THE SOLID TIME OF CHANGE [ I ]

[CORRUPTED DATA]

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[ERROR]

Dungeon.

*Drip*
*Drip*
*Drip*

Water drops fall incessantly from the ceiling of the dark room, each echoing like the ticking of a clock in this forgotten prison where Danny lies.

She no longer knows how long she has been there - hours, days, millennia seem to blend into a timeless limbo. The only vivid memory that remains is the supernatural sensation of having been stabbed and the face of her Stabbyness, branded into her mind like a searing mark.

 

Suddenly, the metallic sound of a lock opening breaks the suffocating silence.
Danny's heart races.
"Could it be?" she whispers to herself in a faint voice, her desperate soul clinging to hope.

 

"Danny, I heard you talking. You're daydreaming about her, aren't you? She's not coming back," says a voice. A cold and relentless voice.

 

The door to the forgotten basement remains closed.

 

The emerald eyes of the woman, moist with tears, reflect the feeble light that filters into that prison, along with the faint hope that still remains within her.

 

"No, no... She wouldn't abandon us... Her Stabbyness wouldn't leave us here..." Danny responds, her voice trembling with denial, desperately clinging to hope.

"Do you really think so? Then why are we still here, alone? She has already forgotten you," the voice insists.
An echo of doubts.
Fears.

"It must be because I have to atone... I've been a bad Daikon! I must be punished..." Danny stutters, searching for justifications for her abandonment.
Her eyes fixed on the door as if she could materialize her redemption merely with her gaze.

"But this... this isn't the punishment we know, Danny. This is new, this is... different," the voice sighs, sowing doubt.

Suddenly, a sliver of light penetrates through the opening of the door.
“Who's there?" Danny cries out, with a note of fear and hope mingling in her voice.

Footsteps approach, but she can't tell if they're real or just another cruel trick of her mind.

"Is it Her or... is it just another game of my mind?" she wonders, as her eyes, accustomed to the darkness, struggle to adjust to the light.
"I can no longer trust my senses... I don't know what's real," she sighs, overcome by despair.

"Do you continue to nourish this faint hope? Are you really that naive? She. Will. Not. Return," the voice hits her with the cruel truth.

"NO! She will return! She promised! I cannot... I must not lose faith..." Danny counters, her determination to resist being the only beacon in a sea of darkness.

But when the door fully opens, the figure that appears is not her beloved, but a distorted and familiar reflection of Danny herself, carrying a smile that seems devoid of any emotion.

"Hello, Danny. You look disappointed. Were you hoping it was someone else?" the figure asks her, in a tone that sounds strangely familiar and yet alien at the same time.

"It's you..." Danny murmurs, the realization hitting her like a punch in the stomach.

"Of course, it's me. Who else could it be, Danny? I told you. No one else is coming. Would your goddess ever lie to you?" the figure responds, the smile on her face becoming ever more unnatural.

"She... She will come... She promised..." Danny stutters, but her words sound empty, even to herself.

"Fool. Only I will always be with you, Danny. Only with me, you will never be alone. Haven't you learned anything from the past? You rejected me then too. And how did it end?" the figure continues, her tone becoming more insistent, almost seductive in her darkness.

"No... it won't be like last time..." Danny barely whispers, clinging to the last glimmer of hope that perhaps, somehow, things might still change.

"Stop resisting, Danny. Let me in. I am your only salvation. You can't run from me, not anymore," the figure says, slowly approaching her with steps that seem to echo throughout the room.

Danny feels the weight of despair crushing her more heavily than ever before, an internal struggle between the desire to surrender to the voice that promises comfort in the darkness and the part of her that still, against all logic, hopes for a miracle.

"I... can... I..." she stutters, desperately trying to find the strength to believe in something greater than this grim reality.

*CLANK*

But just as the figure is about to reach her, a sound breaks the stale air of the room, a sound that seems impossible in that forgotten place. It's the sound of a key turning in the lock once again, but this time it's not the door through which the dark figure entered.

Danny looks up, incredulous, towards the new source of light making its way through another hidden door, previously invisible in the shadows of the room. Her eyes, now accustomed to the darkness, take a moment to adjust, but what she sees leaves her breathless.

There, on the threshold, stands a figure enveloped in a soft glow, so bright as to seem unreachable, yet unmistakably real. It is not the illusion that tormented her, but someone else.

A figure in white.
Perhaps it's because of the light entering the room from the door, filling it, but the individual seems to shine.

It's not her Stabbyness. But it's also not the mirage from before.

"W-who... who are you?!" Danny screams, writhing, bound by unbreakable chains.
Why are they unbreakable?

She is no longer a mere Daikon.
Every stabbing by her Stabbyness, every devouring by her beloved has progressively made her stronger. An entity of the Eldritch class.

What chains can hold her? How was she captured?
It's as if suddenly clarity has returned to her, yet there's still a mist preventing her from remembering the exact sequence of events.

She has already experienced this with her Stabbyness.
Yes, the collapse of reality, the bending of the laws of physics to the will of cosmic beings that obey no mortal rules.

But this is different.
As if she were on a movie set where everything is made of papier-mâché and fake.
Fake walls, floor, lights, and... the chains?

Danny rebels, she moves, tries to break them... to bite them.

"I'm afraid you cannot free yourself in this way, my lady," says the man dressed entirely in white. He wears an elegant suit, with a tie and a white fedora hat.

The man gives her a sad smile.

"[UNKNOWN]-kun?"
A lost memory or a trick of her mind, an illusion.
Who is Danny talking about?
Yet why did it come out spontaneously?

"I am W."
The man bows, removing his hat, his [CORRUPTED DATA] hair fluttering as if moved by a breeze.

W pulls out a file from his jacket.
"You are Danny the Daikon, also known as ‘Green Rizz’. The one who has tamed the nightmare called Azure Fog."

Danny's heart skips a beat.
Her mind immediately jumps to the worst possibilities.
Has she been kidnapped to be used against her Stabbyness?
Does the kidnapper think she is Azure's weakness?

No, it doesn't make sense.
Her Stabbyness would have no issue killing her, considering there's the respawn and also she has the powers to revive her.

"I will... not... say anything! I won't speak!" Danny gathers her courage.
She shouts her determination with the little voice she has left.
She knows the only weakness of her Symbiote but will never reveal it.
Even if her captor were to torture her.

Danny knows she just has to endure. Her Stabbyness will come to save her.
"Are you sure, Danny? Sure she will come? She has forgotten you," the voice, perhaps a hallucination of her mind, makes herself heard again.

"N-no... it's not true..." the voice of the woman with green hair is just a whisper.

W watches her perplexedly, perhaps aware of the daikon's delirium.

"Danny, I can easily pull you out of this situation, just let me in. Let me take control," the torment in her mind continues.

Danny shakes her head; she won't allow it to happen like the last time.

Suddenly, an unexpected gesture.
Out of context.
Impossible.
Absurd.

The man caresses her face.

His cold hand on her cheek.

A tear rolls down from his [CORRUPTED DATA] eye.

Like jolted by an electric shock, W instantly withdraws.

Danny doesn't even have time to protest.
Everything happens so quickly that she can't comprehend if it really occurred.

W's touch was a nostalgic sensation.
A moment of vulnerability that tears Danny from her whirlwind of despair, offering her a glimmer of... understanding? It makes no sense.

The woman shakes her head.

The man lowers his hat with his right hand to hide his face and wipes away the tear with his left.

Her captor recomposes himself and returns to observing her, with his gaze cold yet strangely kind.

"My lady, it is not my intention to torture or interrogate you. Your stay here serves three purposes: to test the anti-Eldritch field, understand reaction times... and to take a sample."

W pulls an object from a metal container.
Danny turns pale at the sight.

His hand, now wielding a syringe, moves with a precision that borders on artistry.
The fear etched on Danny's face only underscores the gravity of the moment, as the needle penetrates her skin, a final violation of what is sacred.

"W-What are you doing? Are you crazy?! Azure will make you pay for this!" Danny attempts to play the card of threat, but the man remains unruffled.

The blood, more chlorophyll than anything, blending green and red like a red pesto, quickly fills the syringe.

*KNOCK*
*KNOCK*
*KNOCK*

A female voice can be heard from the other side of the room.

"Goddess daikon! Goddess daikon! Where are you? I will find you!"
The voice sounds like that of an angel, but the vibrations are those of a devil.

"Ssemouy, my rootling! I'm here!" Danny shouts with the voice she has left.
Her only loyal follower has found her.
Danny finds hope but above all, pride in her loyal follower.

"Goddess daikon!" the minion cries out in desperation, having sensed the presence of the green-haired woman.

"The minion managed to find this place? Not even Azure can track it!" W is shocked.

"Goddess! I know you're here! First [UNKNOWN], then you. I'm alone. Please don't abandon me." it almost sounds like she's crying.
An unsettling cry without tears.

 

W's phone vibrates.
The man finishes drawing the blood.
Meanwhile, Ssemouy is knocking on the door.

Each knock grows more violent.
Much more violent.
As if it's not the minion knocking, but something far more threatening.

W reads the message.
< We have visitors, the Alpha Phi has awakened. All SNVW alarm sensors are reporting extremely dangerous values. - Shizuki >

The prison trembles with every strike from Ssemouy, as if there were an earthquake.

"GODDESS!"

W places two fingers on his left temple, appearing to have a transceiver in his ear.

{What are you doing, T? Don't you have her in your sights? Stop Ssemouy. Sedate her!}

{I'm sorry, W! She moves from one point to another without ever staying still... I can't find the right moment to shoot,} responds Theirl, playing the role of a sniper positioned outside the prison.

The external environment makes no sense.
Stairs leading to more stairs that circle around upside-down walls.
From a raised window, the journalist has a view of the outside of the prison.

The man dressed in white sighs.

{All right, my lord. Start withdrawing. Over and out.}

The structure itself trembles and flickers under the assault of Ssemouy, her screams an anthem of challenge and dedication that knows no bounds.

"Time to go..." comments W.
"You'll be free soon, Green Rizz."

The man places Danny's blood sample in a metal case.

"Why are you doing this?" asks Danny.

"I take no pleasure in it. But it's necessary. It's my mission. Your family is a cancer," the man responds.

"I won't let you harm my precious family!"

"Give me control, Danny. We can stop him here and now, before it's too late," the voice in her head tells her. Danny is undecided... perhaps she should yield to the Mother.

