Sanata’s face was darkened.

As she continue to stand, Shiro and the others prepares themselves for battle.

And then she spoke,

“Very well. If you can defeat me, that is.”

Everyone became more alert. They assumed battle stances, activated magics; they all prepared themselves to a battle in which they wouldn’t know what would result in.

Sanata sat on the throne behind her and the five floating swords behind her followed.

The swords plunged themselves on the ground as if they were crosses for the dead.

Sanata leaned on her back as she watched them. She saw nervousness in their eyes.

“What’s wrong?” Sanata asked. “I thought you lot are going to defeat me? What happened to that?”

Shiro didn’t move an inch. He was staring so deeply at the demon lord.

Kuro noticed him.

“He must be planning something.” Kuro muttered to herself.

Everybody was waiting for Shiro’s signal to attack. Sweat pouring from their faces, hands that starts shaking. But Shiro’s too focused on staring at the demon lord that he didn’t notice all of that.

Shiro’s eyes were unwavering. His mind thinking about one question.

“How can she sit on the throne if she has wings behind her back?”

“…”

Everyone became silent. They were speechless. But even so, as they look at Sanata, the same question also popped in their head.

“Thinking about less important things before a fight? You really are your father’s son.” Raphael said with a laugh.

Everyone laughed at response.

“Yeah, Shiro-kun has always been like that. But I don’t hate it.” Kuro said while laughing.

“I don’t know that much about him but, he really does some ridiculous things.” Cairn said to them.

“H-Hey, that was just a joke. Don’t take it too seriously.” Shiro said to them.

“Yeah, yeah.” Everyone replied together.

Now that the nervousness is gone, they are all ready for the battle.

Sanata smiled as she watches them.

And then, they looked in front of them with both happiness and determination.

“Let’s end this. And save the world.”

Kuro was the first one to move. She jumped off the ground towards the air. She flew up high that Sanata didn’t even bother looking at her.

Cairn flew slowly towards the center.

He held his hands side to side, closed his eyes, and muttered some words.

“Demonic skill; Demon’s Barrier.”

Everyone became covered in a reddish light.

Raphael and Lucifer nodded at each other and then they ran towards Sanata.

While running, Raphael talked to Lucifer.

“Lucifer, if worse comes to worse.”

“Yeah. I know. I won’t hesitate to use it.”

Lucifer looked at Raphael and smiled.

Raphael knew that Lucifer meant what he said; he will use it, even at the cost of his own life.

“Well then, let’s go.”

Raphael said while raising his right hand, clenches it like he was holding something and then a sword appeared out of nowhere. He then slashed the wind as if he’s slashing something. Raphael then jumped to boost his speed. He prepared to slash Sanata with his sword when—

One sword from the back of the throne instantly pulled itself to strike Raphael. It hit Raphael right exactly at his side. The force of the strike was so strong that it releases gusts of wind and threw Raphael out of Sanata’s face.

“Raphael!”

“Raphael-san!”

Kuro and Lucifer shouted when that happened. But they can’t do anything about it. It happened too fast that it felt like a fly was killed in an instant.

Shiro saw that and noticed that something was going towards Kuro.

He saw it and realized that it was another sword that came from the back of Sanata’s throne.

“KURO, WATCH OUT!”

But Kuro heard Shiro’s warning a little too late.

The sword swung itself so fast that it happened in an instant.

Strong gusts of wind filled the whole battlefield. Everyone was blown away.

That same wind blocked Shiro’s sight. He used his hands to protect his face from the strong winds. And when it stopped, Shiro hurriedly looked at Kuro.

But his eyes widened in surprise.

“She… blocked it?!”

At that same time, something flew in the corner of the battlefield.

It was Raphael.

He landed beside Shiro. With his clothes full of dirt of the ground and his left cloth side open from the strike of that sword.

“Raphael-sensei, you were okay?!” Shiro shouted.

“Yeah, the sword’s strength is nothing to make fun of. But it’s not that fast.”

“It’s not ‘that’ fast? I didn’t even see it happened, just how fast are you talking about?” Shiro asked with confusion in his eyes.

Raphael then looked at Cairn and bowed.

“If it was not for that demon’s barrier, I would have been pulverized.”

Shiro and Raphael then looked at Kuro.

She was still holding her place against the sword.

