Chapter 6: Diverse Divide

The palace was not too far away from the president's executive office.

The royal family lived there back when the Gerra-Aruka Republic was still the Aruka Kingdom. The building had been partially burned down during the coup five years ago, but reconstruction was underway, so as to keep it as a reminder of a dark era in the country's history.

One of its towers was taller than the others. It was the Courteheuse Clock Tower, where past Aruka kings had held banquets, enjoying their liquor as they took in the prosperity of the royal capital.

A man stood on its lookout, wearing a regular suit—nothing particularly special. President Gerra Madhart.

"A boat both floats and sinks in water. It's a wise saying, but that doesn't apply to my country. So long as we control everything with force, there will be no issues."

The sight beneath him was nothing but outlandish. The citizens had turned violent, setting everything on fire. They clashed with the garrison and the army time and again, making mounds of dead bodies here and there. They all were standing up against the president's tyranny. They shouted about stopping the inhumane war, liberating the unjustly imprisoned, setting free everyone underground in the Daydream Paradise, holding an election for a new president… They were past salvation.

But shut them down with strength, and they would not speak up again. Madhart had spent the last five years creating his secret army, and Rainsworth would lead it to conquer the Mulnite Empire. Then they would have nothing elseto say. No one would dare criticize his administration.

"The Warblades will rule the world. I will not let anyone get in the way."

"You're quite confident, Madhart."

Before her knew it, a woman had appeared behind him.

The blond vampire wore a luxurious dress and a look of silent anger on her face. She slowly approached him.

"I'm surprised you found me. Why are you here?"

"Does it matter?"

The Mulnite Empress's eyes were glowing red. She lived up to her title as the Thunderbolt Empress—excelling among the lowly vampires.

"Ha… Please sit down. Let us watch together as the Mulnite Empire falls. I have a Farsight Crystal right here."

"I could kill you this instant."

"Just try it. I'm not the same as before."

"…? Oh, right. I remember now." The Empress chuckled. "I beat you to a pulp back when I was a Crimson Lord. Oh man, to think the boy from back then is president now. And a tyrant loathed by his whole nation, at that."

"Boy? That's an unfunny joke. I'm older than you."

"And yet you're still one even now. You haven't grown up mentally since then, not in the slightest."

Madhart ignored her and activated the farsight spell.

The crystal showed an army of five thousand. Not soldiers for a sports-war—a group of powerful murderers, created only for that purpose.

Making them was simple. You just isolated young people with potential at the Daydream Paradise and brainwashed them. "We'll kill your family if you don't fight." "Do as we say, and we'll give you huge rewards." "It's either kill the enemy or be killed yourself." There were plenty of methods for molding them into soldiers, though some of the youngsters had ended up utterly broken and useless.

That was the Daydream Unit—the strongest of armies, built atop countless sacrifices.

"So what did you come all the way here for, Your Majesty? Are you surrendering? Oh right, the other nations gave me a call; they were terrified."

The Heavenly Paradise's Goddess said, "Stop your army right now. This war is pointless."

The Haku-Goku Commonwealth's secretary general said, "This wasn't our deal. You never mentioned anything about a secret unit."

The Enchanted Lands' Tianzi said, "Aruka has gone down the wrong path. Stop the war immediately."

The Lapelico Kingdom's king said, "Just give us the bananas, then we'll talk."

They all feared Gerra-Aruka's military might, but it didn't matter if the whole world turned on them. Defeating the other nations was easy with an army of five thousand on their side.

"Foolish. You're gravely misunderstanding the situation," the Empress said.

"What…?"

"You formed your army using threats and violence; it may as well just be a mob. But I suppose there's no use in telling you. I simply came here to see your last moments."

Madhart chuckled. It was obvious it was her who was at a disadvantage here.

"I am merciful, so let's give you one last chance. Withdraw your troops right now if you want to stay alive. Or rather, if you don't want to meet a fate worse than death," he said.

"What nonsense. All I hear is a sore loser talking."

Just then, a tremendous amount of mana flowed through the air above the capital.

A screen appeared in the sky. It was a magical instrument set up by Six Nations News, supposedly to communicate important news to anywhere in the world. They had these screens everywhere. It would play images recorded by the so-called electrovideo box, if Madhart was remembering correctly.

"Hello, world! This is Melka Tiano, from Six Nations News! It's my first time trying this, so I hope it's coming out nicely! Anyway, we've got important news for you! Look! Six Nations News has just infiltrated the Gerra-Aruka Republic's Daydream Paradise!"

Her high-pitched voice echoed throughout the whole capital. There was a silver-haired Sapphire on the screen, holding a microphone in one hand and hurriedly talking to the camera.

