C.S.O - Chapter 38 [Confrontation]

"Why are you silent? Is something wrong?"

Of course. The three of them are not surprised at the moment because the Demon God, who should be their final enemy, is now standing in front of them. But their biggest reason is the fact that the Demon God they are facing is different from the one they should be facing.

In the supposed history, the Demon God who would destroy Yggdrasil and defeat the god Odin is the Demon God. No one else.

(This is really strange. But there's no doubt that Kuro is a Demon God. Could it be possible...)

-Are there two different individuals in that history?

It might be true, but also false. The Demon God who defeated the god Odin didn't have a name or title, just Demon God. If the available information is limited, it's natural for there to be many differences from the current reality.

"Don't you want to fight me? Come on, step forward!"

With a smile, Kuro provokes. It's a smile devoid of emotions and empty.

"You're mistaken. We don't want to fight you, Kuro."

"Then what is your goal? To awaken me? From what? Have I been influenced by something all this time?"

"T-That..."

Flamia couldn't continue.

There's no need to think that all Kuro did was release the seal within him. He didn't harm anyone, even though he caused a massive slaughter of over a billion Liberators.

So what is their purpose in engaging in this battle?

"In that case, stop all of this quickly, and let's go back home."

Chiaki shouts.

If their purpose is accomplished, they can simply live happily ever after as a big family.

".... I understand, but I can't. Unlike you, I am someone born to fight. No, more accurately, your enemy. This is who I am, a demon who will destroy the world someday."

Kuro smiles.

"But as I think about it, what's the difference between someday and now? Why should I destroy the world later when I can split it in half right now in just one second? No. That wouldn't be interesting."

Kuro raises his sword. Then a giant magic circle appears in the sky. A door opens, revealing a space filled with mixed colors.

Only a few people know what that room is.

"Onii-chan, what are you doing with the Dimension Bridge?"

Ruko's face turns pale. She seems to be witnessing a nightmare.

Kuro smiles again as if he was anticipating Ruko's reaction.

"You know, every parallel world is connected by the Dimension Bridge. Normally, it connects once a year, even though it's for a limited time."

This is already known because Flamia and the other Valkyrie Maidens have used this time to go to Earth, even if it was only for a short while. Although it's still a mystery how they returned, that's not a problem to be considered right now.

"I know that. It's not the time for the two worlds to connect. If you force it open, the balance of dimensions will be disrupted and-!?"

Ruko's face becomes even paler. She trembles in fear.

"You're right. And do you know which world is currently connected?"

"..."

"It's Earth."

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Meanwhile, on Earth, an unprecedented natural phenomenon appeared. Giant magical circles opened up in various parts of the world.

No one knew how or what was actually happening, but since nothing had occurred yet, everyone considered it to be a rare natural phenomenon.

However, for those who witnessed the battle in CSO, they began to speculate. Although what came to their minds would make them sound like madmen.

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"This is the worst. Onii-chan, do you know that what you're doing will cause the collision of this world and Earth? If you do it, you will kill everyone."

"So what?"

Kuro answered casually.

"So what? Onii-chan, are you crazy? Why can you say that so easily? Does someone's life no longer matter to you?"

Killing Liber might not directly cause death, but now Kuro was attempting to create an apocalypse in two worlds. There was no doubt that this was their worst nightmare.

"I don't need to answer that. As I said, I am currently destroying the world. Within 66 minutes and 6 seconds, the two worlds will collide. If you want to stop it, you know what you have to do."

All three of them clenched their teeth. Deep down, they knew that persuading Kuro wouldn't be easy, but this was something beyond their expectations.

Now, they were not only fighting for Kuro and their normal lives but also for the fate of the two worlds.

"Kuro-chan, is this what you've wanted all along?"

"..."

"Tell me! Answer me! Will destroying these two worlds make your wish come true?"

Just like Ruko, Chiaki couldn't hold back anymore. However you looked at it, Kuro was not the person they knew.

