Author's Note: Hello again! It's me, the man that destroyed the world of DXD and everything it stood for. There's not much to say except that I'm most likely rewriting the first few chapters. Probably 1-10, depending on how I feel about those chapters.

Anything after that probably won't happen unless it's an obvious error because it might screw up the story from that point on. Also, this chapter will likely be longer than usual due to how long I've been away. I haven't had a lot of time, haven't felt motivated, or couldn't think of what to write. I will finish this story, there's no question about it, because it is nearing its end, but it could be awhile due to my procrastination.

Anyway, here's the chapter.

Chapter 26-Downfall

(With Derieri)

Derieri had been barreling through a forest before she stopped and flew back to Sairaorg. They had been going back and forth as Derieri chipped away at Sairaorg's armor. While she didn't have the privilege of wearing armor, Derieri could tank the hits as she struck back. Derieri's ferocity and determination refused to allow her to give up, and until she dropped to the floor, unable to move or was dead, she wasn't giving up.

Sairaorg was the same. Initially, he thought Issei was the one, but losing his peerage and emotions made him stray away from him. Of course, he had regained them and joined the war, but he had yet to learn where he was, most likely fighting Vali. Then there was Zeldris, who was undoubtedly a powerhouse in his own right. But the Demon was cautious; if he had been given more time, he could've created a weapon to kill him. Derieri, on the other hand, was relentless. Her victory relied on brute force as she was uncaring for the damage being done to her. She took it head-on while counterattacking and showed no mercy or restraint. Sairoarg was positive that she didn't know the meaning of restraint and figured that now was a good time to start going all out.

"I must thank you, Derieri. For giving me the fight, I've been longing for! As a sign of respect, I shall start going all out. No more restraint!" Sairaorg roared in delight as golden-purple energy wrapped around him. He didn't have magic; that was a fact, but he was combining his Balance Breaker with Touki. Then, to Derieri, he vanished.

Her eyes widened as she raised her arms to the side to block a strike to her side. She went to retaliate, landing a kick to his chest. To her surprise, he took it head-on without flinching as he grabbed her ankle and started slamming her into the ground. He repeated this a few more times before tossing her through the wasteland they created, sliding across the land as she slammed through boulders before stopping. Derieri coughed blood as she felt that her ribs were broken. She had used her darkness far too many times during this one fight, and its healing properties were diminishing. At best, she could fully heal herself once more; anything else after that would be minimal and practically ineffective. However, there was one thing that she could do. At the cost of her own life...

Getting to her feet, Derieri wiped the blood off her cheek as Sairaorg landed in front of her. She gave a feral grin before speaking. "I'm glad that this fight is going great for you. Even going all out... hehehe, hahaha!" Derieri started laughing, which confused Sairaorg. However, the moment the blue vapors around Derieri started turning red; along with her hair, and even losing the pupils in her eyes, was when Sairaorg grinned.

"Eight Inner Gates: Gate of Death...Open!"

(With Gowther)

Arriving at the battlefield where Melascula was supposed to be at, Gowther found the town in ruins. Multiple Devils and Fallen Angels were littered around the battlefield, many having their bodies melted down. Knowing what had happened to them, Gowther ordered his men to search for a giant white snake that may be lying around. While confused, they obeyed nonetheless and flew off, searching for the giant white serpent.

After his group left, Gowther slowly began analyzing his surroundings. He noticed many cuts in the ground and on buildings and caught glimpses of bisected supernatural beings. Knowing that a skilled swordsman was here, Gowther summoned his bow and kept it at his side as he walked around. Minutes later, one of his men flew to him and told him of his findings about the white snake.

"Take me there." Gowther ordered as he mentally contacted the other four to meet up with them. Soon enough, they all found a giant white hooded snake with purple stripes and red eyes. What was very noticeable was that its belly had been cut open, and it was missing its fangs. The stomach acid was slowly pouring out, melting the rocks beneath it as the Fallen Angels couldn't help but look away in disgust.

"What the hell is this creature?"

"I don't know. But whoever killed it must be strong."

"Indeed. Whoever the swordsman was that killed Melascula must be powerful." Gowther calmly commented as the fallen nodded before gasping. They looked back to the serpent, not believing that this was Melascula of the Ten Commandments. They asked how Gowther knew it was a swordsman, and their leader explained that if they looked around, they would notice the signs of a swordsman being here. Suddenly, Gowther turned around and fired an arrow at the corner of a building as the figures hiding there jumped out of the way.

"I would suggest getting ready for battle. The opponents that killed Melascula are still alive." Gowther ordered as his men summoned Holy weapons. As Gowther predicted, there was a swordsman involved. What he didn't expect to see was a horse with scales and the face of a dragon with antlers. However, his subordinates knew precisely who the two before them were.

"S-Souji Okita and Enku!" One Fallen Angel stuttered, realizing they faced two members of Sirzech's peerage. Looking to be in his late twenties, Souji wears the traditional Shisengumi uniform, which consists of a haori and hakama over a kimono, with a white cord called a tasuki crossed over the chest and tied in the back. The function of the tasuki is to prevent the sleeves of the kimono from interfering with moving the arms. The haori is colored light blue, one of Japan's traditional colors, and the sleeves were trimmed with "light mountain stripes." Gripped tightly in his right hand was his katana.

At about two meters, Enku has a body resembling that of a horse or deer but with red scales instead of fur. His face resembles that of a red Asian Dragon. He possessed long antlers that curved to the side as the tips pointed outward, while near the base, two smaller tips also pointed outwards. The two members of Sirzech's peerage coldly stared at Gowther and his men, although Gowther had noticed that Souji was missing his left arm and Enku possessed some mild burns on his scales.

"It would seem as though they didn't escape completely unscathed from their battle with Melascula. Although, I am curious as to how you killed her. Seeing as she should have grown stronger." Gowther asked as he looked down upon the corpse of Melascula. Was it wrong? Absolutely. But he was right; they all didn't train to get killed.

"She was certainly an annoying opponent. Raising the dead to increase her army and her magic spells was challenging. Even this snake form of hers was troublesome, along with her seven hearts, but this shows that none of you are immortal. You can still die." Souji explained as his voice went cold towards the end. It sent chills down the spines of the Fallen Angels, even though the swordsman was missing an arm and covered in blood. Enku breathed out through his nostrils, releasing a small amount of fire.

