Chapter 35: Demons x Devils
- Tsubaki Shinra -
The atmosphere in their office felt tense, as Tsubaki silently observed the chess match in front of her. Surprisingly, the first part of the game was all known theory, there weren't many other devils their age who could keep up with Sona when it came to memorizing book theory.
Mars was much more prepared than any of them at the academy could have possibly expected, whether it came to chess, magic, or even knowing the two young Kings' true identities in the otherwise mundane human town.
Tsubaki and the rest of the peerage were unable to dig up any dirt on Mars so far, the only concrete information was he was born here in Japan to two Italian parents, growing up in Kuoh before he moved back to Italy when he was a teenager. His parents didn't seem to have any special connection to the church or the Vatican, but it could be possible Mars' true history was locked or protected.
Her King had ordered them to investigate their suspiciously new classmate, but after meeting and interacting with him, she didn't sense any hostility or danger from him. He brimmed with potential, she definitely agreed with Sona's assessment that Mars might be a lucky find, she had no doubt other devils would be foaming at the mouth to have him as an Evil Piece.
"Check," Mars interrupted her thoughts by checking Sona's king, as both sides opted to move their pieces manually, too deep in concentrated calculation.
Mars' game of chess was one of a true trickster, always threatening with a tactic, but never overextending his position on the board. He knew the perfect time to sacrifice a pawn, giving up material for a tempo, giving himself the initiative as the match reached its critical moments.
Sona clicked her tongue in slight frustration, as Mars tried his best to paralyze her position, creating and exploiting as many weaknesses as he could. The disadvantage was growing with every turn, it was like Mars tried to play the most annoying move or go for the most devious line possible.
As pawns and minor pieces were traded in a flurry of moves, Tsubaki wondered what other spells Mars could cast, if he could create a chess board with his magic the only thing that could limit him in battle was his creativity. Versatile magic that could be used in any situation seemed like the perfect fit for anyone's peerage. Especially if Mars was a pawn, he could be promoted to any piece as the circumstances called for.
"You've got me in a difficult position," her King sighed, she had an isolated pawn in the middle of the board that was impossible to defend. Unless Mars blunders big time, pretty much every continuation looked hopeless.
The game went on for a couple more moves, each idea or attempt at a comeback or gambit by Sona shut down and ignored, as Mars played on like he knew the cleanest path to a checkmate.
"I'll have to see where I went wrong, at this point I have to admit this position is close to completely lost for me. You've rendered my bishop and rook useless, stuck defending the backwards pawn," Sona noticeably relaxed, impressed with a surprisingly fun game from Mars.
"It wasn't easy, I had to make a couple dubious moves there, but I got lucky I caught you out of prep," he downplayed her praise, offering his hand in a show of good sportsmanship. "How about we call it a draw here? Let's play another time soon, it was an interesting game."
"No, I have no shame in admitting defeat. If I was in your position I wouldn't ever agree to a draw. However, I will take you up on your offer of a rematch, look forward to it as I will take it a lot more seriously," Sona toppled over her king piece with a content look on her face.
In response to the resignation, the magical board shifted, as all of the white pieces remaining on the board vanished into a palpable dust. The chess board and pieces Mars created then reset into default position, before he cleared his throat.
"You can keep it, if you'd like. Consider it a gift for allowing me this meeting, Miss Sitri," Mars stated with a much more professional tone. "It can only be moved with magical notation when I'm around, but it can function as a normal chess board otherwise."
Tsubaki knew full well what a loss to Mars meant to Sona, having witnessed a fair amount of devil bachelors try to fruitlessly win her King's hand in marriage through a game of chess. She wasn't quite sure if Mars knew about it, but Sona did a good job at hiding any fluster on her face.
There was no doubt in Tsubaki's mind anymore, Sona needed to add Mars to the peerage at any cost.
- Mars -
I let out a brief smile, my simple plan reading Sona's every thought and idea during the match proved successful. In the worst case, I was prepared to purchase a perk that would have made me equivalent to a super Grandmaster in chess, but thankfully Sona wasn't at that level where I needed to play perfectly like a chess engine.
"Thank you, Mars," she accepted the present with genuine appreciation. "Before I can continue, can I ask you what happened earlier with Rias?"
