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Rias led Mika and the others towards the new school building.
Not all of her peerage were participating in this mission. Gasper, for instance, wasn't present.
While he was making progress with his training thanks to Mika's guidance, he hadn't fully mastered his powers yet. And his Sacred Gear, Forbidden Balor View, was an area-of-effect ability. Uncontrolled, it posed a significant risk to his allies.
Consequently, after careful consideration, Rias had decided against including him.
Everyone else, however, was present.
"Excuse us." Rias knocked lightly on the door of the lounge in the new school building, then opened it and led them inside.
"Quite a few familiar faces," Mika remarked, looking at the leaders of the Three Factions gathered around the table.
He recognized Sirzechs, representing the Devils, and Michael, representing the Angels.
Azazel, the Governor General of the Fallen Angels, was less familiar. While Azazel had been in Kuoh Town for a while, his focus had been on Issei and his Boosted Gear. He had met with Issei privately, seemingly uninterested in Mika.
While Mika also possessed a Sacred Gear, Radiant Spear, without Azazel knowing Mika's true power, he seemed like an average Sacred Gear wielder. And Azazel had no shortage of those.
Rias's peerage currently had four Sacred Gear users: Mika, Issei, Kiba, and Gasper.
Issei wielded the Boosted Gear, a powerful Longinus.
Kiba possessed Sword Birth, a unique Sacred Gear that defied the God of the Bible's system—uniting Holy and Demonic powers.
Gasper's Forbidden Balor View was a rare time-manipulation Sacred Gear.
Compared to them, Mika's Radiant Spear seemed average...
Thus, Azazel hadn't bothered with Mika.
And Mika, with his usual pragmatism, wouldn't seek out someone like Azazel unless it was advantageous.
Despite Azazel's presence in Kuoh Town, they had never met.
"Mika! Over here!" Serafall—Sona's older sister, one of the Four Great Satans—stood up and waved at him. "I've saved you a seat!"
Grayfia—standing beside Sirzechs—pulled out the chair to his right, gesturing for Mika to approach.
Mika paused, surprised. He hadn't expected this.
"Go ahead. You're supposed to sit there," Rias whispered in his ear.
While she was the local ruler, even she didn't have the authority to sit at the table. Only the Leaders of the Three Factions were allowed such a privilege:
Sirzechs and Serafall (representing the Devils), Michael (representing the Angels), and Azazel (representing the Fallen Angels).
Yet, Serafall had invited Mika to join them. All eyes in the room were now on him.
Unfazed by their scrutiny, he walked over and sat down. He was, after all, no longer the same insignificant youth he had once been.
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"Is this...the Devil's new Satan?" Azazel asked, a curious smile playing on his lips. While he was puzzled by Mika's presence at the table, he refrained from asking directly.
Michael, the leader of the Angels, seemed completely unconcerned, even approving.
This intrigued him...
He knew Mika was a Reincarnated Devil, a recent addition to Rias's peerage, rumored to be incredibly talented. But even the most talented Devil, without a powerful Sacred Gear, couldn't reach Satan-class in such a short time.
At best, he'd be a High-Class Devil.
And that was insignificant to Azazel.
However, Mika's current status suggested something unusual had happened—something related to the Angels. 'Could he be a liaison between the Devils and the Angels?'
Azazel, always the strategist, his mind raced.
This new development made the Three Factions alliance even more crucial.
If the Devils and Angels had formed a secret pact, he couldn't afford to maintain the current state of conflict. He might find himself facing a combined force, his Fallen Angels outnumbered and outmatched.
While Azazel wasn't eager for another war, he wouldn't allow his faction to be annihilated...
"Not yet a Satan, but he could be, if he wanted to," Sirzechs replied with a smile.
It wasn't just a diplomatic statement; he was being honest.
After their duel, he knew Mika was stronger than him, perhaps not enough to defeat him completely, but certainly capable of suppressing his power.
However, that wasn't the main reason.
Mika, according to his own words, was only in his thirties. While considered an adult among humans, in the Devil world, with their incredibly long lifespans, he was still a child.
