September 28, 2080.
The clock is slowly striking in.
*D-I-N-G*
The icy atmosphere within this enormous Throne Room chills the air inside, and the cold blue crystals radiating their blinding light shows a group of valiant women standing on the opposite side of the throne. A girl, standing behind all alone while her friends made their move up front. With one standing on the side and the other flying high, they are attempting the impossible.
A pitch-black dragon casting mist of volumetric fog out of its jarring mouth full of sharp fangs. Its 8 serrated horns highlight the purple beast of animal in its eyes. Glowing so brightly in rage.
{Gillz Hrundak, Abandoned Heir of the Dragon Lord | Lv. 10.000 | Transcendental Purity: Demigod}
Standing behind its horns is a hooded skeleton in a pitch-black robe. It carries a staff with an unnerving look. At the tip of it lies, three left hands grasping a large dark gem that glows the moment it made contact with magical energy.
{Ludwig, Mage of the Abyss | Lv. 10.000 | Transcendental Purity: Demigod}
Against them, floating in the air above, wield two different wands with the features of that of a dragon. She wears a revealing outfit that provides little to no defense, but the benefits it gave are otherworldly. The wide grin under the large pointy hat she wears shows no fear.
{Kurira, Woman of the Hour | Lv. 6699 | Transcendental Purity: Eternal}
On the low ground is one who cloaked herself entirely, revealing no skin whatsoever, she blends into the shadows naturally. With a serrated dagger in each hand, her focus is concentrated on the enemy.
{Rakuri, Shadow's Hand | Lv. 5826 | Transcendental Purity: Eternal}
And she who wears a majestic robe covered in dread, she who wields a staff with several human skulls tied to the tip. She stood behind menacingly with an incomprehensible amount of excitement and fear.
{Dola, Devotee of the End Kings | Lv. 8604 | Transcendental Purity: Eternal}
...
*BOOM*
A blast of an explosion destroyed the flow of air beside the skeleton’s face.
"Woo-hoo!" shouted Kurira flying in the sky, "Hell yeah! Debuff's in, baby! Shit clear for you, bitch!"
“Shut UP!” yelled Rakuri.
Quickly shifting her attention to the skeleton, despite what Kurira said, Rakuri knows well that the debuff did not “in” at all. But it didn’t discourage her, Rakuri tapped the ground as hard as she could and mumbled, “Acceleration.”
*Bwoosh*
She dashed towards the dragon at an extremely fast speed, but it noticed her coming. It moves its head like an eel before hurling a giant black flame out of its mouth, it swirls like a spiral of wind. At just the right moment with the right movement, it passes her just barely.
*Bwoomph*
Leaving trails of black flame that should remain untouched.
Rakuri split open the air and suddenly reappeared at the bottom of the dragon while maneuvering her body to avoid a collision. She repelled herself to the back end of its tail and climbed it high before stabbing it.
*ROAR*
The scream of the dragon as it shot up a black flame to the ceiling, groaning as its head turned, “Dur hi. Zu’u fent du hin bein kopraan.”
Rakuri brings her legs up to a swirl before stepping on top of the dragon and dragging her dagger all the way to its back, tearing its body as dark blood gushed out of it. But there she found the skeleton awaiting as the dragon roared in pain once more. The two dots in the skeleton’s eye sockets are a form of his eyes, “You dare,” his disturbing voice as his eyes turn white. A spark of silver thunder formed at the tip of his bones, violently striking anything around it.
Noticing exactly what he is casting, Rakuri formed her hands together, a sign. The Skeleton aim the clashing thunder at Rakuri as her eyes peeled. Smoke coming out of her hand, a sinister dark aura emerging outwardly from her body, she mutters, "Transcendental Law of Shadow, Murciélago."
*Crackle*
*Bwoooosh*
A storm of lightning blasts through the center of her body, but as soon as it hits, her entire being splintered into shadowy bats and scattered throughout the room, dissipating. When the storm passes, she emerges from the Skeleton's shadow.
