Part 1

Alicia White

Yggdrasil time [22:18]

Outer Regions | Arena testing 01 of Major Intersection Promus Base | LP 05 Anchor | 

 

The arena was filled with the echoes of cheers and bustling noise, creating a festive atmosphere among the crowd. Every chair on the ground was occupied, the two walls that sandwich the arena filled with spectators on its top platforms, and even the skies were packed with various winged races, adding to the eager anticipation laced upon their actions.

In the midst of the bustling crowd, Alicia spotted Vanessa at the top of the towered walls, engaged in conversation with her friends. Satisfied with her presence, Alicia shifted her attention to the front, where Liu was adjusting her attire. Behind her, Phantom and another Seeker were inspecting their weapons. At the far end of the stage, Bella and her group were doing the same. 

Alicia paused for a moment before deciding to remove her hat. She let the transparent white veil slide off her head from the slit and shook her head as she adjusted her hair, using her hand to aid in the process. Glancing beside her, she saw Christine standing with a lowered head and silently handed over her veil hat.

“Christine, take care of my veil hat for me,” Alicia ordered

Christine nodded, “Yes, of course, your Divineness. I will take care of your veil hat for you.”

After Christine took the veil hat with great care, Alicia focused her attention ahead, fixing her gaze on Liu. “Liu, may I inquire about something?”

Upon hearing Alicia’s words,  Liu raised her head with a smile, “How may I be of assistance, Your Divineness?”

“By any chance, does the current intersection base possess guns?”

Liu, looking surprised, stammered as she replied, “U-unfortunately, the simulation world we entered is quite primitive; The natives have yet to develop any technology for guns. However, we do have alternatives like bows and arrows.”

“Bow and arrows? I have no use for such primitive weapons,” Alicia remarked, furrowing her brow. “If anything I need to ensure my lack of information.”

Alicia briefly considered asking Liu about the progression of the weaponry development but then decided against it. In her mind, she knew that the game had only opened its servers for 22 hours, and it was unlikely that there had been any significant progress in the development of weaponry.

She couldn’t deny that using such primitive swords bothered her, even the one she had personally chosen, but she had no other options and reluctantly decided to use it.

Her arming sword currently inspected by the other Seekers, its slender and graceful blade concealed within the leather scabbard. The weight and size suited her perfectly, and the formidable double-edge blade featured a sturdy, wide crossguard. Though its design was simple and elegant, there was no denying its deadly prowess in cutting the living.

Alicia turned her gaze to Bella who stood on the other side of the stage. Bella’s rapier unsheathed, currently being inspected by several Seekers, the blade gleaming in the nearby firelight. Alicia couldn’t determine its material at a glance, but it appeared fragile and likely to break easily. 

Alicia cast a glance at the bell hanging from her belt and pondered, ‘There is a limit to how much I can accomplish with this bell. Bella may have already discovered how it functions, so it could be ineffective. However, if by some chance she has not yet biologically altered her ears, I must defeat her in one strike. After all, my regenerative capabilities are not the same as the real world, so prolonging this battle would put me at a significant disadvantage.’

Alicia evaluated herself and Bella, considering numerous ideas on how she could defeat Bella based on her previous experiences with her. Eventually, she was reminded of a comment Dianna had made about her weapon. 

「In case of emergency, smack it against their head :).」

While lost in thought, Alicia was startled as Bella suddenly appeared in her line of sight, calling out, “Hey!”

Alicia, startled but not showing it, furrowed her brow and replied, “I have a name, and you should address me as such.”

“I know,” Bella replied, “Useless chatter aside, there is one more thing I want to add for the stakes.”

“You’re requesting even more? How unreasonable of you, Bella.”

Unfazed by Alicia’s remarks, Bella persisted, “I want you to waive your 41-RC protection status if you lose.”

“Did you not hear what I said?” Alicia countered. “Not only is that demand completely unreasonable, but it's also bordering on insanity. Are you fully aware of the implications?”

“Alice, yes. I am asking seriously,” Bella urged. 

“Why should I agree to your conditions? It serves no benefits for me, not even the slightest. And I would not be losing to you either.” Alicia retorted defiantly.

