Welcome again to a new chapter! Now that most of the technical issues are fixed, hopefully I can go back to my regular schedule.

Regarding the chapter, I think I do have to warn you guys about several OOC moments in this arc... well, obviously, because their backgrounds are different from their respective canons. While I've described what's different in this setting perhaps in a much more neutral way than necessary (mimicking the style of textbooks, actually, because I like them), they will have far-reaching changes which, of course, mean characters grow up and are motivated differently than their canons, such as Nioh or Sekiro. However, I have full faith in all of you to understand the reason of these changes because you guys are awesome!

Now, what am I up to lately? Well, simply getting excited of the various anime adaptaions of the various LNs I follow! There's a lot of great ones this season (along with a few 'meh' ones), so I've been spending the week watching them (legally) like when I was young. Also, I've been poisoning my family into liking anime! Pray for my success!

This mailbag's going to be slightly different, because as you guys might've noticed with our interaction, I only post responses to public reviews here, and that's also only my immediate reaction and not further discussion. I believe if you guys PM me, it's because you want to keep things private. However, superpierce has kindly give me permission to post our most recent conversation, because it contains good unwritten content which I deliberately keep implied. Hopefully, these facts below will enlighten you to what's happening behind-the-scenes. Shout-out to the guys and gals who reviewed as well – don't think I don't appreciate you guys!
superpierce: (Regarding HVs' limited deployment in an era and general rules) Currently, yes, because of Alaya's lack of available energy to stack them [in one deployment] like FGO's Heroic Spirit Summoning system. I am planning on a grand crossover where all the Vessels (or some of them; more than one, certainly) meet in a real mission and working together. This fact hasn't been implemented in-story because I haven't introduced the others yet. Maybe I'll suffuse it through the next few stories. [...HVs are deployed] Not necessarily [in] the same country, and not necessarily the same era. But yes, the reason why I've established the lineage of potential vessels from 'seeding' humanity so they can descend more easily is for the sake of this efficiency. Doing what I wrote about in HV-S01: RKR, where SHIROU was practically inserted upon a random dude without the proper genes, was more taxing... and doing that to Jason's body in HV-S02: QGF was even more so because he's on a Heroic Spirit level.
superpierce: (Regarding 21st century setting, development, and changes) Thaumaturgically, yes [more advanced]. Scientifically... actually more backwards because the 21st century I've been writing in the epilogues were more similar to the magitek-style in other fandoms, owing to the safe proliferation of magic in that era from the efforts in the past. I haven't implied it strongly yet, but if you read between the lines in those epilogues, you'll get a sense the people's normal lives, both magi and 'muggles', were more affected by common magic than canon Nasuverse. [...] Much more [reliance on Od/Mana] than canon, but not everything. There will be some esoteric electricity generation, perpetual cyberpunk clockwork machinery, etc. which are mixes of both Magecraft and science. I won't delve too deep into them if the scene doesn't require it, though.
Royal Freshness12345, uboNiniM, Uday Sra: Well, I have plenty to say... regarding the usual holiday best wishes for you. Happy belated holidays! However, I do want to warn against discounting Otakemaru. This version of him was merely an overpowered avatar through which he's sending most of his accumulated energy... from a dimensional prison. SHIROU currently had no way of reaching him, so this was the best he could do – embarrass him as much as possible. SHIROU currently had no way to access him. Chiyome's appearing soon!

"Tell me, why are you casting your lot with that priest?" Chiyome calmly asked, clashing limbs and spells against Kelley. "You don't look like someone moved by piety, Sir Alchemist."

"And why the fuck did you think I'd tell you?!" Kelley growled, frustrated with his situation. The fake priest was busy defending the whole ship against that one-hit-kill crimson flaming beam, while none of the crew would make a damn difference against this tricky female information officer. "What do they call you, ugly bitch?"

"A priestess."

That actually brought a smirk to his face. "I admire how you can still joke in this situation!"

In fact, he should be the one commended for keeping his composure, he felt, because she was now toying with him.

The Texture in Nihon was tampered with and biased against people like him, he soon discovered the instant the fight began. Notwithstanding Ouroboros's lack of cooperation, every single one of his Thaumaturgical Foundation didn't only weaken, but at times felt outright rejected, essentially poisoning him bit by bit every time he circulated Mana into his body.

The solution to this was simple, of course. Rely purely on his Od, and nothing else. Sure, against an ordinary opponent he could befuddle and trick, though stronger than him, this wouldn't be a problem.

This woman was much, much stronger than the standard he'd just set. No, maybe not tremendously so like his teacher, but she was certainly specialized in killing people like him – a magus who relied very much on his Thaumaturgical achievements instead of his physical one.

"How many magic stones did you consume to become like this, huh?! Looks like you're almost overdosing from them!"

"I'm afraid I have to confess everything you see here is natural. Perhaps that's an advice you'd like to take yourself?" She pointed out calmly at how his eyes kept shifting for a chance to withdraw a few things from his dimensional pocket. "I've come to an understanding overly imbibing in magic stones is your only chance of survival… though that word is perhaps a stretch."

"You're damn right!"

