"If I will be there to bear witness to the end of the world, instead of a lullaby, I would give the greatest, most marvelous and unforgettable performance to ever grace this world. Till the very end, I will raise my baton to lead a symphony that will forever echo in this reality."
- Bard Meister, One of the Seven Sovereigns of the Lost Eon.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
At a place separated from the confines of the time and space of the world, the deafening roar of instruments and the unceasing shouting songs of a thousand-man choir filled the air.
Each extended strumming of strings, each repeated heavy beating of drums, each strained voice that sung a song that cannot be fathomed, all of it was for a declaration meant to announce to the four corners of the world about the fate that awaits all of them.
At the start of the War, of the Seven Seers of Death, five remained active as reapers of both the righteous and the rotten, one stood by as Death's direct personification and one disappeared completely after his human persona and memories overtook his Seer-self.
At the beginning of the end, five remained. One offered his life to buy time for the Challenger to fulfill the requirements of his fated part. One begged for release from his torment after fulfilling his fated part. One fought until the bitter end against an enemy that not even a Seer of Death can defeat.
Here in the end, only two of the Seven remains...
"...Maestro..."
One was a child formed from the souls of three innocent children dealt with the worst of endings that a human life can be given.
"Oh... Child of Light... Tis' thee, I see. Still in peace, thy countenance, I pray?"
And the other is a young man who has nothing more within him than the tortured and betrayed soul screaming for vengeance against this very world that conspired to betray him at every turn.
"...I am of sound mind, yes. Despite all the chaos happening in the world that affects us as Seers of Death."
For the former, perhaps the very technique used to stabilize and perfectly meld the three souls into one managed to preserve her sanity while millions upon millions of souls passed into the dismal side of the afterlife through her and the man in front of her...
"Ah... Tis' well, tis' well. If the goodly Innkeeper and Juror be here, they be pleased that you suffer not the same as I."
"I'm sure they will, yes... Say, Inuguchi-san... until when are you going to pretend that you are gone and keep on speaking like the Maestro?"
Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the latter...
"Heh... I guess, I cannot hide anything from you after all, Mirai-chan..."
"Osamu-san..."
Although his performance earlier brought to fruition all of the preparations that he and his fellow Seers has prepared for all this time, it came with an enormous personal cost.
"Inuguchi... Inuguchi Osamu... It has been years since I have used that name. Ever since that night... when after losing everything precious to me, being lied to my entire life and eventually being betrayed by the only person who holds a semblance of worth in my life, I decided to end it all... only to claim the first pair of sinners that I would torment with horrors and hellfire for all eternity."
The Maestro, or in his previous life before he became a Seer, Inuguchi Osamu, paid the price of activating Apokalypta, the world ending fail-safe plan envisioned by Spirit Death in case the possibility that the Celestial Spirit Vessels and the Divine Challanger cannot fulfill their destined role to defeat Babel and its cohorts.
The sacrifice may seem minuscule in comparison to the assurance of mutual destruction against a far more malicious threat like Babel, but for the one who has to make that sacrifice, it is not an easy or light choice to make.
"When we died and was given a chance to go further in our lives as Seers of Death, Charon told us that one day, the personalities and memories of who we used to be would eventually erode away and we will perfectly assimilate into our respective Sovereign of the Lost Eon... But it seems like my Bard Meister understood the yearning of my soul to not be washed away and forgotten by time yet."
"Inuguchi-san—!"
As the Maestro slowly knelt down from losing his strength and life from the performance that he is leading, Mirai can do nothing but weep for him.
"Ohh... Don't cry like that, Mirai-chan... Don't cry for me, I never deserved it."
"B-but... But...!"
"Someone like me who reveled at the sight of burning sinners no better than I am don't deserve to receive tears like yours. I have done many wrongs, I admit. I deserve to burn and scream in agony like all of them."
Slowly, from his right hand that is holding his baton, black marks formed into symbols of musical notes and rests. It rapidly spread throughout his body, being visible at the parts not covered by his clothes.
"But if there is one thing that I would declare even in the face of my own demise, it would be my lack of regret for ever being born..."
Inuguchi Osamu... the young man blessed with a musical talent rivaling even the masters of old.
