Note: Mephistopheles' full title in Blazblue is 魔帝・メフィストフェレス (Matei Mephistopheles – Devil Lord/Emperor Mephistopheles).

"Professor Kokonoe… Permission to move out…"

"What the hell are you talking about? Your adjustment is not done yet."

"Ragna… promised me…"

"Oh, that."

Kokonoe puts her tablet down and rubs her forehead. So that is the reason why Lambda's heart rate and brainwaves went bonkers. After a moment of thinking, she nods. What? It's not like the end of this world will happen while her Lambda is going a date.

"Do whatever you want. Remember to return before six."

"Thank you… Professor…"

The tank lowers and allows Lambda to step out. She goes to the teleportation platform and the machine begins its job.

"Hey Noelle, why don't we just barge in and, you know, drag his butt out? It's lunchtime already…"

"H-Hey, it's rude to do that! Ragna-san looked really tired last night so…"

"Urgh, you are so slow Noelle! I will grab some food for us, you keep waiting for him then!"

"Ah wait, Makoto!"

Weeeeell, I do enjoy teasing Noel but man, sometimes I wonder how she even fit to the NOL from the first place with all those whiny and indecisive attitudes. Oh well, plot happens a guess. I take my time dressing up for about ten minutes and move as quietly as possible to the wooden door. Noel's shadow looks like she wants to open it so bad but she cannot, probably afraid that I will snap at her.

"Alright, Noel, you can do this…" She mutters and takes a long breath. "Here goes!"

Just for shits and giggles, I grab the frame with my left hand so she can't open the door.

"W-W-What's going on?! Grrrh! Open, will you!"

Her tones sounds like she is about to cry again. Fuck, what's wrong with Saya and her clones?! At least Lambda is nice. Anyways, I get bored of this quickly and release my grip. For some miracles, Noel doesn't break the door when she finally opens it.

"Hello, lil Noel."

"G-G-Good morning, Ragna-san! G-G-G-Good late morning, I guess?" She laughs nervously. I sigh and flick her forehead. "Ouch!"

"Who the hell invented that 'good late morning'? Urgh, let's just go."

Noel and I exit the ryokan and sit on the wooden bench outside, waiting for Makoto. Knowing that squirrel girl, she will take a long while to decide what to eat so I decide to talk with little Noel for the time being.

"So Noel, how are you coping with your new status now?"

"What status, Ragna-san?"

"You know, the whole Eye thing and Terumi?"

"I… I don't know." Noel says in a sad tone. "It looked like I did something bad and… I…"

Well, in an unbiased way, Noel's entire existence is a huge bad thing, not like I will tell that in her face of course. Still, it is too early for the Eye of Azure thing to be truly relevant so I will drop that for now.

"You, no, all of us got outplayed and manipulated so you ain't at fault here, little Noel. That slippery snake won't run forever." I ruffle her hair and she seems to enjoy it a lot. Pipe down, Ragna's siscon sensors! Still, I think she isn't ready for the revelation yet so I decide to drop the topic and turn to tease her.

"Want a good list of milks? I saw some ads saying they are good for body, especially developing girls."

"Mou! Why must you keep bringing that up, Ragna-san?!" Noel goes pouty and hold on Noel don't pull out Bolverk! I do a double take and she looks satisfied with that. She still has that puppy, whiny look though. "Stop teasing me…"

"Alright alright." I pat her head gently. "You just look so cute when embarrassed."

Jesus when was the last time I flirted with someone? That line is cheesy as heck but it still gets a luminescent blush from Noel. I forgot that she had a crush on Ragna before the sister thing happens so I should restrain next time. Can't have Noel heel-to-heel with me, that is just creepy and not right at all.

"…Brother, may I ask what are you doing with that trash?"

Oh god not him!

The Takagamahara observes the heated battle between Faust, the designation they call him after the revelation, and Jin Kisaragi, who possesses the immature Power of Order. Ever since Faust came to this world, they have continuously tried to reset the shift yet something akin to a bug has locked them from accessing to the Continuum Shift. TC conducts a throughout check and is unable to find the cause so the trio decides to sit back and watch the events unfold.

TB finds it strange that the Azure Grimoire completely went dead and then came back to life at full strength, almost to the original level. This caused a glitch in the calculation, which temporarily shut the system down and allowed Yuki Terumi to carry out his own scheme.

"Diabolus Dominus, that unconceivable man…"

"He chose just the right moment to resurface, didn't he?"

"Correct. Faust merged with Ragna the Bloodedge during the best course of events."

