To say that the meeting was entertaining, well, Shin would be lying to himself. The faces of his two best friends had said it all, though Irina hid it much better than he and Issei did. Rias and Sona were currently giving their reports on the whole situation regarding Kokabiel. Though, there was one part that he and Sophia were expected to report. He was ready to report it of course.
Yuuma. The clones. The Red King. The blatant violation of the natural flow of life and death. He had written cards down in lieu of this moment. But Rias and Sona were giving a fully detailed debrief to the Three Faction Leaders and the two had been talking for at least 45 minutes if his watch was correct. His eyes drifted to his older sister, who stood perfectly still at Brahma's side. Lady Jingwei had situated herself on Brahma's left, standing with her eyes closed.
"Is Lady Jingwei asleep?" Asia whispered.
"I think so," Shin said.
"And that concludes our report on the matter," Rias said.
"Without a doubt, Sirzechs, your sister is one of the brighter gems cultivated from your race. To face down a Cadre and hold it off until help arrived is nothing short of astounding," Michael complimented.
Uriel blew a strand of her hair off her face, ignoring the grand standing of her older brother.
Yeshua leaned back a little and waved his hand. "Good job, kid. Shame you were born a devil. If you had been an angel, we'd have promoted you by now."
"Ehehe," Rias blushed under the praise. Not that she wasn't used to it, but to think such a legendary and revered figure would praise her so blatantly.
Azazel smiled and opened his eyes. "Right, sorry about that," Azazel said. "I was wondering where that rat had scampered off to. The Grigori apologizes for what our Kokabiel has done, physical trauma and all that. Don't worry though. I took a page from Dante and decided to put Kokabiel on ice."
Azazel's nonchalant attitude had a clear effect on Rias and her peerage. His casual dismissal of the situation had rubbed them the wrong way.
"BWAHAHAHA! Azazel, you haven't changed in 500 years!" Lucifer said, roaring in laughter. "The last person to make casual jokes about war and trauma was our elder sister."
Michael smiled wryly. "So it was."
"Elder Sister taught me how to light the sky on fire. Though, I mainly used it for BL inspiration for mankind," Uriel said, picking at her fingernails.
"She taught me how to turn water into wine," Yeshua said, folding his hands. "Anyway, we've gotten off-topic and I'm sure we're boring our guest. Lord Brahma has graciously agreed to be the third party witness to this signing. Is there anything anyone would like to revise with the treaty and discuss before we move to ratify and sign it?"
Silence spread throughout the room. It was a thick sort of silence. One where you could hear the pin drop if you listened hard enough. A chair scraped gratingly against the linoleum floor of the room as Azazel slid his chair back slightly.
"I'd like to add something we forgot to discuss during our last talk. Economy and the neutral territory," Azazel said.
"The neutral territory?" Sirzechs raised an eyebrow.
"The neutral territory that we… and by we, I mean Michael, Luci, and I, agreed on was Purgatory but we would like to get your input. Let me explain. Purgatory is the perfect area. It's under our jurisdiction. It is in between Heaven and Hell and there are already displaced, disillusioned members of all three factions living there. Not to mention large amounts of undeveloped wilderness for us to set up population centers for humans, devils, and angels of both Fallen and Heavenly origin," Azazel said.
"Not to mention, I technically have control over it. We can set up base in the Superbia Terrace and delegate our united agenda there via our representatives," Lucifer said.
"Hmmm." Sirzechs rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
"I agree with it. Lord Lucifer and I went to the Superbia Terrace to survey the area. I didn't think it'd be for this. There are ample resources there for all three factions to use," Serafall chimed in.
"If Serafall is okay with it, then I'll put my vote in for yes," Sirzechs said.
"Yes," Uriel said, raising her hand.
"Hmph, Purgatory is certainly a fitting place. What the hell? I'll drink to that. Put my vote in for yes," Yeshua said.
"That takes care of that. If you'd like, I can send Shem and Heaven can send someone to discuss thing with whoever you send," Azazel said.
"Ajuka will be overseeing this matter," Sirzechs said.
"Which brings me to the second thing I'd like for us to discuss. The merging of our coin into one standard one. This is something that'll need to be discussed behind closed doors after the signing. Serafall and I have been talking and having a back and forth over the past couple of days," Azazel said.
"Yes. After analyzing the current economic status of all Three Factions, I'd say we in the Underworld are behind the Grigori and Heaven, who both have good relations with the other mythological pantheons," Serafall said.
Lucifer and Azazel snorted.
Serafall shot the Morning Star a dry look before continuing. "But to put it short, unifying our currency under one coin would take time to integrate but it can be done smoothly. The conversion rate from the Grigori's Shevirah and Heaven's Manna to the Devil's Ahra is that 1 Manna is equal to 1.25 Ahras and 1 Shevirah is equal to 1.5 Ahras. This is a negligible difference so we can work on integrating this new currency and eventually have all the families in the pillars convert. Since Shevirahs hold the most power compared to Manna and Ahra, Azazel and I agreed it'd be best to use the Shevirah's power rather than the other two. Is everyone getting this so far?" she asked.
"Question, what's the name?" Yeshua asked.
"We don't have a name as of yet. We were actually going to ask that next," Azazel said.
The leaders fell into silence.
Shin stifled a yawn. Economics? And naming a coin? This was incredibly boring. His eyes drifted to Sophia, who was playing with her bangs, and then to Irina, who was rolling a ball of fire between her fingers. Issei looked like he wanted to be anywhere but here.
"The Ria," Sirzechs said.
"Ria?" Azazel raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah. And multiple of those could be called Rias," he clarified.
"Oi! Sirzechs! I was gonna name the coin!" Serafall protested.
"The early bird gets the worm," Sirzechs said.
"I like it. Ria rolls off the tongue quite nicely," Michael said.
"So we're all in agreement to call the coin, Ria?" Azazel asked.
Brahma smiled. "It seems that you found a way to put your sister complex to good use, haven't you Crimson Satan?"
Sirzechs rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment.
"Fine, whatever. We'll discuss the integration and minting of Rias at a later date," Serafall said.
Sirzechs nodded and folded his hands. Lucifer's face darkened as did the other Angels in the room. Yeshua sighed and straightened himself and even Brahma's perpetual smile faded from his face. The air of the room grew heavy once more as Sirzechs opened his mouth.
"I believe we should address the elephant in the room before moving on. The youth present with us… aside from the Alabaster Star and the Vermillion Star are aware of our Pantheon's forbidden truth," Sirzechs said.
Uriel sighed and looked up. Her green eyes twinkled with an eternal grief that would never be seared away, even by her own god-killing flames. "During the Great War, our Pantheon's Chief God, Elohim, our mother, passed away along with three of the original Four Satans."
