It is said that this Devil is as beautiful as an angel.
It is said that this Devil was born second only to Lucifer.
It is said that this Devil's name signifies Evil and Worthlessness.
It is said that this Devil is one of the seventy-two Demon Pillars of Solomon.
It is said that this Devil is wise, eloquent, and cunning.
It is said that this Devil stained Sodom and Gomorrah with corruption.
It is said that this Devil accused the One True God and the Savior. Legend holds that the prophet served as defense, and the King of Magecraft as judge.
I, Himejima Akeno, now find myself steeped in regret. I wish I had talked more with that man—my father.
Barakiel, a cadre of the Grigori, the Fallen Angel known as the Lightning of God, one of the Watchers of the Children of God. My father.
Mother died because of him. Deep down, I knew he wasn't truly to blame.
But she died. I couldn't even apologize, unable to face him since that day. And before we could reconcile, he was killed. While investigating Demon God Pillar activity with his colleague Sahariel, he was slain by the King of Magecraft.
Solomon, the most sinful human on this star. A king who knows only rage. The King of Magecraft who built Truth.
The more I learn of his deeds, the less I understand him. I'm half-human, yet his reputation lacks humanity. I even question if he was human at all.
Killed at the soul level, resurrected by the rings' power, and buried again by Sirzechs-sama and Azazel. But is he truly dead? His revival differs from the Savior's. His soul could be sealed in the nine unknown rings. He's utterly eerie.
Yet, I will avenge Father somehow. Father, Akeno is fine. I'll live with my dear friends and comrades. There's a boy who loves me, Devil or Fallen Angel aside. Please watch over me with Mother.
With that resolve, I joined the security detail for the World Mythology Summit. As expected, Demon God Pillar signals appeared.
Fifty-six Pillars were detected. Twenty-eight were at one point, handled by Satan Serafall-sama, her peerage, and top-tier Devils. Two points had ten Pillars each—one faced by Sirzechs-sama's peerage, the other by a mixed team of Fallen Angels and the Church. Seven Pillars were at a location tackled by top Rating Game players.
We headed to a point with a single Pillar's signal. Issei-kun, who once defeated a Pillar solo, was with us, but considering Zepar's unusual weakness, Tannin accompanied us.
"Tannin, are you sure you should join us?"
"No worries, Princess Rias. I failed to protect Hyoudou Issei from the Lion King's minions once. Only one Demon God is reported here, but there could be ambushes. I can't afford to falter. My peerage is fighting elsewhere—they're strong."
As we neared our target, a blinding light flashed.
"Everyone, dodge! That's a holy attack!"
We scattered instantly. A beam of holy light shot through where we stood, like a cannon.
I sensed presences on the ground. Three figures emerged.
"Archer, why fire from that distance? It's obviously dodgeable."
"My apologies. I got carried away."
"Haha! No problem, Saber. The dragon's head is ours to claim, right?"
"Do as you please."
All male. One, a red-haired boy, beautiful as a girl. Another, a blond youth, likely to charm many women. The last, a bandaged man in a cloak, fully covered but male by build.
The attack came from one of them.
We approached cautiously. At close range, the red-haired boy and blond youth stepped forward.
"Dragon King, we'll be your opponents."
"Shall we move? You can't fight freely here, mindful of them."
Tannin, a former Dragon King and top-tier reincarnated Devil, could strike like a meteor. These two were undoubtedly strong. Without robust defenses, we'd be liabilities.
"Fine. Princess Rias, Hyoudou Issei, I'll step out. These two demand my full attention."
Tannin said with his tense tone conveying his seriousness. For a former Dragon King to lack confidence… these two must be Hero Faction elites.
Tannin took flight, and the warriors pursued.
We, left behind, stayed alert for ambushes while facing the bandaged man. Rias spoke.
"Do you intend to face us alone?"
"Conversely, can you beat me without a Satan, Fallen Angel governor, or archangel? Calling another god from another world?"
Another world's god? What's he talking about? Again? We've never met, right?
"You probably know, but I'm Rias Gremory, heir to House Gremory. Who are you?"
The bandaged man laughed mockingly.
"I have no name. I discarded it long ago. It's a brief acquaintance—call me Archer or Cleaner."
Archer… a bowman? He carries a coffin, not a bow or gun. Does it fire arrows? Was that attack from the coffin? Azazel might know its nature, but we're clueless.
"B-before we fight, I have a question!"
"Gaspar Vladi, huh? What? I'll hear you out."
"Is Valerie—Valerie Tepes—safe?!"
Gaspar-kun, usually timid, pressed the man, voice trembling but resolute, driven by her importance to him.
Valerie Tepes, a half-vampire from the Tepes faction, Gaspar's benefactor, went missing during the Demon God Pillars' vampire nation attack. Tepes records suggest she wields the Longinus Sephiroth Graal. Azazel warned its overuse could warp the user's mind.
"Valerie? She's fine. Probably enjoying time with a lifelong friend."
