Teil Ein.
“What the?!”
Voiced Ange as she and the other “parallel” gods felt over an overwhelming aura coming from the other side of the door. They had been there waiting for Engel and Mr. Cole to finish their talk. They felt also a faint strange aura coming from above but they paid no mind except some curiosity from Liam and Ange.
As they both were trying to figure out what that was, suddenly the previous mentioned burst of energy came to them and stunned, decided to get into the room.
What had happened, was that Lene had hit Engel in the face and accidentally broken all the barriers he had placed.
Then, as they opened the door, they were paralyzed over what they saw.
They saw a wriggling, half-naked Engel on the floor after being hit by Lene and still being kicked by her.
Other parallels there seeing what was going on and also, outside, a spawn of black beasts was swarming the city.
They did not even were able to process what was happening at all.
“What the fuck is going on now?!”
And this was the recently arrived Lene, who wanted explanations from him.
“Wa-Wa-WAIT! Ple-Ple-Please S-Stop ki-kicking me first!”
Voiced Engel while protecting his stomach with his arms. After sighing in annoyance, Lene stopped kicking him, while making a small, unnoticed, wry smile.
“Alright, have this then-”
Said Engel as he release mana strings, invisible to the naked eye. They were shot towards Lene and the other god’s heads. They didn’t react, because they knew what it was.
It was the way for Engel to share big loads of information without any setback. Different from [Pixies] who could do it at will and easily, without their aid, Engel had to rely in his spirit skill [Interconnection].
Due to pixies being spirits, they were able to control their own energies to a greater extent than humans, even than the gods.
That’s why Engel decided to mimic them with this skill.
After a mere second-
“Ah…”
“I see…”
“Never had thought that…”
“Are you sure?”
“.......”
They gave their individual responses.
Yet the only one who he replied was to Izaak.
“I haven’t had time to meditate all of the Intel I’ve got, but of this I’m, and you’re sure- That guy there is trying to use us as a proxy of damage to someone else who has his eyes on us; so let’s catch him and make him spill more info.”
Said Engel as he tried to see what he could do to stop all that was going on. Under the siege of the [Asterisk] people would suffer, also they would be chased too. By the moment it seemed that they didn’t attack them but soon they would. He thought that it may be due to the caster still spawning more of them, but he was not sure.
“How do we stop all this asterisk?” Asked Lene.
Because she could sense [Mind] on them, she knew that mere [Mana] based magic would not work. That’s why she asked him. Only 6 of them would not suffice… She had an Idea but she didn’t knew if it could be done so easily.
“Were you all taught by Radat the Maximize technique?” Asked Engel, whilst a little embarrassed to say the whole name.
“Yeah, she did. Only me and Izaak though.” Replied Lene. Of course, such technique which involved mind needed element compatibility and comprehension of it. Only Lene and Izaak were able to learn it.
“I also learned how to forge from Monk. I made them useful things that actually overshadow what I’ve done until now. I even have yours.” Replied Izaak while a little happy. He recalled how satisfied he felt when finishing his work.
It is not that what he created was of a greater grade of his previous works. There was nothing of the sort of breaking limits or making something unknown from nothing.
It is only that besides his knowledge and talent, he was able to put his heart into what he did, just as when he started to forge.
He had forgotten it as he actually mass-produced things and created weaponry with time straining his heart. This time he forgot all that and grasped the actual learning of forging with [Mind].
“Alright- I don’t know how stable it is in your case, but in mine I can make a proper number of puppets. Let’s see what have you learned thus far.”
Replied Engel and then he concentrated in his [Mind].
Now that his heavenly ice was of the [Second Quality], he was able to make what he was unable to with his amount.
“[Realize]”
He said and so, from “nothing”, a creamy sky-blue ice puppet was made. The previous color of Engel’s heavenly ice was a light blue, but this ice was of a whiter shade.
The ice puppet had the same height as he and had no feature. Also its limbs looked like fish fins rather than human limbs. It lightly floated and gazes with its non existent face to his creator, Engel. Instead, it had the numbers 000 on it.
“I wanted to make a maid styled one but besides that Lilya would kill me for sure, I have no leisure to spend too much [Mind] on them…” Muttered Engel as he gazed to the center of the floating swarm of [Asterisk], as if he were looking through it till where the caster was.
Izaak and Lene too created theirs-
Lene made an ashen-blue puppet similar to Engel’s and Izaak made a brown one with shining red veins running through it.
“Alright! Let’s go!!” Shouted Engel and so the puppets jumped out of the window, completely breaking it. It already had a crack due to the cube flying out of it before.
As the puppets jumped, more of them flew out while the numbers on them changed in ascending form as they were created.
000, 001, 002…. 015….030... 035.
Each of them made 35 puppets with basic orders. [Save People], [Kill Asterisk] and [Do not harm people or yourselves in the process]
“Now we let’s go.”
