PHASE 76 - POWERPUFF GODDESSES TO SAVE THE WORLD!

The park returned its serenity when Helena, Jecchan, and I managed to close in. The old man, which is our target, seemed to know where we’re coming from, so there’s no more stealth as an option. We have to deal with him head-on.

“Leon Frembell, also known as Lord Chronos...” Jecchan stood up in the center with me and Helena as a backup. “...Please surrender peacefully. You are a Cursed Guardian for more than a decade already. It’s time to purify you.”

The old man continued to swing as if he’s a kid ignoring his mother’s sermons. He looks so sad as his head stayed down. I’m pretty sure he’s just turning his deaf ear to us.

Jecchan sighed. She pulled out a magical handcuff from her pocket and walked sleazily towards the target. She’s planning to do a peaceful but forceful way by immediately catching him, but everything won’t go down just as easily.

When Jecchan is just about three meters away from the old man, his crimson eyes glowed that gave an eerie atmosphere in the night.

“!!!”

“Tiara, open a Gate, quick!” Jecchan immediately shouted as she jumped back.

I swiped my fingers in the thin air, opening a dimensional portal that flashed us out of the Earth Realm.

<>

The crimson moon glares upon the surroundings. The abandoned park is in ruins in this Yami version of the place. The slides are all rusted and full of spikes, the swing is a lot more creaky and has humanoid faces on their seats, and the kiddy horses that used to entertain kids replaced its head to a human’s. Now the park is a living nightmare.

The soil is orange because of the reddish tint of the moon. This park is now nothing but a barren abandoned place that is filled with eerie objects.

In front of us is our enemy who just got out of a swing. He is a gigantic man with black skin filled with Aztec golden tattoos. This man is all naked on top but his lower part is covered by a Greek robe. His red-eyed glare intimidates us all and it went worse when he roared.

“RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!” Corrupted Chronos cried. A shockwave blasted which immediately pushed us a few inches from our original position!

“Guh!”

“We have to act now, fast!” Jecchan cried. “Triangle Formation!”

“!!!”, “!!!”

Helena and I shouted our spells to buff our bodies with electricity and magnify our speed. With the boost in agility, Helena dashed to the enemy’s left, while I boosted to the enemy’s right. Now that we’re triangulating the enemy god, we can assure that there is no escape!

“Now!” With Jecchan’s signal, all three of us rushed towards the enemy. Jecchan had her gunblades ready, Helena is charging with her broadsword, and I’m readying my prana on my fists. A melee assault from three sides would make it impossible for the enemy to block or flee!

However, the enemy has already anticipated our movements. He spread out his arms and shouted a divine spell of his own.

“!!!”

Everything became black and white, and we all froze in place. Helena, Jecchan, and I cannot move any part of our bodies. We can’t even move our vision. Only our minds are aware of what’s happening.

“D...D...D...Damn...it…” Jecchan forced her mouth to move.

“You young girls are overconfident buffoons. Don’t you dare underestimate the God of Time! It is I, Lord Chronos!” The cursed god’s deep voice echoed in the surroundings.

“D...Don’t you dare underestimate us too!” Helena cried with her whole heart and soul. Suddenly, her mechanical right arm glowed together with her heart! “!!!”

Crimson lightning struck Helena, which immediately transformed her into an armor-clad black knight with a red cape. Crimson circuits glowed on her power armor as she fully embraces the three God Core’s divinity on her heart. She is the very same Helena we fought during Book Two, and I’m surprised that she regained such powers in this timeline!

“We are overconfident because we know we can defeat you!” Jecchan cried as the God Core on her chest glowed. “!!!”

Jecchan transformed into a six-footer beauty queen with golden hair, metallic one-piece armor, winged tiara, and double longswords. She spread out her wings that are full of different colors, showing off divinity from different multiverses.

“W-With determination, we refuse to give up!” I pumped up my fists as I channeled primordial prana on my soul. My shrine maiden dress transformed into a white robe with flames on its tip. A colorful lotus ornament materialized on my head, and hundreds of rainbow tails sprouted on my back. I have activated my !

By showing off our supreme divinity, we shattered the time continuum that Chronos created. Everything’s flow of time went back to normal again as his ability got dispelled!

