Dames Aldan, the land of the Bounties. The Golden Knights, led by Schneizel, have now left the country for a time at the request of the Pasquantines. And in the king's hall, Toa, Nem and Sufilia, guarded by the Golden Knight Captain Leonardo, were waiting for Masamune's return.

'It's late, it's late,'

Nearly an hour must have passed since Masamune said he was going to Ficianatica and disappeared. But Masamune hadn't come back at all.

'Don't worry, he'll be back by now.

Unlike Toa, Sufilia was sitting in a chair, looking calm. Next to her, Nem looked bored, dangling her legs and looking at her thighs.

''Master it's late.''

Nem has been muttering this over and over again since earlier. Leonardo has been watching the situation for a long time, as ordered.
Then the great door opened boldly and a noisy voice echoed through the hall.

'Father!　Is your father here?!

Then Schneizel's idiot son, Kristoff, appeared.

'Oh!　Leonardo!　I don't see your father, but where is he?!

The same unnecessary volume of voice as always. And this grin on his face. He wants to look bigger or overconfident, but either way, he has this pompous chest, this unnecessary volume of voice, and this boneyard-esque outfit that shows in places the style of royalty that is unbecoming of a prince. These would be unnecessary.

'Master Christophe--'

Leonardo bows his head deeply. This is still a prince of this country. Leonardo's condition can be said to be a natural thing.

''Oh, enough of that sort of thing, where's your father?

Kristoff treats Leonardo's respects cumbersomely and poorly. Then Chris notices Toa, who is next to Leonardo, on the couch beside him.

'Oops!　Isn't this the beautiful woman I mentioned earlier?　What, isn't that depressing guy you were with earlier?

"Depressing guy," said Masamune.

'Then why don't you play with me?　I'm a prince, and I can give you anything you want, okay?

When Chris finds Toa, he is too close to her to make a move on her. But Toa--

I'll pass.

But Toa didn't show any interest in Chris, to say the least, and just waited for Masamune to come back soon.

'Huh?'

But Chris's expression changed drastically at his words.

'You're saying that you're going to refuse my invitation, this prince!　Commoners!

Then Chris grabbed Toa's arm tightly without mercy. Immediately, Leonardo stopped him.

'Master Kristoff!　Lord Toa is our guest!　He was personally invited to the castle by Master Schneizel, the Grand Mage, accompanied by Lord Nito!　No such thing! Shut up!

But Chris stared at Leonardo and spat the words out.

'Leonardo?　Who the hell do you think you're talking to?　I'm a prince.　The Golden Knight in charge of this country is giving orders to me, a prince?　Shut up and back off!

But...

Leonardo choked on his words. Even such a man is a prince. He is overwhelmingly superior in terms of position. Leonardo could not disobey, even if he was wrong. But Leonardo got down on one knee, and when he did, he paid his respects and opened his mouth.

'Master Christophe, please. That man is not just a guest. He is the companion of the great mage, Lord Nito, who just concluded an alliance with our country. If you are a prince, or even a prince, if you show disrespect, it could lead to war in the worst case scenario.''

What?　War?　What the hell are you talking about?　Who the hell is Nito?　What a dumb name, huh?

Kristoff is a wimp. He doesn't watch any demonic communications. In fact, he is not even interested in the current state of the country, and his favorite things are women, alcohol and luxury. He would gather his favorite friends and throw a party. It was impossible for such a person to know the name of 'Hero Nito'.

''Hey! Stop it!　Let me go!

Then the Toa doesn't want to wave his arms around.

"Let go of the Toa!

At that moment, Nem got up from his chair, and when he did, he threatened Chris. Nem is already in a cat fist stance.

''Ah?　What's with this little guy?　Do you think you're too much of a brute to dare to challenge me?　You beasts should be treated like beasts, and you should be slaves to humans!　You sit there if you understand.

I couldn't resist.

