"What are they even trying to do?" Alan mumbled to himself.

"As far as I can tell, they are doing what gives them the most freedom, alongside making many of the weak willed participants leave." Freya shrugged, sitting at the edge right beside Alan, looking down as Celestia moved through the air.

"True, that little catastrophe will be able to go all out without worrying about others if she knows they will be revived." Alan nodded with a sigh. "This makes things easier for us in a way, now we won't have to kill her twice."

"If we can even kill her before they kill us," Freya pointed out.

"They will not target us," Alan reassured. "There are others they will be focusing, the Immortals, the strongest of which pose the greatest threat to them."

"Why not the rest?" Freya questioned.

"The fifth Immortal will surely use this opportunity to go after the Midnight Wolf, she should already know The Creator won't be there to protect her again," Alan informed. "The fourth Immortal is very likely to show interest in Crystal and I, he is quite obsessed with the Imaginary Plane afterall. As for the sixth, she is working alongside them already."

"We will have to be wary of the Fourth Immortal," Freya sighed.

"Not quite, Crystal is strong enough to defeat him, and she has a major advantage," Alan shrugged. "He will not kill her no matter what, he needs her to learn more about the Imaginary Plane. It gives her a lot of chances to kill him."

"Should we still be wary of the First Immortal? No one has seen him in an untold amount of time. Even we have barely found any traces of his existence, and none of them are reliable," Freya mumbled.

"Yes, he is the only anomaly here, the third and second are sure to go after the one who killed The Creator to prove their power," Alan agreed. "We have no clue what the first wants or how powerful he is, but considering he is stronger than 'The Puppet Master', he is certainly a force to be reckoned."

"We will be keeping an eye out for any signs of him, but if he is still alive, and he is just as smart as he is strong, then I doubt we will be seeing him till the very end," Freya pointed out. "He would mostly likely enter the field once the other Immortals have been defeated and Kesshō is at her weakest."

"Very possibly, but if he is arrogant, he will go after when she is at her full strength," Alan stated. "We can only make assumptions on that topic, which is quite pointless. Its best for us to prepare for the war."

"We don't have an army as large as other participants, but the ones we have our enough to wipe out those armies," Freya smiled.

"Yes, but Crystal will have to do much of the work, most others won't stand a chance against the other participants," Alan sighed. "The problem will be Kesshō and the ones fighting for her. He is not the kind to have an entire army, but the ones he will have are going to be enough to eliminate most other participants. The sixth Immortal is already strong to wipe out all participants excluding the other five Immortals, Kesshō, and Crystal."

"I would like to add a name to the list," Freya requested. "The last Midnight Wolf, Sapphire, has defeated a Guardian already. I am willing to bet she would not lose against anyone who fights using magic."

"That Phoenix relies on more than magic, and Phoenixal Arts can't be stopped by magic." Alan reminded as he patted Freya's shoulder.

"That Shadow Manipulation is somehow different, and strange," Freya mumbled. "I have never seen anything quite like it, and I am still unsure how it exactly works."

"Interesting," Alan smiled.

The two of them turned around on sensing Crystal approach. She walked to them, standing beside Alan and looking down at the slowly moving ground. Alan patted her head with a smile, Freya letting out a sigh as they looked into the distance. All their attention moved from the ground to the sky as they sensed a distortion in space above, a portal opening a short while later with a sound of shattering glass.

Crystal summoned a spear in her hand as Freya spread both of her wings, prepared to fight if necessary. A scroll shot out of the portal, falling to the ground below as it bounced off an invisible barrier. Crystal jumped off the edge, spreading both of her wings and diving down to catch it. Her small figure disappeared in the tree cover as she chased the scroll, emerging a moment later and shooting above Celestia, landing on her feet a short distance behind Freya and Alan.

"A teleportation scroll." Alan observed as he glanced at the scroll in her hand.

"Seems like they want us to come somewhere, maybe for a fight?" Freya inquired as Crystal again stood beside the two, turning the scroll in her hand as she inspected it.

