Sybil listened intently as Amaterasu and Mitsuko spoke, trying her best to understand the history of their world and the type of world that this group was about to walk into. As Mitsuko spoke about the powerful spell that could destroy cities with one blow an image of fire and destruction flashed through her mind. Sybil closed her eyes, focusing in on the memory. Black smoke, screams, and the smell of death lingered in the air. Sybil opened her eyes again, realizing that she had previously been to this world that Mitsuko spoke of. Not physically, but Sybil could remember seeing the world through another mortals eyes when she had entered her dream realm. It was a place she was guided to by Cetia some time ago, though she did not understand why at the time. Although Sybil was still not sure why Cetia wanted her to see those atrocities of another realm, she trusted Cetia. Perhaps she would know the reason in due time.

"Preparations? Sybil thought, glancing around at her fellow comrades to see what they would do or where they would go. She watched Illistrianna disappear through a portal and then turned her gaze onto her Goddess for direction. Cetia had already told Sybil to come prepared and before they left she had gathered everything she could possibly think of that she might need for her magic spells within her satchel. Not only that, but she had cast a spell onto the satchel that linked it back to a chest in her temple which had ample amounts of reserves that she had stored over the years. She prayed that the magic link would not break as they moved from one world to another; her magic had never been tested to this degree before. Other than that.. Sybil did not know what to do with herself. Cetia met her gaze, as stoic and silent as ever. Knowing that Cetia was not about to give her a whole pep talk, Sybil opened her satchel and began to inspect items that she could see from the portal within. Herbs, animal bones, ink, charcoal, an assortment of gemstones, feathers... As she browsed, her mind began to wonder why she was chosen for such a dire mission. "Truly, Cetia, what are you thinking? These are mostly great warriors. I am no warrior. I am a priestess. A woman of magic and visions. How am I to be useful here?" She thought, almost angry at Cetia for not outright telling her what her purpose is in the grand scheme of things.

"Trust." Cetia's ethereal soft voice entered Sybil's mind, only for the two of them to hear. Sybil looked up at her Goddess, staring at her in silence for a few moments as she thought about the statement. "Hm... Trust." She whispered in agreement, nodding her head once in a self-assured fashion.

"I am ready as well."

Shin listened calmly as the Sun Deity explained the situation and which each sentence he could feel inside himself the drunkness at the prospect of conflict that he had learned to watch out for on his people, at his side his Lord remained in the same pose, with the same genial smile and open posture, but he could feel it through their bond as God and Champion, the hunger that had awakened at the mention of a Struggle worth participating on.

"Shin'Za"

Most people on his planet would freak out by the tone his Lord spoke in, devoid of its usual fanfare and theatrics, even worse was using his full name, which only drove in further that it was unnatural and unwelcome, something foreign to the cheerful deity.

All Shin could feel was his own fervor reaching new heights, it reminded him of the moments before the Time of War was declared, the tension that could be felt among all, the almost sublime way the muscles tensed in preparation for pain. Just thinking about it made the urge to unleash his ribbons and start dancing almost overpowering but he resisted.

Barely.

"Yes?"

"This will be your crucible and your cradle, it will break you or further, you to new heights, whichever the case it will be an impossible task the likes you have never experienced" A pause... and then a maniac smile full of glee and a touch of envy appeared on his Lord's face "Enjoy it for the both of us"

Slowly he could feel the matching grin developing under his cloth.

"Gladly"

His conversation finished with his Lord he made his way to the other Champions, trying to calm himself using every technique he had been taught but falling as his head couldn't stop thinking about the conflict that would ensue soon.

"I am ready too"

Ah what a lovely day.

Zero listened to Amaterasu and Mitsuko explain their mission, but knew much of this information already. Information shared between the gods when they convened earlier had already been known to Genesis, and therefore it was known to Zero. That said, they had little idea what the act of battling, overthrowing, or killing a god would demand of any of them. They only knew what Genesis ever knew, and Genesis had never killed a god, or even encountered a being comparable to one until they breached the multiverse. The task was daunting, and largely unknown, but Zero did not balk at it. This was the mission they had been born for; if they did their best and that was not enough, then so be it.

Even so, as the others made final preparations, Zero similarly took stock of the advantages currently posed to it. A dead world, bereft of life besides the mad gods, sounded like a rather dull place to Zero, and they knew that their ability to mimic and disguise themselves would be of no benefit. With their subtle option irrelevant, they considered their unsubtle options. These were far more numerous, a veritable cosmic library of genetic combinations, form and function flowing together in perfect sync. A million shapes from a million worlds, ripe for the choosing. Zero hoped that even one would suffice.

Then, for the sake of backup, they sent an inter-dimensional telepathic pulse back to Genesis. More than their typical "handshake" psychic communion that was performed at regular intervals, it carried a request. Red Heralds, Zero wanted access to as many as Genesis could spare. Genesis could spare very, very many.

"I'm ready. Let us commence."

Amaterasu was fascinated by the way everyone was busy preparing themselves for the coming fight. It truly is a sight to behold when people from completely different cultures and worlds prepare for something they know is very important. Some champions even decided to return to their own universes and grab equipment there, and some champions talked with their gods in order to steel themselves for the coming fight.

Mitsuko however, has a unique form of preparation that she has rarely seen in people.

She’s meditating.

The woman she chose to be her champion has decided to choose meditation as her way of preparing. All the ornaments she would usually wear on the outside are thrown away and put aside. Her hair is fully let loose, and Amaterasu could feel the sheer concentration MItsuko’s putting on her mind by meditating. The goddess could only wonder what her champion is thinking.

Still, everytime Mitsuko meditates before the battle. They have always won the fight afterward, there is something about Mitsuko after she meditated that allows her to have a very powerful intuition when it comes to battle, perhaps a good omen? Perhaps…

“I’m ready.” Mitsuko said. Opening her eyes and looking at her deity. “Ikimashou, Amaterasu-Sama.”

Ah, those eyes, the eyes of someone completely at peace with themselves. Almost emotionless, a couple of steps before her stare is completely indistinguishable from a robot. A sign that she is in full concentration.

Good.

“Alright!” Amaterasu said. “Everyone, gather around. I trust that you’ve been good champions and gathered sufficient materials for this quest. Don’t worry, I don’t think this battle would last long at all, maybe a week at most. Mitsuko, are you ready?”

“Yeah, just give me a moment.” She replied, tying her hair and gathering all the stuff she has, before nodding. “Yeah, ready.”

“Alright then.”

The Japanese deity concentrated some magic into a certain area. She has been training for this exact scenario for years at this point, and she knows the pinpoint location where the party would have the smallest chance of being detected. And when the portal slowly opened, a small rift in reality stabilized by Amaterasu’s own mana, she knows that the party could step over and finish the job she couldn’t do herself. “Portal’s open. You will be in an underground area just to be safe but don’t worry, I’m pretty sure that there are doors that will allow you to go to the surface, just follow the direction to the Imperial Palace after that.”

Mitsuko nodded and was the first to take the plunge. But not before hugging her deity and saying her farewells. “Don’t worry Ama-chan. I will make sure this world will rest after all the chaos your alter-ego has wrought upon it.” And then jumped into the abyss. The rest of the champions followed suit, and soon enough, the door was closed.

Amaterasu then looked at the rest of the deities gathered around. Knowing their first concern and addressing it immediately. “Don’t worry, I have a link with Mitsuko and she only need to call me mentally in order for me to reopen the portal. They won’t be stranded there without some way to go back.”

“Anyway… do you have an idea of what to do now? Maybe we can talk about our worlds?” She offered. “I’m sure each of your worlds will have something worth talking over.”

