Lie and Seek

by draconichero21

On Planet Earth, there are multiple superpowers that oversee the global populace, most prominently are those that follow the Church of Seiros: Adrestia, Faerghus, Leicester, and Britannia. A chance meeting interlocks the fate of Lelouch and Edelgard, unknowingly putting the fate of mankind in their very ambitious hands.

19. Melee at Saitama Part 2

(A/N: I think we can just skip the opening A/N given this was a double feature chapter)

---

13th Day of the Verdant Rain Moon

Saitama, Neo-Japan

As Zero detailed his request to Shamir, Oldrin and Tohdoh were still clanging weapons together, eventually coming helmet to helmet in double blade lock.

"I must say, having fought you for an extended period of time, you are a formidable warrior, Lady Zevon."

"I could say the same of you, Former General Tohdoh," Oldrin replied.

Their blades continued to clash, slowly and first, but then rapidly again, building to a crescendo of a loud clash with Oldrin being thrown off balance. She took to the air as the Zangetsu tried to cut her down. She then fired some of her floating swords down at the Zangetsu, but they were cut down and destroyed.

"One day, you will be an unstoppable knight, but today, you lack experience," Tohdoh told her.

"The fires of youth can trump any experience," Oldrin declared and slammed back towards Tohdoh, pressing her blades into his. The Zangetsu lost ground, taking a step back. The Lancelot Paladin took a step forward. "I will not ask you to surrender, but when you are captured, out of respect for your passion to your people, I will ask Lady Rhea for leniency."

Tohdoh put pressure into his guard and managed to push the Lancelot Paladin back. "And should you fall here to my blades, I will show you mercy so that you may return to your country in disgrace that their best swordmaster could not match the might of Japan!"

The two re-engaged in a flurry of sword strikes, neither saying a word, the blitzing song of steel hitting steel echoed around them from different angles. Oldrin even pinned down one of Tohdoh's swords, having a brief opening to punch the Zangetsu in the head. She then blocked the incoming sword swing Tohdoh threw out while off-balance horizontally at her neck. She then had to immediately jump back as Tohdoh gained his footing and used his second sword to thrust towards her gut. She skipped back a few extra paces.

This guy's really good, Oldrin thought, gritting her teeth. But no matter what, I must prevail! For Mary! For Britannia! She swung her swords out at her sides. She was ready for another round.

As Tohdoh and Oldrin rushed towards each other again, Kallen and Marrybell were in a similar scrap, but there was no respect here. The two mutually hated each other.

The Radiant Wave Surge was rebuffed by Marrybell's energy shielding and Marrybell was more than able to predict Kallen attempting to flank her. She turned on a time just as the radioactive energy wave began to lose its potency.

"You're a one trick pony, pilot in red armor," Marrybell stated. "You'll never match the versatility and power of the Saintly Witch!" She declared. She fired multiple drill missiles at the Guren, forcing it back. Kallen attempted to circle around the Saintly Witch from a distance, but like an elephant tracking a threat, Marrybell refused to show even her flank to Kallen, pivoting in tandem with her.

Kallen began to grow frustrated. She needed to bunch through this otherwise personal fortress of an HLKMF and she needed to do it sooner, rather than later.

While Kallen tried to formulate a plan, Sokkia was busy playing aggressively with the Gama Sen'nin. She was taking a lot of hits, but she wasn't slowing down at all, slamming her shoulder right into the Gama Sen'nin's torso and knocking it back before unloading as many bullets as she could into the frame before it righted itself.

"What's the matter?" Sokkia taunted, "You can't keep using the same strategy and expecting something new to happen. And people call me insane."

Senba had to admit, he might be outmatched by the perky young lady here. But he was Japanese. He would not go down without a fight. Firing the spikes from his shoulders again, he began to release another energy shot from the frame's "bow" and the mouth laser all at once. Let out a loud Battle Cry, he was going to hit Sokkia with everything he had and hoped something got her.

But, of course, this was Crasher Sokkia he was dealing with. She sped towards him, shields at max and, at the pivotal moment, flanked the Gama Sen'nin faster than its laser could keep up.

Oh crap, never moved this fast before! Sokkia exclaimed. Come on, Scarecrow King, hold it together!

Circling at an angle so fast that she was almost completely leaned over, Sokkia eventually made it behind the Gama Sen'nin and slammed straight into it from behind with her shoulder. Then she dropped one of her hands out, showing that there were cannons hidden in her wrists.

"Gotcha."

BLAM!

The powerful cannon shot right into the Gama Sen'nin's back, combined with all the other energy it had wasted up to this point, caused Senba to fall forward, frame dispelling.

Sokkia then pinned the guy under foot. "Hey, Mary! Oz! I got one! Are we taking prisoners today?" She had completely forgotten Cornelia's previous order, whatever it was.

However, before she could get an answer, she was fired upon, forcing her to take her foot off her mark.

"Get up you old fart, I got this." The Howling Timberwolf was standing before Sokkia, locked and loaded. "From one Japanese to another, I ain't killing any of ya today. Besides, pretty sure Zero would prefer the JLF alive."

Elsewhere, Kent was retreating from out under a pile of rubble where he'd nearly been buried alive inside his HLKMF. He rubbed his sore shoulder.

Senba got up, gazing at the Howling Timberwolf as it fired guns and missiles at the now deftly dodging Scarecrow King.

"What? You deaf old man! I said scram!" Ryo shouted.

Senba began his retreat back to the hideout, circling around behind the Howling Timberwolf for cover.

"Oh hey, I remember you!" Sokkia exclaimed, firing back at the Timberwolf. "You're that guy from Shinjuku!" She suddenly released blades that shot out over her wrists across the back of her hands. "This time we ain't ending in a draw."

Ryo smirked. "Sure, fine by me. Bring it on, you Britannian weirdo!"

While missiles and bullets flew on the ground, two frames flew through the air, trying to cut each other down. Nagisa's Gozen and Marika's Vampire Valkyrie clashed in the air. Marika's bladed arm clashed with the tip of Chiba's naginata. Swiping her right arm clockwise like a windshield wiper, she blocked her foe's attempt to stab her before kicking her in the stomach. Chiba was knocked back, but she pivoted around Marika and attempted to flank, swinging the naginata down with a two-handed swing. Marika flew backwards to avoid the attack and then fired back using two smaller caliber rotating guns on her shoulders.

The small caliber shots did something resembling scratch damage to Chiba's frame, even as she tried to deflect them with her weapon. This gave Marika the opening she needed to fly in at high speeds to try and cut her down.

However, as she flew by, her wing blade had been shattered at the center, forcing Marika to repair it. However, Chiba was not without her own damage. The side of her frame and her naginata tip had both suffered damage. Both repaired their weapons and flew back at each other. Having the longer reach, Chiba struck first, but Marika was able to hold her at bay. These two fierce women were dead even despite the gap in age.

The same, however, could not be said of Shirley Fennette's clash with Ashe and Felix. While HLKMFs were the ultimate combative tool against normal KMFs to start with, a disadvantaged pilot could always win if they were skilled enough. However, the sheer freedom and skill Shirley commanded the Blue Marine went beyond simply advantage.

"Dammit, she keeps slipping right past me!" Felix exclaimed. "Has she always been this good?"

"Maybe it's the Blue Marine," Ashe said. "Some HLKMFs grow faster than others."

"But an HLKMF grows with the user!" Felix snapped. "That would imply that Shirley's growth rate is—"

"Caught you napping!" Shirley shouted.

Critical strike!

The right sole of the Blue Marine smashed into the left side of the chest of Felix's Burai.

"Damn it!" Felix hissed and began the ejector seat protocols, firing himself out of the soon to be scrapped burai. However, as he flew back from the battlefield, he smirked. Shirley Fennette. I didn't expect you to go from a nobody to a warrior. I might have to keep an eye on you as a potential sparring partner.

Ashe now was caught one on one with the Blue Marine. He used the landspinner gear to speed backwards, keeping the HLKMF at bay as he fired at it with his large caliber automatic rifle. Shirley was a natural at combat, but she was far from flawless. Two bullets tagged her, one in the shoulder, one in the knee and sent her sprawling backwards across the battlefield in a completely undignified fashion.

Dizzy, she landed face-down as Ashe fired more shots at her. The smaller frame of Shirley's HLKMF at such a distance meant that the shots were less likely to hit, but the ones that did wreaked havoc on her systems.

However, rather than get up, Shirley had already loaded herself with a rifle. Outside her HLKMF, this was her best weapon.

Only going to have one shot, make it count! Shirley thought loudly in her head, taking aim at the chest of the Burai unit. Intense focus swirled about Shirley and her HLKMF, bringing them, for a brief moment, completely into sync.

"Buh-bye now!"

Critical strike!

The shot from her rifle tore through the chest of the Burai and actually tagged Ashe in the shoulder, grazing him.

"Ouch," Ashe grunted as the Burai began to blare with failures and system warnings. "Sorry, your majesty, but I'm pulling out." Ashe ejected from the Burai.

Shirley got to her feet, wearily. She radioed to her allies. "Two bogeys down. Systems slightly compromised. I'll need a moment."

"Are you injured?" Euphemia radioed to her.

"No. My frame's damaged, but I'm fine," Shirley responded. "Who needs the most help?"

