Sovetsky Soyuz quickly agrees to King George V's request. In fact, she immediately agreed and invited her to discuss her business over a drink. Sovetsky Soyuz pours her glass with vodka, the favorite alcoholic drink of the Northern Parliament.
"So what is it you wish to discuss, royal knight?" Sovetsky Soyuz takes a light sip
"I visited Iris Libre recently to learn more about the Leviathans attacking. They said Bismarck might have been targeted since the others kansens are ignored"
"Hmm..." Sovetsky Soyuz listens first
"You invited Bismarck and her sister Tirpitz here because you claimed to have knowledge about Beelzebub's nature"
"Do you wish to know the truth?"
"What are you up to? The Northern Parliament have been researching the Leviathans behind Azur Lane's back"
"We need a guinea pig to test on first. The targets were Mammon, Beelzebub, and Satan as they're rather direct and proactive with their methods. The first opportunity that opened to us when Beelzebub attacked Iron Blood"
"What's that supposed to mean?"
From Sovetsky Soyuz's tone emotionless alone, she implies she may have used Iron Blood for her faction's research.
"...A lot happened back then. We thought we had succeeded, but victory doesn't come easy" Sovetsky Soyuz ignored King George V's question
"What did you do?"
"You want to know why we invited those sisters here, right?"
"Yes" King George V immediately confirms
"We asked Bismarck to come for two reasons. It is to help her with Tirpitz's condition and the other...is to serve as one of the baits to Beelzebub"
"Bait?" King George V grits her teeth
Normally, King George V will raise her voice and slam the table, but she has enough self-control to remind her current objective and not bring disgrace to the Royal Navy.
"We only needed Bismarck as bait. With her presence alone, Beelzebub will be forced to act"
"If that's the case, why invite her sister as well?"
"We can't have the bait without the target after all"
Sovetsky Soyuz takes another sip of her vodka while remains casual and stoic with admitting that Bismarck's purpose is to be a bait to a Leviathan.
"Wait...you're saying Tirpitz is..."
"Tirpitz died fighting Beelzebub. We only confirmed it when Chkalov and Belorussiya visited Iron Blood. The one moving and speaking in her stead is a parasite occupying her corpse"
Sovetsky Soyuz gulps down the rest of her vodka and refills it in mere seconds. Her expression remains unchanging and continues to disregard King George V's displeasure for her underhanded methods.
'"How would you-"
"Tirpitz once approached me for help. There was no other way but to gamble her life, so she willingly sacrificed herself to take out Beelzebub. She wasn't supposed to survived, but she did"
"Bismarck and everyone else don't know about this..." King George V takes a deep breath
"She wouldn't allow her sister to sacrifice herself and Tirpitz wouldn't let Bismarck do the same. Tirpitz saw Bismarck was too necessary for Iron Blood, so she made the sacrifice"
"Unbelievable. How will you explain that you had this secret plan, and you knew Tirpitz is already dead?" King George V shakes her head
"I will take that burden. Bismarck has the right to despise me for letting her sister sacrifice herself...and permanently putting her down"
"Earlier, you said one of the baits to Beelzebub. What and who else do you plan to use as bait"
"..."
A moment of silence falls between the two battleships. It only takes a few seconds for King George V to realize why Sovetsky Soyuz's cold and distant eyes are staring directly at her.
"Are you bloody kidding me?!"
"To lure a glutton is with the threat of another glutton. Other than that, no one knows how to prepare an irresistible feast other than you" Sovetsky Soyuz calmly explains
"Aren't you going a bit too far using your allies as bait?"
"I don't wish to sacrifice anyone, but we are losing more than we can protect. Tirpitz realized victories come with a cost, so she was willing to pay the price"
"..."
"I promised to finish off Beelzebub and that's what I intend to do. You have every right to hate me, but I still intend to permanently kill Beelzebub if it means discovering the Leviathans' weakness"
Sovetsky Soyuz makes her reason clear. To her, it doesn't matter if others will disagree with her methods, but the enemy is vicious and ruthless. They're much inhuman compared to the Sirens as they reflect humanity's worst aspects...sins.