"Indeed. Souji's defeated one commandment, and I've defeated another. Let's add one more to the count." Enku confidently said before he leaned forward and charged a red energy beam between his antlers. Gowther narrowed his eyes at Enku's statement. Did he defeat a commandment? Could it have been Grayroad? If so, it would explain why she was missing. Gowther was snapped out of his thoughts when Enku fired his attack. Gowther and the others jumped out of the way as the Demon used his bow to block the fire-encased katana from Souji. After landing back on the ground, Souji used his magic to encase his sword in black and red energy as he charged Gowther, who fired more arrows to defend himself as the two vanished into the city.

Leaving his quad of Fallen Angels to deal with Enku wasn't the greatest of decisions, but seeing how strong the swordsman was made Gowther believe they had it somewhat easier. The five men gripped their holy weapons, staring down one of the pawns of Sirechs Lucifer. Their battle worsened because they didn't know the Qilin's abilities outside of being a Devil. Still, the five men knew that they were enhanced with powers from the Demon Realm, which would even the playing field. But that didn't mean Enku wasn't a threat.

"So, which of you wants to be the first to fall?" Enku asked as he started walking towards them. He then started running as he encased himself in a bright orange fire as one of the Fallen Angels gripped his spear before fusing it with darkness. His spear went from light green to dark gray, and he flew straight for Enku. His fellow light users did the same before flying into the air and started throwing javelins of magic at Enku, hoping to slow him down.

However, that didn't affect him as Enku kept charging forward. The fallen clashed his spear against Enku's head, whose fire protected him from the Holy Magic being used against him. Then, Enku started charging a beam of red magic between his antlers again before firing it at the Fallen Angel before him. His opponent was sent crashing into a building as his comrades looked at the hole before looking at the Qilian.

Enku wrapped himself in fire again and charged the group, although he was faster this time. The group sent a wave of hellfire at the Qilin, wanting to permanently stop him in his tracks. With no other choice, Enku jumped into the air to avoid the attack, and in the air, he encountered his previous opponent. Surprise was written on his face as the Fallen Angel looked at him with a smirk before opening his palm and blasting Enku with a beam of pure Holy Magic.

"We may now be weak to Holy Magic, but the darkness provided by Meliodas certainly helps us." The Fallen Angel arrogantly said as his brethren flew next to them. Red mist came from the crater as Enku appeared off to the side. He had a few bruises, although it wasn't anything significant, as he stared down the enhanced Fallen Angels.

"So it would seem."

(With Gowther)

Souji and Gowther's battle was strange. Despite having a bow, Gowther was able to fight Souji in close combat. At the same time, Souji could fight Gowther at range with his spells. Even so, the two were able to give each a great challenge.

"Licht Regen!" Gowther yelled, having fired multiple blue arrows. Souji wrapped his sword in crimson-black energy as he started cutting down the arrows. Of course, he couldn't cut them all down as some nicked his arm and any part of his body that he couldn't defend.

Soon enough, the barrage ended as Souji saw Gowther charging an arrow of lighting. "This is futile. You may be able to cast range spells, but you are far better at close combat. But having one arm hinders your skills; you can't beat me." Gowther calmly explained as he never took his eyes off the swordsman. He held his attack at the ready in case the man decided to prove him wrong.

Souji knew that he was right. Despite managing to stop the bleeding, that didn't mean he couldn't pass out from exhaustion. He was vulnerable from his left side, and he could admit that he didn't know that many powerful ranged spells. But he still had power; to him, that's all he needed.

"So long as I draw breath, I will never give up!" Souji roared as he charged Gowther. He coated his sword in black flames as Gowther fired his lightning arrow. To his surprise, Souji cut right through it and sent a wave of black energy toward him. Gowther moved to the side as the attack went by him. As he looked back, the flames slammed into a building and cut it in half. However, what intrigued him the most was the black flames consuming the rubble, burning the debris until nothing was left.

"I can see how you manage to kill Melascula. It is possible that she grew arrogant, seeing as she looks down on humans. But you are powerful, and I will not disregard that fact." Gowther complimented before firing bolts of lightning. Souji dodged or cut them down before he rushed Gowther, his sword encased in fire. Gowther changed his tactics as he jumped back, firing another round of Licht Regen before he combined it with his Gattling Jack.

Then, from behind him, Gowether fired another barrage of lightning arrows. Realizing his predicament, Souji realized he would need to stop holding back. He suddenly stopped as he held his sword horizontally in front of him. The blade started turning black. His eyes became slits and turned dark blue before he whipped around in a tornado of dark blue lightning, vaporizing Gowther's attack.

Gowther looked surprised as he saw a lightning sword wielded by Souji Okita, knight of Sirzechs Lucifer, through the smoke and flames. Gowther suddenly looked serious, sensing the newfound power from the man before him. "Is this what he used to defeat Melascula? Even if he didn't, why didn't I sense this power coursing through him?" Gowther thought to himself as he held his bow before him. This was an entirely different opponent, and he must adjust accordingly. If what Gowther assumed was correct, and Souji used this power to defeat Melascula, he now understood how she was defeated. Unless he was still right about earlier, if he hadn't used it, then Melascula was too weak.

Deciding not to take any chances, Gowther vanished into the air and appeared looking down at the area. He summoned Indra's Arrow with his bow and didn't hesitate to fire. He fired another two shots, and they created a devastating explosion. Lightning crashed on the ground all over and danced through the sky. His subordinates and Enku undoubtedly noticed the display of power, but it was necessary. Gowther remained in the air, watching for anything to move through the smoke.

He wanted to believe that Souji died, but the power he displayed could have proved otherwise. Just as he was about turn and leave, he sensed an evil presence behind him. He turned and blocked a strike from Souji, who seemed fine aside from minor burn marks. In only a few seconds, he broke through his weapon and gave a hard kick to Gowther. He went crashing through buildings as he coughed blood before stopping.

