Brynhildr was moving quickly after receiving the report. As she moved, she was deep in thought.
"..."
With the second semester just around the corner, there had been reports of Chaos Insects spotted in the wilderness near Golden Street. She had an intuitive feeling that this was related to "Ratatoskr."
*If the 'Corrosion Phenomenon'—Chaos Insects appearing outside dungeon gates—was supposedly the power of the now-dead "Priest of Corrosion," why are they suddenly appearing now?*
After the attack of the "Snake," security had been strengthened.
There shouldn't have been any opportunity for them to appear so unexpectedly.
"..."
The situation definitely felt off.
Rather than sending her subordinates,
it would be faster for her, the strongest, to check it out personally.
*Even if it's a trap set by the Prophet, if I ignore it, the students could be in danger...*
As the guardian of this Academy City,
she had a duty to protect the students.
That duty never disappeared, no matter the circumstances.
*If this is the Prophet's doing, they probably knew I would have to come out.*
If so, this would be an opportunity to see and judge the Prophet in person.
"..."
Recently, Clara had advised Brynhildr that the "Prophet" might be someone she knew well, and had given her various pieces of advice.
His personality.
Knowledge he might possess.
Things he might misunderstand.
And criticisms.
Coward.
Slowpoke.
Idiot.
Dull and oblivious guy.
"..."
Around that point, Brynhildr's heart had started to ache with jealousy. She was also surprised to see Lara explain someone else in such detail for the first time.
*It really seems like they had a deep relationship in their past life...*
Could it be...
Could it be, Lara, you...
"..."
Even when talking about her beloved juniors, hadn't she dismissed them with simple phrases like "they're nice," "they cook well," or "they like sickles and hammers"?
While Clara had difficulty expressing herself verbally, she fundamentally showed little interest in others' characteristics.
For her to describe someone so thoroughly—almost as if describing herself—was unsettling. Though Brynhildr didn't show it, she felt chills inside.
*Could he be her lover from a past life? Was this Prophet a woman in his previous life?*
Could this be a lovers' quarrel?
Dizzy—
"..."
Just imagining it made her breathless, and she couldn't bear to think further. Her heart raced, and she felt like she would go mad with anger, so she calmed her mind with "Gungnir."
Grrrr—!
"..."
She was calm now.
"..."
Regardless of their gender in a past life, the fact that Clara had a lover in her previous life was unforgivable.
She considered crushing and thoroughly claiming Clara
so she could never return to that person.
But she couldn't confront Lara on mere suspicion yet.
If they grew distant again, she felt she might suffer an irreparable wound to her heart. This time... this time she would approach very carefully and cautiously.
The fruit tasted that way would be very sweet.
...The thought of soft touches and sticky love made her body tremble. Just imagining it made her swallow hard.
Brynhildr was ready anytime.
*Though Lara doesn't seem ready yet...*
Despite such silent questioning, Clara never answered exactly what relationship she had with "him" in her past life.
She only emphasized that he was a dangerous individual who must... must be stopped. She said he was an absolute dangerous variable that could not be compromised with.
*The fact that he's part of "Ratatoskr," which hurt Lara, is reason enough to kill him.*
But... if he was a public enemy,
she would need to approach even more carefully.
One who knows the "Fate" of this world.
One who vaguely knows the future.
The appearance of two such individuals in one era couldn't possibly be coincidence.
The fact that the year when the world's fate would be decided happened during her time as the pinnacle of Academy City... it truly felt like fate's prank.
*...An outsider from beyond this world, like Lara.*
Clara had said that since he knew the general flow of this world, he might attack the "Fate of the Three Heroes," so she would wait at Divine Alfheim High School while drawing attention.
Thus, one guarded the "Fate of the Three Heroes,"
while the other guarded the path to the World Tree.
Throughout the vacation, they had waited for the Prophet to appear.
And... finally, an anomaly occurred.
Several adult Chaos Insects appeared in the wilderness.
Kuwooooo—!!!
Insects the size of three-story buildings were gathering in the middle of the wilderness near the Aether train tracks.
"...!"
As soon as Brynhildr confirmed their presence, she shot into the air, extending dozens of lightning bolts.
With her movement, dozens of meters of lightning tails spread out like a lion's mane. Each strand contained formidable destructive power.
Extending behind the tip of her raised lance,
it transformed into a single spear made of brilliant lightning.
She became a massive lightning spear shooting down from the sky.
At the moment of impact.
A flash spread.
The impact turned the entire field of vision white.
KWAAANG—!!!
With the explosion, a crater formed.
Then soil rained down, filling the crater.
KRRRRRNG—!!
Dozens of lightning bolts split, enveloping the physical force of the lance. Like a god striking the ground with a massive hammer, it pounded the large black insects that had emerged from underground.
The Chaos Insects were simply crushed within.
