“Woah, this is a pretty impressive spell formation.”

Exclaimed Alec who was overlooking the city from the top of a building.

His eyes were sparkling as he looked at the red lines that were slowly spreading throughout the whole city.

“I see. This formation strengthens with the more blood that’s spilled. A thousand, no probably a couple tens of thousand more deaths and people will start to notice that something isn’t right. But they’ll be too deep in war to stop and investigate.”

He turned to Mari who was beside him.

“This is a true masterpiece. Truly fitting of a genius like Miguel.”

“The Kaiser didn’t create this formation. I did, 50 years ago.”

“Oh? Well, the child of a genius will definitely be a genius herself.”

“……..”

Mari didn’t reply for a long time before saying-

“Is this alright? Your precious cousin might die and become apart of this ritual.”

“Hahaha! What? Are you trying to make me worry and trade my allegiance for his life?”

Alec started laughing again.

“Unfortunately, it’s against my policy to sacrifice myself for others.”

He then smiled.

“Besides, if something like this was enough to end him then he wasn’t the one I’m searching for.”

Meanwhile in the business district.

*Boom!*

Luna, who was just hit by a gravity powered fist from Bloom, crashed into a skyscraper and caused it to break into two.

The top half fell from thousands of feet and crashed into the earth, crushing countless people underneath.

Bloom landed beside Sapphire and looked at the tons of rubble that buried Luna.

*Boom!*

The rubble fell everywhere as Luna forced her way from under the rubble.

The crescent moon on her chestplate was dented in by Bloom’s fist, and there was blood leaking from her helmet.

Her silver eyes burned furiously as she glared at Bloom and Sapphire.

She swung her hand to the side and her crescent moon sword flew from under a piece of rumble and returned to her hand.

“I see. It’s the bitches of Jun.”

A shiny rainbow aura started appearing around her.

“It seems that you’re both eager for your deaths!”

*Boom!*

She shot forward while surrounded by colorful aura, thus creating a colorful storm in her wake.

The first to meet her head on was Sapphire who covered herself in crystals.

Sapphire swung a crystallized sword while Luna swung her Crescent Sword.

*Boom!*

A beautiful color spread across the area as the two clashed.

The two started to strike at the other with their weapons and caused the beautiful light to occur over and over again.

*Boom!*

With every clash, Sapphire’s armor and sword gained cracks in them.

It was obvious that her self made equipment were inferior to Luna’s.

*Boom!*

Another attack from Luna caused Sapphire’s crystals to shatter.

Luna took that chance to slash at Sapphires neck.

*Clang!*

A thick layer of crystals blocked Luna’s sword before shattering.

Sapphire stomp on the ground, and a large crystal pierce Luna’s armor and forced her back.

In that moment, Bloom shot past Sapphire with her fist covered in condensed gravitational force.

She swung it with the intention of breaking Luna’s face.

“Hold it.”

But before she could a pair of slithery legs wrapped around her arm and pulled her back.

This allowed Luna to escape and stabilize herself.

Before Bloom could react she was slammed into the ground by the serpent-like legs.

“Cough?!”

The ground under her burst open and blood escaped her mouth.

She looked over and saw who attacked her.

“I appreciate it if you two didn’t just come in and interfere with my fun.”

Said Aoi with a fork tongue popping out her mouth occasionally.

“Aoi Tsuyoshi, this has nothing to do with you.”

Said Bloom as she got to her feet.

“On the contrary, Luna was originally my prey, and I don’t like the idea of you stealing it.”

She then pointed at the rubble of the skyscraper.

“Also, you two kill countless of my people. Saying that I’m not involved after all that….”

Aoi started to laugh while her serpent eyes shone a vicious light.

“Aren’t you quite arrogant, Miss Gravity Queen?”

In the meanwhile, Luna started to approach Bloom and Sapphire with a murderous look.

Sapphire and Bloom came closer together and faced Luna and Aoi.

“Bloom, it doesn’t seem like we’ll be able to deal with Luna without taking care of Aoi first.”

Said Sapphire.

Bloom nodded.

“I think we should split up and fight them. I’ll take Aoi and you take Luna.”

Sapphire shook her head at Bloom’s words.

“From the exchange earlier I’ve confirmed that I’m not Luna’s match. We’re not compatible. If we fought I would surely lose.”

“Then what do you suggest? You fight Aoi?”

Sapphire nodded.

“Don’t be stupid. This is the syndicate’s left Fang we’re talking about. She might even be stronger than Luna.”

“That’s true, but I feel like I can take her. I believe we’re more compatible than you and her.”

“……”

Bloom didn’t respond immediately because she knew that Sapphire had sharp instincts. If she believed that she could beat Aoi, then there’s a chance she could.

Also, Bloom knew that Sapphire wanted to kill Luna more than anyone for what she ordered Jin to do. The fact that she was passing up the opportunity to do so meant that Sapphire was certain that her fighting Luna would be pointless.

