As the towering skyscraper came into view, Ryo's anticipation compelled him. The cab hadn't even come to a complete stop before he began making his way out of the vehicle.

"Hey buddy, you gonna be alright?" he heard the driver ask.

"I can handle it," his voice was deadpan. He hobbled to the best of his limited ability into his apartment building. When he finally entered the doorman was in awe.

"Asuka? Sir, what happened to you? Where have you been? We've been trying to get a hold of you. Your assistant hasn't been answering your calls," the doorman sounded bewildered.

Ryo was intrigued now surrendering a portion of his invaluable focus, "What happened?"

"Well, we're not exactly sure sir, but they had to get into your apartment to patch a giant hole in the glass. Something shattered it, and it appeared like someone went through your stuff."

Ryo's gaze wandered away and without further conversation he pressed onward. His mind raced trying to understand these bizarre phenomenons but more than that he worried. He marched forward with a anxious weight in his chest thinking on the horrific events Jenny had warned him of. Denial roped him as he waited in the elevator, Amon couldn't have overtaken Akira, it just didn't seem right.

When he at last made it to the top he barged into his abode and the sight of destruction nearly took his breath. Externally he didn't move much but within he stared on in horror. Plastic wrap had covered the jagged opening in the glass, and it seemed most the glass on the ground had been swept up. However, the sheer size of the rupture was frightening. He knew what had to have caused this and the thought of it sent an icy shiver through his blood. He rummaged through his home seeing the disarrangement it had been plunged into.

Jenny's words were buzzing in his head, her cautionary story of Amon and his plot for revenge. There simply wasn't any other answer Ryo could come to, seeing as Akira had no reason to be upset with him. He gave in accepting the plausibility that Amon must in fact have a hand in what was occurring, but that brought about its own concerns. Now it was up to Ryo and himself alone to stop Amon and save Akira's soul, he had done this to him after all.

The blonde teen rushed through his apartment ignoring the pain encasing his leg and flipped through what of his research he could find. He would have to study for his next course of action, but what he did know was he needed to find Amon, somehow. His attention flicked to his phone he had sat on the desk and a leery, yet thoughtful look came over him. He found Akira once through that girl, he was sure Amon wouldn't be far from her either.

The sights of tall buildings and the busy metropolis became less and less frequent as the pair made their way out of the city. Instead they were met with smaller establishments and homes in the more rural edges of Tokyo. It was no surprise to Miki with how long they had been riding now and the inkling of curiosity was becoming harder to ignore.

"So is this how far out you took Taro too?" she questioned loudly over the wind.

"Yeah, we're almost there Miki, don't worry," he heartened.

Driving on, Akira sped up the highway, unaware of the ominous rain clouds that followed. As they got deeper into the woodland the overcast only got that much worse, being pronounced by a rolling rumble of thunder. Miki held tighter to him listening to the threatening storm.

"The forecast didn't call for rain until later this week," she commented. Akira didn't seem too bothered by it; his interest was fixed firmly to what needed to be done. Nervousness enclosed around him, he thought on the incoming scenario over and over in his head, what her reaction would be. What would she even think of him? He knew Miki would accept him for what he was, but what after that? He sighed and couldn't help but fidget. For the time being he'd try to just enjoy this moment, feeling her arms swaddle around him.

At last he found a decent little nook off the side of the road to park his bike. He took the opportunity and dismounted helping Miki off graciously after. She seemed tickled by his actions but also a tiny bit doubtful.

"Akira, do you think it's a good idea to be out here? It might start raining."

"Nah," he waved his arm. "This is too important to worry about a little rain."

"Well by the sounds of it, it better be," she spoke light and sweet.

They advanced further into the forest blissfully taking in all the sounds and views of the world around them. Akira acknowledged it all but was mostly keeping his awareness to the brunette beside him. He could break it to her at any moment now, and he was practically shaking in expectancy to do so, but he waited. He wasn't sure if it was anxiety or that fact that he was just pleased with this moment he had with her.

"So why do we have to be all the way out here for you to tell me the surprise?" she questioned.

Her interest was amusing, Akira smirked and wondered if he should answer honestly.

"Well I don't want anyone else knowing," he toyed. "I'm trusting you with this."

