A mother-daughter feast!
It seems simple, yet its history stretches far back.
Its origins trace to an ancient era, long lost to time.
And in some period, it spread to the island nation.
Giving rise to various styles.
But!
For Alistair himself, his favorite was always the oyakodon from that island nation.
And Demeter and Persephone.
This mother-daughter pair personally crafted an exceptionally lavish oyakodon for Alistair.
No!
No!
Since it was prepared by a mother and daughter together, it should rightly be called a 'mother-daughter bowl.'
What a pity.
As the God of Darkness, 'gluttony' was one of Alistair's domains.
Even Demeter, a Supreme God, frantically prepared dishes, yet the outcome was inevitable—she simply couldn't sate Alistair's hunger, only conceding defeat with regret.
Persephone!!!
The new Lord of the Underworld, one of the only two God Kings of this era.
And yet?
The result was fated. No way around it. In this arena, as the God of Darkness, Alistair was undefeated—a monster who would never lose.
Even until the end.
Just the two of them cooking for Alistair couldn't fill his ravenous, almost beast-like appetite.
Even when witches, generals, and felines joined in, preparing more dishes, the result was still preordained.
No helping it!
Alistair even felt he was only seventy percent full, and yet everything was gone.
One could only say.
Quite frustrating.
Alistair pushed open the door and stepped out, shaking his head, still feeling unsatisfied.
On this point, one could only say.
Alistair was truly like a ravenous beast. This feast had gone on for half a month, yet the outcome remained the same—no way around it!
"Your Majesty."
Charon happened to approach, glancing through the not-yet-fully-closed door, silently shaking her head. Terrifying! To think it would come to this?
Frightening!
Horrifying!
Charon felt she had grossly underestimated her lord.
Alistair stretched his limbs, asking, "What's up?"
Charon stood firm, bowing slightly: "Your Majesty, recently, I've sensed souls being awakened and brought back to the Sanctuary. Likely, these are the contemporary Saints who perished."
Alistair responded casually: "Pretty much as expected."
"The Holy War, no need to guess, is certain."
"It'll definitely reignite."
"Calculating the time."
"Hmm~~~"
"About a year and a half until the divine resources of the Earth are birthed."
"In that year and a half, training a new batch of qualified Saints is clearly unrealistic."
"Under these circumstances."
"The Sanctuary making this choice doesn't surprise me."
Alistair wasn't shocked. Training now was pointless.
Given that.
The best approach was to summon and resurrect the fallen Saints.
Beyond that?
In the past, during Hades and Athena's Holy War.
No need to guess—Athena's side surely had Olympus's various methods backing her.
Now?
Please!
Persephone and Apollo stand in opposition.
Two God Kings, by tacit agreement, won't act as long as the rules aren't broken.
Neither the Sanctuary nor Olympus would dare disrupt that.
No choice.
In the past, there was only one chessmaster, playing however they wished. Rules were followed only because they chose not to break them.
Now it's different.
Once, Apollo alone sat at the round table.
Now, Persephone joins as an equal chessmaster. So! Rules must be followed, or the board risks being flipped.
Those capable of flipping the table are now two.
The game, naturally, becomes far more formal.
"Anything else? Any other information gathered?"
Alistair continued to inquire.
Charon shook her head: "Your Majesty, my apologies! For now, that's all I've got. After all..."
Charon was helpless; too many tasks piled up.
The two dark universes under their command.
From the Underworld to Hell in between.
Plus, guiding everyone in cultivating and training their Cosmo.
Charon and Pandora were spinning in circles.
And now.
They had to arrange for Nezuko Tanjiro's demon clan, the first kin under their lord.
The two goddesses were practically in tears.
So busy.
So very busy.
Alistair, seeing Charon's state, stepped forward, patted her shoulder, and smiled: "Alright, take it slow. No need to rush."
"Besides…"
"Hmm~~~"
Alistair squinted thoughtfully: "Make arrangements. Demon Stars and Devil Teigu—select the most compatible vessels in both dark universes. No upper limit, but they must, in the shortest time, reach the theoretical peak of the Demon Stars."
