New Life.
When I woke up, I looked at my surroundings, only to find out I was still on Price's nightmare scenario. Around me were some of my best friends: Akai, Ham, Mint and Silverage.
"You did well, Rito."
"Thanks, Ham. Why are we still here?"
Looking around, all members of [Team Morning Star] and the allies we brought were here, and they appeared to have recovered from our battle. Unless they were able to recover in just a few minutes, they have been here for hours.
"When Price was arrested, he said he had a special message he wanted you and Lucifer-sama to watch. He has refused to show it unless both of you are present, so we've been waiting for you to wake up since them."
So Price has something to show Lucifer-sama… and me? I wonder what it could be.
Mint decided to guide me to where Price is, so I followed him without any resistance. On our way, we found the other members of Ram's peerage (alongside Tenshi-kun and Tatsuya), so we took them with us.
Finally, we arrived at some kind of tent that was protected by two guards. One of them was the Fallen Angel who was my dad's best friend and my mom's second husband, my stepfather Baraqiel. However, the other one was someone I had only seen in books before.
He was a thirty metres tall giant with blue skin, who had the upper body of a human and the lower body of a snake, with wings coming out of his back and a spear on his hand. The second guard was no other than the King of Monsters from the Greek Faction, Typhon.
"Father… why is Typhon close to you?!"
"I made a contract with him to use the Artificial [Sacred Gear] given to me by Azazel, [Days Typhon Beast Dagger]. As such, I have the ability to summon him whenever I want."
"But don't forget it comes with a cost, Cadre of the Fallen Angels!"
"Sure, I'll pay your food as long as you lend me your power."
"Ok, I don't mind doing that if it'll allow me to fight strong opponents!"
Please don't tell me the King of Beasts Typhon is a battle maniac too… since all the legendary being I have met turned out to be out of their mind, I have started to lose my respect towards them.
"Rito-san, I knew this already, how come you didn't?"
Xie, who was the first Devil to be used on Azazel-sama's Artificial [Sacred Gear] project, says that to me. Well, while it is something a little embarrassing, I have to say it.
"Despite I don't hate him anymore; my relationship with Baraqiel isn't a close one, so I don't know many things about his life and work."
Xie put on a judging face because of my words, with her sharp eyes pointing right me. Sorry if because I live somewhere else and work somewhere else I don't have the time to talk with him!
"Just focus, we need to see what Price was talking about."
After Ram said that, we passed by the King of Monsters and my stepfather to see what Price wanted to show us.
Once we were on the tent, I could see the Seven Sins with demonic power sealing grips, showing they have been arrested after being defeated by us.
We headed towards the bottom of the tent, where Lucifer-sama was looking down on Price, who was extremely injured from the long battle we had, but didn't have grips for some reason.
"Rito Yuma is here; now show us what you wanted to."
Tatsuya said that to Price, who in turn lifted his sight towards Tatsuya. Price's eyes appear to be lacking life, and looking at them is almost like looking at a corpse.
"Well… this recording is only for Ossan, but I think Rito Yuma also needs to know what is in here."
After saying that, Price summoned his [Boosted Gear], and took out of it what appeared to be a communication device from it. Once he let it go, the device flew on the place Price left it, and then, it projected an image.
[If the contents on this device are being projected, it means the Red Dragon Emperor of the Morning Star and his Seven Sins has been defeated. In such case, I must say hello to the one I made this recording for, Lucifer. However, given what my son told me, it would be good for Rito Yuma to know the contents of this recordings too.]
The one who appeared was a man with long black hair and red armour similar to Lucifer-sama's. It's clear to everyone present what the true identity of this man is: he's the original Beliaruin!
[Congratulations on defeating those opponents, although Price isn't a match to my son Mal, and even less to me. However, there are some matters that I need to settle. I tell you two important conditions you need to follow.]
Lucifer-sama seems to be furious because Beliaruin, who has tried to kill him many times in the past, is asking for conditions. I would be furious if his son did the same to me.
[First of all, stop looking for us. You'll never be able to find what is behind the fourth door that way. We'll appear before you when the time is right, the time when the evilest army ever seen is freed into this world. Even when we'll need to use the power of life first, we'll show you the power of those who suffer a punishment that is even worse than death.]
I can see Mal Beliaruin got from his father this tendency of speaking nonsenses. I try to understand his words, but every word he says is so encoded and confusing and I can't understand a thing.
