Soma returned from the kitchen holding a small, brand-new kitchen knife. It was a paring knife, but its blade was wickedly sharp and gleamed under the loft's soft light. He handed it to Zero, handle-first.
"Just use the usual knife," Zero said, reaching for the one he'd used before.
Soma snatched it away. "How dare you," he said with the sternness of a head chef finding mold in his walk-in. "That thing is not hygienic. You've touched it, I've touched it. From now on, if you want to draw your blood for... this," he gestured vaguely, "you use this dedicated, sterile knife."
Zero looked at the tiny, pristine blade. "Okay, okay," he said, taking it. "Shall we do this then... tiny knife?" he whispered to the blade.
"Why are you talking to the knife?" Soma asked, weirded out.
"Mind your own business, man," Zero shot back.
He took a deep breath and drew the sharp blade across his palm. The cut was clean, and the blood welled instantly, deep and crimson. But this time, the process was different. As the first drop hit the floor, it didn't just form one magic circle. It split, dividing itself like a sentient thing into two separate pools of light on the floor. The blood from Zero's hand didn't just drip; it flowed, pulled by an unseen force, feeding both burgeoning circles simultaneously. The drain was immense, far greater than before.
"What the—enough, man!" Soma said, seeing the constant stream of blood leaving Zero's hand. "You're going to lose too much!"
Zero held up his other hand, a clear gesture that he could keep going, though his face was visibly paling. The two pools of blood on the floor swirled and grew, rising into humanoid shapes with a speed that was both terrifying and magnificent.
Then, as quickly as it started, it stopped. The flow of blood ceased, and the cut on Zero's palm sealed itself shut. Before him stood two new clones, identical to him in every way, naked and blinking in the light.
Zero swayed on his feet. "Fuck," he gasped, a wave of dizziness washing over him. "That took the wind out of me."
"No shit," Soma said, rushing to steady him. "It looks like it took more than just the wind."
The two new clones stood silently for a moment, crossing their arms in perfect sync. Then, one of them let out a deep, booming laugh. "Hahahahaha! Now we can replace the original!"
The other clone immediately mimicked the laugh, a sinister grin spreading across his face. "Yes! The era of the clones is at hand!"
Zero and Soma's faces went pale with genuine fear.
Then the two new clones burst into identical, uproarious laughter. "Ahahahaha! Look at your faces!" the first one wheezed. "We're good, man! We're on your side!"
"Can we get some clothes now, though?" the second one added. "It's a bit uncomfortable with two identical dicks swinging around in the same room."
They all laughed, the tension breaking instantly. "No need for clothes," Zero said, regaining his composure. "You'll be absorbing your cards directly."
He walked over and fanned the three new character cards out like a poker hand. "You guys pick."
The first clone, the one with the booming laugh, stepped forward and decisively pointed at the card depicting the stern, blond commander. "I'll take Erwin," he said, his voice already sounding more commanding.
The second clone, who seemed a bit more reserved, looked over the remaining two cards. His eyes settled on the dignified, powerful butler. "Let me get that battle butler," he said, his voice taking on a quiet, respectful tone.
Zero nodded, holding out the two cards. "Alright. Let's get this done."
The two clones stepped forward. The first took the Erwin Smith card, the second took the Sebas Tian card. They held them for a moment, then, as if by instinct, pressed the cards to their foreheads.
The moment the cards made contact, both clones were engulfed in shimmering, golden light. It wasn't the quick puff of dust from the energy cards; this was a powerful, transformative radiance that filled the entire loft, forcing Zero and Soma to shield their eyes.
The first clone, the one holding the Erwin card, began to change dramatically. The light seemed to stretch him, pulling him upwards. He grew taller, his frame broadening at the shoulders, until he stood at a commanding 188 centimeters. His long black hair shortened and bleached into a neat, military-style blond parting.
His features sharpened, his jaw setting into a line of resolute authority. When his eyes opened, they were no longer Zero's dark, cautious eyes, but a pair of piercing, intensely blue orbs that seemed to see past the walls of the room and into some distant, strategic horizon.
