C.S.O.

At Flamia's house, Kuro's wives (Except Chiyo) gathered in the hot spring bath.
Considering their current situation, which can be described as very serious, this was not the time for this.

However, Flamia suggested that bathing together could increase their intimacy.

Where did she hear that?

Instead of thinking about things that didn't matter, they finally decided to take a bath.

“Uh…
They're floating…”

Ruko (Anna) could only sigh as she looked at the two plump mounds belonging to the people around her.
Specifically, their in-game characters (except Mea and Flamia).
Although her own character was not flat, she was far behind in terms of size.

She created her game character with balanced proportions to be able to fight easily.
She thought that way because CSO had the same effect as the real world, which means small things like body size had a significant impact.

But she regretted it a little after realizing that it was all pointless.
Besides, CSO was a game where all attacks were assisted by the system and not controlled by brain commands.

“Don't worry, Ruko-chan.
If my guess is correct, maybe in 3 or 4 years, you'll be able to float just like us?”

“Just because you have big lumps of flesh in this world and that world doesn't mean you can say as if I won't grow, Chiaki-chan.”

Both of them didn't address each other by their in-game names.
It was no longer necessary.

“Wait, don't tell me you did it on purpose?” Ruko continued.

Chiaki then smiled cunningly.
She was not like a girl who had just been sad because of Kuro.

It was relieving, but seeing Chiaki like that again, maybe it wasn't a good idea.

“Don't speak as if I predicted that Kuro would play CSO and use my attractiveness in the game to win his love.
How could I do that?”

“Finally, I see your true face…”

From other people's perspectives, Chiaki might currently resemble a vixen.

“You truly love Kuro.
But don't think I will lose to you, fufu…
Kuro's love belongs only to me.”

Flamia looked excited as usual.
She even stood up and made “them” swing.

“Don't say it like that.
Kuro-kun loves all of us.”

“Oops…
Sorry, you're right, Mea-san.”

“But of course, he loves me more.”

“Mea-oneechan, your words don't make this any better.
And since when did you become obsessed like them?”

Until now, Mea had never been open about her feelings for Kuro.
But now she showed that she had the same feelings as the others.

“Ara…
Chiyo, why don't you join Kuro-kun's harem? I'm sure adding one or two more won't be a problem.”

Mea confirmed through her gaze.
And she received various reactions, but in their hearts, they must have thought, 'There's no point in prohibiting it.'

Chiyo's face immediately turned bright red.

“Onee-chan~, don't tease me like that?”

“But you like Kuro-kun, right? You should quickly let go of your virginity and join us.”

“Ke…
ke…”

Perhaps unable to digest what Mea meant, Chiyo's head began to steam, and she fainted.

Before she could sink, Mea held her and showed a sinister smile.
It was eerie.

Mea then focused on the other three wives.

“Now, how about we just start.
We all know that we don't have much time left.”

True.
The purpose of bathing might be to get closer, but also to discuss what has happened and what they should do.

_________________________________________________________________________

“I just want to tell you one thing, Onii-chan is currently trying to remove the seal we created in the past to restrain him.”

“Is he becoming even stronger?” Flamia looked disappointed because the person she loved was drifting further away.
“I can't bear it anymore if I have to chase after him.”

Hearing that, Ruko could only sigh.
Why could Flamia think like that?

“We're lucky if Onii-chan only runs away like he did yesterday, but once the seal is removed, he can even freely go to another world like skipping rope.”

“Doesn't he do it often?”

Kuro could go back and forth from Earth to CSO whenever he wanted.
It was no longer surprising.

“He can do it because he has the Ring of Rinne, but when he unleashes his power, the Ring of Rinne becomes like junk.
That's what I wanted to tell you.”

Ruko then used the menu to display an image of a black mist that began to engulf Midgard.
At first glance, it resembled the beginning scene of the end of the world.

Plants touching the black mist died instantly.
The land became lifeless.
The monsters that existed moved away, but due to the system, the monsters couldn't escape and eventually died.

“He keeps consuming the life around him to increase his energy.
If we don't do something soon-“

“Wait a moment” Mea interjected, raising her hand.
“You seem to be implying that if Kuro successfully removes the seal, he will become incredibly dangerous, like a final boss.
Why are you so eager to suggest that Kuro will transform into someone else?”

“I agree with Mea…-san.
Kuro-chan has never done anything wrong, even though most of his powers have returned.
I believe there must be a reason why Kuro-chan wants to remove the seal.
Perhaps he wants to protect us from the Demon God.
We all know that even though Kuro-chan is strong, he is completely powerless when fighting against the Demon God.”

Flamia nodded, agreeing with what Chiaki said.

