「By the way,」 Asem's voice rang out, 「unless you destroy the core system at the heart of this pseudo-world, these numbers will only continue to grow. I've designated one of the Trihexa bodies as a dedicated power source. It can produce soldiers almost infinitely. And I... am the one at the controls.」
Asem raised a single finger, his expression cold.
「In short: this war will not end until you defeat both Trihexa and me.」
The coming invasion would consist of seven Trihexas, an army of Evil Dragons and Cloned Red Dragon Emperors, and a legion of colossal Magic Gods. To stop the tide, we had to defeat Trihexa. But even that wouldn't be enough—we had to kill Asem. And if we killed Asem but failed to stop Trihexa, we would still be erased.
The sheer intensity of the coming conflict paralyzed everyone in the room. Even our most dire imaginations couldn't keep pace with the reality Asem was describing. This wasn't just a battle; it was a struggle for the very right to exist.
As Asem's broadcast reached every corner of the human world, I knew the panic there would be even worse. We had to do something, or society would collapse before the first dragon even landed.
I felt a group of presences approaching.
"So this is where you all were."
Maurice-san appeared, followed by the rest of the group from Issei-kun's room.
Immediately, I felt a shift in the atmosphere. Maurice-san, Leisha-san, Alice-san—and especially Miu-san—looked unusually grim.
"Miu...?" Rias-senpai asked, noticing her expression. "What's wrong?"
Miu-san kept her eyes fixed on the projection of Asem, her gaze sharp. "Those clothes... the robes he's wearing... those belonged to the past Demon King of Ast-Arde. Some of the ornaments have been changed, but the design is unmistakable."
We all froze. The robes of a past Demon King? Miu-san's ancestor? Asem had traded his casual white hoodie for the regalia of a conqueror from another world.
"Does he intend to bring this world down as a Demon King?" Maurice-san mused. "Either way, he's a piece of work. This is my first time seeing his power firsthand, and 'unprecedented' doesn't even begin to cover it."
For Maurice-san—a man of legendary strength—to call Asem's power "unprecedented" was a chilling endorsement of the threat.
Azazel-sensei turned to him. "Is he even beyond you? Even for a 'Transcendental Human' like yourself?"
A Transcendental Human. It was a strange title, but fitting for a man like Maurice.
"I'm a Devil now, remember?" Maurice-san replied with a wry smile. "Hard to say without trading blows, but in a straight fight, he'd likely have the upper hand. I hear he was still holding back against Issei at full power. Even I wouldn't want to go toe-to-toe with Issei when he's firing on all cylinders."
Maurice-san was likely referring to Issei-kun's 'Oppaiser' form—a name Azazel-sensei had come up with that was as ridiculous as the power it granted was absolute.
"That's a surprisingly humble thing for a 'Sword Saint' to say," Azazel remarked.
"Give me a break. What do you people think I am? Stop putting so much pressure on a fragile old man."
"If you're 'fragile,' then most of the world is already dead," Azazel snorted. "So, he's a monster even you find daunting. Well, that much was obvious the moment we saw him handle Issei."
I looked back at the sky. Asem was still smiling—that same thin, arrogant curve of the lips. His eyes seemed to scan the world, and for a moment, I felt as though he was looking directly at me.
It was a visceral sensation—as if my very soul had been snared. A single look felt like he was peering through my skin, reading every secret and every fear.
Was he aware we had regrouped with Maurice-san? It seemed impossible for him to track individual movements while broadcasting to the entire world, but with Asem, "impossible" was a dangerous word.
「Three days.」
The sudden ultimatum caught us off guard.
「In three days, we will begin our march upon the entire world. Run if you wish. Fight if you dare. Cling to your pathetic pride or close your eyes to reality—it makes no difference to me. I will leave the Gates open, so if you feel brave enough, you are welcome to come and try to take my head. Until the clock runs out, we will not strike. Use the time to prepare yourselves.」
It was a repeat of Rizevim's tactics during the attack on Auros Academy. Rizevim had given us time so he could focus on stealing Agreas. What was Asem's goal?
"What is he playing at?" Rias-senpai asked, her brow furrowed. "This is the perfect moment to strike while the world is in chaos. Is he plotting something in the shadows? Or is there a reason he can't move yet?"
"With an army that size, 'can't move' seems unlikely," Azazel-sensei muttered, rubbing his chin. "They could march right now if they wanted to. Which means..."
Leisha-san spoke up. "It's possible his only goal is simply to give us time."
"To toy with us?" Azazel suggested.
It fit his personality. Asem had spent every encounter mocking our efforts, treating our world like a sandbox. Declaring war on every god simultaneously and then giving them a head start was the ultimate display of confidence.
「Think carefully,」 Asem said, his voice echoing across the globe one last time. 「Think about what you must do to survive. What this world must do to survive. Every individual must find their purpose; only then will you stand a chance against Trihexa and me.」
He paused, his expression shifting into something almost pitying.
「The way you are now... it isn't enough. This world has to change. If it doesn't... it will simply be erased.」
With that final, ominous warning, the projection vanished, leaving only the yawning black maws of the Gates hanging in the sky.
[Kiba's Perspective: End]
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