The Dustbin

by LoneTaker

The actual professor that was supposed to teach at the Officer's Academy before being replaced by a mercenary of all people, due to the former's unforeseen absence, now finds himself teaching/leading the worst class in Garreg Mach, comprised of the academy's worst students, as their sole Professor. Things cannot get any worse from there, right? Right?

56. Day 56: Extra Credit

The Dustbin

Day 56: Extra Credit

---

8th of Pegasus Moon, Morning

---

The snow of winter months of Fodlan began to cease its descent, the dying throes of this frigid season slowly making way for the lush green spring season just around the corner.

"... And just to clarify, when you were struck by that spell, you felt as if all of your body's functions were ceasing?"

Under the gazebo were none other than Byron and Topaz, the former interrogating the latter as he'd sought to expand his spell repertoire.

"It was no ordinary bolt of lightning," the little Hassashin explained, her mutant features obscured by an all-oiscifuating cloak and cloth mask that cover her fangs, "... it felt as if the spell was deliberately targeting my internals in a meticulous order. First I felt my lungs stop taking in air, then my heartbeat slowing down to a complete stop, and finally the rest of my insides slowly going ice-cold until my mind snapped back into reality, pulling me from the brink, but still weakened to the point where a stiff breeze would've likely killed me."

Byron gives Topaz a look. "... No masturbating, please," he requested. "Other people use this space."

"Sorry," she apologized. "... It's not every day that you run into those... sinful sensations."

"Ignoring that," Byron remarked as he continued taking reference notes for his self-development of his [Bohr X] used by Solon, "... what about [Quake Σ]? Anything you've noticed?"

"For one, it appears that the spell requires direct contact with solid ground, and two, said contact must be bare handed," she shared her observations. "After that, the ground it came contact with begins to go through a similar phenomenon akin to that of an earthquake."

"I see, I see," he nodded as he took more notes. "... So I suppose that there requires a significant amount of mana to cause said phenomenon... that said, she attempted to use it twice."

"Yes, which is slightly concerning," agreed Topaz as the two were then spotted by other students heading towards their direction. "... Pardon, but do you require the usage of this space?"

"Yeah," said a male Blue Lions student. "I'm trying to bake pastries with my [Thunder] spell."

"I'm here to see how it'll go," said a female Golden Deer student as she took out her notebook, which prompted Byron to put his away. "

"I'm just here for the free food," said a portly-looking Black Eagles student. "... You can stay around if you'd like."

"Pass," Byron got up with Topaz. "You three have fun with your escapades. Don't let us filth ruin your fun."

As the two walked away, the other three looked on in befuddlement.

"... I was trying to be nice," said the portly Black Eagles student.

"Well, I heard that their last incursion, literally everyone involved nearly got themselves killed," said the Golden Deer student. "No specifics so far, but apparently, it was really bad. Can't blame em for being so shaken."

"Sucks to be those blowhards then," shrugged the Blue Lions students as he then took out a tray of glutinous dough balls out into the open. "Alright, let's get this baking experiment started!"

The [Thunder] spell was heard firing as Byron walked Topaz away from public view. "... You know, bandaging yourself up like Vidar wouldn't be such a bad idea."

"Doubt it," she then showed her digitigrade legs before stowing them away.

"Fair enough," he nodded as both he and Topaz runs into Sorcha and Selene. "Oh, hey you two. Fancy meeting you two out here."

"Sup," greeted Sorcha while her twin sister looked about in other directions. "... Ye know where de Professor is-?"

"GET AWAY FROM ME, YOU PERSISTENT PSYCHO!" screeched Karna's voice before it was then followed up by the man himself running past the four students like a bat out of hell.

"WAIT!" spoke a scholarly voice that was then followed up with the appearance of Hanneman. He tried to run after Karna, but his advanced age and the base disparity between his atheism and his pursuit's causes the slightly-wizened Professor to hunch over in exhaustion.

"... Found 'im," Selene replied as the others looked at the heaving Hanneman. "... At least about five seconds ago."

"You know that the Professor won't give you his blood for your Crest machine, right?" deadpanned Byron.

"It's not that...*wheeze*... about that," the elderly Professor remarked.

"Den wat?" asked Sorcha.

"If it's anything not of significant concern, then I'm leaving," Topaz pointed out as she then made her way to the Abyss.

"... It's Manuela!" Hanneman revealed. "She's been kidnapped by the Death God Bandits!"

Byron's eyebrows perked up as Topaz's ears twitched at the mention of that group's name. "... Elaborate."

Hanneman then looks around before slowly getting back up. "... Can we talk elsewhere?"

---

At the Abyss/Topaz's Room...

---

"So, what brings us all here?" asked Cyrus as the rest of the Dustbin and Professor Karna all gathered in a small domicile found in the underground society now run by the Ashen Wolves.

"I'll start from the beginning," the Professor explained. "... You see, Manuela has been a little... incensed ever since she'd been assaulted by the Death Knight during Flayn's kidnapping. So when she'd happened to overhear a rumor from a student that the culprit himself has been allegedly spotted in the Sealed Forest in the Empire's territory around last week..."

"She went there after you accidentally or purposely called her stupid, by herself, in enemy territory, and ran into the wrong people?" Hanneman nods at Karna's statement. "... Goddess bless her heart for trying, but she really shouldn't have done that."

"Please!" begged the elder Professor. "Even if she's got only herself to blame, we cannot abandon her!"

"Alright, but we ain't doin' this for free," Karna then took no time to seize the leverage. "We want three things from this."

"Anything," nodded Hanneman.

"One! After this, leave me the hell alone," Karna remarked. "Do not even ask for my blood, and everything that you've got from the samples that I saw you sneaking out of the waste bins from the bandages that were from my wounds, and yes, I know, burn it. Every, single, page. Pull any wool over my eyes, and I'll set your entire study on fire, with you in it, tied to a chair."

"Ooh, right for the jugular," Byron gleefully remarked as he and the others watched Hanneman squirm.

"And two!" Karna continued. "I want complete access to your Crest research for my students. We'll respect your boundaries, sans for what we're allowed to read."

"... Pretty tame," remarked Cyrus. "I mean, for people like Byron, it's heaven. But no monetary rewards? Kind of a missed opportunity."

"It's reasonable," Topaz pointed out. "If we start asking for money, then we'll be held liable for coercion and extortion."

"Fair enough," nodded the Battuian as Karna continued his demands.

"AND THREE!" the cloaked Professor remarked. "... I want a night out with Manuela."

"... Dat's it?" Sorcha blinked.

"Nope, he's serious," remarked Selene. "I can see his pants bulge like de time de boys cornered me in the restroom before ye saved me arse."

Vidar grunted in disappointment. "... Sounds like... Sylvain."

"Whatever counts for motivation," Byron smirked.

"Those are your conditions?" Hanneman squinted. "The termination of all materials pertaining to you, a full access to my research and study, and you want me to set up a date night with you and Manulea after her rescue?"

"Don't worry, I'll pay for the date," he reassured. "My taste in women is none of your concern."

Hanneman sighs. "... Very well," he complied. "I'm coming with you lot. Just so that I don't avoid responsibility for what had transpired..."

The eight then make their way out of Topaz's room and make their back up to the surface with a rescue mission in mind.

"... So, gotta ask," Sorcha spoke. "Why did ye ask us fur 'elp in de first place?"

"... Yeh," Selene nodded. "... Dun't ye 'ave Byleth 'nd 'er class to ask fur 'elp?

"She and her father are still grieving," Hanneman pointed out. "The funeral for her long-lost mother and her father's men from your incursion was just last week. She needed the space to mourn, so asking her now would be... insensitive of me."

"Oh and like we have nothing going on for ourselves..." grumbled Cyrus before Byron raised his hand.

"This is fine," the Eligor remarked as he then gave a wink to Cyrus. "... We need the exercise lest we all go stir-crazy."

The group then ends up right where the Abysskeeper was stationed at. "Headin' up?"

Karna nodded. "... So got the things I requested?"

"Just a heads-up," the Brigand guard glared slightly at the cloaked Professor, "this place ain't your or the Church's personal dungeon. So don't get used to it, got it?"

"Fingers crossed," the Professor and the rest all then walks past the guard and towards the surface.

"... So, have to ask," asked Cyrus. "How's the Abyss doing?"

"Not as bad as I anticipated," answered Topaz. "The Ashen Wolves quickly took charge of the situation after the initial panic, and those trying to take advantage of it, I snuffed the perpetrators out and handed them to the new leaders to do as what they will. Thought I'd get some preliminary training in as an Espio."

"Speaking of that shithole's leadership..." Karna grumbled, "... Hanne, my man. You know when Aelfric's trial is? I've been busy with my own shit that I've lost track."

"His hearing starts next week," the elderly Professor remarked. "... I've heard the brief overview of what's happening, and speaking of which, here."

Karna was then handed an envelope with the Church's insignia stamped onto the wax seal.

"I've also been meaning to give you this," he remarked. "The Archbishop also told me that the trial is meant to be closed-door, so I won't be in there to hear it myself. All I can say is, may the Goddess have mercy on his soul."

"Given what kind of shit he'd pulled, I doubt he'd be begging for mercy," Karna remarked as he and the others made their way back up to the surface and run into Shamir. "... Oh right, I forgot that you and your girlfriend were sent to investigate the surge of bandit activity happening at the Empire. You here to stop us?"

"Quite the opposite," the Sniper remarked as she then presented a written order approved by Seteth. "You're all coming with us."

Karna smirked in semi-grim anticipation as he groped onto his hidden [Master Seal] underneath his robes. "Coolio."

---

Deep Within the Sealed Forest...

---

"LET ME GO, YOU BASTARDS!" screeched Manuela as she was pinned to the wall on a giant target. "ALL OF YOU WON'T GET AWAY WITH THIS-!"

A silver cutlery than zipped past the kidnapped Professor's cheek, drawing blood as the steak knife embedded itself onto the wall behind her, causing her to shut up.

"... Hm," spoke a sultry voice from the darkness, "while I enjoy mutton on occasion, this cut of meat is just drab and gamey. No traces of youths sans but squandered hopes and dreams."

From the darkness, two Warriors each with a tattoo depicting a skull with a pair of scythes crossed behind it on their biceps emerged.

"Dearest brother Hypnos, must this wench keep yapping about?" spoke one Warrior, his eloquent voice and tone clashing horribly with his brutish appearance.

"Such is the cruel fate of women past their prime, dear Moros," spoke another, matching in his twin's tone.

"Our cadre is horribly misinformed of the appeal of this woman," spoke Moros. "Strip of her facade and all you see is common cattle. Remove of her clothing, and naught remains but flabby, horribly aged meat."

"DID YOU JUST CALL ME HORRIBLY AGED?!" Manuela barked before a speeding fork brushes past her neck.

"Oh my, we must've displeased our ladyship," Hypnos remarked.

"Nay," spoke the voice from the darkness. "She makes me the gravest of ill just beholding at her, but our dearest guests insisted that she still yet breathes."

"Who?!" Manuela asked. "WHO'S YOUR SO-CALLED GUEST-?!"

"Me."

From the dark, a pair of glowing red eyes shone through before a horned visage revealed itself between the Warrior twins.

"... Death Knight," uttered the Professor. "SO THE RUMORS WERE TRUE-!"

"No," he debunked her theory. "I just visited yesterday to deliver some people while evading sentry. But alas, why were you seeking me out? And all the way out here of all places?"

"Well, I still have yet to owe you for what you've done several months ago!" Manuela pointed out. "Kidnapping an innocent girl, posing as one of our own for several months, and almost marring my porcelain-like skin!"

"... Brother, she's full of herself," whispered Moros.

"Agreed," nodded Hypnos. "I've seen common earthenware have smoother surfaces than that abrasive-looking wench."

