10 Hours Til Midnight
DOONNNN!
A plume of black flames surged into the skies, causing any small plants to instantly combust and turn to ash. At the center of the flames lay a large pool-sized crater. Issei's hand lay outstretched. A bead of sweat trickled down his forehead, dripping onto the ground.
"Ara, you're getting much better at this, Ise-chan~!," Mastema chimed in as she watched from the side. Her translucent form hovered in the air, admiring the amount of power Issei had put into that shot.
"Good, Issei. A bit more and you'll have enough control of Megiddo."
Issei looked over his shoulder to glance at his teacher. Veles. The God had taken it upon himself to mentor Issei on the use of Boundaries after everything.
A lot had happened in the month since the fight against Perun.
An alliance between the Norse and Slavic Gods had been established, despite Perun and Serpent's Seed's interference. However, the attacks persisted. Skirmishes happened across the globe between supposed agents of Serpent's Seed and the Kuoh Alliance, as it came to be called.
Issei clenched his fists as he remembered the heavy world-shattering blows of the Chief Slavic God. "Better. I can do better." Issei raised his hand once more and closed his eyes.
Black flames swirled before the palm of his hand, forming into a small ball of black energy. He opened his eyes and fired the orb again.
The orb traveled at breakneck speeds, slamming into several trees before detonating violently in a burst of black flames. A wave of intense heat washed over them and Issei fell to his knees panting.
"It's still not strong enough. Especially against her," Issei panted as he tightened his fists.
Veles remained silent as he walked over to Issei. "Don't worry about taking her on all by yourself. Leviathan is an extremely powerful Devil and you won't have to fight her alone. Remember that you have your friends with you."
Issei sighed and sat on his butt. "I hate this. I hate feeling this helpless. Two fucking months and we haven't made any progress on anything. How the heck are we supposed to find this Divine Key, anyway? Can't Irina's Divine Key do the deal and sever the Contract?"
Veles shook his head. "Da'at is a special case. Do you remember Perun's Hammer?"
Issei nodded. "His hammer hits pretty fucking hard."
"That is because it is a Crystallization of a Boundary. Some Ascendants can turn their Boundaries into physical manifestations like my Spear for example or Perun's Hammer or… The Divine Keys of Heaven," Veles turned to Issei.
"All of the Divine Keys are crystallizations of different forces created by the Ein Sof but Da'at is special in that it is Lucifer's Divine Key specifically. The Boundary binding your contract is the Shevirat Ha-Kelim. A fragmentary crystal of a Boundary cannot break it, as easy as it may sound," Veles said.
"So we have to find Metatron to find out where Da'at is?" Issei sighed. "That's just fucking great…"
"At least when we get it, you'll have a chance at breaking your deal. Of course, we'll need to find Lilith too," Mastema reminded him.
"Any chance you might know where Lilith is? If her Boundary is the one reinforcing the Contract, then it's better if we find her too," Issei said.
Veles rubbed his chin as he thought about Issei's question. His eyes glowed slightly as he stood there, motionless for a few moments.
Issei leaned forward, noticing the intense concentration on Veles's face.
"No. It's not so easy to sense an Ascendant when they're actively hiding themselves. I think you'll have to get Da'at first before finding Lilith," Veles said, his tone holding some pity in it.
Issei's shoulders slumped.
[Partner, look on the bright side. If Da'at is somewhere out there, there is a chance we won't be the only ones looking for it. The other Prime Demons might want it as well] Ddraig said in an attempt to make Issei feel better.
"That doesn't really make me feel better, Ddraig," Issei said.
Mitsuki followed closely behind Irina. The frescos throughout Saint Peter's Basilica stared down at her as her heels clacked against the tile floor. A Devil inside one of the most sacred places within the Christian Faith was almost blasphemous. Yet, here she was. Her eyes slowly drifted over to where Irina slowed to a stop.
The girl knelt behind one of the pews and prayed briefly.
"Irina, who are we here for?" Mitsuki asked.
Irina said nothing and continued to pray. Mitsuki rolled her eyes slightly and leaned against one of the pews. After their stop at the Vatican, Mitsuki was supposed to pick up Yorihime from Hephaestus then head back to their branch to greet their new recruit.