"No, they won't call us for a fight like this." Alan sighed as he picked the scroll from Crystal's hand. "How about we go and see for ourselves?" He inquired with a smirk.

"Fine by me." Freya shrugged as she got up, Crystal also nodding her agreement. "I will send a feather to inform Blitz, she will relay the message." She plucked a feather from her wing, flinging it away right before their surroundings changed.

"Its a time-space distortion." Alan mumbled as he looked around.

"Seems so, it has been one hour from when you activated it." Freya nodded her agreement.

"They wanted us to arrive at this specific time, and I am guessing there were specified times for others too." Alan observed as he walked towards a tree. "A map? Quite well drawn at that." He nodded as he pulled out the feather which pinned the map to the tree's trunk. "Crystal, you can have this." He tossed the feather to Crystal as he inspected the map.

"Lead the way." Freya gestured, glancing at Crystal taking great interest in the feather.

"They got quite the artist to draw this map, considering only very advanced surveillance equipment could ever hope to capture this much detail." Alan observed as he walked ahead. "Every single tree, bush, rock, water source, everything is drawn in detail."

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

"Why are you so interested in that map?" Freya questioned.

"This map helps me figure out one thing," Alan mumbled. "Crystal, when you fight Kesshō, don't attempt to sneak up on her. It will never work no matter what happens." He informed with a wave of the map.

"You are sure she drew it?" Freya inquired.

"There is no one else on his side who would observe nature with this much interest." Alan shrugged as they reached their destination, an old, massive tavern made of wood. "Now, let's see what they want from us." He smiled as he pushed the door open.

The three walked in quietly, observing the crowd of thousands gathered inside the massive space. There were many well defined groups, atleast one person in each group possessing a sigil on the back of their hand. They easily sensed the many eyes that observed them as they continued to a better spot, all attempting to discern the extent of their abilities.

"None of these will make it past the first stage of the war." Alan sighed as he stopped some distance from a raised platform, far enough to not be noticed but close enough to easily see everything. "Crystal, is there anything on the beams above?" He questioned, glancing up with suspicion at the many wooden beams lining the space above, shrouded in darkness.

Crystal shook her head after staring up for a few moments. "Don't let your guard down just in case," Alan advised.

----------------------------------------

The three turned to the stage as someone walked onto it, immediately recognising it to be their arch nemesis. Alan smiled as he waved to Kurai, being satisfied as he received a glance and a sigh. Freya and Crystal stood by him, observing the stage and everyone else in the surroundings, assessing which ones could prove to be a threat.

"Greetings, participants." Kurai announced, his voice carrying around the hall. "I planned to gather you all here to advise you to forfeit the moment the war starts, but I highly doubt most of you would accept such an advise. Afterall, most present here are prideful to a fault."

"He has a new ally, the wind magic belongs neither to him nor to the Phoenix." Alan mumbled as he patted Crystal on the head.

"So, instead of advising you as such, I decided to allow you all to get acquainted with each other before the war begins." Kurai declared as he raised his arms to the sides. "Any who attempt to start a fight on this day of peace and quiet will be dealt with instantly. It is a rule of the war, and those who created the war will certainly punish the rule breakers, but I do not intend to wait for them to notice it and will penalize you myself, indirectly."

"Are you certain you can win in a fight against us?" A man possessing white hair and purple eyes questioned, his black armor adorned with sharp, blade-like, purple crystals, dragon-blood infused amethyst.

"Who knows?" Kurai shrugged. "Maybe I can't, but she definitely can." He smirked as several pink-orange tendrils dropped from the beams above the man, wrapping around his body and pulling him into the darkness. "I would consider even thinking of fighting to be worthy of some level of punishment."

"She really was hiding up there," Alan chuckled. Crystal squinted her eyes as she attempted to see Kesshō, shaking her head on failing to notice her in the darkness.

The man slammed to the ground a moment later, bleeding. His armor seemed to be heavily damaged, the crystals broken and blood leaking from them. "What was that thing?" He questioned as he attempted to get up but failed, crumpling to the ground, one of his arms resting on the handle of his sword but failing to unsheathe it.

