31st of December, Izuku practiced the sword at the Glade with Eri as his audience. After that, he sat beside her, observing the beautiful lake, the lush forest, and the gentle breeze.

He breathed, taking in the nature, feeling the warmth of the sun and the coolness of the shade. Feeling the texture of the grass, the smoothness of the rocks, the softness of the soil, and the roughness of the bark.

From when he woke up, there was a sense of wrongness, though he couldn't pinpoint it. It was as if something was off-center. Something that felt familiar, even, but was something he...despised? He didn't want to be around with it, that was certain.

Izuku's hand gently caressed Eri's hair, the little girl leaning onto him. They were waiting for the right time for Ochaco to return, before the New Year's Party. It was why he was trying to burn off the excess energy by swinging the sword around. But it did little.

Eventually, he just shook it off since Ochaco and Itsuka were about to arrive. He, with Eri, waiting at The Crowley.

"Hello, Izuku. Looking forward seeing your lady love?"

"Well, they're due any moment. It's been fun here, but...yeah. I need to see them." He exhaled, running a hand through his hair. He felt Midnight's eyes on him before she smirked.

"'Them,' Izuku? My...aren't you a horndog," Midnight grinned.

"I love my wife. That doesn't mean I don't love my Chosen as well."

"Busy man. They're getting close, by the way."

"Thanks, Sensei. I'll see you later."

After a few minutes, the silhouette of Ochaco appeared, before crossing over the Portal. "There you are, My Love. Eri. Have you two been busy during my absence?"

"Mama!" Eri shouted, running towards her mother.

Ochaco knelt and scooped the girl up into a hug. "I missed you, too, my little unicorn."

"We've returned, Master. Safe and sound," Itsuka added, stepping beside Ochaco.

"Any problems?" Izuku asked. He never felt her draw from him, at least never enough for him to notice, but that didn't mean they didn't encounter trouble.

"Nothing much," Itsuka answered. "Mostly bouncing pushy nobles to stop 'em from disturbing the Queen. Nothing I needed to draw from you."

"Thanks, Itsuka," Izuku said as he made his way towards Ochaco, lifting her by the waist and spun her around.

"What are you doing, foolish man?" Ochaco giggled, her arms and legs wrapped around her husband.

"I missed you," he whispered, his face buried in her bosom.

"And I missed you too, My Love. Now put me down, or we shall be late for the party."

"They won't start without us," Izuku smiled.

"That does not mean, dearest, that we should not be there on time."

He looked at her for a moment, before giving her a deep kiss, which surprised Ochaco, but she eventually wrapped her arms around him, kissing him back. "Very well...I guess I'll have to let you go. You know the dress code?"

"Indeed you have to, My Heart. And Kendo said it is casual dress. Let me wear something warmer. And Eri too. We shall be back down," she told him as she walked to his room.

He watched as his wife and daughter walk to the upper floor.

"Lucky girl. The two of you look great together," Itsuka whispered under her breath.

"Yeah."

On impulse, Izuku hugged her, her feet floating almost two feet from the ground. For a fraction of a second, he felt her body tense, her eyes wide. "Thank you for everything," he whispered to her ears.

Then she melted into his arms, her face nuzzling his neck as she let out a soft, happy sound.

"I missed you too, Itsuka."

"I...thank you, Master. I...I missed you too."

"I've been neglecting my Chosen. I should do better."

"Indeed you have, My Heart," Ochaco told him. She wore a royal blue sweater dress with a lighter shade cardigan. Her legs were covered with a woolen stockings. "They serve you loyally, body and Soul. And loyalty must be rewarded. Never forget that."

Beside her was Eri, wearing a pink sweater dress, though hers had a unicorn on it, and white woolen tights. Her silver hair was braided in twin tails, thanks to her mother's attention.

Izuku smirked as he let Itsuka down. "Some duties are less heavy than the others."

Itsuka panicked, trying to regain her composure, before looking guiltily at Ochaco. "Crap. Princess-I mean, You Majesty..." It was one thing to know Ochaco was fine with it, it was another to see him flirting with other girls. And Izuku mentioned Ochaco's opinion about flirting in front of her before.

