Chapter 1589: Against The Traitors
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The battlefield around the Frontlines shifted abruptly with the arrival of Quick Hare and Maria’s party, followed by the attack of two Corrupted Zodiacrons. Then Maria unleashed her true powers alongside her party, averting a tragedy.
Crimcrow, an old friend of Vyperion, attempted to murder his friend in cold blood, claiming Vyperion had abandoned him to die on the battlefield. Instead of dying, however, Crimcrow was captured by the Hive and corrupted, becoming a slave to the Hive Queen. He sought revenge against his friend alongside another Boar Zodiacron.
However, their plans were swiftly thwarted, as Maria and her party proved surprisingly reliable. With a single word, Maria permitted them to join the battle.
Jonathan saved Vyperion’s life, using his dazzling swordsmanship to overpower the Corrupted Zodiacron swiftly, only to be pushed back in a desperate act by the machine as it tried to reach Vyperion. A massive white dragon then smashed it down.
Lucifer, in his latest evolution, had transcended SSS Rank, reaching the lofty heights of L Ranks. His power had improved significantly, to the point that few could challenge him.
"What sort of monster are you? A dragon? But made of flesh and blood?" Crimcrow screamed. "Just let me have my revenge against that bastard of Vyperion...! Why, why do you get in the way?"
"That bastard was really annoying, but Maria doesn’t want him to die," Lucifer said. "So you’re stuck dealing with us."
"Your entire body has been consumed by those creatures! Why have you done this to yourself?" Jonathan asked.
"It’s not like I wanted this! This is what they made me into!" Crimcrow screamed, using his wings to gain speed, dodging Jonathan’s attack and soaring into the skies. "And this is all his fault! That bastard! It’s your damn fault, Vyperion! That I became this monster!"
"Ah!" Vyperion’s eyes widened as Crimcrow rushed toward him.
"Vyperion!" Quick Hare ran to him, throwing him to the ground and helping him avoid a deadly attack.
CRAAASH!
Crimcrow struck the ground, shattering it into pieces and glaring back at the two Zodiacrons, his face twisted with rage.
"Vyperion, come and face me, you coward!"
He charged forward, only for Jonathan to appear suddenly in front of him, the Human Hero growing more serious now.
"We already told you we cannot let you harm him."
"{Starlight Waltz: Constellation}!"
SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH!
"Aaaagh!"
Crimcrow groaned in disbelief, his body covered with dozens of glowing slashes, splattering metal, oil, and the strange flesh that formed his muscles.
His other arm was severed, falling to the ground and burning with golden, divine light.
Each of Jonathan’s attacks flowed with his swift, dance-like movements. He gleamed like a star, each strike connecting to form a radiant constellation.
"Not again...! No, no, no! I won’t lose again! I will not lose, no matter what!"
Crimcrow screamed, opening his beak and gathering vast amounts of energy, firing it all at Vyperion in the distance.
"DIE, VYPERION!"
TRUUUM!
"Enough."
However, his attack never reached its target. In that instant, darkness enveloped Crimcrow’s entire being, and his attack was negated, vanishing completely.
"Eh?"
The Corrupted Zodiacron glanced to his side, noticing Maria behind him. The beautiful yet delicate-looking woman, clad in a black and red dress, approached him slowly.
"You have unusually high vitality. Those parasites in your body must both sustain you and give you this sense of euphoria, huh?"
"Y-You...!"
"Stay right there."
"What?"
Crimcrow saw a pair of giant black hands appear on his right and left, both formed from the same dark void of this strange space.
"{Hades’ Palms}"
CRAAASH!
"Gaaaaahhhhh!"
Crimcrow screamed in horror as his entire body was crushed and compressed by Maria’s immense strength, reduced to a small cube with his head intact, shrieking in agony.
"What is this? Aaaaggh! MY BODY...!"
"Because you were a victim, I’ll spare you, as I was once a victim too. The bugs inside your body will keep you alive, even in that form, so don’t worry," Maria said with a smile. "I’ve tamed them for you as well. Once this is over, you’re going to whatever equivalent of a prison exists."
"C-Crimcrow...!" Vyperion ran to his old friend. "You’re somehow still alive!"
"Not thanks to you, you damn bastard!" Crimcrow said angrily. "I’ll kill you! I promised her I would kill you! I...! I... I can’t... do anything... ugh... my head... it keeps spinning! Why do I feel so... so weird, Vyperion?"
"Crimcrow..." Vyperion looked down at his friend, gripping his gun and aiming it at him.
"So you want to give him a mercy kill?" Maria asked. "That works too. It’s up to you."
Maria didn’t care either way. She had done what she needed to do, but the problems of the Zodiacron people were theirs to resolve.
"No, wait!"
Quick Hare, however, stopped her senior, standing in front of the Infected Zodiacron’s body.
"Move, Quick Hare!"
"No! He’s your friend, and he’s still alive!"
"He’s a monster now! He’s suffering!"
"He can bear it until this is over, and we can heal him!"
"Heal him? Like that?"
"Maria... she left him alive because she can do something. Let’s trust her!"
"..."
Maria looked at them, rolling her eyes.
For machines, they were certainly the most sentimental she’d seen.
"Yes, I’ll help him later. I’ll make him sleep for now. I won’t have mercy for other Corrupted Zodiacrons, only this one, as an exception, for your senior," Maria said, smiling at Quick Hare. "I always return kindness a thousandfold. You were kind enough to help us, to guide us in this world, and even to bring us to the city, Quick Hare, so I’m doing this for you, not for that dumb snake."
"Dumb snake?" Vyperion gasped angrily. "I’m not dumb! I’m very smart and sharp and... I owe you an apology..."
"Yes, you do! You owe me a thousand apologies, actually," Maria sighed, crossing her arms. "But we have no time for that..."
"CRIMCROW! WHERE ARE YOU?"
The furious Boar Zodiacron wrestled against Partner, who grinned viciously at him with her sharp, fanged jaws in her giant bat form.
"He can’t hear you anymore, jackass! You’re not getting any support from him now, eheheh!" Partner laughed, slashing the giant robot’s face with her sharp claws.
SLAAASH!
"Gaaaaahhh!"
"That idiot was fortunate to face my master. She’s too nice sometimes," Partner said with a smirk. "However, I’m not! Heh!"
FLASH!
Partner surged forward, a crimson blur, catching up with the giant Zodiacron and smashing his head with her powerful legs.
As the titan fell once more, he tried to kick her legs and then unleashed a destructive beam of dark energy from the eyes on his chest.
However, Partner anticipated this, using her wings to soar upward, evading all attacks, then descending rapidly with full force, wielding her Dream Weapon—a pair of spears, one red, one black.
"You’re done for, fool! Die!"
CRASH! CRASH! CRASH! CRASH!
"Aaaarrggghh!"
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