A man knelt in the vast hall of Reverend Steppe, prostrating before a dark, twisted sculpture wielding a sword of impossible design, no human hand could have crafted it.

He wore a black compression shirt, his sculpted body tensing beneath it as though trying to burst free.

This was the Eyes of the Night, Liam Asterion, praying to the God of Darkness with one request consuming his thoughts. Something that had tormented him for ages. Before this sculpture, he would get his answer.

When he was done praying, he turned toward an old man who was fragile and weak, looking only a day away from death.

He smiled.

"I'm about to set out on a journey. I may never meet you again, rest in peace."

The old man smiled in return.

"That's rude, you little prick. You're preparing for your Nemesis, aren't you?"

Liam's smile grew warmer.

"You know me best."

This was a man he'd learned to respect over the past few weeks. Though their time together was limited, it was clear their bond wasn't as fragile as the old man's body.

***

Halo frowned.

He spotted a crow, one conjured from darkness itself, perched on the ship's deck for nearly a minute before disappearing the instant he noticed it.

He had no doubt in his mind. It was Liam. But how? Did he control his crow to fly through the three seas to get to him? How? That would probably kill him.

Apart from the endless questions, Liam probably wanted to meet with him. But given that he was heading to rescue his sister, a meeting was unlikely. Probably not for the next few months.

Even so, he hoped the poor soul was alright.

In his distracted state, he searched for Jihriel. It had been a day since he woke up, and he still hadn't seen or spoken with him. He looked forward to seeing everyone else as well, but the hero was his priority.

At Jihriel's quarters, the bastard lived as if he were still in his mansion, unlike the cramped room Halo had to share with his clones.

Jihriel smiled the entire time, though subtly enough that Halo barely registered it. He chose to relax in a seat instead, watching Jihriel prepare his tea.

"It's unsettling… your clones care for you like real people. Are they bound to you emotionally, whether they want to be or not?"

Such a bizarre question.

Halo was connected to his clones, and his death would have killed them too. It was only natural that they'd be concerned even without any supernatural influence.

"They just care for me that much."

Jihriel turned to Halo, still wearing a smile.

"That one with the cornrows… she's dangerous. I didn't know you were capable of recruiting someone like her."

Halo frowned.

Jihriel's words felt almost like an insult, but that didn't bother him. What troubled him was the fact that Jihriel was still smiling. He was always composed, yes, but this time he was calmer than usual.

Then it dawned on him.

Jihriel's Nemesis, Ancient Light, was the creator of the next sea. Ancient Light had been an OverKing centuries ago when he first created the sea, and it was natural to assume he was a Lost Lord now.

Even if he wasn't, the sheer hatred Jihriel had for him was enough reason for the hero to be uneasy yet eager to learn about what his enemy had created there.

Halo forced a grin.

This was his chance. Defeating Ancient Light would grant Jihriel unimaginable strength, enough to challenge the gods and ascend to Calamity. The perfect moment to earn even more of Jihriel's trust.

"Enough talk about her. This sea's peaceful… tell me about the next one."

The second Halo spoke, it was as though the Abyssal Fishes wanted to make it clear: they weren't anywhere near safety.

The creatures brushed past the ship's hull, sending tremors through the entire vessel.

"You really think we're safe? Practically, yes… but technically, no. The shaking? That's the creatures' way of signaling their fellows to leave so someone else can get on board. The weird thing is, there aren't any fish here at all."

Halo swallowed bile.

The Abyssal Fish he ate should have been digested by now and been shit out already. But he'd extracted its ability, Beelzebub, the fish must be reacting to that power. He didn't want to believe he'd become a fish himself.

He had no scales, for god's sake. How could he?

"They must have their reasons… or maybe it's something we did. Or maybe they just didn't want to fight. Who knows?"

He had no intention of revealing that he'd killed and eaten a deity, and taken its ability. No intention of doing anything like that. Besides, he wanted to move on to the next sea. He was curious too. What was Ancient Light really like?

"I doubt it, but it's to our advantage. Had they attacked, we would've faced a serious challenge."

Jihriel finished with his tea and took his seat right beside Halo, who patiently waited for Jihriel to answer his question. He didn't want to sound desperate. He couldn't insist on it.

"I believe so."

The words left Halo, alright, but his heart wasn't there, and neither was his mind.

"About the sixth sea."

When he spoke, Halo's heart rested in relief.

"I've never studied that sea in detail, but the Ancient Light… he wields light magic. Rare, powerful magic. I can't begin to imagine what it could make."

Halo sneered.

'Bullshit! You were just scared to check.'

Jihriel had always been overconfident. The real Jihriel would be proclaiming he could handle any threat that came their way. But the seven seas had changed him. Ancient Light had changed him.

Halo smirked.

He intended to make this enjoyable. They might die, but if so, at least they'd die together, and Jihriel's strength wouldn't threaten the world.

But before he could speak his mind, Jihriel spoke:

"How about we stay on the sidelines and observe? I want to understand this sea… and I'd like you by my side while I do."

Halo was confused for a sec.

Did he really ask that?

They'd sailed four seas, were currently on their fifth, and Jihriel was yet to lift a finger. But speaking as though he'd been carrying them on his shoulders? The dude was scared!

This was the opportunity he'd been waiting for. They were close, but not close enough. He needed to dig deeper into Jihriel's psyche.

'No, no. I can't manipulate this one. Even Saint can't. I just have to earn it honestly.'

She smiled.

"Count me in, Jihriel. I'm beat from the Imitation Sea, I'd take more than just one rest if I could."

Jihriel smiled.

'I seriously don't need a Nemesis.'

Unlike everyone else in this world, Halo had no Nemesis. At least he hadn't met anyone without one. Seeing how people became unhinged when their Nemeses were involved, he preferred his current state just fine.

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