"Relax, Itsuka," Izuku calmed her.

"As my Husband says. Relax. I cannot say I always grew up dreaming of sharing the man I love with an...extended...harem. But I have found peace with it. And as he does, I have come to treasure each of you."

"See?"

"Please do not fear. You are hardly sneaking behind my back. It is not betrayal that you love him, but the natural order of things. You two have my blessings, as I told you before."

"Thanks," Itsuka's hands rubbing her arm.

"Let's go," Izuku told them, making his upstairs, carrying Eri on his arms.

"I take it there has been no problems on your side, dearest? Kendo says she would have known if you were in danger," Ochaco asked, her fingers lacing between his.

"None. Though Itsuka did arrange some part time staff while the two of you were gone," he smirked in the redhead's direction who had a surprised expression.

"She blew her cover, didn't she?" she frowned, facepalming. "So much for little miss Master Sneak."

Izuku laughed. "Don't be too hard on her. I more or less expected it, to be honest. You gave up way too easily, so I knew you had something sneaky planned. And I didn't spend the last six years with you, not knowing how a Were moved. My magical senses were blind. Not my normal eyes."

She sighed and began to pout. "That would've been too easy. Never one to make it easier for me, huh, Master?"

"Deal with it. That wouldn't have been good for my fighting."

Eventually, they reached the party location, in the newly-rebuilt gym of the Shimuras. The same gym Izuku and Nana wrecked when things got...heated between them. Though nobody was told about it, Itsuka may have had a hunch.

There, Izuku was greeted with a few members of the Knights of The Lake. The quartet, as he started getting used to referring to them, were all busy spreading his influence over the mundane world. Either by preaching on the streets, writing a hymn despite not really being her alley, contacting various idol companies for advertisement, or going arcade to arcade, asking their friends to help out. None were too high-profile to that point that it'll paint a target on their back, though Izuku wished they were here instead. But he could only be grateful since they were doing it for him.

Meanwhile, Himiko was stalking the shadows to find the traitor still inside the walls of Camelot. He found it surprising how serious she was taking her new role.

In the corner of the boxing ring, he found Kitsune, meditating with the katana on her lap. "Helo, Foxy."

The woman's left eye opened, staring at him, "Hello, Izuku-san."

"Mind me joining you?"

Izuku expected her to outright refuse, going by their history, but instead she merely gave him a small smile. "I have no objections."

"You seem...more chill today, Kitsune," he commented, sitting beside her.

"Tomorrow's Shōgatsu. A time of change and renewal. Of hope and opportunity. Of course, it was celebrated on the wrong day by the idiot humans everywhere else, but...it has been this way since the time I was born. I guess I have become used to it."

"Either way, Happy New Year, Foxy. To new beginnings and new chances. Hopefully, it will be better than this one."

"I wouldn't bet on it, Izuku-san. But I approve of your optimism."

"Indeed." They stayed silent for a few moments, the noise from the gym being muted as they both meditated. But Izuku couldn't just stay doing so. There were other people around. "I guess I'd better talk to the rest of them, huh? I'll see you later, Foxy."

Izuku got up, leaving the meditating woman behind. His eyes scanned the area, seeing Yui and Ochaco chatting on a couch, a cup of coffee each on their hands, so he decided to join in.

"No, Kodai...Camelot's manufacturing base may be extremely thaumaturgically sophisticated, but we need to diversify it...outsource the supply chain back to the Old World and focus on the high value-add components in Elsewhere. We cannot manufacture material at sufficient volume as it is."

"What about Yaomomo? Couldn't she make it for you? With her Quick, I mean?"

"In the worst case, I could, but Yaoyorozu-san is Izuku's Chosen, first and foremost. Her priority is her service to him."

"I'm sure neither of us mind," Izuku interrupted their conversation, as he sat beside Ochaco.

"On emergency cases, I would ask for her, but she has better things to do than that, dearest. And it would not solve our concern about the supply lines."

