Teil Ein.

“What the…”

Thought Izaak as he tried to catch the gigantic limb of the beast. For him, it was as if trying to catch a mountain.

(How many fucking tons this shit weights?!)

Thought Izaak as the reflex action he made was to catch it and went under it. As he wondered how much it weighed, he tried to push it up.

As his curiosity was filed, he saved the limb on his [Item Box]. This one, of course had been modified by Engel to have massive size so even 20 [Triskelions] would fit. So, saving the severed limb was easy.

“??!!!”

Just as he saved the limb, he felt two powerful auras being augmented. They were Lene and Engel’s. Just as he gazed towards them, Izaak received a transmission from Lene through the Network.

[Izaak! Come’ere immediately!! Also take out Areadbhair!!]

[Eh? Why? Lene, is that you and Engel right?]

Asked Izaak as he decided to take out his [Flying Crystal]. In fact, every god had one of them, but Izaak was not so good with flying by himself so he always relied on either Lene or Engel to fly. Right now, he felt the presence of Lene’s magic leaving him so he guessed he had to fly by himself.

(Fuck, I so much hate to fly, but there is no option…) Thought Izaak as his panic over being an easy target rose. He not being proficient in three dimensional movement was another of the reasons he didn’t like to fly.

He was always brought down by his companions while he was maneuvering on the air after all.

He then took out his most powerful asset, the Raging Spear Areadbhair and flew towards his companions.

“Alright Lene, Izaak- This is a little difficult but dry all the energy from the Lanzen and pour [Mind] on them. The only way to end this fast is to use them- I think they’ll suck you dry but that’s the price it.” Said Engel while moving towards the rampaging beast above them.

“Wait wait wait! Where are you going?!” Asked Lene while trying to drain her Lanzen, One Strike Gae Bulg.

“Well, that beast is hurt and may run away- I need to attract it.” Replied Engel.

“How?” Asked Izaak as he looked like he was sparing no effort to finish his task. Of course- The Lanzen magic circuit was complicated and totally fragile against [Mind] energy. So without Engel’s talent in Magic Manipulation, it was extremely difficult. Of course, this level of hardship was reduced with the god’s experience and skills.

“Well, It’s making quite a ruckus out there with all the berserk-like actions the entrance to this dimension has become fragile. I will expand it in order to make him fall and then, the natural Earth’s natural gravity will make it’s job.” Explained Engel as the two grasped the ability to control the energy in their Lanzen.

“But what’s our job then? You called me here and all but why?” Asked Izaak- He had a vague idea but he decided to confirm it from the source.

“Well, you’ll have to shoot it down. Tell Krestin and Isold to mind a little this place and also how to do the trick. Also I severed already the control of the puppets except for one. I recommend you do the same.” Ordered Engel as he flew towards his objective.

““Okay.”” Replied both as Lene contacted the other gods. Both of them had barely got the gist of the control of their weapons, yet they could feel a substantial increase in the strength of the Lanzen that were already cheat-like.

(Haaa… This is gonna be hard…) Thought Engel as he approached the beast, and thought how much he had to put into it in order to clear his objective.

It was essentially different to cross through a dimension to tear one. For Engel it was like feeling water. It was easier to try to pass through than to manipulate it.

(If it’s like water, then I just gotta freeze it!!) He told himself as he stabilized the dimension with all his might.

He raised his hand in order to create a more concrete image and so- The cracks on it stopped.

These cracks were the result of the beast rampaging on the [Astral Canyon]. Little by little, these cracks were tearing an entrance to the current world, but for Engel, it was not fast enough.

“And now- Break!” He shouted with all his might as- Nothing happened.

“Tch!...” He muttered as he became a little embarrassed. He swore he could hear a muffled laugh somewhere but it could have been his imagination too.

(Once again…)

*Cough*

“BREAK!!”

After thinking what he had done wrong, he came to the conclusion that his strength was not enough and his control up to the task, so he just channelized more [Mana] to his dimensional control and concentrated even more into the image in his head… And so-

The dimensional crack became bigger in one go and the great beast became more and more visible.

“Not everything goes well at the first try after all…” Mutters Engel as if in self-comfort while tearing more and more the opening on the dimension.

Teil Zwei.

(Just how much [Mana] is he using?)

Asked herself Shirayuki as she saw how Engel opened the dimensional crack above him.

