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-dragon kingdom-
Only he didn’t even as he was bleeding out his stump of an arm he turned to the armored Cherubim throwing his blood on the gold, white and blue armor. “For the wise and kind goddess Simmra! I will see you both soon.” Whispering the last part about his family, lost in the beast-men invasion.
Screaming in her mind yet traped by the despair in her heart, unable to move. Transfixed in slow motion as the Cherubim raised the huge sword up, bringing it down. She could have teleported him away or shown herself yet fear like chains pulled back such thoughts.
Feeling the snow rain down on her as the screen of winter slush cleared. Elias, someone who looked dead when she first found him lying in the remains of his home. Elias, who had been her first follower and the first person she helped. Now there was nothing left of him but red-stained snow and earth.
Rushing over to the spot once the danger flew away. Staring at the place with tears unable to believe this faith, she had done so little the most she had done was talk with him.
‘Why he could have lived all he had to do was point at me?’ Getting pulled away by Hana into the shadows as three Principality Peace and Archangel Flames passed overhead. Finally, forcing herself to look up at the group of Third Sphere angels in sorrow and rage [Hellfire- her arm stopped seeing a Seraph Empyrean guardian.
Crying as she was running again, she was a coward. Messaging her followers to use the summon scrolls, they might die to the fallen angels, but she couldn’t risk herself. Her heart wouldn’t stop hurting. Why couldn’t they understand she didn’t ask for such loyalty. Yeah, she fed them, healed them, and gave them a job. It wasn’t even for a selfless reason. They were just useful.
Even as angry as she was, Simmra wouldn’t step out to face the First sphere of angels herself unless she could kill them in one shot. Otherwise, she might die. The fear of that alone was enough to freeze up any thoughts of vengeance.
Scanning for some vampire, she had no idea what they even looked like. Sure there should only be one in the whole city, but that might as well be a tiny needle in a giant burning haystack.
Stopping as her divine warning spell alerted her to something that shouldn’t be here—the lanky form of a level 80 shadow demon variant a shade’s desire.
Peeking out, the street was filled with bodies around them of Delight’s men. Rotting away as the Principality Observations, Principality Peace, and Archangel Flames close by where fighting and killing each other. Even the buildings were ruined as they just crumbled away to nothing. The demon was silent, but Simmra got the feeling that it enjoyed watching the angels fight as its twisted puppets.
Its red eyes hidden behind the vail turned to look at her even hidden entirely in the alleyway.
Watching in fear and shock as it sank into its own shadow. Rushing over to Simmra and rising out of the shadows, only two feet behind her.
Hana raised her mace and shield while Gabriel readied his own arming sword and kite shield. The demon didn’t attack despite the horrible intent in its gaze.
“Betrayer, summoner wants you to have this. I will protect you so long as you complete your task.” The shade’s desires held out a map along with a red cloth that was worn.
Simmra carefully took the map and cloth, which allowed her to see a small building on the edge of the city where Evileye was hiding.
“Who is your summoner? Hay, where are you going!”
Looking back, the high-level demon was already hiding in her shadow, watching her silently. The threat was clear if she failed, it would act. She hushed Hana and moved quickly. They couldn’t risk teleporting. The only reason they could even walk around so much was because of how many people were rising up, trying to leave the city, or get food and shelter to survive winter.
It wouldn’t stay like this messaging every follower to hunker down. They had done enough for now, and she was close to Blue Rose.
Simmra breathed a sigh of relief as she spotted the half-collapsed inn and house. Reminding her of how much the outer city had been left unrepaired after they retook the city. Quickly getting in hearing hushed voices.
“We can’t get any useful information like this.”
“What would you like us to do with the civil war going on out there. Tina and I can’t even cross the main roads to the center of the city without finding a trail of bodies.”
“Don’t forget about all the angels and guards roaming about.”
Peeking in the room as the short-masked vampire she assumed was Evileye used hand signs.
“Not you too shorty, how are we going to get something useful.”
Simmra gathered her courage walking into the room. “What we need to do is leave while we can.”
The two blonde twins pulled out their blades, the muscular woman wielded her hammer and the blonde woman with the enormous dark sword.
Simmra raised her hands up in surrender. “I am Simmra this is Hana and Gabriel look we don’t have time after this chaos the city will have so few people left that it will be impossible to leave.”
Evileye made some more hand signs though Simmra couldn’t read them. Looking to the others scanning for clues. Using her divine spell spotting the small curse around their throat.