"Hey! I can still hear you two!" Manuela barked out.

"We honestly hope that you can," smirked Moros.

"So revenge, is it?" the Death Knight mused. "How confident of yourself and of your prowess."

The Death Knight then snatches Manuela by her manacles before snapping the metal bindings off around her wrists.

"WHAT ART THOU DOING, DEAREST GUEST?!" shouted Hypnos.

"Explain yourself," spoke the voice in the dark.

"The woman you desired since year of 1175 has been spotted going in and out between here and the monastery," the Death Knight explained. "They're planning a siege to take this entire area, hence why I've come on behalf of my clients."

From the side, a beam of light shines into the darkness. "OI! THE KNIGHTS OF SEIROS ARE HERE!"

"So feel free to indulge in what you and your lot do best, 'Mistress of Mortal Mayhem and Mutilation'... gods, what a mouthful," sighed the Death Knight as he kept Manuela cornered despite her being freed. "I'll do all of you the kindness of dealing with her myself on our captive's insistence."

The sultry voice lets out a seething sigh. "If that is what you wish, fellow student of death," she remarked. "Hypnos, Moros, it's time to put our unwelcome guests to their eternal rests."

"Finally, something to cleanse our palates of the taste of lead and desperation," gagged Moros as he picked up his [Venin Axe].

"Fresh meat at their peaks are abound," giggled Hypnos as he brandished his [Killer Axe], licking its blade with a hungry look in his eyes. "Let us feast on the weak until our bellies are round!"

"For we are the Death God Bandits!" the voice in the dark dramatically declared. "We are Death incarnate! It's children and executors of all mortal fates!"

"HURRY THE FUCK UP, YOU MELODRAMATIC YOBBOS!" exclaimed the man as he exited towards his position. "... Gods, why are we scraping at the bottom of the barrel for our allies?"

As soon as they've left, only Manuela and the Death Knight were left in the dim room. Just before the former could say anything, she then hears something clattering before her feet.

She kneels down to find an [Elixir] and a fully pre-charged [Levin Sword] on the ground.

"Pick it up," demanded the Death Knight as he readied himself into a stance to draw his [Cursed Ashiya Sword]. "If it's revenge that thou art seeks, then come!"

---

At the Siege Site Surrounding the Death God Bandits's Holdout...

---

"Hey party people!" greeted Karna as they've arrived at the siege site surrounding a mountain compound. "What'd I miss?!"

"We've just started," Catherine remarked as the rest of her men kept the bandits in while trying to break into their holdout. "All possible paths of retreat for the enemy have been blocked off. All we need to do now is to keep them inside long enough for us to launch a proper raid."

"Any updates on the state of the enemy?" asked Shamir.

"We've confirmed that yes, the Death Knight is present inside," the Swordmaster explained. "Our prior surveys of seeking out remnants of Miklan's cartel led us to this place. My guess is that the remnants are trying to reestablish a presence by linking up with the other pre-established group of ne'er do wells."

"Kinda like that fraudulent cure scheme back during the sickness outbreak," Topaz pointed out. "As long as even a single one survives long enough to walk free, they're just going to try again."

"Good thing we've got them cornered," remarked Byron.

Vidar then scratches his head before speaking. "... Byron... remember... Death God... Bandits?"

"... Oh right!" Cyrus remarked. "You ended up as an orphan because of them! Know anything of them?"

"Well, from my research, the Death God Bandits are a bunch of tryhards who don't discriminate who they bury their axes into," explained the Eligor. "Fancying themselves of as some sort of 'children of Death,' they're infamous for leaving no one alive on their raids, save for yours truly of course. Melodramatic personalities aside, they're a bloodthirsty lot as they come."

Hanneman pales upon hearing their description. "... And she of all people were taken by those thugs?!"

"Made even more concerning that now we can surmise that the rumors of the Death Knight being here is true..." groaned Karna. "... Alright, so I got a plan. Catherine and Shamir's group of men are going to have to keep the bandits in the compound, Cyrus, Vidar, and Sorcha are going to have to act as our forward and the center of enemy attention, Topaz is going to have to sneak inside and perform sabotage to their inner workings and find where Manuela is being kept at. Do whatever you want as long as you don't get caught."

"Right," she nodded as she braced herself. "... Gonna have to go back to the old ways after straying."

"As for me and Byron, we're gonna provide supporting fire," the cloaked Professor stated. "Selene, you and Hanneman are going up in the air and rain hell down on our enemies. Mind the arrows and anti-air spells."

"I also see enemy fliers up dere too," Selene pointed up towards the Pegasus Knights being harassed by Church Snipers. "I'll see if I can deal with em."

"Shamir, you stick with me and Byron to keep the enemy heads down-," then from the corner of his eye, he spots a [Meteor] falling towards their position. "INCOMING!"

Everyone leapt out of the way lest they were mulched under the scorching fireball that fell from the sky.

"OKAY! WHO SHOT THAT AT US?!" Catherine remarked as another Swordmaster rushed towards her.

"WE HAVE AN UPDATE!" he cried out. "THE ENEMY HAS GAINED ACCESS TO ILLEGAL PROMOTION [-SEALS]!"

"WHAT?!" Catherine remarked in surprise. "SO WHAT ARE ARE THE ENEMY'S RANKS CONSIST OF NOW?!"

"... Warlocks, Grapplers, Heroes, Fortress Knights, Snipers, Pegasus Knights, and even more Warriors," he confirmed. "Also, their leader is now a Gremory."

"Well, three guesses where those could've come from..." Karna rolled his eyes. "... Alright. With that little revelation aside, we should head in like now."

"Mind de [Meteor] spells!" Selene remarked as she took Hanneman onto Morrigan's back before taking off.

"WAIT!" Hanneman cried out before he took off. "I'M AFRAID OF HEEEEIIIIGGGGHHTS!"

"Alright Topaz," Karna remarked as he readied [Hades Ω] as the elderly Professor's screams drew enemy fire towards their direction. "The rest of us will clear the way for you to sneak inside."

"Don't get caught, as per diem," she acknowledged.

"Alright, time for fireworks!" Karna then blasts his [Hades Ω] into the outpost's front gate. "KNOCK KNOCK! WE'RE HERE TO PLAY!"

Sorcha, Cyrus, Vidar, and Catherine all rush inside as they began their engagement with the enemy forces.

"BROTHERS OF DEATH!" cried the Hero bandit. "NOW WE FEAST!"

"YOU?! FEAST?!" Cyrus roared as he swung his [Gradivus] through several Warriors with Darius trampling on their laid bones. "YOU'RE THE FOOD HERE, SHITHEAPS! SO LINE YOURSELVES UP TO DIE!"

"Alright, chaos is in session," Karna ordered coolly as he and Byron stepped up. "Shamir and company, make it rain."

"Where?" asked one Sniper.

"Anywhere but here!" Byron replied as he readied his [Fimbulvetr] spell. "FIRE!"

A fusillade of arrows and spells hailed onto the enemy position, sewing further chaos that allowed the frontliners to pick off those found within the reach of their weapons.

"FOR FUCK'S SAKE!" one of the Heroes bemoaned as he ducked behind a barrel. "DO YOU GUYS EVEN HAVE ANY BACKUP PLANS?! ANY CANNONS OR DEFENSIVE STRUCTURES?!"

Suddenly, a full 16-pounder rolls up, pulled by Hypnos and Moros holding onto the artillery piece's chains.

"Ask and you shall receive!" spoke the Warrior as he then scratched a piece of flint against his [Killer Axe], lighting the fuse.

"FIRE!" barked Moros as the cannon shot towards the group's position, forcing them to flee the blast zone.

"WHEN THE FUCK DID BANDITS HAVE CANNONS?!" Catherine cried out as she scrambled out of the smoke.

"MAKE THEM RUN!" cackled Hypnos as he loaded the 16-pounder with its cannonball and black powder. "I LOVE THE LOOK OF FEAR ON THEIR FACES!"

"Maniacs..." grumbled the Hero. "... Look, I'll rally my boys and mount a proper counteroffensive, while you two cover our asses-"

"Cease your presumptions, hanger-on," spoke the Gremory. "Echidna the Mistress of Mayhem and Mutilation have no need of paltry things as plans! FIND THE WOMAN NAMED SHAMIR AND BRING HER TO ME! KILL THE REST!"

The Death God Bandits all rally around their leader's orders as they all recklessly charged out of the breach and forced an open engagement with the enemy, save for those who were part of Miklan's remnants.

"Suicidal bastards, the lot of you..." sighed the Hero as he then headed towards his own company. "Alright, we're gonna have to keep watch for anything funny. We're rearguard, so defensive positions!"

"FLIER, UP ABOVE!" pointed the Sniper at the griffin.

"OUR FLIERS GOT IT ON THE RUN!" said another.

"SHOOT EM DOWN!" the Hero then grabbed his [Short Axe] as he and the others tried to bring down the enemy flier along with their own Pegasus Knights patrolling the skies.

"THEY'RE COMING FROM TWO DIRECTIONS!" Hanneman panicked as Selene maneuvered around the thrown [Short Spears] coming from the Pegasus Knights.

"Den 'old on tight," Selene calmly remarked as she and Morrigan flew around the incoming crossing of barrages of projectiles while seamlessly shooting her [Crossbow] at one of the Pegasus Knights, striking her into her neck as she fell to her death. "One down!"

"MY HEART CAN'T TAKE ALL THIS!" the elderly Professor remarked. "WHY DID HE SEND ME OF ALL PEOPLE ON HERE?!"

"Byron's wearin' armor, and Professor Karna's bad luck mite end up gettin' us both struck by stray lightnin'!" Selene pointed out. "DAT, 'ND I NEED SOMEONE TE BE ME ALIBI SO DAT NO ONE CAN BLAME ME FUR DOIN' WEIRD SHITE OUT OF NOWHERE!"

At the entrance of the compound, the Church's Swordmasters led by Catherine engaged the lion's share of the enemy forces, while Cyrus, Vidar, and Sorcha tore themselves into the enemy forces.

"DIE YE MUTHAFEKERS!" roared Sorcha as she swung her massive [Adharma] blade, the slashing gale sending entire upper halves of bodies into the air. "COME AT ME ALL YE WANT! I'LL SEND YE BASTARDS TE DE WORMS!"

"LOWER... NUMBERS!" Vidar grunted as he rammed through the enemy ranks with his [Baigujing] gauntlets. "LOWER! ENEMY! NUMBERS!"

"Finally! An enemy that I can have fun with!" cackled Cyrus as he staked another Warrior's neck with his lance. Up ahead, he then spots new enemy types coming in. "ENEMY REINFORCEMENTS INCOMING!'

"Make em pay for coming," Karna remarked as he readied another spell. "Topaz, on my mark, get ready to sneak into the enemy base and find Manuela."

The Espio nods as the rearguards ready their next volley.

"Enemies reinforcements inbound," Shamir confirmed as she pulled back her [Silver Bow]. "Fire at will!"

"HIT THE DECK!" barked Cyrus as he and the others rode away from the incoming blast zone, only for the oncoming spells and arrows to be intercepted by a 16-pounder cannon shot combined with a [Bolting].

The two vectors collided, generating an explosion of obscuring smoke between the two sides.

"Stay on guard," ordered Catherine as she kept a firm grip around her [Thunderbrand]. "Looks like the leader has come out to play."

From the fading smoke emerged a Gremory whose face and hairstyle resembled Shamir's, only instead of being dark blue, the Gremory's hair faded into a more reddish-brown tint. And to further add to the list of contrasts between her and Shamir, her expression was that of a lustful sneer to the Sniper's cool and detached expression.

"... She your evil twin or something?" Karna asked Shamir, to which the latter groaned in annoyance.

