Nearing the 50th-floor stairwell, Cordayl lightens the gravity so that he can safely land, as Prince lands a few seconds after him.
Straightening themselves out and cooly walking to the elevator, Prince tells the guard to let them down to the first floor. The guard obliges and uses his key card to call the elevator up.
As they patiently but desperately wait for the elevator to arise, an alarm goes off, and Lucy shouts for no one to let Prince leave the building.
Prince smiles at the guard, who is now bulking up to his new orders, but a devastating uppercut from Cordayl leaves the big guy unconscious on the wall.
Grabbing the keycard, Prince mutters, "Why didn't you hit the other guards like that?" as he presses the button for the first floor.
"I wasn't warmed up yet," Cordayl says, cracking his knuckles. "But I am now. Stay on the elevator until I give you the clear."
The elevator dings on the first floor as 20 more guards wait for the doors to finally open. The elevator doors explode off the hinges, and Cordayl emerges like a bat on fire, swooping through the room and knocking guards out left and right.
Prince watches from the open elevator doors how vicious Cordayl can be in a fight. Prince feels inspired again and starts stinging his guitar and humming a melody.
Suddenly the brutes from earlier catch up and come crashing down on top of the elevator, damn near squishing Prince, as they burst out of the walls to join the fight.
Finishing off the last brute, Cordayl lets out a sigh of completion as he shouts, "CLEAR." Prince crawls out of the crushed elevator, astounded at all the knocked-out men in the lobby.
"Damn! I'm glad we're friends," Prince says, floating over unconscious bodies as he gets to the front door.
Leaving the building, Cordayl and Prince make their way to the record store, where they see GORR in a glass room listening to some old records. Walking into the room, Gorr smiles, seeing the two of them.
"Hey, old man." Prince smiles as he goes to hug his father.
Gorr embraces his son "These new drugs are something else." Gorr says, getting a good look at Prince's face.
Prince pulls his face out of his father's hands and the three of them kick it in the room to catch up.
The three are having a good time, listening to music and vibing when Lucy calmly walks in. "Ahh, I love this song. I remember the day I signed her."
GORR's smile fades away, but Prince sits back. "What's up Lucy. What brings you down?"
"Well, considering how you beat up half of my staff and destroyed my lobby, I'm thinking you must be in a great mood to go perform. Wrap this up. I'll be outside." Lucy stands up.
"By all means, leave, but I'm not going with you," Prince says, picking a new record to play.
Lucy stops in his tracks. "Your contract says otherwise."
"Fuck the contract. I'm retiring. I'm done playing." Prince tells him.
"That's not how this works. You play when I tell you. You create when I tell you. And you do as I tell you."
"Sorry, Lucy. I only have one father, and I barely listen to him," Prince chuckles.
Lucy sighs, his frustration growing. "Prince, I have been more than nice with you. I've even spoiled you. But now you are on my shit list. So you either play, or I'll ensure you never play again." Lucy threatens.
"You're gonna need some better bodyguards to do that." Cordayl butts in.
Lucy lets out a devilish laugh. "Is that so Cordayl? The world may call you Diablo, but I assure you I am much more of a devil than you could ever hope to be." Lucy sizes him up.
"Yeah, yeah, and I'm sure you bleed like the rest of them." Cordayl dismisses the taunt.
Lucy laughs again. "Prince lets go. I'll arrange tickets for these two, and you can see them at the show."
"Like you've let my father come see me before? Fuck off, Lucy. I'm done working with you." Prince tells him off.
Lucy stares at Prince with a fire in his eyes. He snaps and reaches out to grab Prince by the neck, but Cordayl grabs his hand before it can even graze Prince's throat.
The lights in the room flicker as Lucy turns his glare to Cordayl. Cordayl is staring at him just as intently, and suddenly, there is an explosion.
Cordayl skids to a halt across the street. Cordayl brushes the hit off but realizes the rumors about Lucy might be true.
Lucy walks out of the wreckage of the record shop, undoing his tie as he steps over dead bodies and broken records. His skin starts to darken to an evil tone of red, and his face contorts into a more demonic look as he stares at Cordayl.
"You, a pion on the heel of my foot, dare to touch me?! Believe me, I have killed plenty for a lot less, but destroying you will be something I will do with joy." Lucy states.
