The Death Pieces and Death himself

As he slowly entered the princess's room, he noticed the balcony window open. Suddenly, Mitsuri appeared and controlled Death on the spot.

"Manipulation, serve me, target!" Mitsuri yelled. A fierce and strong gust of wind passed by Itsuka and Death, causing their hair to sway. Death went silent, unable to move.

Mitsuri giggled as she looked at both Itsukas, realizing there were two of them. This didn't bother her, as she was already in control of one. She had used the balcony window as a distraction for both of them.

Itsuka looked at Death, his face remaining cold under his mask. Death then fell to the ground, unable to move. Mitsuri was confused by how Death fell unconscious, completely wasting her control ability.

Even though she hadn't killed Death, his body seemed like a corpse already, not even breathing. As she slowly looked back at the other Itsuka, she realized there was only one suspect who could have done it—Itsuka with the black hair.

Mitsuri remained fearless as the Golden Knight entered the scene, completely geared up. He pulled out his golden sword and pointed it at Itsuka, whose identity the princess still didn't know due to his mask.

"I shall act in this scene and prevent you from causing more trouble," Zaro Manitiri, the Golden Knight, spoke. His voice created a mist, representing a cold temperature as they glared at each other.

"Who the hell are you?" Itsuka asked calmly.

"I am Zaro, the Golden Knight, or rather the strongest human in Flare Country. I doubt you'll even give me a scratch in our duel," Zaro replied.

"Famous last words?" Itsuka mocked, showing a maniacal face under his mask.

"You talk big despite knowing you're about to lose. I admire your confidence, but confidence isn't the only thing you're going to need to win a fight," Zaro angrily responded.

"Really?" Itsuka calmly said. Zaro asked, "Who are you guys anyway?" Just then, Patricia and Anme arrived at the scene. They both laughed at the duel they were about to witness.

"*Fufu* What an admirable duel we're about to see," Anme remarked, laughing to herself.

"Indeed, sister. I cannot wait to see the Golden Knight fall as he tears in the depths of Itsuka's terror!" Patricia retorted, shocking Mitsuri.

Her own sisters turning against her felt like a nightmare she didn't want to come true. Anme, her strongest sister, also known as the Holder of TimeXSpace, was enough to give the Golden Knight a hard time.

Though they had not dueled yet to determine who was stronger, Mitsuri could already predict the extent of her sister Anme's power. Anme was literally capable of destroying an entire country, and her duel against the Golden Knight could leave a mark on the continent.

Mitsuri pondered who might have enough influence to manipulate her sisters to such an extent. Memories flooded her mind, and she realized who she was facing.

"Itsuka!? Is that you under the mask!? Don't tell me, how did you get in?" Mitsuri asked, her legs trembling in fear. The presence of the masked person came rushing through her, bringing Itsuka's familiar aura into the room.

Itsuka removed his mask, revealing a cold face marked by the suffering she had caused him. His pupils glowed pure red. Mitsuri fell to the ground, realizing the pain he was about to inflict.

"Patricia, are you sure you want to turn against your own sister?" Itsuka asked seductively.

"*Fufu* Of course, Itsuka-kun. This is because I love you, and I will always choose you over my older sister," Patricia answered, flustered.

Such words broke Mitsuri down. Her heart dried up as her previously loving sister had grown to betray her.

"What is the meaning of this?" Mitsuri asked, tears streaming down her face.

"Stay calm, Princess. There must be a way he is controlling both of your sisters!" the Golden Knight explained, advising her not to get too emotional yet, as the true battle was just beginning.

"Do you really think we're being controlled right now? *Fufu* I thought you were the Golden Knight, but I guess you aren't that godly anymore," Anme teased as she and Patricia laughed at his words.

"Golden Knight, please help my sisters," Mitsuri pleaded, wiping the tears from her eyes. She stood up, placing her trust in the Golden Knight. Alongside him, she drew her sword and pointed it directly at Itsuka.

"Despite your cold acts towards students and peasants, you yourself still have a weakness. Remember, all of this wouldn't be happening if it weren't for the Labyrinth incident you caused," Itsuka said, reminding her of their shared dark past.

"You bastard, Golden Knight, slaughter him!" Mitsuri ordered.

"Understood, Princess," Zaro replied, obeying the command. He pointed his sword at Itsuka and charged, breaking the sound barrier every millisecond. Itsuka blocked the attack, but soon realized it was an illusion.

Zaro appeared behind Itsuka, delivering a lightning-fast slash to his back. Without hesitation, Zaro continued his assault, striking again and again until the moment was right. He then stabbed Itsuka in the chest.

