{Hello there my lovelies, now I had hoped to get this chapter out by Christmas but that did not happen, then I tried to get it done by new years, that also didn't happen...soo here's your late Christmas/new year's gift from me my lovelies! Hope you enjoy}

Chapter 24 The Kings Storm

[Pov Swap, normal. First person]

I hummed a happy tune, my level is rather ridiculously high. When the terrorists attack I'll be able to literally slap them away, with a dead piece of skin. {Partner, why did you recruit that dragon king?} Bahamut asked me and was that jealousy I hear in his voice.

"Two reasons. One, sentimentality as he's from one of my favorite video games of all time. Two, because he can probably teach me the Thu'um and the secret third reason, it's always possible he can teach me destruction dragon slayer magic." I explain, my grin turning downright predatory as I imagine the applications. {I've known dragons less greedy than you partner.} Bahamut deadpanned.

"I prefer the term, ravenous." I counter, I was about to walk in but I had a much better idea. Quickly glancing around for anyone who could see I climb to the top of the center building. {You do know this could backfire, right?} Bahamut informed me.

"Yes well, it'll look awesome," I tell him, Bahamut nods in agreement. Time to make an entrance.

[Pov swap. Rias, third person]

The young Gremory nervously awaited the arrival of her friend?….ally?...Mores. She was waiting for him, and she wasn't alone. In addition to her precious peerage. Her brother, Serafall, Azazel and his student, even Michal was here. The current leader of heaven was nice enough, he even granted Issie's request for Asia and Xenovia to be able to pray. However, the amount of holy light emitting from him sent shivers down her spine. Though, it wasn't nearly as bad as when Sona told her what Mores did. 'I understand why he did it, and honestly, I'd probably do the same, but he can't just willy nilly do whatever he wants. It could end up backfiring.' She thought with a sigh, she grabbed her drink and went to sip.

The glass shattered as she felt a pressure unparalleled to everything before it. Kokabiel, the strongest foe she's ever faced, never elicited this primal fear in her. Not even the after-effects of Mores's balance breaker didn't cause her to kneel where she stood. She tried to stand but the pressure is an iron hand, pushing her head and body down low. She managed to look up and see the leaders of the three factions in the same pose she was.

"A dragon king?!" Sirzechs gasped, the very effort to spoke nearly caused him to bite his tongue off.

"It certainly feels like that, I thought Tiamat was in that familiar forest?!" Azazel asked, actually biting his tongue. Michal shrugged, it looked like he didn't recognize this feeling. Then it suddenly stopped, her back sprung back and she was standing once again. The leaders ran out and she quickly followed, this was her territory and she would protect it.

The second she went outside, hurricane winds shook her to the very core. Her hair, carefully groomed, blown away, the living wind tunnel that was above her landing. It's powerful legs cracked the ground when it landed, pupiless blood eyes glared at them. Like Rias would glare at flies that buzz near her ears. A familiar reaper hopped off the dragon's back.

"Good job Alduin! An excellent entrance." Mores praised the dragon king, rubbing his head. The dragon snorted and disappeared into the shadows. Mores faced the assorted leaders and Rias, clapping his hands together.

"So, nice to meet you all. I hope I'm not late." He said casually, Rias gawked at him and where the dragon used to be. Before she could get a word out edgewise he was already inside and sitting down.

"Well, let's not waste any more time." Mores said Azazel laughed as he went back inside. Michal and her brother also did so, though Serafall was visibly concerned, if only for a moment. She went inside with Rias and her peerage.

[Pov restored]

The meeting itself was a dreadful bore, I nearly fell asleep during the whole thing. It didn't help I was counting the seconds until the Khaos brigade attacks. The only thing that kept me from passing out was lord Michal sitting next to me. 'And there it is again.' I think to myself, it's damn near instinctual to refer to him as lord Michal. It's identical to what I felt when I was with the Grim Reaper. It could be that reapers are angels, in a way, so calling him lord Michal makes sense then.

'I'm probably overthinking this.' I sigh inwardly. As the seconds ticked by the conversation turned toward me, it was a little surprising until I remembered the job I basically elected myself into. So I turned back into the conversation.

"So, will you be taking any more nobles to get slaughtered?" Sirzechs asked me, I just smirked behind my mask.

"No, I already filled my quota for patriotism. While I doubt I got all of them, I'm sure the remainder can handle the scraps." I tell him, I had no intention of taking out more trash. It's to much boring work honestly. Sirzechs looked absolutely livid, and I found it hilarious. He no longer scares me, and in all honesty, he should fear me now.

"Now, now. Let's not let personal squabbles dissolve perhaps the only chance for peace." Lord Michal reminded us. I sigh and nod, leaning back in my chair. Sirzechs also backed down. From the flow of the conversation, it sounds like it'll be ending soon. A small screen appeared in the corner of my eye, one of the few alarms that survived the battle with Kokabiel just went off, it told me the information of the wannabe attack force.

'They're a little late, but that's to be expected.' I say in my head as the peace conference was ratified. Peace was finally established, and all that good shit. Vali moved from his spot in the corner, I grin as a dagger formed from my shadow. Shadows of human magicians in the corner of my eye as Vali grew closer. The dagger finished forming as I turn my around, just as vali got into my personal space.

He smirked and I can see his hand glowing, my dagger spinning underneath and I was ready to lunge

CRACK!

That noise filled everyone's ears, we all screamed and clutched them. My ears bled as did rias and her peerage. Though they were at risk of bleeding out from their ears. Koneko was crying from the pain as both sets of ears bled rivers. I was also the only one who wasn't paralyzed from the pain, though the faction leaders and Vali were quickly recovering from that rather painful process. I dashed outside, my boots splashing in the blood of the dead humans, I looked up to the sky and horror-filled my bones.

The very sky, no, time and space itself were cracking as a very familiar ship was just visible through the cracks in the sky. The cracks grew and shards of this very reality fell down upon the entire country. Thankfully they disappeared before they were at risk to the citizens of this island nation, though that was the only thing I'm thankful for in this situation.

CRACK!

Another mighty blow to the fabric of my reality, the infinite gap was visible for a fractal of a second. The ship, no, the damn Dreadnaught is now clearly visible for all to see. A barrier had been put up around the school, most likely by the faction leaders. Instead of healing my ears, I called upon every summon I can. Nokris, upon being summoned, looked up in equal amounts of horror as I feel.

"That proves it, as much I hate to admit it. The Taken King has come for vengeance. He certainly didn't waste time." I murmur, I think, my voice sounding muffled to my own damn ears. If I focus, I can see some witches around the, almost, hole in reality. They're brute-forcing their way in.

SHATTER!

The thin piece of reality keeping them from coming in fell apart, the massive beast of a ship flew right in. Hurried footsteps behind me as the faction leaders and Vali run beside me and my summons.

"What the hell is that?!" Sirzechs demanded of me, looking absolutely terrified, as he should be.

"That, that is doom. Death, and possibly extinction if we don't stop him." I tell them as nonchalantly as possible, healing my broken ears. Oh, the looks on their faces are absolutely priceless, and Vali's was the best. He doesn't want the world to be destroyed, and who would.

The Dreadnaught stopped just after entering our atmosphere, however, smaller hive fleets came down at the speed of sound. Taken rifts were popping up all over the damn place. A large projection of the King himself appeared in the skies, and I gotta say. I'm far too excited, in fact, I should be terrified of this and yet I can't stop smiling.

"Where is the one who killed my Son? Speak now, or I will destroy this planet and you along with it." His voice may have held the illusion of calm but I can see in his eyes, he's angry. I swallow down all the fear in my body and fly up to meet the projection.

"That would be me, Oryx. King of the Taken." I say, bowing slightly at the mention of his title. Like that, his eyes were clearly on me. I struggle to breathe under his gaze, I'm being strangled by look alone. 'He certainly gives credence to the old saying.' I think to myself.

"You." Was all that he said, no surprise. No annoyance. Just rage, it wasn't even a question. It was a statement, a threat. Suddenly before I could respond a flashing red screen appeared in front of me.

Warning! Warning! A divine enemy has marked you for oblivion.

Oh, that sounds ...lovely. I'm totally not panicking. 'AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!' My inner thoughts betray me as I was close to wetting myself. Oh boi, no choice for diplomacy.

"Thief. You used my own blade to kill my progeny. I'm not sure whether to compliment such cleverness or kill you outright." He snarled, I try not to gulp at the visible wrath coming off him.

"Ummm, I'd prefer if you complimented me." I counter stupidly. Shutting up now would be good but I can't. Shit talking is my specialty and I can't stop myself.

"I suppose should commend you. You eliminated a weakness from the universe, and I am happy that such a deed was done using my weapon-" he stopped for a moment and then, the projection's eyes ignited in flames.

"-However. That. Was. My. Son. I will have vengeance. You will die, and then this earth shall follow." Oryx hissed, his ship charging up that fuck you weapon that he personally powered. My brain went a thousand miles per hour, and then an idea struck.

"Halt!" I manage to yell, despite my every instinct yelling at me to not do that. Thankfully, I managed to stop him. Okay, so far so good. The projection was glaring at me, somehow, even more furiously than before.

"You dare-" He started but I halted with a giant shadowy hand. Time to shit talk!

"So is combat by blade not your custom, or do you deem me unnecessary for the honor, even though I killed your kin in the very same manner after he sealed my strength," I tell him a half-truth, Crota did steal my strength but only from how powerful I should've become. Oryx doesn't need to know that.

