A large, checkered round table sat upon the center of the vast, colorless space. Numbering in millions of squares, it resembled a battlefield of black and white akin to that of a chessboard. From pawns to kings, numerous peerages were placed upon the table; making their moves ever so slightly. A golden thread wrapped themselves around a few king pieces, connecting to other kings; a symbol of alliance. All the kings were of different color, a huge difference to the original chess pieces. The king's followers corresponded to the king's color, showing that they belonged under that certain king's rule. Witnessing the battle between Kings, stood multiple figures surrounding the round table that was protected by a faint barrier. But their focus was not on the battlefield, and instead, were indulged in their discussion about the mysterious presence that intruded into their domain a week ago.

A deep hoarse voice, with wrath engraved into its tone spoke up.

"I say we eradicate the intruder!"

A few figures nodded their heads at the suggestion, some remained tranquil while others shook their heads in protest. One particular figure spoke up, its voice young yet mature, and filled with dignity.

"A foolish decision made despite experiencing the difference in strength."

"A threat is still a threat, it is best we combine our powers together and dispose of this entity." A husky and chilling voice retorted.

"I'm afraid it's not that simple." One of those who remained silent spoke up, its voice ethereal and soothing, but the authority within silenced those who spoke and those who were about to.

"What do you suggest, Wisest?" The three figures asked with a submissive tone.

Silence took place around the table, the tension seemed to rise as they awaited for the figure's response. Two of the three hoped for the order to dispose of the intruder.

"It is best we wait, let the entity roam around unless it decides to go against the laws of the world, or worst, destroy it."

Most nodded albeit some filled with reluctance and fear of the 'Wisest', but the figure who spoke first about eradicating the entity protested.

"Preposterous! Are we gonna risk the world's safety for a single entity?"

"Are you questioning my decision, Strongest?" The voice's tone seemed chilly, and further increased the tense atmosphere.

"Surely we can deal with a single entity, can we not, Wisest?" The second figure who sided with the first spoke up.

"A bunch of battle-minded fools. Just as Youngest had said, the difference in power is far and wide, and even I may not be sure if all of us combined can defeat, let alone, suppress the entity."

The table was yet again, engulfed in silence upon registering the words of the Wisest. Wisest was always decisive, and if even Wisest was unsure of their success in defeating the intruder, what else could they do?

The second figure who rejected the first's idea of eradication, spoke up.

"What is our possibility of success if we followed Fastest's plan and included Greatest?"

With a firm and apprehensive tone, Wisest spoke up.

"Approximately fifty percent."

Gasps escaped the lips of multiple figures, if even Greatest was included; it only amounted to fifty percent. It was a dire situation indeed.

"I suggest we let Greatest decide the final course of action." A high pitched voice spoke up.

The figures all nodded and turned their heads to a certain individual who had stayed silent throughout the entire discussion, and the only one who had kept their gaze upon the black and white battlefield. Lifting their head, its eyes pierced through the souls of those gathered around it, chills crawled up their spines as a few swallowed their saliva in anticipation and fear.

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A great deep voice of high authority, overlapped with another that was feminine and high pitched spoke up.

"We shall follow Wisest's plan. But shall the entity involve itself within or out of the Game, observe and keep tabs of it and only take action if it decides to interfere with the rules of the Game."

Strongest spoke up, his pride could not take it. How could a single entity possibly threaten him, or all of them?

"But Greatest—"

"All in favor, say Aye." Greatest spoke up with a bit of intimidation, directed towards the figure who dared go against it. Clearly leaving no room for refusal.

Strongest swallowed his frustrations and suppressed the fear building inside.

"A-Aye."

Followed by the rest of the figure's voices of agreement, the table was now engulfed in silence and all their gazes were fixed back onto the battlefield.

-

"For fuck's sake!" A dry voice croaked out its complains, belonging to a middle aged man swinging a broken pipe into the heads of the strange creatures swarming around him. His short black hair messy and all over the place.