Bella let out a heavy sigh and spoke, ”I had found two labyrinths in my territory. If you win, it will belong to you. I won’t impose any restrictions or inspections. I won’t even bat an eye whatever happens inside.”

Alicia’s lips curled into a small smile as she replied, “Color me interested.”

Hearing this, Bella beamed a smile and spoke, “I will exempt you from any toll charges, except for the galactic interfilament gate fares, only for your labyrinth exploration purposes. And it’s not just me; Vanessa wants you to change your 41-RC protection status.”

Bella swiveled her head, her gaze landing on Vanessa, sitting in the audience area high above the towering walls. Alicia followed Bella’s line of sight and spotted Vanessa giving a silent thumbs-up with a smile. 

Alicia pondered, ‘Vanessa wants to change my 41-RC status?’

“If you doubt me for lying, I can call her here. After all, she can fly.”

Alicia returned her gaze to Bella, replying with a stern voice, “There is no need. I will hear after the match.”

 “So, do we have an agreement?” Bella asked, a smug expression spreading across her face.

Alicia sighed, feeling defeated. “Very well, I will comply with those conditions,” she reluctantly agreed.

“That is the answer I like to hear,” Bella muttered, smiling confidently as she turned on her heel and strode away.

As Alicia watched Bella’s retreating figure, she noticed Erwin descending gracefully from the sky and landing at the center of the stage. Turning towards Alicia, he gave her a thumbs-up, signaling something.

‘Is this some kind of sign?’ Alicia evaluated.

Confused by Erwin’s sudden hand sign, Alicia slightly tilted her head, trying to decipher his gesture. 

Liu, who noticed the strange interaction between the two, whispered to her, “Erwin is trying to tell you whether you are ready or not.”

“Is that so? Tell him that I am ready.” 

Liu made a circle with her fingers, notifying Erwin with a single gesture. He responded the same before pivoting towards Bella, repeating the same gestures. However, Bella nonchalantly responded without assistance from her companions.

‘A mysterious hand sign…’ Alicia thought. 

Alicia continued to ponder, when suddenly Erwin’s loud, jarring scream ripped through the bustling, startling her. “ARE YOU READY!?!?”

The arena was abuzz with excitement as the eager crowd awaited the start of the match. The noise multiplied significantly, with some chanting Erwin’s name and referring to him as brother title. Movement among the crowd increased, with people waving their hands, and many started cheering for Divineness and Bella.

"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! Are you ready for the match of the century!?" Erwin bellowed, raising his arms high to hype up the crowd.

 The crowd erupted with cheers, their energy electrifying the atmosphere. Erwin continued to pump up the crowd, shouting words of excitement, feeding off the roaring energy of the spectators. Before Alicia even realized it, Liu had retreated from the stage, and she found her arming sword attached to her belt.

"And now, it is time to settle in and prepare for the epic battle that is about to unfold before your very eyes. Get ready to witness the unparalleled skills and unmatched determination of our fierce competitors!" Erwin announced, his voice resounding through the Arena

‘He doesn’t seem to have an amplifier, yet his voice overpowered the crowd,’ Alicia silently observed. ‘Could he be using some kind of artificial means?’

All of a sudden, the arena fell into darkness, with only the faint moonlight filtering through the swarm of winged Seekers above, casting otherworldly soft lighting across the stage. As the audience settled into silence, a powerful beam of light illuminated Erwin at the center of the stage, his exuberant demeanor shifting intense focus.

"Ladies and gentlemen, let us give a warm welcome to our first competitor, leader of the Western Intersection Base, and one of the members of the control team, the INVINCIBLE BELLA GAVELA!” Erwin’s booming voice filled the arena as he introduced the first contender.

A bright beam of light showered on Bella as she stood confidently at the opposite end of the arena, casually acknowledging the crowd with a wave. Thunderous applause and cheers erupted from the audience.

Alicia gazed upward, her curiosity piqued by the origin of the light. Several winged Seekers came into view, encircling a radiant ball of light as they wielded concave mirrors to direct its luminance downward to Bella. Not only that, a thick mist enveloped them, with small orbs of light floating in between, creating a mystical stormy-like atmosphere above the arena.

