Kokabiel's POV
The battlefield had erupted into absolute chaos.
Multiple fights were happening simultaneously—Michael's holy fire clashing against Rizevim's inherited demonic radiance, Azrael's death miasma consuming everything it touched, and somewhere in the middle of it all, Kazuma was actually holding his own against a peak Ultimate-class devil who's broken into Satan class levels. Ritsuka was also quite helpful in supporting him with her magecraft. They actually made a decent team together.
I almost felt proud.
But my attention was primarily focused on the recently half-naked cultivator floating in front of me, still trying to recover his dignity after being literally slapped across a mountain range.
Long Aotian emerged from the rubble, his ornate armor cracked and dusty, his hair disheveled, and his expression twisted between rage and disbelief. He looked like someone who'd never been truly challenged before and couldn't process the experience.
"You... you DARE!" He was practically frothing at the mouth. "Nobody has ever laid hands on this Heavenly Demon! NOBODY!"
I examined him with disinterest. "There's a first time for everything. Though I suppose in your case, it's also the last time."
"You have eyes, but you refuse to see Mount Tai! I shall crush you beneath my foot!" Long Aotian spat put hatefully.
My reply was rather amused. "You can try, ant. Since you are so confident, let's have an experiment , shall we?"
****
Meanwhile, on another part of the battlefield, Kazuma was having the fight of his life.
Lilith had recovered from the initial Tremor-Tremor Fruit attack, and now she was pissed. More than pissed—she was absolutely furious. Her missing arm had somehow regenerated, the flesh knitting itself back together in disturbing ways.
"How?!" Kazuma stumbled backward, breathing hard. "I crushed that arm! It was literally GONE! Did you bring that hax item calld 'Phoenix Tears?' "
Lilith laughed, the sound unhinged and cruel. Around her neck, a small serpent made of pure energy glowed—an Ophis snake, one of the Infinity Dragon's power fragments.
"You think you can kill me, pathetic human?" She flexed her newly regenerated arm. " I don't need things like Phoenix Tears anymore. I have surpassed those needs. We've been harvesting the Infinity Dragon's power for months! I have access to infinite energy! I AM IMMORTAL!"
"Oh, fuck my life," Kazuma muttered, his Sharingan spinning as he tried to predict her next move. "Of course the hot evil MILF has infinite respawns. Because my luck wasn't bad enough already."
Lilith blurred forward with supernatural speed.
Kazuma barely managed to dodge, using his Tremor-Tremor Fruit to shatter the space where he'd been standing a moment before. The displaced air created a shockwave that pushed her back.
"Steal!" He activated his signature adventurer skill.
His hand glowed blue and shot toward Lilith, successfully making contact.
Nothing happened.
Kazuma stared at his empty hand in confusion. "What?! Why didn't it work?!"
"You think your pathetic thief skills can work on me?" Lilith sneered. "I'm an Ultimate-class devil, you fool! Your level difference is too high!"
"No, it means you don't have any important shit to steal!" Kazuma screamed, diving away from another attack.
"Wait, usually this skill steals underwear... Does that mean you are going commando? What a harlot!" Kazuma couldn't help but remark.
Lilith's face was a mix of anger and shame. Of course she didn't have any on as she was middle of doing the nasty with Long Aotian when they dropped a star on them. As she couldn't retort, she could only became more angry.
Then things got worse.
Grayfia, who'd been watching from the sidelines with an increasingly conflicted expression, reluctantly joined the fight. Her ice magic formed deadly spears in the air around her.
"I apologize, human named Satou Kazuma," she said quietly, her voice carrying genuine regret. "But I cannot simply stand by."
The ice spears launched.
Kazuma's eyes widened. His Sharingan barely caught the trajectory in time. He used his Tremor-Tremor Fruit to vibrate the air, shattering the ice before it could reach him.
But now he was fighting two Ultimate-class devils simultaneously.
"This is bad. This is really bad." Kazuma was sweating profusely, his breathing labored. "Ritsuka! Little help here?!"
Ritsuka had been providing support fire from a safe distance, picking off weaker devils with precise mana blasts from her Mystic Code. She saw Kazuma's predicament and bit her lip.
"I need to summon a Servant," she muttered to herself. "But the gacha rate..."
