— — — — — —
Moving through the world of shadows, Ryo's mind was still on Kurousagi.
"So… I guess everything I've been doing is completely out in the open now."
He knew exactly what kind of mess he'd made, and he'd always understood that sooner or later, Kurousagi would find out everything. Both he and Leticia had known it from the start.
"No, she probably figured it out ages ago. Athena never even tried to hide her relationship with me, and Kurousagi still kept pretending not to notice. Leticia and I have been around her plenty of times too. Even if she were a little dense, she should've caught on by now. It's not like moon rabbits are slow, after all."
Thinking of it, Ryo couldn't help but sigh, "I thought she'd confront me just now. Instead, she just kicked me out again. That girl really likes getting stabbed in the back, huh?"
He could already picture what would happen once the girls from the DxD world arrived in Little Garden.
No need to even think hard about it. Kuroka would absolutely be the first to jump out.
Nobody but Ryo had ever managed to shut her mouth.
And the others weren't exactly quiet types either. Whether it was Rias or Akeno, neither of them were the sort to keep their feelings to themselves. If anything, flaunting their relationship with him and deliberately provoking Kurousagi was the most likely outcome.
Of course, Kurousagi wouldn't actually be bullied. If that rabbit decided to start throwing sarcastic barbs, even Ryo couldn't handle that sharp tongue of hers. He'd have to shut her up somehow.
Back when she'd been stuck in that remote corner of Little Garden, unable to use force because of her duties as a judge, raising hundreds of children and still keeping them safe from other communities… if anyone thought Kurousagi was bad with words, they were out of their minds.
In those early, weaker days, Ryo had seen plenty of seven-digit communities get so provoked by her taunts that they snapped, charged at her, got beaten senseless, and had all their property confiscated.
Being good with words was part of a judge's job.
Being good with words and absurdly strong? That was what it meant to be a moon rabbit in Little Garden.
"Kuroka's gonna have it rough… Rias and Akeno probably won't have it easy either. Heh… Miss Kurousagi's probably going to show everyone exactly what the main wife is capable of."
Ryo chuckled to himself, like a spectator enjoying someone else's drama. But deep down, he knew Kurousagi would handle it properly.
Part of the reason he'd kept avoiding the issue was to push her a little. To tell her, in his own way: 'If you don't hurry up and claim your share, there won't even be soup left in the pot.'
"Man… I really am a piece of trash."
He laughed at himself, then narrowed his eyes.
The exit was close. A flicker passed through his gaze. His Cosmos began to burn slowly, and in his mind, it felt like lightning had flashed across the sky.
...
..
At the same moment... On Mars—
Inside a lava cave that had been converted into a temporary command center, Leticia, currently wearing Ryo's appearance, suddenly felt a spark flash through her mind.
"The rest of the meeting will be handled by Advisor."
She stood up calmly and addressed the gathered strategists from the various communities.
"What happened?" asked the strange cat known as Advisor, Garol Gundark.
"Leticia's here." Wearing Ryo's face, Leticia answered flatly. "She brought some… special news."
"I see." Garol stood up and took the main seat. "Then I'll handle the defensive coordination from here."
Leticia gave him a glance, quietly relieved, before quickly flying out of the cave and heading for her private quarters.
The place where "Ryo," leader of the alliance, stayed was also a cave.
The Grand Arcadia Alliance was currently stationed inside a desolate mountain range on Mars, hidden within a canyon. Natural caves along both sides had been reinforced into makeshift fortifications.
"Guard the entrance. Don't let anyone inside." She gave the order to the two female salamander guards and stepped into the cave.
The inside was simple. Self-burning candles. A wooden bed. And little else, since most supplies had been diverted toward military logistics.
Leticia sat down on the bed and looked at her shadow under the candlelight.
"You can come out."
As soon as she spoke, the shadow's face began to shift.
Before long, it became Ryo Yagami's.
Like he was a paper-thin figure stuck flat against the ground.
Then he climbed up from the shadow, brushed off his coat, and dusted away dirt that wasn't even there, "Lucky. Nobody blocked off the shadow space."
"Well, it's still only the preparation phase of the war," Leticia said as she took his coat and placed it neatly on the bed. "How's the environment? Adjusting?"
Ryo rolled his neck, then frowned. "Mars' gravity is insane. A five-digit could barely manage flight here. A six-digit would probably be stuck running on the ground."
"That's normal for divine wars," Leticia explained. "Six-digits are basically cannon fodder. Five-digits are the real backbone. As for four-digits… they're the generals. The ones who build legends and grow stronger through them."
Divine War. A name once soaked in blood.
But in this relatively peaceful era after the Dawn Age, it had become something different.
Four-digit powerhouses clashed on the battlefield. The weak fought desperately and became strong.
The strong challenged those even stronger, forging new myths and earning achievements that spread through the lower worlds, influencing countless observed universes.
In a way, it had become the fastest route for nobodies to rise. A proving ground for the powerful.
Both Ryo and Zeus understood that perfectly. And both wanted to strengthen their forces.
That was why this Divine War had begun.
In a sense, Ryo, who had never wanted to become like those cold-blooded gods, was slowly being shaped by the invisible rules they had created.
But if he didn't step into that world… how could he ever hope to break free of it?
Leticia folded his coat carefully and asked, "How did things go this time?"
"Pretty well. The details will probably be organized by Kurousagi and sent to you later." Then he asked, "Who did Greece send?"
Leticia answered immediately.
"The commander is Eunomia, eldest of the goddesses of order. Her deputies are Zeus's sons, Zethus and Amphion."
"Strong?"
"All four-digit level. Lady Eunomia governs time and has long been famous among legendary four-digits. As for the brothers, they're not as famous, but both are powerful. Around the same level as Advisor before his injury." She paused, "...But the real problem is Zeus's angel corps and the subordinate communities loyal to him. They have plenty of four-digit elites. In these small clashes during the preparation phase, we're clearly at a disadvantage in terms of top-tier fighters."
"I see…"
Ryo rubbed his chin, thinking.
Then he looked at her. "Think we can pull something off? Like killing one of Zeus's sons?"
Leticia froze, black lines practically appearing across her face. "Are you sure this war was supposed to train your subordinates?"
She stared at him. "Sure, four-digits can revive through all kinds of methods, so Zeus probably won't lose it. But killing the Greek side's vice commander right at the very start? Don't you think that's escalating things a bit too fast?"
Starting the war by killing Zeus's son.
That wasn't gambling. That was shoving all your chips in before the cards were even dealt.
No way Leticia was letting that slide.
But Ryo only smiled, his meaning hard to read, "Leticia, there are things I can't explain yet. But if the narcissistic one is about to come back…"
He narrowed his eyes. "And we still haven't made a move? Then it'll be too late."
"That narcissistic bitch…" Leticia muttered, her expression changing. "You mean...?"
"Shh."
Ryo raised a finger to his lips. "It's enough that we know. Don't say it out loud. Just in case."
Leticia nodded repeatedly.
And then her eyes started to shine.
"In that case…" A dangerous grin spread across her face. "We can make this even bigger."
Ryo blinked, "How big are we talking?"
Leticia's eyes gleamed.
"Break into the Greek camp." She smiled softly. "And capture Eunomia alive."
.
.
.