Somewhere in the world.

“Ah, my clone got killed.”

Said Alexis, who was working on some kind of machine.

“Already? That boy sure has a short temper.”

There was someone behind him watching what he was doing.

It was Ringo.

“Can you show your clone’s last moments?”

He asked.

“I was just about to do that.”

Said Alexis.

He pulled down his sleeve and revealed a wrist watch he was wearing. He started pressing a few buttons on it as if trying to operate it. Soon, the watch started to project something in the air.

It showed Miko sitting on his throne.

“It’s about to happen.”

The moment Alexis said that, the throne under Miko scattered and everything started to undergo a horrific change.

“I see. So this is the form you talked about Riamante?”

Ringo looked behind him and saw someone standing in a corner.

He was very handsome, tall, had flaming red hair with golden highlights. He was Rias’ younger brother, a true Phoenix, and member of Nexus, Riamante.

“Hm…..Its a bit different than what I overheard him describing to my sister, but that seems to be it.”

He replied.

“That thing looks very dangerous.”

Said Ringo.

“To be honest, I don’t think I can fight against that without preparing myself for death.”

He added.

“Killing that thing will be hard, but it isn’t impossible.”

Said Alexis.

“Miko may be a reborn monster, but his core is that of a dragon. That is his biggest weakness.”

Riamante nodded.

“That’s right. Augustus may have thought that he obtained the ideal body, but all he’s done is to give himself more weaknesses. All we need to do is stab an Anti-Dragon sword through his heart and its game over.”

“That’s if we live long enough to do that.”

Said Alexis.

As he said that, he saw Miko stretching out his finger from his clone’s point of view. After that, everything became blank.

“Whew. Killed by a finger poke. That’s savage.”

Said Ringo with a whistle.

“My clone was 70% of my full strength, and he was still nothing but a speck in front of that thing. If the real me was there, I’m sure the result would’ve been the same.”

Said Alexis.

“Riamante, how about you? Can you fight that thing?”

Ringo asked.

“Of course. I fought against Augustus all through his life. From his training with my sister to when he reached his prime. I know all of his fighting habits, his preferences, his weaknesses, and everything else about him. So logically, I would win.”

Riamante paused before saying-

“However, I have no interesting in fighting him since I would lose.”

“Wait, didn’t you just say that you would win?”

Ringo asked.

“Logically, yes. But considering the fact that Augustus doesn’t follows logic, I would definitely lose in the end. I know, because it happens every time. I surpass him in strength, but still ends up being the one on the ground. To be honest, I’m sick of it. If we’re killing him, let somebody else do it.”

Riamante complained.

Hearing that, Ringo stared at the last image the clone saw, which was Miko stretching its finger towards it.

“Hmm…..Well, whatever. If push comes to shove I’ll kill it.”

He said as he walked up to the machine that Alexis was working on.

“I might just use him too.”

He placed his hand on the tank section of the machine.

Inside the large tank was a gigantic primate monster with several of its limbs missing, and covered with deadly wounds. It was the monster whose fight with Chao Tian sunk half of the Beast Continent.

Devil Ape.

“Use it? This is my possession. I’m going to use it to make myself evolve. You’re not getting it. Especially after I just lost a valuable clone. It was hard to make you know. You guys better compensate me for my lost."

Said Alexis.

“Yeah, yeah. I know, I know.”

Ringo said with a wry smile.

Dragna Empire, Primus World.

“How’s Miko?”

Sasha asked Tia, who just came out of Miko’s old room in the palace.

“He’s still unconscious, but his injuries finally began healing.”

She said.

“It’s been over a week since then, and he only just started healing? Isn’t that strange?”

Asked Kirika.

“I don’t know. But we should be glad that he’s began showing signs of recovery.”

Said Momo.

By this time, the entire Dragna clan learnt about what took place that caused Miko to end up in such a state.

Basmu informed them of everything that happened, from Alexis deflecting, to him getting injured him despite the Class System still being in affect, as well as Alexis being a founding member of New Era.

