Author's note :
Hello, dear readers. I just want to say thank you to everyone for giving my fic a chance and taking the time to read it.
So here we are, nine chapters and 174 thousand words later, and I can't express how grateful I am for your kindness. I present to you the final chapter of the first volume of Grand Repossession, "Soror Perdita", or in English "Lost Sister.".
It has been an incredible journey writing this fic, and I hope you have enjoyed reading it as much as I have enjoyed creating it.
This final chapter is my hardest work yet, and I would like to thank each and every one of you, fans of the Overlord series.
I apologized to everyone who loved the source material if I made too many changes to the original story's first season in the anime or the first three volumes of the light novel.
Don't be afraid to criticize and call me out for what I did wrong or any inaccuracies or plot holes you may have noticed.
I also apologize for the abundant use of Latin, which may have left some readers confused or disconnected from the story.
I will take a short break through the entire month of November to mid December before continuing on with the second volume for health reasons, as my bronchitis is acting up again and chemo doesn't really care whether I have a deadline or not.
During this time, I will carefully review all the feedback and constructive criticism I have received to ensure that the next installment meets your expectations. I will try to write and publish two chapters in December to give you all something to look forward to during the holiday season.
And again, the second volume will follow the anime's second season, or volumes four to six of the light novel. I will implement my own twist and addition to the story to keep my fic fresh and unique.
Thank you all, and good luck on your No Nut November. Remember : 481827, 366224, and 344322!
Warning: The following material may cause depression or trigger negative emotions. If you ever feel negatively impacted by this content, please seek support from a trusted friend, family member, or mental health professional and/or report this work to the web administrator or local authorities.
FOR REAL THIS TIME... if you can't stand gore and violence, please do not proceed any further.
I deliberately wrote the fight scene to be graphic and intense, and it may be disturbing for some readers who can visually imagine the violent scenes.
It is always my philosophy to not chicken out on portraying the brutality of certain situations, as it adds depth and realism to the story.
However, I understand that everyone has different comfort levels, so like I said... if you can't handle a very descriptive and visceral depiction of violence, it's best to outright quit and close this page and switch to less M-rated content.
Volume 1, Chapter 10 : Soror Perdita
Valkyrie Sanguinaria, Doppelganger et Exilrix Dei
Somewhere south of Re-Estize
"Go go go!" The rescue team captain shouted as they stepped through the gate.
The space-bending gate opened up to reveal an empty plain outside of a forest. After each medic team member had passed through the gate, they kneeled down in a circle with their rifles at the ready, scanning their surroundings for any signs of danger.
"Sir! Lady Shalltear's signal is just this way," one of the medics called out, pointing towards a distant dune that rose above the flat landscape.
"Splendid! Move out and keep your eyes open! Keep the formation tight!" The captain barked out orders.
The team quickly gathered their gear and began their march towards the distant dune, their footsteps leaving imprints on the soft ground.
Cerebrum, 10th Floor, Nazarick
"Charon, give me the visual." Albedo commanded.
"My lady, the area where the Fisher Team was is still under heavy interference. Our satellites are blind in that region."
"How about audio? Do we at least have any kind of audio feed?" Albedo inquired.
"Same as the visuals, my lady. The interference is blocking all signals."
"So you're saying that she's still around the area?" Albedo asked.
"Yes, ma'am. I calculate that there's an 88% possibility that Commander Bellial is still within the vicinity. However, without visual confirmation, it is difficult to determine her exact location or condition, as the interference has prevented any kind of surveillance within ten kilometers from its epicenter."
"Then how in the fresh hell were we able to open a gate for the Fisher Team directly there in the first place?" Albedo questioned, her brow furrowing in confusion. "If the interference is so strong, shouldn't it have affected our ability to send them through?"
"My preliminary calculation suggests that Commander Bellial must have monitored our communication line and deliberately let us transport the Fisher Team there."
"To what? Show of force? That doesn't make any sense. She's not the type to make irrational decisions without a strategic purpose," Albedo said skeptically. "The only sensible reason for her to do that is to-" Albedo stopped mid-sentence, something clicked in her mind.
"Lady Albedo?"
"Fuck me," Albedo muttered under her breath, realization dawning on her. "It's a fucking trap."
"Trap?"
"Fisher, come in, Fisher..." Albedo frantically called into her communicator, but there was no response.
"Fisher, this is Prime Eye. The mission is compromised. I repeat, the mission is compromised. Abort immediately!" Albedo shouted again, but there was still no response.
"Goddammit!" Albedo slammed her fist against the control panel in frustration.
"How fast can we scramble a recon drone there?" Albedo asked one of the information officers nearby. "We can have a recon drone ready for deployment in five minutes," the officer replied.
"Good, do that." Albedo ordered.
"Bird Nest, Bird Nest, this is Command. Prime Eye has ordered an owl from the menu for the Fisher Team." The officer spoke into the radio, relaying Albedo's command.
"Order received, Command. One hot owl is on the stove, coming right up. What's the table number?" A voice crackled back through the radio.
"Table number is grid 13-5-10, 112 steps from the kitchen," the officer informed.
"Copy that, grid 13-5-10, 112 steps from the kitchen. Owl will be delivered to the Fisher Team shortly," the voice on the radio confirmed.
"Bird Nest, Prime Eye is requesting extra spices for the owl," the officer requested, relaying the additional request to Albedo.
"Copy, Command. Tell me what kind of spices Prime Eye wants, and I'll make sure they're added to the owl," the voice on the radio responded.
"Please hold," the officer said, turning his head to Albedo. "My lady?"
"Type 55 Anti-Personel Cluster Munitions," Albedo replied, her voice calm and composed.
"Bird Nest, Prime Eye is requesting the chili, more specifically the Speruan Wide chili pepper," the officer relayed to the voice on the radio.
"Copy that, Command. We'll make sure to add the Speruan Wide chili pepper to the owl," came the response.
"That'll be all, Bird Nest. Command, out." The officer replied, cutting off the communication.
'What's with all these food metaphors?'
Somewhere south of Re-Estize
"We're close, sir. About 90 meters away," one of the scouts reported, looking at his display screen on his gauntlet.
"You heard Lady Albedo's order, Commander Bellial of the Black Sky has gone rogue. A shoot-on-sight order has been issued for her. So if you see her, empty your magazine and blow her to kingdom come," the captain declared.
The team nodded in understanding, their eyes scanning the horizon for any sign of the renegade commander.
With their weapons at their ready, they pressed on towards Shalltear's last known location. After a few moments, they saw her body laying on the ground, impaled by her own lance straight through her heart.
The team cautiously approached, three of them standing guard and covering the medic, who kneeled down beside Shalltear's lifeless body.
"How is she?" the captain asked, his voice filled with concern.
The medic carefully examined Shalltear's wounds, his brow furrowed in concentration.
"Two piercing wounds, shattered ribcage, multiple damaged internal organs, a severed spine from the impact of her lance." The medic reported, his tone grim.
"So she's KIA?" the captain asked, his voice heavy with sorrow.
"No, sir. Fortunately, her brain is still intact and functioning, and considering her divine heritage, she might even come back to life after her body has been healed and repaired," the medic replied optimistically.
"Alright then, let's pull her lance out and get her back to Nazarick for a full body reconstruction operation." the captain ordered.
"Not so fast, boys," Bellial said from behind them.
The rescue team immediately points their rifles at Bellial, their rifles humming with each projectile loaded into the chamber.
"You wretched snake! You have committed treason of the highest order!" the captain exclaimed.
"Someone's got to do it," Bellial replied calmly.
The team placed their eyes closer to their rifles' sight and tightened their grip on the triggers, ready to eliminate the perceived threat. Bellial's calm demeanor only fueled their suspicion, causing their fingers to twitch with anticipation.
"Suberficiei Bellial, by the power granted to me by the 41 Supreme Beings, I hereby execute you for your crimes against your country and fellow citizens," the captain declared, pointing his finger directly at Bellial.
Time slowed down as the team pulled their triggers in unison, releasing a deafening symphony of gunfire. The projectiles flied in slow motion through the air, each one aimed with deadly precision towards Bellial.
"Mea culpa, amicos meos..." Bellial whispered in the slowed time, her voice barely audible amidst the chaos.
As the bullets closed in, she blitzed around the rescue team with lightning speed, evading each projectile with effortless grace.
With her superspeed, she stabbed each of the rescue team's members with her own hand, her fingers penetrating their bodies like hot knives through butter.
The rescue couldn't even see her move with their human reaction time, as Bellial's movements were too swift for their eyes to track.
They could only feel the sudden pain and confusion after their projectiles flew through the air, where they thought Bellial was.
They looked down from their rifles' sight and saw their hollow chest cavities, blood pouring out like rivers.
They turned around and saw Bellial holding several still-beating hearts in her hands. They fell to the ground one by one, their bodies limp and lifeless.
Bellial tapped the earpiece in her ear and spoke into the receiver.
"Yeah, it's me." Bellial said, her voice calm and collected.
"Proceed with the plan."
"Roger that, out." Bellial said, ending the call.
She tossed the hearts aside and walked towards Shalltear's dead body. She kneeled down beside her, placing her hand on Shalltear's forehead.
Before she could even recite the incantation, a sound of a drone approaching caught her attention. Bellial looked behind and saw an unmaned drone heading towards her at high speed.
"What a waste of tax money." Bellial muttered under her breath as she swiftly stood up and grabbed a rifle from one of the rescue team's dead bodies.
She aimed at the drone, ready to shoot it down before it could reach her. However, just as she was about to pull the trigger, a blinding flash of light engulfed the area, momentarily blinding her and causing her to lose her aim.
"Fucking hell!" Bellial cursed, blinking rapidly to regain her vision.
As the light dissipated, she saw the drone turn back and open fire on her with its frontal auto cannons. The ground near her was hit with a barrage of bullets, sending debris flying in all directions.
Bellial dove for cover behind a nearby rock, narrowly avoiding the deadly onslaught. a barrage of bullets, sending dirt and debris flying into the air.
Bellial quickly blitzed around using her superspeed, evading the continuous stream of bullets. Dodging left and right with lightning-fast reflexes, she managed to stay one step ahead of the drone's relentless attack.
As the drone flew above her head to make another u-turn, Bellial loaded the rifle with a red-tipped ammo from her pouch and chambered it into the action.
She aimed at the drone with her left hand only, as if she were holding a small-caliber pistol. Before she could pull the trigger, the drone fired a volley of its payload.
The payload glided through the air, leaving behind a trail of smoke as it headed straight towards Bellial. She quickly grabbed another rifle from the dead bodies and held it in her right hand.
"Come on!" Bellial shouted.
The payload split, the casing bursting open to reveal a swarm of bomblets that scattered in different directions, covering a wide area around her.
"Really?! REALLY?!" Bellial exclaimed in frustration, realizing that she was now surrounded by a cloud of explosive bomblets.
She aimed the rifle at her right hand and shot in full auto mode, hoping to destroy as many bomblets as possible before they could reach her.
The deafening sound of gunfire echoed through the air as Bellial continued to unleash a barrage of bullets, each shot punctuated by a flash of muzzle fire.
The bomblets exploded one by one, sending shockwaves through the air and filling the atmosphere with acrid smoke, creating a temporary shield of smoke and debris around Bellial, providing her with a smoke wall to hide behind.
As the smoke cleared, the drone turned back to Bellial and hovered in the air, its sensors scanning the area for any signs of her.
"Ventus Impetus"
Suddenly, a strong gale of wind from behind the smoke wall pushed it back, momentarily stunning the drone. Bellial took advantage of the distraction and swiftly moved to a new position right below the drone, where she would be out of its line of sight.
She aimed the left rifle loaded with the red ammo and fired it at the drone. The red ammo struck the drone, piercing through its outer armor before exploding from the inside in a burst of flames and shrapnel.
The drone exploded from the inside in a fiery explosion, scattering debris in all directions. After wildly spinning in the air, it crashed to the ground in a cloud of smoke and flames.
She approached the crashed drone and ripped part of its nose armor, pulling a remote camera from inside. She smirked at the camera, knowing someone is watching from the other end.
"How's the peeping?" She mocked, holding up the camera for emphasis.
"I know it's your doing, Lady Albedo."
"Smug bitch," Albedo muttered as she watched the camera feed displayed on the main screen.
"You're the only one of your peers, aside from Lord Pandora and Lord Demiurge, who are smart enough to try to gather as much information as possible."
Albedo watched Bellial hold the camera in her hand and walk towards Shalltear. Albedo's eyes narrowed as she observed Bellial's every move through the camera feed.
She stopped in front of Shalltear's dead body and turned the camera to her face, wicked smile spreading across her lips.
"What the hell is she up to?" Albedo thought to herself, her suspicion growing.
"I know what you're thinking, my lady. You must've thought, 'What is she doing?', am I right? Well, THIS... IS what I'm doing. Observe."
"Hac vicae sumito corporis huius personae mortuus in vitam pro summo meo sanguine ex animo meo. Hoc corporis resurritus utuntur pupa meam donec aut ego aut ipse mortuus est..." Bellial whispered the ancient incantation.
The spell was way above what she could handle. The spell cost her an immense amount of energy, causing her to nosebleed from the intense strain.
"Plectantur mentis puponis liberam voluntatem et conscientiam."
After the spell was cast, Shalltear's body was fully recovered to her previous state. The wounds that had once marred her skin were now completely healed.
Shalltear opened her eyes and stood up, her face devoid of any expression, like a puppet on a string. Bellial eyes Shalltear curiously, wondering if the spell had affected her mind as well.
Shalltear's movements seemed mechanical and robotic, lacking any trace of her usual grace and fluidity. wondering if the spell had been successfully cast.
Bellial paced around Shalltear back and forth with Shalltear's eyes continuing to follow her movement, right and left with a blank expression.
"Do you recognize who I am?" Bellial asked curiously. Shalltear nodded her head slowly in response, her eyes still fixed on Bellial's every move.
"Good, it seems like the spell worked. Now follow my orders." Bellial commanded. Shalltear nodded again, her obedience evident in her silent acquiescence.
Bellial flew high into the air, with Shalltear following closely behind. They stopped after a few minutes, hovering above the cloud.
She looked over the edge of the cloud and saw a vast expanse of land stretching out before them. The views of human settlements, big and small, dotted the landscape.
"Simus partyum incipiemus," Bellial whispered.
She concentrated her powers, forming eight floating orbs behind her in a perfect formation. Each orb emitted a different color of light, representing a different element.
With a flick of her wrist, she sent the orbs shooting in different directions, their vibrant colors illuminating the sky as they streaked through the air.
Each orb traveled at high speed towards its designated target, leaving a trail of mesmerizing hues in its wake.
Command HQ, Carne Village
Sebas, who was enjoying his tea, looked up from his cup and watched the holographic display on his desk light up with alarms and flashing red lights.
"What seems to be the problem?" Sebas asked the artificial intelligence, his voice calm and collected.
"Sir, I'm detecting a dangerous amount of energy headed straight towards Carne's proximity."
"Activate the energy shield and ready all turret domes." Sebas ordered, his tone firm and authoritative.
"Hit in 5... 4... 3... 2... 1... "
Sebas looked out the window and saw the energy orb hitting a lush green plain right outside of Carne. The impact caused a massive explosion, sending dirt and debris flying into the air.
The initial explosion caused a chain reaction, and secondary explosions erupted across the plain, creating a wave of destruction that rapidly excavated the land.
The chain reaction lifted chunks of dirt from the ground and headed north all the way towards the coast before stopping completely, letting a stream of water from the ocean rush in and fill the newly formed crater.
"Damage calculation," Sebas said, and the AI quickly analyzed the extent of the destruction caused by the explosion.
"The explosion and its subsequent chain reaction have resulted in massive amounts of land being dug. The crater is filled with water from the ocean, which now becomes a river. It is 400 meters wide, 66 meters deep, and stretches up to 48 kilometers out to sea."
"How much land has been affected by the explosion?" Sebas asked, curious about the scale of the devastation.
"About 3200 square kilometers of land have been affected. I estimate at least 140 million metric tons of dirt have been dug out from the explosion, with about 1,030 billion cubic meters of water filling the newly formed river."
"That severe?" Sebas exclaimed, shocked by the magnitude of the impact.
"Yes, and that's not the worst part, sir."
"What could be worse than this?" Sebas asked exasperatedly.
"That's just the explosion from one orb, the other seven hit other major cities in the surrounding kingdom."
"Excuse me, what?" Sebas asked, leaning his head closer in disbelief.
"The capital city of the Re-Estize kingdom, the Baharuth Empire, the Roble Holy Kingdom, and even the Slane Theocracy were all hit by these destructive orbs. The devastation is unimaginable, sir. A satellite scan has counted at least fifteen thousand lives lost, with many more injured."
"Oh my..." Sebas whispered.
"The explosion has also caused significant damage to the surrounding ecosystems and wildlife, such as the lake not too far from our location. The explosion also excavated massive chunks of land through the Forest of Tob all the way to the coast, which damaged parts of the Azerlisia Mountain Range and the land near two towns within the border of the Baharuth Empire, causing a breach to a nearby lake called the Great Lake."
"The number of animals and plants lost is currently uncountable, and the long-term effects on the ecosystem are yet to be fully understood. Additionally, the water rushing in to fill the space is pure sea water, while the water in the lake is freshwater, leading to a significant change in the salinity levels of the surrounding area. This sudden shift in water composition may have detrimental effects on the surviving wildlife and plant species that rely on the freshwater ecosystem of the lake."
"Furthermore, the introduction of sea water into the lake can disrupt the delicate balance of nutrients and minerals that sustain the native species. This disturbance could potentially lead to a decline in biodiversity and the loss of important ecological functions within the ecosystem."
"Is there any intelligent creature living in this lake?" Sebas asked.
"Yes, sir. Lady Lupusregina has left a note based on the Special Intelligence Division's satellite imaging saying that a race of humanoid reptilian creatures has been observed in the lake. They are believed to possess advanced cognitive abilities and have seen engaging in conversation using the human language."
"Good. Tell Lupusregina to extract them from their lake habitat for our own artificial freshwater lake. Have a construction team start building one if we don't already have it in place." Sebas commanded.
"Of course, sir. I'll get everything set up immediately. I will also inform Lady Lupusregina to proceed with caution and ensure the safety of both the creatures and our team during the extraction process. Additionally, I will coordinate with the construction team to expedite the building of the artificial freshwater lake to accommodate their needs."
"Don't go all out, these creatures are humanoid reptilians. They might want a living habitat that resembles their natural environment." Sebas said.
"Understood, sir. I will relay that information to the head of the construction team as well."
"Good," Sebas said.
"Also, sir. Lady Albedo is on the line, would you like to pick up?"
"Yes, please put her through," Sebas replied, sitting back on his sofa.
The holographic projector flickered to life, projecting a lifelike image of Albedo. She appeared composed, yet there was a hint of urgency in her eyes.
"Sebas."
"Albedo, mind telling me what is going on here?" Sebas asked, sipping his cup of tea.
"Sebas, it's Bellial."
"Bellial? The commander of the Black Sky? What's with her?" Sebas asked, raising an eyebrow.
"She has gone rogue."
Sebas spit out his tea in surprise, coughing and wiping his mouth and the table with a napkin.
"I'm sorry you had to see that, that was very unsightly of me." Sebas apologized.. "But Albedo, how did this happen? Bellial was always so loyal to the cause."
"Loyal? She just killed Shalltear and cast a resurrection spell on her, turning her into a mindless puppet. It seems she has been plotting against us all along."
"Are you really sure about this? How accurate is your information?" Sebas questioned.
"Too accurate, too fresh. Fresher than an out-of-the-pan fried chicken."
