Batenkaitos, who had started to “consume” Felt’s name, suddenly vomited.

Writhing in agony, the demeanor of “Gluttony” was genuine. Even though it wasn’t an actual object he ate, it seemed the act of vomiting twisted his stomach.

Such an utterly pointless thought surfaced in this bizarre scene.

“Dammit, that hurts… What the hell…”

Felt rose, nursing her pushed chest, her body covered in scrapes. Her expression reflected irritation and discontent, but she appeared to be suffering no catastrophic injuries.

Beatrice, caught at the edge of her vision, had not forgotten Felt.

“Gluttony’s meal has failed.”

“Cough, hack, ugh!”

“I don’t know why… but this is a great opportunity!”

With stomach acid spilling from his mouth, Dainas launched a surprise attack on Batenkaitos, who had completely lost his focus on the battlefield.

The two blades danced and were ruthlessly slammed into Batenkaitos.

The glint of a small dagger advanced toward his unprotected neck—

“Gyaaah!”

A voice like a beast’s roar erupted as Batenkaitos evaded the blade with a martial maneuver.

He lost some hairs to the strike, yet his skin remained intact. In a frantic whirl, “Gluttony” spun its petite body and escaped the area of attack.

“Merchant!”

“I got it, okay?!”

Responding to Beatrice’s call, Otto swung his right arm. Two magic stones were tossed from his sleeve, striking Batenkaitos, who just barely managed to evade.

In an instant, light erupted; the surge of magical power blasted him away—but Batenkaitos responded with astonishing reflexes.

“Humaan!”

As the swelling light threatened to engulf him with destructive force, Batenkaitos activated magic, encasing the exploding magic stones in ice.

The blast of the magic stone lost its force, ultimately tumbling to the ground as just an ice block. It was a super-high technique that interrupted the spell with a swift magic wave.

Such a feat was likely accomplished by one of the “names” Batenkaitos had consumed up till now. The thought of some skilled individual being swallowed and forgotten in his depths is enough to make one sick.

However, those sentiments were secondary.

What mattered here was—

“Hah! That was close, close… but I pulled through!”

Kicking the ice encasing the magic stones away, Batenkaitos laughed. He spat out the remaining stomach acid and wiped his mouth with his arm, tilting his head.

His murky eyes now looked at Felt, who was checking her injuries by moving her arms and legs. Upon noticing Batenkaitos looking at her, Felt snorted.

“What’s your problem? I’m just as ticked off at you!”

“Oh, don’t be ridiculous! I’m amazed, really! I misjudged you by your appearance and thought you were lacking in brains!”

“What are you rambling about…?”

“I never expected you to have the cunning to use a pseudonym against us. You completely fooled me! I had thought I’d avoid gobbling up the ‘name’ until I’d gotten to the bottom of this… but who would have thought you’d turn that against me?”

“——-”

Upon hearing the word “pseudonym,” Felt fell silent.

Her frown indicated a reaction from someone receiving unexpected information. It seemed she had no clue what Batenkaitos was referring to.

Meanwhile, Beatrice, who had been listening, understood the reason behind Batenkaitos’s failed “meal”.

Batenkaitos possessed the authority to devour the “names” of humans upon touching them, but it had to be a proper name for that power to work.

Pseudonyms or nicknames would not suffice.

Since Felt’s name alone failed to satisfy the conditions for “consuming,” Batenkaitos ended up suffering sorely from it.

In that case—

“Having two people over there without names, both of whom he decided to devour… troublesome, huh?”

The completely nameless Otto and the presumably pseudonym-holding Felt.

The already known Dainas and Beatrice were no longer any obstacles to Gluttony’s behavior, which was irksome, but if he continued to pride himself on “gourmet” eating, there might be gaps to exploit.

“Hey! If you keep yapping in silence like that, what’s your excuse?”

Beatrice, pondering, and Batenkaitos, glaring, intersected with Otto and Dainas also waiting for a chance to strike; it was Felt who raised her voice.

Irritated that decisions were made without her notice, she pointed the Meteor at Batenkaitos.

