As the Artificer sat on his throne atop the Tower of Babel while attempting to cleanse his realm of viruses, he felt something.
Unfortunately, it wasn't the presence of the Admiral, but something he didn't expect.
A portal opened in the center of his room and a horribly wounded Kronos emerged from it. He fell to the floor.
The Artificer could see a hole in his chest. It seemed as if his arms and legs had been removed, but were roughly re-attatched using magic.
After a moment, he managed to stand up and looked at the Artificer.
"Kronos? What is the meaning of this? Did you have an encounter with the Admiral?"
"Admiral...? Who? Nevermind... That isn't important! We are in terrible danger, my Lord!"
"I am confused... What is going on?"
"The Destroyer...Mizik Iratus overwhelmed us! We couldn't defeat him! He killed everyone except Nasumi and destroyed our Deus Arms!"
"But...I just spoke to you mere hours ago! You told me a very different story! You said that-"
"Forgive me, my Lord! But creating that abomination was a terrible mistake! He steals our powers for himself and uses them as weapons against us! He stole my memories and changed into me just before leaving the sphere!" Kronos pleaded.
Realization seemed to enter the Artificer's eyes. And moments later, his face twisted in horror.
"He's...loose? The Destroyer is loose...? Then..."
"MY LORD!!! WE MUSE EVACUATE!!! WE MUST-"
There was a bright flash from far away as an immense shockwave of destructive energy blasted the viewing glass out all around the room.
The Artificer and Kronos looked out in surprise to see a black tornado forming near where the Cursebreaker was placed.
The tornado expanded and created a hurricane storm. Black lightning struck everything in its vicinity as the storm obliterated all in its path.
"So that's how it is...? I see... Then it means the third generation weapon has unlocked his true potential. This is both good and bad..."
"My Lord...?"
"Come closer, Kronos. I will repair you. We will wait for the Deatroyer to reach us. Then, we will end this."
Kronos nodded and scrambled to get closer to his master.
All the while a destructive and chaotic hurricane obliterated the world outside.
* * *
I felt sorry for leaving them out of this. Isabella and Cassandra deserved to be here every bit as much as I did.
But I saw this as being personal.
My entire life was an experiment. A game.
And I did not take kindly to being played with.
I wanted to show the Artificer that I wasn't a failure at all. That I was, in fact, his perfect creation.
I am Mizik Iratus, third generation exo-human. The first of the type-3's.
And I would be the one to kill Difar. No one else.
I flew towards the tower in the center of the realm as a swarm of drones began targeting me.
I smiled as I once again assumed the form of Perfect Vengeance.
My arms were cloaked in the black metal gauntlets as my hair turned white and flowed behind me.
I created a thousand blades to slice my enemies to pieces as I shot through the blockade they created. Moments later, I impacted the tower.
It had a barrier over its outer layer, but breaking such a thing was child's play to me. I shattered the barrier and broke into the tower with ease.
The resulting explosion destroyed several parts of the laboratory directly within.
As I looked on at the wreckage, my face twisted in both disgust and anger.
How had I managed to get unlucky enough to see such a sight?
As far as I could see, there were rows of tanks filled with green liquid.
In each tank...was another me.
The tanks that shattered as I arrived had their specimens fall to the floor. They laid on the ground unconscious. Unable to even move
They were only flesh...without souls or programming to guide them.
I walked forward and a researcher approached me. He appeared human, and although terrified, he came close regardless.
As soon as he realized who I was, he smiled.
The urge to erase him where he stood was strong, but I resisted out of curiosity.
"What the hell is all of this?" I asked.
"Backups...good sir. In case you failed. But I can see that you've grown wonderfully!"
Upon closer inspection, I realized that he looked a lot like my father. Although much older and a lot scrawnier.
I turned my head as I heard drones attempting to get into the tower where I broke in and summoned more blades to destroy them. Then I created a barrier of shields to block them out.
The researcher seemed greatly pleased by this action.
"Such power! You are everything I'd hope'd you'd be! The most powerful weapon ever created! More so than Vengeance or any of those pitiful Deus Arms! A being that can think and move on his own! A being that can adapt and grow infinitely! Our perfect savior!"
"I'm not a savior."
"Oh, but you are! You will slay the Source and save Creation. To me, you are a savior! A hero! Maybe not a holy one, but a hero nonetheless."
"When I tear the Artificer's head off and burn this realm to the ground, will you still consider me a hero?"
