CHAPTER 17: BANQUET OF MASSACRE

The guards outside were no match for Snow. She dispatched them swiftly, smashing through the gate. Inside, another squad awaited—bows drawn, formation tight, ready to intercept her. “BR1SC0E: Bladesworn,” Snow commanded her armor. As arrows flew, the suit shifted to yellow, the sword morphing into a katana. She assumed a stance, slicing arrows aside mid-flight. The panicked soldiers loosed more volleys. Snow leapt into the air, dodging. “BR1SC0E: Willbender.” The armor turned blue, the katana replaced by dual swords fused together. She vanished midair, reappearing behind the squad. The blades split, striking with precision, felling them like straw.

Per Muse’s intel, the Meadow had one outer wall; inside stood a temple atop a rise where the Elders convened. Heavily guarded with few hiding spots, the front gate was the best entry. Snow charged the stairs to the temple, enemies pouring out in droves. “BR1SC0E: Reaper,” she ordered coldly. The armor shifted to a grim green, a greatsword materializing. With a shout, she swung it forward, ascending step by step. Blood cascaded down, mangled bodies piling up—each wave felled only for more to block her path. “BR1SC0E: SOULBEAST!!” Snow roared. The dark green brightened, the greatsword shrinking to a dagger. Her speed surged, the blade flashing under sunlight as she neared the temple doors, leaving a river of gore behind.

Elite guards stood before the entrance—handpicked, moving in disciplined formation. A wall of shields advanced, spears thrusting through gaps, forcing Snow back. She gritted her teeth, ramming into them with BR1SC0E’s defenses. “BR1SC0E: WEAVER!!” A bolt of lightning surged into the metal wall, startling the guards into dropping their shields. A bizarre sword with entwined twin blades emerged; her armor now shimmered purple with mana, streaked with blood-red hues.

The guards rallied, counterattacking. Snow plunged her sword into the ground, cracking stone and toppling them. Survivors thrust spears forward—an ice wall rose, snapping their weapons in half. BR1SC0E’s true strength lay in its vast nanite reserves, enabling constant form-shifting and even mimicking magic. Gripping the sword with both hands, Snow raised it high. A colossal fire pillar erupted, embodying her fury. The guards panicked as the blaze crashed down, reducing them to ash and incinerating the closing temple doors.

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Inside, portraits of Elders lined the walls. At the center, a long marble table bore twelve chairs, laden with lavish food and fine wine—all drenched in blood. Snow rushed in, following a crimson trail to the rear garden. There, Elders’ corpses lay stacked. Before she could process it, the Gremlin appeared:

“Master’s taken a liking to you.”

A firewall flared, engulfing the bodies. Dark clouds rolled in, eclipsing the sun. Kulshedra returned—not as before. Longer, it coiled midair, shrouding the temple. Multiple heads sprouted, wielding whirlwinds, lightning, and fire. The Beast of Calamity and Chaos roared, eyes fixated on Snow, eager to devour its conqueror.

Four days had passed since Snow vanished.

Kira scoured Elysium, finding no trace. She’d lost friends, her power, and now feared Snow was gone forever. Trembling, she bit her finger, drawing blood. After Snow left, Kira tested her abilities—stabbing her hand with Edward’s pen—but the wound didn’t heal. Not only had the Stones’ power abandoned her, but her Homunculus regeneration too.

Overhearing guards whisper at a street corner, Kira learned of dark clouds over the Meadow four days prior. One recounted a massacre—most soldiers slaughtered, bodies still uncleared. The timing matched Snow’s disappearance. Kira raced to the Meadow. Oddly, the gate guards let her pass unhindered. A horrific sight greeted her: corpse mounds flanked the temple, stairs stained red with a bloodfall. The rear gate slammed shut; soldiers swarmed, encircling her. Bewildered, she saw a figure descend from the temple. He approached, soldiers parting respectfully. His black cloak concealed him, the Gremlin trailing behind.

“Last we met, were you still in a tank, or was I at a trial? Or perhaps Battlefield No. 7?” he murmured.

He removed his hood, revealing black hair and golden eyes. Glancing at the trembling Kira, he turned back to the stairs, raising a hand to the troops:

“SOLDIERS OF THE FEDERATION, SEIZE THE TRAITOR!!”