...
{3rd Pov}
The next day arrived, and the five camps allowed themselves a brief period of rest, taking the opportunity to sleep in shifts and recover as much as possible.
Up until this point, they had been able to verify that Pride had not gone back on his words; he had not launched any attacks, nor had he shown any signs of hostility.
However, this temporary calm did not eliminate the danger looming over them.
The situation only indicated that a confrontation with the Sin Archbishops in Central Plaza was inevitable. Even then, they needed to exercise extreme caution.
It was entirely possible that the Sin Archbishops, once their attention was entirely focused on the main battle, might attempt to strike elsewhere, perhaps by taking innocent people hostage to create chaos and leverage.
While such a scenario was unlikely, the commanders and their forces could not afford to place any trust in their enemies.
The final plan had been carefully devised: only the core fighters would directly participate in the battle against the Sin Archbishops.
Meanwhile, the remaining Knights and mercenaries would have dual responsibilities—not only to protect the city's commoners from harm but also to engage offensively if any Sin Archbishop attempted to approach or threaten them.
The strategy was straightforward yet precise.
They intended to isolate each Sin Archbishop and lure them into areas where soldiers and mercenaries had already been strategically positioned and were waiting in readiness.
Once the Sin Archbishops were drawn into these controlled zones, the forces would jump on them and launch a coordinated assault, overwhelming their opponents with superior numbers and significantly greater firepower.
In preparation for this confrontation, they had gathered every possible advantage the city's resources could provide.
Magic cannons had been readied and positioned, magicians trained in offensive and defensive spells were on standby, and highly skilled knights stood prepared to strike with precision and force.
At the very least, they had assembled everything within the city's capabilities that could give them even a slight edge in the upcoming battle.
The next day, when the time of the wind had arrived, the elite team from the alliance of the five Royal Camps prepared to depart for Central Plaza.
The team was composed of Emilia, Priscilla, Crusch, Julius, Felix, Wilhelm, Heinkel, Felt, Ricardo, Alderban, Garfiel, Beatrice, and Subaru—a carefully chosen group of the most capable fighters from across the camps.
For this mission, Heinkel had undergone an extensive transformation, including makeup and other alterations, making him eerily similar in appearance to Reinhardt.
To add to the illusion, he even carried the real sheathed Dragon Sword, ensuring that anyone observing from a distance would mistake him for the legendary knight.
This ruse was a critical part of their plan to catch Pride completely off guard.
While Heinkel acted as Reinhardt in the open, the real Reinhardt would move along a separate, hidden route, lying in wait for the perfect moment to strike.
The goal was to surprise Pride, preventing him from reacting in time, and then swiftly eliminate him.
Pride's ability to kill anyone was known to be nearly unstoppable, but the team had observed and suspected one potential limitation: he seemed to require seeing the target and snapping his fingers for his power to take effect.
Even if this were not strictly necessary, the question remained—how could Pride effectively kill anyone if he could not see them or was unaware of their presence?
This slight vulnerability, however small, offered the team their best chance.
Once Pride was dealt with, they could then focus on handling the other Sin Archbishops individually, confident in their ability to defeat them one by one.
There was, however, a minor complication: Reinhardt's very presence functioned as a mana vacuum, absorbing energy from the surrounding environment.
Heinkel, despite his skill and training, did not naturally possess this ability.
The solution devised by the team was twofold: Reinhardt had acquired a new Divine Protection spell that would block his own mana absorption, while Beatrice would cast an additional spell to artificially enhance Heinkel's mana absorption, allowing the disguise to function convincingly.
While the disguise was, at its core, superficial, it was expected to be sufficient to fool the Sin Archbishops.
After all, none of them had ever encountered Reinhardt in person.
Their knowledge of him was limited to his facial appearance, the sight of his iconic Dragon Sword, and his formidable swordsmanship.
Observing these details alone would likely be enough to convince them that Heinkel was indeed Reinhardt.
Heinkel, fully aware of the immense danger Pride posed, had reluctantly agreed to the plan.
He would assume Reinhardt's identity and follow Felt's orders without question making them believe he is Reinhardt and not an impostor, understanding that the success of the operation—and the survival of many—depended on his compliance.
Once everything had been meticulously prepared and all contingencies accounted for, the team departed from their camp.
As they approached Central Plaza, the sight that greeted them was both imposing and unnerving: the Sin Archbishops were already waiting.