"True Aspect of the Blade, Edged Continuity Reflection."
The dragon flinched, shouting, "Bo nu!"
As soon as he heard it, the Skeleton attempts to fly but suddenly, as if time has stopped, a ray of light slashes his body apart before another one appeared. Vertical, horizontal, one after another, slashes of slashes from the ray of light appeared within a second, reflected by the many square glasses that magically appeared around him. The image where all the slices appear soon cracks.
*CRASH*
The layers of invisible barriers protecting the skeleton broke while he himself has been wounded by the attack, but cuts on its bones and clothes quickly healed themselves.
“Acceleration!”
Rakuri dashes through the air, attacking the skeleton repeatedly with a slash after slash but he kept blocking them with his staff. His barrier started forming but with each attack Rakuri is doing, the faster she gets. From the ground, the dragon tries to assist by attempting to blast both of them with a hurl of dark flame, but then suddenly shouted a woman from afar, “BUBBLE SHELL!”
A liquid barrier formed around the dragon just right before it shouted its breath.
*BOOOM*
It cooks itself alive by its own attack.
Rakuri kept on attacking the skeleton, but no matter how many times she strikes, the barrier protecting the skeleton formed much quicker than her attack.
“Sim Parse!” upon mattering those words, the last attack she does is a stab that pierces every barrier the skeleton has and she herself reappeared behind him while rotating her body with one leg swinging.
*BAM*
The skeleton flew straight down at the impact of her attack. Before gravity pulls Rakuri down, Kurira appeared in front of her, grinning as she let Rakuri float with her magic, “Heheh, could let you fall.”
“Bitch.”
Tilting her pointy hat, “Ready?”
“Do it.”
Kurira reappeared behind her. Lighting suddenly flashes, circling them both as Kurira’s appearance turns into a shade of a thunder element, including her eyes.
Rakuri then summoned a single dagger that is shaped differently than before, primarily how it arched to the front instead of to the back. She then muttered, "Core Lightning Infusion."
The lightning spiral into her daggers, absorbed.
*Zzzzzzzt *Crackle *Crackle
Kurira then gives her a push, “Sim Blast.”
*Bwoosh*
Rakuri flew straight down with a lightning strike.
*BOOOOOOOOM*
Smoke clouded everyone’s vision. It was until it clears up that one can see Rakuri below the pitch-black dragon, its eyes opened.
Rakuri, in disbelief, her hand started shaking. But not because of fear, but rage. The moment the dragon’s jaw comes out of the smoke to gnaw on her body, she escaped by jumping over but there she met the skeleton, unharmed, prepared to cast his spell, “Chaos Blaze.”
Eyes peeled as a swirl of red flame comes, “Sim Parse!”
Piercing through the lava and reappearing behind him but he already turned with his hand wide open. Magical energy formed in less than a second, pushing Rakuri with a blast of wind.
*Bwoosh*
“Hrrngh,” her eyes widened as she tries to resist the flow. She attempts to stab the dragon’s tail which has already healed, but then suddenly, it moves in a different way than she expected and Rakuri gets blown once again by the physical attack of the dragon’s tail.
She flew across the ice fields, destroying many crystals in her path until the back of her head collided with the throne.
*BAM*
Blood spills out as she falls.
Kurira witnessed it all. How Rakuri’s body went limp upon the throne. The wands in her hands were let go and they fall to the ground, but then, Kurira closed her eyes and mumbled, “Aspect of the Hellblade, Ignition.”
*Bwooosh*
Red flame engulfs her body entirely. Her hair flows upwardly like she’s going on a downward stream in a river, every single part of her body denies gravity. The dragon and skeleton sense what is about to come and began charging their attacks.
Kurira’s flaming hands created embers, she raised both of her arms and formed her hands into a circle aiming at the dragon and the skeleton.
“Ultima Vow,” her eyes raging in fire, “Combustion!”
*BWOOOOOOOOOOSH*
A breath that summons the hellfire. The dragon and the skeleton’s black and red flames collided against it, creating a massive outbreak of flame.
