"It seems—"
Rias was just starting to explain what happened to Hyoudou when Azazel cut in.
"—to be a terrorist attack."
Right.
Apparently it takes two people to explain the exact same thing, while a third just stands there supervising.
Hyoudou looked appropriately confused.
Suzuka glanced at me, her voice barely above a whisper.
"...Do you think it's them?"
"Could be," I said with a small shrug. "But these magicians actually feel like they were born with their power. Their aura's different."
I glanced toward the commotion.
"Not like Oblivion. Those guys had to borrow theirs."
Azazel jerked his chin toward the window.
"Would you like to look outside?"
I walked over to the meeting room's glass wall just as another burst of light flashed across the sky.
Suzuka followed a step behind me, while Hyoudou rushed over in a confused panic.
The building gave a faint tremor.
…Great.
"We're under fire," Azazel said calmly. "Any time powers try to make peace, there are always people who hate the idea enough to ruin the party."
He pointed outside.
When I followed his gesture, I saw them—human silhouettes scattered across the schoolyard and hovering in the air.
Black robes, dramatic entrances, the whole cliché package.
Magic circles flared.
A barrage of glowing projectiles streaked toward the school like a storm of arcane bullets.
They detonated against the barrier around the building in harmless bursts of light.
So far, not a single scratch.
Still, they weren't stopping.
Right. Terrorists. Because diplomacy apparently attracts those like flies to sugar.
Azazel stepped beside me, watching the spectacle with a grin that suggested he'd seen this kind of mess a hundred times before.
"Those guys are what you'd call Magicians," he said. "Their magic system was reconstructed from the demonic power structure of Devils by the legendary magician Merlin Ambrosius. Based on the power output I'm seeing, each of them is roughly equivalent to a Mid-class Devil."
I glanced back at the yard.
There were… a lot of them.
"Well," Azazel continued, "in short, it means humans can wield powers similar to Devils. Of course, that doesn't mean they can become Devils themselves. The real headache is when someone with a Sacred Gear learns magic on top of that."
Another volley slammed against the barrier.
The building didn't even flinch.
Azazel tapped the glass lightly.
"Relax. Their attacks aren't strong enough to break this place. The barrier covering the school was built by me, Sirzechs, and Michael."
He paused, smiling a little wider.
"Of course… the downside is that it works both ways."
I raised an eyebrow.
"We can't leave, either."
Hyoudou shifted beside me, practically squirming.
"T-Then what about earlier? When time suddenly stopped?"
Azazel answered without taking his eyes off the chaos outside.
"Most likely they used a Sacred Gear or some kind of magic to funnel power into that half-Vampire kid's Sacred Gear and force it into Balance Breaker."
He paused, watching another volley splash harmlessly against the barrier.
"It's only temporary, but even so… affecting people inside structures outside his line of sight is impressive."
Azazel chuckled quietly.
"That kid's potential is pretty high."
Right.
So let me get this straight—these geniuses managed to leave a time-stopping half-Vampire completely unguarded… and somehow he still ended up captured by the enemy.
Impressive.
Let's just file that under another Rias Gremory oversight.
Honestly, Akeno handled things better.
Comparatively speaking, that's like Nicolae Ceaușescu next to Klaus Iohannis.
The bar really isn't that high.
Rias moved to Hyoudou's side, her fists slowly tightening.
"Gasper… they're using him," she said, her voice low and sharp. "As a weapon. At the old school building."
Her aura flared crimson around her, pressure spilling into the room hard enough to make Hyoudou stiffen beside me.
"And somehow," she continued, each word clipped, "they knew he was my servant. They knew exactly how to use him to disrupt this meeting."
The air around her trembled.
"I've never been insulted like this."
Yeah.
Well.
Maybe that's something you should've thought about earlier.
"By the way, the Fallen Angels, Angels, and Devils stationed outside the school all seem to be frozen too," Azazel added. "Man… the Gremory family really has terrible luck."
He gave Rias's shoulder a casual pat.
She brushed his hand off without hesitation.
Azazel sighed and turned back to the window.
"They're dying like flies," I muttered, watching the magicians outside continue firing uselessly at the barrier—
only to drop moments later.