"Of course. I am infinitely replaceable. It only makes sense for my magnum opus to prove his dominance by never allowing another like himself to be created."
"Why...ugh... I don't even know what to ask at this point..." I said as I kept looking at the fake versions of myself.
"As I said, they are backups. Failures go to the graveyard and backups are given new form. They are sent to Avernia...the place where it begins. Once the reset happens, of course. Type-3's are made much better than the others!"
"What...what's the difference between us...?"
"It is simple. Type-1's and Type-2's can only have one and two abilities respectively. Those...inferior versions...are exponentially more powerful at their creation...but have very little room to grow. They are made in a lab. Whereas the essence of a Type-3 is implanted into a suitable host after a natural, biological conception between a male and female with superior genes. A Type-3 can have an infinite number of abilities through using Exo-Adaptability. They start out weak...but can grow infinitely! Truly glorious!"
"...they...?"
"You, specifically. You were the model for the experiment. And the only Type-3 ever successfully created. After your creation, backups were made to your exact parameters to replace...for possible deaths... Sadly, your mother could not handle giving birth to such a...wonderful specimen... She died as a result of birthing a Type-3 Exo-Human..."
"Are you saying that you killed my mother!?"
"Oh! No no no! Not at all, my glorious creation! That particular part of the process was ordered by my master. The Artificer. It as an unfortunate result of the child absorbing too much of her life energy. The Artificer decided to run with it regardless...believing that your healthy birth was a success by itself."
"..."
I was tired of this. It was creepy being so close to these other me's... Even more so than being in the graveyard.
Then I noticed something about this man... He didn't just look like Ulysses...
There was a nametag on his coat. And as I would have guessed, it read: HEAD OF DOMINUS R&D: ULYSSES.
I rolled my eyes and walked past him.
"Thank you for allowing me to see you before my end! It would be a pleasure to die by your hand! My ultimate creation!"
"If you stay here, you will die. Make no mistake. You should leave."
"And miss the glorious moment where my creation bests my master? I think not. I will gladly die to see such a thing! Ahahahaha!!!"
"Whatever...I warned you..."
I blasted open the door to the lab and walked out into the hallway beyond.
I was met with a group of insect-like drones armed with energy blasters.
I smiled as I summoned Eris to destroy them.
She tore through our enemies like a whirlwind and I followed closely behind. Soon, humanoid drones began appearing.
But they really weren't anything special. We tore them to pieces as we made our way to the elevator.
Not to use it, of course. No, we destroyed the elevator and began flying up the empty shaft. Several more drones blocked our path, but Eris annihilated them while laughing maniacally.
Finally, we reached the top of the shaft and broke through into a large throne room.
As I saw the Artificer sitting on his throne, I noticed Kronos standing beside him.
"Figures you aren't dead. Oh well, I'll fix that soon," I said.
"Mizik Iratus, this is your one and only warning. Cease at once or your life is forfeit," the Artificer said.
"So you can deceive us again? I think not. Someone has to pay for being a dirty traitor and it isn't going to be me," I said.
He sighed.
"Of course, I didn't actually believe you'd simply apologize and go away. But that doesn't matter. Soon enough, you'll be back under my control..."
"Before I begin...tell me the truth. Why did you lie to us about being able to make Cassandra a body?"
"Technically... Ah...well... I suppose I can entertain that. I really did want to help, you see? I was not technically lying. I cannot fabricate a real, biological form like the one she was born with. Only the use of creation magic can do such a thing. And I am not permitted to use that. Fabrication is a completely different type of magic..."
"Then what about me? What about the hero party members?"
"You are not fabricated. You are biological, while your soul is only partially fabricated. Now, do you know what a homunculus is? An alchemical abomination. False life. They are artificial beings, but they are fragile. Especially for what you planned to use it for. A body capable of withstanding her power would have to be real. And well...giving her an Exo-Human body would have simply been a mistake. It would have been too powerful... The easiest answer I could give was no."
I felt as if I couldn't argue...
It made sense, at least. He was already wary of how much chaos I would cause. Why would he give me such a weapon?
Still, it made no difference...
"Thank you for explaining. Unfortunately, I'm done talking to you. I'm going to end this so that we can finish what we started with the Corruption," I said.
Kronos stepped forward and the Artificer stood up.
Kronos assumed a battle stance and summoned a black claymore. Much like the one I saw him kill Novak with back on Delvandal.
