We find ourselves with RENJIT and ACHAM looking at each other face-to-face; both are nervous, watching to see who makes the first move of the fight, and RENJIT breaks the silence.
RENJIT: So you are the newcomer, the scum who betrayed my brother. Truthfully, I don't know your intentions, but I will not forgive you for everything you did to my brother.
ACHAM: That thing is not your brother, it is only an experiment that turned out wrong for my true brother, the genius who created MALEKIN. (vicious smirk).
RENJIT is shocked by ACHAM's comment.
RENJIT: (placing his hands on the hilts of his swords) What the hell are you talking about, scumbag? You are a very vile goat, explain yourself.
ACHAM: Alright, calm down. You see, I have a brother named ASTAROTH; he is a superior demon, he is very wise and possesses immense knowledge. He owns a castle very far from here, and he conducted experiments on humans, trying to cross human species with demons. Of course, this is a taboo for us; the creator himself and his banished right hand forbid it, but he is very curious, and MALEKIN is the pinnacle of his experiments. Too bad he was stolen by a miserable human from the place where he was left, but oh well, anyway, I will soon recover him for my brother and he will reward me, jajajajaja.
RENJIT: Now I understand your motivation for betraying my brother; from the little I know, he gave you everything and helped you, but I guess all of that must have been planned by you, right?
ACHAM: You're sharp, you are a creation of the creator for a reason, but it doesn't end here. The chatter is over, let's begin this fight because I have plans for MALEKIN.
RENJIT: You will regret walking the path of evil, trash.
RENJIT takes a swift leap, drawing his swords with determination. He attacks ACHAM directly, but before his blades can reach him, the demon vanishes into thin air. RENJIT furrows his brow, surprised. He looks all around him but fails to detect him.
Suddenly, a fireball streaks through the air, grazing his face. RENJIT ducks, dodging it just in time. As he looks up, the place where ACHAM stood is still empty. And RENJIT asks himself, "What is happening?".
Without wasting time, he slips into his own shadow, widening his perception to cover the entire battlefield. His breathing calms, and soon he manages to locate ACHAM a certain distance away from the original spot. In a blink, RENJIT teleports to his shadow and appears right behind him, launching a surprise attack. But, once again, ACHAM vanishes like a mirage. RENJIT grits his teeth, annoyed, and murmurs to himself, "Damn goat, how many more tricks do you plan on using?"
RENJIT: (in his mind) Damn it, what the hell is that? I can't strike him. Just when I was about to slash him, he vanishes into thin air, but I'm realizing it happens in intervals; he can't do it constantly.
Out of nowhere, ACHAM appears behind RENJIT, and he retreats, leaving them face-to-face.
ACHAM: You seem a little restless, hahaha. Take this attack.
From one moment to the next, five fireballs appear in front of RENJIT, but he manages to dodge them by slipping into his shadow. He emerges quickly and looks toward where ACHAM was, but he is already gone. RENJIT gets serious and unleashes the greater part of his power.
Everything beneath his feet turns pitch black; his shadow expands until it covers about twenty meters around him. Now he could perceive everything in his surroundings. It is then that he realizes ACHAM is moving almost at the speed of light—something impossible, as not even he himself could move that fast.
He thinks for a moment and remembers that every time ACHAM vanishes, his ring flashes. That's when he understands what is happening. Immediately, he causes dark spears to begin erupting from the shadow under his feet, and he senses ACHAM moving to dodge the spears. He quickly manages to intercept him and aims directly at the ring, but ACHAM laughs and vanishes once again.
RENJIT clenches his teeth in frustration because he can no longer sense him… until, out of nowhere, a sword pierces his abdomen. Looking down, he sees the blade exit his body and realizes that ACHAM is behind him.
The demon withdraws the sword, leaving him with a massive wound. RENJIT falls to his knees, gasping for air but still conscious, since ACHAM is not a natural-born fighter and failed to strike a vital spot.
RENJIT: So your ring has everything to do with this, doesn't it?
ACHAM: (surprised) Ha, so you finally figured it out. (sighs) Well, this is the ring of Cronos; it holds only 5% of its total power and allows me to stop time, but only for a brief lapse, since it drains my energy, so I cannot do it constantly. Well, it's about time you die, filthy human.
RENJIT is frustrated; ACHAM was proving to be too powerful thanks to his ring. Suddenly, he feels five stab wounds drive into his back one after another, making him collapse to the ground. The pain paralyzes him, and his vision begins to fade as he watches ACHAM slowly walk away without looking back. Everything turns blurry… and then, darkness.
Apparently, RENJIT is dying.
When he opens his eyes again, he finds himself in a completely dark place. There is no ground, no sky, no sound at all… only an infinite void. RENJIT is in the midst of that blackness, confused, unable to comprehend what is happening. He looks all around him, trying to find an exit or a light, but there is nothing.
