A/N: This fight is long, so I decided to split it into two chapters. I'm guessing this is one of the most epic battles in the story, so having two chapters is okay. I will post the next chapter not too long after this... hopefully it should not take too long. Editing usually takes quite long.
Angel Beats!
What We Live For
Operation 52
Pride
The tower shook violently, causing the group to stop.
"... It's getting worse."
Kyou said.
"Was it that obvious?"
Iris shot back.
"Are you trying to piss me off, Testarossa?"
"When your monkey of a donkey brain registers the fact that no one needs to be explained the current situation, I will stop teasing your bird feed sized brain."
"TESTAROSSA!"
He simply stood there, looking up with great concern. The tremors were indeed getting worse and he could only imagine how much time they had left.
"Not going to stop them?"
He turned around and saw Nakamura Yuri walk up to him.
"... I don't need to."
He merely answered and sure enough, Kyou and Iris stopped fighting, merely looking away from one another in an effort to ignore the other.
"... At least they stopped fighting."
Yuri sighed.
"You're certainly becoming a proper leader, being able to understand the people that follow you to such an extent."
"... I am no leader."
Rei said before continuing to walk up the stairs.
"... Is it the fact that you're not human, that you believe yourself as not able to lead?"
Yuri asked but Rei shook his head.
"No... animals all have their own form of leadership in packs and nests. However I am no leader because I do have the right qualifications to lead people who have suffered in the past."
"Because you are made by Otonashi, lived a rather carefree life, need not worry about anything and therefore you are unable to comprehend human emotions?"
"... That may be one reason."
Rei trailed off. For some reason, Yuri was getting rather irritated by Rei's entire atmosphere and before anyone else knew what was going on, Yuri jumped up into the air and drove both of her feet straight into Rei's back.
"GAAH!"
[Katsuragi Rei suffers a back attack!]
[Critical Hit!]
[Katsuragi Rei suffers 10000 damage]
"Wha- what was that for? !"
Rei got back to his feet, confused by what had just happened.
"Tch, you recover fast. Are you sure you aren't a cockroach? Even my own computer doesn't restart that quickly when I kick it."
Yuri clicked her tongue in irritation.
"Don't kick your computer! And why would you kick your computer to restart it?!"
"Because it doesn't run fast enough."
"What sort of computer are you using?!"
"Don't know. Found it abandoned in some box in the forest behind the shrine in my neighbourhood."
"YOU DID WHAT?!"
"And it makes a lot of noise and smoke when I started it. Come to think of it, there were quite a lot of talismans on it. Was it some sort of design?"
"IT'S CURSED!"
"I'm pretty sure it runs normally. I could play the CD it came with pretty well, though I do not understand what is so interesting about watching a video of a well."
"IT'S THAT DAMN CURSE!"
"It can also play normal things like my music and games."
"IT CAN RUN NORMALLY?!"
"I'm pretty sure it was win*ows DOS or something like that."
"THAT'S REALLY OLD! AND IT STILL CAN RUN THAT?!"
There a lot of things that Rei wanted to say about Yuri's choice of computers but he decided not to. He would just never end.
"... So? What is the problem with being unable to understand what people had suffered in past? What is wrong with being unable to go through what humans go through?"
Yuri asked, making Rei stop and turn to her.
"But... I'm not human"
"YURIPPE SUPER DROP KICK!"
[Nakamura Yuri used 'Yurippe Super Drop Kick' on Katsuragi Rei]
[It's super effective]
[Katsuragi suffers 10000 damage]
With that, Katsuragi Rei was once more down on the floor.
"It does not matter how you were born, or what your true self may be, what matters is that you experience what others are going through in the PRESENT! If you live in the past, you will only live in depression and will not move from where you stand. If you only live in the future, you will be trapped by anxiety and you will not be able to understand anything around you. That is why we live in the present! Of course, living only in the present makes you a fool who has no direction to go and will only repeat mistakes made, but that does not matter in what I'm talking about at the moment."
"Yurippe, if you're going to lecture someone, don't get distracted and go off track."
Hinata pointed out though Yuri simply punched him in the face when he said that.
"I know that! Don't distract me when I'm talking! Anyway! Katsuragi! What matters is not that you are not human, but the fact that you can experience the same things as humans do. What you may perceive and understand may differ from others but that is normal! What I see and hear may be the same as those around me but what I make of it is different! There is no one set of answers to everything."
Yuri sighed, offering her hand to Rei, who looked at her hand for a while before taking it. Yuri pulled him to his feet some hidden strength of hers.
"It is alright to be confused or to stumble about being lost for answers. Everything we do in life is a learning experience. Some people just have more experience while others face it for the first time."
Rei wasn't sure if what Yuri told him would be correct for someone like him. But... maybe he could give it a try.
