Earth Land, Ishgar, Fiore/Seven Border.
June 1, x792.
After Elicia landed, nearly three full minutes passed without either Ellicia or Greed saying anything to each other. Because Greed, lamenting the unfairness of life, only stared at the sky, as if not acknowledging his problems would make them go away. Meanwhile, Elicia just continued to stare at Greed, waiting for him to make a move.
"By the way, asking for all that really is a bit much." Elicia said, finally responding to Greed's rhetorical question from a few minutes ago. "I mean, everything the world has to offer? Isn't that a bit greedy?"
"Of course, it is." Greed replied as he finally lowered his head to look at Elicia. "That's kinda my whole thing, you know?"
"Hmm… I guess you're right." Elicia replied with a nod. "Still, it's a bit much. I mean, can't you find happiness without trying to make everything in the world yours?"
"Nope." Greed said with a shrug. "It's in my nature."
"Well then, I guess we have nothing to talk about.' Elicia said with a shrug of her own. "The only question left is are you gonna do this the easy way or the hard way. Because we both know you can't beat me."
"Definitely the hard way." Greed said as his arms blackened, the carbon content in his body growing denser with every word. "One, I don't wanna die. And two, if I disobey that Black Wizard, his curse will disperse the souls in my Philosopher's Stone."
"Yeah, that's kind of a problem." Elicia replied with another nod. A moment later, however, she vanished from where she stood.
*Bang!*
"*Argh!*"
Then, Elicia reappeared in front of Greed with her hand buried in his gut while the carbon that had spread to cover his entire body, cracked under her punch.
"But I can't leave you alone, either." Elicia continued. "So, either way, you're losing that Philosopher's Stone."
"Damn you!" Greed growled as he swung his hardened right arm at Elicia's head.
In response, Elicia dropped low. Then, she stood up quickly and threw a rising uppercut at Greed's chin. On top of that, her fist was wrapped with [Vibranium Threads].
With his eyes widening, Greed felt the danger that punch presented. So, instead of trying to tank the attack, he pushed off the ground with all his might and threw himself backwards.
*Crack!*
Then, when he landed, Greed jammed his hands into the ground and tore up a piece of the earth before flinging it at Elicia.
*Swoosh!*
"[Thread Magic: Thread Net]." Elicia chanted as she started flicking her fingers repeatedly.
With Elicia's chant and finger flicking, she quickly wove a net from her threads that she used to catch the chunk of earth Greed threw at her. {Pic}
"You gotta be shitting me." Greed muttered when he saw Elicia deal with the large chunk of the ground he threw.
"You're gonna have to do better than that." Elicia said with a smile as she started whipping around the projectile she just plucked out of the air. "Just this morning, I was throwing five or six warships at a time."
"… the fuck?" Greed muttered with a dumbfounded expression on his face.
"[Thread Magic: Vibrating Strings]." Elicia chanted, taking advantage of the moment of distraction.
With her chant, the threads extending from Elicia's fingertips started to vibrate at high speed. And with that vibration, the threads quickly cut into the large stone she was swinging around as she tightened the net around it.
"Oh… This isn't good." Greed muttered as he snapped back to his senses.
*Crack!* *Crack!* *Crack!* *Crack!* *Crack!*
*Swish!* *Swish!* *Swish!* *Swish!* *Swish!*
Eventually, the threads ground through the large bolder. When they did, pieces of stone shot out through the gaps in the net. And thanks to Elicia's timing, they all were sent flying towards Greed.
"Damn it!" Greed shouted as he started swinging his fists at high speed.
*Boom!* *Boom!* *Boom!* *Boom!* *Boom!*
As Greed's fists landed on the pieces of stone, they exploded in quick succession, filling the surroundings with dust and debris. Meanwhile, Greed was struck repeatedly by small pieces of stone. Yet, thanks to his hardened exterior, he took no damage.
Unfortunately, thanks to the dust and his focus on deflecting the stones, Greed did not see the numerous threads that spread around the surroundings until it was too late.
"What the hell?" Greed muttered while looking at the threads criss crossing the ground and air around him.
"[Thread Entanglement]." Elicia chanted without giving Greed a chance to react.
With her chant, Elicia yanked her left hand backwards. And with her movement, all the threads in the area constricted towards Greed, wrapping him up from just below his chin to the bottom of his feet. {Pic}
"Damn it!" Greed shouted with both anger and trepidation. "Let me go!"
"Sorry, I can't do that." Elicia said while smiling. "[Mend the Seams of Reality, Scylla]."
With the [Release Command], Elicia's magic power multiplied by at least eight times as the wristband holding her golden needles began to glow. The glow then extended to cover her hand while splitting to cover her other hand, as well. Then, when the glow faded, Elicia's hands were covered in golden dragon scales with sharp, needle-like claws.
