A/N: Hello everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm back for this weekend's update!!!
Well, I don't have much to say but here is the Chapter 88 for Volume 2 and well... The Rewrite Version of the Intermission of Volume 1!!
Hehehe, at first I didn't expect to actually finish the intermission but I found myself can't write chapter 88 until I finished it so... here it is. after days of writing and deleting, I finished.
The thing is there are still some more things I want to add on that but, decided against as I found another way to add it in the story line.
Now then! I'm done with my rant, so I here by give Chapter 88 and Intermission 1 rewrite version!
hope you check out both.
PS. thank you Gelo_Podcast, Aethergrey314 and Master_Sigil for the Power stones!!
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The once warm conference room shook as magical attacks rained down from outside. Rubble and dust scattered across the floor.
And yet—not a single soul inside had been harmed.
A vast circular shield above them, protecting everyone. The leaders of the Three Factions had reacted instantly. Sirzechs, Serafall, Michael, Gabriel, Azazel, Shemhazai, and Alice Louise stood at the front, their magic weaving together into a dome of protection.
Behind them, the peerage members of Sona and Rias recovered quickly, joined by Griselda, Irina, Vasco, and Dulio. Vali already had his Divine Dividing wings spread, scanning the skies with sharp eyes. The Slash Dog team spread out in practiced formation, ready for the next wave.
At the side of the defensive line stood Alice, her Anemo Emblem swirling with power. Wind wrapped around everyone like a protective gale as she raised her hands, reinforcing the barrier. Sweat falling on her brow, but her voice was firm. "We're safe for now… but they're not done yet, are they?"
Azazel grimaced. "No. The Khaos Brigade won't stop with just this."
"Of course they wouldn't," Shemhazai muttered, his tone edged with disdain. "Nothing terrifies extremists more than cooperation."
Outside, the ground trembled as faint flashes of magic lit the night, proof that the assault had only just begun.
"Khaos Brigade?" Hajime muttered, his eyes narrowing as multiple teleportation circles opened in the skies above Kuoh Academy. One after another, Human Magicians, Stray Exorcists, rogue Devils, Fallen Angels, and even a few unfortunate-looking youkai spilled through like an overbooked cosplay convention from hell.
Anisphia clicked her tongue. "Tch, and here I was hoping for at least one dramatic pause before the fodder parade started."
Alice gave her a sharp look. "Focus, Anis. They're not here for theatrics."
"Remember the threats I told you about last time? It's these guys." Azazel, still holding the barrier with one hand and sipping coffee with the other, lazily explained, "Khaos Brigade. A terrorist alliance made up of anyone and everyone—humans, strays, divine beasts, youkai, gods, devils, fallen… even a few freeloaders trying to dodge rent. Their goal? Simple: disrupt order and spread chaos."
Hajime's cheek twitched as he deadpanned, "...Don't tell me they literally call themselves the Khaos Brigade just because they want to cause chaos?"
Azazel shrugged. "Straightforward branding, isn't it?"
Hajime, Alice, and Anisphia all deadpanned in unison. Even Ingvild blinked blankly, while Sagiri eyed the rubble around them. Villhaze tried to keep her expression neutral, though the twitch of her brow gave her away.
The other leaders of the Three Factions exchanged awkward glances. True to form, Sona marched over, pinched Hajime's ear and hissed, "Is this seriously the time to critique the enemy's organization name?!"
"OW! Sona! I am firmly against domestic violence!" Hajime yelped.
"Then stop saying dumb things during an ambush!!" she snapped, her cheeks turning pink.
Lavinia laughed, entirely too amused. "Ahaha~ Hakkun's still cool even when bombs are dropping!"
Anisphia gave a thumbs up. "Relax, this is nothing. Just a bunch of small fries. I could always drop a Mana Bomb and call it a day~."
Alice's eyes widened in horror. "Anis, please don't! The last time you did that, you flattened two mountains and a historical monument!"