"Besides, a leader is someone who leads those who wish to follow, bringing and guiding them from the past, to the present and into the future. It does not matter where everyone started from, as long as they can believe in the leader and follow him, that is all they need. For a leader, being able to understand the strengths and limits of those who follow him is difference between a good leader, and a bad one. All of these SSS2 people, though they were taught and trained to fight someone like you, to see someone like you as the enemy, they still chose to follow your lead because they believe your decisions and choices. They follow you because they believe that you will eventually lead them to 'victory'."
To 'victory'? Rei did not know if he could really do something like that but... He looked to Kyou and the others. All of them depended on him.
"Oho? Looks like you're determined now."
Yuri said with a smirk.
"I've always been determined. Come on, we're nearly at the next one."
Rei led the group onwards and sure enough, they had reached the next pair of doors. The group had to stop and stare in awe at the door that they were standing before. They had thus far seen five doors and while each were different the next, this door was certainly on a league of its own. Far larger and taller than any door, it was made of gold and white polished marble. The doors were so high that no one in the group could make out where it actually ended, and so wide that even with the entire SSS2 standing shoulder to shoulder they might still have room for more.
The carvings on the door were of people wearing crowns or holding symbols of power who seemed to be standing high on rocks and facing their weapons upwards where carvings of angels seemed to come down to attack the people below. It was a carving of war. A war between men of power and the heavens. And despite having such an ominous theme to its design, none in the group thought of it as such, still transfixed on such a door that exuded a grand and majestic presence. It was certainly a sight that no one could comprehend, yet could not tear their eyes away from.
"... We won't solve anything just by standing around."
Yuri said, walking up to the door.
"Y-Yurippe... d-don't you feel anything?"
Hinata asked, making Yuri raise an eyebrow.
"Huh? From what?"
"From the door."
"... Why would I be feeling something from a door?"
The entire group fell silent at Yuri's words and though no one spoke, they all had the same thoughts in their minds.
'People of the same breed don't feel anything special to their own kind.'
"Hm? I feel like someone just insulted me... oh nevermind."
Yuri placed her hands on the door and was about to push them open.
"Nakamura-san? Don't you want to hear about who might be inside?"
Kyou asked, to which Yuri craned her neck to look behind her.
"No need to. She's someone like me, isn't she? There isn't much else for me to know about her."
'They really are the same breed.'
Was the thought that went through everyone's minds.
"After all..."
Yuri said, pushing the doors open. The grand doors that looked heavy opened with only the slightest of push and a grand light poured out from beyond that blinded everyone. Everyone but Yuri.
"She's just one spoilt brat."
They stepped through the grand doors past the blinding light, finding themselves standing on what seemed to be a giant platform that was floating in the middle of the sky, surrounded by clouds. Directly above them was-
"The Sun?"
While not exactly being the Sun, it did serve as something similar, lighting up the entire space that was separate from the reality of the tower. The 'Sun' was bright, but not bright enough for them to shield their eyes from it. The clouds that surrounded the platform were pure white and drifted lazily around the platform. The platform itself was quite a spectacle to see in itself. Made of smooth white stones, it spanned nearly as far as the eye could see. Having multiple stone pillars that were erected around in some specific pattern, surrounding the centre of the platform which sat a structure that was similar to an ancient Greek temple.
Everything about this place seemed to scream out the words 'grand', 'majestic', and 'powerful' to everyone in the group and the one thing that seemed to stand out the most, was the lone person who stood at the of the stairs leading up to the temple-like structure. Such was her presence that some within the group felt compelled to get down on their knees before her, as though she was someone of a divine blood, as though she was a deity to be worshipped and glorified.
"O-oi! Noda! What are you doing on your knees?!"
"I-I can't help it! And you're on your knees as well!"
"EH?! Since when did I?"
"T-this is the effect of Charisma rank SSS!"
"There is such a thing?!"
"TK is break dancing on the floor!"
"Is belly flopping considered break dancing?"
Kyou gritted her teeth as she fought hard against the urge to do the same as the others.
"T-this is..."
There was only one person who could cause such a phenomenon, only one person who commanded such power. With her white beret over her shoulder length brown hair, her dark green eyes staring hard at the group, using both of her hands to lean on her cane that was in front of her and having a men's blazer draped over her shoulders, her presence was undeniable, unavoidable and commanding. Yuri narrowed her eyes at that girl.
"... Taeno... Yuki."
Nakamura Yuri had many thoughts before stepping through those doors. Thoughts that ranged from the omu-rice she forgot to eat before coming back to the Afterlife, to the laundry she hoped her siblings remembered to take indoors in case of rain. She was a healthy young adolescent girl who had her fair share of problems. But unlike most people, Nakamura Yuri was one of the few who 'remembered' her time in the Afterlife, and with her personality, the obvious decision to go back to fix the problems she created.
