Date A Re:Live
S3 Chapter 60: Mukuro Space, Part 3
By : Tohka_Yatogami
...
Summary
Even a similar story can take it's own path. Shido and Mana are amnesiac siblings living with their friend Kotori, however the past catches up to Shido when he nearly runs into a space quake, and his world changes as one girl asks... "Are you here to kill me?" (Stronger Ratatoskr, weaker DEM, games & movie are canon to story) [Shido/Tohka/Harem]
OK, before we start, it's time to answer about what I mentioned last chapter about Date AST Re:Strike. Most of you either said you were OK with it or were indifferent with the entire thing. So, as a result, I've decided I will move Date AST Re:Strike's chapters into this story once Season 3 finishes up. Though they won't be identical to the originals.
While the general ideas and such will stay the same, I'll be adding onto and fixing them a bit, and turning them into movie chapters. So, there's a chance the three chapters may end up becoming 2 to fit how the movie chapters are generally much longer. I personally think I could do better with some of the fights, especially Mana vs Minerva, so when they're put in, check them out again because they'll be new and improved ^^
How the process of adding them in will work is this. After Season 3 ends, I'll get the Crossover started, and since I've never done a crossover and will be a bit slower in making it, I'll add the Re:Strike chapters within that time frame. I'll start by leaving them at the end so veteran readers can check them out without having to backtrack to find them, then after a few days pass after adding all the Re:Strike chapters in, I'll rearrange everything back into place.
Now that we've got that done, time for the chapter's start notes! As of this part of the story, and at the very least for the rest of the Mukuro arc with the exception of the period Shido tries to win Mukuro's heart over enough to seal her, things are going be... very different than they've been in the rest of the story has been for one major reason. I don't know how to say it without giving it away, so I'll just say... *thinks* be on guard.
There's gonna be a lot of fighting, and Mukuro's situation is gonna be last on the list, on the bright side you'll get to see some characters fight in the rematches you've all been waiting for them to partake in. As well as ones that you might like or expecting based on past character interactions, I know I'm excited for who I've chosen as Ellen's opponent :3
We've got Ratatoskr vs the DEM, the Fraxinus vs the Arbitel, and Everyone vs Mukuro! I'm so pumped I can't help but make my speech epic due to the sheer fighting that's about to happen! In fact, I'm gonna get some donuts right now to spark my excitement and writing potential! *cheers* I've gotta channel all this excitement and energy into this chapter!
Speaking of which, let's actually start it! *holds up a flare guns and fires it* BEGIN!
Suddenly the alarms go off, alerting everyone.
"Everyone, the DEM's left the Inverse Void! They've begun an attack on Mukuro and it's in progress right now with a massive army! We're requesting reinforcements as we speak, all personal prepare for the worst... because we're going to war!" Sakura exclaimed over the speakers.
"Alright, no going back now... it's time to end this, to save Mukuro from the DEM!" Shiori exclaimed.
"Right!" Tohka nodded.
Before doing anything, Shiori put a hand on Tohka and used some of his Reiryoku to activate Miku's passive ability and relieve her body of its pain. Now with her main form of stress gone, Tohka shook off the fatigue and got back on her feet and back flipped in the air.
"Wow Shiori, I don't know what you do but I feel better than ever!" Tohka exclaimed happily.
"Let's meet up with the others, come on." Shiori replied.
The two soon rushed to the bridge, meeting with the others already there. Reine, Mildred and the other Spirits all quickly followed, and Shiori noticed the Spirits were all still in the same tired and weakened state that Tohka had just been in.
Shiori sweat dropped at that and chuckled embarrassingly.
"Hold on a sec, let me fix that." Shiori stated.
Shiori puts her hands on all the Spirits, and soon felt Miku's passive ability restore them.
"Nice, glad you've got an ability like that one." Nia remarked.
"Well, I try." Shiori giggled.
Reine took her seat in the Commander's chair.
"Alright, status update everyone." Reine ordered.
"Maintenance fully checked, all systems are green!" Matthew replied.
"All reinforcements accounted for, the Tenguu City's base forces all present!" Ren added.
"All systems green on support!" Sakura confirmed.
"All Ratatoskr divisions' sending aid to our coordinates as we speak!" Minowa mentioned.
"Coordinates are X-375, Y-168, Z-924!" Shiizaki stated.
Reine nodded, and soon breathed before grabbing her hair band and closing her eyes. To most of her crew's surprise, she pulled it off before double layering it over her wrist. Her eyes reopened with a series look on them.
"Alright, prepare launch into space!" Reine ordered.
Everyone nods.
"Deploying territory!" Kawagoe announced.
"Starting engine, powering all systems to speed until atmospheric breach is detected!" Nakatsugawa stated.
"Powering all Realizers, staring up all of the Realizers and Ashcroft Delta devices!" Mikimoto approved.
As this happened, part of the Ratatoskr base moved, and soon enough everyone heard a special alarm go off to announce Ratatoskr was about to send most of its forces. Everyone quickly ran the shelters as the buildings shifted accordingly.