Then Sufilia became irritated by Chris' words, and when she stood up, she already had the white wand, The Wrath of the Saint, in her hand.
When Chris noticed Sufilia's defiant eyes, he also noticed the white wand in one hand and directed a grinning hostile expression at it.

'What?　You want to f*ck me too?　I mean, look at you, aren't you a gem?　What do you think?　You want to play with me?　I'll take care of you, okay?

Chris looks at the Sufilia with a grin and a dirty smile. The Toa is still holding onto his arm.

''Keh ... hey!　Let's go!　Just you today, now let's have some fun with me from now on, shall we?

Let me go!

Toa tries to shake Chris's hand to get away. But that's when it happens.

'Stay still!　You b*tc*!

--Chris slapped Toa hard on the cheek.

'Ugh!'

Toa loses his balance from the impact and puts his hands on the floor. Why doesn't he fight back, even though he is a demon race?　Chris was laughing hysterically at what was amusing about the situation.

'Toa!'

Nem called Toa's name. His expression was filled with anger.

'Master Kristoff!　How dare you!

Leonardo found himself with his hand on the sword at his waist. Then Chris noticed it.

'Hey, Leonardo, what do you think you're doing?　You're not going to disobey me, are you, prince?　Treason, huh?

Chris yells loudly and angrily, then grins when he does.

'Get up!'

Then Chris said that and tried to grab Toa's arm again.
But then--

What?

--a golden ring visible on the ring finger of Toa's left hand. Suddenly, a red-black shadow jumps out from there. A red-black shadow that undulates like sand flowing in the wind. But more clearly visible than the sand, it is black and red.

'Whoa!　What?　What the hell?

As it erupted, it created a wall between Toa and Chris, and then the shadow widened and formed a circle. Then it turned into a red-black magic circle. Essentially, the style of a magic circle is a letter that looks like it was drawn with light. The letters of light form a circle. But this magic circle has no light. It is black as iron sand and has a matte finish. A faint glimpse of red appears and disappears, as if the magic circle itself is alive. But there is no light there. There is no light of life, and it is alive. And it is covered by darkness.

'What?'

Chris looked dumb at the suddenness of the situation. The shadows had stopped moving, and he was beginning to see some leeway.

''This, this........''

Leonardo stood still, transfixed. At that moment, countless white arms shot out from the magic circle towards Chris.

''Ugh!　HELLO!

White arms grabbed Chris and wrapped around his legs, arms, waist, and neck, and then wrapped around his head, restraining the prince to the point where he could only move one finger. Finally, when the palm of his hand was over Chris's mouth, he could no longer speak. Then it was then. A black vortex appears right beside Toa.

''Eh.........Nito?''

Toa, who was on his buttocks on the floor, stared at the vortex, stunned. However, he soon realized that this is the "dungeon vortex" that Nito uses to get around. You'll be able to get a good deal more information on this.

''........''

As soon as Masamune emerged from the vortex, he found Toa with a glint in his red eyes and immediately cast a healing spell. Apparently, he already understands the details of the matter. In the meantime, there was the same red light from the ring visible on Toa's finger as Masamune's eye.

'Toa, what's wrong with your cheeks?'

Then Toa didn't answer Masamune's question, but looked at Chris, who remained silent and restrained.

''.........I see, this guy got you.

Masamune understood immediately. No, he must have already understood.

'Nito-dono!　I'm sorry!

Leonardo bowed deeply from his own disappointment. But Masamune didn't look at him, and his gaze was already looking at Chris.

''You're Schneizel's kid........''

Then, in the next moment, without any warning, Kristoff's right arm burst out of the air.

''Geeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

It was a sudden event. Of course, it was the work of Masamune. Kristoff screams out in severe pain. But in his restrained state, he couldn't move or even writhe. Only the right shoulder to the end disappears unnaturally, and after that there are no pieces of flesh, only blood dripping from his armless shoulder. And Kristoff cries from his eyes due to fear and pain. What had happened in that moment?　Only Masamune could see that. There was a faint trail of blood around the area, as if it had been sprayed with a mist.