Kurira abruptly stopped the breath and opened her arms, muttering, “Transcendental Law of Hellblade,” she grasped the air above the dragon and bring it down, “Explosion!”
“BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM*
Massive destruction burns the center of the throne room. The icy crystal soon melted because of the heat generated by all three-fire colliding with one another.
Soon, the flame disappears slowly from her hair as it goes down until her body returns to normal but at that time, she is exhausted. But then, she saw movement from the center where she casted her strongest spell, “No fucking way,” said it exhaustively.
Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.
Glancing at the girl standing with a giant transparent golden white clock who stays behind, “Oi, are you touching yourself there, hon?”
No replies, when she shifts her attention to Rakuri’s lying down so lifelessly, she mumbled, “Fucking Realism Mode,” but then she saw her moving and getting back up. A grin started to form and it gets wider and wider. Moving towards her, but then.
*D-I-I-I-I-N-G*
A striking sound of a bell echoes across the hall, one that almost deafens her ears. The sound came from the woman in the back, Dola, she has been standing behind the battle all this time. Carrying a large transparent golden-white clock that keeps ticking behind her back.
“Heheheh, what would you guys do without me?”
Suddenly from the opposite end, “Lighting Infusion!”
*BOOM*
Kurira widened her eyes as she saw Rakuri recklessly attacking the stunned dragon and the skeleton. After glancing at Dola, “No, Rakuri, get out of there!”
*BOOM*
Another explosion of lightning struck the Skeleton, but he was unharmed. He casts thunder from his hand, but the Rakuri dodged at the right moment, but her mask was broken by it. Revealing one of her cat-like eyes.
Moving with the speed of the wind, she strikes the dragon's tail, trying to cut them again as she did before. However, her attacks were in vain. The dragon's body has become even sturdier than before. Kurira witnessed Rakuri’s stubborn act and quickly flew toward her.
Sweats dripped from the chin of the woman behind them. Dola, with each second of the clock passing by, gets more and more exhausted despite seemingly not doing anything.
*Pant *Pant
Her silver eyes become heavy, but the grip on her staff is strong still.
*Tink*
She felt tingles coming from the back of her neck. Suddenly… a smile cracked on her face, and her eyes widened like a madman's. Shaking uncontrollably, she starts laughing sinisterly, "Heheheh, Hyahahahahahaha!”
Kurira noticed the loud laughter. She swiftly maneuvers through the flames and the attacks of both the dragon and the skeleton, quickly pulling Rakuri away from them.
“CAPITAL! I’ll be there soon!”
The clock strike exactly 00.00, creating a powerful burst of wind and shattering the ground as the shockwave blew.
*D-I-I-I-I-I-I-N-N-G*
A loud deafening sound of the clock ring across the entire hall.
*Fwooooosh*
Dola’s eyes turned golden white. Symbols started appearing from her dreaded clothes, when they shine, it’s no longer vile. The symbols turn her dirty dark clothing into a clean white outfit of a proper priest. Then, at the center of her forehead appears a symbol.
[Judgment]
She pulled her staff and then slam it to the ground.
*BOOOM*
The shockwave created an earthquake. Putting a notice to the skeleton, he sees the one shining far in the distance. The two dots in his eye sockets erupted like a burning flame, he reaches out his hand, muttering, “Law of the Abyss,” grasping the image of the woman, “Bless—”
Stretching her arms wide, Dola slaps her hands together, "I summon you. Kita."
*Bwooooooooosh*
A shockwave. Shining ever so brightly, a glowing white flame slowly emerges from the inside of her palms. The clock behind her turned completely white and then a divine creature slowly emerged from it. With the appearance of a gigantic angelic ghost flapping its 6 wings along with a crown-like horn growing out of its head, they shine.
"Hruuooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooh!"
The ghost then formed its hand, imitating Dola’s movement. Completely in sync. She narrows her eyes down to a slit, and mumbled, "True Art of Chronomancy."
