"Isa, I swear if you keep on taking missions, then I'm chopping off your balls." I sighed as Akeno growled out her words and the fact that both Kuroka & Tsubaki were nodding in agreement with her didn't make it easier.
"I know, I know. I keep on making a promise to spend more time with you guys, but it's just that everyone seems to want something from me." I muttered with a sigh as I sat down on my bed, hearing Akeno sighing as she sat down behind me & softly massaged shoulders while Kuroka & Tsubaki sat down on both sides of me.
"Then, say 'fuck them' and walk away." Kuroka spoke and I snorted as I shook my head.
"I wish it was that easy. Unfortunately, when you're as popular and as strong as I am, most people of the world don't know what personal privacy is."
"I guess this is what we get for loving the most popular devil of our generation." Tsubaki muttered with a sigh, both Akeno & Kuroka nodding in unison as a chuckle escaped my lips.
"Okay, how about this? This is my last mission for the foreseeable future. As soon as it's done, I'm going to take a long vacation and you girls are coming with me. Just us four and probably one of the many islands that House Gremory owns since Lord Gremory did ask me for whatever reward that I want after making that alliance with the Lunarians."
"The who?" Kuroka asked with a confused frown and I smiled at that.
"The werewolves. They stopped being a group of packs and have decided to become one single pack."
"…Okay, fine, but what if the Satans or someone from top asks you for another mission?" Akeno asked and I shrugged as I turned & gave her a quick kiss before standing up.
"Like Kuroka said. Fuck them and walk away." I answered before leaning down & giving both the disgruntled Tsubaki & Kuroka a quick kiss as the Azathoth crest appeared below me.
"Well, I'll see you girls when I get back and make sure you are ready for our little vacation."
"We've always been wanting a reason to buy new bathing suits." Tsubaki muttered thoughtfully and I chuckled as the other two nodded in unison before I felt the crest pulse & got whisked away.
"Hello there!" I exclaimed with a grin as I walked out of my teleportation crest, Surtr laughing at my eccentric greeting while Okita rolled his eyes & Beowulf chuckled.
"Finally! I thought we said 10 am on the dot." Okita spoke with a frown and I shrugged with a sheepish chuckle.
"Three girlfriends tend to each want your attention before you can leave."
"One woman is enough for me." Okita answered with a shrug and I smirked before turning just in time to see Sirzechs appearing from his own magic crest, nodding at his peerage before turning to me.
"Okay. Grayfia is busy keeping my parents busy so I had some to tell you a few things. Firstly, the gods are going to try & provoke you into a fight, Thor & Zeus specifically. Just don't."
"I've been insulted by Buddha on my weakness for four entire years. This is going to be like playing on baby difficulty." I answered with a deadpan and Sirzechs chuckled as he nodded.
"Secondly, you are not allowed to use your Abyss Side Balance Breaker or your True Form. Use your regular blades or Gram if needed."
"Hmm, worried they might pull out of the alliance?" I asked with a frown on my face, which deepened as Sirzechs nodded.
"The gods may want to make an alliance, but that doesn't mean they need to. What you need to do is make sure that you finish the battle against Pluto as fast as you possibly can before they can catch even a whiff of your true capabilities."
"In other words, embody the Knight." Okita chimed in and a burst of excitement went through my body as a grin spread across my face.
"Oh, now we're talking. Anything else?"
"Stay close to these three and be respectful, but I'm sure you already knew that." Sirzechs spoke and nodded as I nodded before pulling out a pair of pamphlets & handed them to Okita.
"That pamphlet is to take you four to the front door of Hades' Castle in the Netherworld. Don't worry, the Grim Reapers have been ordered to not attack you."
"And this?" Okita asked as he waved the dark crimson pamphlet around, with me taking note of Sirzechs' own magic crest engraved on the back.
"You are to escort the gods from the Castle all the way to the northern border near the old Lucifaad ruins. After the gods have entered the runic domain of the Underworld, you use that to teleport directly to the front door of my castle in Lilith, where myself, Grayfia & the other Satans as well as Lord Agares & Father will be waiting. If this is actually a trap, then activate that. It will alert myself & the other Satans & will allow us to teleport directly to it without having to worry about the Netherworld's repelling runes. Do you all understand?"
"Yes, Lord Lucifer!" We all saluted and Sirzechs smiled as he nodded before his magic crest appeared under him and he teleported away. I took a deep breath to calm myself down before grunting as a heavy hand clapped me on the back.
"Don't worry about a thing, Isaiah! If it comes down to a battle, you just stay back and we'll kick ass."
"Eh, sure." I responded with a shrug and Beowulf chuckled before Okita sent a pulse of demonic power into the crest. Instantly, a giant crimson Gremory runic crest appeared below the four of us, the crest pulsing once before I smirked as our surroundings changed in the blink of an eye & we were whisked away.
