The moment the dark matter ray pierced Brynhild, Ixion was terrified for the first time in his existence.
"This is bad!"
Various alarms with red lights turned on.
Brynhild was falling while numerous explosions and flames consumed it from inside.
"There's no way to stabilize the aircraft! The defense system was destroyed! The objects inside along with the stored information will be lost forever!"
Brynhild crashed into the ocean.
"There's no choice! I must send my information to a nearby drone and thus esca-!"
Ixion couldn't finish speaking because a sequence of explosions headed straight to the monitor where he was.
A great flame enveloped him, and a huge explosion was heard.
◇◇◇
"Ixiooooon!"
Rudel screamed after seeing his aircraft destroyed, calling out for his servant like crazy.
There was no response, but there was the shadow of Diabolos heading towards him. He gave him a great kick and Battler sank into the sea.
In that cold, lifeless place. Rudel watched his aircraft sinking and exploding.
◇◇◇
"This can't be!? Onii-chan's ship was shot down!"
It was Erselica who screamed after seeing something unimaginable. Bell, who was next to her, told her to be quiet since everyone heard that last part.
The three main characters watched in horror and fear at what happened.
In contrast, the girls shed tears.
Alisa and Airi watched until the end with their eyes open, as Brynhild, the ship where they spent happy and sad moments, sank into the desolate sea.
Airi clung to Alisa, and she hugged her tightly in return.
"It's okay... as long as Rudel and Ixion are safe... we can have more wonderful moments."
Tears streamed from them until...
"Uwahh, here it comes!"
Erselica screamed because of what was quickly approaching them.
The girls lifted their heads and saw Diabolos coming towards them.
Immediately, they ran backwards, Erselica and Bell following.
The robots took out flamethrowers and submachine guns ready to fight. The three useless ones also got into position; Chlust on the right, Frey on the left, and Liam in the rear to protect them.
In a brief span of seconds, Diabolos crashed onto the aircraft.
He was larger than their mobile knights, but a bit shorter than Battler.
Slowly and unhurriedly, he walked towards a certain direction.
The robots and drones fired bullets and flames, but Diabolos walked as if nothing were touching him.
Chlust approached with the spear he always carried to the academy.
That's when the tail of the strange creature moved and destroyed it, hitting Chlust in the process.
It left him unconscious as he didn't move at all.
Frey shot from his position. The same thing happened, his rifle was destroyed and he was smashed against the floor.
The robots kept spending ammunition and flammable liquid on the creature; it didn't even touch them.
"You shall not pass!"
Liam shouted, drawing a sword. That's when Diabolos stopped, his mouth moving as if chewing something.
From his body, many mouths opened and all spat a black liquid that destroyed all the robots and drones attacking him.
He did this to show Liam fear.
The protagonist, the one who should defeat this creature to finish the game, was ready to fight.
Diabolos walked to his side and smashed Liam into the command cabin.
He embedded him there. The creature opened a hole it made in the chest of his armed unit; besides light, a black metallic hand entered.
Then, red eyes looked at him, accompanied by a voice.
"You're supposed to be the one who defeats me? ...pathetic and miserable cowardly boy."
Liam didn't move due to fear. Diabolos continued on his way.
"Stay away!"
Bell shouted while the remaining robots shot at the creature. He used his tail and destroyed them, hitting Erselica and Bell in the process.
Now only they remained.
Alisa and Airi trembled as that creature approached.
There was a robot near them. Alisa stepped forward to protect her friend while preparing a fireball.
"The Bismarck's no longer interest me. Get lost!"
With those words, his tail moved to hit Alisa.
The robot beside her acted as a shield, but she was still hit.
A robot still standing used its body as a cushion so she wouldn't get hurt.
"Ahhh!"
Alisa screamed along with spitting out a bit of saliva.
She fell to the floor and seemed to lose consciousness.
"Alisa! Are you okay?"
Airi screamed upon seeing her friend lying on the floor.
"...You."
A shadowy and eerie voice called Airi. She turned her eyes towards that creature and their gazes met.
He walked towards her while saying strange things.
"That boy is useless despite being the protagonist; only you are the true threat."
"I don't know how you got that power, but you must die so that, in the future, you don't cause problems for that thing."
"If you want to curse anyone, let it be yourself for changing the plot in your favor."
His large claw rose to split Airi in half.
"Don't you get near her, you son of a bitch!"
A voice came from the sky and descended at high speed. Airi lifted her head and then screamed with happiness and tears.
"Rudel-san!"
At that moment of calling him, Diabolos reacted too late as Rudel fell onto him with a lance and impacted his back very hard.
"Gyaaahhh!"
A noise of pain was heard from Diabolos, because mysteriously, Battler was glowing.
"Don't get near them, damn trash!"
Rudel screamed while burying his lance in his enemy's back.
That creature screamed in pain until some mouths opened on his back, spitting black saliva that disintegrated the weapon.
Rudel let go, and upon doing so, Diabolos took the opportunity and escaped from there.
"Airi! Are you okay?"
"What about Alisa?"
Airi wanted to cry while looking at Alisa, who seemed to be getting up.
Both were happy to see her.
"And now what?"
