New Chariot only had precious few minutes to prepare themselves for the warning gifted by Jason and Melissa. Soldiers rushed through the streets, sounding the horns to draw all civilians from their homes, issuing an emergency evacuation into the colosseum and the royal palace. Though confused, the people obeyed the soldiers and followed their lead quickly yet orderly.

However, time was not on their side. The people stood still for a moment as an odd tremble quaked over the city, growing stronger and stronger with the sounds of rolling thunder booming in time with the tremors. The high walls of Telo Martius prevented them from seeing what rushed toward them from the outside. One may assume it was another army, much like the one currently invading the city.

It was something far worse.

The soldiers regained their attention and ordered them to pick up the pace, but the damage would soon be done. The source of the rumbling seemed to crash against the outer walls, briefly startling them, yet the walls remained strong. No force outside the truly godlike could penetrate the walls of Telo Martius.

However, that wasn't the end of the attack.

The rumbling hastened again, but it felt off. It no longer felt as if it was coming from a distance. Instead, it felt as if it was surging below them. Something slithered beneath the street, building more and more with the rushing sound pushing against the outer wall.

And then, it happened.

False bottoms in the ground burst open from geysers of water, raining down over the city with more and more springing up. All across Telo Martius, dozens of geysers appeared on every street. A collective rain shower poured over the city and its subjects. Under normal circumstances, the presence of rain wouldn't be cause for alarm.

Except this water was coming from the city's underground drainage system, meaning what was once used to funnel water out of the closed off city…had been transformed into an unstoppable faucet.

Everyone started to panic as the raining water quickly piled up, forming shallow puddles against the feet. Acting fast, a few soldiers used a combined Stone Edge to create makeshift staircases to the rooftops. "Onto the roofs, now!" a soldier ordered.

The civilians obeyed and climbed up the rocks, working together to get each other to safety. The rising water was slow, but gradual. In the span of five minutes getting everyone off the street, several inches of water had built up with no end in sight.

"What dastardly scheme is this?!" a Volbeat exclaimed.

"Those wicked Foresters, they are to blame!" a Girafarig cried.

"It's the Umbra Clock Kingdom's flimsy attempt to strike us down," a Scrafty growled.

"Look! Over there!"

Water splashed over the far wall of Telo Martius, descending down into a ramp of ice. Emerging from the other side, a swarm of green-cladded knights leapt into the city and flew down onto the flooding streets, instantly splitting off through the water.

"The Foresters!" a soldier shouted.

"So, they managed to get through Decimus?"

"Enough gawking! Defend the civilians! Eliminate the traitors! A mere flood won't slow us down!"

With a handful of soldiers staying back to guard the rooftop-bound civilians, the rest leapt down into the flooding streets and raced into the Foresters' direction, splitting off to chase them down. With the Umbra Clock Kingdom attacking from the north and the Foresters splitting off all across the city with it slowly flooding, New Chariot will have its forces thinly scattered to suppress the threats.

A perfect scheme to handicap the strongest military of the east.

Tadhg stepped back and grinned as water passed along his ankles. "Haha! The plan's coming together!"

Leitis bashed a soldier's head into the ground and yelled, "What are your orders, Your Majesty?!"

"They may hold homefield advantage, but we've been training for this exact scenario. Knights of the Umbra Clock Kingdom, form groups of ten and fan out! Secure the rooftops once the water reaches waist level! Limit New Chariot's ground control! Take out their main advantage, and we'll have this entire city under our command!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!" The knights raised their weapons and stomped through the flooding streets, spreading out into their designated groups.

Tadhg heard a fwoosh behind him and smiled as Una reappeared. She smiled, teetering on her feet, and said, "Worked just as you said, Tadhg! Did I do good?"

He patted her head and laughed. "Marvelous execution, my beloved."

"Hee~! Head pats~."

Leitis pouted. "I want head pats…" She shook her head and growled. "I-I mean, this is no time for this!"

Tadhg sighed, then glared at the sky. "You saw him when you were drawing their attention, right?"

Una glared. "He was leading the first wave as you predicted. He'll be back to assist in the fight shortly."

Tadhg grabbed his claymore and huffed. "I'm putting you girls in charge of leading the army. If anything happens, I'll fire off a flare to call for your aid."

Leitis frowned. "Tadhg, are you positive you want to face him alone? We cared about King Gregor just as much as you did. He is the one who gave us a chance to move on from our past."

Tadhg sighed. "Though you are my wives, this is a matter that must be handled by a king. My father died protecting our knights on the frontlines." He clutched the claymore tightly. "More than anything, I need to do this for myself."

"…" Una smiled sweetly. "Well, like you said, we're one flare away from assisting you."

He smiled. "I trust you girls to support our allies above all else. Leave everything to me."

Leitis sighed. "Why do you have to go acting all macho? It's so annoying."

"But kind of hot~!" Una squealed.

