Jayr POV - Nasuverse, Moon, SE.RA.PH, Tsukumihara Academy - 2030 AD
The moment my eyes land on the bulletin board, the rest of the hallway blurs, not in any dramatic cinematic way, just that quiet narrowing of focus that strips the world down to the one thing that matters.
Masters: Jayr Pucci vs Julius B. Harwey
For a heartbeat, I freeze, then I let out a slow breath, the kind that slips out before you notice you were holding it as relief settles across my shoulders like a warm hand, 'Julius B. Harwey. Of all the possible opponents left, he is the most straightforward. His methods, his mindset, his philosophy, and even his Servant are known quantities. Li Shuwen has already been confirmed, which cuts out half the nonsense this system usually forces on us. No week of chasing scraps of information. No wild goose chase for silhouettes hidden in corrupted corners of SE.RA.PH. No psychological riddles. No identity hunt. Just a clear target, a clear Trigger retrieval, and at the end of it, a matchup I can predict. A small gift from the Moon Cell for once.'
I am still letting the relief settle when I remember Aletha standing next to me, she is scanning the board with her usual casual interest, hands resting lightly in her pockets, golden eyes flicking between the names, making me ask, "Who's your opponent?"
Aletha lifts her chin, glances at the board again, and answers in the same tone she uses when ordering lunch, "The name of my next opponent is Ledram Vassago."
The second the name reaches my ears, something inside me tightens like a wire pulled taut.
I don't hesitate. I place a hand on her shoulder, firm but not rough, and steer her away from the gathering crowd, not out of fear, but instinct, old, practised instinct.
She doesn't resist; she knows that look on my face well enough.
We walk down the corridor, our steps echoing along polished floors that feel too clean, too perfect, the kind of artificial smoothness only SE.RA.PH can produce.
NPC students loop their routines, smiling the same smiles, walking the same paths, repeating the same idle chatter patterns.
Usually, the background noise is exactly that, background, but right now every detail scratches at my awareness because it reminds me that this place never acts without intention, not the walls, not the scripts, not the names on the board; this isn't random, this is an observation experiment.
When the hallway finally empties out, no Masters, no Servants, no watchers, I let my Spiral Cosmo unfurl as it wraps around us in a silent ripple, weaving an invisible field that shuts the world out.
The air shifts, thin and taut like a transparent membrane snapping into place. It's subtle, but enough to ease a sliver of tension in my chest.
Only when I'm sure we're alone do I speak, "Aletha… that name is bad news."
Aletha straightens a little, not out of alarm but out of readiness; she always does that when she senses the situation has shifted. Her voice loses the casual edge as she asks, "What do you mean?"
I take a moment, not for effect, but to pick the right words as panic isn't helpful in such a situation, but precision is, then I say, "That name, I've never heard it before. Not in the game. Not in any novel. Not in any timeline of the Nasuverse that I know. And you know by now how many I've seen."
Her brow furrows as she asks, "So he's a nobody? Someone who slipped under the radar?"
I shake my head and explain, "No. Someone unknown making it this far is possible, but not likely. At this stage, we're down to maybe thirty-two Masters, give or take a few who might have been eliminated off the record. People don't stay invisible this long unless they want to, or unless they don't need attention to be dangerous. Both options are bad."
She goes silent, not the scared kind of silent, the calculating kind, as Aletha's mind moves fast when she senses a threat, and right now every line on her face tightens by a fraction.
The hallway lights hum overhead, steady and artificial, as if the system itself is listening, which luckily isn't possible with my barrier around us.
Then I add quietly, "And the surname is worse." Making her repeat, "Vassago?"
I meet her eyes, "Aletha, Vassago is one of the seventy-two demons of the Ars Goetia. In this world, names like that matter. They aren't decorative. They signal something, especially in a universe built from myth."
A stillness settles over her; it isn't fear, not exactly, more like the sharp focus before she draws a blade.
I continue, "Think about who is still unaccounted for. Among all the Champions still in play, there's one who reincarnated into the High School DxD universe. A world where the most powerful Devils take the names of the seventy-two Pillars. And he was the second person to choose where they'd be reincarnated next. Pure luck put the Concept of Darkness in his lap."
Aletha exhales slowly, then mutters, "You think…"
I say before she finishes, "It fits... Almost too well. A demonic surname. A blank identity. A place this deep into SE.RA.PH. And that report Run Ru gave me... The one about the 'Womaniser'."
