Infirmary, 3 days Ago— Before the prison break briefing
"Your.... power doesn't require ygg to operate, right?"
"Yes, that is correct"
"So, tell me.... If someone wanted to stop or at least suppress you, how will they go about it?"
"Huh? You're already thinking of ways to kill me?"
"Just answer the damn question!"
Yuki retorted at Arc, with visible irritation
With a sigh, Arc told him about the cage and equipment usually used by the cradle to contain beasts.
"..... Well, if was up against me, that's what I'd use. Without sufficient focus, I can't command my beasts or use my other skills"
"I thought so"
Yuki replied, sinking deeper into his thoughts, muttering while stroking his chin
"Hmmm.... How to counteract it...."
"Uhm... Is there a reason for these questi—"
"WAIT!"
Yuki's sudden outburst startled Arc
"If you have what's her name... Irene swap with your body, she should be able to command your beasts, right? Those equipments affect your own brain and organs, but she's independent of those"
"How do you know about her or that she can control my body? Rei told you?!"
"I was eavesdropping"
"Huh?"
It took a second for him to process that statement
"HUUUHHHH?!"
His face turned beet red upon that realization. Since he was eavesdropping, that meant he also witnessed Arc bawling his eyes out in Rei's arms.
[Fuwahahahahahahaha]
I however, was relishing as Arc couldn't contain his embarrassment. Furiously, Yuki snapped him back on track
"Hey! Focus!"
"Oh, sorry. Well.... You're right. If she took control of my body, the cage will be no hindrance"
"Alright, then—"
"BUT....." Arc interrupted "..... I won't let her"
"Huh!, Why?!"
Arc's face sank as he explained
"I know she has my best interests at heart and only wants to help, but.... I can't ignore the chance she might use my body to kill one of my friends, and I'll be powerless to stop her. I can't.... take that risk, no matter the situation"
Knowing about the incident at Alpine forest from eavesdropping, he knew Arc still felt the weight of his "comrades" death at Irene's hands, so convincing him otherwise would be pointless
"*Sigh fine..... Alright, let's assume you're in a cage, if you try really hard, would you be able to escape?"
"Hmmm....No."
"Tch"
"Although, If I focus really hard, I might have enough for one attack, but no more"
"Lead with that!"
"Haha, sorry"
"Sigh—one's plenty. That technique you used to redirect Rei's purple lightning back in the forest, can you do it in that situation?"
"Yes, but still only once"
"Explain how it works"
Arc explained the specifics—specifically that he can connect the shadows of his beasts or himself to create gates/portals.
"I see... alright, can you enslave these"
Yuki asked, pulling out a jar with some insects
"Ugh, where did you get those?"
"Not important, can you or can't you?"
[He probably picked them from the labyrinth]
"Well....since they're all tier 21s, I should have enough coins"
"Alright, do so"
After Arc did it, Yuki continued.
"I'll attach one to myself and sneak one between Rei's neck and collar, whenever I give the signal, I want you to connect those two shadows forming a portal"
"Sure.... Could you tell me what this is about"
"The plan would go smoother if you don't know, so don't ask....."
Arc could surmise Yuki was formulating a strategy under the assumption Arc got captured, as for the specifics, he wasn't sure.
"... However, I want you to keep something in mind"
"Huh?"
"Even if everyone abandons you, she won't. Even if the world comes crashing around you, believe in Rei"
The seriousness in Yuki's eyes and voice resonated with Arc, he could tell just how much he believes in her, and well... He was the same way.
"Yeah!"
Yuki got up after hearing his response
"C'mon, everyone's waiting for us"
Present time
"You're one crazy bastard, y'know that, Yuki?"
Rei said, purple lightning enveloping her aura. She'd known Yuki long enough to know he had some kind of hand in these chain of events, as well as the endgame in his strategy.
Sending a shockwave of lightning through the whole prison in a single burst, she short-circuited all the collars on the prisoners, destroying them and releasing everyone's ygg.
"What the.....How?!"
Stark exclaimed, however upon noticing the smug grin on Yuki's face, he realized he'd been playing into the oni's hands from the start.
When the labyrinth's location and their escape plan was leaked, Yuki considered the possibility of mole, and after some investigation, concluded Stark was the one.
Since Stark also saw Arc's power, Yuki knew he'd make a move to supress him— since Arc was an unknown, there was a chance Arc would destroy their collars during maintenance period, so Stark had to act before then.