She pulled out her summoning catalyst—a small device connected to the Chaldea summoning system. Her expression shifted, and Kazuma recognized that look immediately. "Oh look, there's boosted drop rate event!" She grinned widely.
It was the look of an addict about to gamble.
"Oh no," Kazuma's face went pale despite the life-or-death situation. "Not the gacha. Anything but the gacha! The Abyss ! What Horror have you unleashed you maniac!"
Ritsuka's usual gentle, polite demeanor completely disappeared. Her eyes took on a manic gleam, her smile becoming slightly unhinged. She looked like every gambling addict who'd ever graced a casino floor.
"Just one pull," she muttered, her hands shaking with anticipation. "Just one SSR. Come on, gacha gods, don't fail me now!"
Kazuma, in the middle of dodging Lilith's attacks, pulled out a cross from his inventory, one of the useless items he'd stolen from random churches, and started swinging it around with his eyes closed.
"THE GACHA IS EVIL! GACHA IS SUFFERING! MAPO TOFU! BLACK KEYS! HELP ME, RNGESUS! Protect me from this evil"
Lilith, who'd been about to land a devastating blow, got smacked directly in the face by Kazuma's wildly swinging cross.
The blessed object connected with her demonic energy, and she recoiled with a scream of pain and surprise.
"WHAT THE—" She clutched her face. "Did you just accidentally hit me with a holy relic while praying?! You think a mere cross can harm a devil like me?"
"I HAVE TRAUMA!" Kazuma was still swinging blindly. "DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY SAINT QUARTZ I'VE WASTED?! DO YOU?!"
Lilith paused in confusion. "What are you talking about?"
Meanwhile, Ritsuka was in her own world, repeatedly pulling the gacha with the fervor of someone possessed.
"Common... common... rare... ANOTHER MAPO TOFU?!" She looked ready to cry. "Why do you hate me, gacha?!"
Pull. Pull. Pull.
"Black keys! MORE black keys! I don't NEED black keys! Give me something good!"
Her hands moved faster, the pulls becoming almost violent.
Then—
DING!
A flash of golden light appeared. A cheerful, triumphant tune that sounded like angels singing. The unmistakable sound of an SSR pull.
Ritsuka's eyes went wide. Tears of joy actually started forming. "YES! FINALLY! YATTA!"
A massive magic circle appeared in front of her, golden light bursting forth with enough radiance to momentarily blind everyone nearby.
When the light faded, a figure stood there, with tanned skin and short black hair. Golden eyes that seemed to look down on everything and everyone with supreme confidence. He wore Egyptian-style clothes and ornaments—golden armbands, a ceremonial collar, flowing white robes with intricate patterns.
He exuded elegance, power, and absolute self-assurance.
The figure surveyed the battlefield with casual disinterest, like a king observing peasants squabbling over scraps.
"Who," he asked, his voice carrying the weight of absolute authority, "has received the privilege of summoning the great King of Kings? Speak, mongrel, and I shall deign to—"
"HOLY SHIT, RITSUKA!" Kazuma's voice cracked with excitement, completely forgetting he was in a fight. "DID YOU FREAKING SUMMON DIO?!"
There was an awkward pause.
The devils looked confused. Lilith stopped her attack mid-motion. Even Grayfia tilted her head slightly. "Dio? God? Did that girl summon a god?" She took a step back and braced herself.
"This human is insane," Lilith muttered. "He's calling random people God now?"
The newly summoned Servant's eye twitched slightly. "I am Ozymandias, King of Kings, Pharaoh of Pharaohs, Ramesses II of Egypt. Not this... 'Dio' you speak of."
"But you have the same voice!" Kazuma insisted, still geeking out despite the mortal danger. "And the same smug energy! Can you say 'Za Warudo' and strike a pose?!"
Ozymandias's expression became even more unimpressed. "I shall pretend I did not hear that, boy."
Ritsuka, remembering they were actually in a battle, quickly stepped forward. "Rider! Thank you for answering my summons! We're currently in the underworld, fighting against devils—"
Ozymandias held up one hand, silencing her with the gesture of someone used to absolute obedience. He scanned the battlefield with mild amusement.
"You need not explain further, Master." His golden eyes swept across the battlefield, taking in the destruction and chaos. "I can see the situation clearly. Devils plague this land, disrupting the natural order."