In a peaceful and prosperous world, he would have been born into a pair of faithful and supportive parents and led mankind's musical arts into a new age never seen or heard before.
He would have spread love, hope and inspiration to drive mankind into a new golden age leading to a better and more hopeful tomorrow.
He would have etched his name into the history of mankind as a true master of his craft and leave a legacy that would outlast him and his name.
"I am alive..."
But alas, for him, the hand of fate is a cruel one.
"I have lived..."
Instead, he was born into a despicable philanderer of a man and a feeble and easily-tricked woman.
"I have known life..."
Instead, his heart fell for a woman that he shouldn't have pursued and was prepared to do everything, even seducing her parent and betraying her sibling, if it means securing a future for her own self.
"And now..."
Instead, his name was remembered as a man who lost everything and in the end, embraced that nothingness by taking the only thing left that he still has, if it meant being able to spit at the face of his cruel fate.
"I will become Death."
With the completion of his embodiment of Apokalypta, the orchestra and choir went dead silent, as he asked a last question with what little remains of his sense of self.
"Mirai-chan... did you enjoy the performance?"
"Osamu-san..."
"...It's alright, be a good, honest little girl and tell me the truth."
Through her tears and sobs, not just for her sadness of losing everyone but also knowing of all the unfairness and pain that the young man before her experienced throughout his life, Mirai stepped back and raised her hands to clap.
"It is the best! ...I loved it, Maestro!"
Although she is all alone as she said those words, in Inuguchi's eyes it was not the case.
"Viva! Viva!!!"
In his eyes, all of the people that he loved and loved him as well, who he all lost in the end, was there at the seats and balconies, giving him a standing ovation as they clapped and cheered for him.
"That was so good, Osamu!"
"Encore! Encore!"
There were his friends that supported him when they once contended to further their musical passions.
"That was so awesome, dude!"
"You outdid yourself again, Maestro!"
"Ahaha! I would love to have that recorded and playing in the bar, if you ask me."
There were his fellow Seers of Death that loved to listen his music despite it no longer carrying a joyous and comforting tone after he joined them.
"Osamu. My darling, little boy..."
"You did well, young man... Your mother and I are so proud of you."
But it was no one else than the two great women of his life that gave birth to him and gave him a reason to love his life, that made him shed a genuine tear of peace and thankfulness for living for this long.
As he basked at the applause and for the last time in his life, felt thankful for being born and living for this long, a voice both familiar and warm beckoned him to the final performance that he would give for this world.
"It's time, my friend..."
"...Yes. I understand, Bard Meister..."
Although tired, drained of his life force and barely remaining conscious, Osamu stood up, raised his baton and shouted at the top of his voice.
"My name is Inuguchi Osamu! Fourth of the Seven Seers of Death! Maestro of the Departed Symphonia! Bearer of the Bard Meister's legacy!"
As Osamu shouted those words, Mirai gave her final bow to him and disappeared into particles of light, away and out of the destruction that he will incur upon the world.
"As the last consignee of Death's burden and vision of mutual annihilation against the Scourge of All Worlds, I unilaterally declare the death warrant of all 4,720,986,365 living souls in this world! At this very moment, through the destruction of my immortal soul and mortal memory, I pay the price of sparking the immolating hellfire that would ensure the end of mankind and the devastation of Babel's ascent to godhood!"
After those words came from him, the marks on his body materialized and flew away into the wind, being carried all across the desolated world. With that, his body showed cracks that rapidly grew and from it flowed the dark liquid within.
"I have done my part and this is how it shall end..."
In the next moment, the entire space was wreathed in immolating flames, vaporizing everything in sight as if it all never existed.
"...Die with me, humanity."
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
At the very moment when the Maestro triggered Apokalypta, the entire world shook in a pattern of destruction never seen since the end of the War of Heaven and Earth.
All volcanoes in the world erupted violently, spewing ash and soot into the air, covering the atmosphere with a rain of choking smog and burning ash.
Earthquakes of unfathomable strengths rocked the world from its highest peaks to its deepest trenches. At land, all man-made structures bowed or bent against the tremors, and at sea, the shifting of the tectonic plates gave birth to tidal waves of titanic proportions, drowning entire island nations and continental shores alike.
