Disclaimer :
The characters and images used in this fanfic do not belong to me but to their rightful author.
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— World: Elicia
Floating Island of Babylon: Garden —
Above the clouds rose a massive floating island, divided into several facilities, suspended over the desert beyond Belfast.
That very desert where Aiden, Leen, Mukuro, Nia, Kurumi, Miku, Tohka, Yuzuru, Kaguya, Origami, Natsumi, Kotori, Yoshino, and Yoshinon were fiercely fighting against the invasion of the Phrases.
"What the heck is going on in there…?" Touya muttered, frowning as he intently observed the screen, similar to a television, floating in front of him in the control room of the [Garden], within the floating Babylons.
Curiosity and concern battled in his gaze, reflecting the strange scene unfolding on the screen.
The screen displayed a massive barrier covering much of the desert.
Touya, Francesca, and the other gynoids from the various facilities of the floating islands had gathered there, expectant of what was happening.
Even the one in charge of the [Library], known for being a complete shut-in who never left her refuge, was present, unable to take her eyes off the scene.
Meanwhile, Touya's fiancées, so attached to him that they rarely left him alone, were on guard in his duchy.
The world leaders were gathered there for an important discussion about the Phrases and strategies to confront them.
However, Touya had postponed the meeting to travel to the desert, far from Belfast, and observe what was happening.
Aware that Aiden was there, along with Leen and her companions, repelling endless waves of Phrases, Touya followed the events from his magical or divine phone.
The "map" screen showed countless red markers representing the Phrases, while the blue markers identified Aiden and 13 other entities.
These moved swiftly, cutting through the swarm of enemies and eliminating thousands of them in seconds.
"Sir, the barrier blocks all vision of the interior," Rosetta reported in a firm but respectful tone.
Her figure, that of an automaton resembling a small child, had orange hair styled in odangos and golden eyes that shone with seriousness.
"Also, I wouldn't recommend trying to cross it. That would be unwise."
Her voice was firm as her nimble fingers operated a holographic keyboard.
The images on the screen shifted rapidly as she attempted to locate a point in the barrier that would allow them to see inside, to no avail.
Frustration was evident on her face.
She was in charge of managing the [Workshop] of the floating Babylons.
"Additionally, even though Aiden would probably allow us to enter, exposing the Babylons to any stray shot wouldn't be the wisest decision. Even with the magical protection of the [Tower], I don't think we should tempt fate against one of Origami's devastating attacks."
The mere mention of Origami's shots caused all the gynoids in the room to let out a stifled gasp.
Origami's "Crown" or [Metatron] was a terrifying memory for them.
They had witnessed its devastating power in the past when it easily bombarded a vast area full of Phrases.
Knowing her destructive capacity, they needed no further reasons to fear.
"Yes, yes! We definitely shouldn't go in there, sir," said Monica, the ever-blunt head of the [Hangar].
Her golden, almond-shaped eyes gleamed with a hint of mischief as she tossed her long, messy red hair.
"Unless, of course, you want to say goodbye to a part of Babylon. Your call."
Touya looked at them incredulously.
He wasn't naïve; he had heard stories about Aiden and his group, whether through legends or from Leen during training.
However, he couldn't help but ask, curious:
"Is it really that dangerous?"
Flora, the head of the [Alchemy Lab], chimed in with a calm tone.
She was an automaton with pink hair, golden eyes, and, to put it mildly, considerable attributes.
"Well, that depends. Origami has impeccable control over her weaponry; those cannons are practically an extension of her body. So, I'd say Monica and Rosetta are exaggerating a bit. It's highly likely none of those light beams would hit us if we decided to enter. But still, it wouldn't be wise to take unnecessary risks. It's better to wait until they finish."
Her response left Touya thoughtful, as the images on the screen continued to show the impenetrable barrier and the blue markers dancing amidst a sea of red enemies.
"I see…" Touya murmured, deep in thought.
Flora offered a sweet smile as she serenely added:
"However, if a light beam did hit us, we would probably disappear from this world along with the Babylons, as if we had never existed."
Her serene tone contrasted with the chilling nature of her words, sending a shiver down his spine.