There was a kittenish gleam in her eyes, hearing his playful inflections.

"Hmm, this must be one big surprise then huh?"

"You could say that," he breath humorously. She placed her hands behind her back and stared at him through the corner of her eye. He noticed the mischievousness in her body language as she curled her way into his eyeline. He could tell she was trying to get his attention. A simper turned up his lip waiting for what she had in store.

"You know what Akira, I think I know what you're going to tell me," she at last said in a spirited tone.

Akira inceptively chuckled, but tried to rope it back in, looking to her happily, "Oh do you?"

"Mmhmm," she nodded. His gaze tapered at her eagerly.

"Oh I'd love to hear that, what do you think it is?"

"I think you and that Ryo guy went to that party and you got a confidence boost," she answered pleasantly. Akira was honestly a little shocked at how grounded that guess was.

"I suppose you could say so, yeah," he said laid back.

"Yeah? Well I'm glad, it's good for you to be getting out of your room every now and again. I've missed seeing you outside of school and the dinner table you know?" she said looking down pleasantly, but Akira could sense a shyness in her speech. Her cheeks looked rosy as her gleeful features came back to view him. He couldn't help but gaze right into her eyes; they shimmered like polished emeralds.

"Miki, I need to tell you something…" his tone became serious.

A part of her expected that response but her curiosity still settled on her face, "What is it?"

"You have to promise you won't tell anyone else, it could put us both in danger, alright?"

She seemed a bit more cautious now but no less sincere, "I promise."

He nodded his head in an affirming fashion before taking in a deep breath, "Okay." He could see she was waiting in an anticipation and he wanted to speak but starting seemed to be the hardest part. "S-So, you know how I've changed recently right?"

"Yes…" she tipped her head.

"Well, uh…" he stalled. Finally in a last second push he pressed his eyes closed and scrunched up his face, forcing the words from his mouth. "Miki, the reason why I've changed so much and the reason I can do all these things I couldn't before is because I'm-" a tumultuous crash of thunder abruptly interrupted his confession.

The pair's notice was immediately stolen being directed to the skies. Akira was alert now, placing his hand to hover over Miki protectively. As if on que an immense downpour started up soaking the two in mere seconds.

"Akira, we need to go, tell me when we get home okay!" she called over the ruckus. She began to set her course and run back to the motorcycle ahead of him, but Akira held her wrist and kept close by.

"Miki, stay with me, I sense something's wrong!" he instructed meanwhile trying to get her out of there as quickly as he could. The two didn't get far as a precipitous force whipped Miki right out of his grasp. A short scream expelled from her lungs as Akira's wide horrified eyes shot around to find her.

"No!" he hollered and chased after her.

"Akira! Akira help me!" she shrieked.

"I'm coming, hold on!" he shouted in reply, pushing through the tempest to reach her.

Miki was clearly struggling to break free from whatever it was but for some reason she just couldn't get any traction. She was being slid back to a large puddle of water that was now overflowing in the flash flood. It was like the water itself had a mind of its own and was acting on malicious intention. Akira didn't need another clue; he knew just what this was and stared in rage as the liquid formed to create a massive monstrous shape.

"Ghelmer!" Akira barked.

A clamorous cackle erupted from the jaws of the water demon. It stared down at the devilman sucking the young girl into his watery clutches. He was far larger than he was the last time they had met and was far more dangerous.

"Let her go!" Akira ordered.

"My if it isn't Devilman, you're looking a little different. Did you finally have your memory jogged? You wouldn't be the only one," he chortled.

"Help me, h-" Miki's cries were gargled down by the demon's suffocating clinch.

"Miki!" Akira's fret and anger extended across his body changing it to his demonic form. He growled back at the opposing devil as the heat of his blood instantly turned the rain around him to steam.

"Try and save her Devilman, I'll drown the girl and you along with her!"

Akira's wings launched him from the ground in one fierce swoop. He slit through the rain and set his target for Miki; she was running out of air by the second. Ghelmer's hulking arm came back to swat the devilman from the air in his pursuit. Luckily, it didn't down him completely, he recaught himself with his wings right before he hit the Earth.

