"They're so noisy," Azazel said, feigning annoyance as he watched the flares of spells dancing against the barrier. "So persistent in trying to break through, hahaha! What do you say, Sirzechs?"
He raised an eyebrow questioningly, stroking his goatee, and cast a sly glance out the window. Projectiles rained down, testing the defense's strength. How long would it hold? Doubtful. Even through the haze of my hangover, I could see how densely packed the enemy forces were.
My mind felt shrouded in fog. I tried in vain to shake off the lingering alcohol, to get back to normal. But it wasn't so easy – the drink had been created by Dionysus himself, and it wasn't something you could just shake off. It took time. Azazel, though, seemed to have developed an immunity.
How had he recovered so quickly? Was he faking it?
Noticing my pathetic state, Azazel sighed and, tousling his hair, pulled something from his pocket and tossed it to me.
"Here, this should help. By the way, I got mint flavored, lucky me!"
I caught the small container in mid-air, which looked like a Tic-Tac box, filled with colorful pills. I took one out and swallowed it. I instantly tasted… strawberry?
"Mmm, pretty good. I got strawberry flavor," I said, feeling the alcohol receding, taking my hangover with it.
Azazel, you're a damn genius!
"Yes, I'm a genius, Sirzechs. Thank you for the compliment!" he said, raising a finger victoriously and grinning. "And I'm not reading your mind! You just wear everything on your face."
What the hell is this guy?
I shifted my gaze to Gabriel. She was nervously wringing her fingers, her eyes glued to us. I sighed quietly and approached her. Noticing me, she first gave me a slightly strained smile, which blossomed as I got closer. I held out a miniature box of candies to her – there was really no other word for them. Gabriel happily accepted the gift, immediately popping a candy into her mouth. Her eyes widened with delight.
"Peach!" she exclaimed, fluttering her eyelashes, which made me involuntarily smile.
"Tch… lucky bastards… getting something normal on the first try," Azazel muttered, shooting us an envious look.
"What do you mean?" I asked, curious.
"Well, you know… how can I put it… the candies have different flavors – from beneficial to disgusting… I once got rotten fish… Blech…" He spat, grimacing, and clutched his stomach. Apparently, the memory of that treat still disgusted him.
I just shook my head, suppressing a laugh.
"Lord Sirzechs, are there any orders?" Sairaorg's voice snapped me back to reality. He stood nearby, awaiting instructions. Dulio and Tobio had also approached their leaders, ready to act.
The building shook again, plaster falling from the ceiling, large chunks crashing to the floor. The barrier was clearly at its limit. I ran a hand through my hair and sighed heavily. At that moment, the door creaked open, and a flustered Rias and Sona burst into the hall with their peerages.
"Brother, what happened? Are we under attack?" she asked anxiously, nervously fidgeting with her fingers and biting her lip.
"What are your further instructions, Lord Lucifer?" Sona adjusted her glasses and looked at me seriously, awaiting orders.
I sighed. I was their leader now, and I had to make decisions.
"Stick together, stay on guard, and try not to stray too far from me. And don't get killed, alright?" I said calmly, feeling anxious for Rias and Sona. I had to do everything possible to protect them. Otherwise, I'd never hear the end of it…
I mentally banished the dark thoughts, trying to ease the tension.
Suddenly, a deafening explosion erupted:
BA-A-A-M!
Instinctively, I erected a barrier. A huge cloud of dust obscured the view, but I quickly channeled demonic energy and focused it into my vision. Even through the dust, I could see that everyone was safe. With a wave of my hand, empowered by my magic, I dispersed the dust.
Before us was a destroyed wall and a multitude of dark figures.
"What a mess… So, what do you say, Sirzechs? Can you handle all this yourself? Or are you going to make an old man do some work?" I heard Azazel's voice as he dusted off his suit and looked at me with a sly grin. Gabriel was also looking at me expectantly, as if waiting for something special.
Why had I suddenly become the one in charge?
I sighed again, taking a few steps forward. Countless dark figures floated in the sky. I began to circulate magic within my body, and a crimson aura flared around me, making the air tremble. Raising my hand, I proclaimed:
"Great Annihilation!"
A crimson glow enveloped my hand, turning into a dark haze. A wave of destructive energy surged forward, spanning kilometers in an instant. Everything it touched disintegrated into particles, turning enemies to dust. I lowered my hand, exhaling slightly, and at that moment, applause rang out. The corners of my lips twitched slightly.