Shin Yeonha. The sole survivor of the Seoul Branch. She thought it would be a guy joining their team this time but it seemed that the universe was hellbent on giving her Aniki a harem even if it meant bloating their team. She leaned back and let out a sigh as Irina continued to pray.
"How long is it going to take before she notices I'm sitting next to her?"
She blinked and her head snapped up to see the Archangel Gabriel sitting in the pew next to a kneeling Irina. Mitsuki opened her mouth to say something but Gabriel made a zipping motion in the air and her mouth snapped shut.
"Mmmhhh! Mhhh!" Mitsuki panicked and pointed toward her mouth, looking at Gabriel. Her panic turned to annoyance as she kept pointing at her perpetually closed mouth.
Irina's eyebrow twitched as she heard Mitsuki's stifled protests and her eyes snapped open. "Can you not while I pray…" Her eyes widened when she saw Mitsuki pointing hysterically at who could only be…
"L-Lady Gabriel!" Irina shot to her feet and bowed.
Gabriel smiled and waved her hand, allowing Mitsuki to speak.
"What the fuck—!?" Mitsuki glared at the Archangel.
"Now, now Gabriel. It's not nice to mess with our guests. Especially if it is the guest of my Ace."
The three looked up to see Michael hovering in front of the Crucifix. He landed on the ground and his golden wings folded up against his back. He sighed and smiled apologetically to Mitsuki and Irina.
"I apologize for her behavior," Michael said.
"I-It's fine, Lord Michael," Irina said.
"Yeah," Mitsuki said warily. She looked at the two Archangels for a few seconds before coughing and composing herself. "I… assume Lord Michael and Lady Gabriel already knows why we're here."
Gabriel smiled. "Of course, we do. I'm surprised you two didn't come sooner. My, my though. I never thought I'd see a Faustian Bargain again after 500 years. And to think Leviathan is still roaming around out there." She placed her hand on her cheek and let out a sigh of worry.
"I think it would be best if we found somewhere more private to chat. I doubt the parishioners would like it if we discussed topics regarding demons so brazenly out in the open," Michael offered.
Mitsuki and Irina exchanged glances before nodding.
Michael snapped his fingers and the surroundings suddenly changed. The interior of St. Peter's Basilica changed into that of the inside of a very elegantly designed room with Victorian-style furniture. The room had a single window overlooking an expanse of stars. In the distance, there was the trunk of a massive tree whose branches extended across the sky. Its bough contained leaves that glittered like stars in the night sky and a nebulae of lights pulsated from the crown of the canopy.
Mitsuki felt a tingling in her skin. The air was saturated in Holy Power.
Irina ran toward the window and pressed her hands against it as she watched in awe. Mitsuki's eyes widened as she took in the sheer size and scope of it.
"Are we in…?" she asked.
"We are. We are in Araboth. Or… rather, at Araboth's Edge," Michael said.
"That tree in the distance is the physical embodiment of the Holy System. One of the Four Living Creatures resides within it. The World of Emanation, Atziluth," Gabriel said.
Mitsuki gulped. Heaven. They were in Heaven. She turned to face Michael and Gabriel, who were looking at the both of them expectantly.
"Aniki's deal," Mitsuki breathed out.
A ghost of a smile appeared on Michael's lips. "Yes. We are aware of it. The light of Issei's soul fades with each passing day. On the day he's destined to die, Serpent's Seed will claim Issei's soul."
Mitsuki clenched and unclenched her fist as she took a deep breath. "How do we break it?"
"Veles must have told you, hasn't he? Or at least, he told Issei," Michael said.
"The Divine Key. Lucifer's Divine Key."
"Yes. Ellie's divine key. Though, Da'at has gone missing for 500 years. No one really knows where it is. The 10 other Divine Keys came into existence as fragmentary crystallizations of the Ein Sof but Da'at is a special key that was born from the abyss of the Shevirat Ha-Kelim," Gabriel said.
Mitsuki visibly deflated. Irina placed a hand on her shoulder and looked toward the two Archangels before her.
