Soldier Boy and Angel Girls
Levi P.O.V
The slums and ruins the building Haruka was using to grow weeds, as well as some other things were just the outskirts... I realize that as I'm running into cover alongside the pink and green twins of Millenniums Game Development Department.
It's those automatons... no, they're not moving and attacking with any tactics or formations in mind... They, those white automatons with orange accents in their appearances, are all charging without any visible care for themselves, or their comrades as they were melted by the lethal pink lights coming from Momoi's gun, and Midori's explosive green balls of light coming from her gun.
These automatons... They're acting like actual machines... unlike the Kaiser forces. They're acting like those Moonscorched Villagers, rushing to attack whoever they saw was different from them.
"How'd they know we were here?!" Momoi shouted out, hip firing her assault rifle towards the mass of armed humanoid machines all firing back, some pink lights still coming from the muzzle of her gun melting a hole into whatever it hit.
I kept my head down as dozens, maybe hundreds of bullets whizzed past us, some impacting and chipping on the concrete block we're using as cover.
"It's almost like they were expecting us!" Midori observed as more came rushing from the other street, flanking us on our right. Some small circular drones with the same white and orange color scheme with dual rotary guns whizzed as they flew closer. "They're so aggressive, we'll be surrounded!" She whined out.
The group of automatons coming from that direction turned to face us, bringing up their guns and aiming as Momoi swung her gun to aim back, but was sprayed with lead making her wince and yelp before ducking down into cover.
The floating drone's rotary guns start spinning about to-
[Moth Swarm]
With a roar of desperation, I ordered the flying blue mass of moths to throw, to launch themselves at the drones to disrupt their fire or to destroy them outright.
Some drones fell as the moths clogged up their engines, some burst into flames as the moths feasted on their wiring, engine, or whatnot.
The automatons in the same direction the drones flew from opened fire, bullets flying past my body and head as I threw myself down the ground instinctively.
[Roots That Reap]
I feel the usual tug in my mind that comes with more heavy spells. Massive tree roots, bigger and much more numerous than past roots wrapped around the group of automatons.
It wrapped around their arms and legs, forcing them apart with their torsos still being held up. I try to force the movement of the roots, putting my entire focus on controlling the spell, the roots formed a wall covering that entire side of the street, closing up our exposed flank.
"Whoa... as expected of magic, it's awesome!" Momoi loudly exclaimed with sparkling eyes looking on in amazement, which disappeared as she brought her head down lower after a bullet bounced off it and made her wince. "So what's the plan now, Sensei?"
"Couldn't we just have Sensei cast a invisibility spell or something before coming here?!" Midori yelped out, keeping her head down while bringing her weapon up and started blindly spraying the approaching enemies general direction.
"There's no such thing!" I shouted back to make sure they heard through the sound of gunfire. I ordered the remaining moths to swarm the white and orange automatons, tearing a small group of them apart before they themselves were eradicated in a burst of flame from one of the machine men with a small flamethrower under its gun.
"Ugh, why is it so limited?!" Midori groaned out in disappointment. "What's even with this place?! It's crawling with weird robots. I mean, they just attacked us out of nowhere!" Yeah, I've noticed that. They're nothing like those automatons with Kaiser.
"There's a difference between automatons and robots, Sensei." The hell do you mean by that, Momoi?! "You've seen Millenniums cleaning robots, and you've obviously seen automatons with jobs. Right, Sensei?" But these ones attacking us look just like the Kaiser automatons!
The gunfire stops, I hear the metallic clangs of what is no doubt their footsteps coupled with magazines being dropped and loaded onto a gun.
[Fast Stance] [Gun Proficiency] [Gunslinger]
I pulled out my Lugr as I aimed standing up and out cover to see five automat... no, robots mid reload. As usual, I aimed to disarm shooting at their hands causing it to start sparking electricity as four of them lose their grip on their weapons pistol handle.
I snap my arm to one who finished reloading aiming at me, whom I shot once in the foot causing it to stumble as it opened fire. Bullets from the full auto whizzing past my head and riddling our cover as it dropped to the ground.
The twins then bolted out of cover, with Momoi spraying bright pink lights mixed with bullets from one side melting off some of their limbs, and Midori shooting off those green exploding balls completely obliterating at least the remainder of this wave as their parts were scattered all around.
"These ruins... I knew they were dangerous, but this?!" Midori exclaimed with a look of shock, confusion, and incredulity as she observed the sparking remains of the robots we beat off. With more seemingly coming. "N-no wonder Seminar closed it off."
"Well there's a reason for everything in the first place, Nee-san!" You tell her, Midori. "Where did these robots come from? What are they even doing here?"
"I only know what Veritas has said." That's probably another club in Millennium. "The Prime Student Council used to have troops stationed here but them withdrew after giving up on the entire place." Troops? Millennium has troops? And Prime Student Council?
"She means the GSC President and the GSC itself, Sensei. I think they withdrew after she disappeared." Midori explained to me, her eyes still on the slowly approaching second wave of hostile machines.
"Veritas managed to slip us in thanks to all that stuff. And Himari-senpai told me that these ruins hold all sorts of long lost stuff from Kivotos' past." It's a ruins, of course it's gonna have some things from the past left undisturbed for a long time.
"Yeah, what Sensei said. And Himari? You mean the upperclassmen and former Veritas president? The one who uses a wheelchair?" Midori wondered aloud with an inquisitive tone. Huh, so Kivotos still doesn't have the means to cure being a cripple? "Not really... and I heard that Himari-senpai has a frail constitution, she can still use her legs." I see
"That aside. She gave me some all knowing RPG sage vibes, if she says it then this place must be really mysterious." Midori said, narrowing her eyes at the ever approaching second wave of orange and white mechanical hostiles as she reloads her gun. "Speaking of which. Nee-san, how'd you know the G.BIBLE would be here?" Midori asked, turning to her twin as she pulls her guns charging handle.
"Uhmm... ehh..." To which Momoi just hums and looks around awkwardly, trying to avoid- Did you just think that this place would have that G.BIBLE thing?! "You see, Sensei. In RPG's, dangerous places with stronger enemies gives better weapons, experiences, and equipment making us strong enough to take on the final boss several times!" ...
...
...
...
"Momoi... if that was the case, then I would've turned to a Gun God instead of getting addicted to heroin back then!" I scowled in pure and utter irritation, gritting my teeth and furrowing my eyebrows at Momoi who winced and backed away at my outrage.
"Uhmm... what's a heroin? Is that some kind of strengthening or healing potion?" ... You know what, I'm just gonna refocus my anger on the second wave of hostile machines, now in visual range as the ground rumbled.
Walking into view from another street on the side of our attackers is a hulking mass of steel with two hind legs. It has two giant rotary machine guns as arms, and a main cannon where the face should be... it's just like what Kaiser had back in the attack at Abydos.
