Tower of Heaven

Two more days passed, making it the day when Artemia would fight against the geniuses of the 36th Demon Legion.

Atlas was supposed to already be in the arena, but that was not the case. Instead, he had been called once more by Mireiya.

There were no signs of her these past few years. It was said that she was always kept away from others due to the nature of her abilities. Really, only Alaric could approach her safely without worrying about the consequences.

For everyone else, including her own daughter, contact with Mireiya had to be limited to short periods of time. Such was the reason why there was a cloth separating her from anyone who visited and such was why those visitors had to be led by someone as powerful and influential in the clan as Adella.

"It is nice to see you again, Ma'am," Atlas said in greeting. Thanks to Artemia, he was starting to understand the courtesies of this era as well.

He bowed his head slightly as he spoke, and Mireiya accepted his gesture favorably.

"There is no need for such things. As you have spent so much time here, you have practically become a part of our family. Though my husband will never admit it, he quite likes you as a disciple, you know?" She said.

Her tone was far different from their first meeting. It still had its mystery, but it was more welcoming and normal as if Mireiya was now speaking comfortably.

Atlas shook his head with a smile.

"He won't even let me call him Master. I've had to settle with 'Old Bastard,' since it's oddly the title he responds to best."

Mireiya giggled a little.

"That is indeed how he is."

It was less noticeable, but Atlas had also become more comfortable. This was only his second meeting with Mireya, of course, but after getting to know most of the rest of the Tatsuya Clan, her power and breadth were no longer so intimidating.

Still, Mireiya wasn't a person who had idle conversations. She summoned him here for a reason.

"You are not blind," she said, suddenly pivoting.

"Rather, you are someone who sees what others cannot. You must have noticed it already. There is a foreboding fate impacting this world."

Atlas nodded. It started with dark clouds, but it didn't end there. Over the past several days, the bloody aura in the air had been constantly increasing. Others who sensed it attributed it to the atmosphere created by the Friendly Exchange Meeting, but there was a difference between fighting spirit and slaughter aura.

"I am a cursed prophet, so to say. I am merely a medium through which fate can communicate. I, as an individual, cannot tell others the fates that I see."

In other words, Mireiya knew exactly what was going to happen and couldn't tell anyone about it.

"However, that does not mean that I cannot interfere indirectly."

The fabric parted ever so slightly and three items floated out.

"Take these with you. The first is for my daughter, the second is to be used as you choose, and the third is to be kept on your body at all times."

The first two were amulets hung on threads, and the last was an intricate talisman.

Atlas accepted them with questions in his mind, but even the timing of this meeting was chosen conveniently.

His departure from the palace was delayed intentionally.

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A huge sound sent a tremor through the entire palace. From its very depths to its highest peaks, each and every person within felt the shaking.

Atlas' eyes widened as he looked at the shadow beyond the veil. As if to answer his gaze, Mireiya spoke once more.

"The Blood Moon has risen. Go to my daughter first. She is in need of your aid."

Atlas' eyes narrowed.

'Blood Moon, she says.'

If so, then he had no time to hesitate.

"Then, I will be leaving."

With a short farewell, Atlas dashed out of Mireiya's quarters. Saying the palace was in chaos was wrong, but everyone present was moving.

Mireiya said two words that concerned Atlas more than anything else.

And the instant he stepped outside, his concerns were turned into a reality.

'It truly is a Blood Moon Phenomenon.'

In the sky was a celestial body with the color of crimson blood. Its light shined down on the world, bringing doom and disaster to everything it touched.

A Blood Moon Phenomenon was a problem no matter when it happened.

'However, when there are so many demons and divine beasts present in the world…'

…what was once a problem became nothing short of a disaster.

***

It really did happen in an instant.

"Young Lady Artemia has won!"

An announcer told the crowd about her victory, but his words were hardly necessary. She won by such a landslide that even the demons watching were cheering for her.

'Is this why he was being sarcastic earlier?'

It made sense to her now. It wasn't that she was weak, it was that Atlas was too much of a monster.

She was going to celebrate it. She was a little annoyed that he didn't come to see it, but she wasn't that worried about it. If Atlas missed out on a promise, then it was because he had important things to do.

'I want stronger opponents. I think the real competition is coming tomorrow…'

Vinea and his main entourage had yet to arrive. Perhaps when they came, she would actually face challenges.

'But the festival is cool, so I don't mind.'

Artemia had been enjoying it for a while. She thought about how she was going to spend the rest of the day as she watched the crowd clear out, and that was when it happened.

The air turned red.

An atmosphere of crimson covered the entire world, dying the clouds and staining the ground.

The clouds above parted, revealing the massive crimson-red moon.

And that was when everything went wrong.

As Artemia watched with widened eyes, a massacre began. The demons who were sitting peacefully in the crowd went into a frenzy. Their eyes turned red and their strength came out. All of the non-demon citizens in the arena were promptly targeted and attacked without the time to do anything about it.

"This…what…?"

Artemia got her mind together. Regardless of what was happening, she needed to stop it.

[Reigning Steps]

It was a technique that should have taken her into the stands within the second.

However…

'...I'm only halfway across the arena?'

Artemia's heart dropped.

She felt it when she tried to use her movement technique. Her qi was being suppressed greatly and her power had been weakened.

On top of that, it wasn't just the regular demons in the crowd who turned into beasts.

No, every demon in the vicinity, every demon in the entirety of Vanatos had their eyes turned red and their minds devoured by a frenzy.

The opponent that Artemia had only just knocked down was standing up again. His body was still injured, but it didn't seem to matter.

Like an undead being, he approached her with slow steps.

She'd already won against him once. She already attained victory and knew his moves, so it should not have been a matter of concern.

But Artemia had a feeling that it wouldn't be so simple this time.

She didn't know if she could win another battle against that genius.

And more pressingly, she didn't know if she could make it out of this arena alive.