All-World Alliance Guild

New Kingdom: Atismata.

An entire night had passed.

Laurel, instead of returning to his own world, spent the night inside Lux's apartment.

Naturally, the male was welcoming enough.

Rather, it was already nighttime by the time they'd finished their meeting.

And, having passed the entire night like that.

"*Sniff* Haah. the scent of fresh air. How much have I missed you?"

They now stood atop a building.

New Kingdom Atismata.

Two males stood as they surveyed the mediaeval-like world.

The first male had black hair with yellow streaks, and if you look closer, you'll see blue circuit-like lines running along his body.

They were once because of his frozen bloodstream. But now, it has been different.

[Negentropy Conduit]

Negentropy, unlike other sources of energy, is a disorderly source of energy.

It acts like an all-encompassing source that can be switched around, be it the energy from a [Force Core], [Magicules], or [Honkai].

The energy is reversed within them, granting them a single source called [Negentropy].

And those that could manipulate such energies have the [Negentropy Manipulation] as an extra skill.

Currently, only four people have access to such energy.

Laurel, Luminous, Lux, and Mei.

Standing behind Laurel was a handsome young man with silver hair and grey eyes, wearing a black collar around his neck.

"So, you weren't joking…"

"Joke? Do you really think I'd be joking with a situation like that?"

Laurel shook his head, staring at Lux, who simply let out a wry smile.

He had more or less seen Laurel's status too when Laurel shared the [Immortality by Re-spawning] ability with them.

Technically, Laurel hadn't lost that authority; he still had it, but his [absolute immortality or instant revival] was a better version.

He couldn't give them his [Absolute Immortality]; rather, he couldn't share it.

They would need his [Fourth Calamity] ability for such a cheat immorality.

Yet, even though he had a far better immortality, he knew better than to let his guard down.

Not only conceptual attacks, but sealing him too, could also incapacitate him.

There are several ways one could deal with Laurel after all.

And against literal calamities like him, who were far stronger, this wasn't enough.

[Lux Arcadia]

[Skill Compendium]

+ [Authority: Immortality by Re-spawn]

- [Unique Skill: Berserker] 

[Subskill: Rage Power. Baptised]

- [Intrinsic Skill: Singularity]

- [Extra Skill: Power Mimicry]

- [Extra Skill: All of Creation]

- [Extra Skill: Analytical Appraisal]

- [Extra Skill: Force Core Manipulation/Negentropy Manipulation]

Perhaps the All-World system and VoTW had gone ham when granting them skills.

But considering stronger other worlds out there, this felt necessary.

"By the way, Laurel. Do you even know specifically where to find her in the first place?"

"Hayes? Of course not."

Laurel had said it like it were the most natural thing in the world.

"... so, how…"

"I have a few ideas as to where she would be, but the question is which place."

Still, the question was how.

She could literally be anywhere in the New Kingdom, and even outside it.

According to Laurel.

Hayes.

Bearing the Arcadia name, she was a distant relative to Lux, and even in age, she was far older than him.

After all, she was the 13th generation royalty, being the third imperial princess at that time.

Regardless of whatever had happened back then, currently Hayes was someone who would no doubt be a troublesome person.

In fact, you'd be surprised to know that she has control over a republic, having approached them during their weakest times.

Since she was the one supplying drag machines to the poor republic.

And within a span of months? She'd taken over the republic just like that.

"Even though you say that…." 

Lux was still sceptical of this.

"I understand your worries. It'll be fine. She just needs a little bit of correction."

Laurel added ominously, making Lux shiver.

"Somehow that's even worse…"

Hayes was way too twisted for her own sake, but unfortunately, that was her reckoning.

Across three different "timelines," she had unfailingly met her end. Either by Lux, Lux's brother, and just lost, it was always one of these three.

"That—... I see. So, by taking her Divine, do you want to stop her?"

"No way." 

Laurel said bluntly, resting his chin on his knee. 

"That wouldn't stop her. She's an illegal dealer, you know; she has an entire republic under her, you know."

"Even with this place, I'm quite dissatisfied with it, you know?"

No matter how much you look at it, Lux's punishment was extremely unreasonable.

It was like they needed a scapegoat and just chose the innocent Lux.

Even though the coup was more so in their favour.

'As for Lux being innocent. He was swayed and manipulated; that was all.'

Yet, even the Cardinal World accepted the False Hero as a True Hero.

Nay.

Lux himself possessed the capabilities to be a hero. This world had recognised it, so did the Voice of The World.

"All she wants is chaos, as opposed to your own visions."

"I can attempt to fix her; maybe making her experience a few deaths by freezing or starvation will change her mind."

He said it with a sinister edge, and Lux fell silent, unsure how to respond.

He looked somewhat down but quickly hid his expression.

Perhaps it was the pity he had for the Hayes person despite not knowing them.

However, he also can be cold when pushed over the edge, dominating his opponent without killing them.

That was Lux's style.

Laurel glanced at Lux standing behind him as a smile crossed his lips.

'Lux will still be Lux, I guess.'

"Let's head down," Laurel said, standing abruptly. "We should get moving if we want to find her."

He jumped down from the rooftop, landing smoothly in a narrow alley below.

"Where exactly are we going?" Lux called after him as he followed.

"Shackling Prison?" Laurel murmured absentmindedly. Then he blinked. 

"No, wrong game. Guess that's from something else."

"Guess our only option is to search every inhabited island near the new kingdom. And if we can't find her, we go to the Hei—whatever republic."

Laurel said so as he marched forward, but Lux grabbed Laurel's shoulder, stopping him in his tracks...

"You don't mean that, do you….?"

Their eyes met—and before Lux could react—Laurel suddenly snatched his Wyvern's Sword Device from him.

"Laurel…?"

