An unexpected twist?!

As Eleonora and the group used [Wheel of Fate: Clock of Time], they immediately went to the past, and what welcomed them were the sights of many ruined buildings. For Sonoko, Sumi, and Gin, these are something they were familiar with since when Eleonora took care of the whole Vertexes, many people reclaimed and restored some of those known as the lands they lost during the Vertex war. Even though they knew about these sights, the three formers heroes couldn't help but flinch and cringe seeing the condition of these places outside of Shikoku in the past.

"M-Mino-san… Nora… this is…"

Sonoko said grimly as Gin and Eleonora shared the same with the dirty-blonde-haired girl. Not only are Eleonora and her three heroes lovers', but the others also share the same expressions on their faces. They didn't think they would be placed or transported in this kind of place instead of the peaceful one. However, they looked around and noticed something. Human presences that they could detect, and thanks to their training, most of Eleonora's lovers who didn't have the skill could learn this and use it to detect any living being's presence around them.

Miyuki was the first one who picked it; she quickly warned the group.

"Everyone, there is a group of people around here. About six people and… it seems they are—"

"Yeah, they are heroes. The first heroes of this world."

Eleonora finished Miyuki's words. Sonoko, Sumi, and Gin flinched in surprise. What they felt wasn't wrong and turned out to be true. They felt a familiar presence from that group, and they could easily and quickly recognize it.

Although the bluenette lovers are already being told of this world's heroes, they are still unsure of what they feel is true since the ones who are familiar with them are Eleonora's original group before the whole chat group members joined.

But then Miyuki flinched when she felt another presence. Unlike the group that she felt earlier, this was a different kind of presence, and it felt sinister. And not only her who felt that; everyone else did too. The former heroes felt another familiars presence, and it's something that was feared by them and humanity before.

"This is… Eleonora, it's them!"

Gin whispered in worry and slight fear to her bluenette lover, and the latter nodded in understanding as she already knew it. Eleonora felt this sinister presence's strength stronger than the ones she fought before. She wondered how this could happen since the ones she fought before aren't that good compared to this just from the immense presence alone.

"I know, Gin, and it seems that group encounters some of them."

"Since our goal is to save them, let's quickly save them, Noracchi!"

"Nora-kun, it seems those people split into two groups."

Kurumi informed her bluenette lover, and Eleonora nodded as she quickly told the sudden idea she just got after hearing Kurumi's report.

"Alright then. Since they decided to split themselves into two groups, we also do that but in three. The first group is me, Gin, Sonoko, Sumi, Aletia, Artoria, and Chiyuki-nee. The second group is Kurumi, Yasaka, Akame, Miyuki, Medusa, Neptune, and Eri. Lastly, the third group is Esdeath, Raikou, Aiz, Erza-san, Mao, Ayako, Momo, and Sonoka-nee."

Eleonora told the group members to them, and they nodded in understanding for the quick decision that the young bluenette made in such a short time. This is just a simple idea, and anyone could do that, even someone with average knowledge and IQ. It's not something remarkable since there is nothing special or unique about this idea.

But Eleonora continued.

"Since our group is too big and if we stick on one or two groups isn't that ideal, I decided to split us into three groups. We had two simple objectives: Find and help them. We also have to earn their trust, so please befriend them without showing any hostility. So please don't do anything that might cause caused us a threat to them."

"Hear that? You better not do anything stupid."

Aletia said that while looking at Neptune, who was suddenly shocked when she heard it. Sumi also did the same with Sonoko and caused both Neptune and Sonoko to feel depressed as they kneeled on the ground face down with some dark clouds gathered around their heads.

"H-How mean you are, Yuwe…."

"Why me, Wasshi…?"

They said in a dramatic voice and tears as if they were betrayed by their friends.

Some were sweatdropped at the comedic scene they saw from Neptune and Sonoko. At the same time, Aletia gained a visible angry tickmark on her head when Neptune called the golden-blonde-haired vampire 'Yuwe' again since her name is Aletia and not Yue anymore. She had already cast away the name given by her ex-lover and decided to use her actual one.

