Both devils awaken

The ship arrived at the port, and the members of the Black Astorm disembarked onto the soft yellow sand. The demon boy handed the rest of the agreed amount to Eugene.

Before leaving, Alex opened a portal to transport Eugene back to his own port. They bid Eugene farewell, and he said, "See you later, you lunatics. Thanks for the terrifying adventure; I'll miss you."

After Eugene left, the demon boy, still exuding arrogance, said, "I sense a village nearby. Let's go and rest at any inn or restaurant there."

Kaio replied, "Yes, we need rest and food to continue our journey."

They headed towards the village. As they approached, the villagers gave them strange looks, and every house they neared had its windows shut, as if the inhabitants feared them or strangers in general. They found an old inn near a church at the edge of the village. The village was old and poverty-stricken, with a metal pole bearing the sign of the red cross.

The team entered the inn and waited for the waiter, but the kitchen was in the middle of the small inn. The cook, indifferent, said, "Serve yourselves."

Saji stepped forward, entered the kitchen, and standing by the window, asked, "What can I get you, gentlemen? Just so you know, we only have fish."

Kaio responded, followed by the Golden Boy, "Give us your best dish, with a fine drink befitting a magnificent team like ours."

The cook went to the pantry, and Saji began preparing their food. However, from afar, a creature with a bloodthirsty hunger emerged from the water and approached them.

Saji finished cooking and served the food. Everyone began eating except the demon boy. The Golden Boy asked why he wasn't eating, but the demon didn't answer, lost in deep thought. Kaio and Fantine praised Saji's culinary skills, calling the food delicious.

The demon boy sensed something approaching with an aura similar to those creatures'. He stood up and said, "I'm going out for a smoke; I'll be back soon." He left, his behavior puzzling everyone since they disembarked from the ship.

Outside, the demon boy lit his cigarette and gazed at the sea, its waves, and the moonlight reflecting on it. He glanced at the church, recalling the torture he endured there and his confrontation with Nizak.

His contemplation was interrupted by the creature, which said in a terrifying voice, "Demon boy... the forbidden books are with you. Hand them over."

Annoyed, the demon boy replied, "It seems I won't rest tonight. If you want the books, come and take them." He pulled out the Book of Weapons and drew a long sword with a bone hilt and a skull. Quickly, he decapitated the creature. His eyes turned blood-red, and he opened his mouth, licking his teeth, saying, "Looks like I've found my special meal."

He began devouring the creature's flesh with a voracious appetite, tearing its meat with his sharp demon teeth. His face changed, showing mad joy as he savored the taste, eating until he was full, his mouth covered in blood, and his expression terrifying as if he had become one of the demons.

A sharp pain pierced his heart, causing him to scream. He clutched his head, also in pain, with a voice in his mind repeatedly saying, "Free me... free me like you did with Alex... free me now."

The demon boy stood motionless, his arrogant tattoos appearing and covering his body. His face changed, and it seemed that the arrogant persona had gained awareness and an individual personality. In a calm, arrogant voice, he said, "Finally, I have control over the boy's body, but it won't last long. His annoying determination can restrain me if he wants, so I must act quickly."

Because of the ominous aura emanating from him and the Book of Weapons, in the depths of the Dead Sea, where moonlight does not reach, at an endless depth where darkness is all that exists, among many corpses of those who drowned and were eaten alive, a black eye with a red pupil opened and began swimming upwards.

Meanwhile, everyone sensed danger. Lianna asked, "Where is that ominous aura coming from? Could it be that the masked one has returned?"

They rushed out to see what was happening, but as soon as they did, the demon boy grabbed the Golden Boy by the neck, saying maliciously, "Get me out of this body. I need you because you witnessed the dance that released Alex. Now, perform that dance and release me."

Quickly, Saji froze the demon boy's leg, and Kaio freed the Golden Boy from his grip. Hiroshi demanded, "Who are you and what have you done to the demon boy?" The response came, "I am Barbary, the Sin of Arrogance. Like Alex, I possess my own consciousness. Unlike that pink fool, I am evil. Now, Golden Boy, use that dance before I start killing you all."