"Is there any way one of you might know where it is? It can't just be missing. If a weapon that powerful were to end up in the hands of someone else…," Irina said.
Michael's eyebrows furrowed as he pondered her question. "There are… dire consequences. You know that God's Law and Lucifer's Boundaries are inversions of each other. The Shevirat Ha-Kelim is but a dark reflection of the Ein Sof. Acquiring Lucifer's Divine Key is… quite disastrous, especially for us."
"So that means you'll help us search for it, right?" Mitsuki asked.
"We would but even we don't know where to start. And… aren't you wondering why we've let it go missing for 500 years?" Gabriel said.
Mitsuki blinked.
A superweapon capable of potentially wiping out Heaven and causing catastrophe on a cosmic scale. Why did they let it go missing? Something like that must have been on the radar of a thousand Gods and yet, no one seemed to bother looking for it.
Michael's eyes glinted as he saw the gears inside Mitsuki's mind turning. He coughed into his hand before speaking. "There is a reason for that. Da'at cannot be used by anyone other than someone who has the Shevirat Ha-Kelim. And there is currently only one person that we know of that can use it."
Irina's eyes widened. "Ise-kun."
"Precisely. Even if another pantheon were to acquire it, it would be of no use to them. It is effectively just a lance with a massive amount of Holy Power. Of course, the force it can exert is immense but they cannot access the abilities of the Shevirah without it," Michael said. "It's not like other Divine Keys like Gabriel's Yesod or my Hod, or Irina's Malkuth."
"That's why… but Issei's not the only one out there that can use it! V-Veles mentioned that—"
"Lilith?"
Mitsuki's eyes widened when she heard the name come out of Gabriel's mouth.
"We are aware of the possibility that Lilith might be out there. Her allegiances have yet to be confirmed. To be honest with you, I can't one-hundred percent reassure you that Lilith might just be a rumor. But the fact that it is a possibility has us worried. Which is where our goals align~," Gabriel chirped.
Irina glanced at Mitsuki, who appeared to be in deep thought.
"What… are you proposing exactly?" Mitsuki asked.
"You are aware of the standing alliance between the Three Factions and the Blacklight Organization. We wish to propose a cooperation between us to hunt down the Divine Key - Da'at," Michael offered.
Mitsuki opened her mouth to say something but Michael raised his hand. "Allow me to continue before you say anything."
Mitsuki slowly closed her mouth and nodded.
"I am aware that you do not have the authority to do such a thing. Blacklight's Ten Chapter Leaders must agree on the proposal, so I am asking you to bring this bargain to your grandfather," Michael said. "I believe that combining our resources will make this go faster."
Mitsuki nodded slowly. "That sounds reasonable."
"Indeed it is. In exchange, we will allow Issei Hyoudou to keep the Divine Key," Gabriel said.
"W-What? Issei gets to keep it?" Irina asked.
"We are not worried about Issei. His character is simple-minded in nature so we don't think he will go against the interests of his friends. Lecherous he may be in spirit but his intentions are pure in nature," Michael said.
"And you're just fine with us running around with a weapon of mass destruction?" Mitsuki asked.
"In exchange, though, we would like to see Blacklight's research into MagiTech. It is interesting to see a concept born from Sacred Gears," the Archangel replied.
"G-Great! Of course! I'll inform Grandmother. At least, we're making progress into Issei's deal," Mitsuki said.
"Lord Michael, Lady Gabriel, thank you," Irina bowed deeply and reverently.
Gabriel merely smiled. "Think nothing of it. Helping Issei helps us in the long run as well. We're merely acting in our best interest."
"W-Where do we start? Did you get any leads?" Mitsuki asked.
Michael rubbed his chin. "We do have a lead but no whereabouts. Tracking them is solely on you."
"Us?" Irina asked.
"Irina, you are our Blacklight Liaison so please go with them on this. Our lead… is one of the Archangels, Metatron."
"The Scribe?" Irina asked.
Gabriel nodded and produced an image of white-haired Angel bearing a white sword and twelve white wings. The man wore a black and gold long coat with blue decorating it in various places. His eyes were ice-blue like Raphael's yet there seemed to be something else in his gaze.
