Chapter IX. The Dorodoro Brothers' Provocation
Back from where we last left hanging, it was a battle of wits between two parties - Alice Asmodeus, Lavande Félin and Sabro Sabnock versus the Dorodoro Brothers. Both sides were on the fight for a boss-level harvest from an enormous flamingo possessing an apple of sorts. Ichiro noted that Asmodeus's team was lively, the latter spoke that the three of them were quite accustomed to fighting through the witching hours.
So why are they fighting despite the late time? While it was daylight, Niro proposed a competition where if the three Misfits won, he and Ichiro would give them all the points they previously earned, being at 1,200. If otherwise, the Dorodoro Brothers would take back their master from Asmodeus and Sabro, coming to a conclusion that Shichiro perhaps taught both parties. Lavande was out of that question as her tutor was no other feline than her own father. While the Ichiro assumed the challenge was accepted, Lavande and Asmodeus instantly refused.
"Whilst my master of instruction is not the one you speak of, rather it was my dear father, I have no right to be in this challenge." Said Lavande, with an irritated swipe of her tail.
"Yes, and would you mind not deciding these things for yourself?" Asked Asmodeus in agreement, "Sorry, but I'm afraid we'll have to decline this competition. It would be far more effective for us to hunt on our own than to duke it out with you two miscreants."
"To put into simple logic, it would be best to speak withal that master of yours if you desire to retrieve him so, gentlemen." Continued Lavande, "After all, this Harvest Festival is far more important than a match to settle trivial matters."
The three Misfits turned around in decline and walked away. Asmodeus told himself that Isabelle, Iruma, and Ryūko would praise him for his efforts. For an odd reason, Lavande couldn't help but assumed that there could be a member of a historical marquis demon the Dorodoro Brothers were linked with. Could she be referring to one of the 72 Lesser Demons of Solomon, also known as the Ars Goetia? At that same moment, Ichiro provoked her classmates with reverse psychology - that is to call her and the two friends of hers cowards and blue-bloods afraid of competition.
'No wait! Do not fall into that, Dame Lavande!' Though the young knight, 'They may not possess those other attributes, but a marquis of the Ars Goetia! The Dorodoro Brothers are no doubt using tactics of provoking a fight! As if those peacock feathers they adorn on their heads was not obvious enough! Even his form is that of an eccentric bird!'
The Dorodoro Brothers continued to mock the Misfits, but Lavande caught sharp on her knowledge for demonic history to avoid conflict, no feeling offended in the process.
"Gentlemen, fall back!" She whispered, "This is a tactic one of the Ars Goetia could easily pull off, as if those peacock feathers don't make it easier to see their ancestri-"
But it was no use, the boys' instincts took over and thus a battle the eastern cave for the Hundred Flapple with 10,800 points, where we are right now. For an exquisite fruit, the name suggests that it takes one hundred hits in order to obtain it.
Sabro swinged his battle axe for the 80th hit, having to dodge from the notorious Flappy Kick - an incredibly powerful attack from the flamingo in protecting its fruit.
"Ha! Looks like the big dumb guy gotta fend off that attack." Laughed Ichiro.
"You got that right!" Smiled Niro.
"Good sir, is that not natural?" Asked Lavande humbly as she held her open grimoire, "Verstrikkingen van Ivy (NL - Entanglement of Ivy)! That should hold the avian in place! Also, Sir Sabnock, I advise that you refrain from entertaining them with reactions to offense!"
Vines of ivy rose from the soil beneath her weaved through obstacles into thick ropes at the opponent's talons.
'We can't afford to take our time.' Thought Asmodeus, 'Because of Professor Balam's training, we haven't fallen behind in this battle. Not to mention, Miss Félin's diabotanical grimoire full of advanced flora spells and her heavy combat experiences from young squire to now a young knight, both of those things truly benefit our performance. But him? He's quite troublesome.' The son of the Lord of Seduction was referring to Ichiro for his egotistical attitude towards this competition with unbelievable proficiency with his spear.
Between the brothers, he analyzed that Ichiro was the brawn while Niro was the brains. It appeared that Asmodeus and Sabro were lacking any coordination with each other's moves nor instructions given. Lavande saw the commotion and sighed whilst she restrained the bird.
