Okay, for some reason the anime cut regular duel periods to six minutes rather than thirty minutes, like it is in the light novels. I'll be updating the previous chapter to have the duel time be thirty minutes to better tie in with the novels. Also, let's be honest, thirty minutes feels more realistic for a meeting than six minutes.

Chapter 44- Meeting of Kings

May 31, 2057

This waiting was making Meg feel antsy as she paced around her room. She wanted to know what was happening at the meeting between the Seven Kings of Pure Color. More importantly, she wanted to know if her brother was safe. Ever since that sneak attack from Chrome Disaster and seeing Marth in that berserk state again, she couldn't help but feel more worried about her only kin.

Just the mere thought sent tremors down her spine. There was only one time where she saw her beloved brother in such a state. A place that frightens her even to this day. The floating island in a parallel realm that once served as a prison for the God of Destruction. Within the Eclipse Tower, where she nearly lost her life had it not been for the Gormotti Driver, Nia, a member of the Origo Mercenaries.

Meg could still remember the rage her beloved brother exuded within that tower as he madly attacked their friends and comrades. How a black miasma kept a tight hold on him, his black hair turned an unnatural white and eyes as red as blood. At first, she had assumed that was just Marth's demon blood temporarily awakening in response to her near-death, but from what Rias and Scathach said, that was far from the case. There was a darkness hiding within her brother, something terrifying. But what, and how was it still with him after he had reincarnated?

"You worry too much," Yuna suddenly spoke up as the popstar sat on the female demon's bed, her usual smile plastered on her face. "Marth's got Kuroba, Fuko and Rias there to protect him. If that meeting goes south, they'll be able to get him out safely. Not to mention C.C. and their dragons. He'll be just fine."

Meg halted in her place and turned towards the white-haired AI. "Am I that obvious?" she asked simply.

Yuna simply chuckled at that. "It doesn't take a genius to figure that out. I'd probably be the same way if I had any siblings, though my family drama would probably be a lot less complicated than yours."

"Too true," Meg replied, finding herself smiling at the remark. "I don't think any family on Earth can compare to mine when it comes to things like that."

"Right."

Still, while Marth's safety at the meeting with other kings was pretty much assured, what about that darkness within him? She was able to snap him out of it pretty early today, but what if consumes him as entirely as that terrible day in that cursed tower? Seeing that she won't get any answers here, she decided to go to the best possible source. Scathach. Yuna trailed behind her wanting to know what was up with her friend.

The Witch of Dun Scaith was sitting on the couch in the living room wearing her casual attire. Honestly, it was a much better look for the immortal warrior. Her skintight bodysuit, well, left little to the imagination. It was hard to believe that she actually wears it into battle, both in war and against the dark beasts of Eternus.

Rather than reading or channel surfing on the TV, Scathach was actually crafting something. It was a leather overcoat, similar to what her brother wore, but what really stood out was its gray color, almost like volcanic ash. Every few moments, she would pause and infuse magic energy into the material. Beside her were some partially made black pants, ash gloves, and gray tunic made from a strange fabric. There was even some ash-gray leather that looked like it was to be used for boots. Meg has never seen leather like this before. Just where did it come from and why was Scathach doing this? It certainly didn't look big enough for the immortal witch to wear, so who was it for?

"What are you doing?" she asked simply.

Not even taking a glance towards the girl or pausing from her work, Scathach answered with, "Isn't it obvious? I'm making an outfit for Marth."

Well it certainly looked like it was her brother's size, but that still didn't fully answer her question. "I can see that. But why?"

"Well, it's partially a reunion present from me since I did raise him in his previous life. I still view him as my son after all. The primary reason though is because of what happened earlier today."

"Do you mean when Marth went berserk?" Yuna questioned.

"Correct," Scathach confirmed as she continued stitching one of the coat sleeves with incredible skill and steady hand. "You two may not have noticed, but Marth's magical energy, or mana, was incredibly chaotic when he was in that state. After we left Diceys, Rias and I talked it over and decided that it would be best if the two of us crafted a special outfit for him that would help regulate his mana. It won't be enough to fully stop it, but it should at least lessen the effects it has on him."

So they were doing this for her brother's safety. Rias and Scathach sure are incredible women. There doesn't seem to be anything that they can't do, especially when it came to Marth and his friends.

"But we've only been home for like three hours?" Meg said dumbfoundedly. "And where did you get the materials for this?"

For the first time, Scathach looked up and gave the girls a cocky smirk. "What can I say? I'm a fast worker," she said casually. "Though Rias will still have to put the finishing touches on it for it to be truly effective. As one of the six demon lords, Rias's magic has some special properties that we want to take advantage of. As for where I got the materials, did you forget I hunt shadow and dark beasts on a daily basis?"