But was it really her fault? Sure, she did not bother to find a 'shut-down' button and just unleashed all the bullets she had into the computers that held the Angel Program, but still that was no reason for this entire thing to blow out of proportion, was there? But a mess is a mess and so she had decided to come back to correct the things that she failed to do so in the past. And soon after arriving her, she heard of that name. Taeno Yuki. She had no idea just who this person is, but from what she could gather, Taeno Yuki was her successor, not only in name and position, but in character as well.
Otonashi had told Yuri some things about this Yuki character and to sum it all up, Yuki was exactly like Yuri. But just how much like her was she? Yuri had never met this Taeno Yuki before and even if they should meet, Yuri had her doubts about how similar the two of them were. Now that she was standing face to face with the legendary Taeno Yuki herself, Nakamura Yuri had to rethink about a lot of things. For one, Yuri was now starting to believe in the legends of there being three doppelgangers for every person in the World. And second, did she really look like this during her time as the leader of the SSS? To Nakamura Yuri, seeing Taeno Yuki was like staring into the reflection of a mirror.
Yuri had almost the same face, the same height, the same body shape and the same presence. No, it could be said that Taeno Yuki had a greater presence than Yuri. The only differences between them were the colour of their hair and eyes, as well as what they were trying to accomplish through fighting.
"This is one tough opponent to face."
Rei muttered.
"It may take all we have to even make her flinch."
Kyou added. Through the corner of her eyes, Yuri could tell that they were quite shaken. It was obvious that they could not fight this person.
"Katsuragi Rei."
She called out, breaking everyone's fear even if it were only for that slight moment.
"You guys need to go on ahead."
"What? Nakamura-san, you can't be serious in trying to take on Taeno Yuri all by yourself?"
"I am serious."
Yuki turned and stared hard at Rei.
"... You're not planning to die, are you?"
Rei asked, to which Yuri simply laughed.
"I don't plan on dying anytime soon. Besides... if there is one person right now who needs to have their sanity checked, it would that girl."
Yuri pointed back at Taeno Yuki.
"And I'm just what the doctor ordered to fix her little head."
Yuri reached into her pocket and pulled out a small disc. She threw it to Rei, who caught it and was puzzled by what it was until he read the label on it.
"A... shut-down program?"
"Otonashi gave it to me. You should know how to use it."
Rei knew how to use this disc but if Yuri did hand this to him, she must be dead set on fighting Yuki on her own. Rei held the disc tightly in his hand before pocketing it.
"... I do know how... These are the bullets you need."
Rei took out from his other pocket a box of bullets and wanted to hand it to Yuri but the leader of the SSS shook her head.
"I have no need of such things."
"But-"
"I am Nakamura Yuri, leader of the SSS and I shall do things my way."
Rei at that moment thought he saw a crown above Yuri's head. The crown of the true king. So this is the leader of the SSS. This is Nakamura Yuri.
"... Alright. If you say so."
"Katsuragi!"
Kyou wanted to protest but Rei shook his head.
"We do not have any time to waste. You know that."
"But her opponent is Taeno Yuki!"
"She can handle herself, besides... it is for the best."
Kyou had a slight inclination as to what Rei meant by 'it is for the best', but she still could not accept it.
"Yamato, do you think the same as him?"
Kyou turned to the thus-far silent de-facto leader of Guild. Kusanagi Yamato closed her eyes to think for a moment before she answered.
"I believe in Katsuragi's decisions."
Was what Yamato said. Kyou shook her head in disappointment but she resigned to the decision that they had made.
"Fine... we will continue on then."
Kyou sighed, leading the way to the other door which was behind the temple structure. But things were not as easy as that.
"Where do you think you're going? EXEC_ANGELPROGRAM : / / / SYSTEM_LINK WEAPONS_SKILL \ VOICE _ OF _ THE _ KING; ACTIVATE"
From the top of the steps of the temple, a powerful and commanding voice boomed, echoing throughout the entire place. It went through everyone, shaking them up from the inside, freezing their souls and their minds.
"'By the name of Taeno Yuki, KNEEL'"
At the command of those words, all of them fell to their knees, even though who managed to withstand the previous urge to kneel the first time were forced down to their knees. The compulsion to obey was too strong to resist.
"None shall leave this place but by MY WORD."
Taeno Yuki's voice echoed everywhere. Rei knew that they were running out of time but how could they get past this? Their bodies were forced to obey her every word and command and they had no control over it!
"... Don't be so conceited, you damn brat."
[Defence Skill: Howling]
A loud sound erupted throughout the platform, causing all to cower and cover their ears to shield themselves from the pain inflicted by the sound. The sound held such power that it caused the pillars around the platforms to crack. Taeno Yuki was even forced to flinch, resulting her previous skill being cancelled
"W-what was that?!"
Kyou looked up to see Nakamura Yuri holding onto a small item that looked like a USB flashdrive.
"That is-"
Taeno Yuki narrowed her eyes at the small item in Yuri's hand.