"It's not ordered by her majesty, but I will play along as bait in order to take out Beelzebub"
"..." Sovetsky Soyuz shrugs her shoulders
"If...if someone dies, I will reveal the truth to Bismarck myself and report all of this to Azur Lane"
"Do what you must. I have my duty, and you have yours"
"So, how do you intend to use me as bait?"
"Beelzebub is drawn to a delectable feast. They reappeared because of Asmodeus and Abaddon"
"I don't like where this is going..."
King George V massages her temples, somewhat regretting already that she reluctantly gives Sovetsky Soyuz the chance to take down at least one of the seven Leviathans.
There's nothing but silence but the mere ticking of a wall clock echoes the four concrete corners. Placed right at the middle of her desk is a vial filled with pitch black slimy liquid. There are traces of fading red fibers swirling inside, making the suspicious vial ominous and visibly unstable.
"Obtaining this was difficult" Sovetsky Soyuz gently taps the cover of the vial
"What's that?" Bismarck focuses her gaze on the liquid
"It's an experimental poison made from Belphegor's fluids. They may be lazy, but they're extremely dangerous. No kansens have ever gotten near Belphegor"
"..."
Bismarck is aware of Belphegor's existence, but she cannot comment as everyone in Azur Lane lacks combat data on Belphegor. Neither Sovetsky Soyuz nor Bismarck can proudly estimate Belphegor's capabilities when they barely move their limbs when fighting.
"Your sister is suffering from Beelzebub's endless hunger. Belphegor's main trait is suppression and nullification. Their fluids can impose a burden which will slow down activities" Sovetsky Soyuz pulls away her finger from the cap
"Then you're saying it will act as a medicine. You said it was difficult to obtain it"
Those words are enough to relay Bismarck's skepticism and caution. She has little to no knowledge of Sovetsky Soyuz's intentions, especially why Tirpitz never talked about her visit.
"Your sister ingested this before. It must have had significant effect since she hasn't eaten anyone from Iron Blood yet" Sovetsky Soyuz gently grabs the vial with her two fingers
"It doesn't look like you're surprised"
"Tirpitz approached me because she was desperate to defeat Beelzebub. My comrades once sought ways to counter the burning rage of Satan. To weaken rage is to weaken Satan, so we turned out attention to Belphegor" Sovetsky Soyuz begins to confess
"Why?"
"Eagle Union lost five ships in one battle against Belphegor, but they discovered something important. Satan arrived to slaughter the Eagle Union force, but Belphegor doused their flames with their black blood. It stopped Satan in their tracks and sent them to sleep, so we learned they can affect each other"
Sovetsky Soyuz places the bottle at the center of the desk again and reaches for folder at the upper right side.
"The higher ups have become cowardly after losing resources and manpower. They were not willing to take such risks, so we did. My people studied them, hoping to have their own fangs bite them"
"After countless trials, you succeeded anyway. Then why did it involve Tirpitz?"
"...She wished to defeat Beelzebub. Iron Blood cannot keep up with Beelzebub's growth, and you nearly died during one of those attempts. Truth to be told, I never expected her to approach me and..."
Sovetsky Soyuz briefly closes her eyes before she could spill details, she seems inappropriate to reveal.
"...It involved facing Beelzebub head-on. The result was unpredictable, but she persisted and removed the threat long enough for Iron Blood to recover a bit"
"Why do I get the feeling you skipped something? What did you discuss with Tirpitz?"
Bismarck isn't ignorant to quickly notice the brief pause and the vague response from Sovetsky Soyuz. The latter is avoiding speaking about something.
"I made a promise to your sister, so I cannot betray my own word" Sovetsky Soyuz sighs
"A promise?"
"She asked of me not to reveal what occurred when she stepped foot in our motherland. That I can reveal to you"
"Why would Tirpitz go to this length to keep a secret?!" Bismarck swipes her hand
"I wish to say only your sister can answer you, but she's suffering from not only hunger but missing memories as well"
"So I'm the only one left in the dark..."
As much as Bismarck wants to demand the truth, she doesn't want to disrespect Sovetsky Soyuz's principles. The latter is highly unlikely to break her promise when the situation is already dark and grim.
"Bismarck, is your sister doing well?" Sovetsky Soyuz changes the topic
"She is. Although she's acting strange because of her condition, she's doing well"
"What else?"
