Pause System: Harem In The Apocalypse

The portals began appearing across all the fleets after the horns were wailed.

The fleets were structured in a particular way which allowed them to fly. At the bottom, there were large growing crystals which were what gave it it's levitational properties.

The sails were what controlled the direction in which the ship moved, an ability user with wind magic or another ability would make this easier.

Otherwise, one could do what most of the other ships did and use another growing crystal with wind properties.

These crystals made their lives many times easier.

One by one, the fleets began to push forward through the portals, entering it before it could close down.

This included the King's fleet where Gray and the group were.

As Gray's ship began to leave, he heard a voice calling out to him from the city.

As he rushed over to the deck to see what it was, his eyes widened in surprise.

On top of one of the buildings was a young man with short blue hair and eyes. On his waist was the same old Katana, but the uniform was different.

It was Realm.

"Hey! Gray!!!" Realm shouted through a megaphone whilst he waved his arms.

As he noticed Gray looking over the edge, he suddenly gave Gray a thumbs up.

Gray instantly got the message and also gave him a thumbs up.

Upon seeing this, Realm put down his megaphone and smiled brightly. He looked down only to see a horde of zombies scurrying around on the ground around the building.

"It was worth it." Realm muttered to himself before taking a step away from the edge.

"I doubt my voice would reach him from up here... I didn't expect that." Gray said. "Why does he look so happy? He asked whilst he stepped away from the fleet's edge.

Although he said that, he too was smiling as he remembered the times, they beat the shit out of each other.

"Who's that? Your friend?" Duchess Charlotte asked.

He stopped to glance at her before saying. "Nope, just someone who I fought and worked with in the past."

Upon hearing this she nodded, as her only question was answered.

It was her wind manipulation which was pulling the sails, she was so good at it that she didn't even need to be paying attention to it.

Gray couldn't help but wonder when Kylo would be able to reach such a level.

"Hey, I have a question." Gray asked.

The fleet was already three quarters of the way into the portal.

"How may I help?" The duchess asked.

"I was wondering, where the duke might be, have you heard anything from him?"

A troubled expression appeared on the duchess's face. "Unfortunately, not... His family is a bit... Extreme... Especially his father... I'm worried about what might happen after we report his disappearance."

Extreme? Above that all, family? If the horned ones had their families and, in the family, there were older men, why not send them here into the war too? Gray wondered.

'Speaking of which, weren't the horned ones mainly men ranged in terms of appearance from eighteens to the twenties?'

Gray had many questions, including one regarding the appearance of the King. He appeared to be young, but he had a child as old as Gray himself, meaning he must have been around twenty years older.

"Duchess Charlotte, how old is the king?" Gray asked.

"I think it's around a century old." She replied.

Gray's pupils dilated.

'Then does that mean that all the other Horned ones and Ruby are also...'

"So, he's finally set off..." Said Realm.

"Yeah... Why were you smiling a second ago when talking to him?" Astria asked.

Snow white hair, and crimson red irises. She carried a katana one her waist and also wore a uniform belonging to the fallen angel opposition corps.

Currently mastering the vector manipulation ability, they called her cut.

"No reason... More importantly, I'm surprised Delta helped him out." He said.

Delta, the silver haired, golden eyed girl who was mastering the dark flames manipulation ability. She was ranked the highest in the fallen angel opposition corps as of now.

"That Delta helped him out? When?"

"I overheard her talking to officers managing the prison department beforehand, telling them to do as he said if it sounded reasonable. Just like I was, she was one of the officers camouflaged in the room listening to Gray's speech."

Realm placed his hand beneath his chin before looking up at the sky.

"I'm guessing what he said may have convinced her since she was the first officer to speak up in agreement with him after everything was done."

.

. Around an hour ago

. Back at the prison. [A/N: Chapter 121]

"I'll ask this once only... Am I going to have to forcibly save you all or will you all help me out?"

The officer ahead of Gray dropped his sword.

The room was in silence.

One particular voice, broke through that silence. All the other officers recognised the voice except for Gray.

"Are you sure you will be able to stop them from coming back? Can you say for sure you'll be able to risk even your life to stop them if that's what it takes?" The voice asked.

It was a feminine voice, but all the other officers around seemed to both recognise and admire it.

Even Realm who was camouflaged amongst the crowd and watching had been smiling. After all, it was their highest ranked officer speaking.