"Perhaps I underestimated this power. But no longer..." Gowther thoughts to himself as he rose to his feet. Knowing Souji's power, Gowther knew a spell to kill him with one blow. The only issue was hitting the man, as his defensive skills were just as powerful as his offensive ones. But he was confident that he would impale him; he just needed to catch the man off guard or wear him down.

"This is the power of Raijū, the companion to the Shinto God of Lightning, Lord Raijin. I managed to form a small contract with it, and in exchange for some of my life force, I can use its great power." Souji explained before he vanished. Gowther's eyes widened from the absurd speed that Souji gained along with his strength. Despite this, Gowther saw the flashes of lightning go around him before a clawed strike got him on the back.

Gowther coughed blood before jumping into the air. He looked to the ground to once again see blue blurs of lighting as it leaped towards him. The Demon once again jumped out of the way as he thought of a way to slow him down. Knowing what he needed to do, Gowther jumped into the air and brought out his bow. He pulled his arm back before releasing a rain of arrows. They weren't anything special; he just needed to lure Souji in.

The Devil dodged the attack with ease. Weaving through the arrows until he stood face to face with Gowther. The Demon held a smirk as his eyes glowed a shiny light blue. "Trick Room!" Gowther shouted as both he and Souji were encased in an immense light blue box. Souji looked confused before narrowing his eyes. Whatever the spell that was used, it seemed harmless to him.

"It's time to end this. With you're death, that will be two dead commandments. Farewell, Gowther." Souji said before slashing at Gowther. However, to his surprise, Gowther vanished and appeared above him with his arrows already moving toward him.

"What!? Impossible!" Souji thought to himself as he stopped his attack midway before turning it upward. He managed to cut down the rain of arrows as he dashed to the side. The swordsman saw Gowther float back to the ground, his glasses shining as he chuckled.

"Surprised, are we? This spell called Trick Room swaps the highest speed with the lowest. In other words, whoever is the slowest being within this box shall be the quickest, while the quickest is now the slowest." Gowther explained as he aimed his bow. He charged the arrows with electricity before firing them, their speed increasing even further as Souji dodged them by becoming lightning.

He once again dashed Gowther, holding his weapon in a reverse grip. Souji promptly stopped before jumping into the air and slashing downward. Gowther sighed before dodging, although he took notice of the deep cut in the ground.

And so did Souji. The two started circling each other, waiting for the other to strike first.

"This room may have swapped our speed, but I still hold the advantage in power."

"Power is meaningless if it cannot land its mark."

"True, so perhaps I should make it land."

They spoke before Souji decided to make his move. Knowing that rushing Gowther wasn't a good idea, Souji jumped back as he swung his sword. He created thousands of electric needles that were flying toward Gowther. The Demon put his hand out and made a green hexagon shield, effortlessly blocking the attack as the needles embedded themselves in the barrier. He dropped the barrier before pointing out his finger, muttering Exterminate Ray as he fired a magical attack at the swordsman. Seeing the incoming attack, Souji generated more lightning throughout his blade before clashing against the attack. He struggled for a bit before managing to cut it in half. This barrier might be his death, as Souji was starting to breathe harder than before.

"So, this power boost has quite the toll. Keeping this transformation active saps far more than simply your life force. He doesn't have much longer, and that's when I'll strike. Gowther thought to himself as he watched Souji from a distance. Souji was right, the difference in power was in gaps, but he now held the speed advantage. Gowther knew he got stronger, but fighting someone imbued with the powers of the God of Lightning's pet would make even someone like Zeldris keep guard.

Souji was reaching his limit, and he was sure Gowther could see it. He had the power to defeat him, but the spell they were in changed each other's speed. This greatly affected the battle as Gowther could now keep him at a distance until he was forced out of his transformation or he died from giving up to much of his life force. Either way, he was in a bad situation where victory started disappearing.

However, Souji wasn't going down without a fight. He would go down fighting; that's how he pictured himself dying. Shaking his head, Souji suddenly thought of a way to speed blitz Gowther. He grinned, remembering a technique from Raiju that would increase his speed tenfold. He didn't know if Trick Room would affect him when he went for the attack, but he had nothing to lose.

Sheathing his sword, he bent down into a position. Gowther saw this and narrowed his eyes. Not knowing what Souji was preparing for, he decided to brace himself. Souji breathed in as his hand, sword, and sheath danced with electricity. Then, he spoke his attack.

"Thunder Breathing First Form: Thunder Clap and Flash..." Souji muttered before finishing his attack. "...Godspeed!" In a single instant, from when Souji unsheathed his sword, he was already in Gowther's guard. Gowther's eyes widened as he barely raised his arms and formed his green barrier. Even so, Souji slammed into him and pushed Gowther back. The speed difference no longer mattered as Souji kept going until he broke through Trick Room, his speed increasing even further.

(With Enku)

The Qilian managed to kill three Fallen Angels but still had two demon-enhanced ones to deal with. Still, he could outspeed both small fry and go to help Souji. As for the two fallen, they were bruised and battered. They were far worse than Enku, who had cuts all over, while the two fallen had gashes and severe burn marks. Even though they were enhanced, the healing effects they possessed weren't as powerful as an actual Demon from the Demon Realm. They used abused their healing powers and were currently paying for it.

Fire briefly breathed out through Enku's nose, then his ears twitched. The fallen ears twitched as well. The three looked around, hearing a sound with no one responsible for it. Enku was still considered an animal, so his senses were better than most, even more so because he was a devil. And when he heard rumbling, he smirked.

"Is...Is that thunder?"

"It can't be. There aren't any clouds in sight. And this guy uses fire magic."

The fallen spoke to each other as they tried to find the source of the thunder. Then, across the sky, lightning zipped around. The three supernatural beings watched as green and purple sparks came from the front of the zipping bolt of lighting.

Everyone soon realized that it was Gowther and Souji. Gowther had been forced to summon his sacred treasure, Herritt, to help block Souji's attack. Even then, Gowther knew he must escape this and use his killing spell. But now that he was out of Trick Room, that wasn't very likely. He realized where he was and saw two of his five subordinates, seeing that Enku killed three.

But then, instead of a spell to try and trap Souji, he needed to play dirty.

To play like a Demon.