It’s clear that she’s having problems with it; for its strength is comparable to her.

And then, the sword removed its force; resulting to Kuro’s leaning towards it.

Kuro’s eyes widened; she knew she was going to get hit.

It was then a red laser hit the sword, turning it around.

Kuro took that chance to deal a strong strike to the sword; she put Asmodeus up and slashed it down hard.

A very loud sound of clanking filled the battlefield.

And Kuro was once again surprised by what she saw.

Asmodeus didn’t even manage to scratch that sword.

“These swords…”

“Yeah. They’re strong. As expected of Sanata’s Satanichiel.”

“And there are even five of them, exactly the same number as us. And judging by their power, some of us won’t be able to hold it. What should we do?”

Raphael then stretched his arms.

“Don’t worry. I’ll take four of them. You and the others go and fight Sanata. We don’t have that much time left.”

“Fo-Four?!”

“Yeah. But don’t worry. I have a plan.” Raphael said with a smirk on his face.

Kuro was still fighting the sword that equally matches her strength.

Every blow was enough to release gusts of winds upon them.

“If one sword is this strong, then how strong would Sanata be?” she asked herself.

But it won’t change anything even if she knew the answer. What she need aren’t answers, it is power.

As she continues to exchange blows, she occasionally glances down at Shiro and the others.

She noticed that Raphael started walking slowly towards Sanata, while Shiro was running towards Cairn.

“Hoh?” Sanata exclaimed as she saw Raphael going straight towards her. “What are you planning, angel?”

“I’m not planning on doing any tricks you won’t like. But this one, I know you’ll love it.” Raphael said while he leaned towards Sanata, showing his wings to her.

Sanata’s eyes sharpened and she clicked her fingers.

The other three swords on the back pulled themselves and floated in front of the throne.

Raphael then flew upwards and dodged the swords.

He falls right down Sanata’s head and was about to slash it when the swords deflected his strike.

He breathed in, and casted a skill.

“Light hit!”

His hand started to blur like it was not real; just an image.

The swords started to get hit with consecutive invisible hits.

They tried to strike Raphael but Raphael’s light hit is faster than them.

It was then when he managed to throw off the four swords out of Sanata’s head.

He prepared to slash her but—

“Tch.” Sanata clicked her tongue.

In an instant, the sword that Kuro was fighting dissipated in the air like it was just an illusion. Same goes for the other four.

A large, black sword materialized into Sanata’s hands.

She used it to strike Raphael a millisecond faster.

The red light that covered Raphael was destroyed like glass and Raphael was thrown once again.

When Raphael was hit by Sanata’s sword, Cairn and Shiro both received some damage.

Cairn used a demon skill; it shares the damage taken of an ally towards the others who the caster appointed to.

The damage was so strong that it made both of them kneel in pain. What’s more if you get hit directly without sharing any damage?

After Sanata’s strike, the sword that she held disassembled and formed the five swords once again.

They plunged themselves to the ground in front of her and the battle is once again back to zero.

Kuro went down and helped Shiro to stand.

“Are you okay, Shiro-kun?” she asked while she held Shiro in her arms.

“Y-Yeah. Raph-sensei’s plan worked. We can now advance.”

Kuro tilted her head. “What plan?”

“Ah. About that…”

Shiro turned around and looked towards the place where Raphael was thrown.

They saw Raphael sitting down at the ground.

He coughed off some blood and starts to stand up.

As he did, a smile became visible in his face.

And then he talked.

“I knew it.” Raphael said with a smirk. “You can’t attack while these swords are present. That’s why you took four of them to attack me.”

Sanata didn’t react.

But after a few seconds, she sighed.

“So? What will you do with that little information? Will you be able to kill me now?”

Raphael started to glow in light.

“No…”

Bluish white plates starts to cover his body starting from his back.

“We’re just going to beat the shit out of you.”

“Hmph.”

Sanata created ten swords, hundred swords and pointed all of them towards Shiro and the others.

“I’d like to see you try.”

As she said those, every one of the swords quickly strikes all of them.

“Hm, you’re so impatient, demon lord.” Raphael said as he walks towards all of that.

“Arcana.” The swords closing up until one sword is just an inch from Raphael’s face.

“Sahkiel.”

Everything stopped.

Even that sword in front of Raphael.

As he walks forward, those hundred swords also start going backwards.