Meanwhile, although Ruko understood that their arguments made sense and were easy to understand, there was something that still made her uneasy.

“I-I don't want to speak as if Onii-chan will turn evil.
But we don't know what he plans to do with the immense power he possesses.
And for some reason, whenever I think about it, I get chills.
It's not just a hunch.”

“In the end, is it just a hunch?” Mea sighed as if bored.
“This discussion is meaningless.”

After that, Mea stood up and supported the still-fainted Chiyo.
She started to leave the now calm bath.

The atmosphere became heavy and uncomfortable, but that was the reality.
Although Kuro currently appeared as the Demon King, there was no evidence that he would turn evil.

It was just a baseless assumption.
That's why Mea, Chiaki, and Flamia couldn't simply believe what Ruko said.

“Flamia, is it really okay to just let it continue like this?” Chiaki suddenly asked.

She understood that the discussion was over, but that didn't mean the problem had diminished.

“What do you mean?”

“Kuro continues to consume the world's life.
Will that be okay?”

“Hm…
Normally, the damage will recover in some time.
So I think everything will be fine.”

Hearing that, Chiaki fell silent.
Although she felt satisfied in her heart, at the same time, many questions arose.

At that moment, the sound of sirens echoed throughout Midgard.
Not only Midgard, but all the worlds within the Celestial World could hear the sirens.

It was reminiscent of a newly appeared quest but on a much larger scale.

Shortly after, a message appeared on their menu, originating from the GM.

[Special mission.
All Liber are invited to participate.
No specific rules and penalties are waived.]

[Stop the resurrection of the Demon God in Midgard.
Rewards will be given to anyone who participates.
Special rewards will be given to players who successfully complete the mission.]

[Mission begins in 30 minutes]

After reading it, the three of them could only be dumbfounded.

“….huh?”

What was actually happening?

___________________________________________________________________________

After receiving that message, the three of them realized that it was not the time to bathe.
They quickly changed into their combat attire and equipped their best weapons.

Unlike the three of them, Mea, who was disconnected from the CSO system, did not receive the message, but she knew something had happened.

The three bid farewell to Mea and told her to be alert and cautious.
Unexpected situations could occur.

They didn't know who would be their enemy or ally.

“Mea-san, we will assess the situation first.
After all, it's very strange for the god Odin to give a mission to kill Kuro.”

The three of them then headed toward the location where the special mission was about to take place.
They rode on Flamia's beloved Phoenix, which could fly at high speeds.

They were not the only ones; many Liber began to gather in their own ways.

“I knew many would participate in this mission.
They are enticed by the rewards offered.”

Flamia nodded in agreement with Chiaki's words.

“If that's the case, I think all Liber will participate.
It seems that someone you call the god Odin or something similar seriously wants to kill Kuro-chan,” she continued.

“But this doesn't make sense.
Judging from history and what I know, the Demon God should be our ultimate enemy, not Kuro.”

Chiaki sighed.

“You still haven't realized, huh? Well, I guess that's fine.
It won't add to our problems.”

“?”

Flamia tilted her head in confusion.

Shortly after, they arrived at a place that was once called the Doom Realm.
Now, only darkness could be seen growing larger.

In the center of the darkness, a bar (sign) indicating the identity of a figure was visible.
Unlike a normal bar, this one was a mixture of green and black.
And there were red writings.

“Seed of the Demon God.
How did it come to this..?”

Unlike Flamia, Chiaki immediately understood what had happened.

Kuro and the Demon God were the same person.
However, due to a difference in the flow of time, Kuro did not become the Demon God because his powers were sealed.

“I will explain it later.
We should keep our distance for now.
Although the mission is about to begin, it won't be easy even if two billion Liber combines their strength.”

The sea of Liber now filled the entire city.
No one could distinguish whether they were all Liber or a swarm of ants.

Symbols of various famous guilds in CSO could be seen from various places.
Even the Ouroboros guild, which was their ally, participated as well.

“….yeah..”

Flamia ordered the Phoenix to leave the place.

Her face couldn't hide her worry.

________________________________________________________________________

They returned to Flamia's house, where Mea and Chiyo were waiting for them.

“Welcome back…”

“We're back.
Unfortunately, we don't bring good news for you.”

Mea smiled knowingly.

The three of them descended, and after that, the Phoenix they were riding on vanished back to its original location.

“Whether it's good or bad, I'm happy to hear it.”

“I suppose this isn't the right place for a conversation.” Chiaki then focused on Ruko.
“Ruko-chan, I have a few questions for you.”

Ruko remained silent and nodded resignedly.

Then they walked inside the house.
They went to the living room, and once they sat down, the atmosphere grew heavy.

