Two months later, on December 24th, Holy Night Eve.

Lenoa's Shop.

Crackle! Crackle!

“Nothing beats staying in and enjoying a nice winter's day by the fire!” Nox said, wrapped in a blanket with Lili on her lap, sleeping.

“Shouldn’t you be helping Cirrus out? With this weather, I doubt anyone could even see you.” Circe said, reading a book and wrapped in a blanket.

“Sadly, Cirrus hasn’t made a magic item that lets one keep their heat, so I was benched till he completes the item!”

“I hope he finishes it fast. These old bones of mine are not fond of the cold.” Said Lenoa also wrapped in blankets. “Ah speaking of which did you drop off those pills you improved at the red-light district? They are our little money makers." She said, looking at Circe.

“I did and literally, out of everything we make, that is our best seller.”

“Ki-hehe! The goddess that presides over that district may be cruel, but she knows how to pay!” Lenoa said joyfully.

“Hey, Cirrus, do you mind if you go and buy a holy cake?” Nox said.

‘Punk ass in this weather and day! I’d be lucky if any store is open! Shit, I have to go.’

“Ah, man Cirrus can’t buy a Holy Cake!” Nox said, bumped out. “Sorry, their kid seems we were too busy to get some.”

They then hear a knock on the door.

A minute or two ago in the West of Orario are several abandoned warehouses and due to Lili’s intel, Cirrus was staking it for when they made some movement.

“It's criminal how warm and fluffy this armor is.” Said Ai, being covered by Cirrus' armor.

“It's a good thing there is snow. My Cretan armor blends really well," Cirrus said as Ai is sitting on his lap. "It also helps that you are here."

“Mmm..." Ai was blushing a bit from his words. "Are you sure this will deal them damage?”

“Of course, we have been hitting their supply lines for weeks now, sooner, or later they will have to begin to take this seriously and put in some muscle.”

“I forgot you crippled a kingdom before.”

“I did.”

'And I'm not proud of how I exactly did it.'

As they sat there, Nox called in. As they were talking, the warehouse had some activity.

“Movement.”

“Shit, I have to go.”

They both look to find a man in dark armor and a woman in a black veil helping escort the supplies.

“Never seen them before,” Ai said, loosening up her limbs.

“Can you smell their scent or what they're hearing?” Cirrus said as he pops his bones.

“… The one in black bulky armor with two great swords on his back. He has the mixed scent of several monsters and even sniffs! Sniff! Metals and plants. The woman has a very… huh? S-she has no scent? I can hear the man, but the woman is...it's like she has no sound?”

“… Get ready alright, I’ll go in first as a decoy and you go and destroy their supplies.”

“Got it.” Ai then quickly took the long way around, letting her snow-white hair out to blend into the snow.

“Haaa…” a white breath left Cirrus’s mouth as his armor disappears. “Here I go again. (Exousía, Adorn: Hippolyta)!”

A white feminine mask covers his face and as he does the tattoo Kali gave him turns to match the red and gold color scheme of the armor. The armor itself is styled after what an Amazoness would wear, but with a bit more covering.

He jumped down and rolled into a full sprint. The noise quickly caught the woman's and man’s attention.

The woman was the one who charged at him first.

Cirrus drew his weapon, and she pulled nothing. She simply continued her charge.

“Bold aren’t you!!”

Cirrus swings Brilliant Nightmare, and as it does, she simply moves to the side.

With the speed at which she was going, Cirrus found two things, one she was at least a level 6 or above, and two, she had made a smirk showing she was confident in fighting one of his levels.

Cirrus continued to slash at her, but each time she narrowly avoided him.

“Is that all you have? I expected more from the Masked Prince.” She said in a joking manner.

“Sorry, but I announced my level-up to get rid of that damn name!”

“Oh? Then what is it now? I don't pay attention to those below me.” she said, still dodging with no effort.

Cirrus’s magic circle appeared behind him as his armor disappears.

“My new name is Kirin! (Exousía, Adorn: Ceryneian)! (Sing your Vespers.)!!!”

As the armor quickly wraps itself around Cirrus, he fires off a dense bolt of lightning in the shape of a dragon at the woman.

“!!”

Crackle!!!!

The strike hits her, and Cirrus gets into a stance. A figure from the smoke of the blast came through. The man in dark armor appeared with a great sword about his own massive size, and he moved faster than he looked.

Claaaaang!!!!

Claaaaang!!!!

The two weapons rang through the snowing area, shaking the built-up snow.

“Your pretty strong kid! But unfortunately, we can’t play with you right now.”

From behind him was the woman with not even a single singe on her clothes.

“Clever and strong, but not enough.” She came swinging with the extra great sword the man in black armor had on his back.

“(Damocles)!!!”

“!?”

Cirrus slanted his weapon and with his magic made the man's swing far stronger, causing it to slide off. Cirrus then jumped, twisting his body, and chanted.

"(Damocles)!"

"!?" The woman in the black veil felt her swing come in far faster now, causing her to swing her great sword into the man’s great sword.

Claaaaang!!!!

As their blades clashed, Cirrus, before landing back on the ground, extended his weapon.

Click!