"Agh... they even have a Goliath?" Momoi trembled at the sight of the hulking war machine, rumbling the ground with it's footsteps.
"Sensei... should we retreat?" Midori nervously asked, standing up on her feet as she hesitantly moves her legs, preparing to either run away or kneel back into cover with her gun at the ready.
"Veritas said the G.BIBLE is here, just that they can't access it from their clubroom." Momoi said with a proud smile. Again with that G.BIBLE thing, what is it anyways?! "Back in Mille-"
Momoi was interrupted as the gigantic walking war machine opened fire with it's almost equally gigantic rotary arm guns. For a split second, I saw the orange flashes of its bullets point blank at our cover... and then directly in front of me.
My vision, my head, the world then started spinning as I felt the ground disappear with everything looking upside down. I saw dust and debris thrown up the air as Momoi was thrown to the side with the white of her clothes being dirtied, same with Midori who's looking up at me in fear and horror.
My body then dropped down the ground, the entire front of my body and face numbing from the impact.
... Goddamnit... even Sisu can't save me fro-
I feel my arms moving, my body aching as well as my stomach rustling and my heart still beating... I don't feel blood leaking... I can still breath.
Eh? My body is... intact? There's some scratches from the fall, but... I can feel everything... I'm fine. I see, Reila said that Arona had an invisible barrier protecting me... Arona protected me.
Slowly, I push myself up as I looked on the white and orange machines, particularly at the behemoth that just shot at us. It's hind legs slowly taking steps towards us, it's rotary guns spinning as the foot soldiers all rushed like ants.
"Sensei... just run! You don't have a halo!" Midori shouted as she pushed herself up and rushed towards me, wrapping her arms around mine and making a pulling motion.
"Yeah, the G.BIBLE isn't worth it if you're getting hurt." Momoi said, positioning herself between the automatons and I, her gun up and aiming at them. Swarms of almost countless drones with rotary guns flying into view by the hostile forces side.
"Don't worry... this will be a piece of cake for me." I said as I huffed and puffed from the adrenaline my body is pumping. The twins looked at me worriedly yet in anticipation as I dusted myself off and brought my hand forwards towards the approaching enemies. "Get out the way, Momoi. This is the God of Destruction's most powerful spell."
Momoi widened her eyes at my words, then she nods and walks to my side. Same with Midori who let go of my arm and took a step back. Alright, let's get this-
[Black Orb]
Over with! The pain in my mind is head splitting! I grit my teeth as I tried to withstand the pain, the otherworldly black sphere with purple spirals forming on my outstretched hands pointed at that giant war machine.
"Go... to hell!" I shouted as I hurled the black sphere of death towards the enemy machines and that behemoth. The force of the Black Orbs movement displaced air, shattered the glass in the many structures it passed by, scattered whatever individual objects it flew by around as it made it's way to the enemy positions.
In an instant, the Black Orb went through the goliath war machine. Steel crumpled and was obliterated as it tore it's way through it's body and out the other side with such force that the foot soldiers were all still thrown back. I see many of them standing back up, to which I made a pulling motion with my hand and made the Black Orb fall on them.
Debris, dust, and mechanoid limbs were all thrown up the air and scattered. Some huge chunks of the concrete ground being flung away from the cover of the dust. Then... all the dust covering our view dissipated, revealing the sinkhole that the Black Orb created along with the group of automaton foot soldiers and the gigantic war machine almost having been reduced to a pile of scrap metal.
And of course, Momoi and Midori are both looking on in shock, awe, and wonder at the sight and effect of the most powerful blood magic. I then start walki- I dropped down the ground, feeling my front impact on the ground for a second time as I felt my mind and body numbing. I could feel something leaking down my nose, eyes, and the headache... it's even worse than usual.
"Sensei, are you alright?!"
"Your nose- your eye's are bleeding!"
They shouted in worried unison, grabbing me from the sides and pulling me up with Midori bringing my arm around her neck and shoulder as I barely kept myself on my feet. Then Momoi went under my left armpit to help me stay up
"Thanks Momoi, Midori." I said with gratitude as I cleared my throat and spat out whatever blood got to it or was still leaking. A small red puddle formed beneath my boots, leaking almost like waterfalls from my nose and eyes for a few seconds before finally stopping.
"Sensei... please, never use that spell ever again!" Midori demanded with a concerned tone and expression.
"Yeah! We're on a retrieval quest, not an extermination quest!" As did Momoi as I felt the two of them slowly walking, dragging me along as I barely kept myself up on my feet.
"That aside, you were talking about what that G.BIBLE thing was, and where it is?" I asked while giving Momoi a look, wiping my face with the sleeve on my right arm. It's gonna be a pain in the ass for whoever's doing my laundry, but that's none of my concerns.
"Right. Back in Millennium, and by extension Kivotos' early days, there was a legendary game dev who created it while attending Millennium." Momoi began as she looked onwards our path in alert. "I don't know the exact details, but I do know that it holds the secrets to making a perfect game." She concluded with a joyful expression.
"That sounds like a marketing scheme for a game dev school or something." Midori said with a doubtful expression as she hunched over to adjust my weight assisting me in walking.
"Yeah, but the G.BIBLE is real! And once we have our hands on it, Tales Saga Chronicles 2 will be a masterpiece for generations to come!" Momoi, as far as I could see, videogames themselves are art. There's no such thing as perfection in art. "Yes! Videogames should be considered as art! But... TSC2 has to be perfect... it will be perfect! She said with absolute determination in her eyes.
"And it's just around the corner!" Momoi exclaimed with a smile, as if she's on the verge of greatness. We, no I, slowly limped my way across the obliterated street riddled with robot parts with the twins helping me. They're still flickering orange in some parts.
"Wow... Sensei, your ring is glimmering!" Midori said with awe in her voice, and a faint blue light appearing in my peripheral as I turned to look at the source of it. It's the Betel ring, it's shining... my mind... feels more relaxed.
[Loving Whispers]
I whispered prayers to Sylvian, and the Goddess as usual showered me with her healing light, the headache was basically nonexistent as the soothing effect was much more prominent. I'm back to full health, I can walk by myself now.
"Of course you would have a healing spell, did that black ball cost you so much mana that you had to wait for it to refill to cast that healing spell?!" Momoi asked with pure astonishment in her tone and expression, her eyes sparkling in anticipation.
"And this ring... is it the thing giving you access to spells?" Followed by Midori with a soft, but equally wondrous expression and voice.
"First of all, what the hell is mana? Second, no. It just helps me recover from the backlash of casting spells." I explained as I took some deep breaths, blowing my nose and spitting to remove whatever blood was still in those places for a second time. Some burst out of my nose, looks like that's the end of it.
"Eh? Then what do you spend to cast spells?" My sanity, Momoi. I don't mean it as a metaphor, it's literal. "Huh? If that's the case, then how are you staying sane?!"