The Kuro they knew would never hurt someone just because they were bad. That's why when they found out about his plan, to destroy the world and kill over 7 billion souls, it was something Kuro would never do.

But as the saying goes, as time goes by, someone can change. Perhaps this was what they had to accept now.

"The answer is no."

A simple answer.

"But at least I know my purpose in this world. A demon born to destroy the world. Isn't that something normal?"

"Do you consider this just a game?"

"I don't know. But we all know that if there's a villain, then there's a hero. So it's simple if you want these two worlds to be saved, defeat me."

"I still don't understand what you want. But if defeating you means you'll come back to us, then I'll gladly do it!"

Chiaki darted forward with Durandal in her hand. Her movements were so fast and accurate as if her swordsmanship skill had reached its maximum level.

In fact, Chiaki wasn't just using ordinary movements, but also supporting skills such as speed and power enhancements. Her attack status was different from before.

"That's the spirit. But..."

"!?"

A giant fist appeared and struck back at Chiaki with force. Her body was thrown far, dozens of meters away before she stopped herself using her sword.

"Tch..."

Seeing the figure that hit her, Chiaki couldn't help but curse. After all, that figure had once killed her.

"Why did I forget that you don't fight alone?"

Kuro just smiled. Then he pointed at Chiaki as a command to attack.

Roaaarrr!!! With a loud roar, Akaku advanced with a large sword in its hand. With its massive body, it moved agilely.

Chiaki dodged and attacked. She aimed for the slightly exposed shoulder after her initial attack.

But her attack was blocked. Not by Akaku. But by another figure.

"This time it's Grim Reaper, huh..."

Grim Reaper with a large and intimidating scythe. It didn't look much different from the usual Grim Reaper if you didn't pay attention to its pink-colored attire.

(C-Cute..)

In her heart, Chiaki couldn't deny what she felt. Instead of fear, she actually wanted to embrace the Grim Reaper.

And while she was thinking about that, other figures started to appear. Black Demon Knight, Evil Dragon of Abyss, Fallen Angel Lucian, Demon King of Greed, and finally... Verona. Black Valkyrie Maiden.

"""!?"""

All three couldn't help but be shocked. Verona's presence, in particular, raised a big question.

Dressed in black gothic lolita attire and wielding a sword like a knight, there was no doubt that she was Verona. The question was-

Why?

"Verona too..."

Not as someone protecting Kuro, but as someone who had formed a bond with Kuro through marriage. The ring known as the Ring of Rinne was on her ring finger.

-Verona

-Demon God Brides <Fallen Valkyrie>

-Level ****

Verona possessed the same status as Mea. There was no doubt that Verona was now on Kuro's side.

"...Verona, why?"

As siblings (although not on good terms), Flamia had never imagined that something like this would happen.

Verona smiled.

"I have my own reasons for being on Kuro-niisan's side. Just like you have your own reasons for being on your side. It's just a choice."

Then Verona approached Kuro and kissed him affectionately as if they had done it many times before. This certainly made the other three girls jealous.

Enjoying their expressions, Verona smiled cunningly.

"Don't you agree? If you're on our side, you won't have to fight. And most importantly, I can be intimate with Kuro-niisan, kufufufu..."

"Tch!?"

Jealousy emanated clearly from the three of them. After all, it should have been them in Verona's place.

"Now, let's begin. Besides, you don't have much time left. Isn't that right?"

Without a word, Kuro flicked his finger. It signaled that the decisive battle had begun.

Fallen Angel Lucian and Black Demon Knight stepped forward to face Ruko. Akaku, Pink Grim Reaper, and Evil Dragon of Abyss attacked Chiaki. Flamia faced off against the Demon King of Greed and Verona.

As for Kuro, he simply watched the battle unfold.