"Damn, this is a surprise, the kind that we definitely did not need in our current predicament." Sebas sighed.
"It's just like Budapest all over again."
"You and I remember Budapest very differently," Sebas replied with a wry smile.
"In the meantime, I want you, Lupusregina, Yuri, and Victim to suit up."
"Why?" Sebas asked, raising an eyebrow. "What's the plan?"
"Not exactly a plan, but the Special Intelligence Division just reported massive cosmic radiation coming from one person, said person is heading towards Shalltear and Bellial. I already notified the rest of the gang to get their asses ready just in case, and I want you four to do the same."
"Very well, I'll tell Lupusregina, Yuri, and Vicitm as well. Lupusregina is currently out of Carne, she said she was bored and wanted to take a closer look at the native animals of this world." Sebas said with a slight nod.
"Whereabouts of Yuri and Victim?"
"Victim is down in the basement experimenting with different flavors for his cupcake. Yuri is at the newly built learning center, she is helping our teachers and educators develop new curriculum and teaching methods for the children of Carne Village." Sebas said, adjusting his tie around his neck.
"Well, whatever. Just tell them to get ready. And Sebas?"
"What is it?" Sebas asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Inform Pandora about Shalltear."
"I assume you haven't informed him when you said you notified the rest of the guys." Sebas asked, a hint of concern in his voice.
"No, I haven't. His past relationship with Shalltear is complicated, and I didn't want to alarm him unnecessarily. But now that the situation has escalated, it's crucial that he knows."
"They've been in a relationship before?" Sebas asked in surprise.
"Yes, they have. They kept it a secret from the rest of us."
"Not secret enough if you know about it." Sebas responded with a chuckle.
"Whatever, they're both weirdos back when we're growing up. What do you expect?"
"Alright, I will inform him about Shalltear's current situation." Sebas said, nodding.
"Okay, thanks."
"This person, the one with the cosmic radiation, what is her current status?" Sebas asked curiously.
"Aureole and Nigredo have consulted with Demiurge, and they agreed that her radiation level is way above the possible limit. The amount that she emits is extremely impossible, even by our standards. Demiurge and Nigredo calculate that if she were to touch any of us, instant decomposition would occur."
"Who is she?" Sebas asked, his curiosity piqued.
"That's the thing, we don't know. Our satellites can't even identify her because her radiation is distorting any signals we try to send. No visual, audio, or even magic signals can penetrate through her radiation field. It's as if she's a complete anomaly, existing outside of any known parameters. We've never encountered anything like this before."
"Blimey, don't tell me..." Sebas whispered.
"Your guess is as good as the rest of us, Sebas. She's a Class X entity—the first ever."
"Mother..." Sebas whispered.
"Fucker... I know, right? Anyway, I have to go now. Thanks for the time, Sebas. Call Pandora."
Albedo's holographic projection flickered for a moment before disappearing, leaving Sebas alone with his thoughts.
"Get Pandora on the line." Sebas commanded.
"Calling Lord Pandora, please wait a moment."
The sound of dialing filled the room as Sebas waited impatiently while looking at Bellial and Shalltear's images displayed on the holographic projection. Finally, a voice came through the line.
"Herr Sebas? What can I do for you?"
"Pandora, we need to talk." Sebas said, his tone serious.
"Of course, what is it?"
"It's about Shalltear," Sebas began, his voice filled with concern. "There have been some recent developments that I believe you should be aware of."
"I'm listening,"
"She's been mind-controlled, and Bellial, the Commander of the Black Sky, has gone AWOL—technically treason." Sebas explained, his expression grave. "I fear Shalltear's mind control might have been orchestrated by Bellial."
"Was zur Hölle? Das glaube ich nicht. Warum sollte Bellial so etwas tun?"
"I have no idea myself. But she just attacked near Carne Village, no one was hurt, but the explosion created a very long crater all the way to the coast, which now became a new river." Sebas replied with concern.
"Oh, so that's what the loud boom was earlier. At least everyone is safe, I will deal with her myself."
"Are you sure you can? She's a powerhouse herself, but with Bellial around, I don't think you can handle two on one on yourself." Sebas interjected, worried about the potential danger.
"Herr Sebas, I'm not going in alone. Narberal is coming with me."
"Alright, then. I will leave everything to you and Narberal. Stay safe." Sebas said, giving his final words of encouragement.
He turned his head and looked out the window. Seeing the water slowly finning the crater of the explosion into a lake.
"Wait a minute, did you say that this newly formed lake is 400 meters wide, 66 meters deep, and 48 kilometers long?" Sebas asked, his eyes narrowing as he saw the water continue to rush in.
"Yes, sir. That is correct."
"And as I remember earlier, Carne needs additional external protection as well." Sebas added, his mind darting to potential solutions.
"Also correct, sir."
"Huh. I think I have something in mind." Sebas said, a spark of idea lighting up in his eyes.
"What do you have in mind, my Lord?"
"Remember that destroyed planet, Earth? Didn't one of the expedition teams we sent out there mention something about discovering lots of naval vessel wreckage deep in its oceans?" Sebas asked.
"Yes, sir. The team did mention that they found the wreckage of many naval vessels on Earth's ocean floor, which they brought back to Regnum Dei for scholars to study. The naval vessels mostly consist of ships from the Second World War on Earth, some from the Cold War era, and some from the last war planet Earth has ever had, the Third World War, also known as the Nuclear War."
"Supreme Being Tabula Smaragdina gave the wreckage a closer look and placed an order to restore and reconstruct the naval vessels to our standard. Each boat has been fully reconstructed using materials common in our world and fitted with the armaments of our military. The restoration process involved modernizing the naval vessels with advanced technology and weaponry, ensuring they were equipped to handle any potential threats in our world."
"Four of the most prominent naval vessels that were restored include the USS Iowa of the United States Navy, the KMS Bismarck of the German Kriegsmarine, the IJN Yamato of the Imperial Japanese Navy, and the HMS Belfast of the British Royal Navy."
"Only Iowa has been put out of retirement and reactivated twice, first during the Cold War in the 1980 Earth year and again during the Third World War in the year 2097. She survived three different nuclear attacks before sinking on the fifth day of the Third World War."
"Only Iowa? I thought all four Iowa class battleships were reactivated during the Cold War before being turned into museum ships. Where are the other three? New Jersey, Missouri, and Wisconsin?" Sebas asked, curious about the fate of the other three Iowa class battleships.
"The other three sisterships were unfortunately sunk before their second reactivation in the Third World War. The first wave of nuclear hits the East Coast, where the USS New Jersey and USS Wisconsin were stationed. They were unable to withstand the impact and were instantly sunk to the bottom of the port. USS Missouri, on the other hand, was fortunate enough to be stationed in the Pacific at the time of the attack. It was later sunk on its way to the port of Los Angeles to meet with her sistership, Iowa, for their second retrofit when a squadron of Russian Su-85s ambushed the ship."
"Missouri, despite her modern retrofit back in the 1980s, is still a World War II-era battleship, was no match for the advanced 7th generation aircraft, and was sunk 2 and a half minutes after the attack began. The loss of the USS Missouri leaves only the USS Iowa as the last surviving Iowa-class battleship to be refitted and brought back into service for the second time after her retirement."
"What about the other three ships you just mentioned, Belfast, Bismarck, and Yamato?" Sebas asked curiously.
"Belfast remains a popular tourist attraction in the city of London, serving as a floating museum and memorial to the British Royal Navy's role in World War II. She was one of the casualties during the 2096 invasion of London, sunk after a 203-mm shell hit her port-side bow. Her hull was miraculously intact after being submerged for several days, and she was salvaged and reconstructed into a cruise missile cruiser before being sunk for good in April 2099 in the Barents Sea, the same place where her sister ship HMS Edinburgh was also scuttled."
"The other two ships, Bismarck and Yamato, sank during the Second World War in May 1941 and April 1945, respectively, and have never been recovered. They remained as a wreckage at the bottom of the ocean, serving as a somber reminder of the devastating battles they endured. Both ships, along with the Iowa Class, still hold the record for the biggest and most powerful battleships ever built during the World War II era."
"I thought there were bigger ships?" Sebas asked.
"Only on paper, sir. In terms of actual size and firepower, the Bismarck, Yamato, and Iowa Class battleships were unparalleled. However, there were plans for even larger battleships that were never fully realized due to the changing nature of naval warfare and the advent of aircraft carriers."
"Some of the most famous examples include the H-class battleships of Nazi Germany, which were planned to be the largest and most powerful battleships ever built, but only one was ever laid down before its cancellation."
"Another example is the Soviet Union's Project 23, also known as the Sovetsky Soyuz-class battleships, which were intended to surpass the size and capabilities of any existing warship. However, the project faced numerous setbacks and was eventually abandoned due to technical difficulties and shifting priorities within the Soviet military."
"One other example is the coalition between Indonesia, France, and China to develop a joint modern high-speed submersible and flight-capable battleship and carrier hybrid ship during the Third World War in 2101 dubbed Project Kapal Perang Super, Projet de navire ultra-puissant, chǎojiǎ jūnùn chéng mù or Super Warship Project."
"This ambitious project aimed to revolutionize warfare by combining the stealth and underwater capabilities of a submarine, the firepower of a battleship, and the capability to house aircraft for air support and reconnaissance like an aircraft carrier while still having the ability to take off and fly from the water surface."
"So, in essence, a mobile floating fortress capable of dominating both the land and sea?" Sebas asked, intrigued by the concept. "Were they ever able to successfully build and deploy such a super warship?"
"Despite its highly ambitious nature, the Super Warship Project faced numerous technical challenges and setbacks. The integration of advanced technologies from different domains proved to be a complex task, requiring extensive research and development."
"Additionally, the project encountered significant financial constraints as it demanded substantial investment in cutting-edge equipment and infrastructure. The project was deemed too expensive to produce in mass and was ultimately abandoned in 2112, with only two prototype vessels completed. Both prototypes performed as promised during their testing days, capable of lifting their half-million-ton weight up to 13 kilometers high in air with a speed up to Mach 1."
"However, despite their success, the cost of production was absurdly higher than anticipated, costing as much as about 35 standard Missile Cruisers for a single unit, making it financially unfeasible for mass production. The exorbitant cost was primarily attributed to the advanced technology and specialized materials required for the vessels' construction. Additionally, the complexity of manufacturing and assembling such cutting-edge equipment further contributed to the project's unaffordability."
"With that kind of price, that ship better have a damn good reason for its high cost. Please tell me more." Sebas said calmly.
"It did, sir. One of the prototypes, nicknamed Dunia Bawah or Underworld, was on its way to Toulon, south of France, when it was ambushed by an Italian squadron of stealth bombers. The captain of the ship immediately ordered his crew to activate the vessel's advanced propulsion system, allowing it to take off into the air and return fire using all 16 of its 305 mm railgun turrets. The ship successfully repelled the attackers and made a safe landing in Toulon."
"After that incident, both France and China used it as their alliance's flagship and dominated the Western Theater for six consecutive years before it was shot down by the Canadian planetary defense system when it flew above Saskatchewan in 2119."
"What about the other prototype?" Sebas asked, curious about the fate of the second prototype.
"The second prototype, nicknamed Dunia Atas or World Above, never saw active service and was last seen at the port of Tanjung Emas in the city of Semarang, Central Java. Even after the Third World War ended, the ship was never recovered or accounted for. After the complete extinction of all life on planet Earth, the expedition team responsible for finding every ship wreckage found that lost prototype ship anchored tight to the sea bed just off the coast, two and a half kilometers from Marina Beach."
"The team speculated that back when planet Earth was still alive, the Indonesian government intentionally kept the ship hidden, fearing that the infighting and rampant corruption among its own political leaders would lead to the misuse of the advanced technology on board. The expedition team was astounded by the level of preservation of the prototype ship, as it appeared to be untouched by the passage of time. They couldn't believe that the ship's structure and intricate details were still visible, with no signs of decay or erosion."
"The team also found that the ship had many audio logs stored in its databanks, recorded by various crew members during its testing days. The last audio logs were recorded by a man named Michael Gunawan, the captain of the prototype ship. In the message, Captain Gunawan expressed his hope that future generations would learn from the mistakes of the past and strive for peace and unity, so he and his crew, under the direct order of the Indonesian President, hid the ship from the world because they're the only ones who could operate the ship after the military deleted its manual and other technical documentation. After he and his crew repurposed the ship's grappling hooks as makeshift anchors, they went out of the ship and committed suicide with a shot to the head to make sure no one else would ever be able to operate the ship again."
"A tragic end and a waste of sacrifice for a world that's about to end." Sebas whispered to himself. "Is that ship at Nazarick's Naval Base right now?"
"Yes, sir. Dunia Atas is indeed stored inside Nazarick's Naval Base."
"Contact Demiurge and ask him to send Dunia Atas, Iowa, Bismarck, Belfast, and Yamato to Carne's soon-to-be-built naval base." Sebas instructed.
"Yes, sir. I will inform Lord Demiurge this very second. It might take a while considering the size of the ships and the logistics involved, but I will ensure they are sent as soon as possible."
"Yeah, I figure an 800-foot-plus ship is not the kind of thing you can just pack up and ship in an hour." Sebas responded with a chuckle.
E-Rantel
"My lord?" McCear asked, slightly tilting his head to the side in curiosity.
"Bad news, it's Shalltear. Somebody put a string on her." Pandora replied cryptically.
"Lady Shalltear is under an influence? How is that even possible?" Zara asked, her eyebrow raised in disbelief.
"Albedo and the rest are still trying to figure it out. But one thing is for sure..." Pandora said, lowering his head slowly. "Suberficiei Bellial, the commander in chief of the Black Sky Special Unit, has slept with the enemy."
At that word, McCear and Zara dropped their jaws in disbelief, completely taken aback by the sudden revelation of an act of treason from such a figure looked up to.
"What?" McCear said in a stunned whisper.
"Are you certain, my Lord? This must be a sick joke, right?" Zara asked, her voice filled with disbelief and confusion.
"I want that to be the case myself, but nein, Albedo has confirmed it herself, and the intel is as good as a bratwurst und sauerkraut." Pandora replied with a heavy sigh.
"So what do we do now, sir? Lady Shalltear is not someone anyone can just go toe to toe in an open space and live to tell the tale." Zara asked, trembling with fear.
"I'm going there myself." Pandora said, his eyes filled with sadness.
"Are you crazy? She's going to fold you like a piece of metal on a forging anvil!" Narberal exclaimed after hearing his stupid idea.
"Ja, mein Freund, but I have no other choice. Nobody knows Shalltear better than I do." Pandora replied calmly.
"Do you even hear yourself? There is no way, and I mean no actual fucking way in hell, you're going to see tomorrow's sunrise if you trade blows with her." Narberal hissed, pessimistic about Pandora's chances of survival.
"I don't mean to chime in and doubt you, my lord, but Lady Narberal had a point. There's a reason Lady Shalltear earned the title Bloody Valkyrie. She has fought millions of battles while you just sit in the Treasury, no offense, sir." McCear added respectfully.
"None taken, but still, I have my reason." Pandora replied calmly.
"No, you keep whatever sentimental bullshit you had in your brain." Narberal snapped, her eyes narrowing.
"What do you mean sentimental?" Pandora asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I know you want to stop her yourself because you still care for her!" Narberal points her finger at Pandora.
"What the hell are you talking about?" Pandora asked in confusion.
"The ex-boyfriend saves the mind-controlled ex-girlfriend; if that's not a cliche straight out of a romance comedy, I don't know what is," Narberal retorted sarcastically. "You can deny it all you want, but your actions speak louder than words."
"Who told you this?" Pandora asked in a low, growly voice.
"Oh, I have my sources," she replied cryptically. "But whether you believe it or not, it's clear that there's still a connection between you two."
"There's nothing between us, you buffoon. We broke up five million years ago. The only constant thing we had was sarcastic banter," Pandora snapped. "And that's all it will ever be."
"That's not the point," Narberal said exasperatedly, facepalming her forehead. "My point is, you can't fight her alone. You can run a simulation trillion times, and the result will stay the same with your head rolling on the ground."
"My sincere apologies, sir. But Lady Narberal is right. Even if you had the element of surprise, your chance is as slim as an erythrocyte."
"Thank you, Charon." Narberal said it appreciatively.
"It doesn't matter. My decision is final, and you can say whatever you want, and I won't budge." Pandora declared firmly. "If there's anyone who knows how to take her down, it's me."
"Why are you so stubborn, huh? What do you gain from it?" Narberal questioned in frustration.
"Closure." Pandora replied slowly.
"Huh?!" Narberal exclaimed, her frustration turning into confusion. "What do you mean by closure? Are you saying that defeating her will bring you some kind of satisfaction?"
"No, not exactly, but quite similar." Pandora explained. "You see, we had this standoff once before."
"What the fuck does that have to do with anything?" Narberal snapped, her confusion growing. "Why does a previous standoff matter now?"
"The point is, the only way to kill either of us for sure is by our own hands," Pandora replied calmly.
"Hold the fuck up," Narberal interrupted in disbelief, her eyes darting around, thinking about the possible implication. "No way."
"Yes way." Pandora replied seriously.
"So you're telling me you and Shalltear once took a lover's pact? Specifically, the two of you agreed that if it ever came down to it, you would be the ones to end each other's lives?" Narberal asked in disbelief, blinking rapidly. "That's..."
"Surprising?" Pandora finished Narberal's sentence.
"I was going to say stupid, but that works too," Narberal finished, shaking her head in disbelief. "I mean, what were you two thinking? Better yet, did Lord Momonga and Lord Peroroncino even know about this?"
"You remember what they said, Narberal? They will teach us everything but love, as it is the only thing no one, not even the Supreme Beings, could teach." Pandora responded with a sigh. "Beside, even if the Supreme Beings did know of it, they didn't seem to intervene or stop us."
"That doesn't make any sense though," Narberal said, cupping her chin in thought.
"What?" Pandora asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Albedo said she saw Shalltear's heart rate drop to a complete flat shortly after Bellial used her own lance to kill her. If she's dead, how does this lover's pact of yours play a role in this mess?" Narberal asked, genuinely perplexed.
"Technically, she did die, at least her body did. Her mind and soul, however, are still very much alive. My best guess? The spell Bellial used locked her free will and conscience inside her head, allowing her to control Shalltear like a puppet." Pandora explained.
"Combined with the fact that Shalltear, being the daughter of a Supreme Being, possessed a body that's both constantly healing and has practically unlimited magic reserves, made her the perfect zombie puppet. A literal god on a string."
"Well, ain't that just peachy." Narberal commented sarcastically.
"That's one way to look at it." Pandora replied with a wry smile.
"So what is our plan?" Narberal asked.
"We?" Pandora repeated, raising an eyebrow.
"If you insist on taking Shalltear by yourself, fine. But Bellial is going to make it harder for you to snap her out of her mind control, you need my help." Narberal asserted confidently.
"You have never fought against Bellial, haven't you?" Pandora asked skeptically.
"I don't need to, I read her file. I know how she fights, how she thinks, and what spell works best against her." Narberal said confidently.
"You must've missed the part where the file says that she is a master of trickery and tends to lead her foes into traps," Pandora pointed out.
"We'll pull through. Don't worry." Narberal replied, undeterred.
"Alright, then. McCear, Zara, we're going. You two stay here in E-Rantel, make sure no one approaches our quadrant. If the guild asked where we are, just say we're out hunting some deer or things like that." Pandora instructed.
"Understood, sir." McCear and Zara saluted in unison.
"Narberal, let's do this." Pandora said, cracking his knuckles.
"Yeah... let's." Narberal replied, twisting her head.