"For what it's worth, I know you didn't ask for any of this." Elicia said in a slightly apologetic tone. "But leaving you to run around is too dangerous. So, I hope if beings like you can reincarnate, you can have a better life."
"What the fuck are you talking about?" Greed asked angrily. "And what the hell just happened to your hands? Why the hell are you so much stronger?"
"Does it really matter?" Elicia asked before she shot forward with her right hand extended towards the center of Greed's chest. "Just know that I wouldn't do this if I didn't have to. But since I do, I'll do it right."
"Why can't I understand anything you're saying/" Greed asked while struggling to free himself from the threads that were strengthened with Scylla's release.
*Crack!*
However, without any of the threads budging in the slightest, Elicia's claws tore into Greed's chest. Then, Elicia's fingers wrapped around the Philosopher's Stone that acted as his core. {Pic}
"No!" Greed shouted indignantly. "There's still so much for me to get! The women… the power… The status It was all supposed to be---"
"Rip!*
Before Greed could finish, Elicia ripped the Philosopher's Stone out of Greed's chest, cutting off his final words. At the same time, a large number of threads extended from her palm and tightly wrapped around the Philosopher's Stone while she started making one-handed hand signs from the Shinobi magic system.
A moment later, Elicia covered the ball of thread surrounding the Philosopher' Stone.
"[Sealing Magic: Four Symbol Seal]." Elicia chanted as sealing script extended from her palm and covered the ball of thread.
A moment later, all the soul signatures Elicia could feel from the Philosopher's Stone disappeared. Though, the souls were not dispersed. Instead, they could no longer radiate outwards through the [Seal].
"*sigh* It's finally over." Elicia said a she returned Scylla to her sealed state. "Never thought I'd actually use a [Sealing Jutsu], though."
["And you actually had the nerve to complain when Fonzie was trying to teach them to you."] Scylla scoffed from Elicia's inner world.
"Like I said, I never thought I'd have to use them." Elicia said while turning her head sharply. "So, it didn't feel like there was any point to learning them."
["Uh huh…"] Scylla replied while rolling her eyes. ["so, what do you think about that now?"]
"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Elicia said dismissively. "Fonzie was right. he's always right."
["And don't you forget it."] Scylla said smugly.
"You know, you might be just as bad a simp for Fonzie as Riot is for me." Elicia said in a tired tone.
["Hey! You take that back right the fuck now!"] Scylla shouted, clearly offended by the comparison. ["At least I can admit it when Fonzie does something wrong. I'm even the first to tell you to scold him for it."]
"That would only be true if Fonzie ever did anything bad, though." Elicia said with a pout. "Ever since he lost his sight in our past life, he's been so considerate. Other than teasing me, he doesn't do anything that actually makes me mad or hurts my feelings. So, how could you have had a chance to tell me to scold him?"
Elicia's inner world fell silent after that. And when she looked inside, she saw Scylla inspecting the various outfits she had conceptualized as if it was the most important duty in her existence.
"Hmph! Nothing to say now, huh?" Elicia asked smugly while reaching into her skirt pocket to grab her lPhone. "Anyway, I'm done here. So, I should see how Fonzie's doing with Serena."
Earth land, Ishgar, Fiore/Bosco Border.
*Whoosh~~~~~~~~~~!*
High in the sky above the Fiore/Bosco Border, Alfonzo, having just leapt from the Blackbird while leaving it to hover at high altitude, was falling towards the ground while approaching terminal velocity.
"I should take that mother fucker out quick." Alfonzo said with his brows furrowed. "Because of all the excitement, I can sense Acnologia making his way towards Fiore. Hell, he's even coming from the same direction as that dickhead. But I doubt that self-absorbed asshole even noticed."
{BGM: Snow Fairy" – FUNKIST}
"Hmm?" Alfonzo hummed when he felt his lPhone buzzing in his pocket. Pulling it out, he checked the Caller ID. "Oh, it's Lici. Is she done already? Yo~."
{"Fonzie! I'm done!"} Elicia said cheerfully from the other side of the phone call. {"When can you come get me?"}
"*Sigh* it's probably gonna be a while.' Alfonzo replied in an apologetic tone. "I'm just about to fight Serena. But I can sense Acnologia approaching. So, I'm gonna have to deal with him, too."
{"Aww! Does that mean I'm gonna have to wait here until you're done?"} Elicia whined. A moment later, however, her tone changed. {"By the way, where are you? Why is there so much wind?"}
"I just jumped out of the Blackbird." Alfonzo replied calmly. "I'm free falling towards the battlefield right now."
