Terror.
A word derived from the Latin terrēre.
It's the feeling of fear or phobia at its absolute peak.
If fear can be defined as a survival mechanism...
Then it stands to reason that terror sets in once fear has overwhelmed the brain's controls, past the point where rational thought is even possible anymore.
Terror brings with it certain natural reactions.
Complete bodily paralysis.
Cold sweat.
Panic.
A regression into childhood memories.
In the worst cases, it can even cause death, via cardiac arrest.
The word "terror" is also used to describe literary, film, or comic genres whose entire purpose is to provoke a sensation of extreme fear in the reader or viewer.
"Terror" is likewise the name given to the period of the French Revolution, between June 1793 and July 1794, during which thousands of enemies — real or merely suspected — of the Revolution were executed.
The term "terrorism," derived from terror, refers to a method of political action aimed at instilling fear in a social, racial, or religious group, a community, or a city — and in some cases, at destabilizing the State itself and pushing forward a revolution.
The usual causes of terror are fear of demons.
Ghosts.
Monsters.
Folk beliefs.
Apparitions.
Suggestion.
Or any number of things that happen around people experiencing this particular emotional state.
So then...
Would I fall into the category of "demon"? Or "monster"?
I don't know...
And I don't think Rizevim knew either, back then.
At least, not in that moment.
........
**** Great Hyoudou Residence — Basement ****
Two hours had passed since "the Gates of Hell" had first been thrown open.
Rizevim Livan Lucifer was dodging in sheer panic, HUGE blasts of demonic power tearing across the width of what used to be the Training Room, now nothing but ruins, running for his very life.
With an absolutely furious Hyoudou Issei hurling blasts of demonic power at him easily strong enough to disintegrate a High-Class devil.
Euclid Lucifage and the legendary Maou Satan were desperately trying to stop the enraged brown-haired boy, who was trying to kill — no, let's be honest, annihilate — the poor descendant of a Maou.
Euclid tried freezing the boy's legs with brutally dense ice, but the little chestnut-haired kid shattered through it with absurd ease.
Satan hurled massive blasts of demonic power at him, but just like the ice, the little boy simply dodged them with a mastery utterly unbefitting his young age and complete lack of experience, or deflected them with only mild difficulty.
But none of that slowed the relentless little boy down one bit.
"What the hell happened to him, I just said he looked cute!" Rizevim exclaimed, disbelieving and terrified, dodging like a madman the blasts of power his own godson — his own "uncle" — kept hurling at him.
........
Yeah, Rizevim is both my godfather and my nephew.
How is that even possible, when he's got at least ten thousand years on me?
The godfather part, sure, fine, that one makes sense.
But nephew?
Well, see, according to the Family's genealogical tree, despite being vastly younger than my father's asexually-conceived children, I'm still technically part of the "first generation" of Satan's children.
Which means, logically, Lucifer counts as my older brother.
And Rizevim is my older brother's son.
So in theory, that makes him my nephew.
Despite the ABSOLUTELY ridiculous age gap between us.
And just so you all know, this isn't even that weird.
I know a five-year-old who's technically the uncle of a sixteen-year-old, and nobody bats an eye at that.
But it does get me thinking...
If Rizevim's got at least, what, a hundred thousand years on me...
Okay, maybe not quite that much...
And back when he was a kid, the First Great War was at its peak...
Just how many centuries ago did the Great Wars even happen?
........
"SHUT UP, RIZEVIM-SAMA, CAN'T YOU SEE YOU'RE MAKING IT WORSE!" Euclid Lucifage shouted in desperation, and seeing that freezing his beloved little brother's legs hadn't worked, he opted to freeze the boy's entire body instead...
Which also didn't work, since the ice melted the instant it touched little Issei's black aura.
"Where are you going, Uncle Rizevim? I just want to play with you for a bit," little Issei said, in a voice so eerie it sent chills down the spine of everyone present.
His father was terrified.
He knew exactly where that voice was coming from.
And it filled him with absolute dread, thinking about what it might do to his youngest son.
"Abstine a filio meo, pars maligna!" Satan roared, furious.
(Latin translation: "Evil side, stay away from my son!")
"Ahahahaha, would you look at that. So this little brat is your youngest son, isn't he, Elohim — or should I say, Satan?" the "evil side" answered, hatred dripping from every word.
"Præcipio tibi in nomine meo, hoc solum corpus fatear! Obeditis quae ego praecipio tibi!" Satan roared, invoking the [Temptation].
(Latin translation: "I command you in my name, leave this body you have possessed! Obey me, I command it!")
"You dare use my own power against me?" the "evil side" shouted, furious, and using Issei's body — whose eyes, by the way, had gone blood-red — it stopped chasing Rizevim and began charging an enormous amount of demonic energy into Issei's palms.
"PRÆCIPIO TIBI IN NOMINE MEO, HOC SOLUM CORPUS FATEAR! OBEDITIS QUAE EGO PRAECIPIO TIBI!" Satan commanded, invoking the [Temptation] at a level well beyond normal.
Issei's body began pouring out even more aura, but this time...
[Boost] [Boost] [Boost] [Boost] [Boost] [Boost] [Boost] [Boost] [Boost] [Boost]...
It forced the Boosted Gear to activate, sending Euclid and Rizevim into pure horror as they watched the boy's aura grow and grow.
But just when it seemed like the whole thing was about to erupt into an epic battle to the death...
"Hey, creepy voice, didn't you say if I let you use me, you'd help make sure nobody calls me a monkey anymore?" Issei said, in his own normal voice, one of his eyes already fading back to its usual honey-brown.
Throwing everyone present into confusion, but especially his father, who developed a nervous twitch...
And an overwhelming urge to strangle his son for being so recklessly irresponsible!
