Jarath had frozen.

The empty sockets of his mask narrowed.

"You are…"

The entire void shuddered, and the shadows shifted.

Jarath took a single step backward.

And dropped to one knee.

He laid his Scythe on the ground, and lowered his head.

"My Liege."

Amon blinked.

"Your humble servant prostrates before you."

Amon's confusion grew.

'Isn't this guy supposed to be Demon King? Why would he kneel-' Amon was suddenly hit by pressure ten times stronger than that exuded by Jarath.

Completely forgetting about Jarath, Amon slowly turned around.

A shadow stood behind him, overwhelmingly large and dark. It seemed to reach to the heavens, to the dark sky above, to merge with that sky, to be one with it. In fact, it felt like this whole space was part of that shadow.

Jarath's voice trembled. It was as if Amon wasn't even there.

"Forgive my insolence…"

The giant shadow didn't say a thing, nor did it move.

Amon looked up at the being of shadows.

"Azaroth." He whispered with a smirk. "Why don't you stay dead, huh?"

Amon clenched his hand, and the void fractured like glass struck by a hammer.

His eyes snapped open, and he was back in the underground chamber.

The Scythe was still before him, but the circle of fire had gone out.

He stepped forward and placed his hand on the haft.

The chains around the weapon shimmered and trembled, before unwrapping themselves and slithering their way up Amon's arm like serpents.

A thick foggy breath exited Amon's mouth as he felt power surging through him, cold and sharp.

Corruption spilled from his hand onto the weapon, corrupting its haft and chains, turning them black and giving them further life.

"This'll be useful." Amon whispered, lowering the Scythe.

[A New Item has been Acquired!]

[Rank: S!]

[Name: Blood Moon Reaper's Arm.]

[Type: Cursed Weapon.]

[Effects:

1-Blood Reaper: Each cut inflicts a Corruption-laced bleed that bypasses regeneration. Wounds inflicted by the Blood Moon Reaper's Arm cannot heal or be healed.

2-Blood Moon's Pull: Each drop of blood spilled by the Blood Moon Reaper's Arm will be absorbed by the blade, strengthening it or its wielder.

3- Sealing Chains: The Blood Moon Reaper's Arm has been Sealed with Holy Chains that have been Corrupted over time. The Chains obey the wielder's will, capable of independent strikes, binding targets, or extending range.

4- Blood Moon's Blaze: Crimson Corrupted flames can be Conjured by the Blood Moon Reaper's Arm.

]

[Additional Information about the Blood Moon Reaper and the Blood Moon Reaper's Arm is available.]

Amon's lips parted in a quiet, pleased laugh. "Blood Moon, huh?"

He tightened his grip on the haft. The weapon shuddered violently at first, then stilled.

A blast erupted from the pedestal, shaking the entire underground chamber.

The symbols lining the chamber walls pulsed once, then went dark, having lost the source of their power.

The Scythe was lowered. The black veins bled down the haft and into Amon's shadow.

A moment later, the whole weapon disappeared, swallowed by his shadow entirely.. The chains were the last to disappear, slithering down with a final metallic chime.

Amon looked up at the fractured ceiling above him. Thin rays of moonlight pierced through the cracks.

"Guess this church is going to be useless now," he muttered with a grin. "Levia pulled power from this without knowing it. It's pretty funny when I think about it." Amon chuckled. "She only had eyes for Azaroth, and failed to notice Jarath right beneath her feet."

The Black Stone in his hand pulsed once, and he could feel the Scythe pulse as it drowned in his shadow. His lips curved upward.

"Azaroth…" he whispered under his breath, remembering the gigantic shadow. "If I tell Levia about this, she'll probably start fangirling."

Amon turned his gaze back toward the exit tunnel. Or rather, the jagged hole he'd fallen through.

He crouched, and leapt.

Stone cracked beneath his feet as he shot upward, gripping the broken edges and pulling himself through effortlessly. Dust and debris slid off his shoulders.

[Additional Information about the Blood Moon Reaper and the Blood Moon Reaper's Arm is available.]

'You're finally deciding to be useful when it comes to information, huh?' Amon sighed.

His ears twitched suddenly, and he turned in the Black Church's entrance.

'Someone is moving.'

Amon could tell that it wasn't Syl, Akane, or Levia.

For various reasons, all were too exhausted to be woken up despite the vibrations and the shockwave that was released right next to the church.

Akane was physically exhausted, but also mentally exhausted. Having had to quickly adapt to using magic, her brain needed a lot of rest.

Levia's exhaustion was different. She had gone through a torrent of emotions very rapidly, and her entire life had been pretty much spun upside down.

'Syl's life has also been turned upside down.'

Only two remained.

"Ugh…" Amon sighed. "I hope the Demons won't cause me too much trouble." He scratched his head. "Really wanted to get some more sleep next to Syl."

…

Rika and Rita had taken a room each on opposite sides of the hallway.

Rika lay on her side, staring at the cracked ceiling above. The feel of the cuffs around her wrists was beyond infuriating.

"Vulkan is going to come for us." She gritted her teeth. "Damn it…" Rika gritted her teeth.

She rolled onto her stomach, burying her face in the thin pillow.

'I can't rely on Levia. She can't think properly now. If Vulkan realizes, which he will, then we're all dead. I can't just stay here… I can't stay with them…'

Rika gulped.

'If I can get to Vulkan first… Yes, if I'm the one who tells him about…''

***

Across the hall, Rita sat cross-legged on her bed, back straight.

Her eyes glowed faintly, piercing through the darkness as she stared at her reflection in the cracked mirror mounted to the wall.

Amon's name danced through her mind over and over again.

'I can't let Levia have him all to herself.'

Her lips curled into a smile.

'Levia isn't stupid. If she sides with him instead of Vulkan, then she must believe he has his chances.'

She sighed, letting her back fall on the bed.

"He won't trust us. He won't trust me," she whispered to the ceiling. "Not so quickly and easily. I'll have to…"

***

When the area behind the church shook, both Demonesses felt it at once.

They both realized that this was their chance to act and move.

As Amon walked through the Church's doors, the Demoness he met was…

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