“I assume you already knew my arcana, Sanata.”

Sanata impatiently sways her hand, trying to move them out of the sphere without any result.

“It’s time, Sanata.”

“There’s no such thing such as time in my vocabulary.” Sanata said.

When the sphere was removed, the swords were back towards where Sanata is, and Shiro as well as the others are starting to walk towards her.

“Let’s restart; we’re going to be the ones who will attack. Is that okay?” Raphael said as he creates two light swords.

Kuro burned Asmodeus with demon flames, Shiro casted enhance on every part of his body.

Cairn supported them with barriers and enchantments.

And as for Lucifer…

“I have finished scanning those swords. It took me long enough considering searching for every piece of material in this world. But I can’t find it. So, I looked beyond. It seems like they’re made from materials that’s not from this world. So that’s why even Asmodeus can’t even deal any damage.”

Lucifer flew towards Shiro and the others. He also walked towards Sanata while explaining how to deal with those swords.

“Those swords have one weakness. The sun.”

Sanata clicked her tongue.

“So you found it out, huh.”

“Yeah. You control space, that’s why you used materials from it. Dark Matter. That’s what they are made of, right?”

The throne behind Sanata disassembles and covers her body.

“But where can you get a single piece of sunlight inside hell, Lucifer?”

Lucifer held his right hand up, and a yellow-orange sphere appeared.

“Here.”

Sanata’s eyes became full of anger.

She swayed her hands and pointed them towards the Shiro and the others.

The swords quickly followed.

Lucifer then muttered something in his breath.

“Demonic skill; Supernova.”

Rays of light came from the sphere and burned the swords to dust.

Sanata continues on creating swords and Lucifer continues on disintegrating them.

As they walk closer towards Sanata, they start to become serious.

Finally, they can save the world.

Raphael teleported in front of Sanata and slashed her.

Sanata clicked her tongue and let herself fall to the ground, dodging Raphael’s strike.

She then used her wings to stop right before touching the ground and backs away.

Kuro jumped from the side towards Sanata and she slashed up to try and strike Sanata.

Sanata saw her and she lifted her hands up and in an instant, swords appeared from the ground towards Sanata’s side to deflect Asmodeus.

She continues to back away with her wings as the attacks from them continue.

Just before she lands on the ground, the ground breaks and Sanata was almost caught by it.

The broken parts of the ground floated and strikes Sanata from every side.

The rocks covered Sanata’s visage, her body cannot be seen.

That’s Cairn’s Demonic Skill. Earth Binder.

The rocks blew away and Sanata resurfaced. But that was a mistake.

She saw something flew up high.

She looked at it and saw him, the one who’s going to end this all.

Shiro Akashi.

“Light Punch!”

Shiro was clenching his fists that are glowing in white light.

He successfully landed his strike to Sanata’s chest.

But. Something feels wrong.

“You…” Sanata said while her face is darkened.

“Do you think this is enough to beat me?”

She faced Shiro and shouted.

“Demon Lord’s Demonic Skill!”

Raphael realized that she was about to unleash an unknown skill. So he shouted at Shiro who was staring at Sanata like a statue.

“SHIRO, GET AWAY FROM HER!”

Shiro turned around. But he only saw Raphael teleporting in front of him and the others shouting something.

He looked in front of him slowly.

He saw Raphael. Pierced with a large sword in his chest.

“Devil’s Sword.” Sanata said as she releases the sword out of Raphael’s body.

Raphael fell to the ground. Blood oozed from his center.

Shiro’s eyes widened. He couldn’t say anything. Nothing is coming out from his mouth.

And so, the others moved to help him.

Everything becomes slow.

It feels like he’s been moved into a slower world.

Kuro slowly ran towards him. But the floating swords strike her clothes and she became pinned to a large rock.

Cairn was stopped by gravity released by Sanata. He was forcefully pinned to the ground.

Sanata looked back at Shiro who is now kneeling.

“I am the demon lord. There’s no way a mere punch could deal any damage to me. Let alone defeat me.”

She raised her hands and once again the swords formed the devil’s sword.

She pointed it at Shiro’s face and she said,

“I’m disappointed at you. I thought you could finally save me. I was wrong.”

Lightning appeared from behind her.

Azazel surfaced from it.

