"So the participants for the next event…"
Issei drowned out Kiryuu's voice as he sat in deep contemplation about the events of yesterday. Diodora Astaroth. Rias had reassured them that he was harmless but Mastema's warning had bothered him. He drummed his fingers against his desk as he remembered the conversation he had with Ddraig and Mastema.
"Ise-chan, watch out for that Devil." Mastema sat on Ddraig's snout and looked down at Issei with her mismatched eyes.
"Eh? Buchou said he was okay. Like… harmless even for devil standards," Issei said.
"If this shitty bird is telling you that he's bad news, then he's bad news. If there's one thing she's good at, it's knowing the dangers before anyone else," Ddraig said.
"Ara? Is Ddraig finally coming around to me? I promise I'll be a good roommate!" Mastema said cheerfully.
"Ahhh! Get off me you shitty raven!" Ddraig yelled.
Watch out, huh? Issei thought.
"What's wrong, Ise-chan?" Mastema asked.
Just thinking about what you said yesterday, he replied.
"I haven't been wrong yet. Something about that kid gives me bad vibes. You know like that feeling you get when you're about to do something you regret. That's the feeling I'm getting from him," Mastema said.
"Psst, Aniki. Are you okay?"
Issei turned around and saw Mitsuki's worried expression.
"Yeah, I'll tell you about it after class-"
"Hyoudou."
Issei and Mitsuki turned around and saw Kiryuu looking at Issei.
"There's a rip around your armpit. On your left," Kiryuu said.
"Eh? Really?" Issei raised his arm and tried to look for any rips that he might have missed from getting his clothes fixed after Rating Games. He raised an eyebrow and found none.
"Kiryuu, there's no-"
"Thanks, man. I had a hard time deciding who to put in this spot," she said.
"Eh? Spot- O-Oi!" Issei said, seeing his last name up on the board. "On the three-legged race too!"
"Yup, and now all I need is one more person here… let's see…" Kiryuu placed her hand on her brow and scanned the classroom. She sighed. It was typical. Three-legged races were male-female pairs most of the time. And no girl wanted to be paired with Issei Hyoudou of all people.
Her eyes drifted to Mitsuki, whose eyes flashed red for a split second, forcing her to turn her gaze in a different direction.
Her face brightened when she saw a timid blonde raising her hand behind Issei.
"Perfect, your partner is…"
Issei turned around. "Asia?"
"Then, it's decided!" she said, writing Asia's name on the board.
Issei stood with Motohama and Matsuda out on the track while Xenovia and Irina raced around them. He sighed. A competition between an Angel and a Devil. How typical, he thought.
"Oi, Issei. Can't you ask Rin to slow down a bit?" Matsuda asked. "Because if they're moving that fast then…"
"That's right. It'll be hard to see the bouncing of their tits!" Issei said, leaning in to hush their conversation.
"That's right! For real! The speed at which their tits bounce must be perfect for us to see them!" Motohama whispered.
The three peeked out from their huddle and watched all the girls in their class perform the exercises. They giggled pervertedly, seeing their breasts sway up and down as they stretched and performed warm-ups.
"Ahehehehehe… I can barely take my eyes off them," Issei said, leaning back in.
"Gym clothes rule!" the other two said.
"Oi, Aniki."
The three flew apart when they saw Mitsuki standing behind them with her arms crossed. Motohama and Matsuda's eyes subtly looked down and saw her breasts being emphasized by her crossed arms. A myriad of perverted thoughts flew through their minds until an overwhelming murderous pressure snapped them out of their Mitsuki-filled paradise and back to reality.
They mechanically turned their gaze to see Issei giving them a cold stare.
Mitsuki had her eyes dulled and she was staring at them with the look of a predator as well.
"Anyway, Aniki. I need to talk to you," Mitsuki said.
"Eh? Sure."
The two walked off in a separate direction, away from everyone else.
Irina eyed the two as she took a sip of her water bottle. She looked to see if Xenovia was still keeping an eye on her and to her relief, the girl was too busy talking to Murayama and Katase. She got up from her seat and went off to follow the two.
"So, Mii-chan. What's up?" Issei asked.
The two sat down underneath a tree. They were a comfortable distance away from everyone else. Mitsuki brought her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them.
