Just this point alone made it impossible to ignore him. Any faction that had designs on Hellscythe—or had ever taken action against her—would inevitably grow tense upon her arrival.
They feared that this man might obtain Hellscythe's power and then do something unpredictable.
Moreover, based on the firsthand intelligence obtained from Rias—
This human also maintained a good relationship with Tohru. When Rias and Sona secretly investigated, they discovered that he was also on very good terms with the dragons of another world.
Grayfia also noticed that his relationship with Kuroka of the Toujou clan was the same.
That was precisely why it could be said that the web of relationships surrounding him was far too intricate—move one thread, and the entire body would react.
"Do we need to make contact with him? At the very least, we haven't completely fallen out with him yet."
After fully reviewing all the intelligence, Grayfia also felt a headache coming on when it came to this man named Raize. Given his experiences, it was natural that he would harbor dislike toward devils, but at least it had not reached the point of becoming an irreconcilable enemy.
Sirzechs pondered for a moment. His gaze dimmed briefly, then flashed with a cold light as he spoke in a calm, indifferent tone.
"Observe quietly for now. We'll talk about it after some time. Prioritize dealing with those who harbor ill intentions. At the very least, we cannot allow them to reap benefits at the center of this storm."
"And also—dispatch some people to keep an eye on the Phenex Clan. They've also obtained intelligence from the human world."
Now was not the right time to deal with Raize. Since other factions had set their sights on the storm's center, he could not allow certain ill-intentioned individuals—especially enemy forces—to profit from it.
Sirzechs's eyes lingered deeply on the portion of intelligence regarding the Underworld's connection with Hades, as well as information concerning Rizevim's movements. These were the most malicious of all.
Hades had been scheming against other factions for far more than a day or two, and that Lucifer descendant lurking in the shadows was no different—always hiding, always plotting something unknown.
But one thing was certain: whatever it was, it would benefit no faction whatsoever.
That disgusting madman was exactly that kind of nuisance.
"Understood," Grayfia nodded and recorded the orders. Then, with a subtle shift in expression, she looked toward Sirzechs and said, "Then… about Rias's engagement with the Phenex Clan?"
"..."
Sirzechs fell silent for a moment. Grayfia did not interrupt his contemplation.
"Her peerage is no longer complete. Using a normal Rating Game duel won't work anymore. But given her personality, she won't give up without resisting until the very last moment."
As Rias's elder brother, he understood her temperament all too well. He did not want his sister to be unhappy, but now that he occupied the position of one of the leaders of the devils, the power it granted him also came with many constraints.
At the very least, when it came to the rigid rules strictly guarded by the pure-blooded devils, even with his overwhelming strength, he was powerless to interfere excessively.
His friend Serafall was in much the same situation, paying a price to delay her own sister's engagement.
Sirzechs himself had also been secretly helping Rias. Which of her peerage members had not been assembled with his intervention? And when it came to nourishing, he was the one who had truly invested effort.
It was just that his sister was somewhat lacking in terms of combat power. Her talent was actually quite good, but this outwardly stable era had failed to create a sense of urgency that could truly push her.
The Power of Destruction was also highly effective against the Phenex Clan's immortality. It was simply that Rias's own foundation was not solid enough. If it had been Sirzechs himself at her age, someone like Riser would have been beaten one-handed a hundred times over.
"Grayfia, give Rias that handbook I compiled on developing Destruction patterns…"
"..."
"Aren't you afraid she'll mess it up? Back when you were figuring out your own power, you were heavily injured and on the brink of death more times than I can count."
"That's why you'll be there to guide her, right? With you there, I can rest easy."
"…Being tied up with you Gremory siblings really gives me no moment of peace."
Grayfia said flatly, her expressionless face radiating a terrifying pressure as she spoke in a cold tone.
---
"Recently, in Tokyo and surrounding districts… there have been major bloody murder incidents. The victims were beheaded without any clear cause, and the scenes were extremely gruesome."
"However, after investigation by police and experts, an astonishing conclusion was reached: every single victim, without exception, was a ghoul."