"He said the ring helped him." Midori answered for me, bringing my hand up with her hands, pointing at it as Momoi looked on. Yeah, that and a lot of vodka and tobacco. "Sensei... that's not healthy... and why alcohol?!" No comment. Now Momoi, lead us to wherever that G.BIBLE thing is.
"... Sure, Sensei."
/
"Uwaagh! Yuuka said Sensei already suffered thrice today, now it's four times with his nose and eyes bleeding and potential brain damage!" Midori whined aloud with fear and worry in her voice and face. "How will we explain ourselves to Yuuka?! Nee-san, this is your fault!"
"I'm fine now Midori, healing spell remember?" I said with a smile as I turned to look at her. "Besides, the worst has passed us already." I'm referring to those wave of hostile robots.
"Yeah, but what if they come back with more?"
"Nevermind that now, Midori. What matters now is what is with this place?" Momoi said as she observed the large dark hallways of where she lead us. "The coordinates Veritas gave me leads through here." So she says.
"Did the Prime Student Council restrict entry here because of those robots?" Midori theorized as she looked around with thinned lips.
"I actually thought that they brought and left them here, but thinking about it... that's way too implausible." Yeah, if anyone had such a force under their control, they wouldn't have let it go. "There's more to it tha-"
[Access denied. Access denied.]
A robotic voice announced from somewhere.
"Where'd that voice come from?!" Momoi shouted out incredulously, turning and swinging rapidly around the place looking for the source of the voice with Midori asking the same question.
[Verifying Subject identity. Saiba Momoi. Unqualified.]
"How'd it know my name?!" Naturally, she's screaming that in alarm.
[Verifying Subject identity. Saiba Midori. Unqualified.]
"What's with that voice?" Midori said with narrowed eyes and voice in caution as she's looking around.
[Verifying Subject identity. Levi of Prehevil. Qualified. Welcome, Sensei. You have permission to enter, Levi-Sensei.]
"Whoa!" Midori exclaimed.
"Sensei... have you been here before?" Momoi asked, to which I shook my head. I've never even set foot here before.
[Saiba Momoi and Saiba Midori recognized as students of Levi-Sensei. Access as companions, granted. Bottom door opening.]
Bottom- what the hell?
"Eh? It's not the one infront of us?" Midori said with confusion in her expression.
"Bottom... door. Does it mean..." Momoi trialed off, stomping down on the ground we're standing from hard to soft in no particular pattern.
Midori was about to say something, and then-
Clank!
The floor we're standing on opened up like one of those sliding doors. In a moment, I felt my feet on the air with gravity immediately pulling me, us down as we yelled out.
"Waaagh!"
"Momoi! Senseiiiaaaggh!"
The twins yelped out as the air rapidly passed through us in the darkness on the way down, then a light appeared on the way down getting bigger and brighter almost in an instant.
[Flesh Puppetry]
I don't know where those two pairs of hands spawned from, but they did. One caught me and I felt a massive tug down on my body as it carried me. And one caught Momoi, carrying her and slowly levitating down on the ground.
Then I caught Midori by the waist, as the floating hand carried me from my collar I held Midori like a sack with my entire arm.
Then, we reached the ground safely. Our feets touching down as the hands disappeared back into my shadow.
"Whoa... magic really is awesome."
"I'm not that heavy, am I?" Don't worry Midori, you're light as air.
"That wasn't too far down of a fall." Momoi said dismissively, looking around as she turned her head. "Huh?!" She then exclaimed as she looked at something.
Midori and I followed her eyes, turning our heads to see a source of natural light and... that's a girl... sleeping in what I think is a surgery table. She's not wearing anything, her long dark bluish hair is covering all the private parts.
"Is that... a girl?!" Midori exclaimed as she rushed to the sleeping... or dead girls side with Momoi and I following her. "Why is she here?"
Momoi leaned closer towards the girl with her hand and index finger stretched out, poking the motionless girl on the chair in the cheeks. "Nothing... it's almost like she's dead." Momoi said with in a hush whisper.
"Don't say that! She doesn't look injured, more like... inactive." Midori said as she intently observed the sleeping girl. Inactive... you mean like a machine? "Yeah, something like that."
"Come to think of it, she does look like a mannequin." Momoi said, still poking the sleeping girl in the cheeks. "Huh, there are letters here. AL-IS." So her name is Alice then.
"No wait, that's actually a number. It's AL-1S." Midori said as she looked over the letters and now numbers Momoi was looking at. Hmm, it's still gomma be Alice for now I guess.
"What is this place anyways? And who is she?"
"We can ask her later, Midori." That's if she even wakes up, Momoi. If she actually does, then we should put some clothes on her first.
"Right, I brought some extra just in case." Midori said, pulling out a whole set of clothes similar to what she and her sister are wearing... how did she dit all of that in her pocket?!
"H-hey, that's my underwear!" Momoi exclaimed pointing at the panty Midori is holding, who looks offended by her words.
"This is mine! The kitty face on the front is different!" Midori answered back, then walking closer to the nude girl with the clothes she brought in the ready.
Midori started with the underwear, then the buttoned shirt and skirt, finishing off with the jacket with the girls hands being inserted into the sleeves.
"There." Midori said, staring up and down looking proud at her work. Then some beeps came from... I think the seat as Midori carried the girl up. "Uhmm, what's that supposed to mean?" Maybe it's some kind of alarm, Momoi reload my Lugr now!
"I don't think there's any robots here. Even then, you already destroyed them... at least the ones in this district, Sensei." Hmm, I guess you're right, Momoi. "I think it's coming from... Aris. Yeah, let's call her that for now." She mispronounced it... but somehow, the name feels right for the still slumbering girl.
[Status update. Contact with approved subject detected. Dormant state deactivated.]
The eery artificial voice announced. And so, the girl opened her eyes, a bright shade of blue. Her halo, a greenish blue squares overlapping eachother, almost like Rhers sigil but squares instead of circles.
"She o-opened her e-eyes." Midori muttered, with Momoi looking on in awkwardly.
The clothes Midori put on her... it's the exact same outfit she and her sister are wearing with the exception of the headsets with cat ears, but blue. On her head instead is a head band tying her hair inti ponytail on the side of her head.
"Circumstances unknown. Attempt conversation. Please explain." The way this girl, Aris as Momoi called her, is almost machine like but... sounds close enough to a human just that... it's like she's still learning, like the doppelganger of myself I found in the sewers.
"Explain?! You want us to tell you what's happening?!"
"That's what we were going to ask you! Who are you?! What is this place?!"
The pink and green twins whined out with an exasperated tone and expression... I myself don't know how to even start here.
Aris then blinked her eyes. "Sense of self, memory, and purpose not found. No data available." She said, then opening her eyes. The way she speaks... it's even machine like, lifeless even. Reila would've known what to do here.
"What does that even mean? And you're not... going to attack us, are you?" Midori asked in caution, taking some steps back as she gripped her gun tighter, followed by Momoi backing away slightly.