At the center of the open plaza, a throne had been placed, and seated upon it was Pride himself, exuding an air of absolute authority as if he were a true king.
Flanking him were two women, each with a presence that drew attention and unsettled the team.
One of the women was immediately recognizable—Frill Shiranui, the enigmatic figure who had boldly proclaimed herself the 'Sword God.'
The second woman, however, was entirely unknown to them.
She had radiant golden hair that seemed to catch the sunlight with every subtle movement, and her piercing golden eyes were fixed on the approaching alliance.
An unmistakable, haughty smirk was plastered across her face, as if she already deemed their efforts to challenge Pride insignificant.
On both far ends of the plaza, the remaining Sin Archbishops stood in formation.
Among them were the familiar figures of Lust, Greed, Wrath, and the two Gluttony siblings.
Yet there was something distinctly unsettling about their posture and presence.
They appeared to be nothing more than puppets, obediently frozen in place under Pride's control.
To the members of the alliance, this was not entirely surprising.
In the meeting the previous day, they had already discussed the possible consequences of Pride's powers.
During that meeting, Lust had mentioned, in a brief announcement, that Regulus was still alive despite Pride's actions.
This revelation suggested only two possibilities: either Pride possessed the ability to reverse death itself, or he had transformed the fallen into mindless corpse soldiers.
Observing the scene before them, the latter appeared to be the case.
The team's attention was drawn to two corpse soldiers, fully clad in the familiar uniform of the Witch Cult.
One of these undead warriors was unmistakably Kurgan, the eight-armed fighter.
Wilhelm, who had clashed with Kurgan during his earlier years, felt an immediate surge of desire to engage him in battle once more.
However, he was acutely aware of Garfiel's burning need for revenge on behalf of Mimi, and he chose to restrain himself, leaving the confrontation to Garfiel.
As the alliance reached the center of the plaza and came to a halt in front of Pride, he clapped his hands together, the sound echoing ominously through the open space.
A wide, mocking grin spread across his face as he spoke, his voice carrying effortlessly over the plaza.
"Well, well, well! What do we have here? The coalition of all five camps? Have you come all this way to challenge the Witch Cult and its might?"
He crossed his legs casually, his posture exuding an unsettling confidence.
Through the folds of his hoodie, which obscured much of his face, the golden glint of his eyes was unmistakable, piercing and calculating as it fell upon the assembled group.
"This concubine is not impressed," Gloria said, her voice dripping with derision.
"Is this weak-looking group of mongrels supposed to amuse my father? Honestly, they are so pathetic that even our least capable member could obliterate them with a single strike."
The statement struck a nerve immediately.
Priscilla, her pride flaring like a wildfire, snapped back with indignation, her voice cutting sharply through the tense air.
"Shut up, vermin! Who gave you the audacity to call my divine self a mongrel? Hear me well, wretched filth—your insolence will be punished! I swear, I shall reduce your body to nothing but ash for this unforgivable insult!"
Gloria's reaction was a soft, chilling laugh, the kind that sounded like she had just heard the most amusing joke of the century.
Even Zero, the Sin Archbishop aligned with Pride, let out a quiet, mirthful chuckle at the exchange, his amusement subtle but noticeable.
Only Frill remained composed, her expression calm, unshaken by the confrontation, as if the entire display held no meaning for her whatsoever.
"Turn me into ash?" Gloria said, her grin widening as her tone became laced with mockery.
"Now that is a joke I haven't heard yet, mongrel! Truly, congratulations—you have succeeded in entertaining this concubine."
The words carried both scorn and an almost playful taunt, designed to provoke and belittle at the same time.
Subaru, unwilling to let the insult slide, fired back instantly, his voice sharp and defiant. "You call us mongrels! But tell me this—what right do you have to say that when you call yourself a 'Concubine'?"
His words were bold, challenging not just Gloria's insult but the audacity of her self-proclaimed title.
The moment he spoke, the reactions of everyone present were instantaneous.
All eyes turned toward Subaru, their gazes sharp, incredulous, and filled with disbelief, as if he had just done something incredibly foolish.
The air was thick with tension, a mix of shock and unspoken judgment, making it clear that Subaru's bold retort had placed him in a precarious spotlight.
Alderban immediately facepalmed, groaning in disbelief.
"Bro?! What were you doing in History class?" he exclaimed, his voice a mix of frustration and exasperation.
His complaint was entirely valid.
In Ancient Japanese, calling oneself a "Concubine" carried very specific and weighty connotations—it was far from a casual or meaningless title.