Akira pulled up feeling the gales nearly tear his wings off. He flew above the demon avoiding his water grasp in doing so. When he was high enough, he allowed his inner flame to burn externally of himself. The engulfing rain forced him to raise his heat to blistering levels, but it was necessary. Cloaked in an orange fire Akira took a nosedive swerving in and out of Ghelmer's fluid appendages. He was nearly on top of him, and in a last second decision, the frustrated demon spewed a tidal wave of water from his mouth upwards. The devilman couldn't avoid this one, and he wouldn't need to, in retaliation he released a flamethrower wide enough to slice through the ocean-like barrage.

Slipping through the massive liquid wall Akira met with Ghelmer and planted a fiery attack right on his skull. The action created a huge plume of fog and sputtered the demon's fluid form momentarily. He screeched and in his moment of vulnerability Akira managed to swipe Miki out of his hold. She seemed to be unconscious, the miserable feeling of woe came over the devilman as he flew her out of harm's way.

He looked over her motionless body and cautiously began to put pressure on her abdomen, encouraging her to spit up the water she swallowed. Leaning over her he attempted to resuscitate her by breathing into her lungs. It didn't take too much effort before she began to gag and cough up the offending fluid. She was alert and breathing again but still not fully awake, it would have to do for now because Ghelmer was back, ready and fuming.

Akira's head whipped around to see the demon's watery tentacles coming to confine him. He rocketed himself into the air again, working with all his might to not get snared into any of his traps. The task was daunting though, Akira could avoid his more lethal blows but kept getting knocked off target in one form or another. The water was all around, Ghelmer surrounded him.

He gritted his teeth and heard the devil's cackles, "You can't win this one Devilman! I came prepared, I have more water on my side than all the might in your body!"

As much as Akira hated it, he was right he'd never beat him like this. His vision scrambled through the relentless storm to spot another means of attack.

Miki's breaths came shallow at first but soon it all returned to her and so did her baring's. She couldn't exactly remember what happened but a glance behind her to view all the commotion was enough to spark her memory. Her mouth fell open watching the two monstrous beings go at one another. It was almost too much to take in, she couldn't even scream she had to just sit and tremble in the rain. When the shock wore off and her instinct for self-preservation kicked in again, she hopped to her feet and ran in the opposite direction. However, she didn't get far as her head sprang to attention.

"Akira!" she whispered sharply. Looking back her terror overtook her, but the fear of losing Akira in this chaos was worse. With a push of determination she headed back near the battle ground yelling his name.

The Devilman in the heat of battle could overhear her calling out to him. Worry roped his heart seeing her stubble aimlessly in the dangerous area. He had to get her away. Akira hurried after her abandoning any fighting will he had in favor of rescuing her.

Ghelmer seemed to catch onto her presence as well, sending his malleable limps to capture her once more. Akira raced the vile demon as his body racketed with adrenaline. The pit of his stomach was tangled in knots until finally he had made it to her just in time. His gentle talons grabbed her up as the water missed below them. For a moment triumph exuded him in the form of a boastful laugh, but any victorious feeling he possessed evaporated when he heard her scream.

He glanced down with concern drawing his expression seeing her squirm and flail in his grip.

"No, Miki, don't be afraid! I'll protect you, it's me! It's me A-" he was cut short as a tidal wave came crashing down on top of them. Akira's feet firmly held her, keeping her with him as the water's undertow fought to drag her back. It was like an eternity before all the fluid subsided, leaving Akira clinging to a hilled incline. This is where he was aiming to be anyway though, he figured Miki would be safest from Ghelmer at its top.

He searched down, viewing Miki's fear stricken and quivering body curled up in his talons. Impulsively he took her into his arms, she seemed so frightened she didn't even fight back. Akira hated this, even drenched she reeked of distress. How unsafe and scared the demon had caused her to feel, Akira's stare became fierce and narrowed at the beast, he would make him pay.

The devilman started scaling the slope, his wings now being much too wet to fly properly. Thankfully, it wasn't much further to its summit and he was fast enough to maneuver through the devil's attacks.

"Don't be so pathetic Devilman! At least put up a better fight than that be for you chicken out and run away!" Ghelmer derided.

Akira ignored him for the time being, only keeping his goal in mind as he climbed up the side. When he made it to his destination, he overlooked the hideous being as its wicked eyes gleamed up to him.

