Revy commanded the message to all as though possessed. The fears that gnawed at them served as a way to send their fight or flight responses into overdrive. The gears of survival churned, and she and Sana gulped the tiny speck without question.
The arena was large enough where Cer could not cover considerable ground even with her speed. The Repression Field was easily over a hundred meters. A dark cloud swirled from beyond the veil, licking at the invisible barrier with insatiable appetite.
And so were the Colors of the World. Appendages exploded from their mouths like parasitic worms from the abdomen of a spider. It seemed that they grew more powerful as their Trepidation Stacks grew.
< You are passively accumulating Trepidation Stacks >
< 1 Trepidation Stack per Minute >
< You are currently afflicted with 12 Trepidation Stacks >
< At 20% of RESIST level, you will be afflicted with the Concerned Condition >
< At 30% Nervous Condition >
< 50% Fear Condition >
< 75% Panicked Condition >
< 90% Overwhelming Condition >
< And at 100%, the Despair/Breakdown Condition >
< “The labels plastered across all in vision. Just like the labels they plastered onto us. No one sees what’s true. It’s for the better.” >
< [CENSORED: Nightmare Fuel] >
It hadn’t even been twelve minutes yet. And even with such a low number of Stacks, the fear was agonizing. Nothing could tell her why. Not even the bizarre prompts that appeared before her eyes. But she speculated that it was caused by the [UNCENSORED: Nightmare Fuel] attack.
The ‘Un’ prefix meant that they had already unveiled one ‘truth’.
“So we gotta shout until her mind comes back!? Is this how it works!?” Cer circled Res’ form, which only continued to grow alongside their accumulating Trepidation Stacks.
“I don’t think so!” Revy exclaimed, interpreting it differently. “Subjugation… it means death, doesn’t it!?”
“Tch… RES IS NOT GOING TO DIE!” Cer roared as bolts of lightning riddled the ground, severing more of Res’ tentacles. Their speed was nearly inconceivable to them. They were a blur, with only black and blue sparks serving as a point of reference for where they were.
And even then, those were usually seconds behind their true position. Such was the might of a Moon in the eyes of the normal. Never mind the overwhelming power of an Eternal Night Corrupted.
They were not expected to survive.
“Cer, even you gotta snap out of your rage! Revy. It does. Subjugation IS DEATH!” Sana confirmed, shooting Cer with healing bullets whenever she could. “CAT! What do we do now!? We’ve eaten the damned thing!”
“Imagination~!” The Cheshire Cat danced on her heels, holding another club-shaped spear before she spun in place. “Think about who you idolize! Who you think is cool! Who you want to become!”
Then, the spear was hurdled into the air. It glowed like a distant star. Needles of light showered upon the Colors of the World.
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“This one I’ve taken is someone the White Rabbit used to know. You don’t necessarily have to know them in person. You just gotta know enough!”
Few were killed by the attack. Many more were pinned in place as Sana’s bullets penetrated through hordes of them with ease. However, as Corrupted, whether she hit their heads or vitals were unnecessary as they did not require them to function in the first place.
The entities lacked logic, and therefore required unconventional means of combat. In their case, they just needed to hit them until their HP dropped to 0.
“Cer! We can’t challenge her before the Colors of the World are all dead!” Revy exclaimed, wracking her mind to figure out just who she wanted to become.
Frost was the first choice, but merely imagining her caused her body to internally cook. She flickered through the pages of archived memories. Eventually, she remembered the story of the Peace Flocks.
Grandis was home to Justica Arms 1st Branch. They were individuals that wore an apparel not too dissimilar from Frost, and were covered dark, feathery coats. The heat of her body disappeared, and was replaced by a brimming, euphoric sensation as light enveloped her.
Sana too underwent a similar transformation.
“Easier than expect, hmm~?” The Cheshire Cat giggled, waving softly at a trembling Alice who huddled beside Stella. “… I hope you’ll also come out of this unscathed. Well. Time to do my job and lend a hand. I’d hate to not be able to repay my debt to you!”
