"WHAT IN THE NINE LAYERS OF HELL DID YOU JUST SAY, JAUNE?"
It had only been less than two days ever since the accident, and less than half a day since the news broadcast broke. Yet everybody at school was already gathering around talking and gossiping as if the world was going to end. Not leaving Jaune any room to breathe as they swarmed him like hordes moths to a flame. It took a considerable amount of effort for Ren, Cardin, and Elm to pull him out of the crowd into an empty cargo lot behind the school's cafeteria for them to have some moments of privacy.
Him surviving the God King's attack was of course a big topic of conversation, but since the whole gang all collectively shared a single brain cell among themselves – or at the very least Cardin and Elm did – all they could really talk about was what Weiss told him when she paid him a visit in the hospital.
"Now are you absolutely sure she said 'boyfriend' and not something like… an alloy friend?" Cardin said as he winced.
"Bro, that literally makes no sense," Elm punched Cardin's arm.
"Makes more sense than this, I can tell you that," he retorted.
"I hate to say it, but Cardin's right," Ren said, maintaining his poker face.
"See? Ren's usually the one to call me out on my dumb ideas. Even he has no explanation. So check and checkmate."
"That's not how the expression goes."
"Look, I don't know what to tell you guys," Jaune fumbled around, trying to collect his thoughts. "I just, well… I heard what I heard, you know? If we're going to start theorizing about how I hallucinated the whole thing then what even is the point?"
"Listen, we're happy for you, bro," said Elm. "We really are. But you gotta admit, it is kinda hard to believe. I mean we're talking about the Superman here, who is practically a god. And she's not exactly known to be the socializing type, too. Look at what happened when your boy knucklehead Cardin tried to make a move."
"Exactly," Cardin agreed. "Learn from my mistakes, bro. It's my gift to the world."
Jaune sighed, scratching his bandaged head:
"Maybe you're right. Maybe it's all just a dream and none of it really happened. If none of it was real then, yeah, it sucks I guess. But I really, really wanted to get better you know? Learning from the Superman herself… she's so strong, and amazing. And I guess, I just want to get to know that better."
"You've got some wonky priorities, bro," Cardin laughed. "But I get you, no sweat. You wanna up your game and stuff, since graduation will be here before we know it. I can respect that."
"Then there's no point in delaying is there?"
A voice echoed from behind, startling all four of them as Weiss descended from above, floating a few inches above ground just as usual. None of them even noticed her approaching, as if a ghost had appeared out of thin air.
"Weiss, hey," Jaune waved with his good arm. "How's it going?"
"Does it matter?" Weiss asked coldly. "Come on, we're going to be late for our practice session. It's time I teach you how to heal yourself with your Aura."
"Ooh, you hear that guys," Cardin began nudging Elm and Ren, "they're gonna go to their private session. Doing all sorts of inappropriate stuff I bet, like, like – holding hands… and smooching, ha-ha!"
To which Weiss only responded to that with a cold grimace, staring on in utter confusion:
"What on earth are you talking about? Why would we do any of that?"
And the four of them could only combat that with their own confused expressions. Staying silent for a few seconds before Elm mustered the courage to say:
"Because – you're a couple now?"
"What?"
"You said he is your boyfriend, didn't you?" Cardin pointed frantically at Jaune.
"Yes, and I don't understand why that requires me to hold his hand," Weiss said, as she continued to scowl. "Is this some kind of Valean ritual I do not know about?"
To that, the four of them could do nothing but stand there, completely petrified at her response. Never in their lives had they witnessed someone so clueless and oblivious, and to have those words coming out of the strongest being on the planet was just too bizarre to not question whether they were in a bad television show.
Too baffled by the predicament, Weiss simply shook her head and decided to move on, ignoring what these students were saying.
"Go back to class you three," Weiss told them. "And Jaune, meet me by the entrance to the Forever Fall."
And thus, she flew off at a speed that could casually break the sound barrier, leaving Jaune standing on the ground, still puzzled by what had just happened.
Raven Branwen, the so-called Pirate God, was one of the most formidable foes anyone had ever encountered on this planet. While it did take the Superman only a fraction of her strength and Aura to overpower Raven, the same was not necessarily true with her pirate armada. As it took the combined effort of Fleet Admiral Maru's entire force to apprehend every single one of those pirates out there on the Eastern seas. Of course, Weiss' own superhuman speed was instrumental in their arrests, but the pirates still fought back with an unwavering spirit, one that was difficult to dominate.
