Ronin immediately used his Illusive Shift to push Cermin out of the way before the rocks and many objects hit him.

He was only going at the speed of a cheetah, 29 meters per second. So he only had to spend 29,000 of his EXP.

“We need to get out of here, Your Highness.” He said as he was carrying him on his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, rushing past the angry mob that started to chase after them.

“Whoah! Since when did you become this fast, Ronin!?” Cermin asked with his eyes wide in shock.

Zeuxis joined after them, bolting with his own quick speed. “Not that recent, I’m sure. It must be a gift from the Lord of Darkness, Your Highness.”

Ronin scoffed. “And yours is from the god Demetri, of course.”

“Yes. Sometimes Demetri would bless his priests with superspeed.” Zeuxis grinned using the face of Zeriav.

It was very lucky for him that Ronin’s Fool’s Eye lasts much longer now, for three days. And that Cermin was too dumb to catch up on anything strange that he does.

They kept running until they were sure now that no one in the streets knew or recognized him.

They have reached this quiet ghost-like village. There was a ruined theater nearby that seemed to be empty, and may provide them some place to eat and rest before traveling once more.

Ronin pushed the prince inside to hide, and give him some lecturing so he won’t be making stupid mistakes like that again. But before he could even open his mouth…..

A woman with deep blue hair swung from the ruined 10 feet wide chandelier of the theater, wearing a very skin-tight showgirl outfit.

“Still babysitting him, aren’t you? My dear Dark Lord.”

The woman’s usual orange hair was gone, but there was no mistaking who she was.

“Lovushka.” Ronin gritted his teeth.

He swung the chandelier in their direction, crashing in front of them with a flourish,

He was smiling wide. “I’m glad that his Majesty of the Dark Age has not forgotten about me.”

“I’m not in the mood to fight you right now. I have shown that you’re unworthy.”

Cermin felt goosebumps flare up from his arms to his neck when he heard this change of tone and demeanor from Ronin.

It was not really much, but still noticeable. He thought that whenever he was possessed by the Lord of Darkness, he would have this distorted, super deep voice.

But no. It was not like the horror movies at all.

He was still speaking with Ronin’s voice, only instead of his usual neutral and bored tone…..

There was arrogance in it, as well as natural malice and hatred towards everyone.

Lovushka’s movements made a show of himself, adding every bit of flair as he could.

Meanwhile, Zeuxis just stood there and asked.

“Who’s this girl?”

Lovushka turned to him, and suddenly…..

His eyes brightened. “You!”

He went over to jump from the chandelier right to his arms. Zeuxis was not planning to catch him at all, but he just did out of reflex.

“You feel familiar.” He said, meaning that he felt familiar in his arms to be carried.

“Let go of him, Zeriav. He’s a dangerous Daemon.” Cermin said, summoning his sword. “A-And…”

He aimed his sword at Ronin too. “Leave my friend’s body right this instant, villain!”

Ronin simply stared at him without any reaction, feeling like if he made any sudden movement, he could make Cermin piss his pants.

Which would be enjoyable if he did not have to worry about this current development of Zeuxis and Lovushka knowing each other!

He really wished that he could still communicate to his brain using Espinella’s connection to the Core, but Pavone was still alive and has escaped.

So his Mage Focus or Dark Gift was erased. He needed to kill the guy to break it.

Lovushka turned to Zeuxis and said. “Do you remember me? You saved me once, my valiant hero dressed as a priest.”

Ronin caught on the double entendre that he was aware Zeuxis was in a disguise, while Cermin did not.

“L-Leave my friends alone, you demons!” He exclaimed, but could not attack because of his weak will to hurt anyone, even Daemons.

Zeuxis only frowned and narrowed his eyes. “Saved you?”

“Yes, you even told that old man to make sure I know the name of the man who saved me. It was not the Lord of Darkness after all.” He chuckled.

As he did, his now sapphire blue hair shook in luscious waves. He smelled like fresh soap and looked perfect as ever despite the damages he received.

Perhaps he had better healing as a former god like Ronin.

Zeuxis’ eyes widened. “Ah, I remember now. Would you like to thank me, then?”

