“FACE THE WRATH OF NORTH SPIRE, JOE!” I scream.

Joe Biden, just about to activate his [Finishing Blow] skill and destroy all of the Systemless Squad warriors, is caught completely off-guard. He looks up and eyes pop in surprise.

To be fair to the man, so does everyone else in the arena. Anyone sane would react the same when a squadron of sky raptors come careening towards them from above.

Just as I reach the ground, I hop off Yoshu and activate [Counterspell] and stop his [Finishing Blow]. Yoshu goes back up into the air, now helping Francis get around.

Joe Biden casts one [Counterspell] back at me to counter my counter, but I [Counterspell] that as well. Due to the way that the Destiny Card stack works, that will allow my original [Counterspell] to take effect as normal. Thank The Goddess for improving on the original batching system.

Julie, at this point, has abandoned her plan to use the Armageddon Power. She’s weakened to the point that she’s staying back from this fight altogether. Unlike I would be in her position, she understands that my plan is going off without a hitch, and her interference would only jeopardize it.

Biden obviously would be attempting to fight back at this moment, but as the rest of Clan Solbourne swoops down, they activate a plethora of their most important skill--[Pickpocket]. Each person uses it once or twice, and before Biden even realizes what’s going on, all thirty of his Destiny Cards are stolen away. He has to spend valuable time drawing more out with his Choose Your Own Adventure ability. And by the time he does, the Solbournes come back around for another pass and [Pickpocket] those, too.

His Life Points are surely draining with each draw, and even with his great strength he is weakening just enough.

While distracted, I make my fateful move and use my holographic [Drop] card, targeting Biden.

Drop: Rank 1. Make someone fall over. Cost: 80 LP. Holographic.

He falls to the ground, and sparkles shoot out all around him.

“What in God’s name--”

The trap activates.

From the floor emerges a giant customized Sorting Scepter, using the Warring Core as its power base. Thalia’s masterpiece revealed to the multiverse in glorious fashion.

It powers up in less than a second and blasts a blue magical beam into Biden’s chest.

He screams out. His entire essence is being absorbed.

Perfect.

He draws a plethora of healing skills and uses them to keep himself refreshed, but keeping up with the beam is a full-time job. He’s unable to fight back as the Solbournes, using techniques first honed by the Beaver Hopper Clan, bind him into place a dozen times over.

Biden is stuck, taking the full brunt of the Warring Core’s laser and unable to flash-step away. Every healing skill he draws, someone [Pickpockets]. Every destructive attack he casts, I [Counterspell].

And with his fate essentially sealed, I casually walk up to him and pat him on the shoulder.

“You lost the moment you came to Mystix,” I tell him. “You can’t have ever gotten past this point, because I ensured you never would. Your fate has always rested in my hands, and I will abide by your destruction no longer.”

Biden laughs hoarsely. “You think I’m down for the count? That’s a bunch of malarkey.” He strains himself and stands up on his feet, then breaks the bindings holding him down.

The others in the Systemless Squad, injured and weak, try to advance on him, but none are in fighting shape to do so, except for Delta whose balloon powers contribute unfortunately next to zero in this situation.

The Solbournes circle from above, but I signal for them to back off.

He rushes over to the Warring Core and kicks the machine apart, deactivating it

Biden flexes his muscles so hard the sleeves rip off his suit, revealing huge biceps. He’s panting.

“Let’s get this over with, Eryk,” he says. “Just you and me. I’ll beat you to a pulp like I did that orange-faced Florida Man four years ago.”

“Like I said,” I repeat, “I have already won.”

He adopts a fighting stance. I do not. He charges at me. I do not move.

Before he reaches me, he comes to a stop and gives a horrified, glazed-over look.

“M-my system... My class.”

“It’s gone,” I say. “You no longer have the Destiny Deck System. And you are precluded from ever gaining it back.”

“N-no! I’m a [Demigod]! I’m not some... some...”

I backhand him and he goes to the floor, skidding up to where Mestopholees still lies.

Ding!

Haha, just kidding. I can’t get dings anymore.

Biden takes a very long, very deserved nap. I think I’ll call him Sleepy Joe. Yeah, that nickname sounds very funny to me for some reason.

Now, the battle is almost over.

The Solbournes land and we work together quickly to rebuild the Warring Core structure, as well as to heal the injured.

I pick Malia up and set her on her feet, and Francis gently wakes up Esther. G’L’K and Abby soon come to their senses and embrace each other once they do.

Soon, almost everyone is at least conscious, if not in tip-top shape. We’re bloody, beaten, misshapen, exhausted, and the entire remaining U.S. military on Mystix has us surrounded.

Good.

It permits a fair fight.