The streets of the Grenitian Capital were rife with activity. A constant stream of equipment was being transferred while soldiers practiced their marching drills. Occasionally, some would stop to look toward the Temple that was surrounded by lower-ranked Angels. Just the sight of it seemed to reinvigorate them and give them purpose.

Deep inside the temple, Randolph sat with Juliana and held her hand. She looked tired but managed to keep up a smile for him. Truthfully, Gavreel had used her as a method of communication more and more but Juliana couldn’t remember any details of the former’s conversation with the Gods.

“Are you okay?” Randolph asked.

“I’m fine, but shouldn’t you be more concerned about practicing?” Juliana replied with a question of her own.

“I can’t possibly concentrate while you’re like this.” Randolph’s words caused Julian’s cheeks to turn red but before she could say anything her eyes rolled backward and her body went stiff.

“Juliana?” Randolph called out but she didn’t respond.

“T-They...They’re going to attack!” Juliana screamed as visions of blood and carnage clouded her mind.

“Who?!” Randolph wanted to run off to inform Gavreel but he couldn’t leave Juliana alone. “Someone tell Lord Gavreel that it’s an emergency!”

Two paladins who stood guard outside the room entered as soon as they heard the commotion but was forced to leave after hearing Randolph’s orders.

“Right away, Sir Randolph!” The Paladins turned around and soon stopped.

Randolph saw them and shouted. “What are you doing? Tell Lord Gavreel about Juliana’s condition!”

“There’s no need for that is there?” The familiar voice of a young man rang out. “After all, I can answer your questions just fine.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the bodies of the paladins fell to the ground and their heads rolled away. Randolph could identify the intruder with a single glance and rose to his feet.

“Ira!” Randolph drew his sword immediately and a golden light filled the room.

“Nice sword,” Ira complimented. Behind him, bloodstains and entrails decorated the temple hallways.

“Are you really the City-Eater?” Randolph inquired with a hardened expression.

“I’d prefer if you didn’t use that name but I guess you could say that.” Ira scratched his head with a wry smile.

“Good, then I won’t have any worries about attacking you.” Randolph rushed forward at a speed incomparable to his previous self and thrust his sword at Ira.

Ira pinched the blade of the sword but it unexpectedly slipped through his grasp and cut into his shoulder.

“Oh?” Ira observed the scene with unchanging eyes as he stepped back. “Godsteel is quite something and that...divine power is really disgusting.”

Ira’s wound healed but he could tell it was slower due to the divine energy running amok. Since it was nothing more than a shallow he could suppress it in an instant.

Randolph rushed forward once more and tried to push Ira back but all of his attacks were dodged. He couldn’t even use his full strength due to Juliana being so close and the possibility of destroying the temple.

“But I definitely told you, Randolph…” Ira, who seemed absent-minded a few minutes prior, narrowed his eyes and erased his smile. “You really test my patience and unfortunately I’m all out of it.”

Ira easily dodged a swing and drove his fist into Randolph’s chest.

“Huak!” A strange sound was forced out of Randolph’s mouth as he was sent flying through a wall. His body was far sturdier than before but Ira’s strength, even while restrained, would kill most living things on contact.

A golden light covered Randolph’s body as he broke through wall after wall, continuing on for some time.

Ira whistled in appreciation of himself before looking at Julianna who was severely exhausted and completely speechless.

“It’s you!” Ira said in amazement. “I’ll have to see why you're special enough to be." He added with an ominous laugh. It was clear she was some important figure and he even caught a glimpse of her in some strange state.

Far outside the temple, Randolph drew an arc in the air and crashed into a house, falling through its roof. Dust filled the air as he coughed painfully. Some unknown force mitigated most of the damage or else he’d be a pile of meat rather than a person.

“Ugh…” Randolph groaned at the taste of blood and slowly climbed to his feet. Through some miracle on another, the divine sword he used didn’t leave his grip. He looked at the hole in the roof he fell in from and could see a blurry figure falling. It couldn’t be an image since they were radiant and glowing and the figure was dressed in black clothes.

“Damn it!” Realization filled Randolph’s eyes as he hurriedly rolled to the side.

Not even a second later, Ira’s knee crashed into Randolph’s previous spot and the house broke apart sending more smoke into the air. Just as Randolph stood up, Ira rushed out of the smoke and threw a heavy punch. The impact sounded like thunder and the same golden light covered Randolph while reducing the damage.