"I've got an annoying aerial pest if you're not pinned down, Miss Fennette," Cornelia said.

"I'm on my way, your highness!" Shirley exclaimed and dismissed her rifle, skating towards Cornelia's location.

Lulu…I wish you were still here. I wish you were still watching. Because…this is who I am.

Several mages and KMFs tried to cut Shirley off, but with rifle and water blasts, she was able to send them careening out of her way.

I will become… "A Knight of Seiros!"

---

Shirley wasn't the only rifle expert on the battlefield. Inoue still had her vantage point on the roof, taking shots at Akito, but he was slowly gaining on her. She had two choices, she could continue to try and land a clean hit, or she could retreat and try to find a new vantage point.

However, with the way Akito was moving swiftly across the battlefield, ducking out on him seemed like she would only hasten him catching up to her. So, she hatched an idea. Using the hologram projection in the "eyes" of her Kikai no Yurei, she tried once more to fool Akito with her double. She then rappelled down the building and took a clear, real shot at him in midair, nailing him in the leg and blowing off the armored limb, causing him to roll and tumble to the ground, real leg exposed and suddenly broken and twisted with the harsh way it hit and then tumbled on the ground. As Inoue landed and rolled sideways, she readied up the final shot, ready to end this fight before Akito could get up again.

However, as she fired the shot, Akito propelled himself into the air using one palm and tumbled forward, using a lot of energy reserves to regrow his blown off armored limb. Despite the broken bones in his right leg, HLKMFs used thought over actual muscle movement so his Revenant was able to move even with a broken limb. Inoue tried to use the trees for cover, but Akito had her now. She projected her doppelganger, but Akito wasn't fooled. He knew the real Inoue was hiding behind the tree he was about to crash through.

"For the Ashen Wolves!"

Critical Strike!

Akito smashed through the tree, breaking it, tackling Inoue as he emerged on the other side of the smashed wood, he rolled along the ground with Inoue in his grasp as she tried to aim her rifle at his chin, but misfired, the gun sliding to the right too much and missing Akito's head by the width of a robotic finger.

Akito grappled the center of Inoue's frame and began to pull at the hard light circuitry to try and rip it in half. Rather than be left at Akito's mercy, Inoue turned off her HLKMF, fired a normal rifle shot at the center of Akito's chest, turned on her HLKMF again and took aim, but Akito, despite the damage from her normal rifle shot, crunched her HL rifle barrel with his HLKMF's fist. He then punched the Kikai no Yurei in the head. Inoue dismissed her rifle, but she was now in close range, the worst possible for a long-range sniper like her. Akito's fists wailed on Inoue's mech and ran out its reserves as it sent the frame slamming into a tree.

Inoue's back hit the tree and her frame dissipated as she hit the ground on her chest.

Akito panted, his energy reserves pretty low himself.

Without waiting to know what her opponent would do, Inoue covered her face, turned around and took off into a sprint. "Empress, I've been compromised. I'm retreating."

"Understood," Kaguya told her. "Thank you, Inoue."

Akito caught his breath as best he could and radioed Zero. "Zero, this is Akito. I've still got power, but I'm in no shape to fight."

"Yuri and Constance are already retreating. See the rendezvous point on your UI. Cover their escape."

Zero transmitted a green light to Akito's local area map.

"Copy that," Akito said, dropped to all fours and crawled off at a rapid pace.

---

The centralized battlefield was an absolute mess. Cornelia's forces were strong, but they were still outnumbered and getting pushed back. Despite this, enemy commanders were still falling.

Guilford stuck Kusakabe's Dokugozu like a rotisserie chicken and forced the man to retreat behind a swarm of mages that kept Guilford at bay from pursuing.

"Princess, we have a lot of enemies still," Guilford said, ending up back to back with Darlton, Katase among the surrounding enemies.

"Reminds you of that time in Southern Britannia, doesn't it? Out in the Carribean?" Darlton asked with a grin.

Guilford rolled his eyes. "Ugh, don't remind me. At least back then we had air support though." He gazed around. "Out here…"

"I wasn't aware my knight had lost his nerve," Cornelia commented. "I thought I trained you better than that, Guilford."

"A thousand apologies, milady," Guilford stated. "I did not mean to—"

"If you have time to complain, you have time to grit your teeth and show these rebels the might of Britannia."

"Yes. Your. Highness."

Zero, of course, could hear all of this. Cornelia's getting pushed back? Good. "Kronya! I want you to engage the Scathach directly. Keep Cornelia busy and take her in alive! Ayano, peel away once she's locked in."

"Understood," Ayano responded.

"Copy that, Zero," Kronya declared and went running for Cornelia, abandoning her butchering of nearby Glaston Knights.

"Make sure you don't get surrounded by the Flame Emperor's forces," Yuri warned. "Their force is still quite large."

"That's what Ayano is for," Zero radioed back.

Ayano, in the Akane, rained down laser fire onto the battlefield where Katase, Darlton and Guilford were.

"That should keep the forces corralled and concentrated. None of our units are in that area," Zero told Yuri.

At this rate, Zero is going to get away, the Flame Emperor realized. "Peel away the backline! Cut off the perimeter!" Edelgard told her troops.

"You heard Entei-Sama!" Katase exclaimed. "Cut off enemy escape!"

"Yes, my lord!" Shouts came over comms.

Zero was now using his pistol to take shots at the Flame Emperor while dodging fireballs sent his way from them.

"Run out of magic?" The Flame Emperor asked.

"I'll leave that for you to deduce," Zero said and pulled out his energy sword as he began deflecting fireballs to make his way back into close range. Energy axe once again met energy sword.

"You are a formidable opponent, both in battle and in warfare," The Flame Emperor stated.

"Feel like joining forces now?" Zero asked.

"Hmph, if you want to convince me you are worth teaming up with, then prove yourself my superior. No more games. No more hiding. Show me your capabilities as a warrior, Zero."

"I don't take challenges at their face value," Zero responded. "But if you want me to prove to you my superiority, then I shall oblige." Taking one hand off his sword, Zero blasted a bolt of Miasma in the Flame Emperor's face.

Edelgard gasped, trying her best to keep quiet. If her mask cracked even a little, the jig would be up. She took a fierce swing at Zero, forcing him to double back as the mask repaired what little damage had been done to it. Edelgard then took to a fierce offensive, laying down her shield and laying into Zero with turret fire, forcing him to flee behind Cornelia's bunker.

"Running away again? How craven," The Flame Emperor chastised.

"Who's running?" Zero asked.

The Flame Emperor saw him atop the burning wreckage of Cornelia's bunker. With such a height advantage, it would be difficult to strike from the ground. Still, with turret fire, Zero would have little room to maneuver. The shots rang out as Zero leapt back into the smoke.

He's insane! Edelgard thought. Cornelia's bunker was now an oven. The systems of an HLKMF would fry or explode in that kind of heat. However, Zero wasn't going into the bunker, but rather through the smoke to the other side. He leapt down to the ground.

I need a plan for engaging with the Flame Emperor. In terms of warfare, I'm clearly superior here, but in terms of combat, I lack the means to stop a juggernaut like that without a plan.

Lelouch felt for his Crest of Macuil. He took a deep breath. Mother…watch over me, I'll find out the truth.

---

As Lelouch prepared to face The Flame Emperor again, Kronya was blitzing towards Cornelia in the Gleaming Blade.

"Hey, Princeeeess!" Kronya exclaimed as she drew near, Athame nearly striking Cornelia in the shoulder. Kronya grinned manically behind her helmet, Athame being blocked by the sturdiness of Cornelia's energy lance.

Seeing this, Ayano peeled away, leaving Cornelia to fight Kronya one on one. She exchanged blows, lance tip to sword, eventually backing away, pulling out a half-rifle and firing at Kronya. The shot bounced off her shoulder with little impact as Kronya came swinging in with reckless abandon, laughing.

"Hahahaha! AHHHHahahahahaaaa!" Kronya cackled, taking frenzied swings at Cornelia whose personal shielding and weapon had to ward off the woman's reckless attacks. Nevertheless, Cornelia was on the defensive, Kronya right in her personal space. "I can't wait to see what Zero wants to do with you once he's captured you!" Kronya exclaimed with delight. She took a step forward. "Maybe it'll be torture. Maybe it'll be humiliation!" She took another step forward. "I'm all too curious, aren't you?!"

Cornelia took a deep breath. There was nothing for it now. If she wanted to win, she'd have to completely stop holding back. A glow emitted from Cornelia's upper back. She'd activated her major crest…of Dominic. Oh yes, her enemies didn't call her the witch of Britannia just because it sounded ominous. Igniting her lance with flames, Cornelia thrust her weapon forward to try and impale Kronya. The woman leapt back, but the flames licked at her frame's torso.

Then, she was tagged hard in the chest as a bolt of Thoron slammed into the Gleaming Blade and shocked its entire system.

Kronya saw the way Cornelia was glowing and while she couldn't see the Dominic emblem, she knew a crest glow when she saw one. She snarled. "Your crest, huh? You humans…" she gripped Athame tighter, gnashing her teeth. "You think that's your power?! When we invented it!" Despite Kronya lacking a crest of her own, her fury had pushed her to go from playful to serious. If Cornelia was going back to Zero alive, it was going to be without a limb or two, maybe all four.

