They continue for some time, wondering who or what could have done this... then Reina abruptly stops, and motions for Sumika to do the same. "Shh... hear that?" she says.

"Look, Haru-chan, I'm just saying... Goku may have achieved Ultra Instinct or whatever, but he'd still be defeated in one hit by Saitama." Itsuki explains, "One Punch Man is a gag manga, and that's one of Goku's canon weaknesses!"

Reina can't make out what the voice is saying. She turns towards Sumika, only to find her friend covering her face in a mixture of fear and revulsion.

"It's... it's overwhelming!" she sputters out. As a cleric, Sumika can sense demonic presences, but to her, this presence is as suffocating as smoke. She mutters a holy charm to hold it back, and the two round the corner to see the source.

The two rookie heroes gasp in shock at the sight of the infamous Demon Lord aspirant, taking a breather after slaughtering half a dozen monsters. Itsuki isn't aware that she's being watched, nor is she aware of the immense demonic power radiating from her, but if she were, maybe she'd have toned it down a notch.

"She... seems tired..." Reina comments, unable to sense her presence like Sumika can. Though there's fear in her heart, she's more afraid of what might happen if she lets this opportunity slip by.

Sumika gasps, "Reina, no!" as her comrade unsheathes her greatsword and skitters towards the resting Demon Lord with a fear-driven fury. Itsuki, sensing a presence, abruptly turns around to be met by the blade of Reina's weapon.

"Hmm? Oh shi--!" Itsuki reacts, narrowly dodging the sudden ambush. Sumika enters the fray after her, blindly swinging her hammer around every which way. It takes more than a few moments for Itsuki to get her bearings, but thankfully these two rookies are far too scared to realize they've forced her on the defensive.

It takes a moment for Itsuki to see an opening, and before long she's taken control of the situation with very little effort. She claps both hands against the flat end of Reina's blade, and wrests the blade from her grip. Then, side-stepping Sumika's swing, she delivers a haymaker to her gut before she can react.

"OH-Ho-ho-ho!~" Itsuki laughs, returning to character, "you mortal fools think you can challenge--ow! Hey! Stop that!"

Sumika has taken to blasting Itsuki with beams of holy magic in a panic, closing her eyes and screaming bloody murder. Itsuki finds herself running circles around the room, chased by the screaming Sumika... only for Reina to retrieve her weapon and charge at her, circling around from the other direction.

"Ah. If this is how I die..." Itsuki thinks, "then that would be REALLY EMBARRASSING!" And so, rather than be completely crushed by the two crying girls, she jumps into the air.

In a scene that looks like it could be in a Three Stooges movie, Sumika and Reina crash into each other, stopping their charge. Itsuki gently touches down in the center of the room, and laughs at the sight of Sumika tangled up in Reina's limbs.

"What an amusing sight. It puts me in a good mood. Flee for your lives while I still elect to show mercy," Itsuki says, "or suffer as I bring out more of my power!"

The threat works. Though killing -- or even harming them -- is the last thing Itsuki would ever want to do, they have no reason to believe she's lying. The moment they collect themselves, they run down the nearest tunnel and don't look back.

"Bye-bye, heroes! I trust you'll make it out safely!" Itsuki shouts.

They respond with inchoherent screaming.