Leitis winced, hiding her red face. "D-Don't say stuff like that!"

Tadhg laughed gently. "I'm counting on you girls."

Una saluted. "Roger that, Your Majesty!" She hooked her arm around Leitis'. "Time for our tag team assault!"

Leitis glared at Tadhg. "Don't you die on us, you hear—" She and Una teleported away, leaving the king to himself.

He shook his head before glaring back at the sky, catching a glimpse of the Charizard soaring back toward the city. He treaded through the water, his gaze fixed ahead. "I shall finish the job you started, Father. A king must always finish what they started, right?"

Martius Palace

"Inside, inside! Hurry!"

Saturn waved civilians into the palace in droves, servants hurriedly guiding them through various areas to make space for as many of them as possible. Water rose gradually, soon engulfing the first step up to the palace doors. Thanks to the elevation the palace stood on, it should be just high enough to prevent a flooding if it were to reach the doors.

"Make way, make way!" The crowd parted as a team of Machoke rushed up the steps with a wagon full of unconscious soldiers.

Saturn glared. "What happened?"

"These are the recruits from the training hall," one of the Machoke explained. "One of the servant girls informed us that the Foresters assaulted them with a powerful sleeping agent, and now they're unconscious. We've tried everything to wake them up, but they're out cold."

Saturn grimaced. "Dammit. Get them inside, hurry!" He stepped aside and let the soldiers pass through.

Keeping to the shadows of the hall pillars, Freya peeked out from behind cover as the soldiers wheeled the unconscious recruits in. She maneuvered back behind cover and breathed a worried sigh. Lillia's scheme seems to be coming along nicely.

Having been roped into the Forester's schemes, Freya had assisted with the brewing of the sleeping potion. It was a team effort. Freya took advantage of the quiet hours in the palace to brew the potion in secret, using the recipe gifted to her, and transported the finished potions during her off hours. It was a nerve-wracking experience, every second in the night feeling like she could be caught in the act. Only reason she had to make the potion was because Lillia was being closely monitored recently. Fortunately, her actions were being so monitored that it kept eyes off any suspicious deeds Freya may have been committing.

A part of her worried she made the potion wrong, but she was relieved by the results. If all went according to plan…

The Heliolisk slid to the floor and trembled with a sigh. Ragger. Please…Please get me out of here.

"RAAAAH!"

Ragger wasted no time upon entry. As soon as the flood reached the city, he leapt from his ice board and catapulted himself into the streets, taking down two soldiers upon landing. He then rushed ahead of the group, smashing and clawing his way through frantically moving soldiers. Their spears broke against his new armor while his claws tore through theirs like a knife to hot butter.

All the training to improve my Storm Claws is coming in handy! I can already feel the heat bursting inside me! He grimaced at the water slowly rising up to his ankles. I could do without this, though. The water's slowing me down.

"Forester!" He stopped as a Sawk and Beheeyem noticed him. They rushed down the Hakamo-o with their spears drawn. "Surrender to the glory of the empire!"

Ragger flashed his claws their way. "Come and get me, New Chariot scum!"

However, before the soldiers could act, two bursts of red wind hammered across the back of their heads, knocking them unconscious into the water. Ragger instantly grinned as Casimir and Shale ran out from around a street corner.

"HAHA! There you are, Caz!" Ragger cheered.

Casimir stopped before the scaly dragon and smirked lightly. "Wasn't too hard to find you. I could hear your screaming over the geysers."

Ragger raised his fist. "Then our objective is clear. We're storming the palace and raising Hell!"

Shale crossed her arms and pouted. "Heeeey, I thought the plan was to take hold of the city. You two are thinking of storming the palace by yourselves?" She shook her head. "Shame, shame, shame. You're such bad influences. Disregarding your commanding superiors to achieve a selfish goal—"

"Kid, if you want to come, just ask," Casimir groaned.

She smirked. "I want to steal their shit and sell it!"

"There it is." He glared at Ragger. "So, what's the situation with your sister?"

Ragger growled. "Lillia confirmed it. She's working in the palace, and she's likely there now. We break it, beat some soldiers up, then get her out of here."

Casimir nodded. "Count on me to lend you support. We're freeing her from this place today."

"Then enough yapping! We've got a palace to wreck!"

Shale laughed. "I like the way you think, McDrunkalot! Let's break their stuff!"

Settled on the plan, the trio sprinted in the direction of the palace. Ragger scowled at the ostentatious building that seemed to look down on him with a mocking aura. Hang on, Freya. Big Brother's coming to save you!

Telo Martius Colosseum

Chaos reigned in the colosseum as prisoners climbed out the collapsed arena, leaping into the stands and rushing for the entrances. Soldiers reconvened after trying to calm the crowd and rushed the escaping prisoners.