He shouted, partially to bolster his own pride. The 'magic stone' they're speaking of weren't uncommon in other parts of the world, yet the most concentrated and easily-accessible ingots were found in countries where their Outer Texture was still close to the Reverse Side, such as Nihon who was still high in its native spirituality. The advent and spread of Christianity around the world made the Holy Church's miracles and spells readily accessible, yes, but it also diluted Europe's magic stone future reserve along with it, as the lands where they mined it previously lost its connection to its origins. This was one of the underlying reasons of the various empires' push of global colonization in the first place – other than for romantic discoveries of new lands, these were places where magic stones still accumulate and surface nearly daily.

In contrast to the Proper Human History unknown to the combatants present, the world powers were very eager to maintain the foreign cultures in their respective locales, lest the reserves dried up there, too. This was also somewhat enforced by the Saint's presence, who would not tolerate any form of local suppression by invading forces at all, single-handedly maintaining the current status quo in the world.

Still, she was but one woman – though an extraordinary one, at that – which allowed Kelley and Cabal to enact these separate schemes of theirs.

Their window of opportunity was closing fast, both figuratively and literally. Izanagi was but a few miles away, very clearly within the galleon's firing range yet too elusive to hit cleanly, as glancing blows only provoked that horrifying skeleton to counterattack. Kelley's not quite sure why Nobunaga wanted to approach so closely together, because after several rounds of combat, he's certain this woman in front of him would've possessed a skill to escape another round of direct bombardment.

So, if not for fear of friendly fire… what was it?

Once again, his limbs were targeted, this time by her own transformed into a multitude of snakes. It's far too varied for Kelley to recognize each and every one of them despite of his expertise in this area, and thus could only dodge around while Reinforcing his skin with his version of reptilian scales whenever necessary. He bent his body sideways, nearly to the point a normal person's spine would've broke, before lashing out with a rainbow-coloured beam from a hand he'd hidden behind his back.

Chiyome casually dodged it, commenting, "That Mystic Code… is not at your level. Have you borrowed or stolen from your master?"

"I earned this, bitch!" He growled, having to cancel the second shot as she flickered to his side and attempt to chop the hand holding the Philosopher's Stone off. "Now, back off!" He detonated this mass-produced copy his teacher, John Dee, gave him, having activated a body-replacement spell at the same time, creating an empty husk to be used as a suicide bomber.

- BANG!

The light was too blinding for his reptilian eyes to comfortably see as he tumbled onto the deck, but whether his attack had been a success or not was answered by a kick straight to his midsection just as his upper body rose up, sending him spiralling towards the nonchalant Cabal. Sensing pain, Kelley immediately Altered his body into one as flexible as a snake's, though he still impacted the priest's hastily-erected barrier with a agonizing 'splat'.

The bald Englishman then had to forcibly drop his body flat to the floor to dodge a lightning-speed thrust from a Nihon straightsword – a clipped tanto – letting it pierce Cabal's barrier and nearly his eye, causing the priest to take a step backwards. Kelley wanted to counterattack, yet Chiyome had already stomped sharply into his chest, which while dodged was enough to crater the aged wooden deck.

The petite woman spun, sending a kick horizontally with her other leg towards Cabal and a slash downwards at the scrambling Kelley, before a wall of invisible snakes slammed into them when the earlier combination merely grazed them. The Spaniard was able to erect another spherical barrier just in time to prevent the open maws to crush his body with their long, monstrous fangs. Kelley, meanwhile, was still flexible enough to receive the hit properly, merely angling his body so the snout hit him first and launched him into the air, gaining some valuable distance.

The two men observed which one of them was the woman's preferred target, as the two stretched the distance opposite to each other by the second.

Of course, that question was redundant in the first place because Cabal could barely contend with Nobunaga's cautious approach, so Chiyome instantly chased Kelley over, ricocheting with Ghostlight Firefly using her snake summons as platforms. It's ordinarily not quite as fast as her husband's or Mitsuhide's, but it's enough to complement her own Kōga movement technique to reach Kelley before his parabola barely descended. His eyes widened when what greeted him, once again, was the tip of her blade, necessitating him to tilt his head unnaturally sideways and let it slice deeply through his cheeks, instead of his brain.

With a twist of the wrist, she tore a large slit across his mouth, before launching several metal beads by flicking her fingers into his ribs. While they're not strong enough to cause damage through Reinforced skin, they gave plenty good penetration to bed themselves and act as a curse conduit.

However, Kelley, too, was an expert in this field, and hurriedly flared his Od to scatter them about once again.

…which wasted what magic energy he never had in the first place ever since stepping onto Nihon lands and seas, as well as giving Chiyome a gap between his Reinforcement.

Her tantō promptly thrusted cleanly into the base of his throat near the top of his chest bone – the place no amount of flexibility could help bend – before bifurcating him in half with her husband's Sword Burst and a full vertical rotation of her nimble body.

The tussle caused several Philosopher's Stone to fall out of his robes, most of which were swallowed by her already-transformed legs into the resulting elongated serpents. She realized despite this man's arrogance and incompetence in direct combat, these Mystic Codes could be troublesome in the wrong hands.

…such as the Spanish priest now sprinting forward, one arm outstretched, to grasp what could only be considered a heretical object in his religion. Naturally, his twisted mind didn't think so, but in the middle of the battlefield, who could blame him? Due to Nobunaga's influence, Chiyome somewhat understood Nanban culture, but certainly not to the point she could debate against the worthiness of anything in the hands of a person of God, nor was she interested in learning this subject.