Or at least, it would've been for anyone other than Maru. The man who possessed the legendary Semblance named Ancient Warlord. A power that granted him the ludicrous ability to dominate other people's willpower with Maru's own will. Though, it seemed to come with some limitations, what these limits were was unclear. As Maru himself was rather conservative in its usage.
Now in the middle of this grassy field awaiting an Atlesian armored vehicle to escort Raven to a secret maximum security facility, Ironwood and Maru stood watch as they knew well it will take both of their full power to restrain this monster of a woman who called herself the Pirate God. It did not matter that she was missing an arm and was badly injured. She was still a hungry beast that should not be underestimated. One who could no doubt give either Ironwood or Maru a good fight if it were a one-on-one duel.
Even while restrained by Atlas' strongest gravity cuffs, both the General and the Fleet Admiral still felt an uneasy air standing in the presence of this woman. Her feet were tied together, held down by gravity Dust, and her one good arm was completely useless with its nervous system completely disabled by the mechanical cuff. And yet, the woman still smiled on with that cold devious expression.
Sometimes Maru would shiver in disgust as he held his long coat over his shoulders closer under this breezy watchful moonlight.
"My old friend," she coughed, struggling to smile, "Admiral Maru."
"That's Fleet Admiral to you," Ironwood chimed in. "Show some respect."
"Of course, of course," she kept on grinning. "You know I respect the two of you, even you – James. The Gunslinger Duo. Two-thirds of what makes the Northern Giants. Come on, Maru. Give me my sword, let's go a few rounds. You know you want to cut me. Because I sure as hell want to cut you, too."
"Please be quiet," said Ironwood. "Before I knock you out myself."
"I'm talking to Maru here, thank you very much – James! How about it, big man? Let's go a few rounds."
"We are going to put you where you belong," Maru said at last. "And your punishment will be living out the rest of your days knowing you will never fight me ever again. Or anyone for that matter. You will be given a fair trial, which is more than you deserve. And that trial will carry out Atlesian justice, you can be sure of that."
"Boo, you're no fun anymore," Raven tried spitting on his boots.
There in the distance, Ironwood and Maru could spot a large armored vehicle approaching at an almost casual pace. The machine was so large it might as well be a tank. Neither Ironwood nor Maru could sense any other Aura signature inside the approaching vehicle except for a singular dense source, which they recognized immediately as belonging to the General of the Air Force.
Maru had insisted on this mission to be carried out without any of the lower-ranked soldiers as potential collateral damage in case things went south. Ironwood agreed, as he also knew the power Raven possessed. So to have her be escorted by Atlas' three strongest generals was a no-brainer.
Obviously, they could've also had the Superman join them on this mission, but she did not have knowledge or access to every secret facility the Empire could offer, which was bizarre. But it was actually something she herself had said she would prefer, to give back a certain level of agency to those with lesser power than her. Because in her own words, she was here to serve the Empire, not the other way around.
Some people were okay with that kind of attitude, and they encouraged it as a matter of fact. But others like General Samantha Vulf were not so keen to accept. She saw the Superman as an asset, one that should be utilized to its fullest potential.
The woman was intent on letting her fellow generals know of her grievances when she stepped out of the armored vehicle. Such a strong and tall lady, six feet two, adorning a strict and sharp white military uniform with a tight combat skirt. Black leggings, white boots, buttoned-up sleeves, blue epaulettes, and a white Atlesian beret worn on top of her long luscious black hair that glistened under the moonlight like precious gems decorating her fair skin. All of which were complementary to the red tie she wore with pride over her dark shirt underneath the white uniform. Adjusting it as perfectly as she could just as she got off to walk over to where Ironwood and Maru were holding Raven.
"I really do not understand why we couldn't just have the Superman take this wench to the facility herself faster than we can blink," Sam began complaining. "This is a waste of time."
"The Empire is built on the backs of people who do not cut corners," said Maru. "You of all people should not forget that."
"Sure, I'm just saying," Sam raised her hand in defense, "I'm getting too old for this. You could've asked that Ghost Vester kid and his team to do this as well, Maru. But you didn't. Could've been a good training exercise, I'm just saying."
"Aw, would you look at that," Raven smirked. "It's like a high school reunion. I could shed a tear."
To which Raven received a cannonball dropped on her skull for the comment.
"Quiet, you!" Sam caught the heavy metal ball as it bounced off her head. "It's bad enough I have to be here. I don't want to get my hands dirty touching scum."
"Feeling's mutual, you stuck-up bitch."
