In the grand chamber of the Council—the divine overseers of existence—six ornate desks stood in a semicircle, each belonging to a guardian of the world. Yet, two of them remained empty, one at the far-right corner and another at the middle-left, an unspoken indication that two of the overseers were absent from today's trial.
Despite this, four deities were present. Hakos Baelz, the God of Chaos. IRyS, the embodiment of hope. Ouro Kronii, the keeper of time. And Nanashi Mumei, the guardian of civilization.
The matter at hand was the fate of the Advent—the most dangerous criminals to have ever walked the world. Though the Advent had escaped their imprisonment, their return to society had not been met with peace. Hunted relentlessly by the H3RO unit and the enforcers of Justice, the five exiled women—Shiori, Nerissa, Fuwawa, Mococo, and Bijou—could never truly live freely.
It was this never-ending persecution that led them to take an unprecedented step: rather than continuing to exist as fugitives, they sought to prove their worth through acts of goodwill. For the past year, they had worked in the shadows, striving to shed their title as threats to humanity.
Moved by their actions, IRyS had called upon her fellow overseers, urging them to reconsider Advent's fate.
"Honestly, I think allowing the Advent to reintegrate into society is foolish." Kronii's tired voice filled the chamber as she stared at the heavy doors before them.
"I couldn't care less," Bae replied, resting her chin lazily on her hand. "Whether they're granted freedom or not, as long as they don't get in my way, it's none of my concern. What about you, Mumei?"
She tilted her head back, gazing through the glass dome above them, where a sea of stars shimmered against the void of the dimensional crossroads they occupied. Then, turning toward the quiet figure beside her, she asked, "So? As the overseer of civilization, what's your take on IRyS's suggestion? Should Advent be allowed to live among society?"
Mumei, who had been half-asleep, merely sighed and rested her head against the table. She was unsure. Long before the five were imprisoned, she had already known how they lived.
From the very beginning, she had sensed that locking them away had been a mistake. And yet, their sheer power had posed a danger to the world's balance, leaving her with no choice. But now, after a year of proving their sincerity, perhaps it was time to reconsider.
"If what they truly seek is a normal life, then I see no harm in granting them freedom," Mumei murmured, her head still resting on the desk.
"But what if they use that freedom to become a threat again?" Kronii challenged.
"Simple. If they try anything, I'll crush them myself," Bae declared, crossing her arms with a smug grin.
"There's no need for reckless measures, Bae." IRyS countered with a knowing smile. "We can set conditions for their freedom—ones that ensure they never involve themselves in future incidents. After all, I truly believe all they want is a peaceful life."
Bae scoffed and rolled her eyes at the sentimentality.
"Then shall we bring them in?" IRyS suggested, her voice warm yet firm.
Kronii gave a small nod. Bae let out a yawn. Mumei, resting her chin in her hand, fixed her gaze on the doors with a faint glimmer of curiosity.
And then, in the heavy silence of the chamber, the doors swung open.
Shiori, Nerissa, Fuwawa, Mococo, and Bijou stepped inside in an orderly line, their wrists bound by enchanted restraints.
"Welcome, Advent," IRyS spoke, her tone neither warm nor cold. "The time has come to determine your fate."
[ANOMALOUS PORTAL DISCOVERED!]
A swirling black portal, dense with ominous mist, materialized before Sora and Roboco. It loomed ominously in the dimly lit streets, its presence a dark anomaly in the cityscape.
They had been sent on a mission alongside The Myth—the elite unit of HoloCorp's EN division, an organization sworn to protecting the world.
"Kiara-chan, can you hear me?" Roboco spoke into her communicator.
A moment later, Kiara's voice crackled through the line. "Loud and clear, Roboco-senpai."
"We found the black portal. Meet us at the eastern sector, near the market by the pond. Botan is already stationed there—she'll guide you to us."
"Got it," Kiara responded before cutting the transmission.
Meanwhile, Tokino Sora gripped the hilt of her katana, bracing herself for whatever might emerge.
"Nee, Roboco-chan," she asked without taking her eyes off the portal, "what do you think is going to happen?"
Roboco's mechanical optics scanned the anomaly, processing every fragment of data her advanced android systems could gather. But the results were inconclusive. The portal defied analysis—its very composition unreadable.
"I... I don't know," she admitted, frustration lacing her voice. "I can't decipher anything from it."
Sora didn't hold it against her. But just as she was about to reassure her, the sound of hurried footsteps filled the air.
Kiara, Calliope, Gura, Ina, and Amelia arrived alongside Botan, sprinting toward them.
"Good, you made it," Sora greeted them as they caught their breath.
Kiara and Calli immediately took defensive positions beside Sora, weapons at the ready. Ame, meanwhile, passed by Roboco, her sharp eyes scanning the portal with quiet intensity.
But it was Gura who first noticed something was wrong. She turned to Ina, who stood frozen, her skin pale, her forehead slick with sweat.
"Ina?" Gura whispered. "Are you okay?"
But Ina said nothing.
And that silence was all Amelia needed to confirm her worst suspicion.
Bringing Ina here had been a mistake.
With the instincts of a seasoned detective, she made the connection instantly—the portal before them had an unmistakable link to the Ancient One slumbering inside Ina.
"Everyone, get away from the portal! Get away from Ina!" Amelia shouted as she leapt backward.
The others obeyed her warning just as a sinister force erupted from within.
Laughter—deep, guttural, and inhuman—rippled through the air.
"At last..." The voice slithered into their ears, filled with twisted delight. "I am free."
The Ancient One had fully awakened.
With a single, eerie motion, it reached out and touched the black portal. The instant its fingers brushed against the void, a cascade of dark rifts tore open across the city, spreading like a plague.
From within them, creatures began to emerge—black silhouettes with elongated horns, razor-sharp teeth, and a venomous drool that sizzled as it met the ground.
They hissed, growled, and let out ear-piercing shrieks, eager to devour everything in sight.
Sora's grip on her katana tightened. There was no time to wonder how things had come to this.
Only one thing mattered now: survival.
She took a deep breath, then barked out her orders.
"There are only seven of us. Roboco, Kiara, Ame-chan, Gura-chan, Calli, Botan—listen carefully. Wipe out these creatures and evacuate the civilians. Now!"
And with that, she stepped forward, her blade gleaming under the eerie light of the portals, facing the monstrous deity that loomed before her.
The battle had begun.