(XXXV) Flashback [1]

"Charge!" Ichiko roared, pointing her katana forward as hundreds of F Rank Hunters ran past her. Some were star-eyed rookies, hoping to earn favor and get to the next tier. 

Others were fools, dreaming of being selected for the Reawakening in order to have a second chance, but Samael knew better than that. He had watched what happened to the 'winners' in the past. 

Most of them, however, were trapped and forced to kill others just like them or be killed. Some owed debts and were paying them off through being a Porter but would never live to see it paid in full. 

The F Rank Hunters collided with one another as they swung their weapons; a bloody and brutal grinder occurred, each side taking and losing life rapidly. 

Ichiko turned her head, nodding as dozens of knights in white armor charged, advancing toward the front lines. A golden aura burst out from within the knights in white as Camille projected a heavenly barrier around the First Army. 

She raised her flail into the air, spinning it as she raised her shield, blocking an attack. She twisted her body, swinging the flail upward, creating a powerful upward shockwave, launching the opposing knight off the ground. 

Ichiko flew through the air, spinning as a powerful vortex surrounded her blade as she slammed it against the ground, creating a fissure that rapidly serpentined toward the flying knight.

A violent vortex flew from the crag, shooting into the sky, creating a guillotine in the air as it decapitated the knight before vanishing. The knight floated in the air as his body suddenly started glowing a bright red.

Suddenly, a volley of fireballs soared through the skies behind them, passing over their heads before hailing down into their opponent's forces. Serenity floated toward them as she conjured the spell, her eyes glowing brightly. 

The deceased knight's body bloated as she swirled her arms around before throwing them forward. The body began to emit a bright light as it was launched over the fighting soldiers. 

Dozens of magical barriers sprung over one another as the enemy force's wizards jumped to protect their leaders against the bomb. 

A small barrier appeared around the body as the head collided against the outermost astral shield; a tremendous explosion erupted, creating a powerful shockwave, shooting dust in all directions. 

The explosion destroyed everything around it, destroying every magical barrier projected by the mages and the small one around the body as it continued to soar through the air. 

It crashed into the ground, unleashing a second explosion. A magical shockwave erupted from it, expanding instantly and sucking toward the body. 

Hundreds of screams rang out as every enemy in the region, and some friendlies that advanced too far ahead were violently flung along the ground. 

A black hole appeared from the body, distorting space around the screaming people as it collapsed upon itself, black flames bursting from it and expanding into a controlled sphere. 

Everything within its radius was instantly disintegrated, silence permeating the valley as only the sound of the wind rushing along the hills could be heard. 

"Serenity!!" Camille shouted, anger flashing across her face as she ran toward her, "You have to stop casting that spell! We lost almost a dozen this time!" 

"But I killed their entire army!" She sighed, closing her eyes and shaking her head as she crossed her arms over her chest, "We lost more Porters than that in the first wave!"

"You also prevent us from collecting the armor afterward!" Cami countered, "We recoup most of the losses by dismantling their equipment and reforging it." 

"You also didn't kill their entire army..." Ichiko said, raising her hand as she pointed toward the rising cloud of smoke. The smokescreen slowly cleared as a hulking figure stood in the middle. 

"What!?" Serenity exclaimed, leaning forward as she placed her hand over her eyebrows, narrowing her vision as she focused on the shrouded man, "No way..." 

"I guess he wouldn't have been calling himself a God if he couldn't survive an attack from you..." Cami sighed, reaching for her hilt as she drew her weapon. 

Her eyes lit up a brilliant white, a massive golden glyph appearing underneath her as shining, silver angelic wings emerged from the back of her armor. 

The morningstar of her weapon projected a much larger divine aura around it as she spun it and flapped her wings, leaping toward the rising cloud of smoke. 

She raised the flail above her head, slamming it down as a golden warhammer projected behind her and soared along the arc of the morningstar, crashing down with it. 

A strong shockwave dispelled the smoke as a black-haired man held his hand up, casually blocking the attack. His jacket danced from the powerful winds, the teenager smirking as he stared into her eyes. 

"Come on, Camille!" He yelled, throwing the spiked ball into the ground behind him, forcing her forward, "I know you can do better than that!!"

She gritted her teeth, growling as she raised her shield, blocking the incoming uppercut. The young man's fists were coated in a black fire with blue tips. 

As he swung his arm, an astral projection of a silver gauntlet with black flames appeared under her, crashing into her shield as she was launched into the air. 

She flapped her wings, raising her shield again, as the young man spun on the ground, unleashing an arcing punch over his head as the silver fist reappeared in the air, following the trajectory and crashing into Cami's raised shield. 

She roared loudly as she was launched back toward the dirt. She flapped her wings, flipping to the air as she landed on the ground. However, the young man had already spun his body, throwing a kick. 

A knightly boot appeared, black flames flying behind it as it crashed into Camille's raised shield. She threw her shield forward, shattering the boot, and walked ahead. 

Her wings grew brightly as she brought her shield and flail together over her head, and a halo slowly materialized above her head. A mighty aura shot out from her. 

She brought her hands down in front of her as her wings curled forward around her, creating a barrier around her. A massive astral projection of her wings wrapped around her. 

A powerful golden shield appeared before the wings, creating a gigantic barrier as the young man smirked and unleashed a blinding volley of punches at the woman. 

Dozens of gauntlets appeared, with flames soaring behind them in quick succession, colliding against the heavenly shield repeatedly as they broke and vanished.

Ichiko and Serenity landed behind Camille as the blonde gritted her teeth, shouting, "Be careful!! He's gotten stronger than last time!!"

"Tch!" The black-haired woman clicked her tongue as she stepped forward, patting her back, "Knock him away, and I'll handle the rest."

Serenity appeared behind Cami, placing both of her hands against her back and closing her eyes. Power surged within Cami as she stood, the cracks in the barrier vanishing. 

She raised her head, stepping forward as she shoved her shield forward with all her might. The wings flung open, destroying the dozen projected gauntlets and sending the young man recoiling back. 

Ichiko vanished from her position, leaping forward at a blinding speed as she twirled the uchigatana in both hands around her body and brought it down, being caught inches away from the young man's face with both of his hands. 

"Phew!" He exclaimed with a grin, his eyes crossing as he stared at the blade's edge, "You're getting pretty fast!" 

"Shut it, you psychopath!" Ichiko growled, applying more strength, inching the blade closer, "By the authority of the Heavenly Tribune, you are under arrest! Surrender Peacefully!"