Flashes of yellow, golden, and pink light filled the air. Countless golden lines criss-crossed the flashes. The entire area was filled to the brim with magic circles of every type and effect.
It was a battle of the ages. Something out of mythology, gods colliding in the heavens above.
The Temporal Arbiter panted for breath, blood dripping from the wounds on his body.
Princess Aurélie grit her teeth, pushing her sword against his staff.
The Temporal Arbiter was practically a god, able to move through time at will…as well as eject targets from it whenever he wished. None had ever stood against him. He had wiped out every opponent he faced in a single instant…once he had caught them that is.
In other words, he had never faced a serious opponent that he had to defeat with his own hands.
And so he was not particularly good at such things.
Princess Aurélie danced circles around him, cutting him with her blade time and time again. Adoel supported the hero with her magic, while Londibni laid down covering fire to disrupt the Temporal Arbiter’s attempts to overturn the situation.
However, the Temporal Arbiter was no mere organic being, who would perish if the wrong organ was damaged. The weight of his existence should not be underestimated, nor his control over time. Even should he take fatal damage, he could simply revert it. So long as he had power, he would not die.
As he could not use his powers to wipe out the summoned heroes, neither could they use their weapons to deal him the deathblow. The fight became a war of attrition between his powers, and Bob’s.
But Bob’s were a borrowed power from a reality that didn’t exist yet while the Temporal Arbiter’s were innate to himself. If Bob’s summoned heroes could not cut him down, eventually the power fueling their bodies would fade.
And their blows were growing increasingly infrequent.
The flip side to the Temporal Arbiter’s inexperience was that he had great room to grow, and to grow quickly. Even now, he was starting to get the hang of things. He took inspiration from Chronolock, using his powers to speed himself up. Every exchange, he was blocking a bit better, dodging a bit more, and coming a little closer with his counters.
He rushed towards Princess Aurélie once more. Staff collided with blade, but Princess Aurélie deflected the staff off-course and stabbed forward. Her blade plunged into the Temporal Arbiter’s stomach once more…
But this time, he was ready, a sphere of power glowing in his empty hand. Princess Aurélie’s eyes widened.
A blast of power struck her side at point blank range. She plummeted into the ground, flickering with specks of light floating off her. She fell to one knee, leaning on her sword and breathing heavily.
Worst of all, she couldn’t move for a moment.
And a moment was all the Temporal Arbiter needed.
In an instant he appeared by Adoel’s side, slamming his staff into her back. Londibni opened fire, an arrow piercing a golden line straight through his shoulder, but he grit his teeth and blinked over to her, shoving a knee into her stomach.
The Ancient Dragon noticed the fight turning. She blasted Captain Sildeth with another breath and shot towards the ground, jaw open and roaring.
But she was too late.
Because the Temporal Arbiter had reached Bob, lifting him by the neck.
“You spread your power out among your servants. That was a mistake. Now, you don’t have enough to resist me.”
Bob grunted and clutched at the Temporal Arbiter’s hand as his foe lifted the staff to his face.
“You’ve been a truly, seriously annoying little cockroach, but your time is at an end now. Any last words?”
Bob smirked.
“You’re the one who made a mistake.”
The Temporal Arbiter lifted an eyebrow.
“I’m not a cockroach. Nor am I a hero. I’m not even a villain. Do you know what I am?”
“A cosmic annoyance.”
Bob smiled.
“A faceless minion. And you know what that means?”
Bob made a full grin, baring his teeth.
“Someone who helps the REAL villain execute their plan.”
The Temporal Arbiter’s eyes widened.
Because a massive energy signature suddenly appeared in his perception. He swung his head around and his eyes widened.
Bob was granted the power of Ione, and so still had access to the system she created and all his skills and blessings therein. Including the Selfless Hero title, that allowed him to share skills and blessings with his retainers.
And what is a retainer?
Someone who had swore loyalty to him, and whose oath he had accepted.
So when he returned to this universe…
You have accepted a Retainer’s Oath from NSLICE-00P, Colloquial Designation: Elise!