Prologue: A Certain Peaceful Day IV

*IN A CERTAIN GREAT HALL*

15:00PM

[34 HOURS UNTIL METEOR'S IMPACT]

"I see.

A descendant of the Hawkeye clan.

To think that those jade eyes can even discern the properties of the meteor itself.

Impressive indeed.

Anyways, it makes the discussion easier if you already know about the meteor.

I want the Empire to - "

"-work with Eden to stop the giant crystal?

NO WAY IN HELL!

WHAT, ARE YOU STUPID?!"

Aftokráteira interrupts Alan angrily.

"What do you mean?

If the meteor hits this planet, even 'YOU' will die.

There is no reason to reject this arrangement"

"Hmph!

It looks like you are misunderstanding something!"

Aftokráteira, very unusually, stops smiling.

"First, you should not compare me to the likes of Bizen and Law just because they also happen to be SSS-Class!

I'm forced to be ranked as a SSS-Class because there is not a higher rank in the Universal Threat Rank.

Do you understand?!

Even if the crystal kills everything on this star, I alone will survive!"

"That was mildly offensive but, as frustrated as I am, it is the truth"

Bizen nods in agreeance with Aftokráteira.

"Secondly, what makes you think I would ever want to work with an adulterer like you?!

Why not ask your lover to help you?!

Your beloved Nava Einstein will be happy to sacrifice herself for - "

*CHOKE*

Alan closes the distance between himself and Aftokráteira's throne in an instant, and chokes Aftokráteira.

*SQUEEZE*

He squeezes his choke on Aftokráteira.

"BE VERY CAREFUL OF YOUR NEXT WORDS, DEMON!

DON'T YOU DARE USE THE FACE OF MY DEAD WIFE TO CRITICISE ME OR 'HER'!"

Alan's eyes turn bloody red from his anger.

Not even the Administrators have seen him this angry.

It surprised Bizen and Law.

"AH?!

HOW DARE YOU THREATEN ME?!

HOW DARE YOU WARN ME AS IF YOU'RE RIGHTEOUS?!"

Aftokráteira also loses her temper.

*BAM!*

Aftokráteira punches Alan so hard that it sent him flying.

*BOOM!*

The Empress punches Alan a second time into the ground.

Clouds of dust covers the Great Hall.

When the dust clears . . .

Alan stares at Aftokráteira, eye-to-eye, as he lies on the ground, unaffected by his injuries.

He maintains his choke on Aftokráteira's neck.

Aftokráteira has her fist at Alan's face.

Her aura exudes uncontrollably.

"Oi, Aftokráteira!

I don't care what happened between you and Alan in the past.

Let go now!

I won't ask a second time!"

Bizen has her odachi (long katana) resting on Aftokráteira's neck.

"HOW DARE YOU!

HOW DARE YOU!

HOW DARE YOU!"

Aftokráteira did not hear Bizen even though Bizen's odachi has started cutting into her neck.

She is so consumed by her rage that she punches Alan repeatedly as she shouts.

"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING TO THE EMPRESS?!"

Hijikata assumes a peculiar sword stance as he shouts.

"OUGI! (ULTIMATE TECHNIQUE)

TENKA RYOUDAN!"

Hijikata unleashes his infamous legendary sword technique towards Bizen.

As its name suggests, Tenka Ryoudan severs everything under the heavens in two.

The walls of the palace are cleanly cut.

The other Kings follow Hijikata's lead;

Ying Yan fires her rifle mercilessly in the same direction.

Han Jae releases a long-range sword attack densely packed with dark magic.

"RAILGUN!"

Astrapi unleashes an electromagnetic punch so powerful that it takes a form of a destructive laser beam.

The Kings' attacks destroyed the entire palace.

However . . .

*BLOCK*

What the Kings see when the dust clears is Law's giant hammer which withstood every one of their attacks.

Bizen did not even bat an eye at any of the Kings' attacks.

She was absolutely confident in Law's ability to block their attacks.

Law raises his hammer.

*SWING*

As Law swings his hammer down, the same thought crosses the minds of all the Kings . . .

*DEATH*

"EVERYONE, GET DOWN!!!"