'No questioning that now. Sir Asmodeus and Sir Sabro have fallen into the trickery that which moonlight beams through a wound.' She worried, 'Rest easily, I shall not. But to my word, must proceed. O' demons who passed from this day. O' most sinful of all, must the powers of a marquis bring enmity and destruction amongst my allies? It is but thy most deviant lie that hatred spread into soils most tormented while sown.'
What Lavande meant to express was that she couldn't believe her friends would fall for the insults so easily. Plus, she was right about the ancestry of her opponents because it was their monstrous bird, Androalphus - Peacock of Provocation. Their bloodline ability, Switch, is fulfilled through evoking the deadly sin of Wrath. Androalphus lets out a cry that forcefully heightens its target's emotions. They utilize sound reasoning in order to win any challenge. It's like a bullfight where the matador swings and whips the crimson cloth to produce movements and sounds to irritate the bull in the arena because it's easy for beasts and people to lose control of their senses when they are provoked.
Words in psychology are just as powerful as the effects of magic, they feed one another through speech and thought. By researching everything about Asmodeus and Sabro, it became easy for the brothers to activate their Switch to gain the upper hand. But by forgetting about Lavande's strengths and weaknesses, Niro was not anticipating her knowledge and iron will to be invincible.
"Come on! At this rate, not only will you never be the Demon King, you won't pass as his right-hand demon, you lame-o!" Mocked Niro.
'Nay! It's the wrath-erupting Switch!" Noticed Lavande, "I have to disarm their weapon! Come on, be at my assistance! 敲打夜明珠静音 [CN - Strike The Nightshades Mute (Qiāodǎ yèmíngzhū jìngyīn)]!'
Her mental state of desperation activated her silent spellcasting to bring forth thousands of Deathly Nightshades to rise beneath the branch where her enemies were sitting on without making a sound. The purple blossoms sprung and blocked Sabro's attack from hitting Ichiro acting as a shield.
"Miss Félin! You did it!" Praised Asmodeus, "Thank you for bringing him back to his senses!"
"Let me make this clear, gentlemen." Said Lavande, "The Dorodoro Brothers are using a psychological root of magic. If I recalled as much as those peacock feathers weren't just for display. Then, you two up there are no doubt descendants of Marquis Andrealphus of the Ars Goetia, whose other name is the Androalphus you so spoke of! He was compelled to give lessons in geometry, was an astronomer, and he also taught quibbling skillfully. He gave men the figures of birds; which allowed those who trade with him to avoid the claw of the judges."
That revived memory from the Netherworld's dark history struck fear into her allies and foes. But she told Asmodeus and Sabro not to worry because the former was a descendant of a King while the latter's ancestor was also a marquis like Andrealphus.
"Well, the history of our abilities aside, when it comes to ambitions, I've already been thoroughly scolded to hell and back!" Scowled Asmodeus, "I finally realized something was wrong when I took a good look at this fool's face. He looked twice as moronic as a normal person. That spell won't work anymore. And thanks to Miss Félin's passionate spirit of the Netherworld's deepest parts of its history, you'll have to figure something else out. We promise you're going to you regret your attempt to make fools of us."
Once reality broke to them, it looked as if the Dorodoro Brothers were out of tricks because it was unbelievable that anyone would be smarter than them to snap out of their provocations.
"They're so aggravated, it's actually refreshing." Commented Sabro.
"Of course we are, dummy!" Yelled Ichiro, "Our bloodline ability, Switch, is special! Nothing else could come close to it! Our master praised us for it, as a matter of fact! Our master did something no one else could. He helped us like our voices that we always hated. Master saved us from our fate!"
Androalphus Clan Bloodline Ability & The Dorodoro Brothers' Backstory
Switch is a spell that forcefully caused the blood to rush to one's head. They secretly played a part in so many negotiations that there's now a saying: "No knives or peacocks at the table."