"You imply much." He hissed, I just put on a false smile.

"I imply the truth. Your son was too much of a coward to face me at full power, so he stole it from me. That is what led me into taking it back, along with taking his blade and head as trophies. Are you willing to show equal cowardice as to your son?" I mockingly ask. The fact that the fuck you weapon was powering down told me all I needed to know, got him. Now to reel him in.

"Or, will your blade. The infamous Willbreaker, lead your forces into battle. In hopes of shattering my own false copy of your precious blade." My grin was wide. The projection turned off and I landed back on the ground. Rias and her peerage finally came out of the building.

"What, just happened?" Rias asked me.

"I..I bought us a few minutes. Probably less though, hope you all are ready for a fight, cause, he's bringing war to our gates and we are unprepared as fuck." I tell them. Rias and Sona had many emotions running across their faces. Their older siblings meanwhile were ordering for every last devil in the army to come to Kuoh at this very moment. Azazel meanwhile, was just poking the dead wizards by the sides of the building.

"Azazael, why the fuck aren't you calling anyone?!" Vali asked of him, to be fair I'm kinda wondering the same thing.

"By the time the fallen army could be assembled, we'd long since be dead and I'd rather not have one of the few miracles left in this world on my ass. No offense Michal." Azazel said to Michal, Michal meanwhile was busy picking up some of the guards, angel and devil alike, and bringing them back on their feet.

"None taken," Michal said as a few surviving mages stumbled out of the bushes. Along with the leader of this ruined squad, Cattleya Leviathan I think her name was. She was paler than I am and covered in a nervous sweat. Honestly, she is such a minor character that I almost observed her, I barely recognized the bitch.

"Well, if it ain't a member of the old Satan faction," Azazel said, twirling a golden stake in his hand. Vali tried to look just as surprised as the rest, but his talent is in fighting not in acting. Before anyone could question either of them, I brought everyone back to reality with me mass summoning everything I could. Skeletons, shuffling corpses, skeletal mutts, and my High Council.

"You guys can question each other later, but first, we have to survive what happens next," I tell them as Wraith suddenly appears behind Cattleya, his scythe-like claws curled around her throat. Her fear dramatically increased as she tried to move, but the claws just touched her throat, She froze as blood dribbled down it. A small cut was made right over where the Adam's apple would be if she had one.

"As for you miss Leviathan. Don't do anything stupid, or else your head will be the first to hit the ground." I say in a calm and even tone, I can not spare emotion on such an insignificant bug, but her suddenly betraying us could turn out bad. Wraith let her go, and she nodded fiercely.

"O. the honor of the true Leviathan house I shall fight to the end .with you." She stuttered, her eyes fixed solely on me. I didn't trust her words, but I did trust the fear drenching them so I nodded and turned my back on her.

"Are you sure there is no one that can get here in time?" I ask Azazel dryly. There must be someone he can call before he could say anything a portal appeared above us and four familiar crows fell right on top of Azazel. It was Raynare and the other three fallen buffoons. Azazel pushed the tangled mess of fallen off him and stared at them, smiling but there wasn't much humor in it.

"I thought I told you four to stay at the Grigori, permanently." Azazel 'asked' them, Raynare was the one to speak, she was the first to get up and kneeled to Azazel.

"I thought you would be in danger, that someone would certainly interrupt the peace meeting and catch you with your guard down. So I followed you since you left and I brought these three for backup." Raynare explained. I raise an eyebrow, I wasn't dubious of her statement, I was just surprised she could recognize a trap. Well, she set one up to kill Issie, so I shouldn't be too surprised.

Raynare finally looked to the left, and all the color in her face, and her wings, drained completely to bone white. I gotta say, watching her stumble back onto her minions was rather entertaining. Wraith growled at her and looked close to feeding on her, but I held him back with a hand gesture.

"Hmm, it seems like we're on the same side today. Try not to die so quickly, I do need to talk with you after this fight." I tell her, she nods fearfully as her minions managed to peel themselves off the floor. As they did that I look up to the ships, and then I hear the sound of portals opening. One every Destiny player knows.

"Here we go," I whisper as I look up, hundreds of thousands of hive were dropped off into a large army-no, a large legion. Hundreds of taken make up the vanguard and rear of the legion in front of us. They covered the entire town, and I could faintly hear explosions coming from ahead of us, well into the town of Kuoh. It looks like there will be plenty of memory erasure after this. I could make out hive and taken commanders interspersed between the lines, and the very front were four shades of Oryx. Yes, five shades of Oryx. Four of them were the normal shade type, but the last one. The last one that led the at the very front, with one hand he wielded a sword pointed directly at me. The other is an open clawed h held at his side. Before the battle could commence, I got a unique screen. It was emblazoned with emerald flames and constantly changing runes, which made it more unique is that it was in the form of a scroll.

A grand battle shall start soon.

Forces of death: 80. (Reserve forces, 50) Average level: 1080

Allied: Forces of angels: 20. average level: 520

Allied: forces of devils: 40. Average level: 630

Allied: forces of fallen angels: 28. Average level: 460

Enemies: Forces of the Taken Crown: 150,000. Average level: 410

Difficulty: A-

Shall the glory of battle begin?

I wanted to ask how I could access my reserved forces but another screen popped up, telling me I hadn't assembled an army and thus can't access my reserved troops. Which really sucks, cause I need all hands on deck. I didn't see a button to push nor could I dismiss the screen with my hand. I opened my mouth, to try to vocally get rid of it, but those were not the words I spoke as time returned to normal.

"This is the day, let this treaty between races not be written in ink and words like that fragile ceasefire of yours. Instead, let the ground tremble under our combined might! Let these invaders run in fear of our combined strength and ferocity! Let the war between factions end forevermore! On this field of battle, arms linked together as comrades against an alien tyrant bent on destroying the world we all inhabit! Let their ashes and blood seal the contract of peace between the factions, and let us show these maggots, that we. Are. Not! TO BE FUCKED WITH!" My voice a roaring dragon, the only ones that came close to overwhelming it was my own summons voices rending the heavens apart with their joyous screams of bloodlust.

[BGM start: Army Of The Night, Powerwolf]

With Willbreaker in hand, I was the first to run to the battle. My summons ran right after me, and everyone else followed. The hive and taken advanced with similar battle madness. The bladed shade of Oryx went straight after me, he disappeared for a split second and appeared next to me. His blade already en route to my throat. 'Shit! Balance breaker!' I scream in my mind. The transformation was instant and with it, I was able to bring the blade up to block his strike, the impact of the blow sent me flying through the sky, it took all of my wings to slow down before I broke orbit. I came to a stop five minutes, and five thousand meters off the ground; my Willbreaker was smoking from that attack and yet not a crack in it. The king showed no surprise, he created the weapon to be the embodiment of his will. Copy it is, it still represents his will. That is why I shall make it mine, by taking his head!

Hurricane winds rise underneath us at my command, the sheer force of which forced us to separate. I move back, his shadow already zooming towards me. Instead of guarding I leave the sword down, and swing it up a second later. I sliced through his after image, as he floated a bit to my left. 'He's fast, I can catch him. I just need time, sadly I don't have much of that.' I think to myself, I already feel exhausted and the battle has only just begun. Small droplets of hive blood fall off my blade, the shadow scorches the shallow cut on his neck closed.

"For a fake, the blade is rather well crafted." the taken king compliments, before suddenly 'leaping' at me. Our swords clash together once more, the reverberations are visible and louder than any explosion I've ever made. My arms now know how glass feels under train tracks as a train comes. Shaking, rickety and already close to shattering. I use my shadow and try to harden it, to get better leverage. But instead, my shadow refused to harden and acted more like unstable sand. The clash breaks and Oryx's shade raises his sword and swings in the same motion. I flap my wings as hard as possible and propel myself out of my own shadow. 'Shit, that's never happened before.' I think, fending off another sword strike, I try using my shadow again and send a lance of darkness upwards. Instead of impaling him, he holds back my blade with one hand and stops my lance cold with the wave of his other hand, the lance melts back into my shadow.

'Well, this is a new feeling. His darkness affinity is actually equal or higher to mine.' I think nervously as I hold my ground against a flurry of sword swings, each blow sends ripples up my arm and cracks my balance breaker, little by little. 'I, really don't stand much of a chance do I?' I ask my partner. His chuckling was as nervous as I felt. Yet, instead of cowering to this shade of a god, no, the dark's sharpest sword I feel no fear. My grin turns mad as I launch my own counter-attack, Oryx keeps pace with my blows as I knew he could. He parried one of my reckless strikes and thrust his blade through my head, splitting my upper and lower jaw as the blade goes right through. I do not back up, to his surprise. Instead of raising my blade I blast pure fire in his face, he growls in pain and rips his blade free of my face, he covers his still burning wounds as my face slowly begins to piece itself back together. His eyes widen as it dawned on him, I don't die so easily. I wonder how I look to him, I know how I feel. Elated, excited, downright tingling with fear and joy. This is why I live, these types of damn near impossible fights against divinity are the sole reason why I chose to be a Gamer. My muscles are sewn slowly back together again as my mad grin refuses to leave.

