C.S.O.

Deep and deeper they went.
The three of them seemed to dive into an endless ocean.
Various distorted lights surrounded them.
The lights felt familiar because they were the same lights they saw when they went to CSO through VR gear.

“……..”

Chiaki looked around and observed the phenomenon they were experiencing.

(…so it seems.)

She began to understand the truth about the game world known as CSO.
But she realized it wasn't just that.

“It was destined for us to experience all of this…”

Certainly, she didn't have strong evidence, but after gathering various seemingly unrelated pieces, she realized that the events they were experiencing were not coincidental.

The question was, could someone be orchestrating all of this?

“Chiaki-chan, look!”

Chiaki nodded, understanding what Ruko wanted to say.
They had arrived.

The light slowly faded and turned completely white.
In the blink of an eye, the light vanished, revealing a thick layer of ice-covered land.

“………”

“………”

“………”

The three of them were astonished by the sight, far different from what they had anticipated.
The chasm was about 3 kilometers wide, so they assumed that the dimension they had entered was only about 3 kilometers in size or slightly larger.
However, the dimension turned out to be much larger than they had imagined.
They couldn't even measure its size.

But one thing was certain, they were not in Avantheim or any other world.
They knew it from the sky that was not blue or black, but blood red.

“It's more amazing than I thought.”

“Have you never been to another dimension before?” Chiaki asked.

Flamia nodded.

“This is my first time.
I suppose this is the first time another dimension has been revealed.”

“……”

Chiaki had no further comments.

“Could that be the Castle of Blue Azure?”

Both of them turned in the direction Ruko pointed.
And just as Ruko had said, they could see the roof of a large and magnificent castle.

“No doubt, that's the place we're heading to.
You can be relied upon, Ruko-chan.
…But we still haven't found any signs of Kuro-chan being there.”

(Not only that, the interference is getting stronger.
I suspected it from the beginning…)

Chiaki narrowed her eyes.
Apart from communication, the map wasn't functioning either, so they would be in trouble if they got lost.
She then tried to send a message, but the result was the same.

“All communication has been disrupted.
We don't know what lies ahead.
I think it would be better if we stick together.”

Flamia also checked all communication channels and found the same thing.

“In other words, we need another way to communicate, …or it's better not to separate as Chiaki said.
We also still don't know what kind of monsters are in this place.”

Then the three of them nodded simultaneously, signifying their agreement with the decision that had been made.

They then took steps toward the Castle of Blue Azure.

At first glance, the scenery they saw was beautiful and extraordinary, but they also realized one thing.
The place was too silent.

They walked along the path that led directly to their destination.
They crossed a bridge and could see the flowing river's beautiful water.

“Chiaki…”

“Yes, I know.
They haven't attacked us even though we're this close.
In other words, they have set a trap, or…”

“…they're inviting us.”

“But we still don't know if they are friends or foes.
Besides, I'm more curious about what they are doing in this place.”

Flamia didn't answer.
She knew what Chiaki meant, but to find the answer, they had to meet Horizon and Angela first.

“Hn?”

“Ruko-chan, is something wrong?”

“Could it be monsters?”

Ruko shook her head.

“No.
…rather than monsters, I feel like this place is too…sad?”

“…sad?”

“Ruko-chan is very sensitive to things like this.
It's likely influenced by the power she possesses.
Ruko-chan, try to ignore it as best as you can-“

Chiaki stopped because she realized that whatever she tried to say wouldn't make a difference.

“Sorry, forget it.
But if that's what you feel, maybe it's related to what's happening in this place.
Ruko-chan, try to hold it back…”

“…but this…”

Tears flowed heavily.
She immediately covered her ears with both hands.

“…it's too sad.
They're all calling out to me…
and I can't stop hearing their voices.”

Unable to bear it any longer and feeling sorry for Ruko, Chiaki gently hugged her.
This was what she always did when Ruko was like this.

This wasn't the first time Flamia had witnessed this.
And it made her realize that there were still many things she didn't know about the three of them.

“…are you feeling better now?”

“Y-Yes, but…they still won't leave…”

Chiaki released her embrace.
She understood, or rather, she wanted to try to understand what Ruko was feeling, but what Ruko experienced was something that an ordinary person like her couldn't comprehend.