The previous two occurrences were not the end, but only the beginning of the cycle of destruction that followed the commencement of Apokalypta. The volcanic eruptions and earthquakes created a feedback loop upon each other that ended up causing another tremor and eruption just when the prior one was about to end.
The volcanic eruptions blew hundreds of tons of particles and elements into the atmosphere, blanketing the world in massive clouds that deprived the surface of any spot of sunlight, dropping global temperatures in mere tens of minutes. This blanketing of clouds may have caused a global winter, but the volcanoes' sustained eruptions also released high levels of natural gases, forming low-lying blankets of poisonous fogs that after making contact with open fires either from man-made wreckage or natural forest fire or lava, combusted into literal seas of fire.
To make things worse, some of these fires quickly found itself flowing into localized wind routes, forming fire twisters and eventually, with enough combustible fuel and flat, open spaces, formed literal fire storms the size and ferocity as super-typhoons.
Amidst all of this destruction, those that remained on the surface of earth quickly found themselves liberated from their mortal bodies through various ways. If they were not crushed by the rubble from the earthquakes, drowned by tsunamis or buried in the pyroclastic flows or poisonous clouds of the volcanic eruptions, or any of the brutal ways to die from all the disasters happening around the world, they instead died from being sacrificed by the Tainted Spirits who wanted to extract one last drop of faith from them to fuel their escape towards their master's side at the only unaffected place on earth.
From space, the members of the S.S.S and Ephraim's family bore witness to the apocalyptic sight in the world that they all narrowly avoided by riding the spaceship as instructed by Ephraim.
"Y-Y-Y-Yuri..."
"I know... Thank God, we left before all of that happened."
Hinata and Yuri both finally sighed in relief after seeing that their compliance with Ephraim's demand brought all of them out of death's grip.
"W-Wait, Yurippe, Hinata-kun! Look over there!"
Before they can finally relax themselves though, Masami shouted and pointed out towards the window facing Earth, gathering everyone's attention to a spot that seem to be untouched by the destruction.
"What is it? ...Hold on, is that—!?"
"Hey, hey, hey! That can't be! I thought it would finally end this time?!"
Everyone's mouth dropped ajaw as they all saw the very visible volcanic eruptions and gigantic fire storms not only swerving away but being rendered useless by a single spot in the world.
"New Tokyo... That means whatever is destroying the world right now..."
"...is being rendered useless by the Miyazonos."
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
"Damned scions of that putrid filth! How dare you ruin my ascent to godhood!"
With the power and Astra energy that he should've kept for later, Babel, through inhabiting Miyazono Ryuuichi's body, formed a protective barrier around New Tokyo. Using the grown tainted World Seed's branches that reach towards the horizon as the barrier's limit, he managed to protect his believers and the objects within it that is critical for his agendas.
"M-Master! We've brought the souls of the believers outside! Come and absorb—"
Without even letting the smaller, minor Tainted Spirits to finish their words, Babel devoured all of them, taking not only the souls of the humans that they absorbed, but the Tainted Spirits themselves.
"""KIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEE—!!!"""
After devouring them, Babel further strengthened the barrier, managing to stave off completely the effects brought by Apokalypta. However, Babel saw thousands if not millions of dark figures resembling musical notes and rests flying in the sky, reminding him of a familiar feeling of utter fear.
"No... Not again...!"
It already saw this sight once. Even though it was at a lesser scale, Babel knew what that was and how it nearly stopped its rebellion back then at the Lost Eon.
"That maddened fool...! Why did he give that to Death!? Did he really mean those words that he shouted back then?!!!"
Babel shouted, remembering the lone mortal Sovereign that managed to stop the onslaught of its followers that attacked his homeland. With the full devotion of his people and making use of a power that came from a Spirit whose power rivaled even Law's, he raised his baton and with its fall decimated an entire army that could've flattened an entire civilization to dust.
"Bard Meister...! You cursed—"
However, before Babel can even raise its voice to curse "that creature", it sensed that the barrier it formed around New Tokyo was breached by four people, opening for a moment before closing shortly after.