"Finally, some real terror! Some real danger! Real fun!" I cackle my face on the verge of being fully healed but then splitting again due to my mad grin that would make the Joker proud. The air around ignites and becomes a veritable ocean of black flames as I cackle and send them towards the shade of Oryx. 'I may not win today, but I will burn myself into his, and the Darkness's, memory, for all of eternity. This night shall not be gentle, but it shall be glorious.' Multiple voices that sound like my own rang out in my empty head, I charge towards the king. Tsunamis of black fire in one hand, and a false weapon in the other. 'Let these flames light up the sky, for death has come and he shall leave no prisoners to yield.'

[Pov swap, Death Gun, third person]

Explosions kick up the ground as blades clash against the dark estoc of Sterben, his blade pokes holes in each knight that dares to challenge him to melee combat. The alien forces were being pushed back, the devils and angels, both light and dark, were surprisingly helpful in this task. Far more helpful than the sword of death thought, a witch's corpse falling off his blade as he stood on a pile of rubble.

The entire sky was lit up by his master's dark fire, which made fighting on the ground much easier as visibility was no small advantage. Especially as the smaller hive cower at the sight of the dark sun above their heads. Their leader's shades were little more than automatons, for the hive's king could not spare a single piece of power against Death gun's own master. The shades retreated along with the tides of hive, the forces of death are hot on heels of the aliens. Death gun jumped on a particularly big Ogre and stabbed it through the eye, but not going so deep as to kill it. Instead, he uses his blade to steer the head of the Ogre as it weakly tried to shake him off, the eye beams that it meant to kill Death Gun were instead aimed at the retreating hive soldiers. Though the ogre fell over dead after only a few minutes of this type of battle.

"So this is Kuoh, it looks better with blood in the streets." Death gun said offhandedly, he waded through the mixed blood in the streets. Death cries echo throughout homes as they were run over, or killed by the retreating hive, though the deaths of humans were much more minimal than Death gun had expected. The hive soldier had no concept of urban strategy or hostages, they merely tore through what was in they're way. Some commanders of the hive actually had a shred of common sense and pulled houses off their foundations and used them as barricades against their enemies.

"Dear God." One of the fallen say behind him, Death gun merely rolls his eyes. For supposed warriors, they were rather squeamish. Taken thrall suddenly hop over the makeshift barricade, they glitch in and out of reality, getting ever closer. Death gun pulls out his sniper and takes shots in the wave, each shot is a deathblow due to their number, he hardly needs to readjust his aim. Wraith zips by him and rips and tears each enemy in twain, their bodies return to a dimension of dark yet that does not concern death gun. Alduin comes down and scorches the taken horde, Death Gun and Wraith do not need to take cover. 'Who knew friendly fire being turned off would be a tactical advantage.' Death Gun thought to himself, chuckling as he pops a curious acolyte's head off, his sniper still hungry for blood. Yet death gun's bloodthirst can only be sated in close quarters combat, so he charges alongside Wraith and their hive prince. The angels fly above them, the exorcists with their holy blades join their charge, and the devils were on top of buildings killing small fry while staying out of the danger.

Wraith cuts the building in half, Death gun feels a tinge of jealousy as Wraith slips through the cracks, he would get first blood on the enemy leader. Nokris charges through the building while Death gun pulled himself on top of the crumbling building. Wraith had left one of the leaders alive, a weird looking knight with a purplish coat thingy as Death gun called it. He feels as if his master mentioned this knight, but he really can't remember the knight's name. He honestly didn't care about dead men's names anyway, Nokris bursts out the other side and the house begins to collapse. Death gun slides off the rubble and impales a poor thrall upon his blade.

"Traitor!" The strange knight bellowed at Nokris, who wore the insult as a badge of honor and merely waved at the strange-looking knight leader.

"Hello, there uncle Warpy, nice to see you again. I must be off, got your forces to kill and to get a good seat to watch my father die, so bye." Nokris said, teleporting away and avoiding a sudden blast of Warpy's weapon. It was only then that Warpy noticed Death Gun staring up at him. Warpy started to speak, but Death Gun didn't hear him. Instead, Death Gun wiped his blade clean and then thrust it towards his throat. Death gun was surprised when the blade didn't sink into flesh but bounced off a large sword. Death Gun dodged a point-blank blast of Warpy's gun. He bounced to the left, and then to the right as a sword came crashing down where he once was. 'Huh, he's not bad.' Death Gun thought to himself as he twirled on his heel and thrust his blade forward. The blade was blocked, Death gun huffed and hopped back. Suddenly Warpy disappeared, in a wreath of purple light, instincts taking over death gun swung his blade upwards, and he wasn't attacking. A hive sword came crashing down and clashed with the estoc, the hive commander grinned as Death gun's knees shook under the powerful blow. An armored knee slammed itself into Death gun's stomach, the impact sent him through a nearby wall. Death gun coughs up blood as he tries to stand, using his sword as a crutch to help him up. 'Well shit, I underestimated the bastard.' Death gun thought to himself, steam erupting from his mask. He injected an elixir into his arm, the pain disappeared.

"Die," Warpy said, walking calmly towards Death Gun, firing his boomer. Death gun hopped over Warpy, retreating to the outside. Death gun spun on his heel, ready to fight. Warpy's grin dissolved and he charged, Death gun waited for him. Warpy fired another shot off his boomer and suddenly disappeared in a flash Warpy was once again behind Death gun. Everything moved slower to the red player, Warpy is plunging his sword down, the projectile is coming from in front and is getting closer. 'He may be strong, but not smart.' death gun said, unfurling his wings for the first time, he needed all the speed he could get. He flapped them with all his might and flew to the right, the hive realized his mistake, he had already committed to the strike, he could not move, the shot blasted in his face the Hive was bleeding from every spot on his face.

"Bastard!" The hive screamed, teleporting once more, but Death gun had caught on to his style and thrust right behind him, hitting the Hive right in the stomach, sadly it only scratched the skin. Death gun lost his balance due to the strike, the Hive bats him with the blunt side of his blade, Death gun was sent flying back into a building. Crashing into a hive knight that was hiding inside it, Death gun got up slowly, the knight did not. Warpy jumps in through the crack and presses his attack, Death gun dismisses his wings and defended the strike. The Hive's blade sunk into the ground, Death gun lunged with his own, the Hive ducked under the thin blade's point. He tackles Death gun to the ground, death gun tries to stab the hive but Warpy caught the blade and threw it to the side. Death gun brought his hands up as Warpy sent his own down. This was not a regal battle, but one of survival and hatred. Death Gun's arms struggle to keep his guard up upon the earth-shattering might of hive champion, yes that was what Mores had called them. 'He also said to never fight them alone, I suppose that's why Nokris left.' Death gun reflected as his arms crack and barely held back the monstrous creature of darkness in front of him.

As his guard shattered and the dark fists connected to his face, Death Gun could not help let his mind wander to the past. To the only other times, he ever struggled to win. The black swordsman, even now, still makes him angry; unlike the monster that was cracking his mask and skull. 'I want to kill him, but every time I lose. Every time we fight I lose, the first time I lost to him, the only advantages I had was surprise and killing others.' Death gun thought, not caring as his mask fell to pieces. He was a summon, after all, he didn't really feel pain all that much.

'The second time I fought him, I had every advantage. I had never stopped honing my blade, even in that holding cell. I fought everything I could, with both blade and bullet. He stopped honing his blade, he had grown complacent in the peace that followed SAO, and yet I lost to him. I should've won, but he cheated. That girl my stupid sibling was obsessed with, ruined my victory. It's only due to her I lost, and yet he thought he won on his own merit. He gave this speech to me as my avatar slowly died, that laughing coffin was dead.' The red player continued to think, his skull cracked open and blood pouring out of every wound. Warpy got up and left, even though Death gun was still conscious for the most part.

'I want to beat him, to kill him. That is why I accepted Mores's pact, that is why I take part in these battles that have nothing to do with me. I fight to grow stronger, to sharpen my blade so that one day I will beat the black swordsman. But, that day is not yet here, and I still have a job to do.' Death Gun thought to himself, struggling to sit up. The Hive bastard was gloating outside, he must've assumed Death gun was dead, but that's the thing about summons, they don't die so easily. Death gun struggled to stand, even though he would not die so easily, it was still tough to stand when most of the brain is mush. Death Gun injected himself with more elixir, though for damage this serious it would take more time to heal. 'That bastard is too strong to fight head-on, which means I should do the opposite of that.' Death gun concluded, but every time he pictured him fighting, he sees himself getting smacked by raw power. His estoc isn't sturdy enough to fully block that strike. Death gun ran through many options until one stuck out and it only came to him when he saw a hive knight sword laying off to the side by his estoc.

"...it's my best shot." Death gun murmured, absolutely despising what he's about to do. He reached over and grabbed both swords, he used the hive blade as a crutch and pushed himself up. Warpy heard this and looked back in shock, Death gun only glared at the hive commander for forcing him to use this plan of his. His skull was finally back in one piece, but the mask was still broken so Warpy saw Death Gun's absolute hatred and stepped back.

Warpy then snapped out of it and disappeared, Warpy came down from above. Death gun dodged the blow, though Warpy charged and brought his blade down upon Death gun's head. The clanging of metal rang through as the hive commander could not believe his eyes. Death Gun had blocked him with a hive blade, he kicked the hive in the gut and managed to move him back afoot. Before Warpy could counter-attack, Death gun took a rather sword stance. He held one sword, the hive sword, behind him, angled to the left. His estoc held in front of him angled towards Warpy. His knees were bent far to low towards the ground. Pyroclastic smoke burst from Death Gun's mask as he leaped towards the Hive.

