C.S.O.

“If that's the case, let's part ways here.
I pray that we'll obtain the Longinus Light.”

“Ruko-chan, we will get it.
After that, we'll talk to Kuro-chan and put an end to all these strange things.”

“Chiaki-chan….”

“I'm tired of all this.
Whether it's Demon God or God Slayer, I don't care as long as I can be with Kuro-chan.”

“Oh my god….., we can do it as much as we want after we awaken Kuro.
For that, we must obtain the fragments of the Longinus Light as soon as possible.
Mea-san, Chiyo-san, we apologize for leaving you.”

“I understand.
I don't have the power to help you anyway.
Meanwhile, my little sister is just a beginner.
I pray that you can obtain the Longinus Light soon.”

“I will try to help all of you, well…
even though I still don't know what I'm doing.”

Finally, Chiaki, Flamia, and Ruko began to go to their respective destinations.
Mea and Chiyo stayed at home because they wouldn't be able to fight.

All of this started with Ruko's words explaining the weapon that could rival or evenly fight against Kuro, the Longinus Light.

Of course, Flamia also knew that the weapon indeed existed in the Celestial World, but the weapon was categorized as an ordinary weapon compared to a God Slayer weapon like Misteltein.
That's why when Flamia heard it, she was a bit skeptical of Ruko's (Miki's) words.

However, after receiving an explanation that the Longinus Light had the uniqueness to strengthen the power of holy elements, there was now no reason not to search for it.

The main problem arose.
Although the Longinus Light really existed, it was divided into three separate pieces.
Combining their powers might be the fastest way to obtain the three fragments, but Chiaki rejected the idea because they didn't have much time.

The battle in Midgard became more intense and exhausting.
And even though the number of players participating in the mission was over one billion, it didn't mean they could easily approach Kuro.

Miasma continued to emerge as if it had an endless source.
And although most players focused on attacking with holy elements, the miasma quickly reappeared.
Anastasia and Astrea, who joined the battle, were annoyed by the never-ending miasma.

However, it didn't mean Kuro's defenses couldn't be penetrated.
It just took time for that to happen.
And if that happened, Kuro might slaughter all the players with his God Slayer power.

With the CSO system, players might not experience real death, but what if Kuro used the same weapon that was used to fight Shun? It would be a nightmare.

Before that happened, they had to obtain the Longinus Light.

“…they're gone…”

Flamia rode her beloved phoenix.
Ruko flew with white wings, making her look like an angel.
Meanwhile, Chiaki rode a flying broomstick, making her look like a witch.

The three of them flew in different directions and both sisters can't see them.

“Well…
They're doing what they have to do.
Chiyo, let's go inside and wait for them to return.
That's all we can do for now.”

 

Mea turned around and took a step.

“…Onee-chan, what are you hiding?”

Mea stopped and glanced back.

“What do you mean?”

“Onee-chan, stop pretending.
The Onee-chan I know is not someone indifferent like this.
Onee-chan is someone who never ignores people in trouble and always cares about those who need help, but lately, it seems like you're not yourself.”

Mea turned around and showed a cold and seemingly indifferent gaze.
That wasn't the Mea that Chiyo knew.

“So, is that how you see me all this time?”

Chiyo nodded.

“Onee-chan may not have another body like ours, but Onee-chan has the power that should enable you to fight alongside them.”

“…”

“If it were the usual Onee-chan, Onee-chan wouldn't hesitate to use it.
Especially now when everyone is doing everything for Kuro-san.
Onee-chan, what is really happening to you?”

For Mea, what Chiyo said was nothing more than an expression of concern.
It was understandable; Mea had undergone such a significant change compared to before meeting Kuro.

Not only that, the person in front of Chiyo now seemed like a different person.
It was as if Mea had another personality like Kuro.

“Chiyo, I'm glad that you're worried about me, but…”

Mea suddenly disappeared and reappeared in front of Chiyo.
Slowly, Mea whispered near her ear.

“Chiyo…
You're being too noisy…”

After hearing that, Chiyo's consciousness seemed to vanish.