A new message.
< The anti-Eldritch field is collapsing! She's there! - Shizuki >

"Let me in! Goddess!" The banging against the walls by Ssemouy becomes more insistent.

W looks at his watch, then bows.
"None of this has ever happened, but I'm sure we will meet again."

“Wai—”
Danny would like to respond, but like an echo, a glitch, a flicker, W is no longer there.

*FLASH*

The dungeon is gone.

Are they now in the school?

Ssemouy has an expression of utter incomprehension as she finds herself beating against a wall that is no longer there. Her daikon goddess is there, in the center of the new room.
But she is not alone.

In front of her stands another "person," with long silver hair.
Scarlet eyes that wound like sharp blades if one tries to meet them.

Both Danny and Ssemouy can sense the furious aura emanating from her.
The air is still around her.
Even the dust hangs motionless in the air.
The concept of time itself has been stabbed.
It's a miracle this multiverse hasn't ceased to exist yet.

But when the newcomer notices Danny's presence, the fury dissipates like frost in the sunlight.

"I... couldn't believe..." Danny murmurs, her words choked with emotion. Tears fall uncontrollably.

The new figure advances with light steps, as if each movement were measured to not scare her. An unusual sweetness from such a ruthless monster.

"Danny~ I've found you~ Finally~" she says with a voice that sounds like a forgotten melody, sweet and pure.

"NO! No… No… I was so close… Damn Azure… You're stealing her from me!" the voice in mind hisses increasingly weakly, her presence starting to fade at the edges, as if it were being erased from reality itself.

Danny, with tears in her eyes, realizes the fight is over.
Because she chose not to give up, because she chose to resist long enough to be saved by the one she loves.

"My Stabbyness!" her eyes wet with tears, shine with love.

"Danny~"

"I... I believed in you," she says to her beloved, her voice full of wonder and gratitude.
The chains that had been holding her are no longer there.

"Hehe~ Good daikon~" she responds, taking her hand.

Reasserting her possession, Azure pulls the woman into a passionate embrace.

Their faces are very close.
Their lips almost touch.
Their eyes meet each other's.

Ssemouy blushes witnessing the intimacy of the two women.
Even as a silhouette without color, the blush on her cheeks is perceptible.

"You're so cute!" Danny whispers sweetly.

"I'm not cute~" Azure responds mischievously.

A tender kiss.

********************************************************************************************
TOTAL MASS RETAIN [ II ]

From the apex of the clock tower, the highest point of Scribble Hub High School, W overlooks the entire school landscape, a silent dominator wrapped in the mystery of his reflections.

The hands of the clock strike imposingly, reflecting an illusory time on which one cannot rely in this dimension.

His fingers tap on the screen, as he traces thoughts intended for an equally enigmatic ally.
<The resistance of the anti-Eldritch field has been sufficiently adequate—>

"Are you sure about this?" A voice, laden with scorn and sharp as the sharpest blade, breaks into his meditative solitude.
A cube of ice down the back.

 

*BANG*

With the speed of lightning, W turns and fires his pistol, his heart pounding in his chest.
The fierce beats multiply as if there were more than one heart, but three.

 

"Midnight!" The man clenches his teeth as the smoking pistol bears witness to the futility of his action. The bullet misses its target.

 

Before him, the angelic fox grins, amused by such a futile attempt. One of the three fearsome fox nieces of Simple Russian Boi, also known as Slavic Mama. She embodies the tangible threat of the Eldritch family, a danger that lurks in the shadow of every corner of the school.

The situation is worse than he could have thought.
Midnight poses a threat nearly as dangerous as Azure.

"If I wanted you dead, you would be already, white fedora," hisses the heterochromatic fox, her words a thin veil between threat and promise.

W does not lower his pistol.
He knows that a moment of distraction with this being could be the end.
Even just looking into her eyes means he might have already fallen into her illusions. He might already be a victim of the eye of the trickster.

"What do you desire, my lady?" asks W, his voice tight with tension.

"You think it was your technology that hid you from Azure's eyes, but in reality..."
The kitsune positions herself in profile, her disturbing smile widening in the most unsettling manner as she points to herself with her right thumb raised.

"IT WAS ME, MIDNIGHT!"
A spark of perverse madness shines in her eyes with x-shaped irises.

 

W is taken by surprise, unable to believe the words of the trickster, an entity known for her ability to sow doubt. Trusting her is impossible.

But could she be telling a truth masked as a lie? Or a lie disguised as truth?

 

"What is your purpose, my lady?" asks W, still keeping his pistol aimed.

 

"I may not be your ally, but that doesn't make me your enemy either. A Wild Card is what a trickster like myself is known for."

 

"What does that mean?"

 

"I am loyal only to amusement," whispers Midnight.
Her allegiance is solely to chaos and the unexpected.

 

**************************

In a solitary corridor of the Scribble Hub High School, the marble beneath her feet echoes the light footsteps of Reina as she carries a stack of books toward the library.
Her figure, dressed with precision and care, moves with a purpose, but also with a tranquility that seems rare to find in the school's usually chaotic hallways.

The girl with turquoise hair passes the door of a club room.
The brass sign above the door reads “Pharmaceutical Club.”
An expression of annoyance appears on her otherwise gentle face.
"Umpf."
A shadow of disappointment crosses her face, a sign of discord in the harmonious chorus of her day.

But something is different than usual.
The woman stops a few meters ahead.
An idea flashes through her mind.

She shakes her head as if fighting against an indecent thought.
"It wouldn't be appropriate. Stealing is wrong," she murmurs to herself.

Her morals compel her to continue, and she intends to do so.

On the other hand, she is not at all convinced by what happens in the "Pharmaceutical Club." Reina is the secretary of the student council, but she shares this role with an ambiguous figure: Ssemouy Onan.
This woman seems to be involved in shady dealings and appears always to work in their favor. Together with the vice president, Ellie, more and more funds have been allocated to this so-called “Pharmaceutical Club.”
However, Reina believes it's not a legitimate activities but rather a cover.
This is her chance!

The door is indeed ajar. It's unusual.
It's usually barricaded and impossible to enter, but today it's slightly open.

Despite her role as the secretary of the student council urging her to proceed without hesitation, unease plants the seeds of suspicion.

The slightly open door of the "Pharmaceutical Club" invites her, an anomaly compared to the usual fortification of chains and padlocks. A clue, perhaps, of a recent wrongdoing or a break-in.

The maid retraces her steps and pauses in front of the club door. To enter or not to enter? The dilemma is evident in her expression as she starts to break out in a cold sweat.

With her heart racing, Reina confronts herself again: to cross that threshold or not?
Her breathing becomes labored as she contemplates the abyss of possibilities before her.

With an almost involuntary gesture, she leans against the door, which yields to her touch, swinging open before her like the curtain of a dark theater.

Now that it's open, the woman with turquoise hair clenches her fists and decides it might as well be worth entering.

Alembics, alchemical liquids, strange apparatuses. It doesn't seem like a laboratory but rather the den of a witch. A few computers. Being half-fae, Reina perceives flashes of fairy magic, remnants of Rhaps's passage, a member of the club.

Every corner is occupied by glass alembics of bizarre shapes, connecting tubes snake like tentacles in a chaotic dance, joining containers that boil with liquids of impossible colors.

Effervescent substances bubble in pots of blackened copper, while vials containing luminescent powders are meticulously arranged on dark wooden shelves, the pungent odor of arcane herbs and chemicals penetrating the nostrils.

In the center of the room stands a large black cauldron, suspended over a fire that seems to burn without any fuel source, emitting a glow that casts dancing shadows on the walls, covered in esoteric symbols and ancient formulas written in an incomprehensible language.

From the ceilings hang dried herbs, while in a corner rests a scale, next to sealed packages suggesting transactions far removed from harmless laboratory experiments.

Out of place is a desk on which sits a laptop.
The screen is raised and turned on.

The woman can't help but approach it, drawn by the potential information she could discover. Secret documents, illegal transactions, evidence to finally prove the wickedness of this club.

Reina's eyes sparkle with wonder as she reads the potentially compromising information. The open file talks about a delivery that George Lee must make together with Kureos, of a product called “Valkyr”.

Suddenly, the air in front of her flickers slightly, as if disturbed by an invisible heat.

A man appears out of nowhere, with a calmness that seems almost impossible given the nature of his entrance.

He wears a white suit that seems to defy definition, subtly changing colors and shapes as he moves, reflecting his enigmatic nature as reality seems to warp around him.

Reina stops, surprised but not frightened.
Her training, her nature, and her integrity prevent her from retreating in the face of the unknown.

"Who are you? Are you a thief? Did you break in here?" she asks with a voice that carries the strength of her personality, serene yet firm.
She bombards the man with a torrent of questions she cannot hold back.
"This is a school club, and you don't seem to be part of it."

W observes Reina, appraising her with a gaze that seems to penetrate beyond the surface. "Lady Reina," he begins, his voice calm. "I find myself faced with an enigma. Your reputation as a bastion of integrity and competence precedes you. Yet, you are taking a significant risk by entering this place."

Reina raises an eyebrow, not surprised that someone like W would know her name or her reputation.

"You haven't answered my question, Mister. Who are you?"

"I’m W. Assistant to Headmaster Tony," the man bows in greeting.

"That's a lie, Mister W. Headmaster Tony has no assistant. I am the secretary of the student council; I would know if there were one."

"The line between lie and truth is thin in this school, don't you think, my lady?"

Reina's face remains gentle, but her clear eyes tell a different story—a whirlwind of emotions and secrets held back.

The school is a melting pot of information and secrets, and she is well aware of the role she plays within this dynamic ecosystem. "And what would this enigma be?" she asks, her interest piqued despite her prudence.

"Your honesty," W responds, taking a step forward. "Or, to be precise, your struggle with it. Can I trust the secretary of the student council? Do you really want to see the truth? The corruption that spreads like a plague throughout the institution?"

Reina remains silent for a moment.
Inside her, a strong curiosity to know the darkest secrets, but also an awareness that the status quo must be maintained at all costs.
Reina does not seek the truth or honesty.
For her, the priority is the duty to serve.

"Sometimes," she answers slowly, "the truth is not the greatest good. My priority is to protect and serve this school and its students. If that means hiding the truth for a greater good, so be it. I cannot allow chaos to ensue."

W nods, as if her response confirmed a theory he had.
"Interesting," he simply says.

