Sophia and Iris had their match for the umpteenth time, and it ended in yet another draw.
“Damn it… just lose already,” Iris spat, breathing heavily through her shoulders. Sophia retorted, not to be outdone.
“You are surprisingly tenacious. You’re the first person I’ve ever seen able to move after taking so many of my attacks.”
While they hadn’t reached the level of mutual respect, a feeling of acknowledging each other as worthy rivals had begun to sprout. The two were surrounded by the vast ocean. For Iris, a sea-dwelling Kraken Gigas, it was a bitter defeat, unable to secure victory in a place advantageous to her. Meanwhile, Sophia was also perplexed, as the sea wasn’t an unfavorable environment for her, and she couldn’t accept being unable to overwhelm her opponent.
“Let’s fight again after we recover. I’ll defeat you this time.”
“I accept. Though it will be I who wins.”
The two, who had initially intended to kill each other, were aware of and accepting of the changes in their feelings. They no longer wished to kill their opponent, but to win.
“She’s strong. But that’s precisely why I want to win.”
This was their shared sentiment. The two moved back to the continent to focus on recovering, when an unfamiliar woman approached them.
“Are you the ones who keep having inconclusive brawls?”
Upon seeing the beauty with purple eyes, the two shuddered and took their distance, readying themselves. Their instincts warned them that this new woman was a terrifying enemy unlike any they had faced before.
“Oh? I thought I had hidden my power, but you saw through it. Impressive.”
“Who are you?” Iris asked in a low, menacing voice. She knew it was pointless to challenge someone of this caliber, but she couldn’t help herself.
“Me? I am Auraniess. And your names?”
“Auraniess? That’s an unfamiliar name,” Sophia said, which was a bluff but also the truth. At that time, Auraniess’s name had not yet become renowned throughout the world.
“I suppose so. I don’t usually announce myself. You two seem promising, so I’ll make an exception.” Auraniess, who spoke words that sounded arrogant with natural ease, stated her purpose.
“You two look strong, so I came to fight. A two-on-one fight is fine by me.”
“Huh?” Iris responded with a dismissive tone. She was trying to provoke them into making a mistake. But it was a futile effort.
“Stop playing around and let me join your little spat.”
“What if we refuse?” Sophia retorted provocatively. Auraniess grinned.
“I’ll join by force. I won’t allow you to refuse.”
“So you say. What do you think?” Iris asked Sophia.
“Let’s fight them together and get them to leave quickly. That should be the best course of action.”
“Agreed.” The two reluctantly decided to team up. Their desire to not be bothered by anyone until they settled their own matters was that strong.
“That’s fine. If you entertain me, I’ll stop interfering with your match.” The two bristled at Auraniess’s condescending and arrogant demeanor. However, they were not so foolish as to lose their composure because of it.
“Let’s go all out.” Iris returned to her true form. The Kraken Gigas was a colossal squid-like monster exceeding five kilometers in length. Auraniess, seeing the red Kraken, grunted.
“Hmm? A Kraken Gigas, a survivor of the Origin Species monsters. If you’re an Origin Species, you’re like me.”
“So you too are an Origin Species…” Iris’s caution level rose. Origin Species are beings that can be considered the ancestors of all monsters. Their descendants, the monsters, gained environmental adaptability but lost the powers their ancestors possessed. In other words, Origin Species are weaker against environmental changes but possess immense combat power.
“Origin Species are strong but fragile to environmental changes… The fact that you survived means you possess something that allows you to overcome that weakness,” Sophia calmly summarized. There was no need to explain the danger of an Origin Species survivor to Iris.
“I’ll go all out as well.” Sophia’s outline blurred, blending with her surroundings.
“Hm. It resembles a Vampire’s Mist Form, but it’s different,” Auraniess remarked with admiration again.
“To see through this wasn’t Mist Form at first glance is impressive. But that’s all,” Sophia’s caution increased. It seemed the woman named Auraniess was not merely confident in her own power.
“Are you also an Origin Species?” Auraniess grinned.
“How long can you keep smiling!” Iris unleashed “Disaster Strom,” a technique that created immense amounts of water in an instant to crush the enemy. Auraniess stopped the attack, which felt like the sea itself baring its fangs, with one hand and launched a spear of lightning, “Brynhildr,” at Sophia. The lightning spear passed through Sophia’s body.
“Hm?” As Auraniess was puzzled by the strange sensation, Sophia counterattacked. “Astro Symphony” Pillars of various natural forces—wind, fire, ice, earth, lightning, darkness, water, light—became giant bands that struck Auraniess from all directions. Followed by Iris’s “Hydroquack,” a massive water laser beam.
“I don’t know if it killed her, but it must have hurt. A fitting end for a condescending woman,” Iris said to Sophia with a refreshing smile.
“You’re too naive, Iris.” Sophia, her face contorted in a grim expression, stared directly at Auraniess.
“Always worrying,” Iris chuckled, but her smile soon froze. Auraniess had unleashed dark Magic Power around herself and was completely unharmed. She then broke into a joyous smile, her Magic Power dissipated.
“To make me defend myself, you two are incredibly strong.”
“It’s not much of a compliment when it comes from someone unharmed,” Iris spat, clearly annoyed.
“Well then, it’s my turn next, right?”
“Don’t be ridiculous…” Iris started to retort to the childish claim, but she dodged sharply to the left at that moment. Immediately after, the area where Iris had been exploded.
“Heh, you dodged? For your size, your threat detection and evasion skills are quite good.” Auraniess praised, then shifted her target to Sophia. She tried to evade for good measure but was grazed by Auraniess’s kick a split second before.
“Ugh… To be hit by a mere kick while using Unison Form?” Sophia, unable to comprehend how she had taken a physical blow, was explained by the woman who would later be known as the great Demon Lord.
“My skill, Wrecking, nullifies any effect. Whatever abilities or characteristics your Unison Form may possess, it’s powerless before my Wrecking.”
“How troublesome…” As Sophia grumbled, Auraniess smiled sweetly.
“Very few have ever made me use Wrecking. You two are truly the best.”
“I don’t care for your condescending praise, you woman!” Unbeknownst to Auraniess, Iris blocked an attack from behind with her hand, without even turning around.
“You two, for each other, this is the first time you’ve faced me, right? Hmm?”
“That is true, but it’s no reason to rejoice!” Sophia’s counterattack was evaded by Auraniess. Behind her, a massive explosion echoed.
“Damn, she’s a ridiculous woman, but incredibly strong…”
“It seems our fight will have to wait. We must deal with this woman first.” Iris and Sophia had already grasped the difference in power between themselves and Auraniess. However, they had no intention of surrendering. If there was one thing they had in common, it was this: “I will never surrender, even if I die, to an opponent I dislike.”
“That’s right. Entertain me more. Show me your true forms.” Auraniess said with a grin. What was insidious was that she had absolutely no intention of provoking her enemies.
“You said it. Far from revealing our true forms, we’ll crush you!”
“Yes. We will definitely make you regret that confidence of yours.” Iris and Sophia united and challenged Auraniess to a battle.