“Pseudonyms and whatnot, don’t be ridiculous. I’ve spent fifteen years living as Felt, the name Old Man Rom gave me. There’s no way that’s a lie!”

“You really have no awareness of a pseudonym, huh? Well, your foster parent must’ve done a hell of a job. It’s troubling for us, but… in short, there’s definitely a proper name assigned to you before that.”

“The name my lousy parents tossed aside in the alley? It must be ‘ nuisance’ or ‘useless eater’ or ‘trash.’ You plan on gobbling it up like that, huh?”

“Wild guesses like that go against the principles of a gourmet! Ah, wait a sec!”

Showing her sharp canines, Batenkaitos clapped his hands while sizing up Felt from head to toe.

“After devouring everyone else, I’ll keep you safe for later! Then we’ll go meet Old Man Rom, who gave you your pseudonym. He might know your true name. You can trust us to extract what we need!”

“… You’re really going out of your way for this, huh? Isn’t there an option to just give up?”

Before Batenkaitos could finish his perceived bleak plan, Otto interjected unwittingly. Upon hearing this, Batenkaitos brought his hand to his mouth, letting out a delightful hum.

“If there are a limited number of lives in this world, then the precious number of delicacies is also limited! That’s why we won’t let any chance to encounter rare delicacies pass us by! Gluttony! Stuff our faces! Sip and savor, lick every drop of sauce from the plate. Oh, and don’t worry, you’re not an exception, my friend!”

Batenkaitos’s gaze firmly locked onto the four left in the area.

His fixation on the “meal” was incomprehensible to those who regarded Beatrice’s and her companions as “gourmets.” There was nothing more than the fact that they had caught the attention of this relentlessly tenacious nuisance.

And this blasphemer’s desire for food drew Felt’s unbridled fury.

“That’s how it is. If we don’t do something soon, you plan to even target Old Man Rom!”

Felt spoke in a quiet voice, shaking her feet.

The shoes she wore slipped off, and she quickly lost the other one as well. Barefoot now, she stepped onto the cobblestones, rolled the Meteor aside, and drew her dagger.

“……? I don’t get it, Felt. Isn’t that your trump card?”

“Rather than rely on tools I’m not used to, this is easier. It’s not something to obsess over. The best tool is the one you can use easily!”

With her bare feet gripping the ground, in the next moment, Felt shot forward, propelled by an unseen force. The speed of engagement was like the wind in the blink of an eye.

Caught off guard, Batenkaitos widened his eyes and forgot his composure against the blade raised to meet him. He swung his arm, dodging, and drew upon martial techniques buried in his memory to counterattack.

“Get outta here!”

Felt’s bare feet delivered a speed that surpassed that of an ordinary nimble girl.

It was undoubtedly supported by a power greater than human capabilities—meaning it possessed some form of blessing. The short blade glinted repeatedly as she managed to hold her ground against Batenkaitos’s swordsmanship.

Of course, his skill far outclassed hers, but it was precisely Dainas’s support that kept Felt from being overwhelmed.

“Don’t take too many risks with your precious body!”

“Quit nagging, old man! Get with it!”

Dainas wielded both blades skillfully, attempting to block Gluttony’s retaliatory openings. During this, Felt maneuvered to Sneak behind Gluttony and suddenly ambushed him, resulting in the clash of steel and sparks flying as the three shadows entwined.

Once again, it was a chaotic skirmish that lacked a decisive blow.

Yet this time, one was carefully prepared outside the chaos.

“Cast this spell… and let’s let it rip!”

“Both of you, get away!”

While being kept at bay, she took her time assembling a single spell.

Usually, this process wouldn’t require such effort, but the unnecessary filters added a layer of caution.

After putting in that much effort, it finally took shape.

“——-”

Following Otto’s shout, Felt and Dainas distanced themselves from Batenkaitos’s side. Gluttony reached out instinctively to Felt, but with the preparations to devour her “name” far from complete.

“Let go!”

Shaking off the rough grip on her ankle, Felt leaped back, landing heavily on one foot. Dainas, doubling back, left Gluttony alone in Beatrice’s targeting line.