*Tink*
Echoes the belling clock.
Opening her palms, she directed it towards the skeleton and the ghost follows her hand movement. Slowly, she – they – opened it wide. Both they and the skeleton grasp the air slowly.
With many echoing voices spitting out of Dola's mouth, she and the ghost mumbled at the same time, “Life Distortion."
*Fwoooth*
Suddenly, her whole vision became black and white. As if the whole world is slowing down. The space around the Skeleton started to spiral. Despite everything can be seen by the skeleton. His eyes are set on Dola, and her only.
Her companions, Rakuri and Kurira would’ve also gotten caught by the spell she cast but fortunately, they managed to stay out of its range in time.
“Heheh. Too bad, huh.”
Dola moved normally in this monochrome world of hers. The whirling air slowly sucked both the dragon and the skeleton like a black hole. Forming her fingers to a flick, she was ready to snap it at any moment. Standing against them, “Somewhat short, but... Guess it's my time to shine, in this cold lifeless world of mine.”
The rotation of the air is getting faster and faster at a rapid pace. The skeleton is staring at her fiercely. His intent, she can feel it, but Dola cracked a grin, "Welcome to my world, Skelly."
*Snap*
*W-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-M-P-H*
*BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM*
Massive destruction of explosion spiraling out of control. Like a controlled nuclear blast. It resulted in the dragon losing its upper half. But the skeleton still stood amidst the smoke, lost his bottom half. His staff carries him, and without his robe, one can see the same symbol of [Judgement] the same as Dola, he has it on the same exact place as well.
She formed a grin of satisfaction at the result of her spell.
The spell she cast did not cause any other damage aside from the target location, the remaining area outside of it is completely unaffected. But in another sense of life, the skeleton, Ludwig still lives. His flaring silver eyes, to the one who inflicted this much damage upon him. An eerily disturbing tone came out of his mouth, “You…”
Dola flinched. His eyes turned pure silver, “Why is it always you… Traveler…” it suddenly flew towards her and grasped her neck, fear in her eyes.
“Why did you… do this to us... Traveler…"
“U-ULTIMA TURN UNDEAD!”
*BWOOSH*
The skeleton’s body burns in holy flame, not long after he was touched by it, the grip on his hand lessened before its head lay on her chest before turning into ashes.
*Pant *Pant
Grinning still, and yet, her heartbeat never stops. Dola heard him well. She can feel his emotion, his hatred. Her smile soon faded. Left with confusion. The ghost behind her then submerged back into the clock and disappeared.
Suddenly, a ding sound. A different sound from her clock, it’s a sound coming from her head, and then following it is a series of messages displayed in her field of vision.
! {Congratulations, you have defeated a Demigod [Ludwig]}
~ {+320.000.000.000.000.000 Experience Points have been received}
! {Congratulations, you have defeated a Demigod [Gillz Hrundak]
~ {+320.000.000.000.000.000 Experience Points have been received}
! {Level UP}
! {Level UP}
! {Congratulations, you are the first—
! {Level UP}
! {Congratulations, you are the first to—
Dola waved her hand, stopping more of them to come through. Her face hardened as one of her eyes twitched, her heart beating strongly.
‘What just… happened?’
‘Always me?’
‘The fuck was it talking about? It’s my first time facing him.’
‘Was it a Quest? A follow-up one? Did we just steal a main Quest from someone?’
‘What the FUCK IS IT?!’
Suddenly, she felt something else. Her eyes glanced to the side and she saw another floating screen and this time with a video feed in it. Two men in a suit, and with them, a blonde man.
Kurira suddenly shouted from a distance, “Wooh!! Look at all these points and loot, baybeeeeh!! See those gems over there!?" pointing at the dragon, many items have appeared on the side of it.
“We're gonna be rich! Shit, I’m gonna buy some kits, some dildo, or even… Hm?’
Notices that her friend is not being her usual self.