“Onee…
Chan…”

Chiyo slowly collapsed.
But before that happened, Mea held her body to prevent her from falling.
Slowly, Mea stroked Chiyo's hair.
Even though it was a second body, Mea didn't feel any difference at all compared to her sister's body in the real world.

“I'm sorry…
This has already been my decision.
Until the time comes, I will only watch over you all.
That's my promise to Kuro-kun.”

She looked at the ring on her left finger.
The ring that allowed her to travel to another world as if a symbol of a love that knew no bounds.

She smiled and then gazed at the slowly darkening sky.

——————————————————————————————————

One of the fragments of the Longinus Light was in Alfheim, specifically in the giant tree called Yggdrasil, also known as the World Tree.
Although it was the largest tree in Alfheim, compared to the actual Yggdrasil, it was nothing more than a small tree.

Chiaki flew on a flying broomstick at full speed.
She looked at the massive tree that resembled a giant umbrella, protecting the land with its rays of life.

“…”

Unfortunately, although she knew that one of the fragments of the Longinus Light was located in the World Tree, Chiaki didn't know the exact location.
The information source was just a rumor circulating among the Valkyrie Maidens.
Fortunately, one of them was on her side.

Currently, there were several places that Chiaki suspected as the location of the Longinus Light.

Root Labyrinth, Fruit of Eden, City of Life.
All three were the largest and most dangerous places in the World Tree region.
Although Liber had already opened the fourth world, Vanaheim, no one had been able to complete these three places yet.
That's why, if they wanted to find the fragment of the Longinus Light, there was no doubt they had to go there.

Now, among the three places, which one held the fragment of the Longinus Light?

Searching for a rare item was very difficult.
Even if someone was looking for a specific rare item, there was no guarantee they would obtain what they desired.
This was something every Liber knew, including Chiaki.

“…”

In other words, isn't searching for the fragment of the Longinus Light an impossible task?

Chiaki shook her head to dismiss all the troubling thoughts.
For Kuro's sake, she would do anything.
It's just that at this moment, she had to obtain something that seemed impossible to obtain within a limited time.
Could she do it?

Chiaki was not a God Slayer.
She was not a Valkyrie Maiden or even a main character in a story.
She was just an ordinary girl who could be found anywhere.

She was ordinary.

(However, that doesn't mean I can't do anything..)

With determination stronger than steel, Chiaki decided to go to a place called the Fruit of Eden.
She went there not because she knew the fragment of the Longinus was there, but if the legend of the Longinus Light was true, there was no reason to hesitate.

Searching for the Longinus Light might sound impossible, especially when done by three girls.
However, the Longinus Light was a sacred weapon that possessed a soul.
Only the chosen ones could find it.

The chosen ones had certain qualities and prerequisites that made them worthy of wielding the sacred weapon.

But whether she was worthy or not was not something Chiaki pondered.

(All I have to do is search.
Regardless of whether it's impossible or even challenging the fate of the gods.)

With her flying broomstick, she headed towards the edge of the World Tree, piercing through the clouds.

——————————————————————————————————

Around the same time, Ruko headed towards Vanaheim.
Specifically, the vast ocean where there was a high possibility that a fragment of the Longinus Light was located.
According to information from Flamia, one of the fragments of the Longinus Light was in the city of Atlantis.

As in many legends, Atlantis was a magnificent city underwater.
Unfortunately, the city of Atlantis in CSO was slightly different.
Although it was called a city, it could also be called a dungeon.

It was called a dungeon because every part of the city was a battle zone.
And because of that, no players resided there.
They only went there for regular hunting purposes to level up.

Currently, Ruko was at level 589.
To explore the city of Atlantis, which was designed for Liber above level 600, it was practically suicide to explore it with her current strength.

Unfortunately, that would apply if Ruko was an ordinary Liber.
With the power of the angel within her, this would probably be an easy journey.

But before that, she had to do something.

She landed on a remote island.
There was a shack with a pier on the island.

She went to the shack and met a woman.
The woman was an NPC.
After a brief conversation, the woman gave her a blue ticket.