Azazel gave a small nod.
"Yeah, that's the point. They'll keep showing up no matter how many we knock down. Still… the timing of this attack, the way they're targeting the meeting—it suggests someone with inside information."
He paused.
"Think there might be a traitor here?"
Unexpectedly?
Right.
Because that would be the surprising part.
"How about the White Dragon kid?" I shrugged, like it was the most obvious answer in the room.
Azazel shot me a sideways look, something between amusement and mild annoyance.
"Vali?" he said. "Nah. That idiot wouldn't bother with something this roundabout."
He folded his arms, gaze drifting back toward the chaos outside.
"If Vali wanted to crash this meeting, he'd just kick the front door down and start a fight."
Vali, for his part, gave me a bored shrug.
"If I wanted to interrupt your little peace conference," he said flatly, "I'd already be inside."
His pale eyes flicked toward the window for half a second before drifting back to me.
"And I wouldn't bother hiding behind disposable magicians."
A faint, almost dismissive pause.
"Too inefficient."
You say that, but guess what? I don't trust you at all.
Hyoudou looked completely overwhelmed.
"Can't we just get out of here?"
I smirked.
Priorities, right?
Azazel shook his head.
"We can't. The barrier locks the whole school in place—if we break it, the human world takes the damage. Best to wait.
Sooner or later, the enemy boss will show themselves. Rush out now, and we play right into their hands."
Rias stepped in front of her brother, her patience already thinning.
"Onii-sama, I'll handle it. Gasper is my servant. It's my responsibility to bring him back."
Sirzechs laughed suddenly.
"I know you well enough to expect that. But how do you plan to reach the old school building? Magicians swarm the area outside this new school. Even a standard transfer won't get you through."
Rias' eyes sharpened.
"My base's clubroom has an unused Rook piece safely stored. I'll use it."
"I see—[Castling], huh?" Sirzechs said, nodding. "Since they'll expect a direct approach, this could catch them off-guard. They'll anticipate a trick."
Castling—a technique to instantly swap King and Rook. Perfect, since my Rook piece was broken, the replacement could be used now.
You owe me one, Rias.
Her gaze shifted toward me, a quiet, solemn thanks. I winked back.
"Alright," Sirzechs said. "But it's reckless to go alone. Grayfia, can we transfer more than one person through Castling using my demonic power system?"
"Yes. Only a simple technique ceremony is possible here, but it can transfer ojou-sama and one other," Grayfia replied.
"So… Rias and someone else," Sirzechs mused.
"I'll go too, Sirzechs-sama!" Hyoudou blurted, raising his hand with obvious enthusiasm. Actually… this could work.
"Azazel," Sirzechs continued, "I heard a rumor that you've been researching how to manipulate Sacred Gears for a fixed time. Is that true?"
"Yeah… but why?" Azazel replied cautiously.
"Is it possible to control the Sekiryuutei?"
Azazel went silent for a moment. Then, with a fluid motion, the Fallen Angels' Governor reached into his breast pocket and tossed something to Hyoudou.
"Oi, Sekiryuutei. Take this," Azazel called.
"I-I'm Hyoudou Issei!" he stammered, eyes wide as he inspected the rings.
"They're bracelets. They let you control a Sacred Gear to some extent. Find that half-Vampire kid and put one on him—it'll help him manage his power."
"But… there are two of them?"
"Yeah. One for Gasper, the other… for you. You haven't fully mastered the Welsh Dragon's power, right? Wearing it briefly will let you enter Balance Breaker without paying any cost. It substitutes for the usual price."
Pragmatic, huh. So Rias and Hyoudou are off playing hero, rescuing my compatriot, while I what… sit here twiddling my thumbs?
Watching magicians flop against a barrier like flies? Fantastic.
I leaned against the wall, arms crossed, smirking. Maybe this is the perfect chance to study their "oh-so-special powers" up close… from a safe distance.
"They… they are stronger than Oblivion, n'est-ce pas?" Suzuka murmured beside me, voice quiet, almost hesitant, her accent softening each word.
She was completely uninvested in the big shots.