"Are you referring to the stray devil that Akeno and I ran into this morning, or are you talking about our meeting at lunch?" I make sure to clarify, not wanting to give out any unnecessary information.
"Oh not that, I already read Rias' detailed report about the lost devil Viser during lunch. I'm asking about your discussion with her during the break, specifically if you have came to any agreement that might hinder our own possible potential negotiation," Sona looked me deep in the eye, confident in herself as a new kind of game has officially begun.
"She offered me a spot in her peerage," I don't hesitate to reveal, knowing full well how badly both devils want to recruit me. "I refused, but we agreed to a pact pretty quickly. Out of respect for being in your territory, just like I was with Rias, I'll be totally transparent with you as well, Miss Sitri. As it stands right now, I have no desire to become a reincarnated devil, despite knowing in detail all of the potential benefits. What I am interested in is forming a partnership with you. I've recognized you as one of the Underworld's next greatest devils."
"Is it because of my older sister?" she said with a slightly accusing tone, her current relationship with Serafall is one I should be able to exploit to my advantage.
"No, your older sister being one of the great Satans is just a bonus on top of everything else. Like I said, I'm specifically interested in you, Sona. I'm not looking to use you simply for your last name, or connection to Serafall. I actually need your help with something," I prepare Sona and her Queen, where I'm slightly hesitant to ask her for something.
"You need my help? With what?" she inquired, her glasses shining in anticipation.
"A favor for a favor. I can help your peerage get a lot stronger, and all I ask in return is you help me train a close devil friend of mine with learning and mastering her demonic magic. Also, I ask for your help in getting her admitted into the school," I propose a deal to her, where I want a knowledgeable and trustworthy devil to fully teach Esil, and therefore me, how to use the demonic power of this world.
"A devil friend? Who is she?" she looked puzzled, not expecting me to ask her with help in training.
"I can introduce you to her later, but I'm wondering if such an ask is possible for you," I appeal to her competency, knowing full well it shouldn't be an issue for her. "My summon Igris is the perfect possible teacher in basically every conflict your peerage could find themselves in, specifically in Rating Games. And since you will be hearing it sooner or later, I'll just tell you I have a learned a unique branch of dimensional magic, perfect for combat training and practical battle simulation. I'll be using it with Rias right after this meeting. If you have the time, you can see it with your own eyes, just so you know exactly what I'm offering you and your peerage."
"Well, I don't see why not," Sona considered my words carefully. "Let's go right away, then. Tsubaki, please take care of the rest of the peerage, while I go ahead with Mars."
Name: Sona Sitri
Level: 45
Race: Pure Devil
Title: Heiress of the Sitri House
Thoughts about you: She can't believe she lost the chess match to you, now she wants to get to know you more
Affection: 65
Name: Tsubaki Shinra
Level: 36
Race: Reincarnated Devil (Sacred Gear: Mirror Alice)
Title: Queen of Sona Sitri's Peerage
Thoughts about you: She's never met a man that got along so easily with her King, acknowledges you as a potential suitor to Sona
Affection: 40
Damn, I guess beating Sona in a single game of chess did a lot more than I thought, she's doing a great job at hiding her true feelings.
Exiting the school quickly with Sona, we're both greeted by the sight of another one of Rias' magical barriers, keeping all of the nosy students from disturbing her.
Entering it, I can already see Rias and her peerage on the field stretching, coming my way as they have noticed our arrival.
Name: Rias Gremory
Level: 44
Race: Pure Devil
Title: Crimson-Haired Ruin Princess of Destruction, Heiress of the Gremory House
Thoughts about you: She is glad you haven't joined Sona's peerage, wonders why her long time friend and rival is here with you
Affection: 70
Name: Akeno Himejima
Level: 38
Race: Reincarnated Devil/Fallen Angel-Human Hybrid
Title: Daughter of Lightning, Queen of Rias Gremory's Peerage
Thoughts about you: She wants to have more fun with you, excited to explore her growing feelings for you
Affection: 80
Name: Yuuto (Isaiah) Kiba
Level: 24
Race: Reincarnated Devil (Sacred Gear: Sword Birth)
Title: Knight of Rias Gremory's Peerage
Thoughts about you: He wants to train again with Igris as soon as possible
Reputation: 30
Name: Koneko (Shirone) Toujou
Level: 21
Race: Reincarnated Devil/Youkai (Nekomata)
Title: Rook of Rias Gremory's Peerage
Thoughts about you: She has noticed Akeno's change ever since you joined the academy
Affection: 25
"Hey, Rias. Thanks for waiting," I nod to the four friendly devils.