"Liar! Don't say nonsense!"
"It's the truth. If you want her happiness, die here, Balor."
His words made no sense. Why call Gaspar-kun by the Celtic demon god's name? His Sacred Gear is named after Balor, but…
"Enough chatter. I'm mixing too much personal sentiment into my usual cleanup."
The man removing his facial bandages, revealing a scarred, burn-ravaged face. His clouded red left eye radiated chilling killing intent.
"Sorry to Valerie and Tosca, but you all die."
"Holy-Demonic Swords!"
Yuuto-kun summoned holy-demonic swords around the man, who remained unfazed.
"Annoying."
Swords—likely holy—shot from the coffin, clashing with and shattering Yuuto-kun's blades, matching his Balance Breaker Dual Dominion Holy-Demonic Swords.
"Holy Cross Activation. Triple Noble Phantasm Deployment."
The coffin opened again. I expected more swords, but no.
"Mist Chains!"
What looked like chains enveloped us, binding us instantly. Their strength was unnatural, unbreakable, and painful where they touched, like holy damage, draining our mana.
"What… what is this?!"
"My original binding formula, based on the strongest barrier-type Longinus, Dimension Lost. You can't break it."
Azazel had warned about Dimension Lost, a top-tier Longinus, now in a terrorist's hands.
As we struggled, the man approached Issei-kun, who fought to move but couldn't.
"Damn it!"
"Hyoudou Issei, you die first. Letting you feel your friends' helplessness is nice, but you're dangerous. I'll kill you now. For you… this will do. I thought I'd never use this spear again."
He drew a radiant spear from the coffin—its holy aura a Devil's ultimate nemesis. We instantly recognized it.
"The True Longinus, the strongest Longinus…!"
"Strongest? Hah, what a hollow word. Just a spear, right?"
Calling the mightiest weapon "just a spear"… But with two Longinus, his arrogance might be justified.
"A person can only be born with one Sacred Gear… Did you steal that spear from its original owner?"
"No, the spear's my innate Longinus. The mist was lent by a comrade."
Impossible. Rias, sharing my disbelief, struggled against the chains.
"You stole it, didn't you? Fallen Angel tech can extract Sacred Gears. You abused it, right?"
"Stole, huh? Some were, like the Lion King's battle-axe."
Three Longinus. We despaired. He wasn't even using full strength. We were never his match.
"Stolen or not, it's enough to kill this non-Beast Devil!"
He thrust the True Longinus into Issei-kun's abdomen. Smoke rose as the holy power purified his Devil body. Normally, a Devil would die instantly.
Issei-kun's body, mixed with multiple lifeforms' cells, was complex, perhaps sparing him instant death. But the damage was severe.
"Gah…!"
Issei-kun groaned in agony. We could only watch.
"Issei!"
"Issei-kun!"
"Issei-senpai!"
"Watch quietly. Witness his end."
"You defeated Zepar and absorbed his power, huh? Just being Hyoudou Issei pisses me off, but using their power? Utterly infuriating."
Move, my body. I can't lose him like Mother, like Father!
"Farewell, Hyoudou Issei. Die before knowing your sins."
But an unexpected figure intervened between Issei-kun and the man.
"Good timing… or rather, I barely made it."
I, Rias Gremory, was in despair, thinking all was lost. I hadn't heard of reinforcements, but this must be luck.
Two arrived: the Rating Game's unshakable champion, Emperor Diehauser Belial, and Rizevim Livan Lucifer, an Old Satan's son, a Transcendent Being, supposedly confined in the Underworld.
Rizevim laughed at the scene. "Hyahahaha! What a delightful—"
"Rizevim Livan Luciferrrrrr!"
The bandaged man thrust the True Longinus, but it vanished before touching Rizevim.
"Useless! My Sacred Gear Canceller makes any Gear harmless! Noble Phantasm or not, a Gear's a Gear!"
"Then how about this? Go, Durandal!"
The man drew a holy sword from the coffin, chilling us Devils. Durandal, wielded by the Church's Xenovia. He stole and mastered not just Longinus but holy swords?
"That's cheating!"
"There's no cheating or forfeit in battle!"
Rizevim dodged the sword by a hair's breadth, living up to an Old Satan's blood.
"Hyahahaha! So hated, huh? What did that me do?"
"You! If not for you, I wouldn't be tainted by this mud! I wouldn't have lost Asia, everyone!"
"Hyahahahaha! No clue what you're saying, but I get the gist!"
"You're that kind of guy…!"
Their exchange felt off. The man hated Rizevim, who seemed unaware but had some inkling.
While the man was distracted, the champion used Worthless to undo my binding formula. Freed, I rushed to Issei.
"Issei! Please, don't die!"
"B-President Rias…"
"He's near death, Princess Rias. I have a way to save him. Shall we bet?"
Relief washed over me. Issei wouldn't be sacrificed. Worthless can't heal, but he must have Phoenix Tears. Luck was on our side.
"Please, save him!"
"Of course, I'll free him."