Touya decided at that moment that he would not go in there, no matter how much he wanted to help Aiden.
However, Leen's words echoed in his mind, reminding him that with his current power level, he would be more of a hindrance than a help.
Even though he had managed to repel 13,000 Phrases in his previous battle, Yulong's disappearance from the map made it clear that he still had much to improve.
'I need to finish [Reginleif] as soon as possible,' he thought, as the schematics of the [Frame Gear] appeared vividly in his mind. 'If I manage to complete it, I'll be able to better protect this world… and prevent tragedies like Yulong's from happening again.'
"And if Origami decided to unleash all her power in a concentrated beam of light, without worrying about the consequences, she could probably destroy the Moon… or, well, at least half of it. Honestly, they're way too over the top," Francesca commented with a mischievous smile, leaning slightly toward Touya, as if enjoying the bewilderment on his face.
"What…?" Touya stammered, incredulous.
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After three long hours of staring at his phone screen, Touya finally saw the number of Phrases dwindle down to just a few thousand… and, a second later, to zero.
The sun was beginning to set on the horizon, giving way to twilight.
It wouldn't be long before the Moon claimed its place in the night sky.
"It's finally over…" Touya sighed with relief, exhaling with a gesture of both exhaustion and satisfaction.
"Yes… This world is incredibly fortunate to have them," Francesca said, her voice imbued with a solemn serenity.
"Without their existence, it's likely that all civilizations would have collapsed a century ago, just as they did five thousand years ago."
All the gynoids, along with Touya, nodded in complete agreement as the momentary peace returned to the air.
/¡Open!/
While they were talking, suddenly a spatial distortion opened in the room.
Aiden emerged from it with a small golden lion perched on his head.
The other girls also came out with Aries Prote and Salamander.
"Phew! That was exhausting!" Kotori exclaimed as she let out an exaggerated sigh, now back in her casual clothes after changing out of her astral dress.
She stretched lazily, as if the weight of the battle still lingered on her shoulders.
"I definitely need a bath right now!"
Then she turned her gaze to Aiden, her tone gaining a playful edge as she drummed her fingers on a table.
"Aiden, be a good boy and open the door with [Kaleidoscope], will you? I want to go back already, pretty please~!" she said, drawing out the last word with an almost bratty air.
/Tap!/
Natsumi, also dressed in casual clothes, gave Kotori a light tap on the forehead.
"Come on, Kotori, don't be rude. We can always take a bath in this world's house, right? Besides, Aiden has things to do and people to talk to here," Natsumi replied nonchalantly.
"I want to go back now!" Kotori protested with a pout, crossing her arms in frustration. "I was enjoying '86 Eight Six,' but those disgusting bugs had to show up and ruin everything!"
Kotori was visibly frustrated.
She had been engrossed in the anime and wanted to finish it, but just as she was watching it, Mukuro appeared in the living room.
Mukuro had accompanied Aiden to Elicia to travel to Étheris in search of Leo Pemptos, Aries Prote, and Salamander, but ended up dragging everyone there due to an invasion.
Her anger was understandable.
While Kotori complained and Natsumi laughed ironically, Kurumi and Nia greeted the Babylon gynoids, Flora and Francesca.
Meanwhile, Aiden went to speak with Touya in another room, practically dragging him along.
The other girls chatted among themselves, though they all looked "exhausted."
Rather, they were annoyed, as the battle against the millions of Phrases hadn't been difficult, just terribly tedious due to the sheer number of enemies.
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"That was exhausting, but at least I got to test the [Spiritual Assimilation] with Leo Pemptos," Aiden murmured as he walked ahead of Touya.
Leo Pemptos, in his small form resting on Aiden's head, nodded with a satisfied air.
"Unn, unn, I've never felt so much power in my life. Not even in Étheris, the spiritual world, could such a massive scale be achieved. I think that if you hadn't held back, you could have destroyed at least a continent… or even the Moon," Leo Pemptos commented matter-of-factly.
Hearing those words, Touya froze in place, his lips twisting and an expression of pure horror spreading across his face.
"Destroy the Moon? What would be the point of doing something like that? You'd only cause problems for the planet," Aiden replied, shrugging as he continued walking calmly through the [Garden] of the Babylons.
