Under the tall barrier surrounding the World Tree, in the shade created by its gigantic branches, two girls were fighting. From their vantage point, the entire academy city lay below them.

One girl wielded a massive lance, directing dozens of bolts of lightning. The other girl bore serpent tattoos, unleashing thousands of weapons.

The clash of countless lightning bolts and weapons created a deafening roar.

Crack—!

Rumble—!

The sound of continuous collisions reverberated. The battle between these two beings with overwhelming power did not allow for any interference. The aftermath of their fight alone was causing damage akin to a natural disaster beneath the barrier.

Thousands of red weapons flew through the air, while blue and white lightning descended in a relentless barrage. Waves of shock and ether-born weapons shook the ground.

Crack—!

Rumble—!

The collision between the blue-white lightning and the wave of red weapons generated a tremendous shockwave at the point of contact once more.

Bang—!

The wave of destruction created by the two girls was reminiscent of a raging storm, reenacting a maelstrom that destroyed everything in its path. The force, akin to the wrath of gods, caused numerous buildings to collapse and be destroyed.

Another wave.

Another collapse.

Crack—!

Rumble—!

The street below the towering barrier was once the most elegant place in the academy city, adorned with white and gold decorations, but now it was filled with the remnants of destruction. Amidst the ruins, dozens of lightning bolts struck once again.

Crack—!

In the shadow cast by the World Tree, lightning flashed, casting the silhouettes of the two opposing girls. As quickly as the shadows appeared, the darkness of the shade returned, and the two figures vanished back into the shadows of the World Tree.

“...”

After countless repeated collisions, Brunhilde’s gaze at Frau contained no hatred.

She merely fulfilled her role as the guardian of <Academy City Yggdrasil>, following the established rules of the academy city and delivering judgment with cold composure. As a member of the faction that protected the World Tree, she had been raised and educated her entire life.

‘Even if Frau allied with <Ratatoskr>, which harmed Lara, she is not a target for revenge. I am here as the head of the <Unified Student Council>.’

She only observed and judged the situation as an arbiter of the academy city.

Then, as the head of the <Unified Student Council> and as a guardian of the academy city, if she were to define Frau’s actions in one word...

‘...Pointless Struggle.’

Frau’s actions could be summed up by that phrase.

Even if the aristocratic faction gained victory with their rapid reinforcement, in the end, it would be a victory achieved by borrowing the power of <Ratatoskr>. Even if they occupied the front of the World Tree today, the academy city's wrath would inevitably befall those who led a meaningless victory with subversive forces.

Why couldn’t she comprehend this obvious fact?

“...”

“...”

Brunhilde gave Frau one final warning.

“...Stand down. This is the World Tree.”

“Hmph, I refuse. I am the leader of the aristocratic faction and the executor of the beast race’s sacred duty left by the [Golden Witch].”

Frau declared, staring straight at the strongest student in the academy city. Her eyes were filled with an unmistakable obsession and madness.

“Fifteen hundred years ago, you seized the rightful control of the World Tree from us... I will reclaim it with my own hands as the leader of the aristocratic faction. It is the will that the descendants closest to the [Golden Witch] should possess!”

“...”

“I will restore the most honorable beast race’s control over the World Tree after 1,500 years. And...! With this ancient power...! I will change the laws of this world, which bind all souls to [Fate]!”

“...”

“For that, I’ll use anything!! External forces!! Ancient power!! Even the sacrifices of students!! I’ll use whatever it takes―!!”

“...”

“Because I am the rightful heir to all nobility!! The closest descendant of the [Golden Witch]―!!”

“...”

Swoosh—!

With Frau’s outcry, countless daggers, longswords, greatswords, spears, and bows appeared behind her, all aimed at Brunhilde.

“I am...! The rightful heir...!”

The madness akin to inferiority.

Frau bit her lip, feeling it intensely. Blood flowed from the reopened wound, and past memories flashed through her mind.

Long years of disgrace.

