As Luka started chatting up a storm with Bayonetta, the tone of his voice soon upset Viola as she was starting to black out for a second. She had almost completely faded out for nearly a few seconds when…

"Hello? Earth to Viola!" Peacock called, snapping the young Umbra witch back to reality. "Sheesh, y'were staring at Luka like you were glued to a TV. You gonna introduce yourself to him or what?"

"Luka…?" Viola asked in confusion.

"That's right, the one and only L-U-K-A…" Luka trailed off as he got a good look at Viola. "Hang on-have we met before? I think I'd remember you, riot girl."

"Huh? Uh…" Viola trailed off as she looked away.

Luka then got a whiff of something with his expert nose. "Extra Ingenue…?" he asked before approaching Viola and lifting her head up. "You…" he said as if recognizing her before holding his head in pain and quickly backing away. "It's time I got going. Gotta find that voice…" he quietly said to himself at the end. "Later, all." he said as he grappled away in a hurry as Viola ran up and saw his fleeing form.

"Kitty… Why don't you and the others look after him for me?" Bayonetta asked.

"What?! Us? By ourselves?" Viola asked.

"Lesson 2. Learn to fight for others, not just for yourself. I'm sure he'll give you lots of practice. And besides…" Bayonetta trailed off at the end.

"...What?" Viola asked.

"You don't need my help, right?" Bayonetta asked before jumping away.

"Wait!" Viola called to no avail as she was soon out of sight.

"Did she seriously just ditch us?" Hilda asked.

"More like she was testing us, especially Viola." Tsubasa assumed. "And besides, there will be a time when she'll no longer need Bayonetta's help to solve every problem."

"I'll go keep an eye on her." Simon said as he went after Bayonetta. After both of her admittedly more experienced Umbrans left, Viola slapped her checks and let out a sigh as she and the others went to pursue Luka.

"Trust me, some of us get how you feel, Viola. It's a pain having the wrong person to be your teacher." Connor said.

"She doesn't take her duties seriously. Weren't the Umbra Witches supposed to keep the Balance of the world together with the Lumen Sages?" Lysithea asked.

"Many of the Umbra were wiped out long ago from the Witch Hunts, and the last Lumen Sage is gone now too." Adrebil said. "Bayonetta and Jeanne are the last known remnants of the guardians of darkness."

"So they're the last of their kind, trying to live their lives the best they can…" Connor said. "Maybe that's the reason Bayonetta doesn't really take her job too seriously."

The group headed down the stairs before suddenly coming in contact with a Strati Platoon.

(Cue- Gh()st- Bayonetta 3)

"Ah, great…" Connor said before looking at Viola. "So… split em 50/50?"

"Sounds good!" Viola said as she drew her katana, Mab Dachi, and rushed right into the fight.

Unlike Bayonetta, Viola showcased a different fighting style. She was strictly a sword fighter, resorting to magic-enhanced and lightning-fast sword strikes coupled with her explosive throwing darts. She could also only activate Witch Time by successfully perfect blocking enemy attacks.

Viola took on a trio of Strati in this regard, rapidly swinging her sword and cutting into them with precision. "Sic 'em!" she called, throwing her sword as it planted into the ground as Cheshire appeared.

Compared to other Infernals, Cheshire wasn't one to take orders. He attacked the Homunculi all on his own without Viola telling him what to do, decimating them with his claws and tail, even his whole body.

"That's quite the partner you've got helping you out!" Raphael said, punching a Stratus' lights out.

"Thanks! But he's not exactly in a contract with me just yet. He just hangs out around me for some reason." Viola said, dodging a Stratus's plasma blade as she was left barehanded.

"Wait, so you have an unchained demon working with you? Aren't you afraid he might turn on you?" Hilda asked, whacking a group of Stratus with Freikugel.

"Nah. He and I are pretty tight, but I dunno why he helps me out. I'm glad he's around though, contract or not." Viola replied. "(Although they don't need to know I'm still super bad at the whole summoning thing.)" she thought, fighting the last Stratus off with her bare hands as it exploded.

(end song)

Once the Stratus were defeated, Viola dispelled the barrier by doing a rock and roll sign with both hands and dispelled the barrier. "Come back, Chesh!" she said as Cheshire disappeared and Mab Dachi flew back to her as she caught and sheathed it.

The group soon reached a large area as they saw multiple dead soldiers on the ground.

"So many lives lost… these poor people." Marianne said.

"They must have fought hard, right until the end. Fucking Tormal and Singularity!" Viola said. "Luka's probably okay though…right?"

"I'm sure he's fine, considering all the stuff he's been through, following Bayonetta and doing his journalism." Al said before the group continued on to the ground level as a Floccus and some Lacunosus appeared before they were dispatched.

The group then saw Luka on a broken piece of a pathway as he fanned himself with his hat before putting it back on. As the group got closer to him, he grappled further away each time they got close.

