“What?”

“Hm? Did my question confuse you? Do you perhaps not know how you would like to die?”

“…Not that. You asked who I was.”

“Is there a problem asking a stranger who the fuck they are?”

Miko looked confused.

“Wait…”

Krul blinked and Miko was looking him in the eye. He brought his face close to Krul’s.

“Have we met before?”

A boom resounded from Krul punching him in the face.

“Is this your way of fucking with me? If so-”

Krul was raised off the ground with an uppercut. Miko grabbed his face and slammed his head into the ground. Krul grabbed his hand and tried to get up, but he wouldn’t budge.

“Now that I take a better look at you, it seems that we share a common ancestor. However, the fact I have no memory of you remains unchanged.”

He lifted Krul with one hand.

“Well, not that it matters. It doesn’t change the fact that I’ll kill you.”

He pulled Krul closer to him.

“For no reason whatsoever.”

Krul kicked him under the chin. Miko released him and rubbed his chin.

“I don’t know what kind of game you’re playing, but I’m no weakling!”

Krul’s eyes burnt brightly.

“I’m a monster that hunts the strong!”

“What’s going on with Miko? His aura and presence are completely different. Not only that, his demeanor is unsettling, to say the least.”

Al-Shura turned to Momo for answers. She was staring at her hand with wide eyes.

“I can’t feel a link with Miko.”

“What?”

“My connection with Miko is gone…”

“Is that even possible?”

“If there’s no spiritual link between a Proxy and his Apostles, it means that something has happened to the Proxy’s soul.”

Alec spoke up while his eyes were locked on the monitor.

“I don’t think Miko is lying about not knowing who Krul is. I think the Miko in front of us is different from the one we know.”

“Are you implying that Miko has two personalities?”

Alec shook his head at Sophia’s question.

“I don’t think it’s that simple. Do you remember the Dragon Storm Incident from over a year ago? Back then, Miko was kidnapped. I sent his subordinates to keep track of him. Things went bad and Layla Song was killed in front of Miko. This was when something appeared.”

“Satan Miko.”

Alec nodded.

“I heard about that. Apparently, he went toe to toe with Nero.”

“He did, but that wasn’t what intrigued me the most.”

Miko’s image reflected in his eyes.

“It’s the fact that the Miko back then was a completely different being. He had no memories to make up a personality, yet he speedily developed one as he fought. How?”

A grin slowly crept on his face.

“The answer is he evolved. He evolved past the need for memories. He became a being ruled solely by his instincts. A pure and untainted entity.”

He pointed at the monitor.

“That is what stands before Krul. A pure and untainted being driven by his desires. In other words, that is not Gamiko Dragna the Third, but the true Miko. That is the Young Satan himself!”

A Miko with no memories, completely unbiased. A Miko with no emotional connections to anything, no reason to hesitate or regret his actions. A pure Satan untainted by the world around him focused only on fulfilling his desires, and his alone. Everything else was meaningless.

“….A monster that hunts the strong, huh?”

Miko smiled.

“Bold words coming from a little god.”

He slowly lifted his arms. Tremors spread across the dimension

“I wonder if you can live up to those words? Or will you die by hands first?”

Krul’s body ignited.

“You’ll get your answer when you’ve been reduced to ashes!”

He blasted off the ground. Miko sidestepped to avoid a punch. Krul spun in the air and threw a kick. Miko blocked it with his arm.

“Hm?”

He witnessed smoke coming off his arm. Krul disappeared and appeared above him. He threw a punch and fired red flames at him. Miko was devoured.

“I wondering why this flame felt familiar.”

Miko walked out of the flames with his body on fire. The flames gradually disappeared leaving him covered in burns.

“You’re using Star Flames. It’s a pretty rare flame to have. I can see why you’re so confident.”

He smirked.

“But don’t get cocky.”

He popped up in front of Krul. He threw a punch. Krul leaped back. A thunderous sound was followed by Krul being flung in the air.

“?!”

His world was spinning. Miko popped up beside him. He lifted his hands in front of him. Cracking reached his ears. His arms became distorted after blocking Miko’s punch. He crashed into the earth bursting it open. He bounced off the ground. Miko buried him with a stomp.

“Is that all you got, Monster?”

A burst of flames forced Miko back.

“Not a chance!”

The burning star marks on him lit up. His fiery aura swoll up and his skin redden.

