his face. "Oho, Keisuke, you sly dog~! I didn't know you had a thing for Midori!"

"I-It's not like that at all! It's just...well...I'm..." Keisuke stammered.

"Just what, huh? Heh heh..." Atsuro chuckled.

"No, really! It's not that!" He denied. "...I convinced you all to let Midori have a COMP...and then I taught her how to use it..."

"So, it's about guilt?" Klein guessed, earning a nod. "Well, that makes sense... but you sure it isn't because you have a thing for Midori-chan?" he grinned, earning a spluttering blush from Keisuke. "After all, the two of you DID seem pretty close~"

"W-We're not!" The bespectacled teen denied strongly. "We didn't even meet until just the other day! Please stop implying that there is something between us!"

"You sure about that?" Atsuro joined in on the teasing. "Your face is pretty red!"

"J-just drop it already! Please!" He begged, his hands covering his face.

"Alright boys...I think you had enough fun with him." Asuna crossed her arms in amusement.

"Yeah," Shino giggled. "I think he's been tormented enough."

The boys groaned in disappointment, while Keisuke was very thankful they spared him.

"While all this banter is amusing...don't we have something to do?" Agil reminded them all.

"Yeah," Philia nodded. "We've got to find that mistletoe to stop Beldr."

"And don't forget we have to stop Midori too." Keisuke reminded them. "So that makes two objectives. This Beldr shouldn't appear until sunset, so we should have plenty of time. The real question is, who would have information to stop an immortal demon? This... Shomonkai group?"

"Maybe." Agil shrugged. "Amane-san looks like she can't speak much about anything, but maybe we can try talking with someone else who knows something, maybe the leader."

"But the question is, where are we going to find him?"

"Maybe we can ask one of he members. We could say we're interested in heir cause and would like to speak with their founder." Sinon offered.

"Would that really work, though?" Klein said skeptically, his hands at his hips. "I mean, we look like one heck of a bunch of misfits."

"Yeah..." Yuzu sighed. "That is true, isn't it? It's times like these I wish we had the Internet."

At the mention of this, Atsuro's eyes lit up, something clicking in his head. "Internet...?" he whispered. Kazuya looked at him with curiosity. Noticing his gaze, the tech geek looked back at him. "I might have an idea... but I'm going to have to do a few tests before I say anything."

"Like I said, I need to work out a few kinks." Atsuro said. "So, for now, let's see if anybody knows what we're looking for."

Kazuya frowned, obviously confused. He wasn't sure what Atsuro had in mind, but he trusted him with what he was doing, and gave a nod. The boy smiled. "Thanks, man." he said, grateful. "Alright, let's see if we can find Amane. She's probably our best bet... though knowing our luck, she probably won't say anything."

Sinon huffed. "Maybe that Anguished One knows something. You know, that conversation with him is still bugging me."

The others nodded, sharing her sentiments. The white haired figure was a complete enigma. Just who was he really? Or what was he?

There was so much that they didn't know. Who the man was, why he was here, what he was after... all that they really knew about him is that he didn't seem to be an enemy, and that he knew far more than what he was letting on. What really disturbed them was his affiliation with Kirito... just why did he seem to know him? And why refer to him as, "Arbiter?"

They had a lot of questions. And they expected good answers from him. They would definitely keep an eye out for him.

They would receive no answers standing around, however. They quickly made themselves scarce from the park, COMP's in hand.

Kazuya failed to notice the dark blue sparks dancing around his COMP, and the screen flickering red.

XXXXXXXXXX

"...here are the latest reports, Chief."

"Thank you, Sako."

Yamato Hotsuin thanked his aide as he grabbed the manilla folders. Said aide was a beautiful young woman in her mid twenties. Her dark blue hair was tied up in a ponytail and fell mid-back. She was dressed in a black blazer with yellow edging, yellow skirt, black leggings, and thigh-high white boots. Her blue eyes remained focused as she stood attentively. Her expression calm and serious.

He opened them and read through their contents. The information and data held within greatly intrigued him.

"So...Beldr is scheduled to appear today?"

"That is correct, Chief."

The man hummed, leaning back in his chair as he read through the document. "And there's already signs that the Bel of the Human World is beginning to awaken." he mused. "It appears that Naoya's plans are progressing faster than we anticipated. Now, it's only a question of what he intends to do once he's fully awakened."

At this point in time, Kazuya Minegeshi had few paths open to them, one of which being the path that his cousin, Naoya had intended for him. Humans have always possessed the power to change the way of things, and Kazuya Minegeshi was no exception. Being the Bel of the Human World, and thus, mankind's representative in this hectic war, he has since then been granted several opportunities... the real question is which one he would take. He was well aware of the Angel's plan for him, to establish him as the Messiah, and that in turn led into conflict with Naoya's goals of him becoming the Overlord, and rebelling against God.

"...it doesn't matter either way," Yamato eventually sighed, closing the folder and setting it on the desk beside him. "So long as he wins the war, I could care less."

As long as Kazuya wins the war, it would simply prove that he was one of the few people that are worthy to exist.

But the War of Bel is not the true Trial of Humanity. Even though demons are fighting amongst one another to claim the Throne, and the Angels intervening to wipe out the Demons, they are all nothing more than petty squabbles in comparison to what will eventually come.

The Trials set by a being of greater standing than God.

The Trials set by the Administrator.

"So, any new updates regarding the Lockdown?"

"None so far." Makoto shook her head. "Right now, we are only aware that Kazuya Minegeshi has demonstrated signs of awakening. It is likely that he will fully awaken when he has absorbed Beldr's power, provided he defeats him. Also, demonic activity has significantly increased, no doubt due to the failed contracts. At this rate, JP's may have to become involved, but Captain Fushimi and Izuna are doing everything they can to prevent the spread going past the encirclement. We have also confirmed that the Bel, Jezebel, is also within the Shomonkai Maiden, Amane Kuzuryu."

Yamato raised an eyebrow. "A Bel and an angel answering directly to the Lesser Tetragamaton?" he questioned with curiosity. "Interesting..."

So not only Remiel, but Jezebel is also housed with the girl. Depending on how things go, she may end up being an influential factor to Kazuya's path later on.

"There is more, Chief. Apparently, there have been sightings of a white haired young man wearing a red and black striped shirt that has the ability to float in mid air. He has also been seen with a demon holding a candelabra." Makoto added.

Instantly, Yamato's face curled into a scowl. This had not gone unnoticed by Makoto, as she frowned in concern for her superior, while the young man felt only irritation. 'So, you've gotten yourself involved in the War of Bel as well, have you?' he thought in utter disgust. 'I suppose that's just one of your many weaknesses, 'Anguished One.' Still...' A second later, he furrowed his brow immensely. 'What are you doing there?'

The Anguished One wasn't supposed to appear until after the war, when the Trials set by the Administrator have begun. It puzzled, yet intrigued Yamato. There was a factor in the War that the Anguished one took interest in. It was the only possible explanation. The question was: What?

"Sir?" Makoto voiced her concern.

"Sako, keep an eye on things in the Lockdown." Yamato ordered, his face becoming serious. "Also, monitor Kazuya Minegeshi's associates, and see if they have had any and all contact with this individual. It's imperative that we know if they've come into contact with him."

XXXXXXXXXX

"Bugeikan..."

The group paused as they passed by the familiar entrance to the large stadium. "Hm?" Asuna tilted her head. "Something up, Yuzu?"

The red-haired girl smiled somewhat. "Sorry," she apologized. "I was just thinking about how cool it would be if Haru ever got to play here."

"Yeah. It would be pretty cool. I could actually see it now." Klein agreed. The very thought of seeing their favorite singer truly appealed to them.

"Speaking of music," Keisuke looked at the stadium. "Is it just me, or do I hear noises coming from inside?"

"Maybe a concert prep?" Suguha offered. "I've heard that even in middle of crisis' people occupy their thoughts by going about daily routines."

"Hm, maybe."

Suddenly, Yui's eyes widened in shock, and her face serious. "Everyone, I'm detecting demons inside the stadium!" she shouted in alarm, alerting everyone. "And it's a large number of them!"

"What?!" Kirito scowled. "Ah, dammit! C'mon everyone!"

"Right!" The others nodded and followed Kirito into the stadium.

They charged straight in, moving through the corridors before they reached the interior.

"...Holy crap..." Was all Klein could say. The entire area was overrun with Demons.

And in the middle of it all... was Haru.

"Huh? Oh. Hey you guys." The red haired songstress waved as she noticed them. "What's up?"

"H-Haru?!" Yuzu cried in shock. "Are you okay?!"

The red-haired woman shrugged, glaring at the demons. "Well, take a look around ya," she said. "Take a guess."

"GIVE US THE SONG FOR OUR MASTER, WOMAN!" one of the demons roared.

"Oh zip it, ya oversized gourd."

Sinon raised an eyebrow. "Not very worried, is she?"

"Yeah." Philia nodded. "It's as if she isn't fazed by the Demons at all."

"We can talk about that later!" Suguha interjected. "We have to help her!"

"Yeah!" Kazuya nodded. "Come on, guys!" He whipped out his COMP, and flipped it open. "Let's go, Arsene!"

The Phantom Thief materialized and spread his wings. "Who shall we rend apart next?" He then took notice of Haru. "Ah. It's the songstress from before. I can she is in quite a peril."

"Gee, thanks Captain Obvious." Atsuro snarked as Garm took to his side. "Come on, we gotta save her!"

Kirito nodded strongly as the familiar black warrior stood beside him. "Alright, Hagen!" he called. "Let's cut them down!"

"I shall, my master!" The black samurai nodded in agreement.

The others summoned their demons as well. Haru whistled. "Helluva army," she commented as she looked around the stadium. "Well... here's hoping I make it out of this."

XXXXXXXXXX

"Hahahaha... At last, we have it...!"

A random man shouted in victory as he clutched the item in hand. "With this...Master Belial will be pleased..."

XXXXXXXXXX

Keisuke gritted his teeth as his feet slid across the ground, narrowly avoiding a cold, icy death. "Damn..." he muttered, glaring at the white-furred and black-faced beast before him. "This demon is different from the others... It seems like each day will produce stronger demons." He scowled. "This will be tough...! Okay, Pyro Jack! Jack Frost! Let's go!"

"Right hee-ho!" Both Jacks nodded. Pyro jack flew above and shot fireballs from its lantern while Jack Frost shot out icicles.

The icicles did nothing to the Wendigo, but the flames had caused it to cry out in pain, stumbling back with its fur singed. Keisuke had followed up as lightning began to dance around him. "Elec Dance!" he cried out. Bolts of thunder lashed out from him, sparking wildly before reaching their mark. The force of the blast was enough to send the Wendigo off of its feet, and into the ground.

The next second, it found itself smashed further into the ground, courtesy of Spriggan.

"Die!" The ugly fairy roared.

The Wendigo growled once before it fell limp and silent. It dispersed into blue particles afterward.

Philia smirked. "One down!"

Kirito and Kazuya were charging straight through the crowd, trying to reach Haru through the mass of demons. "Dammit all!" the black-haired teen snarled. "Get out of our way! MOW DOWN!"

"Maragi!"

A Stream of flames erupted from Kazuya's palm, scorching a line of demons in its path.

Kirito's fist impacted the stomach of an Ogre, forcing the air out of its lungs. Hagen came up from behind and sliced it down the middle.

As the demons dispersed apart, they were met with another legion of demons, causing Kirito to scowl further. "How many of them are there?!"

"Approximately a dozen more, papa!" Yui replied as she dodged a bolt of lightning.

Agil scowled. "A dozen more, eh...? Well, fine! C'mon, Gozuki! Let's run 'em to the ground!"

"On it!" the bull-headed demon snarled as he brought down the axe, slicing a Garm in half.

"Zan!" Atsuro swung his arm. A gust of wind blew and sliced through the body of a Bilwis. He is Garm finished the job by clamping it with its jaws.

"Oberon, now!"

"Understood!" the fairy king aimed the tip of his saber at his enemies, lightning dancing around him. "Begone from my sight, you cur! Mazio!"

Suguha and Asuna stood side by side the Cait Sith pranced about the battlefield, cutting down anything that stood in the feline's way. The black-haired girl focused on healing the demon when it became threatened, and Asuna provided back up, freezing her opponents in their tracks. Meanwhile, Yuzu and Klein were busy trying to get close to Haru, in order to protect her from the thick horde.

"Rakshasa!"

"Pixie!"

The Swordsman and fairy zipped through the horde. Blades cleaving foes to shreds while bolts of lightning fried enemies from a distance. Yui, on her part, was keeping the demons back while Kama shot off arrow after arrow. The remaining enemies soon dropped like flies. There were still a few demons left behind, but they were quickly working their way to eliminating them. Arsene skewered a Lilim through the chest as he crushed her heart...literally.

"Forgive me," the gentleman thief said with a flaming grin. "But sadly, I only take the hearts of maidens."

He tossed the body aside as the Demon's body dispersed and returned to the Expanse.

"Haru!" Atsuro called out. "Get down!" The red-haired woman immediately ducked as Garm leaped over her, launching itself at the Wendigo that had tried to sneak up behind her.

The savage canine bit into the neck of the frozen beast. Fangs dug deep into its flesh, drawing blood and cutting through muscles and bones. Wendigo tried to pry it off, but Garm's sharp claws were stabbed deep into its chest. The humanoid demon's struggles slowed as more blood pooled beneath it. Eventually, it fell still.

The Garm leaped up, and allowed Atsuro to deal the final blow. "Zan!" the blast send it crashing into the wall, where it dispersed as it fell into the ground. "You okay, Haru?!"

"Yeah I'm fine. You guys really saved my ass back there." She scratched her head.

"Well, don't get too comfortable..." Agil said, coming from up from behind them. "We still got some bastards left." He looked back to the battlefield. "Oi, Kirito-kun! Are you almost done on your end?!"

As if to respond, Hagen sliced through the skull of a Bilwis while Kirito landed a multi-hit on a Gagyson.

"Still in the middle of something!" Kirito called out, jumping back to avoid a counter-attack from the purple creature as it unleashed several bolts at him. Kazuya scowled, noticing this. "Hold on, Kazuto!" he shouted, charging after him. "I'm coming!"

But before Kazuya could meet up with his friend, two avian demons barred his path. They seemed to be a mix of feline and bird, possessing a lion's head and eagle's body.

"Dammit all!" he growled. "Get the heck outta my way! MARAGI!"

Another stream of flames shot out of his hand, engulfing the two in a blaze. Arsene finished the job by severing their heads with his clawed hands.

Yui jumped away, as ice erupted from beneath her, trying to entrap her in a frozen coffin. She quickly retaliated, swinging her blade down. The flames tore apart the ice and the ground as it charged at the Wendigo, and burned it to ashes. However, she was left defenseless as from behind her, a duo consisting of a Gagyson and an Oberon took flight behind her, claw and saber outstretched.

Before the avian Demon could land a blow on her, however, Hagen cut it down. From where he was, Kirito's eyes lit up with rage. "You dare to attack my daughter?!" he roared. For a moment, the Black Swordsman had manifested in real life, as his eyes turned yellow. "I'll stain this stadium with your blood for that!"

