Episode 6 of *Néro the Assassin* opens with a haunting scene: the one-eyed woman, hunched over a gruesome concoction of writhing worms and brittle dead leaves, consumes the vile mixture before violently retching it back up. With macabre precision, she smears the repulsive slurry over Néro’s wounds, her lone eye glinting with unsettling intent. Meanwhile, Néro’s mind seethes with murderous resolve, his every fiber yearning to end her. Yet the woman remains unyielding, insisting they must locate Perla. Trapped and battered, Néro has little choice but to comply—reluctantly trailing in her wake.
Elsewhere, Hortense and the prince make a triumphant return to Segur, their arrival sending ripples through the court. Rochemort, arriving later, is stunned to find Hortense entrenched within the palace walls. Though relieved she managed to deflect the witchcraft allegations with some cunning explanation, his momentary respite is short-lived. A new crisis erupts when Hortense coldly refuses to cancel her impending wedding to the prince, her tone steel-edged as she declares her intent to dismantle everything Rochemort holds dear. His dismay deepens when he learns she has brought Perla back into the heart of danger, knowing full well the archbishop’s wrath would be unleashed should Perla’s true identity ever be exposed.
In the unforgiving desert, Horace lends his aid to Azel, a pregnant woman making a perilous journey toward Segur. Their path leads them to an abandoned, crumbling house where they seek refuge from the scorching sun. But their respite is fleeting; supplies dwindle, and water vanishes, leaving them parched and desperate.
Meanwhile, the witch, sensing disturbances in the ether, performs a dark ritual to pinpoint Horace’s location. Delving into Néro’s mind like a worm through soil, she uncovers his simmering treachery and issues a chilling warning: *"Attempt nothing, or suffer the consequences."* Across the land, the enigmatic Man in Black intensifies his relentless pursuit, his shadowy figure closing in on both Néro and the witch.
Back in Segur, Hortense stages a calculated gambit, introducing Perla as the Duchess of Vance with an air of regal confidence. The archbishop, ever-perceptive, detects the lie but feigns acquiescence, his smile a knife’s edge. That night, the prince stumbles upon a revelation: Perla is no ordinary noblewoman. Her skill with a blade and her unflinching critique of her own father leave him spellbound, her defiance igniting a dangerous fascination.
The stage is set for chaos, as alliances fracture, secrets fester, and the scent of betrayal hangs thick in the air.
In the dead of night, Néro breaks free from his confines and launches a desperate attempt to slay the witch. With a steely glint in her eyes, she warns him that if he dares to take her life, he will never locate Horace in time to rescue Perla. Seizing the opportunity, Néro takes her hostage, using her as a bargaining chip to track down Horace. With bated breath, he pleads with Horace to join forces and save Perla from certain doom.
The witch, sensing an opening, weaves a tale of deceit, convincing them that the Holy See and the archbishop have been spinning lies about Perla. She proclaims that Perla is not the last scion of the devil, but rather the savior of the Earth. According to her, the church's crusade against witches and magic practitioners will herald the end of the world, a cataclysm she believes is already underway as the Earth withers.
Her voice takes on a feverish pitch as she insists that only by sacrificing Perla with a specific, enigmatic dagger can the world be saved. As they engage in this tense dialogue, Azel's screams pierce the air—she has gone into labor, her condition precarious. Néro, his heart in his throat, begs the witch to save the unborn child. Against her better judgment, knowing the mysterious man will sense her use of power, she complies.
After the harrowing ordeal of childbirth, they devise a trap to ensnare the mysterious man. He arrives, lured by deceit, to find Néro standing vigil by a dry well. A violent clash ensues, and in the chaos, the witch is stabbed in the stomach by the man. Yet, united in purpose, Néro and the witch decapitate him, ending his reign of terror instantly.
Horace and Néro are left reeling when they discover that the man was, in fact, a witch. Their horror deepens as worms spill from his severed head, a grotesque spectacle. As Néro tends to the witch's wound, she drops a bombshell: Perla is her descendant. With a heavy heart, she declares that she has no choice but to sacrifice Perla.
Horace, his mind reeling, retreats inside to fetch Azel. There, he is met with a scene of unimaginable horror—Azel has intentionally killed their newborn. With cold fury, she accuses the witch of ruining her son and cursing their family. She would rather end her child's life than express gratitude to the witch who saved him. Horace, realizing the depth of the church's deception, leaves Azel behind as she hurls curses at their retreating backs.
Meanwhile, in Segur, Lothar and Zanib seek an audience with Hortense. She, however, is unyielding, ordering her men to lock them up. She has no intention of betraying her father. On the other side of town, Rochemort tries to persuade Perla that her disappearance would be the best course of action for everyone's sake.