''Now you can't beat anyone with your hands anymore, can you?

Masamune looked at Toa's slightly reddened left cheek. As a demon race, he wouldn't have to worry about it, especially since he was a demon race, but from the marks, he imagined in his mind that Chris had used his right hand to slap him. That's why I erased it from my right shoulder and beyond. That's all there was to it.

'It's my ... it's my fault.

Masamune crouched down and looked at Toa's face as he sat down on the ground. Then, while touching Toa's cheek with his right hand, he looked into Toa's eyes with his red eyes.

''........Nito?''

Toa was confused and stared back into Masamune's red eyes. There was anger, sadness, murderous intent... and disappointment in himself, born of putting Toa in danger on numerous occasions. But Toa doesn't understand.

(If I keep doing this all the time, one day.......Toa will die.......)

Masamune's disappointment turned to fear. Fear of losing Toa. But it had always been there. The fear had always been there from the moment he knew the future. So Masamune was once swallowed by the abyss. He asked himself if he could save Toa, and then he doubted himself. Masamune remembered the image of the time he invaded Ichijo's arm and immediately erased the fear in his mind. Then he reached out his hand to the Toa in front of him.

'....It's all right now.

Masamune himself thought that as a demon, Toa could not be inferior to Chris. However, as a result, Toa has run out of buttocks. Why didn't he resist?　-- and he couldn't ask Masamune about it. It was Masamune's perception that Toa was mentally unstable in many ways. Just as the leveled Masamune hadn't gained any mental progress, the mental aspect did not grow with the level in regards to the Toa, either. Masamune considered the Toa's condition and was satisfied with his own interpretation of it. Then Masamune repeatedly clenched his fists and opened them, as if he was even angrier. He could see that there was something wrong with him. It reminded him of the people he wanted to kill earlier but couldn't, and coupled with that, a complicated hatred was building up inside Masamune. But he also knew that he shouldn't be consumed by anger. This was due to Masamune's philosophy, which had nothing to do with the abyss, but with the philosophy that revenge is not something to be done in anger. The object of his revenge was Kristoff.

(One should not throw a tantrum and kill in anger. Vengeance is about taking back what was taken from you. And to give him the same or more pain, the feeling of being oppressed, the torment. And then, if only for a moment, we can taste the remorse of our oppressors. Let them feel it. And let them know. --To make them see that they were wrong, that they are the only ones at fault. Making them sorry ... that's revenge. If I kill in anger, I will be remorseful again, as I was when I killed Aries. Revenge is a one-time thing. I can no longer take revenge on Aries. (Because Aries is already dead.

But Masamune's regrets don't stop with Aries. The same goes for Koizumi, Tadokoro, Tachibana and Kyogoku. As for Kyogoku, Masamune regrets that he shouldn't have killed those three people, even if he didn't have any vengeance because he didn't know them.

'Can you stand?'

Yes.

Toa stared into Masamune's red eyes. The faint sadness he could sense from them made Toa feel sorry for himself. The other self in his head muttered, "You're the one who's involved in killing Masamune." Masamune and Toa had a guilty conscience that no one else knew about.
Then Masamune looks at Chris with a straight face. The gaze was inexplicable, and it seemed to be looking "above" Chris' head.

"You........did you abuse the beast race or someone else?

Masamune asks a strange question. However, the person being asked has lost his arm and can't do anything about it.

''Hey?　Didn't you abuse him?

Indeed, Chris discriminated against Nem earlier because he was a beast. If that's what you mean by oppressing him, then so be it. Is Masamune talking about that?　But Masamune was not yet here at that time. That's why it's impossible for him to know.

"I know................I can see your "shadow" clearly.

A black, writhing, sand-like shadow that appeared above the heads of the spectators gathered for the match against the school. The same thing erupted from Chris' body and danced above his head. Masamune was staring at it.