"And now, let us welcome her opponent! The eternal, the one that cannot be denied, ALICE FENIX!" Erwin's voice thundered through the arena.

As Alicia stood poised, a radiant beam of light enveloped her, showcasing her avatar with an aura of elegance and charisma. A crescendo of cheers erupted from the crowd, as chants of her name echoed through the air.

Silently, Erwin moved toward the edge of the platform. As the lighting returned to normal, signaling the imminent start of the match, the crowd fell into a hushed silence, the sage now set. 

Erwin swiftly glanced at the contestants before speaking, “The rules are simple: The first one unable to continue loses. Destruction of the avatar is forbidden and will result in immediate disqualification.”

The conditions aligned with the standard imperial etiquette of the real world and Alicia held no objections. The contestants nodded in agreement to Erwin’s words. The tension grew as the crowd fell into complete silence, and Erwin raised his hand as a signal for the contestants to begin.

“BEGIN!”

As soon as Erwin dropped his hands, Alicia lunged forward, kicking the ground as she unsheathed the long double-edged sword. It gleamed in the light, exuding a menacing aura that thirsted for blood.

Bella positioned herself, stepping her dominant leg forward and aligning the other behind. She calmly pulled her rapier from its scabbard, heightened her senses, and focused on Alicia, waiting for her to step within her range.

Just before Alicia could close in, a torrent of flames erupted from Bella's ground, engulfing the unsuspecting Bella.

“Wa-!” Bella exclaimed, her words abruptly cut off as she was buried by the flames. 

Alicia wasted no time. She came to a sudden halt and reached for the bell hanging at her waist, readying to ring the bell with a raised hand. However, before she could, something wrapped around her raised hand.

“Got you,”

A voice whispered behind Alicia’s ear, and before she could react, something twisted around her raised hand, causing unbearable pain that gripped her mind. Suddenly, her other hand, which held the sword, was cut at the wrist. 

The agony clouded Alicia’s thoughts, but immediately recovered as a sudden burst of flames erupted from above, engulfing both her and Bella.

The searing heat pierced her skin, her lungs ached from the scorching air. Amidst the violent screeching of the flames, she clenched her teeth and commanded her augment to suppress the pain and stop the bleeding in her hand. Yet, within the chaos, a distant laughter echoed.

Realizing that Bella was no longer restraining her, Alicia canceled her flames with a quick command, leaving her body flushed with residual heat and much of her hair singed. 

Despite the twisted state of her hand, which hung listlessly from her body, Alicia’s fingers remained tightly clenched around the bell’s head. As Alicia continued to scan her surroundings, Bella was nowhere to be seen. 

Alicia felt a sense of unease, certain that she had caught Bella off guard with her initial attack. Despite this, Bella inexplicably reappeared from behind, leaving Alicia stunned by her actions.

“Ahaha!” Bella’s laughter echoed through the air, yet her appearance remained hidden from sight. “Look at you, Alice. Your once Divine aura now turned into-”

“-Dirt.” A voice whispered behind Alica’s ear. 

In an instant, Alicia rang the bell once with her limping hand, paralyzing her opponent.

“Wa-,” Bella’s confused voice echoed.

Alicia tightened her grip on the bell and turned around, exerting force as she swung. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Bella’s confused expression. Seizing the opportunity, Alicia swiftly bashed the bell onto her opponent’s head.

With the paralysis claiming her body, alongside the powerful impact on her head caused Bella to lose her balance and fall to the ground. Shock registered in her expression as she struggled to comprehend, unable to form words through her paralyzed mouth.

Bella’s trembling lips barely formed the word, “H-how.”

Alicia watched in disbelief as Bella lay unscathed from the intense flames she had summoned. Not a single hair on Bella had burnt, yet the only visible injury Alicia could see was the blood trickling from Bella’s head. Thoughts raced through her mind as she silently approached Bella. 

Alicia calmly contemplated, ‘How did she avoid my flames? Did she enter the Boundary? Is it a new ability I haven’t heard of? Even if she entered the Boundary, how was she able to reappear behind me instantly? If anything, she would have gone into the Boundary after the paralysis hit her body.’

“Your incessant chatter is more akin to that of a dog,” Alicia sneered, “Which is rather fitting, in fact.”