Vilde took the lead, shielding against the spears and snapping them against his natural bulk. "Burst Scatter!" He raised his palms and peppered the soldiers with a wave of explosive pellets, forcing them on the defensive. This allowed his fellow prisoners to run up from behind and tackle the soldiers down.

"Air Strike Style—" Decebal blitzed through the crowd and hammered his outstretched palm into one of the soldiers, dragging them through the stone steps. "Great Talon!" He gripped into the chest plate, spun himself around, and flung the soldier through the seats.

"Clear Sun Raze!" The slow-moving Fintan took him place at the bottom of the steps and swept his spiraling superheated laser across the stands, blowing soldiers back as the seats melted into molten puddles.

"Prisoners of the colosseum! Advance!" Vilde ordered, leading the charge to the exit.

Surprisingly, they were met with resistance again, this time by a bystanding Low Key Toxtricity who swung a left hook across Vilde's face. "Subjects of New Chariot! Show them the heart of the empire! ATTACK!"

Almost instantly, the brief panic that roared over the colosseum turned to a rallying retaliation as everyone ganged up on the prisoners. Men, women, and even children set their sights their way with fury and determination blazing in their eyes.

Vilde crossed his arms and blocked another of the Toxtricity's punches. "Crap!"

"GAH!" Decebal staggered as two young Cubone tackled onto him and proceeded to beat him with their clubs. "AGH! Get off me, you stupid brats!"

A Naclstack prisoner backed away from an elderly Kabutops swiping at him with a weak Liquidation. "What's with these people?!"

Fintan ducked into his shell as a Ferrothorn slammed on his shell with their spiky appendages. "Ugh! I've been imprisoned here for a long time, boy. Before even Emperor Tiberius' reign, the empire has been a culture of war at heart. Though they may not be soldiers, they will not sit idly by in the presence of subjugation."

Vilde grabbed the Toxtricity's arms and smacked him down with a heavy headbutt. "Either way, they're still civilians. Restrain them! Use as little force as you can muster!"

Decebal took hold of the twin Cubone and dangled them by their tails. "You brats shouldn't be playing with the big boys!" He tossed them away, forcing their Marowak mother to quit beating on a Wobbuffet prisoner and lunge to catch them.

With the entire colosseum turning against the prisoners, all eyes were off on the last two exiting the arena. Riding up along the giant tree that had sunk with the arena, Terrowin and Alfhild lowered themselves on a less crowded section of the stands.

"You're not going anywhere, prisoner scum!" a Nidorina shouted as she and a Nidorino lunged at them.

Before Alfhild could exact brutal retaliation, Terrowin merely flicked his wrist, causing the sunken tree to sprout large roots and snatched the two rabbit-like Pokémon midair. They struggled within the roots, but stopped as it squeezed together around them.

"I can see how Emperor Nero ended up the way he did," Terrowin muttered. "This is the culture that nurtured him into the proud conqueror he is today. A perfect symbol of your ideals. Shame. Such brilliance could've been put to good use without all that arrogance." He walked past the struggling pair with Alfhild following behind.

"{The mission is over,}" Alfhild reminded. "{We may now meet back with King Obsidian to complete our end of the deal.}"

Terrowin grimaced to himself. "{One last task before we leave. My scientist requested I…gather some intel that may be in the Martius family's possession.}"

He created a pathway of roots leading over the colosseum, and they both walked their way into the flooding city. Their exit was noticed by Jason, who had finished equipping his new armor and strapping himself with his equipment.

"Hmm. Harlow?"

Melissa had just finished putting on her armor as well as attaching her new Multi-Purpose Weapon. It sported a sleeker design compared to the bulky version first made by Pandora, resembling a rectangular scabbard in terms of size. Several compartments could be seen on the sides, storing the new add-ons she requested. The centerpiece of the weapon was the hand-sized, cylindrical hilt she hooked to her waist. In addition, she was gifted an arm bracer that she wore over her left arm. It had a purple ring on its surface that seemed to blink periodically.

She stopped admiring her new equipment and faced the Pikachu. "Hmm? What's up?"

"I just saw Terrowin leaving. I'm going to see what he's up to."

Melissa nodded. "Yeah. Good idea. I know we have this alliance going on, but best to make sure he's not up to anything sketchy."

"Will you be fine leading the prisoners on your own?"

She laughed awkwardly. "Given that they've recently started calling me Commander Harlow, I think I'll manage."

He smirked, giving her a final pat on the back. "Good luck." He crouched down before bursting off in a bolt of lightning, following down Terrowin's wooden ramp.

Melissa sighed and looked away. Best to just forget about that conversation I had with Terrowin. It's…better I don't associate with him, even if the offer sounds tempting. Shaking off her nerves, she whistled and called out, "Galus!"

The Dragapult appeared out of a shadow portal and curled in front of her. "Friend Harlow!"