"Don't call me Yuwe again, you lazy goddess."

She said that with venom in her voice and a disgusted face as she had to say 'Yuwe' name on her own. Eleonora put a hand on Aletia's shoulder, trying to calm the loli vampire down by gently squeezing it and seeing Neptune's shocked face again.

'Wow, I don't think that Aletia would disdain the name given by Hajime-san that much. I thought she would just brush it off and has no problem, but to think that she didn't like to be called by her second name.'

"Nepu?! I'm not the kind of goddess that wears no panties and only drink all day, nepu!"

"But you're still lazy and unmotivated when working on your job as an actual goddess."

"That's not true! You can ask Histy and everyone back in Planeptune, nepu! I have changed!"

"We will find out of that later, and don't ever call me 'Yuwe' or similar as that. Understand?"

Aletia tells Neptune with an intimidating voice and expression while emphasizing 'Yuwe' and 'Understand' to the shivered and terrified Neptune, who finally bobbed her head as she understands and hugs Sonoko unconsciously since the Planeptune CPU has goosebumps seeing that from Aletia.

"Well, well. How about we set that aside for now? Let us focus on our current objectives first, okay?"

Kurumi said, trying to calm Aletia and the situation down. Hearing that from one of the trusted and reliable people in the group, the blonde-haired loli vampire sighs and agrees with the long twin-tails-haired girl. Aletia didn't hate Neptune, but she disliked being called by her fake name or similar name, and the light-purple-haired girl constantly called her like that because it was her name before she loved and became Eleonora's lover.

"As you said. Then we will move in different groups with two different objectives."

Aletia recites what Eleonora has said, and the latter girl nod in confirmation, but she says something to everyone in the group and holds a finger before they are about to depart doing what they were tasked with in their own groups.

"Wait for a second. I think that I want to revise my ideas a little earlier."

Everyone had confusion on their faces and slightly tilted their heads as they heard that came from Eleonora. The young bluenette then continued to speak before asking what was going on.

"Since it seems the heroes are only around six people, and from what you've all know, they split into two different groups, right? I think two groups approach them while the other one is tasked to find a mostly safe place when the other two bring them over there."

She held two fingers while the other hand pointed to the ground when explaining that to them. Eleonora realizes that their group numbers aren't that suited if they are tasked to find the heroes who only formed two different groups. That's why she decided to leave one group to find a safe enough place for the grouping later.

"I think Eleonora dear's plan sounds alright since our group has twenty-two people and could only be split into three different groups. Since the third group is eight people, it's reasonable to be given the task to find a safe place; for the grouping later."

"I agree with Leo-kun's plan! How about everyone?"

Momo asked the group with curiosity as her eyes looked at them in turns. One of them, Yasaka, nodded with a soft smile and spoke out what was on her mind.

"I also agree with Leo dear's plan and what Raikou-san said. Is there anyone who has an objection to this? If so, please speak of it."

Yasaka asked everyone, and the response was silent and quiet, which meant that they had no problem with Eleonora's plan, and they wholeheartedly agreed. But not to mistake it, there are no coercion and sort since it's a unanimous decision they made, and no one disagrees.

Yasaka turned and nodded at her bluenette lover, seeing the response and reaction as Eleonora nodded in understanding before saying something to them.

"Good. Since no one objects to it, then let's start now!"

"Yeah!"

With that chorus of answers as the response, Eleonora and the groups immediately depart and do the task given to their own group.

------

After exploring the Kurashiki and Kobe towns yesterday and haven't found any survivors, with a bit of hope and depressed emotions as well disappointment, the Hero Team decided to move on to the next city, Osaka. As the team split into two, they began to explore any places around to seek any survivors, even though one of them already knew that there would be no survivors in the city outside of Jukai.

