"Now... let the party begin!!!"
A gleam of sparkling light engulfed Marya Cash's body, and now Cleopatra had appeared before us.
She pulled a glowing blue staff from between her chest, and the light in that area flared brightly, blocking the view for the three of us.
"This light again!" Nico muttered.
The light slowly dimmed. The giant scorpion and beetle quickly charged at Sylvia and Nico, as if trying to separate them from me.
Sylvia had transformed into Jeanne d'Arc, and Nico into Lu Bu, both now held back by the giant beetle and scorpion.
In a defensive stance, Jeanne d'Arc slammed her sword into the ground, striking the beetle's horn and getting thrown back.
"What are these things!?"
"It seems like they want to keep us away from Andri," Nico shouted. "Andri! Be careful! Cleopatra wants a one-on-one battle!"
What?
BOOM!
Just as I turned my gaze toward Jeanne d'Arc and Lu Bu, Cleopatra was suddenly standing right in front of me.
I couldn't move. Damn it!
My body was stiff, my vision slowly fading, and Cleopatra's hand was now gently under my chin. She lifted it slowly, as if trying to kiss me.
Damn! I can't move a single muscle!!
"I will turn you into my puppet," she whispered, as her lips slowly approached mine.
"Andri!!!"
I heard Sylvia's shout, but I couldn't respond. She struck Cleopatra with her long sword and managed to make her release me. I could move again now.
That was too close.
"You idiot! Why didn't you do anything?!"
"Huh? I couldn't move! It was so weird, like my body suddenly turned to stone."
"Could it be... the staff?" I asked Jeanne in confusion.
"…Ugh, you're so annoying, Jeanne d'Arc," Cleopatra muttered coldly.
Cleopatra stood once more. The beetle and scorpion slowly backed away and returned to her side.
She pointed her glowing staff at me.
"You are my opponent. Didn't you two fail to form a battle contract with me? You're just intruders here."
Jeanne d'Arc prepared to strike Cleopatra again.
But Lu Bu swiftly jumped in front of us and stopped Jeanne unilaterally.
"Hey—you, what are you doing!?"
"This isn't our fight, you idiot! We can't interfere just like that. Besides, Andri and Cleopatra have already entered a combat contract."
"Huh!? Who cares! He interfered with my fight too!"
"Huh? Really?"
Lu Bu looked at me with wide eyes. Feeling confused, I just nodded.
"In that case... let me join too—Hahahaha!"
The beetle and scorpion attacked Lu Bu and Jeanne d'Arc once again, trying to separate them from me, just like before.
"Damn it... People always meddling in other people's business—now it's just you and me!"
She's impossible to reason with.
I started calming myself, feeling the breeze brushing against my face, listening to the clash of swords and spears echoing in the distance.
– –
Adam had arrived.
Cleopatra flashed a wide, seductive smile at him while folding her arms across her chest. Her body writhed slightly, and she suddenly collapsed to the ground.
"...Ohhhh... That form... it turns me on so much."
She rose again, slowly.
"Forgive that little moment. Now it's just you and me! Let the party begin!!!"
Adam, without a word, dashed toward Cleopatra and aimed a punch at her. A bandage suddenly shot out from behind Cleopatra and intercepted the blow, sending Adam flying backward. He tried again, launching another charge.
"It's useless! If that's how you plan to fight, you won't even come close to hurting me—or more precisely, you'll never even touch me."
But with all his might, Adam's punch shattered the bandages into pieces, sending them scattering in the air.
Cleopatra stood calmly, watching Adam prepare for another strike.
"What's wrong? We're not done yet, are we?"
A swarm of bandages began to fill the space around Adam, slowly trying to wrap around his body. Adam leapt to avoid them, but no matter how far or fast he moved, the bandages continued chasing him.
'Is she trying to turn me into a mummy?'
With agile footwork, Adam dodged the writhing ribbons and rushed toward Cleopatra. He jumped, clenched his fist, and landed a powerful punch.
Smoke filled the area. As Adam prepared to strike again, he was suddenly blown away by a counterattack.
"What the—!?"
It was the beetle—it had shielded Cleopatra from the blow.
Damn it. I can't even scratch her…
"It's time to merge, Cronce."
Cronce? Could that be the beetle's name?
The beetle's body began to shrink, then suddenly broke apart into several components.