She jumped onto his back and pointed toward the action. "Let's ride!" With a whip of his tail, Galus took off and carried Melissa into the battle. "You're going to cooperate with us one way or another, New Chariot!"

"HA!" The ground overturned, mixing with the rising water into a wave of mud that buried the charging soldiers. Sid leapt out from the ground, slicing through the remaining group with her Fangs of Groudon. They fell with burning claw marks etched across their chest plates.

Several Fearow soldiers descended from the sky, aiming to spear the Drilbur with a combined Drill Run. However, several glowing marbles flickered through the air and sniped the birds out of formation. "GAH! Wha—"

"Zero Force Alignment."

A dark purple and green outline of aura encompassed the aerial soldiers, locking them in place. "C-Can't…m-move…"

Sid looked back and smiled as Percival, along with Valentine and Zephora, walked out from around the corner. "What up, gang?" she cheered.

Percival sipped from his coffee canteen and groaned. "Noisy as always. Still, results are satisfactory. You and your team did exemplary."

She snickered. "Doing what I do best, am I right?"

Zephora leapt up at the stasis-locked birds and sliced them with her empowered glaive, draining all their stamina. Percival released them, dropping them back onto the ground. The Maractus landed in front of them and said, "I'm honestly feeling refreshed. My Storm Drain ability is working overtime in this flood."

Valentine laughed. "Glad to see you're not being impede by all of this."

"AGH! GAH!"

The Nature Spirits turned around and saw a Rampardos collapsing from around the corner, his rock-hard skin cracked and dented by a series of brutal blows. Stepping over the unconscious dino, Eadwulf looked toward his team with the remnants of a magenta light sparking from his eyes.

Percival sipped his canteen again. "How are you holding up, Eadwulf? The new technique isn't causing you any trouble, right?"

Eadwulf clenched his fist, discharging some stored energy. "I owe a lot to King Foirbeis for helping me find an outlet to channel my rage. I'm still adjusting, and I can still feel those darker emotions swimming beneath my chest, but I can at least channel it in bursts now."

Zephora glared in the direction of the palace. "Well, let's hope all that extra training was put to good use. Everyone still on board with the plan?"

Percival nodded slowly. "I'm still surprised Jason issued an order of assassination. This must be important if that order is coming from him."

Zephora winced. "Yeesh. I really hate the idea of taking lives early, but this one will have to be an exception."

Valentine crossed his arms. "None of us have taken a life before." He glanced at Eadwulf. "No offense, but it's kind of screwed up Jason would place the burden of responsibility on you, Mr. Tragic Backstory."

Eadwulf sighed. "I hold no issue with Jason's order. I've…accepted my worst moments from the past, and I aim to move past them. I will do Emperor Nero the service of giving him an honorable death, at least. If only to keep my conscience as clean as possible…"

Sid frowned. "I know we've all had training with Jason's uncle, and that guy is strong, but…I've heard how powerful Emperor Nero is. Are we really ready to take on a threat like that? Maybe we should get Jet or Blitz to help us out—"

"Blitz wouldn't last in a fight like this, and Jet's too busy rampaging to get his attention." Eadwulf gripped his chain staff tightly. "Jason assigned this task to us, and we're the elites of the Foresters. I say we march ahead and remind Virdis why we've been deemed the Nature Spirit Scouts. A testament to our new objective: correcting the misfortunes of our history."

Zephora nodded. "Well spoken. Shall we start our journey to the palace?"

Eadwulf pointed ahead. "Nature Spirit Scouts, let's move out!"

The battle had turned to an utter catastrophe by the time Nemesis returned to the city. Having made it back before his own unit, he hovered over Telo Martius with rage blazing in his eyes, watching as the city streets became engulfed in a never-ending flood running down from the direction of Fort Gladius.

Civilians pulled themselves atop of buildings, and soldiers trekked through the rising water with increasing difficulty. The invading knights and Foresters, meanwhile, seemed to navigate the flooded streets with great efficiency. They no doubt planned to fight in this type of environment. They had planned to submerge the city with their own water supply just to gain the advantage. It was such a conniving scheme that Nemesis wished he could be impressed by…

A shame that all he felt was unyielding wrath for the invaders.

"RAAAAAH!" Spreading his wings, he dove into the flood streets with a heavy landing, startling back the soldiers advancing on the knights. "Forget them! Focus on evacuation! I'll exterminate these pests."

The soldiers saluted. "By your command, Commander Nemesis!" The soldiers spun around and trudged as fast as they could to find more endangered civilians.

Nemesis pulled out his twin maces, twirling them deftly as he studied the knights. With barely a glance passing over the armored warriors, he could already tell the desperate state of this invasion by just the wills and stances of its fighters. Naturally, in the efforts to disrupt Umbra Clock, they've been systematically destroying their knighthood by running the knights thin across their borders. There was no doubt a shortage of knights on duty, yet to amass this many?

These weren't knights who served and trained for years.

