The leader of the Chaos Knights, Pink, had infiltrated the sky mother ship *Peaceful Heart* ahead of anyone else.
“Hey, throw that junk away! If you can’t tell what’s valuable at a glance, you won’t last long on the battlefield!!”
“Yes, ma’am! My apologies, Captain!”
“As expected of Pink. Even in this situation, she’s still giving strict orders.”
“Don’t need lessons on looting, though…”
Pink’s squad wasn’t here to monopolize treasure—no, they were here to swiftly secure the *Peaceful Heart*. Elite forces from *Shangri-La* were pouring in, but Pink, with her relentless momentum and skill in dismantling ancient ruin mechanisms, was unlocking sealed doors and hatches one after another, maintaining a breakneck invasion speed.
“What?! The enemy’s already this far in?!”
“Tch, what the hell are the Holy Chapel Knights even doing?!”
“Don’t let them pass! Beyond this point is—”
The enemy soldiers stationed inside the *Peaceful Heart*, rather than on the palace deck, never expected the invaders to penetrate so deeply so quickly.
Against their half-hearted defensive lines, the Pink Squad—loyal to their desires (or rather, their mission)—struck like a raging tide.
“There’s definitely something amazing ahead! Now, follow me like your lives depend on it—justice is on our side!!”
“ALL FOR ELROOOOAD!!”
“Why the hell does the Demon King even tolerate this woman…?”
With high morale and needlessly formidable strength, Pink’s squad crushed the enemy defenses, pushing deeper and deeper.
Then, suddenly, a loud announcement echoed through the ship.
*”This is Archbishop Rudel, Commander-in-Chief of the Great Expedition Army. As of now, the Great Expedition Army surrenders to the Elroad Empire Army. All personnel, disarm immediately and surrender without delay. I repeat, the Great Expedition Army surrenders—”*
Had they finally defeated an Apostle? Or captured the Archbishop? The enemy’s surrender was being broadcast far and wide.
But Pink, a veteran of real battlefields, knew this didn’t mean the fighting would end immediately. Many units would likely refuse to surrender and keep fighting. Besides, Archbishop Rudel was just a figurehead—his words alone couldn’t possibly control the entire army.
“But this is bad. Time’s running out.”
The war wouldn’t end right away, but it *was* accelerating toward its conclusion. The outcome had already been decided.
Once the Great Expedition Army’s resistance crumbled, the rest of the Empire Army would flood in to secure the ship. Then, looting would become impossible.
This brief window of ongoing combat was their only chance to grab treasure.
“H-Hey, stop! We surrender! You heard the broadcast, right?!”
“We’ve already disarmed! So treat us with respec—”
Some high-ranking enemy officers seemed to be surrendering, but…
“Hey, what do we do? They’re actually surrendering. Capture them?”
“…You vile Cross Religion scum! Using surrender as a trap is unforgivable!!”
“Huh?”
The confused voices from both sides fell on deaf ears—because as far as Pink was concerned, this *had* to be a trap. It just had to be.
“How dare you spit on Her Majesty the Queen’s mercy in allowing your surrender?! Charge! Crush all who defy the Empire!!”
“W-Wait, we really surrend—”
Nope. Clearly, they were still hostile defenders. They must’ve been shouting *”Destroy the demons!”* to the bitter end.
Pink’s squad was a righteous army. They’d never attack those who surrendered and disarmed. But if they resisted? No mercy.
Though they’d all dropped their weapons, these men were clearly ready to fight bare-handed—so Pink and her squad crushed them with martial arts and magic without hesitation. Justice served.
Now advancing even faster, Pink’s squad soon noticed the enemy presence thinning drastically.
“Hmm, no doubt about it… This must be the central sector.”
Normally, the most critical area would be heavily guarded.
But given what she’d heard about the Eleventh Apostle Misa’s personality, it made sense that no one was allowed in. If Misa only trusted herself as an Apostle, she wouldn’t trust anyone else.
This wasn’t a dead end or a trap. Pink’s instincts and spatial awareness told her she’d reached the *Peaceful Heart*’s core.
And most tellingly, the last door she’d accessed had a lock far more advanced than the others.
Yet the original security systems weren’t active. Sensing countless disabled security functions, Pink thanked her lucky stars that Misa wasn’t as versed in ancient magic as Lily.
Fortune was on her side. When luck strikes, ride the wave—that was Pink’s creed.
“Alright, now for the real show—”
She picked the most promising door and got to work.
“Dead end… This one too…”
Only Pink had the skills to open the ship’s doors. Her squad watched nervously, weapons ready.
“Another dud… No, stay calm… There’s still time.”
The Archbishop’s surrender announcement still played on loop.
Though their early breakthrough advantage was slipping away, Pink stayed focused, unlocking doors with meticulous precision.
Then—finally—
“Oooh! Th-This is—!”
Beyond the opened door lay a mountain of glittering jewels.
Even under the same lighting as the corridors, the dazzling display of gemstones and precious metals made the room shine brilliantly. Hundreds, maybe thousands of pieces—all unique, all masterfully crafted.
This was a literal treasure trove—or rather, Misa’s private dressing room.
“Start moving it out! And don’t you dare damage anything!!”
“Roger!”
“Red and Blue, pick out the most valuable ones. We might not have time for everything.”
“Leave it to me, Pink.”
“What about you?”
Red, her deputy, found it odd that Pink wasn’t joining the treasure hunt.
“I’m… going to look for *more* treasure.”