Around him stretched a landscape filled with plants that were already extinct in the current world.
But then again, that wasn't unusual, considering the Babylons had existed for 5,000 years.
Francesca, moreover, took great care of this garden.
Although she found it boring, she loved flowers, and it was her duty to protect this facility until Touya arrived in the future.
Aiden recalled that this Babylon was the one he visited the most, as the place was incredibly beautiful and perfect for dates.
He often came here with Mukuro, Nia, and the others.
A soft laugh escaped his lips as he remembered the disgusted looks Francesca would throw at them every time she saw so much "sugar" floating in the air.
I couldn't help but curse them all for still being single.
Honestly, the Gynoids were quite weird and eccentric.
But, thinking about it, it made sense: Regina Babylon had created them from her own personality, dividing it into nine parts.
Let me tell you something: Dr. Regina Babylon was weird.
Very WEIRD.
She was a lolicon (yes, she liked little girls), and that's why most of the Gynoids were lolis.
Besides, she was a textbook pervert.
Who do you think Francesca got her personality from?
Exactly, from Regina.
She was unbearable.
You only have to observe the Gynoids to understand it.
In fact, the only Gynoids that could be considered "normal" were Fam, the administrator of the [Library], and Noel, the caretaker of the [Tower].
But there was an explanation for that: Fam was a NEET who never left the library, and Noel spent all day sleeping.
All the others… well, they were definitely weirder.
And that's how the nine Gynoids, or rather, the nine Babylon sisters, were born.
"Anyway, Touya…" Aiden averted his gaze, lost in thought, and then fixed his eyes on him with a firmer expression.
Touya was still processing the whole "destroying the Moon" thing, so his expression remained one of pure horror.
"What's wrong, little god? You look like you've seen a ghost," Leo Pemptos said with a mocking smile, almost challenging him.
/Cough! Cough!/
Touya cleared his throat awkwardly, trying to cover it up.
"It's nothing. Anyway, Aiden-san, what did you want to talk to me about?" he asked, shifting his gaze to the small lion resting peacefully on Aiden's head.
"And what's that? Your familiar?" he added curiously.
Aiden slowly shook his head.
"It's a spirit. But putting Leo Pemptos aside, I brought you here to talk about the future."
Aiden's expression turned serious. He had been reflecting on Touya's role in protecting this world.
Even though he had managed to annihilate most of the humanoid Phrases, the danger had not completely disappeared.
There were still the low, mid, and high ranks, the ones that acted as cannon fodder.
With a similar number to today's, Touya wouldn't stand a chance. And if that happened… boom, the world that had taken a century of effort to protect would be destroyed.
"The future…," Touya murmured, aware of how disastrous this world—and the fate of his loved ones—would have been if Aiden and his wives hadn't intervened.
He was about to thank him, but Aiden interrupted him.
"You don't need to thank me or anything like that, Touya. This world, even if it's not my homeworld, means a lot to me. I've lived here for 100 years; it's only natural that I've grown attached to it. Besides, I would never allow Leen's world to be destroyed," Aiden said, his gaze lost in the flowers of the garden, as if his words were rooted in every petal.
Even though he no longer had to bother protecting this world, it was clear how much he cherished it.
There were too many memories here, dear moments for both him and the girls.
They couldn't just stand by and watch this place be destroyed.
Moreover, Aiden would never allow Leen to be sad.
That's why, even if it meant extra effort, he was determined.
However, his approach would be different: he would focus on cultivating the people of this world.
Of course, in the end, he would leave that responsibility mainly in Touya's hands.
"I see…," Touya murmured, though deep down, he was determined to do everything in his power to help Aiden in the future.
"Anyway, I'll give you some materials to study. They'll be useful for improving the combat strength of your subordinates, and who knows, maybe you'll find something that benefits you as well. Plus, I'll provide you with technology to optimize your [Frame Gears]. Make sure to hand it over to Monica and Rosetta," Aiden said, stroking his chin thoughtfully.
Suddenly, a golden portal appeared in his hand, and from it, he pulled out a book, which he extended toward Touya.
"This here?" Touya asked curiously as he took it and examined it with some intrigue.
