DxDanmachi: Voyager of Worlds Ability

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"Kill them!"

"Don't panic! Hold your ground!"

"Aaah!"

Outside the prison walls, Izou and Champ were locked in a desperate struggle.

Meanwhile, Dorothea, the alchemist, was idly watching from the sidelines.

Facing the relentless surge of guards, they continued their unending slaughter.

But despite their efforts, they couldn't completely suppress the enemy forces.

As time passed, soldiers from the nearby city walls arrived in an endless stream to reinforce the guards.

The number of soldiers they faced seemed infinite.

"Has Syura not come out yet?" Izou shouted, swinging his beloved blade to cut down another soldier. He glanced at his two companions, his expression tense.

The pressure on the trio was immense.

Although ordinary soldiers posed little threat individually, the ceaseless waves were steadily draining their stamina.

They knew that even as Teigu users, they were still flesh and blood.

Facing strong opponents didn't faze them.

But this kind of prolonged attrition was truly exhausting.

"Who knows?" Dorothea replied, casually sending a soldier flying with a punch. "Maybe they're running into trouble inside too?"

"After all, the guards out here were way too lax. It only makes sense they'd have stronger forces inside."

As someone who had lived for many years, Dorothea might appear young and beautiful, but her experience was vast.

She could read the situation at a glance.

"Is that so? Then how long are we supposed to wait?" Izou grumbled.

"Who can say? But I don't think it'll be much longer," Dorothea mused. "Our combat power should've exceeded their expectations."

Just as her words faded, footsteps echoed from the prison entrance behind them.

"Oh? Looks like someone's coming out!" Dorothea exclaimed, a hint of excitement in her voice.

Hearing the approaching steps, the attacking soldiers halted under their commanders' orders, regrouping cautiously.

They needed to assess the unfolding situation.

Sensing this, the trio turned to face the prison entrance.

In their minds, the surrounding soldiers were hardly a threat.

But as the footsteps grew louder, the faces of Dorothea, Izou, and Champ turned grim.

They could distinctly hear that only one person was approaching.

And they knew all too well what that implied.

Something must have gone terribly wrong for Syura and the others.

The solitary footsteps could mean one of two things: either one of Syura's group had survived, or an enemy was approaching.

Neither possibility was acceptable.

Realizing this, the trio's earlier nonchalance vanished, replaced by mounting tension.

They instinctively shifted into defensive stances.

Deep down, they knew—the person coming was most likely an enemy.

After all, if only one of Syura's team had made it out, they wouldn't be strolling leisurely.

And judging by the steady footsteps, whoever it was didn't seem injured.

The trio heightened their vigilance.

Without Syura's Teigu, escaping from deep within enemy lines would be near impossible.

Moreover, the person emerging might very well be the one who single-handedly defeated Syura's entire team.

Of course, it was possible that Syura had escaped using his Teigu.

But either way, the opponent's strength was undeniable.

Having pieced it all together, Dorothea, Izou, and Champ were now on edge.

Moments ago, they had been confident and unflustered. Now, they faced a dead end.

The shift was abrupt and unsettling.

Under the watchful eyes of all present, Esdeath's figure slowly emerged from the prison.

In her hand, she held Syura, frozen solid—a lifeless ice sculpture.

"Retreat!"

The instant they saw Esdeath, the trio couldn't suppress their fear any longer.

They turned on their heels, desperate to carve a path out.

After all, standing before them was none other than Esdeath—the Empire's Strongest.

They had never seen her fight firsthand, but tales of her prowess were widespread.

Especially a few days prior, when a colossal flaming sword had risen from the heart of the Imperial Palace. Syura had pointed to it, saying, "That's the power of someone on Esdeath's level!"

It was that display which had cemented their understanding of Esdeath's terrifying strength.

And so, they chose to flee.

"They're running?" Esdeath mused, a hint of amusement in her voice. "Though such cowardice irks me, it's the wisest choice you could make."

"But unfortunately for you, I won't let a single one escape!!!"

With a sly smile, she watched the three scramble away.

Then, without warning, she dashed forward with blinding speed.

She intended to capture them all.

After all, that was Mika's command.

❁❁❁❁

"These five Teigu were held by the thieves," Esdeath reported, standing before the throne. "The six enemies have been frozen by me, but they're still alive. They're imprisoned now."

"What are your orders regarding them?"

Hearing her report, Mika rose from the throne, walking over to examine the Teigu.

"Dimensional Formation: Shambhala," he murmured. "The technology within this Teigu is worth studying. I'm sure Gabriel will be quite interested."

"As for the other four Teigu..."

He glanced at the weapons beside Shambhala, a subtle smile playing on his lips.

"I recall these were among the lost Teigu, weren't they?"

"To think Syura managed to gather them all."

"He's quite the resourceful one."

A soft chuckle escaped him. "But his actions—spreading chaos in the Capital—are unforgivable. Esdeath, I'll leave their punishment to you."

"Understood, Your Majesty," Esdeath replied with a sly grin.

The thought of new subjects for her interrogation chamber filled her with delight.

"Oh, and about Dorothea—the alchemist," Mika added thoughtfully. "She's exceptionally skilled, isn't she?"

"Let's spare her. After all, talents like hers are rare."

"But to be safe, have her stay with you for now, Esdeath. Educate her properly. Let her contribute her full abilities to the Empire."

"Yes, Your Majesty," Esdeath responded, a glint of interest in her eyes.