{"Oh, I did that, too!"} Elicia replied excitedly. {"Then, I made a parachute with my threads and floated down right int front of Greed. It was really fun!"}
Hearing how happy Elicia sounded after having to fight Bianca and Orlando earlier in the day, Alfonzo could not help but smile, too. And since he had a little mor time until he reached the ground, he happily listened to Elicia as she told him how she handled Greed. {Pic}
Unfortunately, due to falling at terminal velocity, it did not take long for Alfonzo to get close to the ground.
"Sorry, Lici." Alfonzo said while looking down at the ground and God Serena, who was arrogantly strolling towards Fiore. "I'm almost there. O, I gotta go. But if you wanna go to the Blackbird, give Irene a call. She should be able to come get you."
{"Okay, have fun and be careful."} Elicia replied happily. {"But instead of going to the Blackbird, I'll have Irene bring me to you. We can kick Acnologia's butt together!"}
"Sure." Alfonzo replied with a smile. "See you soon, then."
With that, Alfonzo and Elicia ended the call, and Alfonzo put his lPhone back in his pocket. Then, he straightened his posture before landing about a hundred feet in front of God Serena with his left knee and right fist hitting the ground in a classic superhero pose.
*Boom~~~~~!*
Alfonzo's landing created a crater and caused dust and debris to explode into the sky in the shape of a mushroom. On top of that, God Serena, who was walking forward without a care in the world was thoroughly shocked by the sudden explosion.
"What in the world?" God Serena exclaimed in surprise. A moment later, however, his expression turned angry as he continued. "I knew the cowards from Ishgar were shameless. But to think you would use artillery magic to bombard me without even facing the great me directly! For that, I will make sure to destroy the magic Council after I take care of that arrogant upstart, Alfonzo Marcus!"
"God damn…" Alfonzo's voice sounded from the dispersing dust cloud. "You know shit's fucked up when a dipshit like you is calling someone arrogant. And I'm not sure how insulted I should be when that someone is me." {Pic}
Hearing the voice of the person he's hated the most for the past few years, God Serena's eyes widened and went blood shot with anger. Then, he flared his magic power instinctively as he got ready to teach the upstart in front of him the lesson of his life.
"Ha! Your arrogance truly knows no bounds!" God Serena said angrily. "To think you would deliver yourself to--- Urgh!"
*Zap!*
"Yeah, I don't have time for this." Alfonzo said as he appeared in front of God Serena with arcs of violet electricity coating his body. "There's an actual threat behind you. So, I'm gonna end this now."
"What?" God Serena asked with his eyes open wide as he felt his strength leaving him.
Looking down, God Serena saw that Alfonzo had not just punched him when he approached. Instead, half of Alfonzo's hand had disappeared through his sternum. On top of that, he could feel tendrils moving through his body. And even worse than that, he could feel those tendrils moving towards the eight [Dragon Slayer Lacrima] that were implanted into him.
"What… are… you…?" God Serena asked as blood leaked from his mouth.
"Just repurposing some things you won't need anymore." Alfonzo replied calmly as he looked over God Serena's shoulder towards the dark-skinned young man with long dark blue hair walking towards them from Bosco.
Looking up with difficulty, God Serena realized that Alfonzo was not even looking at him, a fact that made him even angrier than before. Unfortunately, he did not have the strength to address the disrespect. Instead, he used the last of his strength to try looking back over his shoulder.
But before God Serena could lay his eyes on the one Alfonzo called "an actual threat," the light in his eyes faded, his head slumped to one side, and his breathing stopped.
"Hmph!" Alfonzo snorted at God Serena's corpse before flinging his arm to the side.
Alfonzo's action sent God Serena's corpse flying. In its place were eight tendrils made of Techno Organic Metal with eight lacrima of different colors imbedded at their tips. However, before Alfonzo could inspect them, the dark-skinned young man arrived in front of him.
"It's you again." The young man said in a calm tone with an enraged undertone. He then glanced at God Serena's corpse before he continued. "I was going to kill you in the most painful way possible to pay you back for the outcome of our last encounter. But since you helped me get rid of one of those loathsome dragon slayers, I'll make it quick and painless… Well, as painless as being torn apart by a dragon's fangs and claws can be."
"[Run Wild with Destruction on your Fingertips. Usher in Pandemonium with Creation in Your Hands. Riot, Bedlam]" Alfonzo chanted his [Release Command] while securing the eight Dragon Slayer Lacrima to his waist with a pouch made of Techno Organic Metal as his hands took on the form of black, liquid metal monster claws. "If you look down on me like that, things aren't gonna go too good for you, Acnologia."
*Zap!*
With that, Alfonzo vanished from where he stood before reappearing in front of Acnologia with his fist clenched and headed towards the dragon's face.