"...I feel like she's not herself half of the time as if I'm speaking to someone else"
"..."
Although faint and silent, Sovetsky Soyuz lightly parts her lips and tenses her left hand. She wants to speak, but she can only restrain herself to silently react.
"Why do you ask all of a sudden?" Bismarck frowns
"I've never spoken to her ever since her last visit...and never will again" Sovetsky Soyuz whispers after a brief pause
"What?"
"As much as I know you deserve the truth, this isn't the right time. I hope you witness it yourself, so you may understand it than mere words from me"
"Witness what exactly?"
"..."
Sovetsky Soyuz cannot respond because it will be the truth. Her silence adds to Bismarck's worries, but she still prioritizes her principles no matter how much she pities Bismarck.
Meanwhile...
Beelzebub will devour anything from human flesh to energy-based projectiles. Their hunger is innate and will swallow anything within their reach. They used to be active, but now Beelzebub is often restless with how they have no choice but to remain patient. Kansens cluelessly pass by them with their limbs intact. As much as they're tempted to even bite off a hand, any aggression and cannibalism will immediately alert everyone around them.
"Mammon..."
Beelzebub faintly growls and raises their head when an equally proactive, yet enthusiastic brethren breach the consciousness.
"Don't be surprise. This is how we commonly reach out to each other" Mammon widely grins, displaying their glinting metallic teeth.
In their normal form, Mammon is not stocky compared to Beelzebub. Instead, Mammon possesses six arms. Four acts are their normal arms while the other pair is usually folded or pressing their chest. Their chest is protected with melted gold encasing broken ship parts, buildings, and the skeletal remains of their victims.
"You're nearby. I can feel you lurking about. Satan must be sleeping beneath the sea waiting to strike" Beelzebub snorts steam from their snout
"Correct! They're rather impatient, so I told them to sleep while they waited"
"Why are you following me here too? Asmodeus followed me to Iris Libre not too long ago"
"We're all aware of your situation. This can benefit us! I can take what you need, but of course I can use some souvenirs" Mammon rubs their two fingers
"I don't care who and what you take, but Bismarck and Sovetsky Soyuz are off limits. One is my special dish and the other - I want to personally tear her apart!"
Beelzebub lifts their body and slams the left arm at the red shallow water, sending bones flying and splashing water everywhere.
"I heard they're known to develop weapons only known by higher ups in Azur Lane. They're one of a kind, so I want them badly" Mammon reveals their next desire
"Weapons, huh. Take whatever you need except for those two battleships" Beelzebub lies back down
"Your presence is weak. It seems your strength is being suppressed" Mammon tilts their head
"I can't adapt to it, leaving me in a stalemate. It's like I'm constantly floating in a vast ocean but never sinking" Beelzebub bares their sharp teeth
"I sense a trace of Belphegor. Although being fed with Belphegor's blood weakened your host, there's a tainted version flowing inside this kansen. It seems your host is already poisoned while alive"
Abaddon is nowhere near the Northern Parliament, but they cut in the conversation without warning, let alone permission from either side.
"Those kansens couldn't possibly get near Belphegor! Some of them died trying" Beelzebub smashes their tail at the water
"From the information you shared with us recently, Sovetsky Soyuz collaborated with the Arbiters. The Sirens are actively pursuing us and ignored the kansens. Perhaps the Sirens managed to study Belphegor and used what they learned to weaken you" Abaddon sighs
"Are you telling me poisoned food ran to me, and I blindly ate it?!"
"...Unfortunately, that seems to be the case. You've been tricked with sweet poison" Mammon shrugs their shoulder
"They think I'm some rat caught in a mouse trap!"
Beelzebub is already furious being stuck and hindered most of the time. The fact that they absorbed poison taken from their own kind only makes the red veins on their body brightly glow and sharp bones sprout from their spine down to their tail.
"As much as we all want to flail the northern fleet alive, they have the cure to your problem. We just need to discover how they tainted Belphegor's essence.
"Your host is infected with your hunger, but it's more controlled than I thought. When I injected the body with my venom, I analyzed it. There's a high amount of leptin in that body. If there wasn't an imbalance, your host wouldn't be able to resist herself from eating the first victim" Abaddon explains further
"That's right! You would have eaten Emden back then, but you only took a sip" Mammon snaps their fingers
In their original form, Beelzebub endlessly seeks food that they slaughter towns and islands to feed on all living beings there. They never had a proper meal since the beginning yet they're only annoyed at best rather than raving mad.