These were nothing more than the kingdom's bystanding subjects. Farmers, shop owners, and the like. Just regular Pokémon taking up arms.

Nemesis snorted. "How pathetic." He exhaled hot air and wrapped it around his maces, causing them to radiate in a visible aura of heat. "Is this what Umbra Clock intends to defeat us with?" He flapped his wings and charged the half-baked knights down. "Nothing more than hapless peasants!"

The knights raised their shields, but posed no match against the Charizard's raw strength. One swing from his maces tore through their shields and part of their armor, sending them flying back into the flooded street.

"You dare invade our city with this helpless display of arrogance?!" He swung his maces, projecting blades of heat across the air from all the points on the spikes.

Once again, the knights shielded themselves behind their armor, but were powerless to resist the Charizard's superior strength. The heated blades cut and burned through their armor and skin, throwing them further back in the soaked streets.

Nemesis charged down a Quagsire trying to kick himself up and hammered his mace into the axolotl's stomach. He gasped in pain, feeling the mace tearing through his armor and skin with a rough stroke. He fell back in the water, tears streaming from his eyes as he clutched his wounded stomach.

"Pathetic!" Nemesis raised his mace high. "I see nothing but a weak army defending an even weaker kingdom! You have no right to call yourselves warriors!" He swung the mace for the poor knight's head. "None of you deserve to see the future of the empire—"

"HONK!"

Nemesis recoiled as a blinding beam of white light barreled into him and threw him back from the Quagsire. He spread his wings, catching himself on the air, and toughed out the energy attack until it passed. Waving the steam from his face, he glowered at the Toxicroak and Cramorant standing guard of the wounded Quagsire.

"Oi, Sulfur Breath," Ursula addressed, cracking her knuckles. "Your era is long gone. This is our era now."

Altair glared, a seriousness radiating unlike ever in his normally vacant stare. "If you were a real soldier, you wouldn't be screaming about how weak your enemy is. If you had any pride in your empire, you would be wielding your maces like ceremonial torches, not like a child's rattle."

Nemesis snorted smoke. "Who do you brats think you are?"

Ursula smirked. "Heaven Splitter Ursula."

Altair spread his wings. "Nebulous Torrent Altair."

"Bah. Children. Thinking they need some fancy title to look impressive." He clenched his teeth. "Another reason that bastard croc gets on my nerves. He's just like the rest of you: too cocky to understand the ways of the past!" He exhaled heat and wrapped it around his maces again. "You brats will learn respect!"

"Altair, cover me!" Ursula burst on ahead, near instantly crossing the distance. "Xiled Revolt!" Coating her arms in an indigo sheen of toxin, she hurtled into the Charizard and brought down a hefty chop upon him.

Nemesis blocked with one of his maces, feeling the acidic technique eating away at his weapon, and repelled her back. "Conqueror's Breath of Life!" Flaring the heat aura around his other mace, he slammed it against Ursula's side.

The new armor held up against the attack, protecting Ursula as she went flying back with barely a scratch to her side. She tensed her leg muscles and sprung back at him, curling into a ball. "Xtinction—" She immediately uncurled herself and delivered a powerful slash across the air, the rush of her arms splitting the area in a shockwave. "Catapult!"

Nemesis recoiled, feeling a cut across his cheek, but persevered and hammered his mace across her other side, knocking her away. "Conqueror's Breath of Blades!" He swung both his maces and fired several heat slashes after the Toxicroak.

Ursula confidently stared the projectiles down until their path was disrupted by a strong gust. Nemesis stood his ground and glared through the rushing wind as Altair produced a Hurricane over the street.

"Conqueror's Weapon of Justice!" Flames erupted along a fierce storm of wind currents around his maces, transforming them both into blazing replicas of their smaller forms. He charged forward with a strong flap of his wings, overcoming the bird's fierce winds.

Altair ceased firing and dropped to the ground, entering a zen-like stance. Nemesis swept his fiery maces across the flooded street, their presence evaporating the surface. Altair, however, sensed the Charizard's killer intent and took a single step back, stepping outside the attack's range.

"Full Breath Concentration—" Altair steadily sucked in a deep breath, puffing his chest out to the max. "Call of the Untamed Twister!" He exhaled a beam of condensed, spiraling wind into Nemesis' face, violently blasting him away and extinguishing his maces' flames.

"GAAAAAAAH!"

Ursula rushed the flying Charizard down with a green and white aura blazing off her crossed arms. "Xalted Charge!" Kicking off the ground with great force, she slammed into Nemesis' back, pinning him between the powerful wind blast and her ungodly strength.

Two powerful forces pinning between the Charizard and restricting his movement, it was enough to fell any other creature. Two of the strongest Weald Rangers, their jobs being to protect their allies from the threats that lurked in the shadows. The first responders to any danger that came their way.

But Nemesis…wasn't so easy to defeat.