"Oh if it isn't the apple to my eyes, Shamir!" the Gremory greeted the Sniper cheerly. "You've aged like fine wine, with none worse for wear!"

"... Who is she and how does she know you?!" asked Catherine.

"... My very first client," the Sniper answered. "Baroness Echidna Grimm."

"Oh honey, no need for formalities," the Shamir lookalike cooed, barely hiding her lust directed towards Shamir. "Just call me 'mistress' or yourself as 'bottom bitch.' You really shouldn't have spurned me after your first job."

"Elaborate," asked Karna.

"I just had to kill a few robbers spotted near her estate, and she paid me," Shamir explained. "... Not my fault that she overpaid."

"The extra was for you come with me to my bed, dear," Echidna pointed out. "... You're still my type, and even after over a decade rejecting my offer, I forgive you. But, I had to resort to... other means to satiate myself, so I must have you as my pet."

"Gross," gagged Catherine.

"Last I checked, I'm no prostitute," Shamir glared. "I only get paid to kill. I'm not that desperate."

"So finding a bandit group was your way of getting your rocks off?" Karna pointed out as he removed his hood to air out his head. "... I mean, there are better ways besides spreading terror across the lands."

The Gremory shuddered back in disgust. "... Hideous," she hissed. "How do you live with yourself? With that placid skin tone and body that looks it has been stretched out way too thin?"

"If you want, I can offer you to make face butt-ugly," Karna smirked as he brought out his twin flintlock pistols before firing the beads at her.

But from behind her, a pair of axes block the shots before revealing themselves to be identical-looking Warriors.

"Brother Moros, did that man-thing insult our ladyship?" asked Hypnos.

"My ears do not deceive me, brother Hypnos," confirmed Moros.

"Kill that man," growled Echidna, her visage reminiscent to Shamir's twisting with visible anger. "Slowly."

"Prepare for close-range engagement," ordered Karna as he then brought out his [Scythe of Sariel]. "TONIGHT WE DINE IN HELL!"

"QUIT STEALING FROM OUR LEXICON, YOU SIN OF NATURE!" Moros roared as he and his twin brother led the charge towards the Church Swordmasters and others accompanying them.

"Not that we're caring..." Byron rolled his eyes as his chameleon helmet sheathed over his whole head as he brought out his stolen [Hurricane Axe]. "Let the experiment begin."

As the two groups crashed into each other, Topaz quickly makes herself beneath notice amidst the chaos as she snuck her way through the enemy ranks while picking off a few along the way.

She'd try her luck with taking Echidna's head, but the Espio notices that the Gremory already had spotted her.

Her eye for detail is immaculate, Topaz thought, Selene's got competition. Can't tempt fate right here and now!

Even quicker, Topaz withdrawals from her attempt, allowing her to escape the observant Gremory's line of sight as she quickly made her way into the enemy's compound. Normally, her mutant strength would've let her muscle through the enemy ranks with ease, but after her near death experiences that has revealed her weaknesses and shortcomings, she made it her goal to not use her Demonic Beast powers as a cheap crutch.

"Just sew some chaos," she told herself as she then found a barrel of black powder before lighting a spark in it, causing the black grains to hiss. "Kill indirectly."

She quickly vacates the premises right as the barrels explode, catching the attention of all of Miklan's remnants.

"WHAT THE FUCK?!" the Hero exclaimed as soon as he smelled smoke after his ears rung like church bells. "SHIT! SOMEONE SLIPPED IN-!"

"INCOMING!" the Sniper screamed as he and their leader ran from the [Meteor] spell fired by Hanneman.

"Oh my..." shuddered Hanneman as Selene took out another Pegasus Knight with her [Crossbow]. "I doubt I'd hit the black powder room!"

"Dat wasn't ye, Professor," Selene remarked as she parried a Pegasus Knight's flying charge with her [Steel Lance]. "Think ye can now 'elp me?"

"I'm afraid it might be too soon!" Hanneman replied as he spotted the Snipers below aiming at them. "INCOMING ARROWS!"

As Topaz glanced at the sight of the griffin dodging more oncoming arrows, she then immediately returns to searching for where Manuela could be held at. Much to her annoyance, she'd neglected to ask if the Church siege force had a map of the bandits' holdout.

"... Although in their defense, I doubt that they would've had a map of this place's interior in the first place," Topaz grumbled to herself as she snuck into one of the rooms in the compound. "... Might as well find one myself. Damn it all, I'm out of my game."

She then begins to explore a place where it resembles a sort of meeting room, with the giant central table, various maps of the Adrestian territory with different-colored routes drawn onto them, various timekeeping and mapmaking tools scattered about, and small bits of ill-gotten gains strewn about.

"Map, map, map..." she muttered to herself as she looked around the room. "Where is it-there!"

She then spots a giant map of the whole compound, with her current location being denoted a couple paces from another place labeled "Dungeons."

"I'll start from there-"

"Find anything?" spoke a man's voice right before a shadow casted over Topaz's head from the rafters above.

She then quickly rolled back from the man's landing, barely dodging his axe blow as she drew her [Zulfiqar]. "I'm getting sloppy," she cursed herself. "How did you get the drop on me despite being three times my size?!"

"Don't kid yourself," spoke the man as he revealed himself to be a hulking War Master, wielding an ornate-looking poleaxe one-handed while a pair of [Killer Gauntlets] hung around his belt. "My job outside of murder is to spot rats. You're no bigger than vermin."

Topaz grimaces, continuing to curse herself for her lowered aptitude for stealth. At this point, she can no longer use her mutations as an excuse to why she'd become so sloppy. She's gotten complacent, that's it, plain and simple.

Regardless, she knew from looking at this experienced War Master. This giant of a man was more elusive than he'd looked. So rather than take the easy way out and bolt for the door (and risk having her back exposed to that man's long-reaching poleaxe), she stood her ground, ready to turn this whole quagmire into a harsh learning experience.

"... State your name and position," declared Topaz, her [Zulfiqar] brandished in a defensive stance, "for only one of us shall leave this place alive."

The War Master then smirks wickedly. "I am Thanatos the Harbinger!" he declared as he whirled his axe over his head before pointing it at the Espio. "Deputy Commander and Quartermaster of the Death God Bandits! My legendary axe, [Hauteclere], was pried from the cold dead hands of the previous Captain of the Empire's Elite Wyvern Company, for whom which I've slain myself! Now come! I shall send you to your maker!"

While this Thanatos was talking in a boasting manner, Topaz then took her time sizing up the War Master from afar.

Posture: solid. Vision: focused. Demeanor: loud. Conclusion: this man is only putting up an act to make his opponents to assume that he's just a boastful braggart, the Espio mentally listed as she kept her head focused. ... I can't afford to play around.

Her thoughts then briefly flash back to Solon and his surprising dexterity considering his aged state. Properly, she then tames her shame and rage into an even-further sharpened sense of focus.

"I am Topaz, the Hassashin of Almyra," she spoke with a slight hiss. "You will die today."

Topaz and Thanatos moved like a pair of blurs in the bandits' meeting room, each of them determined to take the other out on the account of their pride as masters of stealth.

---

At an Undisclosed Location...

---

"So..." Thales began as he sighed behind his Face of Truth mask, "... Operation Penumbra was a failure."

"I have no excuses, Sage Thales," Solon bowed his orb-encased head of his Oculus mask. "I take full responsibility for this shortcoming."

"No need," Chilon shook his Faceless-masked head. "It serves no purpose beyond shaming. You're shamed enough, Sage Solon."

Both Sages Myson and Bias shrank at the Great Knight glaring disapprovingly at them.

"... We're not mad at you two," Chilon clarified. "Just disappointed."

"Easy for you to say!" Myson exclaimed under his skull-mask. "You're scary as fuck when you're like all... taciturn and stuff, man!"

"... Isn't he like... always taciturn and stuff?" Bias snarked the best she could, but even her plush-rabbit mask failed to hide her nervousness.

Meanwhile, Pittacus, in her beaked mask, just sat where was at as if her surroundings didn't matter to her.

"Order!" shouted Thales, causing everyone to cease what they were doing. "...Now, we mustn't lament in our failures, so instead, I suggest we all come up with our next scheme."

"Indeed," Chilon then presents a pamphlet of papers to the rest of the Sages. "These are the recent report regarding the Leicester Alliance's situation with the encroaching Almyran problem. Their words, not mine. And according to the recent findings, the Almyrans seeming have developed a sort of superweapon that they've 'tested' on Morfis, which then led to their annexation."

"So what?" asked Bias. "Our own stockpile can wipe out entire cities."

"Only reason we didn't is because we no longer have the means to produce them en masse," Solon pointed out. "The concern is that while they had to do much to copy a fraction of our prowess, the mere fact that they can produce more of it or readily maintain it are of significant concern!"

"So steal it then," Myson grinned. "I guess that saves our resources of R&D-ing ourselves."

"Speaking of the R&D..." muttered Bias. "... How's mom doin'?"

"Her new body is still in the process of synchronizing with her quintessence," Thales confirmed. "She'll be out an about by the end of today."

"Good," sighed Myson. "Oh, and yeah, I think no one saw her face during last month's incursion, so 'Lady Cornelia Arnim' will be walking about the halls of Fhirdiad after her 'sick leave."

Suddenly, Pittacus mumbles something to herself as she took off her mask. "... Myson... everyone."

"Pitta-pat?!" Myson then ran towards her before helping her up. "... Easy, you're gonna be okay."

The despondent Gremory then looked at her Warlock Sage with a blank look. "... Are we... going... to be... okay?"

Myson nodded as Thales sighed.

"Meeting's adjourned," he spoke. "We'll reconvene after all seven of us are present. Myson, go see to her that she's stable."

---

Back at the Incursion Zone...

---

"[Thoron]!" Echidna then casted a beam of lightning towards Byron.

"[Banshee Θ] + [Blizzard]!" Byron screamed out his combo spell to unleash an ear-shattering siren-like screech that dissipated the thunderbolt while sending both friend and foe alike into disarray from the hurricane-like blizzard.

"OI! WATCH WHERE YER BELCHIN'!" Sorcha yelled over her ringing ears while backhanding a Grappler that was standing behind her.

"To be fair, we're frontliners," Cyrus shrugged as he pulled his [Gradivus] out of a slain Warrior. "I can take a few lumps."

Echidna gnashes her teeth in utter rage. "Hideous... ABSOLUTELY HiDEOUS!" she screeched at Byron's armor as she prepared [Bolting]. "WHY MUST YOU UGLY WRETCHES VIOLATE MY EYES MUCH SO?! WHY CAN'T YOU FILTH JUST LAY DOWN AND DIE?!"

But just before another thunderbolt could be cast down, the Gremory's shoulder was then shot by Shamir's arrow, interrupting the spell in the process.

"Dammit, I was off," the Sniper cursed as she nocked another arrow before firing it, only for her next shot to be intercepted by a female Warlock's [Fire] spell.

"That's more like it," giggled the Gremory as she then ripped the arrow out of her bare shoulder before licking the blood off of its tip in the most lecherous of a manner possible. "Short, simple, elegant. Why couldn't there be more people like you in this cruel and disgusting world, my dearest Shamir?"

As the lull was quieted down, both sides returned to their prior engagements, now with the exchanges of steel and projectiles alike becoming more consistently sporadic.

"WE NEED TO BREAK THE STALEMATE!" Catherine remarked as she defended herself against a Hero's [Brave Axe] before tossing him over her back to redirect the [Thunder] spell aimed at her.

"AND THE ONLY WAY TO DO SO IS TO KILL THEM ALL!" Cyrus cackled rapturously from atop of Darius's back. "UUKHAI!"