"For the War against the Cult?"

"And the Outsiders. Camelot's armouries are not capable of supplying organised modern military. Not to scale. To have the material necessary to equip an Army, we need to expand the manufacturing base. And that will cost trillions, not to mention incredible amounts of magical base materials."

"What's your opinion on this, Yui?"

"Camelot's capabilities...boggles my mind. Their craftsmanship is far superior to anything I've seen in our side...even the medical grade enchantments."

"But not set up for mass manufacturing, huh?"

"Correct. For Camelot, if we needed to equip three dozen knights, we could. It would not be Schwartalf quality, but it would be the best in the world. Even considering Yaoyorozu-san, Cementoss-sensei, and a few others, they would not dent the actual demand," Ochaco explained.

"Not enough for an army?" Izuku asked.

"I believe we would need armies. The Armies of Life will number in the tens of millions, at least, before the war is over. And Camelot will be the heart of that war machine."

"Ochaco, what on earth do I know about leading an army that big? I'm essentially a multi-shot nuke on two legs," Izuku argued.

"Not all of them will be our soldiers, My Love. Or even most of them...Camelot hardly has the manpower base to draw on to field an actual army. But the armies will need weapons...weapons to kill undead. Daemons. Outsiders."

"And that's our role?"

"One of them. We will be the tip of the Spear. But I cannot be that; for Arcus' sake, if nothing else...so I will focus on my efforts where my skills can be used."

"Just as long as you don't forget to enjoy yourself, Love."

"I will, dearest," she kissed his cheek and smiled at him. "Are we still going to the hilltop to watch the fireworks?"

"Of course."

"Then I shall look forward to it. Kodai-san and I will continue our discussion, you should spend some time with your followers while you can."

"Will do," he kissed her cheeks before walking over to the abdominal bench, where Nana was sitting.

"Izuku. Ye cheatin' son of a bitch."

"Is that my mother or father you're talking about there?"

"Either? Damnit. That Fae brandy had a kick like a fecking mule."

"I wouldn't know. I had an early morning wakeup the next day," he teasingly grinned at the girl.

"Bastard," she grinned back before laughing out loud.

"Definitely."

"Oh...ah...Ah didn't say anythin' weird, right? When ah was a wee bit worse for drink, ah mean?"

"Nothing but your usual charming self. Anything on your mind?"

"Nothin'. Nothin' at all."

"Want me to check if Ochaco brought some of the brandy?"

"Feck no. That stuff was poison. Downing a 150-proof moonshine is much healthier. Speaking of which, want a quick swig?" she handed him her flask.

"Sure, why not? Can't get shit-faced though. We're watching fireworks later," he told her as he took a gulp, letting the fiery liquid slide down his throat. "Good stuff. Thanks."

"Sounds fun."

"So much happened since a few months ago, huh? Hopefully, you'll still have my back this year."

"Always. No matter what," her voice almost whispering, as she smiled and gave a soft look. "Ye can rely on me."

"Thanks. Such a crazy year."

She snorted a laugh, "Ye can say that again. The fecking dragon took a good decade off my life. Pro tip, dun be standing where the flames goes."

"Good advice. We'll talk later, Nana. Happy New Year."

"Cheers, Izu."

Izuku walked towards the ring, where his Chosen were busy playing with Eri's hair.

"Daddy!" Mina shouted as she jumped onto him, kissing his cheek. "I missed you."

"Missed you too, Mina," he hugged his Chosen. "Hello, girls."

"Blessings on the New Year, Danna-sama."

"The four of you seem comfortable."

"Well, the little one's a joy. She's a sweetie," Mina explained, smiling.

"She's the best," Izuku grinned.

"You should visit the King's Dragon later too, Daddy. It's going to be so much fun."

"I will, Chosen."

"One thing my Sister failed to inform me about was that The King's Dragon used to be a much larger inn...though these days, only the main building is still in use," Momo explained.

"And the three of you planned to upgrade it?"

"Oh, yes, Daddy. What do you think we should set up first? We could have a tea-house, a dojo, or maybe an onsen?"