"Opening a gate to Lady Shalltear's location. Lord Pandora, Lady Narberal, I wish you two good luck. Bring Lady Shalltear back home safely."
Somewhere south of Re-Estize
"This world shall know pain," Bellial whispered.
Her eyes are looking at the destruction she has just unleashed upon the human settlements. She and Shalltear hovered above the clouds as they surveyed the devastation down below.
"Phase Two, let's serve the main course."
"Understood." Bellial replied.
Shalltear's face remained expressionless as her mind was kept under Bellial's control. Her blank expression concealed her inner struggle to break free from Bellial's influence.
'Come on! There's got to be a way to regain control,' Shalltear thought desperately. She knew that if she didn't find a solution soon, more innocent lives would be lost at her hands.
'Come on, Shalltear, fight! This is just simple mind control, you can break free from this insultingly weak child's play!'
With each second, her window of opportunity was closing. Shalltear could feel her mental fortress weakening as Bellial's influence tightened its grip on her thoughts and actions.
She could sense the darkness consuming her, urging her to succumb to its power. But deep down, Shalltear knew that she couldn't give in.
She had a duty to protect those around her, and she refused to let Bellial's control dictate her actions any longer. She mustered every ounce of strength to resist the malevolent force that threatened to consume her soul.
'Mom, who is our dad exactly?' The sound of a young boy ringed in her head, momentarily distracting Shalltear from her internal struggle.
'Why are you curious, baby?'
'I don't know. Maybe I just want to know who he is.'
'Well, your dad is a very special person who loved us very much. He may not be here with us physically, but his love will always be with us.'
'You're not answering my question, Mom. Who is he?'
'He's a busy man, okay, sweetie. He has a lot of responsibility for the people, which makes him so important.'
'Yeah, but you never once mentioned his name before? Just who is he exactly?'
'I can't tell you that, sweetie.'
'Why?'
'I just can't.'
'But why?'
'I can't, sweetie. It's a secret that I'm not able to share with you right now.'
'Bullshit.'
'Hey! Watch your tone when you're talking to mom, okay!'
'Why are you taking her side? Aren't you curious who he is too?'
'I am! But that doesn't justify your attitude towards mom! She raised you better than that!'
'That doesn't mean I can't question her secrecy. We deserve to know who this person our dad is. It's not fair for her to keep us in the dark about our own family.'
'Look, I'm only going to say this one more time. Watch your tone when you're talking to mom, or I swear in the names of all things holy, I will smack the shit out of your hollow skull and knock some sense into you.'
'Are you trying to start something?!'
'What if I am?!'
'That's enough, you two.'
'No, mom. He needs to have some senses knocked into him.'
'Go ahead, you short ass!'
'I said that's enough.'
'She stated it!'
'He started it!'
'I don't care who started it! I'm not about to let two of my children fight and disrespect each other in my presence!'
'Fine, if you aren't going to tell me, then I'm out of here.'
'Where the fuck are you going?'
'If mom ain't going to tell me who dad is, I'm going to find out for myself.'
'You can't even find your pants in the morning, how do you expect to find out who our dad is?'
'I'll find my own way.'
'You'll get yourself lost, idiot.'
'I'll get myself somewhere.'
'Fucking stupid ass brother.'
'Hey, don't say that to your brother.'
"Aww, are they your kids? How touching." Bellial said sarcastically. "Nothing you can do to see them again, Shalltear. You're nothing but a failure."
Shalltear looked at Bellial with a blank stare, her expression betraying no emotion.
"Now... let's get started," Bellial said with a sinister smile, knowing she has full control over Shalltear.
Shalltear, in her own head getting more desperate as her window to get out of the mind control tightened with each passing second.
"Don't even try, won't work anyway." Bellial said dismissively, waving her hand as if brushing off Shalltear's thoughts of resistance. "You're trapped in my grasp, and there's no escape for you."
"I'll find my way out, and when I'm free... Hell wouldn't even describe the torment I will unleash upon you."
"Then consider me waiting patiently," Bellial replied with a sinister smile. "I welcome the challenge, Shalltear."
'Et quindecima umbra coepit interficere.'
Volume 1 Final Chapter Special Intro song :
Set The World On Fire
Black Veil Brides
Pandora and Narberal stepped out of the gate, transporting them far away in an instant. They arrived at an open area outside the forest, with dirt pathways stretching out in multiple directions.
They saw the rescue team sent to collect Shalltear dead on the ground with a hole in their chests, their hearts absent and blood splattered all around, and an unmanned drone crash nearby, its metal body burned and smoke billowed from its charred remains.
"Sir, that's the Fisher Team."
"Damn, we're too late." Pandora said, sighing in disappointment.
"I just hoped that their death was quick at the very least." Narberal added sympathetically.
"Oh, not just quick..."
Pandora and Narberal looked up to the sky and saw Bellial and Shalltear hovering above them, slowly descending towards them.
"I make it instantaneously." Bellial said smugly. "Empashize on the 'instant'."
Pandora and Narberal frowned at the sight of Bellial and her seemingly unregretful attitude.
"Care to explain the treason you have just committed, Commander Bellial?" Pandora asked sternly.
"No, I don't think I will." Bellial replied defiantly, munching on her brownies.
"You are aware that we didn't come here to arrest you, right? Your crime shall be paid for with your life." Narberal stated coldly, her eyes narrowing.
"Oh, I already know of that, my lady. But here's the thing..." Bellial paused, wiping the crumbs from her mouth with a nonchalant gesture. "I have my own reason, and no, you may not know what it is."
"Then I can safely assume you're willing to go to your death without any regrets or remorse?" Narberal asked, her voice dripping with disdain.
"Correct," Bellial replied nonchalantly, cracking her knuckles.
"Then die you shall." Narberal declared, her tone filled with finality.
"Aww, if you're going against me, then that means Lord Pandora will be the one fighting Lady Shalltear, am I right?" Bellial asked mischievously. "Oh, how poetic."
'How long do you need to control Shalltear?'
'I don't know how severe her mind control is.'
'Just give me the ballpark.'
'Fine... Maybe about two minutes. Two uninterrupted minutes—that should be enough time for me.'
'I'll buy you as much time as I can, but you need to act quickly. I have a bad feeling about this.'
'Got it.'
"I guess this is where we start." Bellial said arrogantly, waving her hand at Shalltear.
Shalltear walked to her side and looked at Pandora with a dead expression.
"Kill him." Bellial commanded, her voice dripping with malice.
Shalltear's eyes glowed crimson as she launched herself at Pandora, thrusting her lance forward, aiming at him.
Pandora readied himself, snapping his finger at the last moment. His helmet, armor, cloak, and everything on his body burst into vibrant energy, changing his attire.
He now wears his signature three-piece military suit, white inner shirt, black vest, and matching pants coated with a long black leather coat topped with a black cap with a cross emblem on his collar.
His fingers started to elongate, and his face turned into a blank egg-like face with three holes acting as his eye holes and mouth.
He catches the tip of Shalltear's lance with his left hand and directs it to the side. He conjured a black cutlass in his right hand and swiftly swung it towards Shalltear, aiming for her exposed side.
Shalltear immediately kicked his hand upward to deflect the swing before using her right toe to pivot her body and deliver a powerful roundhouse kick to his face with her left leg.
Pandora quickly pulled his sword arm and put it in front of his face to block the roundhouse kick. The impact of the kick sent a shockwave through his arm, causing him to stumble back momentarily.
Shalltear closed in the distance and thrust her lance in rapid succession. Pandora blocked each thrust with his sword, veering it off to the side to redirect the force of the attacks.
After seeing an opening, Pandora grabbed her lance with his left hand, locking it in place and pulling the lance from Shalltear's hand.
She lets go and delivers a powerful corkscrew kick directly to Pandora's face, topping it off with a swift clothesline to his neck, sending him crashing to the ground.
Pandora swipes his hand at Shalltear's leg, causing her to stumble and lose her balance. She falls beside him.
They exchanged blows on the ground, landing jabs, kicks, and knee and elbow strikes. After a series of quick blows, they throw an identical chop to their faces, momentarily stunning both of them.
They quickly got up on their feet and continued fighting, each trying to gain the upper hand.
Shalltear thrust her lance forward, but Pandora swung his cutlass in a swift arc, deflecting the attack. He retaliated with a powerful left haymaker that connected with Shalltear's jaw, causing her head to snap back.
However, she quickly recovered and countered with a lightning-fast roundhouse kick, hitting his right hand and chest and dropping his cutlass.
She quickly ran towards him. Pandora delivered a spinning kick, but she dove and performed a leg sweep before continuing into a backspin kick.
Pandora managed to evade Shalltear's leg sweep, but her backspin kick caught him off guard, sending him stumbling backward.
Shalltear grabbed her lance again and jumped high, pointing her lance at Pandora. He quickly rolled to the side to avoid being impaled by Shalltear's lance.
The lance planted itself into the ground with a loud thud, narrowly missing Pandora's side. He took the opportunity, conjured a collar on a chain, and quickly ran behind her, putting the collar around Shalltear's neck.
Pandora wrapped the chain around her neck a few times and pulled it hard with his feet pressing the back of Shalltear's neck. Shalltear struggled to break free from the strangulation, continuously tapping the chain around her neck to try and loosen it.
Pandora wrapped the chain around his forearm and pulled it taut, exerting more pressure on Shalltear's neck.
He placed his free hand on her forehead and recited an incantation, his hand glowed with a purpleish hue as he channeled dark magic into Shalltear's body.
"Remember who you are!" Pandora shouted in Shalltear's ear as he continued to apply pressure to her neck.
Shalltear began to struggle less and less before completely stopping moving. Pandora relaxed his grip on Shalltear's neck, allowing her to breathe again.
As the chain started to loosen up, Shalltear butted the back of her head against Pandora's face, causing him to release his hold on her. She unwrapped the chain around her neck and called her lance to her side.
The lance flew into her outstretched hand, and its mechanical parts moved, transforming it into its anti-armor-piercing mode.
Shalltear dropped the lance down towards Pandora, aiming for his chest. Pandora moved his legs and kicked outward, stopping the lance by the opened mechanism between the tip and the hilt.
He used his other leg to kick Shalltear in the face, causing her to fall backwards. As she regained her balance, Shalltear quickly used her vampiric power, summoning an exact copy of herself.
"Einherjar?! Scheiße!" Pandora exclaimed.
Both Shalltear and her clone charged at Pandora, attacking from different angles. Pandora skillfully dodged their strikes, parrying the real Shalltear with his cutlass and the other with his leg, kicking the lance away.
"Gottverdammt!" Pandora cursed as he struggled to defend against the relentless assault of Shalltear and her clone.
Despite his skillful dodging and parrying, he found himself overwhelmed by their combined strength and speed. Desperate for a way out, Pandora did the same thing she does.
"Two can play that game! Schatten!"
Pandora unleashed his own shadow clone, creating a mirror image of himself. Shalltear and her clone tilted their heads sideways, intrigued by Pandora's unexpected move.
He conjured another copy of his cutlass, now dual-wielding it with both hands. Shadow clone Pandora mimicked his movement and conjured his own twin cutlass, mirroring his every action.
The two Shalltears and Pandoras charged towards each other, their weapons clashing in a flurry of strikes and parries.
Clone Shalltear and clone Pandora engaged each other on their own. Thrusting her lance forward, clone Shalltear aimed for clone Pandora's chest, while clone Pandora swiftly deflected the thrust upward with his twin cutlass.
Clone Pandora swung his left cutlass in a wide arc, but she gracefully caught it with her left hand. She delivers a spinning kick with her right leg, pivoting on her left foot, aiming for clone Pandora's midsection.
However, clone Pandora anticipated the move and quickly blocked her kick with the flat side of his right cutlass. Clone Shalltear retracted her kick backward slightly and kicked again, knocking clone Pandora's right cutlass out of his hand.
Clone Pandora quickly pulled his left cutlass, which had been held in clone Shalltear's left hand, slashing her palm and severing it from her wrist.
With half of her left hand severed and blood gushing out, clone Shalltear gritted her teeth in pain but refused to back down.
She swiftly lunged forward, using her remaining hand to deliver a powerful thrust with her lance. Clone Pandora just spins out of the way, avoiding the attack, and locks her neck from behind with his left hand while holding her lance hand with his right hand.
Clone Pandora tightened his grip, exerting pressure on clone Shalltear's neck, causing her to gasp for air. In a desperate attempt to free herself, she thrashed her body from side to side, but Clone Pandora just jumped on her back and wrapped his legs around her waist, immobilizing her movements.
The real Pandora and Shalltear engaged in a battle of their own, their weapons clashing with a resounding echo. Each strike was met with equal force from the other, creating a symphony of metal as they fought.
"Sir, your clone has restrained Lady Shalltear's clone."
"At least one of us got her." Pandora said through gritted teeth as he dodged Shalltear's swift strike. "We need to find a way to break free from this stalemate and control her."
"Agreed, sir, Lady Shalltear's performance will only increase the longer she fights. If she reaches minute 15, she will stack enough buffs to become unstoppable, even to you."
"Yeah, no shit." Pandora muttered, parrying Shalltear's lance with his own sword. "Charon, study her fight pattern."
"Scanning."
Pandora continued to dodge and parry Shalltear's relentless attacks, trying to buy Charon enough time to analyze her moves. He kept swinging his two cutlasses to deflect her lance strikes, but Shalltear's speed and precision made it difficult to keep up as she fought longer.
"Pattern identified. Left kick."
Pandora catches her left kick and slashes her thigh with his sword, causing Shalltear to stagger back momentarily.
"Right hand, lance thrust."
Pandora quickly deflected her lance to the left and countered with a swift slash towards her lower abdomen.
The slash cuts through her armor, cutting her stomach. She flinched in pain, but quickly retaliated with a powerful left hook to his face. Pandora thrusts his right cutlass forward while coating the sword with fire magic.
The cutlass connected with her punch and penetrate her fist before exploding, blowing her entire left hand to shreds.
She screamed in pain and launched a series of quick and erratic thrusts with her lance in rage. Pandora dodged her wild attacks with nimble footwork, effortlessly evading each strike.
Sensing an opportunity, he swiftly countered with a swift kick to her injured abdomen, causing her to double over in agony and go behind her again, wrapping her neck with a chain and pulling it, strangling her again like before.
He put his right hand on her forehead, like before, and channeled his magic into her mind. Shalltear butted the back of her head into his face again, but Pandora steeled his resolve and maintained his grip on her.
"I said, remember who you are, SHALLTEAR!" Pandora roared.
Shalltear let go of her lance and extended the hidden blade on her gauntlet, stabbing Pandora's right side below his ribcage.
"Well, I'll be damned. This is some interesting shit." Bellial remarked while evading Narberal's plasma bolts.
"Please, can you not?" Bellial pleaded in annoyance.
"Annoying little shit." Narberal muttered under her breath, increasing the intensity of her plasma bolts.
She continued to fire volleys of plasma bolts at Bellial, who deftly dodged and weaved through the onslaught, sometimes deflecting those that came too close to her.
"Is that all you can do? Left right, left right?" Narberal mocked.
"Aww, are you worried about me? That's so sweet of you." Bellial taunted sacastically.
"You're like an annoying fly, you know. And I'm getting really tired of my time wasted on you." Narberal sneered.
Bellial deflected the last plasma bolt back to Narberal and smiled wickedly. Her eyes gleamed mischievously.
"Now I'm motivated." Bellial said, her voice dripping with confidence.
She swiftly flew down close to the ground, with Narberal chasing after her. Narberal accelerated, each second getting closer to her.
Bellial flicked her hand, and a trap shot Narberal with rope and heavy metal weights, causing her to crash to the ground. As Narberal struggled to free herself, Bellial beelined back to her and punched Narberal in the face, sending her sprawling.
"Too easy." Bellial smirked triumphantly.
Narberal heated her own aura and burned the rope that bound her, quickly freeing herself from the trap. She rose to her feet and blitzed towards Bellial, returning the same punch to the face with twice the force, sending Bellial reeling backwards.
The impact was so powerful that Bellial stumbled and crashed into a nearby tree, her body colliding with a sickening thud. The force of the impact left Bellial momentarily stunned, giving Narberal the opportunity to restrain her with her own magic chain and collar.
"I got you now, bitch." Narberal whispered with a triumphant smile, tightening the magical restraints around Bellial's wrists.
Despite the searing pain, Pandora refused to release his hold on Shalltear's neck. He mustered all his strength and retaliated by tightening the chain around her throat, determined to subdue her once and for all.
"Ego, Momonga filius, hodie tibi mentem recatro et animam libertatis! Ab iugis libertas tibi donatas sunt!" Pandora shouted as he channeled his inner power, transferring his own mind into hers.
Shalltear, being still trapped inside her own head, saw Pandora suddenly appear in her head.
'Pandora?! What are you doing here?' Shalltear asked confusedly.
'Setting you free. Come on, we need to get out of here.' Pandora said urgently, reaching out his hand to help Shalltear up from her mental prison.
'I've tried to look for a way out. It's useless.' Shalltear said with a defeated tone.
'No, it's not. You have to trust me.' Pandora replied firmly.
'And why should I?! Huh?! You abandoned me once before, and I'm not about to start trusting you again!' Shalltear exclaimed in anger and betrayal.
'For the love of all that is good in this world, I never abandoned you! You got it all wrong.' Pandora pleaded desperately.
'Really?! How can I trust you after everything that's happened?' Shalltear asked, her voice filled with doubt and uncertainty. 'Give me one good reason why I should believe you now.'
'I don't have one!' Pandora admitted before falling to his knees in front of her.
He looked at her with sadness and regret in his eyes, holding her cheeks and wiping her tears away.
'Look, I'm really sorry for all the things I've said and done to you in the past. It was foolish of me, and I realized that.' Pandora paused, taking a deep breath to steady himself. 'But I want you to know that I've changed. I've learned from my mistakes, and I'm willing to do whatever it takes to make us us again.'
Shalltear took a deep breath, trying to compose herself. She looked into Pandora's eyes, searching for any sign of saw nothing but the eye of a man she once loved who was deeply regretful for his past actions.
She could recall every memory of their time together—the laughter and the tears, the ups and downs. Her mind suddenly transported her to their younger days, when they're still innocent and full of hope.
She suddenly saw her younger self and Pandora walking the streets hand in hand in the park.
'See? I told you it was worth it,' young Pandora said.
'Worth it, my ass. We don't get to see the animal show.' young Shalltear grumbled, disappointed.
'Hey, genius. Who's fault is it exactly? Which one of us takes a full hour to get ready in the morning?' Pandora teased, nudging Shalltear playfully.
'Well, you could at least wake me up early.' Shalltear retorted, pouting.
'And I did, I woke you up three full hours before we were supposed to leave.' Pandora replied, facepalming his face. 'You said it yourself, you want to see the show, so you made me remind you not to have sex in the morning. But of course, you conveniently forgot.'
'Oh, shut up. You clearly enjoy it.' Shalltear crossed her arms, rolling her eyes. 'I just like taking my time to look good, unlike you, who rushes through everything.'
'You didn't have to, you idiot. You're the daughter of a Supreme Being, you already look hot even without trying.' Pandora responded exasperatedly.
'It's the thought that matters, Pandora. I mean, I know I'm hot and all, but can't a girl do something nice to her boyfriend?' Shalltear pouted, tilting her head to the side. 'Besides, don't you want me to look pretty?'
'Look, I'm only going to say this once. You're already perfect the way you are. I don't care what makeup you put on, how you style your hair, or whatever dress you wear. To me, you will always be the most beautiful person in the world, inside and out.' Pandora said, pulling Shalltear's cheeks out.