His fists glowed brightly as he leaped forward and stabbed his hands into the fairy demon's body. One went into its chest through its heart, while the other dug its fingers into the Demon's eyes, clawing them out. It tried to raise its sword to defend itself, but it broke in two under the weight of Kirito's attack. In a swift motion, Kirito brought both of his arms down, cleaving the Oberon to pieces. Blood splattered onto the ground and his arms.

The group was left stunned by the action, especially the SAO group. The way he had acted just now... it was almost as if he were back in the game. However, to see it first hand in RL... it was terrifying.

Even though it was a Demon, Kirito had just killed without a shred of remorse. What was even more unsettling where his eyes. They were still yellow like before, and had become cold and callous. After blinking once, his eyes returned to their original color. But the frigidness remained.

"Damn..." Atsuro gawked. "Now I understand what they meant earlier when they mentioned how Kirito can get... That is fucking terrifying!"

Haru, however, whistled. "Damn," she said, obviously impressed. "Boy's got skills. Hate to get on his bad side."

Soon, Kirito's wrath faded. His expression remained stern, but his emotions were now reined in.

"Oi, Kirito!" Klein called out in worry. "You okay man?!"

"I'm fine." He responded curtly.

Klein was clearly unconvinced, as were the others, but they understood his rage. After all, the only thing that could match the wrath of a scorned woman was a protective father out for blood.

"Yui-chan," Shino called out as she ducked underneath a swing of a Ogre's arm, and delivered a hard heel kick to its jaw, knocking it off its feet. She finished it off with a blast of electricity. "How many are left?"

"Only six more!"

"Guys, heads up!" Yuzu called out, noticing the approaching appearance of the remaining demons. "These ones mean business!"

She spoke the truth. The remaining demons were unlike any they have encountered before. One was a pale woman in a white kimono with a frigid air around her. Another was a small, bipedal lizard with golden scales and large eyes. Another was a amorphous mass of flames with a human head. The fourth was a female, humanoid cat with white fur dressed only in a orange top. The fifth was a small, dog-like beast with gold and green fur. The final one was a blue-skinned deity with six arms, three faces, and clad in red armor pieces. A single edged sword was present in each hand.

"What the hell..." Agil frowned. "Those guys... don't look nice."

"The one with the blades is Mahakala of the Deity Race." Yui informed. "They're talented in terms of magic. Basilik can use petrification abilities, so be careful! One hit, and you'll be down!"

"And what about the others?"

"The flaming demon is an Elemental Demon, Flaemis. They're very talented in terms of fire magic. Bai Shuzen is a Dragon demon, and can attack from a distance. She also uses ice attacks. The Beasts, Nekomata and Shiisa, are both specialized in lightning magic!"

"So we need to pair up with the advantage." Kazuya mused as he read over everyone' stats. Keisuke's Pyro Jack would be good against Flaemis as it would render its attacks useless. Same could be said for Jack Frost and Bai Shuzen. However, the other four will be a bit tricky. The Basilisk may be small, but it also seems pretty agile. They would need their fast attackers to fight it. For the Beasts, a Demon with a Lightning Nullification or Absorption trait would be best. But for Mahakala...That is the real challenge...

"Oi, Kazuya..." Kirito said, walking beside him. "You think we can take that Mahakala?"

"Maybe." he replied. "Arsene is pretty resistant to fire and electricity, but he can't be anywhere near that basilisk, or Bai Shuzen. Ice and Alignments don't end well for him."

"Then what about Jackfrost?" Keisuke offered in turn. "He can absorb ice attacks, making him a good demon to use."

"What about Shiisai and Nekomata?" Atsuro asked. "Both it and that Flaemis don't look so strong, so maybe we can hit 'em both?"

"In that case, leave 'em to me and Leafa." Asuna said. "Oberon and Cait Sith should be able to deal with them."

"Alright." So they had their plan of attack. It's time to put it into action!

XXXXXXXXXX

Elsewhere, in Roppongi, specifically at the Hills Building, Amane stood alone in a singular room, which was quite vast, littered with various devices and machinery. One might even say this room exists for the purpose of machinery, for this room held a very specific purpose. All around her, tubes and wires, both of which glowing green, were scattered about, and around various spots in the room were several consoles with lit screens. Normally, many Shomonkai members, including Azuma and her father, would be present, but there were other matters to attend to. After all, today, a Bel was to surface...

And if she was correct, another would soon be born into this world. A Bel that would save this world, if given the proper guidance. The reason for this was because this Bel was special, born not as a demon, but as a human. A representative of the human race in this war between demons and angels. A factor that could change everything, depending on the course of his actions. Even now, with her past interactions, she could see the sparks of potential within him. All he needed was a proper course, a path to follow.

After a long period of silence, Amane felt a presence approaching from behind her, entering the room with a steady rythm. "...I see you accepted my invitation." she said calmly, turning to face her guest. "I did not expect you to come here, given what you told me a few days ago."

Naoya smirked at her, face etched into cold marble as always. "Well, given it was you, and not Azuma or the Founder, who sent me that message, I was quite curious." he confessed. "So, tell me... What brought this about? If you've come to ask me to aid you, my answer is still the same. As I told you before, Amane Kuzuryu, God is no friend of mine."

She closed her eyes. "I am aware of that," she replied calmly. "However, that is not the reason why I called you here." Naoya raised an eyebrow, curious about her reasons. "That boy... Kazuya Minegeshi... He is your cousin, is he not?"

"He is. What of it?"

"Then... you are aware that he is the Bel of the Human World, correct?"

The silver haired man's eyes widened slightly. Just how did she know of that? He never divulged that information to anyone...well...no one human. He looked at her with a mild glare. She knew a little too much for her own good. But then again...that must be the result of having two polar opposite beings within her.

Either way, regardless, it seemed she was aware, and he knew there was little point dodging the issue. "I am aware of that." he answered, keeping his tone even. He wouldn't give her, nor the beings within her, any sort of satisfaction. "And... why should that matter?"

Amane opened her eyes again, looking at his red orbs, calmly and unfaltering. "If you are aware of that... then it appears both mine and Remiel's suspicions are confirmed." She gave him an impassive gaze. "You... are Cain."

His lips curled into a dark smile. "The one and only Sinner, made by God himself." he said sarcastically, shrugging his shoulders. "Then again, what is in a name? Cain, Naoya, all are just titles and labels one slaps on another. Personally, I couldn't really care which name I go by. I've gone by many names, all of which insignificant."

"Then answer me this, Naoya... What is your intention?"

"My intention?"

Amane nodded. "You granted us the knowledge needed to establish the COMPs, as well as the Demon Summoning Program." she recounted his accomplishments. "Without you, the human race would not have been granted this opportunity to withstand both this war, and this trial. So, to that end, I ask of you, Cain-" She paused, shaking her head. "No... Naoya Minegeshi. What is your goal? What do you hope to accomplish with all of this?"

Naoya smiled thinly. "My... intention?" he asked back. His bangs overshadowed his eyes, but his smile grew wider... and crueler. "...Heh. What a foolish question to ask, especially when you have an angel within you to give you the answer." He brought up his head to reveal his eyes, cold and murderous, harboring nothing but cold resentment and merciless hatred that surpassed even hellfire. "I want Kazuya to win the War. I want him to become the King of Bel... and rebel against God for everything he's done."

At this, the Angel within Amane began to stir. Rebel...? Against God...? Utter blasphemy!

"...You do realize your course of actions will bring the entirety of Heaven's Judgment to fall upon you, correct?" Amane questioned, as if trying to reason with him.

"Hmph. Judgment? I've already experienced hell a long time ago...when that poor excuse of a God made me kill my brother just to use me as a damn example for humanity in his blasted tales of idiocy!" Naoya snapped angrily. "I offered him my finest crops...and rejected them while he accepted Abel's lamb! He didn't care about our sacrifice...all he wanted was blood! It didn't matter if it was human or animal...he just wanted blood! I was a hopeless fool back then...so blinded by a faith of deceit that I had to commit the one deed I would forever regret...All because of Him!"

Naoya's fists clenched, threatening to draw blood. "I want nothing more than to see his corpse at my feet..." he seethed with utter rage. "At Kazuya's feet. That is why..." Slowly, his smile returned, regaining his composure. "I will see to it that he becomes the King of Bel... a being that surpasses even the Great Darkness. The one who kill the so-called Holy Father."

Amane's face hardened slightly. "You would use your own brother as a tool for your own selfish gain?"

"No... Kazuya is no tool." he corrected her. "I am the one who simply act as his guide through the darkness... The one who help him ascend to the throne. No more, no less." He stared back at her. "And what of you, Priestess? What do you intend to do? After all, the appearance of a Human Bel is unprecedented. With such a factor, I'm sure both Jezebel and Remiel cannot possibly ignore him, and neither can the government. Already, I'm sure the head of the Hotsuin Clan is already aware of him, and by extension, his role."

Amane was quiet at first. What Naoya said was true; such a factor could not go ignored. As things stood, Kazuya Minegeshi, the Bel of the Human World, could not be allowed to run free, nor could he flounder around like fish out of water. The power he wielded... it needed to be honed properly. It needed to be put to proper use. The way things were, humans would forever remain helpless, out of reach and left as mere helpless victims in the war between god and evil. It ached both her heart and Remiel's to see this occur, while Jezebel was only amused by the mindless slaughter. Kazuya... he could change all of that, be it for better or for worse.

In her opinion... in her hopes, he would change things for the better.

"...you are correct of that," she finally answered. "Kazuya Minegeshi, as a Bel, cannot be left alone. He is an unknown variable. And, as you said, he is perhaps a victim of God's intentions and schemes." She looked back at him, seeing a faint trace of satisfaction, as if he had won something. "However, be that as it may, he is still a child of God... the one who has the power to change the world, and all of those in it. Just as you believe he can rise and become the King of Demons, I believe he can be the one to guide this world out of the darkness, and into a brighter future... a Messiah."

The instant those words fell from her lips, Naoya's face morphed into utter fury, held in the guise of a quiet, if imposing glare. "In other words..." he said slowly, each word laced venomously. "You want to make him into a tool for your God."

"The King of Bel, one who rules over demons, bending to the Lord..." Amane continued, unperturbed by his words. "Surely, even you can see the good of what can come of it."

"No." he rebuked, scoffing. "I cannot. All I see that can come of that is Kazuya becoming a foolish tool, a mere plaything for God to toy with as he so pleases." His eyes grew cold and icy. "And I... will not allow that to happen."

Amane sighed. It appeared that reasoning with him was... out of the question. "It appears that we are at an impasse then."

"Indeed we are." Naoya replied. "In the end...this meeting was nothing more than a waste of time." He turned around to leave. "...But I will say this...If you dare poison my brother's mind with those lies of a Messiah...molding him into a tool for God..." He turned his head so a single eye glared at her. An eye filled with absolute hatred and rage. It took all of Amane's composure not to flinch or tremble at the deadly gaze. "I will not hesitate to end your worthless existence, Maiden. I will make you suffer in ways unimaginable..."

With that final note, he left.

'...well,' a female voice echoed in her mind in bemusement. 'That went grandly well. He's just as cold and ruthless as I remember~'

'Be silent, Jezebel,' a masculine voice, baritone and stern, reprimanded. 'Before I make you.'

'Oh, you're such a killjoy, Remiel.'

Amane sighed, ignoring the mental bickering between entities. The meeting had not gone as she intended, but at the very least, she learned a few things... the most important being that Naoya Minegeshi cared deeply for Kazuya.

Even to this day...even after living through countless lives and remembering so much history...Cain still cherished his younger brother, Abel.

It was also through this bond that Naoya is doing everything he can to ensure Kazuya succeeds in claiming the Throne.

That was something they could at least agree on. Kazuya MUST be the one to ascend to the Throne of Bel. Under no circumstance could they allow a demon to take the Throne. No, it had to be Kazuya... the only real question was what path would the boy take.

The Path of a Demon King. The Path of a Messiah. Two roads open to him, each the polar opposite of the other.

If he were to be Demon King, then all demons will be united under his banner. And with Naoya's Guidance, lead an army to bring down God.

However, if he became the Messiah...

Demons would no longer be shunned in the dark. Perhaps, if the King set an example for them, they too would embrace the light, and this futile struggle would at long last reach an end. God would at last have the one who would end this war, which has lasted for eons.

Even still, she could not force him upon this path. Kazuya Minegeshi must decide what path to choose upon his own free will, and by his own volition.

If he was indeed forced upon this path, than there would be no purpose for it. It would simply be a being with empty resolve.

"If the Throne is to be obtained, it must be one strength of will, and by one's own decision." Amane told herself. "I... am simply a guide for a path he will walk, just as Naoya is." She looked up at the ceiling. "I wonder... what path will you walk, Kazuya Minegeshi?"

XXXXXXXXXX

Mahakala is relied upon in all schools of Tibetan Buddhism and is depicted in a number of variations, each with distinctly different qualities and aspects. He is also regarded as the emanation of different beings in different cases, though he is best known as a wrathful manifestation of Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva of compassion. He is a Dharmapala (Dharma Protector) and one of the eight main Dharmapalas, alongside Yama, Yamantaka, Hayagriva, Vaisravana, Palden Lhamo, Tshangspa Dkarpo, and Begtse.

The most notable variation in Mahakala's manifestations and depictions is in the number of arms, but other details can vary as well. For instance, in some cases there are Mahakalas in white, with multiple heads, without genitals, standing on varying numbers of various things, holding various implements, with alternative adornments, and so on.

In Hinduism, Mahakala is a name of Shiva (Great Time), but is also the name of one of Shiva's principal attendants, or ganas. He is also one of Shiva's watchmen, along with Nandi.

In Japan he is called Daikokuten and is one of the Seven Lucky Gods. In this incarnation, he is surprisingly less violent and is more benevolent towards humans. He is also associated with the Shinto god Okuninushi and Dakiniten is also associated with him.

However... if there was at least one description that fitted him right now, it would be a walking monstrosity.

"...pathetic." the multi-armed deity said coldly, his blades curved all around him, as he intercepted attacks from both Hagen and Arsene, both acting in unison. "Is this all you can do?"

With a strong push, Mahakala forced the two demons away. Arsene slowed mid-air while Hagen skidded across the ground.

"My, my...this will be tougher than I thought." The Great Thief mused.

The black warrior was inclined to agree. While being a lesser demon in terms of the Deity Race, he was hardly a pushover. In fact, he was perhaps one of the most terrifying you could meet other than the Bels themselves. Defeating him would be no easy feat, especially when he brings down the flames, as Maragi was his specialty, and being a Deity only enhanced that power.

"So, got any ideas?" Arsene asked. "After all, trying to get past that pesky defense of his will be no cake-walk."

Hagen took a moment to think. His eyes were trained on the enemy, trying to find a chink in its armor.

"...encircle and entrap." the Hero finally decided. "Strike from all sides."

"Then I guess we gotta go all out on this!" Kirito nodded. Kazuya agreed. The two demons shot ahead, moving to encircle the Deity while the tamers brought up the rear.

Asuna and Suguha, alongside their respective demons, were currently combating the duo of Shiisa and Nekomata.

Oberon wavered his saber, cutting through the lightning. Cait Sith let out a roaring mewl, and swung his scimitar, creating a blast of wind.

The Shiisa was thrown back by the blast, but the Nekomata jumped in and swung her claws.

Oberon intercepted, defending against it before the strike reached the cat warrior. "Oberon!" Suguha called out. "Take 'em down!"

"Understood!"

