"Freeze. Ice Storm Commander-in-Chief!"
Her icy voice rang out, reaching the ears of the surrounding AST members.
"What are you trying to do..."
An ominous premonition flooded Ryouko Kusakabe's heart. Before she could warn her team—
A sudden chill swept through her entire body. She realized she had lost control. Her mouth was open, yet no sound would come out.
In that instant, Ryouko Kusakabe understood.
This new Spirit was completely different from every Spirit they had ever subjugated before.
She was decisive. Ruthless. She showed absolutely no mercy. She was nothing like those reclusive, confused Spirits.
Unfortunately, habitual thinking killed.
They had treated this newly manifested Spirit according to their previous experience dealing with gentler Spirits like Princess and Hermit.
As the frost spread across her retinas and the light faded from her vision, Ryouko Kusakabe stared at the tall, ice-blue figure. Her gaze passed over the dark-blue veil and met those icy blue eyes.
"Monster..."
Esdeath continued to float calmly in midair, a graceful and perfectly composed smile curving her lips. But those eyes—utterly cold.
No. It was more accurate to say they were the eyes of a hunter surveying prey. They carried true killing intent.
This was not the hatred-driven killing intent of Origami Tobiichi.
This was the gaze of someone who had ridden across battlefields and killed countless times—who no longer regarded people as people, but as livestock to be slaughtered.
In that regard, Ryouko Kusakabe had once glimpsed something similar during her training with the artificial Realizer Unit at the European D.E.M. Corporation, and during the wars in the Middle East.
She knew.
Esdeath had killed before.
And not just a few.
Then her vision went black, and she lost consciousness entirely.
Crack crack crack!
Centered on Esdeath, an ice-blue radiance flared brilliantly. Water molecules in the atmosphere froze and spread outward in all directions at terrifying speed.
In an instant, aside from the one person Esdeath had deliberately spared, every AST member touched by the frost was frozen into an ice sculpture.
There was no struggle. No scream.
They did not even realize they had been frozen.
In only a few breaths, the sea surface within dozens of kilometers was sealed in ice. The tsunami triggered by the Spacequake was frozen as well. Towering waves were locked midair.
As far as the eye could see, the world had become a frozen wasteland.
Unintentionally freezing the tsunami, Esdeath had effectively saved the southeastern coastal regions of Honshu.
"Pathetic."
Snap!
With the sound of Esdeath snapping her fingers—
Crack—crack—crack!
All the surrounding ice sculptures emitted sounds like shattering mirrors. They broke apart into blood-streaked ice particles that scattered with the wind.
Against the backdrop where sea and sky blended into one, the scene was almost like a painting.
"Captain! Everyone! Damn it... ahhh!"
But Origami Tobiichi did not see it that way.
In her eyes, the frost was hideous.
Five years ago, her parents had been killed by a Spirit. Losing both parents because of a Spirit, her hatred surpassed that of anyone else.
Now, the senior who had cared for and guided her, the comrades she had fought beside day and night, had all been killed by this ice-blue Spirit.
Her entire AST squad had been wiped out.
"I'll kill you! I swear I will!!"
The hatred buried deep within her soul robbed her of reason. Clutching her head, she let out a heart-wrenching roar.
Whoosh!
Zing—!
Her sky-blue eyes were bloodshot. Drawing her energy blade, Origami shot toward Esdeath. Gripping the hilt, she pushed the output to maximum and slashed down with a furious roar.
"Blinded by the flames of revenge... you don't even understand the difference between us—or why you alone were spared?"
Even amplified to supersonic speed by her Realizer Unit, Origami's movement was painfully slow in Esdeath's eyes.
Esdeath merely tilted slightly aside, leaving just enough space. With two fingers, she caught the high-speed energy blade and snapped it in half.
In the instant Origami faltered—
Esdeath flicked her hand.
Splurt!
Blood sprayed.
An ice spear pierced through Origami's abdomen. Crimson blood streamed uncontrollably from the wound.
"You should be the strongest among them. And yet you're still only a mortal."
"I like your eyes. You already possess the resolve of a warrior prepared to die. But resolve to die is not the same as seeking death."