Rudel wondered because the ship was rocking. Airi grabbed the railing while screaming.
A hole was made in the deck, and from it, a hand emerged and grabbed Battler's head, dragging it below.
Airi screamed while Rudel was pushed directly into the hull to exit the ship and fall into the sea.
Upon falling, he saw it. Diabolos was destroying the ship from below.
Rudel moved to prevent him from continuing to destroy it, and they began to fight there.
◇◇◇
A large boat approached Liebe.
Allen was driving it, and Cana put the anchor on the railing so it wouldn't move.
They came secretly on a ship and barely escaped.
Airi grabbed Alisa and shouted to the others to board.
The three useless ones ran while the ship seemed to tilt forward.
Erselica didn't let go of Bell and jumped directly onto the boat, falling on his face.
When they all boarded. The ship tilted as if sinking into the sky.
Everyone watched as Diabolos grabbed the ship with his hands and screamed while smashing it against Rudel.
"This is a rollercoaster of fun!"
The ship impacted Battler and then exploded due to an attack from Diabolos.
Liebe, the ship that was supposed to defeat Brynhild, had been destroyed without showing all its potential.
The explosion was so great that it shook the lifeboat.
Everyone watched as Rudel was sent flying by the explosion and then kicked like a soccer ball.
Alisa and Airi watched in horror as Battler was treated; one of its shoulders was grabbed and torn off like a toy accessory.
There was nothing they could do to end this battle.
The forces of the Commonwealth and the Kingsfort Household had already surrendered.
White flags were raised to stop the attack; the kingdom's forces, however, were retreating.
No one was fighting anymore, only Rudel and Diabolos.
Then, someone had an idea.
"I know! Why don't we go to the Commonwealth flagship to demand their surrender?"
It was Airi who said it.
"Maybe, just maybe. Do they have control over that thing and thus end everything!?"
Alisa was thoughtful while watching Rudel being treated like an old rag.
The one who supported that idea was Liam.
Alisa then sighed.
"...We have nothing to lose by trying. It's possible they have control of that thing. Hey you, take us immediately to the Commonwealth flagship."
Allen heard Alisa ordering him; they came to pick them up since it seemed safe to leave, with the exception of the one Rudel was fighting.
With a turn of the helm, that boat headed to encounter the person who never appeared in the game, the Young King Rafiel.
◇◇◇
Anchored in the sea with flames and smoke coming from the stern. Lay the flagship of an enemy that never appeared in the game.
The reason for the players was unknown, but for the developers, it was simple.
He wasn't important.
None of them cared about that person since he was just an NPC.
In fact, he never had dialogue and was only mentioned as being executed at the end of everything; he never showed his face, until now.
In the central cabin, only one person remained.
Everyone else fled or were devoured by monsters.
During the moment when Diabolos released his second attack, a fraction of the black ray fell on that ship, causing it to crash.
The monsters approached to eat all the people on board.
Some escaped but were devoured.
The demonic flutes didn't work on them.
The monsters broke the windows.
Near one of them was Prime Minister Borzak, who was screaming.
A flying octopus-shaped creature broke the window and grabbed him.
He tried to fight, but his head was devoured in less than a minute and his body dragged outside.
Only that person remained, Rafiel; he was on his knees on the floor.
He was crying.
He heard footsteps approaching quickly; the door opened in a brusque manner.
Erselica and the others entered... they couldn't believe who they saw.
◇◇◇
"Is this a joke?"
Erselica and the others were running with firearms; their mobile knights stopped working because the prana couldn't circulate correctly through the machine, causing it to break down.
Bell led the front, followed by those three boys, Erselica, and lastly the girls.
They expected to find the king of the Commonwealth, the one who unleashed this lost war along with the Kingsfort's.
She prepared to see the one who annoyed her a lot in the game.
Upon knocking down the door to enter, neither she nor the others could believe what they saw.
The person here was undoubtedly King Rafiel, but... not what they expected.
On his knees with both hands on the floor, with tears falling, wearing a full-body blue tunic, brown hair, and hazel eyes.
Before them was a small child.
The child looked up to see who the intruders were.
No one moved due to how unimaginable this was.
Rafiel saw them and spoke words of pain.
"Altfode... so you've come to kill me?"
Alisa spoke after being a bit in shock due to the surprise.
"You're mistaken... are you King Rafiel?"
He nodded upon hearing his name. Airi covered her mouth because no one ever imagined seeing such a small child as king.
Rafiel spoke again.
"...You've come to silence me too, haven't you?"
None understood what he was saying. Erselica was the first to speak.
"What was the point of starting this war?"
That's something she always wanted to know; it was never explained in the game.
Rafiel's mouth made a grimace and with pain said.
"You forced us into this!"
"Altfode is responsible for our suffering! It's normal that we want revenge!"
The one who spoke now was Liam.
"Wait, what are you talking about? You're supposed to have been attacking us for years because you want our territory!"
Rafiel made a bitter smile.
"Who told you such a lie?"
Liam tried to approach since Rafiel was a child.
But he pulled a pistol from his pocket and aimed it at all of them.
Bell went into combat position.