"Yeah, well… actual magicians," I shrugged. "Still not enough. Sending Oblivion in here? That'd be a one-way ticket to suicidal bombings."
Speaking of which…
"Wouldn't it be faster to just blow away all the terrorists in the old school building—and the half-Vampire who's causing trouble?"
Vali said it like breathing.
Calm down, you little sociopath.
"Not the time, Vali. We're trying to be peaceful for once. Worst case, sure, we do that—but if we can save a member of the Maou family, it's better for us in the long run."
"Understood."
Vali gave a lazy nod, exhaling, and wings of light unfurled from his back.
"—Balance Break."
[Vanishing Dragon Balance Breaker!!!!!!!!]
A snow-white aura blazed around him. When it faded, his body was encased in radiant full-body armor. Balance Breaker, check.
Hyoudou's eyes widened, a mix of awe and intimidation.
Then, outside, a shockwave hit. The magicians were utterly trampled by the walking battle freak.
Sure. Let him have all the fun while I sit on the sidelines. Perfect.
"Azazel, back to business," Sirzechs said.
"Yeah, what about it?"
"What's your goal with collecting Sacred Gears? You've gathered Longinus owners too, right? Planning to kill God even though He's long gone?"
Azazel shook his head calmly.
"It's… preparation."
"Preparation?" Michael raised an eyebrow. "Sounds unsettling, even if you're against war."
"I won't start a war here. But self-defense is necessary. Better to be ready for trouble from any side."
"Then?"
"—The Khaos Brigade."
"…Khaos… Brigade?"
"I only confirmed their name and background recently. My Vice Governor Shemhaza has also been monitoring them. They're gathering dangerous members from all three major powers. Some humans with Balance Breaker Sacred Gears are included, as well as several Longinus possessors."
"So, Oblivion, LaVey, Kokabiel… the Old Maou Faction. Basically the supernatural version of Iran's Axis of Resistance," I shrugged.
"This kid gets it," Azazel laughed.
"Do I get a cookie?" I asked flatly.
Azazel's eyes flicked toward me, an amused glint beneath his serious gaze.
"You can have a cookie… once you stop acting like an insufferable bystander and actually pay attention."
He folded his arms, tone almost teasing, but there was an edge of warning underneath.
"Balance Breakers aren't for show, Kokonoe. Even you should recognize when it's time to observe—and when it's time to move."
"How do I reach my Balance Breaker, then?" I asked, tilting my head.
Azazel shrugged casually. "You turned a mid-range Gear like the Freezing Archaeopteryx into a missile launcher. Figuring out your Balance Breaker should take no time at all."
Yeah. Thanks for the pep talk.
Michael cut in, asking the obvious.
"What's their goal?"
Azazel shrugged.
"Destruction and mayhem. It's that simple. They don't like this world's peace. They're terrorists. And, well… extremely ill-natured."
Yeah. Captain Obvious.
"The organisation's leader is a fiendish Dragon—beyond the Welsh Dragon and Vanishing Dragon."
[—!]
Everyone except me froze at that revelation.
Oh. Shit. So the Axis powers are basically being led by a dragon emperor.
"…I see. That means the Ouroboros Dragon, Ophis… the Dragon even God feared… the one reigning as the strongest since the world began, has made a move."
Sirzechs's expression darkened.
I shot them a glance.
"And if I'm reading this right, LaVey wants Transylvania for Hungary. Romanian vampires aren't getting off easy. Looks like the Khaos Brigade might've already infiltrated Romania."
Azazel tilted his head slightly, eyes narrowing as he studied the map in his mind.
"Yes. LaVey's ambitions align with the Brigade's objectives. Transylvania is strategic, not sentimental. As for Romania, yes… infiltration has begun, though it's still contained. The question isn't if they'll expand—they will. It's when we choose to stop them."
He let that hang, his tone almost casual, but the weight behind it was unmistakable.
"Which is why patience—and precise action—is necessary. Rushing in blindly won't change anything except accelerate their plans."
I'll cross that threshold when we get there.
Then, without warning, a magic circle materialized in the middle of the room.