“Blazing Star- 2nd Form: Red Giant!”

He disappeared leaving a red spark. Miko caught a punch. A storm of flames erupted behind him. His arm was instantly charred.

“Now we’re talking!”

He pulled Krul towards him. He slammed his fist in Krul’s face while Krul punched him in the stomach. He rose Krul off the ground with a kick to the chin. Elevated, Krul kicked him in the temple. He pointed his palm at Miko. An explosion of flames erupted. Miko flew out of the flames and punched him away. He chased after him. Krul’s feet skid on the ground as he tracked Miko with his eyes. He leaped back to avoid a kick. He pointed his finger like a gun. A burst of flames hit Miko. He landed and threw a kick. His leg clashed with Miko’s fist. He stepped back. He countered a kick with a palm strike. He stepped in and hit Miko with an uppercut. Miko hit him with a hook. He slammed his leg in Miko’s stomach. Miko burst his nose with his elbow. Krul threw a punch. Miko lifted his hand to catch it. Krul opened his fist and blasted him with flames. Krul moved back to create distance between them.

“This is the first time I’ve seen Krulty fight so carefully.”

Sophia mumbled.

“He’s normally gung-ho when fighting.”

“He’s being cornered.”

Christensen spoke up.

“His opponent is a Satan. It looks like he’s holding his own, but that isn’t the case. Look.”

Miko emerged from the flames with a smirk.

“Miko is playing with Krul and Krul knows this. I can’t tell what it’s like, but I imagine facing a satan is terrifying.”

“Are you saying that Krul is afraid? Him? I doubt it.”

Slyvia frowned.

“Just as you refuse to believe it, I think it’s the same for Krul.”

“Man, those Star Flames are really something.”

Krul watched as Miko examined the burns on his body. Contrast to himself, Miko showed no signs of fatigue. Miko stopped and looked at him.

“?!”

Krul found himself taking a step back. Seeing this, Miko smiled. Krul’s world darkened. The volcanic scenery was devoured by darkness. The only thing he could see were eyes, Miko’s cold azure eyes. These eyes caused his body to stiffen. He couldn’t turn away from them. They tugged at his soul, trying to tear it away from his body.

“What’s wrong?”

Miko’s voice echoed in his head. Krul’s heart started to race.

“Aren’t you gonna come at me?”

He suddenly had a problem breathing. His body started to tremble.

“What’s wrong with Krul?”

From the audience’s point of view, Krul suddenly froze up.

“The worse thing about refusing to acknowledge fear is that it just allows fear to have more power over you.”

Christensen mumbled.

“Miko is the embodiment of terror and chaos. For Krul, he’s a walking nightmare.”

Krul's breathing became more ridged. He looked at his hands. His eyes widened at the sight of them trembling. He stared at them and gritted his teeth. His eyes became bloodshot. He began hyperventilating.

“AHHHHHHHHHH!”

He released a deafening screech. This caught everyone off guard, even Miko. Tears of blood flowed from his eyes. His aura exploded. A pillar of flames erected with him in the middle. Everyone could see his silhouette in the flames. He beat his fists on the side of his head as he screamed at the top of his lungs.

“Oh?”

Miko watched this with great interest.

“AAAHHHHHHH!”

His scream made the skins of those who heard it crawl.

“What a hellish voice. You would think it belongs to someone being tormented in hell.”

Markus mumbled.

“For Krul, embracing fear might actually be hell..”

Joesph added. Krul’s parents watched with worried expressions. Ecko seemed indifferent.

“………”

Krul’s scream came to a sudden halt. The pillar vanished and he reappeared looking at the ground. His shoulders trembled.

“Hahahahaha!”

He suddenly burst out laughing.

“What just happened?”

“….He gave in to madness.”

Christensen answered Kouta.

“What do you mean?”

“To put it simply, he went in insane.”

“Huh? Just like that? He just experienced a little fear.”

“Just like Hatred and love, fear has the biggest effects on one’s psyche. They can drive anyone mad.”

Alec said.

“Krul was never mentally stable and was one step away from complete insanity. He just took that last step. And you know what they say…”

He smiled.

“A madman knows no fear. Not even in death.”

Miko grinned seeing Krul laughing.

“Looks I underestimate you a little bit. Maybe you do have the makings of a monster.”

Krul stopped laughing and looked at Miko.

“Heh.”

He showed a cocky grin.

“Now, let’s try this again.”