With that, Beatrice completed her magic; it required “one thousand” power to successfully activate.

The glow of purple erupted as light expanded, forming a circle around Batenkaitos. He looked up, taken aback at what was occurring, yet his response came too late.

Rather than prepare a defense, fleeing with abandon would be the way to go.

“——-!”

The radiant ring quickly constricted, trapping Batenkaitos’s torso and arms within. As the upper body of “Gluttony” was restrained, the light ring linked together to encapsulate further.

If the entirety of his body was encased by this light ring, there would be no escaping the might of “Uru-Minia.”

The crystallizing violet light slammed against Batenkaitos’s upper body, then cascaded down to his lower body, collapsing upon the now motionless “Gluttony.”

And with an audible crack in the atmosphere, a huge burst of purplish brilliance arose over the head of this defiled being, directing its point toward Batenkaitos.

The power of “Uru-Minia,” which served to bind and crush.

Beatrice unleashed the totality of her technique in urgency, showering destruction upon Batenkaitos.

“——!”

The beastly roar heard fell silent, drowned beneath the power of the destructive violet light.

The tremendous force sent the cobblestones soaring, and the explosive winds enveloped the plaza in light and smoke, making the skirt of Beatrice’s dress flutter violently.

“Did we do it?!”

“Did we actually do it?!”

“Is he finished?!”

In the windstorm, the three ducked and raised their voices simultaneously.

In the core of the explosion, Batenkaitos had no means to evade. If he took this hit directly, his physical form would vanish without leaving so much as a bone fragment—

“But it isn’t over yet!”

——At least, not if he had taken a direct hit.

Beatrice raised her voice, warning her companions as the faces of the three who let out their triumphant cries darkened. It wasn’t difficult for Beatrice to catch on to this blunder.

It was all about sensation.

“—Four left.”

The great magic stone she had tucked away in her pocket shattered, just as it was set to finish off Batenkaitos.

They had managed to activate the spell, yet it lacked a sufficiently advantageous position to unleash its full effect. The radiant light could not burn away Gluttony, and his body—

“I might’ve gotten a bit anxious there!”

“——!”

Bursting through the haze, Batenkaitos leaped toward Beatrice from a low crouch. He had likely deduced who should be disposed of first amidst the magical might.

Though Beatrice was technically a highly skilled magic-user, she was still a common young girl, moving as one would expect of her youthful appearance.

Unable to match the martial prowess that Batenkaitos possessed in close combat, Beatrice reacted to this close encounter, immediately utilizing her third magic stone.

“—Muuraku!”

Just before Batenkaitos’s hand could reach her, Beatrice’s incantation barely managed to preempt his movements.

Her outstretched fingertip was so determined as to ensure no interruption spared Beatrice a way out. Yet once again, it fell short.

In the moment it grazed her dress, Beatrice’s body was blasted backward, resembling a leaf caught in the wind as it swayed.

“—!?”

The spell Beatrice chanted, “Muuraku,” meddled with gravity. It was a Dark Magic that affected the force pulling her body toward the ground and her own weight, all to give her the momentary relief of zero gravity.

Seriously—she was almost floating, launched away like she had been struck by an outstretched fingertip.

“Wh-What the—!?”

Beatrice’s figure was flung from Batenkaitos, who hastily tried to pursue her only to find the ridiculous thundering footsteps behind him.

As he swung a dagger behind him, attempting to slice the unwelcome intruder, his attack merely air-sliced. This was because at that moment, there was no one amid those sounds, and—

“Just the likes of Garfiel or ‘Gut Hunter’ keeps getting involved!”

Using a wind magic trick to “muffle” his footsteps, Otto sent another magic stone towards Batenkaitos, who was now suddenly facing away.

The thermal wave from the exploding magic stone slammed into Batenkaitos’s bare back and swept him away this time, without defense.

“Now it’s really over!”

Rumbling through the plaza, Batenkaitos rolled over, limbs sprawled out. Dainas, poised to deliver the final blow with his dual swords, prepared to unleash—

“——!”