Said Engel as he tried to jump out of the window, but-
“Wait a minute-”
He was stopped by Lene.
“At least, wear something.”
Said Izaak while giving him clothing and armor. Behind him, Shirayuki, Isold and Krestin were blushing.
Teil Zwei.
“Hurry up. Also there ain't’ time to blush, let’s go everyone!”
Meddled Lene as she jumped out of the window.
[I’ll help people! Engel, take care of the caster! It may stop all the roaming asterisk!]
Said Lene with [Wake Up Call]’s network.
“Ye heard her. You go help people too.”
Said Engel to the other gods while he put on the armor and clothes gave to him by Izaak.
As he wore them, all the clothing and armor was stained by his mind and shone in a creamy, sky-blue aura.
It seems that the clothes were specially made to in order to absorb [Mind]. This would also mean that even any of the god’s strongest attacks, not based on [Mind], wouldn’t leave a single tear on it.
He was given beige pants with a military bag style and intentional ripped parts; leather black boots, cream blue shirt and an ashen, ripped long coat which he rolled its sleeves.
He was given a chainmail, which he wore over a sports shirt he had; a night black breastplate, black knee and elbow protectors, as well gloves that looked fit for a skater and a sky-blue, faceless mask.
“.... This is somehow wrong in many levels, but this is no time to complain in how you make… You make me look like a bandit!”
Cried Engel with a little anguish in his expression as he flew out from the window. The gods chuckled a little to his remark and followed him as Izaak created more puppets.
Indeed, the gods in a little retaliation for his impulsive treatment, made it as if he looked like a bandit with his new equipment.
Engel didn’t notice until he wore his clothes, but all of them looked fairly normal; for an adventurer, that is. They didn’t wore the fancy, full body armors or the shining weaponry; simple and convenient gear that emphasized what they were made of.
Isold had long white kimono shirt, a musk green sports shirt under it and black fabric shorts. Black leather boots, protective gear as Engel’s and a green mask as well. She wore simple, silver gauntlets, a silver breastplate and a metal shoulder pad.
Krestin wore blue dark blue jeans, leather boots, a black tank top and a brown leather jacket. She wore protective gear and a pale blue breastplate. She had metal bracelets in her ankles and wrists with a certain gimmick and had a silver spear on her. She also owned a yellow mask.
Shirayuki had leather boots, hotpants, protective gear, a long white kimono shirt like Isold over a white shirt. She had her gargantúan cane and a silver spear as if double wielding and wore a chainmail under her shirt. She owned the white mask.
Izaak, who owned the ochre mask, wore leather boots, black military pants and a red shirt. He had protective gear, forearm protectors, ankle protectors, his archery gear and a dagger on his waist. He had a chainmail under his shirt and wore a type of kevlar-like vest.
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Lastly, Lene who was the one that left first, had black fabric shorts, a light blue shirt over a chainmail and had a black breastplate over it, a coat black with rolled sleeves and protective gear. She instead used light fabric shoes. She also used the bandage socks she had before. She owned the black mask.
In overall, their looks were a modified version of what they had in Gargantúa; A cleaner and stronger version… At least 5 of them.
(Still, what is the purpose of Izaak in giving us colors? We’re not the p-rangers…) Thought Engel as he flew over where his enemy was. It seemed that at this time, he was already done with the spawn of [Asterisk].
“We finally met, Engel Falsch.”
“As if this were the first time.”
Replied Engel to the man amongst hundreds of [Asterisk]. He wore ceremonial Japanese clothing and wore a tiara with a shining mirror on it. His garments were red and silver with golden embroideries and had white, silverish, long hair.
“I’m Tsukuyomi, and this is the day you’ll face death.”
Said Tsukuyomi with a smug face as he commanded the [Asterisk] around him to attack Engel.
Teil Drei.
It wasn’t that Lene was unconfident to fight with Tsukuyomi, or that Engel was actually stronger than her, but Engel had a better control over the energies in his body and while fighting, he could successfully operate the puppets he created. Also he had experienced firsthand, even through a possessed body, a fight against him. That meant the odds were better even for a micro-unit, for Engel than for Lene.
She understood him, and she knew that he wouldn’t let her fight while abandoning people, and that he would not stop to send help to people in need over a fight. Of course, he was confident he could do it. If not, he would have designed a more detailed plan for the situation.
Even for some minutes, before defining whether he could spare [Mind] and concentration from this battle for something like saving people or not, he would definitely spare them.
He had the ability to do so after all.
Why help people who he doesn’t know? Why use energy that could help them to actually gang up on Tsukuyomi and go back their home?
Why? Why mind things they shouldn’t?
[Because don’t minding would make us the bad guy] Said Engel.
[Because it’s our obligation to help] Replied Krestin.
[Because not doing it would leave a bad taste] Replied Lene.
[Because helping it’s something we ought to do] Declared Izaak.
[Because it’s wrong not to help…] Said Isold.