And so, with Esdeath's decisive action, the Empire's last internal threat was eliminated.

❁❁❁❁

Under the cloak of a moonless night, in the dim silence of the maidens' quarters, a figure's eyes snapped open.

Carefully, Chelsea slid out of bed, silently dressing herself.

She eased her way out of the room, every movement calculated to avoid detection.

"Phew!"

Once certain she hadn't disturbed anyone, Chelsea exhaled softly.

As an assassin and intelligence operative, her identity had to remain concealed at all costs.

"No surprise the Imperial Palace is so heavily guarded," she mused.

Spotting a patrol approaching in the distance, Chelsea swiftly ducked behind a marble pillar.

As a prodigy in the art of assassination, her stealth skills were unparalleled.

Once the patrol passed, she activated her Teigu, transforming into a small animal.

Weaving through the labyrinth of buildings, she made her way to an abandoned section of the palace.

Such deserted areas weren't uncommon, especially on the outskirts of the harem.

It was precisely this desolation that made it the perfect hideout for Chelsea.

She quickly approached her secret stash.

In the overgrown weeds beside a derelict building, she unearthed a small box she'd hidden earlier.

The box was something she'd found among the ruins—a cheap, discarded item.

When she first discovered it, it was filthy and neglected.

"Probably a keepsake from a maid who used to live here," she had thought at the time. "Otherwise, something this cheap wouldn't be in the palace."

"As for its owner... she's likely long gone."

After cleaning it up, Chelsea repurposed it to store her belongings.

With the box in hand, she slipped into the abandoned building, settling in a secluded corner.

Opening it, she revealed a pen and a roll of parchment inside.

These were items she'd gradually gathered since infiltrating the palace.

Gently unfolding the parchment, she gazed at the densely packed notes on the first five pages.

A satisfied smile tugged at her lips.

These pages contained all the intelligence she'd collected over this period.

Disguised as a maid, Chelsea resided in a communal dormitory.

In such close quarters, hiding personal items was nearly impossible.

No matter how well she concealed them, there was always a risk her roommates might find them—and perhaps even read them out of sheer boredom.

After all, the palace maids led lonely lives.

Thus, Chelsea had no choice but to hide her notes in unfrequented places.

Which explained why she risked sneaking out tonight.

Admiring her handiwork, she carefully flipped the first five pages to the back.

On a fresh sixth page, she began to write.

Gripping the pen, she first noted the date.

Then, she penned her latest findings:

"Based on information I gathered from other maids today, it seems that in the battle a month ago, General Esdeath and Grand General Budo were the aggressors."

"However, following that battle, Grand General Budo vanished without a trace, while General Esdeath reappeared shortly after, still holding her position."

"This suggests that the rebellion initiated by Budo and Esdeath was swiftly quelled, and Esdeath chose to defect afterward."

"This indicates just how terrifying the strength of the Emperor and Minister Mellie truly is."

"Moreover, if even Budo—known for his loyalty—chose to rebel, then the question of who currently sits on the throne becomes even more intriguing."

She paused, reviewing her words carefully.

After ensuring the ink had dried, Chelsea neatly rolled up the parchment and returned it to the box.

She meticulously restored everything to its original state, erasing any signs of her presence.

Transforming once more, she retraced her steps back.

Navigating through the palace's intricate pathways, Chelsea moved with practiced ease.

Before long, she was back at her quarters.

Approaching the door, she glanced at the small mark she'd left—a subtle indicator to detect any intrusions.

Seeing it undisturbed, she allowed herself a brief sigh of relief.

It meant no one else had ventured out during her absence.

In her first two weeks at the palace, Chelsea had refrained from any actions.

She spent that time familiarizing herself with the environment and building rapport with her roommates.

There were sixteen maids sharing her dormitory.

Over those weeks, she'd meticulously noted their sleeping habits.

Who was a light sleeper, waking at the slightest noise.

Who tended to get up at night for the restroom.

Even how long each of them usually took.

Chelsea knew it all.

She chose her times carefully—when none of them would be up.

She was acutely aware that she couldn't always be silent enough to avoid detection.

If someone noticed her bed was empty and she wasn't in the restroom, suspicions would arise.

And as before, the maids were desperately bored.

If anyone discovered her secret tonight, by morning, the entire dormitory would be buzzing with gossip.

So she needed plausible excuses.

And she limited how often and how long she went out.

Even when she learned new information, she didn't rush to jot it down each night.

Instead, she only ventured out every three to five days.

If she gathered a lot of intel, every three days.

If not, every five.

And before transcribing her findings, she'd organize her thoughts thoroughly to minimize the time spent.

"Another successful night," Chelsea thought with a smile.

Gently pushing open the door, she slipped back inside.

"Why did it take you so long tonight?" whispered a familiar voice.

As she quietly removed her outer garment, Chelsea replied softly, "I stayed out a bit to watch the moon."

"Oh? Feeling homesick?"

Glancing at her light-sleeping roommate, Chelsea asked in a hushed tone, "Don't you ever miss home?"

There was a moment of silence.

Taking the opportunity, Chelsea slid into her slightly chilly bed.

"Missing home won't change anything. Let's just sleep," she murmured.

Pulling the blanket over her head, she closed her eyes.

Within moments, Chelsea, having completed her mission, drifted into a peaceful sleep.

Unaware that every action she took tonight had been observed by someone else.

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