"My venom only produced the effect of galantamine. Although it helped resurface memories, they're only fragments. You need to weaken your host's mental defenses or you will be left like a chained beast" Abaddon growls
"..." Beelzebub lowers their head
"What's the matter?" Abaddon tilts their head
"I only desire to eat yet Lucifer wants all humans to be extinct. If everyone is dead, then what am I supposed to eat?"
"..." Mammon and Abaddon look at each other
"This is like not being able to eat burgers and bacon anymore because all cows and pigs are dead!"
Beelzebub roars at the two when the brief reminder of the incident at Iris Libre also brings the moment when Richelieu points out how they would run out of food since humans are their favorite meal and the one who makes more food.
"This is no time to be distracted, Beelzebub. Push aside anything. You still want revenge against the Northern Parliament" Abaddon sternly reminds them
"Fine" Beelzebub begrudgingly agrees
"..." Mammon rubs their chin
Unlike Abaddon who despises humans due to their nature, Mammon is similar to Beelzebub. Their nature is mostly identical, but the difference is Mammon loves to collect the items and treasures humans invent and molds.
"Don't let what humans say get to you. They are our food and playthings"
Abaddon reminds Beelzebub one last time before leaving the telepathic conversation as their enormous figure vanishes in a blink of an eye.
"If humans die, I won't get to add and admire more treasures. Did Lucifer think of this?" Mammon speaks as soon as Abaddon disappeared
"Knowing them, they don't care. Are we making the right decision, Mammon?" Beelzebub exhales and releases faint steam
"I don't know either. We do as we please without thinking of our future. The thought of emptiness...never occured to me"
"We are embodiment of sins that humans cultivated ever since the first civilization. It's natural to think we need them as cattle to fulfill us"
As their nature are both "excess", they never once thought if the source of their desires simply goes extinct. Both of them are immersed in their instincts they tend to not think in the long term.
"...!"
Tirpitz slams her left shoulder against a thick concrete wall. She tightly clutches her chest as she panics when her heart races and her breath growing short.
"What is this feeling? Like someone is eating me from the inside..."
It's a panic-inducing feeling of a centipede creeping beneath her skin and biting through her insides, namely her brain. She feels something inside her, a sting poking through her brain and mandibles munching through her wisdom cube.
"Is there something wrong?" Chkalov taps her shoulder from behind
"...!"
Tirpitz jolts and slightly pushes her away. She takes several steps back while she's overwhelmed with disgust and anxiety.
"I saw earlier mindlessly wandering and talking to yourself. Are you alright?" Chkalov examines Tirpitz's face
"I...think...I'm going crazy..." Tirpitz takes a deep breath
"Hmm, like there's a voice in your head or like you're not alone on here?" Chkalov pokes the side of her head
"What are you saying?"
"Answer my question first. Something is happening to you and your big sister doesn't know it"
"..."
Chkalov's tone is mildly demanding and while Tirpitz is desperate to confess and seek help, she's skeptical because she doesn't know anything about Chkalov. The latter claims they have met each other, but Tirpitz cannot trust what she doesn't remember.
"Tell me, have you eaten any humans lately?"
"What?! No!" Tirpitz frowns
"The first time we met, you were firmer and more certain with your intentions. We didn't know each other much, but you trusted us enough to risk yourself" Chkalov switches to a calmer tone
"When I stepped foot here, it felt familiar. The buildings, the pathways, and the people - they were all familiar. I just...couldn't remember..."
In Tirpitz's mind, she imagines somewhere in the past where she stares at the buildings while taking a deep breath. She brushes her hair while feeling the cold and gentle breeze brushes against her cheeks.
"Something's happening to you, isn't it? You want to ask for help, but something is stopping you" Chkalov returns to the main issue
"I don't know who to ask for help..." Tirpitz remains reluctant
"I can help you if you let me"
"..."
"Will you wait till your condition worsens? You've been blacking out. I know because you were in a trance when I visited"
"..."
