" Kuh, kkrrrhhehehehe... " Vlad chuckles while shivering as Carla's ice froze him.
" What's so funny? " Carla asks while deciding to put [Ice Barrier] around her body,
Vlad just chuckles, despite his humiliating defeat in his first debut. But still, being a crazed person as he is, defeat is nothing to him, even humiliation brings him joy.
" Inttterrresting..., Iiii feeeel nooo ppppaiinnn... " Vlad says it while shivering, Carla's ice was so cold that he couldn't feel the pain in his body anymore.
" It wasn't even close... " Carla tells Vlad, and she stares at him.
" So..., Vlad 'Ragna' Arcanon... " Carla calls Vlad's name, she says it while sharpening her sight, seeing Vlad shivering with cold which slowly deactivates his body movements to even reply.
" The powers are from Zeus, isn't it? "
" 'Time interference, friction, even thunder sparks... " Carla recounts everything she sees.
" There's no denying it, only Lord Zeus would dare to give it to the likes of you. "
" To think the likes of you even carried the name 'Ragna', too. " Carla says it, she began not to call him by his name, seeing him unworthy to even be seen as a person.
" Iiit isss a poweerrfulll nnnammme... " Vlad replied, he chuckles.
" EEvveennn thee gggoddss..., ooonnce ffffeared it. " Vlad says.
" But no more, Carla believe... " Carla replied.
" It's been so much time that the gods dealt with everything regarding such things, fearing one name. "
" After many timelines, guess the gods began to come to the point where they could alter or even manipulate the 'prophecy' itself. " Carla says it but begins to remember her Grandfather.
"( Should Carla detain this one, perhaps with this Carla could confirm...- )" Carla stops the thought as she dodges an incoming fire-like arrow, making her flee backward, leaving flad in front of her.
"( Who just- )" Before Carla could think, many pillars of metal immediately formed around her, circling and imprisoning her in the center. After the pillars were put in, it immediately activated a barrier produced by the devices implanted in each metal pillar.
" Target captured. " a voice comes behind Carla and Carla sees a tall blonde woman with metal and mechanic armor around her.
" Carla... " a voice calls Carla's mind.
" Mrs. Diane, what is- "
* Battle Maiden tells Carla what she felt. *
" Impossible, Carla thought that the person is- "
" Still incubated? " a man's voice comes, as a projector shows a certain holographic projection.
" Thank you, ARS-23, and by the way... "
" You girls are right, Battle Maiden... "
" Carla. " said the holographic projection as it showed himself as Zeus.
" Lord Zeus!? " Carla and Battle Maiden gasped simultaneously, as Zeus could hear their voices in that one body.
" How very interesting..., to think my venture in the world of dreams could make a difference this time. "
" Shame the Oneiroi might not have the chance to witness the change of fate that I've made. "
" The Oneiroi...? " Carla asks, she remembers those Diviners, but can't remember that much, perhaps she rarely met them in the past timelines.
" Is it the Maiden talking or is it you..., Carla Ragna Hikari Kent? "
" My precious Divine Hero, in every Timeline? " Zeus asks while grinning.
" So, Lord Zeus already knew...? " Carla asks as she looks back at Vlad while also looking at ARS-23.
" Like I said, I knew things after my venture into the world of dreams... "
" Using the realm itself, I knew I could find the Demon's identity there despite some setbacks. " Zeus says while showing the wound in his head.
" The White Demon was too focused on protecting his secrets even in his dreams... "
" But what about the secrets of the others who knew him, with that, now I could tip the scales again in my favor. " Zeus tells Carla how he knew which makes Carla increase her awareness.
" So it seems Lord Zeus plans to eliminate Carla with Mrs. Diane, Carla knows Lord Zeus is aware of Carla and Mrs. Diane's potential... "
" Let Carla guess, this barrier is where Lord Zeus will try to eliminate us, eliminating two birds with one stone? " Carla bluntly asks which made Zeus chuckle.
" Guess Carla could say that too, kehehehe~ " Zeus menacingly chuckles.
" Of course, I will think such a thing, especially since I know Carla is inside the Maiden's body. "
" Blame Carla's formalities on calling yourself as a third person. "
" For even a mortal who knew you could immediately recognize you, Mrs. Divine Hero. " Zeus says it he raises his hand, followed by Vlad whom he used as his vessel to conjure his power at that place.
" Carla remembered this, right? "
" A god could use their Divine Avatar as a medium to release their power. " Zeus says as the skies begin to roar with thunder which made Carla prepared by enhancing the power of her [Ice Barrier].
" Open up! " Zeus' hologram disappears from within the barrier, followed by the skies suddenly vomiting huge amounts of rainwater on top of Carla's imprisoning barrier, immediately raining itself inside it, triggering the elemental effect which made its purpose done.
After Flood of Rain ends, the metal pillar releases and the result is Carla, frozen into a glacial statue as the water circles and freezes the body she's in, stunning her immediately.
" Two birds, one stone..., or statue. " Zeus says while seeing things through ARS-23's eyes.
" Shame Carla, to think we would meet again like this. "
" But for me, the first thing I need to wonder is how the hell a Previous Timeline being like you could possess a person from this Timeline. " Zeus asks himself this, but suddenly he changes the subject.
" I forgot, speaking of the Previous Timeline, I also see 'that person' in the dreams too... "
" That damned White Demon, to think store such thing throughout the Timelines... " Zeus says as ARS-23 can be seen approaching Vlad. "
" Llloorrdd? " Vlad asks while shivering.
" That ice should've killed you, but don't forget that you're my Avatar... " Zeus says as he appears again as a hologram through ARS-23's mechanical visor eyes.
" I let it slide, especially since the enemy you're facing is way above your level... " Zeus stops, he looks around.
" Dammit! where are- "
" My lord? " Vlad asks while he shivers, but Zeus scoffs as he fails to find the thing he searched for and orders Vlad to retreat from the whole Invasion.
" Let the others deal with the things here, we got a great prize... "
" We will return, for now... " Zeus' hologram returns as ARS-23 heats Vlad with her flame ability, making him able to feel again.
" Mmm... " Vlad sees ARS-23 left him after giving him some recovery.
" You're not coming? " Vlad asks as ARS-23 instead leaves the whole Airship deck and flies.
" What an annoying machine... " Vlad says while he approaches the glacial statue of Battle Maiden's body.
" But at least, I bring something home... " Vlad says while licking the statue's face with his disgusting tongue.
( After Vlad leaves. )
" Is he gone? " Izanami asks Hades as the two already fled into the nearby forest.
As Vlad leaves, Hades then remembers how his power and Izanami's decay immediately freed them during Carla's capture, using that moment to break free from Carla's ice and make themselves hide until the coast is clear.
" At least my goddamn brother thinks us dead, even unlikely. "
" But as the Crown's torture device is already Gates away, then the dimensional separation should've cut its connection to our crown. " Hades says as he holds Izanami, holding her let her rest in his arms for a while.
" At least, we could have a little bit of freedom. " Izanami says while being relieved.
" It's only for a while..., the Crown's still in our heads. " Hades tells her, he still can't free himself from it.
" But at least we won't be hurt from this moment, so let's rest. " Izanami replied, as the two decided to rest while the others did their thing.