Bella furrowed her brow and opened her mouth as if wanting to reply to Alicia’s words. 

Alicia approached closer, ignoring Bella who was writhing on the ground. With great effort, Alicia struggled to raise her twisted arm, unnatural positioning of her shoulders hindered her movement.

As she attempted to shake the bell, an invisible force wrapped itself around her hand. With a sudden jolt, the bell slipped from her grip, and  clattered to the ground. 

Alicia’s expression turned to shock as she felt her twisted shoulder begin to stretch, accompanied by the unnerving sound of cracking bones. There was nothing physically holding her hand, yet an invisible force seemed to envelop it. It immediately dawned on Alicia what Bella’s abilities were. 

‘She can manipulate gravity!’

Bella couldn’t contain her laughter as a broken snicker escaped from her lips, her smile widening and her eyes filling with joy. Slowly, she raised her body from the ground, but before she could react, an explosion of flames propelled her toward Alicia.

Bella’s face scraped against the floor as her body slid across it. Suddenly, the force holding Alicia in the air vanished, causing her to fall to the ground and inadvertently crush Bella underneath. Before Alicia could rise, she was forcefully pushed aside by a powerful unknown force. 

Alicia was thrown to the ground, feeling an invisible force coil around her neck, pinning her down. Her face planted on the ground, while her feet kneeled, trying to raise herself. She gritted her teeth, trying to resist the unknown force. Meanwhile, Bella rose from the ground, approaching Alicia’s fallen sword. 

Alicia’s arming sword still had a hand gripped on its hilt, bleeding from the cut. Bella nonchalantly threw the detached hand away and claimed the sword for herself. She then approached the pinned-down Alicia, kicking the bell off the stage as she went and wearing a delighted expression.

Bella couldn’t help but smirk at Alicia’s disheveled appearance, her clothes burnt, and her skin blistered and scorched. With a triumphant air, she brandished Alicia’s sword. 

Bella’s face lit with delight. “Ah! This is exactly what I wanted to see! Alice Blodeuwodd Fenix, the Duchess, The Divine, on her knees in front of me! How pleasant! Today is the day I am born a—”

Suddenly, her mouth exploded from the inside, ripping open wide. Bella’s head was blasted back, but she quickly regained her balance. Her jaw was torn apart by the intense heat, revealing teeth, bones, and flesh. Scorched tongue hung with flames as the scent of burnt flesh filled the air.

Bella glared at Alicia, unable to speak due to the absence of her complete mouth. The bleeding had stopped, as she displayed a fierce expression. Elegantly, she approached the fallen Alicia with a raised sword as if signaling her intent to execute her. All the while Alicia continued to resist the force pushing her neck down and glared defiantly at Bella.

As Bella raised her sword, she prepared to strike at Alicia's neck, but to her surprise, the sword passed right through her. Suddenly, Alicia's appearance changed dramatically; her once charred red hair turned a pure, dark black, and her eyes were now devoid of the white iris.

In astonishment, Bella flinched as Alicia nonchalantly rose from the ground and moved through Bella’s avatar.

Bella was taken aback as she thought, ‘What!?’ unable to comprehend Alicia’s ability to pass through objects, before being kicked from behind and stumbling on the ground. 

“I take those words back,” Alicia spat, “Your silence is like that of a caged canine, muzzled and finally subdued.”

Bella faced Alicia with a glare, commanding her augment to summon a force wrapped around Alicia’s neck. However, to her surprise, she found herself unable to do so. Alicia smiled smugly. Without hesitation, Bella rose to her feet, tightening her grip on the sword.

Summoning her strength, Bella lunged forward to slash Alicia, who stood motionless, filling her thoughts with suspicion. The blade passed through Alicia’s body, and in that moment, a silent realization tugged at her senses. Undeterred, Bella attempted again and again, but to no avail.

Alicia’s body slumped suddenly as if life had abandoned the body, causing her to kneel to the ground.

Upon witnessing this, Bella arrived at a conclusion, without a shred of doubt, ‘She used possession on me!’

Bella felt an abrupt unease wash over her body. Her skin crawled, and her body turned cold as she received information that someone’s consciousness was inside her, trying to overthrow her control.