"Let's get going," said Ironwood. "On your feet, Raven."
"Wait," Maru turned his head. "Do you two feel that?"
In the distant darkness of this vast nigh endless grassy plain were trees and shrubs all around, covered by the moonlit shadows. No matter how hard they tried to concentrate, it was clear there was nobody around here, no Aura signature for them to pick up.
And yet, they could feel that something was off about the scenery. It was quiet, a little too quiet. The shrubs and leaves sat where they were almost refusing to be blown by the wind, or even moved by any soft cold breeze.
There – from the darkness emerging at a speed that could rival light came forth a projectile zipping through the air aimed right toward Ironwood's skull. It was only by Maru's fast hand snatching the bullet out of the air did the projectile not make deadly contact. His glove was furiously smoking the moment he caught it in midair, steaming from the friction.
Ironwood could only stare on in complete disbelief, not from Maru's ability, but rather from the fact that he got shot at all. Ordinary assassins knew the Northern Giants were permanently coated in a thick layer of Aura protecting them from any surprise shot that may go their way. So there was only one logical conclusion to draw from this here bullet that flew at them – this was no ordinary assassin.
"A sniper round," said Maru, opening his palm as the smoke still hissed. "That is not possible, a round this big should've been heard from a mile away."
"Silent rifle?" Sam asked. To which Ironwood shook his head.
"The round is still in its casing," James pointed his finger. "This bullet wasn't shot out of a rifle."
"Bravo, old friend – you figured it out."
In the air next to a couple of nearby trees were ripples in what looked like complete nothingness that slowly vibrated itself into existence, as the mirage before them began to take form into something a lot more solid. The power of illusion magick – the ability to conjure up what looked like images into solid pieces of reality. Stepping forth from this mind-bending piece of warped space were two very familiar figures. These two the three generals could recognize immediately.
The right-hand woman of the Lord God of Vale – General Glynda Goodwitch. Standing next to her was the Valley's head Royal Alchemist, Peter Port.
It was possibly easy of a mistake to think General Goodwitch was an Atlesian soldier, especially if one were colorblind. The immaculate way she dressed in her military uniform adorned with black and purple silk, standing up straight in a strong tall posture as she adjusted her service cap above her golden hair while holding on tight to the blade sheathed by the side of her hip.
Her hand would tap patiently on the hilt as they approached closer on this grassy plain, hands wrapped by a pair of graceful white gloves. The way she gripped so firmly onto that handle – it was so still, one could be forgiven for thinking they were robotic limbs.
But the sword – it was a long thin military cutlass with a beautiful golden basket-hilt, so elegant and extremely sharp. And yet, it was hard to shake the feeling that the blade seemed to have never tasted any blood before. Which just seemed completely out of place in knowing the legendary conquests on Glynda's résumé.
The woman walked forth, her heels cracking the very ground with every step, oozing powerful inner Aura. The boots she wore were woven from stylish strong black leather, but it looked as if it could barely contain the power of this woman as her muscle rippled of a hidden anger from within.
"Glynda…" Ironwood muttered under his breath, as he adjusted his tie. "It has been many years. You're still here – with your old strength."
Glynda chuckled, glancing down at her blade.
"Five years," she said. "That is not a long time. Yet here we are. I'm nothing but a fraction of my former self."
"No, you're still as strong as ever," said Ironwood.
"Cut the crap," she snapped back. "It's sickening how you can say that with a straight face. We are all ordinary when a flying demon circles the sky. The only difference between you and me is that she's on your side. Think about the moment when that ceases to be the case."
"Unlike you Valeans we don't find loyalty in our blood," Maru stepped in. "We find loyalty in our ideals. The flesh and blood can only last generations, but the spirit is eternal."
"Waxing poetic now, Maru?" Glynda smirked. "What happened to the man who could only speak numbers and no other language?"
"That's what I said!" Raven shouted, before receiving another cannonball to the head.
"Just answer me this," Ironwood said, slowly reaching for the pistol on his hip. "After all those years – why now? And why here of all places?"
"Truth be told, I'd be lying if I said we planned this," said Glynda as she glanced over the portly Alchemist standing beside her. The man cleared his throat before stroking his mustache with a subtle arrogance.
Port would step forth, adjusting the large red tie over his double-breasted burgundy suit before reaching inside his pocket to pull forth a folded piece of paper, holding it out for everybody to see.
