The Iron Sentinel (MGE x OP male reader)

Part #15

It's the middle of the night. But Arthur is not asleep. He left the hotel and went to the beach where no one is here. He slowly walked through the sleeping town, knowing that there is no one to spot him. He was lazily greeted by the guards and was warned that it's not safe outside the city walls. He nodded and went farther away.

He is now on the beach. The moon illuminated the deceitfully calm waters, but he knew what was hidden in them. He was just a few feet away from water. Then he activated his storage ring and summoned the rune, he was given by the Chaplain. He looked at it. It was shaped like a wolves head with a weird spear-like rune on its forehead. He clenched his fist around it and its edges cut through his skin, drawing some of his spirit energy. He then dug a small trench with his other hand and put the bloodied rune inside, covering it with sand afterwards. The beacon was set up. Now he needs to wait for the full blood moon. It will appear on the next day.

Back in the hotel, Kohako felt a chill running down her spine. Something awful had just happened... She couldn't even understand what. Others were asleep and in the blood keep, Chaplain smiled and bowed to the Ares's soul shard. "Soon we shall free you, your Grace." He said and left the inner sanctum.

On the next morning...

(YN) woke up at the first rays of sunlight. His eyelids opened to reveal the black orbs with gold irises. He got up and dressed, knowing that his companions are asleep he decided to go and have breakfast, on his own. And by it, I mean a large cup of coffee, because not even a change of bodies can remove an old habit. He went opened the door and walked through the garden towards the main building of the hotel complex. Of course, there was no one but an inari barmaid, who is also a receptionist. He sat down at the bar, then they greeted each other.

(YN) : Coffee, two sugars that is it.

Inari: Right away!

She said in a cheery tone, as she ran off her two tails fluttering from side to side. (YN) lowered his hood and ran his hand through his spiky short hair. He felt awful, not in his body, but spirit. He felt guilt, eating away at him. Despite the anguish, he felt earlier. He even wanted to apologise to Kohako, but when he checked her room she was not there. Well, it's not like its the first time it happened. She has always been running off to who knows where and she kept coming back. But this morning he felt more awful than usual, it's as if the atrocities he is yet to commit are worse than he thought. He said internally. "The death of the Demon Lord is purely beneficial to this world and the Soulsteram at large, remember why are you here." But then he remembered. The cultists he met more than a month ago. They were willing to kill every single soul on this continent just to free Ares... Will he have to fight as well? Probably yes, to protect Arthur and others, nothing more nothing less.

And then the Inari came back. She set down a plate before him with a cup on it. It was quite a large cup as well.
Just what he needed at the moment.

Then he saw others, except Kohako enter the restaurant. Michelle didn't need normal food, but she wanted to tag along because she didn't want to be alone. Arthur sat down on his right side, while Michelle sat on his left side. They were eating in silence. Arthur was silent because he knew what would happen tonight, (YN) wasnt in the mood to talk at the moment. Michelle saw their faces and decided that it's best to be quiet.

Anubis decided to keep silent as well. After all he was tasked by Keeper to make sure that (YN) completes his task. But Keepers warning made him worried. The boy was unstable and the situation escalating, did not help. He could just lash out in the most important moments which could jeopardise the entire situation. He couldn't let the demon lord find out before they actually reach her... That presence he felt that night in the desert felt very similar to her own power... Well, all of demonic energy feels similar to her own power, since it technically is her own spirit energy, AKA Monster Mana. He decided to dismiss it. He knew for a fact that she has not left her Palace since the time she had locked the True Chief Goddess in the Pandemonium, which resulted in Demonic energy corruption in the first place. Since Ilias the current Chief Goddess and a former Archangel is nowhere near powerful or competent enough. She despite her own cruelty is just a little girl in over her head, even when compared to the Shattered God's, him and Ares. He retreated back into his vessel, not giving this topic a second thought.

Scene change...

The rest of the day after that was uneventful, for (YN) that is. Others weren't in the mood of going around the city. Arthur said that he needs to recover from his storage ring overusage, since it drained his spirit energy quite alot. Michelle didn't want to go anywhere for some reason, she said something along the lines "this day has a bad vibe" or something like that, he just thought that she was homesick. After all, weren't they all ? He exhaled, this day made him apaphetic from the very beginning. And also, Kohako was still nowhere to be seen, weird she would've returned by now. Will he go to search for her to in order to make this part somewhat romantic? Hell no, he won't risk exposing himself like that. And besides Zipangu is the third safest place for mamono to be, its only less safer that the Wonderland and of course The Royal Makai, and we know what a clusterfuck these places are.

After that he went outside and just sat in the garden, using his jacket as a mat. And that is how he spent the rest of his day.  And then...

The Blood Moon rises...