So, he announced a new plan, fully expecting it to fail. He anticipated Stark's plan as well as the fact Rei would rush to save Arc, his slight resistance was just for realism.
While it's true that there isn't enough time to remove one collar, that's only manually by hand. If you destroy the thing, it'll stop functioning, but such a feat is mostly impossible without ygg.
Also, if you use ygg to destroy it, you risk damaging the user from the blast
So, he let the events play out and baited Stark into striking him, at that moment, Arc opened a portal through which Stark's blast exited from the enslaved insect between Rei's neck and the collar, having the blast exit outwards, destroying it without hurting her, after which she'll destroy all the other collars at the same time, a feat only she can accomplish.
Plan A was the original escape, Plan B the expedition, Plan C a possibly failed expedition and Arc swaps with Irene, and this was plan D
Bet it all on Rei to free everyone so Tetsuro can also take down Melissa at his own side
"Go ahead and free Arc, Yuki. I'll cover you"
"Do you really think I'll just stand here and let that happen?!"
Rose retorted, standing in front of the cage..... However, the confident smile and reply from Rei Izanagi made her blood boil
"A Master 5 and Slayer 1...Yep, I can handle both of you myself"
"Why you..."
As she tried drawing her baton, Rei vanished from her field of view, appearing behind her.
She was just that fast
With a lightning coated punch, she sent Rose crashing into the wall, right next to Stark
"Oh my, seems I underestimated you, girlie"
Stark said, impressed. Yuki walked past Rei and destroyed the cage with an ice spell, freeing a disoriented Arc who was also impressed by Rei's display of power.
"Wow, was Rei always this strong?
According to his assessment during their fight in the forest, she was about Specialist 3 without her horn, with a thunder spear made of purple lightning which he figured was her trump card as it was far more powerful than a specialist rank move.
But manifesting her horn shouldn't account for such a stark increase in power.
"The reason for that is Indra"
"Huh?"
"That move she taught you wasn't originally intended for martial arts, y'know. It was created by Rai Izanagi in order to evolve her lightning and access what she called... purple lightning mode"
"purple lightning mode? What a creative imagination"
Arc retorted sarcastically but Yuki ignored it
"The lightning ability is one Rei has in common with her sister, which is why she spent several years mastering that one technique...."
He smiled smugly almost like a proud father watching his child take her first steps
"..... In that form, she's easily master class"
Rose stepped out of the rubble and dusted herself off, then drew her baton and charged Rei while Stark provided long range support. The speed of their movements and attacks were way too fast to track with naked eyes, with proof of the fight in the shockwaves their clashes left and the destruction of the surrounding area
It was like some kinda natural disaster.
However, Rei seemed to be fending off both's attacks almost effortlessly, and gaining an upper hand on Rose.
"Ugh, She's too damn fast"
Lamented Rose, feeling overwhelmed and less than a second later, she took a Thunder spear Kai straight in the face
*Whirrrrr
As Rose was flying back from the blast, she heard the sound, and caught a glimpse of Stark hastily putting up a defensive barrier
Rei wasn't done, she launched her next attack right after clearing some breathing room
"THUNDER SPEAR KAI.....X50"
Firing off 50 Thunder spear Kais, the entire wall as well as Stark and Rose were blown away.
Rei didn't let them get away though, as they were stuck in mid-air above an open space, she instantly appeared above them with her hand coated in purple lightning and.....
"Oni clan martial arts: Rai Izanagi original: Dragon claw!"
She sent them crashing into the floor.
With the battle location changed, Yuki used that opportunity to get Arc out of the room while waiting for him get over the machine's effects.
Back to the fight, Rei was standing before a partially injured Stark and unconscious Rose.
"Your barrier held up against both my attacks. I'm impressed, weasel.... Can't say the same for your friend though"
"I know right? As the Princess's fifth sword she should try a lot more. Sigh, pathetic"
Stark replied, firing up a powerful spell. Rei raised her guard, however, the target of his blast was not one she expected
He fired at the unconscious Rose
"You.... killed her. She was your comrade!"
"Huh?"
Stark said with a surprised face. He understood what she meant a second later then responded.
"Oh, this? She's more useful dead anyway"
"What?!"
Stark smiled as a black aura surrounded Rose's dead body
"Unique Skill.... Necromancer"