After the vampire elites and Marius were consumed by darkness, the black veil lifted, leaving only Gasper, transformed into a monstrous beast.
Azazel confirmed the darkness had cleared, then rushed to Valerie, deploying a small magic circle to examine her.
"…I see. That explains it," he muttered, nodding.
"What is it?" Rias asked.
Pointing at Valerie, Azazel explained, "Her Holy Grail is a subspecies, it seems. Normally, there's one Grail, but she has another inside her. Her Grail counts as one, made of two parts—a unique case."
"!?" Everyone gasped.
A subspecies Grail? Two parts as one!?
"Is that possible for a God-slaying relic?" I asked.
It's right in front of us, but… I'd heard God-slaying relics can't exist in multiples.
Azazel stroked his chin. "I'm shocked too. No precedent. Further study might reveal more, but… no wonder the extraction was quiet. My research suggests relic extractions are flashier. Since only half was removed, it was subdued."
Reina asked, "So, if we return the extracted part—"
"Yes, that should fix it. Valerie's not dead yet. …Man, this generation's relic holders are insane," Azazel sighed.
We all exhaled in relief.
Why Valerie's Grail was a subspecies, I don't know—but good.
She's alive.
She can walk under the sun with Gasper, go on picnics.
Thank goodness.
"Hand over the Grail. Let's put it back," Azazel said, starting a ritual to return the extracted Grail.
Alice sighed in relief but muttered, "Not quite resolved yet…"
"Yeah. Rizevim's scheming. Asem's words give me a bad feeling," I added.
Tiamat's outside as a countermeasure, but we need to hurry.
For now, we wait for Azazel's ritual.
Meanwhile—
"You've grown big…" I said to the beastly Gasper.
Watching Valerie's restoration, he chuckled in a low voice. "Heh, yeah. I was always looking up at you."
"True. You were this small," I said, holding my hand at waist height.
That tiny Gasper… now towering over me.
Not the point, though.
Rias addressed him. "You're not Gasper, are you?"
"No, I am Gasper. But also not. When this boy was in the womb, a fragment of Balor's consciousness took root."
Azazel's face twitched. "Balor!? The Celtic demon god!?"
Balor… tied to Gasper's Forbidden Balor View, right?
"Sensei, is Balor linked to Gasper's relic?" I asked.
"Balor's the most famous evil eye wielder, said to control Crow Cruach. Forbidden Balor View was named after him. But Balor inhabiting him? Unbelievable. Did Taslam not react because it was a replica?"
"I'm a fragment of Balor's consciousness, stripped of divinity, left with only demonic power. The real Balor was destroyed by Lugh. I'm Balor, yet not—Gasper Vladi. Relics are fascinating, hosting dragons, beasts, even demon gods' power. The Biblical God who created them was terrifying."
"I see," Azazel nodded.
Uh… how many of us followed that?
I sure didn't.
(Hey, what's that mean? Explain later!) Alice whispered.
(Sorry, I'm lost too…) Miu replied.
Don't ask me! I need an explanation too!
Gasper smiled wryly. "Just treat me as Gasper Vladi."
"Oh, okay," Alice said.
"Gasper-kun, as always," Miu added.
They switch gears fast…
I treat him as Gasper too.
He called me "Issei-senpai" before turning into this beast. That's enough to know he's Gasper.
Though his personality shift was startling.
Gasper stood by Valerie, gently stroking her cheek. "I felt compelled to save this Grail girl. Strongly. Separate from the other me's gratitude. I don't fully understand it. Maybe, before fully awakening her Grail, she used its power unconsciously. She called forth my Balor fragment… created me…?"
"So, young Valerie birthed Gasper? Rias could reincarnate him because Balor's fragment lost divinity? His Forbidden Balor View was drawn to Balor's power? A mimic hosting the real thing—what a twist," Azazel muttered, pondering.
Gasper told Azazel, "This state is a fusion of my relic and Balor. A Forbidden Move, yet not. Call it 'Forbidden Night and True Darkness: Balor the Beast.'"
"You're naming it?" I said.
"Cool name," Miu added.
Don't say that!
I named my three forms with Ddraig!
Miu and Alice are too casual!
Azazel eyed Gasper's state. "This is near God-slaying relic level… no, divine relic class. It's beyond Forbidden Balor View. A fourteenth God-slaying relic?"
"Seriously!?" I exclaimed.
"We'll confirm at Grigori," Azazel said.
Gasper's darkness began to fade. "Looks like my limit. I'll leave the rest to you and sleep."
As the darkness peeled away, reverting him to normal, the other personality grinned through the beast's maw. "I'm a being that dyes everything in darkness. But I swear I'll never harm you. Through the other me, I've watched you all. You're my precious comrades."
With that, the darkness vanished, and Gasper collapsed, unconscious.
Rias caught him, eyes teary. "Exactly. You're my vassal. So precious, Gasper."
Yeah, he's our comrade, my junior.
Darkness or not, that doesn't change.
Azazel's ritual finished, a dazzling flash returning the Grail to Valerie.
"She should wake now…" he said, but Valerie remained still.
