The Venus, deep within her training hall, in a location no detector could ever pinpoint.
This area was protected by multiple layers of safeguards, ensuring that any combat inside would not endanger the ship itself. Many operators had come here to conduct drills. Within these walls, they could freely unleash their Originium Arts without worrying that the facilities would be damaged by their power.
Inside the confined space, three figures were locked in combat. A closer look revealed that it was two people joining forces against a single opponent.
Sharp orange-yellow sword light tore through the darkness. Earth-colored stone blocks materialized out of thin air, clamping down around their target. In the next instant, countless sword flashes descended, shredding both the stone and the person trapped within into dust. At least, that was how it should have ended.
Instead, brilliant blue flames lit up the room.
The stone burned away. A long sword was raised defensively as orange-yellow blades struck in rapid succession, but the resistance was even faster. Clear, ringing clashes echoed through the air as blade met blade. The sharp sword lights collided and dissipated invisibly within the space.
"It's not over yet!"
A crimson gleam flickered in Carnelian's eyes. Heavy earth manifested once more within the training hall as she bared a ferocious smile. Ripples spread through the ground, and chunks of stone crawled up the swordsman's legs, locking him firmly in place.
"Now!"
"I'm going in!"
Degenbrecher surged forward, her twin swords swinging as her speed spiked in an instant. She became an orange-yellow whirlwind before her opponent, striking again and again. Cleaves, slashes, upward thrusts. This time, she held nothing back. After the storm of blows came silence.
"As expected of you, Degenbrecher."
Flames roared up around the swordsman, threatening to devour him whole. He no longer looked like an ordinary Terran. His body floated in midair, engulfed in blue fire. Only a pair of eyes gleaming with gold remained visible, along with the long golden horns and crown atop his head, the golden wings at his back, and the long tail trailing behind him.
"Now that I see it clearly, Talulah's flames aren't pure," Felix said. "Perhaps because they're not entirely her own power. There's something mixed in them. Something… else."
His voice, wrapped in flame, sounded indistinct. Degenbrecher and Carnelian swallowed unconsciously, faint blushes rising to their faces as they took in the sight.
"The power of the Teekaz really is overwhelming," Felix muttered, watching his MP drop rapidly. "But the consumption is three or four times higher than before."
"If I had swung my sword inside Chernobog, I'd be unable to fight for a while afterward. Worse, the central plaza and even the city core beneath it would have been destroyed."
The blue flames slowly faded. Felix glanced at the chest armor in front of him, now marred with sword marks, and sighed.
"As expected of you, Degenbrecher."
The armor was a finished purple-grade piece, worn specifically for training, with its defensive stats fully invested. Even so, under Degenbrecher's assault it was on the verge of collapse, as if it might shatter at any moment.
He removed the armor and set it aside, revealing a solid, well-built upper body. Judging by physique alone, he hardly resembled a Sankta. By common sense, Sankta were notoriously frail, barely able to lift or carry much. Hang one from a balloon and a strong gust of wind might blow them away. Their physical weakness was extreme. Thanks to their innate racial advantages, they only needed guns and never considered other ways of fighting.
Felix now carried a thin bloodline of the Teekaz, his race classified as such. As a species even more ancient than both the Sarkaz and Sankta, his once-balanced build now carried the aesthetic of a classical Greek statue. He was not exaggeratedly muscular like Jesselton or Anthony, but the explosive strength contained within his body surpassed even the most vicious-looking Sarkaz mercenaries by a thousandfold, ten thousandfold, terrifyingly so.
Carnelian's eyes grew slightly moist at the sight of his muscles. Her cheeks flushed, her lips curving upward. Even Degenbrecher stared boldly at every inch of his skin, as if trying to burn the image permanently into her mind.
Truly worthy of Degenbrecher. As a Tomorrow's Development instructor, her days were perpetually packed. She trained operators, served as a martial instructor for adventurers who hired her, and spent most of her twenty-four hours immersed in combat practice. This was her profession.