King V, King Athena steps to the front with an incredibly heavy and thick shield.

"AEGIS!!!"

Athena is infamously known throughout the Empire as the 'UNMOVABLE OBJECT'.

His Aegis is an absolute defence that has never been breached.

At least that was the case until now . . .

*BAM!*

*SHOCKWAVE*

The force from the sheer weight of Law's hammer and his swing is unimaginably powerful.

Athena's Aegis shield could not even stop Law's hammer for a split second.

Athena dies instantly with half of his shield and his upper body instantly destroyed.

All the other Kings suffer serious injuries with the exceptions of Ying Yan and Han Jae who were fortunately not within the range of Law's swing.

"THIS IS SSS-CLASS THREAT!

HIS SINGLE ATTACK IS SO DESTRUCTIVE THAT THE EMPIRE'S ENTIRE FORCE HAS BEEN COMPLETELY NEUTRALISED!

THESE ARE NOT ENEMIES THAT WE CAN FIGHT!"

Ying Yan sits on her knees in despair as she witness the horrific scene.

However, unbeknownst to her, that was only a small demonstration of Law's strength.

He was not even serious when he swung his hammer.

Fortunately, for the Kings, their Empress regains her sanity after Law's strike.

Aftokráteira easily deflects Bizen's odachi that was slightly stabbing her throat, and easily pulls away Alan's hand that was choking her.

"Law!

Move another muscle and I will personally destroy you and the rest of Eden!"

Aftokráteira calmly warns Law.

She is not affected even after seeing her subordinates suffer at Law's hands.

" . . . "

Law looks at Aftokráteira in silence

"Tch!

Law, stand down!

What's the point in destroying each other when there's a calamity at our doorsteps anyways?!

How stupid!"

Alan scratches his head violently as he stops Law.

His face is covered in blood and bruises from being punched by Aftokráteira.

But he is not affected by his injuries at all.

" . . . "

Law turns to Alan.

He recalls that the current disaster at the palace started with Alan and Aftokráteira's ex-lovers quarrel.

"Ying Yan!

What are you doing?!

I told you to go back to the tower!"

"PANT! PANT! PANT!"

Ying Yan is too shocked to process Aftokráteira's words.

"YING YAN!

DO YOU NOT HEAR ME?!"

"GASP!

YES, YOUR MAJESTY!

I'M SORRY!"

Ying Yan spread her wings hastily and flies up towards the apex of the kingdom's tower.

"Hmm . . .

How nice.

I want to have wings too"

Bizen randomly talks to herself.

"Han Jae, I leave the clean-up to you!"

"Yes, Your Majesty"

Despite Aftokráteira's ridiculous order, Han Jae heeds the Empress loyally.

"You guys should leave!

I am not so free to be bothered with you!"

Aftokráteira shoos Alan, Bizen and Law away.

"Tch!

F*cking waste of time!

Let's go!

Bizen! Law!"

Alan too turns around and walks away.

"Ehh?

What the hell did we come here for?!"

Bizen complains.

*OUTSIDE OF THE KINGDOM*

"Hey, Alan!

Are you listening?!

I said 'Hey!'"

Bizen continues to pester Alan.

*ANGRY VEIN POPS*

*SMACK!*

"FRIGGING ANNOYING!"

Alan smacks Bizen's head again.

"Then at least explain to me why are we walking away?"

As usual, Bizen acts like she didn't just get smacked.

"Tch!

The negotiations done!

If we execute our side of the plan, that demon will do her part!"

"Ha?!

What is that supposed to mean?!

All I saw was your ex-lovers spat!

What do you mean 'negotiations'?

Explain properly!"

Law quietly facepalms himself when he hears Bizen's blatant description of the ordeal between Alan and Aftokráteira as an 'ex-lover's spat'.

He anticipates that Alan will become angry again.

"SHUT UP!

I WILL EXPLAIN WHEN WE GET BACK!"

[Einstein should have commenced her operation on the meteor.

Tch!

Stop worrying!

This f*cking brain!

She won't kick the bucket so easily!]

Alan chaosly thinks to himself.

TO BE CONTINUED . . . .