"You can't,"
His thumbs circled her nipples, slow and teasing, coaxing a traitorous jolt through her core. The instinctive heat rising within her body disgusted her.
His hands slid lower, gripping her hips, fingers bruising her through her skirt. He yanked her back, his hardness pressing against her lower spine. The contact sent a sickening lurch through her stomach, her skin crawling as if infested.
Tatsuya smiled as he grinded himself against her. Grayfia could feel it, she could feel his impressive length poke her backside. Despite her drunken state, Grayfia would never forget the promise she made to Sirzechs.
"Forgive me Grayfia-san, I don't want to ruin our relationship, I don't want to cross the line, Grayfia-san… just let me indulge… just… just let me use you for a bit," he whispered, lips grazing her neck, leaving a wet trail. His tongue flicked her skin, a slimy intrusion that made her shudder.
Her neck burned where he touched, filling her with revulsion.
Grayfia, the Queen of the Underworld, fell into a daze as she heard his words. Hasn't this been exactly what she talked about with Sirzechs? To allow him to indulge to a certain limit.
She had been bold and unhesitant in front of her husband but now that she was actually letting herself get violated a hint of hesitation rose involuntarily.
If not for being drunk she would've killed him for this offense.
His fingers crept beneath her skirt, tracing the sensitive skin of her inner thigh.
Her muscles tensed, quivering under the invasive caress. The fabric of her panties offered no shield as his fingertips brushed their edge, teasing her most private place.
The place that belonged to her husband.
The husband she had been married to for centuries, even birthing a son recently.
Grayfia's breath hitched.
Her thighs clenched instinctively, but his hand was relentless, slipping higher. The heat of his palm against her skin was suffocating.
She should stop him.
Tell him that enough was enough.
But she hesitated, his hand cupping her through her panties. His fingers pressed against her core, a bold, defiling grip. The pressure sent a shockwave through her, her body trembling with a mix of rage and unwanted sensation.
Her clit throbbed under his touch, a traitor to her will, sparking flickers of heat she despised. Her hips twitched, a reflex she couldn't suppress, and the shame of it crushed her. She gritted her teeth, jaw aching.
His fingers moved, stroking her through the thin fabric, slow and deliberate. Each pass sent a jolt through her nerves, her body responding despite her mind's screams. Her inner walls clenched, a humiliating warmth pooling where she least wanted it.
Grayfia's nails dug into her palms, blood trickling down her fingers. The pain was a lifeline, grounding her against the assault on her senses.
Tatsuya's other hand roamed upward, squeezing her breast again, his thumb flicking her nipple. The dual assault overwhelmed her.
His lips found her earlobe, sucking gently, the wet sound echoing in her skull. Her stomach roiled, bile rising as his tongue traced the shell of her ear. The intimacy of it was unbearable, a mockery of affection that made her want to scream.
"Has he ever touched you like this?" he mocked, his voice venomous. His fingers slipped beneath her panties, brushing the bare skin of her folds. The direct contact was a lightning strike, her body jerking as if electrocuted.
Her core pulsed, slickness betraying her despite her horror. His fingertips explored her, parting her folds with a sickening gentleness. Each stroke was precise, calculated to unravel her, and Grayfia's knees buckled, held up only by his grip.
She was being touched, touched by a man that wasn't her husband.
She hated him. Hated her body. Hated the duty that forced her to endure. Her chest heaved, each breath a struggle against the weight of his hands. Her nipples, hardened under his relentless teasing, ached with a sensitivity that made her want to claw her skin off.
Tatsuya's finger circled her clit, slow and torturous, drawing a whimper she couldn't stifle. The sound humiliated her. Her hips twitched again, seeking relief from the torment, and she cursed her flesh for its weakness.
How long had it been since she felt such a sensation?
His other hand slid down, joining the first, spreading her wider. A second finger pressed against her entrance, teasing the slick heat there. Grayfia's mind recoiled, but her body arched, a reflex that filled her with self-loathing.
"You're wet," he sneered, his voice dripping with triumph. He pushed a finger inside her. Her walls clenched around him, a desperate attempt to expel the violation, but it only heightened the sensation.
Grayfia's vision swam. The fullness inside her was unbearable, each slow thrust of his finger causing her walls to tingle. Her clit throbbed under his thumb's relentless pressure, sparks of pleasure mingling with her agony.
The wet sounds of his fingers moving inside her echoed in the quiet room, the room she shared with her beloved husband.
Tatsuya's lips returned to her neck, biting softly, teeth grazing her pulse. The sharp sting grounded her, a fleeting distraction from the assault below. But his fingers quickened, curling inside her, hitting a spot that made her gasp, her body betraying her again.
His thumb pressed harder on her clit. Her body tensed, threatening to snap. She fought it, clenching her fists, but the pleasure built, a feeling she couldn't stop.
"Let it out…" he whispered.
A second finger joined the first, stretching her wider, the burn intensifying. Her walls fluttered, her body teetering on the edge, and Grayfia grinded her teeth.
The climax hit as a white-hot surge that tore through her. Her body convulsed, walls clamping around his fingers, slickness coating his hand. Grayfia's lips quivered as her knees gave out, only his grip keeping her upright
Tatsuya laughed as he withdrew his hand, leaving her empty. Grayfia slumped against the wall, her body trembling.
Tatsuya knelt down as he looked at Grayfia who didn't dare match his gaze.
He pulled her hand into his and hugged her tightly, "Ah, Grayfia-san." Their fingers interlocked, "Aren't we like lovers now? Isn't it exciting?"
Grayfia did her best to calm down. She tried to pull herself away from his embrace but it was futile.
Her famous strength was nowhere to be seen and her drunk state made her mind muddled. What could she do but let him have his way?
It wasn't like she could burn the bridge now.
Wouldn't her sacrifice, her humiliation be meaningless then?
So she had to endure.
Tatsuya pulled his back to look her in the eyes. The hatred in them sent a jolt of pleasure through him. He instinctively dove in to kiss her.
Pa!
The sound of a striking slap reverberated in the room as a stunned Tatsuya turned his head back.
"Don't you dare try to kiss me. Know your place!" Grayfia hissed, "Penetration and kissing are not for someone like you." The disdain in her voice made Tatsuya pause.
He sighed before standing up with a conflicted expression.
"I apologise."
It was unknown if he was being sincere or not.
Grayfia couldn't tell, nor did she care. She kept her head low as she heard his footsteps becoming faint.
He left.
Grayfia relaxed, she was worried he would force her again. She regretted it, she just hoped to get the information she needed by getting him drunk. She regretted accepting his invitation.
She hadn't expected him to be so bold, so cunning.
This boy, no… man had a complete understanding of the situation unlike someone of his age should have.
He knew where his advantage lay and was fully exploiting it.
Grayfia looked at the carpet stained with her juices, a glint of shame passed through her eyes. That scum knew exactly how to stimulate her, every touch made her want to scream out in pleasure, to just succumb to his torture.
It made Grayfia shudder.
Then… would he continue this?
Grayfia felt another jolt of panic spreading through her. Did she have to deal with this kind of humiliation every day?
After all, most of the time it was just her and Tatsuya at home.
…
And Grayfia was right.
Today was the day before the engagement.
Everyone in the Gremory Territory was bustling with activity. Rias and her group were out shopping while the House of Gremory was engaged in preparations for tomorrow's engagement ceremony. Perhaps because the situation wasn't forced as it was with Riser Phenex the House was very enthusiastically getting everything prepared.
Grayfia, Tatsuya and Ichika walked together in a supposed private shopping mall of the Underworld
A sober Grayfia kept her expression neutral as she walked behind Tatsuya and Ichika, trailing his steps. It was as if she had no memory of what had happened yesterday.
As for why Grayfia was accompanying them?
In the morning Rias had insisted Tatsuya come with them but Tatsuya argued that a man and woman's shopping was fundamentally different, that they should both surprise each other on the day of the engagement.
Rias found it hard to argue.
Additionally, Tatsuya suggested that Grayfia help him today as, one, he still didn't have a bank account and second, she was a mature adult and could help him through the process.
While conflicted, Rias agreed. She wanted to surprise him as well and she knew Grayfia was really astute. She had accurately gauged that Tatsuya was a woman with modest clothing when she went to talk with him before the Phenex Family arrived.
Hence, both parties parted ways.
