Boom!
The light magnified. It wasn't that the sun emerged it was flames. Darkness overhead now framed the massive unknown eyes, ringed by flames brighter than the sun.
From the ground, it looked as though the sky had caught fire. Blazing fire spread across the heavens.
Soon, everyone beheld a shape illuminated by the flame truly the being behind those eyes: a colossal red dragon, overshadowing the entire sky, so vast it dwarfed Earth, peering down from infinite space like a god.
The blazing flame enveloped its figure, shining like a second sun. From Earth, one beheld a fiery cloud scorching the atmosphere. People gaped in terror, not knowing what the dragon's arrival portended. Its colossal head radiated utter majesty and fear.
[Humans, your extinction has come!]
A booming voice like a divine proclamation echoed worldwide. In the next instant, the true apocalypse arrived.
The dragon's head opened its mighty jaws. Scarlet flames burst forth from its maw.
Spreading its enormous wings, it glided closer to Earth. Flames engulfed the planet's atmosphere in an instant.
Viewed from space, Earth shrank beneath the dragon's claws, turning into a tiny fiery sphere. Seen from the surface, the sky was consumed by fire.
"Aaahh!!!"
Humanity screamed in terror. At that moment, no one had any thoughts but "the end of the world!" Temperatures soared rapidly.
The oceans evaporated, leaving only dry seabeds. Mountains and landmasses were devoured by flame, burnt to cinders.
Humanity was annihilated, their wails echoing in vain as they tried desperately to flee, but there was no escape.
Meteors of fire rained down from above, cities turned into hot pots cooking people alive, humans no more than ants on a burning skillet.
"Aaahh!!!"
Rentarou Satomi felt his body dehydrating, half his mechanical form melting in the flames. Straining to look up, he wanted to challenge the monstrous dragon in the blazing heavens.
Why must humanity be destroyed?! But his mouth, now charred together, could no longer form words.
From his final vantage, he found no trace of pity in those colossal draconic eyes. Cities destroyed, civilization ended, the searing heat devoured all life. In that moment, humanity was wiped away.
The Red Dragon observed the planet swathed in flames as each human experienced a personal hell: to burn alive from living to well-done.
Then it closed its claws around the flaming orb of Earth. Barely one breath later, it opened them again.
Where once a planet had been, there was nothing only tiny drifting shards left behind on purpose, floating through space.
In Akame's world (and that of several others), Rei Ao used the new "World Migration" function to relocate everyone there.
[Ding! Trade complete!]
[Ding! You have obtained the ability "Gastrea Gene: Rabbit"!!
[Ding! Detected your "Void Genome." Upgrading ability]
[Ding! You have acquired "Gene Cipher"!!]
"Chat group, well done," Rei Ao murmured, quite satisfied. Indeed, he'd had no wish for his spoils after all that work to be simply a "debuff" of the Gastrea virus.
The system's upgrading was considerate. The new ability was intriguing. Now, in effect, he could manipulate genetic codes however he pleased.
He turned to Yukinoshita Yukino, who was among those left in mild shock.
"Yukino, you should head back. Your sister still needs your attention."
""
Yukino gazed blankly at him, and so did Seitenshi and the others.
~~~
800 Powerstone Bonus Chapter!
Chapter 477: Changes, Level Up, and Yokoso!
Just moments ago, they had truly witnessed the means by which Rei Ao "cleansed" humanity.
Transforming into a red dragon far larger than a planet, he set the entire world aflame with ease.
The intense blaze burned every human, every Gastrea, every living creature, even every trace of the Gastrea virus to cinders, until in the blink of an eye the entire planet was reduced to a few drifting scraps.
At that time, they had been standing upon the red-dragon scales of Rei Ao's transformed self, protected as they watched it happen with their own eyes a sight that profoundly shocked them. That was an entire planet, after all!
After a moment, Yukino collected herself. She took a deep breath and asked, "You're not going back with me?"
Rei Ao shrugged. "I still need to settle arrangements for the Cursed Children."
"All right."
Yukino was also aware that the three million Cursed Children plus nine thousand survivors wouldn't be so easily handled.
"In that case, I'll go."
"Hold on."
Rei Ao suddenly called out to her.
"Huh?"
Thinking he must have something else to say, Yukino paused. Without warning, he pulled her into an embrace and kissed her. They separated almost as soon as their lips met. Rei Ao grinned.
"Don't forget a farewell kiss."
""
"So childish."
Muttering in annoyance, Yukino returned to her own world. But Rei Ao's sharp eyes caught the flush around her ears. He shook his head in amusement.
