In a small ritual room, two bodies were laid side by side. Both unconscious thanks to anaesthetics.
The partners-in-crime allowed the Evil Energy from the magic circles on the ground to permeate reality. The gate to Hell was opening, and the sacrifices they gave were being weighed.
Shia, the white-skinned Yuki Onna protecting herself from the poisonous red fog in the air, had knelt down towards Pal. She touched his chest and increased his 'worth' through her own methods.
[Do you wish to transfer the Innate Gift: 'Time Regression'? Forced bestowal will cause pain.]
She affirmed her decision. This was a necessary step in order to inch closer towards her goal.
The former Regressor didn't fear death. She feared not being able to affect the world as a protagonist.
A similar fear to what Pal held in his heart.
Perhaps this was why they were compatible enough that her Transcendent Gift could be sent.
'Bestowed' despite him not accepting the Gift.
The ritual circles started to glow a deeper redness the moment it succeeded. He became her bait.
"Under the blood of oaths, I summon the ruler of a thousand incarnations. Hear my call and accept the boon, and bestow me an equal benefit." Rather than a 'Summoning', Shia put them up for barter.
A mouth-like 'gate' opened in the empty space. A row of teeth were revealed as the world cracked.
The mouth grew larger and larger until it became an esoteric door. A gateway slightly opened.
Whoosh.
Four fingers and a barely discernible fifth tried escaping the gate, but it couldn't open enough.
Shia held her hand out. Her intervention causing the other party to only perk from the other side.
In the red mist, only the pink eye of the individual on the other side of the door became visible.
A pleasant, pungent smell entered their nostrils.
It smelled like the finest beverage that had been stirred and taken care of. Not strong or dominant.
If fine wines were enthralling, this scent was like a beckoning that made the demon seem harmless.
However, Shia recognised the strong wave of magic she could sense through other means.
It reminded her of a far distant past.
'The Progenitor'…
Reason Calamity…
Earthly Devil…
The day her journey truly started. That wicked spider that possessed her juniper sister that day.
The person on the other side of the door gave off a similar energy fluctuation to the First Calamity.
'I knew I was right…' In the future of what Pal had shared, the generation of calamities, also known as the Archdemons, had fled to the underworld. They became rulers there with their own societies.
"By the bounds of the blood oath. The devil trade has been carried out, and I am obligated and privileged with judging the worth of sacrifices. I answer the oath of blood gratefully." The demon on the other side of the gate continued the ritual.
Both sides were now bound by the vows that the ritual took place on. It promoted fair trade.
Of course, without this kind of compulsion, there was no Demon in Hell willing to make fair trades.
No matter how strong the Archdemon was, Shia's blood oath compelled the Demon to continue.
The pleasant smelling creature hesitated while looking at Pal, then brought her gaze upwards.
She started to speak: "I'm sorry. A myth grade and god grade offering is beyond my ability to trade."
"God Grade? Not 'Transcendent'?" Shia herself was surprised that Pal was worth that much.
It was a pleasant surprise.
"I'm bound by the blood oath to agree." It didn't look like being this honest with in the nature of the person peeking from the gate. That one eye visible seemed both greedy and anxious for her sacrifice.
Rather than letting that Archdemon try to 'buy' her sacrifice with lower grade offering, Shia spoke:
"I want the 'Frozen Cube' you stole from Faustus City all those years ago." Shia made her statement.
"Is that all you want?" The demoness spoke faintly.
"Don't joke. That cube is a myth grade item at most, isn't it? A useless ice cube you have been using for decoration." Hearing Shia's confident voice made the demoness click her tongue.
Because she was right.
"It might be useless to me right now, but-"
"If you're planning to barter, I will give up." Shia decisively started closing the gap in the gate.
"Wait WAIT! Alright. You can have it…" The devil on the other side had no choice in the matter now.
The trade for a God Grade sacrifice was too appealing. Even death wouldn't wash away her regret if she botched up this trade. Even though her treasures were inadequate, she conceded.
The temptation was too great.
The red mist covered the beautiful elf that had been laid on the circle. A fire ignited on her.
Transporting her away and leaving behind a large blue cube-like box. Looking mysterious in nature.
"Now… the 'God Grade' sacrifice. What can you offer in kind to honour the blood oath?" Shia picked up the blue cube and looked doubtful. Though she was unaware why there was a change, she wasn't someone who didn't know the worth of that grade.
If this Archdemon didn't satisfy her, then she would simply ask others if they wanted to trade instead.
There was more than one Archdemon in Hell.
"I can offer you anything. Maybe a specialised row of Gifts of your choosing. Maybe immortality. I will give anything as an offering for this sacrifice." The Archdemon's true desires rose to the surface.
The greed in her voice much more prevalent.
"Would you even give your Calamity Core?" Shia asked to make sure, but the demon still begged:
"You want my 'Curse'? You can have it. Give me that sacrifice now!" The gate shook heavily.
The pressure put on the ritual circles made the room shake. A pale Talia stepped back in fear.
Frightened by such a display of obsession.
And the level of power behind that stubbornness.
Shia showed no change in expression when the other side showed their obsessive desperation.
It was good news.
"I was just joking. How could I take away your power for this?" The icy woman brushed it all off.