Spirits Sense.
It was one of the special powers that Ruko possessed besides being the Creator of Water.
This power allowed her to sense spirits around her.
With that power, she could discern someone's aura.
Whether they were lying or telling the truth.
Whether they were good or evil.
Pretending or genuine.
Ruko could easily distinguish them.
But the greatest effect of her power was that she could see spirits or ghosts.

(This is the first time this has happened…
could it be because of this place…)

“Can you continue?”

“I-I will try.
Besides, Onii-chan's place is close.
I don't want to give up before the fight.”

They continued their journey as a group of three.
They got closer to the castle, and at the same time, the scenery they saw changed.

They passed through old buildings.
In terms of architectural style, they weren't much different from the buildings in other areas of CSO, but upon careful observation, they found something different.

There were no panels displaying names, statuses, and various other information in their view.

They continued to experience strange occurrences in that place, but they also knew they were getting closer to their goal.

“Ruko-chan, do you sense it again?”

Chiaki asked as Ruko leaned closer to her, her face becoming paler.

“Y-Yes.
This place is filled with them.”

“Them? I don't feel anything.”

“Of course, you can't.
I feel the same.
Besides, they are ghosts, so of course…
why are you sticking to me too?”

“Ehe he…”

Chiaki could only let out a small sigh.

“I didn't expect you to be afraid of ghosts…”

They then passed through the town and finally arrived near the castle surrounded by high walls.
Some parts appeared destroyed and covered in thick snow.

The castle also had something in common: they couldn't find any status bars indicating the name of the building.

They tried to enter through the broken gate, and at that moment, their detection skills warned them of something.

A streak of light shot from two directions directly toward them.
An explosion occurred, scattering dust and snow in all directions.
Three figures emerged from the cloud of smoke, completely unharmed.

“Ruko-chan, Flamia-chan, are you both okay?” Chiaki shouted as they were separated by a considerable distance.

“We're fine.
Don't worry about us,” they replied.

After assessing their condition, Chiaki immediately focused on what was in front of them.
They were facing a slender dragon-like monster called [Dragonfly].
Flamia and Ruko faced the same creature before Kuro disappeared, so they knew they were up against the same opponent.

There was no doubt that they were now facing the same enemy.
Chiaki quickly prepared to use one of her weapons, the Staff of Storm.
Ruko wielded the Blue Diamond Sword, while Flamia used the god slayer Misteltein.

The weapons Ruko and Chiaki used were ones they obtained in Vanaheim.
They always had to seek out new weapons because the monsters they faced would become stronger.
However, this didn't apply to Flamia, who possessed the god Slayer.

One of the unique features of a god slayer was its unlimited durability.
In other words, no matter how much it was strengthened, a god slayer would not break.
Additionally, the god slayer would automatically grow stronger as its wielder became stronger.

“Ruko-chan, leave that monster to me.
It's better if you assist Chiaki,” Flamia suggested.

Judging from the color of the Dragonfly, they were facing a water-based Dragonfly.
This element was the opposite of Flamia's element, making her the most suitable opponent.

“Don't worry.
Chiaki-chan will be fine,” Ruko assured.

“But…”

“It's alright.
Let's trust her.
Chiaki-chan is not weak.”

Without hesitation, Ruko (Anna) moved forward, and Flamia had no choice but to follow her.

“[Frozen Dash].”

The area around Ruko's feet instantly froze.
She swiftly slid forward, increasing her speed.
Seeing this, Flamia smiled and used one of her skills.

“[Roller Ball].”

Two fireballs appeared at each of Flamia's feet, spinning rapidly like wheels.
At a glance, Flamia appeared to be wearing fire roller skates.

Both of them used speed-enhancing skills because they knew the Dragonfly was incredibly fast and, most importantly, not easy to defeat.

The two of them circled around the Dragonfly to prevent it from escaping or attacking them.
Another goal was to confuse the Dragonfly and prevent it from targeting either of them.

“Ruko-chan.”

“Got it.”

Once they found an opening, they began their attacks.
Ruko aimed for the legs, while Flamia jumped and aimed for the upper part of the Dragonfly.

The Dragonfly didn't stay idle and defended itself.
The ice sword attack from Ruko was blocked by a sudden water barrier, appearing out of nowhere, while Flamia's attack was stopped by the Dragonfly's wings.
Both Ruko and Flamia widened their eyes in surprise, but that wasn't the only thing that shocked them.