Floating in front of Origami, Esdeath dismissed the manifested ice spear, shattered the flight unit on her back, and seized her by the throat, lifting her effortlessly with one hand.
"Mortal. Where are this world's transcendent beings? Call it out. Does it not feel ashamed, hiding behind mortals like you?"
"Cough... I... I'll kill you..."
"Heh. So you can't even communicate. Has hatred completely consumed your mind?"
Esdeath let out a soft laugh.
Origami's completely hatred-driven behavior lowered Esdeath's evaluation of her considerably.
Years ago, when the Partas tribe—Esdeath's clan—had been massacred by the northern barbarians, did she feel hatred?
Of course she did.
The hatred of losing one's father and entire clan was irreconcilable.
But revenge had merely been a phase in her life—a goal along the path. She had turned hatred into fuel to push herself forward and grow stronger.
Esdeath's mind had always been crystal clear.
She would never allow hatred to dominate her will or actions.
Should she kill this girl?
The pressure of her grip shifted—tightening, loosening—as Esdeath weighed the most advantageous choice.
Three options.
The reckless path: kill her. Let Cornelia and Akame of the Jaegers investigate. She herself would remain in place.
Alternatively, cause even greater destruction to draw out this world's transcendent beings or high-level combat forces.
The cautious path: spare her and leave with the Jaegers to disperse and investigate this world's military strength. Leave her alive to spread the message.
As the sole survivor of the first contact, she would undoubtedly be questioned by higher authorities for firsthand information.
Leave a coordinate marker on her, then strike once an appropriate target appeared.
The half-reckless, half-steady path: beat her half to death. Destroy the city to attract targets while the Jaegers conducted their investigation. Observe the objective at any time.
"Cough..."
While Esdeath contemplated, Origami's eyes rolled back.
The shock from intense pain, blood loss draining her strength, and the suffocating pressure on her throat caused her struggling limbs to grow weaker and weaker.
"Whether you live or die depends on yourself."
Esdeath quickly reached a decision.
She released her grip.
The unconscious Origami fell from the sky.
Esdeath chose the middle path.
"You should be grateful it was me and not Her Majesty who made a move. Otherwise... I sincerely doubt whether this world would still exist."
Frankly speaking, although Selene had always tried to change the image of brutality and cold-blooded tyranny others held of her, the effort had clearly failed. Miserably.
Selene: Nonsense! When have I ever been brutal? Stop slandering me!
If I were personally micro-managing this world, I absolutely would not issue Exterminatus against the resistors. At most, I would mercifully treat them as leeks and livestock for labor—no, wait, I meant Decimation... hm, that doesn't sound right either.
Esdeath: Yes, I understand. Her Majesty is merciful.
Now even a city-destroying general like Esdeath considered herself kinder and more benevolent than Selene. Alas, how times have changed...
Esdeath was no simple brute. While she was a super-S interrogator and battle maniac, she was also a general of the Empire. She possessed the necessary strategic thinking.
Although this world's displayed combat power seemed pitiful, the massive abyss on the Eurasian continent still existed. Acting recklessly without understanding the gap in strength between enemy and self was a good way to suffer setbacks.
If it had been her original timeline personality, Esdeath might have chosen the reckless path.
But during the most formative ten years of her life, she had stayed by Selene's side. Pleasure, profit calculation, caution—these traits had quietly seeped into her habits.
After all, she had no desire to end up shouting, "Your Majesty, save me!" That would be far too embarrassing.
"Then now... Ice Storm Commander-in-Chief—Ice Knights."
Esdeath raised her right hand toward the frozen sea below.
Whoosh!
An ice-blue beam laced with purplish-red particles shot from her palm. Wherever the beam passed, the ice beneath her feet stirred—awakening.
"Let me see... when faced with little toys rampaging through your cities, will your transcendent beings and Spirits continue hiding like turtles? Or... will you come to subjugate me? How exciting."
As she finished speaking, Esdeath's figure gradually turned illusory and dispersed into the world.