"You see, Lady Reina, I find myself in a position from a certain point of view similar but ultimately in contrast to yours. The realities I manipulate, the truths I alter... It's all done in an attempt to maintain a greater balance. But to do so, I must disrupt the current state of the school. I must bring to light the darkness that has tainted everything."

"I'm sorry, but I cannot allow that, it would cause violence and disorder. And I detest these two things. If you have proposals to improve the school, you can submit them to the student council, and if necessary, internal security will take care of the crimes."

W offers a sarcastic smile, but he does not laugh in her face, showing the deepest respect.

"You can confide in me, Mister W. Really. You can believe I will do everything in my power to help you, but always trying to avoid violence."

W smiles, this time sadly.
A familiar feeling, a déjà vu, a reminiscence.
Something he has somehow experienced before, yet not really.
But the feeling of sadness is real.
The words come to him spontaneously.
"It seems that in no timeline can we be friends. It's truly a shame, my lady."

Reina's fae nature allows her to perceive things that wouldn't be perceivable to other beings. However, her human side doesn't make it comprehensible to her.
She struggles to maintain this precarious balance, while words linger on the tip of her tongue. She would like to be friends, but the distance is insurmountable.

"I'm sure President Corty would listen to you—"

*SLAM*

****
I GET UP I GET DOWN [ III ]

The club door is slammed shut.
The noise echoes through the room, immediately drawing the attention of Reina and W.

W immediately draws his pistol.

*CLAP*

With a clap of hands, the lights in the room turn on, revealing the newcomers.

"V-vice president, Ellie!" exclaims the secretary maid, her face turning pale.
Beads of sweat begin to form on her forehead.
She is aware of the compromising situation she finds herself in.

Before them stands Ellie Porter, the Vice President of the student council, and the head of the Pharmaceutical Club.

The girl, dressed formally in the school uniform, is of average height.
Her skin is tanned, probably artificially.
Her intense crimson eyes penetrate the two intruders. A wicked grin.
She grabs her two red pigtails and starts to play with them in her hands.

Next to her are George Lee with his baseball cap, mechanic's outfit, and Kureous, with a sombrero and poncho. Both are armed with Thompson submachine guns and bad intentions.

"RATATATATATATATATATA!"
Kureous advances, swinging the machine gun from right to left, simulating the sound of a burst of shots.

Reina flinches in terror.
"Hahah! Just kidding." A malevolent smile spreads across his face.
George Lee brings a hand to his head, embarrassed by his companion's theatrics.
"What an idiot…"

"It seems we have two snoops in our club. Didn't you know that access to the Pharmaceutical Club is restricted to non-members by the student council's law? I'm surprised at you, Secretary Reina." Ellie says mischievously.

"This man is the intruder!" exclaims Reina suddenly, pointing at the man in the white fedora next to her.

"Listen to me, Vice president! This isn't an intrusion! The door was open, and I saw this suspicious person. I entered to stop the intrusion. I wanted to get him out!" Reina quickly shifts the blame to W, who remains impassive, keeping his pistol aimed at the three club members blocking their way.

Ellie chuckles, unconvinced by the maid's justification.
"Secretary Reina, your presence is no longer welcome in this respectable Club."
Ellie snaps her fingers, and amidst the flames, a scroll appears in the demon's hands.

"According to law 666 approved by the student council and signed by President Corty, the student council cannot enter the pharmaceutical club or interfere with it. I invoke paragraph 444 of this law and exercise my power for immediate expulsion from this laboratory."

The red-haired woman snaps her fingers, smiling at the maid.

"Wai—"
Reina doesn't have time to finish her sentence before she is magically teleported outside the club.

W makes a slight movement, but...

*RATATATTATA*

George Lee fires a warning shot a few steps from him.
The bullets bounce at his feet, breaking the tiles and raising dust.

W remains still, keeping his cool.

"Don't move, you fool." There's no hesitation in his gaze.
The number 5786 printed in golden letters on his baseball cap shines with the artificial lights of the laboratory.
"George, you shoot and I can't? That's not fun," Kureous protests, raising his machine gun, ready to fire.

"Stop! I want to talk face-to-face with this white hat muppet."
Ellie orders the two henchmen to stop.

W observes Ellie with a calm look, the tension between them palpable.
"I see you've shat the bed... What are you cooking?" Ellie challenges, her voice full of authority.

"I believe you are mistaken, my lady," W responds with a calmness that defies the brewing storm.

Ellie shakes her head, a contemptuous smile on her lips.
"I'm not a lady. I'm the boss and I'm in charge of this school. Nothing happens without me knowing. Who the fuck are you?"

"I'm an assistant to Tony," W replies, maintaining his neutral tone.

"Bullshit, who the fuck are you, muppet?" presses Ellie, her gaze becoming more penetrating.

W remains silent, evaluating the situation with thoughtful eyes.

Ellie, growing impatient, continues: "Oh, you don't want to talk, git? Maybe I should do the talking. Talk about the Eldritch Family."

"What do you want, Ellie," asks W, finally giving voice to his thoughts.

"Ah, you're done playing dumb. So now you know who I am," says Ellie sarcastically, a flash of victory in her crimson eyes.

W stiffens, aware of the danger he is facing.
"Of course, I know who you are. What do you want?" W remains unflappable, his gaze steady on Ellie.

"Power and respect," Ellie declares, as if those were the only things she desires.

"You have them in abundance," observes W, his tone still controlled.

"I'm losing them… do you understand, sod? That family is everywhere, even in the cartel. In the council," Ellie opens up, revealing her fears.

"It doesn't hurt business," W responds skeptically, trying to alleviate Ellie's concerns.
"Money flows abundantly in the Drug Cartel's operations."

"It's not enough for me," she says, her determination clear.

Everything turns red as if the entire room was enveloped in flames without actually being so.

Ellie is suddenly very close to W.
W startles, not expecting the demon's sudden assault.

The man wants to back away, but it's too late; the red demon's right hand has already grasped his throat. How did she manage to grab him?
He feels suffocated... The grip is very strong and oppressive.

"I like to take the form of a gyaru brat teenager. Enemies tend to underestimate me. That works to my advantage."
W watches Ellie as her stature changes, becoming something lethally imposing.

"Fufufu... Actually, I'm 3200 years old. What you've seen of me is just an act. After all, I am an archdemon queen," Ellie reveals, her true form emerging in all its majestic and terrible beauty.

As Ellie's musculature increases with the transformation, so does the pressure on W's neck.

The man begins to choke.
The grip of the sneering demon does not lessen.

"To kill the one who knows too much, a wise choice it is, Red Demon, This One thinks," speaks Rhaps with an ambiguous voice.
The fairy, dressed in enigmatic white armor which accentuates his mystique, comments on the scene unnoticed, observing with crossed arms leaning against the room's wall.

"He could be useful to us, Rhaps," the demon responds without taking her fiery gaze off W.

"The one with whom This One is in business, a mistake in our plans it could actually be. If this is the desire, let us ask fate if this is what is meant to be."

The fairy pulls out a D20 from his pocket.

"Yeah… this is fun!" comments Kureous.

"What a waste of time…" disagrees George Lee, who would prefer to eliminate W immediately.

"Fufufu… So be it. Even dies and odd lives," says Ellie.

The feminine figure of Rhaps nods and detaches from the wall.

"The contract with fairy destiny is sealed. Let the dice make the choice."

Rhaps throws the dice into the air. It begins to whirl rapidly on itself, suffused with fairy magic.
The dice then falls to the ground, bouncing three times.

It stops at Ellie's feet.

"Nine," informs Rhaps.
"You're a lucky bastard, aren't you?" Ellie states, but she is not upset; in fact, she is pleased by the outcome.

But her hand begins to appear and reappear, as if it has become semi-transparent.
A glitch?

"What the fuck—"
W is no longer trapped in the demon's grasp.

His pistol is pointed at Ellie's back.
The demon observes her hand, which was clutching the man, glitching randomly before returning to its normal form.

"I was never your prisoner, Demon," he whispers.

"An interesting turn, the one who knows too much is favored by destiny but lacks the unpredictability of the unfolding of events!" Rhaps comments in a strangely exalted voice.

"Let her go!" demands George.

"It's all right, guys. Don't shoot. Fedora, why don't we talk business? After all, we are not enemies."

Ellie snaps her fingers, showcasing her powers by teleporting in front of him, freed from the disadvantaged situation.

"I'm listening," W responds confidently.

"I know your real enemies are the Eldritch Family," Ellie tells him. The "woman" knows much more than she lets on. "They are my enemies too. And as the saying goes, the enemy of my enemy is an ally."

"Temporary," W replies.

"Still an ally. And you will need many against them."

"I admit I need help, but why would you go against the family? They favor your business."

"I've already told you, I want real power and respect. I don't want to be a puppet but the puppeteer. We were here first at Scribble Hub High School. These newcomers act as if they own the place. We, who were here first along with the Blood Farm, cannot tolerate this."

"What do you want in exchange for your support, Ellie?" asks W.

"I want you to eliminate Ssemouy, but most importantly, get rid of that incompetent [UNKNOW]. They are both links to the Eldritch Family," orders Ellie, her words a command that echoes with the power of ages.

W remains still, considering Ellie's words.
The request is not simple, but he understands the complexities of power and alliances within the School. W knows every move must be precisely calculated.

The alliance proposed by Ellie opens new doors and dangers, but also opportunities.

************************

In the schoolyard, a boy watches in awe as cherry blossom petals dance in the air, whipped up by the lukewarm breeze.

He catches one of these petals in his hand and looks at it in wonder.
"So, this is spring," he muses thoughtfully.
Where he comes from, there are no seasons.

"Good morning, my lord."
A man in white appears before the new student and greets with a bow, removing his fedora.

"My name is Alf," the boy introduces himself. "Don't bow to me; I'm not an elder," he adds, noting W's formal gesture.

Then, the boy with short brown hair and glasses extends a hand, not as a gesture of deference but as one of equality.

They shake hands.

"Alf, my lord, I've heard about your... abilities. The S.A.M., right? A device that manipulates game logic and physics in reality. A fascinating power."

Alf's eyes light up at the mention of his most prized possession.
"You are well-informed, Mr...?".

"W," he responds with a nod. "And yes, it's my duty to know potential allies... or threats."

"I'm a good person. I'm only a threat to evil forces," the boy replies, pushing up his glasses with his index finger.

They share a moment of silence as they size each other up.