*She’s totally making her cool face under that mask,* Red thought, but just said, “Do what you want,” before leaving.
“My instincts are whispering… There’s something even greater elsewhere.”
To confirm, Pink ventured out alone, sharpening her senses as she searched the central sector.
*Where? Where’s calling to me?*
“…Here.”
She arrived at a double door.
There were bigger doors, and many looked similar—but something told her *this* was the one.
“Fufu, I wonder what’s waiting beyond…”
Convinced this would be her greatest haul yet, she tackled the lock.
As if to prove her instincts right, the door had *three* layers of protection.
“N-No way… I can’t crack the final lock?!”
The mechanism was unlike anything she’d seen.
Pink knew telepathy was key to accessing ancient ruins—why Lily could wield ancient magic so freely.
Though no fairy, Pink had some telepathic skill as a succubus. But even that wasn’t enough. The barrier was too strong.
As time ticked away, she nearly considered retreating—until inspiration struck.
“…I *do* look like Misa, don’t I?”
Hesitantly, Pink reached for her full-face mask—something she *never* removed in front of others unless her life depended on it.
She glanced left and right, confirming no one was around.
Then, she took it off, revealing the beauty befitting a succubus, and faced the door.
“I am the Eleventh Apostle, Misa. So facial recognition should work, right~?”
The moment she smiled, the locks clicked open.
Her face had been accepted.
“Yeaaah! Protections disengaged! Now, time to meet my treasure~!”
And so, the door opened.
What awaited her was—
“…Huh? Misa…?”
The Eleventh Apostle, Misa, was there.
“…Eh? What? Can’t hear you~”
As Pink pretended not to hear and tried to put her mask back on—
“MISA! IT’S REALLY YOU?!”
“GYAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH?!”
Even the infamous Pink couldn’t help but shriek at the sudden assault by one of the Crusaders’ strongest warriors.
She’d learned the hard way during the Fifth Galahad War that even on her best day, she stood no chance against an Apostle.
She’d come here sensing immense treasure, but now, it seemed her second life was over—
“Ah… Ahh… Misa… You’re alive…!”
“Uh, yeah…?”
For some reason, the Eleventh Apostle Misa was calling *Pink* “Misa,” hugging her tightly while sobbing uncontrollably.
Her grip was ironclad, but the missing right hand was terrifying. Sensing the faint aura of a curse from the wound, Pink realized—the Demon King had returned.
And then, she understood.
The Eleventh Apostle Misa had been utterly crushed by *Anti-Cross*, led by the returned Lord Chrono, and had barely escaped to the command room via teleportation.
A glance beyond the door confirmed the interior matched *Shangri-La*’s command room—this *was* the *Peaceful Heart*’s bridge.
“It’s a miracle… How did you…? No, it doesn’t matter. Just seeing you again is enough…”
“Yeah, me too. I’m so happy.”
*Who the hell are you?! We’ve never met!* Pink screamed internally, but played along since Misa seemed to be mistaking her for someone else.
“I… I worked so hard… to become like you.”
“Did you? Good job.”
“I tried to become prettier. I gathered many men. I killed so many demons as an Apostle, hoping even God would acknowledge me… But it was all pointless. Everything… was for nothing.”
Yet despite her words, Misa’s face was serene, as if finally at peace.
“The real you… is the most beautiful.”
As she spoke, the half-mask hiding her cursed scars shattered.
Beneath it, the wound glowed with a radiant silver aura, as if blood were being forced out by the curse’s power.
“Whoa, your face—!”
“Yeah… I don’t need to pretend anymore.”
Her form melted. The dense white aura—no, *Misa herself*—dissolved before Pink’s eyes.
Her large, sparkling pink eyes shrank into narrow, swollen slits. Her fair, rosy cheeks became sallow and freckled. Her glossy red lips cracked and dried.
Her vibrant pink hair darkened into a messy, frizzy brown.
Like gilding peeling away, the beautiful facade of the “real” Misa melted alongside the aura—along with the infinite power granted by the White God.
“See? I could never compare to the real you. Sorry for the bad imitation.”
“Wait… You’re—”
Half of Misa’s face had melted away.
Seeing the original features beneath, Pink finally remembered.
Long before she became a succubus—back when she was still the powerless human girl named Misa.
“…Petra?”
“Wow… You remembered my name…”
Memories of her monochrome past life—a humiliating history she’d rather forget.
After her rebirth as a succubus, she thought she’d left that life behind. Yet for better or worse, she remembered.
Petra—a junior she’d once known.
In fact, Petra might’ve been the *only* one she could recall. Try as she might, Pink couldn’t remember anyone else from her time as Misa.
“YOU IDIOT! YOU WERE COPYING *ME* AFTER I DIED?! EW, GROSS, I’M GONNA BE SICK!!”
The moment she grasped the truth, Pink’s first reaction was pure, unfiltered disgust.
*Stupid. Gross. Disgusting.* Every word came straight from the heart.
“Ehehe… Yeah, sorry, Misa.”
But Misa—no, *Petra*—smiled warmly, accepting it all.
*Ah. This. This is Misa.*
The straight-to-the-point insults, without sparing a single thought for her struggles—how she’d clung to God’s miracle, pretending to be the Eleventh Apostle Misa in an endless escape from reality.
Only the *real* Misa would react like this.
And with that, Petra was satisfied.
“————*Dark Calm.*”
The cursed blade bared its fangs at the now-powerless girl.