'You are one hard person to convince,' Shalltear chuckled, her pout slowly turning into a smile.
'Yeah, sorry for being that type of boyfriend.' Pandora replied, patting Shalltear's head gently.
'I want a divorce.' Shalltear said, pouting her lips.
'We're not even married yet.' Pandora said, smacking her forehead playfully.
'Then let's get married and make it official,' Shalltear said, her smile growing wider.
'Why? So my wife can abruptly divorce me again?' Pandora joked, raising an eyebrow.
'No, silly. So we can spend the rest of our lives together,' Shalltear replied, nudging her elbow gently. 'I promise, I'm in it for the long haul.'
'No, no, don't you give me that look.' Pandora said, looking at her skeptically.
'Come on, there's an antique shop down the street. Toughen up, be a man.' Shalltear teased, playfully nudging Pandora's shoulder. 'I saw a ring in the shop window, it's a beautiful onyx black metal ring with a small ruby in the center.'
'Alright, fine.' Pandora relented, giving in to Shalltear's persistence.
'Happy wife, happy life,' Shalltear quipped, winking at Pandora.
Shalltear slammed her forehead against his chest, weakly hitting him in the chest with her hands while crying.
'You big dummy, you! I can't believe you're only realizing this now! You've hurt me so much, Pandora.' Shalltear whispered between sobs.
'I know, I know, and I'm sorry.' Pandora whispered back, his voice filled with remorse, pulling her into his hug.
'I hate you, you fucking stupid.' Shalltear said over her sobs.
'I know, I know I don't deserve your forgiveness, but please give me a chance to make it right.' Pandora said sincerely, brushing her hair out of her face.
'Okay,' Shalltear whispered. 'But this is your last chance. Don't ever hurt me like this again.'
'I promise, I won't.' Pandora replied, tightening his grip around her. Shalltear hugged him back, wrapping her arms around his shoulder.
'Come on, stop your crying.' Pandora whispered softly, gently wiping away the tears from Shalltear's cheeks.
'Or what? I'm still beautiful either way.' Shalltear replied jokingly.
'You and your goddamn joke.' Pandora chuckled, his grip loosening slightly as he leaned back to look into Shalltear's eyes.
'But seriously, I mean it. I'll do whatever it takes to make things right between us,' he said earnestly.
'Promise me you won't leave me ever again.' Shalltear said, staring right into his eyes.
'I promise, Shalltear.' Pandora replied sincerely.
'Seriously? We're still using names? The hell happened to 'baby'?' Shalltear asked teasingly.
'Oh, gottverdammt.' Pandora laughed, shaking his head. 'Alright, fine. I promise, baby. I won't ever leave you again.'
'There you go, that wasn't so hard, was it?' Shalltear said playfully, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. 'I guess I can forgive you this time.'
She leaned forward and kissed him, her lips soft and warm against his. As they kiss, the emptiness inside Shalltear's head that kept her mind slowly fades away.
The feeling of warmth began to pull her out of her mental prison. The darkness is slowly changing into a bright light, like she's walking out of a tunnel.
'Hey, Pandora.' Shalltear whispered.
'Yeah?' Pandora asked.
'I've got something to tell you.' Shalltear said sheepishly.
'What is it?' Pandora asked curiously.
'I'll tell you when we're back to Nazarick. For now, let's kill that traitorous bitch, Bellial, first.' Shalltear said.
'Deal.' Pandora replied warmly, holding her hand as they walked out of her mental imprisonment.
Shalltear suddenly went limp and stopped moving, her body going completely still. Pandora released his grip on her neck and laid on his back on the ground with Shalltear on top of him.
Shalltear rolled off of him and stood up while looking at her left arm, completely blown from the elbow down.
"Sorry for that, that was my doing." Pandora apologized.
"No, of course. I figure it must be you." Shalltear said with a wry smile, brushing off the apology.
She flicked her left arm and controlled her magic flow, restoring her lost limb in an instant.
"There, good as new," she said, flexing her fingers.
She turned around and saw Narberal dragging a chained Bellial behind her. Narberal stopped a few meters in front of Pandora and Shalltear, then kicked Bellial to the ground.
"I present to you the traitor herself." Narberal said with a cold, triumphant tone.
"Well, well, well, look who do we have here." Shalltear said mockingly, kneeling down to her face. "Payback's a bitch, huh?"
"It is, except that it wasn't you who got me in chains." Bellial replied sarcastically over her bloodied and pulped face.
"Potato, tomato, what's the difference?" Shalltear replied dismissively, standing up and wiping her hands clean. "Either way, you're still at our mercy."
"Not really. The one above me will definitely disagree with your statement." Bellial said defiantly.
"Who? Harina?" Pandora interrupted, stepping forward.
"I'm surprised you already knew that name, my lord." Bellial said amusingly.
"Only once." Pandora said nonchalantly. "Who is she?"
"Someone who is way above my pay grade." Bellial said with a chuckle.
"Tell us," Narberal demanded.
"Or what, princess? You're going to kill me?" Bellial challenged, smirking.
"I'm considering that as we speak, yes." Narberal replied coldly.
"Go ahead, wouldn't be my first time." Bellial said with a shrug.
"Definitely will be your last." Narberal said, her voice dripping with menace.
"Narberal, easy." Pandora interjected, trying to calm her down.
"No, no, let her cook." Shalltear added mischievously.
"Look, you don't need to know. She's not someone you can just look for, okay? She's the one who will find you. You can try all you like, but your chance is still zero." Bellial said mockingly, spitting blood from her mouth. "Beside..."
"Beside what?" Narberal asked impatiently.
"She's already here." Bellial said, a wicked smile spreading across her face.
Pandora, Narberal, and Shalltear turned their heads backwards to see a female figure standing far behind them.
She suspiciously wears the same all-black attire, save for the inner suit shirt Pandora wears, down to having the same facial features like jawlines, eyes and even the same hair color.
The resemblance was uncanny, making it clear that this woman was indeed Pandora if he were a woman.
Her presence alone has a very strong aura, powerful enough to render everything within 10 meters of her to wither and decay.
She has an aura of power that cloaks her like a shroud, emanating the same overwhelming sense of dominance and authority that is freakishly similar to the leader of the 41 Supreme Beings, Momonga.
Narberal and Shalltear kept looking between Pandora and this mysterious woman, unable to hide their confusion at the striking similarities.
"Hey, Narberal. We're not seeing things, aren't we?" Shalltear whispered to Narberal.
"No, Shalltear. I don't think we are. It's uncanny how much she resembles Pandora." Narberal said in disbelief. "But there's something different about her, something more commanding."
Pandora decided to step forward and ask the female figure directly. His eyes narrowed as he studied her, trying to discern any hidden intentions.
The mysterious woman met his gaze with calm confidence, her own eyes holding a sense of familiarity as if she were his own long-lost sister.
The air around them grew tense as Pandora struggled to find the right words to break the silence. He couldn't shake off the feeling that there was a deeper connection between them, one that went beyond mere resemblance.
"Excuse me, who are you?" Pandora finally managed to ask.
"Hello... brother." Harina replied.
Pandora's heart skipped a beat at Harina's response, his mind racing to make sense of her words.
"What do you mean 'brother'?" Pandora asked with confusion and disbelief.
"Don't tell me you didn't even recognize your own sibling." Harina said coldly.
"I have no sibling. I'm the only son of Supreme Being Momonga." Pandora stated firmly.
"I see... so that's how it is. Father didn't even tell you about me, did he?" Harina said bitterly.
"What are you talking about? Do you even have proof to backup your claim?" Pandora asked skeptically, his eyes narrowing in suspicion.
Harina snapped her finger, and Shalltear suddenly fell to her knees, clutching her stomach.
"Argh! Fuck that hurt." Shalltear groaned, her face contorted in pain.
"Shalltear! You alright?" Pandora rushed to Shalltear's side, concern etched on his face.
"Yeah, a little bit." Shalltear replied, wincing as she tried to stand up.
"What did you do to her?" he demanded, his voice laced with anger.
"Wow, you are one quick husband. Bravo." Harina said sarcastically.
"Husband?" Pandora repeated, confusion evident in his voice.
"Yes, husband," Harina replied. "Wait... no way. She didn't even tell you that you two already have kids? Damn."
Pandora turned his head slowly towards Shalltear, and his face paled in shock.
"Kids?" he whispered, his voice barely audible.
Shalltear avoided his gaze and looked down at her hands, guilt written all over her face.
"Oh, no... the plot twist." Harina said with a sigh. "Looks like someone forgot to mention a few important details."
"What is she talking about, Shalltear?" Pandora asked in confusion and disbelief. "Is it true?"
Shalltear hesitated for a moment, struggling to find the right words. Finally, she nodded slowly, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Yes, Pandora... it's true. We have children together." Shalltear said in shame, unable to meet Pandora's gaze.
"What? How? When? How long? I never knew about this!" Pandora exclaimed.
"Oh, dear... this is an awkward family reunion." Harina commented.
Suddenly, an explosion hits Harina in her place, blowing dust and debris into the air. Pandora, Narberal, and Shalltear looked around and saw all of their relatives appear around them.
"You guys, what are you doing?" Pandora exclaimed in shock and confusion.
"No time to explain it, ready yourself for battle!" Albedo shouted urgently, her voice muffled by her helmet.
"Demiurge?" Narberal questioned.
"Oh, right. Pardon our intrusion. The woman you three just had a conversation with has a very high cross-galactic radiation level, the same radiation signature that keeps disrupting our satellites." Demiurge explained, he extends his claws and adjusts his glasses.
"Pandora, we need to get out of here. My battle instincts are telling me that something is absolutely not right about that woman." Cocytus growled, his massive form tensing with anticipation.
"I have to agree with lobster on steroids here." Victim said, nodding in agreement.
"The point is, she's bad news." Rubedo added, her eyes narrowing as she scanned her surroundings. "I can sense a dark energy emanating from her, and it's unlike anything I've encountered before. She's way off the charts, way above even all of us combined."
Harina snapped her finger, and the dust around her from the explosion earlier completely disappeared. She looks at everyone with a cold and unhinged expression.
"Now, that's not very nice, isn't it?" Harina said calmly.
"Who are you?!" Albedo demanded, pointing her bardiche at Harina. "What do you want from us?"
"Hmm, an arrogant face as if she knows it all. Beautiful, vuloptuous, succubus. You must be the product of Tabula, correct?" Harina asked nonchalantly, she didn't seem to be intimidated by their presence at all.
"That's LORD TABULA SMARAGDINA FOR YOU, YOU FUCKING HERETIC! MY FATHER!" Albedo shouted angrily, her eyes burning with fury.
"He's still the same weird jackass who wouldn't stop yapping about his stupid experiments... and I severely doubt he has changed in the past billion years." Harina said dismissively, rolling her eyes. "But hey, if you're proud to be his offspring, who am I to judge?"
"I'm so going to kill this bitch." Albedo muttered under her breath, clenching her fists tightly.
"No, wait!" Pandora interjected. "I want to hear what she has to say."
"Has to say—Pandora! She is an enemy!" Albedo exclaimed, her voice filled with frustration. "We can't trust anything she says. She's just trying to manipulate us."
"She got a point, you know." Harina said nonchalantly.
"You said we were siblings," Pandora said, turning to Harina. "Prove it."
"I'm Harina, the firstborn of the leader of the 41 Supreme Beings, Momonga." Harina stated confidently.
"I'm the rightful heir to the throne of everything in this universe. I and I alone have the bloodline and authority to claim that title."
Her face transformed into a skull-like mask, and a black fire engulfed her. Her aura suddenly turns into an exact copy of Momonga's, with parts resembling the other Supreme Beings.
"You see, Pandora, this is the power of our bloodline," Harina said, her voice echoing with authority. "No one can replicate or imitate the power that runs through our veins."
"Then explain why we never heard of your name before." Narberal challenged, her tone skeptical. "Your name is not even on the record."
"That was because I was banished to the Abyss." Harina explained, her eyes narrowing with a hint of bitterness. "My existence was erased from the annals of history."
"Why would the Supreme Beings even imprison you in the Abyss, and why does Lord Momonga himself even let them take you away?" Albedo questioned skeptically.
"I thought being the literal daughter of the primordial of knowledge itself would at least prevent you from asking such an idiotic question." Harina replied, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "But to answer your question, the Supreme Beings banished me because they feared my power and knowledge."
"The Supreme Beings fear no one but themselves." Shalltear interjected confidently.
"Let's agree to disagree." Harina responded, her tone dismissive.
"Explain!" Albedo demanded. "Why would the Supreme Beings banish someone descended from one of their own?"
"The only thing those old idiots didn't limit when breathing something into life was their own children. I, being the firstborn of all of you here, was born with unlimited potential." Harina explained with pride and bitterness.
"There is no such thing." Yuri countered, her voice filled with skepticism. "The Supreme Beings would never create something without limitations. It goes against everything we know about their design and intentions."
"Oh, such naive faith you have in them," Harina scoffed. "Girl... open your eyes. You are looking at one right now."
"Why would we even believe the words of someone like you?" CZ interjected, her tone laced with suspicion.
"Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?" Harina retorted, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Sooner or later, all of you will open your eyes to the fact that not even the Supreme Beings are as truthful as you think."
"And you expect us to believe you?" Albedo questioned, her voice filled with skepticism. "What evidence do you have to support your claims?"
"Evidence?" Harina chuckled. "I am the evidence—the living, walking proof of the lies and deceit that surround you. My existence alone is enough to challenge the facade you all cling to so desperately."
Harina's death aura became even more powerful, making the air around them incredibly dense and suffocating.
"You think just because you're their children that nothing will happen to you, that you're untouchable? Then you are very mistaken. I was Momonga's daughter, the first to be born, and yet he and his friends cast me into that dark, empty, inescapable prison that exists on a different plane of existence. After everything I have done for them and the universe, they had the audacity to just discard me like trash. Me, his own daughter! The Supreme Beings, in their all-knowing wisdom, cast people like me aside, believing that we were nothing more than just an overgrown weed that needs to be uprooted and thrown away under their fabricated pretense of 'preventing future chaos'." Harina rambles on, her voice filled with bitterness and resentment.
"I don't believe you. Father will never do such a thing." Pandora retorted. "He has always valued family above all else."
"He VALUES THE NEED OF THE MANY, even if it means sacrificing his own daughter in the process." Harina snapped back. "You think just because they created the universe, they have full control over it? WRONG! Their decision to make the universe constantly expand is their biggest mistake. You can't control growth, nor can you predict it."
"Isn't unlimited universe growth a good thing? It prevents the world from running out of space and resources," Pandora argued.
"Yeah, but it comes with the massive consequence of the universe itself becoming highly imbalanced and unstable. The constant expansion could lead to the destruction of galaxies and the collapse of entire star systems. It's a delicate balance that could easily tip towards chaos if not managed properly, and in our case, the Supreme Beings themselves are the cause of this imbalance, and I will stop them." Harina declared, her death aura radiating with intensity.
"Like hell, you will," Albedo retorted, pointing her bardiche at Harina. "You may think you have the power to stop them, but you underestimate the complexity of the universe and the consequences of your actions. Destroying the Supreme Beings might only exacerbate the imbalance further, leading to even greater destruction."
"A small price to pay for a complete restart," Harina sneered. "The current state of the world is unbearable, and if getting rid of those Supreme Beings is what it takes to restore balance, then so be it."
"You can't replace the Supreme Beings. There's nothing you can do to do what they did." Narberal countered. "Their power and knowledge are unparalleled. Attempting to fill their void would only result in chaos and uncertainty."
"You underestimated my power, young one," Harina scoffed.
"Hold on a second," Pandora interjected. "What do you mean by a complete restart?"
"It means bye-bye, Primordials, and hello, a fresh start," Harina replied coldly.
"You can't be serious right now." Albedo exclaimed.
"The Supreme Beings created all life in the universe, and what did they do? They hurt each other, kill each other, and cause suffering. Their power and knowledge may be unparalleled, but they're too FUCKING sentimental to not see the destructive consequences of their creations. They're too soft, too naive to think that mortals will ever change, too stubborn to even see the MOTHERFUCKING TRUTH!" Harina yelled, her voice filled with anger and frustration.
"You're wrong. The mortals can change." Albedo retorted calmly.
"No, they can't. They have been repeating the same mistakes throughout history, fueled by their own selfish desires and ignorance. It is in their nature to be flawed and destructive, and no amount of hope or optimism can change that. Take, for example, the humans. Look at how they continue to harm the environment, exploit each other, and wage wars over trivial matters. They already had their chance to prove themselves, and they have consistently failed. So I say we cut the weed, the humans will have every opportunity to improve." Harina said, her voice filled with disdain.
"And if they don't?" Albedo asked.
"Ask Noah." Harina replied with a sardonic smile.
"What the actual fuck, lady?" Yuri shouted.
"Are you insane?!" Albedo exclaimed.
"You're mad," Narberal said.
"So are the Supreme Beings. You see, I too can make no goddamn sense." Harina retorted sarcastically.
"You're talking about a mass extinction here!" Albedo exclaimed.
"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots," Harina said, her tone growing more serious.
"AND TYRANTS! That's the end of the quote!" Albedo finished.
"I will cleanse the universe of the Supreme Beings and all who oppose me," Harina declared. "Their reign of madness ends now."
"Then I guess this is where we end you." Shalltear responded.
"I guess it is." Harina replied calmly. "But don't worry, I'll make it quick and painless—for me, at least."
"We're going to remember that confidence of yours when we cleave your head clean off." Shalltear retorted.
"Go ahead and try. Let me see what all of you got." Harina challenged, a sinister smile playing on her lips.
Cocytus and Gargantua immediately blitzed towards Harina, their immense speed making them appear like a blur.
Cocytus swung his massive halberd with incredible force, aiming to cleave Harina in two. Gargantua, on the other hand, charged forward with his vulcanic fists, ready to deliver a devastating blow.
Harina caught the halberd by the blade in between her fingers and Gargantua's fist with her other hand, effortlessly stopping their attacks.
"Strength without accuracy... pity." Harina mocked.
"Calx Fimus." Victim shouted, pointing his palm at Harina.
Her feet suddenly sink into the ground, holding her in place. She turned and saw Victim moved his hands, controlling the quicksand.
"Let's see you escape that." Vicitm challenged.
"What? This elementary-grade immobility spell?" Harina scoffed. "Bet."
With a swift motion, she pulled her legs out of the sinking sand, propelling herself forward towards Victim.
As she closed in, Cocytus and Gargantua blocked her path. Cocytus swung his massive axe, aiming to strike Harina from the side.
However, she effortlessly catches it again and delivers a swift sommersault, hitting Cocytus in his chin and knocking him backward.
Gargantua pulled his fist, preparing to strike her, but she blitzed behind him in an instant and delivered a powerful jab to his lower back, causing him to fall to his knees.
Harina held the top of his back and raised her right leg to the left before slamming it to the right, hitting Gargantua on his left side of the neck and knocking him out.
"No!" Victim cried out.
He cast a cloud of poisonous gas towards Harina, hoping to incapacitate her. But she swiftly dodged the toxic cloud and threw a javelin at him.
The javelin pierced through his right thigh, and he fell to the ground, writhing in pain. Harina wasted no time and swiftly pulled the wire tied to the javelin, shattering Victim's femur out of his leg.
Sebas and Demiurge immediately rushed towards Harina to save Victim from her. Demiurge extends his long, sharp claws from the tip of his fingers and delivers a quic series of slashers at Harina while Sebas rushes to pull Victim away from her.
Harina, quick on her feet, sidesteps Demiurge's attacks and parries each slash with her hand, slapping Demiurge's clawed hand every time it comes towards her.
