One month passed.
All remained calm.
One month remained until the portal's cooldown ended.
And!
This day.
Alistair sat in his study, quietly reading.
"Still not enough."
Alistair set down a hefty tome, brought by Demeter, filled with basic knowledge and divine scriptures.
Lately.
Alistair had been studying all kinds of knowledge.
As long as he learned.
It would fuel the fire when he ignited his divine flame.
Knowledge!
For Alistair, it was truly vital—the very foundation and core.
One could even say.
A complete divine scripture would be paramount, but acquiring one in the short term wasn't easy.
"Fine."
"Search slowly."
"If…"
"The next Star River Map search finds a world with a complete pantheon, that would be ideal."
"A scripture encompassing an entire pantheon."
"Would provide the greatest aid when igniting my divine fire."
"But."
"No need to rush."
Alistair, pondering future plans, shook his head. No need for haste.
To be precise.
For now.
Take it step by step. Conquer the remaining two worlds first, then seek new ones.
"Hm?"
"This is…"
Alistair suddenly sensed something, lifting his head, gazing afar through the Pure Land, as if seeing what transpired.
"Heh heh heh~~~"
"Truly interesting."
"In such a short time, that seed has taken root and sprouted."
"Seems."
"Something fun has happened."
"Perfect."
"Let's go see."
Alistair's smile grew, closing the book, standing, and leaving the study.
"Dust?"
Persephone was about to enter the study when Alistair stepped out.
Alistair chuckled lightly: "Persephone, let's go to Andromeda Island."
"That child's dark seed has taken root and sprouted."
"So soon?"
Persephone was stunned.
For a Saint dedicated to protecting Earth and peace, for it to sprout so quickly was, in a sense, absurd.
"Yeah!"
"That's why it's so interesting."
Alistair, smiling, said: "Come, let's see what's happening."
"Alright."
Persephone nodded.
The two left the Pure Land, but before that, they brought Esdeath and Kanae.
As the only two kin currently at the Seventh Sense.
When venturing out, it was good to have capable hands.
Moreover.
With the Holy War looming.
Both sides sat at the chessboard. Without absolute certainty, flipping the table was unwise.
Andromeda Island.
Alistair, Persephone, Esdeath, Kanae.
The four moved swiftly.
By the time they arrived, they saw June, enveloped in pitch-black darkness.
"Why?"
"My teacher returned too?"
"Then…"
"Why?"
"Why does no one care about me? Why? Why is this?"
June knelt on the ground, shrouded in darkness, her voice a wail of anguished questions.
Clearly.
June's darkness stemmed from this.
Alistair saw it at a glance.
In simple terms.
The darkness within June was born from abandonment, from being ignored.
All of it.
Everything left her out, as if she were an outsider.
As a Saint, she could die in battle as a warrior, yet all along, it was as if she didn't exist.
If.
Bronze Saints lacked the qualifications to participate, fine—leave out Phoenix Ikki, Andromeda Shun, Cygnus Hyoga, Dragon Shiryu, and others.
But why could the five weaker ones join in?
Was June really so inferior to them?
And now…
With Athena resurrecting the fallen Saints, including June's teacher.
Cepheus Silver Saint: Albiore.
He too was revived.
Yet what?
It was all meaningless.
Still, no one paid June any mind. The sorrow and desolation in her heart, the pain of abandonment, fully triggered her dark seed to take root and sprout.
"June."
"Since the Sanctuary, champion of light and justice, rejects you."
"Then."
"Will you embrace the darkness?"
"Sign this contract."
"Step into the embrace of darkness."
"Isn't that better?"
Alistair's voice suddenly rang in June's ears, a kin contract floating before her.
At that moment.
"…"
June stared blankly at the contract, seemingly sinking into silence.
Her heart seemed to scream: no one values you.
The Sanctuary!
Never valued you. Your teacher, your fellow disciples—no one cared.
But for June.
Her duty as a Saint, to protect Earth and peace, made her reluctant to sign.
In simple terms.
June was now torn, her heart struggling in agony.
"They're here."
Alistair's lips curved, amused: "The Sanctuary's people have arrived. Do you think their arrival will free this child from darkness's grip, or push her deeper into it?"
Alistair didn't stop their approach.
For June, this Saint.
Alistair was mostly spectating for amusement. Success was ideal.
But even failure?
For Alistair, it didn't matter much.
"True kindness?"
"Or mere hypocrisy?"
"Hmph!"
Esdeath, arms crossed, sneered: "What true kindness? It's all just hypocritical puppets."
In Esdeath's eyes, a firm believer in survival of the fittest.
True kindness?
That simply didn't exist.
Alistair smiled: "Esdeath, just watch quietly."
For Alistair, he knew true kindness did exist.
But.
He was curious now—what choice would these people make?
Ruthlessly eliminate June, a Saint at risk of falling to darkness?
Or.
Give her a chance, an opportunity to escape the darkness?
Who could say!
Alistair watched with a gleeful smile. Undeniably, as the God of Darkness, he found such wicked games quite entertaining.
Light.
Darkness.
Such entanglements fascinated him.
"June, what are you doing?"
"As a Saint."
"You've chosen darkness?"
With the voice's arrival.
Once.
The fallen Cepheus Silver Saint: Albiore.
Now.
Revived once more, he saw his disciple had fallen to darkness.
In that moment.
He was filled with sorrow, never imagining such an outcome.
With the Holy War looming, the Sanctuary was in full preparation.