“First, I want to explain the situation from my perspective as a Valkyrie Maiden.
Honestly, this situation is highly abnormal for me.”

“Please…”

Unexpectedly, Chiaki appeared relaxed.

Flamia's concern was why Kuro could become the Demon God.
Could it be some kind of system failure created by the god Odin, or did Odin himself make a mistake?

“Our mission is to kill the Demon God in Asgard, not Kuro.
This is very strange.
Besides, I can't possibly fight against Kuro.
I love him.”

“None of us want to fight against Kuro-chan.
But considering the real threat he poses, maybe we don't have any other choice.
So decide what you will do if that happens!”

“You're talking as if you've already decided what you'll do.
Honestly, I'm a little scared…”

Flamia looked like a puppy.
Cute, but not the right time for it.

“I have to be prepared for any situation.
I'll just act as usual.
Now, there's something I want to ask.
Ruko-chan, this time don't beat around the bush and tell us honestly.
If Kuro-chan's power truly awakens, will he become the Demon God?”

All eyes turned to Ruko.
Their eyes seemed to urge Ruko to reveal everything she knew.

Regarding the God Slayer and the power derived from the demon, it made sense.
That's because it was necessary, just like the Valkyrie Maiden was needed to kill the Demon God.

But there was a lie among those truths.

Kuro could be considered a special case among all the God Slayers from Kanata's lineage.

“I…hmm…

– Let me explain it.”]

As Ruko started to speak nervously and filled with a fearful expression, suddenly her eyes turned sharp red, just like what happened to Kuro.
Not only that, but her expression also became calmer.

Ruko seemed different.
It was somewhat reminiscent of being possessed by something.

“This is the first time we meet.
My name is Mikhael.
You can call me Miki.
I am an angel.”

Everyone's eyes widened instantly.
It was understandable to react that way when hearing something impossible.

“An…
angel?”

“This is the first time I've heard this.”

Ruko smiled as if she anticipated their reactions.

“Everyone, I'm sure this child (Ruko) has told you about us.
About the gods, demons, and angels.
But it seems you all misunderstood that only demons can be the source of the God Slayer's power.”

Ruko paused for a moment, then continued.

“If demons are born from negative emotions, we angels are born from the positive emotions of humans.
And to become the source of the God Slayer's power, the vessel we use must be pure.
That's why cases involving angels are very rare.
That's why I must apologize to all of you.
This child is very honest, she can't lie, which is why she can't honestly speak about the person she loves.”

“…one thing I want to ask, if you're going through the trouble of explaining it directly, does that mean…”

“Mea-san, and everyone.
I can't deny that assumption because it's true.
We, demons, and angels are more like spectators of your human lives.
Sometimes we interfere a little, like whispering to do something evil or granting small miracles in an attempt to fulfill our roles.
But Kuro-niisan is not a human nor a demon.
He is both.

“…is that bad…? Even so, I will accept Kuro-chan as he is, whether he's a demon or not.”

[That's where your misunderstanding lies, Chiaki-san.]

Chiaki couldn't hide her surprise.

“A demon whispers something only because they are playing their role as a demon, but otherwise, demons do not directly involve themselves.
It is humans who determine whether they hear and act upon what the demon whispers.
However, Kuro-oniisan is both a human and a demon.
He has the power to directly involve himself and with tremendous power.
That's why humans with demonic powers need to be sealed”

Instead of sealing, it might be more appropriate to say they should be killed.
This was something unknown except to Ruko.

“The seal not only implants a new soul but also serves as a barrier for the human soul to understand the truth of this world.
But this ritual mostly fails because it can't contain all the truths they receive.
Kuro-niisan is an exception to that.”

The reason why Kuro was still alive could be considered a stroke of luck.
But Ruko's (Miki's) next words shocked everyone even more.

“He managed to endure and accept all the truths, but this assumption is wrong.
Recently, we discovered the reason why he succeeded.
Unfortunately, it is also the source of all these disasters.”

“I would say 'that's just the way Kuro is', but it's not the time for that.”

“But what cause are you referring to, Miki-san?”

“You don't have to be too serious, Flamia-san.
You can call me Ruko if you want.”

Flamia nodded.

“But, as Flamia-san mentioned, it is the unknown cause or rather the trigger that allows him to absorb Lucifer's soul and currently awaken his power.
And if he succeeds, he will undoubtedly become a full-fledged Demon God.
We must stop him before that happens.”

Everyone fell silent.
Not because they were afraid or understood what would happen if what Miki said was true.
But because they realized that if it were to happen, the last thing they wanted to do would have to be done.

“…are you asking us…
to fight Kuro?”

[No, I'm just asking you to stop him.
It's not too late for us right now.]

