"It's impressive to see that my soldiers have failed to break through into your base… However, with both of you trapped here and the cannon's energy being drained rapidly, how long do you think it can maintain its output?" the demon vessel in front of me asked as the blackened butterflies covered the skies above us. "We outnumber you… Even if the two of you fight us for days, those humans will be long dead."
"Perhaps… However, that is not my problem. My job is to kill you, and I am going to do it at whatever cost," Moriarty replied as the butterflies rained down on the demon vessel.
BOOM
The demon dodged most of them as the butterflies left trails of explosions wherever they landed.
But he wasn't fast enough to dodge all of them, as a butterfly brushed against his ankle…
"What?" the demon gasped in surprise as, instead of exploding, the butterfly instantly disappeared upon touching his armored skin. "What just—!"
Then his vessel began to feel heavier as his movements slowed.
"Curses… It's the Curse Path!"
The realization hit him, but it was already too late. The numerous butterflies surrounding him landed all at once.
"Yeah. I once shared the same fate as you. You just don't know how lucky I am to have had the chance to adapt to this Path. I nearly died to the person I adapted it from," Moriarty stated as he walked closer to the vessel. "I'm really lucky she didn't kill me… but I guess you aren't that lucky."
The demon tried to abandon the vessel instantly as black smoke rose from the headless body. However, no matter his efforts, he couldn't leave it.
"Right… I forgot to mention that I embedded a ton of soul-binding curses among those thousands of other curses. So you can't really smoke out either…" Moriarty explained as a curtain of black butterflies closed in around them. "Now then, let's have a little chat, shall we?"
"For a speedster… you sure use everything but your speed," the demon groaned.
"I don't like to show off," Moriarty replied as he pulled out a necklace-like object with a rabbit's foot from Wally's subspace. "I just can't take the risk of my enemies discovering my capabilities, that's all."
"What is that?" the demon vessel asked in horror as he sensed a strong surge of curse energy coming from the necklace.
"This right here… is my lucky charm."
Moriarty lowered himself to the ground in front of the demon, looking directly at him. "But for you… let's just say you won't live to witness its use."
The last thing the demon perceived was that maniacal smile as his soul, now bound by Moriarty's curses, was dragged into the necklace.
From outside the butterfly barrier, many heretics tried their best to break in and save the demon. However, each of them blew up as soon as one of them touched the barrier.
"This…"
The other demon vessel turned toward the barrier for a moment as he felt his connection to his other vessel fading away. "Why did I not retain that part… what the hell?"
"Where are you looking?" a voice rang through the air. However, the demon vessel was unable to determine where it was coming from.
Tom had turned the battlefield into a blood mist zone.
"Although I am now aware of what your Path is, I know that it can separate atoms for a long time, or even permanently… which means you don't have any counter measures against a gaseous being," Tom explained as his voice echoed throughout the zone.
"How long do you think you can keep this up?" the demon asked as he remained on guard.
"Long enough to defeat you," Tom replied.
SWOOSH
All of a sudden, a beam of blood shot toward the demon vessel from behind. However, before it could hit him, he cut it apart with his halberd.
"It seems that you don't understand… such puny tricks won't work on me," the demon vessel replied.
"Then I just have to try harder."
Soon enough, multiple orbs of blood formed in the air surrounding the demon vessel, and they fired simultaneously.
"Parry this, you demonic son of a Mahoon!" Tom's voice rang out.
For a moment, multiple hits were deflected by the demon vessel. However, not long after, some managed to pass through.
Just as Tom began to believe the method was working against the demon, a cloud of smoke rose up as he could no longer feel the demon's presence.
"Oh no..."
When the dust cleared, there was a huge hole underneath the place where the demon vessel stood.
"He is heading for the base!" Tom shouted as he rushed towards the base.
However, in his gaseous state, his speed was compromised, putting him at a disadvantage against the demon's advance.
The cannons would soon run out of energy... With Moriarty inside the domain and Tom not able to catch up with the demon, the base was left fully open.
But... As the mortal saying goes... Hope is one hell of a problem to deal with.
CREAK
The gates to the base opened upwards as an army of child soldiers rushed out of there with laser guns in their hands.
"MY BROTHERS! THESE DEMON WORSHIPPERS HAVE MADE OUR ANGELS BLEED! THE SAME ANGELS WHO HAD ANSWERED TO OUR PRAYERS!"
A voice rang out from the front of the army.
"HOW LONG DO YOU WISH TO LIVE IN THE SHELTER BENEATH THEIR WINGS?! HOW MANY LIVES WILL BE LOST FOR OUR PATHETIC KIND?!"
"That's..." Tom could recognise that voice... as it was the first he heard when he landed on this planet.
"TODAY WE HAVE THE CHANCE TO PAY THEM BACK! MY ORDER TO YOU IS SIMPLE! KILL THE HERETICS! DON'T LET A SINGLE ONE OF THEM PASS! HOLD THE LINE TILL YOUR VERY SOUL HAS RETURNED TO THE EMBRACE OF THE EMPEROR!" T-3 commanded, raising his shovel towards the heretics. "CHARGE!"