Then, in the midst of the absolute silence, a voice echoes in the darkness. A voice that RENJIT recognizes immediately…
MYSTERIOUS VOICE:RENJIT, what are you doing? Do you want to waste my power, you damn human?
RENJIT: ASMODEO? Is that you?
ASMODEO: Of course. I was defeated by you due to my own carelessness, but that doesn't mean my power will fall into the hands of a weakling. Get up, I will help you against this stupid intermediate-grade demon.
RENJIT: Uh-huh, "carelessness"? I beat you fair and square… (looks down) But you're right, that damn demon cannot defeat us. With your help, I managed to get something I couldn't achieve on my own (with a serious look). Alright, I truly want to kill that damn demon. Can you help me?
ASMODEO: Of course, that is exactly why I am here, because if you die, I die as well, so we will cooperate. I will give you a bit more of my power—I still cannot give you all of it, but it will be enough to finish off that son of a bitch, jajajaja.
A dense mist envelops RENJIT, and suddenly we return to the battlefield. His body lies on the ground, covered in deep wounds… but, little by little, it begins to heal. A dark energy manifests all around him: a black aura emanating power, and a strange, viscous substance of the same color begins to ooze from his wounds, sealing them. The air grows heavy; the pressure increases overwhelmingly.
ACHAM perceives it instantly and locks his gaze on RENJIT, completely shocked.
ACHAM: What the fuck is happening? That human wasn't created by the banished one... why does he have a demon inside of him?
RENJIT stands up slowly, surrounded by that black aura. A dark liquid flows from his body, so thick it resembles living water, moving with a will of its own. The shadow enveloping him is so dense that it distorts the environment around him. ACHAM is left mouth agape, unable to comprehend what he is seeing. Quickly, he activates the power of his ring, stopping time. But to his absolute horror, RENJIT follows him with his eyes.
The boy's eyes burn with a supernatural glow. ACHAM retreats in terror, but it is too late: shadow tentacles surge from the ground, tangling around his leg and slamming him brutally against the earth, kicking up a cloud of dust. In an instant, those same tentacles hurl him against some nearby rocks, making the entire battlefield tremble.
ACHAM: What the... fuck... (spits blood) that idiot pulls shadows out of nowhere... how is that even possible?
As he tries to pull himself up, ACHAM notices that around the spot where the tentacles grabbed him, there were shattered stones scattered everywhere... and each single one projected a tiny shadow.
ACHAM: No... it can't be... how the hell can he create such massive shadows... from such a tiny shadow? This guy... has a superior demon inside of him...
RENJIT looks up. His voice, completely distorted, sounds as if two beings were speaking at the exact same time:
RENJIT: (double voice) This is your end.
The phrase makes ACHAM furrow his brow, irritated. He quickly activates his ring's power and stops time. In that state, he conjures several fireballs one after another. When the flow of time restores, five blazing spheres float in front of him, launching immediately toward RENJIT. The explosions illuminate the entire field, but as the fire dissipates, RENJIT remains standing, enveloped in a barrier of shadows that completely protects him.
ACHAM seizes that exact instant to attempt an escape, but in the blink of an eye, RENJIT appears right in front of him. ACHAM tries to use his ring once more… to no avail. He cannot move. He looks down and realizes his shadow is bound to RENJIT's.
ACHAM: Damn it! How is it possible for you to possess this power?
RENJIT: (dual voice) I ate the heart of a demon… and achieved this. I finally possess half of his power. You will be my guinea pig.
ACHAM: Impossible! A demon of that caliber cannot be defeated by a human... what did you do to accomplish it?
RENJIT slowly leans in until he is right in front of his face, whispering to him in a grave tone:
RENJIT: (dual voice) None of your business.
Suddenly, shadow blades emerge from beneath RENJIT's feet, severing ACHAM's hand and sending his ring of Cronos flying through the air. A tentacle surges from the ground and impales ACHAM's body, hurling him violently toward the heavens.
In mid-air, RENJIT extends his shadow, and a storm of dark blades erupts from it, tearing him apart without mercy. In his final thoughts, ACHAM barely manages to think: "Did that human... make a pact with such a dangerous demon?" His ultimate feeling is one of regret… for his lord MAMMON.
Then, a massive mouth formed of shadows opens from the ground, devouring all the fragments of ACHAM's body in a single bite. Right after, the darkness contracts, absorbing back into RENJIT's feet. The black aura slowly dissipates. RENJIT falls to his knees… and then collapses, unconscious.
In front of his body, a dark silhouette rises.
Silence reigns. And a grave, deep voice echoes through the gloom, questioning what has transpired.
ASMODEO: hahaha, I was right when I gave my powers to this human; perhaps it was for the best. After all, I chose him just to amuse myself, jajajaja.
The demon remembers his encounter with RENJIT; we see how memories now appear inside his mind, and for the moment, we witness a different story.