Asia's face fell at the confirmation of what she had heard. Irina looked down sadly. Despite knowing, it was hard for her to fully accept the fact that the God she loved and worshipped had been dead for centuries. Xenovia bit her lip.
Lucifer sighed and crossed his arms. "Not to mention, the disappearance of our older sister. If it weren't for Michael's quick thinking, the Sephiroth System might lay dormant til this day and Heaven would have collapsed. Can you imagine it? An apocalypse of untold proportion. Billions of souls since the day of Humanity's inception spilling onto the Earth?"
"Good thing we managed to activate it. But the fact of the matter still remains, the Sephiroth System is only operating at 65% of its original capacity with me at the helm. Even with the Law of Genesis, I cannot use it to the extent that Mother could," Yeshua said.
"We're getting off track here. What I really want to address is two things regarding this. Each of our Factions is gathering our aces. Luci and his successors have their devil prodigies and their peerages. Not to mention the fact that the Underworld is being backed by the Red Dragon Emperor. I, and the Grigori, have three Longinus wielders on our side. The wielder of Canis Lykaon, Absolute Demise, and the White Dragon Emperor himself-"
"How are they by the way?"
The faction leaders turned their gaze to Akane, who stood calmly at Brahma's side. An odd smile graced her features as she directed her question to Azazel once more. "Team Slash Dog, how are they?"
"You… You bitch-" Vali made to lunge at her but was held back by Sophia. She shook her head.
"Hmph, you really did a number on them, Vermillion Star. Tobio we managed to stabilize and he's in 100% full fighting condition. The others… Lavinia uses a prosthetic arm now, Natsume has a bionic leg, Sae is using a prosthetic eye, and Kouki also has a fake hand," Azazel said. "Is that what you wanted to hear?"
Akane closed her eyes and nodded.
"While we're on the topic of Stars, Yeshua, I have a question for you. Serafall and Sirzechs might be aware of this, but definitely not their devilings so… tell me. Why is a member of the Seven Stars backing your pantheon when the Seven Stars are explicitly supposed to remain neutral?" Lucifer asked.
"The Seven Stars? What's that?" Issei asked. He looked to Rias for answers.
"I… I don't know," Rias said.
Azazel opened his mouth to answer Issei's question.
"Kid, humans are in a world where everything wants to either enslave or kill them. The Gods are fickle, petty, disgusting creatures. Devils are more moral compared to the Gods, even if there are some that are good and genuinely kind. To counterbalance the strongest Gods, the Laws of the World selected Seven Humans to act as a buffer against beings like us. These beings are walking catastrophes to the point where I don't even consider them human anymore," Azazel said.
"Indeed. Even I cannot hope to hold a candle against them," Yeshua said.
"Each one has power great enough to bring an entire pantheon down to its knees by themselves," Michael said.
"So tell me. Why do you have one working as one of your Exorcists then?" Lucifer said.
Michael smiled. It was a calculated smile that never quite reached his eyes. The look on his face unnerved the other leaders in the room. "A calculated measure. Tosca was here for insurance against Kokabiel, in the event Kokabiel took the fight directly to the Vatican."
"It sounds like you never had much faith in Sirzechs' sister didja, Mikey?" Lucifer said, grinning at his younger brother's machinations.
"Brother, faith is for the transient. Beings like us… have learned to let go of such a concept years ago," Michael said. His green eyes dulled momentarily before they regained their emerald luster. "Besides, Tosca was raised by the church. It's natural for her to defend her family, is it not?"
Brahma let out a light chuckle. "It seems that Ellie's children have all grown in their own way. Of all of you, I think she'd be most proud of Azazel for taking the first step. And considering how some of you turned out, I can see now that she was too soft at times in raising all of you," Brahma commented.
A brief pause of silence overtook the room before Sirzechs spoke up. "So… would the two Stars mind introducing themselves before we wrap this up?"
Akane nodded and bowed slightly. "I am Akane Faulkner. Ranked First amongst the Seven Stars. My title is the Vermillion Star." Her left eye changed color slightly.
Tosca stepped forward and introduced herself. "I am Tosca Estaldi. Ranked Third amongst the Seven Stars. My title is the Alabaster Star." She smiled briefly at Yuuto, who smiled back at her. The two made an unspoken agreement to speak after the meeting.
"I suppose you two have no qualms of the Three Factions making peace?" Uriel asked.
"I personally don't care. Our job is the same as it was thousands of years ago. Keep the Gods in check," Akane said.
"I second her statement though, I'd use less… abrasive statements regarding our duty," Tosca said.
"And here we are at the crux of the meeting. Our agreement of peace," Azazel said. "Does anyone have any other grievances they'd like to air out before I ask our two most important guests the banger question?"
"Yes, I do. Azazel, why have you been gathering Sacred Gear Wielders over the years. Canis Lykaon, Absolute Demise, and even the White Dragon Emperor. If you hadn't reached out to us, I would have believed that something was wrong and you were preparing for war," Sirzechs said.
Azazel closed his eyes.
Michael, Lucifer, and Uriel both eyed their brother warily. They too were wondering why he had been doing this.
"If I say it's for Sacred Gear Research, which… that's true, will you believe me?"
"No." Was the unanimous response of all the leaders.
"Sheesh, no one trusts me huh?" Azazel asked.
"Dude, next to Old Man Luci, you're probably the least trustworthy person in this room," Serafall said.
"Fine. Though, I believe Luci's kid has something to say on this matter too. As well as, the Vermillion Star's younger brother," Azazel said, glancing at Shin. "I can see your eyes brimming with words. Go on, tell the others what you saw that day. Sophie already told me but I want to hear your side of things too."
Shin blinked as he was singled out by Azazel. Everyone turned their eyes to him, watching him move towards the table.
"Yuuma. She's alive," Shin said.
Issei's body stiffened. "R- Raynare-"
"No, not Raynare. It's a clone with Raynare's soul wiped clean and crammed into it. It's… far stronger than Raynare ever was. She had 8 wings and it was only thanks to her inexperience that we were able to win," Sophia said.
"And can either of you two tell me who you met while fighting her?" Azazel asked.
Shin and Sophia exchanged glances.
"We met someone calling themselves… The Red King," Shin said.
When the words "Red King" exited Shin's mouth, the sound of wood splintering echoed across the room. Azazel closed his eyes and smiled at the ensuing chaos.
Lucifer's eyes were glowing red. The arms of the chair had been reduced to splinters. His midnight-black feathery wings were in full display as was his shattered halo.
Uriel's body was enveloped in flames and like Lucifer's, her wings were on display.
Michael's body was surrounded in a golden aura that emitted a high-pitched screeching noise. His wings were spread like his siblings.
Yeshua had a wicked grin on his face. He clenched his fist and slammed it down on the table, shaking the entire building and the town.