The Dragonfly's body emitted a blue aura.
It was a sign that the Dragonfly was preparing to use a powerful attack or magic.
A water tornado appeared and pushed both of them back.
The attack was strong enough to send them flying.

Ruko lost a small portion of her HP, and Flamia also took some damage, but not as much as Ruko.
The difference in their stats and levels made the distinction.

They regrouped at a single point, back-to-back.

“Ruko-chan.”

“I know.
This Dragonfly…
it's not an ordinary Dragonfly”

Chiaki also realized it after attempting several magic attacks, but they were blocked.

Chiaki kept her distance from the Dragonfly, evading its attacks, which were fast but not faster than Chiaki.
Her wind element gave her greater speed than Ruko and Flamia.

As a liber who played as a magic caster, she couldn't fight on the front lines.
Her current position was a disadvantage because she didn't ask for Ruko's or Flamia's assistance.
Despite this, Chiaki remained calm, like a gentle breeze.

The Dragonfly she was facing used the ice element, which posed a significant challenge for a wind element user like her.

but that didn't apply to Chiaki.

Chiaki has been playing CSO since it was released.
That's what makes her one of the strongest liberators or veterans who can be said to know all the ins and outs of CSO.
But what makes her not have difficulty facing the ice element is that she has a partner who also uses the same element, namely Ruko.

Although not asking directly, the bond they have formed makes her familiar with the weaknesses and strengths of the ice element.
Plus, with her way of thinking like Kuro, this becomes very easy for her.

Dragonfly attacks with claws, tail strikes, and icy breath, but Chiaki easily avoids the attacks.
Although she manages to get hit, it is actually just an illusion created by Chiaki.

While dodging, Chiaki recites an incantation.

“Oh, wind, the source of all life in the world.
Everything is life.
Everything is power.
Everything is destruction.”

A magic circle appears at the tip of Chiaki's finger, and she casually points it directly at Dragonfly's body.

Dragonfly realizes what Chiaki intends to do.
Dragonfly emits a bluish-white aura, indicating that it is preparing to use magic or a skill.
A magic circle appears in front of Dragonfly like a shield.

From the pattern of the magic circle, Chiaki recognizes it as a magic skill [Mirror Barrier].
It is a defensive magic that can reflect the opponent's magic attacks like a mirror.
If Chiaki were to attack, her attack would surely be returned.

Chiaki smiles at this.
She then plants her staff into the ground and at that moment-

“[Storm Spear]”

Tornadoes emerge from beneath Dragonfly, coming from various directions.
Some bounce off the defensive barrier and strike Dragonfly's body.
It is a trap that Chiaki had prepared while evading Dragonfly's attacks.

Dragonfly roars loudly.
At the same time, its HP rapidly decreases, and the defensive magic disappears.

Seizing the opportunity, Chiaki prepares to use a magic skill she has been readying for a long time.

“Super magic [Shadow Storm Bullet].”

Light is shot from Chiaki's fingertips toward the helpless Dragonfly, but at that moment, an arrow is aimed directly at Chiaki's attack.

As the two lights are about to collide, Chiaki's attack vanishes and transforms into multiple projectiles.
The attack easily annihilates Dragonfly.

After the enemy Dragonfly is defeated, there is no sense of joy in Chiaki.
Instead, she switches her weapon to a bow.

“……”

While holding the bow, Chiaki gazes at the figure in front of her.
The figure also wields the same bow, but the difference in their power is too great.

However, it's not what catches Chiaki's interest.
The figure has the same look in their eyes as her.

Although it's their first time meeting, they already know who their respective opponents are, as if they have known each other for a long time.

Both draw their bows to the maximum and aim at the opponent in front of them.
Magical arrows appear, and they release them simultaneously.

“Hyaaa!!! Accept this [Lighting Flame].”

“[Seven Lances]”

They both attack Dragonfly simultaneously.
The attack from two directions overwhelms Dragonfly's defensive magic, and it eventually perishes.

But when they let their guard down, a beam of light shoots toward them at high speed.
They quickly dodge, but the light changes direction and attacks them.

