"Good work!" Shout Arashi toward Eric
He also put out his hand on the air waiting for Eric to high-five him
"You too…"
Eric replied but he didn't high five Arashi and he just leaves him hanging
After a few minutes Arashi hands start to feel numb and so he put it down
Just as Arashi caring over his arms, he looks over Eric who is observing the place
Arashi felt a bit confused toward Eric action as he finds the place they are standing right now as just a normal dirty alley with a lot of stray cats
Just after Eric finish observing the place, he let out a small sigh
"What's wrong?" Ask Arashi curious
"Those devils were roaming around freely on this place…" said Eric looking concern
Arashi just tilted his head as he didn't quite understand Eric statement
Eric let out another sigh as he looks at Arashi dumb face
"It isn't normal for a mere devil to freely roam inside a human world as they aren't strong enough to defend themselves."
"That's why most low-level devil could be found inside an abandoned building or hanging around human shadow." Explain Eric in detail
Arashi just nodded his head in excitement as indicating that he understood what eric just explained
Eric just put one of his hands on top of his head as he felt a bit of headache trying to deal with Arashi
"But then, what a higher-levels devils usually lives on?" Ask Arashi curious
Eric looks over at Arashi
"Well that's…"
"They are usually found roaming around the human world freely but they aren't many of them because mostly we already eradicate the low-level devils before it could evolve…"
"That's why a higher-levels devils are rare." Eric added
Arashi nodded his head again
He then looks over Eric behind and start to ask more question
"Then, were the devils we just defeated a higher level?" Ask Arashi
Eric shakes his head disagree
"No, I don't think so…"
"That devils most likely a B rank…"
Eric starts to look more concern
"Then why do you think the devils were doing out here?"
"There is only one answer I could think of right now…"
"Their territory got invade by a higher levels devil…"
A surprised look can be seen on Arashi face
"What could happen by that?" Arashi ask curious
"Most likely, the higher levels devils are having an evolution…"
The both of their faces suddenly turn pales
"Anyway, we shouldn't waste any of our time here…"
Said Eric trying to calm both of them down
"You're right… we need to find the devil before it could evolve itself into another being…" Arashi replied
Eric nodded agreeing to Arashi statement
"I'll try to look around this street area…"
"You go and try to look over the other side of this road…"
"And if one of us found the devil don't strike it immediately…"
"Call and wait for the others to come first alright?"
Arashi gave out an instruction toward Eric with a concern face
Eric shakes his head in disagreement over Arashi planned
"Bu-but why?"
"No…you and me we should stay together…"
"I couldn't let you go alone and face that devil alone…" said Eric with a concern look
Arashi starts to look confused
"But isn't doing that just going to waste our time?"
"I think splitting up is better in this situation." Said Arashi trying to be reasonable with Eric
But Eric just looks down with a pale look on his face
He also starts mumbling out some words from his mouth
Arashi as he looks worried over Eric condition tried to check on him
"E…Eric?"
"NO YOU CAN'T!!!"
Eric suddenly shouts out loud making Arashi even worried at Eric condition
Eric realized what he just had done as he quickly turn his face from Arashi
"I'm sorry… it just…"
"I don't want the same mistake to happen again…"
Said Eric with a sad face trying to hold his tears
Arashi look over at Eric who is looking pale as if he just saw a ghost, slowly he walks over toward Eric and put one of his hands on Eric shoulder
This gave Eric a shocked but he just let Arashi be
"Eric…"
"You don't have to worry…"
"I'm going to be fine…" Said Arashi assuring Eric
For some reason at the moment when Arashi is assuring Eric, Eric somehow reminded of his past partner that said the same things toward him when they went out for a mission
On that mission Eric and his partner had discovered that a higher devils might have evolved into something greater and they were on a mission to pursue it
Eric suggested that they wait and called for a higher ranks gatekeeper to dealt with it but his partner disagree saying that the both of them are more than capable to dealt with it
He also convinced Eric that if they managed to defeated it, they might get a promotion and one step closer to make their wish a reality
Eric is a bit incite over the plan but he still felt like it was better if they just stay and wait
Seeing how unreasonable Eric is, His partner then left Eric alone to wait for the other gatekeeper so they can fight the monster together
Hours passed since Eric partner left, that's when Eric realized something might have happened toward him
He then tried to look around and search for his partner all over the city but he couldn't
Just then a group of high rank Gatekeeper who Eric had called came toward him
In that crowd he saw Kai walking among them. He felt a bit relieved to see his mentor to be here and helped them but that feeling of relieves suddenly changes when he saw what Kai is carrying on his arms
Eric starts running toward Kai the moment he saw them
His breath is heavy, he felt devastated, he looks despair as the person that Kai is carrying on his arms is Eric partner half alive
The moment their eyes meet Eric partner open his mouth toward Eric
"I'm…sorry…"
"For not listening…to you…" said Eric partner
His body then starts to eradicate into dust leaving nothing left of him
Tears starts falling down from Eric face as he looks over at his partner slowly dusting away…
Turning back to the reality
Arashi is looking surprised as something just happened toward Eric
"E…ric?" Said Arashi concern
Eric looks confused when Arashi called out his name as if something is stuck on his face, he then touches his face just to realizes that…
He is crying…
Feeling embarrassed Eric quickly wipe his tears off his face and then he quickly looks away from Arashi
"Eric…"
Arashi tried to called him out as he got concern again but then he sensed that something weird is going on
Just before he could react to it Arashi got hit by a sudden blow to his stomach making him lose consciousness by a mysterious girl
Another person who is a big looking guy catch Arashi and took him far away from the place
"Arashi!" Shout Eric
He then tried to chase them over but somehow he was to late and the mysterious duo ran away with a teleport that disappear the moment they enter it
Eric who didn't manage to save Arashi, grit his teeth and screams loudly…
He then lay down on the ground as his throats start to hurt, He also hit the ground with his fist in frustration
"What should I do now…" said Eric in confusion
He continued to lay down on the ground until he himself passed out
While on Arashi side…
After being taken away from Eric, Arashi founds himself inside an old building
He immediately scans over his environment to check where he had been taken to but instead of finding out where the hell he is
He is shocks at the look of a big looking devil reside and sleeping peacefully on the ground
"Ara… have you awaken from your slumber?"
Suddenly a soothing calm voice called out to Arashi
"You are?"
The girl smiles
"My name is Ayumi…"
"You can just call me Ayu." Said the girl with a calming voice
For a second Arashi is allured toward her calm and polite personality but he snaps back to reality as he remembered he is dealing with an enemy right here
"Why are you taking me to this place?"
"Don't you know my mission is to slay that devil?" Said Arashi
The girl just smiled again toward Arashi
"Of course, We knew about that…"
"But you need to know something first before talking like that…"
The girl slowly swirls over playfully in front of Arashi making him to be distracted once again
"Do you know what would happen if a higher devils evolve into another being?" Ask Ayu
Arashi shakes his head indicating he doesn't know what would happen
"Wh-what would happen?" Arashi ask curiously
The girl then smiles softly at Arashi curiosity
"Well mostly they would be hungry…"
"But human bad deed won't be enough to feed them…"
"So we thought of another things to feed them…"
Ayu then looks directly toward Arashi with a mischievous look
"Don't tell me…"
Arashi as he realized what their real plan in taking him here starts to turn pale
"That's right…"
"You are going to be it's first meal."
"You must be thrilled right?" Said Ayu playfully and excited