"Grayfia-san, why is this mall so empty?" Ichika looked around curiously, noting that only workers and clerks were present.
Grayfia replied, "This is a private shopping complex belonging to the Noble Clans. Every Noble Clan has one in their territory."
"Wow~!" Ichika laughed in excitement as she jumped around.
The shopping itself wasn't complex.
For Tatsuya, they just needed to pick out a good suit, clothes and shoes, the rest would be handled by the servants.
"But looking at Tatsuya-nii's face even if we picked out some beggars' rags wouldn't he still look the best?" Ichika pouted as she skipped forward.
Grayfia was stunned as she turned to look at Tatsuya. She felt conflicted and didn't know what to say, it wasn't like she could deny the truth in Ichika's words. She retracted her gaze just as Tatsuya turned to look at her.
Tatsuya smiled before bonking Ichika on the head.
"What's that for!?" Ichika rubbed her head in anger and Tatsuya scoffed, "If I didn't know better I would think you're praising yourself. Be obedient and don't trouble Grayfia-san."
"Please do not worry, I am simply here to accompany you in shopping and give some simple help. You can ignore me for most of the part and shop to your delight."
Grayfia shook her head and Ichika stuck a tongue out towards Tatsuya before running into a designer shop. Tatsuya followed with a wry smile, "This rascal…"
Tatsuya shadowed Ichika into the sleek designer boutique.
The shop was a quiet haven of tailored suits and polished racks, clerks hovering just out of earshot.
Grayfia stood by a display of silk ties, her stance rigid, fingers clasped so tightly her knuckles whitened. Tatsuya sauntered over, lifting a navy jacket with feigned interest.
"I think this looks good." He said casually and Grayfia narrowed her eyes. She glanced back and saw a female clerk attending Ichika. To her surprise it was as if Ichika had completely forgotten about them, not even glancing towards them once.
He wouldn't.
Grayfia hoped silently as she nodded in response to his words. She wasn't interested in small talk.
But just as she had that thought, his hand grazed her lower back, making her breath hitch.
She froze.
His fingers didn't move, pressing through her dress, slow and deliberate.
Memories of yesterday began rushing in, igniting a sickening heat in her gut.
"Grayfia-san…" he murmured, not even bothering to mask the lust in his voice. It was as if he had no worry of Ichika noticing.
Ignore it… just ignore it, Grayfia.
She did her best to stay composed. To Grayfia being molested was one thing, but being molested by such a hateful bastard was another. To top it all off, this was what Sirzechs was expecting to happen and he wanted to capitalize on it.
Sure… he had given her the choice to refuse… but they were both smart. In her position, Grayfia wouldn't refuse a request from Sirzechs, and he knew this. So giving her an option to opt out was no different than being commanded to get touched by another man.
Worst of it, all?
Grayfia felt her heart race faster as his hand slowly nestled against her butt, each squeeze causing her to shift in place uncomfortably.
Yamamoto Tatsuya.
The man who knew he was given permission to touch another man's wife and had no scruples in doing so despite having an engagement with the very sister of the man's wife he was touching disgracefully.
With an amused smile, he picked out two ties and hovered them in front of her face.
"I quite like these two colors, Grayfia-san. Which one should I pick?" Grayfia's lips twitched as veins of anger began pulsing through her forehead.
She clenched her fists while looking at the red and crimson ties he was asking her to choose from.
The signature hair color of the Gremory Household.
This bastard!
Grayfia had the urge to slice his head off but her irritation only grew knowing that probably still won't kill him.
Receiving no answer Tatsuya frowned and his hand began slipping inside her skirt grazing her soft thigh. The touch was teasing, but it sent a jolt through her.
"...Crimson."
At his urging, she was forced to answer. She wondered where Ichika was and turned her eyes back just to see that Ichika was gone.
???
"Where's Ichika?" She whispered and noticed the hand touching her freeze.
Tatsuya with a somewhat stiff smile turned around and also noticed the absence of Ichika. Grayfia saw the subtle changes in his eyes, as if time had slowed down.
She saw the lust in his eyes slowly turn into tension as he let go of her.
"Ichika! Wasn't she just talking to you!?" He turned around and stormed towards the attendant who was talking to her earlier. His yell reverberated in the shop and Grayfia was stunned by the overreaction.
The attendant was just a Low-Class Devil and felt the immense pressure from his grip on her shoulder. She trembled, "I-I don't know, she saw something outside the shop and left."
Tatsuya's eyes turned cold.
"Calm down, she couldn't have gone far." Grayfia pulled Tatsuya's hand, freeing the clerk, "We're still in the Gremory Territory."
Tatsuya frowned.
"She wouldn't ever leave my side without telling me, I made sure she wouldn't!" Tatsuya gritted his teeth, rushing out of the store.
Grayfia was flabbergasted but knowing his past she could understand his reaction. Trauma wasn't so easy to leave behind.
Looking at his panicked back, the motherly side of Grayfia felt pity. She couldn't help but feel bad despite how Tatsuya treated her.
She followed him out and looked around, Tatsuya was actively looking for her and making the mall a mess. While confused, she went around looking for Ichika too.
What Grayfia didn't know was that Tatsuya was not acting.
He had specifically told Ichika to follow him around at all times to tease Grayfia. If all she did was leave his side then he wouldn't make a fuss, but through the mark he branded on her he could feel that while she was still in the mall she was unconscious.
Tatsuya couldn't let anything happen to her!
Not till her value was properly utilised!
Kaguya, track her!
He mentally commanded and Kaguya flew out of his body.
Just as she began to calculate, Tatsuya froze in place.
His eyes narrowed into sharp slits.
The lights in the mall stuttered once, then fell into darkness.
Purple mist surged towards him and enveloped the area around him.
Tatsuya stiffened as the cold, biting sensation of isolation swallowed him whole.
The world blurred at the edges, sound vanished, and even the presence of Grayfia, just steps away, disappeared.
Tatsuya's eyes widened.
Dimension Lost!?
His instincts screamed, but he stayed still.
Moving inside a twisted space like this without understanding would only quicken his fall.
"Kaguya," he murmured without moving his lips.
"Four signatures."
The ground distorted.
From the swirling mist, four figures emerged.
At their front walked a man with silver hair and a playful smile that did not touch his cruel eyes.
Clad in an immaculate white suit, he strolled as if attending a casual tea party.
Rizevim Livan Lucifer.
Trailing behind him with casual grace, a young man holding a glowing spear, radiating a sharp, unyielding pressure.
Cao Cao.
The third was a gaunt figure wrapped in priest-like robes, his vacant eyes staring forward without a flicker of emotion.
George.
And behind them all, silent as a shadow, a small barefoot girl with flowing black hair and blank dragon-like eyes.
Ophis.
Swish!
Just as Tatsuya's muscles tensed a spear whistled past him, blasting his arm into a bloody mist, only for it to regrow in a second, as if nothing had happened.
There was a faint glow lingering in the air as the spear returned to its owner.
Cao Cao rested his spear against his shoulder, surveying Tatsuya calmly.
"Your regenerative ability is extraordinary," Cao Cao said, voice smooth and professional. "Beyond the Phenex indeed. You haven't lied." He looked towards the silver-haired Devil.
Rizevim laughed lightly, clapping his hands together as if delighted.
"Oh, but what a delicious little scandal it would cause, snatching you away right under dear Sirzechs' nose," he said, his voice dripping with theatrical mockery. "Ah, the outrage, the heartache. I can hardly wait."
Tatsuya stayed silent, his mind whirring. He could've avoided the spear but the sheer pressure emanating from Ophis locked him in place. Every possible escape route, every chance, every variable ran through his head.
None of them ended well.
It didn't help that he could see the numbers hovering above their heads.
George had 8,981.
Cao Cao had 32,789.
Rizevim Lucifer had 456,898.
And Ophis…
Even someone as mentally tough as Tatsuya felt shaken inwardly as he glanced at the top of her head. It made his heart turn cold.
|8,976,800|
As Tatsuya contemplated, George raised a hand slightly, maintaining the thick veil of Dimension Lost around the area.
His lips barely moved.
"Stabilization at ninety-eight percent. No external interference."
Ophis took a small step forward.
The atmosphere thickened, gravity itself seeming to bow before her.
Without a word, without any change in expression, she raised a delicate hand and placed it gently against Tatsuya's forehead.
