Reborn as the God-Emperor in Marvel

For the past twenty years, Enzo had always paid Bayonetta in gems rather than cash. It wasn't until recently that Bayonetta realized her unconscious collection of gems was driven by the attraction between the "Left Eye" and the "Right Eye."

At this point, how could the witch, who was now searching for her origins, resist the desire to uncover the truth?

Despite Solomon's repeated warnings, Bayonetta found his concern to be nothing more than well-intentioned but overly gentle nagging. While she enjoyed being cared for, she had her own plans. If Solomon hadn't mentioned the Sorcerer Supreme, Bayonetta might have taken it upon herself to resolve the matter alone. After all, it concerned her memories, and she considered that her personal business.

But now, with more and more speculation pointing towards the resurrection of the Creator Jubileus, even Bayonetta, with all her power, knew she couldn't handle that on her own. Nonetheless, she intended to secretly investigate Vigrid without attracting attention, hoping to gather clues—especially those concerning her past.

To get to Vigrid, Bayonetta had to take a train. This train was a special service developed by the Izaverta Group, exclusively traveling to Vigrid. Passengers needed a pass to board. Of course, Bayonetta didn't have one, but by entering the Purgatory Realm, she managed to board the train, effectively evading the fare.

The train passed through the snow-capped peaks of the Alps, and most of the passengers were Lagnar followers making their pilgrimage to Vigrid. The train car was luxuriously decorated, with a light green wool carpet featuring intricate patterns woven in dark green and white. The seats were wooden armchairs with thick blue cushions embroidered with golden sun symbols. Even the luggage racks were made of brass.

Bayonetta sat by the window, watching as the orange-red glow of the setting sun painted the black rocks. The snow-covered peaks reflected bright light while shadows steadily climbed up the mountainsides, gradually swallowing the last remnants of daylight. The carriage seemed empty, but that was only because Bayonetta was in the Purgatory Realm, where ordinary people were mere transparent projections of themselves.

She planned to stay in the Purgatory Realm while heading to Vigrid, as long as she didn't face Balder, the holder of the "Right Eye." No one would be able to detect her presence. Perhaps some ordinary people might feel something pass by them, but it wasn't a big deal.

The long journey made Bayonetta drowsy, and soon she drifted into a dream. In the dream, a hoarse male voice spoke to her, saying, "Wake up, my daughter."

Bayonetta found herself standing in a vast, empty room. In front of her was a massive golden ring, rippling with golden waves. A black figure appeared within the ring.

"Father?" Bayonetta found herself saying instinctively.

"Yes, come closer." The figure extended a hand, and something about his attire struck Bayonetta as deeply familiar.

Before she could get closer, a slight jolt from the train woke her up. She turned to look outside, and night had fully fallen. The moonlight illuminated the snowy peaks along the way, pushing back the shadows once more. Bayonetta couldn't recall much of the dream's details but suspected it was related to her lost memories. She lowered her head in thought—if she found the clues, she would remember everything.

Suddenly, she heard the roar of a motorcycle engine, the sound growing louder. The noise came through the glass, catching Bayonetta's attention and drawing her gaze back outside.

She saw a motorcycle riding up the steep black cliffs in defiance of gravity. A bright purple sigil was wedged between the motorcycle and the rock wall. Despite the slick snow between the cracks, the bike moved smoothly, keeping pace with the train.

The rider was a tall woman with short white hair, clad in a tight red leather suit. Bayonetta recognized her—the same woman who had appeared in Balder's office. As Bayonetta looked out, the woman glanced into the carriage. Bayonetta adjusted her glasses. The woman's magic was strikingly similar to her own, piquing Bayonetta's interest.

She felt that coming to Vigrid was the right decision.

Jeanne twisted the throttle, and the motorcycle surged ahead. After performing several aerial flips, it landed on top of the train. Jeanne didn't brake but raced towards the roof of Bayonetta's car, drawing two black pistols adorned with white peacock feathers. She fired rapidly, her purple magic-infused bullets raining down into the carriage like a storm.

Jeanne had no regard for the Lagnar followers, ignoring their startled screams. Her sole target was Bayonetta.

The witch's reaction was swift. As she dodged a bullet grazing past her, time around her seemed to slow dramatically. This was "Witch Time," a unique spell of the Witch Clan that heightened the user's senses, allowing them to move at superhuman speeds. Normally, this spell was passively active, automatically triggered when witches evaded an attack. However, in certain situations, it could also be activated intentionally, depending on the caster's will.