"Halt!" I blinked as I heard a raspy voice speaking, turning before frowning at the sight of a skeletal being wearing a black hooded cloak while a rather big scythe gleamed in their hands.
"I am Souji Okita, here with Beowulf, Surtr the 2nd and Isaiah Azathoth, to escort Lord Zeus, Lord Odin & their entourage to Lilith." I didn't miss how the crimson orbs the Grim Reaper called eyes flickered over to me for a split second before moving back to look at Okita, the Reaper nodding at the others floating in the air.
Watching as one of the other Grim Reapers disappeared into a purplish-grey portal that appeared behind him, I frowned as the Grim Reaper Okita spoke to now looked directly at me.
"I expected someone a bit…stronger to be the Demonic Prodigy. I suppose they'll call anyone a prodigy these days." The Grim Reaper said to me and while Okita didn't say anything, the way he clutched the hilt of one of his katana said everything as I knew he hated having his teaching methods being called out.
"Well, those that are truly strong don't like to wave around their power at every little insignificant thing that bothers them in their daily lives. That's something we leave for those lesser than us." I answered back with a smile, enjoying the quick flare of his eyes and the slight rattling coming from under his cloak as he let out a raspy growl.
"I suppose that is true." Was all he said and I smirked as I turned back to Okita & the others, chuckling as Beowulf gave me a discreet thumbs-up while Samson blatantly gave me a double thumbs-up for all to see.
Yep, he's not subtle at all.
However, my fun unfortunately came to an end as the doors to the castle opened, the Grim Reapers moving to the side as another walked through the open doors.
I could instantly tell this one was different as soon as he walked to stop a few feet in front of us, his cloak being a few shades darker than those of the others around us while a necklace made out of bones hung around his neck. A rather small sickle was attached to the side of his waist, but I suspected that it most likely expanded into the giant ones that the other Grim Reapers had.
"Good morning, gentlemen. I am Orcus, head of the Public Relations Office." He greeted with a smile and a nod.
"Good morning." Okita greeted with a nod, the rest of us nodding as Orcus smiled before turning to me.
"I suppose you must be the Isaiah Azathoth I've heard so much about. If I may warn you, I have to say that my daughter is a big fan of you and may be…a bit eccentric when first meeting you."
"Thank you for the warning. I'll take that into mind." I said with a smile and Orcus chuckled before turning back to the amused Okita.
"Well, if you would follow me, I shall escort you to where Lord Hades and his guests are waiting."
"Of course." Okita answered and Orcus nodded before turning & making his way back into the castle, the four of us glancing at each other before Okita nodded & followed after.
'Well, time to get ready for a fight.'
I have to admit, Hades had class.
The colour scheme of black, purple, grey & gold fit his personality & the castle walls and I didn't miss the touches of crimson, hazel & amber roses in black vases on all the tables that we passed.
'Must be Persephone's.' I thought with a smirk before going back to a neutral expression as we stopped in front of a large pair of double doors made out of black oak, a golden pair of skulls on each door with a purple flame floating in the middle of the two doors as some kind of lock.
Orcus nodded at the two Grim Reapers at the front of the door and they nodded back before raising their hands & unleashing a pulse of energy that felt…wrong.
I frowned as I felt the energy washing over me, noting how it was actively trying to eat away at my demonic power before it was quickly repelled, looking up to see the same happening to the energy washing over the other three devils with me.
"Introducing the Lord Lucifer's peerage: his Knight, Sir Souji Okita, his Pawn, Sir Beowulf and his Rook, Sir Surtr the 2nd. Accompanying them is the Knight of Lady Rias Gremory: Sir Isaiah Azathoth." I blinked at the rather formal introduction before pushing it to the back of my mind as I stared at the group of gods already seated in expensive looking black & gold chairs at a table made out of the same black oak as the doors.
The first was the god sitting at the head of the table, having the appearance of a middle-aged man with golden locks of hair, a matching moustache and sparking blue eyes. Dressed in a toga with a golden crown on his head, Zeus looked every bit the god of Lightning that I was expecting.
Seated at his right was a beautiful woman that had a rather modest figure for someone of the supernatural world and yet, it made her all the more beautiful as her radiant dark brown hair & hazel-nut coloured eyes shone in the light of the chandelier. Dressed in a simple white toga with a gold laurel seated on her head, Hera turned to look at us before a frown adorned her features as she focused her eyes on me.
Seated on Hera' left was a man that I knew I could get across, the elderly man having a friendly smile on his face as he sat leisurely in his chair before giving me a salute & I smirked as I nodded back. His rather well-built body was covered by a simple pair of khaki shorts & an open light blue Hawaiian shirt that showed off his muscular upper body, but the golden trident leaning on the back of his chair did not hide Poseidon's identity at all.