Its wings fused to Cleopatra's back, while its limbs merged with her arms and legs. On her chest, a glowing beetle-head symbol appeared. Its horns melded with Cleopatra's crown, and her staff transformed into a dazzling golden axe.
"What… what kind of form is that!?" Sylvia exclaimed in awe.
"Behold—combat model Q:
STAR OF CRONCE!"
Adam stood in place, calm and focused, while Cleopatra launched her axe at him with devastating force.
With sharp reflexes, Adam caught the axe midair and hurled it back toward her. Cleopatra blocked the returning axe with a single hand.
"Come on! Entertain me more, Adam!!"
With insane speed, Cleopatra lunged forward and began swinging the axe at him ferociously. Just as the blade passed mere inches from his face, Adam's eyes flicked, and he leapt back to create distance.
"Why are you backing off!? Never mind. I can reach you no matter how far you run."
The axe's shaft shrank, and Cleopatra grabbed it at the center. She pulled something from it—
Suddenly, an arrow made of pure lightning formed, crackling with electric fury. She drew it and fired with full force.
"Try dodging this!" she said with a wicked grin.
The thunder-arrow zipped through the air at blinding speed—
BOOM!!
"What was that!?" Jeanne shouted.
A thick cloud of smoke blanketed the battlefield between Adam and Cleopatra. Jeanne's eyes widened—but in that moment, the scorpion she was fighting struck with its venomous tail.
"Look out!!!" Lu Bu screamed.
CRACK!!
Jeanne was knocked aside, shocked to see Terwelu pierced by the scorpion's stinger. He writhed in pain as the flames around his body slowly faded.
"Damn you!!! Let him go!!"
Lu Bu swung his Feng Xian spear, forcing the scorpion back. Terwelu collapsed… and his body slowly faded into nothing.
"Terwelu…" Lu Bu began to cry. "You!! Don't think you'll die in peace after what you've done to my friend!"
The aura around Lu Bu suddenly changed.
As Jeanne stood up and approached him, Lu Bu struck her.
"Sorry, since you're my horse—"
WHAM!
Jeanne was thrown all the way to the audience stands.
"What the...?" she groaned, struggling to her feet and lifting her sword.
Nico—or rather, the now-unleashed Lu Bu—had lost all reason.
Fueled by pure rage and vengeance, he hurled his spear with terrifying power toward the scorpion.
The ground shook violently, and the smoke surrounding Adam and Cleopatra cleared.
Sensing an unfamiliar, savage presence fill the Colosseum, Cleopatra quickly ordered the scorpion to retreat.
"What… is this feeling?" she whispered.
She stepped back, leapt onto the scorpion—now missing one of its claws—and soared into the air. But mid-air, Adam leapt with incredible speed and launched a powerful kick straight at her.
BAMMM!!!
Cleopatra crashed into a massive rock, leaving her face bruised and several wounds across her body.
"Damn it!! That brat actually managed to scar my beautiful, pure face!" she cursed, rising to her feet.
Cleopatra drew her transformed bow from the axe and summoned several arrows. Aiming them skyward, she launched a barrage toward Adam.
"Now let's see if you can dodge this!!" she roared.
WUSHHH
With just a single swing, all the arrows aimed at Adam were suddenly deflected and vanished into thin air.
"What the—!!!"
Cleopatra was shocked.
Lu Bu charged forward with such force that Cleopatra was left unable to move. As he was about to strike her with his spear, the scorpion—already missing one of its pincers—suddenly leapt forward and shielded her, triggering a massive shockwave throughout the Colosseum.
BOOOOM!!!
The scorpion's body was shattered, its remains scattered across the arena floor.
"This is for Terwelu," said Lu Bu, his voice seething with fury as he radiated a terrifying aura of rage.
Cleopatra stared at the scorpion's remains with a cold, sharp gaze.
"Damn it!!!" she growled, grinding her teeth.
"How dare you destroy one of my most treasured servants. Unforgivable! I am the strongest queen in the entire history of mankind! Now, I'll make you all fall in love with me!!! Witness this!!!"
Cleopatra raised both her arms toward the bright night sky.
The remains of the scorpion floated into the air, swirling around her like a sandstorm in the heart of the desert. The scorpion and her beetle merged, forming a magnificent armor that covered her entire body.