Although she had already successfully trained the Lightbearers, who had graduated as the First Legion, her career as an instructor was far from over. Whether it was combat teams or transport squads, all required her training to survive on this land.
"Carnelian, your art barriers are getting thicker," Felix said. "And your attacks are sharper too. Did you two plan this together, trying to pull a full combo on me?"
Three months earlier, Carnelian had returned briefly to her homeland of Sargon. To return wealthy without recognition was like wearing fine clothes at night. Although the Sargonian tribe she came from was not particularly backward, according to the elders, whom she considered stubborn old fossils, it still lacked modern conveniences and was far from comfortable to live in.
This time, when she returned, she brought back luggage by the truckload. Household appliances, machinery, furniture, all of it. It took two large transport aircraft and dozens of heavy drones just to unload everything she had brought home. While material conditions had changed dramatically, Sargon's customs were not something that could be altered overnight.
However, she did bring someone back with her: her younger sister, Ankhesena. A lovely Caprinae, she took on the codename Beeswax and joined the action teams as a caster. Like her sister, she wielded sand-based Originium Arts. She was a little airheaded, but highly regarded within the teams.
Watching the two Caprinae, Felix felt that their coordination was flawless, as if they had practiced together countless times.
"Huh, Felix, you noticed?"
Carnelian stuck out her tongue and licked her lips. The crimson in her eyes softened from ferocity into something damp and predatory, like a hunter gazing at beloved prey. Smiling, she stepped forward and gently pressed a hand against Felix's chest, feeling the steady rhythm of his heartbeat.
"Who would've thought," she murmured, "that the little boy I met back in Leithania would grow into such a dependable man."
She leaned close and breathed softly by his ear. "Seeing you so entangled with other women makes me a little jealous, you know."
Felix glanced at Carnelian's favorability rating. Ninety-five. That level of affection, as far as he remembered, was something only spouses ever reached.
He turned to Degenbrecher, his eyes silently pleading for help, but...
Damn it. When did Degenbrecher's favorability climb to ninety-eight?
Degenbrecher shrugged off her jacket, her body still carrying the clean scent of sweat. Seeing Carnelian pin one of Felix's arms against the wall, she moved in and firmly restrained his other arm.
"You two…"
"As the first two big sisters who followed you from the very beginning," Carnelian said lightly, "even if we don't deserve credit, we've earned some reward, haven't we?"
She licked his cheek. "Don't you know how strong a big sister's jealousy can be?"
Degenbrecher's voice remained calm. "I always wanted to protect you, but now that you've grown so strong, I can't help feeling a bit left behind."
"I miss the you who once sought my protection. I also like the confident you of today. The only difference is that you've grown from a youth into a man."
Desire burned unmistakably in her golden eyes. "Do you know how long I've been holding myself back?"
"Huh?"
"Since that time in Lungmen, after you awakened your Originium Arts."
She leaned in close, her voice carrying its usual composure and dominance. "That was when I realized there was something about you that utterly fascinated me."
"So give up struggling. You wouldn't want to hurt us, would you?"
Carnelian's eyes shone with a mix of daring excitement and a big sister's indulgent affection. Her hand slid downward, far from innocent, before she leaned in and bit down on Felix's lips.
In a brief moment between gasps, Felix cried out, "Mother Kjera, save me, please!"
"…I'm starting."
Degenbrecher's golden eyes regarded him coolly. In that instant, Felix knew they were serious.
Her attention shifted to his chest and neck as she began to bite and nibble.
Before long, the training hall filled with sounds that invited far too much imagination.
———
When Felix opened his eyes again, he found himself in the bath outside the training hall. His entire body felt soft and loose, utterly relaxed. Degenbrecher and Carnelian were there, attending to him, their hands moving steadily as they gave him a thorough massage.
"Awake?"
Carnelian straddled Felix's back as she worked her massage, her movements steady and practiced. "Your nerves have been wound tight for quite some time now. You're not like you used to be, when you could relieve stress through forging. These days, I doubt you even have time to forge at all, do you?"