While one team consists of two girls, one is a girl with long black hair that is semi-tied up into a bun on the left side of her head and deep brown eyes, and the other is a girl who has shoulder-length red hair tied up with a white and pink ribbon, a white barrette with pink cherry blossoms on it, and a small ahoge; those two then by chance meet with another girl, and she has short brown hair with two shoulder-length bangs and two tiny buns that are each tied with an orange and black hair tie.

Those three are Koori Chikage, Takashima Yuuna, and Doi Tamako. Chikage and Yuuna were confused seeing their comrade be alone like that, and seeing that, Chikage, the long black-haired girl, asked Tamako something with little worry on her face.

"Doi-san, why are you alone? Where is Iyojima-san?"

"I-I don't know! But we suddenly lost to each other!"

"That's impossible, and what do you mean by 'suddenly'? How's that happen?"

"I honestly don't know, okay! We just did it like yesterday, looking around any survivors, and then… Anzu is suddenly gone!"

Tamako answered with honesty flashed on her face and voice. Chikage and Yuuna's faces shifted in horror and went pale. The fear of imagining Iyojima Anzu, who hasn't fought at all so far despite being a hero, haunts them. Especially for Tamako, since she and Anzu are like sisters and always care for each other.

"Then we have to hurry to find her, Doi-san!"

"Y-Yeah, Tama-chan! Or An-chan would be in danger if we're late!"

"O-Oh, okay! Let's go quickly!"

With that decision set, Chikage, Yuuna, and Tamako hurried to find Anzu, who might be in danger because of being left alone. Despair, horror, and pale are the current expressions and conditions those three have as they hurry to locate one of their comrades-in-arms. They might didn't know where the exact location of Anzu, but that didn't stop them from finding her.

'Hurry! I have to find Anzu, or she will…!'

Tamako thought with grim and worried on her face, which was evident as Chikage and Yuuna noticed. Even though Chikage wasn't close to Anzu, she also cared since that girl was her friend and comrade in Hero Team. For Yuuna, she cares so much about everyone in the Hero Team, so it's normal for her to be worried and scared if anything dangerous happens to Anzu.

------

And at another place, a girl with blonde hair goes down to her waist, with two chest-length bangs and several chin-length bangs, has a small ahoge with her eyes are teal-colored could be seen alone without anyone by her side. A scared and worried expression painted on her face as she tried to walk carefully, not to cause anything that could pose any danger to herself.

'T-Tamacchi-senpai… where were you…?'

She thought while carefully looking around, and her whole body shivered with fear as the blonde-haired girl had goosebumps. Then she heard a growl of something familiar, causing her face to be pale quickly when she heard that. The growl isn't one but seems many by the sounds, making Anzu be in her battle stance, to be on guard so she can be ready to fight it.

"I-It's okay… I have to be brave. I am a hero… like Tamacchi-senpai and everyone…."

She muttered and tried to venture herself, giving courage within her, while her body was shaking in fear, and so was her face. As the growl grew closer, Anzu could see it by herself, the thing that could make any human instantly suffer from fear when they saw it. That thing is unnaturally white blobs with no eyes and a mouth permanently frozen in an eerie grin. They also come with several numbers, and their skin is decorated with tattoo-like shapes.

"T-They… they here…! H-Here I go!"

As Anzu ready-ed her weapon, the thing that would be known as Stardust is suddenly charged at her quickly. Seeing that, Anzu, shaking in fear, launched her repeating crossbow, and its arrows targeted the monsters. As the arrows launched from the crossbow, several hit the monsters while others failed due to the monster dodging it, but Anzu didn't stop and kept firing it.

'The right…! Behind!'

The blonde-haired girl kept firing the arrows from her crossbow in the directions she could see while trying to dodge and keep the distance between her and those things away to gain an advantage. Dodging and firing, she repeated that action and quickly learned from it.

'I can do this! Tamacchi-senpai, everyone…!'

She did it for a while, slowly became confident, and her intelligence also assisted Anzu with the lack of her strength. However, even though she seems to succeed, that overwhelmed her due to her lack of fighting experience. She didn't realize it because she was busy handling many Stardusts that came onto her, but another one went to her smoothly, and it was the evolved one.

