"Don't be distracted by the what-if's, should-have's, and if-only's. The one thing you choose for yourself - that is the truth of your universe."
— Kamina, Gurren Lagann
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Roy retrieved the Dragon Slayer sword, Ascalon, from his Storage magic.
"Saeko, catch!" he called out, tossing the sword towards her.
Saeko caught the sword and her eyes widened in recognition.
"It's the Dragon Slayer, Ascalon!"
"Give it your all, Saeko. You've got this!" Roy encouraged her with a grin and a wave.
"I won't let you down!" Saeko responded, a determined smile spreading across her face.
She drew Ascalon and charged towards the Demonic Spirit once more.
"Thunder Breathing, Seventh Form: Honoikazuchi no Kami!"
This was a combination technique derived from other forms of Thunder Breathing.
It involved a lightning-fast thrust, too quick for the naked eye to follow, creating a golden dragon of lightning that surged towards the target.
Saeko had mastered this technique under Roy's guidance.
The Demonic Spirit raised its shield to block the attack.
The golden dragon of lightning struck the shield, then pierced through it, continuing its trajectory.
It struck the ground behind the Demonic Spirit, exploding in a burst of lightning.
The Demonic Spirit vanished, dissolving into countless black particles.
Saeko had defeated it with a single strike.
"Wow! Saeko-nee-san is amazing!" Alice and the three little girls from the Butterfly Mansion cheered, clapping their hands excitedly.
The other girls also looked at Saeko with admiration.
Even Akame admitted to herself that she couldn't have defeated the Demonic Spirit so quickly.
Esdeath nodded in approval, acknowledging Saeko's strength.
Although Esdeath got along well with everyone, earning her true approval wasn't easy.
She believed in strength above all else.
Saeko's performance had finally earned her respect.
"Roy, I've completed the task," Saeko said, slightly out of breath as she approached Roy and presented him with Ascalon.
She had enjoyed the intense battle.
Her exhilarated expression was proof of that.
Roy, however, didn't take the sword. He shook his head with a smile. "Saeko, this sword is for you."
"Eh?" Saeko stammered, taken aback. "But then... you won't have a sword to use!"
"Haha, don't worry. I already have my eyes on something else. I won't be needing this sword," Roy reassured her.
"If that's the case, then I gratefully accept," Saeko said, no longer refusing his gift.
With the Demonic Spirit dealt with, they continued enjoying their meal under the moonlight.
After witnessing Saeko's power, no other Elemental Spirit approached them.
The night passed peacefully.
The next day, Roy led the girls in a certain direction.
"Where are we going, Roy?" Rias asked curiously.
"We're going to find the Dark Elemental Lord," Roy replied.
He had explained the situation in this world to the girls the night before.
So, they knew that the Dark Elemental Lord was about to go to war with the other five Elemental Lords.
"Where is she?"
"You'll see."
Although Roy didn't know her exact location, he had ways of finding her.
They moved swiftly through the forest.
Soon, Roy stopped, sensing the presence of a high-ranking Elemental Spirit.
In a pool of water beneath a waterfall, a beautiful young woman was bathing.
She had long, flowing blue hair, delicate features, and a stunning figure.
High-ranking Elemental Spirits typically had human-like forms, except when they transformed into weapons.
They were rare and powerful, and they were all beautiful girls.
Mine covered Roy's eyes with her hand. "No peeking!" she scolded playfully.
Roy chuckled. "Come on, it's just an Elemental Spirit."
"Hmph! Even if it's an Elemental Spirit, you can't look," Mine insisted.
Surprisingly, Saya agreed with Mine. Weren't they usually arguing?
"Who are you? This is my territory!" the Elemental Spirit in the water noticed them.
Elemental Spirits had a strong sense of territoriality, especially high-ranking ones.
The spirit emerged from the water.
"Hey, put some clothes on!" Mine shouted, still covering Roy's eyes.
"Eh? What are clothes?" the Elemental Spirit asked, tilting her head in confusion.
Having never interacted with humans before, she naturally didn't know about clothes.
"Leave my territory, or I'll force you out," she warned.
Suddenly, she transformed into a massive python, over a hundred meters long.
The girls gasped in surprise.
A beautiful girl turning into a monstrous snake in the blink of an eye was quite a shock.
"Wait, I have a question," Roy said, approaching the python.
"I don't want to answer any questions. Leave my territory," the python hissed, lashing out with its tail.
Roy sighed and conjured an ice wall, effortlessly blocking the attack.
Bam!
The python roared and lunged at Roy, its jaws wide open.
"It seems I have to subdue you before we can have a proper conversation," Roy muttered.
"Freeze!"
He slammed his hand on the ground, and a layer of ice spread rapidly, encasing the python's body, leaving only its head free.
"Now, are you willing to answer my question?" Roy asked with a smirk.
The python struggled for a while, then, realizing it couldn't break free, lowered its head in defeat.
"I'll answer your question," it hissed.
"Then return to your original form," Roy said.
He found the monstrous snake form rather unpleasant. He preferred the beautiful girl.
Roy released the ice, and the python transformed back into the blue-haired girl.
Saya and the others glared at Roy, and Rias pouted.
Roy ignored them and addressed the Elemental Spirit. "Do you know where the Dark Elemental Lord is?"
"What? The Dark Elemental Lord?" The girl trembled at the mention of that name.
...
After listening to the girl's explanation, Roy and the others finally understood the current situation.
The war between the Elemental Lords had already begun.
Logically, the Dark Elemental Lord shouldn't be able to win against the combined might of the other five Elemental Lords.
But for some reason, she had become incredibly powerful.
