English
One year after the events in Aria of Sorrow, Soma is living peacefully, and believes that his powers have been lost.[25] A woman who identifies herself as Celia Fortner, appears and summons several monsters. Arikado arrives to help Soma defeat the monsters, after which Soma absorbs their souls. Celia retreats, proclaiming that she will destroy Soma. Soma expresses disbelief at the return of his powers, but Arikado reveals that his powers were never lost, only submerged.[28] He informs Soma that Celia is the head of a cult that seeks the resurrection of the dark lord.[29] He leaves, instructing Soma not to pursue Celia.
Soma, however, uses information acquired from Hammer to locate the cult's base, a facsimile of Dracula's castle.[30] Hammer arrives, and as he has left the military, agrees to help Soma by opening up a shop in the castle.[31] After entering the castle, Soma encounters Yoko and Julius Belmont. As Julius leaves, Soma escorts Yoko to a safe location. During this time, she instructs him in the use of a Magic Seal, which is necessary to defeat certain monsters in the castle.[32] As Soma travels farther into the castle, he meets Celia, who is flanked by two men, Dmitrii Blinov and Dario Bossi. Celia explains their nature as the "dark lord's candidates," who can become the dark lord by destroying Soma.[27] He later encounters Dmitrii and is able to defeat him. Soma gains dominance over his soul, although he acquires no abilities.[33] As Soma travels further, he comes upon Dario. Soma bests him, and Celia teleports Dario away from harm.
Soma meets Arikado, who is initially angered by Soma's presence, but accepts the situation. He gives Soma a letter and a talisman from Mina. Soma briefs Arikado on the current situation, and Arikado leaves to locate Dario. Soma comes upon Dario and Julius, with the latter defeated due to his inability to use the Magic Seals.[34] Dario retreats, instructing Soma to fight him in the castle's throne room. Soma does so, lambasting Dario for only desiring power, and promising to defeat him.[35] Before the battle begins, Soma uses one of his souls to transport himself into the mirror in the room, revealing Aguni, the flame demon sealed within Dario's soul. Soma defeats Aguni, leaving Dario powerless. As Dario flees, Celia arrives, and instructs Soma to come to the castle's center.
Upon arriving, Soma is forced to watch Celia kill Mina. Furious, he begins to succumb to his dark power.[36] The talisman that Mina gave Soma is able to slow the transformation, enabling Arikado to arrive in time to inform Soma that the "Mina" that Celia killed was a doppelgänger.[37] This aborts the transformation, but a soul exits Soma and enters the doppelgänger, which takes on the appearance of Dmitrii. Dmitrii states that when Soma defeated him he allowed himself to be absorbed, wishing to use his powers to copy Soma's ability of dominance over the souls of Dracula's minions. He then leaves with Celia to absorb the souls of many powerful demons and monsters in an attempt to increase his power.[38] Soma and Arikado chase after the two, and find them in the castle's basement. Dmitrii, using Celia as a sacrifice, seals Arikado's powers, and engages Soma. However, his soul is unable to bear the strain of controlling the demons he has absorbed, and they erupt out of him, combining into one gargantuan creature called Menace. Soma manages to defeat it, but the souls that composed the demon begin to fall under Soma's dominance. He becomes overwhelmed and rejects them, fleeing from the castle with Arikado. Soma is conflicted over the present situation, as he believes it is fated that he will become the dark lord, but Arikado convinces him that his fate is not fixed.[39] Soma then shares a tender moment with Mina, much to the amusement of his onlooking friends.