Talulah stood before the gathered masses, her voice carrying a steady, reassuring strength that cut through the agitation of the crowd. She told them clearly that the Reunion Movement existed to protect every single one of them. She urged the people to place their trust in the organization's military strength and requested that they not rush blindly into the fray. However, acknowledging their passion, she added that if they truly wished to serve, they could apply at the recruitment office to begin training as warriors—the future guardians of the movement—once this immediate crisis had passed.
With the civilian population somewhat pacified, the Reunion Movement swung into a high-speed mobilization.
On the other side of the module, Remilia and Flandre Scarlet returned to their residence to brief the rest of the Scarlet Devil Mansion group. By this time, Yukari Yakumo and Aya Shameimaru had already departed for the northern ice fields on a separate reconnaissance mission. After a brief discussion, the group decided that Eirin Yagokoro should remain behind on the mobile module; with her immense power and medical expertise, she could effortlessly stabilize any crisis or medical emergency that might occur during the pincer attack.
That left the four core members of the Mansion—Remilia, Flandre, Patchouli Knowledge, and Sakuya Izayoi—to handle the southern front.
Once the strategy was set, Flandre used her Magic to send a brief farewell to Alina, informing her that they were departing. Without further delay, the four figures took to the sky, streaking toward the south. Having explored the area recently, they navigated the terrain with practiced ease, arriving at the primary southern pass in record time.
At this very moment, the Victorian army was holding its position at the border. Despite their strength, entering Ursus territory as an isolated force was a gambit fraught with political and military peril. They were waiting for a formal consensus from high-level Ursus officials to ensure they wouldn't be branded as an invading force—an excuse that would allow the Ursus military to turn its full might against Victoria.
The leader of this expedition, Count Gramorgan, sat in his lavish command tent, twirling his well-groomed mustache as he awaited dispatches from the north. To him, "revenge" for the slaughtered village was a convenient lie—a mere pretext. Both Ursus and Victoria had a long history of raking each other's borders and burning villages; a few dead peasants were never enough to justify a formal mobilization.
The real motive was far more calculated. The Duke he served sought a secret alliance with a powerful member of the Ursus Old Nobility. Gramorgan's task was to sow further discord within Ursus (a simple task given the existing hatred between the Emperor and the nobles) and to evaluate the Reunion Movement. After a year of observation, Victoria had realized the organization had massive potential. If they could seize control of Reunion, it would serve as a permanent Victorian nail driven deep into Ursus territory.
His musings were cut short when a scout burst into the tent.
"Reporting, my Lord! Four flying figures are approaching rapidly from the north!" the scout cried, breathless. "According to our intelligence and descriptions from the survivors, two of them match the Blood Demons responsible for the massacre!"
Count Gramorgan slammed his fist onto the mahogany table, his eyes narrowing. "How bold! To think they would dare approach my Victorian army with a mere four people. They either lack all reason or possess an arrogance that must be humbled." He stood up, his cape billowing. "Order the entire army to prepare for battle. If they want to present themselves for execution, we shall oblige."
Though the idea of four individuals intercepting a professional army seemed like a pipe dream, the Count granted them the respect of a full deployment, specifically because the targets possessed the rare and tactical advantage of flight.
In the air, the four members of the Mansion slowed their approach.
"They've spotted us," Patchouli noted, her voice calm despite the sight of thousands of soldiers forming up below. She hovered in the center of the formation, her grimoire already beginning to hum with latent energy.
"No matter," Remilia said, her chin tilted up with regal pride. "With our strength, what does it matter if they've spotted us? A lion does not fear the gaze of a thousand sheep."
As they drew closer, they saw the Victorian army fanning out into a disciplined battle formation, their polished armor glinting in the sun. Sakuya and Flandre looked toward Remilia, waiting for the command.
"According to the previous plan: courtesy before force," Remilia commanded.
They had prepared a diplomatic opening on the way there. Patchouli traced a rune in the air, manifesting a massive, magically amplified megaphone. Remilia's voice boomed across the valley, amplified to a deafening volume. She recounted the truth of the previous events, explaining that the perpetrator was a different Blood Demon who had already been executed for his crimes. she urged the Victorians to remain rational and withdraw before blood was spilled unnecessarily.
The response was instantaneous—and violent.
The moment she finished speaking, the Victorian artillery batteries roared. Dozens of high-caliber shells whistled through the air, exploding in a cacophony of fire and shrapnel around the four girls.
Remilia's face darkened instantly, her eyes glowing with a dangerous, predatory light. She was not a patient woman by nature. As the Mistress of the Scarlet Devil Mansion, being ignored was an insult; being fired upon was a declaration of war. If these mortals chose to disregard her majesty, she would ensure they witnessed the true power of the Scarlet name.
"You are courting death!" Remilia bared her fangs, her voice no longer amplified but carrying a terrifying, natural resonance.
Flandre didn't wait for a second command. The moment the shells detonated, she charged downward like a falling star. In her hand, the legendary Laevateinn manifested—a flaming greatsword forty meters in length that hummed with destructive intent. To her, anyone who dared to lay a hand on her sister was an enemy to be erased. The previous discussions about leaving survivors for trade or diplomacy were thrown completely to the back of her mind.
Seeing Flandre dive headlong into the fray, Patchouli bit her lip in worry and flew down to provide support.
"Sakuya, protect Patchy!" Remilia shouted. Then, she transformed into a streak of lethal red light, following Flandre directly into the heart of the Victorian formation.
The Victorians had investigated the sisters, but their data was woefully incomplete. They had prepared for powerful Blood Demons, but they had not prepared for the sheer, reality-warping speed of the Scarlet sisters. Before the artillery units could even prepare a second volley, Flandre had already slammed into their ranks.
The guards stationed to protect the cannons didn't even have time to raise their shields. Flandre, gripped by a cold, destructive glee, began performing a 'windmill'—spinning her forty-meter flaming blade in a massive, horizontal arc.
The result was a scene of absolute devastation. Because of Flandre's height, the sweep of the blade was low to the ground, lower than the wheel of a carriage. With a single rotation, the entire artillery position was reduced to scrap and cinders. Men were cleaved in two, and heavy steel cannons were sliced through like warm butter. When the flames settled, the position was strewn with corpses and molten metal; only a few incredibly lucky individuals who had been lying prone managed to survive the initial sweep.
Seeing the horrific slaughter of the artillerymen, the nearby Caster Squad panicked. Realizing they were dealing with monsters, they unleashed a desperate barrage of Originium Arts toward the small girl in the center of the wreckage.
"Don't you dare hurt my sister!" Remilia's voice thundered as she arrived.
Since Flandre had already begun the massacre, the original plan for a "clean" victory was in ruins. Remilia decided to lean into the destruction; if she couldn't persuade them with words, she would persuade them with the terror of a total wipeout. She wanted to ensure that any Victorian who survived would be too traumatized to ever look north again.
She swung her spear, the Gungnir, and a massive, intricate Magic circle expanded behind her. A rain of Magic Bullets poured forth like an endless storm, lashing the Caster Squad with enough force to shatter their magical shields and the ground beneath them.
High above, Patchouli frowned. She didn't think a total massacre was the most appropriate tactical choice, but she knew her friends well—once the blood started pumping, there was no stopping them. "The arrow is on the string," she whispered. She abandoned her prepared Earth & Water spell, [Noachian Deluge], and switched to a more aggressive Fire & Earth elemental combination: [Lava Belt].
As she spread her hands, the ground around the Victorian army groaned and cracked. Terrifying torrents of molten lava erupted from the earth on all sides, forming a ring of fire that trapped the thousands of soldiers in a shrinking, suffocating circle of heat.