New Game+

As the danger of the upcoming battle is at its extreme, Arthur\'s group couldn\'t recklessly charge in but had to slowly and carefully move towards where the battle was.

They moved without using their boosters but had to run and used various technologies they took from the Dragon\'s Fang to move quietly.

As Assassins, all of the Dragon\'s Fang wore modified boots and gadgets that allowed them to travel quietly. Their boots had several technological possibilities that allowed them to run as fast as they can yet not make any sounds.

Yet despite this, Arthur was extra careful in leading his team.

Suddenly, a figure appeared behind them.

It was Typical.

Arthur frowned as he noticed the chasing Typical but did not decrease their pace.

Typical quickly caught up with them.

"What did he mean by being a problem?" Despite the appearance of the Greydon Meng\'s personal Seal, Typical was insulted at Seeker\'s words before he left. So as the group moved to chase after Seeker, Typical followed.

"It\'s like this, the Empress has powers that would be similar to mind-control. You have the power to create these strange needles, right? Your Master has his Desolation which is an incredibly perverse power. Yet our enemy has something far more terrifying. This woman\'s Path is Beauty. Absolute beauty. This could mean two things." Arthur explained slowly as he continued to sprint. The group continued to follow Arthur and paid attention to Arthur\'s words.

"Based on what Richie told us, she has the power to cease all movements. And that even affected someone like Richie. We do not know what this Overcomer\'s Will is. Seeker told me about it but couldn\'t understand it as well. But it\'s not something that can be affected by simple hypnosis and the like. Yet the Tyrant Empress still managed to leave a terrifying mental scar on Richie. Even your Master has to be extremely careful fighting her. I daresay, that right now, if your Master faced her one-on-one he would lose." Arthur explained carefully.

"We become so captivated at her, that it could even stop our hearts from beating. But the more dangerous power that this Overcomer has, is that her beauty can not only captivate but enslave. We\'ve read in history and even in stories how people do stupid things for lust."

"So you mean she can mind-control us?" Meryl interrupted.

"If we are weak enough, then yes. But for us who are Unlocked, it wouldn\'t be that easy. She can\'t fully mind-control us but it will definitely affect the way we think. Love is blind as they say. That great obsession, lust and love will drive us to act against what we want."

"My Master has trained me and prepared me to be-"

"Your Master hasn\'t trained you to be prepared against someone stronger than him. You will be affected by her beauty. Seeker and my Father dared not to face her alone. This is because they will get affected by her beauty. How confident are you that you can control yourself when fighting her?"

"Didn\'t you say it\'s not total control?"

"Yes. To people like us, her beauty would probably cause us to act on instinct. It\'s not total control over our bodies but it would be an instinctive reaction to follow her. We retain our minds, but we still become enslaved to her. Even if you know that you shouldn\'t attack Meng, that woman is just too beautiful that you might consider killing your Master just for her!" Arthur angrily countered.

"Now think of the implications if you would suddenly use his skills in the middle of a highly chaotic battle?" Arthur poised the question.

Lynd and Meryl who had faced Typical knew that it was too dangerous.  A well-placed needle could even kill Seeker.

Typical frowned at first, but reluctantly stopped following the group and started retreating.

"Then please protect my Master," Typical said as he stopped running and dashed back to the base.

Lynd and Meryl\'s expression was sour.

"But Arthur, how can we help? Aren\'t our skills as dangerous as Typical?" Lynd immediately asked.

"Yeah. Wouldn\'t we be more of a burden if it\'s like this?" Meryl asked immediately.

"Yes but also no. While facing the Empress is dangerous, I can only say that something must have happened in Seeker\'s battle against Meng. And that something can help us, and only us because we\'ve been with Seeker." Arthur explained.

"What do you mean?"

"I know of Seeker\'s Path. And only this group can benefit from it." Arthur didn\'t explain any longer.

Lynd smiled.

"It\'s good to have Zeek back." Meryl sighed in relief.

"Don\'t get too relieved." Lowengren interrupted.

"He made Richie go on ahead." Lowengren then reminded.

"So?" Meryl and Lynd chorused.

"So my guess is, Seeker did it to stop her from getting to us. The biggest mistake that you could make in any strategic game, is to miss out on the chess pieces of your enemy. If it wasn\'t for Arthur\'s dad, we\'d be dead. Now Richie is sent to face this monster by himself. If it was any Overcomer, then it would be fine. But Richie\'s fighting an Overcomer and half of himself. Worst case scenario is; Richie would die before Seeker could get to him."

"No way. Zeek wouldn\'t-…"

"Think, Lynd! I can\'t explain it to you, but Seeker has something that he can pass on to us. Just as Arthur said. But even then, right now, He\'s gambling everything. He even NEEDS to use us." Lowengren emphasized.

"Seeker\'s been very protective of you two in particular. If he is sending you two to a battle that could lose you in death or in lust, then he must be very very desperate." Lowengren spoke grimly.

The two gave a grim expression but before they could voice out anything, Arthur spoke.

"Let\'s just keep a low profile. We are approaching the battlefield. Since Seeker sent Richie to face the Empress alone instead of fighting together with us, then he must have concluded that a sneak attack would be the only way to win. He\'s counting on us in this battle. He must have a way for us to resist the lust but he can\'t pass it on to Typical. This is also why he went first. He will look for a way to counter the Empress\'s Path. He should communicate to us soon so keep your comm device on and wait for any transmission from Seeker." Arthur ordered as the group dashed forth.

On the other side of the city…

BOOM!

