The instant the white mist enveloped her, Jeanne Alter felt her vision blur violently. Her body seemed abruptly hurled into the sky, weightlessness quickly replaced by disorienting vertigo.
When solid ground reappeared beneath her feet, her vision finally steadied.
Silent, empty streets stretched before her, flanked by countless towering buildings.
Yet before she could even absorb her surroundings, a deadly blade slashed toward her with ruthless intent.
Crash!
A scythe's icy glint tore through nothing but Jeanne Alter's afterimage. She had already vaulted high into the air, descending rapidly to crush her attacker beneath her boot. The massive force shattered the street, splintering concrete, twisting pipes, and sending lamp posts hurtling skyward.
A deep crater now lay beneath Jeanne Alter's feet, as if struck by a meteor.
She paid no attention to the destruction—this wasn't a real street, merely a dimension created by the [Longinus: Dimension Lost], a perfect replica of reality.
Her concern was the foolish attacker she'd just crushed.
Clad in black robes, exuding the chill of death, and wielding a sinister scythe.
Beneath the robes was nothing but a skeletal frame—no skin, no flesh. With Jeanne's strike, nothing remained but scattered ash.
No matter how you look at it, this thing's obviously a Grim Reaper, right?
Their appearance was classic enough to be unmistakable, akin to how even ordinary mortals could identify Death himself.
Perhaps Jeanne Alter's life had finally expired, and these reapers had come to ferry her soul to the Underworld… Yeah, right. Who'd buy such nonsense?
Even assuming she still had a soul after death, the only one qualified to claim her would surely be Ereshkigal. These reapers were hardly worthy competition for the Goddess of the Underworld.
Jeanne Alter's eyes narrowed dangerously, radiating oppressive heat.
All around her hovered countless dark, hooded figures emanating a palpable aura of death, staining the sky itself a dull, lifeless grey.
Reapers—countless reapers.
Strong and weak intermingled, yet even the weakest surpassed ordinary mid-level devils.
And further still, massive black beasts prowled the periphery, growling lowly.
"[Dimension Lost], [Annihilation Maker], Grim Reapers..." Jeanne Alter muttered coldly, sparks of crimson flames swirling around her. "Your boss, Hades—he's openly colluding with the Khaos Brigade now?"
Her question went unanswered. Instead, countless scythes, eager to sever her soul, hurtled toward her.
The Grim Reapers swarmed like a wave of deathly grey, beasts roaring ferociously from all sides to trap her.
Utterly laughable.
"Did you fools truly believe something of this level could extinguish my hatred?"
Jeanne Alter covered her eyes briefly, her lips twisting into a wild, terrifying grin.
Her clothing ignited instantly, flames becoming a billowing cloak that roared, crackled, and incinerated everything around her. The explosive blast flattened the earth, obliterating anything within reach.
It was the witch's gift—flames bringing pure destruction, incinerating even death itself, devouring all creation.
"Applaud this destruction!"
"Celebrate this hatred!"
"Cheer loudly, for your deaths draw near, and I shall drag you all to hell's depths!"
Jeanne Alter raised her black dragon banner high, and towering flames erupted into the sky.
Grim Reapers nearby didn't even touch the flames directly before their cloaks and bones ignited spontaneously.
These reapers, who relished taking lives, now met their own deaths within Jeanne Alter's flames of vengeance, consumed by the darkness of her rage.
Yet those beasts, specifically crafted to combat Jeanne Alter, danced fiercely amidst the flames. Her fire was still fire, after all, and these beasts were resistant enough to endure it.
"The downside of having only one attack method, I suppose..." Jeanne Alter clicked her tongue in annoyance. "I could boost my flames' output beyond their resistance, but it's too inefficient."
Choosing convenience, she abandoned flames and drew out another divine weapon—a slender, delicate bow shining gently like a crescent moon.
Jeanne Alter drew back the bowstring, a luminous arrow appearing in place—not aimed at the beasts but shot straight into the sky.
Wherever the arrow passed, silver sparks descended. The arrow itself became a brilliant moon, suspended high above, raining countless shafts of silver moonlight down upon the beasts. These slender rays pierced through the sturdy beasts effortlessly, and in moments, their massive forms collapsed, life rapidly draining from them.