They also learnt that Miko was the one who destroyed half the palace and cause massive damages to the kingdom, with his anger.

“Again, I have to admit that Miko has an immense power store inside him.”

Said Sora.

“If he can control it, won’t he become invincible?”

“Its because he can’t control it why he’s in his current state.”

Alec walked up and said.

“More importantly, we might be in deep water now that father left the clan.”

He said with a serious expression.

“What do you mean?”

Momo asked.

“First of all, I would like to thank you all for not suspecting me or the members of my branch because of my father’s involvement in New Era.”

Said Alec.

“Well, Its not our job to judge you. It’s miko’s as the Clan Leader.”

Said Momo.

“Plus, Her Holiness vouched for you all.”

She added.

“I see. Again, thank you.”

Alec bowed to show his gratitude.

“Stop that. It’s weird to see you so serious.”

Momo said as she gestured him to stand straight.

“Now, tell us. Why are we in trouble now that your father joined New Era?”

She asked.

“That’s because when it comes to Alchemy, my father only has one rival outside my grandfather.”

“And who’s that?”

“Demon Blacksmith, Miguel. The leader of MYTH.”

“……..I see. That is a problem.”

What Alec meant was simple. Alexis was a renowned genius whose fame shook the heavens. The fact that he became one of the few Alchemic Gods was proof.

The only person who could compete with him in the Tertitus Branch was his father Alexus, who was also an Alchemy God. As for outside of branch, he was unrivaled in Alchemy.

He could create anything he desired with alchemy, even life. He could heal or regenerate any wound, he could even bend the laws of reality with a wave of his hand. All of these feats were something that any alchemy god could do, but with Alexis it was different.

He was too obsessed with alchemy, and could never be satisfied. It was as if he was a bottomless pit that desired to suck up everything. He wanted to know everything, solve every mystery, and reach the pinnacle of understanding.

That was who Alexis was.

Yet, one day this man met his match. He met a young Miguel.

“My father told me that when he stood in front of Miguel, he realized how ignorant he truly was. Miguel was the pinnacle he was trying all his life to reach. A true Alchemy God.”

Alec recounted.

“I’ve never met Miguel, but in my eyes my father was peerless. But someone like that, joined forces with the same man he felt inferior to? Do you know what that means?”

“New Era can basically twist the world in anyway that they please. There won’t be anything that they can’t do.”

Said Jin.

“Correct. The fact that they found a loophole in the Class System is testament.”

Said Alec.

“You know, every time I hear something about New Era, the more unfair they sound. I mean, aren’t they basically cheating?”

Said Ace.

“They feel like last boss material, to be honest.”

Kaido added.

“Last boss or not, I’m going to turn their skulls into a pisspot.”

Alec and others turned around and saw the five branch leaders walking towards them.

“Oldman, are you alright now?”

Alec asked.

“I’m fine. I just have the urge to crush your father’s skull underneath my feet, that’s all.”

Said Alexus.

“Where’s Kiri?”

Alec asked.

“In her oasis. She using her anger and grief to train her sword. I heard her screaming that she’s going to cut her father into pieces.”

Alexus answered.

“Is Miko still out of commission, Grandma?”

Nero asked.

“Yeah. He’s still recuperating.”

“Oh, I wanted to share this bottle of alcohol with him. Maybe have a drinking game or two.”

“You really don’t have a care in the world do you?”

Rouge said while shaking his head.

“What? Should I be mourning? Why? Alexis’s defection allowed us to see the true strength of our enemy. Isn’t that worthy of celebration?”

Nero said.

“Beside, I’m not afraid of New Era. In fact, I’m grateful to them.”

“You’re grateful to them? Have you finally lost your mind?”

Andreas asked.

“Shut up, you uncultured swine!”

Nero shut Andreas down and threw up two middle fingers.

“Don’t act all innocent in front of me. I’m sure you all have been thinking the same thing as me. This world is too boring. I mean face it, peace is boring.”

Humans love conflict. The fact that the greatest works of fiction is centered around conflict is proof.

