The Eminence in the Shadow 57 Everything Is Within His Expectations

This is an empty, white space that stretches on endlessly. The sky, the ground, and even the horizon; everything is a bland white color.

Alpha and Delta are standing off against Nelson.

Nelson's figure blurs, then there are two of him.

Delta gradually inches forward, body bent low.

Alpha merely stands in place with arms crossed, not even drawing her weapon. Instead, she has her gaze focused on the two Nelsons, carefully observing them.

"...Shi!"

With a sharp exhalation, Delta makes a move.

Her lowered body pounces forward like a beast.

Riding that forward momentum, her jet black blade makes a horizontal slash.

Her sword that is now longer than the average person's height is devoid of technique and heart, filled entirely with pure violence.

The tremendous shock rocks the atmosphere.

Nelson attempts to parry the violence that threatens to mow down everything, and ends up being sent flying.

It appears that he had barely managed to defend himself, but on his face is unmistakable shock.

"You monster...!"

Delta laughs.

But right as she is about to pursue him in a follow-up attack, the second Nelson steps in. His greatsword attempts to intercept the advancing Delta.

But.

"One down."

"Ah...?"

Even before he finishes his swing, the second Nelson's head has sprouted a jet black blade.

Without anyone noticing, Alpha had circled behind him, and stabbed her sword into the back of his head. In the same motion, Alpha chops off his head.

Without sound, without killing intent, as if it's the most normal thing in the world.

Blood fountains into the air, creating a striking stain on the white ground.

But the next instant, that corpse shatters into pieces like a mirror, then disappears.

"The feedback was indeed human. The movements and smell were also human. This is probably a part of the Holy Ground's defense mechanism."

So murmurs Alpha, as she looks at the blood on her sword also fading away.

"Indeed."

Nelson hides his astonishment, then takes a stance. The next moment, he becomes 2, then 4.

"It seems that I had let down my guard a little. Now let's see how you two fare against 4 people."

Leaving 1 behind, the other 3 Nelsons step forward.

Delta plunges into their midst.

The risk of being surrounded by superior numbers means nothing to her. The mad charge towards prey is everything.

"So a mere beast after all..."

Nelson laughs.

Delta also laughs.

She first slices down the foremost Nelson in one attack, sword and all.

But then the two other Nelsons who now surround her assail her together.

The horizontally mowing greatswords converge from both her front and back.

Left without an escape route, Delta parries the greatsword coming from the front, then snaps her head around.

And then.

She bites the greatsword approaching from the back.

Delta's canines pierce into the greatsword, which then shatters with a dull sound.

"Hah...?!"

A stupified exclamation escapes Nelson's lips.

In the time it takes Nelson to rubs his eyes, the two remaining Nelsons have already been killed by Delta.

"How can this..."

Alpha's and Delta's magic should be largely suppressed. Due to the effect of the Holy Ground, their control should also be unstable. That's no state to put up any proper fight.

However, despite being under these conditions, these two have already killed several Nelsons.

This is something that far exceeds the boundaries of common sense.

"Did you two Awake by yourself...? But the method to do so should have been lost long ago..."

Nelson's question is answered only by a smile from Alpha.

Delta seems to be having trouble with controlling her slime bodysuit.

In the end, she gathers it only around her chest and lower body, creating a simple bikini armor.

With the barest minimum of her face and body properly covered, Delta nods in satisfaction.

"W-, well, this much is still within expectation."

So says Nelson in a slightly shaky voice.
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"Behold, then, my full strength!"

Together with those words, the number of Nelsons increase.

Their number is a far cry from anything so far. Going beyond 10, approaching 100 even.

"Mountain of preeeyyyyy..."

Delta laughs with delight, then plunges into their midst once again.

"Can you not even understand numerical disadvantage, you beast!"

But when Delta clashes with the Nelsons, it is Nelson's face that stiffens.

Several Nelsons are sent flying through the air, like some sort of a joke.

"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!"

