Chapter 196

[Third Person's PoV] 

Akane and the other survivors stood frozen in shock and confusion as they witnessed the scene before them.

"Who are they?" Akane asked, her brow furrowing as she struggled to comprehend what was happening.

Captain Haitani, appearing beside her, crossed his arms thoughtfully. "Could they be another survival camp? That guy over there must be their leader."

But before anyone could respond, silence fell over the group as they watched in stunned awe. The mysterious girls revealed their powers, showcasing incredible displays of magic and might.

Alpha, calm and composed, raised a hand, commanding the earth itself. The ground before the charging monsters cracked open as thick, pulsating vines erupted from below, violently ensnaring the creatures. The plants tore the monsters apart, feeding on their blood. As the crimson fluid soaked the roots, the once green vines turned blood red, growing stronger with each drop.

A few monsters managed to push through the carnivorous plants, unleashing waves of destruction in retaliation. But Lambda, a dark elf in military garb, was already leading the charge. Sword drawn, she pointed it forward, and in a blur of motion, she and the other Shadow Garden members vanished, leaving behind only a trail of magic. The monsters stood no chance, shredded to pieces by blindingly fast strikes, each one accompanied by dazzling bursts of color from the enchanted blades.

Above them, Beta floated gracefully in the sky, her silver hair swirling in the wind. Her skin transformed into a shimmering blue, her eyes glowing like polished crystals. With a breath, she unleashed a chilling wave of air, raising her hands as shimmering ice lances materialized around her. With a flick, the lances shot toward the remaining monsters, embedding themselves deep into their flesh. The creatures froze, crystallizing before shattering into thousands of pieces.

Meanwhile, Gamma flew on her broom, giggling behind her hand. "Fufufu." Her flight wobbled slightly, forcing her to grip the broom tightly with both hands. "Oops, hehe," she giggled, embarrassed.

After regaining her balance, Gamma focused, closing one eye and sticking her tongue out in concentration. She flicked her finger, forming a swirling ball of purple gravitational energy. The orb flew into the dwindling hordes, disintegrating everything it touched. Gamma flipped her hair and puffed out her chest, proud of the destruction she'd caused with just a flick of her fingers.

Delta, however, was enjoying herself the most. Running on all fours, her claws made quick work of any monster in her path. A single swipe was enough to obliterate them. She punched the ground, causing it to crumble, burying monsters alive beneath the rubble. Her hair slowly turned white, and her tail and ears elongated. Her once dark eyes turned crimson, and she let out a thunderous howl, so powerful it acted as a shockwave, ripping through the enemies.

Epsilon stood at the center of the chaos, arms outstretched. A pulse of sound magic radiated from her, tearing apart any monster unfortunate enough to be caught in its path. With a grin, she summoned her weapon, its edge glowing white as it vibrated at unnatural speeds, ready for the next wave of foes.

Zeta, on the other hand, was blending in with the survivors, biding her time to reveal herself. She remained in the shadows, observing, while Eta glared at Shadow with half-closed eyes, clearly unimpressed.

"What?" Shadow asked, tilting his head, confused by her glare.

"I was promised sleep," Eta said, her voice flat. "This... is the opposite of sleep. It's work. Not what I was promised at all."

Shadow chuckled, patting her head affectionately. "Sorry about that. Here, you can go into my shadow and sleep for as long as you want."

Eta smirked, trailing a finger under his chin and kissing his cheek before sinking into his shadow, where she curled up with her pillow, quickly falling asleep.

With that resolved, Shadow shifted his attention to Celeste, who was cradled in Aurora's arms.

"Hi, baby! Daddy missed you," Shadow cooed, lowering his hood and taking Celeste into his arms. He showered her with kisses, causing her to giggle as she squirmed, trying to escape his affection.

Aurora watched in amusement but soon looked puzzled. "Wait, what do you mean? You just saw her a few seconds ago when you pulled us into your shadow."

Shadow grinned. "I adjusted the time dilation in my shadow. What was a few seconds for you was a few days for me. So yes, daddy missed you a lot." He nuzzled Celeste playfully, making exaggerated "nom nom nom" sounds as he tickled her.

Celeste squealed in delight, her tiny hands grabbing his face as she tried to fend off his playful bites. "Hehehe!"

Cid gently placed Celeste on his neck and said, "Alright, little one, pull up my hood. We've got some work to do."

Celeste giggled as she grabbed the hood and pulled it over his head. She rested her small hand on top, holding on tightly as Cid, now in his Shadow persona, let his intimidating illusion fade. Despite the baby nestled around his neck, his aura of power remained undeniable.

Aurora, watching from a distance, pinched the bridge of her nose in exasperation. Shadow, unfazed, began to walk through the air as if strolling on solid ground. Celeste clung to him, one tiny hand gripping his forehead to maintain her balance.

As Shadow reached the center of the battlefield, his aura still commanded respect and fear, even with the baby on his shoulder. He unsheathed his obsidian-colored sword slowly, the blade gleaming in the air. A ribbon of mana swirled around him and Celeste, growing denser and more vibrant.

Celeste's eyes sparkled with wonder as the mana danced around them like stars in the night sky. She reached out, trying to catch one in her tiny hand, mesmerized by the colors and power.

Magical lines, like glowing circuits, appeared on Shadow's skin, spreading across his body. One of his eyes turned into a burning purple flame as his power surged, creating an almost palpable tension in the air.

In a voice barely above a whisper, yet heard in the very souls of everyone present, even the monsters, Shadow spoke, "Atomic… Apocalyptica."

He let go of his sword, and it fell toward the ground, glowing like a descending star—or a Nuke.

Time seemed to warp as the sword made contact. A massive beam of purple light shot toward the sky, enveloping both Shadow and Celeste before exploding in a cataclysmic wave of destruction. The beam grew in size, obliterating everything in its path, reducing monsters to dust, while leaving the survivors feeling strangely rejuvenated, as though the power had healed rather than harmed them.

The beam, after reaching the size of the entire city, began to shrink back, pulling itself inward until only Shadow and Celeste were left within its glow.

Akane, eyes squeezed shut in terror, slowly opened them, realizing she was still alive. A sigh of relief escaped her lips as she looked at her hands, opening and closing her fist, a sentiment shared by all the survivors. But as they looked around, their relief turned to stunned silence.

Everything was gone.

They stood in a barren wasteland, with only their school and patches of dirt remaining. Beyond that, a massive crater stretched out in every direction, evidence of the devastation Shadow's attack had caused.

Celeste, still perched on Shadow's back, gazed at the destruction with a gleam of excitement in her eyes. The glow intensified as she heard Shadow's next words.

"Princess," he said, his voice deep and proud. "If you would do the honors?"

Celeste grinned widely, her eyes gleaming mischievously. "Kekekeke—cough cough cough!" She tried to let out an evil laugh, but her baby vocal cords couldn't quite manage it.

Shadow's lips twitched, barely containing his laughter at her attempt.

Clearing her throat dramatically, Celeste raised her tiny fist in the air. "AWISE!!!" she shouted triumphantly, her small hands waving enthusiastically.

In response, shadows began to surge from the ground. Out of these dark tendrils, monsters began to materialize, the same ones they had just annihilated. However, this time, they all knelt, bowing in reverence toward Shadow. Celeste, in her youthful ignorance, assumed the homage was for her.

With a self-satisfied giggle, Celeste puffed out her chest, placed her tiny hands on her hips, and raised her nose into the air, basking in the moment.