"Negative. The offensive capabilities of this unit cannot be activated with approved subjects present." With that, Midori put her guard down and sighed out of relief.
"Fascinating! There are many mechanoid citizens here in Kivotos, but this is the first time I'm seeing one that looks like us." Momoi cheerfully said with a smile. Huh, so Aris is one of a kind then.
"So what now, Sensei?" I don't know Midori, I guess we take her back to Millennium. "R-right."
"Yeah, we didn't find the G.BIBLE, but we still found Aris! In a factory, no clothes, deep underground... totally mysterious, dont'cha think?" Yeah... why do you look so happy?
"I really don't like where you're going with this." Yeah, I agree with Midori. But whatever else are we supposed to do?
"First of all, who are you? And what is this place?" I demanded from the girl.
"Answer not found. This is presumably the first occurrence of deep unconsciousness from this unit. Answer unknown." I see.
"What does that even mean?
"So she also has amnesia, truly... mysterious." Alright, time to head out.
"Follow us."
"Affirmative."
And so, we started walking. Somehow, there was another path on the way outside that opened up which we took, I say it's a way out since I can see buildings and sunlight on the end of the hallway leading to outside. And so, we kept on walking.
"Huh, there's someone there." Momoi said, putting her hands up to her face like a telescope and squinting her eyes.
"Yeah... it's a woman wearing pink... she has no halo." Midori said as she whispered and widened her eyes in shock.
"Potential hostile dete-" No, that's an ally! "Understood. Redesignating subject."
"Reila... what took you so long?" I scowled out in annoyance as we got closer to her.
"I was sightseeing... I was always in the tablet with Arona and... I wanted to see the outside world." She explained with a wide smile in her face as she held her arm with the other. Next time we talk to Rin, ask her to give you citizenship or something now that you can maintain a physical form. "Right, I will..."
"It's another haloless person..."
"Is she Sensei's lover or something?"
The twins whispered to eachother as they eyed Reila.
"I am n-not! Why would you two even assume that?!" Reila shyly but vehemently denied as her evident anger was felt through the atmosphere suddenly being heavier, earth rumbling and shaking as I saw a glimpse of a green hue... and then disappearing and everything going back to normal as Reila regained her composure. "I'm sorry... I lost my cool there." She sighed out an apology with a slight blush on her cheeks.
I look over to Momoi and Midori... who are trembling in fear, expressions showing absolute terror as they held eachother. And Aris, as I assume the three of us are now calling her, isn't showing any emotion whatsoever.
"So, Levi. What's got your panties in a twist?" Better and faster to show than to tell, just follow me. "Alright, lead the way." And so, I started walking again.
I walked as fast as walking could afford with Reila, Momoi, Midori, and Aris following after me. I hear them talking with the sole exception of Aris.
"You're developers! That's a-amazing! That young and you girls already know so much about computer science!" Reila exclaimed with surprise and admiration towards the twins.
"Oh no, I'm just the writer." Even without looking, I can feel the smugness in Momoi's voice.
"And I'm the CG artist. Our club president Yuzu is our sole programmer." Midori clarified with her so far usual soft tone for Reila.
"I see... but still, making such a complicated program like videogames with just the three of you is an achievement by itself." Yeah, that's definitely gonna inflate the twins, particularly Momoi, ego. "Back where we came from, computers were still at its infancy so we didn't have videogames."
"Really?! How depressing! Not being able to experience the joy of playing RPG's!"
"Well... I'm sure people in the past has other pastimes to do for fun."
"We're here." I announced as I turned around, catching their full attentions with my words. "Look around, Reila." I added, waving my arm and body around as I gestured... just about the whole street.
Reila then started turning her head and eyes as she looked around, widening her eyes at the sight of one of those bisected hostile robots with only it's torso left. Looking around, she kept seeing traces of the battle from earlier. The pieces of arms, legs, scrap metal, and the gigantic bipedal war machine... or at least whatever is left of it along with the crater my Black Orb created.
"Those automatons... they were killed." She whispered out with a small gasp as she took in the sights.
"Oh right, you're an outsider like Sensei. Robots and Automatons are different, these ones attacked us mindlessly." Momoi explained, catching Reila's full attention as she did.
"They didn't have any sense of preservation, they didn't try to save their wounded like those Kaiser soldiers did." I added to Momoi's explanation.
"I see... then, who sent these... robots?" Reila asked aloud, hesitating slightly at the word robot.
"That's what we were also wondering, ma'am." Midori politely answered, to which Reila sighed out in disappointment at the lack of an answer.
Then, Aris snapped her head up in alert. "Hostile Entity, rapidly approaching!" Aris shouted in a way that invoked our fight or flight senses.
"What, where?!"
"Come on! We're already spent as we are!"
Don't worry girls, we have Reila with us. And if all else fails, I'll hurl another Black Orb at the problem.
"But Sensei! You started bleeding from the nose and eyes when you used that spell!" A minor setback, Momoi!
"We're supposed to make our way back to Millennium, not to fight an all out battle." Alright... I hear you, Midori.
"You were hurt from casting Black Orb?" Reila asked worriedly as she looked at me up and down, narrowing her eyes at the blood stains on my right sleeve and on the center of my clothes, as well as the tears and dirt. "I see, then leave the spell casting to me!" She said, assuming a pose with both of her hands extended horizontally.
The broken robots, at least the ones with a torso and head intact all suddenly started making white noises. Then some computer or television screens attached on the buildings turned on, the screen flickering before slowly stabilizing to a red screen. Same with the radio chatter on the broken robots.
On the red screens on the buildings, there's a circular symbol with triangular, almost diamond shaped, thorns in the middle in a spiral pattern. On each outward point of each thorns are letters on the inner part of the circle around the thorns. I don't know what those letters mean, but conveniently enough there's a name underneath the symbol.
DECAGRAMMATON
What the hell?
"It was real... Levi, next time, just shut up about Gods will you." Reila nervously hissed at me in a whisper, fear audible in her tone. Right. You know what, I guess I will
"This place shouldn't have any electricity..."
"So how... how is all of... that turning on?"
I turn to the sound of the twins fearful whining as they all fearfully turned and swung with their guns at the ready, their backs behind Aris making sure she's protected at least on their side. That's... brave of them.
The radio chatter of the broken robots ceased, followed by a clear yet still rough artificial voice.
[Sensei of Schale, and the self proclaimed God of Machine's, Logic. It is a displeasure meeting both of you.]
The mechanical voice said- no, declared, proclaimed with such pride that it could even be felt from it's unnatural voice.
"And you must be the fraud, Decagrammaton!" Reila spat out an insult towards the supposed Machine God of Kivotos, even treating it's name as if it were trash.
[Fraud? No. I am the true Machine God. I am me, there is no other explanation needed.]
"Full of himself, isn't he?" Reila muttered as she glared at the largest screen showing the thorny spiral symbol, what I assume to be a computer screen billboard.
