Vetranos stood outside the mansion.. his arms folded... staring at the destruction that had been wrought within..
A battle had been fought.. and Aleister was nowhere to be found..
"Damn... they're starting an investigation of their own.." Vetranos hissed. "Skea we can hide from.. but who in hell did they send to start digging up my affairs?"
"His name is Frieza.. he's... from Zen-oh's multiverse.." said a voice.
"Gorith.." Vetranos muttered as a being made of stone that looked like a featureless statue with intricate ruins around it's chest stepped out.
Gorith, the Earth god, looked around. "There are signs of his Death Beam attacks everywhere... and of course he is quite cunning, he would know how to work around trickery and lies.. "
"that suggests what we do is despicable.." said Vetranos.
"It is..think of it.. think of what we are about to do just to make sure Fulguras returns to her status as a god... to keep Wrathas's threat closed forever.." said Gorith. "The anger you caused her.. we caused her.. simply by killing the long nosed fella. Perhaps there is a possibility this plan might alienate her."
"Hmmm." said Vetranos muttered. "Fulas always understood the needs of the many outweighs those of the few..."
"But Fulguras is essentially different than Fulas.' said Gorith. "Consider it.. for just a moment. When Fulguras and Wrathas were merged as Fulas, Fulas wasn't just good, she was also unfallible because her judgement was never obscured by petty compassion... but when they demerged, the lack of compassion, the cold feelings that made her able to judge with impunity,that went with Wrathas... Fulguras became everything kind, and wonderful about Fulas, and none of the bad before reincarnating as a Numensapien to preserve her essence. She isn't Fulas now.. she is a version of Fulguras further influenced by human emotion.. she won't be thinking logically like her merged self would.."
"Perhaps.. killing Fairy Tail... is a flawed plan.. perhaps we should try to appeal to her some other way.." said Vetranos.
"Now.. that won't do at all.."
Vetranos and Gorith turned in shock to see a mass of swirling shadows blocking their path... and emerging from the shadows... was Wrathas herself.
"Y-you... what are you-?" Vetranos stammered. "You're banned from this district, you shouldn't be able to-.."
"Get in? Well I admit, it took several massive spells to rip through the barrier restricting m y presence.. but I managed it after some effort.. Now.. Fairy Tail.. I admit.. is the one bit of glue holding my Good Self together.. without them.. Misaka.. Fulguras.. would lose herself..I was hoping you could take them out for me.. after all..why merge with me.. when she's got nothing left to gain by doing so? heheheheh.."
"Y-you.. wait.. during our meetings, I felt a shadowy presence within our hearts... I thought it was nothing at first but... " Vetranos gritted his fangs. "You've been playing us all along.."
"I am Corruption.." said Wrathas. "My essence can creep even into the hearts of gods.. and manipulate their choices.. but rest assured, the guilt for your decision to kill Fairy Tail should be mostly your own.. all my powers do is whisper suggestions into your minds.. it was up to you whether to act on those suggestionsor ignore them.."
"That's just like Wrathas.. to decieve and corrupt.. to play on our fears secretly and leave us to destroy ourselves." said Gorith.
"Enough of that." said Vetranos. "This doesn't matter.. because here and now.. we shall destroy YOU!"
Vetranos charged at Wrathas, black venomous energy exploding from his body... godly might far more powerful than any Dragon Lord, Diablo, or Fallen Angel coming forth.
Wrathas chuckled. "How very cute, that you expect your power to be any use against me.."
Wrathas held up a finger... and tapped Vetranos on his scaly head right as he closed in.. and for a moment.. time froze and the earth shook.
Vetranos's eyes widened in shock.. as shadows wrapped around his time frozen body, constricting his arms and legs..completely dominating his incredible godly power.
"No... DAMN.. DAMN IT ALLL!!" Vetranos screamed as he was completely wrapped in shadows.. and the shadowy cocoon disintegrated into dust with him inside.. leaving nothing behind..
Gorith stared, fear clutching it's cold hand around his spine.
"I-impossible.. to be able to defeat a god so easily.."
"I am the result of Satan's evil after the corruption of Adam and Eve.. the corruption that surged through Fulas and she sought to destroy.. birthing me upon the seperation of her two selves..." said Wrathas. "None but God himself is immune to me.. not his angels, not his Numensapiens.. and not his gods of order and chaos.."
Gorith yelled out and began running away,overcome with immeasurable fear..
But Wrathas snapped her fingers, and shadows ripped out of the ground and wrapped around the remaining god, disintegrating him into a cocoon as well.
"There is no hope.." Wrathas said, chuckling. "Not for the gods... not for Fairy Tail... Not for Mikoto Misaka."
_______________________
"Alright everyone.." said Skea. "This is it.. the final event before the last battle.."
Skea stood before the entire group of leftover fighters within the hotel's lobby.