The Fairy King broke the stalemate and followed with a Cleave attack.

In the next second, the demon was sent flying, skidding through the ground before impacting on the wall. However, Oberon was left completely open, as the Bai Shuzhen smiled coldly, a flurry of frigid wind dancing around her, intend on releasing it against her target. "Jack Frost!" Keisuke called out. The instant the snow woman released her storm, creating stags of ice in her wake, Jack Frost jumped in front of the attack, and his mouth went wide open.

The miniature blizzard grew smaller and was sucked into the tiny snowman's mouth. After the end of consumption, Jack Frost let out a little burp.

"Phew!" Jack Frost let out an audible 'burp,' its eyes forming into curved slits. "Thanks for the meal, Hee-ho!"

"Pyro Jack!"

"Burn up HO!" the pumpkin-headed demon bellowed, bringing his lantern. Emerging forth from it was an intense, searing flame that shot forward. Bai Shuhzen created a small storm around her, as if trying to defend herself, but the flames exploded right in front of her, sending her skidding to the ground.

The female demon pulled herself up and snarled at the Jack duo. Frigid air gathered in her palms as she swung her hands, shooting off several icicles that flew like javelins.

The snowman easily punched them incoming icicles away, destroying them with ease before gobbling up the remains. Sadly, Pyro Jack was forced to maneuver around them, dodging frantically, lest he be impaled and frozen solid. He did not fancy being turned into an ice box. As one icicle breezed past him, another was launched, this one striking at his coat, and pinning him to a nearby wall. "Ho that was close!" the Jack exclaimed. "Least it didn't hee my head!"

"Annoying pests!" The Bai Shuzen sneered. She waved her arms again and balls of frost manifested before flinging themselves at Pyro Jack.

Pyro Jack's eyes(?) immediately went wide with horror, and started to fling his arms about. "OH HEE CRAP!" he shrieked, struggling to free himself. Thankfully, Jack Frost came to the rescue, leaping up and opening his mouth wide. The icy balls were immediately consumed. The snowman let out an audible gulp, left hanging in the air for a few seconds, before its black oval eyes turned into a pair of angry ones.

"Nobody gets away with hurting my bro, Hee-ho!" he seethed. "I'm gonna bash Ho into next Hee!"

"Hmph. I'd like to see you try you insipid snowman!" Bai Shuzen scoffed.

"Leave my bro alone, Hee-Ho!" Pyro Jack flew in, his lantern glowing violently as a torrent of flames shot out.

The dragon scowled, and jumped back. "Was that supposed to be a-" Her snarky remark was cut off when Jack Frost charged forward, and reared his arm back, ramming it straight into her jaw.

"Guh!" The female demon felt her jaw crack from the impact. The round snowman rolled upon landing and hopped up to its feet.

"Now, Ho!" Frost replied to his brother. Pyro nodded and let loose another stream of flames, this time completely engulfing the dazed demoness.

Bai Shuzen let out a loud cry as her body was reduced to mere ashes. Once the flames, and her remains, were blown away, the two Jack brothers grinned, giving each other a high five. Keisuke sighed in relief, a hand on his chest before his concerns went over to Atsuro and Klein, as they combated the fiery demon known as Flaemis.

"Garm, lock him down!" Atsuro shouted orders. "Try to slow him!"

"Rakshasa, help him out!" the virtual Samurai warrior growled. "Don't let this guy get too close!"

"Right!" The Jaki nodded while Garm barked in agreement. The blazing elemental flickered as embers roared. The hell hound ran up and jumped to sink its teeth into it.

However, its fangs merely phased through the flames as it slipped out of its maw, its face forming into a twisted leer. "Death Blow!" Rakshasa roared, swinging his blades forward as a bloody red hue danced around his scimitars. Unlike Garm, the attack actually dealt a blow, as the flaming being was knocked back slightly, its flames wavering.

"Guh! Damn you...!" The flames whispered venomously. The two demons rushed in once more. The Jaki had his swords brandished while Garm had its fangs bared.

In the next second, they were upon it.

The swordsman sliced through the formless body with his blades as Garm moved in for a Bash attack. The blades sliced apart its arms, and the Garm, rather than aim for any part of its body, went straight for its head, jaw agape.

Unlike the rest of its body, the head of the elemental was more tangible. The spherical mass of flame was clamped between maws of razor sharp teeth and the flames thrashed about.

"LET GO!" Flaemis bellowed, trying to throw the creature off of it. When that failed, he simply allowed the flames that were his tangible body to flow into its mouth. Sadly, this had no effect either, as Garm held a natural resistance to the flames. While smoke and steam flew between its fangs, the bloody-red creature only amplified the tension on its jaws, and pressed further down.

While the beast had the elemental pinned, Rakshasa stepped up, raised both of his swords, and slashed into Flaemis' body.

The blazing demon let out a pained cry before its flames flickered and died out.

Klein and Atsuro sighed in relief. "That's two down..." the techno-geek said in relief. "But, wait, what about-"

He was cut off when the familiar form of Arsene was sent flying past him, and crashed straight into the wall.

As the dust settled, the Wing Demon was revealed to have crashed through it. He pulled himself up and shook his head, as if trying to reorient himself. "This..." He looked up to glare at Mahakala, who is currently busy repeatedly slashing Hagen with his six swords. "...is going to be more difficult than expected." Arsene spread his wings and jumped back into the brawl.

Meanwhile, Caith Sith and Oberon were still dealing with the Nekomata and Shiisai, both of which refused to stay dead.

"Damn! These foes are resilient..." Oberon cursed. He was using his sword as a means of support.

"Meow annoying..." Cait Sith scoffed.

The small dog demon growled as lightning began to dance around it, as had the Nekomata. The fairy king brandished his saber once more as thunder gathered around his sword, while the Caith Sith simply slid itself into a stance.

"Shall we?" Oberon inquired, smiling.

Caith Sith hissed a grin. "Let's!"

The two sword wielding demons advanced and clashed with the beast demons. Oberon stabbed his saber forward, meeting with the claws of the Shiisa. The two feline demons were engaged in locked combat. Although the Nekomata was also acting flirtatious to her opponent.

"Nice sword, nya~" she purred as her lightning clashed with the scimitar. "Do you act so purrcious with every feline you meet, nya?"

"Only ones like you, m'lady..." Cait Sith replied with a smirk of his own.

The Nekomata giggled before they backpedaled, and clashed again. Asuna felt a tick mark over her head. "Cait Sith!" she snapped. "Quit flirting with it!"

"Nya~ Your master sounds like she's sexually frustrated!"

Her face burned red. "I AM NOT!"

Suguha sweat-dropped alongside Oberon as he quickly moved to the left, avoiding being struck by the small dog demon. "...somehow, this has gotten to be tedious."

They know they were demons but...are they ALL this strange?

Haru, on the other hand, merely giggled at the sight. Really, who knew demons could be so carefree, even when fighting? Well, then again they were DEMONS, after all, so they must have little to no sanity.

Meanwhile, Kirito and Kazuya, alongside their respective demons, continued to battle Mahakala. The two humans stood on either side, one with a glowing red aura around his hand, the other with flames dancing in the palm. Arsene was above, flames also dancing in his hands while Hagen stood on the ground, blade in sheathe, awaiting to be drawn. The multi-armed deity didn't look even remotely impressed, though he did respect their earnest nature in defying him.

Not that it would matter. He drew all of his arms forward, blades at the ready, awaiting the attack.

"Okay! Swarm him!" Kazuya cried out. "Agilao!" Bursts of flames shot out of the teen's and Arsene's hands from different directions.

"Mow Down!"

"Cleave."

Both Hagen and Kirito charged with their respective attacks.

Mahakala scoffed.

"...weak!"

Raising only four of his swords, the Deity cut through the approaching flames, intercepted Hagen's sword, and landed a heavy blow on Kirito. It was thanks to the Harmonizer that he was spared from a lethal hit. But even then, a shallow cut appeared on his arm.

"Krgh!"

"Kazuto!" Kazuya shouted before Mahakala repelled the attacks, creating a shockwave that sent them and their demons flying into the air. "Waaaah!"

The winged thief flew until he smacked against a random pillar. Hagen was thrown back and crashed through a wall. Kazuya skidded and rolled across the concrete floor until he landed on his back. His skin was covered in small cuts and bruises.

"...Pathetic..." The deity frowned. "...Is this what humans are truly capable of?"

The blue-haired teen scowled, glaring back at the demon in contempt. 'Dammit all!' he cursed himself. 'At this rate, we can forget about Beldr! Mahakala is going to be the one to kill us all, including Haru!' The feeling of helplessness filled his chest, and with it, disgust. He didn't want to feel this way... he couldn't let his friends down! He couldn't! He couldn't let them die here!

Power... He needed... 'I need... more power...!'

Suddenly, the COMP developed several cracks of black and red electricity. A dark aura began to surround him, and his eyes changed from blue to deep red. The sudden change had not gone unnoticed by the others, as Atsuro recognized it immediately, eyes widening. "Wait... This is...!"

Keisuke, who was new to this, suddenly began to backtrack, beads of sweat pouring down his face. "Wh-what... is this...?"

Mahakala, however, merely raised an eyebrow when he saw the change overcome the human. "And do you think this changes anything?" the demon snorted. "Just what could you possibly-?"

He was cut off when Kazuya, in the blink of an eye, appeared right in front of him, his arm reared back, and a hand clenched into a fist.

"What?!"

Kazuya gave a cold, dark glare.

"...fly away!"

He threw his arm forward, and his fist collided with its face.

The blue skinned deity gave only a cry of pain as he shot through the air and broke through a pillar that was in its path. Clouds of dust rose from the rubble. Even the remaining demons that were fighting stopped and stared at what just transpired. Slowly, but surely, Mahakala pulled himself up on his feet. Two of his arms moved to brush the dirt from his shoulders. Sheathing one of his swords, he lifted a hand up to his face and touched where the blow landed. To the demon's shock, he felt a bruise on his face. Although it was small, it was still there. His eyes became trained on the blue haired boy. His body was surging with a myriad of emotions. Anger. Frustration. But most of all...excitement.

This...This human...actually hurt him?

Kazuya's expression remained passive, yet fierce. His hands were clenched tightly into fists, the joints in his hands popping.

His friends could only stare at him in alarm. It was happening again. Just like back in the Cemetery.

Sinon frowned. "That look in his eyes..." she muttered quietly as she and Kotone dodged the attacks made by their opponent, the Basilisk. True to its form, it was fast and agile, and particularly dangerous, as on more than one occasion had it nearly petrified them just by giving them an intense glare. "...it's not human."

"Th...they remind me of the eyes we see in demons..." Philia admitted. She still couldn't believe that this was Akuma.

Kazuya, for his part, didn't seem to notice the change at all. He was completely focused on Mahakala, who began to stalk toward him with blades at the ready. "It appears your more than you are letting on..." the deity said as a blue aura began to surround him. "What say you... to THIS?!"

Yui's eyes widened in horror. "Akuma-san, move! He's about to-!"

Too late. The demon unleashed his attack, and everything in front of him was being engulfed into a field of ice. Kazuya merely glared at the sight, left unmoving as the encroaching ice approached him, spikes spraying out as it charged. Kirito became panicked, noticing that his friend wasn't moving. "KAZUYA!"

Arsene, who watched the event transpire, merely let out a flaming grin. "...well."

The blue haired teen stood calmly as he silently raised a hand. A fierce Crimson flame cloaked his hand. He waved his arm, intercepting the ice with a blazing arc.

The ice was blown apart; shattered while the flames were blown apart with it, as if two opposing forces were negated. Vapor quickly rose from the collision as a result of polar opposite forces clashing.

When the steam billowed and settled, both elements had erased the other.

"...not bad," Mahakala growled, his smirk turning feral. "This power... It feels familiar, and now I know why."

Kazuya made no response. Instead, he brought up his hand, and a burning red flame danced in the palm of his hand.

"To think that the Bel of the Human World stands before me..." the Deity chuckled. "Fate is on my side."

This caused the hearts of everyone, save Keisuke, to stop. Bel...of the human world? Kazuya?!

The blue haired teen merely looked on passively.

Kirito could only gawk at his friend.

He...he was a representative in this Bel war or something?!

"How fortunate..." Mahakala chuckled. "This...will be most excellent!"

Kazuya crushed the flames in his hand. For a moment, Kirito thought he saw his eyes develop a burning red slit. "...just shut up."

The Human Bel slammed his fist to the ground, cracking the earth beneath. The scorching flames from his hands filled the cracks and seemed to rain forward to the Deity.

In response, Mahakala jumped back, and swung his blades, creating icicles that shot forward with the intent of impaling him. Kazuya evaded them, and shot forward, a red streak following behind him.

The Deity could barely react before Kazuyas fist came in close to his face!

The multi-armed demon brought up it's blades, in an attempt to defend against the blow.

But when the attack struck, Mahakala felt the earth-breaking force of the blow. His swords were strained just to hold up against it.

The force of the blow sent him skidding back, eventually reaching to a halt. However, as soon as he regained his balance, he was once again set upon by Kazuya. The boy was now in the air, red flames burning in his hand.

"...burn out!"

He thrust his palm outward. A massive stream of flames shot out of his hand. The crimson torrent flew through the air quickly before engulfing the blue-skinned Deity.

The flames encroached everything around the intended target. It had even reached Shino and Kotone's battleground, forcing them and their demons to retreat as the Basilik was burned apart in seconds. The flames burned darkly, providing an almost unearthly light. The group, for the most part, looked vastly disturbed by this, and looked on as Kazuya hit the ground, landing on his feet with ease. The dark aura around him continued to dance around him, and the red light within his eyes had not yet faded.

However, Kirito had noticed a change in him made present on his face.

A smile.

A cold, dark, demonic grin that made him shudder.

"K-Ka...zuya...?"

As the flames began to part, it revealed Mahakala, his blue skin now darkened, almost black, with several cracks along his body. Two of his six arms had fallen off, and half of his face was burned beyond recognition. One of his swords was shattered, and his body looked to be on its last legs... yet in spite of that, Mahakala sported the same maniac grin as Kazuya.

"Magnificent..." he breathed out, eyes wide with excitement. "Absolutely magnificent!" He brandished what was left of his blades as a blue aura danced around him. "I have not felt this enlightened in AGES!" The Deity let out a small chuckle. Then it grew into laughter. Until it became a full blown cackle of madness and excitement.

The laughter disturbed the group, Yuzu in particular. All she could was stare at Kazuya with fright. 'Kazuya...' she thought in sadness and worry. 'Just what's happening to you?!'

The teen in question only widened his grin as he clenched his fists tightly, the red flames coiling around them.

In the next second, they charged at one another.

Mahakala poised his remaining swords forward to run the teen through while Kazuya's arms were blanketed by the Crimson flames.

Yuzu's eyes widened further in horror and dread as the two drew closer.

"KAZUYA!"

The teen blinked. The dark aura around him dispersed. Mahakala grinned.

"I WON-!"

In the moment he thrust his blades forward, Kazuya moved his body at an angle, letting the blades pierce through the air all around him. Some of them managed to graze his flesh, causing some discomfort, but with all of his weapons gone, the deity was left open. The demon realized this too late, as he reared his arm back, and rammed his hand right into his face.

"Incinerate!"

Before the Deity could cry in response, a massive stream of blood red flames burst from Kazuya's hand, completely engulfing Mahakala.