Turning around, I saw Azazel and Gabriel clapping. While Gabriel's applause was sincere and innocent, Azazel's wide grin betrayed him – he was clearly amused at my expense!
What a nasty old man!
Rias, standing nearby, looked at me with glowing blue eyes, full of admiration. Her fascination made me involuntarily raise my head and run a finger under my nose, self-consciously showing off for her. I noticed Sona's surprised and shocked face as she readjusted her glasses, deep in thought. Still, there wasn't much to be proud of – it was just the first line of defense, cannon fodder. There was still more to come.
And right on cue. No sooner had a few minutes passed than I sensed a multitude of new signatures, and then, as if from nowhere, a magic circle appeared. From it emerged Katerea Leviathan, Shalba Beelzebub, Kuruzerei Asmodeus – descendants of the former demon lords. And even though they were mere descendants, not the lords themselves, they exuded so much arrogance and pride that you'd think they were the very legendary demons themselves.
But still… why did it seem more like a pathetic spectacle than something majestic?
Alright, let's drop that thought.
I stepped forward, as I seemed to have become the unspoken leader of our coalition. Azazel, arms crossed, watched me with interest, and Gabriel also turned her gaze, as did everyone else.
Narrowing my eyes, I said coldly:
"What are you doing here? Retreat, and I won't kill you."
In response, laughter erupted, involuntarily making me frown.
Had I said something funny?
Katerea, wiping a tear from her eye, stepped forward and stated confidently:
"Oh, Sirzechs Gremory, you always love to dramatize things!" She looked at me with a sort of sadness and slight disappointment. "It's a shame you chose the wrong side. If you were with us, the whole world would be ours! And the devil race would thrive in this world!"
Her voice rang with fanaticism and madness, her gaze flashing with an unrestrained fire.
"You… really think so?"
It was clear from their expressions that they truly believed it. I just shook my head – it was madness, pure and simple.
"Since we can't reach an agreement, it seems we'll have to speak a different language."
My aura flared, the space around us trembled, and their arrogant gazes vanished in an instant, replaced by nervous swallowing. Why did they come here, knowing what I was capable of? Was it not suicide? Or did they have some kind of plan?
Katerea, as if sensing my thoughts, set the pace:
"Do you think we came without a plan, Sirzechs? You think too little of us."
They retreated, and… a small girl in black and violet clothing appeared. Small, pointed ears, a gaze that was cold, piercing, making you involuntarily shiver and break out in a nervous sweat. And now… everything became clear… Their plan was to stall me with Ophis while they dealt with the others. My mood plummeted, but I couldn't panic. I looked at Ophis and calmly, although everything inside me was tightening with tension, said:
"Ophis… why are you here? Have we troubled you in some way?"
At the same time, I glanced at Azazel, who had noticeably tensed, and Gabriel, who had clenched her fist. The others were also exchanging nervous glances. Ophis's gaze was impassive and cold, empty and lifeless, as if…
My thoughts were interrupted by a sudden surge of her power. A violet aura flared, causing me to react instinctively. Our auras clashed, and I saw everyone around us begin to sweat and tremble.
"Follow me," she said coldly, turning and walking away, causing me to frown even more. I looked at Sairaorg, who understood my serious look without a word and nodded. I shifted my gaze to Rias and Sona. And, I moved forward. The trio of wannabe-lords nervously retreated, letting me pass.
Passing by them, I whispered:
"You've made a big mistake."
Their faces paled, but Kuruzerei, whose fear was replaced by a flash of arrogance, gritted his teeth and spat out:
"You think we're afraid of you? Know that we're not afraid of anything! And we won't spare anyone here, especially Rias and…"
He didn't get to finish. In a whirl of crimson energy, I was instantly beside him, grabbing his face.
"Ruin the Extinct!" I said, and my attack, one of the strongest in my arsenal, worked instantly.
Kuruzerei vanished, broken down into particles, not even having time to scream. This technique erased matter from existence, ignoring most defenses, but required a huge expenditure of magical energy. I saw Katerea and Shalba's faces turn even paler, their arrogance replaced by fear. Ignoring them, I moved after Ophis, hoping that Azazel, Gabriel, Dulio, Tobio, and Sairaorg could handle the rest. I was worried about Rias and Sona, but I knew that with such a team, they were safe.
I could already see the small figure walking ahead, but I couldn't fathom her thoughts. I was afraid, but not for myself, but for Rias and the others. If we started fighting right in the hall, casualties would be inevitable. My job was to prevent that. Ophis Ouroboros, you could say, was the second strongest after Great Red at the moment, not counting Trihexa in its sealed state.