"Starburst Stream!" He suddenly called out, he started swinging his blades, both seemingly at the same time. At first, Warpy could keep up with the two blades, but very quickly he was being overwhelmed. The blades kept accelerating, moving ever faster. As he was pushed back he could no longer see the blades, not fully at least. Only the glint of the estoc, and the shadow of the hive blade, was visible to the hive. Giving up on parrying Warpy used his sword to cover his vital areas and tried to move back, but with a flash of black flames, his hive blade was cratered into the ground. He jumped back, trying to grab a piece of plaster from the ruins around him. Death Gun did not allow, with hive blade, he smashed the pitiful plaster that stood in his way. With estoc, he punctured the thick plate of the hives arms, as Warpy desperately brought them up to shield himself. He pulled his thrusting blade out, to slice off the arms of the hive with the blade of its underlings. The howl of the alien would've echoed across the battlefield, had Death Gun not pierced the alien's tongue and ripped it out.

Death Gun was huffing, but not from exhaustion. No, it was from pure rage. This lowly alien forced him to use the technique of the man he despised so much, and now. This lowly would die so soon, and leave his rage unquelled? When that pitiful hunk of dust dared ignite his wrath? The flames of hell erupted out of his gas mask at the very thought of this worm getting off so easy. No, this insect will be his new dummy for which he will painfully carve into its flesh, a new technique he wanted to kill the black swordsman. One that would rival the starburst. He dropped the hive blade and smashed it under his foot, he only needed one blade for this.

"Void flow." He whispered, coldly. His estoc became drenched with his shadow, this move requires complete concentration, unlike the erratic slashing of the stream. The flow was precise, delicate and hell for anyone under it. His estoc flowed in and out of Warpy's torso, holes punctured in every which way possible. The shadow held all the organs intact and guided Death gun's blade. Slicing every nerve and vein but the all too critical ones. That way, he would turn his opponent into swiss, in every meaning of the word. It was not swift, it was drawn out and Death Gun very much intended for that to be the case. After minutes of this torture, he ended it with a stab upwards, following the path of the throat into the skull and puncturing the brain. Dust and slime-covered his blade, when the Warpy's body crashed down and turned to dust. He grounded every piece he could with his heel. There would be no trace of the bastard who made him use Kirito's signature skill.

"I'm done with my prey." Death gun murmured to himself, sitting down and looking upwards. The sky was still light with Mores's cursed flames, Death Gun knew he had to relax for a few precious moments. He had a feeling he would be called upon by his contractor. He laid down in the dust of Warpy, and watched the battle above him.

[Pov swap Wraith, first-person Pov]

Keep killing. Keep mowing down. Enemies fall, make sure they do not get up. Those are my orders, kill and kill and kill even more. Destroy and shred. Taken vessels teleporting across the plains of battle, a joke and insult to my hunt. Hate these things, kill these things, slaughter these things. I can not eat them, for they leave no corpses to feast upon. Hate them, so kill them. Lurking in the shadows and jumping out, trying to eat them before they die, but the moment they're necks snap, my throat is filled with dust and I am coughing. Hate, hate, hate, hate. I wish for blood and all I get is dust, bastards all of them.

Looking about the dust pool I create, there are very few of those blasted aliens that dare approach. They learn and praise strength, so they fear those that cut them down so quickly. 'That is what he told me at least.' my inner voice piped up. Growling I continue on, the Taken rats still attack, but they mean little to me. So slice, slice and slice. Down goes their heads as they return to whatever void they come from.

'Where am I?' I was able to ask myself, looking about I was in Master's neighborhood. Dust aliens still prowl, but we're destroying them. I leave the battlefield to check up on the master's home. Dust aliens try to get in my way, I return them to their cycle of endless death. As I got closer to the master's home, these little dustlings seem to grow in number, almost as much as when they first came here. Why, why? This place has no value, at least that was my theory until I saw stronger dustlings surround the master's residence. Diving into the shadows I listen to their conversation.

"So is this where that bastard lives? Why haven't we destroyed this place yet?" one of them said, they looked like those wizards but larger. Their heads are shaped like pyramids, red lines to a single glowing orb in the middle of their head. They even had a tattered cloak.

"Anuk, there are mighty seals on this dwelling. The last one to touch it evaporated. Once we break these seals, then we can enact revenge on the cretin in battle with our king, by killing whatever is inside." The other one said, looking identical to Ir. I hold in my wrath no matter how much I don't want to. 'They die. They die here. They will die here. They will die here screaming!' As my thoughts rampaged I didn't notice them setting up they're own counter seals. The barrier surrounding the master's home was now visible, as was a small crack.

"See sister, it's working. Not long no- watch out!" the other one yelled, pulling her sister out of the path of my swinging claws. I emerge from the shadows and leap at them. They teleported out of the way, I growl and look for the cowardly witches. I hear the buzz of electricity and slashed the balls of lightning out of the sky behind me. I look behind me and they're they floated above the ground. They should be terrified, and yet they appear to be calm. That is their first mistake.

"What is that Halak, an abomination?" Anuk asked her sister. Halak nodded, they can call me all the names they want. Won't help them escape this place alive.

"It is, let us sing it a song of obliteration, dear sister," Halak told her sister. They must mean the same song that other witch tried to pull when we killed the big green knight, Croatia or something. Well, I'll let them sing to their heart's content. Unlike them, I am immortal and even when they finish their song. I will just reappear and cut them down.

I heard sniffling, and the voice of a young woman trying to comfort the little one sniffling. I know the voices, I look to where the sounds are coming from just to be sure, they were coming from the master's residence of that I had no doubt. That small crack must be why I can...hear them. A little girl is crying, it must be from seeing those witches by in the windows. If I can hear them, it only makes sense they can hear what's happening out here. The witches begin their melody of death as the direness of the situation reveals itself. 'I cannot die, they can.' That dreaded realization made up my mind, I will not play with my food. One minute to kill both of them. 'Best to begin.'

"Supernova!" My atoms charged I warp up above the witches. I swing my claws down upon them. They push each other out of the way, never breaking their tune. 'Kill them. Kill them.' those were my only thoughts. I kept swinging at them, creating small platforms out of the air. Those slippery witches keep dodging me, they have long since given up attacking me. My swipes did nothing and time was running out. I try to mimic what my master does and bind them in their own shadows, but the binds I make are too slow to react. I may have his skills and affinities, but no experience in using affinities that aren't skills. But, I am a hunter, and I will hunt them.

"Chains. Of. The. Damned." I managed to get out, the chains wrap around both my arm and one of those witches. I tightened chains around the both of us, the witch of course struggled but I just pulled her closer to me. The chains continued to tighten, it hurts but I do not mind the pain. She was nearly within my range, so close, in fact, I can see the fear of being devoured in her eyes, she was no longer singing her song. Her sister meanwhile kept the song alive and zapped bolts of lightning into my spine. I couldn't move, or else the chains might untighten. I'm rooted to this spot thirty feet in the air.

My fangs are dust and the gums are next as I eat the pain, pulling the witch closer. She finally close enough to eat, and I unhinge my jaw as wide as it would go. She screamed, the sister screeched and threw her all into a massive bolt of lightning, but she was too little too late. I bite through the carapace of her neck and crunched the skull inside to dust as the body fades to ash. The lightning bolt connects and I explode in violent viscera.

Ir Aku something was the one remaining sister, had stopped her singing to grieve for her sister. Poor choice of judgment, I pull myself together silently. My flesh knitting back together as I use healing hands on myself. For the loud snap of bones, I timed it to her mournful cries of her fallen twin. Her shadow was long and the climb up was perfect. 'I want her to suffer.' The smell of her grief was spectacular, it's mouth-watering but that's not the emotion I want her to suffer the most. 'Fear, the fear of death is so silkily delicious. It's the perfect topping for any meal.' I rise to the top of her shadow, my claws emerged from the silent sea of her shadow. She looks behind as her neck is already hooked. She howled and threw every last bolt of lightning into my body, I grin as her fear-filled my nose. Ir was trying to sing her death song once again, but the notes were off. Her voice quivered like leaves in a tornado, and she will be ripped apart just as easily as those leaves.

"Silence." Was what I coughed out before I pull my claws towards my chest, her head fell to the earth as I devoured her body. Well, poured the dust down my throat, her fear made the dust palpable to my tongue. I fall back to earth shortly after that. I'm still hungry, the weak shades of the king are being kept at bay by the leaders of the factions and their kin. As I lick the dust off my claws, I move onwards from my master's house. This battle will be over soon, I'll once again be bored from the lack of the hunt. 'For now, though, I'll go find some Ogres, they actually leave some meat to eat.'

[Pov swap, Rias's peerage, third person]

Rias and her peerage fought for their lives. The thralls that were such easy pickings for the beasts of Mores, were overwhelming their position. It wasn't that they were each particularly strong, there were just so many of them. Fatigue was starting to set in, and it didn't help they were pinned down by a giant shooting death lasers at them.

"Rias! What do we do?!" Issie asked her, his balance breaker. The weapon that can kill gods, had gone through hell. The majestic red of his armor was diluted from scratches, and what places there weren't scratches were just gone from the armor itself. Bitten off by one of the lucky infinite thralls that just kept coming or blown off by a blue thrall that was intermixed between the hordes. Rias didn't know what they could do, but if she let her precious peerage know that. Things could get even worse for them.