As if what she said was really a joke.
But anyone who heard her would guess that she was about to make an unreasonable request next.
"Give me your price." The Archdemon glared at her.
Shia didn't leave her in suspense for long. There was only one thing that was worth attaining here.
"Give me the artificial Calamity Core you had synthesised in secret." Shia's words fell heavily.
"HOW DID YOU FUCKING KNOW ABOUT THAT SECRET?" The demoness lost her rationality.
She had only recently created that Calamity Core and was about to use it to strengthen herself.
It didn't make any sense.
"Are you rejecting the trade?" Once again, the strong compulsion of the blood ritual was felt.
A broken oath could lead to heavy consequences.
"…Fine. Is that all you want from me?" The demon sighed as if she had lost something important.
"Of course it isn't. Do you think a God Grade sacrifice is worth equal to an artificially made Calamity Core? Are you kidding me?" Shia looked like a ruffian when she shook down the demoness.
Even Talia was in awe of such shamelessness.
Regardless, what she said wasn't wrong. Even a unique Calamity Core couldn't even the scale.
The demoness grit her teeth.
"What else do you want?" There was no point trying to buy a priceless item with her resources.
The demoness left the decision to the girl.
A sharp light appeared in Shia's eyes. She used this moment to rip off the Archdemon of Lust.
"There is only one offering that can exclusively exist in Hell." Shia pressured the other side.
"You can't have it." It was an even more vehement rejection than trying to gain the Calamity Core.
A complete and utter rejection.
Shia didn't say anything. Her silence acted as a quiet pressure that asked if she was being serious.
After all, the Archdemon was the one begging here.
It took a while before the demoness spoke again:
"I, the Archdemon of Lust, Asmodeus, swear on my existence as the Lust Calamity. My next action is merely the due process to fulfil my role before the Calamity on the End's descent." The demoness speaking this, Asmodeus, resolved herself.
Continuing as a fire enveloped the sacrifice given to her. The offering she have considered a betrayal.
Regardless, she wouldn't regret this.
Asmodeus spoke of what she offered as a crimson marble and an exquisite black box appeared:
"I offer the Bloodlust Curse and the crystallised authority of Redwind. The seed of the antichrist and unique existence... 'Devil Blood'." With a heavy heart, Asmodeus gave her most precious possession that was worth more than her life.
Devil Blood was literally the blood of the Evil God itself. There were only two vials of it in existence in Hell, and their existence was a secret that not even the other Archdemons had been made aware of.
When the deal ended, the gate to Hell slammed shut. Asmodeus left without looking back.
Talia watched as Shia took the 'Devil Blood' vial out of the black box. Unaware of what'd happen next.
'I have finally acquired it.' The ice maiden looked like she had accomplished a great feat right now.
And she proved that it was more than a thought.
'To think she thought this was myth grade…' Shia thought. Aware of the real identity of the ice cube.
When the fifth Earthly Devil had struck, also known as Ice Calamity or Shark Calamity, it descended as two distinct entities. After it was slain, the first Calamity Core was used for Simon's armour.
The second one was sealed until the Divine Blacksmith of the time was ready to refine it.
The second Calamity Core didn't have a chance to be turned into a weapon. The world had ended.
And now, that Calamity Core was in her hands.
In her other hand was an artificial Calamity Core that Asmodeus created with a lot of effort.
Infused with the resentment of countless Calamity level beings that were used to create this marble.
Regardless, it was sure to give her immortality just like the second cycle's Calamities hiding in Hell.
Absolute power and immortality, along with the blood of the Evil God. Her next action was set.
There was no hesitation.
She devoured the Calamity Cores and drank the Devil Blood, then practiced Simon's Secret Art.
An eruption of power occurred as she managed to stabilise herself. Her sword was drawn immediately.
Looking at the fading gate to Hell.
'This will balance my karma.' Inexhaustible power flowed through Shia while she was thinking that.
Cracks started to form on her companion sword that could no longer keep up with her power.
She stretched it towards the transparent gate of Hell and stabbed it in like a key… then twisted.
The sword initiated a lockdown of the void.
The gate to Hell trembled. An inhuman scream left the imaginary entity that held no clear form.
Then… the gate had somehow managed to 'die'.
Frost beyond the level of what 'Qi' should've been capable of severed Hell from the vast universe.
Cutting off the realm's ability to connect to worlds outside its own. Locking them in there like a cage.
This action would end up having far reaching consequences. One could say the worst was Pal and Girtha's fate. After all, they were locked inside the realm called Hell with the surviving Calamities.
There would no longer be any satanic rituals that would successfully connect to the Hell Realm.
This would put an end to the evil organisation that would abuse Demon Summoning rituals later on.
On top of that, Shia's strength had evolved past that of a transcendent being and into Godhood.
And with only the sacrifice of two people.
Whether their action would be good or bad could only be judged by history. The merits of karma.
Would the lives saved be worth the lives taken?
Shia had no answer to such a topic. The only thing she was sure of was that this would be the last.
There would be no more 'Grand Cycles' after this.
The horrifying Calamity of the End would die in her hands. All she had to do was train until that time.
Only then would the sacrifice be worth it.