"Your Majesty, I'll handle it."
Charon nodded coolly.
Searching on Earth? That was unrealistic.
Talent?
Joking!
Earth's talents, if not already claimed, might not even be born yet, already reserved by the Sanctuary, with agents watching constantly.
The Underworld seeking talent on Earth?
Unrealistic.
Fortunately.
With two complete dark universes under their dark multiverse, finding talent wasn't an issue with a bit of effort.
Then.
Alistair mused further: "Charon, take your time with the tasks. Don't rush. We have plenty of time. If you push too hard and something happens to you, I'd be heartbroken, you know!"
Alistair tapped Charon's brow, smiling as he walked off into the distance.
"Your Majesty…"
Charon watched her lord depart, a smile curving her lips.
As expected.
Her lord, whether facing subordinate gods or kin, was always so gentle.
Charon went back to her bustling work.
However.
Alistair likely didn't realize that with just a few words, he'd completely won Charon over. That was truly his intent!
"Your Majesty!"
"Your Majesty!"
"Your Majesty!"
Alistair headed toward the training grounds in the Pure Land of Bliss. Along the way, various demon clan members chirped greetings.
Though.
Alistair didn't care much for the title 'Father,' Nezuko insisted otherwise, firmly making all demons change their address.
Alistair smiled and greeted them back, even picking up and playfully ruffling a smaller, four- or five-year-old-looking demon girl.
Soon.
Alistair arrived at the training grounds.
Calling it a training ground.
In truth…
It was more like a colossal Roman Colosseum-like structure.
And.
It bore Alistair's concept, impervious to destruction, no matter the force.
After all.
Alistair was the master of the Pure Land of Bliss. To be precise.
The Pure Land was his divine kingdom.
And True Hell was also his divine kingdom, though the Pure Land was the core of cores.
That was why.
Alistair didn't fear any danger.
In a sense.
True Hell had detached from the Saint Seiya world, now an independent realm. Without the Hades' Castle link, it was completely severed.
Thus.
Alistair was considering: for worlds impossible to conquer, could he, like with Hades' Castle, establish a link and bide his time?
In other words.
If Alistair wished, closing Hades' Castle meant—no doubt about it—even Chaos himself couldn't enter True Hell.
Alistair, holding a demon girl, entered the arena and soon found a seat.
Normally.
Everyone trained individually, but today, they gathered, watching the spectacle.
Kanae and Shinobu vs. Akame and Kurome.
Yes!
Two pairs of sister kin under Alistair, battling each other.
In a sense.
This was also a clash between Underworld Warriors and Devil Teigu wielders.
The women naturally gathered curiously to watch, even Esdeath, standing haughtily on the stands, silently observing the fight below.
"Hm?"
Esdeath seemed to sense something. Turning, she spotted Alistair seated there.
Whoosh!
Esdeath vanished instantly, reappearing at Alistair's side.
Esdeath naturally looped her arm through his. The once-cold, proud queen now shed her icy demeanor, her eyes brimming with tenderness, like a delicate woman.
Though.
The controlling desire hidden in her gaze never faded.
If it did, she wouldn't be Esdeath.
Alistair, watching the battlefield below, smiled and asked: "Esdeath, how did Kanae and Shinobu end up fighting Akame and Kurome?"
Esdeath leaned lazily on Alistair's shoulder: "Your Majesty, it's just a spar. Since Kanae regained her body, her Cosmo has been soaring. And the four sisters all have designs on you, so they're probably competing to see who gets to bed you."
"I see."
Alistair, hearing Esdeath's bold statement, wasn't fazed.
If he were, she wouldn't be Esdeath.
Alistair observed the battlefield below.
No denying.
Akame, hailed as second only to Esdeath in talent, had been in the Pure Land for barely three months.
Yet?
She'd reached the peak of the Sixth Sense, with Kurome just a step behind her sister.