Meg let out a horrified gasp. "That leather is from a shadow beast?!"

Scathach simply chuckled, amused by the younger girl's reaction. "Of course, and from a really strong one too. I got this leather from a Silver Fang, a wolf-like beast that's around the size of a car. The fabric for the tunic and pants is from Eternus. It's called netherweave, and it is one of the best fabrics in that world. Very durable and it's very compatible with magical energy, so it's perfect for this."

"Wow," Yuna said in awe. "It must have cost you an arm and a leg to get this much netherweave if it's that good."

"It was nothing," the witch passed off. "A tailor in the Stromgarde province owed me a favor so acquiring the netherweave wasn't a hassle." She then returned her gaze to the unfinished coat in her hands. "I do hope Marth likes it. In Eternus, we like to pour our feelings into our craftsmanship, like love and kindness. It is our belief that our feelings make them stronger and the magic they contain even stronger."

Meg was taken aback by what she had heard. She never would have thought that demons would hold such a heartfelt belief. While not religious in any way, it was common knowledge that demons were all about temptation and betrayal. To hear that these creatures of darkness are actually capable of love and warmth was rather shocking. There was something beautiful about that. That not all darkness was inherently evil. That it could be gentle, like the night sky that envelops the Earth.

"Um, Scathach," she spoke up nervously as she struggled to find the right words. "C-can I help out?"

"Hmm?" the purplette hummed as she paused from what she was doing and stared the half-demon for a good long minute. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, she smiled. "Of course. I'm sure it'll be even stronger with your help. You are his sister after all."

The Emerald Fencer's eyes lit up with joy at that before hurrying to take a seat next to Scathach, who began coaching her on how to properly sew a leather overcoat. Yuna, on the other hand, simply watched while also lightening the mood with her songs, smiling all the while.

"And so she appears," Sky Raker murmured quietly, narrowing her eye lenses and staring at the approaching Purple Thorn. "There is no doubt that she will be the most antagonistic towards us out of all the kings. She is the leader of the Legion Aurora Oval and rules from Ginza to the bay. Her nickname is Empress Voltage. That staff she is carrying is the Tempest, one of the Seven Arcs."

Marth eyed the veteran Burst Linker curiously. He had never heard that term before. "Seven Arcs? What are those?"

"The strongest class of Enhanced Armaments in the Accelerated World," Fuko said in a hurry. "It's assumed that there are seven in total. The ones that have been confirmed as of now, other than the staff, are the Impulse, the Blue King's sword; the Strife, which is the shield of the Green King; and the last one is…"

Raker faltered for a moment, the reason unclear. Unfortunately Marth's mind was racing too fast for him to ask about it. Seven Arcs, the strongest Enhanced Armaments in the entire Accelerated World. Were his swords, Lunara and Solaris two of them? No, if anything, their merged form, the Lunaris, might be an Arc as it is arguably the strongest divine weapon of all. However, Marth had no way of combining the twin swords back into their original form. Despite being recognized as their master, the swords refused to unleash their full power for him. It was merely a fluke that he managed to do so when fighting a Zeta-enhanced Zarc on Temporal Island thirty years ago.

He had asked Rias and Scathach about this as he didn't know what he was doing wrong. Neither woman had a clear answer but given that he had gotten the swords from the virtual world, it was possible that he has yet to reclaim the true Lunaris. Thankfully, unlike Mercurius, Rias knew where the Sword of Twilight slumbered. The Darkwood Forest, a forest located in Eternus, a place that only the foolhardy enter only to never return.

But those rumors would not deter him. If he wanted to unlock the full power contained in his blades, then he had no choice but to venture into those dangerous woods and find the original resting place of the blade of light and shadow. But now was not the time for that.

Marth watched cautiously as the Purple King strolled leisurely through the center of the ring pillars, coming to a stop only when she was the closest to Kuroba, who was sitting on the farthest right of the stubby columns. The queen stabbed the bottom end of her staff into the ground loudly, her thin veil swinging, and her mask turned slightly towards the Black King. Her angled eye lenses were filled with a cold amethyst light.

The pressure the new arrival was radiating was truly impressive. At first it had spread out, but now it was focused on the members of Nega Nebulus and was growing stronger. It was powerful enough to make Black Wolf take a step backward and instinctively reached for his swords but didn't draw them. This wasn't hatred or anger that he was sensing from the Purple King.

No, this was absolute rejection. A rejection so unyielding that anyone who came across it would instantly know that mutual understanding would be impossible. This was someone who would not stop fighting them, no matter what happens. All the way until the end of the world itself.