Then, Ruko stepped onto the pier.
After waiting for a while, the sea started to split, and a figure emerged.

A seahorse appeared gracefully.
It was one of the transportation methods used to reach the city of Atlantis.
Since she was alone, one seahorse was enough.
However, if a party wanted to go to Atlantis, they would ride a giant stingray.

She boarded the seahorse and slowly submerged into the sea.
Her skill automatically activated, ensuring her body would never get wet.
Unfortunately, this skill only worked when a Liber was on water transportation.
If a Liber fell off or was thrown off the mount, they would be affected, and their HP would decrease.

In theory, to solve this problem, it was enough to never get thrown off, but CSO didn't allow Liber to relax by just sitting there.

After diving to a depth of about 50 meters, a monster appeared.
The monster resembled a striped fish but had arms that allowed them to attack using spears.

I apologize for any misunderstanding.
Here is the translation of the provided text:

level 410.
They are anchovies to Ruko, but that's not the problem.

Fighting in water is not as easy as fighting on land.
The water pressure makes it difficult for Ruko to move, and she can't get away from her mount.
Once she is released, the seahorse will leave her.
It takes effort to chase after it.

“Annoying disruptors…”

Ruko activates the skill and kills all the Dofeish in less than 3 seconds.

For water-elemental Liber like Ruko, she is actually at an advantage, but that doesn't mean she underestimates the enemies that will confront her.

After about an hour, Ruko can already see the city of Atlantis.
Although she has to deal with blocking monsters, it doesn't matter much when she is already one step closer to her goal.

The city of Atlantis is now in front of her eyes.
From a distance, the city seems protected by a holy shield, but it is actually a special shield.
She doesn't need to fight a boss monster to enter the city.
Unfortunately, this city does not have teleportation gates, so Liber can only come by using means like herself.

As she steps forward, she can see a beautiful and old-looking city.
Some buildings have already collapsed, covered in plant-like moss.

There is no meaningful life.
Normally, every corner would be filled with the sound of battles, but because most Liber are fighting Kuro, it is not surprising that this city feels very silent.

Too silent.

“…”

Ruko takes a step forward and starts her adventure.
But she can't shake off the strange feeling that accompanies her as she enters the city.

No signs of life.
But at the same time, it also means that there are no other creatures like monsters around her.

Strange.

““

“I know, someone is watching me right now.
If I use regular skills, maybe I won't be able to sense it.”

With the help of her spirit, Ruko feels something watching her from the darkness.
Of course, she doesn't immediately think that it's an enemy, but she also can't ignore the fact that it is using some kind of high-level hiding skill.

She doesn't know what that figure wants, which is why she decides to continue with her original purpose of coming to this city.
She doesn't have time to deal with something unimportant.

After exploring several places, Ruko heads towards the main building of the city of Atlantis.
A large building resembling a grand palace.
She enters through the door that has turned into rubble.
After that, she arrives at a place resembling a throne room.

Paintings resembling reliefs are depicted on all the walls.
These are the stories of the gods and goddesses in Yggdrasil before the world was destroyed by the Demon God.

Ruko doesn't care much and considers it a past that she doesn't need to worry about.

The problem now is the location of the Longinus Light fragment in the city.

“!?”

Suddenly, her instinct warns her of danger.
Without hesitation, Ruko moves away.
In an instant, the place she was in is destroyed along with the grand palace.

Dust flies in all directions.
From the dust cloud, a figure shoots out and leaps toward the top of a tall building.

“What is actually happening?”

Ruko only knows that a red dot appears on her map.
In other words, there is an enemy.
Although there is only one enemy, the red dot is larger than the usual ones.

The system gives a warning.
This time, a light flies at a speed that Ruko cannot predict towards her.
Ruko cannot dodge it.
She spontaneously activates the defense skill.
The light attack deflects in another direction, and a loud explosion is heard.

“…huh?”

Although it is only 5 cm wide, the power of the attack is capable of causing a tremendous explosion.
Ruko is fortunate to have used the as a shield, otherwise, she might be dead by now.