Tirpitz continues to hesitate. A part of her, from the corner of her mind, is gnawing at her hope and feeding her anxiety.
"Something...something is in my head. When I close my eyes, I sometimes dream of Beelzebub and how they munch on me little by little"
Tirpitz grits her teeth and despite the protestation of her "instincts", she forces herself to speak. At her current point, she trusts that Chkalov has more knowledge on her issue than she does.
"Then will you agree to a physical checkup?"
"Will you be able to see what's wrong with me?" Tirpitz swallows her breath
"Only if you allow me and not eat me in the process" Chkalov jokingly scoffs
"What?"
Although Chkalov jokes a bit, it does concern her how Tirpitz might accidentally or intentionally bite off her limb due to likely Beelzebub being present.
Chkalov's Laboratory...
Tirpitz lightly swallows her breath while she lies her back relaxed. She's a bit nervous about what Chkalov might discover and thought after thought runs in her mind.
"Externally, her wisdom cube appears normal..."
Chkalov carefully observes the readings on her screen and studies the initial result. It's the first test scanning for any physical damages or defects in the wisdom cube.
"I see. That's where the problem lies..."
Just like Neumark's scan, Chkalov's scan also detects Beelzebub's lingering trace latching in the wisdom cube. It's no longer faint and already easier to detect due to the parasite growing desperate and irritated.
"The wisdom cube is hanging by a thread. No, in this state...it should have broken down a long time ago. That only means..."
Chkalov sighs while she swipes her hand at the screen and flips through the results. Her tone remains stoic and relaxed despite the result not being what she hoped.
"You're really infected by Beelzebub" Chkalov informs her
"...I knew it" Tirpitz expected the response
"Unfortunately, it's damaging your wisdom cube, and your condition will only worsen"
Chkalov stops any additional scan and walks to Tirpitz to further inform her of clearly terrible situation.
"Is there...any good news?" Tirpitz nervously asks
"Not a chance. A Leviathan infected you, so you either die or get someone killed"
"...You mean I might eat someone?"
"At this point, you should have eaten someone. You went weeks without eating someone from Iron Blood"
"Is that good?"
"I don't know. It's a miracle you went this long without tasting human flesh"
"I ate small animals from rats to birds because my hunger is worsening..."
Tirpitz's last meal is an unsuspecting seagull that's occupied with picking off the innards of a dead fish washed ashore.
"Then do you think I'm a meal?" Chkalov points at her face
"I-I don't feel anything right now...but when my stomach hurts, that's where something urges me to go after my allies"
"Your situation is difficult. You weren't even meant to survive against Beelzebub"
"I don't know what happened back then. I just remembered being on the brink of-"
Before Tirpitz can finish speaking, she realizes Chkalov poked the back of her neck with a syringe gun. It's too late for her to react as Chkalov has emptied the chemical from the syringe to her neck.
"Hey!" Tirpitz pushes Chkalov in response
"I just injected rivastigmine which is usually used for mental degradation"
"Ngh! What?!" Tirpitz rubs the back of her neck
"Some of your memories are missing. It's not because of your wisdom cube being damaged but a side-effect of a drug you took. Sorry, I meant several experimental drugs and viruses created by both kansens and Sirens" Chkalov calmly waves her hand
"I-I'm not following...what's...
Tirpitz's vision blurs, but she resists collapsing and fainting. Her dizziness causes her to further step back until her back slams against the wall. Chkalov remains right where stands, quietly observing her reaction to the drug.
"What's..."
...
An image flashes in her memory. It's Chkalov in her laboratory and Tirpitz is present as well. To Tirpitz's silent shock, the Arbiters Hermit and Lovers are also present there. The Sirens appear rather relaxed but cautious around the two kansens.
"Beelzebub needs to be lured to Iron Blood again, but I don't know if Observer's calculations are correct"
A forgotten past of Tirpitz sighs, seemingly on the brink of defeat and growing weary of endless battles where they only keep losing allies.
"Hmph. Beelzebub is simple-minded. They go where there's food and nothing attracts a hungry beast like the smell of a buffet" Hermit grins
"They determine the best meals through pheromones. In simple terms, they rely on their sense of smell to track down their next meal" Lovers add
"The Arbiters are correct. It's why Beelzebub always targets populated areas filled with helpless humans, but they find kansens even tastier"
Chkalov mixes chemicals after chemicals that it constantly changes colors. The flask in front of her is filled with mildly bubbling purple liquid.