As red energy coated Kronya's Athame, Cornelia made sure to keep her at bay with her energy lance's flames. As she kept both hands on the lance, trying to score blows, Kronya either dodged or deflected the swings with Athame, and then she leapt out of the way of a powerful, fiery thrust.

Kronya then got into Cornelia's personal space, forcing her to switch weapons to a magenta energy sword.

I have no idea what she means by her people invented it. Invented nothing! Crests are the divinity of the Goddess! Cornelia clashed with Kronya at close range, mutual hatred coursing through them both.

"Hey, if you die, I think I'll take your body for my own," Kronya said, chuckling. "You're just my type."

Cornelia didn't know what Kronya meant by that. Even a woman as crazy as this didn't seem to be implying necrophilia. However, the alternatives were…unsettling and Cornelia wasn't about to let any of them come true.

"You'll die before you get the chance," Cornelia told her sourly.

"Ahahaha, we'll see about that," Kronya exclaimed. Behind their helmets as Kronya and Cornelia clashed, Kornya's wicked grin contrasted Cornelia's sour glare.

"What's your status, Blue Marine?" Cornelia radioed.

"Apologies, your highness, the enemy has me surrounded. I've been delayed. Are you in trouble?" Shirley asked over comms.

"It's just one enemy, but having backup is always reassuring. Not to worry," Cornelia said as she blasted Kronya in the face with a Thoron blasted and then slashed her across the torso. She switched out her sword for her lance again. "I'll punish this one myself."

"Hahaha…ha…wow…Zero gave me a real toughie," Kronya admitted. She crouched and held Athame behind her back in reverse grip. "Time to even the odds a little."

Keen Intuition!

A sparking blue force surrounded Kronya and she suddenly became lightning quick. A unique property to her Gleaming Blade HLKMF, Kronya was a master of speed and precision. It was difficult for Cornelia to suddenly not get completely overwhelmed as she started taking nicks and scrapes across her body.

"How do you like that, you beast in royal clothing?" Kronya asked contemptuously. "No matter how you try to dress a beast in pretty clothes, it's still just a beast!"

Kronya attempted to stab Cornelia from behind, only to be caught by the wrist by Cornelia's hand. Cornelia twisted Kronya's wrist and then punched Kronya across the side of the head, taking out a handgun with her free hand and shooting Kronya over and over while she had the woman trapped at close range.

Kronya dropped Athame into her free hand and slashed at Cornelia's arm gripping her wrist, forcing Cornelia to let go as Kronya tried to cut her along the side of the neck. However, Cornelia had already traded her gun for another energy sword and used it to block Kronya's Athame, turning her body clockwise, making it more awkward for Kronya to try and counterattack. She then slid the blade up Kronya's sword and went for the eye-area of the helmet. Kronya flexibly ducked under the sword swing and then pressed her palms to the ground, getting into a crab walk position. She then threw her legs in the air and propelled herself into a magnificently executed backflip.

It was all one smooth motion that saw Kronya now backed away from Cornelia, but the Goddess of the Battlefield wasn't to be taken off-guard by her foe, launching a fireball before she'd gotten to a stable stance. Kronya seemed to phase through the projectile with how fast she was moving and, grinning manically, brought her blade to try and slice through Cornelia's helmet and through her cheek.

However, Cornelia was far too experienced to be caught off-guard by even the quickest of foes and held Kronya at bay. Indeed, the insane woman piloting the Gleaming Blade was going to be a tough match for the strongest woman in the Britannian royal family.

---

While this was ongoing, Euphemia had helped Tink, Leonhardt and others into the medical bay of the Wyvern number three, easing Leonhardt into a bed alongside Tink.

"Princess Euphemia, you are a godsend and we do not deserve you," Leonhardt told her.

"Oh, that's so kind of you to say," Euphemia said, laughing happily.

Leonhardt grabbed her hands and held them up. "Princess Cornelia was right to shelter you, you are too beautiful and pure for this sinful planet."

"Ah, trading up from Marika from Euphemia, Leonhardt?" Tink asked. "I'll be sure to let Princess Cornelia know."

"Ah! No! No! No!" Leonhardt exclaimed, fanning himself. "I-I would never presume to be worthy of Princess Euphemia's hand."

Euphemia laughed at the antics that Tink and Leonhardt were getting into. It was a good moment of levity amidst the burning battlefield. Additionally, it was a reminder to her that despite not attacking anyone, she'd still saved lives. That, to her was just as important as anything.

She brought her hands to Leonhardt's injured shoulder and proceeded to treat him with magical healing.

As long as these hands can heal, she thought. I will never feel useless.

---

Shirley wasn't kidding when she said she'd been surrounded. 5 KMFs. 3 HLKMFs. At least two dozen mages—she'd quite frankly kept losing count.

However, as the Blue Marine was slowly pushed into a corner, Shirley kept fighting. Even as energy reserves dropped below 40%, Shirley kept fighting. People were counting on her. People believed in her. She wouldn't die, not here. She would do her family proud.

Yet, despite her conviction, Shirley was taking hits from all sides. Fortunately, she was not alone on this battlefield, both in spirit, and physically too.

The Yellow Panther, clear of Nagata, Minami, and Yoshida's sub-par frames, now barreled through a line of enemies and clawed its way to the Blue Marine. Upon receiving Milly's aid, Shirley made sure to get back-to-back with her friend. The two looked at the small army surrounding them.

"Shirley, I don't get to say this often, but I'm proud of you. You've really come into your own," Milly told her seriously.

"M-Milly," Shirley blushed.

"And for clarification, I don't mean your boobs—although they are really nice," She smiled behind the helmet of the Yellow Panther. "I really mean it, Shirley. You've become really strong. Your father would be proud if he could see you."

A well of spirit began to surge from within Shirley Fennette. Proud. She had every reason to feel proud of herself. Lelouch. Cornelia. Milly. Even her father. They all were or would be proud of her. And, in that moment, the Blue Marine began to glow. Its dark, ocean blue hue began to sparkle, looking more aqua than true blue. The shark fin motif across the design became more pronounced and jagged and the fingers on the frame became sharper, almost like claws.

With a loud shout of pride, Shirley completed the transformation. The Blue Marine had evolved. The readout now read Aquamarine 5000.

Holding a clawed hand up by her face, Shirley looked at the enemies around her. "No mercy."

Shirley began tearing into the enemy ranks, showing that you didn't have to be a noble to climb from the bottom to the top. Milly pitched in as needed, but with the evolution, Shirley was more than capable of ripping these rank and file apart by herself now.

Milly's eyes shook and shimmered with pride for her fellow Ashford classmate. Shirley would keep getting stronger. Milly could tell. Shirley had a driving force to be recognized, to be someone. Milly envied that. She didn't have Shirley's growth potential. Shirley would never know what it would be like to have noble obligations, or not have the freedom to choose your fate.

Live to the fullest, Shirley, Milly thought to her. For those of us who cannot.

---

While Shirley was busy tearing up the battlefield against the Flame Emperor's forces, Sokkia and Ryo were busy slipping past each other in a ballet of bullets, slipping past each other as though they were trying to create a dust cloud in the shape of a pair of electrons around a nucleus.

Despite this, they were smiling. Despite being enemies, Sokkia had to admit, this Howling Timberwolf guy was reminding her of her old KMF League days. "Man, it's been a long time since I felt nostalgic for my days in the Fireballs."

"Fireballs?" Ryo asked. "What? Like a sports team?"

The two continued to fire at each other, scoring glancing blows or missing entirely.

"What? You don't pay attention to the KMF League?" Sokkia asked.

"Nah, not really. I'm Japanese. Means nothing to me," he said.

"Boo! You can enjoy the KMF League no matter where you come from. I bet even the Almyrans like it!" Sokkia exclaimed.

"Yeah, very much doubt that," Ryo said, shaking his head.

"Boo! Mr. Pilot sucks, boo!" Sokkia exclaimed. "Well, it's whatever. I don't much like guys all that much anyway. If you were a girl and you weren't my enemy, I'd say lets pop open the hatches, go grab dinner and make out on the couch in the bar lounge." The woman had absolutely zero filter.

"Uh…what?" Ryo asked.

"Sokkia, quit flirting with the enemy and focus!" Oldrin shouted at her.

"I am focused!" Sokkia exclaimed and then realized the other part of Oldrin's comment. "And I'm not flirting!"

Ryo then fired heat-seeking missiles at Sokkia, but the woman was not playing games right now. She sped towards him, wrist blades poised for a puncture wound. However, Ryo wasn't exactly going to get caught napping either. He produced a shoulder mounted laser cannon and fired at the Scarecrow King. However, with every dodge, Sokkia continued to gain ground.

"Crasher Sokkia, coming in for a landing!" Sokkia shouted and smashed her HLKMF right into the Howling Timberwolf. The wrist blades punctured the area by the ribs, but only into the armor, only poking the fabric of Ryo's shirt. "Overclocking energy filler!"

"Wait, what?"

"Bombs awaaaaaaaay!" Sokkia shouted.

A pink explosion ruptured both the Scarecrow King and the Howling Timberwolf, throwing Ryo and Sokkia for a loop. Sokkia landed on her back, throw back a good 20 meters from the blast.

