The crew quickly arrived at the fence.
"You monsters better stand aside before we behead your friend!"
"Yeah! Stay back or we'll make an example out of her!"
The witch hunters raised their weapons at the sight of the dangerous "monsters" and demanded they stay back while taking all of the witches into their custody.
"Oh no!"
"This is bad."
"They've got one of the witches!"
"What're we gonna do here, Null?"
Seeing as they were met with a harsh sight, Null wracked his brain to come up with an idea.
"Don't worry. I've got this," Barter's Ruler stepped up.
Before anyone could stop him, he transformed part of the golden fence into a door and walked out towards the witch hunters and their captive.
"I said stay back you heinous monster! Come any closer and I'll slit this bitches throat," the hunter with a blade to the woman's jugular.
Barter's Ruler simply smiled and said, "Before you get the chance, how about you kiss the floor instead?"
Without the slightest warning the confused hunters crashed to the ground with some of them even collapsing over their sharp weapons.
All but the witch struggled to move their necks as if there was someone or something pressing down on each of them.
'What is happening?!'
The fake witch was struggling herself to comprehend what was happening.
"S-spare me," she said while holding back tears.
Barter's Ruler was stunned by the request, "I'm not going to hurt you. I'm only here to help."
He reached his arm out to her, but before he could fully extend his arm she took off in fear.
'Did I do something wrong,' Barter's Ruler wondered as he turned to the others.
Seeing the disparaged look on his face, the others came out to interrogate the subdued hunters.
Barter's Ruler took back his gravity control and Edmond healed those who fell onto their weapons.
Needless to say, they did not appreciate the help.
Once they were able to move again, the witch hunters grabbed their weapons once more and attempted to strike Edmond who was the closest to them.
He gave a disgusted look as he controlled his flames to block their weapons.
After growing tired of the repetitious attitudes of the people, Edmond decided to hold nothing back.
He allowed his purgatory flame to consume them wholly while sparing one single man.
They could not even muster a peep before the purgatory flames turned into holy flames taking the horrendous pain away.
The breath of the lone hunter rapidly grew.
Despite being spared the fate of the burning, he felt no relief as he knew he was singled out for a reason.
As if reading his mind, Edmond turned to him, "Did you really think that after faking this shit that you would get off easy?"
Sure enough, Edmond put two and two together after witnessing the woman freak out upon seeing her companions hindered by the intense gravity.
The lone hunter gulped down a mouthful of saliva after realizing he was found out alongside the suffering hunters.
"I-I didn't kno-," he started but was interrupted by a consuming flame taking over his body.
"I don't give a shit."
This time, the grey Flames of Retribution burned their bodies leaving them without even ash to be remembered by.
"Edmond! Did you really have to kill them?!"
Estoria and the witches were averse to the decision, but it was clear that Edmond was on his last straw when it came to the witch hunters.
"They won't listen to reason! This is the only fate for those too stubborn to change their ways!"
"That simply isn't what we stand for! A fundamental aspect of us witches is that we go against the perceived normality regardless of our standing amongst others."
"It's like all of you have the same mentality! How can you bear to see those around you cower and hide in fear of death?!"
"It's alright, Mom! Just put the past behind you and realize that witches are supposed to be the normality we see. That kids like me and Angie can chase after without fear or prejudice!"
Tino shared his piece on the matter which spurred Angie to agree.
"It's not like we're the ones so actively seeking to harm the other side!"
Estoria's face sank.
This was something she was utterly resolute about.
Edmond ended the conversation with a final sentence, "What cannot be agreed upon can only be left to the future."
As he walked away from the scene, Estoria wanted to give one last word, but he suddenly flew away as her lips parted.
The commotion eventually died off right after his departure and the witches went about their businesses.
"Well, that was something," the mood had shifted quickly leaving Null and the rest stunned.
"That is the conviction of a man who manifested a Universal Rule as soon as he heard the concept," for some reason, Barter's Ruler seemed rather on edge about something.
"I guess. Death has many forms and can't be justified from all perspectives."
"Mmm. Say, while I have you here, can I get some assistance furthering my own Universal Rule?"
The question was directed at Ego as he witnessed the transformation of Superego and its implications.
With the mind of Ego and the powers of Void, maybe the experiments would be less lethal.
"I don't know...," Ego shied away from the idea.
"It's the missing piece! I need my soul to reflect my greed!"
His voice grew louder and more crazed as he spoke which unsettled Ego further.
"Let's shelf the idea for later," Null interrupted the conversation after also noticing the shift in personality.
"You owe me a debt! Just let me have this!"
With more fervor, Barter's Ruler grabbed at Ego and Void.
"There's no debt between brothers," From behind, Theef grabbed Barter's Ruler in kind.
Not one to let a comrade fall to his own desires, he sought to snap Barter's Ruler out of his sudden craze.