Anisphia puffed her cheeks, flailing her arms. "It was only the mountain's tip! Half demolished at best! And Hajime's the one who flattened both mountains! Plus, that monument was outdated anyway!"
"Hey! Why am I suddenly the culprit?!" Hajime finally wrestled free from Sona's grip. "You're the one who jumped on me whining about missing the dragon for your experiment! Causing me to miss and accidentally blow them up!"
Those within earshot broke into a cold sweat. Just what is this couple trying to do…?!
—---
Then, just above the room's shattered walls, three magic circles flared to life, marked with the sigils of Leviathan, Beelzebub, and Asmodeus. As the teleportation spells finished, three figures materialized in the air, floating above the conference like self-proclaimed gods descending from heaven. Their gazes swept downward, contempt carved across their faces.
Katerea Leviathan, draped in violet silk, carried herself with twisted regality as she spoke first.
"Oh, would you look at that?" she said with mocking grace, her lips curving into a cruel smile. "The so-called leaders are still pretending this peace can last? What a pathetic dream."
Creuserey Asmodeus, eyes glowing with arrogance, crossed his arms with a huff. "Disgrace! You sully the names you now wear. That is why we, the rightful successors—the ones who bear the true blood of the Original Maou—shall rise and cleanse their legacy!"
Shalba Beelzebub let out a cold, derisive laugh. "Thankfully you gathered here like lambs clinging to cooperation, dreaming of peace, you'll meet your end today."
The air thickened with tension.
Sirzechs stepped forward, voice calm but firm. "The original Maous are gone. With their departure, the war they waged has ended. What our race needs now is not blood nor conquest, but unity to survive. You cling to empty glory while the rest of us build something worth living for. Tell me—who is truly the disgrace?"
Michael added, his tone as hard as steel. "You fight to reclaim thrones that are nothing but ruins. All you'll find there is emptiness."
Azazel rolled his eyes with a smirk. "Please, we all know these clowns won't listen. Let's just get this over with."
Katerea's brow twitched at his taunt, her smile twisting into a snarl. "We'll see who's finished here… once we've burned this place to the ground."
—---
Hajime let out a whistle as he addressed Azazel, Sirzechs, and Michael.
"Congratulations, you three."
The three leaders blinked, glancing at one another before Sirzechs raised a brow. "Why… are you congratulating us?"
Hajime simply pointed upward at the trio of floating Maou descendants. "You caught a big one—or rather, three fish in one swoop. Quite the haul, don't you think?"
With a snap of his fingers, a table and chairs materialized using HoR abilities. Without missing a beat, he sat down and summoned a full tea set and an assortment of snacks from the Gate of Babylon.
Alice sighed but joined him, lowering herself into a seat beside him. "I guess it's fine… if you're going to act like this, might as well do it properly."
Anisphia wasted no time grabbing a cookie. "Crisis calories are the best calories."
Lavinia giggled as she joined them. "My, are we really going to have a tea party before fighting?"
The rest of the room—friends and foes alike—stared at them as if they'd lost their minds.
Hajime calmly waited as Villhaze did her work, pouring tea into delicate cups and offering them to him, Alice, Anisphia, Lavinia, Ingvild, and Sagiri. Sagiri, still in shock, sat down without realizing she had moved, her hand accepting the cup automatically. Ingvild followed hesitantly, her gaze darting nervously between the floating enemies and the casually tea-sipping group.
Finally, Sona snapped out of her stupor and marched up to them, incredulous. "Hajime-kun! What the heck do you think you're doing!?"
"Language, So-tan~" Hajime teased with a smile, sipping his tea as if explosions weren't still echoing outside.
"Don't you call me that!" Sona snapped, her blush flaring up once again. Whether it was embarrassment from the ridiculous nickname or pure anger, even she wasn't sure.
Even the Maou descendants and the Chaos Brigade forces momentarily paused their aggression, blinking at the surreal sight.
"Relax a bit. This whole situation is under their control. It's just part of their plan to flush out a key figure from the opposition," Hajime said lightly, gesturing toward the faction leaders as he sipped from his cup which made Hajime blink at stop.