"We'll use this."

"Wait, that—"

"Manifest."

Lux had tried to stop him, but a blinding blue stopped Lux, as Laurel had now donned the Machine Dragon.

'Ahh~ To think I'd ever in my life experience this~'

Laurel, though, rested his left hand on his face as he thought in ecstasy.

Heck, currently, one could say Laurel didn't need a Drag-Machine, but he had always been a fan of things like this.

Hence, Lux couldn't stop him.

[Wyvern] 

—A mechanical generalised type.

Its parts are made of hands, legs, and the body, where the user acts as the control centre.

"Oh… this is cooler than I thought."

Laurel muttered, his eyes sparkling with excitement as he floated a few feet off the ground.

As for how Laurel was able to manipulate Wyvern despite not having previous experience, it was simple.

He was more or less using [Negentropy] to manipulate its entirety.

By using [Negentropy], he could manipulate the [Force Core], and by doing that, just by will alone, Laurel could manipulate a Drag-Machine automatically.

"Lux. Hurry up and wear Bahamut dress gear and follow me."

Laurel said that as Wyvern slowly ascended higher into the air.

"Ahhh… fine…"

Lux sighed in resignation, unlocking his own Drag-Ride, dressed in dark red ominous light.

"Feww~" Laurel whistled, clearly impressed by the design.

"As expected of one of the strongest machines.… But Lux. Try keeping up if you can." 

Suddenly, a cold burst of energy was released by Wyvern as it flew straight into the air, leaving behind a trail of ice and frost.

"Ahhhh…"

Lux wryly followed behind with a burst of energy of his own.

Additionally, Lux was just as impressive. It's been less than a few hours since he gained the ability to manipulate [Negentropy], but he was able to use it.

No, in hindsight, he didn't have as much control as Laurel did; hence, he'd adapted his own way of manipulating the machine.

Partial automatic/manual handling. Or so he called it.

By constantly manipulating the [Force Core] through [Negentropy], Bahamut and Wyvern were forced to accept this new type of control and operate on them.

On the day. The citizens of the New Kingdom looked up to the sky, watching as two comets streaked across the skies.

A crystal light that arched the sky gracefully and a pitch black that trailed the crystal light.

On the other side of a distant reality.

A night ago.

Earth.

Raiden Mei's apartment.

«Unforgivable! To think that this queen would be reduced to a mere skill! Such indignity!»

Ever since she got back, Mei had been hearing an unfamiliar voice in her head.

The voice had been ranting non-stop for a full minute now, seething with indignation.

Having already gone through everything she'd experience at the meeting, she needed a little time to her self.

«And that wretched creature! What manner of inhuman being is he!?»

«To tamper with my very existence, to reduce me to a skill—does he have a death wish!?»

However, with the constant noise in her head, she couldn't think straight.

Infact, while everything that had happened was still lost on her, she was sure whatever was speaking in her head was certainly Laurel's handiwork.

She had long been aware of the presence within her but had never acknowledged it. 

Yet now, it seemed like Laurel wanted her to.

"…Uhm, hello…?"

Carefully choosing her words, Mei hesitantly attempted to communicate with the voice.

«Even the meager Honkai Energy I had has been twisted into this. What in the world is this!?»

Mei's brow twitched. The Herrscher hadn't even noticed her.

"I said hello!"

She finally snapped, raising her voice. That, at last, got the Herrscher's attention.

«Tsk. It's you, coward. Finally decided to acknowledge my presence? Hmph. And here I thought you'd never grow a spine.»

"…Co-coward?"

Mei stiffened, her fingers curling slightly.

"Who are you calling a coward?"

«I have no obligation to answer you.»

Mei took a deep breath. Then exhaled.

"Fine then… If I remember correctly, he said something about recycling, didn't he?"

She muttered darkly as she opened her status using the Authority of the Fourth Calamity.

Then, from there, she located the menu, and headed straight for the [Skill Compendium].

«You fool! What do you think you're doing!? Stop that this instant! Do you intend to destroy me!?»

As a being bound by something eerily similar to the Fourth Calamity, the Herrscher could see what Mei was about to do. 

With just a glance at her status, the Herrscher could tell how catastrophic it would be for Mei should she go through with it.

She was completely bound by two authorities, and while the [Fourth Calamity] was terrifying, the other one was far, far worse.

Not only could it dismantle her, but it could also warp her very ego, turn her into something else entirely.

That… that was something she had to avoid at all costs.

«Tch… Fine.»

Mei smirked, pausing her hand above the panel.

"Hehe… Now I have your attention."

A brief silence followed.

"…By the way, who are you?"

Mei decided to start with that.

«Hmph. So that's what you wish to know? Very well, we'll begin there.»

With a haughty tone, the Herrscher started explaining, throwing out strange terms related to Honkai, things far beyond what Mei could immediately grasp.

It was overwhelming—too much to digest in a single day—but in time, she would manage or at least was what she thought.

Compared to the rest, her problems felt almost mild.

There was the Vampire Ancestor, who had lived for centuries.

Lux, who, as far as she could tell, was a hardened soldier, a veteran of countless wars.

And then there was Laurel…

If what he said was true, then her predicament didn't even come close to his.

«That one? That thing is no longer human. As if it ever could be.»

"…Eh?"

Mei blinked, staring at nothing. 

Then, a mischievous grin slowly formed on her lips as she moved her hand toward the panel once more.

«Ugh. No! Stop it!»

Another brief silence followed.

In just a span of a day, her life had changed. She wasn't sure of what to do, and was still thinking about it.

However, if she gained power like this, wouldn't she be able to find out what happened to her father?

If that were the case… couldn't she…

'No…'

Mei silently thought as she clenched her fist, sitting on the edge of her bed.