The memory of that log resurfaces with total clarity, words etched like a warning:
Handsome young man. Messy black hair. Red eyes. Always with a different woman at his side. None of them is a Servant. None of them is an NPC. No Command Seals. Not Masters. A mystery. Possibly outside help.
When Nero and I first read it, we already suspected a Champion, but with the name Vassago added to the equation, the guess becomes something close to a conclusion.
At this point, I say, "If he really is the Champion of Darkness, those women around him are probably his Peerage. Devils reincarnated using the Evil Piece system. Not illusions. Not familiars. Real, empowered allies."
Aletha's fingers curl into fists at her sides, not fear, but resolve.
She lifts her head and says, "So my opponent is a Champion. Possibly one with a small army at his side."
In response to her question, I answer, "Yes, which means your Elimination Battle won't be normal in any sense of the word."
The silence that follows is thick enough to feel. Behind it, the Moon Cell hums, cold and impartial, already setting the stage for a fight that should not exist, and then, of course, both our terminals beep.
We both reach for our portable terminals at the same time, and the devices vibrate once, a sharp electronic pulse that cuts clean through the tension.
A single line flashes across the screen:
[The primary cypher key has been generated.]
The timing is almost cruel; the Moon Cell never waits for emotions to settle, it simply moves forward, indifferent to whatever consequences follow.
I power the device off and slip it back into my pocket, and the silence between us thickens for a moment before I speak, "Listen carefully, if Ledram Vassago is really who we think he is, then this round isn't just difficult. It is unpredictable. That is the real danger. Don't treat him like a normal Master with a normal Servant. Don't assume he has limits you understand."
Aletha nods, jaw tight, her grey eyes sharpen as she listens, absorbing every word as I continue to warn her, "Don't approach him unless you are absolutely ready. Don't speak to him alone. Don't scout him with anything that can be traced. And if he is a Devil King with a Peerage, then you won't be fighting two opponents… you'll be fighting a team."
She lets out a slow breath through her nose, the kind a fighter uses before stepping into a ring and says, "Understood."
A softer part of me pushes to the surface, the part that hates seeing fear or tension creep into her expression. I adjust my tone, "Aletha… you're not dealing with this alone. I'll help however I can."
She blinks once, her tension doesn't vanish, but the muscles in her shoulders loosen a hair, "Thanks. Really."
Then, abruptly, a look of annoyance crosses her face, and she rubs her forehead with two fingers before she says, "I'm going to hate myself for this. But… I need Jayr-sensei. And his info dumps."
I arch an eyebrow. "Oh?"
She groans dramatically and requests, "Since my opponent is probably a Devil from the High School DxD universe, can you please tell me everything I need to know about them? In detail?"
Nero's voice flickers through our bond, dripping with exasperation. [Not this again…]
I ignore the complaint, materialise a pair of glasses for comedic effect, and adjust them with a grin while also making them shine in a classic anime effect, while saying, "Of course. Class is in session. Let's start with the Devils."
I clear my throat with the seriousness of a lecturer about to begin a mandatory class, which makes Aletha sigh like she already regrets ever asking, then she crosses her arms and braces herself.
At this point, I say, lifting one finger, "Alright, let's start with the basics. Every Devil in the High School DxD universe comes with a standard set of upgrades. Think of it like a starter kit, but unfairly strong."
Aletha gives a short nod; she's listening, but she's clearly hoping I won't turn this into a ten‑hour seminar. However, I do not promise anything as I start my lesson, "First: physical enhancement. Strength, durability, stamina, and reaction speed. Their senses are sharper, too. They see in the darkness like it's daylight. Even average Devils can overpower most humans without trying, and their lives extend almost infinitely."
Hearing that, Aletha comments, "So they're built differently." Making me nod, "Exactly. And that's without clan traits or special abilities."
Another nod, slower this time, as she starts calculating the difference this might make in a fight, while I continue, "Next: flight. Their wings are functional. Bat‑like, sure, but strong. They retract into the body when not in use. It's instant and painless."
She raises an eyebrow, "Retracting wings sounds… messy." Making me correct her assumption, "It would be for us. Devils treat it like breathing."
I push the glasses up my nose, not because I need them, but because the gesture annoys Nero, especially after I made her watch Bleach, "They also have something called the Language ability. Basically, auto‑translation. When they speak, you hear your language; when you talk, they understand you perfectly."
Aletha frowns, "That feels like cheating."