Villhaze tilted her head, her tone laced with mock worry. "Ohya? What happened to Your Majesty? You suddenly went silent after tasting the tea I made. Could it be… you were struck speechless by how good it is?"
"Tsk, you got lucky this time, Maid," Hajime muttered sulkily. His reluctant admission made Villhaze blush, though her lips curved in a full smug smile.
Alice and Anisphia rolled their eyes at the exchange. Sagiri simply sipped her tea with the air of someone already too tired for this.
"Wow! Vill-chan, you got Hajime-san's approval!" Ingvild exclaimed brightly.
"Congratulations, Vi-chan!!" Lavinia chimed in, clapping happily.
Sirzechs let out a long, weary sigh, while Michael and Azazel exchanged resigned smiles.
Azazel muttered under his breath, "...Seriously, Nagumo Hajime, you even have the gall to flirt with your maid while sipping tea with your fiancées—in the middle of a terrorist attack."
Anisphia raised her cup with a wink. "This is pretty normal for us, you know."
The moment broke.
"You dare mock us!?" Katerea's voice cracked like thunder, her magic pulsing wildly in the air. "You think this is a game, you wretched insects!?"
Creuserey's fury ignited next. "Sitting there with your pathetic pastries while we reclaim our rightful legacy?! Insolent mongrels!"
Shalba pointed a trembling finger at Hajime. "You've turned this battleground into a picnic! I'll make you choke on your transgression!"
Still seated, Hajime took a calm sip of tea. "Well, you're wrong about one thing."
Katerea narrowed her eyes. "And what would that be?"
"You think you're the hunters," Hajime said, glancing up, looking at them with pity. "But you're the ones who walked into the trap, Mice. So stop squeaking loudly in a cage of your own delusions."
That made the trio explode into fury, their magic crackling in outrage.
But before they could act—
Vali, unable to bear the atmosphere any longer, burst forward from his position, charging straight at Hajime in his Balance Breaker, Divine Dividing Scale Mail.
Hajime didn't move. He didn't need to. Villhaze and Sagiri stepped forward to cover him, but a blur of red and blonde intercepted Vali mid-strike.
Anisphia.
With a casual flick, she parried the blow with the back of her hand. Then, with a bright grin, she drove a solid punch straight into Vali's chest.
"Sparkle Dropkick~!"
The force of her punch sent Vali rocketing upward, slamming straight into the floating Maou descendants.
For a moment, silence blanketed the room.
Hajime calmly sipped his tea. "Anis, that was a punch, not a dropkick."
Anisphia blinked, tapped her head cutely, and stuck out her tongue. "Teehee~."
Lavinia clapped delightedly. "That was amazing, An-chan!"
Alice sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Well… that escalated quickly."
—----
Vali repositioned himself midair, floating beside the other descendants of the Original Maou. He coughed roughly, the force of Anisphia's earlier punch still reverberating through his ribs.
[Are you alright?] Albion's voice resonated inside his mind, tinged with concern.
Vali let out another cough, half-grimace, half-laugh. "Yeah… didn't expect that much power from someone who looks like she should be in an idol group."
His eyes drifted downward toward Hajime and his group. Sagiri stood tense, kunai in hand, guarding Hajime's alongside Villhaze, whose eyes had gone icy. Ingvild still looked frozen in shock, unable to process what had just happened. Meanwhile, Hajime, Alice, Anisphia, and Lavinia had already returned to their casual tea setup as if nothing at all had occurred.
Azazel sighed, his voice heavy with emotion. "Vali… you're betraying me too, huh?"
Vali smirked. "What can I say? The offers on this side are far more entertaining."
Azazel's brow furrowed. "So this is your declaration then, Vali Lucifer."
Gasps rippled through the allied forces.
Without a word, Vali unfurled his eight black devil wings, their grandeur unmistakable. He hovered in full view, letting his lineage speak for itself.
