(Two chapters in one. Thank you all for your monthly votes.)
The Oldest One had been in Raphael's Spirit World all along and had promised to help him.
But Raphael had never asked him for help, because he knew perfectly well that whatever help he sought from the Oldest One now would have to be repaid with interest in the future.
It was better to owe as little of that sort of debt as possible.
This time was different, however. Raphael could tell that he was simply no match for the Starry Sky Monster.
If the Starry Sky Monster had only possessed power below Sequence 1, Raphael could have bluffed and tricked his way through a few exchanges while looking for an opening.
But not only did his opponent possess power just below Sequence 1, he also seemed to exist on a terrifyingly high level.
It was somewhat like Raphael's own situation. His actual body was only Sequence 5, and he relied on the status of the Dark Hut to conjure an intimidating image of the Lord of Evil Desires.
The difference was that the Starry Sky Monster possessed the power of an Angel, along with an exceptionally high status.
Fortunately, their upper limits were roughly comparable. Raphael's was the Dark Hut, while his opponent's seemed to be a Great Old One.
That allowed Raphael to barely defend against his attacks, but it was extremely dangerous. The slightest mistake could injure Raphael's actual body as well.
So Raphael decisively asked the Oldest One for help.
Time seemed to slow abruptly. Even the brief interval between his opponent's attacks was enough for Raphael and the Oldest One to hold a conversation.
The Oldest One asked, "How would you like me to help?"
Raphael said, "Just drive him away. But preferably, fight