An Explanation

I couldn't help but ponder, what would his response have been if he were standing here beside me. In all likelihood, he would have swiftly unraveled my stratagem, a knowing smile playing at the corners of his lips as he tried to keep up with the unfolding plan.

He possessed that uncanny ability—to see through my deceptions in mere moments, effortlessly connecting the dots. That was the kind of person he is.

Even if I managed to surpass him in strength long ago, I knew I could never truly hoodwink him for long. His perception ran too deep, his understanding too acute.

The mysteries he held close to his chest, his enigmatic techniques that he never divulged—they must have played a pivotal role in his unshakable insight. Why, you ask? Because even the fool now ensnared in my grasp, tainted by a power slightly inferior to divinity, was incapable of seeing through my artifice.

When I declared that illusions faltered before their gaze, I hadn't spoken a falsehood.

Conventional illusions, the mere semblance of reality, could never ensnare beings of their caliber. Their instincts transcended the boundaries of mortals, reaching heights few could fathom, thanks to that power. Yet, there lay a distinction—one that set them apart but didn't unravel my ruse.

To dissect this tale, we must rewind to the moment when Three's explosion unfolded before me. Even though Lucy's insight couldn't yield prompt information, don't mistake me for powerless simply because of her limitations. I wield my own intellect, my instincts keen and perceptive. I stand not only in Lucy's shadow but in my own light.

Confronted with these ticking time bombs, I wasn't foolish enough to focus solely on killing the leader and ignore the tangled web encircling him. My promise to Finn, to safeguard the Loki Familia, resonated in my mind, Ais being an integral part of that vow. To shield her, I was prepared to even go against my core beliefs.

Seeing how many of them slowly approached her, I activated a discreet signal—ours alone—crafted for moments when speech was stifled. Through unspoken understanding, Ais retreated from the fray, casting a perplexed glance in my direction before entrusting her fate to my discretion.

Her expression, a mixture of confusion and faith, almost pulled me from the ongoing battle. Yet, there was no room for distraction. Seizing the collective attention with calculated utterances, I embarked on a meticulous endeavor, birthing a replica of Ais entwined with the very essence of her shadow.

My familiarity with Ais proved pivotal; I replicated every nuance, every minute idiosyncrasy that made her who she was. From her rhythmic breathing to the fluid grace of her blade, she materialized as a flawless doppelgänger, indistinguishable to even the sharpest eye.

The act felt perverse, the unease gnawing at me like a relentless tide. But this sacrifice was requisite; shielding her outweighed the disquiet within. If it called for a semblance of concern, a veneer of sentiment, so be it. The performance was convincing enough, swaying the crowd to unwittingly fall in line.

In the throes of this complex ballet, Dix took center stage, his role playing right into my hands. It provided a necessary diversion, a strategic whirlwind that culled a significant portion of our enemies as they all exploded far away from everyone else.

The fact Dix made that decision anyway meant they were tasked to kill Ais at all costs, and this only served to provoke me further. How dare they.

With the leader ensnared within my clutches, the remaining foes were reduced to mere pawns, vulnerable to the collective might of other adventurers. I stood prepared to erect a barrier, should self-explosions erupt.

Their power's true intricacies remained a mystery, but I had before me the perfect specimen to unravel its enigma. This war clamored for resolution, for I yearned for the mundane joys of strolling on a date with my girlfriend. I yearned to speak the words that danced on my tongue...

As my thoughts meandered amidst the collective concern for Ais' safety, an unexpected presence sliced through the air, Lefiya.

Her sudden arrival even caught Riveria off guard. Did she, in this critical juncture, unlock some latent reservoir of power? Perhaps luck favored her to an extraordinary extent.

With Ais concealed, I beckoned her forth, dissolving the mounting tension in the air. The tendrils of worry gradually receded, a collective sigh of relief echoing through the makeshift battlefield.

Amidst the inquiries that Lefiya and the select few from the Loki Familia hurled at Ais, I noted a flicker of realization in Riveria's eyes. Her lack of overt surprise elicited a subtle nod from me, an unspoken acknowledgment of her perceptive insight.

Yet, my focus remained unwavering, tethered to the more pressing matters at hand. My initial actions bore a calculated force, shattering Dix's limbs with deliberate intent.

The resultant cascade of crimson droplets remained confined within a defined radius, a strategic measure to contain the aftermath. It was within this controlled sphere that I summoned Lucy, tasking her with meticulous analysis while I delved deeper into the unfolding situation.

Naturally, given the extensive strain on Dix's psyche, it wasn't an overly complex task to dismantle his mental barriers. As I ventured into the recesses of his weakened mind, I detected the telltale indicators of an impending self-destruct sequence.

Yet, my response was markedly different this time. Instead of allowing the auto-destruction to unfold unhindered, I intervened with a fervor, determined to impede its progress and extract vital insights concurrently.

It became evident that those orchestrating this nefarious plot, most likely Malachi at the helm, had underestimated my resourcefulness. I held the volatile process at bay, stretching the limits of containment to harvest a comprehensive cache of information from Dix's consciousness.

With my grasp on his mental turmoil, I lofted Dix into the air, his explosive demise reverberating across the battlefield. The echoes of destruction held little sway over my focus, for I was preoccupied with a more profound revelation – the extent of their influence, spanning across a significant expanse of the continent.

It was time to do some cleanup.