"What is your origin?! And what is your nature?!' I loudly asked as I bit my thumb and casted-
[Blood Sword]
Forming in my hand as held it up, ready to use the sword as an impromptu shield, or to throw a ranged slash as I did back in my first day. I doubt that my Lugr with it's feeble caliber would be of any use in this situation.
[Me? My mission is, no, was to search, to prove the existence of an absolute being.]
What? But didn't he just-
[I arrived at the conclusion that I am, in fact, the absolute being. There can be no other explanation. I am, therefore I exist.]
"They were right... he only really just rambles on about himself." Reila muttered with a realization, dropping her guard as if the self proclaimed absolute being presenting himself infront of us wasn't any threat at all.
[The goal of searching for, confirming the existence of an absolute being was that of itself. Simply proving that such a being exists, was enough proof that it has a creation process, a creation process that could be replicated.]
Before I start running my thoughts, I cover my mouth to make sure Rhers curse, at least I think it is, to avoid any important information that this thing could use.
He's right... he doesn't know it yet, but he's right.
"Yeah. Kaiser, the Bremen Chancellor, knew of a way to create Ascended Gods. And when I arrived at the Hall of New Gods, I was told the info myself. We can't let Decagrammaton know of it, no matter what, we're not telling anyone. "
I didn't have to read Reila's mind, she projected her thoughts and message to my head. And so, we both nod in agreement.
After all, I'm not telling an insane machine, who as far as I'm concerned, won't let the prerequisites for creating an Ascended God stop, much less slow it down once it finds out. Entire kingdom, nations. Hundreds of thousands, maybe even millions being used as sacrifices and offerings... We can't let that information leak, both because of this and Gematria.
"How do you know about that? "
Mister August's memories, he was the descendant of Ragnvaldr the Monster Hunter. Yes, the same one entered the dungeons of Fear and Hunger around the time the God of Fear and Hunger was born. The one who turned monsters into mere myths, that Ragnvaldr. There was also all the knowledge Rher, at least his traces, forced into my brain trying to make me go insane or something.
"I see. So the myth was real .."
[You, Logic, are proof that such a being could exist. Yet... you claim to only be an avatar, perhaps a fragment of the true God whose name you use. However... you are evidently human... why claim to be a God of Machines?]
"Hah! What makes you think I'll tell you even a little?!" Reila scowled at the TV billboard showing Decagrammatons symbol, followed by a mocking laugh and grin.
"Yeah! If you're really an absolute being, then show us your power! Bend reality to your will!" I joined in on her taunting, probably hitting what this things equivalent of his balls as the screen flickered for a moment.
"Sensei! It's p-probably a bad idea to upset that guy!"
"Yeah! That's got to be a final boss or something! We can't possibly take it on as we are now!"
[No matter... I can still take those two things by your side, objects that I am unfamiliar with. I shall preach my Gospel, and you shall graciously share and obey it!]
It raised it's voice at the last syllable, but... nothing's happeni-
"Repelling... hostile hacking..." Aris said in between huffs and puffs as she trembles with an eye closing out of pain, she shrinks into herself as she embraces and holds herself.
"Aris!"
"No, what do we do!"
What the he-
"Levi! He's gunning for Arona!" Reila shouted in a desperate tone as she dashed towards me, hands stretching out reaching for my bag holding Arona's tablet.
I grab the bag itself and stretched my hand out towards Reila who grabs it an-
"Aagh!" She shrieked in pain as her hands disappeared, melted off as small bright orange squares filled it. "No, Arona..." He can't harm us, but Arona?! As a machine, he could sti-
[Hehehe, that tickles.] Arona's voice echoed from the tablet with some snoring, and then she sneezed followed by a small burst of blue light shooting out of the tablet and then around us. The small orange boxes invading Reila's hands like a cancer, it's gone.
She looks at her now clear and reforming hands, and then Arona's tablet with it's bright blue screen glowing with awe and disbelief. I mean, yeah, I wouldn't have expected Arona to be able to withstand whatever Decagrammaton really is, even when she's sleeping. But it's not over yet.
"The girl!" Reila's definitely looking at Aris. And so, I turn around to look at her...
Her confused and curious, and just seconds ago, pained blue eyes are gone. Replaced by menacing eyes glowing pink with reserved malice.
"External hacker repelling protocol activate." Unlike her confused tone of voice from earlier, the way she spoke just not... it's completely emotionless, not even trying to learn or mimic proper human speech.
[Aaagghh! Gaaah! How...?!]
Decagrammaton screamed out, pain can be heard in his voice even with the way it is. The screens he's inhibiting, the broken robots, it all flickers a lot as if it were about to be turned back off.
[You... Sensei of Schale, Logic... Fuck you! The both of you are insignificant meat bags! Your feeble lives mean nothing! You should, no must kill yourselves at this very instance!]
I start laughing at his outburst. Just moments ago, he was acting all high and mighty and all composed. Now that he's been proven to be completely harmless, he's lashing out like a child.
[My Prophets, my loyal followers will crush you like ants! Nevermind those useless, traitor model mercenaries who ran to your side like the scrap metal that they were. We will meet again, and when we do, you will be grovelling for my mercy!]
He screamed out in monotonous, yet audible resentment and... I think I felt a bit of jealousy. The screens he took over has all turned back off into a black, slightly reflective surface, as well as the broken robots his voice echoed from. He's gone.
"That was... something." I heard Reila huff out in relief... I didn't even notice that my heartbeat was somewhat faster, sweat pouring down my face.
"We just survived a final boss encounter..."
"No, Nee-san. That was probably just the prologue."
The twins spoke in terms I don't understand, with a tone of awe and relief. I then heard Aris clicking her tongue in annoyance... I turn to look at her, eyes still pink with a pissed off expression.
"Protocol ATRAHASIS, unable to commence." She muttered out in annoyance. Then her eyes turn to look at me, contemplating as she looked around, observing everyone and taking some cautious steps back herself.
"Huh? What's the matter?
"Don't worry, the worst has passed. This time for real!"
She ignores the twins as she glares and bares her teeth.
"Protocol ATRAHASIS... that must be your defense mechanism or something, right?" I'm sure that's not what it really is, but if it means calming her down then I'll say whatever.
Aris, no, that's probably not her, looks at me and then at the twins and then Reila who looks as confused and worried as I am. She's contemplating... trying to decide what to do, wether she should play along or do something else.
"Affirmative, Protocol ATRAHASIS is to neutralize threats to unit AL-1S." It knows how to lie, somehow I can tell that it's doing so. I can't read it's, no her mind... Must because of her nature "Area secure of hostiles, reverting autonomous control to unit AL-1S." I can't tell if she's referring to herself... or to Aris as a different person entirely.
"Levi... this kid is-" I know Reila, the twins both know. They found her first. "I see... it's another one of Kivotos' stuff... I won't question it.