From birth, she was always scorned as a dullard unworthy of her bloodline. Everyone was disappointed in the [Fate] contained within her insignificant ether.

When she finally entered the academy city, Frau reached the pinnacle of those disgraceful years. Seeing the golden generation, the colors of the academy city, who were her age...

‘...And now, even the faded [Pink Spiral].’

Watching them glorify their honor in the heart of the world, the academy city, she couldn't help but feel anxious. The fate of this world was being rewritten by them.

‘If only I had such talent and opportunity...!’

The struggle to change her insignificant fate.

That's why she readily accepted the power offered by the green man. Even if it was a poison-laden chalice, she wanted to make one final struggle.

Drip—

Blood dripped from Frau's lips.

Was it because she glimpsed the thick inferiority seeping from there?

“...”

Brunhilde spoke words full of meaning to Frau.

“If you’re the leader, you should know where to reach out?”

“...”

Where to reach out...

Brunhilde's words held three meanings.

As a noble living with duty.

The significance of invading the World Tree.

As a student attending <Academy City Yggdrasil>.

The implication of siding with the faction <Ratatoskr>.

And...

As one living the [Fate] set by the World Tree.

The meaning of abandoning [Fate] and surrendering to chaos.

Frau understood all of this and responded confidently.

“What does that matter?”

“...”

Frau spread her arms wide and shouted angrily at the one who bore the brightest [Fate] in the academy city.

“Yeah, someone like you, born with a shining [Fate], wouldn't understand! This humiliation and despair! The sorrow of those with already miserably defined [Fate]...! But I will change this cursed world―!”

“...?”

Brunhilde listened to Frau’s cry of inferiority but then looked to her side.

Whoosh—!

At that moment.

From afar, a massive purple greatsword flew in and struck Frau on the head. A clear sound resonated, like a can hitting a can.

Clang—!

Her head spun around.

Her slender body twirled.

Frau began to fall rapidly.

“―Hngyaah?!”

Whoosh—!

With the impact, Frau fell swiftly beneath the towering barrier.

“...”

Brunhilde blankly watched before approaching where Frau had fallen. From afar, she saw some aristocratic faction students hurriedly using magic skills to rescue Frau.

-President!!

-Frau!!

-Ouch...! My back... it hurts...

-Hurry, heal her...!

As she confirmed the direction they disappeared in, Brunhilde prepared to descend the barrier swiftly.

Before she left, she saw something astonishing.

“...!”

Brunhilde murmured in amazement at what she witnessed.

“Hmm...”

Her life, always as gray and emotionless as a winter sky, except when thinking of the girl who would one day be her beloved.

For the first time in a long time, she felt a strong emotion.

It was pure absurdity.

“...”

Purple weapons were raining down from the sky.

Whoosh—

Whoosh—

Whoosh—

A massive fountain spewing purple weapons.

They were being launched from what seemed to be <Barna Public Dormitory>, soaring across several kilometers.

Whoosh—

Whoosh—

Whoosh—

The purple weapons crashed down with a thunderous noise. The serpent tattooed students, who had just launched fierce attacks, were now being hit by the projectile barrage. The number of students collapsing with death cries rapidly increased.

-Kyaa?!

-Eek!!

-Gyaang...!

Yet, out of the hundreds of launched weapons, only a few effectively pursued the serpent tattooed aristocrats wandering outside.

Swoosh—!

Whoosh—!

Thud—!

Most weapons described steep parabolas, crashing back into <Barna Public Dormitory>. It was as if purple rain was falling solely on <Barna Public Dormitory>.

‘What... is that?’

Brunhilde muttered as she watched the sudden downpour of purple weapons.

“[Violet Spindle]...?”

And when she looked again at the site of the purple weapon rain,

“Lara...?”

Though distant and hard to see... she could vaguely make out the strange way her beloved pink-haired girl was fighting.

‘Lara, you asked me to trust you... Why... are you riding weapons...?’

It looked... silly. Her goofiness was part of her charm, but still...

‘What exactly... is she doing?’

Brunhilde, somehow enchanted, sprinted toward the scene.