With a push from the seat, Bayonetta's gun-laden high heels shattered the window. She jumped out, gracefully spinning in midair before landing steadily on the train roof, facing Jeanne. Wasting no time with words, Bayonetta reached behind her and aimed her magenta pistols at the unknown enemy.

"Excuse me, but who might you be?"

"Heh." Jeanne's purple magic circle glowed again, and the motorcycle's engine roared. Bayonetta fired, but Jeanne easily dodged the bullets with a quick sidestep. Jeanne accelerated, then slammed on the brakes, causing the rear of the bike to skid sideways in an attempt to hit Bayonetta, who jumped back to avoid the blow. Jeanne swung the bike around again, trying to strike Bayonetta with the bike's body, but the witch deftly dodged the attacks in quick succession.

Bayonetta leaped towards the cliffside, her wide sleeves spreading like a swallow's wings in the wind. A purple sigil appeared beneath her feet, allowing her to stand firmly on the cliff, while her hair and clothes defied gravity, staying perfectly in place.

"You seem to have the same magic as me," Bayonetta remarked. "I'll ask again—who are you?"

Jeanne brought her bike to a stop on the vertical cliff as well. She chuckled softly. "It seems your long sleep has dulled your mind."

"Do I know you? You seem to know me." Bayonetta kept her pistols aimed at Jeanne, the full moon behind her casting a bright light over her black leather suit.

"I might know you better than you know yourself."

"You're getting more interesting."

"If you defeat me, I might just tell you." Jeanne's way of speaking was almost identical to Bayonetta's, her tone lifting at the end, as if fishing for a reaction. She revved her motorcycle and sped towards the mountain peak, with Bayonetta following close behind, her black sleeves billowing like wings as she glided forward.

Jeanne abandoned her motorcycle, leaping into the air to meet Bayonetta. Her fighting style mirrored Bayonetta's perfectly. Their bullets collided midair, sparking as they clashed. No matter what technique they used, their movements were identical. Even bullets fired from close range were dodged in the same way.

The two leaped and ran, climbing higher towards the mountain's peak. Jeanne, running ahead, suddenly spun around, delivering a high kick towards Bayonetta. The gun in her heel fired simultaneously, but Bayonetta had anticipated the move. After several exchanges, the two separated, evenly matched. Despite Bayonetta's lost memories, her combat instincts were intact, allowing her to counter Jeanne's every move.

"This feels familiar," Jeanne said, aiming her pistols to the sides. "Well, did you remember anything?"

"Not really," Bayonetta replied, pushing her glasses up with her gun. "But I have a feeling I've beaten you before."

"You can try again, you slowpoke," Jeanne teased, raising her pistols and charging once more. She delivered a spinning kick towards Bayonetta, but it was a feint. When Jeanne swung her gun, Bayonetta blocked it effortlessly.

They resumed their intense duel, but no matter how hard they fought, neither could land a decisive blow. Their fists and kicks were blocked, and their speeding bullets narrowly missed each other. However, after repeated clashes, Bayonetta's pistol, Scarborough Fair, began to crack under the pressure. But with each exchange, familiar scenes stirred in Bayonetta's mind, slowly reviving her memories, as if she had fought this same battle with Jeanne before. Lost in thought, Bayonetta's movements slowed for just a moment, and Jeanne seized the opportunity.

"Is that all you've got?" Jeanne's mocking tone carried across the battlefield. The two were standing on the side of a massive stone pillar, yet Jeanne didn't press her attack.

"Who knows? If we keep at it, maybe you'll find out," Bayonetta replied, hiding her longing for the lost memories behind her usual teasing tone.

Jeanne laughed softly. "What can you do with those toys?"

"I'll show you because I don't think you're done playing yet." Bayonetta lunged towards Jeanne, firing another shot, but the round green and pink gems embedded in Scarborough Fair suddenly shattered, and the magenta pistol emitted smoke and sparks.

"How foolish," Jeanne said, leaping off the pillar and disappearing

 from sight. "You're not ready yet."

"Hmph!" Bayonetta watched as Jeanne vanished from her view, her magenta pistol completely destroyed. In the ancient ruins littered with giant stone pillars, only the white snow and moonlight remained.

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