Sensing dark power rising on Andromeda Island.
Albiore and Lyra Silver Saint: Orphée.
Two Silver Saints at the Seventh Sense came to handle the situation.
But never did Albiore expect.
That his own disciple had fallen to darkness?
"Teacher…"
June lifted her head in disbelief. Her teacher had just arrived, and his first words were to question her?
"Heh heh heh~~~"
In that moment.
June let out a self-mocking laugh. Her heart fully gave up resistance.
She took the kin contract floating before her, barely glancing at it, ready to sign.
And in that instant.
The Chameleon Bronze Cloth, always worn by June, suddenly disintegrated.
"I…"
"Was I truly abandoned?"
"In this final moment."
"Your Holiness…"
"You've abandoned me too?"
June gave another bitter laugh, understanding her situation.
In the end.
Her revered goddess had, in this moment, abandoned her too.
June signed her name on the kin contract.
"Albiore."
Orphée shook his head helplessly: "It seems your disciple has chosen darkness."
"I understand."
Albiore's eyes brimmed with sorrow, yet he gripped the twin chain weapons of his Cepheus Silver Cloth.
He said gravely: "I will personally deal with my disciple."
Albiore swung, the chain weapons extending infinitely toward June.
No matter what.
In this final moment, let him, her teacher, end his disciple himself.
Crack!
But.
With a crisp, clear sound, a massive ice wall rose.
From the ice, Esdeath stepped out, like a beauty carved from frost.
"Hmph!"
Esdeath's lips curved, sneering: "How amusing. That little girl struggled with all her might between light and darkness. Yet you pushed her into darkness yourselves, and now you'd take her life?"
"Truly disgusting!"
Esdeath's words stunned Albiore and Orphée.
Instantly.
Both understood what had happened.
"You…"
Albiore's fury ignited, roaring: "Underworld scum, you schemed against us?"
"Schemed against you?"
At that moment, a gentle, water-like voice rang out.
Kanae stepped out from behind the ice wall, shaking her head softly: "No one schemed against you. No one truly plotted against June, nor against you."
"For that lord, if June had escaped the darkness, we would have left."
"But you pushed her into darkness yourselves, didn't you?"
"…"
Kanae's words made Albiore and Orphée realize instantly.
Then.
Albiore understood what his earlier words had meant.
"Albiore, calm down."
Orphée snapped sharply: "Do you want to follow June's path?"
"Heh heh heh~~~"
Esdeath laughed mockingly: "You two, don't be too arrogant. Sorry, my lord has no interest in you."
"Enough."
"Leave now, and it ends here."
"Otherwise."
"The outcome might not be so pleasant."
Esdeath eyed the two with interest, already itching to fight.
Two Silver Saints at the Seventh Sense.
For Esdeath, also at the Seventh Sense, this was quite enticing.
"Leave?"
"No matter what!"
"Facing you Underworld lot, there's no just leaving."
Albiore gripped his weapons, while Orphée clutched his lyre.
In that moment.
The tension was palpable.
"Then let's see!"
Esdeath flicked her wrists, two ice swords materializing. She struck instantly, charging Albiore.
At the same time.
A glow flashed around her, her Devil Teigu entering its second stage.
"Underworld Warrior?"
"No!"
"Not quite."
Orphée, seeing this, noted the armor's style—seemingly an Underworld Warrior's, yet different.
Underworld Warriors' Surplices were dark purple, but this armor mixed a hint of red.
To be precise.
Dark reddish-purple.
In fact.
As Teigu wielders developed their Devil Teigu, the armor would fully turn dark red.
That would be the true color of a Devil Teigu wielder's armor.
"String Requiem…"
"Not so fast~~~"
Orphée aimed to act swiftly, but a gentle voice interrupted.
Kanae stood before him.
Orphée excelled in illusion-based techniques, while Kanae, as the Terrestrial Demon Star, mastered telekinesis.
"Terrestrial Demon Star?"
Orphée recognized the Surplice on Kanae instantly.
"Terrestrial Demon Star Babylon: Kanae Kocho!"
"Butterfly Swarm!"
"String Finale!"
Kanae and Orphée.
Their dark purple and silver Cosmos burned fiercely.
In moments.
It seemed to boil over.
Terrifying Cosmos.
Erupting wildly.
On the other side.
Esdeath and Albiore's battle grew increasingly intense.
Their fight leaned toward close-quarters combat.
Albiore relied on his Cepheus Silver Cloth's chain weapons, excelling at mid-to-long range.
And Esdeath?
Sorry!
Esdeath was a master of all combat forms—near, far, mid-range, all of it.
"Quite a worthy opponent!"
Esdeath's smile grew ever wider.
The four's battle intensified.
Powerful Cosmos spread rapidly outward, erupting fiercely.
And…
Andromeda Island began to be gradually enveloped by dark divine power.
Since.
The Sanctuary showed little interest in Andromeda Island, the Underworld would claim it as a relay point.
The Underworld, naturally, had no great interest in Andromeda Island.
More precisely.
Just a transit point.
"Albiore."
"The darkness is gradually covering all of Andromeda Island. Time to retreat."
Orphée fought while retreating, sensing Kanae's Cosmo was inferior to his.
But the issue was.
Kanae felt utterly different from past Underworld Warriors.
It was as if!
The gap was earth-shattering.
It felt like Kanae was a living, breathing person, while past Underworld Warriors were mere hollow shells.
"Could it be…"
Orphée suddenly realized something, his eyes narrowing in shock!
***
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