“This world is so boring that I can’t get any stronger because I have nothing that can put pressure on me. That’s why I’m grateful for new era doing everything they’re doing. They might help me push past that bottleneck Ive been stuck at for a while now. The more overbearing they are the better. Isn’t that the same for all of you?”

Nero looked at all of them and said.

“I mean, why are we so antagonistic towards them? They have done anything to hurt us in anyway. Aren’t we just forcing ourselves to hate them?”

He smirked.

“Or could it be that we’re jealous?”

“What?”

“Am I wrong? What new era is setting out to do is the same thing that we vowed to do that day?”

The memories of him holding the disfigured body of his mother, while roaring at the heavens as he cried his eyes out, flashed before his eyes.

“Drag down the heavens, rip apart the hells, and get revenge on everyone that rose against us.”

The other branch leaders became silent when they heard that. That was because Nero’s words were true. It made more sense for them to side with New Era rather than oppose them. That would be the quickest way to achieve revenge.

Or was it that they gave up on revenge somewhere along the years?

“Then are you saying that you want side with New Era as well?”

Echo asked.

“Huh? Why would I do something stupid like that?”

Nero said with a confused face.

His response threw everyone off. They once again realized that they could never understand how his brain works.

“You just said that we have no reason to fight New Era.”

“No, I said we have no reason to hate them. I didn’t say that I wouldn’t fight them.”

Nero replied.

“Whether they be friend or foe, as long as fighting them seems fun I’m gonna do it.”

He proudly declared.

“I want to crush them not because I hate them, but because I view them as an obstacle I must overcome.”

“As expected of the old man, you get me.”

It was at this moment that Miko’s door opened and he walked out.

“Miko, is it alright for you to be moving around?”

Momo approached him and asked.

“?!”

However, when their eyes met Miko’s she felt a chill down her spine. They were lifeless and extremely cold as if he was completely dead inside.

“Ah, I’m fine.”

However, the look in his eyes disappeared a moment later. It was as if he didn’t recognize Momo until now.

He slowly undid the bondages around his body and face.

“See? I’m healing properly.”

When Miko undid the bandages, everyone saw something eerie.

His countless wounds were leaking dark miasma, that seemed to be closing his wounds as if stitching them up. It gave anyone who witnessed it a chilly feeling.

“Anyway, let me make this clear now. I don’t hold a grudge against Alexis for defecting to the new era, and I won’t hold any grudges if any of you choose to follow him. You’re all free to do as you please. After all, I don’t hate them I just want to surpass them.”

Miko realized that the Alexis clone purposely provoked him to go berserk. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have done the things he had done. It was all build up to anger Miko, and show him that they can truly threaten him and those around him.

“Well played.”

He mumbled to himself.

He began walking while the darkness stitched up his wounds. Everyone could sense that something had changed in him.

They followed Miko until they left the Primus world and reentered the palace he destroyed.

“………”

He looked at the rubble as if everything was garbage before his eyes.

“Primordial Chaos Lord.”

He suddenly entered his God Mode.

“Mušma, Gallu, Sirrush.”

“Yes.”

The moment Miko called their names the gods appeared.

“I’m borrowing your powers.”

He didn’t wait for them to respond and absorbed them into his body. This cause his power to skyrocket.

He then took out something out of his pocket and threw it at Alec. It was a map that had a few countries circled on it.

“Point in the directions these countries are in. Also include the distance from here to there.”

“Y-Yes.”

Alec quickly pointed in several different directions and said how far they were.

“I see. Got it.”

Suddenly several orbs appeared behind Miko. He swung his arm down and the orbs shot towards the directions that Alec pointed in.

And then-

*BOOOM!* *BOOOM!* *BOOOM!* *BOOOM!* *BOOOM!*

Several explosions could be heard in the distance.

It obvious to everyone what Miko had just done. He attacked several countries without warning. This was an obvious sign of aggression, and will definitely lead to war.

Miko turned and faced everyone with cold lifeless eyes.

“Looks like we’re at war again.”