The downed boy muttered something in a low voice.

Whether it was a plea for mercy or words of regret, Dainas did not falter. For him, skirmishes over lives were harshly contested outcomes.

In that regard, there was no room for whether the target was an adult or a child; lamenting mattered little. Such sentiments were merely emotions available to those who survived.

Logical as it was, Dainas lacked any hesitation in his movement—yet still could not help but harbor doubt.

In that instant, Batenkaitos’s whisper sounded distinctly:

—“Eclipse,”

“—Huh?”

At that precise moment, Dainas’s limbs suddenly erupted, spewing blood.

Deeply embedded in each limb was a dagger, precisely gouging his tendons, signifying an utter loss of functionality.

To be clear, this meant total incapacitation as Dainas fell to the ground.

“A-Argh!?”

His face collided with the cobblestones, and something heavy stomped down on his head. The force crushed his nose against the stones, leaving Dainas’s consciousness a haze.

Dainas lay motionlessly, flattening out against the stones, while Batenkaitos kicked him aside and slowly turned to face Otto.

“… Ah.”

This murky gaze had not been the first encounter.

Even so, Otto found himself ensnared at once by that polluted gaze.

The swirling insanity and resentment therein were shades darker than before.

“——-”

It occurred in an instant.

As Otto blinked, distance closed in on him; not realizing it until Batenkaitos had drilled daggers into both of his thighs.

What had happened was that the blades sliced straight through, like a peeling of fruit, stripping away his pants and skin.

Underneath, the exposed red layer of flesh mingled with pink muscle, all the white nerves and bones beneath unscathed while Otto choked on an outlandish sensation.

He felt shock. He had never witnessed such a beautiful technique.

Not a drop of blood was shed—no, not a single droplet. It was a true display of masterful blade handling that beautifully obliterated the human body.

“——-”

Crouching down, Batenkaitos pressed his lips against the wound. The coarse touch of his tongue skimmed through every vital part of Otto’s foot beneath the skin.

The sensation of muscle, bone, blood vessels, and nerves being licked sent tremors through him, and the next moment, unbearable disgust and sharp pain flooded his mind.

“A-Aaaahhhh—!?”

No blood flowed, leaving him utterly bewildered.

Only the pain persisted. In place of bleeding, the naked nerves were caressed by a humid gust while his muscles felt as if they were being methodically peeled with a needle, producing a horror of pain.

His vision flickered and his mind exploded. His senses of understanding refused to grasp the pain, and his throat trembled as he screamed like he was coughing up blood, his immobile legs unable to quake.

Amidst Otto’s horrified screams, Batenkaitos looked down at him with a tilted head. Long, dark brown hair slid down his shoulders, and “Gluttony” let out a weary exhale.

“I thought I was just taking a break, but look at this mess. Gourmet or gluttony, I don’t care about any of it… Honestly, no one outside of us seems to understand what a meal is at all.”

All that manic laughter and behavior tucked away, he spoke with a particularly enlightening tone.

Batenkaitos shook his head slowly, acting almost self-deprecatingly—but then his expression radically shifted.

“Don’t say it like that! Sure, I did get distracted for a bit, but I still found a feast fit for Lui!”

With a grin revealing his fangs, Batenkaitos swiveled his gaze toward Beatrice. At the sight of his gaze and Otto’s dismal state, the two girls instinctively gasped, but glancing at their responses, Batenkaitos’s face turned vacant and lethargic again.

“That may not be too bad, but… securing the vessels is top priority. Besides, I’ve not even gotten through the Gospel’s scriptures.”

“You might not see it, but the one inside us is the one telling us what’s what. I think that’s Beatrice over there, probably. If we can make it through, it’ll be prime time for both mind and body to satiate ourselves!”

Looking right and left, Batenkaitos seemed to self-query, projecting that inquiry in a manner for all to see.

It was as if he was conversing with another entity residing within him.

Indeed, it was a possibility.

The blasphemer who devoured names, Rai Batenkaitos, indeed housed countless souls. If that being wields the power to converse or reach a consensus, it would elucidate even this grotesque memetic dialogue.