It has a yellow face-mantle above a carried orb containing a pulsating bubble. Sports a long tail comprised of multiple spheres tipped with a powerful stinger. When Anzu's teal-colored eyes meet and look at the appearance of that evolved form of Stardust which fused and became one into that monstrous thing, what she feels is only one—despair. Anzu was stunned and couldn't move but gritted her teeth; she would use the one she saved as a last resort—Iyojima Anzu's Trump Card.

'My wish is for annihilation. An embodiment of the snow and the cold that freezes all things. A symbol of death—'

However, before she is about to finish the incantation line, her eyes witness something happening to the monstrous evolved thing of those Stardust known as Scorpion Vertex. Several lines of sword slash and its sound was what Anzu had witnessed through the evolved Stardust, causing the monstrous being to disintegrate by that.

However, not only that—but Anzu's eyes saw a person standing as if that person was trying to protect her. That person was like a knight to Anzu, with a two-handed western-looking blade on that person's right hand; it was being used as if it was katana in Iai sword-style. When it was finished, the sword vanished in thin air, and that person turned back, facing Anzu, who was still stunned.

"Sorry about that. Are you hurt anywhere?"

Anzu didn't know why but the voice somehow made her calm down, and her eyes finally could take a good look at the person that saved her. It's a woman, and that woman has a long blue braided ponytail hairstyle that exceeds her long and beautiful legs—similar to her blue sharp and gentle-looking eyes that can pierce any woman who has contact with her eyes.

At this time, the blonde-haired hero has her cheeks blushed and felt a strange feeling in her chest. That bluenette woman extended her hand to Anzu, trying to help her stand, and offered it. As she saw that, the blonde-haired girl shook her head to assure and respond to the woman's question.

"N-No, I'm… fine."

A relieved smile flashed on that bluenette woman when she heard it, this causing Anzu's cheeks to grow redder even more as it was very charming to her, and a pretty loud heartbeat was pounding within her chest.

"Is that so? I'm glad that I found you in time."

"Errr… thank you, but… who are you?"

"Ah, that—"

But before that woman was about to answer Anzu's question, they heard several voices of people which seems coming at them.

"Eleonora, have you found anyone?!"

"That was fast, Nora. Wait for me!"

"It can't be helped since Noracchi is the strongest among us, Sonocchi."

"That's true."

"I couldn't deny that Eleonora is far stronger than everyone combined."

"Fufu, it is indeed true for Leo-chan."

A sudden addition of six people came towards them, causing Anzu to fall into a sea of confusion when she saw it, and they seem called the woman that saved her, 'Eleonora', and came to her. The woman is known as Eleonora only laughs nervously and scratches her cheeks in response to those people.

Then, a group of Stardusts suddenly appears and swarms the group, causing Anzu to be flinched and affected by fear again. She steeled herself with shivers crossing her body but became calmer when she heard Eleonora's voice.

"Sorry, everyone, but we got a business here. We'll talk about it later."

Eleonora told Anzu with a smile as she didn't want to make the blonde-haired crossbow user worried. Anzu nodded after being convinced and understanding the whole situation for a little bit. As they heard what Eleonora had said, everyone then went into their battle stances quickly and faced the swarms of Stardusts.

"For a second thought—you should keep this to us, Eleonora."

This caused Eleonora to blink in surprise when she heard it from Gin, which got her other lovers' approval of nods. Eleonora is confused, and then something makes her realize it, causing her to release a defeated sigh. She looked at her lovers in turn, and they gave her a chorus of nods again before Eleonora replied.

"Do as you wish then. I know that you want to test yourself to fight those things, so please be careful, and I will watch from behind if some unexpected things happen."

"Okay! Alright, everyone—let's beat up these guys!"