Soon the roads motioned into a launch ramp, and it split into many more as the Fraxinus and various other ships like the Sagittarius and more were moved onto each individual ramp path, some of which that contained the support vehicles. Mildred sat down and brought up a screen.
"City shifting has been completed, all ships are docked. Alright Chairman Elliot, on your command we have lift off!" Mildred stated.
"Very well, all forces... GO!" Elliot declared.
Soon the Fraxinus and every other ship was launched forward by the ramp docks, catapulting them into the air before they started to speed up as they slowly neared the atmosphere and the area where Mukuro was fighting the DEM forces.
As they rose up, the Fraxinus saw various ships near their other ships as they flew in from other Fraxinus branches across the globe.
"It looks like all ships have gathered, now all that's left is-" Karen stated.
Suddenly everyone felt the Fraxinus shake as they crashed into something, everyone was knocked to the floor while Reine tried to hold steady.
"Maria, Marina! What just happened? How did we hit something!?" Reine asked.
"Let's see." Maria wondered.
The two both linked to the Fraxinus' systems... and an unseen yellow field of energy was before them, the Fraxinus smashing right into it.
"Oh crap! It looks like there's a field of Reiryoku that's condensed into a barrier!" Maria replied.
"What!?" Reine asked in surprise.
"I definitely see yellow Reiryoku, the battle in space must have Mukuro using so much power it's caused the magic particles to crystallize into some sort of membrane, we can't breach the atmosphere!" Marina growled.
- (*Fairy Tail - Last Magic*) -
Reine looked forward, and gave a determined frown as she grabbed two levers on the control console.
"Kannazuki, grab the rear controls... we're shattering that membrane ourselves!" Reine declared.
Everyone looked at her in shock, and Kannazuki taps the wall to reveal to extra levels on it.
"Alright, on your signal." Kannazuki replied.
"OK, do it now!" Reine answered.
Four sharp wing extensions jut out of the front of the hip, soon piercing into the membrane, and everyone held onto part of the ship as it began shaking.
Reine and Kannazuki on the other hand felt the backlash of the Reiryoku hitting them.
"No way... you aren't stopping us, don't give into some stupid barrier Fraxinus!" Reine begged.
Reine and Kannazuki pushed their levers further, and the Fraxinus' engines pushed harder, soon cracking the membrane.
"It's cracking!" Marina smiled.
"Do it!" Maria cheered.
The Fraxinus pushed harder... and soon burst forward, smashing a hole through the membrane before causing its fragments to briefly turn visible and fade away as the entire membrane shattered across the atmosphere.
"This is Karen Nora Mathers, the Reiryoku barrier has been cleared, all ships proceed and double time it!" Karen announced.
- (*insert song end*) -
Everyone in the other ships nodded before they all accelerated.
"Oh man, the ship took heavy damage. How can it fight in this condition?" Rinne wondered.
"No worries, we've got it." Reine answered.
A seat rose from part of the bridge's floor and a few monitoring wires appeared from it.
"Kotori, sit down on that real quick and channel your powers through those wires. Leave the rest to us." Reine asked.
"Uh... alright." Kotori replied.
Kotori sat on the chair, the wires soon attached onto her skin, she grunted as she channeled Red Reiryoku into them.
『 Reiryoku detected, assigned Spirit: Efreet. Activating Reiryoku adaption program, restoring all damage to the Fraxinus. 』
At that moment, everyone looked in shock as the Fraxinus glowed red and fire burned on the haul, restoring all the damage it had taken like Kotori would until it was back at 100%.
『 All systems restored. 』
"No way, did the Fraxinus just..." Mana gasped.
"Yes, thanks to Nia's aid, we created an equivalent to the Spirit Ascension for this new Fraxinus model, and one other feature similar to one of Rinne's abilities. We call it the Seirei Armament." Kannazuki answered.
"You can store up a portion of Reiryoku onto the ship for the latter ability, but when a Spirit's sitting on the chair, they give the ship access to some of their abilities. I recommend you all take a seat and store some power." Reine explained
The Spirits all nod as the Fraxinus and the rest of Ratatoskr's ships had fully entered into space, and soon enough...
...James Paddington noticed a signal reach the Arbitel, getting his attention.
"This is... verify the signal now!" James demanded.
"Roger that sir!" A crew member replied.
After examining the reading, he saw more appear, and they all came from the same source: Ratatoskr.
"Sir, the signals are multiplying and they're all of Ratatoskr! They've sent an entire army here!" The crew member stated.
"Did they send everything? Damn, no wonder Sir Westcott asked us to send everything, we're fighting a three-sided war here, the Spirit and Ratatoskr? Alright, let's show them the same defeat they were given 3 months ago!" James ordered.
"Understood!" The whole crew responded.
The Arbitel slowly began to move, getting Westcott's attention from his projection.
"So, they finally showed up... time to end this." Westcott smirked.
"Finally, I've been waiting for this. I'll finally get a chance to make that Tohka Yatogami feel the full sting of defeat!" Ellen smirked, her bloodthirsty smile showing.