He whispered to Lovushka’s ear. “You were so pitiful and fearful that time, so scared of me…. That’s why I spared you.”

He set the blue-haired crossdresser down with a glint on his eyes. “So that you can get back to health before I kill you myself.”

But Lovushka was not scared by these theatrics at all, using some of his own. He grabbed his collar and whispered back.

“Oh, really? You believe I’m just some inferior weakling that you can hunt for sport, don’t you? Wanting to behead me like that former master of yours.”

Zeuxis stiffened at this, then grinned wide. “Oh, interesting. I heard from a friend of a friend that you were a god. The God of Art, able to keep people inside a honey trap of your own making.”

He pushed him down then grabbed him by the waist before he fell. “Is that true?”

Cermin looked at this in confusion. Zeriav hated Daemons with all his gut, and he does sound from the tone of his voice to be mad at him, though it was too low for him to hear…

But where were they moving so close and making gestures like that?

Lovushka was surprised by the sudden dip. But not for long, as he knocked Zeuxis’s leg with a kick and making him stumble to the ground, before pinning him!

“I don’t know what you are talking about, ‘Priest’.” He grinned. “But I have heard from a friend of a friend that you went here for the Banquet of the Gods.”

He smiled. “You would need an invitation for that, or…”

He showed off an amulet from his neck. “A key to open the door to the Hall of Gods.”

Zeuxis immediately tried to grab the key with his speed, but Lovushka swiped it away just as quickly. “Of course, it’s only Gods who own these keys. Celestus Gods. And I’m not one of them.”

He sneered at Ronin and Cermin. “Because I’m a Daemon, right?”

Cermin was so confused. “Which really is it? Is he the God of Art or—”

“What do you want? Your goal for meeting us here had always been to lure us with that key, right?” Ronin said. “Straight to a trap.”

“Oh, no, no. I wanted to trade, actually.” Lovushka said, and then—

Zeuxis rolled them both over, pinning him down this time. “We don’t trade with Daemons!”

He reached for the amulet again. But the moment he lets go of one arm, Lovushka goes straight for a punch!

Zeuxis coughed up blood, alarming Cermin.

“Zeriav!”

But he still managed to grab Lovushka’s arm again, and spat out the blood to his face. “You really play dirty, you orange fiend.”

“And so do you. ‘Benevolent priest’.” Lovushka sneered. “How can you take the amulet now if you need both hands to keep me still—”

He went to bite the amulet off his chest!

“Ah! How indecent…. That’s so improper, just biting the chest of a damsel!” Lovushka said, chuckling.

Zeuxis just sneered with an amulet in his mouth, speaking internally (If you’re hearing this, I suppose you could say I’m full of surprises.)

“Oh you really are. But…..”

He winked at him. “So am I, darling.”

Ronin noticed it first, and pointed it one. “Zeriav! Move away from him now!”

Zeuxis did as told, but….

His foot was already caught into an amber goo!

He struggled to get out but Lovushka also wrapped his legs around him!

“My trade is simple. I just want a battle, that’s all. A good battle to save some face from my defeat last time.” Both of them were getting swallowed in goo now. “I initially wanted Ronin, but….”

“You’d make do for now, my dear hero.” He said, biting into the amulet as well and yanking it away from Zeuxis!

He then threw it towards the befuddled Cermin and the annoyed Ronin’s direction, as he and Zeuxis got wrapped inside the amber together.

Zeuxis grinned. “Hah? Me? Will you be a good match then, I wonder?”

“I bet I’d be the one to take off your overinflated head instead.” Lovushka said. “I do like your pretty eyes a lot.”

Cermin yelled and went to cut away at the amber, but it was already almost entrapping them both.

“No! Zeriav!”

“I’ll be alright, Cermin!” Zeuxis yelled with a muffled voice. “Just get to the Banquet while I defeat this orange fiend—”

And that was all he could say before they were fully engulfed inside, and shrunken into a pendant-sized amber.

Cermin clutched it in his hands. “No….. Zeriav can’t possibly fight him on his own there… His powers rely on Demetri too. Would he be able to win this battle?”

Ronin did not answer and instead paid attention to the amulet…..

And inside, where the supposed ‘key’ was….

He could see a heart kept within it. Pumping and alive.