"Mars, we're all ready," Rias greets me with a pretty smile, her eyes shifting to her fellow King. "Why are you here, Sona?"
"I offered her a chance to audit our training session," I answer for her. "I prepared something special for practice, this spell of mine will provide you guys with valuable combat experience. If you'd all just give me a moment to cast the spell."
I close my eyes, using [ID Create] for the first time in a while, where a much larger menu materializes in my mind.
New* Dungeons have been added to your collection
Currently available Instant Dungeons:
[Zombie ID] - Completed (3) times
[Knight Job Change ID]*
[Frozen Forest Red Gate ID]*
[Earth Giant Gate ID]*
[High Orc Gate ID]*
[Demon Castle ID]*
[Jeju Island ID]*
[Tribal Rainforest Red Gate ID]*
[Arch Lich Undead Gate ID]*
[Orc Warlord Gate ID]*
[Aquatic Naga Gate ID]*
[Giant Gate ID]*
[Cartenon Temple ID]*
More dungeons will be unlocked as you progress your story
Since I never was able to extract any shadows from the gamer dungeons, I figured most of my time was best spent in the gates, where I could grow my immortal army easily.
Glancing over the list, I can't help but feel nostalgic, realizing these are all of my previous encounters and raids in the Solo Leveling universe. Thinking about which dungeon to choose for the first time, I decide to choose the hellish gate the Architect created, fueled by Ashborn's memories of Baran and his bloodline.
The dungeon is filled with monsters of all ranks, where I'm quite curious to see the devils of this world react to the more primitive demons.
Demon Castle Instant Dungeon has been selected
Loading world now...
- Rias Gremory -
The assembled devils watched as Mars focused on his powers, a dark energy enveloping him as his whole aura changed. One of Mars' black hole portals was conjured, multiplying in size as it sucked in mana by the second.
"Don't worry, this is all part of the process," he assured them when the gate started to block out the whole sky, casting his shadow over everything until it was only his darkness that existed. "This is a rare dimensional skill I've learned during my studies. We'll be transporting into a pocket dimension in a couple of seconds."
She trusted Mars, if anything, the fallen mage looked quite excited to use the spell. Still, the devils couldn't help but feel slightly nervous, as they all lost each of their senses one by one.
Before any of them could truly panic, she felt as if they were thrust into the middle of a volcano, feeling the intense heat of a hostile environment. Then, a blinding light, as the small group find themselves in the middle of a street, all of the buildings completely covered in flames.
It was so hot she could hear the heat, but luckily as devils they all had a natural resistance to it. Mars seemed unaffected by the infernal climate as well, he looked like he was searching for something specific in the strange field of flames.
[You are about to enter the Demon Castle]
Party Quest added
Collect Demon's Souls!
Objective: The Demon Castle is filled with demons. Hunt down demons and collect their souls (0/20 000 souls collected)
A black text appeared in Rias' eyes, where a feminine voice narrated the quest window that just jump scared her.
"Mars, what is this?" her Queen Akeno asked first, clearly Rias wasn't the only one going through this new sensation.
"Okay good, you guys all saw and heard that message?" he answered her with a relieved look on his face, pausing until every devil confirmed with him. "First, let me start with a quick explanation. This is an ability of mine, I can retreat into an imperceptible pocket dimension, where I can fight and train against different kinds of monsters. In a way, I suppose it's a more advanced form of Rias' magical barrier, which I assume all devils can create?"
"I can see the similarities, but this is on a whole different level. This doesn't feel like our Earth or anywhere I've been in the Underworld," Sona described the strange new world they were in. "What do you know about this dimensional magic?"
"I'm learning with each time I visit, and it's been a while since I've used it. I'm not sure if the supernatural world could notice, which I'm now going to guess is a no judging by your reactions," Mars responded with a sneaky smile on his face. "Anyway, since I'm familiar with this particular place, I'll let you know, once we enter that skyscraper, there will be countless hostile enemies waiting for us. Each subsequent floor will increase in difficulty and scale, but as long as I'm accompanying you all there should be no danger. Just let me know, and we can leave at anytime, but remember, this is a safe place where you can truly push your limits. Any questions before we head in?"