"You can have her, but I want Mana!" Jessica cackled.
"I don't mind, just let me handle [Angel] and I'm fine." Chinami stated.
Westcott chuckled darkly.
"Go on then, show them the power of my strongest Wizards in their newest forms." Westcott declared.
As the Fraxinus forces appear, they begin firing against the DEM's forces, with the Fraxinus slinking through as they got closer to the Arbitel and Mukuro. Tohka who sat on the chair last soon got off, the Fraxinus fully registering her added Reiryoku.
"Alright everyone, I have no doubt that the Adeptus wizards will all go after you soon. Because of that... Mana, Karen, Artemisia?" Reine stated.
They nodded.
"You've got it, we'll take care of them! The rest of you take out the rest of the DEM fleet." Artemisia replied.
"This is everyone's fight this time, we all stand united." Karen added.
"Let's take them down!" Mana exclaimed.
They all ran off to the deployment area, meanwhile Elliot turned to Reine.
"I'll be moving over to the Aries support vehicle since it needs a pilot and I'm familiar with using it, you're in charge of everything Reine. Give them everything you've got." Elliot stated.
"You've got it Elliot, I won't let you down." Reine smiled.
"Alright Field Agents, head to the auxiliary room and begin your direct link to the remaining support vehicles." Kannazuki ordered.
"Yes sir!"
Elliot rode off on his wheelchair, while Hiroto, Ai, Mai, Mai and a few others all headed over to the support vehicles,
Finally, Reine turned to the Spirits.
"Everyone, this is the major point we need to achieve. If we want to have any chance of having Mukuro listen to reason... we must unseal her emotions." Reine stated.
"But how do we do that? She's got Michael, only she can make it work, right?" Mayuri asked.
"And while I may be the only other one who can command an Angel, I can't use an Angel other than Uriel, or make it use one of its abilities on their current host. That means I can't tell Michael to unlock her emotions either." Rinne added.
Nia chuckles before wagging her finger.
"Who has the Angel that knows almost anything?" Nia mentioned.
"Does that mean you found out a way?" Origami asked.
"I didn't need to, it was easy to put two and two together for this. We'll have Haniel copy Michael and use it to unseal Mukuro's emotions." Nia answered.
Everyone gasped at that.
"Of course! I can't believe we forgot my own Angel, but wait... I can't use another Angel's alternate forms unless I have Baal. Certain abilities like Segva count as alternate forms, and we can't just make me Inverse here so Baal can work around that issue." Natsumi stated.
"That's where I've got Raziel to help us." Nia smirked.
Nia summoned Raziel and opened the book up.
"Alright Raziel, how can we make a Michael created by Haniel's Kaleidoscope ability use its Segva ability?" Nia asked.
[Let's see... processing the info now.]
Soon the Spirit language appeared on the pages, and Nia showed it to Rinne.
"Alright Rinne, what does this say?" Nia asked.
"Hmm... "With a strong enough force of fire and wind backing Haniel, it should be able to cast an alternate form's power", strong enough force..." Rinne wondered.
Rinne soon gasped.
"Of course! Strong force, fire, wind... if Shiori uses a Triple Spirit Ascension and adds Camael and Raphael's power to it, it could use equip with Camael and Raphael's charged attacks to empower it!" Rinne exclaimed.
Shiori's eyes widen before she smiled and nodded.
"Yeah, that might just work! Although it also means I only get one shot. If I miss, then Mukuro will likely take me out and we'll never get another... we need to think about this, how can near-guarantee this to work?" Shiori wondered.
"I think I know a way." Natsumi smiled.
Natsumi whispered something to Shiori, and soon her eyes widened.
"Alright then, let's go for it everyone... we'll save Mukuro no matter what!" Shiori declared.
"Right!" Everyone exclaimed.
Marina soon pressed part of the ship and opened a panel with necklaces that had small charm like realizers attached.
"Here, wear these special realizers we've made. They'll let you breath in space while letting you move like you were flying in the sky. Boycott was working on these, but he still doesn't know I'm not dead." Marina explained.
Everyone puts them on, and Marina gives a sinister sounding chuckle as they stare at her nervously.
"Boy is he gonna get pissed off when I'm through with him." Marina smirked.
"Alright then... this is it, let's go!" Rinne announced.
Ellen flew through the sea of space, prepared to near the Fraxinus when...
"OH NO YOU DON'T!"
Ellen's eyes widened as she held up Caliburn in surprise.
She ended up being right to do so when Artemisia rushed in and smashed her sword, the Nandaka, directly at her. Ellen parried for a bit before she was pushed back, Artemisia standing right before her.
"Artemisia... I'm sorry, but you're not the one I'm currently after." Ellen stated.
"Well too bad, I'm the one you're getting. I think you told me back at the Ten-Oh festival that "You could have given me trouble if you were fresh instead of the sorry state the others left you in," am I right?" Artemisia asked.
Ellen crossed her arms a bit.
"So? I have no intention to face you here and now, the only one I want is Tohka." Ellen stated.