He smiled, and it was not a kind smile. "Since devils are here in front of me, it is my duty as God-King to pass judgment upon them. Consider this my divine mandate."
Lilith snarled. "Another arrogant fool! I'll tear you apart like the human!"
Ozymandias didn't even look at her. He simply raised one hand as he spoke lightly, "O' Monument of the Sun...
O' Pyramid which rules the universe!
The Sun descends here... in our unlimited briliance!
Fall..."
Reality started to be overwritten. The darkness of underworld seemed to disappear as rays of sunshine appeared.
"Ramesseum Tentyris."
A massive temple complex materialized in the sky above them—ancient Egyptian architecture floating impossibly in the air, covered in hieroglyphs that glowed with divine power. Each pillar was the size of a building. Each symbol pulsed with energy that made the air shimmer.
Then it began to fall. Like the judgment of the gods themselves descending upon the unworthy.
"EVERYONE, MOVE!" Shalba screamed from across the battlefield, finally noticing the threat.
Katerea and Creuserey tried to run, but Azrael's death miasma had them pinned.
Grayfia's eyes widened. She abandoned her attack on Kazuma and rushed toward her allies, ice magic flaring as she tried to create a barrier strong enough to protect them.
Kazuma saw his opportunity.
While Grayfia was distracted, while Lilith was staring up at the descending temple in shock, he made his move.
"This is my chance," he muttered to himself, black Armament Haki coating his arms and legs. "All I need is one attack to bring absolute destruction, before she can recover using her hax powers."
He remembered that day in the One Piece world. Watching Kokabiel casually restore Whitebeard to his prime, then witnessing the legendary pirate unleash his full power one final time. The sheer destructive capability of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit when wielded without restraint or mercy.
Kazuma had been training like a madman recently after getting these powers. Pushing himself harder than he ever had before. Because he didn't wish to fall behind his friends.
But this technique was beyond his current abilities. It would tear his body apart from the inside out. The vibrations were too intense, too powerful for his mortal frame to handle.
But he only needed it to work once.
He took a deep breath and pushed his Haki to the absolute limit, coating not just his arms but his legs, torso, and all his vital organs. Creating as much protection as he possibly could.
He only had one shot at this. One chance. Limited time before his body gave out entirely.
He sighed, feeling the weight of what he was about to do.
"I'm just a mob character even my world makes fun of. I'm just one of those gag characters who has no business fighting strong people." he muttered, almost laughing at the absurdity. "Why am I trying to act cool now? Even putting my life on the line? That's so unlike me."
Lilith, seeing him standing there talking to himself, laughed mockingly.
"What's wrong, human? Finally realized you can't win? Are you trying to beg for mercy now? How pathetic! On your knees, and perhaps I'll make your death quick!"
Kazuma shook his head, a soft smile forming on his face. "Nah. I'm done with that. I'm Done being weak. I'm tired of always relying on others to save me every single time."
Lilith's laughter faltered slightly. "What?"
Two massive bubbles of concentrated Tremor energy formed around Kazuma's fists. It was unlike the usual levels of power he used. These were huge, writhing masses of spatial distortion that made reality itself crack just from their proximity.
The air around his fists began to fracture. Space started to shatter like glass. The ground beneath him developed spiderweb cracks that spread out for dozens of meters. Kazuma's Conqueror's haki flared up to show his determination behind this attack.
"I might complain, give up or just hide in front of problems I can't deal with." He looked up, his eyes calm despite the chaotic energy in his fists. "I also want to be someone people look up to," Kazuma said quietly, slouching forward and crossing his arms in the iconic Whitebeard stance. "Someone people can rely on. Someone strong enough to protect what matters to me."
The tremor bubbles pulsed, growing larger.
"Kokabiel helped me in the One Piece world. Gave me power I never deserved. My friends—Ritsuka, Klein, Jin Woo, Robin, Yoruichi—they're all stronger than me. They'd all protect me if I asked."
His voice became firmer. "But I can't keep being stuck when others move on . I Can't keep being the weakest and helpless to help. I refuse to keep being the guy who hides behind everyone else!"
Lilith saw the danger now. The sheer destructive potential building in those tremor spheres were reaching alarming levels of power, even surpassing her slightly.
Her eyes widened, and she immediately started backing away, demonic energy flaring as she prepared to flee.
"You're insane! You're just a human. You'll kill yourself using that much power!"