"And these pests decided to show up now?! Fine! William, Akira, Himari! Go and—"
Once again, its words was cut off as a pulse of light and wave of Astra energy shot through Ryuuichi's body, affecting Babel as well since he is its Vessel.
"GUAAAAAAHHHHH—!!!!!!"
That familiar feeling coupled by the sight of the floating dark figures gathering on the sky above made dread grow within Babel's mind. While Law is its undisputed enemy, that other Spirit was the one responsible for destroying all "masterpieces" that its influence brought to this world such as the ancient city of Sodomarai where it battled Tainted Spirits and Malignances alike until he died and was sealed in Caelestia.
Spirit Courage, now possessing the form of its Vessel, Lucas Tetian, exuded its power as he prepared to fight against the greatest danger to mankind save for Babel and its Vessel.
Babel's call to the only remaining Gardener was cut short as well when it sensed that an immense pulse of power originating from the creation of a Subspace, came right where Akira was standing by. From the nature of that power, Babel knew that it was from the Vessel of Knowledge.
The only remaining one of those it called was Himari who immediately appeared beside it.
"What is it, father?"
"Himari! Child! Finally, someone that is actually useful!"
Babel, alongside Ryuuichi, had a joyous expression after her arrival. Himari turned to look past the growing tower and immediately sensed the figure rapidly approaching them.
"I'll take care of this father. Focus on the ascension ritual right now!"
After Himari jumped forward to meet Ephraim in battle, Babel shouted to him within their shared mind.
["Listen to your daughter, Ryuuichi! With the involvement of the Seer, we have not a moment to spare!]
"Got it!"
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
In an area of the desolated city of New Tokyo, a space covered with distorted images separated the real world and the world within it. Here, two figures faced off against each other with a mere 6 meters between them.
"Oh-ho! To think that there are still someone here who can conjure enough power to trap me in a Subspace... I must say, I'm surprised to find such capability from a wayward Replicant such as you."
Akira spoke pointedly towards Renjiro, quickly recognizing him as a Replicant and one that originally came from the Miyazono corporation.
"I can say the same to you... I've always thought that the Gardeners are meant to be filled up with the best of the best that mankind can offer without any stains in their body and soul. Well... I guess you can say that there's the outlier of Aokigahara Yoshino and her father who pushed the limits of their body by actively making themselves the test subjects of their experiments, but my point still stands..."
"..."
"...You're a Replicant too, so stop being a pot to a kettle like me."
(T/N: This is the saying of "a pot calling the kettle black", but modified to be from the first person perspective.)
Hearing those words, Akira's mouth arced upwards in a furious grin where he bared his fangs and gave Renjiro a death-stare. However, he calmed down and returned to having his slit-like eyes seemingly disinterested with Renjiro.
"Pardon me for acting out like that all of a sudden. When you directed "that word" to me, I felt like something I promised to never hear again rang in my head and irritated me."
"Word? You mean "Replicant"? Why? I ain't lying aren't I?"
Renjiro, turning his head sidewards slightly, spoke and shortly after, the place where his head was supposed to be had a long, metal pipe go through it, slightly grazing him on the cheek.
"That's right... I don't like having that word near my ears or ever being directed towards me."
"...Why so? Is it a painful word or something?"
"Heh... It's nothing much. It's just that I know that I deserve to be given a better name than that with the sheer difference between trash Replicants like you, and the one and only Me."
For a moment, Renjiro looked at Akira, confused about his words. It seems to him that Akira is denying, perhaps even with a hint of shame, the very nature of his existence.
"If it isn't so troublesome, and while I'm obviously trying to prepare for our fight, care to explain why you think like this?"
"...Heh! I must admit, you're quite a brave fool, aren't you? Making me talk away while you're preparing to fight. Do you think I'm so stupid?"
"Not at all. But I do think that somehow, we both share the same desire because of the nature of how we were born." Renjiro spoke firmly, answering his opponent's question. "I feel like there's something about you that you really want to talk about. Something that other people dismiss about you because they only see you as a strong Psychic or a mere Replicant who was created simply to be a champion of the Miyazonos."
"..."
"So... am I right then?"
After a short moment of silence, Akira spoke up with an uncharacteristic smile on his face and upturned eyelids.