But the question is, who attacked her?

The question is answered when a figure suddenly appears.
About 12 meters tall.
Clad in golden and silver armor with shimmering light.
But perhaps the most notable is the large sword that makes the figure resemble a knight.

Indeed…

level 555+

For the first time, Ruko sees a level marked with a (+).
As a gamer, she is curious about it, but right now she is not focused on that.

She knows that the one in front of her right now is a special monster.
She can already see that she will obtain a Longinus Light fragment.

——————————————————————————————————

Flamia sighed inwardly.
She is currently in big trouble.
She knows that the fastest way to obtain the Longinus Light fragment is by scattering, but at the same time, it is also a foolish way.

(Why didn't I tell them that I actually need their help?)

Maybe because she was too excited or because she was in a hurry.
She doesn't know the exact reason, but at this moment, all she knows is that she is in big trouble.

The final fragment of Longinus is located in a place called Orius.
More precisely, it is a tomb that resembles a labyrinth.
The problem is that the location is in Jotunheim, the fifth world.
Knowing the location also means that she will have to confront the Demon King of the fourth world.

Although she is a Valkyrie Maiden, fighting the Demon King alone is equivalent to suicide.
If she were an ordinary player, she wouldn't have to worry about dying, but for a Valkyrie Maiden, death is like a high-stakes gamble.

(Ha…
If only Kuro were here…)

Of course, that's an impossible and strange hope.
But because she remembers defeating the Demon King with Kuro alone, it holds a special memory for Flamia.
A cherished memory.

While thinking about that, she can already see the room where the Demon King is located.
But before that, she has to face the gatekeeper monster.

The monster is Aquaris, a level 600 creature.
It is a human-like monster, standing 5 meters tall, with a muscular body and a trident weapon.

Without wasting much time, Flamia descends from her phoenix and activates her skill.

““

Dozens of meteors fall from the sky and hit Aquaris.
Meteor Shower is a unique skill that Flamia possesses, suitable for dealing with large numbers of enemies.
It may not be the best skill to fight Aquaris, but for Flamia, it's a suitable skill because it doesn't consume too much MP.

Normally, a skill with the same ability would drain MP, but luckily, since Meteor Shower is a unique skill, her MP only decreases by no more than 25 percent.

Unfortunately, the attack is not enough to destroy Aquaris.
Flamia doesn't show her disappointment because she knows that her attack won't be able to kill Aquaris in one strike.
That's why she follows up with another attack.

““

Misteltein blazes, indicating that the skill is about to be executed, but at that moment…

““

A tornado made of sharp ice swords engulfs Aquaris and simultaneously kills him.

Flamia looks toward the origin of the attack.
She thinks her eyes are deceiving her, but they're not.

“Angela…
Horizon…
What are you doing here?”

The twin Valkyrie Maidens, Horizon and Angela, appear and approach with their usual relaxed expressions.

“Flamia-neesan, long time no see.”

“Long time no see, Hori-chan, Ange-chan.
It seems you're doing well.
Uh…
It's not the time to relax.
Sorry, but I have some business…
We'll chat another time…”

Flamia turns around and heads towards the opening door of the room, leaving Horizon and Angela looking at each other.
Shortly after, they follow Flamia.

“Hmm…
What are you two doing?”

“Why are you asking, Flamia-neesan? Of course, we want to help you fight Mikaku.”

“Uh…
Why?”

For some reason, they both sigh in unison.

“We were asked by Anastasia-oneesama to help you,” Horizon explains.
“That's it.”

“Uh…
I didn't expect her to know I needed help.
Ana-chan is indeed reliable.
Hm…
How did she know?”

“We don't know, but the bottom line is we will help you.
Besides, we also want to obtain the God Slayer weapon.”

“Oh…
Right, Ange-chan doesn't have it yet.
Let's give the God Slayer weapon to Ange-chan.”

And as if it were a sign, the previously dark room now lights up, and just like before, the monster known as the Demon King appears.

Mikaku

level 567.

The battle between the three girls has just begun.