Back at the other side of the temple, the area was crowded with hardware stores, indoor and outdoor markets, variety shops, and rows of stationery and electronics stores.
At the center, two women sat quietly on a porch—Lyra (possessed by Zerathos) and Sylvia (the third strongest Dark Knight), waiting with unsettling patience.
Sylvia: Boss, are you sure the other half are coming this way?
Lyra(Zerathos): Patience, Silk n' Needle. They're almost here. You will have your fun… Look. There they are—150 meters away.
At a distance, Leona, Lynn, Christopher, Eric, Angela, Augustine, and Nathan (Glitch and Paper) moved steadily closer, only a few blocks away from the temple.
Lyra and Sylvia blended into the crowd, hiding in plain sight, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
And just as the heroes walked past them—
Lyra activated her ability.
A large hexagonal cyan neon symbol flared into existence before them. Instantly, masses of metal, tin, wood, and concrete surged upward, sealing the path ahead like an artificial barricade.
People panicked, their calm shattering in an instant, as they began running in every direction.
And when they turned around, Lyra and Sylvia were already standing before them.
Lyra(Zerathos): Since you are even in number, how about the two of us take four each?
Nathan(Glitch): Isn't that an overkill?
Sylvia: So what? You chickenshit?
Eric: Oh, is that so? Then don't cry and brag about it.
They quickly split into two groups. On Lyra's side—Leona, Eric, Nathan (Paper), and Angela. On Sylvia's side—Lynn, Nate (Glitch), Augustine, and Christopher.
Without a word, Lyra extended her influence across both sides, manipulating the surrounding environment itself. The space around them shifted and sealed, ensuring no one could escape—and no one could interfere with the other fight.
On Lyra's side, Eric stepped forward first, cracking his fists.
Eric: Alright, bitch. Let's get this over with. I still have to kick your boss' ass—
Before he could finish—
A hexagonal cyan neon symbol flared to life at his right.
In an instant, the force struck.
Eric was hurled away with devastating impact, crashing through three hardware stores in a straight line. Metal tore through the air with him—nails embedding into his body, jagged cuts from saw blades ripping across his skin and sustain bruises from the impact.
Nathan(Paper): Eric!
He rushed forward, but a massive wall formed from cyan neon symbols surged up before him, blocking his path entirely.
Lyra(Zerathos): Riptide was a pain in the ass to deal with. So removing him from the start… was the best move.
Nathan(Paper): You bastard. There are many things I regret in my life—killing you won't be one of them. Release my sister!
Lyra(Zerathos): I will, I will… after I use her.
Zerathos grinned—wide and deliberate—only fueling Nathan's rage even further.
Meanwhile, on the other side, the others were struggling to hold their ground.
Sylvia's ability completely outclassed theirs. Anyone she touched was instantly killed—detonating on contact—yet they would reappear the very moment they attempted to strike her again.
Sylvia: Is this what S Classes are? You're pathetic!
Strength aside, her true advantage lay in her mobility. She moved instantaneously, her speed surpassing even Nathan(Glitch).
Ranged attacks proved useless—she evaded them effortlessly, as if they were never a threat to begin with—closing the distance in an instant, leaving them no room to breathe.
Lynn was the only one who hadn't attacked yet. Calm and cautious, she observed Sylvia's movements, studying every detail.
Lynn:(Thought) Instantaneous movement… not something aggressive fighters like Nathan or Christopher can handle. Nor strategists like Augustine. And to make things worse—every time she touches them, they explode… then respawn again. Heh… reminds me of Ad Infinitum.
Alright… looks like it has to be me.
Lynn stepped forward, walking straight toward Sylvia.
Behind her, the others were down—gasping for air.
Nathan(Glitch):(Thought) Damn it… if only I had switched to Paper, I could've turned the tide…
Being killed over and over had worn them down. Each time they respawned, their breathing grew heavier, their bodies slower, their reactions duller.
They were at their limit.
And yet—
Lynn kept walking toward the danger, chains wrapped around her hands, daggers ready.
Lynn: Hey, catch.
She hurled her chained daggers forward.
Angela dove toward Lyra—but Lyra caught her mid-motion, grabbing her legs and slamming her into the ground before throwing her away.
Leona rushed to Angela's side, quickly healing her, while Nathan(Paper) engaged Lyra non-lethally, using paper whips in an attempt to restrain her.
But Lyra was stronger.
She yanked him toward her.
A cyan neon symbol flared beside a pile of metal scraps—instantly, they surged together, forming a gauntlet around her arm.
She swung.
The punch landed square on Nathan's face—so brutal it nearly crushed it on impact.
Angela charged back in, this time reinforced by Leona's support—her strength, speed, and toughness doubled.
Sumanbrander joined her.
And Lyra prepared to meet her head-on.
On the other side—
Lynn was keeping up with Sylvia.
Both moved at an untraceable speed, their movements too fast for even Nathan(Glitch) to follow.
Sylvia: You sure are quick for a spoiled bitch.
Lynn: The same goes for a lapdog like you.
Sylvia: Why try to stop an inevitable? People like you should be by his side, not against him.
Lynn: Sorry, but... I've already picked my side.
They were evenly matched—but Lynn still managed to land a few clean cuts with her daggers.
Sylvia, for the first time, was being pushed.
touch her even once. As desperate as she was, there was no doubt—she was losing.
Angela had been defeated badly, one of her wings torn off, while Sumarbrander was shattered into two pieces.
Nathan(Paper) was immobilized by Lyra's cyan neon symbol. And as he looked closer—
He finally understood.
