Sweet cocked her head from side to side as she stared down the two enemies who’d separated themselves from the Null Empire’s puppets.

One was a knight, complete with a full set of armor, a crimson sword in their right hand, and a tower shield in their left.

The other was dressed in cloth garments, similar to those of a mage.

Both their faces were covered—the knight by his helmet, and the mage by a veil attached to their hat.

“I take it the two of you are numbered?” Sweet asked. “Are either of you the leader?”

“We are, and we aren’t.”

“So you’re numbered, but you’re not the leader,” Sweet grumbled. “Well, fuck it. Whoever the two of you are, I hope you’re worth a fight.”

The knight responded, “We have heard much of you from Zero. Sweet, the Defender of Humanity, an existence of such strength that even the gods shudder at the mention of her name.”

“You know all that and you’re still willing to fight me?” Sweet shrugged. “I don’t mind. Just let me have a drink first.”

She stabbed her sword into the dirt and pulled out a flask. “Cheers. So which numbers are you? Just so I know who I’m going to beat the shit out of before I can go find this ‘Zero’ you speak of.”

“One.”

“Three.”

“Ah, so I got some high-rankers.” Sweet lifted the flask to her lips and threw her head back as she downed the contents of the flask. “I hope you’ll at least last a minute.”

While Sweet was downing the flask the veiled mage glanced at One, who nodded back. Three then raised his hand in the air and seven magic circles appeared and activated in the blink of an eye.

The space around the three combatants changed. They were no longer in the plains, surrounded by countless Null Empire soldiers, but instead in a picturesque village—and Three and One were nowhere to be seen.

There was a school building, several houses, a few shops… a bright sun and green grass. Even the air smelled great, nothing like the metallic scent of blood that had already permeated the plains.

Then, as Sweet dropped the empty flask and lowered her inclined head, the doors to the school opened outwards and a dozen children ran out of the doors, happily laughing and giggling as they did so.

They spotted Sweet and quickly swarmed her.

“Woah! A knight lady! What are you doing here?”

“Cool armor! Can I touch your sword?!”

One child in particular reached toward Sweet with both arms. “Can I have a hug, miss knight lady?”

Before the child’s arms could reach her, Sweet drew her sword and cut all the childrens’ heads off—all except the one who’d asked for a hug.

When it was his turn, instead of the sound of metal slicing through flesh, a metallic clang sounded instead. Before the child could escape, Sweet punched it in the face, knocking it back several feet.

Then, she stomped the ground with her foot, and the illusion around her cracked before crumbling into nothingness. The sights, smells, and noises of the battlefield returned, and several beheaded corpses surrounded Sweet.

One staggered to his feet as Three coughed up blood.

“H—How did you break through the illusion so easily? Even Zero can’t break through my mirage so quickly!” Three shouted. “After living your life on the battlefield, don’t you want to live a peaceful life? Experience utopia?”

Sweet shrugged. “Well, I’ve had more than enough peace and quiet.”

She thought about it for a moment longer and added, “Also, if that was supposed to be a utopia, where was the free bar?”

“Dammit, Three! Zero told you she’s an alcoholic!” Zero shouted at Three. “How did you forget to include a bar!”

“If it makes you feel any better, it wouldn’t have mattered.” Sweet stepped forward, sword by her side.

“Please don’t die too quickly, for your sins against humanity must be repaid.”

One rushed towards Sweet, shield in front. “Don’t get too cocky! Three, back me up!”

“On it!” Three shouted.

Before One reached Sweet, she sighed and sheathed her sword, then grabbed One’s shield. Instead of pushing back against it, she pulled the shield towards herself, then moved around it and grasped his arm.

“Ahhh!” One screamed with pain as Sweet’s vice grip crushed his gauntlet, then his wrist inside.

He then continued to scream as Sweet grasped onto his arm with her other hand and began to pull.

He tried to swing his sword at Sweet, but even when the blade made contact against her head, he couldn’t cut through.

“Sorry about that. You see, you’re just…”

Sweet was finally able to tear the man’s arm apart. The shield clattered to the ground, and after shaking the gauntlet around a bit, the man’s arm and hand fell out of it.

“Huh. Dragonscale? This is good stuff.” Sweet examined the gauntlet, then looked up at One, who was panickedly pushing himself back up to his feet with his remaining arm.

“I’m going to need you to take your armor off. Philo’s gonna love having all of this material to work wi—”

A series of magic circles appeared around Sweet and activated, interrupting her. This time, Three had taken a much more direct approach. Instead of trying to trick Sweet’s mind through illusions, the magic seals summoned spectral flames, effectively trapping Sweet in an oven of ghostly flames.

Sweet scowled, then opened her mouth and sucked in the flames. After a quick belch, she roared in Three’s direction and the flames she’d swallowed spewed forth, forcing Three to summon a mana shield to protect himself.

“The two of you are more annoying than fun. It’s time to end this.”

Explosions, clangs, and all sorts of terrifying noises sounded from Sweet’s section of the battlefield. Whatever happened, only two minutes later One and Three were sprawled on the ground, surrounded by pools of blood.

At least Three was still properly clothed—only the cloth shirt and underpants under One’s armor remained, as the rest had been stripped off by Sweet.

Three softly muttered something with the last of his strength, so quietly that even Sweet could not hear it.

One muttered as well—this time, Sweet could hear the words that were said.

“We failed. Call for the crows.”

A pair of caws sounded from the heavens.

Sweet looked toward the skies. “...Shit.”