"I don't want a damn Altfodian mocking me, my kingdom! When you are the culprits of our suffering!"
"...Culprit?" That simple word escaped Airi.
Rafiel began to cry while telling them a truth that never appeared in the game nor did anyone else know.
"...We, the Talis Household, were originally from the kingdom. We were the first duke family to exist!"
Alisa and Liam, who knew the history of the foundation, heard something they were never told.
"We are the ones who supported the Founding King to gather the territories and also obtained the territory of many of his allies!"
"Over time, more dukes came and the territory grew..."
Rafiel suddenly fell silent and after a while, he screamed a pain kept for generations.
"One day, the kingdom simply came to attack us! The other three dukes along with palace forces attacked us without reason!"
Everyone was astonished upon hearing it.
"They entered our house and began to massacre all my relatives of that time! Only the head and his family escaped, leaving our lands, the land that Kingsfort uses!"
Alisa and Airi covered their mouths at what they heard.
"We had to take refuge in a foreign land that had no lord! Then, little by little we grew until becoming a community, a Commonwealth..."
Once again, Rafiel stopped and his hand trembled to release more horrifying truths.
"Our land is threatened by famine and drought! Our crops are dying! My people go hungry and the only way to get food is by attacking the only neighbor we have, Altfode!"
Everyone listened to that.
"A year ago... my parents told me they had an agreement with an important noble. He was coming to sign a treaty on behalf of the king who couldn't come. With that, our people would live with food, but tied to the kingdom."
"It didn't matter as long as we had food... that's what I thought... only I never realized the dark intentions of that man."
Alisa asked.
"Who was that man?"
Rafiel wiped his tears and said indifferently.
"His name was Balzac, and he was in collusion with my late prime minister who wanted power. In the end, that idiot died, but the other got his way."
"You're wrong!"
Liam shouted.
"That man died before my very eyes!"
Rafiel heard him, but...
"...So?"
He didn't care.
"Do you think that with him dead, it will bring my parents back to life?"
Only then did everyone understand why a child was called king.
"My mother lay naked in her bed with a rope around her neck, and my father was found drinking his own blood in a soup!"
"The same day they said they were coming to bring us peace was a lie to sow more hatred and pain. The worst part is that the current head of the Kingsfort said he was the one who planned everything! He told Borzak in my office when I was returning from meeting that Bandel guy!"
"The worst of all is that... I have to put up with these traitors for my people!"
Rafiel bit his lips and pointed the gun to the side of his head.
"I will not allow the kingdom's trash to manipulate and discard us as they please!"
"My people may go hungry and suffer, but our hatred towards the kingdom will burn until the end of our lives!"
The trigger was moving very slowly while his fingers trembled.
"If I fall, someone else will take my place! I won't let you use me as a hostage to extort us more!"
The tears and red eyes of Rafiel marked how serious his decision was.
"Rot in hell, damn Altfodian's! The Talis Household and its people will never let you sleep in peace!"
The trigger was being pulled without delay.
"Mother... father... I will reunite with you now."
Rafiel closed his eyes, and when the trigger was being pulled.
"Don't screw with me, stupid kid!"
His weapon was knocked out of his hands by a shot, and strong footsteps approached him with a very loud voice.
Upon opening his eyes, he saw an angry Erselica.
"You want to die? You're stupid! What about your revenge!?"
Neither Rafiel nor the others understood what Erselica was talking about.
She grabbed his neck and their faces came close.
"The kingdom annoyed you? Then, revenge is what's right!"
Once again, no one understood what was happening.
"Those bastards wanted to kill me, and I know they will if onii- Rudel doesn't help me!"
Alisa wanted to say something to Erselica about that comment.
"What I want to say is... it's okay to take revenge on those who hurt you!"
(No, you shouldn't tell him that!)
That's what everyone thought, even Rafiel.
"But... will that make your parents happy?"
Erselica, in a sad tone, said in a low voice so only Rafiel could hear.
"What good is revenge if they are no longer here? Is revenge worth it if your parents are no longer with you? Will they return when you take revenge?"
Rafiel was stunned upon hearing that.
"I... recently lost my father... my mother died years ago. The last thing I told him was that I didn't want to eat meat from the animals in our forest."
Tears streamed from both.
"My last conversation with my father was a stupid thing! It hurts me not to have had more time with him! But... but!"
Erselica's hands tightened hard on Rafiel's neck.
"Do you think I want to die just because they are no longer here!?"
A memory of salvation came to her.
"Find a reason to live!"
That memory was Rudel. The person she most wanted to see in the world.
"Find a reason to live! And, if there isn't one... then talk to Rudel, that idiot will give you a reason to live so you can punch his face!"
Rafiel didn't understand that last part well, but everything else, yes.
Behind Erselica. Alisa and Airi gave her a terrifying look because of what she said before and now about Rudel.
"Well then, do you still want to die? Stupid brat."
Rafiel wiped his tears and snot after being gently placed on the floor.
"It's the worst advice I've ever received. The only thing that interests me from what you said is meeting that noble and making him pay for destroying our fleets twice. We're not rich enough for him to destroy them!"
Erselica smiled at Rafiel, and then remembered her reason for being here.