“Ah you have a silence curse [holy wording: exile malice]”
Casting the spell, the power behind the curse was excessive. It struggled to push back against Simmra's positive magic. Like tar clinging with all its might, it took a tense five minutes to see the ethereal cloud evaporate.
‘Who the hell cast such a powerful curse?’ “How did you get cursed anyway.”
The rest of Blue Rose looked at Evileye, rubbing her throat. Her voice was still rough. “A man-eating monster spider posing as a maid. She could summon bugs and use talismans.”
Simmra frowned an Insect Master, and talisman users were not known to use a curse like that. Deciding to let the matter drop, Evileye pissed off the vampire lord to get that curse.
“As I was saying, we can’t leave for our own reasons.”
Simmra put a hand over her face why did everyone in this world not seem to care about there own lives. Was she the only survivalist around, or did they live such horrible lives that they didn’t see its value?
“Look, I can’t get caught, and I can’t let you get caught either. There are scripture members and angels of the fallen flying city under the command of a mad man. If any of them find us, we are dead!”
The leader with the giant sword frowned at her. “If we leave without completing our mission, we are worse than dead.”
Simmra screamed in her mind at these crazy people. Of course, her survival came down to fighting her old friends. There was a higher chance of it, the longer they stayed. The death of Elias flashed in her mind, along with so many others gritting her teeth. Huffing and pouting at them alright, she could still do this just avoid big fights.
“Fine, then we need to move while the chaos allows it. I have a hideout that won't crumble in the next snowfall.”
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-Fortress Sofli-
The [Aspect of lycancat: greater crimson fur] had the subtle side effect of keeping her warm despite the thick snow around them. At this point, the crimson fur aspect could be kept on without much effort even while she was sleeping. The only downside is it made her hungry more often to keep up her stamina.
Looking over both Sinadra and Normick with a proud smile, both had learned three first and second-tier spells and gained greater ability boost. They were still within the human range, only rising two levels. Rita herself had not improved in corrupted hybrid or any other class.
She had learned four new spells and gained even better control over the drain of her aspects. The closest classes she was to leveling up was Inferno swordsmen and shapeshifter. Both would take a while unless she wanted another life-threatening fight to the death.
Kathrin had explained that part of her and Kyuketsuki’s rapid growth was due to not needing to sleep or eat. While they could both eat somehow, their bodies just made the energy it needed. It was more complicated than that most of what her mistress said went over Rita's head.
That and they were both workaholics letting others take breaks while they were always working on something. That sounded nice if not for the few talks with her supreme being missing the ability to dream. It did make Rita wonder if she wants the ability to not have to rest.
For now, the little gains would have to be enough; the days were dragging on. Which had her wonder just how long the dragon would take the lazy lizard. Did they not know how foolish it was to give them this much time?
Helping both her future packmates up huffing for breath and cold. “You sure I can’t have that skill already. It’s freezing out here?”
Rita teasingly grinned at Sinadra pouting in return any further reply was cut off at the shouts of alarm and sound of snow crunching.
Turning around, Rita saw the shining white armored figure standing there. Two floating swords by its side. Noting that with [Aspect of Lycancat: beastly senses and supernatural sight], this was not human.
Instead, the magic around the armor was very odd. It had no smell to it. Like every living being did even undead had small aromas to them. This was like a void. They weren’t affected by the cold either.
Watching the moving armor look around even at her. “Where is the one responsible for the taint that stains this whole area.”
Rita hissed at this thing; how dare he insult Lord Kyuketsuki realizing something. Neither she nor could any of the others notice the change in the area. Her hand went to her swords but halted this thing looked like living armor so swords would be pointless. “Mace or war hammer now!”
One soldier throws her a magic morning star, it was not the best weapon against such strong magic armor. Better then nothing holding a shield in the other hand. “Are you the dragon lord after him.”
Try as she might, Rita had no way to read this walking metal. It had to be remotely controlled.
The voice sounded inquiring and angry at her question. “I see you know, then you should know fighting this body will not hurt me. Where is the player! I can’t allow it to do any more damage to this world even if I must kill his corrupted slaves to do so!”
A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
Ritana gaged this puppet armor. It was powerful even with the mace, it would be a challenge to fight. Charging as her body glowed, activating martial arts and Aspects of lycancat. Fainting a swing to the right before slamming the morning star as hard as she could into the armor on the left flank.