"It's been a long time, Lotus," Purple Thorn said quietly after looking down at her fellow king for a mere two seconds. "I never thought the day would come when I would be speaking to you again like this."

Contrary to her avatar's name, there was nothing thorny about her tone. Instead, it was as smooth as ice. Marth found himself swallowing hard and tightening his grip on Lunara. Her tone had changed drastically since that recording he saw of the last meeting between the seven kings. In that recording, the Purple King had a sweet girlish voice mixed in with her grave majesty. He knew what had sparked such a change. It was because his girlfriend, Kuroba Yukiko, the Greatest Traitor in the Accelerated World, cowardly beheaded Red Rider right in front of Purple Thorn.

Burst Linkers who had reached level 9 were bound by the rule of sudden death. If they lost against another level 9 player, they would lose all their burst points. That meant that the moment the previous Red King lost his head, he was forever banished from the Accelerated World. After that, Kuroba leapt into battle against the remaining five kings, but was unable to defeat any of them during the remaining thirty minutes of the duel. She then went into hiding for two years, never once connecting to the global net and taking shelter in the isolation that the Umesato local net provided. That is, until Cyan Demon, one of Arcanos's Darkfallen, began attacking her in hopes of drawing out the Dark Swordsman because they knew that Kuroba was the reincarnation of Celine and Yuuki.

Years ago, when they were both children, Marth had saved her from monsters in a museum, using the powers provided to him by Fenrir's core crystal. That simple encounter was what led to Kuroba finding him again last fall, hoping that they could form an alliance of sorts to achieve their own ends. For Kuroba, it was to reach level 10 and discover the true purpose of Brain Burst; for Marth, he simply wanted to recover his lost memories and saw the Accelerated World as the best path to take. He had managed to regain most of them after the Okinawa incident, but some parts were still hazy, mainly revolving around when he got Fenrir's core implanted in him.

Granted, Marth didn't really treat his guardian all that well starting out, mainly when she accused Asuna of being her attacker and when he acted cold to her after learning that the Black King potentially had feelings for him. Even after apologizing for his behavior, he still felt guilty over that. All his life, he was shunned by his peers, save for Kirito and Asuna. The possibility of the student vice-president and idol of Umesato High School genuinely caring about a freak like him was unknown to him.

Thankfully Kuroba has long since forgiven him, not once blaming him for his behavior. She was able to do something that he never thought possible, to get him to open his heart and to begin the long process of forgiving himself.

He was all too aware that the girl he loved had her own darkness to overcome. Even now, she still felt guilty over the surprise attack she committed against Red Rider, banishing him from the Accelerated World forever. It is what caused Dark Cerberus to take the path of vengeance against her, though Marth would make sure the former Prominence member would have to go through him first if he ever wanted to battle the Black King.

Right now though, the female black avatar did not avert her eyes away from the thorny queen's. Her face didn't even so much as flinch. "Nor I, Thorn." Kuroba's low, smooth voice finally flowed out into the field and drifting fog. "I was certain that the next time we met, one of us would lose their head."

Taking in those calm words, the Purple King slowly blinked the eyes of her avatar, not making a single move. When she spoke again, the chill in her voice got even colder. "Perhaps one of us will, hmm? We could all agree to change from a Normal Duel to a Battle Royale." Suddenly her hard eyes locked on the Dark Swordsman. "I wouldn't mind fighting you, Black Wolf. I hear your lightning attacks are very powerful, but can they overcome mine?"

Marth gritted his teeth as he felt the pressure coming from Purple Thorn intensifying. He should have known this would happen if he ever met the Purple King. Many players loved to compare his lightning to that of the level 9 Burst Linker. His powers had even given him the new nickname of "Stormbringer". Perhaps it was inevitable for the Empress Voltage to challenge him to see who the best lightning user was.

Suddenly he felt a searing pain surge from his heart. It took him by complete surprise and made it near impossible to think straight, his vision going in an out. He could feel something stirring within him as he clutched his left breast tightly with his right hand, something dark. It was all instinctual, like something was trying to protect him. It took everything he had to keep it contained. He probably would have collapsed from the pain had Rias not caught him.

"Wolf!" his mother said in concern, careful not to accidently reveal his real name. "Are you okay?"

"Wolf!" Kuroba cried out as she gazed at her protégé in worry.

Somehow, as if the gods felt pity for him, Marth was able to quell the dark power within him, the pain slowly subsiding and his vision fully returning. However, it had taken nearly all of his mental strength to do so. He also needed help from his mother to even stand. "I'm…fine," he said slowly, trying his hardest to hide his exhaustion, but he had a feeling the other kings wouldn't buy his front.

