The black man presents himself in front of the young faux demon. Origen's presence is intense, befitting someone who holds the title of General on top of a Paladin. To stand before him is similar to stand in front of a great mountain, it makes you feel your existence is extremely tiny and irrelevant, something that can be crushed in an instant and no one will notice its disappearance. Akuma is feeling that very same pressure. The sight of a two meters tall black paladin sends chill down his spine. For someone who has faced bizzare creatures such as a walking armored crab, Akuma can't believe he is feeling fear from a normal human being just like Akuma himself. Origen is terrifying, far more terrifying than anything he has faced before.

-You are a human, yet you sided with demons. You helped the demons shed the blood of our kind. That is a sin I can't simply forgive.

Origen speaks. His stern voice isn't that of a paladin speaking to a demon, but rather a father to a lost son. Akuma can't hide his true heritage, not to this man, and that disappoints the man despite the two of them have never met until this moment. But that is no longer relevant, the young man has committed an irredeemable sin. Penance is no longer possible for Akuma, only death can save him from the sin he committed.

-May you find repentance in death!

Origen starts rushing at the young man. With his mace readied in hand, Origen attacks Akuma. The young man has neither superb sword skills nor inhuman dodging ability like Lapidoth, he can only depend his life on his protective cloak and prays that he will survive the night. Akuma once again blocks the attack with his arms, it doesn't stop the attack, but merely minimizes the damage he received. Origen's strength sends Akuma flying, but that is more preferable than having his whole body broken by that power.

-Urgahh.

Even with the cloak reinforced by Kardia's alchemy, Akuma can still feel the numb on his hands. Even with no visible damage, his arms still feel like they just got crushed by a truck driving at maximum speed. He definitely doesn't want that mace to hit his flesh body, that's for sure. Thankfully, the attack greatly lengthens the distance between the two of them, giving him more time to prepare for an attack plan, or escape plan.

'Really? Escape?'

He can't believe such thought once again crosses his mind. If he escapes right now, that would make what he swore to Deborah that day meaningless. This is his battle, something he brought to himself when he dirtied his hands with the blood of humans. He can't run, not after witnessing the lives lost fighting by his side. Just like back then, if he runs away, he won't be able to face himself afterward. He already came to term with himself that day. He will no longer run from his battle, not anymore.

His heart is filled with an iron resolve. Akuma makes up his mind. This will be a new battle between him and Origen.

Akuma puts back the hood behind his cloak to protect his head, his opponent will not be so merciful to aim his attack at places other than his uncovered head if he keeps it unhooded.

First, the young man uses what little time he has left before Origen arrives to assess the situation. The other three human soldiers are still staying behind in the back, it seems like they trust Origen enough to deal with Akuma by himself, or the thought that a mere human like Akuma can possibly defeat their trusted general never cross their mind to begin with. Either way, Akuma knows this will be a one on one fight, he can temporary let out the possibility of being stabbed in the back for the time being.

The other problem lies with Origen. He is simply too powerful for a human, but he is still a human nonetheless. His armor doesn't look like it's any different than the other human soldiers, if Akuma can connect a shot, even Origen will be wounded. His unhelmeted bald head is also an option, but Akuma doubt he can make a clear shot with his current skill, not counting the paladin himself will simply let his opponent attack his bare head.

Either way, he still has to try. Before Origen gets in range, Akuma draws out his now fully loaded gun. He aims at Origen, and opens fire.

BANG! BANG!

However, the black man quickly pulls his shield up when he catches sight of Akuma using his gun. The bullets Akuma fired bounce off his shield, fail to even make any meaningful impact. Akuma thinks the technology of this world's mankind is probably medieval at best, so even a handgun can still pierce through most of the shields made with that level of technology. But it seems like Origen's shield is something entirely different. Akuma's gun can't even put a dent on that shield. The magic of physic and gunpowder have failed him, and Origen continues charging faster when he finds out about Akuma's trick.

Once again, Akuma takes several shot at Origen. This time, he aims at Origen's lower body, his legs in particular. He can halt his opponent's track if he injure his legs, that thought crosses Akuma's mind in an instant. But Origen's shield once again renders Akuma's effort for naught. His shield is too big, its coverage is almost entirely of Origen's body aside from his feet. If Akuma aimed lower he would have miss his shots. It's already too late for Akuma to take another turn as Origen finally closes the gap. This time however, Akuma won't let himself be a sitting duck. He has legs, and he will use them to dodge the oncoming mace.