"We need to get out of this position, and regroup with Sona or maybe one of Mores's council members." She told her family as she blasted slashed through a thrall that got too close to her. Her mana had long since been drained completely, she was thankful that Kiba could still forge blades for her and everyone else. She was also thankful she learned the basics of sword fighting from her mother. Kiba himself was ragged, he could still create swords but each one was a dip in quality from the last. Her own blade already had chips of the blade missing and the blade had only killed ten or so thrall, she was having difficulty keeping track of just how many she had killed.

"That is a good idea, but where are they? Mores is fighting the leader of the army up in the clouds above, I haven't seen any of his servants since the battle has begun and who knows where Sona is." Akeno said exhaustedly, her mana was close to bottoming out as well and her kimono was ripped to shreds a while ago. She may have been a slight masochist but even she couldn't get behind the amount of clawing hands ripping her apart. Asia was the only reason she was conscious and the poor ex-nun was on the verge of passing out herself.

"Well, we'll follow the bodies in regards to Mores's servants. They're bound to leave a trail of destruction in their wake." Rias assured her queen, trying to assure herself in the process. At that very moment, a new volley of laser blasts hit their little fortress and Issie ran over, desperately keeping the walls up from crumbling around them. Xenovia was keeping the thralls off his back as he did that. She arguably was the best off in this situation. Her holy sword cut through them like butter and she was trained by the church to last in a long drawn out fight. However, the claws of the thrall slipped past even her iron guard. Her bodysuit suffered but she had very few gashes herself, she knows a little healing magic so she wasn't overly reliant on Asia. That gave Rias a plan, a stupid plan but it was better than nothing.

"Xenovia, can your sword block magic blasts?" Rias asked Xenovia as pieces of ash and wall came fluttering down upon their heads.

"Durandal certainly can but my body can't withstand the recoil for long." Xenovia told her new king. Rias pulled a Mores and growled in her mind, she would not send Xenovia to her death. Then she looked at Issie and gained an idea.

"Issie, boost as much as possible and then transfer all the power to Xenovia." She ordered her pawn, who nodded. His balance breaker timed out and he started boosting. Thrall once again flooded in through the cracks of their little base, this time Rias protected Issie. She slashed and cut each thrall that came after her family. They swiped at her face and she bared the pain of their long claws ripping through her cheek and impaled them upon her own blade. The weapon was falling apart now, but she refused to get a new weapon from Kiba.

Not until something launched the thralls away, one of the Knights had entered their compound. He swung his blade towards Kiba, he blocked the massive blade but it shattered his weapons and he suffered a thunderous blow to the gut, that launched him into Asia. Asia was unconscious now, no more healing, Kiba barely had the strength to stand after that mighty blow to the stomach. Akeno launched a pitiful bolt of lighting at the knight, it barely phased the chitin giant. He swung his sword to behead Akeno, Rias barely managed to jump in and hold back the Knight. Her legs buckled under the strength of the knight, her sword let loose a mighty crack and she knew it wouldn't last much longer. The knight brought back it's sword for one last swing but instead of clashing with the beast again she stepped and thrust the blade in its throat with all her strength. The knight stumbled and choked on the broken steel in its throat, dropping its heavy blade on the ground. Rias took this opportunity and picked up the sword with both hands, as she could not even lift it with one. She threw her entire body weight and swung the blade upwards, cutting through the knight's head and killing it instantly.

She heaved and huffed, the blade was heavy and strained on her soft hands. 'If I drop this sword, I'm not gonna be able to pick it up again.' Rias thought, making sure her grip was tight on the absurdly big sword. Issie was thankfully done at this point, he Transferred his boosted power to Xenovia.

"Now what?" Xenovia asked the tired Rias.

"Now, now we run out of this hell hole as fast as possible. You will keep that giant monster busy, and if you have the chance. Kill it, but I can not stress this enough. If you feel like your being overwhelmed, run. Getaway as quickly as you can, I'm not losing a member of my precious peerage." Rias told her, she really would not allow such a thing. There would be no refunding of pieces today, or any day.

"Kiba can you stand?" Rias asked her knight, Kiba slowly pulled himself up and nodded. He walked a few feet and did not stumble, but he could not carry Asia who was still unconscious. 'Asia is out of the fighting, where's Koneko?' Rias realized the littlest member of their family wasn't here. She just had to hope she and Gaspar were okay, they're probably still at the school, that's what she told herself.

"Alright, on three. One, two. Three!" Rias yelled the devils dashed out of their hiding hole, the ogre that had them pinned was massive. Easily the size of a lesser dragon, it towered over the ruins of homes. Unlike the other ogres, this one is luminous green and had chains on its limbs. The Ogre roared and was about to blast the devils back to hell, but Xenovia caught its attention.

"Monster! I Xenovia, knight of Rias Gremory will be the one to kill you!" She yelled dramatically to get its attention. The Ogre turned it's head towards Xenovia, ignoring the other prey, just as Rias hoped. Instead of fleeing with her peerage, Rias stayed back to observe her knight's attack.

Xenovia charged towards the beast of fear, the Ogre merely roared and blasted at her. The ex exorcist blocked the projectile plasma and kept going, the recoil snapping back and smacking her head. She did not fluster nor did she stutter, she instead used her own boosted skull to keep the blade from recoiling and continued her charge. The Ogre, too dumb to shoot at anything but the bright blue blade coming right at it, had no defense for her diving underneath its legs when she got close enough. She hopped on it's back, it's arms to tiny to reach around its massive frame. She climbs up the beast, stabbing Durandal and pulling herself up. The blade only goes in a few inches, but it's just enough for her to climb further up.

The idiotic Ogre thrashed around, trying to throw her off but Xenovia would not let go. Neither would her blade slip-free. She pulled herself to its fleshy summit and with all her boosted power thrust down into the beast head. The pink flesh splitting apart as the Ogre screeched in agony, yet even as Xenovia pushed and pushed her blade deeper, so much so that only the handle of Durandal could be seen. The Ogre refused to die, the boosted power finally left Xenovia and she nearly slipped off the Ogre's head from the sudden loss of power, and her exhaustion and pain finally catching up to her.

'Damn it! Gotta hang on.' She thought weakly and held onto Durandal, but the Ogre grabbed her and slams her down. Xenovia coughs up blood as it picks her up, but instead of slamming her down again it begins to crush her. If it had an intelligent mind it would've killed her and be done, but no. Xenovia saw not intelligence but wrath it's beady eyes. She tried her best not to scream but she could hear her own bones break, she bites her tongue to stop herself from screaming but the blood rushing up her throat forces her mouth to open as a bloodied scream erupted from her lungs.

Rias stood by as her family member suffers in front of her. She wants to help but her body was locked by fear and she didn't hold the key. The Ogre will kill Xenovia soon, she knows this. It's only because of how simple-minded it is that Xenovia hasn't been killed already. 'Move, move damn it! Move!' She yelled at her body, but that required bravery and that Ogre, no, that nightmare had sapped her of all the courage she had. This, this is what war truly is. The peerage battles between devils, and the practice ones she and Sona would do, the devil council had told them they were a way to prepare the next generation for another great war. 'So wrong, so god awfully wrong.' She didn't even feel the spark of pain that came with saying His name, her mind was far too panicked to even notice the pain.

Explosions above her brought her panicked mind to focus, to the normal observer miniature suns would light up the night sky, but her eyes saw the truth. Mores was fighting against the enemy leader alone, and he wasn't winning. She could not see the detailed damage that was done upon him, but she did see the black blood flowing off every piece of his body. She could tell by the way his body that he was terrified, and yet as the dark leader of evil struck again he did not hesitate and unleashed more dark flames in the bastard's face. 'He's afraid, this is the first time I've seen him like that.' Rias thought to herself, even when Kokabiel came with his troops' Mores was more excited than terrified. He relished battle, that was the vibe he gave off, yet now he was visibly terrified and fighting not to win. But to survive, he was in his balance breaker form to boot, even at that power he's still not winning.

Xenovia's screams brought Rias back to earth, she couldn't take the pain anymore. Rias gripped the heavy blade, tight enough that the rough stone of the handle was slicing her skin open. Rias is terrified, but so is Mores and he's fighting with everything he has above the clouds. Her she was watching her knight suffer when she holds the solution in her hands, and yet her body refused to move because she was terrified?! 'I am better than this! I made a promise and I refuse to give up on it!' She screamed in her mind, her body finally thawing as she ran towards the Ogre. Knights and thrall ran towards her, she braced herself for a fight but spears of light erased the thrall and knights.

"Save your peerage member devil." An angel told her, one of the guards that Michal had brought with him. Rias gave the angel, the supposed enemy of her species, a thankful nod before she continued her dash. The Ogre still didn't notice Rias, too wrapped up in its sadistic torturing to notice the threat. Rias had managed to regain a small amount of magical power in the short period she watched helplessly. With it, she grew her wings back and used them to move even faster than before. She is now a spear aimed right for the Ogre's throat.

The Ogre finally noticed and turned around at the flapping of wings, but by then it was too late. Had the beast been smarter and just killed Xenovia, it would've been able to stop the demon's spear cold, but it made the stupid choice to focus on torturing Xenovia. Now, it was helpless as Rias's hive blade punctured through its neck, she only stopped when her blade hit Durandal that was still in its head. The beast dropped Xenovia, as Rias herself let go and fell on her back. The Ogre stumbled backward and died when it hit the ground.