Aboard the greatsword controlled by the rabbit librarian Mila like a drone.

I bashed one of the black sun clones left by the [Priest of Conflict] in the head with my spear shaft, turning it into a pulverized pulp.

Thwack—!

With a sound like a bursting watermelon, the tattooed man’s face shattered. He had the look of someone who might prey on married women, like a certain infamous character.

‘Aren’t you ashamed to show your face to a widowed woman’s ghost, you married woman hunter?!’

I struck with my rod of retribution, sending the half-broken enemy flying.

Thump—!

“...”

Although the [Priest of Conflict], part of the extreme lizard supremacist group, probably didn’t have such tastes... his appearance was enough to provoke me unnecessarily.

‘It's probably the lingering nightmare of the [Priest of Erosion]’s early appearance making me overreact.’

To dispel that fearful memory, like the Monkey King flying through the sky... I continued to bash the faces of the encroaching black sun clones, riding the greatsword controlled by Mila.

“[Red Flower Darjeeling]―!!”

“D-dammit?! Isn’t that [Scarlet Trajectory]?!”

“Nope―☆ My soul's name is [Scarlet Trajectory]! The other heart of <Scarlet Academy> is right here♪”

“The ether color is different! What is this guy?!”

“Because a cute girl is a liar―☆”

The spear's path transformed into a white bouquet.

In an instant, five black sun clones were shattered.

Their weak point was that the more they numbered, the weaker their control became.

‘Why are they talking nonsense at me... It makes me want to reply with nonsense.’

Air probably lounged at <Scarlet Academy>, leisurely going through the morning routine. I ought to clear up this misunderstanding over a meal sometime...

Anyway...

I inwardly thanked the [Priest of Conflict] for appearing at an honest timing with a numerical onslaught. Expressing that gratitude, I swung my spear shaft like a club, splitting their heads.

‘This should hold until the main body arrives. I have visual clearance, and support fire from the Sage's Room is coming in...’

Handling wave upon wave of minions is [Pink Spiral]'s specialty.

Thwack!

Thwack!

Thwack!

“Arrgh?!”

“Gyaaah?!”

“Guh..?!”

As black ether sprayed from their smashed heads, it confirmed that Offnir had a taste for soy sauce bulgogi. Unfortunately, I preferred stir-fried pork, drawing an insurmountable line between us.

‘Glad there’s no need to share a meal.’

One of the black sun clones, clutching its smashed head, muttered vacantly as black ether leaked out.

“Guh...?! This... This isn't what I heard...!”

“Yes♪ I'm even cuter than expected, right?”

“You filthy inferior species...!”

But before the clone could finish speaking, countless weapons rained from the sky. They continued to fall like rain, automatically tracking the ether trails.

“Kyaaaagh?!”

The clones rapidly diminished in number.

Yet, like cockroaches, they kept emerging from the darkness, multiplying their numbers.

One of Offnir’s clones ground its teeth, glaring daggers. The two-meter-tall, tattooed dragon-horned men exuded an impressive aura, but to someone like me who had read Romance of the Three Kingdoms more than three times, they were no match.

‘I can hold out until the main body shows up!’

The main body's presence was still far off, biding its time in the distance.

I boldly shouted at them.

“I am the invincible Master Crouching Dragon, Zhuge Liang―☆”

“...?!”

A valiant provocation.

Yet, for some reason... the clones merely widened their eyes and stared at me.

Thud—!

“Kyah?!”

Rota, rushing out to assist Clara from the Sage's Room, wobbled from the impact she felt. She screamed at the shock on her head.

“...!”

Looking around, she saw the [Golden Witch] statue had slightly shifted from its position. It seemed the fight’s impact had displaced it slightly.

Rota strained to return the statue to its original place. But moving the heavy statue was a daunting task.

“I-I’m sorry, Witch...! I promise to put it back after this urgent matter...!”

Then,

“Huh?”

Under the [Golden Witch] statue.

She noticed an old, worn-out grimoire lying there.