"My, my," Yellow Radio said with a cackle. "I think someone needs a nap, or maybe a change of pants. To think the famous Black Wolf would nearly faint from being challenged by a king. You sure know how to pick them, Lotus."

If looks could kill, Radio would be dead from the dagger-like glare Kuroba sent him. "I wouldn't underestimate my protégé if I were you, Radio," she said coldly. "He's far more powerful than you think. I would even be so bold as to say that out of all of us here, Black Wolf is the fastest Burst Linker there is."

The other kings looked surprised by the declaration, except for Green Grande as he remained impassive as ever. Purple Thorn, however, cocked her head ever so slightly at Black Lotus's retort and abruptly stabbed her staff into the paving stones. For a brief moment, Marth could sense movement within the fog. It was several sets of footsteps, all moving in sync. Hiding in the fog, he could see the vague outlines of armored figures standing and waiting. They were Burst Linkers, likely from the Purple Legion and some of their most powerful members. The Darkfallen would have no reason to attack here after all.

"That's quite the statement, Lotus," Purple Thorn said with a grin. "Naturally I came prepared. If and when the opportunity arises, I will make sure you cannot escape again. I bet that's why you brought that rogue AI and that masked woman with you. I wonder how you managed to get the redhead here?"

Kuroba smiled in challenge. "Sorry, but that's my little secret. We're not friends so there's no reason to reveal my entire hand to you. Although I seem to have underestimated you, Thorn. If you seriously wanted to take my head, then you should have had your troops lying in wait on the very edges of the arena. That's what Radio's doing after all."

The Yellow King said nothing in response, simply moving his shoulders ever so slightly. Such an act would definitely be in line with his character. He would never come here alone if there was even the smallest possibility of it turning into a battle. After all, he wanted to reach level 10 too.

Out of the Purple King's reinforcements, which were eight in number, a female avatar with reddish purple armor emerged from the haze. She had a broad-brimmed hat and a wide thigh area that were almost militaristic. Rather than a gun, she had a whip rolled into a ring on her hip.

"How amusing that you would take your bravado this far, cave king," she said chillingly. "You may have crawled out from underground to run around or whatever it is you do, but I will remind you that the Six Kings only need to get serious to crush your little frontier territory in a single day."

As frustrated as that statement was to hear, Marth couldn't help but admit that it was true. Nega Nebulus were the rulers of the Suginami Ward, but most of the challenges they got during Territory Battles were from small and midsize Legions. Only small teams of low-level players of the six major Legions ever challenged them, save for the Red Legion who had a ceasefire with them. With only eleven members, Nega Nebulus was severely outmatched when compared to the Legions of the other Kings. If the other Kings wished, they could organize a joint operation to wipe the Black Legion off the map.

"Well, for someone who could do no such thing, you certainly try to sound arrogant, hmm, Aster Vine?" Sky Raker's voice rang out as she stood tall and proud, snapping Marth out of his frustration.

The whip user, whose name was apparently Aster Vine, narrowed her eyes sharply under the brim of her hat. "Could do no such thing, you say? Has all the running hiding rust out your head to the point that you can't assess your own fighting ability?"

"No, your eyes are just so clouded that you can't see reality," Fuko said boldly. "While our numbers may be few, don't ever underestimate Nega Nebulus. We're much stronger than you think we are. My comrade, Black Wolf, is an excellent example. He may only be a level 6 Burst Linker, but he has the potential to surpass the Seven Kings themselves." She paused for a moment. "Speaking of which, the other kings don't let Nega Nebulus continue to exist out of kindness or mercy. If they could crush it, they would have done so long ago. The reason they can't…is because they themselves who call themselves king know that this controlling power is not absolute."

"…What did you say?" Aster Vine retorted while Purple Thorn remained eerily quiet.

Surprisingly, it was C.C. who spoke up next. "The remaining Six Kings may control the six major Legions, but their combined membership is only around six hundred," the greenette explained matter-of-factly. "There are more than a thousand Burst Linkers living in the center of Tokyo alone while around forty percent of the Territories are neutral territories, including the Chiyoda Ward."

"Why does that matter? All the Legions outside the ones ruled by the Six Kings are ephemeral organizations that would fly off with a simple breeze. That includes the Black Legion you ally yourself with."

"True, the scale of all the other Legions is modest," C.C. agreed. "However, if you paid attention like Sky Raker did, you'd know that the remaining 400 players, including independents, all want nothing to do with the six major Legions."