The light around him solidified, weaving itself into the tough, brown leather of intricate straps and harnesses, the crisp white of a collared shirt, and finally, the heavy, dark green wool of a hooded cloak bearing the crest of the Wings of Freedom. He stood not as a clone, but as a commander, his very presence radiating an aura of unshakeable will and the heavy burden of leadership.
Meanwhile, the second clone's transformation was one of quiet, dignified refinement. He didn't grow taller; in fact, he seemed to shrink slightly, settling at a still-imposing 179 centimeters. The light softened his features, aging them with a grace that spoke of immense experience.
His black hair turned a pristine, snowy white, shortening and settling into an impeccably neat style. A short, perfectly trimmed white beard and mustache materialized on his strong jawline. The light around him didn't form into rugged leather, but into the flawless, deep black fabric of a butler's tailcoat, a pristine white shirt, a simple black tie, and immaculate white gloves that covered his hands.
When the light faded, he stood with a ramrod-straight posture, his hands clasped respectfully before him. He was the very picture of a perfect, dignified servant, yet beneath the surface, there was a palpable sense of immense, coiled power, like a dragon resting in human form.
Zero slowly regained his color, the dizziness from the massive energy drain finally subsiding. He looked at the two new, fully formed figures standing before him, one a stoic commander, the other a dignified butler. "So," he said, his voice a little weak but steady, "how do you guys feel?"
The first clone, now inhabiting the form of Erwin Smith, looked down at his gloved hands, then at the unfamiliar weight of the cloak on his shoulders. "I feel... good," he stated, his voice calm and resonant, laced with a natural authority that was entirely new. "It feels like... me."
Soma, ever the instigator, grinned and clapped the tall, blond commander on the shoulder. "Of course you do! Welcome to Aetherion, little brother."
Erwin's piercing blue eyes turned to Soma, his expression unamused. "Why am I your 'little brother'?" he asked, his tone rigid.
"I came before you, of course," Soma said with a proud puff of his chest. "That makes me the big brother."
Erwin took a half-step forward, and the atmosphere in the room subtly shifted. His commanding aura, a trait that came with the card, washed over them. "Your card depicts a teenager, does it not?" he asked, his voice calm but carrying an immense, unspoken weight. "And my form is that of a grown man, a commander. Therefore, am I not correct, in a timeline-wise sense, that you would be the younger of us?"
Soma was about to retort, but Erwin's gaze was too much. It was the look of a man who had sent hundreds to their deaths for a cause, a look that tolerated no dissent. Soma, for the first time, found himself completely outmatched and relented. "...Okay, fine," he grumbled. "You're the big brother."
Erwin gave a single, dignified nod. "Thank you."
Zero let out a small chuckle at the exchange, then turned his attention to the second clone. "How about you? Did you feel anything strange?"
The clone in the butler suit stood with perfect posture, his hands clasped before him. "I also feel quite well, Master Zero," he said, his voice a smooth, respectful baritone.
Zero, Soma, and Erwin all turned their heads to look at him.
"What was that?" Soma asked, pointing a finger at him. "Why did you call him 'Master Zero'?"
The butler clone gave a serene, polite smile. "I do not know," he replied. "I suppose it just comes with the card, Young Master Soma."
"What?! Why am I 'Young Master'?!" Soma yelped, completely bewildered by his new title.
"Anyway," Zero cut in, trying to get things back on track. "So all of you feel fine? No discomfort?"
"We are good," Erwin confirmed with a nod.
"Good, then," Zero said, relieved.
The butler clone then performed a perfect, elegant bow toward Zero. "If I may be so bold, Master," he said, "I would like to be called Sebas from now on."
"Alright then, Sebas it is," Zero agreed.
Erwin stepped forward as well. "Me too," he stated simply. "I will use the name Erwin Smith."
Sebas turned to the commander and gave another slight, respectful bow. "It is good that we are of the same mind, Young Master Erwin."
Soma burst out laughing, pointing a finger at the stoic commander. "Hah! You're also a 'Young Master'! Ahahahaha!"
Erwin's hand shot out in a blur, delivering a light, but firm, karate chop to the top of Soma's head.
"Owww!" Soma yelped, rubbing the spot as Erwin retracted his hand without changing his stern expression. The pecking order had been firmly established.