"Woohoo!" Sokkia exclaimed. "Let's do that again!" She scanned the horizon for the Howling Timberwolf's pilot, but found no one. "Hey! Where'd Mr. Pilot go? I hope he's okay." She snapped her fingers. "Shoot. I was supposed to bring him in alive." She radioed through her ear piece. "This is Sokkia Sherpa. Bogey's gone rogue, will continue pursuit on foot."

"Negative, Sokkia," Oldrin told her. "Return to Wyvern three for evac."

"But Oooooooz," Sokkia whined.

"Listen to your commander, Sokkia," Marrybell told her sternly.

Sokkia pouted, puffing her right cheek. "Boo. Fine."

"We can do a clean sweep of the area later," Oldrin said. "For now, let's focus on survival."

That was easier said than done for others, regardless of allegiance. For Asahina and the Mizukumo, he was slowly losing ground to the Cosmic Gyro. Not just in firepower, but the hacking battle as well. However, as zaps of energy shot at the legs of the spider-like frame, and Asahina watched the hacking progress against him continue to climb, he sweat and believed that this was truly the end.

Fortunately, as the next lightning blast came in, it was deflected by a red blast that originated from out of view. The Raiden Miko then floated into view.

"Your Majesty," Asahina said, surprised to see the Raiden Miko coming to his aid.

"I am just as worthy to protect others as others are to protect me," Kaguya told Asahina. She held out her hand as the bolts floating around her right wrist disengaged from their position in the shape of a whip before they all fired out from Kaguya's palm towards the Cosmic Gyro.

Yukiya did not have the shielding to protect himself from this many powerful projectiles and lacked the mobility to avoid them all.

BLOOM! BLOOM! BLOOM! BLOOM! BLOOM! BLOOM! BLOOM!

Fortunately, seven shots rang out and caused Kaguya's attacks to fizzle and detonate long before they reached the airborne Cosmic Gyro. The Cosmic Gyro was then able to swat the last shot away with one of its tentacles. The Demonic Hellcat then stepped into view, shaking its body off like a cat that got left in the rain. It then stepped in front of Yukiya, pivoting its body to show that if the JLF wanted to get to her friend, they would have to go through Hapi first.

"You okay in there, Yuki?" Hapi asked him.

"Things got a little hairy there for a moment, but I'm ready to team up if you are," Yukiya told her as he stuck a tendril in the back of the Demonic Hellcat, giving its stats a super charge. "I'll play defense if you can handle them both at once."

"I barely managed the one in front of me, but with you backing me up…" Hapi said as she prepared to charge and bound forward, "I'll see what I can do!"

---

Hapi and Yukiya were not the only glorious team up of the day, Shez and Suzaku remained airborne with the Lancelot Shogun and the Leviathan of Destiny against the lone mysterious, hooded mage following Zero's commands.

As Shez and Suzaku attacked the woman from opposite angles, she floated higher into the air, almost forcing the Lancelot Shogun and the Leviathan to slam their weapons into each other.

"Agnea's Arrow."

The singular white arrow dove down towards the two HLKMF users and caused a crater to hit the ground below when they peeled back and evaded.

"Her ability to fight an HLKMF on foot isn't natural," Arval warned Shez. "Be careful."

Shez nodded. Yeah, got it.

The Leviathan of Destiny flew up to engage mysterious mage directly, but she evaded all of Shez's sword swings, seemingly with ease. She then blasted her across the air with a close-range Thoron. The Lancelot Shogun came up from behind, but the mage projected a shield in front of herself and then attempted to roast Suzaku alive. "Bolganone."

Flames erupted in a misshapen cube around the Lancelot Shogun before the mage that cast it flicked Suzaku away with a crackling shockwave emitted from snapping her middle finger against her thumb. She then launched a fireball at the mecha. Suzaku, however, was able to get upright and deflect the attack before it hit him.

Shez struck from behind, but her opponent faded out, no she warped and appeared behind Shez.

"Bolganone."

The Leviathan of Destiny was set ablaze…or so it seemed. Shez used her new Shadow Slip skill to get right behind her foe, guard down, to impale her with ther blade, stabbing straight through the right of her spine.

As blood trickled from the woman's mouth, she uttered one word, "Impressive."

A green glow emitted from her whole body as she thrust Shez back with telekinetic force. Blood continued to seep into her clothes, but the wound had already closed up, not that this was easy to tell. The woman then generated an energy lance, seemingly from thin air.

"Come."

Suzaku and Shez flew in after her, only to be rebuked at every turn by the woman's grace and skill with her weapon. She was twirling the weapon to and fro and around her shoulders like a master of the art.

"Tempest Lance." Wind coursing through the weapon, she thrust it forward at the Lancelot Shogun, knocking it away. Shez attempted to cut down into the woman's shoulder, but she turned and suddenly had an energy sword on her, swinging down and into Shez's shoulder before launching her away with some kind of telekinetic force.

What kind of force is that? Is that some kind of magic? Shez wondered.

"I don't know," Arval told her. "And yet…it feels nostalgic in some way."

"Who are you?!" Suzaku shouted. "Answer me!"

"I haven't a name to give," the woman answered. "Not anymore."

"The name's Shez."

"That's it? No last name?"

"Well…no."

"Hey, is that the reason you're fighting for this Zero guy? Do you need a family?" Shez asked. "A name?"

The woman in the cloak looked at Shez.

"If all you need is a family, it doesn't have to be like this. We don't have to keep fighting. Come on, we could be sisters," Shez said, pumping her fist.

"Apologies, but a family is beyond my grasp now," the woman responded. She attacked Shez with her energy lance, flowing like water on the offensive towards her. Shez deflected the strikes, but it was clear form the force and the speed that this woman could easily be the death of her if she slipped up.

"What do you mean it's beyond you?" Shez asked. "Everyone deserves to be happy. Everyone deserves a family!"

"Not me," the woman told her. "Not anymore."

"Shez! Watch out!" Suzaku shouted.

"Bolting."

Shez only now just realized the array of lightning bolts hanging above her head. She barely managed to dodge the strikes as Suzaku forced the mysterious woman to abandon her follow-up on Shez and pay attention to him. She dismissed her energy lance in its entirety, weaving to evade Suzaku's attacks. The only part of her face that was visible was her lips, and they looked absolutely bored.

Is she not taking us seriously? Suzaku thought.

Shez rocketed back at the mysterious woman, cutting away at her with her sword only to get uppercut in the jaw and blasted in the chest with a fireball.

Dark energy then glowed from the woman's hands. "Death. Gamma."

Shez gasped, getting absolutely blasted out of the air by an attack that had decimated her forces courtesy of the Death Knight at the Holy Mausoleum.

As Shez fell out of the air, Suzaku tried to rush the mysterious mage with twin Maser Vibration Katanas, but she kept evading every single strike.

"Do not take this personally, but today, Zero must win," the woman spoke.

"He must win? What are you saying? Zero is a terrorist just like the JLF!" Suzaku shouted. "He tried to kill Princess Cornelia."

"Thoron."

Suzaku got blasted in the chest.

"Thoron."

Another strike to the shoulder.

"Thoron."

This one to the head. Suzaku's muscles were on fire from all the zapping.

The woman raised her hand again. "Thoron."

The fourth strike nearly put Suzaku's consciousness out of commission as he began to fall out of the air. The woman in the hood did not plan to show mercy.

"Abraxas."

The pinnacle of offensive white magic was cascaded down onto Suzaku as a pillar of light ripped through the Lancelot Shogun, causing it to hard drop to the ground.

Despite the Lancelot Shogun still being active, Suzaku didn't try to get up. The mage woman raised her finger to the sky.

"Agnea's Arrow."

Realizing Suzaku was either unconscious or giving up, Shez acted rashly. "You idiot!" She used Shadow Slip to grab the Lancelot Shogun and then warped again out of the area, somehow only barely managing to hit the edge of the crater.

And then, the floating mage prepared to finish her and Suzaku off at the same time. "Luna. Delta."

Shez and Suzaku were caught in the vortex as it shattered their HLKMFs easily and left them battered and bruised on the ground.

Without her HLKMF, Arval's power failing her, Shez took a knee, gazing up at the mysterious woman. Who was she? Why didn't she want a family? Why did the aura coming off her feel so…sad?

"We should get out of here," Arval commented. "She doesn't seem to plan to kill you. Take that for what it's worth!"

Y-yeah, Shez commented and then grabbed Suzaku. "Come on, you," she said, dragging him along the ground, trying to get him to his feet as she ran.

"Don't despair," Arval told her. "We couldn't have expected this. That mysterious woman. She felt…nostalgic in some way."

Nostalgic? Shez questioned.

"I can't explain it properly. But it was as if I felt her sorrow as my own," he said.

One of these days, we'll unmask her. We'll get stronger, Shez thought. Next time. She closed her eyes in solemnity. Next time.

---

Compared to Shez, Byleth wasn't having it any easier, clashing headlong with the Death Knight. The Fallen Angel was having a hard time keeping up with the ferocity of the Death Knight's crest and Scythe of Sariel. For the first time in her life, the infamous Ashen Demon seemed to be meeting her match.