“In any case, are you feeling up to this, kid?”

“Huh? Just make sure you’re not trembling, you little squirt.”

They hurled jabs at one another, as Beatrice and Felt exchanged understanding looks. They peered into each other’s eyes, confirming neither of their fighting spirits had waned.

Felt snorted and pointed to a corner of the plaza.

Beatrice, verifying the scattered items there, grasped her intent.

“… They’ll probably come after Beatrice next. I’ll slow them down.”

“Are you sure you can do that? I’m way better at distractions…”

“I can’t exactly depend on someone who’ll hurl twice like an idiot. Besides, the one deciding who needs to be dealt with is something Beatrice can’t handle by any stretch. You’ve got to do this!”

Felt exhibited a contemplative air in response to Beatrice’s proposal but soon knit her brows together as she scratched her blonde hair, exclaiming, “Aah!”

Then she directed a fist at Beatrice.

“Don’t mess it up, squirt.”

“Cuz you better be on your game too!”

Without any rejoinder, they both cast muffled insults and plunged into battle.

As Beatrice’s discussion culminated, Batenkaitos’s self-reflection came to a nearly simultaneous end. In the event Dainas’s and Otto’s combat powers were fully revived, Beatrice felt no confidence to confront them directly head-on.

“So, are you ready yet, Beatrice?”

“I’d say I’m not, but I’ll get some grace if I say that. If not, questioning seems pointless.”

“Exactly! Then let’s try again—Itadakimasu!”

Straightforwardly, Batenkaitos charged toward Beatrice, moving in a direct line. His speed, while significant, lacked the sort of nightmarish edge it held previously. Still, it was a considerable threat to Beatrice. The disadvantage in close combat had not changed.

Therefore, Beatrice’s key domain as a dark mage lay in avoiding direct conflict.

“Here I go!”

With his hands on the ground, Batenkaitos rotated his body as he sped downwards. His heel came crashing down dangerously from above, striking with force upon Beatrice’s crown.

“Not happening!”

Just in time, Beatrice’s body swayed backward from the winds preceding the kick. As the effect of “Muuraku” persisted, she safeguarded herself against the pressure, propelling her upward.

Liberated from gravity, her young body effortlessly floated away.

Expertly flipping her dress, Beatrice was whisked aloft by the gusts.

“Well done! But this is too easy!”

Batenkaitos lunged upward, swiftly returning to air, and as he maneuvered himself, he attempted to seize Beatrice in mid-flight.

With the precision and ferocity akin to how a predator snags its prey, his finger tips were set to grip Beatrice. However, at that moment, she too had leaped away, testament to having leapt into the air.

Given the limited remaining ammo for his spells, hitting her would be the primary concern.

As Batenkaitos rushed toward Beatrice from below, she faced him palm-first and conjured her most practiced spell over her long lifespan—her most relied upon magic over the last year.

In other words—

“Shamaku!!”

The magic stone shattered at her hip, and in response to her incantation, a dark mist erupted—Batenkaitos charged forward, his head plunging directly into its depths, leading him to an unfathomable space.

“Whahhh—!?”

As the darkness latched on, Batenkaitos fell helplessly to the cobblestones below. In a state of immobility, one would expect it would last long, yet “Shamaku’s” effects did not last an eternity.

Currently, Beatrice’s hand was held with a single unspent magic stone that wouldn’t deal a fatal blow.

“Ahh! You’re pulling off a good show, Beatrice! You’re fighting just like that person, trying to mimic him… Did you imbibe that inspiration from them?!”

Batenkaitos wriggled from the dark mist, circling around and revealing his fangs. He scanned the plaza until his gaze fixated on Beatrice, making that declaration.

In the memories of the girl residing within him, there was no scene of Beatrice standing side by side with Subaru. Therefore, even when scourging her efforts in this fight, he could not perceive how this carried any significant weight.

“Let’s pull out the last of the magic out of the way!”

Sifting past any sentimentality, Beatrice set her palm toward Otto, who lay next to her. Utilizing the last magic stone, she channeled healing waves to Otto’s wounds.

