Four Academics raised their cannons, aimed at him.

Coughing up black blood, spilling to the floor, Rothius' right knee gave way.

Struggling to stand up, using his sword to help himself, his legs shaking.

He never noticed that he was already this badly damaged.

His aura waned between tangible and intangible.

His vision began to get blurry.

"Ngh. . . The cards seem to disfavor me this time."

The sensation of broken rib slightly grazing his lung was quite painful, something he hasn't felt in years.

Gathering his strength, and steadying his legs, he adapted his fighting stance.

With a burst, he ran forward towards the one with the most passionate eyes.

The kind of passion he once had, that burning blood.

To his surprise, she stepped forward, a smile on her face.

As soon as he was in range, she shouted.

"Alfredo, appear!"

A large metallic barrel dropped from above, pinning him to the floor.

"Gah! Motherfucker!"

That kind of machine was nostalgic to him, reminding him of the first Academic he befriended as a human.

It was tough fighting one, how much more FOUR.

Lenuh went over, and whacked him right in the face with a large wrench, nearly cracking his nose.

Struggling to stand up, yet failing to do so, he landed on the floor, defenseless and prone.

The four machines hoisted him up, and held him by the extremities.

Helpless and weakened, he hung his head.

"Very well. . . Finish me. . ."

One of them raised her hand, signaling them to wait.

"Wait a moment. There's something I have to do, first."

Rothius opened his eyes, and looked straight at her face.

"You. . . Are. . ?"

"Luneh, eldest of us sisters. Now, don't you move."

Rothius closed his eyes, waiting for his end.

Luneh's voice forced them open, as she returned his helmet on him.

"This is my mercy."

Rothius gritted his teeth, infuriated.

The Calamity Blood roared in defiance within his body.

Somewhere within his mind, someone was talking.

"Do you wish to go further?"

The voice was familiar.

"Hey, remember that promise we made when I gave you my body?"

Luneh finished putting the helmet back, and adjusted the strap.

Time felt so slow the moment her fingers left.

Rothius slipped to the world within his mind.

There, waiting for him, was his former incarnation, the Divine Knight.

Dressed in the pristine-white armor of their Guild, wearing that sickening smile he hated.

"Seeing as you need it, I guess we can now go full synchro."

He looked at his former self, now being fully assimilated, with a calm smile.

Feeling a renewed power surge, the 5th lock fell in front of him, and the Soul Gate opened fully.

"5th Restriction released! Integrating Fused Soul System, releasing Calamity Soul!"

Rothius' eyes popped open, the Calamity Blood re-awakening.

Using its power, he set himself free from the machines binding him.

Never before has it felt so alive, so free.

Levitating a few inches above the ground, his armor began changing, as if acknowledging his descent to demonhood, as it came full circle..

His helmet shattered to pieces, leaving only the mouthplate intact.

His armor grew horns on the pauldrons, and a black cape bloomed from the back.

His gloves grew protrusions akin to spikes.

His pants' plating gained a form of skirting.

His greaves and boots now had the same glowing orbs as his weapons.

The Hell's Cleaver changed as well, the entire length of the blade broke to pieces, and reformed, resembling a flammard.

Its body was dotted by 4 glowing red orbs, largest near the the hilt, which had a demonic skull design on both sides, like the eye sockets, and the smallest as big as a human eyeball.

His gray hair grew at an amazing rate, reaching his buttocks.

His pale skin turned ash-white,

The gauntlet's knuckle spikes fused, turning to a hatchet-blade, with four spiked protrusions, and a wristblade formed on its side.

The four academics stayed ready, their weapons aimed.

Readying their turrets, Mecha Ducks, and Alfredos, they knew they have the upper hand.

Their cannons hummed silently, and one of them were counting down seconds.

Luneh looked at her, a bit of wonder evident in her eyes.

"Hunel, dear, what are you counting down?"

Hunel looked at Luneh, and smiled.

"Breakdown."

Lenuh spat on the ground, and ran forward, firing madly at Rothius' immobile body.

Leaping nimbly over his body, she kept firing as fast as she can, her aim true - his head.

Keeping up her assault, nimbly strafing around Rothius.

The cannonballs were held in mid-air by the aura covering him.

Lenuh went back to her sisters' side, with a furious look.

"Tch, damn shots became duds!"

The aura thinned down, and just flat-out covered his body, leaving it suspended as it was.

Thin tendrils grew from the aura on his shoulder area, and began waving on the air, before dissipating.

The steel balls landed on the floor, save one, which landed in the middle of his palm.

To their surprise, it began spinning at an amazing speed, then fell to the ground, where it rolled away, harmless.

Rothius fell on both knees, experiencing a cooldown, his entire body unable to move even an inch.

Unable to move, and for the longest time, fear showed in his eyes.

Luneh raised her hand, then let it fall.

"Open fire!"

All four opened fire, the Mecha Ducks let loose their electricity on the floor, and the four Alfredos rushed towards him.

Their turrets began firing relentlessly, the bullet cases clinking, littering the floor.

Lenuh charged forward, pressing her cannon against Rothius' chest, and pushed him against the stained-glass window.

A furious smile formed on her face, as she rubbed the muzzle hard against his abdomen firmly, enough to leave a mark.

"Now you die, Dark Mask."

She pulled the trigger, and blasted him outside, breaking the window.

Rothius fell to aqueduct far below, the water softening his fall.

His body felt heavy, despite floating to the open river, along with the waste and refuse from the Cathedral.

Various coherent thoughts crossed his mind, before it sank to the darkness.

He would come back to this place.

He will exert greater control over his power.

He will become the victor next time.

And on that time, he WILL obtain his revenge.