Hey there, aren't you looking sharp?

You really captured that sense of tragic heroism, like, "I fight to live even against great adversity."

Surely you don't think you're the hero this world revolves around, do you?

Hate to tell you, but you're just a supporting role!

Am I right, Ark?

I...

Hmph, took you long enough.

......

That's...

We finally found you. It's good to see you're looking well...

...Ark.

Ark, I'm glad you're all right! I was worried!

......

So? For you to show up at a time like this...

...that means that you've become an enemy to us "humans," doesn't it?

Huh? What do you mean?!

I wish to honor Ilia's... I mean, Oracle Maiden Ilia's wishes. That is all.

That doesn't tell us anything!

What do you want to do?

What happened to the Oracle Maiden who was sealed here?!

......

I don't intend to pry into anyone's affairs.

But we do have a right to ask your reasons, if you intend to get in our way.

We did fight with Lucius, after all.

......

I know you, Ark. You probably agonized over it yourself, so it's not my place to say anything.

But won't you at least tell us your reasons?

Karl, you're too soft!

Who cares what reasons he has, if you know something you should tell us!

Hans, you're with me on this, right?

...Hans.

It would appear that you are still proceeding down the path of your own choosing.

I was worried. I'm glad to see you haven't ended up like me.

Ark...

Yes, it's only natural that I share with you...

...the reason I'm here...

......

It's a long story, so bear with me...

After arriving in this land, I sensed Ilia's power immediately.

But it wasn't in one place. It was from many locations.

Unsettled by this, I set out to investigate each location one by one.

......

As I investigated, it became clear.

I understood why Lucius sealed Ilia when he sealed away Karna Masta.

So it wasn't just a coincidence?

Yes, I thought so too.

I thought that amidst the fevered battle with Karna Masta, Lucius just didn't have room to focus on anything else.

And that Lucius used her to make me obey, since Ilia just happened to be sealed.

That's what I had always assumed...until I came here.

So, that wasn't really the case?

He had always planned to seal Ilia away along with Karna Masta!

What do you mean?

As I investigated, I met a demon named Kalon that protects the seal.

According to Kalon, when the demons sealed Karna Masta...

...Ilia apparently helped in secret.

Then, later, during my battle with Lucius...

...Melord, who had descended into this land, was the one managing the seal...

...and he must have used Ilia.

Um, was Ilia's power that incredible?

No, Ilia has almost no power in battle.

What she has is power as an Oracle Maiden.

The power to seal gods.

The power to seal gods?!

Yes, although we didn't know it at the time.

Actually, Ilia probably didn't even know about that power, herself.

But Lucius's disciple Melord knew.

And he was probably aware of Lucius's objective...

...as well as the reason why Ilia and himself were sealed, at the same time as Karna Masta.

In short, Lucius intended to use the power of an Oracle Maiden...

...to seal Karna Masta in this land, in the truest sense of the word.

Exactly.

Melord realized that. He combined the powers of the demons with Ilia's...

...and attempted to seal Karna Masta.

It would seem Melord thought that after Karna Masta was sealed, only he would be able to return.

Hmph, getting fooled completely and ending up like that. What a pathetic disciple.

That was a close one for you, too, goddess!

Th-There's no need to worry about me!

Because I have Hans!

But why did Ilia keep silent and obey the demons?

I don't know. But knowing her...

...she probably saw Karna Masta rampaging this land, and decided to help on her own.

She was so kind...

So, Ark, what have you decided, now that you found this out?

I said this at the start: I wish to honor her wishes.

Her wish to keep Karna Masta sealed away.

So if I understand this correctly, you're our enemy because we're trying to defeat Karna Masta?

I don't intend to become your enemy. I just want to stop you.

That's the same thing!

...oh, forget it.

Anyway, by the looks of things, you haven't found Ilia yet, have you?

Don't you have any idea where she is?

Isn't it a bit of a big assumption to say, "I wish to honor her wishes," without actually speaking to her?

A big assumption... It may be.

Just as you say, I haven't seen Ilia yet.

She's sealed away, along with Karna Masta's true power.

In order to get to where she is, one must defeat not only Karna Masta...

...but also all of the shadows that seal away his true power.

Then we just need to defeat all of them!

Seria's right.

Ark, why not work with us to defeat Karna Masta?

If you do that, it will set Ilia free too, right?

I thought of that...

But you don't understand. You don't know Karna Masta's power.

I once fought Karna Masta, alongside my comrades...

...and I lost all of them. We barely managed to create an opening in his defenses.

Fighting him head-on and winning is impossible, even for all of you.

Don't tell us what we can't do.

Maybe your comrades or whoever back in the day were just weak, huh?

......

My comrades were powerful.

I was the only one who was weak...

I was the one who used Lucius's power in the past to seal Karna Masta!

To do that, I sacrificed my comrades, and Ilia, too!

And to this day Ilia continues to keep him sealed away!

I will not let all their wishes, Ilia's wishes, be in vain!

The seal this land has only just been broken, and Karna Masta has only partially awakened.

If all of you leave now, Kalon will likely seal this land again.

But if you do battle with Karna Masta, he may awaken fully.

My comrades' deaths will have been for nothing.

And it will place Ilia, who seals away his true power, in danger.

That is why I have decided to take a stand before you.

In order to stop you here.

Ark...

I do not wish to fight with you. I want to avoid meaningless battle if I can.

So... Hans, my challenge is only for you.

What do you mean?!

If you lose, the others will likely understand as well.

You will understand just how foolish this thing you are attempting is.

Well, that makes life easier for me, so I like it. Hans, give it your best.

I won't shed a tear if you lose, though.

I'll leave it to you, too.

I just don't feel like I could fight my best, not against Ark...

...... Hans, I don't think this will be easy, but good luck.

I'm sorry. I know it's hard on you, but that's all I can say...

Hans, you've got this.

You go and show Ark. Show him our potential.

You'll be just fine, Hans!

Help Ark. Maybe this will help ease his suffering.

Hans, I would've preferred to face you under different circumstances.

Now face me, and don't hold back.

I will show you the power of the Oracle Knight!