Destroyed streets, deep craters, scorched earth, burning embers, and beasts bleeding out—evidence of destruction everywhere.
"The others…I can still sense them," Jeanne Alter murmured, retracting Artemis's bow. "Separated within the dimensional space, huh?"
The good news was that everyone appeared safe; the precautions she'd set hadn't activated yet.
The bad news was everyone was engaged in fierce battles of their own.
She even sensed Ophis's presence.
"Those fools have finally lost their minds. Trapping even Ophis here? Do they have no concept of death?"
Maybe they'd lost their will to live after losing their leader, Jeanne thought wryly.
But no. Hades, the Greek God of the Underworld, ranked among the top ten strongest beings alongside Indra and Fenrir. If someone of his caliber had involved himself, there had to be an underlying scheme.
Ophis usually remained indifferent. Even under direct attack, she rarely retaliated. But now, after spending so much time with Jeanne and the others, she'd changed—surely their enemy wasn't foolish enough to assume Ophis would simply watch her friends suffer?
It didn't make sense…unless…
"No matter what scheme they're planning," Jeanne Alter smirked coldly, murderous intent blazing in her eyes, "there's no need to worry if I slaughter them all."
---
Elsewhere, two men were locked in brutal hand-to-hand combat.
Yet surprisingly, Issei Hyoudou was the one losing.
"What's wrong, Red Dragon Emperor? Is this really all you've got? Your punches are softer than a woman's! Forgot to eat breakfast?"
The muscular, explosive powerhouse, Heracles—the inheritor of that legendary hero's soul and name—mocked Issei viciously, punching him in the face. Issei's helmet shattered partially, blood dripping from his mouth.
Spitting blood, Issei gritted his teeth, punching fiercely back. Heracles effortlessly dodged, countering with a brutal punch to Issei's stomach.
"Gah!" Issei doubled over, coughing blood and saliva.
"Not done yet!" Heracles sneered, igniting his fist and blasting Issei backward.
"Issei!!" Rias screamed frantically. For Gremorys, their peerage were treasured beyond measure. Watching helplessly as Issei suffered overwhelmed her.
She didn't even notice the Reaper descending behind her, its scythe poised to strike.
Yet just then, a petite shadow dashed forward—Koneko Toujou landed a crushing blow, instantly blasting the Reaper into oblivion.
"Buchou! Focus! We're still surrounded!"
Reminding Rias, Koneko swiftly hurled energy blasts, dispatching three Reapers. Yet twice as many surged forward immediately.
Meanwhile, Issei desperately tried to rise, his [Boosted Gear Scale Mail] regenerating too slowly. His magic and stamina were nearly drained.
"Is that all you've got?" Heracles approached disdainfully. "To become a hero, you must overcome trials. Like the original Heracles and his Twelve Labors. But you're no challenge at all."
"You bastard… You call yourself a hero?!" Issei growled defiantly, bloodied teeth clenched.
If both were at full strength, Heracles wouldn't stand a chance. But Issei had been ambushed and weakened by multiple Reapers upon arrival. Heracles deliberately targeted him at his weakest.
"You call it despicable?" Heracles stepped brutally onto Issei's chest. "This is called human intelligence. It's how we humans slay monsters and birth heroes—something you devils could never understand."
"Shut up…" Issei's eyes blazed with fury. He had admired heroes since childhood, even after becoming a devil. He refused to let this man taint his admiration.
Straining every muscle, he summoned one last ounce of strength.
"You bastard…could never be a hero—!!"
His gauntlet flared brilliantly, a jet of flame propelling his punch with unprecedented force.
Crack!
Heracles's face registered shock as Issei's fist landed squarely, launching him violently through rubble.
Moments later, enraged, humiliated, Heracles activated his [Balance Breaker]—missiles emerging across his body, intending to annihilate Issei.
"Die—all of you!!"
As missiles surged toward Issei, a roaring dragon of flames descended, incinerating every projectile instantly.
A black-clad witch emerged, smirking contemptuously.
"I thought I heard something funny," Jeanne Alter sneered, eyeing Heracles coldly. "You call yourself the hero Heracles? Ridiculous. If that legendary hero saw such a pathetic clown inherit his name, he'd probably kill himself—thirteen times over!"
---
T/N: bonus chaps tomorrow
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