Azazel's tone turned somber. "The magical might of Lucifer's blood and the Divine Dividing Sacred Gear… Some people really do win the genetic lottery. You'll go down in history as the strongest White Dragon Emperor of the past and future."
The weight of those words pressed heavily over the chamber, especially on Issei. The current Red Dragon Emperor clenched his fists unconsciously, sensing the storm to come.
Hajime muttered just loud enough to be heard, "Right… betrayal. Sure, let's call it that."
All eyes turned toward him. Azazel and Vali both twitched, trying not to visibly react. In their minds: Can you please not blow the cover!!!
Tobio narrowed his eyes, observing the three with caution. The pieces clicked into place quickly. So, like any good brother, he played along.
He suddenly raised his voice, layered with dramatic hurt. "Vali! After everything we've been through… does our bond mean nothing to you now?!"
The Slash Dog team turned to Tobio, then to Vali, and quickly caught on. In unison, they took tense stances, faces twisted with feigned betrayal.
Vali exhaled loudly, playing along with a wry grin. "....What can I say? At least this way, I get to fight everyone full-force. No holding back if we're enemies, right?"
Hajime muttered dryly under his breath, "Sure, let's call this acting…"
WHAP! WHAP!
Alice and Anisphia simultaneously smacked Hajime with paper fans.
"Quiet, you," Alice scolded, her eyes narrowing.
"Don't ruin the script!" Anisphia added sharply.
"Alright, alright, I get it," Hajime grumbled, rubbing his head.
As if on cue, the four descendants of the Original Maou launched their assault.
—---
The battlefield erupted into a tempest of clashing energies. The Gremory and Sitri peerages formed coordinated defensive lines, while Dulio, along with the Slash Dog team, met the Chaos Brigade head-on with practiced ferocity.
Spells and projectiles flew in relentless waves. Barriers rose, shattered, and reformed, each impact spread across the battlefield.
Amidst the chaos, Hajime remained calmly seated at his tea table, sipping as if the fighting was no more than background noise. Sagiri stood protectively before him, ready to move at a moment's notice. Beside her, Villhaze waited like a proper maid, motionless for now, but everyone who knew her understood she would strike the instant Hajime commanded, especially against anything that threatened Ingvild.
Hajime's gaze drifted to Irina, Griselda, and Vasco as they prepared to rush forward. Tilting his head thoughtfully, he gave a small nod before calling out.
"Griselda-san, Shidou-san, Vasco-san… please wait a moment."
The three halted, confused, and turned toward him—still sipping tea at his absurd little table.
"Is something the matter, Nagumo-san?" Griselda asked, speaking for the group.
"There's something I'd like to give you—as thanks for last time," Hajime said, offering a faint smile.
Curiosity piqued, the three approached. Even the leaders maintaining the barrier—Azazel, Shemhazai, Sirzechs, Serafall, Michael, and Gabriel—leaned forward to see what Hajime was planning. Alice glanced at him knowingly, shaking her head as she sipped her tea. Anisphia rolled her eyes, munching on cookies. Sagiri side-eyed him, half-curious, half-focused on the ongoing battle. Ingvild and Lavinia leaned forward as well, Lavinia practically bouncing with excitement.
With a snap of his fingers, Hajime's eyes glowed crimson, a gear-like pattern spiraling at their center. Light formed of ones and zeroes appeared, the Power of Reason coming to life. Lines of code danced through the air as seven sword-shapes constructed themselves layer by layer, piece by piece, until seven identical weapons stood manifested before them.
"These are…?" Griselda breathed, stunned by the holy power radiating from the blades. Irina's mouth hung open. Vasco's shoulders trembled at the sheer majesty before him. Serafall, Sirzechs, Ingvild, and Villhaze, as devils, are sensitive to holy energy, but rather than pain, it wrapped around them like a shield, protective and pure.
"Here," Hajime said casually, offering them with both hands. "I broke the piece of crap 'Excali-what' that priest cobbled together, so I'll give you all the real one instead."