"Behind you!" A mature, feminine voice warned one of the three men. She placed her pale and sweaty palms up into the air before streaks of light covered her hands, and shooting out into the creatures in front of her, electrocuted, burnt, and dead. She used one of her hands to push back a strand of blonde hair in the way of her vision. She turned and twisted her body before landing a kick into the head of one of the creatures behind her, sliding past its eyes as it screeched in pain; doubling the effect since she wore heels. It's a wonder to how she could fight in a horde of monsters with those pain-in-the-ass heels equipped.

"Minerva!" A woman of short stature pointed her palms against the surface, the surrounding air started to drop down in temperature and before the creatures could make their move, ice began to form from the concrete ground. The creatures who surrounded the woman were met with unfortunate fates as the ice crawled over them and soon froze them from head to toe. Materializing an ice rapier out of air, she twirled and swung her sword into the vital areas of some creatures before her back landed against a familiar face, the blonde woman.

Sending each other a smirk, both started making use of their abilities, the cute sight of the woman's short brown hair bobbing up and down made a certain man observing chuckle. His pale eyes narrowed at the approaching creatures before piercing his petrified arm into the head of a creature. Witnessing the destroyed head of the disgusting frog-like creature up close made him frown in distaste. A closer creature waved its mutilated limbs around in an attempt to attack the man. Stomping onto the ground with his foot, a wave of sharp stones emerged from the ground and pierced through multiple other creatures that trailed behind the one in front of him.

Not far from the scene, a duo of both a man and woman with similar features fought alongside with each other in equal strength. Standing side to side, they intertwined one of their hands and reached out before purple flames encircled and engulfed their arms. Not for long, hundreds of the surrounding creatures were entrapped within the flames, their wails resounding through the ruined streets before inevitably dying from being burnt to a crisp.

A creature managed to sink its razor sharp teeth into the arm of the middle aged man. Piercing through his skin and into his flesh, blood gushed out of his wound as he held his scream and smashed the head of the pipe into its brains. His stomach turned at the sight of the chunks of its brain splattered around his arm. Forcing it off of him, he tossed the corpse to the side and swung his pipe around in fatigue. His pale white shirt now dyed with the colors of both his and the creature's blood. Signs of exhaustion overwhelmed him and he wanted nothing more than to surrender, but his life was on the stake and he could not allow himself to die after coming so far.

At the corner of his eye, he spotted a cloaked figure leisurely approaching the group in the center of the horde. Rather than relief or delight, his eyes were filled with suspicion, he could not trust anyone in this world especially after experiencing the betrayal of his closest friends. Even if he had to fight to the death, it was better to die in the hands of a monster than be betrayed once again by someone of your own kind. Gritting his teeth, he averted his gaze and continued the battle against these frog-like creatures.

The worn out cape of the ashy cloak swirled and danced as it trailed behind the possessor of the cloak. In the embrace of the figure's arms lay a broken branch of cherry blossoms, naturally, his presence alerted the rest of the middle aged man's group members. Their eyes were filled with suspicion as they attempted to fight while observing the mysterious cloaked figure.

"Just a bunch of peasants..." The figure's inaudible voice did not enter their ears as most of their attention were focused on the frog-like creatures.

But soon, their eyes dilated from shock as the entire horde soon had their heads decapitated in mere minutes. The surroundings froze and their gazes traced the direction of the heads flying with dangling organs in sight, blood trailing not far behind. The moment the heads landed against the concrete surface, their leftover bodies followed and collapsed onto the ground with loud thumps. The impact snapped all of them back to reality before immediately sending questioning and suspicious gazes mixed with a hint of admiration and respect towards the cloaked figure. They all knew nobody in their group could accomplish such an incredible feat, and the only figure present aside from them was the mysterious figure who continued to leisurely make its way towards them. They became wary and their grips tightened around their weapons, preparing their attacks.

The cloaked figure halted its steps as it turned its line of sight to the middle aged man.

"Would you kindly tell me the directions to 'Eden'?"