This is a story that goes back to a time when the fruits of chaos are still being formed, the cruel fates yet to be revealed.

In another volume of his journey through the Underworld, the “Adam’s Heir” will fight memorable battles and meet people who might have the answers he is looking for.

Origins, convictions, and duties. Everything will be put to the test once more.

9th Underworld Level, Upper Block, Administrative Floors, Shinigami’s Office, just before Ajax, Cihua and Chalme departed towards the Restricted Block where Lied and the others were located

Cihuacoatl and Chalmecacihuilt were standing beside the restless Mictlantecuhtli, while Golgotha was seen on top of the desk. Ajax politely took a seat in front of the Shinigami.

“Hm…” the God of Death took a black notebook from the drawer “What is his real name?” he asked.

“It’s… Lied A. Corum” the knight replied with a smile on his face.

“Lied… no, there’s no one here by that name” Mictlan checked the list that contained hundreds of names and said.

“Obviously” the general said.

“That doesn’t mean he’s actually here…” the Shinigami received a signal from his assistant and sighed “The truth is, a spirit has recently escaped security shortly after arriving in the Underworld. As we were unable to confirm his identity, there’s a remote possibility that he’s an intruder after all. Just saying, but maybe you should make sure he’s not the one who you’re looking for” the God of Death crossed his arms and said.

“Is that so? Well then, if you’ll excuse me” upon hearing about the potential intruder, the thrilled Ajax jumped to his feet.

“Hold on. Allow my guardians, Cihua and Chalme, to accompany you. They know the Restricted Block better than anyone” Mictlan said.

“That’s fine by me” the general did not object.

“In the case that it’s not the prince, I want you to identify the runaway at the Reception Area and send him to the trials straight away” the Shinigami ordered the two Guardians of the Underworld and they nodded.

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Ajax, Cihua and Chalme caught up to them at Level -4. As Pantera prepared to deliver the final blow to the human, the aztec general appeared among them and prevented the hunter’s spear from piercing the person he had been searching for.

“I finally found you… Prince!” Ajax said.

“What…?” Lied said, completely amazed.

Pantera made his spear disappear as he didn’t have the strength to break it free of Ajax’s grasp, then the hunter jumped back. Meanwhile, Cihua and Chalme wasted no time in quelling the other prisoners except the unconscious Jirou. Blasius was the only one out of them who offered resistance as he activated his Spirit Mode and faced Chalme one-on-one, whereas Cihua repressed the weaker inmates.

“Return to your cell, sinner” Chalme summoned a scythe like the one his sister had and attacked Blasius with it.

“Now that I finally got out? No, thanks” Blasius smirked as he dodged his attacks and summoned a revolver.

On the opposite side of the battlefield, Zaccharias left Mare’s shoulders to fly towards Lied with the girl right behind him. Cihua went after them as she finished the job of subduing most of the prisoners. The talking crow noticed her and promptly shielded the vulnerable Mare from the scythe that the Guardian of the Underworld carried, by using just its wings.

“This damn bird… such strength…!” Cihua thought as she gave it her all to remain standing.

“We have to help Lied!” Mare shouted, she looked more worried about the teenager than about herself.

The teacher wanted to assist his student, however, Mare had no way of defending herself. Their focus shifted back to Lied, Ajax and Pantera. The Adam’s Heir and the hunter found themselves increasing their distance from the knight; their spiritual instincts warned them that the newcomer was on another level.

“That’s the uniform of the aztec army” Pantera said as he stared at his aztec congener.

“Who are you?” the human asked the stranger, confused.

“Oh, right, it is our first time meeting in person after so many years. It’s me, the knight Ajax Alcestis, member of the special forces ‘Eagles’” the general introduced himself.

The teenager’s expression changed as he felt intimidated by him and summoned the Anima Sancta. It was clear that Lied wasn’t at all familiar with the knight.

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“Could it be that… you lost your memories?” Ajax’s smile faded away as he realized the situation at hand “You really don’t remember anything, not even your hometown or your family?” the knight said in disbelief.

“’Prince’? Weren’t you human?” the hunter barged in on the conversation and questioned Lied.

“That’s right, he called me…” the boy thought.

“What do you know about me?!” Lied pointed his sword at the general and asked effusively.

Pantera inconspicuously drew his spear and struck the knight from behind trying to catch him off-guard. However, a defensive aura protected Ajax as the hunter bumped into the barrier and was sent flying backwards.

“A user with 100% SSL…” Pantera said as he hit a wall.

The general overlooked the man’s existence again and scratched his head, wondering how to go from there. Lied’s amnesia was an unforeseeable circumstance.

“…Damn it, I was hoping to get some clues of his whereabouts. Anyway, I ask you to trust me. I’ll tell you anything you don’t know on our way back to Aqua” Ajax cordially asked the Lost Prince.

“H-Huh? I’m not going anywhere!” Lied said.

The aztec sighed. The unwanted response from the prince reminded the knight of the conversation he had with Abrahamus. The great-grandfather of the Adam’s Heir was adamant; Ajax was authorized to use force should he encounter resistance. The general brought down Lied in the blink of an eye, pressing his head against the ground.

“Let me go!!” the Lost Prince exclaimed.

“I can’t, Prince. Please stay put and… hm?!” the knight was saying when a powerful spiritual aura was felt throughout the floor.