"A picture is worth a thousand words, so let's go! Look at the number of prison cells in here! These are all the people who opposed Madhart's administration!"

"Um, Ms. Melka, this camera is too heavy. Could we change places?"

"Shut up, you dumbass! Ahem, excuse me! As you can see, among these probably innocent prisoners here are peoples other than Warblades! And look at those injuries! It appears the rumors about Gerra-Aruka carrying out human experimentation were true!"

Sweat was forming on Madhart's forehead. The unit guarding the Daydream Paradise had been annihilated. He should have considered the possibility of paparazzi entering the underground…but it still wasn't that big a problem. His secrets being exposed made no difference in war. Gerra-Aruka simply had to crush the enemy with overwhelming power…

"Now then, we came here to expose Madhart's evils, and there is currently an Aruka army of five thousand heading for Faure. What they're doing is inhumane! They couldn't be crueler pieces of garbage! I am sure you all must be outraged by their misdeeds! It's time to stand up against them, people of the world! I certainly will! And here is our representative, who will guide us through this battle! Everyone, welcome Imperial Saber Karla Amatsu!"

"Bwuh?! O-okay. Ahem. Gerra-Aruka can't get away with this. They were also responsible for the Peace Spirit disappearances occurring along our nations' border. And as the reporter already said, we were not their only victims. All sorts of peoples were captured and tortured here. This is very, very bad."

"Lady Karla, please speak up."

"Okay… Prepare yourselves, leaders of Gerra-Aruka! Your silly little army of five thousand is nothing more than a bunch of ants in my eyes! Everyone else around the world, rest assured. The strongest Imperial Saber will completely

annihilate that insolent army!"

"That's what I'm talking about! Any other words, Commander Amatsu?"

"Huh? No, nothing more… Ah! Yeah, my brother! Kakumei Amatsu, are you watching this?! Your cute little sister is doing very well! You'll see, I'll become the world's best pâtissier…I mean, the world's strongest commander! Come back home once in a while, okay?!"

Madhart was shocked, as if struck by lightning.

Kakumei Amatsu. He was one of Inverse Moon's top brass. He was cooperating with Gerra-Aruka. So why? Was Karla Amatsu connected to them?

Had Kakumei betrayed him? Was it true what Karla said about the five-thousand-man army being naught but ants to her? No, that couldn't be possible, but if this was Inverse Moon we're talking about…

"Oh-em-gee! Look at that, Commander Amatsu! Commander Memoir is already fighting with a maid! Could that be a Warblade soldier?!"

"…Wait. Huh? Ms. Gertrude? Why…?"

"That's our enemy. I will kill her."

"Wait, Koharu!"

The screen showed a ninja girl joining the fight against Illustrious General Gertrude Rainsworth. That maid was Gerra-Aruka's eighth general, who had been kept secret to the world until now. She couldn't possibly lose to a simple commander…but Karla Amatsu was no simple commander.

"What's wrong, Madhart? You're turning pale."

"So your ultimate weapon…is that Peace Spirit girl."

"No, I didn't expect that, actually." The Empress grinned. "Our ultimate weapon has always been our crimson vampire princess. I know you must've had an inkling. Terakomari Gandesblood will lead the people."

The Empress smiled like a champion, certain of her victory.

***

It was so frustrating, she could die.

She had lived these five years with only the purpose of reforming Gerra-Aruka. At first, it was to rescue her family and take back her father. Then she trained like hell to become the next president. But it was all in vain. There was no stopping Madhart's iron fist.

An army of five thousand? How?! How had he managed to keep that to himself right up until the very end?! Now the Mulnite Empire would really end up as a slave to Madhart. They would all suffer like the people in the Daydream Paradise.

Nelia couldn't stop her tears from flowing.

She was paralyzed, powerless, and pathetic. Where had it all gone wrong? Had her efforts not been enough?

Rainsworth only laughed at her. Gertrude had betrayed her. She'd been duped. Was there really not a single person out there who understood her ideals?

Maybe I should just give up. Why make things harder for myself?

"Nelia…please help me get up."

She raised her head. Komari was squirming before her, a terrible look of pain on her face.

"What…for?"

"I gotta go after Rainsworth. Everyone will be in danger if I don't."

Nelia's jaw dropped. Komari was in a terrible state—her clothes were completely tattered after getting beat to a pulp, and there was blood flowing from her shoulder all the way down to the floor. Yet her eyes didn't show any sign of giving up. They were shining bright.

"I can't. I'm paralyzed from the poison."

"Right… But Sakuna and Karla are here. We can't give up yet."

"There's no point. Karla Amatsu is unreliable…"

"You don't know her. She can turn her enemies into noodles."

