Chapter 91: The Azure Demon

As Saiba watches Roman and Mephisto reunite, he feels an unusual chill flow through his body. Looking at Mephisto, he sees her body stiffen as she suddenly turns to him.

Bearing her claws, Mephisto lunges at Saiba, holding her hands out. Going at speeds too fast for the eye to see, Saiba isn't able to react.

Ready to receive the blow, Roman appears in front of him and grabs Mephisto by the wrist. Roman says,

"What's going on Mephy? You okay?"

Mephisto looks as if she was woken up from a trance and replies,

"Oh, Big Brother! I'm doing quite fine..!"

Roman loosens his grip as Mephisto takes a step back.

Saiba stumbles backwards, shaken and still afraid. He thinks,

"I-Is that my 4th time now? I still can't get used to it... Well, not that I should..."

Mephisto sighs and explains,

"Sorry, Big Brother... I don't know what got into me..."

Roman smiles reassuringly at Mephisto, but moves back a bit, whispering to Saiba,

"Hey, Master, let's be a little more careful about how we handle this... I mean, I don't have to since I'm so strong, but I'm a little worried about what she'll do to you... Something felt a little off about her..."

Saiba silently nods. Mephisto calls out,

"Oh right! Well, I should be going now Big Brother! I need to tell the rest of the [Demons] of your return!"

She turns around and begins walking away while Roman insists,

"I really don't think you need to do that!"

She suddenly stops, standing in place. Something seems to have changed within her as she turns around and mentions,

"On second thought... It looks like forgot something..."

Without warning, a swarm of vines shoot out of her hand. The azure ropes cling onto Roman and squeeze him tightly, restraining his movement completely.

As Roman struggles, Mephisto holds her remaining hand at her hip. Within her grasp, a sword begins materializing from the hilt to the tip. A dark blade resembling a rapier with a faint purple shimmer sits in her hand.

She thrusts her hand forward, pushing Roman into the wall and completely surrounding him with the vines.

Meanwhile, Mephisto lunges at Saiba, with her hands both free, she grasps her weapon and points it at him.

Saiba quickly reaches for his own blade.

With a clang, Saiba brings his guard up and blocks the attack coming at him.

As the dark sword bounces back, Mephisto tightens grip and begins wailing on Saiba relentlessly.

The sound of colliding metal echoes through the room while Saiba struggles to keep up with Mephisto's continuous barrage.

He starts to move back to counteract the recoil when a chunk of rubble finds its way under his foot.

Stumbling backwards, Saiba is unable to defend against the next slash as it hits his armor, slicing through into his flesh.

He lets out a growl of pain and blood leaks out of his wound. He can feel the pain tingle through his body, repressing all other feelings.

Mephisto looks down at him and taunts,

"Big Brother, it is quite a shame that this fool is the one you serve. It must be quite the hassle having to handle such... scum."

His breath staggered from the intense pain, Saiba retorts,

"Those are some pretty strong words from someone who's just following orders..."

Using his blade as support, Saiba pushes himself back up.

With one hand held over his open wound, Saiba uses the other to open his [SI]. Clicking through, he activates [Blood-Soaked]. Additionally, he taps on one more thing.

A surge of power flows in his body, giving him the energy to move around freely and lightening the pain from his injury.

Cracking his knuckles, Saiba announces,

"I'm just getting started, Mephisto! You better get yourself ready! Time to go all out!"

Mephisto looks at Saiba with a bloodthirsty and weirdly strained gaze, as if she is tired of something.

Saiba grins back at her, a confident look in his eyes and a glint of pride shining off of him. Suddenly, Saiba is surrounded by a pillar of golden light that shoots upwards into and through the ceiling.

The brightness of it takes Roman and Mephisto by surprise as they squint their eyes to get a better look.

Meanwhile, outside the Castle, the light is clearly visible to the ones on the battlefield as it catches their attention and they quickly glance over.

The pristine, gold pillar quickly bleeds into a dark crimson, the red tones accentuated strongly.

The pillar shrinks down, returning to Saiba and masking him as he stands with his proud grin shining brightly.