"It is something I had Kanade-chan prepare for me just in case... Katsuragi, now is your chance, go."
Yuri ordered. Katsuragi looked back to Taeno Yuki and saw that the Queen of Fort was focused on Yuri, not attempting to stop them any further. Yuri had managed to anger Yuki to the point where the Queen would only focus on her.
"... Alright, good luck."
Katsuragi got back up to his feet and led the way towards the exit. As Katsuragi thought, Yuki was now completely focused on Yuri to the point where she did not bother with the rest of the SSS and so the group managed to reach the exit, leaving Yuri to face Yuki all by her own. The USB piece suddenly crumbled into pieces in Yuri's hand.
"Hmmm, as Kanade-chan said... only good for one use."
Yuri smirked, turning to Yuki.
"Well then, 'Queen of the Rebels' (Usurper), shall we see who has the real right to lead (reign)?"
[Boss Fight]
[2nd Division Leader: Fort]
[Taeno Yuki]
[Alignment: Chaotic Evil]
[Type: Pride]
[Level: 200
HP: 2000000000
MP: 5000000000
Strength: A
Agility: A
Endurance: A
Luck: S
Charisma: SSS]
[Weapons List:
- Sovereignty (Rank SSS)
- Dominion (Rank SS)
- Mark of the Emperor (Rank S)]
VERSUS
[SSS leader]
[Nakamura Yuri]
[Alignment: Chaotic Evil]
[Level: 105
HP: 1000000
MP: 2000000
Strength: B
Agility: B
Endurance: A
Luck: B
Charisma: S]
[Weapons List:
- Beretta 92 (Rank S)
- Dagger (Rank S)]
The founder of the rebels, the charismatic, violent and ever positive Nakamura Yuri. She had created the SSS in order to fight against the despair of her life. She had led her people on the front lines, facing whatever danger there was head on. She did not allow unnecessary sacrifices and had earned the trust and friendship of those who fought by her side. She was leader who understand the feelings of those whom she led, as such when she decided to come back to this hell to right her wrongs, those who supported her before willingly stepped forward once more to stand by her side without any hint of hesitation. She is the 'leader' of the Rebels Against God. The revolutionary who never stands alone.
Standing against her, the one who quelled the squabbles of the hundreds, uniting the disorganised masses into a unified organisation. Reviving the old order of the SSS and transforming it into a military force to be reckoned with, the cold, calculating and uncompromising Taeno Yuki. She was the 'Queen' (Usurper) of the SSS2, the one who dealt with her enemies with the iron gauntlet of power. She leads from her throne, sending out her people to crush anything she wants before her. She knew the pains of sacrifices but still she pushed on. To her the weight of the many outweighed the loss of the few. She did not let emotion dictate her choices, but rather through the most logical choices that were available to her. She had the presence and power of Nobility, the mind of a tyrant and the heart of a demon.
She knew she could not afford to be soft, and so encased herself in the steel armour that shone brightly before others. A girl who refused to accept the past, a girl who hated the World. A girl who will destroy it if she had to. The Queen who sits upon the lonely throne. These two powerful individuals now faced one another, determined to prove that they are strong, that they are right, that they have the will to conquer all. The fight between the leader of the SSS and the leader of the SSS2. The Revolutionary against the Queen.
"So... you're the infamous Nakamura Yuri. The founder of the SSS."
Taeno Yuki spoke, breaking the silence. Yuri smiled back.
"And you're the notorious Taeno Yuki. The self-proclaimed Queen of the SSS2."
Yuki flinched at Yuri's words.
"... I have fought many wars, Nakamura-san. More than you will ever know in all of your lifetimes combined. I have fought from the beginning, fighting for survival in guerilla-styled warfare against the Shadows, fighting against the other survivors to unify the different factions, fighting discrimination to ensure that the organisation doesn't fall apart, fighting against the Angels, and also fighting against the Madness of this World... I have fought for decades, bled myself dry on all fields and spilt so much more SO DON'T TELL WHAT I CANNOT BE! YOU! WHO DID NOT HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE PAINS AND HARDSHIPS THAT I WENT THROUGH! YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO TELL ME WHAT I CAN OR CANNOT DO! I HAVE EARNED MY RIGHT TO LEAD!"
Yuki snapped. Yuri narrowed her eyes at Yuki. She had known that Yuki had fought for so many years that she was more or less driven insane by war. But just how much did this girl have to suffer? Yuri felt a stabbing pain in her chest. This was all her fault. The program that had gone berserk was a result of her. If she had done things properly, would things be different? Maybe it might. But to Yuri, now wasn't the issue of pushing blame. She had to stop Yuki and the program from launching the apocalypse
"... I will not deny your pain, nor will I deny what you do. But there is a line that cannot be crossed. And you have crossed it."
Yuri quickly drew out her gun and aimed it straight at the Queen of the SSS2, firing off a shot. Yuki had seen in coming and stamped her cane hard on the ground.