“What the-!!!” Chronos cried. “Who dare challenge the divine powers of Lord Chronos: the God of Time!?”

“Jeannette Amiella Fontaine von Noctis!” Rainbow Freya flipped her hair. “Leader of Aether Crusade!”

“Helena Efilion!” Helena pumped her mechanical gauntlet that immediately charged it and her sword with dark crimson lightning. “Master of Swords!”

“Tiara Hikari!” I made a fistbump on my own knuckles, which unleashed a rainbow-colored shockwave. “Eater of Hamburgers!”

“Why do I have to fight weird girls like you!?” Chronos complained.

“Grrr! Now I’m angry!” Rainbow Freya cried as she pointed her sword towards the enemy. Then she bolted forward to lead the charge! “Attack!”

“Ooooooraaaaah!!!!” Helena and I cried as we surged forward.

Rainbow Freya was the first to hit the enemy with her sword. In the nick of time, Lord Chronos created a magical shield that has the shape of the clock to block her sword attacks!

However, that is just a distraction as the true assault comes from Helena! With her sword, she swept the enemy’s feet which made him unbalanced. Then with her mechanical glove that transformed into a giant spear, he thrust towards the enemy’s stomach!

“Grah!” Chronos cried as he was forced to dash back. Helena’s assault is very much not that critical as she is using the flat part of her blade and her spear does not have a pointy tip. We want to capture the enemy alive, so Helena’s holding back.

“!!!”

Rainbow Freya followed up with a spinning corkscrew kick straight to the enemy’s left shoulder, which sent him flying to my direction as the wind barrier breaks. With that combination of melee attacks, Chronos won’t have time to react to what happens next!

“Tiara, now!”

“Got it!” I nodded as I chase the flying enemy and intercepted him. With my prana-imbued fingers, I timed my opportunity to touch the enemy’s chest gently and shouted my spell! “!!!”

“GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!” Lord Chronos cried as he felt the pain of having his God Core being taken away from him.

“Haaaah!” With my strong grip, I pulled out the Corrupted God Core, which immediately ended the capture and seize operation.

<>

We’re finally back in the Earth Realm, here in this abandoned park in Leng City. The swing continued to produce creaky sounds when we returned, giving more eerie vibes around the place. The battle ended up quickly thanks to the teamwork of us three, and now we are ready to go home.

Hmmm, what kind of midnight snack should I take out?

“Hey…” Helena suddenly broke the momentary peace. She is in charge of tying up the Cursed Guardian Leon Frembell, and she did a good job. Our target is not even struggling.

“What is it?” Jecchan asked.

“Hey, hey, hey!” Helena cried in a panic. She slapped the old man on his cheek, but there’s no movement. Jecchan and I were troubled about Helena’s actions, as she was panicking. Finally, Helena looked at us as if there’s something not right. “Jeanne, he’s… he’s…”

Jecchan went closer and checked on the restrained Cursed Guardian. She’s curious why our target is no longer moving until she found out a horrifying fact by checking his pulse.

“He’s dead.” Jecchan shook her head in a sad manner.

“W-Why? H-How!?” I cried as I approached them.

I stopped walking towards my allies when both Helena and Jecchan had this terrifying look at me as if they have seen a ghost. Cold sweat ran through their faces and their eyes are wide open when they stared at me.

“T...Tiara…?” Helena whispered. I’ve never seen her so terrified before. She looked like a person who just got drenched by a bucket of water.

“W-What’s… on your hand…?” Jecchan asked with her frozen tongue.

“Eh?”

I raised my right hand, enough for my eyes to see what’s on it. I’ve been feeling some kind of slippery yet sticky substance on my palm, and the sight of my hand made it clear what it was. It was red liquid. It was drenched with blood.

On my palm is a glowing gray orb. The God Core of Chronos, I’m sure of it. But that’s not all. The God Core usually doesn’t have a physical form, but I can touch it. I can touch a wet soft substance. I felt some kind of heartbeats and some more blood oozed from it.

The God Core of Chronos is with a real heart.

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. The small clocktower in the park only dared to make a sound.

After four seconds, the heart on my palm suddenly stopped and withered like a dying plant.

…

It took me a few seconds before realizing the grave mistake that I have done.

“KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!”