Total healing was still far off, but at least the agonizing pain should have receded. After turning over tear-stained, heaving breaths, Otto began to sputter.

“How does resurrecting this useless guy help us now?!”

“You’ll see!”

Beatrice shot back at Batenkaitos who ridiculed her for expending one of her magic stones.

As she retorted back, Batenkaitos felt mighty vexed as something coiled around his left foot, biting down hard.

Something gnawed tightly on his left leg as a curtain of blood arose, causing Batenkaitos to falter in his stance.

Glancing down at his own foot in disbelief, his eyes widened.

“Huh!?”

Surprise bloomed at the incomprehensible, as there lay a blood-soaked water dragon.

The water dragon, having previously fallen out of combat, plowed ahead with fervent determination, chomping down at Batenkaitos.

It was a use for the third of five magic stones.

The first had been spent on what worked but ultimately resulted in failure. The second, for emergency evasion, while the third had now restored the ailing water dragon.

The fourth was used for “Shamaku,” while the fifth was meant to alleviate Otto’s anguish.

Those were Beatrice’s five moves in total, all designed to achieve victory.

“Ughh! Oh, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts!”

Shouting to the point of his voice cracking, Otto suppressed his pained cry within calls to the water dragon.

Upon receiving healing immediately after, he quickly grasped the need for his own senses to howl back in despair.

“This is bad! You’re not supposed to go around thanking me!”

Acclaimed rare praise unsurprisingly showered down on Beatrice from Otto as he acknowledged her. Simultaneously, in front of them, Batenkaitos tore away from the water dragon’s bite, straining to lift himself off the ground and tried to regain balance.

Earnestly, all responses quickly found themselves too late in responding to the trump cards in play.

“—Full preparation now. You did well, kid.”

Triumphant sounds echoed while the firm voice of Meteor thudded against the ground.

Setting himself, Felt drew the staff once more as its tip glimmered toward Batenkaitos. In her grasp, Meteor glinted faintly, and its residual backlash hurtled outward, unleashing its exciting turmoil.

As the white shroud fell away, the outcome revealed a long, pure white staff.

The length of the handle was almost comparable to that of a spear; it bore no intricate designs, nor was there a noteworthy mechanism intricately interwoven within.

This completely practical creation exemplified creator’s spirit.

It did not seek value beyond that of a tool, a reflection of the spirit of the witch Echidna.

“Mother…”

Although Beatrice had never witnessed Echidna wield that staff, she understood its objective and its power.

It was devised as a tool for aggravating the divine dragon Volcanica— a weapon capable of affecting the godly dragon.

Nevertheless, several conditions needed to be fulfilled for usage.

Those requirements made it tough to use, and even with the user’s issue, it was notably challenging to unleash all of its infinite capacity—

“Now then, savor the power that should work against Reinhardt!”

In a condition that met all its necessities, with Felt fully replenished in mana, high expectations accompanied her.

As she firmly gripped it, Meteor eagerly absorbed the mana, storing it to ridiculous limits, while the light gathering at its tip aligned itself with Batenkaitos.

“—!”

Even Batenkaitos could not maintain his composure in the face of that formidable power.

Recognizing the potential of imminent death, he promptly struck the snout of the water dragon binding his feet with his blade. The moment the dragon’s grip loosened, he withdrew, lacerated by the injury yet swiftly retreated.

In that instant, Meteor flared with an intensified brightness.

“Go—!!”

Flashing forth from Meteor’s tip, light swelled as it burst forth toward Batenkaitos.

Immediately evading the water dragon’s hold, Batenkaitos rolled away from its incoming wave and desperately tried to ride the optimal escape trajectory. Alas, the light collided with its target—just before impact, the trajectory spiraled.

“N-No!?!”

As Gluttony desperately escaped, the lighting shot forth relentlessly, bending around corners to reacquire its target.

That was the strongest trait of the magic weapon “Meteor,” born of Echidna’s crafting.

