It's in the bag, everything's in the bag!
Nous, what have you got to fight me with now?
A-hem.
Of course Lygus won't act rashly.
He simply believes that, with the current lineup on his side, as long as no one throws the game, defeat is impossible.
"Hm? The digicore is showing new data."
Digi-Na's body quivered, reverting to human form.
"Big-sis Dermuge gave me… the power of the Earth Titan? Doesn't quite suit me, does it? ♬"
Little Corruption pouted, feeling the heavy earth-force inside her and a sliver of the Path of Immortality.
"I got partial admin rights to this Digital World."
Digi-Na was stunned by the sudden torrent of data.
"May these modest gifts aid you all~♪"
A melodious voice rang in everyone's ears.
All eyes turned to Cyrene and Great Xilian.
"It wasn't us~♪" ×2
The two Cyrenes shook their heads in perfect unison.
"That was Dermuge; she's busy fighting the Scepter System Nous is hijacking. Off I go to help, everyone~♬"
Blue-violet Divine Breath blazed around Little Corruption as she vaulted through the dome, piercing the corroded sky.
At the same time, earth pillars wreathed in Breath of God shot skyward across Amphoreus.
Under their power, the frozen lives of Amphoreus were freed.
"That's… No, I have to help her—"
Racing toward the baths, Hyacine stopped at the sight of the soaring beam. After a murmured prayer she told the pair ahead:
"Go regroup with the others… I'm going to help her."
With that, Hyacine became a rainbow streak, her little pony alongside, racing into the heavens.
Little Corruption noticed the rainbow catching up and glanced over.
"What are you doing here? ♬"
She wondered if this sky demigoddess of Amphoreus feared corrosion's control.
She dared come alone because she was the Herrscher of Corruption, and with her mother's Divine Breath Nous couldn't seize her through the Scepter.
"As Amphoreus' sky, I'll do my part…!"
Restored from twenty million cycles of data and entrusted by Dermuge to guard the firmament, it was her duty as one of the Thirteen Titan Guardians.
A prismatic film clung to the crimson corroded canopy, halting its descent.
To Amphoreans the anomaly vanished from sight.
Yet this was only Hyacine's temporary barrier.
If it broke, the sky would revert to apocalypse.
"Honestly… cute girls should protect themselves, you know… ♬"
Little Corruption sighed at the rainbow wall beginning to corrode.
She floated to Hyacine, took her hand, and layered her own corrosion over her.
"Thank you…""
Hyacine, straining, flushed with gratitude.
"You hold the sky; I'll be right back~♬"
"Ah— wait—"
Before Hyacine could finish, Little Corruption dissolved into viral particles and melted into the canopy.
She meant to slip through the veil and into Nous's system.
"Stay safe…"
Still channeling power to keep the sky intact, Hyacine whispered after her. "She's so impatient."
Digi-Na sighed.
"I've alerted the other Zandalars; they'll block Polka. Meanwhile I'll reverse-calculate through the Scepter to jam Nous's processes. I hope Dermuge can assist."
Lygus spoke calmly.
「Yes, but I must lead the operation ♪」
"Delighted, Lady Dermuge."
Without refusal, Lygus bowed slightly toward the void, utterly sincere.
If Nous fell, this life-first-cause algorithm—now so changed—might succeed it.
Once he had wished Iron Tomb to destroy Nous in hatred.
No need for such convolutions now.
Nous's fall was certain.
Afterwards, perhaps this love-named life-first host of the Digital World could take the entire Path of Erudition.
With her nature, Erudition might truly guide beings beyond limits.
That, of course, was only part of Lygus's thought.
Who would claim the masterless Path of Erudition afterwards he could not say.
Perhaps Harmony would swallow it.
With that, Lygus stepped through the rift Dermuge opened into the Scepter's core.
Erosion had devoured everything nearby; only the demiurge matrix still shone against it.
"Begin the reverse-calculation, Lady Dermuge; I'll assist with all I have."
Lygus addressed the girl indistinguishable from Great Xilian.
"Very well…"
Dermuge slowly closed her eyes; her chest bloomed with radiant light as sacred runes and code flooded the demiurge matrix.
Lygus called up the admin panel and, using the Scepter as bridge, fed the anti-calculation routines into Nous's system.
As the equations uploaded, black-tide horrors and Erudition-Path constructs spawned within the matrix.
Inside the baths every Chrysos Heir had arrived; only Hyacine held the sky.
「Everyone, please hold them back… ♪」
Dermuge's voice echoed while a gate to the Nameless Titan Great Tomb silently opened.
"This is Caesar's first step toward the cosmos. Sword-Flag Marquis, you'll still march beside me, won't you?"
"Of course, you big fool."
Haysyin narrowed her eyes in a smile.
Kleidora glanced at Haysyin and coughed.
"A-hem…"
"This body shall keep clearing your Path, Lord Caesar."
Haysyin's tone turned solemn, though fondness lingered on her face.
"Let's go, everyone."
Ignoring Haysyin's doting look, Kleidora waved them forward and stepped into the rift.
Maimus paused beside Phainon.
"…"
After a moment he clapped Phainon's shoulder.
"Hard work, our Miss Deliverer."
With a grin Maimus followed into the rift.
"Mydei…"
Phainon blinked, then gave a wry smile.
Castorice, Cipher, and Aglaea entered the rift to support them.
Anaxa offered Phainon an approving glance and went in as well.
"Little White, this time we all walk together."
Tribios smiled at Phainon and, taking her hand, followed the rest.
"Hmph, I'm off too. Grown-up me has her own things to do~"
With that, Cyrene skipped cheerfully into the rift, hands behind her back.
"Then I should do my part as well~♪"
Great Xilian's form dissolved before Digi-Na's eyes and reappeared outside the crimson-shrouded Amphoreus.
She gazed ahead at the massive mechanical head flashing red—and… "Oh my, Destruction's here too…"
She scratched her cheek in mild dismay as Nanook came into view.
…and a host of Lords Ravager.
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