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Chiaki leaped and attacked with the skill <Wind Bullet Buster>. It was a basic skill that had evolved into a stronger version. With this skill, she effortlessly pushed Akaku's body back. Then, she leaped into the air and attacked Pink Grim Reaper.

As Durandal almost touched its body, her attack was successfully evaded. Not only that, Pink Grim Reaper's movements seemed to teleport.

Chiaki quickly used detection skills, not only detecting Pink Grim Reaper but also the attack from Evil Dragon of Abyss.

She managed to dodge the bite attack. But Evil Dragon of Abyss didn't give up and launched a follow-up attack with <Black Poison Breath>. Avoiding a wide-area attack was not an easy task, but Chiaki had no intention of doing so.

"<Breath Counter>"

A skill that reflected Breath-type attacks. With this skill, the Evil Dragon of Abyss's attack bounced back and hit itself. However, the attack seemed to have no effect.

(Is it immune to poison?)

Chiaki didn't care about that. She simply knew what she could do once she understood her opponent's strength.

That's when Pink Grim Reaper appeared, ready to strike her body. And it happened. But Chiaki's body disappeared like smoke.

It was the skill <Wind Clone>. Then Chiaki reappeared and struck Pink Grim Reaper, who was caught off guard, splitting it in two.

"!?"

But another surprising event occurred. As Pink Grim Reaper's body split, the two halves merged back together like a doll.

Taken aback by what had happened, Chiaki became vulnerable. She was unaware that she was now being targeted by Akaku with its sword.

Of course, Chiaki didn't just passively accept the enemy's attack. Controlling her body in the air, she swung Durandal to block Akaku's sword. As a result, Akaku's sword split into two.

"Don't underestimate me, damn it."

Then she leaped right onto Akaku and prepared to use a skill.

"<Holy Cut>"

Akaku's body finally split in two and then turned into particles. The first enemy was defeated without much trouble.

"Who's next?"

Chiaki's attacks were precise and fast. But Pink Grim Reaper was faster. Despite its cute appearance, Pink Grim Reaper possessed a skill that could kill its opponents in a single strike. Chiaki could only guess that based on the fact that most Grim Reaper-type monsters had such a skill.

As for the Evil Dragon of Abyss, it not only possessed great power but also dangerous attacks. Its strongest ability was the skill that relied on poison, causing negative effects.

She was facing enemies who wouldn't allow themselves to be hit even once. That's what Chiaki was dealing with.

But that wasn't a big problem for her right now. After successfully defeating the Demon Beast, she gained a large amount of EXP. It not only raised her level but also increased her current stats and skills.

With her newfound strength, facing both of them wasn't a major issue. But what made her the happiest at the moment was the skill that allowed her to unleash Durandal's full power

"<Seven Light Stars>, advance."

Durandal split into seven parts that moved automatically to attack the enemy. It wasn't only used for an offense; she could also use it as a shield against Pink Grim Reaper's attacks.

Controlling the six floating swords wasn't an easy task, but Chiaki had acquired a new skill that enabled her to do so.

<Parallel Thought>, also known as Double Thought. It was indeed an unusual skill for an ordinary human to possess, which is why she hadn't fully mastered it yet.

Considering the function of this skill, she could imagine what she could do in the future. However, it didn't mean that this skill had no weaknesses. Her MP decreased significantly every second. If she calculated the amount of MP being consumed, she could only use it for 10 minutes. As for how much longer she could use the skill, she didn't know because this was her first time using it.

The one-sided battle didn't take long to win. With Durandal, she sliced through Evil Dragon of Abyss and finally killed Pink Grim Reaper after destroying its scythe. As it turned out, the reason why Pink Grim Reaper kept reviving was that it wasn't its original body.

After finishing them off, she confronted Kuro, who now appeared bored.

"I'll make you regret making me experience this again!!!"

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Ruko faced off against Black Demon Knight and Fallen Angel Lucian. In general, they shared similarities in terms of speed and technique.