"Oh, I see... then you admit it?" Artemisia smirked.
Ellen raised an eyebrow.
"What?" Ellen asked.
"You admit it, that you what you said about me giving you trouble is proof that you're not the strongest wizard, but I am." Artemisia answered.
Suddenly, Ellen's eyes shrunk before contorting into a look of anger.
"Never, I am the world's strongest wizard! I'll prove it to you here! Last time Ike had me keep you alive, but now... I have no reason to keep me from killing you! Prepare to die Artemisia Bell Ashcroft!" Ellen declared.
Ellen raised Caliburn out with one hand before slamming the other on her CR-Unit, causing a marking to appear before her body's Maryoku began turning dark, distorting her screaming voice as the Arthur gained a black coloration transformed into the Inverse Arthur.
"What the?" Artemisia gasped.
"Let's see how you do against my new power Artemisia!" Ellen screamed.
Ellen rushed ahead, and Artemisia did the same.
Shiori began flying through the ocean of space as she neared Mukuro, who was looking towards the DEM and Fraxinus ships.
"OK, here goes... Triple Spirit Ascension! Haniel, Camael, Raphael!" Shiori shouted.
Soon Shiori's hair became red, green and orange, with her eyes becoming red, green and purple in color as copies of the three Angels she called formed around her.
Spinning a bit, she grabbed Haniel before grabbing Raphael, and soon stuck the broomstick into the front of the bow before grabbing Camael.
"MEGIDDO!"
Camael transformed while floating before Shiori grabbed the fused Haniel and Raphael, sticking it into the Megiddo cannon and grabbing it.
"Alright Haniel, here goes... Kaleidoscope - Michael!! Shiori shouted.
The three Angel copies all melded and soon created a copy of Michael that sparked with power, Shiori grabbed the key and soon felt the power surging.
"Yes, this is it. I just hope this works..." Shiori breathed to herself.
At that moment, she saw Mukuro move as she intended to go somewhere else. Taking a deep breath...
"Mukuro!" Shiori screamed.
Mukuro suddenly stopped, and turned to see Shiori staring at her holding her copy of Michael.
"...Your form may be different, I remember you. The boy who called himself Shido. Regrettably, it seems you have trouble with remembering things, did I not tell you to never bother me or I'd stop Earth's rotation?" Mukuro asked.
"You know, I'm honestly quite surprised you bothered to remember me at all." Shiori smiled.
Mukuro raised an eyebrow at that.
"What do you mean?" Mukuro asked.
"You had no reason to remember me, and yet you did. Maybe part of you really wanted to see me again. Yeah, that has to be it... and that can only mean you truly did seal away your emotions because you were lonely." Shiori smirked.
Mukuro blinked at that.
"What strangeness are you speaking about?" Mukuro asked.
"Just that you should be prepared Mukuro, because my ego has no end! If you say my hypocrisy is a maze you won't let yourself be ensnared in... then I'll just have to build that maze even bigger and force you to be ensnared!" Shiori exclaimed.
"...Are you saying you refuse to ignore me? Even if I threaten to destroy the world?" Mukuro asked.
Shiori smirked and soon swiped her hand down, creating a wall of flames that put Mukuro on guard before Shiori rushed out, slamming the copy-Michael on her.
[Interesting. It seems she has a power that allowed him to mimic my form, but I don't sense the same power beyond my weakest and most natural abilities.]
"Then she is of no true concern, but it seems she will still combat us. It seems she realized that despite I do have the power to carry my threat, I had no intention to do it, I was too careless." Mukuro stated.
[Then I guess we have no choice but to prevent her from bothering you again the hard way. I'd rather not get too rough and hurt her, but we all have to make sacrifices.]
"Indeed." Mukuro agreed.
Mukuro spun Michael, and Shiori held her Copy-Michael like a staff in return.
Jessica looked around the battlefield for any signs of her hated rival, and then...
"Hey Jessica, over here!"
"Mana!" Jessica growled.
The younger Half-Spirit soon flew down into view, smirking as she stared at Jessica.
"Finally, I've got the perfect opportunity to kill you once and for all!" Jessica cackled.
"You, kill me? I don't think so. I still owe you for killing my Uncle three decades ago, so you're the one who's not coming out of this alive, so get ready!" Mana declared.
Jessica cackles loudly at that.
"Oh really, well... let's see how you handle this!" Jessica stated.
Jessica slapped the Mordred's chest area, and a symbol appeared on the CR-Unit before the same thing Ellen did happened to her, making her CR-Unit turn black as it transformed into the Inverse Mordred.
"You made your Maryoku become like an Inverse Spirit's!?" Mana shouted in surprise.
"Hah! How do you like this now, let's see how that stupid Murakumo of yours does against my new Mordred's new power..." Jessica began.
Soon the Scarlet Licorice appeared before equipping to her, soon changing into a black color and changing to add additional weaponry.
"...and my Black Licorice!" Jessica finished.
"...You really like licorice, don't you?" Mana joked.
Mana sighed before readying herself.
"Alright, time for you to see my new trick." Mana smirked.