W breaks the silence with a proposition: "I have some questions for you, Alf. Your answers could determine where you fit into the bigger picture of what's happening at this school."

Alf raises an eyebrow but nods, signaling W to proceed.
W's questions are probing, designed to test Alf's strategic thinking and ethical compass.
[ERROR]
…
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[PARTIAL DATA RECOVERY]
…

They discuss hypothetical scenarios involving eldritch entities, corrupted allies, and secret operations within the school. Alf's responses are thoughtful, revealing a pragmatic approach tempered by a strong sense of personal ethics.

"Things should be balanced. Life would be meaningless without chaos and without peace."

"You could not have said anything more significant, my lord. We may not win this war, but we should strive to balance the reality we are in."

Alf nods.

Alf's belief in balance, his philosophical stance on the nature of reality and conflict, intriguingly aligns with W's perspective.

W recognizes the risks and potential rewards of aligning with Alf.
His gadgets and unconventional problem-solving approach could tip the scales in their favor or introduce unpredictable variables into an already volatile equation.

"Interesting," W muses after Alf finishes. "Tell me, my lord, how do you plan to bring balance amidst the chaos that already reigns within these walls?"

Alf smiles, a hint of smugness in his eyes. "Playing the game on my terms. With the S.A.M., I have a few tricks up my sleeve that could turn the tide in our favor."

"And if those 'tricks' of yours aren't enough?" W challenges, his gaze sharp.

"Then I adapt," Alf responds confidently. "Isn't that what every good player does? Besides, I won't be alone. I'll have allies, including, possibly, you."

W thinks, the gears turning in his mind.
"Very well, Alf. Let's say I'm interested. But this school, this battlefield, is unlike any game you've played before. Are you ready for what awaits you?"

Alf meets W's gaze firmly, his determination clear. "I'm not here to just take part, W. I'm here to win. And you strike me as someone who knows how to play."

"This is not a game, my lord," W responds curtly.
His gaze is serious, that of someone who has had to face unequal challenges.

"Even reality cannot be relied upon, as our enemies manipulate and bend it to their will, ignoring the rules of physics and fabricating their own. Our enemies don't even have weak points. They are beings beyond any understanding."

W takes a brief pause, checking if Alf understands what he's explaining.

Then he continues: "You might think you're similar to them because of your device, but see, they're capable of making the impossible, possible. We are nothing but ants facing against stars."

"Then I will firmly grasp onto my faith as I challenge the impossible," Alf responds, clenching his fists. "In my heart, I know there is only one truth."

"Faith? Religious faith? I see. Indeed, a powerful weapon. In a desperate war like this, the only hope lies in irrationality. Don't get me wrong, I do not mean to belittle your faith; in fact, I admire it. Human logic is useless against certain beings, my lord."

"Rationality may lower our morale, but when facing beings that twist reality, our only choice is to deny it. My battles against eldritch forces will be fueled by calculation and clumsiness, proving human resilience and our unique stand against the unfathomable. Let's embrace unpredictability; simplicity often leads to unexpected victories." Alf exposes his way of seeing things.

W does not reply, lost in his thoughts.

Then, he concludes: "Your optimism might be of use to me, my lord."

Alf smiles, pleased with the outcome. "I'm glad I made an impression. So, what's the next step?"

W's expression turns serious.
"Now, we prepare."

Digital sakura blossoms appear, held aloft by an unreal force, fake yet no less beautiful.
The polygons that make them up and their textures don't seem fully loaded.
W pauses to watch the shifting pixels of the flowers, trying to grasp one.

In vain.

****************************************************************************************
SEASON OF MAN [ IV ]

< Things would run smoothly if I had direct control, instead of having clumsy pawns misinterpreting my plans. -S >
The message read by the man in white does not hide the dissatisfaction of the mysterious ally.

< I perceive the criticism. I accept it because indeed I have made mistakes. But know that I am not a pawn. I am using cloning for a side project, which will not interfere with your plan, but will indeed buy you some time. >

The man sends the message and closes his phone.
A troubled expression on his face.
But now, he must focus on this meeting.

An atmosphere of tension and expectation pervades a room lit by artificial white and blue lights, where the buzzing of advanced machinery blends with the quiet conversation of a diverse group. They are in Shizuki's cloning facility.

“uMUDUUh… uHhum” The mumble comes from a metallic figure.

Among them, Theirl, with a questioning expression, addresses the people present. "Was it really necessary to kidnap her?" he asks, casting a worried glance towards Iamnotabot, whose silent presence is made even more mysterious by the gag preventing her from speaking. The steel woman is tied with a rope, and unable to speak because of the gag, she mumbles.

Not far away, Hello Hound, the three-headed Cerberus, nonchalantly shakes one of her heads. "Don't worry about her," she replies with a tone that seems to smile, "she has a particular inclination, or rather a fetish, for being kidnapped."

"Especially when she's drunk like now..." adds the hellhound.
Two of her heads laugh, while the third looks with pity-filled eyes at the robot who seems to appreciate the rough treatment.

The unlikely group is the delegation from the Blood Farm, and they now form part of the temporary coalition that includes W's Resistance and Ellie Porter's Drug Cartel. They refer to themselves as the "original users," the first to arrive at Scribble Hub High School. Their common goal with W is to oppose the Eldritch Family.

The Blood Farm includes characters as diverse as they are unique.
Leading the group is the dragon Prince Azmiran who, although not officially a part of it, is bound by a deep connection to the vampire leader.

"I find you agreeable, Mister W. I sense no intrusive thoughts in you."

The woman's pale hand clasps that of the puzzled W.

Indeed, standing before the man in the fedora is not the ancient Dragon, but a woman of rare beauty. With her sparkling golden hair, dragon horns, a priestess dress, a long tail, and majestic wings, her presence is utterly enchanting.
Her white silk dress is embellished with gold embroidery, likely real gold from the dragon's Hoard.

W knows that appearances can be deceiving, even though the form is humanoid, he is in fact facing a powerful dragon.
It could be an invincible enemy or a potent ally.
"Your words honor me, my lady," W thanks.

"You can call me PAM," the dragon woman smiles, withdrawing her hand.
"I am not here in the capacity of treasurer of the council and although I am not a part of the Farm, I represent my companion whom you know as En-chan," she announces with authority, her gaze serious. "Unfortunately, my Companion cannot join us during the day and is a bit sh... well, she has pressing commitments."

W nods, then gestures to Theirl to remove Iamnotabot's gag.
"Weehh!" she exclaims, her mouth now free.

"I could use some lubricant... if you know what I mean... I mean booze. Your gold booze!" The robot woman looks lasciviously at PAM.

The dragon gives her a stern look that immediately makes the robot feel guilty.

One of Hello Hound's heads, the most cynical one, says, "You see why we gag her now?"

Theirl smiles sheepishly, while W and Shizuki maintain a cool expression.

"Lady Iamnotabot, correct?" W asks the robot.

"Botty for you, white hat... Hick"

"As mentioned before, I would now like to connect your artificial intelligence to the factory. Your computational capabilities will help us speed up the cloning process."

"Do I have to? I'm so tired… Hick"

"Botty, we promised Ellie, remember?" the most mature head of Hello Hound reminds the lazy AI.

"I'd much rather be cuddling with Ria, instead..." the robot protests.

"I'm not exactly thrilled about an AI being connected to the SNVW!" Shizuki vents her frustration. She doesn't like others accessing her technology.

"Again? Come on, neko-chan, we've already talked about this," Theirl, always very easy-going, tries to nip the nekomimi's complaint in the bud.

"Don't call me neko-chan." Shizuki returns to her icy, emotionless gaze.

"Hehe…" the journalist chuckles, slightly worried.

"And what if she has a virus? It could contaminate my network."

"OI! I'm a clean robot, I am! Pefectly vaccinated! Want me to smash your skull, Cat girl?" threatens Botty.

One of Hello Hound's heads begins to growl menacingly at the nekomimi.
Just like cats and dogs don't get along, this fragile alliance is on the verge of collapsing like a house of cards.

"ENOUGH!"
The air around PAM heats up as if about to unleash the purifying flames of purgatory.

The imposing presence of the dragon woman and her undisputed authority silence everyone.
"This collaboration is important for all of us so that good may prevail, but also and especially because I have been promised new treasures for my Hoard."

W nods.
The man is aware that the dragon's services are never free.
But any price is necessary to achieve his goals.
"Shizuki, enough with the protests and connect Botty to the Server," he orders his companion.

The cat girl pouts but obeys.
She attaches a large cable to the back of Iamnotabot.

"AAAHH... Could you be less rough?!"

"Online."

"YAAYAY!"

"Flail all you want, the cable is more than long enough and can extend," Shizuki coldly warns her.

Botty's eyes turn white, and lines of code begin to scroll across them as if they were screens.

"T-Thats violent... hick… You could have at least bought me dinner or a caress first!"

"Can we proceed now?" PAM asks.
The dragon exchanges a knowing look with Hello Hound.

"This is the blood shipment we had promised," informs the Cerberus, pointing at the Ford tanker truck. Driving it is, of course, George Lee.
The man with the baseball cap gives a thumbs-up upon seeing Hound's signal.

The spaceship's hatch opens, turning into a ramp on which the truck can ascend and enter the facility.

"If the ladies would like to follow me..." W leads the Blood Farm delegation further inside the plant, which is actually one of Shizuki's spaceships, currently grounded.

The group traverses the sterile, white-lit corridors of Shizuki's ship, a sense of wonder mixed with apprehension crosses PAM's mind as her steps echo on the glossy floor.

Despite her long life, she has never been in a place like this, and the almost surreal atmosphere makes her feel as if she's stepped into an unwritten future.

PAM definitely wants to add this spaceship to her Hoard.
But she must be patient. She will have to wait until the end of the war.
Patience, after all, is the virtue of the strong.

Ahead of her, the attendants, clones of Shizuki, shorter than the original, with fluid and precise movements, lead them with detached courtesy through the facility.

PAM observes with scrutinizing eyes the growth chambers, where thousands upon thousands, impossible to count, of transparent capsules house humanoid figures at various stages of development.

It's a sight that challenges all her previous experiences, a hidden army forged by unholy science and in secrecy.

Hello Hound recognizes the figures in the capsules.
Familiar faces yet somehow different.
Pink hair and fox ears, the kitsune Pixy Toki, the school's physical education teacher, and granddaughter of the matriarch of the Eldritch Family: her copies are clearly visible in the growth chambers.