Light.
Flash.
Destruction.
KYAAAAK—!!!
KIEEEEEK—!!!
Then silence.
Only numerous bloodstains and flesh fragments were scattered on the ground.
Among the warm meat pieces and blood, only cold death remained.
The scent of death carved between traces of destruction.
Brynhildr walked out calmly from within it.
"..."
By the time the thunderous roar that had seemed to tear the ears had changed to an echo in the sky.
Without any warning.
A black curtain appeared in empty space.
And what emerged was a 10-meter dragonfly and the Prophet.
"Found you. Reincarnator."
"...?"
"You know the truth of this world, right? The 'Yggdrasil Gate.'"
"..."
Brynhildr tilted her head at those words.
If she had heard them out of nowhere, she wouldn't have understood.
But she knew the content better than anyone else in this Academy City.
*Reincarnator? I see, the Prophet has mistaken me for Lara.*
As she was thinking this,
a massive voice came from the dragonfly with hundreds of horns. It was a girl's hateful murmur.
[You're the one who killed Master... "Priest of Corrosion" Grafvolluðr, aren't you? Our greatest priest, so... so pathetically...! I'll kill you! Inferior species...!]
The Prophet, pressing down on the head of the dragonfly he was riding, spoke in a low voice. Somehow, it sounded like a master teaching a disciple.
"Moinn, suppress your hatred. Now is the time to deal with the opponent calmly."
[Shut up! Pseudo-inferior species! If you didn't have a way to revive Master, we wouldn't be following your words...!]
Brynhildr was inwardly bewildered.
It was hard to maintain her poker face. But she bit her lip firmly and maintained her expressionless demeanor.
In battle, there was no obligation to correct an enemy's misjudgment.
*It was all Lara's doing, yet these guys...*
But...
*Now is the time to organize information.*
Brynhildr quickly organized her thoughts.
1. The Prophet mistakes Brynhildr for a reincarnator.
2. He also mistakes her for having killed the "Priest of Corrosion."
3. So he came to kill her as his top priority.
4. The Central Prism Academy group at Divine Alfheim High School was not directly confronted, but set as a secondary target.
That dragonfly was probably the female twin of the "Twin Priest,"
so her brother must have headed to Divine Alfheim High School.
"..."
What is this...
"..."
No.
This was right.
It's natural for the outside person to bear the responsibility for the inside person's mistakes.
Isn't that the weight of being the head of the household?
It was better to keep the Prophet occupied here.
*I love you, Lara.*
Brynhildr quickly made her judgment and spoke confidently to the Prophet.
"Ah, I see. So 'you' were a reincarnator too."
"...When I saw 'The Pink Spiral,' I almost got confused."
"..."
"Did you try to raise an 'OP character' as a 'waifu'?"
The Prophet kept using outside world language while constantly checking her reactions. If her response was subtle, he would probably turn around and head for Lara.
*Using such shallow tactics. I should use this opportunity to firmly establish my ownership of Lara.*
But since Brynhildr had already learned about past life information by pestering Clara while licking her armpits, she could easily answer.
Anything said with confidence becomes truth.
That was a principle that applied even on the battlefield.
"That's right. Lara is my 'favorite,' so much that I find her 'sexy' and think about how to eat her every night. I raised her referring to 'walkthroughs,' but somehow I thought a 'tactic' of making my baby 'yuri pregnant' would be better."
"..."
"I plan to make a mess like a 'doujinshi' and complete 'hypnosis brainwashing training.' Is there anyone playing the 'Yggdrasil Gate' who hasn't imagined such things with their 'favorite'?"
"...I should have known there are no normal people playing this game."
The Prophet's tone suggested disgust.
But he no longer seemed to be testing her. He was convinced that such a perverted character couldn't possibly be the "game's Brynhildr."
The Prophet, his black robe fluttering, said:
"Let's begin, Moinn."
[Don't order me around, pseudo-inferior species.]
The dragonfly-shaped dragon that seemed over 10 meters in size.
With the flapping of its massive wings that sprouted from its large body, a shockwave like a small sandstorm spread around. The Prophet, riding on top, wore a black robe and scattered black energy around him.
A judgment passing in an instant.
Countless thoughts pass in less than 0.1 seconds.
Should she attack?
No, hold off.
*According to Lara, he already knows about me. The fact that he revealed himself 'while already knowing' means... he's completely prepared. In such a state, attacking first is definitely a bad move.*
Brynhildr steeled herself and prepared.
A black Aether magic circle glowed where she stood alone. It seemed like ancient magic used by dragon tribes, not an Aether skill.
The Prophet, with black energy and his robe fluttering, said:
"Rise from the swamp of death...!"
Then the flesh fragments of the Chaos Insects around gradually began to merge back into their original forms. Eventually, they let out powerful roars again.
KUWOOO—!!