All she wished to know was whether the alchemist's Guardian Spirit, the [Infinity] Ouroboros, could resurrect the man or not.

There were plenty of occasions when the two parties were antagonistic to each other soon after the contract was forged, mostly due to hidden attributes kept from each other in pursuit of strength. It's rare nowadays, to the point she's secretly laughing at Kelley's frustrations for his inability to use Living Weapon against her. Of course, she's not so cruel as to run roughshod over him with all of her strength – it's better to gently and slowly savour the struggle, before watching them succumb futilely at the end.

After all, her husband toyed with her body as such so often, so it's only fair she took her excited frustrations out on other people, right?

Therefore, she kept her all of her available eyes trained on the corpse instead of the still-living priest, knowing Nobunaga had her back.

True enough, her decision was correct, but that latter statement was also wrong… because before Chiyome and Cabal could wrestle for the last Philosopher's Stone, the rolling multicoloured gem was stepped on by a very familiar figure.

"You know, you're crazier than you look," Nobunaga commented – or was she complimenting instead? – on Louíse's idea. Everyone present was leaning this way and that to adjust to Izanagi's advanced cornering speed and surprising smoothness, so talking hadn't turned awkward… yet. "But… is Bontenmaru-chan ready?"

"Don't call me Bontenmaru-chan! I'm not your sister!" The short blonde protested, though not nearly as harshly knowing the urgent situation they're in. "And I'm perfectly strong enough, thank you very much!"

"Say that to Sister Louíse before you destroyed that church!" Nobunaga shot back, lightly tilting her head backwards to glare at Masamune's heterochromatic eyes, part of her concentration still on directing Gasha-Dokuro to slowly corner the one remaining galleon. She had to prolong it as long as possible until Chiyome secured a decisive advantage, because an assault too ferocious could lead the Spanish priest to trying desperate things which could threaten the kunoichi. "…fine! Strip, then!"

Louíse facepalmed. "As usual, Nobunaga-sama… Your choice of words…"

Masamune was already hugging her own tiny body, blushing furiously. "Y-You… You really are… Demon! Demon pervert! Everyone! Have you listened to what she's saying to this fair maiden?!"

"S-Shut up! All of you understands the situation!"

"So everyone in Owari is this kind of a brute?! Help! Someone help! I'm being molested!" Masamune made a half-hearted show of resistance, but she's already stripping off her hoodie as she said that. "Poor me, having to shame myself to fulfil this lord's base and carnal desires! Sacrificing myself to help the person I love the most in the world!"

Louíse coughed. "Bontenmaru… word choice. Word choice."

This time, the little girl's blush was more authentic.

"Do give her a blessing, Sister Louíse. In the form of a kiss, perhaps," Nobunaga smirked, one hand already reaching down to rest against Masamune's bare back.

- Chu.

"L-L-L-L- Louíse…! S-She's just joking! J-Joking!" Masamune flailed her arms around, now half-kneeling, before gingerly touching a corner of her lips where the nun had exactly done what Nobunaga said. "A-Ah… I-I mean…"

"I love you, Bontenmaru. Therefore… forgive me what I'm asking you to do," the buxom lady smiled motherly, rubbing Masamune's head as she kneeled over the girl to match – relatively – their speaking height. "Please, lend me your power."

Masamune, cheeks still as red as her own right eye and Nobunaga's hair, nodded.

The nun smiled lovingly, standing up and faced in the direction of the galleon – more specifically, to the silhouette of one Pedro Cabal – stating, "I'm ready when you are, Nobunaga-sama."

The crew made the effort to not look at their direction, primarily owing to Masamune actually having taken most of her upper clothing off, leaving her baby-smooth back and perky, puffy flat nipples exposed to the chilly sea air. She laid one hand across them for an impromptu cover, though as her Od ran through her vast Magic Circuit channels and once Nobunaga made skin-to-skin contact between her palm and the girl's back, her entire torso flushed a healthy pink.

The red eye – what she called her 'Jakigan' jokingly in the past, then more seriously recently – developed dark streaks in-between its three tomoes, before settling into a triangularly-symmetrical tribal trinity symbol.

Louíse hopped onto Gasha-Dokuro's waiting palm.

- Psht!

A thin black beam shot forth from Masamune's right eye, piercing and burning a hole in the pesky barrier Cabal had erected around the last galleon.

Nobunaga promptly threw – well, more flicked, really – Louíse into said hole, before rushing to catch the collapsed Masamune in her arms, inadvertently blushing when the little blonde girl's exposed front came into her sight, before rubbing her thighs together to help swallow the lump of lust down her throat.

She glared at the cheering crew members soon after, wishing her lover was here to take the embarrassment instead.

"How pitiful you are, Father Pedro," Louíse harshly critiqued the priest's rather haggard figure, who'd spent the majority of his Od already fending off Nobunaga's artillery strikes, in accented Spanish. "Hand over that treasure back to the people it belongs, Father. Please."

"That's rich, coming from someone who's abandoned God to receive help from the Devil herself!" Cabal snorted loudly, pointing to Nobunaga's flaming figure in the middle of that ever-closer burning giant skeleton. "A person who grants protection and relief to the Beast herself… Louíse, have you gone mad? Repent, dear sister!"