Gowther struggled before parrying off to the side. He quickly flew down to his remaining subordinates, healed them, and informed them of the plan he just created. The two looked at each other, unsure if it would work since Souji could speed-blitz both of them. Leaving Gowther at the mercy of Enku and Souji, who would no doubt not show any mercy toward him.

"All you have to do is follow my plan. Once Souji is out of the picture, killing Enku will be all the much easier." Gowther calmly explained as Souji landed next to his comrade. He was now breathing heavier than before, but he still had one more attack in him. Enku saw his fatigue and asked him to cancel his transformation, but Souji declined. He explained they were close to victory and needed to keep pressuring them.

"If that is what you think. But remember, Sirzechs awaits our return. He will-"

"Sirzechs has already been defeated. I'm not so sorry to disappoint you, but I assumed you knew already." Gowther interjected as Souji and Enku's eyes widened from the proclamation. Sirzechs defeated? Impossible! He was the strongest being in the Underworld. They even felt him using his True Form, meaning he was going all out.

"I see that you do not believe me. Then allow me to show you." Gowther said as he added a little extra to his plan. He held his fingers up and used Broadcast, showing his memories of when they invaded the Gremory Manor. The unconscious Maou and scared members of the household were enough to push the two over the edge. Souji immediately went into the stance he had made before, and Enku wrapped himself in fire, and this time, it changed to blue.

"Here they come!" Gowther warned as his hands glowed purple. He had one chance at this, and he needed it to work. Souji was the first to make a move as he cleared more than half the battlefield. Gowther instantly changed their appearance to make the Fallen Angels look like himself. Then, with great speed, the three flew off in different directions.

Souji snarled as he instantly changed directions and followed the Gowther that went right. Enku eyed down the one in the middle and charged straight for it. The two Gowthers looked at one another and nodded as one summoned a triple-layered barrier while the other created a bone stake that came out of their body. Enku realized that the one with the bone stake was the real Gowther. He then looked to Souji, who was about to kill his Gowther.

"Souji! The one you face is a fraud! The real one is in front of me!" Enku shouted as he continued charging them. There was no point in stopping as he needed to kill them both. With another mighty shout, he slammed head-first into the barrier. Souji saw and immediately changed directions to follow after Enku.

Just what Gowther planned on. Once done, he aimed the bow at Enku's head, who realized where exactly he was. He transformed into red mist, narrowly avoiding a stake to the skull. Gowther created another just as Souji appeared. Then, right in front of the man, he cured around and stabbed his comrade in the abdomen with it.

To Souji's horror, the illusion faded, revealing the Fallen Angel, who looked at Gowther with betrayal in his eyes. Gowther did not comment as the man started turning into ashes. His body started cracking before his whole body became ashes, which blew away into the wind. Souji couldn't believe the brutality of the technique and how Gowther killed him with no hesitation.

"H-How could you just...?" Souji was at a loss for words when he broke through the last barrier. Gowther smirked before fading away, revealing another illusion. Souji stared back at the one he was fighting, seeing that one with a bone stake appearing from his palm as he flew above Enku. Souji said nothing as he turned around and dashed toward his friend.

"Bastard! He pretended to be a fake so that I would chase him. And the other killed his comrade to surprise me while the actual one snuck up on Enku." Souji thought to himself as he continued heading to Enku. Seeing the technique made him wonder where they learned it from or who even taught them. Not that it mattered, just as Souji neared Enku, something pierced his back.

It was a bone stake.

His eyes widened in horror as he looked at the Gowther above Enku, which faded away as nothing more than a Thought Projection. Enku watched as his comrade crashed into the ground, slowly turning into ash. His eyes widened as he ran forward, wanting to see if he could stop what was happening to him. Gowther landed next to his remaining subordinate before his eyes landed on Enku.

He watched Enku gallop towards his friend, wanting to know what was happening to him. Although it was pretty obvious, he was slowly dying. Souji slowly rose to his feet, only falling to his knees. He lightly chuckled as he started losing feeling throughout his body. Cracks appeared all over him as he dropped his sword, and his transformation vanished. The moment it did, Souji felt unbelievable pain and fatigue. His breath hitched as his vision blurred. How much energy had he used against Gowther? It was a simple but complex question to answer. He planned to kill him quickly, but Gowther's reaction speed to him was astounding, even more so when he used the technique taught to him by Raiju itself.

Still, he was dying, and he wouldn't have a funeral. His body would be literal dust in the wind, and Enku could only watch. He could do nothing to stop this, and a low growl started to escape his mouth. While tears began to form, they evaporated. Souji watched his comrade face Gowther and his final follower as fire exploded from his being. He smirked, not because he would be avenged but because he would join the rest of his unit from all those centuries ago.

"Give them hell...Enku." These were Souji Okita's final thoughts as he became ash. The only thing one could remember was his sword, which lay on the ground where its wielder had died. Gowther watched with an emotionless gaze. His eyes fell on Enku, who he wanted to capture to question on what happened to Grayroad. If Souji killed Melascula, and Enku claimed to have killed Grayroad, then he wanted to know how he did it.

"I'm not in the mood for a dragged-out battle. Instead, we shall capture Enku and go through his mind." Gowther ordered as his subordinate nodded. Even though he was fully healed, his fatigue still existed, and he was glad that this wouldn't be a long fight.

"You shall die a painful death!" Enku roared as he charged forward. The orange flames turned blue as he obliterated anything that stood in his way. Gowther sighed as his eyes glowed blue. He didn't want to drag out this fight, and his spell would ensure it.

"Trick Room."

(With Meliodas)

It was the Four Great Seraphs vs. the strongest Demons of the Demon Realm. Meliodas, Ace, Zeldris, Chandler, and Cusack fought Micheal, Uriel, Gabriel, and Raphael, respectively. They had each taken their battle elsewhere; either to prevent the Angels from combining their power or to defeat them on their own was unknown. Still, they fought with everything they had, although it could be argued that Meliodas was holding back, knowing full well that he could easily kill all four by himself.

Honestly, this "final" battle wasn't even a battle. It was just the slowly dying hopes of the entire world. The Seraphs were all that stood between Meliodas and his victory, but deep down, even they knew that winning was slim to none. Even if they had, what then? Azazel had changed sides, Sirzechs had been defeated and was presumed dead, Issei Hyoudou was nowhere to be seen, and Rias Gremory was dead with most of her peerage dead or changed sides. The same was said for Serafall Leviathan and her sister, along with Sona Sitri's peerage, save a few members.

