*Bing-Bong*

The following scenes will be focusing on the individual kaijin and their respective opponents.

To be more precise, it's going to be focused on the members of Mysticlassic.

The reason being, and this is from the writer: |I think I shafted them too hard in the last big conflict.|

Either way, please enjoy the following battle scenes and keep in mind that all three are happening at the same time.

Thank you.

*Bing-Bong*

________________________________________

Despite the uniformity of the rank-and-file members and the immediate superiors of those aforementioned soldiers, the actual elite warriors of the group actually had a surprising amount of individuality to them.

As such, none of the kaijin lacked interesting opponents to fight this time around.

The only issue they had was that they had to choose their opponents before these offending Aether Lords chanced to land an attack on their creator. Thankfully, it didn't take them too long to decide.

[Alright, take your pick. I call dibs on the rapier-wielder,] Razorstella said as she began charging up their legs with concentrated aether.

[I'm going for the one that looks like they had a stick up their ass,] Screamira added as she focused her power into her throat.

[They all look like they have sticks up their asses,] Springerdermain noted as he focused his aether into his spring-like torso. [But I'm going for the guy who is armed with the halberd.]

[Good choice.]

With their opponents now chosen, the kaijin began their assault in earnest.

…Now focusing on a certain star-bladed dancer…

[Comet Cutter!]

"What the-BAH!"

Among the Aether Lords attempting to jump Zhen Liu in the moment he sent Patricio flying, Razorstella had chosen to engage with one that was armed with a rapier.

For her opening move in this dance of death, she started with a classic sweeping kick that was aimed at her opponent's face. If it had landed unimpeded, it would've taken the man's head clean off and sent it flying like a comet.

Alas, the rapier-wielding warrior was able to raise his guard in time and block the attack. Although he was forced to take several steps back as a result.

[Oooh, it looks like that rapier of yours is actually an Astra,] Razorstella noted as she landed with a piroutte before bowing to her opponent. [I suppose that means you have great confidence in your swordplay, no?]

The rapier-wielding warrior was about to simply tell Razorstella to fuck off and go on the attack, but something about the strange elegance of the blade-limbed dancer threw him for a loop and urged him to respond in kind.

Not only that, but he also took on a duelist's stance as he introduced himself.

"You would be right, senorita. My name is Rondo, Master of the Stinging Penance Fencing Art, and one of the Penance Burners. My [Astra] is known as [Flying Ember]. It is the representation of my swordsmanship and personal alacrity. Now then, have at thee!"

[Flashfire Pierce!]

After making this rather long introduction, Rondo stepped forward and launched a rapier strike that was fast enough to cause the air to ignite and form a vacuum spear.

In response to this attack, Razorstella pirouetted away while using the force of the thrust against one of her raised legs to propel herself away.

As she spun, Razorstella used the momentum to swing around and send another kick towards Rondo's neck.

[Oooh, I knew you were going to be a grand dance partner!] Razorstella said with obvious glee. [Let's see whose sword kills who first!]

...

[Banshee's Cry!]

Screamira had chosen to fight against one of the female Aether Lords who was armed with an [Astra] that was shaped like a mirror.

It's a known fact that [Astra] with unusual shapes tended to have effects and abilities that were equally unpredictable.

That stated, there were some effects that were just universal.

For example, historical records in the [Library of Nowhere] showed that there were several dozen cases of people manifesting a mirror as their [Astra], but not all of them had the same ability to reflect in the same manner. In fact, there were cases that these mirrors didn't reflect things at all.

As such, Screamira decided to see whether or not this Aether Lord's [Astra] could reflect her attacks or not.

Feeling the encroaching attack about to impact her person, the targeted Aether Lord proceeded to do as Screamira predicted and whipped around her [Astra] to defend herself. However, the attack did not get reflected as Screamira anticipated.

Instead, the mirror-like [Astra] had absorbed her attack and forced the woman wielding it to brace herself against the impact.