Her perception was even better than Lene’s, so she could figure how much he was putting into his actions, yet she still asked the question. Shirayuki of course knew how much [Mana] he had, yet it somehow seemed endless.

(Not only him… The other four too.. It’s like trying to see the bottom of the ocean…)

While thinking this, Shirayuki could not help to tighten her fist in frustration. Everyday, she seemed to not to care about this, but there were moments that she couldn’t help but groan towards such titanical difference.

It was not a simple issue of being left out or a romantic reason of not reaching where her beloved was- But about how the had reached such height.

She had trained with them; she had she had lived with them, she had also witnessed their advances, but… She was still behind.

Was it talent? or was it because they had been messed with as they were babies?

They were basically different races, so there was no issue about collapsing under the pressure of the [Balance Break]; after all, as them she had received such blessing twice. If it was talent, she was also bestowed with the same amount of talent as them.

She had also suffered, even more than them in various levels… But still, she was behind them.

What was still left for her to grow? Which was the left piece on her so she could stand beside them.

Once she tried asking Lene, the most intelligent of them about her trouble. After years being in the same band, they had grown accustomed to each other, but there was still a little caution from the time Shirayuki clashed with Lene. It was female intuition the one that told them to not to be overly familiar with each other.

Still- Shirayuki asked what was the “thing” holding her back.

Lene’s answer was- Image and Experience Points.

Each of these was a long topic itself- so summarising it… Shirayuki had already an image of herself as she grew up. That “small” image limited her future growth, as well as her abilities. This had been crumbling little by little and being reformed into a new image of herself, but it was still too early to give a sudden jump as the gods do.

And the Experience Points, or EXP is but one thing- Your actual growth.

Knowledge, Hard Work, Talent, Resolution and Image. These 5 elements were contained in the EXP.

Not even the gods know about the true origin of the EXP- For them, this is a theory of how they [Level Up]. They then came to the conclusion that these 5 things are what allow a person to level up.

And Shirayuki was lacking the 2 most important elements: Knowledge and Image. No matter how much hard work, talent and resolution you have, without a proper image of yourself growing and the knowledge in how to grow, there is no real progress in yourself.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

The gods, day by day inspect their abilities and train themselves on increasing their control over them, as well as new forms of how to use them- improvement and discovery. That was the reason why they grew up so fast.

(I need to keep improving…) Thought Shirayuki as the small image of herself slowly vanished and the new her was being formed.

“I can’t stay here just looking around.” She said in a low voice as she sharpened her perception and decided to look for more people to save.

“I wish I had a Lanzen too… They’re quite cool…” Mumbled Shirayuki as she reached some unconscious people to help.

[All the puppets suddenly stopped moving; Do you have any idea why?] Asked Shirayuki to Krestin through [Wake Up Call]’s Network.

[Well, it’s because they are focusing only in beating that gigantic thing there. I pretty much get what they are doing but still… I wouldn’t mind if they were less reckless.] Said Krestin as she was trying to grasp the method of filling her Zeus’ Lightning with [Mind].

[I see. I’ll be looking for people to help to evacuate. I feel your aura increasing so you are not helping anymore, right?] Asked Shirayuki as she sensed Isold and Krestin’s aura to rise significantly.

[Kind of; Sorry to place a burden on you, but Engel asked us to try something. I’ll be back into action after a while, so please cover us until then.] Asked Krestin with a pleading voice.

[No need to ask. We’re partners after all.] Replied Shirayuki with an unconscious self mocking smile. Somehow in her heart she didn’t consider herself their companion.

(Can I one day stand toe to toe with them?) She asked herself while flying everywhere as she scanned her surroundings. The number of Asterisk had already dropped considerably, as well as the people in need, so even with her outstanding sensorial ability, she didn’t find many people or Asterisk.

She could tell the other people as Engel and co. were helping, as well as other auras she didn’t recognize.

(Everyone is helping with all they’ve got and here I am, sulking while minding my complexes... I should clear my mind for a while and do what I can do…) Shirayuki convinced herself and so, she continued to help people and destroy Asterisks.

Seitenshi Shirayuki is not a weak woman that would let her feelings hinder what she must do. She knows there are times to cry and times to fight, as well as times to enjoy life. She knows everything has it’s rightful place, so she suggest herself that this is not the right time to be sulking.

While clearing her mind of any useless thoughts, she kept doing the job given to her.

Teil Drei.