Mars pointed across the inferno covered landscape, the one building chained to the hellish earth, a blazing fire could be seen on each floor.
"Rias, is it okay if I can participate?" Sona unashamedly asked, no longer satisfied to simply watch on the sidelines.
She looked at Mars, who shrugged in response, leaving the decision to her alone.
"Fine, but you have to let my peerage train first. You can join me and Akeno once Yuuto and Koneko are finished," she demanded, not wanting Sona to steal her time with Mars any further.
"That works with me," her rival King accepted without protest.
"I'm glad we could come to an agreement so quickly. One more reminder before we go, an hour spent inside is an hour back in the real world," Mars warned them, as they begun walking through the fiery road. "I can stay as long as you guys last, so there's no time limit. The quest window you all saw is just a fun way to visualize your progress. Believe me, you will lose count if you try to keep track of the number yourselves."
The party could feel the considerable mana inside, as they reached the sealed doors.
Mars opened the door with as flick of his wrist, a cold ancient hallway filled with gargoyle statues led up to another door, cracking open as they marched ahead.
[You have entered the first floor of the Demon Castle]
Following Mars into the new area, it looked similar to the hellscape they were just in, only expanded from a single block to a whole city.
"Mars-senpai?" Yuuto asked the calm mage, wondering what he was waiting for.
"Heh, you guys don't feel that?" Mars chuckled to himself, as if he looked way into the distance, past the layers of hazy smoke, through all the violent fires.
"They're coming," she shouted out to her peerage. "Yuuto, Koneko, get ready!"
Countless sets of red eyes could be seen emerging, as the smoke on the ground cleared, revealing a horde of monsters. They resembled demonic magical beasts, the majority of them fairly weak, but her juniors Yuuto or Koneko could get overwhelmed if they weren't careful.
[You can obtain one soul per demon, but there are demons with multiple souls in upper floors]
The mysterious quest system warned her again, reminding Rias this was no different than a game.
She's never heard of a single spell that could do something like that. The most common, yet still rare dimensional ability found in the Underworld was used for dimensional storage keeping, she never expected the magic could be used for something as large scale as this.
Was this Mars' Sacred Gear? At the very least, it could explain how he got so strong, and the mysterious nature of his powers.
"You guys can go all out without any worry, I'll step in before anything can happen," Mars reassured them once more, summoning the giant bear from earlier, settling on it comfortably.
"Okay, you heard him. Attack!" she led her peerage forward, wanting to see how far she and her peerage could climb the demon castle.
- Mars -
As I remain mounted on Tank, I'm interested in how Rias will tackle the dungeon. The first floor is baby food compared to the top levels, which I'm not sure I'll let them reach just yet, I want to see how they do against weaker bosses like Cerberus or Vulcan.
Now that I have unlocked full access to my powers, I've realized I can create and customize gates based on my past adventures and battles. Once I face off with Antares, will I be able to create a dungeon full of powerful dragons?
Before I could get too deep into what I might be able to create in the future, I carefully watch as Rias' Rook and Knight charge the low ranked demon horde.
I don't need to worry yet, the demons have the numbers, but the vast majority of them are D-rank, the only danger is if they get swarmed. With Akeno and Rias nearby ready to use their powers, I feel more bad for the demonic beasts. Rias' and Akeno's signature skills would be both highly effective against these enemies.
Watching the tiniest but most ferocious member first, Koneko kills the lesser demons without any hesitation, primarily using her enhanced Rook properties to smash and pummel the unintelligent demons.
If she used her inherent Senjutsu and ki techniques, she would be way more effective, I'll have to get her to accept her true nature, like I did so easily with Akeno.
Yuuto, on the other hand, was simply too quick for the weak savages, using a variety of his swords to slay demons one at a time. His flame delete sword proved rather effective, the ice sword countered the demons' flames.
"How do we proceed to the next floor?" Sona patiently asked me, waiting until Rias gives her the green light to join in.
"One of the monsters here holds the key to the next floor, you'll know for sure once it drops," I answer her question, offering her the spot behind me on Tank. "Want a ride? It might be a while until it's your turn, I'd be surprised if Rias lets you in on any action within the next dozen floors. Her two kouhai are in the biggest need of this experience."
