Battle Harem of the Heavenly Sword

Rilu, who saw the pitiful visage of Hiro felt her chest being ripped into shreds. The normal goofy looking, kind man who made her heart flutter no longer existed. In his place was a man devoid of any life, with neither reason nor aspirations to live. This man simply just continued to exist.

She felt the same anxiety and sadness radiating off Filia as her own. Both women blurted out in shock at the revelation.

(What? How? They were System users of the [Awakened] rank! They could fight entire armies alone! How would such beings suddenly die one after another? More so with Hiro protecting them!)

Failing to break from the magic-circle prison, the transmigrator suddenly foamed at the mouth and passed out. Patches, who sensed genuine concern from Filia, calmed down and used his snake head to place the transmigrator on his back. Filia had amazing regeneration, thus she simply pieced herself back together and stood up.

(It seems you were truly acquainted with them. Follow me. I am Patches, a manticore saved by Hiro when fourteen battle harems hunted me for sport.) Filia grew intrigued by the monster, while dragons naturally learned the language of humans, the "manticores" of this world were known for being insane due to having multiple brains that never agreed in opinion.

Yet before her now stood one that not only spoke but had loyalties, memories, and even a personality. Being familiar with the universe's hidden truths, Filia asked the beast about her suspicions as they walked out of the bar.

(Do not attempt to fool me, monster. You are no Manticore, but a Chimera. I know what a real manticore looks like, despite this reality insisting a chimaera is called a manticore.) Rilu who heard the things grew confused as they made no sense to her. Yet she marvelled at these memories. Were they hers? Why did she have them? Why did she remember them now?

(I sense [Gospel] on you, you are no ordinary Chimera are you? Having [Gospel] means you are affiliated with the Saviors. I am Filiale Von Drachenfeuer heir to the Dragon Savior.) Patches' heads all faced Filia as his various faces smiled eerily. The snake head came nearer and curled its head to shake the dragon's hand.

(Haha, I knew you smelled familiar, now I know why. Pleased to meet you Heir of Dragonblood! Indeed, I am a servant of the Eternity Saviors. I am a true manticore sent to hide in this chimera's body. My purpose in coming to this reality is to protect the heavenly sword.)

Filia then shook the snake head like a hand as she responded in a grim tone.

(Your presence confirms my suspicions, he is the "One" then? How did your masters know he would side with you instead of taking your head off? Couldn't you think of a better disguise?)

The Chimera laughed heartily as he replied. (Indeed, Hiro told me later on he wanted to kill me the first time he saw me. Yet he defended me against over 500 System users. My masters believed not in him, but in his love for his wives. If they were present he would never kill me.)

Filia who spent years with the Mitsurugi harem answered with a smile as she reminisced about the past. (Let me guess, Raylene said it was unjust to assume you were guilty solely because of our appearance, Jade found out the truth that you were innocent with her smarts, and Vanessa wanted to use you as a battle mount for Hiro.)

(Correct on all three accounts, it seems you know them better than I did, Heir of Dragonblood. I rarely talked with the Empresses.) Filia smugly answered, then turned grim as she continued. (Well I did live for them for more than a few years. Tell me what happened manticore and I want the truth.)

As they walked Patches started to recount how exactly he met Hiro and his wives. He shared everything. From how they warmed up to each other, the battles they fought and the victories they won. Rilu and Filia both laughed at the monster's expressive stories. Unfortunately similar to reality, once the time they spent together neared its conclusion, Patches eventually shared the tragic climax.

(I protected Hiro from Venators, but I couldn't do so for his wives. Their branches were annihilated. Due to the decisions Hiro made, his battle harem had extremely low calibers for their rank and level. None of them gained access to [Gospel] despite reaching [Awakened].)

(Hiro told me that he can into contact with the [Forsaken] much earlier. The False princess orchestrated for his will to break, and she half succeeded. Due to that single mistake, Hiro lost the right to receive [Gospel]. Invalidating him as the Heavenly Sword dooming this branch to its demise.)

Filia bit her lips in anger. (Such backhanded tactics would be her all right. Then his harem turned deranged and was marked by the [Forsaken]? Hiro would not have allowed them to touch his wives. He would have tirelessly fought till he could no longer stand. But as he had yet to gain [Gospel] he could not protect them indefinitely yes?)

Patches silently nodded to show his affirmation. Filia collapsed to the ground as tears flowed down her eyes. (Hiro, I'm so sorry… I'm so sorry I couldn't be there for you when you needed me most.)

At that moment the sound of children creepily laughing echoed all around Patches and Filia. The eerie chuckles and giggles sounded like toddlers playing harmlessly, but neither of them believed the origins were human.

Aways from them, humanoid shadows crawled up the ground like zombies and appeared by the thousands. The figures mostly looked like simple human figures of civilians but some carrying weapons rose every so often. The shadows had no other distinct features aside from glowing white eyes and skulls on their head. Their bodies were black with sprinkles of white like stars in a galaxy.

(THEY ARE HERE! WE MUST RUN! THE [FORSAKEN] DRAWN TO HIRO HAS BEEN STEADILY GROWING MORE POWERFUL! COME, HEIR! DO NOT TARRY!) Patches started to run as he explained the situation. Yet Filia remained where she was and pulled out her beloved weapons.

(WHAT ARE YOU DOING? YOU CANNOT DEFEAT THE [FORSAKEN]! THAT IS THE ENTIRE POINT OF THIS WAR! LET'S GO HEIR OF DRAGONBLOOD! STAYING HERE MEANS ONLY DEATH!) Filia didn't turn back and remained still as her body slowly transformed. The woman gained horns, bat-like wings and a reptilian tail. The partially dragonified warrior roared as if to tell the world her message.

(I abandoned my dominator in his hour of need, I let die people I loved like my sisters. I refuse to allow him to suffer any further. I AM FILIALE VON DRACHENFEUER HEIR TO ETHAN DRAGONBLOOD AND THE NEXT DRAGON SAVIOR! I REFUSE TO RETREAT!)