I decided to ask the loli walking ahead:
"Why are you doing this, Ophis? What for?"
Although I roughly understood her motive – the desire for silence and the victory over Great Red, which seemed absurd – Ophis suddenly stopped and looked at me again with those emotionless eyes. Tilting her head slightly, she said:
"If I bring you to one place and occupy you for a while, I was promised help in defeating Great Red."
I blinked in surprise, dumbfounded by her words. She pulled out a black envelope from somewhere and showed it to me, causing me to flinch and erupt with curses. Ophis put the envelope away and walked on. Rage washed over me, my fists clenched until my knuckles cracked. And yet, I followed her.
Soon, we arrived at a clearing, not far from the building where the summit was taking place. It was a trap – I had been separated from the others, but kept close enough that I would worry about Rias and the others. I couldn't help but admire the work they had done for me.
I stopped, feeling the crimson aura around me begin to pulse. Ophis turned to me, her gaze remaining cold, but the growing threat was palpable in the air.
"Are you ready to sacrifice everything for your goal?" I asked, trying to buy time.
Her eyes narrowed, but she didn't answer. Instead, her aura intensified, causing the ground beneath our feet to tremble. I realized that a fight was inevitable, and I prepared myself. My aura flared brighter, and the space around us hummed with tension.
"If that's your choice, Ophis," I said quietly, "then I won't let you harm my loved ones."
The words seemed to have evaporated, turning into empty sounds. If I had caught even a shadow of doubt in her eyes, a spark of hope for compromise, I would have seized it, but… Ophis was deadly serious, and apparently, that dirty bastard had been more convincing.
But why? What was he doing all this for? In the name of what?
I had to abandon further musings – I needed absolute concentration now!
I lunged forward, the space warping from my inhuman speed, and the crimson energy of "Ruin the Extinct" gathered in my palm, forming a pulsating sphere, alive and hot, like a beating heart. I unleashed it at Ophis – a crimson ray of destruction pierced the air with a deafening roar.
WHOOSH!
The space shuddered, but Ophis didn't even flinch. My attack crashed into an invisible barrier, scattering into sparks. Her eyes flared, and a swarm of black snakes erupted from her body, rushing at me like a pack of hungry shadows.
I dodged, moving at the edge of perception, my mind working at its limit. I released another wave of "Ruin the Extinct," obliterating the snakes into dust, but they instantly regenerated, multiplying exponentially, and Ophis's pressure was becoming unbearable. My chest constricted – her boundless power was no joke.
In the blink of an eye, I erected a spatial barrier and summoned my true form. My aura flared, my body enveloped in a crimson haze. I created a gigantic ball of destruction, the size of a house, and hurled it at Ophis.
BOOOOM!
The explosion shook everything around, but her smile only widened.
"Amusing," she whispered, and the space around me constricted, like a vise.
I felt my barrier crack under the monstrous pressure, and a wave of all-consuming energy crashed down on me, paralyzing me, scorching everything in its path.
I raised a magic shield again, but it shattered, and I was thrown back, crashing to the ground.
Blood flooded my temple, but my innate regeneration was already rushing to help, patching up the ragged wounds.
I rose, breathing heavily.
She's too strong.
But I can't retreat!
Suddenly, the space next to me warped, shattered like a mirror into myriad shards. I barely had time to raise my hand, and at that same moment, I felt hellish pain in my palm, pierced through by a spear. Crimson blood gushed from the wound, and I saw him – Cao Cao, with an arrogant smirk, his True Longinus shining with holy light, searing my demonic flesh.
That bastard had been hiding in the Dimensional Gap!
"Sirzechs Lucifer," his voice was cold, but his eyes sparkled with anticipation. "You're too preoccupied. Allow me to finish this."
The pain in my hand was excruciating, the holy energy burned, paralyzing, and I felt poison spreading through my veins, restricting my movements.
Gritting my teeth, I unleashed a wave of "Ruin the Extinct" at Cao Cao. He retreated, but his Spear blocked the attack, creating an impenetrable barrier of holy light. Ophis watched, her face remaining impassive, but I felt that she was interested in our confrontation.
Now I was fighting two opponents. Ophis released another wave of snakes, and Cao Cao attacked from the flank, his Spear shining, ready to pierce me again. I teleported behind Ophis, creating dozens of crimson spheres and unleashing them at her, but she absorbed them with her boundless aura. Cao Cao seized the moment, activating his Balance Breaker — "Truth Idea."