"That's a good point," she realizes, blushing as she takes my hand, letting me lift her onto the fuzzy shadow bear Tank, who is busy keeping an eye on the fight in front of us.
Eventually, the two junior members of Rias' peerage clear the easiest floor, the very last demon slayed finally dropped the entry permit to the second floor.
Koneko holds the glowing demonic scroll in her hands, unable to decipher its words.
A glowing beam lit up a block away, shining bright through the thick smog, revealing the movement magic circle location.
"There," I announce to the devils. "That's the way to the second floor."
Arriving with the small party, Rias and Sona observe the giant magic circle with great interest.
"This is some really ancient demon language, I can barely make out any words," Rias noted, Sona and Akeno nodding in agreement. "Mars, what is this place? The more time I spend here the more I'm convinced it's some kind of parallel earth."
"I'm not fully sure either," I try to change the subject. "Have any of you felt a connection to the demon beasts?"
"I wouldn't call it a connection, but these monsters are definitely demons," Sona remarked, trying her best to translate the entry permit Koneko is holding.
"Well, that's what I figured," I say in slight disappointment, hoping for a clear answer to how the demons and devils are connected. "Koneko, place the paper onto the circle."
Koneko places the permit onto the magic circle, where the scroll flashes red, bursting into flames. The circle activates, revealing the entry to the second floor.
"Let's get going."
- Asia Argento -
Mars' Church Base
Enjoying the fresh lasagna the nuns made, Asia was happy she decided to come to Japan. She felt at home, the three kind nuns were proactive when it came to making sure her every need was filled.
The dark knights and soldiers were fast, having already finished setting up her bedroom, next to the worship room she was eating in now.
"My apologies, Lady Asia, my master might end up taking longer than expected," Igris bowed deeply to her, truly asking her for her forgiveness. "Is there anything else we can do for you?"
"That is no problem, Sir Igris, I am just thankful for your kindness and hospitality. After a delicious meal like that, I'm ready to rest for the night, I didn't get any sleep during my travels," she thanked her gracious host, who handed her dirty dishes to the tall beautiful nun Raynare.
"Kalawarna, Mittelt, if you would both take our esteemed guest to her new room," Igris ordered the two other nuns, who eagerly followed the knight's directions. "We shall be standing guard, awaiting the young master's arrival."
"Of course, Igris-sama. Miss Asia, tomorrow we will be sure to fill your bedroom with anything you need. Our master Mars wanted to make sure you felt completely comfortable and safe during your stay with us," the blue-haired nun gently took her hand, leading her to the private quarters next to the office the soldiers were fixing up.
All of the shadow knights hard at work stopped what they were doing, bowing to her as she followed the nuns inside.
Finally alone, she felt overwhelmed as she never had her own room before. Being treated so wonderfully like this, she wondered what kind of man their master was. She wanted to make the best possible first impression with him, not wanting to lose out on the perfect situation she's been thrust in.
- Two hours later -
- Mars -
Demon Castle, 15th floor
Climbing the next dozen or so floors took some time, mostly due to Rias prioritizing giving her Rook and Knight as much training as they could handle. Anytime the demon horde got too much for them, it only took a single cast of Akeno's Holy Lightning, which completely erased any low-grade demon unfortunate enough to get caught in the vicious blast.
Sona accompanied Rias, leaving me alone to read some more of my grimoire on White Magic, as I casually rode my shadow bear across the hellscape.
This feels a bit more like a babysitting escort quest, but by the end of the session, Yuuto and Koneko should be a lot more formidable in battle. Looking at Sona, I can tell she's itching for her peerage to get a full turn with me in the dungeons, she has fully grasped just how valuable this specific skill of mine is now.
Since I can fully customize this dungeon, I have a special surprise waiting on the 25th floor, where I placed the S-rank gatekeeper Cerberus. Normally, the giant hellhound would have been found guarding the entrance to the Demon Castle, but I wanted to slowly ease the group, letting the weaker members get some training in before they realized how much stronger the upper floors became.
Plus, I figured it would be a good way to introduce the SL demons to them, once they actually meet Esil they should be able to tell just exactly what kind of demon she is.