He stiffened but there was a strange glint in his eyes as he matched his gaze with Ophis.
A cold, oppressive force surged into his mind.
Just overwhelming power.
His vision blurred.
Don't do anything—
Was Tatsuya's last thought towards Kaguya as he fell unconscious.
The world around him dimmed, edges turning black.
Through the haze, he barely registered Rizevim's lazy voice.
"Well, that was easy. I almost feel bad. Almost."
…
Cao Cao gave a short nod to George, who completed the spatial fold.
Tatsuya's body was lifted effortlessly. Cao Cao slung him over his shoulder without ceremony, adjusting the weight with efficiency.
"Move. Before someone realizes he's gone," Cao Cao said calmly.
Ophis simply turned and walked away, barefoot steps silent against the broken marble. She had a strange feeling inside of her as she glanced at Tatsuya. It caused her discomfort. This was the first time she ever felt like this.
But Ophis ignored the voice of hostility inside her, to her this only meant that Tatsuya might indeed be of help in removing Great Red from the Dimensional Gap.
The mist collapsed inward, and with a final twist of space, the mall returned to normal.
Tatsuya was gone.
Vanished from the Underworld just before his engagement.
-x-X-x-
The first thing Tatsuya heard was the sound of voices—low and calm but laced with tension.
He didn't move. He kept his breathing shallow, allowing his senses to sharpen slowly as he feigned unconsciousness.
"I still say this is a waste of time," a lazy voice drawled, unmistakably Bikou, the monkey-tailed member of Vali's team. "We kidnap some guy because he can heal? What's the big deal?"
"You understand nothing, monkey," Arthur Pendragon replied, his tone polite but scathing. "A body with regeneration surpassing the Phenex Clan is no trivial matter. The medical, military, and experimental applications are endless."
Le Fay giggled lightly beside her brother, her voice soft but carrying easily in the echoing hall. "Arthur's right. It's not just about healing fast."
Another voice joined, calm and dismissive. "Indeed."
Cao Cao.
He stood at the front of the gathering, arms crossed, the True Longinus leaning casually against his shoulder. His gaze remained fixed on Tatsuya's chained form. "With that kind of regenerative factor under our control," Cao Cao continued, "We could create soldiers immune to conventional death. Or better yet, integrate it into ourselves."
A faint chuckle rippled through the room, mostly from Rizevim himself.
Vali leaned against a far wall, arms crossed, his silver hair gleaming under the dim lights. He said nothing, but his gaze was sharp.
"You're the one who insisted on using Dimension Lost," Vali said finally, his voice low. "Risking the Underworld's notice. Risking Sirzechs noticing."
Rizevim grinned wide. "Risks are half the fun, my dear descendant. Don't tell me you're going soft on me now?"
"You told me we'd focus on that damned Soul Reaper, you old fart!" Vali hissed, barely containing his anger.
The Soul Reaper. The man who had killed his adoptive father. Vali didn't care about the Khaos Brigade. He simply wanted to fight strong opponents and build a team of his own. If not for wanting to avenge Azazel, he wouldn't have bothered with this little event.
And to achieve his goal, he knew he'd need help from her.
Ophis stood silently beside Rizevim, her expression blank. Her very presence was enough to keep the room in check. No one spoke directly to her.
George, ever silent, adjusted the runes etched into the dimensional barrier surrounding the room.
Near the edge of the group, Kuroka stood with her arms crossed, her golden eyes narrowing as she stared at Tatsuya. "Hmph. He smells like her," she muttered, her voice low but sharp.
Bikou glanced at her with a smirk. "Still got sister issues, huh, Kuroka?"
Kuroka's tail twitched irritably, but she said nothing more. Her eyes lingered on Tatsuya longer than the others, filled with a complicated, unreadable emotion.
Le Fay leaned toward her brother. "He's waking up," she whispered, her voice tinged with curiosity. A small blush colored her cheeks.
All eyes turned back toward the center.
Tatsuya's eyelids fluttered open. The harsh, sterile light of the chamber greeted him. Chains bound his wrists and ankles, humming faintly with anti-magic suppression.
Well, at least the chair's comfortable.
He sat calmly, taking in the scene. They surrounded him like vultures around a fresh corpse.
Rizevim stepped forward, hands spread wide in mock welcome. "Good morning, sunshine. Hope you enjoyed your little nap."
Tatsuya said nothing. His gaze swept the room calmly.
Rizevim chuckled at his demeanor. "Ah, that look. The calculating gaze of a caged animal. I love it."
Cao Cao stepped forward, cutting through Rizevim's taunting with a cold edge. "Yamamoto Tatsuya." His eyes gleamed. "Your regenerative abilities are of great interest to us. I implore you to cooperate. The world is filled with filth as it is. With your abilities, we could restore it to a state without cruelty."
Those words… weren't they mine when I nuked Japan?
Tatsuya raised a brow in surprise. "You… sound very heroic."
"Huh?" Cao Cao, caught off guard by the sudden compliment, fumbled for a response.
Vali interrupted. "You're wasting time talking to him like he's going to agree," he said. "I don't care what you do, Rizevim, but if you're not going to help me, there's no reason for me to stay in this group. I won't wait long."
He stormed off, unwilling to linger in the situation.
Silence fell over the hall before Tatsuya spoke. "Who exactly are you people?"
"Help remove the annoying dragon, get silence back," Ophis said simply.
Rizevim's lips twitched. He shook his head before clapping his hands, drawing attention to himself. "We are the Khaos Brigade!" He spread his arms wide, eyes gleaming with fervor. "We exist to stand against the growing alliance of the three factions!"
"Two," Cao Cao corrected, and Rizevim froze before coughing lightly.
"It was three, but… some guy came and killed all the major players of the Fallen Angel Faction. Anyway, we stand against the world, in simple terms." Rizevim kept his true purpose vague with Cao Cao and the others present.
"I see. You're just terrorists." Tatsuya's voice was flat. "What if I don't cooperate?"
Ophis blinked and tilted her head, her black hair brushing against her pale shoulders. "You… will stay," she said simply.
It was not a request.
Rizevim sneered and, with a sudden motion, slapped Tatsuya's face. The blow wasn't ordinary—it obliterated half his face in a bloody mist. Tatsuya's remaining eye widened as his brain, skull, and tissues began knitting themselves back together with uncanny speed.
"You'd make a fine stress bag," Rizevim mocked. "Think you're special just because you beat some little chicken? Noble? Hah! Nobility isn't for the likes of you to judge."
As one of the oldest devils, Rizevim's pride ran deeper than the softened devils of the current era. His disdain for Tatsuya's defiance—especially after insulting devil nobility in his fight with Riser Phenex—fueled his cruelty.
Despite the humiliation, Tatsuya remained silent. His gaze softened as it settled on Rizevim, an almost gentle glint in his eyes.
Rizevim met his stare and laughed. "Glare at me with all the frost you want, kid. It won't matter. Be obedient, or I'll show you what death really is. Think your daddy Sirzechs will save you? Even if he comes, it's futile. Even if I'm not here, she will be." He gestured toward Ophis.
Tatsuya met Ophis's gaze without flinching.
"Hmph, I'm leaving," Rizevim announced, his tone abruptly jovial. "I want to see the Underworld squirm. It'll be fun watching them panic. Hahaha!" He flew off, his laughter echoing.
His erratic behavior drew disdainful glances from the others, but he was beyond caring. His true aim lay beyond this petty scheme—releasing Trihexa and contacting the Otherworld.
Fanaticism burned in his eyes as he vanished.
Several others departed, leaving only Kuroka, Cao Cao, George, Le Fay, Arthur, and Ophis in the chamber.
Ophis remained in the corner, staring blankly at the ceiling.
"Don't mind Rizevim. He's twisted in the head. No one takes him seriously," Cao Cao said, stepping forward to release the chains on Tatsuya's limbs. "I'm sure you're smart enough not to try escaping."
The constant pressure from Ophis bore down on him. It felt like carrying a mountain on his back.
"Hmm." Tatsuya narrowed his eyes. "What did you do to my sister?"
"She's simply unconscious. We didn't harm her," George said, adjusting his glasses, his eyes filled with curiosity toward Tatsuya.
"Thank you." Tatsuya bowed slightly.
"It's not noble. We simply don't want to fall out with you yet," Arthur explained. "Maybe you'll join us?"
