Tirpitz flexes her right arm and squeezes her right hand. Her memory is vague, but the sensation of her arm being bitten off feels too vivid to deny. The pain is real, or at least she believes it's real. She senses her skin stretching, muscle fibers being plucked, blood vessels erupting, and her bones being crushed from sheer crushing weight of enormous jaws. The shock numbs the pain and delays her reaction. When it finally hits her, Tirpitz bit her lip to muffle her scream. She remembers holding what's left on her right arm as the blood gushes. The slightest touch on the open wound reverberates a thousand stinging, burning, and prickling pain throughout her body.

"…." Tirpitz softly grunts

Blood floods her throat and lungs until it spills out of her lips. Her body trembles from the physical and mental shock of suddenly losing a large portion of her limb. At first it burns and stings unbearably even for someone like her, but the pain subsides and her flesh cools down.

"Tirpitz, is something the matter?" Neumark snaps her fingers in front of her

"Just the other day, I blacked out and couldn't remember trying to bite Prinz Eugen and biting Bismarck. I thought I was in a dream, but it seems I was hallucinating"

Tirpitz shakes her head because she wishes to forget the nightmare of Beelzebub in a skeletal form and mimicking her appearance to taunt her. It's a nightmare that feels unusually real since being torn apart by zombified wolves still cause her hands to tremble every time she remembers.

"Well, according to the scan I performed on your wisdom cube, everything seems normal. No fluctuations, no defects, and no anomalies compared to your previous scans"

Neumark flips through the paper detailing the results of the extensive scan of Tirpitz's wisdom cube. She picks one file and hands it over for Tirpitz, so the latter can have even a slight assurance. As someone who has treated and checked up on Tirpitz several times in the past, she can already sense her unease and confusion at first glance even if Tirpitz's expression remains calm and collected.

"If my wisdom cube is normal, why did I black out and tried to rip apart Prinz Eugen?" Tirpitz furrows her eyebrows

"On a physical level, you're healthy and normal. I'm not an expert with the mental and emotional state of kansens, but whatever happened during the fight with Beelzebub, it affected your mental state"

"….."

"Now, now. I'm not saying you're insane or going insane, but this might be an effect of shock and trauma. You were mutilated and nearly died after all" Neumark lightly tap's Tirpitz's left shoulder

"….It's odd. I remember refusing to retreat and facing Beelzebub, but I can't remember why. Something urged me to walk to certain death, but I don't remember why"

"Hmm. Selective memory loss, perhaps?"

"….?" Tirpitz taps her stomach

"What's wrong?"

"I'm…..getting hungry" Tirpitz softly responds

"Again? You just ate three whole burgers half an hour ago" Neumark scratches her head

[Eat that one]

"Huh?"

Tirpitz lifts her head and frantically looks around her when a deep and distorted voice echoes in her ears. She parts her lips when she's about to confirm the sudden echo to Neumark, but she shuts her mouth when Neumark blinks at her confused.

"…!"

Tirpitz takes a slight sniff in the air, and the increasing hunger accompanied by heightening senses causes her to be sensitive at the scents around her. The scent of alcohol being sprayed every hour lingers in the office, the fresh stacks of paper, the sweetness of leftover coffee from Neumark's mug, and the stench of chemicals within sealed tubes overloaded her nose. It's not enough to make her dizzy and real, but she immediately covers her nose and mouth when she catches the grilled pork and honey aroma directly from Neumark. Her lips tremble and her tongue twitch from the sudden urge to sink her teeth in Neumark.

"Tirpitz, you look pale" Neumark stretches out her hand to Tirpitz

[A gourmand feasts without care. The world is a banquet ripe to be feasted. It's just that some meals fight back. Hehehehe…]

"I….don't feel so good…."

The more Tirpitz tries to ignore the aroma and urge to feast, the weaker her limbs become and her head dizzier. She staggers back until her back slams against a shelf.

(Shit. I knew….something's wrong with me…..)

Darkness encroaches Tirpitz's vision as she tries to maintain her balance by tightly gripping the edge of a table. Her right arm feels sore and burning while her stomach feels twisting and tearing as her hunger becomes unbearable.

"Ggh…." Tirpitz struggles to remain conscious

Tirpitz's vision already sways. She sweats coldly and her hands tremble while she continues to resist her hunger, directing her to bite her ally. She staggers walking a few steps away from Neumark

"….."