I grin as I remind her, "You'll be saying that a lot."
She huffs but doesn't deny it.
Then I say, lifting a second finger, "Now, their main resource: Demonic Power."
This gets her attention, she straightens a little as I tell her, "Demonic Power is the fuel that lets them shape elements and phenomena. Fire, lightning, ice, wind, raw destructive force. But it isn't just about power. To use it well, they need creativity. Strong imagination equals strong output."
This makes her comment, "So someone clever can outdo someone stronger."
I partially agree with her, but then I add, "Sometimes. But truly strong Devils have both, and that's when things get dangerous. High‑Class Devils can level mountains. Satan‑Class Devils can erase countries if they really commit."
She whistles under her breath, "Good to know subtlety isn't part of their design philosophy."
I gesture for her to stay focused. "You noticed. Now we move to something even more important: clan abilities."
She tenses slightly, "Go on."
Again, I don't waste time and directly tell her, "Members of the seventy‑two Pillars inherit powers tied to their families. Phenex regenerate faster than most healing magic and controls blue flames. Bael and Gremory manipulate destructive energy. Abaddon users wield the Hole, which erases matter entirely. But I have no idea what ability the Vassago family has."
Aletha closes her eyes for a moment, "So worst‑case scenario, he has some reality‑breaking family trick."
I smile softly and say, "If he's a true Devil or descended from a Pillar, yes. If he's something else like Extra Demon, hybrid, Champion with outside upgrades... Then we'll have to improvise, adapt, and overcome."
She mutters something about quoting a certain British adventurer, writer, television presenter and former SAS trooper who is also a survival expert, but I pretend not to hear and continue, "They also have their own magic system. Magic circles for calculations. Rituals. Combat spells. Teleportation. Barriers. Healing. A Devil with strong magical control is flexible in every direction."
Hearing that, Aletha asks, "How fast can they cast?"
To which I reply, "Depends on training. Some cast instantly. Others need a circle. But none of them is too slow."
Aletha presses her thumb against her jaw; she's processing it all, piece by piece.
Then I say, raising a third finger, "Now, we get to the system that makes High School DxD Devils terrifying in groups: the Evil Pieces."
She groans under her breath, but again I pretend I didn't hear it and continue with my info dum... lesson, "The Evil Pieces let High‑Class Devils form a Peerage. Fifteen servants modelled after chess pieces. Each piece grants a specific kind of enhancement when used to reincarnate someone. Queen for versatility. Rooks for strength. Knights for speed. Bishops for magic. Pawns for promotion potential."
Aletha looks at me sharply as she guesses, "So those women around him you told me about..."
Nodding, I say. "Likely his Peerage. Reincarnated, enhanced, and loyal."
Her jaw tightens while I continue, "This is why I said you won't face only him. If he's a Champion with a full Peerage, your match becomes a team fight, whether SE.RA.PH likes it or not."
She doesn't flinch; she just absorbs the information, that's one of the things I respect about her.
At this point, I say, lowering my hand, "We'll get into weaknesses soon, but for now, this is your foundation. Devils are stronger than they look, smarter than they act, and harder to kill than you want them to be."
Aletha exhales slowly, "Alright. I'm following. Continue when ready."
Aletha waits with her arms still crossed, expression tight but attentive, as she has heard enough to know Devils are trouble, but not enough to understand the structure that turns them from individuals into a threat multiplier.
Without wasting any time, I say, "Alright, now we get into the thing every sane fighter hates: the Evil Pieces system."
She lifts an eyebrow as she comments, "It sounds gimmicky."
I almost shake my head before I say, "I wish it were. This is the reason a single High-Class Devil can field a squad strong enough to overwhelm entire organisations. It is also the reason your opponent might not fight alone."
That gets her full attention as I continue, "Let's start simple. Ajuka Beelzebub, one of the most brilliant Devils in existence, created a set of fifteen crystallised pieces modelled after a chessboard. These fifteen allow High-Class Devils, known as Kings, to reincarnate others into Devils. Once reincarnated, those people become part of the Devil's Peerage, gaining power from the piece used on them."
Aletha nods and comments, "So pieces equal soldiers?"
But I correct her, "Pieces equal enhanced, loyal, empowered soldiers, and the number one rule is this: once a piece is used on someone, it stays used. No recycling, no switching. Kings have to choose carefully."
Aletha tilts her head. "What kind of enhancements are we talking about?"
I again fix my fake glasses and say, "Each piece grants a specialisation."