Zero laughed, the tension from the Gacha pulls finally breaking. He looked down at the last card in his hand, the one that had caused him so much grief: the tiny, bespectacled face of Conan Edogawa. He looked at the card, then at the tall, commanding form of Erwin Smith. Then back at the card. A wild, reckless spark of an idea ignited in his mind.
"Erwin," Zero said, his voice deceptively casual. "Come here for a second."
Erwin, ever the dutiful subordinate now, walked over to Zero. "What do you need?" he asked, his piercing blue eyes focused.
In a sudden, impulsive movement, Zero reached up and pressed the Conan Edogawa card flat against Erwin's forehead.
The reaction was instantaneous and violent. The card didn't just absorb; it seemed to burn its way into Erwin's skin. A blinding light flared, and Erwin let out a choked, guttural cry, dropping to his knees. He clutched at his throat, his body convulsing as if an invisible fire was raging through his veins.
"What the fuck?!" Soma yelled, stumbling back.
Before anyone could react, Erwin lunged forward with a desperate, animalistic snarl, sinking his teeth hard into Zero's outstretched arm.
Zero cried out in shock and pain. Sebas, moving with a speed that defied his dignified appearance, instantly grabbed Erwin by the collar of his uniform and yanked him back, dragging him away from Zero. But it was too late. Erwin had already drawn blood, a warm trickle of it already flowing into his mouth.
The moment the Archdemon blood went down Erwin's throat, the transformation accelerated. The light engulfing him became blinding. Sebas, still holding him firmly by the collar, felt the body he was holding begin to shrink, the commander's uniform melting away into light.
When the radiance finally faded, Sebas was left holding up the collar of a tiny blue blazer. Dangling from it, his feet several inches off the floor, was the small, seven-year-old form of Conan Edogawa.
The child looked up at the butler holding him, his expression not one of fear or confusion, but of cold, incandescent fury. "Put me down, Sebas," he commanded, his voice small but carrying the unmistakable, commanding aura of Erwin Smith.
Sebas, ever obedient, immediately released him.
The tiny detective landed softly on his feet, adjusted his oversized red bowtie, and fixed his gaze on Zero. "You're reckless," he snapped, his child's voice ringing with the authority of a general berating a foolish recruit. "You still do not understand the fundamental mechanics of your own power, and yet you dare to experiment without knowledge or foresight."
Soma and Zero could only stare, their minds reeling. The sheer force of personality, the commanding aura of the Survey Corps Commander, was emanating from a boy who barely came up to their knees. It was the weirdest, most unsettling feeling they had ever experienced.
"From now on," Erwin continued, his small hands clenched into fists, "we do nothing without systematic knowledge beforehand. No more reckless Gacha pulls, no more impulsive fusions. We will proceed with strategy and intelligence. Is that understood?"
Sebas, standing behind the child, immediately bowed. "I agree completely with Young Master Erwin's assessment," he said, his loyalty unwavering regardless of his master's form.
Chastised and genuinely intimidated, Zero and Soma both found themselves nodding. "Yes, sir," they said in unison, their voices meek.
Zero, recovering slightly, knelt down to be at eye level with the child. "Can... can you turn back into Erwin?"
The child closed his eyes. His small form dissolved, not into light, but into a swirling, coiling pool of blood on the floor, which then rapidly rose and reformed itself back into the tall, imposing figure of Erwin Smith.
"Cool!" Soma immediately exclaimed. "Can you give me the next character card? I want to change form like that!"
Erwin turned his piercing commander's gaze on him. "Did I not just say," he stated, his tone leaving no room for argument, "that there will be no more reckless experiments until we understand the principles at play?"
Soma snapped to attention, giving a crisp salute. "Yes, sir!"
Erwin nodded once, then turned and walked into the bedroom. He emerged a moment later, having put on a simple, dark travel jacket over his uniform. "I am going to the Royal Library," he announced to the room. "I will endeavor to understand everything I can about this world, its history, its magic, and any texts that might pertain to abilities like ours. Until I return, do not do anything reckless."
He walked toward the door. Sebas gave a slight, respectful bow. "Have a safe journey, Young Master Erwin."
Erwin gave a final nod, then stepped out of the loft, leaving a shocked and thoroughly chastised Zero and Soma in his wake. A new leader had just taken command of their strange little family.
**A/N**
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**A/N**