Hello everyone, Astaroth here. When you receive a blessing from a goddess, your eyes change colour, and just from looking at someone's eyes, you can tell if that person is blessed or not. Even if you put in golden contact lenses, it's still noticeable that you weren't blessed by Lady Luciel. How does it work? Well, who knows? Even Lady Entropy doesn't know- I've asked her. The only person who might is Lady Luciel, and I am not capable of having a calm conversation with her. I guess it will remain a mystery forevermore.

"My child, if you don't mind, may I know what in the world happened to you while you guide me?", Theliel asked me after we left the city.

"We were... We were adventuring, the three... The three of us. We were heading back to, back to the city, when... When the Dragon came down from, from the sky. It must've been, been toying with us, since it didn't... Didn't use its fire breath at all. It slashed my eye out, as you can... as you can see", I responded, pausing as if out of breath several times. Behind me, Tempest nodded sadly several times, while Charlotte still looked down, faked frustration in her eyes.

"I see, so that's why... But that is a scar, is it not, my child?", she asked in response, not a hint of doubt in her tone or gaze.

"I used a... A healing potion, to... to stop the bleeding", I explained, taking the empty bottle out of my [Storage] to show her. "Ah... Lady Saint, we are almost to where we... where we met the Dragon. Please be... Be careful", I said, putting some concern into my tone.

Pushing through a little more vegetation, we entered into a grassy plain with a Red Dragon at its centre, pridefully stretching her wings out and roaring up into the sky the moment she spotted us. Locking eyes with Theliel, she used her skill [Dragon's Glare], though Theliel only seemed to stiffen slightly.

"As expected of a Dragon... Stay back, my child. I'll handle it from here", she said, directing a glare towards the Red Dragon- Davna.

"Honestly, I'm relieved", I said, losing my desperate tone and grieving tone of voice.

"Relieved...?", Theliel asked, slightly startled at my sudden change in attitude.

"Yes, relieved", I responded. "Relieved that you've changed."

"Changed? I do not believe we have met before?"

"I figured as much, puppet. After all, she has probably removed all memories of me from most of you. Unlocking those should be simple enough... Does the name 'Arthur' ring a bell?"

"Arthur? Arthur...", she repeated, and then, as if a missing puzzle piece fell into place, her mouth hung open for a second and her eyes opened wide, before she started stammering: "Wha-wha-wha bu-but you were and she was and why did I and- Huh?"

"It looks like you've remembered me", I said, gaining my characteristic sneer.

"Arthur, is it really you...? But, you're taller, and you feel so much darker..."

"It is me, Theliel, you are correct. Although, I no longer have the right to call myself Arthur. As for what happened to me... I learned the truth. You know it too, right? Deep inside, you've been aware from the very start. But telling yourself that it's for the sake of helping people, you turn a blind eye to the forcible changes in yourself. Ah, you used to have such potential. Putting yourself first, those precious to you second, and everything else far behind. But now, that potential... You are simply a fool who would give her own life for what? A dictator, pretending to be benevolent? A city full of blind devotees you've never met? Maybe even for a single one of those devotees? You are nothing more than a husk of your former self. A shell for the puppetmistress to lodge an Aspect inside of. You've been reduced to a tool. But rest assured, I will be taking that Aspect and releasing you from your misery. Resist, or don't, it doesn't matter. The life of the First Saint ends here." During this speech, Tempest had released her illusionary magic, revealing her verdant green hair and dark purple eyes, and Charlotte had taken out her contacts, revealing her true colours as a vampire. Lilith and Navillus had emerged from hiding, and the six of us were now positioned so that Theliel was completely surrounded.

"What... What are you saying... If it's for the sake of helping people, it's only natural I'd be willing to give up even my life... Wait, that doesn't make sense! Why should I give up my life to help a stranger... But that's only natural...", she responded, revealing the inner conflict between she, herself, and the fake personality the Azalyth had given her, both parts of her.

"Ah... I see... Yes, that's fine, isn't it... It's fine not to think about this at all if I just kill you, isn't it?!", she shouted out after arguing with herself for several minutes, directing an amount of bloodlust unthinkable of a saint towards me.

"Truly, I'm relieved you've changed so much. After all, had you been the same as before, I wouldn't have been able to bear killing you", I commented, before activating [True Demon Form] on my entire body.

I did not grow in size, as may be common of such a transformation, but my entire body turned a dark purple and I gained two large wings on my back. From my lower back emerged a thin, scaly tail with a sharp venom-coated tip, and my mouth was filled with sharp teeth, fit for tearing apart even steel. On the ends of my arms, instead of fingers, there were large, sharp, black claws. My facial features had become a tad sharper, my eyes a bit less friendly, my hair had grown to go far beyond my waist and become perfectly white, and on my head were several rows of black horns, whereas the irises of my eyes became the same familiar rainbow-coloured irises I was so used to looking at. Upon seeing such a form, Lilith spontaneously began to drool, whereas Tempest stared in fascination and Charlotte looked on with an approving gaze. Neither Navillus nor Davna showed any reaction, and Theliel revealed a disgusted expression, as if looking at a monster- well, that wouldn't be inaccurate.

"I gave you plenty of hints", I said, my voice now having turned despicably demonic. It was as if a snake's hissing voice, a raven's rasping voice and a god's mighty voice were all speaking the same words at the same time, perfectly in sync and yet completely cacophonic. "This eyepatch is far too elaborate for something I got to cover an injury I got today, and in the first place, that healing potion would've completely gotten rid of the wound had I poured it over or at least gotten rid of all the minor cuts had I drank it."