The screams of pain from the deity were muffled by Akuma's hand, the teen refusing to let go. Against the Crimson glow from the flames, his own calm expression looked completely demonic. As the wails and screams reached their crescendo, Kazuya swiftly crushed his hand. His fingers dug into the Deity's face as flesh and bone were crushed beneath his grip.

The flames flowed into Mahakala, ripping and incinerating everything inside of him. When he pulled away, he leaped back as the flames imploded.

What followed was an explosion of naught but dark red flames.

The others ducked and covered their heads to shield themselves from the blast. A draft of extremely hot air and smoke blew past them all. Some weren't so lucky, as the wave of hellfire had reached the demons that group fought before. The Shiisa and Nekomata were reduced to ash.

'Khe...!' Kirito hissed, feeling the intensity of the flames from where he was. 'Damn, this heat is intense...!' But he was more worried about Kazuya. Just what is happening to him?!

The blue-haired boy in question stood idly by, simply looking at the flames that burned before him. His eyes had lost their previous red color, and the aura that once cloaked his body was nowhere to be found. Arsene had been called back, as had Hagen, who needed to recover from his wounds in battle. As for the others, they had also called back their demons, seeing that the battle was over.

"Kazuya?" he called out weakly to his friend. "Kazuya, you okay?" He received no reply. "H-hey, Kazu-"

Suddenly, Akuma fell forward.

"KAZUYA!" Everyone moved over to their collapsed friend. Kirito pulled himself up and followed. Agil knelt beside the motionless teen and took his pulse.

"...we got a pulse. He's still alive, only unconscious."

The group let out a sigh. The burly man gently pulled Kazuya up, propping him against the wall. "Damn," Haru whistled as she approached the group with Sinon and Philia. "Never thought the kid was vicious. He can be pretty damn scary when he wants to be, I take it?"

"W-well..." Yuzu stammered dejectedly. "This is the second time it's happened..." She shook her head fiercely, looking back to her friend with heavy worry. "I don't understand... what WAS that?! Why did Kazuya...?"

Atsuro frowned deeply. "That thing called him the 'Bel of the Human World'..." he recalled. "But, what the hell does that mean?"

"Who can say?" Agil sighed. "Either way, I think it's best if we keep an eye on him whenever he gets like this, otherwise..."

"Yeah..." Atsuro nodded in agreement, completely worried for his best friend. "We don't even know what's happening to him..."

XXXXXXXXXX

'...this presence... this feeling...'

'Kehehehehe... 'twould appear that the human Bel is slowly coming to himself... it's about time...'

'Kukukuku... how many years has it been since he set foot into this war?'

'Far too long... far too long...'

'At any rate, it makes this war all the more interesting, would you all not agree?'

'Perhaps... but will his host be strong enough to withstand us? After all... Beldr is his first trial.'

'If he is not up to the task... I shall take his power for mine own... afterwards, the mortal realm will be mine to roam once more...'

'Che, still hung up on that, aren't ye? Kehehehehehe!'

'...enough, Belzaboul.'

'Whatever you say, Belberith...'

'Kukuku... I can scarcely wait to see his growth. Aaaaaah~ I want to see that beautiful face of despair again... those hellish flames that scorned God and his darling brother~'

'As obsessed with Abel as always... no matter...'

'It matters not who succeeds in this war... for once we have all united together once more...'

'Yes... regardless of who stands victorious...'

'The war shall begin...'

'And Bel will be whole once more...'

XXXXXXXXXX

"So...how's he doing?" Yuzu asked in concern. The group moved out of the newly vacated concert hall into a shaded area to get Kazuya out of the heat.

"He's still out of it, but he'll be fine." Sinon answered after she and Agil did a once over. "He must be exhausted after that fight with Mahakala, or whatever it was." A frown settled on her face a second later. "Although... What were those flames? They looked a lot stronger than that Maragidyne Spell stuff he was slinging back the other day."

"That is true..." Yui nodded, a frown settled across her face. "I didn't recognize it at all. It's possible it's a unique power only to Akuma-san."

"Unique..." Kesiuke murmured, obviously troubled. "Does this have anything to do with him being a... Bel of the Human World? Actually, while on the subject, just what is this Bel thing anyway?"

"That's right. You weren't with us when we learned about this..." Atsuro realized.

"Learn what?" Keisuke was now curious. Just what were they told?

"Well...Yesterday...we learned that this Lockdown is the battleground for Demons named Bel in a war to become the King of Demons..." Klein responded.

"...I'm sorry, what?" Now Keisuke understood less.

"Basically," Agil gave him a simpler version. "The Yamanote Circle has become a giant Battle Royal for Demons with the name of Bel. The winner of that war becomes the new King of Demons, if what we know so far is right. The government started this lockdown to prevent the war from spreading any further."

"Wha-Seriously?!" Keisuke gaped. So the government knew about the Demons...and is keeping everyone locked in here to minimize damages?! Are they even trying to get the innocent people out of here?! Are they just going to let them all die?!

Haru, who was listening intently, let out an 'aah' of acknowledgement. "I think I get it now..." she said before looking at Kazuya. "So, what about him? That thing called him the 'Bel of the Human World.' So, this mean he's our rep in this war or something?"

"Well, based on what that Demon said...I guess so..." Kirito nodded grimly. The mere thought of it disturbed him. His friend was really part of a war to decide the next King of Demons? It's just crazy!

Philia frowned as she crossed her arms over her chest, tilting her head deeply in thought. "Why Akuma?" she questioned. "Why him of all people? Moreover, how is he a Bel?"

"Hmm..." Agil pondered the same, furrowing his brow. "Maybe... it's got something to do with the story of Cain and Abel?" he offered, earning a look of confusion. "From what you've guys been telling me, Kazuya's been getting a few headaches every now and then whenever Naoya, or when a parallel to Cain is mentioned, yeah? Well, if we go under the assumption that Cain really is Naoya... then what if Kazuya was Abel?"

"How would that work though?" Asuna questioned. "I mean, Abel was human, right?"

"Yeah. If he was born human...how could he be part of the War now?" Yuzu inquired.

"Well...it may be a long shot but...what if Abel went to Hell and was reborn as a Demon?" Suguha offered.

Haru raised an eyebrow. "Wait, hold up... What the heck are you guys talking about?"

"Well, you see-"

They were interrupted by the sound of loud groans. The group turned to see the blue-haired teen slowly coming awake, eyes blinking rapidly in a drowsy state. "Mnrgh..."

He pressed a hand against his throbbing head. It felt like something was hitting the inside of his skull.

"Kazuya!" His friends cried in relief.

"Oh, thank god...!" Yuzu sighed in relief, close to being on the verge of tears. "We thought you were..."

"How are you doing, Kazuya?" Keisuke asked worriedly. "Any injuries?"

"I...I don't think so...just a huge migraine..." He groaned as he tried to sit up.

Suguha roped one of his arms around her shoulder, helping him get steady on his feet. "Well, I'll say this at least." Haru said with a sly grin. "You're packing a lot of heat... in more ways than one. I guess this makes it the second time you guys saved my ass." True to her words, her Death Clock had increased.

Instead of 0, it was 1.

'One day?!' he thought in dismay. 'Why?!'

Even after everything they did...Haru was still going to die tomorrow?!

Just why is this all even happening?!

"I'm glad you're alright, Haru-san!" Klein said in relief, grinning before his face became grim and serious. "But... why didn't you try and escape? I mean, there were demons all over the place!"

"That's a rather... touchy subject."

Kazuya frowned. "...do you not value your life?"

"Kazuya!" Yuzu admonished him, glaring daggers at her friend. "How could you say that to Haru?!"

For her part, the singer merely smiled. "Hm, a good question." she said, completely unaffected. "Though I have no obligation to answer that."

The blue haired teen stared at her with a passive expression. Then he nodded in understanding. "I see."

Kirito could only sweat-drop. '...why do I get some serious vibes from these two?'

But the black haired survivor also noticed the number above Haru's head and mentally cursed. Just what is going to happen to make her die tomorrow? Based on their conversation...one thing came to mind.

Kirito's mind flashed back to a couple years ago back in SAO...after joining his first Guild...

His fist clenched tightly, an act that had not gone unnoticed by Asuna, nor Yui.

Just by looking back...was enough for Kirito's expression to darken. It was because of him...it was because of him that they were all...

Dammit!

"...Papa."

Kirito perked up and looked to her daughter, taking note of the expression of concern on her face. "Yes Yui?"

"Are you alright?" she asked, catching him off guard. "You look... very sad."

"I'm...I'm fine, Yui." Kirito reassured her with a forced smile.

"...liar." Yui said bluntly. Kirito was caught off guard by the reply, but then sighed wistfully, a sorrow smile crossing his face.

His daughter really knew him well, didn't she?

"...it's nothing for you to worry about, Yui." he told her. "I just... remembered something."

"But I am worried, papa." She retorted. "Your emotional data shows that you're feeling sorrow, regret, and even anger..."

"Like I said, it's-"

"Kirito-kun," Asuna interrupted him. "It's alright... you don't have to think about stuff right now."

"...Thanks Asuna..." He nodded to her gratefully. He really didn't want to bring up the past. It...just hurt too much.

"Well, thanks for saving my ass again." Haru smiled. "Maybe we can talk sometime?"

Kazuya smiled. "Sure, that'd be great."

"Sweet. Well, see you guys around." With a small wave, Haru left the group.

"You think she's going to be okay?" Atsuro asked. "She seemed kinda out of it."

"Yeah. And didn't Arsene mention something about Demons being summoned through song in the olden days?" Asuna brought up.

Agil nodded. "Yeah... what was it? A song that can call on demons?"

"That's right." Kazuya responded, recalling what Arsene informed of them. "However, the demon that is summoned is usually random as there wasn't anything at the time that could allow people to freely select the demon they desired."

"Why would demons want a song that's unstable?" Klein frowned. "Moreover, why does Haru know about it?"

"Who can say?" Asuna sighed. "Just add it to our already growing pile of questions." She turned to the blue-haired boy in worry. "Anyway, are you sure your alright, Akuma? Earlier, you were pretty terrifying... Do you even remember what happened?"

To her surprise, Kazuya nodded. "Yeah... for the most part." he answered her before a troubled expression crossed his mug. "I think... I remember hearing a voice."

"A voice?" Kirito, interested, leaned closer. "What did it say?"

"It said, 'accept me, and I shall grant thee the power to take thy throne. Though thyn path be filled with despair, thou shalt have the power to erase the thousand-year grudge.'"

These words caused the others to pause and think. Thy Throne...could it mean for the Throne of Hell? The one being fought over in the War of Bel? But...the thousand year grudge...what did that mean exactly?

"...uh, what?" Yuzu, clearly confused, shook her head. "Okay, I think the throne might refer to the war, but... what's this about a grudge?"

"Maybe it's really referring to Cain and Abel?" Sinon offered. "If we really are going by the theory that Kazuya is Abel, and Naoya is Cain, then the grudge might be referring to Abel's murder, if his hatred seriously damned him to hell and turned him into a demon."

"So Abel is holding that big of a grudge against Cain? And it's been passed onto Kazuya as well? Well, if I was killed like that, I'd be pretty pissed too." Klein added.

Kazuya listened to their conversation. But at the pit of his stomach, he felt a knot forming. He knew what Cain had done to Abel. He should be frustrated with him for sinning like that. And yet...he can't even bring himself to feel the slightest bit of rage. Only sorrow...

"That's enough, Klein!" Yuzu snapped harshly, causing the man to recoil. "Stop talking like Kazuya's some kind of demon!"

"S-sorry!" the samurai apologized. "I-I didn't mean it like that!"

"Next time, be sure you have a filter for your brain." Agil sighed. While he knew that Klein didn't mean it, it didn't appear the same way to Yuzu. Given how much she cares for Kazuya.

Keisuke understood this as well. It was clear by how Yuzu acted around him that she obviously viewed Kazuya as more than a simple friend. Still, she had a point. Just because he had some otherworldly power didn't necessarily mean he was a demon. "I wonder where Midori is..." he muttered quietly. "We haven't seen or heard anything at all about her... Just where could she be?"

"I don't know. But hopefully we'll be able to find her. Hopefully before we have to face Beldr in the cemetery..." Atsuro tried to reassure his friend.

"I hope so, Atsuro..."

He was still worried but...he would accept it for now and hope they would find her.

XXXXXXXXXX

"...Master Kuzuryu, we've found him."

The blue-haired man turned about on his foot, his expression showing naught but elation. "Azama..." he smiled brightly. "You never cease to amaze me."

The squinty-eyed man merely bowed his head. "I am sorry for the delay," he apologized. "However, finding Kazuya Minegeshi proved to be a far more difficult task than anticipated."

"It is quite alright. No apologies are needed." The Shomonkai Founder raised a hand, a smile of benevolence on his face. "What matters is that you were able to locate him. Now tell me, what is the current situation?"

"Of course." Azama nodded. "It appears that our analysts proved to be correct. He is, without a doubt, the sixth Bel. The Bel of the Human World. He has shown signs of awakening, but it appears he has not fully come to accept the power that can take on the throne. From what we gather, it appears he intends on defeating Beldr, if the Laplace feature Naoya left behind proves to be accurate."

"I see..." Kuzuryu nodded, a hand at his chin. "It appears that Amane has proved to be far more perceptive than we thought, and to think, the last of the warriors of Bel would be Naoya's cousin of all people. Quite intriguing. Is there anything else?"

"We have continued our attempts at gathering more followers, and as things stand, we now have close to five hundred members." the man answered coolly. "At this pace, we are to reach the required quota before Lord Belberith's coming. In regards to obtaining the Primal Common Tongue, however, I'm afraid our attempts have proved to be futile. Ms. Harusawa proves to be quite stubborn, unlike Lady Aya. We've also confirmed that the followers of Belial have also begun to make attempts to acquire here power."

"Belial you say...?" At this, Kuzuryu's smile fell to an expression of intrigue. "That is interesting. With her...they would obtain the key to summoning Demons from the Great Expanse."

"Perhaps, if Ms. Harusawa were to obtain the means to harness her power." Azama agreed. "We have also begun to observe Beldr's manifestation. According to the magnetite levels in the area, he is to appear shortly. However, he will not be able to maintain a physical form for long. It would seem Kazuya Minegeshi's prior 'awakenings' have elicited his attention."

Kuzuryu chuckled. "So it would seem..." he mused. "Keep an eye on the situation. If you can, see if we can provide young Kazuya an edge."

Azama's narrowed eyes widened. "You wish to aid him?" he asked curiously, surprised by this command. "Is that wise?"

"With any luck, Beldr will be assimilated into young Kazuya, and thus, he will become a true candidate for the Throne." the Shomonkai Founder replied thusly. "If he manages to fully awaken as the sixth Bel, all that is left is to persuade him to our side."

"...I see." the man now understood Kuzuryu's goals. "In other words, you wish for Amane to get closer to him, and for him to join us, and in turn, hasten Lord Belberith's coming."

"Precisely."

If they were to bring another Bel to their side, Their Lord's return will be all the more fruitful. In the end, Belberith will assimilate the other Bels and return to his rightful form as the one, true Bel. The Sole King of Demons. The True God.

"Very well." Azama bowed his head once more. "I will inform Lady Amane, and inform our agents in aiding Kazuya Minegeshi in any way they can."