Just two meters to her left is a sealed glass cabinet storing medicines such as muscle relaxants, antidepressants, and anesthetics. She recognizes the label on the vials of general anesthetics.

"W-wait! What are you doing-"

Before Neumark can even grab Tirpitz's arm to pull her away, Tirpitz swings her fist at the glass and shatters it upon impact. The glass shards fly in different directions. A small shard swiftly flies to Tirpitz's face and leaves a shallow cut on the left side of her cheek. The smaller pieces lodge in her fingers, and blood trickles from her fists.

[What are you doing, you fool?!]

Tirpitz doesn't have time to pause and choose which vial she should take, so she randomly grabs the vials of Propofol, Ketamine, and Etomidate. With shaking hands, she twists and pries open each lid.

"…!" Tirpitz holds her breath for a moment

She pours all three different liquids in her mouth and forces her gagging throat to swallow the burning and bitter liquid.

"Nngh!"

The burning sensation from her tongue down to her stomach worsens in a matter of seconds upon ingestion. Tirpitz squeezes her chest when her rapid heartbeat and tightening lungs make it difficult to breath. Her limbs grow weaker, and her senses go numb. Tirpitz could only hear incoherent and muffled noises reaching her while her vision kept shifting to pitch black darkness.

…..

…..

Sharp claws dig into her skin, pulling her into the endless depths that crush every part of her. She struggles to breathe and break free from the claws' grasps until Tirpitz appears to resurface to the side.

"…."

It's the same world as before. The sky and everything else around her are nothing but stretching darkness. Tirpitz finds herself lying on shallow red waters surrounded by both human and animal remains.

[You shitty trash! Do you think I will let you die that easily again?! You're not taking the easy way out so long as I exist]

This time, Beelzebub manifests in their true form while haunting Tirpitz in the deepest corners of their mind. A towering monstrosity of expanding flesh tucked within a cracked metallic shell of a draconic beast beneath the sea. Blood-filled veins creep past the cracks and gaps in the metallic armor, and glistening fat throbs as it peeks out from the exposed areas of their body.

[I won't have you die on me. Not just yet]

The extra mouth on their stomach sticks its tongue in the shape of hollowed and fused humans missing their lower half. It appears as featureless humans with their skin replaced by fatty flesh filled with wriggling purple veins.

"You again!" Tirpitz immediately stands up

[Death won't stop my feast….and neither can you]

Unhinging their maw, Beelzebub releases filthy red liquid filled with chewed human body parts, which gushes from their jaw and down into the shallow red waters beneath them. This action exposes thick and jagged rows of teeth, a mouth purely designed for tearing and ripping apart anyone they deem a worthy meal.

"….!"

The inside of their mouth appears hollow, but voices of countless humans desperate for release or food simultaneously ring in Tirpitz's ears. She takes a shaking step back and covers her ears, but the voices only keep piercing.

….

…..

Only two minutes have passed since Tirpitz convulses and coughs out blood. She takes a deep breath and wipes out the blood on the corner of her lips.

"…."

A few more seconds passed. The trembling and irregular breathing stops completely, and her body straightens as if she hasn't poisoned herself.

"This feels….surreal. That's the proper term, isn't it?" Tirpitz removes her cap and combs her hair

"A-are you alright? Didn't you just – I mean, how can you act fine suddenly?! You're scaring me, Tirpitz" Neumarks takes a step away from her

"There was an unwanted voice in my head. Neumark, I feel like something crawling inside me"

Tirpitz gently touches and brushes her temple with her fingertips. Her words is someone who worries, yet her voice is soft and gentle.

"Please don't tell my sister that I feel like something is happening to me"

"Why? Bismarck is very worried about you recently, you know" Neumark swallows her breath

"I want to find out what's wrong with me, but I can't let Bismarck worry more than she already does" Tirpitz grabs her shoulders

"….Fine! If you act strange again, I'm informing Bismarck right away"

Neumark messes her hair because she can't reject Tirpitz's pleas, especially when asked in such a soft and gentle tone. The way Tirpitz's calm, icy blue eyes stare directly into hers makes refusal impossible.

Bismarck's Office…..

Bismarck reviews the copy of Tirpitz's scan results, specifically regarding the extensive and thorough scan of her wisdom cube. Aside from the technical details, Neumark also states in the report that there's no known anomaly that would have affected Tirpitz's behavior—no cracks or fluctuations at all.