"The Red King? Already? Azazel, have you been hiding their awakenings from us?" Yeshua asked.
"I'd like to know this too," Brahma said. "It's impossible for the Red to awaken if White has not woken up. The very fact that we detected his presence means that…"
"Conquest is awake," Azazel said.
"C- Conquest? Like… the White Horseman from Revelations?" Asia asked.
"Got it in one kid," Azazel said, winking at her.
"Kokabiel mentioned something like that too. The Four are upon us," Shin said.
"Why didn't you tell us, Azazel? We could have united much sooner. Do you remember what happened 500 years ago? Entropy was close to breaching its seal. The Laws of the World were either slumbering or dawdling around like Lord Brahma is. Mother lost her life because of it. Are you planning to plunge us and everything we've ever known into extinction?" Lucifer roared.
"It just goes to show that all of you have been too embroiled in your own personal conflicts. I went to all of you, decades after the War ended and Mother died that we had a problem. Heaven turned me away. Hell was too embroiled in a regime change. The word Grigori means Watcher and I did my duty and fulfilled my promise to Mother. For 500 years, I've been assisting in controlling their awakenings, and every time, I've been successful," Azazel argued.
"But what you're doing is nothing short of miraculous. You've really outdone yourself," Brahma said. "Tell me… is she helping you?"
"You've met her?" Azazel asked.
"Met who?" Serafall asked.
"Yaldabaoth, the Eldest Child of Elohim," Brahma said.
"Yes… I've been in contact with Elder Sister for centuries… we've been preventing their awakening by always killing them before they can come to term and we discovered that, the others won't trigger if Conquest never awakens," Azazel said. "But… I cut off contact with her 12 years ago. The mega-storm that almost destroyed Japan was when I stopped feeding her information. It… the target… I couldn't bring myself to…"
Azazel composed himself. "It may have been a mistake but I made a promise and I intended to keep it."
"So that's why you wanted to call for peace and began gathering an army," Michael said. "It seems that… we only have 2 left."
"Famine and Death," Sirzechs said. "War has already rooted itself in the world."
"Pray tell, why did you spare its life?" Yeshua asked.
"..." Azazel's eyes drifted around the room.
Yeshua followed his gaze before they both stopped on one particular person. He closed his eyes and sighed. "I see. I can see why you made such a choice. When it's your own family…"
"I believe we should have this conversation at length. We need to finish what we came here for. If War is active, then we need to take the fight to it. It seems peace is merely a tool for us to unite against the coming tide of extinction," Michael said.
"Which brings me to the question I wanted to ask. The Dragon Emperors. Let's start with your grandson, Luci. Vali, what do you want to do?" Azazel asked.
Vali looked at him for a few seconds before speaking. "You know what I want. I want to fight strong opponents."
"Eh? The Vermillion Star nearly cutting off your shoulder wasn't enough for you. But… can't you do that without a war?" Azazel asked.
"I suppose I can. There are already a good amount of people I have my eyes set on," Vali said.
"And Issei."
Issei blinked and pointed to himself.
"Yes, you. Peace. How about it, kid?" Azazel asked.
"Hmm, I… umm," Issei stumbled amongst his words. This was an important question. One that could alter the very destiny of the world. And what with the one of the Laws of the World keeping their eyes on him, the answer he had to come up with was-
"Let me put it into terms you can understand. Peace between the Three Factions means less time fighting for your lives. And during peace, one of the things people enjoy is increasing numbers through reproduction. Do you get where I'm going with here? If there's peace, you and… the Tenka Seisai and Rias can fuck all you want and you can build your precious harem while you're at it too," Azazel explained.
Steam blew out of Issei's nose.
Flashbacks of his first time with Irina. The things he wanted to do now that he had some experience. And now, he could finally ask her to pursue all the oppai in the world while still having the ability to be sandwich himself between her legs.
"Yes! Yes! Peace is the best! Let's go for peace!" Issei said. He had stars sparkling in his eyes. A very healthy blush was spread across his face.
"Oh, Issei," Rias said and facepalmed.
"Issei, Lord Sirzechs is present," Yuuto said, smiling in amusement.
"Eh! Oh shit! Crap, I got too excited," Issei said, coughing into his hand. "But… I… Even as the Red Dragon Emperor, I won't use my powers to oppose peace or anything like that. I have people I want to protect and I want to use my power for them. There's no buts about it."
Irina and Shin smiled at his answer.
"All these years, Issei. Your heart is still as big as ever," Irina commented.
"His heart is big enough for multiple women. You better lay down your claim or else you'll be kicked from your position as the legal wife, Rin," Shin joked.
"Hmph, Shin, you've been rather funny lately. Is it alright if I sear your mouth closed?" Irina asked, a vein throbbing in her forehead.
"What a certainly interesting generation," Brahma mused. "The Dragon Emperors, The Tenkai Seisai, and Vivian's Contractor."
"By the way, Red Dragon Emperor. Earlier today, when I gave you Ascalon, you said that you had a question for us?" Michael said.
"Ah yes, um, are you alright if I ask now? Because I sort of have two now that I look back on it," Issei said.
"Two? I'll try to answer them to the best of my knowledge," Michael said.
"Translation. I'll add in half-truths," Azazel said.
Michael ignored Azazel's jabs and motioned for Issei to ask the question.
"Okay, my first question. Why was Asia excommunicated?"
Asia's eyes grew wide. She moved to stop Issei but was held back by Shin's hand on her shoulder. She turned around and saw him shake his head. Asia bit her bottom lip and composed herself. Her green eyes drifted over to Issei, who was looking at her.
"Do you wanna answer this? I can answer it if you want," Yeshua said.
"No, it's fine. He asked. I'll answer truthfully," Michael said.
"Hmph, for once," Lucifer said.
"After Mother died, the Sephiroth System shut down. If you're wondering what it is, you humans could call it Heaven's Skynet. A system that administers divine protection and allows for exorcisms and miracles to happen. With Mother gone, it took all four Seraphs and Yeshua just to kickstart it. And even with the Law of Genesis at Yeshua's fingertips, the system is barely functioning as it is. Thus, we had to supplement it with human belief in order to keep it going. Because of that, we're in a precarious state where we need human belief in order to maintain Heaven," Michael said.
The cogs in Issei's brain turned as he put the pieces of the puzzle together. "So… someone like Asia, who can heal Devils and Fallen Angels…"
"Had to be removed. To the three major religions of the world, Sacred Gears are a form of God's blessing. It is right and just and should not be able to heal creatures of impurity. If churchgoers learned that Twilight Healing can also heal creatures they view as evil, imagine the repercussions it would have on the system," Michael said.