A thunderous explosion resounded again.

The Rule was thrown backward from the powerful impact. Seeker\'s body was in intense pain.

He had ridden the lightning form of Lennox which was constantly electrocuting him and allowed the Almetal handle of his sword to carry him quickly through the air. The pair zoomed at a speed faster than sound and they raced towards where Richie was.

As they were landing, Lennox adjusted the way he carried Seeker allowing Seeker to perform a shocking stab at the Empress.

Using this combination, Seeker wouldn\'t miss as he was simply holding on to the blade. All they had to do, was wound the enemy\'s face, and their battle would be easier.

However, the attack wasn\'t successful.

"Damn. It was too shallow! I can\'t believe I resisted hitting her." Seeker angrily cursed himself.

Despite the strategy of using Lennox to lead the strike, on the last second Seeker tried pulling his hand back to resist stabbing the Empress. And with a physical strength that could even harm Meng, Seeker\'s resisting force caused Lennox to fail in delivering the full power of the planned attack.

Lennox had appeared right next to Richie and was slowly transforming back to his human form.

The Rule was knocked back as the electrifying strike caused an explosion.

The Rule then started to transform. Utilizing Miscellaneous Metal Morph Technology, the once exposed throne was surrounded by layers of metal. The seat had disappeared and the Empress stood confidently. The sight looked like a blossoming rose with a fairy standing in the middle of it.

The Empress was now wearing a strange silver metal armor. Her right hand had morphed to a metal shield. Seeker\'s momentary hesitation in attacking the Empress allowed the Empress to wear her Skin-Platted Exoskeleton.

"My my… what naughty boys! It looks like I have to really put more effort." She excitedly exclaimed.

The floating body of Pridgeon was immediately thrown off towards the distance as the electromagnetic cage exploded.

Seeker gazed at the direction where Pridgeon was thrown off to.

"Was that your friend? If you want him to live, you boys should hurry up and defeat me." She seductively bit her lips as she gave a hungry look at the three.

Richie was slowly breathing and focused on allowing his wounds to slowly close up. But his focus disappeared at the Empress\'s tease.

"Hey, Zeek. We\'re screwed. Her Path\'s already terrifying enough, and now we have to deal with technologies that could buy a few cities?" Richie chuckled.

Seeker gazed at the armor that the Empress brought. The Rule she sat on was one of the strongest weapons built on Earth. Only weapons of similar strength to the Qilin\'s Horn could fight against it. But what was more nefarious was the Skin-Plated suit she wore.

"Altered Almetal Skin Plated Exoskeletons? Looks like the World Governing Powers really are loaded." Seeker sighed. That Exoskeleton alone would cost an entire fleet of Exoskeletons. The number of armors like that would not exceed three.

"I see you recognize my little toys. Well, a girl\'s got to defend herself." She teased as the skin-plated visor opened up revealing her face. A deep wound could be seen right above her eyebrows which ran towards her lips.

"You were planning to wound my face to make me ugly? Reminds me of my younger days." She chuckled.

"But true beauty isn\'t about physical perfection. You have to consider charm, poise, elegance…" The Empress started to gracefully move her hands elaborating on each point. Then her hand ran through her wound and she wiped it downwards causing her right face to be full of blood.

"and vulnerability…" She turned to the group and did a charming pout.

Seeker clenched his fist tight and gnashed his teeth. The allure was extremely powerful.

Lennox and Richie had to jump away from one another. Lennox\'s jump was strange as if half of his body wanted to stay and attack Richie. Immediately an electric charge burst from his legs and sent him away immediately.

"Oh? That\'s interesting. I know Richie could evade it as his instincts can overpower my charm… but dear Lennox, how did you do that? You aren\'t in that strange lightning mode after all..." The Empress teased.

Lennox was constraining himself. He dared not even speak and turned his eyes away from the Empress. But his body kept trembling as if another force was making him turn.

"His way of thinking is far different from us. The best way to put it is if we can think at one time, he can divide his thought process. Looking at how he can already convert himself to electricity without killing himself, he should have about over a hundred thought processes." Seeker spoke quickly. His breathing started to slow down.

"Oh? That\'s amazing. Now what about you, little boy. You\'re the scariest of them all. You practically resisted my beauty..."

Seeker merely shook his head and slowly sighed out. Intense anger surfaced from his eyes.

"The best way to defeat emotion is to throw a stronger one against it. No matter how horny you are, you lose all that when you see something that causes sadness, anger, and disgust." Seeker exhaled strongly. The memories he forcibly recalled were the most painful memories he had. Using his Unlocking, it was as if he saw it happening again.

"Oh really? I believe love is the strongest. Can those pitiful emotions really help?"

"Individually... they won\'t last a second against you. but luckily... I have the perfect emotions to fight you." Seeker smiled. Recalling Zeraphine brought painful memories. But there was one which made Seeker extremely angry. As his memories about her were unsealed, Seeker remembered it all.

"For love is strong as death, jealousy is fierce as the grave." Seeker quoted a verse from the Bible that Eagle would constantly sigh about.

"Jealousy?" The Empress was surprised.

"Jealousy gives birth to a mixture of emotions. Hatred, Anger, frustration, disgust, wrath, sadness and quite interestingly enough... love..."

"Oh? So which of those emotions are you using?"

"All of them." Seeker could barely hold on as he replied, but slowly, his expression was getting more and more focused.

It was the first time, since a long time, that the Empress gave someone an angry glare.

Someone was actually resisting her beauty.