"NO! I MEAN WE NEED A PLAN!" Catherine groaned as she parried a Warrior's axe blow with her [Thunderbrand] before giving him a good kick followed up with a decapitating slash. "WE NEED TO FIND A WAY TO REGULATE THE FLOW OF BATTLE IN A MORE MANAGEABLE WAY!"

"Can we really?" shrugged Karna as he then split a Hero down vertically with his [Scythe of Sariel]. "I mean, it's not like we won our battles through tactics alone. And we're in the enemy's home field. Our plan was to blow up their front door and send them into disarray. So in essence, our plan has already reached its final step, which is to say!" he then throws up his [Master Seal] into the air so that is flash blinded both enemy and ally alike. "... IS TO KILL THEM ALL!"

From the engulfing light then emerged a wipe-sweeping dark-violet crescent slash that took out several enemy Warriors and Fortress Knights out at once. The violent blade of magic began to close in towards the Gremory herself, prompting the Warlocks to cast [Ward] to defend their mistress from the oncoming spell.

Both the spell and the defending Warlocks's combined defensive spells explode at the same time, generating another explosion that rocked the very earth that everyone stood on.

"SUCH DESPERATION! SUCH... PUTRID... VILE... UGLINESS!" shrieked Echidna, her Shamir-like visage further warping itself to match her true self. "YOU?! KILL ME?! YOU'RE THE ONES WHO SHALL DIE!"

"I beg to differ."

The haze clouding the whole battlefield then immediately clears out with a single gale, revealing Karna and the new powers that has been baptized onto him. His all-black hood cloak and corresponding attire were now adopting bright-purple patters resembling eyes and its black coloration of now adopting a more dull-gray and blued tone for the former, while the latter now became a pair of faded white pants to go along with the former. Around his waist was a utility belt with a grimoire strapped around on one side, his twin flintlock pistols holstered behind his waist, and his horn of black powder was strapped around his chest along with his bag containing his muzzleloading lead balls around the other orientation. His boots were now reinforced with steel toes, with one of its legs now housing a sheathed dagger strapped around it, and covering his shins were a pair of brass-and-steel-forged grieves, each's surface engraved with a draconic pattern running down its length.

"... Professor Karna?" asked Catherine.

"Nope," he replied as he unfurled his hood. "... It's Grandmaster Karna now."

He then enchants his [Scythe of Sariel] with his [Hades Ω] spell to then unleash an arcane slash that tore through the opposition. Following up, he then pulls out one of his pistols and fires a flare into the air, which then erupts into a rain of technicolor sparks that cascaded upon his allies, invigorating them with a rainbow-colored aura.

"What the?!" Cyrus exclaimed.

"Dis glow... ain't so bad!" grinned Sorcha.

"VIDAR... STRONGER!" roared the War Master.

"... Feels like those rumored [Rally-] skills," commented Byron. "... But this... this feels as if covers a whole spectrum!"

"... [Rally Spectrum]," Karna grinned as he also glowed rainbow like his allies. "... Not a bad-sounding name."

"Bask in whatever kind of light you want!" snarled Echidna. "KILL THEM ALL AND LEAVE SHAMIR TO ME!"

"Oi Vidar," Sorcha remarked as the Vanguard lifted her massive [Adharma] blade, "wanna see who can kill more? Fur old time's sake?"

Vidar nods eagerly as he then switched out his [Baigujing] for his [Geri Beil]. "DESTROY THEM ALL!"

The two then run ahead of everyone as the swung through their opposition like a pair of starved predators with the Death God Bandits as their prey. The bandits tried to take them on through whatever means they had on them. Close up, long-ranged, martial weapons of tempered steel, and even spells. All of it, were aimed squarely at the two.

"DO NOT LET THEM FALL!" ordered Catherine as she then threw her [Thunderbrand] across the battlefield in its electrically charged state, accelerating through several Warriors and Heroes before returning back towards her grip with an electromagnetic pull. "THOSE TWO ARE ARE OUR BEST WAY FORWARD! CUT DOWN ANY REMAINING ENEMY FORCES LEFT BEHIND!"

"DON'T HAVE TO TELL ME TWICE!" cackled Cyrus as his horse stomped several of the downed Fortress Knights to their deaths within their own armors. "THEY'LL ALL DIE THE SAME!"

"Save some for me," requested Byron as the Eligor then casted a fusion of [Miasma Δ] with his [Wind] from his [Hurricane Axe] to unleash a spinning disc of corrosive gale that rolled across the battlefield and ripped through a Warlock's [Ward] before goring her across her twain. "I need a proper space to develop a never-before seen, brand-new spell."

"FORWARDS!" Karna roared as he then ran in with his scythe.

"Rearguard!" barked Shamir as she nocked an arrow on her [Silver Bow]. "Prepare to provide cover fire on my mark!"

"Wish granted!" beamed Echidna as she then glanced towards Moros and Hypnos, who've just finished loading their 16-pounder. "Fire at will."

"FIRING!" one brother then struck the fuse with his [Killer Axe] and flint.

"FIRE IN THE HOLE!" declared Moros as the cannon rung out its wicked payload.

The heavy fire then halts their advance, with Sorcha being blown back off of her feet before landing on Catherine and Vidar himself buffeted by the shockwave of the cannon shot. In that moment, Vidar spots a Hero jumping at him with a raised [Silver Sword], ready to swing it down upon his head.

Rather than dodge or parry the blow, Vidar instead arches back and catches the blade between his teeth before snapping it in two, using the broken end as a projectile that he spits out with great force onto another Warrior's eye, blinding him on one side before the War Master then grabbed the Hero by his wrists and threw the entire man towards into a crowd of his fellows, slowing them down long enough for his [Geri Beil] to strike the earth to unleash a wave of ice spires that entangled their footing.

"Charge... advance..." Vidar snarled as he locked his eyes towards the 16-pounder's muzzle. "... THAT THING! DESTROY IT!"

"Brother, I'd feel as if he'd found out what we're doing!" Moros remarked.

"ALL OF YOU! PROTECT THE CANNON AT ALL COSTS!" barked Hypnos. "LADY ECHIDNA! WE MUST RETREAT-!"

The Gremory then slaps the Warrior across his face. "AND FURTHER MYSELF FROM MY DESIRED OBJECT?! BLASPHEMY! PUSH THROUGH THAT FILTH! HE'S JUST ONE PERSON!"

Byron then sees the conflict of orders occurring from the rear lines as he'd pulled out his [Hurricane Axe] out of a Fortress Knight's head right as Karna finished stomping in a Warrior's head into a pile of red mush. "... Professor? Am I seeing what you're seeing?"

"A woman thinking with her own ovaries to the point where it's conflicting with her own men's common sense?" Karna deadpanned as he then looked towards Shamir. "I have a plan that will play to that. But first..."

The Sniper looked puzzlingly at Karna before her expression turned into that of a skeptic one. "... What are you two planning?"

At the skies above, Selene and Hanneman were still moving about across the skies while being chased after volley of arrows and [Short Axes] and a last remaining Pegasus Knight now switching to her [Silver Lance] after using up all of her [Short Spears].

"OI, OLD MAN!" Selene cried out as she maneuvered Morrigan around the air in irregular patterns that made them hard for the enemies to pin them down. "YE 'OLDIN' UP?!"

Hanneman replies with even more screams of fear.

"Gud, yer still alive den," she then grabbed her bridles with her teeth as she loaded her [Crossbow]. "... Okay, one more shot, 'nd den we're gonna 'ave te do sumthin' even more stupid to take all of dem out all at once."

"... WHAT ARE YOU IMPLYING-?!" the old Professor's concerns were then cut short as Selene then drops Hanneman off of Morrigan's back in tandem of shooting the enemy's pegasi dead, sending the rider into a state of free-fall alongside with Hanneman.

"Alrite girl," the Griffin Knight spoke to her mount, "git ready te catch me and Hanne-man before we splat, kay?"

The eagle-headed lion squawks in response.

"Gud!" Selene smiled before dismounting herself off of Morrigan's back. "Wish me luck!"

She then jumps off of the griffin's back as she then aligns her whole body straight as she dove towards the ground, to which everyone below noticed this flat-out suicidal move.

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!" the lead Hero exclaimed.

"Well, saves us the busywork," one Sniper commented.

Meanwhile at above, reaching an accelerating velocity towards the earth below, both the Pegasus Knight and Hanneman were both flailing as they descended towards their deaths.

"FUCK FUCK FUCK DAMMIT ALL!" cursed the flailing Pegasus Knight as she then edged herself towards panicking old man. "YOU'RE JOINING ME IN HELL, OLD FART-!"

Suddenly, from above, a crossbow bolt shoot into the bandit's head , causing her to become irresponsive as Selene quickly caught up to her place.

"Sup," Selene casually greeting the screaming Hanneman. Annoyed, she then slaps him back to reality. "Okay, first, calm down. Second, cast yer strongest spells ye got before we splat."

"... WHAT?!" Hanneman exclaimed before he was slapped again.

"DO IT OR FEKIN' DIE!" Selene threatened Hanneman with her [Steel Lance].

Seeing no other option but to die, Hanneman then casts [Ragnarok] and [Meteor] at the same time towards Miklan's remnant's below.

"OH FUCK!" the Hero cried out as he and his cohorts saw blazing death from above. "RUN-!"

All of them were engulfed by the arcane flames and reduced to ashes. But just as Hanneman and Selene were about make landmark to their possible graves, Morrigan comes in last minute and snatches them out of the air, saving them from their deaths.

"AND DAT'S HOW YE DO IT!" Selene cackled victoriously as she faced Hanneman. "OI OLD MAN! YE STILL ALIVE?!"

"... I think you've shaved off twenty years of my lifespan from that stunt alone," he shuddered. "I'm getting too old for this shit..."

"Well, ye only live once!" cackled the Griffin Knight as they landed safely elsewhere. "Alright, better go find Topaz-"

The sound of wood smashing through followed up by a scream was heard from behind them, revealing Topaz groaning on the ground while keeping hold of her [Zulfiqar] in a defensive stance as she got back up.

"What a blunder..." hissed Topaz before she spotted Selene and Hanneman. "... WHAT ARE YOU TWO DOING HERE-?!"

From the breach, a hulking War Master leapt out, his [Hauteclere] poleaxe wound back before it was swung down onto Topaz's blade, pinning her down even further.

"Hark! You blade is a fine one!" grinned Thanatos as the Espio struggled under his surprising strength despite her being a mutant. "You're the first to have lasted this long against me! Even the previous Captain of the Empire's Wyvern Knight Company lasted a but a mere few minutes against yours truly-!"

Selene takes a potshot at the War Master's head to end the fight, only for the latter to catch the bolt out of the air with his teeth. "... Damn he's gud."

"Let's see if he can catch this!" Hanneman then casts [Fire] towards Thanatos, but War Master disengages from Topaz to dodge the spell. "... Smart too."

"STAY OUT OF THIS!" Topaz cried out as she got back up. "HE'S MINE! HE'S MINE TO ATONE FOR MY FAILURES!"

"What do you mean atone?" asked the Professor just as the bandages around Topaz's arms slipped off and her digitigrade legs were exposed to him. "... Oh my. More?"

"My mind is slowly turning into that of a beast's," she explained. "My gift of subterfuge and stealth has been compromised in favor of open bloodshed. I don't know what I am anymore! Am I just a beast pretending to be my God's vessel, doomed to rot away in the sense of arrogance I've willingly trapped myself in?!"

The Griffin Knights lets out a deep sigh. "Topaz," she spoke frankly. "Come 'ere."

The Espio then walks up towards Selene, right before the former was then slugged in the face by the latter's punch.

"WHAT THE-?!" Hanneman exclaimed as both Topaz and Selene recoiled from each others' collision.

Thanatos would normally interrupt them and finish the job, but something about this unique interaction fascinated him compared to his repetitive life of killing and bookkeeping. So instead, he chose to indulge, knowing full well that the old man knows that he can't take on "The Harbinger" alone.