"I see. So you've come! The mastermind this time—" Sirzechs began, his voice steady.
He turned to the white-haired maid at his side.
"Grayfia, transfer Rias and Ise-kun immediately."
"Yes, Sirzechs-sama."
Grayfia moved efficiently, guiding Rias and Hyoudou to a corner of the meeting room. A faint circle glowed beneath their feet.
"Ojou-sama, I wish you fortune in battle," she said, her tone calm, precise.
"W-Wait, Grayfia!? Onii-sama!" Rias stammered, caught off guard.
Before anyone could react further, the pair was engulfed in the shimmering light of transfer.
I crossed my arms, leaning against the wall. Perfect. Leave the heroics to them while I get to observe the chaos safely… and maybe make a few sarcastic notes in my head.
The glowing magic circle bloomed in the center of the room like a poisonous flower—pure white, edged in deep oceanic blue, the unmistakable crest of the original Leviathan clan. No fanfare, no warning chant. Just sudden, arrogant presence.
A tall figure stepped out first, tan skin gleaming under the conference lights, long brown hair pinned in a severe bun with a headset-like accessory.
Purple eyes scanned the room with the bored superiority of someone who'd already won, in her little head.
Her dress—deep purple, low-cut enough to make even Hyoudou blush if he were still here, high slits flashing leg with every step—screamed dominance.
She adjusted her glasses with one manicured finger, lips curling into a slow, venomous smile.
"Kukuku…"
The laugh rolled out low and mocking, echoing off the walls like distant thunder over water.
Sirzechs straightened, crimson eyes narrowing. Serafall's pen froze mid-twirl, her magical-girl cheer evaporating into something sharper. Michael folded his wings tighter. Azazel's grin didn't fade, but his posture shifted—ready.
"The mastermind this time," Sirzechs finished smoothly, voice calm as ever, "is Katerea Leviathan."
She inclined her head slightly, mockingly polite.
"How observant, current Lucifer. Yes, I am Katerea Leviathan—descendant of the true Leviathan, blood heir to the original Satan." Her gaze slid to Serafall like a blade. "And you, little fake… don't worry. Today, I'll kill you right here and reclaim the title of Maou Leviathan for myself."
Serafall blinked once, then tilted her head with forced brightness. "Katerea-chan… still so bitter? We can talk this out, you know~!"
"Shut your mouth, pretender." Katerea's aura flared—dark, watery power coiling like serpents around her. "This farce of a peace treaty ends now. The Old Satan Faction has allied with the Khaos Brigade. Ophis will rise as the god of the new world. A symbol is enough—the system, the laws, the doctrine… we will construct them. Your era—Michael, Azazel, Sirzechs—is over."
She raised a hand, magic condensing into crackling spheres of abyssal energy. "I'll start by erasing the usurpers. Starting with you, Serafall."
The room tensed—Grayfia stepping forward silently, Vali's eyes glinting with bored interest, Michael radiating quiet sorrow. Outside, the magicians' volleys still hammered uselessly against the barrier, but now they felt like background noise. This was the real threat.
I leaned against the wall, arms crossed, watching the drama unfold. Great. Budget villain entrance. She's got the dress, the laugh, the grudge—classic Old Satan package.
But if she's tied to the Khaos Brigade… and LaVey's Oblivion cut ties with the Old bunch over their devil-on-devil genocide plans, then… what now?
Suzuka shifted closer, her fingers brushing lightly against my sleeve. "Kokonoe-kun… she's strong."
"Yeah," I muttered. "Strong enough to make this so-called 'peace' look like a joke. Her family's got the Leviathan title stamped on them from birth—basically the Targaryens of the underworld."
Azazel chuckled, stepping forward casually. "Well, well. The original Leviathan's kid finally shows her face. Gotta say, the family resemblance to Serafall is… lacking. More 'try-hard tyrant' than 'magical girl.'"
Katerea's eyes snapped to him. "Fallen scum. You'll die screaming."
Azazel spread his hands. "Promises, promises. But if you're here to crash the party… let's dance."
Her spheres launched—dark orbs streaking toward the leaders. Azazel countered with a casual flick, light spears materializing to intercept. The clash lit the room in blinding flashes.
