— — — — — —
At the foot of Mount Meru, hidden in the shadows—
The purple glow of a magic circle illuminated half of Rizevim's face. Looking up toward the pavilion atop the mountain, his expression shifted as he hurriedly asked the cloaked figure beside him, "Nebiros, how much longer until the interdimensional passage is complete?"
Nebiros, one of the houses descended from Lucifer and Rizevim's most trusted subordinate, was responsible for magical research and development.
"My apologies, Lord Rizevim. You'll need to buy me another five minutes." His hands moved rapidly, drawing complex magical formulas across the ground with the blood of demonic beasts. His voice was low and hoarse.
"Five minutes?" Rizevim tugged at his tie and gritted his teeth. "At this rate, I'm not sure I can survive ten seconds. The monster up there is beyond anything imaginable."
He took a deep breath, "Forget the success rate. Finish it as fast as possible. I have no intention of dying in this boring world."
With that, he turned and walked up the mountain path, meeting Ryo's gaze head-on.
At the summit. Standing before the shattered glass observation platform of the pavilion, Ryo stepped forward.
One step. And he appeared thirty meters ahead, directly on the marble-paved mountain road before Rizevim.
Looking at him with mild surprise, Ryo said, "You're behaving in a way I didn't expect."
As he spoke, his eyes drifted toward Nebiros. A playful smile appeared on his face.
"A spatial ritual. And on this scale, too." He paused. "...Don't tell me you're trying to escape to another world?"
A bead of sweat slid down Rizevim's cheek.
Forcing a smile, he took a deep breath and replied with exaggerated cheerfulness. "Ara, ara. What makes you think I'd go to another world instead of summoning Trihexa where it's sealed?"
"Oh?" Ryo raised an eyebrow. "Lilith told me about you. A clown who's grown tired of this world and dreams of invading another one."
"Rizevim, you're saying your mother's assessment was wrong?"
Rizevim's face twitched.
The thought of Lilith, a monster every bit as terrifying as Ryo, made his confidence waver. Even so, he clenched his teeth and continued stalling for time.
"I never expected you to acknowledge me as Lilith's son." Rizevim spread his hands. "You should know that the Devil council was doing everything it could to distance me from her. In fact, that policy came directly from Lady Lilith herself."
"Algol?"
Ryo gave him another look.
Rizevim's appearance had long since passed middle age. Yet his natural silver hair and the handsome features inherited from the original Lucifer remained striking. The beard only added mature charm instead of diminishing his looks.
Walking down a street, he would probably attract plenty of young admirers who liked older men.
But if the admirer in question was Algol...
Ryo suddenly understood.
"You've misunderstood." He shook his head. "Lilith didn't deny you because of politics or power."
"Then why?"
Rizevim genuinely looked puzzled.
Part of this conversation was a delaying tactic, but he had honestly never understood why Lilith had been so eager to sever all ties with him.
She wasn't his biological mother, true, but he'd made his loyalty clear from the moment they met.
In theory, no one should willingly throw away a subordinate as capable as him.
Ryo looked at him sympathetically, "She's just disgusted by how ugly you are."
Rizevim froze.
"You mean... me?" He pointed at his own face. "This face?"
He had imagined countless explanations.
Fear of his personality. Political maneuvering. A plot orchestrated by Sirzechs and the others.
Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined the reason was that Algol thought he was ugly.
What kind of ridiculous answer was that?
With genuine pity in his eyes, Ryo replied, "I don't think you're ugly. But she does. And that's all that matters."
Rizevim's mouth twitched. "That isn't a very funny joke."
Ryo shrugged and flexed his fingers. "Anyway, I've already given you two minutes to stall. Finished your last words yet?"
"Are you certain you want to kill me?" Rizevim reached up, removed his tie, and began unbuttoning his shirt.
As the fabric parted, intricate magical patterns covering his chest came into view.
"I've linked my life directly to Trihexa." His voice turned serious. "If I die here, Trihexa will awaken. At that point, it will break free from the seal and invade reality. Its first battle might very well be against you."
A knowing smile appeared on his face. "You've already seen the gateway Nebiros is constructing behind me. If Trihexa enters this world, the passage to the other world will open as well. The Evil Gods on the other side will bypass Great Red and invade this world without difficulty."
Rizevim fixed Ryo with a solemn stare.
Each word was delivered slowly and deliberately.
"So tell me. Are you truly prepared to kill me?"
Ryo fell silent.
He stared at Rizevim as if carefully considering the malicious threat.
Then he took a deep breath. His expression grew unusually grave.
The seriousness lasted all of three seconds.
Then he burst out laughing, "Hahaha! There's actually something this good?"
Rizevim blinked.
"What?" His confidence faltered. "What exactly are you laughing at?"
"I originally thought I'd only get the three Evil Gods from the ExE world." Ryo grinned. "Who would've thought I'd get Trihexa thrown in as a bonus?"
"This is like celebrating two happy occasions at once."
Rizevim's eyes widened. "What are you talking about?"
"Go in peace. You did well." Ryo flipped his palm downward.
The atmosphere trembled. The clear sky darkened instantly as countless storm clouds gathered overhead. The clouds merged into a colossal gray hand.
Then it descended, straight toward Rizevim.
BOOM!
A deafening explosion erupted.
Dust filled the sky.
But before the dust could even settle, a thunderous, beast-like roar exploded across the world.
...
Meanwhile, inside a black-and-purple spacecraft shaped like a futuristic fighter in the ExE world, warning alarms blared across the massive command deck.
A mechanical giant seated before the radar console glanced at the display and immediately opened a communication channel to the vessel's master.
"Radar has detected an abnormal dimensional reaction. It appears a new inter-world passage has opened!"
.
.
.