"Last battle?" said Boros. "Do you mean that this will determine the winner or-.."
"This will determine which two teams go on to face each other in the finals.. and engage each other in the last series of 1 on 1 matches that will determine the winner of the tournament." said Skea. "And, this challenge.. this semifinal you could say.. is the reason for why the statue of Diablo Grimace is here."
"The points.. the points he gained from those hits.. from those special circumstances.." said Hisoka. "They meant something for this challenge?"
"The amount of points Grimace gained.. determined what percentage of his full power he was allowed to use upon this Raid Mission challenge." said Skea.
"Raid?" said Mikoto. "Don't tell me..."
"It's going to be a battle royale again.. only this time.. it's all of us.. against Diablo Grimace." said Lucy. "A-am I right?"
"Yes.. however, there is no need for each team to work together, you are free to take each other out.." said Skea. "And points will be gained for knocking out those of opposing teams. But that is not recommended.. after all the game ends when Diablo Grimace is defeated.. and ONLY when he is defeated.. plus the amount of points he has.. thanks to our chess match... is 450.. which means.."
"A Diablo.. 450 times stronger than he was before.." said Diablo Supreme. "Hmm.. that's a challenge.. .even for me.. and considering Grimace was more powerful than me when I was Etwatia.. as the 2nd most powerful Diablo in all of history.. yes... a very big challenge.."
"What does that make you then?" Natsu muttered, glaring at Diablo suspiciously.
"Currently, as Supreme I am the most powerful.. but as Etwatia, I was third strongest." said Diablo. "There is one last Diablo whose fate was never ascertained.. "
"It seems.. like this might be a complicated fight.. who will actually agree to team up against Grimace after that?" Ichigo muttered. "If we all teamed up.. then we all gain the same amount of points for defeating Grimace.. so it's like ascertaining only certain teams will make it to the next round.."
"Yeah.. this is going to have some drama.."
"Yo!" Goku ran over to Mikoto's team, the rest of his team in tow. "Oi.. Misaka.. I was thinkin'... let's team up!"
"Eh?" Mikoto stammered. "You guys?!"
"Our points aren't large enough to cut it.. even if we were to defeat Grimace ourselves." said Vegeta. "As irksome as it is.. the best thing to do is to pick the team we support the most and help them make it through..at least we'll do something that means a bit.."
"That's not our only reason.. that's just mostly Vegeta's reason honestly." said Krillin. "The truth is.. we're curious about what's going on with Usopp's murder and all ourselves.. and we think Vetranos's team might know something about it..'
"Makes sense." said Elohim. "Vetranos puts a high amount of trust in his subordinates, unlike me.. I just think of you as free agents.. I'll tell only if you ask.. or if I feel it's important. Vetranos is likely to have told Boros.. you should gang up on him.. get him to talk.."
Goku nodded and grinned. "I wanna fight you again someday Mikoto.. when I get way stronger.. but for now.. truce?"
"Sure.. why not." said Mikoto, shaking the saiyan's hand.
"Count us in too.." Death The Kid, Hisoka, and the rest of their team walked over.
"You guys?" said Gray. "Why?"
"There are only three teams who have the remotest chance of making it to the last round.. Boros.. Diablo.. and you guys.." said Kid. "We support you the most.. and likely Boros's team will also be forming alliances.. Diablo's team on the other hand.. well.. they are filled with Numensapiens.. I doubt any of them will bother to get off their high horses and team up with us inferior mortals.."
"So, what do we do?" said Lucy. "Are you suggesting that we all work together to take down Boros's team? So there's nobody between us facing Diablo?"
"Pretty much! Eheheh!" Goku grinned, holding a thumbs up.
"We all suspected that there's something riding on the fight between your two teams." said Hisoka. "We're merely making sure there aren't any interruptions.. "
"By the way.." said Nicole. "Skea DID say that the battle didn't end until Grimace was taken out.. what happens if he takes out every team?"
"The game ends.." said Elohim. "Nobody wins.. the tournament ends with no winner.. and since you can bet your stars that Diablo Supreme working together with his team can certainly defeat even a 4 times stronger Grimace.. if Grimace takes you all out.. Diablo's victory is certain.."
"We can't afford that." Mikoto growled.
"Indeed you can't.."
The three teams gave a start.. Diablo Supreme was standing before them.
"Why are you here?" Vegeta growled. "Here to eavesdrop?"
"No.. actually I am here to offer my help." said Diablo. "You see.. like Boros before, I wish to have my own one on one match with Misaka.. we have quite a long history together see? If somebody else were to defeat her other than me.. it would leave a most unpleasant taste in my mouth.. "
"Like we would work with somebody like you!" Natsu growled, flames exploding from his body. "Get out of here!"