Rias stumbled to her knight's side. Xenovia could barely breathe, her lungs were nearly crushed, bones jutted out of her arms and chest. Parts of her rib cage were even poking out due to the forces of being crushed. If she were still human she would've died from the shock but devils are made of sterner stuff, but Rias didn't kid herself. The wounds are still very fatal, if not treated soon. Asia was out cold and even if she woke up, she could not heal such a wound not as drained as she is. Then, more bad news came. More Ogres, smaller than the one she had just finished off, stomped towards her and Xenovia. Rias's legs refused her commands to stand, she could barely keep herself sitting up to face the nightmares that came for her. She could see her peerage in the corner of her eye running towards her. 'Damn, was hoping they wouldn't notice us gone for longer.' Rias thought to herself, she didn't like the idea of dying but she can no longer move, and her peerage could not save her. She closed her eyes and waited for oblivion.

…..

…..

…..?

'I'm still alive?' She thought to herself, the music of oblivion did not come. Instead, she heard the ogres collapsing in upon themselves, she opened her eyes and saw the Remnant's fish it's blade out the eye sack of one of the Ogres. Baffled she starred at the creatures as it ruffled through its bag and gave her two elixirs. The undead gave her a thumbs up, congratulating her on surviving so long, and left after that.

"...Reapers are weird." She murmured, she was soon hugged by Issie who was the first of her peerage to embrace her. The rest followed suit, after healing Xenovia of course with the elixer given. They were officially out of the fight, made even more clear when skeletons escorted the peerage back to Mores's home to rest. The school wasn't the safest spot, there Rias found Sona and her peerage waiting as well. They looked even more exhausted than Rias's own peerage. Instead of asking how they survived, the devils just collapsed upon the furniture, or the floor when there was no room, and passed out then and there.

[Pov return, Mores first person]

My flames do little against the Taken king's shade. But they do something, which is more than most of my strategies were doing so it's my only real option. The shade is covered in burns and several dozen cuts, not gashes, cuts. So all the damage I've done so far has been superficial at worst, at best. I've done some real damage but not enough to win this fight before I time out.

"Time is running out for you, you tire and grow weaker." The shade mocked from within the smoke, his sword cutting through the smokescreen. I predicted and blocked the blow, but my arms no longer shake at the force. I smack the blade up and sliced at his throat. He backed up just enough so I only scratch throat. Another one for the collection

"Well, your no spring chicken either." I taunt, bullshitting got me into this mess and it will get me out of it. {Partner, you're out of time, you need to finish this!} Bahamut told me what I already knew. Easy for him to say, he's not fighting for his life here. My mana is low, I'm bleeding several different places and I'm terrified right now. 'Why am I doing this? Just to suffer?' I meme in my head, the king would not get it and would probably get annoyed and kill me now.

The blades slap each other once again, for all the good it does me. I pull the air currents upwards to move his guard, it did not work. I call down black lightning down and he separates the dark from the lightning itself, and tanks it, as our swords clash mind you. The shadow is where most of the power in that spell comes from, and he split it apart with a wave of his fingers! It's so damn annoying and confidence breaking!

"Ahh, so this is what that feels like." I murmur. I duck under a swipe that would've taken my head off, my balance breaker is running on fumes. My options to win are all but gone until I got a clever idea. Oryx's shade swung his mighty sword towards my neck, I didn't block. My head bounced off his blade before falling down, into my shadow of course. Even if I was able to scream from the pain I bit my own tongue off. Blood erupted from my neck as my body started to lurch back, at that very moment I saw Oryx smirk and lower his blade. My body re-gripped my blade and ran him through before he could block. Oryx's surprised gag of pain is the single most satisfying thing I've heard all day.

A dark tendril reconnects my head as my balance breaker finally shatters. I can't help a smile until the unthinkable happens. He grabs the handle of my Willbreaker and pulls it out of him, I was hanging on to my sword so I couldn't help but gawk.

""How are you still alive?!"" We demanded of each other, I'm still alive because of Gamer's body. How the hell is his shade still alive? He has a hole through his stomach and lower chest! 'Double shit! Wraith! Wraith if you can hear me, I need help! Right the fuck now, get the whole council back on my position!' I ordered through the link, but I was already falling out of the sky. I try to activate my wings, but the shade suddenly appears and kicks me in the gut. I crash land before I even register the kick to the stomach.

'Triple shit! I can't track him anymore!' I tell myself, trying to melt into the cracks of the ground. The new plan, hide underground.

That plan went up in flames when the shade grabs my leg and pulls me out of the shadow. He starts using me as a club to beat the earth in, in a desperate attempt to keep conscious I slice off my own leg and landed on a roof a mile away.

"Good God, he's a lot stronger now," I say, but in reality, I was just a lot weaker. He re-appears in front of me, I throw roof tiles at him. He grabs my throat and throws me through more buildings. I tumble onto the ground and grab onto a nearby light post. I hoist myself up just in time to feel his fist in my face, I'm back to staring at the sky from within a crater.

"This is pathetic, just as you seriously wound me, you revert to this pitiful state?" Oryx's shade mocked as he kicked me out of the crater and onto the street above. I cough up blood but still smile, he was right but like hell, I'm giving up that easy.

"Call to Arms!" I yell, smacking Oryx with the banner before planting it in the ground. The ringwraiths appear by my side as I become the Witch King again ...now I can see the punches coming at me as my face caves in for the fifth time. 'Ow.' I thought to myself as the ringwraiths keep their fucking distance. I don't blame them but I am also pissed that they decided to Nope out of this situation. {Sword!} Bahamut brought me back to reality as I managed to block his sword, sorta. The mace I used to block is chopped in half and the leg that was under my mace was cut down the middle as well.

I use the baffled expression of Oryx to my advantage and smack Oryx with the mace head ...it bounced off his head and now he is looking straight at me.

"Now, I know what your thinking. Should I behead this idiot, and the answer may surprise, nice to see you again sir sky." I interrupt myself to greet the sky as I was thrown upwards, again. The ringwraiths continue their best attempt at being Greenland and look onwards as I get my ass kicked. I suddenly feel stomach pain and find I've been run through.

"Huh, weird." I manage before Oryx rips my head off and crushes it. A new one pops up near-instantly the moment he does that. He tries again but a new head pops right out, is this agonizing? Yes, is it stalling this alien warlord? Yes. At some point I'm back in the same crater as before, the only reason I'm not dead yet is that I have a bunch of elixirs in my shadow, of which I am consuming whole whenever he rips my head off and doesn't crush it.

"You, what are you? You resist death more than the guardians of the light." Oryx points out as he holds my spine.

"Well yes but actually no." I am in terrible agony but it won't stop me from making jokes. It hurts to laugh. He guts my back again and pulls out a fresh spine, I just laugh. I laugh when in pain, and I'm crying from laughter.

"You're not even trying to fight back anymore! What are you?! A fool?!" He demanded of me. I am no fool, but I am good at playing the fool. I can feel my high council in the shadow, just waiting for my order. I move to sit up but Oryx's hand is already around my throat and he's keeping me pinned.

"You know, strangling me doesn't kill me any faster than beheading me." I choke out as he crushed my windpipe.

"Perhaps not, but I want to make you suffer before I incinerate you, along with this planet, to dust." He growled, I just shrug. Veins of pure darkness appear on his head as his grips tighten. He was so preoccupied with that, he didn't notice the chains lightly wrapping itself around his ankles and snaking their way up to his waist. If this was his actual body, there's no way I could do this. Yet this isn't, it's an interactable hologram with his entire soul controlling it. Which explains why it's so stupidly strong compared to the original shades that go down from gunfire by the guardians. His sense of touch is lessened greatly because his sense of pain is equally lessened. I grinned and only then did he notice something was wrong. The chains pulled him down off me before he could break out the ringwraiths finally join and stab their swords through his ankles and wrists. Oryx's eyes widen in pain, true piercing pain. The blades of the ringwraiths work well on the body, but their poison attacks the soul, and since the sword produces the poison as long as they hold on. Well...I'm gonna win.

Oryx jerks his limbs, trying to either break the sword or have it slice through his flesh and out of his body. Cerberus came out from underground and put all his weight on Oryx's arms. Alduin follows Cerberus's lead and puts his weight on Oryx's legs. Death gun, Remnants, and Nokris sit on his back, Nokris just puts his hand down on his father's back. Wraith wraps his claws around Oryx's neck, he awaits permission and I'm about to give it to him.

"Heh." Oryx chuckled. Oryx was quivering but not in fear but quite the opposite.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" He started laughing madly. I am worried, I give Wraith the signal and he's about to end the shade, he calms down.

"Look around you." The king told me, I reluctantly do so and my stomach drops. Oryx's other shades circled me and my council, in their hands held the unconscious bodies of the faction leaders. I forgot all about his other shades, I just assumed my summons hunted them down before they could do something like this. In their defense I didn't specify targets, just to wreak havoc on their forces.

"You are cunning, you remind me of my sister. I underestimated a warrior like yourself, I apologize for treating you as a fool. Yet, I have the advantage." Oryx said, he was right but maybe I can bullshit my way out of this.

