The time limit had passed, and Alala had stopped her assault on Kismet, who was all and but decimated. The only ones who remained was Belinha who had become a phoenix and Impactor who was at her feet.
"The 10 minutes are up...."
She looked towards the sky.
"Stop the feed or I will destroy all your drones again."
The feeling of being watched ceased and Alala turned her attention to the phoenix.
"What's wrong? Aren't you going to heal your team?"
"......"
The phoenix silently floated nearby without responding.
"Could it be?"
She approached the phoenix, and it released a deafening screech. It fired a giant beam from its mouth. Alala evaded this beam, and it ripped through the ground, scorching the earth while melting the rocks.
"That was the most powerful beam yet."
Alala faced the phoenix again.
"As I thought, she lost control of her ability. This technique must've been something she didn't master yet. This is bad, she's going to die at this rate."
"Huh?! Belinha's gonna die?!"
Impactor sprang to his feet.
"What a surprise, I thought you got hit by that beam and died."
Alala casually said before nodding.
"Yeah, this technique of hers is strong, but it uses up all of her blood and turns it into flames."
Alala gestured at her neck.
"Which is why she cut her carotid to make her blood leak out. The upside of this technique is that with so much blood flame, her regenerative and attack power is off the charts. The downside is that it risks her losing her life from blood loss. Which is why I assumed it's something she can't do for long."
She pointed at the phoenix.
"My guess is the fight went on longer than she hoped and the lack of blood to her brain prevents her from thinking clearly, and now she's moving on instinct. Like she's following her strongest desire before she lost control."
She pointed at herself.
"Defeating me."
"I don't get it. So Belinha is gonna die if she doesn't deactivate that phoenix?"
"Pretty much, and I don't have a technique that would subdue her without killing her."
"What the hell?! Then how do we stop it?! Belinha can't die!"
Alala smirked.
"We call on a Deus Ex Machina."
"Hello, Convenient Plot Device here!"
Mishma appeared out of thin air. This time, she was a little girl wearing a child's kimono and floating in the air.
"What's with the kimono?"
Alala asked.
"I was at a summer festival in Kyoto, so I had to dress the part."
"Can't you just fix the country since you're enjoying its culture, even though you destroyed it?"
Mishma shook her head.
"I'm not a god...Yeah, I'm not a god, so no."
"....Why did you have to think about it?"
"Anyway, you want me to save this girl, right?"
"Yeah, I'm glad she took a gamble, but she lost. So, fix her."
"Is that okay though? Wouldn't the less people who know your identity the better?"
Mishma said while floating upside down.
"Amadi said he would take care of it. He promised me and he has never broken a promise to me, ever. I trust him."
Alala spoke with no room for doubt; she meant every word. Mishama turned upside up and grinned.
"Alright."
She waved her hand and Belinha's blood flames were extinguished along with the phoenix. Belinha appeared on the ground unconscious in a sleep-like state.
"And she says she's not a god."
Alala mumbled.
"She won't wake for a while, but I think she's good now."
"I see, thanks for the help."
"Come join me at the festival when you're done as a thank you. Amadi should be on his way there."
Alala nodded and Mishma disappeared. Alala took another look at Belinha before walking away.
"Wait!"
She turned her head towards Impactor.
"What? We reached the time limit."
"Can you heal my teammates?"
".....Huh?"
Alala looked at Impactor, bewildered. Impactor continued.
"Belinha normally heals us after battle, but she's out cold and looks like she needs healing herself. I have no healing powers, so that just leaves you."
"Are you dumb?"
"Probably, but what does that have to do with anything?"
Alala let out an exaggerated sigh.
"I'm your enemy, you know? The person who put your team in this exact situation, and you want me to heal them?"
"That's right."
"And why would I do that?"
"Because you don't want us to die, so you have no choice."
Alala grabbed his neck and lifted him off the ground.
"Don't misunderstand, Impactor. You have no authority in our agreement. Your lives have no value outside our entertainment. So, you do not have the ability to tell me whether I have a choice or not."
"No authority?"
Impactor grabbed her arm and leaned towards her.
"That's where you're wrong, Alala. We're equals in this. Kismet is not your slaves; we have the power to dictate where this will go."
He stared into her eyes beyond the mask.
"Let me repeat myself, we are equals, not slaves."
"You sure talk tough for a guy whose life I can end in a second."
"Then do it. I hope you enjoy your long days of boredom after."
"My life before this was very fulfilling."
"Bullshit!"
Impactor tightened his grip around Alala's arm.
"Sinvula said your civilian life is very important to you, and I can see he's not lying. You probably built a life anyone would want, but it isn't enough. You, Alala the War Angel, desire more than just a normal life!"
His bloodshot eyes reflected Alala in them.
"You desire chaos! You desire violence! You desire entertainment! That's why you're even doing this whole thing with us and Sinvula, because only we can provide those things! Only Kismet has what it takes! Only we can possibly give you what you want! You and Sinvula already came to this conclusion; this is why we're here!"
He kicked Alala and she let go. He walked up to her and grabbed her collar.
"Listen, War Angel! Kismet is not your plaything! We're partners!"