Azazel exploded.
"HOW IN THE NAME OF MY DEAD GOD FATHER DID YOU DO THAT?!" he roared, storming over and grabbing Hajime by the shoulders. "SEVEN!? SEVEN TRUE EXCALIBURS?!"
"Woah, woah, calm down!" Hajime shoved him back. "Personal space, old man. I'm into beautiful girls, not middle-aged science addicts."
Azazel groaned, rubbing his temples. "Do you have any idea what you've just done?! These are holy relics! You don't just casually craft a holy weapon—much less SEVEN of them!!"
"Even if you tell me that, I just did it." Hajime shrugged, handing his empty cup to Villhaze for a refill.
Villhaze gave him an exasperated look before sighing as she poured. "...Aren't you a little too casual, Your Majesty?"
Everyone else deadpanned at him.
"In the Kokabiel incident," Hajime continued, ignoring their expressions, "I used one of the authorities I usurped from Gilgamesh—Sha Naqba Imuru. It's a clairvoyant-type authority that lets me discern concealed truths with a single glance, and even know the 'truth' of almost anything. Using it, I broke down Excalibur's entire makeup: structure, power source, materials, spiritual history, divine codes. Everything."
"And then…?" Griselda asked, still clutching the blade.
Hajime smiled faintly. "Then I recreated them using my Power of Reason. Easy enough once you understand how something works."
Silence.
"You… recreated… a holy sword," Vasco muttered, his voice cracking. "Like… that."
"Yep." Hajime gave a nonchalant shrug.
Lavinia blinked. "Um… Hakkun? I understand Sha Naqba Imuru since it's from Gilgamesh's legend, but just what exactly is the Power of Reason? Which god did you take it from?"
Hajime tilted his head. "Ehh? I haven't explained that to you and girls yet?"
He glanced around.
Ingvild shook her head slowly. Sagiri crossed her arms. "No, you didn't." Villhaze pouted faintly.
"Really?" Hajime rubbed the back of his head with an awkward laugh. "Okay, lesson time. When I met Noah and the rest—when they saved me after Gilgamesh left me on the brink of death and took Alice away—Elysia gave me an Origin Crystal. It served as a Herrscher Core… and turned me into a Herrscher."
He paused, sipping his tea, letting his words sink in.
"A Herrscher is… well, an incarnation of an ultimate concept. In my case—Reason. My power lets me deconstruct and reconstruct anything I understand, from raw data to physical objects."
There was a heavy silence.
Then—
"WHAT!?" the room screamed in unison.
Azazel gawked at Hajime, utterly stunned. "You're telling me… if you understand how something works, you can just recreate it?!"
Hajime gave a faint smile, not even looking up from his cup. "Correct. If I comprehend the structure and logic behind it, creation becomes trivial. Just construction plus knowledge."
To prove his point, Hajime raised his free hand. Imaginary energy surged from his palm as the Power of Reason condensed, fusing into form. A miniature sun ignited above his palm, its heat and light undeniable despite its size.
Gasps erupted all around the room.
Then, with a flick of his wrist, the sun unraveled into streams of ones and zeroes, scattering into the wind. A star, born and extinguished in seconds.
Everyone in the room was visibly shaken.
"And that's not all." Alice placed her cup down and offered a dry smile. "Combined with Sha Naqba Imuru, Hajime gains passive, instinctual mastery over any weapon, technology, or technique he sees. Even magic systems unfamiliar to him."
She glanced toward Azazel, who visibly shuddered at the implications.
Hajime, unconcerned with their reactions, extended a hand. In front of astonished eyes, a brilliant ice-etched cross manifested, magic inscriptions dancing across its surface as the temperature dropped. It pulsed with the exact same power Serafall had once unleashed: Celsius Cross Trigger. He spun it once before dispersing it.
Without pause, a fiery crimson aura flared next, condensing into an orb pulsing with the destructive might of the Bael bloodline—the same signature as Rias Gremory's Power of Destruction. Hajime let it float lazily beside him like a loyal servant before it dissipated.