"She's so dishonest."
He quite looked forward to the day Yukino could be honest around him. He'd need to get closer to her in future.
"All right, your turn now," he said, indicating the group that was still too shaken to speak Tendou Kisara and the others. Spreading his arms wide,
"Welcome to my empire."
Meanwhile, in the chat group for Rei Ao's home world:
Kasumigaoka Utaha: "I just saw a planet reduced to ashes. Am I dreaming?"
Kato Hiromi: "I'm not sureit's no different from a dream."
Kawasaki Saki: "That was so over-the-top! I honestly thought I was watching some huge sci-fi blockbuster"
Furuhashi Fumino: "Guwah!"
Furuhashi Fumino: "Rizu, are you there?"
Ogata Rizu: "Yes."
Furuhashi Fumino: "Is Rei Ao a dragon?"
Ogata Rizu: "I don't know."
She had no idea. This was also her first time seeing a scene so utterly fantastical.
Hyodo Michiru: "Sodid that wipe out all life on the entire planet?"
Kasumigaoka Utaha: "Probably."
Kato Megumi: "@Hyodo Michiru, do you think Rei Ao did something wrong, or too cruel?"
Eiriri Sawamura: "Hmph, what's there to care about. Those twisted people were beyond saving. If Rei Ao hadn't sent us back first, I'd be clapping in approval."
Kobayashi: "Imagine if it were your own child who turned out to be a Cursed Child you'd never forgive those people."
Emilia: "Originally I also thought it was too extreme, but after seeing with my own eyes how twisted people were thereespecially in that last referendum, there were countless who refused to grant the Cursed Children basic rights. They deserved what they got."
Hyodo Michiru: "No, I don't feel like Rei Ao is wrong or anything. I just"
She didn't quite know how to explain her feelings. She simply felt lost at the magnitude of it all tens or hundreds of millions of human lives across an entire planet, wiped out in an instant.
Even if it had felt like watching a film in a livestream, she knew the backdrop was a real, alternate world, and that a version of Rei Ao she knew so well, yet also found so unfamiliar, had personally orchestrated it. Everything felt so unreal.
Hiratsuka Shizuka: "Come on, Michiru, no need to overthink. That world's gone now, after all."
Hiratsuka Shizuka: "As for your feelings about Rei Ao, just follow your heart."
Hyodo Michiru: "Shizuka-sensei"
At her moment of confusion, Kanna's small hand slipped into hers. Kanna said, "Rei Ao-nii is a good person. Those humans were bad."
Michiru froze not so much at her words, but seeing little Kanna in front of her, she was reminded of the Cursed Children.
They were only children as well. Right then, she found a reference point: putting herself in the Cursed Children's place or in Kanna's. Suddenly it didn't seem so hard to accept.
She realized the crux of her dilemma: people are two-faced. She was no exception. Though that "it's none of my business" mindset could be narrow, maybe it wasn't so wrong.
This was, after all, another world, wholly unrelated to her she could stay a bystander. If it had been her or Kanna suffering that abuse, she would likely do what Rei Ao did: destroy that world.
Human nature includes self-serving logic, once we acknowledge our own double standard.
Michiru let out a long breath, then smiled.
"You're right. Rei Ao isn't a bad person."
[Name]: Yuzuriha Inori
[Level]: 15
[Abilities]: [Dragon Force], [Word-Spirit Magic], [Apocalypse], [Rei Ao's Blessings], [Inherent Device: Eve]
[Name]: Menjou Hare
[Level]: 6
[Abilities]: [Dragon Force], [Light Spirit], [Rei Ao's Blessings], [Inherent Device: Radiant]
[Name]: Kohouin Arisa
[Level]: 9
[Abilities]: [Dragon Force], [Succubus], [Earth Magic], [Rei Ao's Blessings], [Inherent Device: Guardian of the Master]
After the threeInori, Menjou Hare, and Kohouin Arisareturned from the Black Bullet world, they gained a tremendous harvest.
They not only received Rei Ao's Blessings but also raised their levels in the process.
Menjou Hare and Kohouin Arisa were fine, but Inori stood out in one respect. Her Inherent Device was called "Eve."
For instance:
"Ooh, this is my body!"
Beside Inori stood a woman bearing some resemblance to her, yet clearly different in appearance. She was Yuzuriha Mana, in personat the same time, the manifestation of Inori's Inherent Device, Eve.
(Ouma Mana -> Yuzuriha Mana)
Thanks to that Armament, Mana now possessed a physical form that could detach from Inori's body.