Delta's roar echoes like some bad quality laughter.

Then begins the massacre.

Alexia watches on with a slack jaw from far away as Delta's jet black blade spins like a tornado.

Her sword is different from Shadow's, different from Alpha's and Epsilon's.

There are no stances, no techniques, only pure violence. It is far removed from what Alexia has come to acknowledge as true strength.

Are you fine with this?

So Alexia would have asked if he had been present.

But she is undeniably strong. To an outrageous degree too.

With Alpha also thrown into the fray, the Nelsons are exterminated in no time at all.

"H-, how... and so easily...!?"

"You must have been a researcher."

So says Alpha, with a slight tinge of pity in her voice.

"No matter how many copies you make, you only have 1 brain. Human brains don't have the capacity to control several bodies. When you bring out a hundred bodies, then they become nothing more than mere scarecrows."

At that moment, Delta defeats the last copy, then walks forward while swinging her tail.

"One last preeyyyy..."

Her face is distorted into a fiendish smile. It is as if she is a wild beast starving for blood.

"Hiii...!"

Nelson backs away.

"And it seems like there's a limit to the number of copies that you can produce."

So comments Alpha while watching on.

In truth, Nelson no longer has the ability to make anymore copies.

And so...

He calls out the final guardian of the Holy Ground.

"Come, come quickly...!"

In response to that pathetic voice, there appears a tear in space.

Light spills out from the split, then forms into the figure of a woman. That figure that looks exactly like Alpha is...

"Olivie..."

So gasps Alexia.

There stands the hero Olivie. However, there is no light in her eyes. Those blank, glass bead-like eyes somehow look sorrowful.

She stands in front of Nelson, as if to protect him.

Delta laughs.

But surprisingly, she does not jump forward. Neither does she approach Olivie's maai.

She is only observing her prey with bloodshot eyes that seem to be licking Olivie all over.

"Hero Olivie... So you really are..."

Alpha bites her lip.

Delta licks her lips, and wipes away her drool.

At that moment.

"Alphsama, the investigation is completed!"

A voluptuous woman in black appears. But for some reason, she is standing quite far away.

"Epsilon... Which means our preliminary inspection is over."

Alpha turns around and begins walking away.

"Y-, you're running away, huh!"

So shouts Nelson in an obviously relieved voice.

"What interest do I have in the life of a small fry? Our aim is the destruction of the source of your power. We now know the full details of the Holy Ground's defenses. Next time, we'll wrench it open with everything we have."

"Y-, you think I'll let you get away?"

"Ara, do you plan to pursue us?"

"Hii!"

Nelson hides behind Olivie.

"Delta, we're going... Delta!"

Alpha grabs Delta by the back of her neck, but Delta throws off her grip and bares her teeth.

"GAHH!!"

"..."

Then with a start, she returns to herself.

"Haun, I'm sorry..."

"We're going."

With ears flattened and tail curled, Delta submissively follows along behind Alpha.

"Alphsama, please hurry! The exit is this way! Hurry, hurry!"

Epsilon is furiously swinging her hands while repeating 'hurry.' The two lumps of slime are going boing boing.

Everyone goes into the shining tear in space indicated by Epsilon, then silence pervades the Holy Ground.

Nelson crumples to the ground, and breathes out a long sigh of relief.

"W-, well, I have remembered the face of that Alpha or whatever. When we get our hands on her blood, the research should make great progress. Everything is still within expectation."

So he mutters to himself for a while.

"First, I should report up. Let's say that I lured them into the Holy Ground, sprung a trap on them, and thus exposed Alpha's identity."

With that, he should be able to protect himself.

"And then... nn?"

That moment, Nelson feels an irregularity in the Holy Ground.

"Don't tell me... a rat has sneaked into the center of the Holy Ground?"

Nelson looks around, then a malicious smile appears on his face.

"Hmph, I just happen to be in need of something to torture to vent this frustration. Olivie, follow."

Then Nelson and Olivie also disappear.

Chapter end