---

The portal that Mitsuko leaped through led the party into some form of an underground facility, Mitsuko knew the moment she feasted her eyes upon the sight that it was some sort of research facility, but she didn’t know what this facility was for.

“Hmm… interesting.” She pondered, taking into account her surroundings, the faded metal, the charred away signs, and of course the lab equipment all strewn around the floor. She then looked at the party she was accompanied by and knew they were as confused as she was.

They exited the room they were teleported to and walked the corridors, some of them pointed to ‘enchantment research’, and ‘thaumatological conceptual studies’. Ah, definitely magical research in nature. But it was until the group stumbled into the sign that indicated where they are that Mitsuko’s eyes widened.

Either her deity is mad for teleporting her here, or she is wise beyond her years, and Mitsuko knew to choose the latter than the former.

Imperial Japanese Army magical research facility, Keio University Yagami Campus.

“Ah, so this is an underground military research facility. And…” Mitsuko concentrated for a short while. “Yep, magically protected to prevent detection. Our enemies should not know where we are right now, but the moment we step out of… that door.” She pointed at the door in front of her. “They would immediately know our location, I have no doubt Amaterasu would send her minions to do her dirty work, so just prepare yourself for the worst once we exit.”

“In the meantime, why don’t we scavenge some materials in this university complex? This is a dedicated research facility for developing magical weapons, I have no doubt about it. So they should be working once you laid your hands on them, just feed them mana and they should have a devastating effect once you fire them. I’ll tell you how to work the weapons once you show them to me, okay?”

“Or perhaps, you want to step out of that door and brace for the worst? I wouldn’t recommend it, my deity opened the portal right here for a good reason y’know.”

@Kumbaris @Dead Cruiser @Riffus Maximus @Emeth @The Muse @Teyao @Mendicant Bias

Valentin stood among a dead forest, killed by reckless use of mana. Like most places along the face of Ysten, this area was ruined, blighted by war and monstrosities. And yet Valentin felt a calm here, standing among the dead. Perhaps it was his youth spent talking to ghosts that made him prefer those things that have passed. Valentin glanced over at the spirit of Sir Adolis, his ancestor and companion. The deceased knight was humming some kind of war hymn, one no longer remembered among the current situation.

Valentin himself was standing next to a massive, dead oak tree, easily the biggest in the forest. Adolis and him had been waiting here for several hours now, as Edgar the Raven had told them that Lord Abyssius wanted to meet them there. The magical raven had flown off somewhere else as the tow Deng men waited. Valentin was quickly becoming restless, not helped by the fact that he could faintly hear the moans of zombies in the distance.

It was quickly becoming night and Valentin was growing hungry. While he didn’t have the overwhelming taste for blood that a full vampire would have, he did still like his meat very raw. Unfortunately he had no meat right now, as very few animals still dotted the landscape of the wastes. The only reliable place to get meat was from the massive farms built into the moving cities.

As all the food he had was plants, Valentin was considering going for a quick hunt, as perhaps there was still a hare or even a squirrel hiding among the dead wood. But before he could even leave, Edgar soared down next to him, landing on a branch of the oak tree.

“My apologies for making you wait,” Edgar said in the language of the dead, “My lord Abyssius had another matter to attend to.”

Sir Adolis stopped humming and asked, “And so what? He’s blowing us off?”

A deep chuckle swept through the forest, seemingly coming everywhere at once. Valentin recognized the chuckle, having first heard it after fleeing the moving city. And like that time, a thick fog then rolled in, enveloping the gathered trio. From within the fog, Valentin could hear a staff hitting the ground, and the shaking of bone pieces.

The fog then suddenly disappeared, leaving a hunched man standing in front of Valentin. He wore a thick, gray cloak, with various animal bones stitched in. In his hand was a staff made of petrified wood, from which they say he houses souls to bring them to the afterlife. And open his face was a white mask, with one half smiling, and the other half frowning. There was no doubt that this was Abyssius.

“Well met my champion,” said Abyssius with a bellowing voice, before turning to Adolis, “As well as noted spirit.”

Valentin bowed his head, “How may I serve my lord of death?”

“By fulfilling the promise of a gods’ champion,” stated Abyssius, “To do what a god themselves could not.”

Valentin wondered what was beyond the capability of Abyssius. He was one of the oldest gods of Ysten, having survived the war in the heavens. He had walked the realm since before man kept history, and Valentin thought that he would do so until the world finally died.

“What task do you have for me?” asked Valentin as he raised his head.

“You have heard that there are other worlds, such as the one those damned Constructs came from?” When Valentin nodded, Abyssius continued, “Well in several such worlds there is a corruption that affects the gods. As such we need appointed mortals do deal with it. So there formed an alliance of gods who wished to fight the corruption. While I am loathe to associate with any other god, I do realize that if I were corrupted, Ysten would surely be destroyed.”

“So, I am to meet with these other gods and champions?” Valentin questioned, his mind ablaze with thoughts of other worlds.

“Well you were, but I was busy. A familiar of mine had told me that they have just departed the realm between,” responded Abyssius, “Which means that I’m throwing you into the thick of it. That damned Amaterasu had shared with me the location of the first world you will be intervening in.”

“First world?”

“Ah, I guess I didn’t mention that. There are four key worlds that support the corruption. If you are able to set things in those worlds, the corruption should abate.”

Valentin swallowed audibly. Going off to one world for a potential suicide mission was one thing, but four worlds? But Valentin pushed that thought down. Even if he died, he would become a ghost, and Sir Adolis seemed to like being a ghost.

Then Adolis finally spoke, “We are at your command, O God.”

“Then I shall send you three directly to the other champions,” stated Abyssius as a new fog rolled in, “Enter the mist and emerge in a new world.”

Valentin didn’t move immediately, a pang of fear seizing his legs. The glowing green form of Sir Adolis then stepped next to him, placing his hand on his descendant’s shoulder.

“Come now, this is the adventure we had been waiting for.”

With the support of his ancestor, Valentin did move, stepping forward into the fog. The gray mist would quickly envelop the trio, ripping them away from Ysten.

“I hope to see you again,” muttered Abyssius, before turning away and walking deeper into the dead wood.

---

It was just as the other champions were emerging from Amaterasu’s portal that a fog appeared out of nowhere. From said fog emerged a man clad in purple armor, alongside a squawking raven.

“Can you see anything Sir Adolis?” asked Valentin, seemingly talking to no one.

But before he could answer, the fog abated, revealing them to be in some sort of facility, with many machines around that Valentin couldn’t identify. Perhaps the Constructs had visited this world as well, or more likely in his mind, Ysten was just primitive compared to other worlds.

Standing on the other side of the room was a group of various looking strangers. From what Abyssius had said, they too were champions to a god or goddess. Some of them were armed, with blades and staffs, but Valentin didn’t feel threatened.

“Well met, champions,” said Valentin loudly, “I am Valentin, champion of Lord Abyssius.”

“And I’m Sir Adolis!” announced the ghost knight.

Valentin turned to the apparition, “Remember, they can’t see or hear you.”

“Sorry,” said Adolis sheepishly, “I had forgotten after our long period of exile that others do not have the sight.

Valentin knew that it must look odd to the other champions that he was apparently talking to air, but a lifetime of speaking to spirits had made Valentin shrug off the awkwardness generated by it. Instead, Valentin approached the group.

“I am afraid my addition seems to be last minute,” said Valentin, “Perhaps one of you could inform me of what our goal in this world is to stop the corruption.”

“I would like to know that as well,” said Edgar, though it just sounded like a squawk to the others.

The raven then landed on Valentin’s shoulder while he awaited a response. In the meantime, Sir Adolis began examining the room, hoping to make sure that they weren’t in any danger.