"Do you generals know what this is?" Port asked. "Oh, that's right. I forgot you people don't have enhanced vision. Let me spell it out for you then – this is a letter I wrote to our God King Ozymandias, the contents of which is mathematical proof of the future. You of all people should understand the concept, Maru. The universe is a machine, and it runs on numbers, physics, and natural laws. And these concepts can be understood because they have limits. What can be understood can be solved – then predicted. That is the way it was supposed to be… at least, if we don't consider the existence of the Superman. The fact that she is even breathing at all throws the natural order of things out of balance. Because she is not a being tied down by limits, or by laws. That kind of power – the sheer magnitude of it is liberating in a sense. I'm sure you all know that feeling. But when that kind of strength is siding with a power that does things which would only be exclusively beneficial to its own people – THAT is what I call tyranny!"
"We could have never foreseen you apprehending Raven Branwen of all people," said Glynda, as slowly from behind she pulled forth a familiar device – Raven's Dust-filled sheath and sword. Glynda continued: "Who could have guessed in a million years the Invincible Pirate God and her fleet would be swallowed by the depths? But here we are."
Sam would look at this sight, crushing the cannonball in her palm into smithereens as she grunted:
"If you even dare to think for one second you're freeing this human scum here, you've got another thing…"
And faster than the eye could track, Glynda would interrupt Sam's words the moment she drew forth her sword and pointed it straight at the cuffs on Raven's hand and legs, where from seemingly out of nowhere a barrage of bullets would ram straight forward shattering these shackles in a single strike. This was the power of General Goodwitch, her Semblance – one aptly named Telekinesis.
"I'm sorry, you were saying?" Glynda smirked, now pointing her sword at Sam who was growing more annoyed by the moment.
"James, Samantha," Maru took off his long coat, tossing it in the air. "If we die here today, I want to let the two of you know – it has been a privilege serving beside you."
Ironwood took out his giant revolver, cocking it as he said: "Likewise, my friends. May the righteous emerge victorious."
"You're still absolutely sure you cannot dominate their minds with your Semblance, Maru?" Sam asked. "One final chance to find out if this is to be our last day. Maybe things have changed."
"Negative, General Vulf," he shook his head. "They are too sturdy."
"This is our moment of opportunity," Glynda declared. "Destiny still bends to the will of the God King, we will prove it here today. Peter!"
Port nodded before pulling from his breast pocket a small vial with a strange green liquid inside. It sparkled brilliantly like emerald, but more importantly, it seemed almost alive somehow, oozing with electrical currents. Pulling off the cork, Port would gulp it down in one swift motion, savoring the flavor as he wiped it from his mustache.
"You see, gentlemen – I am not a fighter. I am an alchemist. But if I must defend our kingdom with a strength concocted in a lab, then so be it."
"RAVEN!" Glynda shouted as she telekinetically tossed the sheathed sword over to where Raven was kneeling. Grabbing the handle with her one good arm, Raven smiled.
"Hello, old friend," she whispered to the blade, as if finally able to breathe normally. Unsheathing it to reveal the crimson color beneath, she would begin cackling at her reflection. "Oh, how I miss you."
"SAMANTHA!" Ironwood shouted, readying their fighting positions.
"Out of the way!" Sam yelled back.
Looking up, Raven finally realized General Vulf was already high up in the air, under the bright moonlight winding up to throw a massive cannonball the size of a large boulder. The image of a woman carrying a giant weight three times her size was something seared right into her mind.
Her form was immaculate, left leg bending, raising up high. Just as her elbow curled into a shape of a catapult before launching the massive metal ball from her cannon of an arm from thirty feet in the air. The speed at which it traveled was something so ludicrous Raven had a hard time believing it was real. Easily faster than most bullets.
"Oh shit," Raven muttered under her breath.
Dashing from the collision, she was barely able to avoid the massive explosion that erupted after that gargantuan crash. Disoriented, Raven would find her only remaining option to rely on the assistance of strangers over where Glynda and Port stood. Raven knew these two had ulterior motives, but hers at the moment was to survive, no matter what it took.
"General Goodwitch," Raven panted as she stood up. "I've heard so much about you."
"Take this," Glynda tossed Raven what looked like a small brown meatball of some sort. "It's a standard military ration. The equivalent of a single meal. Will that be enough to replenish your Aura?"
Without a second thought, Raven tossed it straight down her throat, salivating like a monstrous animal. Wiping from her lips – she grinned ear to ear:
"No, not even close, but beggars can't be choosers, ha…"
"Raven, I must remind you that you are still under arrest," Maru formed his hand into a finger gun, pointing at where she stood. "Come quietly now, or there will be consequences."