"Probably!" Kazuma grinned, and for just a moment, he looked genuinely dangerous. Genuinely threatening. "But I'm not gonna hold back anything and give it my all!"
Then he vanished from Lilith's sight. She widened her eyes as she tried to escape, throwing all dignity of a mighty devil. She saw it. That wasn't teleportaion or magic. Just pure, overwhelming speed born from desperation and determination.
Kazuma reappeared directly in front of Lilith, his fists already in motion, the tremor bubbles making the air scream. he looked like a heroic figure, willing to sacrifice it all for victory. Even Ritsuka watched dazed. "Kazuma san looks really cool now. " She muttered with a smile.
But in the next moment, the illusion of coolness shattered completely.
"I WANNA BE STRONG AND COOL TOO, DAMMIT! Lemme show off for once!" Kazuma's voice came out as a high-pitched, shrill scream. "WORLD SHAKER!"
His fists connected with Lilith's body.
CRACK.
The sound wasn't from an explosion. It was reality breaking. Space itself shattering like a mirror struck by a hammer.
Lilith didn't even have time to scream properly.
The tremor energy hit her at point-blank range with the force of a high magnitude earthquake. Her body, Peak Ultimate-class devil or not, wasn't designed to withstand spatial distortion of that magnitude delivered directly to her internal organs.
She was crushed under the power. Her body folded in on itself in ways that shouldn't be possible, bones shattering, flesh tearing, the Ophis snake tatoo between her chest shattering into motes of light.
The shockwave threw her like a ragdoll, spinning through the air. Most of her body simply disintegrated, torn apart by the spatial fractures. What remained—a broken, mangled mess barely recognizable as humanoid, crashed into the ground dozens of meters away.
She was still alive. Barely. Her regeneration trying desperately to fix damage that extensive.
But she was moments away from death. Her internal organs were also destroyed along with her body, leaving nothing to heal.
Kazuma stood there for a moment, his arms still extended, trembling violently.
Then he coughed violently. Blood sprayed from his mouth. His arms hung limply at his sides, the bones clearly fractured. His Haki flickered and died. His entire body was shaking like he was having a seizure.
"Ow," he wheezed. "That... that really hurt. Note to self: don't do that again. Ever. Ow."
He swayed on his feet, barely staying upright through sheer stubbornness.
Grayfia had disengaged from her attempt to protect the other devils when she saw Ozymandias's temple begin to descend. She'd created an ice barrier, but it was meaningless against an attack of that scale.
She tried to protect whomever she could find, but Ozymandias merely destroyed them before her eyes with a casual wave. The Grand Pyramid traps and defense echanisms were able to fire continuously, making it difficult to defend against.
Now she just stood there, looking at the carnage around her.
The Old Satan faction was completely finished. Even if they somehow won this battle, they'd never recover. Too many high-ranking were devils dead or dying. They did not have anyone other than Rizevim who could fight against the new satans.
It was all over.
She gripped her sword tightly, the blade trembling slightly in her hand.
What was the point anymore? What was she even fighting for? The cause was lost. Long Aotian had disappeared—probably dead, knowing Kokabiel's reputation. Rizevim was fighting a losing battle against Michael. Lilith was dying. Everything was falling apart.
She raised her sword, pointing the blade at her own throat. Better to die with some dignity than be captured. Better to end it on her terms. The blade touched her skin, drawing a single drop of blood.
Then a black, shining arm shot out and caught the blade, crushing the metal like glass.
Grayfia looked up in shock.
Kazuma stood there, his hand gripping what remained of her sword. Blood dripped from his mouth. His body was clearly broken. But his eyes were focused, determined.
"Don't. Killing yourself won't solve anything." he said simply.
"Why?" Grayfia's voice was hollow. "Why should I live? I have nowhere to go. No purpose left. The Old Satan faction is finished. I'm just a tool that's outlived its usefulness."
"Then find a new purpose," Kazuma said, his voice strained but sincere. "Look, I don't know your story. This ain't cannon DxD thanks to my pal. But I know you didn't want to fight me earlier. I Know you held back when you could have teamed up with the evil hag and kill me."
He coughed again, more blood poured from him. "You're not like them. Not like Lilith or Rizevim or that cultivator asshole. So don't throw your life away for their failed rebellion."