Once, whilst in the middle of training in the sub-dimension, they had a talk. They knew they were amassing power, they knew they were teaching that power to others… They knew they would be too powerful to be living.
People would judge them, people would think about them as monsters or as evil maybe, so what they had to do then?
No one would back down in their path this late in the run, so they discussed- When people found themselves in trouble, what the would do? Would they help them? Would they avoid trouble? Why? Why not?
What would they do with the ones that differed with the thoughts of the majority? What was the set point for them?
Thus, they decided that they all would get all the power they could; That they would use it as they liked, but- There came the question: What exactly is to use them as they please?
So they talked about it, imagining cases where they could or could not use their powers. Where they would or wouldn’t use them. They set a base point of basic “Hero and Villain”
Hero ought to do good; Villain ought to do wrong. Hero is right, Villain is not. While using a tool to determine truth, they compromised to reply honestly.
At the end of the talk, where they would set their objectives, the Villains would be casted off from the Hero side, give a small advantage and then be hunted; Why? Because that small indicium of wrongdoing, could lead to a catastrophe.
They all agreed, and luckily, with no room to doubt, they all were established as “Heroes”. No one was perfect, but inside a safeline, they all qualified as Heroes.
Surprisingly, Engel was the nearest in the Villain side whilst Isold was the most heroic of the six.
And so, they act as they ought to; as heroes. It was not due to the obligation of being determined in said side- But because they thoroughly acted like that from their hearts.
Thus, 5 of them decided to give their all to help the ones in need whilst Engel, the most experiences in a clash against this enemy and in [Mind] control, would battle as he helped.
Teil Vier.
“It’s simply stupid to help people while fighting me. You’ll die sooner, which is something I don’t want. I want you to die slowly. To show you unworthiness.”
Said Tsukuyomi as he noticed how a small spec of Engel’s concentration was on the energy being provided to the puppets he created.
Engel was skillfully avoiding the [Asterisk]’s long ranged attacks- A kind of black, smoky breath and whilst analysing how harmful it was for him to receive one, he attacked and destroyed his assailants.
One slash of [Angeltear] was enough to kill 1 to 3 of them. He didn’t dare to take out [Archduke Demon] as he was not able to use the best of it.
(My [Asterisk] are nothing to him, and if I let them, his companions may end up wiping them… Darn- Really, I didn’t had in mind that they would learn [Mind]... Better take care of it, even if I have to do it personally…)
After calming down his excitement, Tsukuyomi was able to reason a little about his position and his objective.
And so he commanded the [Asterisk] around him to attack people, and he personally decided to take care of Engel.
“Alright! Let’s see if you can fight me with my real body!” Bragged Tsukuyomi as he activated a skill. Even if weakened, he still could take care of a low level [Mind User].
“[Moonflare]”
“GUAAAAHHH!!!!”
Then a white flame pillar caught Engel from below.
It was so fast that Engel was barely able to react.
It was in another league from his previous attacks. Engel, fortunately was not entirely caught in the skill and only his left arm was damaged.
(This speed… Not it ain’t in another league… Even with my senses spread I could not feel it, nor foresee it… I knew a [Mind] attack was coming but… As I thought, even conventional methods to detect energy are useless… If I can’t meld [Mana] and [Mind] it¿s useless to detect-
“[Flame Bullet]”
“Guahg!!”
-Geh… Damn… I can’t detect them by now… I can only be alert with my own 5 senses… How terrible is [Mind]. Speed that overwhelms me and strength that knocks me… If it weren't by this ragged but new equipment… I’d be half roasted…)
Thought Engel while avoiding incoming attacks and saw how Tsukuyomi decided to attack with a nihontou clad in flames he took out of nowhere.
Teil Fünf.
(What can I do?)
Thought Ange as she felt powerless.
She witnessed a short conversation between the gods and they hurrying to battle, and saw them save people.
She wanted to rush too but in her heart, she had doubts in saving people that had hurt her. Also, there was this uneasiness in attacking the black beasts.
She could feel mana coming from them, but also a slight trace of another energy that she was afraid to touch.
Thus, this made the gap of her doubting whether she had to act or not. Her companions would not move as she was their leader. They waited for the assessment of what they ought to do. Not because they were brainless, but because they trusted in her leadership.
Then-
[Ange!]
She then received a call by the network from a familiar voice.
[Le-Lene?] Ange asked uneasy. It seemed to be a hacked call.
[There’s no time to explain! I saw you in the room so I know I can ask you this! Come and help rescue people! By now you may know about you being unable to touch the black thingies, but forget them! Just come and help!]
Asked Lene. Ange didn’t know what was going in her mind as she asked for help- Such a powerful person asking help…
There was no way she would back down in such a moment. She steeled her heart and decided to deal with her doubts in a more proper moment.
[Alright, I’ll aid you! Just tell me where to go!]
Said Ange as her wavering eyes were filled with resolution.