It seems that you are not "worthy" of this world. Eliminate the possibility and avoid the risk.

Masamune made Toa stand up and replied as he turned back to Chris. Then the next moment, the rest of Chris's left arm disappeared.

''Nito-dono! --

'Gyahhhhhh!

Then Leonardo calls out to Masamune. Chris's screams are heard afterwards, echoing through the hall. Leonardo's voice was drowned out by his idiot son's screams.

'Hmm?'

Then, Masamune, who has a blank look on his face but with his eyes fixed, does not turn around and reacts to Leonardo's voice. But he doesn't turn around. He just responded with his voice.
The two eyes are dyed red, but the right eye is wavering. I guess it hasn't been dyed into the abyss yet.

'Forgive me!　I would like to apologize for the conduct of Mr. Kristoff!　Please!　Please forgive Master Christophe!

Leonardo kneeling. But in that situation, Masamune's expression and eyes do not change at all. Above all, Masamune didn't even look back. His eyes were looking at Chris, who was crying and screaming in intense pain. His expression is a big smile. But even that smile was unsteady. Anger is not the kind of thing that blows out a certain amount and then stagnates. It's the kind of thing that keeps spewing out, destroying emotions and expressions, destroying your personality. Masamune watched Chris's painfully contorted, pleading face, easing the anger that was spewing out. Otherwise, at least the royal castle would have been obliterated.

'Leonardo, would you rather have your country or this guy's life?　I don't mind either way, but you have a choice, right?

Leonardo's eyes widen at those words and he looks up.

''Ku........country and........Kristoff-sama? .....

Isn't it easy?　The answer is the country. This guy's life is nothing compared to the country. Then I'd be better off letting me kill him, and what do you want to do?　And it looks like Schneizel isn't here right now. Then it's your call, Leonard?　You'd rather defend this crappy man than your country?

'Lord Nito I beg you. Please save Master Kristoff.

That's not what I'm talking about. Leonardo wants it to stop, that's what he's saying. He wants his anger to subside, that's what he's saying. But Masamune had a fawning, light expression on his face, as if he had no emotion. He was so overcome with anger that he forgot how to make an expression.
For a moment, Masamune turned back to Leonardo. His eyes were red, and then Leonardo looked puzzled by his eyes.

''Those eyes...''

It doesn't matter. You worry about your country. What did I tell you?　Take care of the three of us, but you ... no, my mistake ... I made a bad decision. Hahahahahahahahahahaha what are you asking me?　Am I going to hurt Toa again? .....

Masamune begins to ask himself questions as if he were crazy. A smile would appear on his face and then a straight face, from which Masamune's danger could be seen.

''Nito?　What's going on?　I'm here?

Then, with a worried look on his face, the Toa beside him grabbed Nito's hand. Her eyes were looking firmly at Nito.

''Toa........''

In Masamune's eyes, he sees only the Toa. No, he only wants to see the Toa. That's why Masamune........

Haha!

--I will not allow anyone to hurt Toa.
At that moment, a large windfall suddenly appeared in Chris's stomach. It was as if only that part had been hollowed out.

'Goph!

Chris wouldn't even feel the pain anymore. He just spits blood out of his mouth and splatters it on the floor as he feels his death is imminent. I can't even see a piece of flesh in the area, as usual. Where did it disappear to?　Probably disappeared in the flesh.

'Master Kristoff!

Leonardo fears for the prince, but it can't be helped. Kristoff is Leonardo's boss.

'Nito, no more...'

Then Toa grabbed Masamune's arm and told him to stop any further, as if to say so. But Masamune's thoughts were already made up.

'No Toa, that's not right. That's not good enough. I listened to the Toa's words at that time. I thought it was for the sake of the Toa. I was so eager to protect the Toa that I didn't listen to anyone's words and decided to protect the Toa based on my own independent thinking, I thought.