"Onsen sounds fun," he grinned. "But I think a dojo would be more useful. Just had to change a few things to adjust to our strength. You could go dancing there too, Mina. And I'm sure Kitsune needs a post or something to scratch at."

"I'll see what I can do, Master. We both need a different class of gear. I'll set it up for you."

"Looking forward to it."

They chatted, mostly about what the girls did at the Dragon. Eventually, the night grew late, and Izuku decided it was time for him and his family to go watch the fireworks.

"I should go, Chosen. And Happy New Year to you three." He carried Eri, who was already yawning.

"Bye, Daddy/Master/Danna-sama."

"Am I drawing you from your Chosen, dearest? We could stay here, if you want," Ochaco asked.

"Nah, they seem perfectly happy together. And I've been looking forward to this, too," Izuku smiled. "Let's go."

"Of course, dearest," Ochaco nodded.

The couple walked the streets, heading towards their destination. Eri was tired, but was trying her best not to fall asleep, her arms wrapped around her father.

"As have I. I have seen pictures of fireworks before, of course...but I suspect reality will be something different," Ochaco spoke.

"Yeah, it's pretty amazing. And the view from the hilltop should be great."

"It is nice to walk the streets, where nobody knew my parents or placed expectations of me."

Izuku leaned into her ear and whispered so Eri wouldn't hear. "I have...expectations...of you."

Ochaco giggled before she whispered back, "A mere three days gone, and I have returned to a man possessed by insatiable lust, waiting to despoil me?"

"Oh yes."

"Let us watch the fireworks first, My Heart. Then we shall see if you can show me...other things."

"Looking forward to it."

They sat by their spot, Ochaco leaning herself under his arm, resting her head on his shoulders, staring into the sky. Moments later, the high-pitched sound of the launching fireworks were followed by explosions.

Bright explosions lit up the sky, their echoes rolling across the empty hill. The sound and sparkling lights under the cloudless night woke Eri up, who like her mother, saw the brilliant display with awe. It was a scene they would never forget, the bright lights illuminating the entire valley below.

They were followed by several more, in various colors, shapes, and sizes. From small bursts of red and yellow, to the longer and more extravagant ones. They were loud, and yet, not unpleasant.

Hours later, in another part of the globe in Mexico, the sound of people counting down the moment of the New Year's echoed the nation. People were readying to resume the party and celebrate the happy occasion. Their smiles filled with anticipation growing with the countdown.

Three.

Two.

The air thickened. A hum, low and insidious, vibrated in the bones of the earth.

One.

Then, the sky split apart. Before anyone could even know its existence, the earth was drained of its a scream. Not a cry. Just the horror as smiles froze and bodies collapsed inward, flesh sinking away like melting wax. It was too fast. Tens, no! Hundreds of millions were drained as the land died, plants withered so fast, it turned to air. The rivers vanished, not drying up, but simply ceasing to exist. The ground turning into a desert drier than the Sahara.

Fire spread and people turned to ash. Still smiling, their skin charred.

In all but the briefest of moments. 150 million people were gone.

Zero.

In one of the corners, there she was, Sarah exhaled, her fingers slick with still-warm blood. The magic swelled inside her, a tide of stolen life. She could hear them—whispers of the dead, voices of those who would never speak again. And she drank it in. Their screams, their souls, their very essence—it all belonged to her now. This was true power. The Cult was hers. The world would soon follow.

Then the looming figures from the Void, miles high, screeched as the glowing gems on their head cast a crimson light upon the lands.

The Aztec Gods would soon gather, using their powers to fight off the creatures. Tezcatlipoca. Tláloc. Chalchiuhtlicue. Each of them and the others would soon find themselves in the maws of the creatures.

Thanks for reading this chapter!

Hope you enjoyed this double-release.

The Gates have been Opened! The largest existential threats that are the Outsiders have entered the stage.

How will the world respond to such a threat? How would Izuku and the rest react to such an event? Find out next time.

Next up: Braaxath, The Destroyer of Hope