The streets of Tartarus continued to crumble beneath the aftermath of battle.
Vizer's body tore through multiple buildings before finally crashing into the remains of an ancient plaza. Dust rose like a storm around him as fragments of stone and steel rained from the sky.
For several moments, nothing moved. Then a crimson aura expanded outward from the rubble. The pressure alone caused nearby structures to groan. Vizer slowly rose to his feet. His clothing was torn, His arms bled yet a smile stretched across his face.
"Thanks for the energy."
Without another word, he leapt into the heavens.
High above the city, he stopped. His palm faced upward, the crimson aura surrounding him began to pulse violently.
"God's Descent."
The clouds above Tiamat split apart and the sky darkened.
Then something emerged it was a colossal sphere. Its size eclipsed the sun itself.
Crimson lightning crawled across its surface while reality distorted around it. The entire city felt insignificant beneath its presence.
Far away, citizens looked upward in terror.
Even the winds seemed to hesitate. Across from the descending sphere, Erethon floated silently in the sky. His hollow eyes widened with genuine interest. For perhaps the first time during the battle, he looked impressed.
"Something I've never seen before."
The sphere covered Vizer in the air and erethon's smile widened.
"What's the source of your energy?"
The sphere started shrinking, Its massive body compressed inward.
First around Vizer's hands, then his arms, his legs, his face and his torso.
The enormous celestial body condensed until it became no larger than a marble.
The crimson sphere hovered before his stomach then disappeared into his body. Silence followed afterward.
When the light faded, Vizer stood transformed. His black hair had become long crimson-red strands that flowed behind him.
His eyes had become slitted and predatory. Crimson shell-like armor covered the vital points of his body.
His aura had become infinitely denser. More dangerous and complete.
One foot rested before the other. Both arms spread wide as his presence alone distorted the atmosphere. Erethon laughed.
"It keeps getting more fun."
Darkness suddenly exploded from his body. His human appearance vanished.
The form he once possessed during the days before his sealing had returned.
His body became pitch black. Not merely dark but Absent.
His skin seemed to swirl endlessly as though countless shadows existed beneath it.
His face twisted and shifted constantly only two glowing red eyes remained visible.
Reality itself began glitching around him.
Fragments of the street disappeared and reappeared. Even space distorted around his presence.
Vizer stared at him then lowered his stance.
"Let's get this over with, Insanity."
He vanished.
The next moment he appeared directly before Erethon.
A blade formed from condensed crimson energy.
Vizer slashed diagonally, the blade passed through Erethon entirely.
No resistance, No damage..Nothing Happened.
Before Vizer could react Erethon's leg swung upward and Vizer narrowly dodged.
The force behind the kick never touched him yet the sky above exploded apart. Thousands of clouds scattered across the horizon.
Vizer's eyes narrowed and his crimson aura surged.
Dozens of glowing spheres formed around him. Each one contained enough power to erase districts of the city.
With a wave of his hand, he launched them. The spheres raced toward Erethon.
Vizer himself appeared behind him simultaneously.
One final sphere formed directly beside Erethon's head.
The explosion should have been unavoidable, Instead erethon caught it.
The Primordial stared at the sphere then opened his mouth and ate it.
The entire attack vanished and Vizer froze.
"What?"
Erethon grinned.
Then he vanished and appeared directly before Vizer.
"Dermos."
The world changed.
Vizer suddenly found himself standing elsewhere.
Darkness stretched endlessly in every direction and silence consumed everything then giant figures began emerging.
Monsters but Not ordinary monsters they were manifestations of fear itself.
Gigantic bodies rose from the darkness as thousands of glowing red eyes opened simultaneously.
The creatures towered over mountains. Their mouths stretched unnaturally wide.
Their claws scraped against reality itself and all of them were staring directly at him.
Meanwhile, on the southern edge of Tartarus, another battlefield was unfolding.
The streets were stained crimson, Monster corpses filled entire avenues. Bodies lay stacked atop one another.
The scent of blood saturated the air and through the carnage walked Rayon.
The Primordial Darkness moved casually through the destruction.
Blood coated his clothing. His boots crushed bones beneath every step.
Simply because nothing remained alive long enough to stand before him.
Ahead of him, the city trembled.
A colossal monster emerged from the horizon, Its size dwarfed entire districts.
Its head rose above the floating islands of Tiamat.
Each step shook the world. Rayon stopped and the black tattoo on his hand moved.
The markings flowed across his skin before gathering within his palm and darkness condensed.
A sword emerged.
Black, Ancient and Hungry.
Rayon glanced toward it and the blade vibrated as if excited.
A faint smile crossed his face.
"Chains of the Abyss…"
He lifted the sword onto his shoulder.
"So you want to taste some blood, huh?"
At Relish, the atmosphere had become painfully tense.
Simon stood behind the counter while Miyuki watched him quietly.
The old blacksmith's eyes never left her because every instinct told him this was his daughter.
Yet every word she spoke felt foreign and cold.
Simon finally sighed.
"You don't know who I am?"
Miyuki remained expressionless.
"No."
She stepped forward.
"I came to purchase one of your swords."
Simon studied her face. He saw the same eyes, the same features, the same child he had raised yet something had been stolen from her.
Something important..but despite his suspicions, he nodded.
"Come upstairs."
Without another word, Simon turned and began climbing the staircase and miyuki followed behind.
The old wooden steps creaked beneath their feet.
Eventually they reached the second floor and simon opened the workshop door.
Then stepped inside.
A sudden pain erupted through his chest.
His eyes widened.
A hand protruded from his back.
Blood splattered across the floor.
Miyuki stood behind him.
Her arm buried through his body.
Simon reacted instantly and swung his arm backward.
Miyuki leaned away effortlessly then calmly licked the blood from her fingers.
Simon stumbled against the wall. Blood poured from the hole in his chest.
His expression wasn't angry only… heartbroken.
"How could you do this?"
His voice trembled.
"What happened to you two years ago?"
His breathing grew heavier.
"Where were you?"
Miyuki tilted her head.
Confusion briefly flashed across her face for a moment then it vanished.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
Her amber eyes remained cold.
"I am Scorpio of the Zodiac."
She took another step forward.
"Miyuki Vezarel and my parents…are dead."
The words struck harder than the wound.
Simon closed his eyes. Emotional pain spread across his face.
"It seems Ra brainwashed you."
The atmosphere instantly changed when Miyuki's expression hardened.
"Do not speak the name of our father that way."
Simon lowered his head and for the first time in years, he felt genuinely tired.
His daughter..His own daughter, calling his enemy father. It hurt more than any weapon ever could. Slowly, Simon walked toward the forge as blood continued dripping onto the floor.
The hole in his chest remained open yet he ignored it. The ancient blacksmith reached for his hammer.
Then lifted it. The familiar weight settled into his hand and a faint smile appeared.
"I know I won't live."
The forge reignited as golden sparks illuminated the room. Simon turned toward Miyuki.
"But before I die…"
He raised the hammer. The old blacksmith's eyes sharpened.
"I want to try and make you remember."
The flames behind him roared. The legendary blacksmith stood tall despite the blood pouring from his wound.
And for the first time since entering the room, Miyuki felt something unfamiliar stir deep within her heart. A feeling she could not name. Simon tightened his grip on the hammer.
"When I die…I have no doubt Darkness will take care of you."
The forge exploded with light and father and daughter prepared to clash.