In the midst of the western wing's ruins of Belphegor Palace, the once-blue sky now turned grey. Not from clouds, but from clashing energies. Blue lightning and massive water waves crashed against each other, creating a storm that had never existed on land.
Raiden Belphegor stood atop a pile of debris, his giant hammer in his right hand. His clothes were torn in several places, blood flowing from wounds on his arms. But his smile never faded.
Before him, two figures with dense oceanic auras stood opposing.
Sea Leviathan — dark blue hair, slender build, a pulsing water sword in hand. Sian Leviathan — larger, rougher, coral fists ready to crush.
Sea sneered. "Raiden Belphegor. We heard you had returned. What a shame—you came home only to see your kingdom destroyed."
Raiden laughed. His voice echoed among the ruins. "Destroyed? The palace can be rebuilt. But you..." he raised his hammer, blue lightning beginning to crackle at its tip, illuminating his scarred face. "...will die here."
Sian growled. "Arrogant brat!"
He attacked first. His coral fist slammed into the ground, creating cracks that raced toward Raiden. But Raiden had already leaped. From the air, he brought his hammer down.
"Thunder Impact!"
Blue lightning struck. Sea, seeing this, moved quickly and formed a shield with his water sword. But Raiden's power was too great. The water shield split apart, and the shockwave sent Sea flying backward.
Sian didn't stand idle. From the side, his fist flew. However, Raiden blocked it with his hammer—but the force of the coral fist sent him tumbling far back.
"Ha!" Sian laughed. "You think you can—"
Raiden was already up. Blood flowed from the corner of his mouth, but his smile widened. "Just warming up."
Sea and Sian exchanged glances. They nodded. From their bodies, their aura began to grow denser, wilder.
"You're forcing us to use this, Raiden."
"Ocean Transformation!"
Sea's body changed. His skin transformed into dark blue scales, his eyes glowed with oceanic light, his water sword merged into his body—becoming part of him.
Sian also changed. His body swelled, his muscles hardened into living coral. Sharp fins sprouted from his back.
Raiden laughed heartily. "Finally! This is getting interesting!"
Sea began moving. His speed tripled. The water sword fused with his hand slashed from all directions. Yet Raiden could still block, dodge, counter. Each collision created waves of power.
Sian also charged from the front. His fists, now the size of a human body, struck Raiden's stomach.
"GRAAAH!"
Raiden was sent flying by the blow, crashing into debris. But he still rose again. Blood flowed more heavily, but his eyes blazed.
"Thunder God's Reflex!"
He vanished. Sea and Sian's eyes widened. Before they could react, Raiden was behind Sea. One punch—not with his hammer, but with his bare hand—struck Sea's back.
CRACK!
Sea fell to the ground. Seeing this, Sian went berserk, clenching both fists. "RAIDEN!"
Raiden didn't flee. He stood before Sian, his hammer raised high.
"Thunder Judgement!"
Blue lightning struck from the sky, hit Raiden's hammer, then landed on Sian's body. Sian screamed at the impact, his coral body cracking in several places. But he didn't fall.
He charged. Fighting through the pain. Fighting through the lightning still coursing through his body. And struck back with a punch that slammed into Raiden's chest.
BOOM!
Raiden was sent flying far, crashing into a pile of debris. His hammer fell beside him.
Sea and Sian stood before him, gasping. "You're... strong," Sea said. "But not enough."
Raiden smiled. Still smiling. "Do you know why I left fifty years ago?"
Sea frowned. "Why?"
"I was searching for strong opponents." Raiden rose, reaching for his hammer. "And I found some. But you..." he looked at them, his eyes blazing brighter than ever. "...aren't one of them."
From Raiden's body, lightning began to emanate. Not from his hammer, but from his body itself. From his skin, from his hair, from his eyes. His white hair stood on end, gleaming blue.
Sea stepped back. "What—"
"Thunder God's Wrath!"
The lightning no longer struck from the sky. It erupted from Raiden's own body. A blue wave swept across the entire western wing. Sea and Sian screamed.