And here we go. Hero time for the grown-ups. Me? I'll just enjoy the show… until someone decides to drag me into it.
The spheres collided with Azazel's light spears in a storm of black water and golden sparks.
Serafall didn't wait—she twirled her pen once, and a wave of glittering ice magic crashed forward like a magical-girl tsunami, slamming into Katerea's side.
The original Leviathan staggered, dress ripping at the shoulder, but her laugh only grew louder.
"Kukuku! Pathetic! This is the best the current Maou can do?"
She reached into her cleavage and pulled out a small, writhing black snake—Ophis' gift.
Without hesitation she bit down, swallowing it whole.
Her body convulsed. Veins bulged under tan skin. Power exploded outward in a roaring tide of abyssal water and shadow, cracking the conference table and making the barrier outside flicker like a dying bulb.
The room shook. Even Vali's armor hummed in response.
Katerea's eyes glowed crimson-purple. "Now… I am the true Leviathan! Die, usurpers!"
She lunged—water blades the size of cars slicing toward Serafall while a dark vortex spun at Azazel.
The two Maou-level fighters met her head-on: Serafall's ice magic clashing in sparkling explosions, Azazel's light spears piercing the waves like golden needles.
For a moment it looked like the fight might actually drag on.
Then a second magic circle tore open behind Katerea—blood-red, edged in silver nails. A tall man in a tailored black coat stepped through, white hair slicked back, golden eyes cold and amused.
Gabor LaVey.
Leader of the Oblivion Syndicate. The Alphecca Tyrant crown already hovering above his head, twelve glowing nails orbiting like hungry predators.
Katerea spun mid-swing, sensing the new presence. "LaVey?! What are you—"
"Surprise, traitor." LaVey's voice was smooth, almost bored. "You really thought we wouldn't find out? Shalba's little speech about 'purifying the bloodline after victory'… killing every reincarnated devil who fought for you. Including us."
Katerea's boosted aura faltered for half a second. "That was never—"
"Save it." LaVey flicked two fingers. The twelve nails shot forward like holy missiles.
They pierced straight through her Ophis-enhanced barriers as if they didn't exist. The first nail slammed into her chest. The second into her stomach. The rest followed in rapid succession.
Katerea screamed.
Her body jerked upright as the Alphecca Tyrant activated.
Golden chains of suppression wrapped around her, draining the stolen Ophis power in visible black wisps that flowed straight into LaVey's crown.
Her legs buckled. The abyssal water magic evaporated. The snake boost reversed—turning from strength into agony as her own demonic energy was siphoned away.
"You… you dare betray the Old Satan Faction?!" she gasped, blood trickling from her lips.
LaVey smiled, cold and sharp. "You were always going to betray us first. Consider this preemptive justice. And a nice power snack for the Syndicate."
Azazel lowered his spear, eyes narrowing. "Well. That escalated quickly."
LaVey simply twisted his hand. The nails pulsed. Katerea's body convulsed one last time, her boosted form collapsing into a withered, powerless husk.
One final wet crack—and she dropped, eyes wide and empty. Dead before she hit the floor.
Yeah. The Axis of Resistance just ate itself alive.
And the real monster just walked in wearing a crown of nails.
LaVey dusted his coat, crown spinning lazily above him like it didn't give a damn. "Old Satans served their purpose. But, well… genocide tends to ruin long-term business deals."
He let his gaze settle on me.
"Kokonoe Takashi. Finally, we meet."
The room went unnervingly quiet.
I raised an eyebrow, letting my smirk do the talking. "So… you're the 'big boss.' Your guys tried to kill me in Săcele. In Budapest. You put me at the top of Oblivion's hit list… and somehow, I'm still here. Impressive… or sloppy. Hard to tell which."
LaVey's lips curled into a thin, unreadable smile.
"Killing you… was never supposed to be complicated. It's just business. You survived because I wanted to see how far you'd go, how much chaos you could stir before the final cut. Consider it… a test."
He eyed me, neutrally.
"Miért beszélsz magyarul, kisfiú?"
Why do I speak Hungarian.