The unstable Delta, that was what they called her. Unstable because she couldn't properly control the flames... But she was working through it.

"I will." Said Gray with determined eyes.

"Good enough... What's everyone waiting for?! Start moving and do as he says!"

"Yes ma'am!" They yelled out.

After that, Delta disappeared from the department along with Realm.

Gray got the prisoners out, put them on the fleets after removing their cuffs.

And that brought them over to now... Ahead of them, a sight which they would have never imagined to happen before everything went to shit was unfolding right before their very eyes.

The large naval fleets were entering the portals and heading back.

"So, how are the mysterious beast sightings looking?" Realm asked.

"The sightings have grown... These beasts seemed unaffected by the zombie virus and have just been rampaging around and destroying everything... Many cameras around the city have caught them."

Astria's expression grew serious.

"They've managed to stay out of sight until now, so I can only imagine their also intelligent." She said.

Realm sighed.

"Looks like even after the war, we're going to have to work overtime."

Astria chuckled.

"If it helps keep everyone safe, then it worth it."

Realm grabbed his hilt and stopped as he realised something.

"Wait... Where's Delta?"

Gray stood on the deck with the others admiring the view around them.

They were inside some sort of tunnel or wormhole which the ship was stably sailing through.

There were colourful colours spinning all around them as they sailed through. The colours had a strong shade of yellow and were absolutely breath-taking.

"Hey! Gray! Look, look!" Said Lita excitedly as she pointed a colourful distortion in the direction they had come."

Seeing it he couldn't help but wonder just how far this tunnel went.

"Onii-chan, why don't you relax a little? You're too tense." Said Ria as she suddenly poked the back of his head.

"Onii-chan? Isn't that from anime?" Gray asked.

"Yep it means big brother, and I like anime... And this all feels like a scene right from a fantasy anime. So stop looking so worried and enjoy it." She replied whilst she smiled happily.

Gray let out a sigh before smiling back. "Alright..."

"So, how's everything holding up?" Ruby asked.

"They seem to be fine... We should be arriving there soon... Aren't you worried about heading back home?" Charlotte replied.

"I am... But worrying isn't what's going to help everyone. It's my duty, and new responsibility... After all I'm-"

Ruby was interrupted by charlotte who suddenly got on a knee and bowed.

"Please forgive my impertinence, your majesty. It will be a pleasure to serve you, my queen."

"Charlotte, stop that! You know how I feel about things like this." Said Ruby, blushing from the embarrassment.

"Queen Ruby~" Gray teased, as he got on his knees and imitated the same gesture.

The others did the same.

"You guys...! Stop ittt!!" She said once more, her cheeks blushing brightly as she did so.

They all chuckled at her reaction... Ruby was quite fun to tease.

A few hours had passed, since they began their journey.

Nothing odd seemed to happen and everything was going fine.

Until...

"So, how much longer is this going to take?" Gray asked.

The others were inside of the cabin resting as they took a break from everything which was happening.

"Not long... We're just about there-"

Charlotte was cut off, as a wooden plank from the ships deck suddenly sprung off.

The ship began to tremble and shake heavily, pieces of the naval fleet were being torn off as they moved at high speeds through the portal dimension.

There was a problem with the portal.

It suddenly changed colours from a bright shade of yellow to a dark purple.

"Your majesty, Ruby! Someone's interfering with the-"

Charlotte was interrupted once again as the ship shook violently again, almost sending her off the deck.

She would have fallen off it was not for Gray who had caught her in the last second.

The fleet was breaking down, so he placed both arms on the deck.

"Thank-"

"EVERYONE HOLD ON!!!" He shouted.

[Activating the King's mark: Level 2.]

A strange mark began to glow on Gray's forehead.

A ring proceeded to manifest around it.

[PAUSE!!!] He shouted inwardly aiming to prevent the ship from breaking down.

At that instant, a bright light flashed.

The last thing Gray remembered as an arm grabbing on to him.

Everything was pitch-black.

Slowly, Gray opened his eyelids only to find himself, laid down on top of a tree branch.

On top of him was an unfamiliar girl with long silver hair and a black uniform which he recognised from the fallen angel's opposition corps.

"Where am-"

Gray's eyes widened as he began gasping for air.

'I can't!! Breathe!!'