"So you two just decided to fight in a suit? What kind of sick ass gentlemen bullshit is this?" Harina mocks.
"Terribly sorry, madam, but a gentleman always looks his best, even in battle," Demiurge retorts with a smirk.
"Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn," Harina responds, launching a swift kick at Demiurge's chest, but he blocks it with his arms crossed in front of him.
"That's not very polite of you," Demiurge comments, his smirk widening. "But I suppose manners are not your strong suit."
"That's ironically rich coming from the son of Ulbert himself." Harina fires back, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, does it?"
"I will overlook your condescending remarks for now," Demiurge retorts, his tone icy.
"I guess I must've missed the part where I care about your opinion," Harina replies.
"Very well. Violence it is." Demiuege said calmly.
He rushed towards her with his claws extended and his hands outstretched. Harina calmly deflected his attacks without any sign of struggle.
After the exchange of blows, Sebas jumped in on the action, joining Demiurge in his attempt to overpower Harina.
The two take turns delivering powerful strikes at her, with Sebas delivering punches after punches and Demiurge slashing at her with his claws.
But even with the two of them joining forces together, Harina just redirects their attacks effortlessly, using her legs to kick Sebas' punches and her hands to deflect Demiurge's claws.
"Oh dear, this is getting boring," Harina remarked sarcastically.
Sebas and Demiurge continue to attack relentlessly, delivering slashes and punches after slashes, hoping to find a weakness in Harina's defense.
However, no matter how hard they try, she effortlessly evades their strikes with graceful movements and counters with her own lightning-fast attacks.
After a while, Albedo and Rubedo join Demiurge and Sebas in their attempt to defeat Harina. Albedo wields her bardiche, and Rubedo holds her twin scythes chained together around her forearm.
"Four on one? The number seems to be unbalanced here." Harina remarks with a confident smirk.
"Four? No. Count again." Albedo replies with a sly grin.
CZ, Entoma, Solution, Lupusregina, Narberal, and Aureole join the battle, each armed with their own unique weapons and abilities.
"Ten on one, huh? You gotta pump those numbers up, those are rookie numbers." Harina chuckles.
"Damn, you're talking mad shit for someone surrounded by the Pleiades." Lupusregina said mischievously.
"Really? All I see is ten corpses waiting to happen." Harina retorts confidently.
One after another starts to surround her in a circle, their weapons at the ready. Harina's grin widens as they close in, but she remains unfazed.
"Okay, 45 to one. Now we're talking." Harina taunts confidently.
"This one has a colorful personality. I want to know how delicious she is." Solution licks her lips. "I can't wait to taste your essence."
"Sorry, I don't swing that way," Harina replied condescendingly.
"That meat... how do they taste like?" Entoma asked curiously.
"She won't taste good raw." CZ commented flatly.
Pandora and Shalltear were the last to surround Harina. Pandora wields his black cutlass and Shalltear with her lance.
"You too, brother?" Harina asked, narrowing her eyes. "I was hoping you would at least join me."
"In what? Conspire to kill the Supreme Beings and commit mass genocide? You are out of your mind." Pandora replied sternly.
"We are loyal to the Supreme Beings and will not entertain such treasonous thoughts." Shalltear nodded in agreement. "We will protect our creators and their legacy at all costs."
"So, that's your final decision? We could rule the universe together forever. You and I, as brothers and sisters as we should be." Harina asked with a hint of disappointment in her voice.
"I think I'll pass. Ruling is not my cup of tea," Pandora said, declining Harina's offer.
"Besides, our purpose is to serve and protect, not to seek power for ourselves." Shalltear added.
Harina sighed and looked down, her disappointment evident on her face.
"Fine." Harina replied, her voice filled with resignation. "Death it is."
She stretched her hands, opened two small portals, and pulled a twin knuckle duster out of each one. "If you're not going to join me," Harina said, wearing both knuckle dusters on her hands, "then I'll personally kill you and anyone who stands in my way." She clenched her fists tightly, staring right at Pandora.
Everyone gripped their weapons tightly, preparing to attack Harina.
"Such a shame." Harina sighed, turning her head to look at each one of them. "You're all going to die down here."
Then they started to rush her with full force, everyone running towards Harina, their weapons raised high.
Harina wasted no time playing defense and went straight on the offensive. She ran towards them and immediately started throwing hands and launching powerful kicks.
She dodges, parries, and returns each attack back to her opponents with precision and skill. Blocking their strikes with ease, Harina swiftly counters with a series of lightning-fast strikes using her knuckle dusters that leave her opponents stunned and disoriented.
She moved from one to another with lightning speed, incapacitating them one by one. Her movements were fluid and graceful, easily outmaneuvering everyone.
CZ focused her firing at Harina while Lupusregina and Yuri engaged in heated melee combat with her. Yuri used her massive gauntlet and duels Harina in a hand-to-hand battle, each blow resonating with power.
Despite the overwhelming odds, Harina remained unfazed, using her own palms to block and redirect the attacks. She decided to be a little more aggressive and start to punch back instead of just blocking.
Harina's punches carried more force than Yuri's, completely stopping her fist before it could reach her. She kept throwing her punches at Yuri until she lost her strength to match Harina's relentless assault.
Yuri's gauntlet began to crack under the pressure, unable to withstand the sheer force of Harina's punches. Exhausted and outmatched, Yuri finally got a hard right hook from Harina and was incapacitated, falling to the ground.
Harina continued with her next victim, Lupusregina. She punched Lupusregina in the face, sweeping her leg, and intentionally fell with her elbow down onto Lupusregina's chest, knocking her out.
Harina grabbed Lupusregina's scepter and threw it into the air. The scepter flew towards CZ at high speed and knocked her out of the sky.
CZ fell to the ground hard and landed with a resounding thud, her body limp and motionless. She crawled towards her rifle, which had fallen a few feet away, but Harina grabbed her leg and started swinging her up and down like a bat, slamming her headfirst into the ground repeatedly.
The impact caused CZ's vision to blur and her consciousness to fade as her face became more and more pulped with each violent swing. Harina finally ends her swinging and throws her unconscious CZ away, causing her body to roll limply across the ground.
Solution rushed to attack Harina using her dozen sets of knives and fast reflexes, but Harina swiftly grabbed CZ's rifle on the ground and beat Solution with it.
Harina grabbed the rifle by the barrel and used it to bat Solution in the face, each swing sending Solution's head snapping to the side with a sickening crack. Harina finished it with a quick spin of the rifle and aimed at Solution's lower abdomen.
She smirked at seeing the rifle have one fully charged shot ready before CZ's went dark. The barrel line lit up as the charged energy surged through it, ready to be unleashed.
"Hasta la vista, Solution," Harina sneered, pulling the trigger and unleashing a powerful blast that hit Solution in her lower abdomen, splitting her in two.
The force of the blast sent Solution's upper body flying backward, while her lower half crumpled to the ground in a gruesome heap.
Harina smirked at the sight but quickly dove and sidestepped, dodging Entoma's slug-shot bug that was aimed at her. Entoma's bug projectile whizzed past Harina's head, narrowly missing her.
Entoma called for her bug arseal and transformed her hands into a natural weapon. The hard-shelled bug connects to her left arm, turning it into a natural shield, while the centipede coils around her right arm, forming a deadly whip-like appendage.
With her new arsenal, Entoma lunged forward at Harina, the deadly whip-like appendage slashing through the air. Harina, still holding CZ's rifle, shot the centipede whip appendage with an uncharged quick burst of energy, causing it to momentarily recoil.
Taking advantage of the opening, Harina swiftly casts a spell, creates a pool of water around her, and casts another spell on the newly created water pool.
"Insecta mortificans."
The water pool turned into an olive-green, viscous substance that emitted a putrid odor. Entoma's whip-like appendage recoiled further, clearly affected by the foul concoction.
"If you want to cast insecticide, next time aim for the intended target." Entoma retorted with a hiss.
Harina inhaled deeply and shot fire from her mouth at the viscous substance, instantly incinerating it into a cloud of noxious fumes.
The acrid smell filled the air as Entoma's whip-like appendage and shield shell bug writhed in pain and slowly decomposed from the smoke of insecticide.
"And next time... study thermodynamics before telling me what to do. Fucking amateur." Harina snarled, her eyes narrowing with disdain.
She controlled whatever was left from the pool of insecticide and solidified it, shaping it into a sharp, deadly spear.
With a flick of her wrist, she launched the spear towards Entoma with deadly accuracy.
The spear pierced through Entoma's exoskeleton, causing her to screech in agony as her body melted from the inside out.
Rubedo flew towards her, swinging her chained twin scythes in a wide arc. Harina used her right hand to catch her scythe, entangling it around her forearm, and flashed a smirk at Rubedo.
"Get over here." Harina taunted.
She swiftly pulled the chains towards her, yanking Rubedo towards her, and delivered a spin kick to her chest, shatering her breastplate.
Rubedo fell to her knees, coughing blood and struggling to catch her breath. Harina pulled the chains again and kicked Rubedo's elbow, severing her arms by the shoulder. Rubedo screamed in pain, collapsing to the ground.
"SISTER!" Albedo screamed in horror.
She rushed to Harina, swinging her bardiche at her with all her might. Harina just chuckled as she dodged her attacks with ease, effortlessly sidestepping Albedo's swings.
"Would it be too soon for a no-hands joke?" Harina taunted, a sadistic smile spreading across her face.
Albedo's eyes burned with rage as she continued to swing her weapon, getting more erratic and desperate with each failed attempt to land a hit.
After she saw an opening, Harina punched Albedo in the stomach, grabbed her by the horn, and delivered a swift knee to her face, spurting blood from her nose.
"Albedo!" Nigredo cried out in horror.
She ran towards Harina and swung her large scissor blade at her, aiming for her neck. Harina swiftly slapped the blade away and punched Nigredo in her lower left back.
She then kicked the side of Nigredo's head with a powerful roundhouse kick, sending her sprawling to the ground.
Harina grabbed Rubedo's severed arm with the chained scythes still wrapped around the forearm and used it as a makeshift weapon, holding them by the elbow.
She swung both scythes downward with full force and pierced both of Nigredo's calves, causing her to scream out in pain and pin her to the ground.
Harina flashed a smug smile and pulled the chains tied to the scythes hard, forcefully cutting through her flesh and tendons all the way to her ankles.
"Oof... you might want to avoid sandals from now on." Harina taunted, chuckling at her own dark humor. "Looks like you won't be walking anytime soon."
With most of the children already knocked out, Pandora and Shalltear are the only two left standing. Pandora's eyes narrowed as she assessed the situation, while Shalltear readied herself for the next attack.
They knew they had to work together if they wanted to stand a chance against Harina and her seemingly flawless combat skills.
Pandora and Shalltear walked towards Harina, sitting on top of unconscious Nigredo's back, staring at them expectantly.
"45 to 1, reduced down to 2 to 1. Goddamn, you're all pathetic. Your generation is an embarrassment." Harina mocked, her voice dripping with disdain.
Pandora and Shalltear just looked at Harina in silence and didn't know how to respond to her overly condescending remarks.
"Oh, don't give me that look." Harina scoffed, rolling her eyes. "All of you are supposed to be the best of the best since you're a direct descendant of the Supreme Beings, and here you are getting utterly stomped by a billion-year-old exilee."
"I won't be so confident if I were you, there's still two of us to fight you." Pandora retorted.
"Shalltear, I can understand. She has been fighting her whole life, but you? No, no, no, you don't get to use that excuse when you're barely even stepping out of the Treasury." Harina mocked.
"Okay, that actually makes sense." Shalltear commented. "Why does that make sense?"
"Whose side are you on?" Pandora asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I'm just stating the obvious. As rude as it may sound, she has a point." Shalltear replied, shrugging off his question. "You haven't proven yourself in battle like the rest of us, even Nigredo has more experience than you by a landslide."
"Whatever." Pandora responded dismissively.
Pandora gripped his two cutlasses tighter and was ready for his stance. Shalltear did the same and brought her lance in front of her with her right hand.
Harina chuckled at them and shook her head several times, laughing at their overconfidence. She slowly stood up from on top of unconscious Nigredo's back and chuckled mockingly.
"Okay... let's dance." Harina said with a sly grin.
Pandora and Shalltear rushed towards Harina, splitting up to attack her from both sides. They moved with precision and agility. Harina, however, remained calm and relaxed, unfazed by their swift movements.
"Let me show you how I deal with toddlers like you two." Harina taunted, her voice dripping with arrogance.
With a swift, almost instantaneous movement, Harina crossed her arms in front of her, catching Pandora's cutlass coming from her right with her left hand and Shalltear's lance coming from her left with her right hand.
She effortlessly caught both weapons and crushed them in her grip, their cutlass and lance slowly cracking under the immense pressure.
"What the fuck?" Pandora and Shalltear said in unison in disbelief.
"Oh, I'm sorry. Were these supposed to be weapons? I must have mistaken them for mere toys," Harina taunted, her voice dripping with even more arrogance.
She applied more pressure to her grip, causing the cutlass and lance to snap in half with a loud crack. Harina immediately used the tips of both weapons to stab them in the shoulder, using Pandora's snapped half of the cutlass to pin her arm against her side and Shalltear's snapped half of the lance to immobilize her other arm.
They were shocked by her sudden attack and quickly retaliated. Pandora thrusts the other cutlass he held in his left hand, and Shalltear extends her sharp claws from the tip of her fingers.
The two of them lunged at Harina, but she quickly jumped and kicked both of them in the face with a scissor kick.
The force of her kick sent Pandora and Shalltear flying backward, momentarily disorienting them.
"Too predictable." Harina smirked confidently.
She swiftly closed the distance between them, blitzing right at them. She unleashed a flurry of lightning-fast punches with her knuckle dusters, striking Pandora dead center in chest and topping it with a flying right knee to his face, sending him distance flying.
Shalltear, caught off guard by Harina's speed and precision, attempted to counterattack but was met with a swift roundhouse kick to the abdomen, launching her backwards into a nearby boulder.
"This is not even a fight. I feel like bullying two defenseless children," Harina taunted, her voice dripping with confidence.
She smirked sadistically and blitzed between Pandora and Shalltear back to back like lightning arcing between poles of metal.
She moved fast, making her look like a blur as she punched and kicked both Pandora and Shalltear, who were separated a hundred meters from each other.
Harina kept looping back and forth between Pandora and Shalltear, relentlessly assaulting them with her lightning-fast strikes.
Each blow landed with precision and metal-shattering force, leaving them unable to mount any form of defense.
After a minute of continuous assault, Shalltear and Pandora were left battered and disoriented. Harina's relentless assault completely shattered and dismantled Shalltear's full body armor, exposing her underlayers to the elements.
Pandora, on the other hand, had his three-piece suit torn to shreds, leaving him barechested in his pants and bloodied from numerous cuts and bruises.
Harina summoned two sets of chains and threw them at Shalltear and Pandora with lightning speed, binding them tightly in the neck and pulling them towards her.
Harina locked Shalltear's neck with her right arms using the elbow joint while simultaneously pinning Pandora to the ground by the neck with her left foot, exerting immense pressure on both of them.
The sheer force of Harina's grip caused Shalltear and Pandora to struggle to breathe and break free. Shalltear tried to pull Harina's arms away from her neck, using all of her strength, while Pandora desperately tried to lift Harina's boot off his throat.
"There, there, it'll all be over soon. Just relax and accept your fate," Harina whispered with a sinister smile.
Pandora and Shalltear started to struggle less and less with each passing second as Harina continued to apply pressure. Their vision began to blur, and their bodies grew weaker.
Suddenly, an arrow flew towards Harina at high speed, and she caught it with her left hand. She narrowed her eyes as she scanned the environment for the source of the arrow.
"Someone is going to die tonight," she muttered under her breath.
Suddenly, she could faintly hear the sound of horses' neighs approaching. Her grip tightened on the arrow, and she snapped it in half, discarding it on the ground.
As the horses neighs grew nearer, Harina released her grip on Pandora and Shalltear, letting them go from being choked and strangled.
Suddenly, her instinct caused her to turn around and see a man on a red horse swinging his sword at her.
She instantly used her knuckle duster on her hands and punched the sword, stopping the sword mid-swing.
The sudden appearance of the man on the red horse caught Harina off guard, but her quick reflexes allowed her to anticipate his attack and defend herself.
She turned her head backwards and saw a man wearing a black robe on a black horse pulling Shalltear and Pandora to safety away from her and the red horseman.
She turned to the right and saw another man on a white horse holding a bow with an arrow nocked and pointed at her.
She turned to the left and saw a woman on a pale horse, wielding a large, curved scythe hanging around her neck.
She finally understood what was going on and laughed maniacally at the sight before her. Four individuals, four horses, each with different colors that represent their respective roles.
"Hahahahahahahahaha, isn't this a delightful spectacle?" Harina exclaimed, her laughter echoing through the air.
"Being a wanted criminal, I always knew that one day a hunter would come for me, but I never imagined it would be this grandiose," she continued, her eyes gleaming with excitement.
"To think that I would be confronted by the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse themselves! I guess desperate times call for desperate measures," Harina mused, a mischievous smile playing on her lips.
"Enough with your ramblings, wench." The red horsemen spoke with a deep, menacing voice.
"I'm not sure if you remember me, but we go way back." Harina said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
"I do not recall to ever recognize you, nor do I have any interest in doing so," the red horseman retorted.
"Well, duh, you lost your memory when you all died, or rather disbanded." Harina said mockingly.
"Our previous memory serves no purpose for the current us now. The only thing that remained was our reason for existing—to hunt YOU down and bring you to justice." The white horsemen said sternly.
"You have committed crimes of every magnitude, including mass extinction of worlds, mass murder, conspiring to overthrow the Supreme Beings, treason, and countless acts of other very heinous nature. Your actions have caused immeasurable suffering and destruction across the universe... your reign of terror ends here." The black horsemen declared.
"To where? Back to the Abyss? Yeah, no thanks. I've broken out of there once, the second time might feel less like a challenge." Harina smirked smugly.
"There won't be a second time." The pale horseman replied with a chilling tone.
"Then I guess I better kill you fools again. This time, delete your entire existence as well." Harina said menacingly.
"We like to see you try." The pale horsemen taunted.
Harina tapped into her inner power, activating her exclusive ability. A sudden surge of dark energy surged through her veins, causing her pale skin to darken and turn completely black, with white skeletal tattoos appearing all over her body.
Her eyes glowed with an eerie crimson red, and she started to grow three large pairs of skeletal wings from her back with batlike membranes stretching between the bony structures.
She changes her weapons from a pair of knuckle dusters into black and crimson red swords with the same length, size, and shape, just with a different visual aesthetic.
The red sword has the word 'Corpus' engraved on its blade, while the black sword bears the inscription 'Anima'.
"Tempo fa utebantur duae hic gladii." Harina said in a low, haunting voice.
She flapped her wings, slowly approaching the four horsemen.
"Now... what is the name of the trope again?" Harina said, addressing the four horsemen. "Ahh, yes, red and black and evil all over."
The four horsemen exchanged glances, unsure of how to respond. Harina's transformation was beyond anything they had seen before.
As Harina's wings cast an eerie shadow over them, the horsemen's eyes fixed on her. The crimson sword gleamed with an otherworldly aura, while the obsidian blade seemed to absorb all the light around it.
"Once I'm done with the four of you, I'm off to the Supreme Beings themselves. I will end their reign, kill them all, and bring about a fresh start for the universe," Harina declared.
"That's a nice argument, you acursed heiress, why don't you back it up with a source?" The pale horsemen challenged, pointing her scythe at her.