Right after that, Cihua knelt on the ground as a small shadow approached them at full speed. Ajax released the human and stared at the moving silhouette of a crow landing just a few feet away from the general. Lied gazed at his familiar savior.

“I can see you’ve got a big responsibility on your shoulders. And you’re looking more like your brother…” the teacher said to Ajax and then looked at his student “Lied, take Mare and get out of here. This is where we part ways” Zaccharias adjusted his hat and said firmly before staring back at the knight in front of him.

“What are you saying?!” the Adam’s Heir asked, shocked.

“Golden eyes… and that hat… you couldn’t be?!” the general said, astonished.

“It’s been a while, Ajax. How are Regulus and the others doing?” the talking crow smiled and said.

“Why? Why are you getting in the way?” the knight asked.

“Lied still has a lot to learn. He can’t go with you” Zaccharias said.

On the other side of the battlefield, Chalme blew off Blasius for the time being as he saw Cihua lying on the ground and ran towards his sister. Deep down, these incompatible brothers cared about each other.

“Are you okay?!” Chalme asked.

“He… the fucking crow is also…!” Cihua said as she had a hard time speaking.

“A Spirit Mode master” the man said as he stared at the animal, a Full Spirit Mode user just like Ajax.

Blasius joined Pantera and the remaining prisoners who could stand up. Mare walked over to the strong-willed Lied as the latter was against leaving the battlefield.

“I’ll stop him, so you two run away” Zaccharias told them.

“I refuse! If I don’t fight, I’ll never get my memories back!!” the young man answered back.

The general was just standing there, staring at them. Ajax took a deep breath as he had fire in his eyes; the intrepid knight’s determination was immense.

“Seeing you in Mictlan, it must be because your spirit isn’t at peace. I am really sorry. Notwithstanding, I swore to His Majesty, Abrahamus A. Corum IX, that I’d bring Prince Lied back!” the general activated his Spirit Mode as a silver-hued aura surrounded him.

“Heh, it seems that it wasn’t just Lied who grew up in these past eight years” the talking crow said as he had a nostalgic look on his face, then turned to his student who was gaping at the aztec knight and his tremendous power “Do you get it now?” the teacher asked rhetorically.

Regardless of his frustration, Lied wasn’t going to be reckless. The young man clenched his fists, then grabbed Mare by her hand and ran off with the girl. For some reason, the Lost Prince felt that this wasn’t the first time he had said goodbye to him.

“Prince!” the general said as he tried to go after him, but he was blocked off by Zaccharias.

“I, too, swore to keep my own oath. I won’t let you pass, Ajax” the resolute talking crow said.

The teenager raced to the exit like there was no tomorrow. At that moment, an obstacle called Cihua popped up before the kid as she barred his way. As one of the Guardians of the Underworld, she had a duty to arrest the outsider.

Lied had to think fast. Mare nodded to him and began to run on her own as she gave Lied space to prepare for the impending battle. Cihua looked into the young man’s greenish eyes, which reminded her of the loathsome Nachash, the Talking Serpent. In the meantime, the lad channeled prana into his right hand and shaped it with Expandability.

“S-SO IT WAS REALLY YOU… YOU FREEAAKING SNAAAKEEE!!” Cihua roared and jumped on him.

“GEEET OUUUT OF THEEE WAAAY!” Lied screamed and aimed the wave at her abdomen.

The woman let her guard down and barely dodged his attack at first. The Adam’s Heir knew that he only had enough energy for a single 2-Kai Unda, therefore he couldn’t afford to miss it. Lied suddenly got a massive adrenaline rush as it awakened his wild instincts and an unprecedented phenomenon occurred: the pupil in his white Spirit Mode eyes turned fiendish, then the boy mimicked a snake as he advanced through a sinusoidal movement of his body and hit Cihua. Although the Unda merely scratched her, it was enough to scare the Guardian of the Underworld and open a path for them.

Mare rejoined Lied. The child started feeling a little dizzy when she grabbed his hand; Mare unintentionally activated her Spirit Mode. The lass was terrified to see his future, yet the Adam’s Heir was so busy that he did not notice her countenance.

“SHIIIT!” Cihua squawked and chased them right away.

Chalme suspended his well-balanced duel against Blasius once more in order not to let the intruder escape. The lad was caught between a rock and a hard place as he did not expect the other Guardian of the Underworld to appear. That was when an unexpected helper, Pantera, showed up out of the blue and blocked Chalme’s scythe with his spear.

“What…?” the Lost Prince said in a low voice as he saw an enemy protecting him.

“Don’t get me wrong. I have to beat these guys anyway” the hunter said, focused on his opponent.

The boy swallowed his pride and proceeded to the exit without further problems. Zaccharias smiled as he glanced back at them for one last time.

“Nothing you’ve learned so far has been in vain. Get stronger, Lied” the talking crow thought to himself and faced Ajax again.

The crow turned off the property Plasticity as he returned to his human form: an adult male in his thirties, with hair black as ebony going below his shoulders.

“…It’s really you, Prince Bertramus” the general said.

“Nope. Right now, I’m Zaccharias, ‘The Talking Crow’!” the male all over the moon exclaimed as an intense dark aura enveloped him.

Lied and Mare left the crow behind as they went back to Level -3.

[END OF CHAPTER]