Nathan(Paper):(Thought) I thought her ability was telekinesis… or something similar. I was wrong. It's not that simple. Nanite manipulation… controlling microscopic machines. Acting as an uncountable swarm—allowing her to create, destroy, and reshape matter at will… no… maybe even more than that. That explains it. Every time she issues a command, a different symbol appears—each one executing a specific function.
His eyes narrowed.
Eric and Angela were already down. Guardia wouldn't stand a chance against her.
Nathan(Paper):(Thought) I have to… break free.
Lyra's attention shifted toward Leona, who was still healing Angela. Zerathos, too, sensed the surge—an overwhelming spike of energy emanating from Leona, far greater than what Nate had detected before.
Lyra(Zerathos):(Thought) What is this…? This… immense concentration of energy… from that girl... I have to see it myself.
Without hesitation, Lyra(Zerathos) formed a spear from the surrounding metal rods and launched it straight at Leona.
Leona saw it coming.
But she knew—she could never match its speed. Impact meant death.
And yet… she couldn't abandon Angela.
So instead of retreating, she stepped forward—placing herself between the attack and the one she swore to protect. Her frail body became a shield. She closed her eyes.
A moment passed.
…Nothing.
No pain.
No impact.
Slowly, she opened her eyes.
The spear had stopped—caught effortlessly in a bare hand.
Astral Aegis stood before her.
Elsewhere, Lynn and Sylvia found themselves within the confines of a large hardware store, separated by the chaos.
Both were exhausted—breathing heavily, bodies strained, each wishing for the fight to end.
But finding one another now was like searching for a needle in a haystack. And making even the slightest noise would mean revealing their position.
So, Lynn chose silence.
And finally… she made her move.
Lynn activated her true ability once more.
Her daggers shot skyward in every direction—scattering across the battlefield like falling stars. In the next instant, she vanished—reappearing wherever a dagger landed, only to hurl more blades and repeat the cycle without pause.
A relentless loop.
A storm.
Sylvia watched carefully.
She understood.
Without hesitation, she seized two nail guns, loading them with precision, waiting—patiently—for the perfect moment.
And then—
One of Lynn's daggers hovered just above her.
Sylvia fired.
A barrage of nails tore through the air. As calculated, one struck true—piercing through Lynn's back mid-transition.
But Lynn didn't fall.
She endured.
Twisting her body, she deflected the remaining projectiles before they could follow through.
Lynn: I see you.
Sylvia: Shit.
A dagger flew—landing just behind Sylvia.
In the blink of an eye, Lynn was there.
Her body spun—leg arcing through the air—
A clean, brutal roundhouse.
Impact.
Sylvia was sent crashing, rolling across the ground.
Lynn:(Panting, thought) There's something... something that she's hiding. I can tell by her look.
Lyra(Zerathos): How fascinating… A sentient being forged purely from life energy. This is… new.
Leona: Wha… who are you?
Astral Aegis: Fear not, Evelyne. I am… what he would call me. So, it is my purpose to keep you safe from harm. After I am done with him, I promise I will explain everything.
Without hesitation, Astral Aegis hurled the spear back.
Lyra barely evaded it—
—but not completely.
The blade grazed her left cheek, drawing a thin line of blood.
She clicked her tongue and immediately activated her nanites, repairing the wound. At the same time, the restraints binding Nathan dissolved.
Astral Aegis:(Thought) So… when she heals, her other constructs collapse. That is her flaw. Her greatest limitation.
She stepped forward, unwavering.
Astral Aegis: Jaded Angel, stay out of this. I will handle her.
Nathan(Paper): She's not herself—she's possessed. So please… don't hurt her too much.
Sylvia rose swiftly, already firing.
Lynn vanished from the line of fire—reappearing behind an iron shelf just as bullets tore through the air.
Without missing a beat, Sylvia launched forward and drop-kicked the nearest rack.
Metal crashed.
One shelf toppled into another—
A chain reaction.
A collapsing storm of steel.
Lynn weaved through the falling debris, narrowly avoiding being crushed. For a fleeting second, she paused—just enough to catch her breath.
That was all Sylvia needed.
By the time the dust settled, she was already armed—
A hatchet in one hand.
A kukri in the other.
Screwdrivers in her pocket along with a small hammer.
Lynn: Look, i know you're hiding something, something that have been bothering you. You can tell me and maybe there might be a way to prevent any of us from dying.
Sylvia: Even if I do so, what difference will it make? You got a loving family while I was raised in orphanage. Family, friends, love? All those words mean nothing to me.
Seeing her, Lynn understood—Sylvia also wanted to end this quickly.
Without hesitation, Lynn picked up two lightweight metal pipes, rolling them in her hands before settling into a firm stance.
No more running.
This would be decided head-on.
Astral Aegis surged forward.
Lyra charged as well.
The distance between them collapsed—
And just before impact—
Lyra vanished.
In the next instant, she reappeared behind Astral Aegis.
A feint.
A misdirection.
Her true target—
Leona.
Astral Aegis:(Thought) Crap—if she kills Evelyne, I cease to exist… Teleportation was the last thing I expected from her.
Lyra's fist drove forward—
A killing blow aimed straight through Leona.
But before it could land—
Astral Aegis was there.
She appeared between them, intercepting the strike—grasping Lyra's arm mid-motion.
In the same breath, her leg snapped upward—
A precise, brutal kick to Lyra's chin.
Impact.
Lyra staggered, coughing blood—
And before she could recover—
A follow-up punch drove into her stomach, launching her backward.
She hit the ground hard.
But even then—
She healed.
Blood still staining her lips, she looked up—
Lyra(Zerathos): H-how…?
Astral Aegis stepped forward, calm… unshaken.
Astral Aegis: By returning to where I belong, back inside Leona.