"Luka! Wait! You can take a break any time now! Slow down, damn! I swear, it's like he can't hear me…" Viola said as Luka landed in a pile of crates before standing up with a jar over his head as he bumped past a soldier and into a bundle of cannonballs as he rolled down the path on one of them.

"Whoa, careful… Are your eyes on your feet? Watch out! And not a word to say? Damned kids these days…" The soldier who sounded very similar to Enzo said.

The group continued giving chase to the Journalist before the next entryway leading into one of the mountains began collapsing before they quickly ran through as some of the group then widened their eyes as they saw something happening to Viola's behind.

"Uh… Viola?" Noel asked as Viola took notice that her rear end was on fire.

"Oh shit shit shit!" Viola said as she took off running down the hill-like path like Mario when he was in the hot seat. "AHH! Hot hot HOT! No no no! This is the only outfit I bought! Gotta find water, fast!" she said before spotting a lake at the end and jumping into it.

"Are you alright down there, Violey?!" Makoto called down as Viola emerged from the lake all steamy.

"I'm hot, soaked, and tired of this shit!" Viola said.

"Oh, okay, she's fine." Makoto assured.

"All right, focus. Gotta find Luka, now!" Viola said.

The group refocused with Viola, but then a trio of more advanced and taller Stratus models appeared, these ones were suspended a few feet above the ground with purple and black armor.

"Out of our way!" Viola said.

Light Humanoid Assault Unit

NEBULOSUS

The Nebulosus were built tougher than their Strati predecessors, using their flight capabilities to their advantage while also striking from a further distance away with their spears. But they weren't too tough for the group as they were soon defeated, allowing the group to press on they soon reached a large plaza and spotted a slightly open door.

"Luka…you in there?" Viola asked fearfully as she and some of the group peeked before spotting four glowing eyes as something launched them into the plaza behind them. Coming out of the door was none other than Strider as he let out a roar.

"Strider?! What's he doing here?!" Mai asked.

"You know this beast?" Adrebil asked.

"He's a rouge… something, who attacked us in World B1. Whatever he is, he's dangerous and lashes out at anything he sees." Connor said.

"I think we have something else to worry about right now." Lei said as the group turned to see a Homunculus forming. It resembles a darker-colored version of Asperatus, with heavier armor and larger tusks as its hooves were inflamed. The group then turned back to see Strider gone as the Homunculus let out a roar.

Heavy Bestial Decisive Unit

VOLUTUS

(Cue- The Heavies *3rd Climax Mix*- Bayonetta 3)

"You want some too?! Fine, it's bacon time!" Viola said.

"I think we could all go for some bacon right now, but let's save it after we butcher another pig!" DW said.

"Watch out for those hooves of his!" Zero said.

Volutus then charged around the battlefield, trying to trample the group with its flaming hooves.

"Without Bayonetta here, we can't trap this monstrosity in Phantasmaraneae's webs!" Avlora said.

"We do have the next best thing, though!" Narve said. "Marianne, Constance, with me!" he said

"But of course!" E. Constance said.

"I'll do my best to help!" Marianne said.

Volutus charged as the three prepared to retaliate.

"Icy Breath!" Narve said, casting his ice spell.

"Fimbulvetr!" E. Constance said, casting her own ice magic.

"Fimbulvetr!" Marianne called, also casting the same spell. This froze Volutus right in its tracks.

"Nice work! Let's serve up some pork chops!" Connor said. "Anyone wanna take carving duty?"

"Actually, Tsubasa and I are just gonna break it to pieces." Kanade grinned. "Shall we?"

"Hai, let's!" Tsubasa nodded as she and Kanade threw their weapons to the sky before jumping after them as their weapons changed to the size of large semi-trucks. The two then kicked their large weapons as they crashed right onto the frozen Volutus, shattering it to pieces before the two jumped away and landed safely.

Heaven's Wrath

SPEAR∞ORBIT

Free from the Ice after the assault, Volutus tried to mount a comeback by getting on the move again, but it was quickly denied.

(Cue- Cheshire Gets Serious 1- Bayonetta 3)

Viola leaped into the air and threw Mab Dachi into the Volutus' head as Cheshire appeared and did a few swipes before he began bouncing on top of it. And with one last bounce, Volutus was stomped into paste as Cheshire disappeared and Mab Dachi flew back to Viola.

(end song)

"Sayonara." Viola said as she sheathed it before realization hit. "Oh, shit. Just when I thought we finally had him…" she said as she slumped over.

"It's strange though." Ace said. "When Luka's not around, Strider appears, and vice versa. He was in front of us when we were tailing him right?"

"He and Strider might be connected in some way… but it's too soon to say what that reason is." Lysithea said.

"Right. For right now though, we should go catch up with Bayonetta and Simon." Roy said. "Viola, will you be okay on your own for a bit?"

"Yeah… go ahead. I need to catch my breath anyway." Viola panted. "Damn… it's tough running around everywhere without turning into an animal or something…"