"Oh, shut the fuck up, you old geezer," Raven spat a mouthful. "I'm sick of your rules. Take out your blade – we are fighting NOW!"
"Very well. James, Gunslinger formation."
"Yes!"
Standing back to back, the Gunslinger Duo stood pointing both Maru's finger and Ironwood's revolver at their foes, as the two of them began imbuing themselves with a thick coat of Aura. Glowing with the colors of a star, the energies inside could rival that of an atomic warhead. But everybody on this grassy field knew long ago – these men and women were much more dangerous than any mere bomb.
From the tip of his finger, Maru would fire off a blast of energy so thin and yet so dense it was nearly impossible to see coming, certainly even harder to detect when this projectile of pure energy was traveling at the speed of light. But Raven was no fool, for she had fought this man a thousand times before. She knew the potency buried deep inside those energy blasts from his finger as she skillfully side-stepped the projectile to have it erupt behind where she was like an exploding volcano.
Dashing forth she held her blade tight in her left hand as the heavy steps of her wooden sandals echoed forth in this dark night. Before she could even approach Maru, however, she was confronted with the barrel of Ironwood's revolver firing off its Dust-filled bullets at a similar speed as Maru's own energy shot, also empowered by Ironwood's own Aura.
Thus, cutting that bullet was no easy task as Raven had to put in much more effort compared to a regular bullet. These people were the Northern Giants for a reason. And Giants would not fall so easily.
"I've got Raven," Maru told Ironwood. "You take care of Goodwitch."
"Smart choice," Raven cackled.
"Sam! Don't let Port out of your sight," Ironwood shouted. "We don't know what he's capable of."
"Oh, you're about to find out now," said Port.
Appearing in front of Ironwood before his eyes could track, James was absolutely shocked to see this large man moving at the speed he did. And from his inner coat pocket, Port would pull forth an unnaturally elastic-looking rifle which bizarrely began morphing into something much bigger, before placing it down on the ground to reveal that the simple rifle had now transformed into a proper high-caliber cannon with wheels on the side. Almost as if Port had just pulled this device off a pirate ship.
The blast from within was searing, launching Ironwood into the distance faster than either Maru or Sam could react. Was this the power of the potion that Port had just consumed earlier? Or was this the work of his Semblance? Or perhaps it was a combination of both.
Sam wasted little time pondering these questions, as she knew there were bigger concerns. Snatching another small metal marble from the pouch on her belt, she would begin imbuing it with the power of her own Semblance – Inner Force. The ability to grow objects to be supersize. Thus, from a marble the size of a pebble, she was able to grow this into a cannonball, further enhanced by her own Aura. Winding up once more, she raised her leg in the proper throwing form, and once again contorted her arm into the frame of a catapult to launch the ball toward where Port stood at breakneck speed.
But the Royal Alchemist would not be so easily deterred. Picking up the cannon he had just placed down which had now transformed back into an ordinary Dust rifle, he bounced off the ground using his own elasticity to narrowly avoid the speeding cannonball rushing toward where he stood. The bizarre power of this portly man still confused the Atlesian generals.
"Keep your eye open, Maru!" Raven yelled, dashing in from the left swinging her blade with as much force as she could muster, splitting the very ground in the process as she left behind a massive gash in the soil. Maru knew well the cutting power of this sword master, so he quickly back-flipped away as she quickly approached.
On the other side of the grassy field, General Goodwitch would dash forward, using her own telekinetic powers to lighten up her feet for extra speed. Her focus was on the General of the Army, charging forth with furious determination. Ironwood could feel the overwhelming bloodlust bolting through the atmosphere as he struggled to get on his feet. The air was dense, hard to breathe, and even at times difficult to see as steam began erupting from their bodies from the overwhelming power of their Aura.
"We wanted peace!" Glynda began swinging her blade, commanding a barrage of sniper rounds. "But your tyranny knows no bounds, does it? Answer me, James!"
"There is no peace under the reign of your King!" Ironwood fired off a few shots, stopping Glynda's rounds dead in their tracks. "A mad man who wants to control the future, the flow of fate. And you have the gall to call us tyrants? You broke my heart, Glynda."
"You do not have the right to say that after turning your back on us!" Glynda swung her sword, simultaneously dragging many more bullets behind as follow-up strikes, creating a flurry of continuous offensive pressure.
To which Ironwood would respond by blocking the blade with his own revolver, smacking it aside as he proceeded to shoot the rest of the bullets out of the air as if they were flies or bees, grabbing a few along the way with his bare hands.