Cordayl isn't looking to exchange words, just hands, as he dives in to get his lick back.
Lucy dodges the hit and tries to counter, but Cordayl is ready as the two go back and forth without ever landing a blow. Cordayl finally lands a successful combo, and Lucy chuckles.
"I have to say that after sparring with you, I am not convinced you are this monster everyone is claiming you are. You are a good fighter, but that's all I can give you." Lucy brushes off the hit. "But I'll show you a real demon before you die."
Lucy promises, disappearing.
Suddenly, behind Cordayl, Lucy whispers in his ear, "I'm going to beat you and make you watch as I take Prince away from you. I want you to see how powerless you are in this world." Lucy says, driving a pointed hand towards Cordayl's back.
The daggered hand misses, and now Cordayl is the one behind Lucy.
Lucy is surprised but not really as he cuts his eyes at Cordayl. "I wonder what they'll think in hell after they find out a pion sent you back with your suit wrinkled up? Die knowing you are no different than anyone else who's met my heel." Cordayl finishes, winding back to strike a fist through Lucy.
Extending his fist, Cordayl is surprised when Lucy's arm awkwardly distorts backward and catches his fist mid swing. Gripping it tighter and tighter, Cordayl is astonished, realizing he can't break free. The harder he tries, the larger Lucy grows as he casually turns around.
"Stupidity and confidence is a terrible combination. I thought I told you I was no man. I was a devil. A real demon who has ruled this world like no other. Comparing me to the scum you have encountered is like comparing a sandcastle to Babylon. Truly disrespectful. And foolish, for you." Lucy states.
With a hand the size of his body weighing down on him, Cordayl fights with all his might to stand up straight, but the pressure weighing down on him, forces him to use his gravity manipulation to ease the burden. Cordayl pushes the hand off of him but is shocked to see Lucy still pushing down, trying to grab a hold of him.
Cordayl thinks fast and decides to use the size difference in his favor. He ducks out from under Lucy's enlarged hand and moves in to break his wrist. Cordayl lands his attack, but it does little damage as Lucy comes swinging his other fist.
Cordayl barely dodges the blow, surprised by how much speed Lucy still has at that size. Running around dodging, Cordayl fails to find an opening at a clean shot on Lucy and decides to try another route.
Cordayl dives in and lets Lucy smack him into a nearby building, tearing through its left lower half. As Lucy nears the damaged building, Cordayl rips through the right at lightning speed, punching through Lucy's knee.
Lucy has to kneel as he lets his body heal, but that's when he notices the building coming down on him. Reaching up, Lucy catches the building, but the moment he does, he sees Cordayl's reflection behind him in the shattered glass.
Cordayl unleashes a massive gravity-focused punch to the back of Lucy's head that renders him unconscious as the building comes crashing down on top of him.
Cordayl stares at the building lying on top of Lucy and, seeing him unmoving, considers him defeated. Turning his back to Lucy, Cordayl feels his heart stop as he realizes Lucy has stood back up.
Lucy, eyes white with rage, smacks Cordayl before he can fully turn his head around.
The massive hit sends Cordayl flying through the city. Cordayl has never been hit like this, as he loses his breath and finally comes to a stop.
Now, on his hands and knees, Cordayl tries to regain his breath, but as he does, Lucy's giant foot is seen descending from the sky. Right where Cordayl is.
Lucy's foot crashes into the street, sending a shockwave so strong that it shakes the city.
Luckily, Cordayl put a gravity field around himself right before impact, allowing him to escape the stomp between Lucy's toes.
Running up Lucy's leg, Cordayl makes it up to his chest before Lucy lets out a black flame that forces him back onto the street.
The streets are covered in flames, but a quick gravity drop from Cordayl wipes all the fire out of the area. Cordayl mugs Lucy as the two stare at each other in hatred.
As the aura in the air boils, the two go into combat again, with Cordayl matching all of Lucy's oversized punches with his own. But it looks like a complete stalemate as the two continue to get stronger and stronger as they continue to destroy the city in their battle.
Prince is still in the room with his father, just listening to the sound of the city being wrecked to hell. Prince stands up, and Gorr watches in terror as his son grab his guitar. Prince smiles at him, "See you at my next concert." Then, just like that, he is gone.
