Chapter 43

In another forest away from the battlefield. The place is quiet, beautiful even, birds were singing, leaves were dancing, even the war brought by the titans did not affect this atmosphere.

Suddenly, a loud boom was heard that startled every animals living in it, and a beautiful woman with purple hair holding the neck of a young girl with pink hair appeared.

"...nnggh.." The young girl struggled for air as her mouth opens and closes.

The purple haired woman dropped the girl to the ground as she coughs and keep taking deep breaths.

"...before we fight, may I know your name?" The purple haired girl ask with a dull voice.

"Haa~ haa~" the pink haired girl stood up and retreated to gain some distance, "....Meredy, Meredy Milkovich."

During their travel, Meredy gained enough to courage to ask Ultear if she can use her last name, and to her joy, Ultear agreed.

"I see, I'm Ariel."

Meredy remained silent, and glared at her cautiously, earlier, she couldn't even react when with her movements, and before she knew it, her neck was already gripped by her.

Seeing Meredy's lack of response and cautiousness, caused Ariel to sigh and decided to start attacking.

Taking a deep breath, large amount of magic power gathered on her stomach as Meredy's eyes widened in recognition.

'Slayer magic?!'

"SOUND GOD'S BELLOW!!" A powerful blast of black energy blasts off from her mouth to Meredy.

Leaping to the side, she managed to dodge the blast, but her eyes are glued to Ariel, surprised that the purple haired woman's magic is similar to her previous 'acquaintance'.

'God Slayer?'

"Maguilty Sodom!" Meredy announced, as dozens of energy swords floating in a circular motion in front of her appeared,

"Go!" With a wave of her hand, the swords shot themselves to Ariel in high speeds.

"Sound God's Machine Gun Voice!" Countless small energy 'bullets' shot from Ariel's mouth and countered Meredy's attack.

"Sound God's Voice Cutter!"

With her voice, thin blades of sound appeared and headed towards Meredy, who jumped in the air as she raised her arm.

"Maguilty Rays!" Blades of golded energy appeared and countered Ariel's blades.

"SOUND GOD VOICE BURST!" A powerful blast of vibrating sound energy shot from her mouth to Meredy, who can only widen her eyes as the attack reached her.

BOoOoOOmM!!

"Cough!..cough!..cough!.."

Meredy was laying on the ground full of injuries, she coughs a mouthful of blood as she felt strength leaving her body.

Even though she was once a member of the Seven Kins of Purgatory, she is as strong as an S-class mage at most, even if she use all her strength, she couldn't defeat a Saint-class mage, even if its just a weaker Saint.

She won't stand a chance.

However...

"..sensory...link..."

A pink, heart shaped seal appeared on her wrist, at the same time, a similar seal also appeared on Ariel's wrist.

"Hm..? Argh-!?..." Ariel glance at the seal on her wrist before she ġrȯȧnėd in pain, her body lost its strength as she stumbled and fell down on her buŧŧ.

Seeing this, Meredy smirked, at least she didn't lose, is what she is thinking. However, just a few seconds later, sher eyes widened in shock and fear.

Kill...Kill her!...Destroy her!...

No!...I don't want...I don't want to do this!.....

You accepted my power!....you must kill her!...the deal!...kill her!...destroy everything!....

Meredy stared at Ariel in shock, 'she's..she's being controlled?...how?...she doesn't want to this?...'

Please that's enough...i don't...i don't want to hurt anyone anymore!...please stop!..

Nonsense!!...You must kill!...You must destroy!..That's the deal!...

She felt Ariel's feeling, that killing intent, that strong dėsɨrė to destroy, yet she also feel her unwillingness, her care, her worries.

Ariel slowly stood up, ignoring the pain she felt all over her body as she slowly walk towards the lying Meredy.

Black aura covered her fist as it began to vibrate rapidly that seems to shake even the air..

She raised her fist, "SOUND GOD'S BEAT-"

"...please stop.."

Ariel stop her fist from hitting Meredy, as she dully stared straight at her eyes.

"...i know....you don't want to do this....so please...please stop..."

Unknowingly, tears started to fall from Meredy's eyes, she started to past self in Ariel. In order to have her hometown back, just how many did she hurt? Just how many people lost their lives in order to achieve her goal?

Even though she doesn't want to do it, for her wish, she did many bad things that even now she still haven't forgiven herself.

Ariel, she and her are similar in some ways. Both of them did things they don't want to do, the only difference is that Ariel truly doesn't want to these things while she did it just for her selfish dėsɨrė.

Meredy's feelings were conveyed to Ariel through the sensory link as she also shed her own tears.

Don't listen!...Kill her..Kill! Kill! Kill!

Despite her tears, Ariel still remained emotionless as she strike Meredy, however just before her fist could reach Meredy, a blue colored lightning bolt causes her to retreat.

"Meredy!!"

Meredy lifted her head and saw a blue haired boy with blue cat ears around her age, he also has a pair of white wings on his back.

"..Hap..py?.."

"Aye!"

Happy helped her stood up as he glared at Ariel not too far from them, glaring at the two of them with a stoic face.

"Let's leave now." Happy suggested with a panic expression.

"..no...let's fight her.."

"Are you crazy?!!" Happy exclaimed as he stared at Meredy as if she was crazy, "That's a Saint-class mage we are facing! Saint-class!! Saint you hear me! How can we fight her!? We'll die!!"

"...the bell...the bell on her waist...we need to destroy it..."

Meredy knew from Ariel that the golden bells on her waist were the reason of the voice that is controlling her.

"The bell?" Happy spotted the two golden bells on Ariel and narrowed his eyes, "are you serious?"

"Yes, now stop complaining and attack!"

"Urgh~!" Happy ġrȯȧnėd in annoyance, "I just want to eat some fish, why did I have to learn other magic?"