Azazel frowned, checking her. "She's breathing, but her consciousness isn't returning…? Something's missing?"
Then—
"Maybe she needs this too," a third voice said.
Vali's face twisted with rage. "I've been waiting, Rizevim Livan Lucifer!"
A middle-aged man with silver hair appeared—Rizevim, with his mocking tone.
We gaped at what floated beside him.
The Holy Grail.
Rizevim smirked. "Valerie's subspecies Grail comes in three parts—a one-of-a-kind set. We extracted one already. Marius, the so-called Grail expert, didn't even notice! Pathetic!"
What!?
Three Grails!?
And Rizevim already took one!?
Laughing, he greeted us. "Yo! Rizevim Grandpa here! Time for fun playtime! Good kids, listen up!"
Rizevim, with the Grail and Lilith, Ophis's clone, at his side, leered at Vali.
Vali's anger was unlike anything I'd seen.
Rizevim cackled. "Such a cute glare from my grandson! Grandpa's thrilled!"
Their relationship isn't just grandfather and grandson.
What did Rizevim do to Vali?
"Sensei, what's between them?" I asked.
Azazel's face darkened. "He ordered his son—Vali's father—to persecute him."
"What…?" I muttered.
Rizevim pouted. "Harsh words. I just gave my cowardly son advice: 'If you're scared, bully him.' A Lucifer's heir with the White Dragon Emperor? My spineless son's tofu mentality couldn't handle it."
He feared Vali's talent?
Rizevim sneered. "Vali couldn't take his dad's abuse and ran away. Good thing Azazel raised you, huh? He's a great caretaker."
Azazel glared back.
Vali asked, "What happened to that man?"
"Your dad? I killed him! He was such a coward, it annoyed me☆ Shocked? Mad your dad's dead?"
"Not really. I planned to kill him too. But I'm glad," Vali said, aura surging with intent. "I wanted to kill you most. You don't deserve to claim Lucifer's 'Morning Star' title!"
White aura flared wildly.
Rizevim grinned at Vali's killing intent. "Nice eyes. Azazel, you raised him well. Way better than my useless son. From a sniveling kid to this killer intent—moving!"
Azazel restrained Vali and demanded, "Rizevim, what's your plan with the Grail? Controlling evil dragons, allying with a foreign god—what are you scheming?"
I'd briefed everyone about Asem before reaching the chamber. They were shocked—a god who created Roswaal, no less.
And Asem's aiding Rizevim.
But their true goal…?
Rizevim glanced at the Grail. "You met Asem, huh? But not our goal. Good, good. Big reveals need an audience!"
Pointing a finger, he explained. "The 'other world' surfaced when Loki attacked Japan. No matter the secrecy, that shout leaked it. The Oppai Dragon returned with that black-haired girl."
Yeah, I knew.
No matter how tight the info control, Miu and I were exposed.
Thanks to Azazel and Sirzechs, no one's acted against us yet.
Rizevim continued. "A world unlinked to any mythology—Biblical, Norse, Indian, Japanese. Ast Aarde, right? For otherworldly researchers, it was a bombshell."
Azazel and Ddraig said similar things.
Miu could be in danger, so I hid my past and her origins.
Rizevim nodded. "So, I thought—let's invade it! With my evil dragon army!"
What!?
Invade!?
I switched gears. "Are you insane? You know about dimensional vortexes from Asem, right? You need to wait for one or have a connection like Miu. Even if you got there, you can't bring enough forces to invade."
Ast Aarde has gods. Roswaal's war reduced their numbers, but powerhouses like my master remain.
Even if he got there, he couldn't bring enough to defeat them.
Unless he's not aiming for the divine tier…
Rizevim scratched his cheek, nodding. "True. I considered kidnapping her, but Asem said I'd need special skills like you, Oppai Dragon. Can't bring my dragons. Wait for a vortex? Boring. I'm stuck."
He sighed dramatically, then grinned wickedly. "So, I chose another route. But it's not ready yet. Why? A monstrous dragon guards this world—Great Red."
Azazel shouted, "You're targeting Great Red!?"
Rizevim beamed. "Yes! Sharp, Azazel! I'll kill Great Red to reach that world!"
Defeat Great Red to access Ast Aarde?
Is that possible!?
Killing Great Red!?
"It's impossible for me. Great Red's too strong. Even sending Ophis failed—damn Cao Cao split her in half. Rejoining them? Not so simple," Rizevim said, patting Lilith's head.
Lilith remained expressionless, unmoving.
"Who can kill Great Red? My revived evil dragons? Nope. Steal Samael? Slim chance—Samael got wrecked. No god here can do it. So, one option—recreate a piece of Revelation!"
Recreate Revelation?
I didn't get it, but Azazel paled. "…666 Trihexa!"
An unfamiliar term.
Rizevim nodded, delighted. "Correct, Azazel! Want a prize? A trip to America? You're a great answer-man. Revelation mentions more than Great Red—the Apocalyptic Beast, 666 Trihexa. Think it can match Great Red?"
I asked, "What's Trihexa?"
"The number 666 is infamous. That's the beast. In Revelation, it's paired with Great Red," Azazel explained.
A monster on Great Red's level!?