"Awesome, now I can have Rei Ao all to myself, heehee~"
Mana's lips curved in an excited, almost yandere grin.
At this scene, Tsugumi and Shinomiya Ayase stood dumbfounded. Twelve hours ago, Inori and her two companions abruptly announced they were leaving for a bit, told Tsugumi and Ayase not to worry, and then vanished on the spot.
Twelve hours later, they returnedand the two sisters saw Mana emerge from Inori's body.
Shinomiya Ayase's mouth hung open.
"Can someone explain what on earth just happened?"
~~~
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Chapter 478: Annoyance and The Truths
After Menjou Hare finished explaining, both Tsugumi and Shinomiya Ayase still felt that everything about another world, annihilating a planet, and "cleansing" a civilization was far too absurd.
But when the three of them demonstrated the powers they had obtained, even if Tsugumi and Ayase didn't want to believe it, they had no choice.
"You followed someone who purged the evil of an entire other world?"
Tsugumi was astonished beyond words.
Previously, she and her sister had thought that the Kuhouin Conglomerate would be their biggest support, yet now it looked unworthy by comparison.
The man they spoke of, "Rei Ao," had burned an entire planet to ashes. Whether it was the Kuhouin Conglomerate, the Funeral Parlor, or GHQ, in the face of that, all were as trivial as dust.
If such an otherworldly individual could act, wouldn't Roppongi Fort be liberated?
Arisa frowned, stepping up to the two of them.
Adopting her succubus form, a black, supple, heart-shaped tail extended from her tailbone, which she used to gently lift Ayase's chin.
"Exactly. The one we follow and serve, our beloved Master, possesses power akin to a god."
"Tsugumi, Shinomiya Ayase, would you join us, become all of you his belongings serve Rei Ao-sama?"
"Masterserve What are you talking about?!"
Tsugumi's face went bright red. This was too perverted!
Shinomiya Ayase's brows drew together.
"Sorry, we only came hoping to rely on you, not to become someone else's playthings."
"Ah," Arisa gave a contemptuous laugh.
"You've heard the tales of Master's might, and still you hesitate?"
Her right hand rested upon Ayase's unfeeling legs, stroking them.
"Have you ever considered that our Master could repair your paralyzed legs so that you can stand again?"
"!!!"
That statement precisely struck the nerves of both Tsugumi and Ayase. The paralysis in those legs was a lifelong wound no one could soothe, a cause of such deep bitterness that in a corner of her mind she despised being "useless."
Ayase had often thought of ending her life. And now she heard this? A way to restore her legs?
Thump, thump, thump!
Unnoticed by her, her heart pounded with renewed vitality. Her hands, resting on the wheelchair frame, tensed, knuckles whitening.
""
"."
Tsugumi opened her mouth as though to speak, but no words came. Reason told her that agreeing would mean becoming someone else's plaything, even a toy for them to use.
Yet as Ayase's closest sister, no one understood better than Tsugumi how much pain those paralyzed legs had brought her, and she'd even sensed Ayase's hints of wanting to die.
Ayase's pain was physical and emotional, and Tsugumi's pain was in watching Ayase suffer it. Tsugumi also couldn't ignore the momentary wild beating of Ayase's heart, that pulse of something called hope.
She dared not speak out to stop it. No one wished more than she did that her sister's legs be restored. If she couldn't stop it, Tsugumi had another method.
She jerked her head up, mustering the courage to shout: "If he can truly restore my sister's legs, then I'm willing to join you!"
"Even if it means I become some broken toy, it doesn't matter."
"???"
Air froze.
All eyes on her were brimming with astonishment. Ayase also looked utterly dumbfounded. Reacting swiftly, she cried out in alarm:
"Tsugumi, what nonsense are you spouting? I don't need my legs fixed, nor do I need you"
"Sis!"
Tsugumi cut her off, pressing her hands onto Ayase's shoulders, far more serious than usual.
"I know all about your suffering, Sis."
She wore her gentlest smile.
"All this time, you've been the one spoiling me in every way possible. Let me help you, just this once."
"Tsugumi"
Ayase stared at Tsugumi's candor in a daze. Slowly, the faade slipped away.
"You're right. I've always been tormented by these legs. I want them healed. I want to stand, to run again."
Hearing her sister's frank admission, Tsugumi felt genuine relief that at last she'd done something useful. But a second later, her joy froze. She saw that Ayase had set her face in determination:
"But this is my problem, so I ought to bear it myself. For these legs, I'll give anything that's mine."