Alice managed to hear this despite the awful sounds. She peered at the Cheshire Cat’s figure and wondered just who she was.
“Meow~” Was all she replied with, further confusing Alice.
Suddenly, the light surrounding the two disappeared.
52nd Peace Flock
Revy
< Persona: 1st Branch Public Defender >
LEVEL : 70 (90) ORIGIN : Demi-Human (Phantasia) HP : 5,500 (7,800)
ATT : 1,000 (1,500)
MAG ATT : 0 (1,500) ATT DEF : 650 (850) MAG DEF : 550 (1,050) MP : 3,200 (5,000)
RESIST : 40 (60)
AGI : 40 (30)
Revy emerged holding a pale stick embellished with golden symbols. They depicted the feathers of a dove, and it contrasted with her deep, black apparel that mimicked Frost’s.
But she did not take after Frost.
Her eyes were far too severe to belong to someone they believed to be free of ill will. A peaked cap hid her ears as her heels dug into the CENSORED grass, trampling on them without a second though.
“Injustice in sight. By Galia’s will, it will be eliminated. I, Revy of the 1st Branch, must eradicate the rot.” Her voice hadn’t changed, but her tone was certainly that of a Justica Arms member. “All according to the Amalgam’s Code of Conduct.”
She took aim with the stick in hand and commenced her own long-ranged attacks. Magical circles surrounded the tip of the decorated weapon before crystal bullets were fired into the direction of the entities. The bullets did not merely just penetrate them but ricocheted around. A single bullet bounced exactly twelve times before they exploded, throwing dangerous shrapnel everywhere.
“Impressive. Perhaps one day students of mine will be able to join an Atelier as righteous as yours.” Sana spoke like an academic.
She repositioned her glasses, her body enveloped by a black, mage’s robe as she aimed her Standard Talon at their enemies.
Midnight Academy Healer
Sana
< Persona: Midnight Academy Teacher; Black Wing >
LEVEL : 25 (45) ORIGIN : Human (Phantasia)
HP 650 (800)
ATT : ??? (1,800) MAG ATT : ??? (1,800)
AGI : 12 (25)
Sana’s transformation seemed incomplete. Or rather, incompatible with what she envisioned. Her core personality as a Black Wing could not be overwritten by the illusion; a phenomenon the Cheshire Cat was surprised to see.
Because this was something she had only witnessed occur to the White Rabbit herself.
Meaning that Sana in some way was similar to the White Rabbit.
Additionally, Revy’s transformation was smoother than she expected. There was something she must have possessed that allowed for this extreme compatibility.
And that something was Serum S – the fluids of an Angel.
Sana wasn’t strengthened as much as she would have wanted. However, any amount of strength was better than none. All three of them engaged in ranged combat, keeping the Colors of the World at bay with one projectile at a time.
Cer was caught in the crossfire at times, but such attacks were no different from droplets of rain.
The wolfwoman’s brows furrowed. Her face twisted wickedly at the sight. A power that allowed people to change so easily would cause wars to be fought over it. Such a thing was an anomaly of the highest order.
“Res could’ve benefited from something like that. But then again… This idiot would’ve been stuck being blind for the rest of her life!” Cer roared, clashing head on with Res.
< “Sensory overloaded. Keep it all shut away. The world beyond is terrifying. It’s better to be blind to it all.” >
“SHUT THE FUCK UP RES AND LISTEN TO ME!” Cer was flung backwards, but she immediately bounced back, resuming her clash. “You know more than anyone else that I also hate this world! The humans, the serfs, the unwashed scumbags that litter every corner of the cities! How do you think we feel, Res!? Or the other children of Grandis!?”
< [CENSORED: Fear Attenuation] >
< “No one understands me. No one sees it like me. My eyes were jewels. It must all be kept hidden. The colors… were so red that day.” >
The claws that once attacked Cer emerged from Res’ body, swiping at her. No matter how small Cer’s body was, she was always able to clash with the abnormal proportions of her enemy.