"You sure about that. Hell, I don't even like these people, some of them tried to kill me a few weeks ago. Do what you want with them, I ain't letting you go so easily." I tell him, Oryx only smiled as his shades began doing something I didn't expect. They began to Take them, the void shadows slowly crawled up their legs. They woke up screaming as their will was being shredded and overrun with Oryx's own agenda. I try to ignore it and to give Wraith the order, but the second I see it go above their chest I give Wraith the order to stand down. At first, he doesn't but I make sure he does, he disappears as I de summoned him. The Taking stops at their throats. Oryx looks rather pleased with himself until I pull my scythe out and put it at his throat.

"So you want them to be my pawns?" He asked as the taking resumes until I scratch his throat with my scythe. His eyes go bug-eyed as he stared up at me.

"My scythe has a similar ability to ringwraith swords, as it's made to guide souls to the afterlife or oblivion. If I kill you with this, not only does your true body dies. I become able to grab your soul and judge it, before destroying it and wiping you from existence. No trip to your throne world, permanent death and your legacy will be ash at my hands." I growl I'm not bullshitting either. Mostly, the only part I am is that I have to kill him with this weapon specifically to judge his soul. As for the whole, this weapon affects the soul, it's also a lie. I'm using an illusion on the blade to make it seem like he's feeling a slight amount of pain from the cut. It's taking a large amount of mana to do this without Nightmare or using any of my overtly illusion based skills.

"So, we're at a crossroads. You can kill me, but not before I take them all." Oryx said. My bluff brought me to the table, let's see what I can do.

"How about this, you give me them back and we stop the fight here." I start the negotiations stupidly high. He, of course, didn't accept such an absurd deal. No one in their right mind would.

"One of them." He countered, getting there. Oryx destroys his opponents through trickery and raw strength, more of the latter than the former, so his diplomacy skills are lacking which I will take advantage of.

"Three of them, and you keep the lone king of heaven." I countered Oryx did not care for titles like that.

"Two." from his tone I could tell that was his final offer.

"I can live with that, the two devils are the ones I chose to be let go," I tell him. Oryx nods, good. My back up plan goes underground and by the two shades.

"Now, when shall we resume this fight?" I needed enough time to prepare, two weeks would be perfect.

"Tomorrow, at dawn." He said.

"Absolutely not, It's nearly tomorrow already. Three weeks from now." I tell him, Oryx scoffs.

"One week." He says, not in the tone of that was his final deal but it was getting there, I can't go for two weeks at this rate.

"Ten days," I tell him, I grit my teeth silently as he mulls it over. He nods and I force myself not to sigh in relief.

"Ten cycles of your earth's sun and moon, and our battle shall begin anew. Be it on my ship or this planet." Oryx said.

"I couldn't agree more, your highness." I manage to get out. Very slowly I let my scythe go slack and remove it from his throat, my summons get off him and the Nazgul remove their weapons from his hands and ankles. His shades slowly let go of the Maous, at least until the sword shade of oryx was a good distance away. The second he got away, the normal shades tried to snap the necks of the Maou, wraith erupted from underground and cut their heads off before they stop him.

"Assimilate," I say as the darkness of his dead shades tries to return to his ship, but instead go into my gauntlet. I look up to Oryx, he's still smiling as the two prisoners he brought with him transformed themselves to being the Maous I wanted free. My eyes widen as the 'Maous' I thought I rescued became the angel leaders. 'Shit! They were physically transformed so I couldn't tell, how did he do that?!' I wondered but Oryx merely waved goodbye and left with his prisoners through a portal of darkness. The remaining hive army fled through portals back up to Oryx's ship, the ship itself flew right back through the sky and the hole in the sky visibly sealed and left a rather big scar for all to see.

I collapse onto my ass, taking deep breaths as the fear finally passed through me and the realization hit. I didn't win that fight, but no one could say I truly lost it either. It's a tie, the first tie in a battle that mattered, something no gamer ever has done, and I'm the one who broke that record. It may be a tie, but damn if just surviving feels like a victory. I gaze at the two angels that I managed to save, no screens popped up yet so I have a little time until the system fully the battle is done.

"So, who's gonna Rias and Sona I lost their siblings?" I asked my council, at that moment they decided to nope out of existence. I should've felt annoyed but given I just survived a battle against a being that kills entire civilizations and planets for fun, I'm just giggling like an idiot.

"Cowards! Smart cowards, but cowards!" I yelled at the empty space where they stood, I sigh and try to stand but my legs do not like that idea. "Well, might as well relax. I won't be able to for the next few days after all." I gaze up to the new scar in the sky, for it is jagged, rather hard to focus on and rather purple. I do find it pretty.

Time flew by, I followed the moon's full ascent into the sky before I could feel my legs again. When I did, I kicked up and made my way back home. Thankfully my council had done the sensible decision of bringing them back to my home, the two angel leaders I had skeletons carry them, none of my other strongest summonses answered my call so I made due. I was initially worried about just walking through town with skeletons behind me, but that soon became a non-issue. People were far to busy sifting through their homes to notice, what they were looking for I did not know. Bodies lie broken by the road, the hive did not only attack the supernaturals. Men, women, children. All types of dead lined the roads and under rubble, I tried not to blame myself for their deaths. Thankfully there were more injured than dead, small victories I suppose. From what I can see, there are only two types of wounded. Superficially and fatally wounded.

"Hey, Hey mister." A child tugged at my leg, I glance down to see her face burned by what I can assume to be arc fire. Besides the small burn that covered the entire face, she's perfectly fine,

"Yes." I bend down so I can hear her more clearly. She wordlessly pulled me to a smashed pile of bricks that was a home, I can see an older woman pinned under the rubble. I don't think she's breathing.

"Can you help me unbury my momma? She pushed me out of the way when the big floaty monsters came and broke our home. Daddy isn't back yet from our neighbors, which is why I'm asking you since you look strong like my daddy." She told me. I am so glad for my mask as I get closer to the woman, she is clearly not breathing. Her skin is as pale as mine, and when I used the shadows to poke around the rubble, I can't find her lower body, must've been crushed to goop under the building. Her mother is very much dead, but I can not just leave her mother here. If I do, she's likely to stay here, asking strangers until she dies from the cold.

So, I lift the rubble just enough to pull her mother's torso out. I try to be gentle with the body as I pull it out, the little girl doesn't deserve to see her mother more maimed. The little girl is silent for a long time until she tugs my leg again.

"When will momma wake up? Momma and daddy said she's gonna take us out to dinner." She told me, I say nothing as I have nothing to say. The child seems to catch on, I pull a blanket out of my inventory and put it over the mother's corpse.

"Mister, can you help me find my Daddy?" She asked, barely keeping it together. I nod, I let her grab my hand and spend some time looking for her father. Thankfully, it's not long until we find him helping people onto ambulances. His eyes go wide when he sees his little girl on the brink of tears, he scoops up and hugs her. He tries to thank me for bringing him his daughter, I say nothing as I pull out a simple burn heal and give it to him.

"Try having your daughter drink that, the burn will go away," I tell him, he takes the bottle and thanks me again. He must have some knowledge of the supernatural to just take a random bottle from a man dressed as a Nazgul. I turn around and head back to where the skeleton was waiting for me, it had just stood there by the entrance of the ruined home and had not tried to follow me at all. Guess even a bonehead like that knew some tact.

I'm on my unscarred porch within minutes, I walk in and close the door to perhaps the only house still standing in this neighborhood, and the next few over. Thankfully, I wasn't swarmed the minute I came in. Everyone inside just watched me and my minion, the skeleton dropped the angels on the floor and noped out of existence.

"They're alive...wait...yeah they're breathing." I double-check, I knew they were still alive but I wanted to screw with them a little. Good God am I tired, but I sit down at the table.

"Is Lilly asleep?" I ask Murayama, she nods. Murayama looked as tired as I felt, poor things must've been terrified.

"Good, now you can mob me. But due be quiet about it." I say, fully expecting them to rush me and demand answers, but instead, the peerage kings joined me at the table. Only Sona and Rias, I glance to the rest and I can see they are too exhausted to really move.

"What invaded us?" Rias was the first to ask a question.

"Oryx, the king of the hive. The hive is creatures of darkness that devour entire worlds to hone their twisted logic, and Oryx is their king. A god in his own right." I explain as simply as I could. I'm not getting too deep into the lore if I don't have to.

"Were those strange apparition creatures Hive as well?" Sona asked me, she must be talking about the taken.

"Officially no, but kinda. They're Oryx's private army basically, loyal only to him for as long as he lives. They're called the Taken, as Oryx takes them with a type of dark magic I've only ever heard of. It over rights the original person's mind, body, and soul and makes them obedient to the king. They operate upon similar to the hive, as they follow the same doctrine as them." I explain the best I could, without delving deep into the lore. If I did that for any of them then we'd be here until the deadline is up.

"Where are our older siblings?" I'm a little surprised that Rias was the one to ask that question, but it's understandable since she's always been more emotionally intuned. I explain the situation and what happened. They went from shock that I could've been beaten so badly that I had to resort to diplomacy, relief to the fact that I tried to save their siblings, and rage, when they found out Oryx tricked me by morphing the unconscious bodies of the two Maous and angels. I finish by explaining to them the deadline of ten days until we get attacked again. Now, I sit back and wait to be punched, kicked, yelled at for letting their siblings get taken away.

….

…..

…..

...any second now.

…?

I opened my eyes to see the devils visibly shaking, they must be afraid of the creature that can best not only their siblings but me as well. Yet fear isn't the only emotion I see. There's also a fire in their eyes I can't quite describe as anything less than determined

"Train us," Sona said. I merely raise an eyebrow at such a request.