Seeing the battle, Mitsuri smirked, thinking Itsuka was defeated. Zaro looked at Itsuka's face, his sword piercing through Itsuka's chest. But Itsuka was smiling.

"Gotcha," Itsuka whispered as Zaro's perspective darkened. He could hear every step Itsuka made, surrounding him.

Zaro closed his eyes and instantly pinpointed where Itsuka would attack next. Wasting no time, he stabbed into the thin air, and as his vision cleared, he realized he had struck Itsuka in the shoulder. Itsuka, disrespected by being unable to defeat Zaro within a minute, reeled from the wound, blood spurting from his shoulder.

As Itsuka backed away, clutching his bleeding shoulder, Zaro charged at him again, aiming for another fatal blow. Zaro teleported behind Itsuka, who, unsure of where Zaro had gone, looked around only to be punched hard in the stomach. The force of the punch sent Itsuka flying through rooms, three stories down the castle, and across ten floors, each a hundred feet wide.

Slowly, Itsuka stood up, coughing and vomiting blood, realizing how far he had been thrown. He laughed, recognizing the familiar pain from a punch he had felt long ago, albeit much lighter.

"I remember that punch. It's the same one that threw me a long time ago, but much lighter. You weren't always the Golden Knight, were you, Commander Zaro? You used to be the first in command under the first princess before becoming the Golden Knight. You were one of those who betrayed me back at the labyr—"

Before Itsuka could finish, Zaro teleported above him, smashing his head into the ground and throwing him out of the castle. Zaro then leaped two hundred feet into the sky, enlarging his sword to half the size of the castle and pointing it directly at Itsuka below.

Mitsuri, along with her twin sisters, ran to the rooftop of the castle through the window, witnessing the battle. The Golden Knight's impending blow was about to become the strongest recorded in Flare Country's history. Zaro's voice boomed, "EXCALIBUR!! GATE 4!!"

Itsuka, thrown out of the castle, struggled to stand. Zaro's scream echoed throughout the capital, and before Itsuka could look up, the massive sword descended upon him. The sword pierced the ground beside the castle, creating a permanent hole. All eyes in the country turned to the castle, witnessing the giant sword embedded in the palace lawn.

As the massive sword descended upon Itsuka, the explosion and thrust obliterated his body, reducing him to ashes. Zaro, ensuring the princesses' safety, called out, "Princess, are you okay?"

Mitsuri's eyes went wide with terror as she pointed behind Zaro. As he turned, his head was already severed. The last thing he saw was Death, smiling wickedly.

"What a shame, really. Ahahahaha, you didn't even get a chance to use your other gates," Death taunted. "This is why you should always use your strongest attack immediately on Itsuka before he surprises you. Ahahahahah. Anyway, Mitsuri, I have a lot of questions for you."

Mitsuri trembled, stuttering, "Y-you're not I-Itsuka!?"

Itsuka then materialized from thin air. Both Death and Itsuka kicked Mitsuri in the stomach, sending her sprawling to the ground. She struggled to draw her sword against them, but her nerves and fear paralyzed her.

With each passing moment, her terror grew worse, leaving her unable to fight back against the overwhelming presence of her enemies.

Anme taunted, "Ara ara, look at what a mess you are, princess."

Patricia joined in with a smirk, "*Fufu*, she's right, sister. You look like a mess right now. Your act and expression aren't very royal."

Mitsuri tried to muster courage, "What is happening? Don't act so tough, I can still fight."

Death sneered, "Your entire body is trembling. Are you really sure you should be acting tough?"

Itsuka called for Anme and Patricia. As the two approached him, Mitsuri watched in despair as her sisters laughed beside Itsuka. Her world shattered further when Izayu walked past her, dropping Mitari's severed head into her hands. Mitsuri screamed, dropping the head of her girlfriend.

Izayu Itadawashi mocked, "Seriously!? I remember her saying, 'Help me, Mitsuri,' and that you'd avenge her death. But look at you now. Is this how you avenge her?"

Tears streamed down Mitsuri's face as she broke down completely. Itsuka, Anme, Patricia, and Izayu donned their masks, with Ray already wearing hers. Death teleported away, just as the student council president, Minato Hatiri, arrived at the scene. He saw Mitsuri broken in the corner and realized he was no match for the intruders.

Minato asked, "What are you going to do with the first princess?"

Itsuka replied coldly, "It doesn't matter to you."

"Who are you guys?" Minato demanded.

"We are the pieces of the death board," Itsuka declared. "And I am the leader of this organization—Death!"

"The pieces of death?" Minato echoed in disbelief.

"We will kidnap the first princess," Itsuka continued. "Since I defeated the Golden Knight without a scratch."