With no other choice, Ruko finally uses defensive magic to withstand the attack.
Although she manages to do so, the attack still has a significant impact on her.
It indicates that the attack is of a high level.

“Ruko-chan.”

“I'm fine.”

Unlike Ruko, Flamia slashes through the light using her god slayer.

“Oh my, look who's here as a guest.”

Flamia and Ruko immediately turn their heads toward the source of the voice.
They see Liber holding a staff.

“Flamia-Oneechan, what are you doing here?”

“I should be asking you that, Angela.
Why are you here, and more importantly…
what do you want with our husband?”

“Our husband?”

Angela glances at Ruko, then smiles slightly.

“Ah…
so that's how it is.
The rumors were true.”

“…..”

“In other words, that man is Flamia-Oneechan's husband.
…Ughh!”

Angela looks pale.

“…it seems we chose the wrong person….”

“Nevertheless, we still have to go through with it.”

Everyone immediately looks in another direction.

“Chiaki, …Horizon.”

The two of them walked together without any signs of hostility.
It even seemed like they were already friends.

“Flamia-Oneechan, it's been a long time.”

“It's been a while, Horizon.”

“Hmph…
why do you ignore me?”

“…..”

“….”

“Don't ignore me!!”

In the end, Angela fell silent with a pale face.
No one tried to console her and they just left her alone.

“Can you explain what's happening here? If you're not enemies, I want you to release Onii-chan immediately.”

“You called him Onii-chan, could it be that you're his sibling?” Ruko nodded.

“Yes, but he's also my husband.”

“?”

“I know it seems strange, but that's the reality.
We came here because we want you to release Onii-chan, whom you kidnapped.
Now, can you-“

“We can't do that,” Horizon interrupted.
“We still need your husband.
Even if you force us, we have our own reasons for keeping him imprisoned.”

Angela appeared near Horizon with an active and ready-to-use magic skill.
Meanwhile, Horizon summoned her god slayer once again.

Tension filled the air.
The atmosphere became increasingly uncomfortable.
A battle could break out at any moment.

But suddenly, Horizon and Angela put away their weapons.
Their actions perplexed and surprised the three of them.

“As we said, we need him.
After we're done, we intend to return him as soon as possible, but the situation doesn't match our expectations,” Horizon explained.

“In that case, please explain your problems.
…We'll help you solve them.”

“Chiaki-chan, why do you want to help them?”

“We have no other choice, Ruko-chan.
No, we could choose to kill them, but that won't solve our problem.
They need Kuro-chan.
In other words, if they achieve their goal, they will also set Kuro-chan free.”

“……”

Ruko wanted to protest, but she couldn't because she realized that everything Chiaki said was true.

She wanted to free Kuro quickly, but they couldn't act recklessly.
Moreover, the two of them seemed to be able to work together easily.
If she followed her emotions, their problem wouldn't be resolved quickly.

“But I warn you, if you endanger Kuro-chan, we won't hesitate to kill you.
Perhaps that way, we'll find out what happens if the Valkyrie Maiden dies.”

Chiaki confidently spoke with a cold demeanor.
She also emitted a strong killing aura.
This was a sign that Chiaki was serious with her words.

However, Horizon remained unfazed and appeared calm.
It was a stark contrast to Angela, who involuntarily took a step back.

Although Chiaki's level was incomparable to theirs, the Valkyrie Maiden, Angela realized that Chiaki possessed an unknown power.
The aura she emitted was reminiscent of Kuro's when fighting.

“..don't worry, we haven't done anything to him, ..for now.”

The three of them immediately reacted upon hearing Horizon's words.

Horizon took a step forward, but Ruko swiftly unsheathed her sword and pointed it at Horizon's neck.

“Don't worry, I just want to show you what we intend to do, …aren't you also curious about what is really happening in this place?”

“…………”

After reconsidering the situation, Ruko gave up and sheathed her sword.

The atmosphere became slightly calmer.
Afterward, they followed Horizon and Angela into the palace.

The interior of the palace was filled with ancient-looking luxurious items.
There was no one around, only a cold and dark air filled the space.

“…they're angry…” Ruko suddenly spoke up.

This made everyone turn their attention toward Ruko.

“…can you sense them?”

Ruko nodded.

“I have the ability to see spirits.
All the spirits in this place are tormented and angry.
I can feel a strong sense of resentment from them.”

