For You This World I'll Destroy

Ode to Sorrow (3)

— 35 — 

A blue light shot out right in front of me, piercing through the dense forest that was veering into the old buildings. The explosion blew my body away, but fortunately Nuwa's grunt surrounded the three of us with water bubbles and brought us to land safely on the ground.

H-so-so! Though we had already fled so far thanks to the illusory fog that Princess Nuwa had summoned, but Asmodeus was still able to attack us with frightening accuracy. Nuwa pointed at the eye machine that flew over Asmodeus' head and said,

“AI Providence Eye, a relic of the past that can track enemies wherever he is. As long as Asmodeus still has that thing, we cannot escape,” said Nuwa but suddenly Asmodeus emerged from behind the building wall and hit us with his giant robotic hand.

Saber immediately fended off the Magician's attack after attack, buying time for us. Nuwa set her breath in the middle, cold sweat pouring down her pale face. Why am I here anyway? Obviously I could see the look on Nuwa's face saying that.

“You two did that monster anyway? Asmodeus, The Seventh Lector will not attack humans unless it feels threatened! Aegis Neptunes!” nuwa said annoyed with his busy hand setting up protective magic for Saber.

“N-No, we-we just hitchhiked through,” I replied lying. I plucked the Twin Princess from my waist and shot out the twelve rockets that were after us. But just like Ragnarok, my bow does not work at all!

“Sword Rain!” nuwa shouted twelve swords that smashed the rockets.

“You boong? He's obviously after you Chrysant. Atlantis Anguish!” it was Nuwa who erected the curtain of water that surrounded Asmodeus. The monster tried to pierce through it, but the rushing water overcame its power. However, Nuwa looked overwhelmed defending. Together Saber jumps back and automatically channels her magic to help Nuwa.

Not wanting to join, I also summoned a light shield that encircled Asmodeus' body and shouted, “Celestial Pyramid!”

But a great earthquake struck my hand as it tried to maintain the integrity of the shield, while Asmodeus fired his powerful blue laser. A crack appeared in my shield, obviously, I was unable to maintain it for a long time as well.

“Listen Chrysant, Asmodeus is no ordinary Witch. He was a true Homunculus who had a mutation in his program. Refusing to be injected with the Warden Cell and going through the process of Qualifying, Asmodeus went on a rampage and partially destroyed Junon before the six Lectors locked him up.

With the Moon Quartz in as its Heart and the ability to control the entire Automachina within 1 kilometer, Asmodeus is White Order's cutting-edge weapon to destroy humanity!”

S-seriously? I-I thought Asmodeus was just a croco enemy that could be easily defeated. Eventually I saw him battered in the face of Khanza without pouring sweat. But come to think of it, Khanza is a kind of monster anyway…

The ability to control Automachina, hmm, deserves the Twin Princess and Ragnarok is completely useless. The two magic weapons worked on the same principle as Automachina. Naturally easily, Asmodeus could neutralize its functions and make it into an ordinary dagger and sword.

W-Then...Don't tell me, I just woke up a wild dragon?

“M-Sorry,” my murmur is guilty.

Nuwa clicked her tongue while holding her right hand against the terrible shock of magic, “.... Chrysant, without Catalyst, you do not use it at all here and only prevent me from fighting.”.

“U-ugh, can you not say in the sweet little?” reply, but it's true. Without the Twin Princess, I would have been terrible at controlling my magic. Kuhela anfasku and asked, “You have an idea, Princess?”

Nuwa smiled wryly, “This is Pei Jin city, right? Then we still have hope. Before the First Malice, Deception was a great Witch. Hidden in the Lantern Flower shop, the myth is, Deception holds an extremely powerful weapon, capable of conquering hundreds of thousands of Homunculus troops in one fell swoop. You brought the Knight to track him down,” he said.

I bent my eyebrows, “Serious? You want me to look for a myth that's not sure there is, in the middle of this mess?”

Saber suddenly interrupts, “No Princess. If I leave the Princess, it means that I have failed my duties as a Knight,” he said with the magic circuit starting to burn.

Nuwa closed her eyes annoyed, “I don't need weak knights here,” she said angrily.

Saber snorted, “Although weak, at least I can distract her for you.”

Nuwa sighed in annoyance, “Serah, if that's what you want. Don't regret,” said, but then—

U-Ugh!!

Asmodeus struck both his prisons fiercely. One side of my pyramid was mixed, while the curtain of nuwa water was getting weaker. A moment behind the decomposed water, the smile on the mask of Asmodeus' skull casts fear into my heart.

Nuwa laughs wryly, “Chrysant. It looks like I can only give you ten minutes.”.

I shook my head, “Your plan is too crazy. If we fight it together, there is a possibility for us to win,” I said. Maybe if I borrow the Warden's powers, I can save Nuwa and Saber from this monster.

“No, just can't. I came all the way here to prevent you from using that power. Anyway, you can't use that power,” said Nuwa who exerts more magic energy on her magic circuit, “I can't explain it right now, but as Ellen Lunaris Noctis, I command you, I'll rule you, Ruin Hunter, trust me!”

The waves of confidence came upon me. Each word of Nuwa has a heavy weight that pulls me to the bottom. Unable to resist that determination, I also took off my pyramid.

“But, if ten minutes pass and I can't find it,” said I activated the strengthening magic on my feet, “I will use its power to save you. Hold my word, Pale Moon.”

I jumped flying in the sky, waving my light wings and darting faster than sound. A blue light came after me, but thanks to Nuwa's water shield, she didn't touch me at all. My eyes searched for the place that Nuwa meant, but it was covered by the wilderness and most of the city had been destroyed by time, my search in vain.

After all Lantern Flower Shop, what is it? Lanterns with floral motifs or flowers with lanterns? Even though I passed through it, I could not read the ancient letters in the ruins of that city.

“But according to legend, Deception is the Witch who invented a method to grow the original tree of life, Yggdrasil, what is possible..” My murmur who also noticed the trees that weaved in the city and woke up, “Jeez, when viewed from above is very clear. They are not trees that stand alone, but rather the trunk of a large tree!” muttered.

Is it possible that if I follow, I'll find the Deception Shop there? … My time is narrow, no matter how small a clue I have to follow.

Darting through the giant roots that swerve through the strange forest, I found a giant hole that became the source. I lit a Flare to light up the hole and found a two-story wooden house, hanging upside down by the rumbling of roots that grew collapsed.

Plunging closer to the strange house, I found a board painted with childish writing and drawings. I couldn't read it, but the flowers painted there triggered my hunch. Perhaps, this place is the Lantern Flower Shop.The residence of Malice is the most violent in the history of the world.

The First Malice, Deception.

“There is no time,” my murmur that also opened the door of the store.