Part one hundred eighty four — Gluttony Sin

　The dimension held total silence, Demigra at one end, Vados and Enzo opposite him. For a long moment, nobody moved.

　Then Enzo simply wasn't where he'd been standing.

　Demigra barely raised an arm in time to meet the blade that followed. Vados appeared from the opposite side an instant later, another strike landing before the first had even finished its motion.

　The dimension itself began shaking under the sheer speed of the exchange.

　Demigra was forced backward step by step, unable to properly counter either of them.

　Enzo appeared above him.

　"Tempest."

　A wave of destructive energy descended.

　Demigra crossed both arms to meet it.

　The resulting detonation shook the entire dimension, dust rolling outward in every direction.

　When it finally cleared, Demigra was still standing.

　Pushed back considerably.

　But standing.

　"He's having trouble keeping up," Vados said, satisfied.

　Enzo didn't answer.

　He simply vanished again.

　The fight accelerated into something no ordinary eye could have properly followed — three figures reduced to flashes of light and torn ground, Demigra steadily retreating beneath the combined pressure.

　He finally landed several meters away, studying them both.

　"Sigh," he said, lowering his head. "I think it's time to stop messing around."

　His aura shifted.

　Something deeper — and considerably more dangerous — surfaced beneath his earlier composure.

　"Don't you agree?"

　Tremendous energy erupted from him.

　His entire form transformed.

　Not merely stronger.

　Hungrier.

　The air around him began pulling inward as though space itself owed him something.

　"So that's your true form," Vados said, more cautious now.

　A weapon materialized in Demigra's hand.

　Black mist coiled around a blade that seemed almost incidental compared to the danger surrounding it.

　"Don't let this touch you," Demigra said with a smile.

　"It doesn't have to," Enzo said, narrowing his eyes.

　"Exactly."

　Demigra's smile widened.

　"Contact isn't required. Proximity alone is enough. The mist works directly on the soul and core."

　He attacked immediately.

　Both of them met him at once.

　Three blades collided in a rapid, brutal exchange.

　Yet something remained wrong.

　From Demigra's own perspective, he couldn't land a clean hit.

　Vados moved too fast.

　Enzo's True Dragon senses read every attack fractions of a second before it properly arrived.

　"This isn't getting anywhere," Demigra muttered, frustration finally cracking through.

　He stepped back.

　Then raised a hand.

　The entire dimension turned bitterly cold.

　Something vast began emerging behind him.

　Vados's expression sharpened.

　"Interesting."

　"If brute force isn't enough," Demigra said, satisfied, "I'll bring out something built specifically to kill demons."

　The presence that fully manifested was staggering.

　Zefinn.

　One of the Three Primordial Spirits.

　The Spirit of Destruction herself.

　"Spirits are the ultimate opponents of demons," Demigra said, clearly pleased with himself.

　"Really?" Vados said, studying her with open curiosity rather than fear. "Then explain something. Why is one of the Three Primordial Spirits currently a Demon Lord?"

　Demigra went still.

　"...Since when did that happen?"

　Enzo laughed.

　"You've been dead a long time."

　"You really don't know when to shut up, do you."

　Demigra pointed toward Zefinn regardless.

　"This is Zefinn. She's your opponent, Primordial Demon No. 9."

　Vados's smile vanished entirely.

　"Correction. I'm a Devil King now. My name is Vados."

　His aura expanded, sharp and absolute.

　"Call me No. 9 again, and I'll end you."

　Then he laughed.

　"I intend to kill you regardless. I suppose it hardly matters."

　Zefinn vanished without warning.

　No sound.

　No visible motion.

　And then the world simply detonated as her arm met Vados's own.

　The shockwave tore through the dimension itself.

　Neither moved.

　Then both were gone.

　The battle escalated into something no ordinary perception could track, each collision opening fresh ruptures in the space around them.

　Demigra turned his full attention toward Enzo.

　"Then you'll be fighting me, Ignivar."

　"It's Enzo now," Enzo said flatly.

　"Come on," Demigra said mockingly. "Is that how you speak to an old friend?"

　Enzo's aura began rising.

　"My old friend is dead. You're nothing but a puppet borrowing his powers."

　His blade appeared, cold certainty settling into his expression.

　"And if you were really Demon Lord Demigra — you wouldn't be going easy on your opponent."

　Demigra's smile sharpened.

　"So you noticed."

　Enzo vanished.

　Demigra's blade cut through nothing but an afterimage.

　Twice.

　Before Demigra could react, Enzo materialized directly in front of him.

　"Tempest."

　The blade descended.

　Demigra's entire body disintegrated beneath it, his soul laid completely bare. The attack continued tearing through even that — for one long moment, it seemed as though his very soul was genuinely coming apart.

　Then it smiled.

　One last time.

　"Interesting."

　And it vanished entirely.

　The dimension itself began collapsing in its wake.

　Vados stopped, no longer sensing Demigra anywhere.

　"I suppose that's enough."

　He snapped his fingers.

　Darkness swallowed everything.

　Zefinn suddenly found herself bound in demonic chains, struggling against a hold that only tightened the harder she fought.

　"I've decided not to kill you," Vados said, approaching her without hurry.

　"Why?" Zefinn asked warily.

