At Infirmary No. 3, Akidou was receiving a blood transfusion. A large needle was driven straight into his thigh, and the blood slowly flowed through the tube.
Omelet lay resting nearby, his breathing steady but still weak.
Shinji sat further away beside Lio and Alba, repeatedly glancing at Stella with unease. The memory of being pinned down by her and hearing those strange words still sent chills down his spine.
Lio gently tugged Shinji's sleeve and pointed toward the door.
"Looks like he wants you to follow him."
Alba said.
Shinji nodded slightly, then stood up and followed Lio outside.
Alba watched the two of them leave.
Suddenly—
"What the hell?!"
Alba jerked his leg back in pain.
Beast stood nearby, holding a hammer nearly as big as his own body—he had just struck Alba's leg.
Zoe scratched her head, looking confused.
"That's weird… Stella said if you hit the leg, it would kick up on its own…"
Alba clutched his knee, his face twisted in pain.
"You're supposed to hit the knee! That hurts like hell!"
On the other side, Omelet stirred awake. He stretched and rubbed his eyes.
"Alba… where is everyone?"
Alba turned toward him.
"Oh, Shinji and Lio just went outside."
Alba stood up. Beast raised his hammer to strike again but missed.
"Let's go. We should bring the containing text to the Supreme Commander."
Omelet yawned and nodded.
"I think… Akidou was holding it, right?"
Alba nodded.
Omelet stepped forward and searched through Akidou's belongings.
But Stella had already taken out an old piece of paper.
"Here. That kid was gripping this the whole time."
Omelet took it and nodded in thanks.
As he turned to leave, Stella called out to him.
She bent down to match his height.
"Come hang out with me tomorrow, okay? You look adorable."
Omelet froze, completely confused.
Alba immediately pulled him away.
"No, Commander Stella, he's a boy."
He dragged Omelet out of the room.
Stella muttered under her breath.
"I know."
Her voice sent a chill down Alba's spine, and he quickened his pace.
Outside, Shinji and Lio stepped out of a small shop.
Shinji looked at the bag of peanuts in his hand and sighed.
"Why is this so expensive…"
He turned to Lio.
"Four silver coins for one bag… thanks for paying for me."
Lio shook his head and pointed at the text printed on the bag.
Shinji stared at it.
For a long moment.
"...Ah… maybe… I can't read…"
He looked away, scratching his head awkwardly.
Near the Supreme Commander room, Alba knocked on the door repeatedly.
"That's strange… is he busy?"
No one answered. Just as they were about to leave—
"Alright, alright, I'm coming."
The door opened.
Odin appeared, breathing heavily.
"Jumping down from the hanging platform… my back hurts…"
He straightened up but nearly fell.
"Supreme Commander!"
Alba quickly caught him.
"Are you alright?"
Odin paused, staring into empty space with a puzzled expression.
"It felt like someone just bumped into me…"
He cleared his throat.
"Ahem. Where's the containing text?"
Omelet handed him the worn paper.
Odin's eyes lit up.
"Oh… you can tell it's ancient just by looking at it."
He carefully took it.
"This will be very useful. Thank you, warriors."
Odin turned, about to close the door—
but noticed Alba and Omelet still standing there.
He paused.
"Ah, right."
He took out a shining gold coin and placed it in Alba's hand.
Alba's eyes widened.
"What the heck?! A gold coin?!"
The two stared at each other in shock.
"One gold coin… that can buy a ton of stuff!"
They looked down at it, already calculating.
"If each of us gets one, then five people would have—"
Before they could finish—
"That's for the whole team."
The door slammed shut.
They stood there in silence for a few seconds.
"...So stingy."
They turned around.
A tall figure was already standing right behind them.
Omelet looked up.
"Commander Argos!"
Argos showed no emotion. He simply asked:
"Where is Shinji?"
Alba and Omelet glanced at each other.
"He's… probably still near Infirmary No. 3, sir."
Argos said nothing and turned to leave.