Black Demon Knight had sword-based attack skills. Not only were they powerful, but they also aimed for vital areas.

To confront them, Ruko used Kamikiri-Ryuu. What surprised her was that Kamikiri-Ryuu was highly suitable for facing Black Demon Knight.

If Black Demon Knight used sword skills similar to European swordsmanship techniques, then Ruko used Asian sword techniques. The difference between the two sword techniques lay in the fundamental techniques.

European swordsmanship focused more on strength and the quality of the weapon. On the other hand, Asian swordsmanship leaned towards speed and technique because Asians tend to have smaller and slimmer bodies.

The situation when facing Black Demon Knight wasn't much different from such situations.

That's why, even though Black Demon Knight had more dangerous skills than her, as long as she didn't get hit, it wasn't something she needed to worry about too much.

Unfortunately, while avoiding attacks wasn't a problem, she faced significant difficulties when it came to launching her own attacks.

(His armor is too strong)

Ruko had landed several attacks. All of them had one thing in common—they had no impact at all.

Ruko had to admit that not only did Black Demon Knight have powerful attacks, but his defense also exceeded her expectations.

(!?)

Unfortunately, she couldn't relax or even think. She wasn't just facing Black Demon Knight.

Unlike Black Demon Knight, Fallen Angel Lucian attacked from the air, seizing the perfect moment when Ruko was off guard. And what was more annoying was that Fallen Angel Lucian didn't care if his attacks hit Black Demon Knight.

With the power borrowed from Michael, Ruko could currently move at a speed surpassing her status as the CSO. Not only that, thanks to the EXP Points she obtained after defeating the Demon Beast, she now had strength equivalent to that of a Valkyrie Maiden.

She could avoid attacks from both directions with agile movements akin to dancing.

Of course, she also attempted to attack. However, she prioritized defeating Fallen Angel Lucian first, as he was more troublesome.

To do that, she utilized the skill <Ice Phoenix>. This high-level skill possessed tremendous power. If Fallen Angel Lucian were hit by it, he would be severely injured. Moreover, Ruko combined all of Michael's power with her own skills. That was why she could defeat the Demon Beast without using a holy sword or God Slayer.

As expected, even though she unleashed it at the right moment, Fallen Angel Lucian easily evaded it.

But that was alright. After all, it was within her calculations.

"<Split>"

With Ruko's command, Ice Phoenix split into 12 ice birds that flew toward Fallen Angel Lucian, following him wherever he went.

Fallen Angel Lucian was evaded by flying and then attacked the ice birds coming at him, exploiting the difference in distance.

About 10 ice birds were successfully destroyed. This was normal considering Fallen Angel Lucian was stronger than the previous Demon Beast.

But in Ruko's eyes, Fallen Angel Lucian was not her match.

(After all, I am an angel)

Taking advantage of the distraction, Ruko seized the opportunity to fly behind Fallen Angel Lucian. Then, with her sword, she mercilessly beheaded him.

"One down."

Her actions were not something that could be done easily. To accomplish it, she used Speed Boost and Michael's fourth-level power.

"Miki, Divine Union fifth-level. I don't have time to play anymore."

"Do you know that what you're about to do could kill you? Remember, it's your first time using it. Your body is still not strong enough to handle it."

Michael didn't hide his concern. After all, Ruko's actions were too risky.

Divine Union was the moment when two souls united in one body. This technique had seven levels, and the higher the level, the greater the power obtained. However, it was highly risky. In exchange for immense power, the body wouldn't be able to withstand it and eventually crumble. This was the secret of the Kanata lineage.

But even though she knew the risks, Ruko still smiled.

"It's alright. This body is only temporary. Onii-chan's mistake was not taking this into account."

"Ruko, are you really planning to do it?"

"If it's to stop Onii-chan, then I'm willing to do anything."

Even if the current Kuro might not have the same feelings as the Kuro she knew, it didn't change the fact that she loved him.