"May our Lord grant you his blessing, Azama." Kuzuryu told him, watching his faithful subordinate walk away briskly. As he did so, the man placed his hand to his chin, looking up at the ceiling. "How curious... For young Kazuya to be the sixth, and his cousin to be the one to provide us the means of preparing for this war... It is almost as if..."

He paused.

"...could it be...?"

XXXXXXXXXX

It had been half an hour before the group had managed to obtain a solid lead on Midori's whereabouts.

They heard rumors of a young girl in strange clothing summoning demons and protecting humans. She also kept chanting something about 'Magical Punishment'. Those two factors were enough to tell them it was Midori.

It appeared that she made good of her promise to protect innocent people...but how long will that keep up?

"Finally, we've got a lead!" Keisuke said, relieved as he let out a sigh. "Hopefully we can find her and stop her from doing anything stupid."

"Well, based on what we've been hearing of her saving normal humans so openly, showing off the fact she can use demons right before their eyes, and shouting out things like 'Magical Punishment'...I think we're a bit late for that." Sinon commented wryly.

Kirito scowled heavily. "Dammit, that stupid girl..." he snarled. "When I find her, I'm gonna..."

"Whoa, hey now Kirito." Atsuro warned. "Look, we know you're frustrated about this as much as the rest of us, but let's focus on what's important right now. Besides," he cracked a grin. "I think Keisuke might have a few problems with you beating up his girlfriend."

"A-Atsuro!" the afformentioned teen blushed, spluttering. "I-I told you already, it-it isn't like that!"

"Whatever you say, loverboy..." the techno-geek chuckled before noticing a group of people fleeing. "Huh...? What's going on?"

"H-help!" one of them cried out. "M-Monsters!"

"Guess that answers the question." Agil said blankly before stopping one of them. "Oi, what's going on?"

"M-monsters just started showing up out of nowhere!" a business man cried out, his face pale. "T-there was this girl there! S-she just started summoning demons and told us to get out of there!"

"Wait, a girl...?" Keisuke's eyes narrowed. "Was she wearing what looked like a cosplay outfit, and had blue hair?!"

"Y-yes!"

"That's Midori!" Kazuya snapped. "Come on!"

The others nodded and followed. They ended up in a ruined clearing that was infested with demons and filled with cowering civilians.

The demons were few in number, but they were recognizable; a pair of Wendigo, a Garm, and a skull with a snake slithering about it's form. "Loa, a Jaki demon." Yui recognized it, narrowing her eyes. "It will bind your movements if you get too close!"

"Then we need to attack from afar."

As the group prepared to whip out their COMPs, an unexpected arrival came by. "Whew, got here in time!" Keisuke's eyes widened, seeing a familiar girl dressed in a pink dress with white gloves, glasses resting on her face. At her side were two Cait Siths, armed and ready with a blade in hand. "Never fear, Magical Dolly is here!"

"Midori!" the boy cried. "What are you doing?!"

The cosplaying girl turned around and noticed the group. A bright smile appeared on her face. "Hi guys! Don't worry about me. I got this!"

"Like hell you do!" Kirito snapped. "Don't realize what kind of situation your putting yourself in?! At this rate, you'll-!"

He was cut off when a Wendigo, tired of the jibber-jabber, slammed down it's fists, creating a path if sharp ice... and it was aimed directly at the civilians. One woman screamed in horror as she watched her death looming closer, only for a familiar red figure to stop the attack, claws buried in the ground.

"I do hope I'm not late." Arsene said as he looked over his shoulder. "Now, young lady, if I were you... I'd start running."

He grinned.

"And fast."

The woman was frozen in terror from the Demon's appearance. But she did not fail to realize that it had saved her from being killed. Wordlessly, she nodded and fled the area.

Now that she was gone, Arsene refocused his attention to the Wendigo.

"Everyone, get ready!" Kazuya shouted, whipping out his COMP. "Atsuro, Yuzu, Keisuke! Let's go!"

The three nodded, taking out their own devices, and their demons taking to their side.

"Asuna, Suguha!" Kirito called out as Hagen appeared beside him, sword drawn. "It's time to go! Agil, you and the others make sure everybody gets out!"

The dark-skinned man, alongside Klein, Philia, and Sinon, nodded strongly. "Got it!" he said seriously. "You be careful, Kirito-kun!"

"You too!"

With their roles defined, the others went to action.

Meanwhile, Midori grinned. This was so awesome! Not only was she getting to help people, but she was getting to fight alongside her hero!

"Best! Day! EVER!"

XXXXXXXXXX

"...ah...he's come..."

The Anguished One mused. He was sitting atop of a building overlooking the Demon Tamers.

"It would appear that Abel has already begun to show signs of awakening..."

A solemn smile was on his face. He was pleased. Not humanity has a chance to face the upcoming trials. But first they must win the war.

Still, though, it was a bit worrying. He was awakening without having managed to obtain the qualifications, thus if he 'awoke' now, it would certainly be problematic. Oh well, it wasn't like he was too worried about it. After all, they had the means to defeat whatever stood across their path.

"I must hand it to you...Kayaba Akihiko..." The Anguished one mused. "Who would've thought that a mere human were capable of stealing a portion of my master's Administrative Authority. You may have been human...but you performed a feat that no man should be capable of...how intriguing. I am anguished for not knowing you better."

It had been a true shame. Had he managed to know the man better, then perhaps...

He shook his head. "No, the trial would happen, regardless." he muttered sorrowfully. He looked up at the sky, a soft sigh escaping him. "I truly do hope they succeed...otherwise everything will have been for naught."

XXXXXXXXXX

"...this power...ah...so, you've arrived at last..."

"You are descending then?"

"Yes...I will test the sixth..."

A shadowed figure answered to the darkness. As it moved, the rattling of chains echoed.

It was still a little early to make his full debut. A little early to enter the Human world. A little early to make the world shed tears for him. To Lament for him.

Nevertheless, the appearance of a certain individual piqued his interest. He knew it was a little ahead of schedule, but his curiosity had a firm grasp on him. He wanted to know the full extent of this individual's abilities.

He desired to learn if the Bel of the Human world was truly worth it.

Within the darkness, the figure let out a dark smile.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Oberon!"

"Cait Sith!"

"Jack Frost! Pyro Jack!"

At once, the four demons attacked in unison. The small snowman leaped into action, absorbing the blast of ice sent their way. Pryo Jack's pumpkin head grinned as it allowed the flames of it's lantern to lurch forward, blazing toward the Wendigo as the fairy king and Suguha's feline warrior began to assault it.

Their blades cut through the Beast's flesh as it roared in pain. Blood spilled from its open wounds as it moved around to swat the pests away.

"...good-bye, mister Wendigo." Yui bid the creature farewell as she swung her blade, cutting off its head. The demon fell on its body with a heavy thud, breaking apart shortly afterwards.

Asuna managed to give her a thumbs up before she jumped back to avoid having her head bit off by Loa, letting loose with a bolt of thunder. The skull backed off immediately, avoiding the zio. It was also quick to avoid being hit by Kazuya's Maragi.

"This guy's pretty quick." Kazuya took note. "But if it's a contest of speed..."

At that same moment, Keisuke came up from behind, electricity dancing around him. On the opposing side of the skull was Atsuro, who had wind dancing around his arm.

"Then let's see him dodge them."

"Elec Dance!"

"Zan!"

The attacks struck in unison. The bolts of lightning struck the skull dead on, leaving it in place before the wind sent it crashing into the wall. Before it had a chance to regain its bearings, Midori and her demons were already in action.

"Alright, kitties!" she declare as win danced around her body. "All at once! Force Dance!"

"Nya!" The two sword wielding cats yelled in battle. Their bodies and swords glowed briefly before a red aura blanketed their shamshirs. They rushed forward and swung their blades. The intersecting attack struck the Loa down the middle, slicing it into four pieces. Each piece fell before falling into particles.

"Wow," Yuzu observed, left in amazement. "She's able to use it so efficiently, in so short a time...!"

"I guess Midori's had a lot of practice with it." Keisuke noted solemnly. "The Wendigos and the Loa are gone. All that's left is the..." He turned to see the demonic red hound, only to see it being cut down by Hagen. "...nevermind."

The Black Samurai swung his blade to rid of the Hound's blood on it before sheathing it. As the bisected dog disintegrated, Klein, Agil, Philia, and Sinon returned.

"We got everyone evacuated!" Agil told them. "I can see you all took care of the Demons too."

"Well, it was a much smaller mob than what we encountered at the Concert Hall."

"Sweet~!" Midori performed a twirl, raising her hand in victory. "Justice never fails!"

Keisuke sighed, shaking his head. "Midori..."

Kazuya chuckled at the sight, though he was a bit worried, given by the fact that Kazuto was glaring daggers at the girl. It was clear by his face that he was, in no way, happy about Midori's actions. He didn't blame him. What Midori was doing was reckless. Even if it was for the right reasons, she was too risky in her actions. People can't tell the differences between demons used by Demon Tamers, and demons that run amok freely. Most likely, they would view her as someone who was making the situation worse...

...and he didn't want to think about he consequences. He was about to speak up, to try and convince her to stop, or at the very least, change her methods, before his body suddenly froze as a dark, oppressive feeling overwhelmed him.

'Wh-what in the...?!' he thought in shock. His COMP became encased in the familiar black and red crackling electricity. 'What... is this...?!'

"...I've found you...Bel of the Human World!"

A Deep voice bellowed throughout the area. Everyone whipped their heads around, trying to locate the source.

"Over there!" Sinon pointed out to the center of a clearing where a dark miasma gathered. The blackness seemed to deepen and expand as it fluctuated. In the next moment, multiple chains shot out of the void and into the air. Some speared themselves into the ground, others stabbed into nearby buildings, while the rest seemed to grasp the air itself. The rattling of metallic links echoed through the city block as a massive figure materialized from the miasma.

It was a tall being that appeared to be male. His body was completely clad in silver armor from the neck down. Wrapped around his limbs were the chains from before. His handsome face was very eerie, the complexion being as black as charcoal with glowing red eyes. In contrast to the darkness, the being had blinding white teeth and a mane of silver hair. Strangely, there seemed to be some sort of disc-like collar at the back of his neck. But what stood out the most was the sheer intensity of the power he was emitting. It was nothing like they ever felt before from the other demons.

This guy was on a whole nother level!

"W-whoa!" Atsuro backpedaled, left overwhelmed by the demon's power. "What the hell?!"

The being raised his head, letting out an exhale as he spread his arms. "Ah, yes... the mortal realm. It has been a long time indeed." he exclaimed before looking at the group. He gave them a brief glance before his gaze fell upon the blue-haired teen. As soon as he laid eyes on Kazuya, a grin broke out across his face. "The Sixth... it has been a long time."

"W-what?"

That was as far as Kazuya got before the being opened his palm. In the next second, an inferno of flames was sent hurling his way.

"Look out!" Agil yelled as he tackled the boy to the ground, narrowly missing the stream of flames. Keisuke pulled Midori out of the way. Atsuro dropped to the ground with Yuzu. Klein pulled Philia and Sinon to the ground to avoid the blast. Kirito and Asuna crouched down and shielded Yui.

The fire passed by them and impacting an adjacent building, engulfing it in a horrid blaze.

In a matter of seconds, the entire complex was swallowed in flame. "Y-you gotta be shittin' me..." Klein said shakily, looking at the demon in utter horror. "T-the fuck kind of shit is this?!"

"Yui!" Kirito said quickly. "What demon is that?!"

The young AI couldn't speak as she stared at the armor-clad being. She couldn't believe what she was witnessing. According to the Laplace mail, he wasn't supposed to appear until later!

"Yui?" Asuna looked at her daughter in worry.

"Papa...Mama..." She began shakily. "That demon...is Beldr The Immortal..."

"What?!" Atsuro cried. "Beldr?! The big boss?! That's him?!"

"B-but that can't be!" Yuzu shouted. "He's not supposed to be here! Isn't he suppose to show up at the Aoyama Cemetary?!"

The demon, now identified as Beldr, chuckled. "The bindings of Niflheim cannot hold me forever..." he said with amusement. "Consider this a mere prelude... However, my business is not with you humans." He turned his gaze to Kazuya, who stood to his feet, COMP in hand, blue eyes focused into a defiant, angry glare. The white-haired demon grinned widely. "Ah... How many years has it been since we've set foot on the battlefield, Abel?"

The others looked on in alarm. Their focus was now onto Kazuya. That being...Beldr...just called him...Abel?

Then...was their theory from before true?

As soon as Beldr finished speaking, Kazuya felt a sharp pain erupt in his skull. He clutched his head with his free hand and nearly dropped his COMP in the process.

'Nrgh... My head...!'

"...accept me...and take thy throne..."

'N-no...! Get out...!'

The veins in his head visibly bulged through his skin as he fell on his knees.

The voice in his head was continuously urging him. But Akuma refused. He refused to give in. He didn't ask for this. He...He didn't want...

"...it is exactly...what you want..."

'Like...hell...!'

"Oh?" Beldr tilted his head. "Refusing to accept the power you are granted? Hm, it would appear your human side is quite resilient..." He brought up his arms. "...very well then. Let us grant you an incentive."

Balls of fire gathered within the being's outstretched palms, both directed at his friends.

"If you continue to refuse to accept what is rightfully yours...then I will torch your companions before your very eyes..." Beldr grinned in grim amusement.

Kazuya's eyes widened. No... he couldn't!

The demon grinned wickedly even further as the flames shot towards his friends.

"NO!"

In the next second, an explosion followed. The blast created a small shockwave, blowing apart the debris around them, as well as blazing cracks that gathered around the ground. Beldr could only smile in satisfaction. "There... Now that wasn't so hard, was it?"

His answer was crimson red flames heading towards him.

The demon just stood still and received the attack. The flames impacted his body, but failed to leave a single burn. At best, Beldr only felt a gust of hot air.

The Sixth Bel was interesting. He actually made him feel discomfort!

As the cloud of flames began to part, it revealed Kazuya standing in front of his friend, the dark aura dancing around his body, and his eyes dark red. A dark glare was present on his face, as well as the red flames writhing around his hands.

"...you just made the biggest mistake of your life."

[Devil Survivor OST: Garuda]

"Yes...this is more like it! This is how it should be!" Beldr cackled in glee. "Come at me, Sixth Bel! Show me what you are capable of!"

"...Gladly!" Kazuya shot another stream of flames at the metallic demon.

In response, Beldr swung his arms, his chains extending outward as well along with the swing, which destroyed the blast of flames. As this happened, Kazuya charged at him, inches away from him with his hand clenched into a fist. He swung in a wide arc, ramming his fist straight into Beldr's jaw. The force of the punch, added to the flames, was enough to send him flying straight into the same building he had set ablaze.

He crashed into the blazing ruins. Burning rubble fell on top of him as the structure collapsed.

Kazuya seemed to relax slightly as his foe was buried, but dared not to drop his guard.

His actions had proven correct as Beldr erupted from the flaming ruins without as much as a scratch on his body.

"Hahahaha...! Excellent...EXCELLENT! This is how it should be! But you must do better than that pitiful excuse for an attack to damage my majestic body!"

Atsuro's heart dropped. "Y-you gotta be kidding..." he shuddered. "A building just crashed on top of him... and he doesn't even have a scratch?!"

