"Hold here," Izuku commanded.
"As you wish, Shadow Monarch." The Titan bowed his head.
Izuku had noticed that the Titan was doing his best to avoid looking at Saphira's head, where himself and Yaoyorozu stood. The command in his head, "Kill all Humans," must've been pretty intense, which made it rather impressive for him to resist it so easily.
"Most of my forces are returning."
"Understood."
Izuku narrowed his eyes, "So, despite having a human body… you don't feel the need to kill me? Per the Rulers' orders?"
"My existence is that of an ant next to yourself, Shadow Monarch. However, even I can detect the difference between a Monarch and a human. Most of the Chaos World beings are able to sense such a difference. It is like comparing a drop of water to a rushing lake."
"Wait…" Izuku tilted his head, "Chaos World?"
"That is correct."
"What is the Chaos World?"
"Are you…" The Titan cut himself off, realizing he was just about to ask a being who could kill him with a flick of his wrist, "Are you serious?"
"Oh great Shadow Monarch, the Chaos World is where all of us, what the humans call "Villains," are born and raised before being recruited into the armies of the Monarchs. Those of us stuck in Gates are prisoners of the Rulers."
"So Villains don't come from Gates and the ones that are inside Gates are prisoners of… what? A previous war? All Might said that the Rulers and Monarchs have fought over and destroyed the Earth seven times. He also said that the Rulers restored it somehow. If they could restore each human and building and so on by hand with such perfection and accuracy that no one could notice, then I feel like they would have to be stronger than the Monarchs themselves." Izuku held a hand to his chin, "Do they have something that turns back time itself?"
As Izuku concluded that thought, Karkinos, Tusk, and Thor appeared, their forces behind them. The three squad leaders glared at the Titan as they reported.
"Sosan is clear," Thor reported, his voice crackling as lightning danced around his body.
"Suwon is clear, my Liege," Tusk said, his voice, like Hyo's, mirrored his living form of Kargalgan.
"Ansan has been purged, my King," Karkinos added, the Shadow's voice still throwing Izuku off. He had been referring to it as a he this whole time. He never expected her voice to be so calm and soothing.
The three then swiftly reported on the death toll and those saved. The numbers would be helpful to the Korean Government and Yaoyorozu made sure to record each and every number.
When all was said and done, the Titan remarked, "I had forgotten the beauty of the Shadow Sovereign's army. Such true loyalty. Most Monarchs rule their armies through fear or promise of power. Only Ashborn truly led troops filled with love."
Izuku smirked and summoned forth nearly every troop in his arsenal. If he was walking into a meeting with a Giant Monarch, he might be more threatening with an entire army behind him, especially considering that he was thousands of times smaller than this Monarch's body double.
"Alright, lead the way," Izuku gestured for the Titan to continue onto the Gate.
As they began moving, Yaoyorozu leaned over, "So… why did you choose Ashborn for a Hero name?"
"Why not?" Izuku smiled fondly, "Without him, I wouldn't have gotten to where I am now."
"But…"
"But you're worried that I'm naming myself after the God of Death that might take over my body one day."
"Well… yeah. Why are you so okay naming yourself after him?"
"Maybe… maybe I'm just optimistic because he once used to be a Ruler and he's only granting me his power in the same way Rulers do instead of taking me over like a Monarch." Izuku shrugged, "I know that everyone calls him a Monarch now but… well, I don't really think he's Ruler or Monarch. I think he's just someone caught between them."
"Wouldn't that be nice," Yaoyorozu mused, "If the God of Death just wanted peace." She went silent for a while, the breeze atop Saphira rustling her ponytail as they traveled. "...Still… what if? What if he just is making you stronger so he can fully assume his position as the dominant mind inside of you?"
Izuku chuckled, "Are you comparing me to a turkey?"
"I'm serious Izuku!"
His smile quickly faded as he spun around and took her by the shoulders and looked right into her eyes, "Momo… I'm not leaving you… or Eri… or anyone. I don't care if I have to fight off every Monarch or Ruler in existence… Even if Ashborn intends to take me over… I won't let him."
She sighed heavily and pulled him into a hug, burying her face in the crook of his neck. Izuku rolled his eyes as he felt pangs of jealousy from practically all of his Shadows, even the typically cool and calm Igris.
The two remained that way until they were only a few minutes away from the Giant, simply enjoying each others' company in a way they hadn't been able to do in some time.