"Forgit de fancy words 'nd say dat ye feked up," Selene bluntly pointed out. "All dis time, I kinda hated de fact dat ye consider yerself like deth and not a person."

"... Because what else am I?!" the Espio pointed out.

"Yer a person," the Griffin Knight remarked. "But so are we. Ye fek up, den we'll be dere te pick up afta ye. Stop blamin' yerself fur fekin' up. I forgive ye."

Topaz tried her hardest not to cry. "... You guys suck, you know that?!"

Selene hugged Topaz as the latter sobbed into the former's chest. "Trust me, we know," she pointed out. "Dat's why, fur now, we've only got each other."

Thanatos then applauds at this beautiful display of friendship. "Beautiful, absolutely beautiful," he kept applauding without a hint of sarcasm. "Truly, this is what makes life worth living and taking!"

Topaz, hesitantly, then turns towards Selene and Hanneman. "... Gonna swallow my pride even further," she stated, "so with that said, would you two help me?"

"Should've said so soona!" the Griffin Knight remarked as she then whistled for Morrigan to come towards her before getting onto the eagle-headed winged lion's back.

"He's a formidable one, indeed," Hanneman remarked as he readied his next spell. "It'll be impossible to take him on one-on-one."

Thanatos then laughs at the old Professor's latter half of his remark. "At what point did any of you think that this was meant to be a one-on-one fight?!" he pointed out as he readied his legendary Regalia axe, [Hauteclere]. "Not even a miracle would allow any of you alone to defeat me! With that said, COME AT ME ALTOGETHER!"

---

Somewhere Within the Death God Bandits' Holdout...

---

A flashing spark gleams in the dark as a clash of steels rung across the darkness.

In the dim ambiance of the underground holding cells of the Death God Bandits' holdout, Manuela was slouched over in exhaustion with a chipped [Levin Sword] in hand, with the Death Knight and his [Cursed Ashiya Sword] just standing where he'd stood, unwavering, without a hint of fatigue or lapse of focus.

Screaming, Manuela charged as she swung her weapon at the Death Knight, only for the latter to casually parry it, as if he were play-sparring against a child.

"... Not yet!" the kidnapped Professor remarked.

"... Please," the morose Rider spoke with a hint of genuine pity. "... Just stop."

"NEVER!" Manuela then raises her sword before taking another another swing at the Death Knight, only for her blow to be parried yet again, knocking her back down from where she'd stood from.

"You know that you're outmatched," spoke the Death Knight. "And yet, you still persist. Why?"

"... You wouldn't understand," she snarled, using her damaged [Levin Sword] as a crutch to raise herself back up to her feet. "... I spent all that time with you, as a fellow staff member of Gerreg Mach, and you brush all that aside as if that didn't matter!"

"Of course it doesn't," he replied bluntly. "My betrayal shouldn't even be a priority compared to your survival-"

"IT HURTS ALL THE SAME, JERITZA!" Manuela cried out. "... Trust... isn't something that you just receive and throw away like the countless amount of men that have spurned me! I-no, WE ALL TRUSTED YOU WITH OUR LIVES! OF COURSE IT MATTERS!"

The Death Knight sighs in frustration. "... You make me feel things," he commented. "... It makes me sick-"

Then all of the sudden, a flash of light blinds the Death Knight before he then saw Manuela leaping through the blur and the glare as she then brought her sword down onto his skulled helmet.

The impact knocks away the helmet from his head, revealing Jeritza's unmasked face, much Manuela's shock. "... What the?!" she sputtered mid-swing. "... You look like Mercedes-"

The Professor gags on her own words as the Death Knight's sword's pommel was driven into her gut while she was still in the air. The stunning blow was then followed up by the Death Knight punching Manuela out of the air, as his gauntleted fist bored itself into Manuela's right eye, rupturing her eyeball as she was then sent crashing through one of the pillars.

"... I left my helmet unstrapped on purpose," spoke Jeritza. "... I was thinking about letting you live, and I still am."

Manuela's right sight was faded with a red haze of her own pooling blood. "... What changed?"

Jeritza clenched his teeth. "... I was always like this," he confessed. "I became a monster to protect her. ... Now I can't help myself. I've become a beast that can only thrive in bloodshed after bloodshed."

"... So that's why you threw in your lot with the Flame Emperor?" the Professor pointed out as she struggled to get back up.

"Yes," he answered. "... The system that forced my hand... it is only fitting that I become one of the many disparate people that tear it down so that something new may be built in its place."

"... What you're doing is going to kill countless people!" she pointed out.

"Are your ears not working?" Jeritza asked. "I don't care. This is who I really am, so stop thinking that I'm still one of yours and treat me as such!"

Manuela's heart shatters as tears came cascading down from her eyes as she half-blindly rushed towards her former co-worker, only before her [Levin Sword], with its single charge left, brought it down as hard as she could, with all of her emotion hefted behind that attack.

Jeritza off-handedly swings his [Cursed Ashiya Sword] through her weapon and across her torso, opening a bloody gash as she was sent lying back onto the dirt floor as he then went to go and retrieve his helmet in a casual manner.

"Each time I witness my victims struggling in vain, the same thought occurs to me anew:" spoke Jeritza as he then looked at the bleeding Manuela reflected on his skull-like helmet before putting it back on, "'Can the death of the weak be so truly a wretched sight?' It hurts to watch. Hurry up and die."

---

Back at the Incursion Zone...

---

"The thing I utterly, irrevocably despise about ugly people..." growled Echidna as her teeth continued grinding themselves relentlessly, "... is that they don't know when to fucking quit!"

From relatively close by, the twins and their leader saw Vidar slowly break through their defensive line as evident by the numerous Fortress Knights and Warlocks being sent flying into the air as the deranged War Master encroached ever closer towards them.

"VIDAR! DESTROY! ENEMY!" he roared, each of his word yelled accentuated with a mighty blow that scattered numerous broken bodies into the wind.

"PUSH THE ADVANCE!" ordered Catherine as she cut down another Warrior. "IF THEY'RE NOT RUNNING, THEN THEY'RE DEAD MEAT!"

"All of them, you say?" Karna coyly remarked before he nudged Byron. "Oh my, Byron, guess there's a fresh batch for you then!"

The Eligor grunts after he shot his [Wind] from his [Hurricane Axe]. "Guess it's a good as time as any."

He then visualizes his [Fimbulvetr] spell with the properties of Linhardt's [Excalibur] spell. Byron preserves the cryogenic properties of the former but shaping the latter's volume and velocity.

Focus, thought Byron as he quieted the surrounding noise. Just focus on melding the new spell into actualization. Nothing else matters.

He then strikes the perfect balance. A cryonic twister.

"CLEAR OUT!" yelled Byron. "I'M RELEASING THE PAYLOAD!"

Everyone then clears the way, leaving the enemies open for Byron to unleash his experimental spell.

With a strained heave, Byron then casts down a blisteringly-freezing typhoon that engulf the enemy forces in its entirety. However, after only a few seconds, the spell itself dissipates, leaving none of the enemy dead, but all of them shivering and freezing.

"MOTHERFUCKER!" cursed the Eligor as he banged his fists into the ground. "A COMPLETE FAILURE!"

Shamir looked at the aftermath with a befuddled look. "... If that's what you consider a failure, then I am genuinely afraid what you consider a success."

"Let the boy vent," Karna remarked. "Humble pie isn't the most palatable of meals."

"Well, the enemy ain't gonna kill themselves the way they are now," shrugged Catherine as she smugly grinned at the half-frozen bandits. "CUT EM DOWN!"

The Swordmasters then immediately got to work cutting down the hypothermic bandits with ruthless efficiency. Cyrus puts in the minimal effort by letting Darius stomp all of them into frozen gravel while Sorcha tips one over and let gravity do the rest of the work, leaving the victim half-flailing as a broken cadaver that was in too much pain to notice that he's already dead.

But just as they were tidying up, another cannon fire echoes out, forcing everyone to retreat, finishing off the half-frozen bandits and putting them out of their collectively misery.

"... Brother Moros," spokes Hypnos, "that explosion from earlier."

"Oh yes, that was our black powder storehouse combusting," Moros remarked with a slight chuckle.

"How many shots can we make?" asked Echidna as she kept trying to snipe Vidar with her [Bolting], only for the spell to hit her own men instead, not that she cared.

"Only one left!" Hypnos confirmed. "... Do you have any requests?"

The Gremory glared at the bandaged War Master that was wasting their ranks and quickly approaching towards them before pointing her finger at the feral berserker. "He dies. Now."

"GLADLY!" smirked Moros as he and Hypnos got to work loading their 16-pounder's final shot while their leader did everything in her power to slow Vidar's advance.

"Guys?" Cyrus remarked as his eyes peered through the fading smoke. "... Methinks that they're aiming the cannon at Vidar specifically."

"Oh shit," Karna gulped. "STOP THAT THING FROM FIRING!"

"SNIPERS!" barked Shamir as she readied her [Silver Bow]. "FIRE AT WILL!"

As per her command, they then let loose their arrows, but just as they were about to, a majority of the group were then struck down by a well-placed [Bolting] spell from Echidna, leaving only a few arrows to fly as they were then promptly intercepted by the Gremory's [Thunder].

"I love it when you resist," giggled Echidna. "Make it fun for me, my kitten."

"THEN WE'LL GET IN CLOSE!" Catherine ordered as she brandished her [Thunderbrand]. "CUT OUT AN OPENING FOR VIDAR!"

Everyone then rushes towards the ring of bandits all surrounding the War Master, the latter of which was in no risk of actually being struck down by said bandit horde, but is annoyed all the same.

"GET OUT OF MY WAY!" roared Vidar as he then lifted a Fortress Knight over his head before throwing him into a group of Warlocks who were about cast their spells onto the War Master, causing their prepared spells to backfire and kill them all at once in a compound eruption of out-of-control magic.

Said explosion then opened a way for between him and the three leaders of this bandit group. "... YOU! NEXT!"

"No, you are," smirked Echidna as she saw Vidar running towards them while their 16-pounder finished loading and ready to.

"Time for beddy-byes!" cackled Hypnos as he adjusted the barrel towards the War Master.

"So sleep tight," Moros smirked as he lit the fuse. "FIRING!"

The payload shoots out of the bore with a resounding boom and hurling its leaden weight towards Vidar right in front of everyone's eyes.

"SHIT! VIDAR!" Cyrus cried out as he futilely rode faster towards him.

But to everyone's utter shock, the deranged War Master Vidar then catches the 16-pound cannonball in its trajectory with his bare hands.

"... Vidar... strong... stronger! STRONGER!" the War Master growled as his bandaged hands and feet sizzled from the friction from the spinning cannonball's force. "VIDAR STRONGER! STRONGER THAN METAL! STRONGEST! IN THE WORLD!"

Using the momentum behind the cannon fire, Vidar then proceeds to use himself as an axel to spin the cannon ball back around towards where it was shot from, and then throws said cannonball with a greater force, returning the projectile right back into the barrel where it was fired from.

Hypnos and Moros then immediately retreat, with the latter carrying Echidna over his shoulder right before the explosion from the destroyed 16-pounder could consume them within its fiery embrace.

"... Holy crap," Catherine's jaw hit the dirt.

"Did you plan for any of this?" asked Shamir.

"Given that we were on a down streak for the past two months..." Karna replied before his lips curled up into a wicked grin, "... I'd say this a welcome surprise."

Moros and Hypnos looked at their now-ruined artillery piece. "OUR CANNON!"

"YOU KILLED OUR BEST! YOU BASTARD!" Hypnos cried out, to which Vidar spit towards the side.