“What's up with that bitch…”
*Fwoosh*
She flew down to Dola. Upon approaching the ground, she tapped her shoulder, “Dola, what's wrong? You don't like the loot or something?”
“No, it's just.”
“Hm?” glances at the video feed that Dola shared with her vision.
“Fuck. That piece of shit again. I told you; you should’ve moved with us. Let’s go.”
“I’m going ahead.”
“Wait, Dola!”
Her body suddenly disappears.
“Oh yeah, she’s not like us,” speaking of which, Rakuri is wreaking havoc on the corpse of the dragon by slicing repeatedly to no end, “Oi, bitch! We got an emergency! Collect the loot asap, we’re going to Dola's place.”
“Wha—”
“Shit’s happening again, don’t ask.”
Attentively looking at a red “Log Out” button from the floating blue screen. Her body soon flopped to the ground. Rakuri quickly hurries over after absorbing every golden coin and item into her dimensional pocket. She lies beside Kurira before doing the same.
[author]
Dragon Tongue Translation:
Curse you. I shall devour your foul corpse - Dur hi. Zu’u fent du hin bein kopraan
Get Away - Bo nu
[/author]
…
Stuttering images of black and white, 101 going forward. That was what Dola sees before opening her eyes surrounded by darkness clouded in white fog.
She reaches her hands out and gripped the edges of something, she rose from a device with an appearance of a large capsule. She too also looks different from before, and so is the essence of the surrounding, “Fuck me, finally get back to the real world.”
She’s in a place where a giant bed lies beside the capsule. Neon light coming from the walls, she walks towards a mirror as she grabbed some clothing. After putting on some light makeup, she reaches underneath a drawer and intakes a couple of pills from its bottle.
Once again, she looks in the mirror. A beautiful young woman with silky long hair, ample enough breasts, and a slender body. Wearing a simple white tank top and black colored spats.
A floating blue screen appeared in her sight, the same live video feed from a CCTV. After giving a sigh, she began counting with only one of her hands.
And then…
*BANG *BANG *BANG
A loud deafening sound came out of the door, someone knocking on them hard. It was loud, loud enough to wake everyone in the building. She hasn’t opened the door, and her heart kept beating still. Another sigh was given. Her face hardened, saddened.
She took a long deep breath once more and reaches the bottom of the drawer. A silver gun with a long barrel, a magnum. She shook her head and slid the gun to the back of her spat. Slowly unlocking the door, but then two muscular men barged in without hesitation, and behind them, is a guy in a suit wearing a shade.
The way his hair was stylized to the back of his head; she always recognizes this person. Dola formed a glaring expression. She asked, “What do you want, Leon?”
“Hmph,” chuckles, “I want all of them.”
People would tilt their heads when someone appears out of nowhere and said that. But Dola however, understood what he meant.
“But I just gave you 5 million last week.”
“Bwahaha,” Leon burst into laughter, “You really don't understand, huh”
He waved his hand, signaling the two men in suits. They started approaching her. Dola notices what is going on, “W-Wait, you… you can't be serious, Leon. What the hell happened with Mithra? Aren’t you married now? I’m just. L-Leon, earning that amount, took everything I’ve got.”
Slowly rubbing his hand, “Heh, playing Ekolia all day and saying ‘Everything’ you got. People earn billions from that game, Siola. So, of course. I know you have more, but you… You chose to keep it from me.”
“But why? Why do you even need so much money anyway?! And why me?”
“Well, of course, it's for my future… with your sister.”
Dola with a hardened expression like she couldn’t hold it anymore, “I just…” his blunt response gave her a fright. The image of the past started flowing back to her, the image of her sister. Her sweet and beautiful older sister. She meant everything to her.
“You owe it to Rosa, remember?”
“Leon.”
“This will be the last one. Just give everything you have. And I’m… We, out of your life.”
Grinding her teeth as her brows frowned, her eyes squeezed, “S-So, not only does she steal my fiancé, my inheritance, and now she just… wants to bring my life to ruin. Again? For a second time. She wants to take everything, is that what you’re saying?”