Legia's remote controlled Giant had been looking down on them for some time, but with one of his servants guiding the army, he held back and got down on one knee, but not in submission. "Human, do not think for one moment I am fooled by your claim," Legia's voice boomed, shaking Izuku's eardrums. "I know that you are not Ashborn, you are merely his successor."
The Titan that brought the army to his Liege balked, his eyes going wide, "Wh-How? I-I can feel Ashborn inside of him!"
Legia glared at the Titan with something between annoyance and amusement, "Have you forgotten the lessons I taught you already?!"
"F-Forgive me, my Liege!"
Legia scoffed, "You felt Ashborn because he is there. However, the human has not completely obtained the power of the Shadow Monarch and he still retains control of his body and mind." When his eyes shifted back to Izuku, the Giant laughed loudly, loud enough in fact, that if there had been any buildings still standing, he would've shattered their windows. Izuku was standing at the ready, holding both the Corrupted Blade and Scythe of Light. "Calm yourself human. You are part of Ashborn and he a part of you. I don't hold the same contempt for Ashborn as my cohorts. In fact, back in the glory days of the Supreme War, we had a few good fights as a Monarch and Ruler. Respectful fights mind you," Legia clarified, "Not those desperate scuffles the others had."
Izuku could scarcely believe he was talking to a Monarch this freely and calmly. If this Giant and his Titans hadn't been responsible for the destruction of most of South Korea, Izuku might've even found himself smiling along with the nostalgic tones in Legia's voice.
"Ashborn and myself… we were different from the rest of the Monarchs or Rulers. He simply wanted to protect his Absolute Being, I merely wanted to raise my Chaos World children to be big and strong so that they would remain safe."
Izuku pursed his lips, "Then I suppose you aren't too happy about the Titan's destruction." It wasn't a question, but it should've been.
Legia shook his head, "Their deaths were meaningless and preventable, but they were under the control of the Rulers and attacking your territory, I cannot blame you for stopping them."
Izuku narrowed his eyes, this Monarch was too reasonable, too lenient to be a Higher Being willing to destroy all of existence. "So, if all you wanted was to raise your children, then why would you be imprisoned inside that Gate by the Rulers? Wouldn't they have no reason to do so if you were peaceful?"
Legia sighed heavily, creating a whirlwind from his breath, "I… gave in to my nature. For millennia, Antares and Quaresha attempted to convince or force me into battle, eventually, they gave up the direct approaches and purposely led the Rulers to one of my children's worlds. By the time I arrived, I was too late. Only three hundred out of several hundred thousand remained." The double seemed incapable of crying, but the sorrow in his voice was clear, "I knelt before you… Ashborn that is, and begged for your power. This was before you were betrayed by Baran or Waruk, the Beast Monarch and after the Absolute Being had been destroyed, so you were in a steady alliance with us. The Shadow Monarch acquiesced and took the corpses of all my children and remade them into indestructible soldiers under my command. For 100 years, I raged against the Monarchs, nearly killing Aeic, Correnic, and Serenia in the process."
"He nearly killed three Rulers by himself?! I'm glad this is just a double and not his real form."
"But then… just before you were betrayed, one of your most loyal Shadow Soldiers, a six winged Knight who could rival even Rulers, revealed the scheme of Antares and Quaresha to you. Subsequently, you told me and for some time, I was too distraught to even move. I had destroyed entire worlds in my anger and exterminated whole species. I was born a Monarch, but unlike my brethren, I did not desire destruction. So… in order to repent, I returned the Shadow Soldiers to you and turned myself over to the Rulers. They did not wish to kill me since I gave up peacefully, so they imprisoned me inside that Gate, where I have remained since that day, watching with sadness as you too were betrayed by the Monarchs."
Izuku cleared his throat, it was dry after hearing such a despondent tale and it also made him realize something. "Sung Jin-Woo was right. The Monarchs and Rulers, neither of them are good…"
Legia nodded, "That is why Earth is under attack, the Rulers want to use you, so the Monarchs see you as a threat and wish to exterminate you all."
"Then join me!" Izuku cried out, "Help me stop both the Rulers and the Monarchs!"