His eyes drifted over to Xenovia. "It's also why… people who discovered God's death had to be removed entirely. Loose ends can unravel the whole tapestry. If Heaven were to fall, imagine the amount of souls that would flood the Earth," he said. Michael looked towards Asia and Xenovia. "You two truly do not deserve you were handed and for that," Michael stood up from his chair and bowed deeply, "I apologize on behalf of Heaven and the Church."
"So he does know how to apologize," Azazel said.
"Lord Michael, please lift your head," Xenovia said. "Yes, I've been raised by the Church all my life and I… I'm devastated at learning the truth but, to be honest, I do not have any regrets in becoming a Devil. Without it, I wouldn't have met the people nor experienced the things I've experienced so far."
"Me too. I don't regret being excommunicated. Without it, I wouldn't have met Issei, Rias, and the others. Nor would I have met my… new family," Asia said. "I'm truly the happiest I've been in my entire life."
Michael's eyes widened at his former subordinates' words and he sighed in relief. A genuinely kind smile graced his features as he sat down.
"You know, this would have all been avoided if you guys never lost the Ruach Ha-Kodesh," Azazel said.
"What's the Ru- Ruwa… whatever that is," Issei asked.
"That's your second question?" Uriel asked. "Geez, the doujin portrayed you to be a lot smarter than you are."
"Er, no, it's not my second question! It's just… I have no idea what that is," Issei said.
"Kid, the Ruach Ha-Kodesh is the crystallization of the Law of Genesis. It was the core of the system. You could say it's the power source of the Sephiroth. These bozos lost it after the war. That's why the System needs human belief to function now," Azazel said.
"Ohhh," Issei said. "What's the Law of Genesis?"
"Red Dragon Emperor, you're getting off-topic," Michael said.
"Oh, sorry. Um… we met a woman a while ago who… turned Asia into an Angel-"
"What?"
Issei shut his mouth when all the Angels in the room suddenly locked eyes with him. He gulped and tried to force the words out of his mouth. "Do… D- Do you by any chance know her?"
"Asia Argento. Is this true?" Michael asked.
Asia gripped her arm and nodded. A pair of silver wings spread from her back along with a white halo.
"Her wings. She has the potential to become a Seraph," Uriel said, staring at the girl in amazement.
"Only one person can do this," Yeshua said.
"Yaldabaoth," Lucifer said. "She was here? In this town? Wait… Sirzechs, you said you saw my Mom right?"
"Er, yeah, Grayfia and I both had the pleasure of fighting her. She said she was here for Conquest. But she called them the Queen of Conquest," Sirzechs said.
"A matter to look into at a different time. It seems that we've answered your question collectively, Red Dragon Emperor," Michael said.
"Still, Sirzechs, to survive against our terrifying older sister, you truly deserve the title of Super Devil," Azazel said.
"Well to be fair, she broke my arm with one kick while I only knocked out a couple of her teeth. Your sister is insanely powerful," Sirzechs admitted.
"Hmmm," Azazel said, taking in the atmosphere of the room. "Looks like we're ready to sign. Everyone got their questions and grievances out in the open?"
"No? Then, let's get this party started," Azazel said, pulling out a fountain pen.
"You're not really going to sign with that, are you?" Sirzechs asked.
"Are you really going to let Uriel sign with her yaoi pen?" Azazel said, pointing to a golden pen in the fujoshi Archangel's hand.
The moment Uriel clicked her pen, the world glitched and was covered in a grayish-violet hue. Surges of power and flashes of light were felt across the room as Sacred Gears and Holy Swords manifested themselves. Shin felt the divine power coursing through his body surging and his eye colors changed.
"What happened?" Shin asked, his eyes changing back to their normal color.
Rias looked around, seeing the frozen figures of Asia and Lisa. "This is…"
"The Forbidden Balor View," Azazel said, stroking his beard.
"What? How is that even possible? Gasper couldn't even stop time the other day," Issei said.
Shin waved his hand in front of Asia's face. She was frozen completely. It was a different form of petrification. It was like watching a still image on pause. Then again, time for her was stopped. "Who's Gasper?" Shin asked.
"Gasper is my Bishop but still, even with the training we did for him the other day, there's no way he can stop time on this scale," Rias said, crossing her arms.
"Then how are we able to move around?" Irina asked.
Vali sighed and shifted himself off the wall. He placed a hand in his pocket and looked out the window. Even the security they brought with them was frozen in time.
Azazel stood up from his chair and looked around. "It seems that for the Dragon Emperors, their dragons protected them. That boy Knight has an irregular Balance Breaker and the Holy Sword Wielders are being protected by their swords. As for the Contractors in the room, their Stigmata is actively repelling the effects of the Sacred Gear," he said.
"This has to be orchestrated. There would be no way they would know of the Forbidden Balor View wielder unless they had some information of such a person in the first place," Michael said, narrowing his eyes.
"It seems that that should be their home base," Sirzechs commented. "Our first priority should be reclaiming that area. Lord Lucifer, Michael, Serafall, and I will maintain the barrier. We'll modify it to spatially lock the area to prevent any teleportation magic. Unfortunately, it'll mean both sides will be trapped in here with each other."
"That's fine. I haven't had a good fight in a while," Yeshua said, swinging his left arm.
"Onii-sama. Issei and I will go to the club room and retrieve Gasper. He is my bishop, therefore it should be my duty to go do it," Rias said.
Sirzechs nodded.
"Issei," Shin said, running over to him.
"Shin," Issei said.
"Be careful," he said.
Issei nodded.
"The rest of us will clear out the enemy forces," Uriel said. Her demeanor had completely changed from the bratty Seraph that she was. Fire flickered at her fingertips.
"Are you going to assist us, Lord Brahma?" Serafall asked.
Brahma cracked open an eye. He picked up his tea and took a sip. "As a Law of the World and one of the Seven Great Gods, I cannot get involved in pantheon affairs. We will fight back if we are targeted but unfortunately, I cannot directly get involved. Neither can Akane and Tosca. However, think of this as a test. Your first crisis as a united pantheon if you will."
The leaders of the room grimaced at his words. If Brahma got involved, this fight would be over the minute he stepped outside the room but the fact that he was just going to sit back and watch. This was truly characteristic of someone called a Law of the World.
"Very well, let's head out," Azazel said.
The various members all left the room, leaving Irina, Sophia, and Shin inside.
"Onee, I'm going with them," Shin said.
"What? Shin, this isn't your fight. You don't have any allegiance to the Three Factions," Akane protested.
"What? These guys are my friends. I'm not going to stand here and let them fight by themselves," Shin argued.
"Shin, they'll be fine. You have to trust them to take care of this. You're a neutral third party and the son of two of the Seven Stars and brother to one of them. This will be seen as a breach of our neutrality-"
"Is that all you care about? Is that really what you care about?" Shin asked.
"Shin… please. I just don't want you to get hur-"
"I'm going, Onee. I'm not going to hide in here and let them handle this," Shin said. He turned around and walked out the door, leaving Akane inside the room with Brahma and Tosca.