"Metatron bears the Divine Key called Keter, which is why we aren't able to find him so easily. He can retreat into a realm of his own making, making it hard to track his whereabouts even with us using the System," Michael said.
"That lazy, ninja-obsessed bastard disappeared after the War ended and Father died. Had the gall to take Keter with him as well," Gabriel sighed.
Irina and Mitsuki glanced at each other, unsure of what to say.
"In any case, if you can track down Metatron then he might be able to direct you to a way you can find the Key."
"You want us to track someone that can slip into a subspace at will? I doubt even my grandmother or Lord Hephaestus can do that," Mitsuki said.
"I'm sure they can. There are periods of time when Metatron comes into the real world. After all, he has a certain someone with him that likes to go into reality often," Gabriel said.
"...We'll do it. If it's for Aniki's sake, then I'll throw everything at the wall until something sticks," Mitsuki said.
Michael stood at the edge of the gaping abyss of stars that separated the Sixth Heaven and Araboth. His green eyes watched as the boughs of the tree rustled before pulsating and sending streaks of light across the infinitude of space and time contained within this microcosm.
"You're awfully quiet, Gabriel," Michael said.
"Why didn't you tell them?" Gabriel asked.
"They'll find out anyway from him. Metatron has never been one to be quiet about things. Of course, finding him is a task that's easier said than done," Michael said as he reached out to touch the space in front of him.
A translucent hexagonal barrier appeared, preventing him from entering.
"They have the right to know, especially your Ace," Gabriel said.
"It's better for her not to know. With Lilith potentially being our enemy, it's better not to plant any information that can be used against us," he said.
"Still…"
Michael watched as the System pulsated again, this time, sending a black shooting star streaking across the sky. "Serpent's Seed's goal has always been this. Now that we're more aware of them, it's become even more pressing that Issei Hyoudou must survive."
Gabriel nodded.
"He must not be allowed to be sacrificed as the Sacrificial Lamb. If he does, then it will all be over," Michael said as he tracked the black star streak across the sky. "Everything as we know it will end."
"Father's notes. Sister's sacrifice and her final words to us. You're talking about the thing that started the war… aren't you?" Gabriel whispered.
Michael nodded, a grave look etching itself across his face. "When the time comes, I will reveal all that I know but for now, I must hold my piece. After all, the enemy is fully expecting us to send our youngest to find the Key."
Gabriel sighed. "You and your mind games. And people call me sly. But still, I feel bad for them. Metatron has her with him, doesn't he?"
"He does. And he can do the dumping on them. After all, he knows where that person is as well. That person will be the key to finding it all. After all, only Prophets can locate Divine Keys."
"Ne, Mii-chan, what is this person supposed to be like? The new member of the team," Issei asked.
Mitsuki looked up from her AS pad. The new member's profile was displayed across the screen, giving her a myriad of information. Before she could say anything, Ingvild turned to Issei. "Shin Yeonha. She's the sole survivor of the Seoul Incident. Not long after the Ragnarok Incident in the Norse, we managed to find a match for the demonic power sample we found at all the sites that were destroyed. It's a clear match to… Leviathan."
Issei shivered.
That woman's eerie yellow eyes still gave him the chills. There was simply no escaping her no matter how far he ran. Was this woman just in this for the fun of it?
"The leader of the Chinese Branch pulled her out of the rubble I think before she drowned. According to her files, she attended an affiliate school in Seoul called St. Catherine's and is the top ranked student. They pushed for an early graduation," Mitsuki read.
"She sounds like a real life webtoon heroine. Top grades. Goes to an elite school for fighters. Tragic background," Issei counted off.
"Ise…," Irina said.
"Right, right… She lost her entire family," Issei mumbled.
"Not all of her family. She has her older brother left. But he's off somewhere in Korea. Last time I heard, the two rarely get along. The Shin family promotes a lot of competition and her brother is a favorite among the elders of her family," Mitsuki said.
"How's Yorihime treating you?" Ingvild asked.
Mitsuki smiled fondly as she rested her hand on her beloved weapon.