More than 50 thousand kilometers away from MALEKIN's city, we see a castle in ruins, in which there is supposedly no one—except for a single demon strolling across the top of the castle. He wears elegant and sensual clothes on a slender build, with a shiny black cape that seemed to conceal the stars within it. But the most striking feature was his head: a head completely surrounded by pitch-black flames that covered everything, though three pairs of yellow eyes could be seen piercing through that intense fire.
ASMODEUS: Hmm (in his mind): What utter misery I have. I'm bored. There's no one here. Why did I have to kill the humans I kept for my amusement? (sighs) I've acquired great power, but I'm very tired. I'm over 100,000 years old and have lived a long life. Perhaps it's time to go to another dimension to torment others.
Out of nowhere, noises are heard outside the castle, and ASMODEO looks out from the balcony to see what is happening, realizing it was a human fighting against his minions. We notice that it was RENJIT. The demon watches the human intently and sees that he possesses a power similar to his own—the power of shadows—and, astonished, he thinks:
ASMODEO: (surprised, in his mind) Look at that, sometimes I believe God enlightens me, but nah, I'm a demon, hahaha. Amusement at last, this human looks interesting.
We close in on RENJIT, who is fighting ASMODEO's minions, putting up a fight, killing the lesser demons, and utilizing his shadow power. Right as he slips into his own shadow, RENJIT hears a voice saying, "Hello," and sees a pair of yellow eyes. Terrified, he quickly shoots out of his shadow, and we see that ASMODEO is already right behind RENJIT, who leaps in shock, backs away, and gets into a defensive stance.
RENJIT: God, you scared the hell out of me. Who on earth are you?
ASMODEO: Allow me to introduce myself: I am ASMODEO, and you strike me as someone thrilling. (raises his hand, stopping his minions' attacks). Alright, look, look, I will give you a chance. These things won't interfere (pointing to his minions); you will fight me, and if you beat me, I will grant you a wish. I don't know how a human managed to break free from the shackles of this place, but you and your power seem interesting to me. (displays a wicked smile).
RENJIT: Fine, I accept your terms, and if I lose—though I doubt it—you can do whatever you want with me.
ASMODEO: Excellent response.
A battle breaks out swiftly, but ASMODEO did not take it seriously; he was merely playing with the human, while RENJIT was fighting for his very life. After fighting for a while, RENJIT was exhausted and heavily battered, whereas ASMODEO remained completely unfazed. RENJIT collapses to the ground, wounded by blades erupting from ASMODEO's shadow, and the demon approaches RENJIT to tell him something.
ASMODEO: (crouching down, looking him in the face) It seems you don't have what it takes; I highly overestimated you, human. I believe this is over.
RENJIT: (looking down) No, I have to win.
ASMODEO laughs at RENJIT, but internally he is surprised by the human's sheer determination, when from one moment to the next, ASMODEO is impaled by several spears erupting from his own shadow. Stunned, he recoils away from RENJIT, but when he stands back up, he realizes RENJIT is gone. The latter appears right behind him, severing his head. ASMODEO's body collapses to the ground, and his head is sent rolling to the feet of his minions, who are terrified that their master has been defeated and run off, leaving RENJIT kneeling in the middle of the combat zone. Now no one remains, only RENJIT and ASMODEO's body.
Utterly exhausted, RENJIT lies flat on the ground and speaks out loud.
RENJIT: I managed to beat him, but too bad he won't grant my wish because I killed him. What shitty luck I have.
RENJIT is lamenting his luck, when out of nowhere, he hears ASMODEO's voice.
ASMODEO: Human, it seems I lost, ha. What is your wish?
RENJIT is thoroughly shocked; he bolts upright and sees that ASMODEO's head is missing, yet his body is still at the site.
RENJIT: Where are you?
ASMODEO: That is no longer of importance. What is it that you desire?
RENJIT: ...I, ...I desire, power to help my friends.
ASMODEO: ... Very well. Every time you defeat a demon, eat its heart and you will gain greater power, but your humanity will be in jeopardy. Now, having said that, eat my heart; we will make a contract, and I will help you.
RENJIT: And you, what do you gain from all this?
ASMODEO: Hmm... nothing really, just pure amusement, jajajaja.
And so we see how RENJIT struggles to get up, cuts open the chest of ASMODEO's body, and eats the heart, which causes RENJIT to writhe on the ground, thereby obtaining more power over shadows by forging a pact with ASMODEO.
Now we return to the fight where RENJIT is waking up. He senses a massive shadow in front of him, and upon opening his eyes, he realizes it is REX looking down at him.
REX: Are you alright? I felt a massive power coming from here and came to help you.
RENJIT: It seems I won with great difficulty. Thanks for coming. Can you take me to DANTE? This struggle is about to end, and I want to back him up.
REX: Very well (wagging his tail); I was planning on going anyway.
REX lets RENJIT climb onto his back, and they begin heading in DANTE's direction. It appeared they were quite far away, as the demon had forcibly taken them to another location to fight. Now our friends head out to help DANTE; the end of this fight is drawing near.