Shizuki's technical explanations, while cat-shaped drones float around the group, talk about genetic sequencing, rates of accelerated growth, and behavioral programming.

PAM, however, is caught by a deeper thought, a question about the morality of what she is seeing. Is it right to create lives with the sole purpose of serving as soldiers? Yet, the urgency and weight of the impending war press down on any other consideration.

The factory, a place of cold efficiency, witnesses their collective effort.
W, with a gaze that seems to pass through the walls themselves, announces the progress: "Two hundred thousand units are ready, with another million in the pipeline."

"To be precise, one hundred fifty thousand clones of Theirl, easier to produce, and fifty thousand of Pixy Toki, more powerful and militarily skilled but more complex to recreate."

"Yes, modesty aside, I'm simpler to recreate!" Theirl nods, strangely very proud of the fact.

Shizuki, with her apathetic and cold tone, explains the process.
"Thanks to a sample of DNA and lymph obtained from Danny, aka Green Rizz, we can now create clones in the form of Daikon Zombies with greater ease."

She looks at their guests: "The blood provided by the Blood Farm exponentially increases our production capacity."

But a question naturally arises, a concern evident in the eyes of Hound's smartest head: "But if we create Daikon Zombies, don't we risk them falling under Green Rizz's control?"

"We have introduced nanomachines that block any attempt at control. They are now under the direct command of Shizuki's Nervous System." W's response is swift, marked by ironclad confidence.

"Their purpose is to be cannon fodder in the war against the Eldritch Family. Unfortunately, the Eldritches cannot be cloned, despite Danny's DNA. This army, armed with AK-4047s and KIS-d ammunition, will serve to buy us time. Thanks to Alf and his S.A.M., we can easily generate these armaments."

W's strategy is clear: these clones are destined to become the first line against the Eldritch Family. This army of flesh, equipped with technology stolen from Anon, is not meant to win but promises to buy precious time.

"Each clone is a masterpiece of genetic engineering. They have accelerated growth and are programmed to be incredibly loyal and disciplined. Unfortunately, the accelerated growth precludes their complete development," W reflects aloud, observing the clones of Pixy Toki, visibly more slender and shorter than the originals. The difference isn't the only one compared to the kitsune.

 

"Hick… That's why the Pixy Toki clones are less meaty!" To Botty's robotic eye, as a good connoisseur, it does not escape notice that the body is much less generous compared to the original fox.

"It's not just that. They only have one tail instead of seven," states Hello Hound, then her heads sniff the air. "Also, the smell. Different... Strange."

"It's a shame their hunger is the same," says Theirl, hands in hair.

Shizuki's cat drones continue to supply the fox clones with popcorn as they devour it insatiably.

As the group moves on, PAM notices the young clones, larger than those in the capsules, training in open spaces within the ship. Seeing these beings, all identical, engaged in team exercises under the guidance of drones, strikes her deeply.

Despite the efficiency and precision this all represents, the dragon can't help but feel a sort of sadness in the air, a sentiment of life being limited from birth.

Creating lives to use them to fight? Bodies destined for slaughter and violence?
PAM can feel the dilemma raging in her mind.
The awareness of the sin they are committing to win the war is becoming increasingly clear. She cannot accept all this.
This is in stark contrast with her beliefs.

"What you are doing here is horrible. It's an offense against all my principles," she announces after reflecting for a few minutes.

Her stern gaze settles on W.
Was the first impression misleading? Is this man not worthy of her esteem?

“Create lives and use them as puppets? Inconceivable!”

PAM restrains herself from unleashing her flames and erasing this abomination against sacred laws, and leaves a single chance for W to explain himself.

The tension instantly rises.
Theirl and Shizuki brandish their AK-4047 rifles and point them at the three from the Blood Farm.

"They're just meat," Shizuki comments coldly. But her voice is lower than usual.

W gestures for them to lower their weapons.
"Noble Prince Azmiran Myrian, all this is for the greater good. If there had been another way, I assure you I would have found it. But against the evil of the Family, every means is necessary."

"Couldn't we just cuddle them?" Botty tries to lighten the mood. "They might be clones, but a little love never hurts, right?"

Hound lowers all three heads in embarrassment.

*ALARM* *ALARM* *ALARM*

The lights on the ship begin to flash red as an alarm blares loudly in all areas.

W startles and immediately looks at Shizuki, his gaze full of questions.

"We're under attack, an Eldritch entity is approaching!"
"Alpha Phi?!" Theirl asks, worried.
"It doesn't seem like her." the nekomimi shakes her head.
"How did they find us?" wonders the journalist.

"Activate the Anti-Eldritch fields!" W orders.

An unsettling music is heard.
The volume is extremely loud and oppressive.
It emanates from outside the spaceship.

"The Soviet March! This means…"

“Our Soviet Union conquers

The whole world from Europe to the Neva to the east

Above the ground everywhere will sing:

The capital, vodka, the Soviet bear!”

"Give me the image!"

Three figures stand at the foot of the spaceship.

The little loli, President Corty, is in the center holding a megaphone, with Ssemouy whispering in her ear.

"M-MEANIES! Umm, etto… on behalf of the council… what is it I have to say again, onee-tan?"

Ssemouy pats Corty's head, caressing her blonde hair.

"Corty-chan, my beloved little sister... you simply have to say SURRENDER OR DIE. Though the outcome will be the same either way," whispers the woman with a malicious grin.

"O-ok, onee-tan... SURRENDER OR DIE!" yells the blonde into the megaphone, parroting everything the evil secretary tells her.

"Move aside, little ones."
With two of his many arms, the imposing figure behind the two moves Corty and Ssemouy aside, stepping past them.

A grim expression on his face, while his glasses sparkle, promising nothing good. Eldritch Affairs Liaison: Simple Russian Boi.

"Blyat! Where are Midnight and Azure when you need them? Do I really have to deal with this myself?!"

W's expression darkens at the sight of the image on the holographic screen.

"Slavic Mama and Killer Queen! The Eldritch Family is here! Shizuki, let's get ready to leave!"

"Козлов! It's time to settle scores!"
The eldritch begins to crack his numerous hands.

********************************************************************************
AND YOU AND I [ V ]

Pink.

Green.

Black.

Three colors flash in front of me, one after the other.

In sequence.

Where am I?
At this moment, I should be protecting the ship.

We're under attack!

Yet here I am.
I don't know where.

A daydream?

I try to open and close my eyes.

Explosion of colors.

An amazing kaleidoscope that alienates me.

It's as if I could see myself from outside my body.

My body floats in the emptiness of what appears to be space.
I can hear an unfamiliar voice, similar to mine, speaking in my ears.

***

You float in the dreamlike fabric of space-time, where the darkness of the universe is a black velvet embroidered with stars.

The cosmic space's darkness stretches out before you, vast and infinite, dotted only by the light of distant stars.

There is no sound, only the absolute silence that pervades the universe, but you do not feel alone. You are aware of a presence, or rather, presences surrounding you, entities that belong to this irrational, unfinished space.

[C0c0@ companion,] it begins, with a voice that resonates directly in your mind, [We have waited for you for eons.]

Sailing the infinite ocean of the universe, you see quantum octopuses, as numerous as the stars, all around you. Their presence would intimidate anyone, but you know in your heart that they bear no hostile intentions towards you.

"Who are you?" you ask the voice you heard. An alien voice, yet at the same time familiar.

[We are. We are Gravity. We are Time. We are Many, but One. You do not remember Us. But We remember you well. You are the one We have blessed,] says one of the cephalopods, immense and beautiful, as they approach you.

Their tentacles wrap around you, but you feel no pressure, only a gentle embrace, a sensation akin to warmth though it is not warm.

[You are part of Our Polycule. In any timeline, in any multiverse, in any dimension, this truth is immutable. We had warned you that it crosses space and time. Yet this is more a crossroads than a dimension, a what if.]

Quagma. That is the name of the presences.

Their name becomes clear in your mind.

You can't help but think that although they are Eldritch entities, they do not emit the same malevolence as your enemies, but rather a bemused benevolence.

Beings of infinite power yet capable of being ironic and carefree.

Perhaps a contradiction, but isn't contradiction the fundamental characteristic of beings beyond comprehension?

[This quantum crossroads is particular. That's why We chose the place π. Irrational, never-ending. Accept every number you see, there's another one waiting for you. It's like Us, in a certain sense.]

A sequence of numbers appears before you.
Clear, lucid, evident.

It has always been there.

3.141592653589793238462643383279502884197169…

It goes on infinitely, but the Quagma near you points out a specific spot with one of their tentacles.

[You and now Us, We are here at the forty-second position after the decimal, 42, the Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, The Universe, and Everything, between the 6 and the 9.]

You feel that the information is too much and confusing, and you can't quite grasp what the eldritch entities are trying to communicate.

[You are the nine, but mirrored it can also be a six.]

The octopus looks at you with their eyes reminiscent of a supernova about to explode.

[In this crossroads, anything can happen and has already happened. Observe, Our C0c0@ companion, the Star-Fur before you. The concept of Fluffiness becoming cosmic. The hypothetical potential of Stealthy Enigma.]

You look towards what you perceive as the center of the universe, and it manifests before your eyes as an entity of pure energy and darkness, a presence that seems to simultaneously exist and not exist.

Crafted from the very fabric of the void, her fur is darkness so profound it appears to simultaneously repel and attract the light and colors around it, a paradox promising the comfort and serenity of celestial bodies themselves. This is the Star-Fur.

Her nine tails extend in various directions, each iridescent and vibrant with powers that resonate through the fabrics of reality. These tails form a spiral that moves in a fluid and unpredictable manner, leaving behind trails of light and shadow that weave the fate of the multiverses.

The environment around the eldritch fox is a tumult of colors that defy your understanding of the visible, with shades that seem to belong to spectra of light not yet discovered by the human eye. Reality itself appears to bend and distort around her form, creating an effect of a space-time fracture.

You can't help but think there's a strange beauty in the image, a call to curiosity, and the wonderful terror that arises from encountering the unknown.

You have many questions, but you get the impression that only one will receive an answer.

It forms spontaneously in your mind and even more spontaneously escapes your lips. "Why am I here?"

[You are here because there's someone who wants to meet you.]

 

You are sucked into a wormhole, which leads you to the center of the Star-Fur, to the heart of Stealthy Enigma. As you quickly advance, drawn by a magnetic force, you see nebulae and galaxies exploding in colors: red, blue, green, pink, orange, yellow, fuchsia, gold, and then silver.