"I loved you, James," Glynda pointed her sword at Ironwood. "WE loved you. The King still cares for you. And you threw all of that away for what? Power? Land? Under his rule, you could've had all of that and more!"
"Even now you still do not get it," Ironwood shook his head. "How can you? You are not Atlesian. And that is the problem right there. We from Atlas are not magical like you here in the Valley. Our bloodlines are ordinary. We have always had to fight – and we can never stop fighting!"
The man shouted, raising his fist to the moonlight to empower it with as much Aura as he could muster before driving it straight down to the ground, digging into the earth to get a good enough leverage point – just so he could pick up the entire plot of land itself as if he were merely peeling off an ordinary piece of tape.
Prying the dirt off, Ironwood would exert himself to an unimaginable degree, throwing Glynda off her balance as she struggled to stand still on top of the land Ironwood was cracking off. His Aura was blasting off as well, almost leaking out of his body uncontrollably.
Lifting a piece of the earth and flipping it over was one thing, but making it so it could actually harm Glynda was another matter entirely. And Ironwood understood that fact, which was why he had no intention of using this piece of dirt as part of his offense. She was simply too fast to get crushed like this. And even if she did not have the speed, her own Telekinesis was strong enough to overpower any piece of the ground Ironwood could have thrown at her.
All of this was simply to buy time. Time he did not even get to spend the moment he turned around to find himself on the receiving end of another cannon shot from Port's inexplicable rifle. Ironwood barely had enough time to shield himself from the impact, and it still knocked him back at least a couple dozen feet. Where Port would continue to give chase, bouncing on the ground with his bizarrely elastic feet and even his own fat belly.
"Oh no you don't!" Sam's voice echoed peculiarly from behind.
And only when Port turned around did he understand why. The woman had used her own Semblance on herself, now growing to a mindboggling gargantuan size, absolutely befitting the title of a Northern Giant. Sam stood there at least twenty feet tall, as large as a small building. And there she would drive down an Aura-infused punch delivered with the ferocity of a burning meteor, one meant to raze this entire earth.
Port would ultimately be undeterred, however, as he knew he had the backing of his magical potion. One that could enhance his Aura tenfold to match the strength of a general. Blowing into his thumb, his entire arm would puff up in an instant. Inexplicably inflating as if his flesh were rubber and his muscles within were made out of balloons. Twirling around this giant fist, Port would confidently step forth to clash against Sam's descending raging fist. In the process, creating massive shockwaves that uprooted numerous nearby trees and shrubs.
"Your people's magick is getting more impressive," Maru observed Port from afar, still preoccupied with Raven as she charged forth from the shadow. Only to have Maru retaliate by dodging her slash and nailing her with a solid high-flying heel kick in the face.
"These are not my people," Raven grunted, wiping the blood off her mouth. "We share distant blood, but not our spirit. I will forever be free. No kings or governments will ever tie me down."
"How long do you intend on running? You can't do this forever. Nations and kingdoms have men and monsters who could rival the power of nuclear bombs. You are one of the rare few not affiliated with any of these kingdoms, one who possessed similar strength no less. But a nation can train to replace its military for the next generation. What will you do when you die?"
To that, Raven only smirked:
"You have your protégé, I have mine. Here we have a rare opportunity for us to cut loose. For the next generation as you say. Stop holding back for my sake, Maru. I don't need your pity. Show me your nuclear bomb – and I'll show you mine."
And to that, for what seemed like the first time in Maru's life – he cracked a smile.
A smile he would follow up with lighting up his bare hand, now finally showing Raven the legendary 'sword' of the Atlesian Fleet Admiral.
"Attaboy," Raven stood up, readying her blade.
There on this grassy plain this day two monsters would charge forth in the middle of a sea of monsters. They would forego any sense of care they previously had for a brief moment of indulgence, to let go of all restrictions and limitations and finally go all out. The sword of the Pirate God would swing to clash violently against the Fleet Admiral's Aura-imbued bare hand forming into the shape of a blue glowing blade, struck forward in a decisive stabbing motion.
The collision between these two godly Auras was so dense that neither of their swords could even make physical contact with one another. Pushed back by an invisible field of some kind as the shockwaves from their fighting spirit erupted all around them. And yet, the two continued pushing forth against one another with an unyielding determination, resolute in their desire to dominate the other with not just their physical strength, but their willpower.
This was the world of Remnant. A land where monsters and giants roamed to exert their will upon the sacred soil blessed by the Seasons on high.