@Kumbaris @Martian

Was it anxiety that gripped her heart as she stepped into the portal? The stakes were high, but the feeling in Illistrianna's chest felt somewhat lighter than she thought. It wasn't excitement for sure. Restlessness maybe? She couldn't say stepping out of her home world was in her list of things she'd look forward to, but the idea of exploring new curious worlds was something to appease these worries. The mission her Holy Mother gave was of utmost importance. She'll focus on her goals in order to step forward.

As the elven priestess emerged from the portal with her peers, she took some time to take in her surroundings and evaluate the world that was seemingly familiar to Mitsuko and her divine patron. It begged the question whether, somewhere out there in the vast cosmos, there would be a world where Elvira was different. From what she understood, this version of Earth was the result of a different outcome from a single war. What if there was a world where the elven kingdoms of Elvira lost the war against the goblinoids? Or what would Elvira be under the rule of the dragons if they took notice of the soul-bending magic they've been enslaved with?

Illistrianna pressed a hand on the concrete of the walls. It was unlike anything she ever saw before. Everything looked so elaborate, so sturdy, despite having been left abandoned for quite some time. The moon elf felt as if she was standing in some alien ruins.

Her head snapped to the newest arrival. A champion that had not been introduced in the previous meeting? At first she was concerned that they've already been discovered by evil Amaterasu's minions, but his words suggested otherwise. To Valentin, Illistrianna offered a courteous bow of her head as formal greeting. The priestess looked towards Valentin, examining his mannerisms. Talking to someone not visible to her, a familiar that sounded like it was joining in the conversation. A necromancer? Something she was quite used to see, very much so actually...

"Hail, comrade. We have been sent here to defeat this world's god ruler, Amaterasu, and her minions. We just arrived ourselves, and are preparing for the coming confrontation."

She looked around, seeing a few pieces of equipment laid about the facility. Pretty much anything felt foreign to her. She could recognize there was a sword amongst the magical equipment, but seeing she already had her own and felt like the blade would be more useful in the hands of an expert fighter, Illistrianna opted to grab the one thing she was familiar with. A bottle of elixir?

"Mitsuko, pray tell what is in the content of this flask?"

Shin kept a hand on his sword as they entered the portal, ready for any kind of violence that might ensue the moment they crossed worlds. However what appeared before them was just a metal and concrete-based facility, not that dissimilar to some of the buildings that existed on his own home planet, probably a place for armed combatants based on the layout that he could perceive. Maybe this was the place where they stored their armor and weapons during their time of peace, it certainly looked like it was based on the equipment he could see laying around.

“Or perhaps, you want to step out of that door and brace for the worst? I wouldn’t recommend it, my deity opened the portal right here for a good reason y’know.”

Hearing the Godslayer explanation of the purpose of the facility -What was a 'Militar'?- he was ready to start exploring to see what he could find as he was a little low on supplies, but before he could start rummaging around a new Champion joined their rooster.

“I am afraid my addition seems to be last minute,” said Valentin, “Perhaps one of you could inform me of what our goal in this world is to stop the corruption.”

He regarded the new arrival with calm, he was not expecting there to be any 'late arrivals' but Gods were fickle beings so he could see one withholding their Champion just to reveal them at the last minute, it was something he could see his own Lord doing. Looking closely and watching how they interacted with what appeared to be empty air he decided that either they were insane or a Necromancer, which was certainly a boon, Necromancers were something of a sacred profession back home, as they allowed for the fallen to keep fighting long after they had perished.

"Greetings Hallowed Necromancer, I hope to join in fruitful cooperation with you and your spirits."

Giving him a nod, he returned to inspect the equipment in the room, the first thing that grabbed his attention was the sword but he decided to forgo it as he already had one, next were the wands, staffs, and potions that seemed magical in nature but he also disregarded those, he was not a practicer of the arts having chosen a more martial inclined path. What did catch his interest were the other two devices, Guns he believed were the traduction from his base language, he had seen some like them back during some of the times of Conflict he participated in, not everyone in Carnagoria was fitted for physical conflict and there were a select few that didn't dabble or had no talent for the magical arts so in the image of their Lord they decided to overcome their weakness with a different path, crossbows, and guns were the result of that he believed.

Even so, he had never quite seen one like the big one, hefting it on his shoulder like he had seen those gun users do he was surprised at first by the weight but quickly corrected himself, looking around he did a double take as he spotted the 'ammunition', the projectiles had more in common with the hand explosives he was accustomed to and if the design of this gun was like those he had observed then this singular gun likely spewed a very bad time for whoever found themselves at the end of the barrel.

Nodding to himself he walked in the direction of the person who could help him understand how to use the strange device,

"Greetings Godslayer, I require advice on the functioning of this device please."

Cynthia looked around at the other champions as they completed their preparations. She was already prepared, having just left her own battlefield to join them on this quest. If she had any preparations left to make, Dominus would have never let her hear the end of it. She noted the lack of fear in the three delicate-looking ladies as they declared their readiness to Amaterasu. The way Dominus acted, Cynthia was dreading having to carry the other champions on her back, but given their confidence, it seemed that might not be the case after all. As she stepped through the portal, she smirked a bit. Shin'za and his lord had an infectious attitude. She was almost looking forward to this, now.

Dominus glanced at Amaterasu as she spoke, but didn't say anything. His world was close to one of the other three infected worlds, and the rest of the gods knew it. However, it had already been decided that this world was a higher priority, and there was no use reigniting the same argument again. So, he remained silent, looking at Amaterasu's device with his arms crossed. How long would it be until his world would reclaim such technological prowess? He looked forward to finding out. Now, he just hoped his world would get that chance.

---

As Cynthia exited the portal into the research facility, she involuntarily shivered. Images flashed through her mind; genetic memory of a place she'd never been to had been intentionally left buried deep in the DNA of her hybrid species. It reminded her that she existed because of the genetic experiments of her cold-blooded ancestors. Yes. You are a weapon. Stay sharp like one, she mentally chided herself, in a voice that sounded like Dominus, blended with her own. She let out a long exhale, turning up the heat of the magical gemstones in her jacket to provide just a bit more warmth as she composed herself.

She took in Mitsuko's advice, looking around at the weapons available. Some, she could tell, were heavily advanced firearms. In her world, the most advanced artillery she'd ever operated were a musket and cannon. It wasn't going to be easy to learn how to effectively use them in a short time span. Instead, her eyes settled on a curved, single-edged sword with magic runes she didn't recognize carved into it. As soon as she grabbed it, it vibrated slightly and crackled with red sparks, which caused the hair on the back of Cynthia's neck to stand on end. After some fiddling with her mana, she managed to get it to stop, only charging with energy in brief intervals as she tested the weight, swinging it around halfheartedly.

Suddenly, a vampire-looking creature appeared, introducing itself. Cynthia was not put at ease by this action, as vampires on her own homeworld were notoriously polite little mass murderers. She pointed her newly acquired blade—which she didn't know the name of—at him while the others welcomed him. She glanced at them with a look as though they were the crazy ones, but she eventually relented. He was quite outnumbered and would have to be a fool to attack them, and Mitsuko insisted this place was undetectable. "Well met," she said simply, in defeat. Quietly, she was frustrated that she was having to take everyone else's word on everything. She felt like a novice once again. Perhaps, that was Dominus's angle in sending her here. It seemed an optimistic assumption, though.

Finally, she turned her attention to Illistrianna, and the flasks she's found. Cynthia couldn't read the label, either. Nonetheless, she took one, opening it up and sniffing its contents. She only considered her next action for a second. "Quite potent," she remarked, before chugging the contents. Now, she was the one getting glances, as if she were the crazy one. Appropriately, she made a sound as if she were disgusted. "Like exthpired cough thyrup," she remarked, gagging slightly.