"The place is done. Ingvild wants us to go by Hatch Potch after school today," she said.
"It's finally done? About time," Issei said.
"That's not all. In a few days, Grandpa wants to meet with us about the current state of the mission. He wants to do an in-person briefing," Mitsuki said.
"Oh," Issei said. "Is that bad?"
"Not really. It's just an inconvenience to call a Gate to Kyoto," she replied.
Mitsuki leaned her head on her legs and gave her brother a cheeky smile.
"So, Aniki. I heard you're doing the three-legged race with Asia," Mitsuki said.
"O… You were there when Kiryuu tricked me!" he replied.
"Mmmm. You need to know when you're being punked, Aniki. Though, I'm worried," Mitsuki said, straightening herself.
"Worried?"
"About Diodora. You've been bothered by his existence for the past few days," she said.
Issei clenched his fist. He breathed in and out to calm himself. The bastard had been sending all manner of gifts to their house. A car. A dog. Flowers and a balloon arch. He wondered when the sleazy noble-born dickhead was going to send a castle. On top of that, each gift was filled with lavish praise for Asia that made Issei want to puke every time he read it. But, he knew that the world worked in strange ways. Everyone had a past that they didn't like to talk about like…
Her
Issei stiffened a little.
"Are you still bothered by her? Even up to now?" Mastema asked.
Issei remained silent.
"Aniki?"
He turned to see Mitsuki's worried expression.
"You spaced out for a few seconds there and then you had this really scary look on your face," she said.
"Sorry. Just… seeing him drudged up old memories. Memories of her," Issei said.
Mitsuki felt her blood boil. Her anger for a deceased Fallen Angel had reached peaks she never thought it could reach. Lightning crackled around her body.
"O- Oi, Mii-chan. Calm down. You're going to level the school if you keep going," he said, placing a hand on her shoulder.
"Right. Sorry," she said. "Still…"
"It's fine. I have you, Buchou, the Peerage, Lily, and Rin now. It's just… even if I'm a Devil, I'm human where it counts. I can't help it if unpleasant memories come up," Issei said.
Mitsuki nodded.
Irina slid down on the tree, digesting everything she had just heard. Nothing about it seemed out of the ordinary except the trip to Kyoto and the meeting with Mitsuki's grandfather. The two had often disappeared together over the past few days and she thought it was strange. But now…
Mission? Irina thought.
And who are they talking about?
She had no reason to distrust her friends. On the contrary, she trusted them with her life but…
Irina shook her head. It's probably just stuff that happened when I was gone, she rationalized.
The bar that Blacklight had constructed was a quaint little bar. A simple nondescript joint in the suburban area of Kuoh. It was neither too far from Kuoh though kept within city guidelines of maintaining at least a kilometer distance away from an academic establishment. It was a simple single-story building with an awning on the outside and a logo that had a Maneki Neko's paw above the logo that said "Hatch Potch".
Issei and Mitsuki stood outside of the bar, waiting for Ingvild to open the door.
The doors swung open and greeted them with a smile. "Come in!"
The interior was just as simple as it was on the outside. The floor was made of rich oak wood that was laminated. The lighting of the bar set off a simple atmosphere within the place and there was an old 80s jukebox located on the west side of the establishment. On the east was a wall with three booths and there were a total of six tables, each possessing five chairs. The bar had about six seats located and a case filled with different alcoholic beverages that Issei didn't know the names of.
"This is the first floor, right?" Mitsuki asked.
"Mmm. The rest is below," she said.
"Below?" Issei asked.
"There's an elevator in one of the stalls that leads to the rest of the place which is underground. We have to maintain an appearance and keep everything in a place that won't be easily detected." Ingvild led the two into the break room.
"Wait… there's only one bathroom?" Issei asked.
"It's a unisex restroom but there are two stalls," Ingvild said. "One of the stalls doesn't have a toilet and you'll know because it has an 'Out of Order' sign on it. That one's the elevator."
"Are you going to give us a San Diego Thank You?" Mitsuki asked as she opened the stall.
"Your sense of humor is as perverted as your brother's," Ingvild said dryly.
She pulled out her AS and placed it on a small indent on one of the tiles.
