Asura

Nian jumped down, lightly hitting the ground.

As she walked closer, the pressure on each of the people there got stronger.

『...I see.』[Nian]

Ferrel was the only person unaffected, but it seemed like he was already injured somehow.

『You are… Asura, correct?』[Ferrel]

Everyone from Sarena's group of friends began to shake, whispering to each other.

『...Asura?! We've heard of her before, right?!』[Sarena]

『...Right. She's one of the strongest members of the Cardinal Sins, and the most mysterious by far.』[Hanzo]

Derenne curled her fingers up, tightening her fist.

『She's the one that uses Deific Manifestation abilities… If she's like me or Rai… we're in a lot of trouble...』[Derenne]

Her legs began to shake.

『...Reagan said that if we ever came across someone on their level, we'd be lucky to get away..』[Hanzo]

He grit his teeth.

『...It was supposed to be rhetorical… What kind of mission did we sign up for..?!』[Hanzo]

Ferrel faced Nian, on his guard.

『...I am here for the children. Nothing more, nothing less.』[Nian]

Ferrel formed a few knives and held them in between his fingers.

『...I can't let you take them away. Not after all we've been through.』[Ferrel]

Nian shook her head in disappointment.

『...Then, so be it.』[Nian]

She lowered her stance, as if she was ready to lunge at him.

Suddenly, Ferrel's necklace shone, causing her to freeze up.

Edwin's voice came out of it.

『Ferrel. We're sending help.』[Edwin]

Nian lurched forward and reached her hand out for the necklace.

Ferrel quickly used his hands to push her arm to the side while jumping in the direction opposite of her arm moving.

『You seem to be in a panic. Did something scare you?』[Ferrel]

Before Ferrel could completely get away, she pushed her hand to the ground and flipped herself upside down, kicking him before reverting to a normal standing position.

『Nngh?!』[Ferrel]

She put her hand to her face as fast as she could.

『...You shouldn't have forced my hand.』[Nian]

An ominous dark mixture of blue, green, black, and purple swirled around before coalescing into a dark mask.

She overlaid the mask on top of her mask, replacing the blank one with a demonic blank looking one.

The mask emanated waves of power, eventually cracking and breaking the other mask, just by being in the presence of the dark one, which was slowly filling out with details.

Before long, the presence of the mask made everyone nearby feel a chilling feeling of encroaching death.

The overwhelming aura became even stronger, making everyone nearby even struggle to breathe, not to mention move.

Of course- this included Yudola and Nezha.

『D..Damn it, Asura! What the hell are you doing?!』[Nezha]

『Le...Let me create more art! Hold… Hold THEM down! Not me!』[Yudola]

She glanced over at the two of them.

『I am here for you two. Nothing more.』[Nian]

The chunks of the other mask hit the floor, indicating the finishing of the mask.

Resting on Nian's face was a horrifying darkly colored face of a demon that emanated "wrath".

Mariya shook where she was sitting.

『...T..T..Tha..That..?! What… is THAT?!』[Mariya]

In an instant, she vanished from Ferrel's vision.

Before anyone nearby could tell, a trailing purple spark flew from where she was to where Ferrel was.

She appeared in front of him, with her fist in his gut.

『Yaksha.』[Nian]

A dark purple lightning bolt pierced through his body, breaking his mana shield as well.

『DAD!』[Sarena]

『...This… ability..?!』[Ferrel]

He backed up a bit, clutching at his gut.

『...Damn… This wasn't supposed to be this high level of a mission…!』[Ferrel]

Dark blood spilled from his mouth.

『...Impossible…! That attack from her ate his mana..!』[Mariya]

Nian stood still, seeing if he had enough.

『The dark blood exiting your body represents blood that has been purged of the mana inside of it. If you do not step aside, the floor will be covered in this blood.』[Nian]

Hanzo was freaking out a bit here.

『...Oi, oi. Derenne, is.. Is that a full Manifestation?』[Hanzo]

Derenne shook her head.

『...It's a partial one. She could probably keep that up forever...』[Derenne]

Hanzo stared at her, open jawed.

Ferrel, on the other hand, didn't back down.

『...You think I have a choice here?』[Ferrel]

He brushed the blood off of his face.

『Verita-』[Ferrel]

He was sent flying, without Nian even moving an inch.

Mariya stared at Nian in fear.

『Wh...What just came out of her..?!』[Mariya]

The others stared at Nian, but kept what Mariya said in mind.

『...Something came out of her…?』[Sarena]

『I don't see anything… Will Ferrel be okay..?!』[Derenne]

However, the truth began to manifest.

A purple phantasm formed nearby, standing where Ferrel used to be.

It slowly faded into existence, color filling it, until it turned into a woman with mid length black hair wearing a simple black cloak.

Mariya seemed immensely uncomfortable.

『...Sarena. Can you look at her eyes? What color are they?』[Mariya]

Sarena was caught off guard with this question, but she tried to look at it through Nian's mask.

『...It's orange, but there is some purple swirling around.』[Sarena]

Mariya began to tremble.

『...This is.. Two on one...』[Mariya]