Then I hold up a hand and count them off.
"Queen: the strongest piece. Worth nine Pawns. Grants every speciality... Strength, magic, speed, and durability. Usually acts as the King's second-in-command."
"Rooks: brute force tanks. Worth five Pawns. Huge physical strength and defence, but not fast. If you see a Rook charging, don't try to block. Move."
"Knights: speed demons. Worth three Pawns. They specialise in acceleration and manoeuvrability. Their biggest weakness is that if they lose mobility, they crumble."
"Bishops: the magic specialists. Worth three Pawns. High demonic power and spellcasting. Dangerous at range but drains quickly if they overdo it."
"Pawns: the most flexible. Worth one Pawn each, but can promote into other pieces in enemy territory or with their King's permission. A Pawn can become a Queen mid-fight if conditions allow."
Aletha mutters, "That sounds unfair."
A grin formed on my face as I said, "You're starting to get it."
Then I add, "The King piece exists too... But that one is banned for being absurd. It boosts the user's power by ten to a hundred times. And yes, that's exactly as broken as it sounds."
She gives a short, humourless laugh. "Good. Let's hope he doesn't have one."
I try to reassure her. "He shouldn't... The DxD Devil government banned their use for a reason. But never say never."
Aletha thinks for a moment before asking, "So these women seen around him… they fit into these roles?"
I answer. "Most likely, a full Peerage is a small army. And if he really is the Champion of Darkness, each of them may have grown far stronger than standard Devils. Some Champions accelerate their allies' growth just by existing, just like my previous opponent."
She frowns slightly. "Meaning I'd have to deal with up to fifteen enhanced Devils plus their King."
In response, I say, "Not all Kings use all pieces. Some leave pieces unused to avoid weakening their structure. Some can't reincarnate certain people because of compatibility. But worst case? Yes, fifteen plus the Servant that may be even more powerful."
Aletha goes quiet for a long moment, the air in the corridor feels heavier, not because of fear but calculation.
Then, she finally says, "It doesn't change my plan, it just tells me the scale of what I'm walking into."
Hearing that, I say, "Good, because understanding the system is already half the battle."
She lifts her chin slightly, "Then continue. What's next?"
I nod and say, "Next, we cover their weaknesses, and that part is actually useful to you."
Aletha rolls her shoulders once, letting the heaviness of the Evil Pieces' explanation settle. She isn't overwhelmed, which is good; she's simply adjusting her expectations. She thought she would face one threat. Now she knows she might face an entire formation.
After a few moments, she says. "Alright, let's hear the part that actually helps me fight them."
I confirm. "Weaknesses, every race has them, and Devils are no exception. But whether those weaknesses apply here is another story. Still, we cover them."
She gestures for me to continue, and I do, "Traditionally, in the High School DxD universe, Devils are vulnerable to anything tied to the Biblical God. That includes holy objects, sacred energy, consecrated ground, and even certain prayers."
Aletha squints and asks, "Prayers hurt them?" To which I reply, "If a devil tries to pray, yes. They get hit with intense pain. And they can't approach churches without feeling it. Holy water burns them. Holy blades can kill them outright. Anything with divine presence drains their stamina."
She tilts her head, "You make them sound fragile."
But I correct. "Not fragile, just inconvenienced. And the stronger the Devil, the less these weaknesses matter. High-Class Devils can shrug off most holy effects unless they're hit directly. Satan-Class Devils sometimes erase holy power by existing near it."
Then she reminds me, "But you said all of this only applies in their home universe."
I nod and say, "Exactly. The system that enforces these weaknesses is tied to their God's system. We're in a whole other universe, not a consecrated church in the High School DxD Universe. There's no telling if those limitations still follow him across worlds. He might be free of them."
She lets out a quiet breath, "So I shouldn't rely on holy vulnerabilities."
I nod and add, "Correct. Consider them bonuses, not tools. Now, their other weakness is more universal: light."
Aletha raises an eyebrow. "Light?"
I then further explain, "Not sunlight. Light as a weapon. Light-based attacks drain Devils heavily, unless their power level is ridiculously high. Fallen Angel spears, Angelic weapons, Exorcist swords, all of those cause real harm to them."
Again, Aletha groans, "And SE.RA.PH doesn't generate those."
I nod and say, "Right. So, unless you can recreate holy or divine light, scratch that too."
She sighs, annoyed. "Are you going to give me weaknesses that actually apply?"