Grayfia stared at him, something shifting in her expression. "You... you're offering me mercy? After I tried to kill you?"
"Yeah, well." Kazuma shrugged, then winced at the pain. "I'm an advocate of gender equality, remember? That means I don't let pretty ladies kill themselves on my watch either."
Grayfia sighed. "What a pity. I wish I could have met someone like you sooner. For a human, you are not entirely unpleasant. But I can't stop now."
Kazuma sghed. "Why do I always meet troublesome women."
Before Grayfia could respond, Kazuma's Sharingan spun. "Genjutsu :Hell viewing technique!"
Before she could react, Grayfia's vision blurred as she found herself trapped in a hellscape, tied to a stake."
Before se could break free, Kazuma prepared another insurance.
"Sleep," Kazuma cast the spell quickly. "Just sleep. Figure out the rest when you wake up."
Grayfia's eyes rolled back, and she collapsed.
Kazuma caught her barely with his broken arms, and stumbled over to where Ritsuka was standing.
He dropped Grayfia's unconscious body next to her and winced. "Acting cool is really harmful for a mob character's health. Note to self."
Ritsuka looked at him with a deadpan expression. "Really, Kazuma-san? We are here to kill the devils."
"What?!" Kazuma's face turned red despite the blood loss and exhaustion. "She's not truly evil! Just... misguided! Following bad leaders! It happens!"
"You just wanted to save the pretty lady so she falls for you."
"I—that's—look, can we discuss this later?!" He coughed up more blood, staggering. "I'm dying here!" He staggered and was about to fall face first into the ground. Ritsuka moved to catch him.
Then Ozymandias appeared beside them, casually catching Kazuma by the back of his collar to steady him. The motion was surprisingly gentle for someone so imposing.
"You are a very interesting person, boy." Ozymandias's tone carried genuine respect. "To push yourself to such limits for a cause not originally your own. To stand firm against opponents far beyond your natural capability."
He looked down at Kazuma with something approaching approval. "You should be proud. The God-King acknowledges your strength. Few mortals can claim such an honor."
Kazuma chuckled weakly, blood dribbling from the corner of his mouth. "Thanks, Pharaoh-sama. That means... a lot."
He paused, then grinned despite the pain. "But can you still say 'Za Warudo' and strike a pose? Just once? Please? I'm dying here, grant a dying man's wish!"
Ozymandias's eye twitched. "I shall pretend I did not hear that. Again."
Ritsuka sighed deeply.
Kazuma's eyes started to flutter closed. The adrenaline was wearing off, and his body was shutting down from the damage.
But as consciousness left him, he felt something he'd never really felt before.
Pride.
Not the fake, defensive pride he used to cope with being the weakest member of the group. Real pride. The kind that came from actually accomplishing something difficult. From pushing past his limits. From protecting someone when it mattered.
For the first time in both his lives, he felt like he wasn't weak and useless.
He felt happy.
A genuine smile spread across his face as he passed out in Ozymandias's grip.
Ritsuka looked at the unconscious Kazuma, that ridiculous happy smile still plastered on his bloody face.
"Even though your personality is extremely problematic," she said softly, kneeling down to check his pulse, "you're still a friend we can all count on, Kazuma-san. You did well."
Ozymandias nodded, his expression shifting to something almost paternal. "He has earned his rest. Few warriors can claim to have fought so fiercely."
He looked around the battlefield, noting that his work here was done. The temple had crushed most of the remaining devils. The immediate threats had been neutralized.
"My work is done here. I shall return to the Throne of Heroes." He gave a small, regal wave. "Call upon me again when you have need. I might just accept."
Then he faded into motes of golden light, dispersing into the air like fireflies in the dark.
Ritsuka was left alone with two unconscious bodies. Kazuma with that stupid smile on his face, and Grayfia looking peaceful for perhaps the first time in months.
She pulled out a healing potion from her supplies and carefully administered it to Kazuma. "You better not die after pulling off something that cool, you idiot."
She looked around to see what's going on, and found the battle was nearly over. The weaker devils had all fallen. Only a couple stronger ones were still fighting.
Ritsuka looked for Kokabiel, but didn't see him or Long Aotian. "Huh, where did Kokabiel san go with the cultivator guy? It shouldn't take him this long to defeat him."
She muttered softly. "Please be safe, Kokabiel san."