"Get…OFF!" Fighting against the pain, he released a shockwave of air with a flap of his wings, blowing Ursula away and giving him the room to weave out from Altair's attack. "Conqueror's Breath of Blades!" He exhaled a heated aura over his mace and fired superheated blades around the beam attack.

Altair cancelled the attack and dodged the projectile slashes, which curved and sliced through a building behind him.

"Xalted Charge!" Ursula sprung back into action and repeated her earlier assault.

"Conqueror's Weapon of Justice!" However, Nemesis fired back even faster and brought his flaming mace down on Ursula before she could reach him, smashing her into the flooded street. The water boiled in presence of his fiery mace. "You brats…don't understand who you're dealing with!"

He swung his foot and kicked Ursula through the air. He flew up after her and spiked her back into the ground with a swing of his mace. Ursula braced herself and skipped off the street, sliding into a building with water splashing over her.

Nemesis spun around and fired off another assortment of fiery blades at Altair, who hurriedly dodged through them before flying over to Ursula's side. She pressed a hand to the building and lifted herself.

"Ugh, okay. He's tougher than he acts," she grumbled.

Altair spread his wings. "The plan is to stall him until the king intervenes. Can you hold out that long?"

She smirked. "The king should be worried about me ending the fight too early." She cracked her knuckles. "We're just getting warmed up, Sulfur Breath!"

Nemesis sneered, reigniting his maces. "You will only know suffering by my hands. I am Commander Nemesis of the New Chariot Military, and you will know my infamy!"

Terminus wasted not a second charging into battle. With his sights set on destroying every invader that dared to do harm to his emperor's city, he was out for blood.

Knights all over Telo Martius ran for their lives as the almighty Kleavor rushed through the streets on a gust of wind, cleaving through their weapons and armor with the passing breeze of his axe hands. Blood mixed in the water and splattered over his face, his eyes flickering wildly and tracking every little movement in his path for a new target to cut down.

"Fire!" Terminus flicked his gaze upward as several Water-Types bombarded him with Hydro Pump.

"Fatal Wind." With but a swing of his hand, a distortion of air cut across the space and lacerated the combined Hydro Pump, taking out the Water-Types in a flurry of brutal slashes.

"Retreat!" He tilted his head lazily and saw knights retreating, likely having seen the commander's prowess in action.

How foolish.

"Fatal Current."

Terminus leapt forward on a gust of wind, vanishing for a second. He weaved through the retreating knights as a blur, cutting across their backs as he passed. They screamed out and fell limply into the water. Blood dripped from the edge of Terminus' axe hands, to which he shook them clean.

"None of you deserve to stand within even Emperor Nero's shadow. He is the one who will save us from despair. His ambition drives us to become stronger."

"Deep Freeze!" Terminus cast a quick glance to his right as an opaque, chilling wind rushed down the street. He leapt back and let the freezing wind encompass the knights. However, to his surprise, the freezing air froze all but a small area around the wounded knights, leaving them unfrozen.

"Where did—" Something snapped on his leg and dragged him out of the air. He plunged through a building like it was made of mud, fighting against a blinding current of liquified stone while trying to regain his bearings. "Fatal…Edge!"

With a blazing orange aura surrounding his hand, he swung fired out projectile stones streaking in said aura. The snag on his foot came loose, and he saw something avoiding his attack. With a boost from Tailwind, Terminus launched himself out of the muddy underworld and onto the surface.

Upon landing, he found a Marshtomp and Glaceon standing protectively in front of the wounded knights, who were being transported away by several teleporting Foresters.

Terminus narrowed his eyes. "You would save these weaklings?"

Fabrice rested his fishing pole over his shoulder. "Wouldn't you save your own?"

"My will flows for only the ambitions of Emperor Nero. Anyone else who gets in my way is collateral."

Enora sneered. "Well, aren't you a cheery ball of sunshine?" She bounced readily on her toes. "Sweetie, I think we should teach this jerk a lesson."

Fabrice nodded. "Agreed."

Terminus huffed. "Your efforts will be in vain. Fatal Edge!" He swung and fired off several blazing stones at the couple.

"Dual Geyser Barrier!" Through a flawless synchronization of moves, Fabrice punched the ground and raised several pillars of water in front of them while Enora blasted it with Freeze-Dry. The water rapidly cooled into a barrier of ice that stopped the blazing rocks in their tracks.

"Fatal Current." Terminus rocketed across the street and sliced through the barrier, aiming low to cut down the couple. However, upon breaching the ice barrier, he saw a ripple puddle of mud from where they once stood. "Huh—"

Enora popped out the ground first and hammered her hindlegs into his chin, flipping him backwards. At the same time, Fabrice fired a concentrated Water Pledge that blasted the commander skyward.