"Very well then, I'll appease your curiosity and talk about myself. After all, we have all the time in the world, and I don't really have any doubt about my victory. Might as well give you something to entertain yourself with once you're in the afterlife."
"Woo-hoo... Cool." Renjiro commented with a sarcastic tone as Akira began to narrate his life story.
"The reason why I don't take kindly to being called a Replicant is because I am not one of you garbage clones of real people kept as livestock to become organ donors or as mass produced, disposable cannon fodder meant to fight in wars." Akira activated his Psychic power and around the two of them, showed images and memories that corresponded to his words.
"The way I was made was the perfected form of the Replicant Project that later became the basis of the way that master Ryuuichi was revived. Making use of the perfected body cloning formula of Professor Akihiro Miyazaki, the Psycho-physiological duplication theory of Doctor Jonah Chronia, the enormous research data regarding Replicant production and experimentation that Aokigahara Mifune and Yoshino left, I became the final "proof of concept" of this entire endeavor. A proof that man can "create" man with his own hands and his own likeness. Not through natural biological methods or simply following the rules and forms of genes as dictated by already existing examples..."
Using his powers, Akira formed a figure similar to his own image using dust and showed a breath coming from his mouth that entered the dust figure's nose before it began to look exactly like him and stand beside him like a total replica of himself.
"I am the first man-made [Man]. A being of perfection, freed from the constraints of the Divine's hands and rules. I was created by the brilliance of mankind... and thus, I as well will free them from the shackles set by Creation. Once master Ryuuichi ascends into godhood and brings with him all of mankind to become the gods of their own form and fate, like me, everyone will have this body... and I shall join them as the dictator of my own fate and future."
Akira laughed heartily from seeing the inevitable realization of his dream to bring the rest of mankind to this state of self. Stronger, healthier and happier than the current supposed "flawed" form of man.
"Is that so? Geez... You said so much when all that you wanted to say is that you didn't want to be alone."
"...Huh?"
Amidst the confused expression of Akira, Renjiro took out a bent-up cigarette from his pocket and with a snap of his finger, created enough heat to light up its tip to begin smoking it. After huffing in the smoke and spewing it out, he returned to talking to Akira.
"Haah... You dramatic theater kid. Why say all of that when it seems like the root of all your issues is that you didn't want to be the only "perfect human", as you seem to call yourself, that exists in this world."
"Y-You—!"
"Now, now... Don't be mad. I won't judge you. You may not know this, but I used to be a highschool teacher. I know so many of you brats with self-conflict and self-confidence issues that I stopped counting at some point. Actually, Ephraim? If not for a co-worker who is his class adviser, I would've been his counselor too while he's being this silent and brooding kid who has no friends in his class and never interacts with the others—"
"SHUT UP!"
Akira shouted, cutting off Renjiro's monologue as an enraged expression appeared on his face and he growled towards his opponent.
"How dare you downplay my noble goal and part in master Ryuuichi's plan as nothing more than a brat's dumb emotional conflict?!! I am above normal humans, and I am a god compared to a measly gnat, garbage Replicant like you!"
Akira raged, raising his voice and bringing out the full extent of his power to finally fight against Renjiro.
"Man, you sure do hate that word... I guess it's time for me to bring this quite embarrassing fact about who I could've been to light."
"Wha—!?"
Renjiro returned the gesture, preparing for battle as well. However, instead of conjuring his power or bringing out a weapon, he used his power to materialize two objects that made Akira recoil in confusion.
"Since I was a botched attempt to make a Replicant for this actor, since he kept on insisting to do his own stunts and ended up almost always dying and needing to be replaced, I was almost disposed as a failure until I was relegated to become a lab hand to the Aokigahara duo so that "I won't be too much of a waste of resources"."
Renjiro spoke as he draped a torn-up, pale indigo cloak on his shoulders.
"Even then, his memories, skills and mannerisms remained with me and I kept trying them out whenever I have the time... Even after I was freed and I joined the Sumeragi group, I still kept up with it in secret, trying to find a reason why even though it's useless to me now, my body and mind still insists to remember these skills that came from a man whose name and legacy in the movie industry has already been forgotten..."