"It's all normal" Bismarck settles the file down on top of her desk

"So did Tirpitz simply go mad when she tried to bite my throat off and when she bit your hand?"

Prinz Eugen sits freely with her legs crossed on the plush sofa in Bismarck's office. She raises an eyebrow and her slightly sarcastic tone indicates she has doubts.

"I feel like we're missing something. Tirpitz survived getting mutilated by Beelzebub, and not long after waking up, she tried to eat you"

"I thought we can unwind after the ordeal with Beelzebub. First, an unknown creature had a buffet in one of our warehouses, which left Leipzig traumatized, and now Tirpitz almost made me her snack" Prinz Eugen waves her left hand around

"Do you believe Beelzebub affected Tirpitz somehow?"

"Affected how exactly? You can't possibly be thinking that Beelzebub influenced Tirpitz before disintegrating? As far as we know, that thing eats more than they think" Prinz Eugen scoffs

"I let my guard down and I nearly lost my life. My younger sister disobeyed my order to retreat and faced Beelzebub. By the time I regained consciousness, the Leviathan was in pieces and Tirpitz….stopped breathing"

Bismarck's gaze shifts to her hands. No one blames her or criticizes what she perceives as a moment of weakness, but their victory is some sort of miracle or sudden turn of events. Beelzebub, like the other Leviathans, prove to be a threat. Even if a whole faction faces one, the victory is still nearly impossible.

"They say clinically dying, even for a moment, affects the brain. Perhaps there's some underlying damage in her head somehow" Prinz Eugen shrugs her shoulders

"Do you believe that explains her sudden shift in behavior?"

"Beats me. Blucher says that Tirpitz is on edge and looks sick. As for Emden? I have no clue about the riddles they're spitting, but I understood that they think something's wrong with Tirpitz"

"It baffles me why Beelzebub chose not to make Tirpitz as their meal when they have always devoured any living beings they can get their hands on"

"Maybe they weren't in the mood perhaps, or they have a bad stomach? I don't think Beelzebub has an actual plan, considering they're more focusing on stuffing their mouth than planning" Prinz Eugen halfheartedly responds

"…"

Bismarck's thoughts wander to the last confrontation with Beelzebub. She has already reached her limit and only remains standing through sheer willpower. Beelzebub looms above her without so much a single scratch. They grin at her and their mocking laughter echoes through the burning rubble.

[That pride, stubbornness, fierceness, and determination. They're all delectable bonuses to my palate. You keep proving to me why it's truly best to save the best for last]

The hulking monstrosity composed of amalgamated biomass stuffed beneath cracked metallic plates keep laughing at her. Beelzebub toyed with her like how cats are notorious for tormenting smaller prey until they're torn apart.

"Now that I think about it, why did Beelzebub only show interest to you? Beelzebub loved toying with you while they swallowed everyone else" Prinz Eugen tilts her head slightly

"When I ordered the retreat, Beelzebub didn't go with everyone else. A creature who revels in overindulgence and excess should have gone after quantity….but they didn't and chose to toy with me"

"We'll never know now that Beelzebub has been taken out. That still leaves Mammon, Belphegor, Asmodeus, Satan, Abaddon, and Lucifer"

Prinz Eugen counts the remaining Leviathans with her fingers, leaving six Leviathans remaining out of seven.

"So far, only Iris and Vichya are occupied with the looming threat of Abaddon, a notorious shapeshifter and thief." Prinz Eugen relaxes her back on the comfy sofa

"Abaddon is a mess like Beelzebub. They steal traits, abilities, and everything a green-eyed monster covets. A creature who desires what they cannot have, so they resort to theft manipulation"

Bismarck grabs one of the folders stacked on her desk. At the upper right corner, it's labeled "Abaddon" with a vague image of the Leviathan's true form. Even in one image, it can be distinguished that Abaddon is gaunt and combined what they had stolen, resulting in a haggard and cobbled-together form with numerous eyes weeping acidic tears.

Codename: Abaddon

Epithet: The Jealous

Risk Assessment: Critical – poses a significant threat to societal stability and security.

Threat level: Severe

Known Activities: Instigating conflicts ranging from complaints to heated disagreement

Targeted Areas: Territories within Iris Libre and Vichya Dominion

Recent Movements: No significant movements within Iris Libre borders

Tactics Used: Auditory and visual hallucinations, near-perfect physical mimicry, and exploitation of stolen traits

Countermeasures: Biometrics are proven ineffective due to the target's ability to replicate fingerprints, unique features, and DNA.