Louíse inhaled sharply, her expression furious. "Bontenmaru is not the Beast. You are blind to yourself and the world if you believe so."

As she said that, the hole in Cabal's barrier above her was repairing itself rapidly. The intense heat around the opening – barely large enough for a human being – still warped the air adjacent to it, traces of deep black flame eating the edges and fighting Cabal's restorative attempt.

Back on Izanagi, Masamune retched onto its deck, one palm clutched over her bleeding right eye, Nobunaga soothing her naked back with her own hand. They initiated skin contact earlier to help the young girl focus her uncontrollable power, helping to open a gap for Gasha-Dokuro to throw Louíse through just now. This was what drew his criticisms just now, having noticed this series of action.

"I think I'll extricate myself from this argument," Chiyome muttered in English, barely able to follow a language she hadn't mastered yet. "Because your pal here has gone unexpectedly mad."

She said that because of the one attribute she did not pick up from Kelley: selflessness. He never struck her as someone who'd sacrifice much for his cause, who'd grab everything available in front of him as he pleased, uncaring of the consequences.

Thus, she was quite surprised when she saw another Philosopher's Stone clutched between his teeth – the only organ still complete, as the rest below it was neatly cut in half – which was then summarily crushed determinedly by a deviant expression on a flying head.

- Splash!

She didn't wait to see how his mangled body mending together underneath the waves, or whether the two Christians now on this galleon were still talking or not. Having seen the Mystic Code's power, what Kelley was attempting to do was clear.

…and exactly the thing she's about to do right now.

"Divine Apotheosis."

['Tis been a long time, girl,] an overlapping male voice spoke out from deep within her, as if eight mouths were speaking at the same time. [And what a welcome party, as well.]

"I'd prefer it we skip the pleasantries, Orochi-sama. The faster we contain this situation, the better, no?"

[For once, I agree with you.] Then, suddenly, he hummed, the multiple voices echoic uncomfortably inside her head. [Your husband is not present?]

Chiyome nearly chuckled. "What? Are you planning a breakout right now?"

[And risk Gasha-Dokuro shooting this grand self in the back? I also happen to notice you have arranged a piece of him nearby in case that happens,] he noted, though letting her channel his power and controlling it unimpeded. [Besides, both of us shall meet our demise if we bicker for control right now.]

Their conversation occurred as the snake-like marks and scars glowed divinely, casting several magic structures around her as she began her divine transformation. After all, the skill [Apotheosis] was the art of ultimate fusion between two beings, both mutually benefitting from each other – thus, a natural one would always look elegant. Brilliant white scales appeared and attached themselves to various parts of her body, as her miko clothes disintegrated and replaced by thick crimson hide, enveloping her whole body tightly right before her figure completely disappeared from view, swallowed into a grand eight-headed serpent's torso.

In contrast, Kelley's mangled body was going through the artificial kind, forcibly awakening his reluctant Guardian Spirit by virtue of sacrifice and deliberately Breaking his Mystic Code.

A dead man's spell was often at its strongest right after activation. Alchemists weren't known for their long-term curses – the sort which accumulated over time and consuming resources along the way – so Chiyome wasn't particularly worried about that.

The [Infinity] Dragon, Ouroboros, was a concern, though.

She couldn't see his body well even with her additional seven pairs of eyes – the material which should be the substitute Spiritual Core, like her – but the immense magic energy welling up from underwater was unmistakeable.

"Miss Louíse, do dodge," she warned, her voice much louder than usual owing to her current form, but she couldn't spare a pair of eyes to check whether she's listening or was still shocked at her colleague's transformation. "Things will get rocky quite soon."

Chiyome herself had already jumped onto the ocean surface prior to her transformation, knowing just the released energy would've disintegrated the galleon instantly… and even she had to dodge to the side before a humongous shadow shooting out from the depths break water, engulfing the barrier-clad galleon in a mini-tsunami.

However, there was no time to wait and be awed by Ouroboros's form. Without letting the water subside, she had already opened all eight maws wide, coalescing all eight of Yamata-no-Orochi's Origins… and fired.

The column of seawater evaporated instantly, eight holes remaining in the air for some time before the vapour from the contact actually appeared, but Chiyome was already moving before confirming whether her attack had an effect or not.

It's unnecessary. She knew this haphazard and impromptu seemingly all-out attack wouldn't have an impact due to knowing what Ouroboros was. There was no time to despair or lament her situation – just get the job done. That's what shinobis were supposed to do. Whether she's stronger or weaker, bullying or being bullied…

…her husband's dream must be materialized, or she wouldn't be able to repay him for saving her life. Her existence would become worthless; nothing more than a trophy wife she detested becoming before he arrived in her life.

Yamata-no-Orochi was perhaps Nihon's original calamity, his place now taken by his daughter and her… colleagues. However, his lack of everlasting title didn't decry his historical impact in the slightest – in fact, it probably enhanced his even more owing to the era he's living in, managing to rise to the top when gods and demons roamed the land, prior to his demise in Susanoo's hands.

Yet, his Conceptual Weight would be nothing when compared against Ouroboros.