"So adorable, what a bond between siblings! Hey, how's my cute little sister doing, nya~?"
"Your sister?" Tatsuya eyed the black-haired, busty nekomata, his eyes narrowing. "Koneko?"
"Yeah! Yeah!" Kuroka nodded excitedly, and Tatsuya said, "She's fine."
"So, what's going to happen to me now?" Tatsuya smiled bitterly, adopting the demeanor of a helpless man.
"George and I will take your blood for testing. Le Fay will help us run some tests. Can you explain your regeneration?" Cao Cao asked.
"Hmm, take some," Tatsuya said with a smile. "As for the second question…" He paused, his tone turning cold. "No."
He wasn't going to act chummy with these people. They knew nothing of the rage festering inside him. He was a hair's breadth from slaughtering them all, just because of Rizevim. This was the second time someone had caused him true anger.
Sure, he couldn't touch Tatsumaki for now, but Rizevim?
His eyes turned cold.
Ophis was the only reason he was still behaving.
He really wanted to confirm something.
Cao Cao, Arthur, and George weren't talkative. After receiving the blood sample, they didn't waste time and left the room. Le Fay looked like she wanted to stay and talk but eventually followed her brother, confusion evident on her face.
Kuroka remained, eyeing him tauntingly. "Is the big, bad immortal mad, nya~?"
Tatsuya didn't answer and sat back in the chair, closing his eyes.
Kuroka smirked and sauntered toward him, climbing onto his lap. Her tail stroked his face lovingly. "Aww, tell me a bit about her. I haven't seen her in a l~oooong time!"
Tatsuya opened his eyes and saw her pretty face lingering an inch away.
|Kuroka—7,887|
Did her Ultimate-Class strength give her the confidence to annoy him?
Tatsuya stared at her deeply, and Kuroka felt a twinge of awkwardness. She wasn't used to seducing people.
Just as that thought crossed her mind, her skin crawled with goosebumps, and she leapt back, sensing fatal danger.
Tatsuya buried the urge to twist her neck before closing his eyes again.
Kuroka began sweating.
Her nekomata instincts screamed in terror.
She swallowed dryly, caressing her own neck. She had a feeling that if she'd been a second slower, she would've died.
Gritting her teeth in anger—she just wanted to know about her sister!—she stormed out of the room with an expressionless face, leaving Tatsuya and Ophis alone.
It wasn't like she wouldn't get more chances. He couldn't escape, after all.
---
Finally.
The moment she left, I turned my attention to Ophis. She sat in a corner with her legs stretched out, staring at the ceiling with gray eyes devoid of emotion.
I know Great Red might be out to get me. After all, Tiamat said only she and Great Red seemed aware of the Heavenly Spirit. And the fact that Great Red threatened Tiamat when she tried to spread Chaos further justified that it was working with the Heavenly Spirit.
But Ophis…
I could tell she bore no hostility toward me.
That shouldn't be.
Both Great Red and Ophis should be working together, no?
My knowledge of the plot wasn't the best. I knew Ophis was against Great Red, but how deep was their feud? Could I use it?
If I could have Ophis by my side…
But because I lack plot knowledge, I'm unsure how to behave around her. While I had some confidence in saving myself once using the remaining World Essence, I'd rather not get on her bad side.
Let's gauge her first.
"Hello?"
"…"
"What's your name?"
"…"
"You're really strong."
"…"
"You're cute."
"…"
Hmm. No intention to converse, unaffected by compliments.
I should change my approach.
"Why can't I leave?"
Ophis's pointed ears twitched, and she turned her head toward me.
"Assist me."
She spoke only what was necessary. I noticed she only talks when her "purpose" is involved.
"In what?"
"Remove Great Red. Bring my silence back."
Silence? Is it related to the Dimensional Gap? Does she want to remove Great Red from the Dimensional Gap?
What does Great Red even do to annoy her?
Isn't the Dimensional Gap supposed to be vast?
"Then how can I help? I'm weak, after all."
"You are the Outer Being that has caused him restlessness. You must have a way to remove him."
Her casual words sent a chill through me.
Indeed, face-to-face, it was impossible to hide that I'm the Anomaly. The Heavenly Spirit must've helped them in identifying me.
A sigh escaped my lips. No need to pretend anymore.
Leaving Ophis alone with me was their biggest mistake.
"Then abandon this Khaos Brigade. They can't help you."
"They're useful," Ophis said, shaking her head.
"How?"
The blunt question made her pause. She hadn't really considered how they'd help remove Great Red.
She couldn't do it alone, so she supported those who claimed they could.
"Why not follow me?" I pressed, and Ophis seemed to debate her options.
"A year." I stepped closer. "A year is all I need to remove Great Red."
In reality, I wasn't too confident.
I originally thought that both Dragon Gods might have 2-3 million units of energy but I was underestimating them. If Great Red is also at around 8 million then it'll take more than required amplifications than I originally thought I needed.
"Hmm?" Ophis tilted her head with a blank look.
While she was sceptical, she was already grasping straws.
She'd use anything she could against Great Red.
A year was no different than a nap to her.
"Alrig—hnng!?"
Just as she was about to agree there was a change.
Suddenly, Ophis's eyes widened.
My heart leapt at the abrupt change.
She clamped her ears shut, dropping to her knees. "…oi.s.y," she whispered, her voice rising. "Noi…sy… Noisy! Noisy! Noisy! Noisy!"
Her usually contained strength began gushing outward.
Fuck!
My knees buckled under the sheer pressure she was leaking.
Kaguya!
I roared inwardly, and Kaguya immediately floated behind the agitated Ophis. She raised both palms, and threads of Chaos shot toward Ophis, enveloping her in a shimmering golden cocoon.
Ophis's expression smoothed instantly. Astonishment flickered across her face as she traced the edges of the cocoon. "…Silence?" she muttered, closing her eyes with a soft smile.
The Heavenly Spirit.
"The Heavenly Spirit," Kaguya and I muttered simultaneously.
"I can't maintain this cocoon for long. It's draining too much World Essence. Every second consumes a unit!" Kaguya warned.
So expensive!
I gritted my teeth in anger, glaring at the ceiling.
It won't let me form an alliance with Ophis peacefully, will it?
"Correct," Kaguya frowned. "This is bad. It's directly interfering with Ophis's thoughts. While it can't manipulate her, it's constantly attacking her mind."
One thing after another.
I was stuck in a really bad place.
Why?
Because I can't back out now.
The Heavenly Spirit won't let this chance slip. Kaguya claimed it would ignore me unless I touched Issei, as eliminating me otherwise would take too much effort. Engaged in its own tribulation, it couldn't afford to focus on me.
But now?
It would use Ophis against me.
If I remove the barrier, it'll keep annoying Ophis and direct her anger toward me. If that happens, whether Great Red finds me or not, I'd die by her hands instantly.
Should I just leave Ophis alone? Before her anger boils over, I'd have a decent chance of escaping and hiding my tracks using World Essence.
But then what?
I'd have to spend my days in hiding.
Alternatively, I could use Ophis to wreak havoc, gaining World Essence while maintaining her barrier.
But the risk was evident. Great Red would find me and attack immediately.
I was too hasty, excited by the prospect of having Ophis by my side. I overlooked the Heavenly Spirit's potential interference. I thought it wouldn't care unless I touched Issei, but that was wishful thinking.
My eyes darted toward the sleeping dragon, flickering with hesitation.
The second choice was the best option, even if Great Red finds me. I could use Ophis to combat him for a while. Even if the Heavenly Spirit angers her, she'd likely take it out on Great Red.
"I have a way."
My thoughts froze.
Kaguya's voice lingered in my ears.
I turned to her calmly.
How?
Kaguya gracefully floated before me and merged back into my body. Under my curious eyes, golden glowing threads began seeping from my form. They spun wildly before knitting together, like wriggling liquid flesh. The threads took shape, and my eyes shone as I saw what she was doing.
An ethereal, majestic gate opened before me.
The same gate that had opened when I left Classroom of the Elite.
What is she doing?
Before I could even voice my doubt, Kaguya gestured for me to follow her.
Skeptical, I walked through the gate, with Ophis floating beside me. She seemed blissfully unaware of whatever was happening.
To be honest, she seemed to lack any kind of emotional intelligence. Perhaps—even if I were to molest her—she'd just look at me with confusion. After all, who'd dare touch the Dragon God of Infinity?