The air around Fuko became extremely tense, as if she had ascended to being level 9. "She is correct," the sky-blue avatar confirmed. "The majority of these players choose these smaller factions because the six of you have caused the Acceleration World to grow stagnant with your nonaggression pact. They are paying close attention to the return of Black Lotus and the Black Legion. They want to see if her 'traitorous intentions' are real or fake. You are right that combined, your Legions can crush us and our flag. But you cannot make us disappear. The smaller legions would then likely step up to take more action. I don't you can call them 'ephemeral' if they all came together, correct?"

Raker was right. Despite being branded as the Greatest Traitor in the Accelerated World, most of the Burst Linkers not tied to the major Legions never treated the Black King as a traitor. In fact, they were hoping that she would be able to break the stagnation that plagued the Accelerated World. At least, that was the impression Marth got whenever he watched his guardian's duels from the Gallery.

Fuko waved her right hand lightly at the now silent Aster Vine. "Do you understand now? There is a far greater strain on the Accelerated World than you think. Underneath this stagnation, large currents are beginning to twist and swirl." Her cool, clear voice rippled into the field and lingered before sinking into silence.

Not saying anything, Purple Thorn walked away, Aster Vine close behind. The Purple King took her seat between the Blue and Yellow Kings. That left only one king left. The White King, leader of Oscillatory Universe. White Cosmos.

"No," Kuroba suddenly muttered, causing her boyfriend to look at her in confusion. "She won't come. She'll most likely send a proxy instead."

At first, Marth was puzzled by how she knew that, but then it suddenly clicked. She had mentioned how one of the Seven Kings possessed the elusive healing ability and given her tone on the explanation, the half-demon had concluded that that king was Kuroba's guardian, the Burst Linker that she despised the most. Purple Thorn had no history of using healing powers, as did Scarlet Rain, the latter having only met Kuroba during the fifth Chrome Disaster incident. That meant that it was White Cosmos who was the Black King's guardian, the one who had betrayed her.

But why would the White King do that? What did she do that caused Kuroba to hate her so much? There was still so much about his girlfriend's past that he didn't know to reach a conclusion.

"Marth, look," Rias muttered quietly, pointing towards the pillar beside them, the one that should be empty.

A single Burst Linker sat on that pillar, somehow having been able to slip past the Dark Swordsman's notice. A tall, slender body wrapped in subdued, simple ivory armor with nothing resembling a weapon. The sole distinguishing feature was their long, thin, and tapered head, which had no eyes or mouth. They had been sitting so still, they had looked nothing more than a decorative object.

"Well, well," Marth spoke up as he eyed the ivory avatar, almost trying to analyze them. "It's not often that someone is able to slip past me. I'm impressed. What's your name?"

The avatar took a bow. "It is an honor to receive such praise from the rising Burst Linker, Black Wolf," they said in a formal tone, their voice sounding masculine. "If I am not mistaken, with your current win-to-lose ratio, you should be nearing enough burst points to reach level 7. You are getting closer to achieving king-status."

That already made Marth wary of the new arrival. It was true that he was close to achieving level 7 because of the intense grinding he has been doing. However, unlike the other hardcore Burst Linkers, it wasn't out of obsession or to accumulate more points. He was pushing himself this hard to get stronger as fast as possible. He simply couldn't waste a single second. However, the way the avatar said it made him feel uneasy. Their tone sounded familiar, but why?

"That doesn't answer my question," Marth said coldly, his eyes narrowing beneath his visor. "Who are you?"

"My apologies. I am Ivory Tower, a member of the Legion Oscillatory Universe. I have come to represent the White King. I ask for your cooperation."

So Kuroba was right after all. White Cosmos wouldn't be showing up. That was probably a good thing. Even if the Black King didn't have an outburst over seeing her guardian, there was the chance that the Dark Swordsman might instead.

Blue Knight abruptly stood up, his armor clanking in the process. "Everyone is now here," he said in a strong, ringing voice. "First, let me thank all seven Legions for taking part. Good to see you."

"Two of the faces here are different from the meeting of the Seven Kings two and a half years ago," Yellow Radio suddenly interrupted. "Not to mention that rogue AI has graced us with her presence and that masked woman behind Wolf doesn't look like your typical Burst Linker."

Marth was afraid of this as he clenched his teeth tightly. Rias Hagino, the Crimson Sorceress, wasn't a Burst Linker like them. She was a demon that used her magic to transport herself into the Accelerated World. She was essentially an outsider not fully recognized by the system, which put her very being at risk and didn't afford her the usual protections of the players. Basically, there was a high probability that she could die for real in this world. This was why he told his mother to watch from a distance, but she insisted to stay by his side, wanting to protect him as a parent should.