Love is blind. She finally understood what that meant.

"Fine, then I will support you with all my might."

"That's the spirit."

"Then let's begin."

In the air, Ruko closed her eyes. Then, around her, beautiful particles of light filled the surroundings.

The light formed a sphere-like shape around her, and eventually, the light entered and absorbed into Ruko's body.

Before long, golden tattoos appeared all over Ruko's body. Then, two pairs of golden wings sprouted, making Ruko possess six beautiful wings. Not to mention the golden halo floating above her head.

"[...]"

Now Ruko truly became an angel.

She then looked at her target. Black Demon Knight.

Still, in the air, she positioned her mounts, preparing to use her sword technique.

"[Shin Kamikiri-Ryu <Star Fall>]"

Ruko's figure disappeared. Then, without anyone realizing it, she was already behind Black Demon Knight.

Meanwhile, Black Demon Knight had no idea what happened to his body, which now had holes. Without moving any further, he turned into particles.

"Thank you, Miki. Now, only Onii-chan remains."

"[...]"

"Miki?"

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The two swords clashed with a force that sent shockwaves around them. Alongside that, high-level skills collided and destroyed each other. There was no doubt that this was a battle between the strongest.

Verona, wielding a thin sword resembling a rapier, displayed deadly movements like a bee with lethal venom.

Meanwhile, Flamia not only managed to defend herself against Verona's relentless attacks but also seized opportunities to strike back. Engaging in such a fierce battle was difficult, but she made it seem effortless. Her experience as a Valkyrie Maiden was not in vain.

The same applied to Verona. Although her weapon was not a God Slayer or a holy sword, she successfully withstood Flamia's attacks using a superior weapon.

The Demon King of Greed was no longer in sight, as Flamia had eradicated it shortly after the battle began. This was proof of Flamia's rapidly increasing power, but Verona, who could withstand Flamia, could not be underestimated.

"Verona, I'll ask you once again. Why are you doing this? Answer me honestly this time. Although I don't like you, I know you're not the type to switch sides just because it's an easy choice."

They clashed and then kept their distance. Verona smiled without answering. She then used the skill <Black Shadow Clone>. Seven other Veronas appeared without hesitation and attacked Flamia.

"It's pointless. <Flare Wheels Blast>."

In the blink of an eye, the other Veronas vanished. This was not surprising to Verona, as she knew among the seven Valkyrie Maidens, Flamia could be considered the strongest. However, her foolish and innocent behavior made her seem otherwise.

"If you ask that question, it's something you would choose if you knew the truth. Sorry, I don't want to be a puppet of that damn Odin."

"!?"

Flamia couldn't help but be shocked. After all, she knew that what Verona said was impossible for a Valkyrie Maiden to say.

Just like in mythology, the god Odin was the highest and most respected deity. It could be said that he was the leader of the gods and goddesses.

With his power, he withstood the attacks of the Demon God and eventually created the current CSO world by sacrificing many things.

For Flamia, the god Odin was someone she respected. She also couldn't deny that he was the one who assigned her the task of reaching the sixth world and defeating the Demon God.

Even though the situation had changed drastically, it didn't change her duty.

"Kufufu... It seems you still don't know anything, huh? I suspected that your memories haven't fully recovered. It's understandable since it's the despicable actions of those damn gods. They're not easily erased."

"Verona... What have you been saying since earlier?"

Verona smiled once again.

"Flamia-neechan, now it's my turn to ask. First, what is your full name? Second, who are you really? Third, when did you become a Valkyrie Maiden? Fourth, how did you become a Valkyrie Maiden? Fifth, why don't you remember everything that happened? Sixth, why don't you regret killing them all?"

Flamia became more confused. Not because of Verona's numerous questions, but because she didn't understand what Verona was talking about.

"Kill? Who?"

"Who are you talking about? Of course, your other siblings. The female Einherjar."

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