“If you already know, it will be easy to explain it to all of you.”

Ruko and the others immediately prepared themselves, at the same time turning down a corridor in the palace.

“You must have heard about this world from Flamia-oneechan.
You must also know that this world was created to seal the Demon God, but do you know how the god Odin did it?”

“……”

“……”

“……”

Chiaki and Ruko immediately showed interest.
Flamia did as well.

“Odin was able to do it by using the world tree Yggdrasil, and without Yggdrasil, the Demon God might have already destroyed the entire world.”

“Yggdrasil is the system that governs CSO.
Now I understand it's not just a name, but I don't think it has any connection to this issue.
Can you get to the point?”

“Ruko-chan, be patient.
I know what you're feeling, but they haven't finished yet.”

“Does that mean we can beat them up after all of this is over?”

“Something like that.”

“I know you're angry at my younger siblings, but I didn't expect you to hate them so much,” Flamia commented, pale-faced and surprised at the same time.

She didn't expect Ruko and Chiaki to be so cruel for the sake of Kuro.

…but she also realized why she couldn't be like the two of them.

“Flamia-oneechan, you don't need to blame them.
Everyone would be angry if someone they cared about was kidnapped.”

“Your confession leaves me speechless.
I don't know why, but I feel like a failure as an older sister.”

“Let's get back to the topic.”

“Am I being ignored?!”

“Not like CSO, there used to be nine worlds connected by Yggdrasil, well, more accurately, I think those nine worlds were inside Yggdrasil.”

“We know that,” Chiaki interrupted.

“Yes, but why are there only seven now? …I think you can guess.”

“…..”

“…..”

“Yes.
By sacrificing two worlds, he rewrote the laws of the world and simultaneously sealed the Demon God in this world.”

“..but why does it have the same laws as the game world on Earth?” Ruko asked.
“Isn't that a bit strange?”

“….we don't know.
But most likely because Odin was desperate, or…
various other reasons…
we just don't know.”

“Does that include you?”

Flamia nodded.

“We're not the Original Valkyries, that's why our knowledge is limited.
Moreover, like you, we are actually just Libers chosen by Odin.”

The explanation provided new information about the CSO world, but there were still many mysteries left unanswered.

“So what's the connection with all of this?”

“Flamia-oneechan and both of you must know that this dimension is connected to other worlds just like the Heaven Gate.
The Heaven Gate is actually the root of the Yggdrasil tree, which also connects seven worlds, …but this dimension is a result of distortions when Odin sealed the Demon God.
In short, this is the dead root of Yggdrasil, but even in death, its power remains, allowing us to move to the next world.”

“So what's the problem? And how does it relate to Kuro?”

“This dimension is about to collapse, and if we don't stop it, it will affect the balance of the entire CSO.
It's not unlikely that it could be even worse.
There's a possibility that the entire CSO will be destroyed, and…
I think I don't need to explain what will happen next.”

Ruko and Flamia widened their eyes, but Chiaki only narrowed hers.

The worst-case scenario that Horizon meant was the consequence if the world they currently knew was destroyed.
CSO was a world that sealed the Demon God, and if it was destroyed, then the Demon God would be unleashed.
…and no one wanted that to happen.

They reached the end of the corridor and arrived at a large hall.
In the middle of the hall, the three of them finally found the person they were looking for.

“Onii-chan.”

“Kuro..”

Ruko and Flamia immediately ran towards Kuro, who was trapped inside a large crystal like a coffin.
Kuro's expression was peaceful as if he were sleeping.
From the visible status bar, he was in a sleeping condition.
In other words, Kuro's life was not in danger.

But Ruko and Flamia looked worried, even to the point of shedding tears.
Chiaki, on the other hand, did something different.
She didn't appear worried or anxious, as if she had already anticipated it.

“We apologize for doing all this to your husbands, but we have no other choice.
He's too strong, even for us.”

“But…
I wanted to duel with him, but Hori-chan stopped me…”

“…”

Chiaki remained silent.
Instead, she glanced around and walked towards one corner.
She headed to the place where Horizon and Angela had previously held an event.

Horizon followed Chiaki slowly.

“Can I ask you some questions?”

“Go ahead.”