It left a small dent in the armor, but she had to avoid the blades. Still receiving a small grazing cut, even with the protection of her [ascpect of lycancat: greater crimson fur].
Unable to fight as mistress Kathrin's thoughts urged her to move back now!
Rita screamed out a warning to the others, “Get to Cover now!”
She had to dodge jumping as far away as she could, dragging both guardsmen away, shouting out her warning. The armor was bathed in blinding light as every siege weapon high on the walls fired its huge bolts into the armor.
Rita was sure she would be blinded had she been looking that way. As the water of melted snow rained down on her as warm rainwater. Intense light shining from behind her back, followed by loud booms of thunder. Deafening to her ears to all other sounds till it died down.
Once she could stand again, Rita struggled to her feet, seeing the courtyard just inches from her was nothing but a scorched deep crater filled with steam. The armor was totally destroyed even the ballista bolts that hit it were no were in sight only crispy fragments scattered around the bottom of the crater
“What happened?”
Kathrin informed her that this was her doing, not giving the puppet a chance to hurt Rita more. The ground shook as Rita rushed out to the gates of the keep.
The sight before her was one she had to wonder if there was a point of her guarding the emperor. As Kiyohime’s three heads blasted breath attacks and ripped at the dragon’s scales with a wild frenzy. Clemvent chains pierced its legs and wings, tearing at the scales without mercy. Lady Kathrin ripped something out of the detached claw. Kathrin quickly put the item in her inventory, the battle couldn’t have been more than a few minutes.
If it could be called a battle, Lord Kyuketsuki scowled the whole time at the downed dragon as it slowly died. Without him having to move at all. What made him fear the dragon even getting in one attack it couldn’t move as Kiyohime bit out its neck the final blow as it died.
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-Kyuketsuki-
That was too close. The stupid dragon didn’t even understand how dangerous the WCI was. It could decimate the entire continent. How it got ahold of the world-class item didn’t matter, nor did its weakened state. If that small cross had been used, so many would have died.
Sighing in relief as the dragon breathed its last breath. Scowling Kathrin had used her most potent lightning spells to destroy the other puppet. It was danger close for Rita and a few troops, but he couldn’t take the chance that it had a world item as well. Best he could hope was that it had not gathered any information out of the near instantaneous destruction of the armor puppet.
Holding up the world gem shards as the world corruption whispered what he needed to do. It would not be pretty, and doing so would use up every part of the dragon.
“That was sooo much fun master can I eat it now!” Clemvet screamed in joy, drooling at the blood and mess.
“No, go check on the puppet, make sure nothing was on it. Also, keep any of the guards from seeing this next part.”
Walking up to the dead dragon, its soul was still powerful despite passing. It didn’t even lose any power after dyeing. Watching it glare at him opening his hand feeling a little drained as all four shards where not one piece. Glistening with too many shades of pure darkness to count, turning to the fearful spirit of the dragon.
Whispering [Muketsu eternal curse: source distortion]
All emotion drained out of him like the dream deal. Watching as the soul of the dragon let out a blood-curdling scream of pure agony as its very soul was ripped apart and dragged into the many colors of the pitch-black void. It was odd to think that darkness could have so many different shades and tones.
Oddly mesmerizing to watch it all the horrible art created by this tainted magic. All of it reduced to the shard of a gem that fits in his hand. Then used [tainted fusion] to merge them with the rest. The great power lost as it all combined into the dark space in his hand.
Shaking his head as his emotions returned, scowling what was that? It didn’t feel like himself. It was cold, cruel, and unfeeling like an eldritch horror had reached into him and asked to see that through him.
Even that didn’t fit. It was impossible to describe watching something so cruelly and heartlessly ripped apart and put back together so half hazardly. Only seeking to see what incredible artwork it would create. Kyuketsuki wasn’t even sure how to feel about it at all, only to have it all suppressed to a calm nothingness.
“Are you ok? My love, what did you do?”
Kettor had an answer, but even onlookers like Kathrin didn’t truly comprehend the impossible artwork of an alien mind. So fundamentally different that there was just no way to explain. Now he understood what World Corruption class was. He was barely tapping the tip of what it could do, and that scared him. Pushing all thought about it to the back of his mind. He would deal with it later.
“Fine, and I will have to show you later. There are no words to properly explain what that spell did.”