Last known location: North of Brest

Bismarck reviews the last update from Iris Libre, which was released and shared to other factions three days ago. Unlike Satan's destructive tendencies, Abaddon's covert methods don't make the damage visible to those outside Iris Libre.

The next day…

Bismarck takes a slight sip of her steaming hot brewed black coffee, her usual whenever she's burying herself in paperwork. Her desk is littered with files regarding the other Leviathans, but her focus is all gathered records of Beelzebub and the elusive Abaddon.

"….."

She lifts her head for a moment when her concentration is broken by the sound of three knocks. Bismarck's shoulders relax as the door opens and a familiar figure steps inside.

"Sorry for interrupting, but I have to speak with you" Tirpitz closes the door behind her

"…..How are you feeling?" Bismarck lightly clears her throat

"I couldn't find the right words or even want to make an excuse. I blacked out one morning and by the time I regained consciousness, I was at the infirmary" Tirpitz makes small steps forward

"Tirpitz, what's gotten into you? I feel like you're changing ever since you were nearly killed by Beelzebub"

"I don't know, but I want to find out. Beelzebub is gone, but I keep seeing them in my dreams. Perhaps my near-death experience took a toll on me than I expected" Tirpitz lowers her head

"…."

A part of Bismarck's intuition urges her to observe Tirpitz. She looks at her usually calm and gentle yet reserved younger sister, but her expression remains the same. Tirpitz's vibrant blue eyes lock with hers. Based on Bismarck's interactions with Tirpitz in the past, one can discern no hostility or hidden inten.

There's nothing wrong.

Bismarck thinks to herself, but the relief in her chest and thoughts are temporary. Her intuition nags at her when she keeps her gaze on Tirpitz. She reflexively raises her guard, observing every little movement Tirpitz makes.

"Are you sure you're feeling well, Tirpitz?" Bismarck wants to confirm without raising suspicion

"Physically, I'm fine. I'm still not at my full strength, but I don't want to keep sitting around"

"….." Bismarck's is unsure what to say next

"…..I didn't hurt you that much, did I? I was told I bit you when you tried to stop me….." Tirpitz averts her gaze

"You only bit my forearm…."

"…." The two fall into an awkward silence

"It felt unpleasant when I had to use force against you. It was the first time I had to use my fists against someone, and it felt bitter" Bismarck's hands tense

"It's all because I blacked out"

"What happened back then? Is there something I should know?" Bismarck stands up

"…"

Tirpitz slightly opens her mouth to speak, she feels a chill down her spine. The eerie and uncomfortable sensation of something crawling inside her body keeps her from speaking.

"…..I'm still figuring it out"

There's something amiss, so Tirpitz does what she can to restrain her voice from stuttering or cracking. She knows her sister. Once Bismarck questions or worries about someone, she will quickly discern lies from their response alone.

" I see. I don't want you to do things on your own again. You nearly got yourself killed after all" Bismarck sternly reminds her

"Yeah….

Tirpitz places her right hand behind her back and clenches it hard enough that her nails dig into her palms even with her gloves on. Her hands are shaking, and the rest of her body is restless with the itchy and irritating sensation of what feels like a centipede crawling beneath her skin.

Meanwhile…..

Leipzig hasn't fully emotionally and mentally recovered from what she witnessed a few days ago. She huddles and tightly embraces her legs while she sits on the bed. The space of the private room is quiet, and the atmosphere only grows heavy with Friedrich der Grosse's piercing gaze at her shaking form.

"You saw something. An abomination of flesh containing themselves within fragile steel" Friedrich der Grosse narrows her eyes

"M-monster. It was eating small animals like snacks" Leipzig jolts

"Are you certain you didn't see a person?"

"A….person?" Leipzig lifts her head

"That monster you saw, did they have a human shape?"

When Friedrich der Grosse mentions the words "human shape", her voice deepens and loses her motherly sweetness for a moment.

"I-I-I don't know. I was scared and crying, but I heard footsteps….like someone walking away"

"Interesting"

"Huh? W-why is that?"

Leipzig is still trembling from refreshing her memory of nearly being swallowed by a vicious beast, but she blinks when Friedrich der Grosse's tone shifts to a mischievous purr.

"Tell me, whose face did you see?"