"!?" The man and woman tried to jump back, but Cirrus had already swung at the man, barely cutting his armor.

“So what you're saying is my cleverness and strength aren’t enough?” Cirrus said in a mocking tone as he swung his blade around, moving the snow with the speed of his swings. “Now, shall we see how long you can last?”

The man and woman turn to Cirrus, and he could feel them getting serious when.

"Seems we—"

Boom!!!

“!!”

They turned to see their supplies exploded a bit away.

“Oh, did I forget to mention my partner was doing the aim while I distracted you? Sorry, not sorry if you thought I worked solo.”

“Seems it was our mistake.” The man said, getting into a stance that had no opening.

“Yes, we have drastically underestimated how cunning you are.” She as well got into the man’s stance despite the major difference in size. "We won't do that again."

Cirrus could feel it. These two were a cut above the ranks of Evilus. They held a kind of prestige none of Evilus has.

"Well, seems I would need a partner as well."

Thud!!

Landing next to him was Ai, hand already on her sword, ready to be drawn.

“You're still fighting them?” she said.

“Yes, there at least as strong as a level 7... Mmm, given their skill I would place them at a high level 7, maybe Low 8 if I'm being generous.”

“Is that so… who’s the weakest?”

“Arrogant girl.” Said the woman.

“These young adventures. Were they always so arrogant?” Said the man.

“The one in black armor. He’s the slowest.”

“You cheeky brat.”

“He’s not wrong.” Said the woman.

Ai then got into a drawing stance and let out a deep breath.

“Fuu~… Hikaru Style: Flickering Reflection.”

She quickly kicked off the ground, covering the distance between her and the man.

“Little Renard!!” he came in with an overhead swing, but she drew her blade before he could even swing. As he came in with the swing, he felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise.

Shiing! Spurt!

“!?!?” the man was surprised she could draw and cut him through his armor so quickly but as he came down with his great sword, she had already sheathed her sword within her weapon and moved to the man’s left side and jumped back.

“She is quick.” The woman said, watching her with keen eyes. "I didn't think one would make an art of drawing their blade."

“Ah… she cut through my armor! They made this from the best material in the city!” he said, surprised.

“That’s your own fault for going easy on her.”

The two began to banter as Ai returned to Cirrus’s side.

“Cirrus, these two are a cut above the other. That guy is like a better Ottar.”

“Hm… Seems we have to deal with them before—“

The woman raised her hand and her silver and green magic circle appeared.

“[Gospel].”

Blocks of sound came out and were destroying the snow at the speed of sound.

Cirrus disengages his armor and chants.

"(Exousía, Adorn)!!!"

A white and golden overcoat with fur lining and a ram mask covers Cirrus’s body as he quickly covered Ai from the attack.

“(******)”

The blocks of sound were deafening, and he couldn’t hear what she said as when she said something, they covered the area in explosions.

Boom!!

Boom!!

Boom!!

It went on for a full minute before the explosions stopped.

Cirrus got up to find the area completely razed.

“Huff! Seems we have some dangerous elements in the city.” He got up to look at the area.

“Cirrus your back!” shouted Ai.

“Hm?” he touches his back to find it bare. “… That magic was enough to get through… Hmmm…”

Cirrus found that very concerning of all of his armor. He found his base armor to be his second strongest besides his Chimera. Aside from healing him, it also has a good defense against physical that wasn't blunt attacks and magical attacks. The armor then starts to recover itself, healing Cirrus before disappearing.

“Ai make sure you tell the other to be on high alert. Two powerful people are in the city.”

“Right! Oh and um, make sure you change clothes, okay?”

"I'm fine. I'll just wear one of my armors."

Somewhere in Orario.

“So how was your little bout with the Kirin?” Erebus said.

“Tough as hell! Even his girl was tough as hell!” Zald said, removing his helmet. "He got really scary when he put on that deer armor. He's really fast."

“Hm, she would have fit well in the Hera Familia, but Cirrus… he was another breed entirely. His speed and reflexes are better than ours,” Alfia said, taking a seat. "I also want to rip his eyes out for some reason. Whenever I see them, I want to gouge them out."

“Hmm.. are you two getting cold feet?”

“Of course not!” Zald said in a boisterous tone of voice. “It just means we're going to have to really try to give these adventures the trial to grow stronger!”

“Then lucky for you, I contacted Apate. We are going to help her children grow stronger, strong enough to truly make Orario a no holds bar. The strongest stands on top of the city!”

“And the supplies? That Renard blew them up,” said Zald.

“Does she have hair like snow and purple eyes?”

“Yes, she also has the best drawing hand I have ever seen. It was like a work of beauty.” Said Alfia. “It would take me a while to get it down.”

“Ah, that was the Sunny Saint, a remarkable Renard that made it to level 5 within 4 years. There have been rumors that she and Kirin are in a relationship of sorts.”

“That’s nice and all but the supplies?” said Zald, getting Erebus back on track.

“Ah yes, that! No worries! The one they blew up was a decoy. The actual supplies are being sent through some other method!”

NotOriginal

Susanoo was the one to suggest the name of Kirin, stemming from his magic and when he made his appearance in the war games, forming a dragon out of lightning.