Hmm, thoughts for later.
The scene inside the gate was just as I expected.
The fractured sky, the emotionless Kaguya, and the beautiful River of Time.
It almost felt like ages had passed since I left, but in hindsight, at most two weeks had gone by.
Two weeks...
Who could've imagined how much I was able to accomplish in such a small time frame?
I've killed off all the strong Fallen Angels, including Azazel. Nuked Japan. Manipulated the Gremory Family into accepting me as a family member. Became the famous Undying Immortal Devil of the Underworld—and Rias' fiancé. Played Tiamat with the stupid story of Order and Chaos. And changed Issei's fate forever.
Hooo...
I took a deep, refreshing breath and exhaled lightly.
"Trouble?" the Emotionless Kaguya questioned as Kaguya nodded and began explaining the circumstances.
Looking at them, I couldn't help but narrow my eyes.
The Emotionless Kaguya.
The Expressive Kaguya.
Could this Emotionless Kaguya be an actual half of her—and not just a clone or avatar?
That would explain why the Kaguya that's usually with me was so expressive and even slightly disoriented. I had noticed a slight change in her behaviour after entering DxD, but it wasn't drastic enough to question.
My thoughts passed quickly as Kaguya waved her hand toward Ophis and the golden threads began to unravel.
Ophis' calm expression began to falter as her gaze hardened—though it quickly turned to shock. She must've realised we weren't in DxD anymore.
"Do you like it?" I murmured. "The silence you crave—I can give it to you."
Ophis did not question me or my motives. She simply stared at me and tilted her head.
"What do you want?" she asked, her innocent, child-like face erupting into confusion. She seemed unable to comprehend how I could traverse outside the void despite my meagre strength.
She was naïve, innocent even—but she wasn't a fool.
"What can you give me?" I countered, my lack of plot knowledge becoming my downfall. I could only hope Ophis wouldn't shortchange me.
"You're weak. I'll increase your strength to the level of a God," Ophis spoke slowly. She extended a finger, and a black serpent-like figure shot out from her fingertip and merged into me.
My blood began boiling as the ink-like serpent began travelling around my body.
[Demonic Energy – 49,152 → 120,666]
I couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief—the whole gamble of trying to bring Ophis to my side was now worth it.
"I want to feel it again." Ophis seemed to sense my satisfaction and tugged at my sleeve. I looked at her in confusion, and Ophis seemed to hesitate.
"I want to feel true peace like before," she whispered, and I grasped what she meant. She wanted to be enveloped in a barrier formed from Chaos Energy again.
I shook my head. "The price is too exorbitant." Now that I had exploited her value, I could care less about her feelings. It's not that I was heartless, but the price really was too steep. Maybe if I could use her to wreak havoc without a care—sure... but she was practically useless in DxD. The Heavenly Spirit would make sure she couldn't feel a second of peace. At that point, I'd be grateful if she didn't turn against me.
Maybe in the future, but not now—for sure.
"Is it not possible?" Ophis looked disappointed, her cute face turning downcast. She could sense that I held control of this space. I could evict her whenever I wanted—and if she fell out with me, naturally I'd never risk returning to her world.
And obviously, if I left, Great Red would continue to disturb her—and she would also lose the chance of feeling 'true peace' like before.
No one could understand the feeling of true isolation more than her.
It wasn't that Ophis was kind—rather, that using force would be futile. As a Being born with divinity, morality and ethics that humans boasted about were the least of her concerns.
Of course, I never acted without confidence.
Even if I didn't know much about the plot, I at least knew Ophis rarely ever killed anyone, finding it beneath her. Otherwise, I wouldn't dare let myself get kidnapped.
And my gamble proved right.
"You can stay here. The next time I come here, I'll let you enjoy true peace." Sweet words took nothing to say.
I turned to Kaguya. "Let's go."
Kaguya nodded and the portal opened once again.
…
Ophis looked at Tatsuya's disappearing figure with regret.
She shook her head and looked around, observing this void-like space. She stared at the fractured sky, her face turning thoughtful. Then she looked toward the horizon of the endless white.
"It's nice." She smiled lightly and took small steps toward the Emotionless Kaguya. The closer she got, the more peaceful she felt. She couldn't see her facial features, but the River of Time churning in between her fingers caught her attention.
Ophis struggled to contain her inner turmoil. She was a dragon born since time itself—what she had seen and experienced was beyond mortals.
Like Great Red and Tiamat, Ophis too knew of the existence of Hīm. But even Hē could not control the River of Time.
"Heaven...?" she whispered, before bending down and settling into Kaguya's lap. She curled into a small ball and nestled as deep as she could.
The Emotionless Kaguya faintly glanced at Ophis, who was snuggling in her lap.
She slowly raised a hand—graceful, pale, perfect.
Her fingers touched Ophis' forehead.
Terror. Pure, suffocating terror.
A feeling of unending dread crept through every fiber of her being. Her small figure began trembling and sweat poured down her forehead. The forever apathetic Ophis felt weak and helpless—like a small ant being held by a giant.
The primal fear that welled up inside her caused her eyes to tear.
She could not hear.
She could not speak.
She could not see.
She could not feel.
Death.
The concept, foreign to Ophis, resurfaced—and an inexplicable calm washed over her. The Dragon of Infinity being granted infinite peace... It was a story worth hearing.
And then…
The touch softened.
The hand moved with maternal grace, stroking her hair.
"It's okay, child," Kaguya said softly. "Rest while we wait for their return."
Silence enveloped the fractured Heavenly Realm.
Ophis fell into a deep sleep—and the Emotionless Kaguya continued to hold a portion of the vast River of Time between her fingertips.
…
Meanwhile, Tatsuya—unaware of the exchange between the Emotionless Kaguya and Ophis—appeared in the room where he had been held captive by the Khaos Brigade.
Without any expression on his face, he created a blood clone and let it sit in the corner of the room. He looked at the clone silently for a while, and…
A sigh escaped his lips.
After making sure the clone was flawless, Tatsuya turned around and took flight. While soaring between the clouds, his appearance began to change.
His ink-like black hair grew longer and thicker. His clothes transformed into a black robe with white sashes. A faint Japanese character was stitched near his collar, just above his chest.
Finally, specks of bone-like material appeared from the void and began coalescing on his face—forming a horrifying demonic mask.
He teleported to the Underworld.
Instantly, Tatsuya stopped suppressing himself. The space around him began to distort as his untamed Super Devil aura flared outward.
Thanks to his Hollowfication, his Demonic Energy had reached half a million. The sheer pressure emanating from him sent alarm bells ringing throughout the Underworld.
All Supernatural Factions were alerted.
But Tatsuya paid no heed to the commotion he was causing.
He was never one to hesitate in the first place. With his current strength, he truly only feared Great Red and Ophis. As for Sirzechs? At best, he was a concern.
But that was all.
Supernatural beings were but a fraction of all living things—and Super Devils along with Gods were a fraction of them.
The air around him whipped into terrifying storms. For the common folk, the most terrifying thing was a powerhouse who didn't give a damn about consequences.
And even worse, it was Tatsuya.
The sheer speed at which he was travelling caused hundreds of thousands to burst into a bloody mist—majority being Devils and Fallen Angels.
With a face carved in frost, Tatsuya followed the red thread that was bound to Rizevim. The wrath in his heart needed to be quelled.
When endurance was needed, he could wait.
But when revenge was possible…
Hmph.
The air thinned as he accelerated.
Boom!
A thunderclap erupted as he broke the sound barrier, flattening the outer districts of the nearest city. Buildings crumpled like paper, roofs peeling away as the shockwave rolled outward. Streets split open, cobblestones exploding upward in jagged fragments that impaled fleeing devils. The very atmosphere screamed in protest, forming a visible cone of condensed vapor around his body as he accelerated.
He didn't slow down. Arcs of bluish-silver lightning danced around his body. His pupils melted into a silvery glow.
Everything in his path simply ceased to exist as his demonic energy rolled outward in a crushing wave.
Usually most supernatural beings tend to condense their energy and prevent it from leaking to maintain their reserves. Only someone like Tatsuya could afford to simply blast all his strength outward without a concern.
Wherever he passed, a blinding flash of endless white followed—accompanied by the rumbling of thunder. The clouds collapsed under the force of his aura.
