Chapter 56A: The Next Battle Stage – Converse Between Allies
"So we've captured Beta, Gamma, and Delta. Is everyone all right?" I ask through the communicator. This device is truly well made, it automatically turns itself off during combat to prevent distractions. The Underworld really does come up with some well thought out technology.
"Yeah, Reno and I managed to take down two of those Hex Classes. That Van you encountered and some jester guy." Ren answers.
"As expected of Ren-sama, I'd expect no less from my man." Elizabeth says proudly. She's totally fangirling him.
"We managed to beat Priscilla, but Elizabeth is no longer in any condition to fight." Alicia supplements. From that earlier high pitched voice I'd never have guessed.
"I can still...URGHHH!" Elizabeth groans.
"No you can't, you can barely move." Alicia refutes.
"Elizabeth, please don't push yourself. You've worked really hard. Being engaged to such a great girl brings me such joy." Wow Ren, that was smooth. You deserve the title of my best friend.
"Kuro-san, for the benefit of everyone else, please confirm the expression on Elizabeth's face." I order.
"She's dyed completely red in the face and fidgeting with her fingers." He replies. My mind instantly creates the mental image. Moe! I need Alicia to show me this kind of face too.
"DON'T ANNOUNCE THAT!" Elizabeth's loud voice deafens me momentarily.
"Anyway, moving on. From the three you've defeated, add in Lycan who surrendered, and Isaac that Wolfy and I defeated. That's five." I declare.
"Surrendered?" Alicia ask sceptically.
"She was being used by Disturb. We'll talk more about it later, but suffice to say, she's actually a nice girl." I answer.
"Y.U.I.C.H.I. Did you do something inappropriate?" What on earth gave her that impression? Even though it's only her voice I feel a heavy pressure on my body.
"Right now Alicia-sama's grinding her teeth whilst cracking her knuckles with blood lusting eyes." Kuro-san states.
"That kind of expression I don't need to know about." I don't need to imagine Alicia's angry face, I've seen it all to often.
"So there's only one Hex Class left." Ren changes the subject. You truly are a great friend.
"As well as Disturb and Cocytus." Reno supplements.
"Hah? Who?" I ask at the weird name I can't recall.
"The man who you've dubbed Cock, Master. How could you forget his real name?" Wolfy states as he shakes his head.
"Oh Cock, why didn't you say so?"
"..." Huh, why is everyone quiet all of a sudden?
"Anyway that's three powerful people we have to defeat," Kuro-san states.
"The last Hex Class is that samurai guy, Owari. Lilicia-chan mentioned that he could absorb, convert, and utilise different forms of energy. When I shot my silver at him he was able to absorb all the connectika energy before it reached him."
"Kinetic, Master." Wolfy corrects with a sigh. Don't mind, it was close enough.
"Wait, Lilicia? You found her?" Alicia shouts.
"I did, but I failed to save her." I grind my teeth as I recall my second failure. "Owari took her after leaving us to fight Lycan."
"I see." Alicia replies lifelessly. Forgive me.
"But energy conversion? That is surely one dangerous power to fight. This guy sounds as if he's leagues above the other Hex Classes." Reno analyses.
"Regardless, we must win." I state, "I'll kill all those who make a cute girl cry and think they can walk over me. I'm going to shove Cock up Disturb's arse."
"..." A few moments of silence. I guess this is what is known as a silent acknowledgement.
"Uh, Yuichi can you turn the grotesque images down a tad. My innocent mind doesn't want to picture such a scene." Ren says with a sigh.
"You were misunderstood there, Master." Wolfy explains. Huh? How could such a simple declaration be misunderstood? I was just saying I was going to beat them up in a bad ass way.
"Right, well then. We should move onto stage two of the plan." Kuro-san states with a nervous cough.
I take out a piece of paper from my pocket that I was given before the mission began. Apparently this has a coded reaper technique carved into it.
"One person from each team needs to activate and maintain the technique whilst the rest go on ahead. We also can't leave the Thanatos triplets on their own, so this is perfect." Kuro-san continues.
