Chapter 48 - Trial by Spirit

The first time I felt what it was like to be beaten to death, I continued to lie on the bed in the bedroom. It was still six and a half hours before the meeting at LuthorCorp, where I should be present. And, it seems, I missed some kind of broadcast in the chat.

Erina Nakiri: While I'm still learning. My grandfather found a sensei for me, but he's about to leave for his own journey.

Shinoa Hīragi: Your aura is really helping you, from what I can see.

Erina Nakiri: So you've decided to have a normal conversation without any lewdness? Did something happen while I was away? By the way, I received a reward for streaming our little spar with the sensei.

Hermione Granger: You shouldn't have brought up that topic...

Hermione Granger: But I think she's just bottling it all up until Tony arrives in her world.

Erina Nakiri: Hm?

Erina Nakiri: Why does Tony need to come to her world?

Anthony (Administrator): I have business in her world, completely non-bloody, cross my villainous heart.

Erina Nakiri: ...suspicious.

Shinoa Hīragi: Erina the Suspect? That sounds interesting. Administrator-kun just wants to empty this poor, poor girl...

Hermione Granger: And here we go again. Upstairs, Anthony was talking about needing souls...

Hermione Granger: Honestly, it sounds very ominous.

Winter Schnee: I agree.

Rias Gremory: Even for me, and I'm a Demon.

Anthony (Administrator): Don't turn me into a villain... too obvious. Recently, I fought a damn god and lost miserably... but that's not why I'm going to Shinoa's world. There's a bunch of vampire Nazis there, and they won't be missed.

Hermione Granger: You know, if I didn't know you somewhat and we hadn't met in person, I would have thought you were a dark wizard.

Shinoa Hīragi: Administrator-kun is being cryptic.

Rias Gremory: With a god?! Anthony, are you okay?!

Anthony (Administrator): Thanks for your concern, but I'm more or less fine. Only my pride took a hit.

Rias Gremory: Winter, you rarely write. Are you busy often?

Winter Schnee: Yes.

Taking a deep sigh, I reached into my ring and retrieved my sword. Having only managed to draw it in my battle against a god before losing almost immediately without even scratching him, I couldn't help but notice the surprise on his face when he saw the sword. It made me think that it might be possible to wound and even kill a god with it... but whether that would actually work remains to be seen, considering he won't just stand still.

"Well, there are creatures more powerful," I exhaled and decided to check out the Spirit Arena after all. Despite the feeling that I wouldn't like it... but there's no point in backing down, and I still have plenty of time. Finding myself once again in a dark place, I chose the Arena I desired.

"Well, at least no one is attacking," I remarked, looking around... I was in my room. The same room where I woke up in this world, Anthony's room.

"This isn't the Arena of Combat, so no one will physically attack you," I heard a familiar voice say, irritatingly so. My own voice. Turning towards the speaker, I noticed another Anthony sitting at the table. "Didn't expect that?"

"You know, now I understand why the spirit is involved. Is this the Mind Arena?" I asked.

"Spirit," he corrected me.

"Wonderful..." I approached the window and noticed the bustling city. "Is all of this an illusion?"

"It's a good question, but there's no point in answering it. I know all your fears, your thoughts... Do you think the DC world is real?"

"I won't fall for this childish trick."

"Oh, I'm not trying to deceive or confuse you. I'm simply bringing forth your deepest fears," the other "me" waved his hand, a small smile on his face. He looked like me when I first woke up, slightly less muscular and slightly shorter.

"The world of comics, the DC universe, a dream for many, despite what really happens in that universe. You get the Golden Finger and enjoy life, overcome enemies, kill gods... it's all so simple. I would say, primitive."

"Yeah, there's that. But..."

"...I want to become stronger because I have a family?" my other self snorted, looking at me with a certain irony in his gaze. "Lena, your sister... and not yours at all," he chuckled. "You deceived her, Anthony. She doesn't know that her real brother vanished because of you."