"I think you're the one who doesn't know her…" Nelia put on a bitter smile. "Why? How do you keep on fighting, when all hope is lost?"

"I don't want to fight. But I have to. Everything hurts like crazy, but I'm a Crimson Lord… I can't give up without doing anything."

"It's useless. You're going up against an army of five thousand…"

"Rainsworth could be lying! We gotta go there first and find out!"

"He's not! They really have five thousand. There's no reason for Rainsworth to lie."

"Even then, it doesn't matter. I've killed over five hundred million after all."

"Now that's a lie!"

"Yes, it's all a lie! But I gotta go, or then everything will really be hopeless!"

"What can you do?! Even with your Core Implosion, there's no way you can win!"

"Core Implosion?! What in the world are you talking about?"

Nelia's jaw was on the floor. She'd already suspected it, but it appeared Komari really didn't know about her own powers. She was trying to face her opponents out of pure determination. Komari's beyond comprehension, Nelia thought.

The vampire girl lifted herself up, short of breath.

"You don't know until you try."

"Maybe, but…! I can't do it. They've all made fun of me…and I've achieved nothing… Now I know my ideals are unattainable…"

"Don't say that!" Komari shouted; Nelia straightened her back by reflex. "At first…I thought you were dumb. That you were insane for asking me to help you with taking over the world. But I changed my mind once I met you again. Maybe it's partly because you were my mom's protégée, but I thought you had some really cool ideas."

"But it's nothing but talk…all that about people living to lift each other up."

"Still, I like it. I love that idea."

Nelia's brain short-circuited for a second.

"E-even if you love it, what's the point of an idea that can't become reality?"

"You're the one who decides if your ideals are impossible!"

She felt like telling her off—as if Komari had any authority to say that. But Nelia couldn't. Komari's energy was overwhelming her.

The Crimson Lord stared Nelia straight in the eye and said:

"I like your pure heart!"

"…! But what can I even do…?"

"Suck my blood."

"Huh? …What?"

"Vampires suck each other's blood as proof of their trust in each other. You're upset about no one recognizing your efforts, but I do. I believe in you. This is my first time doing this sort of thing…but you're my comrade! We can take over the world together, you and I! So suck my blood!"

Nelia's heart skipped a beat.

It was that same act that Komari herself had turned down six years ago. She had finally accepted Nelia.

Was she out of her mind? How could she tell someone who was not a vampire to suck her blood?

Nelia shook her head, shaking off any hesitation.

Setting aside the whole bloodsucking thing, Komari didn't seem to be thinking straight.

Take over the world together? Was she hearing herself? What could two brats achieve? The one taking over the world right now was a powerful nation, an army of five thousand. They'd just get stomped like a pair of bugs.

And yet… And yet a fire had been lit in Nelia's heart.

Madhart had taken her family. Rainsworth had harassed her for so long. Gertrude had betrayed her. It felt as if the whole world was intent on preventing her from achieving her dreams. But it wasn't. There was someone out there who understood her.

"O-okay…sorry about that. I was being too arrogant, yeah. I'm sure you found it gross," Komari said, glancing down, as if finally coming back to her senses.

"…No." Nelia closed her eyes and shook her head.

Then she crawled her way over to Komari.

"Nelia…?"

"I accept your trust."

She placed her right hand on Komari's cheek; it was so injured, it pained her just to see it. It wasn't just her cheek, either. She felt bad touching her cut shoulder, so she drew her face close to Komari's and licked a stream of blood dripping from the corner of her mouth.

It tasted like blood. Obviously.

She immediately felt like throwing up. The blood of other groups was venom to Warblades. Usually one would absolutely refuse taking any vampire blood.

Yet strangely enough, Nelia felt something was filling her heart. She felt like she finally understood Komari, and Komari understood her.

Nelia looked closely into Komari's eyes.

The vampire's face was red to the point of emitting heat.

"N-Nelia, how is it?"

"Good. Thank you for the meal."

"N-no problem…"

Nelia cracked a smile.

She really was the same as back then.

Once again, she'd changed Nelia's heart for the better.

Komari was right. Now was no time to be giving up. They hadn't run out of possibilities yet.

They could ask for reinforcements from the other nations. Or try to assassinate Madhart. They could obtain an Effulgent Magic Stone to annihilate the five thousand soldiers in one fell swoop.

Yes. I decided I would change Aruka. Think back to all the people unjustly imprisoned. To all the people in pain because of Madhart. And to those who lost their lives to their nonsense.

I am a sword, forged to kill my enemy. This is no time to be afraid.

Then something changed within Nelia's body. Her eyes were hot, burning. She fell to her knees, hand on her face, unable to take the pain. Komari called her name anxiously, but she couldn't respond. Scorching heat welled up from her core.