Even if the Archangels had won, what would be left to claim? The four current Maous were dead; one of the Heavenly Dragons was missing without any emotion, while the other was on the opposing side. The leader of the Yokai had also joined Meliodas, and so had Ophis, the Infinity Dragon. CaoCao had left, retreating to his base for reasons he kept to himself. All in all, the world was in shambles, human and supernatural alike. Countries were annihilated, humanity was in chaos, and they could do nothing to reverse such actions.

But they couldn't surrender, not without a fight. They could retreat to Heaven and hide there. It was a cowardly move, definitely, but they would survive. Even so, they couldn't. They couldn't allow the sacrifices that were made to be in vain. Those who were brutally killed and could never make it to the gates of Heaven, had their very soul ripped out. It was for them. Still, Micheal had made it clear to his fellow archangels that they were to retreat to Heaven if things didn't look good to them.

He even appointed Gabriel to be the next leader should he fall.

Of course, she had protested against this, but Micheal explained that anything could happen. He had a low chance of leaving alive, and if all four were killed, then there would be no one to monitor Heaven. It would also fall into chaos with no leader, and of course, that wasn't an option. Even if it was decided that angels would never go down to the world of man, it needed a leader. Micheal knew that it would be his or Gabriel's decision, depending on the outcome of his battle.

If there was one, positive thing that Meliodas could say about these angels, it was that they were true Angels. Compared to those back in his world, these were not only angelic, pun not intended, but they fought to avenge their comrades. Even though they were Fallen Angels and Devils, even Lucifer himself, Micheal confidently led the Seraphs. However, Meliodas knew the consequences of killing these four and leaving Heaven without a ruler.

Yes, he knew that God had died in this world.

The consequences would be dire. With at least not a single Archangel in charge, Heaven would fall apart. Even if there were ones high in power, they could never gain control over their brethren without falling. Those that died would not only never reach the gates of Heaven, but they would forever be a wandering soul. To walk the Earth with no afterlife waiting for them, at least to the ones that follow Christianity or have no belief. Meliodas knew that those who believed in another afterlife would go there, but if Heaven were to fall...

Meliodas internally sighed as he parried Micheal. Even with his Demon King powers, he was unsure if he could create paradise. Create a realm not filled with Demons and the Damned but a domain where mortals could live freely and in happiness for eternity. Of course, it was a thought that sickened him, but he wouldn't want thousands of souls wandering the planet with no place to go except for the Underworld, Hell, or a Demon's stomach.

Meliodas knew he could storm Heaven whenever he wished, corrupt it, drown it in darkness, and bring down that entire dimension. But he then would have to deal with the consequences, which he didn't want to do. Even though Meliodas was cruel and showed no mercy, he knew he was slowly going soft, even if it was only a little. Perhaps it was meeting Ophis? The one person he could confidently say that he loved. Even she had learned the concept of emotions, finding her love with Meliodas. Still, Meliodas knew that they wouldn't accept being sparred, knowing that they had killed or corrupted many vital beings in the world.

As Meliodas finished his long thought, he once again eluded Micheal. Despite the short sword he was using, it held even against the Light Spear as Micheal struggled to move Meliodas. He was strong, the only Angel in Heaven with Twelve Golden Wings, but against the strength of Meliodas, it meant almost nothing. He narrowed his eyes before he stuck out one of his hands, and with a mere snap of his fingers, he had created dozens of Holy magic circles.

He backed away from the Demon before releasing his attack. Meliodas calmly stood there before using Full Counter, effectively sending Micheal his attack back at him. The angel's eyes widened before he flew away, dodging his attack as Meliodas appeared before him. He slashed at him, wanting to clip his wings or leave his handsome face with a nasty scar. Sadly, Micheal managed to evade the attack, although just barely.

As for the others, they were faring no better. Uriel and Ace were in a stalemate; Hellfire vs. Holy Fire canceled each other out. Ace possesses the stronger attack, while Uriel has the magical advantage. Chandler had to admit that, while annoying, Raphael had an incredible healing factor. Despite blowing off some limbs, making a hole in his stomach, or even cutting him in half, the Archangel healed from it and was on the attack.

Cusack had learned that his mind/body possession wouldn't work on Gabriel. Being a demon, he couldn't enter the Archangel's mind without subjecting himself to God's beliefs. When he first entered, he realized two things. One was that Gabriel had allowed him to enter her mind, trying to kill his soul with pure Holy Magic. Her mind was shrouded in angelic light, and if he didn't leave, he would've died. The second thing was the immense pain from being in her mind. Aside from death, drowning in pure Holy Energy weakened him and caused him tremendous pain and agony.

It was a pain he didn't want to endure again.

The woman was incredibly strong, possibly stronger than Sariel. The major difference between them was the Graces. His worlds Archangels possessed Graces given to them by the Supreme Deity. These ones did not. In the back of his mind, Cusack would love to entertain the idea of the Seraphs fighting his worlds Archangels and wanting to see Ludociel fighting Micheal or Tarmiel fighting Raphael. Of course, that fight would never happen, seeing as the Demon Realm was still sealed off, and Gabriel would soon be dead.

The wonders of imagination.

As the fight continued, a surge of power exploded. They all stopped fighting. The Demons and Angels looked over in the distance, seeing light blue, almost white, and crimson red energies rising into the sky. A storm appeared over it, lighting dancing around, but there was no rain. The group of eight immediately knew the two beings over there.

The Heavenly Dragons.

"It seems that Vali is fighting Issei. Although, I highly doubt that Issei will win. Because I know that my commandment had stripped him of his emotions, such as having a drive and feeling love or anger, he hasn't felt the need to do anything because he could never feel anything." Meliodas coldly spoke to Micheal as the angel sucked his teeth. He would retaliate and use his power not only for Issei's pride but for everyone who had died to the Demon Faction. However, before he could, Meiodas held up his hand.