His eyes locked onto the flickering red thread.
Rizevim was moving.
Has he sensed my arrival?
Tatsuya didn't mind.
Today, Rizevim would die.
He would die a death so gruesome, he'd wish he was never born. Even if he escaped to the ends of the world, it wouldn't change his fate.
The moment he laid hands on Tatsuya, his end was decided.
...
Gremory Territory
Rizevim ate a bloodberry tart with relish.
The entire Underworld was in a tense atmosphere.
The Undying Immortal Devil was kidnapped! News spread like wildfire. No one knew how such information had leaked, but it quickly became common knowledge.
The fiancé of Rias Gremory—kidnapped in broad daylight!
Naturally, the greatest shock was among the Noble Devils, especially the Gremory Family.
Rizevim laughed inwardly, relishing the chaos.
He walked along the road with a merry hum, unaware of his impending doom.
...
"Rias..." Akeno muttered as she looked at the dazed girl. A pang of heartache struck her as she clenched her fists.
Grayfia had taken Tatsuya shopping for their wedding—but something as ridiculous as kidnapping had occurred.
"Onii-chan will find him, right?" Rias spoke faintly. She sounded weak. Devastated—but not broken. After all, he'd been kidnapped. Which meant his life likely wasn't in immediate danger.
Secondly, her brother was the current Lucifer.
Sirzechs Lucifer—the strongest Satan.
"He definitely will!" Akeno spoke confidently, but the tension in the room was palpable. Ichika was unconscious. Koneko had her head lowered in a downcast expression. Kiba looked grave.
Though, there was one oddity in the room.
Akeno nervously glanced toward a particular figure.
It was a woman with icy-blue hair. Her beauty was ethereal—more captivating than even the Angels themselves. She sat cross-legged, her expression calm.
Akeno showed hesitation, but Rias had no such restraint.
"Tiamat…" Rias's voice cracked. "Say something."
Tiamat opened her eyes slowly.
Blank. Detached.
"Not even a sliver of concern," Rias growled, fists trembling. "So that was all an act? All that clinging to him—fake?"
Tiamat tilted her head, observing Rias like one would observe a barking dog.
She shook her head once. No explanation. No justification.
"Shameless!" Rias spat, finally snapping as her voice began rising. "You're Tiamat! The Chaos Karma Dragon! You could help—no, you should help! You have the power, yet you sit here doing nothing! Are you not ashamed!?"
This, apparently, piqued Tiamat's interest. She looked at Rias with a flicker of amusement.
"If I could've tracked him, I wouldn't be sitting here," Tiamat sneered.
If Grayfia were here, she would've done her best to prevent Rias from engaging in a verbal spat with Tiamat... but alas.
"Instead of venting your frustrations on me, why not work on yourself? Have you not inherited the noble blood of the Bael Family? The same Power of Destruction as your brother, whose infamy is known throughout the world?" Tiamat's voice was cold. "Perhaps if you'd taken your training seriously instead of playing human in the human world, you wouldn't have to beg another woman to save your man."
Rias' face slowly changed with each word she spoke. By the end, her nails were digging into her palms.
Everyone in the room was stunned. Tiamat's words were venomous.
Rias wanted to rage. To blow Tiamat to pieces—but...
She couldn't bring herself to move.
Not even considering whether she could harm Tiamat—the real sting was that there was no falsehood in her words.
I really am worthless... Tatsuya... please be okay...
Rias fell back into a daze.
But suddenly, Tiamat stood up.
Rias was startled. For a second, she thought Tiamat would attack her—but instead, the dragoness shot toward the window and looked skyward with a grave expression.
Everyone followed her gaze, turning toward the massive window of the mansion.
Thunderclouds rumbled across the sky.
"How is this possible?" Rias was the first to express disbelief.
The Underworld's weather was synthetic—controlled.
It should never produce thunderclouds.
BOOOOM!
Just as she thought that, the ground beneath her shook.
A large dome appeared in the sky. Immediately after, a massive explosion rocked the horizon. Defensive spells activated too late. The outer walls folded inward. The energy shields rippled and cracked.
Another barrier triggered mid-air—but shattered instantly.
A blinding curtain of white and blue enveloped the hazy red sky of the Underworld. Rias' pupils dilated, and it took her several seconds to focus.
When her vision returned, the silhouette in the sky made her tremble.
She could just barely make out the figure—still forming, just outside the barrier.
Even before he was fully visible, two piercing golden eyes like the sun shimmered within the cloudy mist.
"It's him…?" Kiba's murmur echoed in the room—and a chill ran down the spines of the Occult Research Club members.
Those menacing eyes...
How could they not recognize them?
"Soul Reaper..." Rias whispered in disbelief.
Hadn't her brother said the Soul Reaper should be hiding like a rat—afraid to show himself?
Her mind raced, but before she could speak, Akeno's voice came from behind.
"Is he connected to the kidnapping?" Akeno asked, trying to rationalize. It was hard not to draw a connection.
"Is he here to negotiate for something?" Rias' eyes glimmered with hope. Was Tatsuya kidnapped as a bargaining chip against the Devils? Then... if things go well... wouldn't Tatsuya return?
Just as she thought this, the mist cleared and faint cracks appeared on the dome. She could see the Soul Reaper floating high above the sky, hands linked behind his back, his long black hair and robe fluttering gently.
The Gremory Territory was protected as heavily as the Capital City—if not more so, especially after the Grigori incident. Everyone knew the Soul Reaper could silently gather energy. She wasn't surprised he hadn't yet broken through the barrier.
But her deduction would soon prove futile.
The Soul Reaper from back then was vastly different from the Soul Reaper now.
The biggest difference?
Strength.
"Wait… what's he doing!?" Akeno screamed, snapping Rias out of her daze. Rias narrowed her eyes, trying to make sense of what she was seeing.
Faint, glowing blood-red spheres were materializing behind the Soul Reaper. They swirled inwardly, floating erratically in the air behind his back.
One… two… three… four… five… six… seven...
The spheres continued to multiply without pause.
Ten... twenty... fifty...
One hundred… two hundred… three hundred...
Rias and her friends stared in horror at the sky—now filled with ominous spheres. Even Tiamat's eyes shone with visible fear. She quickly clasped her hands, summoning a protective formation around them. A translucent barrier enveloped the room.
But it wouldn't stop the inevitable.
"Why hide?" A husky inhuman voice drifted across the city.
Tatsuya looked on indifferently as four figures, attempting to ambush him, slowly materialized inside the barrier—just above the city.
The Four Satans of the Underworld.
All of them stood together, frost in their eyes as they stared at the menacing figure in the sky. Outwardly composed, inwardly shaken.
Especially Serafall and Falbium.
A deep sense of dread etched across their faces. They realized something chilling—Sirzechs and Ajuka, the strongest among them, were also visibly tense.
The sky was blanketed in blood-red spheres, their centers pitch black. Like ink splattered onto white parchment.
"Stop!" Sirzechs called through gritted teeth. "We can negotiate."
Tatsuya looked at them. "There's a rat I need to catch. Disarm the barrier."
"Crazy bastard!" Serafall snapped, frost forming around her clenched fists.
"Unacceptable," Sirzechs immediately countered.
Perhaps they could block the attack using the barrier. But letting the Soul Reaper enter freely would be suicide. If he unleashed an attack like that within the barrier, it would be no different than an undefended nuclear strike.
"You're unwilling to compromise?" Tatsuya's voice turned glacial.
He didn't want to waste time dealing with these Satans. Every second wasted gave Rizevim more room to escape.
Time wasn't on his side.
After all, Great Red might arrive soon.
But that was just wishful thinking.
Every single cero behind him had the same power and intensity as the one he had unleashed on Japan. The only difference was that these ceros weren't made from Reiki, but from Demonic Energy.
Each one of them was catastrophic.
Sirzechs and Ajuka knew this too. Maybe they could survive—but the city behind them? Everyone would die. Even Serafall and Falbium might not make it.
Tatsuya understood this.
That was why he'd hesitated to wipe the Gremory Territory off the map.
"A pity."
Despite knowing his fiancée was down there.
Despite knowing Tiamat, his ally, was down there.
Despite knowing Makima, his summon, was down there...
Despite everything...
He raised his hand—
"STOP! DON'T! WE CAN STILL TAL—"
—and pulled his fingers together in a downward motion, expressionless.