Struggling to come up with a reply, he let out a light gasp as Niko's voice suddenly filled the area. "Both Wolf and Lotus have proven that Burst Linkers can come in different forms," the Red King said firmly. "It is not our place to judge their appearance. Besides, we have more important matters to discuss. Namely, the return of Chrome Disaster."

"I thought you and Nega Nebulus destroyed it when it possessed a Red Legion member last fall," Purple Thorn said icily.

"So did we, Thorn," Kuroba replied in her own chilling tone. "After Rain delivered the Judgement Blow to Cherry Rook and banished him from the Accelerated World, we all made sure the Enhanced Armament wasn't in our inventories. And yet, a part of it somehow managed to elude us and regenerate its body without a host."

"That's impossible," Radio retorted with a wave of his finger. "If the Armor of Catastrophe could move about on its own, it wouldn't need to have possessed four Burst Linkers to bring the Accelerated World to ruin. This could very well be a scheme for Lotus to gather us kings together and try to wipe us all out again."

"I am not lying!" the Black King cried out in anger, causing the Yellow King to flinch. She took a brief moment to calm down before adding, "Earlier today at around noon, Wolf and I were suddenly forced into the Unlimited Neutral Field by an unknown power before being confronted by the now revived Chrome Disaster. The two of us, as well as the members of the Black Legion that were with us at the time, tried to fight it off like last time but something was different about it."

"How so?" Blue Knight questioned.

"Well for starters, despite its appearance being the same as before, its powers were significantly stronger than they were during the fifth incident. Even I was having trouble holding my own against it."

That brought an eerie silence within the Demon City stage. It was perfectly understandable as to why. If the Armor of Catastrophe was able to fight off a king player, then that was not a good sign. Granted the fourth Chrome Disaster incident had the Seven Kings of Pure Color working together, and the Armor put up one hell of a fight, but that was when it was possessing a fellow Burst Linker. This Chrome Disaster, on the other hand, was nothing more than an empty shell, if Marth and co.'s suspicions were correct.

Surprisingly, it was Green Grande who broke the silence. "I see. Was there anything else of note?"

"Well, Chrome Disaster seems to have a new obsession of defeating Black Wolf," Fuko replied, looking amazed that the Green King had spoken.

"That kinda makes sense," Niko added. "Wolf was the one who managed to defeat it last time. He put up a good fight despite being a novice back then. If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't have been able to free Cherry Rook with the Judgement Blow."

"Even so," Ivory Tower spoke up in his usual business-like manner. "That still doesn't explain how the Armor of Catastrophe was able to return without taking a host. For it to suddenly return like this goes against the very foundation of the Accelerated World."

Now comes the hard part of this meeting. While there were many Burst Linkers who believed that the Demon War was real, none of them knew that monsters and demons still lurked among them. That magic was very much real.

Bracing himself for the inevitable retort and disbelief, Marth said, "Well, that's when things get a bit more complicated. I'm sure you all know about the Demon War, the terrible event thirty years ago where monsters nearly destroyed Tokyo. Everyone believes that the monsters disappeared after the defeat of Zarc at the hands of the Alfheim Warriors. However, we of the Black Legion have discovered that the monsters and their demonic masters have returned and are once again plotting something in the shadows."

"Preposterous!" Purple Thorn shouted in outrage. "The Demon War is just a modern myth. There's no way it could have actually happened. Demons and monsters don't actually exist."

An intense presence suddenly surged throughout the stage, easily overpowering the combined presence of the other kings. It was pure darkness, but not necessarily evil, something that only the foolhardy would dare challenge. Its source was none other than Rias Hagino as she glared fiercely at the Purple King.

"I would watch your tone if I were you, little girl," the demoness said bitterly as she rested her hand on her hip. "You never know what could be lurking in the dark. Demons and monsters are very much real. It would be wise if you act more open-minded."

The Purple King looked wanting to retort at the demon lord, but she found herself unable to speak because of the intense air around the red-haired woman. Was she feeling fear towards her? But why? No human could ever do such a thing to her, unless…

"It can't be," Purple Thorn said warily. "You're one of them, aren't you? You're a demon."

"I am." To prove her point, Rias raised her right hand over her head and summoned a massive ball of red fire, the intense heat prickling at her comrades' necks. If she were a Burst Linker, not only would she have to be an actual participant of the duel to achieve such a feat, but also to have filled out her special-attack gauge by a certain amount. A foreign anomaly like a demon, however, was not bound by such a restriction.