Fantine, confused, asked the Golden Boy, "What dance?" He replied, "A dance from the forbidden book that separates the soul from any person, dividing it into two or more. Alex is the demon boy himself but with a different personality and consciousness, and this one is the same."

Barbary broke the ice and grabbed the Golden Boy again, flying up to the church's roof. He demanded, "Dance now and release me before I kill all your friends."

Everyone rushed to stop him, but a massive demon with wings and tentacles like an octopus, with a terrifying face, emerged, scaring the villagers.

In a loud, terrifying voice that pierced the ears, it said, "Who among you possesses the forbidden books?" Looking at Barbary, it continued, "What do we have here? The demon boy, the representative of sins. It seems the bet is about to end."

Barbary, with arrogance, replied after throwing the Golden Boy off the church, "You must be the King of the Dead Sea, the king of demons and sea nymphs. If you want the books so badly, come and take them from me."

The king rushed forward, shouting, "You arrogant brat! I am the king of the seas." With his massive size and sky-piercing wings, he struck Barbary with his giant hand, causing the church to crumble. Everyone feared Barbary was dead, but they were surprised to find him on one of the rooftops.

Arrogantly, Barbary said, "King? You're just an octopus head."

He swiftly charged at the king, dodging his blows and climbing up his giant hand. From his hand emerged a multitude of monsters, but Barbary drew two swords and ran towards the king's head, cutting through both his hand and the monsters.

Simultaneously, a horde of sea demons led by Kafrid attacked the village. Hiroshi ordered, "Protect the village. I'll help the demon boy." They engaged in battle with the sea demons. Lianna, with her physical strength and sword, cut through the demons as if they were nothing. Suddenly, a giant snake emerged from the sand, attempting to devour her, but Alexander grabbed her, standing in the snake's mouth, trying to keep it open.

He told her, "Don't worry, being fish food is the last thing on my list."

Lianna stabbed the snake's mouth with her sword, causing it to fling them away. The snake burrowed back into the sand, and Alex, holding Lianna, looked at her lovingly, saying, "I won't let anything harm you, but don't be reckless."

Barbary fought fiercely, cutting off all the king's limbs, but the king struck back with a powerful blow that sent Barbary flying, smashing several trees. One tree's trunk pierced his heart.

---

Seeing his friend with a tree trunk through his heart, Hiroshi's anger flared. With all his might, he summoned the giant Avatar and launched massive arrows that pierced the king.

Despite his massive size, the king quickly struck the Avatar with great force, with Hiroshi inside it. The activation of the eye and the blood flowing from it ignited flames on the king's body due to Hiroshi activating the Origami Eye. He shouted in anger, "I won't let you harm my comrades, even if it costs me my life."

Hiroshi shot more arrows that pierced the king's body, but the king healed rapidly. Without wasting time, the waters near the king froze, and sharp ice pillars emerged, also piercing him.

It was Saji, with his blue eyes, showcasing his incredible power. He chanted a spell that enveloped the king in ice, turning him into a frozen statue.

Their joy was short-lived as the king broke free. Alex lay on the soft sand, watching the scene with a smile as if it were a movie.

The king, in his terrifying voice, said, "No one can defeat me. For a thousand years, no one has been able to leave a scratch on me."

He struck Hiroshi, destroying the Avatar and flapping his wings forcefully, sending Saji flying. The Golden Boy, recalling Lilith's words, unleashed his full power.

"What power is this?" he asked. Lilith had told him with a wide, wicked smile, "This power is called the waves. It will give you a tremendous boost in your strength and energy every time you use it. And that's not all; it will also grant you transformations like the demon boy."

"But beware, each time you use your power, your body will suffer damage after the battle. With each use, the damage will increase until the day you die."

Remembering these words and conversations, he activated his new power for the first time. A brilliant golden aura, mixed with darkness, emanated from him.

The king