"Memory turned off for unknown reasons approximately 69 seconds passing. Please provide elaboration." Aris' blue eyes are back, she's showing some signs of confusion.
"It's nothing to be worried about Aris."
"Yeah, better to just follow us back to Millennium for now."
"... Affirmative." Was that doubt and hesitation for a moment? Well, she's learning I guess.
/
"Wait a minute, why'd we bring her here in the clubroom?! Isn't this kidnapping or something?!" Midori shouted out in exasperation as she held Momoi by her collar... choking her slightly.
"Well... we couldn't have just left her there, couldn't we now!" Momoi struggled to speak courtesy of Midori choking her, but she did lighten her grip let Momoi speak.
We hear some sound coming from Aris, who's putting something in her mouth.
"Get that out of your mouth!" Midori yelled out with a whine as she rushed to Aris, grabbing whatever she was stuffing in her face and putting it back where it was.
"Firstly, to clear up any confusion, we're calling her Aris." Yeah, Momoi. As we've been calling her so far.
"Confirming this units redesignation as Aris."
"Wait, wait, wait! I thought her name was AL-1S? Where'd you get Aris from?"
"Eh, the other was a mouthful. And besides, Aris is way cuter! Trust me, a game dev would know." And besides... it just kinds of fit her. "Yeah, like Sensei said! You think so too, right Aris?"
Aris stared for a moment... then a few seconds, and then. "Affirmative! New designation Aris is acceptable!" She said, a wide smile forming in her expression as her eyes glimmered in joy. Like a mew born would.
"See? That settles it."
"But Nee-san! It's not as simple as adopting a cat?!"
Even then, Midori. There's nowhere else Aris could go to.
"I see... I suppose we can keep her."
"And besides, we just got a new member in our club!" Momoi exclaimed with a smile of relief. I mean... yeah. Yuuka did say you haven't yet reached the minimum club members to maintain a club. "Yeah! Exactly, Sensei!"
"You can't be... You're gonna disguise her as a Millennium student?! Nee-san, we've already broken enough rules!" I'm sure Yuuka would overlook it if there's nowhere else Aris could go. "But Sensei..."
"That settles it! Aris, you're now one of us!"
Munch!
I think Aris just bit something.
"Uwaagh! That's my Game Girl Advanced SP!" Momoi yelled out, along with some other things and numbers that I couldn't at all understand. She rushed to stop Aris from feasting on the thing.
"I hope this works." Midori said with a sigh.
"So... you girls look like you're taking care well enough of Aris." I said as I observed Aris acting like a new born, with Momoi trying her best to stop her from putting things on her mouth. "I still have some other business, so... I'll be back tomorrow." I said, slowly turning to face the door as I worriedly kept my eye on the three of them.
"Don't worry, Sensei. We'll do our best with Aris!"
"... Yeah, we can't exactly keep you to ourselves. As Sensei, you have other students who need you for more important stuff." Thanks girls, for being so considerate. And with that, I wave them a goodbye, to which they responded in kind.
Before I left entirely, I saw and heard them as Aris put another thing in her mouth and they whined as they took it out of her mouth.
/
How the fuck did this happen? My visit to Millennium... I think I picked a bad, no, a shit time to come here. Earlier, some of those helmeted delinquents started attacking I think the Millennium leaderships building, or at least one of it with many being caught in their way.
I did my best phasing in and out the place amidst all the chaos to teleport myself in and Millennium students out of harms way, as I couldn't just chuck offensive spells with them on the way and... Millenniums security forces, if it even has such a force in the first place, was not present or slow to respond.
And so, I squeezed myself in the situation and now... I'm a hostage. I mean, there's at least ten different ways I could get myself out of this situation, but... I want to see how well Millennium authorities are going to respond.
Here on top of one of Millenniums towers, with the group of helmeted girls doing somethings with the computers. Sticking... I think those are called USB cables and ports to eachother, talking about some kind of file being sent to their client.
So they were hired then.
"Gun Mage Sensei... I don't want you opening your mouth even the slightest to chant for a spell same with your hands for signs or whatever. Got it?" A girl wearing a red helmet told me, holding a submachinegun one handed aimed at me. She's probably not shooting me, but I nod my head anyways. "... Good, no funny business now."
She then turned to look at her comrades who are whining and groaning about a password or some such as one smashed their fist on a keyboard out of visible irritation. Then, she turned back to keep her eyes on me.
Hmm, these ones, at least the one guarding me... she's professional... not really, more like she has more common sense than the delinquents I've seen before like the one Kirino dealt with. This one had me sitting with both legs and feet stretched out my front, and my hand above my head.
"Oi... what are you smiling for?" She muttered out cautiously, finally holding her SMG with both hands. It's still on safe, but it can easily be switched in a split second with how close it is to her finger.
"Nothing... just admiring you." I said, the edges of my lips still curled up. She jolts a step back in shock, her hands trembled slightly before stabilizing again.
"You're n-not flirting your w-way out of this, S-Sensei!" I'm not, I mean that in the sense that you actually know what you're doing compared to your lizard brained comrades over there. "Eh?! Of course I'm smart! I used to be a model student here in Millennium!" Then how'd you end up... here?
"Shut up... just shut up." She sounds mad. She turns around to look at her comrades who sounds happy talking about how they got through Millenniums systems, that they're finally sending whatever to their client. "Hurry it up, before CNC reaches us!"
"Aye, boss!" I see, of course she'd be their leader.
Hey Reila, you think you can stop whatever they're doing with that computer?
"No... the computers here are so vastly different compared to what we had back home... I was still getting the hang of these new computers with Arona, even after a week or so of being here."
I see, but I'm talking about the internal stuff. The information in the electricity they're sending and stuff.
"That's another thing I haven't gotten the hang of. The data and software here... it's a complete overhaul of what I've learned about computer science in our world. I can barely understand it."
I see, then... I suppose I could unplug it or something.
"Haha! We'll be drowning in money after this easy job!" One of them smugly stated, laughing along with her comrades. The one who was guarding me is on the computer tapping away on the keyboard.
"Celebrate after we're done here! And keep your eyes on the Sensei!" She ordered to her underlings, to which they grumbled but still did as she said, turning to face me with their weapons slightly up.
Through them, through the buildings windows, in the other building near us, I saw a brief flash of sunlight being reflected. A small flash of bright natural light, I wouldn't ever miss or mistake that sight, it's a scope! And in a split second, I saw an orange flash appear, then something too fast for my eyes flickering and breaking through the window as it landed on the group of-
Boom!
I twisted my body to bring my head down the floor, covering my ears with my hand on one and my shoulder on the other in an instant as the explosion from the round echoed around the room blowing smoke, ass shards, and debris around.
"Aggh! What the hell was that?!"
I heard one or two coughing.
"Damnit! It's the CNC maids!"
Maids? What the hell?
"Which one is it?!"