The term could mean "Her Lady," implying a woman of exceptionally high status, someone who demanded respect simply by her presence.
It also suggested a woman with significant power, influence, or authority, and in many contexts, it referred to a woman who was kept or united with a man of immense power.
In other words, by using that single word, Gloria was not just describing herself casually.
She was declaring, in a bold and unmistakable way, that she was a woman of lofty status and formidable influence and power, united with a man who possessed extraordinary power.
For Subaru, the cultural misstep was glaringly obvious.
He was Japanese, and the language spoken around him was Japanese as well, but the written style, societal norms, and cultural subtleties of this world were entirely different from those of his homeland.
In a setting that resembled a medieval society, with its strict hierarchies and formalities, the stakes of such language errors for a Modern Japanese speaker were far higher than he initially realized.
Failing to grasp the significance of Gloria's choice of words was not just embarrassing—it was almost catastrophic in front of everyone present.
Subaru instantly realized his mistake, and a wave of embarrassment washed over him.
With a resigned sigh, he felt Betty float closer and whisper softly into his ear, explaining the full implications and weight of Gloria's words.
As the meaning settled in, Subaru's face turned a deep shade of red, a flush of shame spreading from his cheeks to the back of his neck.
"Damn it!" he muttered under his breath, his frustration palpable.
"Such a perfect moment… completely ruined… all because my language skills aren't flawless!" The realization stung sharply.
He had intended to make a clever retort, to challenge Gloria and assert himself, yet instead, he had unwittingly revealed his ignorance and misjudged the power of her carefully chosen words.
"That is exactly what rote learning does to you," Pride said casually, shrugging his shoulders as if the statement required no further explanation.
"Shut up! You are not my mother!" Subaru snapped back immediately, frustration boiling over. In a spontaneous reaction, he even raised his hand and showed a middle finger.
He hadn't expected Pride to understand this modern-age gesture, not knowing who was behind the hoodie.
Thankfully, others assumed it was Subaru just being Subaru and in the midst of such a tense situation, they quickly shifted their focus to their enemies.
Pride, however, seemed only more entertained by the display.
"Very well," he said, a grin spreading across his face as the golden glint of his eyes flashed with amusement.
"If you idiots want to dance, then go ahead—entertain us." His tone carried both mockery and challenge, daring them to make the first move.
Without hesitation, Garfiel took the initiative, his body coiling with raw strength and determination. He let out a furious roar, his voice booming across the plaza.
"Bastard! Get ready to die!" he shouted, charging straight toward Kurgan.
His fist swung with incredible force, cutting through the air so rapidly that it produced a loud, crackling sonic boom, signaling the explosive start of the battle.
The confrontation had officially begun.
All around them, tension surged as the alliance prepared to clash with the Sin Archbishops, their combined magic, skill, and sheer resolve ready to collide with the overwhelming power standing before them.
To be continued...
(A/N:Anyway I hope you liked this chapter! Also this should clear your doubts why Gloria refers herself 'as this concubine')
GUYS do you wanna play Rl craft by Shivaxi together?
Actually I have been playing finally on my new laptop and man I love this mod, better than bedrock shit full of glitches.
Currently it is me and Mahdi, yup he is an author as well. Wrote some SI re Zero stuff in Ao3.
It is very simple if you wanna join us. You must be in my discord, and well it's free to join just in case some wanna badmouth me, I am here look for playmates not Patreon okay!
I will continue with Patreon details with next chap, hehe.
First you need A PC, a Mac or whatever the mod we are playing is very lightweight and since 50% of the game will run on my pc you just need a good internet connection.
Requirements are just 4gb ram and official minecraft, Idk if pirated will work.
We are using curseforge and Rl craft by Shivaxi alongside Essentials modpack installed in it for multiplayer. Version is 1.12.2 so it is very lightweight.
Maybe if your pirated rl craft can have essentials mod 1.12.2 then we can play together.
If I see many people joining I will get us a server later down the line.
I usually play from IST 12 to 4. It is lot of fun, we have been dying like Subaru and our first two days were just getting cooked alive by dragon, frozen, and dying.
Just give us prep time and I will be back to hunting fire, ice and thunder dragons and serpents in no time. I used to do it back in my day in Pirated minecraft Tlauncher with i3 processor and 4gb ddr4 ram laptop!
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Yeah u also should know what Rl craft is and watch tutorial, I had enough babysitting Mahdi and others.
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