Then he reached out again.
A golden spear of light ignited in his grip, radiant with holiness. It shone with the very essence of the spears used by angels and fallen alike. He held it just long enough for its brilliance to reflect in the stunned eyes around the room, then released it into streams of ones and zeroes.
"So yes," he said evenly. "Anything I understand, I can recreate."
Azazel opened his mouth, then closed it again, finally letting out a low, hollow laugh. "…Serafall is right. You're a walking cheat code."
Through it all, Hajime only smirked.
Sagiri turned to Alice and Anisphia, her voice tight. "Is there anything else I should know about him? I need a full list. Because if he sprouts wings or summons another sun, I might actually faint."
Anisphia poured tea with a knowing smile. "Here, drink this. Jasmine. Calms the nerves and pairs well with absurd revelations."
Sagiri eyed the cup suspiciously, then glanced at Anisphia, then back at the tea. With a resigned sigh, she took the porcelain cup and brought it to her lips. One sip later, her shoulders eased, and she exhaled like someone returning from the brink of a nervous breakdown.
"...Okay. That helps more than I thought," she muttered.
Alice giggled, her eyes twinkling behind her teacup. "You'll get used to it eventually. Or maybe you'll start pulling off your own absurd feats just to keep up."
Hajime gave a half-shrug. Lavinia burst into laughter, while Ingvild still sat frozen in awe from what Hajime had just shown. Villhaze wordlessly refilled their tea with her usual precision.
Azazel, watching the scene unfold from a distance, twitched visibly. The composed, rule-bound, serious Ameno Sagiri was now sipping tea like any of Hajime's girls.
He muttered under his breath, "The straight-laced girl goes down…"
Sagiri flushed, setting her cup down a little too quickly. "I did not go down! I just—needed a moment!"
Anisphia smirked, leaning over. "Denial's the first step, Sagiri-chan~."
Before Sagiri could snap back, the air suddenly tensed with a violent ripple.
Katerea Leviathan, trembling with rage at Hajime and his group's continued tea party antics, ignoring he—their presence and treating her like a joke—finally snapped.
"Enough of your arrogance!" she roared, her voice filled with unrestrained fury.
Magic surged around her as a water serpent tore through the air, heading straight toward Hajime like a meteor.
Hajime didn't flinch. He didn't even glance up as Villhaze stepped forward, raising her hands as an intricate hexagonal barrier of crystalline blue materialized in front of them. The water serpent slammed against it with a shriek… and scattered like dust in the wind.
Not a ripple disturbed Hajime's teacup. He smirked proudly as Villhaze lowered her hands and dusted off her uniform with graceful precision, as though what she had done was the most ordinary thing in the world.
Katerea froze mid-breath, stunned. "YOU DAMN MAID!!"
"…What did you just call her?" Hajime tilted his head ever so slightly, his gaze calm, voice carrying steel. "Interrupting our tea time was already rude enough. But insulting my maid?"
Alice set her teacup down with a sigh. "That is a very bad move…"
Anisphia wagging a finger. "Uh-oh. You just triggered Hajime's Protectiveness."
He slowly raised a finger toward Katerea. Energy surged, shaping into a water serpent eerily similar to hers. Her eyes widened in disbelief.
"I'll never tolerate such a thing," Hajime said, his words an ultimatum.
The spell erupted from his hand, an exact replica of Katerea's attack—but denser, sharper, far more precise. It ripped through the air with devastating velocity.
Katerea's instincts screamed. She barely dove aside, watching in horror as the blast tore through her own forces—magicians, fallen angels, and devils reduced to nothing in its path.
Shalba and Creuserey staggered backward, cold sweat running down their temples. Even Vali, floating nearby, tensed as a bead of sweat rolled down his cheek.
Hajime didn't pursue the attack. He calmly lifted his cup again, taking another sip.
"See? I can be courteous too," he said evenly, as though he'd just offered her a polite warning instead of mass destruction.