"You did hear the part where I got my ass kicked right?" I asked them, they nod and Rias slammed her hand on the table.

"You are also the only one strong enough to fight back against such a monster, and I'd bet the entire Gremory household you have ways of growing even stronger than you are now." She told me, she's not wrong. Not in the slightest, but they're not Gamers and as far as I can tell, I can't create a party with anyone who isn't a Gamers. Only my summons are the exception to the rule and they're connected to my very being.

"Yes, your right. But you and your peerages won't be able to grow as fast as I do. Your not reapers, after all, it would be for the best if-" I was cut off by Sona slamming the table.

"Don't. You. Dare. Suggest we just watch." Sona growled I'm surprised for sure. She usually isn't so forward, nor is she so emotional in her demands. I was about to ask if they wanted this but their determination was even stronger now. So instead of asking them if they wanted this, instead.

"I see you two want this, but unlike your gentle training Rias, you all may have to walk through a hell far worse than today to even catch up to my power. It's also possible I won't be present during most of your training, as I have my own growth to consider. This is why my council will take my place, and they consider your lives and the lives of your peerages as near worthless. Hell, you could be permanently scarred or even killed due to their...zealous nature to single-mindedly follow my orders to make you all stronger." I tell them, it was not a warning of what could happen. I'm bullshitting at all this time, I take off my ruined mask to emphasize just how serious I was in this manner.

They look at each other, then to their exhausted peerage members and they nod.

"Good, it's not true training unless we push ourselves to the brink and well past it," Rias said, Sona agreed.

"If we're gonna save our siblings then that's our only choice," Sona said. I sigh but instead clap for their will to carry onwards.

"Good, now rest up. Tomorrow the hell starts, and please use any room in the house, even my own. If Lilly asks, say it's a sleepover and that should handle things." I tell them, and open a portal of shadow to a place of my dreams.

"Even your room? Are you not sleeping?" Rias asked me. I shake my head.

"Not yet, I still have some nooses to tie together so I can be prepared and hang the Taken King with them," I tell them, I walk through the portal and end up in the white palace of where I appear when I sleep. I make sure the portal is closed when I have made sure it's closed.

I punch the wall with all my strength, the palace walls ripple as a pond would when a stone is cast in it. I keep punching the wall, the ripples become more violent, I scream as the bottled up emotions of seeing all the innocent people dead, because of my choices to fight Crota and involve the hive in this world, erupt. Each image of the burning bodies makes me punch the wall ever harder. The image of the little girl, who reminds me of Lilly, trying not to cry as her mother is dead and half her body makes me punch the wall so hard that my arms break, the bones jutting out and nearly ripping my still curled fists off.

"I fucking lost!" I curse, for all intents in purposes I lost. Even though it was technically a tie, I lost in every meaningful way.

"Thousands are dead because of me! Hundreds more injured or separated from their families! They didn't even know the supernatural existed before now, and they got introduced to it through the worst way possible! Lives are ruined. Because of me! And I had the gall to consider surviving a victory?!" I scream. I even lost the two Maous of hell, the older siblings of Rias and Sona!

"My intelligence score is one of my highest stats, dammit! I should've known I was being tricked! But I didn't see through such a simple, stupid, trick!" I clutch my head as a pounding migraine sprout out to try to distract me from what had happened, but nothing will do that.

"I'm to blame for all of it! I'm a Gamer for God's sake and I lost! No other gamer has lost so damn badly but me! Because I wasn't prepared for such a sudden strike, I was still high off my victory from Crota, I didn't even consider to prepare for such an assault!" Hate coursed through my body, through every vein of my being. It's different from when Crota stole my ability to grow stronger. I was angry at Crota, but never did I feel such hatred before now. Hatred at Oryx for such a surprise attack and tricking me. Self-hatred for not predicting such an attack and not being able to mitigate the damage in some way. At this moment I despise both Oryx and myself in equal amounts. 'I'm supposed to be better than this, I'm a Gamer. Gamer's never lost this badly, never. I'm the first.' That thought made me grin, and then that grin turned into laughter. So, I laughed and laughed at the prospect. The legacy of the Gamer's who never lose, I just wrecked that legacy for all intents and purpose. How could I not laugh at that?

Eventually, the laughter turned sour and somber, I felt like crying after seeing so many innocent people die for nothing but my own hubris. Yet, I rip out those emotions and throw them in a bottle.

"I don't deserve to feel bad about myself. I'm alive, that's more than I can say for innocent people who deserved that right but was stripped of it." I say, calm rage now the overwhelming emotion. I slip my mask back on and walked over to the new door. It held the symbol of Yorha on it, I finally purchased the Bunker last night before I left this place. Now it was finally finished, I push open the doors to find a single Yorha unit in front of a large window. A small modeling cask, probably from which was used to make her, sat off to the side of the unmoving assembly line. I had purchased the entire bunker, but it only came with one Yorha unit.

"Yorha unit CO 1, designated as Commander. Front and center please." My voice held agitation I did not mean for her, but it got the point across. The Commander turned around, ran up the steps and saluted me.

"Yes? How may I assist you, supreme commander?" She asked me, I wince at the title she gave me. I'm not a fascist, so that's the first thing I'm fixing.

"Call me Admiral Mores instead of supreme commander. Now, I can't help but notice your the only Yorha unit functioning. Why have you not started the production of other models?" I ask her, she nodded and led me to the console.

"Only the one in charge of all Yorha operations can issue that command and carry that out. It was made so that we didn't use up too many resources creating androids." She explained I suppose that made sense. There weren't that many androids on the Bunker in the game or even as enemies when the logic virus kicked in.

"All right, start creating androids immediately. I want enough operator androids to fill this entire room, and I want multiple divisions of androids ready for battle in ten days." I tell her, she starts inputting what I want but then she looks up at me with a slightly concerned look.

"Sir, if I may ask, why do you need so many androids so quickly?" She asked me.

"There's a war brewing with aliens about to invade earth and destroy humanity in ten days." That's all I had to tell her, her eyes widened and she went to work. Her hands as fast as lightning as the assembly line came to life.

"Oh, and one more thing. When these three androids appear from the line, bring them to me. They will be my..personal guard of androids." I tell her, pulling out a notecard and showing the designation numbers of three androids. 9S. 2A, better known as 2B and A1. Along with pictures of how they look like so she doesn't send me random androids. She nods and copies down the note and I give her the photos as a reference.

"Well down Commander, glory to mankind," I say. She stands up and salutes me once again.

"Glory to mankind Admiral." She declared before sitting back at the console. It looks like I won't be the only one not getting sleep tonight. I leave the Bunker and the moment I did, the screens appeared.

Level up! 200 times!

Balance breaker level increased by ten!

High council level increased by fifteen!

Death's arsenal increased by seven. Limit broken.

Assimilation gear level increased by ten.

Dark affinity increased by 4000 by assimilating the shades of oryx.

Chaos affinity increased by 1500 for surviving the outcome of your choices.

Fire affinity increased by 1000, for fending off a divine champion of the shadows with flame.

Intelligence increased by fifty, for creating and executing a trap fit for the god on the fly. An extra two points of Intelligence for tricking Oryx into thinking you could kill him permanently at that moment.

Wisdom increased by ninety, for using diplomacy to create a draw against a foe you could not defeat.

Strength increased by a hundred for fighting tooth and nail against the king with his own sword.

Dexterity increased by seventy for managing to keep up with the king even after balance breaker

Vitality increased by fifty for surviving without a balance breaker for twenty minutes against his attacks.

I pulled up the skill screen to see how it changed.

Death's Arsenal(Active) lv: 60(20%). Mp cost: 500 to summon a weapon. A power once belonging to only one now belongs to the gamer. Now as the previous limits have been shattered. Any type of weapon the user can imagine will appear no longer with an automatic escort of blades but the user does not need such defenses anymore.

Finally, but that's not the only limit being broken. I pull up my stat screen

Name: Mores M Operandi

Alias: Spencer A Hott

Alignment: Chaotic good

Title: The gamer/Merciful death

Level: 1,280

HP: 7,050. Regen: 300.0 Hp per minute

MP: 23,000. Regen: 10,150 Mp per minute.

Vit:290(-8)

Str:544

Dex:771 (+29)

Int: 870 (+50)

Wis:945 (+70)

Luc:810 (+5)

Stat points: 5,029

Money: A lot of yen

Skill points: 1000(capped)

Affinities:

Chaos: 8150(+20)

Fire: 4160(+20)

Lighting: 2590(+20)

Earth: 1595(+20)

Water: 570(+20)

Wind: 565(+20)

Dark: 8780(+20)

Light: 1045(+20)

Alright, now. Time to allocate some points I should've done a while ago. I will not be caught unawares again. That King is going to fall in ten days, and I will smile as I end his dynasty for good. He should never have attacked a Reaper, nevermind.

"Earning my hatred, heads will roll, and will run you through with your own blade," I growl like the monsters I have in my employ, there are still many days to do before dawn.

{Time left till the second invasion. 9 days and 20 hours}

{Yep, I just made a Gamer lose. My own for that matter, now anything and everything can happen. Time is a ticking always, we march forward to the uncaring beat of the universe. Even Gamer's must obey that law. How will he ever grow strong enough to defeat the Taken King? Well, I have a few ideas :) see you all next chapter. Also, I made an original story on Wattpad. Yeah, no further explanation I'm out. See you next chapters my Lovlies!}