Immediately, the spheres behind him began to rotate faster.
The sky twisted into spirals.
And then—
A radiant crimson light blinded the heavens.
The energy condensed in the spheres was released all at once—ripping through the sky and crashing down onto the city.
From afar, it looked like divine retribution was descending upon the Gremory Territory.
Pillars of annihilation bombarded the barrier.
An unending meteor shower of blood ceros rained upon the Underworld.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
"Serafall! Falbium! Protect the city!" Sirzechs roared. "Ajuka—!"
His skin peeled away. His flesh disintegrated. In his place remained a humanoid being—pure Destruction incarnate.
And most shockingly his strength surged towards an unbelievable level.
[Sirzechs— |88,750|→|910,780|]
This was Sirzechs true form, a form he desperately kept suppressed to not kill everything around him.
He raised both arms and beams of Power of Destruction shot into the sky—intercepting Ceros in mid-air. His Destruction was of higher quality than Tatsuya's demonic energy.
But his power wasn't infinite.
Ajuka didn't lag behind. His eyes glowed, and thousands of intricate symbols spiraled around him. Dozens of miniature black holes emerged, devouring the ceros.
While Soul Energy had always been elusive to him, Demonic Energy was his domain.
Yet even they, as Super Devils, had limits.
The brunt of the work fell to the massive barrier Ajuka himself had crafted.
And it was cracking.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The sky trembled as crimson pillars tore through the heavens, colliding with the protective dome over Gremory Territory. The ground cracked open. Mountains collapsed. Rivers vaporized into steam. The landscape was swallowed by annihilation.
Ajuka's runes flickered chaotically, black holes struggling to contain the descending wrath. His breathing grew ragged. The precision of his formulae wavered.
Sirzechs, as Destruction incarnate, looked less like a Satan and more like an apocalypse given form. But even his near-invincible might was cracking—literally. Fissures appeared along his shoulders and chest, revealing unstable chaos underneath.
Serafall had discarded all pretense of elegance. Her frost armor was shattered, her lips pale. She stood atop a collapsing spire, arms extended skyward, a freezing dome rising to meet the rain of ceros. Falbium stood beneath her, shielding a crowd of retreating civilians with his battered body, with only his Absolute Defence still keeping him alive.
And still, the ceros came.
Each blast was apocalyptic. Every flash was another crater. Another scream.
Gremory Territory—the noble stronghold, once pristine and proud—was a smoldering ruin.
Only the core city, protected by Ajuka's great barrier, remained somewhat intact. And even that was generous. The barrier—his masterpiece—was flickering, collapsing in places. Whole chunks of the protective dome had turned translucent. It had already absorbed enough energy to power a world for decades.
Now, it was only 5% away from total failure.
All four Satans floated in the heart of that ruin, drenched in sweat, their skin charred, clothes tattered, faces grim.
Silence. Deafening, after the storm.
For a long moment, the sky stilled.
Sirzechs panted heavily, steam rising from his body. Ajuka's runes slowly receded, his breath uneven. Falbium fell to one knee, a large gash across his back. Serafall coughed blood into her hand, barely keeping herself upright.
And then—
"…Is it over?" Falbium rasped.
Sirzechs glanced at the battlefield. Nothing but ash remained outside the central city. No sound. No movement.
He turned his gaze upward.
The Soul Reaper still floated there—untouched.
But he hadn't moved.
His head was bowed. His hair covered his eyes. His arms were still linked behind his back.
Maybe… just maybe…
"Is he exhausted…?" Ajuka muttered. "That attack… it must have cost him."
Serafall let out a shaky breath and glared at the Soul Reaper. "About damn time."
Sirzechs' eyes narrowed. "We can't kill him… Let's try to seal him for now while he's weak…"
They all looked at each other, slowly nodding.
A chance.
Finally, a chance.
Ajuka raised a hand, preparing a spatial binding matrix. Falbium grunted and stood tall, fists clenched. Serafall conjured chains of ice. Sirzechs gathered black-red destruction orbs in his palms.
And then—
Ajuka's breath hitched.
"…Wait."
Sirzechs' expression froze.
Falbium turned his eyes upward.
Serafall stopped cold.
All four Satans stared in disbelief at the sky above them.
It was happening again.
Behind the Soul Reaper—the blood ceros were forming once more.
Instantly. Effortlessly.
One. Two. Three. Four. Ten. Twenty. Fifty. One hundred. Two hundred...
All at once.
No build-up. No channeling. Just... manifestation. As if their very existence was conjured from the void.
The sky that had barely begun to heal was once again bleeding red.
"…Impossible," Serafall whispered, her hands trembling.
"Shouldn't he be drained…?" Falbium growled, stepping backward, fear etched in his eyes. It hurt his pride that he felt this way but only at their level would they understand the horror of the earlier attack.
Unleashing attacks drained energy.
This was an undeniable rule of nature. Who could claim to really be limitless?
Even Ajuka felt his soul shake. His eyes gleaned with curiosity that bordered madness.
His declaration of being a human… Was it false? But he really hadn't used any Demonic Energy back then.
Ajuka felt his mind whirl despite his body aching.
No, maybe that was a diversion in the first place. With his strength, it made no sense that it took him almost two hours to gather enough energy for that attack on Grigori.
Is the Soul Energy he used more complicated than it seems? Or alternatively, could he have really increased his strength to such a level in a short time frame?
Ajuka suddenly frowned as another terrifying conjecture swirled in his mind.
Maybe we've been looking at this the wrong way. With how quickly he dealt with my tracking he surely has countermeasures against my ability, why allow us to determine it took him two hours?
Did he intentionally hide his strength and let us underestimate him? But if he has such strength why go through all this trouble?
Ajuka felt a crucial piece of the puzzle was missing. Just this one inconsistency stopped him from deducing further.
After all, if he had displayed even half of his current strength that day the Devils would've forcefully brought in all supernatural factions to initiate an immediate witchhunt for the Soul Reaper instead of trying to investigate first.
Nonetheless, if he had this kind of strength…
Why did he hide himself after that attack on Grigori?
Did he fear something… or someone?
Ajuka did suspect it might be because of the True Dragon Gods, the Dragon God of Dreams and the Dragon God of Infinity, but the biggest problem lay in their utter neutrality. For ages, they have remained silent, not interfering with the world.
At this point in time, Ophis' involvement with the Khaos Brigade was not revealed, in fact, the Khaos Brigade itself had no fame. It had not shown itself to the world yet.
Thus, despite being close to the truth, Ajuka failed to determine the true nature of the Soul Reaper.
As for increasing his strength in such a small frame of time… Ajuka felt that was the most implausible theory. The amount of energy he was able to generate indicated he was at a level higher than himself and Sirzechs.
Sirzechs that anomaly aside, Ajuka had used a King Piece to bring his strength to his current terrifying level. The King Pieces were his ultimate masterpiece and few knew of them.
While his Kankara Formula made him invincible at the same level and even against stronger opponents, he still had his limits. Time and time again had proved that no matter how powerful the ability it would eventually fall flat against overwhelming strength.
Take the Divine Longinus, Divine Dividing for example. The wielder of this God-Slaying Sacred Gear is said to be able to directly half the Energy of his opponent, repeatedly at that too.
So why wasn't he invincible? After all, all he needed was a few divides to be able to defeat anyone in theory. But in reality, against a real God, the Divine Dividing failed to live up to its claims.
That was why Ajuka had frantically created such a taboo item. His capabilities and personality of that of a true scientist drove him to his current level. A level where he could stand side by side with the Incarnation of Destruction, Sirzechs Lucifer.
And that was precisely why he felt fear towards the Soul Reaper.
Either he was at a level above them, the Super Devils, or he had a source of endless energy.
Either possibility filled him with dread.
If it was the former, at least they could fight with hope but if it was the latter…
Ajuka felt a chill go down his spine as gazed at the Soul Reaper who had begun to descend, the spheres of destruction hanging in the sky like a scythe to their neck.
What made it worse was that Ajuka could not sense a Sacred Gear, leaving him utterly baffled and confused as to how such a thing was possible. His ability that borderlined Reality Manipulation needed to have at least some understanding of his opponents' abilities to counter them.
Alternatively, he could also reverse deduce the mystery behind his source of endless strength being a prodigy of calculation but that would take too much time.