"Dual Geyser Ice Barrage!" Clasping hands and paws together, the two performed a short dance before pointing toward the sky, casting gray clouds above them. Giant balls of ice rained down from the clouds and pummeled on top of the airborne Kleavor. The couple dove back under the ground as the ice balls crashed down, burying Terminus beneath them.

They emerged from underground and observed the still scene before ducking back for safety as a lacerating storm exploded out from the center, obliterating the ice.

Terminus rose from the powdery mist relatively unharmed. He scoffed. "Fatal Wind." He swung both axes and projected a distorting gale of lacerating wind their way.

With Hail having been activated in their last technique, Enora stood in front of the fast-moving gale. "Aurora Veil!" An aurora field surrounded the pair, protecting them against the harsh bombardment of cuts. Their bodies began to retract in a similar, multicolored light. "Now!"

Bringing their paws and hands together, the couple channeled the minimal damage they were receiving fired it back as a beam of rainbow light.

"Dual Geyser Nova!"

Terminus brought his axe hand down and split the laser in two, bracing himself against its immense pressure. The cut laser annihilated two buildings beside him, raining down their smoking remains around him. "Fatal Current!" He rushed the couple down on a gust of wind.

"Mud Dive!" Grabbing Enora, they both dropped back underground, barely avoiding Terminus' slash.

"Deep Freeze—" Terminus jumped into the air and raised his guard as a tight cluster of sharpened ice pierced through the muddy ground, exploded into a chilling mist against him. "Arctic Gatling!"

Terminus growled as ice started to coat his body. "Fatal Wind!" He broke apart the ice with a swing of his arms and brought down a slashing windstorm.

Fabrice moved through the ground while Enora continued firing her attack. Terminus boosted himself through the air and dove into the intended path. "Fatal Edge!" He swung and fired blazing rock at the ground, causing the softened earth to swell and blast the two back onto solid ground.

The couple landed, sliding along the water as it started to rise up to chest level. Enora felt her paws leaving the ground. "Water's getting pretty high."

"Might be to our advantage." Fabrice wiped a cut he received on his cheek. "This guy's tough. Really tough."

Terminus landed on a roof and scoffed at them. "Did you really believe you had any chance of beating me on your own? No matter what combination of attacks you throw at me, I will cut down anything that stands before Emperor Nero's will."

Fabrice and Enora shared a look with each other and nodded. With the water just high enough, she climbed onto Fabrice's back as he took off swimming through the flooded street. Terminus scoffed at this and chased after them, hopping between buildings and firing often blazing rock at them.

"This is your new plan? Running away?"

Fabrice and Enora knew they didn't have the power to defeat Terminus, only to stall him and keep his attention off the knights. Their real plan, however, was to lead him to his actual opponent who was most certainly mowing through enemy soldiers with as frightening efficiency as the Kleavor himself.

Melissa sailed over the battlefield from atop Galus and looked upon the converging knights and soldiers. The water level was rapidly rising, forcing battles to move onto the rooftops. She could see civilians being pushed to far off reaches of the city, keeping them from harm's way. Most of the battling moved closer to the center of the city.

"Alright Galus, you just stay up here!" she ordered. "I'll call you if I need help!"

Galus nodded. "Friend Harlow. Fight strong."

She nodded confidently before leaping down onto the shrinking battlefield. "Incoming!"

Shingo and Brooklyn were the first to notice the diving rabbit. Brooklyn summoned her Ascending Gale and launched Shingo in the Buneary's direction. With a wordless exchange, he extended his hand out and caught hers. Using what remained of the gale, he spun Melissa around to build up speed and tossed her into the fray.

Several soldiers were blown away into as Melissa crashed through them with her Mega Kick. She sprung off her hands upon landing and kicked another soldier over.

"Woo! Wow, that was fun!" she cheered. "Let's do it agai—WAH!" She jumped back from a spear swipe and backed away. An Ambipom, Houndoom, and Floatzel soldier ganged up on her with spears and elemental attacks at the ready.

"You're foolish to enter this battle, Skill Hunter," the Ambipom stated. "You just got out of a fight with Emperor Nero, and you think you can take on the whole empire in your condition? We'll—"

Melissa merely smirked and raised her hand. Flying out from another nearby battle, Sadie flipped through the air and high-fived the Buneary, passing along a Heal Pulse that restored her back to near perfect condition. "Have fun, bestie!" Sadie cheered before rushing into another fight.

"…" The soldiers blinked in bewilderment before raising their weapons again. "Whatever. You stand no chance against the empire!" the Ambipom continued.

Melissa reached over her shoulder and plucked the detachable hilt from the mechanical scabbard. "You've never faced anyone like me before." She clutched the hilt tightly and took a deep breath.

I asked for everything I would need from Pandora. Now let's see if she provides.

"Faithless Imitation! Jet Style—" Channeling her energy through the hilt, she produced a water blade that extended to the length of a broadsword. "Surging Slash!"