Another one of Akeno's Holy Lightning blasts shook the arena, the smell of burnt demon flesh is never something I can get used to.
"Found the next entry permit!" Yuuto shouted out, after Akeno single handedly wiped out the remaining C-rank monsters on the floor.
This is going to be a long night.
- BONUS -
- Genshirou Saji -
"What the hell?!" he awoke from a weird nightmare, not even remembering what it was about.
He clutched his head, feeling a brutal migraine kicking in. Trying his best to regain his memories of what happened was pointless, the second-year could only remember leaving school early, somehow ending up in his room.
Checking his phone, it was like he slept through an entire day. He felt like he forgot something really important, but if truly was significant, than he wouldn't have forgotten it?
Feeling more sleepy than confused, he figured he should just sleep it off, maybe his memories would come back after.
- BONUS -
- Grayfia Lucifuge -
Occult Research Club, Kuoh Town
An icy silver magic circle shimmered in the empty clubroom, the Strongest Queen in the Underworld appearing inside the devil's secret base.
She looked around the empty club, having just missed her sister-in-law. She felt the peerage's presence, she assumed they just had some contract work.
Focusing on the floor underneath her, she could sense Rias' sealed bishop, the young dhampir was acting like a shut-in, thanks to his overwhelmingly powerful Sacred Gear, which was on par with even the original Longinus artifacts.
Grayfia took a seat on the couch, deciding to wait for her dear Rias' arrival.
AN: Here's 35, feeling slightly inspired lately. Potential spoilers ahead for anyone who cares
Looking at their respective wikis, I just noticed Antares and Sirzechs look pretty similar actually. Antares is like a much more rugged, battle tested looking Sirzechs. Maybe if the Monarch of Destruction ever came to the DxD world, Sirzechs would be the best possible vessel, coexisting just as Mars and Ashborn could.
Silly thought aside, now that I've written more of the second universe, I figured I should update my current 'power scale' as I see it - edited since the last time a handful of chapters ago. Like I mentioned previously, I won't obsess over it too much, as I might adjust it here and there as I move forward
Solo Leveling/DxD scuffed Power System v3:
**{There's some bullshit I've heard about both universes, with threats coming from the epilogues which throw the already volatile power scaling out the window. So, for now I'm ignoring the whole 'outer gods' that come to take over after the Absolute Being's death and after Jinwoo deals with Antares and the other Monarchs}**
God of the Bible = Absolute Being
(If I add Solo Leveling Ragnarök, this is where the alien gods land, where they are on par with the Absolute Being, their armies are way stronger than even the Rulers and Monarchs)
Great Red, Ophis, Trihexa
The rest of the legendary beings in no particular order: Other gods, The Strongest Monarchs: Ashborn and Antares (I just found out Jinwoo's son Suho becomes the new Monarch of Destruction in Ragnarök, since Jinwoo actually stays the Shadow Monarch, at least I think that's what happens), dragon gods, heavenly dragons etc.
Lesser gods, Superdevils, Monarchs (They all have official names now on the wiki, thank fuck): Legia (Giant Monarch), Yogumunt (Transfiguration Monarch), Tarnak (Iron Body Monarch), Sillad (Frost Monarch), Baran (Demon Monarch), The Brightest Fragment of Brilliant Light (Go Gunhee's Ruler source of power)
Lesser Monarchs: Querehsha (Insect Monarch), Rakan (Beast Monarch), Rulers, Seraph, Dragons
National Rank (Level 100+) - Really, anything here and above this class is some bullshit in some type of way
Ultimate Class = S-rank (Levels 50-99)
High Class = A-rank (40 - 49)
Mid Class = B-rank (30 - 39)
Low Class = C-rank (20 - 29)
Weak Supernatural = D-rank (10 - 19)
Enhanced humans = E-rank (0 - 9)
Regular humans (Level 0)
I have to remind myself that some of the Sacred Gears and powers out there essentially disregard/break the entire system, a notable example being the Boosted Gear, which allows a mere human to even surpass the powers of God. It actually reminds me of the Rulers rebelling and killing the Absolute Being, he ended up creating tools that would lead to his eventual downfall.
As always, any feedback is appreciated, thanks to anyone who made it this far.
See ya next time, where Mars will officially meet the ice queen Grayfia