A gleaming curved shield formed on her arms, a venomous stinger and beetle plating adorned her back, a unique symbol combining the scorpion and beetle appeared on her abdomen, and dagger-like blades shimmered from her legs.
Lifting two large machetes, she entered a new battle mode.
"Witness the judgment of the Queen! Don't expect to walk away unscathed!!!"
QUEEN OF DESERT
—The name she gave to her transformed state.
Adam glanced at Lu Bu. He knew that Nico had completely lost control to Lu Bu. As he tried to approach, Lu Bu suddenly dashed toward Cleopatra to strike again.
He unleashed a flurry of spear thrusts. Cleopatra skillfully blocked every one, but the radiant shield on her arm eventually shattered under the relentless barrage.
"You've completely lost it!!" Cleopatra shouted.
Lu Bu didn't respond—he continued attacking with brutal force, occasionally flashing a twisted, killer's grin.
'He's lost all control,' Adam muttered to himself.
Lu Bu managed to corner Cleopatra. She gasped, unable to move, unable to counter. With all his strength, Lu Bu raised his spear for a wild final blow.
"You idiot!"
SLASH!!!
In a sudden gust like desert wind, Cleopatra vanished and reappeared behind Lu Bu—striking him with a surprise attack that tore through his body, even shattering his spear in the process.
"Muscleheads like you only know how to fight with brute strength. Try using your brain for once!" she spat at him.
Lu Bu collapsed, bleeding profusely, lying motionless on the ground.
"Die!!"
As Cleopatra leapt to deliver a final blow, Adam swiftly intervened with a powerful kick—hitting Cleopatra square in the face.
CRASH!!
Cleopatra was sent flying, slamming into the arena gate, completely demolishing it.
"Sorry, but this kid's in a rebellious state right now. It'll be dangerous if we let him keep going like this."
Adam crouched down and gently lifted Lu Bu, carrying him to the edge of the arena.
"It's alright now... Don't worry. Leave the rest to your father," he whispered while softly patting Lu Bu's head.
BOOOOM!!!
An explosion erupted from the spot where Cleopatra had been thrown.
"You and the others... You always ruin my plans!!!!"
"Plans? I don't know what you're talking about," Adam replied, turning his back.
Covered in blood, Cleopatra rose, aiming her machetes at Adam.
"I've had enough!!! Let's finish this fight now!!!"
"As you wish... I'll bring you back to the cosmos—my child, you've suffered long enough in this place, haven't you?"
"Shut up with that nonsense!!!"
Cleopatra launched herself forward, slashing both blades at Adam.
BOOOOM!!!
The epic battle between Adam and Cleopatra exploded into chaos, destroying the Colosseum arena. Cleopatra spun her blades, and Adam skillfully dodged each one, countering with his fists.
The arena lay in ruins, debris scattered everywhere, with only the spectator stands remaining—filled with hypnotized film crew members.
– –
With swift action, Jeanne d'Arc gathered all the film crew who were still hypnotized. Slowly, the lights illuminating the Colosseum dimmed, and the cameras that the crew tried to turn on were destroyed by Jeanne d'Arc.
"Adam!!!" Jeanne shouted from the audience stands. "Ignore these people—focus on her. Leave them to me."
Hearing Jeanne say that, Adam simply smiled.
"Thank you! I'll leave them to you!" he responded.
Adam leapt slightly farther away from Cleopatra, and now the two stood face-to-face.
"Now I'm more free."
Adam dashed forward, clenching his fist and launching a devastating punch toward Cleopatra. Cleopatra didn't react at all—she didn't have time to dodge due to the incredible speed. The impact sent her flying out of the Colosseum arena.
Through the rising smoke that filled the air, Adam walked through the darkness. Only the moonlight lit his path. He looked around in all directions, searching for Cleopatra.
"Damn it!!!!!"
BOOM!
The attack came from above. Cleopatra struck Adam with both her scimitars combined into one massive blade. The weapon had become large enough for her to use as both a blade and a bow to launch arrows.
Adam dodged every attack with great agility, though occasionally he was scratched by the recoil, as his body had already reached its limit. Cleopatra spun the massive blade and slammed it down toward Adam. He caught the blade—but then a sudden kick sent him flying backward.
"This isn't over yet!" said Cleopatra, retrieving her fallen weapon.
"Haven't you reached your limit too? Just look at your clothes."
