In a country in Europe.
"It's so quiet... Is this Paris, once known as the most romantic city in the world? This is different from the Paris I visited in my previous life. This Paris is more like Chernobyl."
The person speaking was a teenage girl, around seventeen or eighteen years old, and her beauty was the first thing anyone would notice.
Her skin was fair yet natural, her long, wavy light brown hair fell over her shoulders, and her warm brown almond-shaped eyes, usually full of life, now radiated sadness. Her body was feminine and curvaceous, with full breasts and ample hips, creating an alluring silhouette—a classic figure that, in Chinese youth slang, would earn her the nickname of a goddess or a prima donna.
The girl was none other than Elena Petrova, one of the three Saviors sent to this Planar World, besides Charlie Avalon and Wang Jian.
However, amidst this destruction, no one was admiring her beauty.
Her template was Maria Mikhailovna Kujou, the defeated heroine of the anime Tokidoki Bosotto Russia-go de Dereru Tonari no Alya-san—or commonly called Roshidere.
Although her template came from a rom-com story, Elena was not weak at all. After all, she had been reincarnated in the Planar World: High School DxD, a world where gods from various pantheons, devils, angels, youkai, and other supernatural beings truly existed and roamed freely.
"By the way, I wonder which is stronger, the gods in High School DxD or Danmachi?"
"The power of the gods in Danmachi is sealed so they can enjoy life in the Lower World. Meanwhile, the gods in High School DxD have no such limitations; they can freely use their power as they please."
"So, which one is stronger between the two?"
With her hands behind her back, Elena slowly walked closer to the Eiffel Tower when she suddenly thought of a strange comparison.
"There's no point in thinking about this. Rather than that, where is the abomination monster mentioned in the information? Why don't I see any?"
Elena shook her head, her sharp eyes scanning left and right. There was nothing. Besides herself, there was no one, let alone the abomination monster that had almost wiped out humanity.
Paris was devastated, as if it had been hit by an endless great war.
Magnificent buildings with classic architecture were now just piles of rock and twisted iron. The streets were littered with craters, the remnants of fierce battles. Abandoned cars, rusted and overgrown with moss, served as silent iron graves. In the distance, the Louvre was probably just a memory, and Notre-Dame might have collapsed, leaving behind fragile walls.
And the most pitiful was the Eiffel Tower, that proud French iconic structure. Now, only the lower part remained, like a broken giant's foot embedded in the ground. Its towering top was gone, perhaps shattered and scattered around. Its sturdy iron structure was now bent and blackened, a mournful monument to the fall of a civilization.
"..."
"Walking is too slow. Aerial observation is better."
Thinking that, Elena sprouted four bat-like wings from her back, clearly indicating her identity as a Devil. She was not a pure-blood Devil, but a human reincarnated as a Devil by Sona Sitri, using the Rook chess piece. Now, Elena had become a Middle Rank Devil.
*SWOOSH!* *SWOOSH!* *SWOOSH!*
Elena was just about to flap her wings to fly into the sky when suddenly dozens of sharp, cold ice javelins shot out from behind the rubble, heading towards her body with deadly speed.
*WHOOSH!*
However, her reaction speed was not slow. Elena calmly raised her right hand.
*SHUA!*
A rotating blue magic circle appeared in front of her, and from within, a transparent and sturdy water shield formed a defensive layer, blocking all the ice javelins until they shattered into pieces.
As a member of Sona Sitri's Peerage, Elena skillfully mastered water magic. After all, as a family that gave birth to the current Leviathan, members of the Sitri Clan have a very strong affinity and attraction to water-based magic.
"You blocked my attack? Good, it seems you are not a weakling like the useless people in this world."
Along with a woman's voice filled with excitement at finding a worthy opponent, the sound of approaching high-heeled boots could be heard.
Turning towards the source of the voice, Elena immediately recognized the identity of the attacker.