Randolph even managed to remain upright though his body was pushed back and he crashed into another house. All the while, screams and shouts of confusion rang out as people who had no idea what was happening found themselves caught up in the fight.

Still, Ira was nothing if not persistent. He caught up to Randolph and reached for his throat before wrapping his fingers around the latter’s neck and slamming him into the ground. Randolph choked as he looked into Ira’s yellow eyes which reflected nothing but Randolph’s own dismay. Suddenly, he felt clarity overtake him and he lifted his sword and made a stabbing motion. Ira was forced to let go of Randolph since the sword had the capability to leave actual injuries on his body.

“You’ve survived this long, huh?” Ira clenched and clenched his fist. He noticed that something was cushioning the each of the blows delivered to Randolph which gained his interest. He looked into the sky and could see the Angels flying toward them as well as the stone sphere which sat motionless in the distance. It appeared that they weren’t able to use it yet so Ira felt slightly relieved.

Randolph caught his breath and stabbed his sword into the ground while raising his body up. The traces of panic from before were nowhere to be seen but Ira didn’t react to Randolph’s changed state.

“Stay here.” Ira waved his hand and a gravity well formed over Randolph, forcing him to the ground.

“Ira!” Randolph roared in anger as he struggled to fight the force pressing down on him.

Ira turned his attention to the Angels coming toward him. It was a group of lower-ranked faceless Angels as well as a few with two pairs of wings but they weren’t on the level of Gavreel who had six in total. The one Ira was searching for the most had yet to appear which bothered him but not too much.

“I should test them out a little.” Ira raised his finger and pointed it toward the Angels flying in the distance. A concentrated beam of black mist shot from the tip of his finger and absorbed all light around it. The sky darkened briefly and it hit one of the faceless Angels before they could even react. As soon as it touched the body of that unlucky Angel, it ripped a hole of endless darkness into the air and sucked the lower-ranked angels in with ease.

Ira’s attack took place for no more than a few seconds but those weaker Angels were unable to withstand it.

“...So those ones aren’t as strong as they look?” Ira released the gravity pressing down on Randolph and walked over to him.

“You’re...a monster, Ira.” Randolph spat hatefully as he put strength into his arms.

“Ah, you're an ungrateful bastard.” Ira kicked Randolph who could only fly away helplessly. “All of you should’ve just ignored me and then none of this would’ve happened.”

He teleported in front of Randolph and gripped his face with one hand while prying the sword from Randolph’s fingers with the other. But as soon as Ira touched the golden sword he felt the divine power burning away at his fingers. The skin on his hand eroded away in a few seconds that power continued to try eating at him so he tossed the weapon away.

As Ira put more pressure to his grip, he found that instead of seeing Randolph’s skull crack open he was met with more divine light. Suddenly, Ira dropped Randolph on the ground as if he lost all interest and turned around.

“Get away from him, Ira.” Gavreel’s voice shook the air like thunder but Ira didn’t even flinch.

“Oh, I still have a little bit of time left. I can definitely handle you.” Ira chuckled but his eyes were cold.

“Can you?” Gavreel summoned her spear made of golden light and Ira paused.

Not because of her weapon but because of the stone sphere being moved toward the city. A golden light was emitted from each of its different segments which showed it was being activated. Ira raised his hand as he did before and fire off a black beam but Gavreel's reflexes were faster than the lower ranked Angels and she dodged it. The air next to her made strange sounds as it distorted so she took more distance.

“Hmm,” Ira grumbled as if it couldn't be helped. “I'll have to let this go for now.”

He raised his foot and stomped Randolph into the ground one last time before he vanished.

Gavreel let out low sigh as she turned to face the stone sphere. She waved her spear and the ones moving stopped before returning it to its former position. The Tartarus wasn’t quite ready for use as she learned it had to absorb more divine power to operate at its highest capacity. After that, it could be activated and once it captured Ira it would be able to power itself using him as the source.

“I couldn’t do it, Lord Gavreel,” Randolph uttered pitifully. He was embedded into the ground but eventually, he managed to free himself. The screams of people who were injured or frightened by the fight that broke out had diminished but they remained.

“It’s because you still resist the power the Gods imparted you with, child. Let it fill every fiber of your being and you won’t lose to Ira in a contest of strength. As for the darkness he wields as a weapon...Let me worry about that.”

Though she said as much, not even the God’s could completely figure out the intricacies behind the Void’s influence. The closest they got to countering Ira was the Tartarus which built to contain him rather than stop him.