Seated on Zeus' left was a man I was all too familiar with, the black eye patch with gold lining over his left eye and the black raven on his right shoulder & the white raven on his left shoulder all but shouting at me that I was currently looking at Odin. Despite his elderly look, the power radiating off of the man was enough to make me sweat slightly and as the man turned to smile at me, I did not miss the calculative look in his eye as he looked me over.
"Ah! Our guest is finally here!" A burly, big-bellied man shouted with a grin, drawing sighs from everyone while I focused on his appearance. The bright crimson messy hair & messy beard might have thrown me off, but the traditional leather Viking armour & the hammer with a large silver head that had almost every Nordic rune carved onto it told me that this was Thor, the sparks of electricty coursing across the hammer & his beard only further supporting that thought.
"Thor. You're supposed to wait for Lord Zeus to greet him first." A beautiful woman said with a sigh and I blinked as this woman looked just like another familiar Valkyrie/ Maid that I knew of. Bright silver hair was braided into twin pigtails at the end while a pair of golden eyes turned before gleaming with amusement as she nodded at me.
The silver armour reminiscent to that which the Valkyrie wore didn't escape my sight either and I blinked before humming as I remembered that the Valkyries all worked under Frigg as her assistants.
'Or was it Freya? Man, the Nordic have too many people with the same name.'
"As I was about to say, welcome devils to the Netherworld. It is a pleasure to host you all here."
"It is our honour, Lord Zeus." Okita said with a bow, Surtr, Beowulf & I following his example before we stood back upright & I caught the gleam of satisfaction in Zeus' eyes as he nodded before I turned to the door on the side as it opened.
As soon as it did, my eyes widened as a cold presence washed over me, the air itself feeling as if it wanted to kill as I felt my body trembling slightly.
"Hah, the boy can barely stand in my presence." A raspy voice echoed throughout the room as a tall skeleton nearly the same height as Thor floated into the room, his body covered in a robe worn by high priests while a skeleton staff with three blue eyes & a pair of horns floated besides him.
"Of course, he won't Lord Hades. He is not even close to being your match let alone being able to stand in the face of your glorious visage." I frowned as another skeleton floated into the room slightly behind Hades, but I knew there was something wrong with him as he turned his head to us & revealed some kind of demented Clown Mask.
His cloak was also far darker than that of Hades & Orcus and as his scythe floated in, I had to suppress my disgust at the sight of intestines & decaying, severed hands attacked to it. I could feel Beowulf discreetly placing his hand on my shoulder, but I just turned & smiled at him as I nodded before turning back to face the gods.
"I was busy speaking, Hades." Zeus spoke with a frown and I blinked as Hades rolled his eyes while seating himself in the chair directly opposite from that of his brother.
"Oh, my apologies, little brother. I really shouldn't walk around in my own castle like I please." Hades said and Zeus frowned before taking a deep breath as I saw Hera placing a hand on his.
"Gentlemen, unfortunately, we don't have time to get to know one another, but I'm sure that will happen as we travel together. For now, Orcus, please show the devils to their rooms for today while the other gods & I continue our discussion. Young Isaiah, your little match against Pluto is tomorrow morning after breakfast."
"I shall do my best to entertain you all, my lord." I said with a bow, Zeus smiling as he nodded before I turned & followed after the other three who had followed Orcus out of the room.
"We couldn't even get different rooms." Okita grumbled and I sighed as Beowulf & Surtr chuckled from where they were lying on their beds.
"They are definitely going to try & poison the food tomorrow, aren't they?"
"Oh, most definitely/ Without a doubt./ Yep." Beowulf, Okita & Surtr answered respectively, making me sigh before I shrugged as I laid back on my rather soft bed.
"At least I know that Frigg & Hera aren't going to interfere."
"Just because they looked at you with smiles or neutral expressions doesn't mean they aren't cautious of you, gaki. Gods have been alive for hundreds of millennia longer than we have. To fake an emotion that would lower the guard of even the most cautious of men is child's play to them." Okita spoke from his bed and I frowned before I groaned.
"Maybe I shouldn't have gotten this strong. Life as a normal High-Class devil would have been fun."
"Then you'd just get your ass kicked all the time." Surtr chimed in and I chuckled as I nodded.
"Yep, can't have that."
"Don't worry. The moment we feel anything is wrong, we'll interfere with the match and if needed, finish it for you."
"That's if I don't finish it before you can even stand up." I answered back and Okita snorted as the other two chuckled.
"Well, let's get a good night's sleep. Tomorrow is a big day for us and an even bigger day for you, so we'll need all the sleep you can get. Night." Okita said as he turned the lights off.
"Night." The rest of us answered back and I hummed softly as I stared at the ceiling before taking a deep breath and closed my eyes.
'Maximum effort, Isaiah. Maximum effort.'