The Giant shook his head, "I no longer wish to fight. Much like the Monarch of Shadows, I simply desire peace and freedom. I have made many mistakes, and been forced to do many horrible things," The Giant gestured around at the destruction. "If we did not have these cores burrowed into our bodies, we would not have assaulted your world like this." This time, it felt like Legia was kneeling in submission, "Shadow Monarch. I owe you an unpayable debt for giving my children and my world a second life millenia ago, but… I'm afraid that I must ask you for another favor. My children cannot live in a world like this and they have nothing to return to, please, take their Shadows, and allow them to live amongst your army as slaves freed from their bondage."
"W-What about you?"
"Monarchs are spiritual beings, we have no Shadow, cannot be converted. Kill this body and enter the Gate, find my true physical form… and kill that as well. I will be freed from my chains and released in spiritual form, allowed to roam the universe as someone looking to correct their mistakes. I will forgo my mission of destruction and do my best to learn from the Rulers. I wish to try my hand at bringing back those worlds I destroyed."
"But… what about this world?!" Yaoyorozu shouted back, "You want to save others, yet you're abandoning us!"
Legia's face sunk, "Forgive me, little ones, but I will fight no longer. Please, Shadow Monarch… fulfill my request."
Izuku let out a shaky breath, "F… Fine."
"Izuku…" Yaoyorozu murmured.
"Regardless if he joins us or not, he won't go back to the Monarchs, which means we have one less God of Destruction to worry about."
Legia nodded to the Titan beside him, "I'm sorry most of all, to you and your brothers… I'm sorry I couldn't give you the lives I dreamed of us having."
The Titan, tears now flowing freely, held one hand over his chest in salute, "My Liege! It was an honor!" Izuku swung his scythe and sword, the energy blades of light and dark cutting through the two and giving the Titan and Legia's body double a swift death.
To the rest of the world, it was a relief to see their Mana signatures disappear from Seoul, but to Izuku, it felt bittersweet at best.
[You have Leveled-Up!]
The chime of the System suddenly felt hollow.
"My Liege…" Thor and Talos chimed in mentally, "Forgive our intrusion, we are moments from the last Titans."
"Understood," Izuku remarked solemnly, "Make their deaths quick and painless. And keep their corpses as intact as you possibly can."
"We shall do everything in our power."
Yaoyorozu set a hand on Izuku's shoulder as he looked over the corpse of the Titan he had killed. Before today, he assumed that all Villains were nothing more than mindless creatures with the pure instinct to kill all humans. Now… he felt like he was killing innocents. He was certain that most Villains had been indoctrinated by their Monarchs to be evil, but… these Titans… they made him question that.
"Well… I guess it's time to fulfill Legia's final request," Izuku said, stepping into the Gate.
Coming out the other side, he attempted to look up, finding that the ceiling was as tall as the sky. Izuku swiftly shook his head and continued onwards, walking for what seemed like miles with his army behind him.
Eventually, they came to the Boss room, large enough to fit an entire city. At the back of the room, a Giant was kneeling, wrapped in chains anchored against the wall. Izuku could sense some sort of Mana being pulled through the chains, as if they were draining the Giant, which was probably exactly what they were doing.
"It does me good to see someone new with my own two eyes," Legia said, relief in his voice. Aside from the fact that he made the Burj Khalifa seem small, he looked no different than any old human clad in silver armor.
"Are you sure you want this?" Izuku asked, "I can still free you."
Legia chuckled, "Most other Monarchs would take advantage of that graciousness of yours. Don't let your guard down around them."
Izuku frowned, he hadn't answered the question, but the way he skirted around it told Izuku exactly what he wanted to know.
He stalked forwards, using the chains as handholds in order to lift himself up to Legia's shoulders. "Aim for the Core on the back of my neck," Legia commanded, lowering his head.
Izuku got ready his scythe, but paused as Legia gave his final words, "Ashborn, forget the Monarchs and Rulers… live for yourself." And with that, Legia fell silent, waiting for the blow that would end his physical existence, an existence he didn't plan on recreating. He could find another body at any time, but he felt that he didn't deserve the luxuries of flesh and blood. He would remain as his spiritual form until the end of time.
"Thank you…" Izuku whispered as he closed his eyes and swung his scythe.
[You have killed one of the Nine Monarchs, the Monarch of Giants, Legia.]
Thank you for reading! This chapter ended up far more depressing than I originally intended, but I think it was for the better! I was going to add the Stats and stuff like I was planning to do at the end of every chapter, but I think someone was right when they said it's better to do only when necessary, and well, I didn't want to follow up a somber death with a bunch of data. Anyways, hope you enjoyed!