The Gyaru looked at both the potion and the rifle, deeply fascinated by both finds and all but gushing at how they looked. The potion, while she could not feel its inherent mana, is practically glowing for all intents and purposes, something that catches Mitsuko’s attention. Before she could explain what it is though, Cynthia opened the bottle and, much to the girl’s surprise, started drinking it. “Ah…” She said, looking at the Lizard woman drinking the elixir, Cynthia was about to drop the bottle when Mitsuko picked it up from her and read the label. “Hmmm… Ki-enhancing elixir, will increase Ki by tenfold, do not consume elixir more than 3 times a day. Side effects of excessive usage include skin irritation, coughing blood, elevated heart rate, and death. Well. I think that settles it then.”

She went and grabbed another elixir bottle and gave it to Illistriana once more. “Yeah, just be careful with this stuff, this thing enhances your Mana tenfold for a period of time, and… actually, I think I want to grab some myself. Sun spells are taxing, to say the least of it, and I probably need this more than most people.”

“Oh, and Ki means Mana in my language, just in case you’re curious.”

After procuring a healthy amount of elixirs (she grabbed 3), she then went to Shin’za and inspected the rifle he was holding. The girl noticed that there is a firing range when they were looking around for the exit, and motioned Shin’za to follow her. “Alright, so… if I get this, you put this magazine into this slot right here.” She said, slotting the magazine in. “And then you power it up with your own mana, like so.”

Mitsuko can feel the rifle sucking her own energy as she focused mana onto her hands that held the rifle, and the mechanisms of the rifle channeling her Mana into its inner workings. “Now, let’s see how this bad boy rips!”

Switching to semi-auto, the woman pulled the trigger and a unique sound came out of the rifle, she then switched to full auto, and the unique sound repeated in intensity, the woman then motioned Shin’za to look at the concrete wall at the end of the shooting range, and both individuals can see the bullets have pierced through the concrete and revealed the steel reinforcements inside it. “Let’s just say it will be very hard for me to create a spell powerful enough to pierce that much concrete in such a short amount of time. Also.” She handed Shin’za a couple more magazines. “Found these, use them wisely, you don’t wanna be wasting these things since I don’t think there are manufactories anymore in this world.”

She then handed the rifle to Shin’za and proceeded to address the group, the woman was sure everyone has gathered even more equipment now, and she was pretty sure Cynthia doesn’t need a guide to wield a Katana, right? Right!. “Alright! I think that’s everything we’ve gathered in this abandoned facility, now, do you wanna see what Tokyo looks like? Well, wait no further, for Here. We. Go!”

She pushed the doors and the gang was greeted with a ruined metropolis. The sky was grey, the buildings are all crumbling, and there was no sign of life anywhere in this dead city, Mitsuko’s anticipation turned to disappointment once she sees the ruined capital of her country. “Well, this is a ruined world, I just thought that the sky would look a little bit more… blue y’know? Well, whatever. We have a job to do, and I know the way to the Imperial Palace, so let’s go.”

She lead the group and walked through an abandoned rail line, the signs all leading to Tokyo Station. “In my world, this is the largest city in the world. Some… 37 million people lived here, you can get food from any culture of the world here, and these metal things you see we’re walking on? These are guidelines for things we call trains, iron-linked carriages that can carry hundreds of people throughout the city. Let’s just say that my first experience in Tokyo was very hectic, but Amaterasu lives here so I need to take the Shinkansen sometimes to-”

The woman motioned the group to stop. Grabbing her bag and unfurling her Khukri. “Everyone.” She whispered, “Ready your weapons. Shit!”

Mitsuko can see a lone figure standing a couple of feet from her, an imposing man wearing traditional samurai armour, horns, and everything. Everything was coloured black and Mitsuko can see him unfurling a Nodachi from his back. “I think that’s Hachiman.” She whispered to the group. “The god of warriors and of war, if he’s here… then.”

The man then charged the group, Mitsuko could see the enchantments he has made to both his armour and his sword, and barely dodged the cleave from his Nodachi, its impact leaving a slicing mark on the train tracks and beyond. “Fuck! Don’t get caught in his sword! If he cuts you it’s all over, that sword can slice through ANYTHING, I know those spells like the back of my mind, and, sunova-”

Hachiman then proceeded to swing his sword straight to Mitsuko’s torso, intending to slice the woman clean in two, and she channeled all her mana into a localized shield spell to protect the side that will be initially impacted, and it barely protected her. Only through a herculean effort on her side to keep feeding the shield mana can she keep herself from being sliced in two, but in her focus, she didn’t notice the feet that quickly approached her stomach and landed, the woman lost all air in her lungs for a moment and was flung from the railway tracks and onto the road below it. Mitsuko’s impact created a small crater on the road.

“Most impressive.” The samurai said. Jumping down to the road below the elevated railway. “Are you an apprentice of Amaterasu? That type of quick thinking and… generous use of Ki is always her signature fighting style. I will admit, I have never won a duel against her, but a champion that can only channel a 20th of her skill and power? Well, perhaps I can handle that.”

“Ugh. urk.” Mitsuko coughed a bit. “A little bit of help here? I… I don’t think I can defeat this guy alone.”

Illistrianna's eyes widened when the champion of Dominus recklessly drank a potion without being explained what it was doing first. That was quite... brash... to put it lightly. "Maybe it would be wiser to be careful with what you ingest. For all we know, this could have been poison, acid or an exploding mixture." Of course, it wouldn't be hard to heal whatever ailment Cynthia could have suffered if those potions were harmful, but she preferred to be safe. She can't put back pieces of a person scattered across the room after all...

Speaking of mixtures, the elven priestess gracefully bowed her head in thanks to Mitsuko for her explanation and for handing her the flask. She probably didn't have any use of it herself, considering her magic was born of faith in her deity rather than the concept of mana. Perhaps this could help prevent exhaustion if she ever tried to fuel her blessings with her own life force? She'll still hold onto the leftover flasks, in case the others needed it for later. Maybe she could even bring one to Annastaria for studies when all of this will be over.

Pocketing the potions carefully into her satchel, Lunara's champion followed Mitsuko and the others outside. She was astonished by the sight that greeted them as they left the facility. If it wasn't for the sensation of doom and desolation that surrounded them, she'd probably be thrilled to discover this new world. Towers unlike she has ever seen, houses packed so tightly and yet so high, such narrow streets. It suddenly made a lot of sense that over dozens of millions of people lived in the area. And yet, the number was just so staggering, just how big was an earth city? And what to think of self-propelled carriages that could carry hundreds of people around in an instant?

The priestess' thoughts were cut short as Mitsuko warned them of the impending danger. Yes... of course, she didn't have time to marvel at what this world could have been, they were out there to fight gods. She unsheathed her long sword and readied her staff. She could only watch as their godslaying guide recklessly engaged into a fight head-on all by herself against this god of war. That sure seemed foreboding, encountering a manifestation of battle straight off the first battle. But this only made Illistrianna all the more determined to give her all into this fight. She began chanting in her native language.

"Blessed Mother, grant us your strength to vanquish this foe. For we are the blade of light that will cut the roots of darkness. Grant us your impervious will, for we are the shield that which the darkness will crash upon relentlessly but to no avail. Grant me the power to see that our families, friends and allies see the light of yet another day."

Silver light began to shine around the moon elf as she chanted, culminating into a bright flash. White petals flew around the area, seemingly carried by the guiding winds of Lunara's faith. For those touched by the petals, they would find themselves invigorated with physical strength, agility and reflexes that surpassed their usual limits. A thin layer of silver sheen would also form just around their skin, as Illistrianna provided everyone with an faint shield that, while not powerful enough to protect from being cleaved in half, would diminish the impact of blows and prevent mundane attacks from being effective.