"Akuma's punch didn't do anything either..." Suguha frowned. "This guy... He really is immortal!"

A scowl made itself present on Kirito's face. "Dammit, we have to get out of here!" he shouted at the group. "We don't stand a chance against this guy right now!" He turned to Kazuya. "Akuma, come on! Let's go!"

The blue haired teen didn't respond. Instead, he charged right at Beldr.

"Kazuya! Didn't you hear me?! We gotta get out of here!" Kirito yelled.

"It's not going to work papa." Yui shook her head sadly. "His rage levels are out of control. He can't be reasoned with anymore."

Beldr brought back his own arm, and pulled it forward. As a result, two colliding fists met. Flames and shockwaves unified as everything around them was being blown back. A ferocious wind nearly sent the group flying as the two opposing powers tried to overpower one another, only to be met with a stalemate.

"So...this is what a fight between Bels looks like." The Anguished One mused from atop his perch.

The two backed away, though Beldr, in his retreat, launched several chains at him. Kazuya maneuvered his body, evading them with ease before spiraling around on his feet, a chain shooting right above his chest. In that same instance, he grabbed it, and once he stopped his retreat, he pulled the silver demon towards him.

Despite his massive size, Beldr was pulled forward by the Bels tremendous strength. However, Beldr managed to steady himself on his feet and stand his ground.

"Is that all, Abel?!" he taunted. "Surely, you can do better than this!"

In response, Kazuya's eyes narrowed. "...Arsene."

The Great Phantom Thief materialized behind the demon of Bel, his claws sharp and poised. "You but only need to ask, my liege..."

"Oh?" the immortal demon raised an eyebrow. "You think a mere demon can lay a finger on me?"

Arsene, in response, felt his flaming grin grow. "Oh, I'm more than some demon." he said as his smoky wings unfurled. "I am a thief, first and foremost... and the life of an immortal demon is sure to be a great treasure." He tipped his iron hat. "Besides... my liege has given me the order, and thus, I shall rob you of your immortality."

"Hmhmhm...We shall see...I'm curious to see how this servant of the Sixth Bel will fare against me!"

"Ladies first," Arsene mocked, spreading his arms out. "Bore-dr."

"...You are the first to die." Beldr stated as he shot several chains out to kill the nuisance.

However, Arsene dodged every chain with ease. He took the skies, evading more incoming chains that were obviously meant to capture and choke the life out of him. Kazuya took advantage of him singling out Arsene, and let loose another blast of flames.

But despite their efforts, the flames still refused to harm Beldr, who simply shrugged them off.

However, that was not to say the demon was becoming more and more elated. "That's it, Abel!" he cried out in joy. "Just a bit more! Then, and only then, can we truly begin this war once more!"

"..." Kazuya remained silent as he continued to attack.

As the two continued to try and kill one another, one unable to die and the other continuing to try and reduce him to ash, the group was forced to backpedal away, lest they be caught in the flames. "Kazuya!" Suguha shouted over the sounds of battle. "Wake up! You can't beat this guy! He's too strong!"

"She's right!" Yuzu yelled. "You gotta snap out of it!"

The boy didn't heed them. His entire mind was focused on defeating Beldr.

He threatened his friends. He tried to kill them. He will pay!

"Claim it..." the voice whispered in the back of his head. "Take it...take thy birthright..."

He leaped away from several chains that would have otherwise entrapped him, and spun around, tossing crimson flames at Beldr before he could perform his next move. Arsene followed up with a swift drop attack, his feet slamming atop the armored demon as its body was forced into the ground. Beldr wasn't damaged by the attack, but he did throw the thief off of him, sending into the air before managing to stake a chain around his ankle, and began to spin him around, thrashing him into the ground.

Akuma charged in close, faster than he had moved before. He rammed his hand into Beldr's face, and allowed the flames to implode into his face.

Once more, an attack failed to injure Beldr, but he was disoriented from the force of the blow. The tension in the chain binding Arsene had slackened, giving the Demon the opportunity to untangle himself. He flew and landed beside his master.

"Honestly, how bothersome." Arsene complained, folding his arms as he looked to Kazuya. "Even with the power at your disposal, we're not getting anywhere at this rate. What do you suggest, my liege?"

Kazuya opened his mouth to speak-

"Kazuya, that's enough..."

His eyes widened. His eyes turned to the corner of his field of sight. There, off to the side, he found him, standing there with a look that was foreign and alien to him, red eyes narrowed in concern.

"Now's not the time... fall back."

Slowly, the red glow faded from his eyes, returning to their previous blue luster. Not a second later, he felt his body BURN.

"Guh...Gragh...GRAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGHHHHHH!" The teen cried out in agony. It felt like his body was on fire. From the inside out!

"KAZUYA!" Yuzu screamed in horror as the boy dropped to his knees, blood suddenly flowing from his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. She immediately ran over to him, ignoring the protests of the others, rushing to his side.

Beldr scowled as he looked to the now vacant spot where a certain annoying pest once stood. "Cain..." he growled in contempt. Honestly, that damned pest was so troublesome... and it was so close. The boy had almost begun to awaken. Oh well... given that he was running out of time, he might as well take Abel's power for himself. He turned back to the two humans and Devil, stretching his arm out, intending to incinerate them-

"BACK! AWAY!"

-and received a brutal, heavy strike to his jaw, which sent him crashing into a vacant building, one that was barely untouched by the battle. No sooner had Spriggan landed the blow did he return to the COMP, his owner turning to the two. "Yuzu!" Philia shouted. "C'mon, let's go! Arsene, can you carry Akuma?!"

"I still have my wings, don't I?"

"Then get your ass in gear!"

"W-what?!" Midori shouted in protest. She had mostly been watching the battle in silence, torn between feeling utterly awed and amazed by the level of strength Kazuya was showing, despite the fact that this Beldr guy was taking every hit in stride, but also wanting to jump in as well. It was her duty as a magical girl to ensure people's safety, and naturally, Beldr, being an evil demon, had to be defeated for the sake of peace... but they wanted to escape? "W-why?! We have him on the ropes!"

"Midori, we can't fight Beldr right now!" Keisuke scolded her, eyes glaring at her in concern. "Kazuya may have had the power to send him flying, but right now, we can't kill him, much less put a scratch on him! We have to regroup, and figure things out!"

"B-but!"

"No arguments!" he snapped. "C'mon! Let's go!"

"Right!" The Great Thief carefully lifted his master bridal style and took to the skies.

"Come on! Let's move!" Kirito led the retreat.

Midori looked at them. Then at Beldr. Then at Kazuya, who was being picked up by Arsene.

She turned her eyes away and reluctantly agreed. "Mou...fine."

XXXXXXXXXX

Naoya, for the first time in this incarnation, was absolutely livid and worried. "Damned that immortal..." he swore as he quickly made his way through the abandoned streets at a quick, but steady pace. "Kazuya's not ready yet... If he had been in that state any longer..." His scowl grew, and his fists clenched. His nails threatened to draw blood. "I should be at least glad I was able to pull him out."

If he hadn't been able to snap his brother out of that state...Kazuya would be dead. If the power of Bel awakened in his fragile body so soon, it wouldn't be able to take it. It would've broken down by the sheer strain of it.

Naoya refused to let that happen. He lost his brother once. He would go through hell many times over before he lost him again.

A sigh of frustration escaped him as he ran his fingers through his silver mane, pausing briefly in his steps. Why was it that these damned demonic Bels had to go and make things so troublesome for him and his brother? "It would appear that you are quite troubled, Naoya Minegeshi." a melodious voice spoke behind him, accompanied by the soft falls of footsteps. "Then again, it is understandable, given that your brother nearly burned himself out."

He turned, and his eyes widened in shock. In front of him was the Anguished One, his gentle, yet forlorn smile ever present. Beside him stood the ever-murderous form of Bifrons, candelabrum in hand. "...well, this is a surprise." he remarked as his shock faded away, turning to face the enigma fully. "I never expected this... It's been a while, Anguished One."

"Indeed it has." said being replied. "I believe the last time we met was shortly after Adam had sentenced you to exile, and YHVH branded you forever with the curse of reincarnation."

"Indeed." The silver haired man nodded. The bitter memories of the past rose to the surface, a scowl marring his features. The death of his brother. The scorn from his own parents. This endless well of regret, anger, and resentment within him.

It was all because of YHVH!

"Now there's a face that'd make a Bel wet himself." Bifrons cackled, seeing the darkened look on Naoya's face. "Almost forgot that ugly mug of yours can be reaaaaaaaly terrifying sometimes."

Naoya ignored the little imp, and directed his attention to the Anguished One. "So then... what brings you here?" he asked out of curiosity. "Let me guess... it has something to do with Kazuto Kirigaya, and Kayaba Akihiko?"

"Yes." the Anguished One nodded in confirmation. "I wanted to see the Arbiter's progress... as well as the conclusion of one of the many trials that is to come."

"I see..." Naoya understood. He was an observer of the War. Determining whether or not Humanity will succeed this trial set by YHVH. Whether or not the Human Bel, Abel, will emerge victorious.

Naoya already knew the answer. His brother WILL succeed. He will make sure of it.

"So, tell me..." the enigma smiled wryly, knowing the answer to his question. "Has the knowledge I've given you been of use?"

The silver-haired man chuckled. "More than enough," he replied, smirking. "Thanks to you and Kayaba, the method of Demon Summoning was able to be digitalized and simplified. It certainly made things useful, especially thanks to that man's generous donations. I sincerely doubt the altered COMPs, much less this pathetic attempt at a lockdown, would have ever come to pass, were it not for you."

"There is no need to thank me." The man responded. "I merely wished to see humanity's potential, whether they can surpass a trial of this magnitude."

A chortle escaped him. "If humanity can't even pass a simple trial like this, then it doesn't stand a chance of the trial that is to come."

"I couldn't agree more." The other said. "If they can't stand up to the Demons, Bels, and Angels, then what hope could they stand up to the Administrator and its Swords?"

"Isn't that why their fighting, though?" Naoya said, a smile finding its way to his face. "To pave way for the future?"

"Quite so." The non-human nodded. "Even now...humanity still possesses drive. A sense of purpose. An ambition. And the will to see it through."

"Bah!" Bifrons scoffed. "You two and your humans! Diiiiiiiisgusting!"

The two naturally ignored him.

"So...Do you believe that Abel will succeed in obtaining the Devil's Fuge? He will need it to defeat Beldr later today." Anguished one questioned.

Naoya gave him a look. "Do you really need to ask? Of course he will succeed. He is my brother after all."

XXXXXXXXXX

It felt like hours before the group finally found a good stopping point after having left the battleground. Everyone was currently exhausted, panting heavily as they each took to different parts of the ground for comfort. Yuzu and Atsuro were standing beside an unconscious Kazuya, who was propped up against the wall in the shade, his chest calmly rising and falling. "I thought last time was bad..." Atsuro muttered as Yuzu wiped away the last bits of blood. "But, that was... God, he was bleeding from every hole in his head..." He gritted his teeth. "...hey, Yoohoo... If he hadn't stopped when he did... I-if he...kept going... What would have happened to him?"

Yuzu didn't answer him. She didn't even want to think about that. All she cared about was looking after her friend, who laid unconscious before her. 'The look in his eyes...' she thought in sadness and worry, her heart beating hard as the memory of him battling Beldr came to mind. 'It was almost like he really was a demon...' The instant the thought crossed her mind, she shook her head. 'N-no, stop thinking like that, Yuzu!'

This was her friend she was talking about! There was now way he could be a demon! Whatever that Beldr guy said be damned! Kazuya wasn't a Demon! He was Kazuya Minegishi, their friend! A normal human!

She refused to think of him like the monsters they have been fighting. Monsters like Beldr. She refused to believe it. With that thought, she finally wiped away the last bit of blood. But he still needed medical attention. Who knows what type of internal damage that surge of power did to him.

At once, she summoned Pixie and performed a few dia spells. While it wasn't much for now, at least some healing was done.

Back with the SAO Survivors, as well as Keisuke and Midori, the latter two were engaged in a heated discussion.

"But why should I give up the COMP?!" Midori snapped at her friend hotly. "I'm helping people, aren't I?!"

"Yes, you are!" Keisuke kept his voice even, but the group could tell he was struggling not to raise his voice. "But your not seeing the bigger picture here, Midori! There's a cause and effect to everything, and right now, you saving people is only making things worse! Do you even see your Death Clock right now?!"

The girl's face crunched in confusion. "Death Clock?"

"The number above your head states how many days you have left to live. You can see our numbers, right? We're going to die today, and at the hands of that demon we saw earlier, and your going to die tomorrow! Unless you give up that COMP, Midori, your are SERIOUSLY going to die!"

Midori bit her lip. As much as she wanted to write this Death Clock thing off, she couldn't deny that Keisuke might be right, given that he had done a lot for her. Maybe he was right, maybe she was going to die tomorrow, and the prospect of Keisuke, the boy who saved her, and the one who gave her this chance to become a Magical Girl, did not sit well with her. If she gave up her COMP, maybe she could alter her fate. Maybe she'd live longer... but she couldn't. She had the means to protect people, to become a hero, just like Kirito, the man who defeated SAO!

She shook her head in defiance. "N-no way!" she told him, causing him to go wide-eyed. Was she serious?! Did she really not value her own life right now?! "A Magical Girl, much less a hero, never backs down from a fight!"

"Midori..."

From the side, Kirito scowled deeply, one that was not missed by Asuna. She could see how strained his jaw was just from how hard he was clenching it, and Yui was just as concerned, seeing his emotional levels in a flurry. "Kirito-kun?" she called out in worry, reaching out her hand. However, he moved away before she could touch him, marching right up to the two.

What he did next made everyone stop cold.

SLAP!

"WHAT THE FUCK WERE YOU THINKING?!"

Kirito held his hand up while Midori nursed her cheek, where a bright red hand print throbbed. It took a few moments for everyone to process what just happened.

Kirito just slapped Midori.

"DON'T YOU EVEN REALIZE THE FULL WEIGHT OF YOUR ACTIONS?!" He roared. "YOUR INTENTIONS MAY BE NOBLE...BUT DO YOU REALLY THINK THAT YOU WILL TRULY BE APPRECIATED BY THOSE YOU SAVE?! EVERYONE IN THIS LOCKDOWN IS STRUCK WITH TERROR BECAUSE OF THE DEMONS! AND YOU'RE JUST PRANCING AROUND WITH YOUR COMP, FLAUNTING YOUR DEMONS ALL AROUND TRYING TO PLAY HERO! JUST GROW UP ALREADY! ARE YOU SERIOUSLY TRYING TO PLAY SUPERHERO AT A TIME LIKE THIS?! PEOPLE'S LIVES ARE AT STAKE, STRESS IS HIGH, AND EVERYONE IS IN DANGER! AND YOU USING YOUR DEMONS SO FREELY IS ONLY MAKING THINGS WORSE! NORMAL PEOPLE CAN'T EVEN DISTINGUISH THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WILD DEMONS AND DEMONS USED BY DEMON TAMERS! FOR ALL THEY CARE, YOU COULD BE SEEN AS THE SOURCE OF THE DEMON PROBLEM AND THEY WOULD TRY TO KILL YOU! HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT OF THAT?! HUH?! NO! YOU DIDN'T! ALL BECAUSE YOU JUST WANT TO PLAY HERO WITHOUT FACING REALITY!" Kirito screamed in absolute fury. By the time he was finished, he was gasping for breath, his anger still seething. His throat ached from how loud he yelled, but he didn't care.