"Well, if you're going all out, then I will too...", she said, before activating the skill all Seven Saints have, [Familiar Descent]. A blinding beam of light appeared from the sky, enveloping her, and inside this beam of light, a yet brighter ball of light descended, landing on Theliel and assimilating with her. When the pillar disappeared, what was there was no longer a human. Theliel had gained two pure white angelic wings on her back, and a ring of light floated behind her head: her priestly garb had been replaced by clothes fitting of a warangel, and her irises became rainbow-coloured, though they were different from mine, as if inverted, and her hair was pure black.

"So this is a fight of Lady Entropy's avatar against one of Lady Luciel's Aspects, is it", I commented, before readying my right arm with its sharp claws in a position almost as if wielding a sword and rushing forward, attempting to slash at her- however, I was stopped by an invisible barrier, and she flapped her wings and retreated into the air. I, too, flapped my wings and slashed at her again, only to be stopped by the same barrier, in response to which she stretched out her right hand, summoning forth a staff, which she moved in a slashing motion, sending forth several balls of light I was forced to block.

"So this is the power of the Aspect of Protection- no, of the Saint of Heavenly Protection, is it?", I wondered aloud, theorising as to the nature of the barrier.

"I'm working on figuring it out, Master", Tempest commented from the ground. With a nod, I decided to go on the defensive for now. Moving her staff in movements similar to earlier, Theliel sent more balls of light my way, and this time I decided to avoid them instead. Clicking her tongue, she held her staff in front of her for a few seconds before summoning a larger ball of light, which I decided to attempt to parry, only to burn my claws in the process.

"Whoops", I said nonchalantly before continuing to dodge her attacks as my claws mended themselves. Like this, the fight continued for a few minutes, until I heard a familiar voice from below call out "[Skill Construction]!" and felt 'myself' become a slightly bigger concept. Deciding to try, right after dodging another attack, I slashed at Theliel while activating the new skill [Shatter]- and I felt the barrier fall to pieces like a broken glass orb after being struck with a sword, even though I couldn't see it. Following up with a stab with my left index finger, I felt my claw penetrate the soft flesh of her body, and the moment her astonished expression registered in my thoughts, I heard an emotionless, mechanical voice announce in my head: [You have defeated the First Saint. As you have defeated this Saint, all Azalyths under this Saint's jurisdiction have been annihilated.]

This was the 'voice of the world', a voice which announced to people of this dimension when they gained skills, defeated powerful foes, gained a more powerful class or performed other great feats. It hadn't activated earlier as it hadn't been me who gained a skill, but instead Tempest, so Tempest did hear it.

[As you have defeated the holder of an Aspect, you may claim this Aspect or allow it to return to its Goddess.]

[Will you claim the Aspect of Heavenly Protection, or will you return it to Goddess of Light, Luciel?]

'Of course I'm taking it', I thought, and with that, the voice continued.

[You have gained the Aspect of Heavenly Protection.]

[You have gained the skill [Barrier].]

[[Barrier]: Form an unbreakable barrier around one area, to a maximum size of a small continent. Mana usage will increase as barrier size does.]

[You have gained the skill [Protect].]

[[Protect]: Form a protective barrier of light around yourself or an ally, protecting them entirely from physical attacks. Specialised barrier-breaking attacks can easily pierce it, and you may control a total of ten, each costing exponentially more mana.]

[As you are an Apostle of the Goddess, Entropy, the Aspect of Heavenly Protection has reverted to the Aspect of Protection.]

[You have gained the skill [Protective Shroud].]

[[Protective Shroud]: Wrap yourself or an ally in protective darkness, hiding them from visual detection and granting them complete protection from magical attacks. It only works in dark environments, and you may control a total of ten, each costing exponentially more mana.]

[You have taken [one] step(s) towards becoming a Demon King.]

[Goddess of Light, Luciel has marked you as a global enemy.]

[The Goddess, Entropy has given you permanent ownership of the Aspect of Protection.]

[You have taken [one] step(s) towards attaining divinity.]

Tilting my head in puzzlement, I wondered why Lady Entropy would grant me permanent ownership of the Aspect, and how she responded so fast at all, but I decided I'd ask her later and landed on the ground, undoing [True Demon Form].

"Navillus is glad! Master defeated Saint!", Navillus exclaimed, raising her hands into the air.

"Congratulations on your victory, Master", Charlotte said, giving a slight bow.

"Congratulations on your biggest kill yet, Master", Tempest said with some soft applause.

"I didn't get to kill anything...", Davna sighed telepathically, sounding remarkably disappointed.

"'Grats, Master, and uh... Do you think you could, y'know, take on that form again someday?", Lilith asked, fidgeting a disproportionate amount.

Making a mental note to refrain from using [True Demon Form] on my whole body around Devils for fidelity's sake, I spoke: "There are some things I would like information about, so we shall head back. On the way there, Davna, feel free to hunt as many animals and disobeying Monsters as you like." In response, she cheered, and after everyone made their preparations and I stored Theliel's body in my [Storage], we departed to return to the castle, leaving the now protectionless Holy City behind.

"What the fuck?!", a Goddess exclaimed. She was lucky none of her followers heard that.

"So he wants to take my fragments and make them his own, and he's even gained new followers... But those purple and red eyes, weren't those girls a Witch and a Vampiress? To add, that Dragon, that weird Slime and that Succubus also seemed to be following his orders... Has he somehow become a Monster Tamer?", she pondered, misnomering several of the Demons that had surrounded the first of her seven attendants.

"Well, anyway, he's dead meat now", she decided selfishly before bestowing another oracle upon her head priest. The contents of this oracle, too, would contribute to the revolution that turned the world upside down-