Core Implosion—Diverse Divide.

Those words came to mind. That was the key to opening a new door.

She remembered Mrs. Gandesblood saying something like that. Change in the world began within a person's heart, and the embodiment of that power was that they called Core Implosion.

Nelia slowly stood up.

She let her power activate, and twin swords appeared by her feet. Her treasures she'd received from her mentor. Nelia picked up the right one and swung it lightly. She didn't feel paralyzed anymore. She had cut off the pain of the poison.

Then she understood: Diverse Divide was a power that cut through anything.

Swordsmanship meant for altruism—to divide what was one equally. To share it.

It was the manifestation of the ideals of harmony her mentor had instilled in her. With this power in her possession, maybe she could change the world.

"Nelia…is that…?"

"Thank you, Komari. I think I know what to do now."

Nelia grabbed Komari's hand.

The endless courage emitting from her body burned Nelia's. Komari was wincing in pain, and yet she still stood up.

"Where are we going? Are we really…?"

Nelia grabbed her twin swords.

"First, we complete our main objective. We can kill the enemy later."

***

Karla Amatsu couldn't contain her wrath.

The bunch from the Gerra-Aruka Republic were true scoundrels, wanting nothing but to disturb the peace in the world. The people they'd imprisoned were worn out physically and mentally. According to them, they had been used as guinea pigs for magical investigations, analyzing and measuring the Dark Core's healing power, and even being used as objects for the soldiers to vent and take their anger out on.

Karla's main philosophy was to let sleeping dogs lie. Not rocking the boat was the best survival strategy from her point of view. However, she couldn't look past this. She had a strong sense of justice and could not ignore it.

"So here we are in the Daydream Paradise! How deep do Madhart's crimes go?! We can't know for sure yet—look! A powerful maid stands in our way! Commander Sakuna Memoir is fighting the Gerra-Aruka maid alongside Ms. Koharu of Kidoshu, from Heavenly Paradise! Look at the ceiling! And the walls! The stray shots are destroying everything!"

"Ms. Melka…let's go home already. We're gonna get killed."

"Good! We'll die with honor!"

"Please remember we're journalists, not warriors!"

The reporters were doing a bizarre comedy routine beside Karla. She'd come across them on her way to Daydream Paradise, and they immediately pried and interviewed her, when they realized they were heading the same way.

She'd let them come along without any reason in particular, and it seemed that was the right choice. That electrovideo box was a rare Divine Instrument that could broadcast to the whole world, immediately exposing Gerra-Aruka's evils. However, back to the matter at hand…

"Koharuuu! You can do it!!"

The girls were fighting a fierce battle before her eyes. Gertrude versus Sakuna Memoir and Koharu.

Sakuna had survived back in Carnalt and somehow knew Komari's location, so Karla healed her and brought her along…then the moment they arrived at the Daydream Paradise, she went off ahead by herself. After that, she came back while fighting Gertrude. What in the world happened? Did she find Terakomari or Nelia Cunningham? Had the maid been Madhart's underling all along?

"Die, Warblade."

Koharu shot a barrage of kunai at Gertrude, and Sakuna followed with a hail of icicles. The maid dodged them all with acrobatic movements, then countered with her blade magic. Sharp slashes flew at the ninja girl, but Sakuna repelled almost all of them with a barrier. The remaining shots, she avoided with a smoke screen and replacement magic.

"Please die, enemies of Aruka."

Gertrude swung her sword from above, but Koharu shot forward like a squid to dodge it. She immediately moved behind the maid's back and stabbed at her with her short sword from a sharp angle. Gertrude blocked it with the hilt of her blade, but then Sakuna wielded her staff from above. Gertrude dodged by a hair and countered. It all happened so fast that Karla couldn't see everything. She couldn't comprehend what was going on, but she had to pretend like she did.

"Amazing! Commander Amatsu, what are your thoughts on this exchange?!"

"Impressive. Very nice."

"The maid moves at lightning speed! Is she using some sort of magic?"

"Yes, looks like magic. Though I leave it up to your imagination as to what kind it is."

"Oh no, Commander Sakuna seems to be losing ground! Will she be all right?!"

"Perhaps. Perhaps not. Maybe she should consider changing strategy. Or maybe she can win."

"Ms. Melka…is she even taking you seriously?"

Karla wasn't. But she was observing the surroundings as seriously as she could.

There were 2,058 people imprisoned on just the first floor. They were 80 percent Warblades, 10 percent Peace Spirits, and the other 10 percent was a mix of different races. One hundred fifty of the one hundred ninety Peace Spirits who'd gone missing along the border were there, alive. Maybe the others were on lower floors.