"Worry not, she did not use her actual venom on you." Kurai informed with a smirk as he held his hand out, his palm open. "As for your question, she is not a thing." He sighed as Kesshō landed in his palm on one leg, the other crossed over the first as she bowed her head. "She is The Empress, show some respect."

"So, he called us here to declare war on us," Alan laughed. "Very well then, we will see if The Empress is truly worthy of such a title." He patted Crystal's head, gently diverting her towards the exit as he prepared to leave.

"That is quite the accurate clone." A voice observed from behind, causing all three to halt in their path.

"Chikyū, I suppose?" Alan inquired as he turned around, finding a girl possessing brown hair with strands of black and white, her eyes and dress of a similar color scheme.

"Yes, that is the name I go by for the time being, though it might change with time." Chikyū nodded, her eyes still fixed on Crystal.

"Care to share your observations?" Alan offered as Crystal tilted her head, shifting herself slightly behind him.

"She is not really a clone, just the original reborn in the body of a clone." Chikyū sighed as she turned away.

"Should I suppose we are enemies then?" Alan questioned, causing her to stop after a step.

"The Earth Primordial of a fairly young world, fairly young herself." Freya observed with a nod.

"We have decided upon a temporary alliance with them, which means yes, we are enemies for the time." Chikyū answered as she glanced at them from the corner of her eye.

"I look forward to the true extent of a Primordial's powers, the extent which they are capable of showing at the very least. Those capable of destroying worlds with their attacks instinctively hold back afterall." Alan shrugged as he patted Crystal on the head.

"She is not the only one capable of using the World Shatterer," Chikyū informed.

"I am aware," Alan mumbled. "It is among the strongest weapons the Phoenixes have created, usable by only the strongest and purest Phoenixes. Conditions fulfilled by both Crystal, and the one you are fighting for."

"I suggest you to be careful, you greatly underestimate what you are willing to fight against." Chikyū bowed before walking away.

Alan watched her leave, turning and walking towards the exit right after. "Perhaps she is right." He mumbled as he turned to Kurai, still standing beside the stage. He waved to Kurai as he exited the tavern, smiling at Crystal as she looked at him. "It would still be far easier to stop that monster now. Afterall, like everyone else, she would also grow stronger with time."

"So, where are we headed now?" Freya inquired.

"The Arsenal of Kings, a name you also are familiar with I believe." Alan sighed as he patted Crystal on the head, looking up at the sky while doing so.

"I am very familiar with it." Freya nodded with a sigh. "I have had the misfortune of facing its power once before, and Celestia has found two keys thus far. About fifty keys are believed to have been first made, but now only two remain from our knowledge."

"The keys serve as a catalyst to access the arsenal of legendary weapons gathered by long forgotten kings and warriors," Alan informed. "Simply carrying the key is enough, and no sort of gate is required for it to function. The key is the only requirement for accessing it, although there are conditions for using the key."

"I didn't read about the conditions, I have known for a long time they won't be easy to fulfil." Freya sighed as she crossed her arms. "The second one tried to use it as well but failed, do you really think the fourth will succeed?"

"She might possess the same soul, but this body is far greater," Alan shrugged. "There are parts of many more species in her blood than before. She is much stronger than before, both in terms of energy capacity and control. Those two things are important for anyone willing to fight against that monster. Not only does that calamity possess a near infinite source of energy, all that excess mana she has is also used as energy since she has no aptitude for magic. Her efficiency is in a league of its own as well, and even the third one could never have hoped to stand a chance."

"I think she still lacks the power necessary to win," Freya sighed.

"Yes, and so we will be going to acquire some of that power." Alan informed as he snapped his fingers, space distorting in front of him with the sound of breaking glass. "The Creator made this challenge for a reason, for every participant of the war as well. I wish to know what he wanted every participant to see before the war starts."

"Do you think she will need the key to pass?" Freya inquired.

"I will decide on that after seeing what this challenge is." Alan shrugged as he walked to the portal, Crystal following close behind. "I keep one with me anyways, you don't need to worry about it all."

"Off to another battle it seems." Freya sighed as she followed behind the two.