"The CCG and police advise the public not to travel alone at night for the time being. The incident is under full investigation…"
Over the past few days, these horrific and bloody events occurring across Japan had terrified countless people. Foot traffic in many public areas had visibly decreased.
Imagine walking along, and suddenly the person in front of you has their head separated from their neck, spraying sticky blood all over you—who wouldn't be traumatized?
This bizarre phenomenon drew intense attention from Japan's upper echelons, who identified it as a supernatural event, requiring specialized personnel to handle it.
But after initial investigations, they discovered that every single victim was a ghoul.
The CCG and police facilities were almost filled with headless ghoul corpses. After confirming that all the dead were ghouls, the police officers who initially wanted to investigate further all wore expressions of relief and satisfaction.
Damn it—why investigate further? They didn't want to anymore. They were prepared to slack off.
If this continued indefinitely and no human stepped in to stop it, they would gladly see ghouls wiped out entirely.
The CCG leadership, however, did not share the happiness of frontline workers. Their faces were uniformly dark and grim.
An organization ostensibly created to exterminate ghouls, but secretly meant to maintain balance between humans and ghouls—how could the CCG be pleased by this?
In just a few days, ghoul deaths had exceeded ten thousand. Every night, vast numbers of ghouls died via beheading.
No source. No explanation. No way to evade it.
The phenomenon had thrown ghoul factions and even the Washuu clan into chaos. They couldn't even investigate who was targeting them.
The decapitations followed no pattern. Once they occurred, entire regions were affected. Even powerful ghoul organizations and SSS-rated ghouls were helpless.
The morgues were full—men, women, children, even infants. Every type of ghoul imaginable.
This wasn't targeting specific factions. It was a systematic extermination of the ghoul species itself.
Japan's upper leadership did not conceal this absurd truth. Instead, they used it as a means to appease the public and divert attention.
Many people online initially didn't believe it.
Fine—there were plenty of ways to prove its authenticity. It wasn't an excuse to deceive the masses.
To divert societal panic, the leadership was struggling, since the event had caused serious social and economic damage.
Even if the dead were all ghouls, public beheadings—in streets or public places—were far too disturbing.
Online forums exploded with debate. Some linked it to the earlier chilling events in Chiba, believing it to be a sign of impending disaster or apocalypse.
But once it was confirmed that all the dead were ghouls, public opinion flipped instantly, declaring it a sign of Japan's imminent prosperity.
The shift in sentiment was astonishing.
"Only ghouls died? That's good news. No idea what's causing it, but I don't mind the result."
"Random beheadings and you tell me they're all ghouls? Sounds like an excuse to fool us."
"Someone go out and test it. Whoever dares—I'll believe them."
"It's real. I'm a student at XX Academy. During class, blood suddenly splashed all over me. I was terrified. Later the school confirmed that my classmate was a ghoul."
"I had a boyfriend. He was beheaded at night. I was mentally devastated. Later my family showed me the forensic report… I feel like I barely escaped death."
"Seems gruesome, but it really is only ghouls dying."
"I can testify too. I was attacked by a ghoul at night and bitten on the shoulder. I thought it was over… then this happened, and I survived."
"Sorry to hear that. Looks like this incident isn't all bad."
"Didn't see it firsthand, but if it keeps killing ghouls on such a scale… I kind of hope it continues."
"Obviously supernatural. Beheading deaths—did someone master Dugo-sensei's Eternal Destruction?"
"Caught a novel nerd upstairs. I'm a gamer, but you're right—it does feel similar. Could it be Marie-chan 'embracing' these disgusting ghouls?"
"Off-topic! This isn't a game or novel discussion!"
Unknowingly, some jokers had brushed against the truth. The discussion eventually returned to the main topic.
---
At home, sipping hot tea while watching the news, Eu glanced toward Raize, who sat at the dining table with a mass of ultra-dense spiritual pressure gathered between his hands. A trace of worry flashed through her azure eyes.
Deep within Raize's eyes burned a savage green fury, along with a faint trace of reason.