Karla took out her Correspondence Crystal and poured in some mana. The person on the other end of the line picked up immediately.

"Goddess, I've confirmed Gerra-Aruka is guilty."

"Yes, I saw through your eyes. Now we can fight without remorse."

"First, we must save the captives. Fortunately, there don't seem to be enemies inside the Daydream Paradise besides Ms. Gertrude. I will go look for the keys."

"Good luck… No, wait. That might not be necessary."

"What do you mean?"

Then a peach-colored wind blew.

Mana was overflowing from the depths of the prison, and that wasn't all. People, an enormous amount of people who had been captured were running toward them, crying tears of joy.

Koharu, Sakuna, and Gertrude—all three turned to look at the crowd.

They were escaping. Someone had broken the cells.

"It's Lady Nelia!" "She's finally taking action!" "Gerra-Aruka will fall!" They all praised the Moonpeach Princess.

Karla understood it then. The pink-haired girl had done it. She was no regular Warblade. She was a truly great woman, capable of carrying the country on her back.

"The prisoners are already free. Luck is now on our side."

"Luck is good and all, but things must be fair. It appears Ms. Nelia has freed every one of them, but I doubt the whole crowd is innocent."

"We can figure that out later. I'm counting on you, Karla."

"Yes. I've memorized their faces, so they won't escape. We can always catch them again with Kidoshu's help."

Not a very flashy job, but that sort of simple work was a better fit for her.

Please don't let them drag me into battle… Karla Amatsu prayed from the bottom of her heart.

***

Nelia cut through the jail cells with her twin swords.

She didn't need any key. Her Core Implosion, Diverse Divide, could slice through anything, no matter how hard. A simple swing of her blades was enough.

The prisoners all looked startled at first, but once she yelled, "I'm here to help!" hope came back to their eyes.

"Long live Lady Nelia!"

"Down with Madhart!"

The sentiment was spreading throughout the Daydream Paradise.

"Nelia! There are more cells over here!"

"Got it!"

Komari led her to more prisoners to free.

Everyone ran for it. There was no one there to stop them. Rainsworth had taken all the guards with him to the Dark Core Zone.

"Go! Stand up! We must change Aruka!"

Nelia ran through Daydream Paradise, destroying the cells. The cheers of the people echoed throughout. Except even if they all escaped, an army of five thousand was still waiting. The situation hadn't changed one bit—but Nelia's mindset had.

Komari had granted her courage, and now the people looked up to Nelia with hope.

The desire to change Aruka was burning inside her. To do that, she would need to take care of her enemies.

Even if it included the girl who had been by her side for five years, through joy and grief. If that once-kind girl she sympathized with was now standing in her way—then Nelia would have to cut her down without mercy.

She arrived at the first floor, and there was, fighting Karla's ninja and the silver-haired vampire.

"Gertrude!!"

The maid turned around in shock.

"Lady Nelia! Why…?!"

"I'm here to chew you out…you disloyal servant!"

Nelia swung her swords with full force.

Gertrude held her blade—one Nelia never knew she had—high to defend herself.

A deafening clang rang out.

But there was no resistance. Metal was like paper before her Core Implosion power. Gertrude's sword broke in half.

"Lady Nelia!"

"I am your mistress! It's time for your punishment, naughty maid!"

"No! I…I did it all for you, Lady Nelia!"

Gertrude threw away her broken sword. Her face was scrunched up in a mix of rage and confusion, but she was still an Illustrious General, and she took out a knife from her pocket with a smooth motion to counterattack.

"Too late!"

Nelia's lightning blow flung the knife away with ease.

Gertrude jumped back in a hurry, but Nelia would not let her go.

Nelia dropped her swords, then grabbed her arm with her left hand.

Gertrude scowled in lament.

You shouldn't have rebelled if you were going to regret it!

Nelia clenched her fist, gathering all the rage she felt toward the maid.

"Know your place, SERVANT!!"

She unleashed the full might of her fist, slamming it into the side of the maid's face.

***

Gertrude's body flew like a ball.

She was on the ground, motionless. Had Nelia killed her? Thankfully, her worries were dispelled right away as the girl cried out.

Nelia slowly walked up to her.

The young maid's face was a disaster. Not because Nelia had hit her—there was deep sadness, helplessness, resignation…all sorts of despairing emotions in her eyes.

"Lady Nelia…I… I just wanted you to be happy."

"Don't push your idea of happiness onto me… What did you want me to do?"

Nelia crouched and looked closely at her face. Tears were flowing from Gertrude's eyes.

"You can't defeat Madhart. He's a true hero, in a bad way… I just didn't want you to get hurt anymore."

