Joshua was still in a state of daze and panic. Whenever he tried to cast magic, even with gesture casting. It would be stopped by Iacus's daggers. As Joshua was going to recover his sanity, the Reaper's Radiance from the 5 Crimson Reapers threw Joshua off into another state of panic. Followed by Fear of Opposition by Commander 151. The panic was stacking as Joshua was running through the battlefield without much thought, a bayonet strike had gotten him. Looking at an Azterian Trooper who fired a few shots through Joshua's chest.

He was bleeding, losing HP at a gradual 50HP per second. Despite his high endurance stat, it was as if he had nothing. Even Ashen Phoenix in his hand was depowered as a result of the debuffs his Familiars had applied. Lugasa's Howl and Vizel's Tempting Violence was causing Joshua to go attack at them. Clashing with Vizel.

"Lord..." Vizel spoke with a weak voice, kicking Joshua back. Fitz was barely pushing Joshua's familiars back.

"His panic and bleed is sky rocketing. Shit. Come on, Joshua pull yourself together!" Fitz's voice fell on deaf ears. Joshua was using Ashen Phoenix but he was still messing up his stances. Seijuro was cutting through the Familiars by the droves but seeing Joshua being reduced to such a state. It was tough even for a veteran like Seijuro.

"He's not hearing us. His trial was never about his fight. It's about what he's doing in whatever they placed him in. It's our job to keep him safe while he goes through it!" Seijuro shouted as he cut through the Familiars, they would vanish for a moment but then return a few seconds later.

Joshua was elsewhere. His body moved like a drone, while he was currently standing somewhere else. Outside of the looking glass, he was looking in to the fight with the Final Judgement. But he was standing in Mulligan before the events of the Black Spire.

"Is this the life you wished to keep?" The Final Judgement's voice reached his mind and heart.

"Yes." The scenery changed to Azteris, where Joshua was stabbed by Vizel when Vizel was a teenager with no powers.

"Why did you forgive him?"

"It's because I know what it's like to lose family. You just want to find someone to blame. I blamed the Orcs."Joshua spoke up.

"An honest answer. Do you feel justified in killing them?"

"At the time, yes but that is the reality of this world is it not? Kill or be killed."

"Why do you desire power? For vengeance? Or to protect the ones by your side?"

"The people my brother had investigated was turning children into Venerators. I can't just... Sit by and do nothing. Might makes right in this place." The Final Judgement nodded.

"So be it." Joshua returned back to his body, he was back in action. He took a deep breath as he looked at his Familiars that were rampaging around the area. Ace charged at Joshua first, where Joshua pulled out the same weapon. Clashing with Ace in a head on collision, Ace's glare was sharp, it was bringing Joshua on his knees because of all the debuffs he had.

"Ace. Is this how you truly feel. The rage that contained in your veins?" Ace stopped growling, then he took a step back.

"I told you all before. You're my family and I'm yours. But I will cut you down to make sure you become normal again. So don't hold back. Show me why you're my Familiars! Prove your worth!" Joshua howled at them. Where it granted them more power.

"I'll take it from here." Seijuro nodded, as the others stepped back to allow Joshua to face the horde on his own. The Lions in their M-Frames made their appearance, Crow, Dove and Fracture as well. Joshua drew out Ashen Phoenix, where he took a deep breath.

"Ashen Phoenix. I'll need you." The sky turned black, as they see Ashen Phoenix show itself, unleashing a screech that halted Joshua's Familiars to their knees. Joshua continued walking forward, seeing Final Judgement in front of him.

"So we begin our duel." Final Judgement's strike swung to Joshua's blade, where it was stopped by him.

"The last path that is open the Lord of Thorns... I see you've unlocked it. The Path of Hallowed Ground." Joshua pushed Final Judgement back, then running ahead swinging the blade from the side. Final Judgement swung to counter, only to see Joshua vanish from ahead of him. Then an ashen flame ignited from above, Final Judgement readied for the attack.

The other Seraphs immediately joined in trying to stop the attack itself. Where it pushed them all back by a few inches. Then seeing Joshua appear from the front, unleashing a flurry of fast strikes with the tachi. Cutting through and pushing them back, the intensity of the strikes had the Seraphs smirking to one another.

"Oh he's got spunk!" One of the Seraphs spoke, a woman who wielded a rapier.

"He's way stronger. He got Ashen Phoenix at full strength too. Now it makes sense to why it didn't hit as hard the first time I saw it. Needed time to set in with adjusting to the Lord of Thorn's power." One Winged spoke with joy at the sight as they were pushed back.

Seeing Joshua's tachi keep its ashen flames, that slowly blanketed his body. Where Ashen Phoenix began to hum a tune for Joshua. His Familiars got on their feet, joining with the Sovereigns and Seijuro. They stood behind Joshua where Seijuro placed his hand on Joshua's shoulder.