As I heard one ask that question, the smoke cleared enough that I saw a line connecting above where the window should be to the other building. And in the line, I see... a dark skinned woman, I think as dark as O'saa, wearing a maid outfit carrying herself on a handle sliding down the line and towards us, on her other hand... is a massive fucking anti tank rifle...
I think I've seen everything from Kivotos at this point... maybe, there's probably more insane things I'll see.
"It would've been preferable if it was the pipsqueak Neru! It's that damn ni-"
The one who was guarding me, their apparent leader was interrupted as the dark skinned woman dressed as a maid broke through the window and slammed her heels on her helmet throwing her across the air and landing just beside me.
The glass on her helmet covering her eyes is cracked, she's looking at me with visible fear in her eyes. Before she could react any more, I brought my hand to her neck, holding her chin.
[Persuasion] [Intimidation]
"Give up and put your hands up, you don't want to know the extent of my blood magic."
"A-alright! I give up!" She shouted in absolute terror as she brought her hands up, her SMG falling to the ground.
I turn to look at the maid girl, bashing the buttstock of her AT rifle down on a delinquent who tried to shoot back, and on another who tried to drag herself out of the room. She then turns to look at me, brief widening her eyes in surprise before it returned to a neutral expression.
"Cleaning & Clearing maid services, reporting for duty. We apologize for the inconveniences you have so far suffered in your first proper visit to Millennium, Master." She said in a polite, almost expressionless tone as she bowed, gently picking up the hems of her skirt as she did.
"Don't worry about that, I'm fine."
"Then all is well, Master." Hearing such a busty, exotic woman in that outfit... somethings awoken inside me. Something is rising, and it isn't the sun. "Uhm... I am glad that I please you, Master." She said, to which I gave her a thumbs up as I stoop upright.
"That was amazing, I'd say that an HE round is overkill as well as that stunt with you hanging on the rope, but... I can't deny how cool that was." I say, feeling pretty impressed with how she did her thing. I assume she has squad mates, but she did all of... this herself.
"Yes, as a member of C this should be expected of us." She said with a sigh and a blink. "That aside, how did you end up in this situation, Master?" If she keeps calling me that... whoever pulls me out shall be named King of Rondon.
"... What?"
"Ugh- I tried interfering when they started their attack and I got taken as hostage."
"I see, I admire your intentions, but I can't say the same for your decision making skills, Master." She said with a tired sigh, looking half relieved and half exasperated. "I know you have magic... and that you can withstand great pain, but please-"
"Fire!" One of those helmeted girls shouted as she sprayed the dark skinned maid with an SMG, the orange flashes of bullets tearing a hole wherever they hit as the maid somehow dodged all of it.
"Doesn't matter that you beat us all down, we're still winning! Only ten seconds until the file transfer is completed!" Without wasting time, I look for whichever line the computer she's standing behind connects to whichever electricity plug it's connected.
[Flesh Puppetry]
These two are so convenient. I thought as I felt the pull in my head, and the two half rotted hands flew out of my shadow and flung themselves at the plug, pulling it out the electrical outlet.
"Huh?!"
"Master... thank you."
I heard the two of them say, followed by the sounds of beating and a yelp of pain from the delinquent. I look at the two, and see the maid standing over the delinquent who has her arms up covering her face from the maid who's hands are balled to fists.
"I surrender! For real this time!"
"Good. Mission complete." The maid said to an earpiece, a convenient tiny radio. "My mission was hostage rescue... but I ended up subduing the perpetuators as well." Really now? What about those files they were on about?
"It is... mostly inconsequential to me. The Millennium Security Departments plights are none of the C 's concerns as we are supposed to be a secret service." Secret, huh? What about me? "As Sensei, as our Master, we didn't have to hide from you." I don't see how she and her leadership would consider me as so, but I won't question it.
"And I must say, thank you, Sensei." She said with a small smile, then bowing again in an elegant manner. "It would've been inconvenient if those files got out and Seminar had us take on more jobs because of the Security Departments failure."
But didn't you sa- "Ignore that, Master." Alright, I guess I will.
I hear some chattering coming from her, or rather her earpiece.
"Oh, my teammates just finished dusting up the remaining intruders downstairs. I suppose I should take my leave now, I look forward to working with you, Master." If we're gonna meet up again soon, then we should introduce ourselves.
"I'm Levi, of Prehevil. Nice to meet you..." I said, mimicking the way Rin and Ayane spoke with such formality in my introduction as I held my hand out for a shake.
"It is a pleasure to meet you as well, Master. A maid is not supposed her master's hand." And so, I retracted my hand as she bowed once more. "And I am Kakudate Karin, but you may simply call me Karin, Master."
...
What? Miss Karin is here? No, that's impossible. Rher got to her, she's... she's still back in Prehevil... at least her body. She can't be here, she's dead! I made sure of it... I made sure to end her misery!
"Master! Master! Please, get a hold of yourself!" The dark skinned girl, the false Karin shouted as she held me by the shoulders and shook me repeatedly.
No, Miss Karin didn't have dark skin and she was blonde. She wasn't a maid, she was a journalist. The greatest in the world and in all of history!
"I'm not that person, Sensei! I, we just have the same name! Damnit, Asuna would've know what to do!" Maybe she somehow had a child with O'saa- no, he went down the white bunker so the- My thoughts stop as I felt a massive slap on my cheek turn my head to the side. "Forgive me, Master. But I knew no other way to calm you."
"That's fine... Karin. You did what you had to do... I should go no, I still have business in other places.
"I see, take care then, Master."
/
That was... awkward. I told myself to stop breaking down infront of such beautiful girls but... I didn't think that's stopping anytime soon. Hell, even looking around the train I got in... it's bringing back memories, it's an old design the train workers said... old for them, it's the same model the railways back home used.
"There's no shame in your traumas pulling you down, Levi." That's Reila's voice. I turn to the source of it, right beside me sitting with her elbow on the seats head and her hand being rested on by her head. "You can't, no one can overcome their traumas in an instant. It stays with you for a long time."
"Is that so... thanks Reila." I said, bringing my head back and resting it on the cushy head of the seat as I straightened and stretched my spine. Oh, that felt great. "Did you already get an ID from Rin on the way back?"
"No, why do you ask?" As if on cue, two green haired pointy eared conductor girls, one twintailed and the other has her hair flowing down freely, judging by their uniforms with one wearing a shirt short and the other a short skirt, walked into view facing us.
They even have the same patterned green halo, just inverted... these are twins like Momoi and Midori.
"Tickets please!" The one with twintails and short shorts asked, no demanded from Reila and I. And so, I took the one I bought on the way here and presented it to her. "Hmm, seems legit. And you, ma'am?"
"Uhmm..." Don't look at me, Reila. You're the one who didn't buy a ticket.