"That's right! Do you have any mechanism to stop that?"
Her finger pointed outside, focusing on the battle between Rudel and what was once Bandel, but Rafiel responded.
"No. Moreover, I don't even know what that thing is; that's not ours nor an ally."
Erselica made a stupid face upon hearing that. Upon turning around to tell them there was no way to help Rudel.
"Gyahh, what the heck is that thing?"
Everyone turned to see what was happening outside; their expressions were of panic and horror.
◇◇◇
All the kingdom's fleets were fleeing due to the battle between Rudel and Diabolos, all except one house.
"Let me go!"
The Bradford's.
"Let me go, Bram!"
On their house's main ship, Lyle and Bram were fighting.
"Don't talk nonsense!"
The reason was...
"Rudel is in danger!"
All the Baron Bradford's ships watched Rudel fighting along with his robots and drones against a strange creature.
Upon arriving almost at the center of everything, a white shield appeared on the ships, covering them. More strange things happened and now everyone was fleeing except them.
"I know!" Bram shouted.
It's because Lyle was trying to board a mobile knight but was grabbed by Bram and thrown aside.
Both began to fight; the sailors went to hold them both.
Bram shouted at his brother.
"Idiot! What do you plan to do by going there?"
Sounds of explosions were heard with great intensity.
Lyle, from the bottom of his heart, shouted.
"It's the older brother's job to take care of the younger brothers! So get out of the way, stupid younger brother!"
Lyle tried to break free, but the sailors wouldn't let go. In contrast, Bram responded.
"You're a huge idiot, firstborn!"
"It's the non-heir's job to make sure the idiot older brother and the idiot younger brother return safely!"
"Rudel is my younger brother, like you!"
"And you are the future head of the house!"
While they started fighting among themselves, two fists came down on their heads.
They screamed in pain and looked at their father in a pilot suit.
"Old man, what are you doing?"
Lyle said to his father, only to receive another blow.
After recovering from the blow, Walt informed them both.
"What the hell are you two talking about?"
"Lyle, you will be the future head of the family; stop talking nonsense."
"And you, Bram, must help Lyle since he's an idiot and will surely ruin the territory."
Both sons couldn't believe what their father was saying, especially the firstborn.
"As head and father, it's my task to go bring that idiot Rudel back safely."
"Wait!"
"Old man!"
His sons tried to stop him, but the paternal fist fell on them again.
"No excuses!"
"Once this is over... you must take care of your mother, sister, and that foolish boy."
"Huh?"
Both sons made the same expression of confusion.
"I'm already old; at least, with my last strength, I'll make sure to buy Rudel time to escape along with you."
The sons now ran to their father, who was boarding the largest armed unit.
"What are you talking about, idiot father!"
"No one said we want you to retire already!"
Walt entered the mobile knight, and before the cockpit closed, he told his sons.
"...Once this is over, Rudel will be in the sights of many men and women; I'm counting on the older brothers to take good care of him."
The cockpit closed, and Walt grabbed several weapons, preparing to launch.
"At least let this old man shine in his final moments in front of his sons!"
At that moment, a great crash was heard in front; everyone's gaze turned there, and in unison, the Bradford males shouted.
"Rudel!"
◇◇◇
On the last flagship, Franz was fleeing.
He was in his captain's chair, holding his head, remembering aloud everything that happened.
"Damn you, Moldred! You said you were going to execute him early, and here he is? Everything... everything that my family, my father, grandfather, and ancestors desired went to hell because of that boy!"
"Invading the kingdom should have been a simple matter; everything should have lasted a few minutes due to all the favors I called in with the pirates, mercenaries, and the Cashmiro Family!"
The men and women in the cabin heard him since he was right; everything should have been quick due to this plan that took decades of planning.
Everything was ruined in an instant by Rudel.
"Damn it, everything is ruined! My son is dead and there's no one of my blood to inherit the throne that belongs to us! That bastard boy destroyed everything with his lost object!"
Sweat reflected on his forehead and fear in his eyes.
"Then, that strange thing appeared! I have no choice but to flee the kingdom to a safe place!"
Suddenly, a voice was heard.
"Finish... off... Rudel..."
Franz lifted his head but didn't understand where the distorted strange voice came from.
The ship suddenly stopped for no reason; Franz fell to the floor.
When he was about to get up since he didn't understand what was happening.
"Lend me... your... ship..."
The same distorted voice spoke; at that moment, the windows were covered in black liquid.
Something had climbed onto the ship, enveloping it little by little; the windows broke due to tentacles with hands grabbing the crew.
Just as Franz was about to escape, the floor broke and a large black tentacle with a very red hand with several yellow eyes without pupils looked at him.
Franz was about to scream, but the hand approached quickly.
???
This is wrong...
Everything is wrong...
None of this... was supposed to happen...
The culprit for this... is Rudel and... that woman...
Yes, that woman... Irisdina... if she hadn't activated her powers...
I would have won with Bandel... but, Rudel...
He destroyed everything...
At this rate... if I don't do it myself...
I won't be able to go to the next "level" and... I'll be trapped here...
I must... kill the unforgivable Rudel...
He... is unforgivable...
