KA-BOOOOOOM!!
Another explosion, with the blade parrying the next set of hot strings and causing a hole in the shop. Brunono quickly slammed down the strings once the two were outside, the force alone cleaving the land and mincing it away, with Zazel trying to dodge as much as possible and parrying one of such strings with Eligos, imprinting the demon within the markings so as to act as a personal barrier. The demon would try to retort with Sabnock, creating barrels upon barrels that would unload as much as they can, steel flying across the sky, while he'd rush in with his blade in order to catch him off-guard. Brunono merely raised himself and used such bullets to climb, dodging the migration of metal with relative ease, before ejecting his strings and letting it rain down in response, stabbing into the ground like drills, carving the ground and splitting the blade on the Devil's disposal in half, before pulling them up and using the land to catch the Devil off-guard so he can land a hearty kick straight into his skull, cracking it, a visible gash made from the wound. Zazel would allow the sigil of Eligos to connect and slide into the Debt Collector's back, trying to damage him from within, only for it to be met with Brunono slashing away the skin on his back and whatever cloth was infected to remove the demon's influence. Even with such a grave injury, Leon pushed on, stomping down on the child's skull again and having the force to break the ground in two, sending the demon off.
Meanwhile, Solomon and Stolas would be back-to-back against one another as they'd try to analyze what was happening, with two attacks coming in their specific direction. A barrage of ice from the ground up, forcing them to split and for Stolas to parry with a small star, blasting down and melting the ice before he could be impaled. Two clock hands that aimed to try and decapitate the children, prompting Shady to rise up and catch the two, letting Solomon sick his plague of locusts across the hands to slash and bite at whoever was responsible. Clang of metal and sparks of fire were set to push the locusts back, distance being made as the two stared at their opposition. A man out of wood, painted in the same red, black, and white color as the Nutcracker, a bulkier body and longer limbs in exchange for its limited movement. Paint on his face to resemble a beard and moustache, as its gaping mouth clattered when he spoke. "First Dance...." He'd bellow, a deep, heavy voice echoing out from his mouth.
"Must you always be fixated at your little dances, coo?" A reply, a woman's voice, in such earnest as if it was a mere tease. A man's three piece suit, yet let the top loose enough to let her large chest breathe, her puffy white frills coupling well with the blue fabric. Her hands donned white gloves, a clock's face for each, as the two arrows retreated back to complete a face, timing it as 4:50, while the other read 7:21. A cuckoo's head, sharp teeth and a long, thin, cartoonish beak, complete with a proper tongue. Her eyes circled all over, as she'd giggle away and rushed over towards Solomon. "No matter, coo~! I do love a good performance! Gallows to Ghettos, how I love such a dance!" A cheer as she'd cast her magic again, extending out her clock hands as knives to try and barrage Solomon with such stabs.
"Oui.... Let's begin." The Nutcracker responded, pulling out a massive greatsword out from his throat, as he'd walk towards Stolas. Solomon was quick on letting Shady make him disappear, dodging the hands and reappearing underneath the Clock's shadow, immediately casting Might of Samson and letting the pull come down so he can deliver a strong uppercut, forcing the Clock to bite its own tongue as the head was launched away, a spring-like function to send it skyward, angling herself so she can breach outside and land a sneaky strike on the Demon outdoors. Stolas, meanwhile, would approach the Nutcracker, unabashed by such a menacing threat. Sagittarius in tow, he'd stare down at the new figure, a standoff, ready to meet with it on their close exchange of blows.
Zazel would see the incoming bird and try to block her with Sabnock, a shield made to parry her strike, but Brunono would intervene once again, strings sent down to attach onto the Demon and force him to move the shield away, allowing a massive chunk of flesh to be bitten off, watching as the Clock Woman giggles greedily at the new flesh she bit into before returning back. "Juna and Koske. I suppose if we were putting this in terms of the other soldiers, those two would count as my personal Elite Bounty Hunters. Rankings shouldn't really matter, though. Both are practically equal in ensuring someone is going to die." Leon's words would annoy the Demon as he'd cauterize his wound with Asmodeus, before sending out Gamigin to swarm and disorient the Debt Collector.
"You really expect them to drop like flies that quickly?" Zazel asked, watching Brunono be quick on scattering his strings to attach to Gamigin and allow his body to be manipulated, teetered around and absorbing each insect that tried to imprint its illusion, as the Devil readied another sword.
"Obviously. Good money was spent on ensuring no one leaves their finances unchecked. Had I know at least one person try to attempt such, they would no longer be of this world the next day. They're bodyguards of my wares for a reason."
"And the old lady?"
"That's for another time. Unless, of course, one of your friends is stupid enough to face her."
"I'd like to think of that as... thorough." Despite Zazel's rebuttal, he does show a bit of concern as he'd look out to where the old woman was. Brunono was quick on capitalizing it, but Zazel was able to counter with a sigil of Gaap, utilizing Individualism as its base, forcing the Debt Collector to keep its focus on Zazel, ensuring he can be able to look out and aid others, whilst Brunono would be forced to focus on the Demon.
"Was that Gaap I just saw?" Brunono asked, amazed at such a notion before him. "No wonder people were struggling to kill you. You possess the magic of the Goetia's!"
"Wha- How did you?"
"I'd like to think myself as being... Thorough." The Devil's words used right back at him, as he'd set up his strings.