„Fél székely vagyok, te rohadt!," I replied.
LaVey hummed, tilting his head slightly.
"Interesting… but you're still half human. That consciousness of yours? Could be rewritten with the Holy Nail's power."
He lifted his hand slightly — and the air immediately shifted. The Crown of Lombardy‑shaped Sacred Gear he wielded, Alphecca Tyrant, gleamed with a faint holy sheen.
Before I could blink, nails of pure holy aura shot out — not to slice, but to burrow into the space between thought and intent, trying to warp my mind. They weren't typical attacks. They were trying to change how I think.
But.
Nothing.
The nails fizzled against whatever it is reincarnated anomalies come equipped with — some pseudo‑sacred‑gear immune buffer nobody reads about in the brochure.
LaVey's eyes narrowed.
"…You are not human," he said slowly, as if discovering an unexpected footnote in a textbook.
I shrugged, entirely unbothered.
"Reincarnated," I said simply. "Your crown's neat, but it doesn't come with a user manual for my brain."
The holy nails collapsed back into the Sacred Gear, leaving only the faint scent of ozone and LaVey's baffled glare.
I wasted no time. Freezing Archaeopteryx — Nelu — materialized from my wrist, his icy wings unfurling with a sharp hiss.
I leapt onto his back, gripping him tight as his wings snapped open, propelling us skyward. Frost trailed behind us, slicing through the air.
I channeled my mana directly into Nelu, letting the Freezing Archaeopteryx amplify the strike. The Hwasong shot forward, a streak of lethal speed, its reactor loaded with my Romanian poison.
LaVey's eyes widened for a fraction of a second—but he dodged effortlessly.
"Suzuka, now!" I yelled.
"Oui, Kokonoe-kun!"
At my command, the reincarnated French girl surged forward, her wind magic colliding with the missile mid-air. The trajectory snapped sharply toward LaVey before he could react.
Impact.
A sharp grunt escaped him as the strike slammed into his shoulder, forcing him off-balance.
Perfect.
LaVey leapt back, his body convulsing as the Romanian drug cocktail surged through his system.
"You've packed a serious mix in here, boy… but not enough for the Holy Nail to—"
He stumbled, faltering for a heartbeat, before snapping upright like nothing happened.
"Simply rewrite it."
He exhaled through his nose, the sound almost amused.
"Fine. New approach."
The crown spun faster. The twelve nails realigned—not at me this time, but fanning out in a wide arc, holy light pulsing like heartbeat.
The room's temperature dropped a full ten degrees as the suppression aura thickened.
Azazel cracked his knuckles. "Okay, that's enough show-and-tell."
Light spears materialized in both hands, longer and brighter than before. "You just killed an Old Satan in front of three Maou-levels, a Seraph, and the Vanishing Dragon. You really think you're walking out of here?"
Sirzechs stepped forward, crimson power coiling around him like living flame. His usual gentle mask was gone—replaced by the cold, absolute authority of Lucifer.
"You've made your point, LaVey. Now leave. Or we end this here."
Serafall twirled her pen once more, but the sparkle was gone. Her eyes were hard, ice magic already frosting the floor beneath her feet.
"LaVey-kun… you hurt my sister's school, used Gasper-chan, killed Katerea-chan right in front of me. Magical-girl time is over. Time for big-sis mode."
LaVey looked around slowly—taking in Azazel's spears, Sirzechs' aura, Serafall's frost, Vali's bored-but-ready stance, Grayfia's silent silver glare, Michael's quiet sorrow edged with steel.
Then he laughed. Low. Short.
"Impressive lineup. But I didn't come here to die today."
He flicked his wrist. The crown flared once—bright, blinding—and the nails detonated outward in a ring of golden suppression waves.
Not an attack.
A smokescreen.
Holy light flooded the room, forcing everyone to shield their eyes for half a second.
When the glare cleared, LaVey was already stepping back through the same blood-red circle he'd arrived in. The edges were fraying, collapsing fast.
He paused just long enough to lock eyes with me.
"We'll meet again, half-Székely. Transylvania is patient. So am I."
The circle snapped shut behind him like a guillotine.