Sophia and Irina followed after Shin, the latter looking back at the worried face of her older sister figure.
It was pandemonium in the most literal sense. There was a never-ending swarm of robed figures. Human magicians summoning magical attacks in an endless tide of flames, ice, and lightning. A blue streak of light flashed across the sky as the White Dragon Emperor smashed magicians left to right.
Yuuto and Xenovia fought back to back, slicing and dicing through the magicians.
Akeno zoomed through the air, raining lightning and fire down on her opponents.
A pillar of flames erupted in the distance. In the sky, Azazel was engaging a woman with dark skin and blonde hair in an aerial magic dogfight. Light spears met blasts of demonic energy. In front of them, Yeshua danced like a demon, decimating the forces of sorcerers in front of him.
He raised his hand and the air warped. Several golden spears manifested above him and impaled a swarm of magicians that all aimed for him.
"Is that… the Law of Genesis?" Sophia asked.
A charred magician fell in front of the three, forcing them to stop.
Uriel landed next to the three. "Yes. It is the ultimate creative power in the Universe. The power to give birth to [∞] from [0] and bring it all back to [0] again. A motherly power and the most sublime of all the Laws of the World attained by Mother and now existing only in Yeshua," Uriel said. "Come on you three, get back in the game."
She beat her wings and shot into the sky, sending waves of golden flames at the magicians.
Irina and Sophia summoned their respective weapons and took off in a jet of corrosive gas and searing flames.
"Ran! Get ready!" Shin said.
Ran nodded.
Black fire swirled around Shin's fingertips and formed into a black talisman. Various characters etched themselves into the talisman. "Taiyogenpu: Hirume!" The talisman turned into a vortex of black flames and transformed into a katana with a black ring tsuba and a silver fuchi at the base. The blade was approximately a meter in length and a distinct black hamon running along the blade.
"Onigari-Ryuu: Isshin!" Shin swung Hirume, slicing apart a magician heading towards him. He quickly turned on the balls of his feet and thrust his blade into the chest of another magician. With a visible grunt of effort, Shin wrenched Hirume from the chest cavity of the enemy and jumped into the air.
An explosion erupted from the ground, knocking Shin back. He landed on the ground and sheathed the blade.
Master, there are a few behind us, Ran said.
"Onigari-Ryuu…" Shin drew the blade slightly, "Setsudan!"
In a gleam of silver light, Shin slashed apart the magicians behind him, sending waves of black flames everywhere. He stepped back, raising his hand into the air and throwing it forward. A rain of blades stabbed the oncoming wave of magicians.
"Damn! Irina and Sophia really just left!" Shin said, grinning.
"Left? We're literally above you!" Irina yelled. He looked up and saw her rolling in the sky. She stopped and raised her blade up.
A group of magicians were hot on her trail. They raised their hands and formed several magic circles. With a mighty cry, Irina swung the blade down, sending a massive wave of blue flames towards them.
The flames engulfed the magicians, filling the battlefield with their agonizing cries as they were burned alive.
"Irina! Move!" Shin created Failnacht in his other hand and aimed at her. Irina moved out of the way, seeing the magic bullet hit the magician in the head.
"Thanks," Irina said. She landed on the ground and the two stood back to back, surrounded on all sides by an increasing hoard of magicians.
"What a reunion," Irina joked.
"I know right?" Shin said.
Lightning fell from the sky, striking the magicians around them. Akeno landed on the ground gracefully amidst the sea of charred corpses.
"Himejima-san!"
"Akeno."
"Shin, Childhood Friend-san, sorry for my late appearance," Akeno said. She raised her arms and summoned her mother's bow. She knocked an electric arrow and fired it, hitting a magician between the eyes.
"How's things going at the old school building?" Shin asked, shooting down a magician.
"How's Issei?" Irina asked.
"I don't know yet. Buchou hasn't reported back yet," Akeno said.
"That's…" Irina jumped over Shin and spun in the air, swinging her blade in an arc and bifurcating a magician. "FINE!" With a mighty swing, the blade of her Shuhadaku moved in a deadly swipe that sent a wave of flames towards the other magicians.
Azazel moved in a zigzagging motion across the sky, shattering the sound barrier several times over.
His opponent fired a seeking swarm of tendrils toward him. The bespectacled woman raised her staff and fired several blasts of dragon-shaped demonic energy at him. Her face was contorted in fury. "Why won't you die!?" she screamed.
Azazel casually moved out of the way of the blast. He whistled, eyeing the Devil in front of him. "Woah, that one. Now that one I could feel. But seriously, is this all you have, Katerea Leviathan? All you Leviathan descendants are nothing compared to the original. The original was stronger than Lucifer," Azazel commented. "But still, where are you getting that extra power from, Katerea?"
Katerea pushed up her glasses and hovered in the air. Black and gold energy coated her fists. "You're not the only ones to seek help from the Laws of the World. You might have gotten the Law of Karma to support you but I draw my power from the Law of Infinity herself. The Ouroboros Dragon supports our cause. You are destined to fall here, Azazel. And you and I both know that even Yeshua cannot use the Law of Genesis to its full potential. Your cause is weak."
"Causes? Higher powers? So what? Our resolve to survive is far greater than your desire to rule the world. The rest of us know that. This is why people like you, a cliche villain, always falls first in the flow of a story," Azazel said, grinning. He summoned a light spear to his hand and took up a stance. A golden aura surged from his body sending Katerea back.
This bastard! He still had this much power!? She thought.
"Mmm?" Azazel raised an eyebrow. The tone of the world shifted. The static sensation that had permeated the space around them vanished. A familiar energy signature entered the battlefield.
[Dragon Shot]
"Well, would you look at that?" Azazel said, relaxing his posture. "The kid managed to do it."
A red blur slammed into the chaos beneath them. Blue swords flew across the sky. A wave of golden energy mixed with a wave of red. White lightning and black mist swallowed the Earth while the flames of Heaven seared the remains of this apocalyptic landscape.
"The youth have made their choice. If they're so determined to take the first step forward, then so will I. I'll match their resolve," Azazel said. He reached into his shirt and pulled out a small golden blade with an amethyst gem located at the pommel.
"What…? What is that?" Katerea asked.
"Leviathan was never a devil. She was an ancient dragon who has fought Mother since Mother was Baal's most trusted general. Tsufaame and her kin have the arrogance to claim the power of a Dragon. Well, not that I'm any better. This Sacred Gear I made has the power of a Dragon as well," Azazel said.
"What?" Katerea said.
"Downfall Dragon Spear. An Artificial Sacred Gear I created through countless hours of research. You like?" Azazel asked. The spear began to glow brightly as he tightened its grip around the handle.
