Devourer: Rise Beyond Celestial

Seated in his office, Astaroth questioned Asmodé, breaking the silence of the room.

"So, they've asked for a truce, huh?"

"Yes, it seems even MorningStar's army has descended into the lower plane," Asmodé replied, his tone heavy.

"That doesn't bode well... Regardless, it's the opportune moment to defeat Leviathan. Have you contacted Belzébuth as I asked, Merihem?"

Merihem, his face tense, shook his head.

"He's unreachable, it seems he's returned to the upper plane."

Astaroth clicked his tongue, a mix of frustration and anger in his eyes.

"That incompetent bastard!"

Then Adramelec spoke up.

"It's not as simple as it seems, Astaroth. It's said that the Blood Devil has returned because Alderbaran went to confront Belzébuth in his domain."

"A battle between those two monsters? Isn't the lower plane in danger?" Asmodé wondered, his eyes filled with worry.

Astaroth remained silent, his fist supporting his head, lost in his strategic thoughts.

But suddenly, the room began to shake violently. An unknown energy surged from nowhere, making the fortress walls vibrate. A piercing, painful buzz filled the space. Astaroth grimaced, trying to understand this phenomenon. A voice rose, strange and incomprehensible, but one word pierced the fog:

"All Red? What's that?"

Confused, Astaroth immediately used his power, his consciousness spanning millions of kilometers, to the location of MorningStar's army. He tried to take control of a soldier, but the connection was immediately cut off. He tried again with another, but the same thing happened. A third attempt also failed.

Finally, he managed to control the fourth, but all he saw was red.

Astaroth was thrown from his chair, striking the glass overlooking the room with such force that it shattered. Blood gushed from his mouth, his body trembling.

He slowly stood up, wiping the blood from his lips, his dark gaze fixed on the room. Without granting a final look to his advisors, he rushed towards the exit.

"We're returning to the upper plane. Now!"

...

"Let's go," she said calmly.

Raphaël, pale but resolute, nodded in agreement.

[Kindness Blessing] Like a miniature sun, Luciel illuminated the space with a gentle golden glow. This divine light penetrated the minds of her allies, purifying and revitalizing them.

"Celest, manage the troop withdrawal. They're of no use here," Uriel ordered, massaging his wrist, his face marked by fatigue improving.

"Okay," Celest replied, nodding before withdrawing.

But a doubt lingered in Ezekiel's mind. He furrowed his brows, as if trying to solve a riddle.

"Uriel, you have a connection to this, but... his soul..."

"What's wrong with his soul?" Raphaël asked, raising an interrogative eyebrow.

The drop of black blood touched the surface of the sea with a resounding impact, like a thunderclap that echoed in the heavy air. The sea, previously a deep red, began to vibrate violently. Waves formed, expanding in circles, pushing back the stagnant waters in a hypnotic movement. Then, without warning, the surface of the sea tore, and enormous waves erupted, striking with titanic force the desolate shores.

Earthquakes were felt throughout the lower plane, shaking the ground as if it were rebelling against a power that should not be there. Mountains trembled, the earth cracked, and even the sky darkened further, as if a cataclysmic storm were preparing to engulf everything in its path. Giant hands, made of coagulated blood, emerged from the raging sea, grotesque and tormented. Their deformed fingers reached desperately towards the sky, trying to grasp anything they could reach.

Luciel, in the midst of her attack, propelled herself to the side with agility, narrowly avoiding the nightmare-like hands that emerged from the sea. She sliced through the air with her sword, bringing down the blade on the blood arms that surrounded her, each movement marked by implacable precision. With each strike, the limbs exploded into blood splinters, which almost immediately evaporated in the heavy air. Yet, it was not enough. The hands seemed infinite, returning incessantly, encircling her further, preventing her from retaliating.

Facing them, Linfer stood motionless. The perverse smile that usually marked his face, reflecting his pleasure in chaos, had vanished. He had abandoned his Tenshi Mode: his long black hair, with hints of olive green, undulated around him like living serpents, slowly elongating into the air. At times, his very silhouette blurred. Behind him, a cracked form began to take shape in the shadow of the scarlet sea. At first hazy, it gradually became clearer: a serpentine creature was forming, with a thousand heads, each bearing the Omega sign engraved on its forehead. It was the primal form of his soul.

"This sword... Zitish's, that must mean... Never mind, I'll take you all with me." He hesitated for a second, then shook his head.

"Never mind!"

Linfer's face grew paler as he raised his index finger in their direction, an expression of exhaustion mixed with determination forming on his features. He knew he had little time left. His body, and especially his soul, was already at its limit, but that mattered little: he intended to destroy everything before his end.

His reptilian black irises began to turn olive green, while scales appeared around his eyes.

A sharp, unbearable pain began to emanate within him, as if his cracked soul were tearing apart. A perverse smile spread across Linfer's face, black blood slowly flowing from the corner of his mouth.

"Linfer..."

Hearing his voice, Linfer closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. Having no other choice, Raphaël had teleported Zitish here. Reasoning with Linfer? No, just buying them time before the entire upper plane came for his skin.

Zitish moved forward slowly, her bare feet barely touching the distorted surface of the scarlet sea. Around her, the waves rose like living walls, threatening to engulf her, but she paid them no attention. Her gaze was fixed on Linfer. He stood there, his body reeling under the weight of his own power. His wicked smile had faded, replaced by infinite weariness.

"Linfer…" she whispered once more.

He closed his eyes for a moment, inhaling deeply at the sound of her voice. A faint shiver ran down his spine. He didn't want to admit it, but seeing her here, in front of him, awakened something he had long tried to bury.