I paste the paper onto the ground and give Wolfy a glance, he nods and approaches the sheet.
"Okay, Wolfy's going to activate it from our end." I state.
"The three remaining opponents will be too much for you Ren-nii, so I'll leave the spell to you." Reno explains
"Fair enough," Reno replies dryly.
"On our end Elizabeth doesn't have the strength to activate it right now so Ali..." Kuro-san begins.
"I'm going to save Lilicia!" Alicia states, cutting Kuro-san off.
"But..."
"No buts, Kuro-san." Alicia responds sharply, "I'm going, you handle the spell." Man my fiancé is sure determined, and stubborn.
"I understand," Kuro-san gives up with a sigh. "Then I'll handle the spell from our end. So Alicia-sama, Yuichi-sama, and Reno-sama, we'll leave the Alpha Crusader to you."
"""Right!""" All three of us reply simultaneously.
"But before that," I quickly cut in, "Nature calls, I'm cutting my link for a few minutes."
"Okay, the spell will take a while anyway." Kuro-san explains.
I turn off my communicator and quickly pace behind the generator outside of Wolfy's sight. Of course the toilet break was just an excuse. I take a small pill box out from my pocket, inside are a red ball and a yellow ball. I had previously requested these from Father before I left on the mission, saying no matter what I can't let myself fall. His answer was these two medicine balls.
When I fought Disturb before I was heavily weakened from my fight with Van, I won't make the same mistake again. This time I will fight at my best.
I throw both pills in my mouth simultaneously and swallow.
UUURRGGHHHHHHHH! I am hit with a burning pain in my chest. I don't want anyone else to know what I'm doing, hence why I cut the communication and moved out of sight. I manifest a chunk of silver in my mouth and bite into it as a pain relief.
I grip the nearby machine tightly with one hand whilst another holds my chest in agony. Like Father said, this can't be used during battle. The severe pain pretty much immobilises you. URRRRGHHHHH! I yelp silently in my mind as the burning sensation continues. This is so I can save Lilicia-chan. The tear stained face of my future sister-in-law and mistress pass into my mind, "Yuichi-niisama, thank you." Her hollow smile hurts much more than this medicine ever could.
I will pulverise that scumbag. Disturb's ridiculing smile flows into my mind. I won't let you have the last laugh! To dish out your retribution, I'll endure any pain. URGGHHHHHH! Slowly the burning sensation eases until it slowly fades away. I take a deep breath of relief.
The immense pain was a cheap price to pay. I think to myself as my body feels as good as new. Now I just need to end this shit before the fatigue kicks in.
I return to Wolfy who gives me a look over. "Master, please don't overexert yourself. Remember, I do have a dog's hearing." He must've caught on.
"Don't tell the others." I order. There's no need to worry them further when we've got enough on our plates.
"As you wish." Wolfy replies.
We re-establish our connection with our friends via the communicator. Stage two of our plan is about to begin.
"Are you both ready?" Kuro-san asks.
""Yes,"" Wolfy and Ren answer.
Sharp light emits from the paper as Wolfy runs power through it.
"""Joint Reaper Technique: Diamond Dimension!"""
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Chapter 56B: The Next Battle Stage – Diamond Dimension (Perspective: None)
Outside the Crusaders, the many Tri-Capsules and Dual-Cores noticed a huge burst of light from the Beta, Gamma, and Delta Crusaders. Three lines of light join the three Crusaders surrounding the Alpha, together. Then six more rays of light shoot above and below the Alpha Crusader, as all the lights join together the shape of a diamond is drawn into the sky as the interior of the drawn lines is filled with light.
"Ha, those kids sure are something." The Captain stated as all four Crusaders slowed right down within the newly created dimension.
The Alpha Crusader was trapped right in the centre of the dimension.