The silver of the gate, your ultimate destination.

The gate opens before you as if it had been waiting for you.

You find yourself in a cosmic garden, an oasis suspended in the vastness of nothingness, where planets and comets create a landscape of ineffable beauty.

At the center of this garden, a table set for a tea party awaits you and its guests, a celebration of the impossible that defies the laws of physics and reality itself.

You observe the gas giants in their relatively slow revolution around the garden, while silver teapots orbit around them.

A memory, a dream, or déjà vu comes to mind.

"One in one quadrillion? In our multiverse, it's the unlikely that weaves existence's tapestry. Dreams birth from the vacuum, teapots orbit celestial bodies, defying the mundane."

Was it you who said it?

Then your gaze settles on the table. Every detail, from the tablecloth to the plates, seems woven from stars and nebulae, creating an atmosphere that is at once alien and incredibly welcoming.

Quagma, with their tentacles, escorts you to it and invites you to sit down.

[Savor the infusion of falling stars.] With a gesture, they pour from their galactic teapot a tea that changes color, shimmering with an elusive energy.

Did the party attendees appear, or were they already there? They have always been there waiting for you, and yet they never will be.

Aaqil, the feline entity with fur whiter than the most blinding light, cuddles up next to you, offering comfort and companionship. His eyes, deep as full moons, scrutinize you with curiosity, reflecting unknown worlds.

The kind cosmic cat offers you food: “Cookies?”
With a nod, he insists that you take one. The cookie looks like a classic homemade one but shaped like a comet, with drops of [CORRUPTED DATA].
Assurbanipal II, the entity with infinite knowledge, emerges from a book that appears to contain the original alphabet of the universe.

Always with her, her doll with galactic eyes.
As the empress of the four corners of the universe reads her arcane book, the doll speaks for her to you.

"Fool, Foolish, Ignorant! Listen well! Every word is a world, every sentence a galaxy," she exclaims, standing on the table. "Drink, fool, and let the tea reveal forgotten secrets."

Nahrenne is also seated at the table, opposite Assurbanipal II, on the other side.

With otherworldly grace and a beauty that rivals that of the universe, she sips from a cup.

She looks up, greeting you with her eyes but your presence darkens her.
"Still a prisoner of that lie?" she whispers sadly.

The Monotone Puppet, the marionette dancing on the thread of reality, moves her limbs in a way that defies gravity, making cups and saucers dance around the table. "The tea party is just the beginning, little puppet of flesh. The stars play with us as we play with you," she says with a voice that seems to come from afar, like an echo from a parallel dimension.

The queen of this cosmic tea party sits at the place of honor.

The woman wears sunglasses reflecting the multicolored spectacle around her and has long black hair that sparkles in the starlight.

On her shoulder, a crow. A crow that seems made of ink.

In his beak, he holds books.

"I have many names and many appearances, but you can call me Raymann, the anomaly. I am the original Villainess," she introduces herself to you with a bow.

You realize she is the voice that has been narrating your journey through the cosmos.

***

She smiles at me.
"This is the place where everything and nothing meet, where the finite kisses the infinite. Drink, and be one with the universe," she invites, with a smile that is a portal to endless possibilities.

The ink crow detaches from her shoulder and flies towards me.

He drops two books that remain suspended in the void in front of me.
I can clearly read the titles.
How to Manage Universal Time and Space by the First Noodle, and How to Ensure Chaos and Growth in Timelines by the Lord Who Walks Backwards.

"Arigatou, Furuta-san." Raymann thanks the crow Flutter, which returns to her shoulder.

As I raise the cup to my lips, the tea emits a light that expands.
I drink the tea.

A very sour taste. A taste I know well.

"So it's you," I say, looking at Raymann.
"The woman of my nightmares."

"Exactly, impostor-kun."
Has the table shrunk, or has she moved closer?

"I-impostor?" the sour taste invades my throat.

"I know a thing or two about impostors, after all, Raymann is cursed with them and she had to face them more times than she can remember in her [REDACTED] timeline... oh sorry, are you losing track of the conversation, W-kun?"

"You see, merely interacting with her would actually trigger the curse, and you would have to die, and this timeline would be erased. It's a bit complicated, fortunately, it doesn't apply in this situation." Speaking to me now is Nahrenne, but it's as if 'Raymann' is the one doing so.

"Who are you, really?" I ask, puzzled.

"I don't have a name, or at least not yet. I don't exist yet. For simplicity, you can call me H." this time, Aaqil responds. The voice coming from the cat seems so absurd and unnatural.

"IGNORANT! Don't you realize the damage you're causing, the offense you're committing? All of this is so wrong. It shouldn't have been your place to make it happen. As the fool you are, you couldn't just sit idly by; you desired the spotlight at the expense of others." scolding me is the childish voice of Assurbanipal's doll.

"CAW! You've appropriated something that wasn't yours! CAW! You've stolen the story and identity of others." H speaks to me through Flutter the crow.

"Have you ever done anything original in your life? Can you create something without copying it from others or leeching off their talent? You think you're writing a story when you're barely stitching together fabrics made by others," 'Nahrenne' tells me, looking into my eyes with disdain.

[Are you not being a bit too harsh, H?] Quagma asks, placing a tentacle on my shoulder as if to comfort me. They, unlike the other guests, seem to be distinct from H.

"Quagma-chan, maybe you're right, who am I to talk about being an impostor when I don't even have an identity of my own?" H responds as Raymann.

"And whose fault do you think that is? If not this fool's?" continues the doll.

"Translation for those who might have difficulty understanding what Raymann is saying above the Stars: you've stolen not only the story of a character to whom it rightfully belonged but also the story that a lady is writing. She tried to make you understand in every way, while you were stealing her colors and ideas. But you completely trampled on her, making it all the way here." Puppet, supported by endless strings, moves jerkily, with quick and unsettling movements.

"You suffocated her with your disturbing presence, chaining her to your mediocrity and your negative vibes," Nahrenne says through clenched teeth with a grim expression.

"In every possible way, you tried to break the chains of your destiny that bound you to eternal failure, and in doing so, you bound her to a destiny she cannot fulfill. PARASITE!" the empress's doll intensifies the accusation.

"Imagine the love for a fictional character. A pure and real feeling, full of color, that won't let you sleep at night, that fills your dreams, that makes the stars shine even brighter while giving meaning to your days." Puppet is very close as its puppet mouth speaks.

"Well, all of that is fiction. FAKE! That character does not exist. If that character doesn't exist, then your love is nonexistent. A harmful illusion that damages everyone and creates imbalances and oppression. Don't you realize that because of you, neither of the two will ever exist?!" the cat Aaqil hisses and growls, ready to scratch me.

Each of the guests assaults me relentlessly, spewing truths I can't fully grasp but know in my heart are correct. I feel guilty.

Their words wound me.
I want to respond, but I feel a lump in my throat.

"What is your mission?" Nahrenne asks, seemingly having composed herself.

"I am the hero this school needed. My mission is to bring balance. To rebalance the forces between good and evil in the school, which are currently tipping towards darkness. It's the mission entrusted to me by my Uncle Tony," I respond automatically.

My story comes naturally. What I've always known inside me.
The story I never questioned but fully accepted from the start.

"FOOL! What a load of nonsense. What balance are you talking about? Don't you see that there is already a balance? The school did not need anyone to save it. It's precisely your actions that are bringing chaos. You're even unleashing a war!" Assurbanipal's doll throws my actions back in my face.

"It's for a greater good!" I protest.

I take no pleasure in violence or fighting.
Everything I do is for greater ideals.
I am deeply convinced of this. It's my purpose.
My reason for being.

"She told you, you just had to stay quiet, still, and let her handle it. You and your damn ego." Nahrenne, with her hands in her hair, shakes her head.

"I-I..." I don't know what to say, I feel lost.

"I, I, I, always I. Can you think of anything other than yourself? And tell me, what would your chair be?" Raymann asks me in an inquisitorial manner.
Pointing a shotgun at me, as if ready to fire at any moment.

"I don't have a chair," I respond sincerely.

"I'm tired of you overpowered and poorly thought-out characters! You preclude any chance of meaningful conflict! You create plot holes and imbalances that damage everyone's work. In stories, there are strict rules to follow, and it is these that make stories memorable!" Puppet whirls around, now in the center of the table, overwhelmed by frustration, ready to launch into her monologue.

"Let me explain, you don't have a chair and you're not even a staff member. Tony doesn't have assistants. You see, two students can't occupy the same chair. Luoir and Orlui both exist because Tony considers them as a single student. But what happens if the existence of one ego precludes the other? They can't exist in the same chair, right? So, one is marginalized in that impossible world, while the other goes to school normally," the puppet explains, barely containing her anger.

"This, of course, makes sense. Uncle Tony programmed reality so that each student has a well-defined number that cannot be changed or removed. In this school, you are either staff or students. No other conditions are possible."
The truth comes out of my mouth, and as I recite the words, I feel the weight of their realization pressing down on me.

"Sono tori! Now, think about your words. Tony has established that there are no other conditions, beyond being a student or a staff member, to exist within the school. Therefore, it's impossible for a stranger to wander the school's halls. This means you are either students or staff of the school, right? And who could have taken the place, Impostor-kun?" Raymann continues Puppet's discourse.

I don't answer. But she sees the answer in my face.

"CAW! Exactly! CAW! You've taken a place that doesn't belong to you! CAW!" Flutter caws loudly, fluttering towards me with a photo in his beak.

He passes me the photo.
I take it in hand. I look at it.

It's the photo of the Eldritch family!

In the center is Slavic Mama, and to the right are Green Rizz, Alpha Phi, and the three Kitsune sisters. To the left are Voidiris and Killer Queen.
Along with three other figures.

They are distorted as if they were glitched.
A strong sense of nostalgia and sadness overwhelms me.

"It's incomplete, isn't it? Don't you think something is missing?" Aaqil meows at my feet.

"Fool, the student whose place you've stolen is missing. You are a mistake, a glitch, an error, a bug. Cease to exist and restore the correct course of the timeline," Assurbanipal's doll commands me.

I shake my head.
I can't accept it.
"I'm sorry, my lady. But I have a mission to accomplish."

"False! Your mission should be to love her! Although it's not a true love, a real love, a love that cannot exist, a one-sided love, you should still do it! At the very least, you owe her that!" Raymann yells.