The floor beneath them lurched and Issei stumbled. The walls and the ceiling began to get taller or rather, they were moving down.
"Blacklight spared no expenses for this operation. Serpent's Seed is moving at an alarming rate. More and more disappearances have been reported across the globe over the past few weeks," she said.
"Underneath Hatch Potch is a three-story bunker about as big as the main building of Kuoh High School. It has everything we need. I'll send you two a simple map of the place," she said, pressing a few buttons on her holographic screen.
Issei heard a beeping noise in his pocket and he pulled out his AS. He projected the screen and opened Ingvild's message.
"First floor. Lobby and living area. Second Floor. Gadget room and briefing area. Third Floor. Training area and armory." Mitsuki expanded the map.
"We can go on a tour or I can explain everything here and then we can go to the info room and update our AS's on the RAT," she said.
"We got time. Just give us a brief explanation," Issei said.
"The Lobby is well… the lobby. There's a kitchen and several rooms there. I decided to have more rooms in case we have a couple of Agents staying here in town. Also, if we have new agents," Ingvild said.
"New? Aniki's our only new agent," Mitsuki said as they exited the elevator.
"We might get more so it's nice to prepare," Ingvild replied.
"How's the training area?" Issei asked.
"The training area's outfitted with a full range simulation system that generates opponents based on data gathered from the AKASHA. I've updated it through the RAT so it should be recent. It has 5 difficulty settings. C, B, A, S, and Real," she replied.
"Real?"
"Real means that the simulation is as close as it gets to the original power. Generally, Real isn't recommended to people who aren't at the rank of Division Captain or aren't high rank enough," Mitsuki explained.
"So my rank is Rookie. What's your Rank, Mii-chan?" Issei asked.
"Me? I'm an Agent. I should've explained this when I was orienting you but Blacklight's Ranking System is very simple. At the top, you have the Divine Ten, which are the top brass and the leaders of the Ten Chapters of Blacklight. Underneath, you got the Division Heads. There are three in each department. Underneath them are a bunch of… random ranks specific to each department but usually, you'll find Captain is a common rank in all three factions. And after that, you have your normal rank and file agents," Mitsuki said.
"Oh."
"Here we are," Ingvild led them into a large room with a large screen and table. "This is the heart of the RAT where the main terminal is. It's up and running and connected to the AKASHA Network."
Issei walked up to the large screen and tapped it. In an instant, a myriad of icons appeared before them, overloading Issei's brain.
"Woah… that's… a lot of apps," he said.
"The RAT's like a mobile AKASHA. There's a lot of things there we can access that we can't on our AS," Mitsuki explained.
"Come on. Let's update the AS's so we can all go home," Ingvild said, walking over to a station that had a small incubator-like capsule. "This can hold up to five AS so just throw them in here."
Updating an AS was a long process as Issei learned or heard from Ingvild, who explained it as a big update. The three sat in the room, using their phones. Surprisingly, despite being underground, he had a good signal.
Issei blinked when he saw a text message from Irina. He opened it and saw a picture of Diodora standing at the gate of their house with a bouquet of roses.
He wasn't smart like Ingvild or Mitsuki but he could connect the dots and instantly knew why he was there.
"Diodora…" Issei growled.
"He was at your house?" Mitsuki asked.
"Yeah. I have half a mind to beat him senseless," Issei said.
"I wouldn't," Ingvild said.
"What? Do you just want me to sit there and-"
"Of the most promising Devils, Diodora was ranked the lowest yet he managed to defeat Seekvaira Agares, who was ranked as one of the highest," Ingvild said.
"I saw the Rating Game," Issei said.
"Then be careful. I've been monitoring him for the past few days ever since he got here to Kuoh. Aside from going to your house, he seems to be meeting someone here other than Asia. Who it is… I have no clue," Ingvild said.
"That's suspicious," Mitsuki said.
"He's already shady," Issei said.
"Also, there's something off about his Demonic Power," Ingvild put her phone down and leaned back in her chair.
"Off?" Mitsuki asked.
Ingvild nodded.
"So he has weird Demonic Power. Guy's weird overall. What else is new?" Issei asked.