Alba leaned closer and whispered:
"Man… he's really cold, just like Napoleta said…"
Omelet nodded.
"Yeah… he's our squad leader, but he never trains us…"
Argos suddenly stopped.
He stood there for a moment, then turned back.
The two immediately tensed up.
"He's going to punish us…!"
Argos raised his hand slightly.
"Go back."
Both of them quickly nodded and ran off.
"Yes, sir! Thank you, Commander Argos!"
Argos stood in front of the command room.
He adjusted his hair and rested his hand on his sword.
Inside, Odin had just closed the door.
Right behind him—
someone was already standing there.
A young man, wearing a white head wrap and neat clothing, leaned against the wall.
He spoke calmly.
"Greetings, Supreme Commander. I am Basilicus."
Odin did not turn around.
He walked straight toward the corner of the room.
A hidden door opened.
Inside was a large chamber filled with books.
Basilicus followed.
"That… is related to the Demon King Kronos, isn't it?"
Odin placed the containing onto a pedestal, then raised his head.
"How did you get inside?"
His voice lowered.
Basilicus stepped closer.
"Are you planning… to defeat the Demon King?"
His hand, hidden behind his back, tightened around a small dagger.
Odin stood upright. His aged eyes opened slightly.
The gem on his forehead glowed faintly gold.
"You're one of Rascha-Xena's subordinates… aren't you?"
Basilicus smiled faintly.
He slowly raised the dagger.
"If I am… what then? And if I'm not… what then?"
He lunged forward, stabbing straight toward Odin's back.
Odin did not turn.
The gem on his forehead glowed brighter.
Golden light gathered in his hand as he reached behind him.
"Heaven's Chain! Golden Net!"
The light burst forth.
In an instant, a radiant golden net locked Basilicus's arm in place.
He froze.
Unable to move.
Only then did Odin slowly turn around.
His eyes calm, his voice heavy.
"The title of Supreme Commander… isn't given for nothing."
He raised his hand—
and slammed it down.
BOOM!
Basilicus was dragged down and smashed into the wooden floor.
He screamed in pain.
"That hurts, you old man!"
His body began to mutate.
Scales spread across his skin.
His eyes turned yellow, bulging outward.
"So you're done pretending?"
Odin asked while restraining him.
In an instant, Basilicus transformed into a massive lizard-like creature, his neck twisting unnaturally backward.
His mouth swelled—
Then—
SPURT!
A mass of thick purple liquid shot straight into Odin's face.
Too fast.
Odin couldn't dodge.
The poison struck his eyes.
He groaned and released his grip.
The golden net shattered.
Basilicus rolled away, gasping.
He let out a hoarse laugh.
"Trying to defeat the Demon King… is the stupidest thing you could ever do…"
Odin staggered back.
The skin and eyebrows touched by the poison began to melt.
He crashed into a bookshelf behind him.
CRASH!
Books fell everywhere.
Basilicus gripped his dagger and charged.
"Instead… we should kneel before Lord Demon King Kronos!"
The blade came down—
But Odin did not move.
No fear.
No hesitation.
He simply said:
"Argos."
A flash.
No one saw it.
In a single instant—
Basilicus's arm fell to the ground.
Blood sprayed across the floor.
Argos stood there, his blade already stained red.
Basilicus's eyes darted wildly as he collapsed.
"What…"
Pain hit him—
but he still didn't stop.
His mouth swelled again, preparing to spit poison.
Argos said nothing.
He drew his sword once more.
Basilicus's head fell.
In his final moment, he could only think—
"Too… fast…"
Slash.
His head was cut into multiple pieces before it even touched the ground.
Silence returned.
Only the sound of blood dripping remained.
Odin chuckled softly.
He wiped the remaining poison from his face. His skin was burned red, his long eyebrows completely gone.
"I knew it… my old friend wouldn't let me die that easily."
In contrast—
Argos's gaze remained sharp and cold as a blade.
He looked down at the remains.
"It seems… he sent this brat here."