"Spirit Ascension... Sandalphon!"
Jessica's suddenly blown back a bit as a large amount of Reiryoku forms around Mana, and when she could regain her foot to look... the wizard known as Adeptus 2 was shocked to see Mana with purple hair and eyes and a Limited Astral Dress based off Tohka's.
"What the... what is... where is your Murakumo!?" Jessica roared.
"Oh that? It got broken, but this is a much better replacement for it. So..." Mana answered.
Mana formed a crystalline sword.
"Let's dance!" Mana shouted.
The DEM ships that slipped through the Ratatoskr ships' fire all began to slowly move closer to Shiori and Mukuro's battleground.
"All forces, prepare to fire!" A DEM captain ordered.
The ships all prepare to charge a black, and right as they were about to fire...
...a sudden purple colored energy slash shoots at them, hitting the ships weapons and making them explode slightly, with two of the ships fully detonating.
"What!?" The DEM captain gasped.
"You aren't getting anyone near them!"
Soon the DEM ships focus their viewing cameras downwards a bit, and the sight of Tohka alongside every Spirits aside from those fighting others like the Takamiya siblings were gathered in one place, all with their Angels out and their Astral Dresses (or Limited Astral Dress in Rinne's case), and ready to face them.
"What is this? I thought the members of the Adeptus squad were supposed to be handling them!? Yet nearly all of them are here!" The DEM Captain exclaimed.
He growled and slammed the button for the communication feed.
"This is the captain of the Hyperion, get over her right now Adeptus Squad!" The DEM captain yelled.
"That's a negative sir, we've been ambushed! We can't reach Adeptus 1-3 either!" Adeptus 4 replied.
"What!?" The captain gasped.
"Ratatoskr's sent out every-" Adeptus 4 replied.
Ryouko shouted loudly as she swung her sword down, causing Adeptus 4 to scream as her hand was cat and her communicator gear was sliced in two. She panicked as Ryouko merged her Cry-Cry-Cry with her sword.
Adeptus 4 quickly parried the attack.
"What... what the hell are all of you? How did you become so strong!?" Adeptus 4 asked fearfully.
"The same way we became stronger after what you did to us nearly a decade ago. You hit us hard, we come back with even more force, because when you piss off this ragtag bunch of misfits... our tantrums are deadly!" Ryouko answered loudly.
Adeptus 4 saw Ryouko smash through her sword and have her gun charge aimed at her. She tried to fly away, only for a territory barrier to trap her... and Ryouko's gun still charging and aimed at her, and the AST Captain's face clearly saying: "This isn't a bluff" to her.
Now that she had a moment, Ryouko turned to the rest of the AST.
"Everyone! This isn't like any fight we've been in, this is a full-on war, don't hesitate or hold back! These people have every mind to kill you and this time... we can't let them live! Just know this, you're not fighting to kill, you're fighting to survive!" Ryouko exclaimed loudly.
The AST was quite shocked by that order, to possibly have to go beyond simply defeating their opponents?
"...I get it." Ashley suddenly said.
Everyone looked at her.
"Yeah, think about it? We're not going to be shown mercy by the DEM, any of the organization's members would kill if they had to for the sake of Westcott's goals. That's a fact we've known for a long time, so... we should have considered at one point we'd have to consider our lives or theirs." Leonora added.
"Then there's the biggest part of the overall picture. No matter what any of us Ratatoskr do, there's someone that has to die for this madness plaguing the world for the last 30 years to finally end... Westcott." Cecile stated sadly.
And with that, the AST members all went wide eyed as the reality finally hit them.
Now with only Mukuro as the remaining unsealed Spirit, things wouldn't be like they were before, Westcott would get truly serious for what he wanted if he had to and most of all... with all the Spirits allied to Ratatoskr, the whole organization would become his target.
"...Hey guys, do you really believe in what people say about having blood on your hands if you kill someone?" Mikie asked.
"Well, I'm not sure much this might mean, but... remember when Mana took out Minerva? She wasn't afraid, and she didn't show she was traumatized it, but that wasn't because she enjoyed it either. She was fighting to save Artemisia, she wasn't killing because she wanted to kill, she was fighting for her life and others." Katie answered.
Everyone listened closely at her words, and soon Katie showed the resolve of her words on her face.
"I think that's what it means to have blood on your hands, to kill willingly. You can regret eventually, but that won't change at one point you truly wanted to end someone's life. That isn't us, and as long as we remember that, I think we can all agree that we'll never truly have blood on our hands." Katie stated with determination.
"Fight to protect and not to kill, don't be the sword... but the shield!" Saya gasped.
Ryouko smiled.
'That's it girls, I knew you'd figure it out.' Ryouko smiled.
Soon she put her and on the C-C-C's trigger.
"No... please don't, please! I'll change, I'll leave the DEM, just don't kill me!" Adeptus 4 cried.
"I'd like to believe you... but when the DEM gathered back its most loyal members after Westcott survived the black hole, you went back to him. For that one reason, and because of people in the group like Ellen..." Ryouko replied.