When the light faded, the two Leviathan princes lay on the ground, motionless.
Raiden stood among them, hammer on his shoulder, smile on his face. "There. Who said the palace was destroyed?"
But his smile faded as he turned. In the distance, above the eastern tower ruins, white wings began to gather.
---
At the main gate of the palace, a spatial rift opened.
Leon stepped out, and for a moment, his world stopped.
The once-magnificent gate was now nothing but black stone rubble. The towering watchtower had collapsed onto the palace's western wing. Smoke still billowed from several corners, carrying the smell of burning and blood.
In the distance, the sky over the western wing thundered with blue lightning. But here, at the main gate, it was silent. An eerie silence.
"Sylvaine..." he whispered.
"Control yourself, boy," Satan's voice was firm. "Panic won't save her."
Leon bit his lip. Took a deep breath. Closed his eyes.
His soul detection leaped. Searching. Scanning.
Behind him, Valker and Fenrith emerged from the spatial rift.
"We find her," Leon said.
---
They moved among the ruins. Leon passed the bodies of Belphegor soldiers he recognized—faces that once greeted him at the gate. Several palace servants. A chef who had once cooked for him.
He didn't stop. Couldn't stop.
From behind debris, three Beelzebub soldiers emerged. They saw Leon, smiling.
"Still someone alive—"
Leon didn't give him time to finish. Vanished. One slash. The first soldier fell. Before the second could scream, Fenrith had already pounced. The third ran in terror—but Valker was already before him and struck him down.
Leon kept walking. Didn't look back.
In the ruins of the main hall, he found him.
Zephyr lay beneath a collapsed marble pillar. His face was pale, his left arm torn, blood pooling around his body. But his eyes were still open. Still alive.
"Your Majesty!" Leon knelt beside him.
Zephyr smiled faintly. "You're... back."
Leon lifted the beam with great effort. Valker helped. Zephyr coughed, blood flowing from the corner of his mouth.
"I came, Your Majesty. Forgive my delay."
Zephyr shook his head. "Not late." His breath came in gasps. "She's... still alive."
Leon tensed. "Sylvaine?"
Zephyr nodded weakly. "East tower. During the final attack... I saw her go there." He grasped Leon's hand. "Take her away, Leon. Don't let them... take her."
Leon didn't answer. But his eyes—his eyes already spoke.
He stood. In the distance, the sky over the western wing still thundered. But in the east, silence. Too silent.
"Valker. Stay here. Protect His Majesty."
Valker bowed. "Yes, My Lord."
Leon ran. Fenrith beside him.
---
The east tower was more destroyed than any other part of the palace. Walls collapsed, floors cracked, debris scattered everywhere. Leon used his soul detection to its fullest. Searching. Scanning.
A point of light. Small. Faint. But still there.
Leon pushed aside the rubble. Stone by stone. Beam by beam. Until his hands bled, but he felt nothing.
And beneath it—
Dark blue-black hair dirtied with dust. A pale face. A wound at the temple, blood already dried. The pendant on her neck had dimmed, but still glowed faintly.
"Sylvaine!"
Leon lifted her. Her body was cold, but she was still breathing.
He held her close. For the first time since arriving at these ruins, he breathed a sigh of relief.
But that relief vanished when he heard a sound above him.
Wings. Many wings.
Leon looked up. Above the eastern tower ruins, the sky began to fill with white. Three. Five. Ten. The Angel Race army.
One of them smiled. "We've been searching everywhere for that girl. So she's here."
Leon held Sylvaine in his arms. Beside him, Fenrith growled, his fur bristling.
"Sylvaine..." Leon whispered. "I promise. You won't lose anything more."
He looked at the sky. His eyes were no longer red with rage. They were empty. Cold. But within that emptiness, there was something far more terrifying.
"Fenrith. Summon Valker. We're finishing all of them."
In the distance, from the western wing, the sound of Raiden's laughter echoed. Blue lightning struck again.
And amidst the ruins of Belphegor Palace, a young demon held the girl he loved, preparing to face a sky filled with angels.
=== CHAPTER 12 END ===