“You said the dimension will be destroyed, but you all seem calm.
Does that mean we still have a lot of time before it happens, am I right?”

“You're right, we still have…
around 3 days and 7 hours from now.
The dimension will slowly destroy Avantheim and continue to other worlds.”

“And…?”

“…the other reason why we're so calm is that we have found a way out of this problem.”

“Kuro-chan?”

“Specifically, the ring he possesses.”

Upon hearing that, Chiaki immediately glanced at her own ring.
A peculiar ring that symbolized their marriage and still held many mysteries.

That's why we abducted your husbands.
He is the one chosen by the gods as the savior.”

“Heh heh…”

Suddenly, Chiaki chuckled softly.

“Is something wrong?”

“Yes…
many things.
So many things…
but the biggest mistake is calling Kuro-chan the savior.”

“…”

“But if you say he will defeat the Demon God, it might actually happen…
Now let's get back to the issue.
You have found the solution, so why haven't you fixed this dimension? And now you're saying Kuro is your savior? Can you stop talking nonsense?”

“You…”

Angela immediately drew her sword and held it to Chiaki's throat, but Horizon stopped her.

“Hori-chan?”

“Don't do it, Onee-chan.
She has the right to say that…
but everything I said isn't nonsense.”

“….”

“The Ring of Rinne is an item only given to the chosen Liber by the gods.
Besides, I have witnessed the power he possesses myself.
Someday, I believe he can defeat the Demon God.”

Chiaki sighed heavily and turned to Kuro.

“I don't care about your nonsense.
I don't care what you say about Kuro-chan, but one thing I want is for you to free Kuro-chan as soon as possible.”

“We can't do it.
You already know the reason.”

“Then fix this dimension quickly.
Do it before I run out of patience.”

“Tch, don't you da-“

Before she could finish, Angela's body was already bound by Bind-type magic, and not only that, six small swords were ready to pierce her throat.

(Since when did she…?)

What Chiaki did was something difficult, even for a Valkyrie Maiden.

Liber could use magic skills without uttering incantations, but it went unnoticed and was unrecognized by other Libers, like a miracle.

“I know and understand that I'm weaker than all of you, but the weak have their own way of fighting.
Don't underestimate us…”

Angela could only grind her teeth.

“Once again, I apologize, but we can't do it.
Even though we can, there is something that causes the ritual to fail.
And the ritual cannot be performed at any time.
I am truly sorry, but you have to be more patient.”

“………”

Chiaki didn't respond, but after looking at Kuro once again, she finally let out a small sigh

“Fine…
but tell us everything you know, including the Ring of Rinne.”

“Why are you be-“

“Fine.”

“Hori-chan?”

“We can't refuse their help.
Besides, we are guilty of what we've done to them.
And we don't want to anger Flamia-oneechan.”

Angela immediately turned pale.

“I understand.”

As siblings, they knew each other better than anyone else.
And one thing they could never forget was that if Flamia got angry, she would be more dangerous than the Demon God.

Unfortunately, only they knew this.

Afterward, they gathered around the dining table and ate together.
The food they had was from the CSO store.

The reason they didn't free Kuro was that he was the key to the success of the ritual ceremony they were performing.

But the main reason was that even if Kuro was free, he might not be able to use the Ring of Rinne.
This was understandable because Chiaki and the others didn't even know what the Ring of Rinne truly was.

The Ring of Rinne was an item that only existed once in the CSO.
The item didn't increase status or add power, but it allowed the owner to move between worlds.
In short, it was a ring that could teleport its owner to another dimension.

But that was only one of the powers possessed by the Ring of Rinne.

The other powers remained a mystery because the item lacked information.
Even the Valkyrie Maidens didn't know much about the ring.

“But how do you know that Kuro-chan's ring can save the CSO?”

“We don't know.”

That answer was a bit surprising.

“We discovered this place a few months ago, purely by accident.
Then we used this place as a temporary headquarters.”

“But why didn't you go to the next world? This place should have allowed you to do that,” Ruko asked.

“We won't do it,” Angela replied.
“Do you know that the fifth world is Jotunheim? Honestly, I feel more comfortable here.”

“She's lying.”

“Ugh…
Why won't you let me have a little fun?”

“Onee-chan, we don't have time for that…
We've tried it before, and that's when we realized that this place had started to deteriorate.”