"Perhaps instead of an alliance then, we can come to an agreement." said Diablo, smirking. "Instead of outright helping you... we'll agree to take care of Grimmace, and keep him out of your way.. while you defeat Boros's team... that way.. we are assured to face each other upon the coming of the final challenge... we aren't really teaming up.. just staying out of each other's way.. and agreeing to take on differing enemies.. I won't assist you against Boros's team outright.."
"Fine." said Mikoto.
"B-But! Mikoto!" Natsu stammered.
"Diablo isn't Frieza, he may be evil, but she's honest." said Mikoto. "If she says she'll do something, she'll do it.. She won't cross.. for now.."
"True enough." said Gray.
"Then we have an accord... see you in the fight.." said Diablo, walking away back towards her team.
"Speaking of Frieza.." Markarov leaned in close to Mikoto, muttering quietly. "What of him?"
"Prankster says he's behaving for now.. he had a run in with Aleister Crowely.. though.. there were some disturbing observations.." Mikoto muttered back.
"Hmm?" said Markarov.
"Frieza's gotten way stronger than when Prankster first captured him.. in fact..he's at Numensapien Level.. like Gray, Erza.. and the others.. " said Mikoto.
Markarov's eyes widened. "How?"
"he's developed a way to train in secret.. but his ability to grow exponentially powerful in such a short amount of time is scary to say the least.." said Mikoto. "If we hadn't sent him on this mission, I think he would've continued to grow stronger without us realizing it.. and we might have been in trouble then.. what should we do?"
"We can't free him.. not with the dirt he's got on Miyoko." said Markarov, stroking his mustache carefully. "His sins are incredibly great, he's killed millions.. perhaps more than many of the foes we have faced in the past.. if there's anybody who is deserving of being imprisoned in the Nether World.."
"No." said Mikoto. "Marchosias, Xaphan, Asgawrath and the others weren't the only Demon Lords in hell.. there are plenty of extremely powerful deities in there who want vengeance on this guild for what happened with Asgawrath.. I can imagine Frieza gaining some deadly influence down there.. he's a natural born leader when it comes to those who share his thirst for blood."
"We can't keep him in the guild forever.." Markarov muttered. "While some of us are still strong enough to keep him in check, that won't last forever..not with his growth rate.."
"I'll talk with Mavis.." said Mikoto "Though.. in the end.. we might have to kill him.. "
"Mikoto.. "
"It might be all we've got Gramps. The Hell in Frieza's Universe keeps him restrained in an invincible cocoon for all of eternity, he won't be able to do a single thing except stew in his thoughts." said Mikoto.
"But we both know you won't kill anybody who has yet to wrong you.. or those of our guild." said Markarov. "It'll feel like outright murder.."
"Regardless.. I'll have to get over that, he's killed millions like you said.. He'll deserve it either way.. But... yeah, we're Fairy Tail.. not judge and jury, if there's another way I'll find it."
Markarov nodded. "Very well.."
"AUNTY MIKOTO , AUNTY MIKOTO!!!" A voice broke through the crowd as somebody came bustling up to her, interrupting the serious hushed conversation.
Tatsu ran in panting hard. "Big... news... about your mom!!"
"Huh?" said Natsu. "What is it Tatsu.
"My mom?" said Mikoto. "Which one?"
"The... God one... Amor Carrot something!" said Tatsu, still trying to catch his breath. "It's news for Prankster too! Major news!! And for Flamus as well!!"
All the guild members looked at each other uncertainly. What kind of news could this be?
And that's when Amor emerged through the crowd behind Tatsu, smiling. And.. her stomach seemed to be bloated for some reason.
"Hello.. " said Amor, winking. "Guess what Fulgy.. I think we can add an additional hope to the future of our race... next to Hoshimi of course.."
Mikoto's eyes slowly went wide.. as it dawned on her while Amor's stomach was so large. "Y-you and Prankster... you.."
"yep.." said Amor. "You're going to have a new sister soon Fulgy!"
"Wow! Congratulations!!" Lucy squealed.
"A new Numensapien Child next to Hoshimi!?" Markarov stammered. "There will be nothing left of the guild hall!! AAAGGGGHHHH!!!!!!"
"So.. does that make her my half sister? Or what?" said Luce, scratching her head.
Everyone began exclaiming over Amor and clapping her on the back cheerfully, hugging her.
All except Mikoto..who was staring to look more horrified by the second. "W-wait a second..Prankster.. and Mama... had the baby... they're not even married yet though... which means.... Prankster... Prankster... wait a minute.. it takes six months for a pregnancy to emerge in a Numensapien... six months ago was the Christmas party... during which Prankster said he was going out to get some eggnog... but... he didn't look at me directly when he said that cause he was going to.... to ..... do things.... to my... Mama..."
there was a silence.. then..
"I'M GOING TO KILL THAT CLOWN!!!" Mikoto screamed.