I remain still, convinced of my decision.
I clench my fists.

I will go all the way on the path that only I can walk.
To free the school from this evil that is taking over.

"HAHAHAH! So, you're forcing me to take drastic measures! The death games have already started in another timeline, but respawn is now disabled in this one too! HAHAHA! Your next death will be final! Hey [UNKNOWN]!!! Do you want to upgrade from an honorary member of the obituary to a permanent member?~" Monotone Puppet seriously threatens me.

[We cannot allow that, H. This individual enjoys Our protection. We have other plans for him. You were only able to meet him thanks to Us, We remind you.] The cephaloids oppose. In their eyes, I sense the seriousness of their words.
They will not allow me to be harmed.
At least as long as I am useful to them.

"Quagma-chan, I'm not even H, I am Elation. I have used you and will use you again if I need to. You cannot save him from his elimination." all the guests speak simultaneously in unison, saying the same thing.

[We disagree. This meeting ends here.]

Assurbanipal II rises from her chair and this time she speaks without going through her doll.
"Let me tell you what foolishness is. Pretending to be smart, like you do. Then, what is a fool? It's always you. And an ignorant? It's still you."
The doll supports her master, hopping euphorically on the table: "Tell them, Empress! They are fools, ignorant, foolish! Not like us!"

Suddenly thousands of Quagmas are here in the cosmic garden, ready for conflict. Frankly, I feel lost, with more questions in my head than when I arrived here.

"This won't save him, I already know how to reach him," says 'H' through Raymann.

[We already know how this will end. We have seen it.] The octopuses are not intimidated.

Raymann smiles devilishly.

Then all the guests bow.

"Sayonara, impostor-kun. We will not meet again." they all bid farewell simultaneously.
This goodbye sounds like a death promise.

 

 

******************************************************************************
SIBERIAN KHATRU [ VI ]

*ALARM* *ALARM* *ALARM*

I must apologize, my lady. But the story is not over yet. I am sure we will meet again.

 

"Who are you apologizing to, Mister W?" Alf asks, having joined the sizable group.

In front of him, a motionless W stares into the void.

W moves his head, his expression now one of shock.

"N-nothing... A daydream or a nightmare..." the man murmurs, trying to regain his composure.

"Explain yourself better," the boy urges him.

"There's no time! We're under attack!" W immediately realizes the urgency.

"Shizuki, let's get ready to leave. We need to initiate plan 'TSUKI' sooner than expected."

"To launch the Dreadnought, I need about ten minutes," the cat girl responds.

"TOO LONG! Cut that time in half, also put Z.I.O.S. on standby."

"You want to use Z.I.O.S.? But it's still experimental!" Theirl objects.

Iamnotabot, having access to the SNVW, is immediately aware of what they are discussing.

"I'll give you a hand with the preparation!" she exclaims, showing a willingness to help.

Her computational capacity will speed up the targeting and preparation process.

W nods, pleased with the robot's assistance.

"I'll buy us some time. I'll face the Eldritch family alone," he announces.

"That's madness, W!" Theirl retorts.

"There comes a time when, for the good of a mission, one must sacrifice oneself," he says softly, looking at both companions and the new allies present.

"You've always said we should flee if the fight was uneven!" Alf accuses.

W doesn't respond.
He turns to the dragon.

"I'm sorry, Lady PAM. I fear that you and the Blood Farm can no longer back out. The student council and the Eldritch family are now aware of your involvement with me."

The dragon knows W's words are true. She finds herself in a situation she wishes she wasn't in. Her options are now limited. The only possibility is for "the alliance" to win the war against the Eldritch Family.

"Was this your plan from the beginning? Have I really misunderstood you so much? Did you manipulate events so that we would end up trapped on your chessboard as pawns in your war?"

"I swear this isn't how I wanted things to go. But to achieve my goal, I must know how to adapt. Now I understand that even without me, war is inevitable, as all those involved will be forced to fight it. I've achieved one of my goals."

The dragon woman sighs.
"Do you intend to die?"

The man in white doesn't respond.
Then, he bows, removing his hat.

"I'm sure we'll meet again, my lady," he says, not too convincingly.

The man with the fedora calmly picks up an AK-4047 rifle and a KIS-d ammunition magazine. In the left hand, he holds his 'GALAK' pistol, while the other grips the powerful weapon tightly.

He chooses not to reveal that the respawn option is no longer available, not wanting to cause unnecessary concern to his teammates.
Death is now permanent in this 'game'.

"Mr. W, always remember to do things WELL DONE, or don't do them at all," PAM reminds him sternly.

With a nod, W accepts her advice, opens the hatch of the spaceship, and jumps down, landing gracefully in front of two enemies and President Corty.

***

The sound of the Soviet March echoes in the air, symbolizing the imminent confrontation between two superpowers.

"Козлов!” BOI shouts in rage, recognizing the individual who has done nothing but lie to him since the moment they met.

"I'm sorry, my lord. But I fear I must get straight to the point," says W, raising the AK-4047 rifle.

*CLANK*

The rifle is aimed.

The fierce gaze of Slavic Mama meets the icy stare of W.

The sound of the Soviet March slowly fades, leaving only the accelerated beating of his three hearts.

There's no turning back; the battle for the balance of the school is about to take place.

SRB, with a look full of contempt, prepares his stance, ready to demonstrate that the power of the Eldritch Family is not just a legend.

The man with the fedora opens fire.

*RATATTATATATATTA*

Simple Russian Boi immediately conjures numerous limbs to intercept the bullets. Slavic Mama could have dodged them but wants to protect Ssemouy and President Corty.

The limbs hit by the bullets dissolve, glitching into a shower of pixels.

"These bullets are dangerous! Little ones take cover; you're in my way."

Killer Queen grabs little Corty's hand and drags her away.
"Onee-tan?"
"Come with me, Corty-chan. Let Mama handle this."

Simple Russian Boi, no longer needing to worry about protecting his ‘children’, with his multitude of arms and limbs twisting in a whirlwind of movements, confronts W with a chilling smile.

The Eldritch entity emits an aura of unstoppable power, each appendage moving independently as if controlled by a separate consciousness.

Without hesitation, Simple Russian Boi launches into an attack, his arms waving like lightning.

W dodges and moves through the assault with calculated movements.

President Corty watches from a safe distance with tears in her eyes.
Killer Queen firmly holds the little hand, trying to comfort her, although, unlike the child, the evil woman is enjoying the cruel spectacle.

The air crackles with energy as W and the matriarch continue their frenetic fight, both refusing to back down.

The battle rages, and W feels a surge of adrenaline coursing through his veins.
His mind is sharp, clearly analyzing every move of his opponent.

With a sudden burst of speed, he closes the distance between them and unleashes a barrage of point-blank bullets.

Slavic Mama staggers backward, with several limbs falling to the ground and vanishing into thin air.

W fires continuously with his AK-4047, aiming for the gaps between the writhing limbs.

The sound of gunfire echoes across the battlefield as the two adversaries engage in a deadly dance.

Despite the lost limbs and the pain, SRB lunges forward with lightning speed, his limbs stretching towards W like snakes ready to strike.

W is alert, with quick reflexes and a focused mind, dodging and weaving through the twisting appendages, firing shots.

Some of them hit their mark, pulverizing the affected limbs.

But Slavic Mama smiles.
The Eldritch had wanted to lead him right into that position.

One of his limbs grabs W's right arm, the one holding the AK-4047, making it fall to the ground.

"Soviet technology, huh? You approached me to steal it, didn't you, Wladimir Kozlov? No, I know that's not your name. How should I call you, assassin? What is your identity?" SRB asks him in Russian.

Slavic Mama's gaze darkens.
"Nyet. You are a spy. Spies have no identity, only a death sentence."

W, with his pistol in the other hand, tries to shoot the Russian straight in the forehead.

*BANG*

The shot misses its target by a hair's breadth.

One of the arms, in fact, grabbed the left hand holding GALAK, throwing off his aim.

The Russian clenches his fist, crushing both the left hand and the pistol simultaneously.

"UAUAUUAAAARRGHHH!" W screams in pain.

W is now a prisoner of Slavic Mama. The fury in BOI's eyes.

"Are you satisfied with what you're doing? Are you truly satisfied with your actions, 'Comrade'?" without releasing his grip, SRB speaks in Russian.

The Russian's double grip painfully tightens around the trapped limbs of the man in the white suit.
"Your small step towards victory... Was it worth letting Kozlov die? His daughter was crying as his coffin was lowered into the cold ground. In this school, anyone who is killed can come back to life, that's the rule, but Kozlov? He will never see the sunlight again. Although he was just an NPC, his life was no less precious."

W feels SRB's anger in his painful grip.

The man in white, to obtain the futuristic Soviet technology, had to pose as a KGB spy, Wladimir Kozlov.

This allowed him to come into contact with Slavic Mama.

However, Kozlov was found dead shortly afterward.

W, despite the pain, attempts to speak, aware that he owes an explanation to his mortal enemy.
"Slavic Mama, I don't kill unless it's absolutely necessary," he begins to speak.

He thinks carefully about his words and then continues to speak: "I am not the murderer of Wladimir Kozlov. Don't you know that Kozlov was playing a triple game? Not only with the Americans but also with the Drug Cartel. You think the Eldritch family has complete control over everything, including the Drug Cartel. But I can assure you, not everyone is happy with how things are," the spy reveals the truth to BOI, still speaking in Russian.

The grip in which W is trapped remains, but the pressure lightens.

"You're not a killer? Well, I could be mistaken, comrade. The Drug Cartel doesn't interest me as much as you might think because just as I don't know everything about you, you don't know much about me."

W doesn't respond, but his eyes speak for him as he clenches his teeth.

"I can guess what you're thinking. Since I'm the head of the family, that means I should control the cartel and all groups with family members in them. But you're wrong. Murders, power, drugs, and money don't interest me. I only care about my family. It's the most precious thing, something I'm willing to die for. Something I've built with my efforts under the lucky star of chance."

Slavic Mama, with a swift and violent motion, severs W's two limbs, leaving him armless.

The Eldritch has used his "Limb Borrowing" ability, which allows him to steal arms, hands, and fingers from biological targets.

Such intense pain.
A scream that tears through the sky.

W feels like dying.
He bites his tongue in an attempt to not faint, and blood gushes from where his shoulders were.
The man screams.
Screams.

Screams.
He keeps screaming as if that could alleviate the physical pain.