Ryouko shed a tear, clearly distraught with what she had to do.
"...I'm unable to believe you, if you want someone to blame, then blame Westcott." Ryouko apologized.
Ryouko pulled the trigger, and soon a strong Maryoku blast vaporized the Adeptus 4 wizard, and Ryouko sobbed as she saw the empty space where she once stood.
Chinami searched around for Origami, and soon heard something coming near her.
"...How disappointing, I guess my fight with [Angel] isn't today either." Chinami sighed in annoyance.
Chinami drew Arondight as it clashed with Karen's sword, causing the Ratatoskr wizard to flip onto her feet and skid against the non-existent ground.
"Karen Nora Mathers, the younger sister of Ellen... so you're my opponent. I think I don't mind this fight, to end the life of someone like you will be my proving point for taking [Angel]'s life afterwards." Chinami mentioned.
"Sorry, but I'll be the one victorious. I still can't believe you join the DEM and fight against your own family." Karen stated angrily.
Chinami blinked before laughing, catching Karen by surprise.
"You don't have the right to say that, after all... aren't you fighting your own the same way?" Chinami smirked darkly.
Karen's eyes widened.
"...That's, that's different! My sister chose to be a monster, but you learned your adoptive parents were killed by accident, and by your own adoptive sister, Ellen isn't like Origami... she's not the victim!" Karen shouted.
"If you truly think you're right, then by all means you should be the winner. So, with that in mind... let us prove who the right one is, right here and now." Chinami replied.
"You asked for it." Karen replied.
Chinami grabbed her sword as the two rushed at one another.
In a field of the DEM ships, the Sagittarius (which Matthew was controlling remotely), alongside the combat and support vehicles based on the astrological zodiac. Scorpio, Gemini, Leo and Taurus were all being remotely piloted by the same people who used them during the fight with the Deus, with Elliot riding in the Aries directly and the other six being remotely piloted by the Fraxinus' original crew and Mildred.
Using the rocket booster attached to it, the Taurus catapulted itself and spun fast enough to drill through a fleet of DEM automatons and warships, causing a chain reaction of explosions.
"Oh yeah! That's one..." Ai began.
Mai had the Scorpio fire its tail stinger like a sonic charged harpoon through even more of the same targets.
"That's two..." Mai followed up.
Finally, the Leo had its claws slash through another large group as Mii had it quickly dart around.
"And that's three!" Mii finished.
"Here's a recharge you guys!" Hiroto stated.
The Gemini unleashed lightning from the electrical pillars on it to recharge all three vehicles, and as that was happening, the Sagittarius fired a Mystletainn shot that cut through even more ships.
"We're clearing out a good number of the DEM's forces, don't let up." Matthew noted.
The other zodiac vehicles either support or attack the other ships with weapons based on their respective zodiac symbol. Meanwhile in the Aries, Elliot put his hands on two levers as two frontal arcs on the ship opened up before swallowing all the Maryoku streams within range.
He pushed the levers forwards, and the Aries burst forward before smashing through most of the forces before him.
"A little rusty, but I've still got it." Elliot chuckled.
Soon an explosion is heard behind him, and he turns to see the others zodiac themed vehicles slowly explode, one by one.
"Oh no, the Taurus is gone!" Ai said via speaker.
"Destruction of all but the Aries has been confirmed, I'm sorry sir." Matthew replied through the speaker.
"Sir, get out of there now!" Minowa stated.
Elliot turned the Aries to see the sight of the DEM ship known as Heptameron staring him down.
It began charging its lasers at the Aries, making as Elliot sweat before quickly making the zodiac based vehicle go onto the defensive as it flew away.
The Spirits all flew out of the way as the DEM ships all fired at them, each warship's captain not even realizing they had completely diverted their attention to Shiori and Mukuro's fight. After getting an opening, Tohka raised Sandalphon as she summoned its throne.
"HALVANHELEV!" Tohka shouted.
Tohka swung downwards as the throne slowly formed the Sword of the End, and soon it smashed through a whole flurry of ships.
Kotori soon grabbed Camael tightly in one hand, holding it up into the air.
"MEGIDDO!" Kotori exclaimed.
"Now... burn them all to ashes, do it Camael!" Kotori screamed.
Kotori fired the beam while moving the Megiddo cannon, causing the fiery laser to burn through multiple ships.
"Quick, deploy territories now!" The Hyperion Captain ordered.
"That won't help you, I won't let you hurt my friends." Yoshino said quietly.
Zadkiel roared and caused any icy cyclone, the ice caused the territories that formed to become frozen prisons.
"Oh no, she froze the Maryoku in our territories! Break the ice shells, hurry!" A DEM captain panicked.
Origami soon focused her finger forward.
"Kadour - Sword of Light!" Origami yelled.
Metatron's pillars shot forward, breaking through the ice shells as they also smash through the ships.
The remaining shells were all fired on Kurumi and the Nibellcole clones.
"And that's how you do a quick draw." Kurumi smiled, blowing the smoke off Zafkiel's calibers.
