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In the midst of chaos, the battlefield had shifted to the plaza in front of the palace, which was as expansive as the city itself. More accurately, they were forcibly drawn in as Nidhogg bulldozed its way through.

The intense downpour of quasi-vampire-filled bullets besieging the city had tapered off to a drizzle. Instead, Nidhogg began directly depositing them around its body like laying eggs. From these, quasi-vampires emerged, advancing in a force akin to a mudslide.

Kokonoe, summoning undead to counter this tide, found himself overwhelmed by the enemy’s rapid multiplication. Allies, having cleared out quasi-vampires elsewhere and judging the immediate threat as contained, joined the fray but found themselves outpaced by the horde.

The allied frontline teetered on the brink of collapse until a refreshing young girl’s voice pierced the tumult, sounding as though she were right beside them.

“Ah, geez. It’s really stubborn, isn’t it? Why do I have to sweat when the princess isn’t even watching?”

Complained a young girl in a one-piece, her milky-white hair fluttering in the wind, standing behind Kokonoe. Her expression soured as she raised her left hand towards the oncoming quasi-vampire horde. Her arm, from shoulder to fingertips, swelled and morphed into a chaotic blend of colors, launching towards the horde.

With just a single gesture, chaos erupted across the battlefield like gas escaping a swamp, engulfing the vast horde of quasi-vampires. The area affected regurgitated the monsters that had been nearing the palace, leaving them breathless but alive.

Simultaneously, the girl expanded her domain of chaos, her lower body down to the knees merging into the chaotic mass.

“Phew, if it isn’t Shizu…” Kokonoe sighed in relief upon recognizing her.

The young girl was «Demogorgon» Shizu, a revered figure among the Thirteen Demon Generals. Known as the ‘Abyss Dweller’ or ‘Chaos’, merely uttering her name was believed to invite calamity. This chaos was her true form.

She glanced at Kokonoe before her lower body dissolved into chaos, advancing towards Nidhogg. Her approach was met with cheers from the monsters, though she ignored them, focusing on amassing more chaos. She then unleashed it as a colossal tsunami against Nidhogg.

“Let’s see whether your ‘greed’ or my ‘chaos’ will prevail…”

These were her final words before her visage too merged into the tsunami of chaos.

◆◇◆◇

“So, it has started!”

A massive lion, lazily sprawled in front of the main entrance of Scarlet Jade Castle, roused himself from his languor. This was «Baron» Shinra, a formidable figure among the Thirteen Demon Generals.

Bathed in the natural sunlight of the real world’s stratosphere, unlike the usual dimness of dark subspace, Shinra’s silver fur glistened, casting gem-like reflections.

He bounded from the gate to the plaza fronting the palace in a single, swift motion, his demeanor shifting from amusement at Shizu’s expanding chaos to a focused seriousness upon sighting Nidhogg’s undiminished form.

“Your Achilles’ heel is ‘holy light,’ isn’t it? Well then, rejoice, for I am your worst nightmare! Let’s see you try to withstand this!”

With a roar reminiscent of a lion’s, Shinra’s mane unfurled, emitting a beam of holy light. Wherever the light touched, Nidhogg’s flesh disintegrated as if scorched by intense heat.

Feeling the agony, Nidhogg retaliated with paralysis beams from all over its body, a tactic reminiscent of its encounter with Gamon and Byakuya. Before the beams could hit Shinra, however, his eyes absorbed them, and moments later, he redirected an amplified version of the paralysis beams back at Nidhogg.

“Ha! Your beams and lasers are futile against me! Now perish in the name of the princess!”

The sound of Nidhogg’s flesh being cleaved resonated as Shinra’s counterattack sliced through its body. Though Nidhogg managed to keep the severed parts together, the areas assaulted by holy light remained damaged, showing no signs of healing. Seizing this opportunity, the Imperial Guard angels unleashed a barrage of ‘holy’ attribute attacks on the wounded sections, while Shizu exploited the chance to extend her chaos into the afflicted area.

Sensing its disadvantage, Nidhogg retracted the flesh wall that had shielded the castle «Arumamis» throughout the battle, exposing it.

“Now’s our chance! Dragon Warrior Corp, target the now defenseless enemy castle!”

The dragons circling in the sky, having awaited this moment, directed their fiery breaths towards «Arumamis», now devoid of its protective barrier.

“Come forth, «Sandalphon»!”

At the command of Sasaki, the Imperial Guard’s Commander, a ludicrously massive cannon—resembling a building-sized bazooka—materialized. Sasaki shouldered this absurd weapon, taking aim at «Arumamis» from her vantage point above.