"This makes no sense! The purple haired mercenary had little trouble warding him off in our last encounter," Sothis commented as Byleth took a moment to catch her breath. "Why are WE struggling?"

Maybe he's gotten stronger, Byleth thought.

"No. I don't believe his skills have improved any. It's…it's that hero's relic. I'm certain of it. It must be empowering him somehow. He didn't have it last time."

"Do not tell me this is the extent of your power. I do not wish to be…disappointed," The Death Knight commented.

"Ugh! The nerve of him! And yet…we are standing here with little more than our brute strength. Even the Divine Pulse is nearing its limit, again," Sothis commented sadly.

Byleth stood up inside the Fallen Angel. She was not giving in just yet.

"And yet you still intend to fight. Why am I not surprised? Very well, but you will not best him with raw strength alone. Trust in the Sword of the Creator, for it is the key to victory," Sothis told her.

Have I not been doing that? Byleth questioned.

"You have been fighting as you always have, it is true, but you have yet to comprehend a hero's relic's true power. See how the blade glows yet, whilst your crest is active?"

Byleth nodded.

"You need to combine their power, not use them separately. The Sword of the Creator lacks its crest stone, yet the stone must be nearby, or it would not resonate," Sothis told her. "You taught this lesson yourself to your students, did you not?" she asked angrily.

Byleth nodded.

"Then what are you waiting for? Show this 'Death Knight' why he should fear the Ashen Demon," Sothis told Byleth.

Understood, Byleth responded.

Byleth focused intensely and internally, eyes closed gently. She could feel the power of her crest in her chest and the power of the Sword of the Creator in her hand. The Death Knight halted his approach, raising the Scythe of Sariel to see what was to become of his foe.

"You can feel it, can't you? My power. OUR power."

"Yes." Byleth spoke aloud.

"Then…by all means…let. Him. Have it."

Byleth's body glowed and so too did the Fallen Angel. Once again, it was evolving. Twice in the same year, a new record for the world's strongest mercenary. Byleth took a step forward, the features of her the Fallen Angel becoming more defined and draconian. The claws of the feet and hands now greatly resembled those of a mythological dragon and the tail became hardier and thicker. The horns grew longer and sharper and the jaw altered its shape as well. The washed out green on the Fallen Angel now became a more vibrant hue, not unlike the hair on Flayn or Rhea's head. Both hands on the Sword of the Creator now, Byleth could feel her entire body channeling energy as purple and red motes floated up from her body. Her array of swords behind her took the shape of draconic wings. The torso area of the HLKMF now looked more heroic, like a knight's plate mail. Fallen Angel no more, a new readout was spread to all HLKMF UIs within range: The Forgotten Saint.

"Go." Sothis urged.

Zoom!

Byleth was in the Death Knight's personal space before the man behind the mask even saw her move. He barely had time to parry Byleth's strike.

The Death Knight pushed against Byleth's weapon but found it difficult to contain. He was surprised, but only the eyes of his helmet reflected this. Byleth then punched him in the face and actually knocked him back as the man stumbled back.

He double checked to make sure the Crest of Lamine was still active as were the protective powers of the Rafail Gem relic around his neck. It was. He'd felt that, even when that should have been impossible. If a smile could be shown on the static helmet of his frame, the man behind the mask would have laughed. "Yessssssss, show me your strength! Strike me down with all of your power!"

He charged back at Byleth, the two now on completely even footing. The Sword of the Creator clashed with the Scythe of Sariel so brutally that shockwaves were rippling across the battlefield, knocking nearby soldiers over and breaking mechanical parts of some equipment others possessed, including the legs of KMFs.

I always knew she was a monster, Lelouch thought, observing Byleth's fight as she callously struck, deflected and parried against the Death Knight's own weapon, but this is just insane.

"Hmph," The Flame Emperor noted. "He appears to be having too much fun."

The Death Knight began to really put his back into his attacks as if Byleth's transformations had awoken reserves he didn't know he had. But he was no longer simply facing Byleth, The Ashen Demon. He was facing Byleth Eisner, Master of the Sword of the Creator.

Using spacing to her advantage, Byleth put herself at a distance and lashed the Sword of the Creator out in its whip state whenever she could, taking advantage of the range it gave her over the Death Knight. Lashes struck him like a whip with teeth, cutting into the armor and pushing the boundaries of the HLKMF's energy reserves.

Despite this, the Death Knight was not simply going to let Byleth roll him over and be done with it. He grabbed the chain of the Sword of the Creator and pulled. Byleth was pulled off her feat towards her foe, only to retract the Sword to its basic state and drove her knee into the Death Knight's helmet. Letting go of her sword altogether, she hammered her fists into his face and then shoulder checked him. Off-balance, the Death Knight didn't have an immediate defense to stop Byleth from picking up her sword. The Ashen Demon spun in a cleaving motion to take her opponent's head, but was blocked by the flat end of the Scythe of Sariel.

"How exciting," the Death Knight uttered. "I think I've finally found the one…the one person who can kill me. Do not hold back. Let me feel your blade rip the life from my flesh, when my bones become too brittle to move!" The Death Knight went on the offensive striking at Byleth with all his might, landing glancing blows here and there, but nothing serious.

Manifesting a silver buckler onto either arm, Byleth seemed to dance backwards, using her whole body to evade the Death Knight's strikes in fluid movements that wasted no energy, letting the attacks glance off her shields and frame or just barely miss her leg.

And then it was her turn to counter.

Tossing the Sword of the Creator into the air, Byleth manifested a rifle out of thin air. She used it to fire upon the Death Knight, tunneling a green energy shot right into his shoulder. She then grabbed the sword as it fell, leaping to catch it. She then projected the blade's tip towards the hole in the Death Knight's armor she'd already created, penetrating all the way through as she gripped him around the torso, pulling him towards her.

"Bo…"

Advanced magic?! Zero questioned. I thought she was a beginner!

"Bolganone!" Byleth cried out and set the Death Knight ablaze just as he got within range. She then pulled the Sword of the Creator back before charging forward with the weapon in its base state, landing slash after slash after slash upon the Death Knight.

There was no mistaking it, this was the Ashen Demon out in full force.

Despite this, the Death Knight could not be more pleased with the results. "Wonderful. Keep going. Let us soak this soil with our blood!" He then began to swing the Scythe of Sariel at Byleth as the two resumed an even clash.

"Well, if he's going to go all out, I can ill afford to myself," The Flame Emperor said. They held up their right palm, a crest glowed from it: The Crest of Seiros. The Flame Emperor then took a committed swing at Zero. Although Zero was able to evade, the air pressure from the swing cut into the already damaged military bunker the Neverland had set ablaze.

The Flame Emperor did not let up, attempting to catch the Zero in one of their attacks, but Zero was maintain great distance. This forced the Flame Emperor to open fire with their turret cannon shield. Zero blocked with his own magical black shield from the Zero Matrix.

A crest is it? And the Crest of Seiros no less. I can evaluate the likelihood of their citizenship later. For now, if I'm to win…I'll have to use my own crest. Mother…watch over me!

Zero activated his Crest of Macuil, his body glowing blue in the process. "Banshee Theta!" With a wave of his hand, a bunch of small blasts began to shoot into the air like dark magic fireworks and then divebombed onto Flame Emperor's location.

The Flame Emperor was bombarded with the attacks, unable to do much else given their low mobility. Zero launched this attack again, letting loose another barrage of blasts. The Flame Emperor, slowed considerably by the aftereffects of the spell, fired more turret shots at Zero, forcing him to keep his distance, too much distance to accurately cast Banshee Theta.

It was at this point as Zero contemplated his next move, pulling out his energy sword, that the Flame Emperor saw the glowing Crest of Macuil mark near his collarbone.

The Crest of Macuil? Could it be? Did Zero make the request for Macuilian blood?

As the Flame Emperor was contemplating this, Oldrin's clash with Kyoshiro Tohdoh was heating up. Getting nowhere with just all of her focus and skill, Oldrin Zevon powered up using her Major Crest of Ernest. This allowed her to immediately put Kyoshiro Tohdoh, and by extension the Zangetsu, on the back foot. Her next strike actually sliced one of his MVSs in half and the follow-up strike got him good in the chest. Tohdoh was forced to lose a lot of ground to get his bearings, overwhelmed by the sheer ferocity of Oldrin's powered up stare with her crest.

As Tohdoh flung himself back into battle, attempting to meet Oldrin on even ground, Marrybell sighed with a smile. "Well, if Oldrin is going all out, I must do the same." Marrybell activated her Crest of Saint Indech and now Kallen was really in trouble. Attacks were coming out laser fast. Drill Missiles. Drill orbital lasers. Marrybell even was firing machine gun fire directly at the Guren and Kallen could do nothing to stop it.

No! Kallen exclaimed, getting pushed back, watching the Guren's energy reserves fall below 33%. I didn't come all this way just to die! I…I want a free world! I want Japan back to the way it was! I cannot and will not let Rome do what it wants!

In that moment, Marrybell and Oldrin saw something they would not have believed if they hadn't seen it with their own eyes. Kallen's frame glowed green. At first they thought it was a glitch of some kind in their UI, a trick of the sunlight. However, as Kallen remained under heavy fire, it happened again.

