Suzamete gaped when Soizar leaped from the ground, and with all the grace of a star, streaked into the Egg of the Future Dawn. Her instincts flared again. Something terrible was about to happen. Pouring the dregs of her energy into her vessel, she sent her will flying through the air just a notch faster than Soizar.

...!!!

Grim, Yuyui, Pherdanta, Savast, Baddan, Sila, and the Stark Troops were warned right before Soizar appeared in their midst and stopped right by Rias’ side. The Unlimited Stars and Sila immediately retreated from the necromancer, scowling at the new enemy. Indeed, their enemy had allies too.

"Err..." Yuyui said, donning a duckface. "Is that...?"

"A Lich? Yeah," Sila said, flexing his wings. "That’s the real deal."

Grim clicked his tongue and then turned to Baddan and Savast. The latter hadn’t reacted at all, but the Sky Watcher was eyeing Soizar with a grim expression. He (Baddan) brought his hands before him, and in a blink, the Stark Troops who had been assigned to him and Savast appeared.

Because of the advancements to his technique, Baddan was able to make other creatures Sub-Exigencies that he could call upon when he wanted; that included humans. He’d immediately stowed away the Stark Troops earlier, after getting a better picture of the threat posed by the Liches.

He’d had a nasty feeling. It was now or never. Everyone was gathering, and what followed would surely decide the fate of both the Stark-Soul Order – whether it could at all stand against the forces in Deadmanland – and Aigas itself.

Up in the skies, Soizar cackled and leaned against Rias’ shoulders. The necromancer didn’t dismiss him. It had become clear just now what was going on.

"It all harkens back to Fulgardt, doesn’t it?" he hissed to himself.

"That tends to happen to the worst of us. I have someone above me whom I loathe as well," said Soizar. "Are you clear on the narrative?"

Rias sighed. "The one who moved my Egg here..."

"Wants you to come with me to Deadmanland. You’re worthy."

"Am I?" Rias said, and he scanned his enemies. His eyes settled on a certain, black leopard that resembled a statue. Grim’s Conduit. It appeared he wasn’t the only one who used conduits for his powers. As it happened, the thing he was looking at was exuding a magnificent signature of death. Pure death. Was he not also the only student of death here?

Rias’ eyes fell on Grim. The Unlimited Star felt his gaze and snapped in his direction. For a few moments, sparks flew between the two’s eyes.

"Well?" Soizar said.

Rias didn’t answer immediately.

"First, I need to kill all these pests."

"Consider it done. I will cripple their souls and—"

"No. They are mine to kill. I said I would crush their will because it dared go against mine – to compare itself to mine," said Rias. "If you want me to go with you willingly, allow me this."

Soizar reeled, and then he chuckled. "Now don’t go getting a swollen head. You just barely possess the qualifications of a Lich at the moment, and nothing you have in your arsenal warrants you talking down to me. Watch yourself."

Rias glared at the Lich. "My enemies are your enemies too. Are you sure you want to fight me and them at the same time?"

Soizar could have rolled his eyes. "Human at your core, I see." He looked below, right at Aimon. Vali shuddered when she felt the creature’s attention. "Ah, there’s the snag. Someone is wrestling you for control over your own ability." The Arch-Lich licked the air with a finger.

...And Vali and Maxim erupted like grapes. Dead.

...!!!

"That should speed things up, right?" said Soizar dismissively.

Rias eyed the Arch-Lich suspiciously. Aimon’s authority was returned to him right then. All his powers were returned to their rightful master.

’As simple as that, huh?’ thought Rias. ’But I am no one’s pawn.’

No. He wouldn’t go with Soizar to the land of the Liches. However, for now...

...!!!

The Egg began healing its outer shell.

"Don’t let him do it!" Gerriey cried suddenly from the distance.

Within the Egg, all power systems were rendered null and void. The reason why this aspect of it had been lost was in part because of Vali’s effort and because the Egg’s shell had been cracked by Sila. If it was fully restored...

Speaking of Serenity’s Marauder, he flew, quicker than lightning, into the sky to break the shell.

"Another fascinating specimen," Soizar noticed him, but didn’t interfere. Rias was capable of dealing with Sila all on his own now.

SHIIIIIIIIIING!

An invisible slash struck Sila... but it wasn’t the kind that cut material phenomena. Suddenly, Sila was suspended in midair, and he couldn’t move an inch. His movements had been cut.

Gerriey was horrified. She had told the others that the Egg was capable of learning their abilities, and as it happened, Rias was extracting more of Pherdanta’s techniques!

The Unlimited Stars didn’t dawdle.

"Ko Aggrante!" cried Baddan and Grim, pointing into the sky, and a spectacular explosion rocked the Egg of Future Dawn.

The entire top half of the construct was blasted apart, and the Egg fell to the ground, its bottom scraping loudly against Edagon’s remains. The Bishop and her crew ground their teeth at the noise.

Grim and Baddan were temporarily incapacitated by the Ko Aggrante’s recoil. But Yuyui was free. She climbed back into the sky, ready to engage the masked man.

...But Rias slipped past her and once again went for his prime target: Pherdanta.

Aimon warped above him right when he appeared amidst the scores of Stark Troops surrounding the woman protectively. With an inhuman scream, it sent the Troops flying away, but a few, Ruge and Gerriey, managed to aim their fingers – even as they flew back – and cry, "Aggrante!"

...But Rias was unfazed. Aimon created a crystalline barrier around him and Pherdanta. It was created by condensing Undeath Essence until it resembled something akin to a diamond. A heavy pressure of Undeath energy also marred the inside. It filled every inch of the space around Rias and Pherdanta, malevolent and poised to attack anything that managed to slip inside. It would be fatal to ambush the necromancer by means of spatial manipulation now.

Rias didn’t miss a beat. As the Unlimited Stars panicked, turning and making all attempts to come to Pherdanta’s rescue, the unmasked necromancer grabbed the Commander of the Stark-Soul Order by the neck, squeezed the dear life out of her, and made the sharp, violent effort to pry her head off her shoulders!