As Lavande had mentioned, skillful quibbling was something synonymous to negotiation, so it was a practice that inevitably had to be passed on to Ichiro and Niro when they were young. But what they aspired to be was heroes on the battlefield, so enrolling in Babyls wasn't sitting well with them and they ran away afterwards to raid a battlefield up north for the worst, on the brink of death even.
They met their master on that very same battlefield and were allowed to join his squad to train up. From martial arts to special ops tactics, they could have been more than capable of irritating others unintentionally. They were considered underhanded and working in shadows. That wasn't as bad as they thought for their master, because it meant they could prevent rational thoughts from being an option during battle.
Once that was settled, the name of Androalphus was no longer part of their identity and the two became the Dorodoro Brothers since then.
As the Harvest Festival was coming close, their master received an urgent request to become a teacher for some students - possibly for few of the Misfits. There wasn't another choice, but the Dorodoro Brothers wanted him to watch for how much they've progressed on that very same event. Both sides of the same coin were truly saddened to have parted ways so suddenly. It was up to then to complete all the work Sergeant Furfur told them to do immediately, as well as gathering intel before they assumed Furfur was going to instruct Asmodeus and Sabro. But it was quite an oddity that they did not count Lavande in, considering her strength and power being on par with the other two.
But as you have already known, it wasn't Furfur being the tutor of Asmodeus and Sabro. Rather, it was Shichiro Balam, a professor of Babylus. Was this a case of mistaken identity and shouldn't they have gone after Jazz and Schneider instead? It doesn't matter, as if either of them ever had to realize that now. Guess they'll have to wait until the end of it all. At this rate, it became a complete back and forth of misinformation between the students all because of mistaken identity that even confused both parties (excluding Lavande). From enjoyment of teaching, to hatred for formal events and being a drunkard womanizer, this was going to be difficult for them to wrap their heads around. Whatever, these boys are getting confused over some of the stupidest things possible because it turned into unintentional bad-mouthing in the eyes of the Dorodoro Brothers.
Furious, they decided to use their ultimate skill from Switch - Full Volume Wailing. As obvious as that sounds, the brothers howled at the top of their lungs and the guardian of the Flapple went high berserk, breaking loose from Lavande's diabotanical bindings, much to her panic for the beast's abrupt change could bring abysmal catastrophe to the forest.
"By the name of the Ars Goetia, I ask that we all ceasefire of competition unnecessary, Dorodoro Brothers!" Suggested a distressed Lavande, "It appears by accepting this challenge, thou brought unspeakable damage than uttered for sakes of this wilderness! I beg of you, please ceasefire!"
Her words shook, the feline knew what was wrong from the very beginning despite being ignored the entire time.
"Hah! Like any knight of your kind would be willing to say that!" Taunted Ichiro, "This is how we learned to fight on the battlefield! Come out ablaze and no mercy!"
"We'll show you that the only ones lame enough going to school are grunt demons who can't think for themselves!" Followed Niro.
At that split second, Asmodeus's gaze sharpened to anger as he took it as an indirect insult to Isabelle, Ryūko, and Iruma. Sabro and Lavande took immediate notice as the wrath of a Thirteen Crowns's child was erupting behind shadows.
"That's it. I've had more than enough of your screeching." Growled the demon in white with a blaze to the avian before black smoke rose beneath his feet, "Very well. It's up to me to lose all sense of reason. So I'll use the Balam-style way of winning... This is Evil Cycle unleashed!"
At his word it was, removing his azure hair tie was summoning the root of demonic activity inside his soul. The smoke from below consumed his entirety, so too his heart was without voice for the mind to connect with.
Evil Cycle
A stage of demonkind's instinct upon heights of pent-up stress cycles whereby their desire to commit sins skyrockets. While this increases their mana, their sense of reason disappears during that period.
Its main trigger to set alight is stress and it doubled when forcefully unleashed. Those under the cycle end up using a lot of mana, but it allows them to fight full-throttle. Their form resembled how demons originally were.
For current example: the ancestral fallen angel Asmodeus- King of Lust, governs virtue and destruction. Triggering evil cycle allows them to utilize highly destructive powers to an unfair advantage.
