“What the hell is this?”

Jin scanned his surroundings. He could sense something approaching but for some reason, he had trouble locating where it was coming from.

“Shòuxing, where is it coming from?!.... Shòuxing?”

He turned his head and saw Shòuxing on all fours with Hana behind him. Whenever she looked like she wanted to move he would reposition himself so that she would always stay behind him.

“What the hell?”

“His beastly instincts took over.”

Bloom struggled to her feet and walked over to Jin.

“He has two beasts inside him so he’s sensitive to danger. The fact that he’s reduced to this state is a testimony of how dangerous what is approaching really is. He instinctively chose to throw away his humanity to survive and to protect at the same time….Sapphire, Chrome!”

“We can still fight, Ma’am!”

“We’re ready whenever!”

Bloom shook her head at their energetic response.

“…….”

Bloom smiled and nodded.

“That’s great to hear.”

They all tensed up at the arrival of a new voice. They turned their heads and saw something approaching them with calm and slow steps.

“I’m not accustomed to my new body so I need some dummies to test it out on.”

Before them was something that their brains could only register as a monster. It had the body of an attractive adult woman but had brown armored scales over most of it. It had metallic claws, four dragon wings on its back, golden hair stretching down its back, and a metallic tail. Its face was beautiful with golden eyes, but it too had scales on it.

“You’ve turned into even more of a monster Natasa. Is it me or did you age as well?”

Bloom spoke calmly.

“I don’t know what happened either but it seems that I evolved. I guess my Inborn Ability is pretty awesome.”

Natasa laughed and scanned everyone’s faces.

“Why the long faces? Could it be that I’m making you all uncomfortable? Is it my appearance? Is it too grotesque?”

She began examining her body.

“Oh, could be it that?”

She stopped and showed a creepy smile.

“It’s my bloodlust, isn’t it?”

Suddenly the oppressive pressure on them increased several folds making it even harder to move.

“I haven’t felt such raw and unrestrained bloodlust in a long time.”

Jin looked at Sapphire.

“Where's the suits I gave you?”

“I don’t know. By the time I woke up they were gone.”

Jin looked at Axel who was still out cold.

“Axel doesn’t have his either…..So, Mari collected them. Damn, if I had any of those suits this wouldn’t be a problem.”

“You looked troubled, Jin.”

Natasa took a step and appeared beside of Jin.

“You’re not yourself.”

Jin pulled a blade from who knows where and stabbed at Natasa. With a flash and a loud sound, he was forced into the ground and was lying in a crater that formed underneath him.

“You should lay down and rest.”

Sapphire and Chrome attacked from the flanks. She lifted her tail and it flickered behind her. Explosive sounds rang out and the girls were blasted away in separate directions.

*Bam!*

The ground burst open and roots spinning like a drill attacked her chest. The roots burst into pieces and Hana appeared behind her with her rapier. She thrust the rapier with her full strength. Natasa lifted her hand behind her and blocked it with her palm. Immediately after, Shòuxíng pounced at her flank. She smiled and a brown light spread out. Like a thunderclap, the city shook and Shòuxíng and Hana were blown away with blood spraying out of them. She silently turned and looked at Bloom.

“I guess that leaves the two of us.”

“They might’ve been exhausted and injured from their previous battles but to think that you would take them out that easily.”

“If they were at full strength it wouldn’t have made a difference.”

Bloom nodded.

“I can’t deny that. After all, you’re pretty much up there with Bastian in terms of strength.”

She put her hand on her hips.

“To be honest, if I was at full strength I would still lose to you.”

“And yet, you seem so calm in front of me.”

“That’s because you’re nothing to be afraid of. There’s something far more terrifying in this country.”

She took a step towards Natasa and looked her in the eyes.

“Lucky for me, I’m no longer his target.”

She poked Natasa.

“You are.”

Sudden pressure fell on top of Natasa. She turned around and looked away from Bloom. There she saw Miko standing some distance away from her. He looked at her with a blank stare before a smile crept onto his face.

“?!”

The pressure on Natasa increased several folds. She even started having illusions of her being flattened and her blood stain the ground. Even while experiencing this, she still smiled. Pressure fell on top of Miko almost causing him to fall to his knees.

“So she learned to project her will and bloodlust on to the world. She can cause people to be crippled with fear with her presence alone. It’s quite similar to the ability of the first gate of my Ascending Satan.”

Miko smirked.

“How promising.”

The whole city started to shake as immense pressure fell down on everyone. Bloom found it hard to stand with her being so beaten up already, but she held her ground. Miko and Natasa remained untroubled by the pressure as they glared at each other.