"It looks like it's enough to kill a whale. I might die before I face Beelzebub"
"Don't overreact. We know what we're doing compared to a suicidal fool like you" Hermit crosses her arms
"It's a fast-acting drug, so you have to take this shortly before confronting Beelzebub. This is to avoid Beelzebub from detecting and reacting to the chemicals in your body"
Chkalov lightly spins the test tube between her fingers while she listens to the three but not even sparing a glance on them.
"Beelzebub can't be killed in a head-on battle. Their appetite is also their weakness, so I have no choice but to use myself as bait" Tirpitz sighs
"Bismarck would gladly volunteer for the sake of her people, but you wouldn't let her do that" Lovers shakes her head
"You kept babbling about how you found a reason to live and hope for the future, but you're willing to throw it all away"
"I have people I want to protect. I already lost several of my allies...and I might lose my sister next if I do nothing"
Tirpitz remains adamant of her intentions even if a part of her mind laments about giving up her own future just to take down one Leviathan.
"I'm used to being left behind by others in the past...but there because I stood by and did nothing. I won't repeat the tragedy of my history. Never again..."
"Aaah! You and everyone else finds self-sacrifice to be so noble, yet you shed tears in your death" Hermit scratches her head
"I know this plan is suicidal and will only buy time, but it's the only way to find their weakness. If it can exploit the Leviathans' nature and find a flaw, then I'd gladly let myself be eaten"
"What if this doesn't work? Beelzebub is hungry, but they might suspect why someone will gladly throw their life away" Hermit turns to ask Chkalov
"That's up to Tirpitz. All she has to do is get herself assimilated one way or another. Once Beelzebub feeds on her, the drugs and viruses will also be absorbed"
Chkalov still doesn't look back at them and continues to write down the composition of the drugs and her detailed observation for future reference and habit as a researcher.
"If Beelzebub decides to behave like parasites known to man, then we know what to expect once you come back with all your limbs intact. Then again they're also cancerous, I suppose you should expect a rather painful death"
"Once this is over and if there's any of me left intact, please destroy what's left of me. I'd rather be cremated than a rotting carcass"
Tirpitz takes a deep breath and loosens her fists. She calmly requests for her desired final rest which may have stemmed from her fear with Beelzebub's parasitic nature and possibly how her past life ended tragically.
...
To the current Tirpitz, the memory is vague, and she couldn't hear some of the words as if echoes in her disorganized mind. She could at least make sense of what she had experienced again. The feelings that flowed that day are vivid - fear, sorrow, longing, guilt...and at the end, acceptance.
"W-what the hell was that? I...planned to get myself killed?"
Tirpitz is overwhelmed with confusion that her body feels numb and her back slides down.
"You weren't supposed to survive...yet you're here alive and kicking. Why is that?" Chkalov lightly tilts her head
"I...don't understand..." Tirpitz couldn't stand back up
"Your mission's not done while you're still in that state"
"I don't get it. I saw myself planning to die..."
"It might not be the best to tell everything right now, but what you saw was real. You and I met before like I said"
"Why did I resort to getting myself killed?"
"Beats me. The serious talk was between you and Soyuz. I was just there to make sure Beelzebub dies"
"Then back then..."
Tirpitz isn't ignorant. Everyone believed she ignored orders and rushed to Bismarck's aid to stall Beelzebub, but a recovered memory provides more insight with what ran through her mind back then.
"First thing's first, I need to report this to Soyuz" Chkalov turns around
"Wait!" Tirpitz manages to stand up straight
"What is it?"
My hunger. Is there something you can do to suppress it? I don't want to lose control and end up eating any of my allies"
"I have drugs to keep it under control. However, with your current...condition, your body might adapt to it and render it ineffective after a while"
"Is there a more effective solution?" Tirpitz is only received for a few seconds
"Yes. Permanent death" Chkalov sternly recommends
".…..."
"Until the infection is...flushed out, you will continue to suffer episodes of uncontrollable hunger"
"...Are you going to tell Bismarck about this?"