When she retrieved Yorihime from Hephaestus, the weapon had been upgraded for a lack of better terms. Rather than its standard katana form, it came as a pair this time. Yorihime had been reforged into an odachi. Its sheath still contained the trigger mechanism, which she was happy with. However, Hephaestus saw fit to add something to it.
The kodachi, which she had taken to calling Toyohime. Unlike the odachi, it did not have the trigger mechanism but attached alongside the odachi on her belt via a magnetic clip. She ran a hand alongside Yorihime's scabbard.
"I tried it out in the training room. It feels like it got better. Not that the old Yorihime was bad but this new one has some stuff I can pull off," Mitsuki grinned.
"And it has a new feature to it. I think you guys will really like it."
"I never like it when she says that. It usually means she wants to throw me through a wall. Don't forget I'm still part of Rias Gremory's peerage. Prez won't like it if you hurt me too much," Issei said, placing his hands on his hips and huffing comically.
"Don't worry too much. Rias still has to get my blessing to marry you," Mitsuki waved her hand off-handedly.
"Oh, the Gate is opening," Ingvild said.
The four turned as the circular entryway spun before a green vortex manifested in the middle.
"Okay everyone, stand at attention. Issei…"
"What?"
"Don't stare at her chest," Mitsuki said.
"What? What's that supposed to mean? I-I'm not a boob monster or something," Issei protested.
[You are. You are literally called the Oppai Dragon, Partner.]
"There she is!" Irina pointed out.
Out of the portal, the girl came walking out. The girl had a cool look on her face with long dark, almost maroon colored hair with a side ponytail. She wore a snappy looking uniform, complete with a black blazer that had her badge and black shorts with long black leggings and tactical boots. There was a large cello case slung over her shoulder.
Her cold red eyes gazed upon them, drinking in every detail of her new partners.
Sensing a bit of tension and pressure from the girl, Issei decided to make the first move.
"Hey, I'm—"
But his attempts to break the ice were completely ignored as the girl walked past him and Irina, her gaze completely fixated on Mitsuki as she sized her up.
Mitsuki raised an eyebrow at the girl, who stared at her intensely for a few seconds before saluting Mitsuki and standing ramrod straight.
"I am Shin Yeonha. My family name is Shin. Please refer to me as Yeonha. Starting today, I've been relocated under you, Captain," the girl said in perfect Japanese.
Issei felt a bit miffed. The girl had completely ignored him and Irina and kept her gaze solely fixed on Mitsuki.
"Oh, yes. It's a pleasure to meet you. Starting today, I will be your team leader," Mitsuki said. "Allow me to introduce you to your new squad mates. One of them is our liaison with Heaven while the other is also acting as both a rookie Agent like you and as a bridge to the Devils in Gehenna."
Yeonha nodded stiffly.
"This is going to be your vice captain, Ingvild. She's a half-devil like me and works regularly with the Intelligence Division. If you need anything, you can run to her and she will most likely answer your question," Mitsuki said.
Ingvild smiled and nodded. "Wait… mostly?" Ingvild shot Mitsuki a look.
"It is an honor to work under you, Vice Captain. I look forward to growing under your watch," Yeonha bowed respectfully. However, she spoke in a slightly clipped tone.
Mitsuki ignored her and continued on. She gestured to Irina, who beamed at Yeonha with a polite smile. "This is Irina Shidou. She is the Ace of the Archangel Michael and Heaven's Liaison."
Yeonha's eyes widened. She looked at Irina with some slight awe in her face before nodding. "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I… have never met an Angel before."
Irina rubbed the back of her head. "Ahahaha, well I haven't always been an Angel. I used to be a human like you, hehehe."
"Still, to be chosen by the Archangel Michael. I mean, my clan looks down on foreigners but my parents were members of Blacklight. I've heard stories of how terrifying the Seraphim are from them," Yeonha said.
"Now you're making me blush, haha!" Irina said as she scratched her cheek in embarrassment.
"And, finally, he is new here but he is also a member of the Gremory Peerage. This is Aniki— I mean, Issei Hyoudou. The Red Dragon Emperor," Mitsuki gestured to Issei.
Issei smiled as he turned to greet Yeonha.