　"You'd make a wonderful subordinate for my Lord."

　Vados placed a hand over the contract binding her to Demigra.

　It shattered instantly.

　The corruption tying her to that servitude dissolved along with it, leaving her alive, whole, and free from whatever had held her for however long that had actually been.

　"I'll leave the final contract to Lord Kai," Vados said.

　The darkness dissolved entirely around them.

　The dimension faded fully back into the outside world.

　Vados and Enzo emerged together, finding Nyxara already present. Nao Shimizu's unconscious body hung over one of her shoulders, while Ivy stood quietly nearby.

　Vados looked around.

　"Where's Lord Kai?"

　Nyxara shook her head.

　"Still fighting."

　Back on the Eastern Front, once Himari had left to defend the underground facility, Chloe remained alone against a Shimizu army that had no idea what it was actually facing.

　She surveyed the advancing thousands without a trace of concern.

　Then she activated Blood Moon.

　The fallen soldiers' own spilled blood began rising from the ground, coiling around her into weapon after weapon — blades, spears, arrows, scythes, chains.

　An entire arsenal forged from the war's own casualties.

　One soldier stared upward in horror.

　"What... is that?"

　Chloe's eyes bled crimson.

　"My weapon."

　She barely needed to move.

　A flick of her fingers sent the blood weapons launching in every direction.

　Soldiers fell by the hundreds.

　Their spilled blood immediately swelled Chloe's own supply further.

　Every death fed the very thing killing them.

　A feedback loop the Eastern army only understood once it was already far too late to stop feeding it.

　Three Holy Lights finally intervened.

　Holy chains snapped tight around Chloe, pinning her in place.

　"Now," one commanded.

　All three combined their power.

　"Disintegration, Level Ten."

　A massive sphere of holy energy engulfed Chloe completely.

　The blast vaporized everything within its radius.

　Silence followed.

　"She's dead," one of the Holy Lights finally said.

　A crimson light answered.

　Chloe's body reformed completely.

　"That was annoying," she said, entirely unbothered.

　Her expression shifted a moment later.

　Thanatos Engine activated.

　A massive clock of dark crimson blood manifested behind her, one hand spinning clockwise, the other counterclockwise.

　Both accelerated.

　Faster.

　Faster.

　Until Chloe simply died again.

　Her body collapsed where she stood.

　Absolute Rebirth answered instantly, returning her whole.

　"That isn't regeneration," one Holy Light finally realized, horrified.

　It wasn't.

　Death itself had simply become another tool in her arsenal.

　Yet Chloe felt her own hunger sharpening dangerously.

　It had been too long since she'd last fed.

　Kai's blood was the only thing that properly stabilized whatever curse still ran beneath her control.

I don't have much time.

　She turned back toward the battlefield, something considerably colder entering her expression.

　"Fine," she said. "I'll finish this quickly."

　The sky above the battlefield turned crimson.

　Thousands of blood arrows formed overhead.

　Chloe raised one hand.

　Then lowered it.

　"Fall."

　The sky answered.

　Thousands of arrows rained down through the entire Shimizu formation in a single, merciless volley.

　She wasn't fighting anymore.

　She was simply ending it.

　Then everyone felt something else entirely arrive.

　Chloe looked up.

　Himari hovered there.

　And beside her stood a presence Chloe recognized instantly.

　The Chaos Dragon herself.

　Himari looked down.

　"Chloe."

　Ashley studied the remaining Shimizu forces below with mild, curious interest.

　"I think I should test this new body my lovely son made for me."

　A faint blush touched her cheeks.

　Himari stared at her.

　"...You really like what Kai made for you, don't you?"

　"Of course," Ashley said, entirely pleased with herself.

　She raised a single finger.

　A tiny, almost harmless-looking sphere of energy formed at its tip.

　Then she fired.

　A thin beam crossed the entire battlefield.

　The eastern army simply ceased to exist.

　Not defeated.

　Erased entirely.

　The explosion spread far enough to catch even the edges of the Western Alliance's own forces.

　Chloe was blasted clear across the field.

　Absolute Rebirth saved her again.

　She flew back upright immediately, furious.

Are you trying to kill me?!

　"But you're alive," Himari said mildly.

Barely!

　Ashley studied Chloe with genuine interest.

　"Who's she?"

　"One of Kai's closest friends," Himari said.

　Chloe froze the instant the words registered.

　"Wait."

　She stared at Ashley.

　"You're actually Kai's mother?"

　Himari nodded.

　Chloe immediately straightened, becoming formal.

　"I'm sorry! My name's Chloe. Your son gave me that name."

　"Then it's nice to meet you, Chloe," Ashley said warmly, watching her fidget with obvious amusement.

　A Western Alliance messenger arrived shortly afterward, breathless.

　"Report! The Chaos Dragon has awakened — she's already destroyed almost the entire Eastern Shimizu army!"

　The word spread instantly.

　The remaining soldiers' will collapsed under the sheer scale of what they had just witnessed.

　Ashley's expression shifted.

　Her gaze settled toward the horizon.

　"Himari."

　"Yes?"

　"Can you handle things here, with Chloe?"

　Himari understood immediately.

　"You're going to find Kai."

　"I'm going to see my sweet child," Ashley said with a smile.

　Then she vanished.