[And second, you'll only be allowed to attack us once the power of life owned by that cup comes to our hands. Since it sounds unfair if only you aren't allowed to attack, as long you don't do so, we'll refrain from moving.]
So the Beliaruin duo is promising to not attack innocent people, only if we don't go after them either?! Even when it sounds fair, these are the Beliaruin we're talking about; they literally have "useless ruin" written on their names!
[As long as your search for us stops in the next week, we'll follow our part of this agreement. Goodbye Lucifer, we'll meet again when the time comes; when he is born.]
And like that, the communication device cut the recording. I still don't know what is going to be born, but it was mentioned again by the father, and using exactly the same words as his son, so it must be important to them.
"What are you going to do, Lucifer-sama?"
Silverage asked that on worried tone. Well, given we have no clue what Beliaruin was talking about during that message, taking a decision of this magnitude must be extremely hard.
"… While I don't trust Beliaruin, if this is actually a method to assure they won't attack us in the future, then I'm willing to accept his conditions."
As Lucifer-sama said just that, we remained silent for almost a minute, until Price broke into his typical evil laughter.
"What's so funny?"
"Ossan, you don't understand what Beliaruin is talking about. In fact, I also don't understand a few things from his talk, but I can assure you something: if what I understand is correct, then his plan is even more dangerous to you than mine was. Calling them The Greatest Evil may be underestimating them…"
After saying those warning words from Price, he lost consciousness. Even when the Seven Sins were defeated, a greater evil looms in the shadows. Maybe this isn't the happy we we're thinking it was…
Netherworld
On the frontier between the Netherworld and the Underworld, specifically, on the Netherworld side of the frontier, a single Grim Reaper was moving from one side to another. The name of this Grim Reaper was Charon, Orbeus Belphegor's father and the one who watched over this frontier.
Charon was mostly alone on his job, but this time, it wasn't like that. There was another man, a brown haired man with red armour, who was heading towards Charon. Once the man appeared before the Grim Reaper, it was clear to Charon who this man was.
"… What do you want from me, Balzerid Astaroth?"
Balzerid Astaroth is the head of the Astaroth clan, an Ultimate-class Devil recognized all over the Underworld. After the sudden death of his father, Balzerid became the head of his clan, and since then has guided the Astaroth clan into an era of never seen before prosperity. Upon hearing that question from Charon, Balzerid looked back at the Grim Reaper.
"I was hoping to offer you a business opportunity you've never seen before. The Astaroth clan is willing to offer you a great fortune if you're willing to listen to my boss' demands."
"… Ok, I'm listening."
Balzerid grinned after hearing Charon accepting his offer. He was willing to renegotiate it until he accepted, as he was afraid to tell his boss that he failed, but the mysterious first offer was enough to convince the Grim Reaper.
"First of all, I want to know if you have access to the cells in Cocytus."
"… Yes, I also have some turns taking care of Cocytus."
"Interesting, even you-know-who's cell?"
"If you mean the Devil King, Satan is under strict vigilance. However, with enough suborn, they'll be willing to allow meetings with him at any given time."
Balzerid showed a clearly happy and satisfied smile because of Charon's words. Given the power of money, it is only logical corrupt people exist, and a rich man like Balzerid was happy the bureaus were filled with them.
"That's all I needed to know, thank you."
"… Wait a second."
Before Balzerid was able to create a magic circle to teleport, Charon stopped him. With the emotionless voice that was characteristic of his son he had been using until now, Charon spoke one question.
"… Can I talk with your boss about the work?"
"Sure, why not."
After saying that, Balzerid summoned a little magic circle on his hand, out of which a hologram came out. The one on the hologram was Balzerid's boos: a young man who has black eyes, long black hair and a high-necked grey outfit.
[Nice to meet you, Charon]
"… Who are you?"
Upon Charon's question, the young man giggled a little, answering his question with joy and vanity on his voice.
[Who am I? My name is Mal Beliaruin]
Charon trembled in fear upon hearing that name he haven't heard in centuries and that was labelled as only a legend, to which Beliaruin showed a satisfaction grin.
[Now, what about we talk about my long term project?]
And with those words, the talk that would decide the destiny of all worlds, held between a Devil, a Grim Reaper and a Beliaruin, started…
Volume 9 – End
