The group arrived at the training camp outside the city in a grand fashion, the spectacle drawing the eyes of every soldier and civilian in the vicinity. Watching Remilia Scarlet hovering effortlessly in the air, her wings silhouetted against the sky, Yelena—who had rushed over the moment she heard the news—pulled little Flandre's hand and asked in a sharp whisper,
"How strong is your sister, really? The Old Stubborn won't be in any real trouble, will he?"
Flandre scratched her head, thinking for a moment before answering. "My sister's pure destructive power isn't as great as mine, but in a battle she doesn't want to lose, she won't lose—not unless her opponent completely overwhelms her with sheer, absolute strength!"
Yelena breathed a long sigh of relief upon hearing this, her shoulders relaxing slightly. "So you're saying your sister's combat power isn't actually that high?"
"That's not it at all; Big Sister is very, very powerful."
Just as Flandre finished speaking, the battle between the two legends began. With a sharp, elegant wave of her hand, a crimson spear—the legendary Gungnir—materialized in Remilia's grasp. Without a word of warning, she threw it directly at Buldrokkas'tee.
The Patriot moved with the practiced instinct of a century of war, raising his massive shield in an attempt to block the projectile. But when the blood-red spear struck the metal, the impact echoed across the training grounds like a clap of thunder. He realized instantly that he had still underestimated Flandre's sister. The immense, concentrated force transmitted through the shield was so great that it forced the towering Wendigo back two full steps.
This moment stunned every spectator present. This was only the very first blow, yet Buldrokkas'tee—the man everyone in the Reunion Movement considered the absolute pinnacle of strength—had actually been pushed back in a single move.
Buldrokkas'tee did not become angry or panicked by the display; instead, he simply shook the large shield in his hand to settle the vibration. "Again!"
Remilia had also gained a rough understanding of her opponent's strength through that initial exchange. Although he looked a bit disheveled after backing up, she noticed there were actually no marks or dents on the large shield in his hand. While those two steps back looked like a loss of footing, he had actually used the movement to completely neutralize the kinetic impact of her attack.
Remilia spread her wings wide, and as a massive magic circle expanded behind her, the clear blue sky of the tundra suddenly transformed into a dark red, overcast firmament. A transparent, ghostly image of an ancient castle hung high in the sky, and countless bats flew out from behind her, scattering across the battlefield like a living cloud. Simultaneously, rings of large, glowing magic orbs began to rain down toward the ground, blotting out the very sun.
Seeing this scene, many of the watching soldiers gasped in collective shock. Yelena turned back to little Flandre, her eyes wide. "Is this what you meant by her destructive power being a bit lower than yours?"
Due to his massive size and heavy, specialized equipment, Buldrokkas'tee couldn't dodge effectively. He could only plant his feet and raise his shield to block the descending magic orbs while using the spear in his other hand to parry the swarm of bats. After a series of thunderous explosions that rocked the earth, a thick layer of dust and smoke rose from the ground, obscuring everything.
Just as the crowd began to worry, a heavy spear suddenly shot out from the smoke like a lightning bolt, aimed straight for the midair vampire. Remilia, however, merely gave a faint, bored smile and flicked it aside with her own spear the moment it reached her.
When the dust finally cleared, Buldrokkas'tee appeared before everyone once again. He looked much more disheveled this time; he was still standing, but his legendary shield now bore slight, visible cracks. Having thrown his weapon at Remilia, he had also lost his primary means of long-range counterattack. Sensing the duel had served its purpose, Remilia ceased her assault and descended.
"Well? Is my skill up to par?" she asked, her tone regal and calm.
Buldrokkas'tee gave a slow, respectful nod. Flandre's family and friends were all extremely skilled at flying, just like her, which gave them a massive natural advantage over terrestrial opponents. Combined with these overwhelming magic bullets, each of them could be considered a mobile, one-man Caster squad.
"It is," the Patriot rumbled. "Now, let's find a quiet place to talk."
As the crowd began to disperse, several figures watching from the heights of the mobile battleship withdrew back toward the Rhodes Island base.
"Pith, what do you think of Flandre's sister's level?" Logos asked, his voice low.
Pith thought for a moment, her expression grave. "Encountering them on a large-scale battlefield is nearly impossible to deal with."
Logos agreed. If he encountered Remilia on a field of war, the only thing he could do would be to cover his teammates' retreat as much as possible, saving whoever he could. There was no helping it; she possessed absolute aerial superiority and threw those magic bullets around as if they cost nothing. To make matters worse, her flight was extremely agile. Under such carpet-bombing tactics, the more soldiers one had, the worse the slaughter would be. Conversely, only a small, elite squad might actually have a chance to maneuver and counterattack.
"Where did these two Blood Demons come from? Logos, do you know of this Scarlet family among the Blood Demons?" Pith asked.
Logos shook his head; it was his first time hearing the name as well. But judging by the strength displayed, he knew that if this family had been in Kazdel during the civil wars, the allied forces likely wouldn't have been able to break through at all. This combination of aerial bombardment and high mobility was the ultimate nightmare for any large army.
On the other side of the camp, Buldrokkas'tee led Flandre and her group to a secure, quiet room and finally began telling them the truth about the Demons—the Collapsals. After listening to his explanation, the group from Gensokyo finally gained a better understanding.
It turned out that the Collapsals had been appearing in the north for an unknown number of years. Currently, most of the military forces of the northern countries, including Ursus, were stationed along a permanent northern defensive line. Although these nations fought each other to the death in private, they all understood a fundamental truth: if the Collapsals were allowed to enter the heart of the continent, all life on Terra would perish. However, because information about the Collapsals could not be shared freely—as the very knowledge of them could empower them—only high-ranking officials and the frontier troops knew they existed.
"I see!"
After thanking the Patriot for the information, the group returned to their lodgings. By now, Ibuki Suika had already departed for Higashi, but Aya Shameimaru had taken her place, keeping their numbers steady.
"These Collapsals are a major problem. What should we do next?" Remilia asked as she sat down in their apartment.
"Aya Shameimaru and I will head north," Yukari Yakumo decided. "We will try to capture some Collapsals to bring back for study. Eirin, you should continue with your medical research here. According to the plan, we will stay for another month before returning to Gensokyo to make further arrangements."
Yukari looked at Flandre and Remilia after she finished speaking. "When the time comes, who among you will stay here, and who will go back together?"
Flandre immediately gripped Remilia's hand tightly. Remilia rubbed her sister's cheek with a soft smile. "I definitely need to go back. My ability is necessary for us to facilitate the travel between here and home for now. Sakuya Izayoi will stay here to help me look after little Flandre. As for Patchy..."
Patchouli nodded. "I'll stay. I can help look after her, and it'll be a good chance to teach little Flandre some new things about magic."
Flandre hugged Remilia's arm, her voice small. "Big Sister, do you really have to go back?"
"Don't worry, little Flandre. We're going back this time to use the specialized equipment at the Mansion to test if the items we're bringing back are usable, and to assess the status of certain creatures here. We'll be back again very soon." Remilia stroked her face, soothing the young vampire's anxiety.
Later that afternoon, while the two sisters were strolling along the streets of the mobile module, Alina found them.
"Good afternoon, Miss Remilia. Good afternoon, little Flandre."
"Is there anything you need help with, Big Sister Alina?" Flandre said happily, her mood lifting at the sight of her friend.