"Partners?"
Alala slapped his hand away from her collar. Impactor showed no reaction and continued.
"That's right. We're in a give-and-take relationship. You push us to grow stronger and we make you feel alive again. We're conspiring together to give the world a major event every week for our own benefits. We're partners."
"Ha, you're definitely the only one in your team who sees it this way."
"Of course, I know that."
Impactor pointed at himself.
"That's because I'm sick in the fucking head."
".....Well, I won't deny that."
Impactor nodded.
"I have no problem admitting this, because I've accepted this about myself a long time ago."
He smirked.
"Since I was a kid, all I've been good at was violence. When I figured this out, I was so happy that I destroyed all the school bullies as a celebration. Not because they were bullies, just because they were the toughest around me. After that, it was a downward spiral of carnage and destruction."
"And you talk about it with such pride? You were a lost cause from the beginning."
Impactor nodded.
"I'm a psychopathic bastard who just loves to fight for no reason."
He pointed at Alala.
"And you're the same."
"Don't lump me with you."
"I don't know why you deny it so much. You, me, and Sinvula, we're the same; outcasts who can't function in society. I just happen to be on the side of justice."
"Justice?"
Alala burst out laughing.
"The "Heroes" of this world are different from the ones in comic books. They're just mercenaries wearing the masks of saviours."
"I fully agree."
Impactor answered instantly, which caught Alala off guard.
"I mixed them up in the beginning, which led me to do some embarrassing stuff in an attempt to fit in. However, I now know I was wrong."
He showed a wide grin.
"After all, they let a fucker like me in just because I'm strong. Real Heroes would've rejected me right away."
"....You, do you show this side of you to your team?"
"Of course, I wear my heart on my sleeve. Yet, they still accepted me. I'm sure it's the same for you and Sinvula. Your comrades accept your craziness."
"......."
"It's because my friends accept me that I can say this with complete confidence."
He spread his arms.
"Everyone in Kismet will become like us and lose their fucking minds! And when they do, is when the real fun begins! The real Sovereigns will make themselves known!"
With a savage gaze on Alala, he boldly declared.
"And when that happens, you and Sinvula will finally get what you deserve."
Alala looked at him for a while before—
"Pfft! Hahahaha!"
She burst out laughing. Impactor didn't care and kept his wide grin. Alala removed her mask and revealed her smile to Impactor.
"We'll get what we deserve, huh?"
Her smile widened.
"That will be a glorious day indeed."
Impactor nodded while laughing.
"Right!"
Alala turned away from him and lifted her hand in the air. She mumbled something inaudible, and a bright glow engulfed her hand. The light engulfed the area, forcing Impactor to close his eyes. When he reopened them, Alala was gone. He approached Belinha and examined her for a while before searching for the rest of his team. After searching for some time, he was able to find them one by one.
"They're all fine, just unconscious."
He looked down on them after laying them next to each other. He sighed in relief and sat on the ground. He started clenching his fists as a frustrated expression stained his face.
"Just you guys wait...."
A grin crawled onto his face.
"We'll reach you for sure."
Meanwhile, Alala was flying above Japan at the speed of a plane.
"You look pleased."
Mishma appeared next to her, casually flying along.
"I won't lie, I am. They showed immense growth when under pressure. It shows that they have great potential."
"What I was mostly impressed with is how that Impactor kid stood up to you and didn't back down at all. He told you what you needed to hear without fear for his life."
"What do you mean by, I needed to hear?"
Mishma laughed and didn't respond.
"Hm?"
She stopped in the air.
"What's wrong?"
Alala also stopped in the air.
"It's nothing. I just forgot something."
Mishma smiled at Alala.
"You can go on ahead and meet up with Amadi. I'll catch up."
".....Alright."
Alala flew off after looking at her for a bit. Mishma floated in the sky alone and looked towards the east.
"Now, this is interesting. I'm actually being watched."
She smiled.
"Best of all, I can't accurately pinpoint where I'm being watched from. Although I can tell it's only for a short while."
She started to clap.
"Way to go. You've definitely become stronger since we last met. As I thought, a being of your level shouldn't exist in this small world."
Her smile turned into a grin overflowing with excitement.
"I can't wait until you're ready, Sin Sentinel."
She blasted off following behind Alala while laughing.
"....."
Alala flew in silence while remembering Mishma's face.
"Was she....surprised?"
Mishma wore a rare expression which left Alala puzzled.
"I'm back."
She turned her head.
"Welcome ba—"
She swallowed her words when she looked at Mishma, who was flying beside her.
"....Wings?"
Mishma had returned with a pair of large raven-like wings on her back.
"I thought I would stretch them a bit. I don't want them to weaken because I haven't used them in a while."
"Weaken? Are you saying they're real?"
Mishma showed a confused face.
"Of course they're real."
She stretched a wing towards Alala.
"Want a feel?"
"Nah, I'm good."
"Really? Is it because they look ominous? Sorry, but I can only materialise these; the rest of my wings can't exist here."
"....."
Alala stared at Mishma for a while before saying—
"Seriously, what are you?"