Screamira hadn't infused this attack with [Chaos]; otherwise, an entirely different scene would've played out.

Instead, Screamira cocked her head in curiosity as the warrior before her flipped around the mirror and began to intensely stare at the glass.

"That attack was definitely filled with potent death aether, but it appeared that it's usually mixed with something...unknown. Fascinating."

[At least buy a girl dinner before you start scrutinizing her true nature,] Screamira retorted. [Otherwise, I'm going to have to kill you.]

"I think that was the plan either way," the woman retorted. [I am Sister Halina of the Scrying Glass, a Penance Burner. Your secrets will be laid to bear before being burned at the altar of the Holy Tender."

[Oh joy, a nun. I never fought a nun before.]

"What's a nun?"

[Don't worry about it, just get ready for my encore!]

...

[Illusionary Guillotine!]

Springerdermain disappeared mid-charge before reappearing directly above the head of his chosen opponent, a large fellow whose [Astra] he could sense was his pauldrons of all things.

Understanding that his chosen opponent's entire M.O. was to probably do nothing but charge like a mad man at his targets and splatter them with his bulk and speed, Springerdermain figured that he was probably weak to decapitation strikes from unexpected angles, even with a [Reglia] defending his neck. However, that turned out to be an incorrect observation on his part.

The moment his legs made contact with the large man's neck, a sudden force had appeared and knocked his legs away.

To be more precise, the pauldrons had suddenly grew and made the armor around his neck noticeably thicker.

"Get over!"

[Nah!]

Had Springerdermain been a normal aether warrior, his leg would've been grabbed in that instant and he would've been swung around like a ragdoll being held by a toddler having a meltdown.

Instead, thanks to his illusionary and magician-like nature, Springerdermain disappeared in a cloud of smoke before reappearing literally three feet away from his original position, directly behind the large warrior.

Once he was there, he simply extended his leg and kicked forward, causing the large warrior to stumble in a rather embarrassing manner.

Needless to say, the large warrior didn't appreciate being played with in such a manner.

"Hey! If you're going to pick a fight, do so in an honorable manner! That way, I can crush you with my almighty strength!"

[Yeah, no, that's not my style,] Springerdermain mocked while using his tail to flick at his hat.

[If you can't tell, I'm someone who prefers misdirection and trickery over a straightforward brawl. But I get the feeling, that's not how you operate in the slightest?]

The large warrior let out a snort of visible steam at the question, proving the observation correct.

"I am Boldra, the Crushing Redeemer of the Penance Burners. I will crush you under the weight of your sins!"

After making this declaration, Boldra literally charged at Springdermain, fiery aether encapsulating his bulk and turning him into a living meteor with the intent of crushing and distorting Springdermain's fragile frame. Unfortunately, he wasn't going to get the chance to do so.

[Man, I remember fighting like you once upon a time...then I learned how to dodge.]

...Meanwhile, in a certain Library...

"Okay, this is bothering me now, who are the Penance Burners?" Janice asked. "They sound mean."

At the same time as Zhen Liu and his kaijin were fighting, Logos and Pathos were in the middle of teaching Jasper and Janice their daily lessons.

However, because they figured it would be a good idea to expose the kids to the ways other continents fight, they had activated the personal feeds of the Mysticlassic kaijin. As such, they were able to hear the whole spiel these religious nutjobs had before they actually threw hands.

<That's...a good question,> Pathos admitted. <Logos, do you have an answer for the younglings?>

=I actually pulled up the documents the moment I saw their emblem,= Logos answered. =The Penance Burners are the second highest ranked members of the Punishing Flame sect of the Sacred Flame Theocracy. Every member of this elite unit are said to be masters of a particular type of torture, that they regularly practice on themselves in order to repent for their sins. Ah, it also says here that every member was once an infamous criminal that the current leader of the sect handpicked and personally doled out penance upon.=

<The hell does that mean?>

=I don't know.=