Diehauser-sama pressed something from his palm into Issei's wound.
"GYAAAAAHHHH!"
A scream—not from pain like a wound being torn. I confronted Diehauser-sama.
"What did you do to Issei?! What did you put in him?!"
"Solomon's ring, Princess Rias."
As the scream stopped, Issei stood, distancing himself from me and Diehauser-sama. His face showed agony, but more prominently, hostility and confusion.
"What's… going on…!"
Something was wrong. Issei's eyes were red?
"Hyoudou Issei… no, Demon God Zepar."
Zepar, the Demon God Issei defeated? Did defeating him let Zepar possess Issei's body?
"Why? Why are you here? How do you have Solomon's ring?! You were the first Devil we contacted in this world. You agreed to our pact for revenge. We monitored you, observed you, curated information to prevent betrayal or ensure it didn't matter…!"
"Belial, huh? Being called a fake at first meeting was rude, but I can't argue—I'm a fake. Assigning just one Pillar was your mistake. You knew a single factor could deceive you, yet underestimated a mere Devil. Your failure."
What? Champion, why speak as if you're betraying Devils?
"Who are you working with?"
"Everyone."
"My presence here fulfills the One True God's mission, the King of Magecraft's plan, the Morning Star's prince's ideals, negotiations with the Lion King, revenge against old Devils, and your Pillars' arrogance."
His words overwhelmed my understanding.
"For instance, I introduced the newly revived Solomon to Rizevim-sama, who'd just discovered the Beast. I arranged Solomon's meeting with the Lion King and brought the calamitous Beast to the comatose Hyoudou Issei. I leaked the ring's info to Hades and spread word of Kingu, whom Kyoto's yokai hid. Naturally, I ensured the Lion King's Agreas assault preceded your heist by tipping their side."
All me, Diehauser Belial declared.
"If you doubted your actions, you should've questioned why you recruited me first. Not in God's calculations, but I was born too competent."
"You…!"
"It began with my roots. The King of Magecraft's urn incident's accomplices were the original Asmodeus, Beelzebub, the Asmodai head, and an angel—the first Belial, my ancestor."
What's he saying? The original Satans and Pillars as Solomon's accomplices? Unbelievable. But one word stood out.
"You look puzzled, Princess Rias. My words suggest House Belial didn't exist three thousand years ago. That's true. My ancestor, the first Belial, was an angel."
An angel turned evil becomes a Fallen Angel, right? There's no way for an angel to become a Devil, especially without Evil Pieces three thousand years ago.
"Perhaps a House of Belial existed, or another name held the seventy-second Pillar rank. The truth is unknown—to us, the King of Magecraft, even the One True God. That's Truth's curse. Made for humans, it affects even supernatural cognition, interfering with all intelligent life. No one can fully grasp it. All talk of Truth is speculative, based on 'likely its influence.' Thus, 'myths' deemed false by Truth may be true. The irony? Supernatural beings, terrified or hateful of Solomon's deeds, still underestimate him as 'mere human,' denying a human's magecraft could rewrite their memories."
So, Belial as a former angel isn't human misconception but truth? Devils never noticed, dismissing discrepancies as Truth's fault?
"My blood carries God's magecraft. I lived as a Devil until the Beast's summoning triggered my mission's memory. Demon Gods and your king, you should've trusted me more. Seeing me as a pawn, not a comrade, made this inevitable. You should've considered if the factor in your bodies was also in supernatural beings, not just humans."
But you're a Devil. Even if your ancestor was an angel, our Devil blood flows in you. Why betray us?
"That doesn't matter. The Demon Gods' sorrow, the goddess's wishes, the King of Magecraft's rage, the Morning Star's malice, even God's will—none concern me. Your schemes are irrelevant, uninteresting."
His face burned with rage and hatred, as if a loved one was defiled.
"This is revenge. A requiem for my cousin Cleria Belial, killed to hide the petty King piece's secret. With all Devils' dying screams, my revenge is complete."
"If you seek revenge on Devils, why betray us? Following God or Solomon's will doesn't reject Devils' demise. Were you upset we killed the original Baal, your prime target?"
"No. That fossil's death isn't a big deal. I just didn't like your plan. Burn and recycle? Meaningful extinction without pain? Unacceptable."
Diehauser Belial raised his right hand, a ring on his index finger.
"This is the ring Solomon swapped three thousand years ago—a near-perfect fake. Only capacity differs; its magic and mana are comparable. Otherwise, it couldn't fool God's eyes. But not Belial's. Made from the original, stored together for three thousand years, it's linked to the nine true rings. Now for the final touch."
"Die…hau…zer… Belial…!"
Diehauser Belial spoke with commanding spirit.
"Red Dragon Emperor, cease your pretense."
Issei's expression twisted.
"Rias Gremory's Pawn, recall the humans you've seen."
I knew I had to stop him, but I couldn't move. Fear held me—fear that acting would worsen things.
"Hyoudou Issei, accept humanity's essence."
***
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