"With the three of us, you stand no chance-!" just before Echidna could finish her boasting, the [Adharma] sword lands between them and Vidar.

The War Master looks back to see Sorcha, who'd just thrown her massive blade before she'd come running towards him. "Oi!" she exclaimed. "Dun't think ye can fite the big baddies without me!"

"Brother Hypnos, why is that sword so massive?" asked Moros.

"Held by a woman, to boot," Hypnos deadpanned as he observed the weapon's design. "... Methinks she's compensating for something!"

"Okay, pick one," Sorcha told Vidar as she then put on her [Ne Zha] gauntlets.

"Me fight..." Vidar pointed towards the one on the left with his [Geri Beil]. "... That one."

"Aight, dat leaves mista righty te me," the Vanguard grinned. "Have fun!"

Sorcha then attacked Hypnos with her flaming gauntlets, forcing the latter to block the blow with his [Killer Axe] as he was forcibly separated from his twin brother and leader. At the same time, Vidar then shoulder tackles Echidna out of his way before smashing his wolf-headed axe into Moros's [Venin Axe] and getting into a rolling grapple that left the Gremory all by herself.

"Stupid Brigidian fuck..." growled Echidna right before she'd dodged another icy storm cast by Byron, who in turn was joined with Shamir and Karna. "YOU AGAIN?!"

"FUCK! ANOTHER FAILURE!" bemoaned the Eligor as he began jotting down on his notebook to comprehend on what he'd done wrong this time. "... Structural integrity compromised due to excess velocity... need to find a way to stabilize it-"

Out of the blue, Byron was then struck by the Gremory's [Bolting] spell, the thunderbolt disintegrating his notebook and pen but otherwise leaving him somewhat unharmed.

"... MY NOTES!" the Eligor then glared at Echidna as he then brought out his [Perun] chain-axe in tandem with his [Hurricane Axe]. "... Leave her to me. Alone."

"Seriously?" the Sniper remarked.

"You're going to kill her too quickly, and frankly, she doesn't deserve that what act of BLASPHEMY that she'd committed," snarled the Eligor as he slowly approached the leader Gremory. "... That, and I can literally see her undressing you with her eyes."

Shamir then glanced towards Echidna, whose hand was on the verge of reaching where her groin was while her face resembled that of a heaving, dirty-minded old man who'd seen a nude woman. "... Go ahead," she remarked as she tried not to vomit. "... Professor, cover me."

Karna then takes off his cloak and drapes it over the Sniper's head.

"... That'll do," the two of them then ran off elsewhere, leaving the two spellcasters by themselves.

"You, the ugliest armored combatant that I've had the greatest displeasure of seeing," growled the Gremory as her hand crackled with electricity. "... Are you simply getting in my way out of pure spite?!"

"... Maybe," Byron coyly remarked. "But really though, this might be the only chance where I can choose to indulge myself a little. Kinda like you."

"JUST WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK I AM?!" the Gremory cried out as she then readied [Thoron]. "I AM ECHIDNA GRIMM! MISTRESS OF MAYHEM AND MUTILATION AND THE LEADER OF THE DEATH GOD BANDITS!"

As the beam of lightning streaked towards Byron, the Eligor then tanks the spell by placing his artificial hand to absorb the spell into it.

"... Death God, you say?" Byron began chuckling as [Wind], [Fimbulvetr], and [Luna Λ] all began flaring out of him at once. "... Alright God. Let's see how your insides look on the outside!"

---

Inside the Holdout...

---

"[Bolganone]!" Hanneman exclaimed as a geyser of lava spewed out from the earth.

Thanatos the War Master masterfully dodges the spell before parrying Selene's flying blow with his [Hauteclere] before doing the same with Toapz's [Zulfiqar] from behind. Just as the War Master was about to relent, Hanneman then casts [Fire] towards the bandit's Deputy Leader. But before the fireball could connect, Thanatos then throws his [Killer Gauntlet] from his belt like a giant throwing knife, impaling the old Professor in his gut, instantly downing him right as the fireball spell missed.

"Predictable, the lot of you," Thanatos clicked his tongue as he dodged a shot [Crossbow] bolt right as he parried another jumping blow Topaz with his poleaxe. "You guys are strong, but they way you fight aren't exactly creative."

Topaz took those words to heart. He's got a point, she remarked as she checked herself. My prowess as an Espio lies solely in stealth and sabotage, both of which don't cover open combat... but maybe it can!

She then reaches around the back of her waist and finds a set of round objects. As a test, she then throws one at the War Master, to which he dodges as the ball then erupts into a plume of thick smoke.

"A smoke bomb?!" exclaimed Thanatos as he was then brushed aside by Selene's aerial dive with her griffin and [Steel Lance], successfully wounding his right arm and slashing across where his tattoo was at. "Dammit!"

Selene notices the blood on the spearhead. "Got a hit in," she smiled to herself. "Gud."

Topaz now figures out a plan as she ran back to where Hanneman was slumped over and bleeding. "Can you stand?"

"Urk! ... Barely," he struggled to reply as Hanneman got up and looked at her. "... Those eyes... you have a plan, don't you?"

"Something of sort, yes," nodded Topaz. "... Can you use [Meteor]?"

As soon as the smoke cleared, Thanatos then leapt out of the dissipating haze as he brought down his [Hauteclere] poleaxe onto Hanneman, only for Topaz to block it with her [Zulfiqar].

"GO!" she barked as Hanneman slumped away.

"Smart move," he taunted, "... not for you, though!"

He then tries to drive his foot into Topaz's gut, only for the latter to anchor herself with her talons to prevent her from knocking herself backwards.

"Pain..." she heaved while chuckling to herself. "... This is what pain truly is. Not the bliss of the inevitable death nor a sensation to be feared..."

Topaz began pushing back against the War Master's heavy weight with her own strength.

"... But it is simply a just acceptance!" the Espio then breaks their weapon lock right before she then kicks Thanatos across his chest, her talon raking through his armor and into his flesh, causing him to develop another wound, but ultimately non-fatal.

With that moment of staggering, Selene then swept low to the ground from atop of Morrigan, the griffin flying low to the ground as her [Steel Lance] streaked across the ground and towards the War Master's back.

"A sneak attack?!" he exclaimed as he dodged the flying thrust. "PREDICTABLE-!"

But just as he dodged, a round pellet was thrown across the side of his face and right where Selene was aiming her loaded [Crossbow] at.

The bolt then shoots through the smoke bomb, unleashing its payload directly into Thanatos's eyes, causing them to sting and blind him completely.

"MY EYES!" he then began flailing around due to his lack of sight and his eyes stinging as if they were dunked in hot sauce.

Selene then flies over towards the wounded Hanneman. "Oi, ye doing alright?"

"Just a minute..." he then takes off his clothes to reveal his wound in full right before casting [Fire] on his hands and cauterizing his wound that the thrown [Killer Gauntlet] was embedded in, causing him to scream in pain in tandem with the hiss of his wounds being seared shut.

Thanatos then slightly regains his sight as he noticed Selene and Hanneman being at the same spot. "...YOU!" he then raised his [Hauteclere] up and began running towards them. "I'LL KILL YOU TWO FIRST-!"

Then from above, Hanneman's [Meteor] was then spotted hurling down towards the War Master's head. Before he could even react, the fiery satellite makes landfall right where he was standing at, consuming him into a fiery eruption of astral prominence.

"... By the way, I casted that while I was bleeding out fresh while you two were keeping him busy," the Professor explained as he got back up with the help of the Griffin Knight. "... Thanks for the help-"

Suddenly, an enraged roar was heard from within the blazing haze and smoke, revealing itself to be none other than Thanatos, now missing his right arm and badly burnt all over, looking more akin to Vidar without his bandages and also bigger.

"... You... you think you've killed me?!" the War Master growled. "... I am! THANATOS! ... I AM... THE HARBINGER-"

From behind, Topaz was latched onto his back as her [Blutgang] unfurled itself out of her left arm before the blade decapitates him, finishing the War Master off as his headless body fell to the ground with Topaz standing atop of it.

"... Good job," said the Espio. "... I know where Manuela is. Follow me."

The three then all run towards where the holding cells are located at. Along the way, Selene then takes the [Hauteclere] for herself and stashes the weapon away where no one would be looking for it.

As they all ran, Topaz's mind resumed its internal conflict.

On one hand, she was glad that she'd be able to regain her taste for subterfuge while not compromising its effectiveness on an active battlefield. On that other hand, a part of her takes note that this might've been a fluke, and that maybe next time, she won't be as fortunate.

... Do not get complacent, do not get complacent, do not get complacent,she told herself in repeat. Complacency is a slow death.

---

Back at the Incursion Zone...

---

"VIDAR! DESTROY! ENEMY!" the War Master roared out as he kept slamming his [Geri Beil] into Moros's poisoned weapon, its internal venom supply now frozen solid due to the former's weapon holding cryogenic properties.

"Nothing but savagery!" Moros remarked as he tries to attack back, only for Vidar to catch the axe bare handed, surprised that he'd stopped the blow without having his hand chopped down its twain. "... Well now! Guess there's poison swimming in your veins!"

Vidar simply shatters the frozen [Venin Axe] with his hand before revealing that said blow didn't even nick his skin. His legs then became weak to the point where he could no longer stand up, now finding himself cowering before the War Master.

"... What?" the Warrior bandit paled as the monstrous wraith approached him, realizing that he can no longer fight back. "... Get back. I SAID GET BACK!"

"DESTROY!" the bandaged War Master raised his weapon. "ENEMY!"

Moros's scream could be heard as Sorcha was clashing against Hypnos with her flaming gauntlets against his [Killer Axe].

"Brother!" the Warrior cried out for his twin while Sorcha kept him pinned to her.

"I'M YER OPPONENT, YE BASTARD!" the Vanguard snarled as she jabbed blow after blow. "SO EYES ON ME WHILE YE DIE!"

"FUCK YOU BITCH!" Hypnos then broke off from Sorcha's brawl lock before leaping into the air as he raised his [Killer Axe] over his head during his descent. "TAKE A DIRT NAP!"

The Vanguard was then sent flying back by the wicked blow, tumbling across the dirt, but otherwise not dead. "Ooh, dat smarts," she remarked with a smirk. "LET ME PAY YE BACK!"

She then traces a circle of fire before herself with her [Ne Zha] gauntlets before punching through them to unleash her [Samadhi Fire] towards Hypnos.

The stream of all-consuming flame speeds itself towards the Warrior as the latter ran for his life. First through his own charges, causing all of them to dissipate into ash as they were engulfed by the inferno. Then through the Church Swordmasters, disintegrating them as the flames chased down Hypnos.

"... Oops," Sorcha winced as she saw her technically-allies get caught in the crossfire. "DIDN'T MEAN TO!"

Realizing that she might end up hitting her own friends at this rate, she then ceases the Combat Art in favor of retrieving her [Adharma] blade. Upon lifting the titanic sword out of the earth, she then spots Hypnos running away from the battlefield in fear.

"DON'T KILL ME!" begged the Warrior. "IT'S ONLY WHEN I'M KILLING PEOPLE THAT WHEN IT IS OKAY! I WANNA LIVE PUTTING PEOPLE TO SLEEP FOREVER!"

"Well, glad yer honest," shrugged Sorcha as she lifted her giant blade behind herself. "So wat's that ye say? ... Oh rite! TIME FUR BEDDIE-BYES!"

With one swing, Sorcha, with her roar serving as a warning to her friendlies, swung her [Adharma] towards where Hypnos was running off towards. the unleashed vacuum slash then sped towards the fleeing Warrior as the other Swordmasters ducked out of the way of the attack.

No matter how fast the Warrior tried to run, the slash severs the bandit in two. The two pieces of Hypnos tumbled onto the earth, with his severed arm holding his [Killer Axe] marking his grave.