Instead, the girl stared at him blankly. Her eyes roamed up and down all over him, making him feel unsettled. The way she was staring was as if she were staring at an ant, gauging his entire existence to see if he was at all worthy of even a grain of her attention.
After a few uncomfortable seconds, the girl huffed and turned to face Mitsuki.
Wait… did she just…? Issei felt his eye twitch.
"Oh dear," Mastema sighed.
[This girl. She's not reverent of our status as a Dragon Emperor.] Ddraig snarled inside the Boosted Gear.
"Was there ever really much respect there to begin with~?" Mastema asked playfully.
[Why you—!] Ddraig said.
"But her eyes hold… a lot of darkness," Mastema said.
Even still, Issei felt a bit annoyed. Why did that girl greet all of them except him?
"H-Hey! I'm Issei, nice to meet you—"
Yeonha ignored him and glanced back at Mitsuki. "I look forward to working with you, Captain."
"Uhuh…," Mitsuki said. "There was one more teammate that you forgot to greet—"
"Hey!" Issei grabbed her shoulder.
The girl stiffened, her body tensing.
"What?" Yeonha asked as she shook Issei off her shoulder.
"It's polite to return someone's greeting when they say hi," he said in an annoyed voice.
She narrowed her eyes as she turned to fully face Issei. Her red eyes seemed to shimmer with an untold amount of annoyance.
"So, if you don't mind, as your senpai, it's only right that you return my greeting—"
"I refuse to acknowledge you."
"Huh?" Issei blinked owlishly and stared at her.
Yeonha stood her ground confidently and stared at him fiercely.
"I've read all about you. All of you. Your interests. Your hobbies. Even your mission files. Someone as incompetent as you, I refuse to acknowledge you as my sunbae," Yeonha said.
"W-What…? This little—!" Issei's jaw clenched.
Mitsuki rubbed her forehead in annoyance as she watched Issei and Yeonha glare at each other.
"This… is going to be a long case."
Shin Yeonha
A young and talented woman from St. Catherine's Academy and the top ranked student. She is the sole survivor of the Seoul Incident.
The Queen of Seoul and the Goddess of Storms. Those were all titles given to her by the classmates who admired her.
Yet, for all her power, misfortune struck her and cost her the life of her parents.
Through fate and circumstance, she was transferred to Kuoh where her destiny became intertwined with the Red Dragon Emperor. But even then, she cares naught for her new comrades but only revenge against the demon that slaughtered her parents.
Heylo, it's been a long time huh? You all THOUGHT I abandoned Til Midnight 3.0? NO! I just took a really long break from it. It was a bit odd getting back into the flow of the story but now we've reached The Doomsday Option's 5th arc. I did a lot of changing of lore while I was away, especially regarding this arc since a lot of it would have dragged it on and I want to get to where we were in the original Til Midnight story wise and past it.
So, regarding this arc and some things mentioned in this chapter:
Metatron: Metatron is going to be a character in this arc and the Angel they encounter. There is a new Prime Demon in this arc but her identity will be revealed later. But yes, expect Metatron to appear in a few chapters.
Divine Key - Da'at: Falling back in with Crystallizations mentioned in the previous arc, Da'at is the crystallization of the Shevirat Ha-Kelim aka Lucifer's Boundary. It will be Issei's weapon for a good chunk of this arc and the next one. What form it will take will be a surprise but it most likely will not remain what it was originally in the OG Til Midnight.
Prophets: Yeah, yeah, I know I know. It's the same song and dance. I'll explain it for those who aren't aware. The Prophet is aware of them but in a weird way. It'll be explained more how Prophets are treated in a more secular era so I can finally put my years of study into writing.
Shin Yeonha: Yes, she was mentioned in the last arc. She is appearing in this one. She is the very cliche of a webtoon heroine in a Hunter Webtoon. You all remember the nicknames she had, right? Ranker. Queen of Seoul. I tacked every cliche on to Yeonha but don't worry, I'll write her in a way that fits this narrative. I'm sure you all caught that Leviathan killed her family. Hehe, prepare for some wacky team dynamics.
I believe that is it. I've decided to space out the timing of the chapter updates so I don't overwhelm myself. RE:Wind and Red Sky are running concurrently with TDO so far.