And then…

"I don't care where this power of mine came from, I will use it…FOR THE FREEDOM OF JAPAN!"

Kallen's entire body now glowed green as, on the forearm of her right arm was the Crest of Ernest.

A Radiant Wave Surge shot out with green motes accompanying it that completely bypassed Marrybell's shield and partially fried part of her HLKMF, blasting her across the battlefield.

No…that's impossible, Marrybell thought.

Kallen's Radiant Wave Surge shot out again. Marrybell blocked it with her shields and fired back at Kallen with her drill missiles, but they were all melted and blown to bits by another Radiant Wave Surge. Kallen then held out her arm, moving it back and forth, spreading the radiant wave surge like it was water from a hose.

A…A Japanese can't have a crest! They're…they're… "A crest is a gift from the Goddess!" Marrybell shrieked. "How dare you have one!"

Uh oh, Oldrin thought. However, her momentary lapse in focus allowed Tohdoh to get a pretty good strike up her chest, slicing well into the Lancelot Paladin. Oldrin was now on the backfoot, retreating by air, hovering low above the ground as Tohdoh pursued. Oldrin blocked while he attacked so she could calm Marrybell down, or at least attempt to.

"Mary! Focus! It doesn't matter right now what the Japanese have! We need to fight with everything we—"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGHHHHHH!" Marrybell shouted and just started firing everything she could. Missiles. Lasers. Gunfire. Blasts from her energy lance. Bombs. She would have catapulted a kitchen sink at the Guren if she had one.

"Marrybell!" Cornelia exclaimed over the radio.

"Worry more about yourself!" Kronya exclaimed, her Athame clashing with Cornelia's lance, the second princess parrying with a defensive posture. However, Cornelia dug her foot into the ground and then pushed back on Kronya, knocking her off-balance and impaling the Gleaming Blade in the stomach, dealing heavy damage to the HLKMF. Kronya managed to get back, but Cornelia was already pulling out a rifle and firing shots at Kronya. She knew the woman had more than enough speed to evade, but this was to keep her at a distance while Cornelia formulated how she was going to help her sister out when she was on the other side of the battlefield.

Byleth was also slowly starting to get the upper hand, pushing the Death Knight into a corner as, with her very next move, she backed up a few paces, twirled the Sword of the Creator above her head in its whip state. Then, launching it forward, snaking it through the air, she struck the Scythe of Sariel in multiple places, absolutely destroying the weapon, much to the surprise of the Death Knight.

"I will protect Rome!" Byleth shouted. Red energy sparked around the Sword of the Creator. Byleth pulled back on the weapon as it curved backwards like the whip sword that it was. "Ruptured Heaven!" Swinging the blade forward, Byleth diced at the Death Knight multiple times, sparking its armor all over with the powerful art unique to her hero's relic.

"And NOW you have claimed the sword's true power. Your power."

"My…power."

Despite this, the Death Knight was not yet done. "Yes. This battle SHALL BE MY LAST!"

He's getting carried away, Edelgard thought. I need to end this soon. But first… she gazed at Zero. "Halt our conflict a moment, Zero. I pose a question."

"Oh, so now you just wish to talk," Zero commented, aiming his sword at the Flame Emperor.

"I am being serious," The Flame Emperor responded with attitude. "I have but one question."

"Then ask it."

"Did you ever request a blood transfusion of crest bearing blood for the crest of Saint Macuil?" The Flame Emperor asked.

Zero lowered his blade. What does this mean? Lelouch wondered. Nobody should know about that. But…if they do, then the Flame Emperor has to know someone personally with Macuil bearing blood. It couldn't be…but…no…I cannot jump to conclusions. It would be the death of me.

"Thales prevented someone I know from donating their blood to a request," The Flame Emperor told Zero.

"I thought you weren't interested in an alliance," Zero said. "Why tell me this?"

"If you are being persecuted by Thales, then we share a common enemy. All you have to do…is kill Kronya."

Kill Kronya. The Flame Emperor made that sound like such an easy prospect. It was true, if Zero and the Flame Emperor both dropped their squabble and helped Cornelia kill Kronya, the woman's fate was all but sealed.

More importantly, the duo was now on the side of the burning bunker that Cornelia and Kronya found themselves fighting near. That gave Zero and the Flame Emperor a relatively good view of the battle and Kronya was now on the defensive. Cornelia would defeat her if given enough time at this point.

"Her people cannot be trusted," The Flame Emperor told Zero. "They cannot be allied with. Yet you and I…if you renounce them…we could defeat them. I've seen the strength of your capabilities as a commander." And now it was the Flame Emperor's turn to offer the olive branch. They stuck out their gauntleted hand. "You'd make a better ally than an enemy, Zero."

Zero did actually seriously consider the Flame Emperor's offer. By all accounts, teaming up with the Flame Emperor would allow him to capture Cornelia right here and now. With C.C. still floating above the battlefield, she could aid the Death Knight in bringing Byleth down. After that, it would be checkmate. The mages around the JLF would…

No. It wouldn't work. There was a gaping hole in the Flame Emperor's plan and, from Zero's perspective, they didn't even realize it.

"My enemy is Rome, just like you. And so, knowing Rome's might, you must agree, we need them to succeed," Zero said, referring to the Agarthans.

The Flame Emperor shook their head. "So be it. Disappointing, but altogether not unexpected."

Zero then saw an airship coming in hot towards the battlefield. "Besides," Zero responded. "I've already won today."

"What do you mean? Explain yourself!" The Flame Emperor demanded.

"I needn't say a word. You're about to see my brilliance for yourself!" Zero declared just as a green and black airship that was one-half fighter jet, one-half transport ship flew right over head, bombarding the battlefield with gunfire, missiles and tactical ordinance from above before flying southward across the battlefield.

Zero then received a communication. "This is Horsebow Moon approaching landing drop Zero. I'll be flying three clicks south to await transfer. Over."

Zero smirked as he folded his cape, taking a detonator and a smoke pellet out of his pocket, concealing it with said cape. "Checkmate, Flame Emperor. Thanks for playing."

"You're not getting away!" The Flame Emperor shouted.

Zero threw the smoke pellet at the ground, concealing himself from sight and hiding Kronya and Cornelia from each other. "This is Zero! All units retreat!" he declared.

"But what about Cornelia?" Kronya asked. "I had her in my sights until you set up that smokescreen!"

"We've lost our opportunity today, but don't worry, we've won a much bigger prize. We have fought the JLF, Cornelia li Britannia, the Ashen Demon and the Flame Emperor and we have been victorious! We may be the first to leave the battlefield, but that is because our objective is completed! Today we have proved that even though we are few, we are mighty!"

The Akane suddenly swooped down low into the smoke screen, blowing some of it away as Zero leapt into the hangar bay and Kronya did the same. As the Akane took off above Cornelia's burning bunker, Zero hung out the gunner's side entrance to address the battlefield. "I would love to stay and fight, Flame Emperor, JLF, Cornelia, Ashen Demon, but I have already acquired today exactly what I need. Farewell and remember that you were today foiled and outmatched by I, Zero, Keeper of the Chalice of Beginnings!"

Everyone on the battlefield that knew about the legend of the chalice, including the Flame Emperor was awestruck. The Chalice of Beginnings? Could it be so?

However, with Zero's forces now in clear retreat, the Flame Emperor did not have the luxury of one of his allies warding Cornelia off and now had to deal with the woman directly.

"Entei-sama!" Kaguya exclaimed. Without Hapi or Yukiya to hold off her and Asahina they were more than capable of coming to the Flame Emperor's side. However, something was wrong with this picture and Edelgard knew it.

"No! Stay back!" The Flame Emperor shouted.

She was right to make that call and Kaguya was right obey it. Just before she got any closer, the smoking, burning wreckage that was the Neverland exploded, sending shrapnel sky high and rippling a shockwave that tore apart most people on the battlefield, disorienting everyone and torching the landscape.

Edelgard's ears were ringing. The burning air made it hard to see. When she could finally stand, she was still in her Flame Emperor threads, but the energy reserves were next to nil. She turned to see the Death Knight rising, half his helmet blown off, a head of blonde hair and a single blue eye gazed back at her.

"I thought you were going to die gloriously on the battlefield," The Flame Emperor commented.

"Death can wait another day. I owe you everything. I will not have earned death until I have paid you back."

Edelgard snorted, smiling and amused. She pat the Death Knight's armored chest. "You are such a softie on the inside." She then radioed to her allies. She was standing near the burning landscape of what was left of Mitsumine Shrine, near the hole Zero made. "All forces retreat. The battlefield's conditions have become too volatile."

"What?! Coward!" Kusakabe shouted. Despite losing his HLKMF he had still been contributing to the battlefield.

"No. I agree with the Flame Emperor," Tohdoh said, breaking away from Oldrin. "That explosion wrecked our numerical advantage and we don't know when Rome will send reinforcements."

"Katase! Is or isn't Cornelia within our grasp?!" Kusakabe shouted at his commander.

Katase watched a Scathachless Cornelia, hobbling on a burned shoulder away from the battlefield. Her gait suggested she was badly injured. A sniper could take her out if they were lucky.