“Forgive me. I wasn’t able to recover my power fast enough. It was depleted when he took me back to time.”

A demon fell from the sky and landed behind.

It destroyed the ground beneath and left a crater.

It was Alistair.

“My lord.”

And then, what seems like a rift in space appeared and someone came out of it.

It was Montair. He kneeled without saying anything.

Sanata looked at the other parts of the battlefield.

She saw the demons overpowering the allied beings.

As the allied beings saw their leaders fall one by one, their morale has also hit rock bottom.

It was when Sanata looked at Shiro and speaks.

“You vigorously failed on defeating me, Shiro Akashi. You must now face the consequences of challenging me. As well as hindering my plans. Well, it’s not like I put that much faith in you. You’re just a weak kid after all.”

She pointed the sword in Shiro’s head and she pierced him.

Sounds of flesh being tearing apart were heard.

Somewhere in heaven,

An angel is kneeling down in front of the one true creator, God himself.

“So? What do you want?” He asked.

“I’m sure you already know, Father.”

That person laughed as he said, “Yeah. I know almost everything. So, why are you still here?”

“I want to ask for your permission.”

“Permission, huh? Permission for what?”

“I assume you know that too.”

“…”

Michael stands up as he look at Him.

“Give me permission… to give that little sister of yours a good beating.”

“Hah!” He laughed. “Very well. But that’s not all, right?”

“Yes.”

Michael turned his back and releases his wings.

Two almost invisible wings because of their pureness.

“I’ll let you… together with her. I give you permission, my child.”

“Yes. Thank you. I’ll be going now.”

“Yeah. Take care.”

Michael let himself fall down from heaven.

He was nearing the borders of heaven when he gets teleported to where Neptune is.

From there, he flew so fast that he looked like a meteor.

He flew from there towards Earth where the gates of hell is located.

Every single person from the Earth saw that, and they were given hope to live on. Despite the agony that happens to them right now.

Michael…

He entered hell.

“…”

Sanata was speechless. And yet ‘that’ person hinders her again.

And so, she speaks.

“Why do you hinder me so much, Lucifer?”

Lucifer was pierced by the devil’s sword instead of Shiro.

Shiro watched as he saw his own father cough blood onto him.

“Shiro… I’m sorry.”

“Fa…ther…”

“Don’t worry… we’ll be able to save the world. But you have to do one thing, one single thing. Can you do it?”

Sanata removed the sword from Lucifer’s back and he fell down to Shiro’s arms.

“Take this.”

Lucifer gave Shiro a silver orb.

“Your powers… are in here. Take them, and defeat Sanata.”

Shiro didn’t accept it, he didn’t touch that orb. That orb that almost destroyed the whole world years ago.

Lucifer took his hand and put it on top of the orb.

“Don’t worry. Everything will be okay.” He said.

Lucifer’s eyes darkened as he stands up.

His body trembled from intense pain.

And then he said,

“Arcana. Lucifiel.”

Lucifer’s body burned in the flames of hell.

His eyes burned. As he turn around, Sanata’s devil sword melted in seconds.

Sanata’s eyes widened. She quickly went back towards where the others are.

Lucifer walks towards them.

And Shiro heard the last words that came out of his father’s mouth.

“The rest is up to you, my son.”

He shouted with all of his heart.

“Lucifer!!!”

But it didn’t reach him.

Lucifer jumped towards where Sanata was and used all of his power to burn the demon lord away.

Everything went white.

The sign that a great angel has fallen.

The light of hope.

Shiro cried as he held that silver orb.

He looked at where Sanata was.

And he saw her, some of her armor were melted.

But she surely wasn’t dead.

Shiro’s eyes widened.

His body felt limp.

“Even that isn’t enough?”

Sanata catches her breath as she talks.

“That damn Lucifer. He almost killed me.”

She stands up as she look at Shiro with anger.

“Now your father just made your death worse. Prepare for it, Shiro Akashi.”

She grew closer to Shiro.

Shiro held the orb as if it’s his own father’s head.

Sanata raised her hands up and strikes down to Shiro’s head.

Shiro didn’t know what happened but, what he know is that he isn’t dead.

A meteor fell down from the sky.

No, it was an angel.

And it was Michael.

“Am I too late, I wonder?”

He said as he held Shiro in a princess carry.

- End of Chapter 17 -