"Aren't you Rainsworth's sister? Do you really even care about me?"

"I do!" Gertrude shook her head. "My brother…tortured me. He made me train nonstop…because he said there was no value in living without being strong. But you—you cared for me. You worried whenever I got hurt, you called me your dearest servant, you celebrated my birthdays…"

"But it doesn't make sense. Weren't you trying to make me fall for Rainsworth?"

"My brother is a piece of shit. A piece of rusted shit. But I think he was a bit better in the past. Besides…while he abuses enemies, pawns, and other races, at least he cares for what he considers his."

"That's messed up. He's a lunatic."

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry…but, Lady Nelia, I still think you should give up all the pain and live in peace. If you kept going like you were…you'd eventually break."

"I won't break. I have Komari."

Gertrude gasped, then smiled in tears, realizing something.

"Of course, Lady Nelia… Please just forget about me."

"That was simply your rebellious phase. All you did was bite the hand that fed you once; it's no big deal."

"Huh…?"

"But do tell me if there's something about me you don't like. Can't have this relationship be one-sided."

Nelia turned around. Gertrude kept on weeping in silence. There was much she didn't understand about her yet, but there was still time to learn. Chances to talk and understand each other on a deeper level.

"Ms. Cunningham, can we chat for a bit?" A bell chimed.

Lots of people had gathered around her before she knew it. Karla Amatsu and her ninja, the catgirl with the camera and the Sapphire girl with the mic, and Komari, whose face was scrunched up in pain as she carried her blue-haired maid on her back. Sakuna Memoir ran up to the vampire and asked through tears if she was okay, and all the freed prisoners were around them.

"What? I was going to go after Rainsworth now."

"The enemy is five-thousand strong. You can't win by yourself."

There was a commotion among the prisoners.

Karla was right. Even with the power of Core Implosion, going up against the Daydream Unit was too much. The best course of action would be to ask other nations for reinforcements…but would they respond? This wasn't war for entertainment. It was real. It was highly likely they would refuse.

"Even so, I will fight. It's what I must do."

"You can't do it alone. My ninjas say they're heading for Faure while attacking cities in their way, and they're leaving a trail of corpses behind… The Daydream Unit is incredibly powerful. It's too dangerous."

"Ms. Melka…how about we run? We're gonna get killed. This reeks of death."

"Shh! Silence, stupid Thio! Pay attention, the new generation of commanders is about to come up with a genius plan! Can't you see that sharp look on Karla Amatsu's face?!"

"…Ahem. What I mean is, we need a plan first. Just going by yourself without thinking would get you killed."

"Weren't you supposed to be so strong that you could destroy the universe, Ms. Imperial Saber?"

"......Yes, but we have to come up with a strategy, just to be sure."

"Why the long pause?"

Someone sighed. "It's over. We can't stop Madhart from taking over the world." People started clutching their hair.

Sure enough, the situation wasn't good. An army of five thousand was too great for the exhausted forces of the Mul-Heaven Alliance to handle. They may have exposed the Daydream Paradise's secrets, but it was no use if they were defeated by sheer force in the end. They needed people from all over the world to join hands and stand up against evil.

To achieve that, though, they first needed a way to make them think they could win. An overwhelming power that could light the fire in the hearts of the people of the world.

Karla Amatsu didn't have that power. She couldn't actually destroy the universe.

Nelia looked around for Terakomari Gandesblood. She was carefully placing Villhaze on the floor, a sad expression on her face.

"Komari, can we talk?"

"Wh-what's up?"

Nelia slowly approached her, but then Sakuna Memoir hurriedly stood in her way.

"I still can't trust you, Ms. Nelia. Stay away from Ms. Komari."

"Calm down. I'm Komari's mistress."

"Bwuh? M-mi-mi-mis—"

She pushed away the silver vampire and stood before Komari. The latter looked up at her with a surprised expression. They needed Komari to use her powers, the ones she'd used during the Crimson Match to defeat the terrorists and freeze part of Gerra-Aruka territory.

Only she couldn't activate her Core Implosion at will. She didn't even know there was such power hidden within her.

What could possibly be the trigger? Nelia thought, then remembered how she'd acted during their tea party. What Villhaze said when they entered the Daydream Paradise, about how strongly she refused to drink her blood six yearsvago. There had to be a reason.

"Komari, I want to fight by your side. You feel the same way, right?"

She opened her eyes wide for a moment before answering, "Of course. I can't let that guy get away with hurting Vill and everyone else."

"Good."

She spun her swords, then felt a slight pinch. The blade slashed the skin on her right arm, and blood dripped down to her fingertips.

Everyone around screamed. Komari took a step back.