"Got em!" the Vanguard exclaimed. "... Also... sorry about killer yer guys. Didn't know dat me [Samadhi Fire] was dat indiscriminate."

Catherine lets out a seething sigh as she shook her head. "We'll talk later," she grimaced. "For now, sweep up the enemy remnants!"

"Ye 'eard 'er," the Vanguard remarked to her War Master friend. "Let's go 'nd break sum 'eads!"

Vidar nodded as he and Sorcha joined in with Catherine and her Swordmasters corralling the remaining bandits away from their leader and towards where Shamir, her Snipers, and Karna were all waiting to pelt their payload on towards.

Meanwhile, right before the holdout's gates, Byron was trying to get his spell to work while mentally workshopping his other desired spells. Meanwhile, Echidna was casting spell after spell, but no matter what she tried, all of the spells simply bounced off of his weird-looking armor.

"Why must fate be so cruel?!" the Gremory bemoaned. "Must the last I see before my death be something as ugly as you?!"

"Look at my face and see if I care," the Eligor deadpanned as he was more focused on workshopping his own spells. He then sees the Gremory trying to run, only for him to constrict her waist with the chain length of his [Perun]. "No running. I need you to be my test dummy."

Ignoring the vain Shamir-lookalike's indignation, he then takes a break from casting a new spell in favor of trying to learn [Quake Σ] using [Bolting]'s principle. Utilizing the long reach of the spell, Byron then places both of his hands on the ground and surges his mana into it.

Instead of the earth trembling beneath his feet, the patch of earth below Echidna then transforms into a glowing pit of green sludge, causing her feet to emit a loud hiss upon submerged in it.

The Gremory quickly gets herself out of there, only for her to find that the bottom hem of her dress and shoes were missing, along with a few patches of her skin now exposing its internal muscles. She begins hysterically shrieking. Mostly out of vanity being defiled rather than suffering from any actual pain.

"... Gonna put that in my findings," sighed Byron as his first experiment of learning [Quake Σ] ended with an unintended result of learning an entirely new spell that he'd never seen before.

"YOU MONSTER!" Echidna shrieked as she pointed her finger towards Byron. "DO YOU HATE BEAUTY OR SOMETHING?!"

"You're the furthest thing from beauty, Echidna," Byron replied without hesitation.

"EXCUSE ME?!" the Gremory gawked in disbelief.

"Is simply making your face that of someone else's out of lust and envy can ever be considered beauty?" asked the Eligor, keeping her hooked while he tried to formulate his new spell into actualization. "For me, beauty is rooted in authenticity, which you're anything but."

"So you imply that I'm ugly?!" the Gremory remarked offendedly. "ME?! THE MISTRESS OF MAYHEM AND MUTILATION, ECHIDNA GRIMM?! CALLED UGLY?!"

"I'm not saying that," Byron replied. "In my eyes, you're nothing more than a ghost that's about to become one to everyone else. So really, calling you 'ugly' is like calling air itself a rock."

The vain Gremory's rage peaked at that very moment. "YOU ARE DEAD!"

From her hip, she then brings out a metallic whip-like weapon, its length covered with barbs that each crackled with electricity of her own mana. As she kept swinging around her weapon, the thunderbolt coiled around her whip transformed into that of a snake-like voltage.

"DIIIIIEEEEE!" the Gremory then lashed her giant thunder-snake whip towards Byron.

Byron then counters the electric whip with his [Perun], its magic-enhanced chains clashing against Echidna's own as the two whips coiled around each other, holding both of them in place.

Just what the Eligor was planning for.

"... Begin... THE FINAL EXPERIMENT!" and this time, Byron counted on making sure that he and his new spell succeeded in its actualization.

First, he visualizes Linhardt's [Excalibur] spell more vividly. Taking into account for its structure, execution, rotation per minute, and more. Every last detail of recreating the spell from its fundamentals was a critical aspect of creating his new spell.

Then came the outside application of the spell with his own prior knowledge. [Fimbulvetr], in contrast, was more rigid and solid compared to [Excalibur]. Too much of either one will result in an incomplete fusion that lacks both of their strengths in favor of trying both. Byron needs to find the balance between the ice and wind.

It then hit him. His combination spell with his [Fimbulvetr] with Hubert's [Banshee Θ]. The latter used the former as a bouncing-off point. So in order to achieve stability, he needed to apply the same principle.

That spell that he'd based off [Bolting]. The bright green mire.

That spell can act as the metaphorical "glue."

"Let's do this!" first, he casts [Fimbulvetr] around Echidna, trapping her inside a vortex of freezing winds. Them the surrounding winds began to solidify into shards that rapidly orbited around the Gremory. And finally, using the method of translating [Bolting] into the green mire, the winds and the ice both stabilize into a perfect equilibrium.

Rather that use more power to obtain the perfect power, Byron instead lowered his spell's overall power to achieve even deadlier power.

"WHAT IS HAPPENING?!" exclaimed the Gremory as the ice shards all collided together into giant ice swords.

The Eligor cackles triumphantly. "THE COMING DAWN! OF THE NEW AGE OF MAGIC!"

The ice swords crashed around the Gremory as the vortex of frigid gales all closed in onto her at the same time.

"THE KING'S SWORD!" declared the Eligor as the freezing winds and ice blades all collapsed into a singular iceberg that trapped Echidna inside. "[REXCALIBUR]!"

The wind dies down as the Gremory was still conscious even after being left frozen solid. With her gradually-fading faculties, her eyes then peeked towards the approaching Byron.

"Now I know what you're thinking..." he remarked. "Just who is it that has bested you?"

The tongue-shaped visor of his helmet then collapsed into itself to reveal his face.

"The name is Byron Amadeus Noa," Echidna's ears heard the muffled voice clearly, causing her eyes to widen at this shocking realization. "I wanted you to know that it was me."

Byron then flicks onto the iceberg once, causing it and the Gremory trapped inside of it to shatter into a million pieces and into a pile of frozen air and gore.

After his family's killer was seen dead before his eyes, an overwhelming sense of blissful euphoria claimed Byron's very heart, allowing him to finally take a breather at last, of him being in solace that one of his enemies can no longer haunt him or Vidar any longer.

"... Now I should be going and helping the others out-" suddenly, an eruption of [Hades Ω] was heard from behind him, indicating that the rest of the bandits have fallen for the deathtrap and are now being finished off. "... Never mind, then."

Soon after, Karna and Catherine comes running towards him, following after them being Sorcha and Vidar.

"Hey, where's Cyrus?" the Eligor asked.

"With the Swordmasters in their mop-up," Karna answered as he and the other saw the pile of shattered ice behind Byron. "... Finally got that spell to work?"

"And avenged my entire family along with the past decade of my own life lost," he beamed. "Couldn't have preferred it any other way."

"Well, we still need to look for Manuela!" Catherine pointed out as she ran ahead. "Come on! We need to link up with the others inside the compound!"

The five then all run into the Death God Bandits's Holdout, with none of its original occupants planning on ever returning.

---

At the Holding Cells...

---

Manuela was knocked through another wooden pillar by the Death Knight's blow. As she got back up, blind one eye and half a sword now missing, all she could do was now look at the Death Knight's blood-red eyes gleaming through the tar-black pits of his demonic visage.

She had no words to describe what utterly hopeless predicament that she'd gotten herself into. She cursed her own pride and emotions for dragging her into this mess that will soon be the death of her.

In the end, all she could feel was shame. Shame at her own shortcomings. Shame at her own recklessness. Shame at her own stupidity.

"... I see that look in your eyes," declared the Death Knight as he pointed his [Cursed Ashiya Sword] at Manuela's face. "... Shame... and acceptance."

He then raised his sword as Manuela hung her head down in acceptance for what's to come.

"Any last words?" he asked.

Manuela then made her peace. "... I really wished we could've talked more, Jeritza."

"Farewell," the kidnapped and wounded Professor shuts her eyes right as the blade was then brought down onto her.

But suddenly, a horrible clanging was then heard from above the Death Knight's head, following that, a piece of his horn and the blade of his [Cursed Ashiya Sword] fell to the ground before the kneeling Manuela.

"What?!" he then turns back to see Topaz, Selene, and Hanneman at the door.

"Door was left open," the Espio deadpanned as she withdrew her hand.

"MANUELA!" Hanneman cried out.

The Death Knight sighs as he then reaches for a pouch of [Warp Powder]. "... Another time, then."

He then throws the bag down, clouding him in a screen of pinkish smoke that then teleported him away. As soon as he disappeared, the three of them all run towards Manuela, who to them now looks as if she were setting one foot into her grave.

"She needs 'elp, now!" Selene remarked as she then carried the woman onto her back.

"GET HER OUTSIDE!" ordered Hanneman as he helped the Griffin Knight out in carrying Manuela to safety while Topaz went and retrieved her [Zulfiqar] embedded in the wall before coming back out to join up with the rest.

Everyone else had reconvened into the main plaza of the now-vacated bandits's hideout, with Manuela now laid out on her back as she was being treated by Byron.

"Okay, she's still breathing," Karna reassured everyone. "... That said, how is her condition?"

"Stable so far!" Byron replied as he kept casting [Heal] while he turned his head towards Shamir. "Can you send a message to a runner or a bird-carrier? Tell the Church we need a medical extraction!"

"Got it," she then runs out of the holdout along with the rest of her Snipers. "... Also, thanks for getting rid of her for me."

"LESS FLAPPING LIP, MORE PUMPING HIP!" the Eligor barked as he focused solely on healing the wounded Professor.

As soon as Shamir left, all they could do was wait for help to arrive. This then left with everyone else to converse with each other.

"... Okay, so was you killing my men an accident?" asked Catherine.

"Yea, didn't mean te," replied Sorcha. "... Hypnos bastard knew me flame betta den I did apparently."

"Are you going to apologize for it?" asked the Swordmaster.

"... Dunno how," the Vanguard remarked. "No one apologized te me fur wat dey did to me and me sista when we were first at Enbarr! ... So really, dunno how I'm supposed to feel about it."

"So if you end up killing your own friends and family, you wouldn't even feel anything for them?" asked Catherine.

"I mean, if it were me doin', den maybe," she replied. "But if it were sumone else, den I'd go 'nd murder 'im and his whole family."

The Swordmaster gawked at her double standard. "... Is it really hard for you to extend even the slightest of sympathy to others outside of your group?"

"You're basically telling a leper to run a marathon as a suggestion, Thunderbird," Karna interjected. "... Look, these kids ain't from Fodlan. They don't accept kindness as strength, but see the world as a cold and unforgiving place where they're too busy looking out only for themselves at best. In a world without the Goddess and her word, all that is left for them to learn are lessons of harsh survival at all costs. So basically you, but they never found their version of the Archbishop. I'm practically a distant second place to what is her to you."

Catherine sighs as she walks elsewhere. "... Next time, they're answering to me personally."

Topaz overhears of this and her mouth begins to water, particularly at her [Thunderbrand]. But just as she was lost in her thoughts, Selene discreetly brushes a sleet of paper across the Espio's ankle to pick up traces of the pink dust that she'd found earlier on.

"... Ye know," she commented as she pointed towards the dead bodies. "... Free food."

Topaz grumbles to herself faintly. "... I'll make it quick," she stated. "Tell the others to not look at me in the meantime."

Eventually, help soon arrives after Topaz had finished off eating the last of the bandits corpses while the rest subsisted on the leftover food within the holdout. The group were then ferried back to the church where Manuela received proper aid and is confirmed to be fully recovered in about two weeks.

Shamir and Catherine confirm that both the Death God Bandits and the remnants of Miklan's Cartel are no more, finally putting a close on that case and allowing their resources to be put into searching where the missing Alois and Gilbert are at as of now. Karna and the Dustbin received their due rewards, with an increase in gold reward and the lack of mentioning of any instances of friendly fire (likely due to Catherine making good on her word, so really, the Dustbin are on thin ice, at least in the Swordmaster's eyes).