"No. Soyuz doesn't want to break her promise. I know I didn't make the promise, but I know when to take a situation seriously"
"Just what did I discuss with Sovetsky Soyuz..."
"...I can't tell you that. You have to confirm the rest with her"
Chkalov turns away from Tirpitz again, but she examines her physical condition one last time to ensure Beelzebub isn't reacting or at least trying to take control. Tirpitz herself appears oblivious of Beelzebub's presence, so it doesn't seem Beelzebub is the aggressive and violent type.
[Stop playing around and eat them already, Beelzebub!]
"KKh...!" Tirpitz clutches her chest
"What's wrong?"
"Not this feeling again..."
"Again? What are you talking about?"
"I felt the two of them when I looked at those two...kansens. They're here again...whispering in my head!" Tirpitz covers her ears
"Who?" Chkalov grabs Tirpitz's shoulders
"I...I don't know who, but someone else is here. This is bad...because it might happen again"
Tirpitz doesn't remember much of the incident in Iris Libre, specifically when Asmodeus and Abaddon revealed themselves. She felt her consciousness paralyzed and suffocating. Invisible hands gripped her neck, and a taunting laugh echoed everywhere. This time, Tirpitz feels Beelzebub's presence at the back of her mind, seemingly thrilled and excited much like the last incident.
Meanwhile...
The base has several storage units and warehouses where they store equipment and junk alike. In one dim light warehouse where not a single manjuu or kansen in sight, itching hands drip blood from the tip of their metallic claws. The small pool of blood stained the once flawless white fur hat.
"Abaddon's scales are incredible. It helps inserting myself much easier. Perhaps I should ask for more - maybe, three times the amount! I'm sure they don't mind donating their scales for free~"
Mammon pinches their cheeks not with the face of a greedy Leviathan but testing the elasticity and integrity of Murmansk's cheerful face. Everything appears normal except for how much blood is spilled on the clothes and face. Their also cracks the bones and joints while they adjust the flesh they're wearing.
[Mammon, what's the hold up?! I'm tired of waiting!] Satan growls at them
"Now, now, Satan. I just finished wearing this meat sack. It's not time to rampage yet"
[You haven't met up with Beelzebub yet?]
"Hmm...I can sense them here. They were very, very pissed off after visiting Chkalov's laboratory. It seems they found something interesting"
[Let's flay them alive!]
Satan's voice booms even in their telepathic communication, but Mammon only covers their ears and faintly smiles.
"Our revenge can't start until I find out about their research against us. Once we find them, Beelzebub can finally recover, and we get to kill those pesky northern girls!" Mammon enthusiastically claps
[Hurry up! I want to make them pay for tricking one of us!]
"Good grief. You're very impatient when it comes to revenge, aren't you?"
Mammon sticks their tongue out and giggles, barely able to maintain the sweet yet teasing voice of Murmansk. They take a step, but their knees crack as some bones remains stiff and numb.
"Since Sovetsky Soyuz cares about her comrades, then I just have to take that. Satan can kill the others while I get to add the interesting ones to my collection. Wait, maybe I can make a ring out of their skulls and spine! Oooh, maybe I'll make myself an earring out of their ribs!"
Mammon clasps their hands and imagines jewelry made not out of previous metals and gems but the remains of Northern Parliament kansens.
"No one takes something from the Leviathans and gets away with it. It's time to punish these naughty comrades and teach them not to mess with my kind"
Mammon stretches a smile, but they accidentally tear an inch of the skin and stretch their tail with three curved claws that can grab and pinch regardless of the weight and size. The torn skin spills out blood down the cheek, only for Mammon to stretch out their elongated tongue and clean off the blood.
"Hmm?" Mammon frowns
[Mammon...someone else arrived. I don't like their presence]
"Oh my~ Someone else wants to die?"
[The scent of iron and fire - someone from Iron Blood]
"Good grief~ Stand by for a little while, Satan. Let's spice things up a bit. Beelzebub doesn't like bland meals after all and I don't like boring toys"
Mammon massages the torn cheek, and the skin begins to reconnect to each other when they shut their mouth. Their lips tremble from the strong urge to grin and bare their jagged teeth and tongue, but they settle for a sweet and innocent smile, practicing how Murmansk acts.