A golden light shined through the battlefield as Azazel was encased in golden armor. The armor's helm exhibited two violet glowing eyes and two horns resembling that of a bull. The armor had two massive pauldrons with violet gems decorating the breastplate and greaves. In his right hand was a two-pronged light spear that exuded an immense amount of power.
"A Shuhadaku?" Katerea said, her voice trembling.
"Balance Breaker," Azazel said. "This form actually enhances my Shuhadaku. So… shall we finish this?"
"DAMN YOU, AZAZEL!" Katerea roared. She raised her hand into the air and let loose a hail of demonic energy bullets. She followed up with a blast of highly pressurized water in the shape of a dragon.
"Tetragrammaton Form He: Second Flight: Passion of Jonah," Azazel said. He reared back and shot forward, piercing through the bullet hell and cutting through the water dragon.
Katerea's eyes widened. An immense pain shot through her body.
Azazel appeared behind her twirling the spear.
Katerea coughed up copious amounts of blood as she furiously turned to face the Governor-General. Her left arm had been ripped off by that attack. The left side of her torso had been mangled and her leg was no longer in working condition. She was going to bleed out.
It seemed that the Laws of the World conspired against her. The Law of Infinity had broken her promise.
"No, no, no, nooooo! I will not allow it to end this way! If I'm going to die, I'm taking at least one of the Three Great Powers with me!" Katerea yelled. Her voice had lost whatever semblance of reason she thought she had. Tendrils shot from her body and wrapped around Azazel's arm.
Her skin began to bubble and the blood that flowed freely from her wounds evaporated the minute they exited her wound. "Hehehehe! AHAHAHAHAHA! Azazel, if I'm going to die, I'll take you with me. Join me in oblivion."
"Self-Destruct Spell?" Azazel mused. "Even Mother wouldn't resort to such cowardly tactics."
"Tch! I am the only successor of the Coiled Serpent Leviathan! I'll engrave it into your soul with our deaths!" Katerea screamed.
Azazel tugged on the arm, attempting to wrench his arm from her grasp. His eyes narrowed when the bindings only tightened and began to pull him in.
"It's useless. My life force runs through this spell. Breaking it would be like trying to break titanium with your bare hands! It's impossible!" Katerea cackled. "This is truly checkmate, Azazel!"
Azazel regarded her silently. The violet eyes of his helm glinted in the moonlight. He raised his other hand into the air and pooled divine power into it. In one swift motion, his hand moved in a quarter arc and severed his left arm at the base of the elbow. Blood sprayed and rained into the carnage below.
"W- What? Your arm?" Katerea stuttered.
"What's one arm for the pursuit of tomorrow?" Azazel asked. "But since you worked so hard, I'll give you an arm at least."
"DAMN YOU AZAZEL-"
She never finished her sentence as a light spear impaled her between the eyes. Her eyes rolled back into her skull as the death rattles escaped her mouth. Katerea Leviathan, a short-lived throwaway villain in the grand scheme of the world, fell unceremoniously to the floor.
Her death had halted the battle below.
The carnage stopped.
The Magicians, having lost their master, stood like a swarm of ants that had lost its queen.
Shin gripped Failnacht and Hirume tightly. His back was against Akeno, who had her mother's bow aimed at the magician in front of her. Both of them were on their last legs but neither let their guards down. Even if the magicians had stopped fighting, there was no telling what they would do next.
"Let's finish this," Shin said.
Akeno nodded.
And so the battle ended without so much as a whisper on the side of the Magicians.
Sounds of metal cutting through bone and the elements ripping through flesh echoed through the battlefield. In the end, amidst the sea of corpses and astray limbs, the delegation stood strong and persevered against the attack.
Azazel hovered in the air, admiring the effort and teamwork put together by the group below him.
"Hmm? They've all finished already? All that's left is-" A blow struck Azazel on the back of the head, sending him crashing to the ground.
Everyone turned to see Azazel laying in the middle of a small crater. Azazel sighed and got up, dusting himself off casually. "I was waiting for you to do that but… you weren't the one I was expecting to show up. So Vali, what'd you bring to show and tell? In front of your great grandfather and great aunt no less?"
Sophia landed next to Shin and Akeno, eyeing Vali warily. Her violet eyes narrowed when the golden eyes of his visor locked with hers.
"Hmph, no special reason. Things over here just seemed far more interesting," Vali said. "Ophis can make a killer deal. And it's not a bad feeling, having the backing of a Law of the World."
"Even if it means betraying your family to join the Khaos Brigade?" Azazel asked.
Lucifer and Sirzechs turned their gazes over to the armor-clad young man.
"Ophis is getting involved. No wonder Grandfather is waking up," Lucifer muttered. "The Law of Infinity which has existed since the beginning of time is interfering and stirring all the other Laws into action. What does she want, dear Grandson?"
"Nothing. None of us want world domination. We're… merely serving each other's best interests. My desire and her power. That is all," Vali said. "Though, I'm rather disappointed, Issei Hyoudou. Your desire to grow strong is admirable but our strength is in entirely different worlds."
"What? What the hell are you going on about?" Issei asked.
"We are fated to be rivals yet you lack. I can't even begin to believe I'm destined to fight someone as weak as you," Vali said.
"And? What's your point here, man? I know I can't beat you. Why the hell are you goading me on?" Issei asked.
"Tch. Fine then, I'll stop being nice. What if… I kill your parents? No wait, perhaps, I'll kill your best friend and the Tenka Seisai right in front of you. That would finally let you show me your motivation, wouldn't it?" Vali asked, tilting his head.
"What?" Issei clenched his fists, glaring at Vali hatefully. "You bastard. If you dare lay a hand on their heads, I'll…"
"After I murder your parents of course. Wouldn't that make for a fun party?" Vali added.
"You… BASTARD!"
[Welsh Dragon Balance Breaker: Scale Mail]
(Partner, is it wise to be threatening the Vermillion Star's brother like that?) Albion warned.
I'm not going to lay hands on her brother. Even I'm not that reckless, Vali said. But his eyes brimmed with excitement. "Still, Albion, look at how much his power skyrocketed!"
Vali ducked out of the way of Issei's punch, before kicking back.
"Drop dead you bastard!"
[Blade]
Issei thrust his arm forward, extending his reach with Ascalon. The silver serrated edge of the Dragon Slaying Sword shot forth from Issei's gauntlet, zooming past Vali.
(Be careful. I won't be able to defend you from that blade) Albion warned.
"Even better. Show me what you have, HYOUDOU ISSEI!" Vali roared.
Shin watched from below as Issei and Vali flew like streaks of light across the sky. The two appeared to be evenly matched for now but the rise in Issei's strength stirred a feeling within him that he didn't understand nor wanted to. It was an ugly feeling. The same one he felt whenever he was near…
"Father," Sophia said.