"A conviction that can stop even the heavens. Now that's what was needed." Joshua turned to see Kael who had been watching the entire time.Kael leaped downwards looking at the Seraphs who were glaring at him.

"Final Judgement. Let me take over." Kael said, where he high fived Final Judgement who chuckled.

"I suppose there's a reason why you are here." Kael's four swords made their appearance.

"Baihua. I release the seal that bind your powers. Show them what it means to bloom in death's stage as my Celestial Executioner.

Kuro-Hana. Unchain the seals that you put on your own body, put these animals down as the Divine Slayer.

Ga-eul. As your name means Fall, then rain destruction upon them as my Seraph Destroyer.

Black Symphony." Fully armored as they returned by Kael's side as blades. The he conjoined Black Symphony and Ga-Eul. Putting it to his mouth and then wielding Kuro-Hana and Baihua in his hands. Charing at Joshua who readied Ashen Phoenix, the clash caused a bright light to shine between them where Joshua and Kael were now somewhere else.

This time Joshua had come face to face with the Supreme Gods of the many realms that were present. Etana, and Lucius were present.

"A head on collision with Ashen Phoenix and the three Heavenly weapons... I have to say Black Symphony is far stronger than before Kael." Lucius spoke with a smile.

"The Realm of the Supreme Gods. So I guess you've got a duty for him don't you?" Kael asked.

"Yes. Joshua, the Lord of Thorns. The Outsider that is handling the matter of the Spataro family is not a class but rather a Malevolent God that has been roaming freely in your world. He tried to kill you because he understood that you would be a danger to him. He may not be able to enter Spires but his danger is equal to your current powers."

"I see."

"Do you resent me for putting you through so much?"

"If you asked me years ago, I would but I have my Familiars with me and a few allies. Is this what the Seraph's Trial is about?"

"Yes. To judge if you were worthy of stepping into this realm. However, the path that you will take is more than strife. It will be nothing but carnage. You will lose your connections to people. Because the influence this malevolent god has unleashed has already made many Venerator Unions fall to his side. You will become an enemy of mankind when all this is over. I apologize, Lord of Thorns."

"Having this much power would make me an enemy of everyone anyway. Thank you Goddess." The realm vanished as Joshua was back to his clash with Kael.

"Ah, it would have been a lot better if I didn't have to do an errand. If you're going to hurt a God, only Ashen Phoenix will do actual damage. And Ashen Phoenix? It's good to see you. Though I'm a little jealous since I didn't get you to speak to me."

"It seems that your rage has been quelled quite a bit, my former Bearer. Though I must say. You still have a lot of anger." Kael chuckled at the large phoenix that shot off that remark.

"Of course. You should be unlike you most of his emotions were stable. Only his anger started to seep out the longer I stayed." The words of Ashen Phoenix hit the mark, Joshua's anger was slowly seeping out but it was contained by his mask. For the emotion of anger is part of Grief.

"Freeing the world of this particular God's malice will help change things so you may focus on facing the Spires. He wishes to unleash a massive war against the non-humans to ensure that only Venerators remain and despite my attempts to stop him. It has been futile. For even we the Supreme Gods have rules over our lands. This particular god was off the previous Supreme God's reign, one that wishes for all out chaos." Etana's voice reached the ears of Joshua's group along with the Seraphs.

"Final Judgement, did I pass?"

"Of course. The Seraphs will serve you, Lord of Thorns." Final Judgement spoke as the others knelt to him.The Spire vanished, where Joshua could see weapons being pointed at him. The Venerators were now hostile to him, and some of them seemed to be uneasy. Panic had set in their eyes, but their hands spoke of battle.

"You have been deemed to be a Black Spire level threat! You are to be contained by the orders of the Venerators Union!" Joshua let out a sigh as Kael passed him a cigarette.

"First time smoking?"

"Yeah. At this point? I need something." Joshua said as Kael lit it up. A rough cough on the first puff.

"Take it easy with the drag." Kael joked as he pat Joshua's back. Kael snapped his fingers as a great wind pushed them to the walls.

"Let's go already. Joshua what's the plan?" Fitz asked.

"Non-Lethal. I guess this must be Spataro's influence kicking in." The Blue Pythons fired off chaff and smoke in the air while Nightwing took up to the skies, allowing their engines to roar, forcing the enemy to back down. The roars of Lugasa, Bellesk and the Crimson Reapers pushed them all back. Joshua ran through with his Familiars, avoiding combat. Throwing off smoke and EMP grenades by the Orions to throw off enemy forces. The Lions fired warning shots that forced the enemy back.

For now, all the safe havens that Joshua had is gone on this world. A new war had made itself known and Joshua had become public enemy number one.