"His Demonic Power feels like it's been tampered with. Given a boost almost. Which doesn't match any of the data we have on him, by the way. All reports and measures of his power put him below the most promising devils of this generation," she said. "And what bothers me is that…"
"That?"
"He has a nun fetish," Ingvild said.
"Eh? EH!? So he's just going after Asia to fulfill some sort of perverted fantasy!?" Issei asked.
"Could be. But… with his suspicious movements, unexplained victory against Seekvaira Agares, and abnormal demonic power signature, I'd keep my guard up if I were you," Ingvild warned.
Issei couldn't help but agree with her. For everything he's been through and learned so far, being careful would be better for them in the long run. At least for now, he wouldn't allow his anger to overcome him. For now, he would back off and be patient.
"You guys are heading to Lucifaad tomorrow to speak to Miyo, right?" Ingvild asked.
"Yeah, since it's a weekend, Mii-chan figured it would be a good idea," Issei said.
"Good. We need more information on the people that went missing and how they're connected to you," Ingvild said, pointing her finger at him.
"Right…" Issei looked down at the table.
"Are you ready?"
Those three words were words Issei knew he couldn't answer right away. Miyo Yatogami had been someone who nearly forced him to kill himself. The visions. The nightmares. The constant whispers in the back of his head. He stared at the massive black fortress that was located outside of the old capital of Gehenna.
"As I'll ever be," Issei said.
"Mmm. Focus. Miyo gave us some information after her capture but not all of it. Now that we know that… there are people like you and Lily. We need to ask her a new set of questions," she said.
"I know that. I just don't know how to face her again after all this time," Issei said.
"Don't worry. She'll be behind a magic barrier and we can talk to her. It'll be like those regular prison visits you see on TV," Mitsuki said, walking forward.
The two walked inside the citadel after Mitsuki showed her papers to the guard. The inside was dreary and depressing. Television shows did a great job at making prison look better than it actually was. Issei looked around, seeing all of the inmates in the yard and all of the guards standing around. They came upon a set of metal doors, which required two guards to turn the keys.
"You can go in now," the guard said.
Issei nodded and followed after his sister.
His breath hitched upon seeing her.
She looked a little worse than last time but there she was.
Issei felt shivers running down his spine when her violet eyes locked with his hazel ones. Her hands and feet were bound to her chair. Her long black hair cascaded down her back and she was dressed in a brown prison get-up. There were guards on all sides of her, keeping their weapons and powers trained in case she tried something.
His old teacher gave him a warm smile.
"Issei. You came to visit me," Miyo said.
"Miyo-sensei," Issei said.
"This isn't a social visit, Yatogami-sensei," Mitsuki said, taking a seat in front of her.
"I assumed so. I thought I told Blacklight everything they needed to know?" Miyo said, leaning back against her chair.
Mitsuki kept her composure.
Issei glanced between her and Miyo, wondering what was going to happen.
"It's true that you did but… there have been some new developments," she said.
"Developments?" Miyo raised an eyebrow.
"Do you remember when you told us that the reason you were here was to awaken the blood of the Origin Demon?" Mitsuki asked.
Issei's eyes widened.
Miyo closed her eyes and let out a sigh. "Yes, I remember."
"Yeah, we're here to continue that conversation from last-"
"I want Issei to ask the questions," Miyo interrupted.
Mitsuki bristled and glanced at her older brother.
Issei stiffened when he felt Miyo's gaze on his body. The same maddening whispers he had felt from long ago began once more. However, the whispers died down instantly.
"How cheeky. She's using her powers to try and persuade you," Mastema said, appearing from the corner of Issei's vision.
Mitsuki's eyes flashed red for a split second. "You just used your demonic powers, didn't you?"
Miyo shrugged and several blades were pointed at her throat. "Just a little push."
"Fine, I'll do it," Issei said.
"What? Aniki?" Mitsuki's head turned to Issei.
"Just tell me what to ask and I'll relay them to her," Issei said.
Mitsuki stared at Issei for a few seconds before looking over to Miyo.
The woman said nothing and continued to look at them, waiting for them to make a decision.
"If we're not going to do this, then I have nothing to say to you." Miyo looked at the two.
Mitsuki bit her cheek and sighed in defeat. She glanced over at Issei. "Are you sure that you're up for this?" she asked.