"I suggest we stop this. You stand no chance against me, as I am greatly holding back. As amusing as it would be to kill you all and watch Heaven fall or go and destroy it myself, the consequences would be dire. Christianity would die, and countless souls would forever wander Earth. It would be more of a nuisance to have them wander the planet instead of having a place where they could reside." Meliodas explained as he kept his grip on his sword. There were many ways this could go, Micheal giving into anger and unleashing a powerful attack, Micheal possibly falling and going insane because of it, or him listening to the powerful Demon before him.

...

...

Meliodas internally chuckled at that last thought.

"If not, then I shall send my comrades away as I kill three of you and sparring one. You can make that choice now or allow an entire realm to fall. With hundreds upon thousands of souls never reaching the afterlife. The choice is yours." Meliodas offered, as he knew that everyone else had continued fighting. Micheal paused in thought, making a deal with a demon would be the most sinful thing any angel has ever done. It would go against everything the Bible stood for, everything his Father stood for.

But could he allow Heaven to fall? Allow paradise to no longer exist? The longer he thought about it, the more Meliodas's offer enticed him. Before he could respond, he, and presumably Meliodas, heard a loud crash. They looked over to the manor, seeing a gigantic hole in the roof as orbs of electricity surrounded it.

"Thunder Palace!" Around the Gremory Manor, the orbs glowed before lightning bolts crashed into the ground. More and more appeared, destroying everything until the entire manor was vaporized. Everyone in it, including Sirzechs, was killed. The angels watched in horror as the Gremory Family and their servants were obliterated. Micheal heard Meliodas sigh, turning to him as the Demon stared at his comrade.

"Monspeet may have gone overboard with that one, but my offer still stands." Meliodas offered again, although he was about to go through with it anyway. His patience and tiny sliver of kindness were thin, and he started coating his blade in darkness. Before he killed Micheal, he heard him mutter one thing.

"Spare Gabriel...don't allow Heaven to fall." Micheal muttered, seeing how futile everything was. It would've been cowardly not to fight or try against Meliodas and his army. At the same time, he remembered an old saying. Hearing it from a Devil long ago, during the Great War, as the Devil fled from battle.

"Call me a coward, but sometimes, cowards do survive." Micheal remembered the words all too well. It was ironic having told Gabriel that she was to flee and control Heaven should he and the others fall. Even though she was against it, Micheal assured her she would be perfect for the role. No one else would complain if she had taken the role of leader.

Meliodas only nodded as he encased his blade in darkness. Surprisingly, no one seemed to realize the conversation between Meliodas and Micheal. Meliodas wasted no time as he plunged his sword through the angel's chest, causing the man to grunt in agony as everyone seemed to turn to them. Where the Demons smiled with glee, the Angels looked horrified.

"Micheal!" Gabriel was the first to call out as she immediately flew towards him. Cusack was going to give chase, but he caught Meliodas's glare. Seeing this, he stayed where he was, wondering what he was planning. Meliodas, seeing Cusack backing off, removed his sword and whispered to Micheal, "Sorry," before brutally kicking him where he had stabbed him.

Micheal coughed blood, staining his white robes as he crashed into the ground. Gabriel flew downwards to where her brother was with tears in her eyes. She couldn't believe that this was happening. Everyone she cared for was dead, her friends were gone, and the betrayals were too much for her. Unbeknownst to her, her wings flashed grey before turning white. Her hair overshadowed her eyes, and her wings flashed gray before returning to white again. Micheal noticed and decided to take action before it could worsen.

"Gabriel...you must calm down. Giving into anger...(cough!)...will solve nothing." Micheal started as Gabriel snapped her head towards him. He saw tears streaming down her face and felt her grip tighten around his shoulder. He knew that it wasn't what she wanted to hear, but he didn't want her to fall. It was selfish; he knew that, Gabriel should allow herself to give into her anger and emotions, but the cost of allowing her to do so was too great.

"B-But what about you!? You can't expect me to allow you to die and not avenge you!?" Gabriel argued back as Micheal chuckled. He coughed once again before looking past her, catching both Uriel's and Raphael's gaze as they nodded, understanding what he wanted. The two continued their battle as Gabriel conversed with Micheal; simultaneously, Monspeet flew next to Meliodas.

"Sorry about that; I figured you would want to kill Lucifer. The guy I was fighting was getting on my nerves, but no use in complaining about the dead.

"Agreed. So long as he is dead, who finishes him doesn't matter. However, you aren't here to apologize for that; you're here for something else. Aren't you?" Meliodas deciphered as he turned to his comrade. He knew what the man wanted, and he knew why he was here, apologizing for something that Meliodas considered minor.

"Derieri, where is she? Is she alive? Is she-"

"I don't know. Ask Zeldris or Izraf; they were with her last." Meliodas cut him off as Monspeet grew silent. The Demon King looked over, still feeling Monspeet's gaze as he sighed. "I'll sense for her magical power and tell you where she is. If I do, will you stop staring at me like a confused Gray Demon?" Meliodas joked as Monspeet chuckled. Meliodas's jokes, when he made them, were always funny. Although, the only people were heard those jokes were Ace and Monspeet. Zeldris was a little too strict for jokes, and Estarossa found sarcastic humor to be funny.

Meliodas calmed down as he extended his senses. He could sense everyone, Estarossa fighting Grayfia, Zeldris continuing his fight with Uriel, and many other battles. However, in the far distance, he felt overwhelming power. Meliodas concentrated on that spot, wondering who possessed such tremendous power. Then his eyes widened, knowing who it was.

"Derieri..." Meliodas muttered, unable to comprehend how she obtained this much power. He steeled his gaze, grabbing onto Monspeet's shoulder and teleporting to Derieri's location.

(With Derieri)

Derieri and Sairaorg had been fighting for quite a while. The land had been long since destroyed; nothing was left. Another clash happened between the two, crimson red against golden-purplish energy. Shockwaves boomed as the two tried overpowering each other. Due to their strength, they knocked each other back and flew across the new wasteland.

Sairaorg corrected himself mid-air and slid across the ground using his feet. He came to a stop as he wiped the blood off his chin. His armor had large cracks around his chest, back, and arms. He had been exerting his limits since Derieri opened the Eighth Gate, and he knew that he would be killed if the battle didn't end soon. He suddenly coughed

As for Derieri, she crashed into the ground and slid across it. Ripping up the terrain beneath her, Derieri slammed her hands into the ground and flipped herself up. Her breathing was hard, taking in as much air as possible. Her muscles were on fire, her singular heart felt like it was being strangled, and wanting sleep seemed very enticing. But she couldn't; Derieri knew that relaxing even the slightest would result in death.