The constant tracking function established toward the designated target, destined to fulfill the intent behind Echidna’s purpose of tormenting the divine dragon Volcanica with relentless endeavors.

Should Echidna, with her obsessive nature, create weaponry solely for “aggravation,” it was only fitting that such tools would come without compromise.

Thus this magic tool resolved to unerringly pursue its target without fail.

“Damn it, then what about this!?”

Frustrated and cornered by the unrelenting trajectory of the spherical light, Batenkaitos retaliated, swelling with magic power; an icy chill enveloped his surroundings.

Multiple ice pillars sprouted, launching ferociously toward the infallible light while a storm of bullets hurled toward the white brilliance—but such resistance was in vain.

Just before impact, those ice pillars reverted back to mana, disintegrating into crystals before being consumed by the light.

Moreover, the orb enveloped in pure brilliance absorbed the contiguous magical defenses aiming for it, augmenting its purpose and scale as it veered toward its target.

“Damn it, this… this!”

Tumbling, Batenkaitos evaded the trajectory, cursing in frustration. Nonetheless, his left foot remained severely wounded, stunting his jumps.

Should he have been agile, it might have been possible to draw the light away to threaten Beatrice and her allies, or even target Felt herself, but not even a fraction of strength remained.

Eventually, the radiant light encircled Batenkaitos, sealing off his escape routes, serenely encasing “Gluttony’s” body within the power of destruction—

“This trivial farce, for us, for me—!”

“Shut up and quickly sever that eclipse!”

In the moment of impact, Batenkaitos’s miserable cry collided with an exceedingly icy voice, and the light erupted.

“——–!”

Blinding brilliance surged forth at the very heart of the plaza, creating what would amount to the largest crater thus far.

The blossoming light coated the world in white, and the expanse swallowed up before them faded as if devoid of color.

Surgically, the circular cusp of the plaza had gouged its way to the waterway now flowing through it.

Yet—

“Goodness, I swear. Having such awful siblings really creates troubles.”

Alongside the chaotic destruction hid a shadow peering into the water channel.

With long, dark brown hair trailing down, it was none other than Rai Batenkaitos himself, battered and bruised.

By what means he evaded that orb of light’s onslaught, one could only ponder—but what was truly shocking was not the evasion itself.

“Just what… does this mean?”

Beatrice’s murmurs weren’t driven by disbelief that the attack missed.

In the first place, this wasn’t a question of whether or not the attack hit. It was certain the light blast would aim squarely for Batenkaitos, and no other.

Thus, it was reasonable that the bulking man with his back turned wouldn’t be struck. The issue stood in how he had appeared at that very moment.

“Is that… Gluttony?”

With strained discomfort, Otto peered up from his incapacitated position, expressing what they were both witnessing.

Beatrice might have wished to deny it, but for now, she had no words to argue against this fact. While she felt stilled in silence, the enormous man turned back towards them at that instant.

What stood there was no match for Batenkaitos’s visage; instead, a burly and stern face gazed back at them.

Approaching what could have been forty, nothing about this anatomy had any links to that blasphemous entity. Elevating her narrowed eyes, Beatrice saw him place his palm against his shadowy features, while—

“There’s really no need to look so perplexed. We just did this.”

His tone, surprisingly feminine, contradicted his appearance, answering as he swiftly cut through his long hair with a swift hand.

Locks of hair flew and scattered, at that moment Beatrice registered just how the light orb had successfully evaded.

The tracking of “Meteor” established connectivity with the target definitively intended for impact.

Considering the destructive power behind it, if it struck any piece of him, it could easily engulf the entirety of his being.

That point had been completely wrong-footed.

The robust man, undoubtedly Batenkaitos, severed his hair and prompted Batenkaitos to have that light guess “a contact between body parts.”

In an almost reckless manner, he dashed away from the attack zone, escaping unscathed.

Such a ploy could have collapsed mid-execution, but on this occasion, it bore fruit beyond measure.

Originally, to compel “Meteor” to set a target, it was necessary to align a focus indicative of the target.

With the best method involving the linkage to the target’s odor or gate, this time stuffed hair served as an emergency substitute, drawing the light off target alongside it.