Nito? ...What are you talking about?

Toa doesn't understand. Masamune was talking about his future self now. He wondered why his future self hadn't been able to save Toa, because he thought about things only in his own mind, or so he thought. So at that time, not because of that alone, but out of a kind of hesitation, I listened to the Toa's words and let the demon race escape.

'Choices matter. It's the choice that counts and I........

--Losing Toa. So "at that time", Masamune obeyed Toa's words, albeit in a trivial way. That is one aspect of it.
Masamune thinks he knows what he is. His future self failed to protect Toa and destroyed the world. So Masamune looked for a way to save the Toa. He has found the magic, but it's not always right. That's why Masamune is still troubled, and he's always troubled by the idea of choice. Just like the idea of the butterfly effect, Masamune was scared of the future that could happen depending on his choices.

'This guy is going to die here today. Now this guy can't hurt anyone else. This is the best and wise choice. Huh........reasonable, right?　Leonardo?

Lord Nito....

But even Leonardo doesn't know what he's talking about. All Leonardo can think about now is how to deal with the madman in front of him.

'I could destroy the whole country if I wanted to. 'Leonardo, tell Schneizel that this time I'll forgive you for one stupid son's life?'

[Parturé Pigma]

Then Masamune chanted his magic unnecessarily. I don't even know what he's thinking anymore. Then Chris, who was dying, opened his mouth, his face filling with blood. The skin on his face gradually split open, and then two white arms shot out of his mouth. The next moment, Chris's head explodes, revealing a "white child".

'I've been born!　You were born!　Hmm? .... hmm? ...Oh!　Master!

An unusually skinny body, long, slender fingers, and a ribbed flank. Black hair that stretched to the back, which did not match his height. Then two glossy black eyes, which looked as if they had been painted black with paint, were staring at Masamune.

''Huhahahahaha!　Put it to good use!　If you're going to kill him anyway, you could at least give him some magical sustenance, right?

Of course, there is no such kindness in Masamune. If you ask Masamune, he has no intention of creating anything with the foolish thing in front of him. Masamune accomplishes his revenge by belittling and taunting Christophe's life.
But the amused tone of Masamune's eyes were dark and his expression was somber.

''Come on, Toa, Nem, Sufilia, it's time to go.

The head has burst open and there are pieces of flesh and blood scattered around. It's Kristoff's, of course. Nem and Sufilia run up to you, puzzled by the devastation, and say, "You're going to clean up, Leonardo.

'You'll clean up for me, Leonardo. Oh, and tell Schneizel not to do anything, because if you send an army to me because of this, I will make every single one of you a prey to the abyss for breach of alliance. We don't want a war with each other, do we?

Masamune took Toa's hand and left the hall, holding his hand as if he was laboring over it.
Then Leonardo was left in the hall. The only thing scattered by the side is Kristoff's corpse. The white arm that was restraining him also disappeared after Masamune left. But Leonardo is not alone.

''Even if you ask me to stay here........''

The "Children of the Abyss" are looking around. It seems that they were left behind by Masamune's "will".

"What........

Leonardo was wary of the child, who was staring at him with two unusually white and eerily large, pitch-black eyes. He was terrified that he, too, would be killed.
Then, after a while, one of the child's arms, which had been scurrying around, begins to melt like wax.

''Tch!　I'm boring but what can I do?　I shouldn't have been born. I shouldn't have been born. I shouldn't have been born...........................

The child crumbled down, turning into sloppy wax, and then slowly disappeared. It was dumbfounding and fleeting.

'What is this...?'

Leonardo, who was left behind, stood there for a while. Leonardo did not understand a single word of Masamune's words as he left. What is the abyss?　That's something that the Golden Knight Chief didn't even know about. And then a strange child broke through Chris' body and appeared in front of him. All of this Leonardo did not understand.
Then Leonardo sat down in a chair by the wall and held his head in his hands as he sorted out the situation in front of him.