"EXEC_ANGELPROGRAM : / / / SYSTEM_LINK WEAPONS_SKILL \ WALLS_OF_TROY ; ACTIVATE"
[Taeno Yuki uses Walls of Troy]
The bullet seemed to hit some sort of invisible wall, bouncing harmlessly away. Yuri fired a few more shots but to no avail. Whatever Yuki used, it had created a shield around her and prevented any form of attack made against her. The walls of Troy, the pride of the ancient city that managed to withstand the Greek siege for ten years of continuous fighting. It was impregnable from the outside, protecting the people who stayed within its walls safe from any and all attacks. Like its namesake, Yuki had created a barrier that did not allow anything to get through. But if it was like the tales of Troy, then it must have a weakness. Yuri spotted a small piece of stone nearby. She knew she only had one chance with it. She fired more shots at Yuki but as before, the shots did not get through. Yuri suddenly turned around and started to run in the other direction, away from Yuki. The Queen of Fort did not quite a list of things, and one of those is someone who challenges her and then simply runs away.
"Don't turn your back on me!"
Yuki shouted, running down from the temple. However it was the exact moment that her foot left the bottom step of the stairs that something she did not expect happened. An explosion erupted from the bottom of her foot, engulfing her in the blast. Yuri turned around and brought her gun up to aim. If there was one thing she understood about this world, it was that these SSS2 people were tough. A little too tough to be considered normal humans any longer. The worst of all would be the division leaders. Yuri had placed a grenade under one of the rocks that were chipped off from the cracks made by Kanade's Howling program. By timing it correctly, she released the pin and knew that Taeno Yuki would give chase. Just how did Yuri manage to do all of that in such a short period of time? She was Nakamura Yuri. There was no such thing as 'impossible' for her, only the word 'challenging'. The smoke from the explosion slowly started to clear and Yuri could see the figure of Yuki. Though injured and bruised, Yuki was still standing nonetheless.
"You... what did you do?!"
Yuki demanded.
"Nothing could get past the Walls of Troy! Not even an A class Angel!"
Yuri simply smiled back.
"'A Class'? I have no idea what you are talking about. I simply placed a grenade on the floor and you stepped within its blast. I like to call it, 'The Trojan Bomb'."
In the tales of Troy, the one that all think of is the famous Trojan Horse. A ruse thought up by the brilliant commander Odysseus to build a giant horse with Greek soldiers hidden within, presenting the horse to the Trojans as a peace offering as the Greeks pretended to sail away. As the Trojans worshipped Apollo, the Greek God of the Sun, their sacred animal was the horse. Filled with pride that they managed to push back the Greeks, the Trojans let down their guard and pulled the horse in and celebrated. But when they were all drunk and asleep, the Greeks slipped out of the horse and opened the gates, allowing the rest of the Greek army, who were simply waiting out of sight, to charge into the city and destroy it from within.
"Although not the same as the legend, the idea of the 'Trojan horse' was to get an attacker within the walls and weaken those behind the impregnable walls. To draw the enemy out of their wall (pride), and onto a field of my own terms. If the enemy cannot be drawn out, then one must see to it that the wall (pride) is not able to protect them, and that is from within. A wall (pride) can be strong and tall, but what lies on the other side is still the same as everyone, a frail, small child afraid of everything on the outside."
That remark caused a nerve to snap in Yuki.
"I... am... NOT A CHILD!"
Yuki screamed, stamping her cane down onto the ground.
"EXEC_ANGELPROGRAM : / / / SYSTEM_LINK WEAPONS_SKILL \ KNIGHTS_OF_THE_CROWN ; ACTIVATE"
[Taeno Yuki uses Knights of the Crown]
From the ground thousands of ghostly figures rose up, all dressed in medieval armour and carrying an assortment of weapons.
"Oi oi! That's against the rules!"
"I AM THE RULES! KNIGHTS! CHARGE!"
At Yuki's command, the ghost army of knights charged at Yuri. For the leader of the SSS, she only had her one pistol and a dagger. How could she possibly fight against an army of knights? Nevermind the fact that they were made up of some sort of ghostly form. The ghost knights seemed to march as one, matching each other in speed and step. In fact, it seemed too unnatural for them to be charging at her this way. But she still had to deal with them nonetheless. She noticed the pillars nearby. They had enough cracks to topple them easily. She took out the small coloured pill that Katsuragi Rei gave to all of them before and swallowed it. If she were to fight against super humans, she had to be super human herself.
"Access"
[Access: Angel Program (Rei / Zero)]
[Administrator rights detected]
[Unlocking full access rights]
[System Overdrive Initiated]
[Power Levels: 4000%]
[All Skills unlocked]
[All Skills upgraded to Rank S]
[All stats upgraded by one Rank]
"Here we go!"