The Artificer slammed his staff on the ground and a machine circle formed on his back. The gears turned and formed ten arms. He was covered in machinery a moment later as his form changed...
...and finally, a metallic titan now stood before us. Wielding twelve different weapons.
The Deus Arms.
I smiled.
This shouldn't take long...hopefully.
Eris was the first to attack. She shot forward and was blocked by Kronos.
"DIE FOR ME!!! FACE THE WRATH OF THE DESTROYER!!!" Eris roared.
The Artificer move his arm holding Strength and it changed into a massive hammer.
He bolted towards Eris with an unnatural speed and slammed his hammer down into her.
She deflected it with her claws and Kronos impaled her through the chest.
But she laughed as her body dispersed.
I simply summoned her again.
"Killing her is pointless, you know?" I said.
"Good point. We will deal with you instead!" The Artificer said.
I disappeared and reemerged behind the Artificer. My claws struck him but dealt no damage at all.
My eyes went wide as he turned and hit me in the chest with Strength and Honor.
I slammed into the wall and fell to the floor.
"My creations are not permitted to harm me. When you awakened that power, you lost the ability to kill your master. Now then...what were you saying about ending this?"
It was almost funny to me at this point.
For some reason, he thought I couldn't just modify my own abilities to suit my needs.
"Progenitor OS: Supercharge Archmage," I said.
His eyes went wide as I quickly modified the Exo-Human abilities to suit my needs. I removed the limiter disallowing me from harming the Artificer.
Then I slammed my fist into his chest...blasting him through the wall of his throne room.
"I CAN EASILY ADAPT TO WHATEVER I DESIRE!!! AND NOW, I AM WITHOUT LIMITS!!!" I roared.
Kronos quickly tried to attack me from behind, but I blocked him with a shield.
Then, I broke his sword and placed my claw over his entire head.
"Do me a favor and die this time, won't you?"
I erased Kronos and he fell to the floor as a charred skeleton.
Then I crushed his skull and lept through the hole that the Artificer had made.
As soon as I emerged, three swords nearly impaled me through the torso, but I dodged them using teleportation.
"I am...infinite."
I began rapidly summoning swords of all kinds and ranged weapons to attack him from every angle.
He tried to fly away, but the Cursebreaker arrived and began shooting at him.
"OI!! YOU REALLY THINK YOU'RE JUST GONNA BEAT THE CRAP OUTTA HIM ALL ALONE? WHAT ARE WE EVEN HERE FOR, CAPTAIN!?!?" Rastair shouted over the loudspeakers.
"Damn you, Rastair... But by the gods, I love all of you..."
The Artificer turned towards my ship and aimed Redemption at it.
He fired just before a massive shield appeared over the ship and blocked it. Isabella appeared in the air in front of the Cursebreaker.
"Not so fast. You aren't going to get rid of us so easily, you know?" She said.
"How about I just tell your ship to blow itself up? Those repairs you did certainly gave me the chance to-"
"Already disabled!" Said a familiar voice.
Vakra had finally shown himself.
"WHAT!?!?"
"You think I'm just going to let you program my glorious creation to simply blow itself up? Think again! KEKEKEKEKEKE!!!!"
"RRRAAAAAAAAAGH!!!! I'LL DESTROY YOU ALL!!!!" The Artificer roared.
As he raised his arms to attack, he suddenly froze in place. An army of silver golems cloaked in magenta energy appeared and began firing at him.
All the while he was covered in wires as Cassandra appeared next to her sister.
"MIZIK!!! NOW!!!" Isabella shouted.
I summoned the powers of the thirteen Deus Arms and moved in close.
The Artificer looked terrified, but I could nothing except smile.
"EXTERMINATUS!!!"
Every weapon I summoned began unanimously attacking the Artificer as I used my claws to literally tear him to pieces. And as I did this...
...I didn't forget to absorb his power.
{NEW ABILITIES UNLOCKED!}
{Abilities gained: Progenitor OS: Administrator. Guardian Power: Artificer.}
{Class Change: Arcane Executioner (Enforcer) > Guardian of Creation: Artificer.}
The Artificer's remains began falling from the sky and I motioned towards Eris.
She moved in quickly to erase any remnants of them from existence.
Finally...it was over. I breathed a sigh of relief as Isabella flew over and hugged me tightly.
Just before the chaos hurricane I created could smash the tower, I dispersed it.
There wasn't a reason to destroy this realm anymore as far as I was concerned.
After all...it seemed as though I had just inadvertently become its ruler.