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Chapter 56C: The Next Battle Stage – Reno's Opponent (Perspective: None)
"Time to go then," Yuichi declares, "Look after her for me, Wolfy." He said as he pointed to the unconscious triplet. Still not being able to remember which one she was.
"Yes, Master." Wolfy replied.
"Connect!" Yuichi disappeared as his mind went temporarily blank. He found himself within a long corridor.
"Yuichi," Alicia called out as she and Reno ran to join him.
"Three of them, and three of us. Let's take them down." Yuichi declared confidently. His fiancé and comrade nodded and they started down the long corridor.
There was no resistance, the complete opposite from when they invaded the other Crusaders. Maybe the enemies realised that small fry wouldn't even slow them down, or maybe there was another different reason completely.
Eventually they came out into a large open room with another door at the opposite end, and a certain man stood in front of said door.
"You..." Yuichi's face distorted in anger upon seeing the face of the samurai who took Lilicia from him previously. The man Yuichi wasn't able to even scratch in the last encounter, it was Owari.
"Yuichi Shiro, Alicia Pandemonium, my master wishes to face you personally. You'll find that he and Lilicia-sama are just ahead, you two may pass." Owari stated as he opened a path. "Reno Cerberus however may not."
"Is this a trap?" Yuichi asked.
"No," Reno responds, "Disturb and Lilicia are definitely dead ahead, I'd recognise that man's soul anywhere."
"Huh? You can see souls?" Yuichi asked in disbelief.
"I can feel them if they're close by." Reno replies. "We should take him up on his offer. I fight best when there's no friendlies nearby anyway. If this guy wants to fight me one on one, then I couldn't ask for a better situation." Reno smiled confidently.
"Lets go, Yuichi. We will finally do what we came here for." Alicia affirmed.
"Yeah, lets go. But be careful Reno, this guy is tough." Yuichi stated before he and Alicia walked past Owari and entered the semi-dark room. The door swiftly closed behind them.
Reno gathered flames into his hands as Owari drew one of his blades.
"Well then, I just have to make quick work of you so I can back them up." Reno stated.
"I won't let you interfere with my master. Upon my honour, you shall advance no further." Owari declared as he pointed his blade at his opponent. "I am the number one of the Hex Class, Owari Fool. En garde"
The battle between the two powerhouses quickly ignited as they charged at one another.
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Chapter 56D: The Next Battle Stage – Reunion With The Disturbed
After the door closes behind us I notice the man who has caused us so much grief standing calmly with a smile on his face. I quickly glance around the room and spot Lilicia-chan strapped into a chair, tears are flowing from her eyes and some kind of metal gag is blocking her voice from reaching us. This time I'll definitely save you. I smile confidently to reassure her, she nods lightly.
*Clap clap clap!* I draw my attention back to the scumbag.
"Well done, making it all the way here." Disturb's smile broadens. "Now I can finally remove the source of the infection at its source. I shall finally cure Lilicia of the curse you have placed on her!"
"Cure her!?" Alicia shouts in anger, "How can a man who gags the girl he supposedly loves say something like that!? If you want to cure her, then hurry up and slit your own throat."
Yes, do us all a favour. Although if he did that, I'd have to take my anger out on his corpse.
"Hey, I didn't have much choice on the gag. I can't have saying she'll bite her tongue again before I heal her, can I?" A dark mist forms the shape of a scythe that Disturb takes into his hand. The black scythe looks different to a regular one, it's coated in weird illuminating diagrams and pictures. "Feel humble, Yuichi Shiro, Alicia? I took my family's heirloom to eradicate the viruses that is the two of you," Disturb's smile turns disturbing.
And aren't I always humble?
"It's time to open my lover's eyes and liberate her from the infection. You shall pay for your corruption with your lives."
Virus, infection, corruption? How can anybody be so wrong in the head? More than anger I'm starting to pity his deluded mind. Time to knock the chuunibyou off his high horse.
Alicia spins her scythe and points it at Disturb, as I manifest a second silver sword. "I've been waiting for this moment since we first met. It's payback time, Disturb Thanatos!"