Yuri raised one leg and sent it straight into the crack of the pillar, which was close to the bade. The pillar gave way, tilting over and crashing into the ghost army, crushing the knights under its weight.
[Taeno Yuki receives 10000 damage]
"! ! !"
Yuki gripped onto her chest in pain, something that did not escape Yuri's eyes.
"... So, the user suffers any attack done to it as well. Not a very good skill, if you ask me."
Yuri pointed out.
"No one asked you!"
Yuki snapped before stamping her cane once more.
"Knights! Shield!"
More ghostly knights appeared, carrying towering shields and marching in formation towards Yuri. This formation was something that Yuri recognised as being those of the ancient Roman legionnaires, towering shields to cover all angles of attack. Yuri fired a few shots but the rounds could not penetrate the shields.
"Knights! Archers!"
Yuri looked up and saw that hundred of arrows were launched into the air from behind the wall of shields. Yuri took cover behind one of the pillars, letting the rain of arrows rain down around her.
"Knights! Calvary!"
Behind the walls of shield knights came knights who rode atop ghostly horses. The shield formation parted ways in the centre, allowing the Calvary to charge out through the opening in the line. The Calvary charge destroyed the pillars that stood in its way, charging straight for Yuri. But Yuri still had a chance. She jumped out of the way, throwing a grenade that she pulled out earlier. The explosive flew straight into the middle of the ghost army's formation, blowing up and scattering the entire army of knights.
[Taeno Yuki receives 1000000 damage]
Yuki felt the full brunt of the attack despite not being in the front lines herself. It was not natural. Taeno Yuki was not receiving the same damage as her summons, but she was receiving it at least double the amount, and it was all directed to her chest. But Yuki did not give up.
"Knights! Pikes!"
More ghostly knights appeared, holding long pole weapons and standing formation, marching at Yuri.
"Pike formations are meant to deter a large enemy force. As the enemy army would also be in formation and be unable to move out of the way, a pike wall would be the best option... but not against a single opponent."
Yuri ran straight at the pike wall. It was true that rushing into a wall of sharp weapons is scary but Yuri had to overcome her fear. She had to break through Yuki's attacks and destroy her pride. It was not so much for the pleasure of causing her successor pain, but rather Yuri had to teach Yuki a lesson. A lesson that nothing was invincible. Yuri ran straight into the pikes, diving straight into the formation. Ignoring the cuts the weapons made, she crashed straight into the ghostly knights, drawing her knife and pistol, firing in all directions and cutting anything that came too close. And each time Yuri fell one of the ghost knights, Yuki felt the pain in her chest surge.
[Taeno Yuki receives 1000 damage]
[Taeno Yuki receives 1000 damage]
[Taeno Yuki receives 1000 damage]
[Taeno Yuki receives 1000 damage]
[Taeno Yuki receives 1000 damage]
[Taeno Yuki receives 1000 damage]
[Taeno Yuki receives 1000 damage]
[Taeno Yuki receives 1000 damage]
The pain was too much for Yuki to bear, causing her to fall to her knees, clutching onto her chest as she tried not to scream out in pain.
"Stop using your knights! It's only causing you pain!"
Yuri shouted at the leader of the SSS2, who struggled back to her feet.
"Do... not... tell me... what I must DO! KNIGHTS! CALVARY!"
"Ahh, that stubborn masochist of a fool!"
Yuri decided that her best option now was to charge straight for the leader of it all, Yuki herself. Calvary charges were frightening to face head on, but the problem with Calvary charges was the fact that it needed large open spaces to be effective. A horse needed space and time to build up speed and momentum to become the powerful weapon that it is known to be. By closing in the gap, Yuri could diminish the amount of power the Calvary charge had. If these horses were real, Yuri could use her gun to create a loud noise to frighten the horses, but these were not normal horses. These were from the power within Taeno Yuki. The power of Pride.
There was only two ways to fight against someone who has an immense amount of pride and stubbornness, one was to take them head-on and the other was to let them blow past before attacking from the side or rear. The problem with taking someone like that head-on was the fact that it was reckless and if you did not have the determination or same stubbornness as your opponent, you will fall. Pride is a giant wall that someone builds over time that is strong and nearly invincible. The best option is always taking on such enemies from the side or the rear.
"LIKE HELL I WILL DO THAT!"
Yuri snapped, switching the ammunition clip in her pistol to another one.
"EVEN IF IT IS AN INSURMOUNTABLE WALL, ONCE THERE IS A CRACK-"
She aimed the pistol.
"IT WILL FALL!"
She fired her pistol and once went off was not a pistol, but more akin to a cannon explosion. The amount of firepower packed into that one shot sent shock waves throughout the platform, engulfing the ghost army with a fiery explosion that incinerated even the surrounding pillars. Yuki saw the explosion heading towards her and slammed her cane down on the ground.