“…”
She bit her lips, “You…” stuttered, trembling as she spoke. “Leon, I… I gave you everything, I devoted my entire life for you, even now I,” no energy left to speak, “You…”
Leon rolled his eyes at the sight of the dramatic tone. Leaning back to his subordinate, he muttered, “Get it done.”
They nodded. Dola’s eyes peeled at the sight of the two men pulling out their guns, wasting no second for her to react, they quickly pulled the trigger.
*Bang*
Blood splashed out of her head, and Dola fell on her back.
Leon rubbed his ears. The sound of that shot was too loud for him as he stood where the gunshot went. Fixing his jacket, “Hmph,” he dust off the nonexistent and said, “How come a low life like you who is worth nothing to the Mithra Family, deserves to be with me, the heir of Visthan.”
Dola is lying there, on the ground. Blood leaking out.
“Goodbye, Siola.”
Turning his head to the shooter, “Good work, I’ll transfer your pay when we get back.”
Suddenly… a wide grin formed on the woman who lies on the floor. Her eyes opened and she swiftly pulls out her gun, looking directly at Leon. She pulled the trigger.
*Boom *Boom!
Twice, accurately on his head.
*Boom *Boom *Boom
She continues to shoot him again and again until the magazine ran empty. Consecutively, she shot him in mere seconds, making the subordinate unable to react correctly. They turned around and then shot her again with all their got despite some bullets missing their mark.
*Bang *Bang *Bang
Blood splattered out of her body, and many of their bullets went through. Even after she didn’t shoot their employer, they shot her again. But it was too late for them to save Leon as he fell from the impact and with his eyes wide open, as if he were in disbelief, his death is nothing but guaranteed by the many holes in his head.
*BAM*
Suddenly, two women barged in with a pump-action shotgun and jumped the two men in suits with their guns aimed at them.
*BOOOM*
*Clack*
*BOOOM*
They shot them right on their heads, splattering their inside all over the place. One of them defended when Kurira mounted them, but the gun is already in a vertical position the hole staring directly at his eyes. If the girl were to pull the trigger.
*BOOOM*
His brain will scatter into pieces. But then she aimed it at his chest.
*BOOOOM*
*Clack*
To his stomach.
*BOOOOOM*
To his groin.
*BOOOOOOM*
The floor flooded with their blood.
*Pant *Pant
But on the other side is, “No,” Kurira rushes to Dola, lifting her head, “Hey, hey. Come on, don't go dark on me, babe.”
The metal substance on Dola's skeleton protected her head from being splattered, however, the wound is another story.
“Rakuri, the Meds!”
She paused with watery eyes and rapidly thumping hearts.
“What the fuck are you still standing here for!? Hurry the fuck up, YOU STUPID BITCH!"
Rakuri quickly left the room. Kurira shifted her eyes to Dola, “Hey, come on, you're gonna make it, just hold on.”
Dola didn't respond. However, she can still see Kurira panicking. Her face made her chuckle even with blood in her throat.
“Hey,” Kurira’s mouth trembling, “See, you’ll be just fine.”
Shedding tears, both of them. Dola gripped Kurira’s hand tightly as her mouth widened and the edge of her lips tilted, smiling so brightly even in red. And so Kurira smiled the same, widely, as if she was grinning. Dola did not force that smile, she just wants to see Kurira does it.
“Yyyeeww…” her mind started to become cloudy, “Hiiihi, wwuuk swufid.”
Trying her hardest to keep her eyes from rolling, Dola look at her friend deeply in the eye. Keeping up that smile so wide that it can never be tilted down.
“Dola, please,” keeping her wide grin, “Don’t do this to me."
But Dola keeps smiling.
Suddenly, her arms went limp.
“No… Dola… Dola, please. Please… Dola…”
She held her tightly and mumbled her name over and over again. Dola sees it all, and that pushes her once more to make the last effort to smile.
The image of her friend crying soon faded, and Dola… is no more.