"Attack!" The Ambipom and Floatzel lunged at her, thrusting their spears forward.

Melissa raised her left arm and clutched the hidden trigger in her palm. A purple, rippling barrier opened up from her bracer and blocked the spears. The soldiers gasped. "What the—"

"HA!" Melissa pressed forward and pushed the soldiers back. She rushed down the Ambipom first and cut through the gaps in his armor. The water expelling from her hilt increased its own momentum, dealing far greater damage behind her swing. She weaved around him and went for the Houndoom next.

"Flamethrower!" The soldier expelled intense flames at the bouncing rabbit, but she slid under the attack and slashed across his legs, taking him down next. "GAH!"

Upon rolling back onto her feet, she spun around and blocked the Floatzel's surprise spear strike. He kept his footing and pushed against the rippling barrier. "That attack won't do much against me—"

"Jason Style—"

The Floatzel screamed out in pain as Melissa suddenly pivoted on her heel and slammed the hilt into his stomach, releasing a dagger-length electrical blade that torched the sea weasel.

"Plasma Cutter Z-Strike." She pulled the dagger free and let the Floatzel fall unconscious beside her. "Sorry. The cut's shallow, so it should heal in a couple weeks."

Shingo chuckled quietly as he kicked another soldier into the water. "Even with brutal tactics, you still show mercy."

She pouted. "I don't want to hurt anyone too badly."

Brooklyn grinned. "You really are a soft-hearted fluffball."

"Oh hush."

"Still, the new gear's working out nicely, I see."

Melissa smiled and looked at the two new pieces of gear. The hilt was made to help channel any weapon-based techniques she copied, such as Jet's or Jason's swordsmanship. The bracer, meanwhile, was made thanks to the potion JoJo acquired from her alchemist friend last year. With the contribution of a local Stantler and some trial and error, they were able to fuse the essence of Psyshield Bash into the bracer, granting Melissa the ability to summon a weightless shield on command.

"Heh. I almost feel spoiled." She glared as more soldiers reconvened on the rooftops, some of which she knocked off herself. She reactivated Surging Slash and activated her shield. "My apologies. I know you're all fighting for your home. I'll make this as quick and painless as possible, because I'm not planning on losing either!"

Martius Palace

"Do you have any idea how worried sick you made me?!" Fortuna screamed, tears bursting from her eyes as she weakly punched Nero's head. "After I spilled my heart out last night about how I was feeling, you go and act as reckless as ever!"

Nero sighed, letting himself be attended to by the rest of his harem. Salacia applied a healing cream to his surface injuries while Maia attempted to stitch the wound on his side. The Politoed grunted as Nero kept jerking every so often. "Fortuna, stop shaking him. I'm trying to concentrate."

Fortuna pressed her teary face into the crook of Nero's neck. "Please don't do that again…"

Nero smiled softly and patted her back. "The day will be over before you know it, and you'll see it was nothing to worry about."

She sniffled. "Okay…"

Ceres raised her brow. "Worry about what?"

Nero waved it off. "It's nothing of concern." He glared out his open wall, seeing the battle and flood raging through his city. "I should be out there fighting alongside our soldiers. An emperor must've stand on the sidelines."

"You will do nothing except stay in bed," Gemini ordered, entering the room as he dabbed sweat off his forehead. "I already have a lot on my agenda attending to your subjects. The palace only has some much space to spare. I'm afraid Saturn will be our only line of defense while the rest of the soldiers work on securing everyone else."

Nero huffed. "What a brilliantly cruel plan. I didn't expect that peace-loving rabbit to pull something like this off. I miscalculated the extent of her cruelty."

"We never imagined the Foresters or Umbra Clock would pull off a strategy like this. Nothing of this magnitude has been witnessed in Virdis' history." Gemini shook his head. "Regardless, you are in no condition to act on behalf of your people. It would be wise to keep you safe. They're clearly targeting you, though I'm unsure for what outcome."

"Tch. You worry too much, Gemini."

"I am your Grand Advisor. My job is to worry over you." He sighed. "Look, consider it like this: they'll be attacking the palace at some point. Whether or not we can fend them off, you are better off here protecting what you can if the need arises."

"…" Nero sighed. "Fine, fine. Get off my case, I hear you."

Gemini nodded. "I need to have a word with Saturn. Do not leave this room. You girls make sure he doesn't overexert himself."

"We promise!" they exclaimed. Gemini nodded and went on his way.

Nero leaned back on his hands and gazed out the wall again. All of this just to get his attention? What is the end goal they have in mind? Was everything Harlow said just a bluff to make him lower his guard? Or is this how far she's willing to go to secure her absurd dream for peace? How hypocritical. Starting a war to proclaim her hatred for war.

"You…believed in your brother's dream once. Is that the reason?"

Nero closed his eyes and sighed. Then again, she's…nothing like the fool Mercurius was.