"EXEC_ANGELPROGRAM : / / / SYSTEM_LINK WEAPONS_SKILL \ WALLS_OF_TROY ; ACTIVATE"
[Taeno Yuki uses Walls of Troy]
The invisible wall surrounded Yuki once more right before the explosion could reach her, protecting her from harm. Or so she thought.
BANG
A second shot. Her shield suffered a crack.
BANG
Another shot. The crack grew in size.
BANG
A third shot. Her entire shield was no loner able to hold. Crack lines streaked across the entire barrier, then-
"YURIPPE STUBBORN HEAD BUSTING KICK!"
From the clouds of fire and dust, a foot came crashing straight into Yuki's wall of Troy, not only shattering the wall, but also kicking Yuki in the stomach as well.
"GAH!"
Yuki fell backwards, sliding across the floor from the sheer momentum of the attack. Standing back up to her feet, Yuri smirked at the Queen of the SSS2.
"I destroyed your pathetic wall twice. What else can you throw at me?"
Yuri laughed. Certainly she does deserve the title of 'evil overlord' (created by Hinata). Yuki gritted her teeth as she crawled to her knees, coughing up some blood as she tried to suppress the pain. She will not tolerate failure. She will not tolerate this sort of weakness. She will not tolerate this humiliation.
"I... am... the Queen!"
"EXEC_ANGELPROGRAM : / / / SYSTEM_LINK WEAPONS_SKILL \ VOICE _ OF _ THE _ KING; ACTIVATE"
[Taeno Yuki used Voice of the King (EX) ]
Yuri suddenly felt a change in the air. Her body felt a strange reverberation throughout. It felt cold, as though her very Soul was being drawn out. This was not the same as before. It was more powerful, more commanding. Yuki got back up to her feet, her face contorted with pure hatred and anger at Yuri.
"I will not be denied... IN THE NAME OF TAENO YUKI, QUEEN OF THE SSS2! I COMMAND YOU, KNEEL!"
Like a strange giant force was being pressed down on Yuri, so much so that her leg gave way and she was forced onto her knees.
"T-this is-"
"You stand before the Queen of Fort! Know your place!"
Yuki stamped her cane down on the ground, creating a shock wave that hit Yuri hard in the chest.
"Ugh!"
"You... do not know what I have gone through... The pain... the suffering... You, who had once suffered as I did, yet found happiness in the end... will never understand my resolve."
"Just for revenge... you will destroy this World?"
Yuri dared to look up to Yuki.
"I will destroy anything and everything that is related to 'that' World! It is diseased, vile and filled with darkness! Wars! Famine! Disasters! Hatred and intolerance! Such a World is better off GONE!"
Before entering Pride
"The cause of the number of SSS2 personnel?"
Yuri asked, to which Rei nodded back.
"Yes. No matter how you look at it, the number of people in the SSS2 are much too high. Given the sixty to seventy years that the SSS2 has been around for, it is still impossible for its numbers to rise to a million and yet the number of SSS2 has already reached that number, even higher than that."
Yuri thought about that and found it to be true. No matter how many scenarios Yuri tried to play in her head, that number still does not add up.
"So what is the cause?"
Yuri asked. Rei took a pause before answering that.
"... The answer is Taeno Yuki."
"Taeno... Yuki? You mean my successor?"
Rei nodded back.
"Yes. This World is connected back to reality and therefore anything drastic that happens in the afterlife can affect reality. I believe that Taeno Yuki is behind the large number of people entering this Afterlife and therefore she holds an immense amount of power... and madness. Dealing with her will be difficult."
Present
Yuri did not really understand all that Rei had said but she understood this simple fact. Taeno Yuki's madness had indirectly caused these young people to suffer despair and suffering in their lives, which resulted in them being here. It was similar to Kanade's case, where Kanade's wish to pass on was to meet Yuzuru. Yuzuru had no regrets and did not need to enter the Afterlife, however he did so and met Kanade, therefore fulfilling her regrets. For Taeno Yuki, in her madness she wanted everyone to suffer just as she did. That large amount of negativity and despair had affected the World of the Living and caused the many deaths of young people across the World. War, famine, global disasters, political intolerance, riots, protests, storms, rebellions, spite, hatred. All of those can be traced back to Yuki. This has to end and it has to end now.
"Just because you suffered a great pain in the past does not mean you have to drag others into it as well!"
Yuri shouted at Yuki, who only became more infuriated.
"ALL MUST KNOW THE PAIN I SUFFERED IN ORDER TO UNDERSTAND WHAT DARKNESS THEY HAVE INFLICTED UPON THE WORLD!"
"Don't go pushing your pain onto others!"
"WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT PAIN?!"
"EXEC_ANGELPROGRAM : / / / SYSTEM_LINK WEAPONS_SKILL \ VOICE _ OF _ THE _ KING; ACTIVATE"
[Taeno Yuki uses Voice of the King (EX) ]
"IN THE NAME OF TAENO YUKI, QUEEN OF THE SSS2! I COMMAND YOU, DIE!"