"Nonsense," Aster Vine said stubbornly. "She could just be using the Incarnate System to use her special move. There are cases of powerful Incarnate attacks like this happening in the Accelerated World."

"Maybe," Rias said calmly. "But take a look at the name by my health gauge. I'm sure that will prove what I am."

Everyone else, including Marth, examined the demoness's HP gauge closely. Sure enough, instead of a regular Burst Linker name, it read "Rias Morningstar, the Crimson Sorceress". She also had a full gauge directly below the health one that was a deep purple, which had the abbreviation "MP" on the far left. Mana points.

"What the hell?!" Scarlet Rain cried out in shock, the other kings, aside from Black, were shocked as well.

"So Black Wolf is telling the truth," Blood Panther said rather calmly. "Demons walk among us once again."

The Blue King let out a cough to clear his throat and get everyone's attention. "I see. Since you came with Lotus and her Legion, may I take it that you are allied with humanity, Rias Morningstar?"

The demon lord gave a single nod. "Yes. Unlike Zarc and his followers, I hold no hatred towards the human race. In fact, I am quite fond of them. I am quite proud to be an ally of Nega Nebulus. However, don't expect me to remove my mask. I have my reasons for hiding my face from you all."

Green Grande tossed a knowing look at the masked sorceress, something that Marth found odd. The half-demon then barely heard the king mutter, "So it has begun." Marth wanted to question him on what he meant, but the Green King interrupted by adding in a much louder and clear tone, "If I may, Miss Morningstar. Perhaps it would be best if you explain what is going on. Given your status, I feel that you are the best candidate to do so."

Rias nodded her head and began explaining everything that happened, though she made sure to keep the identities of Nega Nebulus a secret. She told them how Kuroba was attacked by Cyan Demon before being taken out by Marth; how Arcanos lured him and Kirito into a trap in Okinawa in an attempt to kill them both; how there were Burst Linkers that have sided with the Darkfallen, this group known as the Acceleration Research Society, like the now banished Dusk Taker, Seiji Nomi; how fellow demon lord Lucius ambushed Nega Nebulus in a space station on the Unlimited Neutral Field; and finally, their encounter with the revived Chrome Disaster.

"I see," Blue Knight said carefully after taking a few moments to process everything that he has heard. "So you and Nega Nebulus believe that the Armor of Catastrophe was recovered by these Darkfallen and their human allies and brought back to life with powerful magic."

"That's hard to believe," Ivory Tower added. "But there is no other explanation for it so I have no choice but to concede."

"Still, it is troubling to hear that there are Burst Linkers who have not only sided with this Arcanos fellow," Niko said in disgust, "but they also have no qualms with abusing the Incarnate System. I've heard rumors about them from within Prominence, but I didn't think they were true."

"I have heard these same rumors myself," Purple Thorn conceded. "Incarnation is like nuclear energy. Without strict control, it could bring disaster for the Accelerated World."

Yellow Radio simply cackled as he twirled around his baton. "So are we supposed to hand out manuals for these 'nuclear weapons' now? You all do realize that most of the Burst Linkers still don't know what the Incarnate System is. If we go public about its existence, it could lead to a bigger mess, probably similar to Chrome Disaster."

"If I may be allowed to speak," Ivory Tower said politely. "Before we discuss any countermeasures, would it not be wise to first discuss how this could have happened? Who are these Burst Linkers that dare use Incarnation for their own selfish ends? What is their objective?"

"Graphite Edge was able to defeat one of their members, Dusk Taker, in a sudden death match," Marth explained. He wasn't planning to reveal the existence of its vice-president, Black Vice. If the other kings learned about him, they might think that Wolf and Lotus had a connection to the society. "As for motive, that's something we don't know. Just like Arcanos, they're very secretive. We do know that they don't consider themselves to be a Legion though."

Scarlet Rain let out a heavy breath as she crossed her arms in frustration. "That's not much to go on. Still, they haven't made any major moves in the Accelerated World. I say we put them aside until we learn more about them and their plans." No one objected. "Good. Now let's return to the main topic for our meeting. What are we going to do with Chrome Disaster?"

"If the Armor of Catastrophe has indeed returned, then it cannot be ignored," Ivory Tower said calmly. "However, I see no reason for all the major Legions to mobilize against it. Chrome Disaster seems to come and go as he pleases, making it difficult to predict when it will show up. It may be fixated on Black Wolf, but unless he plans to reveal his true identity to us, we can't form a proper strategy to stop it."

"So why don't we just let Nega Nebulus handle it?" the Purple King requested. "I'm sure Wolf's more than comfortable to reveal his real name to them so they can keep an eye on him. Besides, they've got a demon lord on their side."