Much... very... unforgivable...
Never... will we forgive him...
...Unforgivable.
Unforgivable...
Unforgivable!!
Unforgivable!!
Unforgivable!!
Unforgivable!!
Unforgivable!!
Unforgivable!!
Unforgivable!!
Unforgivable!!
Unforgivable!!
Unforgivable!!
Unforgivable!!
Unforgivable!!
Unforgivable!!
Unforgivable!!
Unforgivable!!
Unforgivable!!
RUDEL!!
IS!!
UNFORGIVABLEEEEEEEEEE!!
WE WILL NEVER FORGIVE HIM, NOR HIM NOR—!!
◇◇◇
Franz's eyes were white, his body sinking into a black slime along with other bodies, their open mouths screaming the same thing.
That Rudel was unforgivable.
The consciousness of Franz and the others faded until becoming one.
Meanwhile, on the exterior, the black slime transformed the ship.
The sound of metal compressing, bombs exploding due to pressure as the ship seemed to bend like a sheet of paper.
Strange sounds were heard because the ship was taking an unbelievable appearance.
This event was never in the game; this had never happened in this world.
That thing was, without a doubt, a secret boss that came to finish off Rudel once and for all.
After seeming to assemble, it finally took an inhuman appearance.
It was like a large amorphous floating black shark; its mouth opened, showing the interior of the crushed ship that acted as teeth.
Several white eyes opened in front and only saw one target.
"RuuuDeeeLLL!"
The strange creature screamed Rudel's name in a distorted way.
Like a fish, it gave a flap and headed towards him while he fought Diabolos.
Rudel saw it due to an alert; he was scared upon seeing it.
He pushed his enemy and escaped from there while being pursued.
Rudel screamed.
"What the hell are you nooooow!"
The remaining robots and drones began to attack the creature, ignoring Diabolos; he only watched the situation while laughing.
Rudel flew in different directions, but the strange shark kept up.
A magic circle appeared in his left hand; from it, a machine gun emerged.
He grabbed it and...
"Get away from me, damn strange thingggg!"
The bullets were fired at high speed, impacting the strange creature.
They buried themselves in the body. Battler took the machine gun from its remaining shoulder and with both, proceeded to create a rain of fire.
"Fall, damn bastard!"
Rudel shouted because the shark was getting closer and the bullets had no effect.
"Hey."
A voice came from his right side.
"We haven't finished playing!"
Diabolos came flying and with his sword hit Rudel, making him crash into the sea.
Rudel regained control a while later and watched as both creatures came towards him.
The robots and drones fired non-stop to buy Rudel time, but it was useless.
The shark bit Battler and the remains of the ship that seemed like teeth embedded themselves in Battler.
Little by little, a sound of metal creaking was heard.
While being chewed in the depths, Battler's center glowed and a great ray of red light pierced the creature's skull, reaching the sky.
Rudel had used 2 of his 3 attacks; he could only use one more. After using the last one, Battler would lose all its energy.
Rudel escaped, but it didn't last because Diabolos positioned himself behind him and hit him like a home run.
Battler went flying and once again was pursued by the strange shark and Diabolos.
A critical damage message appeared on Battler's screen.
Rudel could only think one thing.
(...At this rate, I'll have no other option but to go kamikaze...)
◇◇◇
Erselica told Rafiel to stay inside until all this was over.
Everyone went out to see the bizarre situation in front of them.
Rudel was fighting Diabolos and a new enemy; a strange black creature in the shape of a shark had appeared.
Everyone watched in fear what their eyes refused to believe.
"Rudel-san!"
Airi screamed with tears while watching Rudel being treated like a toy by Diabolos; then, he was bitten by the strange shark.
A great explosion came from inside, and Rudel escaped, but only to become Diabolos's toy again.
This is no longer a war, not a battle. It's madness!
Only Rudel was the one still fighting.
"Alisa, we must do something! At this rate, Rudel-san will—!"
Airi's voice was interrupted due to a scream from Rudel.
The left half of Battler's arm had been torn off by a bite.
The creature seemed to retreat momentarily to savor it.
The robots and drones that hadn't been destroyed supported Rudel in his fight against Diabolos.
Both girls wanted to cry from helplessness; there was nothing and no one that could help and save Rudel from this situation.
"Ahh!"
It was Erselica's scream.
Everyone directed their faces towards her.
Erselica was staring fixedly at Alisa and Airi for some reason.
The reason was in her thoughts.
(Why did I only notice it now!)
(How long have they been there?)
(Or, am I blind perhaps?)
Erselica stared fixedly at Airi's head and Alisa's ears, to be more exact. The gifts from Rudel from last semester.
(That hairpin and those earrings are part of the Saint's Revelation event!)
(What are they doing here? That event was supposed to happen in the third year.)
Airi's hairpin and Alisa's earrings turned out to be something more important than just an emotional bond.
(In the event before the Saint was revealed, they both traveled to an island; on that island, Liam bought a ring for himself, and the player had the option to choose a hairpin or earrings that later were revealed to be an item left by the Saint long ago.)
(One of the unchosen ones never appeared again; as for the chosen one, it was revealed to be a kind of emotional synchronization that amplified magical power or something like that.)