"El Kan'aph!" The Yamai twins called.
Their fused bow formed before they pulled the three strings together, firing off and smashing through the ships that escaped Zadkiel's freezing, and the reinforcements coming from behind.
Miku slammed her hands down on Gabriel's keyboard, soon unleashing a sonic scream at those ships, causing some of their hauls to explode and burst, cracking some windows and armor in the process.
"Quick, everyone... get... the oxygen tanks and... weapons online!" A DEM captain ordered, putting on an oxygen mask.
"Take out these damn Spirits, kill them all!" A DEM crew member roared.
The ships all charge beams or unleash rapid fire and Rinne cuts through the beams with Uriel, while Rio causes Eden to enlarge and shield everyone.
"Hey Rio, got a request on how I should flip the tables on these ships?" Nia asked.
"How about you give Mayuri's lightning have a good chance of messing their systems up?" Rio requested.
"Alright, go for it Mayuri!" Nia shouted.
"You've got it." Mayuri nodded.
Mayuri flew forward, soon rising up as Nia wrote "guarantee Mayuri's lightnings fry their systems." in Raziel's pages.
With a mighty shout, she unleashed her lightning and all of the ships suddenly smoked as their systems went haywire and some began to crash into each other.
"Damn it... damn it all!" The Hyperion captain declared.
Westcott grunted a bit, Ratatoskr was doing what they had since Shido had begun rescuing the Spirits... overpowering him.
"Impossible, I didn't underestimate them this time! How can they have learned to fight against the enhancements made by the Dark Maryoku I've created and applied to my forces? How!?" Westcott growled.
"Oh, that's quite easy... boycott!" Marina exclaimed.
Westcott's eyes widened at that voice, and soon he saw Marina appearing through her remnant link on the Arbitel's communication systems.
Marina giggled mockingly as Westcott's eyes widened.
"How's this possible, you were deleted!" Westcott demanded.
"Should have actually checked that, and unfortunately Boycott, I hate you and all you stand for now. Oh, and to make things worse? I'm not a genuine Spirits and I shared all the knowledge of what you were working on. We already had ways to prepare for it?" Marina smirked.
Westcott's eyes widen.
"No... this is, this isn't possible." Westcott breathed.
"Aw, look at that... after so long you're finally losing your cool again. I wonder how you'll freak you when you lose this Spirits too? Well, good luck losing... BOYCOTT!" Marina exclaimed.
Westcott's left-hand shook, and his eyes twitched as he mustered all his willpower to not snap and flip out at that moment.
Then at that moment, a bunch of vines constrict the ships near the Arbitel before an intense poison mist sprays and corrodes the same ships.
"Oops, forgot the goodbye gift!" Marina laughed.
"Damn you!" Westcott growled.
A yellow light and a mixture of red, green and orange light dash and collide with one another in the air, showcasing the fight between Shiori and Mukuro.
'Come on, I still need to find the right opening!' Shiori thought.
'This isn't as easy as I expected.' Mukuro thought.
Mukuro soon jumped back, and twirled before holding Michael forward.
"Rataibu - Unlock."
Mukuro forms wormholes that begin to gather the remaining debris around the Earth's atmosphere.
"Oh no you don't!" Shiori stated.
Shiori threw her hand forward, creating an intense wave of fire to burn all the trash into cinders, and soon enough Mukuro noticed the Earth's atmosphere had had all the trash finally cleaned up from it.
Realizing this, she held Michael sideways before spinning it.
"If you think I need something to fling to use this, you are sorely mistaken." Mukuro remarked.
The same wormhole moved positions before firing meteors made of her Reiryoku out it, and Shiori swung the Copy-Michael like a bat against them as Mukuro herself charged a beam from Michael's tip.
"Alhazma - Beam."
The beam fired out at Shiori from behind, and she felt it hit her... but managed to take it before flinging it away, taking a deep breath before regaining her focus.
[Amazing, she's still fighting... just how much power are you using right now Mukuro?]
"I'd rather not mention how much, but I think she's aware it isn't the same amount I've been using to fight off those ships before now." Mukuro answered.
Shiori held up Copy-Michael, a small amount of sweat on her face as she smiled.
"Sorry Mukuro, but... I'm still standing!" Shiori replied.
"I will admit that this has been more challenging than I expected, but I doubt you will force me to use my Shifuru against you. Even now I shall still end the victory." Mukuro stated.
'Shifuru? I don' know what ability that is, but that wording makes it sound like a last resort, I gotta unseal her before she uses it!' Shiori thought.
Elliot flew the Aries around as he tried to avoid the Heptameron's attacks, struggling to get away and locate where the Fraxinus is.
"Damn, this ship is persistent, but if I can just make it through then... then I'll be able to-" Elliot grunted.
"Sorry, but that's not happening."
Elliot recognized that voice before the Heptameron suddenly detonated on its own, creating a huge cloud of smoke and throwing the Aries off a bit and blinding Elliot's view as he was tossed around from it.
"What the? What just happened?" Elliot asked himself.
"James... show him the Arbitel Necroma's power." Westcott declared.