By the time Shirayuki had already steeled her will, Engel opened the crack to a “reasonable” size.

“At the end, I had to use two mana recovery potions.” Muttered Engel as he saved the empty bottles in his [Item Box].

[Now what?!] Asked Lene while watching how, slowly, the upper part of the titanic turtle appeared in their vision.

[Eh? Thought you already figured it out but… Well, let’s blow its head.]

[[AAAAHHH??!!!]]

Just as Engel nonchalantly said his plan, the other two let out dumbfounded voices. They had guessed that with the Lanzen they had to kill the beast above them, but- They never figured it would be such a simple method, moreover, coming from Engel they expected something more elaborate or more complicated.

Even Lene thought that they would have to destroy its heart and head at the same time or something. The very Shieldbro style.

[Well it’s basically different the way to fight a person than to fight a monster. If we also add the fact that this thing is 2.5km high then it’s even more hard. The only thing that comes to my mind is to explode its head. Also we ought to do it before it points this direction and releases that terrific breath. I definitely don’t want to be hit by that shit again.]

Explained Engel while he filled his Longinus with [Mind].

What he says it’s true- Trying to slay a person is different from a beast. Reach, power, speed, attack pattern, reading of the opponent- Everything is different. That’s why Engel decided to go for the simplest way. Blow its head while falling.

[Hey! What the heck?! Why does it fall so slowly?] Asked then Izaak as he and Lene finished boosting their Lanzen.

[Because it’s affected by the Astral Canyon! Our dimension is sucking him in but most of his body is still outside- That makes it as if it’s falling slowly rather than it actually being sucked with all the might of the dimension.] Replied Lene as she aimed her Lanzen towards the titanic turtle’s head.

(We really are doing it, huh?) Said Izaak in his head as he also aimed for the beast’s head. In a sense, even if he felt a little startled by the idea, it was the most correct decision to use the Lanzen.

What else in their Arsenal could store [Mind] and become a weapon of mass destruction? Only their Lanzen. Currently, they could not wield the Lanzen full power, but it reached a level enough to what they were used to.

With the three of them, it would be enough to blast the beast’s head.

[Are you ready?!] Asked Engel while focusing his aim to the falling head of the beast.

In that moment, the beast also felt how the auras of the three gathered in him; so, as every living being trying to preserve its life, he prepared his powerful [Breath] that was a rare mix of [Spirit] and [Mind] and could easily wipe the whole place.

“Judge!”

“Pierce!”

“Vanish!”

While pronouncing the keywords, each of the [Lanzen] activated their special abilities, and flew towards the gigantic beast’s head thrown by their owners.

Gae Bulg, the spear that will never fail; Areadbhair, the spear that with its intense heat will turn every target into ashes and Longinus, the sacred spear that with its impressive strength and energy, destroyed anything in its path.

“ROOOOOAAAAARRRR!!!!!”

As the beast noticed it wouldn’t make it in time, let out an incomplete breath. It was so rushed that it didn’t even pointed towards Engel and co. but towards the dimensional crack.

*BOOM!!!!*

After a strong explosion and shockwave, The head of the beat fell scorched and in pieces.

It seems that its vulnerable point was its head, which he could hide inside his shell, yet, due to the berserk state it was, the turtle didn’t hide it and instead decided to release it’s [Breath].

[I’ll go catch it.] Said calmly Lene as Gae Bulg returned to her hand. The longinus was a energy-made spear, which took a special procedure to Engel in order to change its properties from [Mana] to [Mind]. No one was able to notice how his [Angelic Eye] was intensely bleeding. They were too busy managing their own Lanze.

That said, Engel didn’t need to retrieve his Lanze as it didn’t exist anymore. Izaak’s Areadbhair was just coming back.

Suddenly Engel, who was observing just how much damage had the turtle’s [Breath] caused, noticed something even more far than the crack itself. It was an unnatural shine at the endless sea of worlds.

Just as he tried to figure out what was the strange shine he saw, he recalled Tsukuyomi’s last words.

-“A-Alright… This time I’ll leave… But I’ll leave you a pair of presents!!” -

(.....F-)

“Fuck”

Said Engel in a low but hoarse voice as he understood a simple thing he let pass by.

“There was another of these lil’shits…”

He didn’t mind who was listening or who wasn’t, he just voiced out loud his conclusions.

“And it’s going towards our world…”

He muttered as his hands formed a fist, in which he poured all the strength he was able to muster.