Showcasing legendary elven agility enhanced by the blessings of her goddess, Illistrianna leapt in the air and landed softly next to Mitsuko. She rose her staff towards the god of war, providing a barrier enhanced by the innate protective powers of Sanctuary to separate him from the two ladies. Meanwhile, she placed a gentle hand radiating with soothing lunar energy on Amaterasu's disciple. A feeling of well-being would wash over Mitsuko as whatever injury and/or pain she suffered from the samurai's blow would vanish.

"Please be careful, Mitsuko. We have your back. You don't have to fight on your own." the elven champion spoke calmly, focused on the samurai in front of them.

----------------------------------------------------------

The silent moon pulsed lightly in agreement to Amaterasu's suggestion. If they were to successfully save the cosmos, it was wise to forge bonds with the other present gods. While cooperation was to be put forth, now that the multiverse was unveiled to all, it would be wise to form alliances to dissuade future invasions from other worlds.

Lunara's moon shone brightly for a second before transforming into the warrior goddess in all of her glory. She planted her shining glaive of silver into the ground below and leaned against it. Despite the weight of her armor and herself, the weapon seemed to hold her firmly, like a tree that had taken root into the earth.

"Very well, Amaterasu." Lunara waved at the cosmos surrounding them, bringing into view an image of a planet flanked by a moon and a sun of equal size. "Tamare, my world. Our creator, Empyrean, gave light to the world by breathing life into a sun and a moon, my brother and I." Images of Tamare flickered around the planet, showcasing a very typical world of fantasy, by Earth's standards, populated of all manners of races and monsters alike. "By your world's standard, I would qualify mine as still in the medieval ages. Gods are a very essential part of everyone's daily life and magic is quite abundant. While not technologically advanced, it is only a matter of time before Tamareans reach a breakthrough, to bridge technology and magic together. I believe, in a few centuries, Magitech will become the pivotal force of the world. Whether Magitech will be used for the benefit of the people or to wage war, only time will tell."

The imagery of the planet zoomed into a lonely continent, seemingly cast away from the rest of the world, surrounded by miles of ocean and encased by mountains. "My brother and I created Elvira, separate from the rest of the world. For you see, every deity has a relic that anchors their will to the world. Destroy that relic, you remove the essence of this deity from the world, and lose everything they represent. The relics of Sun and Moon are guarded by our children on this island. The Daughters of the Moon have the solemn duty of protecting Elvira from outside forces. The Sons of the Sun are sworn to provide for the elven race. Both of our people work in harmony to preserve Tamare's light. And we-"

Lunara brought an abrupt ending to her world's exposition, closing her eyes of silver momentarily, as if listening to a distant voice.

_{"Blessed Mother, grant us your strength to vanquish this foe. For we are the blade of light that will cut the roots of darkness. Grant us your impervious will, for we are the shield that which the darkness will crash upon relentlessly but to no avail. Grant me the power to see that our families, friends and allies see the light of yet another day."}

The moon goddess opened her eyes, conjuring a lotus of pure silver into one of her hands. She brought the flower next to her face, and then she blew softly into it. The petals scattered into the cosmos, fading from existence soon enough. "The battle for the worlds have begun. I pray for your success, daughter."

Cynthia shrugged off the horrible taste. "I know the thmell of medicine—and I am confident in my poisson ressithtance," she offered, in an attempt to explain herself. Reptilians were hardy creatures, and she was sure that she could probably drink more of that elixir than a human, though she decided not to push her luck. Instead, she pocketed the other two, and watched Mitsuko give Shin'Za a demonstration of his new weapon—and though Cynthia remained calm on the outside, on the inside she was cursing herself for not spending more time training in firearms. Muskets, she had rightfully deemed useless, but this... Was that—jealousy, she was feeling? "A fine weapon," she remarked with a fanged grin, admiring it with proverbially green eyes.

---

_{Hello? Is someone there?}

Just as Mitsuko was leading the champions to the exit, a small, feminine voice called out—not audibly, but spiritually, and only in the faintest of whispers did it come, as if from another place and time in the multiverse that was far, far away from the ruined world of the corrupted Amaterasu. Though it came only faintly, and ghostlike, it was also distinct. It was not a noise. It was not a mistake. Someone had called out to both Sybil and Valentin, as if they'd sensed that someone had entered their range of communication—but not who or why, perhaps.

_{It's so dark. It's so cold. It hurts... Please, anyone...}

The voice took on a gentle kind of desperation, as if it knew that those it contacted would leave if it did not persist. It almost seemed to come from a direction, now, too: a small iron door that had been overlooked. Inside an indent in the door was a heavy handle bound with caution tape. It was the kind of door that was designed to seal something inside, such that neither person, liquid, nor even air could escape—but it had been left ajar. The room it led to had been trashed, as if the last person to enter it had been looking for something. In it, illegible, water-damaged, and blood-stained documents littered the floor, along with broken glass. The room had a pungent smell, of dead flesh that had long since finished decaying, and been mostly scavenged by animals.

There was also something else, in the corner of the room. An octahedron-shaped crystal laid abandoned amidst a nest of more papers, so fragile that they would crumble to dust if one were to attempt to lift them up off the ground. It was an uncanny black color that would be quite difficult to describe to one who hadn't seen it. It felt as if the object didn't belong in a 3D space. Its edges bordered on the imperceptible—whenever the one beholding it stood still, it looked like a flat silhouette. Only in motion did it seem to take on a shape, and only just. That was, until someone approached it. Then, tiny green lights would flock to its surface, sparkling against its dark edges like TV static—or for the less technologically inclined, like a reflection of the stars in the ocean at night, the blackest of black water.

The voice did not speak again. The crystal, however, did give off the distinct impression that someone was watching from inside of it—frozen still with fright, holding their breath in trepidation, as if suddenly reconsidering their choice to call out to someone—blinded eyes darting here and there as if hoping yet dreading to see who or what was approaching, but to no avail against the inky blackness all around them. They were cold, shivering, and alone, yet now found themselves torn between the fear of death, and the hope of release.

---

Outside, Cynthia looked around at the ruined buildings. The architecture was recognizable as human in design, but was still somewhat alien to her. What strange trees, she thought, glancing at the decrepit power lines. It brought to mind images of a swamp, for some reason, which made her grateful for the somewhat moderate climate, though the taste of the ocean on the air was a peculiar sensation. When Mitsuko mentioned trains, Cynthia visibly perked up a little, as if Mitsuko had said her name. Trains! Finally, a concept Cynthia was familiar with. These tracks, however, were strange to her still. They were carved into the street, rather than built onto the earth like the ruined railway of her own planet that now only provided some sparse landmarks in the desert to guide weary travelers.

She wasn't given any time for idle conversation, however. Just then, the being Mitsuko called Hachiman appeared to give them a warm welcome. She introduced him as a god of warriors and of war, but Cynthia scoffed. What kind of god hid their face from their opponent? For a warrior to hide one's face from another's was to show deference. Submission. Cynthia Schovajsa showed her face. Those beneath the War Queen covered their faces with veils when addressing her—and when fighting alongside her, with metal masks like this one. However, she would take Mitsuko's warning about his sword's enchantment very seriously. A coward with a weapon that strong was still very dangerous.