Shin snapped out of his reverie when he saw Lucifer walking up to them. He walked past them and stood next to Azazel.
"Lord Lucifer!" Shin called out.
"Hmm?" he turned around to face him.
"Are… are you not going to stop him?" Shin asked.
"Father, Vali is…" Sophia began.
"I know but… Vali was not the threat we anticipated to show up. We were… preparing for someone else," Lucifer said. "I think you know who I mean, Shinku Faulkner."
"Me?"
"I am of Divine Origin. The stigmata inside your body was originally from her," Lucifer said.
"Hmph, I never thought she'd sponsor someone," Azazel said, chuckling to himself. "Times really have changed if she's willing to serve as your Sponsor, kid. But… remember and trust in yourself, kid. Sponsors and Contractors do not always see eye to eye."
Issei coughed, spitting blood into his helmet as Vali's fist embedded itself in the soft part of his armor. He clenched his jaw, listening to the cries and cheers of his friends below him. "Not yet! I can still fight!" Issei roared. He kicked Vali off before following up with a palm thrust towards Vali's chest.
Vali was blown back, but blocked the attack with his arms. He grinned. Issei's punch rocketed towards him in slow motion. Without so much as batting an eyelid, he caught Issei's fist with his hand. The shockwave created a powerful gust of wind that was expelled outward.
Vali cocked his fist back and delivered a devastating jab to the side of Issei's head. He sent a barrage of blows, staggering Issei back before finishing with an overhead kick.
Issei crashed into the ground, landing in front of Rias and Irina.
"ISSEI! I SWEAR IF YOU LOSE YOU'RE FIRED!" Shin yelled.
"DON'T LOSE, ISE-KUN!" Irina shouted.
"ISSEI!"
"ISSEI!"
"That's right. I can't lose. I made a promise. To Irina. To Buchou. To everyone who's watching. I'll keep fighting for their sakes and for mine," Issei said, getting up. His eyes narrowed when he saw red dust being expelled from Vali's wings.
Ddraig, status report.
[You bastard, don't treat me like a computer. The good thing is we still have 12 minutes left on this.]
What's that gunk coming out of his wings?
[It's excess power. Think of it as a cooling fan. To keep himself running at maximum capacity, he's expelling all the power he doesn't need.] Ddraig explained.
So there's a limit to how much power he can hold in his body at any given time? Issei asked.
[Yes. What are you thinking of, Partner?] Ddraig asked.
Something crazy…
"So that's how it is…" Vali said.
"So that's how what is, you crazy bastard?" Issei asked.
"Your friends. During the battle against Kokabiel, your power also increased for the sake of your friends. I wonder. If I eliminated them first, does this mean I should kill your friends before your family?" Vali asked mockingly. He pooled silver energy into his hands and fired them at the crowd.
"STOP IT!" Issei yelled. He flew towards Asia, who watched with wide eyes as a silver blast of energy barreled towards her. He blocked the attack.
"Over here, Issei!" Vali yelled excitedly. He shot forth towards Rias and Irina.
"Grraaaaggh! STOP FUCKING AROUND YOU BITCH!" Issei pivoted in the air rapidly, displacing the winds as he shot forth. He slammed into Vali, tugging him roughly away from Rias and Irina and pushed him towards the air.
"Yes! Yeees! Get angry! Hate me more! Show me your dragon's rage!" Vali cheered. "Get stronger so I can have more fun with you!"
Vali slammed his fist into Issei's gut, sending him back.
Issei recovered almost immediately and shot forth towards Vali. He cocked his fist back.
Ddraig! Transfer all power to Ascalon! Time to put my theory into action!
[Gotcha!]
[Transfer]
He slammed his fist into the side of Vali's head, partially breaking his helm to reveal his surprised expression. Ascalon's dragon-slaying aura tore through the Balance Breaker of the Divine Dividing as if it was nothing.
"Eat shit!" Issei yelled. He roughly grabbed one of Vali's wings, digging the talons of his left hand into the base of Divine Dividing's wings. "Let's see how you like it!"
[Transfer]
"W- What are you…?" Vali cried out.
"I'm boosting the energy going in and out of you. Let's see how much energy these precious chicken wings of yours can handle!" Issei said.
Divine Dividing's wings began to flicker and buzz erratically. Vali felt his armor heating up rapidly as steam was being expelled from the various spaces in between the scutes of the Balance Breaker.
(Vali. The systems are all saying the armor is overloading. All functions are overcompensating just for us to remain afloat in the air. A full systems reboot is required or else we'll burn up here and now at this rate.) Albion said.
"Get ready to taste the power of a Dragon-Slayer you bastard!" Issei yelled, raising his golden-coated fist. With a roar of fury, Issei aimed his punch for the largest cobalt gem on Vali's armor, shattering his breastplate and completely fragmenting the Balance Breaker of the Divine Dividing.
Vali landed on the ground violently. He gripped his chest, coughing up blood. The blow had completely broken part of his sternum. But the grin on his face remained. He looked up and saw Issei landing in front of him.
"That's the spirit. I knew you had it in you. Now, how's about a second round?" Vali asked, donning his Balance Breaker once more.
(Our battle does not stop until one of us can fight no longer) Albion piped up.
"Tch! Fine, you daft cunt," Issei said. As Issei was about to charge, Ddraig made himself known.
[Don't. We're nearing our limit. If we continue fighting them, we will die. Our only option of survival is to retreat and let the Seraphim and the Maou handle this.] Ddraig said.
"Not an option. I can't… let this bastard touch them. Not while I still have breath in my body," Issei said.
The cogs inside his brain turned slowly. He tried to wrack his brain with ways to defeat the bastard in front of him. As he was thinking, his mind flashed back to something he had heard Shin say to him during training.
"Issei, remember this. Don't just fight using what you have. Use whatever you can find around you to your advantage. Any fighter worth their salt knows that… the anything in the environment is a weapon itself."
Issei's eyes fell upon the cracked jewel of the Divine Dividing at his feet.
Ddraig, Sacred Gears evolve in response to my feelings right?
[Yes. That's Sacred Gear 101. What are you getting at-] Ddraig's eyes widened inside the Sacred Gear when he saw what Issei was staring at. [Hahaha! Ahahaha! You're brave I'll give you that. Are you prepared to die, Partner?]
Die? No, I haven't even finished my harem yet. I haven't even married Rin or Buchou yet. Besides. If I can absorb a Dragon Slaying Sword, then this is nothing, Issei said. He snatched the jewel off the ground and raised it into the air. "Hey!"
"What?" Vali asked.
"I'm going to take a page out of Aka-nee's book and steal your broken-ass ability," Issei said.
"You fool! Are you really going to-" Vali never finished his sentence as an azure glow overtook Issei's right hand. "You're really going to die for more power? I can't say I don't admire your resolve. But still, you're going to die. There isn't anything in this world more incompatible than the powers of the Heavenly Dragons."