As if the sky could hear him and respond, it begins to snow.
The temperature drops rapidly, while a Siberian wind starts to blow.
Ice crystals begin to settle on the ground.

"Two new limbs for my collection... Huh?"
The stolen limbs begin to disintegrate into pixels, a digital necrosis that also reaches the hands of Simple Russian Boi.
Slavic Mama looks at his necrotized hands, those that came into contact with W, with interest and astonishment.

"Это интересно. Что ты за чертовщина? It doesn't matter anyway. I was still able to see into your mind."

He severs the corrupted limbs, not allowing the rest of his body to glitch.

"It seems I can't take your limbs... But it doesn't matter because today you will die. You want to destroy my precious family for your stupid ideals or whatever reason you're doing it, I don't care why. But I cannot let you do it! My family, that is my Kathru."

Both of them look at each other furiously.

Unwavering determination is present in both their gazes.

W knows he can't afford to spare all his capabilities in this battle.

New arms begin to form from the stumps of W.
A fluid, yellowish-white liquid with a satin appearance and a rich, creamy consistency pours out, extending and elongating, resembling human arms in a surprisingly vivid way.

“Шоколад?!”

[ERROR]
[ERROR]
[CORRUPTED DATA]
[START CORRUPTED DATA RECOVERY]
…
[DATA RECOVERED]

These white chocolate arms appear to be of the same shape as those that were torn from their original body, with irregular ends where they would normally connect to the shoulders.

The contrast between the innocent charm of white chocolate and the unsettling image of the regenerated limbs creates a surreal and disquieting vision.

From the shoulders of the man in white, chocolate angel wings sprout, their beating generates a breeze that drops chocolate feathers and sends the white fedora flying away through the Siberian snow.

Slavic Mama is astonished by the vision presented before him.
A lost memory, a forgotten recollection, surfaces clearly in his mind.

"M-Matcha?"

But he doesn't have time to dwell on the realization.

The enemy in white is before him, wielding a chocolate sword.

W spins with a crescent motion with his sword, forcing BOI to retreat.
The man continues to generate chocolate blades that he hurls at the Russian.

In attempts to avoid or block them, BOI finds himself increasingly distanced.

{ White hat, the cannon is ready! Hick } Botty alerts him.

"NOW, SHIZUKI!" W orders the nekomimi via radio.

{ ROGER THAT! }

In the cold vacuum of space, Z.I.O.S. stands out like a totem. Silent metal in orbit.
Its imposing structure, a lattice of metals and intricate circuits, glows faintly under the distant sunlight. It is the joint effort of Shizuki's technology and Alf's device.

From the darkest recesses of the device, a core of energy begins to pulse, emitting a light.

Without warning, Z.I.O.S. opens its heart, releasing a beam that streaks through the darkness like a luminous dart.

This is not merely light; it's pure energy, a bridge between dimensions, crossing the distance between the sky and the earth in less than a heartbeat.

It emits no heat, and makes no sound, but its passage leaves behind a visual echo, a wave that ripples through space itself.

On Earth, BOI defends against W's assaults by sacrificing his endless limbs against the endless white chocolate thrown at him, unaware of the verdict traveling towards him from the heavens.

Despite the confrontation, the world around continues as always, the snow falls relentlessly, accumulating more and more, carried by the howling Siberian wind.

But then, everything stops.

The Russian's gaze lifts to the sky, which has split in two.

A moment of absolute silence, as if nature itself is holding its breath.

The impact is precise.

There is no explosion, no visible destruction.
There is no sound.

The implosion triggered by Z.I.O.S.'s beam doesn't manifest as a thunderous explosion.

At the center of the impact, the air itself seems to be sucked towards an invisible point, a void that devours light, sound, and matter.

For a moment, time seems to slow down.

"OBA-CHAN!!!" yells little Corty, protected from the impact by Ssemouy, who embraces her.

From the epicenter of the implosion, a shockwave propagates in reverse.
It's not a wave like those generated by a stone thrown into a pond; it's rather the inversion of an explosion, a contraction.

The air, compressed by this relentless force, becomes visible to the human eye, forming concentric rings that contract in every direction, distorting the light and casting bizarre shadows on the surrounding environment.

Finally, the shockwave dissipates.

The area at the center of the implosion appears eerily intact on the surface but is deeply altered in its essence.

At that moment, the spaceship begins to take off, lifting off the ground.
The noise of the antimatter engines fills the surroundings, deafening those present in shock.

{ W, get on the ship! } Theirl yells over the radio.

"I'm sorry, my lord. It's not over yet. You must leave immediately!"
The man shakes his head. He knows the battle is just beginning.

Slavic Mama is not dead. Enclosed in several layers of limbs arranged in a hemisphere for protection, there lies the Russian.
Wounded but alive.

"I-I didn't think I would have to use all these resources... only Azure and Midnight have forced me to this extent... m-my son... why do you do this?" the pained lament spreads in chorus from the depths of those protections.

The Eldritch Entity begins to change, to grow larger, to assume its true unfathomable form.

But a new figure has reached the battlefield, drawn by the chaos.

"Matcha-kun."
Before him now stands a woman of sublime beauty with long green hair, and a silver streak. Green Rizz.

From her emerald eyes, crystal tears are falling.

"Why have you betrayed us? Why are you doing this to us?"

Two zombie daikons restrain his arms.

W does not speak.
In his mind, only his mission.

The snow falls coldly.
Time doesn't make much sense in this dimension.
Not even the weather.

*THUD*

Suddenly, the man is violently struck in the back.
A spiked club hits him directly in the middle of his back, breaking his spine.

The attacker is Ssemouy.
Unnoticed, the woman took advantage of the confusion to approach the enemy and strike him. Her codename is no accident.

W falls to his knees, unable to stand after the powerful blow.
How is this possible?

"Goddess Daikon, I got him! I hit him! Muhahahaha!" the black-haired secretary exclaims in satisfaction.

***

I never thought Killer Queen would be the one to deliver a lethal blow to me.
I feel my strength leaving me as my chocolate arms and wings dissolve, leaving me crippled.

I see my body slowly dissolve into pixels, flying away like dust.

Not so different from the falling snow.

"Didn't you know that Ssemouy was your weakness? Spend your last moments wondering why, impostor-kun." A voice I recognize, the voice that promised me death in my dream whispers through Killer Queen's mouth.

"I told you we wouldn't meet again, not that we wouldn't hear from each other again," smirks H.

It seems she has control over Ssemouy's body.

"Your abilities, your powers are disabled by her proximity and contact... that means... you already know, it's game over. She has found you. Sayonara, impostor-kun."
H sends me a kiss with her fingers.

*STAB*

My stomach is pierced by a stab wound.

I vomit blood.
A familiar sensation.
I know I've felt it thousands of times.

But this time it's much more intense.

"Did you think I wouldn't find you?~" Malice and terror made sound.

"I played for a while~ But I'm no longer interested in doing so~"

The red eyes of Alpha Phi pierce my soul.

I can see the scarlet blade not only because of my blood spilling from my stomach but also and especially because of the non-metal material it is made of.

Being pierced by it is not any ordinary pain, no.
The pain is equal to an eternity of suffering in hell concentrated in one second.
And every second equals this pain.

The nervous breakdown occurred almost instantly, but I was able to perceive this pain.

No human mind could have withstood it without instantly liquefying, yet I am still conscious as if my reasoning had detached from my suffering body.

"Scarlet Apple~ My dagger, the Reality Rending. It destroys anything it touches completely, removing it from all timelines."

"The concept of you and all embodiments of it cease to exist."

It cleaves through me, destroying 10^12 multiverses in the process.

"You completely cease to exist in all timelines and multiverses. You never existed, will exist, or have existed," she declares solemnly.

"You are weak, Matcha." Azure says, fading away disinterested in my fate.

I can clearly see all the lives that Azure has extinguished.
Beings with dreams, hopes, feelings.

Destinies that will never be fulfilled.

A capricious deity of death, insensitive to the lives of others.

Such a high number of universes and lives, that cannot be imagined by a human mind.

Billions upon billions.

Among all these, the image of a little girl, no more than six years old, holding a balloon and clearly innocent, remains etched in my mind.
Tears.
Like stars being extinguished.

An unbearable darkness.

Erased in the blink of an eye by the lazy, unchecked power that is unfair and unjust.

All of this without meaning, just a cruel randomness.

The realization that this dimension, this prison created by Tony, aims to contain this monster. This is a prison.

As reality ceases to exist, I have time to reflect in that fleeting moment that is my end.
I let my guard down against an opponent I could not defeat.

I won't be able to complete my mission.
Not that it matters now.
However, I have one regret.

The regret of never being able to see her again.
The face of the woman I love appears before me.

A face I don't know how I had forgotten.
I don't know how, in trying to rebel against my fate, I lost myself in a dark forest, ending up forgetting her and forgetting myself.

Pink.

Green.

Black.

These three colors finally make sense.

In the moment I cease to exist, all I can think about is her.
Unable to escape my fate, I still try to cling to that image.

A single tear falls from my eye.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ZA WARUDO TOKI WO TOMARE!*

Tic Toc Tic Toc

*Actually, I didn't stop time, I just wanted to drop a Jojo reference.

Yes, it's me, Midnight Fox!
The most trickster and annoying angelic kitsune around.

Wouldn't it have been fantastic if the story had ended here?
But instead, surprise!

Now, let me remind you of my abilities because it seems you tend to forget them.
Why is that? Yet, they are well described in my character sheet!
Aren't they interesting?

Take, for example, “Universal Hacker”, which allows me to hack the very fabric of reality and manipulate it at will. Handy, right? In this situation, let me tell you.

I also possess Special Eyes. They allow me to perceive any minor change in space-time and causality, and manipulate them within certain limits!

The Eyes of the Trickster are the ultimate form of deception, one eye embodies the concept of life and the other the concept of death, and only one of the two can be open at any given moment. It deceives reality into believing that you are either alive or dead, nullifying abilities that erase from real—

[Ahem… Could you summarize? The word count got away from Us…]

Umpf… alright, what I wanted to say is that I, in addition to being a Mary Sue, am also the perfect Deus-ex Machina!

So, no, not yet, Watcha or Matcha, the story isn't over yet.

[Don't forget about Us. We are also time, after all.]

And yes, you too, Quagma…
By the way, let's do a nice rewind of all this, shall we?

I'd say it's the perfect moment to leave you with a nice...

TO BE CONTINUED! >>>