(But that means good news! Since, being two items, and these girls seem attracted to my brother, their feelings can manifest through them, thus being able to help him!)
(Although I don't know about the ring?)
No one understood what was happening to Erselica until she screamed to distract them all with her words.
"Everyone, I know of a way we can help him defeat those things!"
All present, especially the girls, were amazed.
They wanted to ask how, but Erselica shouted to get on the boat to approach the large black shark.
Everyone except the girls was reluctant to do that. They, without hesitation, just upon hearing the word "help Rudel," jumped into danger, risking their lives.
The others couldn't leave Erselica behind, so they blindly followed her and headed towards the strange gigantic creature.
Rudel continued to be Diabolos's toy.
◇◇◇
A few minutes passed, and they finally arrived at a safe distance to flee; the boat was to the side. The creature had its eyes in front as if it were a cyclops and not in a normal way.
Alisa asked Erselica.
"Tell us. How can we help Rudel?"
Erselica didn't know how to explain it, so she said the answer in an embarrassed way.
"...With the power of love."
Erselica felt like an idiot seeing everyone look at her; truly, she felt like one just for saying it.
In contrast, Airi...
"The power of love... the power of our feelings..."
Alisa looked at her and asked what that meant.
Then Airi...
"Alisa, I think she's right."
Said something that left Alisa even more bewildered.
"What are you talking about?"
Airi looked her in the eyes.
"When the attack on the cruise ship happened months ago and a while ago on the royal ship. I could feel something, a strange sensation, like a tingling."
Alisa looked at her and nodded.
"Actually, I felt the same. Only I felt like a refreshing breeze."
Then, their hands touched.
"I'm sure we can think about it again. Our feelings will reach Rudel-san like that time."
Alisa nodded again.
Both closed their eyes.
"Airi... do you remember what happened on the ship?"
"Huh? I was sad and then I woke up on the floor being held by your hands."
Alisa wanted to tell her there was more to it, but it wasn't important compared to saving Rudel.
A thought came to their minds; it was Rudel, several memories of him.
"I..."
Both said in sync.
"Desire..."
The memories were sad moments, happy, angry, laughing about him, until finally a special one arrived.
It was the moment when both fell in love with him.
"To protect him at all costs!"
Their hands rose in sync. Two magic circles manifested.
A white one above Airi and a red one above Alisa.
A strange white glow and a red flame manifested; while the circle grew, upon touching, both circles fused, creating a pink magic circle.
The strange white glow and red flame also fused.
Both girls screamed in unison as if in sync.
"Combined Magic: Sword of Damocles!"
A sword of white flames manifested when they screamed.
Then, it multiplied into two other copies; the girls lowered their arms, and the three swords shot out from the circle at high speed, impacting the right side of its head.
A great explosion happened.
The girls and the others fell on their hips due to the shockwave.
Upon getting up, they observed how the strange creature had an area of its body in white flames and was falling into the sea.
Everyone rejoiced.
Alisa looked at Airi.
"Once more!"
Both screamed, but at that moment, a tragedy happened.
Both the hairpin and the earrings shattered after cracking for some reason.
Erselica saw it and unintentionally said something strange for everyone.
"Uwahh, this never happened in the game!"
The girls didn't understand what happened.
Now, it was Allen who interrupted.
"It noticed us, damn it!"
The strange creature turned completely to observe the boat; Allen accelerated as much as he could to quickly get away from there.
Even with its head in flames, the creature was still alive and changed its course now to them.
Everyone screamed while fleeing.
◇
I'm in trouble.
This bastard was using me as a punching bag.
I no longer had sharp weapons or ammunition.
Part of the left side of Battler's arm disappeared from a bite.
It had three fingers left; that wasn't even enough to hold a small sword.
With the right arm, I took out a hidden weapon I used to repel his attacks; it was a scythe that fit perfectly there.
Then, a message arrived.
It was the girls and the others escaping from the strange giant shark.
Why was it chasing them!?
I was planning to do something I didn't want to do: blow myself up with these guys.
I had lost both Ixion and Brynhild; the other ships and robots were annihilated except for a few.
I was going to let the big one eat me along with this bastard; I would overload Battler's core and blow them to pieces.
There was no way to escape, much less achieve victory.
That's why I would resort to such a hasty and crazy act.
But they were in danger; I swore to protect them and, by the way, help those idiots.
I kicked the black bastard and quickly headed towards the shark.
But I was surprised from behind by this stalker guy.
He kicked me, making me turn and fall near this thing's fin.
Some tiny hands grabbed me to not let me escape.
The bastard approached me and collided against me.
The impact didn't hurt me, but the front cabin was very bruised.
He started talking shit about him.
I don't care about your life, much less that you had fun!
This was the perfect opportunity to get rid of both, but doing so would mean my own death.
...
I must not hesitate; they are in danger. If something happened to them, I—.
"..."
A static sound came from Ixion's spherical body.
After waiting a bit.
"Master."
His annoying electronic voice, I heard.
"Are you useless without me?"
Yes. Without a doubt, it's annoying; I'm glad to know he was okay.