"Not to mention that Wolf managed to defeat it before," Yellow Radio added arrogantly. "If he could defeat it back when he was a mere level 4 Burst Linker, then he should be more than capable of doing it again. Yes, I think that would work nicely."

"Are you two insane?!" Niko cried out angrily as she tossed the two kings a glare. "You're both basically throwing Wolf towards that cursed Armament and not doing anything to help. How is that fair?"

"Unfortunately, Rain," Blue Knight said slowly. "There isn't much we can do to help. Revealing your real self is the ultimate taboo of Brain Burst. While I may not like Black Lotus, I do not feel it to be fair to force her protégé to reveal himself and make him subject to constant attacks by other Burst Linkers."

Marth couldn't help but get frustrated towards the kings, minus Lotus and Rain. They were pretty much ignoring the threat and leaving it all to him and the Black Legion. Some rulers they are if they can't at least try to come up with a solution.

"Actually," Green Grande suddenly spoke up, catching everyone's attention. "I would like to help Nega Nebulus deal with this new Chrome Disaster. This is something that I cannot ignore."

The Dark Swordsman eyed the Green King in astonishment. Maybe the other kings weren't useless after all.

"Panther and I will help out too," Niko added loudly. "I owe Wolf and the Black Legion for helping me with the last Chrome Disaster incident. Now it's time for me to return the favor."

Kuroba nodded her head in acknowledgement. "You three are welcome additions for this cause," she said formally. "I just hope that it will be enough."

"So do I," Marth added, suddenly feeling tired. "So do I."

Lelouch and Eiji were now on the first floor of the Darkfallen base. They had managed to recover Eiji's robotic suit as well as a sword for him, allowing him to better combat the demons lurking here. So far they had managed to have encountered little opposition from the enemy, easily overpowering any patrol groups they encountered. However, that didn't make Lelouch relax. In fact, it made the half-demon feel more uneasy.

It just didn't make any sense. He was expecting some resistance during their escape, but not one this pitiful, especially after Morgan managed to escape last night. This is supposed to be the Darkfallen's stronghold on Earth. Surely Arcanos would have taken measures to prevent anyone else from escaping, right? This was giving him a bad feeling in his stomach.

Eiji swung the dark blood off his sword as he glanced over the deceased bodies of the orc monsters they had just killed. "Wow, these guys were pathetic," he said while shaking his head. "Even the lizardmen in Aincrad had better observation skills than these three. They didn't see us until we ran our swords through them."

"Don't let it get to your head," Lelouch said cautiously. "Aside from Blados, orcs are considered to be some of the weakest monsters under Arcanos's control. I'm more worried about what lies ahead."

"I think you're being a little paranoid, Lelouch. The alarm hasn't been raised at all since we escaped the lab. Once we get outside, we're home free."

Except in order to get outside, they had to go through the hanger a few meters in front of them. There were vents that did lead outside, but they were covered in security wards that Lelouch didn't have the skill to crack. This was the make-or-break moment of the entire plan. If something went wrong here, then the two of them would never see daylight again.

Mentally bracing himself for what he could find on the other side of the door, Lelouch slowly approached it and opened the way. The duo marched inside the dark room, keeping their eyes and ears peeled for the enemy. It would seem that aside from them, it was empty, save for the metal crates and wooden boxes scattered about.

Right when Lelouch was about to relax his shoulders, the electrical lights suddenly flared to life. Wolf and lizard shadow beasts suddenly surrounded the duo, barring their fangs at them. An amused chuckle then filled the air before being followed by a male voice, one that he was very much familiar with.

Standing between the duo and the exit were two male demons and white female Duel Avatar. The first demon had long red hair and piercing silver eyes, his silver and gold overcoat flapping as he marched forward. The second demon had short blonde hair, blue eyes and wore red and gold armor with a black cape and boots. Both demons had their weapons drawn while female Burst Linker simply stood by in a casual manner.

"Arcanos, Lucius, and White Cosmos," Lelouch said venomously as he glared at the approaching trio. "I knew our escape was going too easily."

"Well, well, well," Arcanos said with a confident smile, easily brushing the murderous gaze from the half-demon aside. "Now where do you two think you're going?"

To be continued

Well this certainly doesn't look good for Lelouch and Eiji. I wonder how they'll fare against two demon lords and a King of Pure Color. As for Marth, will he actually be able to defeat Chrome Disaster again? All will be revealed...at a later date! I'll see you guys next time!

P.S. As the beginning part of this chapter suggested, I'll be updating Marth's design. I want to make him feel more unique when compared to Kirito. I look forward to showing it off when it's done (in the story, I am not an artist).