"I-I'm sorry, but I was too scared that I was about to pass out! I only saw white clothes"

"Dear, that doesn't narrow down anything. Our uniforms aren't exactly colorful" Friedrich der Grosse faintly smiles

"Main…..dish" Leipzig widens her eyes

"That monster mentioned something….or someone about a main dish. They said they were marinating their main dish…."

"Beelzebub….."

Friedrich der Grosse loses her sweet and gentle tone when her expression darkens. She clicks her tongue, and her tone drastically shifts to a hostile and displeased one.

"Where?!" Leipzig grabs the bed sheet to cover herself

"No one yaps about food other than insufferable sloppy gourmand who can't even chew their food with their mouths closed"

"But Beelzebub is gone. Bismarck defeated them….." Leipzig peeks out of the bed sheet

"Indeed"

Friedrich der Grosse slowly stands up and heavily sighs. Her eyes remain sharp and hostile, but not directed towards Leipzig. A smile curves on the side of her lips, amusement and displeasure warring at the same time.

Iris Libre….

Bayard, an Iris Libre warrior who always maintains a sharp and disciplined form, is bound to a chair with vines coiling her from head to toe. The small yet sharp thorns pierce her skin and cut through her flesh when it tightens and slithers around her. A slight attempt to wriggle her wrists causes the thorn to lengthen the cut on her skin.

"Not enough, not enough, not enough! This isn't perfect! Not this way!"

Within the spacious room of creaking and rotten wood, a doppelganger repeatedly smashes the mirror in front of them. Glass shards fly in all directions and cut open their fingers with each swipe on the shattered mirror. Red acidic blood drips from their knuckles and down to the dusty wooden floor.

"Why can't I have it? I should have it! Perfect….I have to make it perfect!"

The imperfect copy of the real Bayard erratically scratches their skin enough that their fingers dig past the rubbery skin. They pull down their fingers, stripping and dragging away a layer of their skin. Blood seeps out from the gaps and freely drips to the floor, revealing reflective and iridescent copper scales beneath.

"Why can they have it? Mammon can own all the treasures, Beelzebub can always have a lavish feast, Belphegor relishes in their freedom, Asmodeus enjoys their hedonism, Satan always crushes and burns everything, and Lucifer….they have everything. They're perfect….that's why they're above us"

They cannot maintain their mimicked form. The shape begins to distort, revealing sharp spines bursting out of their back and claws out of their fingertips. Their teeth elongate, shaping into serpentine fangs dripping with bright green venom.

"I deserve it too! All the freedom, the feast, the glittering treasures, the control, and the fulfillment"

The pair of human eyes remain on their destabilizing form, but multiple irises and slit pupils fill each of the eyeballs.

"Why are you after Richelieu that badly, you wicked shapeshifter?!" Bayard grits her teeth

"I despise the order, the unity, and the harmony when Iris and Vichya made amends. Bonding and growing together – that I cannot stand. I want to tear all that Richelieu worked hard to rebuild….by making all of you tear each other"

"A serpent through and through" Bayard spits blood at the floor

"Humans pride themselves in their fighting spirit and willpower, but your kind is highly flawed. No matter how many generation and eras passed, your kind always fall prey to not being content and comparing yourselves. I thrive in it, and all I had to do is faintly whisper"

"Do you think we would succumb to your manipulations, Abaddon?"

"It's human nature to compare yourselves. Insecurity is a persistent flaw. You fear being shadowed, being forgotten, and not being acknowledged. Why do you think it was easy to have your people doubt each other and themselves?"

Abaddon bends forward and leans their face until they're an inch from the still-bound Bayard. They gently cup her cheeks until their claws slightly pierce her smooth and fair skin.

"…!"

Bayard grits their teeth and clenches their fist, not out of their mocking whisper but also how they mimicked her appearance, only for it to be distorted to show some parts of Abaddon's true form.

"Using my face won't help you accomplish your goals" Bayard tries to pull her hands free, but the thorns lodge deeper in her skin

"Richelieu has sisters, correct? Perhaps Jean Bart…..or Clemenceau" Abaddon lick their lips with their forked tongue

"You won't get either of them easily. They wouldn't let their guard down like I did"

"You overestimate your allies. This level of arrogance is sweet nectar to someone like Lucifer. Aah~ Asmodeus will certainly enjoy the tragic downfall of the unity Richelieu struggled so much to rebuild"