Thinking that, Bloom nodded.

“Okay, let’s do it you way.”

The two switched positions and faced their individual opponents.

“Go!”

They both rushed towards their opponents with everything they got.

Because Bloom used her powers to repel her, her speed had a sudden boost and which Luna was unable to follow.

*Boom!*

Bloom crashed head-first into Luna’s chest.

“Cough?!”

Luna was blown away into a different direction.

Bloom flew after her like a rocket.

Sapphire was left with Aoi who was licking her lips playfully.

“Looks like you’re my opponent.”

Said Aoi.

Sapphire immediately crystalized her skin and created a crystal armor on top of it.

“You’ve guessed right!”

Sapphire created a crystal Lance and laced it and her armor with golden raw mana.

“Makoto Tactics: Crystal Knight!”

The crystals became infused with golden mana, which gave the lance and armor a majestic blue and gold look.

This was something Jin thought of for Sapphire a few years ago.

He thought her a few Makoto Tactics and thought her how to mix it with her Infected abilities.

This technique was one of the 12 that were created for Sapphire.

Jin called these 12 techniques Makoto Crystal Tactics.

Sapphire spun her Lance and pointed it at Aoi.

“So pretty. Let’s test how powerful it is!”

Aoi pounce towards Sapphire like a snake while bearing her fangs.

Sapphire kept her calm and thrust her spear forward.

*Boom!*

Gold sparks started flying when the two clashed.

Aoi backed up and sapphire took a step back.

Aoi looked quite surprised by the power behind Sapphire’s Lance, while Sapphire casually spun it in her hands.

“Did you like it? That stinging feeling deep in your insides.”

Aoi placed her hand on her chest.

Just like Sapphire said, there was a stinging sensation in her chest.

It felt like something bypassed her tough skin and hit her insides directly.

“This is the reason why I believe that I’m more than enough to kill you.”

The golden mana dancing inside Sapphire crystal armor and Lance started to shine even more brightly.

She shot off the ground and thrust her Lance.

*Boom!*

Aoi dodged it, but she paid attention to the piercing motion of Sapphire’s lance.

“So that’s how it is.”

Aoi distanced herself after saying that.

‘That girl, her attacks involves sending her mana directly into her opponent and destroying their insides.’

Aoi thought.

The reason why Sapphire chose to fight Aoi was because Luna’s armor had the ability to block mana from entering her body, which would make her attacks useless.

It was like the entire armor was made with anti-magic materials.

The Makoto Tactics were purely magic-based so they wouldn’t work against Luna. If Sapphire couldn’t use them then she had to rely on her Infected abilities to fight Luna, since Infected powers weren’t magic.

However, Sapphire’s instincts told her that she can’t beat Luna with that alone. Hence, Bloom, who had a higher attack power than her was more compatible.

Aoi had a hard skin but she wasn’t impervious to magic and couldn’t defend against mana attacks that enters the body directly, so she was the better choice.

Aoi naturally figure that all out and started to frown.

“Well, aren’t you a cunning one?”

She said.

“As long as I’m hit by that Lance, your mana will bypassed my steel skin and attack my organs directly. As long as you hit me enough then my death is assured.”

A cocky smile appeared on Aoi’s face.

“But that’s only if you can outlast me in close combat.”

*Crack!*

Cracking sounds suddenly came from Aoi’s body.

Sapphire saw her skin cracking and falling apart.

She watched in shock as she saw Aoi literally shed her existence and came out with a bigger and stronger looking body.

“Do you like? I just shed my old shell and obtained an even stronger body.”

Said Aoi.

“…Strengthening your skin doesn’t matters. My attacks will still bypass it.”

Aoi smiled.

“I didn’t do it to get a stronger skin.”

*Boom!*

“Guh?!”

A part of Sapphire’s armor shattered and she felt a powerful blow to her stomach.

It came from Aoi who moved so fast that it was like she teleported.

“Every time I shed my existence, I gain a big boost in my physical abilities as well.”

*Boom!*

She rose Sapphire into the air with an uppercut and then made her neck stretch towards her.

Her mouth widen and she bared her fangs to devour Sapphire.

Sapphire spun the lance and thrust it into Aoi’s throat.

“Don’t touch me, you monster!”

The lance shot a golden light down Aoi’s throat.

*Boom!*

“Cough?!”

Blood started spraying out of Aoi’s mouth and she retracted her neck after having her insides damaged by gold mana.

Sapphire landed on the ground and rushed towards Aoi while thrusting her lance.

Aoi spat the blood in her mouth and rushed to meet her with her fist.

*Boom!*

Sparks spread and shockwaves cleared the area when fist met lance.

“Cough?!”

Aoi organs were once again attacked, but she clenched her teeth and accelerated into Sapphires personal space.

*Boom!*

She crushed another part of the armor with her fist and caused Sapphires feet to momentarily left the ground.

Aoi spun around and slammed her leg on Sapphire's now exposed chest.