"Remobilize Yuki Terumi to eliminate Faust at once! We are this close to the Blue…"

"Come on brother, what's the matter? Can't handle it? THAT'S FINE BY ME!"

"Goddammit you mofo!"

After interrogating me, Jin goes batshit and spams Ice Blades at me. I manage to push Noel away and raise Blood-Scythe to block the incoming icicles, though some slip past it and gaze my body. This is getting worse and worse with the bastard switching to melee while riding the freaking Ice Car towards me.

"Alright you sonnuvabitch, Block Head BUSTER!" I reverse grip my sword and thrust the pommel into Jin's head. Since he moves so fast on the Crystal Strike, he cannot react in time and gets blown backward. The huge ice shard still rams into my chest and it hurts like FUCK!

"That's it! That's what I want! Let us kill each other, NII-SAN!"

"Get lost, you little shit!"

My right eye stings a little as time around me slows down. I sidestep the Ice Fang effortlessly and slash Jin's hand to knock Yukianesa away. To end this, I put away Blood-Scythe and deliver Essence of Relentless Barrage to the little shit. Due to the time-slowing shenanigan, Jin stays on the air after I spin-kick him.

"Tch, now I know why Ragna hates dealing with him." I glare at the little shit. "Zero."

A 'ting' echoes in my mind as the time flow reverts to normal. Jin coughs out blood and falls to the ground, clutching his chest and ribs. I rub my right eye to make sure I can see with it again before stomping on Jin's back. That's for ramming that huge ass shard into my chest, fucker. Now, I need to grab Noel and get out of here – Where did she go?!"

I hear the sound of cape flapping above me.

"Phantom?! Shit, Terumi was here!"

The shadowy face of Nine regards me with a hidden glare and fades away. I let out a frustrated howl and run as fast as my legs can to the Kagutsuchi NOL building, hoping that it won't be too late. That snake, he is accelerating everything!

After running around like a headless chicken, I realize that I forgot to ask where the NOL HQ, again. At this rate, it will be too late for me to stop the Smelting.

"Ragna?"

"This voice?!" I exclaim and turn around to see Lambda, having finished the teleportation. She is in her 'normal' mode with that stoic, innocent face and all.

"Good timing, Lambda. Listen, I'm sorry I can't go on a date with you but I need you to haul me to the NOL building. Can you do it?"

Lambda looks genuinely sad but she still complies. Man, I must take her on a date next time. She earns it.

"Waiting for Professor Kokonoe's permission…"

"Screw her! Hey Kokonoe, you can hear me right?!" I scream to the sky. "Terumi has kidnapped Noel and he is gonna turn her into a WMD ala Murakumo! Give Lambda the permission please!"

After a short period, Lambda nods absently and transforms into her battle mode. She extends a hand for me and I take it. I do not expect her to skyrocket into the sky like an ICBM though. We eventually reach the NOL headquarters but something is stopping Lambda mid-air and we can't proceed any further to the top of the building.

"Force field detected… Ragna, what should we do…?"

"Force field? Fuck, it's Phantom again. Alright, drop me to the entrance then."

Lambda descends to the main gate and drops me there. I pat her head just like I did to Noel and oh god that smile is melting my heart.

"Professor Kokonoe instructs me to remain on standby should Ragna need more assistance…"

"Send my thanks to her." I bid farewell to her and run into the building. A battered Tsubaki is the first thing I meet.

"What the? Tsubaki!" I run to her and perform a quick check on her body. Her heart is still beating but it is slow and weak. Her uniform has numerous cuts and large gashes so it can't be Noel. I shake her as gently as possible while calling her name multiple times. She responses at the fifth time.

"Urgh… Rag…na?"

"Yeah it's me. What happened?"

"Colonel Relius… He captured Makoto and Captain Hazama… No, Terumi is…"

This is bad. If Relius is here, that means he has captured Arakune to coerce Litchi into his biddings…

"Ragna the Bloodedge, what happened to Tsubaki Yayoi?" Hakumen speaks up from behind me. Great timing my bro.

"Hakumen-sama…!"

"Relius Clover happened, bro. You take care of her and I will chase after him."

"Hmm, understood. Leave her to me."

"Thanks bro."

Ghost Jin says something among 'Don't get too friendly with me' but I have already gone to the staircase. I have a bad feeling about this and I'm right. Relius is on the third floor, hand stretching Makoto's forehead as if he is a doctor examining his patient. The beastkin is covered with bruises and she looks like she is resigned to her fate.

"Hmm, you are Ragna the Bloodedge. That Hazama, I told him to do it discreetly to avoid attention and he did not listen to me…"

"Shut up, Clover. You are here to witness the Kusanagi, right? Let Nanaya go and grab some popcorns. She has nothing to do with it." I snarl, hand reaching to Blood-Scythe.