"Source? My source is I made it the FUCK up." Harina laughed, her voice dripping with venom.
The horsemen moved their horses closer, their eyes narrowing as they gripped their own weapons tighter.
Harina chuckled hard and descended to the ground, her feet lightly touching the ground as she folded her wings behind her.
"You really think your toys could compare to mine? HAHAHAHAHAHA!" Harina laughed like a maniac.
"Only one way to find out." The red horsemen said, slowly galloping forward, raising his sword to his right.
"One in a what? Octillion? Not surprising." Harina retorted sarcastically. "Well, please, dear horsemen, enlighten me."
"Consquista," the red horsemen said with a smirk, "back me up."
"Got you covered, Guerra." The white horsemen replied, pulling his bowstring.
"Carestia, support." The red horsemen commanded, looking towards the black horsemen.
"I got it." The black horseman responded, his scale moved up and down in a rhythmic pattern.
"Morte," the red horseman called out, turning his attention to the pale horsemen.
"Ready," the pale horsemen replied, her large scythe gleamed in the dim light.
"Horsemen," the red horsemen called out. "For the Supreme Beings!"
The four horsemen galloped their horses forward, their weapons poised and ready. The thundering sound of hooves echoed through the air as they charged towards Harina.
Harina laughed maniacally again and put her left hand forward, waving it inward mockingly.
"Komm und nimm es!" Harina taunted, pouring her magic into her swords.
Guerra swung his longsword at her, Harina swung her left sword in return, and both swords collided in a loud clash.
Sparks flew as the force of their clash sent shockwaves through the air, strong enough to tear large chunks of ground from their foundations.
Guerra pulled his sword back and swung again, rotating his body clockwise and switching his grip as he came from the left side.
Harina swung her right sword to block Guerra's attack, but he quickly changed to feints and punched her with his left fist.
The blow landed on her stomach, but she didn't seem to be bothered by it and jumped in a twisting motion, kicking him in the face and launching him backwards.
"Zu einfach." Harina smirked and quickly leaned her head to the left to avoid an arrow coming towards her.
Conquista nocked, pulled, and released magic arrows made of energy after one another towards Harina, but she just casually swung her swords and deflected each one without bothering to look at them, dissipating the arrows effortlessly.
"Langweilig." Harina yawned, bored by Conquista's feeble attempts to attack her.
Morte galloped her horse around and went behind Harina, raising her scythe to the side to decapitate her.
"Morire, furiosum verrem!" Morte shouted, swinging her scythe down with all her might.
But Harina swiftly spun around, kicking her left leg out and stopping her scythe mid-swing with her boot, flashing a sadistic smile as she stopped her.
"Versuche es erneut." Harina taunted, continuously raising her eyebrow in a mocking manner.
Morte's face twisted with anger as she gritted her teeth and swung her scythe in a wide arc again. Harina spun her right sword, reversing her grip, and blocked Morte's attack effortlessly, deflecting the scythe with a metallic clang.
Harina countered with a flurry of swings with her two swords, slashing right, left, and center, each strike precise and calculated.
Morte struggled to keep up with Harina's relentless assault, spinning her scythe wildly and using its wide, flat side to block and deflect Harina's rapid strikes.
Despite her efforts, Morte found herself being pushed back, her defense weakening with each clash of their weapons.
She knew she needed to find an opening soon if she wanted to turn the tide of the battle in her favor.
"Carestia! A little help," Morte called out.
Carestia galloped his horse toward Morte, his eyes locked on Harina. As he approached, he swiftly dismounted and spun his balance scale like a chain and ball, the balance weights at each end spinning around in a circular motion.
With a swift move, he kicked one of the weights forward towards Harina, aiming to distract her, but she just punched the weight, stopping it in its tracks.
Undeterred, Carestia quickly spun the weights again and channeled his magic into them, causing them to glow with a bright, fiery energy.
He shoots a volley energy ball from the weights towards Harina, who skillfully dodges it, sidetepping left and right in a zig-zag pattern. As the energy ball whizzes past her, Harina retaliates by slapping the last energy ball that whizzed past her with her left sword, absorbing its fiery energy into the blade.
"Hey, buddy, I think this is yours." Harina quipped, and she swung her sword towards Carestia, returning it to him with even greater force and intensity.
Morte jumped in front of Carestia and blocked the energy ball with the flat side of her scythe. The ball dissipated into a burst of sparks, leaving both of them unscathed.
"Спасибо," Carestia said.
"пожалуйста." Morte replied with a nod.
"Not bad," Harina said mockingly. "Not bad at all... Round two, it is then."
Harina blitzed towards them in an instant, closing the one hundred-meter gap between them before they could even blink.
She unleashed a barrage of lightning-fast swings with her dual swords, forcing Morte and Carestia to swing their weapons to block her attacks.
Despite there being two of them and one of her, both struggle to block and deflect her relentless assault.
Harina keeps switching between swinging her sword, spin kicking, elbow strikes, and high flying knees, making it nearly impossible for Morte and Carestia to anticipate her next move.
The sheer speed and precision of her attacks left them on the defensive, desperately trying to find an opening to counterattack.
When the gap between them narrowed, Guerra came to their rescue and joined them in attacking Harina, swinging his longsword to assist in deflecting her blows.
Conquista shot his bow from a distance at Harina, releasing energy arrows after energy arrows to distract her and disrupt her attacks.
Even with the four of them going at her, the playing field was still not level. Harina effortlessly dodged their combined efforts, using both her swords to parry Morte's scythe and Carestia's volley of energy balls, kicks to block Guerra's longsword strikes, and swiftly evading Conquista's arrows, switching between corkscrew twists and side flips with incredible agility.
A few minutes in, and not one of them had managed to land a single hit on Harina. Harina inhaled a deep breath and blew Guerra away with a powerful gust of wind, knocking him dozens of meters back.
She then turned her attention to Morte and Carestia, leaping and twisting her body like a screw, stabbing her right sword to the ground.
She gripped the sword handle and lifted her body up into the air, executing a powerful swift with her left leg, kicking Carestia's face and moving it backwards, hitting Morte in the face as well.
As Morte and Carestia stumbled backward, Harina gracefully spinned her body and landed in a crouched position, turning her eyes towards Conquista in the distance.
Harina blitzed towards him, but Guerra interrupted her and engaged in a sword fight with her. He swung his sword rapidly. and Harina skillfully parried each strike with her own sword.
"Still hasn't had enough, aren't you?" Harina said mockingly.
"Not until you drop dead." Guerra sneered back.
Guerra continued to lash out with his sword, attempting to overpower Harina with his brute strength. However, Harina relied on her agility and quick reflexes to dodge his attacks effortlessly.
Pandora and Shalltear finally regained their consciousness, slowly opening their eyes to see the Four Horsemen battling Harina in the distance.
Pandora slowly rose to his feet and lent his hand to Shalltear to help her up. Shalltear stood up and leaned in on Pandora, putting her arm around his shoulder.
"You okay?" Pandora asked, concern evident in his voice. Shalltear nodded weakly, her body still recovering from the ordeal.
"Yeah. You?" Shalltear asked back.
"I don't know how many of my bones were broken when we got knocked out." Pandora replied, wincing slightly as he tried to move his limbs.
"You and me both, baby. My armor is toast." Shalltear sighed, glancing down at her damaged armor. "So is my lance. Your cutlasses?"
"Only got one left, the other one is snapped." Pandora said, holding up the broken cutlass.
"Well, we got to help them." Shalltear said, looking at the battle in the distance.
"How? Our weapon is gone, as are the others. The only way to injure or kill a child of a Supreme Being is with their own weapon." Pandora said in frustation.
"Yeah," Shallter said wryly. "And she had two swords in her hands."
Pandora paused for a second, pondering Shalltear's words. Both were looking at Harina's swords, sharing the same thought.
"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Shalltear asked.
"Mmhmm," Pandora hummed in agreement. "If we can somehow separate Harina from her swords,"
"We might have a chance at defeating her," Shalltear finished Pandora's sentence.
"It's suicidal," Pandora whispered.
"Well, what do we have to lose anyway?" Shalltear shrugged.
They exchanged glances, nodding in silent understanding. They knew that taking away Harina's swords would be their only chance.
"Let's go-"
"Wait." Pandora interrupted, holding Shalltear's hand.
"What is it?" Shalltear asked.
"I just want to say I'm sorry... for everything I've done to you back then." Pandora apologized sincerely.
"Seriously? We're doing this now?" Shalltear raised an eyebrow.
"I know it's not the best timing, but hear me out." Pandora pleaded.
"Okay, make it quick." Shalltear relented, her tone softening.
"I'm sorry... for not being good enough for you. I'm sorry for ignoring you when you wanted to talk, for not being there when you needed me, for not appreciating your efforts, and for hurting you with my actions. I was selfish and took you for granted. I regret it deeply, and I want to make it up to you. I'm sorry for being such a shitty boyfriend and for not treating you with the love and respect you deserve. I promise to change my ways and be a better partner for you." Pandora said with a heavy sigh, genuinely remorseful for his past behavior.
Shalltear looked at him in the eyes in silence, no words coming out of her mouth. Stunned by his sudden outpouring of remorse, she struggled to find her own voice.
"What's, uh, what's with this all of a sudden?" Shalltear asked, her voice wavering with a mix of surprise and uncertainty. "I mean, I appreciate your apology, but why now? Is there something specific that made you realize this?"
"I realized I had wronged you on so many occasions. It took me a long time to acknowledge the pain I'd caused you. Reflecting on my past actions, I finally understand it." Pandora said, holding Shalltear's hands tightly.
"That's funny. Took you damn long enough," Shalltear replied bitterly, holding back her tear.
"I know. And I'm sorry for that. It was so stupid of me." Pandora continued remorsefully. "I was too caught up in my own ego and couldn't see how much I was hurting you. But now, I see it clearly, and I want to make things right."
"I love you till death do us apart?! Running around the backyard with the kids?! Are those promises of yours just empty words when you say them?" Shalltear cried out, a tear streaming down her face. "I can't keep waiting for you to change, only to be fucking disappointed again and again."
Pandora was left speechless as he watched the pain and frustration in Shalltear's eyes. He realized the depth of the damage he had caused and how his actions had eroded her trust in him.
"Do you mean those promises, Pandora? Or are they just empty words meant to placate me?" Shalltear asked, wiping a tear from her cheek.
"I mean it." Pandora replied sincerely.
"DO YOU?!" Shalltear exclaimed. "Because I can't keep putting myself through this cycle of hope and heartbreak."
"I do," Pandora reiterated, getting down on his knees and holding her hands.
"What are you doing?" Shalltear asked, confused as to why Pandora was suddenly kneeling before her.
"What I should've done five million years ago," Pandora said, putting his hand in his pocket and pulling out a small velvet box, revealing a ring made of black metal with a single, gleaming ruby set in the center.
"Shalltear Bloodfallen, will you marry me?" Pandora asked, stretching his bloodied hand out towards her.
Shalltear dropped her jaw in shock, her eyes widening as she stared at the ring. She never expected Pandora to propose, especially not in such a dramatic and unexpected way.
"I... I don't know what to say," Shalltear stammered, her mind racing with a whirlwind of emotions. "This is too much to take in."
"You said you want to marry someday, why not make that someday today?" Pandora interrupted, a nervous smile tugging at the corners of his lips.
"I mean, yeah." Shalltear mumbled, her voice barely audible.
"Well?" Pandora prompted, his eyes searching hers for an answer.
"Fuck it," Shalltear blurted out. "Yes."
Pandora's face lit up with joy, and he pulled Shalltear into a tight embrace. Pandora threw the box aside and put the ring on Shalltear's finger.
"Till death..."
"Do us part," Shalltear finished, tears of happiness streaming down her face.
"Now, let's go." Pandora held her hand and stood up, looking at the battle in the distance. "Let's finish this."
"Right," Shalltear responded, pulling her snapped lance from the ground and gripping it tightly.
"Is it still useful?" Pandora asked, eyeing the damaged lance.
"Disengage outer armor, pile bunker mode!" Shalltear shouted, activating a hidden mechanism in her lance.
The snapped lance released the lock holding the front half together and dropped it to the ground. The rear half of the lance opened up, extending a sharp, nail-like blade from within. Shalltear grinned, twirling the transformed weapon in her hand.
"Nice." Pandora nodded in approval.
"Auxilary last resort mode, just in case. I got that from you." Shalltear smirked.
"Alright, then." Pandora turned his head forward. "It's game time."
Guerra swung his longsword at Harina, trying to strike her with a powerful blow. Harina blocked his attack mid-swing by kicking his longsword.
Morte assisted him and swung her large scythe at Harina, but she quickly performed a corkscrew dodge, narrowly avoiding the deadly arc of the scythe.
After landing on her feet, Harina swiftly pulled Guerra's longsword to her with her leg and picked it up, thrusting it into Morte's right shoulder.
Morte screamed in pain as the blade pierced her flesh, causing her to drop her scythe. Her blood was spurting from the wound like a waterfall.
Harina quickly pulled the balde out and turned to Guerra, slashing him in the chest area, thighs, and face in a rapid succession.
Guerra staggered back, using his hands to protect him from the rapid slashes. Harina threw the sword back to him, stabbing him in the forearm, and delivered a swift spin kick to his cheek, sending him sprawling to the ground.
As Guerra groaned in agony, Harina stood over him and, looking around the battlefield, saw the sight of Four Horsemen on the ground, bleeding and injured.
She put her boot on Guerra's neck and glared down at him, mocking him for his failed attempt at victory.
"See? No matter what you do or how many of you are facing me, none will ever be able to defeat me," Harina taunted, slowly pressing her boot down on Guerra's neck. "How long has it been? 600? 700 million years? You can't even fathom the power that resides within me."
"Sister." Pandora called Harina's attention, interrupting her.
Harina slowly turned her head towards Pandora, her condescending eyes looking at him and Shalltear with superiority and annoyance.
"You two are still alive? I thought I had disposed of you ten minutes ago." Harina scoffed.
"You haven't tried hard enough." Shalltear retorted.
"You shut your mouth, okay? I'm talking to him." Harina said, pointing a finger at Pandora. "And as for you, brother, your power means nothing compared to mine."
"You want to put your money where your mouth is?" Pandora challenged.
"Oh, this would be fun." Harina smirked, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "I'd love to see you try and prove me wrong."
"One more fight, 100 seconds. Me and Shalltear against you. No holds barred." Pandora proposed.
"Weapons?" Harina asked.
"Whatever you can get your hands on." Shalltear replied.
"Okay... let's do this, shall we?" Harina said, mockingly bowing to Pandora and Shalltear.
Both sides walk back, leaving a ten-meter distance between them. Pandora folded his sleeve and tightened his grip on the handle of his cutlass. Shalltear spit blood onto the ground and gripped her lance tighter.
"Till death do us apart, huh? How symbolic." Pandora muttered.
"Well, husband. I'll follow you to the end of the world," Shalltear responded with a smile.
"We're not even married yet." Pandora retorted.
"But you already proposed to me, didn't you? That already counts." Shalltear replied playfully.
"Oh, for fuck's sake," Pandora said, scractching his head.
"Come on, this might be our last moment together as a couple. Humor me," Shalltear teased, twirling her lance.
"Can we save this for later?" Pandora pleaded, and Shalltear pouted.
"I want a divorce," Shalltear said, pouting her cheeks.
"Really? This again?" Pandora sighed.
"Alright alright. What's your plan?" Shalltear asked, raising an eyebrow. "I'm open to suggestions."
"You still remember our old 'cat and mouse' game, right?" Pandora smirked.
"Never thought I'd see the day coming." Shalltear replied.
"I'll distract her, you take her sword and finish her." Pandora whispered. "Mind the last seven seconds."
"Lead the way, dear." Shalltear responded.
"Ready!" Pandora shouted to Harina, and Harina nodded.
Harina grabbed Guerra's sword and threw it high in the air.
"We'll begin once the sword hits the ground," Harina declared confidently. "100-second time limit."
"100 seconds is all I need." Pandora replied with a determined grin.
The sword falls through the air, its descent seemingly in slow motion. Pandora and Shalltear look at Harina dead in the eye as the sword approaches the ground.
'3...'
The sword is getting closer to the ground.
'2...'
'1...'
The sword finally touches the ground. Pandora and Shalltear immediately activated their special abilities.
"Der End Blitzkrieg!"
Pandora activated his unique ability, increasing his speed and agility to unimaginable levels. He became so fast that his movements were nothing but a blur, leaving afterimages in his wake.
"En minut Gud!"
Shalltear activated hers, calling upon the power of her divine bloodline. Her eyes glowed with an otherworldly light as her strength and regeneration abilities were enhanced to their maximum potential, and she summoned a bow made completely out of light.
Shalltear pulled the light string taut, and an arrow of pure light materialized before her. She pulled the taut all the way back, feeling the light arrow slowly getting bigger and denser as she did so.
"Bring it on!" Harina taunted, moving her wrist back and forth in a mocking gesture.
Pandora used his light speed to whizz past the field, blitzing around Harina and slashing her with his cutlass as he blitzed through.
Harina gets flayed with each pass of Pandora's cutlass, her skin tearing and blood splattering in all directions. She, however, remained calm and unfazed, focusing her senses to predict Pandora's movements.
Even with Pandora already enhancing his speed to lightspeed, Harina's eyes were still able to perceive him in slow motion.
Her eyes kept tracking Pandora's every move as he continued to slash her in a lightspeed frenzy. The pain intensified with each strike, but Harina just moved her eyes side to side to analyze Pandora's patterns and find an opening.
Suddenly, she extends her hands outward to the right and grips tightly. Pandora was caught by surprise as Harina's hands locked around his neck, choking him.
"I got you now." Harina's grip tightened, her nails slowly digging into his neck and going through his flesh.
Blood started to gush out, staining Harina's hands and dripping onto the ground below. Pandora lifted his legs and wrapped them around Harina's neck, locking her in a tight chokehold.
"Two can play that game." Pandora retaliated, using his strength to squeeze Harina's neck with all his might.
"But for how long exactly?" Harina taunted as Pandora's special ability started to wear off.
His speed and strength slowly diminished, leaving him vulnerable to Harina's grip. The pain intensified as Harina tightened her hold, cutting off his air supply.
Pandora threw his cutlass into the air, and it spun rapidly above them. After reaching a certain height, the cutlass curved back towards him and Harina like a boomerang.
Harina casually moved her head to the left, dodging the oncoming cutlass without even looking back. The cutlass flew past her, narrowly missing her neck skin and embedding itself into the ground in front of her.
"That's the best you can do?" Harina asked mockingly.
She gripped his neck even more tightly and summoned her red sword. The sword flew towards her, and she caught it effortlessly in her free hand.
"Any last word?" Harina asked, a wicked grin spreading across her face.
"Now," Pandora said through his choked breath.
The cutlass that missed Harina exploded into a thick white smoke, momentarily drawing her attention away from Pandora.
Harina narrowed her eyes and tried to see through the smoke, but it was too dense, and suddenly an arrow made of light shot out from the smoke, heading straight towards her.
Harina quickly released Pandora from her grip and caught the arrow mid-air. Pandora rolled to the side and kicked Harina's hand, knocking the arrow out of her grasp.
As the arrow threw itself into the air, Harina leapt towards Pandora, bringing her red sword down in a swift motion.
Pandora swiftly caught the sword between his bare hands, holding the sword from going through his chest.
"You try to distract me?! You failed." Harina snarled, exerting more power to try and push the sword further towards Pandora's chest.
"Am I, though?" Pandora retorted with a smirk.
