Zod... A man without a surname, known only by a moniker: the Little Demon King. A mere stripling of twenty years who appeared like a sudden comet a decade ago to seize absolute dominion over the New York underworld.
At first, the criminals of New York scoffed. They stepped forward, wondering what a twenty-year-old brat could possibly achieve, only for the rival syndicate members to be found as cold corpses the very next day. Atop the mountain of their remains, a card of refined elegance bore a message written in exquisite cursive.
[To my dear insects...]
From then on, every organization that bared its fangs at him was either crushed or vanished into the silence of the night. He was a boy who even extended his reach into the judiciary, forging connections with the New York police and collaborating with them without a hint of hesitation.
And always, at the side of this twenty-year-old fledgling, stood two beautiful women. Introducing themselves as Artoria and Jeanne, these two served as Zod's hands and feet, playing a decisive role in his rapid ascent to the throne of the dark world.
"So... do you have any final words?"
"Gah... cough! You... damn wench..."
*Squelch—!*
"Hmph... boring."
Excalibur Morgan: The Sword of Promised Victory—the blackened holy sword that served as the Noble Phantasm and armament of Artoria Alter—cleaved through the man's neck.
"Ahhh~ I thought a spy within the organization would be something impressive, but they're all just hollow husks. How dull."
Jeanne Alter flourished her banner, emblazoned with the mark of the Evil Dragon, reducing the police station to a wasteland of cursed flames. Tucking a stray hair behind her ear, she clicked her tongue and grabbed the hair of another spy hidden within the ranks, forcing him to meet her gaze.
"Did you really think you could infiltrate our Zod-chan's organization without this level of resolve? Pathetic."
"Kh... you... you monsters..."
"Is that your only last will? Then, goodbye~"
*Thud!*
With a single kick from Jeanne Alter, his head shattered like a ripened fruit, scattering fragments of flesh across the precinct.
"Let's wrap this up, Ice Queen. We've seen everything we need to see."
"Indeed..."
At Jeanne Alter's words, Artoria Alter nodded. Inside the station, already doused in gasoline from the canisters they brought, they prepared to strike a lighter.
"You... cursed... hags..."
A lone survivor within the station glared at them with murderous intent, his voice dripping with venom.
"God will never forgive you!"
""Ha!""
At the policeman's cry, Artoria Alter and Jeanne Alter let out a hollow, mocking laugh in unison.
"If God truly watched over me, He would not have allowed my Britain to meet such a miserable end."
"God? The Lord abandoned me. He guided me to the battlefield with His revelations, yet He never showed His face when I was branded a witch and burned at the stake!"
With mocking sneers, they poured more oil over the man's body.
"Then let us see if that grand God of yours will deliver you from this..."
"Being the one doing the burning feels surprisingly exquisite. Who knew?"
Artoria Alter and Jeanne Alter looked down at the officer with derision. Artoria then handed her Zippo lighter to Jeanne.
"Will you do the honors?"
"My, my, Ice Queen. What's come over you? Acting all generous?"
"I need to get the car ready outside. I shall take my leave first."
"Pfft! Are you a tsundere? You've been reading too much Japanese manga, haven't you?"
To Jeanne Alter's ridicule, Artoria Alter simply turned around, raised a middle finger in a vulgar gesture, and exited through the back door. Jeanne Alter, still giggling, turned back to the officer glaring at her.
"Stop pretending to be righteous. I loathe hypocrites like you so much it makes me nauseous."
"That man is a devil! The one you follow as your 'Boss' is a monster! In the end, you too will be used and discarded!"
"Heeh~ Is that so?"
Jeanne Alter's expression remained indifferent, her eyes suggesting his words didn't even reach her ears.
"Is that the end of your chatter? Goodbye~"
Jeanne Alter flicked the lighter onto his body and strolled leisurely out of the station. Behind her, an explosion erupted, and the police station was consumed by a demonic conflagration, swallowed by screams of agony.
"How refreshing~ Let's get going!"
"No! First, we head to 'Mc'."
"Huh? You ate that much at Burger King earlier and you're eating again?"
"I heard they released a new menu item."
"Exactly how much do you eat?! You gluttonous pig!"
"Hmph! It is simply that you eat like a bird!"
"I give up... sigh..."
At Artoria Alter's insatiable appetite, Jeanne Alter could only sigh as she stared out the window. The car they were in sped away from the burning police station, heading toward a McDonald's blocks away that was selling a limited-edition menu.