And to have achieved such power at such a young age, combined with his ability to travel between worlds, Mika's potential was immense.
Therefore, Sirzechs truly hoped Mika would one day inherit the title of Satan, becoming one of the Underworld's rulers.
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"A Satan? Too much work. I'll pass." Mika's casual refusal—delivered in a relaxed, almost lazy tone—stunned everyone present.
They had never heard of anyone rejecting the position of Satan.
"...." All eyes were on him once more.
"I see..." Sirzechs sighed, though he had anticipated such a response. While disappointed, he couldn't force Mika.
"As expected of you, Mika," Michael said with a smile. He had already gleaned a bit about Mika's personality during their earlier conversation and had suspected as much.
Besides, he didn't believe Mika, with his close ties to Yahweh, would ever join the Devils' ranks. If Mika were to ascend, it would be as an Archangel.
After all, Mika was Yahweh's champion.
"!!!!" Azazel, listening to their exchange, his mind raced.
Clearly, Mika possessed extraordinary power, enough to potentially defeat one of the current Satans and claim their position. And now, recalling his earlier observations, his suspicions about Mika's Sacred Gear being the source of his rapid growth, he was even more intrigued.
His scientific curiosity ignited...
He wanted to study Mika's Sacred Gear immediately, but he restrained himself; this wasn't the appropriate time. 'It seems Rias has gathered quite the interesting group. I'll have to pay closer attention to them,' he thought.
After a moment of contemplation, he addressed the group.
"If both Sirzechs and Michael acknowledge this young man's strength, then I have no objections. The purpose of this meeting is to build trust between our factions. I'm willing to believe your judgment."
"Now that everyone's here, let us begin."
Sirzechs and Michael nodded.
"Thank you for your trust, Governor General. Then let the meeting commence."
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"Before we begin, I'd like to make it clear that I'm merely an observer. Feel free to discuss whatever you wish. I'll remain silent," Mika announced.
He had been unceremoniously placed in this position of authority, and he didn't want to be further involved. He suspected that if he continued to be the center of their attention, they might even try to force the title of Satan upon him.
He wouldn't be anyone's pawn.
While the others were slightly disappointed by his declaration, they accepted it.
This was their meeting, their stage.
With Mika having excused himself from the discussion, Sirzechs began.
"First, as the foundation of this meeting, I believe everyone is aware of the sensitive matter regarding God's absence."
He looked around the table; everyone nodded, including Michael.
While the second God of the Bible had already ascended, she hadn't yet unified the Three Factions. Michael had consulted her, seeking guidance, but she had instructed him to continue along his chosen path.
According to her, being fixated on this single world was foolish.
While she had inherited the previous God of the Bible's knowledge—gaining immense power—she didn't intend to stay in this world. However, she wasn't heartless. She had promised to give the Angels a brighter future.
The Angels were truly pure beings, created by the previous God of the Bible to help him manage the world.
They were, in a way, her creations—valuable tools Yahweh intended to keep.
Besides, with Mika now aligned with the Devils, if she were to help the Angels conquer the Underworld, he would undoubtedly be displeased.
Mika had connections in the Devil faction. He wouldn't tolerate such a betrayal.
Therefore, Yahweh hadn't made any drastic changes. She was simply using the God of the Bible's legacy to further her own growth.
And so, Michael had kept her presence a secret.
"Good. Since everyone is aware, we can proceed," Sirzechs continued.
The Devils, Angels, and Fallen Angels were all creations of the God of the Bible. Their very existence was intertwined. Their conflict was a fundamental part of the world's structure.
As long as he lived, their war would continue.
Even Kiba's Holy-Demonic Sword—a fusion of opposing powers—was a testament to this truth. Only after his death could Holy and Demonic powers truly coexist.
It was a fundamental rule of the system the God of the Bible had created to manage the world.
And just as Heaven and the Underworld were diametrically opposed, so too were Angels and Devils. The Fallen Angels were a consequence of this conflict.
Therefore, only by acknowledging God's death could they truly achieve peace.
"Let us continue."
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