"Ixion! Are you alive?"
"No. I'm an AI, not a living being. How do you expect me to be one when I'm a creation of humanity? Did so many hits make you more of an idiot than you already are?"
"I'm going to turn you into scrap, you dirty bastard!"
"We'll talk about that later."
"How did you escape?"
The bastard outside kept telling me his life.
"We'll talk later; more importantly. Take off your right glove!"
I obeyed; upon doing so, I observed something strange that only added to the stranger things of this day.
My ring, the blue ring I bought months ago, was glowing.
Its blue glow was very intense.
Ixion explained what was happening.
"I don't know what happened exactly, but what I can say is that ring emanates a huge amount of prana. It's just the right amount to blow up a small island without leaving debris."
I asked him how he knew, and he responded.
"During the attack on the cruise ship months ago, the same frequency of energy emanated like today."
I couldn't believe what he was saying; it was crazy to hear it.
But only one thing caught my attention on the topic.
"I can win!"
"Yes. Deposit it here."
A nozzle emerged from the floor; I had no time to doubt. If I lost this, it didn't matter; after all, I never knew what the hell you were.
But the girls' items must be okay, so it's not a problem.
I threw the ring inside, and Ixion informed me.
"Master, this can only be done once! I'll use all the reactor's power, directing it to the right arm; that's where the ring was sent. The energy overload will make the right arm explode, engulfing these two. You must release the arm before the explosion to escape."
"Understood."
"I'm bored now."
The bastard's voice said something terrifying.
"I had a lot of fun with you, but games must end now."
The bastard grabbed my two arms and brought his mouth close.
His jaw stretched and fractured in two. It showed his teeth and the inside of his mouth—how disgusting.
"Master, the overload needs 10 more seconds!"
I decided to have the last chat with this damn guy.
"I feel the same; I'm bored too. I want to go home and sleep."
Ixion informed that a glow was enveloping Battler.
The tiny hands holding him were fading.
"I'm tired of being stalked by old men and strange guys like you!"
This thing realized what was happening. I won't let you escape!
Quickly, I used Battler's right arm to bury it deep into his throat.
"You've been a pain in the ass since last semester."
After freeing myself, I smashed him against the creature and used the three fingers of my left arm to grab his neck and stretch it so that the arm would go in much deeper.
"Master, 2 seconds!"
"I'm furious at having to fight crazy weirdos like you and this thing!"
"But, you know what?"
"If you want me so much..."
Ixion informed.
"Master, overload at maximum!"
I gave this thing, this guy, the Bloody Knight, a last look; he'll finally stop bothering me.
I put my finger on the button of the right controller and...
"Take it... take it alllll!"
Upon pressing it, a great blue light that blinded me appeared. The cabin shook a lot too.
"Ahhh!"
I didn't know what was happening; Battler started spinning, and I didn't know where up and down were.
Suddenly, most of the monitors broke.
They were crushed because the cabin was shrinking.
I moved the seat back, and at that moment, Ixion's spherical body flew out like a ball inserted into a hose.
Upon grabbing it, it moved for some reason to my left side. And, at that precise moment.
Something pierced the cabin and embedded itself in him, who seemed to act as a shield.
I screamed his name while Battler shook and then seemed to impact something.
What the hell was happening?
◇◇◇
Moments before Rudel's current situation.
The girls and the others were escaping from the shark-shaped creature.
"Gyahh, it's catching up to us!"
Erselica screamed upon seeing how the creature, moving slowly due to damage, pursued them almost stepping on their heels.
Airi watched in panic, but then observed another event.
It was Rudel flying towards the creature, but he was surprised by Diabolos.
Airi screamed upon no longer seeing him.
Suddenly, a blue glow was seen where Rudel fell.
The strange creature seemed to slow down from the pain.
A voice sounded.
"You want me..."
It belonged to Rudel.
"Take it... take it alllll!"
A huge blue explosion happened after that; everyone covered their eyes.
After a brief moment, Airi glimpsed in the distance an object shot towards the sea.
It was Battler; its limbs were gone, half its head too; the front was so damaged you could tear it off with your hands.
Airi also watched parts of its body flying; one of them was a scythed embedded itself in its chest.
"Rudel-san!"
Airi screamed, while Alisa was surprised by something else.
The strange creature following them had lost half its body; the black parts of its body turned to ash while the ship took its original shape, shattered.
"Rudel-san!"
Alisa finally paid attention to Airi, who was watching Battler bounce on the sea surface now.
Alisa also screamed Rudel's name; the others noticed, and before Allen noticed too.
Airi ran towards him.
"Please, head quickly to where Rudel-san is falling!"
Allen watched Airi crying; he watched Battler bounce.
"Tch, even that idiot viscount will need help with that."
The helm changed course, and now they headed to rescue Rudel.
With that explosion, the final war of the game. Bandel, the final boss, and the strange creature that had been bothering Rudel since entering the academy, had been destroyed.
And thus, the game had ended.
◇
I was gently pulling out Ixion, who was pierced by a scythe.
Battler was floating on the ocean surface; emergency lights turned on after stopping bouncing.
Ixion gave me his report after pulling him out.