The sisters had a gap between them.
As for the Butterfly sisters?
The gap was vast.
Kanae, perfectly attuned to the Terrestrial Demon Star, had a body reborn with a Seventh Sense Cosmo.
Now, she was still surging forward. Save for Esdeath, no one could keep up with Kanae.
The two women were starkly different.
Kanae's edge came from the Terrestrial Demon Star's unique nature.
Esdeath? Purely her raw talent blazing through.
Overall, though.
Shinobu, compared to her sister, lagged far behind. After a month and more.
She'd only just touched the Sixth Sense.
One could only say.
The gap was real.
Of course.
Alistair hadn't fully unleashed the Demon Stars' power. Otherwise, Underworld Warriors' growth would be far easier. But at this early stage, it wasn't suitable—best to release it gradually later.
"You can tell Kanae's compatibility with the Terrestrial Demon Star is extremely high. At most, four or five more months, and she'll hit the theoretical limit for a Terrestrial Demon Star Underworld Warrior."
Alistair glanced over, quite pleased with Kanae's performance.
Esdeath asked: "Your Majesty, what's the theoretical limit for a Terrestrial Demon Star Underworld Warrior?"
Alistair explained: "Demon Stars hold immense divine power. If you disregard whether it destroys the Underworld Warrior's essence, you could even grant one the power of a lesser god briefly."
"But."
"That's utterly meaningless."
"Doing so might last a mere instant before the Underworld Warrior collapses."
"Thus."
"Demon Stars are restricted. Underworld Warriors gradually absorb the Demon Star's divine power, reaching the theoretical limit they can bear."
"Later."
"Once that limit is hit, breaking through, gradually harnessing the full Demon Star power, and ultimately surpassing it, feeding back to the Demon Star."
"I see."
Esdeath nodded knowingly. Alistair continued: "As for the Terrestrial Demon Star's theoretical limit, being third-tier among Demon Stars, it can reach the Eighth Sense."
"For Kanae herself, that's no issue. Further progress depends on her own effort."
"Eighth Sense!"
Esdeath clenched her fist slightly. She wouldn't concede.
She, Esdeath!
Would absolutely be the first to rise from kin to godhood, igniting her divine fire, forming her divinity, becoming a god!
Alistair, seeing Esdeath's determination, said nothing. Having a driven figure like Esdeath was good for his kin.
Soon.
The battle concluded, with Kanae easily defeating Akame and Kurome.
This fight was entirely expected.
Alistair, seeing it end, sent a telepathic message to Kanae, Shinobu, Akame, and Kurome, then departed.
Esdeath didn't follow. She felt it wasn't time.
Esdeath aimed to become a god first, then catch up to her lord's steps, joining him in…
The Pure Land of Bliss originally lacked day and night.
But.
Later.
Alistair, fond of the cycle, added day and night distinctions.
Now.
Under the night sky.
Kanae, Shinobu, Akame, Kurome.
Both sister pairs, cheeks flushed, walked together, a bit distracted, seemingly lost in silence.
Kanae, Shinobu, and Kanao Tsuyuri lived together.
In fact.
Alistair had built a palace complex in the Pure Land.
Typically, three palaces formed a cluster.
Kanae and other kin from the 002 Dark Universe lived in one courtyard, just like Akame, Kurome, and others from the 001 Dark Universe.
The rooms were vast.
No one minded, nor stood out, all living together.
Worth noting.
Though Esdeath lived with Najenda and others, with plenty of rooms, oddly, Sheele shared a palace with Esdeath, and their relationship was surprisingly good.
Soon.
The Butterfly and Akame sisters.
They arrived outside a palace—Alistair's residence, surrounded by open space.
"Um…"
"Your Majesty!"
The door suddenly opened, and Persephone, in thin sleepwear, stepped out. She glanced at the door, a touch of urgency in her voice: "Kanae, Shinobu, Akame, Kurome—just you four girls?"
"Well."
"It'll do, barely enough."
***
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