-Urgghh!

Seems like Origen himself has already figured out why his attacks are ineffective even when they all connected, so this time he aims straight at Akuma's face with his mace. Since it's hard for someone to live his life with a smashed face, of course Akuma prioritizes protecting his face, but rather than using both his hand like before, he only uses his gun-using arm, which is his left. His right arm however is holding something else, as the force from Origen's mace pushes him away, he lets go the pipe bomb he is holding prior to getting hit. His left arm is still numb, of course, but thanks to Origen propelling him away, he is already out of the blast radius.

BOOM!

The pipe bomb explodes. Akuma has already activated the three seconds time bomb before he threw it away in an attempt to trap his opponent. A risky move, but not as risky as the things he did before. His reaction speed seems to be better than normal. The fear of death stimulates him more than it should, enough for him to keep up with Origen. But to defeat the man, it requires more than just reaction speed.

When the smoke fades away from the blast site, Origen reveals himself, still unharmed. He is crouching and hiding behind his round shield. It absorbed all the impact made by the pipe bomb at point blank, and even that explosion failed to put a dent on the shield itself.

'Just what in the world is that shield made of…', thinks Akuma. The advantage of being from the modern world does naught in defeating someone from a seemingly inferior culture. No, that's not it, the gap of technology is meaningless. Origen is just simply someone he can't defeat.

-Damn it…!

Akuma can't help but cuss. He frowns, this is a time where he truly think everything he did is meaningless.

-You use a lot of exotic magics. They certainly took me by surprise, but it's your mistake to use them on my soldiers before fighting me.

The black paladin stands up with his shield by his side. His stern face of anger is still there, but it softens somewhat and becomes a face of tranquility.

-It's such a regret that you use your arcane knowledge not for the good of mankind, but to bring terrors for the demons. I dare not to imagine a future where the demons get bolstered with your support by their side. Which is why...you will not leave here alive!

Origen roars and rushes at Akuma like an enraged bull. The fright messes up his thoughts for several seconds before Akuma reassembles his mind in search for a way not to get himself killed. His gun failed, his pipe bomb failed, the only thing left he has in disposal is his RG bomb. The bomb's power may be enough to render Origen immobile, he thinks to himself, but Akuma can't just simply throw that thing around like a grenade, and he doubt Origen will fall for such an obviously dangerous object. He needs a better plan, the only chance he has to make such plan come true doesn't lie here in this hallway. Either way, he needs to survive Origen's next attack first. His life now lies not on his running legs, but on his friend's gift.

-Take this!

Once again, Origen throws an attack at Akuma with his mace aiming at the cadet's face, which Akuma defends himself with his arms as per reflex. If Origen once again fails to make any damage, it will give him more time and chances to make a proper counterattack.

But it is too naive of Akuma to think Origen would resort to an ineffective attack over and over again.

-Urowahhh!

Origen purposely misses his mace attack, he spins his body around and flings his shield at Akuma from the bottom to the top. He actives some sort of switch in the middle of his attack, which causes the edges of his shield to turn from simple blunt metal into a sharp blade. With the momentum he gathered, it's practically an upper slash with an iron sword, even when Origen is using his shield instead.

-Arghh!!

Blood has been shed. Akuma's cloak does not protect him from blade attacks, a fact that Origen himself seems to aware after his failed attempts prior. Akuma's body gets sent flying, with a trail of blood from his front torso accompanying him. As his body lands, the blood from his wound bursts out from the impact. The wound is deep, almost severe enough to seperate his body into two should his legs were a bit slower. But nonetheless, a normal human being cannot survive with this sort of wound.

Akuma can only lay here dying. Blood starts to flow from his mouth. He is overwhelmed by pain, sapping out all his strength to even let out a groan. His hands are trembling in fear of facing his impending fate.

'Why?' He asks himself, over and over again. His resolve is as tough as iron. If he keeps fighting, may be he will eventually win. Even if it's just a 'maybe', Akuma still wants to believe with a strong enough willpower, he can eventually make that 'maybe' into 'certainty'. That's how he has always fought his way, up until this day. But…

-I admire your fighting spirit. But willpower alone can't make up for your lack of strength, young human.

