— — — — — —
"That was fast."
Ryo rubbed his chin and rose, clearly intrigued.
But since Ophis herself had appeared, it was only proper—both formally and personally—that he receive her in person. By that logic, he stepped forward without hesitation.
"You could switch careers and become a jinx," Michael said dryly to Azazel before taking to the sky.
"Hey, don't blame me," Azazel replied miserably. "How was I supposed to know she'd show up the moment I finished talking?"
From the looks of it, she'd smashed Ajuka's spell formation apart and barged in by sheer force alone. That made the situation… very uncomfortable.
Azazel sighed. He glanced at Gabriel, who had already begun chanting a hymn in place, preparing a large-scale barrier. Shaking his head slightly, he spread his twelve fallen wings and flew upward.
"Rias, you stay here with Akeno and the others. I'm going to support Ajuka," Sirzechs said as he stood, issuing the order to his younger sister. His body turned into a deep crimson streak of light and shot toward the outer perimeter.
"Brother—" Rias called anxiously, only to be pulled back by Akeno.
"Our job as bait is done. Next, we head to the evacuation area immediately."
Akeno tugged Rias along, nodding to Baraqiel and the others. Together with the gathered yokai, they moved toward the shelter.
...
..
"With Baraqiel here, it should be fine. Now I—" Azazel began from the air, but suddenly frowned and shifted several meters to the right.
Dozens of light-forged arrows sliced through the space he had just occupied, plunging into the forest below and triggering a chain of explosive impacts.
"Missed… what a shame," came a regretful voice, black feathers drifting down.
Azazel stared at the ten-winged fallen angel now before him, his brows knitting tightly.
"Satanael."
The newcomer was none other than the fallen angel who had defected and founded the Khaos Brigade alongside Wizards of Oz—Satanael.
"Azazel, I can't let you go help them," Satanael said with a smile, raising his photon bow. "If possible, could you stay here quietly until my adorable king finishes what she wants?"
"Fine. I'll play with you for a bit," Azazel replied, golden gauntlets forming around his hands.
...
At the same time... High above the sky, Michael suddenly clutched his left arm.
A faint violet hue was spreading slowly across it.
"A curse? When did—"
"Already noticed? How quick."
An aged female voice echoed.
Michael's wings stilled, and he halted midair, frowning at the magic circle that appeared before him.
Within the circle, a figure gradually took shape.
An elderly woman wearing a black witch's hat, wrapped in a finely crafted mink cloak over dark robes.
"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Augusta, the second-generation Witch of the East." The old woman bowed slightly, then continued, "Angel Michael, would you kindly remain here for a while? At least until our capricious leader finishes playing."
Michael sighed, then looked calmly at her. "Okay, three minutes."
The witch frowned.
In a gentle tone completely at odds with the words, Michael added, "If you're still alive after three minutes, I'll let you leave."
"That would be… delightful," the old witch replied, already aware she likely wouldn't be leaving at all.
...
"Cough... cough!"
Amid shattered rubble, a hand pushed aside a slab of concrete. Ajuka crawled out, covered in dust, wiping blood from his face.
"Fourteen hundred sixty-five spell layers… shattered in one strike. So that's the Infinite Dragon God?"
Thinking back to the young girl who casually waved her hand and annihilated everything, Ajuka shuddered.
"She's a genuine monster. Is this what Ryo meant by four-digit? Is that really just one rank above me?"
While Ajuka was still questioning reality—
Thud.
A thin black blade pierced through his back and slowly emerged from his chest.
"H-how…?" Ajuka's eyes widened in shock.
A male voice spoke behind him.
"Your combat instincts have dulled quite a bit, Ajuka."
Ajuka turned his head and saw a silver-haired man in formal white attire, his hair tied in a single ponytail.
Ajuka's pupils shrank.
"Euclid? Why are you—?"
Euclid Lucifuge.
One of the six houses of Lucifer. Younger brother of the Queen of Annihilation, Grayfia.
"Why would you join the Khaos Brigade?" Ajuka couldn't understand.
Born into Grayfia's family, head of the Lucifuge clan, a council member—Euclid stood at the pinnacle of devil society from birth. There should have been no reason for him to join the Khaos Brigade.
Yet here he was, ambushing him. It was incomprehensible.
"Why? You wouldn't understand, Ajuka. Someone who's never loved wouldn't get it." Euclid shook his head and slowly withdrew his blade.
The sword was black, coated in poison—specifically, a secret sedative developed by the Devil Council.
The purer the demon's bloodline, the more effective it was. It could plunge a pureblood devil into eternal sleep until their lifespan ran out.
The sword slid free with a soft pop.
Ajuka's body burst like a balloon, dissolving into strips of black cloth.
Thrust.
A dusty steel pipe—like something picked out of construction debris—shot through Euclid's abdomen.
"Ah," Ajuka said, climbing out from the rubble behind him and dusting off his hands. "You don't understand me either, Euclid. I may not have fought in a while, but I still remember to swap with a decoy when I take a serious hit."
"You…!" Euclid's eyes widened in fury, pain twisting his face.
"This is troublesome. I don't want Grayfia hunting me down," Ajuka scratched his head. "So I'll just cut off your five limbs."
"You bastard!!"
...
..
Meanwhile, in the sky—
Dressed in a white suit like a noble attending a formal banquet, Ryo gave a slight bow to the black-dressed girl before him.
"This should be our first meeting. So… let's start with a greeting."
He lifted his head, smiling at the silent girl watching him.
"Good morning, Ophis."
The next instant—
Endless light swallowed her whole.
.
.
.