After a fierce battle, the two sides were currently at a stalemate.
However, Roy knew this was only temporary.
The Dark Elemental Lord was being corrupted by the True Darkness and would eventually lose control.
But it was also because of the True Darkness that she had become so powerful.
The Elemental Spirit they had encountered was originally a subordinate of the Water Elemental Lord.
After witnessing the Dark Elemental Lord's power in the previous battle, she had fled to the edge of the Elemental Spirit World to escape the war.
This meant they were currently at the edge of the Elemental Spirit World.
The Dark Elemental Lord's territory was to the south.
And the territories of the other five Elemental Lords were to the north.
They had to act quickly. If the Dark Elemental Lord was completely consumed by the True Darkness, it would be disastrous.
"So, who wants this Water Elemental Spirit?" Roy asked, turning to the girls.
"Eh? Aren't you going to let me go?" the Water Elemental Spirit exclaimed in surprise.
"Ahem, I never said that," Roy replied, feeling a bit awkward. He felt like he was bullying a child.
Although the girls sympathized with the Elemental Spirit, their desire to become stronger outweighed their pity.
But none of them spoke up first. Many of them wanted this Water Elemental Spirit.
"Alright, how about this? Everyone who wants her, raise your hand. Rias, you can too. But ultimately, I'll decide who gets her," Roy declared.
The girls agreed.
Those who wanted the Elemental Spirit raised their hands.
Aika, Murayama, Katase, Yuriko, Rika...
Even Koneko and Kiyome Abe seemed eager but were too shy to raise their hands.
Roy didn't mind. There were plenty of other Elemental Spirits.
"I'll give this Water Elemental Spirit to Yuriko," he decided.
After all, Yuriko was one of his first servants, but she was still a Low-Class.
It was time to boost her strength.
Moreover, Yuriko practiced water magic and possessed the Teigu "Black Marlin," which would synergize well with the Water Elemental Spirit.
"Saya, did you see that? I got the Elemental Spirit!" Yuriko cheered, jumping up and down excitedly, grabbing her daughter's hand.
"Yes, yes, I know. Geez..." Although Saya was happy for her mother, she couldn't help but feel a bit envious.
Yuriko ignored her daughter's tsundere act and approached Roy.
"Go ahead and use the Pact Magic," Roy instructed.
There were various types of contract magic, such as Master-Servant contracts and Peerage contracts.
The Pact magic would allow Yuriko to merge with the Water Elemental Spirit's power.
She would be able to fully utilize the spirit's power in battle.
Of course, this also meant their lives would be linked. They would share each other's fate.
"Understood." Yuriko nodded and approached the Water Elemental Spirit.
"Don't resist, or I'll turn you into snake soup, got it?" Roy threatened the spirit with a smile.
The timid Elemental Spirit nodded frantically, too scared to disobey.
Yuriko then began the contract ritual. With the spirit's cooperation, the contract was formed smoothly.
With the Water Elemental Spirit's power, Yuriko's strength instantly soared to High-Class.
It was a significant leap in power, skipping two ranks.
Of course, Yuriko would need some training to fully utilize the spirit's power.
Saya, Rika, and the others were envious.
After the contract was formed, Yuriko released the Water Elemental Spirit.
She knew Roy's preferences, after all.
"Ahem, you can't do that when others are around," Roy whispered in her ear.
"Of course, I know," Yuriko replied with a wink.
Saya glared at them.
"By the way, what's your name?" Roy asked the Water Elemental Spirit.
"I-I'm called Nim," she replied timidly, hiding behind Yuriko.
"Now, lead us to the Dark Elemental Lord's territory."
"Really? We're going there?"
"Yes, lead the way."
Nim, though terrified of the Dark Elemental Lord, was even more afraid of Roy.
They followed Nim.
The Elemental Spirit World was vast.
Even with their speed, it took them half a month to reach the border of the Dark Elemental Lord's territory.
Roy didn't enter immediately. Further ahead, there would be many of the Dark Elemental Lord's subordinates patrolling the area.
To capture the Dark Elemental Lord, he needed to assess her strength first.
This task was best suited for Chelsea.
"Chelsea, go and scout the area," Roy instructed.
"No problem! Leave it to me," Chelsea replied confidently, popping a lollipop into her mouth.
She used her Teigu, "Gaea Foundation," to transform into a small bird and flew into the Dark Elemental Lord's territory.
"Will she be alright?" Rias asked, worried.
"Haha, don't worry. Chelsea's Teigu allows her to transform into anything. Unless she gets too close to the Dark Elemental Lord, she won't be discovered," Roy reassured her.
Chelsea was an elite assassin of Night Raid. This kind of reconnaissance mission was child's play to her.
She wasn't like those comedic relief characters in anime who always messed up.
If she made mistakes, she would have died long ago.
Rias didn't question him further.
They waited patiently.
A day later, a small black cat leaped into Roy's arms, nuzzling him affectionately.
"So, how did the investigation go?" Roy asked, stroking the cat's head.
The cat transformed back into Chelsea. "I've gathered the necessary information," she reported.
"Here." Roy handed her a lollipop.
The girls looked at Chelsea expectantly.
Chelsea unwrapped the lollipop and popped it into her mouth. "According to my investigation, the Dark Elemental Lord has one subordinate who's a high-ranking Dragon spirit, the Dragon King, Bahamut."
"And there are thirteen other high-ranking Elemental Spirits, as well as tens of thousands of mid-ranking and low-ranking spirits."
"That's the extent of her forces, at least as far as I could tell. There might be other hidden forces as well."
Chelsea didn't want to make any guarantees. After all, there might be areas she couldn't access.
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