After Renjiro materialized and wore a sun-bleached hat on his head and finally drew out his signature revolver, did Akira realize that Renjiro didn't make him narrate his story so he can prepare for their fight but instead, simply buy him time to remember a distant memory that came from the man that Renjiro was meant to and failed to perfectly replace as a clone.
"So you... You're meant to be—"
"He's had hundreds of movies and shows where he acted every role under the sun from a policeman, escaped convict, vigilante and many more so long as the genre is Action... but his best role and best movie is without a doubt this one that made him a nearly unforgettable and legendary figure." Renjiro raised his gun and with it being fired, signaled the beginning of their battle.
"The Immortal Ranger!?"
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
I remember it as if it was just yesterday.
When things was still far better and somehow, our family lived in peace, health and bliss... completely unaware of the death and destruction that will cover the world around us, and the secrets and darkness that each of us kept deep in our hearts.
When we lost our brothers to the war, father and mother split up before both dying shortly after, and we ended up as orphans with no future ahead of us, I remembered the words on that book that I kept on reading even if it wasn't fit for my age or understanding... and yet, it led me to a path that brought me to a purposeful life.
["Through me the way into the city of woe. Through me the way into eternal pain. Through me the way among the lost people."]
The rituals and sacrifices that our people performed on that dark, oil-stained hill to appease the "old gods" already gave me a clue about why you've always viewed yourself as weak.
To them, you are the [Sun]. You are meant for great things and great praises... Which is why when you felt like you have achieved nothing to justify the expectations of that phony "prophecy", you viewed yourself as weak and undeserving while I, the [Moon], have already made up my mind about what I wish to do to my life.
["Justice incited my sublime Creator. To create me was the work of divine power, of highest wisdom and primal love."]
You depended on them to give you value, and when the time came that you finally realized that their words meant nothing, just like their so-called "prophecies", you lost all reason to find a purpose or fight your way through life.
Honestly, I hated that part of you, William...
You desire strength, because you are weak, but you also do not have the heart nor resolution to become strong. You wish for something, but you never seem to want to work for it.
"Before me nothing was created except what is eternal, and I endure eternally."
But it's alright... I promise you, it will now all be alright.
"Lasciate ogne speranza, voi ch'entrate..."
[Abandon all hope, ye who enter here...]
Because I'm going to kill you now.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
At that corner of New Tokyo, the battle between the two brothers, William and Lucas, shook the ground and split the sky.
"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH—!!!!!!!"
From above, William shot up and struck down like a meteor towards Lucas who simply stared at him with his sword drawn out.
"...Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
Lucas whispered these words and without lifting a single muscle, the pure, burning white aura around him swatted away William before he can even get near him.
"GUAAAHHH—! Argh... w-what the f—!?"
In a blink of his eye, William saw Lucas cross the vast distance between them in an instant, without any sound.
"...Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted."
"—!!! No, you don't—!!!"
Right in that instant, Lucas lunged his sword right towards William, aiming to stab him but William shrugged the blade away before jumping backwards.
In William's mind, there was nothing but sheer confusion.
With the perfection of the Replicant cloning method, he has technically attained the strongest and most compatible body that he can be given, stripped of its inefficiencies and delicateness.
The same can be said about his psychic powers. With his former Tainted Spirit, Vainglory, being fully absorbed and integrated by his new Tainted Spirit Luxuria, he has full control of that aspect of reality, allowing him the bend the very fabric of reality within the bounds of that Spirit's control.
Right now, he has no doubt that Lucas' mind and heart are supposed to be desiring vengeance. He wanted nothing more than to tear his opponent piece by piece. He should literally lusting for his blood and demise...
...And yet, that is nowhere to be found.
Instead, as he looked at Lucas, all that he can see is his unchanging facial expression and the white fire that continues to burn around him like an aura that immolated every sinful thing around him.
There was no sign of his brother's jealousy, thirst for blood and murderous intent.
Just an unerring decision to end him right where he stands.
"...I remember you, old Tainted Spirit."
"—!!!"
"You were there where I fought to the death. The city of endless sin... the ancient kingdom of fornication and filth that nearly took my student's life away if WE were not quick enough to end the lives of all those mortals and Spirits."