The others could only look at him in a mixed sensation of shock and terror. Never...NEVER have they seen Kirito that furious. He downright looked like he was going to murder Midori right then and there. Their ears rang from the magnitude of his scream. The cosplayer trembled under his gaze. Yuzu felt herself tremble as well. That look in Kirito's eyes...it was not one would see in human eyes.

It would be more like the eyes of a Demon.

Everyone shared the same thoughts. A few of the others recognized the livid look Kirito had, especially Suguha. The last time she had witnessed such a face of pure rage was during the SAO incident. Truly, she had never seen a more horrifying, if not terrifying visage, in all of her life. It was a trembling experience to bear witness too...

And Midori was on the receiving end of it... and she was not taking it well.

Tears gathered in Midori's eyes. The pain in her cheek was nothing compared to what her hero had just told her. She sniffled and trembled.

"B-b-but...!" Her voice was choked. She couldn't even talk right. "I-I...I...!"

"K-Kirigaya-san, that's harsh!" Keisuke protested, clearly not approving of Kirito's actions. While he did agree with what he said... he had gone too far. "Look, I know Midori doesn't understand what's going on, but don't you think your overreacting?!"

"I'M overreacting?!" the teen bellowed, whirling around to face the brunette. "How the hell can you even defend her?! She's digging herself a deeper grave every time she uses her COMP! She's practically going to kill herself!" His scowl grew. His face was hurting, as was the growing and intensifying rage. "I told you giving her a COMP was a bad idea, but you didn't listen!"

Had this been any other situation, Keisuke would have backed down. That was what he always did when he entered high school. When someone began to threaten or ostracize him, he would slink away, or simply give in. However, the look of hurt on Midori's face... It had brought only anger. "Maybe your right," he said slowly, admitting his mistake. "Maybe it was a bad idea giving her a COMP..."

For the first time, ever since the lockdown began, Keisuke shouted. "BUT AT LEAST I GAVE HER A FIGHTING CHANCE!"

Everyone turned their heads in his direction. "AT LEAST I'M THE ONE WHO GAVE HER A CHANCE TO SURVIVE! ALL YOU TRIED TO DO WAS TAKE HER OUT OF THE FIGHT!"

"I TOLD HER TO GET TO A SHELTER!" He argued. "IT WOULD'VE BEEN A BETTER OPTION THAN HER RISKING HER LIFE PLAYING HERO!"

'SO YOU'D RATHER HER TO JUST SIT AROUND IN CONSTANT FEAR OF BEING KILLED BY DEMONS WITHOUT EVEN A MEANS OF DEFENDING HERSELF?!" Keisuke spat back scathingly.

"...Look. I only gave her a COMP because you convinced me that she can be trusted with one and use it responsibly...AND LOOK WHERE THAT ENDED UP!"

"Which would be a better option?!" Keisuke growled, his hands balling into fists. "Leave her defenseless, or fight back, because, in case you haven't noticed, NOWHERE IS SAFE! Demons are walking around in broad daylight, attacking anyone they come across! We can't be there to save everyone, and neither can the Shomonkai! Even if Midori IS going to die tomorrow, at least I gave her a means to defend herself than let her die!"

"Even when the means to save herself could be the factor that kills her?!" Kirito rebuked.

No one liked where this was going. Watching these two fight...it was like watching a pair of demons fighting one another. Both bore completely menacing expressions, on borderline demonic.

This was too much. They were taking things too far!

Philia walked up to the two. "Hey, you two! That's enough-"

Before she even finished, Keisuke did the unthinkable.

He punched Kirito, square in the face.

The black haired teen staggered from the blow before he pulled himself together. He pressed a few fingers to his nose and took a look. There was blood on them. He was bleeding. As he clenched his hand into a fist, he glared at Keisuke with unbridled rage. With inhuman speed, he charged right up dealt a devastating right hook to the face. He also followed up with a heavy blow to the gut.

The bespectacled teen crumpled to the floor in a gasping heap. The wind was knocked out of him and he was pretty sure his jaw was bruised.

The group immediately became alarmed. What the hell were these two thinking?! "Oi!" Klein growled, stomping over to them. "That's enough!"

Thankfully, a mediator appeared between them before things became more out of hand. To their surprise, it was Arsene... and if the flaming expression on his metal mask was any indication, he was certainly not amused by what he was seeing. "Ahem." he cleared his throat, as if making a gesture, but if the tone of his voice was any indication, he was not happy in the least bit of sense. "Would the two of you kindly stop being ignorant fools? There is a reason I am called a 'gentleman thief' for a reason, boys, and if there is one thing I absolutely hate, it is when someone goes and makes a woman burst into tears."

He glared at Kirito. "Your anger is justifiable, however, you are projecting too much." Kirito opened his mouth to retort, but the demon's glare instantly shot down any protest. "Don't you dare say anything, because we both know any excuse that will come from your mouth is total and utter shit."

He then turned to Keisuke, who was being propped upright by Shino. "And as for you, young man..." he said slowly, folding his arms over his chest. "Your actions are the root of this problem, as noble as they may be. True, you gave the young woman a fighting chance, but you've also hastened her death as well. I believe you humans have a saying, 'the path to hell is paved with good intentions?' That proverb best fits what's going on right now, wouldn't you agree?"

The two flinched at his words, but they couldn't deny them either.

"Here is a bit of advice to the both of you..." Arsene said slowly, his tone low and dangerous. "...quit being pathetic and barbaric pieces of garbage, before I rip out your hearts." The flames on his mask grew more intense as he glared at the two, who refused to meet his gaze. If looks could kill, Kirito and Keisuke would be dead. "And while your at it... apologize to one another."

Both Keisuke and Kirito looked away from the others, perceiving the ground to be a better source of interest. However...Arsene's words rang true. They were being nothing more than complete jerks and idiots. They were just...completely frustrated with this situation.

After what seemed like forever, both teens looked at one another in the eye. "...I'm sorry Keisuke...for snapping like that. I was angry at what Midori was doing...and I just blew it all out of proportion.

The glasses-wearing boy rubbed the back of his head. "N-no... I'm the one who should be saying sorry." he said, his words completely genuine. "I... didn't mean to do that. I just..."

"I know..." Kirito nodded earnestly. "I just...I just didn't want Midori to die like that. I didn't want that to happen..." His expression was somber. "There was no way I was going to let someone die...again..." His thoughts drifted back to the Moonlit Black Cats. The expressions of horror and despair on each of their faces as they were cut down in that anti-crystal trap. Tetsuo, Sasamaru, Ducker. All of them killed quickly. Sachi's final words. And Keita's final words of scorn before committing suicide.

Arsene nodded his head, clearly pleased. "Well, now that the two of you reconciled, why don't you..."

He trailed off as he looked to where Midori should have been standing...only to find her missing. A sweat drop formed atop his head. "...that girl is going to be the death of us."

"What?! Are you serious?!" Both teens cried out in exasperation. Then again, Midori probably got terrified of the situation and fled. They didn't blame her. They did act like a couple of douche bags.

"S-should we go after her?" Suguha asked. "I-I mean, her Death Clock is..."

She received no answer. Everyone was quiet for a long while, but eventually, Kirito sighed. "...no, I think I've done enough damage for one day." he said, running his fingers through his hair. "Besides... Keisuke did give her a way to fight back."

"Kirito-kun..." Asuna said slowly, eyes frowning. "Are you sure about this?"

He nodded. "Yeah... As sure as I can be, at the very least."

He said some hurtful things that he could never take back. He needed to give Midori some space. He just hoped that he didn't alter her fate for the worse. If nothing has changed, then she should still have one day left. No matter what happened, they had to save her tomorrow at the very latest.

He refused to let another innocent die.

Keisuke seemed to agree with him, nodding solemnly. He then looked back to where Kazuya was resting. "...how's Kazuya?"

"Well, the bleeding's stopped. But he's still unconscious." Yuzu responded. Her breathing was heavy after using so many Dia spells to try and heal the internal damage. She and Pixie did what they could, but he's still asleep.

Arsene landed on his feet and knelt by his master.

"Hm..." he hummed, a talon at his chin as he observed the blue-haired boy closely. "It would seem he's slowly recovering, though I suspect he won't wake up for a long time. His body isn't ready to handle that amount of power yet."

Agil's face became stern as he looked at the boy with a look of pity. "So... it's for real?" he asked. "He's a Bel?"

"The Bel of the Human World, Abel. Otherwise known as the Sixth Bel, and the younger brother of Cain." Arsene formally introduced his master's true nature, his flaming grin growing wider. "Interesting, no?"

"...Interesting...INTERESTING?!" Yuzu snapped at the Demon in a fury. "Kazuya-kun looked like he was about to die fighting that Beldr thing, he was bleeding profusely, and he isn't showing any sign of waking up, and he's a demon!...and all you can do is call this interesting?!"

"I call it as I see it."

Arsene replied bluntly. "But nevertheless, I will do everything in my power to ensure my master emerges victorious."

Atsuro immediately glared at the demon, his face set into a look of anger. "Wait, are you saying you KNEW Kazuya was a Bel all this time?!" he accused the thief. "Why the hell didn't you tell us?!"

"You didn't ask." Arsene shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly, much to the anger of Atsuro. "At any rate, I need to heal up these pesky wounds." He gave the humans a mock salute. "Until next time, ladies and gents."

With that, he disappeared back into Akuma's COMP.

Silence lingered throughout the group. Their friend was a candidate to become the King of Demons?

"...well," Klein broke the silence with a deadpan. "Is it just me, or is this turning into a fucked-up game where the hero becomes a demon ruling badass?"

Agil felt his eyebrow twitch. "Klein, not the time."

"Hey, I'm just saying what's on my mind is all." the red-haired man defended himself as he looked at Kirito. "Don't you think so, Kirito-kun?"

The black swordsman did not respond. He was sitting on a nearby bench deep in thought.

"Kirito-kun?" Asuna called out, her face soft. "Are you okay?"

"...I'm fine, Asuna..."

"You sure about that?" Shino cut in, giving him the stink-eye. "Looked to me that you were so pissed it wasn't even funny. Hell, I saw Yui about to cry." Kirito winced upon hearing that, glancing over at his daughter, who was standing beside Kazuya, as if looking over him for any mental damage caused during his battle with Beldr. Though she looked pretty calm, he could see a slight teary remainder. He cursed himself for letting his daughter see that side of him... She had never seen him so emotional, so angry before, but it couldn't be helped. Seeing Midori being so careless reminded him too much of what happened with his old guild. The reminder of the incident still haunted him.

"...seeing Midori using her COMP carelessly just trudged up some bad memories." he told Sinon with a heavy sigh. "Probably the worst memories."

Sinon's eyes softened, but she still didn't look so pleased. "...does said memories involve that guild you talked about before back in SAO?" He gave her a quiet nod. She sighed. "Well, I guess it couldn't be helped then. But, Kirito-kun, seriously, next time, don't go ballistic, okay?"

"...I'll try not to..." He sighed. Every time those memories popped up...it felt like he was no longer in control of himself.

"Good." Asuna smiled. "Now, in the meantime... how do we defeat Beldr?"

And there it was, the million dollar question on everyone's minds.

"I...don't know." Kirito replied with a shake of the head. "After seeing him in action... I don't know if our demons will cut it. Kazuya, definitely, with that power he had, but it's obvious he can't use it for long periods, but I'm not so sure we can defeat him. Not to mention the fact he's immortal."

"Yeah..." Klein nodded. "We still need to find that mistletoe thing... but just what the heck is it? Moreover, how're we supposed to know what it is?!"

"I think the better question is, what is it exactly?" Keisuke cut in with a thoughtful look on his face. "If only we could peek into history... then maybe we could figure something out."

Upon hearing the conversation, specifically Keisuke's piece, Atsuro's eyes lit up. "Peek into history..." he whispered before an excited grin appeared on his face. "THAT'S IT! Keisuke, your a genius!"

"I-I am?" The bespectacled teen asked with widened eyes. Just what did he say?

"Yeah! We can find our answers using this!" He pulled out his COMP.

"Huh? How are we going to find answers with your COMP?" Yuzu asked.

"You remember how I told you that the COMPs run on a totally different server than the others, right?" he asked, earning a nod. "And, according to Yui, that server has information on demons, and their respective lores. So, if Beldr is listed..."

Kirito's eyes widened in realization. "Then his information should also be there!"

"Bingo!"

Kirito nodded eagerly as he took out his own COMP. With this...they should be able to find their answers.

"Whoa, wait a sec here..." Philia stopped them, looking utterly. "I think I more or less have the gist of what you guys are planning, but... how exactly are you going to get info on Beldr? I mean, sure, you might be able to get some information with that Demonic Compendium thing, but that requires you having created a demon with the Cathedral of Shadows, or buying him from the Auction. How are you planning on getting his legend?"

"Easy." Atsuro flicked his nose as he opened up his bag, taking out his laptop. "The good old fashion way."

Agil's eyes widened considerably. "W-whoa, hey now... are you telling me you boys are gonna-"

"Yep," Kirito finished with a grin. "We're gonna hack into the server! Yui, you think you can guide us through to the info on Beldr?"

The girl smiled brightly as she nodded excitedly, sitting next to Kirito and Atsuro as the techno geek hooked up the COMP's together. As soon as they were, he attached the cords to his laptop, and in the next second, began to type furiously on the keyboard.

Kirito on the other hand connected the manual chargers to their laptops. From what he's checked, they do not have much battery life left. "we only have ten minutes of juice left on our laptops batteries. We need you guys to keep cranking the charger until it dies. It may not be much, but it's all we have. Think you can do that?"

"Don't worry. Leave this to us." Klein said as he started to crank the handle with all his might.

"I'll help as well." Keisuke took charge of the other charger.

Yui looked at each member of the group, then at Keisuke and her papa. The rising negative emotions she detected earlier have decreased dramatically. This brought a smile on her face.

'Thank goodness...!'

XXXXXXXXXX

"...no...no no no...!"

When Kazuya opened his eyes, he found himself staring at what could only be called a nightmare.

He stood in the middle of the Yamanote circle...or rather...what was left of it.

Flames roared violently all around him, every structure with sight has been destroyed, their remains littering the cracked ground. The sky was a deep, bloody red. The black smoke and bright orange sparks floated in the air.

His nostrils flared in disgust from the foul stench of rotting flesh, burning corpses, and blood.

His hand slammed over his mouth, feeling the sudden rise of vomit flooding into the back of his throat, and creeping up his esophagus. This... this was a nightmare... it had to be!

"K-Ka...zuya..."

The teen whirled around... and his eyes widened in horror.

"Y-Yuzu!"

The teen felt his heart climb up his throat. Before his eyes was Yuzu...or what was left of her. Her legs were blown apart from the knee down, being nothing more than bleeding stumps. Her clothing was tattered as multiple lacerations marred her flesh. Sharp pieces of debris was stabbed into her back. A metal spike ran straight through her hand as she tried to crawl her way over to him. She tilted her head upward, as if trying to look at his face...but it was a futile effort.

Tears of blood leaked from her empty sockets. Both of her eyes were gone.

'This...can't be happening...' Kazuya wailed as he stumbled over to her, tripping over his feet once he reached her. He cradled her in his arms, careful not to move her too much. 'No-no way... it can't be happening... There's no way!'