“A physical clash of wills and bloodlust….Just what kind of battle will this be?”

Bloom mumbled while observing the two. The pressure on the city continued to increase until it suddenly vanished without a trace.

“Yo, Natasa. It’s been a long time.”

Miko casually calling out to Natasa with a friendly tone that surprised Bloom.

“Yeah, it has been. I must say that I’m glad that you’re not dead. It would’ve sucked if we didn’t get to settle the score.”

She looked at him from head to toe.

“You’re a mess. I can tell that you’re down an arm, have several broken bones, and you’re having trouble staying on your feet. Don’t tell me you intend to fight me like that? If so, I’ll be really disappointed.”

“Are you saying that you’re willing to give me time to recover?”

“I never said that. I’m still gonna kill you. I’m just disappointed that we couldn’t have an epic battle.”

“If that’s the case, there’s no need to worry.”

Miko grinned.

“Even in this state, I’m still strong enough to beat you.”

“Hahahaha! Alright, show me!”

A crimson dot appeared on the back of Miko’s hand. It glowed as he clenched his fist.

“Bloom, let’s move.”

Jin grabbed Bloom’s hand while bleeding from his wounds.

“Things are going to get crazy.”

“But…”

“If you’re smart you would do as he says.”

Sora appeared beside them. He dropped Ryker and Nico in front of them. Bloom looked at her wounded friends and glared at Sora.

“Just be glad that they’re alive.”

She glared at him for a while before sighing.

“Alright, let’s move.”

Jin nodded and picked up Ryker and Nico under his arms. Sapphire flung Axel over her shoulder and approached them with Chrome. They nodded to each other. Jin glanced at Miko who seemed like he was up to something.

“Will he be okay? He’s been fighting non-stop ever since the war started. He fought Bloom, Shòuxing, and myself back to back without much rest. He also sustained numerous injuries during these fights. Can he take on Natasa like that?”

“Worry about your own problems. You people can barely move as it is.”

“What? I was merely-”

“Worried?”

Sora laughed.

“You don’t know Miko that well so I guess it’s natural for you to be.”

He pointed at Miko with his thumb.

“Common sense doesn’t apply to that guy. He follows his own rules even if it defies the natural order of things.”

Sora started grinning.

“You say that he’s too tired to fight Natasa, I say that he’s given her the handicap needed to make things interesting.”

He bumped his fist softly on Jin’s chest.

“Miko, the man I consider my boss and little brother, won’t lose. I bet my life on that.”

Jin looked at Sora with widened eyes before smiling.

“I see. Then I’ll take your word for it.”

Meanwhile, the dot on Miko’s hand turned into a skull mark with horns and bat wings behind it. It glowed fiery crimson tribal tattoos covered Miko’s busted up arm. The tattoos spread to the rest of his body and stopped at his neck. The burning tattoos made it look like lava was flowing through Miko’s body. His muscles got more defined and his eyes turned crimson. He lifted his formerly busted arm and clenched his fists with a grin.

“See? I’m good as new.”

“You somehow turned into a full-blooded demon and even recovered….”

Natasa laughed.

“And I thought I was a monster.”

Her body flickered and she appeared in front of Miko. She threw a lightning-fast kick and an explosive sound resounded.

“Nope. I guess I still am the monster.”

She brought her leg down with a broad grin.

“Wouldn’t you agree?”

Miko’s arm that had just recovered was swollen, red, was trembling as he held it in front of him. This was the price he paid for using it to block Natasa’s kick.

“Hahahaha!”

Miko burst out laughing. He laughed so hard that he bent over holding his stomach. Natasa looked at him confused.

“What’s so funny?”

Miko didn’t reply and only kept laughing. Natasa's eyes narrowed. She moved to attack him again. Her foot swung upwards and hit Miko in his midsection and forced him to stand straight.

“I said…!”

She lifted her leg overhead.

“What’s so funny?!”

She swung down her heel and hit Miko on the shoulder. A cracking sound reached her ear and Miko’s body forcibly bent out of shape. She moved back and glared at him as if waiting to see if he’ll laugh again. No laughter followed. Miko silently straightened his body. Only the sounds of his body cracking could be heard.

“Ahh~.”

He released an exaggerated sigh with his head down. He slowly looked up at her with his crimson eyes. There were no signs of compassion or amusement on his face. Only a look of terrifying indifference.

“By the time this is over I promise you that you’ll regret ever being born in my era. Remember I told you that later, Monster.”