Even in this situation, Scott raised his sword and saluted. This deep-rooted habit, the figure overlapping with the past, made Nia feel apprehensive for a moment.

The next moment, the long sword sliced through the air and slashed straight at it, too fast to dodge.

The blade seemed to cut through Nia's thin body with ease, but it wasn't bloody—the agile thief quickly retreated, leaving an afterimage in the golden mist that filled the area.

He stepped up the steps behind him, leaping lightly, but the momentum of the downward swoop was so fierce that it seemed to be undying. The sharp dagger slammed into Scott's neck in the blink of an eye, and the warrior stepped back, slamming the dagger between the hilt and the gauntlet.

That didn't take away the thief's weapon. The moment she realized she couldn't do it, she had retreated again, her sword stabbing at his feet, only to be knocked out of place with a small dagger—not heavy, but in the right place.

For a moment none of them could touch anyone, and even the sound of weapons clashing was countable. They are all too familiar with each other...... The more than ten years that have passed have not erased the tacit understanding between birth and death countless times, making the battle at this moment almost like a game.

“...... Don't you set fire?"

Nia even had time to speak, "Then you don't necessarily win me." ”

Even he didn't notice it, and the burning anger had slowly subsided with each blow.

Scott stepped forward in a daze, and the simplest move erupted with the most terrifying power in his hands—the moment Nia relaxed slightly, his sword drew a long wound in the thief's chest.

If you take a step slower, you will be disemboweled.

Nia fled for the first time, but the deeper wound hurt out of sight. It dawned on him that he had no advantage in such a fight, not because of Scott's unused magic, but because he would be swayed by emotions...... Even Lydia is still swayed by emotions, but Scott is not.

If he really wanted to kill him, no matter what he said or did, he wouldn't stop.

A chill permeated the whole body. Nia rolled to the edge of the wall and raised her hand to smash a small, round pearl-like ball, the dazzling white light exploded silently, causing Scott to close his eyes involuntarily.

That short time was enough time for the thieves to avoid the long sword that followed him and regain his rhythm.

The skin on his chest was open, but there was not much blood coming out - his body was no longer a normal human body. At this moment, he suddenly realized this, and the anger that had been dimmed was surging again.

He let out a high-pitched whistling sound that didn't look like a human voice at all...... Like a blood-stained spike rushing out of the bottom of the heart, like a cry when a soul is shattered, it tears through the air.

Scott's body froze imperceptibly—he wasn't invulnerable at all.

The shadow that rushed towards Nia was as fast as a bolt of lightning...... That's not a speed that humans can reach. Scott almost instinctively turned sideways in time to avoid the vital point, but a piece of flesh was also heavily dug out of his waist.

The thief crouched like a beast when he landed, his raised face pale and his forehead above his eye sockets covered with a few strange black markings, and his constricted pupils glowed black.

The light spread rapidly, staining his gray-green eyes black.

His stature grew shorter, his arms elongated elongated, and his fingertips hooked claws as sharp as knives, dropping drops of blood.

He looked up - his palm was still holding the mass of flesh that he had dug with his fingers, but he didn't put it in his mouth, he just threw it away and licked the bloody fingertips.

Scott looked at him in a daze, his sword still clenched in his hand, but he didn't move for a moment.

"Why, seeing this ......," Nia gestured at herself, and the mockery on her lips was not known to anyone, "would you still be surprised? Wouldn't you have guessed it a long time ago? If a man who had fallen into hell alive could still be alive and well...... What kind of hell is that? Even for the sake of its reputation, I'm going to have to change my appearance. ”

The wound on his chest healed quickly as he spoke, but it deliberately left a raised scar that was shocking.

"Look, I'm a monster—just like you. The thief raised his twisted and elongated arm and pointed at Scott, sneering, "Perfect fit, isn't it?"

His arms were covered in black markings like foreheads, gradually turning into scaly lumps as Scott watched.

"Why don't you tear off your pretentious human skin and show me what you've become?" he said, "and honestly, that's what a friend is." ”

The monster from hell half-narrowed its eyes at its former friend, and only the black underside of its eyes was unusually bright and unusually dark.

“...... If you tell me......" Scott began.

"If I tell you everything, you will save my life as a human being...... Like taking back my freedom from Manissa?" Nia laughed and bared her fangs, "but I'm already a monster." People can become monsters, but monsters can never become humans again. What if I told you...... I'm just going to die sooner, right?"

Scott shook his head.

"As you say," he said, "I'm just a monster...... What right do I have to kill you?"

"And what are you doing now?" Nia, chuckling.

Scott looked down at his sword.

"It's not because of this. He said.

"What's the difference?!" the low laugh instantly turned to a shrill shout, and Nia knew she was arguing with words...... But what kind of "reason" does a demon want?

"By the way," he smiled, his tone abruptly reverting to his usual lightness, "who told you I wanted to be free? Who told you I wanted to be a human being?—— I wanted to be a monster." No more cautious attempts to please everyone, no more pretending to be kind and cute...... You don't know, do you? Of course you don't...... Little did anyone know that Ruby, the cutest girl in the troupe, the first dream girl of my dreams, was killed by me. ”

He could no longer see that blank look of shock on Scott's face because of this...... I can't see his anger and disgust either. He should be glad about it, but he is not happy about it.

Such a big secret, he thought. This guy didn't even move an eyebrow.

"You ought to be at least happy," he said, "I gave you the best reason to kill me, and even Alan couldn't accuse you of any more words." ”

“...... But he'll still be sad for you. Scott said.

Nia was quiet for a moment.

"It's fine. He said, "It's good that you don't have a heart anymore." ”

.