The Spear flared, and a wave of holy energy rushed at me, but I managed to put up a barrier, which cracked under the terrible pressure. The poison in my hand pulsed, slowing my reflexes. I couldn't hold them both off for long. I was holding on with my last strength, but it was becoming unbearable.
"Ahem…"
Suddenly, pain pierced my entire body, and blood spurted from my mouth, plunging me into shock and bewilderment. I froze, staring at the holy spear protruding from my chest. When?
"Sirzechs, Sirzechs, what's the matter? You look utterly pathetic," a taunting voice echoed. I turned to see him—Rizevim Livan Lucifer. One hand settled on my shoulder, while the other grasped a magical spear, amplified with holy energy. How the hell?! He shouldn't possess power like that, but I guess his Sacred Gear Cancellation allowed him to replicate it.
Under his pressure, I fall to my knees.
"Rizevim, you…" I croaked, barely able to force out the words. Blood flowed from my mouth, staining my chin.
"Ah? Yes, yes, the same old Rizevim! What's wrong, Sirzechs? Don't be so gloomy, relax, old man!"
He touched my face, ran his hand along my cheek, and in his gaze, there was a glee that only provoked anger. With difficulty, coughing up blood, I grabbed the wound from which blood was gushing. I saw Ophis's indifferent gaze, Cao Cao, twirling his spear and casually slinging it over his shoulder, looking at me with a smirk, and Rizevim, whose eyes sparkled with malicious joy.
"Ah, Sirzechs! You know, it hurts me that you don't talk to me. You know what? Let's chat a little while you haven't kicked the bucket yet, okay?"
He leaned closer as I knelt, and began his sarcastic monologue, full of irony and wicked jokes.
"You know, my fake Lucifer, I wouldn't give a damn about all this shit and you, too…" he took a black envelope out of his pocket. "But there's so much interesting stuff written here! It made my heart flutter again, you wouldn't believe it!"
Madness flared in his gaze.
"It says how to create Chaos and what kind of fun awaits beyond the edge of our world! Isn't that wonderful? Oh yeah, that's right! You're a damn pacifist!"
He spat on the floor in irritation.
"So righteous and pure, I swear to God! Shouldn't devils be evil? What the hell is up with all this, Sirzechs? My mind refuses to understand it! And don't just keep silent already!"
"Ghrrr… What… do you want… from me… Rizevim?" I croaked, each sound was difficult, as if a blade were cutting my throat.
"Ah, too bad, Sirzechs! You're no fun to talk to! If that's the case, it's time to die, isn't it?" he raised the spear, preparing to deliver the final blow.
Is this the end?
My strength was ebbing away like water through my fingers, leaving only an icy emptiness.
Will it all end here, in this cursed place?
What was it all for? Why did I even end up here? To die? Again? Shouldn't I have saved this world? So what was all my effort, all the sacrifices for? And my relationships… those sprouts of hope that I so carefully nurtured in this world… will they be destroyed too? Then tell me, you cursed bastard! Why did you send me here? Why did you make me believe in hope again, only to take everything away? Answer me!
At the moment when Rizevim prepared to deliver the final blow, time shuddered and froze.
Ophis's snakes froze in a ghostly dance, Cao Cao froze with a grimace of madness on his face, and even Rizevim's spear, shining with hatred, stopped a millimeter from my neck. The world faded, as if someone had turned off the light, leaving only a gray, colorless shell. And then, like a whip crack, a voice rang out in my head – cold, dispassionate, devoid of all humanity, but penetrating to the very bones.
"Sirzechs Lucifer, Maou of the Underworld. Your life is fading, but the despair of your will has touched me. Do you wish to change fate? I, the Counter Force of Humanity, offer you a contract. Become a heroic spirit, fight in the Holy Grail War, and I will give you a chance to fulfill your wish. You will be able to protect those you love and correct your mistakes. Will you accept?"
Ha-ha-ha!
Ha-ha-ha!
Ha-ha-ha!
Ha-ha-ha!
Now it's all clear! So that's what it was for! What a disgusting, pathetic bastard you are! I will find you, wherever you are, and destroy you! I will tear out your rotten heart and bathe in the streams of your blood!
A-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!
But first… I will take part in this damned war!
"I… accept."
The world flashed white, and I felt my soul tear out of my body, carrying me into the unknown.