The halls of the Grigori were no longer restless with fear but rather bustling with intense, calculated activity. Azazel stood before a series of magical projections, each displaying a different region where odd fluctuations had recently been detected. Beside him, Rias Gremory and her peerage, along with representatives from the various factions, listened intently as he briefed them.
"Our current theory remains consistent," Azazel said, his eyes flicking across the maps. "Amon's avatars are manipulating local populations, institutions, and even a few rogue supernatural enclaves. But none have made open moves."
"The calm before the storm," Kiba murmured.
"No," Azazel replied, lips thinning. "The storm has already started. It's just underground."
Akeno crossed her arms, brows furrowed. "So we wait?"
"No," Rias interjected. "We counter. If Amon wants to play from the shadows, we'll root out his influence one by one."
Azazel nodded approvingly. "That's the spirit. We have a lead. One of his avatars was detected near Kyoto, whispering to yokai clans. We'll mobilize a scouting team."
---
Far across dimensions, Amon observed this council through the eyes of a shattered, forgotten mirror embedded in the wall of the Grigori's war room. He stood atop a black obelisk within his private dimension, watching the fractal movements of fate as if they were rivers to be guided by subtle pressure.
There were no avatars with him now. Their tasks had already been dispatched. There was no need for discussion. He had already shared everything in the last meeting.
He knew where he had failed—and more importantly, where he would rise.
Amon's eyes flickered with understanding. "The avatar I sent to Kyoto has drawn them out," he whispered, his voice echoing through the empty plane. "Soon, they'll discover the false trail. But by then, it will be too late."
He extended his hand, and a constellation appeared in the air before him—threads of fate linked to major players across the supernatural world.
"The devils believe I'm planning another assault. The Grigori think they're leading the counter. But the truth is simpler."
His finger touched a node within the constellation, causing it to pulse with crimson light.
"I am not attacking anymore. I am corrupting."
---
In Kyoto, Issei, Xenovia, and Rossweisse moved cautiously through the forest outside the city, their senses alert.
"I don't like this," Xenovia muttered. "This entire area feels... watched."
"It's probably not our imagination," Rossweisse added. "Amon's influence distorts the environment. It always leaves a subtle residue."
Issei clenched his fists. "He's just trying to distract us again."
They moved deeper into the woods until they reached an ancient shrine. Standing at its base was a figure cloaked in flowing black robes, face obscured.
Issei took a step forward. "You there!"
The figure turned slowly. Its face was a blur, its body pulsating with an aura that shimmered like smoke.
"Too slow," it whispered, before vanishing in a blink.
The ground beneath them erupted, revealing a hidden spell circle. Energy surged upward—but it didn't attack them. Instead, it spread outward like a wave, coating the entire shrine in a glowing glyph.
Rossweisse gasped. "It's a corruption sigil! A massive one! This whole region is going to be spiritually tainted if we don't stop it!"
"We have to destroy the anchor!" Xenovia shouted, summoning Durandal.
Issei unleashed a blast from the Boosted Gear, tearing through the glyph's core while Rossweisse launched magical barriers to isolate the shrine.
After a fierce barrage, the glyph shattered, its energy dispersing into harmless motes of light.
They stood panting amid the ruined shrine.
"This wasn't meant to hurt us," Issei muttered.
Rossweisse nodded. "It was a test site. He's experimenting with large-scale spiritual corruption."
Xenovia looked grim. "That's worse than another battle. This is slow destruction."
---
Back in the Gremory manor, Rias and Akeno reviewed the mission reports.
"It's as we feared," Akeno said. "Amon has shifted from brute force to ideological and spiritual subversion."
"And people won't even notice until it's too late," Rias said quietly. "That's what makes it more dangerous."
Azazel joined them, expression grave. "We need a new strategy. We're playing into his hands by reacting. It's time we start thinking like him."
Rias blinked. "You mean... create decoys, false reports? Set traps?"
"Exactly," Azazel said. "We mimic his own tactics. Let's see how he handles being misled."
---
In a hidden vault beneath Kuoh Academy, a new sanctum had been created by the allied factions. Here, Serafall Leviathan, Michael, and Ajuka Beelzebub met under tight security.
"The longer Amon lingers in our world," Michael said, "the more reality bends around his presence."
Ajuka nodded. "We've begun to detect mathematical inconsistencies in magic formulas. His essence is altering the logic of the supernatural."
Serafall, normally bubbly, was uncharacteristically serious. "What happens if he succeeds in godhood?"
Michael's eyes dimmed. "Then we'll have a being who can rewrite the laws of our universe, not through power—but through narrative."
"A god of manipulation," Ajuka said. "Terrifying."
---
Within his realm, Amon watched it all with silent satisfaction.
They were moving exactly as he hoped—responding, adapting, and reaching higher. His failure had sparked evolution. That was the point.
He stood alone, shadows dancing behind him like wings.
"They think they understand the stakes. But they've only begun to comprehend the shape of this game."
He turned his gaze upward, to the void above his realm, where a massive silhouette loomed.
A gate—unopened, slumbering, ancient.
"I won't ascend through combat," Amon whispered. "I will ascend through consensus."
And as his words echoed through the dimension, the gate pulsed once—acknowledging its future claimant.
The godhood he sought was not merely power.
It was inevitability.
To be continued...
Author's Note:
Hey everyone! Just a quick heads-up—I'm currently preparing for another fanfic project, so updates for this story will be limited to one chapter a day for now. I really appreciate your patience and support. Thanks for sticking with me!.
Hey guys! If you're enjoying the story, toss a Power Stone my way—it really helps keep me motivated to write more. Thanks for reading!