Derieri slowly got to her feet, breathing still labored as she used a rock as support. She could feel herself losing power, slipping away as she coughed blood. Derieri figured that if she had all seven of her hearts, she could last far longer than this, although the strain that was placed on her body made her wonder if a heart would implode from the strain or even overexert herself.

"Master! It would be best to make this attack your strongest, for it is your last. The strain placed on yourself from not only yourself but Derieri as well has destroyed a few nerves and muscles. While I sense that Derieri is also on her final leg, we must end it while we can!" Regulus roared within Sairaorg's mind as the man chuckled. If this were truly his final attack, he would make it his strongest.

As for Derieri, she had come to the same thought. She clenched her fist as she stared down the strongest, physically at least, being she's ever faced. She knew the cost of this technique, and surviving it was impossible. But the most she could do was take Sairaorg down with her. As the two started to prepare their final attacks, Meliodas and Monspeet appeared. They watched in the air, a safe distance away from the two brutes on the ground. Meliodas hummed in thought as he snapped his fingers.

"What?"

"I know how she obtained this power. The Eight Inner Gates, and from the looks of it, she's using the Gate of Death." Meliodas explained as he stared at her with a neutral look. Monspeet, however, looked distressed. Just by the name, he knew that Derieri was risking her life to kill this man. He wasn't stupid, however, but hoped that the name's implication wasn't literal.

"This is dumb to ask, but will she survive?"

"No, she will not. The user opens gates, limiters, in their body to increase their strength. But, by opening the Gate of Death, the user gains so much power that they can rival and even overpower all of the Ten Commandments and the Seraphs. Well, so says my Father, but even I know he wasn't joking. It is more than likely why he kept it forbidden, meaning that Derieri did some hard searching for this." Meliodas calmly explained as he could feel Monspeet's despair. He looked down slightly as he closed his eyes, respecting Derieri's sacrifice.

Meliodas couldn't heal her because Derieri used every ounce of her strength, including her spirit. She sapped her own soul for power, and even then, her opponent refused to back down. He had to give him credit; surviving this long against the eighth gate was something he thought was impossible. The two then snapped their heads to Derieri, hearing her roar like a wild animal. The crimson energy, which was actually her blood, flared upward as she charged forward. With her remaining darkness, she channeled it for even more power, her blood turning a dark purple as the energy took the form of a dragon.

The dragon roared at Sairaorg, challenging him, daring him to oppose it. Sairaorg's smile couldn't get any bigger as a golden glow rolled off his body, and behind him, it took the form of a gold Nemean Lion. It roared back, accepting the challenge but also roaring it what would be its victory. The two beasts roared and glared each other down, refusing to back down from the awaiting clash.

"Bring it on!" Sairaorg roared as he charged forward as well. He ran as fast as he could and put his remaining strength into his fist. It glowed a bright gold as Meliodas raised a barrier for himself and Monspeet so they weren't blown away from the collision.

It was mainly for Monspeet, but Meliodas wouldn't admit to this.

They tore up the ground as they ran, uncaring for even their own lives, so long as they killed their opponent. This was what their battle was for, to prove to the other that they were strongest. To show unrelenting ferocity and courage. As the two neared each other, they yelled their attacks.

"Dragon Fist!"

"Meteor Fist!"

*BOOOOOOM!*

Dark purple clashed with bright gold. Bones breaking and blood violently exploding from their arms. Another shockwave occurred, although heavy twisters were created as the clouds were split open. Meliodas reinforced the barrier, not believing that the two almost broke it from clashing against each other. Both beings refused to give in, not fearing death but rather fearing the loss of pride. Even though they had each gained the other's respect, they both still wanted to be on top. However, this little bout soon came to an end.

Sairaorg started to feel himself being overwhelmed, and, very quickly, he was pushed into the ground as his arm was blown off. The ground beneath him was crushed, and a gigantic crater was made. Derieri continued as she threw her other fist and assaulted Sairaorg relentlessly, powering up Combo Star and adding more bombs to his person.

It wasn't long until she stopped, jumped back, and detonated the explosives. A powerful explosion shook the Earth until it ceased. Derieri's body was burnt to a crisp; her veins were blood red and could be seen from the outside. Even though she stumbled forward, wanting to see her victory, she fell back and hit the ground. Her pupils were gone as Monspeet flew down to her side.

"Derieri! Come on and say something already!" Monspeet showed a sliver of his emotions before regaining his composure. He didn't act like this, and Derieri would criticize him for acting like this as well. Monspeet decided that the best way to show concern was not to show any at all. At least, to Derieri in her current condition. He knew that she wouldn't stand for it, most likely punch him in the face before telling him to fuck off.

As for Meliodas, he flew down to where Sairaorg was. The man was lying in the center of the crater missing an arm, and pieces of golden armor scattered around him. Sairaorg had a satisfied smile on his face, very complacent about the battle's outcome despite being the loser.

He was dead.

Suppose the hole in his chest wasn't obvious enough. Meliodas noticed how his body glowed bright yellow before it shot forward in front of Sairaorg. Meliodas crossed his arms, waiting for the being to show itself. He knew Sairaorg had a Sacred Gear, a Longinus to be exact, but he wanted to know which one it was specifically. To his surprise, a bloodied Regulus showed itself. He was standing over his master with a sorrowful look on his face. He held his chest in pain; his eyes were bloodshot, and he could hardly feel his right arm. He then turned around and faced Meliodas.

"If you will allow me to say my final words, I'll be grateful." Regulus asked as Meliodas gestured to Sairaorg. He wouldn't deny his final words, especially when he could sense that Regulus was going to die as well. The strain from keeping the armor from breaking had taken its toll, along with Sairaorg himself pushing the both of them beyond their limits.