They fell silent once again.
What Miki said could bring them a sense of relief.

“If you say so, it means you have a way to stop Kuro-chan.
What is your plan, actually?”

“We do have a way to stop him, but the tool to do it is not in our hands at the moment.”

“What do you mean? Are you saying we need something?”

“Something like that.
If we want to stop Kuro-niisan, we must possess something that can counter, no, annihilate the rapidly spreading miasma.
Furthermore, that object must also possess a power equal to Kuro-niisan's strongest sword, the sword capable of cutting through anything, Longinus Darkness…”

“Are you kidding? In this world, there's no such weapon.”

“No, Chiaki.
In this world, such a weapon does exist.”

As if possessed, Flamia quickly checked the menu as if reading a thick dictionary.

After that, she showed an expression as if she found the word she was looking for.

“I found it.
To defeat the Demon God, we, the seven Valkyrie Maidens, must find a weapon that can defeat the Demon God.
A weapon that can annihilate all darkness in the world, Longinus Light.”

_______________________________________________________________________

The special mission among all special missions was about to begin in a few minutes.
All the liberators participating in this mission accounted for more than 80 percent of the total number of liberators.

Although they saw the dark miasma engulfing all life, they showed no fear.
They instead enjoyed the sight as if it were normal.

In one corner of the crowd, Tera and the members of the Ouroboros guild were preparing for the upcoming mission.
Tera mobilized all the members of her guild for this mission.
The reason was clear, the absence of penalties made everyone feel that this mission was not only special but also the biggest mission since CSO opened.

“Damn, at a time like this, they're not even here.
Even though they took a leave of absence, they should have participated in this major mission.”

Tera growled, stabbing her spear into the ground.

“Don't be angry.
It seems they're dealing with an important problem.
I even heard that both of them haven't been to school for a few days.”

The young man with a weary face tried to calm their leader.

“If they have a problem, why don't they talk to us? I know that even though we're just a guild in the game, it doesn't mean we're strangers to them.”

“Sometimes there are problems that can't be discussed with others.
The leader must have experienced it, right?”

“No, I've never experienced it.”

Albor could only sigh.

One minute remained until the special mission started.
Tension spread along with the enthusiastic aura of all the liberators.
They were all prepared with battle formations.

“They are really enthusiastic…”

“Leader, shouldn't we also prepare?”

One of the guild members asked.

“No.
Rushing into a big mission is a mistake.
Look, even the other large guilds are just sitting there chatting.”

Guilds like White Dragon, Shinsengumi, Frost Snake, and hundreds of other large guilds showed no significant movements.
They even just made small preparations like assigning a few people for inspection.
Or more appropriately, sacrificial pawns.

“Uh…
They sacrifice their members without hesitation.
Aren't they ashamed?”

“This is called strategy.
Instead of constantly complaining, you should prepare yourself in case something unwanted happens.”

“Alright, leader.”

Seconds passed, and finally, the countdown reached zero.

<[Mission Start]>

With war cries, the liberators began to assault the black miasma.
Some started attacking from a distance with high-level magic they had prepared before the mission started.
Then medium-range magic and close-range skills.

Explosions and lights emerged like a festival, but this sight was more appropriately called a world war.

But the sight immediately changed when the black miasma directly swallowed all the attacks from hundreds of thousands of players.
They were surprised, but at the same time, became more enthusiastic.

Why? Because the challenge became greater and different from all the previous missions.

The liberators prepared for the next attack, but the black miasma started to resist.
Black hands started appearing and binding each liberator one by one.
The liberators fought back by cutting the hands with magic and various attacks, but the hands reappeared and bound them again.

HP bars decreased, and the casualties began to fall.
At the same time, one by one, the liberators began to retreat and realize that this special mission was indeed special.

Despair spread, and they realized that this mission was becoming impossible.

And at that moment…

“[Holyius Bullet]”

“[Thunder Strike]”

Beams of light obliterated the miasma, and then thunder struck fiercely, causing a tremendous earthquake.

The miasma vanished, and the path opened, but after a while, the miasma started to return.

“This is harder than I thought, Ana-chan.”

“Yes, but we can't retreat or give up before the darkness is destroyed.”

“Yay yay…”

The fighting liberators fell silent.
They were now captivated by something more extraordinary than their enemies.

Two girls who could be called the reincarnations of angels appeared on the battlefield.

A pure white-haired girl emitting a holy aura and a cheerful girl with short curly brown hair.
They held weapons in the form of a staff and a large hammer in their hands.

Both were not only known for their beauty but also for being among the strongest.

Anastasia and Astrea.
The two Valkyrie Maidens entered the battle.