The Hulk's conceptual power—growing stronger the angrier one becomes—now resided within him. He continuously recalled things that enraged him, driving this furious psychic power further.
His ultimate power had reached ninety-five percent, placing him in the Active rank of Eternal Destruction, allowing him to wield the power of the beheading curse.
To enter the Formed rank, he would need to forge his "heart" into shape, crystallizing his "killing intent."
This furious mental power was one of the necessary materials.
Yet Sei had fallen silent within him on the very day Eternal Destruction was completed. If Nep hadn't assured him it was fine, he wouldn't have been able to focus on cultivation at all.
Surrounded by rage powerful enough to affect the material world, Raize appeared calm on the surface—but beneath it lurked a terrifying monster.
His muscles twitched irregularly, swelling and contracting.
He looked incredibly powerful, but to Eu, he seemed like someone walking a tightrope over an abyss—one misstep away from falling into bottomless darkness.
'Aize…'
The girl silently murmured his name. Watching him like this, she didn't know how to intervene.
She understood his stubbornness and resolve. She knew exactly what he was striving for.
And precisely because of that, she didn't know how to help—or how to talk to him about it.
Sensing his beloved's worry, Raize withdrew the power he was controlling. With a relaxed smile, he looked at Eu and met her gaze directly.
"Don't worry about me, Eu. To become your guardian blade, these efforts are necessary."
Unconsciously taking away Eu's important weapon—the Hell' Scythe—was equivalent to stripping her of her means of self-protection. From now on, he would become the execution blade that protected her.
You don't want to see death. You hate death. So let me isolate it all for you.
Even if you are misfortune itself, I still want you to be happy. You are always the center of the storm—I want to give you peace.
Raize, striving for her sake, shone brightly in Eu's eyes. His feelings were genuine, unmistakably real.
Silently holding her teacup, Eu paused. Then she averted her gaze, not wanting him to see her expression.
She set the cup down, quickly wrote a few words, and held up her notebook.
[…Do your best. I love you the most. But… you don't like me bearing everything in silence, and I don't like you shielding me from all the wind and rain either. You said we'd face hardship together. You're not allowed to break that promise.]
She didn't want to be protected at every turn. Now that she understood her feelings, she understood love.
She didn't want to stand behind Raize's back. She wanted to hold his hand and walk alongside him.
Even if destruction lay ahead, they would face it together.
Two hearts, both willing to give everything for the other, were bound tightly together by a budding anomaly within them—like magnets irresistibly drawn together.
Each was captivated by the other, blind to the collapsing road ahead.
Both hearts could be defined as existing to give themselves to the other.
The one who summoned death fell in love with humanity. Raize, who had chosen the path of dominance, had fallen in love with "death" itself.
---
"Yotsuki Raize, male, seventeen years old. Student at Chiba Sobu High School, general course, second year. Top grades. Withdrawn personality, poor at social interaction."
"Experienced a family incident several months ago. Awakening inferred to have occurred then. Within a few months, grew to power surpassing Satan. Displayed even more anomalous abilities during an otherworld invasion; combat strength therefore deemed impossible to accurately assess."
"Intelligence from the Fallen Angels indicates that your grandson, Vali, was acquainted with him early on, and that he also possesses holy power…"
In a dimly lit room, after the emotionless guard finished reading, the documents in his hand floated forward into the grasp of a figure lounging with legs crossed.
"What a pile of boring intelligence."
Rizevim Livan Lucifer spoke with the petulant tone of an immature child, his face full of dissatisfaction as he looked at the documents.
"My deepest apologies, my lord."
The cold—no, numb—male devil guard immediately knelt, bowing his head deeply before Rizevim.
"I want something novel enough to move me. This human is completely uninteresting. Vali probably just wants to rope him in and use that amusing holy power against me. Tch—what a dull plan."
Propping his cheek with one hand, Rizevim looked down lazily at the kneeling devil.
"Boring. You'd be better off collecting intelligence on beings like the Feathered Serpent God or that necromancer in the Underworld."