"Chernobog's impact runs deep," Felix murmured. He extended an arm, letting Degenbrecher press and knead it. "It's the infected crying out in different voices across this land. Unfortunately, their cries won't stir any waves. The destruction of Reunion is already inevitable. What remains to be seen is how many survivors will make it to the end."
"Jesselton captured a high-ranking Reunion member," Carnelian continued, lying against Felix's back as she spread scented oil over his skin. "He tried to pry information out of him, but the man refused to say a word. Completely uncooperative, ready to die before giving anything up."
"Reunion is full of madmen. Even though we've left Chernobog, there are still infected wandering through the city. Empty shells, like bodies without souls."
"They died the moment they became infected."
Felix closed his eyes again. Their broken conversation drifted on for nearly half an hour. When the bath was over, Felix changed clothes, and the three of them met again outside the changing room.
Looking at the two older sisters before him, their charm only heightened after being thoroughly indulged, he cleared his throat. "I'll take responsibility."
"Oh? Senomi, Mandragora, and little Susie will be returning from Brisamar City soon," Carnelian teased. "Before they get back, how about we spend a bit more time together, get a little closer?"
"…."
Carnelian laughed softly at his flustered reaction and walked away. Degenbrecher stepped up to him, wrapped her arms around him, and pulled him into her chest, letting him rest there and listen to the steady, reassuring beat of her heart.
"When the pressure gets heavy, remember that you still have us."
After saying that, she smiled faintly, claimed a lingering kiss from his lips, and left with an air of ease.
Felix held his head. He had the distinct feeling that the two of them had planned this for a long time.
Still, ever since his charm had risen, he had known a day like this would come sooner or later. He brushed the dust from his general's uniform and headed toward the landship's control room. In a few more hours, the vessel would arrive at Lungmen.
Doctor Kal'tsit had already gone ahead to Lungmen days earlier. By now, she should have finished coordinating with Wei Yenwu. There was little left to prepare.
With that thought, Felix glanced over the tasks recently completed by the players and posted a new one.
[A-Rank Mission: Battle of Lungmen]
[Mission Details: You have received confirmed intelligence that Reunion has seized the mobile city of Kursk and is advancing toward Lungmen. The city carries a massive load of contaminated Originium. Their intentions are obvious. Stop Reunion and ensure the safety of Lungmen.]
[Mission Objective: Defeat the Reunion forces invading Lungmen]
[Reward: 150,000 EXP]
After reviewing it, Felix quietly hit send. At the same time, the Zero-style content for Version 2.0 was due for an update. He glanced at the Desperate Battle already unlocked by player progress and added it as a special reward to the Defense of Lungmen.
[Sarkaz King's Castle: Desperate Battle Unlocked]
(Kingdom of Kazdel "Ultimate")
(絶魔王城の幻想戦)
[Atop the highest peak stands the castle of the Sarkaz. Once, ten beings of different races, appearances, and powers sat within it. They gathered and scattered over time, much like the land itself. Yet their mutual distrust prevented them from fighting side by side.
Under the command of the King of Liberation Felix, they cast aside old grudges and reunited in the Sarkaz's Castle. Facing the invading enemy, they bared their fangs.]
[Location: Thorned Sarkaz's Castle]
[Time Limit: 120 minutes]
[Party Size: 8]
[Level Requirement: 60]
A royal court setting aside past grudges to fight together did sound a bit like a fairy tale. Felix found the description absurd and surreal, but considering that Desperate Battles were not part of the real world but rather another possible reality, it no longer surprised him.
"Estimated time to Yan border: 2 hours and 14 minutes. Yan border has been opened to Tomorrow's Development."
Felix headed toward the hangar. The Venus would not dock near Lungmen, partly to counter Kursk's approach. As he walked, he found himself wondering whether he should give Kursk a taste of full broadside of the city-defense cannon when the time came.
The itch to fire artillery guns was creeping up again.