I smile and say, "I am. Just saving them for last."
She glares at me, which I accept as my cue to continue, "Devils, for all their strengths, share one problem: their energy consumption skyrockets under stress. The more they use Demonic Power, the faster they drain. If they overextend, they crash. Hard. If you push them into a prolonged fight, their stamina becomes their downfall."
Aletha nods slowly. "So attrition works."
I shrug my shoulders and say, "Sometimes. But you have to survive long enough to force attrition."
She lifts her chin. "I can handle that."
I smile and add, "Good. Another point: Devils struggle with conceptual attacks. Anything that bypasses durability... Things linked to laws, curses, cosmic forces and so on, hit them harder than raw physical or elemental power."
Aletha gives a thin smile, "That I can work with."
I say, "And finally, Devils are creatures heavily influenced by emotion and intent. Their power fluctuates. If their resolve cracks, their Demonic Power destabilises. If they panic or hesitate, their output drops."
She hums thoughtfully, "So they thrive on confidence. Confidence becomes fuel."
I nod while saying, "Exactly. Break their momentum, their rhythm, their sense of control, and you cut their power in half."
Aletha exhales, this time with less tension and more focus, "Better. That's something real."
At this point, I say, "Good. Because all of this will help you, but remember... if he's a Champion, he may have overcome several of these weaknesses already."
She nods. "Noted. What comes after this?"
I pause for a moment, letting the weight of the conversation settle before answering, "Next, I explain the part you really won't like. The unknown variables."
Aletha lifts her chin slightly, the way she always does when gearing up for something unpleasant, "Alright. Hit me with it. What don't we know?"
I say bluntly as sugarcoating won't help her, but truth will, "A lot."
Then I expand my answer, "First unknown: his growth. Champions don't follow normal logic. Their strength curve isn't linear. It's exponential. A Champion who has lived, trained, and fought across multiple universes grows faster than any native being. If Ledram Vassago has been active since reincarnation, his ceiling is nowhere near what the High School DxD Universe would consider normal."
Aletha doesn't flinch, though her jaw tightens, "Meaning I can't fully rely on power scaling from the original universe."
I nod and say, "Exactly. He might match High-Class Devils. He might match Satan-Class Devils. Or he might be something entirely above them. As you know, we Champions break rules."
She nods slowly while I continue, "Second unknown: artefacts. The Omniverse is full of all kinds of objects, demonic tools, cursed weapons, unique armours, dimensional boxes, and enchanted bindings. If he has collected any of those, they could distort even SE.RA.PH-level reality."
Aletha frowns, "Wouldn't the Moon Cell restrict artefacts?" But I shake my head and say, "It tries. But we, Champions, have way too many loopholes that we can exploit. Some items get through. Some items merge with the spirit. And some things don't even count as gear. They count as the Champion themselves."
She presses her lips into a line, "So he could be carrying a miniature apocalypse, and SE.RA.P.H wouldn't register it."
I nod and say, "Possibly. Don't assume his hands are empty, even if they look empty." Making her mutter, "Great."
Then I say, "Third unknown: his Peerage's identities. We know he has multiple women with him, not NPCs, not Masters, not Servants. They behave independently, which means they're real entities. Depending on what they were before being reincarnated, they could carry racial traits, skills, sacred powers, or even magical systems from entirely different universes."
Aletha shifts her stance, considering, "So a mixed squad of enhanced fighters, each potentially with their own rules."
I nod and say, "Correct. One might be a mage. One might be a warrior. One might be a healer. One might be a monster race with natural regeneration. We don't know yet. And the mystery is intentional."
Her eyes narrow as she guesses, "He wants people blind going into the fight."
Then she clicks her tongue, "Figures."
Lastly, I say, "Fourth unknown: his Servant."
Aletha stills, finally catching this last detail that passed by until now, "You mean… besides the Peerage?"
I nod and say, "Yes. As far as we know, every Champion still has access to a Servant. We don't know what class it is. We don't know what legend it comes from. And if it's been influenced by the Concept of Darkness, or by him, it might not resemble its original form at all."
Her voice comes out low, "So he could have a full Devil team and a Servant at the same time."
I sigh and tell her, "Potentially. And unlike Masters, Champions don't always use Command Seals traditionally. Some bind their Servants through concepts or metaphysical contracts. He might not even need seals."
Aletha breathes in slowly, deeper than before, trying to keep her composure steady.