Kathrin hummed in thought, looking at his MP. “I would hope so that spell took up almost half your mana. With the use of [tainted fusion], you are almost out for today.”
Kyuketsuki chuckled at that this was about par for the course. The insane drain of spells for world corruption made it so laser-focused he had to plan and strategize how to use them. Which would leave him almost defenseless against magic for the hours of recharge time.
Jester shimmered in front of him, taking off her mask and beaming. “That was quicker than expected, looks like it was no trouble for you.”
Kathrin gripped his arm tightly, glaring at the administrator.
“It was surprising to learn that none of its wild magic was working. I doubt the other one will be so careless after this. That said, you failed to tell me it had one of the twenty!”
Jester smiled sheepishly at the accusation. “Well, I kind of forgot I was taking care of something. I knew you could handle it, though, so everything is fine.”
Kettor glared at the admin’ handing over the world gem piece, looking like a small gem now. Jester took it, watching it overfilled with energy as she did. “Oh, wonderful, my champion, as for your end. I can do that kind of a waste, but no problem.”
“If it makes Rita happy, then the boosted EXP gain for both herself and her new friends is worth the cost.”
Jester gave a gentle warm beam. “Tell you what I can temporarily reduce the time it takes for them to learn new magic and skills as well. Seems only fair, all I ask is that you help me talk Momonga into accepting Simmra.”
He pondered the offer deeply; it was something that until he learned of Simmra he had not considered. Already he had run into or found out about four other players. Not knowing how many were already here or would show up. The different time and place each person landed seemed random.
“Jester, do you remember how many where still on before YGGDRASIL vanished?”
The admin’ took up a thoughtful pose. “No, but if I have to guess anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand. Granted, the number drop sharply just before shut down. I have no idea how many where willing to risk the forced logout. It is never a pleasant feeling.”
Kyuketsuki thought on the odd words he knew them once. Forced logout was on his mind just before the end of the old worlds. What it meant was lost to him.
Before dropping the matter in favor of the more pressing concern. That there was too good a chance that other players had arrived here and still might depending on what factors determined when and where they would.
“Ah, you already see why I want Nazarick to gather other players. Then I don’t need to tell you that now the dragon lord will start gathering them as well after your showing today. Most of all, watch out for the son of the dragon emperor, the Platinum Dragon Lord, also known as Tsaindorcus Vaision.”
Kettor memorized the name and title as Jester shimmered away with her prize.
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-Jester-
Muketsu couldn’t believe just how much the tainted soul gem boosted her powers. Before, it was a struggle to open six observation windows. Now she could stand in the middle of the Kaza plains and simply turn her head. To see to the edges of every part of the kingdom in this region seeing everything in her area. Even better, she could split her focus between doing two things at once.
All thanks to the new job class.
[demi-god] portfolio skill tree focus: Corruption, deception, void, fabrication, and Heteromorphic creatures.
Muketsu was not surprised that destruction was not a focus as much as her sister would like to believe it was one. Speaking of which, she left her real body to examine this tainted soul gem time to check on Ayane.
Stepping out of the administer realm as the void formed her projection, no the avatar made of nothingness. Appeared in the fallen guild base, the old queen of the dragon kingdom was a drunk now. The fear of her champion feeds into her mana pool as the city was in total chaos.
None of Canrvial’s champions had any link to her, but the one desperate for something that he couldn’t have. It would become her downfall when he found out the truth. Ainz was almost here as well, not that he had much to worry about besides a few angels in the first sphere and second sphere.
HK was the biggest threat, but if she could nudge Simmra, then he could be weakened. Delight would be crushed by the floor guardians. This was just sad. Jester suppressed her emotions with a flash of green. Sister had this much coming to her. If she allowed her first champion to come, then there wouldn’t even be a challenge.
Walking silently to the room, throwing up a fake reality to test her skills with the new job class. Seeing Carnival watching the might of Jester's champion using herself created spell on the dragon lord body. Was it really necessary to vomit at her first spell in the new world?
“Sister, you shouldn't do that. It’s bad for your health.”
Watching Carnival turn to her surprised? ‘she didn’t know when I got here wait no, not just that she thought this shell of an avatar was her real body.’
“What do you want? I followed our rules.”
Ayane was shaking even her mask might as well not be there. She could read her sister like an open book, and Carnival couldn't understand her at all or even realize she wasn't really here. She had waited for this moment for 400 years to prove Ayane her plan could work.