"So you know of our plan. Just as expected, you are Faust. Very well, you can have her. I have no actual use for such a miniscule soul anyway." Relius throws Makoto at me and I catch her. Faust? What does he mean? Relius then recalls Ignis, who carries a Sealing Ars containing Arakune in its blob form, and disappears into a portal, not allowing me to ask. Makoto weakly opens her eyes and looks at me.

"Ragna… kun…"

"Shh, don't talk. Fuck, I don't know any healing Ars, sorry."

"N, no. Ragna-kun, Tsubaki told me everything." Makoto's voice cracks. "I tried to stop him, Captain Hazama, but he used his weird snake to throw me down to the lower floor and… Colonel Relius..."

"Geez, and she swore to keep it a secret for me. If Noel is truly here then I must hurry. You have to call Kokonoe and ask her to send Tager to retrieve you, Nanaya."

She nods at me and I carry her to an intact chair before heading upstairs again.

…

Fuck the NOL and their architects! Who the hell thought it's a good idea to make twenty-floored building?! I'm currently on the eighteenth floor now and my heart is pumping like crazy with all of the running so I stop for a moment to rest. Suddenly, I can hear Noel's scream from upstairs, meaning Terumi is breaking Bolverk's limiter right now. I look at my right arm and intend to use the Grimoire to boost my stamina to run faster.

"Manually overriding, Code: Diabolus Dominus!"

Nothing happens.

"Don't do this to me, fuck! I have to stop him, or this world is getting nuked! Please, Blazblue, answer me." I beg the soulless thing. "Code: Diabolus Dominus!"

The shell opens wide and a rush of power flows into my body. Revitalized, I continue my way to the top.

"Oiya, looks like we have an uninvited guest. Excuse me, my dear Noel, I must greet –"

"Greet this, you mofo! HELL'S FANG!"

I rush forward with my darkness-infused fist and slam it into Hazama's face, knocking him away. I turn to Noel, who stares at me with her pupil-less eyes. The Bolverk is emitting Seithr and glowing after having its emotion limiter removed.

"Noel! Noel, can you hear me? It's Ragna!"

"Ragna-san… I'm so sorry, I can't stop myself…"

"Just calm down and don't listen to him. All those hating world bullcrap is not like you so –"

"Ha HAH! You fell right into my trap, Faust-chan!"

I hear the sound of flesh being tore apart and I lower my head slowly. Ouroboros is sticking through the middle of my chest. It abruptly pulls away and I fall to the floor, coughing out blood.

"Ragna…san? No, nonononoNO!" Noel screams in horror.

"Man, I can't believe it actually worked." Hazama picks up his fedora and approaches us. I muster whatever strength I have to stand up and shield Noel from him.

"I have my doubt at first since you had your time with Jinny so I grabbed my little doll and went ahead. Turned out you took my bait perfectly and followed me all the way here!"

"You fucker…!"

"Mmmmhmmm, the voice of a dog barking the last time before it kicks the bucket." Hazama sends another green snake at me and I try to resist the urge to scream. Noel is begging me to run but fuck, my senses are fading away and I can't hear a single thing. Sorry, little Noel… I am such a bad –

"Hmm? Dead already? Aw too bad, I was getting to the good part. Oh well, see ya later FAUSTY!"

A loud 'thud' and all I can see now is black.

Where am I? Is this my end? Am I that weak to take Ragna's mantle? Fuck, this is not fair at all. A regular Joe like me against that monster Terumi… Did the ROB do all of this for entertainment?

No, I will never accept this. I must go back. I have to go back. I have a promise unfulfilled.

Then I shall grant it.

That voice?! Wait, why does it sound so familiar? I remember now. That's my voice in the real world!

Oh, you notice it just now? A bit slow but that's fine. 'I' laugh. Do you remember it? That you informed Tsubaki Yayoi of the truth and instructed her to keep it at heart in case you die?

Well, I was totally bullshitting back then. I don't know how to trigger the Continuum Shift for fuck's sake. Wait a minute, why am I sounding like Jun Fukuyama?

You practiced it for too long it became your own voice. Don't tell me you couldn't distinguish it back then?

Shut up! And why am I arguing with myself now? Are you my Shadow or something? I am thou, thou art I?

This ain't Persona, idiot. Oh well, I wasted too much time. Now, I will use the Continuum Shift to reset everything, though I won't guarantee you will arrive at the same exact time as before.

Yeah yeah just do it.

*Crack*