Chapter 97 — The Devil's Memory
The words remained in the air.
HE CREATED THE DEVIL.
Brook stared into the darkness.
Nobody moved.
Lucifer stood inside Brook's mind.
He wasn't smiling.
Michael watched him carefully.
Death remained completely still.
Brook finally spoke.
"What does that mean?"
Lucifer didn't answer.
Brook looked directly at him.
"Lucifer."
Silence.
"Did the Maker create you?"
Lucifer's eyes slowly lifted.
"No."
Brook frowned.
"Then why did that thing say it?"
Lucifer's expression hardened.
"Because it doesn't know the difference between creating something…"
He looked toward the darkness.
"…and being responsible for unleashing it."
Michael stepped forward.
Lucifer existed before the Maker.
Lucifer glanced at him.
"Thank you."
Michael continued:
But the Maker found a way to reach him.
Brook's expression changed.
"What did he do?"
Lucifer's eyes narrowed.
"I don't remember."
Brook stared.
"You don't remember?"
Lucifer looked away.
"I remember Hell."
A pause.
"I remember the throne."
Another.
"I remember blood."
His expression became colder.
"But there is a piece missing."
Brook stepped closer.
"How much?"
Lucifer looked at him.
"Enough."
The prison shook violently.
Crowley shouted:
"Move!"
The ceiling collapsed.
Brook grabbed Sera and pulled her beneath an archway.
Henry rolled behind a pillar.
Crowley remained in the open.
A massive chunk of stone fell toward him.
Brook marked the ground.
White energy surged.
He vanished.
He reappeared beside Crowley and shoved him aside.
The stone smashed into the ground.
Crowley looked at him.
"You could've left me."
Brook dusted himself off.
"You're annoying."
Crowley almost smiled.
"Fair."
Another tremor hit.
A deep roar rolled through the prison.
The creature was moving.
But it wasn't attacking.
It was climbing.
Something about that was worse.
Brook looked upward.
"We need to get above ground."
Crowley nodded.
"Now."
They raced through the collapsing prison.
Brook didn't teleport continuously.
The tunnels were too unstable.
Instead, he used his abilities only when necessary.
A section of floor collapsed.
Brook marked the opposite wall.
He caught Henry's arm.
White energy pulsed.
They appeared safely across.
Sera followed using her own power.
Crowley simply jumped the gap.
Henry stared at him.
"You could've mentioned you could do that."
Crowley kept walking.
"Wouldn't have been as impressive."
Henry laughed despite himself.
Then the wall exploded.
A black limb punched through.
Brook immediately raised his sword.
The limb swung.
He ducked beneath it.
Instead of attacking, Brook grabbed the limb and used its momentum.
He stepped around it.
Twisted.
And redirected the enormous arm into a stone column.
The impact shook the corridor.
Brook looked at his hand.
"That actually worked."
Lucifer laughed.
You should try wrestling it.
Brook stared.
"You're insane."
Probably.
The limb ripped itself free.
Brook backed away.
The creature wasn't following them.
It was heading upward.
Toward the city.
Brook's expression changed.
"It's going after Shinokuni-01."
Crowley nodded.
"Yes."
They reached the surface.
The city had become worse.
The southern districts were still burning.
Abominations fought soldiers in the streets.
Civilians were being evacuated.
Then the ground beneath Shinokuni-01 split.
A shockwave tore through the city.
Brook stumbled.
Henry caught himself against a wall.
Sera looked upward.
"What is that?"
A massive black structure emerged beneath the central district.
Not the prisoner.
Something around it.
A cage.
Brook stared.
"The prison is rising with it."
Crowley looked horrified.
"No."
Brook turned.
"What?"
Crowley pointed toward the structure.
"That's not a prison."
He swallowed.
"It's a seal."
Brook's eyes widened.
"And it's breaking."
A roar tore through Shinokuni-01.
The creature emerged.
Its body was enormous, stretching above the rooftops.
Chains wrapped around its arms and torso.
Ancient symbols burned across its skin.
But there was something strange about it.
It wasn't attacking.
It was looking.
Searching.
Then its enormous head turned.
Its gaze settled on Brook.
"B-01."
Brook stepped forward.
"Why do you keep calling me that?"
The creature lowered itself.
"Because that is what they named you."
Brook tightened his grip.
"I'm not a designation."
The creature stared.
Then:
"Good."
Brook frowned.
"What?"
"Then perhaps you can choose what you become."
Lucifer smiled faintly.
I like him.
Michael looked at him.
You like everyone who threatens civilization.
Lucifer shrugged.
They have personality.
A figure landed on the roof opposite Brook.
Elias.
Brook's expression immediately hardened.
"You came back."
Elias looked at the creature.
"I needed to see this."
Brook raised his sword.
"You used us."
"Yes."
"You unleashed it."
"Yes."
"You knew what it was."
"Yes."
Brook's jaw tightened.
"Then you're worse than I thought."
Elias looked at him.
"I've never claimed otherwise."
That answer hit harder than an excuse would've.
Brook stepped forward.
"Why?"
Elias looked toward the creature.
"Because I need it."
"For what?"
"To break the Walls."
Henry stared.
"You're insane."
Elias looked at him.
"No."
He pointed toward the horizon.
"Look."
Everyone turned.
Beyond Shinokuni-01, distant lights were appearing.
One.
Then another.
Then dozens.
Signals.
Hell.
Human forces.
Something was gathering.
Elias continued:
"The Walls were built to keep the world out."
He looked at Brook.
"But they're also keeping something in."
Brook frowned.
"What?"
Elias smiled.
"That's what the Maker wants you to discover."
A horn sounded.
Then another.
The city gates opened.
An army marched through.
Not Hell Knights.
Not Shinokuni soldiers.
