Samsara Space: They're all begging me to heal them one more time.

"You...you monster!"

Agnas was so angry that he almost had a stroke when he saw that his summoned creatures not only failed to cause any damage but instead became a gas station for the enemy.

Seeing that the monster swarm tactic had failed, he had no choice but to charge down himself, his giant demonic sword, shrouded in green poisonous mist, slashing fiercely at Zhang Yuan's head.

"I'm going to drain your life force!"

clang!

At the critical moment, a blue katana blocked the demonic sword.

It's Nero!

Using the spatial jump ability of the Yama Blade, he instantly teleported in front of Zhang Yuan.

"You ugly monster...you're disgusting to look at!"

Nero grinned, and with a sudden burst of power from his demonic right wrist, he managed to forcefully push the massive Agnas back.

"Damn it! Life drain!"

Agnas opened his mouth wide, and a powerful suction force erupted. Nero felt his strength rapidly draining away, and his movements became sluggish.

"Sucking up blood in front of me? Sorry, I'm the expert in that area!"

Zhang Yuan smiled coldly, raised the [Redeemer], and the lightning on the muzzle was fully charged.

"Thunderstorm Mode - Lock-on Shot!"

Zizi!

A golden ball of lightning struck Agnas precisely on his left wing.

"ah--!!"

The electric current instantly paralyzed Agnas's nerves, interrupting his life-draining ability and causing him to fall like a kite with a broken string.

"Chance!"

A glint of light flashed in Nero's eyes.

He didn't rush to attack. Instead, he put the Crimson Queen back on his back, gripped the Yamato Blade tightly with both hands, and squatted down slightly, assuming a drawing-slash stance.

"Dust to dust, ashes to ashes."

As he whispered, time seemed to slow down.

【Showdown】!

Swish swish swish swish swish—!!!

Several invisible blue blades erupted instantly, forming an impenetrable storm of sword light that enveloped Agnas, who had just landed.

Agnas's hard golden carapace was as brittle as paper in front of Yamato, and was instantly sliced ​​into countless pieces.

"No! No! My research! My masterpiece!"

Agnas let out a final scream, attempting to repair his body with magic, but the spatial rift caused by the Yamato Blade could not be healed at all.

Finally, it was accompanied by Nero's powerful punch, imbued with demonic energy.

"Go to hell and continue your research!"

【Buster (Throwing Technique)】!

boom!!!

The fly king, which had been almost completely fleeced by Zhang Yuan, exploded completely, turning into countless specks of light and dissipating, leaving only a tattered notebook and a golden key lying on the ground.

[Hint: Kill Agnas, a high-ranking member of the Order.]

[Loot obtained: Agnas's Alchemy Manuscript, Central Elevator Key.]

"call……"

Nero landed, and the demonic power in his Yamato gradually dissipated, returning to calm. The feeling of having a "max-level experience card" also faded away.

He tossed the knife back to Zhang Yuan, somewhat reluctantly.

"This knife... is pretty good. It just uses a lot of magic power."

Do you like it?

Zhang Yuan caught the knife and asked with a smile.

"If you're still alive by the end of this mission, maybe I can consider giving it to you."

"Tch, who cares?" Nero turned her head away haughtily, but her eyes couldn't help glancing at the sword. "Let's hurry upstairs! Kyrie is waiting for me!"

Zhang Yuan picked up the key from the ground and walked towards the tightly closed metal door at the end of the corridor.

"Let's go. To the top floor."

"Our teammates... should already be waiting there."

……

The headquarters of the cult, the central elevator lobby.

This is a huge, circular sightseeing elevator that can accommodate dozens of people.

Through the surrounding transparent reinforced glass, one can overlook the entire city of Fortuna—although the view is not pleasant now, with fire and demons everywhere.

When Zhang Yuan and Nero arrived at the elevator, they found that there were already people there.

"Oh, you guys are really slow."

Dante was leaning against the elevator door, holding half a pizza he hadn't finished (heaven knows where he got it from), with piles of demon corpses at his feet.

"I'm so bored I'm about to fall asleep."

"It's you..."

Nero stopped in his tracks the moment he saw Dante's iconic red trench coat.

He didn't draw his sword as he had done before, but stared at the man he had once regarded as an "assassin" with a complicated expression.

"Hey, you in the red shirt."

Nero's voice was low and deep, carrying a hint of suppressed anger—but this anger was not directed at Dante, but at himself for being fooled.

"That day at the opera house...did you shoot him because you already knew?"

"You know that old bastard... he's a monster in human skin?"

Who knows?

Dante shrugged, swallowed the pizza in his mouth, and looked completely indifferent.

"I just don't like him. An old man who spouts righteousness and morality, but reeks of something worse than a demon... That's my professional intuition."

"yes……"

Nero clenched his fist, his nails digging deep into his palm.

"If that's the case... then I was really foolish to stop you before..."

"What is this? Heroism? Or stupidity?"

Dante grinned, walked over, and patted Nero on the shoulder.

"Don't worry about it too much, kid. Being used isn't your fault; it's just that the enemy is too cunning. Besides..."

He pointed to the Scarlet Queen sword in Nero's hand, which exuded an ominous aura.

"...Your eyesight is much better now. Much better than it was at the opera house last time."

"cut."

Nero turned his head away and slapped Dante's hand away. Although his tone was still harsh, the tense hostility had dissipated considerably.

"Stop acting like an old man. I'm just... trying to save Kirie. If you dare block my way, I'll still cut you down."

"I'm always ready." Dante laughed heartily.

"Looks like I'm not needed to play peacemaker anymore."

Zhang Yuan stood to the side, pushed up his glasses, and revealed a relieved smile (saving him the trouble of mediating the fight).

He looked to the other side of the elevator, where Bayonetta was sitting gracefully on top of an unconscious woman in red—Joan of Arc, who had been knocked unconscious and tied up.

"This kitten is so disobedient, it took me a lot of effort to calm her down."

Bayonetta fixed her hair and winked at Zhang Yuan. "How was it, little priest? My mission is accomplished. What about your promise?"

"Don't worry, it's on the top floor."

Zhang Yuan shook the key in his hand. "Everything will end there."

"Well then, ma'am, now that everyone is here, may we set off?"

"I can't wait any longer."

Bayonetta stood up from Joan of Arc, stretched, and revealed her perfect curves.

"Let's end this boring farce quickly, I need to get back and take a hot shower."

Click.

The key was inserted, the elevator doors slowly opened, and the four people (plus one prisoner) filed in.

With a slight tremor, the massive platform began to rise slowly.