“Full Charge! Fire ‘Dora Impact’!”

With a thunderous boom that vibrated the air and resonated in the core of their beings, the chamber of the colossal weapon known as “Sandalphon” recoiled (indicating a single-use capability), and a blinding flash of plasma burst from its muzzle, striking «Arumamis». Moments later, the castle was reduced to rubble.

◆◇◆◇

As the tremors, akin to an earthquake—a phenomenon that should have been impossible in Sky Garden—rippled through the area, a man clad in a shabby suit halted mid-stride within the grand corridor. With a bemused “Hmm?” he mused aloud.

“That must’ve been quite the impact. Perhaps that’s the end of it? Ah well, can’t be helped.”

Speaking to himself with a carefree air, he resumed his walk. Trailing behind him were six figures clad in knightly armor, silent and watchful, awaiting his lead.

Any member of the Church witnessing this scene would have been dumbstruck. The attire, arms, and bearing unmistakably belonged to the Cathedral Crusaders, a faction believed to have perished—among them was «Saint» Bernardo Gloria Casas, alongside other commanders of renown.

“What’s beyond our control is just that—beyond our control. Let’s not dwell on it and focus on our objective instead.”

As he spoke and continued on his way, the man’s visage was concealed by a white mask. The knights trailed behind him, their movements as precise and lifeless as puppets. When he halted once more, they silently aligned themselves in perfect formation.

Where the masked man’s gaze landed, two imposing figures stood at the corridor’s far end, effectively barring the way.

The first, a young man with fiery red hair, donned in armor of white and azure, his visage partially obscured by a red devil mask, advanced with a weighty longsword in grip.

“I was lying in wait, half-expecting some intruder to sneak in—and what do you know, bingo. Never did I expect to encounter an opponent of general-class here.”

At those words, the man behind the young one, unarmed and towering even taller, nodded in agreement, his hand thoughtfully stroking his beard.

“Spot-on prediction. That was quite the mind-blowing diversion tactic, I must say.”

“Apologies for interrupting, but could I trouble you to let me pass? I’m somewhat pressed for time.”

The man concealed by the white mask addressed the duo in a disarmingly familiar tone, as though they were old acquaintances sharing a drink.

“And should we allow passage, what then?”

The young man behind the red devil mask couldn’t hide his amusement as he inquired.

“Only one thing to it! My plan is to barge into Hiyuki’s chamber and procure her panties!”

Upon hearing the earnest yet absurd reply from the man behind the white mask, the young man directed his sword towards him.

“All the more reason for me to bar your way. The princess’s undergarments and all things intimate belong to me.”

With a dramatic shrug of his shoulders, the man in the white mask expressed his disappointment.

“Aw, that’s a bummer. Guess you’re my rival, huh? Thought we’d sort this out as fellow masked enthusiasts from the get-go, but looks like we’re just not meant to vibe, are we?”

“Truly, this world isn’t big enough for both of us, especially when we stand at such opposite ends. We must resolve this here and now.”

The young man declared, narrowing the distance with a seemingly harmless step. In sync, the elder man also advanced, echoing the younger’s movement.

“ —Oh, indeed?”

The man took a step back, sensing an imminent threat. Where he stood moments before, Cathedral Crusaders advanced to his defense, swords at the ready.

“Well then, let’s give it a whirl, Swordie, Smarty Pants.”

At the man’s casual command, the knights beside Bernardo circled the duo.

“Master, it appears these holy knights are the famed Cathedral Crusaders, rumored to be the world’s strongest order.”

“Ho-ho, the pride of the Holy Kingdom, you say? Things are getting interesting.”

“Exactly, quite the surprise encounter, but a welcome one for sure. …Well then, introductions are in order, I suppose.”

The young man poised his sword at mid-level, directing it towards the individual who appeared to be the knight’s leader, his expression as unwavering as steel.

“I serve under Sovereign Hiyuki, lord of Imperial Crimson, as her sword—Maroudo. Shall we commence?”

“And I am the martial arts instructor of Imperial Crimson, known as Beast King.”

Upon receiving their cues, the man, previously as still as a marionette, swiftly drew his swords from his hips and introduced himself.

“Bernardo Gloria Casas, at your service, commander of the erstwhile Crusader Knights. A duel of swords it shall be.”

As soon as Bernardo finished speaking, the legendary sword True Cross and Maroudo’s Haurvatat Blade clashed, igniting sparks.