Shattering Humanity-Chapter 402: "...Countless Chapters Ahead.": Sanpaku’s Plan Of Action

Chapter 402: "...Countless Chapters Ahead.": Sanpaku’s Plan Of Action

"Dear friends, don’t overlook this one fact: With the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day.

The Lord does not delay his promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance.

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief; on that day the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, the elements will burn and be dissolved, and the earth and the works on it will be disclosed. Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, it is clear what sort of people you should be in holy conduct and godliness as you wait for the day of God and hasten its coming. Because of that day, the heavens will be dissolved with fire and the elements will melt with heat. But based on his promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness dwells." -2 Peter 3:8-13

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[Outer Sanpaku]

{7A.M.}

Under the quiet, downtown setting, SeiõrSnow falls steadily on the damaged buildings, streets, and sidewalks.

Interrupting the silence, the clashing of metal on metal echoes through the air.

The culprits, Shelly’s tooth gripped, all black Seax and smiling Jormungand’s sharp steel transformed Iceman appendage.

The young athlete’s well earned IceEye activated to it’s 2nd Stage, releasing a yellow aura, is sparring with the #1 of Takamagahara and he has transformed his body into steel.

The two disengage and the completely aware Shelly dodges an incoming falling punch from Itsuka.

The tall, platinum haired fighter is covered in her respective crystal purple SoulSeiõrShield while attempting to fight base level Shelly with no Seiõr help.

The two physically gifted women go at each other for a solid 60 seconds before Shelly stops a right jab, steps on Itsuka’s left thigh, and launches herself up. In amazing acrobatic fashion, Shelly’s left leg sweeps over Itsuka’s platinum hair, and wraps both her legs around the Izanami captain’s right arm.

With Itsuka now the victim of a flying arm bar, Shelly’s downward force brings her opponent to the ground and she front rolls the trapped fighter into a kick, creating distance between them.

Landing on her back in "defeat", the skill difference seems to discourage the physically gifted, platinum haired woman.

Itsuka(thinking): *Damn it!

But... HOW?!*

She sits up and looks at her closed fist covered in her personal colored energy.

Itsuka(thinking): *Even my own SoulSeiõrShield, with an IceEye helping coordinate my attacks and defense, I still can’t hit Shelly while she’s at her lowest level of strength.*

She takes a moment to watch Shelly easily dodge a barrage of attacks from a fully charged SunSword swung by Dom. The outnumbered combatant then front flips, blindly dodging a returning back slice from Jormy.

Using one foot, Shelly lands on top of Dominic’s dome. As she pushes off into a backflip, the force pushes Dom backwards to the ground and with her two hands free, upside-down Shelly grabs both of off balance Jorm’s shoulders.

Using her pure strength and his poor footing, the top tier soldier pins the young man currently made of steel on his back, cartwheeling a few yards before sliding to a stop

Itsuka(thinking): *How am I going to keep up with her?

There’s only so much I can do, even with this body my mother helped build.*

As if adding insult to injury, interrupting Shelly’s attempt to help Jormungand up, her SeiõrSense kicks in and she pulls Drakania’s little brother away from Laban DaeMon. The overzealous female enters the One vs Everyone with a whiffing drop kick that slams down on the pavement, lightly cracking under her sneaker. Her Eyelien also active to it’s 2nd Stage, the usual smokey grey aura flowing. The two fighters with Valkyrie blood in their veins stare each other down before they start their altercation.

Itsuka(thinking): *I know Ms. Zoram said it’s possible for a Völva to become a Valkyrie through hard work and training, but...*

Shelly and Laban DaeMon begin to showcase a display of combat that can’t be compared by those without their shared warrior DNA.

Each wind splitting fist thrown and leg kick perfectly dodged, blocked or countered. Almost as perfectly as the first match between the two women over a month ago, the fire in their identical blue eyes are fully ablaze.

Exposing a knife in her left hand, Laban twirls like a top. Shelly leans back, her tooth gripped Seax barely misdirects the bladed attack.

Landing on her back, the blonde fighter delivers a rising drop kick up into her current opponent’s crossed arms protecting her chest.

The force from the kick lifts Laban off the ground, but using momentum, she backflips and lands perfectly back on her feet with a slide.

Itsuka looks to the left, and sees her reflection in a display window of an abandoned clothing shop.

Itsuka(thinking): *...but from where I’m am now, can I even fool myself into believing I’m as reliable as her?*

To the self doubting girl’s surprise, Saku appears in the large glass window behind her. His soft green human eye and his blessed Anjell Eye stares at Itsuka from their reflections.

Saku: "You good?"

Still on a knee, Itsuka turns her head and looks at the Izanami captain next to her.

The visibly intimidating woman blushes and looks away, before confessing her thoughts.

While the doubtful beauty confines in the man she loves, they both watch as Shelly continues to practice with the three relentless challengers. Even without her special magical body shielding, the blessed Valkyrie descendant clearly outclassing each of her contenders.

Itsuka: "That time I had beat her, it was just a fluke... wasn’t it?"

Saku side eyes the woman kneeling at a lower level. He doesn’t saying anything, but lets Itsuka get all of her worries out.