Cordayl and Lucy continue to fight, with Lucy smacking Cordayl into fleeing traffic. Cordayl, so enraged, starts picking up abandoned cars and throws them like rocks at Lucy.
When he runs out of vehicles, he grabs one with a couple in the front seat, not even giving a fuck at this point.
Before launching the passenger-occupied vehicle, Prince appears on the hood.
"Calm down, my friend. It's not like you to involve innocents in your fights."
Cordayl sees Prince on the car's hood and reluctantly sets it down. "Prince, you shouldn't be out here. Lucy is stronger than I thought."
"On the contrary, Cordayl. I'm here to end this fight. It's pointless, and I don't want to see you get hurt. I'll fulfill my contract, then retire from music forever." Prince tells him.
"That's bullshit, and you know it. Lucy will never let you out of that contract or his grasp. Let me end this so you can go home." Cordayl yells, pushing past him.
Prince jumps down, and Cordayl is surprised that he is hugging him.
"Thank you Cordayl. I can't explain how much your coming to my aid has meant to me without a melody. I've been surrounded by so many phony people that being around you for half a day has made me realize what one real friend is worth. And I don't want to lose you. I'm practically immortal, remember? The time I spend obligating my contract with Lucy won't even rival my rearing days. After that, we can travel the world. But I don't want to see someone as kind as you suffer anymore." Prince says.
Cordayl stands there, unable to speak, but Prince's words have calmed him down. Suddenly, a chill runs up his back, and he is reactivating his gravity, but he knows it's too late, and this is gonna hurt.
Then Prince spins him around.
Cordayl is shocked that an enraged Lucy has penetrated his sharp claw through Prince's guitar and back, his nail barely penetrating Cordayl's tough skin.
Cordayl sits there stunned as he feels Prince's warm blood start to run on his body.
Lucy roars out in anger at himself as he quickly withdraws his bloody nail.
"NOOOO!! Damnit, Cordayl, look what you made me do!! My best artist ruined because of your arrogance!! Curse you, boy!! I will never forgive you." Lucy goes on a rampage, destroying the rest of the city in his tantrum.
Cordayl's eyes are wide open, the feel of the blood giving him flashbacks of his last moments with Esquimo. Rage starts to take over his soul as his aura begins to swallow him, and every fiber of his being tells him to decimate Lucy here and now.
That's when Prince hugs him harder. "No Cordayl.' He whispers, blood spilling out of his mouth. "I meant it when I said I don't want to see no more harm come to you. Just stay here with me."
Cordayl stares at Prince, emotions heavy. "Prince, he hurt you. He hurt my friend. Let me kill him. I have to make him pay. Please-".
"Why Cordayl? This is just how the prophecy predicted, remember? I would die for someone who shines bright like me. I am happy it was true." Prince says, coughing up more blood.
Losing consciousness, Prince's body starts to slide off of Cordayl, but he quickly catches him.
"But why? Why is this happening to me? Why do I keep losing friends? I tried to protect you, Prince, Esquimo, but I failed. Why am I failing now of all times?" Cordayl asks, tears falling from his eyes.
"I don't have those answers, Cordayl. All I know is that if there is anyone I want to see live, it's you. Just keep fighting. It may not make sense now, but one day-" Prince's voice trails off as he finally succumbs to his injuries.
Cordayl sits there with Prince dead in his arms. Prince's last words keep ringing through his head "Just keep fighting. Just keep fighting." Again and again. Over and over as he sits there watching Lucy throw a fit. His fist clench tight as the words keep fighting repeat in his head.
Aura exploding, Cordayl whispers "Ancestors emotion. P-"
Suddenly, Cordayl feels a hand on his shoulder. Looking over with a blank look on his face, Cordayl sees Gorr. Tears in his eyes as he stands there looking at Cordayl.
"Thank you Cordayl. I know this is hard to hear, but you have fulfilled my son's wishes. As heartbroken as I am. I know he is finally happy. So thank you." Gorr says, the tears finally falling from his eyes.
"Thanks for what? You asked me to save Prince, but I failed. Why are you thanking me? Why are you thank-" Cordayl breaks down as Gorr embraces him.
Cordayl cries on one of GORR's shoulders, torn apart. GORR cries as he holds a heartbroken Cordayl and a smiling Prince while Lucy destroys the city behind them.