What remained was a writhing, animated expanse of ice—and a certain master of romantic conquest still rushing toward the scene.
There was no helping it. From annihilating the AST to departing, Esdeath had moved too quickly. Not even a full minute had passed.
Bzzzz—!
"Roar roar roar—!"
...
"Ah-choo!"
Walking along the corridors of Schönbrunn Palace, Selene sneezed three times in a row.
With my current physique, catching a cold? You must be joking. Hm... who's talking about me?
Raising her head, Selene glanced around. Everyone—including the Royal Guard—lowered their heads, not daring to meet the gaze of the increasingly unfathomable ruler of the Empire.
"Your Majesty, please take care of your health."
Behind her, Susanoo, dressed in the uniform of the Imperial Palace's head chef, handed over a handkerchief with visible concern.
Taking it, Selene nodded. "Thank you. It's nothing. Someone is probably talking about me."
As someone whose prime directive was the protection of his master, Susanoo clearly did not believe that. Thinking of Selene's recent menu, he cautiously suggested,
"Your Majesty, I beg your pardon for speaking boldly. Sichuan and Hunan cuisine are excessively spicy and unsuitable for health maintenance. Should I adjust the dishes to medicinal cuisine instead?"
"Medicinal cuisine?"
A curious glimmer flashed through Selene's eyes.
"Yes, Your Majesty. From the recipes recently offered by the various Astartes Legions, I have developed many new dishes. Combining ingredients from across the worlds, this is my tribute to you."
Tilting her head and touching her chin with a finger, Selene pondered briefly. "Very well. We'll have that."
Turning, she continued walking toward the central courtyard.
"As you command."
At that moment—
"Your Majesty."
A palace attendant hurried forward and bowed slightly. "Your Majesty, Governor Lelouch has returned to the Second Astartes Legion—Retributors, Conquered World No. 37."
"However, Governor Lelouch's relatives have been taken away by Lady Arisa. It seems Lady Arisa is quite fond of them."
"Ah, let them be. Just a few girls' naive fantasies. If Arisa enjoys spending time with them, making friends her own age isn't a bad thing."
Selene nodded. Arisa's childlike innocence—always lively, always clinging and acting spoiled—was something Selene genuinely enjoyed.
Having such a cute and optimistic little presence bustling around her made Selene's mood brighter as well.
"Let's go. I'll rest briefly. After that, I estimate I'll need to personally micro-manage matters on Roboute and Esdeath's side."
...
Tengu City.
Several hours had passed since the most powerful single S-class—or above—Spacequake in nearly thirty years, excluding the Eurasian Sky Disaster and the South Kanto Sky Disaster.
Nearly half of Tengu City had been erased. The geographical structure of the southern coastal region of the Tokyo metropolitan area had been permanently altered.
Leaving aside property losses, the disappearance of dozens of square kilometers of land infuriated the island nation's government, already short on usable territory. And it had to be prime, fertile plains.
The Prime Minister's Office issued a strict order: do whatever it takes to fill the crater and reclaim land.
With survival space at stake—and the disaster occurring near Tokyo—bureaucrats were, for once, efficient.
Rescue supplies and personnel poured in from across the Tokyo region.
While the glacier left behind by Esdeath's frozen sea still remained and seawater had not yet flooded the massive crater blasted out by the Spacequake, they conducted rescue operations while simultaneously filling and reclaiming land at any cost.
Meanwhile, the fighting in Tengu City had not ceased.
Thousands upon thousands of ice knights remained even after the newly manifested Spirit disappeared. Unable to communicate, they rampaged through the city. Some had even spread toward Tokyo.
Had the bureaucrats not been unusually efficient and gathered all AST units stationed across Honshu, the losses after the creatures reached Tokyo would have been incalculable.
AST Tengu City Garrison Base.
"So you're saying that of the first AST squad to make contact with Snowstorm, aside from her, all thirty-five members—including Captain Ryouko Kusakabe—were killed in under a minute?"
Staring at the white-haired girl undergoing emergency treatment in the ICU, a high-ranking AST official in a suit pressed a hand to his aching forehead.
"Damn it. She must survive. That's an order."