"Wait, that was... oh no! I've got to get away right-"
Suddenly a stream of Dark Maryoku tendrils spike through the smoke, and pierce right part of the Aries, making Elliot's eyes widen as he sees one struck the engine behind him... and said engine began to spark.
"No... Karen..." Elliot gasped.
And at that moment, it happened... the Aries exploded, and the Fraxinus suddenly got news that his pulse disappeared. Everyone still on the ship gasped and showed faces of horror as the revelation was shown on screen. Reine's body trembled as she saw the analysis.
"No... no this can't, it can't be!" Reine gasped.
In her trembling, she accidentally hit the communications button, reaching out to the other members of Ratatoskr.
"This is Ryouko here, what's going on?" Ryouko asked.
"This is Karen, I'm a bit busy. What is it? Did something happen?" Karen grunted.
Nearly everyone but Shiori and the Spirits soon replied, making Reine realize what she hit... and at that moment, everyone picked up on her sudden silence to her horror.
"Reine, please respond, what happened!?" Karen called out.
Reine began to whimper, and soon shed tears as she had no choice but to reveal the horrible truth.
"Everyone... Chairman Elliot is, he's... Chairman Elliot is gone! He's dead!" Reine screamed sadly.
A huge silence silent suddenly rang across those who were listening on the news, and most of the group suddenly froze up.
This wasn't anything they didn't expect, a few Ratatoskr ships had already been destroyed... they had gotten casualties, with what the DEM was suffering there was no ideal way to think that they'd all make it back alive, but to hear that? To hear Ratatoskr's founder died?
Everyone had their own horrified reactions, but no worse than Karen, having just heard her own husband was now gone. As all of that happened... Westcott began to start laughing, cackling as he enjoyed the act he just committed, and made his announcement form the Arbitel.
"Finally, he's finally gone... Elliot Woodman is dead!" Westcott exclaimed.
Oh yeah, you that last scene right, Westcott just killed Elliot. This is what I meant by "be on guard" with the rest of the Mukuro arc, because as of this arc... there are characters that are going to die. During Mukuro's arc in canon, Kotori was told at one point that some unnamed people were killed that reached at least the double digits, and that was only at the moment they had the Fraxinus EX head off into space and could have gone up.
So, I figured to truly show how serious the arc would be now that there's only one spirit left seal, similar to how Westcott got serious trying to kill Shido in Volume 16 where only Kurumi's left now and apparently Westcott seems to be afraid of Shido sealing her because it'll make him the "key" for something... I'd have this fight be serious enough that some aren't making it out of this conflict alive.
Not to mention as this chapter just showed, there's one big difference I'm doing from canon, making some of the deaths be named characters you've come to know in this story, and to both DEM and Ratatoskr allied characters. While some named characters in canon have died before like Jessica and James Paddington, they weren't major characters since both really only mattered for a single Spirit's arc.
Since Elliot was the first major casualty , how serious is this gonna be? Well, while I can't tell you who is planned to be killed, and admittedly the number of deaths won't be that large, probably not hitting the double digits... the only characters I can guarantee will survive are Westcott, Shido, Mana, and all of the Spirits. Also, while some of the deaths just show the danger, there are a few like Elliot's that have story related reasons.
It's also the reason I've had some the characters heavily consider the prospect that the fight with the DEM has only gotten all the more real as of this point, and since Westcott will only continue to cause trouble and damage the world... not only do they have to eventually kill him, they have to consider the moments when it truly is "us or them" and be forced save the lives of themselves or their comrades by ending another's. With Elliot being killed, that truth has been fully cemented, and now Ratatoskr's members have to face it.
As I said before, this is only the case for at least the Mukuro arc, I don't know if I'll be doing anything like this again afterwards just yet. I may very well only have the deaths that happen here occur for how the few that do happen affect the story and the characters, either way... this is only the beginning. Mukuro's arc is far from over, and as I said above, the only safe point for anyone is when Shido most of the characters is when Shido finally begins his attempts to win over her heart.
Until next time everyone, and stay awesome! ^^
-Spirit Bond Levels & Passive Abilities-
Tohka - 100%, MAX (Form a mana barrier automatically)
Origami - 99% (Teleport Dodging)
Yoshino - 99% (Dampen enemy territories)
Kotori - 99% (Healing from fatal wounds minus losing his head, doesn't work on wounds caused by blunt force)
Kurumi - 99% (Hide in his shadow, and only his)
Rinne - (Summon a weakened copy of Uriel)
Natsumi - 99% (Transform into Shiori)
Kaguya - 99% (Flight)
Yuzuru - 99% (Weight Manipulation)
Miku - 99% (Pain Reliever)
Maria - (Restore dying/withered/dead vegetation and plant life)
Marina - (Remove toxins or other harmful substances, either from a living creature or an object)
Rio - (Create a soothing aura of Reiryoku to reduce a sealed Spirit's anger)
Mana - (Allow Mana to use Spirit Ascension at its weakest level without Angels)
Nia - 99% (Photographic Memory)