Origen approaches the bleeding cadet. He points his shield at Akuma, seemingly prepares to deliver a final blow. Akuma can see his blood soaked red on the shield's edge with his wavering eyes. Only at this moment does he understand what Deborah was trying to do for him all this time.

Even iron can be bent. Even willpower can be broken. The strength of mind cannot simply supplement the strength of body. He was naive to think he can survive in this world with knowledge alone.

And now, Akuma will have to pay the price of his ignorance.

-I may not be a very good priest, but at the very least, I want to listen to your final words before I deliver the mercy you deserve. Speak, young man.

Akuma wants to say something, but can't. Speaking final words is harder than he thought, despite the people he saw in movies can do it just fine even when they're near their death. He is both sad and amused, sad that he even lack the strength to say the final words of his life, amused that he doesn't even know what he should say when he finally meets his own ending.

He never thought about it even once, about the words he should prepare before departing from this world. He never thought his death will be a merry one, with people mourning by his side as he lays dying and listen to his last requests. That was a fact he has prepared and accepted himself a long time ago. Yet, he never thought it would come so soon like this.

'It's unfair, so unfair…'

-So you don't even have any strength left to say anything...such a pity...Very well then, I will let you suffer no longer.

Origen closes his eyes, as if offering Akuma a silent prayer. His silence doesn't last long, and Origen resumes to prepare his shield for a decapitation.

-You fought well, young human. Such a pity for you to end up this way. May you find salvation in the afterlife.

Akuma closes his eyes, as if accepting his final moment. He has his regrets, but if he's going to die, at the very least, he wants to accept his death with some dignity, rather than whining about it.

Even so, deep inside his heart, he wants to live...

Origen prepares his strength, before finally delivering the killing strike.

But, at that moment…

"STOP!"

A man yells as he makes his entrance through the hallways' windows. He is a bulky man, with a body frame as ig as the black paladin himself. He is wearing a standard iron armor, albeit a bit lacking in several departments like a helmet, but nonetheless, he's not very different from the devilmen Origen met in his life before. Yet, the moment he makes his entrance, Origen is overwhelmed by sheer pressure from the imminent danger, enough to stop his attack and focus on the iron axe on the man's hand as it aims toward his head.

CLANG

To Origen's surprise, the bulky devilman's power with his axe is strong enough to push him back for five meters from his initial position. The surprise element maybe is one factor, but Origen can't believe there is someone here strong enough to push him back this far. A sudden appearance of a strong enemy, Origen can't believe it himself, especially when he is already pressed for time with his own mission to accomplish.

From behind his back, his soldiers are also seem to be in a bit trouble themselves, as the bald devilman with a brown beard has brought some company along with him. Three demon soldiers also make their appearance through the windows with ropes from the upper floor, and are now engaging in combat with the human solders. A sudden turn of event.

"Soldier, can you stand?"

The demon with the brown beard speaks. He isn't talking to the dying young man, but to the wounded demon soldier that Origen fought earlier, who somehow found his way across the three soldiers and arrived at this end of the hallway, near the half-dead young cadet.

"Barely...Mr.Lodbrok."

The soldier named Lapidoth answers. His breathing is heavy, certainly isn't something to be expected from a healthy man. Of course, someone who got crushed so hard the wall behind him started cracking certainly can't be called a healthy man.

"Can I ask you to bring that stupid kid out of here and get him a medic before he die?"

Says Bjarni Lodbrok, the head of the War Arts Department.

"Seems impossible to me…"

"Then make it possible, maggot!"

The old demon yells, which leaves Lapidoth no choice but to comply. He approaches Akuma, and uses every strength he has left to drag him out of this battlefield. Origen doesn't even try to stop that. One reason is because he doesn't want to attack wounded soldiers aside from delivering killing strikes, the other is because someone strong enough to push him back certainly won't let him go after his student on his watch.

The two old men face off. Unlike Lapidoth, this won't be a fight about speed and technique. Unlike, Akuma, this won't be a fight about tricks and willpower. Both of them have similar strength, and thus, this will be a battle decided by pure power and force.

And the bloodshed once again continues.