*Boom!*

Sapphire was sent flying back with a few of ribs broken.

She used her lance and stabbed the ground and stopped herself.

She looked up and saw Aoi’s leg swinging down towards her head.

She quickly lifted her lance to block it.

*Boom!*

The ground cracked open and Sapphire’s organs were damaged under the immense pressure from Aoi’s kick.

“Guh!”

However, Aoi also received some damage because Sapphire poured her mana into her.

Sapphire pushed her back and thrust her lance into her.

“Augh?!”

Aoi screamed out in pain as her organs were viciously assaulted.

She gritted her teeth and kicked the lance out of Sapphires hand.

She then kicked her in the stomach and kicked her under the chin with a backflip.

Sapphire stumbled back but held her ground. She used her armor to punched Aoi in the face and made mana attack her brain directly.

“Guaaah?!”

Aoi screamed out in pain, and her arms stretched like two snakes and attacked Sapphire from the front and back with punches.

More of Sapphire’s armor shattered and more of her organs were damaged.

She however endured the pain and headbutt Aoi.

Aoi’s brain was once again attacked, but Sapphire’s helmet also shattered.

She aimed a knee strike at Aoi, but Aoi avoided it by twisting her body and went behind Sapphire.

“Haaah!”

With a roar she hit Sapphire on her defenseless back with a full power strike.

*BOOM!*

“Guah?!”

Sapphire had the rest of her armor shattered and most of her bones either broken or cracked.

*Boom!*

She crashed into a building which collapsed on top of her.

When Aoi saw that, she fell on her knees and started coughing up even more blood.

“S-Shit. That girl was tougher than I thought.”

She forced herself to her feet and unsteadily walked towards Sapphire who was trapped under tons of concrete.

“I know that you’re not dead. So come out and fight.”

Aoi weakly said.

*Boom!*

As she expected Sapphire crawled out of the rubble after throwing a giant piece of concrete off her.

However, it didn’t seem like she couldn't stand on her own.

“Are you giving up?”

Aoi asked with a mocking tone.

“And you’re still alive? Hahaha, not a chance.”

Crystals started appearing around her limbs like a second skin.

She then got to her feet and faced Aoi.

“You used your crystals to wrap around yourself and then manipulate them to force your body to move? That’s quite impressive.”

Said Aoi.

“But that’s not going allow you to beat me!”

She popped up in front of Sapphire and punched her so hard her head looked like it was going to twist off.

However the crystals tighten around her body and stopped her from being blown away.

She manipulated her broken arm and punched one of Aoi’s teeth out.

She then manipulated her limbs and entered and a raw fist fight with Aoi.

*Boom!* *Boom!* *Boom!* *Boom!*

The two whose bodies had long past their limits started to hit their opponent with everything they had.

*Boom!*

Their skin burst.

*Boom!*

Their bones shattered.

*Boom!*

Their organs shook.

*Boom!*

However, their eyes still carried a burning desire.

The desire to win.

The desire to defeat the worthy opponent in front of them and reach a new stage.

They pushed and pushed until they no longer felt their limits.

It was like they were evolving with every punch they took and threw back.

The two unexpectedly started to respect the other’s will and tenacity.

They no longer felt bloodlust, only the desire to win!

They forgot about their troubles and become true Valkyries of the battlefield.

*Boom!*

Sapphire’s head fell back as she received an uppercut from Aoi.

*Boom!*

Aoi’s vision blurred as she took a blow to the head.

The two took a step forward and hit their opponent with one last attack.

The two started to fall backwards.

A crystal stopped Sapphire from hitting the ground but Aoi wasn’t so lucky.

She hit the ground and wasn’t able move anymore.

She couldn’t even use her mouth to form words because of how bust up it was.

Sapphire whose eyes were swollen watched her as she took her last breath.

In the end, her body just couldn’t take the constant attack from the inside and her heart failed her.

Even so, there was a smile formed with her bust up lips.

In the end she had one last good fight.

Even if she died, it was worth it for the battle maniac that she was.

Sapphire slid down the crystal and sat on the floor.

She was breathing heavily, but was bleeding even harder.

She looked towards her east and saw her lance laying on the ground.

If she wanted she could’ve attacked Aoi from behind with it and ended this fight a lot earlier. But she didn’t because she wanted to have a fair fight with a woman like Aoi.

She wanted to know if she could surpass the one hailed as the strongest woman in the city.

And to her surprise, she didn’t.

It was just thanks to circumstances that she won.

If the two were armed with the same advantages and disadvantages she was sure that Aoi would’ve won easily.

“Truly fitting of her title as strongest.”

Sapphire muttered as she closed her eyes.

She could hear Bloom fighting in the distance, but her instincts told her that if she forced herself to move any further she’ll die before even reaching a hundred steps.

So she concentrated on keeping alive for now.

Second Day of war.

The Syndicate lost one of its main fighters and were significantly weaken.

This marked the second major death of the war, but there were still more to come.