"You don't think I can't reach you? You think you have a chance at all Devilman!" he yelled allowing the water to flow upwards in him. He was becoming taller as he slithered up the hill. "Your destiny is to fail, it always has! There's nothing you can do to change it!"

Akira held Miki close as he frantically sought for anything that might give him a leg up. Ghelmer was nearly there and Devilman had nothing prepared, his anger just wouldn't be enough. He tried stepping back for what little ground he could gain but his feet practically stuck in all the mud. It was then it dawned on him as his body lurched.

His face scrunched up, inhaling deeply he walked out on the edge once more, practically face to face with his opponent now. Akira smiled down at him malevolently.

"That's funny Ghelmer. If it's true in fate that I must always fail, then so will you!" he roared and with one swift and vigorous punch Akira demolished the ground he stood on. He heated up his wings to dry, keeping himself in the air as the range came toppling down on the staggering behemoth below.

A blaring bellow came from the demon, as the landslide swallowed him up. Akira watched the carnage as he landed atop a tall tree with Miki in his arm. His stare scanned the ground as it turned to a thick oozing mud, seeking the horrid creature. Eventually he did find a small shape thrashing itself through the slick. He readied his body and placed Miki down safely on one of the sturdy branches.

"I'll be right back Miki!" he informed and before she could have spoken, he was gliding down again. Like a hawk cutting through the breeze he descended hooking his talons and preparing to meet the Aquarian's flesh. Ghelmer was practically choking on the dense sludge and without warning he was picked off and stabbed from all sides by the devilman's claws.

He hollered and writhed in Akira's clutches, "Unhand me!"

Listening to his foes angered cries only led Akira to becoming that much more wrathful. His wings began to flap and slow his progress as he came to a stone cliff, high enough that it did not face the same impact as the rest of the forest. Without an ounce of mercy the devilman tossed Ghelmer in the air and caught him again in a blink, only this time with Akira's brawny hand over his neck. He slammed him to the huge boulder hard enough to leave a sizable crack behind the devil's head.

Raspy breathing came from the panicking assailant. He heedlessly tried to use what little water he could from the rainstorm, creating a tiny liquid dagger on his claw. He moved fast enough to leave a good slash on Akira's cheek but that's all the more he would get. Akira sent his heat boiling and lifted his wings like an umbrella over the demon, ensuing he'd have nothing else to work with.

He squeezed his neck harder, forcing the petrified devil to gasp for air, "Please, please let me go!"

Akira scowled, "You coward! You want to know why you aren't dead right now?"

Ghelmer couldn't make coherent words, just sounds of affliction. Admittedly Devilman quite enjoyed it, but he didn't need that right now he needed him to speak.

"Because you are going to tell me where he is," Akira growled, only lightly loosening his hold.

The demon breathed, looking back at him with addled eyes, "I-I don't know, I don't know who you're-"

Ghelmer was stopped as Akira bashed him against the hard surface another time.

"Satan! Your master, where is he?" he yelled. The devil whimpered until he could stammer out words again.

"No, I really don't know-" he was cut off once more by Akira's firming grip.

"We can make this harder, that's fine by me," Akira's voice was low and unflinching.

The devil was now clawing and grappling at his fist, fighting to even make noise, "N-no, please," he gagged. "Y-you don't, understand! H-he escaped, they're l-looking for him! J-Jenny, she's looking!" he wheezed.

For a moment Akira's features relaxed themselves as he took in the information. Even the intense pressure he was leaving on Ghelmer's throat gave in some, but it wasn't for long. He huffed in frustration and with every bit of his disappointment he let loose on the worthless being. With no exertion Devilman ripped the squealing demon limb from limb, leaving only bits of him behind to be remembered by.

Now dripping in the demon's blood he cast down on the remains beneath him. What he had been dreading had come to pass, much like him, the demons were catching on. It was surely only a matter of time before their attacks would get more violent, and he wouldn't be able to handle it all himself. He needed to resurrect his army, somehow, and soon. Worst of all it sounded as if Ryo is on the move himself, but why would he be running away from his own subordinates? It just wasn't adding up, Akira knew he desperately needed to locate Satan, who knows what he could have up his sleeve. His inner contemplation was lost suddenly when the brisk sound of a cry met his ears.

"Akira! Akira, where are you?"