"Your lies don't work," I shook my head, examining the room and finding no differences from reality. "The original Anthony and I became a new person. His somewhat apathetic self merged with mine. We are one and the same person. Through magic, I've already confirmed that I'm the original owner of this body, which means... we simply became a whole," I said.

"And you believe in that? That essence simply discarded the poor original Anthony... and now this werewolf in the brother's skin seduced her. You're just like a demon," my interlocutor continued.

"You're pulling out my fears and distorting them to suit your own agenda... to test my beliefs and will," I speculated.

"No-no, not distorting, just stating the truth as it is, you see?" he flashed his bright white teeth.

"Attempts to gain power so as not to feel like a bug in this vast universe. Excuses that you want power because the universe is dangerous and you want to protect your sister."

"Not excuses, but a perfectly logical reason. There's Darkseid wanting to take over the Earth, other Kryptonians, and many others. " I replied.

"Hm, your uncertainty... how did we get so lucky?" suddenly, the other "me" said aloud. " Who is "HE" that the Will of the Universe referred to? And why us? Why did you end up in the 'Absolute Void'? Why were we given the opportunity to spin the wheel of fate, and how lucky were we to obtain an SSS-ranked item? Doesn't it all seem like an incredible series of circumstances, as if..."

"...someone helped me." I finished his thought, which I had contemplated many times before. " There's no point in thinking about what you can't understand. I was given a new chance at life, I have a loving sister and power. Magic, alchemy..."

"Yet you still fear killing. " the other Anthony sneered, approaching me closely and peering into my eyes. "You're afraid to soil your hands with blood, even though you say it's necessary. You stomp on the 'Justice' of heroes, but you fear the path you've chosen to walk. Laws are created for the weak, you've already realized that, haven't you? For people like you, Zatanna, Clark, and Wayne, there are no laws, only their own principles that bind them."

"I've already stained my hands. " I disagreed.

"Ah, you understand yourself that it was... more of an effect of your arrival in this world. You were slow to comprehend, but you still decided to kill your brother. Yes, he was a real bastard, but your blood ran through him. And you killed him."

"And I did the right thing. " I exhaled.

"Indeed. "unexpectedly, my interlocutor agreed. "Yet you still hesitate to start killing for your plans."

"Yes, but I'll still do it. I'll go beyond myself, but I'll do it. " I said, turning away from the piercing gaze of my interlocutor.

"Hm, you will. Only the truly strong can make difficult choices. Choices that can tarnish their soul. The weak won't go for it. That's why Batman is weak, that's why Superman is weak, no matter how strong he may be. They can't make the tough decision when it's required."

"Well, you're digging deeper than I expected."I snorted unhappily.

"And what did you expect from an S-ranked item? So, is our world real? " he asked again, approaching the window where I had asked about the illusion.

"What difference does it make? " I said resignedly. "This is our world, we live here. It's real to me."

"Correct answer, Anthony. " after those words, everything started to blur, and I found myself in a dark room, feeling a sense of lightness. The lightness of acceptance and understanding.

"Enough of this shit. " I said when I found myself in the bedroom, getting up from the bed. First, they beat me and humiliated my pride, and then they started messing with my mind. I ended up with some unpleasant thing of S-rank...

***

The last few days had been filled with contemplation for Winter. The Spatial Chat had shaken her belief in the world with its existence, as well as the knowledge that there were other worlds, gods, demons, and many others. But most importantly, she had learned why the general had chosen her for this specialist position. Not just because she was a Shni, but because Ironwood had already planned to make her the Winter Maiden.

"Winter, you're lost in your thoughts again," the words of an older woman lying in front of her pulled the girl out of her reverie. The woman had a similar hair color and a certain pallor. "The tea will get cold," she said kindly.

"Oh, yes..." Winter smiled awkwardly and shifted her gaze to the cup of tea in her hands.

Since the escape of a very important captive, General Ironwood had been having a rough time, and as a result, Winter had much more work to do. The Council of Atlas recognized the general's merits, but despite that, the words of her father, Jacques Shni, undermined him. This included his reputation.