Yet, Katase looked at the battlefield and how many lay dead. This was Zero's parting gift, utter devastation. Taking Cornelia's life when Zero had left her to limp away in disgrace simply didn't feel earned. The JLF had been spared their lives. That was the only thing that mattered in today's battlefield and what the Flame Emperor had ultimately promised. Without them, and Zero, many would have died today and the revolution would have been utterly lost.

"Zero has set our forces in disarray and the smoke is bound to be a continuous problem," Katase stated calmly. "I imagine Cornelia can get her forces back into proper fighting shape given their smaller number. Let's use the smoke to cover our retreat. We've fought well today. There is always another battlefield. Fall back through Mitsumine Shrine. We may be able to slow down the enemy by going around the big hole in the ground."

The Flame Emperor shook her head, cursing her own ineptitude. "If not for Zero's last act of defiance, we may have been able to achieve undeniable victory today, a pity. Instead, we must settle for survival." Retreating into the shadows, Edelgard took off the mask of her HLKMF and gazed at the sky where the Akane and a mysterious green and black ship were flying back towards Rome side by side.

"Zero…"

---

The mysterious ship and the Akane flew in through the tunnel that the Neverland was normally launched out of. The entire ride back, nobody had questioned the pilot of the mysterious ship that had come to the rescue of the Ashen Wolves, not until all ten members of the wolves, and Zero himself, stepped out onto the hangar bay inside Abyss.

"You really are loyal to nothing but your checkbook, I see," Zero commented, making as much eye contact with Shamir as being in a visored helmet would allow.

"Saving lives is technically a knight's duty," Shamir responded and smirked. "We'll keep this a secret from Rhea."

Zero bowed with one arm crossed over his chest. "I am in your debt."

Shamir spoke with the utmost seriousness. "Nonsense. You paid me fairly. Far as I'm concerned, we're squared away. You asked me not to ask questions, so I won't ask them."

At this, Zero deposited more money into Shamir's account. She was alerted to this by checking her phone when it beeped. She then put her phone away and knuckles against her chin. "What's this for?"

"Call it hush money," Zero told her. "I don't want any of this going back to the archbishop or anyone else for that matter. You were paid to do a job and you did it. No details divulged."

Shamir smirked. "Quite the paranoid man, I see. I'm mildly amused at that." Her smirk faded immediately. "But, a deal's a deal. Consider my silence bought."

"I may have more work for you in the future, if you're interested."

"If the checks are all sized like this, I'll at least consider it," Shamir remarked with a smirk. She chuckled "And Catherine says there's no profit in loosening your morals."

"Soooo, you don't care that we basically took potshots at Britannian forces, including the Glaston and Glinda Knights, even members of the Violet Tigers?" Hapi asked.

"Zero asked me not to ask questions and has bought my silence," Shamir said, and then nodded her head. "I'm a professional."

"My, my, Shamir. If I'd known you could be bought, sold and traded, I'd have asked for your help a lot more often a long time ago," Yuri joked.

Shamir chuckled. "Is that so?"

"So, what? We're just going to let her walk out of here?" Balthus asked.

"Sounds it, yeah," Yukiya said. "She's a professional merc. We'll be fine."

"Well, my job here is done. I'll be returning to the surface," Shamir said with a stone-cold expression and then proceeded to leave the area. However, a little after halfway, she stopped. "I don't know what you're all planning, but I hope you're not going to do something foolish and reckless. I'm not being paid to stop you, but that doesn't mean I can't show cause for concern about your ideas of extracurricular activities."

"Eh, we're used to sticking our noses where it doesn't belong," Yuri quipped comically. "That's how most of us ended up down here, especially Balthus."

"What the—hey! Why are you singling me out, pal?" Balthus asked.

Shamir chuckled again, but her smile faded quickly. "Well, I said my peace. Do whatever you need to from here on out." She then walked away, vanishing from sight.

After an awkward pause among the wolves, Hapi spoke up with, "Sooooooo, did we win?"

C.C. then unzipped her straight jacket, causing several ashen wolves to blush as didn't appear to be wearing proper attire underneath.

"Ah! Have some decency!" Constance exclaimed, only to notice the sarashi wrapped around C.C.'s chest and the lump contained underneath it. C.C. freed the lump, revealing the Chalice of Beginnings.

"I'd say we did win. This was our objective was it not?" She tossed it to Zero.

"Indeed," he said, turning it over in his hand. "Ashen Wolves," he said, hoisting the chalice above his head, "We are victorious!"

"Woohoo, go us," Hapi said, but her tone was extremely nonchalant. Nevertheless, she was smiling.

"I believe I am owed another pizza box pizza for a job well done," C.C. said, her smile full of smugness.

"Yeah, yeah, don't break the bank of Hapi, okay?" Hapi asked. "I'm not made of money."

"Actually, I will paying for tonight's celebration," Zero said. "Ashen wolves, tonight, we dine on pizza box pizza!"

"What?! For real?!" Hapi exclaimed with enthusiasm. Nodding her head, she proclaimed, "You rock, Zero!"

"Awwww man, I can almost taste that cheesy goodness!" Balthus exclaimed.

"Careful, friend, you're drooling a little," Yuri told him.

"Does this mean we're going to get to see your face?" Constance asked. "I doubt you can eat in that helmet."

Zero turned off the Zero Matrix, reducing himself back to the hooded, shadow casting mantle Yuri had originally met him in.

"Ah, yeah. That tracks," Yuri said, as if he'd forgotten this form of Zero's.

"Honestly, I'm feeling a little cheated," Yukiya stated.

"You and me both," Ryo agreed.

---

As the Ashen Wolves dined on pizza, The Flame Emperor and her allies were meeting up in the JLF's hideout in northeastern Saitama.

"Apologies for not being able to deliver Cornelia's head," the Flame Emperor apologized.

"No apologies necessary," Katase responded, shaking his head as he held up a steady hand. "We would have likely been slaughtered or captured by Cornelia without your aid."

"So this alliance shall continue?" The Flame Emperor asked inquisitively.

"It shall," Katase told the masked vigilante.

"Then I shall have more work for you in the future. Until we meet again." With that, taking out a small crystal, the Flame Emperor and the Death Knight vanished from sight.

There wasn't much to discuss after this. The JLF was leaving to another location more sequestered from prying eyes and the Green Pheasants had to be getting back to Rome anyway.

In between the cable cars, Felix and Ashe chatted. The doors on either side of them were sealed shut so nobody was likely to be listening in.

"What did you want to talk about that's so secretive?" Ashe asked.

"Just to summarize my feelings of what happened today," Felix said. "The JLF I'm all right with, but I feel like that Flame Emperor character is bad news. I didn't want to say anything in front of the JLF since they seem to come to a consensus that we need their help, but still…"

"No, I know exactly what you mean," Ashe said. "The Flame Emperor feels like the type of character that is obviously a villain, but friendly enough that they try to corrupt the hero to do their bidding. Of course…the JLF don't seem very heroic to begin with. They're more like rogues, than knights, especially Kusakabe."

"Ronin," Felix interjected. "Samurai with no master. Well…technically we're following the Empress, but she currently holds no power. Neo-Japan would expect us to follow their Prime Minister."

Ashe grumbled. "The Prime Minister. Kallen and Ohgi have told me all about him, and nothing good, either."

"Oh, I've heard it all too, and not just from them. He's basically selling out Japanese pride to get cushy with Rome. Honestly, along with Rome itself, he's got to go," Felix said.

"Do you think we'll be asked to deal with him at some point?" Ashe asked.

"Officially? No. But Katase might have plans to axe him," Felix said. "At least once the revolution gains momentum." He sighed, scratching his head. "Japan isn't anywhere close to how my mother used to tell me stories about it. It's lost sight of what it is. Now it's just a greedy, corporate controlled bureaucracy without a shred of self-decency. It's disgusting."

"Almost everything about Japan has lost what it means to be Japanese," Felix said.

"Japan was never part of the Adrestian Empire, nor colonized by any of its successors. It was, by all accounts, a completely different type of country before Rome seized it," Ashe said.

"Indeed, Japan was the first time in history Rome ever seized any territory after the formation of the Adrestian Empire," Felix stated. He gave Ashe a serious look. "Do you think Lonato saw this effect happening to the Japanese when he attempted his rebellion against Rhea?"

"No…Lonato was clearly after something else, something to do with Christophe. What, I have no idea." Ashe slumped his shoulders. "And now I'll never get the chance to ask him."

"You did what you had to do. You did what you thought was right at the time," Felix said, putting a hand on Ashe's shoulder.

"Felix…" Ashe said, gazing right at him with hurt eyes. "Is it wrong…that I still felt like I did the right thing? I just…none of this is right? Not Rome's occupation of Japan, not Japan fighting back. None of it! I just want people to be at peace! Is that so wrong?"

"No, it's not wrong, but the reality of the situation is that we have to pick a side. I don't know about you, but I'm not inclined to go along with the side that says everything's fine while other people are clearly suffering."

Ashe chuckled. "Sounds like we both agree. By the way…thank you."

"You're…thanking me, for what?"

"For…joining the Green Pheasants. I…honestly feel like I would've felt extremely out of place without someone else from my class coming along."

"I joined for completely different reasons than you did, but you're welcome all the same," Felix told Ashe.

Ashe chuckled. "And people tell me you're callous and rude." He gave Felix a kindhearted smile. "Thank you for being my friend, Felix."

