At this point, we want to stress that our pCOHP results for As between stages 1 and 3 are consistent with those previously reported for Te, where completely different pCOHP profiles for the two different bonds in Te-I contrast with the similar profiles of the two different bonds in Te-II . The similarity of the bonding orbitals along d1 and d2 in stage 3 of As (also in Te-II in Ref. ) indicates that p-type orbitals contribute equally to all bonds since they are of similar length, while s electrons forming part of the LEP are inactive in As-II and very weakly active in Te-II (since there is a small distortion of the triclinic structure of Te-II with respect to the cubic Ah structure that is similar to that of the HP Ai phase of Te that we have calculated). This result is consistent with the non-layered 3D structure of As-II and Te-II (and the other phases of As and Te at higher pressures). The most representative feature of stage 3 in As (As-II) is that an intense, broad antibonding band appears in the pCOHP just below the Fermi level. Unlike in the pre-MMB scenario, this band overlaps with the antibonding orbitals of the conduction band, so the value (negative) of the pCOHP at the Fermi level is different from zero. This result is the same as previously obtained for Te-II and the antibonding character at the Fermi energy in As-II (Te-II) is clearly due to the repulsion between the inactive (weakly active) LEPs at reduced interlayer (interchain) distances . Noteworthy, the loss of the LEP stereoactivity and the occurrence of a flat/steep band near the Fermi level has been postulated as a signature for superconductivity in the HP phases of group-15 and -16 elements , and also for the transition between trivial-and topological-insulating phases in the same materials . In addition, the absolute value of ICOBI(3c) for As-As-As interaction in As gradually increases (in negative value) over the three stages (Fig. ). The ICOBI(3c) value at stage 3 in As-II is similar to that recently reported for -GeTe, in which ERMB formation was suggested .