“——–”

Entering that realm of thought, Beatrice fully perceived how dire this situation was.

To think the trump card “Meteor” would be escaped in such a manner… she had never envisioned it. All magic stones had been reserved, with only one left for her personal use, secretly intended for Pack.

Otto and the mercenaries lay impotent, while Felt, still drained of mana, had crumpled down, struggling to breathe forte.

Completely hopeless—such an idea drifted into her mind, yet Beatrice shook her head in dismay.

Acceptance of defeat ought come only once she had traversed death’s door. Much like Subaru sought opportunity amid desperate situations, she too must navigate through.

Therefore Beatrice regained her composure and turned her glare towards the imposing man confronting her.

Startled, Batenkaitos widened his eyes as her stare bore into him. Then, he set a hand upon his waist and spread out his other hand to cover his face. “Heh, heh, you’re good, really good, you’re one to watch out for… so we too will see that you hold ‘value’ for us to ‘consume.'”

“—!”

Before she could retort against Batenkaitos’s ribald words, a transformation fell upon his body. Bones cracked in loud relief, seeping achingly crimson from his veins as the bulging man began to wither.

From the gaping new wounds bled freely as he barely regained the form of a boy, all while maintaining a mad grin. With another guttural growl, he turned back towards Beatrice, arms raised wide in naive delight.

“We are known as the Archbishop of Sin ‘Gluttony’—Louis Arnebe.”

“Louis…?”

That should’ve been Rai Batenkaitos’s name.

Suddenly thwarted by this unfamiliar identity, Beatrice furrowed her brows in confusion, as at that moment, it unfolded—Batenkaitos powered on his right foot, fiercely striking the ground.

Ready to act, Beatrice braced herself, but “Gluttony” soared to the plaza’s edge, gathering torn rags to drape over his marred skin.

On top of that,

“Regrettably, that’ll be all for today. Both Rai and Roy have exhausted their strength. Beyond this, hindrance to birthing would be insurmountable. Till next time, lovely girl.”

“—! You think I’ll let you escape?!”

“Quit acting tough. I can’t properly utilize ‘Devour’ in this form, but I could wipe everyone out akin to a clean sweep. There’s no need for that, though, as the feast has yet to set.”

As Beatrice attempted to advance, Batenkaitos thwarted her forward movement by shaking his finger.

With a confidence that reeked of femininity—nay, the truth, Batenkaitos currently embodied a woman perhaps. Something unfathomable in his core stirred.

Beatrice faltered, disgust and dread tethering her feet in place.

“Neither ‘Gourmet’ Rai nor Roy grasp anything. After all, the essence of a meal is not what you consume, but who you share it with.”

“———”

“See ya later! Next time, be sure to bring someone precious along with you.”

“Bait—”

Before she could finish calling, Batenkaitos slipped into the shadows of the plaza and vanished from sight. In this state of urgency, Beatrice could not pursue; the injured sides and they both remained helpless.

Chasing Batenkaitos into advantageous territory would be recklessly unwise.

As soon as the trump card “Meteor” was neutralized, this conclusion was inevitable.

“… It seems I have indeed underestimated…”

While stifling an outburst, Beatrice surveyed her surroundings.

Otto, battling pain, faded into unconsciousness alongside the mercenaries and Felt’s servant, while Felt herself bore an expression of regret, ready to collapse at any moment.

And Beatrice herself was no exception.

Responding to Kiritaka’s desperate plea, it was primarily a stroke of luck that no casualties occurred on this battlefield.

In every possible future—

“Perhaps I can’t even boast about being held by Subaru…”

A prey they had let slip through their fingers—deep within Rai Batenkaitos remained the slumbering soul of a girl.

Holding onto that certainty, Beatrice fairly pondered what she should say to Subaru.

With a heavy heart, Beatrice set forth toward the dazed Felt, her footsteps lingering as she padded over to her.

Ironically, with the Archbishop of Sin’s exit, this battle in the field too came to a close—

Consequently, the battlefield surrounding the Watergate City would soon reach its conclusion as well.