“Do you remember what you told me after you help killed my stupid greed king champions. More of a sacrificial pawn now that I think back on it. Really taught me a lot, not just about myself. It showed me that you never really loved me even now, glaring at me with such hateful eyes. Where is the sister I knew?”
Jester created three illusions of herself, noticing that Carnival couldn't tell which of them was real. Taking a step back, her brown eyes filled with terror and fury. Jester kept her eyes on the [Truth seeker blade] while her power was much more significant. She still wasn’t much for combat; she didn’t even really have any dedicated weapon aside from randomly created weapons.
“I only told you that because I was angry, did you see how much damage you did. I told you they would destroy themselves, and they took most of the world they knew with them!”
Muketsu shifted her mask to a wide toothy grin chuckling filled with wrath and pain. The same BS as before judging her by her inexperience at the time. There was a reason she had Heteromorphic creatures as a focus. Of course, Ayane didn’t understand she did not see that was the same reason all her chosen warriors were turning on her.
“Tisk, tisk dear sister, you haven’t learned a thing even after the thirteen heroes, did you? Leadership is about knowing how to work with your team. With people, you should be able to trust like I trusted you.”
Carnival came out in full, taking away her dear sister again. Ripping off the mask to show the Dark Elf humanoid face. Her immortal face unchanged even after all this time. “Don’t you start, it was your fault. They fell apart to begin with! Your obsession with dark and evil creatures pushed me to help them in the first place!”
Jester was thankful for the green wave, washing away the pain and hurt. Being undead was much better then the last race she swapped to. This couldn’t get rid of the deep cold anger hidden under her grinning mask.
“If you remember sister, I was trying to organize and teach them to be better then there nature. If I have been given a few years...Instead, you killed them all without even stopping to understand half of what drove them. They were lost and abandoned. Marking them as evil when humans just misunderstood their needs.”
Carnival did something unexpected, attacking one of the illusions on the far right. Stabbing right through it, even watching it bleed out in shock at her own action. Before vanishing but the acts sparked something in Muketsu that she didn’t think she could still feel again.
Betrayed again by her own sister. This proved it her sister was lost in that fake mask twisted against her by this world.
“ss-sorry I panicked…look. Do you know why I took over the covenant of crows? It was because, again, you were putting together monsters that would have destroyed the world we know. If I gave you a few years, there would be nothing left just stop this, please let's go off together like when we first got here.”
Jester narrowed her eyes. Ayane was sidelining her and lying right to her face. Crying and begging like she was the bad guy! She had lost two of her primary senses for years. Been robbed by her own sister and still suffered minor panic attacks, if she felt a little light touching her! Struggling to trust anyone these days.
Jester snaped two illusions attacking only to again have Ayane fight to kill her. Targeting vital spots if that had been her, she would be dead.
Jester mask scowled as she vanished from Carnival’s eyes. “I was joking before, but it appears you really do hate me deep down, don’t you? You didn’t even hesitate. You didn’t listen to a word I said, hoping I really do vanish forever!” All humor or myth was gone from Jester’s tone.
Carnival was shaking her eyes, scanning the room even as Jester was standing right in front of her. Holding up the dagger and looking at her lost sister so fearful and angry. Jesters' hands were shaking before banishing the weapon. “I just came here to talk and say that I will prove it could work. But since you hate me enough to try killing even a fake version of me. I guess the only real family now is my champion big brother Kyuketsuki. He trusts and cares enough not to try killing me. Unlike you, Ayane.”
“Wait, no Muketsu, you don’t understand…this sword…I.”
Oddly, her hateful eyes changed to slits like a lizard. “…will murder and eat your soul for what you have done to my kin! You will never…my…s-sister-” Jester's eyes returned as if to confirm her own feelings. Panting for breath, unable to form words with how angry she was.
Stopping at the door of the room as blood tears flowed down past her mask. “I was going to help you escape Ayane. But I only see a stranger pointing a sword and seeking to kill me. I hear by denounce the rules of alliance accord. Shou…S-Should I see you come after big brother Kyuketsuki again, I…I will kill you.” Jester felt her emotion again washed away in green. As her eyes glowed deep crimson bound by her contract.
The sound of a loud string snapping filled the air. Along with [The turn counter] was gone. Nothing would stop her from granting her Champions requests now.
Jester fled back to her void, unwilling to deal with these wretched emotions any longer.
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-End of Chapter-