Chapter 5: The Madman Rizevim!
Beyond his lineage, Rizevim possessed a terrifyingly specific ability: the Sacred Gear Canceller. Any power originating from a Sacred Gear was neutralized into nothingness in his presence. This meant that every Sacred Gear wielder was naturally suppressed by him.
This was precisely why none of Sirzechs' own Peerage members used Sacred Gears—they were specifically prepared to face him. As the leader of the New Maou Faction and the current "Lucifer," and with a wife who had once stood by Rizevim's side, Sirzechs understood the horror of this madman better than anyone.
Rizevim couldn't be judged by common sense; he was a neurotic, unpredictable lunatic. Combined with the fact that he was a direct descendant of the original Maou, he knew far too many secrets of the world. He was a hidden time bomb, and no one knew when he would decide to trigger a catastrophe.
"Rizevim... that madman?" Akira muttered.
"You even know of him?" This time, it was Sirzechs' turn to be shocked. That name was a secret even to many high-ranking officials in various organizations. Among Devils, only the "old monsters" of the pure-blood families still whispered it. The name had become a taboo, and the Devil race had scrubbed almost all public records of him.
"I know a lot of things. Don't be too surprised."
"I suppose I shouldn't be. You are a walking mystery yourself."
In just a few months, Akira had gone from a Low-Class Devil to a level that was at least Transcendental. A few months—what could a normal person even achieve in such a short time? Yet the man in front of him had done it. "Earth-shattering" didn't even begin to describe it.
"You want to find him because you intend to finish him off once and for all, don't you?" Akira asked.
"Correct."
"I don't know his specific location. The man is elusive and prefers to crawl in the shadows."
"I'm aware. That's why I'm asking for your help. You have a good relationship with the White Dragon Emperor, and he is currently a member of the Khaos Brigade."
"I see. You want to use Vali as a spy. For that, you should talk to Azazel. He's the one who raised the boy." Akira immediately shifted the responsibility. Why look for me? Go find his 'father'; an adoptive father is still a father.
"If it were Azazel..." Sirzechs trailed off, but the implication was clear.
Akira wasn't surprised. Vali was a handful, to put it lightly. Even if he respected Azazel deep down, he was fiercely independent and did whatever he pleased.
"I can meet with Vali and ask him to look into it," Akira conceded.
"Thank you."
"No need. That man... even if you hadn't asked, I would have killed him eventually."
"Why? Do you have a personal grudge against Rizevim as well?"
"No. But the man is a lunatic. He is the true shadow behind the Khaos Brigade. He's plotting against Ophis and even intends to break the seal on '666'—the Trihexa."
"What did you say?"
Plotting against Ophis was one thing—difficult, yes, but not entirely unexpected for a man like Rizevim. But Trihexa... that was a different story.
Trihexa was a true monster. It was an existence on the same level as, or perhaps even above, Great Red and Ophis in their prime. Currently, it was sealed in another dimension. Even if its body were destroyed, as long as a fragment of its core remained, it would regenerate instantly. The God of the Bible had lost most of His power just to seal the beast, which gave the four original Maous the opening to start the Great War.
In the original timeline, it was Rizevim who sacrificed his own soul to break that seal, bringing the world to the brink of total destruction. Akira had no desire to play the hero, but if he could prevent that kind of chaos, he would. He needed to pull the weed out by the roots before it could choke the world.
This was Akira's home base. He intended to explore thousands of worlds; it would be a massive headache if his "main base" was set on fire while he was away.
Beside them, Sirzechs' face was contorted with fury and killing intent. As a Maou, he knew the legends of Trihexa—the beast that even God couldn't kill, only seal. Now that God was gone, if that monster were released, it would truly be the end of the world.
"Relax, don't worry about it yet. He won't do it just now," Akira said calmly.
"Hm? Why is that?"
"He has discovered the existence of other worlds and is currently planning an invasion. His desire for Ophis's power is part of his preparation for that."
"And Trihexa...?"
"That is what he will do once he stops finding 'amusement' in everything else."
As soon as Akira said those words, neither Sirzechs nor Grayfia doubted him. It sounded exactly like something Rizevim would do. His logic was twisted, far removed from any normal person.
Most people were driven by money, power, strength, or beauty. Rizevim cared for none of those things. He sought only one thing: entertainment. As long as he found it "fun," he would do anything. This was a man who had ordered his own son—Vali's father—to torture his grandson, leading to Vali's flight from home, only to kill his son later because he found him "too cowardly."
Even against his own flesh and blood, he felt nothing. He was beyond words. His desire to invade other worlds was simply because he had grown bored with this one.
Akira had already dispatched his Shadow Generals to track the man. With the near-infinite reach of the Shadow Khan, it was only a matter of time before a lead turned up. And once he was found, the problem would be solved.
Akira was no longer a Sacred Gear user. He had long since left the Boosted Gear back in Orario. As for Enkidu: Chains of Heaven, that was a Noble Phantasm belonging to Akira's own legend—it was a part of him. All these factors combined gave Akira the absolute confidence that he wouldn't flinch, even against Rizevim.
And if the worst-case scenario occurred and Akira couldn't handle it? Well, he still had a mother who doted on her son.
If Tiamat decided to step in, forget Rizevim—even Trihexa wouldn't be a problem for Akira.
(Praise Mother Tiamat!)
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