"Yeah. I got this," Issei said.
"Alright. Just ask the question I asked already," Mitsuki said.
"Miyo-sensei, do you remember when you told us that the reason you were here was to awaken the blood of the Origin Demon?" Issei asked.
Miyo nodded. "I do. I also distinctly remember telling you that it wasn't because I wanted to. It was because I had no choice."
"Right, but can you tell me a little bit more? You said that it only took one to awaken the rest and there are-"
"People disappearing across the entire planet," Miyo said.
The two looked at her in surprise.
"Don't look at me like that. I might have been just sent to capture the two but I was a little bit of information on what and why I was doing what I did. You, Issei Hyoudou, are one of those targets. A child blessed with the power of the Origin Demon," Miyo said.
"What do you know about it?" Issei asked.
"What do I know? You might want to take a seat. This is a lot to digest," Miyo said.
Issei nodded and sat down in the chair next to Mitsuki.
"Before I say anything, how is Eren?" she asked.
"He's fine. Last I heard, the Sitri Family offered to look after him," Mitsuki responded.
Miyo sighed in relief. A small smile broke out on her face. "Then, he's receiving the best care possible. Thank you."
Issei and Mitsuki nodded.
"About what I meant earlier but to reiterate, I did not work for Serpent's Seed willingly. I was forced into that job because I made a deal," she said.
"Made a deal? A Faustian Bargain? Did you give your life force to them?" Mitsuki asked.
Issei relayed her question to Miyo.
Miyo shook her head. "Not all Faustian Bargains end in an exchange of favor and soul. Mine was different. Because of my skill set, I was taken under their employ."
"You mean… the Naamah Family Power of Luxuria," Mitsuki said.
Miyo nodded in response. "The Naamah Family Power of Luxuria was an invaluable find to them. I was the perfect tool needed to cause the awakening of the Red Dragon Emperor, Issei Hyoudou. To awaken the blood of the Origin Demon that rests inside of you… like the rest of the Fallen."
"Fallen?" Issei raised an eyebrow.
"Serpent's Seed has been working on creating new Devils without the use of Evil Pieces and discovered that the blood of the Prime Demon Lilith was capable of transforming humans into Devils. This new batch had the designated name of Fallen Humanity. Humans who fell and became twisted into Devils," Miyo said.
Her words were beginning to unnerve everyone present in the room including the guards.
"But… Evil Pieces exist. Couldn't they have just mass-produced Evil Pieces?" Issei asked.
"No. Evil Pieces only work at a biological level. Evil Pieces bind the soul of the being reincarnates into their body, bringing them back to life and granting the person the qualities of a Devil. However, that person is only a Devil biologically and that is why you call them reincarnated Devils. What Serpent's Seed aimed to perfect was the perfect creation of a Devil from another race, completely overriding their soul and twisting it into the soul of a Devil.
"Lilith, who possessed the Shevirat Ha-Kelim, had the power imbued in her blood and so, her blood was used to test it on different races. Youkai, captured angels, fallen angels, demigods, and dragons. All of them died because Lilith's blood is akin to injecting their body with powerful radiation. It ate them from the inside out," Miyo said.
"However, humans proved to be extremely compatible with Lilith's blood. The first test subject to survive in a field test… was you."
Issei's eyes grew wide as did Mitsuki's.
"Aniki was the first field test!?" she got up and slammed her fist against the barrier.
Miyo nodded. "This is information I gleaned from my Handler, Raeliana Phenex. She and an Extra Devil Progenitor, Crowley Alastor, were members of the team who devised this project after testing it on hundreds human infants they created and then killed after the test was successful. And you… were born with the Boosted Gear. What better test subject than an infant child bearing the powers of the Red Dragon Emperor."
Issei leaned back in his chair, feeling Miyo's uncomfortable gaze on him.
"And that is where it ends," she said.
"Huh?" Issei asked.
"How Lilith's blood was given to you is beyond me. Perhaps your mother was infused with it at the hospital without her knowledge? One of your parents could have made a Faustian Bargain. Your life in exchange for being infused with Lilith's blood. Or maybe it was mixed into your formula? Who knows. All I know is that… when I joined, I was told that my post would be my hometown while the others monitored the other Fallen.