Hanneman's wounds were properly treated, and as per the deal, his study and all of his materials were now open to access by the Dustbin (mostly Byron and sometimes Topaz), while all of his research materials related to Karna and his blood samples were then disposed of. And regarding the stolen [Hauteclere] that was retrieved by the Dustbin, they were asked to return it to the Empire's Elite Wyvern Company due to it being a ceremonial Captain's weapon, for which they did without protest (much to the surprise of everyone, not even asking for a reward).

The case revolving around the Death God Bandits and Miklan's cartels were now officially closed.

---

14th of Pegasus Moon, Night

---

"Hey Manuela!" Karna greeted the bedridden Manuela.

"... What is it?" she asked, now sporting bandages over her now-blinded right eye and all over her body.

"Well, it's the Day of Devotion, my students are probably raiding the pantry for some chocolates or any confectionaries that they can get their hands on," he deadpanned as he then set a pair of goblets and a bottle of unopened wine on her bedside table. "... With that said, Hanneman fulfilled his end of the bargain by overlooking the fact that I technically did not steal a bottle of wine from a bandit's hideout that is roughly worth 3 million gold."

Manuela snorts bemusedly. "... That's your idea of a date?" she deadpanned. "An expensive bottle of wine with little ol' me?"

"Trust me, if I had other options, I wouldn't be here," Karna pointed out. "... That and Rhea just punched me out of her audience chambers just a few hours ago. Had to bend myself a really weird way just not to shatter that bottle underneath my clothes in the impact."

The two of them then share a small laugh with each other.

"Aw, you really do care," she cooed as Karna poured her goblet with the velvet-red liquid.

"Here's to your full recovery," the two of them clanged their cups before partaking it in their drinks over the moonlight.

The two of them let out a wistful sighs of satisfaction. "... So, I heard about Aelfric."

"Yeah, I was basically his defense attorney since literally no one would vouch for a legally dead man," Karna remarked. "I did my best throughout the week. His sentencing shall be given out tomorrow."

Manuela then lets out another deep sigh as she looked at her reflection in her drink. "... I'm such an unthinking fool," she muttered to herself. "Look at me, now missing an eye and scarred all over. Part of me wishes that the Death Knight had killed me so that I wouldn't have to live like this."

"Well, being stupid is part of being human," Karna bluntly pointed out. "But it's also human to feel what you're feeling."

"How did you handle the Death Knight whereas I couldn't?" asked Manuela.

"In all seriousness, I kicked him in the balls so hard that his codpiece caved in into his testicles," answered the Grandmaster. "... Don't mean to brag, but while you were at your Opera days, I was spending those exact same days being chased around by literally anyone who wanted to kill me or rape me in no specific order. Had to be sharp in record time, so... that might've helped."

"You sure live a colorful life, Professor Karna," Manuela emptied her goblet as Karna refilled her's. "Now I understand why Archbishop entrusted you with the Dustbin whereas the others failed. You lived the same lives as they did, so you know how to guide them."

"Eh, something like that," he shrugged. "Although personally, I think being a normal person teaching other normal people isn't a bad thing. I mean, sure, during chaotic times, me and my charge are likely to adapt better, but then what? In a peaceful world, do have a place?"

"... That's kinda hard to bear," Manuela remarked.

"Eh, I try not to think about it too hard," Karna then gulps down his goblet before refilling it. "To be fair, our jobs as Professors is to set an example for our students. But this semester's batch all have a good enough heads on their shoulders. So really, I think they'll get the hint. ... No offense."

Manuela smirks. "None taken."

The two continued to share the bottle until it was emptied out.

"... You know, if you're in need of a company when you go pub crawling," spoke Karna, "come to me. I can use some company at night myself."

"Oh my, are flirting with me?" she giggled.

"Full disclosure, no intimacy beyond holding hands and maybe kissing," the Professor replied in a snarking manner. "I castrated myself, remember?"

"... Don't remind me."

---

Support Conversations:

---

- Sorcha and Vidar (B):

Sorcha: OI BYRON! I WANT A REMATCH!

Vidar: ... Strong enough?

Sorcha: One way te find out. Come on! Te de Trainin' Grounds!

Vidar: ... Prepare yourself.

*cut to the Training Grounds, where both Vidar and Sorcha are spotted laid on their backs in exhaustion*

Sorcha: ... Holy shite, mate. I knew dat ye were strong, but ye laid me arse out!

Vidar: ... You... strong... too. Not many... strong... like me.

Sorcha: Ye well... gotta admit, I think why nun of de others are strong as ye... yer kinda scary te look at.

Vidar: ... Is that... good thing?

Sorcha: Eh, if de enemy's too busy pissin' demselves te try 'nd kill ye, den yea, it's a gud thin'.

Vidar: ... I see... I'm glad... that my face... makes enemy... weak... but does that... you not scared of me?

Sorcha: ... Not as much as wen I first met ye. At first, I think I gotten used te ye, but now... I think I understand ye after we beat de crap out of each other.

Vidar: ... Understand... me?

Sorcha: Dose fists of yers... they ain't anythin' like dat of a beast's or dat of a person dat's evil or cruel. ... Yer fists... feels as if yer cryin' on de inside. Ye fite... because you want te cry, but can't.

Vidar: ... Yes. ... Can't feel anything... I fight... to feel something... you feel like you fight... because you... afraid... of failing to protect... those you care... about.

Sorcha: ... Waz it dat obvious? De world's fekin' terrifiyin' and if I dun't keep up, it's not just me dat's gonna git wasted, but Selene, ye, 'nd everyone else I are feked. I can't just fite fur selfish reasons like I used te back wen I was a wee lass in Enbarr. I now gotta fight 'ard enough to protect each and everyone one of ye... because I care about ye bastards.

Vidar: ... We not weak.

Sorcha: Huh?

Vidar: ... You become... strong for us... not bad thing. ... Don't forget... we strong too... so we fight... with you... together.

Sorcha: ... Fair enough. Guess dat's just me being a worrywart, ainnit?

Vidar: ... Not a bad thing... shows that... you care.

Sorcha: Yeh well... dun't wanna come off as sum sort of sappy wee flower-pickin' lassie. Got a reputation te uphold, ye know?

*Vidar then gets up before lending Sorcha a hand*

Vidar: ... Don't bother... with reputation... Byron says... that they break... easily. Instead... choose to prove it every day... to keep... sharp.

Sorcha: ... Fair enough. Dun't wanna git fat 'nd flabby from sittin' around too long. Speakin' of...

Vidar: ... One more round?

Sorcha: Damn straight. So put em up.

Vidar: ... We make each other stronger... together.

Sorcha: Any last words before I finally lay out yer arse?

Vidar: ... Don't die.

---

- Selene and Topaz (B):

*Selene notices Topaz stalking her*

Selene: ... Fur de love of... please stop followin' me. I ain't joinin' yer order or anythin' like dat.

Topaz: At least think it over. Don't you wish to be acknowledged as Death?

Selene: I just want te be Selene McCarthy, not sum nameless killer callin' 'erself "Death" or anythin' like dat.

Topaz: ... You have a gift that many others lack, Selene.

Selene: Wat does dat say about yer order, den? Are dey dat lackin'?

Topaz: ... More like near-extinction.

Selene: ... Look, I can understand where yer comin' from, but dat doesn't mean dat I'm just gonna ditch me current life fur some life where I become "Death."

Topaz: So would you rather live under your sister's shadow for the rest of your life? Constantly under her protection because you're too meek to face the world alone?

Selene: ... I know dat. Ye dun't 'ave te say it.

Topaz: So why then-?!

*Selene drags Topaz out of her hiding spot before cornering her elsewhere*

Selene: Because I am who I am. I'm just me sister's shadow, but at least dat was me own choice since birth. I could've easily just offed meself wen I was born weak, but me sister saved me and if I just left 'er... den wat would dat make me?!

Topaz: ... Born weak? But Selene, you're strong! You're one of the strongest people I know! Tell me, who dares to call you weak?!

Selene: Fuhgeddaboudit. Ye wouldn't understand.

*Selene walks away from Topaz, leaving the latter by herself*

Topaz: ... Azrāʾīl, is she truly not founding wanting?

---

To Be Continued...

---

Author's Notes: Sorry for the late upload, but real-life developments combined with building burnout is getting to me.

I'm waiting for the job that I applied to for me to call me back, my writing pace has taken a hit after sinking hours into Goddess of Victory: NIKKE's 1 year anniversary event along with Reverse: 1999 and Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak (where I recently got my ass laid out by the Primordial Malzeno), along with my other fic's current arc being heavily revised to make the plot flow better. As a result, I only got around 2000-3000 words per day, with it going down to barely past a 1000 during one of my worse days.

Essentially, this fic is going on a hiatus until the beginning of next year. Because I need the mental break and time to finish my Black Clover AU fic's current arc. After that, I need to revise my writing schedule in order to better accommodate all of my desires in a single day while maintaining a resemblance of balance.

So, this chapter is a loose adaptation of "Oil and Water" gaiden chapter, only that the Death Knight came delivering Miklan's remnants along with a crapload of promotion [- Seals] to make the fight even harder than the canon. The reason for his arrival just to personally torment Manuela is that unlike in the canon, this would show what would happen if her rumors were founded to be correct... as a case of "Be Careful What You Wish For"-trope. I like Manuela as a humorous character, but this time, she kinda needed to be taken down a peg. A little, but still.

Better than Hanneman giving her a good talking down to, which I find slightly ineffective (a case of "in one ear, out the other").

As for the Dustbin, eh, yeah, they're kinda still working through their funk, with Topaz finally, slightly, getting back onto her game, but still a long way to go from reaching her full potential. As for Byron, he finally learned how to create and use a new spell that is an evolved form of [Fimbulvetr] while accidentally learning [Mire B] after trying to jump the gun on learning [Quake Σ]. A bit of a case of one-for-one in time spent.

Overall, this chapter is meant to be filler, but it's also meant to show that the Dustbin, even if they are improving, have ways to go now that circulation of illegal [- Seals] via the Flame Emperor's faction spreading them around are now allowing bandits to match the Dustbin's fighting prowess.

The next arc will be Almyra's time to shine. See you all in this fic next year.

References:

- The Death God Bandits' higher-ups/named members are named after various dark or evil figures from Greek Mythology. The Warrior Twins, Moros and Hypnos, are each named after the Chthonic Gods of Doom and Sleep respectively. The War Master Deputy Commander and Quartermaster, Thanatos "The Harbinger," is named after the Greek Personification (not God) of Death. While the "Maiden of Mayhem and Mutilation" Echidna is named after the Greek Mother of all Monsters.

- Karna's new promotion class, Grandmaster, is based off Avatar/Robin's Advanced Class from Fire Emblem Awakening, right down to gaining access to the [Rally Spectrum] skill.

- Thanatos's boasting towards Topaz, Selene, and Hanneman is based off Gerard Valkyrie's line directed towards Renji from Bleach when the latter tries to prevent other Captains and Lieutenants from joining in.

- The Death Knight/Jeritza/Emile's line before relapsing into his former personality is based off Quilge Opie's line from Bleach.

- Thanatos's death is partially based off the "scarred man's" death from Undead Unluck's very first chapter.

- Byron's new spell, [Rexcalibur], is based off of the S-Rank Wind Magic Spell with the same name from Fire Emblem's Telius Duology (made as Soren's signature go-to spell).

- Byron's parting shot to Echidna is lifted from Percy's pre-mortem one-liner directed to Captain Stonefell in Episode 6 of The Legend of Vox Machina Season 1.