"Wh-what are you doing?! You trying to mimic Psycho Mask?!"

"This is to thank you for letting me suck your blood."

"What?! Wait, no, I'm fine, really!"

"You gave me yours, and now you must take mine. Or I'll be sad."

"I—I appreciate the gesture, really. I'll drink a cup of tomato juice in your honor. How about that?"

"No, that's no good. This is a ritual to prove our trust in each other, remember?"

Nelia stooped down to match Komari's eyeline.

Komari was looking down, her face red. Sakuna Memoir was behind her speaking in an icy tone—"Huh? You drank her blood What? Explain yourself" —but Nelia ignored her.

"Come, drink my blood."

"N-no! I can't! I didn't tell you before, but I really hate blood!"

"Don't be picky. You're so short because you don't drink enough, aren't you?"

"Ugh… I drink milk, though! I'm still growing!"

Nelia felt sadistic pleasure as she saw Komari crawl away…but this wasn't the time to indulge in fetishes. She needed her to unleash her full power, or Gerra-Aruka would be destroyed.

"Komari, I'm serious. You have great potential. You'll see once you drink my blood."

"…You mean I'll be six feet tall if I drink it?"

"That's not what I mean. I mean the powers sleeping within you."

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"My mentor was your mother. We're like sisters. Can't you trust your sister just this once?"

"But…"

"I want to change the world together with you. I know we can do it."

"…"

Komari stayed silent for a while, but then determination burned in her eyes.

"I can't let that guy get away with it… The world doesn't belong to Madhart; it belongs to everyone…"

"Yes."

"I don't get it, but sure, I wanna fight by your side."

Nelia cracked a smile. That vampire really understood her better than anyone else… She swore she would one day make Komari her servant.

Nelia pushed her fingers inside Komari's mouth.

At first, Komari squirmed in retaliation, but the shift came quickly.

The world turned golden.

***

Video proof was broadcast throughout the world.

Although it was unnecessary—millions of people throughout the world saw her mana.

The emotionless, machinelike soldiers of the Daydream Unit obliterated the cities, turning them into ruins in less than an hour. The people had given up, fearful of Gerra-Aruka's might.

"The world is about to change." "Madhart will own everything." "There's no future for us." "So begins the era of the Warblades." Despair spread like disease.

But then hope arrived. The blue sky was shining golden from the far east.

"What is that?"

It looked like a golden dragon ascending to the heavens. In truth, it was a tremendous accumulation of mana. A power so overwhelming, it cut everything to pieces and into nothingness.

"Look at this, everyone! Commander Terakomari Gandesblood has finally unleashed her true power!"

So said the voice coming from the screen in the sky.

That was all the people needed to understand. A hero had stood up for them at last. The supreme commander who would dye the heavens in crimson, Terakomari Gandesblood.

There was nothing to fear anymore. Divine punishment had come for the wicked president.

People started yelling her name: "Komarin! Komarin!" They screamed at the top of their lungs as they had during the Crimson Match. The shouts soon filled the city as everyone cheered for her. The sadness caused by the Daydream Unit vanished.

She had the power to wash away despair.

Yet none of the cheers reached Komari's ears.

The only thing on her mind…was to murder those who threatened the world. To work with Nelia and crush Madhart's ambitions. Nothing more.

A powerful mana storm blew inside the Daydream Paradise.

It was golden mana, colored by vicious bloodlust. Everyone present was shocked into silence. Karla Amatsu's knees gave in, and Koharu barely managed to hold her up.

The mighty mana vortex was blinding, and at the center of it all was Terakomari Gandesblood.

Golden mana flowed from her body, as if to envelop the whole world.

She had a blank expression, but there was a resolute glow to her crimson eyes.

Suddenly, Terakomari raised her hand smoothly, like petting a cat. Mana concentrated in the air and formed an object: a golden sword. She grabbed the hilt emotionessly, then swung it hard, as if to test it.

An indescribable shock wave shook the underground. The aftereffect of a violent mana slash. It broke through the ceiling of the prison and the rocks on the surface, all the way to the sky.

Blue skies and sunlight came in through the hole in the ceiling, and Terakomari's bloodlust overflowed outside.

Her appearance was that of a typical Warblade.

She held the golden sword in her right hand while countless other blades encompassed her, spinning alongside her radius. This was the power of the strongest Core Implosion known among the six nations—the Blood Curse. Saber Hills and Blade Groves—the ultimate power brought about by Warblade blood that gave her control over all weapons.

"W-wow…that's amazing, Commander Gandesblood!" Melka approached her, shaking in awe.

She snatched the electrovideo box away from the catgirl's hands and pointed it at the supreme ruler to interview her.