He threw Zaro's severed head to Minato, who recoiled and threw it back to the ground. When he looked back, the death pieces had vanished. The vice president arrived too late to help; all the commanders and royal knights lay dead. Minato explained that defeating all these officials without a scratch made Death, their leader, seem impossible to defeat without the kings and queens' help.

As the death pieces followed Itsuka, they arrived at his room. Itsuka threw the princess onto his bed as the death pieces removed their masks.

"Finally, we're safe," Itsuka sighed.

Ray looked around, "I guess. Is this your dorm, Itsuka?"

"Yeah," Itsuka replied.

Patricia made a face, "Yikes, it's so plain."

"Shut up!" Itsuka snapped.

Izayu jumped onto the bed, sniffing it like a pervert. "What the heck!?" Itsuka exclaimed.

Anme smiled at Itsuka. "I guess I'll take my leave now," she said, still smiling at him.

Itsuka watched her go, feeling a mix of relief and lingering tension.

Anme smirked, "You have to remember I'm not one of your pawns, Itsuka. I am stronger than you *Fufu*." With that, she teleported out of Itsuka's room.

Izayu continued to do weird things to Itsuka's bed until Ray grabbed her by the neck and threw her across the room.

"Pervert!" Ray snapped.

Izayu Itadawashi laughed, "I'm fine being a pervert towards master."

"Eh, are you really that desperate for Itsuka's love!?" Ray asked incredulously.

"Maybe," Izayu replied.

"Don't you 'maybe' me!" Ray retorted.

"*Fufu*, can the both of you shut up?" Patricia interjected. "Anyways, let's leave the room." Patricia then pulled the two of them out of the room, leaving only Itsuka and the first princess behind.

Itsuka faced Mitsuri, "Speak up!"

"What is it!?" Mitsuri trembled.

"I'll tell you now," Itsuka said. "What makes you think I manipulated both of your sisters?"

Mitsuri responded, "Ever since we were young, those twins always said that the one they loved was me, and that they would never fall in love with a boy."

"Do you still believe they're keeping that promise?" Itsuka asked.

"Of course! My sisters would never act like that. I bet you also manipulated those other girls to be your pawns!" Mitsuri insisted.

"Isn't that your special ability?" Itsuka retorted.

"Of course, but I bet you also have the same special ability as me," Mitsuri said defiantly.

"Nah," Itsuka replied. "Those girls that became my pawns, I won their hearts manually."

"Do you really expect me to believe you!?" Mitsuri snapped.

"And do you really expect me to lie to you?" Itsuka countered. "Listen, if I had the same ability as yours, then why haven't I used it on you yet?"

Mitsuri clenched her fists, "Tsk!"

"I see you can't talk back, can you?" Itsuka taunted.

"That is none of your business," Mitsuri spat back. "Anyways, why are you doing all of this to me? I won't serve you no matter what you tell me."

"Every moment is a new opportunity to make a memory with your sisters. The speed at which children grow up defies the laws of time. From a moment ago, you might have seen them as children, but now you see them as teens. Even though you try, the ones we see as little now will soon grow up liking new things. Children's minds grow mature, and you need to understand that they will soon enough leave you to see new things. This goes the same for your sister; back then, they might have never even understood the concept of love and promise. As they grow up, they will slowly come to regret what they just said. Since the moment I showed up in their life, I became the core of their existence. Now that they're finally mine, they have offered me their entire lives. You need to understand they still have to finish the three stages of love for me: lust, attraction, and attachment. As they go through these stages, they will start to fall for me even more. Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. If you want to stay with your sisters, you will need to come with me and also become my bride." Itsuka Exclaimed longly.

"I wonder why my sisters fell in love with you. I'm very sorry for causing trouble between both of you." Mitsuri replied as Tears streaming down her face as she giggles to herself "Fine, I'll become your bride." she agreed.

Itsuka embraced her tightly, As Mitsuri allows him to do as he pleased to her body, As Itsuka planted a gentle kiss on her forehead before teleporting her back to the castle. Within Itsuka emerged another figure, a feminine version of him, breathing life into the unconscious guards and officials scattered around the castle. Meanwhile, Anme and Patricia rushed back to the castle, finding all the previously fallen officials now revived but still in a deep slumber.

As Itsuka made his way back to his dorm under the cover of night, his thoughts lingered on Anme, the Holder of TimeXSpace, and her potential to stand against the looming threat. Reflecting on his own past, Itsuka remembered his childhood friend, Hori Melatika, whose tragic death left him in a profound state of grief. His parents had later adopted a child who helped him overcome his sorrow, only to discover that his dear friend had been reincarnated as the Third Princess in this new world.

"Anme mine," Itsuka whispered to himself, the weight of past and present burdens heavy on his mind.