She leapt out of the way of the initial strike, which seemed to be aimed at no one in particular. When he turned to target Mitsuko, Cynthia was alarmed at first, preparing to strike Hachiman from behind to help her—but she seemed to be handling it, so she instead took the opportunity to cast some kind of buff on herself, which bathed her in dancing red lights. She felt the increase of her physical strength ten fold, as the elixir had promised, and grinned. She grinned even wilder still as the moon elf's spell—which put her own spell to shame with the variety of its effects—fell upon her as well. She chased Hachiman down as he taunted Mitsuko, her katana surging with red lightning. As she came upon the place where Hachiman had leaped from, she stomped on the metal rail, causing a section of the road around it to crumble and fall. She then jumped down herself, occupying the space between Hachiman and Mitsuko.

"I am the War Queen. I have come to claim your life," she greeted, pointing her sword at the heap of rubble.

---

@Kumbaris @The Muse @Martian

Sybil carefully eyed each of the items that were laid out before her, feeling rather overwhelmed with the choices she had. 'What was Cetia thinking...' She wondered, dragging her finger over a staff made out of some kind of foreign material. Many of the weapons she had never seen before or even heard of. Not only that, but she knew she would be practically useless wielding any of them. They would be better fitted to other members of their party. Instead, she gravitated to the elixirs, listening as Mitsuko explained what some of them were. Picking up the mana increasing elixir, Sybil tossed it into her satchel and hoped that her spells would need less prep time if she took the elixir. Unlike Cynthia, Sybil chose to wait to consume the liquid. She had no idea how long the effects would last, or if they would work at all, but she planned to save it for the "right" moment.

As another creature emerged from a fog filled portal, Sybil tensed and reached for the dagger strapped to her thigh. She paused as the man who stepped out of the portal introduced himself, slowly moving her hand away from her only sharp weapon. 'Just a late comer...' She thought, relaxing her body. "Welcome." She said softly, observing an aura of some sort hovering beside the man. Sybil had plenty of experiences with lingering ghosts and energies in her line of work, and so she had expected that the man had a tagalong loved one that only she was privy to seeing. However, the man began to speak to the aura. Clearly, he could see something else there that she was unable to with her own eyes besides the aura. She raised a brow, curious of who or what he was speaking to.

Deciding that she was satisfied with her elixir choice, Sybil began to follow the group out of the facility. Just as she was about to exit a chill ran up her spine and a soft voice called out like a whisper right in her ear. She paused, a hand on the door, and looked around at the rest of the group to see if they had heard the same voice that she did. Alas, it appeared that she was the only one. Similar to being able to see ghost-like entities, Sybil was use to other worldly beings reaching her plane of consciousness. Deciding she could not leave without checking it out, Sybil turned back into the facility and followed a thread of energy which led her to an iron door. Her heart pounded as she pushed the door open, her eyes quickly scanning the disheveled room. At first the room had been too dark to see much of anything, but soon green sparkling lights began to buzz and light up the room. Sybil approached slowly, unsure if she was walking into some sort of trap, but unable to fight the compelling feeling that she had to find what was calling after her. Picking up the object, Sybil moved it around in her hands and examined the captivating color. It reminded her of the fireflies of her home world. "You're coming with me." She whispered to the crystal, tucking it away inside her satchel. Sybil had no idea what this object was, but it felt important.

Quickly, Sybil left the facility to catch up with the rest of the group. She gasped, exiting just in time to see Mitsuko being slammed into the ground by some kind of creature with horns. There was no time to marvel at the uniqueness of this city, unfortunately. Feeling almost frozen in shock, Sybil watched as both Illistrianna and Cynthia jumped into action. Thank Cetia for them.

With shaking hands, Sybil removed the dagger from the inside of her thigh. It likely wouldn't do anything against this foe, but it wasn't actually intended for combat. With a rapid movement, Sybil sliced the dagger across the palm of her left hand and squeezed her hand into a fist. Blood gradually began to maneuver its way through her fingers and drip from the bottom of her fist. Dropping to the ground, Sybil began to write various symbols into the ground with her blood in the form of a circle, whispering an enchantment to herself. Suddenly, Sybil's eyes snapped forward and focused on Hachiman. "Blood of the heart, tear their secrets a part." Sybil finished her spell, her mismatched eyes looking almost as devoid of emotion as her Goddess Cetia's had looked.

The blood that dripped from her hand suddenly took on a dark crimson glow and began to flow upwards from the ground, defying gravity. With a burst, the red liquid shot towards Hachiman and splattered across the armor in a deliberate pattern. On the creatures armor, the blood focused on each joint where each piece was linked to the other - revealing weak points. "Aim for the joints!" Sybil yelled out to the other warriors, pointing to where her crimson glowing blood magic spread across Hachiman's armor.

---

To say Mitsuko underestimated Hachiman is definitely inaccurate. Mitsuko ABSOLUTELY didn't think Hachiman would start off the battle swinging that huge Nodachi and started gunning for her, intending to slice her in half. The Hachiman she knew was someone much more... calculating, deliberate, Mitsuko would feel that she had the upper hand for a moment, and on the next one her throat would be on the edge of his Katana, or Yari, or Naginata, or Rifle. So she thought that there would be a mind-game aspect to him when they started fighting, but nope. This is someone with a clear intent to kill from the get-go, and that brings its own set of dangers.

Mitsuko could not afford to play around, and so once Illistriana was done healing her, she knew the next steps to her plan. The woman put two fingers on the wide side of her Kukri, and ran across the knife to its tip, finger sliding the Kukri's broadside, and transforming it into a blade of fire and heat. The two women could feel the heat radiating from the now-enchanted knife Mitsuko is handling. "Illistriana." The woman looked at the Moon Elf. "Lower the barrier. I think I know what we're dealing with now." This Hachiman is a monster, and Mitsuko intends to use every trick Amaterasu has taught her to win this fight, and she knows that the first step would be finding out his weak points and striking that weak point relentlessly.

---

On the other side. The war god could only glance at the Lizard Woman holding a Katana against him, the deity could only laugh as he looked at the lightning sparking off of the Japanese sword. "Most amusing." He commented. "I didn't know you'd found the Katana of Project-Ko. I think Bishamonten was the one heading that project before everything fell apart. Well, no matter."

Cynthia could only barely block as the war god seemingly moved like lightning, aiming to strike through Cynthia's neck. "Such fast reactions! Good! I would hate it if you're as pathetic as the many women I've fought against."

The two would then do battle as both the Lizard woman and War god traded blows with each other, some blows hitting the armor and some blows missing entirely. While he himself couldn't read what was in Cynthia's mind, he is surely impressed by her technique and her ferocity. Seeing someone fought with such vigour against him is a sight he has rarely seen since they have begun serving the being from beyond the void. And he wants to savour this battle for as long as possible. He knows that they are weak, these are mortals, champions, scum! No less pathetic than the Chinese and Koreans his great people have trampled upon during their conquests all those many moons ago.

And then the war deity was splashed by blood from a certain conjurer, quite surprised by the 'attack'. He then realized that the blood was glowing, and when he looked specifically at where it was glowing, his face turned sour. How DARE she turn his happy hour into something to be taken seriously?!? "Bitch!" He yelled at Sybil, throwing off Cynthia for a while, and gunned for the priestess of Cetia. Only to be promptly blocked by Mitsuko as the woman held one of his hand and, using her blade, plunged it into his arm.

It didn't work, but Hachiman had to think fast in order to prevent his right arm from being disabled, summoning a lot of mana and creating a localized shield spell that barely blocked the heated Kukri from plunging into his arm. The gyaru then quickly disengaged, her heated Kukri still active. "Cynthia." She summoned her. "I think we have to tackle this warrior together, we know his weaknesses so he will be fighting much more fiercely than before. How about you do the distraction and I do the damage? That way, we'll whittle him down bit by bit."