However, evil cycles can be triggered on command with a special medication that activates it. An inhibitor also exists to cancel out its effects. These rare commodities exist when an emergency arises where they require higher mana usage, meaning the will to activate one's evil cycle may be necessary.
If at a desperate case where the inhibitor is not in anyone's hand, then a codeword would have the same effect as an antidote. Only difference is, it had to be powerful enough to penetrate through the corrupted demon's heart great enough to snap them out of the evil cycle upon hearing it.
The Dorodoro Brothers have already fought countless demons under the spells of their evil cycles on battlefields, so they were used to that happening. It was Asmodeus's evil cycle, however, that didn't make sense to them how Asmodeus was able to dance through the fight elegantly while completely going berserk. In mere minutes, the demon of blackened flames mercilessly defeated the beast with grace and supernatural power unlike ever witnessed before.
"That imbecile... He allowed himself be consumed." Groaned Sabro.
"O' how lamentable night!" Cried Lavande, "This for I cannot combat alone, for my sin over the needless tire controllable, may not be spellbound for this bitter conflict! Sir Asmodeus, refrain now!"
After retrieving the apple from its owner, the now senseless ember was at a state of no control. Intoxicated by destructive lust, Asmodeus could potentially get disqualified and his flames would wipe out the Dorodoro Brothers illegally.
"Sir Sabnock! Allow me to take it from here!" Commanded Lavande, "Your temporary duty is to defend our fellow competitors!"
"Wait! You didn't even train with us!" Shouted Sabro, "Are you insane?! You'll die if you fail!"
"Trust me, my friend! This is one I must fight voice to one's heart!" Spoke the next high commanding knight with few tears in her eyes. Without any more time, Sabro complied with her order and moved the Dorodoro Brothers away from her direction.
"Wishing to fight my ally, I shan't make that step! But listen to me for the sake of our lieges, I shall combat your madness for what has corrupted that kind soul of yours if it dares not hear my cries!" Cried Lavande.
Her ivy vines rose again to restrain Asmodeus from proceeding further before she enchants a spell for her vines to be encased by icy waters enveloped by her father's enchanting power of darkness. A soft shiver in her voice could be heard, but with great confidence, a word and chord came forth in surprise to the sober ones around her.
Cycle Of Mystery/Kaikai Kitan (Jujutsu Kaisen Opening Song) By Eve, Covered By Raon
"Uzōmuzō hito no nari
Kyosei shinshō jingai ah mononoke mitai da
Kyoshin tankai inochi yadoshi
Ato wa papparapana nakami naki ningen
Yoseru kitai fubyōdōna jinsei
Sainō mo nai daijō hi nichijō ga
Onshin byōdō ni botsu kosei
Tadoru kioku boku ni ibasho nado nai kara
Yume no hazama de naitenaide
Donna kao sureba ii ka wakatteru
Dakedo mada kotaetekure yo"
Sabro couldn't help but carefully watch with the Dorodoro Brothers at his back. They listened to Lavande's singing for the first time ever, a soothing melody preached from her mind and heart effortlessly while her ears still showed her true feelings of distress in her fight against Asmodeus's evil cycle.
"Yami wo haratte yami wo haratte
Yoru no tobari ga oritara aizu da
Aitai shite mawaru kanjōsen
Zaregoto nado wa hakisuteike to
Mada tomenaide mada tomenaide
Dare yori mo satoku aru machi ni umare shi kono shōtai wo
Ima wa tada noroi norowareta boku no mirai wo sōzō shite"
"Hey, who knew this Royal Guard lady was a genius in this state?" Wondered Niro.
"Yeah, she's not just a beaut in shining armor." Agreed Ichiro, "Lavande's probably bringing therapy in music to the battlefield. It kinda makes me wanna listen to her sing more."
Well, they weren't wrong. Even though she obviously was holding in all her negative emotions, Lavande still had to keep herself up high for the sake of others. That's psychologically a sense of duty she had for a long while, given she would one day lead the Netherworld's legion of great knights into wars. It wouldn't be anything new for her set foot on because she was a future leader after her father retires.