Felix grumbled, turning his head to the side, trying not to blush. "Y-Yeah, wh-whatever. Don't go spreading stupid rumors around."

Ashe laughed more, only for the door to open. Kallen was standing there. "You two okay? You've been out here a long time."

"Just having a private chat," Felix said snippily. "Last I checked, that's not a crime."

"We're just about finished though," Ashe said with a smile. "Thank you for worrying about us."

"How's your shoulder?" Kallen asked him.

"Oh, good as new, actually," Ashe said. "Her majesty really knows what she's doing when it comes to healing arts. Sorry to worry you."

"Actually, Ohgi was the one getting worried," Kallen said.

"Well, I'd hate to worry our teacher. Come on, Felix," Ashe said.

"Yeah, thanks," Felix said and went into the car to sit down with his class. Although they hadn't had an overwhelming victory like the Ashen Wolves, the Green Pheasants had seen the maw of hell. They had fought against the might of Cornelia, the Glinda and the Glaston Knights and come back alive. They had their lives and for now…that was more important than anything.

---

That night…

Jeralt was in his office about to indulge in a bottle of whiskey when Byleth entered his office. "Oh! Hey, kid. What's up?"

"Have you heard about the Chalice of Beginnings?" Byleth asked.

"Chalice of Beginnings?" Jeralt asked, scratching his head. "Nope, can't say I've heard of a thing like that. Where'd you hear about it?"

"Zero mentioned it," Byleth said.

"Oh, Zero did, huh? You do know what that sounds like, putting stock in the word of a terrorist," Jeralt said, scoffing at the idea that Zero's words had merit.

"I believe it was his objective," Byleth said, nodding her head.

"His objective?" Now Jeralt sounded more curious than in denial. "All right, let's say for the sake of argument that this Chalice of Beginnings does exist and Zero wanted it. Why come to me?"

"You always seem like you know everything," Byleth commented.

Jeralt threw his head back and laughed. "Oh! Oh, I know you're being serious, kid. But that's the biggest stroking of my ego you've given me in years." He took a deep breath to calm down from the laughing fit. "Seriously though, never heard of the thing. And if he was looking for it in Japan, I doubt it's anything to do with the church."

"Princess Cornelia's heard of it," Byleth said.

Jeralt groaned long and loudly. "Already done your research, huh? Fine. Have a seat."

Byleth sat in one of the chairs. Jeralt shut the door.

"The Chalice of Beginnings is only mentioned once in all of the scriptures of the Church of Seiros, during the Rite of Rising, shortly after the Monastery was founded. Unfortunately, little else is actually mentioned in official scripts," Jeralt stated. "Rhea always used to say it was the church's most prized artifact. Why she'd bury it out in the middle of Japan doesn't make sense to me, if it's even the genuine article. Is it?"

"I have no idea," Byleth answered.

Jeralt sighed. "Well, if funky stuff starts happening, we can probably guess it was the real deal."

"What did the chalice do?" Byleth asked.

"According to legend, it was supposed to bring back the Goddess during the Monastery's founding, but that's all I know," Jeralt told her. "Many people think it can resurrect the dead, but that's just hearsay as far as I'm concerned. When you're dead, you're dead. You don't come back."

Byleth nodded.

"Zero's probably just gonna sell it on the black market for funding or something. I mean," Jeralt chuckled, "Unless he actually needs to resurrect someone from the dead. But come on, what kind of lunatic would be so desperate they'd put stock in legend."

Byleth's eyes glanced to one side as if she'd thought of someone.

"Kid? You didn't actually think of someone, did you?" Jeralt asked.

"No," Byleth lied, shaking her head.

Jeralt knew Byleth was lying. He knew he could push the issue if he wanted. But, at the same time, he wanted to trust his only daughter that she wouldn't keep secrets from him without a good reason. He groaned.

"Look, whatever's going on in your head, do you promise to tell me if you run into trouble or it gets too big for you to handle?" Jeralt asked her.

Byleth nodded.

Jeralt wasn't sure Byleth was getting the message so he exacerbated the point. "Kid. I have a lot of things in this world. The largest, most respected PMC in the world, the title of Blade Breaker, a cushy office job, friends and allies I could call upon with a single push of a button on my phone." He gave Byleth a serious expression. "But you're the only thing I have left in this world that can't actually be replaced. So please, for my sake, don't go doing stupid things on your own."

"Okay," Byleth said without any inflection of emotion.

Jeralt sighed. 20 years and the girl never changed.

"May I excuse myself now?" Byleth asked.

"Technically you're the one that came to me, so…" Jeralt started, only to watch Byleth turn and leave. Jeralt sighed, staring at the floor. Then, after what felt like minutes of contemplation, he shut his office, locked the door, popped the cork on that whisky bottle and just started chugging it.

---

On Byleth's way out of Jeralt's office and out into the night air of the Monastery, Sothis spoke to her. "You appear to have something on your mind. Perhaps I might lend my ear a moment?"

Since no one was around, Byleth had no trouble speaking to Sothis aloud. "I think I have a good suspect for Zero's identity."

"Then it appears you and I are on the same page. Shall we go confront him now?" Sothis suggested.

Byleth nodded.

---

The Ashen Demon was not the only one contemplating Zero's identity. Shez was on her way out the dining hall and into the night air when Arval spoke to her. "Shez."

What's up?

"I…did not wish to say anything until your business, including meals, had wrapped up for the day, however, I do feel as though I should speak my mind," Arval stated.

Well, go on.

"Very well," Arval said and then spoke plainly and clearly. "I suspect Zero's identity to be that of your adoptive brother, Lelouch vi Britannia."

Shez sighed. She didn't want to consider the possibility, but yeah, it seemed likely. Zero was rebelling against Rome. He was hiding his face. Add the chess metaphor and boom, it all added up.

Why hide it though? Shez wondered. He had me investigating Clovis. Could he not trust me with this?

"I do not know. Only one person does, if our suspicions prove true," Arval commented.

Shez sighed. Yeah, okay. Let's go talk to him.

Shez walked for Lelouch's dorm room, not expecting to pass Byleth on the way there. "Oh…um…"

"Your room is downstairs," Byleth commented matter of factly.

"Yeah, what of it?" Shez asked, snippily. "So is yours."

"I'm a teacher," Byleth commented plainly.

"So what, that gives you the right to creep on other students' rooms?" Shez snapped.

"I'm not creeping," Byleth denied.

"Call it whatever you want, what are you up to?" Shez asked.

"Visiting my brother," Byleth said.

"Oh my, I do believe the demon has come to the same conclusion we have," Arval commented.

"Well, well, well, it appears we are not the only ones with questions for that brother of yours," Sothis thought.

Shez looked at Byleth with a serious, very concerned expression. "How well do you know him?"

"Well enough," Byleth said with no inflection of tone.

"That's not an answer! You know what I mean!"

"I want to help," Byleth conceded.

Shez sighed. "Me too. But…should we?"

"I think we should hear him out," Byleth replied.

Shez exhaled in dismay, agreeing. "All right. Lead the way, I guess."

Lelouch was minding his own business and actually about to settle down for the night when Byleth knocked on his door. He opened it to the sight of his older sisters, surprising him. It was rare to see Byleth and Shez together, even rarer for them to visit him.

"Something the matter?" he asked. Shez would be one thing, but I can't use my Geass on Byleth after that incident in the Holy Mausoleum.

"Sorry for just dropping in," Byleth said.

"You wouldn't slam the door in your sisters' faces, would you?" Shez asked, just waltzing right in and shuttering the windows.

"I was actually just about to go to bed," Lelouch stated. "I've had a long day, although I presume yours was longer."

"Oh, he's a crafty one," Arval commented, "I'll give him that."

Byleth shut the door, prompting Lelouch to ask, "What's this about?"

Shez stared at him as Byleth flicked on the lights. His purple haired sister gave him a serious expression. "Lelouch, I'm going to ask you this once, and I want an honest to Goddess answer. No funny business."

From the fact that both of them were teaming up on him, to the fact that Shez was being so serious, to the fact that Byleth was blocking the door, Lelouch saw the question coming before it even left Shez's mouth.

"You're Zero, aren't you?"

A million thoughts welled up in Lelouch's head, well down the list being suicide for being caught red handed. But at the top of the list were his two primary options: denial and trusting two of the closest people to him in his life. But three could keep a secret only if two were dead.

After a successful battle against Cornelia's forces, now he was the one put in check, but was it checkmate, or would it be time to flip the board? Unfortunately, Lelouch needed more time to think to come up with a good plan.

Time he simply did not have…

---

(A/N: Oh me, oh my, oh shit, oh fuck. Both of F3H's main protagonists about to grill the CG protagonist about his costumed identity. How're getting out of this one, Lelouch? XD. I definitely do need an honest to goodness break after this, unless the comment section pulls me back in. Like, this is what keeps happening with this story. I finish a chapter, I go "Man, I am not doing another chapter for a while, I am wiped!" And then you all leave some of the most invigorating comments ever and it's like taking Viagra after sex. …Inappropriate. Anyway, that's all I've got in me for now, we'll see when I next get back to the story. Until then, as always, from all of me, to all of you, let your hearts stay human and your wrath draconic. Ja ne!)