"Ka...zu..." Yuzu muttered weakly. "W-where...?"

"I-I'm right here, Yuzu!" he told her as he dug his pocket for his COMP, only to find it missing. Dammit, where was it?! Why wasn't it there?! Did he lose it?! N-no, he couldn't have...! How could he lose it?! "Oh-oh, God, please... hold on!"

"Ka...zu...ya...Where...where are you...?" The broken girl murmured, her head turning around to find him. "It...it's so dark...so cold...Don't...don't leave me...Please..."

Even though her eyes were gone, her tear ducts were still intact. Along with the tears of blood, tears of clear liquid streamed down her cheeks.

"I'm right her, Yuzu!" he told her, tears flowing down his cheeks. His heart was thumping against his chest. "Fuck! F-fuck fuck!"

He didn't understand any of this! What happened?! Why had this happened?! W-who...?!

Who did this to Yuzu?!

His anger spiked to unprecedented levels. Whoever did this to her...

...will face the full wrath of Hell!

"A...Akuma..." A weak voice groaned out.

The boy lifted up his head, and found Kirito lying against the wall. Just like Yuzu, his body was torn apart. One of his arms was gone, as was one of his legs, and blood was leaking profusely down his right eye, masking the right side of his face with blood.

"Kirito!" Kazuya screamed in horror. Another one of his friends was hurt?!

"H-help...P...please...save...th-them..." He begged weakly.

"W-what do you mean?! What's going-?!"

His words came to a screeching halt when Kirito's face became skewed, impaled by a sharp black tentacle.

"KIRITO...!" The blue haired teen cried in anguish.

The appendage twitched slightly before it pulled itself out from the target. The upper half of Kirito's face was replaced by a gaping, bloody void. The corpse collapsed to its side with a sickening squelch.

Kazuya quickly turned to face the attacker. It was a demon, completely black with metallic skin, bearing no distinguishable features besides a pair of blades that acted like fingers, bat-like wings, and a golden crown atop its head. And beside it was...

"N-Naoya...?"

He thought his eyes were playing tricks on him. He thought it was an illusion made by the intense heat and dancing flames. But no matter how many times he rubbed his eyes, it was the same vision. There was definitely no mistaking the green, techno-patterned yukata he wore, nor the silver hair and red eyes. It definitely was his cousin, Naoya.

And yet... he wore the most vicious smile on his face. "Hello, little brother..." he greeted calmly and coolly, as if he didn't notice the signs of destruction and devastation all around them. "It's been a while." He then noticed Yuzu's wounded form, humming thoughtfully as he put a hand to his chin. "Oh? So she's still alive?"

"N-Naoya! Please!" Kazuya begged him. "She's going to bleed out at this rate! Help me!"

"And why should I do that? After all, I'm the one who killed Kazuto and your friends, as well as put Tanikawa in that state."

Kazuya's face fell. He could've sworn he felt his stomach drop and his mind shut down.

He...he just couldn't process this. His mind wouldn't let him. Naoya...Naoya was the one responsible for this?! He was the one that killed them?! He...HE KILLED ALL OF THEM?!

"...y-you..." his voice was weak, barely above a whisper. "Y-your...lying...r-right, Naoya...?"

"...Why would I lie about such a thing?" He questioned nonchalantly.

The blue haired teen's face contorted in anguish. So he...he really did do it. "...why...?"

"Hm?"

"Why...WHY WOULD YOU DO SUCH A THING?!" He roared at him.

Naoya's face warped into a smirk. "Do you hate me?"

"JUST ANSWER ME DAMMIT!"

"If you hate me, then why don't you use your power to kill me?" the red-eyed man told him. "You have the ability to kill Beldr with it, even without the Devil's Fuge... and yet, you deny it so feverishly. Why let that power go to waste?" His smirk grew wider. "Hate me, despise me, accept all of that anger... Isn't that how you should feel?"

Despise...hatred...anger...yes...Anger! He feels nothing but pure rage! How dare he kill his friends?! How dare he hurt Yuzu! He has the power to do so...He will kill him! The blue haired teen stood back on his feet, his eyes glowing a lethal red as a crimson aura manifested around him. He was about to rush in and strike his cousin, but a single memory resurfaced in his mind.

He recalled an event that took place not so long ago in the real world...where he was about to resume his fight with the Immortal Beldr. Someone stopped him.

"Now's not the time..."

The look on Naoya's face... it was...

Sadness.

Regret.

Loathing.

Anger.

...anguished.

Just as quickly had the darkened aura around him began to engulf him did it begin to dissipate. Naoya, seeing this, frowned. "What's the matter?" he asked of him. "Aren't you going to kill me for hurting your friends?"

"...no..."

"Hm?"

"No...! I won't do it!" Kazuya snapped out of it, slowly calming himself down.

"...Are you really forfeiting the chance of kill your friends' murderer?" 'Naoya' questioned.

"I am...because you are NOT Naoya!"

A silence fell upon the area. The sounds of Yuzu's quiet sobs, the flickering flames, the sound of crumbling buildings... all sounds had ceased.

It was as if time had stood still.

"...and why should that matter at all?" 'Naoya' asked, his frown still present. "If at all anything, that should make it all the more easier for you to kill me."

"Even if you aren't Naoya..." Kazuya said slowly, his eyes staring right back at the man's red ones. "That's still the face... of the person I have always thought of as my brother. That's why... I won't do it."

The pregnant silence continued, with the two staring back at one another. The demon remained still, also locked within the quiet void. Eventually, however, 'Naoya' showed reaction. His red eyes became dull, and his face was void of emotion.

"...yOu aRE TruLY DiFFerEnT frOm ThE oThErS..."

The voice that came out of 'Naoya's' mouth was different. Completely different. The type of voice he was so used to hearing from his cousin was a smooth baritone. This voice was deep and a tad raspy.

Yuzu had vanished from his arms, and the cityscape slowly faded away.

"WHY?" 'Naoya' spoke, his voice become a garbled mess, almost intangible. "WHY DO YOU REFUSE TO DESPISE THIS MAN?"

Kazuya was perturbed by this being's voice, but he stood his ground. "...Because he is someone I cherish like a brother."

"WHY?"

Why...? The answer was so obvious.

A broad smile made its way across his face. "It's because Naoya is like a brother to me... Even if we aren't actually brothers, he's still someone I can call by that title. Even if the whole world was against him, even if he did something unforgivable... that doesn't stop me from considering him as a brother figure." Finally, a glare became present. "I don't know why you're using Naoya's face, or why you want me to hate him... but let's get one thing straight. I don't give a damn if I'm Abel, or if he's Cain. The past is that, nothing but a relic of history. He's Naoya Minegeshi, my cousin...and a brother. And, I..."

"I'm the one who will protect him."

'Naoya' continued to stare at him with a fierce glare. But Kazuya did not falter for even a second under his gaze. After what seemed like an eternity, the unknown figure actually smiled.

"Heh...I see..."

"...il's Fuge?"

"...unds like...eird name!"

…What?

What was going on? What...were they voices?

"...'s coming too...!"

That voice... Yuzu?

The darkness around him faded. The being before his eyes slowly faded out of sight as well, but not before giving a few parting words. "We will meet again..."

After that, everything became white.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Aw, damn..." Atsuro mumbled. "I guess it was too much for the chargers after all. Still, at least we got the info."

Kirito nodded in agreement, staring back at his own screen as he pulled the storage unit out from it's plug. "Yeah," he nodded in agreement with a sheepish smile. "Still, talk about tough coding... Even with Yui guiding us, it was still a pain to get through those firewalls. I doubt we'd be able to hack into the server's primary functions with that kind of security."

"No kidding."

"Alright, enough geek talk, boys." Sinon said impatiently, folding her arms as she tapped her foot. "Just tell us what you found already."

"Yeah, yeah, give me a sec, Sinononon." Kirito teased, earning a fierce blush from the sniper as she scowled at him, muttering something along the lines of putting a bullet through his skull as he slipped the storage unit into his COMP. After punching in a few buttons, his screen opened up to reveal the information currently displayed.

"Okay. It wasn't much, but we managed to find a tale of Lore about Beldr. As it just so happens, the Devils Fuge was also mentioned in the legend."

"Well, so long as we know how to beat it." Yuzu sighed in relief as he looked back to Kazuya, wiping away the sweat from his face. Her face softened as she wiped away some of the blue strands of hair. "Kazuya... Wake up soon, will you...?"

At her touch, the blue haired teen seemed to give off a small response. His eyelids were twitching slightly, something that failed to be unnoticed by Yuzu.

"K-Kazuya...?" She asked softly. The unconscious teen seemed to murmur in his sleep. "G-guys! Guys! I think Kazuya's waking up!"

The group immediately whirled around. "Seriously?!" Atsuro cried in shock and joy. "He's coming too?!"

"I think so!" Yuzu nodded. The others began to circle around the waking teen.

Slowly, the boy stirred, a pair of blue eyes opening to the world. "...rgh..." he groaned, blinking rapidly before he fully came to. "W-what...?"

"Kazuya!"

"Give him some space." Agil spread his arms out and let the others back up.

The boy slowly stood to his feet, groaning as he rubbed his head.

"Wh-what...happened...?"

"Long story short?" Agil shrugged. "You went apeshit on Beldr's ass, and like we thought, bastard came out without a scratch."

"I...I see..."

He wasn't happy about that fact, but he was able to, at least, protect his friends to some level of degree.

The vision from his dream popped up again. No...NO! He refused to let that happen! He won't let it!

"So...what'd I miss?"

"We just found more information on Beldr. Or rather, more about a legend about him and the Devil's Fuge."

Kazuya's eyes widened. "Seriously?" he asked. "So, this Devil's Fuge... that's the mistletoe we're after?"

"Yep!" Asturo nodded.

A smile crossed his face. Finally, something went right today...! His smile faded, however, when he looked around and saw that Midori, who should have been present, was gone. "...wait, where's Midori?"

A darkened cloud fell over the group as Keisuke and Kirito chuckled nervously. "W-well, er..."

"...you two did something to scare her off, didn't you?" Kazuya dead panned. The two males flinched as he hit the nail on the head.

"...kind of..."

He sighed, shaking his head. "What are we going to do with you two?" he muttered before looking at Yuzu. "So, do we know where to start looking for this Devil's Fuge?"

"I don't know, to be honest." she confessed with a shake of the head. "I think our best bet would be to ask around."

"I see. So we might as well start moving." The blue haired teen stated.

"That would be the best idea. The sooner the better. After all, Beldr is due to reappear today." Agil replied.

The group nodded, and began their search.

XXXXXXXXXX

Amane sighed softly as she held her hands close to her chest. "It would appear that Kazuya Minegeshi has managed to reign in his inner demon..." she whispered in relief. "I had feared the worst."

She vividly recalled the surge of power she felt earlier. She recognized it as it was similar to the power housed within her. The power of a Bel.

However, while Amane was, to an extent, able to control the flow of Jezebel's power, Kazuya had been like a broken dam. Any more power, and his body would have been torn apart from the sheer strain. Thankfully, though, it seems that someone was able to calm him down. If she were to take a guess, it would most likely be Naoya.

The thought made her smile. "Perhaps there is some truth to him caring for his brother, after all..." she mused before she noticed the approaching presence of a member of the Shomonkai. To her surprise, it was Azama. "Sir Azama."

"Lady Amane," he greeted back, performing a bow. "I've come with orders from Lord Kuzuryu."

"Father?" That was unusual. He almost never issued orders... at least, not at such a small time at this. With the approaching summoning of Beldr, there was little doubt that they would need to try and subdue him, or at least find a way to impede his approaching summons. "What does he wish?"

"By Lord Kuzuryu's orders, you are to follow and observe the Bel of the Human world, Kazuya Minegishi."

At this, Amane frowned. "Observe him?" she inquired. "Does this have anything to do with Beldr's emergence?"

Azama nodded. "Lord Kuzuryu believes that he will play an instrumental role in the war, and perhaps may further our own goals." he explained her father's will to her. "If you can, see if you are capable of persuading him to our cause."

The maiden was silent, processing this information, before bowing her head. "...understood."

So she was assigned to watch over him and try to convince him to help the Shomonkai? She will take up this task. But first, they would need to get past Beldr. They need to find the Devil's Fuge.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Huh? Devil's Fuge?" a man with blonde hair and shades said as he looked at the group from his shop. On the table was an assortment of pots with flowers and plants growing inside. "Oooh, you mean the mistletoe! Yeah, I had one, not too long ago. It was sort of like one of those things you'd strap to your phone, kinda like a chochtkee strap doodad."

...A Cell phone strap? The one item that decided their fates and defeat the immortal Beldr...was a cellphone strap? The same thought ran through all their minds.

"D-do you think we can have it?" Kirito asked after snapping out of his stupor.

Sadly, the man shook his head. "Sorry, but I sold it to someone else. Dude looked kinda off, and kinda creepy too."

"Creepy...?" Asuna took note of this. In this place...the creepy kinds of people tend to be the shady types that hide secrets. "Well, do you know where he went?"

"I think he went to the Diet Building." the man told them before grimacing. "Although, I wouldn't recommend going there, if I were you. Damn place is wrecked all to hell. Looks like someone went ballistic with heavy artillery or something."

Based on his description, they were positive that the Hills had been a large battleground for Demons. But even so, they needed the Devil's Fuge.

"Sorry, but there is something we have to do there. Thanks for the help." Kazuya thanked.

"Well, don't say I didn't warn you. But you guys be careful out there, you hear?" The blonde man then walked away.

XXXXXXXXXX

It hadn't taken them long to reach the Diet Building, and like the man said, it had seen better days.

The building itself was in shambles. That was once pristine white concrete was broken and speckled with blood and ash. The space around it did not look better. Cars were crashed into lamp posts and the building itself. The ground was upturned, cracked, and broken. It was like pieces of the asphalt was knocked loose and thrown about.

There were even pits of fire in the broken spaces in the ground.

"Damn," Atsuro shook his head. "Damn place looks like a warzone!"

"That's putting it mildly..." Sinon commented.

"Hey, what about those guys over there?" Suguha pointed out. The others turned their heads to the direction she pointed, and saw a group of people surrounded by Demons.

The leader of the horde was a Pyro Jack, its head glaring at the men before it. "Hand over the Devil's Fuge, Hee!" it demanded, its lantern blazing. "Or be burned to a crisp!"

The man in the red suit, who was presumed to be the leader of the small group, shouted indignantly. "We'll never let you have the Devil's Fuge's power! Beldr will collpase at our feet!"

"Be silent, you ho!" Pryo jack growled. "Master Beldr will enjoy breaking your bones, foolish hee of Belial!"

"The Devil's Fuge...? So they must be the guys who bought it!" Yuzu realized. "The one thing that can hurt the immortal Beldr...it's our only hope of defeating him!"

But soon, the man noticed the newcomers. "Who are you?! I'll kill any who covet the Devil's Fuge! You'll be fed to the Demons!"

"Tch...Doesn't sound like they're too big on negotiating..." Atsuro grunted. "We gotta take away their COMPs and their will to fight, or they'll never listen to us!"

"Yeah." Kazuya nodded, bringing out his COMP. "Everyone... LET'S GO!"

With that, everyone charged, COMPs in hand.

TO BE CONTINUED...