I skimmed Revelation—there was a creepy beast beside Great Red.
That's Trihexa!
Azazel pressed, "It's only a theoretical existence, its location debated!"
Rizevim chuckled. "We found it. Using the Grail to probe life's principles, we located it. But someone beat us to it, sealing it tight. Guess who?"
He blew a kiss to the Grail. "The Biblical God. Found Trihexa first, sealed it with a forbidden spell even thousands of gods would die casting. Maybe that's why he died—doing that, then fighting the three factions."
The Biblical God died sealing Trihexa?
Azazel glanced at Valerie's bed. "The ritual Marius used was derived from Trihexa's seal?"
"Yep! We're painstakingly undoing each seal. A holy spear would help, but the Grail and holy cross are moving things along," Rizevim said.
"What have you done!?" Azazel snapped.
This bastard…!
If Great Red and Trihexa clash, the destruction…!
Rizevim declared, "We'll revive Trihexa, kill Great Red, then take Trihexa and my evil dragons to ravage that world's humans, demons, and gods!"
Alice and Miu shouted, "Don't mess with our home for your childish whims!"
"We're finally at peace—why do this!?"
Ast Aarde's long war ended, peace dawning.
And this jerk wants to ruin it.
I couldn't hold back. "You and Asem are scum! We won't let you! We'll crush your pathetic plan—right here!"
No way I'm letting them reach Ast Aarde!
Not my reclaimed comrades, everyone!
I aimed my palm at Rizevim, charging energy and boosting.
'Accel Booster!!!'
'BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBoost!!!!'
My right arm sparked with red aura!
No mercy!
I'll crush him!
"Wait, Issei! His ability—" Azazel tried to stop me.
A massive red beam—Agni—shot out!
Vanish!
But the moment it hit Rizevim, it dissipated.
"What!?" I gasped.
My full-power Agni… erased?
Not countered… canceled.
Azazel explained, "Listen, Issei. His unique demonic power—Sacred Gear Canceler—nullifies all relic-based abilities and enhancements. Your Red Dragon Emperor, Kiba's holy-demonic swords—none can harm him!"
"!?" Everyone but Vali gasped.
Nullifying relics!?
Is that allowed!?
Vali knew?
"Then how's this!" Miu gathered seven-colored light.
Star Dust Breaker—her strongest attack, not relic-based.
A smart move.
But Rizevim swatted the rainbow light aside with a magic-infused hand.
"Too bad! I'm a demon king's son—pretty strong even without canceling relics!" he laughed.
Miu gritted her teeth.
Vali looked furious, likely realizing his powers wouldn't work either.
Rizevim grinned wider. "Know why Sirzechs's vassals lack relics? Many reasons, but mainly—they're useless against me. Keeps me from touching this Grail easily, though!"
He warped space, storing the Grail in a subspace.
I'd wondered why Sirzechs's powerful vassals had no relics.
Now it makes sense.
To fight Rizevim, you need non-relic power and immense skill.
What a scumbag transcendent!
Seeing our struggle, Rizevim laughed, nodding. "Let's move on. Got something to show you."
He snapped his fingers, projecting a 3D image of a snowy town.
I recognized it.
"Carmilla's capital?" Rias said.
"Correct! Carmilla's town! Watch—this'll be a fun live show!" Rizevim snapped again.
Nothing happened—just snow falling quietly.
Rizevim tilted his head. "Huh? Should've started… oh, there!"
Black shapes darted through the snow—black dragons.
Multiple black dragons appeared in Carmilla's town!
"Mysterious black dragons galore! They're about to wreak havoc! Look, fire already! Nice!" Rizevim narrated.
The dragons torched Carmilla's town, destroying it!
Azazel demanded, "What's this, Rizevim!?"
"Some in Carmilla wanted to be weakness-free vampires too. I had them leak info to us, enhanced their bodies—with a bonus!" Rizevim said.
"Bonus?" Azazel asked.
"Yep! They're so modified, when I snap my fingers—they turn into mass-produced evil dragons! Cool, right?"
Those black dragons…!
"You get it! Those are the proud, blood-obsessed vampires' final form! Vampires caused this, so vampires should fix it, right? Well, former vampires!" Rizevim laughed.
"Asem meant this!?" I growled.
"Asem's probably watching with cookies," Rizevim said.
Damn it…!
This is the situation!?
Carmilla's forces are mostly quelling the coup—little defense remains!
The town's doomed—
Then, I sensed a foul presence from Tepes's town.
"No way… you didn't pull the same stunt here, did you!?" I asked, sweating.
Rizevim smirked. "Sharp, Red Dragon Emperor! Yep, the deluxe bonus activates here too. Forgot to mention—sorry!"
Roars and screams echoed underground.
Damn it!
The coup vampires turned into evil dragons too!?
Rizevim projected another image—flames engulfing Tepes's town, like Carmilla's.
Even with Tiamat, this scale and number…!
"What have you done!?" Azazel roared.
"It's a blast! Total destruction's near. Images aren't enough—let's see it live!" Rizevim snapped.
A massive magic circle appeared beneath us, flashing blindingly and bursting—
-------------------------------
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