"Master Sairaorg, I'm sorry for failing you. But you were by far the greatest and strongest master that I've had. And I thank you, for all of the wonderful years...that we've had. As the Longinus Golden Lion King, I refuse to be with another host, and shall die with you." Regulus finished as he was wrapped in golden energy. He gave Meliodas one final look and flashed him a brief smile before returning to Sairaorg's body. The light slowly died down until Meliodas no longer sensed him.

Regulus had died with his master.

It had almost made Meliodas shed a tear. Almost. He leaped out of the hole and landed next to Monspeet, who was holding back his tears. He's never shown emotion, and he would refuse to do it now. The two Demons noticed Derieri's body start crumbling down into ash.

"They'll be nothing left to bury. Let us go, Monspeet. She and Sairaorg shall turn into nothing, and we can do nothing except honor them both. Derieri for her ferociousness, and Sairaorg for unrelenting willpower." Meliodas softly spoke, something that even he didn't think was possible as he sprouted wings of darkness and slowly floated in the air. Monspeet followed; his gaze lingered on Derieri before he felt Meliodas place his hand on his shoulder. He said nothing as the two briefly watched a gold, purple, and dark purple energy rise into the air and slowly dissipate. Then they vanished, returning to where they originally were.

(Back with the others)

Meliodas and Monspeet reappeared to see Zeldris, Chandler, and Cusack waiting for them. Meliodas noticed the three dead Archangel corpses on the ground, realizing that two of them had managed to kill their opponent while Gabriel escaped. Good. It's what he not only agreed upon but what he wanted. Meliodas would need to visit her, although in his Demon King form, positively knowing that anything less, he would be erased.

"Where did you two vanish off to?" Zeldris asked, curious about where his brother and comrade went while they held off the Archangels. Meliodas replied that they sought out Derieri and explained everything to the three. The three were shocked, not believing that someone could last so long against the Eighth Gate, but they silently paid their respects to Derieri for what she's done.

"Perhaps Melascula can bring her back to life? She is good-"

"That isn't possible." Gowther interrupted as he appeared next to Zeldris. "Both Melascula and Grayroad have been killed. Not surprisingly, they both grew arrogant with their abilities, leading to their downfall." Gowther explained as Meliodas growled. He couldn't believe that three of the Ten Commandments had been killed; two were killed, and another had sacrificed themselves in a very heated battle.

Derieri had the most honorable death among the three.

"It matters not. We shall honor them nonetheless. However, there are still two battles that I must face alone. One of them is against my Father, and the other is against Trihexa. Until then..." Meliodas allowed himself a smile, not a smirk, not a grin, a full smile as he saw the army approaching. He flew up into the air, leaving the flabbergasted group behind as he projected his voice.

"EVERYONE! THE THREE OF THE FOUR SERAPHS ARE DEAD! THE FOUR MAOUS ARE DEAD! WE, THE DEMON FACTION, HAVE WON!" Meliodas yelled as the army cheered. The Supernatural celebrated with each other and the Demons around them. The remaining commandments, the Six Knights Of Black, and Meliodas's inner circle joined him. Yasaka suddenly appeared as well, with Azazel in tow; the two being together since Yasaka's disappearance.

"We've done it. I shall be hosting a grand feast for everyone, so relax and enjoy yourselves until that time comes." Meliodas announced to the group as they all cheered. Azazel noticed that the only one missing was Vali, who he could sense was still fighting Issei. He told everyone where he was going and flew off as they nodded. Ophis flew towards Meliodas and started shooing people away, wanting this to be private.

Everyone listened and started teleporting back to the Mortal Realm. Although Zeldris and Estarossa flew around a bit, watching from afar. Ophis was going to yell at them, but Meliodas drew her attention. Looking at him, she quickly noticed his eyes were emerald green, not dark purple. She was enchanted by them, staring deep into his eyes until she heard him chuckle.

"You wanna calm down there." Ophis blinked twice, hearing his voice. His voice sounded a little higher than usual, but nothing that she couldn't deal with. Meliodas noticed this and chuckled. He knew that she wasn't accustomed to his somewhat high-pitched voice. Even then, he wasn't used to it, not remembering the last time he had heard it.

"I just wanted to tell you that I love you, Meliodas. The only thing I've wanted in this world was to reclaim my home, the silence of the Dimensional Gap, but after meeting you, I got my silence back. I've even gained emotions and retained them even after you took the commandment from me. I just wanted to say thank you, Meliodas." Ophis confessed as she kissed Meliodas, and the man kissed her back. Meliodas's brothers watched with a smile, feeling happy that their eldest sibling had found love for himself.

(In the Demon Realm)

Within a castle where the cold wind blew was one being. The Demon King, Father to Meliodas, Zeldris, and Estarossa, sat on his throne with full strength. The strongest being within the Demon Realm. As he sat on his throne, he held a large, broad sword in one hand, while in the other, he wielded dark purple flames.

"Meliodas. I wait for arrival...when the battle for the throne shall begin. The world cannot have two Demon Kings...One shall stand, One shall fall." The Demon King spoke to himself before crushing his hand shut, putting out the purple flames as he sat and waited for his eldest son to appear. He knew he would come alone, no one could help him, and he knew that Meliodas wanted the taste of killing him himself.

He couldn't wait to kill him.

End Chapter

Author's Note: This was a long chapter, around 10k words, I would assume, as I'm writing this note. But, uh, before people start making comments on either absent or even certain parts of the story, let me clarify the latter and ignore the former.

So this chapter was pretty much centered around Gowther and his recon. Souji and Enku had almost no abilities to speak of on their Wiki page, with Souji being an expert swordsman, taming Yokai and using Devil magic. Enku can only use Devil magic, so, as usual, I've taken abilities from other anime and moves from Pokemon.

Because who's going to stop me?

Now, I get that the commandments were meant to be training to be able to defeat anyone, but I figured that it would be best to kill some off to show that they're not only not invincible, but I was always planning on doing this. As for Derieri, I'm positive that Sairaorg could overpower her even if she had all seven hearts using the Seven or Eight gate. He's like Might Guy, with five times more training and experience since he's lived longer. But because this was his anime version, I think combining Combo Star, Bomb Curse, and the strength of the Eight Gates would make even him struggle.

Now, if there's any complaint about the story or something that I should add before it ends, then leave a comment; if not, then continue with your day.