"Are you seriously calling me out right now, brat?" the "evil side" asked, furious, clutching its head as if fighting something inside its own mind.
"Yes, creepy voice, I am calling you out. We had a clear agreement — you'd only give him a 'deterrent,' the kind Dad talks about in his meetings. 'Deterrents' are supposed to just be intense conversations, not a beatdown! And besides, look how ugly I look right now!" Issei exclaimed, annoyed.
Sure enough, the half of Issei he controlled looked perfectly normal.
While the other half was covered in black runes stretching from his neck as far as the eye could see.
(For reference, picture Orochimaru's "Cursed Seal" from the anime Naruto.)
Satan broke out in a cold sweat.
Euclid and Rizevim began releasing their auras with brutal force, cracking the ground beneath them, both shooting Satan a death glare.
"BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA, I can't believe this. You never even told him what your 'deterrents' actually are, Elohim?" the "evil side" asked, delighted, writhing on the ground inside Issei's body from sheer laughter at the boy's ignorance.
"Papa... what's it talking about?" the little boy asked, confused.
"Nothing, son, it's just trying to trick you. And out of curiosity, how did you even find out about my business dealings?" Satan asked, curious.
"Your study's right above my room, I can hear everything you talk about with your friends," Issei answered simply.
"'Friends,' Issei — a little more respect for my business associates," Satan corrected.
"Sorry," Issei apologized.
"Enough talk. Anyone who interrupts the contract must die," the "evil side" said darkly, beginning to charge demonic power once more.
"You said it yourself, Berserker, but... didn't your contractor ask you to give Rizevim a simple 'deterrent'?" Satan asked, a devilish smile spreading across his face.
"That's true, I nearly forgot," the "evil side" said, pointing at Rizevim, who immediately went on guard alongside his Right Hand.
(Traitor!)
That was the exact thought running through both Rizevim's and Euclid's minds as they watched the now-identified Berserker aim Issei's hands straight at them.
"But — as Issei's probably already told you, all I wanted was a much milder 'deterrent.' A little chat that, in the world of my 'business dealings,' ultimately amounts to a simple show of power," Satan continued, slowly approaching his son.
"Whew..." the two devils sighed in relief.
"Fair enough, but—" the now-named Berserker tried to say.
"You didn't even deny it when Issei called you out on it, so Rizevim — is it clear to you now that you must NEVER AGAIN CALL ISSEI A 'MONKEY'?" Satan asked, putting special emphasis on one particular word.
"Yes, sir, perfectly clear," Rizevim and Euclid answered in unison, the latter adding it just to be safe, both snapping into a military salute.
"Well then, there you have it — contract fulfilled. You've completed your job, you're free to go, your payment's already been arranged," Satan said, resting a hand on the shoulder of his now much-less-possessed son.
"The contract isn't over until both parties agree it is," Berserker said darkly, about to unleash its aura again, until—
[Interesting, partner. For a moment there I actually thought that would work.]
"Serkiyuttei?" Rizevim exclaimed, pleasantly surprised.
"Yeah, I thought it'd work too. This whole business thing is way harder than you made it sound," Issei said, scratching the back of his head.
"Wait... since when do you two talk?" Euclid asked.
"Since Berserker offered me the 'deterrent.' And speaking of which, Onii-chan, can you explain what 'Cosa Nostra' means?" the little boy answered.
Euclid had no idea what to say.
What the hell had that red lizard been teaching him?
"Onii-chan, watch what you're thinking, the Heavenly Dragon Emperor deserves a little more respect!" Issei exclaimed, offended.
[Finally, someone who demands the respect I deserve! Every previous wielder I've had, save for two, has brought me nothing but shame and degrading nicknames!] Ddraig exclaimed, deeply moved, looking like he was on the verge of tears.
Everyone present, Berserker included, sprouted a giant anime-style sweatdrop.
"In that case, Ddraig, I think we'll need to go with 'Plan B,'" the little boy thought out loud.
"'Plan B'?" Berserker asked, fearfully.
He might not technically have a spine...
But that gave him an incredibly bad feeling!
[In that case, let's begin!]
"I'm ready," the little boy exclaimed, brimming with resolve.
"Ready for what?" Satan asked, though he didn't really need to — he knew exactly what Berserker was like, and besides, he'd been listening in on his son's conversation with the Red Dragon this whole time.
It was a strange plan.
You could tell at a glance a child had come up with it.
But it would work.
After all, his son had made it.
"Let's burn him alive!" Issei shouted happily.
"WHAT!?" Berserker asked, in disbelief.
"Roar, Ddraig, roar!" the little chestnut-haired boy shouted, making his Boosted Gear blaze with light.
GROOOOOAAAAARRRRRRR
The dragon roared, setting the "contaminated" half of Issei ablaze.
"AAAAARGHHHH!" Berserker screamed in pain, vanishing from Issei's body.
The three super-devils present (well, Euclid didn't technically qualify as one, so let's promote him for the moment) stood there in complete disbelief at what they'd just witnessed.
"IT WORKED!" the little boy shouted happily, jumping for joy.
BOOM
Satan unleashed his aura with brutal force, terrifying his youngest son.
"Issei, what have I told you about listening to strangers — especially unknown voices inside your own head?" Satan asked, his voice absolutely terrifying.
"You're right about strangers, but you never said anything about unknown voices inside my head," Issei answered.
PLOP
Like something out of a Condorito comic strip, all three devils collapsed to the ground, flat on their backs, feet in the air.
[As I explained to you a few minutes ago, this is what's called a "loophole."]
"Interesting. So if you find another way to interpret a contract, you can bend it however you want," the little boy mused aloud once more, striking a thoughtful pose.
"For the love of God, what the hell did that dragon teach him?" Rizevim asked, getting a small headache just from having said his worst enemy's name.
........