"I told you to release the arm before pressing the button."
"Sorry."
"The situation is this; we won, congratulations, the war ended after eliminating those two."
"That's good."
"Currently, the kingdom's fleet is returning; among them are some who were protecting the borders and joined the fight very late."
"I see."
"They are taking all survivors as prisoners; among them is the Commonwealth king who seems to be a child."
"That's interesting."
"Alicelotte and Irisdina have declared their love for each other."
"I'm happy for them."
An electric shock ran through my body at that moment.
"What are you doing, you damn thing!?"
"That's my line. What's wrong with you? We won; your wish will come true."
"...I know, the thing is this. I killed many."
"Hundreds according to the robots' report."
"I'm a murderer who committed many crimes today."
"Not counting the losses in the capital, the number of deaths caused by you ascends to the category of mass genocide."
"You're not helping me."
"I want you to accept your reality; it's not the first time you've killed, you know? During the battle against the blue-bearded pirate and on the cruise ship before the holidays, you unintentionally killed many; it's impossible not to lose lives even if you don't want to hurt anyone."
"What you say only indicates that I'll undoubtedly go to hell."
"Don't worry, there's no such thing. Now, to calm you, if you wish, I can look for that hell and conquer it for you."
"...It terrifies me and isn't funny to believe you're capable of that."
"Is that a compliment? I'll take it as such; give me more compliments since, thanks to your idiotic decision, Brynhild was destroyed."
I felt really bad when he said that.
"There was no other choice; as you always boast about its capability, I thought it could withstand."
"It undoubtedly would have at its maximum capacity, but I was busy fighting possibly the same thing that attacked you."
That surprised me.
"So, that was your important business?"
"I'll go into details later; I'm sending my information to a drone; this body will soon be useless and the scrap you always wanted."
It made me sad how he said it.
"I guess now we must wait to be rescued and go to the kingdom so that the King fulfills his promise."
"About that..."
I told Ixion something that came to my mind seconds ago.
"I think it's better if I'm declared dead."
There was no response from him.
"It's okay if they exile me and take away my title, but seeing how annoying they are, it's certain they'll try to extort me to fight for them again."
Ixion only said a slight "I understand...".
He informed me that a boat was approaching; a monitor was fractured but could show what Battler's head saw.
On that boat were several colorful nuisances; they shouted idiotic things about me being a coward or pretending to be dumb.
The little pest even called me a dirty virgin pretending to be dead.
I'll definitely get my revenge on her.
There were only two faces that caught my attention.
"Rudel-san, please answer, Rudel-san!"
"Rudel! You said you were my knight and would protect us, so... get out of there immediately, you big idiot!"
It was Airi and Alisa who cried for me and screamed my name with a heart-wrenching cry.
Undoubtedly, it's painful to do this.
"But this is goodbye, girls. Ixion, make Battler pretend to sink—"
"That's enough!"
Ixion suddenly screamed at me, and his tone wasn't the usual one.
"I've put up with a lot of your cowardice, your indecision, and your stupidity regarding those two!"
"Huh, Ixion, what's wrong with you?"
I was terrified; this scrap broke.
"Truly, you are the worst master I have ever served; I would abandon you for making them destroy your aircraft if it weren't for the contract being between you and me!"
"And, even after ruining it several times, the contract is still valid!"
"...I don't understand what you're trying to say?"
"What I want to say is simple..."
Suddenly, the chest hatch was ejected, and my seat seemed to move to one side.
"For the first time in your life. Act like a man, idiot master!"
I was ejected towards the exterior at high speed.
"Ixionnnn, you damn traitorrr!"
I cursed this scrap while the cold air hit my face and my cheeks trembled from speaking.
Then, I stopped mid-air and felt how gravity, which doesn't affect the islands, affected me.
I was falling towards the ocean; I turned my face and observed an inflatable boat thrown to where I was falling.
The impact shook the boat.
I was lying down looking at the sun hidden by clouds while the boat shook.
This is bad, very bad.
I slowly got up to sit and, raising my head with fear.
It was there that our eyes met.
They looked at me with tears; I, in a dumb way, raised my hand and with an equally idiotic smile.
"H-h-hello, hehe."
After greeting them.
Both in sync climbed onto the boat's railing and jumped here.
It was impossible to do without using magical power to propel themselves.
Both their arms were extended and their faces were with tears.
In a brief instant, both fell on me and hugged me tightly.
"Uwahh, Rudel-san, Rudel-san, Rudel-san, don't ever do this to us again!!"
Exclaimed Airi, who held me like a little girl after burying her face in my left chest.
"It's not a dream, right? You're really here."
Alisa cried while pinching my cheeks to make sure it wasn't a hallucination.
While my cheeks were being stretched, I told them both.
"...I'm fine; I'm not dead."
Alisa also buried her face in my chest after saying that. Both hugged me tightly, not letting go.
(It makes me happy to have people who love me, but this ruined my plan.)
I put my hands on their heads to calm them, stroking them as if they were two lost girls after finding their parents.
(Truly. My heart always hurts when I try to separate from them.)
I looked at the sky when a fleet that seemed to belong to my family approached, and thus, this annoying war ended.