Something he didn't have…
Even as his thoughts churned at lightning speed it didn't stop the Soul Reaper.
The silence was deafening.
The blood-red ceros hung outside the dome like a macabre halo, swirling lazily in the windless void. But they didn't fall.
They simply… existed.
And that, more than anything, was what terrified them.
Because it meant he could but chose not to.
Falbium glared at the Soul Reaper while Serafall bit her lip, ready to make a desperate gamble.
Sirzechs didn't speak. His eyes never left Tatsuya's form.
Slowly, Tatsuya lowered himself toward the ground.
And then—he raised a single finger.
A bloody cero shot towards him and contracted into a size that could rival a fingernail. It wrapped around his fingertip.
Then with the tip of his index finger, he reached out and touched the barrier protecting the core city.
Ssshhhkkk.
A glowing crimson line carved itself across the magical dome like butter under a hot blade. The barrier—crafted by one of the greatest minds in all of the Underworld—split open with a hiss, peeling apart to form a narrow entrance.
He was inside.
Tatsuya stepped through the opening without any overt hostility.
Yet every step he took echoed like a war drum.
The Satans watched in suffocating silence.
Sirzechs watched him intently.
In his mind, he had already laid out a plan.
If the Soul Reaper showed even a flicker of true hostility—Ajuka would isolate them inside an independent dimensional cage. In that instant, Sirzechs would detonate his core, his soul and his body.
All of it.
A nuclear act of sacrifice to destroy the impossible threat before them.
He had made peace with it the moment the sky first bled red.
Now he just waited for the signal.
One misstep. One twitch.
And the Underworld would lose its brightest star to eliminate the darkest one.
Tatsuya continued walking, boots gently pressing against scorched stone.
And then—
His eyes met with the gazes of the strongest Devils alive.
It was impossible to tell his expression behind the mask but his eyes radiated cruelty.
The Satans watched as the Soul Reaper fearlessly walked towards them, deliberately dragging his steps. They clenched their fists in anger, despising the show of power.
It was arrogance that bordered madness.
Yet even as he reached a foot before them they dared not move. Sirzechs had the urge to simply blast him to ashes using his Power of Destruction but just one look at the bleeding sky would provide an explanation of his helplessness.
Yet what they didn't know was that beneath the mask a look of frustration etched across the Soul Reaper's face.
Why hasn't it shown up yet?
His face turned grave as glanced towards the sky, anticipating the arrival of the Dragon God of Dreams. His overt show of power and deliberate destruction along his path weren't just for show.
Had he simply wanted to kill Rizevim he could've silently returned and ambushed him.
Rizevim was nothing more than a pawn.
What Tatsuya really wanted to do was test his strength and gauge the attitude of the Dragon God of Dreams. He wondered if Tiamat's recollection of Great Red stopping her from bringing back Chaos was a task given by the Heavenly Spirit or its own whim.
After talking with Tiamat he pondered over the conversation and had a grave suspicion forming in his mind.
And meeting Ophis proved his suspicion right.
Maybe Heavenly Beings weren't just Creators and instead… Rulers.
He had tried asking Kaguya but she remained silent, stating her lack of memories.
Tatsuya instinctively thought that since the world belonged to the Heavenly Spirit it was also the Creator of said world and as a creator it would inevitably hold immense control over its creations.
But the incidents with Ddraig and Ophis proved this to be wrong.
Combined with Tiamat's tale of the Heavenly Spirit forcefully creating Order it appeared as if the Heavenly Spirit was no different than an intruder.
And if the Heavenly Spirit, which was currently locked in tribulation, was really no more than just a Ruler then perhaps Great Red wasn't really its pawn.
The possibility remained there.
He wouldn't forget that all he had left was a year before beings much much stronger than the True Dragon Gods would arrive.
By then his death would be inevitable.
If there was a chance that the Dragon God of Dreams also bears no hostility towards him Tatsuya would simply abandon his slow approach!
There would no longer be a need to pretend!
The identity that 'Tatsuya' held in this world could be abandoned immediately. No more of a need to play pretend.
Precisely why he had created such fanfare while assaulting the Underworld.
But Great Red's absence left him uneasy.
Otherwise if killing Rizevim was truly his sole goal, then Rizevim, the Four Satans and everyone within the Gremory Territory would've long been slaughtered.
Rizevim hadn't angered him to that extent yet.
If it were Tatsumaki within that barrier Tatsuya would've nuked the entire Underworld immediately regardless of who else would die along.
"Who are you searching for?" Sirzechs asked directly, trailing a few steps behind him.
The Four Satans followed behind him, and it might've appeared as if they were having a fun leisure stroll together were it not for the absolute desolation and destruction outside the barrier.
"Rizevim Lucifer," Tatsuya replied calmly as he walked slowly, hoping for Great Red to appear.
Immense shock flickered within their eyes. They knew Rizevim Lucifer, he was a legendary figure from the past, famous before even they, the Four Satans, were born.
At the same time— seeing that he was willing to chat, the Four Satans exchanged confused glances. According to their intel, it seemed like the Soul Reaper loathed the Supernatural that weren't human.
"Are you a Devil?" Ajuka seemed to linger closer to him. Whether it was because he wanted to seal him together with Sirzechs or truly just to satisfy his curiosity remained unknown.
"I am not."
"Then are you a human?"
"I am not."
"Are you an Angel?"
"I am not."
"Are you a Fallen Angel?"
"I am not."
"Are you a Dragon?"
"I am not."
"Are you a—"
"Ajuka!" Sirzechs spoke with gritted teeth. What kind of conversation was this? Angel? How did he even dare ask that? Fallen Angel? Didn't you see him wipe them out himself? He did not understand why Ajuka was even asking this, after all didn't the Soul Reaper clearly use Demonic Energy?
Most of all he couldn't understand the personality of this Soul Reaper. It was too erratic.
Did his powers come at the cost of a mental illness?
Ajuka paused after hearing Sirzechs and frowned slightly. His curiosity got the better of him. He would've felt a slight sense of satisfaction if he had guessed correctly. Unlike Sirzechs, Ajuka could tell the Soul Reaper was not a Devil— Or at least not just a Devil.
"Then what are you?" He asked again.
But this time Tatsuya remained silent.
He couldn't exactly say he was half a Heavenly Being, now could he?
Seeing him not answer, Ajuka felt disappointed.
"Then can you answer why your strength has reached such heights? I'm positive the capabilities you showed on the night of Grigori's destruction were fabricated."
"Isn't it fine if you're positive?"
His response left the Satans speechless.
They finally realised something. The Soul Reaper was not even taking the conversation seriously, his replies were clearly half-hearted. It's similar to how one would talk to a clingy child who wouldn't leave their side.
And they were right.
Tatsuya really couldn't be bothered to cater to them. He was trying to slow his steps as much as possible without giving his intentions away.
"Then at least tell us what Rizevim has done to anger you?" Falbium asked, confused, wondering how this guy got entangled with the Heir of the original Lucifer.
His question made Tatsuya pause for a brief second, he turned to glance back at the Four Satans causing them to halt in their steps.
They looked at his menacing eyes flickering with complex emotions.
"He dared to have designs on my offspring." His inhuman gritty voice sounded somewhat sad.
The revelation of having a family member made the Four Satans' eyes flicker as well. A family member could be seen as a weakness, but at the same time touching such a reverse scale…
The outcome laid before them.
Suddenly they noticed his gaze turn cold and that put them on immediate alert. Sirzechs and Ajuka exchanged a glance, resolve shining in their eyes.
But the following conversation was going to leave them stunned silly. After all, whenever Tatsuya decided to fuck with someone in a non-sexual manner it would barely end well— for the other party of course.
"Do you know why you all and this city still breathe?" The Soul Reaper's inhuman voice caused the Satans to frown.
This was the biggest mystery plaguing their minds.
Why was the Soul Reaper going about in such odd machinations? Truly if Rizevim were in the Gremory Territory, simply continuing his earlier assault would result in their and Rizevim's death.
Could it be he was hesitating?
What a joke!
This was the same ruthless and immoral Soul Reaper who wiped millions of innocents off the map without any mercy!
As they waited for him to clear their doubts his voice sounded again.
"After all," The Soul Reaper glanced at Sirzechs in particular, an eerie chuckle escaping his lips, "It wouldn't look good if I were to kill off my own daughter-in-law's brother."