As soon as Yaku revived, he lunged at Larkwing and pinned him down.
"You cold-blooded motherfucker! You killed me without a hint of hesitation!" Yaku yelled, throwing a punch at Larkwing.
"Just think about it for a minute, dear! That nasty shoulder wound would've slowed you down. I ended your pain quickly!" Larkwing replied with a nervous smile, moving his head just enough to dodge the punch.
Yaku groaned, got off him, and looked away, arms crossed in fury.
"Aww, come on! I'll treat you to some of the finest food in the next world! Just don't stay mad," Larkwing pleaded, resting his hands on Yaku's shoulders.
That's when a shadow began rising in front of them—Nareem emerged from beneath a nearby house, clearly pissed.
"You already think you've succeeded?" he growled. "I might not be able to kill you, but you can't kill me either. I'm a god!"
"Now now, relax! No killing was planned by us!" Larkwing chuckled nervously. "Just give us your bliss and we'll leave."
"Why are you clinging so desperately to your Aether Bliss? Will you drop dead without it?" Yaku asked.
Nareem glared at him. "You must be fresh out of hell, sinner. Looks like Larkwing's using a rookie hellbreaker as his labor animal."
"I'm not the one giving orders, idiot," Larkwing said coolly. "The devil decides our missions. I may have more authority than my friend here, but in the grand scheme, I'm a pawn too."
"Oh really?" Nareem sneered. "You definitely know what your master plans to do with all the Aether Blisses he's collecting."
"That's none of my business. I get a job, I get it done. End of story."
Larkwing stepped forward, his tone shifting.
"Now hand it over, Nareem. We've already wasted enough time in this world."
A sliver of daylight crept into the dark sky above.
"You won't get anything from me! Find another god to beg!" Nareem roared.
Larkwing tensed. "Don't say it, Nareem! You know what happens if you break the deal!"
"Like I give a damn!" Nareem shouted. "My world and my people are already dead! What's left for me to live for!? Go back to hell, devil's pets! I won't give you my Aether Bliss!!"
Without warning, his body erupted in black flames.
Nareem screamed in agony as the fire rose higher. Yaku backed away, horrified. Larkwing just facepalmed.
Nareem collapsed to his knees, his hood burnt away, his face charred beyond recognition. The flames finally died, leaving him coughing up blood.
"W-What the hell just happened to him?" Yaku whispered.
"That's what happens when you break the devil's deal," Larkwing replied. "He refused to hold up his end, so he paid the price."
He grabbed Yaku's arm and said firmly, "Now finish the job."
"W-What?" Yaku stammered as Larkwing dragged him toward the fallen god.
Standing over Nareem, Larkwing pulled a dagger from his pocket and handed it to Yaku.
"There are only two ways to get a god's Aether Bliss," he said. "Either the god gives it willingly... or you take it by killing him."
Yaku looked down at Nareem, whose weak, bloody gaze met his.
"You've just become a pawn in their game," Nareem coughed. "This bloodstained path... won't reward you, sinner."
"Still talking shit to the end. Classic Nareem," Larkwing muttered. "Now finish him, Yaku."
Yaku's hands trembled. "C-Can't we find another way? I don't want to be a god-killer…"
Larkwing sighed and looked away.
Then he grabbed Yaku's hand and forced the dagger into Nareem's heart.
Nareem's eyes widened. Black blood gushed out as the blade sank deep. He crumpled.
"Darkness… came first," Nareem whispered. "Soon… the rest of the realm… will follow."
His lifeless body hit the ground.
Suddenly, Yaku felt a searing pain in his chest. He dropped the dagger, clutched his ribs, and collapsed.
Larkwing crouched beside him and lifted his shirt.
A golden halo mark had appeared on Yaku's chest—right beneath the familiar dark one.
"W-Why are they different?" Yaku asked, gasping.
"The dark one is the devil's mark. The golden one means you've taken or been given a god's bliss," Larkwing explained. "Hellbreakers are usually recognized by that dark mark, so cover up in public when we hit other worlds."
The sky began to gray. The color faded from the houses. Even the soil began to bleach.
Yaku struggled to breathe, eyes darting around.
Larkwing noticed too.
"When a world's god dies, the world dies with them," he said gravely. "We've got limited time to leave Nocternia before it gets erased from the Aether Realm."
"S-So everyone here just... ceases to exist?" Yaku asked, stunned.
"Pretty sure most people here were already dead. Just look at this village," Larkwing replied.
Yaku's eyes widened. "Not everyone…"
He suddenly turned and bolted.
"Wait, you idiot! You wanna get erased!?" Larkwing shouted.
Yaku ignored him and ran, heart pounding, searching the empty homes and lanes in a frenzy.
In the backyard of a small house, he finally spotted the little blonde girl from earlier. She was digging a grave, struggling with a shovel far too big for her. Two adult corpses lay nearby—her parents.
Larkwing stepped into the backyard quietly.
"You need to come with us! This world is ending!" Yaku called.
The girl didn't look up. She kept digging.
"Are you deaf!? We need to move, now!" Yaku yelled, walking over and grabbing her arm.
When she turned to face him, he staggered back.
Her skin was gray. Her eyes—gone. Just hollow sockets.
"I could've dragged you away earlier," Larkwing said softly. "But I figured it was better for you to see the truth yourself."
"W-What happened to her?" Yaku asked, voice shaking.
"When a world dies, so do its people. Their fates are tied to it," Larkwing explained. "Even outsiders start to get affected. You're next if you don't leave."
The girl turned back and resumed digging.
"Mom… Dad… rest…" she murmured.
"C-Can't we… do something for her?" Yaku asked. "She's suffering."
"Why do you even care? You wouldn't be a sinner if you were this kind to everyone," Larkwing said, eyes narrowed.
"Because now I know what suffering is," Yaku whispered.
Larkwing closed his eyes and sighed.
Then, in a flash, he walked up to the girl and—with one clean chop—beheaded her.
Yaku just stood there, broken.
Larkwing brushed past him and gave his shoulder a tap.
"Move. Now," he muttered, walking ahead.
Yaku took a deep breath.
And followed.