The arrow that had been knocked out of Harina's grasp suddenly burst into a thick white smoke, and Shalltear emerged from the smoke, her bow drawn and aimed directly at Harina.
"Failed? I don't think so." Pandora chuckled.
Harina quickly looked over her shoulder, her eyes widening in surprise as she saw Shalltear's arrow pointed directly at her.
"Oh, Scheiße." Harina whispered under her breath, realizing she had been baited into a trap.
"До скорого, Сука Блядь," Shalltear said in a cold, menacing tone, her finger releasing the tension on the bowstring.
The arrow flew towards Harina with deadly accuracy. She stretched her left hand out in a nick of time, and the arrow lodged itself into her palm and into her forearm before exploding her entire hand into a bloody mess.
The excruciating pain shot through her body, causing her to scream in agony. Shalltear passed out from the amount of her own power she charged into the arrow and fell to the ground, leaving her bow of light to dissolve into particles of light.
Harina grabbed her red sword with her right hand, gritting her teeth against the pain, and walked towards Shalltear's unconscious body.
"Paralyzari in perpetuum. Corpus tuum numbificabitur ut si statua." Harina said, infusing her sword with a powerful paralyzing spell.
She raised the sword above Shalltear's body, the spell emanating a pulsating aura of energy.
"NO!" Pandora shouted in horror as the sword descended towards Shalltear's body.
'What would you give to save her?' a voice whispered in his mind.
'What?' Pandora thought, startled by the sudden intrusion into his thoughts.
'Son of Momonga... unlimited power.'
'He is the one.'
'He's ready.'
'No, he's not.'
'What are you all talking about?' Pandora thought, his confusion growing.
'He should release his restraints.'
'He will lose control.'
'The boy needs to do it on his own accord.'
'He will die.'
'What do you mean restraints?' Pandora thought, his mind racing with questions.
Who were these voices? And why did they seem to know so much about him and Shalltear?
'Let us ask you again, son of Momonga... what would you give to save her?'
'Save her.'
'No, don't save her.'
'Hushh, let him decide for himself.'
'Make the right decision... PAN...DO...RA.'
'What's the catch?' Pandora asked the voices.
'Give your everything to save your everything... or lose everything.'
'Come on, boy... let us roam free.'
'No, Pandora, don't.'
'You stupid, he needs our power.'
'But at what cost?' Pandora hesitated, unsure of the consequences. 'Your soul.'
'Your sanity.'
'Your freedom.'
'Love, happiness, and everything you hold dear.'
'But she'll be alright?' Pandora questioned, his voice filled with concern. 'She will be safe?'
'Safe.'
'No place is safer than with us.'
'No evil or danger can touch her.' 'We will protect her.'
'Then I accept.' Pandora made his decision. 'Save Shalltear, keep her safe. I will give you my everything.'
'The boy is brave.'
'He is audacious.'
'His body shall suffice.'
'Let us commence.'
The voices suddenly take over his mind, consuming him piece by piece until there is nothing left of Pandora but a vessel for their control.
'Shalltear... I love yo-'
The words were cut off as Pandora's consciousness was completely overtaken by the voices, leaving behind only a hollow shell of his former self.
'We... are now one. Four takes the one, becoming one.'
Pandora's body fell to the ground, his head hitting the cold, hard surface with a resounding thud. Harina stopped her hand from stabbing Shalltear and turned to Pandora.
Pandora's body began to convulse uncontrollably, as if being wracked by invisible forces. A cloud of black smoke suddenly appeared around him, engulfing him in its dark embrace.
His body slowly healed back to its original form, and the smoke wrapped around his body before transforming into his clothing.
As Pandora stood up, his face transformed into a skull mask covering the upper half of his face, revealing only his piercing crimson left eye and void black right eye.
He chuckled sinisterly, his low, distorted, growly voice drawing Harina's attention as she turned to face him.
"It's been a while." Harina said, greeting the entities that possessed Pandora's body.
"Harina, the exiled princess." Pandora's voice echoed with a haunting tone.
"Not so much of a princess anymore, am I?" Harina replied mockingly.
"Never has, never will. You were never fit to rule the universe." Pandora's entities sneered, their voices blending together in a chilling harmony.
"Now, now. Let's remember who killed the four of you in the first place. The second time around might not be so lucky for you." Harina's eyes narrowed, a hint of defiance in her voice.
"Try us." Pandora's entities hissed in unison.
Pandora's entities summoned a long black sword made of a mysterious, dark material. The sword emitted an eerie glow as they brandished it menacingly.
Harina smiled and pulled her own, combining the two swords into one. Her red sword and black sword fused into one, creating a powerful greatsword with red outlining and black accents.
"Four vs. one... now I like those odds." Harina said confidently.
Both of them rushed toward each other, their swords clashing with a resounding force. Sparks flew as the battle between Harina and Pandora's entities intensified.
With each swing of her combined greatsword, Harina's attack grew more ferocious and precise. She effortlessly parried the strikes of Pandora's entities, countering with swift and powerful kicks.
"What's the matter? Can't keep up after your long slumber? Weaklings." Harina taunted, her voice dripping with arrogance.
Pandora's entities suddenly caught her sword mid-swing with his left hand, causing Harina to momentarily freeze in surprise.
She quickly pulled the sword back and continued to unleash a flurry of attacks, her movements becoming even more fluid and powerful.
"Die!" Harina shouted, thrusting her sword forward but being blocked by Pandora's entities' shield.
She stepped back and dropped her jaw at the sight of the shield. Pandora's entities somehow wield Supreme Being Touch's shield, a weapon that no one except him could use.
"What?" Harina exclaimed, her eyes widening in disbelief. "How did you get that? TELL ME!"
"Why should I?" Pandora's entities smirked, their voices blending together in an eerie chorus. "It seems you underestimated us, Harina. You've gotten sloppy."
"LIKE HELL, I AM!" Harina retorted, swinging her greatsword downward at Pandora's entities' head.
Her sword clashed and stopped mid-swing, blocked by a twin dagger he suddenly summoned.
Harina struck again, confused about why and how Pandora's entities now wield Supreme Being Nishikienrai's twin daggers.
"Oh, I'm sorry. Did you think you had me?" Pandora's entities taunted, their eyes gleaming with amusement.
"SHUT UP!" Harina growled, her grip tightening on the hilt of her greatsword.
With a swift motion, she lunges forward, using her momentum to break free from the dagger's hold and deliver a powerful strike towards Pandora's entities.
Pandora's entities suddenly changed their weapons again to a giant boxing glove that belongs to Supreme Being Yamaiko's and punched Harina in the face, propelling her backwards with a force that sent her sprawling across the ground.
Dazed and disoriented, Harina struggled to regain her footing as Pandora's entities changed weapons again, this time Supreme Being Peroroncino's sun bow.
Pandora's entities pulled the string taut, causing the bow to materialize a fire arrow that crackled with intense heat.
Harina's eyes widened in fear as she desperately searched for a way to defend herself against an attack that comes from a Supreme Being's weapon, which cannot be blocked, negated, or evaded.
"Game over, princess." Pandora's entities taunted Harina, their voices dripping with malicious triumph.
The bow string was released, and the fire arrow was launched towards Harina with incredible speed. As the arrow soared through the air, its scorching heat left a trail of destruction in its wake.
The fire arrow hits Harina in her chest with a powerful impact, spiralling into a vortex of flames that engulfed her body.
"Anulum fac!" Harina cried out.
In an instant, a shimmering force field materialized around her, pushing the fire and flames away. Harina blitzed towards Pandora's entities, instantly closing the distance between them.
She shot a black tentacle from inside her sleeve that latches onto him. The black tentacle siphons Pandora's energy, transferring it to her own body.
She called her greatsword back to her hand, the blade flew through the air, and she caught it effortlessly, gripping the hilt tightly.
"I've been waiting for this for half a billion years," Harina said with a wicked grin, raising the greatsword above Pandora's possessed body.
Possessed Pandora looked behind Harina and saw Shalltear's lance on the ground, still infused with holy energy.
"Well, keep waiting." Possessed Pandora replied.
As Harina brought the greatsword down to him, Possessed Pandora rolled under Harina's legs and grabbed the lance.
He pressed a button on the hilt, and the lance moved its inner mechanism, extending four mini-blades from the sides.
With a swift motion, Possessed Pandora slashed at the back of Harina's head, causing her to stumble forward and pull the lance back, so one of the mini-blades hooked onto her eye socket.
Possessed Pandora put his right leg forward, holding the back of Harina's neck as he pulled the lance towards him.
"Your time to do the dying, princess." Possessed Pandora smirked, forcefully yanking her head backwards.
Harina's head slowly ripped away from her body, blood spurting from the severed neck, and finally snapped out of place, leaving her body slumped on the ground.
Pandora slowly regains his consciousness, the entities' possession relinquishing their hold on him. He collapsed on the ground beside Shalltear from the fatigue of the intense battle.
Suddenly, a portal opened behind him, and fourteen figures emerged, their eyes staring him dead in the face. They were clad in dark robes, their expressions cold and devoid of any emotion.
Two of them walked over to Harina's body, gently picking her body and severed head up from the ground and stepped back into the portal.
Pandora looked at them suspiciously, he was sure he recognized at least half of them.
"Well, well, well, color me surprised. Fourteen of the universe's most infamous terrorists have come to pay me a visit," Pandora sneered sarcastically.
"Pay us no head, o librarian." Meliore said with a sinister smile. "We are not here for a social call. We're just here to collect our leader's head and body."
"Yeah, do you have enough time to spend in the Abyss prison again?" Pandora retorted. "I'm sure the warden and the guards will love to have you all back." Meliore chuckled darkly.
"Oh, we won't be staying long enough for that. We have matters to attend to." Meliore replied with a sly grin. "But don't worry, Pandora, we'll make sure to leave a lasting impression before we go."
Meliore pulled a black chain out from under his cloak, the links glinting ominously in the dim light. He walked towards Pandora, the chain dragging behind him with a haunting sound.
"You'll see, Pandora, our time in the Abyss prison has only made us stronger." Meliore said coldly.
"No, it only made you even more insane, that's what." Pandora retorted.
"I never asked you to jump onto that planet and save them." Meliore replied, his voice dripping with disdain.
"No, you just set that planet on a path to destruction and watch it burn." Pandora shot back.
"A small sacrifice must be made to preserve the greater good," Meliore stated.
"A small sacrifice? A small sacrifice, you fucking say?! You murdered entire civilizations, wiped out innocent lives without a second thought!" Pandora exclaimed.
"One planet gone or one galaxy gone, the choice was clear," Meliore argued. "I saved a galaxy from the brink of annihilation by making the difficult decision to sacrifice one planet, and suddenly I'm a terrorist. Kind of unfair, don't you think?"
"Don't even get me started on your twisted sense of morality," Pandora retorted. "You can justify your actions all you want, but the ends do not always justify the means."
"Hmm, no. Let's agree to disagree." Meliore shrugged.
"I've done more to my home galaxy than the Supreme Beings ever did. I've brought about real change and progress, while they just sit back and watch. Call me a martyr or call me a villain, but at least I'm taking action instead of waiting for someone else to fix things. You, as the son of Supreme Being Momonga, always having whatever you want handed to you on a silver platter, will never understand the struggle of people like me and my kind. You don't get to tell us what to do, what is right, and what is wrong. And a word of advice, you should take a closer look at how the Supreme Beings do their job, you might be surprised by what you find. They may not be as infallible as you believe them to be."
"Are you asking me to commit a heresy against the Supreme Beings?" Pandora asked.
"No, I'm asking you to open your eyes and question the unquestionable. Your faith blinds you from seeing the flaws and imperfections that exist even in the highest authorities." Meliore sneered.
"And you're expecting me to believe a word from a terrorist?" Pandora retorted skeptically.
"Interpret that information however you wish," Meliore replied calmly. "Believe me, don't believe me. Your choice."
Meliore and the others turned back and stepped back into the portal, closing it behind them.
Two days later, Carne Village
"Come on, Enri. I want to see what the fuzz is all about." Nemu tugged at Enri's sleeve, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
"Slow down, Nemu." Enri chuckled, trying to keep up with Nemu's energetic pace.
Nemu and Enri stopped in front of a large crowd gathered at the newly built port around the newly formed lake.
Everyone was whispering among themselves, discussing why Sebas had called for such a gathering. Enri and Nemu exchanged curious glances, eager to find out the reason behind the commotion.
As they made their way through the crowd, they noticed Sebas standing on a makeshift stage, his authoritative presence capturing everyone's attention.
"Everyone, I would like to thank you all for sparing your valuable time to gather here today," Sebas began, his voice resonating through the crowd. "As you all might be aware, the attack from two days ago excavated a massive amount of land all the way to the coast in the north and caused a new lake to form in the center of our town."
Gasps and murmurs rippled through the crowd as they exchanged worried glances.
"But I want to assure you all that no one is injured, and our town's emergency response team has been working tirelessly to assess the damage and ensure everyone's safety." Sebas paused for a moment, allowing his words to sink in.
"Following the success of the school and new residence complexes being built, our town has experienced rapid growth in recent years. However, this new lake opened us to new potential threats and trade, so I gathered the council members to discuss and propose measures to address this situation, and we would like to inform you that we have decided to build this port as a means to enhance our town's economic opportunities, increase our connectivity with other regions, and serve as our naval base for security purposes. The port will not only attract trade and investment but also create job opportunities for our residents. With proper infrastructure and regulations in place, we believe that this strategic decision will contribute to the long-term prosperity and sustainability of our town."
Sebas finished, and the crowd erupted in applause, showing their support for the decision. Many community members expressed their excitement about the potential growth and development that the port would bring to the town.
"Lord Sebas, you said this port would bring new job opportunities. Can you tell us more about the types of jobs that will be created?" One of the bystanders asked, eager to learn about the potential economic benefits.
"I have talked with my friends during the conference, and we have agreed to send five ships to be our first naval fleet stationed at the port and twelve ships for trading, with more on the way," Sebas replied.
"The first five warships will require a lot of manpower, so there will be a need for skilled sailors, shipbuilders, and maintenance crews. The trading ships will also need additional crew members for navigation, loading and unloading cargo, and managing trade operations. Do not worry if you do not have any experience in sailing or shipbuilding. We will provide training for those who are willing to learn and contribute to our fleet."
The crowd whispered amongst themselves, some expressing excitement at the opportunity to learn new skills and be a part of such a grand venture. Others seemed hesitant, unsure if they possessed the necessary abilities to join the fleet.
"My lord, I'm sure the trading ships will come in handy, but why have warships as well? Carne is not the type of place to engage in warfare," one person in the crowd spoke up, voicing a common concern.
"While Carne may be peaceful now, it's important to be prepared for any situation that may arise. Warships will not only protect our trading vessels but also ensure the safety of our people and defend our shores if needed." Sebas replied calmly.
"But my lord, no one in Carne has any formal military training. How can we expect them to operate warships effectively?" another person questioned, voicing a valid point.
"You raise a valid concern. As I said before, do not worry if you do not have any kind of maritime experience, whether it's trade or military training. We will provide comprehensive training programs to ensure that our people are equipped with the necessary skills to operate both merchant and warships effectively," Sebas reassured.
"We will bring in experienced naval officers to lead the training and impart their knowledge to our citizens. Additionally, we will establish a rigorous selection process to identify individuals with potential and aptitude for maritime operations, ensuring that only the most capable candidates are chosen for this crucial task."
"My lord, these five warships—what do they look like? How complex are they?" one of the bystanders asked.
Transition song :
Clattanoia
OxT
"See for yourself." Sebas gestured towards the sun in the distance, and a silhouette of the warships appeared on the horizon.
The crowd covered their eyes from the blinding glare as they strained to get a better view of the approaching warships.
With every second pass, the silhoutte becomes more defined and distinct, eventually fully revealing themselves to the crowd at the port.
The ships were unlike anything they had ever seen, instead of wood and sails, they were made of sleek metal and powered by an unknown source.
The ships were also way bigger than any vessel the crowd had seen before, easily mistaken for floating cities rather than traditional warships with large dome-like structures perched atop their decks and gigantic cannons pointing outwards.
The main cannons were absolutely massive, dwarfing any artillery the crowd had ever witnessed, while even the smaller cannons were still larger than the largest ones they had seen on other ships.
Some domes have two or three cannons perched atop them, while some smaller domes have eight smaller cannons rotating in a circular mechanism.
The crowd could also see numerous large phalic objects with fish-like fins on the end in metal tubes, which they assumed were some kind of advanced weaponry.
The crowd saw that the ships don't have the common ship quarter deck where crew members typically reside.
Instead, they noticed a large tower rising from the center of each ship, towering over the rest of the vessel.
It appeared to serve as a command center, with windows and platforms that offered a panoramic view of the surrounding sea and a weird bowl-like object spinning on top.
The ships finally approached the port, each stopping within their designated piers and sounded their loud horns to signal their arrival.
"Lord Sebas, but there are only four ships. I thought you said five." One of the bystanders exclaimed, pointing out the discrepancy.
"Look up." Sebas replied with a smirk, directing everyone's attention to the sky.
The fifth ship, unlike the four that moved on the water, was flying in the air, suspended by six powerful engines that emit a hot blue flame.
The fifth ship, unlike the four, was significantly longer and wider and had a flat top surface, resembling a massive floating platform.
The ship descended towards the pier, slowly reducing its engines' thrust, causing the hot blue flames to diminish gradually.
As it approached the water's surface, the ship gracefully landed with a gentle splash, creating ripples that spread across the harbor.
Also unlike the other four ships, the fifth ship submerged underwater as soon as it touched the surface, leaving only its upper command structure visible above the water.
The crowd rushed to each pier to get a closer look at the magnificent ships. Artists, scholars, and even craftsmen run to the piers, eager to admire the intricate details and unique designs of the ships.
The light from the setting sun danced off the ships' polished surfaces, casting a golden glow over the bustling scene.
Each ship extended a folded bridge towards the dock, allowing their crews to disembark onto the pier. The crew members, dressed in white and navy uniforms, stepped onto the pier with pride.
The crowd could see each crew member wearing the same small object with a different inscription on their right chest and a small metal emblem, each representing their respective ship.
The last to disembark from each ship appeared to be an older man with different uniforms from the rest of the crew.
They wore suit jackets with black and gold trim, adorned with various medals and ribbons. As they made their way down the gangway, the crew members of each ship lined up in formation, standing at attention to show their respect for the four older men.
"Attention!" One of the crew members shouted, and the entire assembly snapped to attention.
The four older men walked down the line, inspecting each crew member with a discerning eye. They walked past the lined-up crew to Sebas, stopping a short distance in front of him and saluting him.
"My lord," said one of the older men, his voice filled with reverence. "We are honored to have you here today."
"Captain Wolfgang, it's an honor meeting you. I've heard great things about you." Sebas replied with a humble nod.
"The honor is mine, my lord." Wolfgang replied with a slight bow. "Your reputation precedes you, and we are grateful for the opportunity to serve under your command." The other three men nodded in agreement.
"I want to start by thanking the four of you and your respective crew for accepting my request here." Sebas said sincerely.
"Your request is our command, sire." The other captain, Rudolph, said with a firm salute. "We are prepared to give our utmost dedication and loyalty to your cause."
"That's very kind of you all," Sebas responded with a grateful smile. "I'm sure Demiurge has already briefed you before hand."
"Yes, sire. Lord Demiurge has provided us with all the necessary information regarding the request you made." Wolfgang confirmed. "We are well-informed and ready to execute the mission according to your instructions. Rest assured, sire, we will not disappoint you."
