The elders could survive decapitation if their heads were reattached quickly. Sephiroth and Liara weren't going to give them that chance.
Sephiroth raised her armored boot and crushed a head like a melon. Green blood splattered everywhere.
Liara, whose skimpy outfit left very little to the imagination, frowned. "So uncivilized. You're getting filth everywhere."
"I don't recall your methods being any more 'civilized,'" Sephiroth retorted. She knew Liara's elegant mage appearance hid a cold, twisted cruelty, born from seeing her parents killed by the Council.
With the Council leaders slaughtered, the threat of the city blowing up was gone for now. But outside, the Old Faction demons—allied with the Chaos Brigade—finally made their move.
"Lord Lucifer," a middle-aged demon said to a young man with silver hair. "It's time."
Vali Lucifer, the White Dragon Emperor, appeared. He didn't care about the politics; he only wanted a good fight. The mysterious black cat had piqued his interest.
"I'll handle any strong opponents," Vali said lazily. Since his fight with Ethan, he had mastered Balance Breaker and was touching the realm of the Gods.
The Old Faction joined the fray, and the pressure on Shella and the others intensified. The Son of Chaos focused on Shella, while the Old Faction demons harassed her from the sides.
"Mother, we have to retreat!" Lucia yelled, dodging a purple lightning bolt. "The Old Faction is here. We can call Rias for help now."
Shella panted, her black leather outfit dusty and torn. She was furious. If she had just one more session with Ethan, she could have handled this Outer God alone.
"You call them. I'll hold them off," Shella said. She couldn't let the city's 150,000 civilians be slaughtered.
Inside the Coliseum, Ethan watched the silver-haired figure outside. A pale blue light enveloped his cat form.
"I thought I smelled a familiar scent... an old friend has arrived."
The black cat vanished. In its place stood a tall figure in crimson dragon armor.
"Red Dragon Emperor, long time no see," Vali said from outside the barrier. He had always suspected the cat was Ethan.
"Has the Old Faction officially joined the Chaos Brigade?" Ethan asked, seeking information.
"The Chaos Brigade wants to return the world to chaos. A war this beautiful is too good to pass up," Vali replied.
Vali flew to the edge of the Coliseum's barrier. "If you hadn't gone inside, we could have had a real fight today. But if you hadn't gone in, this war might not have started."
Vali didn't care who won; he only wanted the chaos.
"Do you want to fight?" Ethan's voice was cold and metallic from behind the dragon helm. "Fine. I'll satisfy you right now."