Then I hold up a hand, "And finally: intent. The most important unknown. What does he want? How does he fight? How does he think? A Champion of Darkness could be methodical, cruel, playful, horny, apathetic, strategic, horny, well-intentioned, horny or simply chaotic. But intent decides behaviour. And behaviour decides openings."
The air around us feels heavier now, not oppressive, but sharp, while Nero, through our link comments, [You said horny thrice...] Making me reply, [He chose the High School DxD Universe... Him being horny is a given...]
Aletha's fingers curl slightly at her sides, "So in summary: he's either a manageable threat with a few surprises, or a walking natural disaster wearing a human shape."
I smile wryly while saying, "Exactly."
She exhales, steady and controlled. "Alright. I needed to hear it. Anything else before I start planning?"
I nod. "One more thing. And it's the part that matters most."
She meets my gaze directly while I say, "You can win. But only if you treat him as the worst-case version of himself from the start."
Aletha stays still for a long moment after my last words, her eyes fixed on me with a sharpness that reminds me exactly why she made it this far. She isn't shaken, she isn't panicking, she's calibrating herself around the threat.
Then she repeats quietly, "Worst-case version from the start. Got it."
The air around us is calm again, but not empty. There's a charge beneath it, like the hush before a storm chooses its direction, before I say, softening my tone, "Aletha, I'm not telling you all this to scare you. I'm telling you because you're strong enough to use the information instead of breaking under it."
She huffs once, "I'm not breakable."
I smile and say, "I know. But even the unbreakable can be blindsided if no one warns them."
She looks at me for a second before her gaze shifts away, a rare flick of vulnerability crossing her expression. "Thanks… for not sugarcoating things."
With a grin, I reply, "Not my style." Making her mutter, "Yeah, I noticed."
There's a brief silence, but it isn't heavy anymore; it's grounding. She lifts her shoulders with a breath and rolls them back, settling into a stance more confident than before.
Then she says, her voice firmer. "Alright, so here's what I understand so far: He's a potential Champion, possibly a Devil King, possibly with a full Peerage, possibly carrying artefacts, possibly with a corrupted Servant, and possibly cheating by existing."
I nod, "Correct."
She cracks her knuckles, "Good. That means I prepare for everything."
I raise an eyebrow. "Everything?"
Aletha then grins, "If I prepare for the worst, anything less is just a bonus."
That earns a small smile from me, "Glad you're thinking like that. Because it's not just about power. It's about mindset. Champions don't fall easily. Exploiting patterns. You've done that before. You can do it again."
She nods slowly, but I can see the determination sharpening in her eyes, "And you'll help me track him, right? Or at least gather intel?"
I say. "Of course, just don't approach him directly. Not until we know more. I'll observe him from a distance. I'll try to get you something solid before the fight."
Aletha lets out a small breath she had been holding, "Good. I don't like walking in blind." Making me reassure her, "You won't. Not if I can help it."
There's a brief pause before she asks, quieter than before, "Do you think I can beat him? Honestly?"
The question hangs in the air, raw and real. I don't answer immediately.
Instead, I look directly at her and say, "Yes. But only if you fight like someone who knows exactly what he is capable of. No one is unbeatable. If you stay sharp and keep your head clear, you can win."
Aletha breathes out, a slow exhale that steadies her posture; her tension doesn't vanish, it focuses.
Then she says. "Alright, then I'll do my part. You do yours. We meet after we both collect our Triggers."
"Deal."
The moment hangs there for a second longer before she steps back, ready to leave. Her movements are quicker now, more decisive. The weight hasn't lessened, but she's carrying it better.
As she turns down the corridor, Nero materialises beside me in a soft shimmer of golden light. She watches Aletha walk away with an amused smile before she says lightly, "Well, Praetor, it seems you have given her quite the lecture. I almost felt like applauding."
I run a hand through my hair. "I just want her to be ready. I don't want to lose a friend." Nero then reassures me, "She will be. She is not the type to crumble."
I nod, though a part of me still feels a quiet pull of worry.
Nero nudges me with her elbow. "Come now. Brooding will not retrieve the Primary Trigger any faster. And besides..." She adds with a smirk, "... I am eager to defeat Julius. His arrogance will make our victory feel delightful."
I breathe out a small laugh, "Fine. You win. Let's move."
Together, we head down the corridor toward the Arena, toward Julius, toward another round of the Moon Cell's relentless grind.
And with the Third Round now fully underway, the war becomes sharper.
And far more dangerous.