"What are you contemplating?" the woman inquired curiously.

"Oh, just... about the world."

"Oh, these contemplations rarely lead to something good," Fria, the current Winter Maiden, said with the tone of a knowledgeable person.

Winter agreed. She had already told the general about the Chat and about Anthony and his group of interdimensional travelers, but... it was difficult to accept. But the general simply nodded and asked for some evidence, which turned out to be the purchased items from the store. She could simply fetch them and put them back. Throughout this time, she often peered into the Chat, read the conversations, and... realized how playful, naive, and inexperienced some of the participants were. Not all, of course... Anthony still remained a mystery, and Winter didn't understand exactly what he wanted from her world. He wanted to help her and her sister deal with Jacques, but he also often wrote negatively about the gods. His recent letter, where he mentioned fighting a god... Winter had a hunch about what he wanted.

Her gaze fell on the woman peacefully sipping her tea, and the thought of an old correspondence she had managed to read came to her mind. Anthony had written about the world of Shinoa, about how the people there were responsible for the apocalypse, how blind faith doesn't lead to good. Did she want to help Atlas? With all her heart...

***

Winter Schnee: Anthony, you know about Fria, right?

Anthony (Administrator): She's supposedly the current Winter Maiden, right? I'm not mistaken?

Winter Schnee: No, you're not mistaken. You know... is there a way to transfer that power without direct death?

Anthony (Administrator): Theoretically, yes. But all of that would need to be tested in action... as I mentioned, I want to go to your world, I have a couple of things to take care of there. But right now, I'm busy.

Shinoa Hīragi: The Administrator-kun doesn't care about my opinion at all... he doesn't even hide the fact that he'll jump into my world, play around with my body, and then go to Winter.

Winter Schnee: I can assure you that we don't have that kind of relationship.

Shinoa Hīragi: Not yet...

Hermione Granger: Winter, don't justify yourself to this pervert, you're only getting her more excited. Shinoa, are you sure you want to go on this mission?

Shinoa Hīragi: Yes. A parallel to your world sounds amusing. I wonder if there's a Hermione there too?

Rias Gremory: Tony-kun, don't you want to go on Hermione's mission?

Anthony (Administrator): Honestly, not really... but you still have a few months to think about it. I can go to Hermione's world only if she needs my help.

Shinoa Hīragi: Ho-ho, Administrator-kun wants to extend a helping hand to her?

Hermione Granger: He didn't mean that, and you know it.

Rias Gremory: Winter, how did you become an Atlas Specialist in the first place?

Winter Schnee: It's a long story.

Erina Nakiri: I'm curious too...

Erina Nakiri: By the way, hello everyone, I'm free from training with Kii again. Now I can cook much faster! I'll show you now!

Shinoa Hīragi: Will you send us what you've cooked? Otherwise, we might drown in our own drool...

"Master Luthor, your sister is calling you," Cortana's voice rang out.

"Hm?" I turned away from the phoenix feather in the flask. It's quite an energy-rich object with interesting properties, so I wasn't bored studying it. "Yes, I'm listening," I spoke aloud, and a moment later, Lena's voice came through.

"You're in the engineering department, right?" she said understandingly. "There's a meeting in an hour, just reminding you."

"Yeah, sure. Don't worry, I'll be there soon. I won't leave you all alone to be devoured," I chuckled.

"Hm, alright... don't forget about the evening gift, you'll like it," she said playfully and hung up.

"Rascal," I smirked. "Cortana, please reanalyze the data we obtained and save it in the 'Phoenix' folder."

"Understood," came the melodious voice of the AI.

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Hello everyone, sorry for the rare chapters, there is not always time to translate from my language))

Just wanna ask you guys... ( and girls if there are here) how do you feel about the story until now? I know that there were many problems with grammar in the story and i tried fixed it used 'Grammarly', so how it feels right now? I mean last chapters.