"Look at this, everyone! Commander Terakomari Gandesblood has finally unleashed her true power! The world will be saved now! Five thousand men are nothing against her! Commander Gandesblood, if you could give us a comment!"

She pointed the mic at Komari. Idiot, you'll get killed, thought everyone.

The sword slowly rose.

"Um, I think I left the stove on; I'm going home," Karla said and turned around.

The golden vampire princess pointed the shining sword at the Divine Instrument, at the eyes of everyone in the world, and said:

"Gerra-Aruka is dead."

***

The entire world trembled.

Terakomari Gandesblood's mana ran through all the six nations' main cities at the speed of light, injecting hope to some and despair to others, even pulling some up from the depths of hell.

"The commander… The commander has awakened!"

The fortress city of Carnalt, within the Dark Core Zone. The vampires whom Illustrious General Pascal Rainsworth had slain were beginning to come back to life thanks to the Dark Core. The healing speed was abnormal. They had been lifted up from the underworld simply because of Commander Komarin's voice.

"Pfft. Heh-heh… You got us there for a moment, rusted bastards…," Caostel Conto said, drenched in blood and looking like a criminal who'd gotten beat to a pulp after his victim resorted to excessive self-defense.

The rest of the Seventh Unit also woke up one after the other, hatred burning in their eyes. They all despised the rusted from Gerra-Aruka.

It wasn't just the Seventh Unit. Memoir's Sixth Unit, Delphyne's Fourth Unit, and even Karla Amatsu's unit came back to life.

"Core, Dark Core… Move all that is quiet. Mid-level healing spell: Supply Stimulation."

It was Delphyne's magic. The masked vampire had built up a resistance to cuts due to the nature of her coagulation magic; Rainsworth hadn't slashed her deeply, so the vampire's wounds healed faster than anyone else's.

Delphyne looked up at the eastern sky towards the Daydream Paradise.

A golden pillar towered in the horizon as if to pierce the heavens. A different color from last time, but it was no doubt Terakomari's doing. She had finally awakened.

"What's…the situation?"

"The enemy forces number five thousand. They have conquered every city they passed through on their march to Faure."

Five thousand was certainly a shocking number. How did they get that many? Still, no one who knew Terakomari Gandesblood could've been scared. It wasn't certain that the vampire princess could defeat them by herself—but the fact remained that she served as a light showing the way to the people of the world. Just that much was clear from looking around; the fire in people's heart was about to spark.

The Seventh Unit ran at top speed. They couldn't stand back.

"Let's go support Commander Terakomari Gandesblood. March!"

What are they so excited about? It's merely Core Implosion, the Haku-Goku Commonwealth's Secretary General scoffed internally.

Yet it couldn't be denied that Terakomari Gandesblood's awakening had shaken all nations.

The Crimson Match was simply entertainment, but things were different now. Nations could fall, so everyone had been shivering at the thought of the unprecedented event, when she along came Komari, who said Gerra-Aruka was "dead." The statement wiped away all fears.

The first to move was the Heavenly Paradise. They sent their two units stationed at Faure back to protect their mainland to the Dark Core Zone.

Then it was the Lapelico Kingdom—Lieutenant Hades Molekikki acted of his own accord. He rallied his troops to support Commander Gandesblood, and then the rest of the beast-folk, both herbivore and carnivore, followed in a rampage.

Next was the Enchanted Lands, sending all troops. The Gongzhu, Lingzi Ailan, one of the Three Draconic Meteors, told her father, the Tianzi, to "stop sitting on the fence" and led her own troops to the Dark Core Zone.

The last one to act, begrudgingly, was the Haku-Goku Commonwealth. They judged things would not look so bright for them later if they didn't go with the flow, and so they did. They temporarily joined the Mul-Heaven Alliance and gave Commander Prohellya Butchersky (who had escaped Faure by herself) a unit to lead.

Furthermore, Nelia had freed every single one of the prisoners in the Daydream Paradise and exposed the president's wrongdoings in an interview with Melka and Thio.

The protests at the Republic's capital were turning violent. Illustrious General Salt Aquinas was killed after getting hit with a metallic bat from behind while trying to suppress the revolt.

The people looked for Madhart in the biggest riot in the country's history.

"Follow Commander Nelia!"

"Down with Madhart! Revolution for Aruka!"

"It's the time to stand up! The six nations are uniting against evil!"

"Komarin!! Komarin!! Komarin!! Komarin!! Komarin!! Komarin!!"

People throughout the world cheered her name.

The Gerra-Aruka Republic turned into the clear villain.

Two girls stood as the vanguard of the people charging against the enemy, carrying the expectations and hopes for all nations on their shoulders.