Yuki stamped her cane once more.
"EXEC_ANGELPROGRAM : / / / SYSTEM_LINK WEAPONS_SKILL \ KNIGHTS_OF_THE_CROWN; ACTIVATE"
[Taeno Yuki uses Knights of the Crown]
"KNIGHTS! CALVARY!"
An army of ghost knights on horses appeared and charged straight for Yuri. Yuri gritted her teeth, still in her kneeling position. She could not move because of Yuki's skill.
.
.
.
"As if I will let something like this stop me."
Yuri suddenly got up to her feet and charged straight at the ghost knights. Pulling the pin from a grenade, she threw it at the knights and brought out her pistol. She aimed the weapon at the right moment, firing off a round directly at the grenade right as it was falling towards the ground. The resulting explosion from both the super-charged bullet and the grenade blast destroyed the entire ghost army.
[Taeno Yuki receives 1000000 damage]
Yuki gripped her chest as the pain surged through her. But more than the pain, she was angry and confused about one thing.
"How... HOW CAN YOU BE MOVING?!"
"EXEC_ANGELPROGRAM : / / / SYSTEM_LINK WEAPONS_SKILL \ VOICE _ OF _ THE _ KING; ACTIVATE"
"[Taeno Yuki uses Voice of the King]
"KNEEL!"
But Yuki's command did not reach Yuri, who ran through the explosion and headed straight for Yuki.
"STOP!"
Yuri did not stop.
"I COMMAND YOU TO STOP!"
But Yuri still continued to run at Yuki. No matter what command or shout Yuki threw at Yuri, it did not work.
"No... no NO!"
Yuki could not stop Yuri. Bringing up her cane to defend herself as Yuri jumped into the air and crashed straight into the Queen of Fort. Pinning Yuki down on the floor with her weight, Yuri produced her knife and destroyed Yuki's cane.
"Ha! Now you've lost your SSS weapon!"
Was what Yuri would gloat but even so the defiant eyes of Yuki was still burning strong.
"How... how can you not be affected by my Voice?"
Yuki growled at Yuri, who merely smirked as she brushed the hair away from her ear.
"Eh? Sorry but I can't hear you through these ear plugs. You'll have to speak louder."
Yuki was even angrier when she realised what Yuri had done. Not only had Yuri managed to defy Yuki's orders, but the SSS leader had completely ignored her.
Left alone.
Ignored.
No one listens to her.
No one listens to her cries.
Nothing goes her way.
The pain.
The despair.
The darkness.
The suffering.
The madness.
The World must suffer.
The World must know of her pain.
The World is corrupt.
The World is dirtied.
The World is filled with darkness.
The World must be destroyed.
"Do not... IGNORE ME!"
In a great explosion of lights, Yuri was forced off Yuki, thrown back some distance as she shielded her eyes from the brightness. Was that cane not Yuki's weapon?! This intensity was familiar. It was commanding, grand, powerful and undeniable. This is... SIN.
[Program: Initialized]
[Corruption level: 1000%]
[Engaging DEMON protocol]
"I am the grandest of all sins.
I am the foundation of society
And the fall of man.
I am the deliverance of evil
And the invisible shield of man.
I stand above all,
And none shall take my throne from me while I still breathe.
I have the blood of nobility,
The soul of royalty.
I rule over Worlds
And destroy them with ease.
Do not dare to look down on me for I will never forgive,
Nor shall I forget.
I am the rebellion,
I am the revolution.
I am the one who will not be ignored.
I am the one who will make all listen to my cries.
I sit upon my lonely throne,
none shall stand by my side.
I am the light that shines brightly for all.
I am the indispensable power of nations.
The driving force of people.
I can bring people up,
I can thumb them down.
I can make people feel more than what they are worth,
And stop people from achieving anything.
Scorned by the high heavens,
I am the high angel who dared to rebel against God.
Defiance is my calling.
Arrogance is my creed.
Heed my name and cower before my presence for
I AM LUCIFER,
I AM SUPERBIA,
I AM PRIDE!"
[Lucifer; Activate]
[Boss Fight]
[Incarnation of Pride: Lucifer]
[Taeno Yuki]
[SERAPH; Activated]
[Songs of the Heaven equipped]
[Alignment Change: Lawful Good]
[Level: 500
HP: 900000000000
MP: 900000000000
Strength: SS
Agility: SSS
Endurance: SS
Luck: SSS
Charisma: EX]
[Weapons List:
- Sovereignty (Rank SSS)
- Dominion (Rank SS)]
Yuri could not stop staring at the being who was before her.
"... Oi oi, this is no longer funny."
A/N: The emphasis for this battle is obviously the 'old' versus the 'new', the 'rebel' versus the 'Queen'. Kind of fun to write. But the next one will be painful... really painful...