"Hashitte koronde
Kienai itami daite wa
Sekai ga matteru
Kono isshun wo
Ah jōjōteki kanjō mirai take back
Ano jūjun ni shitagatta kekkan no bachi
Shisen tashikana I need jōki
Koe mo dasenai mama
Ah kairaina chikai no naki hyakkiyakō
Ah jujutsu naki naraku no hate made mo
Gokuraku ōjō genjitsu ketten naide
Inochi wo nagedasanaide
Kuchi no morosa ni hikatte
Donna kao sureba yoika wakannai yo
Ima wa tada kotaetekure yo
Gojō wo toite gojō wo toite
Futashikana koe wo tsumugu aidea
Sōsaishite meguru kanjōsen
Sono saki ni ima tachiagaru te wo
Tada oikakete tada oikakete
Dare yori mo tsuyoku aritai to negau
Kimi no unmei sura ima wa tada
Honogurai yoru no soko ni fukaku fukaku ochikonde"
It was truly working its way to Asmodeus's head. He seemed to gradually lower his power usage where his flames slowly reverted from fuchsia and black to their brilliant reds again.
'If you truly are still with me, please don't let the words of hate run against your steed.' Wished Lavande as she continued the song with teardrops running down her face.
"Bukakkō ni mieta kai
Kore ga ima no boku nanda
Nanimono ni mo narenai dake no kabane da waraeyo
Me no mae no subete kara nigeru koto sae yameta
Imēji wo kurikaeshi sōzō no saki wo ike to
Yami wo haratte yami wo haratte
Yoru no tobari ga oritara aizu da
Aitai shite mawaru kanjōsen
Zaregoto nado wa hakisuteike to
Mada tomenaide mada tomenaide
Dare yori mo satoku aru machi ni umare shi kono shōtai wo
Ima wa tada noroi norowareta boku no mirai wo sōzō shite
Hashitte koronde
Kienai itami daite wa
Sekai ga matteru
Kono isshun wo"
How did the singing work out? To her surprise, Lavande's music therapy successfully tamed the hellfire that blinded Asmodeus from reason. She released him from the restraints as he took a knee to the floor.
"What is your ambition?" Asked Sabro.
"To serve as Miss Isa, Miss Ryūko, and Master Iruma's weapon, of course! Now and always!" Replied Asmodeus with a stern passion.
Silence filled the room before Sabro hit the shorter demon's head with the side of his hand.
"Good. You went totally wild there." He remarked.
"I see. And yet somehow I also feel quite refreshed." Said Asmodeus as he stood up, "It's as if someone took it step by step."
"Huh? Were you joking?! That's your takeaway from this performance?!" Questioned the muscular demon, "Félin and I'll be taking more of the points as an annoyance fee!"
"What?! That's absurd!" Argued Asmodeus, "I'm the one who hunted it! They're my points!"
The two Misfits then argued back and forth over who was to blame for everything while the Dorodoro Brother and Lavande were idly at the sidelines watching the commotion unfold.
"Who do you think brought you back to your senses?!" Shouted Sabro, "It wasn't me calling the shots here!"
"No one asked for your help!" Countered Asmodeus, "I could've done that on my own!"
"Hey! I told you it wasn't me on the first call!" Repeated Sabro, "Sheesh! You had her more worried than anyone else here, you moron!"
Upon hearing the feminine pronoun, Asmodeus momentarily realized that what he felt from aural sensations earlier was Lavande's voice. He looked at the lady knight, who quickly threw her arms around the pink-haired noble while still weeping.
"I- I thought I would lose you! Your kind-hearted soul where your loyalty knew no boundaries!" She cried on Asmodeus's shoulder, "That was... truly horrifying... By Pandemonium's heights... it was your temptations... that royally corrupted that heart of yours... Please... never do that again, Sir Asmodeus... Never..."
The other male demons looked at her with shock and sympathy, the mere thought of losing your closest friend to something that wrongfully took their pure heart away from all that is good and what they knew. That was her fear as far as her friendship with Asmodeus lasted from childhood would concern. He placed his hands above her armored shoulder-blades as he lowered his face into her nape.
"Miss Félin... I truly am sorry." He muttered sincerely, "I'm sorry for making you worry as such... But, thank you for bringing me back to reality..."