Perhaps the original draconic Phantasmal Species along with her counterpart, the holder of [Zero], her [Infinity] ruled over one of the most ancient concepts known to the universe – perhaps even the source of its creation. Then, from her, other Authorities were born, such as [Cycle], [Life], [Death], [Reincarnation], [Soul Transmigration], [Fertility], and so on. In fact, Nobunaga's connection to the Naraka Texture in the Reverse Side, along with her [Hellfire], could be traced back to this ancient creature.

Chiyome's only hope lay in Ouroboros's clear dissatisfaction with her current host, and eventually her fighting spirit. If she could make the ancient serpent grow bored and frustrated, she'd just go back to her 'hibernation' and grant victory to Chiyome's side.

If her calculations were wrong, however… Well, that's why she'd prepared so much prior to engaging who could only be described as a second-rate alchemist.

Her husband wasn't here. But his weapons were.

"Kelley… Oh, dear, stupid, idiotic Kelley…" A mournful rumble, more force of nature than human speech, shook the tsunami apart. As expected, there was no mar in Ouroboros's majestic form, with only the uppermost part of her body visible above the water. "Do you think your sacrifice means a smidge to me…?"

'Bingo,' Chiyome cheered internally, before attempting to clap hands with her captive in celebration… then realizing neither of them had proper hands in this joined form. 'Oh, my apologies…'

[Who was the one who wanted to focus?] Yamata-no-Orochi sarcastically asked. [Still, I like the chance opening up in front of us.]

Ignorant of their conversation – or perhaps just not caring if she was capable of telepathy – Ouroboros continued to mindlessly ramble on, "Oh, well… Our contract demands myself taking action. O' loyal priestess, forgive my rough treatment."

- Splash!

It was always an unbelievable sight when a being as large as Ouroboros moving as quickly as she did. Her visible upper body was already nearly as wide as Chiyome's entire new girth, despite the kunoichi having eight heads, and the movement of her lower body indicated it stretched as low as the ocean floor, because the sound coming out wasn't merely the cut and burst waves, but also horrifying earthquake-like tremors accompanying it.

The galleon was completely covered by Ouroboros's width, so Chiyome wasn't sure whether Louíse was unaffected or not, but she had worse things to worry about right now.

Because she's still in the middle of moving, this new form of hers was much less manoeuvrable than her real body… thus she ate Ouroboros's charge dead on.

"G-Guha…!"
[Grrh…!]

The two roared in pain – the kind they're not used of, because there was no occasion in Yamata-no-Orochi's memory something larger than it was simply rammed into them, nearly flattening them from blunt force trauma alone. Still, her resourcefulness shone through in the way she instantly Altered her entire structure to grant more flexibility, before wrapping most of her in-position heads around Ouroboros's meaty neck, each latching on with thick fangs. This trick wouldn't do wonders for her defensive prowess – far from it – but it'd prevent her from being blown away several nautical miles from this one hit alone.

- Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack!

However, the fangs even Susanoo feared could only slightly pierce the gaps between Ouroboros's scales, clinging on with their tips without digging into the flesh.

Now, up close, she could finally gaze upon the [Infinity] Dragon's form.

While both of their colour palette was similar, Ouroboros's paleness was more akin to natural Nanban marble – unpolished and rather dull – compared to Chiyome's beautiful glistening silk-white scales. What enhanced the former's 'rustic' look was the growth of swamp-based flora under her jaw, imitating a scraggly beard around an unnaturally rectangular and sharp jawline. Overall, Chiyome felt like she's biting a huge stone sculpture of a giant snake rather than a living being – Ouroboros's lively eyes the only indication this being was alive at all.

Before she could exert further control, Ouroboros simply pulled them both into the depths, leaving the ocean surface relatively calm once again.

The instant Chiyome went after Kelley, a Bible appeared on each of the clergy's palm. Both Louíse and Cabal preferred one of simple make, fitting for a travelling missionaires whose sole priority for the Holy Scripture was durability, though each for a different personal reason. The buxom nun was orthodoxically humble, rejecting most gifts from men and women enamoured by her beauty and motherliness, while Cabal fully embraced his dual role as a spy and priest, necessitating something unassuming.

There wasn't anything left to be said. While Christians always had their differences – encouraged, even, by the Saint herself under the pretext of self-introspection – what the two had now was a matter of principles.

The three of them came to this nation together – Louíse, Cabal, and Organtino – under an understanding they would spread the gospel of God. Aside from that… it was unspoken, but they'd decided to not get in each other's way, setting up bases at different locations. Louíse went north, where she'd chance upon the Date territory and Masamune; Organtino settled on Spanish Isle alongside the female knight who followed him; Cabal, then, stayed mostly on ships and did sermons in various ports and riverside villages.

This all came about from their understanding of each other: that their views were not similar at all. While this didn't ruin their relationship at first, since Louíse and Organtino actually grew closer through exchanging letters, Cabal slowly distanced himself from the two.

In fact, she was both surprised and unsurprised at his presence and involvement here. The first due to her unfamiliarity with the various naval factions in Nihon, and the latter regarding her inferred knowledge of his goals and desires. No matter how much she prayed her conjectures were untrue, everything God told her – and their current situation – confirmed everything.