Itsuka: "She didn’t fight me in her most comfortable style, and ever since we’ve all discovered Seiõr, Shelly has been progressing at an almost super human rate.

I just..."

She tightens her fist while trying to get out the thoughts plaguing her mind. Examining the visible energy around her body.

Itsuka: "I just want to be someone who people can have hope in too. Not a percentage of the baggage Shelly has to carry on her back.

If what Laban and Zoram are saying is the truth, will I ever get my SanguineSoulSeiõrShield?

Will I ever have enough people with their hope in me to gain that golden hue to my crystal purple SoulSeiõrShield?"

She closes her eyes, releases a small sigh and then softly chuckles and half smiles.

Itsuka: "You know what?

I think I just needed to say it out loud, to realize how ridiculous I sound..."

Saku: "Well...I--I’ll always have hope in you."

Itsuka’s face lights up bright pink in embarrassment and she almost stumbles backwards from her kneeling position.

However, Saku grabs her wrist, saving the startled girl from falling back, and also helps pull the blushing woman back to her feet.

Itsuka: "Wh-What?"

Saku, also blushing, can’t make eye contact with the taller woman while he repeats his claim.

Saku: "If we’re all going to keep fighting together, Shelly can’t always be our relied on Ace in the hole."

The two Izanami captains EyeEngage. Itsuka’s heart flutters while listening to Saku’s words. His grip of her wrist stays tight while trying to speak through his true (and ’corny’) emotions.

Saku: "Just do your part, and do your best for the ones you care about.

During the unpredictable chaos, we might get split up today. If that happens, I’m going to put all my faith in you to do your part, not Shelly."

Their symbiotes disengage and the two get closer.

Saku places Itsuka’s hand on his head as he buries his face in her warm, soft chest. Once again remodeling their significant, meaningful embrace.

Saku(muffled): "Cuvv ah de nnd ovv de daii, ’home’ is zubboz do bi zaffezd.(Cuz at the end of the day, ’home’ is supposed to be the safest.)"

This time, controlling her wave of emotions, Itsuka stiffens her upper lip and pets his head. Forgetting all about her insecurities and fears of being inferior to her peers.

Laban DaeMon: "Okay, break it up!

Break it up!"

The two break their embrace. As soon as physically possible, Laban squeezes between the two of them and looks back at Itsuka with an angry glare. Saku is annoyed but allows the unnecessary contact.

Xaadagaay: "*Eii-iii-k! Ruff! Twuuuuuuuuw*!"

Diving in, the orca girl makes all three fall to the ground into a pile.

Sol: "She will not shut up when you’re not around, ’boy toy’!"

Riding in from Inner Sanpaku, is Sol on the shoulders of her ’son’, TayTay.

Behind them is Daisuki, Scylia, and Drakania.

Everyone present converges together and Daisuki looks around.

Daisuki: "Thanks to the help of everyone, the few civilians that were still within Inner Sanpaku, as well as anybody in Tomodachi Town, have been evacuated to the 8 home cul-de-sac with Saku’s ’Demon District’."

Saku’s face not humble, but still annoyed while pressed between Xaadagaay and Laban DaeMon staring daggers at one another.

Daisuki smiles at the young man’s response to overly affectionate women and continues.

Daisuki: "Zoram says there is some ’SeiõrStar’ technique she learned from her brief time in Jomsborg that can help cover the homes from any Seiõr-less military artillery.

That includes missiles and bombs."

The group takes happy breathes of relief.

Dom throws a fist into his own palm and snickers.

Dom: "That means we can focus on getting rid of anybody invading our turf!"

Daisuki(nods): "That’s right, Champ!

From the information we’ve been given by Ms. DaeMon, by the end of the day, there will be a war between the three monoliths of human power that remain in Vinland.

Our main priority is protecting our land, and not engaging unless actually threatened."

Shelly perks up and looks around, finally realizing something.

Shelly: "Wait, where is Katsu?"

[Two Minutes Earlier]

While Shelly is busy sparring and Saku is serving as Itsuka’s support, Katsu is a few blocks away within the downtown city.

In a dark alleyway, with nobody around, the Yang Vessel has his Communication Eye of Wisdom active to it’s 2nd Stage. It’s aura respectively white with a black streak.

Katsu(thinking): *’The plot has been lost!’

’The Icemen aren’t used anymore! It’s all about Seiõr!’*

His nose twitches and he closes his green human eye.

Katsu(thinking): *You fuckin coddled babies are lucky I need your approval of Shelly and her journey to strength over everyone!

It’s partially your fault she has to feel sadness and suffer at all!

Fine!

You bastards thought I was bullshitting and bluffing when I said I’ve made plans to win.*

[Roronora Lake]

In the center of the calm, blood red lake, rests the dented and damagedTrue Bloom Arena.

Inside the only standing structure of the leveled city, hundreds of thousands of hibernating Icemen are packed and crammed into the blood stained basketball arena.

Dead bodies that were trapped inside, not crushed by the giants, are still left mauled and in bloody mush piles.

Suddenly, one of them opens their eyes, then another, and another, and then all of them begin grumbling.

Katsu(thinking): *I’m always countless Chapters ahead of you assholes!*