"Of course, none of them would awaken until one was triggered. You just so happened to be the lucky one to trigger first," Miyo said.
"And after awakening?" Issei asked.
"After awakening, they are no longer human. They become Devils of the purest kind. Devils similar to the Progenitor Devils that sired the 72 Pillars and Extra Demon Clans." Miyo said.
"Lily…" Issei muttered.
Mitsuki glanced at her brother.
"Azazel's scan said that Lily was a Devil through and through yet her parents were both human," Issei said.
Miyo nodded. "She must have triggered and her body and soul were rewritten into that of a Devil."
"What do they want with us? Why did they create us?" Issei asked.
"Who knows? That information wasn't given to me nor was I able to read it off my handler's mind," Miyo said.
"But there is one thing I do know. Once they've finished collecting all of you, something big will happen. You don't just give a bunch of kids superpowers and not have a plan in mind," she said.
"Who's in charge of this?" Mitsuki asked.
Miyo chuckled and laughed. "I don't know his name. But you'll know him when you see him. He's the one who held my Contract. The man with the yellow eyes. And if you plan to go after him, don't. That man is the manifestation of malice itself and his power knows no bounds."
"But I will," Issei said.
Mitsuki looked at her brother in shock.
"I'll go after him so that people won't go through what Lily and I went through. What all of us - the people he twisted went through," Issei said.
"You're optimistic. However, do you have the walk to back your talk?" Miyo asked.
"He's not alone. We'll take this man down together. We won't let him run around, destroying the lives of others like this anymore," Mitsuki said.
"Then you two are far more naive than I thought," she said.
"Oi, Runeas, can we storm that house now?" Sorin asked, sitting on a tree branch.
Runeas glanced over her shoulder at her idiot brother. She brushed her red hair out of the way and resumed watch.
"Wait…" Runeas spotted Lily exiting the house with Rias. "My descendant has her and they're alone. It looks like… we've found our golden opportunity after all."
"You're going to kill your own descendant?" Sorin asked.
"In the grand scheme of things, Rias Gremory's life is inconsequential. Besides, why do I need her when I have Apollyon?" Runeas said.
"That is true. Well, at least I can have a bit of fun with her. She did… grow up quite nicely. It would be a shame if I didn't get to taste something that sweet before we go," Sorin said.
"Sure, whatever floats your boat… now-"
"Ara ara, where do you think you two are going?"
The voice sent chills down their spines and the two turned to see Akeno walking toward them.
"Akeno… Himejima?" Runeas asked.
"Hmph, so the Queen of Rias Gremory is-"
Akeno smiled and her eyes turned yellow. An overwhelming pressure slammed down on Sorin and Runeas, forcing them to their hands and knees. A foul purple aura manifested around Akeno's body. Trees and plants began to wither. The animals around them began to die as their bodies slowly became emaciated.
"L- Lord B- Beelzebub!" Runeas gasped, trying to catch her breath.
"B- Big Brother B- Beelzebub!?" Sorin said. He tried turning his head and the sight of Beelzebub's eyes almost made him piss himself.
"Explain yourselves," Beelzebub said, crossing his arms. He released the aura and looked down on the two of them.
"We… We were just-!"
"Go back to headquarters. It's not time yet," he said, waving off their excuses.
"But-"
"Now," he said.
Sorin's mouth clamped shut.
"If we move now, our element of surprise will be lost. The two Fallen inside of this house are one of the only ones still out there. The Red Dragon Emperor and this little girl. Going after the little girl now will complicate the capture of the Red Dragon. That is why both of you will not move on this girl until I give the signal," Beelzebub said.
The two nodded.
"Now scram. I have a call to make," Beelzebub said.
The two vanished in a plume of black smoke, leaving no trace of their presence.
Beelzebub shook his head and began making his way out of the woods. He had no particular destination in mind but his body… or rather Akeno's body knew where to go based on the knowledge he had hidden away. After several minutes of walking, he arrived at an old abandoned warehouse situated on the far side of Kuoh.
He waved his hand and all the doors were slammed shut. The darkness and shadows became more pronounced and the windows were veiled in dark mist.