He was no better than those misguided crusaders in the past, when royals and nobles sent missionaries and peasants alike to the Middle East and Iberian Peninsula under the promise of salvation and riches and outdated values, claiming the order came from God. This marked the descent of papal authority, despite what historians under Vatican's pay claimed, culminating in the Saint's eventual dismantling and replacement of every established religious authority with previously anonymous preachers who could truly hear God's voice.

This train of thought occurred no slower than the first volley of Black Keys, summoned from the fluttering pages of the Bibles in their hands. Unlike the first version of this miracle, there was no need to tear the paper apart from its bindings, as the words alone were sufficient in bringing them into the world. Each Church member's self-hypnosis for this technique differed in the simplest sense of which passage was their personal favourite outside of the already-established ones – for those were meant for larger-scale and more powerful miracles – so both Louíse and Cabal had bookmarks applied for ease of use.

Her massive chests heaved and bounced, but no one was particularly around to enjoy it, given Cabal was too focused in punching through those lumps of fat and milk, and the galleon crews were too busy gawking at Chiyome's transformation or throwing themselves overboard at the other side, realizing the precarious situation they're in.

- BOOM!

However, before they could close on each other, the galleon was suddenly destroyed. Neither of them paid attention to the cause – could be the clash between Chiyome and Kelley, could be a cheap shot from Nobunaga – focusing instead on the various splinters flying around them and deciding which was large and solid enough to jump off from.

Coming from different abbeys and convents, both of them had different techniques. That was the advantage of Christianity's Thaumaturgical Theory: Its popularity across the world meant a number of permutations was possible depending on each user's interpretation or schools of thoughts. Additionally, nuns and priests were traditionally trained differently, with various Mystic Codes more favourable for each gender.

Cabal quickly commandeered a sizeable cylindrical chunk of the main mast, before the motes of light from his broken barrier recoalesced into the shrapnel around them and took control. With a wave of a hand – his other one wiping the blood flowing out of his lips' corners and nostrils from the blowback of the immense impact – he sent them shooting at the flickering black nun habit of Louíse's, who used varying sizes of debris as platforms to continue moving about.

To her, this was the most efficient use of her magic energy. While her non-verbal approval from Nihon people – especially Nobunaga, who held a large sway in public opinion – meant she's not as hindered as Cabal in terms of executing Mystery, she wasn't any good in long-range control anyway. Seeing the Spanish priest using this technique only bolstered her hopes further, as he's visibly low on available Od after defending for so long against Nobunaga's constant volleys. She secretly guessed he's also manipulating the galleon's movements slightly, because there's no way it had only received so little dead-on impacts unlike its brethren.

She dodged the majority of the impromptu flying projectiles, their whizzes in cutting the air unaffecting her concentration. Allowing some less-threatening ones to graze her body was also no problem, since she could use the ambient Mana to Reinforce her already-custom-made combat clothing, unlike Cabal who had to rely on his Od for fear of magic energy poisoning. Therefore, she could channel more energy into the Black Keys, which tore through a cloud of aged wood and metal supports to directly strike at his body.

"Tsk…!"

He's long forgone a full spherical barrier, instead using several thin concentrated panes, relying on his senses to detect incoming attacks and move them accordingly. Still, it's getting increasingly difficult due to his exhaustion. He's not Louíse's inferior in close-quarters combat, but that would demand even more of his already-diminishing efforts, and thus being suppressed now, only halting her forward progress slightly by harassing her.

- Step. Step. Step.

Amidst the battle of the giant creatures nearby, Louíse's steps were nearly inaudible. Still, Cabal's experience enabled him to barely keep up – and thus, when she'd breached his personal distance, crouched as low as his waist and rocketing forwards, he immediately brought his shields down in an attempt to crush her.

She crossed her legs to speedily flicker to the side, but his middle kick was already waiting for her. She crossed her arms to block, intentionally angling her Black Keys' points to receive it, but with a loud 'crack', he disjointed his own hip and thigh, rotating his middle kick into a vertical downwards chopping one right onto her back.

- Thud!

It hit, but barely, since she intentionally let herself fall to the ground to absorb the blow, though her pained grimace was visible to him. She rolled to the side to avoid more shields slamming down on her position, before leaping upwards to parry Cabal's incoming body blow and scissor his arm by slashing with her Black Keys.

He pulled his arm back, launching his own Black Keys from his other hand almost point-blank. A wall of bright white flame appeared and momentarily blinded him, swallowing the blades and shielding Louíse. With what remained of his Reinforcement – a calculated risk, yes – he banished the fire with a kick… only suddenly rush towards Louíse without regard of his safety.

It's all because she had started chanting a prayer incredibly familiar to his ears, but one he'd never found the need to use… because he could not, for all his efforts, contact a Guardian Spirit of this calibre.

Blessed Michael, archangel,
defend me in this hour of conflict.
Be my safeguard against the wickedness and snares of this devil
and do thou, O' Princess of the heavenly host,
by the power of God thrust this sinner down to hell
and with him those other wicked spirits
who wander through the world for the ruin of souls.

"Lady Mîkhā'ēl, let us show His splendour and beauty. Living Weapon."