@Kumbaris
The samurai, in all of his arrogance and out of the fog of war, would not notice only upon impact, the sudden slug of hot lead that hit him in the back of the head. The war god would be left dazed and confused, only able to turn his head to the direction of the impact to notice a figure standing before a brilliantly lit portal. The tall female figure was obscured partially by the luminous apparition, the woman stood tall, her ears distinctively pointed and her skin a dark, rich black, paired with white hair, seeming to shimmer in the light. Her cloak swayed gently as she twisted the barrel of her gun open, ejecting smoking casings that left a small clang as they hit the ground. In an instant, she leaped into the air, seeming to disappear as the portal behind her faded into thin air.

The samurai glanced upward, looking for his quarry, only to be met with a hard foot to the face as the woman descended upon him. The woman locked eyes with Mitsuko, time seemingly stopping as their gazes met. She then leaped back to her feet as the samurai layed upon the ground stunned and dazed as she reached under her cloak and retrieved a sword from under her cloak, swinging it down harshly as their blades met in a flash of sparks, and electricity discharged from the blade.

The woman pulled her sword back, giving time for the samurai to get back onto his feet.



The newcomer quickly shifted into her stance, advancing upon the samurai quickly, their blades clashing against each other as they exchanged blows. Tsi pushed hard against the samurai, knocking him back as she kicked him out from under his feet, knocking him back onto the ground as she swung once more, the samurai turning to avoid the attack as he returned a kick of his own, knocking the elf back as she once more returned to her stance. Tsi muttered something under her breath as she returned to her stance, eying her opponent carefully as she stepped forward, blades once again meeting in a flash. The samurai, however, noticed a weakness in her stance. Pushing forward, he struck back, putting pressure onto the elf, forcing her down onto her knee, violent blow after blow as Tsi blocked with her sword. The elf's gaze once again met that of the girl before her, as if asking for aid as she kept the advancing enemy at bay.

Upon arriving in the corrupted universe, Evolution Zero had little interest in the array of weapons and other implements scattered about. While they could wield any weapon with flawless precision and unnatural strength, alien, metal implements such as these were not their forte. The potion, however, was curious, and Zero snagged a sample of it, stashing the bottle within their plastic biomass.

Zero marveled at the ruined world outside. It was strange, to be in any world, and this out of all of them. Zero's lungs picked up radioactive and carcinogenic particulates, and filtered them out, adapting against the atmospheric pollutants. However, as soon as their foe appeared, Zero's reflexes set off into overdrive. They assumed a chameleon-like dermis, blending in with the dingy, wrecked world around them. Zero then developed additional eyes and other sensory organs, not only to track Hachiman, but to measure the abilities of their comrades.

Only when a weakness had been revealed did Zero take their chance to strike. They dropped their camouflage, and their mass swelled unnaturally as they took on a new, more combat-ready skin. The chimeric form their rippling, metallic flesh eventually settled into was a huge, silver serpent the size of a double-bus. They had an eyeless, tapered, alien head which split into a mouth that opened like a flower of many muscular jaws lined with venom-tipped fangs. With speed like a train leaving station they surged toward Hachiman, roaring with the hunger of a billion worlds stripped to the bone.

---

Mitsuko was busy plotting with Cynthia when Hachiman was suddenly hit by a shot from a mysterious figure, the figure then disrobed and started kicking Hachiman in the face, the woman could only look in awe as the now uncloaked elf started fighting the deity face to face, her blade clashing with his blade in a seeming dance that mesmerized the entire crowd. It was only when this mysterious elf started getting overwhelmed by the war deity that Mitsuko intervened. The woman proceeded to help the elf by striking into the Samurai’s left arm, this time landing perfectly, and nearly chopping off the war deity’s left arm in the process.

Hachiman then proceeded to disengage, a healing spell was immediately applied to his arm as he started assessing the situation. It was at that point that he saw the giant worm approaching him, and using his large sword. The man prepared his stance and sliced the worm clean in two. Making equal parts of the warm fall apart from each other.

He would’ve rested if it weren’t for the worm then mutating into two worms that started gunning for him once more. And at this point, he had enough, he has only been fighting with a fraction of his full power ever since this moment, now? He has no incentive to hold back.

A blast of pure mana erupted in the battlefield, blasting the two worms into the building, confusing them for a moment, and forcing Mitsuko and the others to cover their face at the debris blown off from such energy being released, out then comes Hachiman. His black armour changed colours to gold, and his mask no more. The man is staring at the group fighting them, and he could only flick his finger towards him, goading the others to try and attack him now that he’s unleashed his full power.

“I have underestimated all of you, and that was a mistake of mine.” He said. “Congratulations, I have never been forced to rely on my full power for a long time. No come at me!!”

Shin waited for an opening, were he alone he would have already extended his ribbons and gotten into melee but with so many allies around setting explosions seemed like a bad idea. That didn't mean that he couldn't help in other ways. As quickly as he could he prepared his new weapon -He was thinking about naming it Farah- and took aim towards the god but held his shot, he had never practiced with this weapon and the War Queen was locked in melee against the War God, to shoot now would risk hitting her too and a distraction would prove fatal.

As he awaited the opportune moment he watched as another new arrival appeared and Evolution Zero revealed themselves before the War God decided to take matters seriously and utilize all their power. For a moment he felt indignant, who would approach a fight without giving it their all? to do so was nothing more than disrespectful to the other participants, and worse even, for a God of War to show that he wasn't willing to commit right from the get-go was a fault to his own domain in his eyes.

Taking a breath he relaxed, knowing through some of his Lord's tales and his own experiences that all Gods tended to be different, that not all of them shared the same 'seriousness' for their portfolio that his Lord did.

But even as he contemplated he waited, he knew he didn't have the best melee firepower without his ribbons and there were already three other close-range combatants distracting the enemy with weapons that could actually hurt him, so he took a decision, silently he relocated to a higher visage point and waited, a single moment, that is all it would take to create a fatal opening for the others to exploit.

All he would have to do was wait.

Truly, his Lord was not joking when he said this would be his most difficult test.

@Teyao @Kumbaris @Dead Cruiser @Mendicant Bias @The Muse @Emeth @Vox Angelis

Valentin had only wait a few seconds before his question was answered. A beautiful woman with pointed ears explained that the mission was to defeat the god ruler of this world. So Valentin figured that he was correct in thinking that this was a suicide mission. The only god Valentin had actually met was Abyssius, a being of seemingly unlimited power. He could not fathom how this group of mortals could even dare face a god, even with their various champion’s blessings.

“Perhaps we should stock up on supplies,” stated Sir Adolis as he floated around the room.

Valentin turned to face his ancestor, essentially ignoring the greetings of the other champions. He saw that the spirit was correct in there being supplies in the room. Wherever they had come to in this world seemed to be a supply room, with several boxes strewn about, an unknown alphabet adorning them.

Just as Valentin was about to open a box, he heard another champion call him a necromancer and mention his spirits. Valentin paused to wonder if it was that obvious that he communed with spirits, though it was the description of him as a necromancer that got under his skin. Back on Ysten, necromancers were considered the worst of all the mages, having raised the zombie horde that ravaged the land.

“I’m not a necromancer,” Valentin stated, “I simply have the sight. There is a difference.”

Valentin didn’t wait for a reply, instead going back to the box in front of him. He was surprised to find it full of weapons, specifically firearms. Prior to right now Valentin had never held one, as only the Constructs had wielded them back on Ysten. Valentin briefly thought of taking one with him, but then he remembered the stories of how dangerous they could be to the untrained.

Placing the firearm back, Valentin saw the woman warrior down the elixir, an incredibly foolish thing to do unless she could actually read the language used in this world. Another woman champion explained that it was a potion that increased Ki, which apparently meant mana, in the drinker. Unfortunately that was of no use to Valentin as his abilities were not directly tied to mana.

