The ultimate decomposition magic. It broke down any matter or energy into its base components upon contact.
"Let's end this with one strike."
A hundred black magic circles layered themselves above me. A shadow cast itself over the battlefield, far larger than Bell's Demon God.
Bell looked up, her mouth falling open. "...A meteor?"
A massive, jagged blade of rock wrapped in white-hot flames tore through the atmosphere, plunging toward the earth.
I snapped my fingers, erecting four translucent blue barriers around the Demon God. It couldn't escape, and the shockwave wouldn't harm my friends.
"—Meteor Fall-Line. That beast is no longer a threat to me."
The meteor slammed into the Demon God, and a sea of white-hot fire consumed everything within the barrier.
[Miwa's POV Out]
[Alice's POV]
The entirety of Agreas shuddered. High-rise buildings collapsed as the earth groaned under the impact of Miwa's meteor.
Vieka's eye twitched. "...Was Sirius's daughter always this reckless? I thought she was a more... quiet fighter."
I had to agree. She was definitely overdoing it. If she hadn't put up those barriers, she might have split the island in half.
Jeez, Miwa-chan... you've gotten flashy.
Up in the rainbow sky, the "God-Princess" Miwa and Bell were trading blows that redefined the word "scale." Miwa was slaughtering legendary-class beasts with single offensive spells, her mana pool seemingly bottomless.
This was divine power. And soon, it would be mine.
"So, does the little Princess have that power too?" Vieka asked with an expectant smirk. "The power of a god? That special gift meant only for you?"
"Why don't I show you?"
I closed my eyes and reached inward.
—Let's go, Alice.
Yes, let's go. Let's show her the weight of our bonds.
"—O Thou chosen by the Divine Spear."
My spear erupted with a platinum-gold radiance, blindingly bright.
『—Become the shimmering light that pierces the darkness.』
The light enveloped me, manifesting a pair of golden wings on my back. Seraph wings.
"—O Divine Spear, O Crimson Hero. I am the one who walks beside you."
A crimson aura manifested behind me, wrapping its arms around my waist in a warm embrace. I knew this heat. It was the familiar, comforting fire of Issei's spirit.
『—Thou shalt become the Mock God of Light.』
Bathed in a sacred glow, Issei and I spoke the final words.
"「DESCEND—!」"
A storm of light erupted. A pillar of radiance pierced the heavens, and a shockwave of brilliant wind swept across the city.
I descended before Vieka, and spoke my new name.
"Pseudo-Deity Activation—God-Princess Form: [Tachyon Basilissa, Empress of the White Lightning]."
Vieka stared at me, genuinely impressed. "How beautiful. Those golden wings... you look like a Seraph. But the pressure you're putting off is on a whole different level."
I wasn't an angel. Just like Miwa, I had adapted Losward's Pseudo-Deity state to fit my own soul.
A Mock Goddess. The Goddess of Light.
It was ironic for a reincarnated Devil, but it felt right.
I leveled my spear. "Here I come. If you stay in that stance... you're going to die."
I took a single step. In an instant, I dissolved into particles of light.
When I reappeared, I was already inside Vieka's guard. She couldn't even react. I was moving faster than her mind could process. I coated my spear in platinum lightning and thrust.
"—!?"
Vieka manifested a dozen swords to act as a shield, but they were as flimsy as wet paper. My spear tore through them and sliced clean through her left arm.
"Ngh...!" She scooped up her severed limb and leaped backward.
But I was already behind her.
"—Too slow."
I unleashed a bolt of white lightning. She twisted mid-air, avoiding a direct hit, but the discharge tore a jagged wound into her side.
She landed, grimacing, and deployed a hundred magic circles. From them emerged Gatling guns—human weaponry recreated with her magic. Each bullet was infused with holy energy—a nightmare for any Devil.
"A gift for you!" She snapped her fingers, and the sky turned into a hail of lead.
But the bullets never touched me. They vanished inches from my skin.
Vieka's eyes widened. "You stopped them with just your aura?!"
"Not quite," I replied. It was the platinum lightning coating my body. Anything that touched it was incinerated into ash before it could reach me.
"How about this then!" Vieka forged a spear of holy energy and lunged at me.
"—Albilis."
I whispered the name of my spear and struck the ground with its butt. The spear roared in response, sending a massive shockwave through the air and the earth. A localized earthquake and a violent gale erupted, blowing Vieka away like a leaf in a storm.
My spear, the Spirit Spear Albilis, was a divine tool forged by the four Great Spirits of Fire, Water, Earth, and Air. It was the equivalent of a Longinus in this world. (I'd actually just picked it because it was easy to use... Father never told me it was a legendary relic.)
I moved again, faster than light.
Every time she swung a sword, I parried and cut her. Every time she fired a bullet, my aura erased it.
Vieka retreated, catching her breath. "...Too fast. Is that your ability?"
"Not exactly. The Pseudo-Deity form just drastically increases my base specs. To be honest... it's a gift, so I can't take all the credit."
This wasn't power I had earned through training. It was a resonance—a miracle born from Ignis's gift and Issei's awakening.
Vieka applied Phoenix Tears to her wound, reattaching her arm with a sizzle. Once she was healed, she looked at me thoughtfully.
"Does it matter? This power is a manifestation of your bond with the Hero-kun. That's something to be proud of. If it's your strength and his together, I'd say that's more than enough."
I blinked. I see. That's why I can't bring myself to hate this woman.
I mean, I did hate her. She made fun of my chest size. But I didn't feel that bone-deep loathing. She understood things that other villains didn't.
"Fine," I sighed. "I'll take that as a compliment. I'll be proud of this power. Thank you."
"My, thanking an enemy? How strange," Vieka giggled, winking at me. "I suppose that's the 'Princess' in you. I like that about you."
She looked at me, her expression shifting to something more serious. "Well, if things keep going like this, I'm going to lose without even putting up a fight. I suppose it's time for my trump card?"
The pressure coming from Vieka began to skyrocket. Her aura expanded until it rivaled my own. Even with the power of a god, I knew better than to underestimate Assem's subordinates.
But just as she prepared to move, a small communication circle appeared at her ear.
"Father? What is it at a time like this? Things were just getting interesting..."
Assem?
"...I see. Understood."
She cut the connection and let out a long breath. "Sorry, but that's it for today. I've been ordered to return."
"Return?"
"Yes. He says 'All the pieces are in place. Now, we just wait to see what he shows the world.'"
All the pieces? He... Issei? What was Assem expecting from him?
Vieka stepped onto a teleportation circle. "Until next time, Princess. Next time, we'll finish this for real. No holding back. By then, I imagine the Hero-kun and my Father will have settled their business as well."
With a wink, she vanished.
"What is wrong with those people...?"
Miwa landed beside me. "They left on your side too?"
"Yeah. It seems they were just here to observe. They say they're working with Rizevim, but they clearly have their own agenda."
Miwa put a hand to her chin. "I think... I think they want to unify this world. Not just with an alliance, but on a deeper level."
"But this world has only just started moving toward peace. Isn't that a bit too fast?"
"Maybe, but..." Miwa trailed off.
In their world, Assem had been the one to bridge the gap between humans and demons. Was he trying to force Issei into a similar role here?
Suddenly, a massive explosion erupted from the direction of the city office.
Right. Even if Vieka and the others had retreated, the battle wasn't over. Rizevim was still out there.
"Let's go, Miwa-chan. To Issei."
"Right!"
We took to the rainbow sky, racing toward the center of the storm.
Wait for us, Issei. We're coming!
[Alice's POV Out]
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