The voice coming out of Louíse's mouth overlapped with the equally-buxom blonde who had just materialized behind the nun. Clad in form-fitting flowing purple toga, her six wings weren't consisted of pure feathers, but interlaced locks and keys sprouting those white plumage from the gaps. Because Louíse's hair was mostly covered by her coif, the angel's overflowing golden locks, with two ram-like buns tied on either side, were the brightest thing around, especially against the drab background of misting sea spray and the increasingly rough weather.

However, much like those false imaginary paintings of angels, anything which might sully the splendour of the woman was pushed aside by an invincible pillar of light.

Before Cabal could utter anything in astonishment and frustration, Michael's form merged with Louíse's, shredding her black nun habit into pieces and granting her the angel's clothes and general appearance, complete with her idiosyncratically modern wings.

The merged being pointed an index finger at him, muttering, "Jerez."

- Static.

The incoming invisible destructive force marched must've marched at him at incredible speed, yet Cabal perceived its path in slow motion. From the tiniest water vapour, to the still-flying galleon debris of wood and steel, to the light motes of his magic energy controlling them…

…then, into his own body, pulverized bit by bit and ground to dust by her might, forming a clean cylindrical vacuum, before nature took hold once again and filled the void.

"The angels have not chosen you, Father Pedro. You, who have forsaken Him, has been abandoned in return."

Slowly, slowly, slowly… Slowly… Slowly, slowly, slowly…

That is indeed the shinobi fate I have accepted. No doubts, no meaning; there is nothing else.

'Now, then…! More…! Swallowing every single one of them, leaving no stone unturned…! I'll eat every last one of them! Hehe… Hahaha! Melt their bones away just like that…!'

"Do you think you can run from this calamity snake…?"

Day by day, I had not felt any ease at all. I continued to devote this body to god as a shrine maiden while being a shinobi. I begged if I continued my prayers, I would someday be definitely forgiven… and that day would come when my family's curse would disappear. But, without the curse disappearing, my heart and body continue to be invaded. I continue to struggle not to be consumed… I don't… want to die like this…!

That's right…! Order me…! Someone… order me! I'll put my life on the line for you! Fear, fate… I don't feel any of that. I could kill my own heart; just order me…!

Shirō… I can't be afraid of fang-ful snakes. I can't be afraid of the curse I have. Shirō… I will show you I can smile while touching this… that I… have changed.

Shirō … I thought… we could nestle up together… As long as you were there…! Could I be… not even allowed to do that?!

"Of course you can. Even if you're not, I'll make it possible." He smiles. "After all, I'm the greediest person in the entire world. I want you. Who cares what they think?

Dragging something as large as her to the bottom of the ocean took some time, Chiyome mused – enough for one to get introspective and nostalgic. Especially because Ouroboros clearly wasn't at full strength and wasn't using her full strength anyway, doing just barely enough to fulfil her contractual end with Kelley.

Still, even this half-hearted attempt nearly knocked her unconscious, both from the earlier body slam and subsequent dive. In fact, just to ram home the point, Ouroboros tucked in her chin just so Chiyome couldn't disengage before the giant serpent deemed it appropriate. Since neither had any issues living underwater, it became somewhat of a stare-off between a pair of golden eyes and eight pairs of different-coloured orbs.

She'd met countless warriors who proclaimed and swore they formed a telepathic bond with their most hated enemy during their most intense clashes. While she wasn't in a position to dispute them, as she was, after all, 'merely' a priestess and a kunoichi, her husband's one confirmation of that fact was enough to grant credibility to this theory. A part of her remained sceptical owing to her own experience – or lack thereof – in connecting with others through combat, because she'd ever done so in bed, surrounded by people she loved and gave her as much affection, if not more, in return.

But she did fell something with Ouroboros… though that could also be attributed to their shared [Dragon] attributes. All draconic Phantasmal Species either descended from her, the [Infinity], or her opposite counterpart, the holder of [Zero] Authority, so Chiyome could technically trace her lineage all the way back to the age of creation… up to Ouroboros herself.

[Is the verticality of the ocean bringing about your [Time] attribute, little snake?] The marble-white serpent asked, her voice rumbling straight through Yamata-no-Orochi's body and into Chiyome's mind. [Be careful on your ascent later on to avoid self-poisoning.]

[That's very kind of you,] the girl noted, replying back with her own telepathy. [Are you allowed to speak with me like this?]

[Oh, my contract was already fulfilled the moment we touched skins and scales,] Ouroboros admitted frankly. [Because this idiotic boy got too excited when he received my contract, and failed to read it properly.]

[Then… you shouldn't have hit me too hard…] Chiyome whined, though her wounds were already close to fully healed the instant she was dragged underwater. [Speaking of which… HOW LONG ARE YOU?!]

[As long as the earth itself, for it's my duty to swallow it within my grasp.]

The cool declaration went over Chiyome's head, because one among her eight had received a querying transmission from Ryūjin, the Divine Spirit of this particular Texture – the deep seas of Nihon – asking whether she's in actual danger or not. [Are you Orochi's new host? It seems you're in quite the pickle.]

However, their conversation was barged into by Ouroboros. [I think it's rude to speak without asking for my permission, is it not, little dragon?]

Perhaps only this being was able to call everyone around her 'little', owing to how ancient she was.