“What about this stuff?” squawked Edgar.

Valentin walked over to his familiar in the corner of the room, who was perched on a dusty shelf. Below the Raven was a case filled with herbs and tinctures. Valentin was surprised to see some plants he knew, apparently growing on both Ysten and this world. The Dhampir began to pocket the more useful plants and brews. There was even a bottle filled with liquid that Valentin knew would explode when thrown.

As Valentin rose and walked back over to the other champions, it seemed that everyone else had gathered what they wanted. The champion who could read this world’s language then threw open the doors of the building, revealing a destroyed city nestled under a thick blanket of gray sky.

However, before Valentin could step outside, he heard the whisperings of some being. For a second he believed it to be a spirit, yet Valentin saw none around him. The Dhampir began to walking toward where he thought where the voice had come from, only to find the lady with two different eye colors exiting a side room, some small item in her hand. As he could no longer hear the voice, Valentin turned around and rejoined the other champions.

As they walked through the streets of the decaying city, the girl who seemed to be the lead champion explained that her world’s version of this city held 37 million people, a number Valentin couldn’t wrap his head around. On Ysten the biggest cities were the moving ones, which held about 2 million at most, and there was less than a dozen of those cities. Again Valentin wondered if his world was just that primitive.

“Do you sense it?” whispered Adolis into his descendant’s ear, “Death is everywhere, and yet no spirits.”

Valentin had noticed it, but was keeping his mouth shut. Some kind of mass death had occurred in this city, leaving a spiritual wound on it. And yet there were no spirits about, almost as if they were avoiding this area.

“I did see that. Perhaps it has to do with the corruption Abyssius mentioned,” replied Valentin.

The two Deng men’s conversation was cut short when the lead champion ordered everyone to draw their weapons. Valentin complied, pulling out his rapier as Sir Adolis readied himself. Sure enough, in front of them was a man in ornate armor with a massive sword in his hand. Apparently he was Hachiman, a war god.

“It just had to be a god, didn’t it,” muttered Valentin.

Before he could say another word, Hachiman engaged the lead champion, who stated that his sword could cut through anything. After a few exchanging of strikes, the champion requested help. A champion calling herself the war queen obliged, jumping into the battle.

“Maybe a little help Sir Adolis?” said Valentin.

The ghost nodded before combining with the Dhampir, there two beings becoming one. Suddenly Valentin’s grip on the rapier became stronger as it began to feel like an extension of his body. Now Sir Adolis spoke within Valentin’s mind.

“I suggest we offer support. I don’t think we’re exactly right for the front line in this battle,” the voice of Adolis boomed in Valentin’s head.

As they combined, the different eyed woman did some sort of blood spell, revealing the weak points on Hachiman. With a huff, Valentin charged with his rapier alongside the ever shifting champion. The two champions seemed to have picked out two different highlighted spots, as they dashed at the war god.

“May your blade strike true!” shouted Edgar as he encircled the battle from above.

Valentin prayed that would happen as he thrust his rapier at the weak point in the god’s armor. Thankfully it seemed that he was focused on the more powerful champions, though Valentin was prepared to jump away if Hachiman brought his blade anywhere near him.

_{"Ah! W-Wait!"} the little voice protested, panicking.

However, her objections were cut off. Sybil stuffed her in the bag.

---

Cynthia grinned, baring her fangs as she fought with Hachiman. He seemed to be underestimating her on account of her womanhood, which was typical of humans. Little did he know that the women of her race were the warriors. Focused as she was on Hachiman, she wouldn't notice Sybil bravely entering into the battle, at first. However, she would vaguely understand the nature of her attack once she heard Sybil shout out to aim for the limbs. Blood magic? she speculated. No matter, she knew a weak point when she saw one. She used her magic to eat away at the earth beneath Hachiman's feet to create an opening, but suddenly, he kicked her away, breaking a rib.

Now, he was engaged with Mitsuko. Cynthia took the opportunity to bite her forearm, giving herself a dose of her own painkillers. It would act fast. She cocked her head to indicate to Mitsuko that she was listening. She wanted her to be the distraction? However, the plan changed quick as the elven newcomer made her appearance. "We've found our dithraction," she remarked casually. As Mitsuko made to rescue the newcomer, Cynthia took up a position to box Hachiman in as Zero made his approach. Her eyes widened as he cleaved Zero in half like it was nothing—first in shock, thinking he was surely dead, but then with some kind of sick amusement as she realized just how powerful some of her allies were. Seeing Hachiman cast a healing spell on himself placed her back on guard, though.

She'd take the chance to cast another spell on herself. This one would contain the effects of the moon elf's buff as well as her own and any others that might be cast on her. With this, they would last much longer, and be resistant to any attempts to dispel them. Cynthia needed those heightened reflexes to stand a chance against a god who was now showing his full power. "To sshow your fathe to a Schovajsa ith to ithue a challenge... or to beg for death," she warned. Cynthia placed a hand on the hilt of Ninkigal. It seemed as if she was going to dual wield her swords as she charged at Hachiman—but instead, pillars of earth shot up out of the ground at odd angles, aiming to box him in or trip him up. Once within melee range, she'd use the katana with both hands. Otherwise, she wouldn't match his power.

---

Hachiman did not expect both Valentin and Cynthia to strike at him almost at the same time, the Dhampir was about to strike true to Hachiman when at the last moment, he parried the strike and launched a counterattack, using his Nodachi’s weight against Valentin, it was only through Cynthia’s spike attacks that Hachiman recognized the danger he was in, and quickly disengaged and pulled back.

He also managed to block the attack from the electric Katana too, making sure Cynthia’s strike landed squarely at his chest, at his well-armored, well-enchanted chest plate. The strike bounced and Hachiman managed to retreat, feeling a little bit buzzed from the electric spells imbued in the sword, but not looking worse for wear. it was only then, when he felt safest, that Mitsuko started playing her card. The war deity was barely recovering when a giant explosion from the ground erupted and engulfed the deity in a searing combination of pressure and heat, Mitsuko had been preparing a spell as Hachiman was fighting both Cynthia and Valentin, quickly casting the spell into the ground where Hachiman landed, and barely activating it on time before he could recognize the threat.

It was a risky play, but it seemed to pay off, as Hachiman seemed much worse for wear after the massive explosion cleared. The woman was about to nod off to Shinza to finish him off before she felt a sudden pain in her abdomen. She looked below and it seems that a sword has penetrated her left abdomen, the woman turned her head and saw Hachiman on the back of her. The man twisted his sword and the only thing Mitsuko could do is scream in pain, before Hachiman then pulled off his sword, the first thing she saw was the war god’s illusion spell wearing off.

“Fuck…” She said, dropping down to her knees as the man then clapped his hands at her. “I have to commend your skills champion of Amaterasu, you are calculating, smart, and a bit cunning, but I have seen this trick a million times, knock your enemy off balance and then cast something that will blast him off. Would’ve worked on me if I haven’t experienced it a million times before.”

Hachiman then raised his sword to the air, fully intending on cutting Mitsuko’s head off. “But now you must die, have a good trip to the afterlife woman. For I-”

And then Hachiman couldn’t move, glowing chains sprung out of the ground and forced the war god to be stuck in the same position.

“Ngh. Shin’za… Fire the shot!” She urged him. “And Cynthia, slice his head off!! Hurry before I run out of mana!!!”

The spell she’s casting is the most powerful binding spell Amaterasu has taught her, technically unbreakable as long as the user keeps pouring mana into it. This spell is a culmination of years of magical research and trial and error by the gods and the many mages in the OMR, in the event that they have to deal with a rogue deity. Mitsuko could only hope that the chains could hold him long enough for Cynthia and Shin’za to kill him off.