Silence.
Then Azazel let out a long breath and dismissed his spears.
"Well. That could've gone worse."
Sirzechs exhaled, aura receding. "He's gone. For now."
Serafall's shoulders dropped. She looked at the spot where Katerea's body still lay—withered, empty—and then at the closed circle.
"…He took her power. Just like that."
I stayed where I was, frost slowly melting off my arms. Suzuka hadn't let go of my sleeve the whole time.
The room didn't feel like a battlefield anymore.
It felt like the inside of a church after a funeral — too quiet, too still, too full of things no one wanted to say out loud.
Katerea's corpse lay where it fell.
The floor was cracked.
The air still hummed with leftover holy energy that made my skin itch.
At some point, everyone was unfrozen.
Which meant Rias and Hyoudou pulled it off. They got the kid back.
Yeah. Good for them.
I was a little busy dealing with my brand-new arch-nemesis.
…Oh. And Haruka was back. Hey! Perfect timing.
I let my gaze drift around the room.
And everyone was staring at me.
Not at the dead Leviathan.
Not at the scorch marks.
Not at the fading magic circle.
Me.
Suzuka was the first to move.
She didn't say anything — she just grabbed my sleeve and held on like she was afraid I'd disappear if she blinked.
Haruka stumbled toward me next, still shaky from being frozen earlier. She pressed her forehead against my arm, breath trembling.
"You… you could have died," she whispered.
I snorted. "Please. I've had worse."
Azazel walked over, wings folding behind him. He didn't grin this time. Didn't tease. Didn't throw a joke to break the tension.
He just looked at me — really looked — like he was trying to figure out what the hell I was made of.
"You tanked a direct mind‑rewrite from the Holy Nail," he said quietly. "Do you understand how insane that is?"
"Lucky me," I muttered.
Sirzechs approached next, his aura finally settling. He wasn't smiling. He wasn't calm. He wasn't Lucifer.
He was a man who'd just watched a kid get targeted by a terrorist god‑killer.
"Kokonoe-kun," he said softly, "LaVey didn't test you. He hunted you."
I shrugged, because shrugging is easier than thinking.
"Yeah, well. He missed."
Sirzechs didn't laugh.
No one did.
Michael stepped closer, wings rustling like distant bells. His expression was the same gentle sorrow he wore when he talked about God's death — the kind of look that made me want to punch a wall just to break it.
"You resisted something no human, devil, or angel should be able to resist," he said. "That is not a small thing."
"Good for me," I said. "Do I get a gold star?"
Suzuka's grip tightened.
Haruka's breath hitched.
And that's when I realized my hands were shaking.
Just a little.
Just enough for Suzuka to notice.
She didn't say anything.
She just slid her hand into mine, fingers threading through like she was anchoring me to the floor.
Haruka wrapped her arms around my waist from the side, burying her face against me.
I didn't push them away.
Couldn't.
Azazel exhaled slowly. "Kid… you're not fine."
"I'm standing," I said.
"That's not the same thing."
Sirzechs nodded. "You don't have to pretend strength here."
I looked away — at the cracked floor, the fading holy light, the spot where LaVey vanished.
Pretend strength?
I wasn't pretending.
I was just… used to it.
Used to being hunted.
Used to being targeted.
Used to being the one who survives by accident or spite.
But Suzuka's hand was warm.
Haruka's grip was steady.
And for the first time in a long time, the room wasn't empty around me.
"…I'm fine," I said again, quieter.
Suzuka shook her head. "Non. You're alive. That is not the same."
Haruka looked up at me, eyes wet. "You scared me."
I swallowed.
Hard.
Azazel clapped a hand on my shoulder — not playful, not mocking, just solid.
"Welcome to the big leagues, Kokonoe. You're done sitting on the sidelines."
Sirzechs nodded. "And you're not facing LaVey alone."
Michael added, "Not anymore."
I didn't answer.
Didn't trust my voice to stay steady.
So I just stood there, letting Suzuka and Haruka hold onto me while the leaders of Heaven, Hell, and the Fallen watched in silence.
The war started.
And whether I liked it or not…
I was in it now.