Beelzebub held his hand out and telekinetically slit Akeno's wrist. Blood poured from her arm and fell into a small golden chalice.
The blood bubbled in the chalice as Beelzebub's wound closed rapidly.
All the shadows in the warehouse were sucked to a single point. A female humanoid figure made completely of shadows manifested within the room. The figure was seated on a throne of darkness and looked down on Beelzebub with glowing venomous yellow eyes. The figure's power came flooding through despite being only a projection. A power that can match the Gods. A power that surpassed all Devils, past and present.
No matter how strong a being was, fear was a primordial response written into their very genetic makeup. And the fear Beelzebub was feeling was palpable though he would not show it. The power rooted him to his spot and he felt as if his and Akeno's life would flash before his eyes had the figure not restrained their power. But even this much power was enough to unnerve him.
"Elder Sister Lilith," Beelzebub said.
Lilith shifted in her throne. "How is our plan proceeding?" she asked. Though her voice sounded kind and sisterly, her tone inspired fear.
"The plan is proceeding as expected. Apollyon is nearly finished on her end and our operatives within the Khaos Brigade have given us the green light. All we are waiting on is Apollyon's signal," Beelzebub said.
"Good. Once our plan succeeds, we can proceed with the second phase," she replied.
"However, I have a few… conditions," Lilith added.
"Conditions?" Beelzebub raised an eyebrow.
"No harm must fall upon Issei and Mitsuki," Lilith said.
"No harm? Issei is the Red Dragon Emperor and one of the Fallen and that girl is part of Blacklight. They will most likely interfere and we will have to fight back," Beelzebub protested.
"Let me make myself clear once more," she said.
Beelzebub found himself being pressed against the floor by an immense pressure. Lilith's body had not moved and she made no indication that she had attacked. She was merely exerting a fraction of her demonic power.
"If those two are killed, I will erase you from existence," Lilith said, increasing the pressure.
"U…nderstood!" Beelzebub said.
"Issei's continued existence is a factor to this plan. Should he die, everything will be thrown off the rails," Lilith said, releasing the pressure.
"And the girl?" Beelzebub asked, shakily getting to his feet.
Lilith remained silent but the threat still remained. Not wanting to have his vessel destroyed, Beelzebub conceded to his older sister's conditions.
"Very well. I cannot promise since the Red Dragon Emperor will most likely resist but I can have Apollyon restrain the girl," Beelzebub said.
"Very well. I suppose that's the best I'll get out of this," Lilith said.
"Worry not about the plan. The stage is set and all actors have taken their positions. By the end of this week, the Red Dragon Emperor will be in our hands," Beelzebub said, his eyes glowing ominously.
Lilith
The Oldest Devil in Existence and the True Leader of Serpent's Seed. She is the original Super Devil feared by all Devils, even the Primes.
The reason for her motivations remains up for speculation, however, even Beelzebub kneels to her will.
She appears to have a soft spot for Issei and Mitsuki, referring to them fondly though what her exact relationship is with them is currently unknown.
Blacklight File: Archive File #666
File Name: Lilith
The Oldest Devil in Existence.
Not much information exists about her. All information of Lilith are from Mesopotamian and Biblical Texts. Lore is disregarded due to the inaccuracy of the human mind to properly perceive events. As per Dantalion's advice, Lilith is issued a flee-on-sight order.
To Tyrant Lord Killidia: Yes. That part of the story is still the same as canon but the end result will be different. For both Shalba and Diodora.
Here we are at the end of the chapter. Lilith has finally been introduced but she's not officially there. She's just a Shadow Projection talking to Beelzebub. Her dialogue also sets things up for later events in the story that... we'll get to when we get to it. If you all can figure out where Apollyon was this whole time, then props to you. You can tell when I insert unimportant details into the story to set things up. Another thing, regarding Evil Piece lore, I completely made that up so don't go running to the DxD Wiki and come back saying "There's nowhere in the wiki where it says that!" You'll embarrass us both.
We're getting closer to the end of the first volume. I know a few of you who were there back when this all started can assume how everything will play out. However, there will be a couple of things that are different from OG Til Midnight. I will leave that up to you all to see. Remember to leave a review and I'll try to answer it in the next chapter.