It was a tall, beautiful, and slender young woman with long, light blue hair cascading down and sharp, crystal-blue eyes. She was wearing a long-sleeved general's uniform with buttons on the upper arm, a blue scarf around her neck, high-heeled boots that affirmed her authority, and a peaked cap with her clan's emblem on the front.
"So it's you, Esdeath."
Facing the strongest and most deadly General of the Empire in the Planar World: Akame ga Kill, Elena showed not an ounce of fear. Instead, a strong aura of confidence radiated from her.
"You know me, and yet you look cheerful? How interesting. Usually, anyone who becomes my enemy trembles in fear, but you are different."
Esdeath's eyes sparkled with the enthusiasm of hunting prey.
"Very good. Give me an interesting fight; don't make me bored quickly."
Esdeath was known as a sadistic battle maniac; her hobby was fighting the strong, and then defeating them.
"You are no match for me, Esdeath."
"Ho~ let me see where your confidence comes from."
Instead of getting angry at Elena's arrogance, Esdeath smiled even wider. Her excitement was unstoppable.
With her Teigu, Demon's Extract, she could freely manipulate ice. With just a thought, Esdeath created a gigantic ice meteor in the air in the blink of an eye, and with a sweep of her hand, sent it plummeting towards Elena like a judgment from the heavens.
"You're not the only one with ice manipulation powers. Let me show you ice manipulation that is greater than yours."
Without panicking, Elena summoned her Sacred Gear, which belonged to the legendary Longinus category.
"Absolute Demise!"
*SHUAAA!*
The temperature around them instantly plummeted. From the blue light emanating from Elena, Absolute Demise emerged, taking the form of an elegant yet eerie three-meter-tall ice doll. It resembled a woman in a dress with four slender arms.
Its face was plain, without a nose or mouth, but had six glowing blue eyes lined up on the left side of its face, while the right side was adorned with intricate carvings resembling frozen rose thorns.
"Destroy it."
Following Elena's command, Absolute Demise raised one of its slender arms. The giant ice meteor dropped by Esdeath suddenly trembled violently as if twisted by an invisible force, breaking and disintegrating into billions of fine snowflakes that sparkled in the air, disappearing like an illusion before touching the ground.
"Incredible! This is the first time I've faced an opponent who has the same ice power as me, and can overcome my attack so easily! This fight is more interesting than I ever imagined. Let's prove whose ice manipulation is stronger!"
Esdeath grew even more excited. Her fighting spirit soared to an unprecedented level. The deadly cold aura strengthened around her.
"I told you before, you have no chance of winning, Esdeath."
Elena remained firm in her stance. She did not think she would lose, even though her fighting experience might be far below Esdeath, who had been through hundreds of battlefields.
Where did her unwavering confidence come from?
Divine Protection of the Powerful Resistances!
This Divine Protection, which she gained as a reward.
The Divine Protection of the Powerful Resistances could reduce the effectiveness of any element-based attack by 80%. It could even resist the effects of physical explosions and natural (non-magical) fire or water damage. It was also immune to magical buffs, debuffs, curse arts, diseases, toxins/poisons, drugs, alcohol, and getting sick from any method.
Although the effect of the Divine Protection of the Powerful Resistances slightly overlapped with her Chosen Savior skill, Elena deliberately chose this ability. What she wanted was the 80% reduction effect against elemental attacks. That's why she did not hesitate to ask for it as a reward.
"I love crushing overly confident opponents. That is the moment I like the most."
Esdeath's eyes sparkled with anticipation. Her rapier was drawn, forming a silver line ready to strike. Her steps were slow and full of confidence, like a predator certain its prey cannot escape.
"My goodness, what a pleasant coincidence. I have the same hobby."
Elena's smile only grew more charming, as if they were discussing something enjoyable, not a life-and-death battle. But behind that sweet smile, her almond-shaped brown eyes had turned cold and sharp.
Thus, the battle between the two women with ice manipulation powers began.