"Thank you very much, Wolfgang. Now, as all of you know, Carne does not have enough naval power to defend itself against potential threats from neighboring countries. Therefore, I have requested your assistance in strengthening our naval forces." Sebas continued, addressing the rest of the group. "I trust that each of you has been briefed on the specific tasks and objectives that need to be accomplished."
"Yes, sir." The four captains responded in unison.
"Splendid. In the meantime, I want your crew members to train everyone who joined our new naval forces. We need to ensure that they are fully equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to contribute effectively to our defense capabilities. From ship artillery to navigation and communication systems, every aspect must be covered. Additionally, I expect regular progress reports from each captain to track the training's success and address any challenges that may arise." Sebas finished his statement with a firm nod.
"Yes, sir." The four captains saluted in unison.
"That will be all. Dismiss." Sebas commanded, watching as the captains swiftly dispersed.
Sebas walked over to the village chief and extended his hand in gratitude.
"Chief, hang a board at the port entrance for the job postings, anyone interested in joining the training program can sign up there," Sebas suggested.
"Of course, Lord Sebas. I'll have it done immediately," the village chief replied, bowing respectfully.
Nemu and Enri walked around the piers, looking at the newly arrived gigantic ships and marveling at their impressive size.
"Enri, how do they build such massive ships?" Nemu asked, her eyes wide with curiosity. "I'm not so sure, but shaping hard metal into the form of a ship must require skilled craftsmen and advanced techniques," Enri replied.
"That word, what does it mean?" Nemu pointed at one of the ship's sides, where a foreign language was engraved. Enri squinted her eyes and tried to decipher the unfamiliar characters.
"I can't read it either, Nemu. It seems like a language from a distant land. But from what I heard from the people applying for the job, those two front letters mean 'BB' while the two numbers in the back seem to be '61'. So together they spell out 'BB-61'," Enri explained.
"BB-61? What a weird name for a ship," Nemu commented, her curiosity piqued.
"No, Nemu. BB-61 is the designation for a battleship. It stands for 'Battleship 61'. The actual ship name I believe from the book I read in the school is called Iowa." Enri explained.
"I what?" Nemu asked in confusion.
"I-o-wa," Enri clarified. "Apparently, that ship was built millions of years ago and belonged to a country called the United States. It was one of the most powerful battleships of its time."
"That ship? Millions of years old? No way." Nemu exclaimed, skepticism evident in her voice.
"I don't know myself, but the three other ships were built around the same time, and they were all incredibly advanced for their era," Enri replied.
"What about that one? The fifth ship looks even weirder, and bigger... and scarier." Nemu asked, pointed towards the massive vessel looming in the distance.
"That ship is apparently a different type altogether," Enri explained. "It's called a hybrid ship, a combination of different ship designs."
"A hybrid?" Nemu repeated, her curiosity piqued. "How does that work? I've never heard of such a thing before."
"The way the concept works is that I believe a hybrid ship combines the strengths of different types of ships to create a more versatile and powerful vessel," Enri replied. "This one, for example, is a combination of a battleship, a carrier, a submarine, and a jet, whatever that means."
"What do those different types of ships mean exactly?" Nemu asked.
"A battleship is a type of heavily armed and armored warship designed for combat on the open seas, like those three, they are called battleships. A carrier is a large warship that serves as a mobile airbase, capable of launching and recovering aircraft. Apparently, an aircraft is a large, bird-like metal creature that can fly and attack by dropping explosives. A submarine is a type of watercraft that is capable of operating underwater, as in diving below the surface of the water like a fish and navigating silently. Jet, on the other hand, is a rather broad term that refers to an aircraft propelled by jet engines. Jet engines themselves mean that the aircraft is powered by the forceful expulsion of hot gases. These engines are known for their high speed and efficiency, allowing jets to travel at supersonic speeds and cover long distances in a shorter amount of time." Enri explained each term to Nemu.
"So how did those combinations work for one ship?" Nemu asked curiously.
"Well, you get a ship capable of taking and dishing out damage, launch metal birds that drop bombs, dive under the water to avoid detection, and still be able to fly into the air just like a bird can. Effectively able to dominate both the sky and the sea," Enri replied.
"Sounds unfair," Nemu commented, raising an eyebrow.
"It does seem like it." Enri nodded in agreement.
Nemu and Enri watched as a crew from one of the ships docked, jogging around the pier, followed by the people applying for jobs on the ship.
"Come on, men. Sing as you move them legs," one of the crew members shouted, leading the group in a lively chant.
Nemu and Enri exchanged amused glances, watching the new cadets already running out of breath. It was clear that the crew had high expectations for their recruits.
"Oh, I thought I heard the old man say..." The crewman leading the cadets sang loudly.
"Leave her, Johnny, leave her!" The cadets joined in.
"Tomorrow ye will get your pay..." The crewman sang, his voice carrying across the ship.
The cadets struggled to keep up with the pace, but they kept pushing their legs and lungs to their limits. Sweat dripped down their foreheads as they desperately tried to prove themselves worthy of the job.
"And it's time for us to leave her!" The cadets continued where the crewman left off.
"Leave her, Johnny, leave her..." The crewman nodded approvingly, impressed by the cadets' determination and commitment.
"Oh, leave her, Johnny, leave her!" The cadets sang in unison.
"For the voyage is long and the winds don't blow... And it's time for us to leave her!" Both the crewman and the cadets belted out the chorus.
"There you go! Come on, men. Ten more laps, double time!" The crewman exclaimed, causing the cadets to exhale in exhaustion.
10th Floor, Nazarick
Everyone was gathered in the grand hall of the 10th floor, Nazarick. The air was thick with anticipation as they awaited Momonga's arrival.
After the battle two days ago, everyone has already recovered from their injuries and is back to their usual selves.
The crowd whispered excitedly among themselves, speculating on what Momonga's order might be, and after a while, Supreme Being Momonga projected his astral form into the grand hall.
His presence commanded immediate attention, and the room fell silent as everyone kneeled before him.
"Children," he began, his voice echoing through the hall. "I am pleased to see all of you still alive and have recovered your strength. Your resilience and determination are truly commendable."
"My Lord!" Everyone exclaimed in unison, their voices filled with reverence and loyalty.
"I and your respective parents have conferred and decided that the threat level is severely inaccurate. This campaign will no longer be in Category 6, but rather in Category 10 Special." Momonga paused for a moment, letting the gravity of his words sink in. "From this forward, you will need to prepare for a much more challenging and dangerous journey. The enemies you will face are of a completely different caliber, requiring even greater skill and strategy to overcome, and I would like to address that now."
"As you might know from your battle against Harina, none of you could compare to her, even if you united your strengths. I'm sure all of you have heard it from her mouth directly, but yes, what she's talking about is the truth and the truth only."
Everyone fell silent as the weight of their previous loss against Harina sank in.
"Harina... also known as The Heiress, is indeed my daughter and Pandora's older sister." Momonga revealed, his voice filled with a mix of pride and sadness. "She was the first among you to be born, and she inherited all of our powers into one condensed form. She possesses an unparalleled combination of everything: intelligence, strength, mental acuity, creativity, pragmatism, and most importantly, a strong sense of justice."
As Momonga spoke, the room fell into hushed reverence, each member of the group processing the magnitude of Harina's existence.
The weight of their previous loss against her suddenly seemed even more daunting, as they realized they were up against a formidable opponent who possessed an extraordinary array of abilities.
They realize there is never any chance to win against Harina, as she embodies the epitome of power and skill.
"Being the eldest amongst all of you, she has seen everything the universe has to offer. From the good, the bad, and the ugly, Harina has witnessed it all." Momonga explained.
"As such, she slowly came to the realization that we Supreme Beings were the one thing that made the universe the way it is today, imperfection staining the pure canvas of creation, the tumor that needs to be removed for the universe to reach its true potential. With her unparalleled power and wisdom, Harina has taken it upon herself to correct this imbalance and confronted us Supreme Beings, challenging our authority and seeking to restore harmony to the universe." Momonga explained in sadness.
"What happens then?" Pandora asked. "She said you and the other Supreme Beings banished her to the Abyss, an inescapable prison where she would be stripped of her powers and trapped for eternity, and yet she not only escaped but also broke other equally evil beings out of their prisons."
"We did. After she confronted us, my friends tried to warn me of her soon-to-be moral corruption, but I was blinded by my own love for my own daughter and refused to believe them. I thought I could save her from the darkness, but instead, I inadvertently made things worse by not listening to their warnings."
"As a result, I not only lost my daughter but also uncountable innocent lives due to her actions. She rampaged through multiple galaxies before I finally made the difficult decision to stop her myself. It was a heartbreaking realization that I had failed as a parent and as a guardian of the universe." Momonga paused, his voice filled with regret and sorrow.
"I never imagined that my unconditional love could blind me to the truth and lead to such devastating consequences. If you want to blame someone, I would be the first to blame. I should have seen the signs and intervened earlier, but I was too consumed by my love for her. It's a burden I will carry for the rest of my existence, knowing that my negligence caused so much pain and destruction." Momonga's voice trailed off, his remorse palpable in the air.
"Father, she said something about restarting the entire universe." Pandora looked at Momonga with concern and confusion. "What do you mean by restarting the entire universe?"
"Killing us, Supreme Beings." Momonga said with a heavy sigh. "She believed that by eliminating us, the creators of this world, she could reset everything and create a new, perfect universe, one without any flaws or imperfections. She saw our existence as a hindrance to her vision of a utopian reality."
"And can she?" Pandora asked. "Is it possible for her to actually restart the entire universe and achieve her vision?"
"Though it has never happened, technically, with all of the Supreme Beings dead and her being the heiress, there is a possibility that she could take all of our power and make her vision a reality. However, how successful she would be in creating a flawless universe remains uncertain." Momonga said in trepidation.
"One person can't bear the weight to control the entire universe." Albedo said with a hint of skepticism.
"Not unless said person already has the knowledge and understanding of every aspect of the universe, which she gained from us through her entire life around us." Momonga quipped.
"Then we must stop her... at all costs." Pandora stood up and clenched his fists. "I'm not about to sit around and let her do whatever she damn well pleases."
"Me too."
"Me too."
"So do I."
"Sign me up as well."
One by one, they started to join Pandora in his resolve to stop Harina, each of them expressing their determination to prevent her from carrying out her plans.
Momonga watched them raise their hands one by one, following his son's lead. He felt a surge of pride and relief knowing that he wasn't alone in this fight against his daughter, whom he had exiled.
"Father, we will stop her... and you can bet we will give it everything we've got," Pandora declared, his voice filled with conviction.
Momonga sighed and stood back up to his full height, his gaze meeting Pandora's.
"I believe in each and every one of you," he said, his voice steady. "Together, we will put an end to Harina's destructive path and bring her back to the family she once was a part of."
Everyone nodded at Momonga's words, their eyes flared with determination. Momonga stretched his hands outward, and his crimson eyes burned with an intense fire.
"Very well!" Momonga exclaimed, his voice booming with authority. "You won't be alone in this fight. I present to you the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, formerly The Swords of Darkness."
The Four Horsemen sat on top of their horses, galloping their horses slowly towards them.
Pandora and Narberal squinted their eyes at Peter, Lukrut, Dyne, and Ninya, who had now become completely different entities.
The transformation was astounding, as their once timid and inexperienced selves had been replaced by fierce warriors radiating power and confidence.
"I knew it! It was you all along." Pandora exclaimed.
"Mr. P, nice to see you again." Peter said with a grin, his voice now deeper and more commanding. "We've come a long way since our days as The Swords of Darkness. Also, I'm no longer Peter, I'm now Guerra, the horseman of war."
"I'm Conquista, formerly Lukrut, horsemen of conquest." Lukrut joins in, reintroducing himself to Pandora.
"I'm Carestia, formerly Dyne, horsemen of famine." Dyne chimed in as well.
"And I'm Morte, formerly Ninya, now horsemen of death." Ninya reintroduced herself.
"Father?" Pandora glanced at Momonga.
"A little assistance for you and your peers." Momonga said.
"A very welcome one." Pandora replied gratefully. "We could definitely use the extra help, especially with our upcoming battles. Thank you, Father."
Momonga then walked towards the throne in the center, ascending the flight of stairs with regal grace. Momonga raised his hands in a commanding gesture, silencing the room.
"Everyone... Operation Grand Repossession begins now."
Somewhere south-west of Slane Theocracy
"Boss, good news and bad news." Barada said as he entered the dimly lit room where Harina was sitting at a large wooden desk, poring over a stack of papers.
"Speak." Harina replied curtly, not looking up from her work.
"The good news is your prediction is correct, Sebas has reinforced Carne with three battleships and a cruiser." Barada reported.
"Bad news?" Harina asked shortly, still engrossed in her papers, and picked up a glass of wine from her desk.
"The bad news is... 'That' asset is also in their hands. That ship is now their flagship." Barada paused, allowing the weight of his words to sink in.
Harina crushed the glass in her hand in frustation. She swept the broken shards off her desk.
"I'm sorry, what did you say?" Harina asked, staring at him in hidden anger.
"The four-in-one ship, they have it... It's now their flagship." Barada repeated.
Harina crossed her fingers, locking her hands tightly together, trying to contain her rising frustration. She took a deep breath and forced herself to remain calm as she processed the information before chuckling maniacally to herself.
"How about our other asset, Barada?" Harina asked calmly.
"Safe and sound, boss." Barada replied with a reassuring nod.
"Very nice," Harina said, a devilish smile playing on her lips. "Tell me the specification."
"Four kilometers long, 780 meters wide, and equipped with everything you might want. All the good stuff, plus a bonus." Barada leaned back in his chair, a smug expression on his face. "It's a beauty, boss. Floating fortress won't even do it justice."
Harina clapped her hands together, like a devil scheming her next move.
"Very nice, Barada." Harina said.
"You want to take a look at it yourself?" Barada suggested, raising an eyebrow.
"Of course," Harina replied with a mischievous smile. "I wouldn't want to miss the chance to explore our new masterpiece firsthand."
Volume 1 Final Chapter Special Outro song :
DEUTSCHLAND
Rammstein
Barada stood up from his chair and walked over to the glass panel on the wall. He pressed the button, and the glass panel slid open, revealing a breathtaking view of the assembly line below.
Thousands and thousands of the vessels were being assembled by the automated machines, each meticulously welded and fitted together.
Cannons, missile launchers, energy shields, and various other weapons were being carefully integrated into the vessels.
"How many have we completed so far?" Harina asked, her eyes overlooking the bustling assembly line.
"Two thousand units are ready, with ten thousand more well on the way." Barada responded, his voice filled with pride. "Our production rate has been steadily increasing, and we are on track to meet our target ahead of schedule."
"Good." Harina nodded, a satisfied smile playing on her lips. "Time to bring the hammer down on our enemies."
"Fucking right," Barada replied.
"Der Tag des Endes ist auf dich zustoßen... Vater."
Special Thanks
CypherTails and his fanfiction, Primordials, for being the basis of inspiration for my own fanfiction.
Fellow Overlord fanfiction author Duke Cheburek, I used his idea for a special intelligence division and incorporated it into my own story.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, for providing free Youtube lectures that have allowed me to learn and understand nuclear engineering, quantum mechanics, and biochemistry by Michael Short,Allan Adams, andElizabeth Nolan, respectively.
Wikipedia, for general information about various topics that I incorporated into my fic, such as historical events, scientific concepts, military-related things, and many more.
website, for providing a platform that helped me develop and refine the personalities and interactions of my fanfiction characters.
Special shout goes out to HyperGlot by xpearhead, which allowed me to easily translate dialogue between different languages for authenticity, like German, Latin, Italian, Russian, and Mandarin Chinese.
Quillbot, for the free grammar and spelling correction tool that ensured my writing was error-free and polished.
Kind citizens of r/FanFiction and r/AO3 who have given me valuable feedback and encouragement while also sharing their own fanfic stories And Jesus, I've read some really hilarious posts, and goddamn, have I laughed out loud. Keep it up, you crazy motherfuckers.
My beta reader and legal adviser, who also happens to be my sister, Lulu... There, I said it. Are you happy now, you bratty ass sister?
Disclaimer
I do not own Overlord or any of its characters. This fanfiction is purely for entertainment purposes and is not intended to infringe upon the original creator's rights. All credit goes to Kugane Maruyama and everyone involved.
I do not own any of the songs I've used for the opening and closing themes of my fanfic. All rights and credit for the music go to their respective artists and creators. I simply used the songs because they fit with the theme and atmosphere of each chapter.
Nostalgia is a property of Superman Is Dead and Sony Music Entertainment Indonesia.
Hayloft II (SMASHUP) is a property of Mother Mother and Last Gang Records.
Walk With Me In Hell is a property of Lamb of God and Epic Records.
Hitogata (Rock) is a property of HimeHina and their respective record labels.
Requiem is a property of Avenged Sevenfold and Warner Bros. Records.
R is a property of Roselia and Bushiroad Music.
Shoot To Thrill is a property of AC/DC and Albert Productions.
Voices is a property of Distubed and Reprise Records.
Dance Macabre is a property of Ghost and Loma Vista Recordings.
Bang Bang is a property of Green Day and Reprise Records.
Unstoppable is a property of The Score and Republic Records.
Makka is a property of Yuyoyuppe and their respected label. Although I use the cover version by Futakuchi Mana, the original song is owned by Yuyoyuppe and their respective labels.
The Masquerade is a property of Cantervice and FiXT Music.
Fight For The Right is a property of Neo Japonism and their respective labels.
Omens is a property of Lamb of God and Epic Records.
Real Gone is a property of Sheryl Crow and Walt Disney Records.
Set The World On Fire is a property of Black Veil Brides and Lava Records/Universal Republic.
Clattanoia is a property of OxT and their respective labels.
Deutschland is a property of Rammstein and Universal.
I would like to apologize to the original author and any fans of the original work if my fanfic unintentionally deviates from the original story or characters. I have tried my best to stay true to the essence of the world and its characters while adding my own unique twist.
I'm only responsible for the original characters I've added and any changes I've made to the plot. I apologize if any of the original characters I've made are based on the likeness of certain real people or fictional characters. I assure you that it was not my intention to offend or infringe upon anyone's rights.
Some of the real-life World War II ships depicted in this story have been fictionalized for the purpose of the narrative. I do not own the rights to these real-life ships or their historical significance.
USS Iowa is a property of the United States Navy and its builder, the New York Naval Yard.
HMS Belfast is a property of the British Royal Navy and their builder, Harland and Wolff.
IJN Yamato is a property of the Imperial Japanese Navy and its builder, the Kure Naval Arsenal.
KMS Bismarck is a property of the German Navy and its builder, Blohm & Voss.
Dunia Atas and Dunia Bawah are purely fictional creations of multiple real-world countries. Anything depicted in this fictional creation is not representative of any real-world properties or builders.
The main antagonist of this story, Harina, is taken from the name of an Indonesian train. KA Harina is a property of the Indonesian Railway Company and its builder, PT INKA (Industri Kereta Api). I do not own any rights to the trains, I just have a sentimental attachment and love-hate relationship with the train and its cargo car.
The AI depicted in this story, Charon, is taken from Greek mythology, while his personality is inspired by the F.R.I.D.A.Y. of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. I do not own any rights to the Greek mythology or the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but I found their elements intriguing and decided to incorporate them into my story.
Grand Repossession will always fall under the international law of fanfiction and will not be released as its own standalone work. This fanfiction will always be free for all readers to enjoy and will not be monetized in any way. I only post my fanfiction on platforms that allow for free distribution, such as or Archive of Our Own, any other platforms that may host my fanfiction without my consent are unauthorized and should be reported.
This is purely a work of fiction, anything depicted in the fanfiction is not based on any real-life events or historic events of any kind.