Although it was undoubtedly his brother's voice, William sensed that it was another being speaking those words to the Spirit within him. His suspicion was proved when Luxuria took control of his body and replied back.
"So you were that lunatic of a Spirit... The one who jumped into certain death and in the end, shouted towards Law to take your life alongside all the people within the city. I must say, your actions back then ruined our plans."
"..."
"Save for that troublesome troubadour who performed a forbidden performance to hold off the invasion towards Swistu, and allowed Spirit Law to appear and let the other Spirits to convene and prepare their defenses, you are at the top of the list of individuals that we were supposed to look out for."
William, upon hearing that exchange between the two, realized that they were talking about the events during the Lost Eons. He then correctly guessed that this is the same being that took control of Lucas earlier and would've killed both him and Akira if not for the latter's abilities.
"Trust me. If I was alive and kicking back there, none of you, not even that putrid Babel could've managed to approach and destroy everything we built up in this world."
"Ohh...? And what makes you think that's a fact, Courage?"
Once Luxuria said his name, all of the sense of dread and self-preservation in William's mind sparked to high alert. He already saw what would happen after this unlike Luxuria who didn't.
"YOU DOLT! WHY DID YOU DO THAT?!!"
"Huh?"
Right after they had this exchange in their shared mind, a burning blade of purifying flames split William's body into two halves.
"Because both Law and Love followed rules..."
"How did—?!!!"
Before he can end his words, both halves of William's body was consumed by the bluish-white flames and left nothing but ashen sand as remains.
"...I do not."
As the flames died out and a smell of burnt metal and silicone plastic filled the air, one would think that the battle was over right when it started.
(T/N: For those who are confused in this part and was not able to read the last Q&A segment in our page, the "perfected human form" as envisioned in the story involves cybernetic enhancements made possible by bionic implants. So here, the smell of burnt metal and silicone plastic were from those there were inside William's body.)
However, it was nothing but the beginning...
"Hahaha... Ahahahaha! WAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!"
"...I knew it. I guess you finally managed to find a work around on that issue that I used to kill millions of your cohorts and Malignances back then, huh?"
By turning every particle of William's body into sparks of light before the flames consumed it, Luxuria literally turned William's body into an ethereal state shortly before re-materializing it and merging it back to its complete form.
"This is the true potential of my power! The apex of my control over reality itself!"
With maniacal and maddened laughter, Luxuria further strengthened the already extremely strong body and power of William and bore it against their opponent.
"I will lust after your death, Courage! I will desire nothing more than to see you fall as our dreams are being fulfilled!"
Hearing this, Courage was taken aback. The very loophole that allowed him to become undefeated by strengthening him whenever his opponent further desired to win against him, is not being used by his opponent against him.
By "desiring" his loss, Luxuria made it possible to render Courage's own power useless as now, his opponent did not desire to win by virtue of emotions, but a simple, logical desire to never let his side to lose and their goals be unfulfilled.
"My, my... This is quite troublesome."
Right when Courage acknowledged that this would be a tough battle without his usual advantage, a voice came from behind him, one that is familiar to his Vessel, Lucas.
"Then it might be good that I'm here then after all."
"Wait. You are..."
"A mortal who can be easily killed in this great battle between Spirits... Where else can you see this pure, foolhardy courage?"
Once Mana said those words, Courage immediately realized what she was planning.
"...Alright then. Let's see if you can back that up and give me enough power to overcome this one."
"Ready when you are."
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
Right as that exchange happened and the battle between William against Lucas and Mana happened, the beep of a digital timer echoed within a dark, narrow cave.
"Ten minutes... that's how much time it would take for them to finish the tower..."
In this dark cave, there is only one person. Tasked by Ephraim with an objective that only he and she know, she came here to fulfill just that.
"I must find him... and quick!"
Using her water manipulation technique, she made large amounts of water to slush around every tunnel and crevice of the cave and map him her way forward.
"I must find that... and stop this before they finish the ritual!"
As she moved forward like the wind is on her back, she drew closer and closer to the core that is powering up the World Seed and the Tower.
Here, the "preparation" done by Ephraim alongside an old friend for the past year would finally bear fruit.
"Kai... Wait for me—!"