"....."
Cleopatra remained silent—she had also reached her limit. Her armor gradually fell to the ground, crumbling and exposing her defenses. Yet she still had a pair of wings on her back and a scorpion stinger fused with her body.
"It's time for the final attack."
Suddenly, the stinger on Cleopatra's back extended and shot toward Adam. He swiftly dodged the incoming strike. The stinger struck the ground, and Cleopatra used that momentum to fly forward and slash at Adam with her blade.
Once again, Adam was thrown from where he stood, taking a serious wound from Cleopatra's surprise assault. She ascended into the sky—her beetle wings emerged from her back. Spotting Adam trying to run a short distance away, she adjusted her weapon's grip to use it like a bow. She launched a volley of arrows toward him, followed by another strike from her scorpion tail.
Adam kept running until he hit a dead end. He used the wall in front of him to climb and jump upward—now he was directly above Cleopatra. Using his full strength, he seized the momentum and kicked Cleopatra down to the ground.
CRASH!
With swift movements and a small leap, Adam landed on a metal pipe running between buildings. The bright moonlight shone down on him in the darkness. The night wind began to blow harder, as if signaling the end of this battle.
"…You…"
Cleopatra tried to stand, using her weapon for support.
She faced Adam, who stood above her, and smiled as blood trickled down her head.
"This isn't over... They won't let you do as you please."
"They?"
"The Servants will reclaim this world… you won't be able to defeat them alone—"
CRASH!
A powerful punch struck Cleopatra's face, sending her crashing into a wall.
"Them? They're just a bunch of fools doing as they please. Alone? I'm not alone… I have the people I love."
Cleopatra looked at Adam with blurred vision, still struggling to stand and continue fighting.
With quick steps, Cleopatra attacked Adam again, her twin blades now separated. She swung them wildly in all directions. When she let her guard down for a moment, Adam seized the chance and tightly grabbed Cleopatra's wrist. She countered by twisting her arm in the opposite direction.
In an instant, Cleopatra's arm—held by Adam—was severed. But she now had space and opportunity to strike. Raising her blade, she aimed it straight at Adam.
Adam was momentarily surprised by Cleopatra's decision, now cornered by her move. As the blade descended, he swiftly kicked her arm holding the weapon with his right foot, then stabbed Cleopatra with her own sword—still held together with her severed hand.
CRACK!
Cleopatra was impaled by her own sword, driven into her chest by Adam. The wound was devastating—she could no longer react.
"....Gwahhh..."
Blood spilled from her mouth. Her body weakened, and the sword in her other hand dropped.
Adam let go of the weapon, and Cleopatra collapsed, completely drained.
With a blank stare, Cleopatra gave a faint smile.
"...So… it ends like this after all… isn't this too soon?"
"You're the one who asked for this, aren't you? Do you regret it?"
Cleopatra smiled wider as she tried to pull the sword from her chest.
"Regret?? Don't be foolish… I've never regretted a single decision I've made… from the beginning until now… I've never seen my will or choices as mistakes… by using my beauty… everything became absolute to me!!!!"
CRACK!
She pulled the sword from her chest, and despite her bloodied, wounded body, she tried to stand and attack Adam once more with her blade.
"!!!!ADAM!!! FALL IN LOVE WITH ME!!!!"
Under the shining moonlight, beneath the star-filled night sky, amidst the ruins of broken buildings, Cleopatra was wrapped in a warm embrace—a love she had never felt before. Her eyes narrowed slightly, tears began to fall—alongside blood dripping from all her wounds.
"…Is this enough?" Adam asked.
"…What is?"
"A feeling you might not have felt in a long time—a feeling that makes people feel alive."
"…Ahhh… love…"
"That's right…"
Slowly, a bright light enveloped Cleopatra as she remained in Adam's arms.
"Did I… succeed… in making you fall in love with me?"
"I love all of you, but my greatest love is only for her—and from my love for her, you were all born."
With vacant eyes, Cleopatra smiled even wider and hugged Adam tightly.
"I… love you…"
"...."
Cleopatra's body slowly began to vanish, her light rising into the sky—shining brighter than the stars above the clouds. A warmth as comforting as love. Within the embrace of a father, Cleopatra—the queen whose beauty surpassed all others—gradually faded into light, and the mark on her thigh disappeared. She had returned to the cosmos.