Upon opening it and reading a bit, he swallowed hard.
The content was incredible; not only was it useful, but it also didn't seem complicated to train.
"This book details a power system based on the manipulation of life force, or 'Ki.' All living beings possess 'Ki,' so any of your subordinates could practice it. If any of them have enough talent, they might even be able to master their own [Touki]. I already tested it in the last battle, and [Touki] was extremely effective against the Phrases. That's why I'm leaving it to you. But listen carefully: think very carefully about whom you give this knowledge to, alright? Someone who masters 'Ki' could kill another person with a single blow, simply by crushing their head. Don't take this decision lightly," Aiden said seriously, fixing his gaze on Touya.
"Understood, there will be no problem with that," Touya replied with a calm yet serious smile, maintaining his confident tone.
"Yumina, one of my fiancées, has mystical eyes that allow her to discern people's true nature and detect any lies. I plan to conduct tests and ask questions to those I consider granting this power to, and Yumina will be by my side to ensure they are worthy of receiving it. Her ability will be of great help. Truly, thank you very much for trusting me, Aiden-san."
Aiden waved his hand indifferently; he didn't mind entrusting this to Touya.
After a brief conversation, he offered him some advice on 'Ki' training and then handed him several books related to [Sacred Gears] technology.
Although he didn't share all his knowledge, the material would be enough for Touya to improve his giant robots or [Frame Gears] and even develop weapons for people who didn't use them.
As Touya reviewed the immense torrent of knowledge before him, he could only let out a sigh and think:
"I have no idea what I'm looking at… This is completely beyond my grasp."
Aiden let out a hearty laugh, while Leo Pemptos, comfortably seated on his head, mimicked him with a mocking grin.
"That's normal, this isn't your thing. Leave it to Monica and Rosetta. I'm sure they'll find a way to turn this into something useful for you," Aiden said with total confidence.
"Unn." Leo Pemptos nodded enthusiastically before adding:
"Little god, you could also turn to the spirits of Étheris. Although their power is limited outside the spiritual world, they can be of great help. And now, thanks to the technology Aiden-sama has provided you to create 'vessels' that allow them to manifest in the material world, you'll surely find many minor and mid-rank spirits willing to collaborate with you."
The golden lion spoke with enthusiasm, and Aiden nodded.
It was a good idea.
The spirits, bored in their world, would surely accept the proposal.
Moreover, each soldier could have a spirit as a companion once Monica and Rosetta manufactured the vessels using the technology Aiden had just given Touya.
Seeing that Touya seemed a bit lost, Aiden decided to explain Étheris, the spirit world, to him.
After a while of explanations, Touya finally nodded.
"That would be incredibly useful… though, to be honest, I have no idea how to get to Étheris," he confessed with an awkward smile.
"I'll give you the coordinates."
Aiden gently placed his hand on Touya's forehead, transmitting the information with a flash of energy.
"There you have them. If you need help crossing dimensions, look for Karen, the Goddess of Love. She has much more experience than I do in handling divine power."
Touya nodded as they continued talking.
With patience, Aiden gave him advice on how to strengthen himself, as well as his fiancées and subordinates.
He explained that upon arriving in Étheris, he should unleash all his divinity, as some spirits would surely be drawn to him upon sensing it.
Additionally, he recommended seeking out the little fairy Sylphide and mentioning that he came on his behalf; that way, she would help him.
He also suggested taking advantage of all the Phrasium (the corpses of the Phrases) left in the desert to craft weapons from that material.
After a while, Aiden decided to take his leave.
He opened a portal in front of the Gynoids and Touya and returned to his residence in this world alongside Mukuro, Leen, and the others.
After the intense battle against the Phrases, he also needed a bath—urgently.
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A/N:
Is anyone still here?
Honestly, I was absent for several days, but if you're still reading, thank you for following my story.
Real life has been busy and stressful; with so much going on, it's impossible to find inspiration and patience to write for hours.
But well, I've solved several of my problems, and today I woke up feeling like writing.
Let's hope it stays that way in the future!
Thank you, as always, for your comments and for reading, dear reader.
By the way, 86 Eighty-Six is a masterpiece.
I've watched it like ten times and still cry as if it were the first.
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