"Come on! If Kiba can fuse the powers of Heaven and Hell, then I can too!" Issei grinned. His smile broke through, even in the face of overwhelming agony.
"Hmph, I admire your resolve, Issei. Even if it is one of someone desperate to die for more power," Vali said.
"Who said anything about dying? Right, Ddraig?" Issei asked. He was feeling an odd amount of clarity in his head. Like he had found the answer to something he had been searching for a long time. The pain served as the guide to it.
[Don't look down on our resolve, Albion. Or else, you'll come to regret it] Ddraig said.
(Foolishness) Albion commented.
"So what?" Shin said, catching Vali's attention. "Issei doesn't care about any of that. Because… Issei is an idiot. And an idiot never backs down!"
Issei felt an overwhelming amount of elation upon hearing his best friend's words. He grinned and the light shined even brighter.
[Assimilation complete. Power of the Vanishing Dragon has been taken] Ddraig announced.
A sleek white gauntlet overtook Issei's right arm. The blue gem shined brightly under the light of the Moon. "So this is the Dividing Gear?" Issei said. He bumped his fists together and assumed his stance.
(Impossible. Utterly impossible.) Albion said in a shocked tone. (Even if you were able to successfully do that, you've shaven years off your lifespan. Even for a devil, whose life lasts into eternity…)
"Fuck that shit," Issei said. "I don't plan on living besides… there are still things I want to do like kicking your ass for example. But… you and I both know that with both these powers, I have the edge over you. Surrender, Vali."
"Surrender? Guess I have to get serious too then," Vali said. He shot into the sky and spread his wings. The nature of the air changed around them. Vali clenched his fist as the environment around him began to distort from the trees, air, and even the light of the environment down to the very dimensions began to distort. His wings glowed as bright as the sun, completely eclipsing the full moon with its light.
(Half-Dimension)
"He's warping the dimensions of his surroundings and… the barrier itself," Michael said.
"I can sense her," Uriel added.
"Shin," Azazel said.
Shin turned to Azazel.
"Get ready," Azazel said.
"What?" Shin raised an eyebrow. A headache like no other surged through his head. It wasn't a normal migraine. The headache affected his entire skull. The pain was sharp and threatened to split his entire head in half.
"AHHHH!" Shin screamed as he fell to one knee.
"Shin? Shin!" Akeno yelled, kneeling next to him.
"She's here," Lucifer said in an ominous tone.
"Akeno… RUN!" Shin barked. He looked up at her. His right eye was constantly shifting from brown to blood-red before finally, after a few seconds of flashing back and forth, it finally rested on crimson.
Vali and Issei stopped fighting, sensing the tension in the air shift from their fight to someone else. An overwhelming aura had swallowed the battlefield. This aura felt like no other. The only other person Issei had felt this much power from was Rias's brother and Lord Brahma, yet this power was in between the two. It was an absolute power that could not be resisted and threatened to crush everything before it.
"Albion, what's going on-"
The very fabric of reality splintered like glass. Multiple rifts resembling glass shards cut across the world, shattering the Half-Dimension.
(No way… our Half-Dimension was cut?) Albion gawked.
The air in front of Shin glitched like a corrupted video file. A shimmering figure slowly manifested in front of him but even with her form still not completely manifested, Shin recognized her mismatched glowing eyes anywhere.
The other leaders sprung into action, only to be blown away by the glint of a silver blade.
"It's been a long time, Shin," a voice said.
Akeno stood in front of Shin, blocking him from the imposing being that had made itself known.
Her body fully manifested and everyone's eyes grew wide.
"Y- You're that God from the…" Rias trailed off.
"Yaldabaoth," Shin said, shakily getting to his legs.
"I'm so glad you remember me, Child of Man. I had a hard time getting through that barrier due to the Seraphim and the Maou's interference so I waited for a golden opportunity. And now I have it, thanks to you," Yaldabaoth said.
"Thanks to me?" Shin asked.
"I planted a link inside your Stigmata to allow me to teleport here once there was a brief disruption in the dimensions of the barrier," Yaldabaoth said.
"Tch! Vali…"
"Yes, the White Dragon Emperor unknowingly helped me get in here… now enough of our greetings, step aside," Yaldabaoth said. "I will finish my mission."
"And what would that be?" Shin growled, dropping into a draw stance.
"To kill the Queen of Conquest. To kill Akeno Himejima."
[]
Vali Lucifer
The White Dragon Emperor and descendant of the Morning Star.
A half-devil boy who seeks the thrill of combat.
He seeks to challenge the strongest and thus, his goals aligns with the Law of Infinity.
"To seek Supremacy, one must cast aside all that ties them down. I shall not allow myself to be tied down in pursuit of it."
An ideal that he lives by but an ideal that can be easily shaken.
[]
Azazel
The Governor-General of the Grigori and one of the Sons of God.
He is a Watcher, an Angel that guides and watches over mankind. A duty granted by his Mother since time immemorial.
However, he forsook his duties for a single reason. Love.
"What do you think the greatest sin in the world is?... It is Love."
Love was the reason for his fall and Love became the reason for his misery.
Yet even in the face of loss, Azazel continued his duty faithfully to the Mother, who he lost, and the human woman he loved.
[]
The Seven Stars
After the [Original Sin] was committed, Gods desired humans for depraved reasons.
Beings lesser than they are they deemed. But the Laws of the World opposed this.
Seven Stars for the Seven Gods. Seven Stars to represent the Seven Laws.
Each one bears a Law from the World and a burden unlike no other.
Yet, for these catastrophes in human skin, can one even consider them human?
I had to get through this chapter. Peace Treaty, canon, you all get it. By god, I had such a hard time writing this chapter. It's just so... boring. The only part I actually enjoyed was inserting pieces of lore into the dialogue and the fight between Vali and Issei. Basically, the Seven Stars are the representatives of the Seven Gods but let me tell you something...
There are only six. One of the Seven has never sponsored anyone. Like Yeshua, the Seven Stars wields a Law of the World in addition to whatever Authority they had before. These humans are the absolute pinnacles of humanity, strong enough as Azazel said to "Bring a Pantheon to its knees". They're sort of like Counter Guardians from Fate. Other than that, their ranking has no effect on how strong they are. That rank is described arbitrarily by one member in the group. As for who it is, that's a spoiler but let's see the current list.
I. Akane Faulkner - Vermillion Star
II. ?
III. Tosca Estaldi - Alabaster Star
IV. ?
V. ?
VI. ?
VII. -
Ah yes, three of the Seven Stars are from the previous generation and are retiring. One of them will be during a later arc. Possibly before the Ragnarok Arc.
That's all. Please leave a review and see you in the final part... ahhh!