Of course, neither one of the other two was shocked, merely hoping a newer telepathic technique would slip through what this white serpent could do. Chiyome immediately defended, [Ryūjin-sama is merely showing concern over me, a tiny mortal, O' Great Ouroboros. Do know his treasure is also at stake, and one of the objects Mr. Kelley covets. I think his sudden presence is more than warranted.]

[What she says, Ancient One.] Somehow, the image of a sagely old man nodding managed to get perfectly transmitted into their minds' eyes… before shifting into a young boy still in the same overflowing regal robes, though now much too big for his body. [As you can see, even my human form has become unstable. While your intentions may not be hostile, your host has enacted unforgiveable crimes against us. I am sure you'd like to shirk responsibility – thus, do return this girl back to where she belongs so she may complete her task.]

[Fair enough,] Ouroboros replied alongside a mental image of her human form – that of a small, black-haired girl dressed in clothing so dark it contrasted her true form's scales' colour so heavily. [Let us talk business, then.]

The other tow participants chuckled at the ultra-modern way she's talking, but decided to open up their mental defences more and gather in the Imaginary Numbers space Ouroboros had set up utilizing part of the [Ocean]'s Authority, related to her earlier implied comment about [Time]. However, it's quite unstable as it's not her specialty, thus the other two had to pitch in and stabilize this newly-formed 'seating area'.

Naturally, there was no need to maintain their true forms in this space – or, in Chiyome's case, Yamata-no-Orochi's true form. Ouroboros assumed the same black-clad girl she telepathically spoke with earlier; ditto with Ryūjin, using the energy-saving boy form. Chiyome chose to clothe herself in her customary full miko uniform, though her mental body was without the snake scales and crimson scars marring her skin.

"So he truly has left everything to you…?" The sea dragon god-boy queried, once he figured Yamta-no-Orochi wasn't going to make an appearance. "That's quite a rare achievement. Congratulations."

"This one do not know whether this one should be happy hearing that or not," Chiyome bashfully parried, not used to receiving praises from actual deities. Thereafter, she bowed towards the black-haired girl with Nanban features. "Thank you for granting us this opportunity, Lady Ouroboros."

The addressed person flicked the ends of her hair, remarking, "No… I am the one who should thank you for not using that weapon you've prepared at the bottom of the ocean. The contract break would've been messy if you did."

"The Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi that Minamoto brat suddenly shot towards my domain?! That was your plan?! I thought it was an attack from Susanoo-no-Mikoto!" Ryūjin nearly jumped out of his seat. "Besides, how great is that boy to forge a replica as accurate as that?"

"Well… 'forge' isn't quite the accurate word, but of course he's the best. He is this one's husband, after all." Despite her overly-polite tone, Chiyome tilted her nose upwards arrogantly and proudly. "That said, will you help us reclaim the Yasakani-no-Magatama, Lady Ouroboros?"

The fact this room provided seamless translation service went underappreciated by all, though they'd been unconsciously running this very spell during their brief telepathic exchange. Ryūjin was even more ancient than Shuten-dōji, with the associated old, native Nihon tongue; Ouroboros was technically a Middle Eastern woman; Chiyome was a modern noblewoman who'd been exposed to various Nanban cultures. While Kelley never bothered to learn the local tongue – typical of men of his personality – it was always interesting meeting new cultures for the two easterners, befitting the moniker 'land of the thousand gods'.

They didn't reach that number by being insular and antagonistic against foreigners in the first place.

"My help will be dragging this corpse of a child back to his equally-stupid master, and tell him I'm migrating alongside my brethren away from their glorified empire," Ouroboros uncharacteristically bitterly snapped, her expression now a far cry from the confident, omnipotent ancient dragon she'd been in battle. "No wonder they are leaving…"

"Pardon, but… Is this the reason of their invasion? I mean, the start of one?" Chiyome asked, connecting the dots to the proliferation of missionaries typical for an invading nation.

While these holy men and women meant the best – apart from the wrongfully fanatic like Cabal – they were, in the end, mere pawns of their worldly national leaders and sponsors. The excuse of proliferating their culture to 'wild' parts of the world quickly washed off once the slightest sliver of… well, bullshit made it through the thin veneer of faux nobility, executed by second-hand heirs and downtrodden former royals who tried their luck in rebuilding their own glory through these missions.

Ouroboros smirked. "Do you think that lord of yours will let them invade? She's made an impression she's someone capable of building this empire to the same level as the others – am I right?"

"Quite."

Ryūjin quietly smiled at this exchange, knowing his treasure would return soon.

Ouroboros looked up – a meaningless gesture, really, because this separate dimension wasn't at the bottom of the ocean – remarking, "Oh, I think they're finished. I'll leave you two to it, then. Good luck."

Glossary Update!

S

Sephira

The Guardian Spirits inhabiting believers of YHWH. Consisting of ten angelic figures, they channelled various aspects of the omnipresent deity to aid their hosts. Uniquely, they rarely made appearances among official members of the Holy Church, undermining their authority in the eyes of the people since these Sephira often chose people of ordinary background who held great potential to become saints.

The Immortal Saint of Orleans was an aberration, who held an angel outside of this group, though she was perhaps the worthiest to receive their powers. The number '10' was assumed solely from what humanity could gleam from the ancient texts, and their actual numbers were unknown – neither were their preferences nor personal judgements.