A mixture.
Human soldiers wearing black armor marched beside creatures covered in crimson markings.
Brook stared.
"Asmodaos."
Elias nodded.
"He came."
Henry looked at Brook.
"Why would Hell work with Elias?"
Brook's eyes narrowed.
"They aren't."
He pointed.
"Asmodaos isn't leading them."
At the center of the army stood another figure.
A woman in silver armor.
She carried a long spear.
Elias looked at her.
"She's early."
Brook looked at him.
"Who?"
Elias answered:
"The Queen of the Ninth Gate."
The woman raised her spear.
Every soldier stopped.
She looked toward the creature.
Then toward Elias.
Then Brook.
Her eyes settled on Brook.
"The vessel."
Brook raised his sword.
"Who are you?"
She smiled.
"Someone who remembers the world before your Walls."
Lucifer suddenly became alert.
Brook felt it.
"What?"
Lucifer whispered:
"I know her."
Brook's eyes widened.
"You do?"
Lucifer stared at the woman.
"I remember her."
Michael appeared beside him.
Who is she?
Lucifer's expression darkened.
"She was there."
Brook swallowed.
"Where?"
Lucifer looked toward the woman.
"When the Maker opened the first gate."
The Queen raised her spear.
The army charged.
Brook stepped forward.
Henry joined him.
Sera moved to the side.
Crowley drew his weapon.
Brook looked at them.
"Don't split up."
Henry nodded.
The first wave arrived.
Brook met them head-on.
A swordsman swung.
Brook blocked.
The blade slid down his sword.
Brook stepped inside the guard and drove his shoulder into the man's chest.
The soldier stumbled.
Brook swept his leg.
He hit the ground.
Another attacked from the side.
Brook caught the weapon.
He twisted it away.
Then punched the soldier directly in the jaw.
The man staggered.
Brook kicked him backward.
A crimson creature lunged.
Brook fired a white blast into the ground.
The explosion launched him upward.
The creature passed beneath him.
Brook landed on its back.
He drove his sword between the armor plates.
The creature screamed.
Brook pulled the blade free.
He jumped clear as three more charged.
Lucifer laughed.
That's better.
Brook smiled.
"You're enjoying yourself."
Immensely.
The Hell Source surged.
Brook's smile became sharper.
His movements became more aggressive.
He charged the next creature instead of waiting.
Punch.
Elbow.
Knee.
Sword.
The creature blocked the blade.
Brook grabbed its arm.
His eyes darkened.
"Move."
A burst of white energy erupted from his palm.
The creature flew across the street.
Brook stood there breathing heavily.
Michael appeared.
You allowed the instinct.
Brook nodded.
"I controlled it."
Lucifer laughed.
Barely.
Brook looked at him.
"Still controlled."
Lucifer smiled.
"For now."
The Queen suddenly appeared in front of Brook.
No warning.
Her spear came toward his chest.
Brook twisted.
The weapon grazed his side.
Pain exploded through him.
He stumbled.
She attacked again.
Brook blocked with his sword.
The impact nearly broke his arm.
She was fast.
Too fast.
Brook tried to teleport.
She followed.
Her spear struck the exact location where he appeared.
Brook barely dodged.
"She can predict my marks."
Michael spoke immediately.
Then stop making your movement predictable.
Brook understood.
He marked three locations.
One on the ground.
One behind the Queen.
One on the roof.
The Queen watched his hand.
Brook smiled.
"Got you."
He ran directly toward her.
She thrust.
Brook ducked.
He slid beneath the spear.
He didn't teleport.
He punched her ribs.
She staggered.
Brook grabbed the spear.
Pulled.
She released it.
Brook kicked it away.
The Queen smiled.
"Interesting."
Brook attacked again.
She blocked his punch.
Brook grabbed her wrist.
She twisted.
He countered.
Their arms locked.
She tried to knee him.
Brook blocked with his leg.
He headbutted her.
She staggered.
Brook marked the wall behind her.
Then—
he teleported.
The Queen turned.
Too late.
Brook appeared behind her and drove his shoulder into her back.
She crashed through the wall.
Brook landed.
Henry stared.
"That was clean."
Brook smiled.
"Thanks."
Lucifer laughed.
Now kill her.
Brook's smile disappeared.
"No."
The Queen rose from the rubble.
She looked at him.
"You have restraint."
Brook raised his sword.
"Sometimes."
She smiled.
"That will disappear."
Behind them, the enormous prisoner suddenly screamed.
The sound knocked soldiers from their feet.
Brook turned.
The creature's chains were breaking.
One.
Two.
Three.
The final chain began cracking.
Crowley looked horrified.
"Everyone away!"
Elias didn't move.
Brook shouted:
"Elias!"
Elias looked at him.
"This is what I wanted."
Brook stared.
"You wanted this?"
Elias nodded.
"The prison was never meant to hold the creature forever."
"Then why release it?"
"Because I need it to remember."
Brook frowned.
"Remember what?"
Elias looked toward the creature.
"The Maker."
The final chain snapped.
Silence.
The creature slowly lifted its head.
Its eyes opened.
And for the first time…
Brook saw fear in it.
Not anger.
Not rage.
Fear.
It looked toward the sky.
Then whispered:
"He's here."
Brook looked upward.
Nothing.
Then Lucifer suddenly appeared beside him.
His face had gone completely pale.
Brook had never seen Lucifer look like that.
"What's wrong?"
Lucifer stared at the sky.
"The Maker."
Brook looked up.
Still nothing.
Then a single black crack appeared across the clouds.
Michael whispered:
Impossible.
Death looked upward.
His lifeline cannot be seen.
The crack widened.
Something was coming through.
Elias smiled.
And the entire battlefield fell silent.
End of Chapter 97