“Wait, are you saying that all of this is your doing?”

“…not exactly, Flamia-oneechan…
technically.”

“……….”

Flamia and the others could only remain silent upon hearing this confession.

“We don't know if it was a trap or not, but when we tried to leave for another world, suddenly this world started to deteriorate.
After finding out, we tried to investigate by meeting Anastasia-oneesama in Midgard, and finally, we learned that there are several ways we can restore the condition of this dimension.”

Anastasia was one of the Valkyrie Maidens who possessed the holy element.
She often appeared, but no one had ever seen her in battle.

“The first way is to seek the help of the god Odin.
The second is to gather the 7 Valkrie Maidens to use high-level magic.
The third is to use Yggdrasil's Roots.
The fourth and final…
we use…”

“The Ring of Rinne?”

Horizon nodded, confirming what Ruko said.

“The first and second ways are impossible, and Yggdrasil's Roots are an item that only exists in 7 pieces throughout CSO.
It's impossible to obtain them.
That's why you were searching for the owner of the Ring of Rinne.
And you used the two dragons?”

Angela and Horizon nodded in unison.

Flamia let out a heavy sigh.

“I can't believe I almost died at the hands of my own sister and husband…”

Although it sounded bitter, nobody really cared about Flamia's complaints.
Unfortunately, Flamia wasn't aware of that.

“That was also Anastasia-oneesama's recommendation.
She said she would find the Ring of Rinne if we caused a problem, and we found Kuro.
But initially, we didn't believe her because he had a low level.”

“Alright, we understand everything that has happened.
Now, can you tell us how much longer until we start the ritual?”

“About 3 more hours.
But first, we have to find what's obstructing the ritual.
Otherwise, no matter how many times we try, we will fail.
And we can't waste time; the communication disturbance in Vanaheim is a sign that this dimension has started affecting other dimensions.”

“Then we'll go search throughout this dimension.
I'm sure we'll find the object or something that's obstructing the ritual in this place.”

Everyone nodded in agreement.
Afterward, they dispersed in four different directions.
Chiaki partnered with Ruko and headed west, while the three Valkrie Maidens went in separate directions.

Chiaki and Ruko together traversed the snow-covered forest.
There was nothing strange, but they could see something unusual using the detection skill possessed by Liber.

They could see something strange in the places they passed.

“Chiaki-chan.”

“I know…”

Both of them immediately prepared their strongest weapons, at the same time, a pair of large glowing red eyes appeared in front of them.

A monster.
That's what appeared before them.

Three heads.
Six hands, each wielding a different weapon.
It vaguely resembled the deity Brahma from Ramayana mythology, but the figure in front of them was not a god.
It was more fitting to call it a demon.

The monster's status bar also surprised them.

[Unknown Object]

Level [?].

Roaaaaaarrrrr!!! The monster let out a loud roar.
Shockwaves reverberated in all directions, causing the entire dimension to tremble.

The power displayed by the monster was extraordinary, but neither of them was surprised.

“Perhaps we've found the cause of the ritual's failure.
Ruko-chan, do you know what creature is in front of us?”

The 10-meter-tall monster resembled the Demon King they had faced before, but from its appearance, they realized that the monster's level was far different.

Both of them leaped to dodge the monster's attack.

Both of them smiled satisfactorily.

“Maybe it came from another mythology for a visit…”

“Yeah, now we know that this monster might be the cause of the failed ritual.”

They held hands in the air like dancing, then they pulled each other to move and dodge the attacks in the form of thrown weapon-like discs.

“Creatures from two different mythologies cannot merge.
I think I understand now what it means.
Now, what should we do, Chiaki-chan?”

“Of course…
we destroy it.
Regardless of whether it's a god or not, we'll show the consequences of making us lose Kuro-chan.”

“I agree, and I think it's time for us to take this game seriously.”

Both of them immediately switched their weapons to katana swords.
Ruko's sword emitted white smoke like dew, while Chiaki released a gentle breeze.

They also immediately assumed the same stance.
It was the stance that Kuro often took when preparing to use one of the Kamikiri-Ryuu techniques.

“”KAMIKIRI-RYUU [Eagle Blade!!]””

With a loud shout full of determination and hatred, they began the battle.
They would fight anyone, even a god.