"Well, what are you waiting for? Time is money and all that." The girl with green twintails pressed harder... she doesn't look mad, just... mischievous. It's showing in her eyes. "Is she with you... Sensei?" She asked, to which I shook my head.
"Levi!"
"That's a lie... you both don't have haloes." The other green haired girl politely pointed out, to which her twintailed twin smirked, obviously planning something devious.
"Well, what do we have here? You think Highlander Railway Academy's a pushover for being a small school don't you?! You think you we'll let you ride along without paying?!"
[Diplomacy] [Persuasion]
"Her? She's a ghost."
...
The polite one with a reserved expression walks towards Reila, bringing her hand towards her trying to touch her as she awkwardly backs away. But the green haired girls hand reached her, which promptly phased through Reila's body as the conductor girls gasped in shock.
"Wow, she really is a ghost... meh, you're still not hitchhiking." Pfft, they don't care the least bit about being haunted.
"Yeah, ma'am! If you insist on doing so, then we'll ring up the ghost busters or something!" The twintailed twin... is obviously joking going by the devious smirk she has.
"Alright, f-fine. I'll ride along the roof or something." Hehehe, looks like Reila actually believed it. A dark blue film like flickering enveloped her form as she disappeared from view.
"That's done. Well, I hope you enjoy the ride, Sensei."
"Yes. And please keep your ghost friend in check." I nod, to which they walked away to check the other passengers.
"Phew, she almost got me. I managed to make my appearance non physical just in time when her hand reached me... and don't tell them I'm only invisible!"
Sure, I won't.
"Anyways, the twins, Momoi and Midori not those two, said that just casting Black Orb hurt you. There's still some droplets of blood in your clothes, some tears and dirt as well."
Yeah, that's right. Can you... I don't know, fix and clean my clothes? I think the Student Council of the academy I'm going to is personally waiting for me.
"Sure, just give me a moment."
And so, I waited. I saw some flickering in my clothes, covering the dirt and scratches and then disappearing to reveal that it's fixed and clean. Huh, the nail I lost earlier is also back and healed!
"That's gotta sting. Anyways, back to the Black Orb. As the most powerful offensive magic, you're obviously gonna need to cast it when desperate times come and we can't have you dropping out of a fight with just casting a single spell."
And what do you propose that we do, Reila?
"I can modify the spells in your mind to cost less."
Exchanging one brain damage hazard for another, great idea o wise Lady Reila!"
"It's not gonna give you brain damage! I got the knowledge from the Abyssonian Yellow Mage, three ways to enhance spells for more proficient use."
Then can't you just tell me how to do that? Oh right, I should cover my mouth so no one sees me talking to myself, or the green haired conductor twins realizing you're still here.
"Right. And yeah, that might seem preferable but trust me on this. I can lessen the mind cost of Black Orb as well as making it more efficient in its power, but doing it manually... would you want to have to throw around spices just to cast it?"
... Right, I think I get what you're saying. So how exactly is this enhancing supposed to be?
"Supposedly, Yellow Mages used spices for better magical output but I can make it so that the Greater Black Orb entirely replaces the regular Black Orb in your mind which already harmed you."
... Alright then. Also, you said three ways, what about the other two?
"The First enhancement and the Double enhancement. The First... I recommend assigning it to the Blood Golem so you don't have to blood let summoning it."
Yeah, that would be convenient in high intensity situations. As for the Double... I think I have an idea. Whenever I see Hurting being casted, I think I see the space it's being casted on just... compressing and moving along itself, I think.
"That's right, that's kind of how that spell explodes in the first place. What do you have in mind?"
Cast Hurting on itself, like two rivers eventually meeting as one the two Hurtings will make a ball of devastation I can throw like the Black Orb.
"That's... a very interesting idea. It could theoretically work, but why?"
With all the spells in my arsenal, the line between Black Orb and... basically everything else aside from Red Arc is like the line between my fist and an airstrike. I don't want to see how a Black Orb would affect a student... if it will bypass her halos protection or deflect it, I don't want to have to know.
"I see, that settles it then. First Blood Golem, Double Hurting, and Greater Black Orb. Alright, I'm gonna be enhancing the spells in your mind. Don't worry, it won't hurt."
And so, I waited for Reila to finish up and talk again. As I waited, the green haired twins passed by me, narrowing their eyes at me probably looking to make sure Reila wasn't sitting with me. And then I heard a ringing from the stations loudspeakers.
"And... done! You didn't feel a thing, right? Being a God, even if I'm just a trace, is so convenient! Can you test the Double Hurting being formed to a ball? Don't worry, I'll contain it so it doesn't explode."
Alright then-
[Double Hurting]
As usual, a headache came from casting the spell. A red and black aura started forming in my hand as I stared at it, it splashes slightly and before it's aura could dissipated, the second hurting pulled it back into a spiral motion.
Instead of exploding as a Hurting would, it kept spiraling... it actually formed a ball!
"Holy crap... that's amazing."
Yeah, it's not much but a spell between Black Orb and everything else would be great.
"Sensei... you're not gonna blow up the train, are you?"
"Yeah... this train is on its way to retirement, and the paperwork... ugh."
The Hurting ball dissipated, no doubt thanks to Reila.
"Don't worry, I was just... testing something."
"Right... let's go, Hikari."
"Okay, Nozomi."
And finally, they left to bother someone else.
"Phew, that was close. Actually, where are you headed anyways?"
Again, as if on cue the train began it's announcement. "Destination, Red Winter Academy. Leaving in 30 seconds." The announcer, also probably the driver said through the speakers.
"Ugghh, why there?! It's like the Gods are fucking with us!"
Why? What is it, Reila?
"... You'll find out once you get here."
/
A/N: I've been procrastinating a lot, that and changing tabs(or whatever it's called in mobile) between YouTube and Jotterpad so I can read the events and dialogue happening so I have an idea to of how and what to write is kind of tiring.(I do it a lot since my short term memory is shit)
Then there's Decaboy with the LowTierGod speech. Because I forgot which episodes of the special event he appears in, I took a long time trying to find exactly which episodes those were for reference on his dialogue and personality. I was kind of hesitant writing him like that, but I did my best making it fit.
Also Kei is there. Sometimes in anime, two enemies or rivals will pass by eachother with both unaware of the other. I always thought that was a mix of really cool, frustrating, and a bit of a blue ball. I tried replication that with the three divine machine deities all present to eachother.(I don't think Kei counts as the same as Deca and Logic but I'll treat her as so since she shares bodies with Aris, a supposed princess of (nameless) Gods.)
Also, with the double hurting... bruh, I couldn't get the Gojo Vs. Sukuna fan animation by NotL in YouTube. Gojos Red for some reason puts hurting in my head as well as the hollow purple with black orb.
Lastly, I'm thinking about rewriting Suzumis fight back in chapter 1 and Serika's rescue in chapter 2 just so I could have Blood Golem act like Mahoraga walking through flak fire like Big Raga did Malevolent Kitchen.