With Gin's words acting as a command, they immediately went to fight the swarm of those Stardust. Not only one but five Stardust quickly charged at Gin and tried to attack the grey-haired girl, but that was futile—with her experience of dealing with them, that was nothing… is what was supposed to happen, but the Minowa Gin suddenly pushed back.

Gin was surprised by that, but her friends were also the same when witnessing it. However, that doesn't stop the grey-haired former hero from dealing some blows by swinging her twin axes directly at the Stardusts. She hoped it would defeat all of them, but that only caused a few to disintegrate.

Seeing that, Sonoko and Sumi shouted in worry.

"Mino-san!"

"Gin!"

"I am okay, Sonoko, Sumi! Don't let off your guard!"

"But—"

However, before Sonoko or Sumi replies to Gin, they drop off their guard and be knocked down by a heavy blow from some of those Stardusts. Gin, Eleonora, and everyone around flinched and shocked when they saw the dirty-blonde girl and the chrysanthemum-shaped barette-haired girl coughed out some blood. However, it's not only them—Gin also suffered from another attack from the ones she fought, and it was hitting the grey-haired as Gin blew away so hard by that blow. The three former heroes of Shikoku were blown away by those Stardusts, and some blood was splurted out from them.

"Gin! Sonoko! Sumi!"

Eleonora shouts in worry and approaches her lovers; however, she is stopped when Sonoko suddenly stands up with a shaky body and says something to Eleonora. A smile was flashed on the dirty-blonde girl to the young bluenette. It serves as a sign not to worry about her.

"I-I'm okay… Nora. This is… nothing."

Sonoko assures Eleonora while Gin and Sumi, who are in the same condition, nod at Sonoko as they agree with the same smiles on their faces too.

"Don't worry… about us, Noracchi. We will… defeat them."

"H-Heh. Sumi's right. Although… I-I don't know how they were this strong… but we will figure out something!"

------

Netheos raised his eyebrows when noticed something during the observation. Something strange happens to Eleonora and her group when they face some Stardust that is supposed to be nothing for them, yet… it suddenly feels weird when the three heroes of Year 298 struggle for that.

It is as if those Stardust were buffed up to a certain extent, which made the god that observed Eleonora's life feel strange. He was positive that nothing would make Eleonora's life suffer any difficulties or hardship, but that is not the case now.

"What the—how that happens?! Did she make any mistake with that girl's life when she did it? I know that Eleonora is her self-proclaimed 'true love,' but that will contradict her if she wants to make her love interest suffer any difficulties. She is not a sadist, though."

He muttered while rubbing his chin and deeply thinking about this.

"Does the system has some bug? Error? Or sort of like that? That seems possible, yet also, the chance is slim. Maybe I should tell the ones responsible for what is going on. After all, Eleonora's life isn't filled with gore, seinen, or any dark theme."

He grumbled and was mad at whatever caused Eleonora's life to be like this. He wants to do something, but he knows that his rank is low and would be impossible. Taking direct action is also forbidden for gods, and if they did, their divinity and power would be revoked, turning them into a mere mortals.

Most gods don't want that. Especially those who adore their god status, power, and so on. They will be terrified in horror knowing it, and while Netheos isn't like those, he also doesn't want to suffer something like that even if he wanted to help Eleonora so badly.

Punched the table with his fist in anger, Netheos growled in frustration.

"Damnit! This is such a tough decision. If I did help her directly, my hard work up until now would be a waste, and I would definitely regret it. Getting hired here isn't that easy, and I don't even have any shrine, temple, or so on to help me increase my divinity and get any believer and spread my name to make it into religion."

He scratched his head and let out a heavy-hearted sigh with a frustrated face.

"Sorry for this, Eleonora, but… I hope when I file a complain or told the department about this, they will listen and fix it. Hopefully, it's a fast response, and if so, I could tell Eleonora quickly about this so she could handle that without any casualties."

Netheos sighed again and prepared the files he would later complain about to the main department to help Eleonora's life. He is an ordinary employee and a low-ranked god, so it would be doubting if his complaint would be heard by them.

'At least I tried.'